by Verna Clay
"Toby, Dovie, I just got a call from Sage. Seems he was driving back to the house when his truck stalled. He said the engine won't turn over and he can't spare Skipper or Beaner from working that broken fence line. Do you suppose ya'll could finish unpacking supplies while I go to the rescue? It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours."
Toby was now sure his mother was up to something, but he said, "Sure Mom. It's okay with me. But I can go."
"No. You stay and keep Dovie company."
Toby glanced at Dovie. "Is that okay with you?"
"Oh, of course."
Sarah said, "Thanks, kids."
After Sarah left, Dovie started putting paper products and canned goods away in the kitchen. Toby hid a grin. His mother and father had just set him and Dovie up. He decided to give Dovie space and walked onto the porch to move the boxes of solar panel parts into the shed. After he finished with the boxes he grabbed an axe and began splitting logs. He wanted to ask Dovie flat out what had happened to make her so standoffish, but he didn't want to come off as overbearing. The woman had him in a quandary. Should he give her breathing room or demand she tell him what was wrong?
Dovie watched Toby raise his axe and slam a log. The wood split and he tossed the pieces onto a pile. His lean body was the stuff of dreams and she bit her lip. She wanted to lose herself in his embrace. She wanted him to kiss her and never stop. She wanted to know what it was like to make love with him.
Gripping the edge of the dining table, she lowered her head, trying to tame her emotions. When she finally felt calmer, she raised her head to see Toby talking on his cell phone. He hung up and started toward the house. Immediately, she went back to wiping dust off the table.
She heard the front door open and Toby's boots on the living room floor and then the kitchen floor. She glanced up and waited for him to enter the dining room.
"Hey, Dovie, the place looks great. But I don't think cleaning was part of the plan. Please don't feel like you have to."
"Oh, I don't mind. In fact, I'm enjoying it. This may be my one and only experience of cabin living."
Toby inhaled a long breath and said, "Well, you'll be experiencing it at least overnight. I just got a call from my mom. They couldn't get my father's truck running, so she took him home, and now the old green truck won't start. None of the hands are expected back until dark. And the keys to my truck are in my pocket. She and Dad think it'd be best to pick us up tomorrow."
Dovie's mouth parted. "Ah…ah…" She wanted to scream, No! I can't spend the night in the same cabin with you!
Toby studied her face. "I guess I could call my brother and get him to drive out here."
"No. He lives in town. I'll be fine." Although her words sounded calm and rational, her heart was anything but.
Toby said, "You can have whichever bedroom you want. I'll go make sure there are sheets on the beds." Something flickered in his eyes before he abruptly turned away.
While Toby was checking the bedrooms, Dovie's imagination went ballistic with images of the two of them in the same bedroom and the same bed. She needed to do something to curb those thoughts—dinner. Rummaging through the well-stocked pantry, she retrieved a couple of cans of chili beans and a sleeve of crackers. Sarah had said that although the cabin was equipped with a fridge, it was only turned on and used when occupants stayed at the cabin.
She spied a can of applesauce and fruit cocktail and turned the fridge on so the fruit could chill. The only thing inside the refrigerator was a bottle of unopened wine.
Toby reentered the kitchen. "I checked out the bedrooms. There are sheets on the beds, but if you want to change yours, there are fresh ones in a cupboard in the bathroom."
Dovie held up a can of beans. "I hope you like chili beans and crackers."
Toby grinned. "What cowboy doesn't? But I think I have something better than crackers."
Dovie couldn't help her smile. "Yeah?"
Toby walked to the pantry and pulled out a box. "Yeah. Cornbread mix. You go pick out your bedroom and I'll start on the cornbread."
Dovie nodded and fled the room. She chose the smallest bedroom and forewent changing the sheets. She remained in the quaint room with its four-poster bed and sat on the wedding ring quilt covering it until she'd fortified herself for the coming night. When she returned to the kitchen, the cornbread was already in the oven and the beans simmering on the stove. Toby had laid place settings on the table and the bottle of wine. There was a wine glass beside each plate. The affect was intimate and romantic. Dovie almost turned and fled the room.
Toby glanced up from stirring the beans. "Did you decide on your room?"
"Yes. The one with the blue and red wedding ring quilt."
"Are you sure? The other room is larger."
"I'm quite sure."
For a moment there was an awkward silence and then Toby said brightly, "The cornbread should be done in fifteen minutes. And it was a good idea for you to chill the canned fruit. I noticed the bottle of wine and thought it would be the perfect accompaniment to beans," he joked.
Dovie asked, "Is there anything you want me to do?"
"Nope. Got it covered."
"Well, I'll just go wash up." For a moment her gaze locked with Toby's and her imagination again went wild.
Dovie held her wine glass out for a refill. The wine had tasted awesome with chili beans and cornbread, and now the chilled applesauce for Toby and the fruit cocktail for her, finished off their feast. Rather than become overly nervous during dinner, Toby's funny stories had relaxed her. She chuckled, "So the legendary Harvey Livingston of Livingston Fashions is one of the most egotistical men alive?"
Toby poured a refill of his own wine and grinned. "According to my father that's a definite yes. Whenever he returns from one of Mr. Livingston's fashion layouts, he swears he'll never work for the man again. But then, something always needs to be fixed around the ranch and they offer him so much money that he gives in."
"Well, your father is a legend and his name is synonymous with high fashion." She giggled and wondered if it was her or the wine. "If I hadn't seen for myself what a cowboy he is, I wouldn't have believed it."
"Yeah, my mom and dad have tried to keep our family out of the spotlight. The first time I saw my dad in a magazine spread I laughed so hard I fell off a chair. He was wearing some kind of yuppie suit and I thought he looked ridiculous."
Dovie sipped her wine and asked a question she'd wondered many times. "So you and Preston never wanted to become fashion models or movie stars."
He reared his head back and laughed. "Hell, no. Being in Denver for any length of time gives us hives. I can't imagine having people taking pictures of me wearing clothes I hate and having to work in L.A., New York, London, or any of the other places my father has to travel."
"What about your sisters?"
Toby set his glass on the table. "Julie never wanted to do anything other than ranch and Hannah's determined to travel the world."
They talked several minutes longer and then Dovie decided she was getting way too buzzed. She was probably slurring her words. "I think I better call it a night, Toby." She yawned. "Oh, excuse me."
He smiled warmly. "You are one adorable woman, Dovie."
His remark caught her off guard and she became flustered. To cover herself, she started removing dishes from the table.
Toby reached to touch her hand. "I've got it Dovie. You're tired. Go to bed."
Toby's touch felt like fire on her flesh and rather than argue, she decided to escape. "Thanks, Toby. I'll do the clean up tomorrow."
He laughed. "I'm not keeping score of the cleanups, honey."
Dovie grabbed her cane, said a hasty goodnight, and left the presence of a man who turned her world upside down.
Chapter 28: Unavoidable
Dovie fell fast asleep but awakened later. She reached for her watch to check the time and groaned, two a.m. Rolling onto her side she hoped to fall quickly back to sleep, but then she had to go to
the bathroom. After fifteen minutes of trying to ignore the feeling, she flipped on the small bedside lamp and grasped her cane that she'd leaned against the nightstand. Rather than fit the prosthesis to her leg, she hopped to the door. Peering around the edge just in case Toby was still up, she saw no one in the dim illumination coming from her bedroom. Since the bathroom was next to her bedroom, she didn't have to hop far. After relieving herself and washing her hand, she opened the door and hopped back toward her bedroom.
A shiver ran up her spine.
Turning and darting her gaze around the living room, she gasped when a shadowy form moved in an overstuffed chair. She said with an accusatory edge, "What are you doing up?"
Toby's face was in shadow but she could feel the intensity of his stare. He said, "After you went to bed I decided to kick back for a few minutes, but I guess I fell asleep. I woke up when you opened your door."
For some reason Dovie was rooted to the spot. Part of her wanted to flee, but another part of her wanted Toby to see her without her artificial limbs. If he did, she figured it would quell any romantic notions he was feeling for her. Maybe then her wayward heart would release him.
Slowly, he stood to his feet.
When he stepped forward, Dovie held out her arm that was only a partial limb. The T-shirt she had found in a drawer left her shortened arm and leg exposed. She lifted her eyes to Toby's and said, "This is me, Toby."
He stopped only inches from her. His eyes moved from hers to her partial leg and then to her arm that she still held outstretched. She waivered slightly on her foot and he clasped her waist to steady her. Slowly he bent to kiss her nub of a hand.
Dovie gasped and whispered, "You don't want me."
Toby moved his lips up her arm until his breath was hot on her neck. "Oh, but I do. And I'm going to show you just how much." His mouth moved to her ear and he lightly nipped the lobe. The feeling was so erotic that Dovie's leg went weak, but Toby pulled her tightly against him for support. His lips feathered across her cheek again until they hovered above hers. Her breath was coming in pants when he finally closed the distance between their mouths. His kiss was gentle and moved from her lips to her eyes, her temples, across her nose, and back to her mouth.
Dovie dropped her cane and lifted her good arm around Toby's neck, clinging to him as if he were life support. The pressure of his kiss increased and then he was exploring her mouth.
Dovie was lost. Nothing existed except Toby kissing her, Toby caressing her, Toby lifting her into his arms and carrying her into her bedroom.
As he lowered her onto the bed she splayed her hand across his chest. For his own sake, she said, "Toby, my body is not beautiful. I'm not like the other women you've been with. You may want to reconsider this."
She heard him release a long sigh and then he said, "Dovie, you're beautiful. I love you. I want to spend my life with you. Don't push me away."
A soft sob erupted from her just as Toby lowered his head to taste her mouth again. From that moment on, she belonged to him. At the age of thirty, she was still a virgin and she was glad of that. No man had ever touched her heart or her body the way Toby had.
Gently, he removed her T-shirt and then held himself above her, roaming her body with his eyes. She didn't flinch. Would he find her repulsive? His hot gaze moved back to hers and she saw the truth. He wanted her—desperately.
With boldness she didn't know she possessed, she rasped, "I want to see you too, Toby."
A smile tilted one corner of his mouth. "Then you'll have to undress me."
Dovie returned his smile as she reached for the buttons of his shirt. He placed his hands over her hand and together they undid them. Her courage failed when it came to unbuttoning his fly. He reached for her hand, lowering it. She gasped but did not draw back. As with the shirt, they worked together. The mattress sagged when he sat on the side of the bed to remove his boots and shirt, and then he stood to slip off his jeans. The soft light from the bedside lamp caused his skin to glow. Dovie drank in his body. She had never seen anyone or anything more beautiful than Toby Tanner.
He levered himself above her and said, "Let's go to heaven, my dove."
Chapter 29: Phone Call
Something was tickling Dovie's neck and when she reached to scratch it, her hand encountered a bristly jaw. She jerked her eyes open. Toby was now kissing her collar bone and when he moved lower, she moaned his name.
He said, "So, you're awake. I was hoping to make it to your waist before you stirred."
Dovie giggled. "You are so wicked, Toby Tanner."
"And you are delicious, Dovie Juniper." He moved his mouth lower still.
Dovie tangled her hand in his hair and closed her eyes, giving herself over to Toby again.
Toby vaguely heard Chris Cagle singing What A Beautiful Day. That tune meant something. Oh, yeah, it was his mother calling him on his cell phone. The music seemed to be coming from the floor. He was on his stomach so he moved his head slightly to search the floor and saw his jeans. Pulling the phone from his jean's pocket, he croaked, "Yeah, Mom?"
"Did I wake you, son?"
A sighing sound brought him suddenly awake. He was in Dovie's bed and he'd just had the most incredible sex of his life. He grinned when his mother said, "Ah, Toby, is this a bad time to call. I can call back later."
He laughed. "It's not the best time. How about I call you in an hour?"
"Okay. Oh, and Toby, since Dovie is next to you, tell her I said good morning."
"You got it."
Toby set his cell phone on the nightstand and sat up against the headboard to watch his ladylove sleep. She was beautiful and so sexy he wanted her again. Rather than concentrate on the longing of his body, he thought about a future with Dovie. She was the only woman for him. Something he'd known for a long time.
She stirred and his eyes moved to that erotic mole at the corner of her mouth. Down boy.
Dovie opened her eyes and yawned. Suddenly she became aware of his perusal and jerked the covers to her chin. "How long have you been awake?" she asked.
"Long enough to get an eyeful."
She blushed and he scooted down in the bed until his eyes were level with hers. Without preamble he said, "I meant what I said last night. I want to spend my life with you. I want to marry you, Dovie."
She reached to cup his cheek but didn't respond.
He said, "Just say you'll think about it, honey."
She caressed his cheek. "I'll think about it."
Toby pulled her against him and she said against his chest. "I could have sworn I heard Chris Cagle singing earlier."
He laughed. "You did. It was my cell phone. My mother called. I told her I'd call her back later and she said to tell you hello. You know, don't you, that she and my father set us up. They've been manipulating us for weeks."
Dovie leaned her head back. "They have?"
He nodded, mashed his lips against hers in a loud smack, and continued, "They knew from the beginning we'd be perfect together."
Dovie grinned shyly. "It was perfect."
Toby just about lost it. "Oh, god, Dovie, I love you so much."
Dovie had never been so happy and when Toby asked if she wanted to stay at the cabin until evening, she immediately agreed. He called his mom and set a time of six to be picked up. After that, they spent all morning in bed talking, touching, and getting to know one another. They were so into each other that they forgot about breakfast. For brunch they opened cans of stew and a sleeve of crackers. But dinner became a gourmet meal when Toby called from the pantry, "Ah-hah. Tamales!"
Dovie glanced at a box of biscuit mix and grinned. "Biscuits and tamales. I don't think we're going to make the cover of Diner's Delight."
Toby set two cans of tamales on the counter and pulled Dovie into his arms. "But we might make the cover of Lover's Delight." He kissed her soundly and then she heard his stomach growl.
Not long after dinner, Sarah and Sage arrived with huge grins. Toby joked with his fath
er, "Did you find out why both trucks suddenly went down?"
Sage laughed. "You know them old clunkers; they kinda have a mind of their own. Imagine my surprise when both of them purred like kittens today."
Even though Dovie felt somewhat embarrassed knowing Sage and Sarah must realize she and Toby had slept together, she loved the comradery of the Tanner family, and by the time they reached the ranch, she was caught up in the jesting.
They had just entered the ranch house when Toby got an emergency call about a colicky horse and had to rush to a nearby farm. He kissed Dovie goodbye and said he probably wouldn't see her until the next day. Sage decided to go with his son.
Sarah invited Dovie to spend the evening with her, but she graciously declined so she could ponder the events of the past twenty-four hours. About an hour after she'd returned to her room, her cell phone rang. It was a number she didn't recognize.
"Hello."
"Hello. I'm trying to reach Dovie Juniper. This is Portland Memorial Hospital."
Dovie felt her throat constrict. Who would be calling her from a hospital? "This is she," she forced the words out.
"My name is Nancy Burns and I'm an advocate liaison for patients. Mr. Ronald Juniper is in the hospital and he asked me to track you down. Do you know him?"
Breathless, she said, "Yes. He's my father."
Ms. Burns said, "I'm sorry to inform you that his condition is grave and he's not expected to live more than a few days."
Dovie inhaled sharply. She had always wondered what she would do if she heard from her father. Would she hate him, loathe him, feel nothing for him? She felt close to tears. "What is his illness?"
"He suffered a heart attack a few months back and was transferred to a nursing home after leaving the hospital. Yesterday, his condition worsened and he was returned to the hospital. His physician's diagnosis is heart failure, but Mr. Juniper has requested that no life support be used on him."
"D-did he say he wanted to see me?"