Page 8 of Revelry (Cowgirls Do It Better #2)

Gertie

“Can you two stop, I’m gonna vomit!” I snapped, instantly feeling awful.

Kat slid off Jack’s lap and into her own chair at the Cartwright’s kitchen table, then leaned across and wiped her smeared lipstick off his mouth.

“I’m sorry,” I sighed. “I haven’t had coffee yet and I’m stressed.”

“Why are you stressed, Gertie?” Maddy asked.

“I’m still waiting to hear about this divorce and Gary is dragging his heels. I filed a couple of months ago before I came back here.” I sat down at the table with a plate of bacon and eggs, coffee in hand.

Maddy rubbed my back. “Not long, Gertie, I promise. Then you’ll be free and back on the market, which is a yay for me!” she cheered.

I laughed. “I’m not going out dating with you, I have sworn off men. Forever.”

“Surely not forever ?” Jack asked me, biting into bacon and resting his arm on the back of Kat’s chair, twirling a finger through the ends of her hair.

My heart stuttered at the simplicity of the gesture, the affection in it.

Gary hadn’t been that affectionate. I’d thought I hadn’t minded but after a while I did.

I wanted someone who couldn’t bear the thought of not touching me.

I wanted someone’s priority to be me, not their stocks or bonds or whatever. But that just wasn’t out there for me.

“Forever and ever,” I confirmed.

“We’ll see. Someone out there will be your Prince Charming and make you forget about all other assholes,” Kat said, her eyes flicking to Jack and I’m sure she sighed dreamily.

I rolled my eyes but I was pleased for them really.

They’d had a rough time getting their act together but they’d finally made up and were blissfully in love.

“I gotta get out of here. Can I take Chester out?” I asked.

Kat nodded. “Sure, just don’t be too long. Tate’s coming by to change the horses’ shoes.”

Even just hearing his name set my skin on fire. Seeing him in his gray sweatpants and not much else had been pure torture last night.

The muscles. Dear God the muscles.

It’s like all the man did was work and work out.

Tate had been gangly and scrawny until he’d hit about sixteen, then he had a growth spurt and he was all muscles and height.

Now he towered over me and I loved the way it felt to tilt my head right back to look at him.

There was a power in the width of his shoulders that had my blood humming with anticipation at just being close to him.

Like he could toss me around if he was so inclined.

His perfectly square jaw still made my insides feel fuzzy like it had when I was younger.

His sharp cheekbones were softened by an aquiline nose.

I hated that he always kept his expression carefully blank, didn’t let you know what he was thinking or feeling, and it had driven me insane as a teenager.

But his eyes, that’s where you could see it all if he wasn’t careful, if he forgot to guard himself. They’d swirled with steely fire and burned over my skin. I fought a shiver just thinking about it.

I’d seen and had my share of good-looking men but none of them came even close to Tate Wilder. And I lived to push his buttons, to get under his skin just like he got under mine, not that he knew it.

I grabbed the lilac Stetson that matched the cowgirl boots Charlie had bought me for my sixteenth birthday.

I was so happy they still fit, saying a prayer of thanks to Charlie that he took on the role of my father so many times in life.

That he thought of me as one of his daughters.

He bought them all a pair of cowgirl boots for their sixteenth birthday and I was forever grateful that I got to play a part in that tradition.

With a wave goodbye I set off for the stables. The sun was shining but there was an early fall chill in the air and I found myself excited to get to spring at the ranch. The animal babies being born, the flowers coming to life, I’d be divorced and starting over again, hopefully.

But starting over at what? I loved the ranch and working here but Kat didn’t need me, not really.

I had dropped out of college when Gary asked me to come with him to pursue his dream.

He’d never been happy when I took jobs in the past and I realized that was a sign of his controlling behavior.

But I was in my thirties now with no real life skills except how to make ice cream.

And I did make kick-ass ice cream.

It was like my therapy. The process of it, the creativity in it, the control and care, let alone the joy people got from ice cream.

I mean, who didn’t like ice cream? I’d had dreams at one time of starting my own ice creamery but when I reluctantly revealed that to Gary, he had laughed at me and crushed that dream under his boot-heel.

So now where was I? Thirty plus, soon to be divorced, with no job prospects, living in my mom’s house and failing at life. I kicked my heels in the dirt in frustration.

I needed to ride.

I’d always loved riding horses: the power, the speed, the adrenaline.

I was a junkie for it. I loved chaos and recklessness and this was a safe way to feel all those things.

And I forgot about everything when I was riding, which I desperately needed right now.

I sped up to the stables and found August in there crooning at her white stallion, Marshmallow.

“Hey sweetie,” I called. “Is Chester okay to take out today?”

August gave me a wide smile, her auburn hair littered with hay and flowers as usual. Her freckles were stark against her pale skin and she looked like a bohemian goddess in her white flowing dress and powder blue boots.

“He would love to go out today. Just not too long otherwise Tate won’t be able to change his shoes over.”

“No problem.” I proceeded to tack up Chester, the process of getting him ready took my mind off my troubles. I led him out of the stables and mounted him, stroking his head and mane, cooing at him before I nudged his sides with my ankles and he set off at a slow trot.

As we got further away from the ranch, I leaned forward, goading him on.

I knew Chester liked to go fast and so did I.

He sped up to a canter and eventually we were in the north pasture but I didn’t want to stay in the confines of the ranch.

I wanted the wilderness where I could really push him.

I tugged the reins, changing direction and Chester knew exactly what I wanted, we’d always been in sync.

Charlie had often taken me out on him and it was like the horse and I formed a bond through Charlie.

When we were at the edge of the treeline, I glanced back and, in the distance, I could see Tate’s truck pulling up. Fuck it, he has four other horses to do, he can wait for Chester.

I clicked my tongue and Chester picked up the pace, heading into a full gallop that had me whooping and holding onto my Stetson with one hand to stop it from blowing off in the breeze. I held the reins with my other hand and nudged him with my heels.

“Faster, boy!” I urged. Chester picked up speed and whipped past the trees and into the forest surrounding the ranch.

He knew the path well, we’d traveled it before.

I led him around a fallen log and he leapt over another.

We rode all around the lake before I stopped, leading Chester to the water to refresh and rest ahead of the ride back.

My thighs were killing me. It had been a long time since I’d ridden and I forgot the strain it could put on you. But it was worth the pain. It was so much fun and for a moment I’d forgotten how little fun I’d been having recently.

The ride back was just as fast and furious. It was the perfect way to clear my head and the adrenaline always gave me a high.

Chester slowed down to a canter as we made it back through the treeline onto the ranch and downhill towards the stables. I dismounted when we were a few feet away and came around in front of him.

I held the reins, reaching up and stroking his nose as he dropped his head for me.

“You did so good, boy. Charlie woulda been proud of that.” Chester nuzzled against my palm and nickered softly. “Let’s go and get your shoes changed,” I said, giving him one last pat before leading him into the stables, stopping in my tracks when I spotted Tate.

He leaned casually against the wall yet he looked anything but. Tall, imposing and glowering at me with his arms folded over his wide chest.

Sexy and mad.

But that wasn’t what threw me. He wore a black fitted muscle-tee that clung to his biceps, the material straining against them. With tan leather chaps strapped over black Wranglers that clung to his wide thighs and gave me all sorts of wicked thoughts.

“Hey Tatey,” I said, swallowing to ease my dry throat.

His tone was flat when he asked, “Nice ride?” Clearly it was a trick question.

I fluffed my hair. “Yes, thank you. Been waiting long?”

“You know I have,” he growled, pushing off from the wall.

I put a hand over my mouth coquettishly, knowing it would rile him. “Oopsie, sowwy.”

He sucked on his teeth sharply. “I’m late for the rest of the day now.” His jaw clenched repeatedly, and a tiny sliver of guilt wormed its way through me. “I hate being late.”

“Let me just sort him out and then you can get started.” When I’d finished unsaddling Chester, I turned back to Tate and his eyes snapped up to my face, his cheeks flushed.

Had he been checking out my ass?

“He’s all yours,” I said, Chester nudging me from behind.

“Goodbye Gertrude,” Tate said, such relief in his words that it irked me.

He wanted to get rid of me, like last night.

I had kinda wanted to stay for dinner but seeing he was about to have an aneurysm at having me in his kitchen, I’d taken pity on him and left.

But now, oh now I wanted to mess with him.

“I think I’ll watch. Chester wants me here for moral support.”