A Randall Hero

by Judy Christenberry

  “John, what are you doing?” she asked as he released her bra.

  “Just trying to make you more comfortable,” he whispered.

  She knew she should stop him…but it was so different from her experience with Cecil. Not only did it feel good, but Lucy couldn’t help wanting to experience letting go, to find out what other women thought was so wonderful.

  She opened John’s shirt and ran her fingers through his chest hair, over his rock-hard abs. “You feel so good, John,” she whispered.

  “Not as good as you,” he said as he nuzzled her neck.

  Lucy didn’t know what to do. She was consumed with a tension that begged for more. But she’d never experienced such emotion. And she didn’t know how to control it.

  John’s hand traveled down her body to that magical spot between her thighs. She gasped when he touched her but didn’t stop him. At that point she stopped thinking and simply did what her body was telling her.

  Whatever John wanted.

  There was a momentary panic when she realized John was going to make them one. But John seemed to realize her reaction and he soothed her with light kisses and whispered words. Before she knew it, she was opening up to him, allowing him to take her on an amazing journey to fulfillment.

  As he moved in and out of her an incredible feeling spiraled through her, taking her higher and higher. When she thought she could go no further, she gasped as a wave of pleasure overtook her, again and again. Almost immediately, she felt John’s release inside her.

  Then he wrapped his arms around her, as if he’d never let her go.

  WHEN EMMA WOKE LUCY UP at midnight, she realized what she had done. She’d never expected their intimacy to go that far. Never expected to feel what she felt. Never expected to crave it again and again.

  She slipped from beneath the blanket so as not to wake John and ran for her bedroom where she threw on a robe before she went to Emma. After changing her diaper, she took the baby to the kitchen where she made a bottle. Then she sat down in the rocker and quietly fed Emma. The child went back to sleep quickly. After she emptied the bottle, Lucy put Emma back in her bed and tucked a blanket around her.

  Then she turned off the lights in the main room and went to bed in her room. She didn’t want to think about what she’d done. Not now.

  HEARING EMMA at four o’clock, Lucy again got up and took care of her child. After she tucked her in, she looked out to find the snow still coming down.

  It gave her pause that the snow was growing deeper. How long would John be stuck in her apartment? Would he want to make love to her again before he left her? Or would that be the end of her pleasure? She couldn’t believe that she had finally found pleasure in making love—and now it would never happen again.

  She crawled back under the covers, finding her place had grown cold. She curled up to warm up her spot and settled in for more sleep.

  THE NEXT TIME Emma woke up it was a little after eight. John stirred on the sofa and found himself naked under the blanket. Memory flooded in as he realized what he had done.

  He grabbed his clothes and dressed under the covers as Emma and Lucy came in for a bottle. He got up and knelt down by the rocker where Emma was again taking her bottle.

  “Lucy, are you all right? I didn’t intend to—I shouldn’t have lost control last night. I’m sorry.”

  Lucy kept her gaze on her child. “It’s all right, John. I’m sure I was as guilty as you.”

  “Lucy, I can’t—I don’t know what to say.”

  “There’s nothing to say.” She continued to stare at Emma.

  “Will you at least look at me?”

  “I’m feeding Emma right now. Has it stopped snowing?”

  John went to the window to look out. “Yeah, and the snowplow has been through town.”

  “Good. Do you want breakfast before you go home?”

  “No, thanks. I’ll just—I’ll go. I’ll talk to you later.”

  She didn’t answer that remark. “Be careful,” she said softly just before he walked out.

  “Yeah, I will.”

  The door closed behind him and Lucy remained silent until she heard the truck pull into the street.

  “I was right, Emma. John didn’t intend to make love to me. As much as I’d like for it to happen again, we’re going to have to move on.” A sob broke through her rational words.

  She dressed Emma warmly and then got dressed herself, not bothering with breakfast for herself. She could get something from the café before she left town. Leaving Emma asleep in her bed, she took the leftover cake downstairs to the office. When there was no answer at Tori’s door, she knocked on Russ’s.

  “Come in,” he called out.

  She wasted no time when she entered. “Russ, I’m afraid I’ve had an emergency, and I’m going to have to resign.”

  “What? Are you sure? Would some time off help?”

  “No, I’m sorry. I really like it here and I appreciate your taking me on, but—but I have to leave.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m moving on. I brought down half a cake I hadn’t eaten. I thought you might enjoy it today.”

  “Won’t you wait until Tori comes?”

  “Oh, yes, well, I’m going to call in an order to the café for breakfast. After I pick it up and eat it, I’ll start packing the car. I’ll stop in to see if she’s here.”

  “Please do. I know she’ll want to wish you the best. Feel free to use us as references, too.”

  “Thank you.”

  She went back out to her desk and called the café for an order to go. She was told it would be ready in five minutes, so she cleaned out her desk of any personal items. She tried to keep from crying as she did so.

  Then she crossed the street to pick up her order and took it up to her apartment to eat.

  JOHN HAD JUST GOTTEN HOME when the phone rang.

  Camille answered it and then handed it to her son.

  “Hello?”

  “John, what did you do to Lucy?” Russ asked.

  “What are you talking about, Russ?”

  “She walked in this morning and said she had an emergency and had to leave at once. She wouldn’t say where she was going or what the emergency was. She’s gone back upstairs to eat breakfast. Then she’s going to pack up and leave.”

  “I’ll be right there. Try to keep her there until I arrive.” He hung up the phone and started out the door.

  “John? I’m cooking your breakfast.”

  “I have to go, Mom. Lucy is leaving.”

  “Oh, no! Stop her, son, at least until we can talk with her and find out what’s wrong.”

  “I’ll do what I can, Mom.”

  He already knew what was wrong. It was because he’d lost control last night and made love to her. He hadn’t thought she’d been traumatized. He even thought she’d enjoyed it. That was his mistake. He should’ve known when she wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  Reckless was a mild description of his driving on the way into town. He drove too fast and almost spun out several times. But he got there within twelve minutes. He charged up the stairs to Lucy’s apartment and banged on the door.

  He stood there, listening for her movement. When he heard nothing, he raced back down the stairs and into the accounting office. He saw Lucy talking to Tori.

  “Lucy!”

  She spun around, almost losing her footing. When she regained her balance, she stared at John, her face going white.

  “Wh-what are you doing here?”

  “I heard you were leaving.”

  Lucy turned around to stare at Russ, who was standing at the door to his office.

  “I had to, Lucy. You can’t take that baby on the road. That wouldn’t be right.”

  “Lucy, we need to talk.”

  If John had expected her to agree, he was in for a surprise.

  “No. I have to leave.”

  “No, I won’t let you leave.”

  “You can’t stop me, John.”


  “Yes, I can.”

  “Wait a minute,” Tori said. “Maybe Lucy will talk to me.”

  “No, I need to talk to her and I don’t need you two.”

  “Well, we certainly can’t be thrown out of our own office,” Russ said.

  Before anyone could say anything, the door opened and Griff and Camille came into the office.

  “Lucy!” Camille called.

  All four people responded but it was difficult to define what anyone said.

  “Wait!” John shouted. “I need time to talk to Lucy. I’ll take her upstairs. You stay here with Emma.”

  “No! I’m not going upstairs with you.”

  “Why not?”

  She didn’t answer him, but he realized why. She wasn’t going anywhere if there was a bed.

  He tried again. “We’ll go into Tori’s office. Is that all right?”

  “I—I can go in there if I have to.”

  “You do!” John took her arm and tugged her in that direction.

  “Don’t touch me!”

  He removed his hold on her and stood back for her to precede him.

  “Son, be careful,” Griff called softly.

  “DO YOU THINK he’ll be able to convince her to stay?” Camille asked.

  “I suppose that depends on why she’s leaving,” Griff said. He looked at Tori. “What did she say about why she was leaving?”

  “She just said she had to leave, that she had an emergency. I asked her what had happened, but she didn’t tell me anything.”

  “Russ? Did she tell you why?”

  “No, except that she had an emergency. When I asked her where she was going, she didn’t have an answer.”

  “We thank you for letting John know. I would hate to think about Lucy and Emma running away when her husband isn’t there to frighten her.” Griff paced back and forth.

  “I know. We don’t want her to go any more than you do.”

  JOHN WASTED NO TIME. As soon as the office door closed, he asked, “Lucy, did I hurt you?”

  “No.”

  “Did you hate it?”

  She couldn’t lie to him, as much as she believed she should. Shaking her head, she dropped her gaze to the floor.

  “Did you—did you like it?”

  “John, I’m not right for you. You think you’re in love with me, but you’re not really.”

  “I’m not?”

  “No. It’s just—I think it’s because you love Emma.”

  “Of course I love Emma. But I love her mama more.”

  “John, I don’t think you should—You can’t—I don’t know how to be a family.”

  “Yes, you do, sweetheart. Don’t you remember the six weeks after Emma’s birth? You seemed happy then.”

  “But we weren’t a family.”

  “We could be.”

  “No, John, I don’t think—”

  “In fact, we may have to.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I didn’t use a condom last night. You could be pregnant.”

  “No!”

  “I’m sorry, honey. I was too swept away with loving you. I shouldn’t have done it, I know, but you were so lovely and warm, so receptive.”

  “I couldn’t be pregnant!”

  “Would it be so bad? You and me and Emma, making a family?”

  “But, John, you deserve so much more.”

  “Oh, Lucy, I hope I deserve you. Only you.”

  “Oh, John,” she said with a sigh, moving toward him.

  “I think you showed good sense refusing to go upstairs with me.”

  “Why?” she asked, pressed against his chest.

  “Because I can’t make love to you until we go out and face our audience.”

  She blushed.

  “Can I tell them we’re getting married?” John asked, nodding toward the door.

  “Don’t you think we should wait to see if you change your mind?”

  “That’s not going to happen, sweetheart.”

  “But you might—”

  Before she could continue, he bent down and cut her off with a kiss. She responded as she had last night.

  “I think we need to get married at once,” he said as he rested his forehead against hers.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Oh, yeah.” He wrapped his arm about her and swept her to the door. “Follow my lead.”

  As he pulled her through the door, everyone turned to them. “Lucy has decided to stay and marry me. Right away.”

  “Really?” Camille asked him.

  “Lucy?” John prompted.

  “Do you mind, Camille? I promise I’ll make him as happy as I can.”

  Griff grinned at the two of them. “Lucy, he’s supposed to keep you happy, not the other way around.”

  “I know he can make me happy, Griff, if you don’t mind.”

  “Oh, Lucy, Griff and I are so pleased and happy to have you become a part of our family. And Emma will really be my grandchild!” Camille said, clasping her hands in ecstasy.

  “Okay, Grandma,” John said. “Why don’t you and Granddad take Emma home for a while and Lucy and I will be out there later.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, John. If you’re going to get married quickly, we don’t have time to mess around. You and Lucy need to go get your license in Buffalo. As soon as you do that, bring her back to the ranch. I’ll have organized some things and I’ll need Lucy’s opinion.”

  “Mom, surely you can wait one day.”

  “Son, I think you’d better grab this little beauty while you can. And, of course, we’ll keep Emma while you manage a honeymoon.”

  John gave Lucy a grin. “A honeymoon? Hmm, I think they’re right. Okay, take Emma to the ranch and we’ll go to Buffalo.”

  “Right now?” Lucy asked.

  He picked Lucy up in his arms. “Yep. The sooner we get to that wedding, the happier I’ll be.”

  He swept a laughing Lucy out the door.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-1163-0

  A RANDALL HERO

  Copyright © 2008 by Judy Christenberry.

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