“I have some amazin’ news,” he proclaimed as he walked in.
“I’m always up for amazin’ news,” Kenny smiled. “Jeremy I assume.”
“Wait until I tell you.”
His mother and father listened intently as Clay relayed the story, and when he’d finished his mother rose from the couch and hugged him.
“I’m so proud of you,” she beamed.
“Hey, it’s not my doin’, it was Crystal who made the deal so sweet.”
“But you, Clay,” Kenny said solemnly, “you developed the beef. You spent hours, no days, weeks, months, makin’ all those calculations about feed, and breedin’. All that science. You’re a genius, son, a real genius! Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful that Crystal came through and made the deal better than it might’ve been, but you, Clay, you created an unbeatable product.”
“Thanks, dad. I’m gonna go have some lunch with Crystal right now, but I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Before you go,” his mother said, touching his arm, “Mark called. He said he’s coming in this weekend and has something important to tell us all.”
“Huh. That sounds intriguin’.”
“I wanna make sure you’re here when he drops whatever bombshell he’s plannin’ on droppin’,” Kenny said firmly.
“No problem. I wouldn’t miss it,” Clay assured him. “Try not to worry. Maybe Mark has finally found his feet.”
“I hope so,” Martha said wistfully. “I sure do hope so.”
“Whatever it is, we’re a family, and if there are any problems we’ll work them out together,” Clay said confidently.
“Son, I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Kenny said gravely. “Don’t ever forget how much you’re needed around here.”
“Thanks, pop. I’ll catch ya later.”
As he walked from the room and made his way down the hall, his father’s last words were ringing in his ears.
“That was weird,” he muttered, then pushing it aside, and thinking about nothing but seeing Crystal, he hurried to his truck.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Clay had enjoyed a celebratory lunch with Crystal, but a call had come in cutting it short, and he’d had to rush back to the office. Late in the afternoon the doorbell chimed, and thinking it must be one of the ranch workers looking for Clay, with Lucky stuck to her side as had become his habit, Crystal answered the door. To her surprise a messenger handed her a huge bouquet of red roses in a crystal vase, and a box wrapped in gold paper with a large black bow.
“My goodness,” she murmured as she carried the gifts inside the house.
Placing the flowers on the coffee table, she sat on the couch and opened the card.
So happy I’ll be coming home to you every night. L&K&H, Clay.
“Oh, that’s so lovely,” she sighed.
Placing the card back in its envelope for safekeeping, she untied the black ribbon and pulled the wrapping from the box. When she lifted the lid she saw tissue paper, and moving it aside she found a glossy black silk slip with lace trim and spaghetti strap shoulders. Touching the silky fabric she knew it would cling to her curves and feel decadently sensuous. She was still staring at it when her cell phone buzzed announcing a text, and picking it up she stared at the message.
Your fantasy, our reality. Be waiting for me at 6 p.m., in the bedroom, eyes closed wearing what I sent you.
Her butterflies exploded into life, and glancing at her watch she saw she had two long hours to wait.
“You’re doing this on purpose, Clay Parker!” she declared. “You want me sitting here all that time dying with anticipation.”
Sliding down on to the floor she leaned across and hugged Lucky.
“I’m so glad I found you. Arriving with you in the car that day, both of us drenched, it was magic. You’re magic.”
He immediately answered her by plastering her face with sloppy kisses.
“Oh, ick, was that really necessary?” she laughed wiping her face. “I think I’m going to take a long hot bath. I know I won’t be able to focus on writing, that’s for sure.”
Carrying the box into the bedroom, she withdrew the sexy garment and laid it on the bed, then padded into the bathroom and started the water running. Sitting on the edge of the tub she thought about how her life had changed so dramatically since arriving in Whitefish. She’d planned on staying only a couple of days, then through the winter, and now she was moving in with a divine cowboy she was crazy about. For how long was the question that hovered subtly in the air, but Spring was a long way off, and she was deliriously happy.
“Can you believe this?” she said staring at the happy dog and shaking her head. “I’ll bet Clay is just as shellshocked as I am. Amazing what fate can suddenly conjure up.”
Sliding into the tub she sank into the relaxing hot water, idly wondering what else the Gods had in store for her. She felt her fluttery stomach subside, and closing her eyes she thought about how incredibly blessed she was. When she fluttered them open the water was barely warm, and sitting up she reached to the counter and looked at her watch. It had just passed 5 o’clock, and shocked, she rose from the tub and toweled off, berating herself for having dozed off. Walking quickly into the guest room where she had unpacked all her things, she styled her hair and carefully applied her makeup, then returned to the bedroom and donned the salacious slip. She had ten minutes to spare, and she used it to open and close the drapes, testing the light as she tried to create the perfect ambience. She’d just finished when she heard the front door open and close, and she hurried to stand in the middle of the room, then heart thumping, butterflies flapping, she closed her eyes.
She could hear Clay’s footfalls moving down the hallway, then she heard Lucky panting, and sensed, more than heard, Clay move into the room and stand behind her. A breath touched her shoulder, then a fingertip tickled down her arm, and she shivered as the goose bumps popped to life.
“Don’t move.”
He had breathed the simple instruction into her ear, and when a swath of fabric touched her eyes, even though they were closed, it sent her into an inky darkness, and a warm chill shuddered through her body. Taking a breath she waited for more, but it was the sound of the shower that told her he’d left and she’d have to stand there, blindfolded, waiting for his return. The minutes ticking by felt interminable, and when she finally heard the water being turned off she let out a long sigh.
His body still slightly damp, Clay stood in the bathroom door and studied her. The black glossy slip was brushing against her curves, and her puckered nipples were pressing against the fabric in what looked like an urgent need to escape. Her head was slightly bowed, as if in surrender, making her appear even more delectable. As he walked slowly forward he saw her lightly gasp. She’d sensed his approach, and reaching out a hand he lightly tweaked a nipple, then moved his finger in a figure eight around her breasts.
Crystal’s pulse was racing, and try as she might she couldn’t control the thumping of her heart as he moved behind her. When his palm smoothed the salacious satin over her cheeks, she felt the hot, wet, melting of her sex. His sharp slap caught her by surprise, and when it was quickly followed by a second, then a third, she yelped in shock, but his mouth was suddenly on the side of her neck, softly nuzzling, and a long soft moan escaped her lips. The reality was far surpassing her fantasy, and as he continued kissing her neck, moving his hands around her body to knead her breasts, she leaned back against him, grateful to finally rest her weight against his hard, lean body.
“What does my baby want? Is it this?” he murmured, slipping one of his hands between her legs.
“Yes…”
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, please.”
He searched out her clit, lightly circled and pressed, continuing to explore as he listened to her groans and gasps of pleasure, then lifting her off her feet he carried her the short distance to the bed and laid her on her stomach over the edge of the mattress. The satin petticoat mo
ved with her, exposing her glistening, swollen pussy, and sliding the flimsy fabric up to her waist he stared at the baby pink stain his smacking palm had left on her cheeks. Sitting on the bed beside her, he journeyed his hand over the rosy blush, then dispatched several quick, hot slaps.
It was just enough to bring a prickle to her skin and fuel her already burning need. She spread her legs and wriggled her bottom in a silent lustful pleading for his cock, and when she felt him rise from the mattress and clasp her hips, she clutched the bedspread and held her breath. He was at her soaked entrance, holding himself completely still, teasing her, and when she tried to push back against him she was met with another sharp smack. His wordless instruction stilled her, and with a whimper she waited, breathless, until he began to press slowly forward. The sublime pleasure moved through her being, and as he buried himself in her depths, she groaned in gratitude.
Clay began to thrust, relishing the warm enveloping joy. With her utterances and moans dictating his pace, he fucked her with hard, powerful strokes, but when he sensed her moment nearing he slowed to a languid pumping until she begged for more.
“How much more?” he grunted.
“More, hard, please, I can’t stand it,”
His cock was aching to jerk, but controlling his need he accelerated gradually before lustily picking up the pace to bring them to the brink. Even then he paused, milking the moment, and when she squirmed against his hold in a effort to chase her climax he started again with gusto and commanded her to come.
With a stammering cry she threw back her head, and as the orgasm seized her and rattled through her body, he released with a loud, guttural groan, his eyes squeezing shut as the powerful moment took hold. Her cries continued unabated after he’d fallen flaccid from her depths, and when she finally collapsed, softly whimpering, he climbed on the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms. He waited until she had caught her breath, then shuffled them up the bed so they could stretch out and rest their heads on the pillows.
“That was amazing,” she said letting out a long breath.
“Did it meet your fantasy?”
“Totally.”
“I have some ideas for next time,” he said as he propped himself up on an elbow.
“Next time?”
“Absolutely. You don’t think that was a one off, do you?”
“Think? I can’t think. You’ve completely numbed my brain,” she groaned, rolling over and snuggling against him.
“I think that’s what’s commonly referred to as fuckin’ your brains out.”
“Very funny,” she retorted giving him a poke.
“Hey, just sayin’,” he chuckled. “On a completely other subject…”
“Must you? I’m enjoying not thinking.”
“It’s not a big deal,” he assured her, then added, “then again maybe it is.”
“What is, or isn’t?”
“My youngest brother, Mark, he’s comin’ in this weekend. Claims he has a big announcement.”
“Is he given to big announcements?”
“No, not generally. Like I told you, he’s had a tough time findin’ a direction. I think he’ll probably just tell us he’s found some new career path.”
“When is he arriving?”
“That’s the other thing,” Clay frowned. “He usually rolls up here on Saturday early in the afternoon, but he’s comin’ in on Friday sometime.”
“He must be anxious to deliver his news,” Crystal remarked.
“That’s what I’m thinkin’ and that’s makin’ me wonder a bit. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.”
“Some people take longer than others to figure things out. I’ve always loved writing, and I think my mom was born to paint, but my dad, he didn’t have it so easy. He wanted to be a musician but he also wanted a family life, and he didn’t think the two were compatible so he became lawyer.”
“Does he have any regrets?”
“From what I can see, none at all. When he talks about it he says he thought he was doing the responsible thing, but when my brother and I were born, he knew it was more than that, he says it was the right thing.”
“What does he think of you datin’ a cowboy?”
“I have no idea,” Crystal grinned. “My mother is totally down with it. She wants to come out here and paint the mountains.”
“She does?”
“That’s what she said. She saw some photographs of Whitefish on the internet and thought it looked incredible, and when I told how I was so mesmerized by the mountains, she said she had to come out.”
“Tell her incredible is when the full moon is real low and hangin’ over the snow covered peaks. It’s outta this world.”
“You’re out of this world,” she whispered, then impulsively put her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a long, warm, loving kiss.
“Mmmm,” he murmured. “That was like toast with tons of butter and honey.”
“I agree,” she sighed.
“Toast with tons of butter and honey sounds real good right about now,” he said thoughtfully. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving,” she said earnestly.
“Then let’s go and cook us up some grub, and we can have that for dessert.”
“What a brilliant suggestion,” she agreed.
Later that evening, as they took Lucky out for a short walk, she clung to his arm, shivering in the chilly night air.
“It’s so cold all of a sudden.”
“Yep, it happens that way sometimes. The boys are gettin’ ready for an early snow.”
“Really? You didn’t say anything about that.”
“I didn’t? Too many other things on my mind, I guess,” he said sheepishly.
“It’s really going to snow?”
“They say there’s a good chance. The sky was lookin’ real grey this afternoon, and the temps are dippin’, that’s for sure. Do you have enough in the way of winter gear?”
“Uh, maybe not. This is the warmest coat I have and I’m cold. I’m surprised, it’s wool.”
“You need a waterproof down parka, a long one, and a shorter jacket as well. Maybe a shearling suede jacket wouldn’t be amiss either, and some-“
“Whoa, there, cowboy,” she laughed. “I think you’d better make me a list. I’ll take it into town tomorrow and stock up.”
“That’s a plan,” he said hugging her against him.
“When is this snow supposed to happen?”
“Any time between Friday and Sunday, but it might not. Regardless, it’ll be real cold, so you’re right, you should get what you need tomorrow.”
“I think I should get Lucky a warm coat too,” she remarked.
“Wouldn’t be a bad idea. It’s hard to know how long it’ll take for his fur to grow, and speakin’ of that, we should get back to the house. I don’t want him gettin’ chilled.”
“You’re such a good doggy dad,” she said, pecking him on the cheek.
“I try,” he grinned as they turned around to return home. “Don’t forget I promised you a ridin’ lesson tomorrow afternoon at two o’clock.”
“Oh, that’s right. I’ll go into town first thing. I don’t want to miss that, not for the world, and I don’t care how cold it is.”
“We have a covered arena. You’ll be fine,” he assured her. “Tonight though, it’s gonna dip, so you’d better cuddle real close.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” she said gripping his arm. “I’ll make sure we’re both warm between the sheets.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Clay had not only made Crystal a list of clothing she would need for the approaching winter, he had also written out the best stores at which to buy them, and knowing she’d be gone most of the morning he had taken Lucky with him to his office. As he worked he kept his ear tuned to the weather, and by the time Crystal called him and told him she was home, the storm had developed and was forecast to hit Saturday morning.
“That’s so exciting,”
she exclaimed flopping on to the couch. “I can’t wait.”
“I think you’ll change your tune by the time February rolls around,” he laughed.
“I doubt it. I’ve dreamed of a white winter my whole life. Clay, you’re bringing all my fantasies to life.”
“Only one so far, but I’m sure happy to hear more of ‘em any time you wanna share.”
“Then I promise to whisper them in your ear,” she teased.
“I’m gonna have to work through lunch to keep our horse date, but I’ll be there by two o’clock.”
“I’ll be ready,” she said excitedly.
“Wear those stretch jeans of yours, and did you get the paddock boots?”
“I did. They’re so comfortable, and I could wear them just as regular boots.”
“You’ll get a lotta use out of them. They’re great for regular walkin’.”
“It’s going to take me until two o’clock to unpack all this stuff,” she laughed.
“Then I’d better let you get to it, and I have to get back to work. I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Yes, you will.”
Ending the call, Crystal walked back to the laundry where she had left the packages. She had unloaded them there after parking her car in the garage. Taking several at a time she carried them into the guest room, and joyfully perused what she’d bought, but it wasn’t long before she was missing Lucky. The house felt empty without him, and when she walked into the kitchen to make herself some coffee, it was strange not to have him padding along next to her. When the clock on the wall finally showed it was almost 2 pm, she was almost as eager to see Lucky as she was to see Clay, and hearing the truck roll to a stop outside the front door she hurried out to greet them. When Lucky jumped out from the cab he bounded up to see her, and she dropped to her knees to hug him.
“Hey, what about me?” Clay demanded in mock seriousness.
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