Page 68 of For Cowgirls and Kings (The Trauma Bonded #2)

FIFTY-TWO

MATEO

Dale’s hand’s warm and soft within my own, as she clings to me across the console of the pickup. Her skin’s flushed and rosy, eyes wide, blinking rapidly—she’s trying not to cry all over again, and although I hate to see tears in her eyes, I know today has been nothing but happy ones.

Thank god.

I don’t know what I would’ve done if Dale had rejected the idea of us, rejected the life I had tried to piece together with such reckless abandon, I hadn’t taken a second to consider a life without Dale in it.

I squeeze her hand reassuringly, and she turns watery eyes to me with a small smile.

The truth is, I'd risk my fortune, my life, my heart all over again to be with her if she had wanted differently. Of course, it would have stung, but it wouldn’t have stopped me.

Gus was right when he said there was no life without them , and once you realize that, picturing that future isn’t an option.

Only a future where you adapt and adjust to make it happen.

To be able to give her this gift, this life where she’s the most important person —it’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.

I did this, for her, for us. And I don’t regret it one bit.

I will choose Dale, over anything and anyone, from now until forever.

“I can’t believe Stetson was already in labor when Faith called. Gus had to have been freaking out.” Dale all but bounces in the seat as we race down the road toward the hospital.

“He was prepared. Has been for weeks now.” I try to comfort, but Dale just snorts.

“He’s a nervous nelly.”

“He wouldn’t leave her side even if she put a restraining order against him.”

Dale smiles at that. “No. He’d take great joy in punishing her before coming back, welcome or not.”

I shake my head. “He’s a little obsessive.”

“Every girl wants a man who’s wholly obsessed with them. Maybe you should give it a try.” Dale shrugs, a teasing twinkle in her eyes.

I yank her hand to my lips, my eyes darting between the road and her widening eyes. I press a kiss to her knuckles. “Was the house and horses not obsessed enough?”

Her pupils widen silently, and my dick twitches in response. We wouldn’t miss this opportunity to be there for our friends, but fuck, not taking her on the floor of our home the second she said she loved me was torture. A torture that continues to build to an inferno style heat between us.

“You didn't get a tattoo for me,” she teases, but her voice is breathy and I can tell she’s as desperate for me as I am for her.

And then I nip at her knuckle, my teeth grazing her soft flesh. She yelps, but doesn’t pull her hand away, and it only turns me on more. What a gift it is to have someone who trusts you so completely, who I can trust without question.

Who’s my lover and best friend.

I release her hand, even as she protests, and wrap both hands around the wheel. Then I extend my fingers to where the letters on my knuckles are visible.

“Noble One,” I state, my eyes focused on the road.

“Yes, I know that tattoo. Everyone in the world does. I’ve seen them on magazine covers—people were fascinated by them,” she huffs, sitting back.

I can’t help but laugh. “You sound jealous.” I peek at her from the corner of my eye, and I catch her rolling hers dramatically.

“Well, women everywhere were ogling my man for years. It’s a little intimidating for a small town girl like me.”

The stupid grin that claims my face can’t be described as any other than giddy, and even though I know I should be embarrassed, I only feel joy. “Your man, huh?”

Her nose wrinkles. “Boyfriend doesn’t fit, you’re too—” Her hand waves up and down at my profile, as if that’s answer enough. “And we’re not more than that. Not in technical terms. So yes, my man.”

“Well, your man, got these little letters on my fingers eight years ago, when my father passed as a reminder of the strongest, bravest, kindest person I know. The kind of person I wanted to base my future self on—the light for me to follow.”

She chews her lip, and then nods, her face softening.

“I never knew your father well, but I’m sure he appreciates the tribute.”

I shake my head, that dorky grin still pulling at my lips. We pull into the hospital parking lot, and I grind the truck to a stop in the nearest spot, the tires squealing. I face her then, and she blinks rapidly, evidently confused.

“No Dale. Noble One isn’t a tribute to my father. Although he was brave and strong, he isn’t the man I wanted to be. I wanted to be worthy of someone like you. Adalene means Noble One, look it up.”

Her lips quiver, popping open and closed for several seconds.

It’s never been a secret I meant to keep—I didn’t do it thinking I’d even someday be with Dale. I did it as a way to keep from falling into the darkness of a world I wanted no part of, one that would have swallowed me whole eventually if it hadn’t been for Dale.

But now that I’m sitting here, having admitted the small truth, my remaining denial lifts, taking with it the remnants of an existence where I haven’t been in love with my best friend for over ten years.

I maybe never realized, or wanted to admit it more likely, but it’s always been there— always been her .

“You got those for me?” she squeaks, tears sitting like clear marbles on her lash line. I reach forward, running my knuckles beneath her lashes, collecting the drops before they can fall.

“No, I did them for me. Everything else has been for you.”

Before the words fully leave my lips, Dale scrambles over the console, pressing into my lap, her hands framing either side of my face as she presses desperate kisses to my lips.

I meet her, kissing her with equal fervor, my hands roaming her backside, pulling her closer to me than should be humanly possible.

I want to crawl inside her skin.

She groans against my mouth, the smell of her lavender perfume, and the saltiness of her tears engulfing me.

And then there’s a fucking knock on the window, and I fight of the urge to flip off whoever it is.

There’s a second knock, and I reluctantly pull away.

Dale, bless her, looks only slightly embarrassed, as she slowly turns to face whoever caught us dry humping and swallowing each other’s faces in the middle of a hospital parking lot, in the middle of the day.

“Fuck,” I groan, and Dale awkwardly crawls off me, the truck seeming smaller somehow than it was seconds ago. I roll down the window, “McCrae? What’re you doing here?”

His brows pinch together as he looks up at me. “My brother’s having a kid right now.” I blink, and he blinks back.

Is that supposed to be enough explanation?

“Uh, yes. We’re headed in,” I state, still not sure what else I can say.

“Sure you were.”

“Dale, Stetson’s asking for us!” All heads whip to Faith, who I didn’t see come around the front of the truck. She moves close to McCrae— a little too fucking close for random people who’ve only talked once that I know of —and shoots a grin at Dale. “Glad you guys are back together, by the way.”

I turn to look at Dale, the question written in my eyes. Her’s draws a line between McCrae, Faith, and up to mine, when she shrugs.

“Yeah, thanks Faith, it’s still new.”

“I know, I’m sorry. Stetson told me that you guys would probably be hot and bothered, but she really wanted us here.”

Dale opens her door, jumping out. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Faith claps, and then races around the truck, linking arms with Dale. She faces me once more.“See you inside?”

“I’ll be right there,” I confirm. Once they’re out of ear shot, I face McCrae once more. “Gus know you’re here?”

He exhales exasperatedly, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “No, but I’m not leaving. Not until I know the baby’s okay.”

“How did you know it was happening?”

His eyes flick to where the girls had been— where Faith had been —and then back at his cigarettes. He doesn’t offer an answer, a fact that only makes me more nervous.

He can’t be interested in Faith, and vice versa. They just can’t be hooking up or something. What would V think?

Oh god, Valentina will kill Faith.

“What does Valentina think of all this?” I hiss, pushing on my door to make him step back.

His eyes shoot to mine, full of sorrow and rage, and then he puts the pack back in his pocket with a huff.

“It’s not what you think, not that it’s any of your business.

And Valentina doesn’t think anything of this, not right now anyway.

She doesn’t think much of anything. I’ve never seen her so down—but you had to know that this would happen.

She’s safe, I made sure of it. But she’s not okay. I don’t know if she ever will be.”

I close the truck door, my own sorrow flooding through me at the thought of my sister suffering. “She’ll be okay. She’s a lot stronger than anyone I know.”

And then I walk away. What else is there to say?

“I can’t believe you threatened a nurse,” Faith huffs, staring at Gus whose eyes have never once wavered from Stetson, and the small bundle in her arms.

“I can. It’s a wonder he didn’t pull a gun on her,” I counter, leaning against the wall.

“Don’t encourage him.” Stetson sighs, shooting me a small, exhausted smile. Her hair clings to the sides of her face, which is red and puffy, large bags under her eyes. Regardless of her disheveled appearance, you’d be blind not to see how beautiful she is—how strong she is.

Women are incredible beings.

“Did you guys have a name picked out?” Dale asks, her voice strained with emotion. I grab her hand, rubbing small circles over her knuckles in reassurance.

Stetson’s eyes fall to the movement, and smiles wider.

“I wanted Wesley if it was a boy. But since it’s a girl—” She turns to look at Gus, who looks like he might either explode or burst into tears, and I wish I could hug him—he’d cut my balls off if I tried and I’m rather fond of them at this point.

“Poppy Marie Dobbs,” Gus states, his eyes softening as he reaches out a hesitant hand toward her’s still wrapped in a pink swaddle.

“Poppy?” Dale croaks, and I squeeze her hand.

“What’s the significance?” I ask. Gus’s gaze lifts to mine, filled with pure annoyance and my smile falters.

“You guys ever do anything besides fucking?” he growls.

“Gus!” Stetson hisses, rolling her eyes. “It was my mother’s name, but more than that, it’s a special flower for Gus and I. I’m sure it just never came up. Why would it?” She pins Gus with a glare and his gaze finds hers once more.

“Sorry, shit. I need to stop cussing or Poppy’s first word will be fuck.”

“Off to a good start,” I deadpan, and Dale giggles beside me.

“You guys seem happy,” Stetson states, sitting up straighter. Gus instantly stands, helping to rearrange her pillow, and stable baby Poppy as Stetson moves. I can see the irritation flicker across her face, but as she exhales it disappears.

He is a nervous nelly.

“It’s gross really,” Dale says in a gravelly voice, and everyone in the room laughs in unison—except for Gus. He’s too busy watching Poppy’s breathing.

“Thanks for sending her out there today. I should have done it sooner I was just?—”

“A pussy,” Stetson huffs.

“I’m just so glad. And don’t think you’re a pussy. I think you’re a romantic.” Faith sighs, bumping her shoulder into Dale’s.

“Romantic for sure. But definitely a pussy,” Dale concurs, nodding.

“Fuck, everyone stop saying pussy or Poppy’s first word is going to be pussy,” Gus growls.

“Dude, you’re going to explode if you don’t breathe soon,” I counter, and more than one head nods in agreement.

“Why is he here again?” Gus huffs, leaning back for the first time since we’ve walked into the room.

“Because Dale and him are in love? And we like him too?” Stetson says.

“We tolerate him,” Gus corrects.

“I think you might love him,” Dale counters. Gus shoots her a menacing glare, but she only smiles wider.

“I hope I can bring someone to the next big life moment like this. It’d be nice to not be the permanent fifth wheel,” Faith teases, but I sense the truth in her words.

I hate to see her alone and sad, especially because I know how incredible she is.

But the only person I can think of in her life that isn’t one of us is someone I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy on.

Especially because up until today I was convinced he was in love with my sister.

“What about—” Dale starts and Faith shakes her head wildly, cutting off the remainder of the sentence.

“I anxiously await our next margarita date. And this time, you guys are taking care of me.” Stetson yawns, leaning back. And we take that as our cue to leave for now.

Dale releases my hand, walking to lean over Stetson, whispering something in her ear. Stetson instantly smiles, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, before she waves her off.

The three of us walk from the room, and out of the hospital into the late evening Texas heat. It clings around us—a warm blanket matching the fuzzy warm feeling filling my chest.

How did life get so good in the span of a single day?

If I’ve learned anything from Dale, and our life together, it’s never to take a single moment for granted. Nothing is guaranteed, and we must fight for what we want in this life.

In a single day, I got every dream I’d been working toward brought to life. Tomorrow, Dale and I get to start making new dreams together.