Riding the River (The Westerners, Book One)

by Jeanne Harrell

Dale finally got that bison chili made for dinner and it was good. Exceptionally good. He cooked it in two large Dutch ovens with peppers, black beans, tomatoes and lots of spices. Women guests, in particular, were impressed that bison had so few calories. He made tons, but it disappeared quickly once the low calorie word was out.

  He’d showed Sarah how to make jalapeno cornbread muffins that were also incredibly good, and disappeared as quickly as Sarah could put them out on the table. It seemed like all the guests had ravenous appetites tonight, so she and Dale had to keep bringing seconds and thirds out to the buffet table. But it was enjoyable and everyone was in such a good mood. Lots of conversation about how great the horse drive had been and what they’d do for the few days left at the ranch.

  Mr. Walker had posted a list of activities out by the registration desk and then walked back into the kitchen to have a word with Sarah. She and Dale were cleaning pots and pans.

  “Sure about this, miss? It’s a lot of work and Dale’s a real taskmaster.”

  “I’m sure, Mr. Walker. Dale’s great to work with.”

  He cocked an eyebrow over at Dale when he heard that. “Hmm. Hard to believe. He’s always been such a crusty old coot. Maybe he likes you.” A slow smile started on his face and he turned to go. “We’ll talk salary tomorrow.”

  “Yes, sir.” Sarah smiled at him and then glanced over at Dale.

  “… Crusty old coot?”

  “Yeah, well. Not everyone sees my sweet side.”

  “Aha!” She laughed at him.

  Dale’s eyes widened. “Wait a minute. What about that online business you’d wanted to start. Where’s that going?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not high on my radar right now, Dale. I’ll get around to it when I have more time to figure it out.”

  “…But right now you’re figuring out Matt, aren’t you?” Her eyes gave her away. She put away a dried pan and picked up a wet one. When she looked up at him, her eyes were bright and excited. “I get the picture.”

  “I hope so because the picture is so-o-o good.” She started laughing.

  “What’s the joke?”

  “That’s something Tess said about… never mind.” She continued smiling and finished drying the pans. When they’d finished, Dale took the towel from her hand.

  “Get out of here, Sarah. There’s a dance tonight to celebrate the successful horse drive. Make sure you dance with him. Don’t run off like you did the last time.”

  Her eyes popped wide. “You saw that?”

  “Yes, I was watching you to see how you’d do.”

  “How’d I do?”

  “Rotten, but you can make it up to him. Go get him.”

  She smiled shyly. “I think I’ve already got him.”

  “Better yet…” She turned to leave. “And Sarah?”

  “Yes?”

  “It’s wonderful that he has you too.” Her smile went to high beams.

  “I love all you Western therapists.”

  Sarah left the kitchen and went back to her room to change clothes. She wanted to wear that cute fringe skirt with matching vest that she’d worn at the last dance. It was darling and she loved the feel of the fringe dancing on her skin. She wore her hair down and brushed it until it hung in pretty waves on her shoulders. While she was dressing, music floated through the air, making her hurry. She wanted to go outside and enjoy the horse drive celebration. Sarah met Tess on the way out the door.

  “You’ve got that a cute fringe skirt on again.”

  “I like your scarf. Where’d you get that?”

  “Phoenix.”

  “Okay, ladies. Enough with the fashion parade.”

  They turned around to see Dan coming through the ranch house.

  Sarah gave him a big hug.

  “It’s good to see you, Dan. Bringing in more guests?”

  “Nope. Just wanted to partake in the celebration tonight.” Then he lowered his voice. “How’d that horseshoe work out for you?” He winked.

  “It worked very well. Thank you again. Shall I pass it on to someone else?”

  “Only if you don’t need it anymore.”

  She laughed at his sincere face. “I think I will call you Yoda.”

  They walked outside together where Dan insisted on the first dance with Sarah. Tess saw Richie and headed his way.

  The band was kickin’! Mr. Walker had brought in a good local group for tonight’s festivities and the place was rockin’ with good music and laughter. They’d been doing some line dancing, which Dan insisted that Sarah try. She laughed as he tried to show her the steps. They were about as successful together as the first time, when he’d just brought her to the ranch. When the song ended, Dan took her over to one side.

  “I need a younger man to take over for me, Sarah. Will this young man do?”

  She turned and there was Matt waiting for her. She just nodded as they stood there gazing at one another. Dan smirked.

  “Okay, good.” And he left.

  “You look beautiful,” he said. “I liked that outfit the first time I saw it.”

  She looked at his tailored Western shirt, tight jeans and that black, wavy hair. “You look pretty good yourself.” She leaned over to put her nose by his neck. “That aftershave is heavenly.” His breathing became uneven.

  The music slowed and the band began to sing about finding your true love. Without a word, Matt held out his hand. Sarah placed her hand in his and her left hand on his shoulder. He pulled her a little closer as they began to sway to the music. Their eyes were only for each other – the outside world faded away. He caressed her back, sending little tingles up her spine. Turning her hand in his, Matt placed her soft hand on his heart and kept his hand on hers. He drew her closer to him. She was in his arms now and they exchanged knowing looks… loving looks. Sarah closed her eyes as he drew her in closer still. Matt rubbed his face gently against hers. Their hips locked together, legs entwined.

  She caressed his shoulder while he gently moved his hand on her back. They were as close as two people could be. As the song ended, Sarah reached up to kiss his cheek and they took a step back from each other reluctantly. Watching each other closely, Matt took her hand in his. He brought it up to his lips to kiss. Her lips parted, then he leaned over to whisper in her ear.

  “Ready to go?”

  “Yes.”

  The band had started a fast number and people were beginning to two-step. It was fun and everyone was having a great time. It was loud and noisy, with people laughing and joking. Matt quietly took Sarah by the hand and led her away from the dance area. This time, when Dale saw them leave, he gave Sarah a mental thumbs-up. She had gotten it right this time.

  They didn’t say a word as they walked back to his cabin. It was located in the back part of the property, away from the ranch house. The fringe on her skirt made a swishing sound as it brushed her legs – practically the only sound heard. But they stole little glances at one another from time to time. Once they looked at each other and smiled shyly, nerves maybe. And then, there was the cabin.

  Matt opened the door for Sarah and she took a quick glance at the neat interior. He apparently liked things in their proper places and didn’t throw dirty towels on the floor. She turned to make a little comment about his housekeeping skills when Matt took off his cowboy hat, threw it on a table and ran a hand through his hair. He kept his eyes on hers as he drew her into his arms. And then he was kissing her with incredible tenderness.

  His lips claimed hers hungrily and that first kiss rattled her senses. But the next one about knocked her off her feet. And the kisses didn’t stop. A pent-up demand was being met here and both Matt and Sarah succumbed to it.

  She’d never in her life been kissed like this man kissed her – That he truly desired her was very evident. They’d finish one long, sexy kiss and begin another juicy one. They breathed in little puffs of air here and there, whenever possible. He
’d be soft and gentle for a while, then more demanding. Kissing Sarah just made him want her more. She finally came up for air.

  “M-matt… Let me take a breath…” She’d pushed slightly away from his lips to take a gulp of air, but his hungry mouth wasn’t far away.

  “Did you get your breath?” He said against her lips.

  “Yes…barely.”

  “Good enough,” and he was kissing her again.

  His kisses seared her lips and her mind. She knew she’d have swollen lips in the morning, but couldn’t think what to do about it. She couldn’t think period. Matt had done all the thinking he wanted to do too.

  They stayed locked together as Matt inched her towards his bedroom. She took off her vest and tossed it on the floor, while Matt took off his shirt. Then he grabbed her to him again for another incredible kiss. When they broke for air, she pulled her blouse over her head and slipped out of her skirt. Matt took her hand and they walked into his bedroom. He was out of his jeans in seconds and then they were in his bed. He pulled her to him with urgency. Bodies twisted and tangled with underwear tossed wherever.

  Finally naked at long last, Matt pulled back slightly to take a good look.

  Sarah blushed at his scrutiny and then she looked at him as well. Her eyes took a leisurely stroll down the full length of his body and she was amazed. He had broad shoulders, a trim body and kept himself in good shape. So handsome. But he couldn’t hide how he felt about her when she saw and felt his erection rubbing her leg. She took ahold of it, which made him gasp. Soon Matt was kissing all over her body as she massaged him. It was Sarah’s turn to gasp when he slipped inside her -- She cried out as he buried himself deeply within and held her tightly against him. Making love was new and familiar at the same time.

  The touch of her skin, the smell of his aftershave, and their natural fit were noticed and forgotten. Matt and Sarah were swept up and up in their passionate embrace. Their joined movements built slowly into a crescendo of feeling and sensation. When they reached their peak, breathing was a little easier coming down from that high. And neither had had a decent breath of air since opening his cabin door.

  Sarah lay spent in Matt’s arms. He still was unable to let her go.

  She rested her head against his chest, breathing in his maleness. Matt kissed her soft hair and wrapped his arms more tightly around her. Her scent was imprinted on his brain now and he would forever breathe her in.

  “Are you all right?” Matt tilted her chin up to see her smiling face.

  “Am I all right?” She laughed at him. “I don’t think that I’ll ever be all right again.”

  “It was pretty incredible, wasn’t it?”

  Sarah propped her arms on his chest to look at him.

  “In all seriousness, Matt…how do you feel about me? I need to know.”

  He blinked at her in surprise. “You couldn’t tell by what we just did.”

  “No… sex is one thing. Words are another.”

  “Honey, we didn’t have sex.”

  “No?”

  “No.”

  “What did we just do then?”

  “Sarah, we made love. We’re creating more love between us whenever I make love to you and you make love to me.”

  “Yeah?”

  “And you want to know how I feel about you?”

  “Please.”

  He took hold of her arms. “Sarah, I love you with every fiber of my being. I’m not too sure what’s happened to me, but I love everything about you.”

  “Really?” She beamed at him.

  “Definitely. I’ll write it in the sky, if you like.”

  “Mmm.” She lay back down in his arms with her head on his chest.

  “Sarah… sweetheart?”

  “Yes?”

  “How do you feel about me?”

  She lifted up her head to look in his searching eyes. “It’s come about so gradually and yet so rapidly. One minute you’re annoying me, and the next minute I can’t live without you.” That brought out a big smile on Matt’s face. Sarah didn’t look like she was going to speak again, so Matt laughed and flipped her over. She was beneath him now, and felt his need growing.

  “I guess you want a little more than that.”

  “Please.”

  She reached up to touch his handsome face. “Oh, Matt. I love you so much it hurts. I know that’s such a cliché, but it’s the literal truth. Whenever I don’t see you, I feel a little lost, empty.” She leaned up to kiss his lips. “I love you, Matt.”

  That’s all he needed to know and they were kissing deeply again. A shiver of desire swept through her. He wanted her again. Would it always be like this? He nibbled at her lips and tantalized her with his tongue. He kissed her neck and breasts. He slipped inside her again and she could feel herself riding on a wave that Matt was riding too. Whispering softly into her ear, he came back to her lips for another hungry kiss. They couldn’t seem to get enough of each other. Her body responded to his, as if they’d always been together, and she read in his eyes that he wanted her forever.

  Forever.

  The wave rolled to shore. Sarah opened her eyes to see Matt gazing at her with total adoration.

  “What?”

  “I adore you, Sarah.”

  “Please don’t stop telling me that – ever. Promise?”

  “… I promise.”

  Matt lay back in the bed to quiet his breathing. Then his arm went under Sarah to bring her back into his arms.

  “Can’t stay away from me, huh?” she teased.

  “No, not at all.”

  She began leaving little kisses all over his handsome face. Down his jaw, throat and chest.

  “Honey…”

  “Hmm?” She kept kissing around his chest.

  “You have to give me a few minutes to be able to respond to you.” Sarah raised an eyebrow and he smiled at her. “You don’t feel like sleeping?”

  “With you? Ha. Not a chance.”

  Matt actually blushed. “I guess I’m pretty obvious.” Then he grew more serious. “Sarah, look at me.”

  She stopped kissing him and looked up. “What?”

  “Would you go with me to meet my grandfather tomorrow?”

  “Your grandfather?”

  “Yes, he’s been wanting to meet you. In fact, we can stay with him a few days at his ranch. I’d like to show you around.”

  She smiled. “That sounds nice.”

  “Also…”

  “…Also?”

  Matt laughed. “Yes, there’s a place near his that I’m going to buy.” He looked at her shyly. “Would you come see it with me?”

  “Yes, but I have a request too.”

  “Okay.”

  “When we’re finally able to get out of bed, could we please talk about our future. I need to know some things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Where I’m going to live next week, for one. I can’t live at the ranch forever – New guests will be arriving.”

  “No, you can’t,” he smiled. “How about you live with me at my grandfather’s place?”

  “Would we be able to stay together?”

  “I think he’s modern enough to allow that. So you want to keep on sleeping with me, is that it?”

  Sarah laughed again. “I doubt sincerely that we’re going to be sleeping very much for a while. It’s all too new for us. We haven’t gotten our fill of each other.”

  Matt shook his head. “I hope I never get my fill of you. I can’t see my desire for you waning.”

  “Maybe after you see me brushing my teeth again.” He laughed. “Which reminds me, I should do that.” Sarah tried to get up, but Matt pulled her back.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “… To brush my teeth.”

  “Will you come right back? We’re not finished here yet.”

  She kissed him and pushed back. Getting off the bed, she picked up his shirt from the floor and put
it on. She modeled it for him.

  “That just makes me want to take it off you.”

  “I know,” she teased and walked into the bathroom.

  Matt fell back in the bed with the air whooshing out of his lungs. What’s the matter with me? I can’t stop wanting her. How’d I make it before? Well, there was no going back now. And when she returned to bed, he made sure she realized that it was her and only her that he needed.

  Eventually, they fell asleep, spooning with Sarah’s back against Matt’s body. Even in sleep, he couldn’t let her go. Sarah had never, ever in her entire life felt as wanted and desired as Matt made her feel. She fell asleep thinking her heart was about to burst.

  A few hours later, Sarah woke up deliciously happy. She practically purred… Slipping out of Matt’s warm arms, she looked down at him… What a handsome guy. Even asleep he was smiling… She leaned over to kiss his lips and touch his sweet face. He sighed but didn’t wake.

  She picked up his shirt again and slipped it on. Walking to the window, she saw a small porch with a chair just outside his door. Sarah walked out to take a deep breath of fresh air and looked up at the black sky. With no light pollution, the stars were many and magnificent. She sat down, just letting contentment wash over her about this magical night.

  Tess had been right… Sarah smiled thinking of all the words of wisdom she’d gotten from her that all boiled down to the same thing – good sex is the greatest. Sarah blew out a breath… She sure couldn’t argue with that one. Thinking about him made her want to wake him up, when he showed up in the doorway. She glanced over at him … Matt had put on his jeans and she wanted to run her fingers through his sexy, tousled hair. He yawned…

  “… Honey, what are you doing out here?”

  “Looking at the gorgeous night sky.”

  “Here… Let me join you. Stand up.”

  Matt sat down on the chair and pulled Sarah onto his lap. That way, he could put his arms around her and kiss her neck and shoulders at the same time.

  “I so hope you never tire of doing that.”

  “This?” He said while kissing her neck. “Do you think there’s a chance of that?” His kisses sent welcome shivers down her back. Then he leaned her back in his arms, so he could see her pretty face. Her blue eyes stared back at his dark ones… His adoring gaze went on and on…

  “Matt, honey.”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Quit fooling around and kiss me.”

  “Pretty impatient, aren’t you, miss?”

  “Yes.”

  “If you insist.” And he was brushing his lips against hers again and again in that way he had of sending her senses out of this world. When her lips parted, he angled his mouth against hers for a deeper kiss that she felt down to her quaking knees. What is it about cowboys anyway?

  For Matt, his head and heart were overloaded with emotion. He’d never felt anything in his life before as how he felt about Sarah. He was overwhelmed and took it out on her body. He loved seeing her rise and fall, and that he caused her to do that. She was irresistible and he had to have her.

  “Come on, honey. Let’s finish this in bed.”

  Sarah nodded, stood up and Matt took her hand to lead her back in the house. Once inside though, he backed her up against the closed door, unable to wait any longer and tugged off her shirt. After discarding his jeans, he melded his body into hers -- Sarah stroked his muscled back and his hands ran up and down the length of her. Matt’s kisses again seared through her and she was caught, unable to escape if she’d wanted to.

  He took her down, down to some magical place where she’d never even known she wanted to go. Through their kisses and roving hands, Sarah and Matt found that special place that only they would ever know. He raised her up to accommodate him and they swayed to their own particular rhythmic music. She nibbled and whispered in his ear as his eyes misted over, and then he was kissing her again.

  Crashing against him, she felt weak and whimpered. Matt held her up while his hands continued their sexy route over her body. When he finally let go, both their bodies became soft putty. Eventually, they found themselves back on the bed. Matt kept her close and pulled the covers around them both.

  “Huh,” Sarah tried to speak, but nothing much came out. Matt softly stroked her back.

  “… Cat got your tongue?” She smiled against his torso.

  “No, you’ve got my tongue… and the rest of me.” She looked up at him. “When did I become such a limp noodle?”

  “A few orgasms will do that, honey.”

  Sarah laid her head back on his chest and closed her eyes. Matt continued softly stroking her arms and back, with occasional kisses in her hair. She couldn’t remember ever being this relaxed or happy in her entire life. And with that, she fell asleep, making those little bubble sounds again that were becoming so dear to Matt, making him smile. As he drifted off, being contented rushed through him like a river, as did the touch of sweet Sarah in his arms.

  * * *

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO