Long Time Gone (Rough Riders) (14 page)

Her things were still in her car so she grabbed Cal’s T-shirt off the dresser and slipped it on.

The scent of coffee lingered in the hallway. She heard voices and shot a quick glance at the living room as she passed by, wondering if Cal was watching the news, but the room was empty with the drapes drawn.

In the kitchen, she saw him leaning against the back wall talking on the phone. Even in a relaxed posture—shirtless, barefoot, his hair mussed, scruff on his face—he was something. Sexy, commanding.

Hers.

Last night had he
ever
shown her that he belonged to her as much as she belonged to him. The passion between them was unsurpassed.

He glanced over at her. A beautiful light sparked in his eyes. “Carse. I gotta go.” As he listened to whatever his brother said, his hungry gaze took her in from head to toe. “I’ll let her know. Uh-huh. Yeah, me too. Thanks.” He hung up the phone and untwisted the cord before he started toward her.

“Morning, lover,” she cooed.

“You’re wearin’ my shirt.”

“All my clothes are still in my car and I have no idea what happened to what I wore last night since you stripped it off me before we were even in the house.” She tilted her head back to look at him when he loomed over her. “Good lord. Are our clothes hangin’ off the porch railing where anyone who drives by can see them?”

“Don’t care.” Cal kissed her with more than just a good-morning peck. Guess he didn’t care that she hadn’t brushed her teeth. He kissed her with such surety, yet she was surprised by how his big body trembled.

Kimi wreathed her arms around his neck, offering him support, letting him know she was as affected by this as he was.

When he finally ended the kiss, he buried his lips in her hair. “I’ve wanted you here since before you stepped foot on that bus. Now that you
are
here…I’ll do everything under the sun to make sure you stay. Not for just a week, Kimi.”

Forever
hung between them, but for once, the word didn’t scare her. “So what’s goin’ on today? Don’t you have cow stuff to do?”

She felt him smile against the top of her head. “Carson said he’d take care of it. I’m to bring you over to see Caro and meet the boys ASAP.”

“First, I need coffee. Then clothes.”

“Pour yourself a cup. I’ll get your bags.” Cal stepped back. “I’m putting your things in my bedroom. You got a problem with that?”

“Nope.” She considered how fast her response had been as she reached up for a cup. Staying with Cal as a visitor for a week when she was eighteen and had nowhere else to turn had been one thing; living with him indefinitely and having everyone in the community knowing it was another. And with the way he’d kissed her in the middle of the bar last night? Hell, her brothers had probably heard about it.

She slammed a cup of coffee like she was knocking back a shot. She turned around and saw Cal hadn’t left the kitchen. He was right there, leaning against the doorframe, beefy arms crossed over his chest and a big grin on his face. “What?”

“Damn. I never knew you wearin’ my T-shirt would distract me so much. Go on and reach for another coffee mug. Or better yet…bend over and check the floor, I think I might’ve dropped something down there.”

“Such a funny man.” She smirked. “Maybe later.”

“I don’t suppose I could talk you into comin’ outside in that so I can show you some stuff?”

“Right now? Cal. I don’t have on any underwear!”

“It ain’t like anyone besides me is gonna see you.” Without waiting for her answer, he scooped her into his arms and started toward the front door.

“Where we goin’?”

“You’ll see.”

“You like carting me around, don’t you?”

“No, I fucking love it.”

It had been dark when she’d pulled up last night, and she had other things on her mind besides checking out the buildings. But now she could see all the improvements Cal had made out here. He’d painted the barn and put a new roof on it. He’d repaired the corral and several horses were at the trough drinking. Before it’d just been broken down and not useable as a penning area. “That looks good. You keep your horses here now?”

“Yeah. Mine and Carson’s most days. We’ve been bringing the heifers here to calve. I like getting out of my bed and just walkin’ to the barn in the middle of the night. It’s a damn sight better than getting in my truck and drivin’ five or ten miles.”

“I’ll bet.” She couldn’t wait to see if he’d followed her advice about the flower beds in his backyard. She’d make him carry her back there next.

Cal turned the final corner and stopped.

In front of her were two chicken coops, completely fenced in with chicken wire. “What’s this?”

“This is yours.”

She wiggled and said, “Put me down.”

“Darlin’, you don’t have shoes on.”

“So? Feet wash. I want a closer look.”

He lowered her to the ground.

Kimi picked her way across the dirt. She curled her fingers through the holes in the chicken wire fence. Her heart raced like mad. These chicken coops didn’t look brand new, but they didn’t look used either. “You gonna tell me about these, cowboy? Or do I hafta guess?”

Cal moved in behind her, curling his hands around her hips and setting his chin on top of her head. “I started makin’ these in my free time the fall after you left. The first hut was a piece of shit. I had my buddy’s wife who raises chickens come and take a look at it. She told me to start over, and she lent me some coop plans. I finished these two styles and put them out here last summer. Built the fence around them this summer. As soon as you can find some chicks, you’ll be in the chicken business. I know you need to make your own way, that don’t have nothin’ to do with
cow stuff
. I remembered you said you wanted to raise chickens, so here you go. This is all yours.”

She tried to play it cool, like he hadn’t just given her the best gift ever, but she was too emotional. She burst into tears.

He stiffened behind her.

She spun and wound her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest. When she gained a little control, she looked up at him.

“I hate seein’ your tears, Kimi. I’m sorry—”

“Don’t be. I’m just speechless. This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me in my entire life. Thank you.” She cradled his face in her hands. “Thank you for understanding me, Cal. Thank you for waitin’ for me. Thank you for loving me. Because god knows, I love you.”

He closed his eyes. “Christ woman, you know how to get to the heart of a man.”

“There’s only one man’s heart I want. Yours.”

“You’ve got it.” He opened his eyes and looked at her. “You’ve always had it. You always will.” He kissed her with such tenderness, more tears flowed. “I love you,” he murmured against her lips.

And then the reason for his insistence on her coming outside half-clothed became apparent. After a few more melting kisses, he whispered, “Ever done it against a chicken coop?”

She laughed. “No.”

“Wanna give it a whirl?” He started planting kisses down her neck. “I can prove I’m cock of the walk.”

She laughed again. “I don’t have any chicken puns. But that’d be a hard one to top anyway.”

“Is that a yes?” Cal smiled against her throat. “Or are you…chicken?”

“Hey, you cracked a…yolk.”

He groaned. “That was terrible.”

“I know. Maybe you’d better keep my mind and mouth occupied so I forget about the chicken jokes.”

“My thoughts eggs-actly.”

“Cal.”

“Shut up and kiss me, woman. We’ll see who comes first—and it ain’t gonna be a chicken or an egg.”

***

Cal convinced Kimi to go see Carolyn without him hovering, but he promised he’d show up at lunch time.

Kimi pulled up in front of the trailer and took a second to compose herself. There was a kids’ plastic riding horse on springs on the small porch, as well as a couple of toy tractors. Even though it was early fall, pots of mums bloomed. And a few dozen canning jars were lined up on the bench.

It was stupid being nervous to see her sister.

So much had happened for both of them. They’d kept in touch, but even then they’d skirted their family issues.

Quick bein’ a chicken.

Damn Cal and his chicken puns. But thinking of him allowed her to get out of the car.

Before she reached the bottom step of the porch, Carolyn was there, wrapping herself around Kimi and sobbing hysterically.

“You’re really here! At first I thought maybe I dreamt it when Carson told me this morning that Cal had run into you last night at The Silver Spur. But when he reminded me again that you’d be coming by… I’ve been crazy to see you all morning.” Carolyn squeezed her hard. “I missed you so much.”

“I know. Me too.”

“Why didn’t you let me know you were coming?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Well, it’s certainly that.” Carolyn stepped back and wiped under her eyes. “Look at you. All lean and mean. I love the long hair. You look great, Kimi.”

“Thanks.” Kimi studied her sister. Carolyn had dark smudges from lack of sleep beneath her eyes, but two kids under four would contribute to that. Otherwise, she looked exactly the same as she had five years ago. Joyful. It was impossible to be around her and not let that same joy roll through her. “You haven’t aged a day. You look happy.”

“I am happy. Happier yet that you’re here.”

Kimi released a small gasp when she looked behind her sister and saw two little boys. Both dark-haired, both blue-eyed, both somber.

Carolyn turned and held her hand out to the youngest one. “Come and meet your Aunt Kimi, boys.”

The older of the two launched himself off the porch, soaring past the two steps, his boots landing in the dirt with a soft thud. His little cowboy hat was adorable. He tipped his head back and looked at Kimi. The kid was the spitting image of his father. She crouched in front of him. “Hi. I’m your Aunt Kimi.”

He just blinked at her.

Carolyn tapped him on the shoulder. “Manners. Tell her your name.”

“Cord West McKay.”

Lord. He was just too damn cute for words. “Well, Cord West McKay, I’m happy to finally meet you.”

Cord looked between Kimi and Carolyn and frowned.

“She’s my little sister,” Carolyn explained to him. “Like Colby is your little brother.”

Kimi saw the younger boy propped on Carolyn’s hip, his head resting on her shoulder. She pushed to her feet. “And who’s this little doll?”

“Colby. Can you say hello to Aunt Kimi?” Carolyn prompted.

He buried his face in his mother’s neck.

“He don’t talk much,” Cord informed Kimi.

“That just means I get to talk to you more.”

“I got Lincoln logs,” Cord said.

“I’ve never played with them. Maybe you could show me?”

Cord nodded. “Someday I’m gonna have a real log house.”

“No!” Colby yelled. “Mine.”

“No yelling at your brother, mister,” Carolyn said. “You can share your toys.”

“That always worked out so well for us,” Kimi said dryly.

Then Colby held his arms out for Kimi to take him.

“That’s new,” Carolyn murmured when she handed him over. “He’s in the
mama, mama, mama
stage.”

“He’s solid, isn’t he?”

“Both of them take after their Daddy.” She smoothed back Colby’s dark hair. “Come inside. I put coffee on.”

The inside of the trailer hadn’t changed much, except now there were toys scattered around.

Colby wiggled to be let down and he and Cord scampered off down the hallway.

Carolyn poured two cups of coffee and gestured for Kimi to sit at the table. “I’d love for you to stay with me, but as you can see, there’s not enough room here for us.”

Kimi wrapped her hands around her cup. “I’m surprised with all the land the McKays are buying up that there hasn’t been another ranch house you could move into.”

“I stay out of ranch business. I’m sure as the wife of the oldest McKay there’ll come a time when I’ll have to be involved. But right now, taking care of my husband and two rambunctious boys, and doing piece work, keeps me too busy to worry about it.”

She didn’t respond; she just stared into her coffee cup.

An uncomfortable silence followed.

Carolyn sighed. “I’m sorry. I know we’ve avoided talking about this. Or maybe that’s just me because I know I was wrong. I should’ve told you what was going on with Mom. I shouldn’t have listened to Dad or Aunt Hulda.” She fiddled with the crocheted coaster. “The fact I didn’t know you’d had a big row with Mom and Dad that night after I got married… Honestly, I know now that what our dad and aunt wanted shouldn’t have factored in at all, because neither of them could see past their animosity.”

“How’d you find out about the fight?”

“Aunt Hulda told me when we discovered you’d taken off right after the funeral service.” Carolyn’s chin wobbled. “I felt like the most horrible person in the world, for not giving you the chance…” She held her hand over her mouth and started to cry.