And Then You Fall (Crested Butte Series)

by Heather A Buchman

  Chapter 6

  When they rode that night, they saw Dottie and Bill over the crest, sitting by the campfire. Bill stood up and waved them over.

  “You don’t mind do you? They’re like family to me.”

  “Don’t mind at all. In fact, if they mean something to you, there isn’t anybody I’d rather meet.”

  It took them ten minutes to make their way down the rocky terrain. Given that it was almost dark, Liv decided if they stayed for any length of time, they’d leave the horses in the Patterson barn overnight and get Bill to give them a lift home.

  They tied the horses off and walked over to the fire. Bill had chairs set up for them and a bottle of wine open.

  “Bill and Dottie, I’d like you to meet Ben Rice.”

  “Pleasure to meet you,” Ben reached out and shook Bill’s hand. Dottie stood up and when he tried to shake her hand she pulled him in for one of her big hugs.

  “I don’t shake hands, Mr. Rice. Men will judge you by your handshake. I like to see what you young fellas have in the way of a good strong hug. Tells you a lot about a man.”

  “Nobody hugs like Dottie does,” Liv added.

  “You don’t do too bad yourself sugar,” Ben stooped down and kissed her forehead.

  “I like him already,” proclaimed Dottie.

  “Glass of wine Liv? How about you Ben?”

  “Sure, I’d love a glass, especially now that I see what you’re drinking.”

  “Dottie had me run in the house to get it when we saw you comin’. Livvie here loves Zinfandel. We keep it on hand just for her. Before she taught us about wine we always thought Zinfandel was the pink stuff. I thought she’d have a fit the first time we tried to serve it to her.”

  “That’s me, always gracious,” Liv turned ten shades of pink.

  “We love you anyway darlin’ girl.” Bill pulled her close to him. “When Livvie lost her parents so close together, Dottie and I adopted her. She’s like one of our own. You better keep that in mind young man.”

  She’d lost her parents? Another thing he hadn’t known about her. Maybe he should start making a list of questions so he didn’t feel like such a jerk when someone else pointed out something he should already know.

  “How about you Ben, can I get you a glass?”

  “No, thank you, don’t touch the stuff.”

  “Well, can I get you a beer then?”

  “No, sorry. I’m not a drinker. If you’ve got a coke or a bottle of water, I’ll be just fine.”

  He turned toward Liv, and saw a flash of confusion on her face. She quickly masked it away. And that was something he hadn’t told her. Not that she’d asked. It hadn’t seemed like a big deal when they were in Las Vegas. She had a drink here and there, and he’d never felt it necessary to point out to her that he was abstaining.

  “Have a seat you two, make yourselves comfortable.”

  An hour into their campfire and several rounds of s’mores later, Bill asked Ben to help him with the horses. “They’re better off sleeping in our barn tonight Livvie.” She hadn’t told Bill she was thinking the same thing.

  The Pattersons were the only people who called her Livvie. She didn’t know how it got started, but she loved it. It made her feel special, like she was really a part of their family. Just like with Paige and Mark, Liv would’ve been lost without Dottie and Bill. They didn’t remind her of her parents necessarily, they were bigger, louder, more openly affectionate versions of her mom and dad.

  “How’d you and Livvie meet?” Bill asked Ben while they were getting the horses settled.

  “Fate kept throwing us together and finally we started paying attention.” Ben went on to tell Bill about meeting her at Red Rocks, then again at his family’s bar in Crested Butte, and finally about bumping into her at the pool in Las Vegas. That’s as far as he took the story.

  “So did you come back with her from Las Vegas then?”

  “Nope, I went home first, to Crested Butte, spent a couple days with my boys, then drove over this afternoon. I kinda surprised her.”

  “Boys?”

  “I’ve got two. Jake is twelve and Luke is nine. Before you ask, I’m divorced.”

  “I guess I’m pretty transparent when it comes to my kids, and I consider Livvie one of ’em. She’s not an easy one to get a fix on. Plenty boys ’round here would tell you that. My own son had a mad love on her for years. He finally gave up, not for lack of trying.” Bill chuckled. “Either she’s real good at playing like she doesn’t notice somethin’ or she really was clueless all them years.” He thought for a minute before he continued. “But don’t go thinkin’ she’s not smart as a whip son, she’s one of the brightest women I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. Sad that she lost her husband so young. Renie wasn’t even born yet.”

  Ben wanted to ask more, but how did he tell Bill that he was staying at Liv’s house, but didn’t know a thing about her husband, her parents, even where or how she grew up?

  “Did Livvie tell you Scott was shot down in the Gulf War? They’d only been married a few months. Tragic. I gotta tell you, for a long while I thought that man held her heart for good, and that was why she didn’t pay any attention to men trying to catch her eye. Guess maybe I was wrong about that.”

  Ben didn’t know what to say. Tonight, tomorrow, the day after that, he was going to get to know her. As much as she would let him.

  “You’re awful quiet.”

  “She’s a remarkable woman, that much I know. One I want to spend as much time as I can getting to know better. I appreciate all you’ve told me Bill.”

  “You care about her then?”

  “I do.”

  “Than you’ll be all right with Dottie and me.”

  They walked back down to the campfire. Dottie and Liv were snuggled up under a blanket. Liv had her head rested on Dottie’s shoulder.

  Ben walked over and stroked her cheek with his finger. “Tired?”

  “Content would be a better word.” Liv stood up and put her arms around his waist. “Let’s head back to my house.”

  “You got it.”

  Bill handed Ben a set of keys. “You take the old Ford. I’ll come get it in the mornin’.”

  “Thanks Dottie. Thanks Bill. I’m glad you got to meet Ben.”

  “We are too sugar pie. Ben, how long you in town for?”

  “Through the weekend, I think. If she’ll have me.”

  “Well if she lets you stay, I expect the two of you over for dinner on Friday night. You can take her out on Saturday. That’s date night after all.”

  “I’ll do that. Good night both of you, it’s been a pleasure, and thanks again.”

  “You know how to drive a stick shift?” Liv asked him as they walked up to the driveway.

  “You’re kidding right?”

  “Does that mean yes?”

  “That means of course. I’ve gotta get you back over to Crested Butte. You don’t seem to have any idea how much of a good ol’ boy you’ve gotten yourself mixed up with.”

  “I noticed you didn’t have any trouble finding your seat on a horse.”

  “Why do I feel as though I passed some kind of test tonight.”

  “You did. With flying colors.”

  “I’m guessing there will be more?”

  “Lots more cowboy.”

  The next day Ben followed Liv around like a combination between a newspaper reporter and a lost puppy. He wanted to know everything about her, and didn’t want to let her out of his sight.

  By dinner she was exhausted. They ate and cleaned up and went to sit in the family room. “This house is spectacular,” Ben said, looking up at the cathedral ceilings and the rafters that looked as though they’d come from an old barn. “Did your father build it?”

  “No more talking Ben,” she pulled him over to the couch and pushed him down on it. She put her hands on either side of his head and sat down, straddling his lap. He pulled her in and kissed her deeply. His arms went around her and pushed
her over so her back was up against the arm of the sofa. “You’re trying to distract me.”

  “Are you writing a book or something Ben? I feel as though I’ve been through a ‘This is Your Life,’ interview today.”

  “I just want to know you. I want to know everything about you. He pushed the bottom of her shirt up so he could put his hand on her breast. “I want to know every curve of your body and every nuance of your soul baby.”

  “Let’s focus on the body for the rest of the night, okay?”

  “You got it.” He nuzzled under her ear and breathed in the scent of her. “You smell so good I want to bottle you and keep you with me all the time.”

  “Ben.” That one word, his name and the way she said it, and he wanted to devour her. He kissed her hard, pushing her further into the sofa. His hands roamed wherever they could reach, his body strained to get closer to hers.

  Fingers fumbled with buttons and zippers. Ben reared back from her. “Bedroom.” He pulled himself up, he reached under her back and knees, picking her up like she was no more than a pillow in his powerful arms. He carried her in and stood her by the bed. He broke their heart-stopping kiss to finish undressing her. When she stood before him naked he said, “Now me.”

  Liv’s hands pulled at his shirt, trying to get it off over his head. “Lean down,” she breathed. Next her hands went to his belt, pulling it loose, grabbing at the button on his jeans and pulling down the zipper.

  His head was thrown back. She leaned forward and licked across his throat, down over his nipples to his sternum. Ben groaned, “Need you now baby, so bad.”

  Her mouth slammed into his, cutting short his demands. His rough hands cupped her bottom and lifted her. Her legs automatically circled his waist. “Wait,” he said, lowering her to the bed. He reached for a condom and put it on as quickly as he could.

  “I wondered about that, how you got them on so quickly, I thought you had a magic trick.”

  His mouth was hard on hers again, picking her back up, putting his hands on the back of her thighs helping her circle his waist again. “Shh, no talking, remember?”

  With a quick snap of his hips he was inside her. “Hold on to me,” he demanded. Liv wrapped her arms around his neck. He thrust hard again and again, holding her firmly against him with both hands. He started humming, the deep vibration of his voice spread through her and she trembled.

  “Come fly with me baby. Fly apart for me.” Liv gasped at his words and cried out, her body spasming around his. “Take me with you Liv.” He groaned deeply, then held her very still and lowered her to the bed.

  As soon as her head stopped spinning she opened her eyes, and he was gone. She felt the bed shift as he lay back down beside her. “Wow,” was all she could come up with.

  “Liv, can I ask you something?”

  She rolled to her stomach and groaned. “I thought we agreed, no more talking.”

  “This is different. I don’t want anything to come between us. I don’t want to use a condom when we’re together.”

  Liv hesitated. “I’m not on any kind of birth control Ben.”

  He put his arm across her back and kissed her shoulder. “Think you might wanna be?”

  “By the time I do . . .”

  “Finish the sentence Liv.”

  “We might not be together any longer.”

  Ben rolled to his back and looked up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath and trying to gather his thoughts before he spoke. Liv hadn’t moved. “Have I given you the impression I wasn’t in this all the way?”

  “No, I guess not.”

  “Then why are you so hell bent on ending this thing between us?”

  It took Liv a long time to answer, but she knew Ben would keep at her until she did. “I’m very independent Ben. I don’t know any other way.”

  “Oh baby,” he pulled her until she was stretched out on top of him, her head resting on his chest. “I’m not letting go of this Liv. I haven’t felt this way for a very long time. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this way. I want to be with you every chance I get. Can you please accept that and quit fighting me on it?”

  “I can try.”

  “That’s all I can ask of you. But Liv?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I want you to try a whole heck of a lot harder, okay? I want you to let go, let yourself fall for me.”

  “I’ll give it my best shot.”

  “Repeat after me, ‘Ben, I’m going to let myself fall for you.”

  Silence. “Come on Liv, do it. Repeat after me.”

  “Ben, I’m going to let myself fall for you.”

  “There, that wasn’t so hard. Now keep repeating it to yourself in that beautiful head of yours.”

  “I’ll try Ben. Really I will.”

  He waited until her breathing got more even. He couldn’t believe it, she’d fallen asleep splayed out on top of him. His heart surged with joy. No more sleepin’ alone, that’s what he was after with her. He sensed the road to it wouldn’t be an easy one, but she was worth whatever it took to get them there.

  He closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep.

  ***

  If he could, Ben would make time stand still, the week was speeding by too quickly. Wednesday night they went out for dinner in town with Paige and Mark, and then back to their house. Ben had an acoustic guitar with him, and he and Mark went off on their own to jam for a while.

  “Did you know he was on his way when we were in the barn Monday morning?”

  “No, he called after I left your place. I wouldn’t have lied to you if I’d known. But he told me he wanted to surprise you, so one, you wouldn’t tell him not to come, and two, he got an honest reaction out of you when you did see him.” Paige poured Liv another glass of wine.

  “He doesn’t drink.”

  “I noticed that when we were in Las Vegas.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “You were too busy paying attention to what the rest of his body was up to.”

  Liv blushed. “Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t bother me, but he hasn’t talked about it. In fact he doesn’t talk much about himself at all. He asks me plenty of questions though.”

  “He wants to get to know you better.”

  “But it’s like he wants to know everything right this minute. Why is he in such a hurry? It doesn’t feel natural . . . it feels like he’s forcing it.”

  “Have you told him that’s the way you feel.”

  Liv shook her head. “And that’s the other thing, I’m not used to having to tell somebody ‘how I feel,’ all the time. I’m used to being alone Paige. All this togetherness . . .”

  “How long is he staying?”

  “Through the weekend, he says. His boys are on vacation with their mom and step-dad.”

  “That’s a lot of together time for you, isn’t it?”

  Liv didn’t answer. Her problem was that she liked it, the togetherness Even after a couple of days, she liked waking up with him, spending the day together, being a couple.

  “What’s he say?”

  “About being together? That he wants us to do it as much as we can. I don’t know what that looks like, or feels like, or what his expectations are.”

  “Maybe you should try asking a few questions of your own.”

  Liv woke up before Ben did the next morning, got a pot of coffee going, and went out to the barn to feed the horses. Yesterday he had helped her, today she wanted some time alone with her routine.

  She stroked Micah’s nose as she led him out of the stall. “Let’s get you outside this morning. We’ll take a ride a little later.” She threw the lead up and over Micah’s withers.

  “What do you think of him? Seems okay, right? And when he leaves, you’ll still be here for me, won’t ya boy?”

  Ben stood just outside the barn door, listening to Liv confide in her horse. It sounded more like she expected him to leave permanently, not just leave when the week was over. He didn’t know what else to say or do to c
onvince her he wanted more. Only time would show her that. A week ago they were in Las Vegas, and he’d been trying to convince her he wanted to see her again—hard to believe that was only a week ago.

  He felt so impatient when it came to her. The more she resisted, the harder he pushed. He didn’t understand it himself, how could he explain it to her?

  He came around the corner and cleared his throat to let her know he was there. “Mornin’,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. “I was lonely when I woke up and you were gone.”

  “You used to having a woman next to you every morning when you wake up Ben?”

  Ouch. He hadn’t expected that from her. “No, can’t say as I am. I can say though, that these last couple of mornings it felt pretty good waking up with you. Not just any woman Liv, you.”

  Liv pulled away from him, leading Micah toward the panel door at the back of the barn. “Be back in a minute.”

  Ben guessed that meant she didn’t want him to follow her. He went in the opposite direction, got his guitar out of the back of his Tahoe, and went to sit on the deck.

  The view was spectacular from the deck that wrapped all the way around the back of the house. In one direction were the big trees that made up the Black Forest, in the other direction was prairie, as far as the eye could see. On a clear day, Ben would bet you could see all the way to Kansas, and most days in Colorado were clear.

  He sat down and started strumming his guitar. This is what he liked to do when he was alone. Liv was probably used to quiet mornings taking care of her horses. He’d give her some space, he understood her need for it.

  Besides her daughter, Liv had lived alone since her mother died. Ben hadn’t found out how long ago that had been yet, but he decided that today he’d stop asking her questions and start telling her more about himself. For now, he’d play his guitar. There was a song inside him itching to get out, he could feel it.

  A while later, maybe as long as an hour, he could hear her moving around in the kitchen. As tempted as he was to go in and wrap himself around her, he stayed put. He’d let her come to him when she was ready. His yellow pad was full of lyrics and notes, the song he was working on was coming together.