Ryelee's Cowboy (24 page)

* * * *

“Shhhh,” Rheenie said, holding her
finger to her nose. She took Clint’s hand and led him to Ryelee’s
bedside. “Should I get my nursing stuff?” she asked in a loud
whisper.

Shaking his head, Clint put his finger
to his nose. He could tell Ryelee was awake, but he wasn’t about to
tell Rheenie.

“But I think she needs me, Daddy,”
Rheenie insisted in an exaggerated whisper.

“Kiss her cheek and then off to
bed.”

Rheenie kissed Ryelee’s cheek and then
put Sunshine in the bed with her. Clint could tell Ryelee was
fighting to stay still, and he didn't blame her. Rheenie’s nursing
could be brutal.

“Now scoot. I’ll be in to tuck you
into bed shortly.”

Clint watched as his now five-year-old
daughter left the room, his heart bursting with love for her. Her
happiness today would be a memory he would never forget.

There was a certain pleasure in seeing
his wife in his bed. He felt horrible he caused her bruises. He’d
been a jerk, a stubborn jerk. It wasn’t her fault. Her father had
threatened her. His anger at her had made everything worse, and
he’d allowed his pride to get in his way. She deserved better than
him for a husband. Heck, he wouldn’t blame her if she left him. He
just wished she had come to him.

Water under the bridge, he thought as
he went to get her bathrobe and slippers from the other room. He
found them and was walking out of the room when he noticed a red
envelope in the garbage can. When he retrieved it, he was surprised
to see his name on it.

He opened it, stunned to
see a Valentine’s Day card. It spoke of love and forever, and when
he opened it, he was taken aback to see Ryelee had signed it
with all my love. Ryelee
.
He was an idiot, no doubt about it. He was a stupid callous fool.
It hadn’t occurred to him to get her anything for Valentine’s Day.
Blast his stupid Maloney pride!

He took the card along with the
bathrobe and slippers into his room. He placed the robe and
slippers at the end of the bed and the card in the top drawer of
his dresser.

Once undressed, Clint climbed into bed
and snuggled up to Ryelee, spooning her. He smiled knowing that she
was still pretending to be asleep. He pulled her closer and kissed
her neck. It took a while, but finally her breathing evened out,
and Clint knew she was asleep. It felt good to have her in his
arms.

Too good. He felt himself growing hard
and knew that there was no relief in sight. Eventually, he fell
asleep too.

* * * *

Ryelee slowly woke up feeling a fuzzy
warmth and closeness. It didn't take her long to realize Clint was
in bed with her. She was afraid to move. Having his arms around
her, made her feel safe and cherished. She knew it wasn’t true, but
she wanted the feeling to last. The more she lay there, the more
pathetic she believed herself to be—willing to take crumbs of
affection when she deserved to have it all.

His bare chest against her back felt
heavenly, and she relished his hardness against her rear end. She
wanted to move against it. She wanted it inside of her, making her
feel wonderful. She wanted too much. She finally eased out of
Clint’s strong arms and got out of bed.

She looked at Clint, admiring the
boyish expression he had when he slept. She was tempted to run her
fingers through his curly black hair. Mrs. Harvy was right. He was
worth fighting for, but she needed to know what she was fighting.
She needed to find out what he was doing at all hours of the
night.

She knew she needed to let go of her
anger and find enough strength to bear whatever she might find out.
It would be better to find out before the baby was born. She needed
to know where she stood and whether or not she needed to make plans
for her future.

Ryelee said a silent prayer for a
happy marriage and went down to make breakfast.

* * * *

Clint rolled onto his back and
groaned. He needed a release. He felt wound tighter than barbed
wire. Waiting for Ryelee to leave had been hell. He felt her eyes
on him, and he almost lost it. It had been hard enough trying to
sleep next to her without having her.

He sat up on the bed and stared out
the window. It looked like a clear sunny Texas day. In February,
that could mean seventy degrees or freezing. As he shoved the
covers off, he smiled. Definitely a cold Texas day. He put on his
clothes and went downstairs in hope of a cup of coffee. Coffee and
conversation was too much to hope for.

Ryelee bustled around the stove. No
matter how pregnant she was, her ass still looked great. She had a
smudge of flour on her cheek, and he was tempted to wipe it away.
“Sleep well?” he asked, hoping for a reply.

Ryelee poured him a cup of coffee and
handed it to him. She didn't look at him, and she didn't answer him
either. Clint watched as she turned back to the stove, ignoring
him.

“I slept better than I have in a long
while,” he said to her back. “Yes, it was so nice to have a warm
body next to mine.”

He tried not to grin as Ryelee whirled
around and stared at him, her eyes spitting fire. She waved the
spatula she’d been using at him. “I suppose any warm body would
do!”

Clint smiled at her. Finally, she
looked at him. “No, Ryelee,” he said softly, “not just any warm
body. You brought me a sense of peace. It was you that made me want
to do all kinds of wicked things to you.”

Ryelee gasped, and her hand went to
her throat. Her face turned red. “Wh—wicked things?” she asked, her
blue eyes wide.

Clint took a big swig of his coffee
and walked toward Ryelee. He reached around her and put his cup in
the sink. He could smell her light perfume, musky and fresh. He
kissed her on the cheek. “Yes, wicked things.”

He smiled as she grew flustered. He
headed toward the barn, whistling as he went.

* * * *

Indignant, Ryelee muttered, “Wicked.”
When her feelings of resentment subsided, Ryelee felt herself
smiling. Wicked could be fun.

She could hear the pitter-patter of
little feet upstairs, and she grew indignant again. He had no right
to wicked. She really needed to find out what was going on, and she
wasn’t about to ask him. He would just give her his cowboy grin and
she’d melt. No, she had to find out for herself, no matter what the
outcome.

Chapter
Thirteen

Ryelee found it harder and harder to
get around. Thank God Rheenie knew how to tie shoes. It had been
hard to wait for naptime so she could leave the house and confront
Clint. Her stomach felt like a bundle of nerves. Knowing this could
possibly be the end of her marriage weighed heavily on her mind,
but she was going crazy with unanswered questions.

Putting her coat on, Ryelee had a
moment of weakness. She really wanted to curl up next to Rheenie
and take a nap with her. She straightened her shoulders and put on
her gloves. She had to know before he really did try to get wicked
with her. She was ashamed that she wanted him.

He had been the one to freeze her out.
He was the one who made her look the fool at Rheenie’s party by
ignoring her needs. She may have committed the crime, but he had
carried the punishment out too long.

Now or never, she thought as she left
the house. The walk from the house to the barn had never been
longer. Ryelee dreaded the outcome. Although she had to know, a
small part of her didn't want to know. Damn that bitch Dottie and
her slim not pregnant body!

The paddock was almost empty, and
Clint wasn’t in it. That left the barn. Ryelee walked in smelling
the hay and the horses, a smell that she was learning to like. She
noticed the light shining under the door to Clint’s
office.

Her heart beat quickly as she turned
the doorknob. Upon opening the door, she was surprised to see Ellie
crying and Jimmy looking madder than a wet hen. Ellie’s eyes were
red and her face full of sorrow as she rushed past Ryelee and ran
to her car.

Ryelee turned to Jimmy, concerned.
“Anything I can help with?”

Jimmy ran his finger through his wavy
blonde hair and swallowed hard. “Ellie’s been out ‘til all hours of
the night these last few weeks.”

“Did she say why?”

“You don’t want to know. Hell, I don’t
like knowing.”

“Jimmy, please. I need answers too.”
She laid her hand on his arm, the pain he felt emanating from
him.

Jimmy sighed. Ryelee could tell that
he debated whether to confide in her. “She’s been running around
with Clint,” he said bleakly, his gaze full of pity.

Ryelee’s heart dropped. It wasn’t that
whore Dottie. It was her sweet friend Ellie. Feeling gut-kicked,
Ryelee sat down. “What? Jimmy you must be mistaken. It’s just not
possible.”

“I’m so sorry, Ryelee.” He sat down
next to her. “There’s no mistake. She just told me.”

Ryelee could feel the back of her eyes
burning with unshed tears. “She’s my friend. She wouldn’t do that
to me, to us. It’s you she’s in love with. Jimmy, I don’t know what
is real anymore,” she wailed, shaken to her core.

Jimmy took her into his arms and
rocked her. “I had to know where she was going. I didn’t know what
to think when I found her sneaking into the house late last night.
She wouldn’t talk to me then. She just brushed by me and ran to her
room. When I saw her here, I don’t know. I got suspicious. I
demanded that she tell me who she’d been spending her time with.
Now I’m sorry that I asked.”

“Are you sure she said
Clint?”

“No sense sugar coating it,
Ryelee.”

“I suppose you’re right.” She turned
her face to his chest, weeping.

Later, Ryelee’s frazzled
nerves stood on end. Her heart raced, and her mind whirled with too
many
what ifs
. She
sat at the kitchen table waiting for Clint. She had arranged for
Rheenie to sleep at Annie’s house. She didn't want Rheenie around
when the roof lifted off the house. Ryelee planned to get her
answers, tonight.

She sat back in her chair, her back
aching. Putting her feet up on the chair next to her, she sighed.
Her ankles were huge. Compared to Ellie, she was fat and
dowdy.

Part of her wanted to put a pillow
over her head and just forget what Jimmy had told her, but she knew
she would never get another night of sleep if she did
that.

Her head snapped toward the door as it
opened. Clint didn't look very happy to see her there waiting for
him. He nodded to her and started to go around her. Ryelee couldn’t
let him ignore her, not again.

“Wait! Clint, I need to talk to
you.”

Clint gave her a weary look and closed
his eyes, but he seemed to know that he couldn’t just walk away
tonight. “What’s on your mind?”

Ryelee wanted to scream. What else
could be on her mind? It was after midnight, and he wanted to know
what she wanted? “Just how obtuse are you?”

Clint put his hand up. “Now wait a
minute. I’m tired, and I’m going to bed.”

Ryelee was stunned when he turned
toward the stairs. “I know about Ellie,” she said,
quietly.

Clint turned around, his eyes full of
regret, and Ryelee instantly knew the score. She had known, but it
hadn’t become real to her until that moment. She could see Jimmy
told the truth. Her panic rose, and her heart felt as though
someone was squeezing the life out of it.

Clint just stared at her. He didn't
say a word. He just stood there looking sorry.

“Don’t you have anything to say?” Her
voice choked on every word. Tears spilled down her face, but she
didn't try to dry them.

“All I can say is trust me,” he said
looking into her eyes. “It’s not what you think.”

“Oh, and I’m just supposed to sit
here, fat and ugly, while you go and sleep with Ellie?” She started
crying in earnest

* * * *

Clint felt like an imbecile. He never
meant for it to get this way. He had been working night and day so
they could have a bright future, especially with the baby coming.
She had the blame of their rift at her feet, but lately he’d been
doing his best to ignore her.

He couldn’t stand to see her so
distressed. It tore at his heart. Her eyes were as puffy as her
ankles. He almost smiled at that but didn't dare. Watching her cry
her heart out ripped him apart.

Clint strode across the kitchen and
lifted Ryelee into his arms. She didn't feel any heavier pregnant.
He felt like a heel as she snaked her arms around his neck and
cried into his throat.

Carrying her into their bedroom wasn’t
what he planned on, but it was the only thing he could do to make
things right between them. He held her close and murmured calming
words to her. He set her down long enough to undress her and tuck
her into his bed.

She looked so sad, so bereft. He had
done this to her. His heart twisted as she continued to cry. He
undressed and slowly got into bed next to her. He only wanted to
hold her, calm her, give her reassurance. He didn't want her to
know what he’d been doing, but he did want her to know that he
wasn’t stepping out on her.