Page 27 of Saddles and Snowstorms (Sagebrush Cowboys #4)

Rowan

B rooks and I spent the majority of the previous day in his bed.

Besides leaving to take care of the animals, we hardly left one another’s arms. It was wonderful and a bit anxiety inducing.

We both knew the morning was coming, and with it our normal everyday lives that we had no choice but to go back to.

I just hoped I wouldn’t have to go back to it all without Brooks.

But I promised myself I wouldn’t blame him if he couldn’t do it.

Coming out was hard enough, but coming out at nearly forty had to be even more difficult.

Not to mention, everyone in town knew me.

I was their vet. If Brooks was at my side, that inexplicably threw him into the fray.

He liked his solitude, and I could guarantee, if he were to date me, that wouldn’t be possible anymore.

I was asking him to give up his hard-won peace to let me into his life. To be honest, I wasn’t sure it was exactly a fair favor to ask. Still, I wanted him more than I was willing to admit.

Warmth on the back of my neck was what woke me.

At first, I thought Brooks had wrapped a hand around me, pulling me tight against him.

But when I rolled over and opened my eyes, I was met with bright, nearly blinding sunlight streaming through the window.

I stretched luxuriously, unable to help myself as I pushed the covers down to my waist and let the sunlight pool over my skin.

After nearly three days of blizzard and snow, it felt good to see the sun again.

Outside it almost sounded like it was raining, the snow on the roof melting so quickly and dripping to the ground below.

Now and then a loud thump signaled the cascade of snow sliding off the roof.

The bedroom door creaked open, and I turned my head to see Brooks standing there with two steaming mugs.

His hair was mussed, jaw darker with stubble than usual, and he wore nothing but a pair of boxers hanging low on his hips.

His bulge was all too clear, drawing my eye downward. I didn’t try to fight it.

“Thought you might want some coffee,” he said, his voice still rough with sleep. “Figured the sun woke you too.”

I sat up, sheet pooling around my waist as I reached for the offered mug. “Thanks. It’s nice to see daylight again.”

Brooks nodded, hesitating at the edge of the bed like he wasn’t sure if he was still welcome in it even though it was his bed. After everything we’d shared, the uncertainty in his posture broke my heart a little.

“You planning on standing there all morning?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light.

His lips quirked up at one corner. “Just... taking in the view.”

Heat crawled up my neck that had nothing to do with the coffee or sunshine. Brooks sat beside me, the mattress dipping under his weight as he carefully propped up his sprained ankle. It was looking better and better. Our shoulders brushed, and I fought the urge to lean into him completely.

“How long until the Beau and Lucas get here?” he asked, a tinge of sadness in his voice. “If they take much longer, there won’t be any snow left to dig out.”

I sipped my coffee, relishing the strong, bitter taste before answering. “Roads should be a lot clearer now. I can’t imagine they’ll be long.”

Brooks nodded, his eyes fixed on the window where sunlight danced across melting icicles. “Guess that means you’ll be heading home soon.”

The words hung between us, heavy with unspoken questions. I set my mug on the nightstand and turned to face him, my heart thundering against my ribs.

“Brooks, I?—”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he cut in, his voice low. “We both knew this time was coming. ”

“What do you mean, Brooks?” I asked, furrowing my brow. “I know you said you’ll need time to adjust.”

His dark eyes finally met mine, vulnerable in a way that made my breath catch. The morning light carved shadows across his stubbled jaw, highlighting the tension there.

“These past few days...” he started, then trailed off, swallowing hard. “Rowan, I ain’t good at this. At letting people in.”

“I know,” I said with a gentle smile, reaching for his hand. His calloused fingers wrapped around mine instinctively. “And like I said, I’m willing to take things slow.”

He glanced at me for a second before his gaze dropped to the floor. “I just… I don’t know, Rowan. I’m… scared.”

The sheet slipped lower on my hips, but I didn’t care. I needed him to see me—all of me.

“I’m scared too,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes darted to mine, surprise evident in those deep brown depths. “You? You seem so sure about everything.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound soft and a little sad. “Brooks, my last relationship ended with me losing my job and running away to a town where I knew nobody. Trust me, I’m terrified.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Fair point.”

I reached out, my fingers grazing his stubbled jaw. “But I’m more scared of walking away from this—from you—than I am of trying.”

He leaned into my touch, eyes closing briefly. When they opened again, I could see the war being waged behind them.

“I ain’t used to having someone in my space,” he said roughly. “I’ve been alone a long time. I like my quiet. I like knowing exactly how my days are gonna go.”

“I know,” I nodded. “And I’m willing to work with you, to give you what you need. I’m not moving in, Brooks. These past three days have been amazing, but I know you like your own space. I’ve trespassed on your kindness long enough.”

Brooks’ hand came up to cover mine against his cheek. “You haven’t been trespassing,” he said, voice rough. “That’s just it. Having you here... it felt right. Too damn right.”

I held my breath, afraid to hope. The morning light caught in his dark eyes, turning them almost amber.

“I’m not asking for everything all at once,” I said carefully. “We can take this slow. Figure it out together.”

He looked down at our joined hands, his thumb tracing circles on my skin. “I’ve spent my whole life building walls, Rowan. Don’t know if I remember how to live without ‘em.”

“Then we’ll take them down one brick at a time,” I offered. “Or maybe just put in a door.”

That earned me a small laugh, the sound warming me from the inside out.

“A door,” he repeated, thoughtfully. “I might be able to manage that.”

The tension in his shoulders seemed to ease slightly. He raised his coffee mug to his lips and took a long sip, his eyes never leaving mine. When he set it down again, his expression had shifted to something more determined.

“I can’t promise I’ll be any good at this,” he said finally. “In fact, I can pretty much guarantee I’ll mess up. A lot.”

I smiled, feeling something tight in my chest begin to unravel. “I’m not looking for perfect, Brooks. I’m just looking for real.”

He nodded slowly, then leaned forward until our foreheads touched. “Real, I can do. Just might need some patience from you.”

“I’ve got plenty,” I whispered, closing the distance between us to press my lips against his. “I work with animals, remember? Patience is my middle name.”

The kiss was gentle at first, almost hesitant, but quickly deepened as Brooks pulled me closer. Coffee forgotten, I found myself straddling his lap, the sheet falling away completely as his hands gripped my hips. The feel of his hardening length beneath me sent heat coursing through my veins.

“Thought we were supposed to be taking it slow,” he murmured against my neck, his stubble creating delicious friction against my skin.

“This is slow,” I gasped as his teeth grazed my collarbone. “For me, anyway.”

His deep chuckle vibrated through me. But just as I was hoping to take things a bit further and get one last good romp in, the sound of a car horn sounded outside.

Both of us startled, looking up toward the window.

Beau and Lucas had arrived a bit earlier than expected to dig my truck out of the snow.

Brooks let out a sigh, his forehead falling to rest against my shoulder. “Perfect timing,” he muttered.

“I should probably get dressed,” I said, reluctantly climbing off his lap. The loss of contact left me feeling strangely bereft. “They’ll be wondering where I am.”

Brooks caught my wrist as I moved to stand. “Hey,” he said, voice low. “I meant what I said. About trying. About that door in the wall.”

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “I know you did.”

“I’ll probably screw it up,” he warned again.

I leaned down and kissed him once more, slowly, thoroughly. “We both will. That’s how these things work.”

The horn blared again, longer this time. I reluctantly pulled away, searching the floor for my clothes. Brooks watched me dress, his eyes tracking every movement with an intensity that made my skin tingle.

“You know,” I said as I pulled my shirt over my head, “I make house calls for animals. Professional necessity.”

Brooks raised an eyebrow. “That so?”

“Mmhmm.” I nodded, stepping into my jeans. “Would be a shame if you needed me to stop out and check on your animals in the middle of the night.” I gave him a wink. “Anytime you need me.”

Brooks’ eyes darkened with lust. “Might need a lot of check-ups. These animals are mighty important to me.”

“I’ll be thorough,” I promised, buttoning my jeans. “Very thorough.”

The horn blared a third time, followed by a shout that sounded like Lucas. Brooks sighed and reached for his own clothes.

“Better go before they come looking for you,” he said, pulling on a worn t-shirt that stretched tight across his broad chest.

I nodded but couldn’t bring myself to move toward the door just yet. “So... I’ll see you? Soon?”

Brooks stood, wincing slightly as he put weight on his ankle, and crossed the small space between us. His hands came up to frame my face, thumbs brushing my cheekbones with a gentleness that made my heart ache .

“Count on it,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Go on now. Before I change my mind and keep you here.”

The thought was tempting—so tempting I almost told Lucas and Beau to go home. But I knew reality had to set in, eventually.

“Tonight?” I asked, hopeful.

Brooks hesitated, his dark eyes searching mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. Then, slowly, the corner of his mouth turned up.

“Tonight,” he agreed, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. “I’ve got to check the herd after all this snow, anyway. Might need a professional opinion on their condition.”

I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. “Professional opinions are my specialty. But you need to stay off that foot still. In fact, I’d really like to have you come into the clinic so I can x-ray it just to make sure you’re alright.”

“Maybe I can pick you up then,” he offered, his fingers trailing over my waist.

The blaring horn outside shattered the moment again. This time, Lucas’s voice carried clearly through the window: “Rowan! You in there or did Brooks bury you in the snow?”

Brooks rolled his eyes but couldn’t quite hide his smile. “Your rescue party’s getting impatient.”

“Let them wait,” I murmured, stealing one more kiss before reluctantly pulling away. “I should go before they come barging in.”

“Probably for the best,” Brooks agreed, following me through the house with a slight limp. His hand never left the small of my back, like he couldn’t quite bring himself to break contact until absolutely necessary.

At the front door, I paused, suddenly unsure. The real world waited outside—judgments, questions, complications. As if reading my thoughts, Brooks squeezed my shoulder gently.

“Hey,” he said softly. “One step at a time, remember?”

I nodded, drawing strength from his steady gaze. “One step at a time.”

With a deep breath, I opened the door to find Lucas and Beau standing near my snow-covered truck, shovels in hand. Lucas’s eyebrows shot up when he saw Brooks standing behind me, his hand still resting possessively on my lower back.

“Well, well,” Lucas drawled, a knowing smirk spreading across his face. “Looks like someone had a cozy blizzard.”

I felt heat rise to my cheeks but refused to look away. “Thanks for coming to dig me out.”

Beau, ever the more tactful of the two, simply nodded. “No problem. Glad to see you both weathered the storm alright.” His eyes flicked briefly to Brooks’s hand on my back, but he made no comment.

“I’ll talk to you later,” Brooks said gruffly, his Texas drawl more pronounced than usual as he pulled away from me. “I’m gonna finish my coffee.”

I stepped outside, the door shutting behind me. There was a sense of loss as Brooks retreated back into his cabin. As soon as he was gone, I turned around and burned Lucas a dirty look.

“What?!” he shrugged. “Y’all look good together.”

Walking down the porch, I headed over, keeping my voice low so Brooks couldn’t hear me from inside. “Do me a favor, Lucas,” I said firmly. “ Don’t call attention to it right now, okay? We’re keeping this quiet for now.”

He nodded, a sheepish grin filling his face. “Sorry. I… I didn’t know.”

“It’s alright. We just need some time to figure it all out.”

“No problem,” Beau added, patting Lucas on the shoulder. “We know what that’s like, don’t we Lucas?”

“Yeah…” He looked up at me, wincing. “I wasn’t trying to be a dick.”

“I know. It’s alright.” I reached out, taking the shovel from him. “Now you can make it up to me by helping me dig out my truck.”