Dream On (Stories of Serendipity #2)

by Anne Conley

  To Alyssa’s relief, he released them. “Alyssa, he’s a user. He uses women and throws them away like garbage. Do you want that? And the things he does to them while they’re under his spell...You’re not that kind of girl.”

  “I’m not a girl, Steven. I’m a grown woman, and nothing I do is any of your business. We’ve had this discussion before. You can’t control what I do.”

  “You’re right, but I can control what my children are exposed to.” Steven snarled at her. “I’ll speak with my lawyer about this.” He looked at Dalton and spat at his feet. “This isn’t over, Alyssa.”

  Steven stalked off, pushing past several onlookers who were hoping to see a Friday night fight. Alyssa breathed out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. Dalton came behind her to rub her shoulders.

  “I’m sorry, Alyssa.” His hands were gently kneading the knots out of her neck and shoulders.

  “It’s okay. It’s not the first time he’s threatened to take away my rights. He’s an ass.”

  “Mommy?” Cayden looked up at Alyssa.

  “Yes, sweetie?” She knelt down to look at him in the eyes.

  “Why was Daddy mad at Dalton? Dalton’s nice.”

  “Because Daddy’s jealous.” Sierra pointed out bluntly.

  Surprised at her eight-year-old’s astuteness, Alyssa nodded. “That’s right, Cayden. Daddy’s jealous of Dalton, but that’s okay. It’s what he feels, and he can’t help it, so you’re not going to get mad at him for his feelings are you?”

  “No, but I’ll tell him all about how nice Dalton is when I see Daddy on Sunday. Then he won’t be jealous anymore. Okay?” Cayden’s blue eyes were round disks on his serious face.

  “I’m not sure that will help, Honey, but...Okay.” She squeezed his shoulders gently, before standing up again.

  They settled in to watch the game, Alyssa keeping an eye on the students around her. Dalton’s excitement was contagious, and before she knew it, she was cheering with the crowd when Serendipity made good plays. The kids even got into the action, standing and cheering when those around them did. The school spirit was infectious, and by the time Alyssa’s duty was over in the third quarter, she was so into the game, she wanted to stay and watch the ending.

  The game lasted way past the kids’ bedtime, and Cayden was sleeping in Alyssa’s lap by the time the final whistle blew. Dalton picked him up, tossed the five-year old onto his shoulder as if he weighed nothing, and took Alyssa’s hand in his own. Alyssa held Sierra’s hand, and they all walked out of the stadium, fighting the press of the rowdy students who were anxious to move on to other parties.

  At her car, Dalton struggled to buckle Cayden’s seat belt around him, while Alyssa strapped in a sleepy Sierra. Standing, she looked at Dalton over the hood of the car. “Thank you for carrying him. I would have had to wake him up. He’s too big for me to carry him very far.”

  “No problem, Alyssa.” Dalton came around to her side of the car and swept a lock of hair behind her ear. “Other than that thing with Steven, I had a great time tonight.” He dropped a kiss on her mouth, before pulling away from her. “I would give you a better kiss, but...” His eyes roamed the parking lot, where kids were milling about, finalizing their plans for the rest of the night.

  She looked at him, holding onto his hand, reluctant to let go. “What time should we come over tomorrow?” She asked him, to put off his leaving.

  “Whenever you want. Lunch will be about twelve thirty, but anytime before that is okay. I’m sure we can find something to do.” He waggled his eyes suggestively at her, making her giggle in anticipation.

  “Is there stuff for the kids to do?”

  “There’s gobs of stuff for the kids to do.” His hands spanned her waist, pulling her to him, as he lowered his head for another kiss, this one a promise of more to come. Her insides warmed and melted into a pool at the base of her core.

  “Dalton, stop. I can’t take a kiss like that here.” She breathed into his mouth.

  “I’m sorry. I can hardly control myself around you.” He breathed as his mouth moved to her jaw, and down to her neck.

  “Ahem...Ms. Fuller?” She pushed Dalton away breathlessly as they both looked up to see Cody standing there.

  Alyssa straightened herself, making the mum jingle as she looked at Cody. “Yes, Coach?”

  “I was going to ask you for coffee, but I see you’re already busy.” He looked at Dalton and shrugged. “I guess you have a boyfriend.” He looked at the enormous mum that was perched on her shoulder but hung to her knees and shrugged.

  “Yes. She does.” Dalton’s hand came around her shoulders possessively. She looked up at him, startled at the clench of his jaw and the intensity of his eyes as he glared at Cody.

  “I didn’t know.” He turned and walked away. Dalton turned to Alyssa and pushed her against the car with his body, his face inches away from hers.

  “I may have to start coming to all of these games. You have men sniffing around you everywhere.” He practically growled it at her.

  “Whatever, Dalton. I can handle myself.”

  He swooped down and covered her mouth with his in a hard, fast kiss of possession. “I want them to all know you’re mine.” He moved away, leaving Alyssa breathless, before walking away and calling out for everybody to hear, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ms. Fuller.”

  She got in her car and drove home with a smile on her lips.

  Chapter 19

  The next morning, Alyssa had to refrain from the urge to wake the kids up at the crack of dawn to go to Dalton’s house. She let them sleep in, managing to occupy her time with laundry. When they finally did wake up, she threw them in the tub and scrubbed them clean before dressing them in nice play clothes. Clothes that weren’t stained, ripped, or too small were a rarity in her house, but she managed to find some that matched.

  Spending a little extra time on her own appearance until it was satisfactory for meeting his mother, she whisked her kids to the car and drove to Dalton’s house. When she pulled up, he was sitting on the porch steps, as if waiting for her. His eyes brightened, as he stood and walked to the car to meet them.

  “I’m glad you made it.” He laid a kiss on her cheek that left a warm spot where his lips had been. “Hey guys!” He opened the back car door for the kids to pile out. “Mom’s still getting dressed for you. Y’all want to go for a ride in the pasture before lunch? I have treats for the cows.”

  A chorus of cheers went up through the kids, and Dalton smiled at Alyssa before leading them to the truck. He lowered the tailgate and walked over to where a fifty-pound bag of cattle cubes sat, and carried it to the truck, tossing it in. Alyssa exhaled slowly, watching the muscles in Dalton’s back bunch as he lifted the bag like it was a bag of sugar. He repeated the process, and went for a bale of hay.

  Speechless at the raw strength this man exuded, Alyssa briefly lost her breath.He patted the tailgate and motioned for the kids to get into the bed of the truck. “Sit on your bottoms, guys. I’ll drive us to a place where we can feed them. Have y’all ever seen a cow’s tongue?”

  “No.” Both kids said in unison.

  “Well, you’re in for a treat today.” He chuckled to himself and opened Alyssa’s door for her, once she was satisfied the kids wouldn’t fly out of the back of the truck.

  As she watched him walk around the hood to his own side, she inhaled deeply of the scents in the truck. It smelled like hay, diesel fumes, and peppermints. When Dalton got in, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. He turned his head, and catching her face in his hand before she could retreat, he kissed her mouth fully before letting her scamper back to her side of the truck.

  Grinning, he put the truck in gear and said, “Ready?”

  “Sure, Cowboy Dalton.” She appraised him openly.

  “What?”

  “I’m just surprised at you, is all.”

  “Why? I figured at this point, there couldn’t possibly be any surprises between us.” He eyeballed her wit
h questions in his eyes.

  “I just...seeing this side to you is...different, really.” She was flustered, mostly because she was having a hard time reconciling “Whore Dalton” with “Cowboy Dalton.” Sitting this close to him, in this truck that probably smelled like his dad, was overwhelming Alyssa with conflicting emotions.

  “Is that a good thing?” He asked her quietly.

  “Yes, it is.”

  He drove the truck, slowly, through one pasture after another, showing off the property. Acres of green grass, interspersed with clumps of trees and an occasional pond charmed Alyssa, and drew gasps and giggles from the kids in the back. After driving for a little while, Dalton stopped the truck and turned off the engine before honking the horn in several short beeps and one long one. Sliding out, he looked over at Alyssa with a rakish grin. “Showtime.”

  He pushed the bale of hay to the middle of the bed, and using a pocketknife, he sliced through the bindings, letting it fall in clumps to the floor of the truck. Using the same knife, he opened the bag of cubes and offered it to the kids to each get a handful. Before they knew it, they were surrounded on all sides by curious, then hungry cattle.

  Alyssa squealed in alarm at their close proximity and tried to clamber up the side of the truck.

  “Easy. It’s okay. They’re vegetarian.” Chuckling, he lifted her into the bed of the truck and then climbed in beside her. Showing them how to feed the cows without getting bitten, they all spent the next thirty minutes or so accommodating the bovines’ needs. Alyssa and the kids remarked upon the length of the tongues and their sliminess as the cows opened their mouths to curl their tongues around the hay and cubes, sometimes missing their mark and curling the tongue around a wrist, eliciting shrieks of disgust.

  “I like that one.” Alyssa pointed to one of the larger females, who had been nosing all of the others out of her way.

  “Yeah? Why?” Dalton reached an arm around her and listened intently.

  “Well, she seems to get what she wants.”

  “She is one of the oldest in the herd, so she probably does. Interesting.” He looked thoughtful.

  “Why is that interesting?” She elbowed Dalton to get him to look at her.

  “It’s just interesting you like the one that always gets what she wants. That’s all.” He looked at her closely, as if he was going to say more.

  “What?” She prodded.

  “Is that an attribute of yours, Alyssa? Or is it an attribute you wish you had? Getting what you want?”

  “I have what I want.” She dropped her eyes, not wanting to continue the conversation.

  “Just so you know, her name’s Bossy.”

  Alyssa’s eyes widened. “You have them all named?”

  Dalton laughed. “Not all of them. Just the ones with more distinct personalities and some of the older cows.”

  When the supply of treats was gone, Dalton wiped his hands on his jeans and said, “Lunch?”

  “Yes, I’m starved.” Alyssa responded, eagerly.

  “You guys still okay back there?” Dalton questioned the kids.

  They had scooped the remaining hay into a pile, and were laying on it with their hands behind their head, the picture of nonchalance. Cayden had a piece of hay in his mouth, munching lazily. “Yeah, we’re fine.” He drawled.

  Dalton climbed behind the wheel of the truck. “They seem to be turning country right before my eyes.”

  Alyssa giggled because that’s what had happened to Dalton. “Yeah, they’re having fun out here. This is good for them.”

  “Good. I’m glad.” He clasped her hand in his large, calloused one, making a heat build inside of her. How could just a touch from him make her feel this way?

  She smiled at him, and he started the truck and drove slowly back to the house, where lunch was waiting.

  Mary was waiting for them on the porch, dishtowel over her shoulder. When they all piled out of the truck, she hugged Alyssa and then the kids, “It’s so nice to meet you, dear. Come in and wash up for lunch. It’s on the table.”

  They rushed in and washed the cow slobber off their arms before going into the kitchen. Alyssa was impressed with the hominess of the large space. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was neat and well used, and Alyssa liked it. She sat at the table across from Dalton with Cayden and Mary. Sierra sat between Mary and Dalton. The last place at the table was conspicuously empty.

  Mary had prepared a feast of fried chicken, ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, steamed broccoli with cheese sauce, a tossed salad, and chocolate cake for dessert. When Alyssa commented on the food, Mary modestly shrugged her shoulders.

  “I didn’t know what your kids would eat. Mine were notoriously picky eaters. I fixed a little of everything.” Alyssa felt a little strange when Mary talked, as if the older woman’s words were saying one thing, when she meant something else entirely. But, Alyssa couldn’t figure out what that was.

  “Well, they like fried chicken and they like ham, so we should be good.”

  Lunch passed quickly, the kids on their best behavior, thankfully. Alyssa was glad she didn’t have to throw any ugly looks around this first time she met the woman who raised the phenomenal man she was dating.

  “Your home is lovely, Mrs. Colt.” Alyssa said, once everyone had started on their cake. “How long have you lived here?” Prior conversation over dinner had seemed stilted, like small-talk. Alyssa felt a desire get Mary to open up.

  “Oh, since about 1967. That’s when Richard and I got married. Renae came in 1970, and Dalton in 1975. So I guess, about 45 years.”

  “Wow. This house must have seen a lot over the years.” Alyssa remarked.

  “Yes. I suppose it has.” Mary sniffed, and Alyssa kicked herself for bringing up an awkward topic. Mary was still grieving over the loss of her husband.

  “How long were you married, Alyssa?” Mary enquired, her tone alluding to more than curiosity.

  “Um…Five years.”

  “Are you widowed?” Ah…Now Alyssa had it. She was the mama bear, being protective of her son, trying to find out more about the woman he was seeing.

  “No ma’am, I’m divorced.” She begrudgingly admitted.

  “Ah…” Mary raised an eyebrow, laced with disapproval.

  Dalton cleared his throat and looked at his mother pointedly.

  “I’m sorry, dear. That’s none of my business.” But Mary’s tone clearly implied it was her business.

  “That’s alright, Mrs. Colt. I don’t mind answering any questions.” Alyssa was resigned to making herself an open book. She had nothing to hide from Mary. She really wanted to like her.

  “Well, then how often does their father see them? Is he still in the picture?”

  “Oh yes, very much so. We trade weeks with the kids. Every other Sunday evening he picks them up and takes them home for the week. We alternate holidays.”

  “Well, that’s convenient.” Mary didn’t sound impressed.

  “It’s convenient for the parents, but I’m afraid the children miss out on too much without the stability of staying in one place for too long. Unfortunately, I can’t afford to take my ex-husband to court for more custodial rights. So, we’re all doing the best we can.” Alyssa explained.

  “I won’t pretend I understand, but your children seem to be delightful young people.” Alyssa again had the feeling Mary didn’t mean what she was saying, but she didn’t want to delve too deeply into the subtext of her words.

  Alyssa was proud the kids were behaving and actually listening attentively, not interrupting, like they usually did. She looked over at them and winked. “They have their moments.”

  After lunch Mary told Alyssa, “I’ve got some lemonade made for the children. I’ll watch them play in the backyard, if you and Dalton want to take a walk.” She looked at Dalton and said, “But don’t be gone too long, please.”

  “Okay, thank you, Mary.” Alyssa wondered what had just passed between the two of them, but she didn’t question a
nything. She followed Dalton, who took her hand in his and led the way to the barn.

  They walked slowly, Alyssa savoring Dalton’s strong silence. She didn’t want to talk right now. In fact, as soon as they got into the barn, she had plans for him and they didn’t involve talking...

  Of course, he thwarted her plans as soon as they got inside the doorway. He grabbed her and threw her against the wall of the barn, his mouth on hers before she could even gasp. His tongue invaded her mouth, hungrily, tasting her, drinking her. She responded readily. She wanted this as much, if not more than he did. Something foreign inside of Alyssa awakened, and she grabbed the lapels of Dalton’s shirt and spun him around so he was up against the wall and she was leaning into him, kissing his neck while he groaned. His enormous hands were on her waist, spanning her rib cage, pulling her closer to him.

  “God, Alyssa. I want you so bad...” He breathed harshly. “I don’t know what gets into me when I’m around you.”

  “I’ve got plans, Dalton. You need to just let me do this.” She told him between kisses. She didn’t know exactly what had come over her, but it was primal, and she was letting it loose. Her hands reached under his shirt, and rubbed his hard chest, pulling the shirt up as they went. Her mouth tasted the flesh there, delighting in the moans she heard from Dalton. Kissing lower, her tongue played with his belly button, eliciting muscle spasms from his abdomen. Fingering the waistband of his jeans, she looked up at him. He was watching her warily, and he looked like he was holding his breath. She proceeded to undo his belt, while his eyes grew alarmed.

  “Alyssa...” He expelled a loud gasp of air. “You don’t have to...” Her mouth was on the outside of his jeans, remembering the exquisite torture he had put her through the night on her couch. She mouthed his erection through his jeans, hearing his groans as his hands grabbed tangles of her hair. She unbuttoned his fly and opened his pants to find him wearing no underwear.

  “Oh my...” She exhaled as she examined the piercing at the tip that had consumed her dreams, as well as her waking thoughts. She looked back up at him again and smiled, before lowering her head to tickle the tip with her tongue. She had never done this before, but the primal part of her told her it was just like kissing, so she went for it.