Instinct told Grace to not let her drop anchor on that thought. “And look what you’re doing. You’re hustling to make sales like a good sales clerk at Stigall’s. You’re saving money. You’re sitting here with me talking, and being solution-oriented. That says a lot. You’ve got around eight months to get yourself situated, either at home or in your own place.”
“I can’t move back in with my dad. I’m a grown woman…and that seems like throwing in the towel and letting someone else take care of me. I got myself into this mess and I have to get myself out of it.”
A thought occurred to Grace. “You’re related to Marvin Kramer, the man who owns the computer service place on Main Street, right?”
“He’s my uncle…sort of.”
“He posted a sign in the shop that he has a little place for rent.”
“How little?”
“It’s a little apartment above the computer shop. It’s quiet, at least at night, and it’s in a safe area. You should talk to him. I’ll bet it would be perfect for you and the baby. If it’s reasonable, you could even afford to save some money as well.”
Presley Ann nodded and then looked up at Grace with a smile. “I’ll talk to him. Thank you for telling me.”
“It’s a good thing Doug decided to start paying his sales people commissions again. You can make a decent living if you have the skills.”
Presley Ann chuckled. “And the perfect motivation. I didn’t care before, but now I’m glad Leah talked dad into reinstituting commissioned sales.”
“And worst-case scenario, Presley Ann, your dad won’t let you go without. You know that.”
“I do but I don’t want to ask for it. I got myself into this mess, I should get myself out.”
“And you have me, and Charity and Justine. We’re friends now, after all.”
Presley Ann sat up a little straighter in the chair and this time her smile reached her eyes. “We are. Do you know I’ve never had any female friends? I have my sister but I don’t think she would tell you we’re friends and I know that’s my fault. If I could ever nail her down, I’ll tell her everything. She left the store in a big rush last night and I didn’t find out until later…”
“She’s been here at the hospital, too, I’ll bet.”
Presley Ann nodded. “I didn’t even know she was that sweet on Patterson Elder. She never said a word. She was right to not trust me. I probably would’ve flirted with him just to piss her off.”
Grace frowned. “Would you have really done that?”
She swiped fresh tears from her blotchy cheeks and said, “I wish I could tell you no, but before the baby, that’s probably exactly what I would’ve done. She’s going to be so upset.”
“I imagine she will,” Grace said honestly. “And she already has so much to deal with emotionally right now.” Grace’s heart lurched painfully, thinking of being forced to part with one of her men.
“She let me move in with her to help on the rent but I know it’s not because she needed the help. I imagine she’ll welcome having her space and privacy back.”
“Give her some time and just show her the steps you’ve taken to provide for yourself. You might also be able to pick up some extra hours if she’s so inclined.”
Presley Ann nodded. “I want to ask you about something.”
“Sure.”
“Like I said before, I know I’ve offended several of your friends. Lydia Carlisle in particular.” She grimaced and shook her head. “I misrepresented myself to her, and insulted her and her husbands. I know she hates me and I don’t blame her. If by chance you talk to her sometime could you maybe mention that I talked to you and I said I was sorry, and I wished I could make it…”
Grace smiled and waited quietly.
Presley Ann let out a dry chuckle and shook her head. “I can’t take the easy way out here, can I?”
Grace shook her head. “For the sake of your conscience, I’d say not. But I will tell you this. Lydia is a forgiving person and she respects people who take the bull by the horns, especially when it’s difficult. I think if you talked to her, you’d find that she has a deeper level of understanding of your situation than you realize. She had to pull herself up by her bootstraps at one point, too. She was doing just that, taking care of herself, when she met Chance and Clayton. If you take the opportunity to make things right, it might go a long way toward that harvest you say you’re reaping right now. And if it works out, I could see the two of you becoming friends. Heck, I can even picture you getting dragged onto the dance floor for a girl’s dance. Crazier things have happened.”
Presley Ann smiled. “I always kind of envied you all when you got out on the dance floor together.”
“I never would’ve guessed. And you and I are friends now, too. Go talk to her. I think for your own peace of mind you need to.”
“And probably Maizy Welsh, too. Cody used to have to peel me off of him.”
Grace waved a hand in dismissal. “Maizy is really easygoing. She understands about the guys and their chosen profession. But it wouldn’t hurt to reach out to her and Lydia—and Leah.”
Presley Ann let out a sigh. “And Lucy Owen…and Clay Cook…oh my gosh, as I think about it the list just keeps growing. I’ll reach out to all of them.” She rubbed her hands together and stood. “I’ve kept you a while and you must be tired.”
“No, actually, you took my mind off of my own problems.” Such as the fact that she needed help getting to the bathroom again. The baby had been using her bladder for a punching bag for the last couple of minutes. Because she was still having some dizziness, they didn’t want her getting up on her own.
After a brief hesitation, Presley Ann said, “Could…could I hug you. I promise to be gentle. I just really appreciate you for talking to me.”
“Of course.”
After Presley Ann had departed and the nurse had helped her in and out of bed, Grace settled back, trying to not worry about everything she had left undone at home and at work.
She wondered how Jack would feel when he found out she was likely carrying Ethan’s baby. She knew he wouldn’t be upset but she worried that he might be disappointed. She pictured his handsome face, his black hair and ocean blue eyes and she couldn’t help but smile.
She peeked inside the silver and white box at the cupcake Ethan had brought her while she admired the picture Rose Marie had created for her. Her journey had led her through to this moment and all her own worries would keep while she recuperated. She let out a breath and tried to relax, wondering how Presley Ann would do in her journey.
Chapter Thirteen
Charity woke to the sensation of encompassing warmth and pleasure. She stretched, anticipating the soreness she’d awakened to every morning in the last several days since the accident. In the next second she gasped as the source of her pleasure made his presence known.
“Mmm, mornin’, Charity,” Val whispered as his lips created a heated damp trail down her torso. “Sleep well?”
“Yes, I did,” she replied through a yawn. Looking outside, she could see it was well past the time she normally woke up and then was distracted as his lips found the sensitive flesh in the dip where the top of her thigh met her pelvis.
“How’re you feeling?”
With a giggle, she threaded her fingers through his long, silky hair and gave him her nonverbal answer, applying slight pressure to the back of his head, encouraging his exploration as his lips made contact with her pussy. The tension spiraled a little tighter as his warm breath blew over her and he made a sound of approval.
She purred back at him as she arched her back and took a long slow stretch. Slight pain lingered in her back and neck but it was significantly less than it had been.
He lifted his head and looked up at her. “Are you hurting? I’ll stop if it’s too soon.”
She lifted her heavy eyelids and smiled at him. “The hot bath last night helped a lot. I don’t want you to stop.”
With a grin, he whispered,
“Good,” and lowered his lips to her again. “I’ve been needing to cash in that rain check but didn’t want you to think I was a horndog with no regard for your feelings.”
“I love that you’re a horndog, baby. And the position you’re in right now tells me you have quite a bit of regard for my feelings.” She parted her thighs to give him greater access and moaned when he slowly slid his tongue against her clit. She arched her back and reveled in his unhurried strokes, tasting her and loving her. She was lucky to have men who didn’t approach going down on her as a chore to be quickly gotten over with. No attacking her with rapid tongue action.
She rolled her hips, giving him greater contact, and purred as he tightened his grip on her hips and tilted his head to stroke her at a different angle along the sides of her clit.
“That’s it, baby,” she murmured. Her heart rate increased gradually as his touch stoked dormant fires inside her, fires that never really went out for her men.
“So hot and wet for me, baby,” he murmured in a rough voice. “Love you so much. Love your sweet, soft pussy.” She groaned and her cunt clenched when he slid two fingers into her entrance and began teasing her.
“I love it when you do that,” she said as he teased her with just the tips of his fingers, adding a third to part and stretch her but not enough to satisfy her craving for being filled. Her nipples tingled as she moved with him, her breasts swaying with her movements, inciting greater sensitivity there and in her clit.
Through half-shut eyelids she watched him and smiled when he looked up at her with sleepy chocolate brown eyes, eyes that reflected how much pleasure he took in making love to her. The muscles in his broad shoulders rippled and she slid one leg over his shoulder to get closer to him and heard his deep chuckle as she bent her knee and drew him even closer. He responded by sucking her clit and the surrounding flesh into his mouth, tugging gently and increasing her need with each slow lick on the sensitive bundle of nerves.
“Yes, don’t stop,” she whimpered as he began thrusting gently with his fingers, giving her the rhythm she needed. “Don’t stop!”
His gentle strokes increased until she was moving in counterpoint against him, her body humming with rising need. Her nipples tightened to hard, sensitive points as she took her pleasure, urged on by his soft growl.
“Yes, yes!” She gripped his shoulder with one hand and the bed covers with the other. Heat radiated from her entire body as she trembled on the verge. “More!”
He shifted and sucked her clit harder and plunged his fingers deeper, harder. Her pleasure crested in sharp, hot waves as she writhed beneath him.
When she was finished, Val released her clit and left a trail of wet, hot kisses as he moved up her body, stopping to suck ravenously at her breasts. She urged him on with breathless encouragement as her orgasmic contractions receded. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he fit the thick head of his cock to her pussy and thrust hard.
“Fuck, yes!” He pinned her to the bed and buried his face in her neck as he thrust with animalistic fervor. Her climax crested again and she bucked against him, glorying in that captured feeling that being trapped under him created. Her orgasms came one after another as she moved with him, sinking her nails into his shoulders as she tightened her legs around his hips.
After the fifth orgasm, she rolled her hips and pulled her knees back, changing the angle and wringing a deep, pleasured-sounding groan from him. He shifted to his knees and rose up over her and lifted her hips slightly off the bed.
His face was flushed and tense with pleasure as he locked his gaze with hers and fucked her so hard it shook the bed and beat the headboard against the wall. Each vibration echoed inside her and she urged him on until their orgasms burst at the same time.
He looked like a sex god, with every muscle standing out in rigid relief as he threw his head back and groaned deep and loud. His cock pulsed inside her and she held tight to his hands gripping her hips as each wave of pleasure washed over her, leaving her a breathless wreck.
Perspiration coated their bodies as he finally relaxed and lowered his body to hers. He kissed her breathlessly and nestled his face against her collarbone as they recovered.
Having caught his breath, he loomed over her again but this time she didn’t see the primitive heat and lust in his eyes, she saw tenderness and concern. “I didn’t mean to be that rough with you. Are you all right?”
Cupping his cheek in her palm, she lifted her head to kiss him. “That was fantastic. I feel fine, as you could probably tell after orgasm number five…or six…I lost track.”
The cocky grin on his face made her giggle but then his eyes took on a more serious light. “Your neck and shoulders?”
“They’re better today. I would’ve stopped you if the pain flared up. A nice hot shower and I should be good as new.”
He relaxed and looked down at her body as he stroked her breast and her rib cage. Her cunt quivered when he leaned down to suck at one of her nipples, and he closed his eyes and smiled as he gave her one final gentle thrust before withdrawing. “I’ll turn the shower on for you so it’s hot when you get in.” He sat up on the bed and looked over his muscular shoulder at her. “You’re one amazing woman, Charity.”
“It’s good you recognize this, Val,” she murmured as she rolled to curl around his back and kissed his hand resting on his thigh. “The love of an amazing man—amazing men—is what makes me that way.” He caressed her temple with the backs of his fingers and she grinned up at him and shrugged. “It helps that I’m a bit of a badass as well.”
He snorted with laughter and nodded as he finally got up. “I’m not arguing with that.”
“Not going to look a gift pussy in the—”
“Mouth? No.” His laughter echoed throughout the house as he went into the bathroom to start the shower.
Clearly the muscle relaxers are still in my system.
* * * *
Trevor Dornan watched from his vantage point, pissed as hell that he’d gotten his sneakers wet. He frowned back at the creek that gurgled behind him. “Creek my ass. That’s a damned river tributary that needs…damming, damn it.” He barked at his own humor and went back to peeking at the house Val Teller and Ransome Cross had been staying at.
He grinned, knowing he had the right one when the blonde bitch Teller and Cross had hugged and kissed came out with the younger bitch, who was carrying a big white teddy bear dressed in a blue sweater. “Baby boy, huh? Wonder who that’s for.”
By his calculations, the bitch had to be close to popping. He was a betting man and this looked like a good bet. He’d at least do a little reconnaissance work and see what came up since this was his best link to his kid. If nothing else, he could always take those two bitches and demand his in return—no harm no foul. He’d just scare them real good first.
He thought again about maybe secreting that young bitch in another house but thought the stress and hassle might not be worth it, going back and forth sowing in her and waiting for the other to pop. Then he remembered that his equipment was no longer up to snuff and the anger burst inside him, followed by determination. A man needed his virility in order to feel like a real man and they’d all stolen that from him.
He returned to his vehicle, getting his shoes and pant legs wet a second time. He waited until they’d passed his little hiding spot and then pulled out and followed them at a safe distance, to the hospital as it turned out.
“Hmm, this is looking promising. I should’ve been a private investigator.”
* * * *
Jessica Bright rubbed her aching back as she walked in the tree line along Divine Creek, which ran through the property behind the Carlisles’ house. She’d been back at the Rockin’ C Ranch for a few days and had settled into one of the small cabins on the ranch with help from Lydia and LuAnn, who’d taken her shopping the weekend before, for the things she would need for the baby. She hoped for a chance to show them how grateful she was for their help and hospitality.
She’d felt restless all day. Even though the baby probably wouldn’t come for a few more weeks, she’d been having aches and pains that made it hard to sit still, so she’d decided to take a short walk to get some fresh air and to get a little exercise.
The creek looked so shady and cool through the trees. She considered getting closer, but the land sloped a little beyond the tree line and she was ungainly with her big pregnant belly. She didn’t want to take a chance on falling and hurting the baby or herself.
“Maybe just into the tree line a bit, in the shade. I could find a soft place to sit for a while.” She picked her way carefully through an opening, using narrow tree trunks as handholds.
The creek gurgled around the rocks and the shade offered a nice respite from the sunny day. She let out a happy sigh as she lowered herself onto a large flat rock near the edge.
She winced as the baby squirmed, which translated into sharp pains way down low in her abdomen. “You seem like you’re in a hurry,” she told the baby as she stroked her abdomen. The one and only position that she found comfortable anymore was on her hands and knees—not the most dignified. The baby squirmed again, sending a shooting pain straight through a very uncomfortable spot in her nether region.
“Okay, okay, chickpea. You didn’t like the rock, I get it,” she said as she slowly slipped onto her hands and knees and took the chance to stretch her back. Of course, the baby instantly settled down.
“Awesome,” she whispered gratefully.
Relief overwhelmed any concerns about someone seeing her like that, with her big ol’ butt in the air and her belly hanging down. “Moo,” she said to herself. The thought of how she must look right then tickled her funny bone and she started laughing. It’d been so long since she’d laughed and it felt so good that she just let it all out. The baby seemed to be a captive audience to her pregnancy-induced lunacy because he or she was still for the moment. The laughter was positively cathartic and before she knew it, she had tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks.
Divine Charity [Divine Creek Ranch 18] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 21
