Mikayla followed Dusty’s lead, removing her lightweight blouse. She went to unsnap her front-latch bra, but Dusty’s hand covered hers to stop her.
“Let me,” he whispered in her ear.
Mikayla lay back, waiting for Dusty to remove the bra, but instead he came over the top of her, continuing to kiss her hungry mouth. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, and the tops of her breasts, working his way down to the bra.
He slipped his tongue inside, stroking her nipple beneath the satin material. His busy hand squeezed the other, exploring, and Mikayla was lost in her own body as Dusty brought it alive in ways she had not felt in years. No, in ways she’d never felt before.
As if that torment was not enough, Dusty lifted his head until he was looking at her full breast and then sucked one into his mouth with such power Mikayla arched off the bed.
Unable to wait a moment longer, Mikayla tore the bra clasp open, bearing her breasts. Her nipples stood like rigid nubs and Dusty’s mouth went straight to them. He sucked first one and then the other, only to return to the first and continue the torment until Mikayla lost control.
She tore at his jeans, begging with her fingers, and Dusty obliged, slipping the jeans down his legs. Reaching into his nightstand, he found a condom and put it on.
Then Mikayla felt her own jeans being yanked down her legs along with the satin panties that matched her pink bra. Then Dusty was over the top of her, looking down into her eyes.
In that moment, Mikayla had never felt so powerful. His need was written in his eyes, it was unmistakable. And Mikayla knew she was the woman who could satisfy that need.
She parted her thighs and Dusty sank into her body. As he entered her, he released a sound that was almost pleading. Without warning, Dusty pushed up on his elbows and began plowing into Mikayla’s body with the force of a madman. She matched him thrust for thrust. She didn’t think she had that much passion to unleash. Mikayla held on as the tide of sexual release washed over her entire being.
Wave after wave of unrelenting pleasure washed over her whole being until she could hold back no longer and she surrendered herself to the climax.
Feeling the change in Dusty’s body, Mikayla opened her eyes just in time see his whole body go rigid and then he was flooding her with himself, and every thing he could never say with words. Mikayla held to his strong arms and accepted the tribute for what it was meant to be. The beginning.…
Later, as Mikayla slept, Dusty—true to his word—went back downstairs and put away the leftovers and cleaned up their picnic. Once he was finished, he sat on the picnic table and watched the tents that were still lit up with activity in the distance.
It seemed his life had come to some kind of crossroads. So many factors were coming together. His father’s arrival, his relationship with Mikayla. He was almost certain of his feelings for the woman sleeping in his bed. And if those feelings proved true, there was only one path left to take.
But as for his father, Dusty had been surprised to see the old man seemed to have slowed down. To Dusty, Kyle Warren had almost been the epitome of manhood. Strong and virile in every way. But the man he’d greeted the other day was much more frail than Dusty had known.
Dusty decided that maybe this would be the time for him and his father to make peace on certain issues. Including his mother. There was, of course, a good chance Kyle would not want such a relationship, or if he did, would not be willing to pay the price to have it.
But either way, Dusty resolved he would at least make the attempt to correct the past. A sentiment he was almost certain Mikayla understood very well.
Chapter 12
The next day, after a late lunch of cold chicken and leftover potato salad, Dusty led Mikayla from his house to the far back corner of the ranch where the circus caravan had set up camp.
Mikayla could not seem to suppress the excitement she felt.
“I can’t believe you’ve never been to a circus,” Dusty said as they walked along.
“Circuses and carnivals weren’t really my family’s idea of entertainment.”
“I thought everyone loved the circus.”
“Not everyone.”
“Apparently.”
“Is there a fire eater in your group?” she asked.
He smiled. “Yes, her name is Alexia. I’ll introduce you.”
She grinned up at him and Dusty was starting to think maybe he should’ve invited his family to visit sooner.
As they came upon a crop of trees Mikayla could hear commotion and noises coming from the other side. “They’re over there!” she yelled.
Dusty just looked at her with a small smile. “You know, I’m starting to get a little jealous. You never get this excited to see me.”
She laughed and swung around into his arms. “Aww, don’t be like that. This is a different kind of excitement.”
Dusty was pleased to be the one to give it to her. “Come on.” He pushed some of the trees aside and guided her through them.
Halfway through, Mikayla found herself pushing bush after bush out of her way. “Dusty?”
“Hmm.” He was focused on guiding them through the thick underbrush.
“Why did you put them way back here?”
“They’re a large group. They needed a lot of land.”
“But this isn’t land. This is a forest.”
“They like their solitude.”
She snatched her hand from his and stopped walking. Dusty was thrown off balance by her sudden movement and almost tripped over a downed tree before catching himself.
“Why’d you do that?”
“You’re hiding them.”
“What?”
“You put them back here in all this brush so none of your ritzy clients from the city would stumble across your dirty little secret. I dare you to deny it!”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Are you telling me as big as this ranch is, this…” She gestured around them, her arms hitting branch after branch. “This is the best you can offer them?”
He moved closer to her. “They’re satisfied with it, so what’s it to you?”
“It’s wrong!”
The pair stood in a stare off for several seconds before Dusty sighed. “Well, they’re here now, so there is nothing I can do about it.”
“Yes, there is! You can move them to a better location. Preferably non-swamp land.” She lifted her feet to indicate the marshland beneath them.
A loud explosion sounded a few feet away, and Mikayla moved toward the sound. “What was that?”
“Probably Myron. He’s the pyrotechnics guy.”
“You have a pyrotechnics guy?” Her sunny disposition had returned and Dusty decided to get her through the brush before the righteous indignation returned.
“Yes, he’s responsible for the fireworks and the cannon act.”
They came out of the brush behind a row of large carts. A mischievous thought occurred to Dusty and before he could change his mind, he led Mikayla around the side of the third cart, making sure to keep her attention distracted by talking about the various acts of the show.
“But the real stars of the show are right here.” He continued walking, then stopped in just the right spot. “Meet D’Angelo.”
Mikayla looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened to find herself looking into the golden-brown eyes of a tiger. His large body was less than two feet away, trapped behind closely spaced steel bars.
As awed as she was by his presence, D’Angelo looked far less impressed. Once he was satisfied they presented no danger and offered no food, he turned and sauntered back to the other side of the large cart where another smaller tiger lay dozing. “That’s Marco.”
“Wow,” she whispered. “How old are they?”
Dusty tilted his head to the side. “Let me think. D’Angelo is the oldest—we’ve had him since I was about twelve. So I would say he’s twenty-three. And Marco is a new ad
dition. They picked him up after I’d left the show. Someone had him as a pet until he became too destructive, then they abandoned him to die. He was dehydrated and malnourished when the rescue group found him. They took him in to nurse him back to health, but really didn’t have the facilities or funding to keep him. Normally, they don’t give rescued animals to circuses, but my pop is friends with the guy who runs the program and, well…here’s Marco.”
Mikayla took a deep breath of air as if she were smelling a field of new flowers and not the various odors of animal life. She turned to Dusty with a smile. “I smell elephants?”
“I thought you’d never been to a circus?”
“I haven’t, but I’ve been to a parade.”
“Ahh.” He took her hand once more and led her away from the big cats down a path lined with people doing various tasks.
Everyone they passed knew Dusty and stopped to wave or say hello. People dressed in various costumes, others dressed in jeans and T-shirts, some sorting through their equipment and others just idly watching life go by.
“Hey, Dusty, nice place!” someone called out.
Dusty threw up his hand at the guy Mikayla had not noticed. He appeared to be a trainer, given the way he led a horse in a tight circle.
“Who’s that?” Mikayla asked.
Dusty’s eyes narrowed on the guy’s back. “Nobody.”
He placed his hand around her waist and guided her away from the area, but Mikayla found herself looking back, wondering about the history between the two men.
Just then a three-foot clown jumped into their path and Mikayla caught herself just as she was about to shout, “A midget!”
She wasn’t up on the politically correct term for little people, but she was fairly certain that was not it.
The clown blew his horn then stashed it in his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. “He’s going to do a trick!” Mikayla said with the excitement of a child.
Dusty smiled, realizing her enthusiasm was contagious. He started to introduce her to Herman, but decided that would spoil the moment. So he kept silent while the clown turned the one handkerchief into ten.
Mikayla clapped, and the clown bent at the waist in acceptance of the flattery. “You should keep this one, Dusty. I like her.” Mikayla was taken aback at the deep baritone voice that came out of the little body.
“Of course you do, Herman. She’s the only person around here who hasn’t seen you perform that trick eight hundred times.”
Deciding to ignore Dusty altogether, Herman took Mikayla’s hand and placed a small kiss on the back of it. “How do you do, my lady. Herman Mumfried at your service.”
She smiled. “Nice to meet you, Herman. How very gallant you are.”
Dusty just shook his head and the interplay and nudged Mikayla forward. “Okay, enough of this. Herman, do you know where my father is right now?”
“In his trailer, last I saw him.”
“Thanks.” Dusty guided Mikayla toward a grouping of mobile homes that formed what looked like a campsite unto themselves.
When they reached the trailer he was looking for, Dusty sighed in resignation. “You’d think after all these years, he would’ve bought a new one.”
“Some things have sentimental value!” someone called from inside.
Dusty opened the door and poked his head in. “Pop? Are you decent, I have a lady with me.”
“What would a lady be doing with you?” the voice asked.
“He’s dressed,” Dusty called back to Mikayla before opening the door to the trailer wider for her to enter.
As soon as she entered Mikayla was surprised by the comfy feel of the place. Pictures, pillows and plants spread all around; those things that can make any place feel like a home.
Kyle Warren got to his feet and Mikayla felt an instant sense of déjà vu. There was no mistaking who Dusty took after.
He gave her a smile she knew so well. “Forgive me, I didn’t think you were real. My son lies.”
“No apology necessary.” She leaned toward him. “I know what you mean.”
Dusty frowned. “Hey—whose side are you on?”
“Yours, of course.” She winked at Kyle.
“Okay.” Dusty put up his hands in protest. “You two just met and you’re already teaming up against me.”
“Please, have a seat.” Kyle brushed some papers off a nearby chair and gestured to Mikayla.
Dusty looked around for another empty chair, but saw none, except the one his father had just sat down in. “Where am I supposed to sit?”
Kyle shrugged. “Hell if I know. So, you must be Mikayla.” Kyle said the name as if it had mystical powers. “What a beautiful name.”
“Thank you,” Mikayla said, trying to hide her amusement at Dusty’s predicament as he emptied a milk crate, turned it upside down and made a makeshift chair.
“Dusty has told me all about you.”
She glanced at Dusty over her shoulder. “Good stuff I hope.”
“Nothing but.” Kyle relaxed back in the chair. “So, what brings you waaaaay out here?”
Mikayla did not miss the emphasis. Apparently, Kyle realized his group had been hidden in the boondocks.
“Dusty just brought me down to look around after he found out I’d never been to a circus before.”
Kyle looked as if the statement had been some kind of personal attack. “Never been to a circus? Ever?”
She shook her head.
“Well, that’s outrageous! Your parents have a lot to answer for, young lady.”
You have no idea, she thought, but held her tongue.
Kyle cast a knowing glance at Dusty before he leaned toward Mikayla. “You know, we could fix that in no time if Dusty here would just cooperate.”
Dusty shot his father a warning glance. “Pop.”
“What do you mean?” Mikayla asked, looking back and forth between the two men.
“Well—” Kyle’s attempt at an innocent expression was anything but “—I was hoping we could put on some shows while we were here—after all, this is private property. Not a lot of shows, mind you, just a few. Just enough to earn the money for our license, but Dusty refuses.”
Mikayla turned to Dusty. “Why won’t you let them put on their show?”
Dusty glared at his father, but his words were directed at Mikayla. “I’ll explain later.”
“Sounds like a great idea,” she continued. “I’m sure the people around here would love to see a circus act.”
“Uh-huh.” Dusty continued to glare at his father.
“And like he said, it would allow them the opportunity to make some income. What’s not to like?”
“Uh-huh.” Dusty turned to his father and whispered. “I’ll get you back for this.”
“It’s not like you don’t have the room or the resources,” Mikayla went on, warming to the idea more and more. “They have everything they need. You’re just providing land. What have you got to lose?”
Dusty stood. “Well, it’s been nice visiting with you, Pop. I think we better be going now.”
Kyle grinned. “The pleasure has been all mine.” He took Mikayla’s hand and stood with her. “And it was very nice meeting you, Mikayla. I hope to see you again soon.”
She smiled at the older man. “If you do get to perform we definitely will—because I’ll be in the front row.”
As the couple made their way back to the house, Mikayla kept up her insistence that letting the circus perform was an excellent idea that served everyone involved. Dusty said nothing to dissuade her. He also said nothing to encourage her.
A short while later, he opened the back door of his house to let her go ahead of him, but she stopped and turned to him. “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Are you going to let them perform?”
“Mikayla, it’s not that simple. This is not just a ranch.” He gestured over his shoulder. “I have a full-service hospital and stable. I have clients coming and going every day. I
f I give them free rein to this place—”
“Who said anything about free rein?” She moved closer to him and put her arms around his waist, bringing them face-to-face. “Look, I know you’re uncomfortable with them here. I get it. But they can’t leave until they get the money for the license, right?”
He begrudgingly agreed with a nod of his head.
“Okay, since you said Kyle won’t simply take the money from you, give him a chance to make it on his own.”
Dusty looked down into her eyes and knew for all her logical arguments, she just wanted to see her first live circus. “Maybe. Let me think about it.”
She smiled up a him. “Good enough.”
She went into the house, and Dusty followed. He stopped in the doorway and glanced back toward the circus campsite. He’d known when he first received the letter that his father’s presence on his ranch would complicate his life. He just hadn’t expected it to happen this fast.
Ricardo Morgan, known as Rick to his friends, could not believe what he’d just seen. He spent the rest of the afternoon caring for his horses with a wide smile on his face. Despite his current troubles, she’d made his day. Beautiful Tangie.
Rick had believed she was dead. At least that was the story that circulated at the Godiva club, his favorite strip club whenever he was in Atlantic City. Word was one of the club patrons had attacked and killed her.
The club was well-known for its beautiful women, but Tangie was his main reason for returning to the club every time he stopped in the city. She was the stuff of wet dreams. And he’d masturbated many a night to the memory of her gyrating body as it stroked along the thin pole, imagining he was the pole. He even had a show bill with her on the cover. That was one fine woman, even after all these years, he thought. He shook his head to himself as he rubbed down one of his horses. It was good to know she was alive, even if she’d stopped dancing.
Once he saw the couple leave the camp, his curiosity overcame him and he went in search of Kyle. As he approached the trailer, he paused before knocking on the door.
He tried to think of a reason to give for coming to the trailer. After all, he knew Kyle would be suspicious if he just showed up asking questions about his son’s girlfriend.
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