Emma gave him a haughty smile, and he knew she would do just what she threatened so he relented. He watched as she nudged Ginger again and trotted away from him. He galloped his horse to catch up to her. After an hour, she told him she was tired and wanted to head back. He was so relieved he wanted to shout it. The whole experience was nerve wracking to say the least. If anything had happened to her, he’d want to die. Good Lord! He’d fallen in love with her. When the hell had that happened? He glanced over to find Emma looking at him with concern.
“Are you all right?”
He nodded and smiled. “I’m fine.”
When they rode into the yard, Gabe told her to go lie down and he’d take care of the horses. He helped her down from Ginger’s back, and she rewarded him by standing on tiptoe and kissing him before heading into the house. He stared after her, rubbing a spot over his heart. He loved her, of that he was sure, but what if she didn’t love him? Sure, they got along great, most of the time anyway, until that damn temper of hers emerged. She used to be such a shy woman, now she didn’t back down even when he towered over her. Gabe grinned. He liked the spunky woman she’d become and he loved it when she tried to push him around. He chuckled under his breath. He didn’t budge but she didn’t care, she tried anyway. How many times had she told him not to manhandle her? He chuckled again. Hell, he couldn’t keep his hands off her.
Later, when he entered the kitchen, he as always appreciated the changes Emma had made since coming to live there. It looked like a home now. She’d put up new curtains, and there were hanging plants everywhere. Her perfume flowed throughout the house. Entering their bedroom, he’d expected to find her asleep on the bed, but she wasn’t there. She took quite a few naps lately. It had scared Gabe to the point he’d called her doctor. Doctor Anderson had reassured him it was normal, and laughed when he made her promise not to tell Emma he’d called. He heard a soft splashing sound in the bathroom. Emma was in the bath. The thought made his heart flutter strangely. So this was what being in love felt like. Smiling, he crossed to the bathroom.
* * * *
Emma was soaking in the huge tub with her head resting against the back with the bubbles up to her chin and she was enjoying it very much after her ride. She loved this tub. It resembled an old claw foot tub but it had jets in the bottom and sides. Anytime she got in the tub, she stayed until the water became cool. There were times when she was in it Gabe had to insist she get out because the time slipped away from her. She was just about to close her eyes and let the tub take her away as the old commercial used to boast, when she heard the door open. She glanced behind her to see her husband enter. She smiled up at him.
“How long have you been in there?” Gabe asked as he stripped his dirty T-shirt off.
“Not too long. I don’t look like a prune yet, do I? The water hasn’t cooled down completely.” Emma smiled enjoying the sight of her husband without his shirt.
Gabe squatted beside the tub and put his hand in the water. “You’re not using the jets?” She shook her head. “You have three speeds you know.” She raised an eyebrow at him, and he grinned. “Low, medium, and who needs a man.”
She burst out laughing. “I’ll always need my man.”
Gabe leaned in, kissed her, and then whispered against her lips, “I’m going to take a really fast shower, and then you’re getting out of there, Emma Stone.”
Emma nodded and watched him strip out of the rest of his clothes. Her heart fluttered and pounded in her chest as she listened to him move about the shower. After what seemed like only a few minutes, she heard the water shut off and the shower door open. Without waiting for him to ask, she stood up. Gabe grabbed a fluffy towel and wrapped her in it, lifting her from the tub, and setting her feet on the fluffy floor mat. He rubbed the towel over her, lingering on her breasts, and then between her legs. Emma had her hands on his shoulders to steady her when he dropped to his knees and kissed her mound of curls. She was unable to stifle a low moan. When Gabe slipped his tongue through her curls to her clitoris, and then moved his mouth on her, she grabbed fistfuls of his hair while she rested her butt on the edge of the tub. He spread her legs and feasted on her until Emma whimpered as her orgasm hit.
Gabe pushed to his feet, scooped her into his arms, carried her to their bed, and gently laid her on it. She watched him as he gazed down at her with damp hair, and smelling fresh, clean, and so masculine. Before he lay down beside her, he leaned down to kiss her, but Emma grabbed his strong arms, pulled him down, and pushed him onto his back. She smiled down into his face before leaning in to kiss him. She moved her tongue into his mouth and tasted him thoroughly before her lips trailed across his cheek to his ear, down along his neck before moving to his chest.
She felt Gabe thrust his fingers into her hair as her lips moved down his six-pack abs and lower. She wrapped her fingers around his stiff shaft, and slowly moved her hand up and down the length. She liked how he grew harder in her hand. She put her lips to the head and heard Gabe hiss in a breath. Smiling, she ran her tongue under the rim of the head, and then slowly down the length. Gabe groaned. Feeling powerful and in control, Emma put her mouth completely over him, and sucked.
“Christ!” Gabe’s hands tightened in her hair.
Feeling daring and empowered, Emma slid her mouth up and down his length, taking him in as deep as she could. Her hand slid down to cup his balls. Gabe’s hips began to move up and down in rhythm with her mouth. When she slid him from her mouth and lingered at the tip to run her tongue around it again, Gabe jackknifed up, and grabbed her.
“You have to stop, Emma…now,” Gabe groaned as he reached under her arms and pulled her up over his chest. He was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling fast against her breasts. Emma kissed his lips, reached down, wrapped her hand around him, and slid her body down over him. Firmly seated on him, she rocked her hips and soon Gabe moved his hips into hers too. He put his thumb on her clitoris and the sensation sent her over the edge. She cried out his name and collapsed onto his chest. Gabe kept pumping until his orgasm shook his entire body. She pushed against his chest and looked down at him. She smiled in satisfaction.
“Now I need another bath.” She laughed as she climbed off him to lie next to him, her fingers trailing through the hair on his chest.
“I need a nap.” Gabe yawned.
Emma swatted at him and left him to take a quick shower. She loved him so much that at times like this, it was easy to believe he loved her too, but she knew he didn’t. He’d never said the words, not once. She could only pray, one day he would.
The next day, Emma met Olivia at the diner for lunch. After she settled into the booth, she glanced around and almost gasped when she spotted the man from the other day who had made her feel nervous.
“Are you all right? You’ve gone white as a sheet,” Olivia said leaning over and touching her hand in concern.
Emma looked at her and spoke in a low voice. “There’s a man in the back who was here before and he keeps staring at me. He gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
Olivia immediately looked around the restaurant until her eyes landed on him. Frowning, she turned back to Emma. “He looks familiar.” Emma nodded and was about to say something when Becca stopped at their table.
“I thought I recognized your cars,” she said smiling but it faded when she saw the looks on their faces. “What’s wrong? Are you all right, Emma?”
“Please sit down beside me for a minute,” Emma said patting the seat next to her. Becca slid into the booth alongside her. “See the man in the back at the table by himself? He keeps watching me and it’s giving me the creeps. Liv thinks he looks familiar. Do you know him?”
Emma waited as Becca glanced around. Her sudden gasp confirmed she’d seen him. “Oh my God, he kind of looks like Steve,” Becca whispered.
Olivia gasped. “That’s it! That’s exactly who he looks like.” She turned to look at him again, but then turned back around. “He’s not paying any attention to you now, Emma. Maybe you
were imagining it.”
She hoped so but she didn’t believe it was her imagination. Her appetite now gone, she sat back and looked around. She knew everyone in the diner except that man. Who was he? Was it coincidence that he bore a resemblance to Steve? She shivered at the thought he might be related to the man who’d tried to kill Becca. Her gaze involuntarily shifted back to him. He was looking at her again. She elbowed Becca and gave a slight nod toward the man. This time, Becca saw the man looking at them. Together, they watched him stand and walk to the counter to pay his bill. Without looking their way, he left by the front door. Emma released a breath just as their server came over and laid down their bill.
“Connie, do you know the man who just left?” she asked glancing toward the door.
“No. He’s been coming in here every day, though. Not much of a tipper.” Connie sniffed in an indignant manner before strolling away.
“Emma, it’s probably just a coincidence that he looks like Steve. All that shit happened just a few months ago, and we’re all still a little on edge,” Olivia said.
Becca agreed with Olivia. “We can’t keep looking over our shoulders. Steve is dead, and there’s no way he can ever hurt us again.”
Emma looked at each of her friends and nodded in agreement, before turning her attention to Becca with a frown. “Why are you here, Becca? You said you couldn’t join us for lunch.”
Becca opened her mouth to reply when the bells on the door jangled and they watched Jake stroll in. She smiled a smug grin. “I couldn’t because I’m spending the day with my man. It’s not often he takes a day off. So…” She shrugged then stood up to greet him. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her until the other diners started whistling. They broke apart and laughed. Emma envied them their love.
A few minutes later, she and Olivia paid their bill and left, but Emma couldn’t shake the strange man’s face or the way he watched her.
* * * *
Gabe rolled over and kissed Emma’s cheek.
“Time to get up, darlin’,” he whispered alongside her ear, and then chuckled when she slapped at him. He nuzzled her neck, and smiled when she moaned. She rolled over to face him. “As much as I would love staying here in bed with you, we have to get moving if we’re going to get to Butte on time.”
“Ohmigod, the competitions start today.” Emma practically flew out of the bed. Gabe watched her scurrying around the bedroom, gathering up clothes. God help him, he really loved her and the baby. He got out of bed, and after brushing his teeth, he pulled his boxer briefs on, grabbed his jeans, T-shirt, socks and went downstairs.
He needed coffee. It was early. Hell, the sun wasn’t even up yet. It was a two-hour drive to Butte and he still had to load his horse, Dandy. He poured himself a cup of coffee and gazed out the window. The sky was beginning to wake up, glowing with pink and yellow hues above the mountains. He sighed with satisfaction. Life was good. No one could have told him he’d like married life. Like? He shook his head. He loved it.
Gabe set his cup on the table, and pulled on his jeans and T-shirt. After taking a seat at the table, he pulled on his socks, and then his worn cowboy boots. Hearing a couple of vehicles pull up outside, he stomped a boot on as he stepped to the door and opened it. He watched Wyatt and Jake get out of their trucks with Becca and Olivia following them.
He left the door open and went back to his coffee. A moment later, Emma entered the kitchen, stood on tiptoe, and pressed her lips to his. He started to deepen the kiss when someone cleared his throat. Still kissing Emma, he glanced over her shoulder to see Jake grinning at him. He reluctantly broke the kiss. “What? I can’t kiss my wife good morning?” Gabe grinned when Jake laughed while Emma buried her head into his chest, and blushed. He kissed the top of her head. Olivia took a seat at the table and grumbled. “What was that, Liv?” he asked.
“Why did we have to get up before the sun?” Everyone laughed when she yawned and laid her head on her folded arms.
“Because, sleepy head, we have a two-hour drive, then we have to sign in and get to our rooms,” Gabe told her while he hugged Emma against him.
“Pffft…” Olivia waved her hand and yawned again.
Becca laughed. “And you all wonder why I love her.”
“If you behave yourself, Liv, Emma and I will give you the last puppy.” Gabe smiled when Olivia lifted her head and looked at him with wide eyes.
“Really? You still have one left?” She looked to Emma, who nodded, and then Olivia glanced over her shoulder to Becca. “Can I have one, Becs?”
Becca shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
Olivia squealed, leaped up, and hugged Becca, and then Emma. Then she went to Gabe who was standing out of the way, wrapped her arms around him, and glanced over her shoulder to Emma. “Don’t hate me.” She kissed Gabe quickly on the lips. Emma burst out laughing. Gabe could feel the heat in his face as he stepped back from Olivia, especially when she winked at him.
He cleared his throat. “I don’t think that’s behaving, Liv,” he choked out, making them all laugh except Wyatt, who he noted was standing in the doorway to the hall scowling at Olivia. He had to wonder what his brother’s problem was with Olivia. Gabe mentally shook his head. Whatever it was, Wyatt needed to get over it since they were all going to be together for the next week.
Chapter Seven
Emma, Becca, and Olivia sat on the metal seats in the arena watching the rodeo while Emma explained to them what was going on. She chuckled when Olivia shuddered at the details of bull riding even as she sat on the edge of her seat watching it. Becca seemed entranced by it all, though. As the day wore on, the women decided to get a late lunch at a nearby diner. The men were relaxing at the hotel since their competitions weren’t until the next day. As they left the diner to head for the hotel, Emma felt the hair rise on the back of her neck. She stopped and looked around, letting her gut lead her.
Becca touched her arm. “What is it?” she asked softly.
Emma shook her head. “I don’t know. I just had the feeling someone was watching us.” She shivered against the sensation.
Olivia glanced around quickly. “That’s not even funny.”
“I’m probably just imagining it. Maybe it’s my hormones out of whack.” Emma tried to smile, but she knew it didn’t quite reach her eyes when both women frowned at her. They walked a little faster toward the hotel and the safety of the men. Once they reached it and went to their rooms, Becca hugged each of them.
“I feel like a damn fifth wheel,” Olivia muttered.
“That’s crazy, Liv. We love having you with us.” Emma hugged her. Olivia nodded with a sigh, and went into her room alone. Becca smiled sadly at Emma before they separated to enter their separate rooms.
The next morning, Emma woke to an empty bed. She knew Gabe had to be at the arena early to check the line-up so she pulled his pillow to her and tried to go back to sleep, but it evaded her. Her mind played over the night before when they’d made love. She’d almost told him she loved him. It had been on the tip of her tongue and she literally had to bite it to keep from shouting it out. Tears filled her eyes. Damn hormones! Lately, she cried at the drop of a hat. Why couldn’t he love her? He had no problem telling the baby. He’d put his mouth to her belly and say it to the baby. Emma tried choking back the sobs, but they tore out from her. She buried her face in the pillow and let her tears loose.
Two hours later, she sat with Becca and Olivia in the stands once again watching the competitions. Emma was surprised when she saw Wyatt join them and take a seat beside Olivia. He opened the program and scanned through it. Emma noticed Olivia hadn’t acknowledged him. The arena smelled of horses, leather, sweat, and manure. She loved it. She sat up with excitement when they announced the barrel racing was next. Jake and Gabe moved along the aisle and took seats beside them. Emma looked to Jake. “I’m sorry I couldn’t compete with Misty for you.” She smiled and nodded. “I’ll compete next year.”
Gabe leaned over and
whispered in her ear. “Not if I get you pregnant again.” She elbowed him, and he grunted. “I take that as a no?”
“You, Gabriel Stone, are not going to keep me barefoot and pregnant,” she hissed low, hoping no one around them could hear their conversation.
Gabe chuckled. “Okay, you can wear shoes.” She burst out laughing and shook her head. She looked to the arena when Stephanie Taylor’s name came over the speakers as the next competitor. Stephanie came roaring out of the tunnel and headed her horse for the first barrel. She cleared it, and pushed her horse toward the second barrel. She cut it too close and knocked it over. The crowd groaned. Becca and Olivia giggled. Emma grinned with satisfaction.
“You beat her every year. The one year she has the chance to win, since you aren’t competing, and she beats herself,” Gabe whispered then he chuckled when she nodded in agreement and gave a low giggle.
She laughed outright when she heard Olivia announce with a snicker, “Oh, that’s too bad.”
Emma leaned forward to look to Wyatt. She watched him raise his head from the program only briefly to look to where Stephanie was riding off, but went right back to the program. Jake and Becca laughed too. No one cared for Stephanie.
The afternoon moved on and soon it was time for Gabe, Jake, and Wyatt to compete. Tie-down roping was first, Gabe’s event. Emma sat on the edge of her seat awaiting her husband’s appearance. When the announcer said his name over the loud speakers, a row of women behind her started screaming for him. She turned to glare at them, but they paid her no mind. She turned back to see him sitting in the roping box with the calf ready to go in the chute.
“What goes on here, Emma?” Becca asked.
“The calf will be released from the enclosed chute next to the box. There’s a rope barrier stretched across the front of the chute, so when the rider is ready to start, he signals with a nod of his head. The calf will get a slight head start, so as soon as it breaks the barrier, the cowboy charges after the calf. He tosses his rope around the calf’s neck, bringing it to a stop. The cowboy jumps off his horse, runs to the calf, lays it on its side, and ties three of its legs together with a piggin’ string, which is just a small rope. The calf has to stay tied for a minimum of six seconds in order for the tie-down to qualify. The cowboy who completes the entire sequence the fastest is the winner. If the rider jumps the gun, there’s a ten second penalty,” Emma explained. “Also, the horse has a lot to do with how well he does. His horse has to know to back up and keep the rope tight once the calf is roped. There’s no better horse than Gabe’s Dandy at doing just what he needs him to do.”
Gabe (Men of Clifton Montana Book 2) Page 8