The perfect scenario would be if she could somehow arrange to marry someone without the kids knowing, it would all be on paper and Bailey and Netty didn’t even need to know there was a husband at all. She would just tell them she had hired someone to work around the place. When the time came that it was safe to dissolve the marriage, they would be none the wiser.
Sage opened up her computer and clicked onto the site for one of the papers and found the form she needed for the classifieds. Yes, she could go the dating agency route but let’s face it, that would take time and there would be a lot of weeding out the duds and psychos. This would be faster and safe. She would have a prenup drawn up and she wasn’t a bad judge of character. This was a perfect scenario for someone who might need a green card for instance. She wasn’t stupid enough to put that in the paper where anyone could see it though; people could read between the lines. A half an hour, a couple of glasses of wine for courage, and it was done. Her ad would go out in the Saturday paper.
Sage opened the fridge door and stared inside. She should probably eat some dinner. Nothing really jumped out of her. The freezer still held several casseroles but they were in family lots, no point thawing something like that for just herself. She helped herself to another large glass of wine and took out a stringer cheese. Very cultured evening if she did say so herself. Next, she put on some music and flopped onto the sofa. A tear rolled down her cheek as John Denver floated through the room. Her parents often listened to the sweet country sounds. Of course, that’s why she was crying, not because she was remembering the beautiful evening she had spent here with Cliff, one that she would love to repeat in a perfect world. When had life become this complicated? If only she had more time, they might have actually had a shot at trying to build something special.
* * *
After several larger glasses of wine to numb her inhibitions, Sage fell into her bed, wearing nothing. There was nothing like the feel of bare skin against clean sheets, especially when you were mentally exhausted. The bed felt so soft and comfy. Sleeping naked was an indulgence and a slice of freedom that, with children in the house, was off limits but that had been her norm when she lived on her own in the city. It wasn’t even about sex or having easy access to her body, it was more of a comfortable being free thing.
Sage couldn’t help but think about what had happened with Cliff. Amazing, wasn’t a big enough word. While she wasn’t a virgin, there hadn’t been many men and the couple there had been were nothing like Cliff, not in bed or out of it. That night with Cliff had been a reminder of what it was like to feel a man lying beside her, on top of her, inside her. It was the average sexual experience multiplied by ten. And the after, damn, it had been so nice to lie in a man’s strong muscly arms, muscles that had been earned through hard work. As she drifted into sleep though, it wasn't exactly the sex that she remembered; it was the morning after that spiked her impromptu fantasy. There was something about Cliff’s bossiness that got to her in a way she couldn’t explain…
“Come over here, baby.” His voice was deep and he almost growled.
Sage smiled at the tented sheet and the look of desperation on her lover’s face. “In a minute,” she said with sass before plonking her naked bottom on the stool in front of her dressing table. She picked up her hairbrush as she pulled out her hair tie and shook her hair down her back in a mass of dark brown ringlets. “I need to brush my hair.”
“Uh huh. I can admire that view for about a minute and then you better get yourself over here.”
Sage giggled and ran the brush through the ends of her hair slowly. “You can’t rush these things.” She wiggled her bare bottom wantonly.
“That’s it, hair’s brushed.”
She stood and bent over the dressing table, reaching for a fresh hair tie.” In a second he was behind her, his hand clapping off her naked cheeks. “Ow.” She giggled. It hadn’t hurt, it had stung a little, just as she’d wanted it to. He took the brush from her hand and clapped it off first one cheek and then the other.
“Nice,” he said, “but I think you could do with some more colour.”
He paddled her bottom a little bit harder than she liked, the sting and the heat creeping lower until her reached the sensitive crease between her bottom and thighs. She yelped and wiggled. “Enough of that, touch me now, please.”
“You have to wait. That’s what happens to naughty girls who tease their husbands,” he said with a low growl.
Sage jolted awake, shocked at the dream that was still fresh in her mind; she was married to Cliff, and he had spanked her and, she from the reaction she was still feeling, she had liked it. More than liked it, she was still tingling, from the tips of her toes to her throbbing lady parts. No, no, no, that wasn’t happening. Not the spanking, not the married part, not any of it. Not happening, she thought with a pang of regret.
* * *
Cliff was driving down the country road that he loved. The trees lined either side of the road joining in the centre to form a tunnel that filtered the warm sun. The turn off to Sage’s place was just up ahead and he had to admit to himself, he felt excited at the thought of seeing her and the children. Trouble was, he had to get back to his own ranch first. He’d left his grandpa in charge for the last four days and it was only fair that he relieved him. He was supposed to be retired after all.
He came around the bend slowly, allowing for the safety of the fine animals in the back of the cattle truck, when an unfamiliar sign came into view. “For Sale,” he read aloud. “For sale? What the hell?” What had happened? Sage hadn’t said anything about selling up. There was the will reading last week, she hadn’t said anything then and he hadn’t wanted to pry, but he hadn’t been over since Sunday when they’d had breakfast together. Something must have gone wrong since then. She would have told him wouldn’t she? The timing of him going away hadn’t been great. He’d had to give some attention to his ranch and fill the hands in on what had to be done while he was away. It was almost breeding season and he wanted the place ready so they could get an early start. Heifers had needed to be moved into pastures ready for the bulls he’d just collected. He’d told her she could call him any time though and she hadn’t. Was she being forced to sell? Now he was even more eager than before to get over there and see what had happened. Just as soon as he’d had a shower and something to eat, that’s exactly what he was going to do.
* * *
“Cliff boy! You’re back,” his grandpa said, hobbling out to greet the truck as he pulled in front of the house. “Let me see what ya got.” The older man wandered around back and peeked through the slats of truck. “They are beauties, all of them.”
“Hi, Grandpa, yes they are. Everything okay? Didn’t work too hard did you?” Cliff asked.
“No, didn’t really do anything much except maybe give a little advice here and there.”
“I’m sure everyone appreciated your wisdom.” Cliff bit back a grin.
“Don’t you be sassin' your old grandfather, some people have respect for wisdom. You have your new ways but nothing was wrong with the way we used to do things.”
“I know, Grandpa, I was only joking.”
“So was I.” The older man chuckled, “A bit. Anyway, I better get back to your grandmother, she’ll have my lunch ready and you know she doesn’t like to be kept waiting. You can check in with Chuck later.”
“Thanks again, Gramps, I will.” Chuck was his head ranch hand and he really didn’t need to check with anything at all. He trusted Chuck with anything and everything. It was good though that his grandpa still felt needed, which is why he’d asked him to call in and check on things from time to time.
Grandpa nodded and smiled. “Oh, by the way, your grandma made me bring you over a plate. It’s in the fridge.”
“That’ll be real good, Grandpa, tell her thanks.” His stomach was rumbling already just thinking about food. His grandma always did leave him something nice. That’s why he hadn’t stopped for any fast food on the l
ong drive home.
“Oh, and there’s pie too.”
“Is Gran trying to fatten me up for Christmas?”
“Could be, she says you’re too thin.” The older man climbed into his car and rolled down the window. “She also said that you need reminding what it would be like to have someone cook for you all the time.”
Cliff smiled. “She moving back in? Sick of the new house already?”
“She thinks you need a wife and children.”
“Does she now? Subtle little thing.”
“Smart too. Oh, I left you the paper to read.” His grandfather grinned and pulled away, driving down the private road.
Chuck came out from the barn smiling. “Good to see ya.”
“Hey, you too. Did you happen to notice that the Worthington place was up for sale?”
“Uh, no I didn’t. I haven’t been off the place since you left.”
“No matter, I’ll go and see Sage after I eat.”
“I’ll get help and take care of these three. You go and get something to eat.”
“Thanks, Chuck. I’d watch that one.” He pointed to the oldest of the three. “He’s ornery.”
“Will do.”
Cliff smiled and headed into the house to devour his food. Talking to his grandfather always made him smile. He was glad they had decided to stay on the property. The smaller house had been a compromise. It was far enough away from the main house that the older couple had some peace and privacy and close enough that they could all still check on each other. It had been meant to be him that was doing the checking on them but it seemed most of the time to be him that was getting checked on.
He poured himself a cool glass of sweet tea. The plate of delicious food, still steaming from the microwave, was now on the table waiting for him. Cliff opened the paper to read while he ate. After flicking through most of the same old, same old news he turned to the classifieds, as was his normal habit, only to be stopped in his tracks. He had to consciously make himself swallow the mouthful of food that was threatening to choke him. “What in the world? Of all the fool-hardy, downright stupid ideas!” He had of course stumbled upon Sage’s ad and he was not at all pleased.
Wanted Urgently: A HUSBAND
Decent man who loves children and animals. This needs to happen as soon as possible so no time wasters please. If you’re ready for an unusual experience but not afraid of commitment, please phone: 555-367-713
She was looking for a husband? Oh, so she had too much on her plate to enter into a relationship! A relationship with him at least. No, he didn’t believe that for a second. There had been something big between them simmering and yet she’d rejected him, which meant there had to be something else going on here. “For the love all that is decent and…” Cliff shook his head as he looked at his grandmother's home made fried chicken and mashed potatoes. All he wanted to do was sit there and enjoy his meal but he couldn’t. What if there was already a line of prospective husbands waiting at the door? Would they be on the up and up? Yeah, right. They probably would be anything but. Besides, it could be Prince Charming himself and he wouldn’t pass muster with him. What type of person looks in the Saturday paper for a wife? This wasn’t the 1800s and Sage was no mail order bride. She was a silly young girl who had obviously gotten herself into some kind of mess. Well, he would help her out of whatever it was like he’d told her he would. He’d offered hadn’t he? He’d told her to call him hadn’t he? He would have been only too happy to help with whatever the problem might be. He still would, first though he was going to paddle some sense into that stubborn backside of hers. He had no idea what was going on in that head, but he was pretty sure he knew what was going on in her heart. Looking for a husband who wasn’t him? That was never going to happen! He shoved an angry forkful of potato into his mouth and picked up a drumstick of chicken to eat on the way there.
Cliff finished his chicken and threw the bone into the trash before he even got to the truck. He stopped to wash his hands under the tap.
Chuck shouted from the outside of the barn. “You going to check on Sage?”
It never even crossed Cliff’s mind to wonder why Chuck assumed he would be checking on Sage, or why his grandfather had strategically left the paper for him to read. “You going to be able to manage the newbies?” Cliff asked, not really caring what the answer might be.
“Sure,” Chuck said, managing to keep his face blank.
Another hand stuck his head around the corner as Cliff’s truck left nothing but dust in it’s wake. “He saw the ad then?”
“I’m guessing,” Chuck said with a smirk.
Both men chuckled.
Chapter Three
Sage sat in the kitchen, every now and again glancing at the phone. There was an uneasy feeling in the pit of her belly and she wasn’t sure if she should will the phone to ring or will it not to ring. She’d done the morning chores by herself and then cleaned herself up. Not that anyone could see her through the phone but she just felt like she should look at least clean and tidy just in case. In case of what she wasn’t sure. All she was certain of was that the wait was nerve wracking and that was an understatement. What if someone had called earlier when she’d still been out coaxing milk from old Bessy or scratching around in the chicken coop? Maybe she shouldn’t have used the fixed line phone number instead of her cell number. What if it was a stupid idea and no one was interested? Was that a car? She hadn’t given the address so it couldn’t be anyone answering the ad.
When she glanced out of the porch door and realised it was Cliff, her belly flipped; she’d missed him, and not just for his pancakes, the work around the place or other things. She blushed. He made her smile. The man in question looked anything but happy to see her. Before she could try and figure out why, the phone rang. She was torn, but in the end ran back in to answer it.
“Hello?” She was trying desperately to keep the nervousness out of her voice but she needn’t have worried, there was no sound on the other end of the phone. “Hello, is anyone there?”
“Sorry, I think I have the wrong number,” the woman on the other end of the phone said.
“No problem,” Sage said before hanging up, relief making it easier to breathe normally again. She went back outside to say hello to Cliff and see why he was so grumpy.
Cliff slammed his truck door and took big strides towards her, his lips set in a thin angry line. “We need to talk,” he said in a clipped tone that she hadn’t heard from him for a very long time.
It brought back memories though and not entirely pleasant ones. “Okay. Are you upset about something?”
“I don’t know if that describes accurately what I’m feeling.”
Then she saw it, he had the paper under his arm. “You saw my want ad?”
Cliff opened his mouth to speak but it was a second before he formed a sentence. “Have you completely lost your mind? Do you know how unsafe that is? Anyone could call you or use that number to find your address, anything could happen.”
“I have my reasons.”
“That’s a cop out. Why is the house for sale? What the hell happened in the few days that I was gone and why do you suddenly need a husband when you weren’t even willing to talk about a date with me after what I thought was a pretty special night?”
“Number one, not that it is any of your business, Cliff, but the bank owns more of the house than I do and they want their money back. Number two, you said we didn’t have to talk about what happened until I was ready. Number three, technically, the ad said wanted not needed. I would have looked a little desperate if I had written needed which is apparently where the situation stands.” She of all people knew this wasn’t a funny situation but making light seemed to ease her embarrassment a little.
“Don’t be smart, this is serious.”
“Is it, Cliff? I hadn’t realised. Bailey and Netty are at Aunt Jen’s. I was a bit bored being here by myself and I thought, I know, why not advertise for a stranger to be my husband. Be
ats trying to play scrabble on my own.”
“You’re still doing it. Stop, and explain this to me. None of it makes sense. If you’re selling, why would a husband help? Are you trying to get a rich husband so he can pay off the debts and you can keep this place?”
That was it, Sage saw red. “How dare you! You don’t know anything about my situation. If you think I would sell myself and the kids for the price of any place, even my home, then you are very much wrong. Go away before I make you go away.” Sage stood and pointed to his truck.
“That’s not what I meant and I’m not going anywhere.” Cliff scrubbed his face with his hands.
“Yes you are.” Sage backed into the house and picked up the shotgun she kept by the door. She turned around ready to aim but Cliff was quicker; he snatched the weapon easily from her hands.
“That—does—it.” Cliff advanced on Sage with purpose.
She backed slowly away but his intention was shining clearly in his eyes. “I wasn’t going to shoot you; I was just trying to scare you away.” She panicked and her voice rose an octave.
“Save it.”
The phone rang again and she took a step towards it.
“That’s the last thing you want to do.”
“I have to get it; it might be important.”
Cliff was on her now. He turned her around and bent her over the well-padded sofa. “I’m going to go with the gut instinct I had when I first read this stupid want ad, I’m going to spank some sense into your stubborn backside. Then we’re going to talk, and listen to each other and you are going to tell me the truth, otherwise we’ll start again right here.”
Sage struggled, trying desperately to get away. “Stop, you can’t do this.”
“Now that’s funny, seems to me like I already am doing this.” His left arm pinned her firmly while his right arm took aim. He ignored her protests and dodged her kicking feet as he brought his hand down sharply on the seat of her jeans. “There are so many reasons I want to spank you right now that I can’t count,” he said, his hand still bouncing off her wriggling rear.
An Unexpected Wife Page 4
