by K. C. Crowne
“Sam,” he said, his voice low so not to attract attention. “Come on – talk to me.”
He wasn’t going to take no for an answer. After letting a full breath move through my lungs, I opened the door. Chance was wearing nothing but a towel and looked sexy as hell.
“I know you’re not gonna make me stand out here in the hall like this.” The side of his mouth curled up in a cute, sexy smile.
I nodded for him to come in, shutting the door behind me. Chance stepped over to the bed and took a seat on the edge.
“So,” he said. “Tell me what’s up. You’re worried about your job?”
“Not just the job,” I said. “Everything about it. Like El.”
He glanced aside and nodded. “That’s…yeah. We do have to think about her.”
“We did this again. It would have been one thing if we’d gotten plastered one night and screwed, woke up and laughed about it the next morning. But we did it once, and then we did it again. And I’d been dead-set on not doing it again.”
“But you can’t resist me.”
I grinned, in spite of how I felt. “Someone’s cocky.”
“Nothin’ cocky about it – it’s a statement of fact. You can’t resist me, and I can’t resist you. So we gotta figure out what we’re gonna do here.”
“I know. Sounds like we both tried resisting, but all it takes is for us to be alone and…”
“And we’ve got our hands all over each other.”
“Right.”
Silence.
I cleared my throat and spoke. “What if we just…let it happen?”
“Let it happen?”
I shook my head. “Nothing serious or certain or carved into stone. We just go with it. See what happens.”
“That’s what you want? I mean, why not decide on something more certain? If it doesn’t work, we can just stop.”
“I don’t think it would be that easy,” I countered.
He sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that. Of course, it would be hard if it didn’t work. But we’re adults, right? We could figure out a way to go on.”
“But there’s still the matter of Ellie.”
He nodded. “You’re right. We have to keep this from her for the time being.”
“Yeah. Don’t want her to get too confused about anything going on between you and me.” I sighed. Between the sex and the conversation, I was worn out.
Chance apparently felt the same way. He rose and stretched, his powerful body curving back, his muscles popping and tautening as he stretched. “I should get some shut-eye,” he said. “Maybe do a little thinkin’ while I’m at it.”
“Same here.”
He turned to me in the silence that fell between us. Neither of us seemed to know what to say.
“Good night, Sam.” He kissed me on the lips. The kiss lingered, and the longer it went on, the more I wanted to grab one of those massive hands and pull him into the bed.
But I didn’t.
“Good night, Chance.”
He turned, giving me a sexy wink over his shoulder before leaving, shutting the door softly behind him.
I fell back onto the bed, a big smile on my face. Chance’s kiss was the last thing on my mind before I fell asleep.
Chapter 13
CHANCE
One week later…
The last few days had flown by. Sam and El were in a nice little routine with tutoring, the two of them spending most of the day together for studies. Sam helped her with homework afterward, usually finishing around time for dinner. After that, Sam would have her own time to spend as she pleased. But it typically ended up being her and El playing games or watching movies.
The two were tight. And I loved it.
The week was busy as hell for me. A holiday weekend was coming up, meaning tourists from Houston were looking to spend a few days out in the country. I took the groups out on hikes and trips around town, not to mention horseback rides and other activities.
By the time the next weekend hit, I was wiped. Most of the groups had gone back to the city, with only a few tourists left at the ranch. That Friday, I actually had the evening free. I was in my office, sipping on some coffee and going over some odds at ends at my desk when Sam and El showed up.
“Hey, Dad!” El shouted as she ran into the house, her little feet pattering on the hardwood floor as she ran to the fridge and opened it.
“Hey, kid,” I said.
“Now El,” Sam said as she entered behind her, shutting the door. “You know we’re eating dinner in a little bit, right?”
“I know, I know,” El said, her face buried in the fridge. “But I’m starving. Can I have a snack or something?”
“You can have whatever you want, as long as it’s a piece of fruit.”
“What about a slice of pecan pie Mama G gave us?”
“Is that fruit?”
“No.”
“Then we’re saving it for later, okay?”
“Al-right.”
I couldn’t help but grin. Sam was a pro with El – she was stern and in charge, but never overbearing. Over a short period of time, she’d managed to establish herself as a friend and authority figure. Not an easy task. El turned from the fridge, a bright red apple in her hand.
“Want me to cut it up for you?”
“Yeah.”
“Pardon?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Atta girl,” Sam praised. She glanced at me with a smile before turning her attention to El and the apple.
The last week had been so busy that she and I hadn’t had a chance to spend any time alone. That didn’t mean I hadn’t been thinking about it like crazy. Whenever my mind would drift, I’d imagine the two of us in the pool, Sam’s shapely legs wrapped around my body, my cock buried in her, her face twisting into beautiful agony as I brought her to orgasm.
I wanted her again so badly it almost hurt. But then I’d think about our conversation about how we weren’t going to force the relationship, but let it happen at its own pace. The pace, though, was a little too slow for my tastes. Every now and then I’d spot her around the property, and just the sight of her was enough to get me thinking about how much I wanted her, how desperately I needed to have her naked and underneath me, pounding her hard, her tits bouncing, her full, curvy body squirming as I made her come.
I shifted where I sat, trying to put all that out of my head. But damn, was it tough.
“What’ve you got going on tonight, Chance?” Sam asked, snapping me out of my daze.
“Uh, tonight? Hmm – not much. Hadn’t thought much further than dinner. Why, you got something in mind?”
She grinned. “I did if you were feeling up to it. Your mom mentioned the Patterson County Fair tonight.”
El’s eyes lit up. “The fair! I forgot! Daddy, we have to go! Puh-lease?” She clasped her hands together in a cute little begging way.
“Dang,” I said. “I totally forgot about the fair.” I couldn’t resist. I’d been so busy at the ranch I hadn’t had a single chance to get into town. A little change of pace sounded pretty damn nice. “Alright,” I announced, getting up. “We can head into town in a little bit.”
Ellie squealed with delight and jumped up and down. “Yay!”
Sam smiled at her, then looked at me. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been to a real country fair before. Is it the real deal with deep-fried Oreos and everything?”
I laughed. “If it’s junk food, they’ll deep-fry it for you. But trust me, only eat one or two unless you want to spend the rest of the night in a food coma.”
“Duly noted,” she said. “Sounds like fun.”
“Yes!” El shouted triumphantly.
“Why don’t you run to the house and let Mama G know we’re goin’ into town for the night. Then we can get goin’ before the crowds get too insane.”
“Okay!” El screeched, already halfway out the door.
She was gone, and Sam and I were left alone. Part of me wanted to lo
ck the door and rush her, putting my hands on her hips, pulling her out of her clothes, and bending her over the desk as soon as fucking possible.
“I’ll go with her,” Sam announced, glancing at the door. “Make sure she doesn’t get distracted.”
“Um, sure. I’ll pull the truck up to the house in a few. Meet me out there?”
“Will do.” She gave a playful salute before heading out.
I let out a big lungful of air as she left. Even in that brief moment, the sexual tension between us was out of control. At least we’d be out and about in public with Ellie. Because if we were alone again, I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist her for long. And I had a feeling it was more than mutual.
I took a quick shower and got ready, throwing on a clean pair of jeans and a grey T-shirt. Once I had my boots and hat on, I was ready to go. A quick drive later, I was in front of the house, Sam and Ellie coming out the front door the second I came to a stop.
“Y’all ready?” I asked as they climbed into the front seat, El sandwiched between the two of us
“Ready!” El replied, her voice charged with excitement.
“Then let’s move!”
The truck’s powerful engine grumbled as I steered away from the house and toward the front gates of the property. Moments later, we were on our way, taking the winding road through the forest and into town. El was a chatterbox the entire time, going on and on about what games she wanted to play, what rides she wanted to ride, and what foods she wanted to eat.
And as she jabbered, I cast sidelong glances at Sam, the two of us meeting eyes every now and again. She smiled as I looked at her, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she might be down for a little private time once we were back.
After a relatively short drive, we spotted the fair lights in the distance, the Ferris wheel rising out of the horizon, the parking lot in front of the fairgrounds packed with the most pickup trucks I’d ever seen in one place all at once.
“So much for beating the crowds.”
“Hope they’re not out of fried Oreos,” Sam said with a smirk.
“Don’t you worry about that,” I said. “And even if they are, you can probably get a deep-fried cheesecake to scratch that itch.”
I parked in an open space far from the front, and we started our hike. The sun was beginning to set, the sky gorgeous with soft blues fading into deep oranges into fiery yellows. There was a tiny chill to the air, but otherwise, the weather was perfect for a fair. I paid for the tickets, and we were in.
“Where do you want to start, kid?” I asked, mussing El’s hair. “They got games, they got rides – you know the drill.”
“I want to play some games!” she yelled, incapable of normal speech in her excitement. “The one where you shoot the targets and win the giant bears!”
I laughed. “The lady knows what she wants, I suppose.”
“Let’s do that,” Sam agreed. “And then we can take the Ferris wheel up to the top and watch the sunset.”
“Sounds like a fine plan to me,” I agreed, putting my hands on my lower back and giving it a good crack.
The smell of hay mixing with fried food and the fresh Texas air made me happy. Crowds weren’t really my thing, but there was something about a good old Texas fair – nothing like it.
“There!” El shouted, pointing to the rifle game when she spotted it among all the other booths. “That’s the one!”
We headed to the booth, and after a brief stand in line, it was our turn. The game was simple – shoot the red and white circled targets as they zipped by. Whoever hit the most won.
I picked up my toy rifle, El doing the same. But Sam held hers apprehensively, as though it were a small animal she wasn’t sure how to handle.
“Ever shot one of those before?” I asked with a grin, knowing well the answer.
“Never in my life.”
“It’s like taking a picture with your camera phone,” El said, her eyes staring down the sights of her toy gun. “Point it and shoot, right?”
“And have you ever shot one of those before?” I asked, a tinge of surprise to my voice.
“No,” she said. “But I’ve seen Uncle Wyatt and Uncle Silas shoot theirs. It looks fun!”
I laughed. “Well, don’t get too excited – you’re stickin’ with the toy guns for a few more years.” I glanced at Sam. “But she’s right. Point and shoot.”
She leaned over a bit, holding the gun in front of her face and closing one eye. “Okay…I think I can handle it.”
“Y’all ready?” the worker behind the booth asked.
“Ready!” El shouted.
The worker pressed a button, a buzzer rang, and it was on. The targets came in from the left and right on three rows, and El didn’t waste any time taking shots. The girl was good – surprisingly so for someone who’d never fired a gun, real or otherwise, before.
Sam was a different story. She took aim, the end of her rifle pointing at one target, then another, stressed noises coming from her mouth as she fired missed shot after missed shot. I knew my way around a gun. Taking careful aim with steady hands, I fired pellet after pellet, plinking one target after another. But my pace was slow, letting El hit as many as she could.
The buzzer sounded, and Sam took one last shot, hitting a target as it zipped by.
“Got one!” she shouted triumphantly.
“And the winner,” the worker announced, “with ten targets hit, is…” He gestured to El, giving her a sign to say her name.
“El!” she screamed with a big smile.
“El!” repeated the worker. “Take your pick!” He swept his hand in front of the array of stuffed animals hanging from the top of the stand.
“The monkey!”
“The monkey it is!” He plucked it off the faux wall and handed it to El, who squeezed it tightly, a happy smile on her face.
“Alright,” I said. “Let’s head on over to the food. Shootin’ gives me a wild appetite.”
We stepped away from the stand, El in front of us as Sam and I walked side-by-side.
“Nice shootin’,” I said, smirking.
She laughed. “Was that sarcasm? Can’t ever tell with you.”
“I mean, it was nice shootin’ for a city girl. Most urban types are scared of guns – think they’re gonna jump up and bite them or somethin’.”
“That’s kind of how I used to be. But I don’t know. Living in Texas puts you in a different frame of mind.”
“You’re right about that. You interested in learnin’ a little more about shootin’?”
A strange, worried expression crossed her face. At first, I thought she was apprehensive about the idea. But it hit me that there was something more to it than that.
“Sure,” she said after a moment. “That might be nice. Then maybe by next year’s fair, I’ll be the one whipping your butt.”
I laughed. “Challenge accepted.”
El was in front of us, the stuffed monkey in her arms almost as big as she was. Her head swiveled in every direction, and I didn’t want her running off on her own. “Don’t run too far off, El,” I called, my voice barely rising above the din of the fair. “Stay where I can see you.”
“I know, I know,” she said, glancing over her shoulder just long enough to speak the words.
We made our way to the food stand area, the smells so good that my stomach almost wouldn’t stop grumbling. I bought some brats and sodas for the three of us, and we found seats on the stands a little off to the side. We ate and talked and watched the people pass by. When we finished eating, we played a few more games and checked out the rodeo, and by the time we were done with all that, the sun was nearly set. The Ferris wheel was up next, and soon we had walked the entire fairgrounds.
“Wow,” Sam whispered. “It’s beautiful.”
She was right about that. From our vantage point, we could see the entire fair, the throngs of people packed together, the rodeo off in the distance, and the Texas landscape of green and brown fading
into the distance. The sun dipped just below the horizon, giving its final goodbye for the day with wild colors draped with thin wisps of clouds.
“This really is like another country,” Sam mused.
Without thinking, I took her hand and squeezed. I couldn’t help myself – the woman was too damn hard to resist. El was distracted by the sights, sitting up on the seat and staring out the window. Sam smiled at me, and for a moment, it was almost like we were a family.
The moment passed, and Sam slipped her hand out of mine just as El turned her attention back to us. The Ferris wheel brought us back down to ground level, and we climbed out.
“Alright,” Sam announced. “Fried food time.”
Before either of us could say anything, El took off running.
“El!” I called out after her. “What did I say about stayin’ close!”
She either didn’t hear me or decided not to; she was gone, vanishing among the crowd. Sam shot a worried look in my direction as we waded through the people, heads swiveling in every direction. When we finally broke through to the other side, we couldn’t find her. We called her name, turning in circles, with no luck.
“Shit,” I said. “Where the hell did she run off to?”
“We’ll find her,” Sam tried to assure me.
I knew she was right, but at that moment, a fear like none I’d ever felt gripped me.
My little girl was gone.
Chapter 14
SAMANTHA
Panic seized me in a cold grip. My eyes widened like saucers as I scanned the scene, looking frantically for Ellie.
“Where is she?” I asked frantically.
Chance stood still as a statue, his hands on his hips as he glanced around. “Gotta be here somewhere.” His voice was cool and calm. No doubt he was worried, but he was the kind of person who didn’t let his fear get the best of him. “How about this – we split up and look for her.” He turned around, the Ferris wheel behind us. “I’ll go west, and you go east. Make a big half circle and loop back around here. One of us is bound to spot her.”