Valentine's Day With Valentino, page 1
Valentine’s Day With Valentino
A Valentine’s Day Romance
T.O. Smith
Contents
Callie
Valentino
Callie
Valentino
Callie
Valentino
Callie
Valentino
Callie
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For Riley, my reason for everything that I do.
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And for every reader who loved Christmas With Her Marine, here is another feel-good holiday book for you.
©February 2021 by T.O. Smith. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design: Tiff Writes Romance
Editing: Tiff Writes Romance
Proofreading: Taylor Jade
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Callie
I couldn’t help myself.
I stared at Valentino as he tossed a small, square bale of hay onto the ground in the goat pen. He was wearing a pair of worn jeans that shaped perfectly to his muscular ass with a dirty, white t-shirt and a long-sleeved red flannel shirt open over it that gave me a perfect glimpse at his tight abs and chest since his white shirt was plastered to his skin with sweat.
“Staring again, sweetheart?” He called over his shoulder.
My blush burned at my cheeks. I hated getting caught out, but too often, I found myself lost in him.
Valentino was the hottest man I had ever laid my eyes on, and I’d had the pleasure of growing up with him. He was a charming cowboy, and he had inherited this huge ranch from his grandparents when they passed away a few years ago. And under his thumb, it was prospering even more. He was smart – knew how to budget, how to handle the ranch. And he had an instinct for the weather. He somehow normally knew what kind of weather we would be having before even the weatherman knew.
“No.” I protested, but Valentino knew me so well that I knew he could tell that I was lying.
He flashed me that sexy smirk that I loved so much over his shoulder and winked at me. My heart skipped a beat. “Liar.” He teased.
I rolled my eyes and moved towards him. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pressed a kiss to my temple. Be still, my heart.
“Anything planned for tomorrow night?” He asked me.
I frowned, looking up at him in confusion. “Tomorrow is a Sunday night. Why would I have anything planned?” I asked him. “I have work Monday morning.” I reminded him, considering it was his books and his office that I kept organized and up-to-date.
He shrugged. “It’s Valentine’s day. No one has asked you to dinner?”
My cheeks burned red again. They had – every time I had gone into town – but I always turned them down. I couldn’t see anyone but Valentino. It just felt wrong to try anything with anyone else.
“I mean, they did.” I said, not able to look up at him. “But I didn’t feel like going out.” I lied.
The only man I had eyes for was Valentino, even if he was completely out of my league.
He laughed. “Then we can do something here.” He told me. I looked up at him in shock. “One of your favorite romance movies playing on the side of the barn, a big blanket stretched out on the grass, your favorite Chinese take-out with some beers – yeah, sounds like a date.”
I shook my head at him, though I couldn’t deny the fact that my heart was racing at the idea of spending Valentine’s day with this gorgeous man. He had just described my perfect date night, and I knew I had never told him about it. It was just how well Valentino knew me. I was a simple woman. I didn’t want fancy dinners and high-priced wine.
And he had called it a date.
Was it possible to have a heart attack from feeling too much? Because my heart was beating so fast, I was pretty sure that it could happen.
“Valentino, you don’t have to.” I told him, though my heart was screaming at me to just shut the fuck up and let him do what he wanted. “I’m sure there’s a lot of hot women in town that would love to have even the tiniest bit of your attention.”
He shook his head, pressing another kiss to my temple before he released me, moving over to grab another square bale of hay from his stack to toss it into the pig pen. “Nope. I’ve made my mind up, sweetheart. I’m with you tomorrow night.”
I’m with you.
Oh, boy.
He tossed the bale of hay into the pig pen before he stepped back out and shut the gate, turning to me with that beautiful, easy going smile. My soul melted at his feet. “Fancy a horseback ride?” He asked me. “I need to go check the fence line. One of the cows got out last night – had to run it back in. I need to find where it got out at.”
“Um, sure.” I agreed.
Without even seeming to realize what he was doing, he grabbed my hand in his, linking our fingers together as he gently led me to the barn where his horses were at. His hand was rough against my soft one from years upon years of working the ranch. He’d been doing ranch work since he had learned how to walk, always wanting to help his grandfather with whatever he could. His parents had taken him one year with them to the city where his father worked, but Valentino had been absolutely miserable.
So, he came back to live with his grandparents where they raised him. He had a good relationship with his parents – always had. But he lived and breathed this life. It was all he had ever wanted to know. And yes, he had kept his options open and gone to college for business, wanting to show his father that he was expanding his horizons. He had even worked a year in the city with his dad, but he came back here – back to his roots.
And when he had seen me working on the ranch, trying to help his grandparents out as much as possible, he stuck me in an office, gave me the books, and told me to focus on that. He wasn’t sexist. He believed women could do the same work as men, and probably do a better job at it, too, but he had never liked the idea of me having to do that kind of manual labor.
And when I had argued with him about it, he told me to sit down and work on the books, that all he needed me to do was smile at him when he walked into his office, and he could handle the rest.
My heart still jumped at his sweet words. I’d been so stunned by what he had said to me that I hadn’t even been able to form a proper response to him in my head. He just flashed me that trademark Valentino smirk before he tipped his hat at me and left the office.
When we stepped into the barn, Valentino went straight to his horse, Blackwell. He was completely black, and he was a beauty. But the problem was, he only ever allowed Valentino around him. He was wild – a bit untamed.
“Um, Valentino, I don’t think me riding him will be a good idea.” I told him as Blackwell began to stomp his hooves as we drew closer.
Valentino put his hand out, resting it on Blackwell’s muzzle. “Easy, boy.” He soothed. Blackwell blew a puff of air out of his nostrils, stomping again. “You won’t hurt my girl, will you?” He asked. I swooned. He’d called me his girl. “I want her with me. It would be nice of you to cooperate.”
Blackwell swished his tail, but he didn’t stomp again. Valentino squeezed my hand before he let go and slid into the stall, moving to get Blackwell prepped for riding. I knew Valentino preferred to ride bareback, but I also knew he wouldn’t put me through that. I had tried it once, and it had been one of the most uncomfortable rides of my life.
A few minutes later, Valentino opened the gate and held his hand out to me. I nervously flickered my eyes to Blackwell. I knew how temperamental the horse was. It was always a struggle to even get close enough to feed him when Valentino had left for college and work.
“He won’t hurt you.” Valentino assured me. He continued holding his hand out to me, but I didn’t budge. Blackwell stomped his foot in agitation, and I swallowed thickly. He had once kicked Valentino’s grandfather so hard he snapped the bone in the older man’s leg.
I wasn’t too keen on that happening to me.
“Sweetheart,” Valentino gently crooned, drawing my eyes back to him, “do you trust me?”
I trusted him with my life. It was the beast beside him that I didn’t trust.
I nodded at him. “But -.”
“No.” He eased. “If you trust me, trust me when I say that I won’t let Blackwell hurt you. Come here.”
I drew in a deep breath and placed my trembling hand in his. He gently pulled me through the gate and into the stall. Blackwell stomped again and blew an agitated puff of air out of his nose. Valentino brushed his hand over Blackwell’s sleek coat. “Easy, boy. You hurt her, and I’ll haul you off and make horse meat out of you.” He warned. He turned back to me. “Foot in the stirrup, sweetheart.”
“I don’t want to go anymore.” I told him. My stomach was twisting with nausea. I didn’t like the idea of riding Blackwell.
He flashed me that easy grin, the one that always somehow settled my nerves. “Too bad, sweetheart. You’re here now. Foot in the stirrup.”
I slowly reached up and gripped the handle of the saddle and placed my foot in the stirrup. Blackwell stomped his feet. Valentino pressed his body to my back, one of his hands on my hip, his other hand on Blackwell’s side, rubbing his coat to soothe him. “Easy, boy.” Valentino shushed him. “Swing yourself up, sweetheart. I’ll follow behind.”
Swallowing thickly, I swung myself onto the massive beast. Valentino swung himself up into the saddle behind me right as Blackwell bucked. I shrieked, squeezing my eyes shut as Valentino tightly wrapped his arm around my waist, anchoring me to him as he gripped Blackwell’s reins. “Easy!” Valentino barked. Blackwell stomped his feet, but he didn’t buck again.
Valentino brushed his lips to my cheek as I gasped for air. “Breathe.” He coaxed. “It’s alright. I promised you I wouldn’t let him hurt you. I’m keeping my promise. Just breathe.”
I nodded my head at him, forcing myself to regulate my breathing. “There you go.” He soothed. He lightly pressed the heels of his boots into Blackwell’s flanks, and the horse began to slowly move forward, his movements slow and steady.
“My brave, sweet girl.” Valentino praised. My cheeks darkened at his words. He gently squeezed me, his arm never leaving its position from around me. “Proud of you, sweetheart.” He urged Blackwell on a little faster. “Now, enjoy the ride.”
Valentino
This woman in my arms was everything I could ever want. She was sweet, kind, loving. And when she smiled at me? Everything in my world felt complete.
She hadn’t dated. I couldn’t ever picture a time in my head when she had. She was always around me, too shy to really deal with anyone else. She was the epitome of a hermit. Honestly, if she didn’t have to go out into town for groceries and other supplies, she never would.
When I left for college and to work for my dad for a year, I never saw her during all of that time. Sure, she and I had kept in touch through phone calls and text messages, but I never got to see her. So, when my eyes landed on her for the first time again, I wasn’t prepared for the stunning, curvy young woman she had blossomed into.
It had taken the breath from my lungs.
Gone were the chubby cheeks and kind of straight-line body. When I had slid out of my truck, she has been in the barn, trying to lift that damn square bale of hay, and she was wearing a pair of tight jeans that hugged her perfect, round ass and those thick thighs. She had on a plain, black tank top that revealed the swells of her breasts. Her stomach wasn’t flat – never had been – but fuck, if she hadn’t stolen my damn breath from my lungs.
And she still did.
I gently pulled Blackwell to a halt when I found the area that the cow had gotten out at last night. I jumped off the back of the horse, walking towards the fence line that was down. “Valentino.” Callie called nervously from her position on Blackwell’s back. I looked up at her. Blackwell was standing still – calm – but I knew he made her uneasy.
“He’s fine, sweetheart.” I soothed. “I wouldn’t leave you up there by yourself if I thought he was going to knock you off.”
And I was right. As I quickly fixed the down fence line, Blackwell stood still and patiently, even letting Callie smooth her hands over the side of his neck. I smiled, listening as she talked softly to him.
She was so good with animals, and she never truly realized it. She had a gentle, soothing nature that made them want to trust her – even beasts as wild and untamed as Blackwell.
She blushed when I turned to face her, and a smirk tilted my lips. I’d known for a while now how she felt about me. If any other man looked at her, she barely spared them a glance. But when I so much as moved around her, she was hyper aware of me, and her cheeks would turn red with that adorable ass blush.
I honestly couldn’t wait to make her mine. And I would – tomorrow night.
I easily swung into the saddle behind her and wrapped my arm back around her waist, enjoying the feeling of her body against mine. She shifted slightly to get more comfortable, and I barely resisted the urge to let out a deep groan when her perfect ass rubbed against my cock.
She had no idea how much she was teasing me and testing my restraint.
I gently pressed the heels of my boots into Blackwell’s flanks, urging him forward so I could check the rest of the fence line just to be on the safe side. I had plans for tomorrow night, and if I got interrupted because a fucking cow got out again, I might just shoot it myself.
“You’re quiet, sweetheart.” I said a couple of minutes later. She normally rambled about something, even if it was just about a book she was reading. I enjoyed listening to her talk about something she enjoyed, so it was a bit unnerving that she was so quiet.
“Just thinking.” She said, her voice sounding distracted.
I pressed a kiss to her temple, listening as her breathing hitched in her throat. Her hands tightened around the handle of the saddle in response. I smirked, knowing she couldn’t see me.
Oh, she would definitely be mine tomorrow night.
“We’re almost finished here.” I told her. I knew she was fretting about tomorrow night. She was a worrier, and I knew she could sense that this wouldn’t be just two friends having a dinner date. I had planned out a perfect date with her – one of her dream dates. So, it was making her nervous. I didn’t want her to ever be nervous around me, though. “What do you say we head into town, stop by the bookstore, and get you a couple new books, grab some take-out, and come back here?” I asked her. “I can watch some TV while you read one of the new books.”
She looked at me over her shoulder with that beautiful smile, and I was once again reminded that I was a goner for this woman. She was completely it for me. That smile had the power to have me melt at her feet. When she smiled at me like that, I wanted to give her the entire damn world.
“Really?” She asked.
I laughed and nodded at her. She had to know by now that I would do anything in the fucking world for her as long as it made her happy. “Yes, sweetheart, really.” I assured her. “What are you craving tonight?” I asked her as I gently steered Blackwell towards the exit of the cow field.
“A greasy burger.” She told me. “Do you think Ross is working tonight? He makes the best burgers.”
When this woman in front of me says she wants a greasy burger, she legit means a greasy burger. She doesn’t want the juice squeezed out of the patty. When she takes a bite, she wants burger grease to drip from the sandwich.
“I’m sure he is, sweetheart. I don’t think that man has a life outside of that restaurant.”
Blackwell suddenly reared up, a loud neigh sounding from him. I barely had time to wrap my other arm around Callie as we got thrown off the horse, her high-pitched scream of terror sounding from her lips.
I curled my body around hers, breaking her fall as I landed roughly on my back. I was used to falls from doing rodeos every once in a while, but I knew a fall like that would hurt the fuck out of the beautiful brunette in my arms.
Then, I saw what had Blackwell rearing up. My horse was now running across the pasture, but there was a snake in the grass in front of us, its rattles shaking. They weren’t normally out this time of year, but today was unseasonably warm, and snakes could be expected at any time.
“Fuck.” I whispered. Callie trembled in my arms, her eyes locked on the creature not a foot away from us. “Don’t move.” I told her. “I just need you to trust me, okay?”
“Mhm.” She mumbled.
I waited for its rattles to stop moving, giving me the signal that it no longer felt threatened. Then, with my arms still tightly wrapped around the terrified woman in my arms, I slowly backed us away with very tiny movements, getting out of its space. Callie was terrified of snakes, and it was an honest fucking miracle that she didn’t run the instant she saw it. If she had, it probably would have bit her.
Once we were a safe enough distance away, I sat up from my lying position. Callie burst into tears, her adrenaline now wearing down. I turned her so she was straddling me and wrapped her up tight in my arms. “You’re safe, sweetheart.” I promised. “I won’t ever let a fucking thing happen to you.” I swore. I eased my sore body off the ground and wrapped one of my arms under her ass to keep her held up, my other arm wrapped tightly around her back. Blackwell was stomping and pacing, and I knew it would be a while before I could get him back into the barn. So, I left him out in the cow field to give him time to calm down and relax.
