Cowboy, Stay with Me

Chapter Fourteen: Second Chances

Lucy searched through her cupboards and found herself wishing that she'd done some shopping recently for a few more sophisticated ingredients.

"Hope mac n' cheese and baked beans sound alright to you." She muttered, pulling down the ingredients from the pantry.

Sean was lounging back at the kitchen table with a beer; perfectly relaxed in her home.

"Sounds like paradise." He said quietly, and he meant it, though he was hardly talking about the mac n' cheese.

She simply pretended not to hear him and got a pot of water boiling on the stove. If her grandma were here, she would whip up a whole chili dinner complete with cornbread, from scratch.

Lucy wasn't quite at that level yet, however. She hoped to be, one day, because providing that kind of life for her children was important to her, but for now it was chili out of a can when Grandma wasn't around.

They took their bowls into the living room when the food was ready and watched old John Wayne movies on the ancient television set.

She hated how incredibly easy it all was; just being with Sean. She didn't need the reminder of how good things had been between them, before he had walked away.

The evening wore on and they continued to watch the John Wayne marathon that was playing, long since done with their supper.

Lucy was curled up on the couch next to Sean without touching him, but he thought that she seemed to be relaxing somewhat in his presence.

She kept yawning and he studied her with muted concern. He had already noticed how tired and pale she looked.

"How'd you sleep last night?" He asked, though he thought he already knew the answer.

She shot him a quick glance. "Fine." A few seconds later, she yawned again, however, as if to belie the statement.

Sean checked the time on his phone. It was getting late.

Extending his arm out along the back of the couch, he settled in to pretend to watch the movie. He had a feeling if he could just be patient enough, that she would eventually come to him.

Like a charm, after a certain amount of time had passed, Lucy shifted around and curled up against his side.

The truth was that she hadn't slept well at all.

Safe in his arms, however, she was finally able to close her eyes and simply shut off for a little while.

###

Lucy jerked awake an hour or so later.

"Oh my gosh!" She said, incredibly embarrassed as she straightened up out of Sean's arms. "I'm so sorry, I musta fallen asleep."

"It's okay, you needed it." He murmured in a rueful tone of voice, watching her actively put distance between them.

She checked the time and groaned, then scrubbed at her face. "I suppose you can spend the night." She grumbled. "It's too late for me to send you on the road now."

He smiled to himself. "You sure that's okay with you? I can leave if that's what you really want."

"No!" She said quickly, a little too quickly. "I just mean," she tried to hastily amend her statement, then stopped and visibly gave up the fight, "Actually, to be honest, I don't think I'd feel safe any other way. Please stay?"

Sean got up and slowly walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her when she finally broke down from the trauma and exhaustion, beginning to cry. "Of course I'll stay, Lucy. Just for tonight."

###

"I'll just make myself comfy here on the couch." Sean said, poking at one of the cow pattern throw pillows experimentally.

Lucy was nervously fussing about; turning off lights and making sure that the dogs had water on the back porch.

She finally came back into the living room to face him, only to find him with his back to her. He threw the lock on the front door and when he turned to find her staring at him, he arced his eyebrows.

"What?" He said.

"It's just...you're the only person I know who locks the door out here in the country."

He huffed. "Better safe than sorry."

Her rueful smile slowly faded. "Sean?"

Her serious tone got him to look up from where he was rooting around in his duffel bag. "What's wrong, hon?" He said, straightening up.

"I know this is...pathetic and...unprofessional, but...would you mind terribly, sleeping in my room tonight?"

He raised his eyebrows again and she blushed.

"Just to sleep! No funny business, remember what Grandpa said."

Sean didn't laugh as he was supposed to. "Of course. Whatever you need to feel safe, that's what I'm here for."

###

Lucy set him up with a dubiously comfortable little bed on the floor then went to take the first shower. She was lucky enough to have a bathroom en suite. No bath tub, but paradise wasn't exactly available on express delivery.

She took her time in the shower and when she finally emerged from the steaming bathroom, she frowned to see him standing at her dresser. He was admiring all her riding trophies from her schoolgirl days. She'd won her fair share of blue ribbons for barrel racing and a few red ribbons for pole weaving.

The trophies were from her school horse shows; something her mother, Sunday, had encouraged her to do. It was because of that guiding light and her mother's passion that Lucy had learned to strive for the highest medal for herself, in whatever she did. Her mom had taught her how to be a winner and also the importance of accepting a loss graciously. That last part she had never exactly gotten good at, though.

Lucy eased up beside Sean, gazing past his shoulder at the framed photograph of her mother leading her favorite horse, Thunderbird, into competition. It was a picture that Lucy always kept by her bedside.

Sunday Davenport had passed away very suddenly from pneumonia when Lucy was still just a girl.

Sean turned to face her, oblivious of her thoughts. "You know, there's been something I've been avoiding talking to you about."

She immediately tensed up. "What is it?"

"Technically, I'm supposed to take you down to the precinct for you to give a statement, about what happened at the Miller ranch."

"Oh."

He saw that she looked troubled about it. "Hey, what is it? Talk to me."

She looked up into his eyes. "Do I have to do it?"

Sean didn't even have to think about his answer. "No. No, honey, of course not. If you really don't want to, we have a solid case against the bastard and I can pull some strings, get you off the hook."

She started to smile as her eyes filled with relieved tears. "Really? You'd do that? For me?"

He cupped her cheeks and stroked her tears away with his thumbs. "Of course, Lucy. I'd do anything for you."

~ ~ ~

Hey ya'll! Hope everyone is enjoying this story so far!

Cheers!

HRH