Possessive Cowboy_An Older Man Younger Woman Romance Read online

  CHAPTER 13

  Cheyenne

  I set down the pitcher of lemonade and the extra beers and walk over to the guys. I’m not sure why they were just hugging and if I should be concerned or excited. This is unchartered territory for me. Not just the nervousness of my dad finding out and how he might react, but seeing the two of them share a moment like that. They just don’t do that. Ever.

  As I arrive at the spot where Cody is standing he reaches out a hand. I put my hand in his and look at him and then my dad.

  Nothing but poker faces from the both of them.

  Cody slowly drops to one knee and I see him pull a black velvet box out of his pocket with his other hand. He flips it open with a twist of his thumb and inside is a sparkling diamond bigger than I’ve ever seen and more incredible than I could have ever expected.

  “Cheyenne. You are mine. Mine and mine alone. And I am yours. Yours and yours alone. Your father, and my best friend, has just agreed to do us the honor of walking you down the aisle on our wedding day and giving you over to me so you can officially be mine forever. Forever for the entire world to see so I can love you, honor you, and support you in anything and everything you want to do in this life. And the next step in our life together is accepting this ring and wearing it so the entire world can knows who you belong to and who belongs to you…forever. Will you marry me?”

  I look into his eyes and see my future in them. I can imagine our children running free in these lands. I can imagine our daughters growing up just like I did…as tomboys. And I can imagine they will have what I never had a chance to have…siblings, and especially brothers.

  Brothers who can watch over them and protect them always, just as I know Cody will do for me. I am his after all…just as soon as I say…

  “Yes. I can’t wait to marry you and shout it from the mountaintops telling the entire world that I’m your woman.”

  He slides the ring on my finger and then stands, sweeping me right up off my feet and planting his lips on mine.

  As it turns out I was worried about nothing. I knew Cody was the one for me and so did my dad. I can’t wait to tell my mom on the phone. I know those oil people she’s meeting with in Houston will take her out celebrating just like the three of us are going to celebrate, and then celebrate all over again when mom gets back home.

  Because that’s what life is all about in the first place…family. And now I get to start mine with the only man I’ve ever been with and ever will be. My perfect match from the start.

  And the man who will be my lover, my confidant, my husband, and the father to our children and grandfather to their children on these beautiful lands of Wyoming for as long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

  Till the end of time.

  Because he’s mine and I’m his…forever.

  EPILOGUE

  Cheyenne

  Five years later

  “No perfume and wear your hair down.”

  Part of me says to argue but another part of me says that Cody knows what’s best.

  “Okay, but can I at least know why?” I ask.

  “Because the best scent in the world is that intoxicating smell of yours and your hair turns me on. You know that.”

  “Thank you for complimenting me. You’re making me feel more like a beauty queen than a mother right now.”

  “You’re both. My beauty queen and mother to my children. The one and only.”

  “Awww. Thank you, my caring cowboy,” I say as I move in closer and give him a hug. “But is there another reason.”

  “No.”

  “You sure it’s not because you don’t want me to attract animals with my smell and give mountain lions a target by exposing my neck.”

  “Talk dirty to me,” he says.

  I slap him on the arm.

  “Woman, the fact that you know how these lands work and how to survive sure is a turn on. But no. I said what I said for the reasons I said.”

  I’m not sure if I should believe him or this is just his possessiveness again. I know he doesn’t like me to dress up whenever I leave the house. He says my body is his and not for some other man to ogle at. I agree with him. But now he’s worried about animals chasing after me? Regardless he’s obsessed with my safety if that is the reason, and if not it sure feels good to know I still turn him on after five years together.

  And do I ever turn him on. He reminds me about ten times a day when he grabs me hard from behind when I’m least expecting…or from the side or from the front.

  When I snapping beans he threatens to snap me.

  When I’m folding clothes he says he can bend me in some of those positions and live out our wildest fantasies.

  And he always delivers.

  And he’s mine to the core. He never so much as looks at other women not to mention he barely even leaves the house.

  He’s either with me and the kids or working with our sheep operation in some way. We’ve cracked the code on an ethical and sustainable way to harvest wool. And not only that it’s of a higher quality and strength and our practices have won numerous awards from animal rights activists for our zero-harm pledge which Cody is obsessed about.

  Just like he’s obsessed about his very own zero-harm pledge to his family. He’s got electric fences and all kinds of other security measures all around our yard so our kids can roam free and play without worry of suddenly coming face to face with a bear or other dangerous wild animal.

  He controls every possible measure of their safety down to the very last detail. What would seem tiring to most is all in a day’s work for dad.

  But this weekend he’s just my good ol’ Cody again.

  My mom and dad are watching Casper and Afton for the next week as we explore the northern part of Wyoming.

  For most people the idea of vacationing so close to home might not sound ideal, but to the two of us it’s perfect. There’s nothing we like more than to be in nature in a part of the world we love more than any other.

  And these lands are so open and free that we’ve already spent most of the first day free of our clothing…swimming in the crystal clear lake and making love all night on a blanket while a campfire crackled just feet away. We woke up smelling like that campfire and as crazy as it sounds it smelled sexy as heck and led right into another session this morning and then another dip in the river.

  But that’s how we do it out here. I’m a tomboy through and through and he’s all man. It takes a real man to be with a woman like me and Cody isn’t just a real man, he’s the only man. The only one for me.

  I feel his hand on the back of my neck and he leans in sniffing me. “Damn you smell so good,” he says. “So sweet like a flower garden in the spring.”

  “And you smell like the woods in the fall. One of my favorite smells.”

  “And tonight we’re going to smell like that campfire all over again,” he says.

  I smile and lean in and he leans down and kisses me.

  “You even taste sweet,” he says.

  He takes a step forward and we’re off together. After a solid five minutes of walking I notice his hand is still on the back of my neck.

  “Is it uncomfortable for you to walk like that?”

  “Like what? With my wife next to me. Never.”

  “No, silly. With your elbow up and your hand around the back of my neck. Or let me guess…”

  “I’m showing any animals who are lurking that you’re mine. Mine and only mine and not to mess with you or they’ll be messing with me.”

  “You’re crazy. Absolutely crazy,” I say.

  “Crazy for you.”

  “And should we stand up straight and tall too? I’m sure they smell our dominance, but it’s probably better if they see it too.” I’m saying it playfully, but it is based in a lot of fact.

  “It’s a good idea, but it’s not necessary,” he says.

  I consider not biting on his comment, but I can’t resist. “Care to share the reason why?”


  “Because I’m here. And any animal of any kind, human or beast, knows better than to mess with what’s mine…or they’ll have to get through me and that means they better plan on killing me first ‘cause nothing and nobody is getting to you. That’s a promise.”

  I lean in closer and wrap my arm around him. He’s my very own personal protector. He might be possessive and obsessive some of the time, okay most of the time, but I sure would rather have a man who cares about me and my family maybe a bit too much than one who’s apathetic, disinterested, or any of the things Cody’s not.

  “And I promise that I’ll always be grateful that you are exactly the way you are,” I say. “And I love you just the way you are. Please don’t ever change,” I say.

  “Never,” he says stopping and turning me to face him. “Because I’m completely addicted to you and even if I wanted to, which no way in hell do I, I couldn’t change if I tried. Even when I get you twenty-four hours a day it’s not even close to enough. You’re all I think about. All I dream about. And all I want to do is make our family bigger and bigger together.”

  “Well with all the love making we’ve been having so far on this trip I’m sure there’s a good possibility our family of four will be a family of five in about nine months.”

  “Six would be better.”

  “Twins?” I ask.

  “You’re right. Seven. Triplets. Three is the best number…after two.”

  “Why two?”

  “Because the best thing that ever happened to me was becoming half of the two of us.”

  “Awww,” I say and I hug him again.

  But I already feel something poking me in the stomach.

  “Does that thing ever go down?” I ask looking at his manliness.

  “Not when you’re around. Never.”

  “And that’s how we’re going to go from four to five.”

  “Or seven. Let’s hope for the best.”

  I just shake my head and last. “Let’s just hope I’m able to walk after this weekend is over.”

  “If you’re feet get tired you know what to do.”

  “What’s that?” I ask. I honestly don’t know where he’s going with this.

  “Just tell me and I’ll carry you all weekend.”

  “I don’t want to be slung over your shoulder all weekend.”

  “Not like that. That’s not how a man carries his woman. I’d carry you like the way I carried you through the threshold of our home after our wedding.”

  “All week out here.”

  “All week.”

  “You sure your arms wouldn’t get tired?”

  “How can I get tired of something I love to do? Plus you’re light as a feather.”

  “I’m light as a feather? Even after two kids?”

  “You’ll always be light as a feather because every moment with you is like I’m on cloud nine.”

  I give him a big hug and wonder how this manly man became so romantic with his words over the years. The best thing I know is that it isn’t practiced or forced. He says everything naturally and with ease. He speaks the truth at all times and it only makes his words that much more powerful knowing that I know it’s coming from a place of honesty and from his heart.

  And my heart will always belong to him…my possessive cowboy.

  EXTENDED EPILOGUE

  Cheyenne

  Fifteen more years later

  “Another drink, miss?” the waiter by the pool asks as he winks at me. He’s about my age and I’m not sure if he’s trying to flatter me or actually hit on me, but either way this is about to be really bad news for him.

  I cringe as I see Cody’s big hand come down on the back of his shirt, pulling the bartender back.

  “It’s Mrs.” he growls into his ear. “And she doesn’t want anything that you have to offer…got it.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  I’ve known Cody long enough to know “got it” wasn’t a question and he didn’t say it like it was either. But this guy is clearly terrified and Cody’s never one to play games.

  He moves his hands across hovering the waiter’s body over the water. All Cody has to do is release his grip and this guy’s shift is over, unless he brought a change of clothes.

  “I’m sorry, sir,” he says.

  “Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to her,” Cody says.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t know.”

  “Next time look at the rock on her finger and ask yourself if it’s a good idea to be winking at a married woman,” Cody says. “Mine or anyone else’s.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Cody brings his arm back around and the man with it. He releases his grip and the waiter scurries back behind the bar and out of sight.

  “How did you know he winked at me?” I ask.

  “I just figured, plus I saw you cringe. That told me all I needed to know.”

  “These Californians sure do have an interesting way of being friendly,” I say.

  “Too friendly,” Cody says. “We’re going to have a great time on this vacation, but so far I can’t say I don’t miss the open lands and the freedom we have.”

  “You mean like freedom from neighbors?”

  “Exactly,” he says taking a seat on a beach chair next to me. “We can pick our neighbors and when we want to spend time with them we can. When we don’t, we don’t. Out here it’s like they’re all stacked on top of one another. How can they live like that?”

  “I guess they’re just used to it.”

  “I guess you’re right. And the worst part? No horses anywhere.”

  “They have horses in California. Lots of them actually.”

  “Not any that I’ve seen.”

  “You mean in town?”

  “That’s exactly what I mean.”

  I laugh a bit and try to hide it, but I can’t. “You’d take Bullet out on the freeway?”

  “Bullet’s getting up there in the years, but I’d take Rocket out for a spin. She’s better than any of these fancy cars they’ve got here. A car gets you from point a to point b. A horse does the same plus it can work all day without complaining and if you treat her right a horse can be a great friend.”

  “I guess they don’t see things that way.”

  “I guess not.” Cody looks around. “Where are the kids?”

  “They’re—”

  “Wait, one second,” he says. He pulls out his mobile phone and clicks on something.

  “What app did you download now?”

  “LittleOneLocator.”

  “LittleOneLocator?”

  “Yeah, goofy name, but it keeps an eye on your little ones.”

  “Our kids aren’t so little anymore.”

  “I know, but they’ll always be little to me…and I’ll always be keeping an eye on them.”

  “How in the world do you plan on doing that?”

  “GPS.”

  “But don’t you…need…to… What did you do, Cody?”

  “The chip is in their shoes. They’ll never know.”

  “Cody!”

  “This is a big city. I’m not letting anything happen to them or to you.”

  “Wait a minute.”

  “You know I’ll buy you any pair of shoes you want while we’re here, but you gotta wear your sandals or your cowgirl boots until we get home.”

  “Me too?”

  “They’ve got crime here, Cheyenne. I’m not having it. This is a family holiday, but dad’s never fully on holiday. Looking out for his family is a full time commitment.”

  “You mean a full time job.”

  “Commitment. Big difference. A job is something you do for money. A commitment is something you’re committed to…from your heart. And you know I’m committed to my family with everything I’ve got.”

  “I know. You just reminded me again, and ‘introduced’ that waiter to your ‘commitment.’”

  I look over as Cody navigates the app and searches for the kids. The guy who didn't care for anyt
hing tech how times have changed.

  “They’re in the room. Probably getting ready.”

  “They’ll be fine, honey.”

  “I know. I brought a friend of mine out to watch our six.”