Page 37 of Saddles and Snowstorms (Sagebrush Cowboys #4)

T hree Months Later

I had a handful of Brooks’ hair as I pinned him to the mattress, his moans filling the room.

“Is this what you need, cowboy?” I growled, grinding my cock against his lubed hole that I’d been eating out for the better part of an hour until he was a leaky, begging mess. “You want that thick cock in your ass, don’t you?”

“Yes!” Brooks cried. “Please god, fuck me… I need it so fucking bad…”

I slid into him slow, feeling every inch of him stretch around me. The tight heat of his body nearly stopped my heart as he arched beneath me, his fingers digging into my shoulders.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” I whispered against his ear, my hips flush against his ass as I bottomed out. “So goddamn good, cowboy…”

Brooks’ eyes were squeezed shut, his mouth hanging open in a silent cry as I started to move. The man who barely said two words to anyone in town was now laid bare beneath me, vulnerable and wanting. His stoic facade crumbled with each thrust, replaced by something raw and beautiful.

“Look at me,” I demanded, slowing my pace to a torturous grind. “I want to see those eyes when I’m deep inside you.”

His lashes fluttered open, those deep brown eyes hazy with pleasure as they locked onto mine. Something passed between us—something that went beyond the physical connection of our bodies.

“That’s it, cowboy,” I praised, picking up the pace again. “Let me see you.”

“Harder,” he gasped, his voice rough with need. “Please...”

I obliged, driving into him with renewed force. Each thrust wrenched another moan from his throat, his body tightening around me like he never wanted to let go. The headboard slammed rhythmically against the wall of his bedroom, the sound echoing through the otherwise quiet ranch house.

“Fuck, I’m not gonna—” Brooks’ words dissolved into a groan as his back arched off the bed. His cock jerked between us, untouched but leaking steadily onto his stomach.

I wrapped my hand around his thick, throbbing cock, stroking in time with my thrusts. “Cum for me, cowboy. Let me feel you.”

His entire body tensed beneath me, muscles contracting as he came with a hoarse shout of my name.

The sight of him losing himself, combined with the vise-like grip of his body around my cock, pushed me over the edge.

I buried myself deep inside him and let go, filling him as my vision blurred at the edges.

A moment later, I collapsed beside him, both of us breathing hard as sweat cooled on our skin. The ceiling fan spun lazily above us, doing little to dispel the heat of our bodies or the thick Texas summer air that had come early.

“Goddamn,” he groaned, a hand still on his cock as he slowly stroked himself. Cum smeared between his fingers as a few soft moans fell from his lips. “I’m not sure I’m ever gonna get enough of that.”

I rolled onto my side, watching him with a lazy smile as my hand found his hip. “That so?” I traced the ridge of muscle there, still marveling that I could touch him like this. Three months ago, I’d have laughed if someone told me I’d be in Brooks Callahan’s bed, both of us naked and spent.

“Mmm,” he hummed, those brown eyes finding mine as his hand stilled. A flush crept up his neck that had nothing to do with our activities. “I just mean... it’s good. Real good.”

I leaned in, pressing my lips to the corner of his mouth. “You’re not so bad yourself, cowboy. ”

The nickname made him smile, just a quirk at the edges of his lips. When we’d first started this—whatever this was—he’d grumbled about it. Now he wore it like a badge of honor, especially when I whispered it against his skin.

Brooks shifted, wincing slightly as he moved to face me. “Should probably clean up.”

“Probably.” But neither of us moved, content to lie there in the afterglow, listening to the distant lowing of cattle and the creak of the old ranch house.

“We should probably do chores soon.” He leaned close, pressing his forehead against mine. “But I don’t wanna get up just yet.”

“Then don’t,” I smiled, kissing his nose. “Animals can’t tell time. Ten minutes ain’t gonna kill ‘em.”

“What about the opening today?”

“That’s not until noon.” My hand slipped between his legs, my fingers grazing over his spent and cum-smeared hole. “We’ve got time.”

Brooks shivered at my touch, his eyes darkening again despite his recent release. “We’re gonna be late if you keep that up.” His protest was weak, contradicted by the way he shifted his hips to press against my exploring fingers.

“Would that be so terrible?” I leaned in, nipping at his bottom lip. “Being a little late to our own opening?”

He huffed a laugh against my mouth. “Eli would have my hide. He’s been advertising this for weeks.

” His hand came up to cup my jaw, thumb tracing my cheekbone with surprising tenderness.

“First time I’ve ever had to manage somethin’ like that, and I wanna do it right.

I want your new clinic to be a success.”

I knew what this meant to him—how much courage it had taken for Brooks to put himself out there and not only become my business partner, but my boyfriend at the same time.

Not to mention, this clinic was on his land.

It belonged to us both. And it was everything both of us had ever dreamed of, so I guessed we probably shouldn’t be late.

“Alright, cowboy.” I pressed one last kiss to his lips before rolling away. “Let’s get you cleaned up and presentable. Can’t have Sagebrush’s finest rancher showing up looking like he’s been thoroughly fucked and bred all morning.”

Brooks’ ears reddened at my words, a sight I’d grown to cherish over these past months. For all his stoicism, the man blushed like a teenager when I talked dirty to him. I lived for it.

“You’re awful,” he muttered, but there was no heat behind it. He swung his long legs over the edge of the bed, giving me a perfect view of his muscular back and the red marks my fingers had left there. “Shower with me?”

“Thought you were worried about being late,” I teased, but I was already getting up to follow him. I couldn’t resist running my hand down the curve of his spine as he stood, feeling him shiver under my touch.

The bathroom was small, barely big enough for the two of us, but that was part of the appeal. Brooks turned on the water, steam quickly filling the space as I pressed myself against his back, my arms wrapping around his waist.

“You know,” I said, my lips against his shoulder, “I never thought I’d be here.”

He turned in my arms, brown eyes searching mine. “In my shower?”

“In your life,” I clarified, suddenly serious. “You were always this... mystery. The quiet rancher who wouldn’t let anyone in. I still can’t believe you let me in.”

Brooks stepped into the shower, pulling me with him. The warm water cascaded over us both as he pressed his forehead to mine, hands settling on my hips.

“Never thought I would,” he admitted, voice barely audible over the spray. “Spent so long convincin’ myself I was better off alone. Safer that way.”

I ran my fingers through his wet hair, pushing it back from his face. “And now?”

“Now I’m standin’ naked in my shower with the town vet, about to open a goddamn animal clinic on my property.” A rare, full smile spread across his face. “Guess I’ve changed my mind about a few things.”

We washed quickly after that, hands lingering but not starting anything we didn’t have time to finish.

When we stepped out, I watched Brooks transform back into the man Sagebrush knew—methodical movements as he combed his hair, trimmed his beard just so, and pulled on his clothes with practiced efficiency.

The only difference was the occasional glance he’d throw my way, a softness in his eyes that nobody else got to see.

“You gonna wear that hat today?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as he reached for his wrinkled leather cowboy hat. It looked like it had been run over a couple times by both cattle and trucks.

“Of course,” he grinned. “I ain’t never gonna give up that hat.”

“It looks like shit, Brooks.”

He shook his head. “No, it’s my story.” He picked it up, dusting it off gently, reverently. “Every wrinkle in this hat represents my struggles in life, how I became who I am.” He looked up at me, giving me a wink. “More than a few of these are from you, ya know?”

I laughed, stepping closer to adjust the hat on his head. “Yeah? Which ones specifically?”

“This dent here,” he said, pointing to a crease on the side, “was from when you convinced me to go riding at sunset and we ended up against that oak tree with your cock in my mouth.”

“Worth it,” I murmured, kissing him softly. “And that one?” I pointed to another worn spot near the brim.

“That was from the blizzard. When I fell, it got pretty crunched in the snow. Good thing you saved me, or it might’ve been the last time I wore it.” His voice deepened with the memory, eyes filling with warmth.

I couldn’t help the surge of pride that went through me.

It was still hard to believe sometimes that this man—this strong, stubborn, beautiful man—had chosen me.

That the same Brooks Callahan who’d barely spoken three words to anyone in town for years now whispered my name in the dark like a prayer.

“Come on,” he said, breaking me from my thoughts. “We should get going.”

Outside, the Texas sun beat down mercilessly, the late May heat already oppressive despite the early hour.

Brooks’ ranch stretched out before us, a hundred acres of good land that he’d poured his heart and soul into.

And at the edge of the property, nestled between a stand of oak trees and a small creek, stood our new large animal clinic, a labor of love that had taken the better part of two months to complete.

The building itself wasn’t anything fancy.

A renovated barn with fresh white paint and a new metal roof that gleamed in the sunlight.

But inside was state-of-the-art equipment, examination rooms, and even a small surgery suite.

It was everything I’d dreamed of since vet school, made better because Brooks shared it with me.

“You nervous?” I asked as we walked toward the old barn to do our chores, our boots crunching on the gravel path.

Brooks shrugged, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. “Maybe a little. Not used to havin’ so many people on my land.”

I reached for his hand, squeezing it briefly before letting go.

We’d agreed to keep things professional during the opening, though most of Sagebrush knew something was going on between us.

After Brooks’s little show in my clinic three months ago, rumors had spread quickly.

To my surprise, I’d yet to face any ill will because of it.

Everyone seemed supportive despite being in such a small, rural Texas town.

“Let’s focus on the chores for now,” I said, giving him a nod. “They won’t be here for a while yet.”

The morning routine with the cattle was familiar and soothing.

Brooks moved among them with the easy confidence of a man who’d been doing this his whole life, checking on the pregnant cows and making sure the new calves were thriving.

I watched him work, appreciating the way his muscles flexed beneath his shirt as he hefted feed bags and filled water troughs.

“You’re staring again,” he said without looking up, a small smile playing at his lips.

“Can’t help it,” I replied, leaning against the fence. “It’s a nice view.”

He shook his head, but I caught the flush creeping up his neck. Three months in and I could still make him blush. It was my favorite thing.

“Come help me with this instead of just lookin’ pretty,” he called, gesturing to the hay bales.

We worked side by side, falling into the rhythm we’d established over the past months. What had once been Brooks’ solitary morning chores had become something we shared, talking softly about the day ahead or sometimes not talking at all, just existing in the same space.

“You think anyone’s gonna show up today?” Brooks asked as we finished, wiping sweat from his brow.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole damn town showed up,” I nodded. “And the boys are comin’ too. All of them.”

“Colt too?” Brooks grumbled .

“Yes, Colt too,” I sighed, smiling as I shook my head.

“I don’t really like him.”

“Yes you do,” I laughed. “I catch you starin’ at his ass all the time.” Brooks burned me a dirty look, but I put my hands up in surrender. “He’s hot. It’s alright. I get it.”

“I don’t like the way he flirts with you…” He reached out, wrapping his arm around my waist. “You’re mine .”

“And I always will be yours,” I replied, leaning into his touch. “Colt is just a friend. Nothin’ more. You’re the man I want.”

“You mean it?” There was an innocence in his voice that made my skin tingle and my heart flutter. “You’re mine?”

“Brooks.” I reached up, grabbing the sides of his face and pulling him into a soft kiss. “I love you more than anything. I’m yours as long as you’ll have me.”

“Forever?”

Those brown eyes seemed to bore right through me, their depths filled with so much more emotion and hope than his words implied.

“Forever,” I nodded. “If that’s what you want.”

“It is. I love you so much, Rowan. More than anything.”

“I love you too, cowboy,” I replied, kissing him once more. “Now come on,” I grinned, swatting him on the ass. “Let’s get these chores done. We’ve got a clinic to open today, remember?”

Brooks blushed again, smiled, and went back to the feed bags.

I just stared, a big grin on my face that had been there since the day he told me he loved me.

I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to it, but I loved it more than anything.

Brooks was my home, and Sagebrush was where we were going to live happily ever after, I just knew it.

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