Page 2 of Owned By The Cowboy

The back door opens, and I hear heavy footsteps on the porch. Work boots. A male voice. My stomach does something weird, and I tell myself it’s just nerves.

“Mel, you in there?” The voice is deeper than I remember, rougher around the edges.

“Kitchen,” Daddy calls back.

And then Blayne Madison walks into my parents’ kitchen, and I forget how to breathe.

I haven’t seen much of him over the years. He usually found reasons to be somewhere else when Richard and I were in town.

He’s even bigger, broader, more solid. He’s wearing his dark hair shorter than the last time I caught a glimpse of him, and there are more lines around his eyes. Today he’s wearing his signature cowboy hat, a work shirt that’s seen better days, and his jeans are dusty from whatever job site he’s been working. Total cowboy book boyfriend come to life.

And his eyes are the same pale blue I remember.

“Hi.” His deep voice sounds surprised, like he didn’t expect to see me here even though he must have known I was coming home permanently this time.

“Hi, Blayne.”

We stare at each other for a beat too long, and I feel heat crawling up my neck. This is different from those brief, polite hellos where he barely made eye contact.

“You remember our Reggie,” Mama says, like he needs the reminder.

“I remember,” he replies, and there’s that low, gravely voice again. Good God.

“Blayne finished up the work on the cottage this morning,” my dad adds. “Should be all set for you and the kids.”

“Thank you,” I manage. “That’s… you didn’t have to do all that.”

He shrugs his massive shoulders, and he’s still looking at me…

“Wanted to make sure it was right. It’s good to have you home,” he adds after another beat. “For good this time.”

“It’s good to be home,” I answer, and for the first time since I made the decision to leave San Francisco, I think I might actually mean it.

“Well,” Blayne starts again, “I should let you get settled. If you need anything with the cottage, just holler.” He touches the tip of his hat.

“We will,” Mama jumps in when I don’t respond fast enough.

He nods, tips his head to me one last time, and heads back to the door. I watch him go, unable to stop myself from appreciating how his broad shoulders fill out his shirt, how his battered jeans fit just right…

The door closes behind Blayne, and I realize I’ve been staring.

“Well,” Mama says, setting a glass of sweet tea in front of me. “That was interesting.”

“What was interesting?” I ask, but my voice comes out higher than normal.

“Blayne didn’t disappear the minute he saw you in the room,” Daddy responds for both of them with a smirk. “First time he’s stuck around when you’re here.”

I take a sip of tea and try to ignore the way my hands are a bit unsteady. Blayne Madison looks like he’s going to be a problem. A big, complicated, blue-eyed problem.

But right now, I’ve got bigger things to worry about. Like getting my kids set and figuring out what the hell I’m going to do with my life.

Two

Blayne

I make it about fifty feet away from the Mason house before I have to stop and lean against my truck. My hands are shaking, and I can’t seem to get enough air in my lungs.

Reggie’s home. For good this time.