[WS02] Taming Alex (11 page)

She glared at the woman as her sister chuckled behind her and answered, “No, what?”

Savannah put out her cigarette with her heel and looked back at her with a smirk.

“I'm tired of being treated like the bad person in this whole fiasco. I'm tired of
people taking it out on someone who had nothing to do with two people cheating on
another innocent person. I'm tired of having Grant's tires slashed.” She watched Savannah's
face, but her eyes showed nothing, no hint of guilt or knowledge. “I'm tired of having
his property destroyed. And,” she stepped forward until she was only a breath away,
“I'm tired of having people throw things at me.” She watched as a smile slowly crept
onto Savannah's lips. “Now, if we're done with this”–she paused and looked Savannah
up and down—“I want nothing more than to move on with my life.” She turned around
and reached for her bags, then walked away without another word.

“That bitch,” Haley said under her breath.

“Don't.” Alex stopped her just inside the cell phone place. “Don't give her another
thought. We all knew what she was before that night with Travis, and we all know it
won't be the last time. I only wish those two would get married.” She looked out the
front windows and watched Savannah head across the parking lot alone. “They deserve
each other. But,” she sighed, “sadly, I've heard that they aren't even officially
seeing each other.”

Haley looked out the window, following Alex's gaze. “She's an attention seeker. She'll
do anything— and anyone—to get attention.”

Alex turned to her sister and smiled. “So, let's not give it to her. I've got a cell
phone to buy.” She smiled. “We're hitting the frozen yogurt place afterwards.”

“Woohoo.” Haley smiled and did a fist pump.

G
rant spent the rest of his day cleaning up the mess that was his corral. It didn't
take him long to drop the timbers back into the holes they'd been torn out of. He
made sure to compact the dirt around them again so they were just as strong as the
first time. Some of the cross timbers were beyond repair, and he needed to head to
the lumberyard first thing in the morning to replace them.

Just before sunset, he walked into his barn and checked up on his animals. The three
Powerpuff sisters were doing well. They'd mastered escaping their pen so that they
always ended up loose in the barn at night. He spent a few minutes playing with the
animals after feeding them. He really enjoyed each and every one and thought of them
as family.

When he walked back to the house, his mind wandered to last night and having Alex
in his bed. He was just opening his door when he heard a car drive up. His heart skipped
when he noticed Alex's car parking behind his truck. How is it that just the sight
of her made him feel like a schoolboy with a crush?

Smiling, he walked to the edge of the porch as she walked up the steps.

“Evening,” he said as she walked right into his arms.

“Hi.” She went up on her toes and kissed his lips. The feel and smell of her had his
head almost spinning. “I have something for you.” She smiled and his mind flashed
to images of her in nothing but a red bow and heels. His smile fell away a little
when she held up a small yellow bag with a bow on top.

“What's this?” He walked her over to the bench underneath the living room window and
sat next to her.

She handed him the bag and smiled. “Well, I was doing some thinking the other day
about your new business with your father.” She smiled and, not waiting for him to
open the bag, reached over and pulled it open, handing him a small box. “I hope you
don't mind.” She looked up at him, waiting for his eyes to show the emotion she'd
hoped would flash there. “I know it's your birthday in a week.”

He looked down at the box and to be honest, it took him a few seconds for it to register.
It had been a few years since he'd purchased anything like it. Slowly, he let a smile
creep to his face

“Seriously?” He looked down at the box and thought of a million things he wanted to
do with the new toy in his hands.

“Yeah.” Her voice didn't sound as sure as it had a second ago. He looked up at her
and saw the uncertainty in her dark eyes.

Setting the box on his lap, he took her face into his hands and kissed her, showing
her what he was feeling. A few minutes and a million heartbeats later, he pulled away,
a little breathless. “It's perfect. Of course”—he looked down at her gift and then
back up at her—“you're going to have to show me how to use it.”

She smiled. “That's the plan.”

Two hours and a few hundred apps later, the new Android phone sat on the coffee table,
forgotten. Since the evening had cooled off to the low fifties, he lit a fire in the
stone fireplace that sat along his living room wall. They huddled together, not for
warmth, but for need. He didn’t feel like he could get close enough to her. There
were too many clothes and his fingers just wouldn't cooperate as they roamed over
her delicate skin.

When their clothes hit the floor, they slowly moved together, their breaths matching
in the fading light. The light of the fire behind her lit up her hair so it looked
like she wore a halo. Her face was in shadows, but the light accented her curves and
he couldn't stop himself from running his hands up and down her sides, enjoying her
softness. She leaned forward and when her sexy scent hit him, and her soft skin rubbed
up against his face and chest, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer. Using his
hands on her hips, he easily reversed their positions until he was kneeling at the
edge of the couch, her legs wrapped around him as her hair fanned out on the cushions.

The dim firelight cast a warm glow over her skin, making her look even softer, somehow.

“Grant?” Alex looked up at him in question. He hadn't realized he'd stopped moving
until she spoke, her voice a sexy whisper in the quiet room. He'd been looking at
her, just looking. She was more beautiful than…well, than anyone he'd ever known.
All he knew was that his chest felt tight when he looked at her, his heart skipped
several beats, and his knees went weak.

He began moving again, this time leaning down to her and taking that sweet mouth with
his until he felt her follow him in surrender.

When he felt her body relax, he pulled her down with him to the soft rug in front
of the fireplace. Pulling a blanket and some couch pillows with him, he positioned
them so she lay in front of him, looking into the fire.

“This is nice.” She sighed and rubbed his arm with her fingertips.

“Yes.” He smiled into her hair. “I'm enjoying myself, as well.” She chuckled.

“You know…” She stopped her fingers over his elbow and twisted around until she looked
at him. “I'm entered in the barrel races next week.” She turned back around.

He smiled. “You've won the blue ribbon every year that I can remember. You'll do great.”

“Oh, I know I will.” She chuckled. “I was just thinking that you should try steer
wrestling or at least enter Mojo and the girls into the dairy goat competition. I
think the girls will be old enough by then.”

He chuckled. “I'd thought about it myself. I'm pretty proud of them all, but Buttercup
is going to win the blue ribbon.”

“Really?” She turned and smiled at him. “Have a soft spot for the rough girls, huh?”

“You know it.” He smiled and pulled her hair playfully.

It was after midnight when they finally made it into the bedroom. He carried her while
she tried to distract him, and he almost dropped her on her beautifully naked rear
end several times. She laughed and held on, trying to make him cross-eyed using her
mouth and hands.

When his alarm went off at four the next morning, she moaned and covered her head
with the pillow.

“Early hours for a farmer and a lawyer.” He'd quickly shut it off and apologized.
She'd rolled over and moaned again as he laughed. “You stay there, don't move.” He
kissed her exposed neck and heard a different kind of moan. He moved to get out of
bed, but she rolled over and pulled him back to her.

The animals complained when he walked into the barn almost an hour late. He was greeted
by the Powerpuff girls, and they showed their disapproval of his tardiness by continuously
butting his leg with their heads.

“Okay, okay. Hold your horses. You know,” he talked to them as he poured their feed,
“you'll understand one day. Won't they, Mojo?” He smiled when the mother goat bleated
at him in understanding. “But for now, enjoy your food.” He moved on to the horses
and talked to each as he went, thinking of Alex and the rodeo.

The West sisters had always played a large part in the county rodeo. First and foremost
was their cattle. They always had the blue ribbon steer and heifer, not to mention
Alex's talent during barrel racing. Haley had entered several other animals, all of
which, he had no doubt, had placed as well.

When he was younger, he'd tried mutton busting, but after almost breaking his glasses,
his mother had forbid him to get near anything wild like that again. He'd always wanted
to try his hand at calf roping or steer wrestling, like Alex had suggested. He had
done it before, just never as a competition. Maybe he'd swing by the fairgrounds and
see what it took to enter.

When he went back in the house an hour later, he walked in to wonderful, warm smells.
He'd left Alex in his bed and had thought she'd stay put, but she was standing behind
the stove, his apron over shorts and a cream-colored blouse. Her hair was braided
in two braids and covered with a red bandana. When she turned and smiled at him, a
spatula in her hands, he forgot to breathe.

“I thought I'd make us some breakfast. But since all you have is health food, I decided
to make pancakes.” She chuckled.

“You didn't have to cook.” He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, pulling
her back up against his front as she flipped a pancake. “Smells wonderful,” he said
as he buried his face into her hair.

“Me or the food?” She giggled.

“Both.” He kissed her shoulder. “How about some coffee?”

“Sounds good. I have a cup there.” She nodded towards an empty mug. He walked over
and filled one for himself and refilled hers, then went to work setting the table.

Over breakfast they talked about the rodeo, his website, and his plans for the farm.
When his new phone rang, he answered and was surprised to hear his father on the other
side.

“So, you're finally getting with the times, huh, boy?” his father joked. He could
hear his mother talking in the background, then his father told her, “I'm getting
to it. Give me a chance to tell the boy hi, first.” Then his father said to him. “We
just wanted to ask if you’re coming to dinner this Friday.”

“Friday?” He looked over at Alex and smiled, knowing what was coming next. When she
smiled and nodded, he said, “Sure. Is it okay if I bring a guest?”

His father laughed and he could just imagine his mom dancing in the background. “Sure,
Alexis is always welcome here. We'll see you around seven.”

He hung up with his dad and reached over and took Alex's hand. “You've just made my
parents very happy.”

She smiled back at him. “I like your folks. Did you know that they meet at the diner
every Monday for lunch together? They are so cute. They hold hands and sit side by
side.” She sighed, then looked down at their joined hands.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “But I try not to think of my parents as cute.”

How dare they? Did they not understand the signs? Couldn't they see what was plain
in front of them? Everyone in town knew they didn't belong together. But they kept
on seeing each other. Now, she was staying at his place!

Hands banged against the steering wheel in frustration. This was too much!

A plan slowly formed as the car pulled away. Think! When would there be another opportunity
to strike?

Then the fog of anger cleared and peace settled. The rodeo was coming up. What a perfect
time. But this time it needed to be something bigger. Something well thought out and
planned. There was a lot to do before and little time to execute it all.

Yes, this would be the final move in this wild, fun game.

Alex pulled the reins tighter and felt the rush of being pulled in the opposite direction
as she rounded the barrel quickly. She dug her heels into Sophie's sides, sending
the horse rushing towards the next barrel. She'd practiced with the horse almost every
day for the past year; this was her sport. She smiled when she pulled to a stop just
through the gate. She looked over at Chase just as he nodded and smiled.

“Beat your last time by three seconds.” He removed his hat and wiped at the sweat
rolling down his brow. The nights might be cooling off, but the days were still hot
and sultry. Sweat was rolling down Alex’s back and she itched for a cold shower, but
she wanted to beat even her latest time. When it came to racing, Alex demanded to
be the fastest.

Letting Sophie rest for a few minutes, she jumped down and took a drink from the water
bottle Chase offered her. She smiled over at him. “You know, I was thinking about
moving back into my old room, so that you two can have the larger one for the baby.”
She leaned against the post and watched Sophie. “Lauren would like the baby to grow
up in her old room.” She turned and looked at Chase. When she noticed that he was
frowning, she stood up and asked, “What?”