Page 48 of Reaching Little Robyn

As Robyn launched into a story of how she had a huge collection of keys to try to unlock the trunk, Rooster took his own seat opposite Jagger. Meeting the older man’s eyes, he said, “So, I hear Leroy makes a mean steak.”

EPILOGUE

Robyn

Six months later

The sound of her alarm brought Robyn out of dreamland, but it took her a moment to walk across the bridge from dreamland into reality. She stretched and smiled, thinking that ever since she’d met Rooster, the two were pretty much the same.

Last night had been the first time they’d slept in the renovated house on The Flying W. Her body was still a bit tingly from all the ways she and her Daddy had christened almost every room in the place. Her hand swept across the mattress beside her and finding nothing, she opened her eyes. “Daddy?” When no response came, she pushed up to sit and looked toward the door, but it was closed. The door to the bathroom was ajar but the interior was dark. Had she overslept?

No, the alarm was still pealing. She reached for her phone to shut it off and that’s when she saw it. A folded piece of paper tucked beneath the bell that normally resided on her desk at the B&B. She had no clue why he’d brought it to his place, but the fact that he did had her smiling with the memory of the first noteshe’d found waiting for her to wake. Picking it up, she unfolded it.

Little bird,

If you’re ready to get out of bed just ring the bell and I’ll come running.

Love, Daddy Rooster

PS: You don’t have to worry about Ms. Ethel learning that I had a great time taking advantage of you last night because I’m not one to kiss and tell. Remember, I’m a gentleman.

PPS: If your feet hit the floor for any reason, I’ll not only hear them, I’ll be up here with one of those thick wooden spoons I stole from your kitchen.

PPPS: I hope you read this before dawn breaks so we can begin a new day just as we ended one last night—together.

She smiled and read the note again, recognizing he’d basically duplicated the first note he’d ever left her, even including a reference to Ms. Ethel as he had that night. God, how had she gotten so lucky? The man she’d once run from had been the man of every dream she’d ever had. It had just taken a while for her to recognize his face, to yearn for his touch, to love him more than she loved life itself. Wiping a tear from her cheek, she was about to ring the bell when the sheet dropped down and she remembered she was naked.

Her gaze circled the room before landing on the dresser against the far wall and she smiled. Ten minutes later, she ran her fingers through her curls to comb them into some semblance of order before she twisted the knob on the bell. Releasing it, she listened to the ring that never failed to summon her Daddy. By the time she heard footsteps, she was posed and ready.

Well, she thought she was ready. But when the door swung open and she saw her Daddy standing on the threshold completely dressed from the hat on his head to the boots on hisfeet, she remembered they were supposed to be going on a ride up the mountain to watch the sunrise.

“Oops. Guess I’m a little underdressed for our ride.”

Rooster’s right eyebrow rose. “I’d say you are very much overdressed as I distinctly recall looking at your beautiful and completely nude body before I went to make coffee and saddle the horses. And, I’ll add that unless some little bluebirds flew through the window to dress their Robynella, some little bird is in quite the pickle.”

With that image in her mind, she forgot all about her sexy pose and rolled into a ball as she burst out laughing.

When she managed to utter just the occasional giggle, Rooster said, “You know, my grandmother always said that it’s only funny until someone starts crying.”

“Wh-who’s crying?” Robyn asked, concern doing a good job of stilling the humor of the situation.

“No one, yet, but I believe some little bird is going to be having her wings clipped because she can’t seem to keep her feet off the floor.”

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, Daddy Rooster.”

“Baby bird, it’s kind of hard to declare your innocence when you are actually wearing the evidence, though, I’d admit there’s not too much actualevidencein evidence.”

Robyn giggled, but then rose to her knees on the mattress. “Before sentencing, I’d like to present my case.”

“By all means, feel free to do so. Then you may present your butt for your spanking.”

Robyn got to her feet. Walking across the mattress, she stepped onto the nightstand on Rooster’s side of the bed. From there, she took a small leap and landed on the window seat beneath the bay-window that spanned the entire wall and looked out over the back of his property. She made sure to sway her hips as she strutted the length of the seat.

“Pretty clever, but just so you know, that bear rug you’re about to step on is considered part of the floor.”

“Who needs a rug?”

“Says the little bird who was spreading not only her wings but her legs on that very rug not all that long ago?”

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