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

by C. C. Coburn

  “Never!” he declared and brushed a tendril of hair behind her ear. Beth leaned her cheek into his hand and rubbed against it seeking his warmth.

  She noticed Gabe swallow as he watched her tiny gesture and felt more in control of herself and the situation again.

  “I believe you wanted to know how to make love to a man?” Gabe asked.

  Beth was surprised that his voice sounded hoarse. Surely it couldn’t be with desire for her?

  Stop that! She admonished herself. No more running yourself down. Look at the state it got you into!

  “Yes, I would. Very much. If you don’t mind.” And just like that, her embarrassment at having to admit such a thing was over and done with. Trust Gabe to understand what she meant without her needing to explain further.

  Gabe lifted her and placed her to sit opposite him, cross–legged. He did the same, folding his long legs and allowing only their knees to touch. “Where would you like to start your lesson in how to make love to a man?” he asked.

  Beth had no idea. Her new–found confidence of moments ago fled, along with her voice. She shook her head and swallowed. “I don’t know where you like to be touched.”

  He pulled her closer and whispered into her hair. “You can touch me anywhere you want, darlin’. Nothing’s off limits.”

  Beth drew away from him. “Nothing?”

  “Of course not. Beth. You turn me on so much, I just want your hands, your lips, your mouth over every inch of my body.”

  “Really? You wouldn’t mind?” The thought of having free rein on a body like Gabe’s had her heartbeat quickening again.

  She started with her lips on his mouth and her hands on his shoulders, reveling in the strength she found there. But Gabe wasn’t about to be a passive participant. He caught her head in his big hands and deepened the kiss and Beth had no choice but to surrender her mouth and just explore Gabe with her willing hands.

  From the way he was reacting to her every touch and caress, he was sure enjoying her journey of discovery, down over his broad chest, lingering at his nipples, pinching them gently. He flinched but she felt his smile against her lips and he deepened their kiss further, his tongue exploring her mouth and drawing a moan of pleasure from her.

  She continued her exploration of his body, down over his hard abdomen. Pausing just above his rampant penis, she teased him by letting her fingers trail outwards along the outside of his thighs to his knees and then back again along their inside, until she reached her ultimate goal and cradled that beautiful symbol of his masculinity in both hands, caressing him until he groaned and pressed her back on the bed, saying, “Now it’s my turn.”

  “But I haven’t finished,” Beth protested.

  “If you don’t stop that right now, I’ll be finished and I’d really rather enjoy the ride with you than have you continue on alone.” Stopping any further protest from Beth, Gabe kissed her deeply again and explored her body with his hands, touching her in places she’d only ever dreamt of being touched, so tenderly. And then he replaced his hands with his clever mouth and did all the things he’d told her he was doing to her on their boat in the middle of the lake, and so much more.

  Swept away on a tide of emotion and physical yearning so strong, Beth surrendered as Gabe not only touched and caressed her physically in places she’d always yearned to be touched, sending her body into a frenzy of excitement and anticipation that had her gasping and begging for more. But he also touched her emotionally, branding her with something Beth couldn’t define but she was certain she’d never want to be in another man’s arms, ever.

  He gently peeled her nightgown off her, starting at her ankles and following the soft fabric’s path with kisses and tiny nips. She had to suppress a squeal of excitement as he kissed then gently bit the inside of her thigh, then swallowed the moan that filled her throat as he parted her thighs and kissed that most secret place, his tongue darting out to taste her, tease her, lap at her juices.

  He continued his erotic journey, kissing her abdomen, the underside of her breasts, then suckling each one, drawing the tension within her as tight as a violin string.

  For a moment he left her, reaching into his bedside drawer, and grunting with satisfaction when his hand closed over the packet he sought.

  She sat up a little and watched in fascination as Gabe took care of protection.

  He caught her watching him and smiled. “You’re okay with this, aren’t you?” he asked.

  Beth nodded and drew him back down to her breasts; they were missing his touch, his tongue, too much.

  Gabe complied, kissing his way back down her tummy to the juncture of her thighs and working his magic as she nearly lifted herself from the bed in her desperation to be closer to him. And just as she thought she could stand the tension building within her no more, Gabe moved and entered her in one long stroke that took her breath away and filled her like she’d never been filled before, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

  All the while as Gabe stroked slowly in and out of her, bringing her ever closer to what she had only ever dreamt of, he whispered love words to her and kissed her so tenderly, her lips, her cheeks, her eyelids, that Beth wanted to weep with the beauty of it.

  I love this man, she thought as she clasped him to her and came so hard and so long she almost missed Gabe following her over the precipice into heaven…

  Beth luxuriated in the aftermath of their lovemaking, relishing the weight and feel of Gabe’s body pressing her into the mattress, his heart pounding against her breast, his breath slowing gradually back to normal, the vulnerability of him in that precious moment.

  She expelled a cry of dismay as he shifted, thinking he was breaking the last moments of their intimate contact, but it was only to roll to his side, taking her with him. “Don’t want to squash you,” he murmured.

  “I don’t mind, really. I love it. I love every minute of it. I want to do it all over again.”

  Gabe grinned and said, “Give me a minute and I’ll see what I can manage.”

  Beth swatted his shoulder gently. “I didn’t mean right away, but the next half hour would be quite acceptable.”

  “I love a demanding woman,” he growled and nuzzled her neck sending shivers of pleasure and tiny aftershocks pulsing through her.

  “How do you feel?” he asked, his gaze intent.

  Beth drew in a deep breath and considered. How could she describe such bliss? Gabe’s lovemaking was an experience she’d only ever dreamt of before. In fact, it had far exceeded her expectations. Phone sex and lap–dancing while fully clothed were all very well and wonderful too. But nothing, absolutely nothing, could begin to describe how incredible it was to be held by a man—made love to by a man like Gabe Hunter. For one tiny moment she felt intensely jealous of Marina. She’d had the love of this beautiful man and she’d thrown it away to risk having a child. Why?

  “Are you asleep or taking the Fifth on that one?”

  “I’m sorry, I was…ah… analyzing what just happened.”

  “Now you’re going all analytical on me, how would you rate our performance?”

  “Oh, about a hundred out of ten.”

  “That all?” She could hear the smile in his voice.

  Beth shifted, forcing him to his back and moved so she could lie on top of him, place her head against his heart to hear it beating. “You know how darned good it was for me. How about you?”

  Gabe hauled her up till her eyes were level with his. “After two years of celibacy, anything would be pretty amazing.”

  “Gee, thanks.” Beth felt her old insecurities returning and started to climb off him.

  Gabe hauled her back to him. “But in this case it was right off the scale. There isn’t a word in the English language to describe how dammed incredible that was. How incredible you are.”

  Beth’s heart filled with a warmth that flowed through her veins and spread to every nerve in her body.

  “I’ll be back in a minute,” Gabe said, as he
slid out of bed and went into the bathroom.

  Unable to wipe the happy smile off her face, Beth pulled up the covers that had been discarded and snuggled under them, waiting for Gabe’s return.

  Wow! she thought. Wow, wow, wow. I wasted all those years with that selfish creep, JJ, missing out on this! Then again, if she hadn’t spent all those years with JJ, she wouldn’t have her kids and she’d have probably been married to someone else and never have met Gabe. Every cloud had a silver lining when you looked at life that way.

  “A penny for them,” Gabe murmured as he lifted the covers and climbed in beside her, wrapping his arms around her.

  Beth smiled and turned towards him. “I just had a mini–epiphany.”

  “A mini–epiphany?”

  She kissed him and said, “Stop talking and make love to me, Gabe Hunter.”

  And so he did. Several times over.

  It was fortunate that Gabe was an early riser, Beth surmised, as she lay curled and satiated beyond belief beneath the covers of Gabe’s bed. He’d planted an early morning kiss on her lips as he’d headed out the door to check on the foal and its mother.

  She wanted to stay right there and wait for his return, but the children would be awake soon and Beth didn’t want them finding her in Gabe’s bed. How would she explain that away? But it wouldn’t hurt to spend just a few more minutes pondering the wondrous events of the night before. Gabe hadn’t quite lived up to her expectations. He hadn’t managed to make love to her another half dozen times! But he’d come darned close. She smiled, remembering their teasing banter over his ‘inadequacies’ in that department. Of course, he’d made a valiant effort to redress this by waking her as dawn broke with kisses in very intimate places that had her panting and ready for action within moments. And although their lovemaking that time had been quick, it had also been intensely satisfying for Beth, as had all their previous encounters during the course of the night.

  He’d run out of condoms and been reluctant to continue, but Beth had assured him it was a safe time of the month for her. In truth, she’d never been regular—except while on the pill—and she wasn’t on the pill now. But for Gabe she pushed all thoughts of the consequences aside, so desperate was she for his lovemaking.

  At one stage she’d asked him, “What happened to your lofty proclamations about casual sex? You said you wouldn’t have sex without a relationship.”

  He’d pulled her to him and forced her to look into his eyes. “We’re in a relationship, Beth, whether you want to admit it or not,” he’d said a little harshly. “I refused to have sex with you that first weekend we met, in spite of your apparent desperation to have sex with any man who turned up on your doorstep.”

  Beth had tried to protest, but he’d put a hand over her mouth so he could finish. “I sensed you were emotionally fragile and carrying a whole heap of baggage you needed to deal with. I didn’t want you blaming me for taking advantage of you somewhere down the line. And I knew you didn’t need to be blaming yourself for anything more right then.”

  “So what made you change your mind?” Beth had had to know.

  “When I called the other night and heard the fear in your voice over JJ’s visit, it tore at my guts. I knew then I loved you and I’d do anything to protect you and your kids.”

  Did he just say he loved me? Beth wondered, too afraid to ask if she’d heard him right. She didn’t need the complication of Gabe Hunter loving her at this point in her life. Although if she was honest with herself, that’s exactly what he’d done all night long.

  Beth hugged herself. In spite of feeling a little muscle soreness, she felt rejuvenated beyond belief. Alive, almost for the first time in her life. I miss him already, she thought, and threw back the covers to go in search of her lover.

  Beth stepped out of the shower and back into Gabe’s room to find her overnight bag on the bed and a note from Gabe.

  “The kids were already helping themselves to cereal when I came in from the barn. They wanted to know where you were. I said you found the couch too hard and I’d given you my bed for the night. Hope that’s okay with you.

  P.S. You can have my bed any night you find the couch is too hard.”

  Beth smiled to herself. She could imagine the kids interrogating Gabe about where their mommy was when they didn’t find her in the study or in the barn with Gabe. She didn’t like to lie to them, but in this case figured it wasn’t really a lie because the couch in the study really was uncomfortable.

  Dressing quickly, Beth went to join her family in the kitchen where she could hear Molly squealing excitedly. One of the barn cats had cornered Applebee who—being a complete wuss—was cowering in the corner behind Molly’s tiny legs. Beth wasn’t sure if Molly was terrified of the cat too or squealing about Applebee nearly knocking her off her feet.

  “Scat!” Gabe said to the cat and motioned the spatula in the air in the animal’s general direction. It took fright and raced outside, followed by Applebee, suddenly emboldened as he believed Gabe was on his side in this particular battle for territory.

  “Good morning,” Gabe greeted her and bent to place a chaste kiss on her cheek. Beth could see her boys exchanging glances at this unfamiliar gesture. Well, they’ll just have to get used to it, she thought, because there’s no way I’m ever letting go of Gabe Hunter!

  “The kids have ordered a full cooked breakfast. You’re not too late to place an order.”

  “I thought they’d already had cereal.”

  “Yeah, but ranchin’ makes a man hungry, Mom!” Jack informed her.

  Beth smiled and hugged him. “It’s all that fresh air, honey.” She accepted a mug of coffee from Gabe. Their hands touched and Beth felt her nipples go hard. Not a good thing getting turned on in front of the children, she admonished herself. “Eggs sunny–side–up and some crispy bacon,” she said to Gabe. “Oh, and toast too, please. For some strange reason, I’m absolutely famished this morning.”

  Gabe grinned at her over the kids’ heads. “I guess ranching makes a woman hungry too?” he said and gave her a conspiratorial wink.

  They were going to have to stop this flirting right now, otherwise Jack would get wise to them. “Jack, honey, how about you take me down to see the foal while Gabe finishes cooking breakfast?” she said. At the door she paused and looked back at Gabe. The rest of her children were setting the breakfast table and so didn’t see her wink back at Gabe and give him a come–hither look. Gabe’s face broke into the biggest smile and he shook the spatula at her. “You’ll keep,” he promised.

  Beth breathed in the mountain air. In spite of this being a ranch, it didn’t smell of animal manure, which was a good thing Beth surmised considering the cleansing breath she’d just taken.

  She and Jack leaned on the stall door and looked inside. The foal truly was gorgeous. And after seeing his proud and beautiful mother, Beth decided she didn’t mind being compared to her at all.

  “Do you love Gabe?” Jack asked, catching Beth totally unawares.

  “Ah, why do you ask, sweetie?”

  “‘cos he keeps looking at you funny and your face goes all red and shiny when he does.”

  “Gee, a red and shiny face, how romantic,” Beth said. “No wonder Gabe looks at me funny.”

  “You know what I mean. So are you in love?”

  “That’s an interesting question. I like him very much,” Beth hedged. “How do you feel about him?”

  “I’m not in love with him,” he pointed out, “But I like him a lot.”

  Beth had always believed in being straight up with her kids, but this was something she preferred to keep private right now. It was all too new. What it boiled down to was the uncomfortable suspicion that she, Beth Harman, didn’t deserve to be loved by a man like Gabe Hunter.

  Beth was darned sure the rest of her brood were waiting back at the house for her answer via Jack. They were good at ganging up on her like that. It would usually start with either Mikey or Ben wanting something and then the
y’d get Molly on side and then they’d send Jack in to do their dirty work. But this time, they weren’t going to have the satisfaction of an answer.

  Beth put her arm around Jack’s shoulder and steered him back towards the house. “You can tell your brothers and sister that your mother has a right to some secrets…” she held up a hand as Jack started to protest, “…Just as you have secrets from me and your siblings, I’m sure.” She raised her eyebrows willing him to deny that he had secrets.

  “Aw, Mom!”

  Beth smiled. She’d won that little battle of wills, for the moment. Score: Mom 1, Kids nil.

  Gabe was serving up as they arrived back in the kitchen. “Wash up guys, chow’s on,” he said to the pair of them.

  The day was again spent horse–riding, at the children’s request. Beth asked for a shorter ride in deference to her sore bottom from riding the day before. The boys, including Gabe, seemed to think that was vastly amusing. They returned to the ranch shortly before lunch and after sandwiches the boys headed out with Gabe to do guy things together somewhere on the ranch.

  After settling Molly for her nap, Beth took the opportunity to pack their belongings in preparation for the trip home that evening. She was overwhelmed with a sense of desolation at the thought of having to leave. She and her children had been made so welcome here and had such an amazing time. How wonderful would it be, to stay here to live with Gabe?

  “Yeah, right!” she admonished herself out loud, then caught herself. Gabe wouldn’t want her and the kids underfoot all the time, what a silly fantasy. But all the while, she couldn’t help thinking how awesome it would be to live here, to wake up in Gabe’s bed every day after a night of truly memorable lovemaking.

  Her thoughts returned to Marina Hunter and whatever had possessed her to risk the love of a man like Gabe in order to have a baby. Granted, the urge to have children was a powerful driving force of life, but if she had been in the same boat, at risk of death if she’d continued with a pregnancy, Beth wasn’t sure she’d have taken the chance like Marina had. The cost had been too great.