Page 199 of Giddy Up, Daddy

I berated myself as I rubbed my forehead in frustration.

It wasn’t the first time I’d thought about claiming Ripley as my own, and I was pretty positive it would not be the last. Unfortunately, it seemed like the frequency of such thoughts seemed to increase the further we got from Randy’s death. Maybe it was time to let her go. Maybe she needed to know I was okay with it if she wanted to put down roots and stay somewhere for more than a week or two at a time. It would kill me to leave her behind, but it wasn’t about my needs. It was about hers. I was the one with the heart to wander, not her. And if I could talk her into setting her roots into Rawhide Ridge, I could leave knowing she would be safe and secure.

“I’m not going to get any fucking sleep at this rate,” I told the dark ceiling.

I didn’t usually have trouble sleeping, but when I did, the best thing to do was get up and busy myself somehow. Flipping the covers back, I contemplated what I wanted to do. It was late, but the Ranch had more amenities than I could ever dream of. I could go work myself exhausted on an elliptical trainer in the gym. Or maybe swim laps in the pool. Or… I could work out and then swim laps.

Yep, that was the plan. I threw on some shorts and a t-shirt, and went into the common area of our suite. I put my hand up to knock on Ripley’s door, but if she was sleeping I didn’t want to bother her. Instead, I wrote a note and slipped it under her door before heading out.

Ripley

I could not remember the last time I woke feeling so refreshed and ready to seize the day. It had been a late night, but I’d fallen into bed fully relaxed with a full, happy tummy, and Ididn’t think I moved once. The bed was like sleeping on a cloud, and the sheets were the most luxurious thing I’d ever felt against my skin.

I was not a high-maintenance person, never had been. It didn’t really fit my chosen lifestyle, but Rawhide had me seriously reconsidering some of my life choices. Like why couldn’t I get myself some super-duper comfy bedding for the bus? No reason really; it just wasn’t anything I’d ever considered before. I made a mental note to see where I could order the exact same ones the Ranch had as I got out of bed and stretched.

I padded to the bathroom, barely realizing I was still naked. I very rarely slept in my birthday suit out of respect for Cade. But since I had my own space for a few weeks I might as well take full advantage. I glanced in the mirror to see my short pink hair standing up in every direction and giggled. I looked like a pink porcupine.

An adorable pink porcupine.

Randy’s voice played in my head. I loved hearing him in those moments. He had been such a wonderful and supportive husband, always lifting me up and encouraging me to love myself like he loved me. Not going to lie. It worked. Iwasadorable.

I took care of business, brushed my teeth, and snagged the robe that was hung on the back of the bathroom door. It was huge on me, but it was soft and comfy, and I made a note to get myself one along with my sheets. On my way out of the bathroom, I spotted a white piece of paper on the floor near my door.

Flipping it over, I saw that Cade had decided on a workout, which meant I had the whole place to myself. Oh, the things I could do!

I turned on my favorite concert on the big television in the main area, and turned it up loud so I could dance around andcheck out the suite, since I had basically beelined for the tub the night before. There was a cute little kitchen stocked with necessities like coffee and hot chocolate. There was even some pancake mix, but I wasn’t in the mood to do anything other than order room service. I danced to the music as I perused the Cafe menu and made my choices, adding a few things I knew Cade usually liked to have for breakfast. He was nothing if not predictable, and it was highly unlikely he had eaten before going to work out.

Muting the concert, I called down to make my order, adding a sweet treat at the last moment. I was going to spoil myself this vacation. I deserved it! As soon as my order was confirmed, I hung up and turned the concert back on. I danced and sang into the remote like I was the one on stage performing in front of millions of adoring fans. Never mind the fact that I couldn’t dance or sing worth a lick, it was just fun to let go and be ridiculous, so I did just that, jumping up and down on the couch at the end of one of my favorite songs like the jacked-up eight-year-old I was inside

The song ended, and I mimicked the bowing and the thanking of the fans word for word because I’d watched the concert more times than I could count. I opened my arms and spun in a circle—and froze when I saw Cade standing against the door jamb to his bedroom. Arms crossed over his bare chest, hair a mess, and my favorite crooked smirk on his lips. And those low-slung, worn jeans that always made my skin go warm.

I felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment and a little edge of pure lust as I hugged my robe tighter around my body and stood frozen with all of my fans still screaming in the background.

Cade raised his eyebrow before closing the distance between us and gently coaxing the remote out of my hand. He turned down the volume, then put his focus back on me.

“That was quite a show you put on there, Rip.” He smiled again, like he was recalling the scene he’d just walked in on.

“H-how long were you watching?” I asked, kinda wanting to crawl into a hole and die.

I’d been friends with this man for over half my life. We’d been through a lot of shit together, yet the embarrassment coursing through me was almost unbearable. So was my response to Cade bare-chested. And those darn jeans showing that narrow line of hair leading down from his belly button into them. Then there was that line of muscle on either side of his spectacular abs tracing the edges of his hip bones and dipping into the waistband of his jeans, too—what was that even called? My mouth started to water.

Do not look at his abs.

“Just a minute or two. I had no idea what a little performer you were.”

“Oh my god. Shut up!” I covered my face with my hands. “Why are you even here?” The words were muffled by my hands, but I didn’t even care. I never wanted to look at him again. Which was dumb. No woman in her right mind would want to look away from Cade Wyatt. And the man had seen me in way more vulnerable times than singing my heart out wearing nothing but a robe.

“Holy shit, I’m naked!” I yelled before sprinting to my door. Slamming it shut behind me, I rested my back against it.

Another unnecessary freak out… Cade had seen me naked as the day I was born during scenes in clubs. Hell, he’d even assisted in more than one scene. But that had been with Randy. Without him there it just seemed like too much. Too intimate.

Closing my eyes, I took in a slow, deep breath. It’s not like I was dancing around naked. The robe covered my entire body. What the actual fuck was my problem? Aside from the intense, undeniable attraction that had somehow become more obviousthe moment we’d arrived at Rawhide Ranch, despite the even closer confines of our tour bus.

“Rip? Are you okay, honey?” Cade knocked on the door and I jumped away from it like it was on fire.

Was I okay? I didn’t really know what I was. Confused and frustrated for sure, but why?

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just getting dressed and feeling a little silly.” And exposed, and flustered, and… so many emotions. I threw the robe off and snagged some comfy clothes out of my duffel bag.

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