by Debra Kayn
“Good.” He worked her shirt up with his hands. The low, hoarse growl he emitted might have sounded primitive, but his hands…oh, his hands were skilled. He nibbled his way up her neck, knowing exactly what he was doing to her.
Margot writhed beneath him, surprising herself when whimpers slipped out of her mouth. Her legs spread, and she’d never been more thankful that she didn’t take the time to slip on a pair of panties.
One of his hands trailed down her belly, his fingers stroking her inner thighs, driving her higher and higher, skimming over the part of her that craved his touch. She scooted toward his hand, but he moved as soon as she thought he’d settle on her moist heat. Move your fingers to the left.
He didn’t.
Margot shifted to the side, following the direction of his touch.
“Mm…” Roy Lee moved in the other direction. “Not yet.”
Her hips convulsed underneath him, needing one little stroke for her body to explode. He pinned her to the table with his gaze. His fingers danced ever so closer…
“Margot.”
No…don’t talk. Not now.
“Margot.” The back of his hand moved farther down her leg.
She opened her mouth, but she couldn’t answer him. It was impossible. He’d stolen her breath.
“Now, sweets.” He skimmed his thumb over the one spot guaranteed to make her go crazy.
She did.
A rainbow of colors danced in her vision. Blood pounded in her ears, deafening any other sounds. She shuddered her release. Roy Lee kissed her back to the moment, bringing her gently back to him. She clung to his shoulders, caught up in the wonderful pleasure pinging around inside of her body.
“Roy Lee?”
“Mm…?” His hips swayed back and forth between her legs.
“Please…”
He stood up, pulled her to the edge of the table and entered her in one thrust. Those exhilarating feelings she believed had died down, roared as if ignited again. Her body clamped down on him, spasming, pulling, taking everything he gave her.
With one final plunge, he held himself still and groaned out his orgasm. His eyes slowly closed. Margot’s muscles relaxed and she inhaled a shaky breath.
“Margot…?” He gazed at her beneath those half-open sexy eyelids of his.
She pushed herself onto her elbows, raised her hand and let him pull her up until she was sitting. “Let me guess. You enjoyed yourself?”
“You got it, sweets.” He helped her stand on her feet. The corner of his mouth curved and he chuckled. “I’m thinkin’ later we can initiate the washer and dryer. Hell, there’re lots of things in this house to try out. The coffee table, the fireplace, hearth… When we get done with the inside of the house, we can move out to the tack room in the barn.”
“What if I don’t want to…is the big bad sheriff gonna arrest me?” She giggled.
Roy Lee’s lips curled and he gave a low growl. “Oh yeah. You in handcuffs. I like it.”
She laughed. “Before we start trying out the house, there’s one thing I wanna do first.”
“What’s that?”
“I need to call my sisters and have ’em meet us at the ranch. Although we didn’t get to make our announcement, I’ll make it clear they can tell everyone.” She jumped when he playfully smacked her bare backside. “What? A girl has a right to change her mind, doesn’t she?”
He laughed. “My girl can.”
“Roy Lee?” She stepped in front of him. “Do you ever regret keeping our relationship to ourselves the last year? Do you ever get mad that I asked you to keep our secret for me?”
“No.” He shook his head and frowned. “Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. This last year was hard with Daddy and all. I’ve now realized how unfair I was to ask you to keep it our business. My personal life was the only thing I had control over. Everything else, the clinic, Daddy, the girls…I had no say in how things turned out. With you, I wanted to keep you to myself. I was afraid of losing you, us, what we have together. Does that make any sense?”
“You wouldn’t have lost me. I’d never leave, no matter what,” he whispered.
Chapter Five
The two-story white ranch house surrounded with a large family porch had witnessed lots of activity, overheard lots of talks and absorbed lots of love over the years. Margot sighed and squeezed Roy Lee’s hand as they climbed the steps to her childhood home. Nothing had changed on the McDougal ranch since Stuart ran it.
“It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact Daddy’s gone. I always think I’m gonna see him sitting up on the porch…” She blinked hard.
Roy Lee stopped and pulled her toward the end of the overhang facing the west field. “He’s here, sweetheart. You’re supposed to see him everywhere around here.”
“I miss him.”
“I know you do, sweets. Look out over all the land. It was wild and barely kept anything alive before your dad worked his magic. He made it healthy and beautiful. Soon, you’ll see hay up to your waist that appears to go clear to the ends of the earth.” He raised his arm and pointed in the other direction. “Remember when he built the old barn?”
Margot smiled. Roy Lee had shared his version of that day many times in the last year.
Roy Lee chuckled. “That was the first time I ever met you.”
Margot leaned back against his chest, happy to have the memories. “I punched you in the stomach when you stole the ribbon outta my ponytail.”
He wrapped her in his embrace. “You and your sisters were hell for a boy like me. I had to find creative ways to squirrel my way into playing with you girls. You all were tighter than a double knot, and having no brothers and sisters of my own, your house was entertainment central.”
She turned around and gazed up at Roy Lee. “Do you remember much about my momma?”
Roy Lee nodded. “She was beautiful. Like you.” He kissed her forehead. “I think she had a kind word for everyone she met. I know she went out of her way to make me feel welcome in her home. That meant something, because I was just the neighbor kid who hung out at your house too much. She was a real lady.”
“Unlike me…”
“Aw…” He curled his finger through the strand of hair lying on her shoulder. “You might be more like your daddy in personality, but you’ve got your momma’s heart and her beauty. You love every animal you treat, you watch out for your sisters, and most important…you make me feel ten feet tall any time I’m around you.”
“I love you.” She kissed him. “Thank you.”
“Hey, you two, get in here and talk to Florentine.” Chantilly opened the screen door. “I’m ready to kick her out if she don’t wise up and start smellin’ the roses instead of spewing sh—”
“What are you talking about? What did she do this time?” Margot crossed the porch.
“It isn’t what she did, but what she isn’t doing.” Chantilly stepped back and let them go inside before closing the door to keep the flies out.
“Slow down, Chantilly Lace. You’re babbling and nothing’s making a spit of sense.” Margot stood in the entryway and removed her boots.
“The head honcho from the circuit called again this morning. Florentine’s gotta put her name on the roster by tonight or she won’t be ridin’ in the tour.” She glared across the room at Florentine. “She’s seated number two this go-around.”
Florentine sat down on the couch. “It’s too soon. I’m needed here. Besides, I’ve been number two for the last three seasons, I can always try next season and work my way up again. Like they say, it’s a man’s world. They might let me play at this level, but when it comes to qualifying for the pro circuit, I’m still a woman who isn’t allowed to ride the broncs. There’s no guarantee even if I came in first that they’d let me go pro, and my family needs me right now.”
“Oh my God, you are so stupid. I can’t believe you’re my twin.” Chantilly threw her hands up in the air.
Florentine
flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I’m okay with waiting until next season. It’ll give me time to get my head in the game. I could help Chantilly with the ranch, and Val could use—”
“Bullshit.” Chantilly crossed her arms. “You’ve wanted to be the first woman to go pro since you were twelve years old. You’re a McDougal, dammit. We want to see you win.”
Margot joined Florentine on the couch. “What’s going on? Why are you thinking about ditching your dream?”
“I’m not! I still want to win more than anything.” Florentine frowned. “Daddy’s gone, and I’m needed around here.”
Margot shook her head. “I don’t need you.”
“Me neither.” Bisette entered the room.
“I think your sisters are trying to tell you that they’d feel better if you go do what you love. They want you to be happy too.” Jack pulled Chantilly over to the fireplace hearth and forced her to sit down. “Your sisters will be fine. Sam, Roy Lee and I promise that if any of them need you, we’ll call.”
Florentine glanced across the room. “It doesn’t feel the same without…”
Everyone waited for her to elaborate. Margot studied her sister. Something else was bothering her.
Florentine separated her hair into three strands and wove a braid out of habit. “Daddy was so damn proud of me.”
“We’re proud of you, sis. You can do it for all of us.” Chantilly raised her brow, lifted her chin and gave her the McDougal stare-down Stuart taught each of them to do when something was worth fighting for.
Florentine glanced away and gave a tiny shake of her head. “That isn’t playin’ fair.”
“Life ain’t fair, Florentine Lace, suck it up.” Margot patted Florentine’s leg. “Daddy would want you to get back to living life.”
Her sister let go of her hair and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “Fine. Just make sure you guys call me if anyone needs me here, and I’ll hop on the first plane home.”
“Deal!” The eight members of the family laughed as they all agreed together.
Chantilly turned to Bisette. “Since it seems we’re doin’ family interventions today, Bisette, I think you should go back home…start a tour, make a new record, do something…”
“Gee, sis. I love you too. What happened to all your talk ’bout how we’re all named after Momma’s love of all things lace, and we’re meant to stick together.” Bisette sat down on the floor and leaned against the couch. “I’d almost think you and Jack were tryin’ to get Flo and me outta the house.”
Chantilly stuck her tongue out. “You do put a damper on spontaneous sex.”
“Jesus…” Jack pulled his hat down over his eyes.
Bisette laughed and gazed over at Margot. “Besides, I’m not the one who called the meeting. It seems Margot’s got her own news.”
“Hell, we know what her secret is.” Val slugged Roy Lee in the upper arm.
“What was that for?” Roy Lee frowned and rubbed where she hit him.
“For not tellin’ me you were seein’ my sister for months. I owed you.” Val put her hands on her hips. “We’ve known you forever, and all this time you were goggly-eyed over Margot? I thought we were friends.”
“We are. I’m friends with all of you… I’m just better friends, now, with Margot.” Roy Lee laughed. “I’ll still take you fishing if you want, baby. I’ll even put the poor little worm on the hook for you.”
Val slugged Roy Lee in the arm again. “You better.”
Margot cleared her throat. She motioned Roy Lee over and patted the couch cushion. “Come over here, before Val starts leaving bruises.”
“Yeah, Val. Leave poor Roy Lee alone.” Sam stepped up and wrapped his arms around Val and whispered, “Besides, I’ve gotta worm you can—”
“Ugh. Enough. We all have excellent hearing, Sam, and you can’t whisper to save your life.” Margot shook her head and snorted. “Okay, guys, we called a meeting to let you all know we’re done hiding. It’s okay if everyone knows. I figured that between the five of us, news would get around faster than ringworm. It’s time to move on, and once people get used to Roy Lee and me being together, they can move on to the next news that hits Pike.”
“Oh, sweet Lord, she’s pregnant.” Chantilly slapped her knee.
“No…” Margot laughed. “I’m not pregnant. It’s a new season, and I’ve decided it’s time to grow up.”
Chapter Six
The parking lot at the clinic could have been mistaken for a used truck lot. Margot checked her watch and groaned. Of all days to oversleep, it had to be a Monday, her busiest day.
She grabbed her bag and headed toward the clinic with an extra bounce in her step. Even the full schedule ahead of her couldn’t put a damper on her mood. Roy Lee had made sure she started the morning off in a good mood. He’d snuck back into bed after doing chores, and before he had to leave for work, cuddled her one more time. She inhaled a shaky breath, her insides warming.
Instead of entering through the rear entrance as usual, she stepped through the front door. She smiled at the crowd in the waiting room. “Good morning.”
“Wonder where she’s been?” Mrs. Coball petted the poodle at her side.
Bob Armstrong stood up with a young goat cradled in his arms. “I passed Sheriff Hanson on the way to town. Good man, our sheriff.”
“When’s the wedding date?” Theresa Stevens, an old high school friend, grinned from the corner of the room.
Margot waved her hand in the air and laughed. “Alright, alright. I’ll fill you all in, and then I need to start seeing my patients.”
“You better. From what we’ve heard, you’ve been carrying an awful big secret around in your doctor’s bag.” Theresa wiggled her brows. “Surprised the heck out of me. I figured you’d eventually hook up with the dreamy Dr. Martin.”
She almost dropped the carry case, grabbed it with both hands and set the bag on the reception counter. “N-no, Dr. Martin’s a very respected veterinarian. The news is that Roy Lee and I are together. When I came back from doing my internship, we both got the biggest surprise of our lives. We’d been friends for too long to ruin it with jumping head first into a relationship. We took it slow…and kept it to ourselves.”
“This is all kinda sudden, dear. What with your daddy dying and you starting out with your career, isn’t it?” Mrs. Coball stood up and approached her. “Are you sure you don’t need more time? You’ve been through a lot lately.”
Margot patted the older woman’s arm. “I’ve actually been seeing Roy Lee for almost a year, Mrs. Coball.”
“A year?” Mrs. Coball tsked. “Margot Lace McDougal, you’ve always been a wild one. I can imagine what you’ve been doing behind all our backs. I used to feel sorry for your daddy trying to keep you girls in line growing up.”
Margot bit her tongue and smiled. That might have been true in her teens, but she was more than ready to settle down now. She turned to Louann, her receptionist. “Okay, let’s get started. Who’s up first?”
“Dusty needs his booster shots.” Louann handed a green folder through the opening at the desk. “Room two is ready.”
“Okay, Dusty. Let’s go see how much you’ve grown.” She stood back and let Dusty’s owner, Jared Moore, walk the six-month heeler down the hallway.
After heaving the heavy body onto the cot in the corner of the jail cell, Roy Lee stood back and reached to adjust his hat. His hand came up empty. Dammit. I lost it again.
“You can’t do this, Feriff.” Drunker than a lizard on sunshine, Knute struggled to sit up, failed and flopped back down on the thin mattress. “I’s gots rights cha-know.”
“We’ll talk ’bout them rights in the morning, Knute.” Roy Lee stepped out of the cell, shut the door and skipped turning the key. Heck, Knute wouldn’t even be up until morning, and even if he did manage to drag his sorry ass out of the cell, he had Knute’s car keys in his pocket. He wasn’t going anywhere, unless he walked.
Strolling into the front o
ffice, he knocked on Betty Sue’s desk. “Can you give Melinda a call and tell her I’m gonna keep Knute overnight to let him sleep it off?”
“Sure thing, Sheriff.” Betty Sue picked up the phone. “Oh! By the way, Sam Turner is in your office. He said you’d called and wanted to talk with him. I told him to go ahead and make himself at home.”
Dammit. He rubbed his forehead. He forgot all about calling Sam a couple hours ago. “Thanks.”
After rounding the corner, he stepped into the room. “Shit, Sam. I’m sorry. Today’s been a helluva day. I was heading back to the station to meet you when I got another call. I swear, everyone and their neighbor are disputing fence lines, serving divorce papers and are late paying their fines.”
“It’s that time of year, I suppose.” Sam clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back. “What’s up?”
Roy Lee sat down behind the desk, blew out his breath and scratched his head. He smacked the table. “I lost my hat. That’s two damn hats this month.”
“You called me here ’bout losin’ your hat? I might be your best friend, but I’ll be damned if I’ll give you mine.” Sam put his arms down and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “What’s really goin’ on? Is it Margot? Nothing’s happened between—”
“Nah. We’re fine.” He shuffled through a stack of folders, found the one he needed and tossed it to the edge of the desk. “Take a look at this for me.”
Sam raised his brows, but did what he was asked. Roy Lee moved over and grabbed his last spare hat he kept at work off the hanger, plopped it down on his head and returned to his chair.
“Okay, you wanna tell me why you ran a background check on the veterinarian working with Margot?” Sam closed the file. “If there’s supposed to be some incriminating circumstances in the file, I didn’t see it. The guy’s cleaner than your prized stallion.”
“I know.” Roy Lee shook his head. “Something isn’t right with the guy.”
“Besides being fresh off the turnip wagon?”
“A lot more than that.” Roy Lee frowned. “He’s too clean. He has no marks against his credit, no bad reports from landlords. Hell, he hasn’t ever had a parking ticket, even his college debt has been paid in full.”
