The Cowboy, The Cheat, His Ex-Wife & Her Vibrator

by C. C. Coburn

  “Well, if you’re going to put it that way…”

  “Just what is it that you hate about what’s happened with your marriage?”

  “You don’t want to know this.”

  “Yeah. I do,” he assured her.

  Beth shrugged. “The feeling of betrayal. The knowledge that my kids are hurt and confused about it. That if I’d seen it coming, I could’ve maybe prevented it. And most of all, the knowledge that I can never truly trust anyone again. The two men in the world I should’ve been able to put my complete trust in let me down in the most horrible way.” She fixed him with a glare. “And don’t try and talk me out of that one.”

  Gabe leaned forward to place a kiss on her lips. Surprised and a little unsure of how to respond, Beth didn’t move, couldn’t breathe.

  Then Gabe angled his mouth and kissed her tenderly, his hands coming up to cup her cheeks, his lips working their way ever so slowly from one side of her mouth to the other and back again, just like he had on Tilly’s porch. It was intoxicating.

  Beth had closed her eyes when his lips first touched hers, but now she opened them again and what she saw scared her.

  Gabe’s eyes were closed, his dark lashes brushing his cheeks, his brow slightly furrowed in concentration. There was tenderness there and vulnerability and for one awful moment Beth was afraid of falling for this wonderful man.

  He was a man. Albeit a nice man. But he had the potential to break her heart, just as surely as JJ had. She wanted him for sex, nothing else. She opened her lips to protest.

  With a groan of yearning, and mistaking her parted lips, Gabe dragged her against him and deepened the kiss. Although his mouth was gentle, his hands were not. He clasped her to him as he moved to sit beside her on the couch, fitted her against him, his muscled arms enfolding her, his big hands drawing her even closer.

  Beth welcomed the passion of Gabe’s embrace, the urgency of his mouth as it opened over hers.

  He hungered for her. It was the only conscious thought Gabe had as he turned his head this way, then that, trying to get closer to Beth, trying to lose himself within her.

  She kissed like a woman long starved of passion, of being cherished. He could give her that and so much more. He marveled at the strength he felt beneath his hands. Beth wasn’t frail like Marina. He didn’t have to hold her gently, be careful of hurting her with his needs. Her flesh felt firm beneath his fingertips and spoke of well–toned muscles…feminine but firm. Her midriff curved down to her waist and he ran his hands down over the flare of her hips and back up again. Her nails were digging into his chest through his shirtfront. Her grasp was strong. It would take a supreme effort of will for him to break the embrace. Had he wanted to. Which he didn’t.

  He could kiss her, for just a bit longer. Just long enough to take the edge off his need to feel whole again, to feel wanted like a man needed to be wanted. He hugged her with a passion he hadn’t experienced in too long. And then she was climbing onto his lap, straddling his thighs, rubbing herself against him, through her jeans and his. Rocking back and forward. It felt so damn good, he never wanted her to stop.

  Gabe was so hard with wanting he thought he’d explode. Maybe just a few moments longer and then he’d really have to get her to stop, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to stop himself.

  Beth was making tiny mewling noises and rubbing her breasts against his chest. Gabe thought he could feel the pebble–hardened peaks of her nipples pressing through her bra, her blouse and his shirt. Her fingers were driving through his hair, sending shivers of sensation pulsing down the back of his neck and spreading down his spine in warm waves of carnal pleasure. He really should stop her, pull away, clasp her hands in front of them and explain why they couldn’t go on like this, because he was gonna die. Die from wanting her so much.

  With trembling fingers, he unsnapped the first couple of studs on her blouse and reached inside to cup a swollen breast through the thin fabric of her bra. It felt heavy and hot in his hand. He brushed the cup aside with his thumb and then across her taut nipple and Beth rocked harder against him and moaned, “Oh, yes!”

  Her breast was so heavy, so hot and tempting that he couldn’t help bending and lifting it to his mouth, couldn’t help his tongue dipping eagerly inside the cup of her bra and seeking the rigid nipple beneath.

  “Oh, yes! More!” she cried, her fingernails digging hard into his shoulders, the juncture of her thighs cradling his rampant erection, rubbing against him until he imagined he could feel her moistness surrounding him, drawing him into her…

  He really ought to stop. Stop this madness that was consuming him. But he needed so desperately to taste her. Just a little bit more. He drew her nipple into his mouth and suckled on it. She tasted divine—like honey–covered strawberries and sin.

  Beth moaned with need and consent and pressed herself harder against his erection, rubbing against him as though she couldn’t get enough of him. His penis was so hard, so swollen with desire, he thought he’d explode. He couldn’t do this, he’d promised himself he wouldn’t. He had to get her off him. And then he realized it was too late for that because her tempo had increased to fever pitch as she panted and moved against him in a frantic imitation of sex.

  He suckled her breast deep inside his mouth, savoring the wonderful, sweet taste of her. He could give her this at least. Make it good for her. Knowing she’d reached the point of no return, he moved to suckle at her other breast, laving it with the same attention, then drawing it deep into his mouth. She tasted so good, so feminine, so luscious and ambrosial that he entertained the passing thought that if he died in that moment, he’d go a very happy man. He gently bit at her swollen nipple.

  With a strangled cry, Beth threw her head back and dug her fingernails even deeper into his skin as she convulsed in the throes of her climax and it took every ounce of his self–control not to pull her even harder against him and follow her over the precipice.

  After long moments, she quieted her rocking and dropped her head to his shoulder and he heard a tiny sob. And then another. He rubbed her back in long, soothing strokes.

  “Oh, God. I don’t believe I did that,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry,” she said and sniffed, “I got a little carried away.”

  She lifted her head and he offered her a tissue. She refused it, wiping at her damp eyes with her palms.

  Her eyes were the most intense blue. Her skin glowed. She looked like a woman well satisfied.

  “Are you okay?” he asked gently.

  “Do I look okay?”

  “You look… beautiful.” It was the truth and it scared the hell out of him.

  She closed her eyes. Maybe that wasn’t what she wanted to hear? “Can I get you anything?” he asked.

  Her breathing gradually slowed. “I think I’ve got everything I want for the moment,” she sighed and snuggled against his chest.

  “Does that mean you don’t want to see me again?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” She wriggled round in his lap and glanced back up at him.

  “Don’t do that,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “Um, do you want me to…? Um, you know…” she blushed a bright red. “I really can’t believe what I just did. I’ve known you for twenty four hours and I… I … used you to gratify myself!” she said and climbed off his lap.

  Gabe tried not to wince at the discomfort he was experiencing. And then when she was sitting primly at the other end of the couch, he wanted to haul her back into his arms and have her do it all over again. He wanted to taste her all over, just to be sure it was as sweet everywhere on her beautiful body as her breasts had been.

  “Do you want me to leave?” he asked.

  “No! No, of course not. I’m the one who’s mortified themselves here. Why should you leave? I mean, you came here to have spaghetti Bolognaise and you end up being treated like a blow–up doll.”

  “A blow–up doll?” Gabe choked.

  She waved her hands in the air. “Well, whate
ver the male version is of those blow–up dolls that men use to gratify themselves with.”

  “O…kay…” he said, choosing his words carefully. “The question is, do you think I had about as much emotional input into what just happened here as an inanimate object would?” He could barely keep the anger from his voice.

  Beth held her hand to her head as though it was causing her pain. “Yes… No… Ah… I don’t know,” she confessed and frowned. “What’s your take on it?”

  Gabe stood up—not without some difficulty. “I’d better be going,” he said. “Thanks for dinner. It was… unusual.”

  “You’re going?” she asked, incredulous and following him out through the living room towards the front door. “Just like that?”

  He glanced back at her. “I believe I’ve served my purpose.”

  Beth shook her head to clear it. If she hadn’t had such a mind–blowing orgasm, she might be able to think straight. As it was, she was babbling and not making sense either to herself or Gabe. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

  “You wanted sexual release, Beth, you got it. I’m no longer needed.” He opened the door. “Goodnight,” he said and pulled the door closed behind him.

  Beth stared at the door for a full ten seconds while his words sank in. Unreasoned anger at his abrupt departure boiled within her. She pulled open the door and yelled down the front path at him as he walked towards his Jeep. “You think that was sex, do you, Mister? Well, if you thought that pathetic bit of rolling around, groping each other while fully clothed was sex, then you’ve got another think coming!” She slammed the door for emphasis.

  “Evening folks,” Gabe said calmly and tipped his hat to the elderly couple walking their poodle. He climbed into his Jeep and drove off down the street.

  He thumped the wheel, angry with himself for letting things go so far. Angrier that he’d reacted the way he did. It was downright childish of him to accuse her of using him, when he’d been with her all the way.

  The only difference between them was that he’d managed to maintain control of his reaction to her—not without extreme difficulty.

  The blow–up doll analogy had irritated him and he’d used it as an excuse to leave. Used it to escape pulling Beth into his arms and making love to her the way he wanted to—in her bed, with her howling her pleasure to the moon and back.

  Beth leaned back against the door and groaned. Was there a full moon or something? Why was she acting so weird? She experienced a tiny aftershock of orgasmic pleasure and covered her face with her hands. What must Gabe Hunter think of her? She’d never been so bold in her life! Maybe it would be safer for all concerned if she just went and bought that darned vibrator? With or without reading the comparison tests first. How different could vibrators be?

  Beth dragged herself up to her room. She needed to sleep, to calm down, then maybe tomorrow she could put everything into perspective. At least she wouldn’t have the added distraction of Gabe Hunter to worry about. He was no doubt gone for good.

  “Mommy… Mommy!”

  Beth sat bolt upright. It was pitch black and one of the kids was screaming. It took her a few moments to orientate herself, then she threw back the covers and raced into Molly’s room.

  Molly was sitting up with the light on. She was bright red and pulling her ears.

  “What’s the matter, sweetie?” Beth cooed as she knelt beside the bed and felt Molly’s forehead: she was burning up. “Oh, honey, not another ear infection,” she murmured. Molly seemed to have one every few months. She was going to demand some answers from the doctor first thing in the morning. But, first of all, she had to make Molly comfortable so she could get some sleep.

  “Mommy, I’m gonna be thick,” Molly said and promptly threw up all over Beth.

  Beth resisted the urge to scream and run from the room and get herself into the shower.

  Molly started to cry.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. You’ll feel a bit better now, remember? We’ll just go take a bath.” She lifted Molly into her arms and carried her through to her bathroom. She sat Molly down on the toilet seat while she ran a tepid bath for her daughter. That done, she put Molly in the tub and wiped her over with the facecloth to cool her some more. “Is that better, honey?”

  Molly nodded. “I’m sorry I thicked on you,” she said round her thumb.

  “That’s okay,” Beth tried to sound cheerful so Molly wouldn’t feel bad. “Can you sit here while I shower?”

  Molly nodded again and watched her mother with saucer–like eyes as she stripped off and stepped into the stall.

  “Mommy?”

  “Uh, huh?”

  “Are you still there?”

  “Of course I am.”

  “I can’t see you.”

  “Peekaboo!” Beth popped her head out from the shower stall and Molly burst into giggles. “Feeling better, pumpkin?”

  “My ears hurt.”

  “I know. You can have some medicine and that will take the pain away. And you can sleep with me for the rest of the night, okay?”

  “Okay, Mommy.”

  Beth finished showering, then found clean nightwear for both of them. She gave Molly some liquid Paracetamol to dull the pain and keep her temperature down. A half–hour after being woken up, they were both tucked up in bed, Beth pleased she seemed to be getting the routine of Molly’s earaches down pat. Molly woke twice more during the night, but thankfully she only needed a sponge down and some more medicine before going back to sleep. Not so Beth, who lay awake and thought of Gabe Hunter.

  She flushed at the memory of how brazen she’d been, taking her pleasure like that with no thought for his needs. No wonder he’d bolted out the door! She tossed and turned for the rest of what was left of the night, debating whether she should phone and apologize for her wanton behavior. Or just pretend it didn’t happen. After all, she wasn’t likely to ever see him again, so maybe it was better to forget about it. She finally fell asleep around dawn.

  “Mom… Mom! Wake up!”

  Beth shot bolt upright in bed. “It’s okay, honey. Try not to throw up till Mommy can get you something,” she cried, then spied Molly sleeping peacefully beside her. She looked around dazedly and finally focused on Jack standing beside the bed with a worried expression on his face.

  “I’m gonna be late for hockey,” he said in an accusing tone that didn’t sit well with Beth at that hour of the morning. “You slept in,” he added unnecessarily.

  It took Beth a few moments to realize that the alarm was in the trash. “Oh, Lordy! What’s the time?” she cried as she threw back the covers and leapt out of bed. Only she didn’t throw them back far enough and her feet got tangled and she ended up on her face on the floor.

  Jack bent down to help her up. “It’s eight forty–five. Are you alright?” he said patiently in a tone that sounded as though she got out of bed this way every day.

  Molly groaned and woke up and then she started to cry. Beth felt her forehead. “Good grief! She’s burning up again.” She turned to Jack. “Get me the Paracetamol and a spoon, honey, and tell the boys to get dressed. Now!”

  Jack disappeared into the bathroom and returned with the requested items, then went in search of his brothers. Beth went through the same routine with Molly that she’d been going through all night: gave her medicine, sponged her down and reassured her she wasn’t going to throw up again.

  She pulled on jeans and a T–shirt and yelled out for the boys to hurry up, then quickly brushed her teeth and ran a brush through her hair. Satisfied that the doctor would just have to put up with her sleep–deprived appearance, she lifted Molly onto her hip and headed downstairs. “I’m going to have to drop you guys at hockey and then take Molly on to the medical center,” she explained to Jack as he packed the last of his gear into his sports bag. “Come on, you two!” she yelled up the stairs. “I’m leaving right now!”

  Beth pulled open the door and ran smack–bang into a broad male chest.

  Gabe
Hunter stood with his hand raised to knock on the door. He caught Beth as she bowled outside. “Whoa there!”

  Dazed, Beth looked up at him. “Oh, it’s you again.”

  “Going somewhere?” he asked.

  “To hockey. And I’m running awfully late.” She glanced back up the stairs. “Ben! Mikey! Get down here, this minute!” she almost bellowed, then glanced apologetically at Gabe. “My alarm didn’t go off,” she explained, “and I’ve got less than five minutes to get them there. And then I’ve got to take Molly to the medical center,” she explained, breathless with exasperation then turned to the stairs again. “I’m giving you guys till the count of three to get down here, or I’m leaving without you!”

  She realized that the boys knew perfectly well that she’d never leave them in the house alone, but it was one of those rituals that mothers always put themselves through. “One…”

  “Two…

  “Two and a half…

  “Two and three quarters… two and… and…”

  “Seven–eighths?” Gabe supplied.

  Beth fixed him with a glare. “I haven’t had my caffeine fix for the day, so I wouldn’t go there if I were you,” she growled. “That’s it! I’m leaving!” she called upstairs.

  “I’ll take the boys,” Gabe said. “You get going to the medical center.” Then it was his turn to yell up the stairs. “I’m taking you guys in my Jeep but you’ve gotta be down here on the count of one!”

  Beth had been about to object to his take–charge attitude but, all of a sudden, there was a tremendous pounding of boy–sized feet on the landing and then Mikey and Ben slid down the banister before she could open her mouth.

  Gabe rounded the boys up and out the door and closed it behind him. “Take your time and I’ll bring the boys home when they’re finished,” he told Beth.

  Too grateful to think of any other alternative, she nodded and walked to her car with Molly perched on her hip. Gabe was there in seconds to help her put Molly into her car seat.