Page 37 of Wounded Cowboy
April pouted for a few minutes, then joined in.
After the story, he tucked them both into their beds, each girl receiving a gentle kiss on the forehead.“Sweet dreams,” he whispered, lingering for a moment in the soft glow of the nightlight.
After closing their bedroom doors, he made his way to his home office. The house was quiet now, and it felt empty.
Spring sat at his desk and booted up his computer. While he waited, he thought back over the day’s events, and his conversations with both Winnie and Nick.
When he started typing out tomorrow’s plan for Kelsey, he adjusted his approach. Instead of fifteen-minute increments, he compromised with more generous two-hour blocks.
Maybe that would offer Kelsey a structure that was flexible enough for her to include some spontaneous activities without completely abandoning the routine he wanted for his girls.
This new balance felt like a compromise, but also a step forward. Spring acknowledged, that while structure was necessary, the laughter and imagination Kelsey inspired in April and Abby were just as crucial for their growth and happiness. He could live with that.
After finishing the next day’s plan, Spring rose from his desk, stretching out the stiffness that had settled in his muscles.
He walked into the great room and glanced around his kitchen. The counters were wiped clean, and the pots and pans had been washed and put on the dish rack to dry.
With a start, Spring realized with a start that he actually had some free time for himself tonight. That was a rare treat.
Deciding to indulge in a little relaxation, he pulled a bag of potato chips out of the pantry, then went to the living room and turned on the TV.
He flipped through his streaming services until he found a movie that caught his interest. Settling onto the sofa, he nestled the bag of chips on his lap.
A sudden memory hit him of sharing snacks with Laura while they cuddled together and watched movies. The living room’s emptiness oppressed him.
Spring sighed and tried to focus on the car chase taking place on the TV screen.
I wish Kelsey had stayed to watch a movie with me tonight.
He quickly reminded himself that Kelsey was here for his girls, not for him.
Besides, she probably doesn’t care much for me after the way I laid into her for not following my plans yesterday.
As he continued watching the movie, Spring’s thoughts invariably drifted back to Kelsey. He liked her uninhibited laugh when she was around April and Abby. And there was an undeniable warmth to her presence.
He thought about her shapely legs, the tan shoulders she revealed in her tank tops, and the teasing glimpse of her toned stomach.
She looks like she’d be a comforting, cuddly armful on lonely nights like this.
Feeling the ache of loneliness and desire build within him, Spring shook his head, trying to dispel his uncomfortable train of thought.
Realizing the movie was a lost cause, he turned off the TV and headed to bed. He hoped against hope that sleep would provide an escape from the loneliness and ache of need that plagued him.
He found himself looking forward to Kelsey’s return in the morning.
Chapter 10
Grocery Store Encounter
The next morning
“Good morning, Kelsey.” Spring actually smiled at her from the porch as she walked up to him.
A bolt of warmth shot down from her chest to the pit of her belly.
“Good morning.”It ought to be illegal for Spring to be such a complete grump most of the time, then hit me with random acts of hotness when I’m least expecting it.
“I, uh, made a few changes to today’s schedule.”
