Well Bred

by Avery Gale

  His hand slid up the curve of her waist until his fingers barely traced along the outer edge of her breast before tunneling under her hair. Lifting the strands, he separated them so the water could reach the underside as well. The touch wasn’t overtly sexual, but it was definitely seductive.

  “You shouldn’t be in here, Kip. I meant every word I said. My heart can’t take another round of your hot and cold treatment.” Caila was pleased with the conviction she’d been able to infuse in her voice, even if she knew it wasn’t as convincing as it should have been.

  “How long do you think you can run from what your heart desires, Cal?” He used her hair to tilt her head back, letting his words waft over her ear. “It’s futile and exhausting.” She didn’t doubt it was going to drain her, but what else could she do? He was a magnet to her steel, and her only hope of avoiding the powerful pull was to keep her distance.

  “I’m not a toy, Kip. You can’t play with me and toss me aside. It’s not fair, and you don’t seem to care about the damage you’re doing. Please find the compassion to let me go.” The last words were choked around a sob. She was desperate to put distance between them because her body was already sliding rapidly into a vortex of arousal she knew would easily suck her in.

  Kip bent down, nipped at the tender flesh where her shoulder curved up to her neck, and spoke softly, “Your heart will be safe with me, baby. I promise. I haven’t given you any reason to believe that—but I will. You’ll see.” When he stepped back, Caila felt a chill move over her despite the warmth of the water and the air surrounding her. She couldn’t help the shiver that moved up her spine as a wave of loneliness nearly sent her to her knees.

  “Don’t be long or I’ll return, and I won’t leave so easily next time. I’m going to give you a few minutes, baby, but then we are going to talk.” He trailed the backs of his fingers along the underside of her jaw and kissed the tip of her nose. “Your heart is safe with me. I swear it.”

  In the time it took her to blink, he was gone. She saw him pull a towel around his waist as he stepped from the room. Only then did she realize he’d been naked. When had he stripped? And how the hell had she not noticed? Holy Mother of God, the man’s body is a work of art. How did I miss the fact he was naked? No. Bad Caila, ignore the hot and naked cowboy. Focus. The conflicting emotions were layered on top of the lingering sense of fatigue. A month of not sleeping well had taken a toll. Adding hunger to the mix meant she was floundering for answers. Sliding to the floor of the shower, Caila leaned her head back, letting the water mix with her tears. Sending up a silent prayer for strength, she reluctantly got to her feet and quickly finished her shower. Caila was determined she wasn’t going to give Kip a reason to come looking for her, but then she saw what he’d left for her to wear. Son of a bitch.

  Feeling the way Caila’s body had responded to his touch before her mind took over gave him hope she might forgive him for what he planned to do. If he’d been asked a month ago if he’d be willing to force her hand, Kip would have laughed. Her walking away from him had been the wake-up call he’d needed. It hadn’t been the same when she’d left for college, because he’d always known she was only a couple of hours away—that she was coming back. Hearing she wanted to leave Pine Creek for good had shocked him, and he’d already been planning to bring her home before things with her father prompted Brandt’s call.

  He’d no sooner closed the door after the food was delivered than Kip heard the bathroom door snick open. Turning toward the small suite’s large en suite bath, Kip felt like the air was being sucked from the room. Caila stood in the open door—the bright light behind her illuminated her bare form under the white dress shirt he’d given her to wear. He made a mental note to thank his mom for insisting each of her sons keep a small bag of clothes in their trucks.

  Purposely ignoring the luggage in her small SUV, he’d preferred the prospect of her wearing his shirt. When she stepped into the room, Kip stared at the blonde waves cascading over her shoulders, the ends of those long strands curling around her peaked nipples. The sight made his cock swell even more. Christ, if any more blood left his brain, staying conscious was going to become little more than a pipe dream.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Kip.”

  “Like what? Like I want to memorize this moment so I can tell our grandchildren about it? Like there isn’t an inch of you I don’t want to devour? Like you are the embodiment of every man’s wet dreams come to life?” Her cheeks had been flushed from her shower, but they went crimson at his words. Giving himself a mental shake, he waved his hand over the tray he’d set on the small table. “Come here. I want you to eat something before we talk.”

  She stepped forward, but shook her head. “I’m not really hungry.” Her stomach growled, making a liar out of her, and he raised a brow in question. “Okay, I should probably eat, but I don’t think I can. I’m too nervous. Please tell me what’s wrong with Pops. I’m worried sick about him. Brandt wouldn’t tell me anything, and my imagination is going crazy.”

  “Let’s compromise. You eat, and I’ll tell you what I know about your dad.” He took her hand in his and pulled her closer. When she finally nodded, he backed her to one end of the small sofa while he sat at the other end. “Nothing here will be too heavy on your stomach, baby. Please eat. I don’t want you getting lightheaded later.” And you’re going to need your strength to get through everything I’ve got to tell you.

  He poured ginger ale slowly over the ice in a tall glass and set it in front of her. It was her favorite beverage, and Kip knew his mom had always kept in in the pantry for her. “Thank you for remembering.” He watched as she drained most of the drink before setting the glass down. When he arched a brow, she shrugged. “Guess I was thirstier than I realized.”

  “I think you’ll find you are also hungry if you’ll just try. There is no reason to insult Master Taz’s efforts—he made this for you himself, baby.” He slid a small plate of finger sandwiches closer to her and waited patiently while she ate several bites.

  “Brandt said something about my dad losing his truck. Was it stolen?” She took another bite and stared at him expectantly.

  “No. The truck was where he’d left it, but he’d forgotten where he’d parked.” He shook his head then amended what he’d said. “Well, it’s more that he forgot what his truck looked like. He was searching for the blue truck he had when we were kids.” The small bite she’d picked up stopped in mid-air before she returned it slowly to the plate in front of her.

  “He didn’t remember what his truck looked like? How is that possible? I know he has been forgetful lately, but I thought it was just because he was distracted. After all, he isn’t getting any younger. He’s lost several clients lately, and he was feeling bad about that. And he’d been excited about me moving home…and then, well, I decided it wasn’t going to work out.”

  She’d started wringing her hands together in her lap, and he placed his larger hand over hers to still the nervous movement. “This isn’t your fault, Caila, so push that out of your head right now. The incident with his truck isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Brandt was going to talk to you when you first returned home, but with everything that happened, he didn’t have a chance before you left.”

  “Pops was probably just having a bad day; he gets really distracted sometimes.” He could hear the hope in her voice, but he also saw gut-wrenching fear in her eyes. She’d obviously already had concerns, but he was convinced she wouldn’t have been able to ignore the signs much longer. It was breaking his heart to be the one to tell her about the situation with her dad. Once he’d finally realized she was his, he’d known it was his responsibility. She was his responsibility, even if she didn’t believe it yet; Caila was his to love, cherish, and protect. Watching over he while she’d slept, everything had crystalized for him.

  He’d panicked when he’d learned she had been sleeping in a cold car. His heart had clenched when he’d seen the For Sale sign at
the end of their drive because he’d known how much losing the ranch would hurt her. And then there’d been bone melting relief when he’d finally seen for himself she was alright. It was in that moment he’d realized he loved her. Now it was up to him to convince her she could trust him, so they could explore where this would lead them.

  “Cal, this is more than distraction. Brandt had to give him a ride home last week from the cafe downtown because he couldn’t remember where he lived. The waitresses told us they’d kept him at the diner a couple of times because he seemed disoriented. Now if he seems confused, they call Brandt.” He’d wait to explain the network they’d put together to make sure her beloved Pops stayed safe until she could get back home. The elderly vet needed medical attention, but so far, the cantankerous old fart had refused everyone’s suggestions.

  She bolted out of her seat before he could stop her. Pacing the length of the room like a caged animal, she didn’t say anything for several minutes. Kip watched as she tried to reconcile the information he’d given her with her memories of the strong man she’d adored her entire life.

  When Caila started whispering admonishments to herself for not being a better daughter and for not speaking up when she first noticed changes in her dad’s behavior, Kip stepped in front of her. Clasping his hands on her upper arms, he stopped her and waited until she lifted her face to his. The jolt of electricity that raced through him when he looked into her watery gaze almost stole his breath. Caila had always been able to see clear to his soul. It was probably one of the reasons he’d avoided her for so long. Her gaze could strip him bare, exposing every vulnerable inch of his soul. He hoped like hell she was looking closely now, because he wasn’t ever going to hide from her again.

  “There’s more, isn’t there? I can see it in your eyes. There’s something else you haven’t told me. Just tell me, Kip. I can’t stand not knowing. Whatever it is, I’ll find a way to fix it.”

  Damn, baby, if it was only that simple.

  Chapter Six

  Sage glanced up from his laptop when the door to his office opened. There was only one person who would open the heavy oak door without knocking. The expression on his dad’s face when he stepped through the door, closing it behind him, told Sage this wasn’t a social call. Leaning back, Sage waited as the man he respected above all others walked purposely toward him. “I want an update on Ben Cooper.” In typical Dean Morgan fashion, he’d cut straight to the chase.

  “I don’t have any news about his health. As I’m certain you’re aware, he’s as stubborn as they come.” It was an understatement and certainly one his dad would recognize. “Several people—myself included—have tried to talk him into seeking medical treatment. Hell, I even sicced my secret weapon on him, and she didn’t have any luck, either.” Everybody knew Doc Cooper had a soft spot in his heart for Coral, but even she hadn’t been able to talk him into going to the doctor.

  His dad chuckled. “If the daughter of my heart didn’t get anywhere with Ben, there’s no hope for the rest of us.” Shaking his head, he leaned back, a wistful look on his face. “That doll could sell snow cones to penguins all day long.” Sage smiled at his dad. The man loved all of his daughters, but Coral held a special place in his heart.

  She’d been the first in so many ways. The first woman to marry into the family, the first to make his parents grandparents, but most importantly, she’d been the first to call him dad. Sage could still remember seeing the tears shining his father’s eyes, the love reflected in them so humble Sage’s own eyes had burned with emotion. Every single day, he woke up thinking he couldn’t love her any more—and each night, he went to bed amazed by the realization he’d been wrong.

  Shaking his head, Sage met his dad’s gaze and sighed, “How did Ben get in so much financial trouble while none of us had any clue?”

  “Obviously, he didn’t want anyone to know or he wouldn’t have gone to Denver for the money. Hell, anybody with any connections at all has heard about that bank’s reputation. They’ve sold out more folks in the last year than most banks did during the entire ag recession in the eighties and nineties.” Sage’s parents had never farmed beyond growing what they needed to feed cattle. But they’d had too many friends financially decimated during the farm crisis to discount the impact those years had on the agriculture industry.

  “I made a few calls. They are a bunch of ruthless sons of a bitches. And if they’ve got someone in their inner circle who wants it, we won’t have a prayer of helping Caila.” His dad’s expression mirrored Sage’s own concern.

  Sage gave his dad a feral smile. “I believe they had someone in mind before they got a more appealing offer this morning.” He slid a small stack of papers across the slick wooden surface of his desk to his dad and tried to block out the mental picture of his luscious wife spread naked over the same surface a few hours earlier. While his dad reviewed the documents, Sage let his mind wander back to Coral’s surprise pre-dawn visit to his office. She’d tapped softly on the door and waited for him to answer before she’d stepped inside. His beautiful wife’s gaze swept over him before she grinned and flipped the lock on the door.

  Coral wore nothing but a pale peach robe made of fabric so sheer he could see the rapid rise and fall of her full breasts and a jeweled thong that did nothing to hide her bare mound. Her soft pink nipples were peaked and poking at the delicate fabric as if seeking his attention, and he’d been more than happy to oblige. He’d spread her out over his desk and looked his fill before removing her lacy thong with his teeth. By the time he’d licked and nibbled his way back up her slender legs, her pussy was as wet as a ripe peach. Damn, he loved the way she responded to his touch.

  Shifting in his chair to relieve some of the pressure on his erection, Sage saw his dad grinning at him. “Thinking about your lovely wife?” When he didn’t answer, his dad laughed. “Don’t look so surprised, son. I often find myself remembering late night rendezvous with your mother.”

  TMI, Dad. Damn.

  Deciding the only safe thing to say was nothing, Sage simply shook his head and chuckled. His dad shrugged his shoulders, the light of orneriness easy to see in his eyes. “We did have five children, and not a one of you was conceived in a damned lab. Just remember, you’ve got to steal those special moments. Don’t ever pass up a chance to show your wife how much she means to you.” Sage nodded his head in agreement, even though he couldn’t help wondering what the hell had prompted his dad to veer so off track.

  Pushing the papers back, the Morgan patriarch inclined his head in acknowledgement. Sage had worked hard to secure the Cooper’s land, and it hadn’t been a fucking walk in the park, either. He’d spent most of the past twenty-four hours finalizing all the details of the straw-man purchase.

  “Who’s bringing Caila home?”

  Damn, he’d hoped his dad wasn’t aware she’d taken off. Sage felt himself flinch before he answered, “Kip.”

  His dad cursed under his breath and ran an age-wrinkled hand through his snow-white hair. “Christ, if he hurts her, I’m not going to keep his mama from kicking his ass. Hell, I might sell tickets to the damned show. You know how she is about Caila.”

  Oh yeah, he knew, and so did Kip, because all four of his older brothers had explained in vivid detail what they were going to do if he fucked this up.

  “This may be hard to believe, but I think he’s finally seeing the light where she is concerned. We’ve all known they belonged together for years. Hell, Calamity knew it when she was just a kid. But I think we also underestimated how much Kip hates being pushed.”

  This time his dad laughed out loud. “Don’t suppose that has anything to do with his brothers pushing him around so much as a kid, do you? There are times I think back and worry we didn’t do all we could have to protect him from you four yahoos. But he always seemed like he was handling things on his own—and quite frankly, we’d gotten pretty lax by then.”

  He’d never heard either of his parent second guess their parenting
, and he was surprised to learn his dad worried Kip had been shortchanged. “Don’t worry about Kip. He may have been a little slower to mature than the rest of us, but I suspect that has more to do with him being so damned hard-headed.”

  Nodding and appearing to give Sage’s words careful consideration, his dad finally seemed to have come to some sort of conclusion as he stood to leave. “Could have been all the times you guys dropped him on his head, too.” With that, his dad gave him a smile lit with pure amusement and headed to the door.

  Sage walked him out, promising to keep him posted. His parents had cut their vacation in the Caribbean short when they’d heard about Doc’s medical issues. Sage suspected they were more worried about Caila than they were about her dad, but he kept that thought to himself.

  Likely they’d spend a couple of days playing with their granddaughters, check on Caila, then fly back south. They were enjoying retirement and loved visiting, but he’d noticed they didn’t stay long when the weather was cold. Hell, he couldn’t blame them. His dad paused at the door and gave Sage a knowing smile. “Take care of Coral, son. She’s a treasure. And from now on, I’ll try to remember to knock.” Sage shook his head as he closed the door after his dad stepped out. He was completely bewildered by his father’s unusual behavior. Christ, the man hadn’t talked to him about anything remotely sexual in nature since he’d been in high school.

  Turning back into the room, Sage took several steps back to his desk and froze. Holy fucking hell. Lying on the floor directly in front of where his dad had been sitting was a tiny scrap of lace, the pretty jewels sparkling in the sunlight streaming in from the window—Coral’s thong. Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, no wonder his dad kept grinning like the damned Cheshire Cat. Laughing to himself, he scooped it up and pressed it to his nose, inhaling the sweet scent of Coral’s arousal. His cock was instantly hard enough to pound nails, and he wanted nothing more than to sink into his lovely wife again. Shifting to relieve the pressure of his zipper pressing into his flesh, Sage muttered a curse as he sat down. Fuck, I’m too old for this shit.