Page 18 of Rope Me

Cassidy stops short. Her breath catches. Her hands fly to her mouth, her eyes wide, luminous. “What…what is this?”

I squeeze her fingers. “This is your business. It’s a place to bring your dream job to life and use that degree you worked so hard to get. You own it, not the ranch and not me. You’re just renting the space here. Of course, the rent is a little unconventional.” I pause, watching her expression shift between shock and disbelief. “One loaf of banana bread a month.”

A soft, choked laugh escapes her, trembling on the edge of a sob. The sound wraps around me. It’s been too long since I’ve heard it. Then her lips curl into something unguarded and real. Her smile falters and then the dam breaks.

“Don’t cry,” I tell her.

But tears spill freely down her cheeks anyway. They shimmer in the soft light, but they’re filled with relief, gratitude, and maybe even joy. And right there, paired with them, is her breathtaking smile that hits me harder than any punch ever could. She looks at me like I make her world go around and it’s intoxicating.

Cassidy has a way of wrecking me in the best possible way. My knees damn near buckle under the weight of it all. The combination of her emotions, my emotions, and the sheer intensity of this moment is dizzying.

“Cassidy,” I whisper, my voice barely more than air, thick and strained from everything I’m holding back.

She shakes her head, pressing a hand to her chest as if trying to contain the overwhelming rush of feeling spilling out of her. “I can’t believe this,” she breathes. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

I reach for her, my hands settling on her waist, grounding us both. She clings to me.

“I’d do anything for you,” I murmur, my voice raw with truth. “You can plan your occupational therapy workdays around your time with Connor. And he can ride anytime he wants, of course.”

Cassidy turns to me, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, her breath catching in her throat. She presses a trembling hand to her lips as if holding back the tidal wave of emotion threatening to spill over.

“Alex,” she whispers, voice thick with disbelief. “Oh my God… you’re—” She shakes her head, exhaling a shaky breath. “You’re incredible. I don’t even have words. This is… it’s unbelievable.”

Her gaze sweeps over the space, awe-struck. It’s like she’s afraid to blink and find it all gone. But I’m not going anywhere and neither is this place. She steps forward slowly. Her fingerstrail over the polished wood of the office desk and then move across the shelves.

I bought adaptive saddles in every size and the pads to go with them. She touches the therapeutic weighted blankets and grooming kits. It’s like she wants to commit every detail to memory. But she doesn’t need to, it’s hers now for as long as she’ll have it.

“I got every tool the internet said you’d need,” I murmur, needing to fill the silence, my voice rough with emotion. “Probably some you won’t. But I wasn’t taking any chances.”

She turns slowly, her lips parted. Her expression is so raw it damn near knocks the wind out of me. Her lip trembles and for a split second I worry I got it all wrong. Until finally, she says, “Thank you, Alex.”

I finally exhale. “You’ve worked incredibly hard to gain the independence you have now. That’s something to be proud of. But I’m asking you to let me in. I want to be a part of all you are trying to accomplish.”

Her gaze locks onto mine. Her eyes are deep and unwavering. She pulls me into something far bigger than just this moment. A flurry of emotions passes between us— trust, understanding, and peace. But most of all, I feel her surrender. The space between us disappears in a heartbeat.

Cassidy steps forward and her fingers curl into the hem of my shirt. She grips it like she needs something solid to hold on to and I keep her steady. It’s a role I’ve hoped to fill all my life. When her skin brushes mine, heat ripples through me. Then she pulls me down to meet her.

Her breath is warm against my lips and her curvy body presses flush against mine. Before our mouths lock, an explosive heat sizzles through me. I part her lips with my tongue and sink into the kiss. My hand tangled into her hair while the other presses into the small of her back and anchors her to me.

There’s no hesitation when I finally claim what’s mine. This kiss is years of longing crashing into the present. Cassidy melts, sighing into my mouth. The sound sends heat surges through me, curls low in my gut, and sets my pulse on fire.

CHAPTER 15

BOWEN

I pushthrough the back doors of the lobby, balancing a stack of crisp, freshly laundered towels as I make my way toward thePillow Plow Palacesuite. There’s not much time left before our VIP guests arrive, and in my opinion, the place is already set up just fine.

But our new marketing director, Priya, has me jumping through every damn hoop imaginable. Normally, I’d push back, but if you saw her, you’d understand why I don’t. I make it through the courtyard in five minutes flat and shove the door open without a second thought.

“Hey! Get the hell out of here!” Alex’s voice booms through the room, sharp and unyielding. It makes me jolt mid-step.

“Man,youget the hell out of here,” I fire back, annoyed and confused. “I’ve been calling you all morning. What the hell are you even—” I reach for the light switch, flip it on, and instantly freeze.

Alex stands in front of me, completely naked. This isn’t the picture of my big brother I want to hold in my mind.

“What the actual fuck man? Why is your ass a solid three shades lighter than the rest of you? Why am I going to have to go to my grave with this picture of you in my head now? At least youhave the decency to face away from me, but why are you naked… what’s wrong with you?”

The sight of a comforter moving behind him draws my attention. I realize that Alex isn’t alone. I look again to catch the sight of Cassidy wrapped in nothing but the plush comforter from the bed. As we lock eyes her face turns a shade of hot pink that I didn’t know was possible for a human. Then her head slowly disappears beneath the blanket. Realization dawns and a deep, uncontrollable roar of laughter rips out of me before I can stop it.

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