Page 21 of Stirring Up Trouble (Saddle Up #1)

Nineteen

Robin

Sleep eluded me after our full day with Blaze’s family. I had never experienced such connection with people from the get-go. It was as if they considered me family without really knowing me.

I loved the guys at the Coleman Ranch. They were wonderful to be around. But I also knew that I wasn't truly a part of their group.

I didn't work on the ranch.

I wasn't dating or married to anyone on the ranch.

I was Griffin's business partner, which meant I was close by proxy.

But with all the people here at Anders Ranch, they wanted Robin. Not Robin the vet or Robin the friend. Just me. The person I was, was good enough.

It was a relief, and yet I still couldn't sleep.

Part of it was the energy of the day. But I knew another part was the countdown that was silently ticking behind us.

I’d thought that when I had to make a final decision, I might be able to leave Blaze behind.

What a lie.

A ridiculous notion.

I couldn't just leave him with no intent of coming back, or at least some kind of plan to try long distance.

I wish I had some magic eight ball I could look at or an unbiased person to consult to tell me that what I was doing was right. I needed to know I wasn't making stupid choices.

While I was laying there, my phone pinged on the nightstand. Blaze was out cold so I grabbed it to mute the dang thing. Whoever was trying to get in touch with me could wait.

When I saw my brother's name on the screen, I quickly unlocked it. Was something wrong? Was it an emergency? He never contacted me like this.

Wes

Are you up?

I looked at the time, noting it was one o'clock in the morning. How in the world would he know that I was awake? Or was it a lucky guess? More of that whole circumstance and kismet that I felt when I arrived at this ranch?

Easing out of bed so as to not wake Blaze, I took off down the stairs. In the living room, I cuddled up underneath one of the throws and texted him back.

Robin

Yeah, I'm awake.

My phone vibrated in my hand. Instantly I answered, "What's going on?"

Wes chuckled. "Nothing is going on. I just wanted to talk to you. I felt bad after the last time we spoke.”

"You did?" I asked.

"I did. I haven't been the best brother to you and ever since the last time I called, it has just been eating away at me. I want us to be closer. Want us to be family. You shouldn't have to be alone, Robin. You're my little brother, not some stranger that I send Christmas cards to once a year."

I snorted at the suggestion. It was a pretty accurate description of what we'd been doing.

“Well, if that's the case, you actually have great timing because I could use your advice.”

I decided to just dive right into my issues.

Wes hummed as if he were getting comfortable. "Okay, lay it on me. What's the issue?"

I swallowed, then went on to explain everything to him. He listened carefully, only interrupting when he needed clarification.

When I finished, he simply said, "Huh?"

I pulled the phone away and looked at it, then put it back to my ear. "That's all you've got after all that?"

“I mean, there's more on my mind, but I don't want to wake up Gerald. It's probably better if the two of you talk this out on your own.”

"Why do you want me to talk to Gerald?"

“Because he's been through something similar to what you're going through.

He left his entire life behind at the Colman Ranch to venture into the city and get help.

He completely rebuilt his life, and he's happier for it.

We're happier. I got my forever person, and he found peace with the life he never thought he'd get.”

"Oh," I replied softly.

I knew the history between him and Gerald. It was something that I resented at first because my brother had dropped off the face of the earth without telling me only to pop up when least expected.

I'd gotten over it, but our relationship didn't get any better, that was for sure.

"You there, Robin?" he asked, dragging me away from the dreary thoughts.

"I'm here.If you think Gerald's up for talking about it later, I'd love for him to weigh in. In the meantime, do you have any general advice you might give me?”

Wes was quiet for a second. "I want you to think about life on the ranch.

Is it something you could see yourself doing?

Do you want to be Blaze's partner and help him grow the place to what it could be?

To restore his family name? Because that's what you would be taking on if you were to move there. It's a big responsibility."

I didn't even have to think. Of course that's what I wanted.

“I want him and everything that comes with it.”

“Then you know what you need to do. Just so you know, I'm here to help in any way I can. If you need business advice or if, heaven forbid, I need to come down there one day for moral support, I can.”

“No offers to help me physically,” I teased.

I didn't even have to be in the same room as him to know that he probably gave a full body shiver at the suggestion.

“It's best for everyone if I don't operate any large machinery,” Wes replied instead. “But I can give advice and listen to you and be there. Be present. The thing I should have been doing all along.”

My heart warmed at his words. Everything I wanted was finally coming together.

I found the person I wanted to spend my life with, to build and grow with.

He had a home that was open and could accommodate me living there as well.

I got my brother, the one person that I didn't think I'd ever have a close relationship with, reaching out.

"Thanks, Wes. I really appreciate you getting in touch like this."

"No worries. I'm just happy I caught you. I had a bunch of things to take care of today and wound up getting a bit too hyperfixated, so I was up late. It was a risk that paid off.”

“It sure was, but we should both probably get back to bed," I said.

"Here you go, sounding all responsible," he joked.

“I don't know about responsible, but the early mornings are definitely getting to me. I've got a full day at the rodeo tomorrow.”

After telling him good night, I leaned back on the couch to take a moment to think about what happened. I was far too hyped up to try to fall asleep again.

It was as I was still sitting there that I heard movement. My head popped up expecting to see Blaze.

Only it was Sylmen who walked in the room.

"Hey," I said softly, not wanting to spook him in case he hadn't seen me.

He dipped his head my way, then came and sat down on the couch beside me. He motioned with his hands as if holding a phone and pointed to me.

I raised the device in his direction and said, "You want to use my phone?"

He nodded, then held his hand out. I unlocked the device and when he took it from me, he opened the text app and began to type.

When he handed it back over, I read his words with a smile.

Sorry to bother you like this. I heard you talking and thought I would come ask you about that farming game you're always playing.

It seems really cool, and I would like to see it more if that's possible.

I don't have a phone of my own right now, though.

Mine broke earlier this week, and I'm waiting on a new one.

I nodded, then navigated right over to the game.

"Scoot closer," I told him. "I'll show you how it works."

His eyes lit up as he wedged himself beside me on the couch.

“This is the farm. All the different characters are farm hands and they do different things.

You also have crops that you have to tend to.

There's a timer that tells you how long you need to go, as well as how much you harvest each time.

For instance, the strawberries only take twenty minutes.

While that's going, you can go to the cows and get milk because that only takes one minute. Then you can go get wheat because that takes thirty seconds. Then you go back to the cows and give them the wheat.”

Sylmen listened intently over every detail I gave him. When I was done with my spiel, I handed him the phone and said, "Have at it."

He immediately began harvesting and planting crops. I had a large collection of coins he could use. It would give him a chance to try out all kinds of features to know if he wanted to get the game himself.

I wasn't worried about him spending them either. I could always get more later. The game was really more stress relief than anything.

When he seemed to go into a bit of a haze, I just laid my head back and watched.

I wanted to be there in case he had any more questions.

At the same time, it was nice having someone who enjoyed this as well.

I wasn't really into video games all that much.

I could never get the controllers to do what I wanted them to.

With this, it was a matter of patience, time, and strategy.

All things I was pretty good at.

“Come to bed, baby.” Blaze's voice startled me awake.

My head rose, and I almost clipped him with how fast I moved.

“Easy,” he purred, his hands pausing me from rising.

Sylmen had fallen asleep on the couch next to me. The farming game was still open too.

Blaze's eyes looked at both of us and the device as he smirked. “Some late-night gaming? I'm going to have to give you boys a curfew now."

I smiled at him. "No, Daddy. I just happened to be up on a call with my brother and Sylmen heard me. Then he wanted to play the game so I showed him."

Blaze dropped into a squat so that I didn't have to tilt my head back. “You spoke with your brother again?"

He knew how important it was for me to try and build a relationship with Wes.

"Yeah, I did. It was good. We talked about getting closer, and he's going to try more to keep in touch. I'm excited. Sharing with him was easy this time. I trusted him not to make fun of me.”

"That's good, baby.” His fingers ran through my hair as he spoke. “I was worried when I didn't find you in bed. We still got a little bit before we have to be up.”

“How much is a little?” I asked.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I can think of a few things we can do, Daddy."

His smile hitched a bit more. "Then let's get you upstairs."

I took my phone from Sylmen and covered him with a blanket so he could rest more. At least he wasn't in an uncomfortable position. I would have hated if he woke up with a crick in his neck.

Daddy ushered me up the stairs before he showed me exactly how upset he'd been at not finding me in bed with him by torturing me with his tongue over and over again until I was practically weeping into my pillow. Then he pushed inside me and reminded me how much I loved his cock.

I was boneless when his alarm went off later. So much so, he had to drag me to the shower.

“I'm going to have to drink a gallon of coffee,” I mumbled.

Daddy pulled me close and kissed me on the tip of the nose. “I'll make sure to pack a thermos. That's what happens when you stay up all night partying.”

I shook my head, but my smile was still wide.

I loved the way he teased me.

I loved how natural it felt to be with him.

I knew it wouldn't be long until I could firmly say that I loved him.

It was probably too soon, but I was learning that not following the rules felt pretty damn good.