Shane

by Vanessa Devereaux

  “Good. I have the outline all finished, now I have to work on filling in the colors.”

  “I’m helping Rory feed the cattle and then I’ll be by to take a look.”

  Lacey knew she should be getting the job ready for when Emily returned home tomorrow, but she couldn’t help but look at Shane again and that cute butt as he walked away.

  She got back to work by mixing colors together. This is what she really wanted to do. Maybe she could find a way to make a living here doing just that.

  Obviously she’d been too engrossed in the illustration because she didn’t even hear Shane enter the room until she detected his familiar spicy aftershave and feel his breath on her neck.

  “Lacey Metcalfe, you are one talented lady,” he said throwing his arms around her. He kissed the side of her face. “I’m glad I never you gave you the job of office assistant because you would have been wasted sitting behind a desk.”

  “I guess, but you know I still haven’t totally forgiven you for not giving me a chance.”

  He kissed her again. “You want to know the real reason I wouldn’t hire you?”

  She turned around. “Yes I do.”

  “Stop by my office after work and I’ll show you. And wear a dress.”

  Chapter Ten

  Shane was about to live out one of his fantasies. It hadn’t been his fantasy that long. Just since Lacey had walked through his door that morning. He dimmed the light in his office, thinking that added to the atmosphere.

  Hearing the outer door open and close, and knowing everyone had gone home for the night, he ran his hand through his hair, sensing it was Lacey.

  She slowly pushed back his door and stood there looking sexy, as she always did.

  She leaned against the doorjamb.

  “I have a feeling the reason you didn’t hire me has something to do with sex, not my sex, but sex in general.”

  He beckoned her over. She walked to him and then sat on his lap.

  “I have this policy, no dating, and absolutely no sex between co-workers.”

  Lacey ran her finger along the edge of his lips.

  “So you knew you wanted me from the moment you saw me?” she asked.

  “Oh yes I did. Didn’t know if you wanted me through. Did you?”

  “I kinda did.”

  “Kinda did?”

  She smiled. She was messing with him in a way only she could.

  “I kept thinking that if I hired you I’d bring you in here and we’d do all sorts of naughty things.”

  Shit, he was getting rock hard thinking about it.

  “Show me,” said Lacey.

  “Take off your coat and then sit back down on my lap.”

  Lacey stood, rid herself of her winter jacket, and then as he’d requested, sat.

  He pushed up the hem of her dress. She’d been brave in this cold weather because her legs were pantyhose free. He pushed his hand up underneath the dress, feeling the lace on her panties.

  Shane had played the scenario about removing these goodies over and over in his mind. Would the real thing be just as good? There was only one way to find out.

  “Stand up and lean over my desk.”

  Lacey stood, turned around and put her hands on the top of the magazines that sat on his desk.

  He ran both his hands up the side of her legs and then around to the front of her thighs. Such soft skin. He moved his finger higher, anticipating the next move. The one he’d wanted to do since that first day they’d met.

  Shane hoped he could do it, and that it wouldn’t hurt her.

  He grabbed the top of her panties and pulled at them as fast as he could. The material ripped just as he’d hoped it would, and shreds of material now sat around her ankles.

  Pulling up her dress, he bunched it up and sat it on the small of her back so he could take a good look at her ass. With his free hand, he pulled open his fly.

  “Shit,” he said.

  “What?” asked Lacey.

  “The condom is in my jacket pocket by the door.”

  “Shane, I’m on the Pill. If you trust me, I trust you, so we don’t need one.”

  He took a deep breath. He’d never been inside a woman without a rubber before. And yes, he trusted her. Hell, he’d trust this woman with his life.

  Without giving it another thought, he took his cock and pushed it into her pussy.

  Holy fuck, it was the best sensation he’d ever experienced. Her channel was hot and wet, and if he didn’t stay focused he was going to ruin it right this second.

  Shane tried to think of something boring as he began thrusting inside her. But that was impossible because this was Lacey and she and her body did strange and wonderful things to him.

  She spread her legs some more, giving him more access to her and causing his dick to go deeper. He hoped he never had to wear a condom again. He ran his hands down her back, seeing her body quiver.

  He rode her harder and faster, slapping his pelvis against her ass and thighs, hearing their skin smack against one another, driving him into an erotic frenzy and then, it took him by surprise.

  His climax.

  He cried out hoping it had been as loud as he’d thought. And shit, it might have even made him cross-eyed.

  He wanted to stay inside her, but he couldn’t because he just needed to sit and enjoy the moment. He slumped back on the chair, breathing heavily, trying to get his focus on Lacey, who had now removed her dress and bra.

  She was perched on the edge of his desk; legs spread, pussy on full display, her fingers playing with her clit and pussy opening.

  Once he’d recharged it looked like he’d be going back for more.

  ****

  One thing Lacey never felt when she was around Shane was inhibited. She ran her finger over her clit, and then down around her pussy, watching Shane as he sat mesmerized. She let her pinkie slip inside her channel. His mouth dropped open, and he began touching his cock.

  She spread her labia. Shane licked his lips and touched himself some more. Lacey saw his cock twitch. He stood and dropped his pants and boxers, his cock now growing erect again.

  He pushed her backward and with the very end of his dick, circled her pussy, catching the edge of her clit in the process.

  “Lacey you drive me crazy and I mean that in a very good way.”

  Her legs twitched. Shit, the cowboy was going to make her orgasm, and that cock of his wasn’t even inside her yet. He was making her wetter and hotter, and oh yeah, he was hard again and now deep inside her walls.

  She purposely squeezed her pussy muscles, hoping he felt every little movement.

  “Fuck me good, cowboy,” she said, setting her body down on the desk and giving herself over to him.

  Lacey was sure they were moving the desk a little closer to the wall on each of his thrusts. Every time he did, he hit the jackpot—her G-spot. He grabbed her breasts and squeezed them, making her nipples harden and her pussy go into overdrive.

  She threw her head back. No matter how long she wanted this to last, she had to give in and take her pleasure. She squeezed her thighs and cried out as she experienced pure bliss.

  Shane grunted and then she felt his own release fill her.

  He kissed her, caressed her breasts, and ever so slowly pulled out of her. Lacey sat up noticing the clock on the wall. She’d promised his mom she’d put the bread into the ovens for tomorrow’s early morning breakfasts. Darn it, work called.

  “I’m going to have to love and leave you,” she said. “Or your mom will fire me.”

  He handed her the dress.

  “We can’t have that.”

  “Can I borrow your boxers?” she asked, picking up the shreds of her panties.

  ****

  Shane headed into his mom’s café the next morning expecting to see Lacey behind the counter.

  She wasn’t.

  “Lacey out back?” he asked his mom.

  “Nope, didn’t you get her message?”

  He dug
out his phone. He’d heard it ringing while he’d been in the shower but had forgotten to check it later.

  “No, I guess I didn’t.”

  “Her poor daddy had a stroke, and she’s had to fly home. She took her car to the airport and lucky for her, got a flight to Denver and a connection to Boston.”

  He should be thinking of her father, but all that mattered was she wasn’t here. Wasn’t in Timber Creek with him.

  “She’s coming back through, right?

  His mom put her hand on his arm. “Sure she is, but it might be awhile depending on how things are with her dad.”

  Shane nodded. He knew that. Everything would be okay, and she’d be back before he had even a chance to realize she was gone.

  ****

  “Hey, what’s with the long face?” Shane looked up at Rory. “I bring you out for a steak and a beer, and you’re the worst company in the world.”

  “Sorry. It’s just Lacey’s been gone three weeks now.”

  “But you’ve spoken to her?”

  “Sure, we chat for an hour every day.”

  “So that’s not so bad.”

  “Her dad’s going to rehab, and she wants to be there for him.”

  Rory put his hand on Shane’s arm. “Shane, being there for her dad means she’s a good woman. He’s her priority right now.”

  Shane took a swig of beer and then put the bottle down. Rory was right. He knew all about family responsibility. Probably why he was still a bachelor. He’d taken the weight of the Malone clan onto his shoulders after their dad died suddenly.

  “What if she doesn’t come back? What if she realizes she doesn’t belong here after all?”

  Shane was verbalizing his fear. It sounded even worse when it had spilled out over his tongue.

  “Do you love her?” asked Rory.

  “I do.”

  Shit, he’d just realized that he revealed that to his brother and hadn’t told even Lacey. What an idiot he’d been.

  “As you know, I’m not much of an expert when it comes to these things, but I think you need to tell her,” said his brother.

  He stood. Rory, as always, was so right. He dug into his pocket for his phone. Not to call her, but to check on the next flight to Boston. A cowboy always told a woman he loved her in person.

  ****

  Lacey leaned over and wiped the corner of her father’s mouth. He managed to smile at her. That was a good thing.

  She rubbed the back of his hand and he smiled again. She sat down, ready to read him one of his favorite books when she heard a man’s voice in the corridor.

  It couldn’t be. She’d missed him so much that she was imaging that any man’s voice she overheard was Shane.

  The door creaked open, and she wasn’t dreaming. Shane was here.

  “Lacey,” he said taking off his cowboy hat.

  “Shane, what are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

  She tried to straighten up her hair where she’d spent most of the day in the chair by her father’s bed, but he stopped her.

  “You look beautiful as you are.”

  She smiled. “Shane, I’d like you to meet my father, Henry Metcalfe. Dad, this is Shane Malone. Sheriff Malone I should say. Dad’s lost his speech,” whispered Lacey as Shane grabbed her father’s hand.

  “It’s an honor to meet you, sir.” Shane ran his hands around the rim of his cowboy hat. For the first time since she’d met him, he looked a little unsure of himself.

  “Mr. Metcalfe, sir. I’ve traveled all the way from Montana for two reasons. One, to tell your beautiful daughter something that I should have told her long before now—that I’m madly in love with her.”

  A tear welled up in her eyes as her father tried to smile and wink at her.

  “And sir, where I come from, and how my father raised me and my brothers, the proper thing to do is to get a father’s permission to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage.”

  Lacey closed her eyes. She’d been reluctant to get involved, but in the back of her mind she wanted Shane and wanted their relationship to one day lead to a happily ever after. Her wish had come true. She opened her eyes. Shane looked at her and then she saw her father pointing with his finger.

  “He wants his notebook and pen,” said Lacey.

  Shane handed it to him. Her father scribbled something and turned it around to her.

  Should I give my permission?

  Lacey smiled. “If you don’t I won’t ever speak to you again.”

  Her father wrote something and turned it around to Shane who smiled.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Shane went down on one knee.

  “Lacey Metcalfe, will you be my wife?”

  She looked at her father. He was crying. She’d never seen him cry like that before.

  “Sheriff Malone, I would be honored to be your deputy in life.”

  Epilogue

  Marie smiled as she watched her son and new daughter-in-law head down the stairs. Or should she say Mr. and Mrs. Shane Malone.

  There was nothing more romantic and breathtaking than a wedding close to Christmas and their ceremony and reception had been nothing short of spectacular. The arch they’d been married under had been draped in Christmas greenery and bows. Poinsettias and candles everywhere you looked. And what had truly melted her heart was that along with Lacey’s big sister, they’d asked Emily to be a bridesmaid. She’d looked so beautiful in the long pink dress and flowers in her hair. She guessed that Emily would be wearing it for days.

  “Mom, thanks for everything,” said Shane hugging her.

  “It wasn’t only me. You have your new in-laws to thank too. I’m glad Lacey’s dad is doing better.”

  “Can I call you Mom now?” said Lacey holding out both her hands to her.

  “If you don’t I’ll be very offended.”

  “Come on you guys your taxi awaits you,” said Rory.

  Both he and Flynn had acted as Shane’s best man, and they’d looked so handsome standing there waiting for Lacey and her father to arrive.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat as everyone made their way to the front of the hotel where the taxi was waiting to take Shane and Lacey to the airport.Rory and Flynn loaded the bags into the car and Shane and Lacey began kissing everyone and saying goodbye.

  If only their father could have lived to witness this beautiful scene. Now she hoped that more grandbabies would start arriving.

  “I want you to bring me back a pineapple,” said Emily.

  “We’ll send you one as soon as we get to Honolulu,” said Shane.

  “Mom, we love you,” he said before he kissed her on the cheek. She bit her lip, determined she wasn’t going to cry like she had throughout the ceremony.

  Rory and Flynn put their arms around her as the taxi left, and Emily took hold of her hand.

  “What are we all going to do with the rest of our evening now that the lovebirds have flown the nest?” asked Flynn.

  “Let’s ride in the sleigh again?” asked Emily.

  Marie laughed. Lacey, her sister, dad, and Emily had arrived via sleigh and her granddaughter hadn’t stopped talking about it during the entire reception.

  “I guess I could give us a ride around the grounds in it,” said Flynn.

  “You know how to drive one?” asked Rory.

  “I sure do, who do you think’s been assisting Santa all these years?” asked Flynn. He winked at Emily.

  “You coming Mom?” asked Rory.

  “Sure, but let me go and get us some blankets to put over our laps.”

  “Okay, we’ll meet you by the sleigh in ten minutes.”

  Marie watched Emily and her two sons walk away. Her first wish had come true. Shane had found the woman of his dreams. Would the shooting star grant the second one, and would it be Rory or Flynn’s turn to find true love the next time around?

  The End

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  Other Books by Vanessa Devereau
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  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com