by Joann Baker
“I’m going to hit the shower, then I’ll get down to the horses.”
Cal frowned as Gabe closed the bathroom door, cutting off further conversation. His brother was acting stranger than normal these days.
“Cal, there’s a pretty lady in our kitchen. If you don’t get down here pronto, I think I may sweep her off her feet myself.”
“Coming, Pops.”
Vowing to corner his brother later for a long overdue talk, Cal headed downstairs. He also needed to have a conversation today with the woman waiting there. One that he hoped would be life changing.
“Almost there. You okay?” Cal brought the huge bay to a stop and glanced at the woman beside him astride a paint aptly named Patches. The conversation had flowed freely for the first half hour of the ride but had dwindled over the last fifteen minutes. He worried that the trip was too much for her. Maybe her backside was already regretting the long ride.
“I’m fine.”
Her smile seemed genuine enough, and Cal relaxed slightly. She’d pulled her mass of curls into a clip and her eyes, beneath the shade of Ryder’s old hat, rivaled the blue sky overhead. Somehow, the air seemed clearer and the sun brighter than ever.
“Do you want to take a break before we head up?”
Kristen looked at the monument in front of them. Their ride so far had consisted of mostly flat land with the occasional reptile scurrying through the scrub brush. Bluebonnets rose from the arid dirt, their soft, colorful petals providing a stark contrast to the barren landscape. The stark beauty of the land touched something deep inside of her, and Kristen found herself at a loss for words as feelings overwhelmed her.
“No,” she shook her head. “I want to see the view from the top.”
Cal grinned, admiring her determination and delighted that she seemed to be enjoying his favorite place as much as he hoped that she would. “Alright, then. I’ll lead. Just give Patches her head, and she’ll follow Sun Dancer.”
“In other words, just sit back and enjoy the ride.”
“Something like that,” Cal nodded, his grin widening.
Ten minutes later, he helped her dismount, standing in silence as she took in the incredible view. The awed look on her face told him without words that she found the same wonder in this spot that he did.
“This is,” Kristen paused, searching for an adequate word, “amazing. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”
“I’m glad you like it. It’s where I come to get away from everything.”
The shy smile she gave him went straight to his heart. “I’m honored that you would share this with me.”
Something inside of him calmed. The worries and fears that usually followed him even to this, his favorite spot, seemed suddenly far away. Here, with the land—his land—spread out before them in a stunning display of God’s handiwork, he felt at peace for the first time in a very long time.
And it was because of the woman at his side.
“Let’s sit.” Leaving the horses to graze on the sparse grass, he grabbed the blanket he’d put in his saddle bag and led her to a spot where creosote-tar brush and desert shrub vied for life in the sun-scorched ground. Spreading out the cover, he waited until she was seated before dropping down beside her
“Are you thirsty? Hungry? I can get the lunch Pops prepared.” Even though both of his grandfathers had advised him to take care, Pops had still whipped up a picnic lunch for him faster than a jackrabbit being chased by a wolf. Looking at Kristen’s face, Cal suddenly felt very wolfish.
“No, I’m fine.” They shared a smile and silence descended as they once more turned their attention to the stunning view.
Kristen was the first to break the peaceful quiet. “My mother has decided to stay for a little while longer.”
“You don’t sound too happy about that.” Cal reached for her hand, twining his fingers through hers. “If you need to talk, Kristen, I want you to know I’m here for you.” He was just damn glad her ex had left.
She turned towards him. “You don’t know how much that means to me.” She gave him a tentative smile before continuing. “We were rich once, you know. I mean, my dad had money from an inheritance. My mother never worked at anything.” Her gaze roamed the distant mountains. “Sometimes I want to blame her bitchy attitude on the fact that she had to give up so much—moving from a house so big she had to hire a decorator into a furnished one-bedroom condo in Florida and always having money at her disposal—but that’s not the case. She’s always been that way. Even in an eleven-room house with two maids and a chef at her beck and call. She just has no empathy for anyone else.”
Cal whistled silently at the amount of money such a lifestyle would have cost to maintain in Dallas.
“My father died two years ago. He had a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry.” He lifted her hand and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. She squeezed his hand in return.
“His death was quite a shock.” She drew a deep breath. “He left us deeply in debt, and I think that’s what really devastated her. Not that he was gone, but that her well was suddenly dry.” She laughed mockingly, dreading her next admission. “She wasn’t the only one. Roger couldn’t handle that fact either.”
“He left you because you didn’t have any more money?” Cal was shocked at the man’s actions and disappointed in the nature of some human beings. He only wished Kristen hadn’t had to experience so much pain from people who were supposed to love her.
“It really didn’t come as that much of a surprise since my father’s money was why he was marrying me.”
Cal growled. “Don’t say that, Kristen.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Why not, it’s the truth,” she said pragmatically. “But, that wasn’t the worst part. My father had been having financial troubles for years apparently. When his attorney contacted us after the funeral, I learned that not only was our fortune gone but that dad had also borrowed a substantial amount of money from his friends.”
Cal didn’t comment, letting her say what she needed to get out of her system. But, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to do something—like find Roger and beat the living hell out of him. Instead of helping her in her time of need, he’d run like a weasel.
“After I found out how much, I realized we couldn’t keep up the pretense anymore. I began selling our art, our furniture, and our clothing. My mother and I both had items in our closet with tags still on them. I say that not to brag, but because I’m not proud of the lavish lifestyle I once lived.”
Again, Cal had to bite his tongue to keep from speaking.
“I sold the house and told mother that she was moving out of Texas. Florida seemed like a good place.”
“What about Otis, couldn’t he have helped you?” Cal had always admired the man for his financial savvy.
“Oh, he did. He gave me a job.”
“And you really don’t miss your old life anymore? Or Dallas?” Cal had to know.
“Not in the least. It was a long road, but I’m happy here. I like the quiet.”
Well, that was a good thing. Cal watched her profile, resisting the urge to trap the stray curl blowing across her face and push it behind her ear. “Kristen?”
Kristen drew her eyes from the astounding view to look up at Cal. While she was filled with wonderment at the feelings she was experiencing, she recognized that most of what she felt here had to do with the man who had brought her to this wonderful spot. Being with him made even the dreariest day seem brighter and her troubles not so burdensome.
“Yes.” She blinked as his hand tightened around hers, pulling her around to face him.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
A cloud chose that moment to pass across the sun and a ripple of discouragement chased down Kristen’s spine, dampening the joy she’d found on the trip so far. Had she opened up to much? “Okay.”
“Let me get you something to drink first.”
“No,” Kristen put a hand on his arm
, stopping him as he started to rise again. “I’m fine.” That was a bald-faced lie. “Just…talk.”
“Okay.” Gaining strength from one last look at the land stretching out in all directions, he turned back to Kristen, meeting the curiosity in her blue eyes. “I know you have another week at the ranch but…”
Oh, crap. He was tired of dealing with the whole pretense thing and wanted her gone. The situation with Gabe and her mother last night had most likely sped up this conversation. Despite her desire to spend more time around Cal, she understood his decision. “Look, there’s nothing there that you can’t handle now that the new program is up and running. My presence there is superfluous. I can go now.”
“God, no.” Cal reached for her hand again, unconsciously caressing the soft skin as he searched for the right words. “I didn’t mean that I want you to go.”
“You…you don’t.” Hope fluttered in Kristen’s chest.
“No.” Cal shrugged. “I mean, I know you have a job to do, and once it’s done, you have no reason to come back...”
“Unless you need an accountant again at some point,” she suggested hopefully.
“No, I think I’ve got the hang of it.”
“I see.” Kristen tried to pull her hand away, but his hold tightened.
“No, you don’t.” His free hand pushed through his dark hair, ruffling strands flattened by the Stetson at his side. “Damn it, I’m making a mess of this.”
“Just tell me what you want, Cal.” Good Lord, could her heart beat any faster?
“Okay.” His eyes drifted over her face. “You, honey. I want you.”
She swallowed the urge to scream I want you too. Before she could say anything, however, she had to be sure exactly what it was that Cal wanted from her. “You mean you want to keep pretending that we’re a couple?”
“No,” he shook his head. “I’ve done that for most of my life. I pretended that I was okay after my parents died. I pretended that I was strong after each of my grandmothers died so that my brothers could have time to deal with their own pain. I pretended that I wasn’t the least bit jealous of Ryder’s happiness. I pretended after every stunt he pulled that Gabe would come to his senses. And I pretend every day that I’m not scared to death of losing another member of my family.” His fingers rubbed lightly against her palm, sending shivers down her spine in spite of the warm day. “I don’t want to pretend anymore.” He frowned. “You’ve had your own battles, and after what you’ve been through, I’ll understand if you say no. But there’s something between us, Kristen. And I don’t know about you, but it’s something I’ve never felt with anyone else. I find myself wanting to explore it further, to get to know you better and,” he shrugged, “see if it could lead to something…more.”
Kristen swallowed, her mouth painfully dry. She wished she’d let him get the water now. “I’d like that too.”
“You would?”
He looked so boyishly hopeful that it made Kristen smile. “I would.”
“Then is it okay if I kiss you now?”
“No more charade?”
“None at all.” He wanted to tell her that there never had been.
“Then, yes, please,” she whispered, her insides clenching in anticipation as his head moved closer.
She met him halfway, their heads automatically angling until their lips met with passion. Now that there was no more pretense, Kristen was free to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to put her all into the explosive kiss.
Several blissful minutes later, Cal pulled back, his breathing heavy. “I don’t want to frighten you, honey, or make you think that I’m trying to push you into anything you don’t want to do, but I want you, Kristen.”
“You do?” Kristen’s body, already aroused by his touch and the magic of his kiss, burned at his words. The fire in her belly spread outwards, leaving her feverish with a longing that only Cal had ever aroused into aching reality.
“Oh, I do, honey.” His hand cupped her face. “We’ve been dancing around this attraction for almost a month now, and I have counted every damn endless day.”
Her hand covered his and she delighted once again in the privilege to touch him freely. “Honestly, so have I.”
Cal stared into wide blue eyes that reflected back to him his own need. A small smattering of freckles crossed her straight nose and dusted her cheeks. He’d never noticed those before. Somehow they made her more beautiful, and he found himself wanting to kiss each one. His heartbeat accelerated when she scooted closer.
“We’re all alone now, cowboy, so what’s stopping you from making your move?” In spite of all her doubts that she could be playing with heartbreak, she wanted this. Why? Because making love with Cal was a-once-in-a-lifetime-chance. The risk to her heart was one she was willing to take. The way the virile cowboy beside her made her feel was indescribable. She burned, hot and hungry, for the pleasure that only he could bring her.
If heartache resulted later, she’d deal with it. It wasn’t as if misery was a stranger.
Cal pushed the errant curl behind her ear, his thoughts turning immediately to tracing the soft, pink shell with his tongue. There wasn’t a part of her that he didn’t want to know intimately and the ache that had been growing for the past few weeks suddenly seemed too big to appease with a few kisses. “Are you sure about this, baby?”
Kristen nodded. “As sure as I am that two plus two is four.”
Cal grinned, the tension in him easing somewhat. “That’s pretty absolute, Ms. Accountant.”
Her tongue peeked out, sliding slowly across her lips, leaving them glistening. “I’m trained to be very thorough.”
Cal groaned, his lips crashing down on hers. Gathering her close, he moved so that she was lying beneath him on the soft blanket. The kiss continued as the sun beat down upon them. The heat was nothing compared to the woman on fire in his arms. Her hips tilted upward into his, and his body jerked at the feel of her softness pressing into his raging arousal.
Their lips still locked in open-mouthed frenzy as they fought with each other’s clothing, unfastening, unbuttoning, unzipping in a clumsy yet efficient way that had them both naked within seconds.
“You are the most beautiful woman, Kristen. You belong in a painting somewhere.”
Cal’s reverent whisper and the worshipful look in his brown eyes drove away any hint of embarrassment Kristen normally felt about her size. That this good-looking man could find her attractive was astonishing to her, but she wasn’t going to waste any time questioning it. Her hands traced his wide shoulders, loving the feel of his smooth, warm skin beneath her palms. He smelled of horses, hay and aroused male.
With his lips and tongue, he traced a trail of kisses down her throat to the hollow between her breasts. His head rested there for a moment, and he could feel her heart hammering in time with his own. Her hands clutched at his hair, silently begging for more. His lips slid up the silky underside of her left breast to capture her nipple between his lips.
Kristen moaned as Cal’s mouth suckled her, licking, teasing. She shuddered against him as he switched his attention to her other breast. Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes, allowing her senses to focus on every delicious detail. His body, heavy against hers. The hair on his legs tickling hers. The way his calloused hands roamed over her skin, touching her as though she was some priceless treasure he’d just discovered. The way his lips pulled at her aching nipples, sending heat curling into her stomach and beyond. And the feel of his very aroused body pulsing against the soft skin of her stomach.
Her hands roamed over him as he continued to worship her breasts. His skin was smooth, like velvet over steel. Her eyes opened, watching him as he loved her before moving to the vast blue sky overhead. Here, with the sun shining down and the soft breeze caressing their bodies, Kristen felt as if she were making love for the very first time.
“Are you still with me, honey?”
Kristen’s attention snapped to the face above her.
Cal looked at her with a question in his brown eyes.
“I’m with you, cowboy.” Her hands slid up his shoulders to tangle in his hair. “There’s no place else I’d rather be.”
The first brush of his fingers against her damp flesh made her buck wildly. “Easy, baby,” he soothed as he stroked her. She relaxed her legs and stared up into his face. He was watching her, the hunger in his eyes the most amazing she had ever seen. The movement of his fingers grew faster, and in minutes her breathing had sped up as well. His touch was magical. She closed her eyes as sensation began to build inside her.
“Open your eyes, Kristen.” Cal’s voice was raw and demanding, and his movements changed to match his tone.
Kristen struggled to open weighted lids, her body on the edge of flying off the mountaintop. Her hands moved, gripping the hard ridge of muscles between his neck and shoulders. Muscles tensed with the strain she knew he was exerting over his control. “Cal,” she whispered breathlessly.
“Fall, baby, I’ll catch you.”
His words were the catalyst for her release, and she groaned his name, her body spinning out of control. He continued to touch her as she came back down from her high. He held her gaze as he eased her legs further apart to nestle between them. She felt his body, hard and hot.
“I need you so much, Kristen.”
The truth of his words rang in her head as he lowered his head and took her mouth once more. The kiss wasn’t gentle, and the almost savage stab of his tongue past her lips excited her all over again. His fierceness demanded a response; it demanded surrender, and she was more than happy to oblige. She gasped as he thrust inside her, unable to control the jerk of her body at the first breach. Yes, she was more than ready for him thanks to his tender loving, but he was a big man. He pushed a little more and then stopped, watching her. She nodded her head and lifted her hips, silently asking for more.
With a bad boy smile, he obliged, filling her in one smooth stroke. They both groaned as he embedded himself to the hilt, rocking himself into her in deft, careful movements that she could tell strained his control. She felt the same burning hunger of only moments before overtake her. “I need you, Cal. Now. Please.”