by June Faver
“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured. Finding her warm and wet, he quickly applied a condom and eased into her.
“Oh, Beau!” She had almost forgotten how it felt to be joined to this man—this man she had loved most of her life.
He began to stroke inside her, slowly at first and then picking up rhythm. Dixie raised her hips to meet his thrusts. She felt the gathering tension low in her belly. Her breath was labored as she struggled to keep up with her very athletic partner.
Beau knew her body. He knew where and how to touch her, and he was doing a damned fine job of it.
She matched his thrusts as the choreography of their dance raced to a climax. Gripping him with both her arms and legs, she writhed against him, bringing exquisite pressure to her core. Yes! A tsunami of an orgasm grabbed her and rode her like a demon, turning her inside out and making her groan softly to keep from screaming.
When she could catch her breath, she opened her eyes to find Beau grinning at her.
“Ready to go again?”
“Beast!”
“Hey, I’m the man who loves you. I’m the man who just rocked your world.” He kissed her damp temple. “And I’m willing to do it again,” he whispered close to her ear.
Chapter 6
The next morning, Dixie opened her eyes cautiously. She was cradled in Beau’s arms, her head cushioned on his big, cushy bicep. She tried to feel regret over her actions of the previous evening but couldn’t. She had been aching to be in Beau’s arms since she had first laid eyes on him again. Yes, she hated him, but she loved him as well.
Now what? Now, I get up. It would not do for Ava to wake up and discover a naked man in the guest room…or her mother snuggled in his arms.
Dixie gazed at Beau’s face. He looked so relaxed. A smile curved his lips. He appeared to be happier than she had seen him since her return. She sighed and tried to slip out of his arms, but they tightened around her.
“Whoa! Where do you think you’re going?”
“I need to get up.”
“Do you? It’s not fair for you to take advantage of me and then just toss me aside.”
She snorted. “Oh, is that the way it happened?”
He nuzzled her neck. “I just came over to talk, and you jumped on me. I had no choice other than to try to satisfy your voracious sexual appetite.”
She laughed in spite of her resolve, resting her head against his shoulder. “Yeah, you stick with that story, cowboy.”
Beau rolled her onto her back and kissed her. Kissed her so well she forgot about climbing out of bed. Forgot about everything except the lips kissing her and the hands caressing her.
“Mommy?”
They jerked apart, turning to stare at the wide-eyed little girl standing in the doorway.
Dixie cleared her throat and gathered the sheets around her. “Yes, darling. Mommy will be up to make your breakfast in a minute. I’m sure you’re hungry.”
Beau pulled the sheets to cover himself. “Good morning, Ava.”
She grinned at him, drawing closer to the bed.
“Ava, honey…could you go on and get your clothes on? I’ll have your breakfast made by the time you get done.”
Beau winked at her. “I’ll race you. Bet I get dressed before you do.”
Ava let out a shriek of laughter and tore out of the room.
Beau threw back the covers and pulled on the Wranglers he had tossed beside the bed. “Go get dressed. I’ll handle this.” He fastened his belt but left off his shirt and boots. Barefoot, he headed for the kitchen.
Dixie closed the door behind him and gathered her clothes. In no time she had her nightshirt on, but it wasn’t enough. She paced around the guest room. Ava was in her bedroom, with all the clothing she had packed for the two of them. And here she was in her nightshirt with no panties.
She heard the sound of Ava’s footsteps zooming down the hall. At first Dixie thought her daughter was headed for the guest room, but she passed it by and ran to the kitchen.
Dixie expelled a sigh of relief. Thankful for the reprieve, she slipped from the room and tiptoed to her own bedroom. Once inside, she pulled off the nightshirt and scrambled for clothes. She mounted a chaotic search to locate her underwear and found a not-too-wrinkled shirt. Finally, she slipped into her jeans and sandals. Yeah, this would work. Her hair was a mess, so she ran a brush through it and found a scrunchie to twist it up. Glimpsing herself in the mirror, she drew to a stop. Her skin glowed. Her eyes were alert. She looked happy.
Really happy.
She hadn’t felt this way in a long time. Pressing her lips together, she closed her eyes. Don’t let me down, Beau. Not again.
* * *
Beau had found a skillet and was laying strips of bacon in it when a little red-haired bundle of energy came zipping into the kitchen. “Well, look who’s here.”
“You beat me,” she said.
“I wanted to hurry and fix your breakfast.” He gestured to the table. “Why don’t you sit down and talk to me while I work?”
She nodded and followed his direction. Once she had arranged herself, she sat grinning at him.
“Tell me what you like to do, Ava.”
“I like to color and cut and glue.” She giggled. “And glitter. I like to glitter.”
“I see.” Boy, do I have a lot to learn about little girls. “What else? Do you have any pets? A dog or a cat?”
She shook her head, setting the fiery curls into motion. “Nuh-uh. Gramma won’t let us have any.” For a second her lower lip jutted out, and then she sighed. “Do you gots a dog?”
“Yes, we have several dogs at the ranch…and cats too.”
“I wish I had a dog and a cat.” Ava rested her cheeks on her fists. Again the slightly pouty look.
“And we have horses. Lots of horses and cattle—you know, cows.”
“Cows?” Ava’s big blue eyes followed him around the kitchen.
“What are you doing?”
Beau turned to find Dixie, fully dressed, standing in the doorway. “Um, making breakfast.” He pointed to Ava with the spatula. “Our daughter is hungry.”
Dixie’s brows lifted ever so slightly, but she didn’t say anything.
“You’re running a little light on groceries. No eggs. But there is old-fashioned oatmeal in the cupboard, so I’ve got some on the stove. And we have bacon and toast. Hope that will satisfy your…appetite.” He winked at her.
She shook her head but smiled. “That will do.” She went to the cupboard and took out glasses. “We have orange juice and milk.”
“I gave Ava the last of the milk, so we’ll put that on our shopping list.”
“Mmm,” she murmured.
He figured she was feeling a little pressured. Maybe he should back off. But this was everything he had ever wanted right in this room. He couldn’t let these two slip through his fingers.
Dixie poured the juice into two glasses and set them on the table. When she turned around, she looked wary.
He concentrated on arranging the bacon and toast on a platter and scooping the oatmeal into bowls.
When he placed the food on the table, he saw that Dixie had brought brown sugar and butter. Her voice was soft and husky when she spoke. “Thanks for doing this, Beau.”
He leaned down to brush a kiss against her temple. “My pleasure.” He took a seat and reached for the brown sugar, adding a couple of spoonfuls to his oatmeal.
“I want some,” Ava said, pushing her bowl toward him.
“Uh, didn’t you forget something, young lady?” Dixie asked.
Ava heaved a sigh. “May I please have some?”
“Sure,” he said but glanced at Dixie to make sure it was okay. Yeah, I can get the hang of this parenting thing. “What do you ladies have planned for today?”
“I have to go check
out the feed store. I know nothing about running it, but I guess the clerk can tell me what’s going on.”
“Pete. His name is Pete,” Beau said. “He’s been working with your dad for a long time, so I’m sure he can teach you the ropes in no time at all. And there’s a part-time guy who works there too. His name is Josh. He’s younger, and he handles some of the heavy lifting.”
She shrugged. “If you say so.”
“Would you like me to go with you?”
“No…yes…I don’t know.” A muscle near her eye twitched. “I wish I didn’t have to go, but my dad’s will…you know?” She reached for a slice of bacon and bit into it fiercely.
“I know.” He stroked her arm. “Everything’s going to be all right, Dixie. Once you get to know your way around, it will be easy.”
She heaved a sigh. “I sure do hope so. This is going to be a long year.”
Beau felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. A year? It sank in on him that she was dead set on getting back to Dallas. No matter what. So he had a year to change her mind.
* * *
Dixie was in a daze. Somehow, with no particular plan in place, she had wound up with Beau Garrett back in her life. She still couldn’t imagine how he had remained ignorant of the fact that he had fathered a child, but the truth was he seemed to be thrilled with the situation.
He couldn’t take his eyes off Ava, although he did appear to be treading carefully. Now they were playing like June and Ward Cleaver at home—only this wasn’t really her home.
She finished the oatmeal and reached for another slice of bacon. Silently chewing, she observed the interaction between Ava and Beau. She knew her daughter really hadn’t comprehended that this tall, handsome man was her father. Ava didn’t even know what a father was supposed to be.
Dixie heaved a deep sigh. Whatever was happening between them was a direct result of Beau’s barging in on her last night. When she had opened the door, it was as though her hormones had exploded. He wore his “take no prisoners” expression, and that alone set her soul on fire. Her protests were forgotten, as she gave in to the flame that had been burning low in her belly since she had first laid eyes on him again.
No regrets. Sex had always been good, but this was phenomenal. Now she was faced with the aftermath. The man who woke up beside her had now fixed breakfast for her and her daughter. He seemed to have taken his place as a part of the family, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it.
“If you ladies want to get ready, I’ll load the dishwasher, and we can go to town.”
Dixie nodded, motioning for Ava to finish. “We might as well get this over.”
She pawed through her meager wardrobe and chose a jacket, thinking it made her look more professional. As she pulled it on and made sure Ava was dressed appropriately, she came to the conclusion that she was glad Beau was going with her. Glad he would be beside her when she assumed the role of owner at the feed store. Just glad…
She gave her hair a final fluff. Maybe she had taken a little extra care with her makeup, and maybe she wore her most flattering skinny jeans. Maybe she wanted Beau to react…although his reaction was pretty strong last night when she wore a shapeless sleep tee and her clean, shiny face. A giggle escaped her throat, disregarding her efforts to stifle it.
Somehow, in spite of the events of the past few years, she was thrilled that Beau was still in love with her.
* * *
Dixie wanted to take her SUV into town, but instead Beau loaded Ava’s safety seat into the backseat of his truck, and in no time they were on their way to Langston. The familiar countryside whizzed by in a blur. Beau made light conversation, mostly with Ava.
Dixie was aware she wore a smile, and she felt lighter inside than she had in some time. Maybe things would work out between them. No, that wasn’t what she wanted. Her plan was to get through this year and get the hell back to Dallas. She was a city girl now.
She wanted her daughter to have the privileges of growing up in a city with art galleries and theaters. Well, at least that was what her mother wanted for Ava, and somehow Dixie had found herself going along with it.
Beau drove through Langston to the opposite edge of town where Moore’s Feed and Seed was located. He pulled to a stop right in front and climbed out. Before she could get out, he had opened the door and offered his hand.
“Thanks.” She stepped down way too close. Gazing up into his incredible blue eyes, she could almost feel the heat radiating off his body, or maybe it was hers.
He grinned and tipped her chin up, brushing a quick kiss over her lips before opening the back door to retrieve his daughter.
Dixie turned away, hiding a smile. Good kiss. Then her gaze connected to the two men staring at her from the open doorway of the feed store. A rush of heat rose from her chest to paint her cheeks. Not a good first impression on the men who are supposed to be my employees.
Beau lifted Ava out of the truck and kept her in his arms as he strode into the store. “Hey Pete…Josh. I brought Ms. Moore in so you could show her the ropes.”
Josh, the younger man, openly stared at Dixie, checking her out from head to toe and letting his eyes linger on her figure.
The older man, Pete, gave her a lopsided grin. “Howdy, Miz Moore. Sorry ’bout your daddy.”
“Thanks.” Dixie swallowed hard. She remembered all the time she had spent in this building as a child. Pete had been here then, but not the other guy.
“Dixie needs to learn the business, Pete. Why don’t you show her the layout, and then we can get into the way you run this place?”
Josh gave a little wave. “I’ll just be getting back to work.”
Dixie nodded and turned back to Pete.
“Um, sure.” Pete motioned to her and gave her a quick tour of the building, starting with the smaller sacks of grain and seed, garden implements, flower and vegetable seeds, and a selection of fruit and shade trees lined up outside the front door. “Come November, we’ll bring in some pine and fir trees to sell to folks around here for Christmas trees.”
“I remember the Christmas trees,” she said. A rush of nostalgia crowded her chest. She recalled her father letting her pick out the best tree to take home. She also recalled that her mother had found fault with every one of them.
“And in this other room we have a selection of chickens, baby chicks, and supplies.” He led the way, pointing out different breeds and commenting on their characteristics as though she should know about them. “These are Wyandotte, and these are Orpingtons,” he said proudly. “We carry different exotic breeds from time to time.”
“Um, they’re very nice.” The smell was not pleasant. “Who cleans up after them?”
Pete beamed proudly. “Me an’ Josh do it all around here.”
“Mommy,” Ava shrieked. “Look at the bunnies.”
When Dixie found her, Ava was on her knees in front of a cage of various breeds of baby rabbits, a gleeful expression on her face. “Oh, Mommy, can I have a bunny? Please?”
“Of course not. You know Gran won’t allow any pets. I know she won’t stand for any animals in the condo.” She glanced around to find Beau frowning at her. He stood with his feet apart and his arms crossed over his chest. A muscle by his mouth twitched.
Oh, brother. She realized the mention of her home in Dallas had been like a slap in the face to Beau. Well, it was out there. He had to realize she would be going home eventually.
Ava looked stricken, her lower lip trembling. “Gramma’s so mean. She never lets me have anything I want.”
“Honey, I—”
“Can’t I just have one bunny? Gramma won’t know.” Ava’s voice turned whiny.
“We’ll see. Right now I have to find out about this business. Just play with the bunnies while I work.”
Ava was clearly put out, but she did as directed and patted the
small animals through openings in the cage.
“Is this all?” Dixie asked.
“Well, there’s the shed,” Pete offered. “I better get Josh to show you around back there. He’s the one who’s in charge out back.”
“What’s back there?”
Pete shoved his hands in his pockets and scuffed his toe on the cement floor. “Um, we just call it ‘the shed.’ It’s where we store the big things. Mostly different kinds of seed for the ranchers to plant. We have to make sure it’s fresh and available each season.”
Dixie nodded, pretending to make sense of what he was saying.
Encouraged, he brightened up. “And we have big bags of feed for different kinds of animals. Hay, of course.”
“Of course.”
Pete used an overhead speaker to call for Josh to come “up front” while Dixie turned to Ava, who was squatting next to the rabbit cage with Beau close beside her.
Beau met her gaze. “Don’t worry. I’ll stay here with Ava while Josh is showing you around.”
She felt a rush of gratitude. The sight of his dark head so close to their daughter’s fiery-bright one made her breath catch.
Josh came into the building through a wide sliding metal door. He looked big and brawny, as though used to lifting heavy things. He touched his forehead with two fingers in a kind of salute. “Miz Dixie.” His sweat-stained shirt was open down the front, showing off his muscled torso and six-pack. The sleeves had been torn off so his biceps were on display as well. His expression hinted at humor as he visually cruised her body.
She struggled to maintain eye contact, faltering under Josh’s admiring, somewhat insolent stare. “Josh.”
Pete frowned at him. “Josh, straighten up and button your shirt. I want you to give Miz Dixie a tour of the shed.”
