by Carrie Carr
LEX PUT THE Mustang in the shed, deciding to return to work on it after Amanda went to bed. She was surprised at the lack of damage it had sustained. There was only a medium-sized dent in the rear left panel, and, of course, the water damage and the back window now missing its glass. The window was still in one piece, lying on the floor in the tight backseat, so she wasn’t concerned about putting it back in place. She had even found Amanda’s purse and briefcase and left them and their contents on the workbench to dry out.
Next, Lex brushed Thunder who munched on the hay she had given him. She had actually finished his grooming some time ago, but had allowed the time to slip away from her as she daydreamed about the young woman who had fallen into her creek and then into her arms. Shaking herself from her reverie, Lex decided it was time to get back to the house. She patted the horse on his broad shoulder and left the stable.
Stepping up onto the porch, the tired and dirty rancher stopped to remove her boots. She hoped to sneak upstairs before Martha was able to see just how filthy she was.
As Lex slowly opened the door and peeked inside, she heard voices in the kitchen. Although she was no longer dripping creek water, her jeans and tee shirt were still damp and heavily stained with mud. She could also feel small bits of mud and debris in her hair, but, thankfully, her hat covered most of her head. Her socks, which had been white this morning, were now a reddish brown. They made a squishing sound on the hardwood floor, causing Lex to wince with each step. She eased her head slowly around the kitchen door, hoping to get past the housekeeper. Good! They’re both busy. Thinking she was home free, Lex continued down the hallway, walking quickly.
"Lexington Marie! What on earth have you done?" a very familiar voice boomed.
"Uh-oh." Lex spun around in mid-stride, which caused her wet feet to slip out from under her, so that she landed on her rear end with a sodden thump. "Ow!" The muck-covered woman slowly stood up, rubbing her backside with her hands. "Hi, Martha. Did you get your cabinets all straightened out?" she asked, backing up toward the staircase.
"Don’t you ‘Hi Martha’ me, Lexington. You’re soaking wet!" The heavyset woman stomped up to Lex, placed her hands on her hips, and cocked her head to one side.
"Umm, well, you see, the Jeep was really buried in the mud, and I, umm…" Lex trailed off, seeing the look in Martha’s eyes that said she meant business.
"Yes?" The word was drawn out, and Martha impatiently tapped her foot.
With that one look, Lex felt ten years old again. "Aw hell, Martha. I was covered in mud, and thought I’d better rinse off before I came into the house." Embarrassed, she looked down at her soggy socks.
"I appreciate that, Lexie. But why all the sneaking around?"
Lex looked up, her eyes barely visible under her hat brim. "I wasn’t actually sneaking, I just didn’t want to disturb you while you were cooking dinner. Yeah, that’s it."
Amanda witnessed the entire scene from the kitchen doorway. She covered her mouth with her hand, not wanting to interrupt. Poor Lex looked so cute, standing there with Martha taking her to task like an unruly child.
Martha yanked the black hat off the woman’s head. "Good Lord. What is all of that stuff in your hair?"
Lex closed her eyes and sighed. "I told you I got really muddy. Can I please go take a shower now?" She grabbed her hat from Martha and ran up the stairs.
"Dinner should be ready in about thirty minutes," Martha called after her.
"Thanks." Lex squished her way upstairs where she quickly showered and changed her clothes, eager to be in Amanda’s presence again.
MARTHA TURNED BACK to Amanda, who was barely containing her giggles. "I swear, that girl can get into trouble just climbing out of bed in the mornings." She sighed as she returned to the kitchen.
Amanda finally lost it. She had to sit down on a nearby stool to remain at least somewhat upright. "She looked so pitiful. Does she do that often? She looked like a drowned cat dragged through too many mud puddles."
"Unfortunately, yes. Mud must be one of her favorite accessories, because she’s forever covered in it." Martha stirred a pot of something on the stove. "I swear she could find mud in a drought."
Amanda laughed. "She was rather grimy. But did you really have to fuss at her like that?"
Martha turned away from the stove, meeting her eyes. "No, but if I don’t throw at least a token fit, she’ll think I don’t love her anymore. I think she secretly enjoys the attention."
"Well, I don’t think it’s hurt her any. She speaks of you with the utmost respect and love." Amanda wanted this sweet woman to understand just how devoted Lex was to her. "She said you were the only mother she’d ever known. She told me the night I met her how much she cared for you."
Martha wiped an errant tear from her eye. "That goes double for me. As a matter of fact, she’s one of the main reasons I never married. I had the only family I ever needed right here. Oh, I’ve had several offers over the years, but I never could bring myself to leave her. And I couldn’t see me ever having a child I would love half as much."
Amanda walked over and gave Martha a hug. "Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’ve done a fine job of raising her. Lex is a wonderful person."
"Thank you. I’m very proud of the woman she has become, although I think she had more to do with it than I did." She patted Amanda’s arm. "Now, let’s get dinner on the table. She should be straggling down anytime."
"Martha," Lex admonished, leaning in the doorway, "are you talking about me again?" Her hair was wet, and she was wearing jeans and the ever-present tee shirt, which for once actually had a design on it. However, in her haste, Lex was barefooted and had forgotten to put on her bra, which did not go unnoticed, or unappreciated, by a certain young woman whose gaze was completely focused on her chest.
Jake’s John Deere? Amanda leered. Bet old Jake would sell more tractors if his billboards looked like that. Then, embarrassed that she’d been staring at Lex’s body, she turned her attention to the task at hand and helped Martha move the food to the table. "So, how did the fence by the creek look? Did you have to make any repairs?"
Lex reached for a bowl on the cabinet, only to have her hand slapped by Martha. "Hey, I was just trying to help." She yanked her hand away quickly and held it to her chest, as if injured.
Martha shooed her away. "We have it all under control. Now go sit down." Lex pretended to pout, and Martha turned her around and slapped her gently on the rear. "Don’t give me that look. You’ve been out working all day. You need to sit down."
Lex raised an eyebrow, but did as she was told. "You two have been working all day, too. What’s the difference?"
Amanda looked at the housekeeper, who had a perplexed look on her face, trying to think of a good comeback. "Because we actually sat down once in a while and took a break, and we know you didn’t." Martha smiled appreciatively at Amanda’s quick thinking, and at the fact that this young woman seemed quite capable of handling her Lexie.
"What makes you think I didn’t?" Lex locked eyes with Amanda, who suddenly forgot what the conversation was about the moment she got caught up in Lexington’s intense gaze.
Martha butted in. "Two reasons: One, you never take a break when you work in the field. Two, you look like you can barely stand up." Lex opened her mouth, but promptly shut it at Martha’s upraised hand. "No. Don’t you argue with me, I’ve known you far too long." Martha was enjoying having the last word for a change. "So just sit there quietly while we get dinner on the table."
Lex knew when she’d been beaten. Besides, one look into Amanda’s eyes, and she could barely even remember her own name. All she could do was nod and say, "Yes ma’am."
AFTER DINNER, MARTHA once again refused any help with the dishes, and chased the two young women out of the kitchen, popping her dishtowel at them as she shooed them out.
Lex grabbed Amanda’s hand and dragged her from the mock battle, threatening to return similarly armed. She continued down the long hallway, u
ntil they came to the doorway to the den. "Do you want to watch a movie?"
Amanda squeezed the hand holding hers. "I think I’d like that very much. But I need to call my grandmother first, if that’s okay with you."
"Sure. You know you can use the phone any time." Lex gave a courtly bow, pulling the young woman’s hand to her lips. "My castle is yours to do with as you wish." She gave Amanda a slight nudge toward the office. "Go on. Take all the time you need." Lex sat down on the sofa, propped her bare feet on the coffee table, and patted her lap. "I’ll save you a spot."
Amanda looked at the office door and then back at the lazily sprawled woman. "You know, it is getting late." She changed direction and moved to the sofa. "And I’d hate to disturb them. My grandfather really needs his rest." Amanda sat down next to Lex and snuggled close. "Besides, I called them from Martha’s house today. I’m sure they’re okay."
"How’s your grandfather doing? I haven’t seen him since he got out of the hospital." Lex put her arm around Amanda, who gave her a puzzled look.
"You saw him at the hospital? Why didn’t I ever see you?"
"Well, I’d only visit once or twice a week, mainly to make sure Mrs. Cauble was doing okay, and it was always first thing in the morning."
"Oh, well. That explains it. I normally wouldn’t get to the hospital until nine or ten, since I would stay so late the night before." Amanda stopped and thought for a moment. "Wait a minute! It was you, wasn’t it?"
"What?"
"On Monday and Thursday mornings there were always fresh flowers by Grandpa Jake’s bed. You were the one who brought them, right?"
Lex looked somewhat embarrassed. "Uh, yeah. Well, the florist was on my way in." She felt arms constrict around her. "And Mr. Cauble has always been really nice to me." She pointed to the entertainment center. "He made that, you know." Trying to change the subject a little, she asked her original question again. "How’s his leg? Has he gotten his cast off yet?"
"Yep. He’s almost back to his old self, but still has a pretty heavy limp. Although he’s told us that it’s only temporary." Amanda leaned up close to Lex’s ear. "But he’s doing much," she kissed the tender skin, "much," a slight nibble on the nearby lobe, "better."
Lex moaned, and turned her face to meet Amanda’s teasing mouth. They took their time, both enjoying the contact. Lex pulled Amanda onto her lap and was rewarded by hands tangling in her hair, gently kneading her neck.
Lex broke away first, a slightly glazed look in her eyes. "Wow." She cleared her throat. "That was—"
Amanda placed a kiss on Lex’s chin. "Oh yeah. It most certainly was. And we’re so new at it. Can you imagine when we’ve gotten some practice in?" She nibbled on Lex’s lower lip and said, in her sexiest voice, "Wanna practice?"
She was answered by a quiet growl, as Lex passionately explored the skin on Amanda’s throat. She worked her way up to a one ear and gave it a light nip. "Sounds like a plan to me," Lex whispered, enjoying the little shiver she could feel running through Amanda.
They continued almost hesitantly, neither in any hurry to push the other too far. It felt so good to Amanda, and she used her hands to map out the muscles in Lex’s back. She was feeling almost overwhelmed by the incredible sensations coursing through her body. She thought that what she had found in the past was special, at least until now. No, that was friendship, or maybe even infatuation. This is, a low moan escaped her as Lex found a sensitive spot on her neck, this is incredible!
Lex couldn’t seem to get enough of the skin under her lips. She bit down gently on the pulse point, eliciting a low moan from the woman sprawled in her lap. Even with her heart pounding in her ears, Lex had never felt such a complete feeling of peace before. When Amanda ran her hands up and down her back, Lex knew deep in her soul that she wanted to feel this way forever.
By unspoken agreement, neither woman took the activities any farther, both wanting to savor the moment. Lex slowly pulled back, trying to prolong their contact while, at the same time, trying to control her desire. "It’s getting pretty late. Why don’t we continue this conversation, tomorrow?"
Amanda ran a trembling finger down Lex’s flushed face. "Probably a good idea." She could feel the chest beneath her other hand heaving with effort. "Why don’t we go upstairs and get some sleep?" She climbed off Lex’s lap, grabbing one of her hands and pulling Lex to her feet. "C’mon. I’ll tuck you in." The way Lex looked at her made her realize how suggestive that sounded. Amanda blushed. "Lex!" She slapped her arm. "You know what I mean!"
Lex pulled the red-faced Amanda into a hug. "Sorry. You’re just so cute when you blush." She kissed the top of the head tucked under her chin. "But you’re right. It has been a pretty long day." She allowed Amanda to step back, but caught her hand. "Can I walk you home?"
"Hmm. I don’t know. What would my parents say?"
"They’d say I was incredibly lucky." Lex led Amanda to the door.
Navigating the stairs was an experience, to say the least. Lex took the opportunity to stop at almost every step, citing some unknown house rule about a kiss per step. Amanda didn’t want to jinx the house, so of course she obliged. Many minutes later, they found themselves at Amanda’s bedroom door. Lex pulled a hand to her lips and kissed it gently. "Goodnight."
Amanda released the hand in hers, and slipped her arms around Lex’s neck. She stood up on her tiptoes and zeroed in on a pair of slightly bruised lips. "Goodnight." She kissed Lex with abandon, wanting to send her to bed with something to remember her by. "Sleep well." Amanda used her teeth to lightly tug at Lex’s upper lip before releasing her. "See you in the morning." She closed the door behind her, leaving a highly aroused Lex staring after her.
"Oh, boy." Lex turned and headed across the hall. "I need a cold shower." She shook her head. "Nah. I’ll just put on my boots and go check out the car. That should calm me down." Lex quietly went back downstairs, her body still tingling from the kiss. "As if I’ll ever feel calmed down again, the way Amanda kisses."
Chapter Nine
AMANDA WAS AWAKENED by another bad dream, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not go back to sleep. She tiptoed to the bedroom across the hall, needing Lex’s presence to sooth her frazzled nerves.
Standing in the doorway, Amanda peered at the bed. "Lex?" she whispered, not hearing any movement from the bed. "Are you asleep?"
Not getting an answer, Amanda crept forward, finding the bed empty. She looked in the bathroom, and found it deserted as well. Curious as to where Lex could be, she stepped around to the far side of the bed and sat down, deciding to wait. A few minutes later, completely worn out, Amanda curled up on her side and fell asleep.
LEX CREPT DOWN the dark stairway feeling somewhat like a teenager sneaking out past curfew. She carried her boots in her hand, not wanting to make any noise that could awaken Amanda. Once outside, she slipped the boots on, shivering as a cold wind ruffled her hair. Looking off to the right of the house, Lex was thankful Martha’s little cottage was completely dark. Growing up, Lex wondered if the ever-present housekeeper slept at all. Any time of the day or night the young girl could always count on seeing Martha about, usually in the kitchen.
Lex thoughtfully looked up at the cloudless late-night sky, the full moon illuminating the path in front of her. She hoped that with Amanda’s help, they could get Martha to take things a bit easier and not try to do everything herself. Lex stopped in her tracks when she realized what she was thinking. She’d only known Amanda for a few days, and although Amanda’s feelings apparently matched her own, she realized her heart had already decided on a life with her. Somehow, she just knew there could be no other outcome to their budding relationship. There couldn’t be. Every time she looks in my eyes, I feel like she’s searching my heart. And when she smiles at me, I think she likes and accepts what she sees, and I love the way that makes me feel.
Upon reaching the shed, Lex opened the door and slipped inside. She turned on the light, then pulled a pair of worn coveralls from
their hook and quickly stepped into them.
Three hours later, a dirty and exhausted Lex walked through the silent house. She had spent most of the night taking the Mustang apart, finding out that the water damage was not as severe as she had imagined. Once the vehicle dried out completely, it shouldn’t take too much work to get the car running again. Not even bothering with turning on the lights, she undressed in the dark, padded silently into the bathroom and started the shower. Lex stepped inside, moaning with relief when the hot spray hit her exhausted body, almost falling asleep standing up. She quickly rinsed off, climbed out, and wrapped a large towel around her body, patting herself dry on her way back into her room. Lex dropped the towel on the floor beside the bed and slid beneath the sheets, naked. Lex fell asleep, never realizing that she was not alone in the large bed.
LEX AWOKE TO sunlight streaming through the windows, and a heavy weight on her chest. She opened her eyes and was surprised to find company in her bed. Sometime during the night, Amanda had not only found her way into Lex’s bed, but had snuggled up against the naked woman under the sheets. Her left arm was slung across Lex’s chest, and her left leg was tangled with the rancher’s own long limbs. Oh boy. This could get, interesting, to say the least. Damn, what time is it, anyway? Lex glanced at the clock on the nightstand. She was surprised to see it was a little after seven in the morning. She carefully slipped out from underneath Amanda, and then walked across the room to the dresser for some clothes.
Amanda felt her mattress move. Move? What gives? She slid one sleepy eye open, and spotted Lex’s nude form across the room. Mmm. Nice body. Amanda jerked awake when the vision before her eyes registered with her mind. Naked? What is she doing in my bedroom naked? She blinked, and realized with a start that she was in Lex’s bedroom. Peeking under the sheet, she was torn between being relieved and disappointed to see she was still dressed in her nightshirt. Lex opened a drawer and removed a handful of clothes, and Amanda slammed her eyes shut before Lex could turn around. Of course, her imagination promptly took over, describing to her libido what her eyes wouldn’t let her see.