by Various
Then she felt him at the opening of her femininity. The broad head of his penis pushing against her, inexorably. He would take her now and she would welcome him and as he marked her with his body’s possession, she would mark him with hers.
It hurt.
It stretched.
“Do you want me to stop?” His voice shook with strain.
“No. Please, Win. Make me yours.”
And he did, with one hard, painful thrust. She was so slick from her two orgasms that her body let him in, but she felt stretched to the limit and she lay under him in a state of semi-shock.
He stilled and kissed her again. Soft, comforting kisses. She could feel his entire body tremble from the strain of not moving and yet his kisses held only patient reassurance.
She loved him so much in that moment, the emotion nearly exploded from her chest. She shifted up, just a little bit, to show him that he could move.
He did. Gently stroking in and out. She moaned in a combination of pain and pleasure. His control broke and he thrust in and out of her with hard, decisive thrusts. She cried out, startled by the pain. He stopped and would have drawn out, but she locked her legs around his hips and held him tight.
“No. Don’t stop.”
The new position opened her more fully to him and relieved some of the pressure between her legs. He must have felt the way her feminine flesh softened around him because he started thrusting again and this time although there was still some discomfort, it felt good too.
He clamped his mouth back over hers and when he came, she absorbed his masculine shout of pleasure. He held her tightly for several minutes after he found his release and then rolled off of her and stood.
He looked down at her thighs. “You bled.”
She could see the evidence on him. “A little.”
“I’ll take care of you.” Then he disappeared into the bathroom.
She heard water running and he reappeared a few minutes later, a damp washcloth in his hand.
He used it to wash between her thighs and the warmth soothed her flesh. He took it back into the bathroom and then returned to slide into the bed next to her.
She went into his arms without protest, needing the assurance of his touch after the overwhelming events of the night.
Win held Carlene’s soft, warm body against his and wondered how in the hell she expected him to define what they’d just done. She’d let him make love to her, had in fact given herself with a sweet generosity that still had him reeling, but he knew she expected him to tell her where their relationship fit between a one-night stand and an affair.
He didn’t have the words. Not now. Not when he felt as if his entire world had just been thrust into a new dimension. One that included the knowledge that no other man must ever see Carlene as Win had seen her tonight. All passion and promise.
Tensed for a confrontation, it took him a moment to realize that Carlene was already dozing.
Her body lay curled against his in trusting relaxation. She’d tucked her knee between his legs and her hand rested on his chest while she used his shoulder for a pillow, cuddling him as if she’d done it all her life…or would willingly do it for the remainder of his.
Now that he knew about her plans to get back into teaching, his assumption that she was the type of woman to move on didn’t hold water. The way she talked, Carlene planned to hang around Sunshine Springs indefinitely. Her commitment to the community was definite.
Was she as committed to him? More importantly, could her commitment to him last for a lifetime?
The questions spinning through his head were interrupted when his beeper went off. The mare must have gone into labor. He gently eased out from Carlene’s clinging embrace, taking care not to wake her. He dressed quietly and turned off the lamp before tiptoeing from the room, waiting to put on his boots until he reached outside.
Chapter 11
THE next afternoon, Carlene had just gotten Shelly and Jared down for a nap when the doorbell rang.
She hadn’t seen Win all day, but he’d called…just to see how she was. To tell her thank you for last night in a low, gravelly voice that made her wish he were with her in person—and naked.
He couldn’t leave the stable and things sounded too tense down there for her to offer to bring the kids down to see the horses as she wanted to. With Lonny gone, Win and Shorty had their hands full.
One of the ranch hands had taken food down to the stables at lunchtime and Carlene would have offered to do it, but she didn’t want the first time she saw Win after last night to be in front of an audience.
She rushed through the courtyard now to answer the door, wondering who it could be. She didn’t think that Leah would bother to ring. Besides, Win wasn’t expecting her for another day.
Grant had said something about stopping by, but wouldn’t he have gone straight down to the stable?
She quit her useless speculation and hurried to the door, wanting to open it before the visitor rang the bell again and perhaps woke one of the children. Carlene swung the door open and stared in open-mouthed amazement at the person standing on the other side.
Zoe Strickland smiled. “Hi. Grant’s down at the stable picking Win’s brain. I thought I’d come up and say hello to Shelly and Jared.”
Carlene forced her mouth to close and then form a somewhat strained smile of greeting. She stepped away from the door. “Come in. Um…the children just went down for their nap. I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to wake them if you don’t mind.”
Zoe smiled again. “Of course. Maybe if you’re not too busy, we could have some coffee, or something.”
Zoe impressed her. A lot. If she was in Zoe’s place and someone had tried to seduce Win, she’d want to scratch the woman’s eyes out, not invite her to the wedding or drink coffee with her.
“Sure. How about iced coffee in the courtyard?”
“That sounds great.” Zoe followed Carlene down the hall and out into the courtyard.
“Why don’t you wait here while I get the drinks?” Carlene asked. She needed a few moments alone to collect herself.
When she returned, Carlene found Zoe playing idly with the children’s boats in the fountain.
Zoe turned when Carlene set the tray down on the wrought iron table. “Shelly and Jared are really special.”
“Yes. They are,” Carlene agreed.
Zoe sat down. “Leah must be feeling pretty stressed to have left them with Win. I guess you’re helping him out?”
Carlene didn’t want to gossip, but she didn’t see any harm in telling Zoe the circumstances surrounding her watching Leah’s children. “Win hired me as his cook and housekeeper a couple of weeks before Leah dropped by with Shelly and Jared. He asked me to add nanny duties to my job description, so here I am.”
Zoe smiled. “I don’t know Win nearly as well as I know Leah, but I’d say he doesn’t ask for much. I’ll bet it came out more a command.”
Carlene smiled. “You could say that.”
“I didn’t realize that you wanted to quit your job as a bartender,” Zoe said neutrally.
“It didn’t fit anymore.” Carlene thought of her plans, plans that would go up in smoke if she began an affair with Win, and sighed. She wasn’t sure those plans were as important as they once were. When she put them on the scales with a possible future with Win, they didn’t weigh as heavily as she thought they would.
Zoe looked at her curiously. “Do you regret it? I imagine you don’t make near the money as a housekeeper that you did tending bar.”
Carlene smiled wryly. “You’re right, but it pays the bills and, no, I don’t regret quitting. You’re going to find this hard to believe, but working at the Dry Gulch really didn’t fit my temperament.”
Zoe nodded, but didn’t say anything. She relaxed against her chair and took another sip of her drink. “This feels nice. Things have been hectic with Grant making the changes at the ranch and my class’s preparations for the spring program at school.”
Carlene felt a stab of envy at Zoe’s mention of the school program. “Zoe…” She let her words trail off.
Zoe turned her head slightly. “Yes?”
“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about Grant. I really didn’t mean to cause any problems for you two.”
Zoe’s look was filled with understanding. “I believe you. I think that Grant really deserves the most credit for the snafu, if you want my opinion.”
“He gave me roses, I assumed he—”
Zoe nodded. “Exactly. A man shouldn’t give flowers to one woman when he wants another.”
The words were so like some that Carlene had said to Grant on the fateful second date that she felt an affinity with Zoe. “Precisely.”
Seconds ticked by as the two women sat in companionable silence.
Carlene took a deep breath and spoke again. “But I still want you to know that if I had realized you and Grant were a couple, I would never have shown up at his house like that.”
Zoe met Carlene’s gaze, her expression intent. “I know that, Carlene. I’ll admit that I didn’t at first, but later I realized that you weren’t trying to hurt me, or Grant.”
“Thank you. You can’t know what a relief that is for me.”
Zoe smiled. “I’m glad.”
Carlene returned the smile, feeling warm. Amazing as it might seem, she believed she was making a new friend.
Win came out of the stable, dog tired, hungry and smelling like a horse. He’d spent the good part of last night and today with not one, but two foaling mares. Then Grant Strickland had come by and he’d had to have Joe give the other rancher the grand tour. But that wasn’t what had him in a dreadful mood and had his insides clenching. It was something Grant had said.
They’d been standing in the stable outside the mare’s stall and Grant had asked, “How is Carlene working out as your housekeeper?”
“Damn fine.”
Grant nodded. “I can see that. To tell the truth, once I got to know her some, I had a hard time seeing her working as a cocktail waitress at the Dry Gulch.”
Win couldn’t see it himself, so he grunted in agreement.
Grant smiled, kind of with a wince. “Wish she’d gotten her job here a few months earlier though.”
“Why’s that?”
“I almost caked it up with Zoe over Carlene and I think I hurt her feelings too.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I asked Carlene out, thinking I could use her to keep my distance from Zoe.”
“She didn’t tell me you two had dated.”
“Don’t know why she would. It wasn’t exactly a big romance. One failed date and one failed seduction attempt.” A look of guilt washed over Grant’s features, as if the man regretted saying what he had.
Win felt his entire body tense. “You tried to seduce Carlene?”
Grant seemed to realize all at once that Win was more interested than an employer should be.
“Uh…not exactly. Look, nothing came of it.”
But Win saw something in the other man’s eyes and he asked, “She tried to seduce you?” not believing it, but letting the words come out anyway.
“Forget what I said, Win. Carlene’s a nice woman.”
“Yes, she is. She’s also mine.” So much for being discreet, but he felt a very primitive, undeniable need to stake his claim.
Grant smiled, this time the look one of commiseration. “I get that. I’d build a fence around Zoe if she’d let me.”
Win felt the same way and laughed, but something inside felt wrong. He couldn’t get the thought out of his head that his innocent Carlene had tried to seduce the man in front of him.
Another part of his brain denied the possibility vehemently. She would never have gone after Grant like that.
She wasn’t the type and she’d guarded her innocence too damn strictly.
Carlene would have to be in love to give herself to a man and she’d given herself to Win. He had no doubts about her feelings for him.
Any more than he could doubt his feelings for her. Not any longer.
The sound of a vehicle on the drive brought his attention back to the present and he veered away from the back entrance to his house. Walking around the front, he saw Leah’s car come into view.
She pulled up next to Carlene’s stylish compact. Win couldn’t help comparing his sister’s family sedan to Carlene’s bright red sporty coupé. There were a lot of other differences between the two women as well, but not where it counted. They both had integrity and they were both willing to sacrifice for the people they loved. He’d seen Leah do it time and again in her marriage and hadn’t Carlene left her hometown to make life easier on her folks? They had something else in common too.
He loved them.
He’d reached that conclusion about three o’clock this morning as he soothed a hurting mare. He had not meant to love the feisty little brunette keeping house for him, but he didn’t have a choice. After making love to her last night, he couldn’t lie to himself about it either. They hadn’t shared sex; they’d shared themselves. He wanted Carlene, but more importantly, he needed her. She brought sunshine into his life, as well as a passion he wanted to grow old with.
She wasn’t anything like his mother. No more than Leah was. Carlene wouldn’t grow bored with him and just move on. And unlike Rachel, Carlene wanted the same life that he did. A settled life, right here in Sunshine Springs.
Leah got out of her car. She looked exactly as Win had felt walking out of the stable a few minutes ago. Pain lanced through him at the knowledge that she’d gotten to that point because of her emotional turmoil, not something as simple as a birthing mare.
“How you holding up, baby-girl?” he asked, using the childhood nickname.
Her eyes filled with tears and she rushed into his arms. He closed them around her, wishing he could protect her with his love and strength, but knowing that this time all he could do was be there for her.
She didn’t say anything. She just held on and cried for about five minutes. Finally, the storm of weeping passed. She pulled back from his arms. “I suppose you want an explanation?”
He shook his head. “No. I just want you to be happy.”
She gave a small, watery smile. “Thank you. I don’t think I’m ready to talk about it to anyone just yet.”
He understood. Sometimes things needed to settle before you could talk them out. “You ready to see the kids now?”
Her eyes lit up. “I’m dying to see them. I don’t know what I was thinking, leaving them behind while I tried to figure out my future. They are my future and any decisions I make have to include their well-being.”
Win’s heart warmed at her words. He put his hand out and she placed hers in it. “Come on. I know two little kids that are gonna be real happy to see you. I want you to meet my new housekeeper, too. She’s been helping me take care of the kids.”
Leah stayed close as he led her into the house, her excitement at the prospect of seeing Shelly and Jared a palpable presence in the air around them. “What’s her name? Maybe I know her.”
“Carlene Daniels, but that may change soon.”
He couldn’t believe he was thinking about getting married again. After spending the night mulling over his newfound love and Carlene’s request for him to define their relationship, he’d realized the only definition he’d been comfortable with had been one that included commitment. Permanent commitment.
He wondered how she’d react to the news. Probably totally differently than he expected. The woman was not exactly predictable.
Leah stopped dead still. “Who?”
“Carlene Daniels.”
“The woman who used to be a bartender at the Dry Gulch?”
“Yes, but she’s mine now.”
Leah’s eyes widened. “Yours?”
“My housekeeper.” Other claims could wait until Carlene understood what they were.
“Oh, wow. And she’s watching the kids?
”
“Yeah. She did real good with them too.”
“I…um…I wouldn’t have expected that.”
“You know Carlene?”
“Not personally, no. I just…I’ve heard of her. From Zoe.”
“What did you hear?”
“Nothing important.”
Leah tried to walk away, but Win wasn’t letting her. He hugged her to him, refusing to go anywhere. “What do you know about Carlene?”
“Just she and Grant had a thing.”
“One date and a failed seduction hardly makes a ‘thing’,” he said, borrowing Grant’s words from earlier.
“So, you do know about it?” She laughed. “I guess Carlene is a lot less racy than I was led to believe if you’ve got her watching my children. I know how protective you are.”
“Carlene is as far from racy as it’s possible to get.” The woman had been a virgin until last night.
“Her attempt at seduction must have been a onetime deal. She must have really been taken with Grant, I mean…” Leah’s words trailed off as she realized she said too much. “I mean obviously it wasn’t a big romance or anything.”
But Win wasn’t listening.
He was picturing Carlene with Grant and it was making him sick. “Let’s go see the kids,” he managed to force out.
Damn…after everything, was Carlene like his mom and Rachel after all?
He led Leah into the kitchen, then stopped and stared. Carlene sat in the middle of the floor, surrounded by dry pasta of every shape and size. Shelly and Jared perched beside her. It was Shelly wearing the apron this time.
She looked up and grinned. “Hi, Uncle Win. Me and Jared wanted to make sgetti.”
“I’s making noodles,” chimed in Jared.
Carlene looked up at Win, her rueful smile and innocent eyes belying his sister’s accusations.
He saw knowledge of what they’d shared last night there too and it made him want to grab her and kiss her, ignoring his worries about what Grant had been to her. “I walked in here after putting a load of laundry in the washer and found Jared and Shelly practically buried beneath the pile of pasta. Defeated by their superior wit and speed, I decided to join them.”
