As Colton kissed Olivia’s soft skin and nuzzled her breasts, he was captivated by her responses and the soft moans that showed how much she enjoyed it.
When her hands touched him and his excitement came to life, she felt herself on the brink. The thrill of it all was a rush that she longed for, and the thoughts that had been floating through her mind were now coming to life.
This was their experience.
It was happening.
And both of them wanted it badly.
Colton was on top of Olivia and they stared into each other’s eyes and knew it was time. When their bodies united, the puzzle was complete and they were one. Moving back and forth in rhythm together, nothing else existed around them. The world was meant to be the background to their moment and they built up to a crescendo, peaking together and then melding as they finished.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, staring into her eyes again and brushing her soft, long hair with his hands.
The way his body was wrapped around hers made her feel so protected and cared for. She’d never felt so vulnerable before, or excited about how that made her feel. “That was amazing,” she cooed, knowing her words were inadequate for what she had experienced.
“It was,” he said. “Thank you for giving me that gift.”
She smiled and lifted her head up to kiss him. Then she gave him a playful nibble on his soft, full lips and lowered her head, licking them softly. “Yum,” she said, and winked.
Then a breeze picked up in the air, reminding them that they were outside and their skin was completely exposed.
Colton looked to the fire noticing it was down to just small embers, but the bright full moon allowed him to see everything clearly.
The two dressed quietly, but their satisfied expressions spoke volumes.
“Should we put some more wood on the fire or call it a night?” he asked.
Olivia walked up to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and squeezed tightly. “I’m willing to call it a night so long as I don’t have to sleep by myself over in that pup tent. I want to be next to you.”
“There’s nothing I’d like more,” he said.
Then the two began to banter about how he’d set up two tents and he confessed, “I thought it would not look very gentlemanly if I just put up one.” He laughed nervously at his confession, which showed that he’d clearly had some ungentlemanly thoughts on his mind.
“You don’t always have to be the good boy, not around me at least,” Olivia said.
***
Nestled next to each other in the small tent, Colton and Olivia laughed and talked about their childhoods, swapping stories of when they got into mischief and trouble. It was so much fun, and time was frozen as they got to know each other better.
“Favorite color?” she asked.
“Well, what do you think it is?” he asked, raising an eyebrow and then leaning in to give her a kiss.
“Hmm … I think it’s black. You’ve got some Johnny Cash kind of swagger going on.”
“Blond hair and brown eyes? Hardly Johnny Cash swagger, but you’re right on the color.”
“I knew it!” she said. She raised her arm up in triumph. “Bet you don’t know my favorite color.”
He looked at her and didn’t hesitate. “Green, emerald green to be exact.”
“How did you know that?” She was genuinely surprised that he’d guessed correctly, and so quickly, too.
“Simple observation, really. That is the color you’ve worn the most since I’ve known you. It’s easy to remember because it makes your eyes light up even more.”
Olivia’s heart melted a little at his words. He’d paid closer attention to her than she ever would have guessed. That was something that a guy didn’t reveal every day and the fact that he’d let her in on that meant a lot.
“You are something, Colton Tisdale,” she said.
“And you’re something, too, Olivia Jaspers.”
After that, the two grew more quiet and eventually drifted off to sleep just as the first orange and pink hues of the sun rising began to show themselves. It had been a night of sparks and discovery. Ideal in every way.
Chapter Ten
Colton was lying in the pup tent, one arm propped behind his head, staring at the seams of the tent while taking in the gentle breathing of Olivia next to him and thinking about the night before. It had been wonderful and he knew that what they shared that night was something that hadn’t just been meant to satisfy their curiosities or need for physical intimacy. The entire experience had been guided by something more.
His thoughts also surprised him as he lay there. If they hadn’t been coming from his own mind and in his own voice, he wouldn’t have believed them to be real. That wasn’t the way he thought, typically, and allowing his heart to grow attached to someone he hadn’t known that long was rare. Add in that she was a temporary visitor to Cherish, and it was even more confusing.
A blackbird was cawing out from somewhere nearby and Colton thought, sorry bird, more alive than ever. Lots of birds in Montana were scavenger birds, eager to feast on the carcasses of the fallen.
Then at that moment, something came to him and he jumped up. Why hadn’t he thought of it before?
“Olivia,” he said in a whispered voice. He didn’t want to startle her, but his excitement at that moment was off the charts.
He softly shook her and repeated, “Olivia.”
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him. “What?” she asked, and then her eyes closed again.
“Wake up. I just thought of something that I’ve got to tell you,” he said.
“Okay, what is it?” she asked. She stretched out her body, lifting her arms above her head and wiggling around.
Her sexy stretch distracted him enough that he almost forgot what he had to say. He shook his head to put all his thoughts back in place. “I just remembered something that might help find your great-grandmother’s ring.”
That got her attention. She sat up and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. A soft, alluring smile was on her face. “What?”
“In the attic at the ranch there is this old chest that’s filled with old land documents, abstracts, and all this history that’s associated with the ranch. We’ve never really had a need for it so it’s been stored up there. I’m not even sure that I’ve ever looked through it. I can’t promise, but maybe something’s in there that can help us.”
“Colton,” she said and lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him and then backing away just enough to start kissing him all over his face.
He fell backward, ready to accept her aggressive and enthusiastic affection. His willingness to embrace it was becoming quite evident and he shifted uncomfortably, not wanting her to think that she was a one-trick pony for him now.
“Did you want to pack up and go back to the ranch and do some exploring there?” he asked.
“We have one more night here. Sure you don’t mind?” she asked. “This was awfully fun, but now you have my mind racing. I can’t help but wonder—”
“Me, either. Maybe we can just camp out at the ranch tonight,” he said. He didn’t want to sound too hopeful, but yes, he really was. Olivia being next to him last night had given him one of the most comforting night’s sleep he’d had in a long while.
“Sure! Glad my snoring didn’t keep you up,” she said.
“Well, it did, but I just put some ear plugs in,” he replied.
Her jaw dropped and she put her hands up over her face. “Oh my goodness, I was just kidding.”
“Me too,” he said.
Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and then retaliated with a playful swat to his arm. “You almost gave me a heart attack. I was horrified by that.”
“Well, should we make breakfast here before we pack up and head back or eat back at the ranch?”
“If it’s not too much trouble, let’s pack up and get over there. It sounds like we’re going to be having a date day in the attic.�
��
“Well, I’d like to think that I’m strong enough to carry that chest down so we don’t have to sit in the drafty, unfinished attic.”
She grabbed his arm and said, “I think you’ve got the pipes for it. But if you need some help, I’ll lend mine.” Then she flexed her arm and looked down. There was no bump there at all. She put her other hand behind it and made one, which made them both laugh.
Starting a day off with laughter and excitement was something that neither were used to. And they talked about how nice it was as they sped off through the pasture, back to the ranch.
***
“What are you two doing here?” Mal asked, raising her eyebrows. She hoped it wasn’t a bad sign, because it had only been one night, not two.
“We’re continuing the camping trip at the ranch,” Colton said. He knew that his response would drive his sister crazy, and he got a bit of perverse pleasure from that. About time he did something like that to her.
“Oh,” she said. “Well, Wade and I will continue on with the chores.”
“Great,” he said. He grabbed Olivia’s hand and the two walked quickly into the house, with purpose in each step and determination in their eyes.
Whatever is going on, I’d better find out about it later, Mal thought. She just watched as they went in, realizing that she and Olivia hadn’t said so much as a word to each other.
***
Colton carried the chest down, balancing it on his right leg as he climbed down the two flights of stairs from the attic. He made his way to the kitchen, where he could smell food being cooked. His stomach growled in eager anticipation.
“Here we go,” he said, walking into the kitchen and setting the chest down at the end of the long dining table.
Olivia turned around. “That entire thing is full?” Her eyes stared at the chest incredulously. “That thing is huge.”
“I think it’s full. It weighed enough to make me think it was, anyway,” Colton said. He undid the latch and lifted the cover up. “Yeah, it’s full, all right. This might take us days to sift through.” And that’s a good thing, he thought.
Days. I like the sound of that, Olivia thought.
“Well, breakfast should be ready in just about five minutes. Let’s eat and then begin going through that chest. I’m so excited, Colton. You weren’t kidding when you said a night of not thinking about how to find the ring might lead us to a solution.” Then she added in her best Scarlett O’Hara impersonation, “You’re as brilliant as you are handsome, I dare say.”
Colton laughed and said, “Frankly, my dear, I agree.”
Laughter filled the room, bringing it to life.
As they quickly and ravenously ate their eggs, sausage, and pancakes, their hands kept reaching over to touch each other’s for a brief moment. It seemed that both of them loved that little jolt so much that they were more reliant on that than a cup of strong coffee to get them going.
Finally, they finished eating and together they quickly cleaned up the dishes and then did not waste a second diving in to the project at hand. With the chest right in front of them, they sat next to each other on the bench that took the place of chairs at the table, and began.
“These pictures are amazing, so well preserved,” Olivia said, staring down at the old family photographs. She had no idea who the people were and Colton didn’t know, either, but she felt like she knew them already. The women were strong and sturdy, showing that they worked hard—probably both on the farm and in the home. And the men—they were tall and lean as they attempted serious expressions, though the wrinkles around their eyes showed that they were also very happy. All those things were vivid despite the photos being black and white or sepia.
“I think that we’re never going to figure out the mystery if we keep taking so much time looking at these things. Not that I mind it taking some time, but I don’t think you have as much of it as I do to offer,” he said and then leaned over and put his hand on her back, rubbing it softly before leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.
“You’re going to be so sick of me by the time all this is over,” she said.
“I already am,” he said. He tried to look serious but the smile on his face wasn’t meant to be kept hidden.
“You are trouble!” she said, shaking her head.
“But seriously, you can look through this entire chest any time you like. If you want, we can take it back to your hotel room, or maybe you can just stay in the guest room here until the mystery is solved.”
Olivia looked at Colton and knew that what he’d offered was a big deal. She appreciated it, too, not only for saving money, but also for getting to be closer to him. “That’s a nice offer, thanks.” She didn’t say if she was going to take him up on it and he didn’t ask. It would play itself out.
With all the portrait-style photographs aside, they began to sift through the other ones that showed images from outside. “I must say, photographs were only for the wealthy back then and it was rare to see so many,” said Olivia. “Seems strange they’d have enough money for them and still hide the ring. I wonder what happened.”
“I think I remember my mom mentioning something about a poker game and winning some camera, something like that. I don’t know for sure. Didn’t really pay attention, because I was young and didn’t care.” He looked at her and she looked shocked. “Sorry, I didn’t, but if I’d known that information would have helped you, I would have listened better.”
“This is so cool! My family really was kind of Wild West, weren’t they?”
“So it seems,” he said. The way she stated things sometimes really caught him off guard. She was such a free spirit and truly able to transport herself into any situation. At least that’s the way it seemed to him.
“I like this agreeable side of you. I think it works nicely in my favor,” she said. She winked and then looked down, startled by the shock that went through her leg when their knees unexpectedly brushed against each other.
“Do you feel it, too?” Colton asked. His question was very direct and his voice sounded very sincere.
Olivia could only nod her head to show that she did. He certainly had an ability to get her tongue-tied now and again.
After hours, he got up and had to stretch out a bit. “Want to take a little break and have a beer?”
“That would be good. My eyes are starting to get blurry from looking so hard at all these pictures. I really thought that we’d see something helpful by this point.”
“It takes patience. You have to be used to that with your love of history. Surely nothing is instant gratification when you are studying that.”
“No, but with this being so personal, I get kind of carried away.” Olivia stretched out her arms, extending one over her head and reaching the other one up from underneath. Her fingers locked and she looked up. “Oh, that feels good.”
“I don’t think I’d ever get out of that stretch if I tried it.”
“Years of yoga and Pilates. That’s what I owe that to.”
A half hour later, they were back at it, refreshed and moving a bit more quickly through all the material. They weren’t even a quarter of the way through the trunk.
“What’s this box?” Olivia asked, standing up to peer into the trunk for her next set of documents to sift through. “Kind of looks like a rose box.”
She pulled it out and opened it. A rolled-up piece of paper was in there and she lifted it out and moved over to an available spot on the table. She slowly unrolled it and looked down. “Wow, Colton, look at this. It’s a pencil sketch. It looks like it might be of the ranch. It’s really good. I had no idea that talent ran so deep in my family.”
Colton got up and looked at it. “That is cool. Something like that should be framed and hanging in my office. It’s in really good condition.”
The two couldn’t help but take a minute to admire what they saw. All the details were so vivid and while the buildings weren’t the same—as they’d already been replaced—it w
as easy to see that the ranch was well loved and cared for back then, even if money had been tight.
Olivia asked which buildings were which now and he explained what he could about them, commenting that his sister likely knew more. But he didn’t offer to call Mal over, because he was feeling very protective of this moment with Olivia. He didn’t want anyone else there. It was exactly how he’d felt at Sergio’s when the option had been taken away.
“And what’s that building?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s been replaced. Looks like it might be a smokehouse or something.”
“Smokehouse?” she said. “Just hold on a minute.”
Before he could say a word, she ran out of the house and to her truck. He walked out the still open front door and watched her from the porch. She came back with some folded-up papers in her hand. He recognized them as the ones that she’d had in her back pocket the other day.
“Colton, in these copies of the letters I found about the ring, there’s some mention about smoke. Let me find it so I can read it exactly.” She sifted through the first letter, her finger guiding her through line after line of the cursive writing. “Yes, here it is. It reads, ‘if there’s ever a day when things go up in smoke, the treasure will be protected, for it lies beneath the stoke.’”
“Sounds like a hint for a treasure map,” he said.
“That’s exactly what it is, Colton.” She walked over to the sketch and said, “Where do you think this location is on the land, from the best of what you can tell?”
“Well, if it was a smokehouse, they would have kept it kind of far away in case it started a fire. They weren’t the safest back then. It would have been in a more open place, too, not a place where the fields or any other buildings would get caught on fire.”
“Do you know of any spots like that?” she asked.
“More of the land is pasture now so some things might be covered up, but if I were to guess, I’d say that it was not far away from where we saw that calf.”
“What makes you think that?” She was full of questions and eager for answers.
Cherished Moments (Cherish Cowboys Book 2) Page 9
