“You're wrong.”
“You saw it for yourself.”
“Those were accidents. Think about it. Whether I’m here in Dallas alone or with you back at the ranch, your love for me doesn't change, does it? Did you stop loving me while I was here?”
“Fuck no.”
Everything makes so much more sense now. I can’t even imagine the fear Calder was feeling. I’m not excusing him fully, but there is no way I could stay mad at him, knowing he was willing to let me go in order to save me.
“You can’t shut me out, Calder. Scared or not, you need to talk to me.”
“I can’t lose you, but I can’t let you go either.” I turn in his lap to straddle him.
“Tomorrow is never promised for anyone. I just know I want all my days filled with you. To belong to you.”
“You will always belong to me.” His fingers sink into my hair as his mouth takes mine. “I love you,” he says between kisses. “I’m not letting you move more than a few feet from me anymore.”
His mouth travels down my neck as he pulls at my clothes. I do the same until we’re free enough that he can slide all the way inside of me. It’s been too long.
“Calder.” I moan his name.
“I love you, Birdie. You’re mine. No one will take you from me. I’ll follow and bring you right back to me,” he vows, washing away any fear I have of him trying to push me away again.
“I love you too,” I tell him. “Take me home.” He grips my hips and starts to move me. Taking me home in more ways than one.
Epilogue
Calder
Many months later
“...and if we get the mare from Astor’s, we can put her in the new barn on the south side. It’s got the nice fenced-in pen with the walker so when you have your little one, the mare can get her exercise.” Lyle drones on about other details, but all I can focus on is how the sunlight from the transom windows is bathing Birdie like she’s a flower in the meadow.
Her hair glows like a soft halo around her beautiful face. Her eyes are bright with interest as she listens to Lyle make plans for the horse we’re buying from a stud farm a county over. Her left hand rests around the undercurve of her ripening belly, the blue diamond sparkling from the sun. When we’d gotten back to the ranch I’d put it back on her finger where it belonged. Since it’s been on her finger no more accidents have happened. It might all be bullshit, but to be safe, that ring is never coming off her finger again. Not that it should. We got married a few days after returning. Even Widow Justice showed up to the wedding after she and Birdie sat down and really talked things out. The woman really did love her daughter, and I actually think Earl might have loved Lady Justice. It’s because of him they’re building their relationship back again. He brought Birdie home for all of us.
Birdie is thirty weeks along, and with each week her breasts have become plumper, more sensitive. This morning she nearly came just from me sucking on her tits.
She is so beautiful it’s criminal.
“That’s good, Lyle,” I announce, pushing away from the stall door I’ve been lounging against. “Why don’t you go and make those arrangements.”
“I still got time, Calder. Astor’s not bringing the mare over until next Friday. I asked her to come by this week, but she said she couldn’t make it.”
That’s because Cane isn’t leaving for the Middle East until next week, and Astor’s isn’t stepping foot on the ranch while Cane’s around.
“I’m excited. I’ve never had my own horse before.” Birdie beams.
Lyle blushes and pushes his hat back. “Don’t seem right that you’re a Texan without your own horse, ma’am.”
She laughs and bats Lyle across the arm. “I thought I told you not to call me ma’am. Makes me feel old.”
“No way. You don’t look like you are even out of high school.”
“Hope that’s not the case,” I drawl. I stop a step behind Birdie. Lyle’s a good man. Worked here over three decades, but I wouldn’t hesitate to cut him loose if I thought he was too friendly with my woman. “Time to go, Lyle,” I repeat. I say it softly, but my head groom gets the message.
He doffs his Stetson and nods. “Yessir. I’ll get right on it.”
“You didn’t have to run him off,” Birdie chides.
I lean down and kiss her shoulder. “Sure did. Else he would’ve gotten an eyeful of this.” I push my hard-on against her back.
She peers over her shoulder. “Again? I swear we had sex this morning.”
“It’s been a whole five hours. The hay makes me horny.” I nuzzle her neck, filling my lungs with the sweet, sexy smell of my love.