Page 44 of Save A Horse (Texas Rose Ranch #1)

Daisy

A s Colt drove down the familiar winding road to my dad’s place, I stared out the window, taking in the beautiful scenery.

Excitement and nerves filled me, but I was eager to see my dad again.

The sun was fully out now, and a warm glow was cast over the land.

I couldn’t help but smile. The family ranch wasn’t that big-just enough room for a couple of horses and a few cattle-but it was special.

It brought a sense of comfort and coziness.

I was glad to be back, and I was ready to continue rebuilding the relationship between my dad and me. It had been a long time coming.

As Colt pulled into the driveway, I could feel my heart racing. I glanced at Colt, who was adjusting his cowboy hat. He looked so calm, and it was almost a little infuriating, but I loved that he could be the calm to my storm any day.

“You ready for this, darlin’?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t forget. You have a nice, romantic picnic waiting for you once we finish the work.” He smiled at me, and it only fueled my excitement. This was going to be a good day; I just knew it .

I stepped out of the truck, taking in a deep breath. I could smell the wildflowers and grass, reminding me of so many memories. I had a lot of fond memories here growing up, and I was glad that my mind wandered to those instead of the really bad time.

I looked around to see my dad, but he was nowhere to be found. As I walked closer to the front door, I felt anticipation. Neither me, Colt, nor Walt had let my dad know about the two of us coming here, and I was hoping he would be happy to see us.

“There’s my girl!” I looked up and saw my dad swinging the front door open, a wide grin lighting up his face.

He pulled me into a warm hug. There was so much strength in his arms, and I was instantly reminded of how much I missed this connection. Colt was standing back, giving us a moment. My dad quickly turned to him, though, extending his hand.

“Colt! Glad you could make it.”

“Sorry, this is a little unexpected, dad.”

“Y’all are welcome here any time.”

“We thought we would come help you out today.”

“Yeah, my dad has it all under control back at Texas Rose.”

“Whose idea was this?” Neither of us spoke, but from dad’s reaction, I’m sure that somehow Colt let him know it was my idea.

“Well, follow me.”

We made our way to the backyard, where my dad was ready with a list of chores for us to do. My dad and I are both really trying, I feel a lot of gratitude because of it. I want to support him, and I want him to support me.

“These weeds need to be pulled. I know the garden isn’t very big, but I still like to keep it up.” Just like Walt, my dad kept the garden going because it was one of my mom’s favorite things .

We spent the next little while working together, pulling out all the weeds from the garden to tidy it up. It was nice to have this time with my dad. With so many years apart, I was starting to think that we would never get to do things like this again.

“What else do you need, dad?”

“Well, the shed needs to be cleaned up, and I need to fix a place in the fence.”

“We can help you with that, no problem.” My dad smiled back at me, then we all three headed toward the shed.

We stole glances at each other while working side by side.

The shed was a mess, and I could only imagine how hard it had been for my dad to keep this place running by himself.

I knew he enjoyed this place, and he would never want to give this up.

It meant too much to him, and I knew it reminded him of my mom.

We took a break, and I saw my dad wipe sweat from his brow. He looked so content and pleased.

“You know, it feels good to have you both here. I like having some help around here.”

“Didn’t you have someone hired? I thought my dad had said something about it.”

“I did, but they found work elsewhere that paid better, so it’s been a one-man job around here for a while.”

“I hate to hear that. You know, if you ever need any help, you can always call me or my dad. One of us will come lend a hand.” My dad placed a hand on Colt’s shoulder.

“I know. You are good people, you and your dad. Y’all have bailed me out plenty of times.”

“Well, I appreciate that, John.”

“I have missed this, though. It’s nice to have some help around here, and it’s even better when my daughter comes and helps.” I smiled at him, receiving that warm smile from him that was always there to lift me up as a kid.

“I’ve missed it, too, dad. I’m really glad we’re doing this.” This felt like a turning point in our relationship, and I was welcoming it with open arms.

“Well, I’ll finish up here. You two go off somewhere.”

“What?”

“You know what I mean. You two need some time alone together. Plus, I did notice what looked like a packed lunch when y’all were getting out of the truck.”

“You were spying?”

“Oh, no. I just notice things. Now you two run along.”

“We won’t be gone that long, dad.”

“Take all the time you need.”

We walked back to the truck, leaving my dad tofinish the fence himself. Colt grabbed the bag he had packed with sandwiches, chips, and some fruit, along with the water I threw in there, and we headed off in the field.

Seeing my dad and Colt interact today has been special.

I could be open with him about mine and Colt’s relationship.

I always wanted my parents to love and to accept who I was dating, and it was kind of fitting that my dad was the only one who knew about us being together.

He has been amazing during this, and he has been so supportive. Having his approval means a lot to me.

As we sat down to eat, Colt spread a thin blanket down onto the grass. He emptied out the bag, handing me a bottle of water and a sandwich, and placing the chips and fruit in the middle of us. I looked around us and felt so much peace being surrounded by only Colt and nature.

We enjoyed our food, Colt casually feeding me a grape every now and then. Each time, I looked into his eyes and saw a sparkle. His face was lit up with the biggest smile, and his eyes were only on me. He never took them off me.

It made me feel special.

He made me feel special.

“This is perfect.”

“It is. So, what gave you the idea to have a picnic?”

“Honestly, I thought of it on the spot. I knew we both wanted to spend some time alone together, and I knew how much you loved being out in the field, enjoying the view. I thought this would be a good way to do those things.”

“Well, you did good, cowboy.” He grinned, and it was everything I could do to hold myself back. All I wanted to do was kiss him.

Suddenly, I gave in to temptation. I giggled a little as I settled on his lap, a leg on either side of him. I forgot all about the picnic for a moment as our lips met. At first, the kiss was slow and teasing. Then, it deepened with a hunger that I felt with every kiss and touch from Colt.

My fingers simultaneously found their way to his hair, intertwining between the strands, as my lips continued to taste his. I pulled him closer as I felt his rough, calloused hands around my waist, his thumbs rubbing circles on my skin.

Our kiss broke, and I was absolutely breathless and flushed.

I looked at Colt’s face and could see that he was the same, hearing his heavy breathing and noticing the red tint to his skin.

I rested my forehead against his, placing a hand on his chest where his heart would be.

We were in sync as I felt the pounding in his chest.

“Wow.” I looked up at him.

“Well, cowboy. What do you think?”

“I think you sure know how to take my breath away…in a good way.” He reached up and gently brushed a stray strand of her hair from my face, placing it behind my ear .

He held me tightly for a moment, and I buried my face in his neck. I took in his familiar, woodsy scent. I felt the strong, solid strength of his body against my own. I was captivated by him and by his touch.

I carefully turned around, so I didn’t knee him between the legs.

I lay against him, my head on his lap where I could look up at him or out at the scenery around us, and my legs extended out from me on the blanket.

Colt placed an arm around my hip, and I nestled against him, feeling so much safety and comfort in his presence.

The world was fading away again, and I was cocooned in a bubble of love and affection held by him.

I closed my eyes for a moment, taking in how calm I felt.

Colt leaned down and kissed me softly, a tender peck that spoke volumes in this moment. Colt was being so gentle with me, allowing me to take control, and I was thankful for him.

I thought of all the reasons why Colt was so special to me and why I felt so safe when I was with him.

He listens to me.

He cares about me.

He doesn’t judge me.

He makes me feel good about myself.

He is encouraging.

He is adventurous.

He is caring.

He makes an effort to plan things and make our moments together meaningful.

He takes an interest in what I’m doing and how I’m feeling.

He treats me like I matter.

He understands me.

Most importantly, he makes me feel seen .

He feels like home.

As our lips parted, I felt the deep connection between us. I felt so much peace and contentment wash over me, and I knew in that moment that I was exactly where I was supposed to be- in the arms of the man I was falling in love with.

Colt continued holding me, and I wanted to stay in this little world with him forever.

I felt his grip tighten, like he was afraid to let go.

I snuggled even deeper in his embrace, letting the security wrap around me.

I was so content, and knowing that we had to get up soon made me want to cry. I wasn’t ready to let him go just yet.

Coming back here, I found something truly special in Colt.

I found someone who had the potential to be in my life for a long time…maybe even for the rest of my life.