Page 7 of Wrangle Me

“No… Thank you.” Rosalie’s been here a few weeks now, and I wish she could settle in. But the poor thing is miserable. Something about ranch life doesn’t quite agree with her, and if I had to guess, I think it has to do with missing Dawson. Not that she’d ever admit it.

I close our apartment door and make my way across the ranch. On the upside, Rosalie being sick means I’ve been volunteering to cover her shifts at the stable. That means more time with Callum isn’t exactly a hardship. When he kissed me, my whole world stopped spinning and I’ve been struggling to hold on to myself.

But Callum doesn’t make it easy. His charm is raw and magnetic. Being the focus of all that adoration is dizzying. It feels too good to be true. Since that first kiss, he’s taken every excuse to do it again.

My heart thuds like a drum every time I see him. But Callum hasn’t pushed for more. I don’t know if he can sense the virgin in me or if he’s just that respectful.

Either way, it’s probably for the best. I can’t let myself fall for him completely. Not when I know how easily I could lose myself in him. The Kingridge boys have a reputation, and I’m sure there’s a reason for it. All I have to do is train my ear to the gossip in this place or listen to a single episode of the Boots and Bitching Podcast to figure that out.

Still, I’m having a hard time reconciling Callum with the reputation that preceded him. He’s rough around the edges in all the ways that make my breath catch. But brash and arrogant isn’t the Callum Kingridge I’ve met. At least, not so far. With me, he’s kind, thoughtful, and even gentle.

Today, Callum’s taking me on a trail ride. It’s part training and part something else I haven’t quite named. I step into the stables and he’s got everything ready. We set off at sunrise.

The air is crisp, and the sky clear as we ride side by side. Our horses move in lockstep over the well-worn trail. I glance out over the land, and it’s breathtaking. The site never gets old. Without the Colorado mountains I grew up in, you can see for eternity. The rolling hills and endless pasture are golden and bathed in morning light.

“Stunning, isn’t it?” Callum asks, reining in beside me.

“Absolutely beautiful,” I say, though I’m not just talking about the view. He’s a part of this beautiful life I’m building here, and it doesn’t feel real.

“C’mon, this way. We’re heading off the path. There’s someone you’ve got to meet.”

I follow him without question. Caution be damned. From behind, he looks like he stepped out of an old Western with broad shoulders and worn denim clinging to strong thighs. The brim of his hat casts just enough shadow to give him that untouchable cowboy mystique.

My horse’s hooves crunch softly over the dry trail as we wind through a patch of sun-dappled oaks. Callum rides just ahead,his posture is easy but confident. It’s like he was born in the saddle. He swings off his horse with practiced ease and ties the reins to a post.

A little smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he helps me off of my horse. Callum locks his hand over mine as we step inside a massive cattle pen.

“Meet Rump Roast,” he says, tipping his hat toward the enormous black-and-white cow standing dead center like she owns the place. “Best cow we’ve got.”

I blink, biting back a smile. “Rump Roast? I know that it was you and all brothers and a dad with no mother, but there wasn’t a single woman available to help you name any of these animals.”

“It’s a hell of a name for a hell of a gal.” He laughs, “She was supposed to be a steer. It’s a long story. But she’s meaner than she looks; don’t let the eyelashes fool you.”

Rump Roast lets out a disgruntled moo, as if personally offended.

“Well, I think she’s adorable… But I think I’ll give her a wide berth. Do you see the way she’s eyeing me? Talking down a rooster is one thing, but Rump Roast could do some damage.”

“I’m her favorite Kingridge brother.” Callum chuckles low in his throat and reaches out, brushing a bit of hay from my shoulder.

“The girls got good taste.”

We’re way out in what Callum calls the back forty of the property. There’s no sign of human life, and I love that it’s just the two of us. The only sounds are the distant low of cattle and the creak of the barn door as he pushes it open.

Dust floats in golden shafts of light, and it smells like hay and leather when Callum leads me inside. The moment the door shuts behind us, I know that my life is about to change. He doesn’t say anything, but the air shifts.

It’s charged in a quiet but electric way that makes every breath feel loud.

Callum turns to face me. His hungry eyes search mine like he’s weighing something important, and I silently will him to do it. Then, as if he can hear my thoughts, Callum moves. It’s slow, but there isn’t any doubt in my mind what’s about to happen as he backs me into a stack of hay bales.

The scratchy texture catches my shirt as I lean against them. Callum’s lips find mine. This kiss isn’t careful or teasing like before. There’s desperation in it. It’s a claiming, and it comes with heat that spreads from my mouth down through every nerve in my body.

Callum’s hands settle at my waist. His grip is strong and steady. He anchors me to him. Then he trails hot, open-mouthed kisses down my neck that leave tingly sparks in their wake. I curl my fingers into the hem of his shirt and pull him closer. I need more. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.

He unbuttons my jeans with a single tug and slides a hand between my thighs. A groan of desire slips out from his lips when he feels me already wet for him. He presses two fingers against me. My body goes white hot with desire.

“Callum,” his name is a whisper on my lips. “I’ve never done this before. I’ve never had sex with anyone.”

He pauses. His breath is hot against my skin, and he’s rock hard pressing into me through his jeans. “Okay, that’s okay. We’re not going to do anything you aren’t ready for.” His words come out in a pant as his hands grip my shoulders.

---