Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Other Books By Harmony Raines
***
All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written consent of the author or publisher.
This is a work of fiction and is intended for mature audiences only. All characters within are eighteen years of age or older. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, actual events or places is purely coincidental.
© 2013 Harmony Raines
Silver Moon Erotica
Kindle Edition
Chapter One
Tammy gripped the steering wheel nervously. She had just passed the signpost telling her she was only three miles away from home. A mixture of feelings were competing for control of her emotions.
Part of her couldn’t wait to get home and see her dad, the other part of her felt sick at the thought of seeing Sam again.
It was ridiculous really, after all, the crush she had on her father’s incredibly rich, and excruciatingly handsome, landlord was in the past. She had been away for three years, in that time she had travelled extensively doing conservation research.
Along the way she had had relationships with men. Short relationships, she would have to admit, but it had given her experience, something she had lacked when she had lived at home.
Growing up in a small town her curvy body had been something of a joke. She had been mercilessly teased at school, it was one of the reasons her father had encouraged her to go away to study and work.
Tammy was sure her father also knew about her crush on Sam too. If he did it would have embarrassed him, the thought of his little girl having ideas so high above her station. Princes only marry the serving girls in fairy tales.
Now she hoped she would be able to go home and not betray herself to anyone. After all Sam was engaged to be married to a rich socialite. He was out of her reach in more ways than one now. The one thing she knew about Sam was his loyalty, if he was engaged to be married he would be faithful in every way.
The rolling hills seemed to look greener and greener as she drove nearer to her father’s smallholding. It had earned them a living while she grew up, her father had also helped out at Sam's family ranch for extra income. That was in the days when Old Mr Hardy had been alive, now, after his death, it all belonged to Sam.
“Enough about Sam,” she chastised herself out loud. The feelings she had for him were not buried in the past, they were returning as strong as ever, and she hadn't even set eyes on him yet.
She passed the entrance to the huge ranch where Sam's family had lived for as long as anyone could remember. It hadn't changed at all, apart from the new coat of paint on the sign that said “Hardy’s Ranch”.
Dragging her eyes, and her thoughts, back to the road she gritted her teeth and told herself she had better gain control by the time she saw her father. She wanted him to have no idea she still harboured any delusions about Sam Hardy.
The old familiar landmarks passed her by, the small stream where she had spent hot summer afternoons with her bare feet dangling in the cool water and fishing with Sam. The fields that linked their homes where they had spent many afternoons hidden in the long grass looking at the clouds.
So many of her childhood memories were linked with Sam, the problem was that her feelings had passed being platonic, and his hadn't. He had never given her any hope that he had feelings for her other than friendship, and she didn’t want to spoil what they had.
Tammy turned into the lane leading up to the only real home she had ever known. The wishing tree, a great big oak, stood strong and solid as always, silently keeping the secrets she had whispered to it in her lonely teenage years.
Then her father came into view, standing just as strong and silent as he always had. He looked the same as he had on the day she left. A surge of nostalgia, and guilt, swept over her, she shouldn't have stayed away for so long.
She parked the car and got out to meet him. On closer inspection she could see he had aged. The worry lines had deepened around his eyes, causing a wave of concern to sweep over her. She should not have stayed away so, long, and promised herself she would not do so again, no matter the emotional turmoil visiting home caused her.
“Hey, Dad. Good to see you.” She fell into his widespread arms feeling like a teenager again.
“Good to see you too, honey. It's been too long, but you have grown more beautiful than I could have ever imagined,” he said wistfully.
“Oh, Dad, stop it.” She blushed, even though she knew he was joking.
He took a step back and looked her up and down. “I’m not kidding; you’ve blossomed into a beautiful young woman.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Her father had always told her she was beautiful, and that it was simply taking other people longer to see it. She smiled at the nights he had comforted her when she had cried into her pillow at all the jibes about her weight. Now he looked misty eyed as he stood staring at her.
“You remind me so much of your mother.”
Tammy's breath caught in her throat and she felt her heart contract at the thought of the woman who was her mother. She had only ever seen photos of her because she had died before her only child could form any lasting memories of the woman who gave birth to her.
Clearing her throat she said, “Shall we go inside, I would love a nice cold beer.”
“Sure, come on in, I’ll get your things later.” He turned and began to walk to the house.
“It's OK. I’ll grab them now.” Tammy went back to her car and got her suitcase out.
“I forgot you were so independent.” Her father sounded just a little disapproving.
“And I forgot how old fashioned you can be.” She smiled at her father and walked past him while he held the front door open.
Standing with the cold beer in her hand she noted all the changes he had made to the house she had grown up in. It didn’t take long, Tammy felt as though the clock had been turned back and the last three years of her life had never happened.
“It all looks exactly the same,” she said.
Her father looked up at her; he had been preparing their evening meal. “Really? I thought you would have noticed I had given everything a lick of paint.”
“But you painted it the same colour!”
“Why change something if you like it the way it is,” her father retorted.
“Why indeed, Mr Marshall.”
“Hey, Sam. Good of you to drop by.”
Tammy's world seemed to stop; her hand was stuck in position halfway between the counter top and her mouth as she sampled her dad's cooking. Here was something else that had not changed at all; Sam Hardy still had the power to take her breath away.
Recovering quickly she turned and smiled her brightest smile at him. “Hi, Sam, I didn’t know you were coming by.”
“Your dad invited me to dinner. He wanted it to be a bit of a celebration, you coming home to us after all these years.”
“I wouldn’t call three years that long.” Tammy tried to sound at ease, but she longed to know if he had missed her in any way.
“Might feel like that to you, but it’s been a real long time to me,” said her dad.
The guilt swept over her again. “Sorry, Dad. The time flew past, to me.” She went over and kissed him on the cheek.
He mumbled gruffly, “You young things, always having fun, you forget about us old ‘uns.”
Her father began opening cupboards, taking out p
lates and dishing the dinner up.
It smelt wonderful, his homemade steak pie with mashed potatoes, just the comfort food she needed right now. Trying to pull herself together she crossed the kitchen and got the cutlery out and began to lay the table.
She thought it must be her imagination, but she could feel Sam's gaze taking in her every movement. It made her feel very self conscious and insecure. She had gotten comfortable with her larger, voluptuous figure, but Sam staring at her undid all the work she had done.
Turning to look at him sharply he looked as though he had been in a daydream, shaking his head as though to clear it, he tightened his grip on the bottle of wine he had in his hand and walked over to the table.
“Here, to celebrate your return. I hope you still prefer red?” He placed the bottle on the table. It was very expensive, of course.
“Thank you, but there was no need. It's not as though I’m anyone special.”
His eyes flickered over her curvaceous body, but he chose not to respond, instead he said, “Shall I open it, let it breathe?”
She went to fetch the bottle opener; glad of the chance to breathe herself, her appetite momentarily disappeared.
Ten minutes later they were sat around the old table enjoying her father’s somewhat plain cooking with the finest wine Tammy had ever tasted. She wondered if this was what Sam would normally drink, he could, after all, afford to drink it everyday, or whether he had brought it especially.
Her thoughts started to wonder when she realised both men were looking at her; someone had asked her a question.
“Sorry, miles away.” She looked from one to the other, not knowing who had been speaking. She felt herself flush red when her eyes met her father’s. He considered it bad manners to not pay attention, especially to a guest; she knew it must have been Sam who had spoken.
“It seems we are not as entertaining as your city friends,” her father said, a slight edge to his voice.
“Don’t be silly dad.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing more than tiredness, Tammy has driven a long way today. The wine too, would make most people sleepy.” Sam had saved her from her father’s disapproval, something inside of her stirred; it wasn’t the first time he had got her out of trouble with her dad.
“I am tired, but that's no excuse.” She gave Sam a grateful smile. “Could you repeat what you said, Sam?”
“Sure, I only wondered how long you were planning on staying.”
“A week, maybe ten days if I can get some work done, there's a project I need to finish up. I have my laptop with me and thought I could use the library wifi service.”
“Nonsense, come up to the house and you can hook up to the internet there.”
Tammy flushed, she tried to keep calm, and refuse politely. “No, I couldn’t possibly intrude on you.”
“Don’t be silly, I can find a spare room for you to work from, God knows there's enough of them.” He laughed without humour and took a sip of his wine.
She was about to protest again, and realised it would sound rude, she could find some excuse at a later time. Trying to focus on the two men, and keep her emotions even, she got through the meal. By the time they had finished eating and Tammy had drank two glasses of wine she actually felt quite mellow.
Unfortunately that meant her guard was down. So after she had washed up for her father and put everything away, she had no excuse prepared when Sam asked her to take a stroll outside with him.
“Come on, Tammy. The moon is full and I bet you have missed the smell of the roses in your dad's garden, there is nothing like it on such a sultry evening.”
“I would love to Sam, but I want to spend as much time with my dad as I can.” That had to be one of the weakest excuses ever.
“Don’t mind me; I am going to turn in anyway.” He came over and kissed her goodnight. “You know me rise with the sun, go to bed with it, and if I am not mistaken the sun went to bed about an hour ago.”
Tammy stood there resembling a goldfish, with her mouth open. Sam smiled and her heart melted. Then it cracked into a million pieces, he was engaged, nothing to fear. Other than making a big fool of herself. Well it wouldn't be the first time, she smiled to herself sardonically.
“Goodnight, Tammy. I’m glad you’re home where you belong.” Her father gave her a hug and then disappeared upstairs.
Tammy turned to Sam. “Actually, Sam, I am feeling a little tired too. Perhaps we can take a rain check?”
Sam smiled at her, “I think we have had a three year rain check, don’t you Tammy?”
Unsure of what he meant she blushed, turning away from him to hide her embarrassment she grabbed her jacket, even though it was still warm out and put it on, zipping it up. “Armour comes in all shapes and sizes,” she thought and walked to the back door.
She knew Sam was right behind her, she could sense him, his nearness always having an influence on her body. The flush in her cheeks had crept down to cover her breasts, it always did, so she had been told, when she was aroused, hence the jacket to cover herself.
Sam walked close behind her, following her along the path by the side of the house. She opened a little gate and then walked into the kitchen garden that her father kept so well tended. She could smell the damp earth where he had been out earlier watering the plants.
The scent of roses reached her too; they were his pride, one of the only luxuries he allowed himself. They were the only thing on the small holding that did not feed them in one way or the other. He grew practical things, potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Anything that he or the animals could eat. But the roses were purely kept and tended for the pleasure they gave to the senses.
Tammy had stopped, she stood and breathed in the heady scents, but it wasn’t only the roses that set her senses tingling. Sam had come to stand next to her, his body so close she could feel the heat of him even through her clothes.
“Surely you must have missed some things about your life here?” he asked.
“Of course I have. But sometimes it is easier to stay away. My life here was not always happy.”
“I could change that for you.”
Tammy laughed nervously, “I don’t need you to fight my battles for me, Sam. I’m all grown up you know.”
“I can see that for my self, Tammy. The time away has done you good.” He moved and touched her arm. He might have well stuck a pin in her, she jumped away from him. To cover her actions she headed for the wishing tree, it stood some way off in the dark but she could see its silhouette against the sky.
By the time she reached it she was slightly breathless after stumbling across the meadow. The branches of the trees welcomed her, the bark felt like an old comfort blanket against her skin, familiar and calming.
She walked around it, trailing her fingers across the roughness of the bark. She felt alive, the stars shining down on her from the clear sky, a faint breeze caressing her skin like a lover's touch.
Sam was beside her again, he reached out and touched her, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him. She rested there against him, knowing it was wrong and yet wanting to feel him. This was what she had dreamed about, wished for, under this very tree. Somewhere on the trunk of the Wishing Tree the two sets of initials she had carved were hidden. She had carved them there so many years ago, yet her feelings for Sam had never changed.
Coming out of her daze she pulled away from him, but he held her close, his strong arms not willing to relinquish their prize.
“Please Sam, let me go, don’t tease me.”
“Tease you? Tammy I am not playing games, do you know how long I’ve waited to hold you like this?”
She struggled against him again. “Sam, don’t be so cruel, let me go.”
“I can’t,” he murmured into her hair.
His strong arms turned her towards him, pressing her back against the tree. Lowering his head he claimed her mouth, she could not help but yield to the softness of his lips as they moved against h
ers.
Tammy went limp, her body responding to his. In her dreams he had been a wonderful kisser, the reality was even better. Of their own volition her lips moved against his, tasting him for the first time. When his tongue slid against them they opened for him allowing him access.
His hands slid around her body, holding her protectively close, Tammy felt weak at the knees, no other man had ever made her feel like this. For a split second she surrendered herself to him completely, then reality began to break in.
With tremendous effort she pushed him away, bracing herself against the wishing tree.
“Sam. Stop!” she gasped, her breathing ragged with desire.
“Why, Tammy? You can’t lie to me; I know you want this as much as I do.” He leaned into towards her again, Tammy knew she had to be strong, a moment's weakness now and she would be lost to him for ever.
“Sam, please don’t make me do something I’ll regret.”
He laughed, without humour, “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to stop myself.”
Sam had always been strong, a force to be depended on, she could not work out what had brought on this sudden weakness.
“Sam, I don’t want to be something you'll regret. Is a one night stand really worth it?”
“A one night stand is that what you think I want from you? To use you and then cast you aside?” He lifted his hand and drew it through his hair, exasperated by her words. “You really do have a low opinion of me.”
“No, I don’t. But I know you Sam, and I know you wouldn’t want to hurt your fiancée by cheating on her.”
“My fiancée?” he repeated.
“Dad told me about your engagement, I am pleased for you,” she lied.
Sam stayed silent for a moment, then he spoke, “Your dad told you I was engaged, but he didn’t tell you I had broken it off.”
Tammy stood still, she felt as though someone had cut off her air supply. He was no longer engaged, he was free to love anyone, to be with anyone. So why the hell would he want her? Gathering her thoughts she asked him, “Why? Dad said you were happy.”
Curves for Her Cowboy Page 1
