“I’m actually going to work on making a treat for the girls to eat when they get home from school.” Emily thought it would be the perfect way to both remove herself from being in the same room as Ginger, and to allow herself to hear what was being said during their conversation. This time, she told herself, she didn’t care how much eavesdropping took place.
“It’s taken me a long time to realize that I was wrong back when the girls first came to live with us, you know?” Ginger leaned forward in her seat, her mysterious green eyes fixed on Dylan’s face. Emily could smell Ginger’s perfume all the way out in the kitchen. She wanted to march out there and tell Dylan that his ex-wife smelled like a cheap whore, but she kept her composure and pulled out the rolled oats and brown sugar, instead.
“I appreciate your telling me all this, Ginger, but I’m not sure what your intentions are.” Dylan at back, his arms folded across his chest. The dogs had started barking about something outside, so Emily stepped out back to shush them. Once there, she took a deep breath. What was she getting so worked up, anyway? She had just met Dylan, and even though she was now his wife, he was a man with a past. What could she really do to change that? What point was there in getting mad?
She walked into the backyard for a few minutes in an attempt to clear her mind. She tried to imagine what Leila would tell her, and she decided that as always, Leila would recommend something prudent and wise. Emily imagined that Leila would tell her to go for a walk and calm down, or to go sit down and have a beer to see if that soothed her nerves at all. The sun was bright and in the distance, a herd of cows grazed beyond Dylan’s fence line. She wondered if she’d be on this property long enough to see them live out their lives.
After a few long, deep breaths, Emily turned around to go back inside. When she did, Dylan was standing at the door to meet her. “I thought you might have disappeared.” He took her by the arm as soon as she got to the top of the steps. Emily gave him a wry smile and then walked into the kitchen, back to her oats and brown sugar.
“How did your talk go?” Emily tucked one of her long strands of hair behind her ear and then pulled out some measuring cups from the cabinet. She thought back to when she was a little girl and her mother used to make her oatmeal raisin cookies as an afternoon treat. It was peculiar how some memories had such a powerful sticking power.
“The talk went fine. I didn’t see that one coming, though.” Dylan shook his head and then chuckled. “Leave it to Ginger to show up at the least opportune moment.” He looked at Emily and could tell that she was bothered. He wanted to tell her that Ginger’s visit was inconsequential, that she had no hold on him any longer, but he knew Emily wouldn’t believe him. He realized that only time would prove where his commitments stood, and how he truly felt about Emily.
“I’m popping these cookies in the oven. Can you pull them out in ten minutes?” Emily untied the apron she was wearing and then tried to make a graceful exit from the kitchen. Dylan grabbed her gently by the arm.
“Hey. I can tell that you’re upset. Emily, you have to believe me when I tell you that Ginger is not going to disrupt what we have going on here. Please.” He stammered and then ran his hands through his thick, dark hair. “I know that there’s nothing I can say to convince you, but I will tell you that my word is golden. I love you.” Dylan let go of her arm and she took off down the hall, not sure of where she was going, or what she was going to do next.
Chapter 10
She stormed up the steps and then opened the door to her room. What was she doing? Why was she acting like a child? She tried to remind herself that only a month ago, she was worried about ending up homeless on the street. She needed to get her thought sin perspective and be thankful that she now had a job- and not just any job, but a relationship that brought her purpose and fulfillment.
She stepped off the bed and reached for her suitcase. Then she chuckled. She knew that as soon as she pulled Leila’s letter out of her suitcase she’d be interrupted, either by Eisely, Anna, Dylan, or the dogs. It made her smile, but it also made her frustrated. She really wanted to get her message out to Leila. She needed to know if she was okay, and how her job at the bakery was going.
She reached inside the pocket and pulled out the letter, then unfolded it and set it down on the bed. She lifted up her pen and started to write a letter, just as Dylan called to her from down the hallway. “Emily. I need to see you.” He came to the door and she attempted to stuff the letter back into her suitcase. “What are you doing?” He gave her a quizzical expression.
“I’m trying to write my cousin a letter, but so far, I’ve been interrupted consistently every time I lift up a pen.” Emily gave Dylan a playful look, but there was an underlying honesty to her frustration. Dylan frowned.
“I’m sorry. Want me to leave you alone?” He started to walk out of the room but Emily grabbed him by the shirt-tail.
“No. I don’t want you to leave me alone. I want you to tell me that you’ll always be here for me, and that we’ll be able to get through this confusing and tumultuous time in your life. We have so much more to talk about, Dylan. I mean, I still don’t even know what that meeting with Felix Rose resulted in. Are you going to lose this place? Are the girls going to have their livelihood threatened? We need to talk about this.” Emily felt a tear come to her eye.
“I know we have a lot to talk about. It will happen. And to answer your question about the house… I really don’t know what will happen. I have a few leads for banking positions outside of Laredo, but it’s all speculation right now.” Dylan didn’t want Emily to know that he was scared of losing everything. He really didn’t know what was going to happen, and there was nothing he could do to make the uncertainty go away. So, he decided he’d just have to embrace it.
“You know, I’m not sure what you think about this, and I know I’ve only been here for a short time, but my cousin, Leila, is a great person. She bakes, she cooks, she sews and she gardens.” Emily wasn’t sure where she was going with her information, but she was counting on Dylan to fill in the blanks. “Maybe she could help out somehow. Maybe if she came out here, we could all pool our resources and make something great happen.” Emily shrugged. It was the optimist in her coming out again.
Dylan liked the sounds of it, even though he had no idea what Leila was like. “Let’s invite her to come visit. Why not?” He smiled and then took Emily by the arm. “In the mean time, let me make love to you. Right here.Right now.” He grinned and started to lift Emily’s sweater over her head. She couldn’t resist him, as usual, so she helped him get it off, and then she unzipped her pants and let them drop to the floor.
Dylan unzipped his jeans and shook then to his ankles. Then he lifted off his own shirt and clasped his arms around Emily’s waist. He drew her close to his body and breathed in all of her womanly scents and energies. She unfastened her bra and let it fall to the floor, and then she pressed her breasts against his strong, muscular chest and shuddered as her nipples grew hard against his body.
Dylan ran his hands over her shoulders, down her arms, and around her waist. He kissed her neck and her breasts, then eased his mouth down her body until it landed on her sweet, feminine bounty. He kissed her womanly mound with his lips and then knelt down on the floor, eager to take in more of her delicate charms. Emily moaned with ecstasy.
He guided her gently to the floor, and they embraced on the rug that lied at the foot of her bed. With his strong and measured hands, he felt the gentle slope of her hips, the tight formation of her thighs. Then he allowed his fingers to travel along her hairy treasure, until they found their way inside. Once there, he played with her until she cried out with intense pleasure. Then he climbed on top of her, as he’d done before, but this time with more conviction and dominance.
“I’m never going to leave you, Emily. And I’m sorry about my embellished advertisement. I really was a successful business man years ago. I used to work as a financial advisor for fifty percent of the ranchers in Lu
bbock. But that’s another story, sweetheart. I’ll tell you everything as long as you don’t leave me.” He buried his face in her breasts and then licked her nipples with his tongue.
Emily closed her eyes, absorbing all of his manly desires and trying hard not to let her worries about the future taint the present moment. She wrapped her hands around Dylan’s waist and pulled him close, but this time she gave him an extra, affirmative squeeze. For the first time in her life, she felt content, despite all of the uncertainties surrounding Dylan’s life. She knew that deep down he was a good man, and so she was willing to stand by and weather the storm.
Dylan looked in Emily’s eyes. In them he could see both a young child and a mature woman. He was intrigued with her essence, and he desired her with a passion that was unmatched with any woman that had come before her. He spread her legs wide and then caressed the sweet spot that graced his palm. She moaned, and then arched her back in ripe anticipation.
Dylan inserted his manhood deep inside Emily’s thirsty tunnel. She craved his thick, hard manhood and she knew that he could bring her to dimensions beyond her wildest dreams. He penetrated her with a strong and guided deliberation. She cried out with sweet, short noises and Dylan continued like this until the moon came out and cast its light across the bedroom floor.
He could see her body now, bathed in the moonlight, and it sent a pulsation of intense desire through his core. Dylan pleasured her until the sun rose, at which point he climaxed, in one long, heavy motion, and then collapsed with exhaustion on top of her silky body. Emily ran her hands down his back and sighed. It felt like this was what she had been waiting for all of her life.
When the rooster crowed outside, Dylan slid out of Emily’s room and silently checked in on the girls as they slept. Emily wrapped herself in a robe and then followed behind him, stopping to smile as she watched the two sisters sleeping peacefully in their beds. She wrapped her arms around Dylan’s waist and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m so happy you left England, Emily. You were meant to be with me.” He smiled and squeezed her hand.
“But Dylan. Remember- this is just a marriage of convenience.” Emily raised her eyebrows, reminding him that only a month earlier, he had expressed no intentions of ever letting love into the equation. He nodded his head and chuckled.
“I know, I know. Those really were my words. But Emily…” He pressed against her and then kissed her again on the lips. “How could I ever have predicted that you would have been so perfect for me? What were the odds of me actually falling in love with a perfect stranger?” He shook his head in disbelief.
Emily’s mind wandered for a moment. She thought back to the Lancashire Textile Company, to Finn Dillmore, and to the disastrous fire that changed her life. She thought about the odd snowfall that graced England in the middle of November, and the perfect afternoon spent at Griffin café drinking peppermint mochas and eating warm cinnamon rolls. She realized that nobody, not Leila, not Martha, not even herself, could have predicted what lied in store for the rest of her life.
She took one more look at Eisley and Anna, and then clutched Dylan’s hand in hers. He gave it a squeeze and then held it up to his face. He knew that he had finally found the peace that he wanted in his life. Even if his life was in shambles, at least he had one precious gem that couldn’t be snatched from under him. The two walked hand-in-hand down the hallway and stopped at the foot of the stairs.
As the sun rose over Lubbock, Dylan and Emily shared a good morning kiss, one filled with hope and wonder. They kissed as the rooster crowed, as the dogs barked, and even as Eisley and Anan made their way into the hall. Anna covered her moth wither hand when she saw them.
“Look, Eisley! Uncle Dylan and Miss Emily are kissing! They’re in love!” She grabbed her sister by the arm and they both stood in awe as Dylan and Emily expressed their love for the entire world to see.
“Yes, girls. We are definitely in love.” Dylan gave Emily’s hand another squeeze, and then the four of them glided down the steps and into the kitchen for breakfast. Just as she was about to let the dogs outside, Emily thought she heard Leila’s voice. She paused, wondering what her cousin was doing at that moment. Then she made a pot of coffee and smiled, hopeful that she’d see her soon.
Paradise on the Frontier,
A BBW Western Romance
By: Katie Summers
Paradise on the Frontier,
A BBW Western Romance
© Katie Summers, 2015 – All rights reserved
Published by Steamy Reads4U
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to the seller and purchase a copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Warning
This book contains graphic content intended for readers 18+ years old.
If you are under 18 years old, or are not comfortable with adult content, please close this book now.
Chapter 1 – A New Direction
Clara looked at herself in the looking glass. She wondered how things got so out of control? She didn’t know what had happened, but she knew that she was now penniless, widowed and defeated.
“Ms. Clara. Hello?”
She sighed quietly as she heard James’s voice through the doorway. James was her neighbour. He was a good guy and had been incredibly sweet to her through the whole ordeal. She just didn’t want to leave yet. She wiped a tear from her cheek and stood up straight. Squaring her shoulders she made her way to the door.
“I am leaving James. I just needed a minute or two. This was the last place I saw my husband and where I thought I would have my children you know.”
“There is no rush ma’am. I just wondered if I could speak to you for a moment. May I come in?”
“Yes please.” She held the door for him as he made his way inside. She followed him slowly to the small foyer where a table sat. “I would offer you something to drink but, as I’m sure you know, I have nothing to give at the moment.”
“I am fine ma’am. Thank you though. I was wondering what you would be doing now. I mean where will you go now?”
Her sigh was frustrated because the truth was she didn’t know. She had no idea where she was going. She just knew that she could live with the embarrassment of staying there. Her husband had killed any life she could have made in Boston. Her sad eyes looked up at the man in reserve. “To tell you the truth sir. I don’t know. I have nowhere to go really.”
“Well, I ask because I have a brother out in Colorado. He is a widow like yourself and needs some help. You see he has a daughter. Lexi is 10 and she needs a woman to help her. There are things that a man just cannot teach a young woman you know. He is looking for someone to help him.”
“What about the women there in town? Can’t they help him?” She looked at him with her forehead worried into a frown.
“Ha. Well, first off my dear is the number of women out in the west is slim to none. Also, his ranch is a day’s ride from the town so he couldn’t possibly have someone come out every day. He would need someone to live there with him and Lexi. It isn’t much but Craig’s a kind man and Lexi is as cute as they come. He can’t pay you much, but he can give you a place to stay and food and such. At least until you can get back on your feet. Who knows, you might even like it out there.” He said the l
ast with a shrug of his shoulders and a sheepish grin.
Clara looked over at the man across from her. Her options were, well she didn’t really have any options. “I don’t know anything about children James and I definitely don’t know nothing about living in the west. Are you sure he would be ok with me?”
“Oh, ma’am I think you would be perfect for the job. Why, look at you. You hold yourself prim and proper like a young lady should and have the best of manners. Lexi could learn a lot from you. Craig, too I guess.”
“If you don’t mind James can I ask what happened to his wife?”
“She died from the fever. I would say it’s going on 5 years now. He’s a little rough around the edges, but Craig’s a good man and I know he would do right by ya.”
She nodded her head and thought about it for a minute. “Well I guess I need to figure out how to get on the stage and head that way. I am assuming it will take me.”
“I have that taken care of. Don’t you worry your pretty little head over anything. The stage will take you as far as the next town and then you will join the wagon train. It’s safer you know.”
Her eyes widened when she realized just what he was talking about. “You mean Indians? We won’t run into any will we?”
“We haven’t had any trouble lately but you can never be too sure you know. I would feel better if you were with a group of people you know.”
“Thank you James. If not for you, I don’t really know what I would do.”
She looked down at his hand where it patted her own. “Don’t think nothing of it. I’m just glad I caught ya before some young bloke swept you off your feet. Ok well the stage doesn’t leave until tomorrow so if you would like to stay here then you are more than welcome or I can get you a room at the inn.”
Romance: Luther's Property Page 33
