Home For a Cowboy Christmas(76)

“I’m not. It’s a little weird when I tell people, but being around it for most of my life, it’s just normal. I adore my stepmom and stepdad. They’re amazing people. I feel like we got lucky and have two amazing sets of parents. Though it isn’t the norm, by any means.”

“It sounds lovely.”

She smiled, thinking of her parents. “Mom and Dad love each other very much, but they realized they were better as friends than spouses. As they told us when it first happened, their paths diverged some, but they would always be together for us. And they have been.”

“And your siblings?”

“There are three of us. I have an older sister and a younger brother. We’re all two years apart, so we were pretty tight growing up. Though the arguments were fierce.”

Zane laughed at that. “I know about that. Charlie and I were best friends, but we could be at each other’s throats, as well. Usually, you hear of divorces that are contentious and difficult for the kids. I admire your parents for going another route.”

“Neither cheated or anything like that, which is why some divorces happen. They just wanted different things. I’ve had so many people ask me how they could divorce if they still loved each other. I tried to explain that you can love someone deeply but not be in love with them. My parents vowed to each other that they would do whatever was necessary to keep our family together, even if they weren’t. It hasn’t always been easy, but they managed. It took a lot of work on their parts—and ours, to some extent.”

“They sound like remarkable people.”

“I think you’d like them. Even though they’re from the city,” she teased.

He tickled her, which made her jerk away and roll onto her back. He followed, their laughter filling the cabin. Their eyes locked, and the smiles died as desire took hold once more.

They reached for each other at the same time, their lips crashing together as they shoved away the covers, and he buried himself inside her with one thrust. Their bodies rocked against each other as their tongues dueled.

To Cady’s shock, it wasn’t long before the tightening in her belly that was fast becoming familiar started again. Suddenly, he pulled out of her and flipped her onto her stomach, raising her hips. Then he was inside her once more. She closed her eyes in ecstasy as his movements became rhythmic.

A gasp tore from her when he reached around and found her clit, slowly stroking it. She was powerless against the orgasm that descended upon her. As she let out a cry of pleasure, she heard Zane reach his climax.

They fell forward together and lay like that for several minutes until their breathing evened. Cady turned to Zane when he pulled out of her, and they resumed their previous position. Her eyes started to drift close. Her body was sated, her mind quiet. It would be so easy to sleep, but she didn’t want to. Whatever was happening, whatever this … rift in time … was, she wanted to take full advantage of it. Because once the storm ended and she returned to her world, she would likely never see Zane again.

“Do you like your life?” she asked.

He was quiet for a few moments before saying, “I do. It’s grueling and chaotic, but at the same time, therapeutic and steadying.”

“What is it that you do?”

“I ranch.”

She thought about that for a moment. “What exactly does that entail?”

“A little of everything,” he said with a smile in his voice. “There’s the cattle. Selling and buying, the feeding and worming that goes along with it. We’re strictly grass-fed, which means we don’t supplement with grain or anything else during the winter months. We have to tag and brand the cattle, ensure that they’re pregnant, and then there’s calving season. Don’t even get me started on the vet bills if any of the cattle get sick.”

“Wow,” she said.

“There’s the horses, which require a lot more time and money. The fences and gates that have to be mended, and the regular day-to-day management and administration that any business has to do.”

She glanced up at him. “And I thought my job was hectic.”

“You have to deal with people. I’d rather have the animals.”

Cady laughed at that. “I don’t blame you there. People can be assholes.”

“What about you? Are you happy with your life?”

“I’m not sure. I love my house, or I used to. I worked so hard to save up to buy it. It doesn’t give me the same satisfaction anymore. And my job, well, you know my thoughts on that.”

“Is it your job or who you work for?”

Cady drew in a deep breath. “It’s who I work for. I like what I do. I’m good at it, too.”

“I bet you are,” he said and squeezed her.

Something about talking like this with someone after such amazing sex was soothing. “My world got rocked last month, and while it sucks how it occurred, I think it needed to happen. I didn’t realize until he was gone how unhappy I’d been. He wanted me to change everything about who I was.”

“If you’re with someone, you take them for who they are. Not try to change them.”

“I agree. Though I’ve never understood why some women always want to change men.”

He chuckled. “You got me there. I mean, I’m perfect just the way I am.”