Page 50 of When a Cowboy Falls Hard
“Mari must’ve done a little more cleaning. Doesn’t look too bad, considering.”
“In the morning we could move them to a different stall and do a thorough job.”
“Good idea.” He gave her a sideways glance. “Whatcha thinking, Zin?”
“This little colt is a blank slate and I’ve never trained a foal before. Plus I need to include Tex in the program, and I’m not sure how to do that, either.”
“You gonna monopolize that job?”
She looked over and caught his smile. “No, of course not.”
“I admit I’ve never trained a foal or trained a kid in how to do it. Neither has Mari, but we’re all reasonably intelligent. I wager we’ll figure it out.”
“We will.” But it sure would be nice to talk to Monty every now and then. If they stuck with the program they’d decided on, family visits to Laughing Creek every so often, that wouldn’t give her enough access on a regular basis.
But if she had the courage to take Mari’s advice, she’d have all kinds of access. She wouldn’t be doing it just for herself. She’d gather information that would benefit Tex.
Oh, who was she kidding? She didn’t have to become Monty’s lover to tap him for that knowledge. She could text him questions and he’d text answers. Neat. Clean. Impersonal.
If she chose to drive over to Laughing Creek tonight, she’d be doing it because she didn’t want to lose the chance to make love to the only man she’d wanted from the minute she’d laid eyes on him.
Chapter Seventeen
Monty flipped back the covers, turned off the bedside lamp and stretched out naked in the middle of his king-sized bed. Flinging his arms wide, he stared up at the rafters faintly visible above him.
His skin was still damp from his second shower of the day. A soft breeze through the open window made him shiver, but he didn’t pull up the sheet. The night was warm. He welcomed the cool caress.
He’d showered and shaved after arriving home this morning. Then he’d worked like a maniac all day to make sure nothing critical would be left hanging during his birthday celebration.
Bridgers did not labor on the anniversary of their birth. It was family law, a law he’d come to appreciate since he’d turned into something of a workaholic.
But he’d pushed himself harder than usual today. Staying busy helped take his mind off Zinnia. No distractions now, though, other than the chirp of crickets in the wild rose bush outside his window.
It had grown above the sill and needed trimming, but that meant cutting off some of the fragrant flowers. Did Zinnia like bouquets? He’d never know.
He sighed and closed his eyes. And there she was in exquisite detail—vivid green eyes, full pink lips, wavy golden hair, luxurious breasts, narrow waist, tempting ass, slender legs.
He didn’t need to see her naked to imagine how she’d look. His cock responded, and for a split second he considered doing something about that condition. But he knew from experience the satisfaction would be short-lived and hollow.
Twenty-four hours ago he’d struggled to fall asleep lying on a wooden barn floor with only a folded blanket under him. His thick, cushy mattress was a hundred times more comfortable, but he’d rather be back on the barn floor, anticipating Zinnia’s arrival in the morning.
That type of interaction was over. He’d see her tomorrow at the party, but only in snatches and never alone. He was the star of the show, which meant no sneaking off into dark corners for a cozy chat. No gazing into those emerald eyes and fighting the urge to kiss her.
At the time he’d cursed the frustration of those moments. Turned out he’d take frustration over absence any day. The occasional visits they’d talked about might be enough for Tex, but not for him. He was gonna miss her like the devil.
That depressing thought took care of his woody. With a big day tomorrow, he needed sleep after lying awake most of last night. Folks called him heroic for pulling those all-nighters while tending to a patient. No problem for a card-carrying insomniac.
Only two remedies worked consistently and he didn’t have access to either one. He’d been trying out a third one and the results were mixed. Still, it was worth a shot.
Starting at the top of his head, he tensed and released muscle groups all the way down to his toes. He imagined himself sinking into the mattress, surrendering control. Gradually the chirp of the crickets and the scent of roses faded.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Awareness returned. He kept his eyes closed. Probably wind blowing a tree branch against the porch.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Damn wind.
