“Geez, Mel,” Gracie whispered, completely stunned by the anger her sister was displaying.
“Don’t ‘geez, Mel,’ me!” Melanie warned her. “You all have to have faith in the Great Spirit! If you don’t go after your men, you’ll never let them catch you.”
Jamie couldn’t keep the laughter from bubbling out. “You are too much, Melanie,” she said as she laughed softly.
“Oh, hush,” Melanie told her, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Now, all of you women listen to me. You need to take the initiative. You need to show your men that you’re the ones who will give them the love and happiness—and children—that they all want. Don’t let them fool you. They already know that they want those things with you. They all know that you’re their mates. Some of them are afraid of the commitment, but that doesn’t make their desire for it any less. You have to show them that they will receive a wonderful gift when they accept your matings. Your love will help them heal. They need you.”
Melanie’s voice grew softer with each word that she spoke. She knew the pain and loneliness of the men who belonged to her friends. She knew that her friends’ gentle love would help heal their hearts.
“And when you mate, you know what you owe me?” Melanie asked.
“A giant chocolate bar with almonds,” Gracie, Jamie, and Lainey said as one, making everyone laugh.
Robbie leaned over and kissed Cooper’s cheek lightly, smiling when she giggled sweetly. He handed her a roll and leaned in to whisper against her cheek.
“Cooper, you and me are mates,” he told her, his blue eyes sparkling as he smiled at her. “Remember? I told you.”
“I remember,” Cooper whispered back. She took the roll Robbie offered her and placed it on her plate. “Robbie, can you help me?”
“Sure, Cooper,” Robbie said without hesitation. “What’s wrong?”
“I need my daddy to love my mommy,” Cooper told him softly. “I love him a lot.”
Robbie nodded and tried to think very hard how he could help his best friend. “I’ll think of something,” he promised. “Unca Marc loves you a lot. I know he loves your mommy, too. I had a dream about all of you.”
“You did?” Cooper asked, mesmerized by Robbie’s words.
“Yup. Unca Marc, Aunt Madison, and you were really happy, and there was lots of babies.”
Cooper smiled as she leaned over and hugged Robbie tightly. “I’m glad you’re my mate, Robbie McKade,” she whispered.
“I’m glad you’re my mate, Cooper Blackstone,” Robbie whispered back.
“My name isn’t Cooper Blackstone, Robbie,” Cooper said quietly. “It’s Cooper Allen.”
“No, Cooper. Unca Marc said it’s Cooper Blackstone. He said you’re his little girl. I saw it in my dream.”
Cooper giggled softly. She loved Marc and wanted him to be her daddy. If Robbie saw that Marc said that she was his little girl, she believed him. Robbie was her best friend. She could see him glowing white with goodness. She was glad that Robbie loved her just as much as she loved him.
None of the women overheard their words, but the Great Spirit heard all and smiled down on the two innocent children. They were the perfect embodiment of goodness and light. He was going to make sure that they would be blessed with a beautiful future, just as the women in the room would be blessed.
Do not worry, my children. Love is waiting for all of you, He told them softly.
He filled each of them with His goodness and love. He eased their worries and fears without any of them realizing it. It was good to look down upon these kind and caring people and see the bright and loving future that was waiting for each of them.
Chapter 15
“Deuce, I need to talk to you about something,” Claire said as she stood beside the corral and watched as Deuce dismounted his chestnut mare Daisy.
Deuce turned to face her and smiled at the woman who had been a blessing to them all—especially Jake. He was glad that his baby brother had finally realized that Claire was meant to be his mate and had accepted their mating. She was good for him. Deuce knew that Claire was going to make Jake finally be comfortable within his own skin. That’s exactly what his Gracie had done for him.
“Sure, Claire. Is there something wrong?” Deuce asked her gently.
“No. Well, not really. Um, it’s just that…” Claire didn’t quite know how to explain what she needed.
“Take your time, Claire,” Deuce said softly, reaching out and gathering Claire within his embrace and holding her carefully. He could feel her shaking, and he was worried about her. “Does it hurt you when you touch me?”
“No. Not at all,” Claire said without hesitation. “I only feel friendship and caring. I can sense how you love Gracie and your family, and I can feel the love you have for your baby. It’s all good.”
Deuce smiled and laughed softly. “Yeah. It is.”
“I wanted to ask a favor of you, Deuce,” Claire said finally, stepping out of Deuce’s arms and looking up at him shyly. She knew she was blushing, but she couldn’t help it.
“Sure, Claire. Whatever I can do to help, I will.”
“I was wondering if you might be able to spare four strips of leather,” Claire said finally. She looked at Deuce, her gaze never wavering. She was determined to be strong.
Deuce hesitated, doing his best not to smile. It seemed that his brother’s woman was very much in tune with his brother. The both of them were going to be surprised that the other was so hesitant when it seemed that the both of them wanted the same thing.
“Why don’t you tell me what you need it for so I can get the right lengths for you,” Deuce said after a moment.
“I want to give them to Jake.”
“Okay. What for?”
“So he can use them to restrain me.”
“Oh.”
“That’s all you have to say?” Claire asked as Deuce remained silent before her.
“Claire, I’m going to tell you exactly what I told Jake,” Deuce said gently. “You both need to tell each other what you want and work together to decide what you’re both comfortable with.”
“You told Jake that?”
“I did.”
“Do you think he’ll listen?”
“Not to me. But he will listen to you.”
“He’s not listening to me about this, Deuce,” Claire said sadly. “I keep trying to tell him that I’m okay with the way he touches and holds me, but he keeps thinking I’m just telling him what I think he needs to hear.”
Deuce crossed his arms across his chest and looked out at the open land behind the ranch home. He loved the beauty of the area. Their ancestors had picked the perfect place to settle. He was glad that he and his brothers and their friends were able to live in this place. It was not only peaceful, it was blessed. All of them were gifted with a beautiful life because of the goodness of their ancestors. Everything changed for all of them the day that they had saved an Indian brave and his mate.
“Jake has always been a stubborn man,” Deuce began. “He’s sure he’ll push you away.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Deuce,” Claire said with determination. “Sooner or later, Jake will get that through his thick skull.”
Deuce laughed softly. “I knew you were the one for him the moment I saw you with him in the hospital, Claire.”
Claire smiled up at the big man. It made her happy to know that he thought that about her.
“You don’t let Jake push you around,” Deuce continued. “I think he does that to judge if someone can handle his strength. He can’t, or he won’t, be with someone who won’t give him limits. He needs to have the boundaries clear.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” Claire said, her face thoughtful as she tried to understand.
Deuce looked down at her and smiled. “I know you don’t, honey. But Jake is the one who has to explain it all to you. Just be honest with him. If you don’t like something he does, tell him. If you want him to do something, tell him. C
ommunication is the key, Claire.”
“Okay,” Claire said slowly. “I guess I’ll have to be a little more forceful when I try to tell him something. He’s going to have to get used to the idea that I can be just as stubborn as he can.”
“That’s what going to save him.”
“Save him?”
“From himself.”
Claire was quiet for a moment, digesting Deuce’s words. She understood what he meant. Jake needed to know that he was exactly as Claire wanted him to be.
“So, can you help me with the pieces of leather?” Claire asked, determination filling her that Jake would know how much she loved him and wanted him just as he was.
“I have something better for you to use, Claire,” Deuce said as he turned his attention back toward her. “I’ll bring it to you in just a minute.”
“Thank you, Deuce.”
“No, Claire. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For giving me back my brother.”
Chapter 16
Claire sat on the bed in her room next to the kitchen in the McKade ranch home and tied a red bow around the small box she had just wrapped in gold paper. Deuce had been true to his word and had brought something better for her to give Jake. Claire was looking forward to giving it to him and seeing his reaction. She hoped that he was going to lose his mind with desire.
She couldn’t contain the small laugh that built within her at the prospect of her mate raging with desire for her. She was looking forward to it.
“Claire, what are you doing in this room?” Jake’s deep voice interrupted her decadent thoughts.
Claire looked over her shoulder and smiled at the man who stood in the doorway. Goodness, but he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She wanted to run into his arms and kiss him, but she had to settle something first.
“I needed to have some alone time,” she said cautiously.
“You needed to be away from me?”
“No.”
“I don’t understand, angel.”
“I know you don’t, Jake.”
Claire stood up and walked over to her bureau and opened the bottom drawer. She took out her sleep pajamas and walked into the connecting bathroom. She smiled when she saw out of the corner of her eye that Jake was close behind her.
She pulled off her pink blouse and dropped it into the hamper beside the sink. Reaching up, she unhooked her black bra and slid it down her arms, looking in the mirror at the reflection of Jake as he watched her as he stood silently behind her. She could see the flash of desire that filled his eyes as he looked at her nakedness and felt a great deal of satisfaction. And so the seduction had begun. Score one for her.
She pulled on the blue tank top that was the lightest blue color and made of the softest satin, loving the way it swished down her torso and rubbed against her erect nipples. She saw Jake swallow and smiled, knowing that her mate was definitely turned on. Good. Score two.
Reaching up, she unsnapped her jeans, unzipped them, and pushed them down her legs, bringing her underwear down with them. She took a quick look in the mirror and laughed softly as she saw Jake’s attention zeroing in on her naked ass. Score three.
She stepped into the sleep pants and slowly pulled them up her legs to settle them low on her hips. She turned to face her stubborn man and walked toward him, standing directly in front of him and smiling.
“I have a present for you, Mate,” she told him softly.
“You do?” Jake asked, his voice raspy.
“Yup.”
She took hold of Jake’s left hand and drew him back into her bedroom to stand beside her bed. Reaching down, she picked up the small box that she had wrapped and handed it to him.
“Happy Mating,” she said, smiling when his eyebrows rose in surprise and he accepted the gift.
“Claire,” he said softly. “I’m sorry, angel. I didn’t think to get you anything.”
“You shouldn’t get me anything. I just needed to give you this so we can start our life together right.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just open the present, Jake.”
Jake wasn’t sure what Claire meant by her comments about starting their mating right, but whatever she meant, he was going to do everything he could to please her. He looked down at the nicely wrapped present and untied the red bow slowly. Peeling back the golden wrapping paper, he looked down at the small box and wondered what could possibly be inside of it. Lifting the small cover, he folded back the white tissue paper and froze.
“Claire,” he whispered, his heart speeding up as he saw the contents of the box.
“I asked Deuce to give me pieces of leather, but he said these would be better,” Claire explained. “I want this, Jake. Don’t question what I want. I know what I want.”
Jake lifted the silk scarves out of the box. Each one was a vibrant red. At the bottom of the box beneath the four scarves, was a red silk blindfold. He nearly moaned at the thought of Claire wearing it while he tied her to the posts of his bed and made love to her. He wanted that. He wanted her.
Carefully folding the blindfold and scarves back into the box, he tucked the tissue paper around the items of seduction, covered the box with the lid, and offered it to Claire. She took it immediately and looked up at him with something very close to sadness as she dropped it onto the bed beside the pillows. That would not do at all.
Picking up the box and placing it firmly into Claire’s hand, he scooped her up into his arms. He smiled as his woman let out a shriek of surprise. He turned and walked out of her bedroom, taking the back stairway up to the room that they were sharing until their new home was ready to be occupied. He walked into their room and kicked the door closed behind them. Striding over to their bed, he set Claire down beside it, keeping his arms around her and holding her close.
“So, angel. You’re willing to play with me?” he asked, his voice deep as desire filled him.
Claire pushed out of his arms and knelt before him, looking up at him and smiling softly. “Yes, sir,” she whispered, winking up at him and laughing when a soft growl left him.
Jake looked down at his angel and saw the most beautiful woman in his world. She was his most precious gift. He adored her.
“I will show you ultimate pleasure, angel,” he promised her. “Please, never fear me.”
“I don’t fear you, Jake,” Claire told him gently. “How could I ever fear the man who has protected me and shielded me from the pain of the world?”
Jake’s heart softened at her words. He didn’t doubt her sincerity. He just hoped that when they were in the middle of their lovemaking, she wouldn’t panic or feel any fear. There was only one way to settle both of their concerns.
He began unbuttoning his flannel shirt, never taking his eyes off of his angel. She waited patiently as she smiled up at him. He could see the desire in her eyes. He hoped that she would always look at him in that way.
Pulling the shirt from his body, he dropped it onto the bed then pulled his white T-shirt over his head and tossed it beside his shirt. Reaching down, he unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned the top button of his jeans.
“Stand, Claire,” he told her quietly.
He smiled when Claire followed his command without hesitation. As she stood before him waiting, he felt a rush of power course through him. It was enhanced by the love that he felt for his woman.
“I’m going to remove your clothes, angel,” he told her softly.
“About damned time!”
Jake couldn’t hold back his laughter. To have such joy with his mate was a miracle. How had he been so blessed?
Reaching out, he lifted the soft tank top that Claire wore, loving the slow reveal of her beautiful breasts. He dropped the tank top to the floor and slowly caressed Claire’s full breasts, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over her hardened nipples. Leaning forward, he captured one nipple and suckled lightly, pulling it into his mouth and flicking at it with the tip of his tongue while bitin
g down on it with just the right amount of pressure.
Caressing her body gently, he moaned softly as he felt the softness and warmth of her skin beneath his hands. He loved her curves. He loved running his hands down her torso to feel the dip of her waist and the flare of her hips. She was so feminine. She was so sexy.
“Jake,” Claire moaned as she reached up and carded her fingers through her man’s hair and holding him tighter against her breast. The incredible feeling of pleasure that shot through her at that moment nearly made her knees buckle.
She felt Jake’s hands caress her body as he slid them down her torso. When he pushed at her pajama pants to have them fall to her feet, she sighed with relief that she was finally going to experience the secrets that Jake had been hiding from her. She knew it was going to surprise him that she already knew them. She was going to be a willing participant in making those secrets become their reality.
“I want you to get up on the bed, angel,” he whispered against her neck as he kissed her just below her earlobe, sending shivers throughout her body. “Kneel for me.”
Claire moved to the bed and climbed up without hesitation. She felt Jake’s hand on her ass and pushed back into his touch. When Jake spread her cheeks and licked a line between them, Claire gasped in surprise before she moaned with pure pleasure. She had never known that such a thing was possible. Well, she had seen that it was possible in the movie that Melanie had shown them, she just didn’t think Jake would want to do that, and she certainly didn’t know the pleasure that it would give her.
Wow!
“More,” Claire whispered, gasping and emitting another moan when Jake repeated his action before rubbing a circle with the pad of his thumb around her puckered star.
“Like that, angel?” he whispered against her left butt cheek before biting down on it lightly.
“Yes,” Claire answered, moaning as Jake licked at her hole once again.
Jake's Angel [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 16