by Ronica Black
By the time Rae returned everyone was sitting around the fire like schoolkids on a field-trip bus, antsy and excited, nearly bouncing up and down. She dragged a camp stool with her and entered the circle of firelight, shiny guitar in hand.
“This is so neat!” Jenna exclaimed. “It’s like having a live concert right in front of us!”
Rae sat on the stool, her form lit up by the firelight. She had just finished tuning her guitar when Adam rushed to her once again.
“Wait, wait!” Quickly, he removed her ball cap and ran nimble, expert hands through her thick dark hair. He stepped back a half step to get a look.
Krista laughed softly and then very nearly lost her breath as Adam sat and her eyes fell on Rae. With the guitar resting on her knee, she looked like a goddess in the golden orange firelight. Her thick hair was dark and gorgeous, finessed strands resting on her forehead, helping the firelight to show off her hazel eyes. Her worn jeans were nearly threadbare at the knees and her boots were scuffed and dirty. She’d removed her flannel shirt, showing off her body in a soft olive T-shirt. The frequently worked muscles in her forearms stirred beneath her tanned skin as she started to play.
“I can do country,” she said.
I bet you can do just about anything, Krista thought and then blushed.
“I like old school, though,” Rae added.
“Like who?” Tom asked.
Rae stared into the fire as she thought.
“The Judds!” Cody exclaimed.
“Yes!” Tillie piped in. “I love them.”
Rae looked up. “The Judds I can do.” She smiled, obviously excited, and Krista felt her heart threaten to melt.
“My mom and daddy used to play them all the time when I was a kid.” Cody’s young face reflected his memories of times that seemed to warm his heart. He cocked his head a little as Rae asked him to choose a song. He thought long and hard before he chose one of their first hit singles, “Have Mercy.”
Rae nodded. “Okay, but y’all have to help me sing.” With a flick of her wrist and a clenching of her perfect jaw, she started in. The melody was right away infectious, and Cody and Tillie knew the lyrics and Rae followed, a sly grin on her face as she sang.
Krista gripped the sides of her chair as the next verse came and Rae sang solo, her voice deep and smooth and hitting all the right notes. The firelight flickered over her body like a lover’s teasing touch. Krista thought about touching her like that, and her heart beat like mad in her chest and she thought she’d pass out.
Rae met her eyes and Krista melted to her chair. Rae’s gaze flashed against the flames, full of music, love, and passion. She truly loved what she was doing. She loved making music. And Krista loved it for her. She’d never ever seen someone look so good doing what they loved. Rae’s hand paused over the guitar as she gutted out some passionate lines; she then began playing again as Cody and Tillie chimed in on the chorus. By the time the song finished, Adam had a lighter high in the air, waving it back and forth.
Rae chuckled as they all applauded.
“I had no idea you could sing like that, Doc,” Cody said, giving her a standing ovation.
Rae blushed and waved them off, her pick held between two fingers. “Let’s do another one you’ll all know.”
Rae played on, picking her guitar to perfection. Adam stood, wanting to dance, but Krista refused, wanting to sit and stare at Rae instead. She even moved her chair when Adam and Candace and Jenna and Frank started to dance. Nothing was going to get in the way of her enjoyment.
When Rae began the third song, Krista had her eyes closed. As she listened to the first few lines of “Why Not Me,” her eyes flew open, the lyrics hitting home. Whereas Rae had started off a bit shy, she now sang with certainty and a strong confidence, her gaze fixed on Krista. Oh. My. God. Krista gripped the chair, unmoving and very nearly unbreathing. Her skin burned hotter and hotter as Rae continued to sing. She began answering the questions of the song in her mind. Why not you? I don’t know. I don’t know, why not you? Panicked and aroused beyond anything she’d ever felt, she wiped away the sweat that was breaking out on her forehead. One of the dancers moved in front of her, breaking the intense eye contact, and she breathed a little easier.
By the time the group started singing the next song Krista was afraid to leave her chair. Wetness had soaked through her jeans, and with every deep stroke of Rae’s voice, she felt herself tremble inside. This was a crazy idea. Why did I encourage it? Oh, God. And this song too, why is every word hitting home?
Krista stared past the moving bodies, unable to look away. Rae’s graceful, strong hands picked the guitar with fluid expertise. The sight, the sounds, the emotion in Rae’s voice and the passion in her eyes—moved like waves inside Krista, making her dizzy.
To Krista’s relief, Cody requested a slow song as soon as Rae’s voice died away. The good news was that her heart got a moment of much-needed rest. The bad news was that everyone had sat down to recover from their dancing and Rae was the sole focus. And Rae wasn’t singing to anyone but her. Krista could feel everyone’s eyes on her but for once she didn’t care. She was busy praying she would somehow be able to resist rising to kiss Rae, when she suddenly stopped playing. Everyone stared as Tillie rose to her feet, her hands covering her face. She ran into her tent, crying loudly.
Rae stood up in alarm, her guitar idle at her side. “Is she okay?”
Krista rose and plucked her wet jeans away from her backside. She crossed the campsite to Tillie’s tent and gently rattled the flap. “Tillie?”
Through loud sobs she heard, “Don’t worry. I’m just a little upset. Sorry. Tell Rae I’m sorry.”
Krista held on to the tent flap, concerned. “You don’t have to apologize, sweetie.” Had the lyrics of the music hit home with everyone else too? “If you want to talk, I’m here. We’re here.”
Tillie appeared, her eyes large and liquid. “I know. Thank you. I just need to go to sleep.”
“Okay. Get some rest.” Krista zipped up the tent. When she turned everyone had quietly dispersed to their own tents. Everyone but Rae. The vet stood looking like she’d single-handedly caused Tillie’s broken heart.
“She okay?”
Krista nodded, unable to hold the intense, sensitive gaze. “Yeah.”
Rae lowered her guitar and sighed. As she was zipping it up in its case, Krista paused at the door to her own tent.
“You’re very good,” was all she could think to say.
Rae looked up as if surprised and slightly embarrassed. “Thanks.”
“No thanks needed.” Krista smiled. She hesitated, unsure of what to say but completely sure of her feelings. More than anything she wanted to stay with Rae and look into her eyes all night long as she sang. She didn’t want the night to ever end. But as Rae continued to concentrate on packing up her guitar, she knew the romanticism of the moment was over. “Night.”
She disappeared inside her tent but not before she heard Rae whisper, “Night.”
Chapter Twelve
The dark desert chirped and hummed outside Rae’s tent. Once again she couldn’t bring herself to fall asleep. And once again her restlessness was Krista Wyler’s fault. She sighed and rubbed her fingers together. They were still alive and tingling from her hour of intensive playing. Her heart still beat like the fast-moving footfall of a horse. Singing and playing like that, in front of Krista, it had excited her in ways she’d never thought possible.
She’d felt connected to her, as if they’d been the only two there. When she sang, she’d sung to her, for her. And she’d meant every word.
Dang it. She turned over in frustration. Had she been so caught up in the music and the moment that she’d mistaken Krista’s eyes as ones full of burning desire? Maybe she should’ve had some of that wine after all. This wasn’t like her, the tossing and turning. These feelings, these worries. None of it was like her. She was used to working hard, keeping herself busy and then unwinding with the guitar. When her
head hit the pillow at night she did what her body needed to do. She slept.
This…all these things running through her head…she sat up and clamped her hands in her hair. What is going on? Instantly her mind’s eye pictured Krista sitting across the fire, hands gripping her chair, looking like she wanted to eat Rae alive.
Rae closed her eyes and dropped her hands. Oh, how she loved that look. She knew she’d never forget it. Defeat settled over her as she admitted her growing attraction to Krista Wyler.
Sighing, she lay back down and zipped up her sleeping bag. She wasn’t the slightest bit cold but she knew she would be eventually. To her continued amazement her hand drifted willfully over her hardened nipples. Another sigh escaped her as the fingers lingered a moment. A twinge of approval spread up from between her legs.
What am I doing?
Her hand continued downward, slipping quickly beneath her waistband. She cried out softly and slapped her other hand over her mouth. She was wet. Wet and swollen.
With wanting.
With need.
For Krista.
Krista Wyler had done this to her.
Rae’s eyes felt wide, staring up at her tent as she let her two fingers squeeze and slide up and down along her engorged clit.
“Ah.” Hot blood rushed to her ears. There was a pounding, a steady loud pounding. It was good, so good.
“Hey, sexy,”
“Holy shit.” Rae yanked her hand from her pants and sat straight up to her knees, shocked and appalled.
While she’d been distracted with thoughts of Krista, Candace had unzipped the tent and was now inside, zipping it back up. Grinning, she dropped to her knees and lifted Rae’s hands to her face.
Her tongue sneaked out and licked the moisture from Rae’s fingers. “Mmm, I see you were thinking about me,” she whispered. “Baby, you taste good.”
She leaned in and licked Rae’s neck and then lowered herself to suck Rae’s nipples through the thin T-shirt. Rae gasped. The feeling was wonderful.
“No,” she whispered, her eyes drifting closed, her head unsure what to do.
Candace paid no mind. Her mouth fastened onto Rae’s neck. Her hand swiftly slid into the unzipped jeans where she found Rae insanely wet and waiting.
“Oh, sugar,” she purred in Rae’s ear. “I bet you taste just like sugar.” Her fingers worked Rae up and down, quick and hard and fast.
Rae’s mind was spinning. She was losing control. She reached out to lean on something but nothing was there. She fell to her elbow and Candace gave a soft laugh.
“Lie back.” Candace’s tongue snaked in and around Rae’s ear while her hand worked magic in Rae’s pants. “Mmm. That’s it. Let me make you come, sugar.”
Rae was helpless. She started to sit up but Candace pushed her back down. Her breathing was rampant, the pleasure mounting. It had been so long, so long…she clenched her eyes and thought of Krista across the fire.
And then, opening her eyes in sheer bliss, she beautifully came.
*
To Rae’s dismay, she was one of the last to wake the next morning. She rolled over and crawled from the tent with a bitch of a headache. Good mornings came from around the campfire and Rae had walked past almost everyone before she realized her fly was open. Blushing, she zipped it up and meandered through the trees. As she relieved herself and felt the familiar tingle from her crotch, she cursed herself, remembering the night before. Candace had sneaked into her tent, and she’d allowed it. All of it.
“Damn.” She felt sick at herself. And as she fastened her jeans and walked back to camp, this sickness grew. When she spotted Krista scooping up some eggs and bacon into a bowl, she realized the sickness was guilt. Cold and hard.
Rae nodded a thanks as Krista handed the bowl to her. She forced herself to take a bite and caught Candace grinning at her. Suddenly Rae had no appetite.
She was about to return the bowl but Krista said, “I know it’s not as good as your cooking, but I wanted to let you sleep.”
“It’s good,” Rae said, and continued to eat, hating herself.
She wasn’t even attracted to Candace. How had this happened? She hadn’t been with a woman for close to three years, and now all of a sudden she was having sex with one she didn’t like while thinking about the one she did? Frustrated, she ate quickly, cleaned her bowl, took several large, burning gulps of coffee, and then took down her tent and packed the supplies. She spoke to no one and worked by herself.
When they finally headed out on the trail, she relaxed a little, thankful for the time alone. She rode ahead of the group alongside Howie, leaving Cody behind with the supply horses. All day long, she roped and rode, thinking about nothing but the cattle. When her mind tried to stray she roped it back in, just like a calf. A few times she slowed to help Tom and Tillie with their roping, glad to be of help. But she was sure to steer clear of both Candace and Krista. When lunchtime rolled around, she stayed with Howie, eating the sack lunch while riding Shamrock. The cocky cowboy had little to say and she, for one, was glad.
A little before three, whistles went out and she rode back toward the group, calling Cody on the walkie-talkie to find out what was going on.
He was short of breath. “They’ve found a rattler.”
“Good Lord,” Rae said, riding quickly to the bushes where the guests had clustered.
She slid off her horse and approached Frank, who was holding a long stick. The rattle warning was loud. Too loud. He was poking at the coiled snake at close range, encouraging it to strike. When it did, the group let out excited shrieks. Krista was beet red, yelling at everyone to be quiet, but her voice was hoarse and they were ignoring her.
When she saw Rae approach, she held up her hands, once again resisting help when she obviously needed it. “I’ve got this under control.”
Rae fought back her fury and fear. “I can see that.” She took the stick from Frank and advanced on the group, waving them away from the bushes. They all stepped backward, eyes fixated on the snake.
“Thank you, Doctor, but I’ve got this,” Krista insisted, taking the stick as if it were almighty and powerful.
Rae glared at her. “Just do yourself a favor, and shut up and listen.”
Krista’s mouth clamped shut in surprise. Rae refocused on the group her anger finally getting the better of her.
“You see that?” She pointed. “That is a rattlesnake. A Western diamondback.” She eyed it carefully. “Probably about four feet long.”
They oohed in awe, which only annoyed Rae even more. “Do you know what this snake can do to you? Frank? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is?”
“I know it’s poisonous.”
“And yet you poked at it, tried to provoke it.”
He nodded. “I was hoping to kill it. Take the fangs and tail home with me.”
“Oh, Frank,” Jenna let out in disbelief.
“What?” he cried. “These snakes are legends.”
“They’re legends for a reason,” Krista said, coming to stand by Rae, almost as if she were finally okay with her presence.
Rae felt heat spread in her body as Krista brushed up against her but she was too worked up to care. “If this snake bit you, which by the way it could’ve if it had wanted to. They strike at a distance of over half their own length.”
The group mumbled and took another step backward.
“You would’ve been in a very serious situation,” Rae continued. “We’re miles from town. Miles from a hospital. The venom it would’ve injected, a snake that large, you would have felt it right away. First the severe pain, unlike any pain you’ve ever felt before.” She dug out her wallet and retrieved three folded pictures. She held them up for all to see. They were of a rattlesnake bite on the back of a hand. The skin around the bite was purpling and bubbling while the rest of the hand was swollen to three times its normal size.
As the group studied the pictures, she said, “Then there’s the swelling and the funny taste in your mouth.
And nausea, vomiting, and sometimes diarrhea. Then hematemesis, hematochezia, paresthesias, and syncope…”
“Para what?” Jenna asked, looking mortified.
Rae stopped her rant and noticed that all eyes were on her. Fear had drawn the blood from their faces. No one said a word.
“I’m sorry, I got carried away.” She glanced back at the snake, which still sat coiled, probably way more frightened of them than they were of it. “Rattlesnake bites can cause weakness, fainting, blood in your vomit, blood in your stool.” She spoke slower, emphasizing her points. “Your skin will start burning and tingling and you’ll get a bulla, or a large blister, around the bite area. If you’re not treated with antivenin fairly soon after the bite you can suffer irreversible organ damage. Sometimes even death.”
“No shit,” Adam said softly, staring at the snake.
“It’s an awful way to die,” Rae iterated.
Frank cleared his throat. “I guess I won’t be taking any fangs home.”
Rae clapped him on the shoulder and he jerked. “I wouldn’t recommend it. Especially since the venom can remain in the fangs well after death.”
The group slowly mounted their horses, mumbling amongst themselves. They still cast wary glances at the snake, clearly afraid it would slither after them.
“I like you all way too much to have to helicopter you out of here,” Rae told them. “Get back to the cattle. They’re much safer.”
She refolded the pictures and shoved her wallet back in her pocket.
“Wow, you really are a veterinarian,” Krista said in a tone that Rae couldn’t place.
“You thought I was, what, faking all this time?” Rae was about to mount Shamrock but she hesitated, waiting to see if Krista needed help.
“Let’s just say the big words were impressive.” Krista gripped Dollar’s saddle and hoisted herself up without assistance. “I really did have it under control, you know. You didn’t have to scare them like that.”