by Gayle Eden
She leaned against the door, watching him pull on his boots, a hot flush spreading inside of her. “I don’t know that I’d make you a good wife.”
He finished and stood, coming close to tilt her chin up. “You would. I know. And I know you better than anyone does, brat.” His thumb brushed her passion-bruised mouth. “I don’t want to tame you, change you.” He lowered that hand and squeezed her backside, pulling her into him as he did so. “Far from it.”
After a long, scorching, kiss, that stole her breath and scattered her thoughts, they parted.
Corey was in a muse when Rose returned, her sister evidently filled with plans for her dream wedding, pouring over catalogues and having her head in the clouds.
Corey was with Noah several times that week. He came upon the dark porch, slipped his hand under her robe, kissing her, and gave her an exquisite orgasm before bed one night. She pleasured him, in the deep grasses, by the creek one afternoon. They playfully argued, sexually teased, and got each other hot and bothered. Corey liked the way he kissed, touched, and pleasured her. She liked his grin, his laugh, the way he held her and the way he looked into her eyes when he came.
Two years ago, she would never have guessed he was that kind of man.
One day after a romp in the creek, his hair dripping wet and sculpted body shimmering with droplets from the water, he just stood there, raw and nude in an evening sun, his aqua eyes looking at where she lay on a blanket dressed only in his unbuttoned shirt. Corey thought he looked like the ultimate fantasy. Thing was, everything he did to her was so perfectly real, that she got the benefit of both.
When she held out her hand, he came and laid his larger, wet body, between her silken thighs. Even the caress of his wet hair as he kissed and laved her neck made her shiver. The shirt soaked too now, his body heat seeping through it. He teased her until he had to call a halt. The both of them lying on their backs, trying to calm their hearts, Noah’s eyes appeared dazed when she looked at him with a hunger beyond words.
She was so dazed herself most of the time, stealing every moment to kiss him and touch him. She didn’t realize most everyone caught on.
On Friday, her Uncle came upon them out back of the barn.
Corey had playfully pushed Noah back on a wagon bed of hay and was crouched over him, biting his ear, and whispering naughty things.
At Ryder’s cleared throat, she sat up, brushing her curls back from her flushed face. “Hello, Uncle.”
His brow rose and he looked from her to where Noah sat up. The foreman’s hands, obviously possessive and familiar, as they settled on her waist. Not moving her from his lap.
“I’m trying to convince her to marry me,” Noah intoned grinning.
“Is that right.” Ryder eyed his niece. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I do.” She met his gaze.
He shook his head and turned to leave.
Corey called out softly, “You and Jordan seem mighty friendly.”
He stopped but didn’t turn around. After a few moments he murmured, “Mind your own business.”
She laughed and looked at Noah. “He’s sleeping with her.”
“I know.” Noah smoothed her hair back. “I’d like to be sleeping with you.”
She scooted off him holding out her hand for him to take it. He did, getting himself off the wagon. “I want you too much to know if I love you.”
“You do. You will.”
“And—you arrogant ass. I don’t know if you’re just suffering the same affliction.”
He jerked her round to face him. “You’re blind as hell, brat. I’ve been in love with you for nigh on forever.”
Her lips parted and she blinked.
He sighed and shook his head. “Why else would I be jealous?”
“I—”
Noah kissed her and swatted her backside. “Go. Before we start talking all romantic. I know it gives you hives.”
Corey put her hands on her hips, glaring up at him. “You don’t think I’m romantic?”
“Hell, no. You’re passionate though. And so am I.” He grinned and winked. “Go on and visit your mother. I’ve got work to finish.”
She left and did spend an hour with her mother.
“You’re seeing Noah?” Sara observed after an hour of nonsense.
Wincing, Corey admitted, “Yes.”
“I’m not surprised. He used to watch you all the time. And I had a feeling he was waiting on you to grow up.”
“I didn’t. I thought he was a pain in my ass.”
Sara laughed at that and hugged her. “I put him in a difficult position. Having him watch out for you.” They walked to the back porch. “So tell me. Do you love him?”
“I want him. He makes me burn. Makes me laugh. Drives me daft. He is arrogant, and gives me chills just looking at him. I don’t know.”
Eyeing her flushed face Sara said, “You will.”
By mid-summer—a busy one with ranch work, and one where her mother left, she and Finn returning home until Rose’s late fall wedding, Corey was turned inside and out by Noah Lam. He gave her attention. He teased her when they worked. He treated her like a lover and unashamedly expressed his love and desire for her when they were alone. He drove her daft.
It was after he left on a selling trip—gone a whole month—that she realized her own feelings. Not only did she miss their daily working rapport. She missed his humor. His kisses. She missed him—dammit.
Corey was so lost without him, so miserable most days that she couldn’t even find her usual balance. She thought of him in towns, with brothels, seeing pretty women on trains, maybe finding someone else. She saw him on the range, riding. Heard his deep voice in her head. She dreamed of his touching her and woke up aching.
The moment he rode onto the ranch it all left her. Like shedding some prickly coat. Everything just lightened inside her. She made herself sit on the porch, and since Rose was in town with her uncle, she waited to see if Noah would come and see her.
She saw him exit the barn before proceeding to the bunkhouse. He emerged having bathed then talked to hands for an hour. She was ready to go inside the house and start dinner by the time he turned and headed her way.
She liked his blue shirt, his faded denims. That handsome face. Those aqua blue eyes. He stepped up on the porch and reached into his breast pocket, handing her a ring.
Corey stared at the ruby and diamonds before she peeked up at him.
“I love you.” He reached for her hand and slid it on. Then he lifted her out of the chair and kissed her senseless.
Clinging to him afterwards, she breathed words against his wonderful smelling neck, “I love you, too.”
He squeezed her lightly and put his mouth to her ear, saying deeply, “All I thought of was you. I need you. I want you.”
“Same here.” She sighed and shuddered. “We’d best get married, because I want you in my bed. In me.”
“We could ride in—”
“Saddle the horses. I’ll get my hat.”
Laughing huskily, he kissed her again. In an hour, they were riding to find the preacher in PineFlatts.
Corey hung a sign on her bedroom door: Go stay with Falon tonight. Noah and I got married today.
Of course, Rose heard about it. The whole town did. Her uncle headed for Jordan’s after nightfall. Rose went to stay at the McCabe house.
Noah was a perfect lover. He brought Corey to orgasm and took her body with sweet passion that kissed away the pain of breaching. He soaked with her in the tub later, touched her, and stroked her until she was breathless, and begging.
At that point, Corey glanced up at him in the haze of twilight, her body hungry, and heart full as those aqua eyes burned into hers. When he entered her slick heat, her nails scored his back, unleashing his desire so that he rode her with flexing muscle and dark breaths, with fire and hunger and passion—and took her out of her body.
The bed rocked. The room heated with sultry breaths and thi
ck-husked words. He slowed and touched her, sending her to the heights of climax and riding her again. His deep voice rumbled in her ear, telling her everything she needed to hear. His own desire for her bluntly spoken too. Now his seed soothed inside her, Corey closed her eyes and felt the power of him shuddering her own body.
Sprawled over his chest, sometime deep in the night, she lifted her lashes, feeling his palm soothing her spine and backside. He touched her in sleep, pet and soothed her, loved her, as she could not have dreamed.
Waking again with him at dawn, she lay abed while he bathed and dressed. She bathed and afterwards joined him for coffee in the kitchens.
“Breakfast?”
“I’ll eat in the bunkhouse.” He arose and gathered her against his clean smelling shirt. “I’ll see you on the range—or are you too sore.”
She laughed and leaned back to regard him. “After that last um…ride, I think I need a day of rest.”
He winked sexily, grinned like a rogue and breathed teasingly hot while he murmured in her ear. “I’ll make you feel better tonight.”
Corey watched him leave, leaning against the kitchen door. He would. The man loved her very well, indeed. She watched his denim hugged ass, those long legs that she knew flexed with muscle. He looked like a hard and seasoned cowboy. He was all-male, all man. Outside what they had, he personified it. But, when he touched her, kissed her, made love—good lord almighty—he was a purely sexual creature, all taste, touch, smell, all senses and sensual. He made her feel wonderful. The way he looked at her, so open about his hungers, so tender at times, showing how loving her undid him too. Corey had to shake her head. To think, she could have missed it all. She did for many years.
Before turning into the barn he paused and looked down as if knowing she’d still be there watching him.
Corey felt everything in her flush. Her heart swelled. There was a man who would love her until life ended. Despite their chemistry being over the top and consuming, there were small things, things past, things present, that assured her he would tend her in sickness, hold her in crisis, bolster her when her own heart felt fear.
She raised her hand and he reached up, touching his hat brim slightly before going in the barn. She turned closing the door, leaning back against it with a long sigh. Corey was not sure why fate opened her eyes, but she was thankful. In Noah, she had a true-life partner, a lover too. He made her laugh. He made her angry. However, he made her feel alive, beautiful, and strong too.
* * * *
Jordan eyed Ryder through her lashes, over the breakfast table. She had not expected him last night, but given the news about Corey and Noah, she supposed her place made sense.
They had not made love. She was having her menses. Nevertheless, he had held her. That shocked her. Shook her. It was an intimate thing. Not sexual. But needing or wanting to be close to someone. He could have slept in a guestroom, on a sofa—but he had chosen to hold her. Half afraid to breathe, she’d felt him touch her hair. Could tell he was breathing in her scent. Moreover, as he had done all these things, she realized—she was in love with him. She supposed she had been for some time.
She and Rose had talked and she’d confided the affair to Rose.
Rose had said, “Mamma asked Ryder if he wanted half of the ranch. Since I’ll be living with Morgan when we wed. He told her no. To give it to Noah and Corey. Mamma’s no fool. She knew that Noah loved Corey a long time.”
It made Jordan fear that Ryder intended to ride off someday. To just leave. She had been discreet because of running the academy, and the townsfolk’s knowing about her real birth. However, she’d hid the affair mostly because Ryder—other than making love to her—exquisite love—didn’t seem to want anything open.
Her heart was aching in a way it never had before. She finally understood about pride. Pride could make you miss your chance at happiness. It would hurt to be rejected. Actually, hurt was a mild word. Nevertheless, this man took her apart in the dark… this man held her like a man who needed to hold her.
He stood up to help clear dishes, and she blurt softly, “I love you.”
Freezing by the sink, Ryder stood there with his back to her for what seemed like a gut twisting forever.
Setting her cup down, she whispered, “Don’t leave me. Us. I love you.”
He turned and looked at her.
The cinnamon hair down and sun sprayed from the window. Her summer sleep ware, a silk gown with ribbon straps, lime green, and glowing on her creamy skin—matching her leaf green eyes.
“What do you want from me?” he rasped, those sherry eyes searching her face intensely.
She turned in the chair. “I just—want you. Forever.” Jordan stood and went to reach up and cup his face. “I know how you make love to me, Ryder. I feel it, even if you try to hide it. I try to give it back. I need you. I want you—forever.”
His hands covered hers and brought them down, but he didn’t release them. “You’re crazy. You shouldn’t love me. I knew you’d be trouble.”
She laughed watery.
He smiled.
She relished that. “You’re smiling…Oh, God. You do that, just smile, and it tears me up in some beautiful way.”
He smiled wider and then bit his lower lip almost self-consciously. Finally, he drew her to him, hard and crushing. He husked against her hair, “I want you—forever, too.”
She cried.
Jordan held him tightly and wept. When his shirt was damp and she pulled back, she glanced up at him. “We’ll have to marry.”
He used his thumbs to wipe her cheeks. “You want a big wedding?”
“No. I want a small one, with just our family.”
He nodded. Swallowed, and nodded again.
“And wear that sexy suit that I wanted to rip off you at Falon’s wedding.”
He laughed low remembering she nearly did in the shadows, remembering what he had done to her up against the garden wall. “I’ll write Sara.”
“I’ll write Finn.”
He drew her to him again. “I’m not sure, Jordan, that I remember the words a man should say—”
She shook her head. “I don’t need words. I know, because of the way you hold me.”
A shudder took him. His voice was gruff, almost too quiet, “I love you.”
She squeezed him tightly. “Oh—God. That’s perfect. Absolutely perfect.”
Breath hissing through his teeth, he used a handhold of her mussed hair to lean her head back a moment. Making her look into his eyes, he searched hers. Whatever he saw brought a growl to his throat before he was kissing her breathless. So breathless they ended up in the kitchen floor, with Jordan lying on top of him, mussing his hair too.
He husked panting, “You should have picked a better day of the month for this.”
Her smile was wicked and after biting his lower lip, she started down his body.
The last thing he groaned, was her name.
* * * *
Morgan and Rose’s wedding—was—like a fairy tale. Held at the Landry ranch, it was an autumn, storybook scene, and the bride in white silk standing with her husband on the porch, a picture to remember.
Noah stood behind Corey, his palm over her stomach as they had yet to announce their coming child. Alex and his new wife, the ex-Miss Porter were there, and Ryder gave Rose away, his own wedding to Jordan to take place the following week.
Morgan, in formal tails and ruffled shirt, appeared perfect for his bride, his love for her evident to all by now. Even more so when he swept her into his arms for a kiss.
Afterwards, during the eating and toasting, Sara had her chair next to Finn’s, her head on his shoulder, watching her family and his.
“I never dreamed things would end this way.” She sighed happily.
Arm around her shoulders he squeezed. “Not an ending. A beginning. Thank God, we got that.” His mouth brushed her temple. “In a few years, this table will be filled with our grandchildren. I never thought I would see them. B
ut I dreamed it…. Hoped for it.”
She sat up and took his hand, looking into his green eyes. “We’ll be setting another place at our home, too.”
His lips parted—then he grabbed her up and stood whirling her around.
Everyone laughed, watching them, seeing Sara throw back her head and laugh too. Finally, Sara called back to the table, “We’re having a baby.”
Clapping, Corey glanced up at a grinning Noah. “Should we?”
Noah looked from her to the others. “So are we.”
Falon left from hugging her mother and raised her brow at Lucas.
“Us too.” Lucas grinned.
The bride, sitting on the groom’s lap at the head of the table raised her glass. Morgan whispered in her ear, “I’m ready to go home, and try for one of our own.”
She leaned and kissed him. “Next year. For a while, I want you all to myself.”
“Yes.” He stood and took her hand. “We’ll spend some time… practicing.”
Laughing, Rose let herself be swept into the buggy and away. Streamers, cans, shoes, all manner of items clanked along behind, being tied on to the bumper. They were obliviously kissing—starting their own—happily ever after.
THE END