Ranch at River’s End

by Brenda Mott

  As if reading her mind, he brushed a hand across her hair, trying not to mess up her curls. “Let me show you, Darci. Let me show you how much I care about you.”

  He sprinkled kisses across her face, lips and neck, holding her tenderly. Then he took her hand and led her down the hall to his room. The bedroom was everything Darci would have expected of Jordan. Masculine, clean and neat. A roomy bed stood beneath the window, covered with a dark blue comforter. An inviting array of king-size pillows and throw cushions lay piled against the headboard. On the far wall stood a dresser with a framed photo of Michaela and Jordan. In it they were on the boat, proudly holding a stringer of fish between them.

  Darci breathed in the pleasant scent that pervaded the room—Jordan’s cologne. She would never get tired of that scent. Limes and sweet, cold drinks on the beach. But at the moment, the only thing she wanted to drink in was Jordan himself. Darci knew she was a fool. He could break her heart at any time. But for the moment, she didn’t care. She wanted only to lie in his arms and forget about what had happened last week. Forget about all the troubles she and Christopher had faced in the past year.

  “Jordan,” she said. “Make love to me.”

  “Why, I fully intend to, Miss Kitty,” he said, nuzzling her neck.

  Carefully, he removed the forest-green dress, unzipping it, and sliding it down Darci’s shoulders and hips. He took off her slip and the black pantyhose she’d put on underneath it. When she stood wearing only her underwear, Jordan peeled back the sheets on the bed. She took off her rings and earrings and laid them on the bedside table, her gaze never leaving Jordan’s. He reached to undo the snaps of his Western shirt.

  “Let me,” Darci said, stilling his hands with a touch.

  She stood on tiptoe, lacing her arms around his neck, and kissed him deeply. Then her hands found the front of his shirt, and she undid the snaps, slowly and tantalizingly, one at a time. With each snap she unfastened, Darci bent and kissed Jordan’s neck, his chest. He groaned and ran his hands down her back, cupping her buttocks. He pressed her against him, and she could feel the hardness of him beneath his jeans. Knowing how much he wanted her sent a little shiver down her back.

  When she’d stripped him of everything except his boxer briefs, Jordan took her by the hand and laid her on the bed. They slid beneath the sheets and he held her. “Darci,” he whispered. “You make me feel so good. You make me forget all my worries.” He kissed her. “You make me happy.”

  “You do a pretty good job of that yourself, Marshall,” she teased. Then she sobered as Jordan unhooked her bra and tossed it aside. He pulled off the pink, lacy panties she wore and ran his hands along her sides, all the way down her thighs.

  “You feel so good,” he said. “You’re so soft…your skin’s so silky smooth.” He kissed her breast. “I could gobble up every inch of you.”

  “Don’t let me stop you,” she said with a mischievous grin.

  Jordan captured her mouth in a possessive kiss, and Darci lost herself in loving him. In letting him love her. She told herself to remember this wasn’t anything permanent. As long as she kept that in mind, she should be all right.

  Jordan kissed her deeply, his hands roving up and down her body. His mouth tasted her everywhere, moving from her lips, across her neck and down to her breasts. He took one nipple in his mouth and flicked his tongue across it. Darci moaned and ran her fingers through his hair, arching her back. His mouth felt warm and good…so right on her flesh. She loved the way his hands felt on her body, his touch firm yet gentle. Caring hands. Loving hands.

  He moved his way back up to her mouth again, and Darci relished his kisses, lacing her tongue around his. He pulled away long enough to put on a condom, then wrapped Darci in his arms, and in one smooth motion slid inside her. He rocked against her in gentle rhythm, and Darci sighed, loving the way their bodies fit together, the way it felt as if the two of them had become one.

  She wrapped her legs around Jordan’s waist and pulled him as close to her as she could. Moving her hips, she matched his speed and rhythm. Jordan reached down and put his hand between them, stroking the tender nub between Darci’s legs until she thought she would come unglued.

  He wrapped his arms around her and rolled her over, bringing her to rest on top of him. Darci sat astride him, looking down into his dark eyes. “Jordan,” she said. “You make me feel so good. You feel so good inside me.”

  “I never want to leave,” he said, and ground his hips against hers. Darci moved in a slow, sensuous rhythm against him. Bracing her hands against his chest, she moved faster and faster against him, then collapsed on top of him as an orgasm shook her.

  Wave after wave of pleasure rocked through her body, leaving her quivering, feeling like melted honey. Jordan rolled her over and drove himself more deeply into her, holding her tight against him. Darci again wrapped her legs around him, moving against him. To her delight, a second wave hit her just as Jordan climaxed. Gasping, she held tight to him, and they moved together, heightening their pleasure.

  At last, they lay spent in each other’s arms. Jordan kissed the top of Darci’s head. “That was fantastic,” he said. “I don’t ever want you to leave this bed, Miss Kitty.”

  She chuckled. “I think that might be a little hard to explain to the kids, Marshall.”

  “Speaking of which,” Jordan said. “Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to call and check on them.”

  “Good idea.” Reluctantly, Darci slid out of bed and found her clothes. Once she and Jordan were both dressed, they headed back to the living room. Jordan dialed Michaela’s cell phone and made sure everything was going smoothly at the party.

  “They’re fine,” he said, closing the phone. “They’re getting ready to make caramel apples.”

  “I’m glad,” Darci said, letting out a breath she’d barely been aware of holding. “Mind if I use your bathroom?”

  “Of course not. It’s that way. Second door on your left.”

  In the bathroom, Darci opened her purse and touched up her makeup. She carried a small bottle of hairspray with her, and used it to put her curls back into place as best she could.

  Jordan tapped on the door. “Mac’s got a curling iron if you need it,” he said. “Actually, there’s one under the sink that was Sandra’s.”

  “Oh. Okay, thanks.”

  “No problem.” Darci reached under the sink and pulled out the curling iron. She felt strange, holding it in her hand. It was Sandra’s. Just as Jordan was Sandra’s. He’d kept it all this time, right under the sink, as if his wife was still here, still a part of his household.

  Well, wasn’t she? Sandra was Mac’s mother, and she’d been Jordan’s wife. Why shouldn’t her presence still be felt in this house?

  Darci put the curling iron back under the sink without using it.

  Then she left the room, going back down the hall to a man who could never really be hers.

  AS HE DROVE MAC TO THE Shadow S, Jordan thought of nothing but Darci. It had been three days since they’d made love on Halloween and he’d never felt so confused. A part of him wanted to keep his distance from Darci, but a part of him wanted to draw her close and hold her there forever.

  She was out in the arena when he and Michaela arrived, just finishing up a lesson. Once the student had left, Jordan joined Darci in the arena. Mac went straight over to Dollar, petting him and feeding him a treat.

  “It turned out to be a nice day,” Jordan said. After a weekend of cold and snow, Indian summer had returned. The high temperature that day was close to sixty degrees, though a few dark clouds now lay scattered in the distance.

  “We’d better take advantage of it while we can,” Darci said, “since it won’t last long. But we’ve got an indoor arena, so Michaela will be able to continue her lessons all through the winter if you like.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be happy to know that,” Jordan said. “I think I’m going to end up getting her a horse pretty soon. I hear the prices are down this time of y
ear, and who am I to pass up a bargain?”

  Darci grinned. “That’s right, they are. A lot of people would rather sell a horse than have to feed it all winter when they can’t ride it. Like I said, just let me know when you’re ready to shop and I’ll go with you.”

  “I will. Mind if I stay to watch Mac’s lesson today?”

  “Of course not.” Darci indicated the arena fence. “Pull up a chair.” She grinned, then walked over to the horses and untied Feather. “I’ll just be a minute, Michaela. I want to switch out horses and give Soot some practice on the cavalletti. Do you think you’re ready for them, too?” She smiled as Mac’s face lit up.

  “Really? You think I’m ready for cavalletti?”

  “We’ll just do a few laid out on the ground,” Darci said. “No big deal, eh?”

  “Cool!”

  “Want to go with me to tack up Soot?”

  “You bet.”

  They headed for the barn, and Darci led Feather to the hitching post. There they unsaddled and brushed him, leaving his saddle blanket lying upside down on the hitching post to dry the sweat. Darci got another blanket from the tack shed, then caught Soot and let Michaela help her saddle the black mare.

  “How’s she been doing for you?” Michaela asked.

  “Really well,” Darci said. “I like her so much, I’d love to buy her from Aunt Stella and Uncle Leon.”

  “Would they sell her?” Michaela looked eagerly at her.

  “Maybe. But it’ll be a little while before I can afford a horse. Meanwhile, at least I can ride her whenever I want.”

  “You’re lucky there,” Mac said. She pulled the cinch tight on the saddle, then stepped back for Darci to check it.

  “Good job, kiddo.” Darci barely had to tighten the leather. “You’re getting good at this.”

  “Thanks.” Mac beamed.

  With the mare saddled, they headed back out to the arena. Darci helped Michaela mount Dollar, then she swung herself up onto Soot’s back. She demonstrated to Michaela how to ride through the cavallettis, taking the horse in a pattern that included some figure eights as they trotted over the poles laid out on the ground.

  When they were done, Mac halted Dollar next to Soot. “Can I ride her for a minute?” she asked Darci. “She’s so pretty.”

  Darci hesitated. But they were in the arena, and Soot had been behaving perfectly. “I don’t see why not,” she said, swinging down off the mare’s back.

  Michaela dismounted Dollar and tied him to the fence. Then she came over, an eager smile on her face, and mounted Soot. Darci held the mare’s bridle while Mac steadied herself in the saddle.

  “You’ll have to make it a short ride,” she said. “Looks like the clouds are moving in.”

  Midway through the lesson, clouds had begun to scatter across the sky, threatening rain. Typically fickle weather for this time of year.

  “I won’t take long,” Michaela said. “I just want to try her out.” But even as she trotted around the arena, over the cavallettis, it began to sprinkle.

  Jordan had momentarily disappeared, and Darci saw him now, ducking out of the car with something tucked under his arm. He returned to the arena, unlatching the gate and coming in as Mac trotted around the perimeter.

  As she drew close, Jordan called out to her. “I thought you might need this. Your mother always kept it in the trunk.”

  With that he popped open a bright pink umbrella before Darci could call out a warning.

  Soot took one look at the umbrella and spooked sideways, catching Michaela unaware. But to Darci’s surprise, Mac managed to keep her balance in the saddle. And then, to Darci’s horror, the mare bolted for the open arena gate.

  “Mac, hang on!” Darci called. “Grab the saddle horn!”

  Without waiting to see what would happen, Darci rushed to the fence and unhooked Dollar’s lead rope from his halter. He still wore his bridle over the top of it, so Darci gathered the reins and swung into the saddle.

  She took off after Michaela and Soot. The mare had bolted out the gate and headed down the path toward the trails beyond.

  Darci hoped and prayed Michaela would be able to stay on her back.

  JORDAN WATCHED, HELPLESS, as Mac shot past him on the black mare. Cursing himself for his stupidity, he collapsed the umbrella and ran helplessly toward her. It only took a few steps to realize his mission was futile. Without a horse, he might as well be running in quicksand.

  A moment later, Darci flew past him on Dollar, galloping all out in an effort to catch up with Michaela. Jordan jogged down the path after them, saying a silent prayer. He focused on the trail up ahead and watched as Darci quickly closed the gap between herself and Michaela. And then his nightmare came true.

  His daughter slipped sideways in the saddle and fell to the ground.

  Jordan picked up speed. “Michaela!” he called out. “Don’t move!”

  He rushed to her side. “Are you all right, honey? Oh, my God, don’t move,” he repeated.

  Michaela groaned, lying flat on her back. “It’s my hip, Dad. My bad one. I think I bruised it pretty good.”

  “I’m so sorry, sweetie, so sorry,” he said, moving his hands over her, checking for broken bones. “I had no idea the horse would spook.”

  “I know, Dad. It’s all right.”

  “Are you hurt anywhere else?” Darci asked. “Oh, Mac, I feel so bad. I never should’ve let you ride Soot.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Michaela said bravely. “I’m the one who wanted to get on her.”

  Jordan quickly examined Mac, feeling better when he determined she didn’t appear to have any broken bones. Still, he wanted to get her to the hospital. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you out of the rain.”

  “What about Soot?” she asked.

  “Don’t worry about her,” Darci said. “I’ll catch her.”

  But Aunt Stella had come from the barn in time to see what happened, and she now rode down the trail on Feather. “I’ll get her,” she said. “Don’t worry. You all just get in out of this weather.”

  Leaning on Jordan, Michaela hobbled toward the barn. Darci walked beside them leading Dollar.

  “I’m taking you to the emergency room,” Jordan said.

  “I’m fine, Dad. Really. I just bruised my hip, that’s all.”

  “Just to be sure,” he said.

  Stella returned a short time later, leading the black mare. “Soot’s been doing so good,” she said, coming in the barn behind them. “But I guess she doesn’t think much of an umbrella.”

  “Guess not,” Darci said dryly. “I truly am sorry, Jordan, for putting Michaela on her.”

  “You couldn’t have known,” he said. “I’m the idiot who opened the umbrella.”

  “You know what you’d have to do if this was the code of the Old West, don’t you, Michaela?” Darci teased.

  “Get back in the saddle?”

  “You’ve got it. But,” she added hastily, holding up a hand at Jordan’s protest, “since you’re injured, I’ll do it for you.”

  “I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” Jordan said.

  “I can’t let Soot think she won,” Darci said. “She can’t think it’s okay to buck Mac off, that she got away with something.”

  “She’s right,” Stella said.

  Jordan shook his head. “I can see right now it won’t do any good to argue with you. Better make sure you’re wearing a crash helmet.”

  “I’ve got my cowboy hat,” Darci said, pulling it down low on her head. She went over to the black mare and took the reins, petting the horse’s neck soothingly as she spoke to her in low tones. Then she led Soot to the indoor arena.

  Jordan and Michaela followed, along with Stella. Darci moved up beside Soot, and the mare shifted restlessly. She spoke to her again, then put her foot in the stirrup and swung on board. Soot took a few quick steps forward, but Darci pulled her in, making her stand.

  She stroked the mare’s neck again, praising her, the
n rode Soot in a walk, then a trot, around the arena. She worked her up to a lope, then switched direction, taking her around the arena a few times both ways before riding her back to the gate and dismounting.

  “See?” she smiled. “Nothing to it. We’ll have to work on her fear of umbrellas at a later date.”

  “How about working on my fear of you and my daughter riding spooky horses?” Jordan asked.

  “She did fine,” Darci reassured him as he watched her unsaddle the black mare and brush her down. Michaela, already feeling better, pitched in and helped Stella take care of Dollar.

  “You’re bound to be the death of me,” Jordan said.

  “It’s okay, Jordan,” Darci said. “You just need to relax.”

  “I’ll remember that the next time you’re milking a wild buffalo or something,” he shot back. “Or riding a wild bull.”

  She laughed. “Okay, now you’re exaggerating.”

  “Yeah, but not much.” He put his arm around her. “Not much at all, cowgirl.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  JORDAN HAD LAIN AWAKE half the night after Michaela’s mishap with the black mare, tossing and turning, thinking about everything that had happened between him and Darci lately. He’d thought he couldn’t allow himself to love her, because he’d been so afraid of being disloyal to Sandra…so afraid of loving and losing again.

  But life was risky, and the time he’d spent with Darci finally made him realize he was more than willing to take those risks. He hadn’t recognized just how much he truly did love her until he’d seen her in action yesterday, riding after Michaela on the runaway horse. And again, when she’d come to the emergency room with them, waiting to make sure Mac was okay. And that was when he’d made up his mind. He’d decided that he wanted Darci in his life on a permanent basis, and he was willing to do whatever it took to convince her of that.

  He had the day off, and while Michaela was at school, Jordan made a trip to town—to the jewelry store. When he’d made love to Darci the other night, she’d taken off the rings and earrings that were part of her Miss Kitty costume and set them on the beside table. One of the rings had fallen on the floor, and when Jordan found it, he’d placed it on his dresser with every intention of returning it. But it had slipped his mind.