by J. M. Madden
“They love him,” Cheyenne admitted. “They brought me a paper this morning. They’d taken an official poll and four out of four kids thought that we were good together. My three also voted to stay at the sheriff’s house rather than go back to our own. They also added a paw print to that paper, which I assume was Daisy’s vote.”
Payton laughed. “I hope you write all this stuff down. Those kids are precious and they deserve to have a dad that loves them. It sounds like Olivia is on board too.”
“I think so. She gave written approval for them to move in. I’m sure the girls talked her into in, but I love that she actually went along. I’m falling in love with that kid. I try not to overstep my bounds but I want to love on her.”
“You know, families mesh all the time.”
“I know.”
She loved the feeling of them all together in Sheridan’s house, but she didn’t want to move too fast.
“So,” she said, changing the subject. “Did you walk through the venue?”
“I did, and everything is ready. I called all of the delivery people and they’ll be there at seven a.m.”
“Okay. I have two in-service days, then I’ll be done for the summer. If there’s anything after that that needs taken care of I can do it, probably.”
“I think everything is ready, Cheyenne. You’ve got the little favors at your house, right?”
“Yes. In that back office area.”
“Okay. I’ll run over there in a couple days to get those and we’ll be set. Don’t worry about anything. This will be a beautiful wedding shower.”
Cheyenne sank back into the chair. “Okay. Thanks, Payton. I’m going to go rustle up something for lunch.”
“Okay. Later. Keep me posted, woman!”
She laughed. “I will.”
Cheyenne swiped her phone to hang up and set it down. She picked up the paper the girls had signed. All four of them. She didn’t tell Payton, but she was anxious about becoming a stepmom to Olivia.
They would work it out.
Cheyenne cooked a little and cleaned a little and worked on end of the year reports for school. But she always found herself looking for Sheridan. When he was mowing it was easy. She could tell by the noise where he was. And she could hear him tinkering in the garage when he was done. Was he as keyed to her presence as she was?
The girls played in the pool all day, coming in for snacks and drinks. Cheyenne found some chicken breasts in the freezer to roast for dinner, as well as some veggies. Then they settled onto the couches in the living room to watch new movies.
It was kind of funny actually, watching the girls watch them. Sheridan’s gaze connected with hers more than once as people kept shuffling around until Cheyenne and Sheridan ended up side by side. Shrugging lightly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and settled back into the cushions, his long legs propped in front of him on the table. Cheyenne mirrored his pose, relishing in his warmth and strength cradling her.
They watched two movies back to back, but the three younger girls fell asleep partway through. Olivia headed downstairs with a smile at them, promising not to be back up till morning.
They shut the tv off and carried the girls to bed, then, like smugglers in the night, they separated to go to their rooms and change.
Sheridan was already in the pool by the time she got there. Cheyenne’s heart was racing as she padded across the patio and sat on the side of the pool, dangling her legs in the water. The evening had cooled, but the cement was warm beneath her bottom.
“Are you coming in?”
She gave him a considering look. “Not sure. I might just skip that step.”
Grinning, Sheridan plowed toward her, causing a wake in the water. Cheyenne scrambled up, laughing, as he lunged out of the pool.
“I felt your eyes on me all day today,” he told her softly. “It was distracting and exciting.”
She nodded, backing up as he stalked her. “I know. I felt you watching me as well.”
Her gaze flicked down to the bulge in his shorts. “I would like to see you more though.”
Sheridan grinned and as she lowered herself to the same lounge they’d been on the night before, he lowered himself beside her, propping himself up on one elbow. “You’re beautiful,” he told her softly. “Enticing, motherly, seductive…”
Cheyenne chuckled, reaching out to run her hands over his muscled chest, then down the soft line of hair on his abdominals. “I want to see you this time,” she whispered.
The bulge beneath his shorts flexed and she chuckled again, reaching a palm out to stroke him lightly. Sheridan groaned, dropping his head to his bicep. “You’re going to kill me.”
Cheyenne leaned into him and kissed his lips lightly, then harder. “I don’t want to kill you,” she told him finally, “I want to love you.”
Sheridan’s eyes opened and she was shocked at the vulnerability she could see in his expression. “I want that too.”
Cheyenne’s heart thudded as she eased off of the lounge, then held a hand out to Sheridan. “Come on.”
He took her hand and rolled to his feet without a word, following her silently inside the house. They paused as they closed the French door to make sure no one roused, but she didn’t hear a thing other than the refrigerator running. Her heart was about to pound out of her chest. “Do you mind if we go to your room?”
He shook his head and took the lead. Angling across the living room, he headed to his bedroom, the farthest away, tugging her along behind him. She’d peeked in once, but hadn’t dared enter before now. This was his space. He closed and locked the door behind them.
Cheyenne couldn’t see much other than some big pieces of furniture. The bathroom light was on, casting a warm glow. Sheridan paused in front of the bed and turned to face her. “I promised myself last night that I wouldn’t move faster than you were able, so you have to tell me everything. I’m not going to ruin what we have by jumping the gun. Do you understand?”
Cheyenne nodded, her throat tight with emotion at his consideration. And honestly, she was kind of flying by the seat of her pants right now. Last night had been amazing, but it had left her wanting. All day today she’d been hungering for him, but she wanted complete satisfaction, not just the little snack they’d had last night.
“I want … everything,” she admitted. “I want to feel like a woman again, not an object of pity. Yes, I was traumatized by a man, but my life didn’t end there. My needs didn’t end there. I want to feel complete, again, and free of all that went before. You know what I mean?”
He nodded. “I can’t understand completely, but I promise you, I won’t hurt you, ever. You mean too much to me to ever even consider giving you less than my best. I will do everything in my power to be what you need.”
Tears blurred her vision. That statement right there was more valuable to her than any ‘I love you’.
Taking her courage in her hands, she stripped off her bathing suit, and forced herself to stand proud before him. Sheridan’s gaze followed her movements and he smiled at her, lifting his brows in question.
“I want you to touch me, damn it, and kiss me,” she hissed. “And I want to see all of you.”
Sheridan reached for his trunks and Cheyenne forgot about her embarrassment, her breath stalling in her lungs. He’d felt substantial last night, but that could have just been her. Oh my, no… it hadn’t been her imagination, not at all.
Sheridan Lane’s body was beautiful, his penis long and thick, and excruciatingly erect. He was absolutely beautiful. Unable to help herself she reached out to touch him, cup him. His head dropped back on his neck and his hands clenched at his sides, as if he wanted to stop her from exploring.
“I’m not far from the edge, Chey. I’m warning you. I thought you wanted me to touch you?”
“I forgot about that as soon as I saw you.”
With sheer force of will, Sheridan reached for her so he could kiss her. Cheyenne moaned as he cupped her head, his tongue
gliding deep into her mouth. He moved inside her mouth like she knew he would move inside her body, strong and deep, careful, loving. With one hand he reached down and cupped her bottom, pulling her groin tight against his own. Her hands skirted around his back to his own behind, shaping and massaging, then up his strong, muscled back.
One of his hands crept between their bodies to fondle her nipple, massage her breast. Cheyenne panted as he shifted to the side so that he could slip a finger down lower, into her body. She was drenched, ready for anything he could give her.
Her thighs quivered as his finger massaged her clit, dragging a series of gasps and cries from her. Sheridan pulled back to grin down at her. “I think somebody was as aroused as I was today.”
He held his hand up, and it glistened in the light from the bathroom. Cheyenne shifted, rubbing her thighs together, but it just wasn’t the same as his talented hand.
“I want more,” she whispered.
Sheridan led her to the bed and lowered her down onto her back. He followed, his hand immediately going back to her slit. Cheyenne squirmed and widened herself for him, allowing him better access. His lips claimed her own as his finger sped up, circling exactly where she needed him to. Jerking her lips away, she cried out, so close to the edge. Then he bit down, ever so lightly on her hard nipple.
Cheyenne arched and cried out, her body not her own to control anymore. Sheridan held her as her pleasure crested, then eased. He laved her nipples with his tongue, and pressed kisses between her breasts. His penis was wedged against her hip, grinding carefully.
That tiny, involuntary movement reminded her of her deeper need, her need to be filled. Pushing against his heavy chest she laid him flat, then lifted one leg over top of him. Sheridan’s eyes widened, and he seemed about to say something, but she hushed him with a kiss. Reaching between them she angled his dick toward her center, and sank down.
Oh, blazes, there it was. Her body took his own in one long glide, so much easier than she’d expected. It was because of the preliminary work he’d done, getting her ready, she thought.
Cheyenne swiveled her hips, relishing the feel of the deeper, darker pleasure that was building. Sheridan groaned, his hands lifting to cup her breasts. “You are stunning,” he told her softly. “Please don’t stop.”
She had no intentions of doing anything of the sort. In fact, she needed to speed up. Cheyenne rocked herself against him, panting, reaching for that pinnacle again. Beneath her, Sheridan’s abs tightened as he rocked up into her, his breaths coming in gasps. She could tell by the way he clutched her hips in time to the movements that he was as close to orgasm as she was. Though her hips were aching and one thigh was cramping, she forced herself to move faster.
Sheridan cried out first, his body arching up off the bed and into hers even harder. That had been exactly what her body needed, that extra hardness, because her orgasm slammed into her, arching her back, almost unseating her. Only Sheridan’s strong hands kept her there as his body played out its release beneath her.
When Cheyenne finally allowed herself to lay forward, Sheridan’s strong arms around her and hearing him whisper I love you over and over again in her ear, she broke into sobs.
Chapter 17
Cheyenne felt like she’d lost five hundred pounds. She felt lighter in her skin, giddy. As she crept from Sheridan’s room early the next morning, she felt like a teenager.
He’d tried to convince her to stay, to wake together. The kids already knew there was something going on. It seemed stupid to act like it wasn’t.
But she’d stuck to her guns, even as he tugged her nipples into his mouth and tried to convince her. Sheridan Lane was a big teddy bear. He’d held her as she’d cried her relief at claiming her womanhood back, and he hadn’t discouraged her from feeling everything she needed to. He seemed to understand what she was going through.
When he couldn’t convince her to stay, he told her he loved her and let her go. He needed to get dressed for work anyway, he said.
Oh, yeah. It was Monday.
Two more days and she would officially be off for summer vacation.
Cheyenne wanted to call Payton and talk, but it was way too early. Sheridan stopped her before she went to wake the girls.
“Why don’t you let them stay with Olivia? You can see them on the cameras and it’ll save you having to watch them while you’re in your meetings.”
Cheyenne debated for a moment, before nodding her head. “Yes, I think it might be okay.”
The girls had woken before they left anyway, and seemed excited to have another day with Olivia. The teenager, of course, tried to play it cool, but Cheyenne could see the excitement in her eyes as well. As they were walking out the door, Cheyenne heard her ask the girls if they’d ever played Xbox.
“Oh, jeez. My girls are never going to be the same again,” she sighed.
Sheridan gave her a hand up into the gold Sheriff’s department truck, in its special chalk parking spot. “Oh, whatever. I grew up playing video games. Olivia has pretty mild games. Nothing bad or gory.”
They chatted as they drove to work, Sheridan occasionally reaching over to stroke her hand or her hair, or arm, whatever he could reach. And when the day was ended, they did the same, recounting what had happened and just being together. Cheyenne basked in his attention.
The girls were happy to see them home and regaled them with what they’d done together. Nothing epic, just everyday normal stuff.
And as the night waned and the kids went to bed, the tension between Cheyenne and Sheridan built. They didn’t even pretend with the pool that night, just slipped into bed together, loving like they’d been apart weeks rather than days.
Cheyenne rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart recover.
The next day was just the same. They chatted on the way to work, she went to meetings. Normal, boring day. Until Grace called her cell phone just after lunch.
Cheyenne excused herself and answered the call. “Grace? What do you need?”
“Mama, he’s here. The man with the tattoos! He can’t get in the gate but he’s shaking them and Wulf is barking. What if he drives his truck through them?”
Cold terror flowed through her veins and Cheyenne reached for the phone on the wall. “Grace, baby, I’m going to call Sheridan with my other phone, okay? You stay right there. Do not hang up!”
Cheyenne pounded out the numbers of the sheriff’s department, her heart thudding out of her chest. Dispatch routed her call to Sheridan and she repeated what Grace had told her.
“Cheyenne, I am literally down the street from you. Run out and I’ll pick you up on the way. Don’t worry baby.”
Cheyenne could have cried as she took off running, leaving everything behind. Some of her friends asked her if she was okay, but she didn’t have time to stop. “We’re on our way, Grace. You stay on the phone, okay?”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Where are the other girls?”
“They’re with me. Savannah, no, stay here! Mama, Savannah is trying to get Wulf to come inside with us.”
“You tell her Mama says she can call from the door, but she is not to go outside.”
“She already did.”
There was rustling on the other end of the phone and Cheyenne could tell Grace was running. Then she was yelling at Savannah. A dog barked frantically in the background and metal pounded.
Then the line went dead.
Cheyenne screamed and looked down at the phone. Hands shaking, she pressed redial on the screen, straining her ears as she ran. Why couldn’t she hear the ring?
Sheridan’s huge truck slammed to a stop in front of her and Cheyenne almost smacked into it she was running so hard. She jumped into the cab, even as she pushed redial on her phone.
“I lost them,” she cried, tears flooding her eyes.
“Put your seatbelt on,” Sheridan ordered, and floored the truck.
Cheyenne had only ever ridden in one other vehicle running lights an
d siren, and that had been an ambulance. She didn’t remember much of that ride other than how rough and noisy it had been.
Sheridan drove like a bat out of hell, cursing at people to move even though there was no way they could possibly hear him. On one stretch of road, Cheyenne thought they caught air as they crested a rise, but he handled the truck like it was a roadster.
“Patterson is going to meet us there. He doesn’t live far from me, and Deputy Miller is a couple miles out.”
Cheyenne nodded, staring at the phone, waiting for it to ring again. The thought of her babies being out there with so little protection terrified her. She didn’t know if Wade would actually hurt them, but she didn’t want him anywhere near them.
Sheridan’s phone rang and he pressed the speaker button. “Yes,” he barked.
“Thomas Applegate says he loaned Wade more money last night for food, but he didn’t show up for work today.”
“Okay, thanks Marlene.”
Cheyenne pushed the redial button on her cell phone, but nothing happened. It didn’t even ring.
Panic clutched at her throat and she forced herself to breathe through it.
Finally, they were within the sight of the gate. Wade’s white truck was parked in the driveway cockeyed, as well as a shiny motorcycle resting on its side. Two men were rolling around on the pavement, exchanging punches.
As soon as he got close Sheridan slammed the truck into park and was out of the vehicle. His long legs got him to the fight in seconds and for a moment, there was a jumble of flying arms and legs. She couldn’t tell who was who. Cheyenne dropped out of the truck and stood to the side, looking up the driveway. She could see Savannah holding onto Beowulf’s collar, and the other three girls standing behind her. Their faces were pale and frightened but Olivia’s arms were wrapped tightly around Carolyn and Grace as she stood tall between them. The gate had stood firm and so had they.
Wade fought for as long as he could, but Paul and Sheridan eventually got him under control. Sheridan cuffed him and left him laying on the ground as he helped Paul to his feet. Both men were sporting bloody injuries, but seemed to be fine.