by BJ Wane
“Okay, he’s inside. Give me the scoop. I’ve only heard tidbits.” The gleam in Leslie’s eyes and expectant look reminded Lillian of Nan and Avery’s initial reactions when they had first met her.
“Let’s just say I never held an interest in the lifestyle you’ve enjoyed for a while until I met him. He’s had a way of changing my mind about a few things. Oh, aren’t you sweet?” Lillian rubbed the silky nose of a miniature horse trotting up to the rail.
“That’s Taffy. You wouldn’t know it to look at her now, but six months ago her ribs were showing and she’d lost a lot of her hair due to malnutrition. Kurt surprised me with her and her brother.” Leslie nodded toward another small pony across the paddock. “It was love at first sight. Isn’t that right, sweetie?”
Taffy abandoned Lillian for Leslie, butting her head against her owner’s arm.
Leslie held her hand out, palm flat, offering the mare a sugar cube. “She takes that so politely,” Lillian stated, in awe of the little horse’s affection for her mistress. Because she traveled a lot for art shows, she’d never owned a pet but used to ‘dog sit’ Liana’s scruffy little mixed breed that had been cute as a button. They were both devastated when Brandy died of heart failure at age thirteen.
Leslie glanced at her, asking, “Something wrong?”
“Just thinking about my sister and a dog she used to have. Adorable little thing, and the closest I’ve come to a pet.”
Lifting her hand in a wave to one of the ranch hands galloping by, Leslie replied, “It didn’t take me long to fall in love with these two and I didn’t have any experience with horses. Kurt, and several of the guys around here all gave me pointers and help when I needed it. I’m sorry about your sister. I think it was Avery who told me she passed away recently.”
“Yes, a month ago. Sometimes it seems longer than that, and sometimes like it was just yesterday. Those horses are beautiful.” She pointed toward the second barn and the regal heads hanging out the open, upper doors of their stalls.
“Those are the Thoroughbreds for breeding and sale. I’ll show you.” Hopping off the rail, Lillian followed her toward the stable, surprised when Leslie said, “I went four years without seeing or speaking to my older sister after I was put into the witness protection program, so I can sympathize, to a degree, with how you must feel. I was devastated without contact with my only family.”
“Now it’s my turn to say give me the scoop. How did you end up in witness protection?” The scent of sweet hay and pungent manure hit her nostrils as they entered the neatly kept stables. Even in the dimmer lighting, she could see the sorrow crossing Leslie’s face at her question.
“I witnessed a murder, a nice man who never hurt anyone. They were spoiled, punk teens, riding high on drugs and unafraid of consequences due to their father always bailing them out. I didn’t realize how far he would go to protect his kids, or how much I would have to give up when my testimony sent the boys to prison and he threatened me.” She reached up to stroke a hand down the sleek neck of a black equine. “Keeping to myself so I wouldn’t inadvertently put anyone else at risk should he ever find me was the hardest after missing my sister.”
They strolled down the clean-swept aisle with large stalls on each side, the tremor of remembered heartbreak in Leslie’s hushed voice drawing on Lillian’s sympathy. “That was quite a sacrifice on your part. Was it worth it?”
Leslie stopped at the stall of a huge stallion, his muscles rippling as he pawed at his door. “Kurt rescued this guy from the dog food factory. He was a mean son-of-a-bitch, unrideable and malnourished. My fiancé busted his butt gaining his trust and getting him healthy again and I lost track of how many times I asked him if he was worth it.” Reaching a steady hand toward the animal, she rubbed behind one ear, unafraid. “He would always reply ‘ask me again later’, but as you can see, I didn’t need to. Devil here is still feisty but happy and healthy, and worth every sweaty, painful hour Kurt put in working with him. Yes, Lillian, as hard as those four years away from my sister and home were, it was worth it to see justice for Alessandro. Come on.” She nudged her with her elbow and a smile. “It’s too nice an afternoon to brood about the past. There’s the cutest premature calf I want to show you. I’m trying to convince Kurt to let me keep her.”
Laughing in disbelief, she followed Leslie outside, asking, “Why?”
“Because otherwise she’ll end up on someone’s table and I helped bottle feed that baby.”
“Oh, well, when put that way, it makes sense.”
Leslie grinned. “I like you, Lillian. Kurt didn’t think so, but I almost have him agreeing.”
Lillian enjoyed the hour she spent alone with Leslie, listening to her talk about her second-grade students with such fondness, how her relationship with Kurt had begun with a one-night stand between two strangers and meeting several young cowpokes whose polite addresses tickled her. After she crooned over the tiny calf with big doe eyes, they strolled across the lawn and up a small hill, walking by the family plot, shaded by large trees, the graves decorated with plants and fresh cut, colorful flowers. The story of how Kurt lost both his mother and sister so close together resurrected the sorrow of her own losses.
“I’m sorry,” Leslie said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “I wasn’t thinking. It’s become a ritual for me to come up here and check on the plants and flowers when Babs, our housekeeper and cook, has the day off.”
Shaking her head, Lillian turned away from Leslie’s sympathetic gaze. “It’s all right. Everyone has lost someone, right?”
“True, but that doesn’t make it any easier.” Pivoting, Leslie led the way toward another corral where Lillian saw Mitchell and Kurt saddling three horses.
“That’s a beautiful horse,” she remarked, nodding toward the pale-coated stallion Kurt was tossing a saddle onto.
“That’s Atlas and he’s a sweetie. Not as sweet as my girl, Anna Leigh. She’s the Appaloosa between Atlas and Mitchell’s bay.”
Mitchell looked up as they approached, his gaze as probing as always, Lillian’s response to it the same with warm tingles racing across her skin. With his Stetson shading his face, the sleeves of his black western shirt rolled to below his elbows, those long, muscled legs encased in snug denim and wearing scuffed boots, he appeared more a rough wrangler than a medical professional. Either way, her heart tripped as he held a hand out to her and she wondered what pivoting point in their relationship had caused her to set aside her annoyance with his autocratic tendencies long enough to fall for the protective, caring side of him.
“You’re thinking too hard, pet” he whispered in her ear as she took his hand.
“I have to around you,” she retorted before turning to smile at Kurt. “Thank you for inviting me out today. I’ve had fun touring your ranch with Leslie.”
“It’s good to see you again, Lillian. The tour’s just begun. Mount up with Mitchell and I’ll show you some of the prettiest country in Montana.”
She could see why Leslie had fallen for the cattleman as she watched him boost his fiancée onto the dainty mare. Dressed similar to Mitchell only wearing a burgundy shirt, he sported a perpetual five o’clock shadow along his jaw that was as dark as his black hair and ebony eyes. Lillian sure hoped things worked out between her and Mitchell because there would be no going back to the pansy, vanilla lovers she used to date after being subjected to the focused gazes and sexual dominance of these cowboys.
“You’re up with me, Leslie.” Mitchell’s gruff voice pulled her head out of the clouds and she turned to see him mounted and leaning down with an outstretched hand. “Don’t worry, Phantom’s well trained now.”
“What do you mean now?” She clasped his hand before she could let the size of the animal scare her off. With little effort, he swung her up and wrapped a tight arm around her waist as she settled astride in front of him, surprised the horse didn’t budge.
Kurt sent her a wicked grin, turning his steed around to face them. “I thought h
e was crazy to pick that son-of-a-bitch at auction last year, but Doc swore he saw something in his eyes that made him worth saving. For a city bloke, it turns out he has a good eye for horseflesh. We’re heading east.”
“I know a good bet when I see one,” Mitchell said, his arm tightening around her waist as he kicked the horse into a slow walk.
Leslie gripped his forearm, refusing to look down. From the distance she could now see, she knew how high up they sat. The slow, sedate pace lulled her into relaxing and leaning back against that wide, rock-solid chest, the deep rumble of Mitchell’s voice above her a pleasure to listen to. The never-ending acres of fields were broken up by wooded areas and in the distance they pointed out a mountain range that appeared as an island of higher ground and would make an awesome painting.
“Oh, I wish I thought to grab my camera.” She sighed wistfully as her mind filled with potential art.
“You’ll have to come back when spring is in full bloom,” Kurt said. “There’s nothing prettier than the prairies in the warmer months.”
She could tell he loved the ranch from his proud tone, and Lillian envied him that connection to a special place. Would she still be here in two months? God help her, she hoped so. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to see where her relationship with Mitchell could lead.
Kurt pulled to a stop, glancing at Mitchell. “I’m going to check on the west pasture. Why don’t you show Leslie the falls and we’ll meet up with you there before heading back? I’ll put steaks on when we return.”
“Sounds good. About an hour?”
“That’ll work.”
“You’ll love the waterfall copse, Lillian. See you there.” Leslie waved as they nudged their horses into a gallop and took off, leaving her alone with Mitchell, the late afternoon sun warming her face as she turned to look up at him.
“It’s just you and me now. Are you ready to ride?” he asked, his breath wafting over her lips.
Oh, yeah, but probably not in the way he meant. More than the afternoon temperature was warming her now, and as he kicked Phantom into a butt-bouncing trot and then let him out in a full run across the meadow, more than the breeze and exhilarating ride were stirring her senses into high alert. The clomp of hooves pounding the ground, her squeals of delight and his low chuckles as they raced toward a row of trees echoed in the air. They were panting by the time he slowed down and entered the cooler shade of the woods at a brisk walk, winding along a wide path until they entered a secluded clearing.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed, taking in the rushing stream that flowed over a small rise and emptied into a clear as glass pond, with an artist’s eye. “That’s why Leslie called it the waterfall copse.”
“Yes.” Dismounting, he reached up and lifted her down. “The first time I took Phantom out of the corral, we rode here. It’s peaceful.”
She gave him a sharp look, trying to detect what that note was behind his soft voice. As usual, his face revealed nothing of what he was thinking, and she found that as frustrating as the easy way he had of reading her every expression. Wanting to distract them both, she toed off her sneakers, asking, “Is it cold?”
“Frigid. You don’t want to do that, Lillian,” he warned as she bent to pull off her socks.
“Says who?” Skipping out of his reach, she laughed and dashed to the pond’s edge, getting a face full of cold misting spray from the splashing falls. Shivering but undeterred, she stuck her feet in and then jumped back out again with a squeal. “Okay, you were right.”
“Of course. Walk around some so your muscles don’t tighten up on you since you’re not used to riding.”
That smug reply followed by yet another order reminded her of her plans to turn the tables on him just once. She faced him to see him leaning against a tree, keeping his distance while watching her from under the brim of his hat. In that moment, she longed more than anything to bring a look of stunned surprise followed by pleasure to his face, the same as he’d managed with her numerous times.
Giddy excitement turned her palms damp and set her heart to racing as she sauntered toward him, a small smile curling her lips as she decided what she would do. “You know, Master Mitchell, I’ve never been naked outdoors, but I bet you have.” Whipping off her top over her head, she dropped it on the ground and reached for the front clasp of her bra. She was prepared for him to jump in and take over as she shrugged off her bra, but instead he gave her a moment’s pause with his unexpected, stern reply.
“We don’t have time to play today. Get dressed, Lillian.”
His gaze raked her bare breasts, her nipples turning to pinpoints from the cool breeze and his hot eyes, but he made no move toward her. Not one to give up on a plan once she put it into motion, she lowered her zipper and shimmied out of her jeans and panties, pasting on a bland, innocent expression as she asked, “Why not? We have almost an hour.” A shiver danced down her spine from the exposure to open air and his rigid stance. Goosebumps broke out as she moved toward him, even as liquid heat flooded her pussy.
Uh, oh. His jaw went taut and his nostrils flared as he growled, “I mean it. This isn’t what I planned today, so get dressed.”
Okay, that sealed it. It was time to show him he didn’t always get to call the shots. Besides, she was having fun switching things around for once. “No.”
“Excuse me?”
“Mmmm.” Reaching him, she had his belt unbuckled and her fingers on his zipper tab before he knew it. “I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, you should be still or I might pinch you.” His erection pressed against the metal tabs as she slowly lowered it. He must have read the intent on her face because he sucked in a deep breath until his cock sprang free and landed in her hands. And then he swore.
“Fuck, pet, you’re going to pay for this,” he ground out as she sank to her knees.
Probably. But as she took him in her mouth, for the first time that threat didn’t faze her. With a ray of sunlight warming her back and butt, one hard hand braced on her shoulder, the other kneading her breast, all she cared about was giving him pleasure for a change and denying him his way for once. Gripping the base of his cock, she took him deep, swirling her tongue around his steely girth, suckling his hardness with her lips and cheeks.
Birds trilled overhead, the rush of water came from behind her and his harsh breathing blew hot on top of her head as she tickled the delicate underside of his crown. She smiled around his shaft as he jerked, nibbling along the ridged veins as she shifted her free hand to palm his heavy sac. He only gave her another minute to toy with him before clasping her face and holding her still while he took over. She wasn’t surprised but never dreamed the carnality of being held immobile while he fucked her mouth could be such a turn-on.
A moan slid up her throat as Mitchell pumped inside her mouth with short jabs and a guttural demand. “You started this, now finish it. Suck me hard, pet.”
Lillian quivered, hollowing her cheeks and giving him what he wanted, what he demanded. Rolling his balls in her hand, she reached between her spread knees with the other and slid her fingers between her slick folds. Suck, stroke, suck, stroke, she hummed inside her head, relishing the stretch of her mouth and taste of him seeping onto her tongue. He pulled back and she lapped over his seeping slit as she toyed with her clit. As he shoved back inside deep enough to bump her throat, she jammed her fingers far enough to touch her womb. She mewled around his hard flesh and gyrated against her palm. Her jaw grew sore, her hand tired and then he was spewing his cum down her throat as her climax soaked her pumping fingers.
By the time he released her to fall back on her heels, shaking from the experience, the sound of horses approaching reached her ears.
Disgusted with his lack of control, Mitchell zipped up and helped Lillian stand. Damn it, he’d planned to show her today how much he enjoyed her company even without sex, but he couldn’t turn her down after he saw the gleam in her eyes that hinted she was testing him in some way. Did she instigate and push thi
s scene because she needed to prove to herself she hadn’t given him complete control over her, or was it just to surprise him with the role reversal? Either way, he couldn’t let her down any more than he could keep from taking over. Now, looking into her sated eyes and at the pleased smile playing around those soft lips, he was glad he’d set aside the urge to insist on sticking with his original plan.
Giving her a quick, hard kiss, he swatted her ass hard enough to burn. “Grab your clothes and get dressed. All of a sudden I’m starving for that steak Kurt mentioned.” With a laugh that drew his smile, she snatched up her jeans and was pulling her top over her head when Kurt and Leslie rode up.
Mitchell pulled into his drive Friday afternoon, his heart executing a familiar slow roll when he saw Lillian’s Mazda in the garage. Was it just six weeks ago when she’d landed in a snowdrift and interrupted his retreat? Despite his irritation with her involuntary intrusion on his pity party, her own loss and grief coupled with that backbone of sheer grit had somehow wormed its way past his defenses. She was nothing like Abbie, or any of the submissive women he had hooked up with before he married or after his wife’s death. And yet, he mused, at this time in his life, he discovered she was just right for him, whom he needed and wanted going forward. The hows and whys didn’t matter, he figured, sliding out of his vehicle and striding up to the front door. Only that he could convince her they had something going between them that was good enough to warrant exploring further.
Entering the house, he veered toward the living room, wishing his first on-call shift at the Billings hospital didn’t start this evening. He would have liked to pour himself a drink before coaxing her into talking about staying. Instead, he went to the fireplace and lifted Abbie’s picture down, experiencing that little tug of nostalgia he always felt when he looked at her smiling face. She would always own a small corner of his heart, he didn’t and wouldn’t deny that to himself or Lillian. But, as he’d discovered these past weeks, his heart was big enough to love two special women, each in their own, different way.