13. Stanton

13

STANTON

W hen I'd awakened that morning, it was to Beckett pouncing on the bed telling me repeatedly it was time to go. Even though it was still a few hours before the sanctuary opened. I'd had to talk him into coming back to bed for a while and then to have a bit of breakfast. In all my twenty-seven years, I couldn't remember being that ecstatic. Peaked far too early in my life, yet, I wasn't going to complain.

None of the indecision I usually held at the beginning of a relationship existed. There was nothing I wanted more than to keep making my boy as joyful as he was at that moment. His blue eyes shimmered in the mid-morning sun, and his lightly tanned cheeks were pink as he fed the baby goats. Beckett pouted a bit when he realized they weren't wearing pajamas, but that had completely faded when he was handed bottles.

"You two been together long?"

The soft voice of Melanie, the owner of the animal sanctuary, pulled me away from studying my baby as he played. My forearms were braced on the top of a wooden fence. I glanced at her briefly before bringing my attention back to Beckett .

"Several months now. He never takes time for himself… I kidnapped him for a long weekend."

"Surprising, I definitely thought longer."

"I'm surprised he gave me the time of day. He hadn't been single that long. Patience isn't always my greatest asset." I smiled as she chuckled.

"Time isn't always a factor. My husband confessed he knew he'd marry me before the end of the first date."

Which surprised me a bit. She'd introduced him when we'd arrived, and he appeared to be a man of few words. His clipped demeanor had worried me that maybe I'd made a mistake by bringing my boy there. Yet I'd caught a smile or two as Beckett had rushed from one enclosure to the next.

"Have you run this place long?"

"It was a working farm for sixty years, but you get to a certain age and realize you have to slow down. Retiring without really slowing down much. My father-in-law worked himself into the ground before his time. I didn't want that for my husband."

"Understandable. We'll do anything for our person."

She squeezed my shoulder, leaving me to give my baby my full interest. Over the months, I'd paid attention to everything about Beckett. The way he no longer appeared tense all the time. Those lines between his thick brows were smoothing out while his laugh lines were getting deeper.

Having him all to myself was addictive. We'd both checked our phones. I let Mama know we were okay, and he'd answered a few texts from his assistant. Nothing was falling apart in his absence. She'd just wanted to know about a few files that she'd looked for the day before. No one worked Saturdays unless it was in the event of an emergency. I'd gotten the usual texts from my assistant and employees with progress reports.

The baby goats finished with the bottles, and Beckett stood to make his way toward where Melanie waited to take the empties. His face flushed with glee, and I wanted to make sure he always looked like that. I stepped away from the fence as he started jogging toward me.

"Mini cows," was all he said when he grabbed my hand and dragged me behind him.

I'd have to keep a close eye on him, or he'd try to smuggle one home, but our backyard wasn't big enough for that. Stopping, he turned to stare at me, and I tugged him close. My free arm went around his waist. Tipping my head, he lowered his mouth to mine.

"Having fun, baby?"

"Yes, thank you so much, Daddy," he whispered.

"Let's go see the cows." I didn't have to repeat myself because he was already on the move, and I had to jog to keep up with him when we entered a barn.

We made our way down to the other end and back out into the sun to a small group of pens. My feelings would almost be hurt by how quickly he let go of my hand. But I knew he'd held his excitement in semi-check since he realized where we were going the previous day. If I could justify us staying longer, I'd extend our trip for a full week. Yet I knew we both had jobs and responsibilities. I'd plan another trip soon for just the two of us. His list was long.

We'd arrived back at the ranch with little time to spare. That had more to do with my baby trying to lure one of the mini cows into the back of my SUV without me noticing. I told him we'd discuss a more appropriate pet soon.

My baby was nervous, though. I could see that he'd tensed up. Gripping his hips, I peeked up at his handsome face as he kept glancing at the horses.

"Baby, if you don't want to learn to ride, we can find something else. "

"But you planned this trip so—" I kissed him to cut him off.

"Whether you get on the horse or not is up to you. We can find something else to do this afternoon."

"Mr. Sanderson," the gruff-voiced cowboy from the day before said as he stepped up beside us.

Beckett didn't bother looking at him. "Baby, I think he's talking to you." I winked as he snorted. "You can do this." He nodded, and I gave him another quick kiss. "I'm proud of you. Go have fun."

I patted his hip as the man led him away. Beckett should have everything he ever wanted, big or small. More mini-vacations, special trips like the Rage Room I'd taken him to. Then there were dinners with my friends and my mother. Work events for holidays and celebrations. He deserved all the experiences I could give him. Yet I also had to remember I needed to go a bit slower than I wished.

Tanner hadn't treated him right, and in turn, that meant Beckett wasn't going to instantly understand I'd do anything for him. It hurt that I paid for someone else's fuck ups, but I believed I hid it well. I needed to show him the way a real man treats his person. Earning his love and trust was my only goal for the future.

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as the cowboy and my boy appeared. He was leading a horse, and Beckett kept a safe distance. My baby was so uneasy but trying hard to hide it. When he got on the horse and relaxed, I knew my baby would do great.

My nose snarled as the bastard put his hands on my baby to show him how to get on the horse. A newly found possessiveness wasn't a good look, and I wouldn't be one of those men. I didn't doubt Beckett in any way. He'd agreed to be mine. Just like I'd done at the sanctuary, I braced my forearms on the top of the corral's fence and rested my chin on top of them.

A groan rumbled in my chest as Beckett's jeans pulled taut across his ass and thighs. I knew every inch of my baby boy, had memorized them with my hands and lips. Anyone who asked, I'd admit how obsessed I was with him. I lived for his smiles, his husky laughter, and especially the way he wrapped himself around me in his sleep.

Beckett and his instructor spoke too low for me to hear, but my boy kept glancing in my direction as if to make sure I hadn't left him alone. Once it appeared he was comfortable in the saddle, he was led around the perimeter. His body was a bit too stiff. Yet, with every pass, he became more comfortable.

As I noticed, his grip on the reins eased, his smile brightened, and he lifted his face to the sun. His cheeks were getting some color. I mentally noted to reapply his sunscreen when he finished with his lesson. We hadn't decided on what to do for dinner, if we'd just eat in the cabin or venture into town. Depending on how he felt after his lesson, it may just be a bath and relaxation night. We weren't due to check out until Monday, so we had plenty of time to explore the next day.

I shifted my feet in the loose dirt and just watched him. That was one thing I'd never get tired of—taking in every inch of my baby's tall, husky frame and his obvious happiness. He'd come out of his shell so much since I'd come upon him hiding in the dark of my mother's patio. I was humbled to be there to witness it; to be a part of that transformation. When he completely bloomed, he'd be even more beautiful than I already found him.