AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Between getting an accurate count on the remaining herd and tracking down strays, the two of us worked hard until dark, when we were forced to stop and set up a hasty camp. I was exhausted and sore and mad as hell when I radioed in to fill Jed in on where things stood and asked him and Hiram to ride out in the morning to bring more supplies and help us get things fixed. Once we were done making plans, I asked to speak to Richard.
“I think he turned in early,” Jed said. “We didn’t get back until about half an hour ago, and the lights were already out in the bunkhouse. Want me to wake him up?”
My chest ached with the need to hear Richard’s voice. I just wanted to close my eyes and listen to him tell me about his day and let his voice carry me to sleep. Instead, I sighed and told Jed no. “I’ll catch up with him tomorrow.”
Except I didn’t hear from Richard the next day either. Apparently, Jed and Hiram left before he was awake. Then it started raining midmorning, the storm growing worse through the day, making every single task take that much longer. We’d gotten the strays back in the pasture and worked by the light of portable lamps Jed had brought with him to get the last of the fence repaired. It was past midnight before we finished and collapsed into the tent.
Despite the late night, I was up at first light. “Let’s go,” I called out to the others. “We ride for home in thirty minutes.”
It was in that moment that I realized just how hard I’d fallen for Richard. Because when I thought about home, it wasn’t the ranch or the main house I pictured; it was him. It was his ridiculously sequined cowboy hat and him singing to the horses when he mucked their stalls. It was his spirit fingers on the riding mower and the way he crafted costumes for the animals just to make them happy.
It was the way my chest filled with desire when I saw his smile and the way his hand fit perfectly into mine. It was the way he tasted and how he looked when he was naked and needy under the stars.
It was waking up next to him every morning and wanting that every day for the rest of my life.
I’d been lying to myself when I thought I could sleep with him and not want more. I wanted more. I wanted everything.
Richard still had half a week left to win his bet with Oscar. Which meant I had that long to figure out how to make it work between us. To convince him to build a future with me.
The entire ride back to the ranch, my chest fluttered with the anticipation of seeing Richard again. I felt like a teenager with a crush, unable to stop the grin from spreading across my face at the mere thought of him. As we came over the final ridge and the barns were finally in sight, I gave Victory free rein and let him take off.
We flew across the final pasture, the wind blowing through my hair as I let out a joyous whoop that I was only moments away from seeing Richard again.
But it wasn’t Richard who greeted me in the main yard; it was Sheriff Chisolm and two of his deputies. Beside them stood Walt Hosser, who had a look on his face like the cat who ate the canary.
A sour taste flooded my mouth, and I forced a smile as I dismounted. “Sheriff,” I said with a nod. “Nice to see you again. Everything okay?”
Walt’s shit-eating grin grew larger. “Not for you, asshole.”
Sheriff Chisolm cut him a warning look. “No starting any trouble, Walt. You gave your word. Or else we’re going to have to send you back home.”
Walt pressed his lips shut but didn’t bother hiding the gleam in his eyes. Behind me, I heard the rest of my men trotting into the yard and dismounting. Hiram came forward, taking Victory’s reins. “You okay, boss?” he asked under his breath.
“I’m fine. Why don’t you have Tyler handle the horses?” I wasn’t sure what Walt was doing here, but whatever it was, I figured Tyler didn’t need to see any of it, and it would probably be easier if he was out of sight.
I turned back to the sheriff and crossed my arms. “What can I do for you, Sheriff?”
The sheriff blew out a breath. “Walt’s pressing criminal charges for what happened to his cows.”
“Jesus Christ,” I spat under my breath. “You know I had nothing to do with that.”
“Unfortunately, given the nature of the accusations, we’re going to need you to come down to the station to answer a few questions.”
