by Seton, Cora
He got down on one knee and Storm’s heartbeat quickened. She heard Rose gasp and saw Mia hurry out of the office and come to stand beside her friend, her baby in her arms.
“Storm.” Zane took her left hand and held the ring to her finger. “I’m beginning to feel like Fate delivered you to me. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the way my fiancée would come into my life. Now I can’t imagine spending a day without you. All I do is for you. My land, my ranch, my work, my home, my heart—it’s all for you. I want you to turn to me whenever you need for anything. I want you to know that I’ll be there for you until my dying breath. I need you to know that if we have to start all over again, I’ll gladly do it. It doesn’t matter where we live. All that matters is that I get to wake up beside you each day for the rest of my life. I love you, Storm Willow. Please, would you be my wife?”
Tears pricked Storm’s eyelids and for a moment she couldn’t speak. She could only nod. “Yes,” she finally gasped out. She was trembling as he slid the ring home.
When he stood up and pulled her into a soul-searing kiss, she felt as if the floor had fallen away beneath her. She clung to him as if to a lifeline, wondering how she had ever survived without him.
Maybe he was right; maybe Fate had delivered her to him. Maybe every moment in her life had led up to this one. She knew she was meant to be in Chance Creek. Meant to own a store. Meant to be with Zane.
Meant to wear this ring.
When they finally parted, Zane bent over her hand to get a better look. “Looks as if it was made for you.”
“It does,” Mia said, craning her neck to see.
“Yes, it does,” Rose said with a secret smile.
“I love it.” Storm turned to Zane. “I love you.”
Zane smiled and her heart throbbed in response. He slapped the counter. “We’ll take it.”
“Aren’t we going home?” Storm asked when he led her from the store, but didn’t head toward his truck.
Zane shook his head. “Not yet. We’ve got one more stop.” He took her arm and walked along the sidewalk, turning the corner when they reached it.
Storm glanced up at him. “Are we going to Mandy’s?”
“You got it.”
“Why?”
“Shh. You’ll see.”
When they reached the store, he waited for her to fish her key out of her bag and unlock the door before he hustled her inside and locked it again behind him.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“I’m convincing my woman to have no-holds-barred, dirty, cheap, workplace sex.”
She giggled. “Really? That’s your plan?” She scanned the store. “This isn’t exactly romantic.”
“Let me put it this way. Neither one of us is ever going to work in an office, so boardroom sex is out. My workplace smells like manure. I’ll happily take you on a hay bale someday, but I’m afraid you’ll find that’s pretty scratchy. Back home, your sisters are bound to knock on our door the minute we get going. So store sex it is.”
“Where?”
He looked around, his gaze resting on the large front plate glass window. “Not in full view of the street, anyway.”
“Back room?”
“Fitting room!”
She allowed him to take her hand and tug her toward the rear of the store. “This is weird.”
“This is fun,” he corrected. “Wait. You need something to try on. Get out there and find the trashiest dress you can.”
“Trashy? Why?”
“So I can rip it off of you, what do you think?”
She did as she was told, refusing to show him what she’d found until she changed into it. “Go away,” she said, pulling the door closed on one of the fitting room cubicles. They were old fashioned, with space below and above the walls, but she told Zane not to peek and he obeyed her. A few minutes later, she flung it open again to show off her new outfit.
“Wow.” Zane was positive the item had to be from the eighties. It was a denim dress shaped to hug her curves, with a zipper in front from the neckline to the waist in addition to one in back that was actually useful to get the dress on and off.
“What do you think?” she said, striking a pose.
“It’ll be like scoring with a star from a vintage music video.” He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her back into the cubicle with him. Shutting the door, he leaned her up against one of the partition walls and began to kiss her. At first he knew she was having a hard time taking any of this seriously, but when he tugged the front zipper down a few inches, parted the denim and began to sweep kisses along her neckline, Storm relaxed and began to kiss him back. She lifted her arms over her head to grip the top of the partition while he tugged the zipper down even further. Now he could slide a hand inside her dress and caress a breast.
“I don’t suppose you can do that trick,” he murmured, sliding his mouth along the edge of her bra cup.
“This trick?” She let go of the partition, wriggled around inside her dress for a moment or two and handed him her bra. “I’m not sure I ever got that last one back.”
“What are you saying?” he growled into her ear, then ducked down to take one pert nipple into his mouth.
“I’m saying… oh…” Storm leaned back and allowed him full access to her breasts, clearly enjoying what he was doing. He lifted her arms so she gripped the top of the partition wall behind her again, loving how that lifted her breasts, too.
She was magnificent.
When he skimmed his hands down her hips and under the hem of her dress, she sighed with pleasure and he found she wasn’t wearing panties. He pushed her dress up over her hips and lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. The pressure of her hot, damp core against the front of his jeans was too enticing. He kicked off his boots, reached down between them, unbuckled his belt and pushed down his pants and boxers, groaning when his hardness slipped free and came in contact with Storm’s slick body. Stepping out of his pants, he settled her legs more firmly around his waist, entranced with how good she felt. Supporting her back, he bent down to lave her breasts, giving them the attention they deserved.
“I want you inside me,” Storm moaned.
“Be patient,” he said, bending back to his task.
“I don’t want to be patient.” Using her arms to lift herself up, Storm positioned herself so his hardness pressed against her core. Zane chuckled and gave in, allowing her to slide back down, pushing him inside of her. He moaned and moved with her, pressing all the way in, using his hands to guide her hips.
“Hang on,” he said and began to move. Soon both of them were panting, and Zane’s thrusts were bouncing Storm against the wall with a rhythmic slap. She arched back as he increased his pace, her dress parting to reveal her breasts, and as he pistoned in and out of her, she cried out, her release overtaking her. Zane bucked against her, gripping her hips and thrusting until he was spent. He caught Storm in his arms and held her tight. “Hell, woman. You are the sexiest thing.”
She peppered kisses over his neck and collarbone. “I hope you don’t think you’re done, cowboy.”
He laughed out loud. “Really? Not even a minute to rest?”
“Not even a minute. Let me down.” She steadied herself as he pulled out of her and helped her regain her feet, peeped up at him from under her lashes, made sure her front zipper was undone all the way, then turned around and lifted her skirt up to her waist again. “How about this?” she said, bracing her forearms against the wall.
“Are you trying to kill me?”
“I’m trying to get you to make me scream. Are you man enough for the job or do you need to send for reinforcements?”
“Reinforcements, huh?” Just looking at her had made him hard again. “How about this? Does that feel like I need reinforcements?” he asked her, nudging against her from behind.
“That feels perfect.”
This time Zane moved more slowly, giving them both lots of time to warm up again. Twin
ing his arms around her waist, he took advantage of her unzipped dress to reach inside and lift her heavy breasts. He didn’t know what it was about the weight of them that turned him on so much, but between that and the sweet curve of her bottom on display he was soon too caught up in their lovemaking to analyze it. He couldn’t imagine a better feeling than pushing inside her, unless it was pulling out and doing it all over again.
This time as he increased his pace he got to feel the sway of her breasts in his hands. He enjoyed the push of her soft skin, then slid one hand down between her legs and swirled his fingers, rewarded with her soft cries. Thrusting hard and deep, he kindled the flame within him again into a hot fire.
Storm. His Storm. He wanted to hear her cry out again—wanted to know how good he could make her feel. He held her in place, thrust in and out and waited for that moment—
When she cried out, he came with her, overcome with sensation, love and need until he bucked into her again, grunting with each movement. When it was over, he could barely stand. He reached for the top of the cubicle and steadied himself, easing out of her slowly.
Storm turned in his arms and tucked herself against him. Zane reached down to kiss her, sliding one hand under her hair to cup the nape of her neck.
“I love you. I will always love you,” he whispered.
“I will always love fitting room sex,” she whispered back.
“Any time, honey. Any time.”
Chapter Twenty
‡
A week of cold, wet weather kept everyone inside and suddenly the Hall, which had seemed so cheerful and bustling with life, now felt cramped and dark. They all did what they could. Regan and Ella bustled around keeping a fire roaring in the living room fireplace and cups of coffee and hot chocolate flowing in the kitchen. The men spent as much time in the barns on their chores as possible, Cheyenne enrolled the girls in the local school, and in the afternoons she and Storm took the girls with them to the store to help prepare for the grand opening. Still, everywhere he went, Zane found himself bumping into someone else. He knew it was only a matter of time before tempers flared, so when the sun came out and burned the worst of the wetness away one afternoon, he gathered all the kids and Storm and brought them out to the obstacle course.
“Are you sure?” Storm asked, looking uncertainly at the large log structures. “I don’t think the girls can do this. It doesn’t look safe.”
“Sure they can. We’ll help them all the way. You and I will spot them.”
He sighed with relief when Storm acquiesced. He knew a good workout would do them all a world of good—even Storm, who sometimes battled with morning sickness but generally felt good in the afternoon.
At first the girls just played on a few of the easier obstacles while Richard, who had come for the afternoon, raced ahead, doing the whole course. Storm hovered near her sisters, watching for any slip that might bring trouble, but after a while she began to relax and when Zoe challenged her to try the first obstacle—a set of wooden monkey bars—Storm accepted.
She climbed up the two rungs on the vertical supports to get in reach of the horizontal bars, took hold of the first one, swung out and grabbed the next and was over it in no time.
“Race you,” Zoe said, and climbed onto the other set.
“Come on, Storm! You can beat her,” Violet cried.
“Come on, Zoe!” Daisy cheered.
Laughing, Storm took a starting position and Zane counted down to a start. “Three, two, one—go!”
They were off in a flash, both going hand-over-hand as fast as they could. For a moment it looked like Zoe had the lead, but Storm put on a burst of speed and outpaced her.
“Storm won!” Violet danced around. For a moment, Zane was afraid Zoe might cry, but as the girl regained her breath, she elbowed Storm.
“I thought you were supposed to let your kids win.”
“You aren’t my kid. You’re my sister. You’re supposed to torment your sisters,” Storm countered. She grabbed Zoe and began to tickle her. Zoe shrieked happily and tickled her back. In a few moments they were both in a heap on the ground, laughing.
“Sometimes I forget you’re my sister,” Zoe said when she caught her breath again. “You used to be just like Mom.”
Storm’s expression faltered. “Yeah, I know.” She stood up and brushed herself off.
“You’re different now, though,” Zoe said.
“Oh yeah? How so?”
“You’re more… yourself.”
“Is that a good thing?” Storm ruffled her sister’s hair. Zoe made a face and smoothed it down again.
“Yes.”
Her phone shrilled in her pocket, interrupting the moment, and Storm jumped. She hadn’t heard that ring-tone in weeks. It was—
Kenna.
She grabbed the phone from her pocket, accepted the call and quickly lifted it to her ear. Her heart pounded. This was her chance to convince Kenna—
“Hello? Storm? Are you there?”
“Kenna?”
“Finally! You can’t believe what it took to get this call through.”
“Kenna, where are—”
“Here’s the thing. You’ll have to take my place.”
Storm held the phone out and looked at it in shock. Kenna had said that once before, back when Storm had first arrived in Chance Creek. She returned it to her ear.
“Your place? Where?”
“In the wedding! What do you think?”
Storm had the strangest sensation of déjà vu. She’d already had this conversation, weeks ago. “But—”
“I’ll pay you double. Just tell Zane everything and marry him under your own name. I’ll pay you sixty grand the minute I get my inheritance.”
“But… why?” Storm thought she must be losing her mind. Or maybe Kenna was. She couldn’t be sure.
The silence on the other end of the line lasted so long Storm thought she’d lost Kenna again, but before she could speak, her boss came back. “Okay, I guess this is a surprise. You’ll never believe this. I fell in love. I’m getting married for real.”
Storm had never heard Kenna sound so happy—or so human. She clutched the phone more tightly to her ear. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. I know, it’s crazy—”
“Actually, I think it’s wonderful. Congratulations!”
“But Zane… that cowboy…”
Storm groaned as she realized the extent of the damage she’d done by her early marriage to Zane. Kenna was going to be furious.
“Storm?”
She steeled herself. “There’s a bit of a problem with that. I married him already. In your name.”
Kenna sputtered. “How… when?”
“When I first got here. Look, it’s not that bad—”
“Not that bad?” Kenna raged. “I’m marrying in three weeks. Sam’s whole family will be there!”
“Calm down. We’ve already looked into getting it annulled, but the sooner you get here the better.”
“If you ruin my wedding, you can forget the money!”
Storm grit her teeth. “You know what, Kenna? Keep your money. I don’t need it anymore.”
Kenna went quiet again. “You’re not… quitting, are you? Because this isn’t a good time. I need you. There’s the wedding, and I have to shift my trip to the Andes, and there’s another grant application—”
“I’m sorry,” Storm said gently. “I’m staying in Montana. I’m marrying Zane and I’m about to open a women’s clothing store.”
For the first time since she’d known Kenna, Storm heard uncertainty in her boss’s voice. “But you’ll be my Maid of Honor, won’t you? I don’t have anyone else to ask.”
Storm hadn’t ever imagined she could feel sorry for Kenna, but she did now. “Of course I’ll be your Maid of Honor.”
Storm hung up several minutes later and faced Zane, who’d been watching her intently.
“Well?”
“She’ll be here in a couple of days to do w
hatever it takes to annul the wedding. We’ll be free and clear to marry.”
Zane let out a whoop, picked Storm up, whirled her around and kissed her. “See? I told you everything would be all right.”
“You were right. You’re always right.” She kissed him back.
Zane was relieved that in the end it didn’t take much to dissolve a marriage that had never been consummated. With both parties swearing to that, it was only a matter of processing the paper work. He was assured it would be done in time for his wedding to proceed, and once Kenna was gone, he and Storm immersed themselves in wedding preparations.
Several weeks later, Storm’s family flew back to California briefly, Storm to be Kenna’s Maid of Honor, and all of them to pack their things to be shipped to Chance Creek. Zane knew taking leave of their house was hard on all of them, but he hoped knowing their new friends and family were waiting for them had made it easier to return home to the ranch without heavy hearts.
The weather grew colder as October slipped into November and a wild wind whipped up one night. The following day there was a real chill in the air.
Cheyenne shivered dramatically as Zane walked with the women and girls to the truck to drive them into town. They’d drop the girls off at school, and then he would help Storm and Cheyenne hang mirrors and fix a few last things at the store. The grand opening was approaching fast.
“I never thought I’d live in snow,” Cheyenne said. “We’ll have to do a little shopping, girls. Snow pants, hats, winter coats.”
“Better do it fast,” Zane said. “I have a feeling we’re going to see snow soon.”
Later in the morning, Belinda sought him out when the others weren’t nearby.
“Zane? Do you have a moment?”
Zane straightened the last of the mirrors he’d hung up and turned to find her watching him. Storm had told him that when it was only women in the store, Belinda was just as raucous as the rest of them, but the minute he arrived he sensed she clammed up and kept out of his way.
“Sure, what’s up?”
“It’s Darren. He…” She hesitated, then seemed to gather up her courage. “He doesn’t know I work here.”
