Yes.
“Lily,” he whispered harshly. “Sweet Lily.”
His tempo increased until he nearly pounded her. She met his thrusts with her own, faster, harder. The coil within her pulled up tighter and tighter as she reached for a pinnacle she’d never seen before. He released her mouth and took a gasping breath.
“Come for me, baby,” he said.
While she exploded into a thousand pieces, he said her name again and again as he plunged in so far he touched her soul. Stars swirled around her body, twinkling and bursting into small flames. She clenched around him so tightly they became one. It was as if the heavens had come to earth and taken up residence in her heart.
Lily clutched Ray to her, his sweaty chest pressed into her cheek. She held onto her happiness like the fleeting bit of life it was.
“Jesus, Lily. I didn’t…”
“Neither did I,” she replied.
He slowly withdrew and stepped away from her. She closed her legs and looked up into his eyes. The green was almost gone his pupils were so large. He was covered in a sheen of sweat, his mouth soft and swollen from kissing her.
“I never meant for that to happen.”
“It was going to happen anyway.”
He swept his hand through his wavy hair, making the curls stick up every which way. Making him look boyish. Making her fall more in love with him.
He grabbed his clothes and dressed quickly. Lily stood and picked up her chemise, somehow getting herself tangled enough that he tsked and rescued her. When he pulled it down over her shoulders, she was nearly brought to her knees by the sight of Ray’s smile.
Lord in Heaven, he was stunning.
Lily slipped along in the rapids, heading toward the waterfall. It was inevitable. She was falling so fast, there was no way to stop it.
———
Ray walked to his room in a daze. His body hummed with heat and sexual satisfaction. Never, never in his life had he been so completely stunned by sex. Stunned. That was the word for it.
Stunned.
It had been more than five years since he’d had sex, so it was inevitable that the first time he did, there would be a big release. He hadn’t expected it to change his life. But it did. Lily did.
She was truthful—she was no virgin. Thank God. He didn’t think he could’ve held back any of the passion that clambered to get out. Especially after he saw how perfect she was. Large breasts topped with the palest pink nipples, narrow waist, generous hips, and the ability to send him to the stars.
He was turning the doorknob when he sensed he was being watched. He glanced over at Melody’s door. She peered out at him with her old-soul eyes.
“You were in Miss Wickham’s room.”
Damn. This kid missed nothing.
“Yes I was. I had to apologize for being rude to her,” he said as he squatted down to her eye level. “Just like I owe you an apology. I’m sorry I yelled at you, Little Note.”
She continued to hide behind the door. “It’s okay. I know you weren’t mad at me. You were mad at the witches and Miss Wickham.”
Ray shook his head. How could he make her understand? The three women who made their lives a living hell in town had the brass balls to walk through his door like they were paying a social visit. He was sure they had spewed lies to Lily. Thank God she had a good head on her shoulders.
“I’m not mad at Lily, honey. She didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Those witches said bad things about you, Pa.”
There was a little hitch in her voice, but she didn’t come to him.
“I know. They won’t be back, I promise.”
Damn straight. He’d shoot those cows in the ass if they even stepped foot on his land.
“Okay. Goodnight, Pa.”
“Do you want me to tuck you in?”
“No, Uncle Trevor already did. He held my ears while we walked down the hallway too. I told him to stop, but he didn’t.”
Ray felt his cheeks flush.
Shit.
“I’m sorry I missed it. Tomorrow I’ll tuck you in twice.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You’re silly, Pa. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Mel.”
She closed the door and Ray stared at the floor beneath his feet for a moment before he stood. The day had been the strangest and most incredible at the same time. One thing was certain, he would never be the same person again.
Chapter Eight
They were finally headed for the Malloy family ranch. With help from Trevor and Brett, they loaded the wagon with what they’d need for two days. Ray tied his horse, Shadow, to the back. He was a beautiful, huge gray beast with soulful eyes. Lily didn’t normally take to horses, but this one seemed special.
As Ray tucked Melody in the back with some blankets, Lily looked up at the beautiful blue skies overhead. It would be an uneventful trip and Ray said it would only take two hours. Apparently the land the Double R sat on was a gift to Ray and his ex-wife when they got married. She stepped forward to get in the wagon and apparently found a piece of ice, because her feet went out from under her and she landed on her back. All the air whooshed out of her body and her head smacked the ground painfully.
“Jesus, Lily. Are you okay?” Trevor exclaimed.
“What happened? Is she all right?” Brett chimed in.
“Would you both shut up?” Ray knelt beside her. With a small shake of his head, he helped her sit up. “Anything broken?”
“I don’t think so.” She pressed her mittened hand to her throbbing head. “But I think I’m going to have a headache.”
She winced as Ray pulled her to her feet. He brushed the snow off the back of her coat.
“We’ve got to stop meeting when you’re lying in the snow,” he murmured.
She smiled. “Maybe we can meet someplace else instead.”
She could not believe she said that. Apparently neither could he from the surprise in his eyes. He reached out one finger and wiped something off her cheek. His skin was rough and calloused, sending a shiver of pleasure straight down her body to her mons.
Someone, probably Trevor, cleared his throat, breaking the spell that had fallen over Lily and Ray. His eyes were a combination of confusion, arousal and, dare she think it, happiness.
Lily’s heart did a leap the likes of which it had never done before. She imagined it had been some time since happiness had taken residence in Ray’s life. She was happy to be witness to its return.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded and he took her elbow to guide her to the wagon. After helping her on board, he jumped up and grabbed the reins. Lily shifted on the hard wooden seat. She was a bit tender and felt herself blush at the reason why.
With very little fanfare, the small party was off to the Malloy family ranch. Lily tried to tell the butterflies in her stomach to shoo, but they continued to flutter.
Lily was nervous about meeting the rest of the family. Would they know what she and Ray had been doing? Would they approve? She was supposed to be a governess and teacher for a five-year-old girl. Instead she was a housekeeper and mistress.
The butterflies were joined by a pack of moths, and perhaps a flock of birds.
———
They had been traveling for half an hour when Lily realized the bitter cold was seeping through her layers of wool and penetrating her down to the bone. She was still not used to such freezing temperatures. She couldn’t feel her nose anymore and her cheeks were so tight, she was afraid they’d crack if she smiled. She clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop the shivering.
“Are you cold, Lily?”
Lily refused to admit it. He would think she wasn’t tough enough to last in the Wyoming climate.
“No, I’m fine.”
“Your knees are knocking louder than the horses’ hooves. Why don’t you climb in back with Melody and get under the blankets.”
That sounded wond
erful. Her shivering body reacted to the invitation and shudders joined the shivers.
“Melody, would it be all right if I came back there and shared those warm blankets?” Lily thought she should ask the girl to give her the option to say no.
A muffled reply came from the back. “It’s okay.”
Ray pulled the wagon to a stop and held her hand while she climbed over the seat into the back. Melody was hunkered down between two crates, a blanket beneath her and three on top, with a quilt wrapped around.
“You look like a caterpillar,” Lily said as she squeezed in next to Melody and arranged the blankets around them. “Ohh, it’s nice and warm in here.”
The combination of Melody’s body warmth with hers and the warm wool blankets was just delightful.
“Yup.”
Ray started riding again after Lily was settled. In minutes, the shivers and shudders had receded and she felt warm.
“Thank you so much, Melody.”
“‘Kay.”
Lily shifted and felt something hard pressing into her hip. After a minute, she realized it was a book.
“Did you bring your McGuffey’s Reader?”
Melody nodded.
“Would you like to work on your letters and sounds again? You did so well at the store with the list.”
She didn’t answer, but Lily felt Melody’s little body tense up. What was she afraid of?
“I dunno.”
“I know a song about the alphabet. Would you like to learn it?”
Melody hesitated. “Okay.”
Lily started singing.
———
Ray listened to Lily quietly singing with his daughter in the crisp morning air on his way to his parents’ house, with two of his brothers riding ahead of him. He searched for the right word for what he was feeling. It was contentment. Contentment.
Life had kicked him in the balls so many times, he’d forgotten what contentment felt like. Smiles and laughter were not part of his daily routine. Ray felt a jolt of shock to realize how much he’d been missing. He didn’t know if he was ready to open his arms and let the world come on in, but one voluptuous brunette was knocking down his walls piece by piece. If he wasn’t careful, she’d be inside his heart and he’d never be able to let her go.
Within another hour, he arrived at the Malloy family ranch. The ranch house had stood for nearly forty years. John Malloy built it with his two hands after he and his wife, Francesca, settled there back in 1852. A year later, Ray was born, and the house sheltered, protected and served as a beacon for all to return to. It was a home.
Ray felt his chest lighten as they pulled into the yard. The door swung open and his brothers, Jack and Ethan, came out in a rush.
“Thank God you’re here, Mama is about to drive us all insane,” Jack exclaimed with his usual drama.
Jack was the youngest of the Malloy brothers at twenty-nine. He’d been married for nearly five years to the love of his life, Rebecca. They had an eight-year-old adopted daughter named Hope, a four-year-old son named Gideon and a two-year-old son named Malcolm.
Ethan was the second oldest Malloy brother. He had been married for ten years to his wife, Bonita. They had no children, but they spoiled their nieces and nephews rotten. He had the same wavy brown hair and blue eyes as Jack.
Together they looked like twins, separated by eight years of age. Their harried looks suggested they’d been wrestling bears, with hair that had been pulled at more than once.
Trevor chuckled as he dismounted.
“It’s not funny, Trevor. Where the hell have you been?” said Ethan with a frown.
“I had things to take care of at the Double R,” Ray answered. “Trev and Brett stayed to help.” He cocked one eyebrow at them, daring them to contradict him. They only smiled.
Ray set the brake and wrapped the reins around the lever. He hopped down into the snow and shook hands with Jack and Ethan.
“Things? We’ve been here and you wouldn’t believe what the kids have been up to. Malcolm is reminding me of his namesake. I think he stole Hope’s journal. And the twins. What is Nicky feeding them? I swear I—”
“Jack, shut up for a minute, would you? Say hello to Lily. Ethan, I’d like you to meet Miss Wickham.”
Jack’s eyes widened and he smiled at Lily, who looked over the side of the wagon with a grin on her face.
“Hello, Jack. It’s wonderful to see you again.”
“Hi, Lily. Forget everything I just said. The children are behaving like angels. I swear.”
She shook her head and laughed. “I’m sure they are. Melody has been the perfect traveler.”
“Mel!” cried Jack as he reached in the wagon and plucked her out. She squealed as he threw her over his shoulder and headed back for the house.
“I got what I came for.” Jack laughed.
Melody giggled and waved as she disappeared into the house.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ethan,” Lily offered politely.
He smiled and held out his hands to help her down. “Good morning, Miss Wickham. I’ve heard a lot about you from Nicky and Tyler.”
Ray felt a clench of something—was it jealousy?—deep down in his gut. He elbowed Ethan out of the way.
“Don’t you have to go find Bonita or something?” he said with more than a hint of grumpiness.
Ethan laughed and his eyebrows went up. Ray saw a sparkle in his brother’s blue eyes that foretold of some ribbing later on.
Shit.
It was worth it when Lily leaned into his hands and he was able to touch her again. The clench immediately lessened and disappeared completely when she smiled at him with her rosy cheeks and pink-tipped nose.
In fact, he felt something radically different. Something he didn’t even recognize at all. It scared the hell out of him.
———
The Malloys were simply overwhelming. From a girl who lived the first eleven years of her life with the dregs of humanity, and another ten in an orphanage, that was saying a lot.
Lily greeted them all by bumping into Ray’s mother who then bumped into Ray’s father and knocked over the table beside the door. The table landed with a crash, scaring the children who in turn started screeching and crying.
Lily gazed at everyone apologetically but with more than a bit of horror.
Ray’s father, who looked very much like an older version of Ray, started chuckling, that turned into a guffaw as he helped his wife to stand. By then Francesca was laughing, and then everyone was laughing. Lily felt two inches tall and wished she could climb back in the wagon and drive to New York.
“Well, Miss Lily,” said Ray’s father as he wiped his eyes. “I’m John Malloy. Welcome to our family. You’ll fit in just fine around here.”
His eyes twinkled merrily and she saw him swallowing back more laughter. Ray’s mother elbowed him out of the way.
“Move over, John.” She had a slight French accent and warm eyes. She looked a lot like Nicky with her curly brownish-red hair and green eyes; however, she stood a good six inches shorter. Much closer to Lily’s own height. Thank God she wasn’t the only petite woman in the house.
“I’m Francesca. Welcome, cheri.”
She folded Lily into a hug that banished her fear and embarrassment in a wink. Francesca smelled of roses and bread and cinnamon. Lily’s eyes pricked as she was hugged, truly hugged, for the first time in her life.
“Thank you, Francesca,” she managed to croak.
From then on, Lily was introduced to the rest of the family and children. There were so many of them, and they all seemed to love each other, and to love to tease each other. Lily watched them, fascinated by the closeness, the camaraderie. It was like going to the theatre and watching a play. This is what she’d been missing all her life. A family.
The men all went off to do something manly and the women converged in the kitchen, drinking tea and eating scrumptious slabs of homemade bread with honey. Lily sat at the table with Nicky, Rebecca, Bo
nita and Francesca. The children napped and played quietly.
Rebecca was Jack’s wife. A beautiful blonde with enormous gray eyes reflecting a soul that had traveled a hard path and was grateful to be happy and in love with her husband. Lily felt an immediate kinship to Rebecca, who also hugged her when they met.
Nicky was dressed in trousers again. Lily wondered if she ever wore dresses, but doubted it.
Bonita was just that, beautiful. She seemed to be part Indian or perhaps part Mexican, Lily wasn’t sure. She was very quiet and had an innate grace and dignity about her that spoke volumes. She was a few inches taller than Lily with long, straight black hair, dark chocolate eyes and mocha-colored skin. She wore a colorful turquoise blouse with a black flowing skirt. Her jewelry was also turquoise and she shyly admitted she had made it herself.
Francesca was a strong woman who ordered the men around like a little general. And they obeyed her immediately. She took Lily under her wing and kept her by her side the entire morning and afternoon. Now Francesca sat beside Lily at the table, lending her unspoken support to the fish out of water.
Rebecca nibbled daintily on a piece of bread and sipped her tea. Lily hoped one day she could be as graceful and composed as Rebecca.
“Wyoming must be a bit colder than New York,” Rebecca mused.
Lily laughed, recalling how cold she’d been in the wagon on the way over. She was so thankful to be toasty warm in the Malloy ranch house.
“A bit. Okay, a lot. I’m getting used to it though.”
Nicky nodded. “I was away for three years and coming back was a slap in the face, literally, with cold. It’s the kind of cold that bites you.”
There was a moment of silence while everyone concentrated on tea and bread.
“Have you lived in New York all your life?” asked Nicky as she slathered another piece of bread with honey.
“No, I, uh…traveled quite a bit when I was young with my parents. I started living in New York when I arrived at St. Catherine’s orphanage in Queens.”
The Treasure Page 9
