“Okay,” she conceded, “but I know my own mother and she never sleeps with a smile on her face.”
When they arrived at the ranch, Delia had prepared sandwiches and drinks ready for all of them. Around the breakfast bar, Mac caught up with Mitch and was surprised to learn he was considering leaving New York. Elise and Luke were there to take Monica and her husband to their house to spend the night. Mitch was staying there too, so his conversation with Mac was cut short.
Annie, Carolyn, and Trudy chatted away but not without Annie noticing that Arthur couldn’t take his eyes off her mother. It wasn’t long before Mac’s parents said their good-nights and retired to the bedroom on the first floor.
Carolyn and Arthur were staying in guest rooms on the second floor.
“If you’re ready to go up, Carolyn, I’ll carry your luggage up for you. I’ll see you in the morning?” Arthur asked. His smile reached his eyes and he winked.
“Yes, thank you…in the morning,” she replied.
“Good night, Mom,” Annie said. “I imagine with the storm and all you two didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Good night, dear. If it will ease your mind any, I slept just fine last night.” Her mother kissed her on the cheek and disappeared up the stairs with Arthur following behind her.
When they were out of sight, Annie turned to Mac. “Think what you want, but I’m sure there’s something going on between the two of them, I just know it.”
“Annie, mind your own business,” Mac cautioned.
“It is my business…she’s my mother.”
“And, she’s a grown woman. Now, let’s go the bed.”
“I’m telling you Mac, it’s more than you think,” Annie insisted as she slipped into her nightgown and crawled into bed.
“Darlin’ sometimes people have to share a room for the night; that’s all there is to it, and they had no other choice.”
“My mom doesn’t tire easily. Maybe she’s coming down with something. I think I’ll just check on her to be sure she’s okay.”
“Nice try,” he laughed. “If you get out of this bed…”
“Okay, okay already,” she signed as she snuggled up next to his warm body.
Mac feigned sleep. He knew Annie and he didn’t give her 20 minutes before she would sneak out of their bed. As she slithered out of the covers after he faked a couple of snores, he glanced at the clock…15 minutes. Damned if he didn’t know his mischievous soon-to-be wife like the back of his hand. Given the opportunity, the minute she thought he was sound asleep, her feet would be padding down the hall to her mother’s room. He smiled knowing that wasn’t going to happen.
Annie walked slowly toward the door, placing each step carefully. Mac had a habit of leaving his boots at the foot of the bed and she didn’t want to trip over them. Her toe connected with one of his boots just as she feared but it hadn’t fallen over. Like a little mouse, she cut around his boots and scurried to the door. Easing her hand onto the knob she turned it. Damn it! He locked the door.
She stood, carefully guarding her breathing as she started back to the cedar chest at the foot of the bed. The key was probably in the pocket of Mac’s jeans. As she reached out and picked them up, his change and probably the key jingled out, scattering onto the carpet. Several coins managed to roll onto the hardwood floor and she held her breath as they whirled in a circle before coming to a stop.
Just to give her a scare, Mac turned over and grunted. She dropped to her hands and knees and began to run her hands along, picking up the coins as she found them. Crap, no key. Determined, she continued her search.
Mac could see the outline of her body in the moonlit room. He was tempted to belt out ‘Get back in this bed,’ but decided he’d rather watch this scene play out.
Feeling along the side of the chest, she finally touched the key and scooped it up, holding it tightly in her hand. Carefully, she managed to return some of the change to his pocket.
With stealth, she stood and made her way back to the door, slipped in the key and unlocked it. Just as she turned the knob and the door opened slightly, Mac shot out of bed like lightening. She gasped as he snaked an arm around her hips and lifted her feet off the floor. She was clutching the door knob in one hand to keep her balance as she peered down the hallway.
“I thought we agreed to go to sleep,” he whispered.
“I was thirsty,” she lied, trying to escape his hold on her.
“There’s water in the bathroom,” he said.
“I wanted juice,” she whispered back, still dangling from his arm around her hips.
“Juice, my ass. You were going to sneak down the hall and stick your nose into your mother’s business by drilling her about something you only imagined, or maybe even wished for,” he said.
“Imagined huh?” she hissed back as him as she continued to stare toward her Mother’s room. “Look!”
“Look what?”
“Look down the hall, you jerk.”
Mac’s eyes joined Annie’s as a slice of light from an open door spilled down the hallway. Mac grinned and Annie’s mouth fell open as they watched Arthur slip into her mother’s room. The door closed softly and a few seconds later, the light went out.
Mac closed the door, walked to the nightstand, and flipped on the bedside lamp. He stood there with his arms folded across his chest.
“Pick up the rest of my change and put it back in my pocket,” he said.
“I will, but you have to at least admit I was right,” she protested.
“Okay, I’ll admit it looks like you were right,” he said. “They are adults and whatever is going on between them is private. Now, please can we get some sleep?”
Annie complied without saying a word. He was right and when he put it that way; she should respect her mother’s privacy.
Mac snuggled up with Annie and closed his eyes. He was asleep in minutes, but Annie’s mind was consumed with what might be going on in her mother’s room down the hall.
Chapter 8
Arthur closed the door and locked it behind him.
“Did anyone see you?” Carolyn whispered as Arthur slid his arms around her.
“I don’t think so; everyone has gone to bed.”
“Arthur, I just want you to know how sorry I am about last night. I wanted you to climb right in bed beside me, but when you offered to sleep in the chair, I thought maybe I’d mistaken your interest in me.”
“It’s my fault for being so stubborn,” he said. “Let’s not let this king sized bed to go waste.”
They slid under the covers and cuddled up to each other.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a man in my bed,” she said, keeping her voice very low.
“How long?”
“Not since my husband and I parted and divorced.”
“No boyfriends, after that?” he questioned.
“No way; my life with him was hell and to be honest, I never thought I’d ever trust a man again.”
“So what’s different about me?”
“I don’t exactly know how to put it,” she said. “The first thing that attracted me to you was your soft-spoken voice and you were always polite. It may sound strange, but you’re at Mac’s disposal. When he calls, you’re ready at the drop of a hat. You seem to put others before yourself, and it’s not that you’re a servant, it’s that you seem so honored to serve others.”
“You’re a very perceptive woman, and a very beautiful one, I might add. Both my parents were servants and they took great pride in their work. They taught me I didn’t have to be the top dog, if you know what I mean. They just wanted me to be the best at whatever I chose to do.”
“What made you decide to become a pilot?”
“My uncle had a hand in that,” he said. “He got me my first job as an airplane mechanic. The more I worked on the planes, the more I wanted to fly them. So he suggested I take flying lessons and offered to help me pay for the course. After one flight, I was hooked. I flew s
mall planes at first, then larger charter planes and while I was in the Air Force, I was trained to fly all types of planes. I worked for a commercial airline for years but the schedule became exhausting as I became older. When Mac offered me this job, I would have been a fool to turn it down.”
“I’m glad you didn’t; we never would have met.”
He pulled her closer to him.
“Carolyn, there is so much more I want to know about you. It’s not easy to raise a child alone and I’d like to know how you managed to do it so well, but for now can we stop talking? I want to kiss you.”
Without waiting for an answer, he took her mouth. As he parted her lips with his tongue, he felt her shiver. He knew it had been a long time and he was prepared to take it slow. He backed off, satisfied with nibbling on her lip in between kisses for a while. With the next sweep of his tongue, she parted her lips giving him permission. Exploring her mouth, she began to follow his lead; their tongues caressed and he felt her relax against his body.
Kissing her lips progressed to kissing her neck and shoulders; her night gown didn’t give him access to anything else. He wasn’t going to suggest she take it off and wanted her to be comfortable enough to offer or permit him to remove it. If he was honest with himself, he was a little out of practice too and maybe if he admitted it, she wouldn’t be so tense.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve done this,” he said.
Turning the tables on him, she asked, “How long?”
“Many years, Carolyn; but I have to say it feels good.”
“It does, I just wish I wasn’t so nervous.”
“We can just cuddle all night, if that will make you feel more at ease,” he replied. “I don’t want to rush you into anything.”
“I don’t feel rushed…it’s just that…well, I don’t have a great body anymore. My stomach has a little flab and saddle bags are beginning to take shape on my hips. My breasts sag and after going through menopause, I don’t get wet like I used to.”
“I think I can match you on a couple of things,” he chuckled. “My breasts don’t sag, but I think I may be starting to get a bit of a paunch around my middle and I’ve definitely got some love handles going on.”
“I guess we’re in the same boat.”
“Yes, we are, but lots of people our age still have an active sex life. I may not be able to go for hours anymore, but somehow that doesn’t seem as important to me now. I care more about the intimate connection.”
“I know what you mean,” she answered. “I like the cuddling but foreplay isn’t something I’ve ever had. I like sex…oh, listen to me, I sound like I have some experience in that area when, in fact, I don’t. My ex, for the short time I was with him, was all wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am—without the thank you.”
“We can take it slow. I do know I like to touch and be touched. I want you to know that my eyesight is still twenty-twenty and I think you have a beautiful body.”
His mouth claimed hers again and she slid her arms around his neck. He could feel her erect nipples against his chest and he slipped a hand under her night gown and began rubbing her thigh. The kissing continued as he explored more of her body, her hips, her tummy, and finally her breasts.
“I love your curves,” he whispered. “Your skin is as soft as a baby’s; Carolyn, I love touching you.”
She sighed and ran her fingers through his hair, breaking contact only when he slipped her night gown over her head. When she offered no resistance, he cupped both her breasts in his hands and kneaded them. He grazed her nipples until she shivered against him and then lowered his head to nibble on them. Having known a couple of women who had no interest in nipple play, he took his time. When a soft moan escaped Carolyn’s throat, he decided she wasn’t one of them.
Drawing a nipple into his mouth, he sucked and flicked his tongue across it. Her back arched as if to make her buds more accessible to him and he took full advantage of that.
“I’ve always been a boob man,” he admitted, “and you have great boobs. They are heavy and fill my hands. Please tell me if I hurt you.”
As he continued to suck and bite, her hips moved as though she had no control over them and pressed into his heat. He reached for her hand and slid it down his body. Her fingers wrapped around his throbbing erection and her hand began to move.
As the pace picked up, her sweet moans were encouraging. He eased a finger between her folds and found that magic spot hiding under its hood. Slowly he coaxed her clit until it protruded. Her legs started to tighten and her breathing was rapid.
He slipped his middle finger into her; she was moist but not wet enough for him to enter her and he knew it. “I know, not yet, he whispered and she relaxed. “We’re not going to rush this, I promise.”
He held her and his kisses had her nearly breathless.
“I have baby oil on the counter in the bathroom. I use it on my skin when I get out of the shower.”
He quickly returned to the bed with a bottle of baby oil.
“This will be good enough,” he said. “Are you sure about this, Carolyn?”
“Yes, I’m sure, are you?”
Instead of answering, he coated himself and when she raised her hips, he slicked her as well. Grabbing her hips in both hands, he eased into her. Picking up his pace and thrusting harder each time, he didn’t last long, and ejaculated quicker than he wanted to.
Both of them were gasping for air as he collapsed on her chest.
“I guess I’m not is as good a shape as I thought,” he said.
“Me neither,” she sighed, trying to catch her breath.
“I’m sorry I didn’t last long,” he apologized.
“No, Arthur, it was fine. You felt so good inside me.”
“It’ll get better,” he assured her. “If you don’t mind, tomorrow I’ll make a stop at the pharmacy and pick up some his and hers lube. I’ve heard it’s great stuff.”
“I’d like that; it sounds interesting.”
“We’ll try it out tomorrow night,” he said, sliding up beside her and kissing her with an equal amount of passion and tenderness. “Spoon with me; I love the feeling of your body next to mine.”
Turning over, she smiled. “I love spooning,” she cooed. As she was drifting off to sleep, she heard an occasional soft snore. It was music to her ears.
Carolyn turned toward Arthur when the alarm on his watch went off at 5 a.m., long before anyone else was awake.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, brushing her hair out of her eyes.
“You’re so sweet; no one has ever called me beautiful before.”
“I’ll try to make up for that,” he said. “I hate to leave your bed, but I think I’d better go back to my room while the house is still quiet.”
“Good idea,” she whispered. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”
He kissed her and slipped quietly out the door as Carolyn rolled over on his pillow and inhaled his scent that lingered behind. She was completely taken with him and he seemed to feel the same way about her. Now, if she could just keep Annie in the dark until she left for her honeymoon, she’d feel more at ease.
Chapter 9
At seven o’clock, Annie knocked on her door. “Come in,” Carolyn said in a sleepy voice.
“Good morning, mom,” Annie smiled. “Did you have a good night? From the looks of the bed you tossed and turned a lot…probably didn’t get much sleep.”
The twinkle in Annie’s eye was unmistakable. Oh, I’m not ready for the third degree, Carolyn thought as she pulled a pillow over her face.
“Delia’s starting breakfast; do you want to come down?”
“No, honey. Yesterday was exhausting. I think I could use another couple hours of sleep. I’ll have coffee and whatever’s left over when I get up.”
“Okay, I’ll see you around nine then.” Annie smiled and closed the door.
When Annie joined Mac in the kitchen, she noticed Arthur wasn’t up yet either. She wanted to bring up the sub
ject but Mac shot her a look that clearly told her to keep her mouth shut and mind her own business.
By eight the kitchen was over-flowing with people, some at the breakfast bar and others gathered around the dining room table.
Trudy was the first to speak up, asking if Carolyn was ill.
“No, she’s fine,” Mac answered. “I think both she and Arthur had a hectic day yesterday and they need their rest.”
It was the day before the wedding and Mac’s father insisted he and his son spend the night with Luke and Elise.
“Now dad, that’s an old-fashioned custom,” Mac protested. “Besides, Luke and Elise already have a house full.”
“Then ye rearrange the sleepin’ accommodations,” his father insisted.
“I’ll see what I can do, but if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just have to sleep on the sofa in my office.
“Oh, nay, nay!” the elder barked. “I’ll no have ye puttin’ a jinx on your marriage.”
There was no doubt in Mac’s mind his father would have his way, he almost always did. He sought out Annie and they went into the office to have a conversation.
“What’s wrong?” Annie questioned.
“Nothing really, it’s just that my father insists I spend the night at Luke and Elise’s place. That would mean we have to make some changes in who sleeps where.”
“We could ask Arthur and my mom to share a room; they did last night…” Annie’s eyes twinkled at the thought.
“Annie, we don’t know how it went with them last night and if it wasn’t a pleasant experience they may not want to repeat it.”
“Mac, if the rumpled sheets on my mother’s bed this morning are any indication of what went on in there last night, I don’t think we have to worry about it. I’ll go ask my mom now.”
“Oh, no you won’t. This has to be handled very delicately and privately. I don’t want to embarrass either of them,” Mac cautioned her.
“What if I get some coffee and Danish from the kitchen and we take it up on a tray? Then we can talk privately with both of them?”
Hot Silver Nights: Silver Fox Romance Collection Page 26