Claire gasped, her hungry lips never leaving Jack’s. She wanted this. She wanted fireworks and ecstasy. Just once she wanted what she now knew she’d never have with Ralph. She would have respectability and acceptance with Ralph as a preacher’s wife. But with Jack …
Help me, Ralph. This is so wrong. I have to stop this. What am I doing? I shouldn’t be doing this. I wanna do this. I have to do this.
But here, alone with Jack, in this place, in this time, she needed what Ralph could never give her. She needed hot, raw passion. The kind only Jack could awaken; but once awakened how would she ever extinguish the fire?
Forgive me Ralph, just this once. God, I’m going to regret this in the morning.
Claire’s hands tugged at Jack’s hair and her tongue darted feverishly into Jack’s mouth, tasting the very essence of him. Thoroughly.
Even after she had tasted every contour of his mouth, every sensitive spot on his tongue, she could not get enough of him. She could smell that raw masculine scent mixed with the chlorine in the water and she wanted to taste his entire body. She pressed her breasts tighter against his bare chest and he groaned sending a thrill of pleasure to her very core.
Jack’s hand slipped down to the thatch of chestnut curls between her legs. Claire’s breath caught and released with a mewling sound as though she were a kitten.
Ralph would be furious with her. Why was she thinking of Ralph at a time like this? She didn’t need Ralph.
Oh my God, what was she thinking? Of course she needed Ralph. But she wanted Jack.
What was she thinking? She didn’t need Jack, did she? She needed … and then all thoughts vanished as Jack slid two fingers slowly just inside the petals of flesh, teasing her opening, taunting her, telling her of the pleasures yet to come.
Jack’s mouth kissed its way down to her full taunt breast, taking one pebbled nipple inside and teasing it with his tongue. Claire purred with delight.
She had never felt anything like this before. It was heaven and hell all rolled into one. It felt so luscious and yet she couldn’t get enough.
Jack’s tongue flicked at her nipple and his teeth nibbled, pulling slightly until her breast felt as though it would burst from pure desire.
A cougar growled.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mary McCoy walked quietly up the walk to the Reverend Ralph Wolfe’s cabin, noting that Ralph had taken care to shovel a path for her. She had been reluctant to come. But now, now she was leaving. Not just Ralph but Matt also. And this town.
She had married Sheriff McCoy when she was barely eighteen. He was the boy other girls’ dads warned them about. Her dad didn’t warn her enough.
Matt had been one of those boys who was always in trouble in school, had been expelled more times than she could remember, but he was daring and rebellious. He was exciting. Totally the opposite from her shy, quiet personality. Matt had seen something in her and had finally asked her to be his wife.
Those first years had been hard. Matt still had to find himself. They had moved to this small town shortly after they’d married. She had been surprised when the old Sheriff had taken Matt under his wing and given him a job as a deputy, but it was a job that seemed to fit Matt and it didn’t take long before he began to change. The rebellious streak grew weaker and his respectability grew stronger. People in town began to look up to him and his pride in himself grew.
Matt was beaten down as a child. He came from the wrong side of the tracks and his dad drank heavily and continuously told Matt how worthless he was. Now, Matt seemed to be content with himself. And, it hadn’t helped that his stepbrother seemed to know how to show his good side to adults and yet there was a bad side to him no one but Matt had seen.
Mary, on the other hand, was not as content.
She always had dreams. No one had ever asked her about them and being too shy, she never ventured to tell anyone.
She kept her thoughts, her feelings and her dreams to herself.
Waiting.
Someday, someone would care about her. They would care about what she thought. They would care about what she felt. They would care about her dreams.
Mary knocked lightly on the door. She would tell Ralph tonight.
“Mary,” said Ralph in a loving whisper as he opened the door, delight showing on his face, “Come in my love. You’re late. I was worried. I thought you weren’t going to make it again.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I drove slowly. The roads aren’t the best.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here now. That’s all that matters,” replied Ralph as he took her in his arms. He felt her stiffen ever so lightly.
Nothing unusual as far as Ralph was concerned. It took a bit to get Mary to relax but he’d had practice and before the night was through, she’d be putty in his hands.
“Ralph, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“That’s fine, sweetheart, we’ll talk later. First, I want to get you warmed up with a great cup of hot cocoa. Let me take your wrap and you just sit there on the sofa and I’ll bring it right to you.”
“Hot cocoa’s nice. Thank you.”
Ralph scurried to the kitchen. He loved doing things for his Mary. He tried hard to make her happy.
He took the saucepan from the stove and poured the hot liquid into the two cups he had waiting. Then he walked back into Mary with cups of steaming hot cocoa.
“I made it just the way you like it, dear, hot cocoa, a small dab of Kahlua and those tiny little marshmallows you like so much.”
“Ralph, that’s so sweet of you. You always take such good care of me.”
“I try, love. You’re my angel. Now, you just get all comfy and tell your Ralphie what it is you’d like to talk about?” He smiled at her as if doting on a child. “Is everything alright? Matt isn’t causing you any problems is he? He may be my half-brother but I’ll beat him to a pulp for you if he is.”
“No, no, Ralph. Matt treats me okay. He’s always treated me okay. And I wouldn’t be here with you except, well, except I just get so lonely.”
Ralph reached over and ran his fingers down the side of her face.
“I know my angel, I know. Matt just doesn’t know what a good thing he has right in front of him.”
“I don’t know if it’s Matt or me, but we’ve grown apart over the years, I guess.”
“I know sweetheart. Divorce Matt. You know I love you. I want to marry you and take care of you for the rest of your life.” He reached over and took her hand in his. “I’m here for you. Anything you want. We could move to another town. I know we’d be happy. I’d take care of you night and day. You know how much I love you.”
“Ralph, I’ve told you before. I’m sorry but I don’t love you. I made that perfectly clear from the start.” Mary pulled her hand away gently.
“I know, but I can accept that. I have enough love for both of us. You’ll see. Please Mary, please. Just say you’ll consider it.”
“No, Ralph. I’ll not marry again just to be marrying some man. I am leaving Matt though.”
“You’re leaving Matt?”
“Yes, I am.”
“But you won’t marry me?” Ralph felt the wrinkles in his forehead.
“Ralph, I can’t do that. But I am grateful to you. You’ve helped me out of my shell. I think I’ve been stuck there forever. I think now is the time for me. Now is the time that I should discover who I really am.”
“Let me help you discover your passion for life,” said Ralph as he caressed her face and scooted himself over closer on the sofa.
Mary took his hands in hers.
“Ralph, I’m leaving Matt and I’m leaving this town and, and, I’m leaving you, too.”
“Oh Mary, can’t you see how much I love you, sweetheart?” Tears sparkled in the corners of Ralph’s eyes.
“I can see that, and believe me, if I could do this without hurting you I would. But I’ve always told you before that I don’t love you. All I needed was som
eone to share my loneliness with for a while. And I thank you for that.”
“But where will you go?”
“My application for Juilliard’s music program has been accepted.”
“Music program? I didn’t know you played an instrument.”
“No one does. No one ever bothered with me, with the real me. The me that’s hidden down inside.” Mary stood. “The me that’s always been there wanting to find her way out. For once in my life, I’m going to follow my own dreams. Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed about playing piano on the concert stage.”
She took a sip of her cocoa before continuing.
“I don’t know how I learned to play. It just seems that after a car accident I was in as a child, I could play. I never told anyone I could play. Being thirteen, I was afraid they’d take me away from my parents and send me to a place for the mentally insane. That’s what I thought had happened to me.”
She took another sip from her cup.
“I used to sneak into the school auditorium after that and I just sat down and played. I have a gift for it.” She clutched her hands together. “I auditioned at Juilliard last month and they say with lots of hard work, I can get there. So, I’m leaving Monday.”
“Oh Mary, so soon. Does it have to be so soon?”
“Yes, Ralph, I have to go. This is something I have to do for me.”
“Does Matt know yet?”
“No. I’ve not told him.”
“You know he’ll be upset.”
“Maybe. For a while at least. But I think he’ll realize it’s for the best for both of us. One thing Matt has always been is understanding. Don’t get me wrong. He has his faults but he can see both sides of a problem.”
“I’ll come with you. I love you, Mary. I’ll work and pay the rent while you study.”
“No. I have to do this on my own.”
“Can I write to you?”
“That won’t change how I feel.”
“I know. But miracles do happen. I just don’t want to lose you forever.”
“I know this is hard for you to understand. I have to go and I have to break off ties with the people here. I’ve been stifled way too long. I want to start fresh. Create a life for me. One that I chose.”
Ralph pulled her to him and held her close. He breathed in the smell of her. She always smelled of lilacs. He would never be able to smell lilacs in the spring without thinking of his Mary.
“Damn it, Mary, can’t you see how much I love you! You can’t leave. I’ll give you anything, everything I have. You want a piano? I’ll buy you the biggest one money can buy. Please, Mary, please don’t leave me. I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”
Mary pulled herself away from Ralph. Her hands stroked his face, then she gathered his hands in hers again and held them tight.
“Ralph, listen to me. I’ve told you all along, I do not love you. I never have. I never will. I want my life back. My life does not include you. I can’t make it any plainer for you.”
“I know, I know. You’ve been nothing but completely honest with me. I just never expected to fall in love with you.”
“Ralph, I never meant for you to fall in love with me and I never meant for you to get hurt. You were just there when I needed someone. I felt you were safe. You were safe because you had Claire. Now, it’s time for me to live my life. I need to make a clean break and that doesn’t include you. Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
“I know, I know, it’s just …”
“Sh-h-h-h-h, Ralph.” Mary pulled his head to her breast and stroked his hair, rocking as though he were a baby. “Sh-h-h-h-h, tonight Ralph, you can pretend I’m yours. I’ll tell you I love you if you want to hear it and we’ll enjoy sex together, just the way you like.”
At this moment, he’d give up anything if he could just have Mary.
Something had happened to him when Mary came into his life. Something he didn’t understand. He couldn’t understand.
God had called him to service the women in his congregation but he had failed miserably where Mary was concerned. He had fallen in love with her. It was a feeling he just couldn’t understand.
But, he would have to let her go. He could see that. Tonight he would just hold her for as long as he could. And when she walked out of the cabin and closed the door behind her, he knew he would lose her forever. A sadness came over him and there was no one he could turn to for comfort. A single tear slowly crawled down his cheek.
“I know you’ll make it to the concert stage and when you do, I hope you’ll let me know when and where so I can at least come hear you play. I promise I won’t even let you know I’m in the audience.”
At that moment, Ralph’s heart ripped from his chest.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The cougar emitted a low rumbling growl as it sat just outside the clearing watching Claire and Jack as they sat in the hot tub.
“Bloody hell,” said Jack as his hand immediately covered Claire’s mouth before she had time to react. He could hear her muffled screams. It took all his strength to hold her steady.
“Claire, stop screaming,” he whispered in her ear. “Calm down and listen to me.” Jack slowly removed his hand from her mouth. “Just sit still for a minute.”
Looking directly at her, the cougar still visible in his peripheral vision, he whispered, “Don’t look directly at it. Keep your eyes on me, okay.”
“Okay,” replied Claire her voice barely audible.
The cougar picked up its front paw and began to lick.
“Well ol’ friend, you be a good kitty now. You don’t bother us, we won’t bother you. Just like always.”
Claire and Jack sat still in the water for a few moments longer watching the big cat. Claire’s body shook, her teeth chattered.
“She just wants a drink of water. I can see blood on her paw and a little around her mouth also. She’s had a meal recently, so hopefully she’s not hungry now.”
“I-i-is t-t-that g-g-good?”
“Well, we may not be her main course for the night if she’s already full. Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to slowly get up from here. Think you can do that?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Okay, then, keep your eyes on me. Okay?”
“Uh-huh.”
“We’re just gonna pretend we’re not in any big hurry. We’ll step out of the tub, but keep facing the cat. Then we’re going to take a step backwards, then stop. Got that?”
“Yeah, take a step and stop. But won’t it come after us?”
“No. Right now it doesn’t know what we are. It doesn’t see us as a threat.”
“Oh, I’m no threat. That’s for sure.”
“Now after you take a step backward I was you to use your foot and dig in the snow like you’re looking for food or something.”
“Step back and dig in the snow.”
“Just pretend you’re on a beach and you’re digging in the sand with your toes for shells. And we’ll keep doing that all the way back to the door.”
“Step and dig. Step and dig.”
“When we get close enough, reach your hand back and open the door and slowly step inside. I’ll be in front of you all the way. Okay. Think you can do that?”
“I’m scared to death, Jack.”
Jack could hear the fright in her voice and see it on her face. He felt it in himself, too. He’d never been this close to the big cat before.
The cougar had come calling a number of times. It was almost as if it stopped by on occasion to say hello. It would sit just at the edge of the clearing and wait as Jack talked to it as though it were a family pet. But Jack had always been in the safety of inside the garage doorway.
The cat would simply cock its head as though it were trying to understand the strange talking creature. Eventually, it would push on the hot tub cover until enough water seeped out for it to drink. Then, with one last look at Jack, it would saunter away.
“
I don’t think my legs’ll move at all.” Claire shivered.
“It’s okay, Claire. If something happens and she lunges, she’ll get to me first. If that happens, you turn and run like hell into the house and shut the door. Got it.”
“And leave you out here with that thing.”
“At least one of us has to make it out of here. I make a better target than you do. So let’s just get this over with before she gets hungry again, okay.”
“I’ll try.”
Jack grabbed hold of a towel holding it above the water.
“Here, as you stand up, you can wrap this around yourself to keep from freezing.”
Slowly Jack began to rise from the water. Grabbing a towel for himself with one hand, he pulled Claire up with him with the other and pulled her close.
The cold hit their wet naked bodies. Claire’s teeth began to chatter harder. The cat stopped licking its paw and watched as the two stood up.
It looked for a moment longer and then resumed licking its paw.
“Good kitty,” Jack whispered. “She’s been here before. Last time she was pregnant. I think she thinks I’m some kind of creature just getting a drink of water and she’s waiting her turn.”
“Well, she can have all the water she wants.”
“Okay, now, move your feet around a little. Just pretend you’re a chicken and kinda scratch at the ground, okay.”
“I am a chicken. I’m shaking so hard I don’t have to try and move anything.”
“Good. Keeps you on guard that way. Another step back and more digging.”
Claire did as she was told covering the stretch of ground back to the house. Finally her backside bumped the garage.
“The door, Claire, slowly open the door.”
Reaching her hand behind her, she found the knob and twisted, opening the garage door. The cat stood up and watched, mildly curious, before sauntering up to the hot tub. Lifting its front paws to the side of the tub, the big cat looked around the area and then dipped its head down for a drink.
The Wrong Wedding Page 8