My Cowboy

CORA

This bitch, Vicki, was crazy. That much I could tell. I’d tried leaving the bar without getting physical, but as I walked out, she was behind me the whole way.

Now in the parking lot, I was subject to her screaming and spitting at me while she yelled at the men who’d come out to try to get her to leave me alone.

“Fuck off, all y’all! This fake bitch is mine!” she screamed. Her gaggle of trashy friends laughed and cheered in encouragement behind her.

“Jesus, Vicki!” Reg, the bartender, said as he stepped outside. “This girl is Greg’s daughter.”

She went full psycho at this point. “Oh, that’s just fuckin’ great! So you’re the snotty bitch from the city! You can run back to your whore mother and tell her she can go straight to hell!”

That was it. My mother had never been the most loving woman, but I’d be damned if I was going to let this leather-skinned hick talk shit about her.

I’d never been in a fight, but I’d taken some self-defense classes while I was in college. Though I had no idea if her friends would let this be a fair fight or if they’d try to jump me, too.

This town fucking sucks.

Vicki looked like she was going to pounce any second. I’d stepped forward, ready to throw a punch if needed, when I heard the clop of horse hooves behind me.

Vicki looked over my shoulder, and her eyes narrowed. I turned around to see Hael riding up on his black horse.

“Hey, Cora,” he said. “Leave that miserable bitch alone. You wouldn’t wanna get fleas by touchin’ her.”

The crowd that had gathered laughed, and Vicki was mortified. She stormed back inside the bar, followed by her group of trashy friends.

“Have a good one, Hael,” Reg said as he began to disappear back inside the bar. “Oh, by the way,” he said over his shoulder. “Dodger was here earlier. Not tryin’ to stick my nose in anyone else’s affairs, but I know you’ve laid into him before for drinkin’ during work hours.”

“Dammit,” Hael said under his breath. “Thanks, Reg.”

“How did you know what was happening?” I asked, walking toward Hael on the horse.

“Small town.” He smiled. “Reg texted me as soon as Vicki got here. That’s one thing about bein’ here you’ll have to get used to. Everyone knows everyone else’s business.”

“So you rode in like a knight on horseback.”

He shrugged, his dimples on point as he smiled. Good God, he was a good-looking man.

“So can I give you a ride home?”

“On that?!?”

“It’s faster if you take a horse on the back roads,” he replied.

“I’ve never been on a freaking horse in my life!” I admitted.

He slung his leg over to get down and came up to me, just inches away from my body.

“I promise not to let ya fall,” he said, his baby-blue eyes sparkling.

“Okay,” I said after a moment of hesitation. “I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

“All right then,” he guided me over. “This is my horse, Bolt. He’s friendly. Here, put your hand up on the saddle horn and put your left foot in the stirrup.”

I did as instructed, feeling his hands move to my waist. I could feel my cheeks flush as I cursed at myself internally.

Get it together, Cora! You’re acting like a friggin’ virgin on prom night.

“Okay now,” Hael continued, “pull yourself up and throw your right leg over the saddle.”

He helped lift me, and in one motion, I was on top of the horse. He then kicked his leg over to sit behind me. Every inch of the front of his body melted against my back. A familiar tingle shot up between my legs.

“And we’re off.” He made a clicking noise with his mouth, and the horse lurched forward.

I immediately felt like I was going to lose my balance and fall. Hael seemed to feel the tension in my body and put one hand on my waist, keeping the reins in the other.

“Steady there.” He laughed. “Keep ahold of the saddle horn. Or hold on to the hair of his mane at the nape of his neck if it helps.”

“That doesn’t hurt him?” I asked.

“Nah, horses are tough. He don’t mind.”

As we got a few yards, he added, “You can feel the rhythm of the horse’s movements after a bit. It helps you balance if you kinda move your hips with his steps.”

“Okay,” I said, trying to ignore the rising tension between my thighs.

We rode through some narrow dirt trails on the way back to the ranch. I’d have noticed the scenery a bit more if I could have taken my mind off the feeling of Hael’s sizable bulge against my back as we rode.

But I knew it was futile. A guy like this? Out here? Someone must have snatched him up a long time ago. He had to be taken. Without a doubt.

I seriously need to get laid. It’s time.

He tried giving me a few pointers about riding on the way, but I only half listened, contemplating the sheer sexiness of this man. His big, calloused hands on the reins made me wonder what else they were capable of.

I’d never once been into the “hunky cowboy” type. They just seemed overly macho and dumb. But his muscular arms on either side of me, his hard chest flat against my back, and those fucking tight Levi’s leaving little to the imagination were enough to make a girl cum right then and there.

Yep, definitely time for me to try some sort of dating app. Maybe Swiper… Do they HAVE Swiper out here? I mean if they don’t even have brunch…

***

HAEL

“Over there is my place.” I pointed to my old yellow farmhouse nestled beyond some pastures.

“Oh, wow,” Cora said, “you live close.”

“Yep, just under a mile from Cedar Ranch. For now, your cattle are mixed with mine. It’s easier to keep track of ‘em all together than having two separate herds.”

I nodded. “Makes sense. You seem to know what you’re doing.”

“Fourth generation rancher,” he said. “I don’t have quite so many head as Greg has... Had... Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “We weren’t close.”

“Really? He talked about you all the time.”

“Yeah, I heard that,” she said. “He was mostly just a name to me. He showed up randomly at different stages of my childhood for short visits, but I hadn’t seen him since I was in high school.”

“Well, I always thought he was a real good guy. Rough, but what’s the sayin’? ‘Heart of gold’? Sorry you didn’t know him better.”

“Just as well.” Cora shrugged. “He and my mom didn’t exactly end on good terms.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I offered. “If it’s any consolation, I’m glad you’re here now.”

“Yeah?” she asked, seeming unsure. “I don’t seem to be starting off very well.”

“I think you’ll do real good with the ranch once you get the hang of things. I’d be happy to show you the ropes.”

I’d be happy to show you lots of things… Shit, wait… didn’t Greg mention she was married?

“That’d be nice… Have you worked for Greg a long time?” she asked.

“Over ten years now. He gave me my first real job.”

I scanned her hand for a ring.

Nothing there…

I finally worked up the nerve to ask. “Mind if I ask you somethin’?”

“Sure.”

“I couldn’t help but notice the tan line on your ring finger… Are you…”

“Oh, yeah... I was married.”

“Was?”

She huffed a little before saying, “Yeah, was. As in not anymore.”

“Sorry. It’s none of my business.”

“No, it’s okay,” she said. “We separated two years ago, and the divorce was finalized about six months ago.”

A few seconds later she added, “I suspected that he started screwing around pretty early on. And I felt like somehow it was my fault. Like, if I were just a better wife, he’d stop.

“So I showed up at his office to surprise him one day, to find that he’d fallen face-first into his secretary’s vagina—Fuck, I’m sorry! You don’t need to hear all this.”

“That’s okay,” I said with a light laugh, and I meant it. “I mean that sucks, but it’s okay.”

“Anyway,” Cora continued, “I can’t even fully blame him. I mean, I hate him for what he did, but I was already kind of emotionally checked out before that. I’m surprised we made it as long as we did.”

I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t happy to hear that she was single. Though I tried not to act too glad about it.

“Well...” I searched for the words. “This is a fresh start for you then.”

We reached Cedar Ranch in another minute. I got off the horse first then helped her down. I couldn’t help but smile when she put her hands on my shoulders to be lowered to the ground.

“Well, Cora,” I said as her eyes met mine, “it’s been good getting to know you better…”

Aside from seeing you naked this morning.

“So…” I said, standing there like a fool, “I’d best be off.”

“I’d best be off”? Could I sound more like a stupid hick?

Cora began to walk up to the house as I was about to remount Bolt. Then she stopped and turned back to me.

“Hey,” she said, “have you eaten? I’m starving!”

“Oh, I—” I stumbled. “No, I haven’t eaten yet…”

“Thought I’d make a quick trip to the grocery store,” she replied, “but if you’ve got work to do…”

I paused for a little too long.

Stop standing here like a mute idiot!

“I have food!” I finally blurted out. “I mean…I usually go home to eat…if you wanna join me.”

“Sure! If it’s no trouble. I’m not used to the quiet around here. Could use the company.” She smiled.

“No, no trouble at all!”

So she went in to change her shoes, and then we walked with Bolt through the pasture to my house.

***

CORA

What the hell am I doing?

I’m having dinner with this hot cowboy. That’s what.

It was an unusually warm week for October, so we opted to eat outside on the porch. I waited on the steps and sipped on a bottle of cold soda while Hael threw together a quick dinner inside.

As I waited, a familiar face showed up from around the corner.

“Hey, sweet thang,” said the blond-haired douchebag from the bar.

I groaned at his appearance. “What are you doing here?”

“I work here, baby. What about you?”

I heard Hael’s heavy footsteps and the screen door open behind me.

Thank fuck!

“I hope this is okay,” he said as he placed down a tray with sandwiches and potato chips. “I wanted to make it fast.”

“This is great,” I said, picking up one of the sandwiches. “Thank you.”

“Hey, Dodger,” he said, looking squarely at the dipshit shuffling his feet. “Reg said you were at the bar drinking today.”

“No crime in having a beer is there?”

“Not while I’m paying you to work here. Save the bar ’til after you’re done for the day, got it?”

“Got it,” Dodger said, barely making an effort to hide the pissy tone in his voice. “I’ll, uh... I’ll head out now.” He jumped into a rusty Chevy pickup and drove off.

“Charming fellow, that one.” I rolled my eyes.

“Cheap labor.” Hael shrugged. “Guess ya get what ya pay for.”

Just then a girl—so petite I could have believed that she was twenty or twelve, with wild blonde curls and wearing tight jeans, cowboy boots, and a black and blue flannel—ran over to us screaming.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw me sitting next to Hael on the steps. And she looked pissed.

Shit! Girlfriend?

“Hael!” she yelled. “What the hell are you doin’ home?!? I ran all the way to Greg’s to get you!”

“Dinner,” he said, standing. The girl glared at me with complete and utter disdain.

Fuck.

“Uh, Bree-elle, this is Greg’s daughter, Cor—” he began.

She cut him off. “Come quick! I think Sadie’s dying!”