Still Colt's P.O.V.
I pulled up to the house and got out. I went over to Hedli's side and opened the door. Her head fell and she woke up. I unbuckled her seatbelt and got her in my arms. I walked up to the front door and unlocked it.
Once in, I took my boots off, then hers. I walked her upstairs to her room. "Can I get a shower?" She asked. "Sure, I'll start your water for you," I told her. I set her down on the floor in front of her room. I went into the bathroom and started her water.
She came back with a tank top and sports shorts. I went out to let her get cleaned up. Once she was done, I got my shower and went to bed. I didn't bother to check the time or close my door.
I felt my bed dip under something else's than my own weight. I felt around until my hand felt her back. I pulled her closer to me and laid her head on my chest. She's so perfect in so many ways I couldn't even describe it.
I fell asleep with her on me. Hoping that I could wake up to her beautiful face.
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Hedli's P.O.V.
I woke up on something hard and breathing? I lifted my head to see a sleeping Colt. Wow, I must have been extremely tired last night to fall asleep in the wrong room. Scratch that, it was planned. He moaned before tightening his grip.
I felt so safe that I fell back asleep. Movement woke me. I opened my eyes and saw a grayish blue wall. I turned my head and faced a calm and relaxed Colt. "Sleep well? Cupcake?" Dang it, he gave me a nickname. Wait, had that coming wearing cupcake pajama pants the first night.
I moaned when he went to get up after I had put my head back down. "Come on now. We have to get up." He said as he sat up. My head fell across his lap and onto his hip. I heard him chuckle. "Fine, I'm up," I said protestingly. Once sitting up, I realized I was in sports shorts and a tank top. Crap.
He checked and made sure the coast was clear before I hurried into my room. I threw on some jeans and a John Deere tee before going downstairs. At first, I thought I was the only one down. Then Colt popped his head up from the counter.
Coffee was the only thing on that guy's mind right now, and I wasn't going to stop him. I sat down at the bar after pouring myself a cup of milk. Finally, he was standing by the coffee pot waiting for it to be done brewing.
Suddenly, the dogs went wild. Colt went to the front door. Second day in a row of going shirtless. Gotta love those rock hard abs he has and they're washboard! Ugh, he'll be the death of my man dream. "No one's outside." He mumbled.
He went back over to the coffee pot and stood against the counter. Pretending that I was still drinking. I observed his build. He was broadly built with biceps that bulged when flexed. His torso was hard, as mentioned when I woke up.
There was a V-line leading straight into his jeans. One day, I'm going to figure out where that stops. "Are you done with checking me out, Cupcake?" My attention went to his voice. He was smirking. "I wasn't checking you out." "Mhm, I'll bet on that." He said in a whisper while still smirking.
Oh me gersh, could this get any more awkward? Just then, Zach came down in just his boxers again. Even my boy cousins know not to come out of their rooms without pants on at least. This time, Colt scolded him. Finally, Bucky came down fully dressed. At least he is dressed.
"Looks like someone is bout to bang their head on the counter," Bucky said. "Don't worry, there's the cold water and the pool out back," Colt told his brother. Now Zach came back down with a shirt on. Still, can't he just put pants on?
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The last seven days have been crazy. On purpose, I've been sneaking into Colt's room to sleep. He doesn't mind it at all in his defense.
I woke up again to Colt's handsome face. This time his breathing was even and slow as he slept, and again I fell back asleep. Once he stirred, I got up too. I put my PJs on and followed Colt downstairs. A few nights ago, I showed him how to program the coffee pot so it would make coffee to an alarm.
He's been enjoying every moment of it. He got himself a cup of coffee and was leaning on the counter in his faded jeans. I hugged him around his neck, and he hugged me with just one arm. Refusing to set down his cup of coffee. Then I kissed him on the neck. I started trailing kisses to his cheek from where I was on his neck while he drank his coffee.
He placed several kisses on my temple and forehead. I was content with these. Finally, having had enough of just one arm, he set his mug down and wrapped the free arm around my waist. He trailed kisses from my temple to my collarbone. I felt his hands on my thighs, lifting me.
I placed my arms around his neck and enjoyed him kissing me. He stopped when we heard a throat being cleared. He looked up while I looked behind me. Bucky was standing there, leaning on the door frame, not amused. "Don't you remember that there's no PDA in the kitchen?" He said before Colt sat me back on the ground. "Oh, like you haven't done it before." I rolled my eyes.
After breakfast, Colt fed the horses and cattle. Finally, I had to practice. Maggie was a barrel racer back in her earlier years, and I thought she'd give me some pointers. By golly, she did. I have never run a time like that before.
Colt practiced calf roping while I watched. During the fall, I have to help plow the land for crops and rope weanling calves. Of course, the mothers are mad, but hey, that's life. That's screwy. He just tried to cut it when he should have just stopped. I rolled my eyes again for what seems like the millionth time today.
Once he was done, I got Jet and led him to the barn. Colt had to help his brothers with an unruly horse. I got the saddle off and put his halter on in place of his bridle.
I got a brush and started on him. Suddenly being wrapped up in two strong arms. I felt a kiss on my temple. The kiss went from there to my lips. He turned me around and picked me up. I dropped the brush by his boots and wrapped my arms around his neck.
He licked my bottom lip, wanting entrance. "Colt, no PDA in the barn either." We heard Bucky say. We both chuckled after he disappeared. Colt took me into an empty stall. He leaned back, resting on the wall. I gave him entrance. Our tongues danced until I finally gave him dominance.
"Bucky's just jealous that he doesn't have a girl like you." He said, smirking. I giggled before Colt's name was called. "What does he want now?" He asked no one in particular. "We can finish this later," I told him. He sat me down and exited the stall before I did.
I finished brushing Jet before untying him and tying the opposite end to his halter. I looked around the barn before climbing onto his back. Jet didn't care that it was me on his back. I got him into a walk, then trot, and finally a canter.
I felt free on the back of a horse without tack. We came up to the paddock where he and Reno were staying. I slid off his back and put him in. I put the lead rope in the metal box and locked it.
Colt came up to me on a four-wheeler. I got on without hesitation cause I needed a ride. Once back at the barn, I went into the office to see if Joseph needed any help.
He had me working on Microsoft Excel since I had experience. "200.00 enter, 34.00 enter. Subtract that and average it."
I did what was told. Once we were done, the boys were still working with the horse.
I watched the horse roll, making Bucky and Colt lose grip. "Dad, where's her report that came with her papers?" Bucky asked. Joseph turned around and walked briskly back to the office. I went over to see the horse.
She was a beautiful palomino quarter horse. Gorgeous. "Says here she doesn't like more than one person working with her, especially holding onto her halter," Joseph said, coming back. Colt and Bucky both were rubbing their hands where they were on the halter.
"Why did we get her again, dad?" Bucky asked. "Says here she's a cutting horse. Used to separate cattle from the group or herd them in." "I taught Reno to cut only to get around the barrels sharper." "That's one way to use a cutting horse." "I bet she still can cut. Besides, she does it every fall just to help."
"Then let's see a trained cutting horse!" We all turned to see grandpa Ray and Maggie. "I'll give her a ride up there," Colt said. I got onto the back of the four-wheeler and took off.
Once there, Colt unlocked the box and handed me my lead rope. "I can't believe you have a cutting horse." "Believe it, babe." I got Reno and took her to the arena next to the paddock. Now Zach, Joseph, Maggie, grandpa Ray, Bucky, and Colt were standing there at the fence.
I took her halter off and left her in the ring. At first, she looked lost. When a steer was placed out there, she saw it and started corralling it back to the holding pen. She'd cut it right, then left, making sure it went straight to the pen.
I timed her until it was in the pen. A total of one minute. "Nice." "That's what they're supposed to look like if trained by a pro, and this is how they're supposed to act when you go out to catch them," I said as I walked out to Reno. She came right to me, and I slid her halter back on.
"That's a pro-trained horse. My grandpa trained cutting horses when he was younger." I added. "Now my uncle and his oldest son train cutters." "Wow," Zach said. "Think we can take that one to them?" "No clue. I'd have to ask." I pulled my phone out and decided to call my cousin.
"Hello." "Hey, Aaron, I've got a question." "Lay it out." "Do you and your dad think you guys can retrain this one horse for a friend of mine?" "I'd have to see what's wrong with the horse and diagnose the horse." I mouthed to them that he'd have to come see the horse. Bucky and Joseph nodded like they wanted this done. "They said that would be fine if you did." "I'll send my dad out, he'll know if it could be better than I could. Plus, it'll get him off the ranch." "You're amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
He hung up, and I turned to them. "He said my uncle is coming here to check out the horse and see if it can be retrained. I'll give you my uncle's number and the business line. When the business phone is called, ask for Aaron and tell him that Hedli said to call for a checkout." I told Joseph. "Ok, so we can call the business line anytime?" "Only after nine and until four thirty. Noon, it's closed." "Ok, I'll call after you two get back on the road." "And if you want to call my uncle directly, he answers the times that the office is closed, except before nine. He is not a morning person."
"Thanks, Hedli, for your help with the horse."