It sure did and she hoped the roads would be clear enough for her to drive April to school.
“Night,” she said shutting the door.
She crept along to April’s room and slowly opened the door. She sighed of relief when she saw her baby girl was now fast asleep. She hoped she’d love school, make lots of friends, wouldn’t be teased like Susanne had been, and wouldn’t end up getting involved with a guy who didn’t love her.
Susanne crossed the door, thinking how stupid it was to go down that road of misery again. Everyone made mistakes in their lives. It was all part of being human. She took a deep breath. She had a patient to go check on.
She walked to Branndon’s room and tapped on the door before going inside. He was looking at something, but quickly slipped whatever it was into the drawer in his bedside table. He winced as he did so.
“Your back still giving you trouble?” she asked him.
“Now and then, yeah.”
She took the tray from off the bed and put it on top of the dresser next to his cowboy hat. Branndon’s face and body had been made to wear one of those. She’d never seen a guy look even half as good as he did. She was almost tempted to put it on his head right now so she could swoon and forget about her troubles.
“How about taking a pain pill before you go to sleep?” said Susanne.
“I’m trying to wean myself off them. I’ve heard horror stories about people getting hooked on them. People that you’d never expect would end up as junkies and all because they took a couple of pain pills. It’s the last thing I want to have happen especially when I get back on the circuit.”
She admired him for that. She also thought what he’d done for his half-brother, a guy he didn’t know existed until recently, was a wonderful thing. A selfless act she would never have believed Branndon Mckinney Jr. capable of. She turned around to look at him. “How about I give you a back massage instead?”
“You want to massage me?”
“Medical sort, not the…”
Had she suddenly gone red? Probably, because she felt an intense burn in both her cheeks.
“I guess if you think it will help me without resorting to pills, then yeah, it’s fine with me.”
“I’ll just go get some oil and a towel. You want to take your t-shirt off while I’m doing that?”
She took the tray out, walked to the kitchen and put it on the countertop, and then headed to her room for her supplies. She pulled out the bottle of oil and then went to the bathroom and picked up a large white towel that hung on the rack by the shower.
When she got back to Branndon’s room he was sitting naked from the waist up with legs perched over the side of the bed. Wow, he’d been hunky when he’d been in high school but now he was male model material. No one had made her panties this wet so quickly, not even April’s father. Maybe giving him a message was a bad idea. No, she was a professional and he was her patient, she could handle this. The in-home care company she’d just launched was going to be her and April’s livelihood and she was going to make it work.
He looked at her with those big, blue eyes of his and felt the same way she had at school. She put the bottle of oil down on the bedside table. They were grown-ups now and it was time to start acting like one.
“I’m going to put the towel on the bed. Do you think you’d be able to lie flat on your stomach or I could sit beside you and massage you while you’re sitting?” asked Susie.
“I’d prefer to sit if that’s okay because lying down and getting up still hurts like hell,” said Branndon.
“Sure, whatever’s most comfortable for you.”
The fact that he was going all through this discomfort when he really didn’t have to made her see him in a whole new light. She wondered if she could have donated an organ to someone. He must have been so scared going into the ER.
Susanne squirted some oil into her right palm and then rubbed her hands together before sitting on the bed beside Branndon. Their thighs bumped and the heat from his body permeated into hers.
Keep focusing on the fact that he’s your patient. Your first client.
She touched his shoulder and then let her fingers glide down his back. The incision looked like it was healing well. When she reached the muscles around it, he flinched.
“Sorry, I’ll go lighter by that spot.”
There was suddenly an uncomfortable silence between them and then they both chose to speak at the very same time.
“Go ahead,” said Branndon.
“I was just wondering what made you want to be a rodeo rider. I know your dad had the ranch, didn’t you want to join him and Jackson in running it?”
“No, that’s something to do when I’m old and ready to retire,” said Branndon.
Susanne moved her hands over the muscles in his shoulders.
“You’re very tense, maybe that’s why your back’s hurting so much.”
“It hurts because a doctor cut into it.”
That remark sounded more like the Branndon she remembered. Sharp and to the point.
She swept her hands lower, feeling each muscle, feeling her own pussy muscles clench with the thought of having him make love to her. The great body moving backward and forward as he thrust deep inside her. Perspiration broke out on her forehead and not because the room was overly warm. Branndon was hot and he made her sweaty with desire.
Susanne’s hand slide lower until she was almost touching the top of his butt. He groaned and as she glanced at the front of his PJs, she saw the bulge gradually getting bigger. All guys reacted like this, even patients. She should not read anything into this. She definitely shouldn’t think that Branndon was reacting to her touch.
She almost leaned over and kissed his shoulder but stopped herself in time. She had to get control of herself. She moved to her right and a bunch of photos fell from underneath the blanket.
Susanne glanced down at them. They were photos of women and they’d obviously taken selfies and sent them to Branndon, women topless, women with their legs spread and wearing nothing but a smile.
She bit her lip. Branndon could have any women he wanted. He wasn’t the settling down type, he was what the world called a player. She’d already had one of those. Been there, done that, won’t ever make that mistake again.
Chapter Two
For some reason, Susanne had left his room like her butt was on fire. He wondered if she’d seen his erection and hence the swift exit. The hard-on had been difficult to conceal with just his PJs on. When she’d touched him, she’d not only taken his pain away, but every nerve ending had gone on high alert. Her fingers had turned him on like he never would have thought possible. He’d never been attracted to her before, but now he’d wanted nothing more than to lie her down on his bed, kiss her, and then do a whole lot more.
He shifted around on the mattress, pulled himself back into bed and covered himself with the blankets. Maybe his erection hadn’t been the cause of her speedy departure but the dirty photos that had spilled onto the floor. Not that he’d solicited a single one of them, but he had been looking at them. And to be honest, he’d enjoyed every single one of them. What guy wouldn’t? What did she think he was a monk or something?
Sure, some ladies might get offended by men ogling women, but she was his nurse not his girlfriend. Bottom line was this was his house and it was also his business and no one else’s as to what he looked at. If women sent him photos of their tits and pussies, he wasn’t going to throw them in the bin.
He glanced at the photos again, his cock stirring, but this time not from the images he saw. He still was in a state of excitement from Susanne giving him the message. He eased down in the bed, feeling the pain return to his body. He wanted to jerk off so badly. Not only to focus his mind on something else other than the discomfort gnawing at him, but Susanne had stirred up his libido. Usually when a woman did that, he had sex with her. That was definitely out of the question this time around.
To hell with it. This was his h
ouse and that meant he could jerk off whenever he pleased. Branndon slipped his hand under the band of his PJs and began stroking his cock. An image of Susanne sprang into his mind which he knew was oh, so wrong. She no doubt still despised him for all the teasing he’d done. Probably hated Jackson more, although he knew she’d always had a thing for his brother.
His hand moved faster and with each stroke he felt guiltier about using Susanne as his visual clue to reach a pleasurable release. He would be one happy man when her stint as his nurse was over. Maybe he should try and get her and Jackson to hook up and that would cool down whatever it was he was feeling for her. The brothers had one cardinal rule. You do not steal the other one’s woman.
He closed his eyes, feeling himself close to coming. A vivid picture of Susanne in the buff sprang in to his mind and that was all it took to find the release he needed. He panted and tried to get his breathing back to normal. Did she look as good naked as he’d just imagined? Guess he’d never know.
Shit, he’d have to go search for another pair of PJs now. If this sort of behavior kept up, he’d run out of clothing. Maybe he would play matchmaker for Jackson and Susanne. His father was always pressuring both of him and his brother to get married, so maybe if he married off Jackson that would take the burden off Branndon who was in no hurry to tie himself down to one woman.
****
Susanne hoped the early morning shower she was taking wouldn’t wake Branndon, but she’d been up before five a.m. for several reasons. One, she had to get April up and ready for school. Two, she hadn’t been able to sleep. And not just because she was in a new bed and room. It was because of Branndon. Unlike junior high and high school, it wasn’t so much something he’d done or said that got her all worked up, but this time it was all down to her wanting the sexy cowboy to make love to her. Touching him had been pure heaven. Being so close to him, pure bliss. Not having him kiss and fuck her, pure torture.
She let the jet of cold water hit her in the chest. She’d turned on the cold water despite it being January and Montana where it had been snowing all night. Women needed cold showers just as much as men did. She stood it for as long as she could and then turned the dial so the water got slightly warmer. Susanne took the soap and formed a lather before working it over her body, all the while imaging that her hands were Branndon’s. Right this minute he was working his way over every inch of her skin.
In my dreams, in my fantasies, that was the only way this would ever be real.
“Mommy.”
April’s voice jarred her out of her train of thought.
Susanne slid the shower curtain back. “I’ll be right there, honey-bunny.”
As she wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out of the shower, a still sleepy-looking April stood looking at her.
“What you doing?” April asked her.
Fantasizing about a cowboy.
“I am getting ready to make you breakfast and then we’re going to pick out an outfit and you’ll look the prettiest girl in the kindergarten class.”
“But what if I’m not?”
Susanne put her hand on April’s cheek. “You will be. Believe me, you will.”
One thing she’d thought about as soon as she knew she was pregnant was that her child, whether it be a boy or a girl, would be raised with more self-respect for her or himself than she had. Susanne knew that she’d tolerated the teasing and comments because she’d thought she deserved it. That she wasn’t as good as the other kids. April would never think that. If she was ever teased she’d give them comeback lines that would leave the kids speechless at her repartee.
“Let me go get dressed and then we can eat. And while I’m doing that why don’t you go and knock on Branndon’s door to see if he wants to come join us for breakfast.”
****
“What the fuck?”
Branndon stuck his head up from underneath the blanket. It sounded like someone was kicking his door in.
“Brannon, Brannon, get up, it’s breakfast.”
It was the kid and she obviously couldn’t pronounce the ‘d’ in his name and she had a voice like a foghorn as she continued to pound on his bedroom door. He looked at the clock on the bedside table. It wasn’t even six a.m. yet.
Suddenly there was nothing but silence. Maybe she’d gone and now he could get some more shut eye. He tried to go back to sleep, but it was impossible. After five minutes, he decided to get up and go get something to eat. It was the first day that he’d felt like his usual ravenous appetite was back. He stood, still a little shaky on his feet, but managed to pull on his sweats. As he opened the door, the smell of bacon tickled his nose. He guessed oatmeal was being made, too. He hadn’t smelled that since he’d lived at home and his mom had been still alive.
Branndon made his way into the kitchen to see April sitting in the spot he usually occupied. She looked up at him.
“There’s Brannon.”
He was going to correct her. Going to move her out of his chair, but somehow didn’t have the heart to do it. It was the kid’s first day at school. He wasn’t that old that he couldn’t remember how nerve wrecking it had been.
“Good morning,” Susanne said, turning around from the stove to look at him. “I hope April didn’t wake you. She sometimes gets over enthusiastic when I ask her to do something.”
“What’s that?” asked April.
“What’s what?” Susanne asked her.
“Ent…” said April.
Branndon could tell she was struggling with the word.
“Enthusiastic means you do it something like you really mean it. You do it with all your heart, said Susanne.”
April shook her head. “I did it with my hand like this,” she said, pretending she was knocking on a door.
Branndon didn’t know whether he should laugh or what. Would Susanne think he was making fun of her kid if he did? Because of their past it was like he was walking on eggshells.
He looked over at Susanne and saw her grinning at her daughter. She looked at him and winked. Branndon hadn’t been around too many kids so maybe what she’d just said had been cute and perfectly acceptable to laugh at. Guess he’d learn the rules as he went along.
He sat down just as Susanne brought a plate of bacon to the table. April was already devouring a bowl of what looked like Rice Krispies.
“Would you like some oatmeal? I love it, but I know most people don’t share my passion,” said Susanne.
“Sure, I would love some,” said Branndon. He thought he and his mom had been the only two people who would often eat oatmeal any time of the day.
Susanne spooned some into a bowl for him.
“Yuck, yuck, yuck,” said April.
“It’s great stuff,” said Branndon. “Warms your belly on a cold Montana morning.”
Branndon never bothered making this for himself, not even the instant kind, so this was going to be a real treat.
“Okay Miss April, go to your room and put on the outfit I’ve placed on the bed for you. We have to leave in fifteen minutes,” said Susanne, pointing to the clock on the wall.
Without even arguing, April slid from her chair and ran toward the bedroom.
“Big change from last night,” Branndon said, almost waiting for the wailing to start up again.
“She was tired and I did eventually have to resort to bribing her. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Why should I mind?” asked Branndon.
“I told her when she got home she could go see your horses and brush one.”
His horses were his prized possession and he was super picky who got to even be within five feet of them. However, if it stopped that awful whining sound, it wouldn’t be too bad, but they had to get the rules in place here.
“I don’t have problem with that, but let’s get one thing straight, she can’t wander out to the stables whenever she feels like it because I have a lot of money invested in my horses.”
“I can assure you she won’t do that. Horses ar
e dangerous so I wouldn’t want her being with them all by herself.”
Had she just maligned his favorite beast? “Horses are not dangerous, it’s human who are stupid when they’re around them,” he said, tapping his fingers on the table.
Susanne didn’t respond but turned her back and began loading the dishes into the dishwasher. Then she suddenly spoke up.
“You know, Branndon, you always did need to get the last word in and you have changed one tiny iota.”
He tapped his fingers on the table faster. This was his house and a man shouldn’t tolerate snarky remarks being thrown around by guests. He was about to open his mouth and tell her just that when April wandered out with wearing a pink sweater under a blue denim jumper complete with black leggings and denim cowboy boots.
“I knew you’d look so pretty in that outfit,” said Susanne, wiping her hands. “I’ll just grab my coat and car keys and we’ll be off. Are you going to be okay on your own?” she asked Branndon.
“Sure, I’m not going to play with matches or anything dangerous.”
She didn’t take the bait, but simply walked away, and five minutes later he heard the door closing and her car starting up outside. He got up, flinching as he did so, and looked out of the kitchen window. Last night’s snow had finally tapered off, but he saw Susanne’s car spin a few times as she headed down the driveway. Usually Branndon would have been out and cleared it with the scooper he fitted on his truck. Maybe he’d ask Jackson to do it. Yeah, the more ways he thought of to get Jackson to come over to the house, the better the opportunity to pair those two up.
Branndon got back to his breakfast. The oatmeal was getting cold, but it still tasted pretty damn good. No lumps either. Every time he’d attempted to make it, he’d ended up with either one big gooey mess or runny with lumps. It was the reason he’d finally given up and switched to cornflakes.
He took a few more bites. Shit, this was beyond damn good. Jackson would be a lucky guy if he found himself with a woman who could cook like this.
Chapter Three
Susanne grabbed April’s hand as they made their way toward the school. So many memories flashed back to her. All of them somehow connected to Branndon. It had been years since she’d seen him and the sudden recall wasn’t only because she was living and working under his roof. In all honesty, her crush on him had never gone away. When she’d been pregnant and her life had begun to unravel yet again, she’d thought back to her life in Riker’s Creek and to Branndon. And then as if it was kismet, she’d seen his name and photo in the paper and the story about how he was donating a kidney, it was almost as if fate was reminding her life always gave her second chances at something she’d always dreamed about. When she’d phoned his father to see how he was doing and just happened to mention she was now a nurse who was opening her own in home care business, he’d been the one to suggest that Branndon be her first client. Yes, sometimes fate was a strange creature.
Branndon Jr. Page 2