Honoring Freedom (Cowboys of Sagebrush Rose #3)

Chapter Seventeen

“You should never have gone, especially alone, and a second time?”

Freedom pushed back the cover and got up from Keller’s bed, swiped up her dress off the floor and pulled it over her head. She faced him with a shrug. “What was he going to do?”

Keller leaned against the headboard. The blanket barely covered his naked body. “If you think he’s capable of hiring someone to poison horses then he’s capable of doing anything.” He ran his hand through his already tousled hair. “Racing into a man’s home and accusing him of a criminal act is a very dangerous endeavor.”

“He’s guilty,” she quipped, using the elastic from her wrist she pulled her hair up off her neck. She hadn’t told anyone what she saw in the photos that Kent had showed her. If she caused a stink with Kent, it could destroy one or more of her sisters. It was an ultimate betrayal that even Freedom was having a tough time swallowing.

"With more security cameras around now, whoever's responsible for the poisoning will definitely get caught if they try it again."

“It’s ridiculous that we must monitor the comings and goings of our crew. We should trust the hands. Button this for me.” She swung around.

His hands were on the dress, slipping the buttons into the holes, and then she felt his lips press against her neck, making a path of kisses downward. “You smell good.” His voice was husky. They’d just made love, twice, and she had a feeling he wanted a third.

“Behave yourself, Keller. I should go before your friends get here.”

He lowered the strap of the dress and kissed her shoulder. She laid her head to the side wishing they could crawl back into bed. But if she wasn’t careful, she’d be caught at his house with a lot of explaining to do.

“What if we just stop worrying about getting caught?” he murmured against her skin.

“Right now isn’t the time, Keller.” After seeing the photos, Freedom waited for the other shoe to drop.

“Fine. If you insist.” He finished buttoning the dress. “All done, unfortunately.”

She rotated and draped her arms over his shoulders. “Thank you for this afternoon.”

“Glad I can be a sex tool.” He chuckled.

“You’re so much more than that.”

“Am I?” The doubt was clear in his eyes.

“Of course. You’re an expert at taking care of the horses.” She winked and went to the wall mirror to glance at her reflection. “I really should go.”

He swiped up his crumpled jeans and slid into them, followed by a clean T-shirt. Dressed, one would think she could deny the urge to touch him, but she wanted to push him back onto the bed and ride him.

“Marry me, Freedom.”

She looked at him through the mirror, smiling until she realized he didn’t show any signs that he was joking. “What?”

“You heard me. Marry me.”

“Keller…” She spun around, feeling a bit weak. “No.”

“Wrong answer,” he growled.

“Were you expecting a yes?”

“You marrying some other guy won’t happen.” His jaw was steel-like.

“Keller, this is a long story and we don’t have the time—”

“Marry me,” he blurted again.

“Will you keep asking until you get the answer you want?”

“No.”

“Are you sick?”

“I do find you appealing so I can’t be all here, I reckon.” He chuckled.

With a roll of her eyes, she slipped her feet into her sandals and headed for the door but his gentle hand on her arm paused her. She turned back to him. “You clearly haven’t thought this through.”

“You need to marry, right?”

She nodded. “Daddy won’t change his mind. He never does.”

“There’s no way I can allow another man to touch you.” A storm brewed in his gaze.

“Allow? You really are losing your marbles. Walk me to the door, Doc.” She offered him a smile which belied the emotional havoc she was currently experiencing inside.

He took her hand and together they made their way through the living room. He pulled her against him, giving her a kiss that left her breathless and wobbly-kneed.

She gave him a little push. “If you’re not busy later, maybe you and I could meet out at the lake.” She licked her lips to push home what she was asking.

“You’re a tease.” He smacked her on the bottom as she sashayed toward the door.

“Are you sure about that? A tease doesn’t do what I just did for you.” She wagged her brows and swung open the door. She made a choking sound. Standing on the doorstep were three big, burly men, each bigger than the last.

“Looks like someone else beat us getting here.” The tallest of the trio said with a chuckle.

*****

Keller would have laughed if Freedom didn’t look like she’d just swallowed staples.

She worked well under pressure, and she quickly recovered. She offered each of the men a sweet smile.

Keller felt a blow to his chest when his buddies smiled back in admiration.

“I hope you fellows don’t mind that I’m hanging out and watching the game with you,” Freedom said. She turned to Keller and mouthed, “I told you.”

The men filed into the living room, one at a time. “We didn’t know you had a girlfriend,” Trace, the tallest of the men, said.

“Friends,” Freedom piped in. “Keller and I are only friends.” She closed the door.

“Pretty,” Taylor whispered under his breath to Keller as he jutted his chin toward Freedom.

Trace gave him two thumbs up. “Are there any of her friends coming?”

Freedom glanced at him as if she waited for Keller’s response.

Keller shook his head.

“Then she’s stuck with us bastards. I’m a gentleman though, unlike these two.” Taylor smiled wolfishly as he pointed his thumbs at Murph and Trace.

After a curt introduction from Keller, he took a bag of chips, a case of beer, and a Playboy magazine from Murph. Keller looked at him curiously. “Really, buddy? What is this? College?

“Sorry, I didn’t have anything else to bring,” Murph said with a shrug.

Depositing the magazine onto the table, Keller took the beer and chips into the kitchen and the gang followed.

“Is Keifer coming?” Trace asked.

“He had something come up,” Keller answered. Which he’d been grateful for because that meant he had the house free with Freedom.

“I hear he’s been seeing someone,” Taylor said.

“He’s already pussy—sorry,” Murph bashfully looked at Freedom. “I meant, he’s really into her.”

“You fellows were in the Army with Keller?” Freedom asked as she glanced at Keller.

“Rangers, ma’am. This guy here saved my life,” Taylor said, slapping Keller on the back.

“Please, you can call me Freedom.”

“After we were all shipped out on medevac, we didn’t think that’d be the last time we’d see each other together in uniform.” Trace said, elbowing Keller in the ribs. “Now we’re all civilians. Keller talked about this place. He particularly talked about a blonde-haired woman with blue eyes.”

Keller was going to kill each of his buddies when Freedom left.

“Oh really?” Freedom locked her gaze on him. “What did he say?”

“She’s better than a nine, Kel.” Murph laughed. “She’s definitely a ten.”

Keller started to tell the men to fuck off , but when Freedom wrapped her fingers around Murph’s elbow and led him to the couch, Keller wanted to toss each of the men out onto their ears.

“Sounds like you have some juicy stories to tell about my…friend.” Freedom sat down on one corner of the couch and Murph the other. Trace sat down between them, and Taylor took the chair.

“Are you wanting a seat?” Murph asked Keller.

“I’ve got one.” He grabbed one of the kitchen chairs and sat backwards, bracing his arms on the back.

"The blast knocked me out cold and I was bleeding everywhere. Keller dragged me to safety." Taylor gave his hip a pat. He still walked with a limp. He lived with pain but never complained.

“We were all injured that day,” Trace said.

“It seems you all are still very close,” Freedom said.

“We get together at least once a year, take the kayaks out, climb a mountain, mountain bike. Murph over here has a kid now and he’s too chicken to do the adrenaline rush activities.” Trace said.

"Family comes first," Murph mumbled.

Keller sat quietly, watching the verbal exchange between Freedom and his buddies. Sure, she was used to being around the hands, but that was expected of her. But his buddies, there was no expectation of her to be kind. She could have left at any time, but she seemed genuinely open in learning about each of them, especially Murph’s kid. He gladly shared details and photos of his son.

“Has Keller told you about the heavy bag prank?” Taylor said, sweeping a quick glance toward Keller.

“No, he hasn’t. I’m really interested in hearing more about it though.” Freedom curled up on the sofa, eager to listen.

“I’d be glad to explain.” Taylor eagerly rubbed his hands together. “The grueling final week of training nearly did us all in. We had one last exercise which involved carrying a heavy backpack on a long ruck march. We didn't know the instructors would check our bags, so right before the exercise we stuffed Keller’s bag with two five-pound rocks, thinking he’d find them, toss them, and we'd have a laugh. However, you should have seen the instructor’s face when he unzipped the bag and found those rocks. I don’t think he knew whether he should be angry or laugh. But in hard-ass fashion, the instructor commanded that every soldier pick up a rock from the quarry and put it into their pack. Unfortunately, there were only a couple of light rocks and the rest were as big as a bag of sugar.”

“I thought one of the soldiers would wring Keller’s neck as they filled their bags. Turned out, we all paid for that joke,” Murph said. “Keller was unpopular for the next few weeks because of our stunt.”

“I’m surprised he’s still friends with you all,” Freedom said with a chuckle.

“Hell, he’s played worse pranks on us,” Trace shrugged. “It’s all in good fun.”

Taylor rubbed the back of his neck. “I still haven’t got him back for pouring water in my bed making it look like I pissed myself. I had to do an extra hundred pushups that morning.”

Freedom’s cell phone buzzed and she checked the screen. “Well, fellows, I hate doing this because it has been enjoyable, but I have some business to take care of.” She stood.

“I’ll walk you out.” Keller jumped up from the chair and followed her out. Once they were out of eye and earshot, he snaked his arm around her waist and dragged her against him. “I hope you enjoyed the interrogation,” he whispered next to her ear.

“I did. Immensely.” She pulled back, smiled, and stepped over to her car. “It’s the best entertainment I’ve had in a long time. Especially the amusement prior to the men showing up.”

At her teasing smile his body hardened. Damn her . She knew exactly what she did to him.

She started to climb into her car but she paused as if something weighed on her mind. “This marriage you mentioned, are we talking a secret agreement?”

He lifted a brow. “So, you’re interested?”

“Maybe. Maybe not,” she said smoothly. “I need a marriage certificate not a husband.”

“I’ve never been referred to as a marriage certificate, or a husband.”

She crossed her arms and tapped the toe of her shoe. “I’d want to keep this…” she jutted her chin toward the farmhouse, “going. We have a good thing.”

What the hell was this? Freedom was offering him his cake and allowing him to eat it too. Why did he feel a sting to his pride? Yet, truth was, thinking of another man touching her made his skin crawl. He wanted to be the only lucky bastard that was allowed to kiss and touch her. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” For some women his statement would ruffle their feathers, but for a woman as confident as Freedom, she simply smiled.

“I’ll be in touch later, cowboy.” She winked and climbed into her car.

He watched her pull onto the country road, and he went back inside. The men had already cracked open beers, except for Murph who was in recovery.

“How in the hell did you find a girl like her?” Trace said around a mouth full of chips.

Keller chuckled. He should deny that Freedom was his girl, but instead, he shrugged. “Good question.” If he had his way, she’d be his wife soon. “How about we stop chitchatting and turn the game on?”