“How did you…” she asked.
“This is part of our undeveloped land,” he explained. “I wanted to go somewhere private and this seemed to be it.”
“This is…I don’t have words.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” he said gently. “Let’s just eat.”
“Did Lana pack this?” she asked as she sat down on the blanket.
He nodded. “I told her everything and she insisted on packing this for us.”
“It looks good,” she said as she took out the sandwiches and bottles of juice.
They ate as they chatted and when they were done, they cleared it away, naturally laying down together to stare at the night sky. She cuddled in his arms and closed her eyes, feeling protected and comfortable. She’d never dreamed of feeling this comfortable in a man’s presence, especially Mark’s, given how he was in the beginning, when she was still Caleb Hunter.
“It’s been a while since I had a moment like this,” she said.
“A moment like what?” Mark said softly.
“Without any worries, with someone I liked,” she murmured.
“Happy to provide it to you,” he said playing with her hair and pressing a kiss to her warm lips.
“Thank you, Mark,” she said. “I mean it.”
He turned so that his body was facing her and she could feel her heart pounding against her chest as he leaned in to kiss her softly, his lips soft but firm against hers. She felt the explosion in her and sighed contentedly against his kiss. “Make love to me.”
“Cat,” Mark said, his voice rough with obvious need. Running his hand down her arm, Mark drew her hand up, pressing a kiss to her wrist. Then his mouth came back to her, plundering the flavor of her when she invited him deeper. Soon his hands were in the long locks of her dark hair and Mark felt her body begin to respond under his touch.
“Mark,” she breathed, unable to staunch the flow of heat that pooled between her thighs. Need slapped her hard and Cat pressed Mark’s hand to her, all but begging him to take her. He cupped her there, pressing against her ripe clit. He moved his knee there so that his hands could undo her dress. When he saw the bra she was wearing she swore she could feel the hardness of his cock against her leg.
“Sweet God you’re beautiful,” he said, capturing her mouth again. This time there was no need for words as his tongue danced around hers, igniting a fire she swore would consume her.
Catherine had never known anything to rapturously wonderful as being in Marks’ arms, letting him touch her in ways she’d never let another. Did he know what it meant to her, to be here, like this, with him? Did he know how much knowing him had changed her?
Trying to show him, she reached for the snap on his jeans and within seconds her hand wrapped around the warm hardness of his cock. When her nail accidently scraped his sensitive skin, he gripped her wrist, slowly showing her how to please him as her hand moved up and down his shaft.
She marveled at its smoothness and the way it hardened in her hand. The fact that she affected him so was thrilling and Cat knew then that she would gladly give herself to this man, in heart and body. His mouth trailed to her neck and when his hand cupped her small breast, she knew a truer definition of ecstasy than she ever had.
Soon, though, it wasn’t enough to simply touch and taste, Mark made it clear that he wanted all of her as his hand slipped under her already wet panties. In seconds, he found her wet slit and slipped into that heat.
***
Mark knew the importance of making sure a woman was ready for sex, but never had he experienced the wonder of that moment. Her heat excited him and made it nearly impossible for him to wait, except that he wanted to feel her rush of pleasure more. She was so ripe and almost insistent as Mark felt her hands pulling at his clothes when his mouth clamped over the tight bud of her breast. “Ugh,” she moaned, her head falling back as pleasure overwhelmed her.
Filling her ripe pussy, Mark drew her tighter, pressing her closer and closer to release as he tightened his own control. She came in his hand an instant later and Mark knew then that she was absolutely ready to couple with him, as her body writhed beneath his hands. “Please,” she begged as Mark stripped down to his skin.
He took his time now, settling between her legs. He half expected her to refuse him, but when those shapely legs wrapped around his hips, Mark knew that this first time would be something he treasured. “Catherine,” he said, waiting for those beautiful, soulful eyes to meet his. Words escaped him and he took her mouth as his body joined with hers, opening her to the beauty and the pain. Her body tensed beneath him and Mark stilled, letting her get used to the feel of him inside her.
Then he patiently began to move, showing her that there was more than just the intense discomfort. Over and over again, Mark slowly filled her and when she started to move with him, meeting him with each thrust; their lovemaking became something much more than just sex. Mark, who’d never expected to, fell hard into love with the pretty daughter of his closest neighbor.
He felt her body tense again and then the quick, rhythmic spasms of her tight pussy sent Mark over the cliff and hot into orgasm as her body took on a life of its own, trembling beneath him as she settled into the afterglow. Eventually he withdrew from her and pulled her close, pressing a tender kiss to her temple. “Are you okay?”
“I’ve never in my life felt more alive and wonderful,” she said, turning to kiss his chest. When she looked toward him, he grinned and then took her mouth and a heart melting kiss that had her heart lurching in her chest all over again.
This, Cat thought to herself, was what it meant to be happy.
***
“I am going to miss you,” Mark said.
“You’re saying that, as if I am leaving for good,” she said giggling.
“You might as well be,” he grumbled.
“You know I don’t have a choice,” she said. “If I don’t leave now, he’s going to start asking why there aren’t any new pottery pieces around the house.”
“Yes, I know,” he sighed and hugged her close. “It’s going to be hard not seeing you around.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “You shouldn’t hug me here, we are going to be seen.”
“Let them see,” he said but released her anyway.
They were by the entrance of the ranch and it was dark outside. She was getting ready to leave, having completed her last day on the Simmons ranch. They had thrown her a small farewell party after she had explained that she was leaving for another town. It was better that way and she was touched that they had cared for her enough to do it. Mark wasn’t happy but he was supportive.
“So, you are going to tell him tonight?” he asked.
She nodded. “Better now than later.”
“Good luck and tell me if you need anything,” he said. “Text me.”
“You don’t have reception here,” she said.
“I’ll go to the stables for it,” he said.
“Alright, I’ll call you,” she said.
Mark leaned down to peck her and waved as she walked down the path towards her home. She was nervous about what was going to happen but she had no doubt that it needed to happen now. She had waited nearly two months for this and she knew that she was experienced enough for it. Even if she had to learn more, she was more than capable now, of running her father’s ranch and helping it succeed.
Mathew was waiting for her when she reached home. She had changed in the shed and she was ready as ever to face her father.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded and they sat down at the dining table, waiting for their father to arrive. It didn’t take long for Jeremy Hamilton to come in and when he saw his two children waiting for him, he knew something was on their minds.
“You two haven’t slept yet?” he asked them.
“Dad, we have something to talk to you about,” Cat said. “Please sit down.”
“What’s going on?” Mr. Hamilton said. “I�
��m tired, you know today was the voting.”
“Dad, it’s important,” Mathew said.
“Alright,” Mr. Hamilton said and sat down.
“Dad,” Cat looked at Mathew for strength and continued, “I have something to say and I need you to listen to me first, before interrupting me.”
“I get it, get on with it.”
“Dad, I want to be the one to take over the ranch.”
Silence followed and Cat said,
“I know you don’t want me to take over but I have enough knowledge of how a ranch runs and I can and will do a good job at it.”
“Dad, before you say that it’s my job,” Mathew said. “I don’t want to keep working on the ranch, I want to do something else with my life. You know I care about the ranch, but it isn’t what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Mr. Hamilton didn’t speak, his face void of expression. Then after a few minutes he said,
“Mark Simmons put you up to this. He’s meddling in my family. When I heard he was dating you, I knew he was up to no good. You have no business on the ranch and I’m going to go tell him that myself!”
Before the two siblings could react, Mr. Hamilton had gotten up and strode out, leaving the two in stunned silence.
“Cat…” Mathew began.
“I have to call Mark,” Cat said with rising urgency in her voice. “Right now.”
Chapter Eleven
Cat hadn’t been kidding about the no signal part, because Mark didn’t receive any of the calls that she frantically placed to him. Neither did he think about giving her the number to the telephone of the farm house. The office phone however rang in the silence without anyone to pick it up.
He was in the house, working downstairs when he heard the sound of a car stopping outside the house and the shot of a door slamming. He was shocked to hear it so late at night, but he got up to go out to see who it was. Mark was taken aback when he saw that it was Mr. Hamilton, red faced and seething as he strode up the stairs to glare at Mark.
“Can I help you, Mr. Hamilton?” Mark asked politely.
“You!” Mr. Hamilton exclaimed and before Mark knew it, there was a fist in his face. Glaring, he took the punch in stride, waiting to hear what the older man had to say. “You are the reason my Cat has suddenly changed.”
Mark instantly knew that the talk hadn’t gone well, but he wasn’t about to jeopardize anything by saying something foolish, so he only said,
“Mr. Hamilton, I don’t think that’s the case.”
“You put it in her head that she has to take over the ranch,” Mr. Hamilton shouted without any regard for anyone who might be sleeping.
“I think blaming me for something she wants in not courteous to the strength of your daughter’s convictions.”
“You did it!”
“Did she never tell you about it?” Mark said quietly. “That she wanted to take over the ranch?”
Mr. Hamilton hesitated and then said, “That was a long time ago and she didn’t know what she wanted back then.”
“Or maybe she didn’t say it out of deference to you. Either way, Mr. Hamilton, you should listen to your daughter, listen to what she really wants.”
“I will never approve of it or the two of you,” he said angrily.
“Cat isn’t a child,” Mark said his voice hard, defensive. “She is a grown woman who can make her own decisions.”
“Mr. Hamilton?” Jaime said, coming out.
He had been louder than Mark had thought; he hadn’t thought that Jaime would wake up.
“Your family…” Mr. Hamilton started to say, but stopped himself. “You better watch yourself Simmons.”
With that Mr. Hamilton walked off and got back into his car.
“Will he be okay?” Jaime asked watching him drive away. “What happened?”
“I don’t know, but it’s serious. I hope Catherine is okay,” Mark said. “I’m going to go call her.”
He went back inside and placed a call. Cat picked up on the second ring.
“Mark?” her voice was breathless over the line.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“I ‘m fine,” she said, sounding close to tears. “Did my dad come over to the ranch?”
“He came, shouted at me a bit, and punched me in the face. Nothing serious,” Mark said. “What did he say to you?”
“He wasn’t making any sense,” Cat started to say but then he heard another voice. “Mathew says that he thinks that my dad thinks you are the blame for this.”
“He isn’t wrong. Your father thinks I put you up to this.”
“You don’t have any motive. What good would it do your ranch to have me run this one?” Cat said almost hysterical.
“I think he thinks that I’m after your ranch on something, probably because we share a common boundary,” Mark said. “Don’t panic Catherine, I’m sure he’ll come to his senses, for now just try to talk to him.”
“Okay, thanks Mark.”
“It’ll be fine,” Mark said. “I love you.”
The words had come out without him meaning to say them, and he was confused at how natural it sounded. There was a second of silence and he thought that he had scared her, but then he heard her say, “I love you too.”
“Night,” he said.
“Good night,” she said and the phone went dead.
He put down the receiver and sighed heavily. She was going to have a lot to deal with now.
***
Mr. Hamilton continued to ignore her for the next week.
Whenever Catherine or Mathew tried to talk to him, he walked away or pretended they weren’t talking. She couldn’t even go see Mark, because her father kept his eyes on her and she was afraid of aggravating him. At first she had been worried about it, but as the days passed, she started to grow tired of his petulance. Even when she congratulated him on winning the election, he wouldn’t respond to her.
And finally, she had enough.
She walked to his room and closed the door behind her.
He turned to see her, but then turned back, obviously ready to ignore her.
“I’m sick and tired of you behaving like a child,” she said, her voice shaking. “You’re acting as if I somehow wronged you, when I did nothing wrong. I’m not a child that you will berate and make do what you want. You refuse to see or acknowledge my dreams and yet you expect me to do what you want for me? That’s unfair and you know it.”
He didn’t say anything, but she wasn’t done.
“I worked for two months on the Simmons ranch, dressed as a boy just so I could gain the experience of running a ranch. My pottery class? It was the ranch and I excelled at it. I learned so much from them and I know all that knowledge helped me understand how a ranch works like I have known for ages, even if you refused to acknowledge my ability. You have always tried to protect me from the ranch despite how much I wanted to work here. I know you want me to be happy, but if that’s so, then why don’t you let me do what makes me happy?”
“You are not going to be happy,” Mr. Hamilton said. “I ignored your mother for the ranch and she hated me for it.”
“She never hated you for it. And if that was the case, you wouldn’t let Mathew work on it.”
“Mathew is different than me,” Mr. Hamilton said. “But you are like me. You’ll lose yourself in the farm.”
“I can make my own decisions,” she said.
“I won’t accept this decision.”
“Then I can’t live here anymore,” she said, finally reaching the end of her rope. She was done with his excuses and she did get his point, but it didn’t absolve him trying to run her life.
“I’m going to the Simmons ranch, I’ll move out by the end of the week,” she said.
As Mr. Hamilton looked on, she walked out, meaning every word she had said.
***
“Mr. Simmons?”
“Sorry?” Mark said, rousing himself from his thoughts.
“Should we set
off now for the market now?” the worker asked.
He nodded and sighed. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Catherine the entire week. Their only form of communication had been through texts and he missed her dreadfully. He wished he could see her, but he knew that she was dealing with a lot right now and he didn’t want to cause any more trouble.
He watched the workers load up and then saw George run towards him with a worried expression on his face.
“What’s wrong George?” Mark asked.
“Mr. Simmons there’s a woman coming here with a bag. I haven’t seen her before but she said she is here for you.”
Before George could finish, Mark was running towards the direction and then he saw Cat, carrying a bag, her face streaked with tears. Without a word, he wrapped her in his arms.
“I left,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
“Its fine, you know you can stay here,” he said.
“I don’t want to impose on you, but I didn’t know where to go,” she said.
“It’s fine,” he said. “I don’t mind.”
“Thank you, Mark,” Cat said. “I tried to convince him, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”
“I understand, come on, let’s get you settled in,” he said, kissing her forehead.
***
Dinner that night was full of underlying tension.
The others tried their best to make her feel at home, but she was despondent. Even Mark squeezing her hand under the table did nothing to make her happy. She was thinking about her father and Mathew. Mathew had been sad that she had left but she couldn’t see any other option. It was that or stay without the things she loved. She couldn’t allow her father to continue to dominate her life any longer.
After dinner, Lana showed her to the extra bedroom.
“This used to be mine before I moved in with Pete,” she said. “I haven’t cleared it out yet, I hope you don’t mind.”
“It’s not a problem, it looks nice,” she said.
“Good night, Catherine,” Lana said with a smile.
Cat smiled back and after she was gone, she lay down on the bed, thinking about everything that had happened. She couldn’t believe that she was in someone else’s house, but then she realized Mark was only two rooms away from her.
Simmons Brothers Series: Boxed Set Page 15
