by Gayle Eden
“Okay.”
“Kane?”
He stopped but didn’t turn around.
Skye murmured, “You’ve always been a best friend to Jesse. I can tell you personally, it means a lot when someone treats you as an equal. Respects your strengths. She thinks the world of you.”
He sighed and nodded, before proceeding upstairs.
* * * *
Carter awakened and smelled breakfast cooking. It was pouring rain out. He snuck upstairs, showered, and put on faded jeans and flannel shirt. Though Willow and Kelly were in the kitchen with Skye, he came up behind her at the sink and embraced her, kissing her neck.
“Good morning.” She dried her hands and turned, getting on her tiptoes, to kiss him deep and long.
He said when they parted, “I’m starved.” His green eyes said for more than food.
Willow was complimenting Kelly, who apparently made biscuits, but said upon hearing that, “You’ve got time to make out before the gravy is done.”
They all laughed. Carter let Skye get back to rinsing potatoes. He teased Willow, and grabbed one of the hot biscuits, telling Kelly how good they were. Kane came in. Having showered too, he was in open denim shirt and jeans, bare feet. He went for the coffee and commented, “Raining like a bitch out there.” Turning, his eyes skimmed Kelly, who was just pulling her gaze from the window.
Carter waited for that apology, some joking maybe, but the best Kane did was ask her how her job hunt was going.
She answered with a flat, fine.
“Game will be on today,” Carter, said when that conversation fizzled. “Let’s hook up that new big screen.”
They went to the great room to do that.
When they were done, breakfast was ready, and everyone gathered around the table. Amid conversations, the fire at the barn came up, then Skye mentioned running into Dani, and mentioned to Willow they had discussed her.
“I’d love to meet her,” Willow said and looked at Kane. “Invite her out here sometime.”
Kane nodded. “Alright.”
“Where’s Rio?” Willow asked at some point.
“At the camper,” Carter answered, and then changed the subject to something else.
After breakfast, Kelly volunteered to clean up. Skye asked for a loan of a toothbrush and something to wear. She went up and showered, emerged, Carter thought, looking appealingly fresh, her hair damp, wearing baggy plaid drawstring lounge pants, and a T-shirt. He sat with her in one of the big chairs. Kane sprawled on one end of the sofa. Willow on the other. Soon Kelly was there, taking another chair. Everyone was talking during pre-game.
Carter got a kick out of Willow annoying Kane, because they liked opposite teams. It was amusing to see her treat him like an uncle, at one point, toss a pillow at him, and get him laughing.
There were comments, wisecracks, and much yelling during the game. Skye was part of it, getting into the sport and an argument with Carter, over a bad call.
During half time though, having enjoyed her from the moment he woke up, Carter did a fake tackle of her on his way back from the kitchen, bending over, catching her and putting her over his shoulder. He was laughing as he told the room at large, “Skye’s going to take me for a ride in her big ugly truck.” he proceeded out the door with her.
Skye yelped as the rain spattered them, Carter, still carrying her, and dashing for her truck. Once he dumped her in there, she said, “I’m barefoot and I don’t have my keys.”
“Shoes, you don’t need. I’ll get your keys.” He ran in for her jacket, and came out, jumping in the passenger side. His feet and hems were wet.
She started it, and eyed him, amused. “Where to?”
He swept his hand out, “Ranch goes for miles.” Then slid over and had his arm around her as she shifted and pulled out.
The wipers slapped hard and the truck wasn’t quiet, but Carter was busy, biting her ear, whispering, and teasing her as she drove a few miles out.
Turned on, excited, he was biting the back of her neck when Skye pulled under a strand of trees and cut the engine.
Although the rain beat down, it was more like plopping on the truck cab. She half turned and reached to cup his head, kissing him sensually.
It was natural after that. They wanted each other. He slid over, pulling her with him, Skye having nothing on under her loaned clothing to stop his hands feeling and shaping her while they kissed and nibbled and got high on the sensations.
Raising her head after a heady kiss, Skye looked at his mussed hair and half-sleepy sexy green eyes. She undid the buttons of his shirt and touched him, then used her mouth to taste his skin, raking her teeth on his nipples.
Her T-shirt was eased over her head by his eager hands. His flannel one she pushed off his shoulders and tossed with it.
“Um” they both said when their torsos were skin-to-skin, nipple to nipple. Since he lay on the bottom, one foot on the floor, Skye between his legs, his hands cupped her sides, lifted her so he could kiss and suckle her nipples.
Panting, hot, Skye watched him and got so aroused doing it.
Before long, his hand was skimming down into the back of her pants and cupping her ass.
She was trying to feel him too, everywhere. The worn denims did not hide his rigid cock. His kisses were deep, hungry, as wild as her own.
Thunder boomed somewhere distant. He sat up and brought her with him. Their eyes glittered, mouths tender and bodies hot.
Skye pushed him so that he was against the door, and unlatched several snaps on his jeans. Leaning over she kissed his ridged stomach and felt his hand in her hair. Tongue running over exposed skin, she made a sound of protest when he cupped her chin and forced her to look at him.
“Be careful.” He warned, half grinning. “You go any further with that pretty mouth and tongue and I’m going to lose it.”
Skye arched her brow. “What’s wrong with that?”
“I want…”
She put her hand over his lips. Her smile soft, “You want me to do exactly what I’m doing. I want to do what turns me on. At the moment, that’s what I’m doing.”
Pulling her hand away, she watched his face as she undid more snaps, feeling his soft curls and then the thick, hard, length of him.
His lips were apart slightly, his breathing tight, eyes like bottled green glass before she looked down, her fist already wrapping around him.
“Oh. I really like this.” She eyed his cock and stroked it. It was silken and hot.
“Skye.” He choked.
She eased back, lowered her head, and began kissing, smooth supple, and then running her tongue over it.
His hands on either side of her head Carter rumbled, “Skye…You’re going to make me come.”
“You want to.” She peeked at him before rimming the sleek head with her lips.
Skye got turned on, as he did.
Carter was. He breathed loud and whispered tensely, uttered, “So good. You’re good baby.” The rest was a string of very erotic moments for them both. Skye, perfecting what he liked, while enjoying his taste and scent—the sexy way he moved until he uttered Yes, on a groan, and lifted her up, coming on her breasts while he kissed her deep, explicit. Shudders racking his big frame.
Afterwards, cleaned up via some rain and his shirt, they smoked.
Carter, loose boned and holding her against his side, told her, “You’re now my ultimate oral fantasy.”
She laughed and turned, lying down so her head was in his lap. His trousers weren’t all the way buttoned so she pulled her hair aside to not tangle in the snaps. One of his bare feet was on the floor, and the other against the dash.
Blowing a steam of smoke, feeling a waft of air blow in the rolled down window, she considered his half-shaded eyes and confessed, “You’re certainly mine.”
Taking her cigarette and his to put out, Carter then skimmed his hand over her stomach, and delved into the trousers. He found her sex slick and hot. His free hand massaged her breast and t
eased her nipples while he rubbed her clit, making her arch on him—turning him on, just witnessing the climax that stole over her.
Afterwards, the plan was for them to go to her place and clean up, head back to the ranch.
What happened though, was that Carter was below washing, having carried up water for her claw foot tub. When done, he went up the stairs, the room flaring with lighting. His eyes honed on Skye, her skin sparkling as she’d lit candles around the tub. Her reflection was in that cheval mirror, ass and beautiful legs, graceful back glistening while she rinsed herself.
She turned and stepped out, picking up the towel—finding him where he sat on the foot of her bed.
Skye told him, letting the towel drop, “I want to see you.”
He stood and peeled the jeans off, his cock hard and thick, and his long muscled form amazing to her eyes.
In a few steps, he had her lifted and then carried to the bed. Rolling her under him, his skin hot, hers scented with bath oil. He removed the clip holding up her hair, and flexed so her legs parted more. The crown of his cock poised at her entry.
Carter’s hands took hers, their fingers twining as he looked at her and drawled softly, “I want to make love to you.”
Skye answered breathy because it touched something deeper, his expression, his tone, “I want you, Carter. I want you inside me.”
With every inch he inserted, he held her gaze, their hearts drumming, lips parting on shaky breaths. He pulled back, and then raised a bit to thrust in a measured rhythm. Skye’s nails bit into his sides, her sleek thighs shifted higher on his hips.
“Yes.” She arched her neck and moved her body with him. The storm and lightening, the flicker of candlelight, heightened the thick erotic charge between them.
Carter progressed deeper inside her, and got closer. He released her hands to brace himself higher, his hips moving in rapid shifts, causing the old bed to squeak under the sound of their harsh breathing, and the rain pounding the tin roof. They moaned, whispered, and made deep, passionate love.
After that bout concluded, it moved into another.
In the lulls, he rolled her on her stomach, stroked, and kissed her shoulders and back, her buttocks. He let his tongue and mouth pleasure her. Skye explored him too, with hands, teeth, and tongue, having his muscle and veins standing out before she was satisfied, and his voice rumbling words from deep in his throat. They forgot time. Throughout the stormy night, they existed only for each other.
The world looked different for Skye after her night with Carter. As November progressed, and weddings were planned and conducted, she began to let herself believe in the happily ever after she saw in her clients eyes.
Carter was busy. Everyone at 4 Oaks was, since winter was predicted to be mild but rainy.
Carter called her, or she him, when they had time. Rio brought her two young dogs, mixed breeds, with intelligent eyes that he taught her to command, and told her how to train them to guard inside the barn.
Skye didn’t divulge to Jesse what Juda told her that day at the ranch. She wanted her friend to talk when she was ready, but Skye did her best to cheer Jesse when she was in a subdued mood. Jesse carried on as normal, worked hard every day, and seemed to have a great time when Dani came by and invited them out.
That too was a great new experience, laughing with girlfriends— just hanging out, watching movies, or shopping. Skye saw Kelly less when she went to the ranch, the woman having found a job working for one of the corporations between Maple grove and Memphis.
When she could, Skye went to the ranch. On mild days, she rode horses, loving every moment of anything with Carter—enjoying Kane and Willow, observing the odd but making an effort family and bonds they were all struggling to build.
Rayne came by and went to 4 Oaks to catch a ball game with her. Juda joined them. If anyone was around less, it was Rio.
He was always being called out. But even when he could be, it seemed he had some excuse to be elsewhere.
Carter commented on it to Skye, but said that Rio had driven with Willow to check out a school she was interested in, and Willow made time to help him with the animals, so he suspected the absences had to do whatever occurred between himself and Jesse in the kitchen that day.
Thanksgiving decorations were replacing Halloween in town and on lawns and porches in communities. Skye accepted Carter’s offer to come to the ranch on that holiday and help them cook the traditional meal.
Rayne was invited too, but he said he had other plans.
“He’s seeing Kelly,” Carter told her one day as they had met in town. Skye, coming from the café, having grabbed a coffee and croissant. Carter had been to the hardware store.
“He would tell me, if they were more than friends.” Skye insisted.
Carter shrugged. “They’re not exactly each other’s type.”
“Neither are we.”
He cocked his brow, smiling. “You’re perfect for me.”
Skye warmed inside from that, but asked, “Then why is it an issue with Rayne and Kelly.”
“Because of Kane.”
“Kane?”
“I don’t know for sure.” Carter stole half her croissant. “Something is— tense between them.”
She considered that. “Your brother comes off as a hard ass but he needs someone in his life.”
“You are a romantic,” Carter teased and then chewed the piece croissant. He dipped to kiss her, saying afterwards. “I like that about you. I agree. I just don’t know if that’s what’s up with him and Kelly. She’s entry level at that job so she’s working her ass off. They aren’t around each other much. But I suspect she sees Rayne when she goes out on the weekends.”
“I would love for my brother to find someone who cares for him. But I think it’s just friendship—as opposite as they seem.”
They talked awhile longer, and then Carter told her, “I talked to Dani the other day. Told her to come out to the ranch. Seems like she’s become a friend of yours?”
“Yes. And Jess’s too.”
He took a sip of her coffee, ignoring her grunt, and got in his truck. “I have to get home. One of the water pipes broke in the upstairs bathroom.” He set his bag in the seat then looked at her, winking. “We need to meet, in bed, really soon.”
“We do.” She wanted him every time they were together. “Although a bed doesn’t really matter, does it.”
“No. Call me, when you’ve got a free day.” He started the truck. “Or—in the middle of the night.”
She was still grinning when he pulled out.
Walking to her truck, she finished the croissant, and drank coffee while she made her errand runs and stopped by the flower shop. People still whispered, they stared too—but Skye smiled and even met a few of those with her brow raised. She was too damn happy to let them get to her.
Later that night, she called Rayne, too curious now. But his machine picked up. She left a message.
Skye had a huge wedding to pull together before Thanksgiving, an older couple, farmers, who wanted to renew their vows. They wanted a 1930’s feel to everything, and Skye wanted to make sure it was perfect.
Jesse said one day when they were prowling antique stores, “If we did receptions too, it would be cool.”
“How would we pull that off?” Skye had always thought about that in the back of her mind. “Catering, room to dance and tables…I don’t know how we’d do it.”
“I have an idea,” Jesse told her. “We have a good section of the barn filled with nothing but props and junk. We could get Juda to re-fit everything for a reception room, separate the sections with sliding doors like he made for your kitchen.”
“That would be more work too…”
Jess shrugged and smiled. “I can take over most of it. We can make contacts for the catering and cake, do the whole thing. Music, bands.”
Looking at the excitement in her eyes, knowing it had been awhile since she’d seen that, Skye offered, “You lay it all out, and brin
g me sketches, whatever, I’m in.”
“Deal,” Jesse gave her a high five.
As they were buying vintage posters, Skye asked about Juda, because it had been a long time since he talked about his dream career. He enjoyed what he did with them, and he was good at it, but Skye didn’t forget that Juda was fresh from divorce and altering of his life goals.
“He always worked out in the shed, has his drafting table and everything out there. He locked it up when Marta left, hasn’t been in there since he made that settlement during the divorce. He pays child support too. Marc is in a private school.”
“We could pay him more.”
“He has enough money, Skye.” Jess told her dryly. “It’s going to take a while for him to surrender to what challenges him again.”
Skye nodded. After they made their purchases, she suggested they have lunch at the café.
It was there that Skye witnessed another reaction, when Rio and Willow came in. Rio wasn’t looking around, but headed to the bakery counter. Willow spied them and came over to the table.
“Hey.”
“Hi.” They both said. Skye smiling, noticing her hair was now just cherry and black. She had on a cool outfit of black boots and slacks, a tweed jacket and turtleneck. “How’s studies?”
“Killing me,” the young woman said. “I’m looking forward to winter break.”
While Jess asked a few questions and they laughed about something, Skye glanced at the counter, seeing Rio pay for the items he’d chosen and then turn, visually sweep the room for his daughter, and finally hone in on their table.
His expression immediately closed off, and though she knew he was looking at Jesse for a good five minutes, he never approached.
He turned back and ordered a coffee, took it to another table—somewhere behind them, and must have signaled Willow, because she excused herself and joined him.
Meeting Jesse’s eyes, Skye knew Jesse was aware of him.
“Want to linger or—”
“Let’s go.” Jess stood, taking her jacket from the chair back.
When they were in the truck again Skye said, “Sooner or later Jess, you, and Rio are going to be forced to talk.”
