Frog by Mary Calmes (read along books TXT) 📗

You got to train and have money for supplies and gear and… well, I ain’t got none of that.”

“You need a sponsor.”

“Honestly—” I sighed because, God, I was tired. “—I think over this past year I lost my love for it. I told you, it was in my blood for so long, but now… I’m fixin’ to go to Alaska and stay for three months, and then I’m gonna go find me a ranch in Texas to work.”

“What changed with the bull riding?”

“Like I said, my body can’t take it no more. I’m old now, you know.”

“You’re forty-four. That’s not old.”

“How did you know I was—”

“You had a birthday at the beginning of August.”

I sighed deeply. “I expect that you’re the only one anywhere that knew that.”

“Which should really tell you something,” he snapped at me. “But it won’t.”

“Doc—”

“Just forget it.”

I cleared my throat, wanting to restore the ease between us. “Forty-four is old.”

“It’s not. I’m forty-two and I don’t consider myself old in the least.”

“Well we ain’t exactly doin’ the same things to our bodies,” I laughed at him.

“So really, you’re going to quit?”

“Yessir. Rodeo is a young man’s sport, and if I keep at it any longer, I’ma get hurt permanent.”

“Did you… are you hurt now?”

“No, now I’m just bruised up some. But I punctured a lung a while back and—”

“Jesus, Weber,” he gasped.

“I’m all right, darlin’.” I smiled into the phone. “It’s just that I’m forty-four now, like you said, but I feel like I’m seventy, and I don’t wanna risk gettin’ crippled. I ain’t got no health insurance.”

“You’re making me crazy. Just sit down and wait for me. I’m bringing the BMW. Watch for it.”

“Do you even know where you’re goin’?”

“Well, yes, Weber. It’s called GPS. Ever hear of it while you’re out there hitching rides on the road?”

I chuckled. “You have a whole idea of what it’s like for me out here, don’t ya?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“I’ll watch for ya.”

He hung up and I did too.

After stepping from the phone booth, I walked back over to one of the benches. It was out of the rain under the overhang, and I took a seat. I pulled the gray straw cowboy hat down low over my eyes, and flipped the collar up on my shearling-lined denim jacket. I would definitely need something heavier for Alaska and had been thinking of stopping in Oregon and working for a couple of weeks to pack away at least a thousand dollars in cash for essentials. I needed boots for the snow as well as a parka and gloves. I had to figure out the timing of everything as I needed to be to Aidan’s brother’s place before Christmas. I had two weeks to get there, and as I thought about it more, I realized that I would probably only be able to stay one night with Cyrus, two at the very most. It made no sense to stop, but the desire to see the man’s face had outweighed everything else. If I could, whenever I could, I had to see him. There was never a question.

Chapter Two

I SAWthe familiar sleek, black four-door BMW roll up, and I waved as he got out of the car and came around the front to step up on the curb to reach me. Watching him stride toward me took my breath away. He looked like he belonged in a fashion magazine, he was so perfect. The short, thick chestnut hair was styled back from his face, the cashmere and wool topcoat accentuated the breadth of his shoulders, and the heavy wool scarf was wrapped once around his neck and hung down between the lapels of the expensive piece of outerwear. The sweater and jeans underneath, the polished boots, he was a vision, and he was intent on reaching me. In contrast, I looked like some homeless guy he was going to give some loose change to.

It felt like I’d made a mistake, and I was embarrassed of how I looked, how I smelled, and I knew in that second that I shouldn’t have called.

“Web,” he cried out.

Until he called my name.

Nothing mattered after that.

I dropped my hiking backpack and lifted my arms to him, for him, waiting.

He rushed forward and lunged at me, hitting my chest hard, face pressed to the side of my neck as he wrapped me up so tight.

“Why’re you shaking?” I asked into his hair, squeezing him, loving the feel of the hard body plastered to mine, his lips opening on my throat.

“Because I missed you, idiot.” He clutched at me, lifting his head to meet my gaze. “Can you get in the car so I can kiss you?”

“Why, yessir,” I assured him.

He stepped back, took off one of his leather gloves, grabbed my hand, and laced his fingers into mine. I had no idea how cold my hands were until he touched me.

At the car, he let go of me, and I tossed my pack in the back seat as he got in and then climbed into the passenger seat. It smelled like leather inside and was, of course, immaculate.

“Nice,” I complimented him as I let the warm air wrap around me.

He hit the lock on the door, making escape impossible, and I turned to give him a grin over the transparent action.

When I saw his chin quiver, I reached for him.

My fingers wrapped gently around his throat. My thumb smoothed over his jaw as I leaned him toward me. “Lemme take a long hot shower when I get to your place, okay? Then once I’m clean, I can get in your bed.”

He squinted fast, and I could tell he was on the verge of tears.

“Since when do you cry for me?” I teased him, trying to jolt him out of his mood.

“Since I never thought I’d see you again.”

“That’ll never happen,” I assured him. “And when I finally find a home, maybe you would even consider coming to see me.”

“Or maybe you could just stay here.”

“Cy,