Loving the Heartland

by Marjorie Jones

  “Not yet,” she returned, her voice raspy even to her own ears.

  Michelle’s seductive smile turned to an evil grin and she offered the hint of a shrug, as if to say, “Have it your way.”

  Tenderly, Michelle urged Kendra’s trembling thighs apart. It was as though she were consumed with an earthquake that started from her insides and radiated in each of her limbs. She couldn’t stop it, and she didn’t want to. When Michelle’s mouth made the first soft, but not timid, contact with skin that hadn’t been touched in more years than Kendra could remember, the earthquake shifted. It was no longer inside her. Instead, she was inside the quake, each earth-moving pulse consuming her until she worried, sincerely, whether she might die. She grasped Michelle’s hair between her fingers and held on for her life.

  “Oh, God,” she breathed between gritted teeth. “Oh, God.”

  Michelle continued to tease Kendra’s clit with circles, wide and small. Heavy and light. First she sucked the tiny nub between her lips and suckled and then, with no hint or warning, she pulled away and teased her with short, hard strokes using the very tip of her tongue. Back and forth, she brought Kendra to the brink and then changed tactics like a general waging a battle.

  The weight and pressure that built slowly, deep inside of her collapsed Kendra’s arm and she fell backward onto the bed. She grasped the coverlet with both of her fists as her legs spread wider of their own accord. Michelle giggled, like any true vixen who knows full well she had subdued her prey.

  Kendra lifted her head in time to see her lover adjust her position, her muscles tensing like a lioness going in for the kill, her body trembling as much as Kendra’s. Spreading the folds of skin with the fingers of one hand, Michelle slid one finger, and then two, inside before lowering her mouth to Kendra’s clit again. With a rhythm that comes from the most basic of human existence, Kendra rocked her hips against Michelle’s mouth and fingers. Heat built like a firestorm, climbing through the seven levels of hell until it reached the edges of heaven.

  “Come for me, Kendra,” Michelle whispered. “Let me taste you.”

  Michelle pressed her fingers to that spot where the fire had started. She gently massaged as she continued to suckle Kendra’s clit with expert attention, until finally, almost without warning, Kendra’s world exploded. Michelle groaned with such obvious pleasure that Kendra couldn’t be sure she hadn’t come undone as well, but the waves of pleasure stole her voice and the sound served only to enhance them. Michelle continued to stoke the fire, slowly and gently until Kendra’s body fell limp, ultimately sliding her hands over the insides of Kendra’s thighs; hot, slick and wet.

  Wet?

  Drenched was more like it.

  Like a sunrise kisses the night sky, reality slowly descended over her. Her body returned to some semblance of normal, although she doubted she would ever be normal again.

  Michelle slid on top of her, surprisingly naked. “Are you okay?”

  Kendra could only nod.

  When Michelle pressed her thigh against Kendra’s sex, she thought she might come again and shuddered with what could only be described as an aftershock of the original quake that had stolen any measure of sense she had left.

  “You think you’re in charge, do you?” She finally found her voice, although it was still rough with passion.

  Those amazing lips, still glistening with the evidence of Kendra’s reactions to her skillful talents, spread into a wide grin. “Of course, I am.”

  A challenge...

  Kendra lifted Michelle as she stood on shaking knees, turned them both around and tossed her lover onto the bed. Kendra fell into place on top, catching the bulk of her weight on her elbows, placed strategically on either side of Michelle’s upper arms. The effect trapped Michelle’s arms close to her breast. The bonus was two perfectly formed mounds of soft, white flesh just waiting to be caressed and kissed, suckled and stroked until Michelle screamed for release.

  Never one to disappoint, at least not in the bedroom, Kendra obliged the waiting orbs. Michelle’s throat pulsed as she swallowed and then emitted the soft, purring sounds that Kendra had come to recognize as a very good thing. Satisfied that their little power struggle had been decided, she paid less attention to holding her captive with her body and more attention to repaying her in kind.

  Within moments, Michelle panted and convulsed with an orgasm that bore witness to their lovemaking in a way that only true ecstasy can bring. Michelle screamed her release, as Kendra had planned, and she caught the sound between her lips, kissing her until she couldn’t breathe.

  Unable to stop herself, Kendra positioned herself between Michelle’s legs and rocked her hips, pressing her mound against Michelle in a way that joined them together at soul level. Before Michelle’s trembling orgasm had time to abandon her, Kendra joined her. They came together, breath mingling, their hearts beating as one, their pulses throbbing in unison.

  Panting, Kendra collapsed onto Michelle’s breast.

  How in the name of God was she supposed to live without her?

  

  Michelle’s even breaths merged with the night sounds coming through the partially opened window. Propped on one elbow, Kendra traced the lines of her face, relaxed in sleep, with her gaze. Michelle curled against her so perfectly, she hated to move. But, she was more afraid she’d wake her if she stayed in place. Sleep eluded her and she’d given up trying to force it.

  Too many things raced around in her mind. Michelle. Brad and Lenise. Harold Mason. A couple of years ago, her life had been so simple. Raise the kids. Herd the cows. Eat. Sleep.

  Simple.

  From the minute Mason had clawed his way into Kendra’s life that had all changed. And now? Now, it seemed as if everything would collapse at once.

  Except for Michelle. She represented everything good that life had to offer. In her, she found peace and even love. She sighed when she couldn’t deny it anymore, not even to herself.

  She loved her.

  More than anything, she wanted Michelle to stay with her forever. Without her, Kendra couldn’t bear the weight of all that had been heaped on her.

  With effort, she slipped from beneath the blanket and tucked it beneath Michelle’s rounded backside. She bit her lip and shook her head slightly to keep from groaning aloud. What god had she pleased to grant her such a woman?

  What would happen if she didn’t convince Michelle to stay on with her? To live here, on Heartland Ranch... her wife. Mother to her children?

  She frowned as she stood in front of the window and looked over the moonlit range behind the house.

  Did Kendra really want children? Did Michelle? Sure, she’d raised the others, but they weren’t her kids. As much as she’d done to try and make up for their lack of parents, they weren’t her offspring.

  She scratched her chin and rubbed the heels of her palms over her eyes. She wasn’t getting any younger. She had no desire to carry a child; no maternal internal clocks, or whatever the hell they were, ticked inside of her. Well, maybe technically they did. Her eggs wouldn’t last forever, right? She remembered that much from junior high health class. But, what about Michelle? Did she want to have a baby someday?

  And if the goddess beneath the blanket next to her did want to have a child of her own, was Kendra up to repeating the challenges she’d already faced? Chicken pox. Broken bones. Broken hearts...

  She glanced back at the goddess, still sleeping. She’d curled into the place Kendra had vacated and pulled her legs slightly toward her breasts, one of which was exposed to the filtered moonlight.

  She’d give anything, she realized, to see this woman feeding their child from that breast.

  What if everything worked out? What if they bested Harold Mason at his own game and Michelle actually agreed to stay here, to be a part of their lives?

  And what if they didn’t beat Mason? What if Kendra lost everything? They’d still have the money from her parents’ settlement. After setting up a trust for
Brad and Lenise and their growing family, and dividing the rest between the adults, there would be plenty to take care of Michelle and anyone else who came along.

  This wasn’t the first time these kinds of thoughts had burned through her: children and family.

  The ultimate question was: Did she have it in her to start all over?

  Every question that whirled from one side of her head to the other seemed to breed three more, like some kind of cancer.

  Who was she kidding? she scoffed silently.

  She’d never be the same without the ranch.

  She pulled on her jeans and a sleeveless tee, and then stepped out of the room. She didn’t know where she was going, just that she needed to be by herself for a little while. Her fingers twitched as she stepped out of the house and into the moonlight.

  Someone had left the horses turned out in the small corral. She smiled... that someone would be her, of course. She made her way in that direction and waved to the herdsman she’d positioned on the roof of the barn. The tip of a rifle barrel glistened in the moonlight falling across his lap.

  The atmosphere reminded her of some kind of castle in the dark ages. Danger lurking at every corner; enemies at the gate. But it wasn’t romantic, and it wasn’t a fairy tale. She climbed the exterior steps that led to her grandfather’s third-floor ranch office over the barn.

  Inside, she settled behind the desk. She pushed the new keyboard Michelle had placed there out of her way and flipped on the desk lamp. A small circle of white light brightened the space and she frowned. She liked the old light-bulbs better; the ones with the yellow glow. Or, better yet, a lantern or a candle.

  Neat bookshelves held her grandfather’s old cattle manuals. She read the titles and was surprised to find that the girls had displayed the most important ones. Maybe she’d done a better job educating Lacey about ranching than she’d thought. Of course, Brent had probably helped Michelle and Lacey pick them out of the clutter.

  New curtains on the window and a decent rug on the floor made the often-ignored space downright cozy.

  Her eyes fell on a notebook on the corner of the desk. She picked it up and smiled.

  She hadn’t laid eyes on it since just after high school. One of the many novels she’d started back then and never finished. Running her thumb over the edge of the notebook, she scanned the pages.

  Then she started reading. An hour later, she set the book on the desk, open to the first blank page.

  With a sigh and a groan, she picked up a pen.

  And wrote.

  

  Michelle woke as the dawn spread golden light through the sheers covering the bedroom window, a giant grin plastered on her face that made her cheeks hurt. She almost laughed. The chill morning air failed to reach any further than her cheeks. The rest of her snuggled beneath the blanket and pressed firmly against Kendra’s warmth.

  She never wanted to move from this spot. Nothing could come through the door uninvited. No Mason. No business crumbling in Las Vegas. Just the two of them for eternity.

  Was that so much to ask?

  The door crashed open and Kendra woke with a start.

  Michelle cringed. So much for no invitation.

  “Brad’s getting married!”

  “Morning, Lacey,” Kendra grumbled. “Don’t you knock?”

  Lacey rapped slowly on the door three times. “Better? So, what are we going to do about this? Is Lenise really pregnant?”

  “Go downstairs and make coffee. We’ll be down in a few minutes.”

  “We?”

  Michelle raised her right hand and waved toward the door, in the rough direction of Lacey’s voice.

  “Oh. Hi, Michelle. Didn’t see you there. Hurry up.”

  “Get out so we can get up, and we’ll hurry.” Kendra threw a small, decorator pillow at her sister.

  When Lacey left, Michelle pressed her back against Kendra again and pulled her arm over her like a comforter. She really was a comforter. The thought brought a smile back to her lips. “Good morning.”

  Warm breath followed by Kendra’s lips touched her neck. Her mouth moved against her skin as she answered. “Mornin’. Should we get up now?”

  Michelle wiggled her backside against the warmth she found at Kendra’s core. “No.”

  Kendra laughed, her mouth still embedded in Michelle’s neck as she thrust her hips against her backside. “I think I already am. As always when you’re around.”

  Memories of the previous night’s activities made her spine tingle and her stomach clench. “You pretty much proved that already.”

  She expected a soft kiss any minute and closed her eyes. Strong hands. Slow, deliberate strokes over her...

  Kendra threw the covers off and slapped Michelle’s naked behind with the flat of one hand. “Rise and shine!”

  “Ouch!” Michelle half-laughed and half-screamed as her teeth set to a steady chatter. “It’s cold. I don’t want to get out of bed.”

  In only a few seconds it seemed, Kendra stood in front of her where she’d pulled the blankets almost over her head. Fully dressed. “Take your time, sweetness. I’m going to get some coffee and see if I can speak civilly to my little brother. And later, I’m running into town. Want to come?”

  Did she ever. But that probably wasn’t what Kendra meant. She sighed. “Where are we going?”

  “The courthouse. I’m swearing out a restraining order and complaint against Harold Mason.”

  “That’s surprising. You? Taking proactive action against Mason? Do you think it’ll do any good?”

  “No. But it’s a start.”

  “Sure. I’ll tag along.”

  Kendra leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.” Then she left the room.

  Michelle fell back into the down pillow and stared at the ceiling. Restraining order. Why would she think of something like that? Maybe Mac had suggested it. At least she was taking the offensive. Kendra was right. It was a start.

  The bed held little of the allure it had a few moments earlier. She heaved herself from beneath the sheets and headed for the shower.

  A few minutes later, she dressed and joined the rest of the family in the kitchen.

  “And I was thinking of a pink dress. With lots of lace, maybe tea-length with matching pink cowboy boots? What do you think, Lacey?”

  “I think you’re completely insane for getting married, that’s what I think. And you just described a spoonful of Pepto Bismol.”

  Michelle smacked Lacey on the back of the head with just enough force to get her attention. “Don’t listen to her, Lenise. It’ll be just fine. You and Brad will make it work. Right, Lacey?”

  Lacey grumbled but somehow forced a smile. “Right. And I think the pink boots will be precious.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice like molasses.

  Michelle patted Lenise on the back and then poured herself a cup of coffee. “Where’s Kendra?”

  “She went to meet with the night watch. Man, is this weird or what? It’s like we’re living in a fortress or something. It’s eerie.” Lacey shuttered.

  “Yeah, but your sister is just being careful. I’m going to log on and get a little work done.”

  In the living room, she sat on the sofa and hooked up her laptop. She didn’t even want to think of how many emails she might find, having been offline so much lately.

  She sipped her coffee and waited for her email program to open. Four hundred and forty-eight emails dumped into her inbox. The start of a groan settled in her throat until she scanned the subject lines.

  Request for Information – Heartland Ranch and Cattle Company. They were all copies of the emails sent originally to Vincent for the video orders.

  The groan turned into a yelp, and then a scream.

  Lacey and Lenise dashed into the room and skidded to a halt, staring at her. “What is it? What’s wrong?” Lacey sounded panicked despite her earlier nonchalance about possible threats.

  “Nothing! Nothing’s wrong, La
cey!” Michelle spun the computer on her lap to show the girls the list. “Look at this! We have schools, government offices – you name it – requesting information about the ranch. They want the video. Almost all of them clicked on the information link. They’re all in favor of saving the ranch as a symbol of our American heritage.”

  “Really?” Lacey leaned forward and then fell to her knees in front of the computer.

  Michelle took a deep breath, her cheeks on fire from the size of her grin. “It’s working!”

  

  “I have to admit, Michelle. I really didn’t think anyone would care.” Kendra steered her truck into a parking space in front of the courthouse.

  “You should have more faith in people.”

  Kendra hid a cringe. Faith was something she had trouble with. Sure, she believed in God and had all kinds of faith in the Big Guy, but faith in people was a whole different story.

  She’d had faith in her parents, and they up and died on her. She’d had faith in the community, and they’d sided with Mason and fell for his used-car-salesman pitches about the resort and how great it would be for them. She’d once had faith in herself. But that was a long time ago.

  And now, she was about to have faith in the legal system that did nothing except punish the innocent.

  In another six months, when Brad turned eighteen, she had planned to give all of the settlement money away. Every last ill-gotten dime of it. For fifteen years, she’d raised her brothers and sister with only the money she’d earned. She would have given all the cash away the minute she’d received it if the courts and the state would have let her keep the kids anyway. They thought she’d needed it. But it was blood money and she wanted no part of it.

  In the end, she’d proved them all wrong. At least she’d accomplished that much.

  Disturbed by the direction of her thoughts, she cleared her throat. “So, when will the video be ready?”

  “I talked to Vincent this morning and he can ship them by the end of the week I just approved the final edits and he’ll have it mastered and uploaded to the host site by Friday. I’ve got my staff working on the packets that go with it.”