Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 81401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Willow sings a song about finding love and hanging onto it. It’s something I can easily relate to because I have been there, and feel like I’m heading down that path once again. Every few chords, she has to stop and find her finger placement again, but she picks right back up.
When she’s done, I clap loudly for her and am awarded the most beautiful smile I have seen yet. “So beautiful,” I tell her, and I find myself once again brushing my hand over her hair.
“I’m going to play it for my daddy.”
“He’s going to love it, Willow. Speaking of, do you know where he is?”
She nods eagerly and sets her guitar down. “They took Blaze to the track, so Stormy could get her out to run.”
“And where is that?”
“Come on. I’ll show you.” She takes my hand and leads me out of the house and toward the barn. Abby neighs as we walk by causing Willow to stop and show her horse some affection. I pet Abby’s mane while Willow feeds her an apple. “This way,” she says, taking my hand again.
I thought I had seen most of Levi’s land, but clearly, he was hiding another portion from me. Out behind the barn and down a path is a fenced area with my cowboy sitting on the top rail. Stormy is in the middle of the field, on her horse, leaning over to talk to someone.
“Daddy,” Willow yells the closer we get. He turns and looks at us over his shoulder and gives us a smile that makes me weak in the knees. She lets go of my hand and runs to him, climbing up over the fence.
Willow only gets her foot on the slat before Levi is pulling her up and over. I stand back and watch them interact. The way he holds her, the way he lights up when she is near. He takes my breath away. This is the kind of love I wanted from my father. I hope that when we have children, he is like that with ours.
Those thoughts pull me up short and give me pause. I don’t know why, but I can picture Levi with a son. . . our son, and he’s teaching him how to be a cowboy and I like it. I like it a lot. Levi turns again as if he’s waiting for me. His lips turn into a wide grin as if he knows what I’m thinking.
I’m left with a decision. I can either stand there next to them, or I can join them. I can honestly say I haven’t climbed many fences in my life, but I have a feeling sitting next to Levi is going to be worth it.
“This isn’t very comfortable,” he says when I finally angle myself next to him. His arm rests on my back with his hand gripping my hip. “I can get you a chair.”
I shake my head. “This is perfect.” I glance over at Willow who is watching us intently. I think she knows that I’m in love with her father and is urging my brain to catch up with my heart.
“What are we watching?”
“I finally convinced Stormy to try barrel racing again,” he says. There is so much pride in his voice that you can’t help but feel happy right now. Just then, Stormy leaves the person in the middle of the field and trots down to the end.
“When you’re ready, Stormy,” the voice yells out. I am still unable to determine if it’s a male or female out there helping her.
In a flash, Stormy and her horse lurch forward, racing toward where Levi, Willow, and I are. She breezes past us and Willow yells out encouraging words for her sister as she heads toward another barrel. This goes on until she’s rounded each one. When she’s done, I’m left with my mouth hanging wide open.
“Whoa.”
“She’s good, right?” Levi says. I nod, but honestly, have no idea if she is good, but I do know that what I just witnessed was one of the neatest things I have ever seen.
“I mean, yeah. Whatever she’s doing is really impressive. That takes a lot of skill. I am in awe.”
“Have you never been to a rodeo?” he asks. I turn and look at him, wondering if he's serious. By the set look in his eyes, he is.
I slowly shake my head. “I can honestly say, everything country is new to me, Mr. Austin.” My words were meant to be playful, yet came out rather seductively. His eyes lower to my lips, and on instinct I lick them.
He leans in, kissing me briefly before moving toward my ear. “I need some Zara time,” he whispers, causing my back to shiver. I need Levi time too, but with the girls here our time has been sparse. “I want you in my bed tonight.”