“You shouldn’t have to keep it to yourself. I love you, Nick. You can lean on me for whatever reason.”
She grabbed his hand again and kissed his fingers. He cupped her cheek and she leaned into it, feeling his sandpaper skin against her. He reached out with his other hand, pulling her face into his chest, hugging her so tight that it almost knocked the breath out of her. His strong chest was soothing, and she took in the embrace. His heart raced under her ear, and the feel of it speeding up made her love him even more than just a few seconds before.
His hands trailed down her back, slowing as they traced down the curve of her waist, sending a small yelp from her lips as he cupped her ass. He squeezed each one, pulling her even closer. She felt his arousal through the thin cotton of his boxers, and skimmed her hand down his tight stomach, brushing over the erection. Nick’s breath caught in his throat from her touch, and she stroked him, slowly, backing him up toward the bed.
“Let me help you get your mind off of all of this.”
Nick gave no objection as he pulled her on top of him, helping her straddle him. At first she ground against him, the friction of her panties and his boxers rubbing together. It caught her off guard when he propped himself up on his elbows and lifted the shirt high enough to gain access to her breasts. He went right to it, biting down on one of her nipples and sucking hard as his hand pinched the other. It made Amelia sway her hips harder against him, instantly wanting to feel skin on skin contact with the massive bulge in his boxers.
He switched to her other breast as his teeth clamped down on her nipple, making it stand at attention like the other. His hands slid down her back again and his fingers slipped beneath the elastic of her panties. He slipped one finger inside, then two, making her moan into his neck. Her back arched and she almost lost it when a third stroked her in all the right places.
Pushing her onto her back, Nick spread her legs, massaging her on top of her panties as he planted a hard kiss on her lips. She swayed her hips, wanting him, unsure if she could wait any longer. His kisses moved to her chin, down her neck, over her collarbone, and back to her chest, all while his fingers continued to aid in soaking her panties.
He continued downward and Amelia closed her eyes, anticipating the pleasure he’d soon give her with his mouth. He pulled her panties down over her hips, thighs, and finally completely off. Kicking them to the floor, she patiently waited for his next move, and when he stopped everything completely, she opened her eyes to see what was going on.
His head was positioned between her thighs, a smile on his face as he looked at her.
“Why’d you stop?” Amelia asked between breaths.
“I think I found a cure for my PTSD.” Laughing, he kissed the inside of each thigh as his tongue trailed up to her stomach, skipping over the area she wanted his attention. “Look at you, all ready for me.”
Just as she was about to respond, Nick planted his mouth right where she longed for him. His tongue flicked quickly and she dug her hands into his thick, dark hair. Her legs wrapped around him, and she was letting out moans and cries she never thought she was capable of. Just as she was about to finish, he pulled away, making her long for him to give her the release she ached for.
“Please, Nick. Please…”
“Please what?” He was rock hard, positioned right at her entrance, but he held off, looking right into her eyes.
“I want you. Make love to me, Nick.” Amelia reached up and intertwined her fingers in his necklace, gently pulling him closer to her.
He thrust inside her, filling her up with every inch he had to offer. After a few seconds of allowing her to adjust, he moved in and out, each time quicker than the last. Sweat dripped onto her and Amelia held onto him, feeling safe with his strong body above her. Nothing ever felt so right.
“Amelia…” Nick whispered as he finished deep inside of her, his body shaking as he collapsed on top of her.
She kept her legs wrapped around him, taking it all in, skin against skin, their sweat meshing together. Neither spoke, but the silence was perfect. After a few minutes, Nick lifted himself off of her, and hugged her from behind, neither willing to completely break contact.
“Thank you, Amelia.”
Smiling, she loved how they fit together just like a puzzle. “For what?”
“Earlier you said that I found you and I saved you. The feeling is mutual. You’re saving me too.”
For a split second, Amelia forgot about every worry on her mind. The ranch debt was a distant concern. The loan shark threatening her was practically non-existent. With Nick by her side, the world was put on hold. For now, things were perfect – if only they’d stay that way.
***
Nick woke up the next morning, surprised to find that Amelia was already gone. Rolling over, he found a small note on the nightstand.
I had to get back to the house before Daddy and Noah woke up. Come over for coffee and breakfast. See you in a bit. Love, Amelia.
He folded it up and tossed it in the top drawer, a small smile creeping on his lips when he climbed from under the covers. He had been embarrassed at the sudden shock of Amelia finding out about his PTSD, but after her amazing ways of comforting him, he was sure she was a way to push past all of the horrible memories he had been harboring for so long.
He looked out the window toward her house. Noah was outside playing with the dogs. Her father was on the porch, smoking a cigar and reading the paper. It was hard to believe that the ranch supposedly was having problems, but then again, he had to take that with a grain of salt. Since it was Amelia’s ex husband who told him that, in the midst of ganging up on him and beating him up, Nick wasn’t sure if the information was even credible, and he wasn’t even sure if he should bring it up to Amelia.
Walking to the bathroom, he climbed in the shower, savoring the warm water. He was sorer today than yesterday after the fight, and his black eye was darker. He had a feeling that his encounter with John in town would not be the last, but Amelia was worth it.
Dressing in some old Wranglers and a white t-shirt, he made note to grab the sunscreen. The days were getting shorter, hinting at fall right around the corner, but with the random Texas weather, he could never be too careful.
Noah was excited to see him as he made his way across the yard. The dogs greeted him in a group, and his heart skipped a beat when Amelia stepped out on the porch with a large coffee mug. Nick figured she’d always take his breath away. He was like a lovesick schoolboy who got butterflies in his stomach every time he saw the woman he loved.
“I was wondering how late you’d sleep today.” She handed him the mug and he took a swig of the warm beverage.
“I was kinda hoping you’d still be there.” He kept his voice low with Noah and her dad nearby.
“Well, isn’t this the perfect picture for a postcard?”
Nick turned to see a man he didn’t recognize come around the corner. His hair was slicked back and he reeked of arrogance. Just by his body language, Nick could tell this wouldn’t be good. Amelia’s eyes widened and she hopped off the porch and stood in front of Noah.
“What are you doing here, Chris?”
“I’m sure you got my note in the mail?”
Nick followed Amelia, standing next to her. He wasn’t sure what this guy was up to, but anything to make her uncomfortable was enough for him to want to protect her.
“I did.”
“So why haven’t I gotten any more payment?”
“We’ve paid you some more, Chris. We haven’t been able to pay the full amount, at least not yet. I finally have a ranch hand so we’ll be able to sell more crop and have more income for you.”
Chris cocked his head to the side and smiled, revealing his yellow teeth. “I need it paid off. I’ve given you plenty of second chances, Amelia Tucker.”
Her father joined them, and though he was probably unable to serve as any protection if things did get serious, the presence of an older man might help with intimidatio
n, but by the looks of this guy, Nick knew that it probably wouldn’t faze the jerk.
“Believe me when I say we’ll pay. I’ve never had any unpaid debts, and I certainly won’t start now.”
It was now clear to Nick that what John had told him was true. The ranch was in trouble. Amelia had some serious debt to pay back to a wise guy whose fuse was obviously down to the end.
“Not good enough, Tucker. I need the money. You know what I’m capable of.”
That was Nick’s boiling point. Stepping in front of them, he got in Chris’s face, his jaw clenched. He didn’t have any details of what was going on, but he wasn’t going to stand for this. “Are you threatening them?”
“Who’s this dumb ass? Who are you?”
“Nick Miller. I’m the ranch hand they hired.”
Chris scoffed and took a couple of steps back. “Then you serve no purpose to me. You won’t have the payoff amount I need being a measly blue collar jackass.”
Nick took two steps forward, still in his face. “You’re threatening the woman I love. I’m not gonna stand for that.” It wasn’t exactly how he wanted to announce his relationship with Amelia, but in the heat of it all, it came out unintentionally. “Take your slicked hair and your Mercedes and leave. She doesn’t have the money yet. She’ll get it.”
Chris continued to back up, and Nick matched him step for step until he got him closer to his car. “This isn’t over, Nick Miller.”
“Right now it is. I hear you threaten her again, I’ll knock your front teeth out, you hear me?”
Chris opened his car door and took another look past Nick at Amelia and her family, then back to him. “Amelia has no money. I guess she’s paying you in other ways, you know what I’m saying?” He arched his eyebrow and winked, and it took all Nick had in him to not deck the guy. Instead, the weasel slipped into his car. “No more chances. I need the full amount. You’re gonna regret that this ever happened.”
Nick slammed the door and didn’t take his eyes off of the black car until it was down the highway and completely out of sight. He didn’t know Amelia was standing there until he felt her arm wrap around his. Her eyes were red and swollen.
“So I guess you know now. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“That’s not the problem, Amelia. The problem is Chris and what we’re gonna do about paying this debt back.” Her dad approached them, and it dawned on Nick that his and Amelia’s relationship was no longer a secret. He wasn’t sure how Mr. Tucker would take it, and he instantly regretted allowing his anger to make him say things that he otherwise would’ve kept quiet. “I think we’ve all got a lot to talk about.”
Amelia’s father went straight into the house, and Nick followed. Amelia wasn’t far behind, and she took Noah into the living room and put a movie on to distract him. Walking into the kitchen, she sat down beside him and grabbed his hand, no one able to break the silence. Nick had never seen Mr. Tucker so distraught, and he had to wonder if it was the announcement of their relationship, or the whole situation in general. He felt selfish for thinking that – it was obvious the man had bigger things on his mind than Amelia’s love life.
“Nick, I’m sorry that we have dragged you into this.” Mr. Tucker finally spoke up, glancing down at his cowboy hat on the table. “All of this is happening because I went to a bookie.”
“Dad…” Amelia broke in, but it didn’t stop him.
“No, let me say what I’m gonna say. The banks wouldn’t listen. I guess I burned all of my bridges with them. This ranch has been in our family for a long time. I can’t be the one to lose it, even if it meant going to that guy. I guess I just felt desperate. I still feel desperate.”
Nick had so many questions, but it felt inappropriate to ask them. He was a worker on the ranch, but nothing past that – the financial woes of Amelia and her father, at least from a legal standpoint, were none of his business. His romantic interaction with Amelia made him feel more involved, but he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“It’s more debt than any of the crops will cover. How did we let it get so bad?” Amelia’s voice quivered, and Nick pulled her in for a side hug.
“Have y’all thought about the police?” Nick finally thought of a question that wasn’t too personal.
Mr. Tucker shook his head. “I’m not sure it’d help. The fact that we went to a bookie to begin with was our first step down this path. He hasn’t really done anything illegal yet. He’s made threats, but the police won’t do anything. It was my decision to get involved.” He stood up and looked out of the window above the kitchen sink. “We could sell some of the acreage off. We’ve got the back fifteen we could give to that contractor who wants to build.”
Amelia followed him and leaned against the kitchen counter. “The back fifteen with the pond we all like to go to on hot summer days?”
Nick instantly thought of the night he and Amelia skinny-dipped and made love. The memory was amazing and they could probably make good money off of it.
“I know it’s sentimental to you, but we’ve already had people interested. If it means keeping the rest of the ranch, why not?” Mr. Tucker asked. “So many ranchers around here have sold everything. At least we’d still have something to show for what’s ours. I’m gonna go into town. I won’t make any decisions until I present them to y’all, but let me see what some of the options are.” He grabbed his keys from the rack. “It’s a start. Nothing is set in stone.” He went out of the back door and the loud sound of the diesel pickup rattled against the house as he drove off.
“I can’t talk about this. I know we need to, I just can’t right now.” Amelia began to cry and peaked into the living room, making sure that Noah was okay. “He fell asleep. Thank goodness. He knows something is going on, but I can’t tell him that we might possibly have to move into the city.” Grabbing his hand, she led him outside. “I need some fresh air.”
“Is there anything I can do? ” Nick felt so helpless. “I mean, you hired me to help, right?”
They walked out and sat under a grove of shade trees between the bunkhouse and main house. “You’ve done so much. If anything, it’s increased the net worth of this place.” Forcing a smile, she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. “As far as the bank is concerned, we’re paid up. The house and everything is taken care of since it’s been in the family forever – it’s the taxes and other expenses that are killing us. Daddy borrowed the money from the loan shark to take care of the bank and all of those costs. The poor guy is so naïve.” More tears began to flow, and she bit her bottom lip. “I guess he didn’t realize Chris would have higher interest rates and unorthodox ways of collecting payment.”
“You think him going into town right now is a good idea?”
Amelia nodded. “He can’t do anything. If he tries to sell anything, it’d require both our signatures. And no one is going to loan any more money. Unfortunately, our reputation has spread. Hell, anyone around here who owns a farm is labeled high risk. The only interested parties are realtors, contractors, and suits wanting to buy it. They know we’re all desperate. They know they can snatch up this land at an all time low price and put million dollar houses on it. That’s what happens as Austin gets closer.”
“I wish I knew what to do. I know this is all special to y’all. I know you wanna keep it in the family. I wish I could help more.”
Amelia looked up at him, her eyes red, but still vibrant. She quickly wiped the tears away, her beautiful smile breathtaking, even in the midst of everything happening. “You mean you want to stick around?”
“Of course. Why would I not?”
Shaking her head, she kissed Nick’s chin, and pecked him on the lips. “Handsome, hard working, and patient with all of my baggage and drama that you didn’t sign on for. How in the hell was I lucky enough to run across you, Nick Miller? I don’t deserve you.”
“How was I lucky enough to run across that newspaper ad? From the moment the army discharged me I was bitte
r and angry. Had they not, I’d probably be back over in the Middle East on another tour instead of here with you. Talk about a blessing in disguise. It’s gonna take a lot more than some debt to get rid of me. I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.” Nick wondered when he had gotten so cheesy, but it didn’t matter. He meant every word of it. The ranch held a soft spot in his heart, and he hadn’t been living on it near the time that Mr. Tucker and Amelia had. They had to find a way to save it. It was too beautiful to allow it to be turned into a housing development.
Chapter Twelve
Amelia had lost track of time and her heart skipped a beat when she saw her dad pull back in the driveway. It didn’t feel like he had been gone that long, but when she glanced down at her watch, she realized that her and Nick had been sitting under the tree for about an hour. It was such a beautiful afternoon that for a split second, all of the troubles had faded again. It was amazing how Nick had that affect on her.
Standing up, she brushed the grass from her jeans. “Daddy’s home again. I wonder if he found anything out.”
“Amelia! Where’s Noah?”
Her dad seemed frantic, his pace quick as he walked toward the house.
“Dad? What’s wrong?”
“Where’s Noah?” he asked again. “Is he with y’all?”
“He was taking a nap. Nick and I just came out to get some air. Why? What happened?” Amelia wiped her clammy hands on her jeans.
“I got a phone call. All they said was Noah and hung up. I didn’t recognize the voice, but with everything happening…” he trailed off.
Amelia wasted no time and went inside, immediately checking the living room. The TV was still on, but the blankets that her son was lying on were empty. “Noah?” No response. “Noah, were are you?” Please let him just be in the bathroom. Or maybe he decided to go to his room. Hurrying down the hallway, Amelia tried hard not to panic, but with each step, a heavy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. “Noah?” she yelled, and fought the urge to puke when she saw his room was also vacant.
Her Lifeline: (A Romantic Suspense) Page 11