Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2)

by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

  “Oh, please call me Judy. Everyone else does.” Judy glanced at Brenna before speaking to Chloe again. “I’m having a few of the students over for a get-together next weekend.” She passed a plate of biscuits. “Some of the boarders are going off to college and this will be a little farewell party. It’ll give you a chance to meet some of the girls.” Judy took up a plate of roast beef and handed it to Tristan who sat at the head of the table. “I’d love to have ya come over, honey.”

  Chloe half shrugged and peered at Brenna for a moment until Davy asked her about the horse, Sammy George.

  Judy spoke to Chloe again. “If you’d like to come over during the week, you can meet some of the students before the weekend, and get a couple rides in, too.”

  Chloe diverted her eyes as if she were shy and afraid to speak with so many people there. “Thank you, Mrs., I mean, Judy.” She took the bowl of mashed potatoes from Nora and nodded with a friendly smile.

  ***

  When dinner was finished, Judy slid her chair out and rose. “Now, I’m getting to that dessert. Everybody ready for cherry pie and ice cream?”

  “Cherry pie?” asked Jase and Tristan at the same time.

  “Our favorite. It isn’t even Thanksgiving,” said Jase. “I’ll help, Mom.”

  Tristan got up too, and held his hand to Nora. “Ya don’t have to ask me twice.”

  “Chlo-e,” said Destiny, “Sometimes my grammy lets me come to the party. You can go with me.”

  Chloe smiled at Destiny. “That’s very kind of you. Thanks!” When Chloe turned to Brenna, the look on her face was surprising. Kind of like she was ready to cry, but there was more. Like a joyful expression in hiding. Brenna wanted to do a fist pump into the air. The little one got a response from her sister she hadn’t seen in a very long time.

  Was it the family atmosphere that made her different? Something she’d have to think about for her own self. She liked being here, and didn’t realize how much she missed the family thing. Well, until now… Her heart reminded her that she enjoyed it again.

  She glanced to the doorway when Jase called for her. He turned back into the kitchen. She got up and followed. Before leaving the room she heard Chloe ask Destiny about the party, and Destiny giggled and began talking about horseback riding and roasting marshmallows.

  Jase went toward the door. “Come outside with me.”

  “But I need to help clear the table.”

  “Darlin’, don’t worry about it. Trust me, my brother’s ranch hands are happy to do it as a thank you to my mom for inviting them. They do it all the time…eat and clear.” He handed a plate of cherry pie with ice cream to Brenna. “Selva and Stuart have worked here a long time.” He held the kitchen door open. “Randy trained here after he got out of the army, and he’s great at breaking horses now. I suspect Davy will be working full-time here if I don’t steal him away first.”

  “You really like that kid. Where are we going?”

  “Told ya I took to the kid a long time ago.” Jase took a bite of pie. He headed to the glider on the patio. “Have a seat here with me. It’s getting chaotic in there.” He sat beside her. “My kids used to come out here and play after dinner. They like pie, too.”

  “Did you mention to your mom about Chloe riding here?”

  “No, my brother must’ve. You should let her. I wouldn’t mind spending a whole night with you. With your sister away…I can play.” He took another bite of pie, set his fork down, and put his arm around her shoulder. “What do you say?”

  Brenna lowered her voice. “I’d love to…as you say, play with you all night, but it’s Chloe’s decision about coming over here.”

  “I get that, but let’s say if she stays, I’m letting loose on you.”

  Brenna glanced over at the Superstitions. “Or, I let loose on you.” She kissed him on the cheek, and whispered, “I’m raring to let go with you.”

  Jase set his plate on his lap, turned her to face him, and whispered, “Woman, you’re making me excited.”

  “I wonder why I like the fact you’re excited,” she said with a sexy smile.

  “Maybe because you know there’s more to come…more than you’ve experienced yet.”

  She blew out a big breath and looked upward. “Change the subject. I’m boiling inside.”

  He pulled her closer. “Oh, no, sweetheart. There’s much more to come and you’ll find out the next time I lie naked with you.”

  Brenna’s heart raced, her palms sweated. She sat her plate down and laid her hand on his thigh. Her breath quickened. The heat of his skin passed through the denim. Picturing lying beside him again, making love to him, and floating away to that place of pleasure about did her in.

  Jase moved even closer and his lips were almost touching her ear when he whispered, “Let’s not make it too much longer. I’m about to burst right now, if you know what I mean.”

  “I know exactly what you mean.” She turned to him. “Come home with me.”

  “Hey, Brenna?”

  She turned when Chloe came out the door. Gulping, she tried to answer. “Yes, sweetie?”

  “Davy asked if I could go into town with him to get some ice cream.”

  She tried to ignore Jase’s elbow poking into her side. She sat forward and turned. “How long do you plan on staying there?”

  “I don’t know, maybe an hour…or two. Destiny wants to go with us, but her dad won’t let her.”

  “Her dad’s right,” said Jase. He got up. “I’m getting more pie. Did you hear me, Brenna? I want more.” He turned to go and she couldn’t help but watch him until he disappeared into the house.

  “You got it bad for that ranching cowboy, big sis.” Chloe came to stand in front of her.

  “I know I do. Ah, I guess you can go. Would you send Davy out here a minute? Alone?” Brenna stood. She had to do this, if only to settle her own conscience because if something happened, it would surely be her fault. “You guys have been seeing each other for a long time now. I’d like to talk to him.”

  Chloe folded her arms across her chest. “You are kidding me, right?”

  “No, I’m not.” Brenna wanted to hear it from his own lips that her sister was safe with him. And to quell any idea he might be conjuring up in his young cowboy brain.

  Chloe huffed as she turned to go back in the house. At the door she stopped. “Really, Bren?”

  “Yes.” She stood with her arms crossed, waiting in her most intimidating stance. The problem was, he wasn’t one of her first graders.

  Davy took a step out the door and removed his hat. He brushed his fingers through his hair. His brown eyes bore into hers. “You wanted to see me, ma’am?”

  “Come over here, Davy.” Deep breath. Did she even have a right to do this?

  With a couple long strides he came to where she stood. She took a seat on the glider and he sat across from her.

  “Did I do something to upset you?” He sat on the edge of the chair, twirling his hat with both hands.

  “No, but…I have to tell you how worried I am about my sister…being with you.”

  “You have it all wrong, Brenna.”

  “Oh? How do you know? I haven’t said anything yet.”

  “Because I’m nineteen and Chloe is seventeen. I get it.” Davy shook his head. “You should trust your sister.” He stood and then he sat again. “I don’t know how to say this…”

  Brenna almost choked. Maybe she didn’t, or shouldn’t know what he was about to say. She took another gander at the shadowy mountain. Why did it freak her out at twilight?

  “I’m in love with your sister.” Davy lowered his gaze to the ground but raised them to boldly stare into hers eyes.

  She wasn’t sure how to take his confidence. “You’re in love with my sister. Do you even know what love is?”

  Davy nodded. “I won’t hurt her and I know what you’re worried about.” He stood and put his hat on.

  Brenna knew what Chloe saw in this young man. His handsomeness surel
y drew her in, and his personality matched his good looks. He really was the whole package… “If Chloe was older—”

  “You have my word that I won’t…won’t…touch her.”

  Brenna closed her eyes and dropped her head back against the glider. Now what do I say?

  “You have my promise, Brenna. I respect her…and you very much.”

  Was she really here listening to a nineteen year old boy—man? “I don’t know what to say, Davy.”

  Chloe pulled the door open. “Can I have my boyfriend now?”

  Brenna turned toward her. Chloe’s eyes were on Davy, and Brenna saw a look she had never seen on her sister’s face before. Her blue eyes sparkled. Her smile was soft and sweet. She glanced at Davy, who had the same look except his brown eyes looked like melted chocolate. Omigod, they are in love.

  “Yeah, sis, you can have your boyfriend.” Brenna lifted her eyes to Davy. “I’ll keep your word tucked into my heart, but believe me if you hurt her, you’ll wish you hadn’t.” And she meant it. She was damn good with her pistol and rarely missed her target.

  “I meant what I said. Maybe a guy’s word doesn’t mean much where you came from, but here it’s everything. Are we finished?”

  “We are, Davy. Don’t stay out late.”

  “Catch ya, later, ma’am.” He walked to Chloe and clasped her hand. Brenna turned. “Have fun, you two.”

  Jase opened the door when they left. “Is it safe to come out?”

  She held her hand out to him. “Did you say your house was about two miles through the desert?”

  “Yes, ma’am. A tumbleweed or two.”

  “Can we go there…now?”

  Jase set his plate of pie on the table outside the door and came to her. “Yeah, we can do that right now.”

  Brenna smiled. “Finish your pie first.” She gave a direct stare into his intense blues that could’ve melted a glacier.

  He shook his head and took her hand. “I’ll wrap it for later. Let’s go.”

  Chapter 24

  The house was dark when they pulled up. He released the clutch and lifted the console, scooting over to meet Brenna half way. “I don’t know if I can wait until we get in the house. Get into these arms, my beauty.” He wrapped her in his embrace. “I can’t believe how I need, want you.” He buried his face at the curve of her shoulder, brushed her hair away, and kissed her neck. “I love you, Bren.”

  “Can we go inside?” She could barely get her words out. “I want you right now. This, this thing you started between us is bubbling up inside of me, and I only know one way to quench the boil. You. I need to make love to you. Make love to me.”

  Jase’s kiss was forceful and needy. Exactly what she wanted from him. His tongue darted against hers, driving her hungry urge more over the edge. She straddled his thighs right there in the front seat of his truck in the dark beneath the stars and God…and the gearshift. “I can’t wait any longer. The monster you’ve created wants loose.”

  He lifted her off him, scooted out his driver door and around the front of his truck. He opened her door and lifted her into his arms, but instead of going inside he detoured toward his trailer. He released her to the ground and unlocked it. Inside the door, he took a flashlight.

  “Come in, baby. One more new experience to add to your repertoire.” He flashed the light around for her to get a look. “Not what you expected, huh?”

  “Not at all,” she said. “You’re right, it is nicer than my hotel room. It also has more furniture than your house.” He rummaged through drawers.

  He lit a bunch of candles and pointed the light toward two steps. “My lair…my love.” He cocked his head toward the bedroom and took her hand. “Queen size bed, as I mentioned.”

  “Yes, it is. You were correct.” She gave a big sigh and ended it with a drawn out moan as she went up the steps.

  Jase set a candle on the dresser. Brenna went into his arms, fisting his hair. “Jase, oh, Jase…”

  Without delay, he tore her jeans off her body like a wild man, yet, took a minute to give her a quick look, noticing her black lacy thong. In a split second’s time his jeans were off. Dropping to the bed on his back, he pulled her on top of him. “You’re so sexy.”

  Brenna’s thoughts were frazzled, but she sat astride his thighs and lifted his shirt off. She closed her eyes and touched him, running her fingertips over his hot, muscled chest. Peering down, she was amazed at the look of him beneath her. “So lovely.”

  When Jase unbuttoned her shirt, she slid it off, and he reached around to undo her bra, sliding the straps off her shoulders and letting it drop. His hands went to her breasts with a firm squeeze.

  She lifted up and went back onto her elbows, letting him explore while she baked a little more. She sat up and boldly grasped him gently, but with the way he was moving Brenna, knew he wanted much more.

  Leaning forward she slid her hands over his chest, and kissed his warm lips, nibbling lower to his throat. The beating pulse in his neck urged her on. She wanted to give him the same love he had given her the very first time.

  Kissing him lower, she tantalized one nipple, suckling for an instant, long enough to make it plump and hard before she went even lower. His sexy eyes closed, barely open but enough for him to see what she did. “Mmm, my baby, I love you and I want to pleasure you, too.”

  He raised up, wrapping his hand around her nape, bringing her face close, kissing her anxiously and giving off beast-like groans. Brenna kissed him back with all the passion that had built up since she met this man.

  “I can’t wait any longer to have you, sweetie,” she mumbled alongside his lips. He held her against his kiss.

  She was lost in him. I died and went to orgasmic heaven.

  Horses neighed and moved around in the barn beside them. The smell of hay and animals floated through the air and mingled with their colognes, but all she thought about was the way her sexy man looked as flickering candlelight wavered over his sweaty skin.

  When he removed his lips from her craving mouth, she smiled, and eased down onto him. She screamed out but more kisses drowned out her yelps. “Mmmm… Omigod, wow!”

  She flowed with each arch he made, and she didn’t recognize who she was. The only thing visible to her was the screams into the darkness and his mouth against her neck, breasts, lips, and her eyes. His body was hot and satisfying, taking her to levels of bliss higher than she could have imagined. Shouting out and moving quicker against him she held him when his body bucked, arched, screeched out her name, and she replied with his. “Jase!”

  “Oh, baby…baby. That was all the way past heaven and back. Whew, girl. I can’t breathe… Wow!”

  He embraced her and she melted against his chest, her thighs still straddling him, her skin sticking to his. She was lost…lost. “Honey.” Brenna paused. “And this is just the beginning of what I can…expect? I think it’ll kill me.”

  He held her and stared into her eyes with love. “No, it won’t. Uh uh, sweetheart. It’ll bring you to life. Me too. I told you…you saved me. My trailer has never…rocked like this.”

  Brenna stretched out on top of him. “Hold me. Don’t let go.”

  “Never. You’re stuck with this guy.”

  “I wanna be stuck with you, to you in every which way.”

  “Count on it, you sexy monster.”

  Brenna closed her eyes and relaxed, envisioning what just happened between them—still soaring on the high her inner being went to along with her body. The feeling of his skin beneath her fingertips was warm. She still tingled inside and slowly came back to normal thinking. Her eyes popped open… We didn’t use any protection!

  ***

  Sometime later Jase nudged her. She was sleeping mostly on top of his body, their limbs tangled, and skin sticking to each other. He could get used to this. “Are you awake?”

  Brenna stretched and moved to his side. She glanced around the near dark room. “I have to get home. What time is it?” She sat up, searching f
or her clothes. “I want to see this place in the daytime.”

  “It’s ten minutes past eleven. Come tomorrow. I’ll get you on the horse. Maybe you’ll have a name for the mare by then.”

  “I’ll try. Please get dressed so I can go home.”

  “I will darlin’, but first, come here.” He took hold of her arm and pulled her back to his side. Jase brushed her silky blonde hair away from her face. “Brenna, I want you to know how much I love you. What you’ve done for my life. I honest to God meant it when I said you saved me. I’ll forever be searching for my kids, but you make the in-between times bearable. Thank you.”

  “Meeting you was the best thing that could ever have happened to me. You’re not the only one doing the thanking. Mine and Chloe’s lives have changed too. And I love you.”

  He pulled her closer and didn’t want to let her go. Ever. How did this happen, that this woman was all of a sudden in his life…and part of his whole world?

  “I have to go home. Chloe will be worried. I don’t even know where my phone is.”

  He got out of bed and dressed, and didn’t miss when Brenna’s eyes raked over him before he pulled his jeans up. He laughed inwardly, proud that he could please her, and happy that she pleased him the way she did. “Come on, you’re phone is probably in the truck.” He ran his fingers through his hair, blew out the candles, and took her hand.

  When they got in his truck, she found her phone. “I have three messages from Chloe. I hope she’s okay.”

  Jase watched her trying to call but her fingers were shaking. He took her phone and dialed Chloe’s number and handed it back, realizing she was almost in a panic. He firsthand saw the impact of her family loss. How important she and Chloe were to each other.

  “Are you all right, Chloe?” Brenna covered the phone. “It sounds like she’s been crying.”

  He laid one hand on her thigh and used the other to push her hair over her shoulder. Her reaction to her sister choked him up because he knew she was close to losing it. He started the truck and headed out.