Rocky Mountain Home

by Vivian Arend

  “More,” Jesse growled. “I want more.”

  Oh, God, yes.

  He leaned up on one elbow then caught her right leg, dragging her thigh over his hip. The new angle sent him deeper, and they moved together in a pounding rhythm as another peak built.

  His lips connected with hers and he kissed her. Once, twice, grinding their hips together. That final brush over her clit closed the deal, and she came, sighing her pleasure into his mouth.

  Jesse swore softly, driving his cock fully into her as his body shook with his release. Muscles taut, heavy gasps escaping.

  Stillness washed over them. When he finally rested his head on the bed beside her, he held himself braced just far enough away to keep from crushing her into the mattress. They were sweaty, breaths mingling as they balanced on the limited space of her childhood bed, but she was content.

  Confused, overwhelmed, but also sated, and for now? They’d found a connection in the simplest thing in the world.

  It was enough.

  Jesse whistled happily, sitting at the kitchen table.

  “Stop smirking,” Dare ordered, but there was a smile on her lips as she threw a muffin at him.

  He raised his arm, and her missile bounced off his wrist harmlessly. He leaned over to pick it up off the floor then blew at the surface before removing the wrapper. “That wasn’t a smirk. “

  She folded her arms over her chest.

  “This is a smirk.” He leered, leaning forward as he took a big bite of the muffin.

  Dare rolled her eyes as she got up from the table and carried her empty plate to the counter. “Could you at least attempt to hide that we’ve been making the beast with two backs the next time you see my brothers?”

  Jesse pretended to consider as he hurried to swallow his mouthful. “You plan on not telling Ginny we had sex?”

  Dare sighed mightily. “I won’t outright tell her, but she’s like some insane mind reader, or she’s got a crystal ball. She probably woke up in the middle of the night the instant we started fooling around and made a note of it so she could tease me today.”

  They had another topic to discuss. Jesse went for it. “Just so you know, I gave my notice at Bar M.”

  Her face scrunched with confusion.

  “I’ll be working out my final weeks, then I’ll find a job in the Heart Falls area,” he explained. Understanding lit her eyes, then something closer to protest. He spoke before she could complain about his actions. “Hey, I promised to be there for you and Buckaroo. Can’t do that from a couple hundred kilometres away, so you’d better get used to the idea. I’m sticking around, got it?”

  She nodded slowly. “I hear you—although I still feel guilty. But…thanks.”

  His phone buzzed with a message. She brushed a kiss against his cheek before leaving him to it and disappearing into the washroom.

  The water turned on, and Jesse considered ignoring his message and heading into the shower to join her, but he supposed that might be pushing it.

  He glanced at the screen to discover a far too familiar message from his cousin.

  Rafe: Come home, you jerk

  Jesse chuckled before texting back: are you really going with that as a permanent greeting?

  Rafe: you like this better? Come home, you jerk, I’m getting married

  A sudden rush of adrenaline struck Jesse. The last time he’d talked to Rafe in person was when his cousin had been making a stupid mistake, and Jesse had called him on it.

  Although, to be fair, Rafe had also called Jesse stupid that day, so maybe it wasn’t a contest. Still some gloating was necessary.

  Jesse: I told you Laurel was perfect for you

  Rafe: I’m not marrying Laurel

  What the fuck? Jesse texted the message and stabbed the send key violently.

  Rafe: kidding. Of course I’m marrying her, idiot. Get your ass home so you can tell me I told you so in person

  His cousin had been sending him prods for the last four months, but this was the first time Jesse considered giving in. He wasn’t about to explain everything though, so he sent a final message.

  Jesse: congratulations on getting the girl. I’ll let you know if it works to come visit. Gotta run

  Then he turned his phone off so he wasn’t tempted to answer any more questions. Instead, he gathered his stuff and got ready to head back south.

  Morgan dashed back and forth between them as Dare walked him to the truck, looking pink-cheeked and fresh from her shower. Or maybe it was from the fooling around they’d done.

  She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m glad you stopped by.”

  Jesse grinned. “Me too. I’ll be back when I can.”

  She nodded, stepping back before he was done. No way he was leaving without a kiss goodbye, and he told her so as he tugged her against his body.

  Her face brightened further as she draped her hands around his neck. “I’m glad you like kissing.”

  “See? Another thing we have in common.”

  The kiss was over far too soon, but it was either stop now and head home, or he’d turn around and take her back to bed, and he’d never make it to work on time.

  He dropped the tailgate, and Morgan jumped up into the back. Dare ruffled the dog’s ears before stepping aside.

  Jesse gave her a smack on the butt.

  Dare swatted him playfully. “Drive safe.”

  She stepped toward the cottage. Jesse found himself grinning as he headed down the long private road leading to the highway.

  Caleb was waiting outside the main ranch house, and waved him down.

  Jesse lowered his window, grin turning to a smirk as he took in Caleb’s appearance. The man looked a little worse for wear.

  “How are you this fine morning?” Jesse asked on the verge of a shout.

  Caleb cringed. “Asshole.

  “I get that a lot.”

  “I forgot heavy drinking when there are kids in the house is never a good idea. They have no concept of sleeping in, or privacy. Rocking beds and hangovers don’t go well.”

  “Got jumped, did you?” Jesse made sure not to mention that he’d gotten jumped in a lot more fun manner, probably earlier than Caleb.

  The bed rocking had been much appreciated.

  Caleb waved the comment off. “I’ll live. Glad I caught you, though. I’ve been thinking…maybe you should move closer.”

  Jesse hesitated. He hated to get his hopes up, but that sounded like good news delivered with perfect timing, considering he was soon to be unemployed. “Was that a job offer?”

  Dare’s brother nodded slowly. “We’ll have to figure out where you can fit into the operation, but if you plan to stick around, you may as well work here.”

  Jesse buzzed with sincere gratitude as he pumped Caleb’s hand enthusiastically. “Appreciate it.”

  Caleb stepped away without another word, headed back to the house. His powerful strides eating up the distance as if in denial of his hangover.

  Over the next week, Jesse’s life got calmer, and it didn’t. With his notice given, the job in the south was slowly drawing to an end. Knowing he’d soon be permanently closer to Silver Stone ranch helped ease some of his nightmares, and he made the drive to see Dare the couple chances he got.

  Still seemed like a bit of a dream world, and he was exhausted from the extra travel, but it couldn’t be helped.

  He and Dare were sitting on her porch in the evening one of the last days in June. He’d driven out that morning after finishing a night watch, and he’d need to leave soon, but the trip was the last time he could get away until his contract finished.

  Not being around for five days in a row seemed outrageously long.

  “You plan to be here for Canada Day?” Dare asked.

  “Can’t. They’re doing a big push to move to the summer grazing lands, and need all hands on deck.”

  She changed the topic, or more accurately, brought it back to the same one. “Jaxi emailed again. Invited us up fo
r the Coleman Canada Day party—said you could tell me about it. But I guess that’s out.”

  “Sorry, but it is. I wouldn’t do that to you your first shot out of the gate. That’s the entire Coleman family, with all four clans, and friends, and anyone else brave enough to drop in, gathered in one place.”

  Dare shuddered. “Okay, I’m thankful we can’t go. I’m more comfortable in smaller groups.”

  He didn’t bother to answer that one because small groups were not likely at any Coleman event.

  She glanced at him, mischief in her smile. “You’re going to miss our Canada Day tradition, as well. I’ll tell you the dirty details after you’re back, though, so you have ammunition to tease my brothers.”

  Jesse raised a brow. “Sounds intriguing.”

  “Heart Falls annual charity auction is held on Canada Day. It used to be pies and quilts and a parade, but a couple years ago someone added a bachelor auction. It’s now the bane of the boys’ existence—and it’ll be Dustin’s first year. Luke’s been gloating because being engaged to Penny gets him out of the danger zone.”

  Jesse had to laugh. “Since you and I are together, I’m safe as well. But seriously, maybe I should pull some strings to be here. I want to see what woman in their right mind would bid on Dustin.”

  “Don’t put down the Duster-dude. I bet he gets the cute votes like you wouldn’t believe.”

  Jesse looked out over the land, that sense of being moved forward against his will was back. Maybe it had never gone away.

  “You realize Jaxi’s not going to give up until we make an appearance.” He caught Dare’s eye, wondering at her stony expression. “Unless you really don’t want to go, we should probably give in sooner rather than later.”

  She picked a bit of lint off her pants, pulling her gaze from his. “Is there a reason you don’t want to go? Because we don’t need to if they’re trouble, and you’re trying to avoid it.”

  “God, it’s nothing like that.” Jesse rested his elbows on his knees and fought to explain what he could. “My family is great. I was just looking for some space from them is all, so it’s been rough to wrap my head around going back. I’m sorry if I gave the impression that they’re terrible people.”

  She shrugged. “I was trying not to make crazy assumptions. I know you said you missed them, so they couldn’t be all bad.”

  “They’re great,” he answered firmly, kicking himself for yet another stupid decision gone wrong. “Let’s set a date. I’m done work at Bar M July fourth, so we could go the week after, if that works for you. Before I get set into the schedule here on the ranch.”

  “I’m sure it’s okay.” Dare twisted her fingers together over and over. “I’m a little nervous to meet them.”

  Jesse laughed. “They’re likely to never want you to leave. I’ll have to peel you from Jaxi’s clutches when it’s time to go.”

  Her face folded into a grimace briefly before she pulled herself together and smiled weakly. “A week, or a weekend?”

  “Three days at least,” he suggested. He was proud the words sounded cheerful in spite of the churning in his gut.

  She nodded. “You want to email them?”

  He should, but damn if he could face that task after having up and left without any warning last February. “You go ahead and tell Jaxi to expect us on the seventh. She’ll be in her glory organizing things.”

  Dare agreed, and Jesse leaned back and rocked in the silence that fell.

  He was going home.

  Going back with a fiancée and with a baby on the way. His brain was still trying to wrap itself around that idea, and now he had another irritating voice inside his head he was desperately trying to ignore. The one drily pointing out that no matter how tough this was going to be, he was glad he’d been forced into it.

  Admitting that?

  Never.

  Chapter Eleven

  Blog post: Packing Problems

  Stupid thing to admit, but I don’t have a suitcase. Never seemed to need one, which says something about my usual happily homebound status. But I’m heading out for a few days and thus you get to enjoy Packing Adventures With A Newbie.

  As options we have saddlebags, a backpack and a big-ass purse that my sister bought as a gag gift one Christmas, and by big-ass I mean of extraordinary bootie nature. It’s all about the bass, my friends…

  I was tempted to use the saddlebags at first before I realized there’s a reason I store them in the tack room. (Ahem, use your aromatic imagination, and make it really horse-y.)

  The backpack makes me feel as if I should be climbing mountains and fording streams, not stopping in for a coffee. It’s also awkward because inevitably the item I want the most works its way to the bottom, and I have to dump the entire contents to get at it.

  So—big-ass purse it is. Good thing I don’t need much…stuff…oh, lordy.

  ***ten-minute break. I know you didn’t see me leave, but I did***

  Okay, I’m back and no longer hyperventilating. It hit me I’m going to need to haul baby stuff around in a while, not to mention the baby when it’s no longer in my belly—and my heart just about pounded out of my chest. At some point this will become old hat, right?

  *glibbers with panic*

  I’m excited about the baby, don’t get me wrong, but maybe a few of you out there who have a little more experience Buckaroo-wrangling can reassure me that, at some point, I too will nonchalantly deal.

  It had been the longest car trip ever. Dare fought to keep from squirming, but the three hours seemed like twice that long, and the more distance they put between them and Heart Falls, the more she wondered what the heck she was doing.

  Only the echo of Ginny’s plainspoken questions kept Dare from ordering Jesse to turn the truck around and cancel the entire trip.

  They’d left Morgan behind at Silver Stone. Jesse had suggested it, since he wasn’t sure where they would end up staying during their time.

  It felt wrong to Dare for Morgan to not be with them, although the dog was happy enough—he and one of Dusty’s border collies had become fast friends, much to her little brother’s disgust.

  But no dog meant no distractions, which meant she had to face her fears straight on.

  Did she want to meet his family?

  She was iffy on her personal answer, but it was clear what Buckaroo’s opinion would be. He or she deserved to have all the family possible—if they were good people. It was way easier to figure that out in person, and now rather than later.

  She and Jesse would visit, and Dare would hopefully have the angelic choirs burst into song to let her know yes or no regarding spending more time with the Colemans in the future. This was an exploratory trip, nothing else.

  Not a time to madly fall in love with his parents, or with the intensely nosy but caring Jaxi or…or anyone. Dare did not need these people for her own sake.

  This was about Buckaroo. Period.

  If she repeated that often enough she might even remember it.

  The terror rushing through her at the thought of meeting his parents had left a terrible taste on her tongue.

  “You okay?” Jesse didn’t take his eyes off the road.

  “Fine.”

  She stared straight ahead as well. This was the worst interaction the two of them had shared since reconnecting a month ago. Normally he was annoying, charming, flirtatious, infuriating—

  Jesse, as she’d come to understand him, was a simple man. He could deal with pretty much anything if he could take control or take action. Right now, with the extended periods of silence and his grim determination to put as many miles under their wheels as possible, as quickly as possible…

  He was out of his comfort zone with this trip, and gee whiz, didn’t that make her concerns even more intense.

  Squirming in her seat helped with the jitters, but did nothing to ease the increasing pressure on her bladder. Stupid when the discomfort was preferable to dealing with her fears.

  She was
about to give up and ask him to pull off onto the nearest convenient gravel road when she spotted a large green sign at the side of the highway.

  Rocky Mountain House.

  “It is far to the ranch?” Because she knew a mailing address in a town didn’t always have much to do with where the ranch was located.

  Thank goodness, this time it wasn’t one of those we’ll-be-there-in-an-hour situations. “Ten minutes to Blake and Jaxi’s, if I take the back roads,” Jesse offered.

  “Okay.” Ten minutes she could do.

  She used as much Zen concentration as possible, staring out the windows as if she were memorizing the landscape. Ranch lands and farms whizzed by, with signs of familiar rural activities everywhere, and it wasn’t that different from home, but it was different because this was where Jesse had grown up.

  This was where Buckaroo’s Gramma and Grampa lived.

  The thought distracted her from the fact she had to pee badly enough that her back teeth were all but floating. Finally they pulled off the road at the top of a long driveway. The signpost at the entrance had an engraved wooden carving with Colemans in bold letters and Make Yourself at Home underneath.

  If they had indoor plumbing, she’d be ecstatic. Heck, she’d take a conveniently located tree at this point of the game.

  Jesse finally came to life. “Here we are.”

  He parked, then met her as she was already hopping out of the truck cab. She turned in a circle, trying to take it all in. The long, low ranch house, the mountains rising in the distance. It was…softer?…than the landscape at home, and she offered a comment as she followed him to the front door. “You have bigger foothills than I’m used to.”

  He snorted. “I’m not touching that one.”

  She offered him a groan at the cheesy joke. “Jerk.”

  That addictive grin of his appeared briefly as he hit the doorbell. “Usually I’d walk in, but I figure this might be—”

  The door swung open and Jesse’s face went white.

  Dare snapped her attention to the house, but all she saw was a dark-haired woman, nothing to explain Jesse’s reaction. Young, probably early twenties, the woman’s gaze darted back and forth between Jesse and herself.