by Diana Palmer
One small hand went to press against his shirtfront as she curled closer with a sigh. “It’s much better.”
The first part of the movie was hilarious. But before it ended, they weren’t watching anymore. John had looked down at Sassy’s animated face in the flickering light from the movie screen and longing had grown in him like a hot tide. It had been a while since he’d felt Sassy’s soft mouth under his lips and he was hungry for it. Since he’d known her, he hadn’t had the slightest interest in other women. It was only Sassy.
He tugged on her hair so that she lifted her face to his. “Is this all you’ll ever want, Sassy?” he asked gently. “Living in a small, rural town and working in a feed store? Will you miss knowing what it’s like to go to college or work in a big city and meet sophisticated people?” he asked solemnly.
Her soft eyes searched his. “Why would I want to do that?” she asked with genuine interest.
“You’re very young,” he said grimly. “This is all you know.”
“Mr. Barber, who runs the Ford dealership here, was born in Hollister and has never been outside the county in his whole life,” she told him. “He’s been married to Miss Jane since he was eighteen and she was sixteen. They have five sons.”
He frowned. “Are you saying something?”
“I’m telling you that this is how people live here,” she said simply. “We don’t have extravagant tastes. We’re country people. We’re family. We get married. We have kids. We grow old watching our grandchildren grow up. Then we die. We’re buried here. We have beautiful country where we can walk in the forest or ride through fields full of growing crops, or pass through pastures where cattle and horses graze. We have clear, unpolluted streams and blue skies. We sit on the porch after dark and listen to the crickets in the summer and watch lightning bugs flash green in the trees. If someone gets sick, neighbors come over to help. If someone dies, they bring food and comfort. Nobody in trouble is ever ignored. We have everything we need and want and love, right here in Hollister.” She cocked her head. “What can a city offer us that would match that?”
He stared at her without speaking. He’d never heard it put exactly that way. He loved Medicine Ridge. But he’d been in college back East, and he’d traveled all over the world. He had choices. Sassy had never had the chance to make one. On the other hand, she sounded very mature as she recounted the reasons she was happy where she lived. There were people in John’s acquaintance who’d never known who they were or where they belonged.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“That you’re an old soul in a young body,” he said.
She laughed. “My mother says that all the time.”
“She’s right. You have a profound grasp of life. So you’re happy living here. What if you had a scholarship and you could go to college and study anything you liked?”
“Who’d take care of Mama and Selene?” she asked softly.
“Most women would be more interested in a career than being tied down to family responsibilities in this day and age.”
“I’ve noticed,” she sighed. “They interviewed this career woman on the news one night,” she continued. “She’d moved to three different cities in a year, looking for a job where she felt fulfilled. She was divorced and had an eight-year-old son. I wonder how he enjoyed being in three different schools in one year so that she could feel fulfilled?”
He frowned. “Kids adjust.”
“Of course they do,” she replied. “Mostly they adjust to having one parent, because so many people divorce, or they adjust to being suddenly part of somebody else’s family. They adjust to parents who work all the time and are too tired to play or talk to them after school. They’re encouraged to participate in all sorts of after-school activities as well, so they have baseball and football and soccer and band and theater and all those time-consuming responsibilities when they’re not studying.” She settled closer to John. “So exactly when do parents have time to get to know their kids? Everybody’s so busy these days. I’ve read that some kids have to text-message their parents and make appointments to meet. And they wonder why kids are so screwed up.”
He sighed. “I guess my brother and I were protected from a lot of that. Our uncle kept us close on the ranch. We played sports, but we were confined to one, and we had chores every day that had to be done. We didn’t have cell phones or cars, and we mostly stayed at home until he thought we were old enough to drive. We always ate together and most nights we played board games or went outside with the telescopes to learn about the stars. He wasn’t big on school activities, either. He said they were a corrupting influence, because we had city kids in our school with what he called outrageous ideas of morality.”
She laughed. “That’s what Mama called some of the kids at my school.” She grimaced. “I guess I’ve been very sheltered. I do have a cell phone, but I don’t know how to do text-messages.”
“I’ll teach you,” he told her, smiling. “I do it a lot.”
“I guess your phone does stuff besides just making calls.”
“I have the Internet, movies, music, sports, and e-mail on mine,” he told her.
“Wow. Mine just gets phone calls.”
He laughed. She was so out of touch. But he loved her that way. The smile faded as he looked down into her soft, melting eyes. He dropped his gaze to her mouth, faintly pink, barely parted.
“I suppose the future doesn’t come with guarantees,” he said to himself. He bent slowly. “I’ve been sitting here for five minutes remembering how your soft lips felt under my mouth, Sassy,” he whispered as his parted lips met hers. “I ache like a boy for you.”
As he spoke, he drew her across the seat, across his lap, and kissed her with slow, building hunger. His big hand deftly moved buttons out of buttonholes and slid right inside her bra with a mastery that left her breathless and too excited to protest.
He caressed the hard tip with slow, teasing movements while he fed on her mouth, teasing it, too, with slow, brief contacts that eventually made her moan and arch up toward him.
Her skin felt hot. She ached to have him take off her blouse and everything under it and look at her. She wanted to feel his lips swallowing that hard-tipped softness. It was madness. She could hear her own heartbeat, feel the growing desire that built inside her untried body. She’d never wanted a man before. Now she wanted him with a reckless abandon that blasted every sane reason for protest right out of her melting body.
John lifted his head, frustrated, and glanced around him in the darkness. The scene on the screen was subdued and so was the lighting. Nobody could see them. He bent his head again and, unobtrusively, suddenly stripped Sassy’s blouse and bra up to her chin. His blazing eyes found her breasts, adored them. He shivered with need.
She arched faintly, encouraging him. He bent to her breasts and slowly drew one of them right inside his mouth, pulling at it gently as his tongue explored the hardness and drew a harsh moan from her lips.
The sound galvanized him. His mouth became rough. The arm behind her was like steel. His free hand slid down her bare belly and right into the opening of her jeans. He was so aroused that he didn’t even realize where they were.
At least, he didn’t realize it until something wet and rubbery slid over his bent head through the passenger window.
It took him a minute to realize it wasn’t, couldn’t be, Sassy’s mouth. It was very wet. He forced his own head up and looked toward Sassy’s window. A very large bovine head was inside the open window of the truck. It was licking him.
CHAPTER NINE
“SASSY?” he asked, his voice hoarse with lingering passion.
She opened her eyes. “What?”
“Look out your window.”
She turned her head and met the steer’s eyes. “Aaaah!” she exclaimed.
He burst out laughing. He smoothed down her blouse and bra and sat up, his hand going gingerly to his hair. “Good Lord! I wondered why my hair felt so wet.�
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She fumbled her bra back on, embarrassed and amused at the same time. The little steer had moved back from the window, but it was still curious. It let out a loud “MOOOO.” Muffled laughter came from a nearby car.
“Well, so much for my great idea that this was a good place to make out,” John chuckled, straightening his shirt with a sigh. “I guess it wasn’t a bad thing to get interrupted,” he added, with a rueful smile at Sassy’s red face. “Things were getting a little intense.”
He didn’t seem to be embarrassed at all, but Sassy had never gone so far with a man before and she felt fragile. She was uneasy that she hadn’t denied him such intimate access to her body. And she couldn’t forget where his other hand had been moving when the steer came along.
“Don’t,” John said softly when he read her expression. His fingers caught hers and linked into them. “It was perfectly natural.”
“I guess you…do that all the time,” she stammered.
He shrugged. “I used to. But since I met you, I haven’t wanted to do it with anyone else.”
If it was a line, it sounded sincere. She looked at him with growing hope. “Really?”
His fingers tightened on hers. “We’ve been through a lot of intense situations together in a little bit of time. Tarleton’s assault. Your mother’s close call. The cancer treatments.” He looked into her eyes. “You said that I was like part of your family and that’s how I feel, too. I’m at home when I’m with you.” He looked down at their linked hands. “I want it to go on,” he said hesitantly. “I want us to be together. I want you in my life from now on.” He drew in a long breath. “I ache to have you.”
She was uncomfortable with the way he said it, not understanding that he’d never tried to make a commitment to another woman in his life; not even when he was intimate with other women.
“You want to sleep with me,” she said bluntly.
He smoothed his thumb over her cold fingers. “I want to do everything with you,” he replied. “You’re too young,” he added quietly. “But, then, my brother just married a woman ten years his junior and they’re ecstatically happy. It can work. I guess it depends on the woman, and we’ve already agreed that you’re mature for your age.”
“You aren’t exactly over the hill, John,” she replied, still curious about what he was suggesting. “And you’re very attractive.” She gave him a gamine look. “Even small hoofed animals are drawn to you.”
He glared at her.
“Don’t look at me,” she laughed. “It was you that the little steer was kissing.”
He touched his wet hair and winced. “God knows where his mouth has been.”
She laughed again. “Well, at least he has good taste.”
“Thanks. I think.” He pulled a red work rag from the console and dried his hair where the steer had licked it. He was watching Sassy. “You don’t understand what I’m saying, do you?”
“Not really,” she confessed.
“I suppose I’m making a hash of it,” he muttered. “But I’ve never done this before.”
“Asked someone to live with you, you mean,” she said haltingly.
He met her eyes evenly. “Asked someone to marry me, Sassy.”
She just stared. For a minute, she wasn’t sure she wasn’t dreaming. But his gaze was intent, intimate. He was waiting.
She let out the breath she’d been holding. She started to speak and then stopped, confused. “I…”
“If you’ve noticed any bad habits that disturb you, I’ll try to change them,” he mused, smiling, because she wasn’t refusing.
“Oh, no, it’s not that. I…I have a lot of baggage,” she began nervously.
Then he remembered what she told him some time back, that her infrequent dates had said they didn’t want to get involved with a woman who had so much responsibility for her family.
He grinned. “I love your baggage,” he said. “Your mother and adopted sister are like part of my family already.” He shrugged. “So I’ll have more dependents.” He gave her a wicked look. “Income tax time won’t be so threatening.”
She laughed out loud. He wasn’t intimidated. He didn’t mind. She threw her arms around him and kissed him so fervently that he forgot what they’d been talking about and just kissed her back until they had to come up for air.
“But I’ll still work,” she promised breathlessly, her eyes sparkling like fireworks. “I’m not going to sit down and make you support all three of us, I’ll carry my part of the load!” She laughed, unaware of his sudden stillness, of the guilty look on his face. “It will be fun, making our way together. Hard times are what bring people close, you know, even more than the good times.”
“Sassy, there are some things we’re going to have to talk about,” he said slowly.
“A lot of things,” she agreed dreamily, laying her cheek against his broad, warm chest. “I never dreamed you might want to marry me. I’ll try to be the best wife in the world. I’ll cook and clean and work my fingers to the bone. I like horses and cattle. I’ll help you with chores on the ranch, too.”
She was cutting his heart open and she didn’t know it. He’d lied to her. He hadn’t thought of the consequences. He should have been honest with her from the beginning. But he realized then that she’d never have come near him if he’d walked into that feed store in his real persona. The young woman who worshipped the lowly cattle foreman would draw back and stand in awe of the wealthy cattle baron who could walk into a store and buy anything he fancied without even looking at a price tag. It was a sickening thought. She was going to feel betrayed, at best. At worst, she might think he was playing some game with her.
He smoothed his hand over her soft hair. “Well, it can wait another day,” he murmured as he kissed her forehead. “There’s plenty of time for serious discussions.” He tilted her mouth up to his. “Tonight, we’re just engaged and celebrating. Come here.”
By the time they got back to her house, they were both disheveled and their mouths were swollen. Sassy had never been so happy in her life.
John had consoled himself that he still had time to tell Sassy the truth. He had no way of knowing that Bill Tarleton and his attorney had just gone before the district circuit judge in the courthouse in Billings for a hearing on a motion to dismiss all charges against him. The reason behind the motion, the attorney stated, was that the eyewitness who was to testify against Tarleton was romantically involved with the so-called victim and was, in fact, no common cowboy, but a wealthy cattleman from Medicine Ridge. The defense argued that this new information changed the nature of the accusation from a crime to an act of jealousy. It was a rich man victimizing a poor man because he was jealous of the man’s attentions to his girlfriend.
The state attorney, who was also present at the hearing, argued that the new information made no difference to the primary charge, which was one of sexual assault and battery. A local doctor would testify to the young lady’s physical condition after the assault. The public defender argued that he’d seen the doctor’s report and it only mentioned reddish marks and bruising, on the young lady’s arms, nothing more. That could not be construed as injury sustained in the course of a sexual assault, so only the alleged assault charge was even remotely applicable.
The judge took the case under advisement and promised a decision within the week. Meanwhile, the assistant district attorney handling the case in circuit court, showed up at Sassy’s home the following Monday evening soon after Sassy had put Selene to bed to discuss the case. His name was James Addy.
“Mr. Tarleton is alleging that Mr. Callister inflated the charges out of jealousy because of the attention Mr. Tarleton was paying you,” Addy said in a businesslike tone, opening his briefcase on the dining room table while Sassy sat gaping at him.
“Mr. Callister? Who is that?” she asked, confused. “John Taggert rescued me. Mr. Tarleton kissed me and was trying to force me down on the floor. I screamed for help and Mr. Taggert, who came into the store
at that moment, came to my assistance. I don’t know any Mr. Callister.”
The attorney stared at her. “You don’t know who John Callister is?” he asked, aghast. “He and his brother Gil own the Medicine Ridge Ranch. It’s world famous as a breeding bull enterprise. Aside from that, they have massive land holdings not only in Montana, but in adjoining states, including real estate and mining interests. Their parents own the Sportsman Enterprises chain of magazines. The family is one of the wealthiest in the country.”
“Yes,” Sassy said, trying to wrap her mind around the strange monolog, “I’ve heard of them. But what do they have to do with John Taggert, except that they’re his bosses?” she asked innocently.
The attorney finally got it. She didn’t know who her suitor actually was. A glance around the room was enough to tell him her financial status. It was unlikely that a millionaire would be seriously interested in such a poor woman. Apparently Callister had been playing some game with her. He frowned. It was a cruel game.
“The man’s full name is John Taggert Callister,” he said in a gentler tone. “He’s Gil Callister’s younger brother.”
Sassy’s face lost color. She’d been dreaming of a shared life with John, of working to build something good together, along with her family. He was a millionaire. That sort of man moved in high society, had money to burn. He was up here overhauling a new ranch for the conglomerate. Sassy had been handy and she amused him, so he was playing with her. It hadn’t been serious, not even when he asked her to marry him! She felt sick to her stomach. She didn’t know what to do now. And how was she going to tell her mother and Selene the truth?
She folded her arms around her chest and sat like a stone, her green eyes staring at the attorney, pleading with him to tell her it was all a lie, a joke.
He couldn’t. He grimaced. “I’m very sorry,” he said genuinely. “I thought you knew the truth.”
“Not until now,” she said in a subdued tone. She closed her eyes. The pain was lancing, enveloping. Her life was falling apart around her.