Storm

by Susan Fisher-Davis

  She was getting tired of hearing the same broken record. “I understand that––”

  “Let me finish, please.” Chloe closed her mouth, set her stance, folded her arms across her chest, and waited. “However...it’s killing me not being with you. I think of you constantly. From the minute, I wake up until I fall asleep. I can be sitting in my office and think of you and my dick gets hard. Spending time with you has never been that good with any woman. Ever. You’ve ruined other women for me because none of them can live up to you. But it’s not just me I have to think of...it’s Mandy too. But the thing is, I know you love her as much as she loves you. I know you’d never, ever, intentionally hurt her.” He stopped and stared at her.

  “No, I wouldn’t.” Chloe wanted to scream that she’d never hurt him or Mandy. She loved them both so much that she would die rather than hurt them.

  “That’s the one thing that makes me think I should take a chance––”

  A sudden loud knock on the door startled them both and Chloe wanted to tell whomever it was to go away. She marched to the door and pulled it open ready to do just that but when she saw who was standing there she nearly slammed the door again. She shook her head slightly thinking she was seeing things but she wasn’t. She saw her parents standing on the stoop. Without a word or invitation, they strolled into the apartment and glanced around with their typical condescending expression when something was beneath them. Chloe saw them dismiss Storm and swing their gazes back to her.

  “This is where you’re living?” Candace Baxter took her coat off and held it rather than place it on her daughter’s inferior furniture.

  “Looks that way.” Chloe pushed the door closed.

  Colin Baxter stared at Storm and he stared right back. Chloe wanted to throw her arms around him after seeing how he didn’t allow her parents to intimidate him.

  “What are you doing here?” Chloe asked her parents.

  “Shouldn’t you tell your handyman to leave first?” Colin asked, dismissing Storm as someone far beneath them.

  Storm snorted. “I’m not her handyman. I’m a rancher. Who the hell are you?”

  “These—” Chloe waved her hand at them and hoping it was as dismissive as they were to Storm and her apartment—“are my parents. Candace and Colin Baxter. This is my...friend...Storm Bateman.”

  “Whatever. We need to talk and we don’t need to do it in front of...him,” her mother said with her nose in the air.

  “He’s not going anywhere. You, on the other hand, need to leave—now. I don’t know why you’re even here, and I don’t care because I’m not leaving Dry River.”

  “You will regret this, Chloe. This restaurant won’t make it and even if it survives, you can’t possibly live on what you make from it.”

  “I can try. I’d rather try, and fail, than go home with you. All you ever cared about was making more money and using me to do it. I won’t be a part of it anymore. If I fail at this, I’ll find something else to do, but I will not, in no way, return to California or to you two. I’m a grown woman and I don’t have to listen to you anymore. Everything, and everyone, I love...” She glanced at Storm who was watching her, his arms folded across his broad chest, and she could swear a smirk was riding the edges of his lips. “...is right here.”

  She heard him hiss in a breath then he was grabbing her arms and turning her to face him.

  “Do you mean that, darlin’? You love me?”

  “Yes. I have loved you since the first time I saw you when I was only eleven years old. Although, I do have to tell you I did have a crush on Mont when I got older.” She laughed when Storm’s eyes narrowed at her. “But I always only wanted you.”

  “You think this rancher can give you everything you want?” Candace asked her with a huff.

  Chloe laughed. “This rancher is a very rich man, but I wouldn’t care if he was dirt poor. I love him.”

  Storm stepped in front of her. “Zellene’s will never falter because I’ll make sure it thrives. You claim Chloe may not be able to make it on her own...well, as her husband, I’ll give her everything and anything she needs to keep it going.” Chloe gasped and pulled on his arm making him turn to face her. “That is, if you’ll marry me. I didn’t get to ask you—”

  She cut him off by kissing him and he kissed her back then she pulled back from him. “You love me?”

  Storm frowned at her. “Didn’t I say that?”

  “No, you didn’t. You said you were thinking you could take a chance but you didn’t say what you were willing to take a chance on.”

  Storm pulled her into his arms and smiled down at her. “Us. I love you, Chloe. I think I have for a very long time only I was too scared to put my heart out there again. I know this...no matter how much Tracy hurt me, I know that if you ever left me, I’d want to die.”

  “How touching,” Candace Baxter sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Trust me, neither one of you will make the restaurant work. You need a lot of money for that, especially in this one horse town.”

  Chloe watched as Storm’s eyes narrowed as he turned to face her parents. “It just so happens that I have a lot of money. Check out my ranch, The Crooked Tree, on the Internet then come back and tell me we don’t have enough money.” Then Storm stalked to the door and opened it. With a wave of his arm in the direction of the open doorway, Storm added, “Too bad we won’t see you at the wedding. Have a nice trip back to California.”

  Her parents stood there staring at Chloe as if waiting for her to intervene, but then Colin Baxter shifted his eyes to Storm. Chloe figured he’d seen the determination in Storm’s eyes because her father suddenly nodded and helped Candace on with her coat as her mother grumbled at him to do something. He then practically pushed his wife out the door. Storm shut the door in a casual manner surprising Chloe because she half expected him to slam it behind them.

  Once they had left and she was sure they were gone, Chloe blew out a breath. Storm came to her putting his arms around her. She hadn’t realized how tense she was until the warmth of his body calmed her shaking.

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

  “Don’t be. I’m used to their arrogance,” she said gazing up at him. “Did you really mention a wedding?”

  “Yes. We can’t live in sin...I have to think of my impressionable and rather precocious young daughter.” Storm winked at her.

  Chloe let out a laugh, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him. “We have a daughter to think of, and she’s going to need a brother or sister for Christmas one year. It’s her Christmas wish.”

  Storm burst out laughing. “I’ve never denied her anything, but how about in a year or two? It’s going to be hard enough sharing you with just Mandy for now, much less another one.”

  Chloe nodded. Whatever he wanted was fine with her. “I love you so much, Storm.”

  “I love you too, darlin’,” he whispered against her lips before taking them in a deep kiss.

  Epilogue

  Storm stood at the altar and watched as each beautiful woman walked down the aisle toward him and his best friends. Isabella was first, followed by Megan, Roni, Emily, and then Kennie who was the matron of honor, of course. He grinned with pride when he saw Mandy come walking down the aisle throwing rose petals along the path. He stifled a laugh because he knew her instructions were just to drop them because he’d watched her practice but apparently, she had other ideas. The guests chuckled as they watched her reach into the small basket she carried, lift out a handful of petals, and throw them above her head. The petals went everywhere. Storm shook his head as he heard his best man and groomsmen laughing.

  “She’s totally enjoying herself,” Linc whispered from beside him.

  “I’d say so. She has a mind of her own, that’s for sure.”

  Lucas snorted. “What female doesn’t?”

  “And we wouldn’t have them any other way,” Dakota said quietly.

  “They’re all breathtakingly beautiful,” Mont whispere
d with a grin.

  “I agree, Mont,” Cooper said in a low tone of voice.

  Storm nodded then hissed in a breath when Chloe appeared in the archway at the back of the church. The music changed to a bridal march and Storm watched as Albert led her down the aisle toward him. He clenched his jaw as he thought of her parents not showing up even after she insisted on inviting them against his prediction that they wouldn’t attend. It had to hurt her, but no one ever would know it by the gorgeous smile on her face. Her cheeks were blushing bright pink and her bouquet was shaking but she was the most beautiful bride he’d ever seen. Storm smirked when she glanced at him then he chuckled when she stuck her tongue out at him. They’d had a conversation about this at last night’s rehearsal dinner.

  “There is no way I’ll be nervous. I’ve waited too long for this,” Chloe whispered to him as they sat at the table with their heads together.

  “Really? Want to make a bet on that?”

  “Like what and how will you know if I’m nervous or not?”

  “I’ll decide on what I win, when I win, but win I will.”

  “How will you know though?” Chloe sat back in her chair and folded her arms.

  “I’m sure those nerves will show up some way. Maybe you’ll be glancing around or biting your lip, which you do when you’re nervous by the way, or...or your flowers will be shaking.” Storm grinned.

  Chloe waved her hand. “Pffft. We’ll see. But if you lose, I get to pick what I want.”

  Storm leaned closer to her. “Win or lose, I’ll give you anything you want, darlin’. Just name it.”

  “I have everything I want in having you and Mandy. But...I’m sure I can think of something you could do for me in the bedroom.”

  “Like I said, just name it,” Storm said then leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

  Clearing his thoughts, he smiled when she stepped up beside him. Taking her hand in his, he nodded at Albert who stated that he and Jennifer were giving her away then took his seat in the pew.

  “Hi, sweetheart,” Storm whispered.

  “Hi yourself. I suppose you know you won the bet,” she muttered.

  Storm chuckled. “Yep, and I can’t wait to collect.”

  Chloe’s eyes crinkled as she stifled a laugh then stared into his eyes before leaning forward until her lips were almost touching his. “I’ll give you anything you want, darlin’. Just name it.”

  Storm sucked in a breath then quickly stole a kiss and gave a nod to the priest. This was the woman for him and he would do whatever it took to make sure she remained as happy as she was in this moment—for the rest of her life.

  CHLOE WALKED AROUND the town hall, where their reception was being held, talking with everyone who had blessed them with their attendance. She glanced around to see where her husband was and spotted him along with the other bad boys of Dry River, Mont, Linc, Lucas, Cooper, Nathan, and Dakota. They were all standing against the back wall. Men were bad enough but when they are cowboys, they are even worse about social gatherings. When the lead singer of the band announced it was time for the bride and groom to have their first dance, as husband and wife, all the men straightened up.

  Chloe smiled when she saw Storm walking toward her. As he wove his way through the tables and all the while, he kept his eyes on hers. When he reached her, he put his hand out and she placed one of hers in his then he led her to the dance floor. She had let him choose the song for their first dance but he wouldn’t tell her what it was. She secretly feared this moment but she couldn’t do anything about it. She’d have to wait until the song played to know if she needed to fake a faint or anything.

  When the song started, she knew it immediately and approved one hundred percent. No Doubt About It by Neal McCoy. She blinked tears away when Storm took her in his arms and kissed her forehead. She wasn’t sure if what they were doing could be called dancing, but she was fine with it. Smiling, she remembered thinking the same thing at Megan and Dakota’s wedding when she’d watched them sway to the music. That seemed like forever ago.

  “You all right?” Storm whispered in her ear.

  “Yes. I love this song. It’s perfect. Thank you,” she whispered then kissed his neck.

  “I thought so too. Mandy looked adorable as flower girl.”

  Chloe softly laughed. “When I saw her throwing the petals in the air, I about lost it laughing.”

  Storm laughed. “All of us were trying not to laugh.”

  “Storm, she asked me if she could call me mommy. I told her it was okay. Is that all right?” she asked hesitantly. But when Storm stared into her face and quickly blinked his eyes, Chloe was sure she’d already blundered a make or break item. “If not––”

  “Chloe, no...it’s fine...she asked me if she could, but I told her it was up to you. I’m so glad you told her yes.”

  “I love her, Storm. Just as I love you.”

  Storm kissed her. “You are so special, Chloe. You are her mother.”

  Chloe ran her hand down over his black vest covered chest and toyed with the top button. “You know, I’m thinking we should start on her Christmas present for next year.”

  Storm frowned at her. “Her Christmas present?”

  “She wants a little brother or sister, remember?”

  “Oh yeah.” He laughed. “Well, we will definitely have to practice a lot before we can get the timing just right for Christmas.”

  Smiling up at him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I do like practicing with you––”

  Her words halted when she heard applause and looked around to see everyone watching them. Storm laughed and leaned close to her ear.

  “Music ended a few minutes ago.” He kissed the shell of her ear.

  Chloe groaned feeling the heat of a blush rising in her face and neck. She put her forehead against Storm’s chest and she could feel him laughing. He led her from the dance floor to their table and everyone applauded again, so she gave a smile. She never could think coherently if she was talking about sex with him. She’ll have to remember to pay attention in the future since he might try to distract from important things with sex talk...and it would work.

  They took their seats at the long table in the middle of all their friends and family. She loved these people. Her friends. Her family. Even if not by blood. Along the table to her left sat Storm, Linc, Roni, Dakota, Megan, Albert, and Jennifer. To her right sat Kendra, Cooper, Lucas, Emily, Mont, Isabella, Jaya, and Drew. These people were her family and she loved every one of them. She’d been especially surprised to see David and Brad at the wedding. She had sent them an invitation and she wasn’t sure they’d make it, but she was so happy that they had. Chloe and Storm stood when the priest approached them. He shook their hands then stared at Storm. Chloe noticed Storm wouldn’t look at him. She elbowed him.

  “What? He’s just here to gloat,” Storm muttered under his breath.

  “Gloat? About what?” Chloe frowned and looked to Father McCartney.

  “What? I can’t say I told you so?” Father McCartney laughed. “All right. I won’t say I told you so—but I did.”

  Storm shook his head. “Okay, I admit it. You were right. Now, all the bad boys are married.”

  Father McCartney kissed Chloe’s cheek. “I knew it would just take the right women to tame them all. Have a wonderful life, you two.” He walked off and Chloe laughed.

  “What are you thinking?” Storm asked her.

  “How blessed I am to have such a wonderful group of friends, who really are more like family than just friends.”

  “My friends are my brothers and their wives are great, so I guess they are our sisters.”

  Chloe turned to face him. “And your mom...I love her.”

  “She loves you too. So does Dad.”

  “We had a beautiful wedding, Storm.”

  When Storm lifted her hand and kissed her palm, she almost swooned. She hoped he never tired of doing things like that.

  “You look amazing and
you are a beautiful bride. I promise I’ll cherish you for the rest of my days, Chloe.”

  She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. “As I will you, Storm.”

  “I believe you will.” He kissed her lips.

  “I’m glad Claire and Jimmy were able to come, not only because it means a lot that they were here but to help keep Mandy out from under foot. They are a godsend. I know he wasn’t feeling well the other day.”

  “Not much keeps him down but I think he was ready to leave after the ceremony, and Mandy was too. She was getting sleepy after her big performance.”

  Chloe laughed. “I’ll make sure they all get pieces of the wedding cake. Mandy reminded me before she left for home. The photographer told me she got some great shots of Mandy throwing those flowers.”

  “Great. Something we can embarrass her with when she’s a teenager.” Storm grinned.

  Chloe had no doubt he would do just that but she couldn’t wait for that to happen, because it was part of her future with Storm. Even if they didn’t have any more children, or even if they had a dozen, she knew with each passing day she’d love him more, and would never leave him. He was her soulmate and she was his. Mandy and any future children were just icing on the cake.

  **THE END**

  More books by Susan

  JAKE, Men of Clifton, MT - Book 1

  Every time I pick up one of Susan's books, I wonder to myself why haven't I just packed my bags and moved to Montana. This woman makes me dream of hot cowboys with no shirts. –– S. Pritt

  GABE, Men of Clifton, MT - Book 2

  Gabe is book two in the Men of Clifton Montana Series and as much as I loved Jake in book one, I do believe Gabe stole my heart. –– Jennifer Schultheis

  BRODY, Men of Clifton, MT - Book 3

  This author never fails! I have loved each and every one of Susan Fisher-Davis books! –– AFB

  WYATT, Men of Clifton, MT - Book 4