"God, you have a one-track mind," Dalton complained lazily.
"Yeah, I do. Sex is over for the moment. I've had your body, thank you very much. Now, I want answers. You promised, Dalton. Are you going back on your word?"
"Ouch," he said wincing. "Sort of, but for a good cause. Remember the guy who stopped the night of the accident?"
He waited until she nodded.
"He helped us, Nic. He went out of his way and even drove me to the hospital. His name is Jimmy Morse, and our foreman hired him the next day. He has good skills and we can use him around here. He was laid off from his job and couldn't find work where he lived, so he was on his way to Hawthorne job hunting. He was sleeping in his car to save money and living off peanut butter and apples. He left a wife and two little boys behind with his in-laws. He wants to bring his family here."
"You gave him the guest house," Nicole accused.
"I haven't offered it to him, yet," Dalton said honestly. "But, yes, I want to let him have it. We weren't getting a whole lot of help out there and he came through for us. Jimmy needs his family here, any man would. Unfortunately, we're out of lodging here at the ranch except for an old trailer that might do for a bachelor if he wasn't too picky, but it isn't fit for a family of four. The thing is, I think Jimmy is so desperate to get his wife and kids back with him that he would take the trailer and be grateful for it.
"Roy Mac and I were talking about contracting to build a few more small houses this fall, but we hadn't finalized the plans. We can step up the schedule and build them on an earlier timeframe. Meanwhile, giving Jimmy the guest house would, at least, get his wife and kids here with him."
"Where are Matty and I supposed to stay?"
"Here in the main house," Dalton said hopefully. "This wing of the house is larger than most small houses. There's plenty of space, and besides, I like you right where you are in my room and in my bed. We can't settle our differences if we're separated. We need to be together and I like knowing my son is down the hall."
"I'm not sure about this," Nicole said. "I'm not complaining about the sex because it's still good between us. I'm not so sure about Matty and me sharing your space permanently. We are not a traditional family, and we may never be a family. I don't want to raise Matty's hopes only to dash them. Then, there is the matter of your grandparents. Will they be on board with us shacking up together under their roof? They seem to be fairly straight-laced to me."
"You always do go straight to the core of the matter," Dalton snorted. "Roy Mac can't come up to the second floor because of his wheelchair and Gran rarely comes to this part of the house. She has a woman who comes in once a week to do the laundry and heavy cleaning, so she has no need to come to this wing.
"My family has always respected my privacy. They assume you're staying in one of the guest bedrooms and I don't have any plans to disabuse them of the idea."
"I don't like deceiving Roy Mac and Helen," Nicole warned. "Besides, what happens when Dee Dee comes? We are invading your grandparent's home."
"It's my home, too. Gran and Roy Mac aren't usually here for the summers. They head for Minnesota where Gran is from and she still has lots of family living there. They've been snowbirds for a decade or more. They might not go this year, though. I suspect they want to stick around to spend time with Matty and you.
"I won't offer the guest house to Jimmy unless you agree. I offered it to you first."
Nicole looked at him resentfully.
"I can't do it. I don't want to be the reason a man is separated from his wife and children. He did help us the night of the accident. Damn it! You're trying to be nice and do a good deed, but I'm getting screwed in the process."
She got out of bed and stalked over to pick up and pull on her panties and tee shirt making it clear more sex was off this morning's menu.
"How long will it take to build those new houses?"
"If we put a rush on them and bring in prefabs, three or four months," Dalton bargained.
"Three months," Nicole agreed. "I'll agree to give up the guest house for three months, but it comes with a big condition. I need a place to paint. It's non-negotiable and I need it sooner, not later! When the houses are completed, Matty and I will move into the guest house as you promised, unless by then I've found somewhere else to live."
"Agreed," Dalton said smiling. Nicole in his bed on a semi-permanent basis and his son living with him was what he wanted. He wanted it to be permanent, but she was not there, yet. Three months would give him time to work toward his goal."
Nicole was not surprised when Dalton's grandparents did not raise a ruckus about her and Matty living permanently in the main house. They loved having their great-grandchild with them. She didn't have a problem with sharing Dalton's bed either but was hoping his grandparents were not aware of it.
Her biggest concern, now, was finding a suitable place to paint. She spent the better part of the next day wandering all around the house and barns looking for a spot to set up her equipment. It did not take a lot of space to paint, but she needed light, and space to organize supplies and place easels to dry her on-going paintings. Disappointed at her lack of success, she mentioned her problem to Helen at dinner. The older woman came up with a solution leading Nicole around several barns, past Dalton's veterinary practice, and then to an empty, unused greenhouse.
Nicole calculated the footage and thought the structure was about eight hundred square feet with a stone perimeter wall thirty-six inches high. Glass panels formed the walls and roof. It was solid and had an abundance of light. It would need minor repairs, a general clearing out of junk, and air-conditioning.
Nicole dragged Dalton out to the greenhouse as soon as he arrived home. He promised to have the repairs done as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, she was tracking the freight delivery of her equipment daily. She still had three or more days before the delivery of her art equipment, although it would arrive long before the greenhouse was ready. Temporarily, she found an unused corner bedroom with a bank of windows on two walls and claimed it for her studio.
She spent her waiting time getting her bearings around the ranch dwellings and keeping her son entertained. She wandered over to Dalton's veterinarian practice, which consisted of a long building and a barn where his assistant gave her and Matty a tour. Dalton specialized in large animals, mostly horses and cattle. There were also a few stray dogs and cats in a kennel. He would treat them and then turn them over to an animal rescue organization to find them homes. She wandered out into his barn where she found him and the man who had helped at the accident discussing a unique horseshoe Dalton wanted to try on one of his patients.
Dalton introduced Nicole to Jimmy Morse and she thanked him for his help. Jimmy was all smiles, happy to have a job, and excited about heading home over the weekend to bring his wife and sons to the ranch.
"How's the knee today?" Dalton asked.
"Good. A couple more days and it should be back to normal. I got a call from Dee Dee this morning. She listed some of our older furniture on Craig's List and it's doing well, so far. She wants to list and sell my van. To quote her, ‘there's no reason to haul that old piece of junk all the way across the country'. I guess I'll have to go car shopping."
"There's no hurry. There are a half-dozen trucks and cars always available to use here at the ranch," Dalton said. "The next time Kay or Gran goes into town, though, you need to get a Nevada license."
"It's on my to-do list," she agreed. "Are you getting caught up?"
"It'll take a while, but as soon as I do, I'll take you out on the town."
"Maybe," Nicole somewhat agreed. "From what I've seen, though, your little town probably rolls up the sidewalks after dark."
Dalton grinned. "Very true, but we have our ways of letting loose."
* * *
Nicole and Matty settled into a routine at the Double C. After only a few weeks, the boy was tanned and energetic. He had lost his pallor and, although he carried an inhaler with him at all times, there had n
ot been any more attacks. The boy spent most of his time outside in the backyard playing with Jimmy Morse's two small boys, one a year younger and one a year older.
The Morse's were a nice couple. They moved into the guesthouse and seemed to fit well into the ranch.
The contractor for the refitting of the greenhouse into an art studio took his orders from Nicole on the changes she wanted to make. The bill was substantial, but Nicole was not going to feel guilty about it. Dalton, good reason or not, had reneged on his promise and she figured he owed her. With a commitment of a seven to ten-day work schedule, she put the estimated bill front and center in the middle of Dalton's desk.
Dalton spent most of his days away from the main house. He was busy catching up with his practice and the day-to-day workings of the ranch. Roy Mac considered himself retired and only stepped in when necessary. Dalton came in for lunch most days swallowing whatever was placed in front of him before returning to work for hours. He did not have much time during the day to spend with them, but when he was at the main house, he always managed a few minutes with Matty. He made a special effort to find time to play with his son. After the boy's bedtime, he also made a concerted effort to convince Nicole he wanted more than sex in their new relationship.
Their physical relationship was fantastic. There were no problems in that area. Nicole was responsive to his every touch and attuned to his needs, as he was to hers. The results were pure sexual lust nearly every moment they were alone. A simple kiss or touch ignited him, turning parts of him into rigid, throbbing need. The brat knew it too, as she taunted him every chance she got.
Once Nicole's art equipment and supplies arrived, she was in her element. She set up shop temporarily in the spare bedroom and impatiently awaited the final repairs on the greenhouse. The day the repairs were completed, she commandeered all hands to help her move into her studio. Within a few hours, she had already started a new large painting.
Spring had slipped away from them and they were into early summer. Except for missing Dee Dee, Nicole and Matty's lives rearranged themselves around the Calloway family and the ranch became their home. Dalton was thrilled having Nicole in his bed at night and living in his home with his son full-time. He was living the lifestyle even if he hadn't talked Nicole into marriage, yet.
He was also mindful of how his grandparents kept an eye on his relationship with Nicole. It was his gran who reminded him one morning how he was not doing much in the way of courting her. In between taking care of his four-legged patients, he gave the idea some thought and realized it was true. He had been so busy with his practice; he had gotten sloppy over what should have been a priority.
He took note and addressed it as soon as he saw Nicole. "Do you think you feel up to some entertainment this weekend?"
"What kind?" Nicole questioned.
"An evening in Carson City or Reno? Dinner, maybe we could take in a show?"
"I'd like to see a show and dinner's good, but what I would really like to do is try my hand at gambling."
Dalton's eyebrows went up.
"Hey, it's legal here," exclaimed Nicole. "I've tossed some change into the slots at the grocery store, but I've never been to a casino. We had casinos open in the surrounding states, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, but I never took the time to go. It would be fun and I could spend some of your money!"
Dalton laughed. "All right, but if you turn into a crazed gambling addict within the first five minutes, I maintain the right to toss you over my shoulder and carry you out of there."
"Deal," Nicole exclaimed. "Providing we can talk someone into babysitting."
Chapter Six
Nicole spent extra time in front of the bathroom mirror to inspect her appearance. She didn't have very many opportunities to primp for a special occasion and Dalton was taking her out on a date. He had promised to take her to a casino, but he was being mysterious about where they were going.
Dalton didn't know it, but this was the first date in a very long time that Nicole hadn't dreaded. She had accepted a few offers over the years. She had done so more to stop her friends and Mrs. O'Cleary from thinking she had become a recluse than because she wanted male companionship. She had low expectations about going out with men, so generally she wasn't disappointed when they sparked no interest for her.
Dalton was different. He had been from day one. Although she was afraid she might get hurt again, she was trying to take Dee Dee's advice to give him a second chance.
Tonight she wanted to look good for him. She knew it was sheer feminine pride, but she couldn't help herself. She wanted to knock his socks off! She was in the bedroom he had given her when they first came to the ranch. She had left her clothing in the spare bedroom rather than move her things into Dalton's room, although most of her nights were spent in his bed.
What little she knew about casinos she had gleaned from movies or items in the news. She had gone online to see what was appropriate to wear only to discover there were no rules. Evening dress was for the few who could afford it, but most visitors were casual. She preferred not to wear jeans, but her current wardrobe limited her to casual or business.
A discussion with Kay resulted in the younger girl borrowing several sexy dresses from friends, in addition to shoes in several sizes. Some of the dresses were prom-like, but most were surprisingly revealing, cut low on the top and short on the bottom.
From the selection, Nicole had picked a clingy wrap dress in a sparkling black. It made the most of her slim figure. Kay told her the girl who loaned it was four or five inches taller. On her, the hemline was short, but not indecent. Sky-high red sparkling heels gave her the height she needed and displayed her legs, which she had to admit were one of her better features.
She highlighted her green eyes with her favorite smoky gray and applied a red lipstick called Secret Passion she'd bought at the drug store. She touched her naturally curly corkscrew hair. Kay had spent over an hour wrestling it into submission, and it fell in soft cascading waves flowing over her shoulders.
It was now or never. Roy Mac and Helen had taken Kay and Matty into town for dinner and a movie. It was a precautionary tactic to keep from upsetting Matty. She knocked on Dalton's bedroom door and opened it. His eyes took on the look of a predator watching her every movement as she swayed across the room in the sky-high red heels. His lips curved into a smile displaying a dimple that had not yet disappeared into character lines.
"You're beautiful."
"You're not so bad, yourself," she said smoothing the lapel of his Western-cut sports jacket.
"Everything is perfect except those shoes," Dalton said.
"What's wrong with them?" she demanded.
"Those are fuck me shoes," he whispered softly into her ear. "I don't mind the sexy dress in public, but those shoes won't get past the bedroom door."
"These shoes are fashionable!"
"Honey, if you want to leave the room, you need to change them. Otherwise, I have all kinds of ideas of what we do without leaving this room."
"I might have something to say about those things," Nicole warned.
"Not much," he said lowering his mouth to kiss her.
"Dalton, I spent hours getting ready."
"It was worth it," he said sliding his hand inside the wrap portion of the bodice of her dress.
"I thought we were going out."
"We will," he promised. "Later."
With one of his hands caressing her breasts and the other sliding under her dress, she yielded. "Later."
He undressed her in a lot less time than it had taken her to prepare for the date. Now, she didn't care if they went out or not. When she stood in front of him naked, she started to kick off the shoes, but he stopped her.
"Leave the shoes on," he whispered backing her toward the bed. He laid her down, pulled her onto her knees, positioned her hands above her head, and wrapped her fingers around the spindles of the brass bed.
Nicole lost her breath as his fingers enter
ed her and began a rhythm of thrusting. He removed his fingers and wound one of his hands under her holding her in place. She was surprised when he smacked her bottom. She sucked in her breath, held it, and he spanked her again closer to her sex, and then he massaged the sting out before doing it again. The spanks stung, but his handling of it was erotic.
She was a little shocked, but not hurt, realizing this was different from being spanked in anger. She was also surprised she was turned on by his actions. As her bottom began to sting, she was also aroused. When tears came to her eyes, the spanking stopped, and he turned her over onto her back. He parted her legs, which she wrapped around him crossing the lethal spike heels at her ankles as he entered her.
Their coupling was explosive; a little rougher than she was used to, but she knew his intent was not to hurt.
Later, Nicole stretched out like a yawning kitten and glanced down at her naked body as she kicked off the red shoes.
"I liked the shoes," Dalton protested sliding his hands around and squeezing her tender bottom.
"Who would have thought you had a shoe fetish?" Nicole giggled.
"I don't," Dalton denied. "I have a Nicole fetish. I can't get enough of you."
"What happened to our evening out?"
Dalton checked the clock on the bedside table. "We still have plenty of time."
"You said Reno was a couple hours away."
"Trust me, we have plenty of time," Dalton promised lowering his head and rubbing his lips across one of her breast nipples. "This is the way I like you best."
"Naked?"
He chuckled. "Yes, but I meant vulnerable and wanting me."
"Who says I want you?"
"I do." Dalton grinned as he ran his hand between her legs and found her clitoris. He rubbed his calloused thumb over her most delicate part and slid his fingers into her.
Nicole moaned and tossed her head back. It was the only invitation he needed.
He rolled, lifted her, and settled her down on top of him intending to impale her with his shaft. Instead, she slithered out of his grasp and bent over him.
Maybe, With Conditions Page 9
