The Long Ride Home (Cowboys & Cowgirls)

The Long Ride Home

Danielle Lee Zwissler

Romance

The Long Ride Home

Copyright ©
Danielle Lee Zwissler

Firefly & Wisp Books

1
st
Edition

2013

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Also Published on Smashwords

Library of Congress Control Number available upon request:

Western Romance

Bonus Story Included:

Once Upon a Bat: a Cinderella Story

To Ear
l
,

Always

To Logan,

Forever,

To Ariana,

Infinity

Other books by Danielle

Romance:

Her Last Chance

The Art of Seduction

The Cowboy’s Bride

Served

The Cowboy Takes a Slave

A Barefoot Christmas

The Long Ride Home

Christmas is in the Air (Yuletide Bride)

Let it Snow! (Meant to be Always, A Barefoot Christmas)

A Home for the Holidays (The Christmas House)

A Mommy for Christmas

The Cookie Cutter Christmas

Holiday Romance Collection-An Anthology

Erotica:

Trio of Sin

Written as Heather Lane:

Dirty Little Secrets

Merry Christmas Erotica

Of Leather & Lace (V is for Voluptuous, Til Death do us Part, New Year Nookie

New Year Nookie

Educational:

Math Times Two

Acknowledgments:

A thank you to my family for taking the side burner for a few hours while writing this book.

To Holton and Elena, you two are a prime example why people shouldn’t give up on each other.

The Long Ri
de Home

Chapter
1

“
E
l, there’s someone down here asking for you, and he’s super hot!” her roommate, Cheryl, called from the bottom of the stairs. Elena walked the two feet to the window and noticed the cherry red camero in the drive.

Holton Dade.

Looking into her mirror above her dresser, Elena fingered through her wild red curls and tried to tame them. No use. A few minutes later, she stood at the bottom of the steps and smiled at Holton.

“What on earth are you doing here, Holt?” she asked, using the familiar nickname she gave her older, yet hotter, childhood neighbor.

Holton smiled and reached out to yank one errant curl. “Hey, brat,” he said, and then his face turned somber, almost as if he remembered why he was there in the first place.

“What’s wrong?”

“Elena, there was an accident.”

Elena’s heart hammered in her chest and she looked deep into Holton’s eyes. “What kind of accident?”

“It was your dad. He fell, and they’ve taken him to Ricon General.”

Eleana put her hand in front of her mouth and gasped. “What’s…what?”

“He hit his head, and he doesn’t…well, he didn’t know who I was.”

“He has amnesia?”

“They…the doctors seem to think so, but…”

“When did this happen?”

“This morning. I tried calling all you, but I couldn’t get through.”

“
So you came all the way here? When did you leave?”

It was a ten hour drive from Dallas to Sunnybrook.

“I left ten hours ago. I just got into town.”

“
When did this happen?”

“
Eleven hours ago.”

Elena moved in and put her arms around Holton and squeezed tightly. Shocked by the sudden burst of affection, Holton took a moment before his arms went around her. And then he felt the tears as they ran from her eyes.

“Hey now, everything is going to be okay. Let’s get you a bag packed and then we’ll head out of here.”

“Okay. Just give me a few minutes, okay, Holt? I’ll be right back.” Elena went upstairs and took exactly five minutes to get a bag together. She was downstairs in six. When Holton saw her come down the steps
, he smiled and then held his hand out, pulling her the rest of the way down and guiding her out the door to his car.

Sixty minutes
in to the drive, the silence was killing her. “We have to talk about something,” Elena said, turning to look at Holton. Holton gripped the steering wheel, his eyes looked tired.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“Well, I…tell me what you know about Dad. What was he doing, how did you know so fast…?”

“Your dad was up on the ladder in the barn, repairing part of the loft when he slipped. I was at my place and saw Shadow without a rider. She somehow got over to my place.”
Shadow was Elena’s father’s horse.

Elena cringed and took a deep breath.
“Do you think he’s going to be okay?”

“I don’t know, Elena.”

Elena’s eyes widened and she turned in her seat to look at Holton. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Holton’s hands gripped the steering wheel and Elena could see the white knuckled grip as he tightened his fingers around it. “I don’t think I’m the right person to tell you. I’m not a doctor, Elena.”

Elena sobbed and leaned in to Holton. Holton could feel his breath catch in his chest. “We have a very long ride in front of us, El, let’s just…let’s talk about something else.”

“You called me El,” she said and smiled softly. “You never call me that; now I know you’re trying too hard.”

“I’ve always hated that nickname. You know that.”

“Yeah.
” Elena smirked. “Why is that?”

Holton cleared his throat. “You have a beautiful given name. Why mess it up with shortening it.”

Elena smiled. “Thank you, Holton.”

“No problem, brat.”

“And we’re back,” Elena laughed. Holton looked at her curiously then turned his attention back to the road.

“I’m way too old for you,
Elena,” Holton whispered.

Taken back from the way he said that,
Elena nearly stopped breathing. “I…what?”

“You’re just a kid,
Elena.”

“I am hardly a kid, Holton!”
she huffed. “You act like you’re so old and mature.”

Holton laughed. I’m twenty eight, brat.”

“Oh, you know! I could just…I could…never mind.”

Holton laughed even harder. “
I’m twenty one, Holt, hardly in my teens. And I just happen to remember a few conversations that we’ve had over the years, not to mention the kiss.”

“Still wet behind the ears, brat.
And that was the one time. I’m not interested in training virgins.”

“Are you kidding me right now, Holt?”

“It’s in the way you look at me, Elena. I’m flattered, don’t get me wrong, but you’re years too young.”

Elena’s face couldn’t get any redder. “I never said I wanted you to screw me, Holton!”

Holton flinched. “Such language, Elena, no you didn’t say it verbally, but you’ve told me in other ways.”

“You’re insane. You should real
ly get yourself checked. Maybe Coleman services can help you. Coleman was a mental hospital near Ricon General.

“Besides, I’m with Beth Ann.”

Elena rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Oh, and Beth Ann is so much older.”

“Beth Ann has experience. She’s…”

“A slut.”

“Elena! I will not have you talk that way about her.”

“Oh, sorry I slated your ‘experienced’ girlfriend. You know what; I don’t even want to talk about this. I never said I was interested in you in the first place. As usual you deduced the wrong conclusion.”

“Yeah, okay. There’s nothing wrong in admitting that you have feelings for me, Elena.
You’ve done so many times before. I just can’t return them. Like I said, you are way too young.”

“I
remember you telling me not so long ago to wait until I was 18,” Elena replied. She looked over at Holton and he gritted his teeth.

“Yeah, I remember. Nothing like you constantly bringing that up.

“It hardly matters anyway, Holton.”

“Why is that now?” he asked, irritated.

“Because, I am dating Brian Hadley, Holton. I have been since the beginning of the year, so you in your advanced age shouldn’t get in a tizzy over worrying about me falling in love with you.”

Holton’s eyes darkened and they were almost in slits. “Who is this Brian?”

Elena smiled. Brian was her best friend’s brother. “He’s twenty five, a grad student and absolutely yummy,” Elena said dreamily. She smiled and took a long, slow breath and sighed. Let him choke on that!

“
Twenty five! He’s only after one thing, Elena. You have to break up with him.”

“Let’s hope he’s after it. I’m ready to give it away to the next person that asks!”

Holton slammed his foot on the brakes and they both jolted forward. The seatbelt that was once comfortable tightened on Elena’s chest and she bounced back into the seat.  “Elena!”

“What?” Elena asked, nearly laughing at his ridiculous reaction. He was probably worried that
he would have to beat someone up for her or something. He acted like an idiot older brother.

“You wouldn’t do that would you?”

Elena rolled her eyes and huffed. “It’s none of your business, Holton. You worry about yourself, and I’ll worry about my virginity.”

“I can’t believe I came all the way here to get you,” he mumbled.

“I can’t believe you did either. Why did you?”

“Well I…”

“Come on, Holton, why? Why would you come all the way to Sunnybrook just to get me when you could have easily sent for me or got me a plane ticket? What’s in it for you?”

Holton didn’t want to admit that he didn’t think it through, that he was worried why she wasn’t answering her phone, that he wanted to see her and be the one to tell her about her father—no one else.

“I did it for your dad.”

“Sure you did,” Elena said then turned toward the window and became silent for the next four hours.

***

“I am starving,” Holt
on said as he pulled off an exit; Elena just kept on ignoring him. There was a little diner off the ramp with its neon lights blazing, “Sammy’s Diner”.

“This looks good, huh, Elena?” Holton said as he pulled into one of the only empty spaces in the lot. The place was booming. Loud country music blared from speakers inside and echoed throughout the parking lot
, where F250s and cowboys hung out.

Elena didn’t say a word she just sat there immobile.

“Come on, Elena, you can’t still be mad at me.”

Elena looked over at Holton and then back out the passenger side window with a huff. He got out and walked around to her side to let her out. But before he made it
, she flung open her door, nearly hitting him.

“Hey!”

“Oops, sorry,” Elena said. “I didn’t see you there.”

Holton shook his head and continued walking toward the front doors of the diner. “After you,” he said as he opened the door to let her pass. She walked in, and he tried to ignore the extra swing she seemed to be putting in her hips.