Protector Cowboy (Whiskey Valley Bryant Brothers)

“Do you want to come in?” Nat asks.

Fuck, I do. More than anything I want her to curl up in my lap again and kiss her until I’m breathless. But I can’t. I have a lot to do, and I need to start making phone calls tonight. “I have some things I need to take care of. What time do you need to be at work?”

“Uh, six. So I’ll have Eli out at the ranch at five-thirty.”

“I’ll come here and pick him up.”

“King, no. I can bring him.”

I hold my hand up. “I have things to take care of in town. It’s no problem. I’ll be outside when you leave for work.”

She looks at me skeptically. “Are you sure?”

Because I can’t resist another minute, I pull her into my arms and clasp my hands on her lower back. “I’m sure. Want to know what else I’m sure about?”

She’s already breathless. “What?” she asks in a whisper.

“That I want to kiss you again.”

Her chin is resting on my chest looking at me with wide eyes. “What’s stopping you?”

I smile. “Nothing. Nothing’s stopping me, honey.” I lean down as she goes on her tiptoes. When her lips press to mine, it goes from soft to frenzied in a second. Her hands are at my waist, and I run mine up and down her back. In a fluid motion, I push her shirt up, and the feel of her hot skin under my fingertips has me gripping on to her. If we were alone right now, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself, but knowing her twelve-year-old son could walk in any minute, I pull back, breathless.

She presses her lips against my chest, and I can feel her smile there. “You okay?”

I wrap my hand around her hair at her nape and tug gently to force her face toward mine. “I need you, Nat.”

She nods. “Me too.”

My whole body trembles when she admits that she wants me too. I take a deep breath and kiss the top of her head. “I better go. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I step out the door and tell her to lock it.

She starts to argue but stops. “Protective. I get it.”

I laugh and nod and wait until she closes the door and I hear the lock. I go straight out to my truck and get settled in the driver’s seat and start making some phone calls.

Chapter 17

Natalie

The next morning, Eli and I step outside the door, and the sun is already starting to come up. That extra sleep we got since he didn’t have to get up early to go out to the ranch was nice. When we get to the bottom of the step, King is standing there waiting on us.

“Morning, King!” Eli says.

King fist bumps him and tells him, “Jump on in. I’ll be right there.”

Eli gives me a side hug, tells me he loves me, and runs over to King’s truck.

“You slept here, didn’t you?”

That’s the first thing I noticed. He’s rumpled and has the exact same clothes on from last night.

Instead of answering me, he shrugs.

“King Bryant, answer me. Did you sleep out here all night?”

“Yes. I promised you that nothing would happen with you and Eli, and I keep my promises.”

“King...I can’t believe you did this. You should have told me. You could have slept inside.”

He shakes his head. “And have the whole town talking about us having a sleepover? I didn’t want to put you through that.”

I put a hand on my hip. “You don’t think they’re going to talk if I stay at the ranch?”

He takes the bag from my hand and puts his hand on my lower back, leading me to my car. “It’s different. At the ranch, there’s my brothers, Paulina, and Mia. We’ll have chaperones.”

I scrunch my nose up. “All the time?”

He laughs. I mean belly laughs, and it’s so nice to hear him let loose like that. “No, you want alone time with me, I can make it happen.”

“Promise. Because I remember you saying you don’t break your promises.”

He reaches for me, looks at his truck, and then drops his hand. No doubt he’s remembering Eli is probably watching us right now. “I promise.”

I stand up on my tiptoes, but I’m still not tall enough. I grab the front of his shirt and pull him down. “Good, because alone time is something I definitely want.” And then I kiss him. It’s quick, but instantly he looks satisfied that I’m not trying to hide what this is from Eli.

“Fuck, Nat. I’d give anything to be alone with you right now.”

“I’ll see you at the ranch later,” I tell him.

“To stay?” he asks with bated breath.

I thought about it all night, and I don’t know if it’s the right decision or not, but I want to do it. I want to lean on King, and even if it’s only two weeks, I’ll enjoy those two weeks. “I have the bags packed. I’ll come get them after work and then be out at the ranch.” I hold my hand up. “As long as Levi Flynn is okay with it.”