One Last Sunset (The Long Ranch Series Book 1) (13 page)

“I’ll go to your father. I promise.” Sunny crossed his heart, then smiled wide.

“What?” Mel asked nervously. “Sunny, I don’t like that smile.” She began backing up and right as she got to the corner of the cabin, Clay scooped her up.

“You’re going to neuter me, huh?” he teased.

Sunny grabbed Mel’s flailing legs.

“I swear to God, Sunshine Parker, I will make this the longest trip in your life if you two think…”

It was too late. The guys had taken off running and Mel’s pleas were falling on deaf ears. When they got to the creek they were all laughing, even Melody. Sunny pulled off her boots, not wanting them to be damaged as they dropped her in the three feet of water. It was just enough to soak her jeans and half of her shirt. Sadly, not to her breasts, but, then again, with Clay right beside him, that might be a good thing. She splashed at the two guys, then a look of horror spread across her face. She jumped from the water as though it burned her skin and scrambled to the bank as fast as she could, spitting on the ground as she did. “I’ve got to head out thanks for cooling me off see you guys later,” she sputtered out in a single breath.

“You okay, Melody?” Sunny asked.

In response, tears started to roll down her face. Clay and Sunny flanked her.

“We didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s not you—well, not Sunny anyway.” She glared at Clay. “The water, it’s bad. But… You should take off your shirt. I’m not sure if it’s gotten into the well.”

“If what’s gotten into the well?”

“I’ve got to go home and change. Only drink the water Clay brought, promise me.”

“Yeah, uh, sure.”

“What are you talking about, Mel?” Clay asked.

“It’s not that bad here. But just in case.”

“Is there something wrong—?”

“I haven’t seen any three eyed fish,” Sunshine cut in.

Melody rocked back on her heels.

“That’s what you were testing for isn’t it?” Sunny asked and tried to come up with reasons for her freak out. “Mel, between drinking and showering there’s no telling how much we’ve been exposed to. How bad is it?”

Melody looked between Clay and Sunny, her face riddled with guilt, but still she didn’t respond.

Chapter Nine

Even fully packed, Melody woke up at four to make sure they could leave on time. She spent almost a half hour putting on a face, only to wipe the make up away because she didn’t want her family to question why she put in such effort for a road trip. But it was so much more. This was a test. Testing a relationship that hadn’t even technically started. Could she and Sunny have more than the physical? “Mornin’ Sunshine.” She smiled as he tossed his bag into the back seat of the extended cab truck.

“Mornin’ Melody,” he purred.

She felt her face heat up.

“I see you’re all ready to go.” He looked at her bag and the cooler she’d packed with sandwiches, fruit, water, and snack items. Not the most romantic of things. Necessities never were.

She wondered if Sunny packed the one necessity he was responsible for.

“I’ve got Songbird,” Walt said as he walked up with the black and white mare.

Mel was glad she removed her makeup. “I’ll grab Spot,” she said, abandoning Sunny to pack away her items. The gelding was a bit feisty for so early in the morning, but they were waking them up, and not to clean out their stall. “You ready to go see JT again?” She stroked his long nose. The light tan palomino had a starburst of white running down the center. “Yep, we’re gonna take you back to that stranger.”

Both horses were in their teens and had been JT’s pride and joy. He’d tried to bring them on the rodeo circuit, but insurance or something had stopped him from being able to. Instead, he’d had his family spend time spoiling them. Mel did love taking them out when she had time. Both Spot and Songbird had gentle temperaments, like JT.

Once they were loaded and on the road, Melody settled in and reached for her pillow. She knew she’d have to drive at some point, but the stress of yesterday’s discovery mixed with her family discussions had drained her emotionally.

Sunny turned the radio on low, but put in a CD instead of a local station. The songs were slow and romantic. He placed his arm on the top of the seat and waved his hand a bit.

Mel took the sign for what it was and slid across the bench seat, bringing her pillow with her. With it by her side and her head resting in the crook of Sunshine’s shoulder, she felt herself drifting slowly. His hand curled around her body, resting on her hip. The tight muscles in her back melted and she felt safe. No matter the outcome, curled in Sunny’s arms was right.

She wasn’t a fan of road trips. They took her away from the one place she loved more than anything. This one was different. It was right. Instead of dread, she was warm and breathing in the scent of the man, she’d fallen in love with so many years ago. She thought of the men who’d been in her life, briefly. Even Dante, who she had almost brought home. Almost. They didn’t hold a candle to the way Sunny nestled into her heart. He’d always been the one she wanted. Anyone else would end up being a substitution standing outside her heart, never truly finding their way in.

“Melody,” Sunny cooed before kissing her forehead. “I need you to wake up, sexy.”

“Hmmm?” She groggily stretched and sat up. The sun cutting through the cab of the truck made her cover her eyes with her arm. “Bright light,” she cried. “The vampire in me is dying.” Flopping down on Sunny’s lap, she looked up.

He was smiling. “I’m not stopping you…but this is a family rest stop so turning over would be discouraged…not by me though. Funny.” He traced her face with his finger. “It’s almost nine. We need to water the babies.”

“At least it will be healthy for them. You need me to drive?”

“Not yet, next stop I will.”

“Where are we?” Melody yawned.

“Almost to Odessa.”

“Wow, you were hauling ass.”

“Could be why the tanks are low. And I said…almost.” Sunny stretched and shifted slightly. Not enough to encourage to move.

Mel brought her knees up, and he rested his large hand on her knee. As if she’d covered herself in oil, his hand slid down toward her center. Her eyes locked on his as pools of blue soon became clouded with desire and his eyelids became hooded.

She gasped when he made contact with her juncture. His fingers pressed firmly, and she moaned, arching her hips into his hand. A whiny, snort, and kick brought them back to the task at hand. If they wanted to make Southern Missouri by nightfall, they needed to stop with the groping. At least while stationary.

“I’ll go find a hose,” she said.

Sunny got out to fuel the truck.

Both horses were weathering the ride well so far. She was surprised since they’d never had to travel more than an hour or two.

“They good?” he asked while nuzzling her neck and placing his hand on her stomach. “We better get going.”

Once again, she was wrapped in his arms with only the horse trailer to brace herself on. “Ten more hours to go.”

“At least.”

“I’m awake now.” Her arm curled around his head before she sighed. “No more taking advantage of me in my sleepy state”

“You’re right. Much more fun to take advantage with you fully cognizant.” He started tracing circles up her stomach.

She bit her lip. “We better get going.”

With a quick trip into the bathroom, they settled back into the truck. Sandwiches and drinks came out. Sunny put down the armrest between them. The physical barrier stole their intimate bench seating arrangement.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked, suddenly feeling self conscious.

“You’re a bit too sexy to sit next to me.”

She cracked a smile. “Am I really?”

“Yep. This trip was to get to know you. At least who you are now.”

“Because you know who I was.”

“Yep. When did you get rid of the glasses?” he asked as he merged onto the interstate.

For the next four hours, they talked. Really talked. She told him about classes, and he opened up more than she expected.

“I know he beats her, but she’ll never press charges,” he said as his index finger rubbed against his bottom lip. “When I first went on the circuit I’d hoped to win big. Get enough money to buy her a house. Nothing too big, just enough for her. Then she could move out and start her life finally.”

“Then you didn’t win.”

“I’m a damn good rider, my dearest. I did win,” he confessed. “Not the big bull rider money, but I won. Enough to cover rent in a townhouse for at least a year.”

“Then what happened?” Mel asked as she kicked off her shoes and curled her left lug under her right.

“I told her I’d pay for year and I’d make sure she got more.” Sunny ran his fingers through his hair. “She told me not to waste the money. My dad wouldn’t want to move.”

“She didn’t understand what you were offering?”

“She did, but she didn’t want me to be confused. She loves him. I guess in his own way, he loves her.”

Melody reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers.

His thumb stroked the top of her hand like he had in the clinic. He let go barely a minute later. “Can you get me an apple or something from the cooler?”

She did and watched as he sat in silence eating. His jaw tight as his left hand drummed its fingers along the top of the steering wheel. She remembered in school, he’d gotten in a few dust ups and people said, what did you expect? He was a Parker.

She didn’t understand it fully at the time. His father had pigeon holed him. Only on the ranch did he get fair shake. They never saw him as a hot head. They took him at face value, caring only about who he was when he was with them. Not the rumors.

“I guess that’s why I never let myself fall in love,” he said, pulling her from her thoughts. “It’s kinda like the first time you get drunk. You don’t know if you’ll be fun, an asshole, sleepy or violent.” He toyed with the armrest and stared straight ahead. “It scares me how I feel around you.”

* * * *

Sunny was tired as they pulled down the long gravel driveway just outside of Joplin, Missouri. The sun had set over an hour ago and Songbird and Spot were so happy to be released into a pasture. They galloped through the open arena Kaitlyn used to train barrel racers. He’d let Melody drive on the stretch, but had decided not to indulge in the writing and sketching habit he picked up whenever he was a passenger. He wasn’t ready to share that part of himself.

“I’d let them into my north pasture, but you’d spend hours tracking them down,” Kaitlyn said as she rested a booted foot on the lower rung of her wood fence. “They aren’t jumpers are they?”

“Not that I’ve seen,” Mel replied with her eyes trained on the horses.

Sunny could tell she was trying not to check out Kaitlyn. Not that he could blame her. Kaitlyn was a beauty with trim hips, blonde hair cascading down her back, and a killer smile.

“You’re JT’s cousin?” Kaitlyn asked.

“Yes, you know him too?”

“Just a bit.”

Even with only dim light Sunny could see her blushing before she turned her attention to him. “So why did you say you only needed one bed?”

Melody turned her head, and he turned to lean his back against the fence.

“See…” His breath caught in his throat and he couldn’t find the words to answer with Mel staring at him.

“What were the sleeping arrangements you were expecting?” she asked.

“That depends.”

“On what?” Kaitlyn asked.

“When was the last time you spoke to JT?”

“Let’s see, my daughter is two…”

“JT has a kid?” Mel squawked with mix of shock and a bit of relief.

“No.” Kaitlyn smiled. “Well…at least not with me. I’d say it was three years the last time I saw you two in Jeff City.”

“Let’s keep it that way,” Sunny said with a smirk. “I’d like to sleep with my lady here.”

“And you haven’t told JT you’re with her?” Kaitlyn let out an infectious laugh. “You’re a moron, you should have told him when he was a few days drive away.”

“Can I ask a completely in appropriate question?” Melody interjected.

“I slept with JT when I raced at his rodeo,” Kaitlyn stated plainly. “You know they don’t travel with barrel racers, so when they send out requests I’d sign up if they were with in a few hours.”

“That wasn’t my question, but it does sorta answer it.”

“I never slept with Sunny.” Kaitlyn took his chin between her fingers and shook him from side to side. “Not for a lack of trying.” Looking back to Melody, she sighed. “Guess I’m not his type.”

“I thought female was his type.”

Sunny interjected, “Hey, I take offense…nope, that’s right. But brothers don’t cross swords.”

“You can sleep in the same bed, but please no sex. I’m not going to be culpable if JT calls me.”

“I’m exhausted, we’ll probably pass out the second our heads hit the pillow,” Sunny promised, crossing his heart.

“No sex anywhere else in the room.” Kaitlyn gave him a knowing look. “I have a kid sleeping next door.”

Mel slid her arm around his back and her hand into his front pocket. “You said this trip would test our relationship. Think you can pass this one?” Mel teased.

His body reacted as exhaustion was replaced by baser instinct. “I never was a straight A student.”

* * * *

Morning came too soon. With morning wood sturdy enough he could build a house, he unhooked Mel’s leg from his and replaced his chest with a pillow. Softly, he crossed the hallway to the bathroom and a quick shower.

“You passed,” Kaitlyn said as she leaned against the door to her bedroom while sipping from a coffee cup and nodded to his crotch. “Just don’t clog my drain with the crib notes.”

“Funny. Thanks again for putting us up.”

“Did you really pass out that quickly?”

“No.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. The normally soft flannel of his pajama bottoms seemed constricting. “But we followed the house rules.”

“You love her, don’t you?”

“I haven’t gotten bored yet.”

“Not what I was asking, but I assume for you that’s the most a girl can ask for.” Kaitlyn straightened. “I’ll start some breakfast.”

Sunny had made it to half mast with a painful set of blue balls he played off as stiffness from driving.

Mel growled at him that she was more than capable of driving, but he insisted.

“You wanna pull over somewhere?” Mel asked after they’d been driving for about an hour.

“You have to pee or something?”

“No,” she purred. “I just thought last night we passed a test…” Her hand spun a few times, then she turned and looked out the passenger window.

“If we weren’t hauling animals I’d be right there with you,” he said as shifted himself in attempt to stop the numbness probably causing nerve damage.

“You have the cruise set?” she asked absently.

“Yes.”

Unlatching her seatbelt, Mel put up the armrest and began fiddling with his belt buckle.

Yep, just like being drunk he became hyper focused on the road in front of him.