by K. C. Crowne
I wandered into the lounge where a few other guests were warming themselves by the fire. Silas was bouncing his baby daughter on his knee, a cup of coffee at his side. His eyes flicked to me over Violet’s head.
“Something’s up,” he observed rather shrewdly as he stared at me. “Don’t even try to tell me there isn’t.”
I did a quick internal back-and-forth on whether to tell him about Jess. I decided on no – I needed to work through that shit on my own before bringing anyone else into it.
“Amy shit,” I told him. “Had a call with her today.” It wasn’t a lie – right after Jess, Amy had been the number one thing on my mind. But my feelings toward that subject couldn’t have been any different.
“Hell,” Silas grumbled, knowing that whatever the conversation had been about, it couldn’t have been anything good. “She still stubborn as ever?”
“Calling her stubborn is a damn understatement. The woman’s out for blood.”
He gestured to the chair across from his and I took him up on his offer, dropping into it. Once I was seated, Silas handed me his drink. I could tell by the smell that it was coffee and whiskey – perfect thing for the mood I was in.
The fire crackled and the guests talked quietly amongst one another. I had a lot on my mind, but a nice fire and a sniff of whiskey always managed to put me in a more even state of mind. I sipped the drink, the booze hitting me just right.
“Thanks,” I said, handing the drink back over.
“Don’t worry about it. Now, Amy’s not lettin’ up?”
“Hell no.” There was anger in my voice, but I didn’t give a damn. The woman was out of control. “Me and her were married for half a year and she thinks she can ransack the family fortune like she earned it. Fuckin’ insane.”
“No kiddin’. And let me guess – you told her no, and she said she’d make things even harder for you.”
I let out a snort of a laugh. I hadn’t been the only one to get to know Amy’s bad side since we’d gotten married. “Between a rock and a fuckin’ hard place,” I revealed. “I throw in the towel and she gets exactly what she wants. I fight, and who the hell knows what’ll happen?”
“But you have to fight, you know that, right?”
“Of course I know it. Doesn’t mean I’m lookin’ forward to it.”
Silas took another sip of his coffee and whiskey before passing it to me. I drank more but decided I needed a clear head – a hangover tomorrow would only make things worse.
“How about Jess?”
“What about her?”
He raised an eyebrow, as if he realized there was something off about my reaction. “Just seein’ how she is.”
“She’s fine,” I said. “She remembered some stuff today.”
“That’s good,” he mused, watching me. “She know about the Amy shit?”
“Keepin’ that shit from her. But I’ve got a feelin’ she’s gonna find out about it sooner or later.”
“You worried about it?”
“Nah, don’t get worried – you know that. More like I wanna keep her as far away from my bullshit as possible.”
Silas grunted, signaling that he got where I was coming from. “Got an idea for you.”
“Yeah?”
“Go take Brand out for a ride.” Brand was one of Silas’ stallions, a beast of a horse he was protective as hell of.
“Brand? You serious?”
“I am. It’s cold as balls out, but a night ride oughta clear your head. Brand’s tough as hell –he won’t mind the wind.”
Getting some rest had sounded like the right idea, but the more I thought about taking a late-night ride, the more appealing it was. “Fuck, that sounds like the thing.”
I got up, and as I did Silas handed me his drink. “You’re gonna need it for that weather.”
I allowed myself a half smile, taking the drink and sipping it. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
I headed out. One of the things I loved about my brothers and me – we all knew that when a problem came up, talking was the most useless thing to do about it. Action was always better. I grabbed my shearling coat and stepped outside, the wind hitting me in the face the moment I shut the door. The bracing cold did some good putting the shit out of my head.
Ten minutes later I was at the barn. I pulled the door open and shut it behind me, laying eyes on Brand. He was big and muscular, a jet-black horse built like a damn tank. He regarded me with dark eyes as I approached, as if not sure what to make of me.
“Easy, killer,” I said as I stepped into the stable. “Thinkin’ it’d be good for both of us to get some fresh air. Whatddya say?”
He snorted, stomping one of his feet. I took it as a yes. Brand was one of my favorite horses. He was brash and temperamental, reminding me of myself. I pat him on the side before grabbing the saddle. When he was ready to go, I led him out of the barn and into the cold night. I climbed up on him, and with a hi-ya! we were off. I was in a better mood the second we got going. The wind was filled with drops of water, letting me know I couldn’t stay out long. Freezing rain could dampen a ride faster than anything.
I led Brand around the property, the sight of all the cabins spread out around the ranch a welcome one. A few guests were out, most of them sitting on their heated porches and sipping whatever they’d decided to drink that night. They were relaxed, but I was still restless.
Amy. Damn fool woman. As mad as I was at her, I saved the real anger for myself. How the hell had I let myself get tricked by a woman like that? Yeah, she was calculating and the sort who had no problem lying through their teeth. But I should’ve known better.
I didn’t like to waste time on worry and knew I’d be able to handle the situation – not much I couldn’t take care of. But as much as I didn’t want to admit it, the whole damn process had put my guard up.
I’d told Jess I’d been looking out for her best interests, and I knew I was even if she didn’t think so. But there was something more to it. After getting burned by a hellion like Amy, the last thing I wanted was to let someone else in. I’d opened myself to Amy and shit had gone to pot. And talking with Jess, I’d done the same damn thing. I told her things I didn’t tell anyone outside of the family.
I didn’t like it. Jess seemed like a good girl, but so had Amy. Was Jess a liar too? Was there a chance she wasn’t who she seemed to be? No way to know for sure. Best thing to do would be to keep distance between us, not let her get to close.
Keep some distance, huh? You mean like when you ate her out in the barn?
A wry grin formed on my face. I had a way of talking sense into myself. And I knew my conscience, or whatever the hell I wanted to call it, was right. Jess was hard as hell to resist, sure, but that was no excuse for slipping up.
Of course, as soon as I’d made the decision to keep some distance, she appeared in my mind again, the hot-as-fuck moans she’d been making from her room while she touched herself filling my ears. I loved the idea of her getting herself off to me. It made me want to give her even more.
Brand snorted, plumes of hot breath shooting from his nose. I gave him a pat as we rode. It almost seemed to me like he knew what was up and was making an effort to remind me the whole point of this ride was to clear my damn head.
I guided him the rest of the way around the property. By the time we’d made the full loop, I could tell he was ready for some warmth. Me, I could’ve stayed out all night. The ride was doing wonders helping me sort out the shit I’d been thinking about. But we needed some rest. The next week, I would be focused and certain in purpose like I’d always been. Thinking things over was good but getting stuck in your own head didn’t lead anywhere fruitful.
I steered Brand back to the barn. Once there, I hopped off and led him back to his stable. After securing him in his stable, I checked on Juniper.
“Doin’ alright, girl?”
She was still and unresponsive. I’d seen enough horses this far along in pregnancy to
know she was right on the verge. Any moment she’d be giving birth. I’d ready to help her through it. Hell, tomorrow might even be the day. All the more reason to get a good night’s sleep.
I checked on the rest of the horses in the barn before heading back to the house. The place was toasty and inviting as always, and as soon as I shut the door behind me the events of the day and the ride and the bit of whiskey all caught up with me. Time for some shuteye.
I headed upstairs to my room. Walking past Jess’ room, I stopped. The urge to check on her came over me – not for the same reasons as before, but because I wanted to make sure she was alright. She was still recovering, after all.
I knocked on the door in the usual rhythm, letting her know it was me. No answer. Slowly, I turned the knob and pushed the door open enough to see her. She was sleeping, and fucking hell, did she look gorgeous while she did it. Jess lay still, her arm draped over her breasts and the covers pulled up to her neck. Her lips were parted slightly, and her chest rose and fell.
I wondered what it’d be like to wake up to her next to me. But fuck, I knew that was some dangerous shit to think about. Once I was satisfied that she was fine, I shut the door and went to my room, chastising myself for my ridiculous thoughts.
I kicked off my shoes and fell onto the bed. It didn’t take long for sleep to come, and the last thing on my mind before going out was the look on Jess’s face as she came. My hand moved down to my cock, and I knew I’d have some very nice dreams.
Jessica
Wyatt was on my mind the moment I opened my eyes. Heck, even before that. As soon as I was awake, I was thinking about him and what we’d gotten up to in the barn last night. I imagined his fingers inside me, curled just enough to hit my G-spot. I thought about his tongue flicking over my clit and bringing me closer and closer to orgasm. I could almost feel his strong hand on my thigh as he held me in place on the bale of hay, my body squirming as I came.
And more than that, I had a little secret. I’d been awake when he’d opened the door to my bedroom to check in on me. Now that I’d had a good night’s sleep, however, I realized the reason.
I was a little embarrassed.
Sure, it’d been fun, not to mention totally hot. But Wyatt was still holding back from me. Not only in the sense of him not going all the way, but how he’d pulled back after he’d given me oral. The man was conflicted – it was easy to see. I got it. But that didn’t make it any easier.
I knew I wanted him, no doubt in my mind. The memories that had come back about me not having anyone only made it clearer. But something was troubling him. Whatever it was, he didn’t seem to be in a mood to share.
Dang, what a mess I was in. As much as I wanted him, maybe the best thing to do would be to recover, get my memory back, and go back to my old life. I chuckled to myself as I considered the idea. I knew I was too into the man to seriously do something like that. I wanted him bad, and I hoped it was only a matter of time before he gave me what I wanted.
I showered and dressed, putting on the same cowboy gear that Emily had lent me the day before. As I checked myself in the mirror, I realized how much I liked the way I looked. Sure, the clothes were a bit tight on my shapely body, but there was something about the outfit and the lifestyle it represented that called to me.
Wyatt and his family were tight, and that was a total contrast to the life I apparently lived in my tiny studio apartment in Houston. Family, fresh air, homecooked meals – it all seemed so perfect.
But it didn’t matter. I had a life to get back to, and soon this would all be a memory. Hopefully one I’d be able to hang onto.
When I was ready to start the day, I stepped out of my bedroom and headed down the hall. The time was a little before eight, and I’d learned the schedule of the ranch well enough to know this meant Mama G would be ringing that bell any moment.
Sure enough, when eight o’clock hit on my way down the stairs the bell’s chime rang through the house. A smile spread across my face as I thought about all the delicious food that awaited me. I picked up my pace, ready to get to the kitchen and chow down.
The family was all there, good mornings coming from all of them as I arrived. More good things – it was so nice to start my day with a good meal and friendly faces. No idea what my routine in my studio was like, but no doubt it involved a quick meal alone before going to work. Breakfast that morning was cheesy scrambled eggs and hash browns, and my stomach growled at the sight of it.
“Hope you’re hungry,” Ginny announced as she zipped around the table pouring coffee for everyone seated.
“You know I am,” I said, placing my hand on my belly.
An instant later a mug of steaming coffee was in my hands. Before I could even think about taking a sip, I realized someone was missing from the table. “Where’s Wyatt?”
A few grins broke out here and there. There was no doubt Wyatt and me and whatever was happening between us had been a topic of gossip with the family. My face flushed as I tried to sip my coffee nonchalantly.
“He’s got some business on the ranch to attend to,” Silas answered, his voice calm and plain as always. “He’s up in his room now, said he might skip breakfast.”
Ginny shook her head as she leaned against one of the kitchen counters, her slender, wrinkled hands wrapped around her mug. “Kid’s stubborn as a damn mule. I keep telling him that a busy day means more meals, not skipping them.”
Before anyone could say another word the familiar heavy footfalls of Wyatt’s boots sounded behind me. I turned and there he was. The man looked hot as ever. He wore a black and white checkered cowboy shirt with pearl buttons, the sleeves rolled up along his toned forearms. He sported another pair of rugged jeans, tight enough to hug the crotch. Damn, that bulge was going to be the death of me, I knew it. It seemed like every time I closed my eyes, I pictured it. Stubble dusted his handsome face.
And his expression suggested he was in a serious mood. That was usually the case, but I could sense there was something important on his mind.
“There’s the missing man!” Ginny called to him. She pointed to his open spot at the table. “Park your butt at the table and eat up!”
He shook his head. “No time to eat today.”
“No time to eat?” Chance asked. “Why? What’s going on?”
His expression remained somber. “Juniper. Checked on her this morning and she’s in labor. Just came into the house long enough to change before gettin’ back out there.”
Emily’s eyes lit up. “Juniper’s ready to give birth?”
“Yep,” he said. “And I need to be there with her.”
I loved the way he talked about his animals. Wyatt was more caring and open when it came to his animals, but not so much the people in his life. I could tell he loved his family and was a caring person, but I found myself wondering if he ever shared that part of himself wholly.
“You can at least eat something,” Ginny said to him. “Juniper’s gonna need you to have all your wits about you, you know.”
Another head shake. “I’ll take some coffee to go, but no time for anything else.”
“Fine, fine,” Ginny acquiesced as she made her way to the cupboards. “But you better make up for it at lunch.” She poured him a thermos of coffee and handed it over.
Wyatt was focused on nothing but Juniper. He barely made eye contact with me or anyone else. The man could be single-minded when he wanted to be.
“I’ll see about it,” Wyatt said as he screwed the top onto the thermos. “But right now, I’ve got work to do.”
“I want to come with you!” The words flew out of my mouth in a quick blurt, catching the attention of everyone at the table.
“Nah,” Wyatt negated. “It’ll be a long day with not much going on until the very end. I’ll take care of it on my own.”
“I insist,” I said. “You said I was good with her yesterday, right? Maybe I can help calm her down while she’s in labor.”
Wyatt glanced to the si
de, appearing to think over what I’d said. “Alright, fine. But we need to move now.”
I jumped out of my seat. As soon as I was at Wyatt’s side, we were off, the two of us grabbing our jackets from near the door on our way out.
“You sure about this?” he asked, his eyes fixed forward as we left. “Not gonna be the prettiest sight in the world.”
“I’m sure. If you need help, that’s what I’m gonna do.”
“Don’t need help,” he said gruffly. “But we’ll see if I can find somethin’ for you to assist with.”
Wyatt was a go-it-alone man through and through, one of those guys who thought he could take on the world all by himself. But I’d prove I was useful.
The sky was overcast, and the air was still. The thick grey clouds above seemed to promise rain or sleet. The two of us silently made our way to the barn, my heart beating faster and faster with excitement. When we reached the barn, Wyatt pulled the door open. Juniper was in her usual spot in the center of the barn. But unlike before, she didn’t appear calm at all. She shifted from side to side, strange sounds coming from her that I could only guess were noises of pain.
“Damn,” Wyatt swore, hurrying to her side. “She’s in a bad way.”
“Oh no,” I said. “Is she gonna be alright?”
“She’ll be fine. She’s goin’ through the worst of it right now. Get over here and I’ll tell you to what you do.”
Wyatt was focused, his hand on Juniper’s face as he spoke to her in a low voice I couldn’t hear. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do next, but I could tell a million questions would break his concentration. Not knowing what else to do, I rushed over to the tool rack and grabbed the brush. Once that was in hand, I returned to Juniper’s side.
“Here’s the deal,” Wyatt said. “I’m gonna take care of all the birthing business. And while I’m doing that, you’re gonna do your best to calm her.”
“Got it.”
“Horse births aren’t as painful as human ones, but that doesn’t mean she’s having a good time. She’s gonna need to stay nice and calm through this. And don’t go behind her – she’s stressed and might kick without thinking.”