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MAGNOLIA RANCH COWBOY - VALENTINES - Bonus Digital Content

Chapter One - Sawyer

​“Well good morning. Thanks for joining us,” Nash smarted as I walked into the barn only to find him and Jake sitting on bales of straw talking shit.
​“No worries. It’s not as if I missed any work obviously. Not with you two sitting on your asses anyway.”
​“Hey!” Jake piped up. “I’ve already mucked the stalls.
​“And I helped Kellie and Ruth get the horses ready,” Nash added, not wanting to be left out.
​“As if they need your help,” I replied.
​Kellie and Ruth knew more about horses than the three of us combined. They were the brains behind the whole operation around here. The heart too.
​“So if Ruth is out riding where the hell have you been? Catching up on your beauty sleep?” Nash asked.
​I flipped him the bird. Asshole was going to regret giving me shit when he realized what he’d forgotten.
​“If you must know, I was finishing off organizing something for Ruth,” I told them, kicking over a bucket and sitting down on it like it was a stool.
​“Present? Ruth’s just had her birthday,” Jake reminded me.
​Trust me, I didn’t need reminding. By some miracle of God, Ruth’s birthday had come, we’d partied as hard as exhausted mid thirty-year-old cowboys partied then everyone had gone their separate ways, leaving Ruth and I to enjoy our private party. Talk about a good time. Somehow, even though it was her birthday, I was the one who ended up getting the present.
​“I know,” I shrugged. If they were going to be pains in my ass, then they could work for it. I didn’t have to spill all my secrets. Besides, if they came up short, I’d only look better, not that I needed the help.
​Nash and Jake swapped confused looks. Nash almost looked constipated; he was thinking so hard.
​I got up off the bucket and set it back in the stack before grabbing a halter. It was my turn to get Gladiator into the pens ready for Amber’s vet check tomorrow. I tossed the lead rope over my shoulder and climbed on the back of the ATV. If everything went to plan, I’d be back and the huge hunk of hamburger would be settled in his pen before lunch.
​“Where are you going?” Jake called out, jogging towards me.
​“Where do you think? Unless you want to deal with him?” I offered, more than happy to make Gladiator someone else’s problem. There hadn’t been an encounter with Gladiator the whole time he’d been here where I hadn’t come away with a bruise. Or worse.
​“You need to tell me, what is tomorrow? I’d say your anniversary, but you still haven’t put a ring on that girl's finger,” Jake accused not knowing how deep his words cut.
​He had no idea. Ruth’s engagement ring had been hidden in the back of my closet for more than three years. It was her grandmother’s ring, and her father had handed it to me, with his blessing way back then. I’d meant to ask her. I really did. It was just any time I had everything planned, something went to shit, and I never got around to it.
​“Fuck you,” I snarled, starting the ATV and giving it a rev.
​“Sawyer!” Jake called as I took off, sending gravel flying before flipping the bird over my shoulder. “Why are you organizing something for Ruth?”
​“Check your calendar,” I yelled back, gunning the engine heading into the paddocks.
***
​“Go okay?” Jake asked as I parked the ATV and jumped off, leading Gladiator into the barn.
​“Yeah. He’s getting soft in his old age,” I offered knowing I was full of shit. Gladiator was just as mean today as he always had been. I’d just managed to catch the huge hunk of hamburger on a good day.
​While I’d been out I’d had time to think and realized I needed help. Now I was going to have to ask these to bone heads to help me pull this off. Not to mention I was going to have to recruit their better halves if I was going to pull off the ultimate grand gesture for Ruth this Valentine’s Day.
Ten minutes later, Gladiator was settled, and we were all standing in the barn planning our next move.
​“Um, yeah, so I’ve got a favor to ask you guys…” I started sounding like a prepubescent teen asking a girl out for the first time. I’d stuttered and stumbled over my words which I knew would come back to bite me in the ass. It always did with these two.
​I looked at Nash and Jake.
​They stared back at me.
​“Okay,” Jake answered.
​“Tomorrow’s Valentine's Day,” I started.
​“We know,” they groaned in unison and I couldn’t help but to chuckle.
​“I need your help in pulling off a surprise for Ruth,” I admitted.
​“Surprise for Ruth? What about Taylor and Kellie? We have to do something for them too,” Nash worried.
​I wasn’t surprised he was freaking out. He’d forgotten tomorrow was Valentine's Day so I bet he hadn’t even booked a table for dinner.
​“This is big,” I offered.
​“We’ll help with whatever you need,” Jake confirmed. “Won’t we Nash?”
​“Of course. But you gonna fill us in on the details?
​“Yeah. I’m gonna marry Ruth tomorrow,” I declared cockily.
​It was a risk. A huge one. I hadn’t even asked her and I was already planning the ceremony. My plan may backfire and burn my ass, but I wanted to do this.
​“You’re not even engaged!” Nash blurted out, shock written all over his face. Not that I could blame him. He wasn’t exactly wrong.
​“I know. Look, her father’s flying in tomorrow morning and I’ve got it all figured out, I just need your help and Kellie and Taylor’s to make it happen,” I admitted, nerves gnawing at me from the inside.
​“We got you,” Nash promised, coming to stand beside me before draping his arm around my shoulders. We mightn’t be family by blood, but we were something better. We were a family by choice. And while we gave each other shit most of the time, at the end of the day, I knew who had my back.
​“Now, what’s the plan?” Jake asked, getting straight down to business.
​I laid it out for them.
​“And you think this is what Ruth wants?” Nash asked curiously.
​“I hope so. I mean, you know her. Ruth’s not a frilly white dress center of attention type of girl.”
​“True,” Jake confirmed.
​We went over the details and broke up assignments. Jake would take care of Kellie and Nash would loop Taylor in on the plan. I just had one task. Not piss Ruth off for the next twenty-four hours and hope she said yes.
​
Chapter Two - Sawyer

​Everything was in motion.
​This was going to come off.
​I was sitting out on the porch sipping my coffee and watching the sunrise. It was still cold and I could see my breath in fluffy white clouds. I’d left Ruth still asleep, buried under the blankets and snuck out, needing a moment to myself. Today was the day. It had been a long time coming but if everything went like it was supposed to, then all of my dreams were about to come true.
​My phone chirped and I checked the message, grinning as I read it.
​I had three hours before her father arrived.
​I finished my coffee and went to start the machine for Ruth’s. She was slow to start these days, still not used to the cold but once she got moving she was a force to be reckoned with. Once her coffee was finished brewing, I grabbed her mug and the bunch of flowers and carried them into the bedroom.
​“Morning beautiful,” I greeted as I peeled back the covers, exposing her naked shoulder.
​“Mmmm,” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?”
​“Just after seven.”
​“Seven? Shit Sawyer. I’ve gotta go. Amber is coming to check on Freckles this morning,” Ruth sat up, flinging back the covers.
​“Breathe baby. Here, drink your coffee. Amber’s not coming until after nine and don’t forget she’s gotta check on Gladiator too. You’ve got plenty of time,” I assured her.
​“Especially if he's in a mood,” Ruth added. She wasn’t wrong. If Gladiator decided to be a pain in the ass today, she had plenty of time.
​After she took a sip of coffee, moaning as the liquid hit her tongue, I willed my cock down. He’d spent half the night buried inside this beautiful woman but it seemed at the sight of her perfect, perky tits he was ready to go again.
​“Happy Valentine’s Day,” I wished her, handing her the flowers.
​“Oh shit!”
​“What’s wrong?” I looked around confused. It wasn’t exactly the reaction I was hoping for.
​“I… um, er, yeah. I kinda forgot,” Ruth confessed and I chuckled. I wasn’t surprised at all. She had reminders set in her phone for my birthday and one a week out from Christmas. It wasn't that she was forgetful, she just didn’t look at a calendar. Out here, living the slow paced, ranch life our days weren’t counted on calendars and you only looked as far forward as tomorrow. Anything further and you were asking for trouble. Things changed so quickly, planning was a waste of time, when you spent each and every day adapting to what was needed.
​“I love you,” I declared.
​“You’re not mad?” Ruth asked, standing up and setting the flowers on the bed.
​When she wound her arms around my neck, her naked tits pressed against my chest I almost caved. Instead I hugged her tightly, trying to keep her warm. At least that’s the excuse I was telling myself.
​“Not at all. Princess, I know you. You’re not a hearts and flowers kinda girl. You’d rather me bring you home a horse that needed a lot of TLC than write you a poem.”
​“Not a princess,” Ruth grumbled.
​“You’re my princess,” I confirmed as I squeezed her ass before leaning down and kissing her. When I pulled back her eyes were dark and her nipples hard, making my mouth water. “Why don’t you jump in the shower and I’ll start breakfast?” I offered.
​“Or…”
​“Or?”
​“Or you could jump in the shower with me?” Ruth suggested, biting her lip.
​I almost caved. Almost. And had it been any other day, I’d be already stripping off and dragging her into the bathroom, but today I had bigger plans.
​“Woman! You’re killing me!” I complained, adjusting my hardening cock.
​“But what a way to go!” she countered and I want to turn her sexy ass pink.
​“Shower now. I’m going to find some food,” I told her, needing to put some distance between us before I changed my mind.
“Fine,” Ruth pouted, stomping her foot. “But I want bacon.”
While Ruth was in the shower I whipped up breakfast. We had a big day ahead of us and I needed to make sure she was fueled up. I was just serving plates of pancakes, eggs and bacon when she reappeared looking like a cowboy's wet dream. Tight jeans that hugged her curves and made my hand itch to smack her peach shaped ass. A long sleeve plaid shirt and her hair plaited down her shoulders.
Over breakfast we chatted about our day and what we had ahead of us.
I gulped. Now was my moment and the fear was almost paralyzing me. “So this afternoon, I need you to give me a hand,” I started, pushing my plate away.
“Sure. What do you need?”
“I need to take Jack out for a ride and I want you to come with me. Freckles could use a good run,” I suggested knowing Ruth would never turn down a chance to get out on one of her favorite rescues.
“O-okay,” she conceded, knowing I was up to something more but letting it slide anyway.
“Can you meet me about four in the barn?” I asked as my phone beeped on the counter.
“Yeah, it should be fine.”
Even though Ruth and I worked side by side on the same ranch, it didn’t mean we saw each other. Normally we’d walk to the barn together each morning, I’d kiss her goodbye and get to work. Then if we were lucky our paths would cross, but generally it wasn’t until we were headed home again that I saw her.
Her phone rang from the bedroom.
“You should get that,” I told her as I started clearing the dishes, already knowing who was calling.
“It can wait.”
“I got it. Grab your phone. It might be your dad.” It wasn’t. He was already on a flight from Los Angeles, but Ruth didn’t need to know that. Not yet anyway.
Ten minutes later, with the kitchen clean, I was just pulling on my boots and getting ready to head out when Ruth reappeared, phone in hand.
“Who was that?” I asked, trying to keep my cool.
“Kellie. She asked if I could meet her at her place for lunch. Something about looking at plans for new horses she’s thinking of taking on.”
Fuck I loved Kellie. She knew the perfect way to distract Ruth without making it look obvious.
“Guess you’re heading to Kellie’s then.”
“Yeah. I’ll try not to be late. You know how Kellie is,” Ruth apologized.
“Yeah I do. It’s all good. Just let me know. Look, I gotta run. I need to go get Gladiator ready for Amber.”
Ruth chuckled as she came over to me. “Good luck,” she wished as she kissed me. “And Happy Valentine's Day Sawyer. I promise, I’ll make it up to you tonight,” she said with a wink before reaching down and running her hand across the zipper in my jeans making my dick twitch.
“Oh you’re a tease Ruth Jameson”
“You’re only a tease if you don’t follow through. And Sawyer?”
“Yeah?”
“I plan on following through.”
I groaned and kicked open the door, stepping out into the frigid air, needing it to cool my boiling blood. That woman was going to be the death of me, but what a way to go. 

Chapter Three - Ruth

​“I really gotta go Kel. I promised Sawyer I’d give him a hand.”
​“I’m sure you did,” Kellie smirked.
​For the last three hours Kellie and I had been back and forth about her plans to expand the rehabilitation arm of Magnolia Ranch. So far, in the time I’d been working here, we’d already taken in twenty-seven horses, two donkeys, four goats and a dog. We’d become a rescue farm and while everyone was on board with it, expanding seemed like a lot of work. More than we could handle right now.
​“You’re funny. He needs to take Jack and Freckles out and asked me to go with him,” I explained as I started to button my coat.
​“Actually I need to get my ass in gear too. I have to go pick up the kids then meet Jake.”
​“You guys doing anything for Valentine’s Day?” I dared to ask, still feeling shitty that I’d forgotten.
​“Valentine’s Day? We’ve got two kids. We don’t care about shit like Valentine’s Day. If Jake brings home dinner so I don’t have to cook, I’ll be very happy. I don’t need flowers and diamonds,” Kellie declared and I knew she was telling the truth. I felt the same. A quiet night in sounded like heaven after a long, cold day of work.
​“I get that.”
​“What’s Sawyer got planned? He’s mister romance,” Kellie asked and I felt my cheeks burn.
​“Nothing I don’t think.”
​“Doesn’t sound like him.”
​“He hasn’t said anything.” I felt flat. Kellie was right. Sawyer was mister romance. He was always doing things to show me how much he loved me, I wondered why today was different.
​“Well, maybe this will give you a hint,” Kellie teased, handing me an envelope.
​“What’s this?” I asked, staring at the silver envelope in my hand taunting me.
​“Open it and find out.”
​“Oh.”
​“Smile Ruth. It won’t bite,” Kellie promised as I slipped my finger inside ripping it open.
​When I took the piece of paper out, I unfolded it and dropped onto the sofa behind me.

​Princess,
​
​You’re the love of my life. The peanut butter to my jelly. The mac to my cheese. The Elizabeth to my Mister Darcy.
​From the moment you arrived at Magnolia Ranch I knew you were it for me. My California Princess. And when you chose me, when you chose to stay here I promised myself I’d never let you go or make you regret staying.
​The last few years have been an adventure but I want more. I want forever.
​So I need you to trust me and do as you’re told.

​I wiped the tears forming in my eyes. My cowboy could be so sweet sometimes.

​Say thank you to Kellie for distracting you, go home and get changed. Your outfit is lying on our bed. And don't worry, I didn’t choose it. You can blame Taylor for that.
​Then, when you’re ready, meet me in the barn.
​I can’t wait to see you.
​Love always
​Sawyer