“The boy is obsessed with the black devil, that much I can tell you.” Cordell chuckled, then spooned more of the stew onto a golden biscuit, before giving Cyrus a questionable look. “He’s already eaten, so I sent him to his room. After seeing you and Suzanne together, I thought it would give you both time to recover before facing the boy’s prying eyes.”
“You did the right thing Cord, no need to explain it,” Cyrus agreed, sitting back to take measure of his baby brother. There was more on Cordell’s mind that what his nephew may or may not be wondering about. “You’ve got other questions though, don’t you? You might as well ask them now, so they don’t fester in your mind.”
“I take it you’ve decided to act like a married man now?” Cord asked, a smirk playing on his mouth. “Sooner or later someone, namely Beau, is going to see what you obviously don’t.”
“It was an impulsive act and one that will not be repeated again. We’ve agreed to keep our marriage secret, and so we shall,” Cyrus said, the words having little effect on him. If he didn’t believe it, why should anyone else? “Do you have an issue with that, little brother?”
“Ha, pulling the big brother card, now are we?” Cord stared at him, then looked away shaking his head. “No, I don’t, but I wonder—does your wife?”
“No, his wife doesn’t have an issue with it.” Suzanne’s voice was light and soft as she entered the dining room. The traveling suit replaced with a simple cornflower blue dress that followed the curves of her body. Her ginger colored hair fell softly over her shoulders.
Damn! If a woman could get any more alluring, Cyrus didn’t want to meet her. Suzanne was going to be more than he could handle, even if he couldn’t actually put his hands all over her curvy body. And right now, that’s exactly what he wanted to do out of a bothersome need.
“I didn’t mean,” Cord looked away having the good sense to at least be embarrassed by his suspicion.
“Please have a seat wherever you’d like, Suzanne.” Cyrus stood, plucking his brother on the head. “I’m afraid Cordell is a little rusty on his manners when it comes to having a woman in the house.”
Suzanne smiled, and Cyrus felt the heat of passion again. What was it about his wife—a wife he couldn’t have—that set him aflame? Long before they’d said the marriage vows, Cyrus had been fighting the urge to do more than find a legitimate way to get her in his arm.
“Please sit down; this is your home. I’d like to be treated as part of the household.” Suzanne took a place across the table from Cord, leaving a cold, empty spot next to Cyrus. “I’d feel much more comfortable if no special actions were taken on my account.”
“Cord has been bringing me up to date on the ranch during my absence.” Cyrus reached for another biscuit then smothered it with butter and honey. “If there is another subject that would be less of a bore to you, please let us know. Ranch business can be confusing at times.”
“I’d love to hear about the ranch. It’s been so long since I heard Father and Mother discuss the branding and any new calves,” she said lightly, putting a portion of stew on her plate. “Please don’t change the subject on my account. I’m fascinated as to how things are run here on the Double K and what the differences are between how things are handled here and the Rockin’ B.”
Cord went on with his account of the past month. There were several new calves, and the branding had been completed. There was a new edition to the Double K as well. Davey Maxwell and his wife Liz had their third daughter, and according to Cordell, Davey couldn’t be more thrilled.
Cyrus’s gaze watched Suzanne’s lips slide over a spoonful of the stew as she listened to Cordell talk about the branding, the new calves, and the one storm that had nearly flooded the Brazos River just north of the ranch. He’d never seen stew eaten in such a seductive manner before, but there it was in all its glory. Whether she was teasing him or not, he didn’t care. He wanted her, and his body wasn’t letting him forget it, as if he would anytime soon. He doubted he’d be able to chase the feeling away before going to bed. A bed as empty and cold as night could be. One that he longed to fill with Suzanne’s warm and willing body next to him.
He quickly diverted his eyes from her when she looked over at him, a “caught you” expression on her face.
10
Over the next several days Suzanne had gotten to know Johnny’s level of education. She was impressed by the boy’s ability to doing complex sums. Cyrus didn’t realize how much his own son had learned by watching and listening to his father. Johnny idolized his father in more ways than Cyrus could ever imagine.
Suzanne had settled in quite nicely despite her growing attraction to Cyrus. He’d found reasons not to come in for dinner, staying in the barn long past dark. Every day she searched for reasons to be near him with little success.
Tonight would be different. Suzanne had had enough of his avoidance of her.
With Johnny now gone off to bed, she retrieved the plate of food from the oven, wrapped it in a towel then grabbed the pitcher of sweet tea. Her hands full, Suzanne pushed open the screen door with a hip and headed out across the yard to the barn.
She was stunned when she entered the barn to find Cyrus sitting back on a bale of hay with a book in his hand. Well, so much for work!
“And here I thought you were out here working yourself to the bone each night. Instead, I find you lost in a book from your library.” She placed the plate and tea next to him, then turned to leave. “There’s your supper. Eat it before it gets cold,” she called over her shoulder. Why did he lie to her about what he was doing in the barn? If he’d want to read a book, there was a perfectly good library in the house where he could hide out. No need to do it in the barn.
“Suzanne,” Cyrus called out.
“Don’t you Suzanne me, Cyrus Kennedy!” She turned, a hot tear slipping down a cheek. “I’ve worked day and night to keep your house in order. I’ve been teaching Johnny the way you have asked me to, and you have yet to notice how exceptional he is. Your meals have been ready for you each and every night, and what do you do? How do you show your respect for that work? You come to the barn and read!”
“Let me explain,” he pleaded as he walked toward her.
“I don’t know what you’re so hell bent over that you feel the need to lie and stay in the barn until all hours of the night. It was only a kiss, Cyrus! A simple kiss, nothing more.” Suzanne drew a breath, then let it out slowly before speaking further. “What is there to explain, Cyrus?”
“That’s the problem. It wasn’t a simple kiss.” Cyrus’s voice was so low she had to strain to hear the words. “At least not to me, it wasn’t.”
“Then what was it? A chance to see if you could get me—” Suzanne gasped, the image of her thoughts flying before her eyes.
“Into my bed? Without your permission?” Cyrus asked, his brows furrowed in thought. “I don’t know. Maybe. What I do know is that you make me see and feel things I haven’t in a very long time.” A smile seeped onto his face that reached his eyes for the first time in many days. “Do you realize I haven’t picked up a book to read in almost three years? There wasn’t any joy in it for me until now.”
His arms wrapped around her, Suzanne’s steadfastness was gone. She melted against him, his breath a hot whisper of seduction against her skin sent quivers of desire through her. Right or wrong, every inch of her screamed for him to kiss her again.
“This attraction scares the hell out of me, Suzie,” Cyrus confessed, holding her tight against him. His heartbeat through her dress in perfect cadence with her own.
She turned in his arms and faced him. The depth of need and desire in his eyes were sexual and emotional. Was it for her or for the ghost of the woman he once loved? Did she dare risk her own heart to heal his?
“I must taste your lips again, Suzie,” Cyrus’s fingers grazing down her cheek lingered lightly over her mouth. He moved closer, his breath upon her quivering lips. She sucked in a breath then meet Cyrus in the
void between them.
“Suzie.”
Her name a husky whisper against her lips.
“You light me on fire, don’t you realize that?”
“Cyrus please,” she said looking up at him. She should leave his embrace now before this went any further. But she couldn’t deny she wanted what Cyrus wanted.
His hand drifted from her waist to her derriere, pushing her gently closer to him. The thought of leaving him vanished. All that remained were burning flames of desire licking at her core.
“One step at a time, Suzie. That’s all I’m asking of you.” Cyrus moved his hand along her back then kissed her. His tongue coaxing hers to dance with him.
She was trembling. His heat scorching her, urging her forward. She parted her lips meeting his tongue with hers. She was lightheaded as the sensation of warmth flooded her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her hands becoming entwined in his soft curly hair. Every nerve ending in her body tingled with excitement as they danced to an unheard tune together, as one.
Then the music was over. He took her hand in his and led her back to the hay bale. “I believe you brought dinner, am I right?”
Suzanne nodded, swallowing hard and bit back the words that would make her sound like a harlot. Words that would betray her true feelings. She didn’t want him to stop touching her. She wanted to feel his hands all over her body teaching her how to be a woman. Teaching her how to love him—the man she found herself desiring more with each passing day.
She wanted to feel love, truly loved by Cyrus before she was forced to leave the Double K and him behind.
They sat next to each other on the hay bale sharing the plate of cold food and sweet tea Suzanne had brought down for Cyrus. He watched her pull apart a biscuit then pop it into her mouth a small smile on her face. He was thankful the tension between them seemed to have gone—for now anyway.
“Let me show you something,” Cyrus stood, taking her hand in his then led her toward the back of the barn. He whistled a light bird sound. A high pitched whiny answered in return. Then a coal black head popped up just below the wall, ears twitching back and forth.
“Oh, he’s beautiful! I can see why Johnny has been so excited,” Suzanne exclaimed, her voice hushed so as not to spook the young colt. “Is this the reason you’ve been spending every night out here?”
“Yes. I’m afraid Johnny knows enough about horses to get himself into trouble. The boy has done many good things with the colt, but there’s much more that needs to be accomplished. He’s got to be halter broke for one.” Cyrus chuckled watching the colt buck kick in the small space. “The black needs a bit more gentling before Johnny can take him from the mare. He has to learn to depend on a human for food and companionship, and soon. Blondie won’t let him nurse too much longer; she already grows weary of his constant pulling at her.”
“You mentioned she was bred out on the range. Was it a wild mustang then?” Suzanne asked holding her hand out for the colt to inspect.
“Unlikely, there hasn’t been word of any wild herds in these parts for a while now. I did acquire a stallion from the King Ranch last year. He runs with the mares. I’m figuring it may have done the deed,” Cyrus said, proud of having that fine of an animal at his disposal. The stallion had cost him too much, but it would be worth it in the end once all the mares were bred with the bloodline.
Cyrus smiled a surge of adoration as he watched Suzanne let the colt sniff and snort at her hand. She leaned down close enough for the colt to puff into her face. She returned the favor several times, each sizing the other one. Both of them knowing each other’s scent now, the colt bolted back to nurse on Blondie.
“Seems you’ve made a friend.” He put an arm around her shoulder his body screaming to hold her close. Dangerously close. “You do know horses, don’t you?”
“I can’t believe you doubted me of all people.” Suzanne feigned disappointment, her hand upon her breasts. “You have bruised my heart, Mr. Kennedy.”
“I’ll never doubt you again, Mrs. Kennedy. Your word is as good as gold around these parts.” Cyrus kissed the top of her head, sealing his words to her memory. She smelled fresh, sweet, and clean. Even after being in the barn for the past hour surrounded by the aroma of horses and hay, Suzanne smelled like a meadow after a spring rain.
“I’ll keep you to your word. Please don’t betray me, Cyrus.”
She turned into him and put her hand on his pounding heart. Did she know how difficult it was for him not to bed her? As if reading his thoughts, she looked up at him, a dreaminess of lust reflecting in her eyes.
“Suzie,” he whispered against her cheek then kissed her mouth as soft as a spring breeze. “I don’t know if I can stop this time. You must know that.”
“Yes, I know,” she whispered.
Cyrus swept her into his arms and over to a pile of loose hay at the back of the barn. Laying her down gently, he stretched out beside her. Kissing her, he slowly unfastened her dress one button at a time down to her waist. He gazed into her eyes and skimmed the side of his hand over her chemise in the valley between her breasts.
“Tell me about your family—Beau and Cord,” she said in a husky whisper, undoing his shirt and pulling it from his Levis.
“Beau is older than me by two years, but thinks he’s an old soul,” he began continuing his exploration of her body. “He fought in the war for the North much to Father’s dismay. Father didn’t believe in settling a squabble with guns. He said killing your neighbor over differences was futile and savage.” He pushed the shoulders of her dress down over her arms, exposing the thin lace garment that barely covered her skin. “That intelligent men talked and found a way to resolve those differences.”
Cyrus ran the tip of a finger over the budding of a nipple then made lazy circles as he continued telling her about Beau and his family. He trailed kissed down her neck, over the collarbone until his lips found a breast. He blew warmth onto the morsel until she arched her back slightly.
“Mmmm. And Cord? What about Cord?” she asked working the buttons of the worn Levis as he forged a path up the inside of her thigh, his eyes never leaving hers.
“Cordell is five years younger and still has a number of things to learn. He’s making progress.” Cyrus slid the palm of his hand over her warm mound and groaned into her mouth. “Do you know how hard it is for me to take this slow?”
Suzanne stilled for a moment then found room enough between his skin and jeans to explore him. “Is there more you need—”
“You, Suzie, all I need is you.” Cyrus pulled his shirt over his head, pushed off his boots and slid out of his pants. He kept eye contact, watching the expression in her eyes cloud over with need and lust. He needed to know she wouldn’t up and disappear on him like a dream in the waking hours.
Kneeling beside her, he helped her out of her dress pulling it down the length of her body. Then the chemise exposing her ample breasts. Taking a round orb in his mouth, he suckled gently until she relaxed and found him with her hand once again.
He sought her hot wetness then positioned himself over her. “I’ll go slow, Suzie. I promise not to hurt you.”
She opened for him. “I trust you, Cyrus, with all that I have.”
He slid into her like a hand to a glove. Snug. Warm. Perfect.
Suzanne never felt true sexual power until now. Cyrus’s hands upon her body did magical things to her she’d never imagined before. Things her mother didn’t have a chance to educate her on. How to protect herself. What to do that would pleasure a man. Things that would keep her husband at home and not in the local brothel. A woman should always have her mother to rely on for delicate situations, shouldn’t she? What would Mother tell her now? Was it wrong for Suzanne to enjoy the intimacy with her husband? Surely, she shouldn’t feel so much pleasure in his touch. His kisses.
Suzanne never believed the girls at the Lady Gay who said they found pleasure in coupling with some of the men. How could they with the amount of moanin
g and at times screaming as if in pain that came from the rooms upstairs? But now, now she understood. And may all the saints help her, she was enjoying every moment of her husband’s touch—inside and out.
She moved with him, her body matching each of his strokes within her. Their bodies were instruments, playing the same tune together to make a perfect symphony. Then the crescendo approached low at first. She bucked along with her husband with hot intensity, until an explosion inside rocked her very being to the core. She shuttered slightly. Her legs wrapped around his hips, locking him in place until at last she spiraled back to earth feeling reborn.
“Are you alright, Suzie? I, I didn’t hurt you, did I?” In the shadows, Cyrus hovered inches above her. The lantern had gone out but precisely when she couldn’t recall. His brown eyes glimmered with—affection? For her? Or was it the afterglow of their lovemaking she saw as he looked down at her?
“I’m quite well. That was…” She smiled up at him then slid her legs from his hips, releasing him. “That was not what I expected.” She blushed hoping her inexperience didn’t show too much. Suzanne didn’t want him to think her inept and not want to lay with her again. Because that’s exactly what she wanted—to lay with him again and again and again.
Cyrus rolled to her side, pulling her with him and next to his body still warm from their glorious coupling. “I hope I wasn’t a disappointment.”
Suzanne smothered a nervous giggle against his fuzzy chest. “Not that I have any experience in these matters,” she felt her body blush at the thought of their lovemaking. “But no, you did not disappoint.” She assured herself as much as Cyrus. “I think it may be the other way around, Cyrus. You at least knew what you were doing, while I on the other hand…”
Cyrus hushed her with a finger to her bruised lips. “You, my dear wife, are perfect.” He kissed her softly with tenderness and ease. The urgency of their coupling gone.
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