Christmas Baby for the Cowboy (Sweethearts of the Rodeo #4)

Chapter Four

Taylor

Last Stand, TX

T aylor Keating was glad to see the end of the rodeo season. It had been a tough year, but it was nice to have it end in Last Stand. He liked the little town. They had a great Tex Mex restaurant called Valencia’s that he had promised to take Loretta to tonight. Barney had even said he would babysit in the Winnebago so Taylor could have a nice romantic meal with his sweetie.

He couldn’t wait. Usually, he and Loretta were too tired after a rodeo to do anything but fall into bed and tag-team who got up to take care of Georgie in the middle of the night. They would still have to have an early night, though. After the rodeo tomorrow, they were driving to Paris, Texas. Loretta and Georgie would be settling in there at her parents’ house for the off-season. He’d stay a few days and then head on out to Mexico. Normally, he’d be traveling with his father, but he was hoping the Kellers would let him borrow the Winnebago. With Dolly living in Dallas with her fiancé, LeAnn living with her husband Dylan, and Reba back at the Viking Ranch with her husband Shane, there wouldn’t be anyone using the RV.

And Taylor was still hoping he could convince Loretta and Georgie to go with him. Ever since Georgie had been born, Taylor had been there. It was going to be hard to be separated from them for three months.

As he approached vendor row, however, that smile quickly faded into a frown of confusion. Instead of Loretta and Georgie, her sister LeAnn was holding court, signing autographs and chatting animatedly with a small crowd gathered around her.

“And this piece here,” LeAnn was saying, gesturing to one of Loretta’s paintings, “makes the sunset look so real you could step right into the picture. My sister has an eye for landscapes.”

Taylor hung back for a moment, watching as LeAnn expertly worked the crowd. He had to admit, she was good at this. But where was Loretta and their son?

As the crowd began to thin out, Taylor stepped forward. LeAnn acknowledged him with a nod. “This is Taylor Keating, folks. You might have seen him keeping the bull riders safe and sound today.”

Taylor managed a polite smile and nod to the remaining customers, but his eyes were questioning as they met LeAnn’s. She acknowledged his unspoken concern.

“Give me one sec,” she said to the group of fans, before stepping closer to Taylor. In a lower voice, she explained, “Georgie was sick. Loretta had to take him to the doctor.”

Taylor tensed with dread. “Is he okay? Where are they now?”

LeAnn put a reassuring hand on his arm. “He’s fine, don’t worry. She was able to get him the medication he needed. They’re both resting in the Winnebago now.”

Relief washed over Taylor, quickly followed by a surge of protective instinct. He needed to get to them. “Thanks. I appreciate you covering the booth. I’ll be back to help pack up later.”

LeAnn waved him off. “Go. I’ve got things handled here.”

Taylor didn’t need to be told twice. He turned on his heel and hurried to the area where they parked the Winnebago. His mind raced with worry and questions as he checked his phone. Nothing. Why hadn’t Loretta called or texted? How sick was Georgie? Should he have noticed something was wrong earlier? Georgie had seemed fine this morning.

As he approached the Winnebago, Taylor took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He didn’t want to alarm Loretta or Georgie by bursting in like a madman. Still, he couldn’t quite keep the urgency out of his movements as he climbed the steps and opened the door.

The interior was dim and quiet. Taylor’s eyes took a moment to adjust, and then he saw her. Loretta was sitting in the small living area, Georgie cradled in her arms. She looked up as he entered, pressing a finger to her lips in a silent plea for quiet.

Taylor crossed the space in two quick strides, enveloping both Loretta and Georgie in a tight hug. He buried his face in Loretta’s hair, inhaling her familiar scent, feeling some of the tension leave his body at the physical confirmation that they were both here, both safe.

After a long moment, he pulled back slightly, his eyes searching Loretta’s face. “What happened?” he whispered, mindful of the sleeping baby. “Why didn’t you call me?”

Loretta’s eyes were tired. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “Everything happened so fast. Georgie’s fever spiked suddenly, and I just panicked a little. Reba was there, and she offered to watch the booth so I could get him to the doctor.”

Taylor nodded, his hand gently stroking Georgie’s back. The baby’s breathing was a little labored, but he was sleeping peacefully. “What did the doctor say?”

“It’s an ear infection and a respiratory infection,” Loretta explained softly. “Nothing too serious, thankfully. The doctor said he should be fine with some rest and fluids. They gave us some medication to help with the symptoms.”

“Thank God,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to Georgie’s forehead. The skin was warm, but not alarmingly so. Still, something in Loretta’s tone made him pause. He looked at her closely, noting the hesitation in her eyes. “What is it? What aren’t you telling me?”

Loretta bit her lip, a sure sign she was wrestling with something. “It’s nothing bad,” she assured him quickly. “I met another mother at the clinic. Her name’s Kelly Campbell, from the Three Sisters Ranch.”

The name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place it. “Okay…and?”

“She was really kind,” Loretta continued. “She helped me figure out how to access Georgie’s medical records on my phone. We got to talking, and she invited us to stay at the ranch for a little while. Just until Georgie’s feeling better.”

Taylor blinked, taken aback. “A stranger invited us to stay at their ranch? Why would she do that?”

Loretta shifted Georgie slightly in her arms, her expression a mix of hope and uncertainty. “She’s not exactly a stranger. Her husband is Trent Campbell. You know, the former bull rider?”

Recognition dawned on Taylor’s face. “Yeah, I remember Trent. Solid rider. Retired a few years back. He runs a school for bull riding now. Nash Weaver went there last year.” Taylor shrugged. “Didn’t help much, but I don’t think that’s on Trent.”

Loretta smirked. “That’s what Kelly said. Anyway, Barney kept Trent from being stomped on by a bull a few times. Kelly was really grateful for that.”

Taylor tamped down on annoyance. Everything always came back to his father. Taylor was pretty sure he had pulled a bull or two away from Trent in his day as well. But everyone always remembered Barney. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but Loretta knew him too well.

“This is a good thing.” She searched his face. “I asked your dad if he knew them, and he said they’re good people.”

“Yeah, they are.” Taylor nodded. “The Grayson sisters board their horses there sometimes. But why do you want to stay in Last Stand? I thought we were going to your parents tomorrow.”

Loretta blew out a shaky breath. “No.”

“No?” Taylor had a feeling he was missing something.

“I thought it would be good to stay close to Last Stand for a little while. Just until Georgie’s feeling better. The doctor’s here, and…”

“Oh right. Of course. If that’s what you want, I’m all for it.”

Loretta’s face cleared, grew less pinched. But then he saw a flash of guilt in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I know you were planning to take the Winnebago to those rodeos in Mexico. I’ll need it for me and Georgie to live in.”

He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. “Don’t worry about that,” he said firmly. “Georgie comes first. Always. I’ll travel with my dad.”

“Thanks for understanding,” she said.

“I’ll call him now and let him know that we won’t need him to babysit.”

“Oh no, I forgot all about going to Valencia’s tonight,” she said.

“You had a lot on your mind.” He texted his father the news and assured him that Georgie was all right.

“I’m sorry. I know you were looking forward to having a date night.”

“We’ll have one once Georgie is feeling better.” He stood up, stretching his tired muscles. “Listen, why don’t I grab a quick shower? Then we can order some takeout barbecue or something. You must be starving.”

Loretta nodded gratefully. “That sounds great. I’m going to see if Georgie will stay asleep if I put him in the crib.”

As Taylor made his way to the tiny bathroom, his mind was whirling with thoughts. He shucked off his boots and clothes and started up the shower in the tiny bathroom. As he stepped in, the hot water felt good on his aching muscles, but it did little to quiet the storm in his head.

The only downside to traveling with his father was that Taylor would have to listen to him bitch that Taylor was risking giving up guaranteed money as a bullfighter if he got hurt bull riding. But that fact of the matter was, he could get just as hurt bullfighting as bull riding—except his father had confidence in him as a bullfighter because he’d trained him.

Jeez, it wasn’t as if he was Nash Weaver. Taylor was a damned good bull rider. He just wasn’t Finn Laker or Trent Campbell material. Yet.

Taylor thought he had a good chance at the purses down south since Laker was taking the off-season to rest. If Taylor had made six hundred thousand this season, he’d be sitting on his ass in the tropics too. Well, actually, there were probably better uses for the money than that but that wasn’t the point. Not to mention, it was a chance to make a name for himself outside of his father’s shadow.

Then when Loretta told people she was his wife, people would recognize his name, not his father’s.

But as the water cascaded over him, Taylor realized something with startling clarity. He didn’t want to go to Mexico and South America with his father. Not if it meant leaving Loretta and Georgie behind, especially with Georgie sick. The thought of being hundreds of miles away while his son was ill made his stomach churn. He’d probably be better by the time they decided to go, but what if he wasn’t?

Taylor leaned his forehead against the shower wall. When had everything gotten so complicated? He loved the rodeo life, loved the thrill of facing down a bull, the roar of the crowd. But he loved his little family more. The question was, how could he support them if he wasn’t working?

They had some money saved up, but not enough to live on indefinitely. If he didn’t compete in those international rodeos or bullfight in the off-season, they’d be missing out on a significant chunk of income. But maybe there was another way.

The Three Sisters Ranch might need an extra ranch hand for the next few months. He knew his way around horses and cattle, and he wasn’t afraid of hard work. It wouldn’t be the same rush as bullfighting or bull riding, but it would be steady work, and more importantly, it would keep him close to Loretta and Georgie.

Lost in his thoughts, Taylor didn’t hear the bathroom door open. He jumped slightly when the shower curtain was pulled back, revealing Loretta’s smiling face and her delectable naked body.

“Room for one more?” she asked, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

He grinned. “For you? Always,” he said, reaching out to help her into the small shower stall. “Is the baby asleep?”

“Yeah. The doctor said he needs all the rest he can get. I’m going to drive to the Three Sisters tomorrow and get settled in instead of going to the rodeo.”

“Good idea.”

As Loretta stepped under the spray with him, Taylor pulled her close, relishing the feeling of her soft skin against his. Their lips met in a deep, passionate kiss, conveying all the worry and relief of the day.

When they finally broke apart, both slightly breathless, Taylor reached for the soap. “Turn around,” he said softly. “Let me take care of you for a change.”

Loretta complied, a soft sigh escaping her as Taylor began to work the soap over her shoulders and back. His strong hands kneaded her muscles, working out the knots of tension she’d been carrying all day. Her skin felt like heaven under his hands, and he got painfully hard at her appreciative moans. Reaching around to her front, he cupped her full breasts in his soapy hands and continued to massage her. She backed her sweet ass into his erection and he tugged on her nipples until she gasped. He slid his cock over the full curves of her backside, waiting to slip in between her cheeks.

“Spread your legs, sweetheart,” he ordered.

Loretta stepped apart and he tickled his fingers between her legs, finding her wet and ready. He sucked on her earlobe while he rubbed her clit with one hand and played with her breast with the other.

She fumbled with the shower to turn it off before the small hot water tank drenched them in cold water. They paused for a moment, listening for Georgie’s cries, but the baby was still sleeping.

She rubbed her ass against him again and he nearly went out of his mind. Taylor turned her around and pressed her against the shower wall. He pushed up her breasts and sucked hard on each of her nipples. Loretta gripped his hair and hooked a leg around his hip.

“You taste so sweet,” he moaned, sucking harder.

She grabbed his cock and guided it inside her.

“And you’re so fucking wet.”

He pushed inside her, feeling her tighten around him.

Her nails dug into his back, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “Taylor, please…”

“Please what?” he teased, pushing himself in to the hilt.

“Harder,” she groaned, arching her back.

Taylor obliged, pumping into her hard and fast. Loretta tried to keep quiet as little cries of pleasure escaped her luscious lips.

He kissed her to keep her quiet and she moaned loud into his mouth as he increased the pace, driving into her harder with every twitch of his hips. Their tongues battled, even as her muscles fluttered around his cock. He was seeing stars and she was wild for him. The pleasure built inside him, growing with each thrust until it became too much. Loretta cried out as she came, her leg giving out beneath her. Taylor held her up, his cock still buried inside her. He pumped steadily as her nails dug into his shoulders. Then with one deep push, he released inside her, his cock twitching.

“I love you,” he breathed, resting his forehead against hers.

Her entire body tensed. He reared up looking at her in confusion. Sure, it was the first time he’d said those words to her, but he wasn’t expecting that as a reaction. In fact, she couldn’t even look at him.

“I should check on Georgie,” she said. “I want to make sure he’s not running a fever again.”

Loretta gently extracted herself from him and hurried out of the shower. Taylor wasn’t sure what he had done wrong, if anything. He toweled off, but didn’t bother getting dressed. Loretta had wrapped a robe around herself and was staring down at Georgie, who was still sleeping peacefully.

Taylor went up to her and took her in his arms. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just tired.”

He didn’t believe her, but she did relax in his arms. He slid the robe off her and rubbed her back and shoulders again until she cuddled against his body. There, that was more like it. He wanted to ask her what she was feeling, why she didn’t say it back to him. But he was terrified of the answer. They had a good thing going and he didn’t want to mess things up, so he let it drop—for now.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said, walking her back to the bed. “About the rodeos in Mexico and South America.”

Loretta’s muscles tightened slightly under his hands, but he continued, his fingers working out a particularly stubborn knot in her lower back. “I don’t want to go,” he admitted. “Not with Georgie sick. Not if it means leaving you two behind.”

Loretta looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. “Are you sure? I know how much those rodeos mean to you. The money, the exposure…”

Taylor shook his head, cutting her off gently. “None of that matters if I’m not here with you and Georgie. You two are what’s important.”

Burying her face in his shoulder, she gave a small shuddering sob. He got on the bed, pulling her down with him. He slung the cotton bedspread over them both and continued to rub her back. She felt so good, so right.

“But what about money?” Loretta asked after a moment, her voice muffled against his skin. “We can’t live on savings forever. It’s going to be a rough three months. I’m planning on finding a job that will let me bring Georgie with me, or freelancing. But what about you?”

Taylor stroked her hair. “Someone is always looking for help around the ranches or the farms. And with me not traveling and both of us bringing in steady paychecks, we can build up some savings.”

Loretta pulled back, looking up at him with a mix of surprise and hope. “You’d do that? Give up the rodeo circuit for a while?”

Taylor cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away the tears on her cheeks. “For you and Georgie? In a heartbeat. Now, do you want barbecue ribs or chicken?”

Reaching down, she held his cock in the palm of her hand. “Let’s work up an appetite.”

Taylor wasn’t going to argue with that and kissed her pretty mouth while she rubbed him to another erection.