once upon a cowboy

first day back

"it wasn't as bad as you think." that didn't stop her thoughts or her fingers from tracing another one out over his core leading her to Trail down the outline of his toned abs as she used to do. "it was just a drunk outsider that refused to leave Victor's when asked." at the time he didn't think anything of it because she lit his skin on fire with every touch. "come on little Viking time for you to get some sleep." smiling at the name he once used she still stared at the scar and tried to push the thoughts of more away.

"how long ago was that?" tilting her head to the side and up like a curious child asking to many questions.

with a deep breath he placed his free hand on the side of her neck gently using his thumb to straighten her head up. keeping pressure on her hand over the scar he took a step closer trying hard to avoid the question but he knew too well she would never drop it. “I started drinking really bad after you left there wasn't a night I wasn't at Victor's and one night about a month after you left. And, we both know how my temper can get when I’m drinking. well, the next thing that happened was a blur and I had Brittney and Victor standing over me." Stopping the bleeding. they said that the guy sliced me with a broken beer bottle before I was able to toss him through a table tell the cops showed up. needless to say daddy as you put it was not a happy camper." a chuckle rumbled his chest. "you’re not scared are you little lady?" taking a step closer with a wicked smile he always wore.

"Know this when I’m scared of you cowboy you'll know right than and there." relaxing her head in his hand she leaned forward to place a kiss on the scar in question. "now be careful sug, you look more and more like a wolf in sheep clothing, when you smile like that." pressing her forehead against his chest the long day started to affect her and she was ready for bed, but her biggest question was if she was ready to sleep next to him or not. still holding her close he could see her emotions running all over the place behind her piercing green eyes, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"you should go and get some sleep sug." with a nod Serena backed away and headed to her room down the hall, leaving him and the two wolves in the living room. He watched her walk away running his fingers through his hair with a sigh of relief, he wished for this day to happened and he always played it out in his head how it would go but he never once thought that it would actually happen let alone end with her forgiving him. lost in his thoughts he took his seat on the couch allowing Skal to walk up to him. his hand ran across the large creature's head. "yall have a great mother. I hope you know that." as if he understood the beast looked up at him and almost smiled. not noticing that he was being watched from the hallway he continued to play with the animal's fur as if to distract himself.

a light cough from behind caught his attention and as he turned around to see where the sound was coming from but, what he saw was not what he expected. Serena had went to her room to change into something more comfortable and it just so happened to be one of the few shirt's that Gabriel had been missing all this time. it was one of her favorites that he would wear a lot when they were together and now it hung loosely over her shoulder buttoned up enough to allow it to hang off one shoulder and yet still cover everything from the naked eye. biting her lip Serena blushed at the reaction that showed across the big man’s face. "so that's what happened to that shirt." god he knew she was beautiful but this, this was a whole another level of beauty and he never wanted it to get away from him again.

"the couch is uncomfortable so you can come sleep in the bed with me..."pausing to think of the words she wanted to say. "plus, they won’t sleep in the bedroom if you’re out here because I doubt, you'll actually go to sleep tonight." looking down at her feet as she stood awkwardly in front of him.

"if that's what you want." not giving a verbal answer she nodded her head. "okay" a simple and quick answer he got up and walked towards her with the wolves close behind. "Lets get you to bed." with one quick motion he had her in his arms bridal style walking towards the room with her head sleepily nuzzled into the crook of his neck. her warm breath crawled across his chest from her yawns. Gabriel had to stop and stare down the dogs for by the time he made it close to the bed both of them jumped into the bed and sat patiently waiting for them. "well, I guess they sleep in the bed with you?" with a nod for an answer he only smiled and nodded as well. laying her down on the bed then moving to the other side to remove his boots. just as he went to bring his feet up on the bed the one named Hati decided it was his turn to get affection from the new stranger.

"Hati! what has gotten into you." as Gabriel laughed Serena tried to get the treacherous wolf out of the way by pushing him off the bed. "you both are traitors!" furious with how the two was behaving she didn’t pay attention to the laughing cowboy as he watched the whole scene play out. finally, able to crawl into the bed next to her Gabriel smiled and watched her huff and puff almost like a child throwing a tantrum. "so rude of you two." seeing the smile on Gabriel's face she turned red for embarrassment. "their a big people person I use them as a way to teach kids and other's about the life style and history of wolves, but this is just to much even for them." pouting Serena got comfortable under the blanket waiting for him to do the same so she could let the boys back on the bed. Gabriel not wanting to push his luck laid on his back with one arm behind his head and the other laid across his core staring at the ceiling. it wasn't long before the bed started to move from the dogs getting comfortable, or so he thought he quickly realized that was not the case when freezing cold feet purposely find the crook in his side.

"damn woman!" he looked over to see a ball of a grumpy human. "are you really that cold?"

"I’m from south Texas the coldest it gets there is 40 degrees not no, 50 below zero." grumping him. not knowing what was really going through her mind. her body wanted much, much more. the kiss earlier put her body on edge craving more but her mind told her no and she still needed time to trust him again.

"woman your a mess what do you want from me?" rolling over to his side to face her.

"honestly?" questioning more herself than him she laid there in silence trying to figure it out, however her heart and her brain couldn't come together on a decision. Tearing herself apart the emotions started to over flow and yet again tears rimmed the edge of her eyes not knowing what to do or say anymore.

"hey, hey no don't cry." not skipping a beat his arms were around her and pulling her close to his body. "I tell you what I’ll hold you tell you fall asleep and once you do if you stay close to me it'll be a natural thing and not something forced but if you toss and turn in your sleep." pausing for dramatics he glanced at her with a half c****d smile. "which you normally do before your even going to sleep most of the time, I’ll let you move away. I promise I wont try nothing tell your ready and you initiate it." kissing her forehead again to calm her nerves. "so try and get some sleep please...for me." with a nod for a yes she takes a deep breath inhaling his scent. holding her close and keeping her safe he thought that nothing had changed even after three years for his feelings for her, and even with all that time apart his body never once forgot her touch the sweetness of her lips and the warmth from her. "what would become of me if you ever left again?" barely under his breath he whispered out watching as she drifted off to sleep.

it wasn't long after her Gabriel fell asleep only to be woken up by his phone going off. rummaging through his pockets he pulled it out only to see his father's name across the screen. mumbling as she rolled over Serena asked who was calling "it's just my dad I guess Brandon got home and he was wondering why I’m not with him." before he could answer the phone she had took it from him and answered it for him.

"hey Richard it's Serena your son's with me. technically he kidnapped me from the bar." half asleep she could hear the chuckle of the old man on the other side of the phone. "I’ll return him to you when I get there later today if that's okay but for now I need more sleep."

"yeah that's fine with me Brandon had just come through the door and with all the snow I just was a little worried. I’ll see yall when you get here and hope to hear a explanation from the both of you." the old man said hanging up the phone. with her eyes heavy and closed she handed him back the phone and nuzzled back into his side.

"go back to sleep there's still 3 hours tell daylight." was her last words before sleep took over and she was dead to the world once more. blinking and trying to process what just happened Gabriel decided it was best just to leave it alone and go back to sleep. laying his phone on the bedside table he rolled over and pulled Serena tightly back into his arms and let sleep fade over him. the rest of the night was peaceful until the two boy's thought it was about time to move around and go outside. Waking up to basically children crying Serena rolled over and hung her legs off the side of the bed glaring at the two mountain’s of fur standing at the bedroom door. "alright, alright I’m coming." huffing at the brothers. pulling her sleeve back over her shoulder she went to the kitchen first to turn the coffee pot on and than on to the door to let out the dogs. once she got the door cracked the two bolted through the entrance and heading straight for the snow. I Wonder when that started." she said to herself as she looked around the front yard leaning against the door frame. moments later a blanket was draped around her shoulders and arms wrapped around her side.

"you should come back in where it's warm before you catch a cold." a rugged tone came from behind and she only called the boys back inside as her answer. pulling the door closed and laying the blanket on the lazy boy recliner she went to check the coffee.

"want a cup before we start moving around and getting ready?" opening a cabinet to pull out her cup and than his as he nodded. filling up both cups she turned to see him putting his shirt and boots back on, yet he left his hat still laying on the back on the couch tell they was ready to leave. placing his cup on the opposite side of the bar counter top she waited from him to join her in the kitchen drinking her share of the coffee. holding tightly to her mug using it to bring life back to her freezing finger's she watched the tall man be over ran by excited wolves trying to trip him. Hati almost succeed as he past the entrance to the kitchen, she used her mug to hide the large smile on her face as he just barely made it alive to the counter. "that would have been bad and a whole new way of being taken out by a wolf." laughter filled the air as the giant grey wolf looked as if he was smiling at his attempt to almost kill Gabriel.

"yeah, how would you explain that one? oh yeah a wolf killed him but not by eating him alive no, no the wolf tripped his 6'4 tall ass and he busted his head open. yeah that would impress no one but you and victor." picking up the cup to take a sip. "and not to mention if I would survive that yall would never let me live it down." sending her a knowing glance and laughing at thought himself.

"No, no we would not." laughing on the inside Serena walked around the bar setting her cup down to be able to feed the boy's their breakfast and than on to her room to change as they ate. "I’m going to feed those two and while their eating I'm going to go get dressed do you mind going to the coat closet and pulling out their hunting vest?" sensing the confusion about wolves wearing hunting vest she sighed and waited to see if he would come up with the answer his self, she had waited tell she was placing the food bowls down and he still never came up with the answer to the vest. "it's to tell them apart from wild wolves so while we're in town or even on a ranch a i***t doesn't try to shoot them and it gives me enough evidence that is someone is stupid enough to try I can stop them myself without to much hassle." she could see the light bulb go off behind his eyes and he agreed to get them while she was changing. "thanks give me five minutes." with that she hurried to the room and he went to the closets. luckily it wasn’t that hard to find them and he wasn't disappointed in the colors either. he pulled them both out to find they each had a name on them along with Serena's contact information thinking to himself about how maybe she'll add his to them. turning around to go and put them on he realized just how hard it was to tell them apart and he wondered how she did it with so much ease. as if knowing what was going on both the wolves walked up and sat patiently at his feet, looking the two over trying to tell the two apart. "Skal has a white tipped tail while Hati the one that tried to trip you has a grey tipped tail." her words broke his train of thought and when he looked over to see her standing in the hallway he was lost for words at the sight of her. allowing his eyes to trail over her and burn the memory into his mind from the worn out leather boots covered by a perfect fit pair of jeans hugging tightly around her slim hip to the long sleeved black shirt she wore. "you looked like you was trying to figure out which is which." she said messing with the buttons on the cuffs of the sleeves.

"so Skal?" looking for the right vest and than for the right wolf finding both he went to put the vest on him only to find out the wolf knew the whole process making it easier on Gabriel himself. "and that means your the one that like's me the most I take it?" patting his head and getting his vest on him with ease as well. "that was easy."

"yeah, they wear them whenever they go any where with me so their comfortable with them and know what they mean." walking to the couch as Gabriel stood back up and looked at the two wolves and smiled.

"how long have you had them?" looking over to her in time to see her take his hat and put it on. "what are you doing little lady?" sending her a questioning glance and shaking his head. "not happening hand it back over." holding his hand out thinking she would actually listen to him, he was sorely wrong.

I was able to get them about six months after being back home when I left here. I’m wearing it for now, and you should know better when do I listen to anyone when I want something." raising her eyebrows at him as if tempting him to say something about it. " you probably should go crank the truck now and let it warm up." grabbing her cup and taking a sip.

rubbing his hand across his face up through his hair to slick it back. “if that’s how its going to be than.” turning to grab his jacket seeing her hat hanging on the wall. “the fact we can wear the same size hats is still strange.” making his way out and towards the truck Serena was lost in thought as she prepared her bag for the day. with one final check she headed for the door opening it up and allowing the boys to make a break for the truck. Gabriel was able to get the truck started and the door open before they bomb rushed his feet threating to trip him again. “slow down slow down. here you go load up.” moving out of the way one after the other they take their seat in the back waiting for everyone. watching the scene it brought a smile to her lips, however it got her thinking about what the day was going to, and that it would be long.