Downpour: Chapter 15

The sun was setting as I pulled into the gates of the ranch. A new “No Trespassing” sign had been posted at the entrance, warning people that they were being recorded.

I wondered what that was about.

Twilight hung over fire-lit skies. The plains glowed like embers as daylight turned to dusk. It was my favorite time of day out here. The land was enchanted. I felt myself drawn to it like a siren being called to sea.

I held out at the house as long as I could before packing my things and hurrying back to the ranch. I was miserable the second I left Ray’s on Friday. I had a stomach ache as soon as I hit the road.

I tried to make it until Monday because I knew he wanted space from me, but I finally broke down and texted him this afternoon, asking if I could come back.

I had moved most of my stuff to Ray’s house, but I spent the morning consolidating the rest of my belongings and stuffing them into my car. The bed and the dresser at the house weren’t mine, and I didn’t really care about the few things I hadn’t taken with me.

Maybe I’d just get a hotel room next weekend.

The knot in my gut dissolved as I took the curving dirt road through the front part of the ranch to Ray’s house. I let my hand hang out the window and surfed the breeze.

I had only been gone for a day and a half, but I missed it.

The ranch was a craving that just wouldn’t go away.

But so was he.

I pulled down the driveway and parked beside his truck.

Huh. The front door was open.

The glass storm door was closed, but I could see through the kitchen and into the living room.

The lights were on, too. That was weird.

Maybe one of his brothers or Cassandra was over. Ray always kept the house locked up like Fort Knox.

I grabbed my bag and jogged up the ramp. The house smelled like food, but nothing was on the stove or in the oven. I slipped into the guest room and dropped my things.

“Ray?” I didn’t want to bother him, but I didn’t want to startle him either.

No answer.

His bedroom door was closed like usual, so I knocked. “Ray?”

Still nothing.

That was weird.

“Ray,” I called out again. “I’m home.” I heard the sliding door roll back, and looked over my shoulder. “Hey.”

Ray looked absolutely sinful in a tight t-shirt, a pair of gym shorts, and sneakers. His hair was damp, and his scruff had been shaped up. I salivated at the sight of him.

“Hey, Sunnyside.”

I laughed. “Why do you call me that?”

He cracked a smile. “Can’t let you forget about those eggs you murdered, can I?”

I rolled my eyes like I was annoyed, but I wasn’t. Not in the slightest. Because he was smiling today. “I was just letting you know I was here.” I picked at my fingernails. “Thanks for letting me come back early.”

He shrugged as he backed up his wheelchair so it wasn’t blocking the door. “Have you eaten yet?”

The gurgle in my stomach responded before I could. “I forgot.”

His brows knitted together, forming a deep valley above his aquiline nose. “Why?”

I shrugged. “Things were… a little crazy at home.”

I didn’t miss the way his jaw flexed as he ground his teeth together.

I lifted my hands. “I know our deal. I’ll leave you alone.”

Ray didn’t argue, huff, or grunt. He didn’t growl or groan.

There was a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

“Come with me.”

I looked down at my feet. “Are flip-flops okay?”

“Just fine. Come on.”

I followed Ray out to the deck and pulled the door closed behind me. Mickey the cow was hanging out under the shade of the house, sporting a pair of pink and purple pool noodles on his horns.

“Did your car do alright leaving and coming back?” he asked.

“Surprisingly, it did,” I said as I walked by his side down the ramp. “I am a little curious how the engine magically doesn’t rattle anymore. Or how the oil magically got changed? Or how the sticker on my dashboard disappeared?”

Ray didn’t even glance over at me. “Weird shit happens on the ranch. Could’ve been the cows.”

“Uh-huh.” I stopped at the bottom of the ramp. “And if I asked CJ how much work he did on my car, what would he say?”

Ray looked up at me. “He’d say he didn’t do any work on your car.”

“And what about Christian?”

“You think Christian has time for side projects?” He had a point, but I didn’t miss the ghost of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

“Fair. What if I asked Nate?”

Ray didn’t say anything.

Bingo.

I sighed. He must’ve done it the other day while we were at Ray’s appointment. I hadn’t said anything to Ray, but I had been a little worried about driving off the ranch by myself.

“Thank you. You didn’t have to call in the cavalry. I could have figured something out. I always do.”

Ray let a laugh slip. “Yeah. You figuring out car repairs is what I was afraid of. Close your eyes and follow me.”

I shut my eyes. “Am I going to step in cow poop?”

He chuckled. “Maybe. Walk behind me and hold onto my chair. I’ll make sure you don’t. Are your eyes closed?”

“If you don’t trust me, maybe you should blindfold me next time.”

I heard him let out a quiet huff of air as grass swished under my feet. “Don’t tempt me, Sunnyside.”

I held onto the handles of his wheelchair as we walked. The gentle decline in the earth told me we were heading around to the pond.

“Eyes still closed?”

I laughed. “I’m starting to think closing them in the first place was a bad idea. What are you getting me into?”

“Open.”

I squinted as the pond came into focus. But it wasn’t just the sparkling water reflecting sunset colors. A tire swing hung from a thick branch. A quilt was spread out off to the side with a picnic basket on top.

“Ray…”

It was like stepping into the most idyllic painting. Crickets and frogs chirped a gentle love song as mist floated above the water. I wanted to run and leap onto the tire swing and feel weightless innocence.

I wanted to be carried away to a world where no one but Ray and I existed.

“Did you do this?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I had help.”

I trailed my fingers over the bumpy tread of the tire, and the expertly tied knots wrapping around it and the rope. “So? I know this was you.”

He looked down at his feet, a little bashful.

Stars glimmered over us like diamonds. The sun, in blazing orange, still peeked over the horizon, coating the pond in waves of fire. Somehow, standing between the heavens and the embers, he had created a hallowed place.

We walked through the brief moments granted between midnights, holding fast to the glimmers of elation and joy to ground us when anguish crashed in downpour. We were suspended in the tension between birth and death, chasing purpose and fulfillment.

And in this moment—in this place—I felt mine begin to bloom.

“Don’t be humble,” I said as I looked up from the tire swing with tears pooling in my eyes.

He shrugged again. “Figured you might like it when you don’t wanna be in the house. You said you used to have a tire swing. It’s probably stupid.”

“Can I hug you?” I asked with a quivering lip. “I know you don’t like being touched. I just… Thank you.”

He hesitated, eyes shifting around. “Help me up.”

I hurried over as he tucked his hands beneath his knees and lifted his legs out of the foot rests. When he was confident in his footing, he reached out for me. I held my arms steady as he pushed out of his chair and grabbed on to me.

The second Ray was sure he could balance his weight, his arms were around me.

“Thank you,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his waist, my head resting against his chest.

Ray cradled my head beneath his chin. He was taller than me, but not by much. It felt like we fit together like long-lost puzzle pieces. Maybe I dreamt it, but I could have swore he kissed my head.

Or maybe I simply wished it to be true.

“You smell really good,” I murmured.

Ray laughed softly and motioned toward the picnic blanket. “I brought food down.”

“Do you want me to walk with you?” I asked, hoping he would allow me to help him.

But Ray just shook his head and lowered back into his chair. “There’s nothing to hold on to if I slip. I don’t want to hurt you.”

When he was settled, I slid my hand in his and squeezed. “Thank you. I mean it. That…” I looked at the swing again. “That was beyond thoughtful.”

I settled on the blanket as he wheeled over and eased down. Ray pushed himself back until he could sit up against the trunk of the tree.

I opened the basket sitting between us. “What do we have here?”

“Frozen PB&Js,” he replied with a chuckle. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”

“I’m trusting you, Griffith. What else is in here?” I pawed around and found a plastic container of cookies. Steam clouded the sides and they were still warm. “You bake?”

“Don’t get your hopes up. It’s cookie dough from a tube. I just know how to follow directions and use an oven.”

A few pieces of fruit and a bag of chips had been tossed in for good measure. At the bottom, there was a bag of Sweet Tarts, specifically the pink and blue ones.

The thoughtfulness and simplicity of it all made my heart ache. Nostalgia was a slow-acting drug that had me tumbling further and further down the rabbit hole.

We ate in a comfortable silence. I had to admit, the frozen peanut butter sandwiches in the Texas heat were perfect.

“I’m glad I came back,” I said as I leaned against the tree trunk and watched the sun set. “I felt bad about texting you to ask.”

Ray looked down at me. His dark eyes mirrored the obsidian pond. “I’m glad you came back too.” Our hands brushed, and he turned away with a deep exhale. “What’s home like for you?”

I wavered about how much to share. Besides, it didn’t really matter anymore. I stayed here most of the time. “I live about forty minutes away. I share a house with a bunch of roommates. It’s… always lively. It feels like a college dorm, I guess. There’s always someone around.”

Ray licked his lips. “Does, uh… Does your boyfriend live with you?”

I laughed. “I haven’t had a boyfriend in a dreadfully long time. My vibrator gets a seriously intense workout.”

Ray chuckled. “I’ll take a wild guess and say it’s probably been longer since I’ve been with someone than you have.”

Our laughter faded along with any lingering tension. This felt comfortable. Familiar. Easy.

“I don’t like living at the house,” I admitted under the sanctity of the night sky.

“Why’s that?”

I sighed. “It was the only place I could afford. My roommates are really inconsiderate. They’re always loud and throwing parties. I think they eat my food. One of them got arrested for possession a few days ago, and it was really tense when I came back Friday night. I always lock the door to my room, but it was unlocked when I got there. I just… I never feel safe. Not like I do when I’m here. I can actually sleep when I’m here.”

Ray wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I curled into his side. “Then don’t leave.”

I sighed and rubbed my temple. “I just need to figure something out. I can’t stay forever. What would I even do?”

His eyes lowered. “Give me peace.”

I sighed. “I know. I keep your family from bothering you.”

Ray tensed, but didn’t say anything. He just cradled the back of my head in his palm and gently massaged my scalp.

I melted into him. “Maybe moving out of the house isn’t the right move. I guess the grass is always greener somewhere else. My grandma always said that. She could find the good in everything.”

“You know what makes grass green?”

“Water?”

“Nope. Bull shit.”

I laughed. “Is that what all the cowboys say?”

His smile was sad, but his arm around me tightened. “I’m not a cowboy, Sunnyside.”

“I think you are.” I took a chance, sliding around and straddling his hips so we could be face to face.

Ray slipped his hands around my waist and settled me on his thighs. I tried to keep my composure, but his touch electrified me.

“You’re headstrong and stubborn to a fault. You work in silence because you don’t need eyes on you. You just do what you have to do.” I raked my fingers through his thick hair, and he melted. “You have this ardent work ethic that transcends your physical abilities. You’re honest even when it hurts. It’s honorable. You have grit and patience. There’s not a single difference between you and your brothers. I see it every time I look at you, cowboy.”

Ray’s eyes lowered to my mouth. “Then you don’t know my reputation.”

“I don’t need to know your reputation because I know you. People selling click-bait headlines see the falling star. I see the galaxy.”

Ray’s nose nudged mine. I tipped my chin up. Our lips brushed. Flickers of heat licked up my spine, and anticipation welled in my chest. His brows furrowed as he brushed his bottom lip across mine.

“Did you just admit to Googling me?” he whispered with a hint of amusement.

I grinned against his mouth and whispered, “I heard you did some underwear modeling. Color me curious.”

Ray’s devilish smirk melted me as he slid his fingers into my hair, keeping me close. “Did you like what you saw?”

All I could do was nod. The man in the black and white photos, who had miles of muscle and tattoos, hadn’t stolen my breath.

The one in front of me had.

Ray’s grin was bright and brilliantly fleeting as his mouth crashed against mine. I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck, pressing my chest to his as he pulled against my lips until I yielded. His tongue slid against mine in slow strokes.

I couldn’t get enough. No matter how deep or how long we kissed, it wasn’t enough.

I smoothed my hands up and down his chest as he palmed my ass with one hand. The other hand tangled and twisted in my hair, keeping my head right where he wanted it.

A whimper escaped as he sucked my bottom lip between his teeth. The sound made his cock thicken beneath his shorts. It pressed between my legs, teasing me with forbidden pleasure.

I rocked against his shaft, my clit throbbing as a deep groan echoed in his chest. “Brooke,” he grunted.

But I just… needed… a little…

Ray stiffened. His hand shot up and shackled my throat. “Brooke⁠—”

My name, uttered as an order from his lips, made me freeze.

“Stop, or you’re going to make me come in my fucking shorts,” he rasped, half in demand and half in desperation.

My breath hung on that desperation. I wanted him to want me as much as I craved him.

I swallowed as the heady rush of endorphins swam through my body, feeling the tendons along my neck constrict under his palm. Ray licked his lips and slowly released the pressure on my throat. His inescapable grip turned to a tender finger lifting my chin.

“Come here,” he said softly as he drew my lips to his again. “I need one more taste.”