Learning To Love (Contemporary Cowboy Romance) (Carson Hill Ranch series:Book 1) (13 page)

“He really came out here, didn’t he?” she whispered, fighting back tears. “I kept hoping it was all a misunderstanding, that it was just some other guys Dee and Emma had heard. I guess it was actually real.”

Casey pulled her to him in a tight embrace as most of the ranch hands wandered back to their horses, one more task of farm life completed. Catch a bad guy, hog tie him in the tool shed, then get back to work. That was what it was like on the ranch.

The couple left three of the cowboys to deal with turning Mike over to the sheriff, after making them promise they would not drag him behind their horses all the way. “But part of the way, right, boss?” one of them asked, only half kidding. Miranda and Casey returned to the main house in the small truck, but Miranda looked with delighted surprise when Casey turned left on the dirt path instead of returning straight home. They rode out through the pastures at a much slower pace, their hands intertwined between them. Miranda scooted closer to Casey in the small vehicle and kissed him on the cheek.

“You’re my own hero,” she said in his ear before kissing his neck just below his ear. He shuddered at her touch, prompting Miranda to become even bolder, nibbling at his neck and sucking lightly at his earlobe. Finally, Casey couldn’t take it any longer and deciding that they were far enough away from the house to be seen, he cut the engine on the small truck and pulled Miranda into his lap, leaning her back in his arms far enough to begin his own assault on the smooth skin of her throat. He kissed his way up to her mouth and slid his tongue deftly inside, kissing her passionately for a long time.

Casey slid one hand under the edge of her shirt until he cupped one breast, massaging it through the fabric of her bra as he sucked longingly on Miranda’s exposed collarbone. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled her closer to him, tantalizingly tempting him by saying, “I don’t know about you, but I don’t have to be back any time soon…”

The morning of the drive broke cold but clear, a sign that the sun would warm things up quickly. The guests who would be joining the drive this time had arrived late the previous afternoon, and Miranda had enjoyed getting to know them around a blazing campfire. She had asked each of them to share their names, where they were from, and what they were hoping to get out of the trip. She was surprised to find that two of the women on the drive were both hoping to build up their confidence after leaving bad situations, one having recently divorced and the other being dumped by a serial cheater. Miranda assured them this was the right place to discover what limits people were capable of, and then to push them a little farther.

After packing up their sleeping bags and washing up, the city crew—as they’d come to be called—headed in to breakfast. If Cook and her staff were able to feed an army every day of the year, it was nothing compared to the meal spread before them this morning. This send off breakfast was a celebration of sorts, filled with the last really plentiful meal any of them would eat for the next couple of weeks.

Gracie appeared at breakfast, eager to get on the road. As much as she had pouted about the drive, Miranda could tell she was now looking forward to it, probably because of Casey’s renewed promise that she would not spend it stuck in a support vehicle the whole way.

The group set out immediately after breakfast, with different people assigned to different vehicles or to their various horses. Miranda was immediately bombarded by the noise of the cows as they moved along, called to with a whole distinct language of whistles and yelps by the cowboys. She wanted to cover her ears at the noise, but would have had to loose the reins of her horse to do so. Casey rode alongside her all morning, leaning precariously from his saddle to kiss her goodbye when they reached the boundary of Carson Hill Ranch. Miranda’s city crew noticed the kiss, and a collective sigh of appreciation went up around her, causing her to laugh and color slightly.

“I didn’t know kisses were included in the package,” said one slightly older looking woman to Miranda’s left with a sly, knowing grin, “or I would have signed up for that deal myself! You should be very happy, dear, he seems like a nice young man.”

“Oh, he’s the best,” Miranda gushed before she thought anything of it.

“And I see that you’re engaged,” the woman said, pointing out Miranda’s ring. “Have you two been dating long?”

“Well, let’s see…next Thursday will be a month!” Miranda said, a teasing tone in her banter that hopefully made the woman think she was kidding. It must have worked, because the older rider threw back her head and laughed before slowing her horse to hang back for her husband.

The day ahead of her was a blur for Miranda as she took in the havoc of the drive. So much of the trip was spent making sure the enormous animals didn’t wander away from the group, with a watchful cowboy sprinting off after a wayward cow from time to time. For her part, Miranda helped the city crew members keep watch for these animals and alert the ranch hands with their whistles, guiding them to push a cow
back in if it hadn’t wandered too far out of line.

At the end of the first day, Miranda was discouraged to learn that they were barely past the northern edge of the Carson property.
We’re never going to get there
, she thought dismally. It was only in trying to keep her spirits up for the vacationing would-be cowboys that she managed to keep a positive outlook.

After dinner, eaten as a group around the campfire while different cowboys took turns watching the grazing herd, Miranda and Casey managed to slip away from the others to be alone, talking over their day between heated kisses.

“I was kind of hoping Dad wasn’t too serious about me being in the truck but it turns out, he meant it. I won’t see you all day tomorrow, at least not until after dinner. I don’t think I’ve gone a whole day without at least seeing your ponytail go flying by since you arrived here,” he said longingly, giving her long hair a playful tug. “You be careful tomorrow, and remember, Gary and Paul are there if you need anything at all.”

“I’ll be fine,” Miranda promised. “You just rest that leg and drive carefully. I expect to see you well-rested and energetic tomorrow night…I’ve got important plans for you and you need to keep your endurance up.” She grinned at him mischievously and kissed him, knowing he took the hint.

“What a coincidence, I have important plans for you, too.” His voice was hoarse with want.

“Oh, really? Why don’t you tell me what those plans are,” she suggested, licking her lips and beginning to unbutton her shirt. Casey’s eyes followed her hands in the twilight, making him lose all reason. He shook his head slightly before answering.

“Nope. It’s a secret. I could tell you, but then I’d have to ravish you from now until dawn.” He pushed her hair back with one hand and began kissing her neck in a way that made her want to beg.

“You can keep your old secret, let’s just get to the ravishing part,” Michelle demanded in a breathy whisper, opening the rest of her shirt buttons to give Casey more access. He responded greedily, smothering her with kisses as he finished undressing her.

The next day was more of the same for the drive. Miranda could see why it was exciting for the ranch hands who went chasing after misguided members of the herd, but was having a lot of trouble understanding what would prompt the members of her small but determined group to pay to get to take part. She was quickly learning to hate cattle, and worked hard to keep that attitude from rubbing off on their guests.

By the time they were ready to make camp for the night, Miranda had never been so thrilled to see Casey’s face. She tried not to let her discouragement at the long day interfere with their time together, short as it may be. When he left her and came back from the truck with a long garment bag in his hands, telling her to put it on, she momentarily forgot about his promise of a surprise and simply stared at him. How on earth was she supposed to wear anything that came in its own dress bag, given the filthy, sweaty, probably smelly condition she was in?

“Trust me,” was all he said, flashing her his heart-stopping grin before running off in search of the rest of her surprise.

Miranda opened the zipper on the garment back and her breath caught. Inside was a beautiful but simple white cotton dress, with a note pinned to it that said,
Marry me. Now.

She reached the gauzy fabric with one tentative hand, then was moved to tears by the wreath of flowers and thin veil hanging inside on another hanger. But how was this possible? They had paperwork to do, licenses to obtain. How had Casey managed this?

Worse, was this just a farce, a show for the paying customers? After all, the city crew had been sweet-talked when Casey kissed her goodbye. Were the Carsons really willing to put her on display to keep their customers happy?

No!
Miranda told herself, chastising her for her thoughts.
This is Casey, your future husband. This is no way to think about him. He’s not…Mike. He wouldn’t use you or hurt you for his own interests.

Miranda ducked into the pull along trailer behind the truck to change into the dress, forcing her concerns aside. When she did so, she gasped. There inside the truck was a roll out bed, made up with soft blankets and sprinkled with flower petals. Unlit candles waited patiently on overturned crates beside it, and a hand-lettered sign hung above the pillows that said
Honeymoon Suite
.

She laughed through her tears at the sweet effort Casey had gone to, then hurriedly unzipped the bag. Her hands shook as she took off her work clothes, wishing she had so much as a container of deodorant, let alone her makeup bag, anything to take the stench of two hard days’ work off of her before she was married. As she tried to reach the buttons behind her, the trailer door opened and Gracie stepped in, already dressed in a beautiful, simple pink shift dress, a large flower tucked behind one ear.

“Need any help?” she said, smiling so widely, she could split her face in two.

“How did you rascals pull this off?” Miranda demanded, squeezing her sister in a tight embrace.

“Oh, just worked a little magic. We’re still technically in Texas, so this was the last night to get you two hitched before heading on.” Gracie turned her sister around and finish buttoning up the white dress, then helped her arrange her hair in something halfway romantic looking, Miranda’s soft brown hair flowing down her back in large waves thanks to the tight bun she’d kept it pulled up in when she rode.

“Come on,” Gracie directed, stepping out of the trailer. Miranda emerged and looked out into the late dusk sky, trying to see Casey. “Nope, not yet! He’s waiting further on.”

Gracie took Miranda by the arm, then reached out to the tongue of the trailer hitch and retrieved a bouquet of wildflowers, pressing it into her hand as they walked. Miranda could barely make out the flickering of a camp fire in the distance and knew that was their destination.

When they reached the secluded spot, far away from the watchful eyes of the cowboys and their guests, Casey was waiting for her, watching the darkness on the other side of the fire for her approach. He smiled when he finally saw her, small dots of tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.

Miranda stepped toward him and took his hand, thrilled to see only his immediate family there, and Gracie, of course, with her. Another man whom Miranda didn’t know, not minister but a local judge, welcomed them all to this informal but blessed gathering.

She was swept up in a blur of emotion as passages were recited, prayers were offered, and vows were exchanged. Miranda heard Casey promise to love her and take care of her for the rest of his life, and she was overjoyed when the chance came to promise him the same. When Casey put a gold band on her finger, her heart dropped for just a moment until Gracie stepped forward with the ring for Miranda’s husband.

The moment Miranda had waited for most was finally here, when the minister said those glorious words, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Miranda didn’t wait for any further instructions, much to the other Carson boys’ delight, throwing her arms around Casey’s neck and kissing him in front of God and everyone. Somewhere, Miranda heard quiet applause from her new family members, but all she could see was Casey’s face.

When she finally turned to look at the group assembled, she was stunned to see more and more of the ranch hands emerge from the shadows, not wanting to encroach on her special moment but wanting to share in the congratulations. She was in turn hugged by nearly everyone there, still in awe of how this all came to be.

The best news of all came when Casey turned to her and said, “Let’s go home.”

“What?” she asked. “What about the drive? The herd and the city people?”

“All part of the surprise, my love! I knew from the moment I asked you to marry me that we wouldn’t go this year. I just had to let you think you had important work to do so you wouldn’t discover my secret plans!” Casey kissed her soundly before she could protest. “We’re headed back, then on to our honeymoon in Cancun.”

“But what about Gracie? Is she coming with us?”

“No,” the girl said sourly. “I’m stuck with Cook for the rest of the trip.” Then, she laughed. “Go on, have a great honeymoon. I’m in her capable hands and she’s not about to let me out of her sight! I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”

Miranda couldn’t believe this could be real, as so much had happened in such a short time. She watched as one by one the cowboys who made up her new extended family wandered back to the campsite, headed to bed to get up early for another day of herding cattle. Everywhere around her, the farm life she’d known so little about continued on as usual, barely stopping even for the wedding of the firstborn in the next generation, who would work the land.

Casey pulled on her hand gently, letting her know it was time to go. They headed back to the trailer, still giddy from the ceremony and from the realization that—at least once the paperwork was signed and made official—they were husband and wife. They showered off the grime of the drive in the outdoor stalls then made their way to Casey’s homemade honeymoon suite, where Miranda decided there was no more romantic place on earth than right there, with her own loving cowboy.

THE END

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