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Ranger

“THIS IS MY SECOND FAVORITE thing we do together.”

Watching her smile, sitting up straight and at ease on the back of Belle as we trot down the trail, swells my heart. The clop of hooves on the hard ground, the honest scent of horsehair and sunbaked dirt. This is everything I could ever wish for.

“Oh yeah?” She giggles, eyeing me sideways as she smooths down Belle’s mane. The speed with which she’s learned to ride amazes me. “And what’s your first?”

“Anything to do with that pussy you’ve got giving that saddle a hard-on. You have no idea how many times a day I think about that, do you?” I shake my head. In the three days since she reached into my chest and took my heart, I’ve never been happier.

Normally, when I collect her from the diner, we don’t leave right away. I sit and make sure she eats a proper dinner, then drive her home. Last night was different. I arrived earlier than usual. I had an extra motive. Because I’d invited her father to come eat with us, so I could talk to him. Properly. Man-to-man.

When he walked in, Maria’s eyes went as big as moons. She hadn’t expected it. I stood up, greeted him, and escorted him to the corner booth, giving my girl a slight wave of my hand to let her know this was between us men.

I’d cut right to it with her dad. Told him in no uncertain terms that his daughter had captivated me from the first moment I saw her. Told him my intentions were honorable. He gave me a bit of a reasonable argument, seeing as we’ve only known each other less than a week. But by the time I was done explaining myself, he could see, hear, and feel that it wasn’t the amount of time that mattered. It was the strength of the connection.

By the time I waved Maria over to take his order, we’d shaken hands, and he’d given me his blessing. He understood I would take care of her to the end of my days.

I worry about her constantly. If she’s eaten or slept enough. If I’m being honest, I even fucking worry if she’s feeling what I’m feeling or if she might leave me.

Not that I’d let her. Gotta be truthful. I’d chase her ass across this country if I had to. Bring her right on back to me. I know, deep inside, in that knowing part we all have, that we are meant to be. Anything that might take her away, I’d destroy it, overcome it, do battle with it, and I’d bring her back.

“I’m going to be late if we don’t pick up the pace a bit.” She clicks at Belle and breaks into a soft canter, and I follow suit with Paco. She’s a natural rider. From the first moment I put her on Belle’s back, they’ve been like peas and carrots. My two favorite girls, looking like the best of friends—just another sign that this is exactly what I’ve been waiting for my whole life.

“I think you should quit.”

I’ve been thinking about that since the first dinner we shared at the diner. I can take care of her, she doesn’t need to work there, and her boss, Luther... I’ve known him all my life, and I know he’s a jerk. Well, I guess there are worse bosses. He’s not a monster, and there have been times when we’ve found ourselves on the same side of the line, but I guess I just don’t like her having to work. Unfortunately, for some reason, she seems to like it.

“I need a job. I can’t just sit around. I need money for...” She trails off and rides forward.

“For what?” I’m right next to her now. I want to tell her I’ll buy her anything and everything she will ever need.

“Just stuff, Ranger. I am an adult, I need things.” She sighs. “Besides, I like it there. Luther might come across as grumpy, but he’s actually not so bad when you get to know him. I’ve told him I’ll help to organize his books, make sure all the tips and wages are properly deducted before I...” She falls silent, and I want to ask “before what?” but I sense there’s a reason she’s not telling me. I don’t like it, but I respect her right to privacy.

“But you have a master’s degree in accounting. You shouldn’t be working at that minimum-wage diner.”

“It’s not like there are a lot of clients for me around here.” Her voice is clipped as we slow a bit, approaching the barn. “I mean, the population is what? Seven hundred in this town? And how many of them are going out looking for a new accountant in the middle of summer? There aren’t even any businesses—no real businesses—looking for an accountant. Not around here.” Her replies take on an edge that leaves me uneasy.

We come to a stop outside the open barn doors and dismount. I hear the soft thud of her new boots hitting the ground, and I’m immediately caught up in the memory of giving them to her, the joy on her face at the simple gift.

“What are those?”

She’s eyeing my saddle with amusement, looking at the notches I’ve cut into the leather. I take a deep breath. This is a tough conversation to have—and not one that I wanted to deal with so soon. I feel a twinge of shame, but I don’t want to break this...this spell. She deserves to know, and a part of my penance should be to tell her, but not yet. I can’t do it yet. I need time, to explain what they mean, to explain why I need them.

It’s my burden, and I don’t want to make it hers. Not yet.

“Another time, Little Bit. Let me tell you when I’m ready.” I pat Paco’s rump, reassuring him as I drop the reins. He’ll stay where he is. “I’ll take care of the horses. You go get cleaned up and changed.” I walk around and take the reins from her, seeing the question in her eyes, but she’s not pushing the issue. “Kiss me.”

Our lips meet, but her mind is somewhere else, and I don’t think it has anything to do with my reluctance to open up. I gather the reins in one hand, my other reaching up to wrap in her hair and tug her ponytail, forcing her to look at me.

“You do know how crazy I am about you, right?”

“I know you’re crazy.” Her eyes twinkle, and a smile spreads across her lips, making me snort a laugh. I dismiss the former distance as just a misread on my part, reminding myself that although in my heart I might feel we’ve been together a lifetime, that’s not the case. It’s only natural that I’m still learning her cues.

I snap my tongue over my teeth. “Damn straight.”

“Now, let me go, cowboy. I’ve got twenty minutes to get cleaned up, dressed, and into town.”

I love that she’s got some of her things here. It’s only been days, but each item I’ve encouraged her to bring means more of her beloved possessions in my house. She scatters things about without any sense of order, and with anyone else, that would have driven me mad. But with Maria? I’ll take her beautiful disorder as long as it’s here with me.

I even went with her to her dad’s just this morning, helped her pack some clothes. More than she wanted, but less than I wanted. Then when we got back here, I unpacked and put all her things away in drawers I’d emptied for her. Hung her things in the closet. Because I need to feel she’s here with me. In our home.

“Don’t think Luther will mind you being a little late, baby. I’ve got that dog on a chain. I’ll be waiting out front with the truck runnin’. You get that cute ass dressed and let me take care of everything else.”

With another quick kiss, I let her go, and she runs to the house. I’m in awe, watching her every step of the way.

MARIA’S DAD SOUNDS just a little concerned, and I get it, I really do. “I’m back at home now,” I say into the phone. “But she’s fine. Just dropped her at the diner. I’ll head back up there around six thirty, and I’ll take her phone.”

He called because she hadn’t answered her phone or replied to his texts. Which doesn’t surprise me. It’ll be here somewhere.

“Not sure why she has it,” he says. “She’s losing it more often than I’m losing my glasses these days.”

“Yes, sir.” I chuckle. He’s right; she’s not a phone girl.

I snapped at her about it last night, when she went on a walkabout to the barn while I took care of some farm business in my office. I came out, and she was nowhere to be found. Started calling her phone, which I insisted she keep on her whenever she left the house, and sure enough, there it was, sitting in a pile of her clothes on the bathroom floor. I searched in a panic then and found her in the barn, grooming Bella and singing to herself. Safe to say, I came down hard and then regretted it. But I need to know where she is, so I know she’s safe. Looks like I’ll have to have words with her again.

“I’ll see you two for breakfast, then?” Patrick’s ever-present cheerfulness comes through the phone. I spoke to him yesterday, invited him here for breakfast in the morning. I need to talk to my future father-in-law about making his daughter my wife. I want to do this right; I want his full blessing. I want everything perfect for Maria, and I know how much her family means to her. I show her father all the respect he deserves and then some, and I always will.

“Eight a.m. See you then.”

We sign off as I take the steps two at a time to the bedroom. It only takes me a couple minutes to find Maria’s phone, safely tucked into her underwear drawer and chirping away happily to itself with a string of notifications.

With a grin, I grab it and start to head back out the door. I’ve got chores to finish before I can head into town for our nightly dinner at Luther’s place. Truth is, I’m starting to enjoy those, and even Luther can’t complain about the extra business he’s getting.

I tap the screen, ready to clear away the unanswered texts and silence the constant beeps and dings. Otherwise, they’ll be annoying me the whole time while I work, partly because I hate that electronic noise, but also partly because it’s a reminder that I can’t reach her if I want to.

Then I stop. My boots are frozen in place on the wood floor just outside our bedroom door.

Yes, our bedroom door.

I’m reading what’s on the screen, but I don’t quite believe it. My blood runs cold. I’m vaguely aware of the house phone ringing downstairs, but it’s a distant, unreal sound. The only thing that’s real is this. This message.