“Thanks for the ride,” Faith slurred as she struggled to get out of the cruiser.
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said loudly. “My door is right here.”
The sheriff had driven around the main house to the guest house in the back. Aunt Bea came out of the patio doors.
“Thanks again,” Faith slurred and drunkenly closed the cruiser door.
“Hey, Aunt Bea,” Sheriff Langford said from the driver’s side window.
“Hi,” Aunt Bea replied as she watched Faith with wide eyes.
Faith knew she was walking in a funny way. At the moment, she didn’t care. “The sheriff was nice enough to drive me home,” she slurred as she waved her hand in the air.
Aunt Bea smirked. “I’m glad he did. Where’s the jeep?”
“It’s in Drew’s parking lot,” the sheriff answered.
“I see,” Aunt Bea said. “Thanks for driving her home, Willie.”
The sheriff tipped his cowboy hat at her. “No problem at all. You ladies have a good night.” The sheriff backed the cruiser up and pulled off.
“Looks like I’m going to have to fix you something to eat,” Aunt Bea said.
“I already ate…thank you,” Faith slurred.
“Looks like you might have to eat again,” Aunt Bea said with a smile. “Looks like you had fun.”
Fun? I had spent an hour learning why the man I am attracted to had women issues. Then, I spent the last hour trying to drink away what I had learned. “Yes,” she slurred out.
“Honey, let me fix you something so you won’t have a hangover in the morning,” Aunt Bea said sweetly.
“Okay,” Faith said too loudly as she waved her hand in the air again. “But, nothing heavy. I like to have a sandwich, please.”
Aunt Bea chuckled. “All right, I got some turkey meat in the fridge.”
Thirty minutes later, Faith was tipsy, but not staggering around drunk like she was when she had arrived home.
“How are you feeling?” Aunt Bea asked.
“Great,” Faith chirped. “I want to take a shower. In that outside shower. I’ve never taken a shower in the great outdoors before.”
Aunt Bea chuckled. “It’s a nice night for it. I’ll get you some linen and some soap.” She stood up from the kitchen table.
“Yep. I’m going to experience the nakedness of Texas,” she bragged with a goofy grin.
Aunt Bea laughed as she walked to the linen closet. “Oh dear, maybe I should fix you another sandwich.”
“Nope, I got the perfect effect,” Faith said proudly. “Matter of fact, I might get that bottle of gin in the cabin and take a shot before I go to sleep.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea, but I’m not your mother,” Aunt Bea said as she carried the items that Faith would need. She stopped and opened the bottom cabinet under the sink. She pulled out a fifth of gin. “I enjoy gin myself from time to time. Mind you, I just take a sip here and there. I have to be careful at my age.”
Faith lazily drew a cross over her heart with her finger. “No one will learn it from me.”
Despite the fact that this family has way too many secrets, she thought.
The ladies shared two shots of gin and went out the patio doors. They giggled like school girls. Faith adjusted her hair tie to turn her ponytail into a bun. She didn’t want to get her hair wet. Faith started unbuttoning her blouse.
Aunt Bea sat down a large sky blue towel with a matching washcloth along with a white bar of soap. “I’ll leave you for a bit, but I’ll be back to check on you.”
“Okay,” Faith said as she removed her shirt.
Aunt Bea went inside and closed the patio door.
Faith continued to undress. The air was warm and muggy, but her nipples budded nonetheless. They were sensitive. Faith turned on the shower. Once she had adjusted the knob to her liking, she stepped in it. She looked up at the starry sky as the water beat on her breasts. This was cool. She washed herself as she enjoyed the freedom of being naked outside. Now she knew why Adrian liked showering out here. She would have never gotten to do this in Florida.
She could stay in the shower for hours, but she knew she couldn’t. After ten minutes, she turned the shower off with regret and stepped out. Faith sat the washcloth and soap on the cement bench and then grabbed the towel. She quickly dabbed the excess moisture off her body and wrapped herself in the towel. She still felt the effects of the alcohol, which felt good. Faith took a deep breath. She wished Adrian was there – rubbing lotion on her skin.
A growl came from the gravel path that led to the front of the house. Faith turned quickly. She was facing two large wolves that weren’t happy to see her no more than she was happy to see them. They looked like the one in the picture Drew had shown her. Faith froze. She was half drunk and in nothing but a towel with two wolves growling, grinding their teeth, and staring daggers at her. She knew she couldn’t make any sudden movements or call out for help because they would attack. Yet, they might attack anyway. One wolf took a step towards Faith, showing its sharp teeth. Faith wouldn’t be able to make it to the cabin. She knew they were too fast. The house was closer, but would she make it? Faith glanced at the patio doors. She saw Aunt Bea with a grave expression through the clear glass doors. She wasn’t sure what to do either. Her eyes were tearing up.
Faith realized that this could be it. Her luck had finally run out, and she was about to die in a small town in Texas by a freak wolf attack.
The two wolves and Faith jolted at the clicking sounds that echoed in the night. The wolves quickly turned, and then snarled; ready to fight whatever the noise was.
Faith was about to make a break for the patio doors when a gunshot went off. She squealed with shock and grabbed the knot on her towel. Then, another shot went off right after the other one. The two wolves were dead.
Adrian and Joey emerged from the darkness, jogging to her as they held their shotguns.
Aunt Bea swung the doors open and rushed outside. She grabbed Faith and cradled her in her arms like she was a child. “Oh, sweetheart,” she cried.
Faith was trembling in the woman’s thick arms. Her eyes were tearing up. She didn’t want to cry. She blinked rapidly, trying to fight it. She was strong. She wasn’t a baby.
“Are you all right?” Adrian asked as he rushed to them.
Faith tried to speak, but she couldn’t. All she could do was shake in Aunt Bea’s arms. She was looking over Aunt Bea’s shoulder, facing the house. Faith heard Isaiah and Steve’s voices.
“Adrian!” Steve shouted in the distance.
Faith could hear running feet on the gravel.
“We heard gunshots!” Isaiah shouted.
“Shit,” Steve hissed. Faith assumed Steve got a look at the wolves or maybe her wobbly body in a towel, she didn’t know which.
“They sure are brazen,” Isaiah said. “They came right to the house.”
“I think she’s in shock,” Aunt Bea whispered.
Adrian’s face appeared in front of Faith. “It’s all right now, Angel. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he whispered.
Her shaking eased a little, but she still trembled. She was able to raise her head and look around. Steve and Isaiah had worried looks on their faces. They were holding guns. Faith didn’t remember Joey going into the house, but he walked over the threshold of the patio doors with a blanket.
Adrian took the blanket from Joey and held it out for Faith.
“Come on, honey,” Aunt Bea said as she helped Adrian wrap Faith in the blanket.
“Let’s get her into the house,” Adrian said.
“I’ll gather a couple of the boys and make sure that the pack is gone,” Steve said.
“All right. I’ll be along in a minute,” Adrian said.
“I’ll wait for you, Adrian,” Joey said.
Aunt Bea and Adrian walked Faith to the guest house.
Chapter 18
Adr
ian and Aunt Bea guided Faith to the sofa and sat her down. Aunt Bea sat down next to her.
“Thank God you boys came back when you did,” Aunt Bea said as she wrapped her arm around Faith’s shoulders.
“Tell me about,” Adrian said as took off his Stetson and whipped his brow with the back of his hand. Faith was almost dinner to that inbred pack. “Faith, are you okay?”
“Yes,” she whispered as she clutched the blanket. She wouldn’t look at him or Aunt Bea. “Thank you.”
“Yeah,” Adrian said. “We just got back. As we were approaching, the wolf pack was congregating about an acre away from the house, sniffing around, while some were resting. The two horses we keep in the barn were going crazy. Duke and Tony went to see if they could calm the horses down. The headlights from the trucks spooked the pack. They ran off, but Joey and I wanted to make sure they hadn’t approached the house. Luckily, the stock we were herding was another acre away. Joey spotted separate tracks in the grass leading to the back of the house.”
“How many did you see?” Aunt Bea asked.
“About twelve not counting the two outside,” Adrian said. “Those two must have gotten thirsty. Smelled or heard the water in the shower.”
“Did you boys set traps?” Aunt Bea asked.
“Yeah, but we only set them on the West and Northside,” Adrian said. “We got a few left. We were planning to set them on the South and Eastside tomorrow morning.”
“Good,” Aunt Bea said as she rubbed Faith’s shoulder. “I’ll sit with her for a while. You go do what you need to do.”
Faith was so quiet, so shaken up. Not that Adrian blamed her. “I’ll be back to check on you, I promise.” Adrian went to the door.
Joey was putting his walkie-talkie in his pocket. “I just radioed the guys. Once they get the herd secured, Duke and Jake are going to bring the truck up to take off these carcasses.”
Adrian looked at the dead wolves. Set traps his ass. He wanted to hunt every single one of them down and shoot their asses off.
For the next two hours, the Matthews brothers and the ranch hands secured the herd and put up temporary barbed wire fencing around the coral as a precaution. The pack was gone for now, but Steve left a message for the game warden to come up in the morning to take a look at the two Joey and Adrian shot.
The guys went home, and the Matthews brothers cleaned up. Joey and Steve were in the kitchen making sandwiches. “Hey, Adrian, you want a tuna sandwich?” Steve asked.
“I’ll fix one later. I want to check on Faith,” Adrian said.
“Give us a holler if you need us,” Steve said.
“All right,” Adrian said. He grabbed his shotgun that was leaning against the wall and headed out the patio doors. He wasn’t going to take any chances tonight. The pack could come back looking for their two missing members.
He knocked on the door of the guest house. He didn’t wait for an answer. He cracked the door open.
“Come in, Adrian,” Aunt Bea said.
Adrian walked in and closed the door. “How is she?”
“She seems to be okay, now. She’s gathered her faculties. I poured her a stiff drink, and now she’s getting ready for bed. I offered to spend the night here with her, but she said no that she would be fine.”
Adrian nodded. “I can stay for a little bit to make sure.”
“I think a visit with you would do her some good,” Aunt Bea said. “Faith, I’m heading back to the house. Call if you need me. Adrian is here. He’s going to hang around for a few minutes.”
“Okay. Goodnight, Aunt Bea. Thanks for staying with me,” Faith said from the bedroom.
Aunt Bea walked to the door. Adrian followed behind her with the shotgun. He watched from the door until Aunt Bea was safely inside.
“Adrian,” Faith called out.
“I’m still here,” he said as he closed the door. Adrian’s boots clunked on the hardwood floor as he walked back to the bedroom. The door was open, but he didn’t want to intrude if she was changing clothes. “Is it all right if I come back?”
“Yes.”
Adrian stepped into the room to see Faith turning down the covers. He smiled at the sight of her. “I see you’re still wearing my shirt.”
She turned around. “If you need it back-”
“No, I don’t. I got more than one white dress shirt. Keep it. You like it,” he said with an easy smile.
She smiled bashfully. “I do, actually,” she whispered. “Are you hungry? I can fix you something to eat.”
“You’re about to go to bed,” he said. “I’m not hungry, anyway.”
“I’m not exactly sleepy. It’s ten o’clock, but I’m a little wired,” she said.
Adrian smiled to restrain the urge of saying that he would rock her to sleep if she wanted it. Damn, she looks sexy in my shirt. “Well, maybe if we talked for a while it will relax you.”
“Okay,” she said with a sweet grin.
“Now, hop in bed,” he said as he leaned the shotgun against the door jam.
Faith sunk between the rose-colored sheets and under the thick handmade quilt. Adrian approached the bed and sat down next to her.
“I’m glad you and the guys made it back safely,” she said.
“And I’m glad I got here in time,” Adrian said seriously. “Until we get this problem under control, I don’t want you going out after dark alone. If you need to be out, let me or one of the guys know so we can come with you, okay?”
She shook her head. “Okay,” she whispered.
“Other than this evening, how was your day?”
“Good,” she said.
“Do you like your new job?”
“Yes, actually,” she said with brightness in her tone. “I think it will work out.”
He smiled. “Good.”
“That brings up something that Aunt Bea said that I should take up with you. I would like to stay here in this charming little cottage, but I should pay some sort of rent,” she said.
He was surprised. Adrian hadn’t thought about charging her for staying here. However, it did warm his heart that she wanted to stay on the ranch – with him – with his family. “You don’t have to pay rent. You can stay here as long as you want.”
“Adrian, I use your water and electricity. I eat most of my meals in the main house. I should pay something.”
Adrian shrugged. Then, he got a naughty idea. But, would he dare speak it? “First of all, we got five wells on the property, so there is no water bill. The little bit of food you eat and the electricity you use isn’t going to break us. Besides, I feel uncomfortable taking money from a woman I like,” he said with a grin.
She smiled. “Really? You like me?”
“I do,” he admitted. “I…I want to get to know you better, and I want you to get to know me. One thing I have learned in the past few days is that I can’t keep living my life the way I have been. That wasn’t living. I was existing. I…we should have a talk about that, but some other time. It’s a heavy topic for tonight, but if you want to feel like you’re repaying me for letting you stay here rent free…how about two kisses a day.”
She giggled and bashfully turned away.
He chuckled.
“Okay,” she said with a big smile. “When do you want to start?”
Adrian leaned in and grazed her lips with his. He wrapped his arms around her as he deepened the kiss. He laid her down in the bed. She opened her mouth. The tip of their tongues brushed together. Faith pulled her tongue back, letting Adrian’s tongue taste her warm sweetness and – gin. The swell of her breasts were pressed against his chest. Adrian’s hands itched to travel down her body, but he couldn’t allow it. It was too soon. He hadn’t even taken her out on a date. Adrian slowly pulled out of the kiss, but he kept her in his arms.
She let out a soft moan when their lips parted.
“I should go,” he said in a graveled tone.
“Wait,” she said softly. “Can’t you stay for a little while longer? Ju
st until I fall asleep. We can…we can hold each other.”
He gave her a big smile. “I would love nothing more than to stay here all night with you, but I don’t trust myself to just…hold you,” he said in a deep tone.
“Oh, Adrian,” she blushed. “I’m not that irresistible.”
He laughed. “I don’t think you realize the potency of your charms, Ms. Roberts.” Adrian lapped at her full luscious lips. He lifted his lips from hers. “I better go now while I can still control myself.”
“You can sleep on the couch,” she suggested.
He thought for a moment. No, all I have to do is walk a few feet and strip off my pants and slip between the sheets next to her. He shook his head. “Still too tempting. You’ll just be inches away with only my shirt to protect you.”
“I don’t need protection from you. I’m safe with you,” she whispered.
He smiled. Adrian wanted her safe, and he was glad that she felt safe with him. Adrian took his finger and traced the exposed skin of her neck between the open slit in the shirt. He glided his finger to her chest. “Hmmm,” he groaned. “I won’t let anything happen to you. But, I would probably ravish you before I should.” He reluctantly released her and got off the bed because his cock was getting hard.
“If you feel that it’s best. I want to take things slow, too,” Faith said as she sat up.
He smiled. “I would kiss you goodbye, but I definitely wouldn’t leave then. Goodnight, Faith. Sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight,” she whispered.
Adrian grabbed his shotgun and left the cabin. He carefully walked across the patio to the kitchen doors.
Joey and Steve were still sitting in the kitchen.
“Hey, we didn’t expect to see you…back in the house,” Steve said. “Go back. We’ll cover for you with Aunt Bea in the morning.”
“Yeah,” Joey said.
Adrian gave them a little smile. “I just went over to check on her. Make sure she was settled in for the night.”
Steve raised one golden eyebrow. Then, realization registered on his face. “Oh, I get it. You couldn’t get it up,” he said with a straight face
Joey burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that he doubled over on the kitchen table.
The Rancher Page 8