by SJ McCoy
Cassidy sighed. “I suppose if I’m honest it’s because he’s mean to Chance.”
“He’s mean?”
“No, that’s not fair. He’s not mean. Ugh, I don’t know how to put it. Has Shane asked you about dinner on Thursday?”
“Yes.”
“And you are coming, right?”
“I think so. If I can work something out for Ruby.”
“Just bring her if you can’t that’s fine. My point is Chance will be there, so you’ll get to see how Beau is with him. He’s not mean, but he resents him. I don’t know why, I don’t know what the history is. I don’t even think there is a history. From what I’ve gathered Beau just feels as though Chance came into the family and stole his place.”
“Stole his place?” Corinne had heard talk of Chance. She knew he ran the cattle side of the ranch and that the guys considered him another brother, but that was about it. Other than the fact that he’d been in California for a little while, where his sister had got married and his dad had had a stroke.
“He didn’t,” said Cassidy. “But he and Mason are really close.”
“Mason’s the eldest, right?”
“Yep, and Beau is the second and I think he feels as though Chance pushed him down the list.”
“Hey, princess. I didn’t realize you were here.” Shane came in through the back door and grinned at them.
“Yeah, I came down a little early so I thought I’d stop in and see how Corinne’s doing.”
Shane smiled. “She’s doing awesome. You might have to get used to me being around more at home. The way she’s knocking things into shape around here, I’m going to be superfluous to requirements within a week or two.”
Corinne smiled. She was pleased that Shane saw it that way. The guest ranch was a great business, and he had a wonderful marketing system in place, but she’d already seen lots of areas that could be improved, lots of ways to make the place run more efficiently, and at the same time, provide the guests with an even better experience.
Cassidy grinned at her. “Do me a favor and keep some menial tasks that he can still be involved in? I couldn’t stand to have him under my feet all day.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll keep him around as a figure head, just wheel him out to smile and chat to the guests now and then.”
“Sounds good to me,” said Shane.
“Come on, you,” said Cassidy. “Let’s go saddle up. You promised me a ride.”
“Okay.” He turned to Corinne. “You may as well head out, too. Go see how Ruby did on her first day. The night staff are here.”
Corinne smiled. “Thanks. I will do. I’m sure Ruby did fine, but I can’t wait to see her, and to hear all about it.”
“See you tomorrow then.”
“And I’ll see you Thursday, if not before,” added Cassidy.
Chapter Sixteen
Beau figured he was early when he pulled up outside the cabin. Corinne didn’t finish work until six and it was a few minutes before that. He was surprised when the front door opened and she came out to meet him.
“Do you want me to drive?” he asked.
She nodded and climbed into the passenger seat. “Thanks.”
He didn’t start the engine up straight away, but just looked at her for a moment. She was so beautiful, he just wanted to appreciate it for a moment.
She gave him a shy smile. “Is everything okay?”
“More than okay. I was just thinking how lucky I am.”
“Lucky?”
He smiled. “Lucky that you decided to give me a chance.”
She laughed. “It was you that decided to give Ruby a chance. I was always a sure thing.”
He raised an eyebrow. “A guy could take that the wrong way.”
She laughed. “You know what I mean. I mean I feel like I’m the lucky one.”
He shook his head. “Nope, that’d be me.” He leaned over and she leaned in to kiss him. He’d only meant it to be quick, but somehow they lost a few minutes as their tongues tangled. Her arms came up around his neck and he drew her closer. Eventually he pulled back. The way she kissed him made him want more. He’d spent way too much time this afternoon thinking about yesterday. He wouldn’t argue that taking her against the wall like that had been great, and sure he’d do it again given half a chance, but part of him regretted it too. He should have taken her to bed, taken their time. Explored each other. Held each other afterward. He hoped they’d be able to do all of that soon. For now though they needed to go get Ruby.
He smiled, and from the way she smiled back he’d guess that she was having at least some of the same thoughts he was. “So how was your first day?”
“It was great. I’m going to love this job, I can tell. If Ruby’s day was anywhere near as good as mine was, then I’ll be relieved.”
“I’m betting she’s had a great day.” He started up the truck. “We should get going and see.”
“I can’t wait to see her. It’s been weird today. I mean I’ve always worked, but I’ve gotten used to being with her all the time since we moved.”
“Well, this will probably make you laugh, but I know exactly what you mean. I missed her today, too. I kept wondering how she was getting on.”
“Aww.” Corinne laughed. “I’ll have to ask her what her secret is.”
“You don’t need to. I kept thinking about her today, but I don’t think I’ve stopped thinking about you since I first saw you in the wine store.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. What the hell had he gone and said that for? It might be true, but he didn’t need to go blurting it out like that! He shrugged and pulled out onto East River Road. “Sorry, but it’s true.”
“Please don’t say sorry. I’m surprised, but very pleasantly so.”
“Good.”
They rode on in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again. “Since it seems I spend a lot of time in your head, and I admit that you spend a lot of time in my head, how would you feel about staying tonight?”
He shot a quick look at her. She looked nervous, her cheeks were slightly flushed, as if she were embarrassed to ask. “I’d love to,” he answered quickly, hoping to reassure her that she wasn’t going out on a limb for no reason. “Are you okay with it, though? I mean, for Ruby and everything?”
She nodded. “You stayed last night, and she was so happy that you were there this morning. I think I build it up in my head more than she does.”
He smiled. “Because you know better what it involves than she does.”
Her cheeks turned red at that, then she laughed. “Yep, I know I’m asking you to sleep with me—in every sense. She just thinks it’s about sleeping over.”
Beau reached across and took hold of her hand. “And I know that I would love to sleep over and to sleep with you.” He decided it was only fair that he should lay himself open, as she just had. “I’ve been trying to figure out how I could get you into bed.” He laughed at the look on her face. “Let me finish. I know how wrong that sounds. I mean to spend some time in bed with you. After yesterday. Yes, I want more, but I just want to lie with you, hold you, spend some time together.” He shrugged, feeling embarrassed and wishing he hadn’t started this. He looked over at her.
She smiled. “That sounds very different from the guy who was offering just sex less than a week ago.”
He nodded. “It feels very different, too.” Jesus! What was he getting himself into here? It was bad enough that all these feelings kept ambushing him, but did he have to let them escape through his mouth every time?
The way she smiled, he didn’t feel so bad about it. Still he was grateful when the turn for Susie’s place came into view.
“It’s just up here,” said Corinne.
“I know.”
“Of course, I forget that everyone knows everyone up here.”
He smiled. “It’s hard not to, when you grow up here. I mean there aren’t that many people around, so those that are tend to get to know each other.”
“I read before I came up here that there are six point eight people per square mile in Montana.”
“Yeah, but that includes the cities as well.”
She laughed. “Your cities are tiny compared to ours though. It got me curious so I had to look it up. For California, they reckon there are two hundred and thirty-nine people per square mile, and that includes all the open space and national parks. If you take just the big cities, it’s unbelievable. Los Angeles is up to ten thousand people per square mile and San Francisco is over six thousand.”
Beau shook his head. He couldn’t even comprehend that. Of all his brothers, he was the one who’d gone out into the world most, both for college and to real estate conventions. He also liked to travel for fun, and had seen quite a few parts of the country. But to think about living crammed in with thousands of other people? It just didn’t bear thinking about. “When you put it like that, I’m glad that I know all my neighbors, and where they live. And that I consider everyone who lives in a valley that’s fifty miles long and twenty miles wide to be my neighbor! Though I may change my mind about that if I ever run into that point eight of a person roaming the back country on a dark night.”
She laughed as he pulled up in front of Susie’s. “I’ll be honest, the thought of it being so empty freaked me out at first, but now I’m here, I love it. It doesn’t feel lonely.”
“You don’t ever have to feel lonely.” He smiled. What did he even mean by that? If he didn’t know himself, then there wasn’t much chance Corinne would figure it out, though she looked as though she was trying to. “Do you want me to wait here?” he asked.
“Yes, if you don’t mind. I want to have a quick word with Susie, see how they got on. That might be tough to do if Ruby’s fawning all over you.”
He laughed. “No problem. Take your time.”
~ ~ ~
Corinne paused in the doorway to the living room. Beau was sitting on the sofa with Ruby snuggled into his side. They were watching a show on TV while she made dinner. Ruby was pointing at the guy singing, telling Beau she’d seen him sing with Summer. She was getting used to the way her heart flipped every time she saw them together. She mustn’t get carried away though. Beau had come a long way with Ruby in a very short time, there was no saying he’d want to go where her heart hoped whenever she saw them like that. And there were no guarantees that he wouldn’t do a one eighty just as fast and want out. She had to be realistic. She wondered again whether she was taking too much of a risk, having him over like this, letting Ruby get so attached to him. She’d even asked him to stay the night. She sighed. All she could do was roll with it and hope for the best. If it all went wrong, she’d get over it, and so would Ruby. She’d have to.
Beau smiled when he saw her standing there. “Can I do anything to help?”
She shook her head. “It’s almost ready.”
“We can do dishes afterwards!” said Ruby with a big smile. “That’s how I help Mommy.”
Beau smiled at Corinne. “Maybe this weekend we should take your mommy out for dinner so she doesn’t have to cook.”
“Yay!” cried Ruby. “I like going out to dinner. Can we go to Chico with the warm water?”
She meant the hot springs, and from the look on Beau’s face it wasn’t an idea that appealed to him.
“We’ll have to see, at the weekend,” she said. “For now you need to go and wash your hands and get ready for dinner.”
Ruby got up and tugged at Beau’s hand. “Come on. You need to wash yours too.”
Beau rolled his eyes at Corinne as Ruby dragged him into the bathroom. She had to laugh. He was going along with everything so well, and really did seem to be enjoying himself. “Come on through when you’re ready,” she called after them.
After dinner they went through the same routine as they had before. Ruby took up her position on her chair at the sink and bossed Beau around the kitchen while they did the dishes. Corinne hovered and made sure that nothing got broken. It was fun. Beau seemed to be enjoying himself, which was a relief. And there was no question that Ruby was enjoying herself.
She wanted Beau to read to her, so once again the three of them sat on her bed while he read the story about the two kittens. Ruby’s eyes closed almost immediately. She’d enjoyed her day immensely from what she’d told them, and it had obviously worn her out.
Beau smiled. “She may need to start going to bed earlier. I need to find out what happens with the kittens.”
She chuckled and got up from the bed. “Come on, you can bring the book with you and read to the end if you want. I won’t tell her.”
He put it down and came out, closing the door gently behind them. “It wouldn’t be right to read it without her. I’ll just have to come back tomorrow.”
She raised an eyebrow. He’d said he’d like them to spend more time together, that that was the only way they’d get to be relaxed around each other, but she hadn’t expected him to want to be around every night.
“Would you mind that?”
“Mind? I’d love it. You surprised me, that’s all.”
He shrugged and gave her the smile that made her want to grab him and drag him into the bedroom. “You can’t get too much of a good thing. And this…” He put his hands on her hips and pulled her toward him. “You and me. We’re a good thing.”
She rested her head against his shoulder. It felt like a good thing, a very good thing indeed. She just hoped that it might last. In her experience, no good thing ever did.
He took her hand and led her back into the living room, sitting down and patting the sofa beside him. She sat down and turned to smile up at him. “So what are you thinking you’d like to do this weekend?”
“I dunno, I just wanted to make sure that I was part of your plans. It would be nice to go out to dinner if you’d like. I’m not much use in the kitchen, or I’d offer to cook for you.”
“You don’t like the idea of Chico, though?”
He smiled. “The restaurant’s good. And you’d love their wine cellar. But I’m not big on the hot springs. I don’t enjoy sitting in a steaming pool with a bunch of other people.” He gave her a wry smile. “No offense or anything, but especially small people.”
She had to laugh. “You don’t trust them not to pee?”
He made a face. “Do you?”
She shook her head. “We don’t have to decide now; we can see how we feel when the time comes. Oh, and Shane and Cassidy invited me to dinner on Thursday.”
He nodded. “Shane told me. I hope you said yes?”
“I said I would if I could figure something out for Ruby.”
“We could take her?”
Corinne had to smile at that. He really had come a long way in a short time.
It wasn’t too long before she could feel her own eyes drooping. They were sitting on the sofa, watching a movie, but apparently her first day had taken more of a toll than she’d realized.
Beau leaned over and swept the hair off her face. “Come on sleepy, you should get to bed. Another night on the sofa isn’t going to do you any good. I can go home.”
She sat up at that and shook her head. “No! Don’t go. I want you to stay.”
“Okay.”
It was strange to take turns in the bathroom and get ready for bed. It was so very different from the time they’d spent at his house. There, it was in through the door and up against the wall. Now they were more like an old married couple, each getting themselves undressed and sliding into bed.
He rolled on his side and smiled at her. She smiled back, he was so gorgeous! He put an arm across her. “Goodnight, sweet lady. Get yourself some rest.”
Oh! This wasn’t right! She finally had this gorgeous man in her bed and they were just going to roll over and go to sleep!
“Goodnight, Beau.” She reached up and pecked his lips, then turned over. She smiled as she felt him edge closer and spoon her. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to molest you. I just want to hold you.”
She smiled and snuggled into him. She was glad he couldn’t see the big silly grin on her face. He felt so good with his big strong arm wrapped around her, his body pressed against hers. For the first time in a long time she really did feel totally relaxed and somehow safe.
She woke with a start. It was still dark. And Beau was still holding her close. She smiled and relaxed again, grateful to whatever had woken her. She got to lie here and enjoy this while she tried to get back to sleep. She couldn’t, though. Her brain was wide awake and so was her body. And they were both acutely aware of Beau lying beside her, of his arms around her. She shifted a little and confirmed it. At least one part of him was very much awake and pressing into her. She leaned back into him and felt his arm tighten around her. Her body was humming with anticipation now.
She let out a sigh when his warm lips brushed over her neck and his hand came up to close around her breast. She pressed her ass back against him and felt his cock respond.
“I take it you’re not asleep then?” he murmured.
“No.”
She turned over to face him and pressed the full length of her body against his. His hard naked chest felt so good against her bare breasts. His hand closed around her ass and pulled her to him. He was still wearing his boxers, but she could feel the heat of him through them. His mouth came down on hers and she kissed him back hungrily. She wasn’t aware how, but within seconds she was on her back, her panties were gone and so were his boxers.
He propped himself up on his elbows and smiled down at her in the darkness.
She smiled back and ran her hands down his back, closing them around his firm butt cheeks and rocking him against her. He held her gaze as he spread her legs wider and then he was there, pushing at her entrance. She stared back into his eyes as he gave the slightest nod and thrust his hips hard, plunging deep inside her. They began to move together. He was driving her crazy, taking it so slowly that the pressure built and built. He took her right to the very edge and kept her there, refusing to take her over. Every time she tried to pick up the pace, desperate for release he slowed his thrusts and made her wait. She was panting, grasping his ass, holding on for dear life as the sensations rolled through her. She needed him to finish her off.