Page 16 of Mountain Cowboy

“I’m proud of you for sticking up for yourself,” he says.

“It felt good. After all, I couldn’t let you do all the talking.” I love that Connor is so protective, but it was time for me to use my voice. Especially when they were trying to claim Connor’s success as their own, too.

Talk about fucking delusional!

“I can handle no talking.” A sly grin forms on his handsome face as he walks me backward until I’m braced against a wall.

“Oh, really? You have something else in mind for that mouth, cowboy?”

Connor kneels on the dirt and slides his hands up my thighs to work on the button of my jeans. “It occurred to me that the Ranch Bash wouldn’t be complete without a grand finale.”

“Telling off my parents doesn’t count?” I snark, gasping as Connor’s lips nudge aside my panties to nuzzle into my pussy. His hot breath tickles the soft folds.

“Not quite.” His words are muffled, but they don’t really matter anymore as an agile tongue licks into me and hums with approval. “Goddamn, you always taste so good.”

My hands delve into his hair, knocking off his cowboy hat. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“Why take my word for it?” Suddenly, two wet fingers tap my bottom lip as Connor looks up from his place between my legs. He doesn’t stop licking and sucking and turning my world upside down, just continues tapping on my mouth, silently asking for me to open up.

Tentatively, my jaw drops as I let him in and suck on his fingers. There’s a burst of spicy sweet—my own arousal—and both of us moan at the sensation.

A noise that resounds in the air a moment later when I come on his tongue with another groan.

Damn, this barn will never look the same to me again.

EPILOGUE

CONNOR

FOUR YEARS LATER

My phone buzzes with a text from Hailey.

HAILEY: Got caught up at the lodge. Be home soon. Love you!

CONNOR: Drive safe. Someone took out the stop sign on Grand, so be on the lookout. Love you, too, baby!

After that first Ranch Bash, word spread about Hailey’s skills in the kitchen. She fielded offers for months, building a waitlist of businesses needing her services. Her biggest coup was Hearthstone Lodge on the outskirts of Suitor’s Crossing.

Owner Ezra Caldwell and his wife had loved the food and service and signed Hailey as an exclusive vendor for lodge events.

The influx of cash allowed Hailey to hire more employees, which worked out since we discovered she was pregnant with our daughter three months later.

Little April Madsen cooed from her spot beside my desk. Like she knew her daddy was thinking of her.

“Are you excited to see Mama, baby? She’s coming, I promise.” We’re both in need of my wife’s loving touch this evening.

It’s been another busy day on the ranch, and even though our finances are miles better than where they were when our father died and left the ranch in dire straits, I still worry about keeping everything afloat.

It’s something Hailey’s been trying to help me with, along with a therapist we found together who deals with work anxiety.

I never thought I struggled with such a thing.

I was a star quarterback with tons of eyes on me every week, judging my performance. As captain, it was my responsibility to lead us to wins. To ensure our team’s success on and off the field.

Monitoring the Rocking M’s finances is hardly as high profile, but it’s nearer to my heart. My family relies on the ranch for survival, and I take that seriously.

“Because I love you and your mom very much. Isn't that right, babygirl?”

April squeals in agreement, a happy punctuation to the life I always dreamed of having.

A life that started back in high school with a cute bookworm and a stack of apple pancakes.