“What about you?” she quipped.
“You’d better get over here and give me a kiss, woman, or I’ll spank your butt.”
“Do you promise?” she winked, then for no apparent reasons she began laughing hysterically.
“Yeah, I do,” he replied raising his eyebrows, “and what’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” she said shaking her head, then immediately broke into a fresh set of giggles.
“You’d better tell me.”
“Nothing, honest,” she said trying to stifle her laughter.
“I don’t believe you,” he declared, and striding over he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
It had been swift and effortless, and Crystal squealed in surprise. Lucky, thinking this was a great game, bounded around Clay’s legs as he carried her inside. Plonking himself down on the couch he yanked her over his knee, but as his hand whacked her bottom her only response was hysterical giggling.
“Stop laughin’ and tell me what’s so damn funny!”
“I can’t help it,” she replied gasping for breath between her chortling.
“What the blazes has gotten into you?”
“I have no idea,” she replied, then turning her head and looking at him over her shoulder, she started to laugh so hard he could barely hold her on his lap.
“Tell me,” he demanded, slapping her with some serious swats.
“OWWW, okay!”
“I’m waitin’!”
“Your nose,” she giggled.
“What? What’s wrong with my nose?”
“Go look,” she said, then rolled off his lap on to the floor where she was immediately accosted by one very playful dog.
Marching into the powder room off the hallway, he turned on the light and stared in the mirror. Just before he’d left the office his mother had brought him a piece of carrot cake topped with a large dollop of cream cheese frosting, and staring at his reflection he saw a large chunk of the white icing was hanging from very end of his nose.
“Good Lord,” he grimaced wiping his face, and walking back into the living he found Crystal still wrestling with the dog. “I can see how that would have been kinda funny,” he admitted with a huge grin, “but you could’ve told me.”
“And spoil all that fun?”
“Do you wanna sit on a horse?”
“Yes, of course,” she said eagerly as Lucky jumped over her head on to the couch. “Wow, did you see that? What a talented dog.”
“I think he’s more happy than talented, but you might be right. Grab your warmest jacket and let’s go.”
“Okay,” she panted rising to her feet. “It was really cold when I was out earlier.”
“It’s getting colder,” he warned. “Did you get decent gloves?”
“I did, two pair, just like you suggested.”
“Let’s do it. Come on, Lucky, let’s go play with the horses.”
Breaking into a wild run Lucky leapt off the couch and pranced towards him.
“Do you think he knows what that means?” Crystal asked walking past them on her way to get her jacket.
“Hard to say, but he sure is comin’ alive. He’s like a different dog.”
It was a quick drive to the barn, and while Crystal kept Lucky on a leash, Clay entered the corral, and slipping a halter on Captain he lead him into the barn and put him in the cross ties.
“While I’m saddlin’ up, why don’t you let Lucky off the leash. Let’s see how he does.”
Crystal unhooked the lead from his collar, and Lucky stayed exactly where he was, sitting by her side.
“No surprise there,” Clay chuckled.
“He’s such a good boy,” she grinned leaning down and petting him.
“Okay, we’re about ready,” Clay announced. “Let’s get you on board. Follow me, and take some deep breaths while we’re walkin’, settle your nerves a bit.”
“Right,” she replied, and doing exactly that, she followed him down the barn aisle and into the indoor arena.
“This is a mountin’ block,” he said walking across to a plastic box that had three steps. “When you swing your leg over you wanna sit down gently. Even though you don’t weigh much, you still wanna land easy. Then I’ll show you how to hold the reins.”
“Why do you have the halter over the bridle?”
“So I can walk you around with the lead rope. You never clip a lead rope directly on to a bit. This way you can learn how to hold the reins and get used to how it feels up there, but I’ll still have control.”
“I love that. You having control,” she winked.
“You behave,” he grinned.
“What? I was agreeing with you!”
“Get on up that mountin’ block,” he chuckled, and as she climbed up the three steps, Lucky walked away from her and stood next to Clay. “Damn, he is a good dog,” he remarked. “Put your foot in the stirrup, then swing your leg over.”
Her heart pumping, Crystal took hold of the saddle horn and pulled herself up and into the saddle, remembering to sit down gently.
“Wow, this is incredible,” she declared.
“I swear, that’s about the second biggest smile I’ve ever seen on you,” he grinned.
“Really? What was the first?”
“Think about it.”
“Now who’s not behaving?”
“Pick up the reins and just hold on to them. Don’t pull, don’t do anything, just get used to how they feel in your hands. I’d rather you not be wearin’ gloves, but-”
“I’ll take them off,” she interrupted.
“It’s too cold. Leave them on. They’re made for ridin’ so it’s fine. Okay, deep breath, sit up straight, and relax into the saddle. You just let me know when I can start walkin’.”
“Right now,” she said eagerly. “I can’t wait.”
“All righty then, let’s go. Let your hips move with his motion, and any time you feel yourself stiffenin’ up, take a breath and sink. Got it?”
“Got it.”
He stepped forward and began walking around in a circle, and just as Clay knew he would, Lucky stayed right next to him.
“How are you feelin’,” he asked looking back at her.
“Great.”
“Any nerves?”
“Only for the first few seconds, not now. I love it, I absolutely love it.”
“I’m gonna extend the circle now, and slowly make it bigger until we’re walkin’ around the arena.”
“Do whatever you think,” she smiled. “I never want to get off.”
As they continued to walk she began asking questions about the tack and her position in the saddle, questions that told him It was obvious to she was completely comfortable and wanted to do more, but he knew slow and steady was the best way to build confidence and to learn. They’d been walking for about twenty minutes when a sudden gust of cold air whistled through the open sides, and several workers walked in.
“They’re here to close up,” Clay said leading her back to the exit.
“What does that mean?”
“We have heavy canvas curtains. They’re not used through Spring and Summer.”
“Oh, right. I wondered about that. I was thinking it must get awfully cold in here during the really bad weather.”
“It does, but the curtains help. Time to get off.”
“That was so much fun,” she declared as she swung her leg around and slipped off the saddle.
“You might be a bit sore tomorrow.”
“Why? All we did was walk.”
“Yep, but tomorrow you might discover muscles where you never knew you had ‘em,” he laughed, “but you did great. I’ll have you ridin’ like a pro in no time.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously,” he nodded as they started to leave the arena, “but you’ve gotta stay at the pace I set. I know what I’m doin’, and you’re gonna get impatient, I know it.”
“I’ll try not to,” she promised, “but when can we do
this again?”
He raised his eyebrows, then laughed out loud.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” she giggled. “Do the horses get covered when it gets really cold?”
“We take care of our horses like gold,” he replied. “Here, he said, handing her the lead rope. “You hold this while I take his saddle off. He’d just stand there regardless, but I want you start doin’ the simple things as much as possible. Ridin’ isn’t just what you do when you’re on board.”
“I want to. I want to learn everything,” she beamed. “Tell me about the covers.”
“Blankets,” he corrected her. “The boys’ll be puttin’ them on ready for the snow that’s comin’, and the horses will be brought into the barns tonight.”
“I’m very happy to hear that,” she said earnestly. “I’d be worried.”
A short time later Captain was in the cross ties and Clay was introducing Crystal to the various brushes and what they were used for. He stepped into the tack room to fetch a hoof pick, and as he turned around and headed back, he paused in the doorway and watched her. She was tickling Captain’s ears, and Lucky, a few feet away, was looking up at her happily panting. It was a picture-perfect scene, and Clay was about to step forward when he was hit by the same strange, giddy moment he’d experienced in the kitchen. Reaching out he grabbed the frame of the door to steady himself.
“Damn,” he muttered. “What the hell?”
“Are you okay?” Crystal asked, having caught his stagger out of the corner of her eye.
“Yeah, fine,” he replied walking slowly forward. “Oddest thing though, and it’s the second time it’s happened.”
“The second time what’s happened?”
“This sounds crazy…but I was standin’ there, and I looked across at you, and Captain, and Lucky I got this weird feelin’, like I’d seen it all before, like I’d been standin’ right where I was another time, watchin’ what I was watchin’. I’m not explainin’ myself very well.”
“You had a de javu,” she declared.
“Yeah, I guess I did, and I had one before, in the kitchen.”
“Huh. That’s weird. What do you think it means?”
“Damned if I know,” he muttered.
“You okay now?”
“Yeah, fine, I just feel a bit odd.” I’m gonna talk to mom about this. She always seems to know the answers to weird things. I should’ve asked her earlier, dammit.
As he showed Crystal how to clean Captain’s feet, he wondered if there even was an answer, or if it was one of those strange things that would simply remain unexplained.
Much later that night, after he had made soft languid love to her, the fireplace sending its crackling warmth through the room, and its golden light to wash over their bodies, he held her gently and stroked her hair. Never had a woman felt so incredibly right in his arms, and when the thought of what the future might bring pushed through his joyous contentment, he knew he would do whatever he needed to do to keep her in his life.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The following day Crystal woke up with an inspiration. Her book was about a mysterious stalker in a small town much like Whitefish. When she had started it, she had planned it to be sinister and dark, but sitting bolt upright she broke into a huge smile.
“You okay?” Clay asked, used to Crystal being slow to come to life in the mornings.
“I just had the most brilliant idea for my book,” she said excitedly. “It will still be a mystery, but it’s going to take a sharp curve and turn into a romance.”
“Can you do that? I mean, will that make sense to the reader?” he yawned.
“Hey, I’m the author. I can do anything I want, but it’s a fair question. Once I start typing it will come together. I may have to change a few things in the beginning, but that’s no biggie. Ooh, this is going to be so great,” she declared jumping out of bed.
“Whoa, hold on there,” he said grabbing her wrist. “You’re not goin’ anywhere until I have my way with you.”
“Is that right? I don’t get a vote?”
“Sure you do,” he grinned. “What’s it to be? I ravage you, or you go click away on your keyboard.”
“Hmmm, be ravaged or open my laptop? That’s a tough call.”
“Wrong answer,” he declared yanking her over his thighs.
“Wait, you said I have a choice?”
“You do, and you made the wrong one,” he replied slapping her naked backside.
“Okay, I choose being ravaged! Wait, no I don’t, not quite yet.”
“Say, what?”
“I’ll want to be ravaged in a minute,” she giggled. “Just keep doing that for a bit.”
“One of these days I’m gonna take my hairbrush to your ass and we’ll see how sassy you are,” he said firmly, smacking her bottom with a strong swat.
“OW, okay, OW! That’s enough!”
“Little Miss Dictator this mornin’. I don’t think so,” he chortled, and pulling her off his lap he quickly kneeled behind her and thrust home, eliciting a long, deep groan. “Move your butt, come on, move it,” he ordered, spanking her again.
Crystal clutched at the bed sheets as she bucked back. She loved it when he took charge of her, when he pinned her wrists and fucked her hard, or made her straddle him and bounce on his cock, and as his spanking hand continued to sting her cheeks, she wriggled and moved as best she could until he grabbed her hips and ordered her to be still.
“Now I’m gonna fuck you, girl,” he said gruffly, “and you’re gonna come real hard.”
His words sent a bolt of electricity through her body, and she let out a wail as he began to pump with quick forceful strokes.
“I’m not stoppin’ till you explode under me,” he growled. “I wanna see it.”
“Ooh, Clay,” she gasped. “When you talk like that…”
“I mean it,” he continued, adding a few more slaps for good measure, “I’m gonna fuck you harder and faster until you let go.”
“I’m so close.”
“Come, dammit, you come right now!”
Sucking in the air she held her breath for a split second before the tsunami washed her away. A wave of buzzing prickles vibrated through her body, and as the spasms began to ease she felt him exploding inside her, his fingers pressing into her skin. Moments later he slipped from her depths, and with a groan, flopped on to the bed next to her.
“Now that’s how to start a day,” he panted.
“No shit,” she said breathlessly, dropping on to the mattress.
“My girls don’t swear,” he scolded.
“Girls?” she managed, still trying to catch her breath. “Plural?”
“Slip of the tongue,” he grinned rolling on to his side to stare at her while willing his heart to settle. “Only one girl, and she’s right here. She can be a brat, and she’s sassy, but she’s smart as all-get-out, and drop-dead gorgeous.”
“Keep trying,” she purred with a twinkle in her eye. “You’ve almost dug yourself out of the hole.”
“Hmm, well she has this dog, and if I was to bring another girl in here I think he’d probably eat her.”
“Ah, now you’ve convinced me,” she giggled.
“I’m jumpin’ in the shower,” he sighed. “I’ve got another busy day, and I wanna be free over the weekend to enjoy it with my one special girl, my only girl, my gorgeous girl.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
“If it doesn’t snow too much, and the sun comes out, I’ll take you out on Captain.”
“Seriously? I would love that.”
Kissing her softly he rolled off the bed and ambled into the bathroom, and watching his easy walk and wide shoulders, she let out a happy sigh.
“How did I get so lucky,” she mumbled, and Lucky, hearing his name, suddenly jumped on the bed breaking the wistful moment. “I love you too,” she laughed, “and do you know your name now? How absolutely superb is that?”
Still closing the bathroom door, Cla
y had heard her comment.
“Love you too?” he muttered as he started toward the shower stall. “Does that mean she’s in love with me, or was it just an off-hand remark? Maybe I should say what I’m feelin’. Yeah, I will, I’ll tell her tonight.”
Happy with his decision, he had no way of knowing that their idyllic world was about to be turned completely upside-down.
It was late in the afternoon when the weather began to change. The day had been cold and dark, and the latest reports showed the storm had picked up pace and would be over them sooner than the experts had predicted. Needing a break from his paperwork, Clay wandered through the house into the kitchen for some coffee, then carrying his mug he went in search of his mother, finding her upstairs in her bedroom cleaning out a closet.
“Hey, mom, whatta ya doin’?”
“It’s time for me to dig out any winter gear I can donate to the Charity Shop. Lord knows folks will be needing it. I should’ve done this last week but I kept putting it off. Have you got anything?”
“I’ll have to check. When are you taking it over there?”
“Your father has to go through his things as well, so I’m guessing Monday,” she replied, pausing to look at him. “Clay? What’s on your mind?”
“It’s somethin’ kinda weird,” he frowned.
“Weird?”
“Yeah, weird,” he repeated, sipping his coffee.
“Let’s sit down,” Martha suggested.
She walked across the expansive bedroom to a conversation area that boasted a sofa, a love-seat, and two enveloping armchairs. It was near the fireplace, but faced windows that looked out over the majestic mountains. Clay followed, and gratefully sank into the overstuffed, comfortable couch, placing his mug on the side table.
“What’s this weird thing?” she asked. “Does it have something to do with Crystal?”
“I don’t know,” he murmured. “I don’t think so. I’ve had what I think, is a deja vu, two in fact.”
“Is that right? Ever had them before?”
“No, never. The first one really threw me, and the second did too, but not as much. I honestly felt as though I’d lived the moments before. It was so strange.”
“Did they have anything in common?”
“Um, yes, now that you mention it. Both times I was watching Crystal, and Lucky was there too. The first time she was walking out of the kitchen with Lucky, and the second time she was brushing Captain, and Lucky was watching. Lucky’s always with her,” he smiled. “It’s so good to have a dog again. What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
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