by Megan McCoy
Matt sighed heavily, “Really? You want to make this a line in the sand?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she really didn’t. What was going on here?
“I asked you to do something,” he said.
“You asked me to do something silly, and I see no reason to do it and don’t want to,” she explained, but her heart started hammering. She looked at him and he stared back, unfathomable. “I’m not making a line in the sand, Eric is back at work, doesn’t want to be bothered, and, honestly, I’m a little confused about what’s going on here.” She didn’t like this, not at all.
“The deal is, I told you to call your brother. Invite him here.” He said it flatly and didn’t sound at all like the Matt she knew.
“And I said I didn’t need to do that. I’m talking to Holly tomorrow and would be glad to text Eric tonight if it’s that freaking important to you. He’s at work. I’m not bothering him while he’s working for something non-essential. I don’t understand this, and I don’t like your attitude.” What was wrong with him?
Suddenly, Matt took a step toward her, and pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry, baby. I don’t care if you call your brother or not. I just needed to know you weren’t afraid of me and you’d still challenge me on things after I blistered your butt.” He kissed the top of her hair. “I’m glad you told me no. This time.”
Knees going week, Liz melted into him. “Damn, boy, that’s the hottest thing you’ve ever done.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, almost smugly, making her want to slug him. If she wasn’t so turned on and happy. She’d known Matt wasn’t an ass.
“Why would you think I’m be afraid of you?” She asked, softly into his shoulder.
“I told you. Because I bared your butt, put you over my knee and paddled you till your ass was red and you begged me to stop.”
“You didn’t stop, though,” Fine. They’d just talk about it.
“I stopped as soon as I thought you’d had enough.”
“I had enough a long time before you stopped,” she said, trying not to whine, but really?
“I could see your rear end. I figured you wanted it nice and red.”
“No. I didn’t. You are wrong, and spankings hurt,” she complained.
“They do, and that’s the idea. I’ll spank you again, at some point, but I just want you to know, you can talk to me anytime and disagree with me about things, and it’s okay. Lying is something that will get you a paddling every time, though.” He said it as if it were a caress. Why did it feel like it was?
But. “You sure play a jerk well. Don’t do it often, okay?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he said, promptly, giving her that grin that made her want to kiss all over his face.
Sometimes she could actually kind of maybe sort of see what Holly saw in a guy like her brother. This one was apparently cut from the same cloth and she was nuts about him.
Silly female that she was.
And why was she wondering as they headed off to eat dinner at the dining hall that evening, why she wanted to know what else would get her a good paddling, because she wasn’t planning to lie again, but, hmmm. Shaking her head, she wondered what was wrong with her, because she sure didn’t want one. Right?
Right.
* * *
“Heard anything from the trail riders?” Liz asked Jeb shyly. She still didn’t know what to call him. Mr. Lyon seemed so formal for the father of the guy she was living with, but Jeb seemed so informal. Ben was already calling him Grandpa like Blaze did, but that didn’t feel right. Sir? Maybe!
“No, Miss Liz, but I really didn’t expect to. Blaze will only get hold of us if something goes wrong,” he smiled at her and she felt a little surge of relief. He apparently didn’t hate her. That was a good start.
“Pass the corn, please,” Matt asked her. Dinner for some reason, at the mess hall or dining hall, or whatever people wanted to call it, was served family style. The servers put bowls on the table and everyone passed. Mariah, the head cook, said it was more set up to get people acquainted and talk. Breakfast and lunch were buffet style set up on steam tables, because people wandered in and out over the course of a few hours. Dinner had a set time. Clients often went elsewhere for dinner, and Mariah wanted the kitchen cleaned and the staff sent home at a decent time.
She reached out and took the big bowl of corn and passed it over.
“Yes,” Candy said. “In the case of trail rides and campouts, no news is good news. Blaze does this three or four times a year, and has since he was ten and took it over a few years back when Jeb decided he didn’t want to sleep on the ground anymore. Blaze can handle anything that comes up.”
“He seems like a capable young man,” Liz replied. “I’m glad he’s going to keep an eye on Ben.”
“Couple years from now, Ben will be just as capable. Blaze led his first three-day ride when he was sixteen. Ben’s coming up on that,” Jeb said.
Liz almost choked. Ben was still a baby! There was no way he could do anything like that.
“Matt, did you know Blaze is wanting his own cabin?” Candy asked. “He asked about Earth Song Cabin. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”
Matt shook his head. “He’d mentioned wanting to get out of the bunk house before winter. Don’t blame him. He’s a grown man and probably wants to have a social life at some point. Taking a girl home to a bunk house isn’t conducive to that.”
Jeb nodded. “He does need a place of his own. Last thing we want is for him to think of taking off. We’ll keep the boy happy.”
“Do you think there is chance he will?” Liz asked, startled. She’d thought Blaze was here forever, like the trees and rose bushes. It never occurred to her any of the Lyon men would leave Rose’s Ranch.
“No,” Matt and Jeb said simultaneously.
“Kid will be here long after we’re all gone,” Jeb said. “It’s in his blood like mine.”
“What am I, chopped liver?” Matt complained.
Jeb cocked his head and looked at him. “Blaze lives and breathes this ranch. You work here.” He held his hand up as Matt started to protest, and Liz felt a thrill of nerves. “Not saying you don’t do a great job. You do and you and I both know it. But that boy will be here till the day he dies. You might head off to another adventure at some point.”
Matt stared at him, and Liz shivered. Was he planning to leave? Had she uprooted her life for nothing?
Matt cocked his head toward Liz, “Got my hands full with this adventure right now.”
Not saying a word, Liz took a big bite of her roll. No pressure, right? So why did she suddenly feel like there was?
Chapter Four
Matt got on his horse, Silver, and headed out to the back 80. There were some horses up there that needed checked on and he wanted to work on some fence. He also needed to think about what his dad had said.
No one knew he thought of leaving. No one. Not even Liz. Grinning, he figured if she held something like that back from him, he’d blister her butt for it. But, he’d not said the leave word to anyone out loud. Now, though he didn’t really feel stuck, he was. He’d moved Liz here, with her son. That was a commitment. If he decided he wanted to leave, he’d already committed to not only her, but to Ben. He couldn’t uproot Ben. He and Liz could wander the country at will, and he had the suspicion, she’d be quite happy doing that with him. But he was committed to Ben. Ben had to go to school. Ben needed roots and a secure environment to grow up in. The kid had already had way too much turmoil in his life. His dad had died, then they had to move. His mom had to get two jobs. They had to move again, which meant another school change. He’d been so miserable there, his uncle had paid for two years of private school for him, where he’d done better. Then this past year, he’d had to change schools yet again, when they moved here.
That was a lot of upheaval for one little life.
Since his dad had died, he couldn’t even send him to his dad’s for a summer,
like a lot of people did with their kids. He and Kim had shared custody of Blaze for six years. He’d gone back and forth. He still did to some point, but this was his home. However, when he was younger, he knew if he wanted to go away for a week, Blaze could go to his mom, plus his grandpa was around. Ben had no grandparents, sadly, except his dad’s mom who had Alzheimer’s, and Liz had very few options. She was the one in charge of Ben in all ways. Now, he was too, because he loved Ben’s mom.
He knew Ben didn’t think of him as his dad, but they were at least getting to be friends and he was settling in here. The kid was, what? Thirteen? He had at the very least five more years before he went to college. Because of his love for Liz, he was here at least five more years.
He’d just have to accept that fact. It wasn’t like he was miserable here. He just wanted some travel and excitement in his life, a new challenge.
He needed to get past that. For Liz. For Ben. They were worth it.
* * *
Liz felt antsy and unsettled. It had been two days since she’d heard from her son. She knew he was fine, it was just hard. She wasn’t used to not being a mom for more than the occasional night here and there when he stayed over with a friend, or spent a few days with Eric and Holly. Even then she could check on him, not that she needed to, she reminded herself. She was not a helicopter mom. Just a concerned one, and there was a difference.
Right?
Maybe?
“Matt, I need to do something.” She’d gone up to the barn, to head him off. She didn’t want him coming home to her nerves.
He looked at her calmly. “Movie, dinner out, swimming, boat, ATV, horse ride, what?” He looked so at home here in the barn. She wanted to belong somewhere, too. Right now, her nerves sang and she couldn’t deal with life. Why was she so upset? She had no clue.
Apparently Matt did, though. “Head to the boat dock,” he said.
Too stressed to do anything else, she turned around and headed down. It was an almost half a mile, but she made it in record time. No one was there, but she hoped he’d be right behind her. She needed… something… what? Looking over the gorgeous clear lake, she tried to calm her thoughts. There were all the brand new paddleboats Candy had purchased in the last few years. They were in high demand. Eric and Holly would probably go paddle boating when they came.
There were three pontoon boats that could hold up to ten people, to be rented. You could fish or swim off them, or just putter around the huge lake and have lunch or dinner. Fish or swim off them. Technically she knew they weren’t party boats, but she’d heard rumors from some of the kids who cleaned them of the beer cans and other things they’d found on them after some all day parties. As long as no one got hurt, she didn’t think it mattered.
There were a half a dozen rowboats and several small powerboats that could be rented for water skiing or tubing.
Liz sat on one of the benches and stared across the lake. How was she going to deal with this? All she wanted was to calm down. She hoped Matt would be able to calm her. Someone needed to. Or she could drink…
Now that was a plan. She didn’t drink often, but right now, an icy cold margarita sounded very good. Calm through chemicals!
She heard Matt coming up behind her, and as if he’d read her mind, had two cold beers in his hand. Not a margarita, but it would work.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, taking one and popping the top.
“Welcome,” he said. “Gorgeous night, isn’t it? Blaze and Gabe will have a nice big, but safe, campfire. The horses will be pastured. Tents set up and the campers will be eating fish they caught today. Everyone is having a great time, telling stories around the fire and enjoying the southern Illinois fresh air. Bet Ben has found a girl or two to keep him company.”
Liz laughed, feeling a little calmer. “He’s not old enough for girl,” she nudged him comfortably. “He’s just a baby. Now, your boy, on the other hand….”
“My boy hasn’t shown much interest in girls,” Matt said. “Ever. He’s always been a ranch hand. Working with the horses and on the ranch.”
Liz took a long sip of her icy beer and wondered why she didn’t drink more often. She also wondered if she should tell Matt what she sort of knew about Blaze but decided not to. She wasn’t sure, for one thing, and didn’t want to spoil what seemed to be a good night, because she wasn’t sure how he’d take the news. If it was news.
“I hope the same for Ben,” she said. “If he grows up to be a man like Blaze, or like you, I’ll be the proudest mom in the world.”
“I’ll do my best to be a good role model for him,” Matt pulled her closer and she snuggled in. They looked over the lake, and watched the sun go down. Gorgeous pink and red streaks striped across the horizon as the sun set behind the trees.
“The sun looks like its tucking itself away into the trees,” she marveled. The soft rolling hills of southern Illinois were still bright green and filled with lush vegetation. Soon they would be turning brilliant fall colors. She couldn’t wait to see the sight. Fall had always been her favorite season, and Matt had told her there was no prettier place to be, other than New England, in the fall, than here. He also had promised to take her to New England one year. Not this year, she hoped, she just wanted to stay here and nest this year. However, one day, she would go with him. Maybe on their honeymoon. Eric and Holly had gone to Maine on their honeymoon and Holly said it was the best time she’d ever had. She and Troy had gone to New Orleans and she had loved it, but ever since Matt had mentioned it, she wanted nothing more than to go to New England with him. With a ring on her finger. She swallowed a gasp. Where had that come from?
They finished their beers in silence, while they watched the sun sink behind the trees, then he grabbed her hand. “Come on, I’m going to teach you to row.”
“Row?” Liz got to her feet. It was dark! She could be a good sport, though. “Why not? How hard can it be?”
“It’s not hard, but it’s going to wear you out before I get you home and wear you out some more,” Matt tugged at her arm and laughed.
Shaking her head, she laughed back at him and said, “Race you!”
“Watch where you run!” he said, jumping up to follow her.
* * *
Panting, Liz rolled over, off her guy. Yeah, what three, four? She’d been too busy to count, but damn, the man was good in the sack. Was there anything wrong with him? Anything he did badly? How did she end up here with the hot guy, in this great place and with a perfect couple of part time jobs? Her kid seemed happy, and… something would go wrong. She just knew it. When was it going to happen? She hoped it was later, but, “Liz, baby, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”
Smiling over at Matt, she said, soothingly, “No. I was just thinking about how freaking perfect you are. I’m tired of it. You need to have a fault. Fit in with the real world.”
Matt propped himself up on an arm and flipped a finger over her nipple, making her shiver. “I have faults. Lots of them.”
She rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him, “Do not.”
“Do too,” he grinned, and grabbed her flipping her over his lap while she squealed. “See? I like to paddle my….” he paused and her heart raced. His what? “Your butt.”
Liz tried not to react. Okay then. Then the first swat came down and she forgot her disappointment. Yeah, this was what she wanted.
“Better?” he asked her smugly, half an hour later.
“Better than what?” she snuggled up next to him.
“You’re funny,” he said. “Did you take inventory of all my faults? Count them down?”
“I was supposed to be counting?” She moaned. “Now you tell me!”
“Sorry,” he grinned at her. “See, another fault of mine. I’m just racking them up all the place now, aren’t I?”
‘Yeah, you are. Much better. No one wants to be with a perfect guy. Way too much pressure!”
“Or something to live up to,” he poked her in the belly, then his ton
gue licked her belly button till she giggled. “I want you to get a belly button piercing,” he told her.
“You want what?” Liz gasped.
“Yeah, I want to put my mark on you. I want a shiny, sparkling piece of jewelry, right here,” he traced around her belly button again.
“I don’t even have my ears pierced,” she gasped. “And you want me to…”
Propping up on one elbow, he kissed her. “Yeah. I do. Think about it a few days, okay? Promise? It’s not like a tattoo. If you don’t like it, you can take it out.”
“It will probably hurt,” She complained. For some reason, while she’d never thought about it, she wasn’t opposed to this idea.
“Not for long, and I’ll hold your hand,” he said. “And it will make me very happy.”
“I’ll think about it and do some research on it. Have anyone in mind to do it?”
“Yup. I do. Will tell you about her later.”
Liz snuggled against him. His mark. Yeah. She kind of wanted that. She wanted to belong to him. A wedding ring would be nicer, but, this could be a step in the right direction.
* * *
Coming out of the dental office the next day, Liz stopped and blinked in the bright light. It was a gorgeous day. Mid afternoon sun blazed down and she thought immediately of Ben and hoped he was having a good time. He was. No worries there. So why was she worrying? Work had chased most of the biggest worries from her mind today, but it still niggled. She was being a silly over protective helicopter mom like the ones she read about on the Internet forums. All she had to do was get over herself. How hard could that be?
“Liz!” A familiar voice hailed her. Turning, she saw Candy coming out of the salon a few doors down.
“Hi! What are you doing in town?” She smiled; obviously she’d gotten her haircut. Silly question.
