Rocky Mountain Haven: Six Pack Ranch, Book 2

by Vivian Arend

They feasted on each other and time slipped away. Beth grew lightheaded, her limbs heavy. Blood pooled in her breasts, her sex, bringing with it an aching tingle of need. She wanted so much right now.

  Daniel broke away and they both gasped for air. His eyes twinkled with mischief. “Sweet Lord, you’re making me drunk on kisses alone.” He held her cheek for a moment, brushing a thumb over her lower lip. “Hold still.”

  One button at a time he slipped her blouse open, their hips in contact as he opened the fabric to reveal her skin, her bra. Her breasts showed through the thin fabric, nipples puckered tight.

  “That a favourite?” He ran a finger along the edge of the lace. Lord, he must be able to feel her heart pounding.

  “No. Why?” He kissed her cheek again, a brief chaste kiss before pulling away, reaching for something on her desk. When he held up a pair of scissors her throat went dry. “What…?”

  “Trust me?”

  She fought the tremor of terror inside. She was in a classroom, for heaven’s sake. He was a well-known and reputable man around town. Imagines of knife-wielding maniacs had no place in this fantasy.

  “Yes,” she squeaked.

  “I’ll buy you a new one.” He pulled the fabric from her body and slipped his hand between the elastic and her skin. Then he put the tip of the scissor against his fingers and snipped. Deliberately, carefully, he cut away the supporting fabric of the cup, leaving behind the bones of her bra. The swells of her breasts were completely bare, the underwires remaining for support. He put the scissors away, slowly closed the drawer and piled the shreds of fabric on the edge of her desk. Every one of his movements made her expectations rise by the second.

  Then he sat in her chair, adjusted the height and rolled between her legs. He kissed her belly button before looking into her eyes with that dark, dangerous expression she was coming to recognize and anticipate. It stole her breath away. Leaning forward, he licked a line up her torso, tonguing the fabric under her right breast. Another lap took him higher, drawing a circle around the tingling peak of her nipple. He sucked the whole tip into his mouth, pulsing his lips, and a line of heat drove from his mouth through her body straight to her core.

  Oh Lord, it felt good. Every suck, every brush of his teeth on her skin made her feel more and more alive. From one side to the other he alternated, the cool air of the room brushing the wet skin he left behind, contrasting hard with the heat of his mouth. One hand, then two, came into play, cupping and lifting, massaging and pinching until she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

  “You’re beautiful, Beth, curvy and womanly in all the right ways.” Another nip to the tender undercurve made her gasp, her panties soaked with the moisture flooding from her sex.

  “Damn…” He suckled hard and stars formed before her eyes. “Daniel, please…”

  She wasn’t sure what she was asking for, only that she needed. Needed something more than what he was currently giving her.

  He rose from the chair and caught the back of her head in one hand, drawing their mouths together while he played and teased her body with the other. Her muscles felt tight, ready to explode, and she rubbed wantonly against him, trying to find the missing component that nagged her.

  Then he pulled away.

  He stepped back, breathing heavily, and his gaze swept her body like a heated brand. He wiped his mouth carefully, then lowered a hand and adjusted himself through his jeans. A wave of desire rolled over her. Fucking on the desk sounded better and better by the minute.

  They stared at each other, Beth clutching the edge of her desktop. The solid surface prickled her fingertips, the minute scratches from a thousand pens itching her hypersensitive skin.

  Daniel stepped closer and tugged her blouse together, slowly doing up the buttons. The cool fabric brushed her nipples, driving her crazy.

  “You have to pick up anything on the way home?” He smoothed his palms down her waist before lifting her off the desktop.

  What? “Daniel, I…” Her nipples stood proud, stabbing the front of her blouse. “Aren’t we going to do anything else?”

  He chuckled as he touched a fingertip to one of the points. “I came to talk to you, to plan a date. You’ve got enough time to beat the boys home if we head out now.”

  The boys. Her blood was boiling, and she was going to die if she didn’t get…something. But he was right.

  “I can’t believe you’re stopping.” Samuel would never have left himself unsatisfied.

  “We’ve got time, sweetheart, and anticipation is a part of the fun. If you’ve had nothing but slam-bam sex, you may not know it, but delayed gratification is very rewarding.”

  She shook her head in frustration and turned to gather her things. “Didn’t have it on the list you made me start, that’s for sure.”

  He brushed the tattered bra scraps on her desk into his fingers then shoved them all into his pocket before offering her his hand. She accepted it, his clasp warm and solid. The admiration in his eyes felt good, even as the fabric rubbing her nipples sent shivers down her spine and made her sex ache. He unlocked and opened the door and offered his elbow.

  “You really surprise me, Daniel.” He made her body tingle, and not knowing what he was going to do next had the potential to drive her nuts. But it was a good uncertainty. She didn’t feel as if he was a moment away from taking a swing at her, more of a “what’s inside the box” kind of curiosity. She adjusted her jacket to cover her breasts better since her nipples still stood at attention.

  “I surprise you because I think your body is beautiful?”

  She stumbled, and he caught her, steadying her easily. The mischievous twinkle in his eye made heat flash across her face.

  “Shh, not in the school.” The second-floor hallway was empty now, doors wide open, her fellow teachers gone already, but the echoes of voices grew louder as the two of them moved toward the stairs.

  “You planning on hiding from me some more, Miss Beth, or are you going to start answering my calls?”

  Somehow she had to make this work. No matter how awkward, she wanted it. “I’ll answer. It would be best to talk when the boys are gone to bed. Can you call later in the evening?”

  “I could. I could also come over.”

  The way her whole body reacted she figured something had to give, and soon. But she would stay in control of the situation.

  “I don’t think that’s wise.”

  He tugged her to a stop, turning her to face him. “I’m not going to do anything to upset the boys on purpose, but either you’re serious about this or you’re not. I’m not going to be led around like some dog for you to pet when you get the urge. Either you say no right now, and I’ll bow out of your life, or you stop saying yes with your body and no with your actions.”

  Beth’s heart pounded, her mouth gone dry from a momentarily rush of fear. But when he stood close, his hands gentle on her arms as he looked into her eyes, there was nothing there that said he wanted to control her.

  He only wanted her to decide.

  “What’s it going to be? Do you want to go ahead? You think about it, and let me know, because while I’m a patient man, Beth, I won’t let you yank my chain like this. I won’t let you start one way and expect you to change later because that’s not fair to either of us. It’s all or nothing. So why don’t we make it your call. You contact me if you want to go ahead any further.”

  She hadn’t been fair, even if she had good reasons to hesitate. “It’s impossible to think straight with my bra in pieces in your pocket.”

  A reluctant grin shimmered to life. “I’m hoping when you call, you say yes. Then the next time I cut something off you, it’ll be your panties.”

  Beth swallowed, the racing beat of her heart making her lightheaded. He was right. She needed to stop being wishy-washy about this. Although, when they did find a time and place to be truly alone, she wasn’t sure her body was going to survive.

  Chapter Six

  In the middle of clearing aw
ay supper dishes, Beth looked longingly at the recliner in the living room. A simple flick would light the gas fireplace, and she could lean back and rest her head on the soft cushions. The incredible sexual tension Daniel had lit in her body after school refused to diminish. Combined with the sheer workload of being a single mom—she was beat. A chance to put up her feet, even for a few minutes, would be paradise.

  A crash jerked her from her blissful daydream. Nathan gasped then complete silence reigned. At her feet the broken bowl from the evening pasta dish lay in pieces. A few leftover noodles clung to the shards, the rest scattered over the floor like miniature snakes.

  “Shit.” Lance turned from the fridge where he’d been putting away the milk.

  “No swearing.” She held out a hand to keep the boys in one spot. “Don’t move, I don’t want you to cut yourself on the glass.”

  She grabbed the dustbin from under the sink and dealt with the larger pieces. Lance got the broom, and by the time the mess was cleaned up, the lethargy that had crept over her was gone. Which was good, since even though it was the weekend, she still had papers to mark and a lesson she wanted to revise. The boys needed homework spelling words checked and…

  A soft sniff interrupted her mental rambling. Nathan stood to the side of the kitchen, eyes wide, his face white.

  “Nathan? You okay? Did you get cut when the bowl fell?”

  He shook his head rapidly, tucking his hands behind his back.

  Oh God.

  “Honey, it’s okay. It was an accident.” She held out her arms, and he moved towards her slowly, warily. Damn bastard of a husband. “Mommy’s not mad at you. I bet the bowl was slippery from the butter on the edge. We’ve cleaned it all up.” She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, the rapid pitter-patter of his heart as it pounded in fear making her crazy.

  She should have known better. She should have been stronger and dealt with Samuel long before he began to be such a dangerous influence in his sons’ lives. He’d been so damn demanding and easily irritated. As the years passed, they’d all learned to walk on eggshells around him.

  Breaking something had been akin to murder in Samuel’s book.

  Lance glanced back from where he stood at the sink, his young face twisted into a grimace as he fought not to cry. When he turned and started washing the dishes, Beth’s soul ached a little more. It was so like him—her firstborn—once again trying to act the grown up. Caring and acting beyond his years.

  A sense of frustration swept her. What was she doing? There was so much she needed to deal with, repercussions from ten years of mental abuse. How was she supposed to be able to make things better for her boys when she felt instant fear when the situation deviated even minutely from the “proper way”?

  What she wouldn’t give for a cup of coffee and a good long talk with a sympathetic ear to listen. She didn’t want to talk to the school counsellor and bring the whole mess into her new workplace. She didn’t want to return to the stony-faced therapist she’d been seeing in Calgary.

  Daniel crossed her mind again and her face warmed. She stood, still cuddling Nathan, and shuffled her way into the living room. Her leg ached, but she wasn’t about to put him down. He needed her. Heck, she needed him. They settled together in the big armchair. The grading could wait. The lesson—she’d put aside her usual method of getting all their work out of the way immediately and instead make time to check it over during the next couple of days.

  Tonight her boys needed a reminder that life was not as confining as it used to be.

  “Lance, honey, leave the dishes. I need your help here.”

  He joined her, sitting next to his little brother on the couch. Robbie clutched his security blanket in his hand, a defiant look in his eyes.

  Her husband had hated that blanket.

  “I think we’re settled into the school year enough we need to start planning some fun activities to do together. You guys got any ideas? What would you like to do as a family?”

  Nathan wiggled a bit, his face brightening. “You mean like going swimming or stuff?”

  Beth groaned inside but hid it behind a smile. “Yes. Only I don’t think you should use the swimming hole anymore this year, right? We’ll go to the pool. Anything else?”

  Together they made a list of suggestions, and the mood in the house lightened. Beth gave thanks the kids were resilient.

  A couple of hours later, after multiple games of Snakes and Ladders, cups of hot chocolate—with marshmallows—and an endless number of slightly tuneless songs bellowed out during bath time, the three boys were finally all tucked into bed. A glance at the clock showed it was only nine p.m., but she could have sworn it was close to midnight. She was ready to crawl into her own bed and take the weight off her aching limb.

  She really should get back to her to-do list and not give in to the temptation to soak for an hour then head to bed herself. And yet, why not? Abandoning all plans of productivity, including ignoring the dishes in the sink, didn’t mean she was evil. There were two days stretching ahead on the weekend to get her stuff done.

  Mom break, starting now.

  She got the tub running before grabbing a glass of wine and her book. Soaking in the hot water made her feel halfway human again. It also gave her plenty of time to daydream about the sensations Daniel ignited in her body. Her book abandoned to the floor, she wondered where the line was between getting what she wanted physically and discovering what Daniel offered in addition to the sex.

  Friendship.

  She dried off and pulled on her thick pyjamas, all the while debating with herself. Daniel wanted an answer. She stared at the phone. Damn it. Without letting herself think it through anymore, she punched in his number and waited for a response.

  She’d had enough years of being careful, and it was time to keep this ball rolling.

  “Colemans’,” a deep voice answered, and she hesitated. It kind of sounded like him but…

  “Daniel?”

  The man at the other end laughed. “You’re close. Only five more guesses.”

  She smiled in spite of her nervousness. “Jesse.”

  “Now how did you do that?”

  It was her turn to laugh. “Of all the boys, I figured you were the only one who’d play games on the phone.”

  “Yeah, well, don’t tell my mama. Just a minute, I’ll get him for you.”

  The echoing silence gave her time for the image of Jesse and Joel dancing with Darleen to pop back into her brain. What was it that Daniel had said? The boys…shared? The thought intrigued her. Not with them per say, but the whole two guys paying attention to her—about as far from the vanilla missionary sex forced on her over the years as she could imagine.

  The temptation to add to her list was strong. Daniel said he didn’t want to see it anymore, so why not? It would be one of those inspirational things—find a few books, read about it and get turned on. Reading about it was enough for now.

  Actually, having more than one guy paying attention to her at one time was probably one of the better-imagined-than-done things. Wouldn’t there be too many limbs and body parts touching and connecting? A sudden throb between her legs surprised her. Okay, lots of body parts touching her would be fine.

  “Beth?”

  How had she ever mistaken Jesse for Daniel? The deep timbre of his voice made her toes curl. It took a few seconds to drag her mind back to the reason why she had called. “Hey, you asked me to phone. I know it’s late, but do you have a few minutes to talk?”

  A pause. “Is this going to be a good talk or a bad talk?”

  “I’m not calling it off.” There, it had been said. “I need…I need some advice, beyond the…issue we’re going to…”

  He laughed. “You can’t even say the word sex when you’re on the phone. Damn, you are one hundred percent charming.”

  “And you’re a tease.”

  “What kind of advice can I get for you tonight?” There was a creaking sound, and the voices in the
background faded away. “I’m out on the porch and no one’s listening. We can chat if you’d like. Or I can come over there.”

  Beth glanced at her watch. She was going to be bagged tomorrow. “I’m all ready for bed, and the boys are bound to be up at their usual time. Plus, I slacked off on all my work tonight putting out fires.”

  “Troubles?”

  She sighed. “Kind of, but it was a good evening in the end. The kids and I made a list of things they want to do. Only some of them…”

  He sat silently on the other end of the line, waiting for her to continue. When he chuckled, it was light enough to help calm her. “You’re going to have to help me here with a few more details. I can’t tell if that’s a ‘some of them require snow to fall’, or ‘some of them need you to have twelve hands’ and you’d like my help.”

  For not wanting to get involved with him, the temptation to have him around grew by the minute. The boys liked him, by all reports he was a safe man to do things with.

  Her body craved him.

  She couldn’t decide if that final reason held her in restraint or egged her on. “Daniel, can I back up about twelve paces and ask a real big favour of you?”

  “What’s up, darling?”

  “They want to go swimming.”

  He whistled low. “Water’s going to be fairly brisk this time of—”

  “At the pool. But with my bad leg it’s hard for me to play with them. Would you be willing to come with us sometime? I hate to disappoint them, and it might be a good way to, well, you know. Your part of our deal.”

  “Become friends?”

  “Yeah.” She stumbled down the stairs to turn off all the lights and make sure the door was locked. Leaving it unlatched—she couldn’t believe she’d done that the other day. “There’s an open swim both days of the weekend. The times are listed online. If either of them work for you.”

  “You want to go tomorrow?”

  That easy, huh? “You don’t have commitments already?”

  His rich laugh spread over her like a balm. “I’ve always got stuff on the go, but that’s the good part about friends—they make time for each other. I can take a couple of hours off to join you and the boys. The twins came home this weekend from college, so they can help out around the ranch. You want me to pick you up? The kids would love riding in the jump seat of my truck.”