Nash was transfixed.
“Care to join me, cowboy?”
“Yes.” But when he’d dressed for dinner, he’d decided against tucking condoms in his jeans pocket. He didn’t want to take a chance that he might shove his hands in his pockets during the evening and accidentally dislodge one. “But first I have to get—”
“This?” She held up a small foil package.
“Where did that come from?”
“I hid one under the pillow so it would be handy.”
He started laughing as he pulled off his boots and shucked his clothes. “And you were worried about rose petals. What if my mother had decided to check to see if I bought goose down or polyester?”
“She’d do that?”
“Maybe. She loves goose-down pillows and might have wondered if I’d splurged on some.”
“Then I guess your mother would have discovered that we practice safe sex.”
“And she’d be proud.” He tossed the last of his clothes to the floor and walked into the patch of moonlight that contained all he wanted in the world. “But I’m going to stop talking about her now, if it’s all right with you.” He slid into bed beside her.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“I don’t want to talk at all.” He ran his hand over her satiny skin.
“Do you want me to talk?”
“No.” He cupped her breast as his lips hovered over hers. “I want you to moan.”
And so she did. Often and deeply. He made love to her with an intensity far greater than it had been before, because now he could see the end. Tomorrow the Chance brigade would arrive on their doorstep, and after that, no doubt a news team would show up ready to rake some muck. He and Bethany might have more intimate moments like this, but he wouldn’t bet on it.
He kissed every square inch of her he could reach, and then he had her turn over so he could cover that territory, too. He coaxed her to come with his fingers and with his mouth. Finally, when he couldn’t stand the ache in his groin any longer, he eased her onto her back. Putting on a condom, he sank into her hot, wet center.
“At last!” She clutched his hips and pulled him in tighter. “This is what I want, Nash. This!”
Braced on his forearms and cradling her head in his hands, he looked into her moonlit eyes. “It’s what I want, too,” he murmured as he began to move. Being close, holding her, loving her, was all he could ever want.
Because he couldn’t tell her so, he said nothing more, but he held her gaze and talked to her with his body. The easy strokes were a promise never to forget what they’d shared. The deeper, more powerful thrusts spoke of his passion. And at last he pounded into her until they both came in a fiery explosion of need. His ultimate surrender as he convulsed within her...was a declaration of love.
But at the end, he was afraid she’d see too much in his expression. He pressed his face into the hollow of her shoulder as the shudders wracked his body. He needed her so much. So very much.
She held him as if she’d never let him go. “I don’t want you to leave.” Her voice was hoarse. “I know it’s late, but I can’t bear the thought of you getting out of this bed.”
He lifted his head and pillowed his cheek on her breast. “I’m not leaving.” He dragged in air. “I told Jack I was staying.”
“Oh, good.” She hugged him tighter. “So we have all night.”
“Mmm-hmm.” He lifted his head and looked into her eyes again. “Think you can handle that?”
“Slide your hand under the pillow and you’ll see that I can.”
He followed her directions and touched another foil packet, and another, and another. “Good God, woman, how many did you stash under here?”
“A few.”
“You must think I’m some kind of stallion.” And that was great for the ego.
“Aren’t you?”
“Yeah, honey cakes.” Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her. “Yeah, I am.”
* * *
THEY TESTED THAT KING bed thoroughly throughout the night. They slept a little and made love a lot. Bethany worried that she might be tired the next morning, but either the bed was magic or Nash was, because she woke up refreshed and excited to start the day. So did he, and they made the discovery they were both morning people.
Working together, they stripped the bed and dismantled it. When they both admitted the new sheets had felt a little stiff, Bethany threw them in the washing machine while they reassembled the bed in the master bedroom. They worked quickly because the sun was coming up and that meant the Last Chance crew could arrive any minute. Bethany cooked breakfast while Nash made the recliner disappear.
She didn’t ask him where he’d taken it and he didn’t volunteer the information. His sentimentality about that chair now rivaled hers, and it made her heart ache. No two ways about it, he was going to be devastated when she left.
But she didn’t have much time to fret about that, because right after they’d finished eating their scrambled eggs and had gulped down some coffee, the renovation crew arrived. The trucks came packed with people and supplies. Under Jack’s direction, lengths of two-by-fours were unloaded from the backs of pickups and sawhorses were quickly set up by the barn.
In no time the air was filled with the sounds of nail guns and power saws. Jack had obviously put himself in charge of the operation and he seemed to be in his element directing the troops. Then Pete pulled in with a vanload of kids and set them to work making sure everyone had what they needed, whether that was a drink of water or a screwdriver. He assigned each boy to a cowhand until he ran out of boys and had to double up on a few.
“We’re the slaves,” a tattooed kid said to Bethany as he sprinted past. “I’m Mr. Bledsoe’s slave.” But he was grinning with pride as he said that. Being assigned to Nash had apparently been a hit with him.
Although Bethany would have loved to stay outside and work alongside Nash and the rest of the crew, she remembered that she’d promised to have the living room floor ready by nine. She’d barely finished when Lucy knocked on the screen door. “We’re here!”
Bethany went out to the porch, where she discovered Ronald Hutchinson letting down the tailgate of a pickup loaded with furniture. “Goodness! Did you leave anything for yourselves?”
“Of course we did,” Lucy said. “Once I moved in with Ronald, his house looked like something out of that television show about hoarders. It’ll be nice to walk around without bumping into things.”
“I’m sure Nash will be thrilled. Thank you.”
Lucy glanced down toward the barn. “It’s already looking good down there. I brought a whole bunch of dark red paint, too, just the shade he likes. It’s called Barn Red.”
Bethany followed the direction of her gaze to where Nash labored with the rest of the men. Sarah and the wives had shown up, too.
“You’d think they were at a party the way they’re all laughing and having a good time,” Lucy said.
“I know.” Bethany wasn’t sure how to handle her deep yearning to be a part of the festivities. Oh, sure, she could go down there and work with them today, but that would be it. No point in trying to fit in when she was on the brink of leaving.
By noon, an amazing amount of progress had been made on all fronts. The inside of the house looked quite lovely now that the living room had some decent furniture in it. The barn was getting a coat of Barn Red, and Emmett Sterling, the Last Chance’s foreman, had arrived with rosebushes to plant in the front yard.
Then Mary Lou showed up with food, and everyone took a break to share the meal and admire the work that had been accomplished so far. Nash brought his plate over and sat on the porch steps so he could eat with Bethany, Lucy and Ronald.
“It might look like a three-ring circus,” he said, “but I think we’ll actually ge
t the place looking decent before the sun goes down.”
“Have you seen the furniture your mom and Ronald brought over?” Bethany asked.
“No.” He put down his plate and hopped onto the porch to go look. “I forgot all about that.” He opened the screen door and whistled in approval. “Outstanding.” He turned to smile at them. “You’re awesome. I’ll give it back once I have a chance to buy a few things, but this is great.”
“Don’t give it back to us,” Lucy said. “It’s yours until you pass it on to someone else. We’re done with it.”
“Wow, thanks. I—” He stopped talking and looked down the road. “Here comes somebody. And unless I’m seeing things, they’re driving a black limo. Must be an idiot to try and bring a limo down that road.”
Bethany’s heart raced. “Are you sure it’s a limo?”
“Yep. They’re creeping along, though. It’ll take a while before they pull in.”
Bethany stood and took a deep breath. “Well, everyone, get ready. This party just got a little more interesting.”
Nash glanced at her, his expression puzzled. “You sound as if you know who’s in that car.”
“I do.” She wondered if Nash would realize that this truly was the end of their special time together. “You’re all about to meet Opal Knightly.”
16
NASH GLANCED DOWN AT HIS CLOTHES. He was covered with construction dust, but he couldn’t do much about that. Everyone else was in the same condition. He took off his hat, ran his fingers through his sweaty hair and put the hat back on. It was the best he could do on short notice.
Although he didn’t watch Opal’s show, he had no trouble recognizing the woman who stepped out of the limo. He’d seen her face on a bunch of magazine covers over the years. A well-endowed blonde with a famous hourglass figure, she was his idea of the perfect Southern belle. Judging from her smooth skin, she could be any age from twenty-five to fifty, but she’d been on TV for quite a while, so she had to be at least mid-forties.
Her uniformed limo driver helped her out of the long black car, which was covered with a fine film of dust. Opal, however, had not a hair out of place. She wore a pink flowered dress, enough gold jewelry to open a small boutique and pink stilettos. Oversize sunglasses covered her famous green eyes.
Bethany hurried over to greet her. “I can’t believe you’re here! Did you try to call? I might’ve missed the ring. I’ve been—”
“I didn’t call, honey. I knew you’d tell me not to come.” She took off her sunglasses and reached out to hug Bethany.
“Oh, you shouldn’t. I’m a mess!”
“Of course you are.” Opal embraced her protégée despite her protests. “You’ve been working hard.”
Nash’s opinion of the talk show host shot up considerably. She was treating Bethany as a friend, not some puppet she was manipulating for her own benefit. No wonder Bethany was so loyal to her.
Bethany accepted the hug and seemed moved by the gesture. “I wish you’d called, though.”
“You know me, girlfriend.” She winked. “I love me some drama.” She glanced around at the crowd that had gathered. “But can you afford all these people, honey? Even at minimum wage, you’re looking at a big bill.”
“They’re doing it for free.”
Opal’s carefully plucked eyebrows rose. “They are? How come?”
“Because that’s the kind of people they are.” She turned toward Sarah. “First of all, you need to meet Sarah Chance.”
Sarah stepped forward and extended her hand. “Ms. Knightly, it’s a pleasure. My sons and I own the Last Chance Ranch next door. We rounded up our family members and ranch hands to come over here today and see what we could accomplish.”
“Quite a bit, looks like.” Opal shook her hand. “I’m pleased to meet you, Sarah Chance. And let’s not be formal. Call me Opal.”
“We’re honored to have you visit us, Opal.”
“I was worried about my girl, here, but obviously I didn’t need to be. I see that neighbors help neighbors out West the same as we do down South. You must think a lot of Bethany.”
“We do.” Sarah looked over at Nash. “Especially after she decided to sell her ranch to one of our own.”
“Oh? And which one is that, Bethany?”
Bethany turned to Nash, her eyes bright. “I’m selling it to Nash Bledsoe. He’s from this area and he’s agreed to buy the Triple G.”
Nash saw the warmth in her gaze and heard it in her voice, but maybe he was the only one tuned in to that. He hoped so. He stepped forward and touched the brim of his hat. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”
Opal’s gaze was assessing, but she flashed her famous smile. “And I’m delighted to meet you. This should take the wind out of Real News’s sails, having a local boy snap up what will soon be a picture postcard of a ranch. I like it.”
“And this is Nash’s mother, Lucy Hutchinson,” Bethany said.
Nash blessed her for that. No doubt his mother was dying to meet her first-ever celebrity.
Lucy darted toward Opal and stuck out her hand. “Lucy Hutchinson. I’ve watched your show for years. And even though I wish Bethany and Nash could—”
“Hey, you know what?” Nash took his mother gently by the shoulder and drew her away from Opal and the train wreck she was headed for. “We’ve all been making our guest stand in the hot sun without offering her a bit of shade and something cool to drink.”
Opal’s knowing glance rested for a moment on Nash, and then her polished smile appeared again. “That sounds wonderful.” She looked over at her chauffeur. “I’m sure Emile would appreciate that, too.”
“Then please come inside with me,” Bethany said.
Nash kept a firm grip on his mother as Bethany ushered Opal and her chauffeur toward the porch steps. Before Bethany went inside, she threw him a grateful glance. He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile.
“I shouldn’t have said that, should I?” His mother turned to face him. “I’ll admit it. I was starstruck. And I wanted her to know that I understood that she was offering Bethany a wonderful opportunity, and so if that meant that you and Bethany couldn’t be together, well, that was life. But I shouldn’t have gone into it, at least not right now.”
“You shouldn’t go into it ever, Mom.” But he couldn’t be angry with her. She’d met one of her idols, and that could cause anyone to lose their mind temporarily and say stupid things. “Opal doesn’t need to know anything about what’s been between Bethany and me.”
His mother looked up at him. “You sound as if it’s over already. But Bethany’s still here.”
“Yes, but so is Opal. She came to protect Bethany from the Real News people, which is something we don’t have the power to do. We can fix up the place so they can’t get any shots of a run-down ranch, but they could still hound Bethany about her father. They won’t do that with Opal around. I’m glad she came.”
“Even if it means you can’t have any more private time with Bethany?”
“Yes.”
Lucy nodded. “Just as I thought.”
“What?”
“You’re as crazy in love with her as she is with you.”
Nash didn’t have anything to say to that. His mother was right about him, and he suspected she was right about Bethany. It didn’t matter. They’d both suck it up and deal.
* * *
AS BETHANY HAD KNOWN it would, Opal’s arrival changed everything. Because Opal was determined to be there if the Real News crew showed up, Bethany checked with Nash and got the okay to offer Opal the king bed. Her chauffeur produced a small suitcase from the back of the limo and Opal changed into a slacks outfit and flats. It was as casual as Opal ever got, but it allowed her to roam around and talk to the work crew.
Bethany should
have known she’d do that. She was the most social person Bethany had ever known, which was why being a talk show host was perfect for her. She soon had everyone eating out of her hand.
By the end of the day, the ranch had been transformed into the picture postcard Opal had predicted when she’d arrived. The outbuildings were painted Barn Red with white trim. The exterior of the ranch house had been stained gray, so that its trendy weathered look now appeared to be on purpose. The front steps no longer creaked, and even the plumbing had been tamed, at least a little bit.
After Lucy’s remark, Bethany expected Opal to ask about Nash, but she didn’t. Bethany took her cue from that and made sure she remained friendly but distant whenever she happened to be around Nash, which wasn’t often. She wondered if that was his plan.
Sarah hosted a huge dinner at the Last Chance that night, and although Bethany hoped for at least one moment alone with Nash, it never came. Sarah offered Opal’s chauffeur a room at the Last Chance, but all he would accept was a sleeping bag he could put on the sofa of Bethany’s living room at the Triple G.
That was when Bethany figured out Emile had been hired as Opal’s bodyguard and could probably do many things besides drive a limo. Now that she understood his role, she noticed that his cell phone was hardly ever out of his hand. For all she knew, he had reinforcements standing at the ready if Opal’s safety was ever in question.
Once Bethany had driven Opal and Emile back to the Triple G in her rented SUV, she wondered if Opal would grab an opportunity for a woman-to-woman chat, either in the kitchen or out on the front porch. But she claimed exhaustion from jet lag and went straight to bed.
The following morning, Real News showed up, but they’d sent a skeleton crew. They must have been tipped off that there really wasn’t much of a story, and besides, Opal was there. Nobody messed with Opal Knightly unless they wanted to tank their ratings. She was beloved.
Once the news van pulled out of the yard, Opal turned to Bethany. “Well, honey, I guess that’s it. Ready to come home to Atlanta with me?” Her green gaze was steady.
I Cross My Heart Page 17