Claire, Angela - Heart of Stone (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Angela Claire

  “Believe me, Melinda, I’m happy to have another woman around here, one who knows her way around children especially. What with that spoiled Regina Winthrop and Jake’s Victoria, who was little more than an invalid most of the time, I got to worrying I’d ever have a friend among the womenfolk in these parts. But I’m as surprised as I can be that Jake’s aunt saw fit to send you out here to him.”

  Melinda glanced sideways at her. “I’m stronger than I look, Mrs. Wilson.”

  “Annie, please. And I’m sure you’re no starry-eyed girl, growing up the way Jake tells us you did. But unless you tell me Jake’s aunt was blind, or very much deluded about the way it goes between men and women, I don’t for the life of me understand how she could have thought it was a good idea to send a young girl who looks like you out to live with Jake.”

  “As I said, Annie, I’ve known Miss Lil for quite some time, and I think it was a vote of confidence in me to send me to her nephew.”

  “Maybe so, but she has a touch too much confidence in Jake if she thinks he won’t bother you, and likely pretty soon by the way he eyes you.”

  Melinda didn’t try to misunderstand her. “He’s been a perfect gentleman, Annie. Really he has.” Well, except for that half-asleep episode…and that didn’t really didn’t count. After all, it had been her that burst into his room.

  “He won’t marry you, honey, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m not saying it as a criticism of him or of you, my goodness no. But Jake had a bad time with Victoria. Some men just get burned and can’t do it again. Oh, he could change his mind, but I doubt it. Wound’s too fresh. It’s hard enough to get a man to marry the first time, and if it doesn’t work out, they’re not so eager for a second chance. It’s understandable.”

  “I understand that. I do. I really am just here to take care of Ginny.”

  Annie shook her head. “Well, that there’s a problem in itself. I’m sure you think you are here just to take care of sweet little Ginny. And maybe even Jake’s convinced himself. But Jake’s a good-looking man, and one who knows his way around women. Even an old, married woman like me can tell that much. I don’t know how much you know about men, Melinda, but let’s just say it wouldn’t be too hard for a young girl to be led astray by Jake Stone.”

  Melinda picked Ginny up before she could put a leaf in her mouth. “I appreciate your concern, Annie, but I grew up with a lot of kids whose mamas had been led astray. It’s not a lesson any of us forget. So I may be a little innocent when it comes right down to it, but I know enough about men to know I can handle them.”

  Barely perceptibly, Annie lifted an eyebrow.

  “You are innocent, honey, if you think that. Fighting off unwanted advances is easy. It’s fighting off the ones that aren’t that’s hard. You best remember that if you don’t want to find yourself with a little one and either no man to stand beside you or else a man who’s standing there, but doesn’t want to be.”

  “I understand. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  * * * *

  When the women came back in, having left both babies in the capable hands of Annie’s two daughters, they were chatting up a storm as Melinda started to pull out some spice cake she’d made the night before. Jake relaxed. Clearly, Melinda had thawed out the older woman’s skeptical reserve.

  But as the Wilsons were piling back into their wagon after a nice long visit, the sun low in the sky, Annie took Jake aside before she climbed in. “That’s a good girl you’ve got there in that Melinda, Jake. You treat her right, or you’ll have me to deal with, you understand me?”

  Christ, was there no one who believed he could keep his daughter’s interests as a priority and keep his hands off Melinda?

  “I will, Annie.”

  “Hmmph” was her only response, and she climbed into the wagon. Jake went back into the house, glad to have that out of the way. Now Melinda could just settle in, and all would be well.

  As he drifted off to sleep that night in his solitary bed, though, he could not help but see the image of Melinda in her transparent sheath, nipples wet and hard, golden triangle just begging for his hands, his lips.

  He reached his hand down to his aching cock, let the image take hold of him, and began to fantasize.

  Ginny wasn’t asleep on the bank. She was… ah, at Annie’s. He’d dropped the baby at Annie’s, and then, when he’d come home to an empty house, he’d sought Melinda out at the creek. And there she was, waiting for him, standing in the shallow water in that completely transparent shift. When she saw him, she beckoned him closer and then reached her hands down to lift the wet garment up over her head and off. She flung it aside and held her arms out to him. He went to her, magically naked himself now, and picked her up, carrying her out of the water to lay her down on the soft grass of the bank.

  His eyes closed tightly, his cock sliding in and out of his own fist, he imagined it was her and saw them, together…

  As they lay together on the bank, she reached her hand to take his cock and softly fondle him.

  “Harder,” he begged as he climbed on top of her, kissing her sweet, warm mouth and pushing her legs apart, wide apart. He thrust his tongue in her mouth, feeling her tongue tangle with his. Beneath him, her hips moved in invitation, making his cock harder in her hand until he felt like he was going to come right there. He tore his lips away from her kiss. “Do you like this, Melinda? Do you want it?”

  “Yes, yes,” she whispered and pulled his rigid cock to her wet, warm pussy. He slid in easily.

  His dream Melinda was not a virgin, as the real Melinda most certainly was, or she’d be a lot more leery of him than she evidently was. She’d know what he wanted from her, what he really wanted from her…

  He slid in easily, feeling her tight and warm around him. “You’re so wet…”

  “Please. I want you…make love to me…”

  Love? Love? Hell, wait one minute. This was his dream. No place for soft sentiment or words.

  “Please, fuck me, Jake…”

  That was better. And with that, he fucked the dream Melinda, wringing his cock out as he came. Still panting, he got up and grabbed a washcloth, wiping his stomach and hands. He’d have to soak the cloth real good before he put it with the rest of the laundry. Just like he always did. Not that she’d probably know what the smell or stain meant.

  She’d also never know that he was just about fucking her every night in his mind. Not exactly a safe situation, but it was better than doing the alternative with the very real, very innocent Melinda under his very own roof.

  Chapter Four

  They took a trip into town that weekend for supplies. Melinda wanted to get some more apples for baking, and Jake needed some whatnots for the farm. Melinda didn’t much pay attention to what Jake needed, or her either, she was just so excited about the excursion. After living in a big city like Boston her whole life, it was funny how a few weeks in the country could make even the tiny little town she’d taken the train into seem like a major metropolis.

  In contrast to the silent ride she and Jake had taken when he brought her to the ranch, Jake was downright sociable during the ride this time, a reflection in part of how relatively comfortable they had grown with each other in the last few weeks. He talked easily about their surroundings, pointing out portions of the trail and chuckling at the gurgling sounds his little daughter made from her safe perch on Melinda’s lap. After a while, their conversation just naturally wandered around to the more personal. He asked her about how she had grown up.

  “I mean, what was it like growing up in an orphanage? I’ve always wondered. I’m an orphan myself, you know.”

  “I know.”

  “If I hadn’t had Lil to look after me, that’s probably where I’d have gone.”

  “I doubt it.” Melinda had no problem speaking her mind. “The way your aunt tells it, your folks had a lot of money. Only poor children end up in orphanages, Jake.”

  “I guess you’re right, sad though that is. But wha
t was it like? Did you always live there?”

  “Yes, from the time I wasn’t much older than Ginny. My mother had been an Irishwoman, as you may have been able to tell from my last name.” She was joking of course. Her O’Chauncey surname had led to a lot of teasing and even less playful slurs about the lazy, drunken Irish, but she’d long ago learned to take it in stride.

  “Your mother’s name?”

  It was a subtle way of putting the question, but Melinda didn’t shy from it. “Yes, I’m illegitimate. No one seems to know who my father was. I guess a neighbor brought me in after my mother died. All she told St. Michael’s was my name and my mother’s name, Brigid, and that she’d been sixteen when she died. That’s as much as I know of my background.” Well, not exactly true. She knew one thing more. She pushed the thought from her mind. “Not exactly blue-blooded like yours.”

  “Don’t let Lil fool you. She may act like our kin came over on the Mayflower, but fact is more likely we just financed it and came over a bit later. Stones have apparently been good at making money for quite a few generations.”

  “But now you and Ginny are all that’s left after Lil goes?”

  “Yes, Stones are good at making money, but not very good at procreating. Only children, and by that I mean just having one child, seems to be the rule. After that they either die or else apparently stop having marital relations, which is why I only had my father’s great-aunt left to take care of me when my parents died. But anyway, we were talking about you. Was it terrible growing up in an orphanage?”

  “No. Not at all. St. Michael’s was all I knew of course, but it was a fair place. A warm, safe place, most of the time anyway.” She put that dangerous thought about when it hadn’t been out of her mind. “We celebrated Christmas with trustees like your aunt. They’d hand out a present to each child.”

  “Just one? Seems kind of measly.”

  “Oh, but when you get just one, you treasure it all the more.”

  They were almost in town now, and she was feeling a little wistful, maybe even homesick, or at least missing some of her friends. But she had a new life now, for as long as it lasted. It was for the best.

  When they got into town and tied the wagon up, Jake insisted upon taking Ginny with him on his errands and freeing Melinda to do her shopping in peace. In less than an hour, she’d gotten everything she needed and packed it into the wagon. She was looking in a milliner’s window when she heard Jake’s low voice around the corner. She started in that direction, but when she saw him, she stopped cold. He was there alright, but the most beautiful russet-haired woman stood with him, talking to him, and flicking Ginny under the chin with one long, delicate finger. Ginny was pulling back to her daddy’s shoulder, not sure she liked that, when Jake spied her.

  “Oh, there you are, Melinda. Come on over and meet Regina.”

  Ah, the spoiled princess from the nearby ranch. Melinda had to admit this stunning girl certainly looked the part. From the tip of her perfect yellow bonnet to the bottom of the cream lace ruffle on her skirt, she was so smartly dressed she would have been perfectly at home in Back Bay, the ritziest part of Boston. From the way she was fawning over Jake, though, it was clear there was nowhere else in the world this lovely girl would rather be. When she greeted Melinda, the cool look in her hazel eyes was not easy to miss.

  “Miss O’Chauncey. How do you do? I’m Regina Winthrop. I’ve been hearing so much about you.”

  The words were syrupy nice, but Melinda wasn’t buying it. Regina hated her on sight, and she had to admit it wasn’t too hard reciprocating the feeling seeing Regina there with Jake and Ginny. This was just the kind of girl Jake deserved, no doubt—rich and beautiful, with an influential papa. This girl could be a real mother to Ginny.

  “Nice to meet you, Miss Winthrop,” Melinda said dutifully. Ginny put her chubby little arms out to Melinda, and Melinda took her from Jake. The little thing was probably exhausted. “Ginny and I’ll wait for you at the wagon.”

  Before they could make their exit, a tall, distinguished-looking man joined them, the cowboy hat on his silver grey hair the only indication he gave of being from around these parts. He was dressed as dandified as Regina was elegant. Whoever he was, Jake eyed him warily, which should have been her first clue.

  “Mr. Winthrop.”

  Ah, so the doting papa. Melinda hugged Ginny closer, the little girl resting her dark head on Melinda’s shoulder.

  “Hi, Daddy.” Regina tore herself away from Jake enough to give her father a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Hey, honey. Jake, nice to see you in town for once.” The two men shook hands, and Regina resumed her position at Jake’s elbow.

  Not knowing whether she was going to be introduced or not, she was about to turn away when Regina settled the question quickly. “Daddy, this is Jake’s little girl’s caretaker, Melinda… I’m sorry, your last name escapes me. O’Reilly? O’Flynn?”

  “Melinda is fine. Nice to meet you, Mr. Winthrop.”

  Winthrop scrutinized her. There was no other word for it. He looked her up and down pretty baldly given his daughter was right there, although not to worry because Regina had turned her adoring eyes back to Jake. Melinda recognized that masculine look sure enough and responded as she always did with a nod and, if possible, a failure to make eye contact. She looked at Jake. “If it’s okay, we’ll head to the wagon.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “Don’t hurry away, Jake. Regina, you go inside the hotel and get us a table in that establishment they have the nerve to call a restaurant.” With an “Okay, Daddy,” Regina followed orders. Melinda didn’t even merit an order from Winthrop. He just turned his back on her. Fine with her. She took Ginny back to the wagon and waited for Jake.

  * * * *

  When Melinda was gone, Winthrop yanked off his hat, slapped it against his knee with a laugh and then re-perched it on his head. “My, my, Jake, that’s a pretty little piece you got there.”

  Jake clenched his teeth, not surprised. He’d known it was coming, not least of all from the lecherous look Winthrop had given Melinda upon first introduction.

  “Did you want to talk to me about something?”

  “I did, but the tits on that girl put it right clear out of my mind.”

  “That’s enough.”

  Winthrop ignored him.

  “It’s fine to have a little something on the side, but right in the house alone with you, and a white girl at that? You’re bold, Jake, I’ll give you that.”

  It was no use trying to talk to old man Winthrop. Despite having a daughter, the old man treated women like shit. He had a Mexican woman who worked in his kitchen. He told everyone far and wide he was fucking her, and the poor woman didn’t look too happy about it either. Likely the old man didn’t give her a choice if she wanted to keep her job, and there wasn’t much work for a woman, a Mexican woman especially, out here.

  “Makes me wish I had a little one for her to look after. Though I imagine she looks after something pretty big for you, too, don’t she, Jake?”

  “I have to get going, Mr. Winthrop.”

  The old man caught his arm genially. “I’m just funning with you, Jake. And call me Lou. How many times I got to tell you that, boy? Anyway, don’t make no difference to me whether you’re giving it to that nice little girl or not. Only point I should make here is your wife won’t like it when you’re married. You’ll have to make other arrangements with the girl then. Maybe Sally’s…”

  “Melinda is not a whore, whatever you choose to think. And I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, I’m not remarrying. I had enough of having a wife the first time.”

  “You just had the wrong wife. Now my little Regina, western born and bred and pretty as a picture...”

  Jake expected him to start quoting him a price any minute now. The man was shameless. “And if I did remarry,” he interrupted, just to get Winthrop off his back some, “who’s to say Melinda might not be right for me? My little
girl loves her like her very own mama, and, well, as you noticed, she’s not exactly hard on the eyes.”

  For a second that shut the old man up. But not for long. “A little piece of trash like that? Why, she’s probably poor as a church mouse, and why pay for what you can get for free?”

  Jake finally pulled his arm away from the man. “As I said, I don’t intend to remarry. Just food for thought if I ever did.”

  He left the old man without giving him the last word, for once.

  * * * *

  Jake took another few minutes until he got back to the wagon. Melinda tried her best not to act annoyed as they pulled out of town, but finally she gave in. “So you and Miss Winthrop had a lot to talk about apparently?”

  “Oh, she was just going on before her daddy got there about some dang-fool dance in town next weekend. They call it a harvest dance. Not much harvesting going on in Colorado, I’d say.”

  “So I suppose she wanted you to take her.”

  “Yeah, she sure did. She’s a forward little thing.”

  “So she’s the one who wants to marry you?”

  “More like her daddy wants to marry me.” At Melinda’s look, Jake chuckled and clarified. “Seems he’s got some connections back east and knows I come from money. He sees a steady source of financing for his plans to make his ranch the biggest in Colorado. And if he has to try to marry his daughter off to me in the bargain, he’ll do it.”

  “I’m sure it wouldn’t be much of a hardship to you. She’s very lovely.”

  Jake gave her a funny sideways look, but said no more.

  When they were back home and Ginny was safely tucked into her cradle, Melinda was about to make herself ready for bed, still feeling strangely low, when she heard quiet voices in the front room. When she went in to investigate, there was the handsome cowboy Jesse sitting at the table with Jake, a jug of whiskey between the two of them. Jesse got up from the table in deference to her when she came in, but Jake just watched her.