by Brenda Mott
Darci went upstairs to check on Sampson and Chris. The two were playing with a tug toy, and Darci laughed at the puppy’s antics. She was glad she’d let Jordan talk her into the dog. Chris seemed happier than he had been in a long while.
The next morning Darci did her best to focus on her riding students. Ever since she’d upset Michaela by kissing Jordan, Mac hadn’t been quite as friendly to her, and she’d been seeing Stella for her lessons. The girl was set to have a riding lesson tomorrow, and Darci had every intention of putting things right with Jordan so that his daughter would feel comfortable with her.
Darci was just leading Feather from the barn when Jordan pulled up in the ranch driveway. He got out of the SUV, wearing his boots and cowboy hat and a Western shirt. Darci tied the horse to the hitching rail, then greeted him. “Hi. You ready to ride?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be. You going to put me on that paint?”
He’d seen Feather in action at the ranch rodeo, and he looked dubious.
Darci chuckled. “I don’t think so. She might be a little too much horse for you until you get your sea legs back, so to speak. I thought I’d let you ride Dollar.”
“That’s a relief. I guess if Mac can handle him, I can. Though maybe not,” he added as an afterthought, and laughed.
Darci grinned. “You’ll be fine. It’s like riding a bicycle. Come on. I’ll let you lead Dollar from the barn and brush him.”
A short time later they had both horses tacked up and ready to go. Jordan handed over the lunches he’d packed, and Darci slipped them into Feather’s saddle bags. She found Stella in the barn long enough to tell her where she was headed, and to warn Christopher to behave himself. Then she and Jordan were off.
They took a trail leading from out behind the barn, up over the ridge through the sagebrush. It was one of Darci’s favorite places to ride. The route edged groves of aspen and pine then climbed to breathtaking views. Darci let Feather pick her way through the high meadow grass toward a stream that wound through the timber. The water flowed crystal clear over the rocks, like a soothing song.
“I love this trail,” she told Jordan. “The sound of the water always calms my nerves.”
“I can see why,” he said. “It’s beautiful here.” Dollar plodded along beside Feather.
“There’s a small clearing up ahead,” Darci said. She often stopped there to rest and meditate. “We can eat our lunch there.”
“Sounds good to me.”
They rode to the spot and Darci swung down off Feather’s back. Jordan did the same with Dollar, walking a bit stiffly. “Guess I am out of practice,” he said with a grin.
“You’re getting there,” Darci said.
They tied the horses to a sturdy tree branch, and Darci unpacked their lunch from the saddle bags. She’d tied a blanket across the cantle of her saddle and spread it out on the ground beside the stream while Jordan laid out their lunch.
“This looks good. Thank you for bringing it.”
“No problem.” He had packed fried chicken, macaroni salad, grapes and pound cake for dessert. He’d also brought bottled green tea.
Darci sat back on the blanket and bit into a drumstick. “Mmm-mmm. Did you make this?”
“I’m afraid not. It’s from the deli.”
“I didn’t know they had such good chicken.” She realized she was making small talk, avoiding what they’d really come here to discuss. But since Jordan had been the one to suggest they talk, Darci decided to let him bring up the subject. She didn’t have long to wait.
Jordan served them slices of pound cake once they’d finished the chicken and salad. “Darci, we need to talk because I think we’ve both been avoiding the issue of what happened last Saturday.”
“True,” she said. “So what exactly do you want to talk about?”
“That was the closest I’ve come to making love to a woman in a long time,” he said. “I haven’t been with anyone since Sandra.”
She nearly choked on her cake. Two years? The man had gone without sex for two years? And here she thought she’d had a dry run. “It’s been a while for me, too,” she said.
“I don’t take what we did lightly, and I’m sorry I upset you.”
“I just wasn’t prepared for you to be so judgmental of my son. I thought you were different than other people.” A few parents at the Shadow S had refused to let Darci give riding lessons to their kids. Not many, but the rejection still stung.
“I’m not trying to judge him, Darci.” Jordan looked directly into her eyes. “I didn’t mean what I said to come out that way. I only want him to get the help he needs, which I know you do, too, and if there’s anything I can do, let me know. That’s all I meant.”
“You said you didn’t want him around Michaela.”
He shrugged. “Darci, I have to be protective of Mac. She’s been through a lot.”
“Chris has, too. Maybe not like Mac, but he’s had his share of troubles.”
“Okay, so we’re in agreement that we both want what’s good for our kids.” It wasn’t a question.
“Of course.”
“Okay. Then why are we arguing?”
“I don’t want to argue with you, Jordan. I just don’t want you misjudging Chris.”
“I guess I need more time to get to know him.” He scooted closer on the blanket. “And to get to know you, too.” He reached out and brushed his hand across her face. “I like you a lot, Darci.”
She liked him, too. And she wanted to see where things might go between them. But how to do that and guard her son’s feelings and best interests at the same time?
“Can’t this be about us for the moment?” he asked.
Oh, she wanted that. How she wanted it. She needed something strictly for herself. Everything had been about Christopher for so long now. Darci felt selfish thinking that way, but she couldn’t help it.
“What about us?” she asked in a low voice. She felt almost afraid to move, afraid to breathe.
“I’d like to pick up where we left off,” he said. He reached up and gently removed her cowboy hat. “Let me kiss you, Darci. I want to taste your lips again.” He leaned in and she held her breath.
She should stop him. But she didn’t want to. A part of her said this could go nowhere. Things were complicated with the kids, but surely they could work around that. Darci closed her eyes and met Jordan’s lips. He kissed her softly, then slid his tongue inside her mouth. With a little moan, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he laid her back on the blanket, caressing her hair, her face…letting his hands roam down her back.
“Darci. Sweet Darci,” he whispered.
His hands found the buttons on her shirt and as she let him undo them, Darci told herself to stop. That this couldn’t possibly go anywhere. She didn’t trust him not to hurt her, but most of all, she didn’t trust him not to hurt Christopher. Ron had done enough damage to their son to last a lifetime. She was sure that was part of Chris’s reason for acting out.
And still, she couldn’t stop herself from melting in Jordan’s embrace. He found the clasp on her bra and with gentle hands undid it, freeing her breasts to his touch. He kissed and caressed her, taking his time, drawing first one nipple into his mouth, then the other. Darci reached for the snaps on Jordan’s Western shirt. She undid them and pulled the shirt back over his shoulders as he shrugged out of it.
He was all hard planes of muscle…firm, solid male. Hungrily, she ran her fingers over his shoulders, loving the feel of him. She removed his hat, setting it on the edge of the blanket with her own. Then she lay back and enjoyed the attention he leisurely lavished on her body. At last his hands found the button on her jeans and slipped it open, then reached for her zipper. Darci tensed with anticipation as he tugged the zipper down. He reached inside her jeans, inside the lacy underwear she wore, and she had to bite her lip against a cry of pleasure as his fingers found her most intimate place, already hot and wet with wanting him. He slid his fingers inside her, and sh
e moaned against his mouth.
“Jordan,” she said. “I want you.”
“Mmm, and I want you, Darci. But I want to take my time with you. Make you feel all the pleasure I can give you.”
Darci groaned, then reluctantly pushed him away. “I didn’t come prepared,” she said, then blushed when he looked at her curiously. “You know. Protection.”
His mouth quirked in a little smile. “I did,” he said, reaching for his wallet.
Darci wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or offended that he’d been so certain something would happen between them. She decided to go with relieved. Still, she gave him a hard time. “Awfully sure of yourself there, cowboy,” she said as he pulled the condom from his wallet.
“Not sure,” he said. “Just hopeful.”
“That I can live with.”
She resumed kissing him, now boldly reaching for the button on Jordan’s own jeans. She found him hard and ready for her, and she reached inside his boxer briefs to stroke the length of him, making him moan with pleasure. Soon they lay undressed in each other’s arms, and Darci trembled, goose bumps rising along her flesh. It had been far too long since she’d been intimate with a man, and she wanted Jordan in the worst way. Wantonly, she rubbed her bare foot up and down his calf, inviting him to take her.
“Not yet,” he said. “I’m not through with you, Darci.”
He started with her mouth, nibbling kisses across her lips, then moved to her neck and her throat. He rained kisses and tiny nips across her skin, making Darci squirm. He took his time at her breasts, laving the nipples, tracing the areolas with his tongue.
Then he laced his fingers through hers and raised her hands up above her head. “I want you to lie like this,” he said. “And let me make you feel good, Darci. I want to love every inch of you.”
She sighed, completely lost. “Be my guest.”
JORDAN WANTED NOTHING more than to plunge inside Darci. But giving her pleasure, watching the way her features melted into a mask of sheer ecstasy, made making love to her well worth the wait. The way her eyes had gone all soft and dreamy made him feel good inside. He’d dreamed of making love to her, but nothing had prepared him for the reality of Darci’s beautiful body, the softness of her creamy skin.
As he nibbled kisses down her stomach, Jordan took in the scent of Darci’s perfume. It was soft and subtle, vanilla and spices, mingling with Darci’s own clean, womanly scent as he worked his way down her thighs. Wanting to heighten her pleasure, wanting to tease and tantalize her, he kissed and licked the sensitive area between her thighs. Darci mewled like a kitten, writhing beneath him, wanting more. She laced her hands in his hair, guiding his mouth lower.
Unable to resist her any longer, Jordan plunged his tongue inside her wet warmth. Darci let out a gasp, this time clutching the blanket with both hands. She writhed beneath him as his tongue found the tender nub of her flesh. She tasted as sweet as honeycomb, and Jordan took his time enjoying her, loving the way he made her gasp with pleasure.
And then she plunged over the edge, crying out as an orgasm wracked her body. He watched as she rode one wave after another, eyes closed. Then she blinked and opened them, staring up at him with twin pools of blue.
Jordan sprinkled kisses along her neck as he lay beside her and opened the wrapper on the condom. He slipped it on, then slid inside her in one smooth motion. Nothing had felt so good as her warm, sweet tightness clamped around him. She cried out as he entered her, then ran her hands over his shoulders, pulling him close.
They moved as one, their bodies rocking together in a rhythm as natural as the rippling water of the stream. Jordan reached down and cupped Darci’s buttocks, loving the firm feel of them. Her skin was so soft, like peaches. He captured her mouth, kissing her, as he moved his hips against hers. And then he climaxed, throbbing inside her, feeling as though he were going to explode.
He slumped against her, his hands wrapped in her hair. He ran his fingers through the strands of it, then caressed her cheek, sprinkling kisses down the heated skin to her lips. “That was beyond fantastic,” he said.
“I think all the bones in my body have melted,” Darci said, then yelped as Jordan’s mouth found a ticklish spot behind her ear.
“What say we try for round two.”
“What about condoms?” Darci peered up at him, biting her lip.
He grinned. “Let’s just say I felt a little more sure of myself than I admitted.”
He reached once more for his wallet, pulling out a second condom. Darci reached up and pinched him on the butt. “You sly dog.”
“Woof.”
And with that, he began to love her all over again.
DARCI QUIETLY DRESSED, already feeling regret. While physically she was satiated, emotionally she was sure she’d lost her mind. Nothing could come of making love with Jordan. He’d already admitted that deep down he didn’t trust her son. He had to protect his daughter. And she had to protect her son and her heart.
Despite the intimacy they’d shared, she sure couldn’t trust Jordan with either one.
Why had she been such a fool to make love with him?
Because she’d needed him. Physically. It was plain and simple as that. He was a man and she was a woman, and they’d come together in need and nothing more.
“You okay?” Jordan asked as they mounted their horses and started back toward the Shadow S.
“Fine,” Darci lied. “How’s it feel to be back in the saddle?” She felt her face turn hot. “I didn’t mean—”
Jordan chuckled, making Darci blush even more. “I know what you meant,” he said. “It’s fine, Darci.”
But it wasn’t.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“I HAD A GOOD TIME, Darci,” Jordan said when they arrived back at the barn. “You can’t see scenery like that except on horseback.”
“True,” she said, relaxing a bit.
“Mom!” Christopher came hurrying over. “Aunt Stella gave a lesson to Shannon Long, one of the girls in my homeroom, and she invited me to her birthday party next Friday. They’re having pizza and everything. Can I go? She said Michaela’s going,” he added, looking at Jordan.
Darci was so pleasantly surprised, she answered without a moment’s thought. “Of course. That’s great, son.” First Jonathan and now Shannon. Maybe Chris was finally starting to make friends. Knowing he would be hanging out with a group of kids that included Michaela did her heart good.
“Yes!” Chris pumped his fist. “I’m going to tell Uncle Leon.” He hurried off.
“So, you know the Longs?” Darci asked Jordan.
“I do. They’re good people, and Mac already asked me if she could go to the party.”
“Great.” Darci chewed her bottom lip. “You don’t have a problem with her hanging out with Christopher then?”
“I never said your son was a monster. And no, I don’t have a problem with them being at the same party.”
It wasn’t exactly what she’d asked him, but Darci let it go. “Just checking,” she said.
Jordan helped her unsaddle the horses and brush them down. Darci kept up idle chit-chat as they worked, regretting more and more that she’d made love to him. When they were finished, she walked with him out to his truck. He moved to kiss her goodbye, but she avoided contact.
“Not here, Jordan,” she said in a low voice.
For a moment, he looked hurt. “We’re hiding what we shared?” he asked. What had they shared? Sex? Lovemaking? For Darci it had been the latter, though she hated to admit it. She was more drawn to Jordan than she’d ever thought she could be, given their circumstances.
“I think it’s best if we forget about what happened, Jordan,” she said honestly.
His lips thinned. “I see. Okay. If that’s the way you want it. Thanks again, Darci, for taking me horseback riding. I enjoyed it, and I hope we can do it again sometime.”
Did his words have a double meaning, or was her imagination simply working overtime? “I’m g
lad you enjoyed it,” she said, deciding to ignore the question. “I’ll see you later, Jordan.” She stepped back from his vehicle, raising her hand in a wave.
JORDAN DROVE HOME, CONFUSED and out of sorts. What had just happened with Darci? He had no doubt in his mind that she’d enjoyed the lovemaking they’d shared as much as he had. And he truly had enjoyed their horseback ride together. Spending time with Darci was something he could definitely make a habit of. So why was she upset?
He racked his brain, trying to decide if he’d done something wrong—said the wrong thing. But he came up empty. Then it hit him. It was still about Christopher. Had to be. He muttered a curse. Why had he said anything in the first place?
Because he’d wanted to be honest with Darci. He liked Christopher, but he was still leery of him after what the boy had done in Northglenn. Jordan wished he could discuss Chris with Nina, but both of them respected patient confidentiality. So all he had to go on were his own instincts, his gut feelings. And those feelings told him to tread softly when it came to involving Chris in his little girl’s life. Being at a party where Chris was—that was one thing. But there was no denying that if he took things further with Darci, Michaela would be spending a lot more time with Christopher.
Maybe it was best to take a step back and think things through. But Darci had wanted to flat-out forget about any kind of relationship. Something he wasn’t willing to do.
He’d let down his guard, and already she’d hurt him.
Why, oh why, had he been so quick to make love to her?
DARCI FOCUSED ON WORK for the next week. But it wasn’t an easy task to keep Jordan off her mind when she ran into him at the hospital.
Finally Friday rolled around—the day of Shannon Long’s birthday party. Chris had been so excited, but he hadn’t known what to buy the girl for a birthday present. Darci had taken him shopping after making a discreet phone call to Shannon’s mother to get some suggestions. After finding out the girl had pierced ears, Darci had helped Chris pick out some cute earrings and a matching bracelet.