by Mae Martini
He blew out a breath and looked around at nothing in particular, then he brought his gaze back to her. “Don’t go.”
She just stared at him. She didn’t want to go, but she didn’t know what to do.
“Please don’t be mad. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You could have called me. Did you forget I was coming?”
“No. I haven’t thought about much else but you. I just…. I don’t know, lost track of time trying to convince Jennie to leave Doug, her boyfriend. I couldn’t leave her there. Her parents threw her out when she started dating this guy and she had no place else to go.”
“Do you love her, Jake? Please be honest with me.”
He looked her right in the eye. “No, I don’t love her.”
“Did you?”
He nodded his head. “At one time, but it’s over between us. She broke my heart. You mended it. It’s been over from the moment I met you in Vegas. I knew then I wasn’t in love with her anymore. Even if we don’t work out, and know that I really want us to, I still would not go back to her.”
Gia placed her coffee cup down on the table near her chair and slowly got up. She walked over to Jake as he pushed off the doorjamb and walked toward her. He brought his arms around her and she brought hers around him and they kissed as he held her tight.
Jake carried her suitcase and led the way up the back staircase, accessible via the kitchen. He was glad she was going to stay.
He opened the door to his room and swept an arm out.
When she walked through the door, he followed her in and noted her reaction. She looked from the bureau to the night table on the right side of the bed. She turned and noted the mantle above the fireplace, just below the big screen TV. She looked to the other side of the room where a sitting area was set up and noticed the coffee table. When she finally looked back to Jake, she had a look of shock on her face and she brought a hand up to her mouth. “Jake?”
Jake smiled. “They remind me of you.”
On every one of those surfaces that Gia looked at, stood a large vase with white orchids in them. They were all over the room.
“You didn’t see them when you first got here?”
“I’ve never been in here, Jake. When I first got here, the woman at the desk, Lauren, I believe her name was, asked if I had a reservation. I told her yes and gave her my name, but she didn’t have a reservation on file.”
“Lauren?”
“Yes.”
“Did you meet a Barbara, too?”
“No.”
“Older woman, dark hair, usually worn up in a bun?”
“No.”
“They must have switched. I told Barbara to expect you and get you situated in my room.” He walked over to her. “I’m sorry for the mix-up. Barbara must not have relayed to Lauren that you were expected.” Damn, why was he always having to say he was sorry, to her?
Jake blew out another breath. “Boy, you must think I’m such a fuck-up.”
“No…. No, I don’t think that at all. I just have self-confidence issues.”
“You? Self-confidence issues? I don’t…. Why? You’re beautiful, Gia.”
She shrugged. “I don’t put myself out there all that much for fear of rejection. And not very many people… um… move me the way you do.” She took a step to him and brought her hands up to his face and reached up and kissed him. When she pulled away, he stopped her and brought her back in for more of that kiss.
When they pulled apart, Jake rested his chin on her head. “I move you, huh?”
The sound of his voice and the weight change of his chin on her head signaled he was smiling.
“Don’t let it get to your head.” She chuckled.
“Okay…. But I do.”
They both laughed.
He pulled them apart. “I have to get to work. Are we okay?”
“Yeah, we’re okay.”
Do you want to meet me at Cord’s house? We’ll do some horseback riding. Do you ride?”
“Yes, I ride and yes, that sounds great. “
“Good. Have my sister drop you off when you’re done.”
She nodded her head.
“Okay, make yourself comfortable and, um, I’ll see you later.” With a charming, boyish smile, he said, “I’m glad you’re staying.” He gave her a quick kiss, put on his hat, turned, and walked out the door.
Gia just stared at the door. She too, was happy she decided to stay. She really liked Jake. Every time he was near, her insides got happy. Every time she thought of him, of them intimate together, her insides got happy. She’d never felt anything like it before.
“Ohshitmotherfuckbitchbastard!” Calista yelled as she felt the needle pierce just above her belly button. She had a vice like grip on Annie’s and Gia’s hand and stared at Ollie’s shaved head and the colorful tattoo of a sunburst, or was that an eye surrounded by a starburst. It did not matter, it gave her something to keep her mind occupied. “That hurtssssss.” She sucked in a breath.
“Don’t move. Just… a… little… bit... there, all done.” Ollie said softly as he looked up into her eyes and smiled. “It looks beautiful on you. You did good.”
“Great. Maybe now she can let go of our hands,” Annie said wincing.
“That’s nothing,” Ollie said. “You should have been here when I did a VCH piercing on this chick, Donna. She threatened to cut off my genitals. She was crazy, that one.”
The girls laughed.
“What’s a VCH piercing?” Gia and Annie asked at the same time.
“Vertical clit hood piercing.”
“Oww. Are you kidding me?” Annie asked.
“No.” Ollie chuckled.
His partner, David, who had been eyeing the girls since they walked in, walked over to them. “Can I talk you girls into one?”
Annie and Calista both said no at the same time and laughed as Gia smiled.
“How bout you?” David said to Gia as he slowly swept his gaze over her. “I’ll do you, free of charge.”
Gia lost her smile and Ollie picked up on her uneasiness.
“Dave, man, can you run in the back and get me some more piercing kits, while I finish up here?”
Dave chuckled as he watched Gia’s smile fade then turned and walked to the doorway that led to the back room.
“I’m sorry, ladies,” he said, shaking his head.
After leaving the tattoo parlor, Annie and Gia made sure Calista got home. She was in pain and wanted to take a pain killer and rest. Then they went to the Shady Elm to check on things before heading to Annie’s house.
“When are you due?” Gia asked Annie, when Annie stopped at a red light.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re pregnant, right?”
Annie whipped her head from the road to Gia. “You know?”
Gia nodded her head.
“How?”
“You didn’t drink any alcohol last night and Joan said you were sick this morning. Plus, I have a younger sister with two kids and a few friends with kids and you have that same pale, I need to puke, kind of look as they did.” She smiled warmly.
Annie let out a little laugh. “Next week will be three months. Please, don’t tell anyone. Cord and I want to wait till then.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything. And don’t worry, that feeling will pass, too.”
On the drive over to Annie’s house, Annie gave her a brief tour of the neighborhood. She’d never been to Fredericksburg before, and fell in love with the clean quaint town.
Gia made note of all the stores and art galleries she’d like to visit while there. Maybe not all in one weekend, she had better things to do, namely one smokin’ hot guy named Jake.
Annie and Gia walked to the corral that Jake was training in. He and Cord were fussing over a black horse and didn’t see them, and Gia took a moment to study Jake. She had a silly ass grin on her face that Annie caught.
“The chaps, right?”
Gia looked
to Annie and nodded. “Right.”
“I know.” And they both laughed like school girls.
“You’re so lucky. You get to see this all the time.”
“Yeah. And it never gets old.”
The boys heard their laughter and turned around.
Cord effortlessly flung himself on the black horse’s back and trotted over to the girls. He tipped his hat to Gia and reached for Annie’s hand. He scooped her up and placed her in front of him and they rode off.
Gia heard Annie giggle and smiled. She then turned her attention to Jake, who was making his way over to her with a big smile on his face.
“Hi, beautiful,” he said as he got closer, taking in her denim shorts, red plaid tied up shirt and red suede fringed cowboy boots. She looked hot and sexy with her hair blowing in the gentle breeze.
Gia watched him lick his lips as he scanned her body and a liquid heat coursed through her. He backed her up to the fence, trapping her by placing his hands on the fence at both sides of her shoulders. He brought his lips to hers and kissed her.
“Mmmm. Been thinking about that all day,” he said when they broke the kiss. He looked intently in her eyes and picked up the corners of his mouth as he softly stroked her diamond cut silver belly chain with a diamond heart at the end.
“Me too,” she said breathlessly, enjoying the feathery feel of the tips of his fingers against her stomach. “Did I ever tell you how much I love to see a man in chaps,” she said seductively. “It turns me on.”
He sucked in a breath and Gia let out a throaty laugh and swiped her tongue over her lips.
Jake was bringing his lips back to hers when noise behind him made him turn his head. When he saw Miguel, Cord’s hand, shoveling the corral, he pulled back.
“Where’s my sister? How’d you girls make out today?”
“Oh, good. She’s home now, resting. It was painful.”
“Did you meet David?”
“Oh, David is a colorful character.”
He chuckled. “How’d you like his Mohawk?”
“That was the tallest Mohawk I had ever seen.” She giggled.
“What color was it?”
“Lime green.”
“Last time I saw him, he had a rainbow going on.”
They both laughed.
“When he offered to do a VCH piercing on me for free, I wanted to yank him by it and fling him across the chair your sister was sitting in.”
“Tough chick. I like that.” He grinned. But he knew if he had David there in front of him, he would have decked him for even suggesting that to her.
“Wait here, I want you to meet somebody. I don’t want you stepping in anything that could ruin your boots.” He gave her a quick kiss then turned and walked to the barn.
She watched his butt with the chaps framing it as he walked away, and whistled.
He turned around and laughed and shook his head at her then shook his butt when he turned back around and continued walking to the barn.
He came out of the barn, chapless, leading a big white horse and a chestnut with a white star above the eyes.
Smiling when he strode over, he paused in front of Gia. “This is Ghost.” He nodded to the all-white gelding.
“He’s beautiful.” Gia pet his neck and the horse lowered his head and welcomed her touch.
“And this is Bella,” he said as he pet Bella on her nose. “Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Yes, she is.” Gia said and at hearing her voice, Bella turned her head to Gia and stepped forward. Gia pet her nose too, and noted how gentle she was. She also noticed the soft, tender voice and actions of Jake around the horses. Much like when he was being affectionate with her.
“Do you want to ride her?”
“Sure.”
“You’ll let Gia ride you, Bella, right?”
Bella slightly dipped her head and Gia and Jake shared a look.
“She’s a good girl. Smart, too. Just like you.” He reached in and kissed Gia.
“Did you just compare me to a horse?” She asked as they broke the kiss.
Jake chuckled. “You are nothing like a horse, baby, but I do love the way you ride.”
“You never saw me ride?”
He gave her a crooked smile.
“Oh.” She got it then. She laughed.
She looked too cute, he just had to kiss her again.
Ghost stamped his hoof.
Jake and Gia broke the kiss with Jake chuckling as he looked to the horse. “Hold your horses, Ghost. Can’t you see I’m kissing my girl?” He turned to Gia. “Ghost is very impatient. Come on, let’s ride.”
Jake watched and was waiting in case Gia needed help mounting up. He was impressed with the ease in which she did and knew she was a rider.
Before they even turned their horses around, Rory came trotting over on his horse.
“Hey.”
Jake and Gia both greeted him as Cord came back with Annie in front of him on Storm, the black stallion they were on.
“How’s Calista feeling?” Gia asked Rory.
“Better, the pain killers seemed to be working. She’s all sweet and mushy. I’m like, who is this chick and what have you done with Calista.” They all chuckled. “I ran into Billy. He said Treemont is ripping mad,” he said as he turned his attention to Jake.
“Oh, yeah?” Jake asked.
“What’d he say?” Cord asked.
“He said when he finds Jennie, she’s in big, um, f’ing trouble.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jake asked.
“I don’t know. He said Treemont went to Jennie’s parent’s house looking for her. He trashed their front door. Jennie’s dad called the cops. I bet Jimmy might know more.” Rory said.
“Does he know where she is?” Annie asked.
“I don’t think so. Or at least he didn’t let on.” Rory said.
Gia didn’t know what they were talking about and Jake caught her confusion.
“Billy is the owner of Roxy’s, a little honky-tonk we hang out in. He’s in the same motorcycle club as Doug Treemont, Jennie’s boyfriend.”
Gia nodded in understanding.
Jake knew he would have a dilemma on his hands when taking Jennie in, but he didn’t want to discuss it any further in front of Gia. The less Jennie’s name came up in front of her, the better their relationship would be, he was sure.
“Oh well. Cord, I’m taking Gia to the see the lavender, then probably hit the river.” Before anyone could say any more on the subject, he said, “Ready?” as he turned Ghost around.
Gia nodded and followed his lead.
Seeing Gia’s face when she got a look at the rows and rows of lavender adjacent to Cord’s property put a smile on his face. He moved along side of Bella and reached in with his face. He kissed Gia and when he pulled back, he watched her closed eyes slowly open, then he stared at her mouth.
“What?” she asked breathlessly.
“You have the softest, warmest lips I have ever kissed.”
Gia’s insides melted. He always knew the right things to say.
“Come on, I want to show you a property I’m interested in.” Jake clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth and moved the reins to the left. Gia followed his lead. The two of them talked as they rode.
“My father’s getting a divorce.”
“I’m sorry.”
Gia let out a little chuckle. “Don’t be. I’m so happy for him. It’s the best thing for him.” She paused. “I don’t mean to sound uncaring.”
“I know. How’s your father?”
“He seems okay. He said he’s hurt his marriage didn’t work. He doesn’t believe in divorce, but he’s come to terms with the fact she was only using him.” They rode in silence a while then she said, “About three weeks ago, my father walked into the house unexpectedly and as he got closer to his bedroom door, he heard heavy breathing and moans. He quietly opened the door to the room and saw her screwing another man. She didn’t see him, so he clo
sed the door, walked back out of the house and called his lawyer. That night when he went back home, he told her to get out of their bedroom. She was angry, but she didn’t persist. He let her stay in the guest room until the papers were drawn up, air tight.
“When she was presented with the papers this week, she flipped. She smashed expensive vases and art work. My father called the cops and had her arrested.”
“Where do you stand on divorce?”
She had been looking at the path in front of her and picked her eyes up to his intense stare.
“I don’t judge how others live their lives, but for me, if I do get married, I want it to be only once. How about you?”
“One time deal for me too. Especially if children are involved.”
Gia nodded her head.
“What do you think?” Jake asked her as they pulled up to a two story colonial home in need of repair.
Gia looked around. She noticed the equally rundown barn to the left. “I think it’ll cost a ton of money to fix this place up. You’re thinking of buying it?”
“I am…. I grew up here. My parents used to own the place, and remember I told you my father had a heart attack and he sold it?”
“Yes.” Gia nodded her head.
“Well, I think the people who bought it are selling it. The old man died and his wife and kids don’t want anything to do with it.”
“What would you do with it?”
“I’ve been contemplating a horse training business of my own.”
“Oh, what a great idea. You do have a way with them.” She pet Bella.
They rode the perimeter of the place as he filled her in on the acreage, and the river flowing behind the house and barn, then they moved on.
Up till that point, they leisurely walked their horses. Jake wanted to get a grasp of how Bella was doing. Confident now, he said to Gia. “Come on, let’s ride.” And he took off, ahead of her, with a chuckle. He turned back to see Gia on his tail, laughing, and her long silky hair blowing in the warm breeze behind her. He also made note of how well Bella responded.
When they came to the river on Cord’s property, Jake slowed. It was a warm day and he could feel Ghost panting. He slid off his horse just as Gia caught up and came to a stop. He started walking to her to help her down, but she jumped off like an old pro and pet Bella.
