Chapter Five of Kerry's Raine

Chapter Five

She was working on a new idea for a story, the romantic feeling of sleeping in the hammock overnight wrapped in Raines arms had sparked something in her and she needed to get as much of it down as possible before it faded from her thoughts. She had put the rest of the coffee that he had made in her carafe and had taken that and the strawberries she had bought yesterday back to her room while she worked. She tried to push him entirely out of her mind but couldn’t quite manage it, that last kiss before he had left was something that…well, she knew she’d never really been kissed like that before, not kissed as though she meant something, really meant something to the person kissing her.

He was inspiring, that was for sure, but getting really involved with him was going to require a lot of thought. She stopped writing for a minute and glanced at the clock, ten AM and she had already been at her desk for almost five hours with already nearly a hundred pages of the story in front of her, no wonder she was getting stiff. She took a drink of coffee that had long before grown cold and so she grabbed up the carafe, the cup and headed for the kitchen, the strawberries long gone already.

The phone rang while she was in the kitchen, she was startled because she had been looking out in the field, wondering where Raine was, knowing he was going to return today to rake the hay he had mowed that day before. She answered it with a smile when she saw the caller ID, knowing that Nathan was going to love hearing about her night and the new story that she was working on.

“Hey love, how is the Big Apple today?”

“Well, I am great and I guess the city is the same as ever.” His laugh over the phone was infectious and had her laughing in return. “So, how did dinner with the cowboy go?”

“Oh, it went.” Smiling she waited for his reaction, and after he expelled a long and drawn out sigh she got it.

“It went, that’s all I get? Where are the details girlie? I need some details or Chris is going to be very upset with me.” She heard an ‘I will too’ in the background and she fought the urge to giggle.

She outlined everything, from the tractor ride to the sleeping in the hammock all night with each other. Both of her friends “ohh’ed” and “ahh’ed” over him holding her knee while they were riding down the road on the tractor and they exclaimed in terror over her close call with the bull. They loved the kiss part and then when she got to the part about the hammock she could have sworn they were both going melt, there were several sniffs that let her know her tender-hearted adoptive family was more than likely crying.

“Why don’t you ever hold me all night long in a hammock Chris?” Nathan was sounding a bit put out about the whole thing. “That has to be one of the most romantic things I have ever heard in my life.”

“We don’t own a hammock, we live in New York City remember?” Chris had picked up the other line so that he could hear the details better and the sarcasm in his voice made her grin, she knew that somehow there was going to be a hammock in their apartment by the weekend, and knowing Chris he was going to surprise Nathan with it and make it the most romantic thing he possibly could. “So what happened when he woke you up? I have a feeling you haven’t gotten to the good parts yet.”

“Well he carried me into the house…”

“He carried her, did you hear that?” Nathan was actually crying now.

“I know, I know, I never carry you anywhere. I might if you weren’t taller than me, now let her finish the story.”

“Ok, ok I will try to restrain myself Mr. O’Pain in the Ass.” She was laughing so hard she didn’t hear the tractor pulling up outside, leaving her with tears in her eyes and her hand holding her side when Raine came up to the door and knocked. She stopped laughing and then saw that it was him and she smiled.

“I’ll tell you all about the rest of it a little later guys, looks like my cowboy is at the door.” Smiling she motioned for him to come inside, pouring him a glass of lemonade while she said her farewells over several protests.

“Lemonade?” She turned and had to step back, he was standing so close to her. As she looked up his long body to his face she smiled, his eyes were fierce, hot with need and desire.

“Got anything stronger? I could use it after listening to your voice all day long.” But he reached out and took the glass, drinking the contents in three long swallows.

“You listened all day long? I thought you were working today”

“Some of the tractors have CD players in them, and since I’m the boss I decided I would get to drive one that has one, just so I could hear your poetry.” Shaking his head he took the lemonade pitcher from her and poured another glass. “It damn near killed me I swear.”

“That good was it?”

“Better than good, better than…it was amazing.” He drained the second glass and she noticed that he had been sweating quite a bit and she realized that it must be incredibly hot outside. She looked outside to see where Misha was and her head tilted to one side and she sighed as she saw that her horse was sleeping in the shade near the small pond again, looking innocent and lovely as she was surrounded by blooming flowers, almost like a fairy tale.

“Thank you, “she said as she went to pour him another glass, placing the pitcher back in the refrigerator when he shook his head no. “I’m glad that you like it.”

“Oh I do.” To her surprise instead of kissing her or doing something similar he took her by the hand and began to drag her to the door.

“Where are we going?”

“Oh, you’re going to learn how to rake hay today I think.”

“Excuse me?” She laughed, surely he was joking, and she had only just been on a tractor for the first time yesterday and truly had no desire to drive one of the things herself.

“You heard me, I’m going to teach you how to rake hay today, and you’ll love it.”

“I’m not exactly dressed for that you know.” He stopped in the door and looked down at her, she was wearing the same baggy Oxford style shirt she had been wearing after her shower and she had on a pair of, well they looked like nylons but they ended just after her knee, he could see her skin through the bronze color of them as they sparkled metallic in the light.

“What are those anyway? Those aren’t pants are they?”

She just had to laugh at the look on his face, something between desire and confusion. “They’re called leggings Raine, Summer gets them for me at the Dollar Store in Traverse.” She held out one leg so that he could see them better, the shirt moving almost enough so that he could see if they were sheer all the way to her waist. “Aren’t they cute? They’re comfy too you know, I love to wear them when I write.”

“They look fine to me, let’s go.” Taking her by the hand he walked outside and she felt the heat like a blast furnace, making her gasp for air that apparently wasn’t there. The humidity was terrible and after being in the air conditioned house all morning it felt as though she had suddenly walked into a sauna that was set far too high.

“Good lord, you’ve been working in this all day?” Her shirt felt like it was plastered to her with sweat already and they hadn’t even walked to his tractor yet. “Say, what tractor is that? I don’t recognize…and what on earth is behind it?”

“Oh, that’s my trusty old Case, and that creation behind it? That would be one of those ‘new fangled’ V-rakes. You can rake the hay twice as fast and it picks it up better.” Smiling he lifted her up to the first step of the tractor. “Sit there on the fender and I’ll get going, then when you think you’re ready you can take a turn ok?”

“I don’t know Raine, I’ve never driven something like this before, and…well what if I break something?” She looked adorable, and nervous sitting there high above him and some song he had heard forever ago ran through his mind, he stood there staring at her, enjoying the view while he tried to remember the name of the band.

“You won’t break anything, I promise.” He finally said as he pulled himself up onto the tractor to sit in the seat that was covered by an old burlap sack. His hand stroked her knee for a second and he smiled at her, the grin on his face having never really seemed to have left him today. “It’s supposed to rain tonight so Terrence and the guys are coming over in a bit with the baler so we can get all of this hay up before it gets ruined. Did you know that the price of hay is going to be sitting at about four dollars a bale for square bales this year? You are about to become a hay wealthy woman, you know, in case you get writers block.”

Before she could reply he started the tractor and they roared off through the break in the trees to where her hay field was. The round wheels on the contraption behind then were spinning a little with the motion of the tractor but she couldn’t see what good they would do the field so high in the air. Well, she supposed, this was going to be a learning experience, maybe something she could put into one of her stories and she couldn’t wait to hear Nathan and Chris shriek when they heard she had been running a tractor as they were deathly afraid she’d get hurt doing some ‘farming’ thing.

Once Raine had the tractor positioned just past the beginning of one of the rows of hay he stopped, put the tractor in neutral and then pressed a lever. He couldn’t help but shake his head at her crying out in wonder as the two sections of the V-rake lowered to hover just an inch or so above the ground. If she thought that was exciting he couldn’t wait to see her reaction once they actually got moving, he was happy and only regretted that her hayfield was so much smaller than the ones he had for his hay, the V-rake would make short work of this field.

“Hang on!” He yelled to her as he put the tractor in gear, one of the things he liked the best about the V-rakes was that you could almost rake hay in road gear, and the faster you went the better the rake worked, it was about time someone had come up with something to make haying less time consuming. She grabbed the handle that was on the front of the fender and held on as the tractor took off with a little lurch, then she watched behind her as the wheels that held the tines began to move and suddenly two rows of fallen hay became one long thick and high row as the rake moved over it.

He hadn’t planned on her being such a distraction and he almost missed stopping at the end of the row. She was sitting on the side that he normally turned towards to keep an eye on the equipment running behind him and he honestly spent most of his time looking at the sway of her breasts underneath her shirt instead of watching the rake behind them. He was going to have to look over his other shoulder for the next row because he wasn’t sure how much of this he could take, and the last thing he wanted to do was start something here in the middle of the field that should take place in a nice comfortable bed.

He hit the lever to raise the rake just a little so that he could turn and start on the next two rows that he would rake and again smiled at her as she watched them lift. Who knew that farm equipment could be so fascinating to her, he hadn’t and he knew her almost as well as anyone in this area did. He was explaining things to her, telling her what he was doing and why, making her lean in closer so that she could hear him as he set the rake down once again on the next two rows that were going to be raked when he asked her if she wanted to try it, laughing she said no, she would watch a few more times before she gave it a try.

He knew she was avoiding it, and he knew as well that he could tease her into doing it, while in the meantime he just worked the field, doing his best to turn his head in the opposite direction so that he wasn’t staring at her all of the time and was watching the equipment like he should be. After a few more rows were raked he grabbed the water bottle out of the toolbox and offered it to her, her face was flushed with the heat of the day and there was perspiration trickling down her neck, disappearing into the open neckline of her shirt. She took a drink and then she frowned just a little as she drank a few swallows of the warm water, looking at him in question.

“Warm water in the field on days like this hydrates you better and you don’t get cramps from it.” He explained as he took the bottle back from her and drank deeply, closing his eyes for a second as he tried to not think about wanting to lick the droplets of perspiration from her neck, her breasts, her stomach…damn, he had to keep himself under control, she might have been teasing him with that CD but he had no intention of scaring her off with moving too fast. Staying awake all night holding her and watching her sleep hadn’t helped his control any though, that was for sure.

It wasn’t too long and there were only two more passes to make, the sky was starting to darken with the storm that was coming in from Lake Michigan. He knew they had to hurry to beat the storm but he wanted to see if she would run the rake for the last two passes so he got up from the seat and picked her up, sitting her down on the seat and laughing at the shocked look on her face.

Finally she agreed that she would try, after teasing and laughter and her pursing her lips and informing him that if she broke everything she wasn’t going to be responsible for it. He helped her put the tractor in the right gear, made sure the rake was lowered into position and then they were off. She let up on the clutch too fast and made the tractor jerk hard, he made a grab for the handle on the fender so he was more secure and he watched behind them as the hay was piled into one neat row by the whirling tines.

When they arrived at the end of the row he had to push the clutch in for her, she had forgotten what he had told her about the brakes not stopping anything if the clutch was still engaged. Laughing she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of accomplishment as she shouted “I did it!”

Looking down at her from his seat on the fender he stopped thinking, she was so damn beautiful it took his breath away. Leaning down he kissed her, his hand went behind her head and he held her there while he pressed his lips firmly against hers, teasing her lips open with teasing touches of his tongue. When she opened her mouth to his he concentrated on the taste of her, the feel of her mouth opening under his as her tongue stroked his as she wound her fingers in his hair, trying to draw him closer.

He took the tractor out of gear and picked her up off of the seat, somehow managing to sit on the seat of the tractor with her on his lap, the steering wheel of the tractor pressing her against him and making him groan. Their mouths still locked together the kiss became frantic, as though they were starved for this, for each other and neither one of them noticed the other tractor pulling up to the edge of the field with Terrance at the wheel, pulling the square baler behind him.

***

Oh dear God, Terrance thought as he saw Raine sit Kerry on his lap, I should not be seeing this. He stopped the tractor and jumped off, trying to not see what was going on in the field in front of him as he turned his back and walked behind the baler to join the two men in the truck that had pulled the hay wagon over, following him as they get ready to finish the hay in this field before the storm broke.

“What, he’s not done raking yet?” Angus asked as Terrance sat in the air conditioned air of the cab with them, determinedly looking out the side window at the barn where Kerry’s horse watched them suspiciously.

“No, no I think he won’t be done for at least a half an hour yet, we need to come back in a while.” Angus wasn’t sure but he could swear Terrance was blushing.

“Well what did he say boy?” His voice aggravated he pressed for information. “It don’t seem like you hardly had time to talk to him you got back here so fast.”

“I know how long it takes to rake a field, and he won’t be done for a while yet.”

“Well I’m just going to walk over there and see what’s up, that storms coming in and he said he doesn’t want this hay getting rained on.” His hand on the door Angus was surprised to find Terrance’s fist caught in his shirt, preventing him from leaving the truck and talking to the boss.

“Don’t you dare leave this truck, just turn it around and we’ll come back in a half-hour or so.” Looking into Angus’s eyes he was as firm as Raine ever was when he was demanding that something be done, and Angus figured there was more going on than just hay being raked.

“Fine then- why don’t we go down to the bridge and have a swim in the river then?” He smiled, figuring that the boss had his pretty little writer up on the tractor with him. “Seems like a good time for people to cool off.”

Terrance’s fist relaxed and he let go of his older cousin, knowing a warning when he heard it. “Sure Angus, a swim would be just fine.”

Backing the truck and wagon up out of the wooded driveway took some time but Angus was a sure hand at the wheel. Terrance kept his face turned away from the field the whole time and Angus and Christian, the other man who had come along to finish off the hay, were a little irritated that the tractor and baler blocked their view as they left, they really wanted to see what was going on in that field.

***

  

In the field, still locked together on the tractor with the roar of it around them, the heat from the day combined with the heat of passion and they were swamped with it all. Kerry was pulling at his shirt, trying to get it off of his sweat soaked skin so that she could feel him against her and Raine was holding her hips, rocking her against him in a rhythm that soon had her gasping into his mouth as her world became centered on nothing but him and the feel of his body against her.

He broke away from their kiss to kiss and lick her neck, her throat and down to the V where the buttons of her shirt held it together, blocking him from following the trail of salty perspiration down into the valley between her breasts like he wanted to. Pressing her back against the steering wheel his fingers fumbled with the buttons on her shirt, his hands shaking so badly that he finally grabbed the two sides of her shirt and pulled it apart, buttons flying off in all directions as he bared her breasts to his gaze.

“Damn.” Was all he could think to say before he leaned forward to take one of her dusky nipples into his mouth, his tongue stroking it until it was hard with sensation before suckling on it gently his teeth scraping just a little as she arched into the feel of his mouth against her. Her hands wound into his hair again, pressing him closer as she adjusted her position on his lap, wanting to feel the hardness of him pressed firmly between her thighs again.  

He moved to lavish the same attention to her other breast, loving the salty taste of her skin on his tongue as her hands tangled in his hair and her heart raced. He was so hard the pressure of his jeans was literally painful and he moved a bit to try to ease the pressure there but there was not much room to move around. Her hands left his hair to work his belt buckle free, her small hands making fast work of it and of the button of his jeans before he could stop her, not that he wanted her to stop.

She had the fly of his jeans open now and he raised his hips as he kissed her lips once more, biting on her lower lip as her hand found him. Closing his eyes he moaned into her, his body shaking as he almost came from just the touch of her hand on him there. She had him pulled free of the material that was trapping him and her eyes were wide as they looked into his now open ones, pulling away from this kiss for a second as she wrapped her tiny hand around the girth of him.

He pulled her back and pressed his mouth against her ear. “We can stop if you want, we don’t need to…”

“The Hell we don’t.” She said as she began to stroke him and his head fell back as his eyes closed again, his mind reeling from the feeling of her hands on the swollen and sensitive flesh that he wanted to bury inside her.

He tried to pull her leggings down over her hips but they wanted to stay where they were, there wasn’t enough room to get her out of them where they were on the tractor, the body skimming material too tight to her in this position. He did the only thing he could think of doing, needing to be inside her, he took the stretchy nylon in his hands where it covered her most private places and he pulled as hard as he could, smiling as he felt the material rip apart and baring her to his touch.

He stroked her, groaning again as he felt the smooth shaven lips there between her thighs. He moved her hand from him as he explored the sweet and heady heat of her with his work rough hands, sucking her tongue into his mouth as he pressed one finger into the her tight flesh, moist with desire and so soft and ready for him. Stroking his finger into her he groaned when her hips moved with the motion of his hand, and she broke their kiss to pull him closer and whisper in his ear, he couldn’t hear all of what she was saying over the noise of the still running machinery but he caught the words ‘please’, ‘now’, and ‘so long’ and that was more than enough for him.

Moving his hands to her hips he lowered her onto him, trying to go slow, to make it last because she was so tight it was almost painful. He watched her as he entered her, she was leaned back and gripping the steering wheel for support as inch by slow inch he penetrated her while her eyes were closed and her teeth caught her full lower lip that was swollen from his kisses between them. He had never imagined anything so incredibly sexy in his life as seeing her now, needing and wanting him like this, he knew that he was the luckiest man in the world as of this very moment.

When he was inside her as far as he could go he held her hips still, his hands gripping her hard as he leaned back against the seat and gasped for breath, striving for control. She wriggled her hips, moving on him just a bit and his eyes flew open wide the sensation of her moving against him electric to his senses as he found himself telling her to not move, to please hold still for just a moment.

She smiled wickedly, shaking her head no as she reached up with one hand to take the clips out of her hair. Feeling the wet heat of her surrounding him and watching her hair fall around them nearly broke him, his eyes narrowed as she ran the tip of her pink tongue over the edge of her upper lip and he knew he was in trouble, loving this woman was going to be the death of him.

He relaxed his grip on her hips, praying he could last as she began to move on him, both of her hands once more on the steering wheel for support as she raised up until he was almost completely out of her, the summer heat feeling almost cool compared to the burning heat of her body. She drove herself back down onto him, deeper than he had been before with her wetness coating him and he cried out with the sensation as she took him almost all of the way inside, her muscles gripping him tight as her eyes closed and her head fell back in her pleasure. He watched her ride him, her face a mask of pure pleasure as she moved on him, his hands guiding her, encouraging her to quicken her pace while her slow movements tortured him with pure fire.

Unable to be passive any longer he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her again and again, stroking her skin, her hair as he whispered words to her he knew that she couldn’t hear. Words of love, of how much he wanted her in his life, how much she meant to him and his hopes that he could someday mean as much to her. Love, oh damn he was in love with this woman and he really didn’t think that she had a clue as to what he really felt as he held her hips locked in his grip once again and pressing his knees into the dash of the tractor began to thrust his hips up to drive himself into her, helpless to prevent his fast approaching climax as her hair tangled in his hands and her breasts rubbed up against him.

He wanted it to last longer, wanted everything to be perfect for her but something you’ve waited so long for, something that was this explosive wasn’t meant to last for long. With just a few more thrusts he felt her inner muscles clench him in a vise-like grip and her breath left her body in long and shuddering breath into him as she smiled against his lips. He lost himself inside her, with his orgasm he poured not only his seed into her body but his heart, his soul and everything he wanted-his outcry of release lost in her breath as she writhed in reaction, locked to him.

After a few minutes when they could catch their breath again she raised her head from his shoulder and smiled. “You owe me a new pair of pants.” He heard distinctly and he pulled her back down to rest her head on his shoulder once more, the orgasmic high fading into a contentment that he had thought he would never share with anyone.

“I owe you more than that, much, much more.” He whispered against her hair, resting his cheek against her as he watched the clouds continue to roll in.

Later, when she had gone back inside and he was running the square baler he couldn’t stop thinking about the way she had felt in his arms. She had fit so right, it was almost too perfect and he was sure that she was feeling the same way. He was going to ask her over to his house for dinner once the haying here was done and they were ready to head back to his place, he hoped that she’d go with him but with the storm clouds as bad as they were he doubted it, he knew how terrified she was of storms.

One wagon of hay was done and loaded into her barn already, the three men he had working with him were experienced farm hands and they made short work of it all. They had all laughed as Misha had pulled one of the bales down and had nipped the twine with her teeth, dragging it back towards her stall. Terrance had moved it for her with a smile and then he had opened the bale for her and spread some of the hay around, when the first peal of thunder sounded she rushed into her stall and kicked the door shut, she was evidently in place for the might so Raine knew he could tell Kerry that she didn’t have to worry about Misha until morning.

He couldn’t keep the grin form his face, and he tried to look serious and concerned about the oncoming storm. They raced the oncoming deluge with a practiced eye at what they were doing, knowing that if they didn’t get it done in time it would all end up as silage bales, and at the rate hay was selling for they couldn’t afford to lose good hay, but he wasn’t worried, suddenly consumed by the belief that everything was going to work out better than ever before and sure enough they got the tarp over the wagon and the last of the bales that they had to stack in the back of the pickup just as the first fat droplets of rain began to fall.

Lightning struck close, the sound of it drumming through them almost instantly as they looked at both of the tractors sitting there at the edge of the field, Raine decided that it was safer for them all to just head back to his farm and do the evening chores and make sure the cattle were settled for the night. It was going to be a bad storm, his leg ached like nothing else ever could and he was limping as he ran up the stairs of her deck to let her know they were leaving the equipment there, and to ask her to dinner.

She met him at the door, looking at him in concern. “You aren’t driving those tractors back tonight are you?” She was still wearing the same shirt she had had n earlier, now tied up in a knot in between her breasts and she had on a flowing skirt that was white and delicate looking, the smell of something delicious cooking had his stomach growling.

“No, if you don’t mind we’ll leave then here tonight and pick them up in the morning.” Reaching out his hand he smoothed her hair as it was frizzing with the humidity, she smelled fresh and clean, like she had spent time in the tub or shower and he hoped she hadn’t been trying to wash the memory of his touch away. “I was going to invite you over to my place for dinner but…”

“You’re busy, I understand, I have stew on the stove.” Shrugging her shoulders she smiled up at him. “You know you’re more than welcome to come back here if you can tonight for a meal, and I bet a long soak in my tub will help your leg feel better.”

With that she literally blew him a kiss and shut the door. He stood there grinning like a fool until Terrence shouted for him to hurry. Running to the truck as the rain poured down he knew that he would be asking Terrance to stay the night at the farm, because if his night went the way he hoped it would then he wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight either.

Copyright protected no publication, copying or use in any form without the express permission of the Author is prohibited (Copyright 2008 M.P.O.)  

Chapter Four of Kerry's Raine

Chapter Four

She woke to the feeling of something tickling her nose. She brushed it away and snuggled back into the pillow that was so comfortable it lured her back to sleep. The tickling sensation returned and with it came the rumble of a laugh under her ear. Opening her eyes wide she moved her head to see Raine looking down at her, a smile on his face as the light of dawn began to warm the sky.

“Wake up sleepy head, it’s time for me to get to work.” He traced her lips with the ends of a lock of her hair, tickling her lips with it and making her smile, her eyes soft from sleep.

“You stayed all night? Here with me?”

“Well, I didn’t go home and then sneak back that’s for sure.” His smile was gentle, happy as he tickled the end of her nose once again with her hair. “Now let’s get you inside shall we?”

She shrieked as the hammock lurched, sure that she was going to fall. She didn’t fall though for somehow he managed to wrap her in his arms and stand up all at the same time, their outdoor bed swinging crazily in the aftermath of such swift motion. Misha poked her head out of the small barn and then went back inside, snorting at being disturbed so early in the morning.

“You don’t have to carry me you know.” She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes as she tried to pretend that daylight wasn’t coming.

“Oh yes I do, I think there’s a rule somewhere about if you sleep with a woman outdoors you have to carry her to her own bed in the morning.”

“I imagine that’s why most people that go camping are so cranky when they get home huh? They don’t get to follow all of the rules?” More of his deep laughter, she loved the feel of it against her body and she buried her face in his neck for a moment, inhaling the scent of his skin as he managed to still hang on to her and open the door at the same time.

“Shower, coffee, or back to bed? He asked her, tipping his head to brush his lips across her hair.

“Can I have all of the above?” He was putting her down slowly, her body pressed to his as he lowered her to the floor but he didn’t try anything else. He was sweet but, she was going to have to make some sort of move soon, she wanted his hands on her and not just in a friendly and sweet manner.

“How about this, I make coffee while you shower and then if you want you can go to bed.”

“How about, you bring me coffee in the tub while I take a bath?” Standing on her tip toes she pulled his head down and kissed him slowly, her lips brushing against his as his breath caught and the thought of bringing her coffee while she was in her tub and covered with nothing but bubbles.

“Far too tempting my dear, I have a lot of work to do and I am betting that would be distracting.” He whispered against her mouth, gasping out loud as she began to suck gently on his lower lip, long slow pulls that were answered by the throbbing in his groin.

“Distracting is good, isn’t it?” Letting go of his lips she spoke softly and looked up at him, her eyes large and dark in the pre-dawn light. “It’s only four-thirty, surely you can stay longer.”

“I shouldn’t, but I will make you that coffee you’re wanting, then I have to leave.” Picking her up he walked down the hallway to her bedroom, still holding her against him, more than half afraid that if he let her go she wouldn’t get this close to him again. She was sleepy yet and he wanted her, but he wanted to be sure that she wanted him too, the indecision was coming close to killing him.

“Fine then, no coffee in the bathtub for me after all, how about that coffee in bed then?”

 “You drive an impossible bargain.”

“I drive a good bargain, you need to say yes.” Her breath was hot on his neck and he lowered her to the floor before she kissed him there, if she did the coffee wasn’t going to get made at all.

“All right, coffee in bed for one sweet and spoiled romance writer.” Smiling he ran his fingers down the side of her face, then he turned abruptly and went to the kitchen, leaving her to her shower while he went to find where exactly she kept the makings for coffee.

It didn’t take him long, she kept things where he thought they made sense being, and while he waited for the coffee to brew he took several deep breaths and wondered why she was so friendly now, while she hadn’t been that way last night. The sky was beginning to color with the peach and gold of a clear day when he brought her cup of coffee to the bedroom, half expecting her to be in the bathroom still but she wasn’t there she was in an old baggy shirt that trailed down her legs and apparently nothing else, sitting at her computer typing away with her wet hair piled up on her head in one of those clips she tended to use on it that looked torturous to him.

“Coffee here for you working lady, I hope it’s strong enough.” He set the mug of steaming brew next to her on the left hand side of the desk, knowing that once she started writing for the day dragging her away from her computer was next to impossible and he couldn’t help but smile at the smile and nod she gave him in her absentminded reply.

“I’ll be back later to rake the hay, maybe I’ll get it baled tonight too.” He kissed the top of her head, enjoying the smell of her shampoo as it teased his senses.

He was out the door and headed for his truck when he heard her calling him. As he turned she literally threw herself off the deck and into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as he stumbled backwards. One of his arms wrapped around her waist to hold her in place and the other moved up her back to catch the back of her neck and bring her mouth down to his in a heated open mouthed kiss that left him moaning into her mouth and wanting more as her tongue danced against his.

When they finally broke apart and he set her back down on the steps of the deck he was struggling for air, to his delight she appeared to be even more floored that she was as affected as he was. They stood there, his hands on her hips and hers on his shoulders, matching looks of shock and need on their faces.

“Good morning.” She finally said, smiling and blushing at the same time.

“Indeed, that should keep me going all day.” Wiggling his eyebrows and grinning he had her laughing again, her eyes bright as delight showed in them.

“I have something else for you to keep going.” She pressed a CD that he hadn’t noticed her carrying into his hand, to his surprise it had her face on the cover and the title ‘Need’ stood out in what looked to be her handwriting.

“What’s this?”

“One of my latest projects, after you listen to it, why don’t you tell me if you think anyone would buy it?” Winking she turned and walked away, heading back to her writing he was sure, pausing to look over at him as she stood in the doorway for a moment. “I was working on this, and the title track was inspired after you, ah, walked in on me that one day last year.”

With a laugh she closed the door and left him standing there holding a CD and remembering the incident she was referring to. She had known he was there? The thought of that had him totally confused as he thought back over that afternoon, wondering how he could have missed her seeing him. Summer had sent him over after she hadn’t heard from Kerry in a couple of days and he had gotten no response when he had knocked on the door so he had let himself in with the spare key she kept clipped to Misha’s halter, after walking through the house calling her name over the incredibly loud music that was playing he had caught sight of her in her computer chair. She had been kicked back in the chair, eyes closed, shirt half open, thighs spread out to the edges of the chair and her right hand had been busy beneath the waistband of her pants.

He got into his truck and started it, the memory of watching her, even though he had been sure she hadn’t seen him was still running through his mind as he put the CD in the player in his truck. Her voice came echoing out of the speakers, low, sultry and mesmerizing as the images of her face as she had reached her orgasm rolled in his brain.

“Need

I do

Never a question

What I crave from you”

Was the opening stanza on the CD and he came near to stopping the truck right then, instantly hard, harder than he had been holding her all night long with her body pressed up against his. He looked at his rear view mirror and then he did stop, for there she was, watching him out the window and he was sure that she was laughing.  Fine, he thought, a smile on his lips and an idea forming in his head, two can play this little game.

“Need

Filling, taking, belonging

To be one breath of what you need

That emotion bathed with longing "

“I know that feeling” He whispered to himself as he listened to the next to the last stanza in that poem, knowing that the rest of them would have more of an effect on him than he wanted them too. Would people buy this? Oh, he was sure there were going to be a lot of people out there that would be quoting her poetry as well as the words of her novels before long. Not that he was partial to her or anything of course, he grinned as he thought it. 

Damn, he had known that he would never have her to himself but this? This was something that had to make you think, wonder who she was trying to prove what to anyhow. Or maybe she was just trying to make the most of all that she was, all of her talent, and he knew that had to be the reason once he got over the jealous thought that other men would be able to hear her voice like this.

Then the next poem began and he knew that he would be listening to this all day, at least until he brought the smaller equipment over to finish up the haying that needed to be done at her place anyhow. He knew he was going to be doing nothing but think of her anyway, not after holding her all night.

“Breathe

Just once for me alone

Let this air between us be

The only thing that separates us

The only thing left between us”

Damn, it was going to be a longer day than he had thought.

Copyright protected work no publication, copying or using in any way shape or form is allowed without express permission of the author. (Copyright 2008 M.P.O.)

Chapter Three of Kerry's Raine

Chapter Three

  “I don’t know Summer, I don’t know what happened.” He laughed into the phone, relieved at the fact that he could call her best friend, his younger brother’s wife, for advice. He had a feeling that this was his one chance with the woman he had been dreaming of for the last three years and he was going to take advantage of everything he could to make it work out right. “I just know that Nathan more or less said for her to feed me and then she was offering to have me stay for dinner.”

“Wait, Nathan was there? Was she drinking Cristal?”

“Yeah, why?” Now he was worried, he didn’t need another Annie in his life.

“No, before you even think it she’s nothing like Annie was, nothing like her at all.” Summer was quick to let him know and he smiled, knowing that Summer was one of the few people that understood why he had been single for so long, and so patient with Kerry. “She just…do you remember how she was when she was first here, never leaving that house once she moved in and then so jumpy all of the time when she was around people?”

“I’ll never forget it.” His voice was gruff as he thought again about when he had first met Kerry, something inside him hurting a little as he wondered if there was even more to her past than he had been told.

“Well, every time Nathan and Chris come she gets a little afraid that people will find out where she lives, that’s why they drive here from different airports, never the same one twice in a row.” She sighed, her voice sounding so sad for her friend that it made him all the more happy that his kid brother had her in his life, and him glad to have her for a sister because she had a caring heart that few people could match. “Those two love her to pieces, and she loves them right back, they’re her family really but seeing them scares her in ways I can’t imagine. The three of them and the New York Police think that if they keep coming here then she can be traced easier and that would be potentially bad.”

“So she just wants a big strong man around to keep her safe then?” He couldn’t seem to help but feel a little bitter at the thought.

“No! Oh no, not that at all Raine! I told you that she wasn’t like Annie, not in any way!” She was apologetic, not wanting him to think that that was the reason. “It’s incredible to me that…do you know that I usually have one night or so a month that I stay overnight at her house? For her to ask you there on a night like this means that she trusts you more than I think you understand.”

“Really?” He could see it, he supposed, but it made him wonder even more what it was that haunted her, it just seemed like more than just a moderate celebrity trying to hide from a stalking fan.

“Yes really, you big oaf!” She continued. “And I have to tell you for Nathan to have told her to cook for you, for him to more or less invite you to dinner with her; that was the biggest hurdle you never knew you had to cross.”

“I don’t understand that one at all. Is there some sort of female logic going on here that I don’t understand?”

“Oh, I meant that if he didn’t like you he wouldn’t have said that, it means she really likes you.” Sighing again she sounded happy, like she was hoping they would become a couple, something that she had known for years he had wanted and something she had encouraged ever since Kerry had moved to Kingsley. “Just remember one thing though, never under any circumstances call her babe or baby or anything like that, nothing that could be mistaken for anything childlike at all, she won’t ever speak to you again.”

Just then he heard Terrence yell for him, something about the bull being out and he looked out the window to see the bull nearing Kerry. “Gotta go, bye.” was all he had time to say to Summer before he was back out the door and running, knowing that he would be too late to get to her but hoping that he could get the bull away before she was killed. He ran towards the pasture when he saw Terrence kneeling in the tracks of the tractors, his hands to his face as he shook and Raines heart dropped in his chest, fearing the worst.

What he saw was something that he wouldn’t have believed if he hadn’t seen it for himself. Kerry was petting the damn bull and patting him on the nose, telling him to not be such a bully and to let the other cows have some attention while the bull was standing there just like the cows and calves were, vying for her attention. Knowing the bull was probably just shocked by her behavior and could turn any minute he walked slowly the rest of the way to the fence, seeing that Terrence was laughing as he held his hands over his mouth trying to hold it in wasn’t helping his temper either.

“Hey Kerry, why don’t you come inside for a minute, take a look around in there while I change?” The bull was just standing there while she scratched the heavy hair on the forehead that was at least a foot wide, he figured the bull had her outweighed by about eighteen hundred pounds or more, and he hoped it stayed docile for the next few minutes.

  “Isn’t he sweet? I didn’t know you had a tame bull, how did you manage that? Summer says that just about all of them are mean but he’s not.” She looked up and smiled, and he realized that she really was totally oblivious to the fact that she was in any danger at all.

  “Well, I hate to break it to you, but I don’t have a tame bull. Now why don’t you start heading for the gate?” His voice was tight and the cattle shifted, reacting to the tone of his voice.

  “What do you mean you don’t…”She stopped what she was saying, frowned at him and then looked at the bull once more. “Oh, and this is your bull isn’t it?”

“Oh yes, yes he is.” He kept his voice as cheerful as possible, not wanting her to be crushed if the strain in his voice made the cattle shift again.

“Well, I think I will be over to that fence in just a second then won’t I?”

“I think that’s a great plan, and where are your boots by the way?”

“You’re standing on them apparently.” She was making her way to him, petting the animals as she walked by them, the bull following after her, his head under one of her hands as the other cattle moved out of the way.

“Well so I am.” Looking down for a brief second he saw the worn leather of her favorite boots poking out from underneath his work boots but didn’t move off from them, knowing that any sudden movement could set off the bull, or the rest of the cattle for that matter and she was still too far away for him to grab her and pull her over the gate.

“He really likes me I think.” She was smiling again as she neared the gate, petting the bull one last time before she lifted one dainty foot to the lowest rail on it.

“So do I, now get that sweet fanny over her please.” At the sound of his voice the bull tossed his head and looked over at him, it was not a friendly look by any means.

“You like me?” Dropping her arms to her sides she stared at him in open mouthed shock, her foot still on the bottom rung of the fence.

“Yes I do, now let’s go talk about it in a safer place shall we?” He kept his voice light and friendly, staring at a spot just over the bulls eyes.

She climbed up the gate and sat on top of it for a second, her legs over on the pasture side. “Ok Mr. Bull, you just go on back to where you belong now, and don’t get hurt on the fence you tore down ok?”

The bull looked up at her perched there, snorted and Raine shook his head in disbelief as the damned thing took off at what could only be called a trot to the pasture they had been keeping him in until they were ready for him to breed the cows again. He reached up and pulled her down from the gate and into his arms, holding her tight as his heart slowly began to beat regularly once more.

She of course was laughing. “Put me down you loon, we have an audience.” Turning with her in his arms Raine saw Terrence and three of the other family members that worked for him standing there with their mouths open wide.

“Well don’t just stand there, there’s work to be done!” He shouted at them, scared and talking the extra adrenaline out on them. “Someone go make sure that bull is back where he belongs and fix that fence.”

Setting her down he waited for her to put her boots back on and then he held her hand as he stomped back to the house. She kept giggling at his mumbled words and try thought they might no one heard whatever it was that she said to make him laugh. When he did they all looked at each other and grinned.

“Five bucks says that bull is back where she told him to go.” Terrence said as they all watched the pair walk into the house.

“No takers Terrence, I’ve never seen a bull stop his charge just because someone said “Stop” before.” Angus, the cousin that used to ride the rodeo circuit back in his younger days said, rubbing his hand across his forehead as he smiled. “Raine doesn’t stand a chance of getting away from her, does he?”

“I really don’t think he wants one do you?” Terrence smiled as they all laughed in agreement before going back to work.

She wandered around his house while he showered and changed, giggling once in a while as she thought about the look on his face when he saw her petting the bull. She loved all of the nick-knacks and family photos that were spread out all over the house, remembering after a bit that he had bought this place from his parents when his Fathers health had become so bad and he hadn’t been able to keep up with the things that needed to get done any longer. Now his Mother lived in Florida with her sister and their Father had passed away, the only thing left of him was a legacy of farming and the photos of him smiling from better days and she thought that it was a wonderful legacy he had left behind for his family, it was too bad he was gone.

“Find anything interesting?” Raines voice behind her made her jump, and then she laughed as she turned to face him, not prepared for the sight of him in just a pair of blue jeans and no shirt. Her eyes followed a droplet of water as it traced its way past his sculpted pectorals and down his torso to get absorbed in the waistband of his low slung jeans.

At his cough she looked back up to his face to see him looking at her with something close to a smirk on his face. Frowning she felt her left eyebrow raise as she said ‘Not really, no.” and turned back to the family photo she had been looking at, one taken from the Fourth of July party that had been held at Summers place last year. She was in there, next to Summer, her friend having insisted that she was family and that she had to be in the picture, everyone else chimed in and there she was, forever locked in a picture with a family that had accepted her just because Summer loved her so much. There behind her was Raine and he wasn’t looking at the camera, to her surprise he was looking down at her, his sun bleached hair masking the expression on his face.

“I love your family.” She said as she felt him move to stand behind her.

“The feeling is mutual you know.” She felt the rush of air as he put on the t-shirt he had been holding. “You ready to go?”

“Sure, ready whenever you are.” Turning, she almost bumped into him he was so close to her and she tilted her head back as he grabbed her arms to make sure she didn’t fall back into the picture she had been looking so intently at.

He was still, just looking at her, his eyes holding her mesmerized for a moment. Then without another word his hands moved until his palms were cupping her face between them and he lowered his lips to hers. Once, then again his lips brushed hers, so soft and sweet that her lips tingled in response to the touch of his mouth on hers. His breath smelled minty, toothpaste, and she smiled as he teased her lower lip with a gentle tug from his teeth.

“There,” He said as he stepped back from her, letting his hands drop to his sides as he watched the dreamy and dazed look fade a little from her eyes. “And you aren’t even running away.”

“What?” She laughed, bemused as she lifted the fingertips of one hand to her tingling lips, his heart melted all the more at the gesture.

“I’ve wanted to do that for three years, but I always thought if I did then you would take off so fast and so far that I would never find you.”

“Oh” She said as she lowered her hand, her eyes troubled as she turned to look out the window. “Oh my, I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything Kerry, you aren’t responsible for what I think, what I feel, I just wanted to tell you I guess.” Taking her hand he led her out the door and towards his Ford truck that was parked near the house. “Let’s go eat something and then after I’ve left you can think about it all you want to.”

They drove to her house in silence, the drive taking them only five minutes or so by truck instead of the long leisurely ride by tractor. Just as she suspected there was country music playing on the radio and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Is there some sort of law?” She asked as they pulled into her driveway, Misha running out to greet them, recognizing the sound of Raines truck.

“Law about what?” His lips pursed and his eyes narrowed as he guessed what she was talking about. “Don’t be hatin’ on my music woman.”

She laughed so hard then she was rolling around on the seat of the truck as much as the seat belt would allow, holding her sides as they began to ache. She kept repeating the ‘don’t be Hatin’’ part of what he had said in an imitation of what he considered his serious tone of voice and that made her laugh all the more. He tried to look insulted but he couldn’t quite manage it and he ended up laughing with her, knowing that his attempts at slang were terrible at best. In three years he hadn’t heard this much laughter from her, and while a part of him wondered if it was partly because of the champagne he realized that he didn’t really care, the sound was literally music to his ears.

Once they had stopped laughing they got out of his truck and walked into her house, after she petted and fussed over Misha of course. Kerry took out the other bottle of Cristal that was in her refrigerator and had him go out to start the grill while she got things ready for dinner. She worked fast he thought, and then he wondered if she hadn’t hoped that her friend Nathan had been going to stay for dinner with her because when he came back inside to tell her the grill was all set she had marinated steaks on a plate and ready for the grill, mushrooms and onions sautéing in a pan on the stove, a salad on the table, what appeared to be two small sweet potatoes in the microwave and two glasses of champagne ready for drinking.

“Damn you work fast woman!” He took the plate of steaks and went to go back outside; she lowered the heat on the stove and walked over to him, grabbing both sparkling glasses as she followed him out onto the deck.

Once he put the steaks on the grill and closed the lid to it she handed him the glass. It felt far too delicate in his hand and he had a strange moment where he was afraid he was going to snap the stem of it in his hand until he saw her face. She had an impish grin on and he had to smile back, knowing that she had seen on his face what he had been thinking.

“What are we toasting?” He raised his glass, his voice husky as he looked at nothing but her eyes.

“Oh maybe friends, the summer, and freedom?” Was her reply as she reached out and tapped the edge of her glass to his before raising it to her lips, watching him.

There was a neigh and he laughed as Misha poked her head over the edge of the deck, wanting her share of attention. “Let’s not forget Misha either.” He laughed as he took a sip of the drink she had handed him.

His eyes widened at the taste, normally he never cared for wine and surely not champagne but this was different. It wasn’t too dry, but was sweet and cool as it bubbled in his mouth tasting as though someone had captured the rays of sun and had bottled them. He smiled and looked down at the glass in his hand, surprised that he had enjoyed it so very much. She grinned and winked, patting Misha on the head before she walked back into the house.

Before she walked inside he called her name and had her turning around, that damn eyebrow of hers raised again as she looked at him. He raised the glass in his hand, “This is amazing, but it still fades compared to your kiss.”

“Have you been reading my books lately?” She tried to look annoyed but the flush on her cheeks gave her away, and he knew that flush wasn’t only because of the drink. “You are one naughty and smooth man Raine, why didn’t I know that before?”

Shrugging his shoulder he smiled at her and took another drink, turning back to the steaks sizzling on the grill only after she had gone back inside.

What was she doing? She thought to herself as she finished sautéing the sliced onions and mushrooms, adding just a touch of beef base to them while she listened for the sound of Raine coming back inside with the steaks. After three years how could he be suddenly so interested in her when he had ignored her for so long? Why would he be interested anyhow, it’s not like she had ever really been nice to him, instead she had more or less ignored him for the last three years. Well, ignoring wasn’t quite right either, he was the one she called when anything broke down, became worn out or she just needed a hand with something or if she didn’t call him then he was always the one that Summer sent over when she knew that there was something that needed to be done. Then they would fight when he didn’t see things her way.

Smiling, lost in her thoughts she remembered the time she had wanted what he called a ‘split-rail’ fence put up near the small pond that she and Summer had convinced him to dig for her. He had worked long into the day, sweating and grumbling because to him where she wanted it made no sense at all. She had made him lunch and then she brought him out some lemonade, her offers of help turned down as she sat on the deck that he had redone and expanded for her, watching him. When he had found out she had wanted it to plant climbing roses on she had thought he was going to throw something, but he had just stalked away like he always did, mumbling about ‘wasted time’.

Now that she thought about it, ever since they had met in the Co-Op three years before that something had been building between them and she hadn’t really wanted to see it. He was the one she turned to when she needed something and he was always the one that came to see if there was anything she needed. Summer had tried to tell her over a year ago but she hadn’t been willing to listen, she had wanted to think that Summer was the one sending him over to see if there was something she wanted or needed done. But it was looking like it had been him trying to win her over when she hadn’t even realized that she wanted him too, the thought made her smile even as it made her sad at the same time.

“Penny for your thoughts.” She jumped at the sound of his voice, quickly turning the heat off on the burner as she laughed and turned to him.

“Who says that anymore?” She shook her head. “Your age is showing I tell you.”
“It’s not age, it’s called manners and more people should have them.” He placed the plate with the steaks on it on the table. “Is there anything else that needs to be done?”

“No, just let me get this mess here into a bowl and we are all set.” The sun was still high in the sky and she wondered if he would be here to watch the sun set with her, it set now usually around ten and she knew he had to be up early in the morning.

They were quiet for most of the meal, taking their time eating and making small talk only rarely. He stared at her often, unable to help himself watch the way she lifted the fork to her lips, opening then for a bite of food. He had never known that eating could be such a sensual experience until he watched her. She noticed him watching her eat and never said a word, drinking a little more than was good for her until she knew she was more than tipsy, he looked at her like she was food and he was starving and she couldn’t remember ever having someone look at her like that before, it was a little intimidating.

With dinner finished they did the dishes together, making short work of the few dished that there were and then they fell into an uncomfortable silence as the hall clock chimed that it was nine o’clock. She jumped at the sound of the clock chiming and she looked out the window to see that the sun was far from setting, but she didn’t want to be alone, not when the dark came and she was afraid of asking him to stay. She didn’t want things to go too fast between them, take the chance of ruining the real friendship that they had.

“Let’s go outside, get out of this canned air you live in during the summer.” Grabbing her hand he walked towards the door.

“I do not live in canned air, it is called air conditioning and it’s good for me, I’ll melt in all of the heat.”

“You are not made of ice, no matter how hard you pretend, you won’t melt in a little heat.” He could have slapped himself for saying it, her hand jerked from his as she stood still and he turned to face her. Her eyes were glossy from the drink and instead of the anger he expected from her he saw that she was hurt.

“Is that what you think of me?” She whispered, the sun falling through the trees was fading, but the rays still managed to catch her face and outline all of the hurt and pain he knew she tried so hard to hide.

“No Kerry, no… damn it!” Frustrated with himself he started to reach out for her and then stopped. “I don’t know why everything always seems to come out wrong when I talk to you. Why nothing comes out the way I want to say it.”

“Oh I think you do a good job of it.” The hurt was edging towards anger, he could see it in her eyes, those damned haunting blue eyes of hers tearing him in two.

“No, no I don’t at all.” Closing his eyes he shook his head and jumped into what he really wanted to say, figuring it was now or never. “Ever since I first saw you I wanted to…to just hold you and make all of the bad things in your life go away. I see you laugh and I wish it was me you are laughing with, I hear you whisper things to Summer and I want to be the one you share your secrets with, every time you leave a family get-together it just kills me that you are going home alone because I want to be the one you go home with and it haunts me because I don’t know how to make you see what I feel.”

He felt her hands grab his, link her fingers with his, her small hands cradling his where his fingers were missing. “You want to slay my dragons, protect me?”

He finally opened his eyes to see her standing there, so close and yet there was so much distance between them, distance he knew she would keep there if he faltered at all. “No, just the dragons you want me to slay and I only want to protect you when you ask me to.”

“That’s not how the stories go Raine.”

“This isn’t a story, it’s real and in the real world you can’t stand with someone until you know you can stand on your own.” She smiled and the tension eased between them, she knew what he meant even if she was going to brush the rest of it off for now, she obviously didn’t want to get into the way he felt about her.

“I think you’re right.”

Tugging on her hands that were still linked with his he began to walk backwards leading her off the deck. “So, in the meantime, how about we go hide for a while on that big hammock of yours and listen to the world pass by for a while?”

Dropping one hand when she nodded her reply he turned and they walked hand in hand across her yard, Misha prancing over to join them. “You know, you should write a romance novel, I bet it would sell.”

“Nope.” He laughed. “It would never work; I’m not a romantic sort of person, too practical for that.”

“Are you serious?” Shaking her head and laughing she gently eased Misha aside as they managed to climb into the hammock without tipping over. She snuggled up against him, her ear over his heart as she used his chest for a pillow as he put his arms around her.

They lay there for a while, no talking, no worries just holding each other as the night began to fall around them. His fingers smoothed and stroked her hair as he felt her finally relax in his arms, it really did feel like silk to his work-rough hands and he felt his eyes close as he lay still, trying to memorize the feeling of her in his arms.

There was a thump on the ground next to him and his eyes opened wide as something large and heavy landed on his stomach causing the hammock to tilt madly for a moment. His breath left him in a rush as Kerry began to laugh again, her hand reaching out to stroke the mane of her horse who had evidently felt left out of the whole hammock experience. The mares eyes were closed as she lay on the ground, her head on him while her neck was extended it what he was sure had to be an uncomfortable position.

“See, Misha thinks you make a good pillow too.” He couldn’t help but smile at the almost childish delight in her voice.

“That’s nice.” He rasped, his breath still recovering from the weight of the horses head being dropped on his stomach. He moved his hand to lay on top of hers where it rested on Mishas’ mane, wondering what was going to happen if she ripped his heart out, he didn’t think he could take it, not twice in one lifetime. He heard her sigh and the hand under his relaxed, his little romance writer had fallen asleep in his arms, right where she belonged.

Copyright protected (copyright 2008 M.P.O.) No publication, copying or other use of this story is permitted without the express permission of the author.