“I found those earlier.” She settles into the corner. “They’re on the table out there. And I’ve been snacking. Wake me up in an hour.”
I nod but have no intention of waking her unless there’s an emergency.
Rubbing Bonnet’s nose, I lead her around the stall. “Keep letting them rip. Gotta get stuff out.”
She nuzzles me, and it’s the first sign of the old Bonnet since this all started.
“I know you feel yuck. What did you get into? I’m going to have to survey the pasture. I check it for things you shouldn’t eat. So what did you find?” I keep my voice to a whisper as I lead the horse around because I want Bluebonnet to sleep.
Her face is beautiful all the time, but when she sleeps, I can stare without her noticing. Hopefully it’s not creepy to stare at my wife. I want her to be happy. More than anything, that’s what’s important to me. There is also a part of me that wants her to wake up one morning and decide that I’m the one who makes her happy. That she loves me.
Even if she doesn’t, I’ll keep up the ruse, cuddling her at night, listening to her chat about her day, and raising her kid as my own. Because I love her.
Chapter 23
Bluebonnet
Iopen one eye and check the time. Parker let me sleep much longer than an hour. But based on the smell, Bonnet has been expelling more gas. Rubbing my face, I shift, achy from the way I’ve been sleeping. “Has she passed any droppings?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet. Lots of stink, but no poop.”
“It’s not unusual for it to take a while, so don’t start worrying. Overall, she seems perkier than last night.” I ease up beside him and rub his back.
This is the first time I feel like he’s benefited from our relationship. Granted, as the vet, I would’ve come out and maybe stayed all night because even before we got married, Parker felt like family. But the hugs and back rubs are different. I want him to know I’m here for him.
We’ve only been married a few weeks, but at least on my side, I feel a spark. When he walks into the mess hall after a long day, my heart flutters a bit. I look forward to crawling into bed next to him.
But then I remind myself that he’s doing me a favor, and we aren’t married because he feels any sort of passion for me.
His brow is creased with worry, and I brush my finger along his forehead. The strain is evident in his eyes.
When he flashes me a weary smile, I wrap my arms around him. “Tell me about Bonnet.”
“When I started working at the ranch, I asked Beau about getting my own horse and housing it in the barn if I covered the food and other expenses. He agreed, so as soon as I had a little money saved up, I started looking. Beau connected me with the guy he bought his horse, Blue, from, and as soon as I saw Bonnet, I was smitten. Bought her on the spot.”
“She’s a beautiful horse. And with that white patch on the top of her head, the name is perfect.”
He stares at me, then after a second nods. “Yeah. I like the name.”
The horse shoots out another blast of putrid air, and Parker and I laugh as we pinch our noses.
When Bonnet shifts her stance, I hold my breath. If this horse can pass whatever is blocking her insides, she’ll be on the road to recovery. And I can’t bear the thought of Parker losing his horse while it’s under my care.
He squeezes my hand as we stare. With my other hand, I cross my fingers, hoping for poop.
And Bonnet delivers. What hits the ground both looks and smells wretched. And the plastic shopping bag mixed in explains the problem.
Bonnet will be okay, and we worked together to make it happen. I am beyond elated and can only think of one way to effectively show my happiness in this moment, so I grab Parker and pull him to my lips.
My mouth meets his, and a small peck isn’t enough. I loop my arms around his neck, and he spins me around and presses me against the side of the stall. The all-grown-up Parker is an incredibly good kisser, and the best part is that he’s my husband.
I may regret kissing him like this. Maybe he prefers friendship and nighttime cuddles. But I want more. And this is the only way I can convey that without putting him on the spot and forcing him to let me down easy.
The longer we kiss, the more I think there’s a tiny chance his feelings for me are more than friendly. It’s more than I deserve, but it doesn’t stop me from hoping.
When Bonnet unleashes another slew of nastiness, Parker breaks the kiss. “You did it. You fixed her.” His gaze drops to my mouth, then snaps back up. “And, um, maybe after we’ve both had some sleep, and I can think a bit more coherently, we can—you know—talk about...” He moves his hands, like he’s trying to pull words out of the air. “We can talk about what just happened.”
“Yeah. I think that’ll be good.”
