The Mobster And The Cowboy (A Cowboy Romance) (34 page)

She held him tight
, as he shuddered, while looking into his eyes.

When they stilled, he took her lips again in a deep emotional kiss.

Logan slowly pulled out of her and moved off of her. He lay next to her on his back and he threw an arm around her as he pulled her into the crook of his arm. They were both still breathing heavy.

“I
love you, Logan.” She took a chance and held her breath. If he didn’t say it back, oh well. At least he knew how she felt.

He waited so long to hear those words from her. “I love you too, Melanie.”

She let out the breath and rose up to look into his eyes. “You do?”

“Melanie, I‘ve loved you since the first time you allowed me to see your eyes while you were coming. There’s a calmness in you that pulls me in.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

He sighed. “I don’t know. It was too soon. I didn’t want to scare you off.”

She smiled at him and brought her lips down to his.

They kissed and caressed each other until they worked up their sexual desire
s again, which didn’t take long given they climaxed not ten minutes before.

Morning came around too fast for Logan. He woke up first and watched her sleep. He twirled a strand of her hair on his finger. It felt so soft and silky. Things would be good between them, he thought. He was sure she’d move back to Texas and they’d be together again.

After a
morning round of lovemaking, Logan walked Melanie out to her car. He gave her a ticket for that day’s events and asked her if she could be packed, to come back to Texas with him, after the rodeo.

“Logan,
I’m not moving back there.”

“Why?
I thought we made up.”

“Logan, I can’t be moving back a
nd forth every time we have a fight. If I move there and we have a fight, I’ll have nowhere to go.”

Logan sighed. “Melanie, we’re going to have fights. Every healthy relationship has them. I promise you I won’t ask you to leave again. I
learned my lesson. I didn’t think you were going to leave Texas the last time.”

“I don’t know.
I need time to think about it.”

“Ok
ay,” he said, nodding his head and sounding disappointed. “I’m willing to work on a long distance relationship. Will you?”

She nodded her head.

“Okay, good.” Long distance was better than nothing at that point. “We’re going out to dinner after the rodeo before we head back to Texas. Will you come out with us?”

“Yes. I’d love to.
”

“I’d like to meet your parents before that.”

Melanie smiled. “Yeah?” Melanie was pleasantly surprised.

“
Yeah. Would it be okay to bring Heath over too?”

“Of course.
I’d really like that, Logan.” She smiled up at him. “I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

“You can come with me.”

She frowned.

“I won’t put extra pressure on you
, Mel. When you’re ready, you’ll come.”

She nodded her head.

He kissed her and then she got in the car and drove away.

“Woohoo! Go, Logan!” Melanie screamed from her seat. 

Heath turned around from the chutes down below and smiled up at her.

She glanced down and caught him and smiled and waved at him.

Logan had come out of the chute on one of the rankest broncs in the event. He flopped, he spurred,
and he bounced. The crowd was on their feet.

Melanie winced when she saw his neck snap back.

At the eight second buzzer, Logan tried to get off but his hand was stuck on his equipment. After another couple of seconds and with the help of the pick-up men he managed to break free as one of them scooped him up and deposited him to the ground.

Logan’
s spurring technique and control landed him an 88.5.

He looked to Heath then to Melanie with a big grin on his face as he took his hat off his head and waved it in the air
and pumped his fist.

Melanie’s parents were delighted with meeting the man that they knew held their daughter’s heart.

He wa
lked in with Melanie and Heath.

The boys wore their cowboy hats and rodeo belt buckles. Logan held a large bouquet of flowers for Melanie’s mother and Heath also held flowers and Melanie thought they too
, were for her mom but when they got inside, Heath handed them to her. Melanie was touched. She hugged him and kissed his cheek.

He bl
ushed but was grinning nonetheless.

Her parents especially liked how Logan
interacted with his son. It was telling. He was a good man.

They got a kick out of Heath. His tough cowboy persona was the cutest thing while also being very polite and well mannered. It had been a long time since her parents had a young one in the house.

They were sitting in the living room watching the Cowboys, Redskins football game. Heath was a big Dallas fan. 

Her father got up, went to the fridge and pulled out two bottles of beer. He walked over to Logan and handed him one.

“Come on, let’s go outside and have a drink.”

Melanie looked from her father to Logan.

Logan got up without looking at Melanie and followed her father out.

Melanie didn’t realize it but the whole time they were outside, she was biting her nails. She got up and rummaged through her purse for a nail file
.

W
hen Logan and her father came back into the room, Logan went right over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

“You ready to go
, baby? Brett and Richie are at the restaurant already.”

“Ok
ay.”

“Mr. & Mrs.
Catalano, are you sure you can’t join us for dinner?”

“Thank you, no. You kids go have a good time.

They
had a nice, round table, Italian dinner with lots of pasta, eggplant parmesan, sausage and peppers, and plenty of good wine, after the rodeo.

Logan won the purse for his event and his girl was by his side. He was feeling good but as the dinner wound
down, he became quiet.

Melanie and Kara caught up with each other. Brett was warm and friendly. Richie was his funny, charming self and Heath was excited about the rodeo and answered all of Melanie’s questions on things she didn’t know about the rodeo
, and all its events.

Melanie was going to miss them all when they l
eft. She did want to go with Logan but she needed to think with her head and not her heart.

Back at the hotel, Melanie and Logan stood by her car hugging each other in silence. She said goodbye to everyone else a few moments earlier and they left the two of them alone.

“So, what’d you and my dad talk about outside
, earlier?”

Logan smiled. “Darlin’, are you afraid he told me some embarrassing things about you?”

“No, not at all. I was wondering if he gave you the third degree. He’s a retired detective.”

“Yeah, he told me and yeah
, he gave me the third degree.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’d be disappointed if he didn’t watch out for his little girl.”

He kissed the top of her head.
“I wish you were coming with me,” he said by her ear.

“Me too.”

He kissed her long and slow. He said he wouldn’t pressure her. He was grateful she still wanted him. He never in his wildest dreams thought he would ever be with her again.

“I love you.”

“I love you,” she replied.

Logan couldn’t get enough of hearing those words from her.

Epilogue

4 months later……

Melanie removed her plush, warm robe and Logan took in a breath as he always did when seeing her naked. Even her goose bumps were adorable.

He held her hand as she climbed into the hot tub.
He sucked in another breath at getting a look at her mound. 

Usually she was waxed clean. Now she was sporting a patch of pubic hair in the shape of a heart.

Logan knew she didn’t wax for a while. He liked feeling a little hair down there. It’s just a thing. He didn’t know she went for a waxing recently. He arched an eyebrow as he smiled.

“Olga’s good,” Melanie said
, laughing at his expression. “Your sister and I got the same thing.”

“Ugh! I don’t want to know.”

Melanie giggled and he chuckled.

He removed his thick robe and climbed in next to her
, turning to situate his robe with the pocket facing him. He quickly felt inside the pocket.

He picked up the bottle of Dom
he had placed down on the deck, before stepping into the hot tub, and poured two glasses of champagne. 

They could see their
breath every time they talked, it was so cold out. The water, however, was a balmy 102 degrees.

Logan handed her a glass. “Feeling warmer now?” he asked.

“Much, but I’m sure the water has nothing to do with it.” She smiled and he kissed her.

They clinked glasses and took a drink. They put the glasses down and Logan reached for her a
nd brought her between his legs. He brought a hand down to her mound and marveled at the feel of her new design as he pressed his fingers on her clit.

She threw her head back and moaned.

He wrapped his arms around her and together they sat in silence on the deck in back of the cabin they rented, while looking up at the stars on that cloudless night in Lapland, the most northern part of Finland.

To Melanie’s delight, Richie and Kara were spending more and more time together and made the trip with them, along with Heath. They had rented the cabin next door.

They arrived
there that morning and Richie and Kara took Heath out on a reindeer night safari.

Logan surprised her with the trip, only telling her to pack for a very cold winter getaway. This was the trip he planned before that night he told her to leave. He was so grateful things worked out.

Since Melanie had come back into his life, things had never been better. They had never been closer, and with Heath, things had never felt so right. They were what Logan longed for, a family unit.

Over the course of the four months, Melanie moved back to Texas.

Logan was upset she bought a small condo
at first, but it gave her peace of mind, even though she hardly went there, so he accepted it.

Logan gained sole custody of Heath. The process was sped up and Logan knew it was because of Richie’s influence and Linda’s sickness.

Linda was
still a drunk with different boyfriends all the time, but she didn’t bother Logan, much, anymore. It was like she was relieved she didn’t have to take care of a kid. Now she was free to do what she wanted.

Logan knew it was only a matter of time before she really hurt herself or worse, but he tried, her lawyer tried and the courts tried, she just did not want to get help. It’s said that one needs to reach rock bottom before they reach out for help. He only hoped that she was around to reach bottom, if for no other reason than for Heath.

His brother Brett got married to his long time crush, Dana. They had a small, elegant wedding.

Cody
, who Logan always gave a hard time to, was now running the day to day operations at the LL Stables. Logan liked Cody. Cody stood up to him and he was the best worker he had outside of Hank. There will always be times that Logan will say or do something stupid to upset Cody, but Logan made it be known that Cody is a valuable asset to the stables and a great friend.

Gabe was probably the most happiest for his grandson and for Melanie. He knew from the beginning they belonged together. 

He began to hang out more by the stables and help out. It made him feel young and wanted. Logan couldn’t be happier for his grandfather whom he loved dearly.

Melanie, Logan and
Heath made a few visits to Florida for them to get to spend time with her family.

One night, while the two of them were in bed watching headline news, they saw a report that Michael Fiore and his longtime girlfriend Robyn Montalvo were found decomposing, in a landfill, in Staten Island. His genitals and her tongue were lopped off. Vinnie, Michael’s long time friend, was found in a burnt out car in Queens. His body was unrecognizable. It was charred so much, they needed dental records to identify him.

Ralphie Deluca was now running the day to day operations in New York. The reporter also mentioned that there wasn’t a whole lot of information on this up and coming mobster.

“Are you, okay?” Logan asked her.

She looked up at him with shock on her face. She sl
owly nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”

They both knew or rath
er speculated what and when that happened. They both also felt relieved that they would not be implicated in their disappearance and subsequent death.

Melanie knew Ralphie took special care. It chilled her that she had a friend who could commit a heinous crime
, and Logan reminded her that it was pure speculation on their part.

During the last four months, Doug and Donna didn’t make it.

Donna left Doug for another man. Doug was heartbroken. Logan felt for the man, knowing what it felt like for the love of his life to pick up and leave, though he knew the difference in that Melanie di
dn’t leave him for someone else. It hurt nonetheless.

Logan and Melanie let out a collective gasp as they both looked up to see the wavy green, with a mix of yellow, color, eerily illuminate the dark cloudless sky. This was it. This was why they were here. To see the Aurora Borealis.

Logan handed Melanie her glass of champagne. Once again, they clinked glasses and set
tled in to watch one of Mother Nature’s spectacular shows.

“I guess you can cross that off your bucket list.” Logan said.

“Yes, I guess I can.”

She was elated that he remembered her list. It was one she had just made up at the time.

“What else is on that list?”

“Ummmmm. Fall in love with a cowboy. I can
cross that off the list too,” she said as she turned and kissed him.

After that kiss, Melanie turned back around and rested her head against Logan’s chest. She felt him turn slightly. She thought nothing of it, she was so relaxed. Happy at where she was at
that time.

“Is marrying a cowboy
also on your bucket list?” he asked her.

She hesitated. “No.
”

Logan’s heart dropped.

“Not A cowboy, the cowboy I fell in love with is.”

He let out a
very loud breath as he brought his palm in front of her and held out a little black box. It was opened and a brilliant, square diamond ring was sitting in it.

Melanie gasped.

He turned her around to look at her.

“Melanie.” He paused, intently staring into her eyes. “Will you marry me?”

Once Melanie got over the shock, she slowly raised the corners of her mouth. “Yes. I would love nothing more than to marry you, Logan.”

Logan grinned wide enough for Melanie to see his beautiful dimples. He was relieved. Up till now he didn’t think there was a possibility she would say no, but the last few minutes had him worried.

Melanie moved out of his embrace and kneeled facing him, trying to keep her shoulders in the heated water. She watched as Logan removed the ring from the box.

“My lady’s hand?”

Melanie gave her hand to him.

He took it in one hand and placed the ring on her finger.

Melanie looked at it and smiled.

“It’s beautiful
, Logan. Thank you.”

“
I love you so much, Melanie. You can’t begin to know how happy you make me, but I’m gonna show you everyday.”

“I love you too
, Logan. I’ve never been happier in my life.” And she lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck as he brought his hands down and wrapped them around her waist. He crushed her to him and together they shared a soulful kiss.

~THE END~