AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So, unless I screw up somehow, I’ll be in charge for a week come the end of September.”
“Will you have to stay there?”
“No. I can still come home to beat you at rummy every night.”
“I was more concerned about what comes after rummy.”
“I’ll be home for that, too.”
She rose onto her elbow again. “Will you promise me something?”
“Anything.”
“Will you promise we’ll always be more concerned with what comes after the rummy?”
“Honey. As long as I’m able to get the job done, I guarantee you I’ll never lose interest in what comes after the rummy.”
She sat up and looked around. “So, no one comes up here?”
“Nope. Pretty isolated.”
“No tourists or random cowboys riding through to water their horses at the creek?”
“I would imagine that’d be a pretty rare occurrence.” He grinned at her. “So you won’t go skinning dipping with me. But you’ll go carnal on this here blanket in the tall green grass under the mid-afternoon New Mexico sun?”
She smiled. “Yeah. I think I just might.”
He pulled her down and kissed her, then smiled at her. “This isn’t the way I usually end my trail rides.”
“I hope not. Although I bet some of thefemale tourists wouldn’t mind.”
“Hmm. I’ll have to bring it up to Everett.”
She laughed. “Don’t you dare. This is the only cowgirl you’re allowed to go carnal with under the mid-afternoon New Mexico sun.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Chapter twenty
"Chocolate chip cookies?"
July turned into August, and with the start of the school year, Scott’s visits stopped. Tourist season was winding down too, so business was getting slower at the horse ranch. But the horses still needed to be taken care of and exercised, so John was still working his twenty to twenty-five hours a week. He loved it and didn’t mind spending most of his time with horses instead of people. He and Everett got along great, and it was a pleasure working for him.
Ember worked the same hours as John at the clinic, so when they were home, they were home together. John continued to make breakfast for them, and Ember made dinner. Doing the dishes every night was a ritual they both enjoyed, and they’d continue the conversations they started during dinner about their days.
They’d spend their evenings playing cards, looking at the stars, or reading. John bought himself a guitar and often played for Ember.She tried to convince him to sing to her, but he’d tested out his voice a few times when he was alone and determined singing wasn’t one of his talents. Ember was becoming quite the horsewoman and they’d take long trail rides on the weekends weather permitting.
When it was time for bed every night, they had no problem keeping their pledges to each other to not lose interest in the very active and adventurous sex life they began July fourth.
John was happy and as the months began going by, he thought less and less about the family he may be leaving behind. The painful flashes and vivid dreams stopped, and he liked his new reality. Ember’s impossible dream scenario of them spending the rest of their lives together in Schaeffer Mills seemed more and more attainable as the time passed.
It was the last week of October and they had gotten their first snow. It was just a few inches, but the weather stayed cold and what snow fell stayed on the ground. The clinic was quieter than usual, since everyone was avoiding going out and Ember was about to go home for the day.
She was surprised when John and Everett came through the door. Her first thought was that something had happened to John. But she soon realized he was helping Everett.
She went to them. “What happened?”
Everett grumbled. “Damn ice.”
