Black Hills Angel (Black Hills Series)

by Wilson, A. C.

  "I wondered how long it would take you to come by." Nora raised a brow, chuckled at the shake of his head and winked at Andy. He wasn't too far away to notice the becoming shade of red Andy's cheeks continued to turn.

  "Dad and Garrett were going to be late, so Jason dropped me off at the ranch." Matt took his hat off and sat it on the end table closest to the front door. Andy didn't look at him, but he knew she couldn't keep her focus on the computer screen. Her back straightened and she kept trying to locate him from the corner of her eye. Matt couldn't help but feel devilishly ornery in the moment. His booted feet didn't make any sound on the carpet floor and Andy was only aware of him coming up behind her when he was already there. The nearness of her and the scent of her perfume was heady. He wanted so much to lean into her back and wrap his arms around her waist while burying his nose in her hair. Sweet Lord, this is torture!

  "Jason? The same man who was knocked from his horse today?" Andy's voice wavered. She half turned in her seat, her shoulder to him. It was Nora's turn to raise a brow at her brother.

  "It was Jason this morning?" Nora put down her laundry and waited for Matt's answer.

  "Yeah, he was the one. Like I told Andy, we all have been riding since before we could walk. Jason is a bit banged up but he is fine." Matt looked from blue eyes to green and back to his sister. She understood the way they were raised. Nothing of this was news to her.

  "Matt's right. It probably looked worse than it was. Jason's been a friend of ours for a long time." Nora picked up a couple of socks out of the basket and began matching them up. Andy looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn't. Feeling a bit on the spot, Matt looked at the computer screen to see one of the photos Andy had taken that morning.

  "Wow! Nora did you see these pictures of Andy's?" Matt waved his sister around to their side of the counter.

  "They are okay. Definitely nothing special." Andy was quick to say, very uncomfortable with the sudden interest in her photography. Matt felt recognition flare as he identified something she was truly fond of. Nora's eyes widened as she took in the picture of Matt sitting astride Goliath's mammoth back. From Andy's position on the ground, Matt looked like a seasoned warrior on top of his equally impressive horse.

  "Andy, no, they are so much more than that! Can we see some more?" Nora pulled out a second stool hitched underneath the counter top. Matt shuffled to the right side of Andy and waited.

  "I guess so. They aren't edited or anything." Andy mumbled, definitely uncertain of her talent. She swept her finger across the pad to move the mouse and clicked the button. Another slide slid over into place. This one of a rugged, woolly buffalo with deep brown eyes. It wasn't just a nice picture. It caught at the soul of the animal. Those brown eyes sparked with ancient knowledge of what was and what would be. The next photo was one of a cowboy reaching to grasp a lost rein. The lines and light cast such a radiance to the piece. Matt was floored by the beauty. As Andy continued through her slides, she pointed out that not all of them were special. The flaws filtering to the surface as she pointed them out. Still there was a good many that spoke eloquently of their cowboy way of life.

  "Andy, you have to show these to someone. I know a couple of gallery owners in Hot Springs. I just know they would love to see these." Nora exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with the possibilities of showing this region just how amazing Andy Martin could be.

  "Oh, Nora, I don't know. I know some of them are passable, but a gallery?" Andy's voice hitched, the pitch higher as she continued. Matt knew his sister well enough to know Nora wasn't going to let this go. Andy had better just enjoy the ride.

  "You're kidding, right? They are magnificent. Let me show them to my friends. If they don't want them, I won't say a word to you. There'd be no skin off your nose." Nora gestured with her hand, shrugging her shoulders as she got off her stool. You could just see the wheels turning as how quickly she could get this ball rolling. Andy looked suitably steam-rolled and Matt chuckled. There was no stopping Nora when she had her mind set on something.

  "Nora, I came to steal Andy away for a little while. Would you mind hanging with Harper until we get back?" Matt straightened, tucking his fingers into his front pockets. Butterflies suddenly appearing in his stomach. Rejection never bothered him before, but now so much more was on the line.

  "I can watch Harper, but it's totally up to Andy. It wasn't too long ago that she bruised her ribs. Riding a horse might be too jarring." Nora looked thoughtfully at Andy, who looked right back. Some silent communication passed between them. Matt shifted his weight to his other foot and back again. Somehow he felt outnumbered and kept in the dark.

  "We won't go any faster than she feels comfortable. I brought Miss Sioux and Raven." Matt took a couple of steps back when Andy got up from her seat. Smiling at his sister and then at him, Andy nodded her head. Without saying anything, Andy turned toward the sunroom, where she was obviously staying and came back with her sweatshirt and a pair of knit gloves.

  "I'd like to get reacquainted with Miss Sioux." Andy stepped past him and he felt a rush of relief. Matt couldn't seem to control the stupid grin that broke across his face and his sister was unable to stifle a very girlish giggle. Luckily Andy had already stepped out the door and into the yard.

  "Hey, little brother, you better behave. You've only got one shot at this." Nora widened her eyes, the spark of humor still there in the depths. "Make her fall hard." The last was more of a whisper and Matt knew his sister meant every word. She couldn't take it if Andy walked away either. Looking down at his boots and then back up again, Matt indicated he understood. Pausing only to retrieve his hat, Matt closed the front door as he followed Andy to the horses.

  He found Andy patting Miss Sioux's nose and speaking quietly to the black and white painted mare. The almost twenty year old mare was still striking in appearance and her pleasing nature was ideal for a beginner's horse. Matt settled his hat more firmly on his head, zipping up his down-filled vest and checking his pockets to make sure his gloves were still there. It seemed more like nervous energy than a checklist.

  "She's even more beautiful in the open air than when I saw her in the stall. I had no idea she was black and white." Andy softly smiled, brushing her finger tips over the black fur of Miss Sioux's jaw.

  "Miss Sioux is a good ol' girl." Matt stood at the mare's head, his palm flat against the sleek neck. Andy tisked under her breath, shaking her head slightly.

  "Oh, Matt, you must never tell a woman she is old." Tipping her head to the side when she swung her green eyes to his face, Matt felt this abrupt desire to pull her roughly into his arms and kiss the very breath out of her. The force of it shocked him into staring longer than was necessary at her lips. Her lids lowered over her eyes and he gritted his teeth to keep from groaning. His body was already responding to her close proximity. They had better get started towards the windmill or he would be cindered to ashes in this very spot. Nora would not appreciate it at all.

  "Um...do you need help getting on?" Matt felt his temperature rise to inferno and he swallowed hard when the corner of her lip arched into a cheeky grin. I'm in deep trouble. There was no doubt about that at all. Everything was on the line and he was going to play to win.

  "I've never been on a horse before, if that is what you are asking me." Andy moved past him, brushing her hip against his groin and felt himself harder to an agonizing degree. Heaven, help me!

  "Grab the horn. Put your left foot in the stirrup and pull yourself up into the saddle." He saw her grimace a bit at the stretching of still tender muscles. His hands instinctively circled her waist and helped her up. He watched her settle and look down at him for further direction. She has a fine seat.

  "Matt, is everything all right?" Her voice carried a husky note and he wet his lips in response.

  "Perfect. Take the reins in your left hand and hold them between your fingers. Miss Sioux has a tender mouth and she will follow your direction easily enough. Use your knees to guide her as well."
Matt checked her feet in the stirrups and once he was satisfied that Andy was all set, he walked to Raven and mounted in a fluid movement.

  "He is amazing! I don't think I've seen such a handsome horse before." Andy's praise made Matt warm inside and it made Miss Sioux snuff in offense. "Oh no, my girl, you are beautiful." Andy leaned forward, running her palm smoothly over the black and white patches.

  "His full name is Master Raven, but we all call him Raven. I've had him twelve years." Raven was a great source of pride for Matt. Horse and man shared a deep camaraderie. Andy urged Miss Sioux forward to stand beside the black gelding. Matt couldn't deny that there was a very right feeling with them both here on their horses. Something similar to fate, if one believed in that sort of thing.

  "Should we get started? I don't want to impose on your sister's willingness to babysit for too long." She leaned forward fractionally and squeezed with her knees. Miss Sioux started forward and Matt urged Raven alongside them.

  "Of course. The windmill isn't too far." Matt led them into the back pasture and up the slight rise. At a sedate pace, it would take them twenty minutes to get there. Plenty of time to share confidences.

  ***

  Andy could feel his eyes roaming her body as they rode their horses to the windmill. Her insides quivered with their need to be in his arms and beneath his hands. Her nerves begged for his attention and honestly, riding Miss Sioux only simulated the riding she would rather be doing. Her cheeks flamed with her untamed thoughts. Miss Sioux must have sensed some of the erotic turmoil, because she shook her head roughly. Matt raised his eyes to hers when she turned towards him.

  "I could get used to riding horseback, I think." Andy said, straightening her back and tucking her knees in like he had shown her. She loved when he smiled at her like he was doing now.

  "I'd go every day if I could. I miss the ranch when I'm in Rapid City." Matt looked forward, sweeping his eyes over the horizon. It was indeed a charming land. Not everyone would acknowledge that, of course, but Andy felt surprisingly at home for the first time in over a year.

  "If you miss it so much, why aren't you here?" Andy asked him, assuming it would be just as easy as that. No one had driven him from his home. She felt saddened by that thought. It was definitely going to take some time to get over what had happened.

  "I suppose I wanted to see if I could make it outside of my parents' scope. After the business was doing well, I just wasn't sure what I would do if I came back here." Matt gestured around him.

  "You have such a way with horses. Maybe you could raise your own?" Andy offered, looking pointedly at Raven. The horses walked side by side, once in a while brushing Matt and her pant legs against each other. They did now. Andy felt the electricity that coursed between them.

  "I have always wanted to start a horse therapy school." Matt offered with a grin.

  "A therapy school for kids?" Andy asked, suddenly missing their connection when the horses parted.

  "Well, not exactly. I was thinking for soldiers that come back from service and have suffered something traumatic. The veteran's home in Hot Springs could send over any cases that might benefit from being paired with a horse." Matt's enthusiasm was obvious as his entire face lit up with hope. It was a noble and incredibly thoughtful career move. Andy could see him accomplish it.

  "Why not do it? I think it is a wonderful idea." She smiled and felt his hand grip hers warmly. He linked their fingers and drank her in. I want him. I want this. This wanting was so much more than the physical. Matt might not have been the man she had always dreamed of, but he was quickly becoming the only man she could see herself with. Matt Johnson represented the future of all that was good.

  "Maybe I will, if I have a reason to stay here." Matt's voice was so soft that she wondered if she had heard him right. He was looking for a reason? Can I give him that reason? Matt's leg brushed hers again when he continued speaking. "What about you? What do you want for your future?"

  "When I was in school, I wanted to be a photographer. Some of my teachers even said I was sure to be something special. I guess since I found out I was going to be a single mother with no family, I never thought it was attainable after that." Andy smiled through the pain that twisted in her gut. No one had ever asked her what she wanted. It was strange to be admitting those hopes still existed now.

  "I saw those pictures you took, Andy. They are amazing. You should continue to try and make that career happen." Matt patted Raven's glossy black neck and looked into her face. "You aren't alone anymore."

  "I didn't know that I needed to hear those words so badly until you found me in the hallway of my apartment building. What must you have thought about me sitting there crying my eyes out and my baby screaming her head off." Andy let out a nervous laugh as her eyes misted over. "Then there you were, standing in the doorway and looking for all the world like an angel."

  Matt eyes clouded a bit as he listened to her call him an angel. Her hands felt clammy as she realized she had revealed more than she had since they'd met. Switching the reins from one hand to the other, Andy felt emotionally naked.

  "I found two angels sitting in that hallway, Sweetheart. You have to know that you mean more to me than anything ever has. I want you and Harper to be my future." Matt swept his hat from his head, brim held tightly in his fingers. Matt looked magnificently rugged as he sat on his big black horse with his heart in his hand and love in his eyes. She didn't know how to reply. Her heart sped up and tripped along in the silence that followed. Her cell phone buzzed in her pocket and she took it out, looking at the screen. Andy groaned and put it away without answering. Matt quirked a brow. She sighed.

  "Lance is still calling me. He wants to see Harper. I don't know what to do." Andy shrugged, focusing her eyes on the small cow trail ahead of them.

  "I know that family is important to you. He would be the one link into knowing her father better and Harper will have those questions as she gets older." Matt wondered if playing devil's advocate was a smart thing to do, considering how this had all backfired on him before. She did seem like she needed to talk about it though.

  "I want her to know, Terrell, as best as she can anyway. I don't want to hide that from her. I want my own family back, but I don't ever want Harper to think I'd choose them over her." Her eyes watered again, her voice choked and strained. "If nothing else ever goes right in my life, I'd want her to know that she was my gift." Andy lowered her head, trying to focus on the stitching in the leather saddle.

  "She will know. I'm sure she does already." Matt smiled at her, his concern shining through. "Did he say why he has been trying too hard to contact you?" Matt steered Raven around a big piece of fallen wood. Andy bit her lip and nodded.

  "He told me Terrell sent him a letter that he got right after his brother died. Terrell told him how excited he was to be a father and how determined he was to not end up their parents. Terrell asked Lance to watch over me and the baby." Andy sighed, her heart thumping as she leaned forward. "He says he cannot deny his brother's dying wish. I just don't know what to think about it."

  "Well Terrell did tell you not to speak of the baby to his parents, but he didn't mention his brother. We could do some digging if you want. But I think..." Matt trailed off there, looking at a loss as to what to say. She trusted him. She knew in her heart that Matt would never do anything to endanger Harper or her.

  "What should I do?" Andy asked, stopping Miss Sioux on the trail. Matt halted Raven beside her.

  "I think you should invite him out here. Give him a chance to explain himself in person and see where it goes from there. Honestly, there is very little he can do now, but cultivate a relationship with his niece." Matt watched her face and she considered what he was saying. Of course Harper would be curious when she learned about her real family. If Lance Harper could satisfy some of those questions, then it would be worth getting to know him. Besides, she knew Matt would be right beside her. There were no promises made and she certainly didn't know where th
eir future would take them, but Matt was a constant. She prayed that he would always be.

  "As long as you'll be there, Matt, I will invite him to visit. I can't do this alone and I really don't want to." Her eyes searched his and found the warmth she wanted to wrap up and shelter inside. He didn't say more. He simply nodded and took her hand. Nothing more was said until they reached the windmill.

  They urged the horses up the rise to see a lone windmill standing stark against the late afternoon sunshine. No trees offered any protection from the wind that was starting to pick up. Andy wriggled her shoulders trying to warm up. The sweatshirt wasn't much for warmth on this late autumn day.

  "We should get down and walk a bit. You will really feel it once we get back." Matt swung down off of Raven and Andy couldn't keep her eyes off his backside. She loved the Wranglers he wore!

  "I already do." She said as he came to her side and raised his arms to help her down. "I may need a massage for all these tender spots." She lifted a brow, feigning innocence, but Matt wasn't fooled. She wasn't sure who made the first contact, but she was distinctly certain of the sparks that followed. His denim clad thighs brushed against hers and all she wanted to do was drown in his kisses. His tongue dueled with hers and her fingers speared into his thick, dark hair knocking his hat askew. One arm held her firmly against him and the other meandered along her spine to her back pockets. She groaned against his mouth, aching in more places than she could count and not all of them because of the horseback ride.

  "It is far too cold to do this out here, baby." Matt's voice was rough and his breathing shallow as he broke their kiss. Already she was ready to rip every stitch of clothing they each wore until they were skin to skin. She blinked, took a deep breath, and blinked again. It was hard to tamp down the raging need to be one with him. Even the hard bulge at the front of his jeans said as much.

  "I know, you're right, but I need you, Matt. I'm going to go crazy before we have sex again." She held his gaze; blue eyes smoldering with pent up passion. There were so many things she wanted to do with him. If only it were that simple. She almost sighed as he backed up a couple of inches and set her back from his body.