Curtis (Coyote Ridge) (Volume 1)

by Nicole Edwards

  “What’s wrong?” Lorrie asked when Curtis stilled inside her.

  “Nothin’.”

  “Doesn’t sound like nothin’,” she said, laughing at the strangled sound of his voice.

  “Don’t laugh,” he warned.

  That only made her laugh harder.

  “I’m gonna come, Lorrie. Keep it up and I’m gonna come before you ever get yours.”

  That hushed her right up. She’d been waiting too long for this. For several weeks now, Curtis had been finding one way or another to put her off when she mentioned sex. She knew he was worried. She’d been worried, too. For the first few months, she’d spent every minute of every day scared to death. Because of her previous miscarriage, she was seeing the doctor more regularly than if she hadn’t lost a baby, and each time she’d gone, the doctor had assured her the baby was doing just fine. In fact, the baby was on target to be as big as Curtis eventually, which, honestly, was scary in its own right. She wasn’t all that big, so having a big baby…

  Okay, so she’d have to think more about that later.

  “Make love to me,” she whispered, framing his face as he hovered above her. “Slowly.”

  His hips began to rock, and Lorrie relaxed, holding on to him although he kept his arms locked so that he wasn’t pressing against her belly. It was more proof that he was scared he would hurt her or the baby.

  “Turn over,” she insisted when it was clear he was trying too hard not to hurt her.

  “What?” he asked, his hips stilling.

  “I said turn over. On your back.”

  Shifting her legs, she forced his erection to fall from her body, which resulted in a disappointed grunt from Curtis, but he did what she asked. Finally.

  “Now don’t you dare move,” she commanded, once again straddling his hips.

  She leaned down, kissing his lips, trying to get him to focus on her.

  “Touch me, Curtis. Put your hands on me.”

  His hands slid up her back, and she was surprised she didn’t purr like a cat, they felt so good against her skin. While she kissed him, her tongue stroking his, she tried to control the urgency. With Curtis, it wasn’t easy. She wanted him so badly, needed him to do all those naughty things he’d done to her before, but she knew that would be pushing it.

  When he was good and distracted, she slid her hand between their bodies and guided him home.

  “Oh, baby,” he groaned into her mouth. “I love bein’ inside you.”

  Lorrie sat up, her hands on his chest as she began to rock her hips, doing all the work while he watched. The man was so damn sexy. All that sun-bronzed skin covering sleek muscle, her name tattooed proudly on his chest. He was a work of art.

  At thirty-two, Curtis was even sexier than he’d been at nineteen, and back then, she hadn’t thought it possible.

  “So beautiful,” he breathed, his hands on her hips.

  Lorrie began rocking faster, taking him deeper, until she knew he wouldn’t be able to handle slow and easy anymore. He urged her forward, and she leaned down, her breasts crushed to his chest as he began to thrust into her from beneath. It didn’t take much before she was hanging on the razor-sharp edge of bliss, wishing he would go over with her.

  Lorrie met his gaze, hanging on as long as she could. “Come for me, Curtis.”

  He groaned, thrusting harder, faster, until her orgasm detonated, nearly leveling her at the same time he grunted his release.

  chapter FORTY-SIX

  SATURDAY, JULY 15,1978

  Though there have been many moments in my lifetime, today is by far the best yet. I have given birth to the most precious little boy I’ve ever seen. Yes, I might be a little biased. Though Curtis thinks he looks like me, I think he looks just like his daddy. So handsome. So perfect.

  “Curtis!”

  It took a moment for his groggy brain to wake, but he instantly registered Lorrie’s voice, her tone. She wasn’t screaming, but she was whispering awfully loudly.

  “What is it, baby?” he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

  “I think we should go to the hospital,” she said, a smile in her voice.

  He was up out of the bed with his jeans tugged on before he realized he was standing. “Is everything okay?”

  It took a moment to see that she was standing up, already dressed, hair brushed, looking as though she hadn’t a care in the world.

  “Everything’s perfect.” Her grin faltered momentarily as she put her hand on her belly. “But my water broke and I’m having contractions, so I think it’s time.”

  Her water had broken.

  Contractions.

  Christ.

  He was frozen in place.

  “Curtis, you should probably finish getting dressed. Then maybe, you know, grab the suitcase.”

  Right.

  Shirt.

  Shoes.

  Suitcase.

  Truck.

  Hospital.

  Shit.

  They were having a baby today!

  An hour later, they were checked in and Lorrie was resting comfortably in the room.

  “Unghh. Oh, it hurts.”

  Okay, maybe not comfortably. According to the nurse, the contractions were about two minutes apart and lasting a lot longer. Now, they were waiting on the doctor, who had already been called and was on his way.

  “Well, well, well,” the voice said from the doorway. “Looks like you’re going to have a baby today and right on time, too.”

  Lorrie squeezed Curtis’s hand, and he leaned over the bed, kissing her forehead.

  “Let’s check out your cervix, see how much you’ve dilated.”

  Curtis focused on Lorrie while the doctor stuck his hand beneath the sheet, between Lorrie’s legs. She squeezed his fingers numb for a few seconds, then let go.

  “I don’t think this one is going to be all that stubborn,” the doctor said. “You’re fully dilated. It’s time to get this show on the road.”

  Already? Curtis had heard horror stories about labor lasting hours and hours and hours. Sometimes days. Hell, even Joseph had spent at least eight hours with their firstborn.

  “You ready for this?” Lorrie asked, her voice weak.

  “I’ve been ready for this my whole life,” he said reassuringly.

  A couple of nurses joined them in the room, and the next thing Curtis knew, the doctor was telling Lorrie to push. Curtis didn’t know what he was supposed to do, but he knew to keep his mouth shut unless he was encouraging her, so he did. He held Lorrie’s hand, brushed her hair back from her face while she scrunched up her cute little nose and attempted to push a human right out of her…

  “I can see the head,” the doctor said.

  Okay, well, looked as though she was further along than he’d thought.

  “Give me another good, hard push, Lorrie,” the doctor urged.

  Lorrie did as she was told, once again attempting to squeeze Curtis’s fingers right off his hand. Not that he gave a shit. She could break every bone in his body and he’d still be standing there, still loving her with his whole heart.

  “That’s it,” the doctor said. “One more.”

  Lorrie once again pushed as Curtis divided his attention between Lorrie’s face and the doctor’s. And that’s when he saw it. The doctor’s smile made his chubby cheeks bunch up, but Curtis considered that a good sign.

  “Congratulations,” the doctor said, holding up a slimy, wrinkled little body. “It’s a boy.”

  It took everything in his power to remain on his feet. The news was so welcome he wasn’t sure how he was still standing.

  Lorrie started to laugh, then she started to cry. Then more laughter. It was all so confusing for Curtis, but he remained stoically by her side until they placed the tiny little bundle against Lorrie’s chest. He wasn’t as slimy anymore, thank God. Curtis stared down at the little thing wrapped in a little blue blanket.

  “Oh, my God, Curtis,” Lorrie whispered. “He’s perfect.”

&n
bsp; Yes. He was definitely that.

  chapter FORTY-SEVEN

  SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1978

  Travis Glenn Walker.

  My first thought when I looked at him… The doctor is wrong. He might not think this precious little boy will be stubborn, but a mother knows these things. My prediction is that Travis will be as strong-willed as his father. Which isn’t a bad thing. He’s absolutely perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes, his father’s nose, and his father’s dark hair. We’re truly blessed. Welcome, and thank you for expanding our little family, Travis.

  WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1980

  Sawyer Anthony Walker.

  My first thought when I looked at him… This one is going to be a handful. Although Travis has given us a run for our money these last couple of years, I have a funny feeling that Sawyer is going to be the wild one in the bunch. A mother knows these things. And just like his brother, Sawyer looks like his father. Same nose, same dark hair. Such a sweet, sweet boy. Welcome to the family, Sawyer.

  SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1981

  Kaleb Allen Walker.

  My first thought when I looked at him… He’s going to be the level-headed one. I don’t know how I know that, but I do. Maybe it was the fact that I was in labor for far longer than with the first two. I think Kaleb was waiting for the right moment to arrive. Yes, I have to say, I predict he’ll be just like his father, making sure things are managed even if his older brothers want to be in charge. A mother knows these things. And just like Sawyer and Travis, Kaleb looks like Curtis. Well, maybe he looks a little like me. Welcome to the family, Kaleb.

  MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1984

  Braydon Joshua and Brendon Matthew Walker.

  My first thought when I looked at them… Oh, heavens, I don’t know how I’m going to keep up with two at one time. Three is more than a handful; adding two more to the mix… I’m likely going to go crazy. Still, I find myself smiling. They are precious in every way. I think Curtis and I have done a fine job with Travis, Sawyer, and Kaleb so far, so I think we’ll be just fine with two more. I only hope Mrs. Walker is willing to help out, because it’s safe to say that we’re gonna need the extra hands. Welcome to the family, my sweet twins, Braydon and Brendon.

  MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1986

  Ethan Thomas Walker.

  My first thought when I looked at him… This sweet little boy is going to be the strongest of them all. I predict that he’ll need us to look over him, but we won’t be able to let him know we are. He’ll be independent like that, thinking he should carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. I can say, he’ll never have to worry because we’ll always be there for him. No matter what he needs. And just like the others, we’ll need to make certain he understands that love is unconditional. Welcome to the family, Ethan.

  FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1989

  Zane Michael Walker.

  My first thought when I looked at him… Sawyer will meet his match with this one. I predict that Zane’s going to be as easygoing as my pregnancy has been with him. He’s going to float through life, do what he pleases. A mother knows these things. But just like with his brothers, we’ll make sure he knows right from wrong, that he understands it’s important to stand up for what you believe in. He’s going to keep everyone on their toes, not just us. And that … that I look forward to.

  Although I thought one day we might have a little girl, I can’t say that I’m disappointed with all boys. And since seven is a lucky number, we’ve decided this little guy will be our last.

  Welcome, and thank you for completing our family, Zane.

  PART FOUR

  “To love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever.”

  ~ Henry Drummond

  chapter FORTY-EIGHT

  March 15, 2016

  Curtis ambled into the kitchen, drawn by the enticing aroma of fresh-baked something or other and coffee. It was the same smell he’d been roused by for the last … oh, forty-some-odd years or so.

  “Mornin’, darlin’,” he greeted his wife, kissing her smooth cheek as he silently inhaled her sweet scent. She smelled better than the biscuits, no doubt about it. He’d been addicted to her scent since the very first day he’d met her—a lifetime ago—and he found he still couldn’t get enough of her. Last night, for instance…

  Okay, so maybe now was not the time to think about last night and the sexy way his wife had been moving against him. Only because the light, flowery fragrance wasn’t the only thing he noticed about his beautiful wife this morning.

  Taking a step back, he took a good long look at her, studying her face. “You okay? Your face is warm.”

  Lorrie shook her head as she said, “I’m good.”

  Her tone was a little less enthusiastic than he’d expected. Not that he thought his wife of fifty-two years was going to jump up and down because he’d made an appearance, but he had grown accustomed to her cheerful tone.

  “Do you feel all right?” he probed, taking the cup of coffee she offered before moving toward the table.

  Lorrie nodded. “Just a little sluggish.”

  “Kidney again?” For the past year, Lorrie had been experiencing a series of kidney infections that had left the doctors baffled. And because they continued to treat them with antibiotics, the infection would clear up, then a couple of months later, it would return. No one seemed to know why.

  “I don’t think so.” Lorrie turned to him and forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her pretty blue eyes. “Now quit worryin’ about me and eat your breakfast.”

  Even forced, her smile was radiant—Lorrie had always had the brightest, most beguiling smile he’d ever seen, and she’d only gotten prettier over the years—even if there were lines near her eyes that reflected the pain she was in. The pain she was pretending not to be in. That was Lorrie, always looking out for everyone else, oftentimes at her own expense.

  But Curtis knew his wife better than he knew himself. For more than half their lives, she’d been putting him first. Always.

  Well, maybe not always. If he recalled correctly, it had taken him a little while to win her over back in the beginning. He smiled at the memory.

  “Come join me, honey,” he urged, nodding toward the empty seat beside him as he focused on her.

  “As soon as I clean up—”

  “I’ll do the dishes,” he interrupted.

  Lorrie’s head turned, her questioning gaze pinning him in place.

  “What?” he grumbled, the corners of his mouth twitching as he tried to hide his smile. She always gave him that same look when he offered to do something she thought him incapable of doing. “I can do the dishes.”

  It was true. He could. Even if she rarely allowed him to. Then again, he thought they had a fancy little automatic dishwasher for just that purpose. But it wasn’t his ability to clean them that was the issue, or so he’d been told. Apparently he didn’t put them in their proper place. If you asked him, a cupboard was a cupboard was a cupboard.

  “Please, darlin’,” he drawled, cocking his head to the side, giving her that smile she always seemed to warm to.

  It apparently worked, because she gifted him with another grin, accompanied by a brief eye roll, then poured herself a cup of coffee—added one sugar and a drop of milk, as usual—then joined him at the table.

  “Have you heard from Travis?” He leaned back in his chair as he watched her. She was moving slower than usual, and when she eased into the chair, Curtis knew something wasn’t right.

  But for the time being, he pretended not to notice.

  Lorrie nodded. “Yep. Kylie went for her prenatal checkup, and she’s doin’ good. She’s officially fourteen weeks along, and the baby’s doin’ good.”

  “Is it a girl?”

  “How would I know?” Lorrie asked, grinning—a full-blown smile this time.

  Fine. If Travis, Kylie, and Gage didn’t want to know the sex of the baby, then neither did he. “And Braydon?”

  Another nod. “Yep. Jess
went for her checkup last week. Looks as though we’re gonna have two more grandbabies at almost the same time.”

  Not long after Christmas, Travis had announced that Kylie was pregnant with their second child, followed by Braydon’s announcement that Jessie was pregnant, despite the fact that their wedding hadn’t taken place until February. According to his boy, he’d gotten tired of waiting. Made sense.

  And those announcements had been the whipped cream topping on a damn good year. After all, the Walker family had grown by two more when Vanessa had given birth to Reid, making Zane a proud papa back in July, as well as Kaleb and Zoey bringing their second little one, Kellan, into the world only a month later. Now that their oldest grandchild, Mason, was two, Lorrie was at the boys to keep giving her more grandkids to spoil. It seemed to be working.

  “And Kate?” he asked, referring to Travis’s sixteen-month-old daughter.

  “Just a cold. And she’s better. Back to keepin’ her fathers on their toes according to Kylie.”

  That he believed. Since he and Lorrie had only boys, Curtis had a hard time around little girls. Granted, Kate was their only granddaughter, not to mention, the cutest thing he’d ever laid eyes on, but he couldn’t deny that all that pink made him nervous.

  Lorrie winced, and Curtis instantly sat up straight, reaching for her hand. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she insisted, her voice strained.

  Yeah, he’d been down this road before.

  “That’s it, woman. I’m takin’ you to the doctor.” He was on his feet and heading for the phone before she could argue. When he turned back, he noticed she was looking paler than before, which worried him. Reaching for the receiver on the wall, he quickly dialed the phone and waited for the doctor to answer.

  Lorrie wasn’t at all surprised when Curtis got to his feet and headed for the telephone. She’d learned long ago not to bother arguing with her husband. For one, it wouldn’t do her any good. When the stubborn old fart set his mind to something, there was no way to change it, and arguing would just prolong the inevitable.