by Ashlee Price
Chapter 10
“I’m sorry about everything with Mary. She seemed like a really nice girl.”
“I don’t really want to talk about it.” Henri knew he was trying to help, but it wasn’t helping. All of his family had said how much they had liked her. It was a way to show that they had been duped as well, but it didn’t make him feel any better. He would have much rather her been who she said she was, instead of just being one of many that saw her for something else.
“I understand, Henri. I just want you to know that I am here for you if you need anything.”
Henri thanked him, but his mind was back on the one person that he didn’t want to think about. His phone kept ringing in his pocket. “Are you going to answer that?”
He shook his head that he wasn’t. It was probably just Mary calling again and he didn’t want to hear it. Henri didn’t want her to feel better by apologizing because all he could feel was betrayal about it. When his brother’s phone starting ringing, Henri watched him answer as he should have.
“Hello?”
“Yeah he is here.”
“Okay. I will send him down.”
Scott off the phone and looked at his brother. “Mary is down at the ranch with mom. You need to go down there.”
Henri sighed and started out towards the house on his horse. It didn’t take but a few minutes and he was sure that Mary had made a bigger mistake coming there. Elna would not take kindly to what had happened and he was sure that there would be a tense scene when he walked in. He wasn’t expecting to see the two women laughing and talking at the table like two old friends. Not knowing what to say, he just stood there for a minute until they realized that he was standing there.
“Well about time you answered your phone.”
“Sorry about that.” He was answering his mother’s sharp tone, but his eyes were on the woman sitting next to her. Mary was still as beautiful as he remembered. There was a moment that he thought that maybe he wouldn’t feel the same way about her after the betrayal, but he knew then that it just wasn’t the case.
“Why don’t the two of you go talk for a while? Henri, take her to the pond. I bet she would like it there and it was always your favorite spot.” Elna had a look of conspiracy in her eyes that she didn’t even try to cover up.
He nodded his head, never refusing her before, but he didn’t know what to say. There was something so strange in the whole situation. “Um, okay.”
Mary seemed about as unsure as he was. She could see the way he had responded and if it wasn’t for Elna, the two of them would not have left. When they got outside, he stopped her. “I can’t believe you came to my house.”
“You wouldn’t answer your phone.”
“Because of what you did.”
“I didn’t do anything and if you would have answered your phone and talked to me, then I could have told you. Someone I worked for in the newspaper took me out, we had a couple of drinks and I talked about you. I couldn’t help it, I had been drinking a bit and I was happy. Then she used it all in the article and she got a picture of you on accident. It wasn’t this big betrayal. I would never do that to you and your family. Belinda saw an opportunity and took it.”
Henri didn’t want to believe it, but he was still heading towards the horse. He didn’t ask her if she had rode before, putting her up on the saddle and getting in behind her. With a motion to the horse, it took off towards the place where they had been alone before. As he held her stiffly, soon both of their bodies had to get with the natural movement to stay on. He was pressed up against her and she was starting to feel too good to ignore.
***
By the time he got to the pond he was hard and she could feel his need behind her. Mary didn’t want to explain herself anymore, too worried about what he was obviously thinking about as well. There was no denying how good he felt next to her.
He helped her down and as she slid down his hard body, her breath caught in her throat. It was hard not to breathe a little faster and he seemed to like her response. “I’ve been very mad at you, Mary. But I should have known that you wouldn’t do that to me.”
“If you are still angry, there are ways that we can get rid of some of that energy to help you feel better.”
Her words caught him off guard and Mary could see the bright eyes darkening above her as he held her gaze. Mary’s arms moved to go around him and pull him down for a kiss. Groaning against her, he couldn’t hold back any longer and quickly encircled her waist. Quickly she was overwhelmed and being urged back towards the rocks that surrounded the small pond. The trees blotted out the sun and it was cooler, but it also gave them some privacy as the horse grazed.
Henri was on top of her and staring down into her eyes. His hips had moved between her legs and he was pressing hard against her core that was so sensitive to the touch. “Is this what you had in mind?”
She shook her head because she couldn’t speak. It was what she had thought about since the last time he had kissed her, but there was no changing her mind that time. His hands tugged on her shorts and then his own. They were both still mainly clothed, but just enough was bare to pleasure them both. Mary felt hot, heavy weight on her quim suddenly and it made her body jerk back. “Now.”
Henri pressed in suddenly. With no touch or taste, she was ready for him as she had been for some time. He groaned with the wet heat suffocating his member and the slight whimper as he filled her full. Mary’s eyes closed to the pleasure as he moved slowly at first, picking up the pace as her cries got louder, his name more desperate on her lips.
“Yes, Henri, yes!”
She repeated the mantra over and over again as she exploded underneath him. He felt her tensing and then the swirl of fluid as her body released. Henri had waited too long for her and there was no going back once he had his hands on her. Slamming in harder, he hissed her name, pushing deeper as he leaned into kiss her. Every drop of his hot seed burning her womb, making her own pleasure peak once more before she was panting underneath him, finally away of the cool stone on her backside.
“Are you still mad at me?”
He shook his head as he looked down at her. How could he be mad?
“Good, because I don’t like when you are mad at me. Though I do like the makeup.” Henri throbbed inside of her, jerking with her words.
“I might still be a little angry.”
Mary giggled as he moved back over her. “What am I going to do with you, Henri?”
“Never let me go.”
As their lips met and she pulled him down to her, she knew that she wasn’t ever going to let him go. Mary didn’t believe in fate, but there was no other explanation how she could just bump into her soul mate. Mary was never going to give him up. It had taken her that long to find him and she wasn’t going to waste another minute without him.
THE END
Cowboy’s Creation
Introduction
I couldn’t believe my sister-in-law was having her baby and my brother Marcus wasn’t there to see it happen. When I called him, he told me that he was running late getting off the offshore oil rig he worked on. When he finally got home, he wasn’t alone. Marcus had brought his best friend, Billy, with him.
The first time I saw Billy, I knew there was something more to the man than what met the eye. He was tall and handsome, muscular from all of his physical labor, and I wanted him. I didn’t care that Marcus might object or that the man was a natural player who’d already checked out every inch of my body. I wanted him.
The only problem was that Billy wasn’t my type. I liked cowboys who weren’t afraid to get dirty and work hard. Then I decided that if I couldn’t find a cowboy I wanted, I was going to have to create one.
Chapter 1 – Gemma
“Gemma?”
I looked over at Callie and asked her what it was she wanted. When I did, she had this strange look on her face and pointed towards the doorway. My brother Marcel was standing there and he did not look very happy ab
out something. I went to him and asked him what the matter was.
“Has Scott not called you?”
“No, why, what happened?”
My mind instantly went to our ailing mother. “It’s not mom, but Leanna is having the baby.”
I took my phone out of my pocket and saw that it was turned off. “I wanted to be there. I can’t believe I had my phone turned off.”
“Well if you are going, come on.”
“Callie, will you tell Mr. Ledder that I will be taking the rest of the day off?”
“Sure, Gemma.”
In most jobs that wouldn’t be possible, but it wasn’t like he could fire me. While I didn’t work on the ranch, everyone knew the Callahans and my boss did a lot of business with my brothers. Everyone in town did business with us and that left me open to do what I pleased. It helped that I didn’t really need the money either. There was nothing left to hold over my head.
I grabbed my purse and turned my phone back on as I walked outside with Marcel. “So how is Davina?”
My brother’s face lit up and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to smile or groan. He was far too happy looking and now that two of my brothers were married off, I was starting to think about dating again myself. It hadn’t helped that our mother, Elna, wanted us all to get married and start having kids before she died. It was a deathbed request and though she was doing better now, mother reminded me many times that I needed to find a man to marry.
Mind you I don’t need to be married. Most women married because they needed a man, but like my job at Cross Law, I didn’t need it. I made enough money on my own and though I saw my brother’s running around smitten all the time anymore, I had never felt that way about a man before. I was dating a couple of guys off and on, but once they started talking about the ‘next stage’ and such, I was going to be long gone. Ever-after made me nervous. It was too much commitment.
Marcel was telling me how his wife just found out that she was pregnant too. I sighed to myself, it was like baby fever in the Callahans and I was trying hard not to be one of the casualties. There was a part of me deep down that maybe wished for the love I saw present in Marcel’s eyes when he talked about his wife, but then again, forever seemed like a really long time.
We got out to his car and he asked me if I wanted to ride with him. “No I think I am going to take my car and go home when this is done.”
“Okay sis. I will see you at the hospital.”
Marcel got in his car and then I got in my own. It was only a few miles down to the medical center and by the time I got there, my phone was chirping with all of the messages and missed calls that had come through while the phone was off.
I parked and went up to the third floor for the delivery wing and by the time I got there, Paul, Scott and Marcel were there. Leanna’s husband was still out on the oil rig and though he was trying to get off the platform, it was not necessarily clear if he was going to be there for the birth or not. I hoped he would be, but at least Leanna was surrounded by extended family and her own parents. Our family was pretty close knit, so even though she couldn’t have everyone there, not even the father of her child, I felt like at least she had support. My brother was going to kick himself for not being there and I really hoped he found a way to get there in time.
Moving into the room, I gave her a kiss on her cheek. Her face was whiter than usual and I could tell she was uncomfortable. The machine that was attached to her stomach was going crazy, spiking up and as she closed her eyes, I figured that she was going through a contraction. When she opened them back up, I smiled at her. “It’s going to be okay Leanna. Soon you are going to have a beautiful baby and you will forget about all of it.”
She didn’t seem to believe me and I don’t know if I believed myself, but she smiled after a time. “Is your brother coming?”
I looked over at Marcel and he shook his head that he hadn’t found transport off the platform yet. With the oil rig about fifty miles offshore in the Gulf, there was going to have to be a helicopter to come get him because the normal boats that came to and fro were not scheduled back for a couple of days.
“He is trying to make it Leanna. I know you want him here, but don’t hold back. We are all here for you and Elna is here, as well as your parents. I know we aren’t the father, but we are all here for you love. It’s going to be okay.”
Another spike on the monitor and she closed her eyes tightly. I felt so bad for her in that moment and I wondered why anyone would want to go through with it. I had never seen Leanna in so much pain before and though she was usually the type to always be smiling, it didn’t look like she was going to be smiling for a while.
The doctors started to move into the room and I was told that I had to go. I didn’t want to leave her, but her parents were already there and they needed more room for them to work as the time drew near. The contractions were coming closer and closer together and it was time. As I left the room, I looked back at her and threw a prayer up that she would be okay. It didn’t look like it at the moment, but I knew somehow that everything was going to be okay.
When I got out of there, I called my brother again and told him what was about to happen. I could hear the stress in his voice and his need to be there.
“I can’t believe I am going to miss my own son’s birth.”
“Well she is early. It’s not like you were going to know about it. Besides, we are all here for her brother. The whole Callahan clan is here in her corner rooting for her. She is going to be fine. Just hurry your butt up and get here.”
“Thanks sis for being there for her. You know I wouldn’t have left for a two week shift if I knew she was going to pop so soon.”
“Well she is, so figure out a way to get here. We are going to see your son before you do.”
I hung up and went to the vending machine and got a cup of instant coffee. I grimaced at the taste and walked back into the waiting room. At least Marcel wasn’t pacing so much like he had before.
Chapter 2 – Gemma
Almost four and a half hours later, Caston was born into the world and though not everyone was there, I don’t think anyone could have been happier. When I held the small baby in my arms, I was overtaken by emotions. I had never really experienced such a feeling before and when I looked at the love in Leanna’s eyes, I felt a moment of jealousy. This is what I wanted and I hadn’t even known it. I wanted a child of my own and the love that transpired between the two.
“Well Gemma. I don’t think I have ever seen you cry before.”
Handing her baby back to her I smiled. “I have never felt so much love in a room. He is going to be so loved and happy Leanna. My brother is going to fall in love in a second.”
She smiled and though he wasn’t there and that bothered her, how could she be upset. There was no way to be and I knew then that it was all going to be okay. As I walked out of the room, mom stopped me and gave me a hug.
“They are a miracle, aren’t they?”
I nodded. It was the only thing that could be said. “Yes they are. He is so precious and looks like dad in a way.”
Elna smiled and nodded her head with her own tears in her eyes. She was more emotional, so it seemed more acceptable. “I wish he was here to see the first grandkid.”
“He is mom. He is here with us all the time.”
She wanted to believe it. I could see it in her eyes. “I just wish he could be here one last time to see how well you have all turned out.”
Now I felt myself getting all teary-eyed. She was the only person that could make me so emotional. As the only daughter with five brothers, there was never a time for emotions, but in that moment I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to believe that our father was there with us, but it was all of it that made me feel so raw inside.
“I wish that too.”
“I wish that you would find your soul mate as well, Gemma. You have much to offer a man and you would be such a good mother.”
I just nodded and wiped my
eyes. I had never wanted the same things that she did, but with all of the love going around on that day and the months prior, I almost wished the same thing. If Paul and Marcel could find love after all that time, why couldn’t I?”
“Well mom I am going to get home before it gets too late.”
“Alright, Gemma. Make sure you call me when you get home so that I know you are okay.”
I told her I would. “Are you going back to the city tonight or are you staying at the ranch?”
“I will be staying with Leanna when she gets out if your brother doesn’t come back by then.”
“Oh he will be here. You should stay at the ranch. Did you hear about Davina?”
Her face started to grin and I knew that she had. It had been her dying wish that all of her kids found happiness and got married. I knew that I was one that she worried about, but until that day, I wasn’t sure that I really wanted it. But then I saw Caston and he changed my mind. The way that Leanna looked at her son was a love that I had never experienced and it was hard not to want it.
“I did hear about her being pregnant. I know that Marcel is over the moon about it. Who would have thought that he would ever be a father?”
Elna had known. She had that look of slight smugness. She knew that she had planted the seed in all of us. That was her purpose and it was never hard to see what she really wanted in it all. She wanted us to be happy.
“I love you mom. I am going to get out of here. I will stop by the ranch tomorrow if you are going to be there.”
“What about work?”
I shrugged. I never was too worried about my job. It wasn’t something that I really wanted to do. “The boss doesn’t care. I have all of my work done on time and I have been working off location for a while. I don’t have to be there to fix their books.”
Elna just sighed at me. She was the type of woman that always had to work, but to me, I still hadn’t found my calling yet. There was no passion in what I did. I knew then that I needed to find that thing that made me happy like it did her. I was starting to wonder if maybe a family life was what I really wanted. It wasn’t like I could just go to the store and get a husband, though, especially not one that was to be my soul mate. It just didn’t happen like that, I was sure of it.