“I suggest you stay here tonight. I think you’ll agree it’s not safe to drive.”
She took another look at the freezing rain on the window. “Yeah, this isn’t a good time to be on the road. Would you mind if I stayed over?”
“Not at all,” Erik replied. “In fact, I’m going to have to insist on it. It’s much too dangerous to be on the road tonight.”
“I know you have enough bedrooms.” Layne chuckled. “Where would you like me go?”
“Take your pick. There’s three empty upstairs and two, well, only one, I guess, since one of them is mine,” he corrected, “down here.”
“Your choice, just point me in the right direction.”
Erik cast Layne a strange look. “My choice? Are you serious?”
“Yes, wherever you want me,” Layne replied simply.
“What would you do if I suggested sleeping with me, in my room?” Erik stood quietly, as if not knowing what reply he was about to receive. “I’d be willing to share it with you, unless of course, you’d rather not?”
That was exactly what she wanted to hear. “That’s fine with me,” she said, knowing full-well what was about to happen.
“Well then,” Erik said, gently taking her hand and leading her toward the hallway, “let’s go.”
It didn’t take long to get to Erik’s bedroom, and as he closed the door behind them, she said coyly, “What exactly did you have in mind?”
“I want to make love to you, and I want you to make love to me.” Erik smiled quietly, searching her eyes. “It’s as simple as that.”
He pulled her close and gently kissed her before pushing away from her lips. “Let’s do this my way,” he whispered, reaching for the top button on her blouse and freeing it. Then slowly on to the next button, then the next and the next, until the blouse was open. Then, with a gentle tug, he pulled it free from her jeans and slid it off her shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor.
“Your turn,” he said, still searching her eyes.
With a muffled groan, Layne started at the top of Erik’s shirt, then on down the line of buttons before a short tug freed it from his jeans. Then, like her blouse, it fell to the floor as she swept it free of his shoulders.
“My turn,” Erik whispered.
She stood before him in her lace bra, erect nipples staining against the flimsy fabric. He tipped her chin to meet his lips as his hands circled behind her and unclasped the bra, and sliding the straps from her shoulders, allowed it to fall to the floor. He pulled her close, running light kisses down her neck, then down to her exposed breast. He circled the nipple with his tongue, then gently suckled it.
“Stop me now,” he whispered hoarsely, “if you don’t want this to go any further.”
“I will never stop you,” she whispered back, slamming the door on any reservations Erik may have had. She pulled his head close against her breast. “My turn,” she said, gently pushing his head away.
A tug or two pulled his undershirt free of the jeans, and as he raised his arms, Layne pulled it over his head and let it drop to the floor.
“Your turn,” she said softly.
Erik gently backed away and pushed her back onto the bed, then crouched down and pulled off a hand-tooled boot. He examined it closely.
“Beautiful,” he commented, placing it neatly at the end of the bed. He came back to where Layne was sitting and kissed her, slowly and leisurely.
Layne had to continually stop herself from rushing through Erik’s undressing game. She wanted him. She exchanged places and sat him on the edge of the bed and removed one of his boots, then went on to the second.
“One boot at a time.” He smiled, pulling the booted leg away and pulling her back onto the bed. He kneeled for her other boot, also placing it at the end of the bed.
Soon, one at a time, the remaining boot and socks joined the other discarded clothing, and it was Layne’s turn again. She reached for Erik’s fancy western belt, and paused for a moment, figuring out how to work the jeweled buckle. She finally unlatched it and unbuttoned the top, exposing the zipper. She slowly pulled it down, allowing her to slide his pants to the floor. He stepped out of the clothes at his feet and kicked them across the floor to the others.
Layne caught her breath. Even though she’d seen him before, there was no hiding Erik’s erection, working its way out of his shorts.
Now it was Erik’s turn. He slowly unfastened Layne’s belt and wiggled her jeans to the floor before picking her up in his arms and carrying her to the bed. He joined her at her side.
“There’s one more piece,” he whispered. “Is it your turn or mine?”
“Ladies first?” Layne questioned, raising up on an elbow to look at him.
“Absolutely.”
Layne rolled over, straddling Erik, and put her fingers under the waistband of his jockey shorts. She started to pull them down, but stopped. “Not sure I can get over this obstacle.”
Erik looked down and pulled the shorts off over his erection.
“That’s better,” she said, completing the removal. She rolled off, and slightly quivering, she waited quietly beside him.
After Erik turned and kissed her, Layne arched her back, allowing him to deftly remove her panties and work them down her slender legs. His hand slowly worked up her legs to linger at the moist folds between them before moving on to caress her firm belly.
Layne lay perfectly still, reveling in the touch of his hand tracing across every inch of her. The feel of his warm fingers caressing her breasts made her hold her hand over her mouth for fear of crying out, but there was no holding back as Erik traced the outline of a nipple with his tongue before gently taking it in his mouth and sucking it.
As much as she loved his touch and the ecstasy it caused to wash through her, it was her turn. Layne gently pushed Erik’s head from her breast and reached over to feel his rock-hard stomach beneath her hand, savoring its washboard muscles beneath it.
Her hand shyly traveled lower, and she felt Erik’s sharp intake of breath as it reached and clasped his erection. She swung her leg over and mounted his body again, reaching behind her back, ready to insert him into her.
“Wait, wait,” Erik said, quickly pulling back. “I’m not using protection!”
“Neither am I,” Layne whispered, “so I have one condition.”
“What?” Erik managed.
“If you get me pregnant, you promise to marry me. That’s my condition.”
Erik looked up at Layne’s smiling face. “Well then,” he replied, “I have a condition too.”
“What?” Layne answered, still straddling him and gently holding his erection.
“My condition is, if I don’t get you pregnant now, you promise to marry me!”
Layne thought about this for a very brief moment, then nodded. “Sounds like a good deal to me,” she said, slowly lowering her body and kissing him.
“Wait,” Erik whispered, grasping her shoulders and rolling her onto her back beside him. “I’m nowhere finished with you.” He rested his head on his elbow, and with the other hand, drew lazy circles around her breasts, then down around her navel.
Layne began to shiver in anticipation of what was to come. “Erik, please,” she said, trying to pull him over on top of her.
Gently, ever so gently, Erik spread her legs and lowered himself between them, resting on his elbows again. He lowered his lips to hers, and brushed them with a fleeting kiss. The tip of her nose came next, then her fluttering eyelids.
Layne thought she may die, she wanted him so badly. She slid her hands down the muscular expanse of Erik’s back and clasped his waist, pulling him hard against her. “Please,” she begged in his ear, “please.”
Concerned with Layne’s comfort, Erik rearranged himself between her legs
. He raised his head a bit and gazed down at her. “There’s no turning back, you know,” he said softly.
Layne nodded slightly. “I know.” She smiled. “I know.”
With that, still carrying his weight on his elbows, Erik slowly inserted himself into her, causing her to take a slight intake of breath, unaccustomed to the wonderful fullness she felt.
He took her slowly, savoring every thrust, teasing her, aware of her moans of pure pleasure that mounted and mounted, building to uncontrollable waves of ecstasy. She was totally out of control, clasping Erik tightly to her body as she heard his loud moans, signaling his own release.
Spent, and locked in each other’s arms, Erik remained between her legs. A few moments later, as he started to move away, Layne stopped him.
“No,” she said, clasping him even tighter, “please stay.”
And that was how they found themselves the next morning, when they woke up . . .
~ ~ ~
Erik was in the kitchen, whistling a merry tune, when Lucy padded in, holding the doll he’d given her.
“Good morning, Uncle Erik,” she said, running and throwing herself into him with a huge hug.
“Good morning yourself,” he replied. “How’d you sleep?”
Even though the house was large enough to smother any sounds, he wasn’t sure of the amount, if any, of noise he and Layne may have made during the night. When she finally appeared, he figured Molly’s face would give him a clue.
“I slept fine,” Lucy said, sitting her new doll upright in a chair. “I slept with Nana in the really big bed.”
Just then Molly walked into the kitchen and greeted Erik.
“Good Lord,” she exclaimed, looking around, “what smells so good?”
“Gotta fix my girls a good breakfast.” He studied Lucy for a moment, playing with the doll. “Lucy, how would you and Rhonda like to set the table?”
Lucy jumped at the chance, and once Erik showed her where everything was, the table was set in no time.
“Oops,” Erik said, looking at the setting, “we’re one short, honey. Layne stayed with . . . us last night.”
At those words, Layne poked her head in.
“Good morning, everyone.” She explained the reason for staying over, and said to Molly, “The only problem I had, was figuring out which bedroom to sleep in. There’s so many.” But only one to sleep in...
~ ~ ~
After the breakfast dishes were washed, Molly took Lucy’s hand and walked to again inspect their soon-to-be new home. The weather had cleared and the day was off to a clear, bright start.
Layne and Erik were in the living room, enjoying another cup of coffee. He put his cup down and approached her.
“Layne,” he said seriously, “I love you. I’ve always loved you.” He reached out and gently put his hands on her shoulders. “I hope I got you pregnant last night, because then I’ve got to marry you. That was your condition, remember?”
“I remember,” Layne replied, keeping a serious face, “but your condition was, if you didn’t get me pregnant, then I’ve got to marry you, right?”
Erik thought for a brief moment. “I’m not sure I want to wait to see which way this goes, do you?”
Layne shook her head. “No.”
“Then I’ll settle this, once and for all.” Erik met her searching eyes. “I love you beyond words, Layne Martin, and I want to marry you.” He dropped to one knee in front of her, reached into a pocket and pulled out a small box and opened it, exposing a sparkling ring. “Will you marry me?” he asked, removing the ring to show her.
“Oh my God, Erik!” she exclaimed with a smile of pure joy. “Yes! Oh yes! Of course I’ll marry you.” She held out her hand and Erik slid the engagement ring onto it.
“Come on,” he said, taking her hand, “let’s go and show our extended family!”
The Rancher's Conditions Page 18
