The Navy SEAL Cowboy’s Baby

Winter came early to Ashley, North Dakota the year that Mellie Corbin’s husband died. Mellie was in Bismarck trying to negotiate a deal on a new horse for their farm, the Hickory Pond Equestrian Center, when Emery decided to meet his friends for a beer at the local bar. No one noticed that the temperature had dropped so suddenly, or that the roads had iced over. Emery had taken his Harley to the bar, and after two beers, it hadn’t even occurred to him to check the road conditions before heading back to Hickory Pond.

 

It was 2am when Mellie’s cell phone lit up as she slept in the hotel in Bismarck. She figured it was just Emery calling to check in, to let her know he’d arrived safely at home, as he’d done every night since they started dating in high school. She didn’t need to answer the call; it was more for his benefit than hers. But then her phone kept going off, until she couldn’t ignore it anymore. And when she heard her father-in-law Ulysses’ voice instead of Emery’s on the other end of the line, she knew her life would never be the same again.

 

Mellie never imagined that she’d be running a horse farm by herself at twenty-eight, but Ulysses had insisted she stay on even after Emery was gone. Hickory Pond wasn’t just a stable; it was a full-service riding center that taught classes, offered kennel space and grooming for pets of all sizes, and once a month, gave learning disabled children the chance to work with the horses. Mellie loved her life and she loved Hickory Pond, but running things without Emery was proving to be impossible.

 

Mellie had always run the business end of the farm, taken care of the marketing, finding new horses, and when she was able, the grooming. Emery had done the field work, taught the riding classes, and rustled up new clients. Ulysses did what he could, when he could, but he had his own place on the other side of Ashley that was more of a traditional farm, and he was getting on in years. So Mellie knew it was up to her to find help, someone who could do the things Emery had done without getting in her way.

 

It was the first day of spring a year after Emery when Mellie walked into the local newspaper office. She’d written up an ad that she hoped would attract the right kind of person, someone trustworthy and honest, but most importantly, someone who could just do their job and make her life easier. The ad ran in the paper and online the next day.

 

Wanted: Stable hand

Must have at least 5+ years experience

Will be responsible for upkeep, as well as riding, training,

& other duties to be discussed upon inquiry.

$600/week + room & board

Contact Hickory Pond Equestrian for more info

 

* * *

 

A knock on the door of his hotel room stirred Ransom Carrigan from an unpleasant sleep. He thought maybe if he just ignored the knocking, whoever it was would go away eventually, but the knocking continued just the same. With a frustrated groan, he crawled out of the bed and grabbed his shorts from the floor. When he peeked through the peephole, he saw the manager standing on the other side, his face locked in a scowl.

 

Ransom rested his forehead on the door and called out to the manager,

 

“Yeah? Can I help you?”

 

Even through the wood of the door, he could hear the manager clearing his throat uncomfortably.

 

“Mr. Carrigan, I’m sorry to do this to you in light of your… because of your… I’m sorry. But your deposit ran out days ago and we’ve let you stay for free as long as possible, but the branch manager is going to be on our case soon. I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask you to vacate before 2pm.”

 

Ransom banged his head against the door. He had no idea what he was going to do. His money had totally run out a week ago and he was living off of vending machine food. His last deployment as a Navy SEAL had ended when he’d been injured in the field. Now, he was home in North Dakota with a Purple Heart, an irreparably wounded leg, and not much else. Ransom had no family, and all of his friends had moved on years ago, so he’d been bouncing around his home state looking for work, without any luck. He was just about to go flop back on the bed when the manager knocked again.

 

“I’ll be out, I swear. I just… need to pack.”

 

“No, Mr. Carrigan, it’s not that. I just saw an ad in the paper about a local horse farm looking for help, and room and board is included in the salary. I thought you might be interested. I’ll just slide the ad under the door, okay?”

 

The paper popped under, and Ransom grabbed it. He’d grown up around horses, and he loved them, but it had been years since he worked with them. He didn’t know what his odds were of getting hired when he’d spent the last ten years of his life doing anything but take care of animals. Yet, it was worth a shot, and anything was better than sleeping in the streets, which is where he was going to end up if he didn’t figure something out soon.

 

Ransom opened the door to the manager, who was still standing nervously on the other side, bouncing from foot to foot. With a soft smile, Ransom reached out his hand.

 

“Thanks, for everything, man. This means a lot.”

 

The manager returned his firm handshake and nodded. “Thanks for your service, Mr. Carrigan.”

 

* * *

 

Mellie sat at the desk in the office of Hickory Point, banging her head against the wood for what felt like the tenth time that day. No one who had come in was remotely qualified for the job; one woman had shown up with a suitcase and thought she was going to be taking care of children. Mellie just stared at her until the woman turned around and walked back out. It was only when the phone rang that she lifted her head from the desk.

 

“Hickory Pond Equestrian Center, this is Mellie.”

 

Her father-in-law’s gruff voice was on the other side. “Hey, Melinda. How is the cattle call going?”

 

Mellie sighed, “Not great. I’m about to close up here and go back to the house. We don’t have any riding appointments scheduled today and I fed the horses in between train wrecks, so I’m going to take a bath and put this rotten day behind me.”

 

“Well, tomorrow is a new day, angel. If you need help tomorrow…”

 

Mellie couldn’t let Ulysses help any more than he already had. Running the farm on her own was impossible, but she’d rather wear herself out than let her father-in-law do the same to himself.

 

“No worries, pop. I got it. You let me know if you need anything, you hear? Otherwise, I’ll be over Sunday with some meals for you.”

 

Mellie and Ulysses said their goodbyes, and Mellie grabbed everything she needed from the office before she made her way back to the ranch house for the night. She was locking up the door when she heard someone clear their throat behind her, startling her so completely, she dropped all of the files in her arms to the ground.

 

“Damn it all to hell!” she shouted as she bent down to start picking everything up. Suddenly, another pair of hands were helping her, and Mellie looked up to see a set of soft blue eyes looking back at her.

 

“Sorry about that,” he whispered as he handed her everything he’d gathered. They both stood at the same time and she tried not to stare. Mellie was almost six feet tall, and he still towered over her, which caught her off guard. He was lean, but muscled, and his face was chiseled, with a little dimple in his chin. His sandy blonde hair caught the sunlight, as did his eyes. Mellie was tongue-tied for a moment, and he picked up on it.

 

“Really, I’m sorry I snuck up on you like that. I’m here about the job… The stable hand?”

 

Mellie shook her head, trying to regain her faculties.

 

“It’s fine. I was just closing up but… Come inside. We can talk.”

 

Mellie unlocked the door and gestured for the man to follow her. He walked in behind her, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Once they were in the confines of her work space, she suddenly noticed that the office was a mess, and felt self-conscious about it, but there was nothing to be done now. She sat behind the desk and pointed for him to sit down in the chair across from her.

 

“How did you hear about the job?”

 

He shifted uncomfortably in the seat. “A uh, a friend knew I was looking for work and showed me the ad in the paper. So I thought I’d come out here and see if you were still hiring.”

 

Mellie made a few notes on her pad. “And where are you living right now?”

 

“I’m new to the area, so I’m in between places, I guess you’d say.”

 

Mellie looked up at him curiously. There was something so unusual about him, but at the same time, she had a feeling there was something he wasn’t telling her. She looked back down at her notes and realized she was missing a crucial piece of information.

 

“Shit… I’m so sorry, I didn’t ask your name. I’m Mellie Corbin. This is my ranch. And you are?”

 

He reached out his hand, and when she took it, hers practically disappeared. He shook her hand but didn’t look her right in the eyes.

 

“Ransom Carrigan, miss. Pleasure to meet you.”

 

Mellie nodded with smile and tried to focus back on her questions. “So, you have experience?”

 

“Yes, miss. I grew up on a horse farm further north from here. It’s been a while since I worked on a farm, though. I spent the last ten years in the service, and I just got out.”

 

“For good?” Mellie asked. She’d known her share of military men and they had a tendency to re-enlist when you least expected it. Yet, she couldn’t help but notice when Ransom reached down absent-mindedly and rubbed his leg.

 

“Yes, miss, for good. I’m just looking for honest work and, hopefully, a warm bed. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help you out here. If you want to keep the money and pay me in room and board for the first month until I prove my mettle, I’m fine with that.”

 

Mellie softened, and grabbed a ring of keys out of her desk. “No, no, that’s not necessary. To be honest, I haven’t meant a single candidate since I posted that ad that had the sense God gave them. So if you have experience, you’re happy with the pay, and you understand you’re caring for horses and not kids, you’ve got the job.”

 

Ransom raised his eyebrow, “Kids, miss? I don’t…”

 

“Never mind. Follow me and I’ll show you to the guest house. That’s where you’ll be living. It’s right near the stables, so it’s easy in the mornings, and there is a communications system with the main house, so you can always get me if there is an emergency. I keep the food stocked as part of your pay, so just let me know what you like, and I’ll pick it up when I go into town.”

 

Mellie was just unlocking the door to show Ransom where the guest house was she felt his hand on the back of her arm. She turned around and he was right behind her, which made her heart beat fast, though she didn’t know why.

 

“Miss…”

 

“Mellie, please.”

 

“Mellie, I can’t thank you enough for this. Really. This means everything to me right now.”

 

Mellie nodded, unable to say anything for fear her voice might crack. Instead, she just handed him the keys, and smiled.

 

* * *

 

Ransom followed behind Mellie as they walked from the offices to the guest house, and he had to fight every natural inclination he had to just stop and stare at her. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, tall and strong, with legs longer than a North Dakota winter. Her wavy, sun-kissed brown hair hung down almost to her curvy hips, and her jeans hugged every inch of her like she’d been born in them.

 

But it was her face that echoed through his mind even as she walked a few feet in front of him: her full lips, her rosy, chubby cheeks, and her huge hazel eyes, that were so very sad. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss away her pain, but he knew that she wasn’t the kind of woman who welcomed such gestures. She was as independent and wild as the winds that blew across the plains.

 

After a short walk, they reached a small house just off the side of the stables. In fact, it wasn’t a small house… it was a tiny house. Ransom stopped just short of walking in, and looked awkwardly at Mellie as she unlocked the front door. When she turned around and saw him standing there, she laughed.

 

“I know it looks small, but I promise, it’s perfect. My hus… Two people lived in here with a dog while the ranch house was being renovated and it’s bigger than it looks.”

 

Mellie opened the door and Ransom followed behind, ducking in the small doorway, but when he stepped inside, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A cathedral ceiling gave him more than enough room to move around comfortably. A small kitchen took up the front entry way, and behind, there was a built-in couch that looked on to a window with a flat-screen TV underneath. A ladder against the wall led up to a lofted bed, and a door off the side opened up into a bathroom.

 

It was the first place Ransom had had that was entirely his own in his entire life.

 

“This is perfect, Mellie. More than I need. Thank you.”

 

Mellie gave a little bow and then made her way back to the door.

 

“I usually head over to the office around 7am. But the horses start rustling between six and seven, so you may want to plan on being up. We don’t have any dog hotel guests this week, so it’s just the horses. There are two riding lessons scheduled for the afternoon, but I have a feeling once word gets out that you’re working here… lessons will pick up.”

 

Ransom blushed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

Mellie smiled as she left, and shut the door behind her, leaving Ransom in his new home. He dropped his bag on the floor and sat down on the couch with a thud, taking everything in. He’d gone from living day-to-day in a hotel, hoping he wouldn’t be kicked out, doing odd jobs for pocket change, to working on a farm and having his own, perfect little house.

 

Ransom reached into his bag and pulled out a tube of the cream he used to try and dull the ever-present pain in his left leg where shrapnel had blown away huge chunks of his calf muscle. Doctors had told him that pain pills would be better, but he refused to start down a road he’d seen so many of his brothers travel, and end up addicted. The pain was miserable, but it was better than the alternative.

 

With a long, slow sigh, Ransom pulled off his shirt, and lay back on the couch, where he fell into a deep, contented sleep for the first time in weeks.

 

* * *

 

Mellie walked into the ranch house and collapsed down on the couch in the living room. With a happy sigh, she did the same thing she had done every night for a year: flicked on the TV, kissed her fingers and pressed them to a picture of Emery, then picked up the phone to call Ulysses. He always knew it was her, because no one else called him with such regularity.

 

“Didn’t I just talk to you, angel?”

 

“Oh, shush pop. Someone came in after I talked to you. I hired him. I think he’ll be a good fit here,” Mellie said as she flipped through the channels.

 

“Oh yeah? How old of a guy?”

 

Mellie realized she had no idea. “You know; I didn’t even ask. But he can’t be much older than me. I think he’s probably around Emery’s… age.” So many days, she found herself talking about Emery like he was still there, like he was just away on a buy, and would walk through the door any moment. Her life had stopped when Emery died, and she hadn’t figured out how to make time start moving again. She knew that Ulysses’ silence on the other end meant he was thinking the same thing.

 

“Well, I think it will do you some good to have some real help around there, and not just an old man under your feet.”

 

“Oh, hush, Ulysses. Get yourself some sleep, and I’ll be over Sunday. Maybe I’ll bring the new guy over with me, so you can get a feel for him.”

 

“You do that, Mel. Love you, angel.”

 

Mellie’s heart swelled every time Ulysses talked to her like that. She’d never known her own father, and Emery’s dad had taken her in like she was his own. No matter what happened in the future, she couldn’t imagine a life without him. Her family was this farm, and as she looked out the curtain to the guest house, with only one light burning in the window, she couldn’t help but feel that maybe her family was expanding just a little more at last.

 

* * *

 

Mellie pulled on her denim jacket as she made her way out of the house to start the day. Normally she had to get up two hours earlier to take care of the farm work herself, so she wasn’t used to the luxury of waking up once the sun had already risen. Mellie was almost at the office when she caught sight of Ransom just outside of the stables, hauling hay from the barn. It wasn’t a warm morning, but he was shirtless, and his chest was glistening with the perspiration of his hard work. She knew she ogling, but she couldn’t help herself, even when Ransom stood up to wipe the sweat from his eyes and caught her. Mellie tried to cover her schoolgirl behavior with a wave, but she knew from the grin on Ransom’s face that he knew what she was up to.

 

“Morning, Mellie! Fine day we’re in for, huh?” he called out.

 

Mellie nodded with a smile before she hurried into the office and shut the door behind her.

 

What am I doing? she thought with a laugh as she leaned back against the cool wood. Keep it together, Melinda.

 

Mellie set about her chores for the day, calling to confirm appointments, scheduling check-ups for all the animals, and setting up the delivery of a horse that Hickory Pond would be stabling in its senior years. Mellie’s pet project had been providing senior care for race horses that were facing a less-than-ceremonious death once their owners thought they’d outlived their usefulness. They already had two horses on the farm who had become beloved training horses for the kids who visited Hickory Pond. The third horse meant they could have an extra session with special needs kids every month, which was exactly what Mellie had been hoping.

 

Mellie had been so busy with her administrative work, afternoon rolled up before she realized it and an SUV was pulling up the driveway. She looked at her books and saw it was Aimee Martin and her mom, Susan, arriving for Aimee’s riding lesson. Mellie couldn’t help but roll her eyes; Aimee was a sweet kid, but Susan was newly divorced and word was she was on the hunt for a new man. Mellie grabbed her walkie and buzzed Ransom.

 

“Hey, Ransom, pick up.”

 

There was static for a few seconds and then a brief humming. “I didn’t even know this thing worked. What’s up?”

 

“You might want to put your shirt on.”

 

Mellie could hear the smile in his voice when he answered, “Too much? Am I distracting you?”

 

Mellie didn’t hit the button until she was done laughing. “I think I’ll live. We have a 10-year-old here for her lesson and her mom is going to be on you like white on rice. So if you value your virtue, you should cover up.”

 

“Yes, boss.”

 

Mellie smiled as she tucked the walkie into her belt and left the office to greet Aimee and Susan. Aimee was twirling circles on the grass, looking cute as a button in her riding gear, while Susan leaned against her Escalade, in a crop top and jeans so tight, you could see the outline of the tattoo on her ass. Mellie tried to hide a snicker as she watched Susan’s heels sink into the mud of the driveway.

 

“Hey, little girl! Go get Possum saddled up. Your new riding instructor will meet you in the stable.”

 

Aimee put on a pout. “You’re not teaching me anymore, Miss Mellie?”

 

“I have so much work to do in the office, Aimee, that I had to get some help. But you’re going to like Ransom. He’s very nice and he’ll teach you all sorts of neat tricks I never could have. So run in there before we waste your hour talking!”

 

Aimee took off like a shot, and Mellie could already see Susan craning her neck, trying to get a look at Ransom.

 

“Got yourself a new stable boy, did you?” Susan said in a drawl that sounded fake.

 

“He’s a grown man, Susan, and he was in the military, so why don’t you show a little respect?” Mellie said as she turned on her heel and went back to the office. She could hear Susan grumbling, but she didn’t care. Once she was safely inside, Mellie peeked through the blinds to watch as Ransom walked Aimee out on her horse. She hadn’t noticed him limping the day before, but he had a very defined gait that made it obvious he’d injured his leg. No wonder he’d been careful to stay behind her when they were walking.

 

Mellie watched from her desk as Ransom worked with Aimee in the ring, and she saw how happy they both looked. Aimee seemed to really be enjoying her ride, and Ransom was definitely a skilled trainer. On top of how much work he’d already accomplished in the stables, there was no question she was keeping him on. Plus, she was sure that Susan would put out the word that an attractive man was now helping her on the farm, so just as she predicted, business would be picking up soon.

 

Once Aimee’s riding lesson was over, two more were scheduled for the afternoon, and then the day would wrap up with a quick walk-through the stables. Mellie was just turning off the computer when Ransom knocked on the door.

 

“Can I come in, boss?”

 

Mellie scowled at him, “Will you stop calling me boss?”

 

Ransom’s eyes sparkled, and she knew he was teasing her, which made her stomach flip-flop. He sat down in the chair across from her and leaned forward, elbows on knees.

 

“Aimee’s mom was a piece of work, huh? I wasn’t expecting… all of that.”

 

Mellie took off her reading glasses and set them on the desk. “Oh, god. What did she do?”

 

“Nothing horrible. She gave me her number on a piece of paper that smelled like it had been bathed in her perfume. I was almost grateful for the smell of the manure when I got back to the stables.”

 

Mellie felt a pang of totally irrational jealousy, but she tried to stamp it down. No need to act like a fool, she scolded herself.

 

“Yeah, well, that’s Susan for you. I think she’s made a play for every single man in Ashley, and a few not-so-single. You lit up on her “fresh meat” radar I’m sure. I apologize on her behalf.” She didn’t have the courage to ask him what he did with the number, but he seemed to be reading her mind.

 

“The chicken coop looked like it needed a little more lining. I just hope they don’t mind the Eau de Desperation.”

 

Mellie looked up, her eyes wide, and then burst into laughter, Ransom following behind. Once she got control of herself, she grabbed a tie from the desk and pulled her long hair back in a high ponytail, her way of signaling to herself that the day was officially done.

 

“I was just going to make some dinner up at the house. Care to join me? Nothing fancy, and I don’t eat meat. Living around all these four-legged lovies, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it anymore.”

 

Ransom smiled as he ran his hands through his hair. “I could go for some dinner, and I’m fine without meat. For this meal anyway,” he said with a wink.

 

* * *

 

Ransom followed Mellie up to the ranch house, trying not to betray his excitement at getting to spend more time with her. From the moment he’d seen her the day before, there had been something about her that woke him up, that stirred a part of his soul he’d thought long dead. Afraid he’d say something silly, he decided to fill the silence of the walk with work talk, while he tried to ignore the beautiful purples and oranges of the setting sun.

 

“You didn’t tell me one of your horses was pregnant.”

 

Mellie nodded, her ponytail bouncing. “Skychaser. She came to us that way ten months ago from a farm out east, a place that went bankrupt. She’s due any day now.”

 

When they got to the door of the ranch house, Mellie opened it and let Ransom go in ahead of her as she turned on the lights.

 

“Go grab a seat in the living room and I’ll get the oven going. I have a casserole thing I made a few nights ago that should heat up pretty well. Is that okay?”

 

Ransom nodded and starting wandering through the downstairs, looking at paintings and pictures that were scattered all over. The first thing he noticed was that there were pictures everywhere of Mellie with other women about her age, laughing and smiling, and several of her with an older man in a cowboy hat, that could have been her father.

 

But next to the couch, on a side table, set by an orchid, was a black and white picture of a man who looked about Ransom’s age. He was standing next to one of the horses, a huge grin on his face and crinkles by his eyes that showed off years of smiling. He was insanely tall and thin, with swept back hair and a smattering of facial hair, that gave him the look of a cowboy, but maybe one from Ireland. Ransom was so transfixed by the picture; he didn’t even hear Mellie walk up behind him.

 

“That’s my husband… was my husband, Emery.”

 

Ransom spun around so fast he almost dropped the picture, but he managed to grab hold of it again at the last second. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snoop, I was just…”

 

“No, it’s fine. It’s not like I was hiding it. He died about a year and a half ago, a motorcycle accident while I was out of town.”

 

Ransom’s face dropped. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

 

“How could you? I don’t wear a badge that says ‘widow’ on my shirt. This was his farm, and he left it to me and his dad to run together. But Ulysses has his own place on the other side of town, so I’ve pretty much been taking care of everything here by myself.”

 

Ransom set the picture down and took a seat on the sofa. Mellie sat on the floor in front of the fire place and gave him a serious stare. He felt something deep coming.

 

“So, Ransom. Now that you know my story, how about you tell me yours.”

 

“My story?”

 

“I’m a little more perceptive than you seem to give me credit for,” Mellie said as she gestured toward his leg. Ransom looked down and sighed.

 

“Ah, that.” With a shrug, he rolled up the leg of his jeans and showed Mellie what had happened to him in Kandahar. Mellie tried to hide her shock, but Ransom’s calf muscle looked like it had been chopped to pieces, then sewn back together by someone who couldn’t actually see what they were doing. She didn’t even know what to say, so once again, Ransom filled the silence.

 

“It was an ambush, totally out of nowhere. A friend got trapped under some rubble, and when I went to help her, something exploded nearby, and my leg took the bulk of the shrapnel. It never quite healed.”

 

Mellie felt her eyes well up with tears, and Ransom saw it coming. “No, no. Don’t do that. It’s fine. I’m fine. I’ll be fine. Would you want people crying every time you told them about your husband?”

 

Mellie sniffled and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her shirt.

 

“It happens more than you’d think. Does it hurt?”

 

“Yeah, a lot. But I push through. It’s not like we have a choice right?”

 

Mellie jumped up from the floor and gave Ransom her hand to pull up from the couch. “We sure don’t. Come on. Dinner should be ready.”

 

* * *

 

Mellie and Ransom ate dinner in relative quiet, mostly talking about the food, and their plans for the next day. Mellie could feel a magnetic pull, drawing her to his side, but she fought it back, intent on keeping things professional. Plus, in the back of head, she couldn’t fathom what Ulysses would say if she started dating her ranch hand. But it would definitely involve cursing.

 

She stood up from the table and started clearing away the dishes when Ransom grabbed a hold of her wrist. She stopped dead in her tracks.

 

“Ransom, I don’t think…”

 

He shook his head, “No, Mellie. Do you hear that?”

 

Mellie stopped moving and listened. There was a groaning sound coming from the stables. Mellie dropped the plates and ran for the front door, grabbing her coat off the hook. “Did Skychaser eat tonight?”

 

“No, she pushed the food around, but I didn’t see her eat.”

 

“Come on, she’s in labor.”

 

Ransom jumped from the chair, and winced in pain as he tried to move faster than his leg would allow, but he still tried to chase after Mellie as she ran for the barn, her long legs carrying her faster than he could move on his best day. By the time he got to the stables, Mellie was already standing outside Skychaser’s stall, watching the horse intently.

 

“Is everything okay?”

 

Mellie looked nervous. “I’m not sure. Something’s not right. Can you call the vet? His number is next to the phone. Dr. Bressack. Tell him I think the foal is stuck.”

 

Ransom’s jaw dropped, but he rushed over to the phone. Mellie continued to watch as Skychaser strained, only the foal’s hooves visible. After what felt like hours, Ransom came back with the phone.

 

“He’s in Bismarck at a convention, but he said to give you the phone and he’d talk you through helping her deliver.”

 

Mellie cringed as she took the phone. With it balanced on her shoulder, she rushed into the stall and knelt down behind the horse, giving her a gentle pat on the hindquarters. Ransom watched, transfixed, as Mellie aided in birthing the foal, occasionally whispering, “uh-huh” into the phone, as she brought the baby horse into the world. He barely even heard her when she called out to him.

 

“RANSOM!”

 

“Huh? What?”

 

“Scissors! From the first aid kit. Now.”

 

Ransom rushed to the first aid kit and found the scissors, then ran back to Mellie and sat down next to her. Even with all the time he’d spent on a horse farm growing up, he’d never seen a foal being born, and he’d certainly never imagined he’d be helping Mellie birth one on his second day. Once the foal was almost completely out of his mother, Mellie tapped Ransom and gestured to him to back out of the stall. She grabbed a towel off the wall and followed him out, where they leaned against the wall to catch their breath, and Mellie hung up with the vet.

 

“You don’t need to help it the rest of the way?” Ransom asked, turning back to Skychaser.

 

Mellie was wiping off her hands, and looking down at her clothes, which had definitely been ruined. “No, no. The foal was just wedged, I guess. Once she’s out most of the way, Skychaser can do the rest. They need to rest for a bit anyway while they adjust. In about thirty minutes, she should finish the rest on her own.”

 

Ransom pushed the hair out of Mellie’s eyes as he looked her over. “You’re a mess. Do you want to go get cleaned up, and I can stay with her?”

 

“No way. I’m not going anywhere until that baby is here. You don’t have to stay.”

 

“If you stay, I stay.”

 

* * *

 

It took another full hour, but eventually, the foal was born, and was nuzzling next to her mother. Dr. Bressack drove down from the convention to sit with Skychaser through the rest of the process, which meant Mellie could go take a shower. As they walked out of the stable, Ransom gave Mellie a gentle rub on the shoulder.

 

“Why don’t you go rinse off, and I’ll make some tea? I’m a little wired and could stand to relax a bit. I bet you could too.”

 

Mellie nodded awkwardly, unsure of what to say. She felt like she should tell him to go back to the guest house, but she couldn’t do it. Something about the look in his eyes pulled her back from a dark place she’d been living in since Emery died, a place she never though she’d emerge from again. The whole time she showered, she couldn’t stop thinking about Ransom downstairs, couldn’t stop wondering what he was thinking, why he was being so nice to her, if it were even possible he could think of her as more than his boss.

 

When she got downstairs, hair wet and piled into a bun, sweats and a tank on her clean body, and saw the look Ransom gave her from the couch, she realized that maybe she’d sold herself short. She sat next to him on the sofa and he reached his hand out to her, entwining his fingers with hers. She could see a combination of desire, and fear, in his ocean-blue eyes.

 

“Mellie, I don’t know if…”

 

But then, in an instant, her instincts took over. Her need, her loneliness, they all won out over any hesitation she’d been feeling, and her fire passed to Ransom, who pulled her into his lap faster than she could move. She felt as if she’d known Ransom in her dreams her whole life, and only now was she able to finally touch the reality.

 

* * *

 

Ransom felt as if he’d been resisting his feelings for Mellie since the first instant he saw her, and now, they were bubbling over. He ran his hands over every curve of her body and his cock began instantly throbbing with desire. Mellie straddled his lap and leaned in for a kiss, a long, slow kiss that felt all-consuming. She flicked her tongue softly against Ransom’s and he was overcome with the need to rip her adorable PJs from her body, push the mugs of tea off the coffee table, and fuck her right there.

 

But Ransom knew that Mellie was the woman who would bring him back from the dead, and he wanted her to experience something more memorable.

 

Mellie ran her long fingers through Ransom’s hair, down his neck, and up and down his back, until Ransom couldn’t take any more. He placed his hands on the side of her face as he kissed her with more urgency, before sliding them down her sides, and then back and underneath her sweats, until he could feel her full ass under his fingertips. He gently squeezed her supple flesh until she writhed against his body. Ransom could feel Mellie’s need calling out to him, even through their clothes, and it was making him ravenous.

 

He kissed her with every ounce of his being, took hold of her body, and stood up from the couch.

 

Mellie wrapped her arms and legs around Ransom, and looked at him with a shocked expression.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“We’re going upstairs,” he said with a sense of urgency that made Mellie pull tighter into his body.

 

Ransom climbed the stairs with Mellie wrapped around him, but when he got to the top, he stopped short, and Mellie pulled back, panic in her eyes.

 

“What? What is it? Is it your leg? Do you not want to…”

 

Ransom leaned in and kissed Mellie with a smile.

 

“I don’t know where the bedroom is.”

 

Mellie laughed, her whole face lighting up as she pointed to the room at the end of the hall. He didn’t need to be told twice. As he kissed Mellie’s shoulders and chest, he carried her into the bedroom and set her down on the bed, bathed in the soft moonlight. As he lifted her tank top over her head, he was blown away by how beautiful, how delicate she was, and yet how strong she was, how much she’d lived through. His affection for her only doubled as he watched her lay back on the bed, her eyes glittering in light of the stars.

 

Ransom reached down to pull off his shirt, and he slipped his jeans off next, anxious to feel the touch of her skin against his own. For once, he wasn’t thinking about the past, or the pain; he was only thinking about the moment, and Mellie’s good heart, and her beautiful smile.

 

Ransom trailed kisses down Mellie’s face and neck, tracing his way down to her full breasts. He let his lips linger tantalizingly until he found her nipple and sucked the soft peak into his mouth. Mellie moaned softly, so Ransom sucked a little bit harder, until Mellie writhed underneath him.

 

When he was sure she was ready for more, Ransom slid his hands down to push away her sweatpants, revealing she wore no underwear underneath. He took a long look at the sight of her naked body, and Mellie reached up to him, letting her fingers trace along his jawline. He lifted her ass and pulled her in tight against him. His rigid cock pressed against her belly and she reached for him, stroking him up and down, pushing him close to the edge.

 

Mellie’s moved her hand gently, her thumb tracing across his sensitive tip and Ransom moaned.

 

“Tell me what you want, Mellie.”

 

“I want you inside me, Ransom. I need you.” The words were all Ransom needed to push him over the edge of his desire.

 

With a sigh, Ransom ground his hips into her, kissing her neck as he arched to slide his cock between her legs. He pushed his rigid shaft through her folds, up and down, gently. Mellie moaned and wrapped her legs around his hips, trying to pull him in closer, urge him on.

 

Over and over, he stroked against her, arousing her delicate skin until she cried with need. With soft kisses, over and over, pressed against her lips, Mellie began digging her nails into his back and pushing herself against him.

 

“Now, Ransom. I need you now.”

 

He grinned as he pulled back and brushed her long hair away from her face. “Tell me how badly.”

 

After a soft pop on the back of his head, she pulled him harder against her, and whispered, “Stop talking about it and just do it, you fool,” with a smile.

 

“With pleasure,” he said as he pulled his hips back and entered her with a single thrust, pushing inside her warmth until he’d buried himself inside of her completely. Her body clamped down around him as she reached her limits and she cried out as her powerful orgasm tore through her.

 

Ransom stayed with her through her orgasm, pressing his thumb against her clit, pushing her more and more into the deepest valleys of pleasure. Together, they fell into a rhythm of passion, and all of the need they felt spilled out in their cries of ecstasy. Everything that Mellie had been without since Emery died, everything Ransom had been missing in his years away from the rest of the world, all rushed out in a moment of unbridled desire.

 

Ransom leaned down and kissed Mellie, biting gently at her collarbone, her shoulders, and her neck. When he returned to the curve of her jaw, Mellie turned first, pulling him into a passionate kiss, tracing along his lips with her tongue. That was the final push; Ransom’s body went rigid as he thrust one last time inside of Mellie. His cock throbbed inside her as his own orgasm ripped through him, letting himself go over and over deep inside of her warmth. It was only seconds, but it felt like an eternity of one perfect moment, and when it was over, Ransom collapsed down next to Mellie on the bed.

 

As Mellie ran her fingers through his hair, she whispered with a sly smile, “I don’t remember putting that in the ad.”

 

* * *

 

The next two months passed by in a flurry of riding lessons, upgrades to the stables, and nights spent together in the ranch house. Mellie hadn’t been so happy in a long time, but one thing still weighed heavy on her, and that was how she was going to tell Ulysses about Ransom. She’d managed to put him off in terms of bringing Ransom to the farm for Sunday dinner, but she knew she couldn’t get away with it forever.

 

Mellie knew that Ulysses didn’t expect her to stay alone for the rest of her life, but she was sure he was going to have trouble adjusting to the idea of her with anyone but Emery. He was an old dog, set in his ways, and more than anything, she didn’t want to lose him. As happy as she was with Ransom, she wanted to put off telling her father-in-law for as long as possible.

 

Until she couldn’t put it off any longer.

 

It was a busy morning on the ranch when Mellie started feeling like she had the flu. She was tired as hell, and couldn’t shake a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, so after the morning rides were wrapped up, Ransom drove her to the doctor in town. While she was in the back getting checked out, he sat in the waiting room, reading a magazine that hadn’t been relevant in about a year. He was just getting ready to ask the receptionist what was going on when Mellie walked out, her face pale and her hands shaking. Ransom rushed over to her, assuming the worst.

 

“Oh, no. It’s not… did they find something?”

 

Mellie laughed with tears in her eyes, “Oh, they found something all right. I’m pregnant.”

 

Ransom’s eyes went wide, first with panic, then with happiness. “No shit! A baby? My baby? We’re… a baby!”

 

Mellie took Ransom’s hands in hers and led him outside so they could talk without a waiting room full of nosy townsfolk listening in.

 

“Listen, we didn’t plan this, and I know this might not have been the life you planned, so if you don’t want to stay, I understand.”

 

Ransom gave Mellie a gentle slug on the shoulder.

 

“Gee, thanks buddy. I back my stuff and be gone by sunset.”

 

Mellie furrowed her brow until Ransom started to laugh.

 

“What are you? Nuts? This is better than any kind of life I ever imagined for myself. You’re smart and strong and beautiful and I love working on the ranch. The only thing better than spending my life with you on Hickory Pond is spending our lives together with our family there.”

 

Mellie threw her arms around Ransom and gave him a long, slow kiss. But then she pulled back, her face registering a realization that made her nervous.

 

“What’s wrong?” Ransom asked with his own pang of panic.

 

“Nothing much. We just have to go tell my former father-in-law about all of,” she gestured to Ransom and her stomach, “this, and hope he takes it in stride. And I’m not sure he will.”

 

“No chance of me charming him?” Ransom asked with a smile.

 

Mellie chuckled, “Less than no chance. Let’s just hope he’s not in one of his ornery moods.”

 

* * *

 

Mellie and Ransom drove up the long driveway to Ulysses’ farm, and pulled around in front of the farmhouse. It was late enough in the evening that all of Ulysses’ farmhands had gone home for the day, and Ulysses was sitting out on the porch drinking a glass of sweet tea in the porch swing. When he saw Mellie get out of the truck, he smiled big and waved, but then he saw Ransom, and his smiled faded.

 

“Right on track,” Ransom said as he walked up the stairs beside Mellie.

 

Ulysses didn’t get up from the porch swing; he just kept rocking back and forth, eyeing Ransom up and down like a prize pig.

 

“Melinda. Is this the mysterious ranch hand I’ve been hearing so much about for the last two months but haven’t been allowed to meet?”

 

Mellie sat down in the chair across from Ulysses and pointed for Ransom to sit in the chair next to her. “Pop, this is Ransom. He’s been working at the ranch, and he’s been a huge help. But, a few months ago, we started seeing each other.”

 

Ulysses stiffened up. At least he wasn’t yelling yet.

 

“He’s a good man, an honest man, and a hard worker. And I know it’s going to be hard to understand. It’s been hard for me to adjust too. But pop… we’re having a baby.”

 

That was it. Ulysses stood up so fast, the glass of tea in his hand sloshed all over the place, and he chucked it out into the yard.

 

“Well, if that’s the case, then you don’t need me no more, and you sure as hell don’t need my son’s ranch. I’ll give you thirty days to pack your things, and you two can find your own damn way!” Ulysses shouted as he stomped off into the house.

 

Ransom turned to Mellie with his jaw dropped. Mellie’s head was in her hands, and she lifted it up with a sad smile. “That actually went better than I expected.”

 

Ransom stood up from the chair and went to follow Ulysses into the house. Mellie grabbed at his hand, but he shook her away. “I’ve got this, babe.” He didn’t look back, for feat she might try and stop him from talking the old man down from the rafters.

 

When Ransom got inside, he found Ulysses leaning against the bar, sipping from a glass of scotch. Behind the bar, several war medals were framed, along with pictures of young men in uniform. Ransom walked up to Ulysses’ side, and tried to keep his posture low and respectful.

 

“You served too, sir?”

 

Ulysses grunted in the affirmative, but didn’t say anything. So Ransom kept going. “I was a SEAL myself. Wounded in combat. After ten years in the service, just got my walking papers and a Purple Heart and was sent on my way. I was in a dark place when I met Mellie, and she brought light to my life. The same way I can see brings light to yours, and the way I bet she did to your sons. I’m not trying to replace anyone, sir. I just want to be there to support her, and hopefully, get to know you too.”

 

Ulysses looked over at Ransom, really looked at him, like he hadn’t yet, and Ransom could see his eyes soften. He was a gruff old bastard, but Ransom could tell that when it came to Mellie, he was all heart.

 

“If you hurt that girl, I’ve got a shotgun and a hell of a lot of property. I can make it look like an accident.”

 

Ransom reached out a hand, and Ulysses took it. “That’s fair sir.”

 

Mellie poked her head around the corner, “Everyone still alive in here?”

 

Ulysses huffed. “For now, anyways.”

 

Mellie walked into the room, put her arms around Ulysses, and whispered to him, “I will always love Emery, and I will never leave you behind. It’s just… time for me to move forward with my life, pop.”

 

With a kiss on the forehead, Ulysses gave Mellie a gentle punch. “Just be happy, angel.”

 

As she looked at Ransom, standing in the middle of the room, tall and proud, she was sure for the first time in a long time…

 

She would be.

*****

The End