Rock Hard Daddy: A Single Dad & A Virgin Romance

by Rye Hart

  “Are you married?” I asked, the question falling from my lips with guarded sort of optimism.

  “A lot of people ask me that,” he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “It must be because of the house, huh?”

  If he were to ask me, I would have said it had more to do with rugged handsomeness, but it seemed a bit out of line.

  “I suppose so,” I agreed, moving to stand beside him, staring at the house.

  After a moment I dared to steal a look at him and he was smiling down at me. My heart fluttered again and I offered a shy smile in return.

  “Let’s get you inside and get you cleaned up.”

  He guided me toward the house and as I followed him, I had the sneaking suspicion that this man would become my everything.

  Chapter Five

  Rick was an amazing man. In the months that I’d spent in Colorado, I’d learned so much about him. He’d been born in Illinois and when he was fifteen his pa moved them out west towards Montana. Billings turned out to be far too crowded for Rick, so he went off to make his own destiny when he turned eighteen.

  He’d fought in countless militias and been on hundreds of raids, mostly saving people like he’d saved me. I hated the way his eyes got so sad when he talked about the people he could save or the raids they’d gone on where everyone had been killed. He considered me a miracle and I wasn’t going to argue with him.

  I was given my own bedroom in the home and he’d even purchased dresses for me. Beautiful, flowing things made of light cotton and dipped in bright colors that were extracted from the strange plants that grew in the western soil.

  I’d lived my entire life in Georgia and while I’d seen the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains and lived amongst the Southern hills, I’d never seen anything like the mountains in Colorado. They stretched up towards the skies as if their outstretched fingers were reaching for the clouds. I fell in love with them and told Rick I wanted to climb them. He laughed a little at my admission but never once told me I couldn’t do it.

  He was a supportive man and he cared for me in ways I’d only ever dreamed of. We weren’t lovers or even love interests, but he showed me kindness and respect and that was more than I’d ever hoped for. Most of the men that had been left back home in Georgia were cruel and prone to drink. Rick gave me a sense of hope, a belief that there were still good men in this world.

  We spent our nights together, talking by the fire and exchanging stories. He seemed deeply interested in what had happened to my small home town. It saddened him that so many people were losing their livelihoods in the name of so-called progress. He scoffed at the word, spitting it out as it left a bad taste in his mouth.

  The scar on my neck was hard to forget about. Rick and I would be having one of our usual conversations and I’d catch his eyes wandering over to it. I would shut down immediately and hide in my room. I’d settle at the vanity and try to cover the scar with my thick, red hair. I didn’t want Rick looking at it;I didn’t want anyone looking at it, but that was unavoidable.

  Rick took me to the town doctor and the man inspected it closely, assuring me there would be no lasting physical damage other than the scar. As the words left his mouth he patted my knee and offered me a sad look, knowing what the presence of the scar was going to do to my life. He knew that things would be very difficult for me and he wasn’t wrong.

  I attempted to make friends in the town, chatting with the ladies after church and trying to catch their attention at the small, local market the residents had set up. Some of the women offered me guilty smiles before quickly scuttling away, while others sneered and turned their noses up as I passed. After the first few weeks, I stopped trying at all. It was far too upsetting to continue being pushed aside and ignored.

  It brought me closer to Rick. He must have noticed the way the women treated me, because he always made an extra effort to spend time with me. We became good friends over time and soon, our bond began growing even stronger. I wanted to tell him how I felt, but women just didn’t do that. Besides, who would want to be with a woman who had essentially been branded?

  Since I couldn’t express my feelings for him, I showed him that I cared in other ways. I helped him tend the small garden behind his house and I made sure his clothes were clean. I cooked and scrubbed the floors, doing anything a wife might do. He told me over and over again that I wasn’t obligated, and I told him just as often that I didn’t mind. I liked taking care of him.

  Some of the women at church caught on to the fact that I had feelings for Rick and they made their own advances painfully obvious. A beautiful woman name Claire with long, curly blonde hair would press herself against him in the most indecent way and whisper soft nothings in his ear. The worst part about it was the fact that she was married to the town’s mayor. It was clear she didn’t love him and he didn’t seem to care; as long as he had a pretty woman at his side, the mayor was happy.

  Today was no different than any other day. It was spring and the flowers and trees were finally starting to bloom. A cool breeze swept through the valley we lived in, blowing a woman’s hat right off her head. I managed to snatch it out of the air and smiled, handing it back to her as I wandered through the church yard in search of Rick.

  I found him in a nearby field where some of the men collected to talk after the church service. He had his pipe in his mouth and was laughing at a story one of the other men was telling. My heart warmed and I put my hand over my chest, trying to ignore the tight squeeze of emotion. I needed to stop pining over a man who would never want me.

  As I started to cross the field, I noticed Claire out of the corner of my eye. She had the look of a snake in her eyes as she crept up on the men. I bristled with anger, but stayed behind, not wanting to let my emotions get the better of me. Proper ladies didn’t fight and I just wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my hands off Claire if she teased Rick’s hair one more time.

  Claire came to a stop beside Rick and his mood immediately changed. He went from smiling and laughing to sour and frowning. I was too far to hear what they were saying, but I watched as they exchanged a few lines of banter. She pressed her bosom against him and he rolled his eyes, nudging her away. He started to walk up the hill towards me, the smile returning to his face until Claire grabbed his arm again. He shook her off and offered her a few sharp words before climbing up the hill, leaving her stunned and silent.

  I stood at the top of the hill, my eyes bright and my heart fluttering. He smiled and offered me his arm.

  “Ready to go home, Darlin’?”

  Chapter Six

  ‘Ready to go home, Darlin’?’

  The words echoed in my mind over and over again. My heart was slamming in my chest and the joy in my belly was nearly bubbling over. Time and time again he chose me over Claire. No matter how many times she tried to sneak her way into his bed, he flat out refused.

  One evening, I was stirring a large pot over the fire, glancing up out the window as Rick came inside, knocking his boots off so he didn’t dirty my freshly cleaned floors.

  “How’s dinner coming’?” he asked, glancing up at me as he crossed the main living area.

  “It’s coming,” I said, moving to stand beside him. “How are the cattle?”

  “Actin’ a bit strange, but I’m not sure why,” he said, scratching his head.

  “We’ll figure it out. Come sit and eat.”

  Just as I urged him to eat a loud clap of thunder echoed overhead, causing me to jump and gasp, my eyes wide. I hadn’t been expecting the noise and flash of light that followed it. I stumbled forward and Rick caught me in those strong, warm arms and held me close. I could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke.

  “Let’s eat outside?” he suggested.

  I hesitated, but finally nodded. I trusted Rick. I always trusted him. I knew he would keep me safe. I spooned our stew into two metal bowls and followed him outside. We sat under the canopy of the large porch, leaning against each other and watching the br
ight light flash across the sky.

  “You remind me of lightning,” he said after a moment.

  I blinked and looked over at him, a bit shocked by the comment. “I remind you of lightning? How in the world is that?”

  “You’re bright, intense, and often silent.”

  “Lightning isn’t silent,” I snorted.

  “Of course it is. Thunder makes the noise. Lightning has its own energy.”

  I blushed deeply and looked down. “If I’m lightning, then what are you?” I asked after a moment, my cheeks burning from embarrassment.

  He smiled a lightly. “I was hoping I could be thunder,” he whispered softly, putting an arm around me.

  I froze up, staring into my stew as lightning danced across the sky. He looked down at me, his fingers pressing into my shoulder with a gentle urgency. I swallowed and looked up at him. He was smiling the gentle smile he always offered me and his hand reached out, fingers dancing over the scar on my neck.

  I turned away, my hand flying up to cover the scar, far too embarrassed by the mark to simply ignore it. “What are you doing?”

  “Exploring your imperfections.”

  “Why?” I asked, tears pooling in my eyes.

  “Because they make you beautiful.”

  I turned to him, the hot tears starting to roll down my cheeks. “I’m not-”

  “Shhh. You are beautiful. You’re beautiful to me. There’s something about you, something different from the other women. Something I’ve never seen in anyone else before.”

  I swallowed thickly, looking down at our laps. “I’m nothing special,” I whispered softly.

  “Of course you are,” he argued. “You’re brave! You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman. You’re my lightning in a bottle.”

  “Why lightning?” I asked, looking up at him.

  “Because there can’t be thunder without it,” he said simply.

  “You’re saying you need me?” I asked, brows furrowed as he took my hand and brought it to his lips.

  Another clap of thunder sounded overhead and lightening illuminated the sky. I saw his face clearly and in his gaze I saw an adoration that no other man had shown me.

  “What are you saying, Rick?” I asked again.

  He leaned in closer so that the space between our lips was so minimal that I could feel his warm breath.

  “I’m asking you to be mine.”

  I started to open my mouth to speak, but before the words of doubt could escape, he pressed his lips to mine and put his hand on the back of my neck, holding me close and refusing to let me go. My body filled with warmth and my fingertips started to tingle. I whimpered underneath him and pressed myself closer, eyes fluttering open and then shut again.

  My fingers tangled in his mess of dark locks and I held him tight, not wanting to let go. We only parted when the need for air grew too strong to ignore. He stroked his fingers through my hair and I barely heard the words he spoke over the sound of my beating heart.

  “Be mine?” he asked again.

  I nodded quickly and threw my arms around him, our lips crashing together again as the heavens danced for us.

  “Yes!” I whispered against his lips breathlessly. “Yes.”

  Chapter Seven

  I was on cloud nine for the next few days. Rick was mine and I was his. We’d held each other through the rest of the storm, sharing adoring kisses and looks of pure bliss. Was this love? I really hoped it was.

  At first I’d been concerned that my feelings towards Rick stemmed from the fact that I felt like I owed him some sort of debt for saving me. I was concerned about the legitimacy of my feelings, but now I knew my love for him was true.

  Though we had yet to say it out loud, we both understood that we were, in fact, in love. It happened fast, but that’s how everything in the west happened. It came through in a whirlwind and swept you off your feet. This was no exception to that rule.

  I decided to stay quiet about it, knowing it might cause a bit of an uproar. Women all over Boulder were trying to get their hands on Rick. He was young, handsome, and had money to spare. He was everything any young woman could have hoped for in a husband, and he was mine.

  I smiled at the thought as I ran my fingers over a brass watch. It had delicate engravings in it, depicting horses. I knew he would love it. It was a bit pricy but our vegetable crop had brought in a rather large sum of money. Rick was actually surprised that I’d managed to grow so much so quickly. He’d struggled with the soil for years and decided to just settle on live stock.

  The elderly man selling the watch thanked me as he handed the money over. I smiled fondly and tucked it carefully in my dress pocket, patting it gently as I head back down the dirt road to our home, practically skipping. I was excited to show Rick his gift.

  About a mile out from my home, I heard the sounds of hooves padding the ground. When I turned I saw Claire riding up behind me on her white steed. She came up beside me, her horse moving at a slow trot to keep pace with me.

  “Why if it isn’t our little stray!” she sang.

  I frowned deeply and tossed a red braid over my shoulder, starting to walk away from her, determined to put some distance between us.

  “Where are you going?” she called after me, her horse blocking my path now.

  I looked up at her and put my hands on my hips. “Aren’t you a little old to be playing these childish games?” I asked.

  I should have been the bigger person and just walked away from the confrontation, but I was tired of Claire butting into every aspect of my life. I wanted to settle this with her once and for all.

  “I’m not playing any games, dear.” she said, a coy, wicked smile coming across her lips.

  She jumped down from her horse and took a step toward me so I took a step back. Her hand flew out at lightning speed and grabbed at my hair, yanking it back and exposing the brand on my neck. I slapped at her hand and she just laughed, pulling it back and shaking her head.

  “I didn’t know my dear Rick liked his women so feral.”

  “I’m not feral,” I whispered, my voice weaker than before.

  “Of course you are. Everyone knows that people who have lived with the Indians can’t be trusted,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re just a shiny new toy for him to play with. He’ll get bored of you soon enough.” She threw out her hand as if to emphasis her point. “Look at you! With that scar and that mess of red hair! Who would want you?” she asked, snorting and crossing her arms.

  Sadness overwhelmed me for a moment. I stood there and stared at the beautiful woman before me, doubt in my heart. I brushed my fingers over my messy curls and looked down at them for a moment. I touched the deep scars on my neck and my heart dropped into my stomach. I stood there for a long time, feeling inadequate and ugly.

  ‘You can’t have thunder without lightning.’

  I recalled his words and remembered that Rick loved me, my bravery, and my spirit. It wasn’t my face he’d fallen in love with, it was my soul. My gaze snapped to hers and I frowned deeply.

  “Claire, you can be as cruel to me as you want, but I know the truth,” I said softly. “Rick picked me. At the end of the day he brushed you aside and he picked me, because he values a woman’s brain and her soul. Your beauty is going to fade one day, Claire, and I hope for your sake that you find someone who loves you the way Rick loves me before that happens,” I said, turning away from her.

  I could feel her stunned silence as she stared after me. “You little- “

  “Claire. That’s enough,” Rick’s voice echoed through the valley.

  I turned and smiled, my breath catching in my throat as I stared at him. “Rick.”

  His horse trotted over to me and he offered his hand, helping to swing me up over the saddle. “Claire, I want you to stay away from me and Corine,” he said, pulling me close to his chest.

  She stared at us, mouth hanging open in disbelief. “What do you mean?”

  �
�If you continue to harass us, I won’t think twice about telling your husband what you do when he’s away,” Rick said matter-of-factly.

  Her mouth snapped closed and she stared at me for a long moment, anger dancing across her features. I could tell she wanted to rip me apart, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was the way Rick pressed his lips against mine. He nudged his horse with his heel and we rode off down the road, leaving Claire in our dust.

  Chapter Eight

  Claire didn’t bother me again after that. I could feel her eyes burning a hole in the back of my head all through church, but I didn’t pay her much mind. She was very much like a child and she was just angry that I had something she thought belonged to her. For some strange reason, she was convinced that I’d stolen Rick from her when he’d never been hers in the first place.

  Despite her jealousy, she and her gaggle stayed far away from me, leaving me to live in peace with the man I was falling deeper and deeper in love with each day. Every day that passed was a new testament to our love. I couldn’t believe that I’d gotten so lucky. I hated to admit it, but being taken prisoner by the Indians was the best thing that had ever happened to me. Without that terrifying ordeal, I never would have met Rick. I would probably be in Montana right now, married to a mining tycoon who could care less about me. I might be like Claire.

  I shuddered at the thought and Rick glanced over toward me. “Is everything okay, Sweetheart?”

  I loved his nicknames for me. They gave me goose flesh and made me shiver in the most delightful way.

  “Of course. Just a little chilly,” I said, brushing some hair out of my eyes.

  He frowned and looked up at the sky, which was quickly turning from a bright blue to almost black. A few of the preacher’s cattle were lowing at the sky, stomping in the mud. They were clearly distressed, though I couldn’t place why. I’d seen animals get like this before storms, but never this bad.

  “This temperature dropped awfully fast, didn’t it?” he asked, guiding me towards our horses.