Cowboy's Conundrum (Culpepper Cowboys Book 3) Read online

  Kolby sighed. “He was a good man, and usually a fair man. That’s why this will has thrown us off so badly. I mean, we knew he wanted us to all marry and have kids, but forcing it is kind of ridiculous.”

  “Was he close to your cousin Travis?”

  It was all Kolby could do not to spit on the ground when his cousin’s name was spoken. He was so mad at the idiot, he wanted to scream. “Not at all. I mean, Travis would spend every summer on the ranch. He and Karlan are the same age. All four of us would be out on the ranch busting our butts, and Travis would refuse to even ride a horse. He spent all summer in the house playing video games, and he complained about how desolate it was here. He has no right to any of the money from the ranch. None of it.”

  “Is he married?”

  “Yes, and I think that’s why Granddaddy was so good to him in the will. He’s married and has a couple of kids, which Granddaddy wanted from all of us. Travis was the only one who listened.” He shook his head. “But why Travis would be willing to bankrupt us all just so he could get his hands on immediate money, I don’t know.”

  Joy squeezed his hand tightly. “I’m sorry he’s being so awful about it. We’re going to make it work though.”

  He looked at her with surprise. “You sound like you’ve made it your mission to help.”

  “Of course we have. My sisters and I really are going to make enough money to make a dent in what you owe. Hope, Faith, and I are going into town tomorrow to see about starting a daycare.”

  “A daycare?”

  “Sure. An in-home daycare will bring in a lot. Hope will be running it with your mom’s help. All of us will continue working on our crafts and we’ll sell them. Trust me. We’re going to make a difference.” She didn’t mention Faith’s baby doll business and how profitable it already was, because she didn’t want to betray Faith’s secret. She knew her sister would eventually tell everyone, but it was her place to do so, not Joy’s.

  He smiled, not sure how much their little crafts could possibly help, but he was willing to humor her. “Thanks for being so willing.”

  “If we all marry into your family, the ranch will be our children’s inheritance. Of course, we’re going to help.”

  “I never thought of it that way.”

  “We knew when we came here we were expected to have babies straight off. We all love kids and want them to have the best future possible.” She stopped walking. “Can we drink some of that water?”

  He stopped, shrugging the backpack off his shoulder. “Sorry. I should have offered you a bottle before we started walking.”

  “No, it’s fine. I’m just thirsty now.” She took the proffered bottle and opened it, swallowing deeply. They had just reached a wide point in the river, and she wanted to go a bit closer. “Can we go down the bank?”

  He nodded. “It’s steep. Can you manage?”

  “I’m sure I can.” He led the way, and she followed closely behind. When they reached the bottom, she sat down on the bank of the river. “Do you think it’s too cold to stick my feet in?”

  He laughed. “It’s April in Wyoming. I guarantee it’s too cold to stick your feet in.”

  She sighed. “It looks so beautiful, and the sun feels warm.”

  “That river is fed by streams coming in from the mountains. It’s going to be barely above freezing. Go ahead if you don’t believe me, but you’ll regret it.”

  She smiled at him. “I trust you.”

  He sat down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad you like it out here as much as I do. Rachelle hated it.”

  She looked at him. “Is Rachelle the girlfriend you brought here?” She wanted to ask if she was the one who had broken his heart, but she didn’t want to reveal how much his mother had told her.

  He nodded. “Yeah.”

  When he said nothing more, she let the subject drop. “Thank you for bringing me here. I’m glad you shared your special place.”

  He turned her face up to his. “You’re really special, Joy.”

  She blushed, not sure what to say to that. No man had ever complimented her before. “I think you’re special too.”

  He leaned down, kissing her, softly at first, and then more passionately. His hand moved to her waist, pulling her more firmly into him.

  Her hands moved behind his back, feeling the strength of his muscles through his T-shirt. This was a man who worked long hard physical hours. His strength was obvious through the fabric of his shirt. She wanted to touch his bare skin, but she didn’t know if she should. Well, she knew she shouldn’t, but she didn’t know if he felt like it was all right.

  As soon as the thought struck her, she moved her hands to the hem of his shirt, and slowly up under it, stroking his bare back.

  He let out a groan, letting her know that he didn’t mind her touch at all.

  Kolby felt Gizmo spring to life, and he mentally told him to calm down. She’s not ready for that yet, Giz. Her first kiss was yesterday.

  Gizmo tented against his jeans, making it perfectly clear he wasn’t about to listen to reason.

  He pushed her down in the grass, looming over her to kiss her more passionately, his chest pressing against her breasts. He was careful to keep his hands on safe ground, not wanting to frighten her.

  Joy was startled to topple backwards, but it felt so good to have him pressing down on her. She brought one jean-clad knee up to rub against his thigh, wishing they could be closer.

  “You’re killing me!” he growled, finally pulling away from her.

  Joy looked at him, shock on her face. “I didn’t mean to hurt you!”

  He sighed. “You didn’t hurt me. Gizmo just got a little too carried away for comfort.”

  “Gizmo?”

  “My—you know.” He had no problem saying the actual word for it, but had a feeling she would be a little shocked.

  “Why Gizmo?” she asked, surprised he had a name for it.

  Kolby shrugged. “I don’t know. Because Mom’s word was tallywhacker, and I hated it.”

  She giggled. “Tallywhacker is interesting, but I agree. Gizmo sounds so much more dignified.” She sat up and took a swig of her water. “I am sorry I got you so worked up.”

  “I started it.” He sat for a moment staring out at the river. “When are you going to marry me?”

  Joy felt her heart leap into her chest. “I don’t know. When do you want to get married?”

  “Gizmo is screaming for ten minutes ago. Think we can make that happen?”

  She shook her head. “How about in a week? Monday of next week.”

  He frowned. “Why do you want to get married on a Monday? Don’t most people get married on a weekend?”

  She shrugged. “They do. I think Mondays get too much hate. This way, a day that is normally dreaded will be a reason to rejoice. It will make people happy.”

  “Will it make you happy?”

  Joy nodded emphatically. “Of course it will.”

  “Then we’ll get married a week from tomorrow.” He hugged her close. “Gizmo and I will be counting down the hours.”

  Joy blushed at that. “Can Gizmo count?”

  “Not exactly, but I’ll help him out. We are buddies after all.”

  “Of course you are.” She slid close to him on the grass and kissed him again. “I thought we should do that one more time to seal our engagement.” Her mind was already on wedding preparations. She and Hope were the same size, so she could wear her dress.

  He could see she was thinking of something else, so he stayed quiet for a bit. “We should probably get back,” he finally said. “Mom and Dr. Lachele will think I brought you out here and ravaged you.”

  “I’ll tell them you didn’t.” She stood up, brushing the grass off her bottom. “It’s going to be a long week.”

  “That’s what Gizmo keeps telling me. Are you sure you don’t want to do it tomorrow?”

  She nodded. “I need a little bit. I was kissed for the first time yesterday. I
want to enjoy being engaged for a week.”

  He shrugged. “I guess we can live with that.”

  Joy smiled, standing on tiptoe to kiss him again. “I sure hope so.”

  4

  As the week flew by, Joy worked alongside her sisters, both in the daycare and making her crafts. She enjoyed getting to know Linda, and had some private time with Kolby every evening. Not nearly enough time with Kolby to suit her, but she understood they both had jobs to do.

  After attending Faith and Cooper’s wedding on Saturday, Kolby took Joy for a drive, still dressed in their wedding finery. He surprised her by stopping at a small lake and getting out of the car.

  “What are we doing here?” she asked. She looked down at her shoes, which were not meant for walking any kind of distance.

  “Having dinner.” He got out of the truck and came around, opening her door for her, holding her hand to help her down. “Those heels look like they’re tough to maneuver in.”

  Smiling, she happily let him assist her. She’d never been what she considered a “modern woman.” She liked old-fashioned values. “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure.” He hurried to the back of the truck and pulled out a quilt and a picnic blanket. “It’s a little chilly, but I promise to keep you warm.”

  Joy felt a trickle of pleasure settle in her stomach. This man—she already loved him. Yes, she’d only known him for a week, but he was kind and caring. She couldn’t wait to start their lives together.

  He spread the blanket out, and she dug into the picnic basket. He’d made sandwiches and stuck a bag of potato chips in the hamper. She grinned as she saw it. There were some bottles of water as well. “It’s perfect.” She removed the paper plates and added a sandwich to each.

  “What did you think of the wedding?”

  Joy giggled. “I love Brother Anthony. Have you talked to him about marrying us yet?”

  “He’s agreed to do it. Do you want to marry at the big house like Hope and Karlan? Or at the church like Faith and Cooper?”

  “I think I want to marry outside. Like in your mom’s backyard. Do you think she’d mind?”

  Kolby laughed. “Mind? When she’s going to be getting grandkids? No, I don’t think she’ll mind. You could tell her you wanted to have the ceremony in her bathroom, and she’d just go about seeing how she could make it work.”

  Joy blushed at the mention of grandkids. It felt so strange to think they’d be making love in just a couple of days. “How many kids do you want?” she asked. “We haven’t even discussed that.”

  He shrugged. “No idea. I don’t know that I’ve ever really thought about it.”

  “Well, you should think about it. What if I want fifteen children? You know…there’s always the chance I’ll have ‘litters’ like my mom did.” She looked down, disgusted by the word that had often been used to describe she and her sisters.

  “How would you feel about having more than one baby at a time?” He was a bit startled at the prospect, but it made sense. He’d prefer one at a time, but he’d take what he could get.

  “I don’t know. I know multiples are a lot of work. My mom had shifts of women from the church helping around the clock.” She shook her head. “I don’t think I’d mind twins, but four at once is a bit of a handful.”

  He thought over her words as they ate. “You’d have help if that happened. My mom would be thrilled. She’d have had a lot more kids if she hadn’t lost Dad so young.”

  “I can see that. She’s certainly welcomed my sisters and me with open arms. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so included as I have with your family.”

  “I’m glad.” He took a swig of water out of the bottle in his hands. “I’m glad we’re getting married.” His eyes studied her in the waning light of evening. Everything about her was beautiful. He’d have to be more careful around her. His heart needed to stay strong enough to keep her out of it.

  Joy nodded, blushing a little. “So am I.” She wanted to tell him she loved him, but she wasn’t sure if the time was right.

  When she’d finished eating, he stood, holding both hands down to help her to her feet. She’d been sitting with her legs curled discreetly to one side, because she was wearing a skirt. Taking his hands, she gracefully got to her feet, looking into his eyes. “Can you walk a little way in those shoes?”

  She nodded. “I think so.” Truthfully, her feet already ached a little, but she was willing to go wherever he wanted her to go.

  With his arm around her waist, he led her to a huge rock about a five-minute walk from their picnic spot. “No one will steal your stuff?” she asked, looking back over her shoulder.

  “Nah. We won’t be here long enough. I thought you’d like to watch the sunset over the lake.”

  She sat carefully on the rock, not wanting to snag her dress. She had at least one more wedding to wear it to. Chastity and Chris had to be getting married soon, although they hadn’t made any announcements yet.

  He sat beside her, pulling her against him. She shivered delicately, so he shrugged out of his jacket and put it around her shoulders. “I think the sunset will be worth the chill.”

  She leaned against him with a smile. “The chill’s a good excuse to snuggle. I’m never going to turn that down.”

  He kissed the top of the head resting against his shoulder. He was starting to have feelings for her, and he didn’t like that much. He’d talk to her about it. Soon. She had a right to know he’d never love her.

  As the sun slowly eased down over the mountains framing the lake, she let out a sigh of contentment. She was marrying a man she loved. No longer living under her parents’ roof. And it was the most beautiful place on God’s green earth. What more could she ask for?

  After the sunset, they walked back to the quilt they’d had their picnic on, and worked together to put everything back into the picnic basket. “You’re awfully quiet,” she said. He’d said almost nothing since they’d sat down to watch the sunset together. “Is everything all right?”

  He nodded. “I just watched a gorgeous sunset with my beautiful fiancée. What could be wrong?” What worried him about his words was that he meant them with his whole heart. Was he falling in love with her? If he was, she could never know.

  He helped her into the truck and ran around to the other side, climbing in. She was still wearing his black suit jacket, and to him, she was the most beautiful sight on earth. Her long curly red hair spilled down over her shoulders, and her petite body huddled into his jacket.

  Without thinking through what he was doing, he unbuckled her seatbelt. “C’mere, you.”

  She slid across the seat to meet him in the middle, the gearshift keeping her from getting too close.

  He slid the rest of the way, his arm going around her shoulders. He looked down into her eyes, caressing her cheek. “Have I mentioned how beautiful you are?”

  She smiled, her green eyes sparkling. “Not nearly often enough. Have I mentioned how incredibly sexy I find you?”

  “Sexy, huh?”

  “Oh, yeah.” She put her hand at the back of his neck and pulled his lips down to meet hers. They had taken walks and kissed every night that week, but every time she felt his lips against hers still sent a thrill through her body. Every time he touched her, she felt like her body was going to go up in flames. He was a special man, and she was so glad he was going to be hers forever.

  He kissed her with the passion he’d been trying to suppress all week. They had so little time in the evenings after dinner with the whole family to just be together. He gathered her closer, crushing her against him. “Do we have to wait?”

  Joy pulled away, frowning a little. “Honestly, I don’t want to, but I’ve already compromised my morals enough just by kissing you before marriage. I don’t think it would be right if we—did more.”

  He sighed, resting his forehead against hers. “Then Gizmo is going to insist we stop now. I want to kiss you forever. I want to take that blanket and spread it back out and
lay you down, making slow sweet love with you.”

  She shuddered, seeing in her mind what he was saying. She could picture him lying over her, kissing her. “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head. “There’s no need to be sorry. We signed a contract stating we wouldn’t do anything before marriage. Gizmo refused to sign, though. So he wanted to have his say.”

  “It was kind of you to speak for him.”

  Kolby shrugged. “That’s just the kind of guy I am. Faithful to a fault.”

  “Obviously.” She grinned up at him. “Only two more days, and I’ll be Mrs. Kolby Culpepper.”

  “And I’ll be filled with joy. Or Joy will be filled with Gizmo. Preferably both.”

  She gasped at his words, playfully swatting his shoulder. “You shouldn’t say things like that!”

  “You’re going to be my wife in less than forty-eight hours. I can say just about anything at this point.” He kissed her one last time before pushing her away. “Buckle up. We need to head home so I can return you to your chaperone.”

  “I wish we could stay here kissing all night,” Joy said as she reluctantly did as she was told.

  “Monday night we will kiss all night. I promise.” He winked at her before starting the truck. “I can’t wait until you’re mine.”

  She thought about telling him they could move up the wedding to Sunday afternoon, but really, she wanted the extra day. She loved him, but she needed a little more time before she was ready to make love with him. She didn’t know why, but it still felt like it was wrong.

  He parked the truck in front of the big house, helping her down. Linda was sitting in the living room reading a book. “How was your picnic?”

  “It was lovely. We watched the sun set over the mountains.” Joy walked over to sit beside Linda, eager to talk about it all.

  Kolby looked down at her, wondering at her quick abandonment of him for his mother. He walked around to sit beside her, deciding to be part of the conversation, at least for a few minutes. “She loves Wyoming almost as much as I do.”

  Linda smiled. “Of all my boys, you’ve always been the one who loves the mountains here the most.”