Carnal Games

by Titania Ladley

  Tania looked beyond the inclement activities as they made their way up the winding drive to the scurry of men. Several hired hands were briskly saddling horses, while Margie stood nearby with her face buried in her hands.

  “Sam…” Tania felt her stomach tighten involuntarily. “What do you think’s going on?”

  Intent on dodging a vehicle wheel cover as it whizzed by, he replied, “I think there’s a major storm on the way.”

  “No,” she clutched the door handle just as Clay flew from the barn on a newly saddled thoroughbred. “I mean with the men.”

  Glancing to the right, he took in the flurry of activity of the stablemen as a half dozen of them mounted their horses and jolted them into flight with swift digs of their spurs. Instincts surging to the surface, Sam revved the engine and sped toward the scattering crowd, bursting from the depths of the Durango.

  “What’s happened?” He seize Margie by the beefy shoulders, forcing her to cease her wailing.

  “Margie!” he repeated, shaking her thick form. “Open your eyes,” he demanded. “What’s going on?”

  Eyes puffy with thirty minutes of solid crying, she sniffed, “I—I tried to call you.”

  Tania placed a trembling hand at Margie’s elbow. “Margie,” she spoke calmly, though every scrap of intuition told her there was something terribly wrong. “Is Alexa okay?”

  Margie’s knees gave out as she sagged to the ground, the high winds whipping her apron up and plastering it to her hefty breasts. “No!” she sobbed.

  Sam abandoned Margie and reached out for Clay as he galloped by, his hand clutching the thoroughbred’s bridle. “Clay, goddam it,” he growled, his face suddenly ashen. “Where is she? And what the hell happened?”

  “She was in the barn with Larry and Cal learning how to saddle the wee pony.” Clay spoke quickly and wrapped the leather reins about his fist. He struggled to keep the stallion from prancing over Sam’s feet. “The wind started whippin’ up. The men ran to secure the gates and bring in some equipment. When they returned…”

  “Clay,” Tania placed a pleading hand upon his calf. “Please… Just slow down and tell us what’s happened.”

  His hazel eyes filled with tears. “She’s gone. She just up and disappeared.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Fury was prancing in her stall, sensing danger, excitement, tension in the air. Tania unlatched the gate and led her out. “Get my saddlebags!” she shouted as she swiftly saddled her steed, indicating the thick leather bags thrown over a bail of hay nearby.

  Margie, feeling frantic and confused, obeyed her mistress, and like a programmed robot, tossed the bags up to her as she mounted. “With this storm coming, I should never have allowed her out of the house,” Margie fretted, wringing her pudgy hands, twisting her apron tightly about them.

  “Stay by the phone,” Tania instructed Margie. Pausing, she smiled weakly down at her and quietly declared, “Don’t worry, we’ll find her.”

  Hopefully, Tania prayed, for the thousand acres was a sprawling, treacherous space to cover, and in addition, all outlying estates and ranches that bordered Paradice Ranch, extended the expansive perimeter from which Alexa could have gone. Whirling Fury out into the stable yard where Sam was just then mounting a spirited chestnut roan, she firmly pushed that negative thought from her mind.

  They would find her stepdaughter, she determined silently. But thinking of the wild mountain lions, the hungry coyotes, the venomous rattlers and mounds of vicious fire ants, Tania prayed they would find her in time. Images of soft green eyes, and dark wisps of hair filled her mind, while her soul ached to feel the little arms about her, clinging, trusting, unconditionally accepting. Even now, as she inhaled the ferocious winds that whipped about her, Tania could almost conjure up the baby-powder sweet scent of her, could nearly see before her the toothless grin of the little angel that Sam had gifted her with.

  The search party was assembled frantically, and Sam divided them into groups. Pete and Larry were to sweep east, John and Cal south, Clay and Louis were to search the western perimeter. Each twosome was to comb the vicinity from the heart of the ranch outward, then sweep back in toward the estate and check in with Margie for any possible news from the others. Teaming up with his wife, for he was aware she knew the lay of the land better than any of the men, they headed north toward his hacienda, first exploring the possibility that Alexa may have attempted to make her way home for fear of the oncoming storm.

  They arrived posthaste and searched the hacienda high and low, calling out Alexa’s name. But there was no sign of her. Alexa had just vanished off the face of the earth.

  The darkening horizon flashed with lightening as they moved on beyond the estate. Cracks and rumbles of thunder roared overhead. The wind blew in gusts that forced riders to hold fast to their saddle horns. Trees bent at violent angles while the air cooled and zinged with a foreboding tension. The fragrance of rain was sharp in the air, and Tania lifted her nose, as if to catch the child’s scent upon the wind.

  He glanced at her as they scanned the land for Alexa. Tania was on a mission. She was every bit the loving, distraught mother in search of her lost child. And his heart swelled, for he knew in that instant that they would find Alexa and bring her home.

  She knew the terrain better than he, the gullies, the hidden trenches, the copses of woods where a child could become lost for hours. So he allowed her to take the lead, and he joined her in shouting out Alexa’s name, in combing the forest and the plains for his precious little girl.

  And he tried to squelch the utter, ruthless panic that clawed at him ruthlessly.

  The wind grew still. There was a greenish tint to the air. “Tania,” he barked.

  She reined Fury in and whirled about to meet him.

  “We’ve got to find shelter.” He indicated the funnel cloud that was quickly forming to the northwest. “And quick.”

  Her eyes swelled with fear. “Oh, my God!”

  “There’s not much time before it’s upon us. Can you suggest someplace to go until it passes?”

  Tania’s heart leaped into her throat. She was choking. “There’s a gorge opposite this copse of trees. But what about Alexa?” she asked, her face pale as tears brimmed in her eyes.

  The wind suddenly gusted around them, tossing large hunks of wildlife debris like chunks of change. Sam had to raise his voice to be heard. “We can’t stop a tornado. We can only pray she’s found shelter herself. But we’ll find her, Tatiana. You can bet my life on it.”

  Tania didn’t miss the tears in his eyes, the panic and terror, not for himself or even her, but for his lost, vulnerable little girl. And love swelled in her chest so painfully, she was sure it would burst and spew like the oncoming storm. Without further pause, she led him through the thicket and heavy underbrush to a deep ravine cutting through the northern border of their adjacent ranches.

  She heard something… A high-pitched wailing? “Do you hear that?” she shouted to him after they’d led the horses down into the fifteen-foot-deep gully.

  Sam’s every sense was on overload. Despite the maddening rush of the coming tornado, he did, indeed, hear the squalling cries of a child…his Alexa!

  “Alexa!” he cupped his hands and shouted with a frantic, booming volume. “Alexa!”

  The screeching grew louder as dart-like pelts of rain began to plummet against them. Tania snatched the horse’s reins from Sam and hurriedly led them to a bend in the ravine where gnarled tree roots fashioned a cave of sorts, large enough for a makeshift, temporary animal shelter. Urging the skittish steeds into the protective hollow of the roots, she tied the reins to the thick roots and raced up the gully toward Sam.

  “Is it Alexa?” she asked, eyes wide as the wind whipped her hair in rope-like lashes across her face and back.

  “I hear her,” Sam shouted above the sickening, oncoming drone of the funnel cloud. “But I can’t find her!” He was racing here, climbing there, shouting her name over and over.

/>   "Alexa!" Tania called as she moved further up the basin of the gully.

  "Ta-Teena!" It was no mistaken. It was Alexa!

  "Where are you, honey?"

  "Wight here," she wailed, her voice seeming to come from the very earth.

  Tania's heart pounded against her breastbone. The cave! "Sam!" she called as the atmosphere crackled and grew black about them. "Come quick!"

  Like fighting his way through a brick wall, Sam leaned forward and struggled to push through the strong winds. His hat long gone, his hair whipped haphazardly about his head, he strained against the force of nature. Above the rims of the deep ravine, they could see the outer edges of the funnel cloud as it barreled nearer. As if they were on the tracks of an oncoming locomotive, the ground shook, the roar deafened them. Sam stumbled toward her and she reached for his hand, leading him to a small chiseled-out rock formation set into the side of the gorge’s wall.

  And there, curled in a tiny ball, was his little girl.

  “Alexa!” he choked it out, staggering up the slope and lurching into the cave to clutch her to him.

  “Daddy!” Alexa wailed her happiness and clung to him. “I was wooking for you. I was scared. I just wanted to go home. And I got losted.”

  Tania, despite the fear of the oncoming twister, felt her heart swell, her throat constrict with tears of joy. With a heavy sigh, she scrambled up into the small cave and huddled with Sam and Alexa as the cyclone barreled overhead.

  Alexa groped for her and Tania opened her arms wide. Crouching against the rock wall, the tot climbed onto Tania's lap.

  “Mommy,” Alexa sighed softly, tucking her little head against Tania’s breast.

  The word melted her heart. She glanced up to see Sam beaming with fat tears in his eyes.

  “Will you be her mommy?” he asked over the drone of the storm outside their oasis of shelter.

  There was no denying it. She’d made a pact with him, laid her chips on the table and bet double or nothing. She'd played at his carnal games. And she’d been blessed by Lady Luck.

  “You bet I’ll be her mommy.” She leaned over for a peck from Sam before clutching Alexa to her chest. “I’ll feed her and keep her sheltered and—” she planted a kiss on the soft dark curls “—not only will I love her to pieces, I’ll love her gorgeous daddy forever and ever.”

  She watched with an ache in her heart as one lone tear rolled down Sam’s cheek.

  The storm was finally over.

  Epilogue

  One month later…

  The light fixture hung low over the green-felt card table. The sultry night air wafted in through the open window of the bunkhouse. Upon the breeze, the scent of beer intermingled with dianthus and tulips. The croak of tree frogs and the distant hoot of an owl could be heard if one would only listen to nature’s calling beyond the rustic walls.

  But the two within were otherwise preoccupied.

  “I raise you ten,” Sam said as he squinted at her across the table. He tossed across a handful of coins and tipped his beer for a swallow.

  “You’re crazy,” Tatiana replied incredulously, noting how his stack of clothing was much higher than hers. She snickered, loving the way his hat was tipped cockily upon his handsome head. There was nothing more sexy than a near-naked hunk in a cowboy hat. “You’ve almost lost.” Her eyes scanned his broad chest, then dipped downward to the thin line of dark abdominal hair that preceded his manhood. The card table was all that stood between her and her man. Her panties were already wet, her soft folds swollen with anticipation.

  They had sent all the ranch hands packing for a week, and Alexa was with Margie in Dallas. It was their honeymoon, and they’d chosen to spend it on the merged fifteen-hundred acre estate that together, they owned.

  And so far, they hadn’t neglected christening one single acre. One could be so creative when it came to lovemaking and free reign of a virtual paradise.

  “No, princess,” Sam’s tone was laced with a playful warning. “I’ll never lose…” he drawled as his eyes dipped to take in the cleavage, the swell of her breasts sitting all pert in her lacy bra behind her spread of cards, “…when I have you near.”

  Her heart fluttered. He never failed to elicit excitement from her. Smiling over the top of her cards, she said huskily, “How ‘bout double or nothing, cowboy?”

  His eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he bent to snatch up his jeans. “You’ve got a deal, babe.” Then he reached into a pocket and tossed a golden band upon the pile of coins.

  “What…?” She spread her cards on the table and reached for the object. Gently plucking it up, she held the brilliant band up so that the dangling light shone on it. The radiance nearly blinded her as a flash twinkled off the two-carat diamond solitaire perched there. “Oh my God!” she screeched, then shot him a look of amazement. “What is this?”

  He chuckled and propped his naked ankles up on the card table. “Damn, you did lead a sheltered life, Tatiana. It’s a diamond ring.”

  She stood up, her chair scooting across the hardwood floor. Both hands held the ring at arms-length from her body. She couldn’t take her eyes off it. “You know what I mean, Phoenix.”

  He grinned wolfishly and stood, revealing that his sex was already ahead of the game. “It’s your wedding ring. I…um—” he chuckled “—wasn’t able to give you one when I was in prison, remember?”

  “You got this for me?”

  At her biting tone, his smile faded. “Yes,” he replied softly. Dread clutched at his gut. So it was to still be a battle, he thought. Her own inner battle of what she deserved and what she didn’t.

  She finally tore her gaze from the ring and snared him with blazing blue eyes. “Why?” she ground it out, her entire lovely, nearly naked body quivering with an, as yet, unnamed emotion.

  Sam could feel his cock beginning to soften. He sighed. “Well, because I wanted to give you a wedding gift…and, because I love you.”

  She continued to stare at him in shock. Tears poured down her cheeks. He could swear he saw anger simmering in her eyes, but for the life of him, he didn’t know why. Was it to always be a touch-and-go roller coaster with his beautiful wife? If so, he finally decided, now was the time to tell her the big news, get it out on the table and see if she anteed up. If she can’t handle this final gift to come, he thought with apprehension, then maybe he had made a terrible mistake in pursuing her all along.

  Again, he bent down and drew an item from his jeans pocket. Before losing his nerve, he Frisbee-tossed the business card across to her. “Might as well take a look at this gift too. And from the pissed-off look of you, it’s best you tell me now how bad I fucked up, before we go and hurt another in the process.”

  She appeared to be mute. Tears continued to rain from her simmering eyes. She snatched up the card and studied it, but not a word of response tumbled from her lips. Was she in shock, or was she that pissed?

  He jammed his legs into his jeans. It was time to go, he thought. But he still owed her an explanation. “Remember the social worker, Patty Nielson?”

  At her dumfounded nod, he went on. “I’ve been keeping in touch with her. Cody’s mother relinquished custody of him to the state. He’s currently in foster care, but she’s looking into the possibility of us being able to adopt him…that is, I thought you’d want to, but—”

  Her choked cry accompanied her flight around the table. She catapulted herself up into his arms, and clamped her legs around his waist. Sam was stunned as he stumbled backward, but his eyes closed in relief. He clung to her, petted her back, soothed her wailing cries.

  “Honey, sweetheart,” he said gently, showering her wet face with kisses. “What is it?”

  “No one has ever given me a ring before,” she whimpered and sniffled, “ever.”

  Damn, but he was feeling the tears brimming in his own eyes. “I’m honored to be the first,” he whispered in her ear.

  “And no one,” she went on, “has ever shown such unconditional, true love
in all my life. Cody.” She drew away and planted her hands on his cheeks, then pressed her lips tenderly to his. “You rescued Cody just as Clay and Mikhail rescued me. I love you, Samuel Phoenix. I love you,” she choked it out.

  “But…but, I thought you were furious with me. I thought that was the end of this game we’ve been playing.”

  She threw her head back and giggled melodiously, then slid the ring on her finger. “You shocked the hell out of me, in the beginning, with my very first ring, and second, with Cody. What do you expect? I’m used to playing only one hand at a time. And you did say ‘double or nothing.’” Her arms tightened about him, and he suddenly became aware of her soaked panties pressed against the open V of his unzipped jeans. “Well, cowboy,” she reached down and moved her panties aside so that the tip of his hardness probed her. “Double ain’t nearly enough for this cowgirl.”

  That was all the encouragement he needed.

  He stumbled forward with her clamped to his front side. Their mouths slammed together in a violent mating ritual. His hands were all over her, hers all over him. He somehow found the card table and they tumbled upon it. Coins and cards went flying. The dangling light fixture swung precariously overhead as Sam’s hat bumped it and tumbled to the floor. He stood in order to release his re-inflated cock, and with his jeans still about his hips, he yanked her bikini wear aside and plunged into her.

  There was no waiting. Her response to his wedding gifts had been pure, raw emotion. And his own emotions roared through his system. He pounded her over the table, looking down at her sticky, honeyed pussy, her legs spread wide and straight up in the air for him. With each plunge he took, her full breasts jiggled, the dark nipples standing in pert, excited points. She was tanned and sleek, sultry…and all his. Her long blonde hair streamed over the edge of the table, her lips were pursed in ecstasy, her aqua cat-eyes were narrowed in blissful abandon. He stroked himself in her, feeling the now familiar slickness and phenomenal tightness of her, and he inhaled the musky female scent of her womanhood mingled with the aroma of wildflowers wafting through the open window.