Candy's Kisses by Carys Weldon
The Wild Rose Press www.thewildrosepress.com
Copyright ©2011 by Carys Weldon First published in 2011 NOTICE: This eBook is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution to any person via email, floppy disk, network, print out, or any other means is a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines and/or imprisonment. This notice overrides the Adobe Reader permissions which are erroneous. This eBook cannot be legally lent or given to others. This eBook is displayed using 100% recycled electrons.
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Candy's Kisses by Carys Weldon
CONTENTS PRAISE FOR AUTHOR Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four 3
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Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One About the Author Also Available Chapter One Thank you for purchasing ****
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Kisses as sweet as Candy... Another kiss was coming. Excitement and anticipation spiraled through her, sliding right to the core of her body. He dipped in for it, his upper arms flexing beneath her hands. His lips touched hers right about the time she heard a growl come from under the truck. The kiss abruptly ended and Levi growled, too. "Boog!" Simultaneously, Candy felt his hands tighten and lift, putting her on the seat. Naturally, her legs spread apart, and he stepped in. She supposed he saved her from a heel biting, but she didn't have much time to think about it before he kissed her again, before her own arms wrapped around his neck. It went too fast. His fingers found flesh, slipping under the hem of her shirt. The silky feel of his hair made her clutch. Could a man kiss any better than this? With any more fervor? She didn't think so. She knew one thing. She couldn't get her tongue deep enough in his mouth. Scooting a little, Candy squeezed with her thighs. Levi answered that with another growl, and the next thing she knew, she was flat on the seat, and he'd climbed in, and over her. She drew her legs up, cradling his body between her thighs, loving the pressure of his erect cock rubbing through the barriers of jean material. Absolutely not wanting to stop. Needing the feel of his hands. Loving the touch of his 5
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calloused fingers and palms on her body, everywhere at once.
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PRAISE FOR AUTHOR Carys Weldon "Candy's Kisses is a wonderful story that had me sighing in a way I haven't done in years. Ms. Weldon does a fabulous job describing the overwhelming attraction between the main characters and their confusion at how their feelings could've gotten so intense so quickly. What started out as a simple blind date turns into a weekend getaway that would change both of their lives forever. With sex scenes that sizzle on the page and leave you panting for more, it is a wonderful book that I look forward to reading over and over again." ~ Sandy Lynn, author of Kiss And Tell and Best Served Cold [Back to Table of Contents]
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Candy's Kisses by Carys Weldon
Candy's Kisses By Carys Weldon [Back to Table of Contents]
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Candy's Kisses by Carys Weldon
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental. Candy's Kisses COPYRIGHT (C) 2011 by Carys Weldon All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Contact Information:
[email protected] Cover Art by Diana Carlile The Wild Rose Press PO Box 708 Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708 Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com Publishing History First Scarlet Rose Edition, September 2011 Print ISBN 1-60154-993-8 Published in the United States of America Trademarks Acknowledgement The author of this work of fiction acknowledges the following trademarks: 9
Candy's Kisses by Carys Weldon
Marlboro: Phillip Morris USA Inc. Calvin Klein: Calvin Klein Trademark Trust Barbie: Mattel, Inc. Trojan: Church & Dwight Co., Inc. Victoria's Secret: Victoria's Secret Stores Brand Management, Inc. He-Man: Mattel, Inc. The Hulk: Magazine Management Co., Inc. Mini-me: New Line Productions, Inc. [Back to Table of Contents]
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Dedication This is for all those guys and gals who are looking for love in all the wrong places and those waiting for the right one to come along. For my four daughters and the loves of their lives...wish they'd show up soon! [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter One "This is dumb. Let's go." "No," Erica stubbornly grouched. "He'll come. I swear he's not like most guys. There's got to be a good reason for him being late." She turned to the bartender. "Give us a second drink, please." Candace winced. She was nobody's idea of a "drinker" and the bar meeting had been the first bad omen for the blind date with Erica's cousin. All the way there, her ears had been ringing with her mother's mantra. "Where you meet a guy sets the relationship. Meet a guy at a bar, you can't complain when he likes to drink." That was something her parents had struggled with. Her father drank. Her mom always complained and went to church—alone—to pray for him. The bible was always between them. The fact that "even Jesus drank wine daily" did not help the situation. Candy's mind rattled over their arguments as she sat there, feeling utterly stupid for having a blind date in the first place, and even more ridiculous for meeting a guy in a place that might give him the wrong impression of her. If anything, Candy was not the typical city girl, singles bar and nightlife type. "You look pretty." Erica smiled. "He'll love you. I'm sure of it." "Right. No one else does. Why should I expect this guy to walk in here, take one look, and go nuts?" Candy pushed at 12
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her dark auburn mass of unruly spiral curls. "Just so you know, there are no expectations here." The bartender scooted a couple of frozen margaritas toward them. "Thanks," Candy whispered and took a sip. It was strong and gave her an instant brain freeze. "Wow! That hurts." She didn't want any more. One drink was her usual limit— a completely social thing. Normally, she nursed that half the night. Glancing at her watch, she said, "Really. He's a noshow. It's forty-five minutes now." "Levi isn't like that." The bar Erica had chosen was a busy place on the far edge of town with an urban cowboy feel. The strains of Boot Scootin' Boogie by Brooks and Dunn began, and a flurry of Barbies, belt bunnies, and bimbos rushed the floor with a questionable crowd of boot wearers right behind them. Candy was temporarily distracted by the sudden urge to go and give the boot scoot a try. Squelching that temptation as fast as it came, she turned on Erica with her disappointment in life in general. "And he is so thoughtful he called the minute he got held up." Candy sighed. "Really, let's take stock here. He wasn't asking for a date. You set him up with a girl he's never seen and never cared to meet." "That's not true." Erica reached over and tucked Candy's bra strap in. It peeked repeatedly from under her boat-neck cotton T-shirt. Apparently, it was driving Erica crazy. She'd fixed it three times. 13
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Candy pushed her hand away. "What's wrong with him, anyway? A guy who's thirty-one and single, lives on the family farm. What's that say to you?" Erica frowned. "He's a farm boy?" "And I'm a city girl. I'm seeing problems already. But no. There's more than that. If he's so good, why hasn't somebody snapped him up and given him four kids by now? Isn't that what farm boys do?" "He's not really a boy anymore," Erica muttered. "Even if he is a cousin, I'm telling ya, the guy looks good in his jeans, with or without a shirt. You gotta see him." Erica averted her eyes, staring at the door, as if willing her cousin to appear. Her friend was a big believer in manifesting destiny, making things happen by wishing them to be. But this desire for them to be related by marriage just wasn't working out. Levi was the fourth cousin Erica had set her up with. Noah, Kyle, Danny, and now, Levi. Admittedly, the others had been hot but missing something she needed—like a total love at first sight thing. Now, Candy's heart had lost hope. After all, if Levi was all that great, why hadn't Erica hooked them up first? "You gotta meet him." Candy studied Erica's profile. It was a head turner. Erica had bleached blonde hair, perfect aquiline features, and looked a lot like Morgan Fairchild and Paris Hilton. Not quite as skinny but thin enough to spin men in circles. Candy hated that and loved it at the same time. She got a lot of fall-out attention when Erica passed guys off. But neither of them could find true love. It was so disheartening. What did it take? 14
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She was a little too curvy to be happy with her body. Not that she was fat exactly, but no one would call her thin. She had full hips. Her waist wasn't bad, but her breasts weren't all that great. Nothing a farm boy could call melons. So, what most people noticed was her wide ass, and it was pretty flat. That's about all she could say for it. Erica swore she looked great in her jeans, though. And who was she to argue with the fashion queen? "Why are you keeping it such a mystery?" Candy tried not to be annoyed, but with every ticking second, she felt more and more unwanted. "I told you how old he is and that he has blue eyes and black hair, and that he isn't a bum. And he's not into sheep." Sipping her margarita, Candy glanced around, nearly choking on it when Erica reminded her of the worst question she'd ever had to ask about a man. Worry had been replaced with snickering laughter when Erica assured her, "No. He's a cow boy." Candy had wondered about the guy ever since. Erica reached over and gave her back a wallop. "I wish you'd get over that." "Swear you won't tell him I asked about sheep. I mean it, swear." "You want my blood oath?" Erica shook her head, happy, way too happy. "I don't think it would be prudent for me to give a promise on this. I'm sure I'll need the dirt sometime in the future." That was how Erica was. And now that Candy thought about it, it was probably how Levi had been twisted into 15
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agreeing to the blind date. Suspicion filled her mind. What did Erica have on him? "Please say you're serious that he doesn't have a weird thing going on with animals. Sheep or cows, or anything else." "He does have a dog he's pretty partial to. Or two." Erica's lips slid sideways, and she rolled her eyes heavenward. "Please. He's great. And, believe it or not, I don't have any knowledge of anything being wrong with him...except one thing, and that's not too bad, really. But it's the kind of thing he'll have to tell you himself." A fairly handsome guy headed toward them, but Erica caught his eye and shook her head with a frown and a wave, sending him in a veering direction away from them. Several men had come over, but Erica had staunchly sent them away, announcing they were meeting someone. Now, they were looking pathetic. Stood up. And that last one, to Candy's mind, was the final straw. "I just want to go." "That drink's putting color in your cheeks." Erica smiled at her. "You really look good, Candy Laine." Ah, the stupid nickname. "Please don't call me that when he shows up, if he shows up." Erica's pep talk made Candy want to cry. She was twentysix and dying. "I think he talked to your other cousins and found out stuff about me, then decided not to show. Why doesn't he have a cell phone? What guy in this day and age doesn't have a cell?" 16
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"There's no service where he lives, I think. He has a land line in his house. Maybe his truck broke down on the way in. Who knows? Oh. There he is!" Erica practically fell off her barstool, standing up, waving. Candy did not believe her eyes. The guy at the door was beyond sexy. A Marlboro man without the cig. A romance cover model with his shirt on. And oh, how tight was that black T-shirt? Tight enough to outline a serious set of abs and to stretch across arms that were obviously used to weight lifting or some other strenuous activity. He was tall, too. Who couldn't like that lean but bulked up look? Candy reached up, checking the errant bra strap, pasting a hopeful smile on her face, reminding herself not to hope too hard. He'd probably stay for one beer and be gone. Holy heavens. She couldn't help noticing his below-thewaist-action when he caught sight of Erica and strode toward them. Levi's jeans said cowboy, cowboy, cowboy. They were long and boot cut but appeared well-worn. Not commercially aged. No holes. Clean. That was the biggest thing Candy noticed about him. He had a fresh look, like he was his own man—straight from the farm. An old world sort of guy. Honest. Everything Erica had promised. Her gaze dropped. His black, pointed toed boots screamed real, real, real cowboy. They were freshly polished. Candy didn't know any men who polished their boots. Or any men who had those kind of, honest to God, shitkicker boots. Certainly none who had boots that might have walked through a corral or climbed on a horse. She was a city girl, born and bred. So, this guy appeared to be an enigma. 17
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He wouldn't want anything to do with her. They would never get along. All her doubts and fears came to the fore, but rushing behind those were bold faced sexual attraction. With every step he made, Candy felt her insides coiling tighter, spiraling downward, a wetness pooling lightly in her panties. The minute he got within two feet of them, Erica wrapped her arms around him. "Levi! I thought you stood us up!" It was weird, how Candy's gaze focused low and her mind went straight to the gutter. She couldn't manage to take her eyes off the way he automatically slid his arms around Erica, squeezing gently then letting her go and setting her back on her feet in one smooth move. The need for a caressing hug caused a pang in Candy's heart. "Hey. I wouldn't do that to you. I said I'd come. Thanks for waiting. I got hung up." His voice, sexy, slid over her in a warm way, even though he was talking directly to Erica. But it was his hands stealing her attention—long fingers, big, strong looking—and his forearms...how did a man get forearms that muscular? Lifting hay? How much did hay weigh, anyway? The tongue-twisting thought made her want to giggle. She tamped down the urge. "Let me introduce you to my friend." Erica pulled Levi the last step or so toward her. "Candy...Candace Merrill. This is Levi Bishop, my cousin." The fact that she tacked on their relationship made Candy grin. Erica was so silly. Of course he was her cousin. How many times had that been stated before? 18
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"Nice to meet you." She held out a hand and finally forced her gaze upward to really take in the man's facial features. As he took hold of her fingers, his eyes lasered through hers. Feeling at a distinct disadvantage, and shorter than ever, she slipped from her stool and went weak in the knees. He didn't hold onto her hand, but she couldn't remember him letting go or touching her more than that first second. But her whole system zipped with electricity from the contact. Her heart raced. She noted the feminine wetness again, and blood rushed to her cheeks. Could a man be that pretty and that rugged at the same time? Besides the fact that his eyes were a true sky-blue, the long black lashes surrounding them accentuated the pupils. His hair was collar length and didn't look like it had seen a barber in a while. Most of the guys Candy dated were short trimmed. Levi had long sideburns that pointed in a bit toward his lips. Which moved, pursing a second before he spoke. She keyed in. "I've heard a lot about you." His voice had such a smoothness, quiet and low, the tenor of it sent another coil of need through her center. "Really? I'm sure it was all lies." She had no idea why she said it. Nervous? Yes. A smart crack to cover it up, and maybe because she didn't trust Erica completely. Her friend wanted this to happen so bad, she probably had embellished the truth some. "She's made you out to be the mystery man of the century. Weird, huh?" "Is that right?" 19
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His gaze slid toward Erica and seemed suddenly unsure. Candy watched the emotion flit across his features. He'd looked so confident, waltzing in, striding across the bar with purpose. But now, she couldn't put a finger on it, but he was awkward. That expanded as Erica looked between the two of them and said, "How 'bout we get a booth and just talk for a few minutes?" "All right." He seemed agreeable, glad for the suggestion. Candy grabbed her drink. She was going to need it, probably. She was grateful he'd given her time to get through one before showing up. The guy was too handsome. Too perfect for a girl like her. She had so many flaws. He was a hard body and she was too soft. He was picture perfect and she...oh why had she done this stupid spiral thing with her hair? Her hand tangled in the ringlets hanging at her temple. Her newly manicured solar nails got caught and it took a second to get them out. She pretended to scratch her head. Great. He'll probably think I have head lice or something. She thought about the odd emotion that had slithered over his face. It had unsettled her. He had to have something wrong with him. Some secret or the mystery man comment wouldn't have made him uneasy. Candy didn't know if she was out of her league or what, but she felt uncomfortable. Mostly because she desperately wanted to see something wrong in him. Self-sabotage climbed into high gear. Look for it. Look for it. There has to be something. 20
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He probably has an ex psycho bitch girlfriend that Erica never heard about, a girl in his past like all his cousins had. How could a man that looked like that not have an ex or two hanging on? "You want something to drink?" Erica picked up hers. "Let me think about that." His lips turned up a bit at the corners, adding to his appeal. Again, she noted his voice had a deep but easy resonance that titillated Candy as if it had reached right inside her belly and squeezed her pussy. She felt a tingle down below. That was a new experience for her. Turned on just by a man's voice? That didn't happen to her every day. Geez. She darn near went sky diving in his baby blues. Swimming in the crystal ponds. They didn't look like there was any guile behind them. Maybe she'd imagined that look of discomfiture. Candy sighed, glancing at his tight, body hugging T-shirt again. The moment stretched, it seemed, to breaking point in a slow-mo that had Candy thinking way too much about running her fingers over every inch of his upper body. She wondered if he had a "farmer's tan" or was just as tanned under his shirt. What was on his mind? Did he like what he saw? Would he care to know her skin was milky white everywhere? She wanted him to think about all sorts of things, all having to do with her—her eyes, amber; her hair, auburn; her build—as it was. God, she wanted him to like what he saw, just half as much as she liked what she saw in him. Once again, her gaze skipped to his. Could a guy get eyes any bluer? Or hair any darker? More silky? And she damn near 21
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wanted to drool over his biceps. Skittering nervous glances. One thing was for sure, she was afraid to make eye contact for more than a second. Reality snapped. He wasn't ordering a drink right away. He wasn't sure if he wanted to stick around for a whole drink? No problem. She understood. One look and he wasn't interested. It happened. Disappointment skewered through her. She couldn't help feeling a little sad as they went toward the first open booth Erica spotted. The guy towered over her, keeping close, bringing up the rear. Candy didn't look back. She didn't stop to think about who should sit where. She just slid past Erica and in, ending up in the middle, in the back. Erica scooted left, sat down and pointed. "Why don't you sit there?" Levi didn't have any choice. He dropped into the booth on the other side. And the minute he was in, his knee bumped Candy's. "Sorry," he said, but he didn't move it away. "It's okay." She sucked hard on her skinny straw. She needed another drink, maybe. This close she could smell him. He had on some heavenly aftershave, and it wasn't some cheap pharmacy brand either. She didn't know what it was, but the richly blended scent of pine and musk made her senses swim. "So, you work on a farm?" It was the only thing Candy could think to say. "Yep." 22
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Lazily, he leaned back and eyed her. She knew the minute her hair totally registered. It was too short now and the perm had gone a little tight, although it still hung past her shoulders. Candy hated the fact that she'd given in to fear that her "regular" hair was turning men off. The bouncy curls were a big difference from the long straight stuff's natural look. Erica swore it was a fun, cute style that suited her features really well. Self-conscious, Candy pushed the springing curls out of her eyes. "I work in the call center for a phone company." "Where Erica works. Right?" "Yep." Candy felt sure the whole thing was a bust. Two sentences out of the gate and they'd had a couple of yeps already. One word answers were never a good sign. "Do you like it?" She winced. "Kinda." Did it sound lame to like a job where all she did was call strangers? Probably. But she liked chatting without physical appearances bogging things up. "Do you like working on your farm?" He gave her a full-toothed smile, and she melted. Sitting up straighter, then leaning closer, he asked, "What would you think if I said I loved it?" He loved it? She couldn't swallow. She couldn't think. He was in her face, daring her to call him...something. Daring her to argue the point or to judge him.
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She cleared her throat. "I'd say a man should love what he does...for a living." Then she stuttered. "I m-mean wh-what's the point if you don't?" "Exactly. A man shouldn't be miserable all his life." Did that mean he was miserable or not? Or had been at some point? She wasn't sure. "You want a drink?" Erica, pusher of alcohol to ease the situation, got up. "Let me get you something." There was a waitress, but she was on the other side of the room and apparently not in any hurry to leave the table full of men. "What do you want?" Erica pushed the issue, flicking her blonde hair away from her face. Levi smiled evenly. "How about a Coke?" "A rum and Coke?" "Nope. Just a soda." Levi stared Erica down. Disappointed, Erica gave in. "Oh. Okay." They watched her walk away. Candy wanted to know what made him late but felt it would be rude to ask. "I've never been on a real farm." It sounded stupid even to her own ears, but she had a great need to fill the silence, to keep from thinking too hard. That always got her into trouble. "Probably never wanted to be, then. Huh?" So much for getting the home tour. Candy played with the straw in her drink. "No. I mean, I never knew anybody from the country. It was never, you know, an option." "Serious city girl, huh?" 24
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She wondered if he liked brown eyes. Did hers remind him of cows? They were big. Her dad used to tease her about that. Her big cow eyes. Cows don't cry, he'd say just to stop her tears. To make her argue that she wasn't a cow. She felt like one, though. "I don't know about serious." She gave him a little smile. "Are you a serious farm boy?" He chuckled out loud. "Boy?" His bulging biceps and forearms snagged her attention again. Oh, hell no. This was no boy. She squeaked. "It went with the girl thing." Was he counting every freckle or what? He stared through her skin or something. Could he see her insecurities? The heart of her? If he could, he'd know it was running ninety miles an hour and tripping all at the same time. Candy felt she was failing the test, whatever it was. She hated that, but how to bail herself out? Normally, she had a pretty good sense of humor. Normally, she didn't care if a guy didn't like her. She expected them all to be jerks. She'd met so many of them. "You're a pretty girl." That was unexpected. Her eyebrows went up. She blurted, "Said the pretty man." "Ah. Mutual admiration. That's a good start. Isn't it?" A good start? "I guess." He leaned toward her again. "I have to tell you that I don't usually go for being called pretty." "You don't?" "Nope. Those are fighting words." 25
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"Oh. So you've been called that before?" He grinned again. "Once or twice." "You could make a living doing underwear ads, if you wanted to." Holy crap. Had she just said that aloud? "I'd have to come into the city more to do that. And," he seemed apologetic, "I don't think I wanna do that." "You don't like the city?" All her hopes crushed in a second. "I hate the city, but I was talking about posing in underwear for a billboard picture. I think my mother would roll over in her grave and come back to haunt me. She was pretty big on modesty." She would have cried right then, over the I hate the city thing, if he'd looked away. This would never work. Not to mention, she was just joking about the underwear thing. Man, he was too serious. "I might," he hesitated, "might be talked into taking private pictures, though." Candy squeezed her eyelids tight. Don't picture it. Don't picture it. Too late. She had him in Calvin Klein's on black and white film in a poster on the ceiling above her bed. She would never sleep again for picturing that. Already, she saw a million nights staring at her ceiling, thinking about this moment. She had to laugh inwardly at herself. "Too bad I don't have a camera. Now I'm wondering if you wear a thong, bunhuggers, or boxers." "What do you think a farm boy would wear?" 26
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Ooh. She winced. The farm boy/city girl thing resurfaced. "Probably not a thong." "You got that right." He, too, wrinkled his nose in distaste. "You'd have to hogtie me to get me into one of those things." Hog tie? What the heck was that? She couldn't ask. That would make her look all the more stupid. Erica returned, carrying three drinks. Candy killed her margarita off. Two down. She had to quit after the third. It would be an all-nighter. She could nurse it until closing if they were there that long. "What did I miss?" Erica's too-bright, assessing gaze split from one to the other. She plopped into the booth. "Oh. You did not go to the city girl/country boy thing already, did you? I only left you for two minutes." Yes, and skipped straight to his underwear and posing for porn pictures. Oh, Erica would absolutely kill her for turning the conversation like that. "You were right about one thing." Levi palmed his soda glass. "She's prettier than pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top." Candy turned on Erica. "You did not describe me like that, did you?" So grateful to leave the underwear convo behind, Candy glared at her friend. "Pa-shaw." Which meant Yes, of course. He's a country boy. Food metaphors are the way to go. Outraged on principle, Candy asked, "What else did she say about me?" "That you get grumpy pretty easy." 27
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That was true. But it didn't make Candy happy. "And you still came to meet me?" Levi shrugged. "What girl doesn't?" "Not me. I'm the soul of pleasantry." Erica lied, but neither Candy nor Levi argued the point. He grinned, though, and Candy knew he was being prudent. Erica was known for things like dumping drinks in people's laps and smacking people upside the head. "If she told you I was a city girl, and you hate the city, why did you come?" "Curious, I guess." "About what?" "Pumpkin pie. And I had three visits this last month. Sort of intrigued me. Plus, Erica was relentless in demanding I take a break from the cows to do this." Three? The other cousins? Candy looked toward the door. Curse Erica for pinning her in the booth. She needed to go home. "So," Candy squeezed the words out, "why bother?" The guy needed to get up and walk away and call it good, so she could cry in her drink and on her friend's shoulder. Why in hell hadn't she been born a country girl? That had been a problem for all Erica's cousins. That's what was wrong with her? A girl couldn't help where she was born and raised. She didn't understand these men from Erica's family. "What did they say? I'm sure they lied." Erica practically growled. "Throw it out. I'll discredit every one of them." But 28
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before he could say anything else, she said, "Better yet. Why don't you tell us why you were late?" "I was pulling a calf." "Pulling a calf?" What did that mean? A calf was more important than a date? "Sometimes heifers have trouble. The calves get stuck. We have to reach in, wrap a chain around their front feet and winch them out." "Ow." Candy envisioned the process. The thought of it hurt. Reach in? Wrap a chain? Holy friggin' Maloney. "It wasn't expected. I didn't have time to call." "Farm emergencies rule Levi's life," Erica explained. "This is why he never keeps a girl long enough to fall in love or get married. That and the fact that most girls don't wanna live on a farm forever. Cows stink." Well, Candy didn't think she did, either. Not if cows were more important than anything else. So, what was the point? To be nice, she said, "I hope the calf and its mother are okay." "Actually..." He took a swig from his drink. "The heifer didn't make it." "What?" Candy didn't want to grasp his meaning. At least, she hoped she was wrong in her interpretation. She looked to Erica for confirmation. "Oh, God." Erica groaned, her disgust evident in her tone. "Do not go into it." Candy gasped with horror but pulled herself together and reached out to put a hand on Levi's forearm. "I'm sorry. I hope she didn't suffer." 29
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His gaze landed on her touch and followed her arm up, over her shoulder—keying in on the peeking bra strap and then to her face. She felt his perusal like a living, crawling thing, tickling her skin all the way down to her nipples, up her cleavage, snaking along her throat, and over her lips, which he keyed in on. She fought the urge to lick her lips, ended up rubbing them together instead, and then realized his gaze had skipped a beat and was now looking her in the eye. "I wish I could say she didn't. She hemorrhaged. It was a pretty bad deal. Vet didn't get there fast enough." "That's awful." She squeezed his arm. "What did you do with her?" "Well, that's part of what took so long." "Do not explain anything else," Erica warned. "It's too hot in here. You want to step out the back door, Candy, and get some air?" There was no waiting for a reply. Erica climbed out of the booth and headed out. Candy didn't have a choice. "I-I'm sorry." Scooting around and off the bench seat, Candy asked, "Will you be here when we get back?" He stood up, too. There was quite a difference in height. She had to tip her head to look up at him. It was odd, the way she felt. Too afraid to walk away. Too sure there was no hope. Desperately wanting to beg him to stick around. The alcohol hit her. She felt woozy, too. Dizzy. Damn. "Oh!" 30
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He scooped in, slipping an arm around her waist, dragging her against his chest. "You okay?" "No, uh, I-I don't drink much." She grabbed hold of his upper arm with one hand, and her other snagged a grip at his shirt. Focusing on her mouth, his lips descended upon hers, and she didn't know what stirred her more. His hold was firm, possessive. His lips were demanding, taking. She gasped, and his tongue swept in. And suddenly, his lips softened, coaxing her for reaction. She melted against him, and realized his lower body had firmed where hers met his below the belt. Pupils widening, his eyes darkened with something she could only name as desire. Need swamped her whole body with a damp sweat. Oh hell. The farm boy could kiss. How long did it last? She couldn't count the seconds. It ended all too soon, though, and he set her on her feet before she even realized he'd lifted her off them, but he kept his hands on her until he was sure she was steady. "Yeah. I think I'll be here. Now, go on. See what little secret Erica needs to tell." Candy blinked. What had just happened? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Two Candy had no conscious thought of walking away from Levi. All her senses had gone numb. Certainly, her brain wasn't working anymore. The minute she went through the back door, Erica asked, "So?" "So what?" Why couldn't she process what had happened? Why had he kissed her? And not just kissed her, but kissed her like that? Her lips felt puffed and sensitive. "Cows aside. I can tell he thinks you're pretty. He wouldn't have said so if he didn't think so. And I didn't lie about him, did I?" "No." Candy pursed her lips. "I guess not." "Come on." Erica grinned. "He's as hot as anybody you know." "You said that about all of your cousins." "But this one's the best of all," Erica pushed. "Don't you think?" "The rest of them probably told him how bad those dates were." Just the thought of those dates had Candy groaning inwardly. Talk about your monumental pile of failures. "He still showed up." "But why? That's what I want to know." This point had been bothering Candy, slithering in the back of her mind like some insidious snake. Now, it reared its ugly head and she had to know why a man like Levi would bother to come and 32
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meet her after three cousins had determined her "not their type" enough to call back. Except Danny, the veterinarian, the snake whispered. "Levi loves a challenge." "Great. Just call me Mt. Everest." There was a rail to lean against, and Candy was grateful for it. "It will never work. We already established that he hates the city." "But you don't hate the farm." "I've never been to a farm, and you're the one that said cows stink, and that he puts them in front of everything else." "You're always up to try new things. You're used to standing in line." "I try new things once...And only behind my brothers." The clods were a hundred beans short of chivalrous, and she got no princess treatment from them, despite being only one of two girls in a family of six. "You'd like it, I bet." Erica glanced out over the parking lot. "The farm, I mean. And Levi, if you gave him a chance." Gave him a chance? Erica had that backwards, didn't she? "I'd feel stupid on one." Candy never liked to do things that made her feel dumb. That's why the whole blind date thing had been a bad idea. She always felt at a disadvantage. Especially with guys who didn't understand where she came from. That's why the other dates had been so rotten. Stilted conversations. Nothing to talk about. No common interests. That was the reason Erica had insisted on the bar meeting this time—a little alcohol to loosen things up. 33
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"He could teach you things. It would give you something to talk about." "Like cows that die?" Candy could just cry for that heifer and its baby. That still made her feel bad. Maybe the animal wouldn't have died if he hadn't been feeling rushed over meeting her. "Life is hard." Erica folded her arms across her chest. "Levi is so lonely. You have no idea." "I thought he lived on the family farm." "Yeah." Erica shrugged. "By himself." "Oh. I thought family meant there was some there." "That's a long story. You should ask him about it sometime." "I don't think we'll be—" Candy stopped mid-sentence. He had mentioned his dead mother. How could she have let that slip by without catching it? "What?" "He said something about his Mom. I guess I didn't—" "No way. What did he say?" The underwear ad rolled through Candy's brain again. "Just that she was pretty big on modesty." "How did that come up?" "Does it matter?" Candy mentally kicked herself. There was no way she was telling Erica about the underwear conversation. "I think so. He doesn't talk about his family much. Totally a closed book most of the time. I think that's a significant marker on how attracted he is to you. I mean, mentioning his mom, that he never talks about, when he first meets you. 34
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Just seems like, finally, he's interested enough to lay a few things on the line." Yeah. Like his lips. Candy went back over that kiss. Holy heavens had that been an angel on wings moment? She had totally floated for a few seconds there. He had kissed her, and that had been awesome, and he said he was waiting for her. And now that Erica put value on the mother comment, Candy had a strong urge to go back in. How had his mother passed away? How hard was that? She couldn't even imagine. Her heart went out to him. "Just give him a chance." "You aren't really thinking he wants one, are you?" She hated to get her hopes up, but they were climbing up her throat. "I think he's interested." "How can you tell?" The kiss had seemed like interest at the time. But what made Erica think Levi liked what he saw? "Levi's the kind of guy that doesn't waste time. If he took one look and, well, he would have downed that Coke and hit the road already." "He just drove two hours." "I bet he asks you to go back to the farm with him." Candy laughed over that. "Why?" "I suggested it to him over the phone. He was a little nervous about what he could talk to you about, I think." Gasping, Candy groaned. "You did not tell him to—What were you thinking? That he'd want to take me to the farm, and that I'd fall in love with it, and—" "No. I thought you'd take one look, and fall for him." 35
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"It takes two." Candy heard the wistfulness in her voice. "We should go back in before he leaves." He'd said he'd stay, but she was afraid he wouldn't. What if her kiss wasn't as earth shattering to him as his had been to her? What if he re-thought the whole stupid "she lives in the city" thing? And that really dumb underwear conversation? "I have to tell you something that I told him—that I forgot." Erica's gaze went out over the rear parking lot, avoiding Candy's. Oh, this couldn't be good. This is why Erica had made the quick exit. Candy didn't want to hear it. Erica's expression of apology was enough when she swiveled her head with pursed lips. Not that Candy had any terrible secrets, but whatever it was, it seemed obvious that Erica felt it was a breach of confidence. She waited for it. Erica fidgeted and looked away. "I told him about the...the thing." "The thing?" It took her a minute. When the thing revealed itself—her thing about a guy and the way he kisses—how that had to be good or she wasn't interested... Candy staggered sideways a step, putting a hand to her head. So, that's what the kiss had been all about? That's why all the cousins had kissed her too fast? Before she even knew what hit her? The others had scared her, taking liberties too quick. She'd wondered what was with their family. Now she knew. 36
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By the time Levi had laid his lips on her, she'd been half ready for it. Maybe expecting it a little, making it easy on him to get it over with. "You...did not..." Candy felt the blood rise into her head. The other cousins had been good kissers. She'd reevaluated them after the fact, but...Levi was different somehow. Or, she'd thought so, until now. Knowing he'd been put up to it—that made it so...ridiculous. Her thing would be the death of her. She'd die a friggin' spinster for sure. Especially if Erica spread it around any more. "I can't go back in there." "You have to." Erica's eyes widened. "Oh, God. He kissed you already?" "I didn't know you put him up to it. All of them up to it." Candy was just sick over the whole deal. "They probably think I'm stupid and desperate." "They? Oh. You mean the other ones?" "With you setting me up, and then telling them that, and— " "Stop. It's not like you'll ever see the rest of them again." "Not even at your wedding?" "Okay. Maybe there. And at you and Levi's wedding, probably." "We are not getting married. You ruined any chance of that." There was no way she could go back in there, now. Or ever look the man, or any of his cousins, in the eye again. She'd have to do the decent thing and bow out of the maid of honor spot that Erica had promised her. 37
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"Let me go talk to him, see what he's thinking." Before Candy could say anything, Erica was gone. Candy wanted to die on the spot. Sitting in the car sounded like a good place to hide. Erica would figure out where she was soon enough. And if she didn't, she could call her on the cell if she got tired of waiting. Turning her back to the door, Candy looked up at the night sky. Clouds were moving in, but she could see some stars twinkling between them. Nothing bright enough to wish on, though. She sincerely hoped Erica sent Levi home. How awkward would talking to him be now? The door opened behind her, and two guys walked out. She glanced over her shoulder at them, relieved it wasn't Erica returning already. Or worse, Levi. "Hey." A short, stocky guy stepped right up beside her. "I thought I saw you come out. Tell me that was a break-up kiss." "What?" Candy looked from him to his buddy. They were both fairly attractive. The other was tall and skinny, with an angular jaw, but otherwise unremarkable features. They weren't ugly, and they seemed pleasant enough. "Well, it was obvious you were walking away, and he stopped you. Looked like one last kiss to me." "I thought you were waiting for him to come after you." The other guy eased his hip against the rail on the other side of her, crowding her a little. "But he's just sitting there staring at his Coke." 38
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"He promised he'd wait for me." Levi was staring at his Coke, waiting for her? She pictured him in the booth, sitting patiently, thinking about that kiss. "So, you're playing the game then?" The short guy looked past her. "I guess you were right. Pay up." One palm splayed out in front of her, and the other slapped a ten spot in it. The tall guy said, "How about I buy you a drink with my winnings?" "No, thanks." She was not playing a game and there was no way she'd go back in there, period, let alone with these two. "You're drinking margaritas. A little pricey, but I can swing it now." "I'll tell you what," Candy changed her mind in an instant. "Why don't you buy my friend Erica a drink, and get her out of the booth for a few? Give me some time with...with..." "I get it." The tall one said, "So you can work things out. I'm Keith, by the way." He bumped her as he went to go back in. "It looks like he's willing to wait on you to come around. I mean, the guy's thinking hard on something." "You." The short guy added, "Damn. I wanted it to be a goodbye kiss." "Come on, Mike. We have a mission." They disappeared. Candy was glad to see them go. She tried to get up her nerve to go back in. But, the more she thought about it, the more she realized there was no way she could follow them inside. She couldn't face Levi now that he knew about her kissing thing. He'd probably assessed her kisses on a scale of one to ten, and compared them to what 39
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his cousins had reported. She crossed one arm across her front, and rested the other elbow on it, resting her forehead in her hand. Destined to die a spinster. Twenty-six seemed so old: still single, no hope on the horizon. Erica had run out of cousins and friends to introduce her to, and she supposed that was a good thing, now that she knew her stupid kissing thing was out of the bag. Candy stopped thinking about it and walked down the steps toward the back parking lot, heading toward the car. One try at the handle, and she realized Erica had locked it. That just made her feel more stupid. There were others in the parking lot, watching her. There was no way she was traipsing across the lot again and going inside. She pulled her cell phone out of her front pocket and dialed Erica's number with her one-touch. It only rang once. "Where are you? Did you sic Keith and Mike on me?" "Yes. I'm at the car. Come on. Say goodbye and let's go." "You told Levi to wait." "Is he sitting right there, listening to you?" "Duh." "Did you get rid of those other guys?" "He told them to wait by the bar, that I'd come over in a few if I was interested." "That tall one looked like your type. Keith." "Candy, come in." "I can't. I'm too embarrassed." "Fine." The disconnection clicked abruptly in her ear. 40
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Candy assumed that meant Erica would say goodbye and apologize for her, and come out as soon as she could. Candy leaned against the car's passenger door and stared up at the clouds some more. She sent up a silent little prayer for the soul of the cow Levi had lost. What would heaven be like without animals? She'd had a puppy once. It got ran over, but she had always believed that he was with God, waiting for her. Living in city, she'd faced the fact that her life wasn't set up for pet ownership. Erica had a cat. That was enough, Candy supposed. She cuddled with it sometimes. Wrapping her arms around herself, Candy felt loneliness envelope her. What was it Erica had said? She had no idea how lonely Levi was? Oh, yes she did. "Hey." It surprised her when she heard Levi's voice. He'd walked out to the car to say goodbye? Her head swung in his direction. Again, she was hit by the pure sex appeal in his lean, muscular form. He hesitated at the end of the car, there by the trunk. A quick glance told her that Erica hadn't come out with him. "You okay?" "Yeah, sure." Candy shrugged, and gave him a little smile. "It was nice of you to come in to meet me." She tacked on, "I'm sorry about your cow." His eyes glittered in the semi-light of the too dark parking lot. "Want to come out and see the calf?" "Come again?" 41
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Levi sidled closer. "Want to go for a drive? I could take you out and show you the farm." "Don't you live, like...two hours out?" "Yeah." She glanced at her watch. It was only 8:30ish. Doing the math, she figured, roundtrip it would be four hours, putting it at 12:30, then time to look. He'd probably have her back by 1 a.m. or so. Was he serious? She looked him up and down, loving the way his jeans fit him, loving everything about the way he stood there, pensively waiting. "Let me ask Erica what she thinks." She punched the cell phone speed dial again. "Yellow." "He wants to show me the calf." "So, go." "You come, too." "I've already seen calves. Hundreds of them." Candy slipped a sideways look at Levi, and shouldered away from him, lowering her voice. "Did you put him up to this?" "He has independent thoughts of his own. He's not a bonehead." "Did you?" Had Erica prodded the man? She knew there had already been a suggestion made before. "No. It's his idea. Just go." Click. "She told you to take me." The accusation slipped out the second she faced him. His gaze narrowed. "To show you sunrise on the farm. Offer you breakfast. Show you how to milk cows. I think she 42
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suggested those things before, on the phone, when I asked what if we hit it off." That struck her hard. He had anticipated liking her, been that open to this whole thing? And asked for Erica's advice on how to bridge the gap? "You cook?" How often did he fix breakfast for women, and use the cows as lures? Not that the man needed lures, but...Maybe she was taking it wrong. Hoping too hard. "Honey," the distance between them closed, "I'm not looking for someone to wait on me hand and foot. I know city girls don't do that sort of thing." The honey just about did her in. Liquid pooled between her legs. If he called her that again, she'd probably leap into his arms and scream Take me! Take me here, cowboy! She had to get a grip. Candy lifted her chin. What was he talking about? City girls don't do that sort of thing...? "I wouldn't expect it." Her heart did a triple loop-de-loop in its beat. "What would you expect a city girl to do?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Three Levi struggled with self-control, and keeping his hands to himself. He wanted nothing more than to pull Candy into his arms and give the kissing another whirl. He wasn't really a talker, and he'd probably said more to her in the short time since he'd met her than he'd done in a week to his ranch hands, dogs, and cows combined. Even when Erica had called, and his cousins had come by, they'd done all the talking. He'd asked, "Is that right?" a few times. What did he expect? Nothing really. That was the thing about his life, and all the relationships that had gone before. Expectations had washed away into a lot of sad, lonely days. He'd given up on wanting anything except to get through another day. And here he was, for the first time in ages, not wanting the day to end. Erica's words, from one of their phone conversations, rang in his ears. "You will love her, Levi, and I swear she'll love you too. Just come and meet her. That's all it will take. She might come across a little tough to crack because she's been burned too many times, but she's worth the effort. She has a great sense of humor." "So, she's got a long history with men? That doesn't really interest me." "No. You don't understand. It's not like that. Guys in town always want to sleep with her, and she's not sleazy like that. The minute she makes it clear that she's not going there, she 44
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gets dumped, but she almost never talks about that. I swear it." Just how many guys had wanted to sleep with this girl? All his cousins had been willing, from the sounds of it. Curiosity had gotten him into town, but from the moment he'd walked in and seen Candy sitting beside Erica, he knew exactly why the men had lined up. He'd felt gut-punched. Like he'd set eyes on the thing he'd been looking for. No. The thing he'd given up on finding: an instant physical stirring, coupled with an aching need to be liked, and to impress. Damn, he wished he'd gotten a haircut. He'd told himself it wasn't that most people didn't like him, or that he ever felt a desire to impress somebody. His hair was fine. He regularly let it grow that long. But, the desire to impress, that was pretty much a new feeling. Maybe it had been too long since he'd gone on a date. Or maybe he didn't want to let Erica down. She'd been so intense on selling a night with Candy to him. Since she'd never tried to set him up before, he'd been willing to give it a little extra effort. The fact that he was wasting a lot of time thinking things out too much bothered him, though. As he stood there looking at Candy leaning against the car, he wondered if she had a similar reaction of interest in him. Or any disquieting feelings of attraction? On one hand, he thought if the girl didn't want to come back after that kiss, maybe he should let her go. But, on the other hand, he definitely wanted to try it again. Maybe she needed a little more persuasion? 45
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From the minute he'd set eyes on her, he'd wanted to plant one on those puffy little pretty pink lips of hers. The first kiss had tightened him all the way to the groin, and the urge to do it again itched inside him. "To tell you the truth," he told her, "I don't know a whole lot about women who come from the city. Haven't met too many, so I don't know what to expect out of 'em. But I learned something about you already." "What's that?" "You got ahead of me when you mentioned my underwear. I feel like I'm playing catch up." He grinned, rubbing his jaw. "Can't say a girl has talked to me like that before." Should he admit he'd been turned on by it? Probably not. "Oh." She blushed, averting her gaze. He admitted right then and there that destiny had come to rest in his chest before he walked across the bar, and it was squeezing his lungs at the moment. All the way across the parking lot, he'd felt the tension rising. Going after a woman, just to get a few words with her, that was something he couldn't remember ever doing. Nervous, he wondered what Erica had said about him. Had she gone into details? Said he had no sense of humor anymore? He'd been told that more than once. And Erica had mentioned Candy's sense of humor a couple of times, so he figured Erica thought he needed someone to cheer him up. Not that he was sad, exactly. Lonely, yes, but otherwise content with life as it was. He hated examining his life! What should he say, since she wasn't responding to the bait? 46
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"I thought it was pretty funny, actually." Jesus, he felt awkward. He needed to change topics. That one wasn't going anywhere. "I gotta tell you, I'm wondering what Erica said about me. Before and," He thumbed over his shoulder to the back door. "When she took you outside." Did he sound paranoid? In his mind, he did. Now, that was sad. And so was the fact that his brain kept circling back and his tongue got ahead of it with, "Because I thought we were getting along pretty well. Underwear talk and kisses definitely seems like—" Candy cleared her throat. "Well, uh, it wasn't about you." He was glad she'd cut off his rambling. Levi propped his hands on his hips. He didn't believe her. Calling her a liar, though, didn't sound like a good way to deal with it. He had to think for a minute. How the hell do you handle a woman trying to get away from you? The idea of tossing her over his shoulder and carrying her off to his pickup despite protests came to mind. Hog tying and goat roping also slid through his brain. A pair of hobbles? He had a rope behind the seat in his truck. He didn't think she'd go for that. "Shame." It was the only thing he could think to say. "Shame on Erica. I know she put you up to kissing me and I'm sorry." Grouchy, she said, "I hope those guys annoy the hell out of her." Time to come clean. "If she hadn't marched out like that, I probably wouldn't have kissed you so quick. But I wouldn't say she put me up to it, exactly." He keyed in on her lips again. How could he get her to come to him? To close the distance between them? 47
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Like a colt or a calf, or a half wild horse, he wanted to coax her up. Make her take the step. He could tell that if he pushed, she'd stone wall him, or run off again. Had he scared her by being so forward? Frustration welled up. His cousins had said they'd plowed the field wrong on the same level. He should have learned by their stories. He'd been afraid she'd walk out and he'd miss the great kisses they'd all talked about. Panicked. He recognized what had happened, and that the feeling of losing her before he had her hadn't gone away. Levi wasn't used to feeling almost desperate, or caring about anything personal. But, he had to give this whole thing some serious introspection. Was it the competition with his cousins that drove this in him? No. He almost wished that were all there was to it. If so, he could laugh about it and walk away. But he really was attracted to Candy. For the first time in a long, long time, he wanted to have sex. It had been on his mind from the moment he'd seen that bra strap. What would it be like to kiss her there, on her shoulder? When that thought surfaced, Levi cursed in his head. He couldn't sleep with this girl, not that she was looking amenable to it at the moment. But, he couldn't. He'd vowed not to sleep with anyone else until he got married. That had been a really stupid move. He retracted the vow on the spot. Dumb idea anyway. There was no way he'd marry a girl from the city, either. No matter how cute she was. Or funny. Or spunky. But he might go ahead and sleep with one, just to see how it was. 48
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While he stood there, trying to figure out his best approach, he thought about the way the moonlight illuminated her features. Her cheeks rounded softly in her heart shaped face, drawing attention to the bow of her lips. Even in the dark from five feet away, he could see the definite smattering of freckles on her nose and cheeks. He liked the fact that she didn't have them covered with heavy make-up. He thought about his first look at her. He'd committed that to his memory. Her lips pursed on the straw of her drink as she held onto it. Then, the way she licked her lips and tossed her hair, turning to look at him as Erica had spotted him. He liked the look of her straight up. Wanted to touch her cheek, and her hair, and give her a squeeze. "Puh-leeze. Erica told me she did." Just like those first few minutes in the bar, he felt conspicuously awkward. A cowboy in somebody else's stomping grounds. Catching up. Normally, he was a confident man. He ordered men around on his farm all the time, pretty self-assured about everything. But there, facing her, he felt a tremor or two run through him. More than anything, he didn't want to scare her off. Arguing the point might do that, but he wanted to argue it. "Oh. I know why you kissed me." She looked away. "You don't have to explain or apologize or say anything more. Erica's really chalked up some points against her this time. She is gonna pay longer than she can count for it too." She sniffed. "I'm feeling pretty stupid right now. So, it would be fine if you walked away and never thought of me again. And if 49
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you see me at her wedding, you can pretend you don't. I'll understand." Walk away? That wasn't happening. Never think of her again? Oh, hell no. He didn't think he'd get the underwear thing out of his head. Or the way he'd gotten aroused instantly at the talk of letting her take pictures of him like that. "She isn't engaged, is she?" "No, but you know what I mean. If we accidentally run into each other somewhere else." He wasn't like that. Even people he didn't like, he didn't pretend like they didn't exist. He had better manners than that. But there were a few people he'd put on his list, if he could manage it. Damn. Why was he so nervous? His palms were sweating. He slid them down his hips and hooked his thumbs in his front pockets. He blamed it on Erica, again wondering what his cousin had said about him. Maybe he should be mad at her, too. After all, things were going fine, and then Erica had insisted Candy walk out on him. Then, obviously said something to upset her. But what? That he liked cows better than women? It wasn't exactly true, but cows were less complicated, not as calculating, and they were his livelihood. She'd been pretty forthright about Candy. So, he expected Erica had said as much about him. Probably spilled his antisocial behavior since his family had been killed. He'd thought 50
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of his mom immediately over the modesty thing, too. Hadn't talked about her to anyone in ten years. That rubbed a little. Levi's mind balked at going there, to the painful place where those memories were stored. He blurted, "Considering we've already talked about my underwear, and kissed, I don't think I'll be putting you out of my mind any time soon." He'd relegate her to a new file in his brain. A future file. Maybe call it sunrise or hope or something. Erica had suggested he take Candy to the farm and show her the sunrise. He wondered if she'd go for that. She groaned. "Don't remind me." "Why not?" He liked the way the flesh at the top of her jeans peeked out. His fingers itched to get a hold right there. "You didn't like the kiss? You seemed pretty into it at the time." He felt very high school, gauche, knowing his mind had one-tracked to his libido which was throbbing in over-drive. Candy licked her lips. "I didn't complain, did I?" "No. You walked away." He didn't get her. That was for sure. "But you told me to wait for you to come back. I can only guess Erica said something that messed things up." "She damn sure talks too much." "I'm not gonna argue that. She's always run her mouth. Part of her charm." He liked people who carried the conversation. Erica had been his one female cousin to blab and chat, follow him around like they were friends, insisting on telling him what was going on in her life. Mostly, it was a never-ending string of loser boyfriends. Asking his advice, like he had a clue to 51
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how those guys thought. It was nice that she kept him in the loop about people in the family. There was one major difference between Erica and all the girls he'd ever known, and Candy. The first thing out of Candy's mouth wasn't about ex boyfriends. He hated that sort of talk more than anything. Not that he couldn't measure up, but he didn't want to be compared. He wanted to stand, heads and shoulders, above the rest. Or step out of the picture. "You aren't like any girl I've ever known." "You should get off the farm more." "I mean that as a compliment. You don't talk like other girls." "What's that supposed to mean? I'm girly." "Yeah. Soft." For all Erica's talk about Candy being hard to crack, all he could see was a woman that needed pulling into his arms. Her perfume carried on the slight breeze that wafted around them. She had some floral medley on. Smelled like a flowering pasture in the spring. Levi took in her hip hugging jeans with the wide black belt that had silver eyelets on it, and her shirt rode up to show skin at her hip. She had some heeled clogs on. Slip on things like he'd never seen before. He didn't know why that seemed important to him. A small touch that gave her an upscale appeal. She wore no jewelry. He'd already looked for a ring line. She didn't have one. Not that he didn't trust Erica to tell the truth, but he'd run into way too many women that had histories: engagements gone wrong, long term live-in relationships souring in their 52
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psyches, children. He had enough trouble with his own past. He didn't want to get into some woman's deep, unresolved shit, or in another man's soup. "Girls are supposed to be soft." Candy reproached him. "And men are supposed to be hard?" "They are. I mean, you are." Did she know just how true that was? Discreetly, he adjusted himself. "I heard opposites attract." She considered him for a minute, with her head tipped sideways, and he remembered the minute she'd said he was a mystery, and appeared interested, despite knowing he lived on a dairy ranch. He gave her a lopsided grin. "Not arguing that?" "You want me to argue with you?" Levi felt a surge of energy skitter through his system. Yeah. He'd like her to argue with him, so he could drag her into his arms and kiss her to shut her up. Damn, she was cute. "Maybe." "You'd probably tune me out." "That's possible, I guess." He wondered if she felt "all high school" about this conversation, too. One thing was for sure. He needed to work on his chat skills. "But I'd enjoy watching your lips move, nonetheless." "Levi." His name on her lips. On a sigh, no less. He wanted to hear it again. "You talk like you're attracted to me, but—I feel confused." She slid a hand through her hair, letting her fingertips tangle 53
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then comb through the curls. " I'm not sure why you came out here. Because Erica sent you? She's pretty bossy." "I guess she didn't tell you much about me if she didn't explain that I don't take orders from anybody these days. That's about the first thing I'd think she would have mentioned." "She did say something about not telling you to go to hell." "Do you want to?" The distance between them really bothered him. He leaned a hip against the side panel of the car, scooting a few inches in her direction. "Not yet." She put a hand to the metal behind her. "But I'm reserving the right." Levi struggled with opening up, but gave in to the urge. "She probably told you not to tell me that because I pretty much live there already." The minute he said it, he regretted it. He didn't want sympathy. He didn't want to talk about the things that bothered him. He just wanted to bask in the girl's smile for a bit. Let her crack a couple jokes. Candy rubbed her forehead. He knew she was thinking up a good response. He hoped it was something flip. Why couldn't he swallow? "It's funny that people look all together when they're in pieces. Don't you think?" She hugged herself in a closed-off way, making her seem less approachable. Protecting. He knew that body language. He did it himself often enough. Had they found common ground here? "You all together or just looking like it?" 54
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"Ha." She let loose of a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm like one of those thousand piece puzzles. Even I don't know what I'd look like if I got it all in place. And, honestly, I've given up on trying to put myself together. I think that might be why I'm still single." "Maybe we need a little help." She let another laugh slip. "Yeah." "Maybe we could help each other, for a little bit." His throat felt like there was gravel in it. "I expect a few hours could tell us a lot about each other." His loneliness, like a clawing beast inside of him, wanted out, wanted him to take a chance here. There was no other excuse for talking to her about how he really felt. Asking her to give him a shot. He waited for her to turn him down. Half expected it. Springy curls slid over the strap and skin exposed by her shirt's boat neck. Was her hair really that color, or did she get it from a bottle? And how many men, beside his cousins, had she kissed in her sampling of the American male? And how did he measure up? It wasn't that he felt insecure on that. Well, maybe he did. He wanted to try it again. Mostly, he wanted to convey the depth of his interest. He sure as hell hadn't talked like this to any other girl he'd ever met. Damn, he felt stupid for lingering like an oaf, prolonging the conversation like he was desperate. But he was. Desperately thinking about kissing her again. Candy's kisses had tasted salty and sweet, and a little like 55
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tequila. Her lips begged to be savored. He was having a hard time keeping his gaze off of them. "You want to get to know me more, even though I'm a city girl and have no clue to anything about you, or life on a farm? Even though we live hours away from each other? And that, in itself, makes the idea of a relationship pretty much impossible?" "You want to get to know me more?" "Yes." It sounded like a gasp more than a word. His heart tripped. That's what he'd been waiting for. Some go sign. He reached out, took hold of her fingers—the hand without the cell phone, and tugged. She came willingly into his arms. Levi let the natural thing happen. Just like when he'd kissed her before, she melted against him, and felt good in his arms. Nice and solid—like a woman, not a twig. Her hands slid upward, behind his neck, fingering through his hair. And his rode downward, spreading out over her back for a smooth hold and then downward to get a good grip on her ass. Oh yeah. That felt right. He snugged her up until their bodies fit together, letting her know he was aroused. What would she think of that? If she didn't want what he was offering, they'd know soon enough. She didn't push him away, though, as she'd apparently done all his cousins. So, he figured he was batting better than they had. He hated the competitive thing that sliced through his brain. That wasn't what this was about, really. It was what Erica had used to get him to come in, but curiosity was his 56
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real motive. The whole "what was stirring inside him" had him turning over himself. "You will love her, Levi, and I swear she'll love you too. Just come and meet her. That's all it will take." Erica had been right. From moment one, he'd liked Candy's looks, and wondered what it would be like to hold her, and kiss her, and after he'd tried that, to look over and see her sitting in his truck, leaning on the porch rail at his house, opening her eyes—smiling at him from the other side of his bed. So many rampant thoughts, fantasy images, ran through his head. A growl of sorts rose in his throat. He was getting ahead of himself, starting that stupid thinking again. Why couldn't he shut down his brain and just go with the moment? He knew well enough that no girl in her right mind wanted to live way the hell out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but him and cows and a dog or two for company. Especially not a girl from the city. She pulled back. "I'm not sleeping with you, just so you know. Doesn't matter how adorable that calf is." "Wait 'til you see it." He grinned. "You might change your mind." Levi didn't really think so. It just sounded like the thing to say, like she was begging him to argue the point. "Come on." He took hold of her hand and led her to his truck. It wasn't brand new. He wondered if she cared about that sort of thing. This one had been his dad's. The one his dad was driving the night he'd met Levi's mother. 57
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"This here's Lucky Truck. You'll have to get in on the driver side. The other door's broken." He had the money to fix it, and he owned a lot of new stuff. Cattle prices were up, and he'd done pretty well in the market for years now. Some would count him as wealthy. His assets certainly added up to a pretty bundle. Not that he lived like he was rich. There was something about the simple farm life that totally appealed to him. He thought his Mom and Dad had done things right. God rest their souls. But his mom's attitude, "A girl better love you for who you are, or it won't work," and "You deserve a good wife, Levi. Don't settle for a money grubbing hussy." Boy, had he learned some hard lessons on that. "Does that bug you?" Levi couldn't "quite" read Candy's response. He had to ask. "Do you want it to?" "No, I—just didn't want you to think it's a ploy to get you to sit by me." "Oh." Crestfallen, she said, "So you want me to scoot over to the broken door and take my chances there?" The driver door screeched as he opened it. It needed to be oiled and adjusted. He'd intended to do that, but the heifer hadn't cared much about his well laid plans. A twinge of regret over losing her came and went. "Hop in." It set pretty high. He had to give her butt a push. She ended up laughing. Levi enjoyed that, the touching and the sound of her being happy. 58
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"Oh, hello." She talked to the gear shift on the floor as she climbed past it. From his viewpoint, it looked like she'd scooted clear to the other side. He climbed in, disappointed. "Guess you're feeling daring, huh?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Four He slipped the key in the ignition, started the truck, and dropped a hand to the shifter, looking over at her. Yep, she looked good sitting there. "Why do you call it Lucky Truck?" Again, he felt dissatisfied at her response. He wasn't sure what he wanted out of her, maybe a desire to sit closer to him? "A couple of reasons." He pressed down on the clutch, checked his mirrors, and reversed. "Dad was driving it the night he met Mom. And it's taken some rough tumbles but she's dependable." "You mean, it's tipped over?" "Don't worry. She's never rolled." Her thighs drew his attention. Candy kept wiping her hands down the top of them, and the friction of that was heating up his libido. Did she have any idea how much that made him think of what was between them? "If you're worried, you can scoot closer to me. I can hold you down if it gets out of hand. If I get her sideways or something." "Hold me down?" "Come here. I'll show you." He stopped backing the truck, shifting it to neutral. "Put one leg on each side of the shifter." Candy did as she was told. "Now, lean back." He reached out, and put a hand on the shift lever again, putting it in first gear. His elbow and upper 60
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arm rubbed against her left breast. "See, if something happens, I can do this." He dropped his hand to her far thigh. "You wouldn't go anywhere." "This thing doesn't have seat belts?" "It does. They need to be fixed." "Isn't that illegal?" "Does it scare you?" A girl that didn't like riding in Lucky Truck wasn't for him. He knew that much. It didn't matter how good she looked sitting beside him, or how sweet the soft curves of her felt under his arm and hand. He half expected her to say "Let me out," but she didn't. Instead, she asked, "Do you want it to?" Their eyes met, and in the close confines of the truck, sitting that near to one another, he smelled her flowery perfume and margarita breath, and wanted to kiss her again. Ah, hell. He went with the urge. To do it, he had to tip his head and lean in, over his shoulder. She met him halfway, though, so it worked. It didn't last long and it was followed with some serious eye gazing. Was this the one? She sure felt right sitting there beside him. And God damn if she wasn't about the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. Someone honked behind him, and he had to get his head into driving. He hated lifting his hand off her leg, but shifting required it. Only a few minutes later, they were on the highway heading out of town. The truck was in high gear, and he leaned back, letting his hand drop once again, but this time to the thigh closest to him. 61
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"That bother you?" "Nah." Levi grinned. "How about this?" He squeezed a little. "Nope. It's all right." His eyes on the road, he pushed his luck, letting his fingers spread wide, sliding them to the inner side of her thigh. "And how do you feel about this?" "I feel like you're getting a little too brave." It was too much. Hadn't his cousins said she'd freaked about them kissing her too quick? Trying a little petting? Why was he forcing her so hard? Still, he didn't remove his hand. In fact, he squeezed again. She needed to push him off if she didn't like it. Her fingers landed on his, and a second later, her other hand slipped under his arm and asked, "Honestly, you think you want to go there?" The next thing he knew, her hand was on his thigh in just the same way. Bold and brassy. Did she think that would turn him off? On the contrary, it kicked his inner engines into full cylinder power. "Yeah," Levi ducked his head a little. "I do." Sex. It lubricated his brain. It was a good thing she was in the same mindset, even if she didn't really plan to sleep around, he liked the fact that she teased him back. He slid his fingers another inch toward her crotch. She did the same. His vision blurred for a second. Oh hell yes, honey. That's exactly what I like. Ultimately, he realized that something big was happening here. He was testing something his father had told him. With 62
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awe, Levi realized that he believed every word his dad had ever said about women. "When it's right, it's right, and there ain't nothing wrong with touching what you own. But own it, son. Love it like you ain't gonna see tomorrow, because you never know how long you'll have to enjoy it." It turned out that his dad had been right about that. His family, his mom and dad, had died in a head-on, taking his two sisters and little brother from him in one horrible night, leaving the farm and a tremendous insurance policy for him, making him a multi-millionaire. He'd have given it all away for one more day with them, though. Not a day went by when he didn't relive the last conversations he had with all of them. Levi didn't know why he was thinking about all that now. Or why tears had come to his eyes. He hadn't cried over that in a long, long time. Ten years or better. He sniffed. "You okay?" Candy applied some pressure with her hands. Then she scooted closer and leaned against his shoulder. "I have to tell you," she said in imitation of him, "Men don't usually cry when I touch them." He slipped a half-laugh. "I bet you're wrong on that, sweetheart." "I'm serious. You okay? I didn't mean anything—just teasing you back." "Yeah." He sniffed again, wanting to kick himself. "I was just thinking about something that happened a long time ago." "With some other girl?" Levi shook his head. "No." 63
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"So, your mind wasn't on touching me or vice versa. Okay." She pulled her hands away. He instantly regretted everything. His life. This whole meeting. The way he was messing it up. "I should have fixed that door. I feel bad about that." "Did I complain? No. I don't care about the door or anything like that. You know, I think that's part of what's wrong with this world. Everybody wants to care about things like, well, things money can buy. But it doesn't buy happiness. I have a lot of friends who have money. Most of them are miserable. Most of them drive nicer trucks or cars, but some of them are in the shop all the time." Levi slid his hand over her thigh, keeping it closer to a respectable place near her knee, but he couldn't bring himself to lift it off completely. Let the girl ramble. Made it easier on him. "Your cousin Danny has a nice truck, though, doesn't he?" "Uh, yeah. I forgot you rode in that. Where'd he take you?" "Just out to dinner. We drove around a bit, talking." Checking his mirror, Levi grunted, "And Kyle and Noah?" She shrugged. "Can we change the subject? So, how old is this truck?" "Older than I am." His mind switched right back to his family's accident. He truly believed that Lucky Truck would have faired better in a collision than the newer Diesel crew cab had. Although the insurance had replaced it, he drove the old Ford. The 64
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replacement one sat in a garage growing dust—with less than a hundred miles on it. Levi had to laugh at himself, then. Ten minutes in the truck alone with her, and he'd copped feels, kissed her, and fought tears. Holy shit. He was in trouble. Erica was right about one thing. He had fallen for Candy straight away. That was stupid, though, wasn't it? Levi tugged his hand free, and put it on the steering wheel. Not wanting to talk, he suggested, "Want to listen to the radio?" "Sure. Want me to—?" "Go ahead." She punched the on button and country music twanged to life. The girl didn't even hesitate in changing the setting, right to some alternative thing he'd never heard before. Yeah. It was beyond dumb to think that this was right, or that it could work out. "This is, like, an ancient radio. No cd player. Wow." "You can shut it off if you want." That music was lousy. He hoped she would. "You said it was older than you. You're thirty-one, right?" She didn't turn the thing off, of course. "Yeah. And you're what? Twenty-six or something?" "Something like that. I thought all farm boys got married by the time they were twenty." "Guess you thought wrong. How come you aren't married or hooked up or taken?" He could push her buttons completely and give her a lift to her house. He needed to stop 65
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this. That music was grating on his nerves. He needed to get his brain in charge. "Which way do you live?" "Back the other way." She thumbed over her shoulder. So much for that. "Oh. Guess you're stuck going to the farm then." "Did you want to take me home?" To his home? To hers? Ah, he didn't know. Didn't matter now. They were heading out of town. "Do you mind turning that off?" She shrugged, and leaned forward, hitting the power button. She turned her head, staring out the passenger window. What was she thinking? That she hated him, and his truck, already? While Erica had rambled for an hour and a half about Candy, and how long they'd known each other, she hadn't mentioned where the girl lived except to say "in the city". Now he was curious. Did she live with her family, or alone in an apartment? He wracked his brain. Nope. There had been no mention of those sort of specifics. Mostly, Erica had detailed their work place, and avoided Candy's romantic history, save the bad dates with his cousins. She had assured him the girl had no kids. A lot of people tried to fix him up with women who had been divorced before. While he wasn't against that, he'd gotten tired of all the "ex was a jerk" talk. "No. She doesn't have a long history of stupid men or anything. She won't talk about stuff like that, so relax. Just 66
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come for a drink, show my friend that all my relatives aren't buttheads." That had made him laugh. He didn't know why she'd think he was any different from the rest. Or why she thought he and Candy would hit it off. But she had steered clear of talking about the dates with his cousins. And, he had to admit, the kissing thing was definitely rating up there in his book. Levi adjusted his mirror so he could see her in it. Forget the traffic behind him. He had side views for that. Most of the vehicles on the highway were heading into town for the night life anyway. He could see she was debating what to tell him, biting her lower lip. She started to speak a couple of times and thought better of what she'd been about to say, and finally came up with, "I don't know. Nothing ever seems to work for me." It took him a minute to realize she was answering the "why wasn't she already taken" question. Then, before he could say anything else, she launched into, "I probably talk too much, or not enough. Guys don't usually like women who think for themselves, or say what they're thinking, especially if it disagrees with what they believe." He couldn't help but laugh and joke, "That's right, and don't you forget it." She clamped her lips shut for a second, then realized he was teasing. "So, you totally like women who speak their mind." "As long as they agree with me." 67
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Had there been anything that his parents had agreed on without an argument? Probably not. And he'd never had a conversation with one of his sisters that didn't end in disagreement, had he? Again, that last day before they'd been killed swam into his head. Kay and Brenda had been giving him the "what for" over his choice in female company. It had been a repeat of his mother's last few comments. "That girl that kept you away from your chores, tells you she's not right for you. Every single thing she does screams forget what's important to you." At the time, he'd argued. But since then, he'd realized they were right. That girl, and all the rest he'd been seeing back then, had caused friction between him and his family, and begged him to turn his back on his dad, and the farm that had been in their family for five generations. Since then, Levi had realized that the farm was the heart of who he was. That was why this thing with Candy couldn't work. He should have thought it through before he even met her. He couldn't take care of things at home and go four hours round trip every night to see her. Since dairy ranching was a seven day a week job, he didn't see a future. How could they swing it? "Well, the problem here is most men aren't very agreeable. I mean, if you thought in reasonable ways, like I do, like women do, then we'd come to terms on everything." Was she nuts? "That's woman's thinking." "Well, pa-shaw. If you'd get used to it, you'd probably get married in a heartbeat. And live happily ever after." 68
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"Do I look like I'm looking for a wife?" "All men should have one." "You think?" "Yeah. They need someone to, uh, center them." "See? That's probably your problem right there." "My problem?" "You think you're gonna step in and be the center of some man's universe, and the guy already has a world of spinning plates. He's juggling a whole life before he ever sets eyes on you." "So, you're saying that I'm wrong. I shouldn't want that?" "You can want what you want, but you gotta see that a man, especially one as old as you, or older, has a life already going on." "I get it. There's no room, really, for a woman to step in." She sighed. "You know, it's obvious you're not looking for what I'm looking for. Why don't you turn around and just take me home? I can probably call Erica and have her meet us, and pick me up. Or she might still be where we left her." "I didn't say that." What was he doing? Trying to push her away? Maybe. Maybe he was afraid of owning her. If he let someone close, he could lose them. He looked back and saw that had been his father's greatest fear, and it had transferred to him, helped him keep women at a distance. That's why there had been a purchase of unbelievable insurance policies, and why his dad had lived life with every fiber of his being. He knew something would steal their happiness. 69
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For a second, memories assaulted Levi again. How many times had his father grabbed his mom and kissed her like there was no tomorrow? Images of them in the kitchen, on the porch, in the barn, leaning against Lucky Truck, or the corral... She was quiet for a minute. So long that he got past the onslaught of powerful, romantic moments his parents had shown him, to look over at her. "What's wrong?" "I didn't mean to imply that I wanted to be your wife." "Right. We just met. That would be a little bit too much, wouldn't it? I know you didn't mean it like that." He wanted to ask if she believed in love at first sight, or love that spanned eternity. And what she thought about the concept of "owning" the person you loved. Would she get it? Or would she be offended? The idea of possession threaded through his brain. So many women fought against the old fashioned principle, but he was a primitive sort of guy. There should be pride in a relationship, mutual attraction, a sense of belonging. He wanted what his parents had. His mom had owned his dad with everything she had. One look, and the man's eyes darkened. One word, and she had his attention. One gesture, and he was all over her. Everybody commented on it after they died. A love like you never did see. A love that almost never happened. "I don't know why I said it." She apologized. "Just talking, I guess." 70
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"Go ahead and talk." It made life easier for him. "Ramble for all you're worth." "I don't know that I'm worth all that much." She reached up and touched her hair. "Ninety bucks maybe. That's what I spent on my perm yesterday." "It's not naturally curly?" She laughed so he took that as a no. "How about the color?" "I should have done something to that, huh?" He shrugged. Should he tell her he liked the shade, bottled or not? "I don't know why women mess with that sort of thing." He reached up and ran a hand through his hair. "I need to get a haircut." "Some guys would have done that before meeting a girl for the first time." "Some guys are trying to impress. Some guys want to be themselves." "So, you didn't want to impress me?" "I am who I am. It either works for you or it doesn't." Desperately, he wanted to get eye contact with her in the mirror, but she wouldn't look up. The drive felt like it was passing too soon. Lucky Truck ate up the miles. He hadn't planned on talking about this sort of thing. Or anything really. Nothing important. Nothing to drive her away. She'd probably take two seconds to glance at the calf and the farm and say, "Okay, let's go." "Not that you're looking for a wife, but...any girl you married would have to give up pretty much everything, wouldn't she?" 71
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When she put it that way, it made living on the farm seem like a real sacrifice. How could he explain that there were things there that she couldn't get anywhere else? Like him, his company. A love like no other. "Well, I can't see having a wife that lived in the city when I live out in the country. That wouldn't work, would it?" "Hypothetically, it could." "I wouldn't do it. If she doesn't want to live with me, then it isn't meant to be." "I agree. I was just arguing for the sake of it." "I figured." "It's a moot point anyway." "Why's that?" "You know. You're not asking." That kept him silent and thinking for a long time. Was she wanting him to ask? Surely not. He wouldn't. Not on the first night that he met her. Even if he thought it was right. She hadn't even taken a look at the farm yet. What would she think of that? If his dogs didn't like her, that would be a sign, too, wouldn't it? "Hey. I should warn you about my dogs." "You have dogs?" She perked up. "Uh, yeah. It's a working farm." "Working dogs?" "They bring in the cows and stuff." "Oh." He slowed down to turn off the main highway. They traveled through a rural town. Levi spotted a cafe. 72
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"Are you hungry?" "Not really. Not right now anyway. Thanks." Stupid ploy to stretch the time. They'd be at the house before long, and turning around before he'd gotten anywhere. Frustration had him running a hand through his hair again. The cafe would be closed when they came back by. "You can stop if you're starving or something." He was hungry for one thing. To kiss her again. Maybe they shouldn't talk so much? Just go with what felt right? He swiped his sweating palm on her thigh again, thinking he'd kiss her again the minute he stopped the truck, if she let him. "I had a dog once." "Once?" Was he a complete fool? Here he was thinking about kissing and she was thinking about dogs. That should tell him something. "It got loose and ran into the street." "Sorry to hear that." "It was a little puppy, a Heinz Fifty-Seven from the Humane Society." "I've had dogs all my life. In fact, one that I have now is a great great great grandson of the first dog my parents ever had." "You've got to be kidding me." "Nope. His name is Skunk." She laughed at that, and again, he liked the sound. It warmed his heart.
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"You think that's funny, wait 'til you see him. Looks just like one. Got a stripe down the middle of his head, and he's goofy as hell." "I can't wait." "He likes everybody. Boogey's the one you might have to watch." "Boogey?" "He'll be the one growling. He doesn't like strangers." "Oh. Does he bite?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Five Candy didn't know why she was talking about dogs. She guessed it was better than running on about marriage. What was that all about? She mentally kicked herself. He told her a few dog stories, and the ride went by too quick. Most of them were about his blue heeler, Boogey, going after delivery men, chasing them over fences. One ran into the bull pen and had to do some dodging. Sounded funny and scary all at once. Way too soon, he pulled into the long drive that led to his farm. The mailbox lit up with the headlights. His last name was Bishop. Levi Bishop. Candy Bishop. Candace Laine Bishop. "Looks like we made it." His words cut in to her ridiculous, childish name game. "Yep." She winced. There she went again with the yepping. Candy sat up. The headlights illuminated a gravel drive that looked to be a mile long. She could see post lights in the distance, and assumed the area around the house was lit up. Not exactly so. The driveway curved. The barn and exterior pens were under floodlights. The house set up behind that, sat dark and forbidding. "This is the calving barn." Levi pulled up in front of a huge metal red barn, shifted into park, honked once, and turned the truck off. A couple dogs barked once or twice, waiting for them to climb out. "You have more than one barn?" "Yeah." 75
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She wished Erica had explained stuff like that, so she didn't have to ask a bunch of moronic questions. "So, you keep calves in this one?" "Correction. Calves are born in this one. We move them out as soon as they're on their feet and feeding right." "Oh. How are you feeding the calf that lost its mama?" "We hooked it up with a surrogate." "We?" "I have some ranch hands." Ranch. Farm. What was the difference? She didn't want to ask. The minute she got home, though, she was looking through the dictionary. Erica should have said something about ranch hands. Not that it mattered, but Candy had assumed he lived alone, and that there was no one around for miles. She was not gonna ask where they slept or anything else. A bunk house? Her dad watched westerns on television. The term surfaced in a vague corner of her brain. Why wasn't Levi climbing out? What was he thinking? She tried to see what he was staring at. It looked like the front of the barn, straight ahead. She gave in to her curiosity, hating the feeling of nervousness that seemed to be building within. "Are they nice guys?" His head swiveled in her direction. "Want to meet them?" No. Not really. Was this some sort of test? Like she was bored with him already? She was anything but bored. Scared to death she'd say something to make him hate her, maybe, but not bored. "If they're around, I guess." 76
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The light outside slid through the truck at a slant. His skin looked blue, and cool. She wanted him to kiss her again. Actually, the more she thought about it, she wanted to kiss him, to climb into his lap and kiss him with complete abandon. The image, the fantasy, ran through her mind with way too much clarity. Within seconds, she had him pulling her shirt up over her head, his coming off next. Him sliding onto the seat as she undid his jeans, straddling him. "Does it bug you to be out here?" "What?" Candy blinked. "You're used to hearing traffic all the time, and being surrounded by people." She tipped her head, listening. Complete silence. No. The cows were making some noise. "I don't have to have people around me all the time." Candy had always been good at spending time by herself. She liked to read. She supposed there'd be lots of time for that out here. What would it be like not to have to work? She'd miss Erica. Boy, was she messed up, thinking ahead like that. Like it would ever happen. Levi opened the door. "Come on." Climbing out, he reached up for her. It took her a minute to navigate over the gear shifter. The ride had been long enough to make her stiff. She had to go to the bathroom. Would he think that was a ploy to get a tour of the house? She didn't mention it. Maybe she could hold it. They were only there to look at a calf. How long could that take? 77
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His hands went around her waist. He lifted her and set her on her feet, but didn't let go. Backing her against the truck seat, Levi let his hands ride up, his thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts. Just like the rest of Erica's relatives, copping feels. But there was one big difference. She didn't want Levi to stop. Her fingers rested on his arms. When had she reached out to him? Another kiss was coming. Excitement and anticipation spiraled through her, sliding right to the core of her body. He dipped in for it, his upper arms flexing beneath her hands. His lips touched hers right about the time she heard a growl come from under the truck. The kiss abruptly ended and Levi growled, too. "Boog!" Simultaneously, Candy felt his hands tighten and lift, putting her on the seat. Naturally, her legs spread apart, and he stepped in. She supposed he saved her from a heel biting, but she didn't have much time to think about it before he kissed her again, before her own arms wrapped around his neck. It went too fast. His fingers found flesh, slipping under the hem of her shirt. The silky feel of his hair made her clutch. Could a man kiss any better than this? With any more fervor? She didn't think so. She knew one thing. She couldn't get her tongue deep enough in his mouth. Scooting a little, Candy squeezed with her thighs. 78
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Levi answered that with another growl, and the next thing she knew, she was flat on the seat, and he'd climbed in, and over her. She drew her legs up, cradling his body between her thighs, loving the pressure of his erect cock rubbing through the barriers of jean material. Absolutely not wanting to stop. Needing the feel of his hands. Loving the touch of his calloused fingers and palms on her body, everywhere at once. One of the dogs barked, and he abruptly looked up and around. She felt bereft, the way his attention went from all over her to keen awareness of something outside the truck. "What is it?" Real slow, he tugged her shirt down. "Hang on. Sit tight. I'll be right back." He was gone in a second. Candy sat up, saw him meet a man at the edge of the barn. She ran a hand through her hair. The dogs bounced at his feet. Even in the half-light, Levi looked so good in his jeans that she wanted to strip them off of him. There should be a law against a guy filling pants like that. Geez, he had a nice butt. What was wrong with her? Thinking sex so much. Like, from the minute she'd laid eyes on him. That was not like her. The man he spoke to wore a cowboy hat, looked older, but not by much. That reminded her of the fact that Levi was a cowboy. A cowboy. Hadn't she always made fun of them? Did he have a cowboy hat, too? No wonder Erica had argued so much every time Candy had joked about cowboy types. If all cowboys looked and kissed like Levi, and his cousins, women wouldn't look at 79
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another type of man ever. And all this time, Erica had kept her secrets about country types, and dated only city boys. Did she hate her roots or what? How could you turn your back on that? On men who were so fervent ? She watched Levi's body language. Was he trying to block the guy's view of her? It suddenly occurred to her that the truck had no interior light. The driver door was ajar, and there was a fixture above her head, but the bulb wasn't working. Maybe Levi didn't want his ranch hand to know he brought her there. If she was only coming to see a calf, why complicate anything by introductions? Candace Laine Bishop. There was a laugh. He wouldn't even introduce her to the hired help. Without warning, a dog leaped up into the cab with her. It had to be Skunk. The stripe was a dead giveaway. No noise except a slight scratching sound as its back claws got a grip coming in. Totally friendly. He didn't look like a puppy, he was so big. But he was pretty, with a coat as silky and black as Levi's hair, and a big white collar of fur. He licked her face, which sort of grossed her out. She sputtered, laughing, and pushing, head dodging as best she could. "Hey!" Levi rescued her. The ordeal had only lasted a second or two, just long enough to be dog kissed and tongue swiped thoroughly, and then Levi had a hold on the back scruff of the dog and pulled it off. "Scat."
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Had she squealed out loud? Candy winced. She was pretty sure she had. Taking the back of one hand, she wiped her face. "Yuck. I am totally slimed." "Come on. I'll take you so you can wash that off." "Is it safe?" "I had Frank take Boogey around back of the barn. There's a chain for him." "Oh." She hated the idea of a dog being chained up. It seemed inhumane. But how long was she gonna be there? Just a few minutes? That wouldn't be too bad, she guessed. Levi took her hand as she shimmied out of the truck for the second time. A minute later, she had her first full sniff of a lot of cows. That would take some getting used to. Skunk danced around them, apparently thrilled Levi was home, barking happily. Bounding up and down. "Hush!" It came out harsh, but on the command, the dog's mouth stopped making noise. "Settle down, you fool." Leaning over to pet the dog, Levi said, "He wants attention all the time. He's only ten months old." "And he leaps into trucks already?" "His whole family's a bunch of athletes." "What about the other one?" "Ah, Boogey can jump but he's getting old and cranky. That's why I got Skunk." "I thought you said—" "Erica's dad has Skunk's mom. And one of my other cousins. Kyle? He's got a male dog out of the same blood line. They're good dogs." "He never mentioned that." 81
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"Probably didn't talk much at all, if I know him." She didn't answer that. Nope. Kyle had been all hands, out for one thing, proving something to himself. She was afraid she hadn't been the answer he'd been seeking, nor had he been the answer to her big questions. Was there a man who could make her feel absolutely wonderful? Who made her feel complete? Who kissed like a god, and loved like a man possessed with true, eternal love—from the get-go? Levi stopped and she ran into the back of him. He looked down at her and she got the distinct impression that he was angry. She didn't know what about until he growled, "How did he stack up?" The kissing thing again? Erica was going to be receiving payback for a long, long time. "Like, in comparison to the rest, or to you?" That earned her a grabbing yank into his body, and a hard kiss and smirk. "You're a smart ass, aren't you?" He liked that? Her sassy mouth was something that usually got her into trouble she couldn't get out of. Maybe that's what this was? Had she already gotten in so deep that she couldn't see the shit to climb out of it? God, she was in trouble, wasn't she? She scrambled through her brain for a good comeback. "Well, I'm not a kiss ass." "We'll see about that." Letting go of her, he hit a switch and the interior barn lights came on. The thing was a huge metal building with several stalls filled with straw, and a variety of black and white cows could be seen in most of them. "The calf's over here." 82
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Levi led the way, dragging her by the hand. The flooring was surprisingly clean, and mostly concrete. She'd expected a dirt floor. The more she looked around, the more she realized this wasn't a cheapo place. There were drainage troughs and the concrete was slanted at a very slight angle. She saw hoses coiled and could see that there were wet spots where the slab floor had been recently washed. Had he forgotten she needed to wash her face? Obviously, yes. He pointed. "That's the rack we put the cows in when we deliver. See the chains hanging there? That's what we use to pull the calves out." It was all new to her. A whole foreign world. There was no sign of blood. "Where's the dead cow?" "Taken care of." That bothered her. What did they do with dead cows? Bury them? Her heart tripped. Butcher them? Ah, she didn't want to know. "Do you lose cows very often?" "Not really." He stopped in front of a small pen, put a foot on the lowest rail, and leaned on the top. "Here we are." There was a female cow. She assumed that because it had an udder, and she knew enough to see that two calves were suckling. That meant it was a mama cow. A heifer? "Which one?" "The big one." It stood several inches taller than the other. "When was the little one born?" "Last week. That's why they're still in here. He's not doing so well. We could end up losing him. It looks like his appetite's picked up with a buddy showing him what to do." 83
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'That is so weird." "What?" Levi looked so natural leaning against that fence. So at home. So ruggedly handsome, so capable. So cute. Not that he'd looked out of place when he'd walked into that bar, but she could see now that he was "on his own turf" he had a much easier air about him. Like he'd relaxed finally. Two hours plus, and they get next to a couple baby cows, and the man chills. What a funny guy. "Oh, nothing." "No." Levi looked over at her. "Say it." "A new cow is bigger than an older one. Both boys that look a lot alike, but one knows how to suck better than the other." With the full intent of pushing his buttons so he'd kiss her again, she added, "It's sort've like you and your cousins." She didn't know why she twisted it back to that, except that he'd put Kyle on her mind. His kisses anyway. Their looks weren't too far off from one another. Tall, well built, ruggedly handsome. Which made her think of Danny, the veterinarian who was recovering from some cheating Barbie princess. And the other one, the Flight for Life pilot, Noah. "What is it with your family?" Now that she thought of it, all of them were around thirty, give or take, and unmarried. "How come you guys can't commit? To anything but cows, I mean. If I remember right, Danny mentioned something about his ex having an issue with his work. She didn't like cows and he's a veterinarian or something."
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"Hold on. I don't have a commitment problem. And Danny was engaged last year. He's real steady. And his brother Marty is married. Has been forever." She hadn't been expecting the heat with which he argued this point. She found herself backing up. "And, truth be known, Noah's been committed to the same girl since high school. He just can't get her corraled." "Coraled?" "She went away to college. I would have thought Erica gave you the whole run down on ex history before she set you up with each one." "You know, that's one of the annoying things about her. She kept the important stuff to herself. She didn't tell me squat about who you've been in love with." He put a shoulder to her, and stared at the calves, thinking silently for a few minutes. She wanted to settle in beside him, but she felt like an outsider. "Danny was never in love with Kerry. The best thing ever happened to him was her sleeping with his best friend." "Geez. That's harsh." Levi shrugged. "The day she marries Jimmy will be a day we'll all celebrate. Danny's too good for her." "Oh. I get it." "I doubt it. But all it would take is one meeting, and you'd know. The girl is a first class bitch. A rich bitch at that." She flinched at his vehemence. "You hate people with money?" She glanced around. He was probably in hock up to his eyeballs. Just paying the light bill and taxes probably kept him treading water. 85
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"No. I hate people who think money matters." Or maybe she was wrong altogether? In any case, she had to argue with him. "It does! Maybe you don't have to worry about stuff like that since your farm has been in the family forever, but the rest of us have to worry about paying rent, and utilities, and buying food even." She glanced around. "You probably have all the food you want right here. Beef, dairy. The rest of the world has to worry about getting those things, though." "I pay bills." Why wouldn't he look at her? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Six Levi wondered why it always circled around to money. Feeling a little belligerent, he insisted, "You don't know Kerry. She's got more money than all the rest of the girls in Texas put together. Or her daddy does, anyway." "There's no crime in having cash on hand." He never should have brought her out here. A few questions about his cousins would have brought this whole thing up. "And Lacey, the girl that Noah's been waiting around for? She's got money, too. You don't see it making them happy. I think they would have gotten married if her father hadn't insisted on sending her away to law school." "Why didn't he go with her?" Levi let go of a heavy breath. This had been bothering him all evening. Noah had gone to the city the week after she left their home town. He'd laid eyes on his high school sweetheart, laughing and looking good and happy in her new city slicking law school. Levi would never forget that day because his cousin had shown up, drunk as shit, hell-bent to killing himself. "She didn't ask him to." "So? Maybe she wanted him to beg her not to go. Or to come and get her. Or to pack up his stuff and say, "We're a team," or something."
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"I see. Test his love." He turned his back to the pen, and leaned against it. "He went. He saw. She was happy without him. It ate him alive." "He looked like he was breathing to me." "Barely." Levi shrugged for the umpteenth time. "When she gets married, it'll kill him. You don't know Noah. Hell, you don't know any of us." "I tried to get to know you. All of you. But you aren't exactly the talkative, tell all types. What's Kyle's story?" "Does it matter?" "How can I get to know any of you if you all put up the block walls? The only thing I know about every one of you is that you took the kissing challenge and passed with spades!" His heart tripped. They'd all passed with spades? He'd been lumped in with all the rest of 'em? Well, he had his answer there, didn't he? He put his hands on his hips, fuming, staring her down. He had half a mind to show her how many spades he could kiss with. And the other half of his mind was screaming Walk away. Load her up and take her ass home. "I thought that was what you were looking for." Wasn't the whole kissing thing the point of Erica asking them all to take Candy on a date? She stomped her foot. "You are such a jerk." "Great. Just put me on your list." "I don't have a list." "Bullshit." "You would be the expert on that, I guess. Wouldn't you, Mr. I don't need anybody Cowboy?" 88
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She looked so serious. Too cute. Unbelievably grumpy. Why was she angry at him? He didn't even think. Reaching out, he yanked her by the wrist, and said, "You haven't even got an idea how deep my bullshit goes." His mouth clamped down on hers before she had a chance to push him away, or protest, or do anything but stiffen up. He didn't let that bother him. He could show her spades. He could shovel shit around her all day long. And he could make her forget every man she'd scored before, if he put his mind to it. At least, he might have been able to, if she hadn't bit him. Stopping the kiss in the middle of some sweeping tongue action, she put her teeth together. If he moved, he might lose his tongue. That froze them both, right there. His eyes opened. Gazes clashed. She was angry. Getting angrier by the second, from the look in her eyes and the feel of her toothy threat. Regrouping mentally, not wanting to let her win this, he thought about his options. He squeezed her boob. She released his tongue and pushed him away from her. He didn't let go. Oh hell no. Well, his fingers slipped and he got a grip on her shirt. She pulled away, and it ripped. Her mouth dropped open. She slapped at him, but he couldn't make himself let go. He knew if he did, she was gone. He'd have to chase her down or something. When that thought ran through his head, Levi realized he was out of control. The whole thing was messed up. He released her instantly. 89
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"Get in the truck. I'll take you home." "I have to go pee. You almost made me wet my pants!" She had a hand over her shirt, holding it together. Accusations of rape filled her eyes. The worst thing about that was his thought about chasing her if she ran away. That desperate feeling that had wrapped itself around his heart when he'd realized he would have to let go.... It took several seconds for her statement to register. And then, of course, his gaze dropped to her crotch. He'd have to take her to the house. And wait outside the bathroom knowing she had her pants down. His blood pressure went up. Levi ran a hand through his hair. "Okay. We'll go up to the house." Gesturing for her to precede him, he muttered, "Hell. I'm sorry, Candy." She didn't respond. She walked to the barn door, with him in step beside her. There, she hesitated while he turned off the light. What had they been fighting over, exactly? His cousins? Money? He headed toward the dark house. Candy stayed about a step behind him. Motion sensor lights came on as they approached the porch. At the steps, he turned to face her. "I don't even know what happened back there." "It doesn't matter. I wasn't expecting anything, and I'm not disappointed. Is the house locked?"
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"No." He led her inside, tapping the light switch. "It's through there. Right past my bedroom. Second door on the left. The first one's a closet." He watched her butt as she went down the hall, more angry at himself than he'd been in a long time. She glanced his way before turning the corner into the bathroom. She looked sad, and a little confused maybe. Definitely reproachful. Levi thought he'd do just about anything to make that go away, to take it all back. One thing he had to do was get her a decent shirt, and offer to pay for that one. He rubbed his face. Never in his life had he ripped a girl's shirt. There was no excuse for something like that. He went into his bedroom, turned on the lamp by the bed, and opened his closet. Trying not to think about the fact that she had her pants down in the next room, he wondered about his brain. The one below his belt. He'd ruined everything, and still he was thinking about sex. Thinking about kissing her again. Showing her how tender he could be. Not that he expected her to go for that. Ever. Ever again. In a stupor, he stood there staring at his shirts, both western snap ups and T-shirts, all hung up. He had a girl that came in and did that for him. Washed everything, and cleaned the place up. Cooked sometimes. The sound of the toilet flushing seemed loud in the otherwise quiet house. The water turned on next, and it seemed like she took a long time washing her hands, letting it 91
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run. So long that he sat down on the bed and waited. When she finally came out, he could see she'd been crying, and had washed her face. She had one hand on the torn spot of her shirt. The other, she put on the door jamb and asked, "What are you doing?" "Why don't you take another shirt?" He waved toward the closet. "Whichever one you want. And I'll pay for that." Her gaze slid to the closet and then over to him, and then around the room. What did she see? There wasn't much in there. He'd put all his high school trophies and stuff like that in the attic. Pictures of his sisters were on his dresser. Sure enough, she saw those and moved in. "Huh. They're pretty." "That's Kay on the left. Brenda on the right." "Kay and Brenda. Oh." "My sisters. They're dead." Candy spun around, her lips pressed together, apology written in her expression. "Just pick a shirt and we'll go." He was tired. He got up around five most days and worked hard until sundown. She went over to the closet and stared at the shirts. She could have anything in there but the purple one on the end. The last one his mom gave him. It didn't fit him anymore, but he had some sentimental feeling for it. It didn't surprise him when her fingers went to it first. Levi felt violated, watching her touch it. But, he couldn't tell her to take her hands off of it. He'd violated her. If she wanted it, he'd have to let her take it. Maybe it was time to give up on 92
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that thing his mom and dad had. To give up thinking it would fall into his lap. Candy tipped her head in his direction. "I want the one you're wearing." "What?" "You heard me." He never would have expected that. But, if that's what she wanted...It took him a minute to get his head around the fact that she was serious, and to reach up behind his head—ready to pull it over the top. "No. Wait." Levi paused right there, in mid-action. "I can take it off or you can rip it off, if that would make you feel better." "Okay. Just take it off." She held a hand out, and looked into the closet again while he removed it. Levi stood up, put it in her palm and crowded her. He needed another shirt now. He reached past her. She put her other hand out and stopped him from getting a grip on another one. Obtusely, she said, "I changed my mind." "What do you want?" His nipples pebbled for being exposed, and being close to her. Why did she arouse him so much? He wanted her to look at his chest, to see how muscular he was. Maybe to say that she liked what she saw. She didn't say anything, though. Her gaze seemed vacant, somewhere below his arm pit—at the closet door? "It's not a hard question." 93
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Of their own volition, his fingers itched, and came up to touch the bra strap that had teased him all night. She flinched a little at his touch, and he heard his voice, as if separated from his body and mind, whisper, "Shh. I won't hurt you. I swear." Levi allowed himself the briefest caress to her shoulder, thinking he'd treat her like a skittish colt. Not too much. Let her learn to trust him. But, his good intentions lasted all of about two seconds before his hand slid under her hair, and he drew her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. She had been crying in the bathroom, over him and what he'd done. Was there anything worse? Was there any way to make it better? She sniffed, and he knew what worse was. He'd never been the reason a girl cried, as far as he knew. Except for brother stuff. Or mother stuff. But this, it was a whole new ballgame. He shuddered a little at the way she felt in his arms, and the knowledge that he'd put her into tears, and that he couldn't take it back. Soft, he petted through her hair. "Forgive me, Candy." His lips found her temple. "Please forgive me. I don't know what I was thinking." He did. He'd been desperately afraid of letting her go. Ah, she felt good in his arms. How long did they stand there? Although a clock ticked loudly on the bedside table, he lost track. All he wanted was to kiss her, to make it all better, to keep his hands on her. But that was what got him into trouble in the first place. He 94
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admitted to himself that he was afraid to make a move of any kind. Especially one that would have her walking out of his arms again. She tilted her head, ever so slightly, and whispered, "God, you smell good." Taking that for forgiveness, he met her lips with his. He'd learned one lesson, though. He'd keep his tongue to himself unless invited. What he hadn't been expecting is the feel of her hands on him. The black T-shirt dropped to the floor and Candy took a hold, spreading her fingers over his sides. He was the one that had to break the kiss. He couldn't breathe. His thinking had gone straight below his belt. There was nothing he wanted more than to lay her on the bed and make love to her. Maybe he could get her out of his system like that? A quick screw and he could take her home. His heart lurched at the thought. As if his mother had walked in the room, he felt a chill. With their lips barely more than an inch apart, they stood there, breathing heavy, each waiting for the other to make a move. He wasn't sure why, but he admitted, "I've never had a woman in my room here." "No?" She looked up at him, and he was lost. Lost for life in the "You can hurt me" he saw in her eyes. That was the last thing he wanted to do. It seemed like pushing things, but he said, "One of these days, I'm gonna bring a wife here. I can't make memories on the bed with someone else. It's like betraying her before I even take vows." 95
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Her face and hair brushed his chest as she looked over at the bed. The floral scent of her hair product wafted into his senses. The hand he had on the back of her head got a light grip, repositioning her for another kiss. Why had he said something like that? It was stupid to think about another woman when he had one there, one he really wanted to be with. Temptress that she was, she asked, "What if I said I want to make love to you right now?" Would he put a stop to it? He didn't think he could. Thoughts of buying a new bed, moving to another room... Candy leaned up on tiptoe and put her lips to his. The next thing he knew, her thumbs flitted across his nipples. He groaned. He was a fool to turn this down. Her tongue pried at his lips now, and he let her in, enjoying the invasion, sucking here and there, mostly letting her kiss him, loving the initiative she took. The urge to carry her to the bed and climb on top was so strong that he couldn't think of anything else. When her hands landed next upon his hips, and slid forward, her fingertips tucking into the top of his jeans, he forced himself to get a grip. To get a hold on her hands, though he didn't pull them from where they were. Breaking the kiss, he said, "I need to take you home." It made more sense to stop this here, and meet her again, than to take it too far, and take a chance of losing her. You could keep her here forever, a small voice in his head said. It was foolish. He buried the thought. 96
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He reached down, scooping up the T-shirt, forcing her to remove her hands. "You sure you don't want a clean one?" "I'm sure." She pulled her shirt off and let it fall. Levi couldn't take his eyes off the lacey confection of a bra that barely held her breasts in. Without the layer of the other shirt, her nipples were notably hard. He couldn't help himself. He dove in, his lips to her collarbone, slipping quickly downward, over the upper lip of the fabric. She arched into him, her fingers tightening at the front of his jeans, slipping in where they'd been before. The tip of his cock reached upward for a touch, wet at the tip, just needing a little attention. Levi rocked his pelvis into hers. She staggered backward, pulling him with her. He put a hand out to brace them against the closet door. That lasted about two seconds before she staggered some more, and they moved toward the bed. When the back of her legs hit it, she fell, and he landed on top of her. His eyes were closed, enjoying the kisses, and the feel of her body responding to his. Never had a woman seemed like such a perfect fit, even before it went further. He'd had sex with plenty of women over the years but none of them had felt "right" like she did. Maybe it was the thought of that which brought his head up. "Fuck. We have to stop." "What?" He kissed her on the mouth, fervently, then groaned, "I don't have any condoms." 97
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What a stupid thing to have to admit to! What a ridiculous time to remember it. They didn't move for a bit. He assumed she was glad he'd called a halt. Holding each other like that was good. He needed a little breathing space anyway. "I'm not a slut." "I didn't think you were." In fact, Erica had made a point of saying that Candy wasn't the kind of girl who slept around. His cousins had confirmed that for him, not that he'd asked. Did she think he acted like a rutting cock around every woman he met? Because he didn't. He didn't waste his breath saying it, though, because it was all he could do to keep it all in check. "You don't happen to have a condom in your pocket, do you?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Seven The bad thing was...Candy did have a condom. But how to admit it? He would think she was a total sleaze if she whipped it out. It was a joke between her and Erica. They'd been carrying them around for two years after getting them at a bridal shower as gag gifts. If Erica ever used hers, she never said so. They were "nothing special" Trojans. The kind you could buy at any grocery store, pharmacy, or gas station. It was on their "every night out check list." Lip gloss? Check. Credit card? Check. Cell phone? Check. Trojan? Check. Keys? Check. Let's go. Candy didn't sleep around. Never had. Neither did Erica as far as she knew. She'd lost her virginity, but she'd learned so much from that one bad experience...suddenly, she realized that a bad car scene from high school had flavored all her relationships, and the way she looked at men in general. Why hadn't the episode in Lucky Truck triggered that memory? Because it was a truck instead of a car? And why had Levi been different than all the others? His cousins had been pushed away in a hurry, despite their more than adequate kissing skills. And none of them had pawed her, really. Levi's whole body tightened up. "It's okay. Just breathe." Had she been holding her breath all that time? Nice of him to notice she'd frozen up. Somebody should! 99
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His lips, so close to hers, waited. She wanted nothing more than to resume the kissing, and petting, and maybe seeing how it could go from there. Erica would expect a report. She was probably waiting, watching the clock, counting how long, exactly, it should take to drive two hours each way and look at a calf for five minutes. It wasn't breathing that was her problem now. Extricating her fingers from his pants, now that was another story. What had she been thinking? To hand measure him? Wiggling one finger, tugging, she realized that his pants had grown remarkably tight somewhere along the line. That meant...he'd probably been holding his breath, too. "Levi?" "Yeah?" "I can't get my fingers out of your pants." A pained laugh rolled upward through his chest. "I was afraid you were gonna say that." His lips moved, his breath slipping over her cheek. "We can lay still for awhile, but I don't know how long that would take, if it would help at all. Or..." "Or you could unzip." That brought his lips to her temple. "Ah, honey. You are such a tease." "I'm serious." He rewarded her with a kiss there. "I know." Candy wiggled her fingers just in case she was wrong, but nope, pulling them free was gonna be impossible without relieving some of the pressure. Her pointer finger went the wrong way, or the right way depending on perspective and 100
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touched his thing. She froze again, afraid to move it more. He was definitely hard. No doubt about that. "All right." His hand slid over her body, down, and came to rest on her hip. He kissed her temple again, and tightened his fingers with a solid grip. Candy suspected he'd been planning on unzipping but rethought it. She felt moisture through Levi's underwear. Underwear ads and all that resurfaced in her wickedly working brain. Suddenly, curious, she asked, "Whitey tighties or...?" "You can't tell?" He chuckled. "You're telling on yourself, you know." She should be able to tell from that? A quick feel? She wiggled the finger. The fabric seemed pretty tight in there. Stretchy cotton? "Stop that." "Just trying to figure it out." "Boxers." "They don't feel like boxers. Not that I'm an expert, but—" "Boxer briefs." One more brush of fingertip and he gasped, "Red." "Red?" "Yeah. It's my favorite color." Did that mean he liked her hair? She smiled. At least she'd done one thing right. Although, she probably would have colored it blonde or something if Erica hadn't said a perm was enough. Candy gasped. Erica had known! 101
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The set-ups, now that she knew more about the cousins, seemed like they'd been calculated in escalating order. Erica had been betting that Levi would like her better than the others, and vice versa? But, beside the red thing, how had she guessed? Levi was opposite of everything, everybody Candy had ever dated. "What are you thinking about? My underwear?" She laughed. "No. Your cousin." His fingers on her hip sort of convulsed. "Which one?" "Erica." "That's a new one." "Huh?" "Women don't usually think of other women when I'm...you know." "I bet. These jeans are better than handcuffs." "You don't go for that sort of thing, do you?" "Not often." His fingers convulsed again. "Don't tease me anymore. I don't think I can take it." "You do that handcuff thing?" "I'm a farm boy. We have other things just as good." Her eyebrows went up. "Do tell." "No. Hold on." His hand left her hip and slithered between them. A second later, the top button of his jeans snapped. He went "Ahhhhh," and then, "Shit. I popped it off." Candy giggled. "Want me to move my hands now?" "Want me to come in them?" 102
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It was crude, but honest. She liked the fact that he was so excited. "Unzip them, cowboy." "I'm serious. If one of us moves, I'm done." She had to think about that a second. Did that mean he was easily excited or hadn't been with a woman in a while? She hoped it was the latter, that this episode was special somehow. "You think waiting will help?" "Probably not." "I want to see." "What?" "It. You know." "It?" He groaned. "You're killing me." She kissed his chin. "Come on. Unzip them and let me see." He didn't move. She wiggled her finger a little more, rubbing against his cock. "Fuck." The zipper came down in one smooth move. Her fingers were free, and he pushed her away, rolling to his back. Looking up at the ceiling, he explained, "It's been a long time. I'm sorry. I'm stupid. I never should have started anything." Candy propped herself up on one elbow and looked at his pants. There was a wet spot expanding, and she could see throbbing. He reached and adjusted himself, and she put her hand over his. "Could you go again?" Their eyes met. Seconds ticked by. "If you keep your hand down there, without a doubt." 103
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Snuggling up, Candy laid her head on his chest. His free hand slid over her back, pulling her closer. "I have to get a new bed now." She waited a minute, then moved her hand up to his chest, and forced herself to a sitting position, using his body as leverage. "No, you don't." "Yeah, I do." "We didn't have sex." More seconds passed them by while they stared at each other. She wanted to have sex. For the first time ever, she really wanted to give it a shot. How could she convey that without sounding like a ho? "If I had a condom, we would have." He leaned up, kissing her. "You are such a turn-on." She wondered why. What was it that he liked about her, in particular? The fact that she was a one night stand? City girl takes a trip to the farm, a place she would never fit? Somebody he could take back, drop off, and never see again? The idea saddened her. "What's wrong?" "Nothing." Candy ducked her head. She was a hussy. All she wanted was to make love to Levi, and forget the rest of reality. They could have sex once, and not get pregnant. Lots of people did. She didn't need her damn condom. No one would ever know what they did. She wouldn't tell. And he was getting rid of the bed anyway. Rolling her to her back, Levi growled. "You're lying. What are you thinking?" 104
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She should lie. But she didn't want to. "That this is too fast but I don't care. I just want to be with you. I want to feel you inside me." There. She'd admitted the truth. "You already said the bed was ruined." "I didn't say that, exactly." "For some other woman." He conceded. "I did say that." "So?" "How about we try something else?" She wasn't sure why, but she tensed. Was he rejecting her idea completely? Now that he'd had some release, he probably wasn't interested in going further. "Like what?" Levi's hand skittered across her body. Butterfly flitting that aroused and titillated every inch of her. One breast, then the other—a minor skimming past the material covering them, and on down, reaching between her legs, feeling the moist heat of her through her pants. He rubbed, and she couldn't help humping his hand. "Like this?" It wouldn't take much to bring her to the same place he'd been a minute before. She moaned. Then he surprised her. Rolling completely on top of her, he lifted her hands over her head and asked, "You sure you want to be intimate with me?" Wasn't she already? On some levels at least? "Yes." Levi's kisses were like drinking wine. His lips and nose hovered, savoring what was to come, promising that any minute he was going to quench the most healthy of thirsts. 105
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"Girl. You are a total wet dream." A total wet dream? It made her laugh. If that was a farmer's version of a compliment...he needed to brush up. Using a calf for a pick up line, and now this...? "And you're country calendar material." He laughed over that. But then he got serious and frowned. "Too bad city girls don't really go for cowboys." "I didn't even see a horse out there." "Different barn, honey." Chalk up one more stupid comment. Levi chuckled. "I guess I don't need to ask if you ride." "I ride the city bus system." "Smart ass." "I can ride your ass." The minute she shot the words out, she winced. There was more than one meaning to that. "There you go." He picked up on the sexual meaning. "Teasing me again." She had to think about that one for a minute. "That sounded a little "Brokeback" to me." "No one was talking about bringing another man into it." "Oh. But another woman would be fine? I'm not enough for you?" "I didn't say that." His gaze landed on her lips, and she knew he was thinking about shutting her up with more kissing. "In fact," he sounded preoccupied. "I'm a little worried that I won't measure up...to what you're looking for, now that I know you keep lists."
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Candy grunted. Hadn't she been begging for him to give it a try? What more could a girl do? She didn't want to protest about the list thing again. "Why don't we just see how good you are?" Hadn't she already told him she wanted to look at his thing? God. Even in her head, she struggled with calling it what it was. What did he prefer? Cock? Dick? Rod? Prick? What was the cowboy slang? In the city, they called it a Piece, and all the other things. She wanted to ask his preference, but felt way too stupid over it. "I see those wheels a-turning. What are you thinking now?" "I asked if I could see it. How much more obvious do I need to be? Is there something wrong with it?" She didn't know why she was being so pushy. Most guys, she could take 'em or leave 'em. And she knew one thing, he wasn't short. If he had been, her fingertips wouldn't have been able to skim the head and sides. She'd only had two knuckles depth in his pants. "No." He tipped his head. "You know, no woman has ever even suggested something like that to me." "It would be okay if there was something wrong with it, as long as it wasn't a disease or something." "I don't have any diseases." "So whip it out. Brag a little bit." She was being ridiculous. Blushing. Egging him on. "All right. You asked for it. I don't want you crying later." Straddling her, he sat up, resting his hands on his thighs. "You sure you're ready for this?" 107
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"Probably not. I mean, you've made such a big production of it now. I'm bound to be disappointed...because I have so much cock judging experience." His lips slid sideways. His eyes lit up. Without taking his gaze off of hers, he set his manhood free, then spread his hands in the air. "Go ahead, Miss Expert. How do you rate it?" She was afraid to look, now that she knew it was hanging out. "No?" Taking one of her hands, he dragged it to his dick and helped her wrap around it. The thing was slick and fairly thick around. "What do you think?" She thought she'd like to wipe her hand off. But his eyes darkened and the thought slipped out of her head in a heartbeat. "I think it would be interesting to see how many times you could come in a night." His fingers slid over hers. "All it needs is a little attention." She laughed. "Isn't that what you said about your dog?" "Woman!" He let go of her hand and rested his back on his thighs. Candy wasn't sure if she should release her hold, too, or keep up the rhythm he'd started her with. She tried her best, but quickly realized she was sort of hopeless at that. The minute she stopped, he said, "Don't quit now. You're almost there." Wicked woman that she was, she let go and lifted her chin. "Whatcha gonna do now, huh, farm boy?" 108
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His eyes actually glittered, and she thought there had never been a man more beautiful. Or with a more dangerous glint in their eye. But she couldn't believe he would hurt her. Not after the way he'd been so remorseful over the torn shirt, and that had been mostly her fault for yanking away from him. Now that she thought about it, she knew he hadn't expected her to draw back. And she had bit his tongue. That didn't mean she wasn't taking one of his shirts with her when she went. Thoughts of Erica hit her, and she glanced at her watch. "Got a hot date?" "Yeah." With him. Duh. "I asked you a question, you know." What was he gonna do now that she had him ready to go again? "I know." Indecision crossed his features. All the foreplay had been fun. Over the top. She looked at his thing. It really was impressive. Big around. Long enough to put two hands on it like a baseball bat, but not deformedly lengthy. "I guess some of your bullshit isn't all bullshit." Instead of laughing with her, Levi climbed off, and stood there between her legs, unsure of himself. It was the same thing she'd seen back at the bar. Like he was out of his league or comfort zone. "Maybe we need to go out to the barn to finish this." She suggested, "Or out to Lucky Truck, so I can get lucky." Did she sound like a total tramp? To her ears, she did, but she couldn't seem to get a grip on her tongue. Taunting a 109
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man to have sex, unprotected, and not to pull the condom out of her ass...pocket...What in hell was the matter with her? "It worked for your mom. Right? That is what you meant earlier, wasn't it?" Ack. Why in hell had she brought up the guy's mom? "Oh. I don't know about that. It's lucky for a lot of reasons." To her consternation, he reached down, pulled his underwear over his cock, and zipped his pants. It was too damn sexy, what with the top button popped, and he probably didn't realize that it was actually more hot for him to have it like that. "What are you thinking?" She might get tired of him asking that. It was nice that he cared, though. Not many guys had bothered to ask. Or, when she'd volunteered her thoughts, told her they didn't really care. "I'm thinking you have no idea how steamy it is to look at your pants like that—with that hair spiraling down from your navel, leading into your jeans." She pushed at the springy curls around her face. "Turn around." He put his hands on his hips. Twirling her finger in the air, she insisted. "I'm serious. I wanna look at your butt." Levi shook his head, but turned around and waited. "Yeah. You look good in those jeans." "Glad you approve." He faced her again.
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Her gaze went to the missing button once more. "Yeah. You are totally hot for a farm boy. I like pants like that. You should always pop the top. And leave off the shirt." "Let's see how it works for you." Levi dropped to his knees, and went at undoing her jeans. It shocked her, and she pushed with a "Hey!" "Fair's fair." His hands snagged her wrists, pressing them into the blankets on either side of her head. "Ah! Okay. We'll do it like this." His lips hit her belly, and then his tongue slithered under the waistband. It was worse than what she'd done to him, especially with her hands captured, but in a gotta love it, God I'm dying sort of way. He used his teeth to undo the button at the top and then the zipper, too. He hesitated there, and his gaze went from her lacy spandex panties to the bra. "Victoria's Secret. I'm a city girl. Remember?" "I never forgot." He gave her a sideways grin. "There are some things I really like about the city." He looked down again, and hesitated, his chest heaving like he'd been lifting hay bales all day or something. "What's the matter now? Cowboys don't know how to deal with spandex lace?" Why was she taunting him? She needed to get a shirt on and go to the truck. Now. "Oh. I think I can manage." Before she realized what was happening next, he'd let go of her wrists, grabbed hold of her jeans, and peeled them. It took a little tugging because of her big ass holding up the 111
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works, but he was persistent, and she put her feet on his thighs and arched, trying to help. It occurred to her that he still had his boots on, and she hadn't bothered to take her shoes off. When he had the jeans to her knees, he stopped. She thought he was going to protest again, or something, but no, he took a minute to slide his hands up the skin, and hook his thumbs under the legging scallop of her panties...and yanked. Pretty proud of himself for doing it, too, if his expression was anything to go by. And he nodded his appreciation the minute he set eyes on her cunt. She propped herself up on her elbows to watch him. His fingers riffled through the hair down there. "It's not very curly." "I told you. My hair is usually straight." The stroking made her crazy in two seconds, flat. She wanted to fall back and beg for something she couldn't even guess at. Especially when his magic thumb slid lower, seeking the crease of her pussy lips finding her clit. "You're wet," he announced with great pleasure. "What did you expect?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Eight Levi wondered if this woman could arouse him any more than she had. Now that he had her pants down, and was touching her, she practically purred. He liked that, a lot. He liked the slickness his thumb had discovered, and the way her lower lips had a puffy feel. He couldn't help sliding his thumb in, just a little, to see how she'd take it. Candy spread her legs in a natural reaction, but it made him realize that things were inhibited by the jeans and shoes still being on. So, he took those off, and tossed them aside. And then he helped her readjust closer to the edge of the bed, propping her feet on his thighs. He looked at her down there, the bedside lamp doing a great job of illuminating things. She had a scent that he liked. Not all women were fresh between their legs. Would she hate him if he tasted her? Should he ask? Own it. As clear as anything, his dad's voice rang in his head. And now he knew what his father had meant. If it was meant to be, there isn't any question. Candy had been sure of this from moment one, or at least, since she came out of the bathroom. She'd given him every go sign possible, including verbal urging. Levi realized that she already owned him. He had never taken a woman into his house, never thought about making 113
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love in that room, or on that bed except after he got married. And he had never apologized to a woman like he had to her. But all that seemed too hokey to think about. People didn't believe in love at first sight anymore. He was a dinosaur. A throw back to the John Wayne days, and he knew it. While he worked through his thoughts, his thumb kept up its petting. Men had been going down on women since the beginning of time, and vice versa, hadn't they? He leaned forward. Yes, he was going to have to taste her. She watched him approach and didn't say anything, and when he lifted her legs over his shoulders, she let him. He kissed her first. A soft press. Then he closed his eyes, and let his tongue find its way, millimeter by millimeter, slow and easy. Mm. She tasted...sweet. Not sweet exactly, but definitely a way he liked. It didn't take long for him to become more aggressive, to reach deeper, to have her squirming, and reaching for his head, cradling him with hands on both sides, groaning at every lick, at every readjustment to gain a little more depth. When she started arching, and her hands went from holding his head in place to clutching the bedding, he knew he had her right where she needed to be, and wanting more. He wanted her to come in his mouth. And he wanted to rise up and slide into her, too. Levi lifted his head. Man, he wanted to come inside of her. "Don't stop!" 114
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He grinned. "City girls aren't the only ones that can get somebody wet, looks like." The look she gave him was pure poison. "Don't you dare quit there." "Well, we have a dilemma here." "Yeah?" Her tone had soured immensely. "I can help you get your pants back on, and load you up in Lucky Truck, and leave your, uh, virtue intact, and know that I didn't go and do something we'd both regret." "Or?" "I could finish what I started." "That sounds good." She read the indecision. "Or?" He slipped her legs off his shoulders and came up, letting his belly rub against her snatch, loving the way the wetness slicked his skin, definitely wanting to slip his own jeans down, and go the rest of the way. Candy's fingers fluttered loose from the bedspread and landed on his shoulders as she shimmied tighter against his body. She closed her eyes, and he could tell that she, too, liked the feel of his skin on hers there. All right, that was it. He needed more. Moving up, and over her, he readjusted their position on the bed, sliding her butt to the middle, letting her head fall off the other side. "You want to turn on the bed, right?" "What? No. No, this is fine." Her fingers slithered over his chest. "There was another or, wasn't there?" He ran the back of one finger over the top of her breast, along the bra. "I want to see everything." Her game. It was a good one, though. 115
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"Okay." She gave in too easily and he mistrusted it for some reason. "Just a quick look and grip and then back in the box." "Why did I know you were gonna be like that?" "Because when in Rome...?" "Rome?" "Hey. I'm a city girl, as you keep reminding me. All I know is what I see. On the farm, we show, we tell. We don't do much more." "That is so not true." Her hands came up and covered her eyes. "You know what? I'm being stupid. I don't know why I keep trying to push you into more." "I do." Candy's arm blocked his view of her face next. "I don't." Levi left the bed, and took his boots and pants and underwear off. It was less than elegant, hopping around for a minute on one foot then the other. She peeked. He saw it. When he came back to her, he put his hands on her thighs and rubbed. He wanted her to look at him. Had he looked so stupid doing that she'd been turned off? When it came down to it, he wasn't half as smooth as he wanted to be. Doubt of her past surfaced. The girl was totally open to this, waiting patiently. She was probably used to some real experts at lovemaking and just playing him for a fool. But, if she had been around, that would be better, wouldn't it? Not as personal? Easier to excuse this one night stand? His heart did a two step beat. He didn't want it to be a one night stand. Did he? No. 116
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He needed another go-ahead. Sex wasn't something he took lightly. His ardor hadn't decreased. If anything, holding off had made him want her more. "Candy?" He rubbed her thighs again. "What?" "What's your last name?" "Bish—wait. That's yours." She giggled. "I'm serious. Look at me." She moved the arm, peeking out from under it. "I didn't know you were such a talker. What's up with that?" "I dunno." He grinned. "Guess you loosened my tongue." Letting me French you. Biting it. Letting me slide it inside of you. How could he convey that he'd never felt like this with any woman in his life? The urge to blurt that he thought he'd fallen in love at first sight seemed so...juvenile. His gaze went to her labia. He touched it. "You're pretty down here, even. Did I tell you that?" "No." "You are." Propping herself up on her elbows, she asked "Pretty down there? How so?" It was obvious she didn't believe that. "Why are you doing this...?" Talking. Stalling. He knew what she meant. No one would ever expect to hear that he'd talked so much. And now, when it really mattered, he'd turned into Chatty Cathy. Ten years ago, he'd fucked a lot of girls, and done it fast, without conversation most of the time. Since then, he'd learned a 117
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little more finesse, but this reticence, he couldn't explain why he wanted to take it slow. He didn't want to take advantage. That's what it was. He'd have to answer to Erica later. Not that he had to take her calls. That wasn't all there was to it, either. He really, really liked Candy. She might be the one. "What's your last name?" He was not having sex with her if he didn't, at least, know that. She hesitated, and so he got up. He went over to the high dresser where Kay and Brenda's pictures were, and laid them down. He should have done that earlier. Resting an arm on the top of the thing, he asked, "You ever wonder what it would be like if your life was different?" "Yeah. Who doesn't?" He looked over his shoulder at her. Did she like what she saw? He sure liked having her lay on his bed, knees drawn up, waiting for him to come back to her. Why wouldn't his dick go limp? Every glance at her, and it throbbed more. He needed to do the right thing, get her dressed, and take her home without defiling her more. She rolled to her stomach, putting her toes on his pillows, and rested her chin on one hand, tapping the bed. "Come here." He shook his head. "I don't even know your last name." "Merrill. Nothing fancy. Nothing secret." His gaze slid to her bra, what was visible of it, and over to her panties on the floor. She tapped the bed again. "Stop avoiding me. Sitting close doesn't mean we have to do 118
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anything more. I'm okay with talking." Levi gave in, and went to sit by her. "It's Candace Merrill." "I don't know why Erica didn't tell me. Or why I didn't ask." "Candace Laine Merrill. I'm twenty-six and I live in the same apartment building Erica lives in. My favorite color is blue, and that was way before I saw your eyes." "Why aren't you and Erica roomies?" Maybe if he kept conversation on his cousin, or mundane things, he could get a grip. They could stop being hot for each other. And maybe they could get to know one another on other levels. "We met in the laundry room after she moved in. Then I helped her get a job in the call center." "What about your family? Where are they?" The whole thing was silly, maybe, wanting to talk before taking things further. Or stopping that altogether, but he wanted to know her, wanted to be more sure of things before he let things get out of hand. "They're around. I have four brothers." "No sisters?" "One. We don't speak." "You need to fix that." Her gaze strayed to the dresser. "I'll work on that. How did yours die?" "My whole family, my brother and parents, and the girls were on the highway, coming back from the city. A drunk crossed the center line." 119
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"Which explains why you weren't drinking and why you hate the city." "I drink. I just don't drink and drive. And I go to the city when I have to." Had he ever talked to non-family about the accident? He didn't think so. Hell, he hadn't talked about it to his family much. "I almost never drink. Erica insisted on it. All things considered, it's weird she made us meet at a bar, don't you think?" "Yeah. Erica told me you didn't drink much when she called. She also said she was going to ply you with liquor so you weren't so tense like you were with the others." "I really messed that up. If they didn't like me, it was my fault, not theirs. I'm not really good at dating." He chuckled over that. "I could tell. Why did you ask me to stay and then walk out, and not come back?" "Why did you show up at the car?" "I had a feeling that you were trying to ditch me." He bounced his head. "And the fact that you didn't come back right away seemed like a pretty strong sign." "It surprised me to turn around and see you there." "You didn't think the kiss was worth repeating?" "I didn't say that." She put a hand on his leg, feeling the hair, combing it with her fingertips. It tickled. "You seemed like a nice guy." "Oh. There's the kiss of death. If you say I remind you of one of your brothers, you're going down." His dick throbbed at the entendre in that thought. 120
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She smiled. "Nah. They're city boys. Nothing like you. Do you fight?" Levi shook his head. "A few brawls way back when. Nothing worth fighting for these days." "My brothers get caught in bar fights all the time. Real rough." She hesitated a second before keying in on his last comment. "Nothing?" Her fingernails slid through the hair on his thigh, rising higher each time she took a pass on it. He had to put a hand over hers. "I want to lay you down and make love to you." "But you're stalling because something isn't right." Sad, she said, "I really don't do this with other men." "I know. My cousins told me that much. You were pretty hard on their egos, actually." "I'm not touchy-feely with you because I'm desperate, either. I have a vibrator." He narrowed his gaze. A vision of her using it came to his mind. "Do you use it with or without your panties on?" "Wouldn't you like to know?" "How often do you use it?" She tipped her head to one side and stared him down before saying, "You realize that you are asking me some seriously intimate questions, right?" "Sitting here, naked on my bed with you, still tasting your juices in my mouth, I'm feeling pretty intimate." Why was he talking so much? He leaned in, slipped a hand over her cheek, and kissed her. 121
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Candy's lips opened beneath his and her tongue slid into his mouth. He shifted. She rolled to her side. Her hand on his thigh slid upward, fluttering over his dick, and they both hesitated. Nothing had ever felt so good, so right, so necessary to follow through. Levi spread his body over hers, pressing her back into the covers, and pulled his lips free of hers, muttering, "If we do this, I'll own you, you know." She stiffened beneath him, momentarily. Then he felt her hands on his hips, urging him silently. Still, he didn't want to rush it. He wanted to make love to her, not just fuck. He kissed along her jaw line, and under her ear. Her insistent fingers on his hips dug in, and pulled him into position. Her thighs cradled his body, and her womanhood, moist and warm, invited his entry. The head of his cock slid against it, probing gently. Levi's need for a condom warred with his desire to plunge into her and pump with hard, clean strokes every bit as much as he wanted to ease in, a centimeter at a time, swallowing her moans with each stretching bit. "I have to tell you something." Her voice was little more than a gasp. He kissed down her throat to her collarbone. "Okay." The slickness between them felt so good. He tilted his hips a little, pushing the slightest bit, feeling the head of his cock press its way in. Her fingernails dug in. Levi stopped moving. "You okay?" "Yes." Another gasp. She buried her face in his chest with an "Oh, God." 122
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He didn't know what that was all about. Sensing something was wrong, he eased free, and sought her lips, kissing her a couple of times. "It's okay, honey. It's okay." It was his mistake, talking so much, slowing things down, giving her time to regret the whole thing. He could stop. Couldn't he? Ah, man, he didn't want to. Not now. It was all could do not to push all the way in, and just tell her to hold on. "I know. I know." Levi looked at her face. He liked her freckles. The shape of her nose. Her eyelashes. He kissed her eyelids, tasted salt. "Are you crying?" "I'm just, it's just—" He kissed her lips again. She kissed him back, but her grip on his ass wasn't lessening. "What's wrong?" "I, um, just be gentle, okay?" Frowning, Levi took stock of the situation. He hadn't been rough. Not at all. On the contrary, he'd been quite tender. So, what was causing her to be afraid? He realized that was what was going on. She had tensed up, bracing for pain. Someone else had hurt her during sex? As his mind clicked through one thought after another, he struggled with several emotions. Concern for her, a desire to show her how good it could be, anger at whoever had treated her poorly. And back to a need to show her how good it could be. "Look at me, Candy." Her eyes fluttered open. "You trust me?" She nodded. 123
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"You wanna do this?" "Yeah." "Then we'll go real slow. 'Kay?" "Okay." "Just relax." A sweet smile flitted across her lips. "Easier said than done, cowboy." "Let's try this." With one hand, he undid the front clasp of her bra, and peeled the cups back. Milky white breasts, bounced free into small mounds topped with cherry tips. He put his nose in her cleavage, needing to take a moment to breathe. Slowing down now that he was ready to go seemed like a tremendous effort. Tilting his head to one side, he pressed a kiss to the inner curve of her right breast. He laid there, still, long enough for her grip on his hips to relax. Levi took that as the go-ahead to suckle. Cupping one breast, he moved enough to take the nipple in his mouth. That was a good move. Her fingers slid up into his hair, and she arched under him in no time at all. He attended to one breast, and then the other. The more she arched, the harder he sucked, the wetter they both became, the more friction built up between them down there, and when he entered her again, just the tip, it popped in of its own accord. She froze again, and he groaned with the self-control it took not to start pumping. Instead, he sucked with the rhythm that he wanted to get going below. Candy ended up being the one to tilt below the waist for more depth. 124
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He fought it as long as he could, but when he finally let his cock slide all the way home, up to the hilt, deep as could be, they both groaned, and hung on. Feeling a little desperate at that point, his lips searched blindly for hers. And when his mouth met Candy's, his tongue slid in, mimicking what he needed to do. Candy sucked his tongue, and Levi couldn't hold on anymore. Just one or two plunges was all he needed. One. Two. Oh, God. He needed more. He needed a lot more. He broke the kiss and muttered, "I can't stop." Deeper, deeper. All the way in. As deep as he could get. "Oh, fuck. I can't stop." That was it. The strokes lengthened, and she hung on. Levi wasn't sure how many plunges he'd made before it registered that she was gasping, "Don't stop! Don't stop! Oh, God. Don't stop!" That sent him over the edge. It had him trying to swallow her gasping moans, kissing her desperately—on her mouth, down her jaw, along her throat, and back again. Maybe it was because he'd come once, but the action seemed to last forever. It felt so good, he thought he could do it forever, just slide in and out of her, right there at the edge of explosion. Together, they climbed a mountain of orgasm, clinging to one another, clutching, humping, gasping. Almost there, as close as he could get, the phone rang. He registered it, hesitated the slightest bit, and heard her scream, "Oh, God, don't you dare stop now!" 125
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That made him chuckle. There was no way, in hell, he'd quit where he was. Not with her squirming beneath him, begging him, egging him on, encouraging him with every gasping breath. Sucking on his throat. When had she started that? Oh. When he'd started sucking hers... The phone kept ringing, and he kept pumping. And finally, it quit, and they were there. Right at the top. Right at the place where they'd meant to go. As Levi fucked her, he found her mouth again, and kissed her hard, sliding his tongue into her again, owning her with all he had. He had one hand squeezing her breast, the other on her hip, holding her in place while he lengthened his stroke. She groaned into his mouth again, then broke the kiss, begging, "Don't stop! Harder! Just a little more." Every last drop of his cum spilled in with each last thrust, and he made those as deep and solid-bottom hitting as possible, carrying her where she needed to be. Not stopping until she gasped, "Oh, God. Oh, God. Levi, Oh, God." And then she was kissing him like crazy, her fingers in his hair, the other on his cheek, exclaiming, "I didn't know it could be like this! You are amazing. Oh, my God, you were unbelievable!" Thrusting another time, just for good measure, he kissed her back, enjoying her reaction, loving the way she appreciated his efforts. He wanted to laugh out loud. She was pretty fucking fantastic too.
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She stopped suddenly, and hung on, holding him tight against her, putting her cheek to his, whispering, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Don't hate me." Don't hate her? What the hell was that all about? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Nine For all her talk about being a city girl, Candy felt remarkably stupid. She'd let him know how "uneducated" she was on sex. And then, after it had been so wonderful, she'd reacted like a puppy. Puppy kisses followed with begging for forgiveness. She froze when he stiffened. Worse, she clung, afraid to look in his eyes, or have him pull away. He'd probably tell her to get her ass dressed and in the truck. They'd ride home with two hours of silence. Could a girl get any cheaper? He hadn't even had to buy her dinner. And what was up with that? Why, oh why, had she wanted to sleep with this guy, of all the men she'd met and been out with? The one that lived the farthest. The one that was least likely to ever come see her again. Why had this one been the one to melt her bones? Erica had been so right, on one thing, anyway. She'd fallen, and hard. She was so friggin' stupid! Levi was...almighty. Magnificent. Such an attentive lover. So gentle. But, for all his talk, this guy was not the kind to hook up. That's why he was still single after all these years. She needed to get tough, get ready for rejection. Candy forced herself to relax her hold. She didn't want to look Levi in the eye just then, though, so she buried her nose at his collarbone. He still smelled sexy. Only now his after 128
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shave had mixed with his personal musky scent. That underlying musk she'd noticed earlier, that was all Levi. She didn't think she'd ever forget that. That and the fragrance of their sex wafting on the air around them. Candy pressed her lips to his skin. She didn't want the moment to end. She was afraid of what came next. The phone began to ring again. Levi's head came up, and she knew he was looking at the clock. That made her glance at her watch. "Erica." She knew it. It was one o'clock, straight up. How could they have been out there that long? Her cell didn't pick up, and it would have if she'd been anywhere close to the city, or on the main road. Still buried deep inside her, Levi reached, fumbled the phone, and after a few long seconds, got it to his ear. "Yeah?" Loud, Erica demanded, "Where is Candy?" He looked down at her. She liked the expression in his eyes, tender. She loved the sound of his voice when he said confidently, "Where do you think?" Oh yeah. That was too sexy. Right where she wanted to be forever. In his bed, beneath him, her body wrapped around him. "Let me talk to her." His eyes glittered. His lips turned up. "You're pretty damn bossy. I never noticed it before now." "Levi!" "I don't think she wants to talk to you right now. We're a little busy." "Doing what?" 129
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"Getting to know each other. What do you think?" Candy watched him, noted the enjoyment he took in bugging Erica. She had no desire to demand the phone, though. In fact, all she wanted was to curl up under the blankets against his chest and go to sleep. "Tell her I'll call her after I see the sunrise." He chuckled but shook his head. "What did she say? I heard her!" "She said she can't talk now. She's saving her strength, hoping I'll feed her breakfast." "She did not." "I'm pretty sure that's what she meant." Silence stretched and then Erica said, "Please tell me she used her condom." It came across loud and clear. His jaw worked for a minute before he said, "Nope." His eyebrows were up. His gaze calculated judgment on her. Candy pawed for the phone, gained control of it, and growled, "I cannot believe you said that to him!" Worse. Levi withdrew his cock from her body. She hit the off button on the phone and tossed the receiver onto the pillow. Feeling remarkably hurt, considering she was the one who had betrayed him by not volunteering the condom, she apologized. "I'm so sorry." "Why?" He scooped up his underwear and wiped his cock off. "I should have had one, and I didn't, but I went ahead. You want a shower?" He tossed the underwear and held out a hand. 130
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She peeled her bra off the rest of the way, and took his offer, letting him pull her to her feet. Candy bit her lip as she looked up at him. What was he thinking? There was no way to read his mind. Was that hurt in his eyes? Or confusion? Or recrimination—toward himself or her? "You know," he led her toward the bathroom, "Erica always had a big mouth. And, I lied, she's always been bossy." A minute later, the shower was going, and he'd drawn a couple clean towels out of the cabinet, set them on the counter and said, "Hop in." She stepped into the tub and he crowded her before she had her hair completely wet. Her eyes closed, she felt his presence right before he put a wash cloth to her body. It was soaped up with some serious lather. "You don't mind, do you?" Candy shook her head. How to explain about the condom? There was no way she'd get pregnant, not with one time of sex. That only happened in the movies, or when girls and guys were sleeping together regularly. Right? "No. It feels good." Smooth, he worked over her belly, up across her breasts, and down her sides. Candy had a little trouble, not knowing what to say or do. She pinned her gaze below his adam's apple. Levi cornered her. Candy hadn't even realized that she'd backed up until he blocked out the spray and put his mouth to her ear as the soapy cloth went around her back and over her butt. "It's okay. Don't let Erica ruin it." 131
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She tipped her head back, eyes closed. "I should have told you. She makes me carry one." Tears begged to be set free. "I'm so stupid. I should have used it. I didn't want you to think I was a tramp, having one. Ya know?" "You won't get pregnant. It'll be all right. And I don't have any diseases, so we're good." Was he saying it because he hoped it, or because he was trying to reassure her? She couldn't tell. Levi put a hand under her chin and forced her into looking at him. "It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if you did." She gave him a small smile. He kissed her. "Wash my back?" He handed her the soap and cloth and turned away from her, putting a hand against the end wall. She lathered the cloth up, hesitated a second as she enjoyed the muscled frame of his back. Sculpted man body, it was beautiful. He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Candy? You okay?" "Even your back is sexy." She started washing him enjoying the caress. His back muscles were so well-defined, hours and hours of hard physical labor had created a work of art out of his body. Candy enjoyed doing him the favor, could have stayed in that shower sliding a soapy cloth over his body forever. The back, his sides, and arms done, she hesitated, staring at his butt for a minute-long, not sure if she should do that, too. In the end, she stepped close and leaned against him, resting her cheek on his back. 132
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"Levi?" "Yeah." "How pretty is sunrise out here?" She had a feeling that it would be beautiful if he was in the view. He didn't move for a minute. Then, when he did, it was to twist and wrap his arms around her. "Come here." She went willingly into his embrace. Levi kissed her until the water ran cool. When they climbed out, he toweled her down. On his knees at her feet, dabbing at her calves, she had a great view of his deltoids, and the complexity of his upper body musculature. He wasn't massive, just everything his form should be. Fit, strong, solid, and hard. Her mom would love him. What would her dad think of him? And her brothers? Her dad would admire the fact that he was a hard worker. Her brothers would razz him pretty hard for being a farm boy. She had him sitting at the Sunday dinner table, fielding the barbs. Would he defend himself? Or be quiet and take it? Probably slide a hand under the table to squeeze her leg when she went to open her mouth. Nothing was worth fighting over, wasn't that what he'd said? Suddenly, she envisioned herself with a rounded belly. The scene in her head changed. Everyone was disapproving, and to her chagrin, Levi disappeared from the picture. Would he leave her to raise a baby on her own? Of course, he would. He didn't even know her. "What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" "Just thinking about family. You would want your kids to grow up out here, wouldn't you?" 133
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"Well, considering me and my wife would be living here, I'd say, yeah. I don't know where else they'd be." "You want kids then?" His attention went to toweling himself down. Brisk and rough, he shrugged away from her. "I'm not against them. Eventually, I gotta hand the place off to someone." The bathroom held the steam. The mirrors had fogged. "I want a couple." She wrapped the second towel around her and opened the door. "You know, before I get too old to have some." Rolling her eyes, she left the room, and wondered what had gotten into her—again? She went across the hall, and around his room, picking up the clothes, laying his over the chair in the corner. Checking the pocket of her jeans. She half-wished the offending condom had disappeared, but no, it was still there. She would have to use it, if they were to do anything again. He came around the corner just as she pulled it out. Caught like a deer in the headlights. His gaze went from her face to it and back again. "Don't worry about it." He pulled his jeans on, without underwear. She put it back, and looked around for his underwear, frowned when she spotted them in the far corner, and looked around for hers. She tried to avert her eyes from his butt when he went over to the closet, but damn, every time she saw him in those jeans, she melted. A man should not look that sexy in bare feet. 134
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"Why don't you slip this on?" He held out a long sleeved purple snap front shirt. The one she'd been drawn to at first glance in the closet. She took it. Levi tugged her towel off, raising an eyebrow, daring her to complain. She didn't. She drew the purple thing on without her bra. It was loose. The fabric had been washed with a nice softener that smelled really great. She sniffed the arm. He scooted close and snapped her up, then rolled the sleeves for her. She liked being taken care of. The pampering was nothing to brag about, except for the fact that it made their quietude comfortable. "Come on." He took her hand and led her into the kitchen. She thought about that as they went. Come on was one of his favorite phrases, it seemed. "You hungry?" "A little." "I'm starving." He hunted through the cupboards and looked in the fridge. The whole time, she stood there in her bare feet, thinking about how beautiful his body was, and how sweet he seemed, and how much she'd like to be at home there. "What are you looking for?" "I dunno." "Got milk?" His butt was sticking out. His head was deep in the fridge, but it popped up. He grinned. "How fresh do you want it?" "Whatever you have in there will be fine. Do not tell me you're offering it straight from a cow." 135
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A glass bottle came out in one hand. He set that on the table, grabbed a couple glasses and gestured for her to pour while he went back to the cupboards. "How about peanut butter and banana sandwiches?" She glanced up at him. He was so funny. This was his idea of cooking? "Or honey, or jam, whatever you want. This is a full service kitchen." "I bet. Whatever you want to impress me with will be fine." He brought the peanut butter and bananas to the table. The bread and honey were already there, as if this were part of his regular fare. Next, he retrieved a butter knife from the drawer beside the sink, and a single plate from a drainer. Candy picked up her glass of milk and watched him. The chef in his kitchen, his serious expression as he built the masterpieces, four, and piled them on the plate. "Uh," she bit her lower lip. "Could you cut one of those in half?" She wasn't sure she wanted even that much. "Or fourths?" What if she didn't like it? He lifted an eyebrow and said, "Nope. You ain't in Rome, honeycakes. You need to build your strength when you're on a farm." She laughed at him. He put the lid on the peanut butter when he was done, closed up the bread, then grabbed the plate. "Get the drinks." Then he led the way to the back porch, holding the door with his free hand. It was dark out there. "Sit in the swing down at the end," he bossed. 136
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Dutifully, she minded him, but she felt silly. There was no way he was planning on sitting out there until sunrise, was there? She tried to see what he was doing. Messing around by a little table by the door. Ah. It didn't take long for her to figure it out. Country music wafted over the air waves. The man needed some serious music adjustments in his life. "You're gonna like this." "I bet." Skunk appeared, coming to sit expectantly in front of her. It was a little unnerving, the way the dog stared like she was supposed to do tricks any second. Ears up, nose twitching toward her. "No. I'm serious. Just listen to the words." Levi landed in the swing a second later, and the milk sloshed a little. "Sorry. Here, have one." He put one ankle over his knee, propped the plate, and took a glass from her. "Hey, Skunk. Lay down." The dog did as it was told, but it kept its head up, watching them. "You ain't getting any." Gingerly, she picked up a sandwich and took a bite, eying the dog, thinking she might want to peel a little crust and drop it in his direction. The words of George Strait's "You Had Me From Hello" penetrated her brain as she surreptitiously separated some crust and held it out. The dog took it gently, stretching its neck, one eye to Levi. "I saw that." "Just making friends." "He already loves you. You should have figured that out earlier. What do you think of the song?" 137
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The beat wasn't her cup of tea, but how could she not like a sentimental song like that? "This is a cd?" "Yeah." "Who is it?" "His name is George Strait." "A cowboy?" "Yep." He chuckled. "Pretty popular one. You gotta get out of the city more. That's all I'm saying." Levi made quick work of the other sandwiches and his milk, and set the plate on the porch rail, put his other arm over the back of the swing, and took the remainder of her sandwich and ate that too. "So, I had you at hello?" "Yeah. I think so." His head bobbed a little as he thought about it. "Maybe before you opened your mouth." "I'm better with my mouth closed. Or so my brothers tell me." He pulled her close, kissed her forehead. "How many do you have again?" "Four." They cuddled in silence, staring at the stars, listening to George Strait go on about loving, country style. She stole a glance at Levi's profile. He looked tired, like he was about to nod off. "You getting sleepy?" They still had a two hour drive to the city, and then he had another two hours back. What if he had a wreck on the way home because he was so tired? She'd never forgive herself. 138
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"A little. I don't want to move, though." "What time do you have to get up?" "Five. We milk early." "You aren't going to get any sleep." "I've pulled all nighters before. I can handle it." "You aren't planning on taking me home tonight, are you?" He rocked the swing, wrapping his arm around her tighter. "I think the plan was sunrise, breakfast, milking...." "What was the peanut butter—" "Midnight snack, a little late." "Oh." "What do you think of the stars out here?" Without the city lights, they were much more noticeable. And now that the clouds had moved off, the sky was lit up brilliantly. "Pretty." "I sit out here, late, a lot, and listen to music, and think." "What do you think about?" His lips twitched. "Cows, mostly." "You thinking about that calf?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Ten Thinking about the calf? Hardly. Levi could have laughed out loud. After all they'd done, he could honestly say she'd taken his mind off his dairy cows and pretty much everything else. "Nope. I'm thinking about you. Trying to remember what all Erica said about you." "All lies," Candy quipped, too fast. "My cousins don't lie, much." Blushing, she ducked her head, muttering. "I wish Erica hadn't told you all about the kissing thing." He put his fingers to her chin and tipped her face up. The urge to prove that his kisses were all she'd ever need came again. What was it about her that made him feel so different, that made him want to hold onto her forever? It was insanity, to think like that after only a few hours. But then, he'd taken one look and known. Never had his gut reacted with a turn-over at the mere sight of a girl. Never. Levi kissed her. Her lips parted, wetly, but they didn't go to tongue action. She repositioned herself, rolling her body, climbing into his lap, straddling him as the kisses went on. His fingers slid under the hem of his shirt, caressing her thighs, squeezing. He got hard again in an instant. Visions of unzipping his pants, having sex in the swing, ripped through his mind. Knowing she didn't have any panties on just made the whole situation hotter. All it would take was 140
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freeing his dick, guiding her onto it. Levi applied a little pressure to her hips, letting her feel his shaft. Candy opened her eyes. She had her hands on his shoulders. The pressure of her thighs against his and the heat of her cunt made his thinking a little slow. All he wanted was to get inside of her again, but he couldn't manage to formulate a sentence. If he could have, he might have begged. Instead, he asked her if she wanted to go another round without saying a word, keeping her still and tight upon his rock hard cock. He held her in place, willing her to understand what he wanted, to read his mind. Her gaze narrowed, and it seemed as if she thought about it for way too long, searching his face, brushing the hair back from his forehead. He suspected she was thinking about getting the condom. They should use it if they were going to do it again. No sense in forcing fate. Levi wanted to throw caution to the wind, though. It wasn't like him but he couldn't help it. He just wanted to be with her. To hold her. To feel her around him, skin to skin. To wake up beside her. To fuck her brains out in every room of his house, and out here, on the porch, and maybe in the barn, definitely in Lucky Truck. His brain flipped over itself with erotic pictures of her above and below him in every possible way of making love. A montage of fantasy that kept him swelling and had him jonesing completely.
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Wrapping his arms around her butt, he pushed himself out of the swing. She clung, giggling a little before he kissed her, hushing that. Her legs gripped around him. Skunk sat up, barking once. "Shh." Levi backed her against the porch corner support for a minute, thinking about doing it standing up. She put her tongue in his mouth, deepening the kisses, her fingers cradling his cheeks. "You are so sexy," she whispered. The feel of her ass, bare, resting in his hands, and her pussy against his belly, moist now, had him groaning. She was sexy. "But," she cupped his face, looking all too serious, "We need to use that condom." He knew he should go into the house and get it, but he didn't want to wait. Levi unzipped his pants with one hand, freed himself. "To be honest, I don't think one is gonna be enough and, God help me, I don't wanna make a trip to the store for more." He waited pensively for her reaction, but she just stared at him. So, he prompted her. "This all right?" Seconds passed like an eternity while she thought it over. "I don't sleep around. I've had that condom for ages." He believed her, but that didn't lessen his need. If anything, it fueled it more. "Candy," he closed his eyes, looking for the inner strength to stop here and be the gentleman. The eternity stretched even further. Trembling a little from the effort of holding back and holding her up in such a tenuous position, Levi pressed his 142
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forehead to hers and swallowed heavily. "We should probably use common sense here and stop what we're doing." But then he opened his eyes, looked into her big brown ones, and his resolve left him. "God help me, I don't want to stop." "Ah," she sighed. "Put me down." Stronger than he was, she pushed at his stomach, making room to leave him standing on the porch. Levi banged his head against the wall. To his surprise, she returned in an instant with the condom, opening it with her teeth, peeling it loose from its packaging. Dropping to her knees in front of him, she just about undid him when she said, "Hold still. I've never done this before." Her sweet hands slid the condom over his cock, drawing it to full attention. Her hot breath added to the process. Cute as could be, she looked up at him, her curls springing around her face. "Did I do it right?" "Oh, God, yes." He drew her to her feet, kissed her neatly, and let his hands rove. Her breasts were easy to find under the shirt, the nipples erect. She swooned when his thumbs skimmed over them, and he deepened their kiss, bent down, and scooped her up again, propping her against the wall as he'd had her before. She kissed him with fervor, her fingernails digging in to his shoulders as he brought her down on his dick. Levi spun around, putting his back to the post, groaning, unable to do anything more than enjoy the moment. It was Candy who started the up and down motion, riding him while 143
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he held on, kissing her, sucking her tongue, a little brainless in the moment. It wouldn't take much to get him to come again. He felt like a bull turned into a field of new cows. Randy as hell. The thought hit him hard, and he realized he had to get a handle on things. He had to take her inside. Make love to her right. "Hey," he said. "Hey." Between kisses, he moaned, "We gotta...we gotta slow down." "Why?" She gasped, riding up and down. On her next rise, he readjusted his grip and kept her from descending. With the tip of his shaft inside her, he strode toward the door. There, he put her against the wall, kissing her hard, letting her slide downward, groaning into her mouth. He pumped into her a couple of times hard, then one handedly managed to open the door and kick it wide enough to get her through it. They made it as far as the table. He laid her on her back, shoving the bread and honey out of the way. "Oh, God," she moaned as he leaned over her and thrust a few more times. She tightened up in her own orgasm. He emptied into the condom, her inner muscles milking him. Clinging to one another, they simply held on until it was over. His nose was buried at her throat, and hers was in his. They didn't move for a few minutes, both trying to catch their breath. Finally, it occurred to him that the cold, hard table might not be so comfortable to her back. He gathered her up, and carried her to the bedroom. There, he let her slide to her feet, 144
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but he kept an arm around her as he yanked the top bed spread back. "Lay down with me for a few hours." It was an order more than anything else. He had no intention of letting her sleep somewhere else but with him. "This bed is going to be ruined for anyone else, you know." He smiled. "I can deal with that." He kissed her. Why couldn't he get enough of Candy's kisses? She drew back. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but...take your jeans off, Levi." Levi chuckled, dragging her against him, squeezing her ass cheeks, kissing her one more time. "You gonna take my shirt off?" "Uh uh." Her fingers pushed and peeled his jeans from his hips while he kissed her. She ended up on her knees in front of him. His softening cock at eyelevel, she looked up. "How do you peel that off without it making a mess? Or can you use it over if you keep it on?" He laughed out loud. "One use only, I'm afraid." Again, he drew her from her knees. The position was too provocative, and she was too innocent to understand why. Even then, he was half hard. While she watched, he removed the condom, tied it off, and slung it with accuracy into the trash can in the corner of the room. Turn about was fair play as far as he was concerned, and he didn't want her to forget what they were in the bedroom for this time. Sleeping. He was completely zapped. He unsnapped her shirt through several kisses. She tasted like 145
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milk now. Milk and peanut butter and bananas, three of his favorite flavors. The shirt fell to the floor and he backed her into the bed, climbing over her. He didn't want sex again. He just wanted to be all over her. It was something he didn't quite understand, and couldn't fight to save his life. Levi had never indulged in after-play, kisses or touching after orgasm, but he slid downward, sucking on first one nipple and then the other, resting his head on her chest. Her fingers threaded through his hair, and he heard her sigh. It echoed the satisfaction he felt in what they had just done. Levi was so tired. It was a good tired, though. He pulled the sheet up, kicking the heavier blanket off the end of the bed, and reached out to flick off the light. "Do you have to set your alarm?" "It's set." "Really?" She leaned up, dumping him off of her, looking at the bedside clock. "It doesn't say alarm on." Levi tapped his temple. "In here, honey." "Oh." He scooted higher on the bed and dragged her against his chest, running his hand through her curls. They were still damp, and felt cool against his skin. It made him smile to himself as he drifted off, whispering, "Just sleep for a bit." They didn't move much in the night. Her leg slid over his, her thigh finding a comfortable angle against his cock. Never had Levi felt more comfortable in that bed. For the first time since his family had been killed, he slept solid. Although the 146
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three hours to five o'clock went by too quickly, he felt unbelievably rested when he opened his eyes. He did not want to move. He loved the feel of her body against his, her breath on his chest, and the soft skin of her thigh pressed intimately against his dick and balls. Apparently, neither of them had moved much while they slept. Levi kissed her forehead. She moaned in her sleep, shifting a little, scooting even closer, riding his hip, slithering her leg up and down for a minute or two before finding the same resting spot he'd woken up to. Levi stared at the ceiling. Where would they go from here? Eventually he'd have to take Candy back to the city. A four hour drive each day wasn't very reasonable. He wouldn't be able to do it long without catching up on some sleep. Easing out from under her, he got up and pulled on some fresh clothes. He sat in the chair to put his socks and boots on. What was he gonna do with her? With the way he felt about her already, he wouldn't be able to think about anything else but her. That wasn't gonna work for him. He had hay to cut and corn to bring in. He considered hiring a couple more hands. It would take at least two more to do what he handled, maybe three. He was a workaholic most days. He took a minute, resting his forearms on his thighs, watching Candy sleep. Her curls splayed wildly on his pillow. Her lips begged to be kissed even then.
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Something he couldn't resist. He went over to her, dropped to his knees and slid her curls from her cheek. Levi had to kiss her. Just a little press. Her eyes opened at the touch. She smiled sleepily. "It isn't a dream, is it?" "Yeah it is." Forcing herself to sit up, she ran a hand through her hair, wrinkled her nose at the tangles. She clutched the sheet to her breasts and looked too good to walk away from. "Is it time to milk cows?" "Yeah. But you can sleep." "No." Her voice was soft, wispy. The sheets rustled as she pushed them aside and got up, finding his shirt, pulling it on. Levi watched her in silence as she fumbled around for her clothes. His mom had always gotten up with his dad in the mornings, shared a cup of coffee with him, then fixed breakfast while he was out doing the chores. He didn't expect Candy to cook for him. He'd already told her she didn't have to. But how would it be if she were there, every morning? It would be too easy to get used to, probably. Might make it harder to get out of bed when he was supposed to. "Really, you can sleep." Candy stepped into her jeans. "Hey. I can do this farm thing, at least once." That made it hard for him to swallow. Once? Didn't she realize that...? He pulled himself up, squaring his shoulders. No. She was right. There had been no commitments made. One night did not a relationship make. It would be stupid to expect a future just because they'd had some great sex. His 148
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kitchen would never be the same, he knew that much. And milk and peanut butter sandwiches would always remind him of last night, but... He scratched the back of his neck. "I'll go make some coffee." He needed to get away from her, think a little bit, get some perspective on everything. Of course, the table screamed at him the moment he walked into the kitchen, and he had to take a minute to straighten things there, to eliminate any sign of what they'd done. It didn't take long for the coffeemaker to do its thing. He checked the outside cd player, and turned it off but switched the kitchen one on. Music perked him up. He liked the old country station a lot. George Jones sang "He Stopped Loving Her Today." It made him think of his dad and how much his parents had loved each other. That really was something he had hoped to find one day. But...with a city girl? She showed up in the kitchen with a "My hair's a mess." Levi stood at the kitchen sink by then, having just tossed the dish rag in the basin, staring out the window into the early morning darkness, a hand to his jaw, feeling his stubble. He didn't turn to look. He could see her in the reflection on the window. Her hair was disheveled. Beautiful in a riotous, God-it's-morning-already, sort of way. "Coffee's almost ready. You want cream or sugar?" He already had two mugs out. "I'm not really a coffee drinker." She scooted over to the music and hit the off button. "Do you get anything but country out here?" 149
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"I don't know. It is the country." Not big on peanut butter. Didn't drink coffee. Hated his music. The differences were stacking up. He should be honest with himself. Great sex wasn't enough. Candy folded her arms, leaning a hip into the counter beside him. "It smells good, though. I'm afraid I'm more of a cocoa and cream girl." Her expression brightened. "I like juice. You do juice in the country, don't you?" "Yeah, but I'm out. I usually have breakfast after I milk and go into town after that, to shop if I need something." He poured himself a cup, took a sip, wondering if she realized he meant the small town they'd passed through on the way there. Probably not. "You want some milk?" "Maybe just a drink of water." She turned the tap on, and filled the cup, bumping against him. He didn't get out of her way, even though she elbowed him a little. Levi watched her take a long drink. He liked the curve of her throat as she swallowed, and the way her lashes fell against her cheeks when her eyes closed to do it. What was she thinking? He crossed his ankles, supporting his weight against the counter, watching her, taking a few more sips of his coffee as she pretended to ignore him, staring out the window like she could see something. He wanted her to say something, anything, he didn't know what. Maybe that they could make it work, somehow. Something that intimated she was trying to figure it out, too. Maybe that she liked his place, and being with him, and she wouldn't mind giving it all a shot. She didn't, though. She waited quietly, cradling her water cup in both hands. 150
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"Is your dog still tied up?" "Boogey? Yeah. I'm sure." Her lips drooped at the edges. "I hate that." "He does too, but," Levi shrugged, "Growling and nipping is a chainable offense around here." "I wanted him to like me. But I didn't even see him." "Boog growls at everybody these days. Don't take it personally." His coffee half gone, he set his mug on the counter. "Guess we might as well get to work. You really don't have to do this, if you'd rather go back to bed. You look tired." She still had a sleepy, totally kissable look. Her cup clinked as she set it in the sink. Defiantly, she tossed her head, lifting her chin. "What's the matter? Think the city girl can't cut it?" "I'm just saying." "What?" Her stubborn lips pushed forward, once again begging to be kissed. Levi scooped her into his arms. "That you looked damn good in my bed, and I'd be just fine if you wanted to wait for me to come back and find you there. I'd wake you up with more kisses, I swear." She resisted the embrace, shoving at his chest. "But then who would watch your ass while you did your chores?" That made him grin. He liked the way she thought. "Is that all you're planning to do?" He wanted to kiss her, but she pushed again so he let her loose. He had to put his hands in his front pockets to keep them to himself. 151
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"Supervision is really my forte." She slid the sleeves of the shirt up to her elbows. "Did I forget to mention that?" "Yeah." "Well, with four brothers..." Candy glanced down into her cleavage and looked as if she were going to do up another snap. He snagged her hand. "All right. Let's see how good you are at it." The minute they were out the door, Skunk leaped to life at their heels. It didn't take long to get down to the milking barn. They walked it. He had to slow his pace a little because her legs were shorter. He hung onto her hand the whole way. More than once, he'd seen his mom and dad walk that driveway between the house and barn, holding hands. He felt like whistling. "Your parents ever hold hands?" He wasn't sure why he asked. Maybe because he had an urge to talk about his parents and what they had. "Mmm. Not much." He turned and walked backward, still clinging to her fingers. "My parents took walks together, a lot. Most of the time, they didn't let us go with them." "Private time, huh?" "Yeah." He had a theory on that. He pretty much figured darn near every inch of the place had been christened with lovemaking. Not that he dwelt on that aspect of his parents' relationship. But more than once, he'd thought about spots that would be nice to screw around. Down by the pond. In the tack room in the horse barn. Up in the hay loft. 152
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"Hmm. Maybe you were just annoying and they needed to get away." "That's probably it." Levi let go of her hand and picked up his pace, not sure how to take her comment. Had he annoyed her somehow? Been too intent? She didn't bother to speed up and when he arrived at the barn door, he turned to look at her, catching her staring at his butt. "Hey." "What? I'm just doing my job." He pushed the door open. It slid on rollers. Skunk skipped and hopped around him for a minute. "Go get'em boy." The dog disappeared in the darkness. Flipping on the lights, Levi said, "As soon as I bang around a bit, and he gets after them, the cows will come in from the other side." Candy put her hands in the back pocket of her jeans. "Okay. So bang. I'm awake now." Levi went over to the central aisle and pulled a lever. Grain whooshed through a chute. He did the same with another lever, and the chute on the other side of the barn dispersed grain into troughs. Cows practically killed themselves to get lined up to eat. Next, he started pitching hay with a fork. Skunk came in barking happily. "Get back out there," Levi said. "You missed some." Again, the dog darted off. "You do this every day?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Eleven "Yep. Morning and night, seven days a week." Candy watched Levi's muscles bunch and flex. He didn't waste much effort as he pitched the hay. No wonder the guy had the sculpted muscle mass of Adonis. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of eyeing that bod of his, clothed or not. "Hey boss." The unexpected voice behind her made Candy jump and spin. It was a good thing she did, too. Boogey came around the corner just then, stiffened and growled. She froze. Lucky for her, the guy reached down and snagged the dog by the collar—about the time he went to leap at her. Levi was at her side in a heartbeat, having tossed aside the pitch fork with a clatter. He stepped between her and Frank and the dog. "I told you to keep him chained." "Sorry, I, uh, didn't think you would, uh, sorry." That conveyed one thing to her. Levi never had a woman stay the night. "Frank, this is Candy." Levi took the dog out of Frank's grasp and knelt down. "Let's get this over with. Come here." Since that was his favorite phrase and she was already trained, Candy knew he was talking to her, but there was one problem. She couldn't make herself move toward the snarling dog, even if Levi had a hold of its collar. 154
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When she didn't move, he glanced up and narrowed his gaze. "You gotta make friends with this dog." Not if she left and never came back, she didn't. Boogey's lips curled back even farther, something that hadn't seemed possible. His hackles stood up. She took a step backward. She wanted to run. "He doesn't want to be friends." Frank moved deeper into the barn. "I'll start the milking." "Boog." Levi censored the dog with a yank at his collar. "Be nice." The noise in the dog's throat stopped, but it didn't look any friendlier. There was no way she was getting near it. Levi, apparently, figured that out. He picked the dog up. Candy took another step backward. "Hang on. Relax. He's gonna smell me all over you. It'll be okay." She shook her head. "Uh, I don't think so." Her dog experience was pretty limited, but even she knew that a snarling dog was nobody's idea of a friend. "Look at her, Boog." Levi petted the dog. "It's just a girl. She's all right. Smell her." The dog's nose twitched in her direction. His neck stretched. She didn't trust the look in his eye, and the dog obviously didn't trust her either. "Come here," Levi repeated. When she still didn't move, he said, "This ain't never gonna work if you don't trust me, honey." Trust him? It wasn't him she had problems with. It was the dog that he said was a biter, couldn't he see that? 155
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It was funny, too, that she noticed the "ain't" that came out of his mouth from time to time. His cowboy roots showing. And that honey thing. It slipped from his lips so easily. How many other girls did he call honey? One hand around the dog, he reached out to her with the other, coaxing with his fingers and a soft as silk voice. "Come on." Behind them, Frank clanked some equipment, cows mooed intermittently. Skunk barked in the distance. Candy found this to be one of the hardest things she'd ever done. She hadn't thought much about trust in the past, but she realized suddenly that she didn't have much of it in her whole body. She would have to dig deep to take Levi's hand on this one. But did she want to? He willed her to make the step, to close the distance between them. She could see that by the look in his eyes. Why didn't he just take the dog and tie it up again? As much as she didn't like to see dogs chained, it seemed ten times better than having to make friends with a biter. The moment seemed to last forever, while she debated the whole thing. Another ranch hand came in. "Heya, boss. Morning. Whoa. I didn't know we had company." Jack eyed Candy with total interest, hands propping on hips the minute he laid eyes on her. Shocked, his mouth dropped open. "Hey, Jack." Levi glanced over at the newcomer. "Nice of you to join us." "My pleasure." 156
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He was a handsome man and near her age, or so she guessed. He could've been Brad Pitt's impersonator. Shorter and stockier than Levi, but well built. Definitely a rogue, if the wicked gleam in his eyes was anything to go by. Candy felt distinctly uncomfortable in just a few seconds of his perusal. Jack keened in on things immediately. "Boogey giving you trouble?" "Just making friends. Candy, this is Jack." She gave him a smile, but she didn't really feel it. Could these guys see "sex with Levi" written on her forehead or something? Where Frank had avoided eye contact, Jack seemed bent on getting it direct, letting her know there was no secret. "Hi." Candy put a hand through her hair. It was crazy tangled. Probably looked terrible. There was no doubt when Jack registered the fact that Candy had on one of Levi's shirts. His lips curled upward, and he sidled closer. "How ya doin?" "Okay." Now, this was a dog she couldn't trust. But he smelled good. It was obvious he'd taken the time to put on some aftershave and shave, before coming to the barn. Candy wondered if Erica had met Jack. Erica would absolutely drool over the guy. They stood there awkwardly for a minute before Jack leaned close and whispered, "He won't bite you if you have Levi's scent. You're safe. Dog's half blind. That's his problem." 157
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He touched her on the arm, like it was necessary to get around her. It wasn't, and she took it for what it was. Jack had to push his luck. She knew the type, big time. The kind of guy that let her know, if she was interested, so was he. Candy couldn't help turning to watch him walk away. His butt looked good but nothing like Levi's. And what kind of guy did that right in front of his boss? "I'll take him to the chain," Levi interrupted her thoughts. "Be right back." "No!" Candy called out. Levi had already started toward the door but halted at the sound of her voice. "You didn't say he couldn't see very well." She moved closer to Levi and the dog, definitely not wanting to be left alone with Frank and Jack. Well, Jack anyway. Levi petted Boogey's head. Candy noted confusion in Levi's expression, like now he didn't trust her. Crooning softly, she reached a hand out. "Hey Boogey." She didn't have the guts to get her fingers close enough where the dog could actually bite her. Not until Levi extended his hand, taking her by the fingertips, and drew her toward them. The whole thing was a bigger deal than Candy would have expected. First, it was about her trusting him, and now it had turned around on her. She needed to prove he could trust her, and that she was serious about being whatever he wanted. There was no interest in Jack from where she stood. Couldn't Levi see she was falling for him? Candy had never felt a need to change herself for somebody, and the feeling, the desire to do that, seemed 158
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monumental. Already with Levi, she had stepped over most of her boundaries. Spent the night. Had sex. Not used a condom. Her brain burned over that one. "She's not so bad," Levi told the dog. "See?" "Not so bad. There's a recommendation." "For a girl," he added with a grin. Candy crooned to the dog again. "It's okay. Please don't bite me." Levi laughed at that. Next thing she knew, he had pulled her even closer with an arm around her shoulders, and kissed her head—forcing her to buddy up with the dog. Confusing the animal a little, but making sure the smell of Levi was all over Candy again, so the dog had no question she was a friend to him. She didn't get licked or bit. Just sniffed and nosed some. Candy ended up petting the dog's side, glad the ordeal was over. "Hey," Jack called. "I forgot to tell you. Andrea called last night after you left. She'll be over later today. Said she made you something special." Candy's fingers stilled on Boogey's coat. Andrea? Made him something special? Then it registered She'll be over later. "All right." Levi didn't seem to notice how the news affected her. He set the dog down without any more ado. "I gotta get to work here." Boogey sniffed around Candy's legs as Levi walked away, climbed through a fence, and busied himself at hooking cows to the milking machines. Frank had started on one side, at the far end, and Jack was working his way toward Frank. 159
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There were more cows than Candy could count. She had no idea how long the barn was, but it was huge. News of this Andrea had her feelings hurt. She didn't know who the girl was, but she must be a regular visitor. Mention of her had sent Levi into speed mode. He should have said something if he had a date with someone else. She moved closer to watch the men work. Methodically, they went through the same process with each cow, rinsing their udders with spray gun hoses, taking metal milking machines with tubes on them, and attaching them to the freshly cleaned teats. Levi had the other two, hands down, working twice as fast. By the time they were hooked up on the one side, he was finishing up, too. They stood there, hands on hips, in the middle aisle, looking up and down the barn. While Frank and Jack were good looking men, Candy didn't think either of them had anything on Levi. There was a sense of command about him, even though he was silent. And she liked the fact that he outworked two men. She felt like an outsider as she watched them. A little numb as she tried to process the information that maybe Levi wasn't half as lonely as Erica had made him out to be, especially if he had a date with some girl named Andrea. Some girl that had made him something special. The men were right at home in that barn and she felt silly and superfluous, and somewhat annoyed with the fact that Boogey wouldn't leave her ankles alone now. More than once, she whispered, "Scoot," and "Scat now," but the dog wouldn't 160
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go. Since she still didn't trust him completely, she didn't push it. Curiosity ate her up over this Andrea girl. Probably a country woman who'd had her sights on Levi for a long time. Candy didn't want to meet her. The urge to go home hit her hard. She rubbed her eyes. Man, she was tired. This middle of the night wake-up thing was not her style. Especially after only a few hours sleep. "Hey." Levi appeared in front of Candy, surprising her. The man had some stealth. "You wanna sit? I have a stool over here." He took hold of her arm and dragged her. "Prop yourself up against the fence before you fall over." "I'm not that tired." "I can walk her back to the house if ya want," Jack offered. "Nah. She's all right." Levi blocked her view of the other men as he forced her onto the stool. Then he bent down in front of her, his hands on her thighs, rubbing. Candy didn't understand the way he was looking at her. Examining her face. Wanting something. Willing her to get him? Or to swear she was okay? All she wanted, really, was for him to kiss her. To forget those other guys and the cows for a minute, and... Boogey had followed them. He put his feet up on Levi's leg and begged for some attention. Levi put a hand on the dog and gave him a rough once over, much like the way his other hand worked on her thigh. "I'll fix you some bacon and eggs pretty soon. This doesn't take that long." 161
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He left her there. That long turned out to be two and a half hours. It turned out that the first set of cows were released, and another group brought in, and hooked up, and then the machines had to be rinsed through. By the time the whole process had been completed, she was half asleep, leaning her cheek on her arm against the fence. A honking horn outside woke her up. "I bet that's Andrea." Jack hollered, shutting off the pressure washer gun he'd been using. "Yeah." Levi turned his hose off, too. "Looks like she timed it right." "She always does." Jack coiled his hose. Candy wondered where Frank had disappeared to. She wiped the sleep out of her eyes and forced herself off the stool. Her back had stiffened up, and she needed a butt massage. Jack climbed through the fence on the other side and sauntered toward her as Levi coiled his hose. "Andrea's a regular around here." "Good to know." What else could she say? "She and Levi go way back." He kept his voice low. Out of the corner of her eye, Candy saw Levi frown. His hose had kinked and was taking longer to put up. "You're gonna find her a little territorial." "Thanks for the heads up." It would have been nice for Levi to mention it. "Don't take it personally when she frowns over that shirt you've got on." Jack's gaze slid over Candy. "His mom bought him that, you know." 162
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"No. I didn't know." She wrapped an arm around her waist and put the other hand against the opening at her cleavage. "Looks good on you." He winked. Candy blushed and averted her eyes. Levi strode over to them, took a hold of her elbow, and said gruffly, "Come on." She thought Jack would stay behind, and he did a little, walking a few feet in back of them. They left the barn door open. The minute they were outside, Levi let go of her. "Looks like she went inside already." Jack chuckled. "Wonder what she brought ya this time." "Shut up." Levi stopped Candy in the middle of the driveway, half way to the house. "I gotta explain something about..." He glanced toward Jack who seemed to be amused all to hell. "About Andrea." "The woman who washes his underwear, makes his bed, looks after his every need." Candy and Levi both glared at Jack. He shrugged. "Hey, I'm just telling it as it is. You should've mentioned her before the girl showed up. Or before you, you know." "It's not like that." Levi gripped Candy by the elbows. "Let me go in and talk to her for a minute before—" "Before there's a blow up the size of Texas." Jack spread his feet. "This, I gotta see." "Shut up." Levi strode toward the house. Jack wasted no time in drawing even with Candy, and watching Levi's backside as he went inside. "Andrea's pregnant, got a temper you wouldn't believe and a whole lotta morality on this overnighter stuff. Although that's a little whacked if you ask me." 163
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Candy shivered. Andrea was pregnant? "Come on. No sense on us staying out here, missing the fun." His hand slipped to her lower back, and he propelled her on up the walkway. She balked on the steps at the sound of the other woman's voice. "Who is she?!" "Whoa. Calm down." "Do not tell me you slept with her in this house." Silence followed and then, "Levi! How could you? When did you meet her?" "Sit down now. Don't get excited." Levi cajoled the girl. Jack leaned close to Candy and whispered, "Kinda fun to know he's getting chewed out, isn't it?" "No." Candy wanted to swat Jack away. She also wanted to know more about this bossy woman. "The only person who gives him the what for anymore is her." "Really?" Well, that was fixing to change. She had every mind to give Levi the what for when Andrea got done with him. And Jack, too. If he didn't quit with the gleeful enjoyment of the situation, he'd end up with more than a swat. At the moment, she had the urge to knock his teeth out. "Don't you have some work to do?" "Breakfast break, ma'am." He looked her over again. "You aren't from around here, are you?" "No. I live—oh, never mind." "In the city. Holy shit. You're not the girl that's been out with all his cousins, are you?" 164
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Oh, that was it. Candy stomped up the steps and into the house. Better face the other woman than listen to more of Jack's lip. Only he followed her, chuckling his ass off. "You don't wanna go in there just yet," he said. "Oh, hell. This is funny as shit." Candy stopped right inside the door. Levi had his hands on the girl, a very pretty brunette with a sun washed, country appeal. She had her hair in a ponytail, slicked back, and a summer dress and sandals. Hands on her bare arms, looking intimate, he was so close. The only thing giving any distance between them was Andrea's rounded belly. The sight absolutely rocked Candy's world. He looked guilty, and she looked horrified at the sight of Candy in the doorway. Jack ran into the back of Candy, and his hands slipped around her to keep her from stumbling forward. "Oh, this is good. Andrea, meet Candy." Everyone looked at Levi. He released Andrea and stepped back. Her dress clung to his front, and he swiped at it, smoothing a hand over her belly, then stepped away another foot. "This is the one all the others went out with." Jack pointed at Candy, definite glee in his expression and tone. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Andrea smacked Levi on the chest and spun on her heels, heading straight for the kitchen. "Fuck you, Jack," Levi growled. "Get the hell out of my house." "Ha. Right. Better go after her. I'll keep Candy company." 165
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"I don't need a babysitter." Candy scurried to the bathroom. She needed to think, and that seemed like the only place where a girl could get some privacy. She locked the door, put the toilet lid down, and sat there. The old house had thin walls. She could hear everything. "Oh, I know you slept with her." Andrea's voice had the screech of a shrew to it. "And took a shower together!" Candy glanced around. No evidence in there. Oh. The towels were in the bedroom. And her shirt. Candy grimaced, and the condom in the trash can. That meant Andrea had already been in Levi's room. She put a hand to her forehead. Could it get any worse? "Calm down." Levi's voice, low, slid through the walls. "You calm down." "I say, get it all out." Jack's voice. God, if she'd stayed out there, she would have had to hit the man. Could he get the hell out of the middle of things? Who the heck was he? "Shut up, Jack," both Andrea and Levi said at the same time. "I think it's high time you two faced a few truths," Jack said cheerfully. "I, for one, think it's about damn time Levi brought a woman home." "Shut up, Jack," both of the others repeated. "No. I'm gonna say this. Andrea, shame on you if you run this girl off." There was total silence. Candy held her breath. Jack was standing up for her? 166
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"I hate you, Jack." Andrea complained then asked Levi, "What do you see in her? I mean, really? You just met her. You don't think you jumped the gun? That this...this whole thing was motivated by that damn competitive thing you have with Kyle and Noah and—" "No. That's not what's going on here." Jack laughed. "This is priceless." "Shut up, Jack," Candy muttered. She needed to hear what Levi said, how he explained to this other girl what was going on with them, because she had no clue. "Then explain it. I'm all ears." "Take one look at her ass, or her lips," Jack said. "I understood straight up. Nice handful size tits, too." "Get the fuck out," Levi growled. "Don't talk about her like that." Candy winced. "Is that what this is all about? A little ass and lip service?" Andrea's voice came through the thin walls on a squeak. "Because that I can understand, as long as that's all it is. Is it?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twelve Levi struggled with his temper. He didn't want to explain how he felt about Candy. Not to Andrea, not in front of Jack. Not before he worked through it himself. He wanted to punch Jack in the head. He wanted Andrea and Jack, both, to leave, so he could figure things out, and talk to Candy. She was gonna demand he take her home, and never call again, now. Where had she gone? "Well?" Andrea wasn't letting go. "I don't wanna talk about it." "How'd you end up ripping her shirt?" "You ripped her shirt?" "Shut up, Jack." Andrea explained, "I went into the bedroom to put your clean clothes away. I wasn't expecting to see a couple towels and a woman's shirt." "Look. Stop with the third degree." Levi finally found a little inner strength. "I can bring anyone in here that I want." "I'm proud of you. Ripped her shirt off, eh?" That was it. Levi rounded on Jack. It had been too long since he'd trounced this particular cousin. A cousin on the other side of his family. Jack had been waiting for it, though, and he ducked. Levi managed to throw him against the wall. "I've had about enough of you." "Yeah?" Jack came at him. "I've been waiting for this." "What?" Levi felt a little confused. "For what?" "Getting my old cousin back. Bring it on. I'm ready." 168
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Levi and Jack had been dancing around each other for a while. It seemed like a rite of passage in their family to take each other on from time to time. Levi hadn't taken any of Jack's bait for years, even though Jack had sure as shit pushed his luck regularly. For the first time in forever, Levi felt like there was something to defend, a reason to fight. Andrea squeaked. "Stop!" The impact of Jack's full body weight knocked Levi to the floor. They rolled around, gut punching each other. Mostly holding on. "What is the matter with you two?" "She's worth fighting for, huh?" Jack grunted in Levi's face. "Maybe we'll see if you can hang onto her." "Fuck." Levi found a burst of strength and gave Jack two serious thumps. "Ow." Jack laughed. "I'll give you a run for your money. Count me in." Levi uppercut several times, emphasizing each word with another wallop. "You...keep...your... hands off. Ya hear?" Jack slugged him upside the head, clipping him close to his eye, bringing blood. It made a pretty loud thunking sound, and sent a splitting headache right through his brain. Andrea screamed. They wrestled some more until Candy appeared over them. Her voice wasn't loud. In fact, it was weird how it registered with both of them about the same time. "If you're gonna be stupid, take it outside."
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Jack got another good one in when Levi's head came up. That was it! Levi dragged his cousin to the back door. Andrea held it open. Jack landed on the porch with a thud. "Don't come back in." "This is all your fault." Andrea turned on Candy, letting the door slam before Jack could get to his feet. Levi put the back of his hand to the bloody cut by his eye and then a thumb to the edge of his mouth, which bled, too. When had Jack hit him there? He tasted blood. His jaw hurt. "Jesus, Levi." Andrea retrieved a clean cloth from a drawer and ran it under cold water. "Let me take a look at that." He sat down in a chair by the table and let her wipe it down. Jack came right back in, of course. "Why am I not surprised to see this?" He stumbled over to one of the other chairs and asked Candy, "You see how it is here, don't you?" Levi eyed them sideways. Andrea had a hold of his face, dabbing at his lips and eye, making it tough to do more than that. "What do you mean?" Candy sounded guarded. She had her arms around her waist, hugging herself again. Shrugging, Jack gingerly checked his ribs. "I think you cracked something. Damn, Le." "He's not bleeding. You didn't hit him hard enough," Andrea told Levi. "This one over your eye might need a couple stitches." "It'll be fine." Levi took the cloth from her, held it to his eye, and pushed her away. The headache wasn't easing. Shit. Probably had a damn concussion. That was just fuckin'great. 170
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"I made pie." Andrea went to the cupboard and pulled out plates and forks. "And brought whipped cream, too." It was just like her, Levi thought, to try and ease the situation with food. She grounded him in a lot of ways. He hoped she could come to terms with Candy being there and not push her away. How to talk about the whole thing, though? Candy stood in the doorway like an outsider, obviously uncomfortable. He watched her for a minute, looking like she wanted to cry or something. Levi held his free hand out. "Come here." Andrea practically dropped the plates on the table. They clattered, and she backed away, giving Candy walking space. Eying Andrea much the way she had Boogey earlier, Candy hesitated. Jack, ass that he was, must've read his mind. "Her eyesight is fine, and unlike Boog, she doesn't like the smell of Le on you." He stood up. "You want me to drive you home?" The hair on the back of Levi's neck stood up. He was gonna have to kick Jack's ass again. Worse, Candy looked from Levi to Jack like she was thinking of taking him up on it. "No. Sit. We're having pie." Andrea pulled a bowl of freshly whipped cream out of the fridge and peeled plastic wrap from the top. "You, too," she told Candy. "Put your butt in that chair so we can talk." Candy didn't take kindly to the tone. That was easy to see. But she dealt with her emotions and finally managed to ask, "What kind is it?" "Pumpkin. Canned it myself last fall." 171
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Pretty as pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. His favorite. Even with one eye puffing up, Levi still thought Candy was about as yummy. He wondered how she'd take to getting some of that spray whipped cream and having a licking party. Her gaze found his, over the top of the pie, and he licked his lips suggestively, hoping she'd smile and remember Erica's comment. She averted her gaze but eased into the room. "I've never had homemade like that." "No?" Andrea cut into the pie. "Well, sit your butt down and get ready to tell me how great a cook I am." "Or I can take you home," Jack offered again. Levi wanted Candy to sit in his lap. He wanted to hand feed her. And he wanted to knock Jack in the head again. "I—I'd like to try it." She scooted around him but Levi could have sworn he saw Jack brush her butt with an errant, quick hand. He narrowed in on that, thinking about firing Jack. Nothing said he had to keep family on the payroll. Andrea dished out the pie. Candy slid into a chair, rearranging the bread and honey first thing, building a blockade between her and Jack. Levi smiled, thinking about having sex on the table. She blushed, and he knew she was remembering it, too. He scraped the floor with his chair, getting closer to her. The motion made his head hurt worse, but he figured that would go away in a few minutes. "How bad is this?" Levi lifted the cloth from his eye.
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She winced. "Andrea might be right. Looks like you could use some stitches." Candy took the cloth and dabbed around it. "Does it hurt?" "It's numb right now." "It'll probably throb later." Jack seemed pleased over that idea. "Looks like it's swelling." The pie dished out, whipped cream scooped on top, Andrea plopped down into the fourth chair. "You didn't have breakfast yet, did you?" "Course not," Jack said. "We just got done milking." "What were the plate and glasses doing on the porch? Did you leave them out there?" Andrea eyed Levi and Candy. The bleeding on his eye had stopped. Candy set the rag on the table between them. Levi shrugged, picking up his fork. "Yeah. Mmm. This is good. Try it, Candy." "I brought them in when I put food out for the dogs." "Thanks. Get us some milk to wash this down, would ya?" Andrea didn't even hesitate to get up. In seconds, they had drinks in front of them. "I've never had homemade whipped cream, either." Candy tasted that first. Watching her put it to her lips and lick, Levi wanted to kiss her all over again. Did she have any idea how much he wanted to eat her up? And take her back to bed? "It's good. So is the pie." Self-consciously, Candy pushed at her hair. The curls were downright out of control now. He tried to picture her with straight hair. 173
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Andrea's hair had always been straight. Even when they were kids. While Levi dug into the pie, he thought about Andrea and her role in his life. A year younger than him, best friend with his sisters, she'd practically moved in to take care of him after the wreck. And never quit. They'd never been intimate. If anything, they'd been like brother and sister. Why Jack had played it off as anything else was beyond him. And why Jack was offering to take Candy home didn't make sense either. "Lip licking good, huh?" Jack said with a big grin. Levi glared at Jack. The guy stared at Candy, watching every move. Watching her lick her lips. Looking down her cleavage. Not that she had a lot, but still. After the tit comment, Levi thought about throwing the salt shaker at him. He could probably stick a fork in Jack's head if he aimed right. "You're a friend of Erica's, then?" Andrea made the effort to be nice. Levi appreciated it and smiled gratefully in her direction. It was the sleeping together thing that had thrown Andrea off, probably. That and no warning whatsoever. He couldn't remember if he'd even mentioned the date Erica had set up for him. "Yeah. We live in the same building and work at the same place now." Jack dug into his pie, hesitating only long enough to insist, "I'm intrigued why she set you up with Kyle, Noah, Danny, and now Levi, but not me. Maybe I'm next." "You?" Candy's head swung around. "You're not related to Erica." Levi stabbed another bite of pie. Andrea had given him a generous double slice serving. 174
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"Am, too. Don't give the girl the wrong impression." Jack flashed teeth in Candy's direction. "You're working through the family. I'll give you a whirl." Levi let his fork clatter onto the plate in front of him. He leaned back and put his arm across behind Candy's chair. Stretching his legs out, he cocked his head sideways and thought about Jack real hard. He and this particular cousin were opposites. Jack spent every Friday and Saturday night in town, usually, kicking up shit in the bars. Getting eightysixed. Banned from half the bars in the county. Would that sort of personality appeal to Candy? "I heard about the kissing thing." Jack scooped up the last bite of his pie. "I'll put my lips on the line any day, babe." Candy froze. It seemed like a monumental effort for her to swallow the bite of food in her mouth. "How did you rate Levi? Compared to the rest, I mean." Jack took a drink of milk. "She slept with him." Andrea stabbed at her pie. "How do you think?" "This isn't really polite conversation, is it?" Levi wanted them both to shut up and leave. He let his fingers skim against Candy's back and tangle lightly in the bottom of her hair. "You want some bacon and eggs?" "Pie's fine, thanks. I mean, it's good. Good enough. Oh, you know what I mean." He got it. She wanted the others to leave. Anything that might get them out the door sooner was fine with her. He was right there with her. 175
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"I don't think you should settle on Levi until you finish out the roster." Jack scooted his chair closer to Candy, grinning like an oaf. "Which rib did you say hurt?" She elbowed him hard—in the one she suspected. He groaned, chuckling. "Hurt me baby. I like it." "I'm gonna hurt you again, and this time, you won't be smiling when I'm done." It came out tight, and Levi knew there was no question he was at the end of his patience with Jack. "No. You know what? I can handle this." Candy readjusted in her chair, facing Jack. "I don't know what your deal is, but I'm not interested in you or any of your cousins. I don't care how many more of you there are. You understand?" His eyes glittered with amusement. "No. Does that mean you've settled or you're done with the whole lot?" Andrea kicked Jack under the table. "Gimme your wallet, butthead." "What?" "Just do it." Jack pulled it out and handed it over. Andrea thumbed through it. "Ah. Here." She pulled out three condoms, laid them on the table and got up. "Come on, Jack." She headed for the door but, over her shoulder, said, "Don't be stupid, Levi." Since she had his wallet, Jack got up and followed her. The minute they were out the door, Andrea started chewing him out. 176
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And Candy turned on Levi. "So, uh, she knows you don't have condoms here?" "She cleans house for me, nothing more. She used to run with my sisters." "And the baby?" "Not mine." "You sure?" "Would it matter?" He wanted her to say Hell yeah, it mattered. "There's a possibility?" There wasn't, but he liked that jealousy glinting in her eyes. "You honestly think I screw around without condoms all the time?" "It was nice of them to provide us with protection." She picked the packages up. "Jack's a busy fellow, looks like." "Or hopeful." "Ah. An optimist. What's that make you?" Wrapping his hand over hers, holding the condoms with her, he said, "Maybe an opportunist." He leaned in for a kiss, gave her a quick one. "You ever had whipped cream licked off your body?" She grinned. "Not by a country boy." He kissed her again, peeling the condoms out of her hands, slipping them into his pocket. "Come on." He stood up, snatching the whipped cream. "Let's go see how well I do with it. Might convert you to country in a hurry." Dragging her by the hand toward the bedroom, he asked, "How many lists do you have?" "Why?" 177
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"I'd like to top them all, I think." A pain shot through his head. He winced but didn't let it bother him too much. She balked at the bedroom door. "What if they come back?" "Let them." He tugged. She resisted. "I'll shut the bedroom door. How's that?" "They think I'm some kind of ho." Levi let go of her and set the whipped cream on the table by the bed. "You're not. You and I both know that. Andrea will get over it and Jack doesn't matter." He eased the door closed behind her, drawing her into the room slowly. "I don't want to talk about them. All I wanna do is lay back down with you." Candy let him undo the snaps of his shirt as he talked. When it fell open, he put his hands on her cheeks and took a sweet, long kiss. "You look really sexy with my shirt half on." He kissed her again, this time taking it deeper. How could he convey how much he wanted her? Hard again. She had to know what she did to him. Didn't she? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Thirteen Candy thought taking the whipped cream and condoms into the bedroom was a little too obvious. She didn't want to be labeled a whore in front of his whole family, although it seemed it might be too late for that already. The thing was, she couldn't resist Levi. She loved the way he pushed her around, all bossy like he owned her. What was the harm in having a little fun? Pretending for a little bit? He'd take her home soon enough, and she'd go back to big city life, and doing nothing in the evenings, except hanging out with Erica. One weekend fling in a lifetime. That wasn't too much to ask for, was it? A few happy hours to keep her warm when she was at her loneliest? Her fingers landed on Levi's hips, and he rocked his lower body into hers, backing her against the door, pinning her with his erection. He scooped low and upward, tilting his pelvis, to get more comfortable against the now warm and wet center of her crotch, humping her, which was fine with Candy. She needed that friction and did her best to encourage him with her own reactive wiggling. His hands went to her breasts, clasping, squeezing firm holds, and their kisses turned into deep and desperate explorations of tongue. She moaned into his mouth and slid her hands under his T-shirt, then dipped her fingertips into the back waistband of his jeans. She didn't want the pressure he was applying to ease up. In fact, she could reach orgasm if he kept up the grinding. 179
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Levi's lips skittered over her jaw and under her ear to leisurely suck a hickey of desire. His thumbs skimmed her nipples, and then he bent, taking her left one in his teeth. Both of them groaned. He gentled and took the whole nipple into his mouth, suckling greedily like those calves out in his barn. She thought she'd died and gone to heaven, right there, standing up. She melted into him, gasping, "Oh, Levi." Candy didn't want to fight this attraction. She had never experienced lust like this. Her fingers worked around to the front of his pants, undoing the top button. It worked against what he was doing, and frustrated them both. He grunted, taking hold of her hands, clasping one in each of his. He put them up above her head, as his mouth came back to her lips. Torrid. The word bounced into her head when they thumped against the door. She wanted to giggle, and did, the minute he came up for air. "What?" "It doesn't matter." Levi stiffened. "No. What?" "It's just...this is...." How to express it? "Oh, who cares? Just don't stop." He grinned, but he let her go. The condoms came out of his pocket. Two got slapped on the bed stand, and he held the other up. "Let's see how this feels." Candy peeled the shirt off, kicked her shoes free, and started on her pants, keeping the eye contact. She didn't care who was outside. They could listen at the door if they wanted. 180
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When she got down to nothing, she realized that he hadn't moved. Just stood there, watching her. "What's the matter?" "Nothing. I just like looking at you." "Huh." She took the condom from him and backed him onto the bed. He went willingly as she straddled him, kissing him some more, then slithering down between his legs, much like he'd done her the night before. She unzipped him with great concentration. Candy had only applied that one condom, but she had the gist of it. How hard could it be? The second his pants were open, he reached down, rubbing himself, getting in her way. She pushed his hands aside. "I'm gonna do this," she insisted. "Let me." She won the argument by leaning out of his reach and ripping the package open. It took her a minute to examine the thing. This time, she wanted to look it over, maybe tease Levi longer for the waiting. He watched with a grin. "For a city girl, you really aren't practiced with this, are you?" "City girl doesn't translate into slut, no matter what your relatives think." "It's the kiss thing that gave them that impression." Candy concentrated on putting the condom on his rod. He held it upright for her. "One list does not mean I have a whole bunch of them. I think a kiss is very important." 181
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"Hey. I'm not arguing. Roll it down all the way." Again, he tried to help, and she had to push his fingers away. "God, you're bossy." She inspected the fit. "It's not long enough." Levi chuckled. "It's long enough. Come up here." "No. I'm looking." "Quit breathing on it. You're making me crazy." "Really?" She blew purposely on his shaft. "You can feel that through the rubber?" "Uh, yeah." "Huh." Balancing on her heels, she asked, "What else can you feel through it?" "Climb up here, and I'll give you a demonstration." The whipped cream idea wafted through her brain. She had never given a man a blow job. She'd heard all about the process, though. And maybe she should have thought of it before she had the condom on him, but she hadn't. "How about—" Candy put a finger in the whipped cream and then sucked it off. "Hey! That's not what I brought that in for." "What?" She did it again, sucking long and hard. "This?" She didn't really have an urge to go down on him, but the fact that he was absolutely throbbing over the fact that she was teasing him about it...well, it made her consider the blowjob, long and hard. And the length of him. How far down her throat could she take it? She was pretty good on a banana and on popsicles. Leaning over him, where the rubbered piece of his anatomy skimmed her cleavage, she asked, "Levi, do you 182
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think it's weird that we're doing this together when you and I, neither one, are very easy? I mean, I'm assuming you aren't. I know I'm not. " "Look who's talking too much now." He pulled her up by the elbows. "Yeah." He rolled her to her back. "I think it's weird, but I don't want to stop now. Do you?" She drew her knees up. "Would you really stop if I told you to?" The pressure of his cock teased her, probing for entry, but not pushing. "Hmm." He looked at her breasts. "I dunno. I think I'd want to persuade you." Blindly, he reached out and dragged the bowl of whipped cream to the bed, slopped his hand in it, and slathered the sweet stuff all over her breasts. Candy protested, until he dove in with gusto, licking and sucking until she was arching with a whole lot of "God, don't stop." Eventually he came up to kiss her mouth again. She licked his chin and down under it, sucking the residue from him. He didn't ask this time. He slid into her with a long hard thrust. Candy grunted, a little surprised. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I can't hold off any longer." His lips founds hers again. "No. No." She didn't want him to. She gasped the no's between his kisses. "No?" Impaling her with another deep stroke, all the way in, and holding, he tensed. "Please don't tell me no." "No. No. I mean," Candy moaned. She reached down, gripping his ass, "I mean, harder." 183
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Levi didn't need any more encouragement than that. His whole body ached for Candy, for her kisses, her touches, to be inside of her in every way. His balls were so tight with a need to release, he'd have to take long, slow strokes or embarrass himself. Fast and hard, as she was urging, would be the quick end of him. He stroked into her with slow deliberation, feeling his heartbeat a steady thrum in his crotch and in his brain. She groaned with every firm slide as he buried his cock in her body, and he did, too, mostly because it made his head hurt more. Not that he let that slow him down. The need to climax inside of her drove him more than his head ached. God, she was so tight, hot. Her insides clutched around his cock with a possessiveness that bewildered him. "You're trying to drive me wild, aren't you?" Candy kissed his jaw, breathing heavy. "Uh huh. It's my whole plan." On the next plunge, she nodded. "Well, it's working." A thrust or two more and she confirmed, "Oh, God, Levi, I want something..." He wanted the damned condom off, to feel her without it. Not that he would expose her to an unwanted pregnancy. He really wasn't irresponsible. But the need to feel her, skin to skin, helped him lengthen the moment and stir more friction. Even at that, it didn't take long for them to reach climax, to tighten their holds, and hang on. He came to the pinnacle a couple thrusts before she did, but she urged him on, writhing beneath him until it worked for her, too. 184
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Not wanting to let her down, he continued to push into her, letting her grind her pelvic bone against his. Candy's coming was hard to grasp, an out of rhythm tease that had him wanting to go again—inside his brain, at least. God, she was beautiful when she threw her head back, frustrated, biting her lower lip between begging him to grind harder. When she finally found release, Levi swallowed her breath with a kiss, wanting to bottle it, to steal the moment for all time and eternity. Something to return to, again and again. It wasn't until they collapsed in a sweat that Candy heard the rap at the bedroom door. "Levi?" Andrea raised her voice and knocked again. "Give me a call after you take her home. I need to talk to you about something. Something else that's kind've important." His head came up. "Uh. Yeah. Okay." His nose landed in the crook between Candy's throat and collarbone. The heat of his hand on her hip relayed itself to her. He'd used it to hold her down, so he could push deeper inside, stay inside her as long as possible. She loved the possessive splay of his fingers, and wondered if he realized he was still gripping her pretty tight. She might have bruises. "Jack's gone out to the field to help Frank. Swather's down." Why wouldn't she go away? "Okay." Levi groaned. Candy expected more, but it never came. And she realized Levi had fallen asleep on top of her. In her. Her chest felt sticky. She wanted desperately to get up and wash. But a quick shake and a whispered, "Levi," didn't get 185
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his attention. Talk about your solid dead weight. She pushed ineffectively at his shoulder, thinking she could squirm up, releasing him from her inner cavity, and.... His hand convulsed once, slid upward, and grabbed hold of her breast. A little too direct for her to believe the man didn't sleep with women regularly. Maybe Erica had it all wrong. She grabbed his wrist and forced his hand to let go. That woke him up enough to lift his head. "What?" "I'm sticky." "Yep." He put his cheek right smack in the middle of her now-flattened breasts, sore side up. "Inside and out. Just the way I like it." "Levi!" "Let's take a short nap. Two hours. That's all I need." "Without washing first?" He groaned. "All right." Rolling to his back, he made a noise when the bowl prevented him from getting comfortable. "I haven't been this tired in so long I can't remember. I've got a splitting headache." The bowl flipped to the floor without care. She watched it fly, heard it thunk in the carpet and leaned up to see. Yep. There was a bit of a mess. How would Andrea feel about whipped cream in the carpet? Probably not real friendly, if her other remarks were anything to go by. But Levi obviously didn't care. He hadn't even slithered his jeans off. He did kick off his boots by the heels with a couple of "ahs."
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The condom snagged her interest with its reservoir of fluid and the slick milky fluid clinging to the outside. Is that what her stuff looked like? "Don't you need to take that thing off?" "Huh?" Drowsily, he opened his eyes. "Yeah." Levi reached down, rolled it off, and slung it to the floor, too. "Come here." The next thing she knew, he yanked her to him again and then readjusted them to their sides because he was downright pushy and grabby and not letting go. He wrapped his arm around her waist and snuggled up to her backside with an "Mmm. This is what I like." He was out again in seconds, but Candy lay there staring at the wall, feeling his breath on her shoulder, wondering what it would be like to live with a guy like Levi. To make love with him all the time. Starting and ending every day like there might not be a tomorrow. She slid his hand up and cupped it to her breast, smiling to herself. It was a foolish thought. That didn't happen, really. Not to regular girls. Some had flings. Others had loser, cheater boyfriends and husbands. Candy had never been lucky on either count. She needed to recognize this weekend fling for what it was and be glad for what little she could get. She'd dream about Levi for the rest of her life. Candy heard a door close, presumably the front one. Had Andrea stood out in the hall all that time, listening? Not that she really cared. She'd probably never see the girl again. Not even at Erica's wedding. Candy yawned. The warmth from Levi cuddling up and the lethargy from having 187
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sex outweighed her need to wash her chest and chin. Her eyelids fluttered closed. The dream she drifted into was heavenly. She and Levi, all dressed in white, laughed, a huge wedding cake in front of them. One arm around her, the other hand over hers, holding a pearl handled knife-the one her parents had saved from their wedding. All around them were her family, and his cousins. Everyone seemed happy but Andrea. When her vision shifted to the pregnant girl, who was no longer pregnant, but holding a baby boy that looked too much like Levi to be denied, Candy's whole body jerked. She elbowed him in the ribs and that woke her up. He grunted but tightened his snuggle. "Oh, God." What if Andrea was pregnant with his baby? Worse. What if she had gotten pregnant and this one weekend was all there was? What if Levi dropped her off and never looked back, never called her again, and then she found out she was expecting? Her mother would kill her. And her brothers would likely take a drive to the country to work him over, if they figured out it was him. She squeezed her eyes shut. Images of her brothers squaring off with Levi and his cousins, West Side Story like, filled her brain. Erica was gonna kill her, too. It was a wonder she hadn't called Levi's house already this morning. Tears of frustration and exhaustion welled up. How sad would it be if she never got to see Levi again? If this was all there was to it? The tears spilled. She didn't know how long she laid like that, his arm wound around her, holding her 188
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close, his nose in her hair, while she cried and sniffed until she fell asleep. They might have slept all day if it weren't for the fact that his farm house turned into Grand Central Station. A door slammed against a wall, and then came pounding on the bedroom door. "Levi! You in there?" The vehemence of the beating on wood had Candy scrambling from the bed, falling off the other side, and grabbing at the blanket. The way she'd moved so fast, had Levi bolting upright and swinging. So much for not being a fighter. "What? What the hell?" Looking disheveled but tremendously sexy, Levi ran a hand through his hair. "It's me. Jim." "Hang on." Levi glanced around, trying to get his bearings. Spotting her on the floor, he grouched, "What are you doing down there?" The fist at the door had her eyes popping. "Guess." "Damn." He rose, tucked himself in, and zipped. "Hang on a minute." "Who is it?" Her voice squeaked. "Jim." Levi stood over her and helped her up. Apparently, he didn't care that he had someone irate outside his door. "You okay?"
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"Yeah, I—" She yanked the bedspread, keeping it in front of her, not trusting the hoodlum outside not to break in. "Who is that?" "Levi." The voice insistent, demanded, "We gotta talk." "Jimmy?" "Yeah." Jimmy. That name seemed familiar. Wait. Danny's best friend? She squeaked. "Is that the guy who stole Danny's fiance?" "Yep." Levi tugged his shirt down and tucked it in. Nope. He was in no hurry whatsoever. "You wanna get dressed or entertain him like that?" Candy frowned at him, wrapping the blanket around her better. "I need a shower before I put clothes on again. I am so sticky, you wouldn't believe it." That made him smile. A wicked glint filled his eyes. More pounding. "I'm calling it off." "What?" Levi strode to the door in three long strides and yanked it open. "You can't do that. It's only a week away. The Colonel will hunt you down and shoot you himself." Jimmy ran a hand through his hair, looked past Levi, saw Candy, and eyed her up and down. "I'm sorry, but...can you come out here? I really gotta talk." "Go in the living room. I'll be out in a minute. Pour yourself a drink." The minute he disappeared, Levi said, "Coast is clear. Skedaddle to the bathroom. I'll bring you something to wear. You know where the towels are." 190
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She didn't waste time getting across the hall or climbing in to rinse off. She took her time, washing her hair. Interesting enough, Levi had some pretty girly smelling freesia shampoo and conditioner. Didn't look like he used the conditioner much. She had to use a ton, her hair was so thick. It took her forever to work it through her hair. Eventually, she ran out of hot water and had to exit. One glance at the counter, and she grumbled, "Cute, Levi." Her panties and a clean snap-up shirt. She picked up the shirt. It was longer than the other one. Would probably reach close to her knees. She swam in it. The panties? She had to rinse and hang them. Candy opened the door, thinking she'd sneak across the hall and get her jeans. Levi spotted her, "Hey, come here." "Can it wait?" She couldn't very well say, "I'd like to get my pants on." And he knew what he hadn't left her on the bathroom counter. So, he didn't want her to put on her jeans, she got that. But it didn't mean she was going out there with another man in the room. "I wanna introduce you. Jimmy's not staying long." It wasn't like she'd ever see the guy again, and the shirt was longer than a lot of short skirts she wore. Feeling distinctly half-naked in her bare feet and without underwear or a bra, Candy tiptoed to the edge of the hall. The nice thing about the shower and conditioner was that her hair felt ten times better and had to look cuter with the 191
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spirals hanging fresh and loose. It surprised her that Levi had a beer in hand, and Jimmy, too. "You thirsty?" Levi offered her his, which was almost gone. They hadn't wasted any time. She took the beer because she was nervous. They watched her take a swig, wipe her lips with the back of her hand, and pass it back. Jimmy settled into the corner of the couch without an invitation, eyeing the two of them. "She's friggin' nuts. I'm gonna strangle her." He killed better than half that beer in one long draw. "He's talking about Kerri." Levi slipped into the closest chair and patted his knee, inviting her silently to sit on his lap. She really wanted to take him up on it, but things already looked bad. "I figured. I was just gonna..." Go get some pants on. "This is Candy. A friend of Erica's." Holy crap. Did everybody know Erica or what? "I should have married her. It would have been half the trouble." Levi chuckled. "Honey, you gonna sit or what?" "Or what, I think." She padded into the bedroom. "Don't do what I think you're gonna do." Sticking her head into the hallway, she asked, "What?" "Clean anything up. We're not done in there." That had her ducking, embarrassed. And despite his authoritative tone, she picked up the bowl, setting it on the table by the bed, then fingertipped the condom into the air, but there was no trash can in the room—presumably Andrea had removed it on them, and since the sofa lined up with hall, 192
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she was pretty sure Jimmy would notice if she took it across the hall. "I'm sorry, man. I shouldn't have come over. I didn't expect you to have a girl here. She's cute." Hearing that, Candy craned her ear, holding her breath for Levi's response. He didn't disappoint her. "Prettier than pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top, huh?" "Pretty ain't nothing. If she's got a screw loose, dump her fast. I'm serious, Le. You don't need some psycho bitch making you crazy." "What's Kerri done now?" "She's wearing the same wedding dress." Candy straightened her back. The same wedding dress? The one she bought to marry Danny in? Oh, that was messed up. Somebody needed to talk to that girl. "What do you care? You got her. I know Danny won't give a shit." "They can afford another dress. Hell," Jimmy's frustration was so audible that Candy really felt sorry for him. "I'd rather she waltzed up the aisle in her blue jeans as wear that." "Did you tell her? You know, try the direct approach?" "You know she doesn't listen." "Candy?" Levi raised his voice. At first, it made her smile, at the thought that he might be missing her already, but no. "You aren't putting your pants on, are you?" "Levi!" She peeked down the hall again. "Are you trying to totally embarrass me or what?" [Back to Table of Contents] 193
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Chapter Fourteen Levi had to think about her question. It wasn't a desire to embarrass her. Maybe to show her off a little. To brag some. "He already knows we slept together. And I'll just take 'em off of you again." He winked at Jimmy as he said, "Come back out here." "Are you kidding me?" His keen ears heard rustling. Before he could put his beer aside and push himself out of the chair, she strolled out, past them, and into the kitchen. He'd barely gotten to his feet. "Shit" came out of his mouth without thinking, the moment he saw her jeans. "We aren't gonna be that long here," Levi said to Jim. This was a short-lived visit. "I'm gonna holler for Jack to come and knock you in the head again." "Oh, she's funny." Jimmy snickered. "She thinks." "Ha!" She hid in the kitchen a minute. He heard the fridge open. "Is that how you got that shiner? Looks like you shoulda got stitches. It's dripping a little blood there." "Yeah, maybe." Levi felt around his eye. He was gonna knock the shit out of Jack next time he saw him. "Shoulda called Danny. He woulda hooked you up. Sugar," Jimmy called, "be a sweetheart and bring us another beer."
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Candy appeared in the kitchen doorway, dangling two beers in one hand. "You want me to bring you pie, too? Or, hell, I can just cook you up some lunch while I'm in here." "That would be nice. Bring that over here, honey." Jimmy couldn't tell she was being facetious? Levi rolled his eyes. He went to her and took the beers. "You getting hungry?" "Oh, do not tell me she's started that shit with you already?" Jimmy stood up, leaving his empty on the end table. "You'll be a slave forever. You can't start like this. Take it from me." He slid between them, took the beer she'd retrieved for him, popped it open, and took a sip. "I'm telling you, you'll be miserable forever." Slurring his words, he leaned toward Candy, looking her over closely. "You don't want to emasculate him, do you? Let the man be a man, for God's sake." "Right. You're the expert." Levi popped the top on the second beer and took a hard swig. "Hey, I got the girl back." "But you lost her in the first place. And," Levi felt compelled to remind Jimmy, "you damn near lost her altogether. And, you're not happy with her even now." "Danny never had her." Jimmy took another drink and eyed Candy with deep curiosity. "I'll be honest," she said. "I don't see why Kerri dumped Danny for you. Are you always drunk by noon on Saturday?" "Hell, I haven't sobered up from last night. And I might not between here and next Friday." Jimmy took another drink. "That's the date. Yep. The big day. The day I sign my life 195
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away." Another swig marked a third of the bottle. "You know why she dumped Danny? Because he likes cows more than her." He tipped his beer toward Levi. "Levi, here, likes cows better than Kerri, too." "Hell," Levi growled. "Everybody likes cows better than Kerri." Candy giggled. "I'm not kidding." Jimmy put an arm around Candy's shoulders and pulled her close, talking in her ear. "If you're thinking serious about this guy, you better talk to Kerri. She'll warn you off, I swear. The whole family's up to their necks in bullshit." He wanted to peel her out of Jimmy's arms, but he didn't want to come across like a caveman. She'd elbowed Jack. She'd handle this one. Patiently, though, Candy sighed. "You should sit before you fall down." To his surprise, she helped Jimmy to the sofa and eased him down. The dunce pulled her with him, and she appeared to go willingly. "Just sit with me a minute, so we can talk. You don't mind that, do you?" "You drive over here by yourself?" Levi was getting pissed, but he wasn't quite sure how to go about getting rid of Jimmy, short of driving him home. "Hell, yeah." "You wanna sleep it off? You can take Eddie's room."
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"Nah, man. I just wanna talk to this girl here." Putting his nose to her ear again, he said, "You are fucking cute, you know that?" Candy tried to extricate herself from Jimmy's grip, but he didn't let go and she didn't put up a fight. Had she had some experience with drunks before? Because Jimmy was at the point where belligerence was only a word away. "Why don't you let her get up and get that pie?" Levi hoped she'd realize it wasn't because he expected her to wait on them, but more to get her out of Jimmy's grasp without a fight. "I'm not really hungry." Jimmy kissed the top of her head, sniffed. "I didn't know you liked redheads, Le. You smell good, girl." "Thanks." "Then you weren't paying attention." Levi rubbed the stubble on his chin. He was probably looking pretty scruffy by now. Candy's head swiveled in his direction, so he tacked on, "Not that you're in a long line or anything." "You know the biggest reason Kerri dumped Danny?" Jimmy spoke to Candy. She looked up at him, her big eyes waiting. "Why?" "There's a couple of reasons, actually." "And they are?" "She likes to screw with heads." "Okay." "Danny doesn't like bullshit." It didn't matter that he'd just said they were all up to their necks in it. Jimmy was theorizing. "She was my girlfriend first." 197
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"But you screwed around on her." Levi clarified. "Kerri did have reason to split up with him, way back when." "Hey," Jimmy pointed his beer at Levi. "That's not exactly fair. She sicced her friends on me. A man can only take so much pawing before he gives in." "She tested you and you failed?" Candy got it in one. "Five times, I passed. But then it was the twins." Helplessly, he appealed to Levi, "A man can't turn that down, can he, Le?" Before he could answer, Jimmy added, "You know they're too hot to walk away from." Okay. He did not want to go there. Candy's eyebrows had disappeared into her springy little bangs. "Darlin'." Jimmy snuggled her up. "You listen to me. Head games are shit. Nobody likes 'em." "Bullshit. You and Kerri both play 'em." Levi leaned back and took a swig of his beer. "But my man here, he doesn't." Jimmy took his beer hand and held her chin so she'd look at him. "You fuckin' screw with his head, and I'll sic my bitch on you. He doesn't deserve it. And Kerri eats little pretty girls like you for brunch." "Oh, hey." Levi sat up. "Stop." He was gonna have to throw Jimmy out. That's all there was to it. "What? I ain't lying, am I?" Before Levi could respond, Jimmy added, "If I'm lying, I'm dying. I'm not kidding ya, Candy." He kissed her cheek. "You're sweet." She winced, and Levi saw her fingers push a little at Jimmy's chest. "You got a good, quiet one here, Le. Better snatch her up." "I'm not that quiet, really." 198
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"Oh, I bet you're not." Jimmy shocked them both by kissing her hard on the lips. She squirmed, couldn't get free, punched him in the ribs, grunting as she twisted. It took Levi a second to register the whole thing. Damn, his head hurt. Before he could get to them, Candy had grabbed Jimmy by the nuts, which got her lips free enough to squeal, while Jimmy pawed her some more. Mere seconds later, Levi reached in, yanking Jimmy up by the shirt. The idiot had one hand tangled up in Candy's hair. Her head whipped back, but she didn't let go of his crotch. "I'll frickin' emasculate you," she screamed. Jimmy started laughing. "Ah, honey, you're too late for that." "Oh, no she isn't. Let go, Candy. I got him." "He's pulling my hair." "Sorry, darling. I'm trying to let go. It's the damn school ring." His beer spilled down Levi's front. "I didn't mean nothing, Le. You know that." Jimmy looked like he was about to cry. Levi wasn't sure if it was Candy's grip on him or real remorse. "Well, ya damn sure wore out your welcome." He wanted to throw him out the door and down the steps. Too much damn testosterone flowing around the place today. "Candy, let go of him." "Oh, hell, no. He's hanging on to my hair." She grunted with pain and squeezed Jimmy enough for him to yelp. "I sorta like that," the dummy said. 199
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"You did not fuckin' say that," Levi popped him in the head, knocking him out cold. That didn't go well. Jimmy slumped, taking Candy down with him. She squealed as he pulled her hair. She let go of his pants, and Levi had to straddle her to help untangle her curls from the ring. "You didn't have to knock him out. I could've handled him." "Maybe I don't want you handling my friends. You ever think of that?" "Ow. That hurts." "I'm sorry. I think I'm gonna have to pull out some hair to get this ring loose." "Just get the scissors, why don't you?" Her tone told him that would not be the wisest move. "I told you I just got this done two days ago." "Okay." He stopped the effort. "What do you suggest?" "Cutting off his fingers. You got a cleaver?" That made him grin. "You are too fuckin' cute." "I am not cute right now. I'm pissed. I can't see. Come on, Levi. Get his hand out of my hair. It's making my neck hurt." The ring was too tight to simply slip off. Probably because Jimmy had the swollenness of a drunk on a binge. In the end, Levi had to tear some hair out. He did it as gently as possible, but it brought tears to her eyes and made him feel awful. Then, she wouldn't let him hold her. She kicked Jimmy, stole his beer, and went into the kitchen. Levi followed her, leaning against the archway between the rooms, one thumb hooked into a front pocket. 200
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"She picked him over Danny? I can't believe that." Candy poured the rest of Jimmy's beer down the drain, rinsed the empties, then dropped them into the trash can. "He's all right most of the time. Believe it or not, he was quarterback in high school. Real popular. And Kerri was head cheerleader. A match made in heaven." Candy washed her hands, dried them on her jeans, even though there was a clean drying cloth, freshly laid out by Andrea on the counter. The dishes had been washed, too. He really ought to do something nice for Andrea. She did nice things for him all the time. Resting her butt against the counter, Candy crossed her arms over her front. "She washed the dishes." "I see that." "While we were in the other room, she came back in here and washed the dishes." "So, that's why you were pissy earlier? Why you let Jimmy take you to the couch?" Her chin came up. Yeah, he guessed it right. "We better get something straight here." Levi strode over to her, put both hands on each side of her, pinning her in. "You don't have to get annoyed over Andrea. I pay her to clean my house and to wash my clothes. And," he put his chest into her, getting his nose right up in her face, "I don't want you kissing my friends, or my cousins, or grabbing any of them by the privates, or—" "Hold on, right there," she returned, seething. "You don't own me." 201
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"So..." He hesitated over that. So much for his thinking. Had he had her wrong? What was going on between them? "You liked that?" "You didn't stop him." "That's not what I asked." He frowned. "And yes, I did. That's why he's out cold. Or maybe you didn't notice?" "I thought you said you weren't a fighter." "No." He couldn't remember exactly what he'd said. Not any brawls lately. He was overdue, looked like. "What's your point?" "Why are you getting all he-man? First Jack, now Jimmy. I don't understand what's going on here. I wasn't encouraging either of them." "Oh, I'm sorry. Letting a guy put his arm around you and take you to cuddle up on the couch looks like encouragement from where I'm standing." "He was drunk. You know he was on the edge. He practically beat the door down when he first arrived. You think I wanted to make him mad?" "But you're okay with making me crazy?" God, he wanted to strangle her. Didn't she get it? Kissing her, shutting her up, seemed like the perfect answer to the whole thing. Crowding her, he scooped her up and planted one on her. She pushed at his chest and fought it. He growled, putting his forehead to hers, giving her no room to escape, tightening his arms around her. "Do not fight me." "Do not manhandle me!" Her fingers clawed into his shirt, getting a grip, and she kissed him back. This time, 202
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aggressive. So much so that he let loose of her. The minute he did, she spun out of his arms. "You know what? I'm getting my shoes on, and you're taking me home." She stomped past him. He couldn't let her go like that, so he snagged her by the wrist. "Calm down." "You calm down!" She tugged. "What's going on here?" What had he done? Where had he messed up? It felt like a replay of the barn scene last night. The phone rang. "Damn." He had every intention of letting it ring. Running his free hand through his hair, he insisted, "Just tell me what I did wrong this time." The phone trilled again. "Nothing. Let me go." Persistently, the phone made more noise. "Why don't you answer that?" "Because I'm not done with you. Anything else can wait." "Don't you think we're getting a little too intense here?" She waved her hand in the air. "Sane people don't make love...how many times in less than twelve hours?" "Three." He counted again to be sure. Yep. Once on the bed. Once on the table. He spared that a glance. And then again on the bed. They would have done it again in the shower if she had waited for him to get rid of Jimmy. "Normal people don't fight when they first meet." "You know? That's just like a woman." "What?" 203
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"Complain about making love. Complain about fighting." Her lips slapped shut. "Complain about me fighting over you. Complain about me not rescuing you fast enough. I can see how this is gonna go. I'll never win with you. Will I?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Fifteen She wasn't that bad, was she? Yes. She was terrible. Candy wanted to cry when he put it like that. And there he was, Mr. Wonderful, all beat up on her account, his eye swelling. Dripping a little blood again, after the little tussle with Jimmy? When had he gotten hit in the head again? The damn phone wouldn't stop ringing. Candy felt something wet on her forehead. Oh. When he'd pushed against hers a minute ago? "You have blood." His thumb pushed her hand away. "Did you get hurt?" "No, dummy." Reproached by her own self-recrimination over his instant concern for her, she grouched. "It's yours." The phone started to trill, then clicked off in the middle. The back of his knuckles brushed her cheek. "I'm sorry." He lowered his head, rubbing his stubbled cheek against the other side of her face. They stood there for several seconds. She didn't know about him, but all she could do was hold her breath and listen to the blood pumping through her head. How did he get her so up and down? "It's all right." He tipped her chin. "When he kissed you, I just saw red. I don't know why. Same thing with Jack earlier. I swear I'm not usually like this." "Maybe it's because you didn't get enough rest last night." "Could be." 205
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"You wanna take me home now?" "No. I'd like you to stay another night. See how things go." "I can see how things are gonna go. You just said it yourself. One minute, we're all over each other, and the next, we're at each other's throats or angry at someone else. It doesn't matter. That can't be healthy." "We can work it out." "You need stitches. That cut is open again." "I'll live." "You're telling me you're willing to scar your pretty face up just to prove you're tough or something?" "No. I'm saying it's not that bad. It's a war wound. I'm proud of it." That made her laugh. "Oh, that's brilliant." "No. Really. It'll work for me." "What do you mean?" "Next time I go to a bar to pick up chicks, I'll point and say I got it defending a woman's honor. A woman that left me begging. They will fall at my knees so fast I won't be able to catch them quick enough." Did he think that was funny? Yes. Apparently. "Nonetheless," she said dryly, "You need stitches." "Fine. I'll call Danny, see if he's busy." "He's a veterinarian." "So? He knows how to put a few sutures in." "He treats cows!" "And, sometimes, he sews his cousins up. It's one of the freebies for throwing so much business his way. I pretty much paid for his education anyway." 206
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"You've got to be kidding me." "Nope." He picked up the phone, hit speed dial, and waited, watching her. She shouldered away from him, wet the clean cloth, wiped off her own forehead, and then dabbed at his. He winced once or twice. "I need to know something, Levi." "Shoot." "Why did you want me to parade half naked in front of Jimmy?" "Half naked? Oh, that. You were covered. And I thought he'd get the hint that he'd interrupted something and leave fast." "Uh, yeah. You busy?" Danny's voice, not quite discernible as real words from where she stood, sounded loud. "No. Cows are all right. I cut my head open. Nothing big. Thought you might take a look at it." Levi pushed her hand away. It was bleeding worse after her efforts. He took the rag away from her and held it to the cut himself. "Fine." She stomped out of the room. She didn't go far. "Yeah. I'm at the house. But Jimmy's passed out on my couch." Silence followed, then Levi said, "Oh, hey, and Candy's here." She squeezed her eyes closed, wondering what Danny thought of that. Levi laughed. "Oh, I dunno. Better than you, I think." Was he bragging? He was lucky she didn't march back in there and knock him in the head again. 207
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Levi's tone changed. "Nah. She's real sweet, like you said." Danny had said she was real sweet? There was a surprise. "No. I met her in town last night." Well, hell. Who was getting chatty now? Danny and Levi both? She hadn't been very lucky at pulling three words out of Danny over the course of a whole meal. "Didn't take her home." He chuckled again. "You know how it is. She's gotta like the cows." More silence. "Well, I showed her that calf last night when we got in. Introduced her to the dogs. No, he didn't bite her. Yeah, that's good." Boogey. They had to be talking about Boog. "Had her out milking this morning." He was bragging about that? "And I had to kick Jack's ass. You know he pushes buttons just to see how far someone wants to throw him." He chuckled again. "All the way out the door. Yep." Candy leaned against the wall. Normally, she didn't eavesdrop, but then, normally, people didn't talk about her within hearing range. "No. She came by." Andrea. "Bearing pie," Candy moved her lips nastily. "And homemade whipped cream." Who did that these days? That chick needed to get another life. "Didn't say there were any problems. No heartbeat? Nah. She didn't say anything. No wonder she was so—yeah." No heartbeat? Candy's own heart stopped. She'd been mean spirited about a girl whose baby might have died inside her? Oh, this was so unfair! 208
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Kicking herself, she went to the bedroom, retrieved her socks and shoes, and put them on fast. Her shirt was hopelessly ruined. She wasn't a seamstress. What modern girl was? She wrinkled her nose. Andrea, probably. She wadded it up and stuffed it in the corner by Levi's dirty underwear. Maybe one of Levi's T-shirts would fit better, and not be so obvious as an "I slept with him" sort of thing. There was an old Corona shirt that looked a little ragged around the edges at the back of the closet. It had seen better days, by far. Surely, he wouldn't miss that? She dropped the snap front shirt to the floor and put her bra on, quickly, then tugged the Corona over head. "I knew it." Levi had a shoulder against the door jamb, and the rag to his head. It was pink now, which meant it was still bleeding pretty good. "Is this okay?" "I wish you'd left the bra off, but that's me." "You're such a guy." "Comes with the equipment. That's not my shirt." "Does it matter? Doesn't belong to a girl, does it?" "No." "Is he coming?" Levi didn't answer right away, so she prodded, "Well?" "In his jeans at the thought of seeing you again." "Oh, you did not just say that to me." "Wait. That's me." She tipped her head sideways. "You think you're funny?" "No. I'm dead serious. Stay with me another night." "Because you're such a smooth talker?" 209
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"I never said I was that. I lured you out here with a calf, remember?" "And sunrise, and breakfast, which I did not get." "We had a midnight snack and pie with whipped—" "Uh. Correction. You had whipped cream. I had some pie and a little indigestion, probably brought on by all the brawling." "You're gonna stand there and argue with me until Danny shows up, aren't you?" "Maybe." The phone started ringing again. She figured it was Erica. He ignored it completely. But the condom on the dresser snagged his attention. He picked it up and disappeared with it. Ostensibly to take it to the bathroom. He wasn't gone long enough for her to go anywhere. It wasn't like she had any desire to go into the living room and watch Jimmy snore. By now, she was doing pretty well at tuning the phone out. As soon as Levi reappeared, she asked, "What did he say about Andrea's baby? I thought you said something about the heartbeat." "Were you listening to everything I said?" "The walls in this house are thin. When you get kids, you're gonna have to send them outside if you want to have sex." He shrugged and moved in, sitting on the bed, propping pillows up with one hand and leaning back. He crossed his ankles. "Or tell them to stay in while I take my wife down to the barn or pond or out to the truck or something." He thought about it pretty hard for a minute before adding, 210
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"They won't mind. I'll just say, "Hey, you want another brother to help you milk the cows or not?" That made her laugh. "Gonna have a pack of brawling boys, huh?" "Maybe. Depends on how co-operative the woman is." She sat in the chair, putting her knees together, sliding her feet out. "How co-operative?" "You don't have to stay so far away. I'm wounded here." "You were wounded earlier. Didn't stop you from...well, never mind." "We have a couple more condoms. If you did a little more of the work this time..." "What are you talking about? I'm the one who put the condom on." "I'm feeling pretty lonely over here. Seriously." "Right. And so is the drunk on the couch. Not to mention, the veterinarian on his way over here. Not to mention Jack and Frank, too, and who knows when Andrea will show back up. We're all lonely." The hand with the rag dropped to his thigh. Sad, Levi said, "You got that right. Why do you think life is like that for most people?" "Because it's hard to find someone who gets you." "Yeah." "It's, uh, bleeding again." She gestured with a hand to her forehead. "You might, uh, want to..." "I don't care. Come here." Levi stubbornly pushed out his lower lip. 211
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Candy envisioned a little toddler with that face, pouting over a lost or broken toy. In her mind, the little guy was so adorable, she wanted to scoop him up and kiss his cheek. But this was Levi, a grown man, trying to order her around. "There you go again, bossing me." "You still haven't gotten too good at minding, I noticed." "Because maybe I don't like to be told what to do. City girls aren't raised like—" "That's not it." She lifted her eyebrows. "You're afraid of me. What I do to you." Bingo! He'd hit the nail right on the head. She was having a little trouble getting her mind around the fact that this was just a quick whatever. Her brain kept darting off in happy jaunts to a future that could never be, like when he'd mentioned having sex with a wife in the barn or by the pond. "I've never even seen the pond." "See? You need to stick around. There's lots to show you out here." It probably wasn't a good idea. She'd continue to dream about them making it work, and that couldn't happen. She had a job to get back to. It was too far for him to drive back and forth, and she didn't have a car of her own, so it wasn't like she could fix the distance by meeting him halfway. "So," she shook her head, "what did he say about Andrea's baby?" "Guess he heard through the grapevine that she saw the doctor yesterday and they couldn't find a heartbeat." "You should call her. See if there's something you can do." 212
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"Like what?" "I don't know. Hold her hand?" "Yeah. Maybe I'll do that." She didn't know why the thought made her heart cramp, especially since she was the one who suggested it, but it did. There was no way Candy wanted Andrea to lose her baby, even if it was Levi's. Especially if it was Levi's. But the idea of Levi being the one to comfort the other woman, well, that just made her sick. "You've known her for a long time, huh?" "Practically grew up together." "Oh. So, you're pretty close?" The phone started its noise. He picked it up. "Bishop. Yeah. Not if I can help it. No. It's not really a good time." He hung up. "That was Erica. She wanted to know if you were still here and if I was planning on bring you home any time soon. She wanted to talk, but—" "I heard. I could have—" "She's had you for how long? I think she can manage a day or two without talking to you." "Why don't you call Andrea while we're waiting for Danny to show up?" The slant of his head said a thousand words that all meant, "I do not want to call her." She didn't back down, though, or say anything else. He got the point. "I don't get you at all." Which was exactly the point she'd been trying to make earlier. She gave him a wide-eyed stare. He made the call. Andrea wasn't picking up. "Not home." 213
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"Aren't you worried about her?" "I'm more worried about what's going on here. And what's gonna happen when Danny shows up. Or when Jimmy comes to." "You think they'll fight?" "It's possible." "What happened between them, where they got to fighting over this Kerri girl in the first place?" "It was all her." "Right. Blame it on the girl." "No. I'm serious." "You think she's really gonna wear the dress she bought to marry Danny in? You'd think she'd take it back and exchange it. I mean, if it hasn't been worn. I would. I wouldn't wear a dress to marry you in that I bought for someone else." "You been engaged before?" "No. I was speaking hypothetically." "You gotta know her. This is about digging into Danny and Jimmy, both. Turning them in circles." She knew women like that, but hearing it roll off of Levi's lips made him sound like a cynic. "So, you did the twins?" It slipped out. God, she hated Jimmy. She never would have heard of the twins. She never would have known that they did men together. He breathed so heavily the curtains across the room moved. "I never brought them here or had them in my bed or showed them my cows or introduced them to my dogs or anyone else that matters." 214
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"What's that mean?" More importantly, what did it matter to her? To them? "I think you know." "That's crazy. See? That's what I'm talking about. We just met." She needed to ground herself. He was making her hope for something more. "You think I ever laid a woman on my kitchen table before?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Sixteen She was being stubborn. Fighting the truth. He made up his mind. He wasn't taking her back to the city until she admitted there was something serious going on between them. Oh, he knew what she was thinking. That it was good sex, and their lives didn't mesh, that it would never work, that it was too soon to think about anything more. Hell, he ran a hand through his hair. He'd thought the same thing about two dozen times since he'd put her in his truck the night before. "I would hope not." She grouched, "That wouldn't be very sanitary." "You think I cared about sanitary last night? Or now?" "Knock. Knock." Danny's head came around the corner as he knocked on the hall wall. "Am I interrupting anything important?" "Just my bleeding. Come on in." Danny nodded at Candy. "Hi." Danny's eyes were hazel and contained a degree of honesty that Candy hadn't ever seen before. It was a trait he and Levi shared. And probably the one thing Candy had most admired about Danny when she'd gone out on her date with him. That, and his kiss was worth reliving. But, now that Candy had tasted Levi's brand of kissing, she knew, undoubtedly, she had made the right choice to move past Danny. Nevertheless, she did like him a lot. 216
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Candy suspected Danny and Levi also shared a grandfather somewhere that had the same quality of direct honesty. Danny's movements were slow and easy going, like he had all the time in the world but didn't waste a second of effort on unnecessary energy. His features were smooth, solid, and appealing, in an outdoorsy, rock-hard way. She liked the way his brown hair had natural highlights—from hours in the sun, and the way his skin shimmered vitality, a healthy glow to it. He looked like the kind of guy that could fix a truck or a tractor, or whatever. Cows. Suddenly, Candy wondered if Danny could have saved Levi's heifer, and why he hadn't been the one to come rushing to Levi's rescue. She bit her lower lip. But, somehow, she knew, he had to have been already in the middle of an emergency. He hadn't wasted time coming to Levi's rescue today. Candy wondered briefly if she'd given up on Danny too hastily. Or...was it the other way around? He'd said he'd call next time he was free. "Bet you never expected to see me again," she whispered. "Well. Not this soon anyway. I was meaning to give you another call. Didn't realize Erica was setting you up with Levi right away." He shrugged, lifting an antiquated veterinary bag, and turned to Levi. "Got my stuff. Ooh. That doesn't look too great." He sat on the edge of the bed and opened his satchel. "You told her this was against the law and she wasn't to tell a soul, right?" 217
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"Swore her to give me her first born child." Levi showed some teeth in what Candy had to admit was a very endearing smile. "Didn't I, sweetheart?" Candy got the distinct feeling that Danny ran hot or cold with very little in between—as far as his relationships went. You were either among his friends, in an inner circle, or you were out. He didn't have time to mess around with people who didn't count, or matter to him. "Uh, I think you forgot that part." She, too, smiled, maybe a little too brightly. Levi held a hand up, stopping Danny from further help. "Well, he can't treat me until you swear it." Feeling ornery, Candy shrugged. "You may have to bleed to death then." "You said she was real sweet," he accused Danny. "They all turn on you. I warned you about that. You said she was real sweet on the phone, twenty minutes ago." Danny used an alcohol wipe on his own hands, setting the trash on the bedside table, his gaze keying in on the condom wrapper. Levi pouted. "That's how fast things changed." "At least I don't have to give you my doctor spiel on safe sex." Danny opened a second alcohol wipe. "Guess he kisses better than I do. Huh?" "I never said that." Candy crossed her legs, tucking her hands between her thighs. Levi and Danny's gazes both strayed to her, making her self-conscious. "But you can bet I'm gonna kiss Erica with my fist when I see her next. I can't believe she told every one of you about that." 218
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Danny grinned, putting the alcohol swab to Levi's eye. It hurt. He pushed Danny's arm away. "You could warn me, man." "I'm sitting on the edge of your bed, opening packages, washing my hands. Pay attention. We've done this before. And we'll probably do it again before we die." He put the thing to Levi's eye once more. "I may need you to help me hold his hands down." "Right. Go ahead and give him a tranquilizer. The kind you'd give a jackass." Danny chuckled. "Got her downright co-operative, I see." "It's the bed. She's been in it all day. Been trying to change her attitude, but some women are hard. You know?" "Ah. Protesting now, huh? You could move it to the kitchen table." They gave him no response, and Danny looked between them, then grinned. "I'm not eating in there again." "Andrea brought pie." Levi figured he should offer some, since Danny had come running. "But the whipped cream's ruined." Danny gestured toward the bowl. "I don't even wanna know." "God. You don't miss a thing, do you?" Candy stood up, snatched the offending ceramic off the table and stalked out of the room with it. Danny chuckled. "Things are going all right or not then?" Levi didn't like the look of the syringe Danny had out, but he didn't say anything. If Danny gave him a tranquilizer, maybe that would be good enough excuse to keep from taking Candy home until the next afternoon. 219
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"I don't know. Who can tell? We've been fighting half as much as anything." "This is gonna hurt." Danny slid the needle in to a couple of spots over Levi's eye. "I made it worse," Levi confessed. "The cut or things with her?" "Both. I haven't even known her twenty-four hours, and she's under my skin. I can't explain it, Dan. I can't get enough of her. Was it like that with you and Kerri?" Danny threaded a needle with suture thread, shrugging. "Not really. I mean, Kerri was hot and she worked me up, but she played so many head games that it was...I dunno." "You're better off without her." "I know." "You going to the wedding?" "I don't think so. I made other plans. Going out of town. Josh Baxter's taking my calls. That's next weekend, you know." "Yeah, I heard. Looks like I'll be going." "Taking a date?" Danny wielded the half circle suturing needle with quick proficiency, making Levi wince at every entry. "Candy, if she'll go. But I have to tell you, it feels a little like I'm cheating on you by going to their wedding. You know I don't want anything to do with Kerri, but Jimmy, he and I go back as far as the two of you do. We've been friends a long time. But I don't wanna be his best man." "Yeah. I know. I tried talking to him a couple times about the whole thing. I don't want her to drive a bigger wedge 220
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than she already has, but that's what's going on. She's mad at me, so she's taking it out on Jimmy and me, both." "He's dumb enough to step up for it. He deserves her." Danny tied off a knot in the stitching. "I agree." "She's already making him miserable. That's why he's soused now. Says she's wearing your wedding dress." Danny sniffed. "I saw him out there, sleeping. Is that what he's dreaming about?" "I dunno. I knocked him out, actually." Levi reached up to check Danny's handiwork, but Danny whacked his hand away. "I don't have a wedding dress. Never saw it. So, it's nothing to me." Danny felt around. "That numb yet?" "Yeah. What was that?" Levi's head wobbled a little as the meds took stronger hold on him. "I'm not thinking real straight." "Hey, the girl said to tranquilize you. I figured she has plans of taking advantage of ya later. Need another condom? I know you don't keep a stock of 'em." He worked carefully on the stitching. "I feel like I'm cheating...you out of something serious." Levi leveled his gaze on Danny. "Did I say that?" A tear of pain slipped from his eye and down his cheek, with another quick on its heels. "Yep. Don't worry about it. She and I just weren't meant to be, I guess. Although I did think—" Candy came around the corner. Danny stopped speaking, and ducked his head. "Come here and hold my hand." Levi beckoned her. "He's hurting me." 221
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"He bawls more than a baby calf." Danny helped him out with a glance to Candy, "You might better." It was obvious she didn't want to. Levi wasn't sure what he'd said now. Or why she was avoiding touching him. But he was glad she didn't make a big fuss. He had to wonder, now that she saw Danny again, was she having second thoughts? Easing down on the other side of the bed from Danny, she asked him, "You do that often?" "Sew up the relatives? Not really. I was serious about not telling anyone about this. I could lose my license." "Hey." Her hands went up in the air. "I'm not gonna be responsible for a bunch of cows with no doctor to go to." Levi didn't think she could get any cuter. "See? She cares about the cows already. I can't believe you didn't scoop her up." Danny didn't look up, and the air between them became a little stilted until he finally asked, "You take her out tipping?" "Tipping?" Her interest piqued. "We do not tip the cows around here." Levi winced at Danny's suddenly heavy touch, and pushed his hand away again. "Hey." Danny chuckled. "I'll take ya out and show ya how the country boys play some time, Candy." "I thought you two decided you wouldn't be going out again." Levi worried a little. He'd been under the impression, from Erica, that Candy and Danny hadn't hit it off too well, but Candy had rated him high on the kissing thing, and now Danny was asking her out right there, in his bedroom. Even 222
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after he'd explained how he felt about the woman. "Heckuva place to ask my girl out." "Your girl, huh?" Danny jabbed him hard with the needle. "I saw her first." "Gonna pull a Jimmy on me, huh?" Levi pushed Danny's hand away again. "I'm not gonna roll over as easy as you did. I can tell ya that." "Hello, I'm right here." Candy waved a hand between the two bullheaded men. "But he is a fighter. I should probably point that out in case you didn't notice, Danny." "Oh, I think I can hold my own. That's my shirt, by the way," Danny said with glee. "Looks good on you. You can keep it." He growled at Levi, "I knew you had it." "No, she can't." Ignoring Danny's last comment, Levi was glad of one thing, Candy's shocked expression over the shirt ownership. "I'm gonna take it off of her the minute your ass hits the door. I can promise you that." "Huh." Danny winked over at her. "I'm just saying, you can take it with you when you go. And if he keeps you hostage too long and you need a ride into the city, gimme a call. I'm speed dial number one around here." "Your ass is gonna be hitting the porch about like Jack's did if you keep it up." "He likes the ass word." Candy leaned close. "He's getting progressively cruder and surlier by the minute. Is that a chemical thing?" "Maybe a concussive thing."
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Levi knew exactly what it was, a possessive thing. Grumpy now, he growled, "How many stitches you gonna put in there?" "Well," Danny addressed Candy, "can't have him going around bad-mouthing me to half the county when I'm not looking. Gotta do it right. Maybe six. I have to pull the under layer together with three, and then more on top, if I don't want it to scar too bad, that is." "He fixes poodles when the cows stop calling." Levi sucked air through his teeth. That needle hurt still. "Gotta do the pretty stitching on those." "That's right. Poodles and fru-fru dogs pay the bills. Farmers tend to run up the expenses and offer sides of beef in return for services." "It's as good as gold." Levi didn't like the way Danny made him out to be a deadbeat. He'd never made him wait for money, but Levi felt it childish to argue the point. "Higher than gold these days." "There's a mad cow scare," Danny volunteered. "Crazy cows. Crazier farmers. Running the price up." "You don't have to tell me." Candy pushed at her hair, and leaned in real close to watch the stitching action. "It's like they have a screw loose or something. I've seen that first hand." Danny bumped her with his shoulder. "I should kiss you again, just to see if I've improved any since the last time we saw each other."
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"I might let you. Jimmy even gave it a shot. He's carrying a lock of my hair now. You'd be surprised at how easy I've gotten since I came out here and got a whiff of country air." Tying the last knot, Danny snipped it clean. "That bother you?" "I smell smog all day long. What's a few cows?" "You know, if you'd said that to me last month," Danny's voice dropped an octave and he slid Candy one of his "world famous gotta love me" smiles, "we would've been married by now." "There's probably a name for people who feel as strongly about cows as you men do. I can think of a few, just off the top of my head." "She's pretty clever." Danny capped the needle and packed his equipment. "Guess we needed to get you out of the city to see it, girl." "I loosened her up." Levi's brag almost sounded crude. Candy shot him a dirty look. "What's that supposed to mean? I am not loose." "I gotta head in." Danny didn't seem the least bit impressed by the new turn in conversation. "Picking up some test results from that Ag-lab." "On Saturday?" Candy's interest surprised Levi. He couldn't tell if it was for Danny or educational purposes in general or because Danny was practically loading her up in his truck, willing to take her home. Panic rose in his gut. He was losing her. "Yep." Danny snapped the bag closed. "You gotta milk, Le. I can take her home if you want. Save you the drive." 225
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"I haven't fed her yet." Was he getting nauseous now? Dizziness spun in his head. "Or shown her the sunrise." "You're a little late for that, buddy." "What did you give him?" Candy's face swam closer. "Something to make him more agreeable." "Is he gonna be okay?" "I think he'll live." Levi realized Candy had a hand on his thigh when it convulsed a little in a couple successive squeezes. "You all right, Levi? You're not looking so good." "What's he eaten today?" "Not much. A piece of pie, some whipped cream, and a beer or two." "Oh, that's good." Danny chuckled. "We took a nap after the milking." Her words cut through Levi's growing stupor. Danny probably gave him a shot of Rompin or something that would put a horse down. Vet humor. Or was that farm stupor? "Had sex," Levi clarified. She stuttered. "We—we were up la—late." "Having sex," Levi said again. "Didn't get around to eating, much." "Well, Candy didn't. I ate quite a bit of whipped cream." Candy's fingers burned a hole in Levi's thigh. Did she have any idea how close she was to touching him intimately? Apparently not. She clamped her nails in. Okay. Yes, she did. Levi put his hand over hers, prying her fingers loose. "I'm sorry. It's all I can think about." 226
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"What did you give him?" "Sodium pentathol." "You're kidding, right?" Danny opened the bag again and showed her a vial. "Use it on the cows, believe it or not. And to put dogs down sometimes." "I don't need anything like that to tell the truth." Levi commented with wide blue eyes, the pupils large and dark. "I don't know anybody more honest than I am." "Nobody's arguing with you, Le. I'm trying to talk to this girl here. Could you gimme a minute?" "No." Levi squeezed Candy's hand. "You want me to throw him out, too?" "Hell." She smiled. "Just cold cock him like you did Jimmy. That seems more efficient, don't you think?" She got up. "Come on, Danny. I'll walk you out." Danny stood, too. "I'm serious. I can give you a ride home if you want. He shouldn't be operating heavy equipment for a couple of hours. Not that you're heavy." "I'm fine," Levi offered. Annoyed now, Danny said, "You are not. You have a concussion, lump head. One look in your eyes told me that." "That's Jack's fault." Candy went to the door with Danny. "He's gonna be nauseous for a while. I can call Andrea and have her come over." "Hey." Candy put a hand on Danny's arm. "Is her baby all right?" "That's one thing I don't do. I heard it was touch and go. I know she was pretty scared because she called my sister." 227
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"They're good friends?" "Yeah." Levi sat up, putting his feet over the edge of the bed. "I'll fix something for lunch." He put his head in his hands. "I can't believe I didn't feed you." "It's been a busy day. I'll fix something. Just stay put." Candy left the room and Danny followed her out. Levi heard her ask, "You want to stay and eat? Seems like the least we can do for you, considering you sewed him up and everything." Since he couldn't hear Danny's response, Levi forced himself up. Why was his head hurting worse? Seeing a doctor was supposed to make things feel better. Damn cow doc. He knew he wasn't thinking clearly. His vision blurred, and his equilibrium was off. He had to use the wall in the hall to support him. Jimmy was still out. More than likely the all-nighter had kicked in to make him sleep. Candy and Danny's voices were coming from the kitchen, so Levi staggered that way. A step before the arch, he had to prop himself up to stop the swimmy view. "So, tell me the truth." Danny sounded serious. "How do you feel about Levi?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Seventeen "He's a lot different than any other guy I've ever known." "Yeah? How's that?" Candy had to think about that. Danny pushed past her and pulled some steaks out of the fridge. "How about steaks? I'll throw these in the broiler. Maybe I will stay a bit. There's salad in here, too." Levi stepped into view, but they didn't notice him. Danny washed his hands and unwrapped the steaks. "You do like red meat, don't you?" "Yeah." "Good because a vegan wouldn't work for Levi, I don't think. Or me, for that matter." "He doesn't have a garden on this place?" "Yeah, but the man likes protein." "Needs it to keep his strength up, I suppose." She leaned a hip against the counter, watching Danny's every move. Danny had the steaks in and his hands washed in such quick time that Levi got dizzy watching him. Then they just stood there, staring at one another. "I was serious about the kissing thing," Danny joked. "You mean, kissing me again?" Candy shook her head. "No, you weren't." "Maybe not. But half willing." "Did you do the twins, too?" Levi couldn't believe she'd asked Danny that. Danny put his hands on his hips. "No." 229
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"I thought Kerri—" "Oh. I'm not saying she didn't put them up to me, Jimmy, and every other man she knew that had a girlfriend." "So, Levi had a girlfriend when he slept with them?" "No." It was time for him to move in on this conversation. "But I was remarkably drunk. That was the weekend after the funeral." Was this girl gonna tear his heart out at every turn? Hear every last one of his dirty dark confessions? "You wanna know something about me, ask me." "I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking guilty. "You know the bitch of it?" He eased into a chair. "I don't remember one bit of it. If everybody else didn't know about it, I wouldn't even know it had happened." Levi could see she didn't believe him, but he didn't care. It was the truth. God's honest truth. "And the only reason everybody knew about it was because they made a point of spreading it around." Danny grinned. "Guess he was some kind of spectacular." "You'd think a man would remember part of that, wouldn't you?" The whole thing was stupid as far as Levi was concerned. "He is pretty damn good." Candy's high praise had both men's attention. "I'm just saying." "She has no experience." He felt obligated to clarify that for Danny, lest he decided to spread her comments around. "She unrolled her first condom this morning." Candy glared at him. "Well, thanks for being a gentleman." "This is what I was talking about earlier. I can't even defend her without making her mad." 230
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"That's how they all are," Danny agreed. "Obtuse for argument's sake." "I am not obtuse." "You are, a little. And a gentleman doesn't let a lady make other men think she sleeps around when she doesn't. Even if she did." Strongly, he added for Danny's benefit, "Which she doesn't." "You have me enthralled, both of you. Do tell." "He is pretty fervent," Candy said. "Which I don't think most men are. It really helps on the scale of one to ten." "So, you have a scale for that, too." Danny put his butt against the counter only a foot away from her. "You didn't even let me try for that one." "She doesn't have a scale for that. Candy, tell him." Her lips were suddenly sealed. That was a new one. She pretended to zip them and throw away the key. The silence didn't last long before she burst out, "You're protesting enough for both of us. On second thought, Danny, I'm sure I gauged him wrong. What do I know?" "I could give you something to base criteria on. I've never gotten bad marks. I can promise you that." "And you were a good kisser." Okay. They were pushing his buttons on purpose. The concussion made him slow but not completely retarded. "I've punched two men already today. I have no problems making it three." "Well," Danny checked the steaks. "I think I'll have to take a rain check on that. I think I can take you, in your present state." To Candy, he added, "I don't beat up on my cousins 231
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when they've already got concussions, but call me up when he's seeing straight and I'll come over and give him another attitude adjustment." "I'm afraid I won't be around to know. Leave a note on the counter for Andrea. I'm sure she'll see it." "Hey," Danny's good humor left him. "Don't do that." "What?" "Those two never slept together. And they haven't ever been more than good friends." "He led me to believe that the baby might be his." Danny gasped, and turned on Levi. "That is total bullshit. You know whose kid that is." For some reason, Levi felt immense satisfaction in leaving them both thinking on that. He got up and went to the bathroom. And puked. Yeah, he knew whose baby it was. And if she lost it, it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to her. Levi hated the emotions that ran through him. He should probably call and talk to her, see how she was doing. He brushed his teeth and used some mouthwash, too, which almost had him throwing up again. This was another one of those reminders to always eat a real breakfast. First rule of farm life. Sometimes days got away from him, as theirs had done. He went into the bedroom and picked up the receiver. Andrea, too, was on speed dial. She picked up on the first ring. "Hey," Levi said. "I called you earlier." "I know." 232
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"You crying?" She sniffed. "You alone?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Can you come over?" "What's the matter?" "I think the baby's dead, and I'm so scared." She sniffed some more. "I started bleeding and I tried lying down, but—" "I'm coming. Just lay down. Did you call your doctor?" "No. I—" "Call him. You think you need an ambulance?" "No. I'll be all right if you're coming." "Hang on. I'll be there as fast as I can." Click. He took a minute to gather his wits. At the kitchen doorway, he said, "I'm going out." "What?" Candy had set the table and had a salad put together. Pretty efficient and homey together in the kitchen, it looked like to him. Danny had the steaks on top of the stove, peeling the oven mitts. "You go ahead and eat. Andrea needs me. She's bleeding." "You shouldn't drive," Danny said. "I'll go." "No. I told her I'd come. She's crying. I think she's losing the baby." "I'll go, too," Danny insisted. "She might need...something." "I can come." Candy didn't think twice. She dropped everything and headed toward the door. "Which truck are we taking?" "Mine," Danny said. "I've got a full tank of gas. If she needs to be driven into town—" 233
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"Might have to call Noah." Levi was thinking on his feet. "Flight-for-life her in." "My satellite cell is in the truck. We'll call him on the road." Danny yanked the driver door open. "Get in," he said to Candy, and she minded without a complaint. Levi felt a twinge of jealousy at the fact that she didn't even think to come around to the passenger side with him. But then, maybe she didn't think. The dogs were nowhere in sight, which meant Jack and Frank were probably still in the field working on the swather. He needed to get another hay cutter. Levi climbed in and slammed the door. "I gotta tell Frank I won't be back to help with the cows. He'll have to call Kyle to come over. Go past the lower field, if you would." One of the first things Levi noticed was that Candy had moved past the gear shifter to his side of the pickup. He rested a hand on her thigh. "I'm sorry. I swear I'm not out to starve you into submission." "Sure. You think I believe you?" "Shit. Forgot my bag." Danny hopped out and ran in the house. "I'm sorry about Andrea and the baby and everything." "Not your fault," he said. "It'll be okay." He was tense, though. Cousins aside, Andrea was the only thing akin to a sister he had. Erica was the next closest, and that wasn't near the same thing. Candy ran a light trail of fingers through her curls. "You're really worried about her?" 234
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"I should've called her again when you insisted." Guilt prompted him to look out the passenger window. "You didn't know she was bleeding. She should have called you." Levi dragged her against his chest and kissed the top of her head. He didn't say anything though. Andrea had looked all right, hadn't she? His eyes had been on Candy. He never even noticed anything amiss. Danny climbed in, tossing a box of cheese crackers across the cab. "Eat some of these. I don't want you dry heaving in here. Wouldn't make a good impression on the new girl." "I heard you throwing up in the house." Candy jumped in to chew Levi out. "I'm telling you, you'll have to send the kids outside. I can't believe you never heard your own parents—" "I never said I didn't." His lips pressed against her forehead as he spoke. He liked the way she leaned against him. Candy opened the box and passed him some crackers. "Here." She ate a couple herself. They tasted really good to him. A moment later, the truck stopped in sight of the swather, and Danny honked the horn. Levi leaned out the window. "Frank! Need you to call Kyle and get him to help with the milking." The foreman waved back. Jack hollered, "Where you going?" "Andrea's!" "Everything all right?" "No. She's bleeding." 235
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Candy elbowed him. "You think she wants you yelling that all over the place?" Danny called Noah's chopper service on his satellite cell phone, told him the situation while Levi squared things with his men. They finished up at the same time. Danny put his truck into gear. "So," Levi asked, "is Noah going over there or what?" "Rico's covering for him." "Who's that?" Candy chomped crackers. "Noah must not've talked much on that date you had." Levi took the box away from her and dug into it. "Rico's his brother." "Is he married?" "Nope." Danny turned the truck onto the main road. "Marty's the only one in the whole family married, in our generation anyway." "That's your brother." "Yeah." He passed the cell phone. "You wanna call Andrea and see how she's doing? Let her know Rico's bringing the chopper?" "No." Levi struggled with that. "What would I say to her? Hold on, we're coming?" "Yeah. Exactly," Candy said. "What's the number? I'll dial it." Danny rattled it off. Candy hesitated, staring at Danny for a minute. "So, how come you have it memorized?" He winked at her. "She's family. Like family, anyway." She punched it in. "So, she lives alone or what?" "Yes, and no. That's a long story." 236
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"It's ringing." She passed the phone to Levi. "She's not picking up," he announced. Danny stepped on it. The air in the truck was tense, considering the windows were down. Danny adjusted the a/c. "You hot?" "I'm okay." Candy glanced up at Levi. "You all right. You look a little green." "She's not picking up," he repeated. Now, he wished he hadn't called. The ride took forever and was over in just moments. The time stretched and disappeared so fast. All Levi knew was that he was glad when the tires spun in the gravel outside Andrea's small house. "Wow," Candy muttered. "I pictured her in a bigger place." "A fancier place?" Danny said, "She puts on airs sometimes. It's a front." "It's not that." Candy shrugged. "I just assumed, I guess." Levi hopped out and ran up the steps. Vertigo hit him, and he grabbed the post. Yeah, he was gonna thump Jack next time he had a chance. Bad day to get a concussion. "You all right?" Danny passed him up with a pat on the arm. "Take care of our boy, here, Candy. I'll see what's going on." Leaning over, Levi fought the urge to spill his crackers. Candy stood over him, rubbing his lower back. He glanced up at her, growling, "Remind me to take that damn shirt off of you when we get back."
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"That's good. You're not dying, I guess. It's your fault, you know. You should've said something the minute you saw it on me." "I think I did." The door popped open. "Candy, can you come in here? She's bleeding pretty bad. Le, get on that phone and tell Rico to get his ass in the air, and now." Levi about killed himself getting to the truck. Too many seconds later, Rico picked up. "Yeah?" "Why the hell aren't you in the air?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Eighteen Candy was not good with blood, never had been. The sight of it in a thin trail of drops along the floor and Andrea lying in a puddled heap in the kitchen was more than she expected. What had she thought they'd find? Andrea sipping tea in a rocker on the porch, no problem visible? "Oh, Jesus," Candy said, sending up the fastest prayer of her life. "Hold her hand while I get my bag," Danny ordered. "Talk to her." Dropping to her knees, Candy did as she was told. "Andrea?" She leaned near to the other girl's face. "Andrea? It's me, Candy. Levi and Danny are here. We're gonna help you." There was no response. She wished Danny had let her go get the bag. Candy tried to find a pulse. She was no nurse, though, and she was pretty sure there wasn't any. Andrea looked pale and dead. "Oh, God," she cried, "Don't you die on us." Panic clawed inside her. "Don't you dare die on Levi!" Where the hell were those guys? Nowhere. Or coming from nowhere fast. Candy's hand patting became rougher. "Andrea! Wake up. Talk to me!" She growled in the girl's ear. "Dammit! You die on me and I'll...I'll...name my first daughter after you, I swear it!" Andrea's eyelids fluttered. Her lips moved. 239
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"What?" Candy leaned closer. "That's some threat," Andrea whispered. "But I have a feeling your first daughter's name is gonna be Marly." Marly? The girl was delirious. "Yeah, whatever. I'm naming it Andrea." "You can't name it after a dead girl that you just met." Andrea's lips turned up in a rye twist of humor. "...that you don't even like." "You're not dying. And I never said I didn't like you." "I don't like you." "Okay." Candy hated the fact that it mattered. But the girl was dying and Andrea's last words were gonna be that she didn't like her? "What can I do to change that?" "I don't think you can." Andrea smiled again. Her skin had gone transparent, or so it seemed to Candy. "Do you want a drink or something? Maybe you need some fluids. " "No." "What happened?" Candy smoothed Andrea's hair, afraid to touch the girl anywhere else. "Just started spotting, then it gushed." Danny and Levi crashed through the door. Danny had his bag, and Levi had the phone, keeping Rico on the line. Levi went white at the sight. "Oh, God," he said, dropping the phone, falling to his knees, crawling to Andrea. "Honey, honey. Why didn't you say it was this bad?" "It wasn't until a minute ago."
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Pushed aside, Candy got out of their way and picked up the phone. "Hello? You gotta get here fast. She's lost a ton of blood." "I'm on the way. Who is this?" "Ca—Ca—Candy." "Stay with me, Candy. Tell me what's going on down there." "Are you a doctor?" "Nope. EMT." "Are you flying the chopper?" "Yep. You got stats yet?" "He wants stats. What's he gonna do if he's flying the helicopter?" Levi grunted. "I fly. Danny flies." "The whole damn family flies," Danny said. "Okay. Here's the numbers." Candy relayed them and heard Rico talking in another radio, presumably to a doctor in a hospital somewhere. Instructions went back and forth. Danny was unbelievable, competent, handled everything with a whole lot of, "It's all right. We're taking care of you," and "I can't understand you, Candy. Slow down." Candy felt incredibly stupid and had a sudden urge to become a nurse or study medicine of some kind. At least take an EMT course. She vowed to never be caught skill-less in a situation like that again. Living in the city, an ambulance had never been more than ten minutes away. It might've taken them that long to get there from Levi's. And who knew how much time passed before the helicopter landed outside. 241
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One thing that struck Candy was that Levi looked as ill as Andrea. He had a death grip on her fingers and kept repeating, "I'm here, Andi. I'm with you. Hang on. Don't die on me. Oh, God, please don't die on me." They put her on a gurney and hooked up an IV. Candy stayed out of the way as best she could. At the doorway, they jostled her so much that Andrea opened her eyes and asked Levi, "You love me even if I'm stupid?" "Yeah, you know I do." There were tears brimming in his eyes. One gentle hand slid over her forehead. "I messed up." He assured her, "It's gonna be okay." Candy figured it was a good sign that she was talking more. They were pumping fluids. There was no way they'd let her die on them, was there? Once they got the gurney strapped to the floor of the chopper, Rico said, "Le, get up there on the stick. I'm gonna have to work back here." "I can't. I can't let go of her hand." That seemed like her cue. Candy stepped up, and pried their fingers apart. Not that she thought it was the best idea to have Levi, Mr. Concussion, flying them but Danny was definitely doing a lot to improve Andrea's chances. "I can do this," Candy assured Levi. "Just get us to the hospital." "No. I've got serious vertigo." "What the hell happened to you?" Rico took his first real look at Levi. 242
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"Jack." "Oh." "All right." Danny thumbed toward the door. "If you're having that much trouble, why don't you step off. You'll be throwing up crackers." He moved to the controls, strapped in, and slipped the headphones on. "Going up." "No." Levi insisted, "I'm riding." It was weird to Candy, how mild mannered Danny had taken such command of the situation. Talk about your real hero type. Not that she blamed Levi for struggling through it all. He had no medical training, and this was someone very close to him. Levi managed to shut the door, and find a barf bag. He didn't end up using it, but his color went beyond green to ghostly white before they landed. Candy watched him as much as Andrea. He was definitely sick over the whole thing. Rico had a headset on, and took orders from the hospital directly. It looked like so much blood, Candy didn't know how Andrea could keep from bleeding to death. But Rico demanded, "Anybody know what blood type she is? They're trying to get things together on the ground, but they're low. They had a four car collision last night." "I'm O positive," Candy said. "That's universal, isn't it?" "If she doesn't have RH negative." Rico took a sample from Andrea. "ETA seventeen minutes," Danny announced. That news didn't go well with Rico. Candy saw the panic hit his eyes. True, dead fear. "What? What is it?" 243
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"She's not gonna make it. We need blood now." Levi, God bless him, didn't even hesitate. "Hook me up. Direct line." He held out his arm. Andrea opened her eyes, a weak smile. "My hero. You trying to kill me?" "What did she say?" In the process of peeling packages open, Rico complained. "I can't hear her." Candy didn't want to repeat what she thought Andrea had said. She put her ear to Andrea's lips. "Say it again." "He doesn't match. I'm O. O positive." It struck fear in Candy's heart, to volunteer and then find out that she was going to be taken up on her offer. Not that she would have reneged. But the helicopter wasn't the steadiest place for someone to put a direct IV line in. "What did she say?" Rico had things out. "What's your blood type, Levi?" Candy asked because if he matched, she was willing to let him do it. "AB negative." "Wow." Rico seemed surprised. "You've got gold in there, buddy." "She's type O," Candy whispered, "Like me." She was glad she'd showered. Thinking sanitary, she wondered where they would lay her. Would she have to do this sitting up? "You don't have any known communicable diseases, do you?" Rico went down a mental list, asking her a myriad of questions, boom, boom, boom. Levi watched her the whole time, and she felt amazingly self-conscious, but relieved she could say no to everything. 244
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"Sexual partners in the last six months?" "Just one." Her gaze skittered toward Levi. "She's clean." Levi gritted, "You're gonna let Andrea die, asking your stupid questions." "Have you been in contact with this sexual partner? Are you aware of any testing for or exposure to Aids, HIV, Hepatitis, HPV—" "It's me, God dammit," Levi growled, "why are you stalling?" "I'm required by law." Rico's attention was on Candy completely now. "Are you an IV drug user?" "No. Of course not." Rico moved around, satisfied finally, and within a minute or two, had managed to stick her four times before getting it in right. He apologized profusely. Candy didn't care. She just wanted to help Andrea. She would rather die herself than watch Andrea or Levi look any more like death. She didn't think he could stand losing anyone close to him again. She ended up passing out. Needles had never been on her happy list. Plus, the whole trauma. It was too much. When she came to, they were at the hospital and she'd been put on a gurney, too, which made her feel even more dumb than before. No. It was a bed. It took her a minute to get her bearings on where she was at. They'd disconnected her IV and put her in an ER cubicle with a drawn curtain. It was relatively quiet. Danny stood over her. The minute she opened her eyes, he smiled. "Hey. How you feeling?" He picked up her hand. 245
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"Okay. Where are Andrea and Levi?" He grimaced. "She's in surgery. And he's pacing the hall between here and there." Disappointment hit her. First, in herself for passing out. Second, for wishing Levi cared more about her than Andrea, which was ridiculous considering he'd known Andrea forever and her for less than a day. And third, in herself for not appreciating the fact that Danny had stayed with her. "You want to sit up?" he asked. "Yeah." He tried the button that made one end of the bed rise, but she was too far down on it. That wasn't comfortable so he leaned over her and helped her up. It was more a hug that lifted her butt up higher on the bed. Levi walked in at that moment. Maybe it was her lack of blood, because she went weak at the sight of him, a little light headed, but the guy couldn't get any hotter as far as she was concerned. Danny didn't drop her like a hotcake as she expected. He eased her down and asked, "That all right?" "Yeah. Thanks." "Any news?" he asked Levi, sitting on the edge of the bed, his hip against hers. "Still in surgery. They're doing a c-section." "She's gonna pull through?" Danny had one eyebrow up. "Nobody knows." "I need the phone." Candy gasped. "I gotta call my mom. She'll get the prayer chains going." 246
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"Your mom probably sent this girl to you and Andrea both," Danny said with a smile. He pulled his sat. cell out. "Make it quick. We're not supposed to use these in the hospital." It didn't take long. When Candy handed the phone back, she told Levi, "I must've dropped my cell in Lucky Truck last night." "We'll find it," he said. "When we go home." Her heart lurched. When we go home. It sounded so, so natural. "You all right?" She wanted to hold his hand and reached out. "We could pray together if you want." He took it, leaned in to kiss her. "Thanks for doing that. You might have saved her life." That. Not the prayer thing. Giving blood. "I hope the baby makes it, too." Levi pulled away. "I'm gonna go check on her again. Maybe there's more news." "This is silly," she said, the minute he was gone. "I can get up." "No. You need to stay down for a bit. They took quite a lot of your blood. Rico's getting an ass eating for it, too." "Why?" "Guess he skipped having you sign the waiver." "There wasn't time. She was dying. You saw her." "I know." Danny's smile was pretty endearing, and he felt like a real friend. It struck her hard, how quick friendships could be cemented. Especially when he said, "This sorta makes you family, you know, which means you'll be invited to 247
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all the family barbecues now and other big events, like weddings and christenings." "I think this is the worst day of Levi's life in a long time. I don't think he's gonna want me around to remind him of it." "You wanna bet?" "What do you mean?" "Simple test. When he comes back in, let me kiss you. I think you'll see his reaction and know how he feels about you." "He loves Andrea. I don't even know what he was doing messing around with me." "Yeah. He loves her. Like a sister. But that girl's not someone he could spend the rest of his life with. If he wanted to do that, Levi would have married her a long time ago." "I heard him say he loved her. At the house." "You're not listening to me," he said, getting very close to her face. "Read my lips." "You're not making sense. I heard what you said." "Let's try it this way." He kissed her. "Well?" It took her by surprise. She didn't respond very well, and when he pulled back, she licked her lips. "Well, what?" Danny gave her the full onslaught of his kissing expertise, and it was good. His lips were firm, but softened the minute she gave in to them. They held the right amount of moisture, not dry, not sloppy. She slipped a hand around his neck and tried to be a real participator. Mostly because she was feeling very sad at the fact that Levi and Andrea were so close. But, good as Danny's technique was, it didn't make her insides sizzle. It didn't 248
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make her want to strip his jeans off of him or go any further than the embrace. She hugged him, needing that more than anything. "One more time. Just to be sure." "You're nuts." She giggled but let him kiss her. Candy wasn't sure what he was trying to prove, exactly, until Levi walked back in. The air in the room changed the minute he swept the curtain aside. Danny, for some unknown reason, didn't lift off or quit. If anything, he put more into the kiss. She ended up pushing at his chest. His eyes were alight, though, as Levi covered the space and dropped him with one hard left jab into Danny's ear. Candy squeaked. "Why did you go and do that?" Reaching for Danny, she asked, "You okay?" He popped his jaw, touching his ear and dragged himself up off the floor. "I gotta talk to you." Levi snagged a hold of Candy's hand. "I told you," Danny said. "You owe me. Don't think I won't collect later." He left, and Candy looked at Levi "Was he talking to me or you?" "Who cares? I've been thinking." "About what? Andrea?" "Yep. And you." "I know you love her." She tugged her hand free, putting it in the air. "I heard you. It's okay. And she's gonna need you after this." Being self-sacrificing stunk. Candy's heart broke with every word. But in some ways, she was glad this had happened. 249
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She might never have realized how tight Levi and Andrea were if this hadn't occurred. Jack had tried to tell her, hadn't he? "You should go check on her again." "No. I need to talk to you, just for a minute." "It was cool that you can fly a chopper, even if you didn't do it. And that you were willing to donate your blood." She rambled, scared to hear what he had to say. "I think she hung on because you were there, willing her to live, telling her not to die." "Danny and you turned out to be the real heroes today." "Ah, me and Danny. There's a pair to draw to. He's a good guy. I didn't realize how good until today, I guess." She wanted him to know she would survive this break-up. Not that they were together, really. "You don't love him." "No, of course not. I only went on one date with him, but I like him. I could learn to love him, maybe. In fact, he's my favorite of all your cousins." Would her tongue just quit moving? "I don't really wanna hear that out of your mouth again." He kissed her. It was a hard press thing that hurt her lips. She strained against it. "What are you doing?" He kissed her one more time, gaining hold of her hand again, pressing it between their chests, over his heart. Little darts of lust spiraled through her, her nipples tightened into little buds, and there was that wetness pooling in her panties again, but she didn't want her body to do that. Not now she understood his affection for Andrea and how deep that love went. 250
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"Well?" "Well what?" Bells went off in her head. Deja vu. Had he been standing there, listening to her and Danny? Maybe. "You know, some people can set eyes on each other, and there's lust." His expression serious, a furrow between his brows, he went on, "You know, the kind of thing that's fleeting, that can be worked out with a little conversation, or maybe a quick hump session or two." "Hump session?" "You know." "Okay." This seemed out of place. Why was he talking about this when he needed to be out there, waiting for news of Andrea? They'd had one date. One one-night stand. "But when love happens, sometimes it blindsides people, comes out of nowhere." His fingers squeezed so hard, she thought he might break hers. "You can't deny it when it hits you." "So you say." She didn't trust this. She tried to distract him, wanting to delay any more of this break-up talk. They weren't together. Not really. So, why say it's over? "Do you have any idea what time it is?" There was a clock on the wall. They both glanced at it. "Not time for this, Levi." She made him back up so she could stand. "Let's go check on Andrea and add a few more prayers to the chain that's going round the world as we speak." He slipped an arm around her and hugged her. "You believe in that stuff, really?" 251
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"Uh, yeah. If you don't have faith that God answers prayers, what do you have?" "My mom did, too." They shared a moment of sadness and she knew he was thinking about his parent's accident especially when he added, "It wasn't enough to save her or my dad or my brother or sisters, you know. But I hung onto my faith. Kept on praying." Candy had never known a guy that talked about stuff like that. Given, they were in a hospital, and she'd brought it up. But, it seemed very important to her that he told her he had faith, and that he still prayed. She wasn't sure she'd be so strong if her family had been taken from her. "Well, let's do it together," she said. "They gotta have a chapel in this place." They did. When they found it, it was empty. Levi held her hand and walked her down the aisle. They sat on the front pew and he whispered, "I haven't been in this hospital since it happened." She didn't know what to say. So, his family hadn't been killed instantly? How awful was that? Candy squeezed his hand. They bowed their heads in silent prayer. Danny found them there twenty minutes later. "She's out," he said, slipping into the pew beside them. He took Candy's other hand. "She's out of the woods, thanks to you and a really good surgeon." "And Rico and you." She didn't want life-saving credit. The fact that Andrea was alive was good enough for her. "How about the baby?" Levi's voice sounded stilted. 252
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"Well, the one died, of course, but the other's in neo-natal ICU." It took a moment for Danny's words to sink in. "She was carrying twins?" "They didn't know until they got her in there. Turns out the smaller one is a little fighter. A boy." Danny squeezed her hand and let go. "We can't spend a lot of time here. Rico's heading back, and Josh Baxter called. He's swamped. Cows are calling. So, if you need to go see...." Andrea was knocked out with hours of recovery expected because of her hemorrhage situation and the emotional trauma of losing a baby. Danny's sister had arrived, though. They called her Cal. And she swore she'd stay at Andrea's side, and call if there was more news or she woke up. The baby was tiny and behind glass. Levi's hand slid up and over Candy's back, under her hair, and massaged her shoulders while they looked. The card in the bassinet had easy to read black block letters. Levi Daniel. The last name was too small for Candy to discern. Started with a K, though. Candy felt her heart squeeze. When had Andrea been coherent enough to give her new son a name? Levi's name. She turned to watch his profile. "That's quite an honor, isn't it?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Nineteen Levi knew Andrea would name the baby after him. She'd told him more times than she could count that he was the best man she knew and that she wanted her son to be like him, not like the baby's father. The guy had left her after cheating on her with half the girls in the county. Her pregnancy had been a mistake from the beginning. Conceived in a weak moment when Andrea took Ethan back. He'd cheated on her three days later and disappeared a week after that. As he stood there, looking at the baby, Levi thought about Andrea and her whole relationship with Ethan. Some things were poison from word one. Now, Nathan, Ethan's twin, was a steady type. A good guy. Why hadn't she taken up with him? Not that he liked either of the Kazinsky's much. He knew why. Because most girls, Andrea especially, liked rebels. He sighed. She'd given the kid Ethan's last name. Probably wouldn't get him to step up to the responsibility. "Think somebody oughta call the Kaz's?" Danny asked. "Not me. They can read it in the paper. Come on," Levi said. "Let's go home. I'm gonna have to turn around and drive back in." "The Kaz's?" Candy pushed a hand through her hair. "Who's that?" "Ethan and Nathan Kazinsky," Danny said as they walked through the hospital. "Eat's the baby's father." "He's an ass." Levi gestured, "There's Rico." 254
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"Ready to go?" Rico fell into step beside them and handed a package to Danny. "This is yours. Courier from the ag-lab brought it over. Did you call them?" "Yeah. That saves me a four hour drive." "You see that pretty little nurse back there?" Rico proudly announced, "She thinks EMT's are hot." "So, you could be ugly as shit and she wouldn't care as long as you went through the course and had the jacket? Great, Rico. That's the type of girl you need." Levi's voice sounded sour with disappointment, even to his own ears. "I thought you had a girlfriend." "We split up again." "I can call Erica or someone in my family for a ride," Candy said as they got close to the elevator that went up to the roof where the helicopter was. "One of my brothers, maybe, would come and get me. Or I could get a cab." It came out as a ramble, a panicked effort to say goodbye. "It seems silly for me to go back to your farm." "You don't want to ride with me?" Levi's heart tripped. "I'm coming back to town." He felt her emotional distancing. More than anything, he wanted to have her next to him for the ride back, to hold her hand, and be close. He'd come so near to losing Andrea, the only woman he'd been emotionally attached to, in any way, in ten years. That had made his feelings for Candy all the stronger. He didn't want to be alone anymore. Never again. And there had never been anyone who made him feel like Candy did. "I don't want to be in the way and...I've got things to do." 255
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"Come on." They rode up in the elevator. Rico strode out and started the chopper. Danny bumped her elbow. "I'm gonna call you later." Then, he sauntered over to the whirlybird and strapped himself in. Levi watched Candy watching Danny. He wanted her attention on him. Forever. "This has been a really long day." "Yeah, it has." She swiveled her head in his direction. "I might fall asleep in the truck if I have to do the ride alone." "You have a lot to think about. I think having a baby named after you would keep you awake." "I still have a concussion. Maybe I need a driver." "I don't know how to drive a stick shift." "Let me teach you." Levi put his hands on her hips. "I wanna teach you all sorts of things." "I think you're gonna be busy." "What?" He didn't really understand what was going on. "Between the cows and teaching that baby things. You've got a lot going on already, Levi. A whole life. I can see that now. What did you say last night? A whole lot of plates you're already juggling? I don't see me fitting in there. Remember? I wanna be the center of somebody's universe." Hadn't he been doing a pretty good job at transferring all his emotion in her direction? He'd given her as much attention as his stamina could handle. She couldn't have hurt him worse if she'd used a bazooka on his chest. Was she breaking up with him, already? Was it 256
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because of Danny or what? "I thought things were good between us." "They were. It was fun. A little traumatic, but you said it first. I'm a city girl. That never changed." "You coming or what?" Danny hollered. "Just a minute!" Levi's frustration exhibited itself in tightening his grip on her. "Come on." That made her smile. He had to convince her, somehow. Without giving her warning, he spun her around, pushed her against the wall beside the elevator and put his lips to hers. If nothing else, he'd give her one hell of a goodbye. He wasted no time in putting his tongue in her mouth, too. Candy capitulated easily, her body soft everywhere as his hard body pressed. Jesus, he never wanted to let go. He never wanted to stop kissing her. Danny's shadow fell over them, no telling how long they'd been kissing. "Either say goodbye or both of you get on the chopper. I really gotta get home." "Come on." Levi willed her to give in. "I'll bring you right back." Right back. Two hours plus the chopper ride. Would that be long enough to talk her into packing her stuff and coming to the farm long enough to fall in love with the place, and him? "It's only another couple hours," he said. "Oh, all right. I need to get my phone," she muttered. "And my underwear." Had he heard that right? 257
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They got on the whirly bird holding hands but made the ride in comparative silence. All he could think about was whether or not she had her panties on or not. At least, the crackers had settled his stomach a little. He didn't feel like throwing up anymore. He watched Candy's profile. There was no way to tell what she was thinking. Women were such a mystery to him. Take Andrea. How many times had he warned her off of both the Kazinsky's, Ethan in particular? It was just a matter of time before one of them got her pregnant. The law of averages screamed that. Even though she swore she used protection every time. How many times had they gone the rounds about morality and fidelity? She preached it at him and Jack and everyone else as much as a girl could, using herself as the worst example of stupidity. That made Levi think about sex with Candy. Why had he done that without a condom, even once? Because he wanted children? A way to keep her with him? The minute he'd laid eyes on her, he'd known, hadn't he? She had that certain something he'd been looking for. That made him smile in a self-deprecating way. That certain something. What was that? A recommendation from a relative? No. She turned to him, and he saw it. The look in her eyes. The loneliness he saw in his own mirror. But more. There was lust. Most important, though, was the look he'd seen in his mother's eyes, all those years, when she'd looked at his dad. He'd wanted that, to see that in some girl's gaze, all his life. 258
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And he knew what his dad had been talking about now. Completely. When it's right, it's right. "I'm so glad Andrea's going to be okay," Candy said softly. "And that she has a baby." Genuine. Honest. That was what Candy had. Unlike Kerri, Jimmy's fiance, who always had a game going on. Or Andrea, who bluffed tough all the time. Candy had an openness that drew him. A willingness to give him a try. "I don't know how I feel about her naming the baby after me. I sorta thought of naming my own son Levi." "What's your middle name?" "Tucker." "Tucker?" "My mom's maiden name." "Oh. What was her name?" "Marlyna." Candy wrinkled her nose. He couldn't tell if it was in dislike or what. "Did they call her Marly?" "Yeah. How'd you guess?" "Andrea said something." Thoughtful, she averted her profile to the window. "What did she say?" "Oh, nothing." "Andrea's clairvoyant. Did you know that?" Candy shook her head. "Nope." "She reads tarot and stuff like that. Says the dead talk to her." "Really?" "Yeah. You think that's creepy?" 259
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"Oh, I don't know." "She doesn't have a lot of friends because of it." He didn't know why he felt a need to talk about Andrea. Maybe because he wanted Candy and her to be friends? "Why not?" "Most girls are jealous of her, I think. I mean, you saw her. She's got some sorta sex appeal, even pregnant." "I noticed." "Not that I'm drawn to her like that. But even Jack gets pulled in. It's her personality, I guess." "And she cooks and cleans. Pretty much the perfect woman." Candy rubbed her hands down her thighs. "I can see why you love her so much. I mean, what guy wouldn't?" "She was there for me when my family, you know." "So, they were taken to that hospital?" "It's the closest one. Yeah. I haven't been back there since then." Danny turned around in his seat and gave them an odd look. "What?" Levi didn't know what the problem was. "I've just never seen you talk so much. I think you've caught up on the ten years you were mute. What did you do to him, Candy?" "I dunno." She looked out the window again. Levi put his lips to her ear. "Unlocked me." He inhaled, liking the smell of his shampoo in her hair. Loving sitting by her.
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"How come Rico came without help? A rescue chopper should have at least one person for the first aid, shouldn't it, while the other flies it?" Her question came out of nowhere, and Levi knew what she was doing. Still trying to put distance between them. Ignoring what he'd said and what Danny had virtually told her, too. Danny tapped Rico on the arm. "How come no one was with you?" "Noah took the weekend off. And when I heard you were here, I knew I didn't need anybody else." "Danny's a trained EMT, too." Levi hated to list more of Danny's better points. The guy didn't need a sell job. "Really? I'm thinking about doing that." Her interest in Danny stirred. Levi saw it in her expression. "He made ambulance runs while he was in school." "Oh. So that explains...." Levi saw Danny with new eyes. College graduate, a doctor, with the skills to save human lives, too. Easy to get along with. And, by her own account, good at kissing. Danny obviously liked Candy. He'd kissed her more than once. Was there something more there that Levi didn't see? That she wasn't admitting to? No. She wouldn't have made love to him if she had it bad for Danny. Unless she was trying to make Danny jealous? Danny didn't sleep around. Levi knew that much. While Jack was the family tramp, Danny was practically a priest. Maybe he'd been too hard to get? 261
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Levi leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. Had he stepped in the middle of them? "You okay?" Candy put a hand to his back and rubbed. "Yeah. I'll be fine." Levi closed his eyes, wondering if there was any way he could be a gentleman and give up the fight. Danny deserved a good woman. But he did, too, dammit. He rocked a little, feeling sick again. "You need a bag?" Danny asked. "No. I don't need a bag. I'm fine." He wasn't fine. Candy's breast rubbed against his arm. Her thigh pressed against his. Her touch on his back had him weak. Next, she combed through the hair at his nape with her fingertips. It felt so right. How could she possibly do that and be interested in Danny? Was it to make him jealous? Levi stole a glance at his cousin. Danny watched them with a narrowed gaze. Would Danny bow out, knowing Levi had a thing for her? No. He didn't think so. After all, he'd explained things in his bedroom earlier—God, was that today?—and that hadn't made Danny back off. Maybe made it more of a challenge. It reminded him of the situation between Danny and Jimmy and how Kerri had come between them. That didn't help Levi's stomach. He hoped Jimmy was gone when he made it back to the farm. "There we are," Rico announced, as he took the chopper down. "Ah, looks like somebody else is there. That's a Kaz truck, isn't it?" 262
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KAZ in lightning bolt letters were easy to read on the side of the truck. "Shit." Levi recognized it straight off. The purple and yellow monster was Ethan's. Nate's was red. "What's Ethan doing there? I thought he was in B.F.E." "B.F.E.?" Candy stretched her neck to see. "Bum fucking Egypt. Somewhere the hell else." "Looks like he got back," she said. "Probably heard the scanner," Rico said, putting the chopper on the ground. "I'm not gonna stick around. I hate that guy. And I need to go and restock. Catch ya later." He left right away, the minute they were clear of the blades. Ethan came out, clenching his fists, looking ready to kill something. The bastard. Levi was pretty sure he'd tossed Andrea into a wall and caused her to lose the one baby. Certainly, he blamed Eat for her bleeding. One way or another, he'd done something to her. "Where is she?" Ethan demanded without preamble. "Where do you think?" Levi was ready to take the guy on, despite the fact that Eat Kazinsky was approximately the size of two men. Lumberjack build. Tall, six foot six, broad shouldered in a Mack truck way. Fists the size of hams. "She all right?" Ethan's gaze swept to Candy and took interest only a second after the question. "What the fuck do you care?" Levi stepped in front of her, blocking the man's view. "Get in the truck, Candy." Danny came even with Levi. "Who's that?" 263
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Candy pushed between the two of them. "I've got to mop that floor. She can't come back to that." She stomped right up to Ethan and said, "Move." He looked a little confused but let her pass. He watched her ass as she disappeared through the door. It made Levi mad enough to kill. "You need to get in your truck and leave," Danny said. "We don't want any trouble." "I don't take orders from anybody. Least of all the two of you." Ethan rested his hands on his hips. "Where is she? And who is that?" "County General." Danny volunteered the information. Levi wouldn't have told the guy a thing. "She okay?" Levi thought about plowing the guy down. "She almost bled to death. Not that it matters to you." "What about the baby?" "Dead. You killed it, you sonofabitch." For the first time since Levi had known Ethan Kazinsky, the man's expression softened. If he hadn't known better, Levi would have thought the man actually cared about the news. "What was it?" "A little girl." Danny again volunteered the information. "Now, why don't you go on and get drunk or whatever you do on Saturday nights, and let her get on with her life? Enough's enough, isn't it?" "She say she didn't want anything more to do with me?" "What do you think?" Levi growled. "When she called me, you think she had you on her mind?" 264
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"I know how it is with the two of you, so don't try and bullshit me," Ethan repeated. "She say she didn't want anything more to do with me or not?" "You are a bad, stupid, chapter in her life. It's closed now. Move on. You don't have any obligations to her, not that you ever felt like you had any in the first place." Levi let out a heavy breath. "I'll take care of her. You don't have to bother anymore." "Just go," Danny entreated. Ethan didn't move. "Come on, Eat." Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "We've had a long day, and we're not looking for a fight." "I might be," Levi said. "I'm on a roll today." Danny chuckled. "You don't wanna mess with Le today, Eat. He's thumped Jack, Jimmy, and me." "Is that right?" Eat narrowed his gaze. "What's going on with you?" Levi didn't feel like explaining anything to him. So he just stared at Ethan, thinking about the best spot to hit him. A head plow would probably be the way to go. He could run Eat into the wall behind him, get in some kidney punches. Ethan's lips twisted. "That pretty little thing that just went past me?" Leaning one hand against the front post of the porch, Ethan said, "Hell, Le. I didn't know you had something else to lose." Hate roiled up in Levi then. Since it was Eat's father who had killed his family, there was absolutely no love lost here. 265
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"Leave it alone, Eat. Go on. Get out of here." Danny took hold of Levi's arm. "Don't let him get to you." "That's the only reason you screwed around with Andrea, isn't it?" Suddenly, Levi understood it. He had been angry at Ethan and Nathan for what their father's drunk driving had done. He'd accused them all of being worthless low lives. In turn, Ethan had given Andrea, and him, hell for the last ten years. Nathan, too. When Ethan wasn't at Andrea's, Nate was, it seemed. Rubbing salt in the wound. Never letting his anger die. "Andrea and I understand each other," Ethan said. "And that's none of your business. When you gonna figure that out?" "Andrea's business is my business," Levi replied. "When are you gonna figure that out?" "Kaz." Danny cajoled, "Come on. Get in your truck." "So, what you doin' screwin' around with that piece of ass in there? You can't shit me." "That piece of ass has a name." Levi seethed. "It's Candy." That made Ethan smile. "Oh, I bet it is. Sweet, huh?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty Candy heard the men go back and forth. The window over the sink was open, so their voices carried easily. The blood on the floor wasn't as bad as she'd thought, and clean up with the rag in the kitchen sink went quicker than expected. Piece of ass? Puh-leeeeze. The guy obviously had no respect for women. She rinsed the cloth, thinking Ethan was a total shithead. She didn't know squat about his history, nor did she care. Anybody could tell Levi had no patience with the man. That, alone, was good enough for her. Candy washed her hands, dried them on the hand towel hanging from the fridge handle, and went to the front door, opening it. Ethan turned around. Lord, he was big. So huge he completely blocked out the sun, and everything else. "Well, well. Candy, is it? You are sweet, aren't you?" Why did Candy sound almost dirty coming from his mouth? She guessed that the man was used to women swooning at his feet just over his size alone. One glance at his hands, then his feet, and she knew the man had nothing on his body that was small. Those had to be size fourteen army boots. Clods compared to Levi's feet. He had a Mr. Universe build. Big, bulky. Bulging biceps that made Levi's firm muscle mass look almost puny-slim in comparison. Although, Levi's body was everything, and more, than she'd ever wanted. 267
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Still, she gave Ethan one thing. Most women probably thought he was drop-dead gorgeous. He had a Hercules/Kevin Sorbo appeal. Rough and smooth at the same time. Now, this was He-man, or The Hulk without the green. Whatever. He was in her way and annoying her just by his presence. So, this was the guy that had knocked Andrea up and then knocked her around? What a man. "Candace," she clarified. This was the father of Andrea's baby? No wonder Danny and Levi had sneered over mention of him. If she was a piece of ass, what did that make him? A total asshole? She'd dealt with guys like this before. Men who thought every woman was his for the taking. And maybe country girls fell for his type, but she'd never had any stomach for men like this. "And you are...what? The asshole I've heard tell about?" He smiled at her. If he hadn't already made a bad impression, she might have been swayed by it. The guy had a certain charm. And the light in his eyes, it was sex and nasty thoughts, and...whipped cream with a cherry on top. "Sassy. I like that." So suggestive. So inviting. It confused Candy a little. On one hand, she didn't like the guy straight up. On the other, she realized that she would have, if it hadn't been for what she'd heard. He was the kind of guy Erica would die for, and Andrea too, obviously. "Get in your fucking truck," Levi growled. Ethan put a hand to the doorjamb. "I think I like where I'm at, thanks. Where'd he find you, sweetheart?" Candy tipped her head. How to deal with a guy like this? 268
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Oh. She knew. Same way she'd dealt with Jimmy. It would take him off guard and get him begging. She sidled up to him, a smile on her face. "I come from the city." "Is that right?" His baritone had a schmooze to it that she knew made other women melt. She felt sorry for Andrea. Poor girl had fallen for the practiced tongue of a wannabe Romeo. Or maybe he was one. A Casanova, hopping from one bed to the next, if she judged him right. "Yep. You know, I meet guys like you all the time." "Guys like me? Oh, honey, I bet not." "Hmm. You sure?" She got close enough to brush a hand across his zipper. Sure enough, the man was semi-hard. Didn't take much for men whose brains were all below their belt. "I like you." "Really?" She fluttered her lashes at him. "You like this?" She grabbed a serious hold on his crotch, taking him by surprise, and pushed, making him back up. "Because I just wanna say, I don't like being called a piece of ass by a man who hasn't even been introduced to me." She had him to the steps, tripping backward down them. His hand covered hers about the time they were on the flat ground. "Let go." Levi cut between them. "Oh, I don't think so." She kept her gaze nailed to Ethan's. "We're coming to an understanding." "Careful, honey, I might take this as foreplay." 269
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Levi chopped down on Eat's forearm, which forced Candy to lose her hold. She stumbled out of the way. Danny surprised her by swinging around with a short piece of a two by four. He whacked Ethan in the back. "You didn't want to do that," Eat said, barely phased at all, spinning one fist into Levi and round housing in Danny's direction. "Get in the truck," Levi ordered. Candy knew he was talking to her. What was the matter with these men? Two much country fresh air? She skedaddled toward the truck. Who would have thought the city would be safer? Did men everywhere brawl? Her brothers did, but hell... Almost to the truck, she realized that Danny and Levi might need her help. Ethan Kazinsky was a monster of a man. A mountain. She turned around in time to see Levi headbutt into Eat's kidney while Danny had him distracted. She suspected they'd done this before, taken on the Kaz. After all, neither of them had hesitated. She put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. They paused, all faces swiveling in her direction. "That's enough! I'm ready to go." "We're almost done here." Danny said with a grin as he swung the board again, this time hooking Eat in the upper leg. Ethan went down to his knees, and Levi climbed over him, popping him a few more times in the ear while saying, "Don't fucking call her a piece of ass again. Hear me?" "Yeah. Yeah," Eat said, fending him off. 270
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One more thump for good measure. "All right." Levi backed off. "So long as we understand each other." Two feet away, he turned back and punched him again, this time in the neck. "And leave Andrea alone!" "Okay. Okay." Candy took it for what it was. A whole lot of history between them, not about her. More about Ethan and Andrea than anything. They all went to the truck, and climbed in. They didn't leave, though, until he did. It took a few minutes before Candy cleared her voice. "So, uh, that's little Levi's daddy, huh?" Levi rubbed his jaw and stared out the window, his arm propped on the sill. "Yeah." "Big guy." "The harder they fall," Danny said, shifting gears. "I never would have figured you for a two by four sort of guy," she said. "Is that a country trick? In town, we use bats, pipes, and crowbars." He grinned. "I've learned before. With a Kaz, you need an equalizer. He's got me by eighty pounds or better." "Yeah. All in his arms and, well, you know." Both Danny and Levi turned on her, staring her down. Talk about being in the middle of lasers. "I'm just saying." Wow. She'd opened her mouth on that one. Staring straight ahead, she said, "You know, it's not what you got. It's what you do with it." They didn't say anything. But she was glad when they stopped looking at her. Both men turned gazes out the 271
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windows, and she stole sideways glances at both of them. Danny had a grin on his face. Levi looked furious. "So, he's got a brother, huh?" She didn't know why she was pushing it. They didn't respond. "You said his name is Nathan?" "Yeah." Danny hit reverse, shifted to first, then the accelerator, spinning out after Kaz. "Do they look alike?" "Why do you care?" Levi tensed beside her. "Curious, I guess. Is Nathan as easy to get along with as Ethan?" That made her grin. "God, had he said grabbing him was foreplay? The man's a total ass." "Glad you noticed," Levi said. "You've gotta stop grabbing men by the balls." "Nate's not half as bad." Danny shifted again. "Says you." Levi fingered his eye. "Did this come open?" "No." Danny spared him a glance. "Headbutting with a wound like that wasn't the best idea. Could've ruined all my handiwork." "You know it's the only way to get him." "So, you guys double-team like that a lot, or what?" "No. Used to." Danny grinned. "But I got respectable, and Le, what happened to you?" "Stopped caring about things enough to fight over them." "What made you do it today? Scared over Andrea?" Candy really wanted to know. Was it Andrea or her that had stirred him?
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"Come here." He put his arm around her shoulders and tugged her close. "It's all your fault. When you put a hand on him, I saw red." He kissed her. Not a little soft peck. A hard, insistent, possessive thing, like he was trying to brand her lips. He didn't let up until she softened beneath him and returned the emotion. Holy heavens. She wanted to climb up in his lap and turn into him more until she could put a hand up around his neck. Levi's hands began to rove and squeeze as she shifted. "Jesus, Levi," Danny groused. "Wait 'til I get you back to the farm. We'll be there in a minute. You think I wanna watch this?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty-One Danny dropped Levi and Candy off in front of the farm house with a quick goodbye. They stood there, silently watching him cruise up the drive. Levi realized a few things. His dogs were nowhere around, Jimmy's truck was still there, and he was starving. He needed to check his cows, to make sure Frank and Jack had done their jobs. Not because he doubted them, but that was his routine. Not that he was often pulled away from doing his share. "If you're hungry, you can go in and get something. Heat up those steaks from earlier, if you want. I gotta check on the cows and figure out where the dogs are." Levi headed toward the calf barn and pointed at Jimmy's truck, still parked there. "Looks like Jimmy's still hanging out." "I can wait to eat, I guess." Candy followed him. "Are you worried about the dogs?" "No. But if they aren't here, then something's probably up with the cows or horses. They tend to be wherever trouble is." She chuckled. "So that's why they stay at your heels most of the time." "Boog spends a lot of time at Frank's ankles, actually. And Jack's." One look at the calves, and Levi became irritated. He was tired and hungry, and it looked like the bottle feeding hadn't 274
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been done. "Dammit," he growled, going to work immediately, prepping bottles. Candy leaned against the barn wall, legs crossed. "Maybe you need to hire one more guy. Think your helpers are still milking?" "Maybe. Sometimes the equipment hangs up." "Who fixes it?" "Me, usually. Here." He passed her a couple full bottles. "You give the calves powdered milk? With all the dairy cows here?" "It's a special formula with colostrum in it. The antibodies from first milking after a calf's born. Weak calves need extra help with that." "So, this is really a regular thing, the nursery here?" "'Fraid so." A few minutes later, he had her bottle feeding a week old calf and laughing over the tongue action of it. Levi loved watching her, seeing her settling in, growing more comfortable in his barn, with his cows. She could be a permanent fixture, and he'd be happy. "Hey. I was thinking." She glanced up, and the distraction got her fingers licked again. She wrinkled her nose, "Bleck. About what?" "I could give you a job. You could stay and get paid, room and board would be included." "A job? I have a job, Levi." The calf finished that bottle, and he passed her another. "Andrea's not gonna have time to come over and clean house now that she's got a new baby." "She'll need the money." 275
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"Nah. She has an income. She does it to stay busy." "I have a job," she repeated, petting the calf's neck with her free hand. "You could quit. Give farm life a chance." He struggled with swallowing, thinking Please think about it. "You look good on your knees there." Her eyes rounded on him. "You did not just say that." "You know what I meant. At home." He willed her to understand what he was asking her to do. Just to give it a try. "I could make a country girl out of you. I'm sure of it." The calf finished drinking and nudged a wet-licked nose on her. Levi pulled her to her feet, pushing it away. "I'm serious, Candy." "You know what would happen? I'd lose my job, my apartment, and in a week, you'd be tired of me. Then what would I do?" "You don't get it, do you?" "What?" Levi sauntered closer, slid a hand over her cheek, tucking it under her hair and around the back of her neck. "I have no doubts about love at first sight. I've been waiting for it all my life." He did his best convincing, kissing her senseless, giving his all to relaying the sentiment in body language. Without letting go of the back of her head, he wrangled his fingers in her hair, but not tightly, and he dropped his lips to hers, hesitating only a second. Just long enough to make eye contact. "I believe in love at first sight." 276
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When his lips descended the mere fraction of an inch left between them, they landed with purpose, spread with instant heat, while his tongue slid into the center of her mouth, coaxing her tongue to join it in dance. Within seconds, Candy clung to his shirt, and he backed her to the corral panel, thinking about making love to her right there. It had been too long. He was ready to go again. That was the thing. He had never had such needs before. Not continual attraction and desire to have sex again and again with the same woman. The idea of her leaving and going back to the city made him crazy with a panic inside. Like if he let her go, he'd lose her. Erica, damn her, would probably set Candy up with Jack next. He didn't doubt that Jack would call looking for Candy. Or Rico. The no fail hero type. She pulled away. "What are you thinking about?" "Why?" "Because you went from gentle to...." Ah. His grip had tightened. "I don't want to let you go." Laughing that off, Candy slipped out of his fingers and ducked through the fence "We've got to slow down. It's probably lack of food that's making us think this could work." She scooped up the empty bottles. His heart tripped. "You think this could work?" "You do a pretty hard sell." She had her back to him. "We need to wash these, right?" Moving toward the deep basin sink, she got right to it.
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This is how perfect she is. She's already taking care of things, thinking about what needs done. Why can't she see that this is where she's supposed to be? "Where do you think those dogs are?" "I dunno. I'm gonna have to check the other barns. Go around and make sure things are right before I go in." "I don't know how you keep up your strength." She turned the water off and dried her hands on the towel hanging nearby. "Usually I get more than pie and whipped cream to hold me over." Memory of the whipped creamed lovemaking swept through his head. "Not that I'm complaining. I'd live on whipped cream." He snatched her hand, flipped off the light, and took her toward the milking barn. "My stomach is growling. Probably because you ate more of the whipped cream than I did." Her grin was great. Another thing he liked about her. Just about everything out of her mouth was a tease or a reminder. "You really should share more." "I've been living alone a long time. Come. Fix me." "Ah. Right. If there's one thing I've learned from my dad and my brothers, men can't be fixed. You just want someone else to spin some of your plates for a bit." That smart aleck statement needed retaliation. Levi wrapped his arms around her in a quick move, lifting her off the ground. "You think?" "Hey! Yes! And they have no manners, either. I have personal space, buddy, and you're in it." 278
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He laughed. "Do I have to reintroduce myself? My name is not buddy." He carried her forward, hanging on tight, despite the fact that she tried to peel his fingers loose. "No? I could have sworn—" "What?" He bounced her for good measure. "That you were at least born in a barn, buddy." "You saying I'm too at home in one?" He carried her into the open door of the milking barn. It was dark, and he had to lean into the light switch with his shoulder because he wasn't letting go of her. "I'm just saying," she said, laughing at the way he was struggling to get the light on. She let him hump around a little before she finally reached up and flipped it on. "Boy, do you need help." "Boy, huh?" He let her go, spun her, and put her back to the wall, hands scooping to snag a good grip on her ass. "Farm boy." "I'll show you what farm boys do." He yanked her lower body into his. He had a hard-on, and she needed to know it. "Oooh!" Wickedly, he explained, "We fuck around in the hay. Wanna try it?" "I heard hay was itchy." "Depends on who's on bottom. You wanna ride a cowboy?" Again, he carried her, anxious this time to get her somewhere where they could screw around properly. She laughed the whole time, pushing at his arms but not seriously protesting. "Le...Levi! You have dogs to check on. Don't you?" 279
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"Mmmhmm." He nuzzled her neck as they went. Then he threw her backward onto the small hay stack in the corner of the barn, which had been covered with a heavy blanket, and landed on top of her. "Right after I take care of teaching you a few things." "Ack! Like what?" "Like little city girl needs some lessons." "In what?" "This." Levi concentrated hard as he undid her pants. He knew one thing. He had to get them down. "What if someone catches us?" "Get loud, honey, and they'll stay outside until we're done. Even if they do come close." Loose! He yanked her jeans down over her hips. His eyebrows went up. "No panties?" Jesus, that had been driving him crazy all the way home from the hospital. "I had to rinse them out. They're hanging in the bathroom." "Shit." He slid downward, hands on her hips, kneading her flesh, thinking seriously about going down on her again. "You are so fucking hot." She was slick between her legs. Her pussy was soaked with wanting him. He dragged the jeans lower, off her thighs. Forget asking. He dove in and put his tongue to her. Levi groaned about the time she moaned. He had her squirming in seconds, begging, "Oh, Le...Levi, please." Which had him wet, too. He undid his pants and rose above her. 280
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"God," he said. "I cannot fucking get enough of you." Sliding into her, deep in, he groaned again. Candy moaned again. "Are you teaching me...what?" She gasped. "P-pl-pleasure?" Another long hard stroke. "How a cowboy rides." Another thrust. "You like it?" "Hmm?" "Pay attention, sweetheart. This isn't gonna be a long lesson." He pumped deep again. "None of them are." She giggled breathlessly. "Oh, you're asking for it." One, two, three, four, as hard as he could manage. The bad thing was, he couldn't hold out to save his life. He'd just have to screw her repeatedly until one time took longer. Pump. It. All. The. Way. In. "Jesus. I'm gonna come." "No! Stop!" "What?" Levi froze. Had he hurt her? "Just hold on." "You okay." "Yeah." She gasped, "Let me on top." "Just a few more strokes." "No." She put her hands on his cheeks, looked him in the eye. "Let the girl ride, Le." Candy grinned, restating herself. "She wants to ride the cowboy." He dropped his nose to her throat, hanging onto his sanity. "Okay. Just give me a minute. If I move..." She sighed sweetly, her fingers slipping through his hair. "We forgot the friggin' condoms. You have one in your pocket?" 281
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"Oh, yeah. I forgot I put the ones Andrea gave us in there." Levi kissed her for reminding him. It was so evident that she wasn't used to screwing around. He pulled out of her and, between them, they fumbled to dig the condom from his jeans, opened it, and put it on. "Sit," she ordered. Candy tripped on her pants around her ankles, kicked them off, and climbed onto his lap, straddling him, settling on his cock. He put his hands on her waist. His gaze on her face. So intent on getting off, she bit her lower lip, frowning. Too cute. He humped upward, trying to help. Her squirming had no rhythm, but it completely drove him right back to the edge of orgasm. It felt good, but he told her, "As good as this feels, I gotta admit, I like it without the rubber better." "Me, too," she gasped. "Oh. I'm almost there." "Get it, honey." He tried to encourage her. But his mind tripped into the future. How many times would he like to see her above him like this? Every day? "You know," he said as she grunted, wiggling down on him with more force. "What?" she gritted through her teeth. "I've never had sex in here before, either." "Oh, geez." She groaned, and he knew she was getting right there. "Don't...tell me." she gasped. "I've ruined...this...barn now." "Fuck me, honey." He humped upward again, trying to help her. And that's when he knew he was going to have to 282
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go for it. "God, you're so sexy." Pump. Thrust. Deep, deep stroke. "Oh. Oh. Oh!" She was there. And the way her inner walls convulsed around his dick had him pumping into the condom immediately. It just kept coming too, because she had the longest orgasm in history. Not that he'd ever complain about that. But, after he came, her moving around just tickled. He closed his eyes, trying not to laugh at the torture. She rested her head on his chest. He patted her, but the minute she moved again, he said, "Ooh. Stop." "What?" "It tickles." "Tickles?" "Don't ask me why. It's just over-sensitive now." Her head came up. "You want me to get off?" "You did already, didn't you?" "Yeah. I mean, get off of your lap." "Oh. Yeah. That would be good." Her climbing off was a bit fun. "It isn't as messy with one of those." Pulling her pants up and zipping them, she glanced at the rafters. "You're gonna have to burn the place, you know." "What?" He sat up and peeled off the condom. "For insurance. I can't see you taking a loss on this whole barn just because we messed around in it a little." He couldn't tell if she was joking or not. He wouldn't even think of burning his barn. 283
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Bending over, she scooped up the wrapper to the condom and shoved it in her pocket. "No sense in letting the hired help know you ruined the barn." Levi didn't give a shit about the hired help or what they thought. What he cared about was her blatant talk about the barn. It screamed that she wouldn't be his wife. "If Jack doesn't know, you'd probably be all right. Just keep the little woman up in the house and the calf barn. You know?" "What's Jack got to do with it?" He dropped the condom and stood up, dragging his pants over his ass and zipping up, too. "I just think he wouldn't let you forget it if he knew." "When did he come to your mind?" She frowned. "Oh. The whole time we were doing that. What do you think?" Furious all of a sudden, she said, "You are such a friggin' Neanderthal! I thought of him about the time my senses returned." Her voice raised an octave. "Now pick that thing up!" "No." He didn't give a shit if Jack and Frank had walked in on them. They could clean up condoms after him all day for all he cared. Not that they'd have to. But why was she making such a big deal out of this? They'd used one of Jack's condoms already. It wasn't like he didn't know they were screwing around. "You wanna clean up the barn, you do it." She stomped past him and picked it up with a thumb and forefinger, holding it out. "Take it." 284
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"I don't want it." "I don't know where the trash is." "So leave it." "One of your dogs will eat it or something." He tried not to laugh, but the desire bubbled up inside him. "You aren't serious, are you?" She was! The girl was absolutely priceless. "Come here." He pulled her into his arms. "Hey!" Jack came around through the back door of the barn. "I thought I heard you in here." Candy squealed, the condom flew off to the corner somewhere, and she flashed her best I'm-respectable-face. "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" Jack hesitated at a good distance. "Would it matter if I said yes?" Levi didn't wait for an answer. He knew the truth. Jack would have peeked around the corner if he thought he could catch them fucking. The guy was a total perv. "You get that swather running? The hay's getting high. It's gonna have to be cut sooner than later." "Nah. Gonna have to get parts." "Shit. That'll have to wait until Monday." Levi calculated the growing season. He didn't have a lot of leeway if he wanted to get an extra hay cutting before winter. "What's a swather do?" Hadn't he told her that earlier? "Cuts hay." "Oh. Is it expensive to fix?" "A little bit." There she was thinking about the money again. She scrunched up her nose. "I'm sorry." 285
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"Why? You didn't mess it up." "On principle. I hope you budget for stuff like this." Jack thought that was funny as hell. Levi could see the truth dawn on the man's face. "He budgets like hell," Jack said, sidling closer. "Where's the dogs?" "Down at the horse barn. That mare's in labor." "Mare?" Candy tipped her head. "A girl horse?" "Where'd you get her again?" Jack chuckled. "Girl, you need to stay around, just for laughs." She reproached him with a hurt look. "What did I say?" "A mare is a girl horse." Levi scratched the back of his neck. "Andrea's gonna live, thanks for asking." "Sorry. Been dealing with some shit around here. That's good news, I guess." "You going in to see her?" Candy said, "I bet she'd appreciate it if you show you cared." "You think so?" Jack eyed Candy with intentness. "Well." She put a hand to her hair. "She seems to like buttheads. So, yeah. Probably." "Ouch." Jack lifted an eyebrow. "What did I do to you?" "Oh. Let's see." She held up her hand and ticked off her fingers. "Picked a fight. Gave Levi a concussion. Cut his eye open where he had to have stitches." "That true?" Jack put a hand below his heart. "Yeah." Levi didn't hold a grudge, really. He'd get him back as soon as he hauled Candy back to the city. "If it's any consolation, I think I have a cracked rib." 286
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"Good." Candy surprised them both with no sympathy whatsoever. "Maybe you'll both think twice about starting that stuff in the future. I swear, fighting. I mean, geez. Know enough to walk away from a fight where you can get hurt." That was funny. Levi grinned pretty big. "Says the girl that grabs the nuts of a Kaz." "Holy shit." Jack's jaw dropped open in awe. "She did that? Man, I wish I'd been there." "It wasn't that spectacular." Candy waved a hand in the air. "Levi got really stupid and head-butted him and Danny whacked Eat with a two by four." "Just tell me how you got a hold of his crotch." Jimmy staggered into the other end of the barn behind them, a steak in hand, snacking on it like it was jerky. "I wondered where everybody went. What did I miss? Anything good?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty-Two "Andrea got rushed to the hospital." Jack volunteered. "Yeah?" Jimmy licked his fingers. Levi's stomach growled. He eyed his steak with annoyance. Jimmy made himself too at home at his place. In fact, everybody did. Memory of Danny and Andrea and Jack, and all that had gone on today in his kitchen and at his bedroom door had Levi realizing he needed to set a few rules down. There was no way Candy would stick around if she had to worry about Andrea or someone else, making themselves at home. But, first things first. "She's all right. I'm gonna have to go back in and check on her, soon as I go down to the horse barn and see what's up there." "Mare's in foal," Jack chimed in again. "That right?" Jimmy asked. "Why don't we drive over in my pickup?" "You sober up, any?" Candy's gaze narrowed on him. "Or did you get up and pop another hair of the dog?" He smiled at her. "You are spunky, aren't you?" To Levi, he said, "I cannot wait until you put her in a room with Kerri. That's gonna be funny as shit." "You think." Maybe he wouldn't ever put Candy anywhere near Kerri. That girl had a noxious bubble around her. Women tended to get sucked in to her wicked little circle. If it were up to him, he wouldn't introduce Candy to any more of his friends or family. He'd keep her all to himself. 288
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"When I get married, you gonna come down to the barbecues?" Jimmy sidled further into the barn, closer to Candy, as he swallowed the last piece of meat. "The Colonel has them every month." "Is that right? Who's the Colonel?" Candy didn't seem all that interested in the invitation, just being polite. She had no idea what a social leap it was for people in the country to get an open invite like that. It was bragging rights in those parts. All she'd had to do was grab Jimmy by the balls once, and she had him, literally, in the palm of her hand. Admiration from him was hard won, usually. Respect for women not being one of his strong suits. Levi didn't think he liked Jimmy being so friendly. "The richest man in the state." Jack, it seemed, was downright chatty. Levi wondered what had happened to his world. It seemed like the whole damn thing had turned upside down in less than twenty-four hours. "My fiance's father." Jimmy wiped his fingers on his shirt front. Levi didn't have time to stand around and talk about barbecues. "I gotta go down to the horse barn." With his arms wide, he made a swishing motion. "Time to leave this one. Everybody out." Candy didn't move. Jack and Jimmy headed for the door. The minute they were out of sight, she jerked her head sideways in the direction she'd thrown the condom.
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Levi gestured for her to forget it about and go out, too. She shook her head, frowning, and pointed. He went to the light. "Come on. I don't have time to find it right now." "We can't leave it!" Jack and Jimmy poked their heads back around the corner. Jimmy asked, "You coming?" The thought that he already did crossed Levi's mind. He eyed Candy with humor. She blushed. "I need to talk to Levi for a minute, if you don't mind." She propped her hands on her hips, waiting for them to duck out again. The minute they did, she flew to the area where she'd thrown the condom and climbed over the hay bales, half panicked, "Where did that thing go?" "I'll find it later." "It's got to be right on top." He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. The girl tried his patience. Why wouldn't she listen to him? "You're wasting time." That was one thing he didn't do much of. Candy paused mid-search, her butt in the air. Levi liked the view, but he didn't understand why this mattered at the moment until it dawned on him that she really cared what his workers thought of her and that she was stalling so they wouldn't have to leave so soon. Maybe she had a desire to come back out and have to face his men and didn't want to be embarrassed? He moseyed over to her and looked around, too. 290
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"I'm sure it'll turn up when I pitch hay in the next day or so." "I want to find it now." "I gotta check on my mare." "Does everything around here get pregnant? Cows, horses, Andrea—" "Everything female. That's how things work when the studs do their job right." He spotted the damn condom and had to climb over a couple bales to get to it. "You need me to explain the birds and the bees to you?" "You don't have to be snippy." He picked it up. "Now what you want me to do with it?" As he turned around, he caught her in the act of staring at his butt again. "You know, if you move in, you can watch it all day long." "What?" "My ass." Spinning, she stomped out. "I was not looking at your ass." Levi dropped the condom in a trash container in the corner. Then, to appease her for any future questions about it, he moved things around so the condom slid into obscurity. That should make her happy. When he went around and out the door, Jimmy and Jack were nowhere in sight and she was almost to the back porch. Levi set his hands on his hips and watched her stomp on in. Was she following the men in for something? It would be just like Jimmy to get another beer. That would pretty much clean him out if he counted right. Not that he cared about that. He 291
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could always buy more. But he didn't like the thought of her in there alone with Jack if Jimmy had gone on to the horse barn without them. Levi marched toward the back door, too. But before he got there, she came back out with another shirt on, and he had to pull himself up. At least she had on one of his this time. "Whoa. Didn't know you were a quick change artist." "That one was bugging me. And I had to wash my hands." "I promised I'd take it off of you first chance we got." "What did you do with it?" It? Oh. The condom. "Put it in the trash." "Where?" "We have a big rubber can in the corner of every barn." "Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?" Belligerent anger rode roughshod over her features. He liked the feisty look on her face, but fighting would have to wait. They had things to do. "What?" Levi had to ask. "We haven't fought in, oh," he glanced at his watch, "fifteen minutes and you need a fix?" Her lips slapped shut. She thought for a moment and then shouted, "We did not fight fifteen minutes ago." "Whatever. Get in the truck." He opened the door, which screeched in protest. She paraded past him, chin and nose in the air, commanding, "You need to oil that thing," as she climbed in. For good measure, he spanked her on the bottom. Just one smack and it wasn't hard. As he expected, she objected with a squeaky "Hey!" "I like things that make noise if you haven't noticed." 292
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The thing that annoyed him most was the fact that she'd climbed past the gear shift again. Cranky over that, he pulled himself up by the steering wheel and yanked the door shut. He sat there, staring at the calf barn, wondering why she had to be so obtuse. "What is the matter now?" Her tone let him know if he wanted to fight, she was up for it. Levi struggled for a few minutes in silence. If he had to explain it...The fact that he might have to made him mad. Dammit, she knew he wanted her closer. Huffing air out his nose, he looked over at her. His lips were tight. Her eyes flashed, and she, too, pursed her lips, waiting, silently daring him to say something. He looked down at the space on the seat between them. Well, hell. Two can be obtuse. If that's the way she wanted it, he wasn't begging. He started Lucky Truck up and put her in gear. It didn't bother him that there was a little grinding at the way he shifted. It suited his temper at the moment. Candy folded her arms and stared out the windshield. Levi adjusted his mirror so he could see her face. She lifted her eyebrows, watching him in it, but didn't say anything. They hightailed it over the hill. He supposed Jack talked Jimmy into hiking it. When he wasn't in a hurry, he took the quicker-walk cow trail behind the milking barn. In the truck, he had to go around. Since he'd probably head straight into town from the horse barn, it made sense to drive. Candy perked up at the sight of the pond. It was hidden by the curve of the long rolling hill that separated his house from the back section of his property. Ducks and a couple pair of 293
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geese waddled around it. Heavy, old trees that the first Bishop planted were sprawled out around the pond, shading most of the area up close to it. "I didn't know you had geese." "There's a lot you don't know about me, yet. Why? You like birds?" "Not particularly." She craned her head around so far he could only see the side of her head in the mirror. That ticked him off more. He ground the gears again. "That can't be good for the truck." "Do you care?" Candy flounced in her seat, turning on him. "Things cost money. You can't tear something up because you get angry. See? This is one of the reasons I can't move in with you." Levi stomped the brake. They rocked forward hard. "What are you doing?" Appalled, she ordered, "Just drive." "Explain that insane reasoning you just threw out." "I shouldn't have to." "I shouldn't have to tell you to sit your ass next to me, either, but apparently, I do." She glanced at the space between them. "Is that what this is about?" "I don't even know what this is." He thumped the steering wheel with a fist. "Holy shit, Candy, cut me some slack." Silence stretched. "Are you done?" Huffing air out his nose again, he said, "No. Probably not." "What's bothering you?" 294
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"You." "Me? What did I do now? I'm just sitting over here, behaving myself." "Exactly." He looked straight at her, willing her to get it. He was pretty sure she did, but was being stubborn. Levi slid a hand through his hair. Damn. "You know? I don't even like talking. Not to anybody. Especially not to women." "So, what, you're mad at me because I ask you things?" "No. I like that." He picked at the old steering wheel cover. It needed replaced and was looking frayed. "I like that you're willing to try things at least once." "I like to try some a second time." "I didn't say you didn't." He supposed her comments about taking care of the truck came from seeing the shabbier side of the farm. He hadn't changed a thing in the house in ten years. Couldn't she see how comfortable it was, the way his mom had left it? Her touches were the only thing that made it a home. That was something money couldn't buy. Levi figured he needed to spell some things out for her. "I take care of this truck. You have no idea how good I take care of it usually, and everything." "Okay." "That's all I do. Take care of things." He just wanted someone to take care of him for a bit. The thought struck him. It warred with what he'd told her the first night. He didn't need anybody to wait on him hand and foot. At the time, it hadn't been a lie, but now, it seemed, maybe it was. 295
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"I can tell. You do a good job at what's important." "What's that supposed to mean?" Candy shrugged. "I dunno. You're good with your friends and family. You take care of your animals and all your responsibilities. I can see what you were saying about already having so many plates spinning. It totally makes sense. I mean, we haven't had much more than a few hours between traumas. Is it always like this?" "No. Sometimes." "Shouldn't we be getting to the horse barn?" "Jack and Jimmy can handle it if the mare needs help. That usually goes off without a hitch." "You don't have to use chains and winch the baby horses out, too?" "No." "I would have thought cows were big enough to give birth easily." "Some breeds do it with less problems than others." "I don't know anything about cows." That made Levi smile. "You've got a lifetime to learn. You think I learned it all in a day?" "I thought cowboys came out knowing how to ride and rope and two-step." "Uh-uh, Missy. Guess you thought wrong." "That's no big surprise." The air in the truck had changed somehow. No longer tense, but a little sad and lonely. Levi chalked that up to the inches they were apart. He wished she'd scoot closer. 296
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"There's a few things I still haven't figured out how to do." Confession might help. He was willing to meet her half way in this communicating thing. "Like what?" "How to make time to take you over to that pond so we can get friendly under the trees there." "Get friendly?" Candy chuckled at his term. "Is that what you're calling it now?" "Among other things." Candy stared toward the pond, watching the birds for several minutes. "We'd have to do it standing up." His eyebrows rose with interest. "I bet there's duck poop everywhere." "Been to a duck pond before, have you?" "The city isn't entirely without." "I'd bring a blanket. We could picnic." "Have a little pie?" She smiled coyly at him. "Maybe. I was thinking it was your turn to—" "Levi." He hated the way she said it. Censoring him. Just by saying his name, she was telling him to stop dreaming. Something inside him broke. He didn't want to stop dreaming. He hadn't dreamed in so long, he couldn't remember the last time he'd looked forward to life, and living and being with somebody. "No, Candy. You listen to me." Swiveling in the seat, he realized he had her full attention. How could he get it across to her? He didn't need more time. He didn't need to think 297
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about what was reasonable or what other people would do. This wasn't about other people. Hell. Talking wasn't working for him. He'd never be able to explain himself that way. Levi reached out and pulled her into his arms. His lips descended on hers with unerring accuracy—because they were meant for each other. Built by God as two parts of the one whole. There was no doubt in his mind. How could she kiss him the way she did and not be totally deep into him? He was so into her, he couldn't stand it. Her body melted every time he laid a hand on her. He felt it, soft and warm and wet against him. Their kisses lasted for several minutes before he released her, letting her lapse into her spot on the other side of the seat. "Tell me you don't feel it and I'll take you home." She rubbed her eyes with both hands. "Just take me to the horse barn, Levi." Candy let her fingers slide downward but cupped her nose and lips. "I need to think." Driving the rest of the way to the barn, Levi let his heart break. She needed to think. About what? It was either right or it wasn't. For him, he was all-in. Frank's truck sat in front of the horse barn. This was the oldest barn on the property, made of old oak timbering, solid, painted dark red on the outside. Levi parked Lucky Truck at an angle and didn't waste time getting out. After all, he'd gotten his answer, hadn't he? The dogs appeared as soon as the truck pulled in. He petted them both, absently, quickly. 298
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There was no more talking about it as far as he could see. He left Candy to climb out on her own. Dealing with the sense of loss already, Levi counted the hours until he'd drop her at her door. Maybe she wouldn't even have him do that. She'd probably get a ride from the hospital. Hell. He didn't even have her phone number. Was she just playing for the weekend? Take a cowboy for a ride to see how it is, once? The others were gathered on the fence by the largest stall in the barn. It only had wood rails and an old rickety looking wooden gate. "How's she doing?" he asked as he looked in. The mare in foal was a big, boxy chestnut quarter horse he'd had shipped in from the King Ranch. Her reddish brown coat had the look of a shiny copper penny. She nickered at the sound of his voice. Levi climbed over the fence and went over to check her himself. Examining the mare involved going behind her and touching the soft flesh around her vulva. The closer to delivery she got, the mushier, more like jelly, it would feel. She felt about as ready as she was gonna get. "What's he doing?" It was Candy's voice. He didn't look up. He could see her out of his peripheral vision, and the way she slid in between Jimmy and Jack like she belonged there. The dogs slipped underneath the fence and laid down in the hay, ears up, watching everything. He'd forgotten to keep an eye on Boogey around her ankles. Guess that had gone okay. 299
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Jack chuckled, "Checking to see if she's ready." He bumped Candy with his shoulder. "He's been practicing that all weekend, hasn't he?" She elbowed him. "Is she soft?" Jimmy did, indeed, have another beer in his hand. "Gotta get those lips puffy. Then you know she's ready." "When she gets wet, we'll know the girl's hot to get it over with." Jack, too, had a beer. Levi hated their sexual innuendoes in front of Candy but figured it was best to ignore them. He leaned his ear to the mare's side and felt the position of the colt. As far as he could tell, it was all good. "What's this horse's name? Oh, oh!" Candy squealed. "Something's coming out!" Water gushed from the amniotic fluid. Levi petted the mare. "That's a girl. It's Babe." Levi scratched Babe's neck. "This is going nice and easy." "She's been in labor for hours now." Frank said, "If I didn't know better, I'd swear she was waiting for you." "Why would she do that?" God, Levi loved Candy. On some levels, she was so innocent. "I mean, she can't hold it in, can she?" "Wouldn't you wait on him?" Jack turned it around. She bit her lower lip and angled her head so she could see better, not answering. In fact, Levi thought she'd forgotten the question altogether until she said, "If I was in labor, I'd expect someone to hold my hand the whole time. I don't care 300
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if the cows needed milking or the calves needed feeding or the equipment needed fixing. So I guess I wouldn't have to wait on somebody to show up." Levi's gaze met hers over the back of the horse. There they were at the spinning plate scenario again. He sighed. "Well, you get in a predicament and need somebody to hold your hand or a shoulder to cry on," Jack assured her, "you can just call me. 'Kay?" "You'll be a little busy milking cows yourself," Frank said. "They have to be milked or they'll get mastitis," Levi grumbled. "And you can't let calves starve. They could die." "Mastitis?" Candy winced. "Isn't that...?" "When the milk ducts in the tits get plugged." Jack grinned. "Suction keeps the cows happy." "People get that," she said. "I don't know if suction helps them, but—" "It does," Jack insisted with a wink. "I'm telling ya. You change your shirt again?" Jack checked out Candy's chest with more interest than was polite. Levi would have thrown something at him if he'd had anything besides the hoof pick hanging on a nail on the wall. "Don't you have some place to be, Jack?" "I thought, what with Andrea and all, that you'd need me to stick around to do tonight's milking and feeding. I thought you'd be turning around to go back in by now." "Gotta take care of things around here first." Candy put a hand to her head. Then dropped her forehead to the top rail. 301
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"You okay?" Frank patted her on the back. "You're not looking so good. You need to sit down?" "Yeah, uh, maybe." Jack dragged a plastic five gallon bucket over and flipped it. Then he pushed her down onto it. "You eat anything besides pie today?" "No." "You can't starve a girl, Levi. They're not like us. They don't fend for themselves. More like calves." It surprised Levi that Jack had so much inner knowledge of how to treat women. But he was wrong. Candy could take care of herself. She was tougher than she looked. The girl had a fighting spirit. He frowned, realizing again that he hadn't fed her. Nothing but some pie and crackers. He should have taken her in for twenty minutes and given her something to eat. "You can't live on love out here," Jimmy said. "You'd starve to death." "I'm gonna get her something to eat, soon as we leave here." Jack pulled a candy bar out of his pocket. "Here. Try this. It'll hold you over." It annoyed Levi that Jack was taking care of Candy. But, honestly, a girl on the farm needed to learn how to take care of herself. She, however, didn't seem to want to be on the farm anymore. Another whoosh of water came from the back end of the mare. "Won't be long now," Frank exclaimed. 302
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Knees together, her feet out to the side, Candy leaned forward, her forearm resting on her thighs, and opened the candy bar. She took a bite and chewed while watching the horse give birth. It didn't take too long. Fifteen minutes or so, and the foal was on the ground, being licked and standing. "What's important about this," Frank explained to Candy as Levi rubbed the colt down with a towel, "is that the rubbing is called imprinting. You let the baby know from minute one that people are part of his life, will touch it all over, from nose to tail, and when it comes time to crawl onto his back, he's gonna be a whole lot more agreeable." "Proven fact," Jack added. "You'd think you could imprint a woman the same way, wouldn't you?" Jimmy lifted his beer and swallowed the last sip. "You know, put your mark on her, gentle her right down, and always be able to climb back in her saddle." Candy tipped her head and looked up at Jimmy with a squint of annoyance. She had her mouth on the candy bar, and Levi could only think about the way her mouth wrapped around it. What would that feel like on him? Would she ever go for that? He hadn't had a blow job in so long, he couldn't remember. After she chewed and swallowed, she ran a tongue over her front teeth. "You know, I think I figured out one of your problems, Jimmy." "What? I don't have any problems." "Except Kerri," Jack said. "The biggest problem in the county. Maybe the state." 303
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Candy looked toward Levi for some sort of approval to state her mind. Since when did she care about his opinion enough to ask permission before she spoke? That was a new one. He shrugged. "Go ahead. You've let him kiss you, and you've grabbed him by the nuts. I think you know him well enough to tell him what you think." "That makes you damn near intimate in my book," Jack laughed. "You grabbed him by the—" "I was saying," Candy interrupted. "That one of Jimmy's problems is the way he thinks of women." Everybody but Jimmy snickered. Frank muttered, "How long did it take you to figure that out?" "About two minutes in the door. Earlier, when he ordered me to get him a beer." "I asked nicely. I'm sure I did, Sugar." "See? That right there is one of the things." "Girls out this way like that sorta talk." Jimmy's selfdefense softened further. "Don't tell me you don't like being called honey and sweetheart." He sent a pointed look in Levi's direction. Levi had applied both names to her. He busied himself with rubbing the foal but listened intently for her reply. "It's like this...when I met Ethan Kaz, Kazinsky, he said I was sweet. Sometimes it's nice to hear that from a guy. But when he said my name, he made it sound dirty. You can't go around talking to women like that and think each one is gonna melt." 304
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Candy pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Talk is cheap, and it gets cheaper if your lines are used on every one you meet. How can anyone take it seriously?" Well, Levi thought, his line about the calf had been pretty damn original, if nothing else. And it got her into the truck. "And no girl likes to hear that her boyfriend is calling other women endearments." "She's got a point there," Jack said, always quick to jump in with his smart remarks. "If your fiance has a problem with you, I'd bet it was because she's protecting herself. I mean, if you do that to every woman you meet. If you were my man, I wouldn't like it at all." Levi had to think. Had he called Andrea by any endearments? Andi maybe. He'd never been generous with words at all, let alone terms like Candy talked about. "And women don't like to have their bodies referred to as saddles. I don't care where they come from. I can't believe country girls think it's cool or sexy." Hadn't he joked with her about riding lessons and riding each other? Yes. He had, because she'd made the joke about riding his ass. She'd seemed okay with that metaphor back in the milking barn. Probably another thing he'd screwed up. Fact was Levi didn't understand her at all. Was she just chewing on Jimmy because she could? Or to get messages through to Levi? Or because she believed talking until she was blue in the face would make some earth shattering change in either of their personas? Because if that was it, he'd have to sit her 305
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down and tell her not to get her hopes up. They were grown men, already set in their ways. "You need to loosen up, girl." Jimmy sighed. "You really think that's the bee up Kerri's butt?" "I haven't even met her, but I'm guessing if she gives two...shakes...for you, that's a part of the problem, anyway." "Jimmy's got more than one problem with Kerri." Levi felt obligated to butt in. "You can't fix him in one afternoon." "Nah, but I'm listening. You really think that's it?" Jimmy squatted down beside Candy so he could look her in the eye. "I know it sounds sappy, but I really love her and I'd do anything to stop these games she plays and make her happy. But she turns me in circles. I feel like I gotta get my own back or something sometimes." "Well, first thing, you gotta stop thinking like that." She reached out and grabbed Jimmy's hand. "And second..." Levi frowned, looking over the colt with undisguised interest. What was she doing now? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty-Three "Can I see your ring?" Candy tugged on Jimmy's clunky school ring, but his knuckle was swollen, presumably from all the booze he'd imbibed, and the lack of sleep combined. It took him a second to get it off and hand it over to her. She plucked her hair from it. "It's stuff like this that makes a girl crazy. You can't go and see her with my hair tangled up in it. What would you have said if she'd noticed?" He tipped a little and had to reset his balance by touching her knee. Levi seethed. Jimmy needed to fucking sober up. "Uh, that I got tangled up with Levi's new girlfriend." "And she would ask you how that happened, and what would you say then?" Was that a good sign, that she hadn't argued the point of being his new girlfriend? Or had she missed that part? "I'd say it doesn't matter. It was nothing." He leaned close, "But I'd have started thinking about that kiss and the way you got hold of me." Candy handed the ring back. "And there would have been another problem. You don't go and get your appetite somewhere else." "As long as I eat at home." He slipped the ring on. "No, Jimmy. And from the sounds of things, you don't always eat at home." She put a hand on his forearm, the way she'd done Levi at the bar when she'd heard about the heifer he'd lost. "This is what's wrong with you men. My brothers 307
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say stuff like that all the time and that's why none of them can keep a girlfriend either." Levi didn't think he'd ever forget the sight of Jimmy kissing Candy. Or her grabbing him in the crotch, or Ethan. Or kissing Danny. All those things rushed him, making him sick. He figured he needed to eat, too. That was probably part of his nausea. But he knew jealousy when he felt it. And it had been chewing all over him since people started showing up around them. Mostly, at the moment, he wanted Candy to stop giving Jimmy advice. He didn't like the sight of them getting all chummy. Jim had a knack for crying on women's shoulders and slipping right into their good graces with his I don't understand women bullshit. Levi didn't know any other man who had female manipulation down any better. "Candy, you want to get in here and touch this foal before I let it go?" "Can I?" She popped the last piece of the candy bar in her mouth and the wrapper in her pants pocket as she stood up. Frank opened the stall door for her. "I could have climbed." She rewarded him with a smile. "But thanks." Not Frank, too! Did the girl have any idea how her charms worked? As soon as Candy slipped past Frank, Levi saw Frank's gaze slide right on down to her ass. "Show's over, boys. Why don't you go on with the milking, then? I have to go in to see Andrea. So, I'm gonna leave you to it again." "That's what I thought," Jack said. "You gonna give us a hand, Jim?" 308
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He didn't look like he was going to, but Candy said, "You know, when you run into Kerri again and she gives you the third degree over where you've been, if you can say you helped milk the cows over here and when Jack backs you up, I think she'll forgive you for leaving her to entertain herself all weekend." "She's got a point," Jack said. "We could use a hand, what with Levi being preoccupied and all." "Not to mention," Levi added, "you owe me for the six pack and sofa time and mauling my girlfriend. I had to cut your ring out of her hair, you know." "Seriously?" Jimmy, along with the others, eyed Candy's hair. "Can't tell it." Candy put her hand to the back of her head, feeling around. Lucky for her, it was a layered cut to begin with. "I think the part Kerri's gonna have trouble buying is that Levi has a girlfriend." Jack groaned, rubbing his sore ribs. "If I wasn't hurting so bad, I wouldn't believe it." "You be here and up for morning milking, boss?" Frank closed the gate to the stall. Levi looked Candy straight in the eye. "Yeah." It wasn't like him to foist his share of the work onto his hired hands. "I wish I didn't have to go into town." "Andrea would never forgive you." Jack picked up the bucket Candy'd been sitting on and moved it out of the way. "What do I do?" Candy, apparently, wanted to get the horse touching over so they could head into town.
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Didn't she realize that this was one of the joys of being on a farm? "Just come close, real slow, and be gentle. It's not rocket science." She had extended her fingers when he started but retracted them at his last comment. "You know? You are a total ass." "What's the matter now?" Candy mimicked, "It's not rocket science!" "Well, it's not. Animals aren't all moody like you. If you're nice, they don't bite." Jack laughed at their little argument. "She bites?" "Yes," Levi said. "And hard." "Shut up, both of you." She moved toward the foal with her best stealth. It eyed her, but Levi had a hold of it, so it couldn't go anywhere. "Ooh," she said at first touch. "He's still wet." "Takes a bit to dry out after you've been in the soup for eleven months." Levi reached out, took her hand, and drew her to the front of the animal. "Let him smell your hand." "So he can see I smell like you?" "No. This time it's so he can remember you, for your scent. But now that you've already touched him, he'll think you're part of his family. He'll smell that over everything else." His heart squeezed a little over that. What would it take to get her to seriously consider staying with him? Being part of his family? Starting a family with him? Levi ran his tongue around his mouth. He still tasted Candy. That was a flavor sensation he always wanted to recall. His stomach growled. 310
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Candy dropped to her knees and petted the foal. "I heard that," she said. Within seconds, she was cooing and whispering to it. "Ooh. You're a pretty baby, aren't you?" "Be careful," Jim said. "You don't want to get in the habit of sweet talking every pretty thing that gets within ten feet of you. Could become a habit." She stuck out her tongue at him. He laughed. "That's how it happens, I swear. First one, and next thing you know, every dang thang in the county's sidling up. Petting is a country way of life. Bet Levi's already shown you that." "Tried to, anyway," Levi muttered. Candy didn't respond. Just kept making her cow eyes and sweet talking the baby. "What you gonna name him?" "Oh, I dunno." Girls. Always had to paste a name on a thing right away. His mom and sisters had been like that. "I usually like to see a little personality first before I make up my mind. Why? You got an idea already?" "Oh, I dunno." The colt put his nose to hers and sniffed, then made its first attempt at a nicker. She laughed softly. "Oh. That's precious." "Come on," Levi pushed. "I know you have something in mind." Candy frowned. "I don't want to name your baby." It dropped like a dead weight into a sudden silence. And, in seconds it was obvious that she had tears in her eyes. "Ah, hell. What's wrong now?" She sniffed. "Nothing. Just thinking about Andrea. We should get going soon. Don't you think?" "Yeah. Soon as she's done." 311
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"She's not done?" In perfect timing, the mare delivered its afterbirth. It hit the ground with a heavy slumping sound. Candy looked horrified. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth dropped open. "What the heck is that?" "Jesus, Levi. You found yourself a total virgin, didn't you?" Levi wondered if Jimmy ever thought before he opened his mouth. Probably not. Candy looked over the foal at Levi like she expected something from him. "What?" "Are you gonna say something to him?" "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure if you want me to say you are a virgin, or not. We had that conversation before, remember?" "He meant it as a joke," she protested. "He was making fun of me." "Yoohoo." Jimmy waved. "He's still here. And it was pretty funny." "He thinks you're cute." What did she want from him? "You want me to go over and hit him again?" "No, but—" "Uh." He shut her up with a finger in the air. Then he pointed, "That is the afterbirth. The sac the colt lived in while in its mama. Boog! Skunk! Scat." The dogs had crept toward the bluish mass of blood and nutrients. Frank appeared within seconds with a shovel and a large black plastic bag, asking, "Which one do you want?"
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"You hold the bag," Levi said, taking the shovel. He scooped up the placenta and plopped it in. Then he shoveled some of the earlier fluid that had clumped up in the sawdust. "Why are you doing that?" Candy asked. "The dogs sniff around. Sometimes they eat it." "Will it make them sick?" "No." Jack said, "It's just gross." "Plus," Levi said. "If they aren't allowed to get near it and a mare or cow foals out in the field, they won't get too close. Sometimes the sac is delivered with the baby. Like in that heifer the other night. The umbilical pulls loose before the whole thing detaches naturally. That's when we get into trouble." "I heard hippies used to eat placenta stew," Candy said with a matter-of-fact tone. "You that hungry?" Levi grinned. She shook her head, wrinkling her nose. "You know some hippies or something?" "No. Just read a lot." "But not many westerns, I take it?" Levi wondered what sort of books she read. Torrid romance novels? "Not really." "Because you're not into cowboys." Frank tied the bag up and hauled it out. Levi didn't expect an answer. He was done imprinting the foal for the first time. He led the way from the stall, shovel still in hand. He handed it to Jack without thinking. She followed him out. "You don't even wear a cowboy hat." "I have one." "I didn't see it." 313
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"Then you missed the whole hat rack in the living room, complete with more ball caps than anything." Normally, he put a ball cap on first thing and didn't take it off until he went in for a shower. He'd been vainly trying to avoid hat hair. "He's a modern cowboy," Jack said. She turned to shut the gate. To Levi, she looked too natural there, like she belonged in his horse barn. He held his tongue on that because he was pretty sure she'd take a compliment of that ilk wrong. "I haven't even seen you near a horse until now." "I told you I had some." Levi went to a grain bin and dished up some oats and molasses corn for the mare and took it back to the stall. "You want to hand feed her?" At the sound of grain dropping into the bucket, Babe nickered and turned around, neck stretched, eyeing the treat. Levi scooped a handful and held it out to her, demonstrating the flat palm method that kept fingers from being mistaken as carrots. In a second, the mare nosed up and gently took it from him, licking his hand. Candy did the same and giggled. Her delight in something so simple made him feel good. She didn't seem intent on leaving all too quick now. These were the little things that made country living satisfying. When she went for a third handful, he felt obligated to say, "I can pour this in the feed trough. You don't have to give it all to her by hand." "I like it." He leaned toward her and whispered, "I'll lick you later, if you want. Do it all night, if you like." 314
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Wrinkling her nose, she pushed him away. "Okay. Dump it in." Had he ruined it for her? Damn. He wanted to kick himself. Levi did as he was told. The others left to milk the cows. Frank whistled and the dogs ran to catch up. So, Levi fed the rest of the horses in the barn by himself, with her tagging along behind him. "This is the one I ride most," he said, pointing to a thick necked, heavily muscled sorrel gelding with an over sized jug head, wide blaze on his nose and three white socks. Candy dutifully peeked in and looked the horse over. "He's big." "What did you expect, a pony?" She shrugged. "What's his name?" "Girls." Levi gave the horse some hay. Again with the name thing. "Cooter." "Cooter?" "That's what they called him when I bought him." Levi finished up feeding the rest and then pointed down the row, running off the names of the other horses before she bothered to ask. "Any more questions?" Reproachfully, she pouted. "No." "Then let's go. Get in the truck." He hung back, took one look around, and wondered what she'd thought about the horse barn. He glanced up at the old loft, thinking about making out up there. He heard the truck door screech as she opened it.
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"Hey, Candy. Come here a minute, would ya?" Levi hollered, resting his hands on his hips. Would she wanna go up and check it out? It took her a minute to come back and peek around the corner. "What?" He knew she was trying to keep her distance. She looked wary. "In case you don't come back out, you wanna see a real hay loft?" Her gaze slid past him, up the wooden ladder and at the hay overhead, then back to him, down to his toes. For the umpteenth time, she wrinkled her nose. "I think I'll pass." "Fair enough." He was disappointed. She stood silently as he stalked past her and went to the spigot outside. "Wanna wash up before we head out?" A bar of soap hung in a nylon sock on the pipe. He wet it and scrubbed up to his elbows, rinsed, then he splashed water over his face and took a long swig. Damn, he was thirsty. When he was finished, he left it running, backed up, and gestured for her to do what she wanted. She took longer to do the same thing. When it came time for her to get a drink, she struggled with keeping her hair out of the spray, so he leaned down and helped hold it for her. "Thanks," she said, slurping greedily. He turned the water off when she'd had enough, wondering if she noticed how good his well water was. She didn't say anything. It was a selling point, though, so he mentioned it. "Notice the lack of chlorine in the water?" "What?" They walked to the truck together. 316
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"We have well water out here. Nothing processed. You know, city water is usually stuff that's run through the sewage and filtered." "Yuck." "It's true." He was pretty sure he'd heard that, anyway. She'd left the truck door open and climbed in without help. It hadn't taken that many times for her to get the knack of hopping up and over the gear shift. He jumped in, glanced at the space between them and started the engine, annoyed all over again. He could take a hint. He just didn't like it. Huffing, he reversed, ground the gears and turned Lucky Truck around. One glance in the rearview told him she was watching his expression. He felt the darkening cloud inside get blacker by the second. "You hungry?" he growled. [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty-Four Hungry? "Actually, not really. That candy bar—" "Snickers." "What?" "That's what I'm naming the colt." "Oh." Candy couldn't figure out what she'd done to annoy him this time, but he was obviously angry at her. Was it because she hadn't climbed up into the loft to look around at his hay? She would have wanted to fool around up there, and he couldn't possibly be able to perform again already. Could he? Candy glanced toward his crotch. "You like it?" he asked gruffly. "Sure." Her fingers itched to settle on his thigh and maybe higher, to see if he was at all interested in doing it again, but she'd scooted too far. She'd feel stupid if she told him to hang on while she straddled the shifter, especially if he said for her to keep her ass on the other side of the truck. Candy looked at the questionable door. Would it pop open if she leaned against it? If they were heading back into town, their little fling was over. She thought about falling out of the truck. Would that prolong her farm trip? Would he take her inside the house and call Danny to stitch her up? That reminded her about Levi's concussion. Geez, the guy was a robot. How did he keep on working and doing things 318
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with that going on? Most guys would have crawled in bed and called it quits for the day. It sorta hurt to look at the way his pretty face had swollen up on the one side. How long would it take for that to go down? She couldn't help the wince on her face when she looked it over. In fact, it hurt her heart so bad, she had to turn her face toward the window. She hated the idea of leaving, of saying goodbye, and not knowing if his head hurt or the stitches healed properly. Candy wondered if he'd been serious about her coming out and working for him. Not that she was any sort of fabulous baker like Andrea or anything, but she could put an edible meal on the table, and she knew how to wash laundry and make a bed. She bit her lip, thinking about it, wondering if she could take the massive leap of faith and give up her job and her apartment, and her whole life practically, to try and make things work with Levi. It was too soon, wasn't it? Her mom would rant at her. Her brothers would drive out and probably want to kick Levi's ass, on principle, when they found out she'd actually had sex with him on her first date...repeatedly. Oh, God. She put a hand to her forehead. What if she was pregnant? "You sure you're not hungry?" It was another growl, coming out gravelly. "I'll live until we get to town." She half laughed. "I'm probably the cheapest date you ever had, huh?" The term cheap and easy came to mind. Levi shrugged. 319
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Candy sighed, swiveling her head to watch the ducks and geese as they passed the pond again. Doing her best to commit the farm and all its buildings and fences and animals to her memory, she kept her gaze out the window. As they went past the milking barn, Levi honked twice, volunteering "It's a system we have. Two honks means I'm leaving. One means I'm back." "Oh." She remembered him honking when they'd first arrived. At the time, she'd just assumed he'd hit it on accident. "Saves talking and climbing in and out sometimes when we're busy." "That's right. Conserve your vocal chords." His throat convulsed while she watched his face. She thought he was going to say something, but he didn't. "You sure you're up to driving? I mean, four hours round trip is a long way." They rattled up the driveway. "Don't have much of a choice, do I?" "Guess not." She frowned at the gear shifter. "If this was an automatic, I could do the driving, at least one way." That got him to turn his head in her direction. He hit the brake and brought the truck to a stop. She had no idea what he was thinking, but it looked serious, and it took him a few minutes to work through it. But then he said, "Come here." "What?" "I'll teach you how to shift this thing, and then I'll let you drive." 320
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"I don't really want to—" "Jesus, Candy, just sit close to me. It's only two hours." For good measure in annoying her, he groused, "I'm not the one who bites." "Well," she grouched. "If you're gonna throw that back at me." She moved over next to him, straddling the shifter, and put her hand on it. "Okay. How does this damn thing work?" "You have a mouth on you." Levi put his right hand over hers. "Up and to the left, where we are now, is first gear. It's slow. You use it to go up hill." "And down the driveway. I got it." He explained how the clutch worked and needed to be pushed in when she shifted each time, and he helped her to find the gears a couple times in a row before he asked, "You wanna try it?" She didn't really. What if she messed it up? "Just once." "Geez, you're pushy. Okay. Fine. Open the door and we'll trade places." He slipped the gear to neutral and said, "Sit tight." Then he proceeded to roll over the top of her, copping feels on her breasts and thighs as he did so. And kissing her with a quick shove of his lips as he crawled past her. Well! What was she supposed to say to that? Maybe he wasn't as angry at her as she'd thought. Frustrated? Join the party, buster. She slid into the driver's seat, and he readjusted right next to her. The minute her hand met the gear shift knob, his clamped over it. 321
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"Try the clutch first and see how that feels." "Two footed driving feels weird." "Says the city girl. Haven't you ever been in a standard shifting vehicle?" "No. Well, maybe." Who ever paid attention to that sort of thing? "No guys taking you out in their sports cars? No street racers?" Candy shrugged. There'd been one or two, but she'd put them out of mind. The guys were so busy trying to impress her with their cars that she'd gotten bored and forgotten them as soon as the date was over. She didn't like talking about past romantic interludes, anyway. Most of them had turned out pretty dull, or completely sour. When it became apparent she wasn't opening up on that line of questioning, Levi ordered her around on how to shift and take the truck out of the driveway and up the road. Before long, he had her up to speed and on the highway. The stop or two they had to negotiate before they turned onto the bigger road was a little exciting. Once, she stalled the truck completely, and another time it lurched like a frog hopping. More than once she ground the gears, but he didn't say anything about any of that. He coaxed her gently with several, "You can do it's." She felt pretty confident with his hand over hers. When they were traveling down the main highway, he said, "You can take your hand off the gear shifter now." He removed his hand 322
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Now she understood how natural it was to want to set your hand on somebody's thigh, as he had done hers. Candy adjusted the rearview mirror. Unlike him, she needed to be able to see behind her. "Why don't you have a car?" "I don't know. They aren't cheap. City parking costs money. Buses go wherever I need to." "You want one?" Her hand felt lost, fluttering in the air. She slid it through her hair for a second then put it on the steering wheel. But that felt awkward. Her shoulder rubbed his, and he spread out a little, leaning back, his thigh against hers. She glanced over at him, and his eyes were closed. Avoiding his question, she asked, "You tired?" "A little." "Your head hurt?" "Yes." It lolled toward her, and he opened his eyes. "You make me think too much, you know that?" "Me?" She spared him another glance and let her awkward right arm fall to her own lap. Levi took that hand and pulled it into his, pressing it against his zipper area. He was hard again. "You saying you're thinking with your lower brain?" Candy checked her mirrors. She dragged free of his hold. "Quit trying to distract me, farm boy. I'm trying to drive here." His upper body rolled toward her next, and she felt his right hand drop to her thigh and ride up to her crotch. "You could pull over. We could make out." "Le!" 323
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"What?" His lips pressed against her neck. "Don't you like this sort of distraction?" She pushed at him. "Are you brain damaged? We could get in a wreck here." That made him straighten up and remove his hand, and attentions. He leaned back, put both hands to his face, and slid them through the black hair at his temples. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking." Candy had liked it. Too much, in fact. And the urge to pull over and see what making out on the side of the highway with Levi was like, well, it definitely had her imagination in high gear. Crudely, he said, "One last fuck before we park." Wrinkling her nose, she asked, "You think I'd go all the way on the side of the highway? In broad daylight?" "Sun'll be going down soon. We could work it until then. I thought you were game for anything once." She regretted saying that to him. It seemed like it was always right there, begging to be proven. "What else do you want me to try once?" "Lots of things." "Like what?" She was getting angry with him for some reason, and hell if she knew what it was. Maybe because he was pushing her. His hands swiped down his thighs. "I dunno. Like living on the farm. See if we could make it work." "You know that's insane, right? We just met. Geez. Was that only twenty-four hours ago?" "Feels like a lifetime, huh?" 324
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"Yeah." "You know why?" "Because it's been one helluva long day?" It was his turn to look out the opposite window, thinking. She thought, maybe, he was giving her the silent treatment because he didn't like her answer, but finally he looked at her again and said quietly, "I think I'm gonna have to sell the farm." "What? Why?" "It's either that or burn the place down." "What are you talking about?" For this discussion, she needed to stop the truck. So, she pulled it to the side of the road, easing off on the gas, and parked it. Giving him her full attention now, she said, "Okay. Explain that." "It doesn't matter now. Trade me spots. I'll drive the rest of the way in." They were close to the city anyway. Candy climbed over him, felt his hands on her hips, thumbs grazing the skin above her waistband beneath the hem of her shirt. If it hadn't been for the shifter, she might have settled onto his lap and given the make-out thing a try. She knew what they were doing, prolonging the agony of a goodbye because, ultimately, it was ridiculous to think a long distance relationship could work. He couldn't put in farm hours and then make the commute. And since she didn't even want a car...she sighed and worked her way to the other side of him.
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Levi didn't move right away. He watched her slide one foot underneath herself as she faced him, an elbow on the back of the bench seat. "I never thought about selling the farm before. That's who I am, you know." His blue eyes were so clear, so gorgeous with their dark pupils and heavy black lashes. So honest as they squared off with hers. Candy put a hand to his cheek and let her thumb caress the edge of the swelling. He would end up with a black eye, probably. "You're a handsome man, Levi, and pretty sweet. I don't understand why you live alone." His fingers slid around behind her waist, resting under the shirt, gently spreading out over her backside. Huskily, he begged, "Just kiss me." Levi's head rested on the back of the seat. He looked tired. She didn't have the heart to say no, nor did she want to. Tenderly, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. In seconds, with a little pressure from his hand encouraging her, it went deeper. She put her tongue in his mouth and did her best to kiss him senseless. This was the thing Candy had always wanted. This magnificent kissing kismet she had with Levi. They couldn't get enough of each other. The world got blocked out completely. So completely they didn't realize how much time had passed until sunset was on the horizon and a cop beat on the driver's window. They both jumped at the thump of knuckles. 326
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"Ah, shit," Levi said, as she pulled back, her hand dropping to his chest. He reached in his back pocket, retrieved his wallet and withdrew his driver's license, then got in the driver's seat and rolled down the window, holding it out. "Can I see your registration and insurance information?" the policeman asked. "It's in the glove box. Candy, can you get it?" She hustled to retrieve the requested paperwork and passed it to the officer, who looked it over. Levi never looked at him. Just stared ahead, waiting. The officer's perusal didn't take long. "Why don't you take this to some place private? PDA's on the highway can cause accidents." Candy blushed. She would probably rubberneck if she saw people getting friendly on the side of the road. "Besides," the policeman added, "this is Saturday night. We get a helluva lot of drunks on this road after sundown. Wouldn't want to get plowed into, would ya?" "Nope." Levi handed Candy the things that needed to go back into the glove box and put his license in his wallet. "Definitely not. Thanks, officer." Candy gave the man her best smile. Levi tipped his head to scrutinize her. "Well, then, I'll let you go with a warning this time." The cop walked away. The intensity of Levi's stare made Candy uncomfortable. "What?" "You do that to every man you meet." "What?" What was he mad about now? 327
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"Smile at 'em. Win 'em over. Even bastards that are undressing you with their eyes." "He wasn't—" She stopped mid-sentence because, maybe, he had been. Candy rearranged herself. In a huff, she thought back. Is that how he saw her? Had she won his farm hands and cousins over? Would he call what she'd done to Ethan Kazinsky winning the man over, too? Had they all undressed her like he suggested? "I am not a tease." Not an intentional one. That wasn't exactly true. She tried to be a tease, but most of the time she thought her efforts failed miserably. Maybe she wasn't as bad at it as... He leaned forward, started the truck. "You're lyin' and I'm dyin', hell if you're not." She pouted. "It's not like I do anything." "Oh, no." Levi shifted and rejoined traffic. "Just look sweet enough to eat. Smile and say, I'm Candy. Butter wouldn't melt in my mouth. And flash your big brown eyes at them." "Oh. So, now you're getting pissy because the cop smiled when he found us French kissing in public?" She stomped her feet on the floorboard as both feet hit it. "It's probably the only way he gets his kicks. Don't grudge him a little bit of joy, farm boy." "He probably sees it all day long," Levi growled. "He doesn't need to be picturing you, too, along with half a dozen other women." "It was your idea in the first place, if I remember right. Ah!" She threw her hands in the air. "You make me crazy, Levi." 328
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"Yeah? Well, it was a stupid idea now that I think about it." He reached down, readjusted his piece, and she realized what his real problem was. He was hard again and ready to go, and annoyed that they'd been interrupted. Not that she would have gone all the way on the side of the highway. "I was not going to fuck you right there, just so you know." "I didn't think you would." Silence governed the rest of the drive to the hospital. She brooded on her side of the seat, and he looked as unapproachable as he possibly could. It occurred to her that she needed to look for her cell phone. Candy bent over, searching the floor as he turned into the hospital parking lot. He didn't say anything at that, either. But when he got the truck into a space, and turned the engine off, he offered, "Let me pop the seat up. It's probably underneath." With the screech of the door, he jumped out and held a hand toward her. She took it and slid to her feet. Levi crowded her, his other hand dropping immediately to her hip. The kiss he planted on her was possessive, demanding, and took a few moments to soften and deepen, for his tongue to enter her mouth, pressing for more intimacy, mimicking what he'd really like to do to her. His hips leaned into hers, grinding a little. There was as much flame and possession as any they'd shared so far and Candy clung to him, returning every kiss with Desperate for each other as their time together drew closer and closer to its end, she let her hands slide up around his neck, easing him down to her. She went up on tiptoes, 329
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arching into him, pressing her breasts and whole body against him. The security tram came to stop behind Lucky Truck, the noise of its engine gaining their attention. The guy didn't say anything, just sat there watching until they pulled away from each other. Levi swore and reached past her to hit the lever on the seat. Several tools were beneath it, some pretty rusty around the edges. A pair of leather work gloves, some spurs, and a lasso was there, too, emphasizing that he really did have the equipment of a cowboy. No cell phone, though. "What are these?" She picked up a weird looking pair of vinyl handled, needle noses. "Fence fixin' pliers." He took them away from her. "Cows are tough on barbed wire, believe it or not. It's a daily chore to ride the fences and see what's down, or ready to go down." He put the seat in place. "I really messed up your routine, huh?" His jaw tightened, and he glanced over at the security guard and gestured for him to go on. "We're not putting on a show here!" Again, his hand came to rest on her hip. It felt as natural there as her jeans did. She giggled, whispering wickedly, "Did that on the highway." For that, he kissed her again, the security guard be damned. And that was something Candy definitely loved about Levi. He didn't care about pretenses of respectability or hiding his feelings or if someone was going to censure him. He knew what he wanted and he put his claim on it. On her. 330
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How could she ever say goodbye? How could she go back to her apartment, hoping he'd call? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty-Five Levi came up for air. "I bet it fell out by one of the barns. I can buy you a new one." "You don't have to do that. It's my fault for not keeping a hold on my phone." "I'm guessing one of the dogs chewed it up by now. Skunk gnaws on everything. Boog buries things." When he thought about it, Levi got irritated. Most likely, she didn't have a regular phone line. How the hell would he be able to call her now? Dial Erica and hope she'd run over to Candy's apartment? Tugging on her, he moved Candy out of the way so he could shut the truck door. Maybe if it looked like they were going inside, that ass of a security guard would drive away. "You know..." Candy bit her lip. "Erica said cell phones don't work out there, but Danny had one and it seemed to work fine." "It's a satellite cell. Cal got it for him, if I remember right." "That's his sister?" "Yeah, you met her." He slipped his arm around Candy's ass and hooked a thumb in the waistband on the far side of her, leading her toward the hospital's main entrance. "She's into gadgetry. Doesn't like it when she can't get a hold of him." "It was probably good for his business." "Yeah. He used to work off a cb radio and set up most of his farm calls the night before." 332
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"Oh." The only thing she knew about cb radios was that they were dinosaurs from the 70's and truck drivers sometimes used them. "But now he can handle emergencies a lot quicker, so that's good." It bugged him that Danny was a topic of conversation again. That she brought him up, even. Especially with their time together slipping away. Since they'd stopped talking about her coming back to the farm, he had a sense of inevitability that they'd have to part, and he hated it. "I really like him," Candy volunteered. "I could tell." "He seems like such a dependable guy." "He is." Levi gritted his teeth. "A serious hero type. Healing animals and people at a moment's notice." He couldn't argue either point, dammit. The hospital doors slid open. Levi thought about Danny kissing Candy while she lay weak from giving blood. His grip on her hip tightened. She felt it and gave in to the pressure, getting closer. The front help desk gave them directions to Andrea's room and they took the elevators up to the maternity ward in silence. He wasn't sure why, but his patience and usual eventempered disposition was dissipating by the second. All day, it had been waning thin. It didn't improve when Candy steered him to the baby window. It took them a minute to find the kid. The name thing got to him. He should feel honored that Andrea had 333
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named her son after him, but mostly he was annoyed. His name on a Kazinsky. Candy tipped her head back so she could look at up him. "You can name your sons whatever you want, no matter what Andrea's baby's name is." Levi kissed her for reading his mind, for saying it was all right, for coming with him. She turned into him, and her fingers found his jeans' waistband, tugging him close. Once again, his sexual interest rose, evident by the tightening of his pants. Candy had to wonder if his arousal hurt or ached. He sure kissed her with fervor. Did she have any idea what she did to him? Or how natural their physical touching was? He never did this with other women. "Hey. Hey!" A woman's voice cut through from behind them. "Is that anything to show these little kids?" It was Cal. The little kids she was referring to was the lineup of sleeping newborns on the other side of the window. Levi would recognize that squeak anywhere. He broke the embrace immediately. Without any respect to the fact that he already had a woman in the circle of his arms, Cal moved right in, pushing Candy out by ignoring her altogether, planting a kiss on Levi. "I told Andi you'd be in as soon as the cows were milked." She bounced out and looked Candy up and down, then offered a well manicured hand. "We met earlier in Andrea's hospital room. I'm Cal, in case you forgot. Callie. Danny's sister." 334
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"Hi." Candy shook the hand and extricated her fingers as fast as she could, slipping her hands into her back pockets. Cal's nose wrinkled. "Geez, Le, what did you do, come straight from the barn? You smell like horses." "Babe foaled. That's what took me so long. Frank and Jack are milking for me." "Ah." She glanced at her watch. "It is earlier than I expected to see you." "This is Candy," he said, in case she hadn't caught the name. Callie smiled. "I know who she is." Never missing a beat, her eyes zeroed in on Candy's change of shirt. Her brows shot up, but wisely she didn't say anything. "Andi's been awake for about forty-five minutes." Spinning on her heel, she waved for them to follow. "She'll be thrilled you're both here." Once again, Levi put a hand behind Candy. He sensed she'd been thinking of sneaking off on him. Sluggishly, she dragged her feet. He felt downright pushy, strong-arming her into going with him to Andrea's room, but he didn't trust her not to leave and he couldn't bring himself to say a simple goodbye. He admitted to himself that he was antsy in his desperation to keep her close and still trying to think up an angle to get her to go back to the farm with him. Andrea's room was dark except for the fluorescent light above her head. The minute his boots hit the floor near the door, she perked up and smiled. She looked tired, but happy, and not half as pale as the last time he'd seen her. He gave her a smile and took the hand she held out, still hanging onto 335
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Candy with his other one, forcing her to scoot up next to the bed. "Geez, Levi. You could have shaved." It was just like Andrea to chew him out. "Might have if I'd gotten a few minutes to myself today, but everybody and their brother's been kicking shit up in my corrals." "Potty mouth." Andrea insisted, "You'll have to clean that up around my son." Silence settled between them. He felt a need to say grittily, "I told you not to name him after me if you were gonna put Kazinsky on that paper. I don't know what you were thinking, and I'm not gonna pretend I'm happy about it." Tears filled her eyes, and he felt harsh for saying it, but dammit, he'd been clear on that from the moment she found out she was pregnant. He guessed, if she was crying already, he might as well tell her he'd run into Ethan and how that had gone. "Eat was at your house when we got back there to get the truck." Andrea choked back her tears, looking almost excited to hear it, hanging on every word, searching his face for good news. "I cleaned up the blood, so you won't have to worry about going back to that." Candy, trying to head off the next bit of info, slid her comment in between them. Andrea ignored her, though, and that annoyed Levi. Candy had saved her life, didn't she get that? And the baby's. 336
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"What did he say?" Andrea's fingers tightened on the sheet. "Funny. He wanted to know what you said about him." "What did you tell him, Levi?" "Danny told him you lost the little girl." Candy, again, butted in. "Right before he hit him with a two by four." "Sonofabitch," Callie said. Having moved around to the far side of the bed, she put a hand on Andrea's arm. "Don't get upset, Andi. I'll make him sorry." "Did he get hurt?" Levi knew Andrea was asking about Ethan, but he said, "Danny's pretty quick at ducking. You know, Eat's the one who should be sorry, for being a sonofabitch. You gotta get past him if you want any sort of a life for that kid out there. You have to know that." He postured, hands on his hips, feet spread wide apart, as if he was looking for a fight. Again, Candy interrupted. "He's tiny, but he looks strong. He's not on a ventilator or anything. That's good, I think. All things considered." For the first time since they'd been in the room, Andrea looked at Candy. "You met Ethan, then?" Levi realized that Andrea wasn't processing everything as fast as usual. He glanced at the IV. Was she still groggy or something? "Y—yes." Candy bit her bottom lip. "He's handsome, isn't he?" It wasn't a hard question, but Candy struggled with the answer. The moment grew so awkward that Levi shifted his weight away from her and slid a hand through his hair. She'd 337
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been attracted to Ethan? She must have been on some level, or she would have said something straight up, wouldn't she? With a wince, Candy whispered, "He's not really my type." Then she looked up at Levi like she was almost sorry. Fuck the world! He yanked Candy close, and laid one on her in the fullest sense of the phrase. No way did he want any of these three women to question his feelings about her. Candy, God love her, melted within a second of the first hard press. Her hands were caught between them, and he knew that she'd intended to push him away, but she didn't. Instead, she clung to him, and he liked that more than anything. Callie and Andrea didn't say a thing. And he didn't hurry the deal, either. But when Candy gasped for air, a nurse, who had appeared behind them, said, "There's a hotel across the street for that sort of thing." She hustled in to take Andrea's vitals. "Nursery's gonna bring that baby up in a minute." Pushy, she insinuated herself between them and the bed. "Guess this isn't the daddy, then." "No," Andrea whispered and a thermometer went in her mouth. "Is he coming?" The nurse asked the innocent question, and Andrea looked so hopeful at Levi that he felt bad. What, exactly, had he told Eat? Not to bother? Andrea would probably never forgive him for that.
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"He might." Candy, trying to be comforting, reached down and patted Andrea's arm. "He was worried about you. I know he was." "I bet he heard the scanner," Cal said. "They monitor the chopper and emergency calls all the time." To Candy, she added, "They run a wrecker service." "Ambulance chasers," Levi grunted. "They cause as many accidents as they clear off." "Le." Callie censored him. "Stop. She doesn't need that now. And you gotta get past that." "No, I don't. Every day they breathe, they ruin my air." "Says the farm boy," Candy tried to lighten the situation, "with a thousand cows." "You know what I mean." He didn't think it was funny. "Temp's normal. That's good. We have to watch for fever in case you picked up an infection." The nurse hooked up the blood pressure cuff next. "I heard about your mile high blood donation. That was pretty hairy, huh?" "It wasn't quite a mile high," Callie said. "She flies, too," Levi told Candy. "Figures. Do you, Andrea?" "No." If looks could kill, Andrea's would have burned him to the ground right then and there. He didn't really care. There was no way he was going to change his mind about the Kazinsky's, Ethan in particular. And he'd offered to teach her to fly if she broke things off with Eat. So, if she was grousing over that, it was her own fault. 339
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"You should be groveling with thanks to Candy. She saved your life and the baby's, too." Levi felt a strong need to get Andrea to focus on the most important point of the day. "If it weren't for her, you'd both be dead, probably." "It was Danny and Rico, really, who did everything." Candy, suddenly uncomfortable, pushed a hand through her hair, and twirled a springy little curl. "I just took a quick nap when Rico stabbed me four or five times, then woke up to a Prince Charming situation." That's right. Not that it had been far from his mind, but thanks to her bringing it up again, Levi fumed some more. "Why don't you call Danny and have phone sex next?" "What?" Candy looked at him like he'd grown horns. "Maybe I will! Give me his number! And the first phone I see—" Wildly, she searched the room for a phone. She made Levi so mad he wanted to shake her. Before she spotted the one on the table behind the nurse, he argued, "I can't. I don't know it." He had Danny's card in his wallet, in case he ever needed to get in touch when he wasn't at the farm, but he wasn't volunteering the information. Candy breathed through her nose with her eyes all squinty for several seconds, her search halted by his words. "He's on speed dial on my cell." Cal offered and held the damn thing out with a wry smile of amusement. "I'm sure he could use it, what with the stupid wedding coming up." He supposed it was out of spite to him, but Candy yanked the phone from Callie's hand. "What number?" 340
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"You are not gonna call him." The taunting order came without thinking. Not that he'd put it past her. She was just pushing his buttons, and he knew it. But that didn't make it any easier to keep from throttling the girl. "Green button and number two." "You haven't been strangled lately, have you, Cal?" He took the phone from Candy, but she'd already hit the buttons. Passing the phone over the bed to its rightful owner, he got down in Candy's face. "Can't you take a joke?" "If it's funny!" They seethed at one another for a minute until the nurse said, "I hate to break this party up, but you need to ease up or take it outside. This is no atmosphere for a brand new baby and its mama. Drama department around here is called ER. You passed that on the way in." Candy slapped her lips shut, duly reproached. He, on the other hand, said, "We can take it outside." "No. I want to see the baby." "Now, you're just being obtuse." She put her hands on her hips, and he knew he wouldn't get her out of there without explosives before Andrea's son arrived. Women! He stomped over to the other side of the room and sat in one of the chairs provided for visitors. Threw himself into it, actually, propping an elbow on the arm, rubbing his chin. "Fine. We can camp out all friggin' night for all I care." Anything to prolong the time with her. Wait. He had to hold up there. Was that what she was doing? Because their goodbye was getting closer by the minute? 341
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She, too, plopped into a chair. "S'okay with me. I don't work on Sundays. It's your cows that'll suffer, not mine." The nurse walked out with an "I'll just go see where that baby is." "You two are hilarious." Callie crossed her arms around her waist, listening for Danny to pick up on the cell. "I think he's probably got his arm up a cow's butt." She clicked the phone off and slipped it into her pocket. "He really could use some phone sex, or otherwise, I think. I'll be so glad when this Jimmy and Kerri nightmare is over." "It's called a wedding." Levi was tired of everybody using euphemisms about it, himself included. "It's gonna be the happiest day of the year for just about everybody I know, and I, for one, am gonna be right there, drinking champagne and cheering the whole thing on, thanking God the witch is off the market—" "Here we are!" A different nurse came around the corner pushing a bassinet. "Here's your mommy, little man." Bustling. That was the only word that applied to the buxom, squatty built, too happy woman in pastel scrubs with short cropped gray hair. She swaddled the baby and handed him to Andrea. "You want to try to nurse him?" Her gaze slid sideways to Levi. "You want me to leave?" he offered immediately. "Can I do it later?" Andrea frowned down at her son, looking awkward. It surprised Levi, considering Andrea seemed like the perfect homebody, motherly type in so many other ways. "Don't let me keep you—" 342
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"No!" It sounded like panic to him, so he didn't move. "Okay." The nurse was very relaxed. "You need to get to know him a bit before you let him see your breasts, s'okay with me. But if he gets fussy, that means he's ready to try latching on." "I'm betting he takes after his dad, and he's a natural at that." Levi's comment garnered a round of dirty looks from the women in the room. "Le!" Callie chastised him. The nurse seemed overly cheery, ignoring his comment. "We gave him a bottle of formula to tide him over earlier." "Hell, if she'd waited half as long with Eat, maybe we wouldn't be here," Levi said, unrepentant. Andrea smoothed her hands over the baby blanket, taking him in her arms. "Somebody throw something at him, please. Or stick something in his mouth." "I'll take tongue," He suggested to Candy. Vulgarity wasn't his usual thing, but Levi felt the distress of separation anxiety and it was pressing him to say things he would normally keep to himself. He clamped his lips shut. "I'll come back in a few minutes and check to see how you're doing," the nurse said. "Push the button if you need help." She was gone in a heartbeat. Callie leaned against the window sill, her back to it. "What's gotten into you, Le?" He shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. What was the matter with him? [Back to Table of Contents] 343
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Chapter Twenty-Six "He's tired." Candy made an excuse for Levi's poor behavior, although the sexual comments and that kiss a minute ago were going over the limit of her sensibilities. The man needed someone to get his mouth under control, in more ways than one. It appeared that he was shocking the others, so maybe this wasn't his usual mien? She didn't mind a man who spoke his mind, but he needed to lighten up. With every passing minute, he seemed more and more tense. Although she kept him in her peripheral view, the baby captured her main attention. Little Levi was so tiny, but his hands were wiry, and even at that size, his palms were wide and fingers long. Andrea examined them, and then opened the blanket, and Candy counted fingers and toes silently, glad to see he had the right number, wondering what it would be like to have a baby of her own. "Let me hold him," Callie bossed. "I want to be the first after you, Andi." She didn't give Andrea much of a choice before she took the baby out of the bedridden woman's arms. Candy thought it was pushy, but she secretly wished she could do the same. She hadn't held a newborn in a long time. And the fact that little Levi wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for her...that meant something to her. She didn't care who his father was. 344
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Levi didn't seem to have any interest in the baby, and Candy knew that was specifically because of Ethan's bad attitude and all that had gone before. She wished she knew all the particulars and could help heal the situation somehow. All that aside, it seemed weird that Levi had no real interest in the baby, considering the fact that it had been named after him. Was he that tired? Or just annoyed over the naming thing? Or keeping a distance because of her? He could still give his son the Levi Tucker moniker and just call him Tucker. Or maybe Andrea planned on calling her son by his initials or something. That would keep confusion down, anyway. Unless Levi wanted to be Big Levi to his little Mini-Me. The idea made her smile. How cute would that be? Her mind ran off into fantasy land, picturing Levi teaching his son how to milk cows for the first time, then bottle feeding a calf and laughing. Country boys played baseball, too, didn't they? How fun would it be to see a little Levi in a uniform, swinging a bat? The vision widened and she saw Andrea behind a chain link fence, cheering. For a minute, Candy's chest squeezed tight on itself, and then her brain made sense of Andrea's calls. "Levi, give him something good to swing at!" Her son was on the pitcher's mound, ready to throw the ball at the little boy Candy had seen as her own. She knew it was her mind's way of making things work out. Candy always thought up alternative endings that went the way she wanted life to work. They almost never panned out, and realizing that it was just another fantasy brought 345
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even more heartache. Foolish dreaming. She needed to get real. "Hold him, Le. Let's see how you look with a baby in your arms." Callie pushed the infant into Levi's arms next. It didn't matter that he obviously didn't want it. Then she backed up and dug through a bag. "I have a camera in here somewhere. I should have taken a picture when you first held him, Andi. I'm sorry." Levi sat up, staring down at the baby. "He's got a Kazinsky chin." It sounded like the mark of the devil. Candy felt obligated to move closer and bend down, touching the baby's hands. "Look at his hands, Levi. Aren't they precious?" Callie snapped a couple pictures. Candy's eyes met Levi's. She gave him a small smile, willing him to be nice, to think for a minute about how his acceptance would affect Andrea once the numbness wore off. "You think?" "Yes. Look how long his feet are." She uncovered the baby's feet again. He didn't seem impressed, and Candy had the urge to hit him in the head. Couldn't he see how wonderful a brand new baby was? She would happily adopt a baby. Anybody's baby. So, how could Levi hold the infant's father against him? "You are so thick-headed." If he didn't appreciate Little Levi, fine. She took the baby from him, and the minute the boy was in her arms, she practically swooned at the concept of motherhood. "Ooh, Andrea, he's absolutely beautiful." 346
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A shadow fell across the door, and Candy looked up to see Ethan and a man who had to be his twin blocking the light from the hall. Ethan had cleaned up, showered and shaved, and looked downright respectable. To her surprise, he clutched a huge bunch of flowers in one hand. Not store bought things, either. Hand picked wild flowers. There was no cellophane on them, and she knew, instinctively, that he'd put a little heart and forethought into coming. Nathan had an oversized, stuffed, gift bag by the strings. But both of their free hands were clenched, as if looking for a fight the minute they saw Levi behind her. It was apparent that they weren't sure of their welcome. One glance to Andrea and Callie, and Candy knew everyone was stricken speechless. How could she smooth this situation? It wasn't her place to, but since she had the baby and blocked Levi from headbutting Ethan into the wall, she felt she should hold her ground. Levi was just nuts enough to take the Kazinskys on without thinking things out first, if the rest of his day's brawling was anything to go by. Confusion crossed Ethan's face when he realized she had a baby in her arms, and Candy instantly recalled the fact that Danny and Levi had mentioned the infant that had died, but said nothing about the surviving twin. To her biggest surprise, she saw tears in Ethan's eyes. When she registered those, she realized they weren't new tears. His eyes were red, as if he'd been crying all the way into town or something. Had he done some soul searching? Is that why he was there? Or was he drunk? 347
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The last thought that came to her froze Candy to the spot. What if he was more belligerent than he'd been earlier? He might just throw Levi out the window or something. And with Nathan backing him up, it was highly likely they'd accomplish the task if they put their minds to it. "This must be Candy." Nathan scooted his oversized body lithely around his brother and set the bag down on the floor. One glance, and Candy could tell it was all for Andrea. Gifts for a woman you loved. Candy, a couple pretty wrapped packages, and one of those super sized cards. Nothing babyish, though. "I'm Nate," he said, leaning over to kiss Andrea's cheek. "How you doing?" "Okay." Stunned speechless. That would be the only phrase that could apply. Andrea's eyes had grown as large as saucers. Her gaze zipped between Levi and Ethan in horror. "We'd have been here sooner, but Eat, well...." Nathan's voice trailed off then picked up on an order. "Give her the flowers." Ethan, it seemed, had turned to stone. When that became apparent, Nate kept on rolling his tongue. With sincere sadness, "We heard about the baby." His fingers squeezed Andrea's. "What can we do, Andi? Just tell us and it's done." How could Candy not like this guy? The baby squirmed in her arms and she drew it closer, kissing its forehead, murmuring, "It's okay, baby." And she wasn't sure what made her add, "It's just your daddy," but the words crawled out of her mouth with some sort of horrid hope that maybe, 348
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just maybe, Little Levi could heal the wounds between these people. The gaping holes in Levi's heart needed closure of some kind. Surely the baby was the answer? Was that what Andrea had hoped? Why she'd played with fire? Candy felt Levi behind her as he tightened up. Might have been his aura. Or just that she knew him well enough by now to know the words would be a knife turning in his belly. He might hate her forever after this. But Andrea wanted Ethan to know he had a son, or she wouldn't have put Kazinsky on the birth certificate. Levi had to learn to deal. Nathan, again, was the only one in the room moving. "Hey, Callie." His voice, deep like Ethan's, was smoother than cream. One glance screamed there was history between Cal and Nate. Her bones melted, and she rolled her shoulders, closing her arms over her front, protecting herself. "Nathan. How's it going?" "Oh, you know." He gave her a lopsided grin. "Some days are tougher than others. This one's been a bear." Or rather, Ethan had been one. No one needed an interpreter for that one as Nate's gaze slid to his brother. Then he stretched his neck, laying eyes on Levi properly. "Bishop. Eat do that to you?" He frowned, his gaze darting to his brother with a serious intake of air at his nostrils. "I didn't do shit to him." Finally, Ethan figured out how to move his feet. "He already had that when I ran into him." 349
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Levi stood. "Funny. I thought it was a two by four that ran into you." Andrea gasped, absolutely horrified. "If you two are gonna fight, take it outside." Nathan cut between them by moseying over to take a look at the baby. His lips quirked in pleasure as Little Levi's fingers curled around his big stumpy one. "I told you there was twins in there." Unnecessarily, he told Candy, "Runs in our family." "I thought Andrea was the one who's clairvoyant." She didn't know what else to say. Up close, Nathan Kazinsky was seriously oozing the sex appeal of six men. His cologne was to die for, and his eyes, deep green, seemed to be digging right into her. "You gonna share with me?" His voice dropped a full octave and sounded like hot fudge on ice cream. Share? It took her a minute to comprehend. He meant the baby. Oh. She almost handed it over, but then she realized that Nathan was controlling the room. She had a brother like that. All easy going, iron fist in velvet glove. Too good-looking not to stare at. Too easy at talking people into whatever he wanted. "Nope!" With her best chipper voice, she moved away from his mesmerizing personality, and the circle of his reach. She knew he was surprised because he didn't react. Nor did anyone else when she said, "I think Daddy should hold the baby first." Candy had no idea what was driving her, but she waltzed right over to Ethan and said, "Say hello to your son, Levi Daniel." 350
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The introduction stoved the man up. He couldn't work his tongue at all. It tripped several times, trying to get the name out. "Le-Levi Da-Dan—" "Levi Daniel." She smiled up at him. "Say it with me, Daddy. Levi Daniel Kazinsky." Because he absolutely could not pull himself together, she added, "You can't deny him. He's got your feet." Unless, of course, Andrea had slept with Nathan, too. Candy darted a look in Nate's direction. His mouth had dropped open. He swiveled at the waist. "You named him after Le and Danny?" "Danny saved her life." Callie untangled her arms, and for the first time, Candy noticed the woman's looks. Dressed in a business suit, she looked extremely capable, but it was her features, the prettier version of Danny's solid good looks, that were somewhat stunning. For a lady with nondescript brown hair and an equally non-remarkable build, she had fascinating smoky slate eyes and professional make-up. Her honey colored hair, too, was coiffed in a French knot, giving her the air of the untouchable. "He and Le came running when she needed help. What did you expect?" The man, pole-axed, struggled to get a reply out, but when he did, it was almost too soft to hear. It was an accusation directed at Andrea. "All you had to do was call, and I would've been there. You know that." Ooh. This felt like a definite triangle, or quadrangle, or.... Candy kissed the baby's forehead again. She wanted to slip out the door with him and hide in a closet somewhere safe where they'd never find the two of them. 351
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"Well, she did—" Levi began. "I tried. The phone was busy," Andrea cut in before he could say she hadn't. Candy glanced over her shoulder. Levi took the blow with a hard realization that pulled his shoulders back. Andrea hadn't called him first? No. Wait. She'd come to his house earlier. Candy knew she'd have to remind him of that the minute she got him out the door. Candy was glad of one thing. There was no smell of booze on Ethan. "You want to hold your son or not?" Unceremoniously, Ethan blindly slapped the flowers into Nathan's hand with a gruff, "Here!" It took a minute to get the tiny guy settled in Eat's big, bulging arms. At least the man looked like he understood how fragile the baby was. What got Candy was the way he looked to her with some sort of emotion she couldn't decipher, and then over to Andrea. A silent beg for help? The great big tough guy swallowed heavily, and his eyes literally swam. There was no question then what Andrea saw in the guy. Big, soft hearted bully. The man protected a statesized organ in his chest. Big enough to take a beating and maybe willing to take them repeatedly—for the sins of his father. Candy wanted to cry for the man, and for Andrea, who was stuck between the Kazinsky's and Levi, too. Had these men ever been friends? Tears welled up in her eyes and she smiled. "He's just about perfect." She uncovered the baby's feet one more time. "Look at these." She had to laugh at Ethan's expression of 352
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wonder as he checked out his son. She blurted, "They are either yours or your brother's. Who else, in three counties, has feet like that?" His fingers tightened on the blanket, and he looked past her. Nathan immediately said, "Don't even think it." But he protested a little too much when he added, "What I have with her is pure." "Lily fucking white, I'll bet." Ethan, obviously, didn't believe a word of it. That had Candy thinking back to the scene outside Andrea's house. He hadn't, once, believed that Andrea and Levi had been together, but he didn't trust his own brother? Jesus. Did the world get any more messed up than this? "Bring him here." Andrea patted Nathan rather hard on the hip to make him move out of the way. Candy could only figure that Levi hadn't left the room because he didn't trust the Kazinskys alone with Andrea. Or maybe he was still reeling from the news that she'd called them first? Nate one handedly pulled a chair forward, shoving it behind Ethan as he leaned to give the baby to its mother. "Here. Sit your big ass down. You two need to talk." Callie took a picture. Then she snapped more of those in the room. "You done yet?" Nathan skewered her. "I'd like to talk to you." She responded with a wrinkled nose and took another shot of him. He frowned. "Stop."
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"No. I'm running this through the FBI computer, see if it pulls up your mug shot as a match. Done anything bad recently?" Callie had access to FBI files? Nathan had a mug shot? Of the two brothers, she would have bet on Ethan having one. Wait. Maybe both of them did. "You know what?" Levi rose and dropped a hand to Andrea's sheet covered feet. "We're gonna get going. Call if you need anything." Andrea nodded. "Thanks, Le, and you, too, Candy." "I'm just glad you're okay." One eye to Ethan, Candy had to ask Andrea, "You are okay, now, aren't you?" "Yeah." Candy wasn't so sure, but Levi had his other hand to the small of her back and was literally pushing her toward the door. But before they got to it, Callie's phone rang. She set the camera on the bed by Andrea's knee, checked the phone and said, "Danny." Answering it with a "Yo, big bro. Tell me you washed your hands before you called." Whatever he said made her laugh. "Yeah. She's awake. Le and Candy are here. No. That was Candy borrowing my phone." Totally amused, Cal said, "I think she wanted phone sex." The Kazinsky's both swiveled in tandem, eying her up and down. Candy blushed. Totally embarrassed, she said, "Tell him to call me later." Then she marched out of the room.
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Two steps out the door, Levi reminded her, "In order to take that call, you'd have to go with me back to the farm. Your cell's out there somewhere, remember?" Great. No. She hadn't remembered that. Her flip little remark sounded even dumber now. "No. I didn't remember. You think I would have said that if I had?" "Who the hell knows? I thought you were just trying to piss me off and turn the Kaz's on." Nathan and Callie came around the corner, and Candy was glad for their timing. Callie didn't want to be alone with Nate as far as Candy could tell because the minute they appeared, Callie hollered, "Le! Wait up." Judging by the looks on their faces, it didn't make either man happy. Like surly kids, they both pouted. Cal stretched her stride. "Get a cup of coffee with me in the cafeteria. I need to talk to you for a minute." Levi rubbed the back of his neck in annoyance. "What about?" "About the wedding. What else?" Kerri and Jimmy's wedding. Something about the ominous way it came out reminded Candy of the announcement of a force five hurricane just off shore, looming and soon to be a dooming event. "You going?" Pensive, Nate waited for her reply. "Are you?" Callie seemed surprised Nathan had asked and a little traumatized by the thought that he might be planning on it. "We sponsor Jimmy's race car and do a lot of business for the Colonel. Don't see how I'm gonna get out of it." 355
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The news did not sit well with Levi. He stomped down the hall in search of coffee. Candy figured he'd need it for the ride home. She knew one thing. That wedding promised to be full of fireworks, the way everybody was talking about it. She didn't put it past Jimmy to show up drunk, or Danny to arrive with a two by four or two. And if Jack went with Levi, who would keep them all out of trouble when the Kazinskys showed up? Some old Colonel? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty-Seven If Levi didn't get out of the hospital soon, he was gonna blow a gasket! He didn't need a coffee. He needed a drink, a serious, stiff one. Or a shotgun. He should've blown Eat's head off ten years ago. Who expected him to show up, let alone bearing flowers and gifts? Even after being told Andrea had lost a baby. Levi's conscience bit into him a little after seeing Ethan hold his son. He probably should have corrected Danny earlier. But then, he wouldn't have seen Ethan caring for Andrea. That ate at Levi because he didn't want to give the man any good points. And why was Nate following him? Just to harass Callie? That old romance was long dead and buried, wasn't it? She'd moved on, hadn't she? And hadn't Nate fallen for Andi? Everybody in the county thought so. Danny would not be happy to hear otherwise if Callie and Nate still had some kindling smoking. He hated the Kaz brothers just about as much as Levi did. In fact, Le felt an obligation to give Nate a warning. Spinning, he stopped in the middle of the hall. "Before you hung up, did you tell Danny who else came to see Andrea?" Guiltily, Callie squeaked, "No. There was no reason." "But here you are, walking the hall with—" Levi couldn't even bring himself to say Nathan's name. "Nathan." Candy supplied it. "I know what his name is." Could she annoy him any more? 357
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"Then act civilized. He's been more than nice." "I like you," Nate said, and it sounded all too much like Ethan. But Levi had to admit, there wasn't the slinky thing behind it. The words came out honest. Not calculating. "Where'd you find her, Le?" "You know Erica?" Candy tugged on the hemline of the shirt she had on. "Yeah." "She set us up on a blind date." She chuckled. "The longest blind date ever." Levi recognized Candy's rambling mode. Anything to fill the space of silence. "I got my first trip to a farm and a ride in a helicopter, and he even threw in blood donation and cow milking and calf bottle feeding and—" "So, you're from the city?" Nate shut her down. She nodded. "Uh, yeah." "How is Erica?" Callie wanted to know. "I haven't talked to her in ages. Is she coming to the wedding?" "I don't think so. I mean, she never mentioned it. I would have thought she'd say something about the wedding of the century. Everybody else is talking about it." Again, Levi realized Candy was panicking a little, trying to keep the conversation on something outside of the relationships between the people at the hospital. "I met Jimmy. Seems like a nice guy." "We talking about the same groom?" Callie asked, "Was he sober?" 358
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"I saw him last night down at The Dugout." Nate wrinkled his forehead and rubbed it. "He said he didn't plan on sobering up until the big day." Levi walked away. Jimmy knew he was marrying into hell. The guy deserved his last week of freedom any way he wanted to spend it. But he knew it wouldn't go over well with Callie or Candy if he said it. "So, what?" Callie smart-mouthed. "You buy him a few rounds to make sure his dream came true?" That made Levi smile. Candy fell into step beside him, and he felt her gaze on his profile, knew she wasn't happy when she demanded, "You think that's funny?" "What can I say? Nate's a funny guy." It was bullshit, and they all knew it. Nate was anything but funny. Calculating. Clever. There were a lot of terms Levi could apply to the man, but funny wasn't one of them. "I didn't buy him shit." Nate's shadow climbed Levi's back as they found the cafeteria and got in line. "You hungry?" Levi realized for the umpteenth time he owed Candy a meal, and then some. "Yeah. A little." She eyed the food with skepticism. "Get something." She went simple. Chicken fingers and fries with a soda. Levi grabbed two burgers, double the fries, and a coffee. It wasn't until they found a table, he noticed the others had grabbed food, too. Candy sat down, and Levi immediately crowded her, putting his thigh against hers. "Ah," she said, looking around. 359
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"I should have gotten some ranch dressing to dip these things into. Did you see any?" Nate set his tray down. "I'll get it." "Mmm," Callie watched the man's ass as he walked away. "Looks like he's learned a few manners since I saw him last." "Don't you believe it," Levi growled, picking up a fry. "He's just putting the make on Candy, one little effort at a time." "Hmm." Candy unwrapped her straw, watching Nathan, too. Levi slipped a hand under the table and squeezed her thigh. "Don't even think it." "What?" Surprised, she turned on him. Then, just like her, she put two and two together and got enraged. And pushed his hand away with an un-tempered annoyance. "How long did you say you two have been going out?"Callie tugged the sleeves of her blouse through her jacket, divesting herself of the outer clothing. Her blouse was high quality silk, with tailored touches that made it divinely fit, drawing attention to her breasts. Although covered, they were prominently featured. "Not long enough for Neanderthalism." Candy stabbed the straw into her drink and took a big swig. "That's not a real word, is it?" Levi unwrapped his first burger. Nathan returned, tossed two sealed ranch dressing containers into the center of the table and dropped into his seat. "What did I miss? Anything good?"
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"Candy watching your ass." Callie neatly unloaded her food items from the tray and set it on the table behind her, then held out a hand, expecting others to hand theirs over. Levi would have eaten with his under everything, not planning on making a big production of it. More than anything, he wanted to get away from the Kaz and take Candy to some place quiet so they could talk. He didn't appreciate Callie putting thoughts like that in Nate's head, but then he assumed she was deflecting. Nate smiled and winked at Candy. "You want me to walk away again?" "Yes." Levi thought he'd help her out by answering for her. She rewarded him with a jab to his ribs. "Actually, I'm curious about a few things, and I bet you could explain them to me." She opened a ranch dressing with a great attention. "I mean, I know you all go way back and everything. Were you ever, really, good friends?" Ducking his head, Nate eyed his food with confusion. "I can't remember that far back." "They were, once, but that was a long, long time ago." Callie darted a glance at Levi. All he could do was chew that dry burger into minced pieces. No way could he swallow. He'd thought more about that damn accident in the last day than the whole ten years that had passed. "Let's talk about something else." Callie had a ham and cheese on wheat. She unwrapped the cellophane and looked under the bread with something akin to worry. "Like the wedding. You are going, aren't you, Le?" 361
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He choked and reached for something to wash his burger down with. Coffee was too hot. Candy passed her soda and slapped him on the back a few times. When he tamped it down, he said, "You didn't hear that I'm the step-in best man?" "Oh. You have got to be kidding! I thought Jimmy would come to his senses and ask Danny to step up." "Guess not," Le said. "I don't think he'd do it anyway." "You might be surprised." Callie peeled limp lettuce and set it aside. "Who else is standing up with him then? I heard she had about twelve bridesmaids." The Kaz ate silently, watching the rest of them as they talked, making Levi feel distinctly uncomfortable and guarded. Out of the corner of his eye, Levi noted that the man's paws were twice the size of his sandwiches and the guy wolfed food like somebody was gonna steal it from him. Plus, Candy and Cal both kept stealing glances in the guy's direction. "I don't know, to tell you the truth. I've got to throw him a bachelor party next Friday after the rehearsal dinner. Gonna meet them all then." "You line up strippers?" Callie covered the lettuce with a napkin. Levi knew she wouldn't eat the food. Cal was a bit of snob and a health food nut. It had surprised him that she pretended she would. Candy, on the other hand, wasn't shy about scarfing her food. He felt a little guilty about starving her all day. "Hey. You wanna be my date for that dinner?" 362
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"Hmm. Me?" She washed her chicken down with another drink. "Who did you think I was talking to? The lady behind you?" She turned to see who that was. A lady in a wheelchair, ninety years old, gumming her food. Candy's eyebrows lifted, but she didn't say anything. "Well?" "Let's be realistic. You'll have to milk cows before the dinner, and then you're doing the bachelor party afterward. When are you going to have time to pick me up and take me home?" If he could have burned a hole in her head, he would have. He lowered his voice and said, "If you move in, it won't be that much of a problem." Cal and Nate sat back. Levi ignored them, although he knew what they were thinking. Callie was probably in shock and happy surprise, and Nate was likely thinking on how to use the info to his advantage. "You two that serious?" Callie turned on Candy, who looked caught in headlights, unsure what to say. "You should totally move in. Like...tomorrow." Nate? Nate said that? Levi swiveled his head toward the man. "Hell. I got my truck, if you need to haul more stuff than yours will hold." Candy's eyes grew wider by the second as Nate added, "I don't mind helping. Me and Eat have strong backs. You moving furniture?" Levi had to wonder what was in it for Nate. Help him get together with her so he can pull them apart the minute his 363
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back was turned. Like, when he was at the bachelor party? Le didn't trust this at all. "We can do it tonight, actually." Nate didn't back down. "You gotta get back to milk cows in the morning, don't you, Le?" "Yes." Levi couldn't swallow. All he could do was stare. "I—I don—don't think—" Candy spared a nervous hand to her wayward springing curls. Callie's hand fell on Candy's other forearm. "Oh, you should!" "Wh—why?" Candy, obviously, was at a loss on how to deal with this. Callie didn't miss a beat. "Because Levi needs someone, and you...you're practically family already, what with giving blood to Andi and the baby and everything." "It's a big move. I'm not sure I'm ready—" Again, Candy struggled with the commitment. "It's not that big a deal. An hour to load your stuff, two hours drive, and another hour to unload." Nathan pushed it. "Easy. We can do it before midnight if we get to it pretty quick. And run over to the Dugout for a drink before they close." "We can handle it." Levi knew he sounded ungracious, but he didn't care. Once again, he put a hand on Candy's thigh, willing her to get the fact that he really didn't want to be anywhere near Nathan or his brother. She was a smart girl. He'd already spelled things out. "Oh, don't be stupid, Le." Callie's annoyance slid out of her lips as if she thought he was being an idiot. "He's offering 364
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serious muscle and he's just about got her talked into it. You should appreciate his efforts on your behalf here." "Who you trying to impress, Nate?" Levi didn't care how the women saw it. He knew Nathan Kazinsky never did anything without an ulterior motive. "My girl or Danny's sister? Because either way, it ain't flyin'." Nose to nose, Nathan lowered his voice. "You ever think I'd like to see you happy for once? That maybe, if you could get something good going in your life, the whole world would be a better place for the rest of us?" "No." He denied it, but there was an underlying truth in Nathan's murky green gaze. "Then you're fucking blind," Nathan said in a calm and easy way but not backing up a bit. "The whole world is waiting on you to get over what happened. Why can't you see it?" "That's bullshit." Levi didn't believe he could ever get over the way his family had been murdered, mowed down without warning, as they were. Candy's fingers closed over Levi's under the table, squeezed, then reached over his leg and got a hold on his inner thigh. A small comfort, and a censure to keep his head? "No, it's not." Nate picked up a napkin, swiped it over his lips, and threw it to the table in front of him. "Look around, man. Nobody wants to look for wedded bliss because you keep dwelling on how it's sure to fall apart. Somebody's gonna steal it." "That's not true." Candy came to his defense. "Jimmy's getting married next week." 365
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"Into hell," Nate clarified. "But look at everybody else. Andrea can't marry anybody for fear of ruining her friendship with Le. Danny, Kyle, Noah, even Callie. They all believe your bullshit, and until you prove something different to them, they'll sit on their asses, believing every word you say like you're a fucking god. But you and I know that all you are is scared shitless of getting close to anyone." With that, Nathan got up, squashing his wrappers in a fist. He gestured with it toward Candy. "You got a pretty little thing like that interested, and you're not smart enough to move her ass in as fast as you can? You're an idiot, Bishop." He stomped away, saying over his shoulder. "Offer's open until I leave town. Cal, give her my goddamn number." The man tossed his trash in the dumpster, and Levi thought how at odds his actions of cleaning up after himself were in conjunction with Le's impression of the man. Was there truth to what Nate said? Had he been misjudging Nathan for the last ten years? No. Levi didn't want to believe that. "It's not true," Candy repeated softly. Levi thought she was defending him to Callie, over the whole "he ruined everybody's lives" thing, but she cleared her throat and insisted, "He asked me to move in with him." Was she looking for Callie's approval now or what? Cal watched Nathan walk out, confusion on her face. And it took her slow-mo comprehension coming full circle to him for Levi, too, to process the words Nathan had just laid down. "Don't tell Danny," Callie gasped. 366
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So, Callie and Nathan were still talking. She had the guy's number in her phone, which meant she called him. "You know I will." Levi stabbed his last fry into his mouth and chewed it with vengeance. "He's right, Le." Callie suddenly had tears in her eyes. "Nobody wants to cross the lines you've set. I have to tell you that I'm so glad Jimmy and Kerri are getting married. Maybe Danny will stop using her as an excuse now." "He was engaged to her. Gonna get married. Don't say that it's anything different than it is. She cheated on him with his best friend. That's the only reason Danny didn't marry Kerri." "No." She touched a hand to her immaculately swept hair. Only one little straight piece had slipped free. Callie tucked that behind her ear. "He kept her at arm's length because you've done one helluva sell job. Nate's right." "And you and Nathan have something going?" Levi turned on Callie. "And I'm holding you from it?" That was too hard for him to absorb. He didn't want to believe it. "I'm not saying that. Just don't tell Danny I'm talking to him again. He's as bad as you when it comes to the Kaz's." "I have good reason." "You have a ten year grudge!" She, too, smushed her wrappers and food together in preparation of leaving. "And he didn't even cause the accident. Haven't you ever read the bible, Le? Sins of the fathers was lifted with Christ's atonement." Callie stood. "But not in your book. No. And we're all gonna pay until you realize that there were a lot more victims when that drunk killed your family." 367
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The tears rolled down her cheeks. She sniffed. "And...and...you have no idea how to love if you can't see all the love around you." Anger growing, she skewered Candy next. "And if you don't move in with him, you're a fool. This man is better than damn near every man I know, and I know a lot of good ones!" Callie stomped away then, and Levi and Candy watched her leave in silence, too. Levi realized his brain was in stutter mode. He couldn't think or process what had been said. He was afraid to move, to see how Candy had taken it. Nate and Callie painted him pretty selfish. At least, that's how he took it. The burger, like a rock, rolled in his stomach. It was true Danny and he thought alike. But Kyle and Noah and Callie and Andrea...they were single for other reasons. Weren't they? Le rested an elbow on the table and put his forehead in his hand, thinking. Several seconds passed, and finally, Candy leaned into him, laying her head on his shoulder. Feeling like he'd been run over by a couple of trucks, he asked, "You want me to take you home now?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty-Eight What, on earth, should she say now? Nathan and Callie had pretty much said a ton. All harsh, too, although Candy felt sure it was with the best intentions. How long had they been holding onto that? The whole ten years? "It's okay, Le," she whispered. "Don't let them..." What? Hurt him? It was too late for that, wasn't it? "I don't see you as selfish. We all do the best we can as things hit us. Sometimes it takes a while to move through problems. It's not your fault if they aren't getting on with their lives. Any of them." He rubbed his face, tired. "I'm gonna have to think about all this." Levi leaned back in his seat, putting a little bit of room between them, stretching his legs out. "Grains of truth don't make everything so." She took the hint and removed her hand from his leg, sitting back, too. "Sweet understanding. Compassion. All the good qualities a wife should have. How can I not love you? It's like you're being tested on every level, and you keep sailing through it all. I don't know anyone like you." Levi rubbed his chin, and her vision keyed in on the stubble he had going. It was pretty sexy. Did he have any idea how that added to his appeal? "You know, it would be easier parting ways if you'd blow up, too. I'd get rid of some steam and..." He narrowed his eyes at her. "It would be easier to leave you here in the city." "You think?" 369
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"Yeah. The ride home is going to be miserable." "How so?" "All they said, and all we've talked about and done." He sighed. "I was selfish with you, too. I can see that." "What do you mean?" "I took one look at you and thought 'I want her to be the mother of my children.' And I didn't use all the available condoms." The lady behind them gasped, and Candy rolled her eyes, turning to give the woman a dirty look. "Do you mind? This is a private conversation." "Then take it somewhere private." Levi took hold of Candy's hand, examining her fingers, drawing her attention back to him. "I've been pushing from moment one. I thought it was totally out of character for me, but maybe they're right. Maybe I do boss people around. Sometimes in subtle ways. I never really thought about it before." "So, you're thinking you want to rethink everything? I mean, that would be sensible." Now that he was breaking up with her, getting some reasonable perspective and forcing her to see it, too, she felt a distinct sense of loss. Candy knew it was smart to step back and reconsider where they'd been and might go. They hadn't known each other very long. The whole moving in together idea had been a big, crazy thing. Too crazy, wasn't it? As much as she knew her mother would deem it all insane and her father and brothers would hit the roof if she did seriously contemplate moving in with Levi, Candy struggled 370
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with the reality of saying goodbye. Was he working up to walking out on her here? She could ride a bus home or call somebody. Or even hit Nathan Kazinsky up for a ride. The minute that thought slid through her brain, she winced. Even if Levi dumped her, he wouldn't like that. Maybe she could suggest it. That would stop his "let's walk away now" talk. Wouldn't it? Only, she didn't want to make him mad as the last thing she ever did. You can't keep a guy interested if you do that, can you? Ooh, she didn't know what to say. "I'm just rethinking what Nate and Callie said." "And how it applies to us?" She couldn't quite follow. There wasn't really an us if she let him walk away. She could live the rest of her life alone, wondering if she should have jumped on his offer to live with him. The sadness that welled up inside of her seemed devastating. No way did she want to die a spinster. Or live the rest of her life remembering back to one glorious weekend. She wanted to leap into his arms—and his life—and hang on for the ride. "I am selfish." He put a lot of attention toward her fingernails, picking at them, one by one. "I don't want to live alone anymore, and I don't want to let you go. Not even for a day. And I'm not picking you because I'm so lonely I can't live another day, although I feel that way a little bit. You're the only woman I ever laid eyes on," he looked up at her, "and felt this way about. I know it's right." 371
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Their eyes met. She couldn't help liking the fact that he was pushing this, that he wasn't backing off, in spite of the fact that the others had made him recognize this somewhat negative trait he had and he needed to work through some things because of it. Who didn't have issues? Who didn't have flaws? Would his bossiness drive her crazy in the long run? Probably. Would she have to fight with him regularly over it? Most likely. Would she miss it for the world? Not even a second of it. "Levi. I want to give up everything I have to make this work with you. It is crazy, the way I feel this...this kismet with you. But I want to dare to dream. I want to work to make a life with you." He opened his mouth to cut in, but she didn't let him get a word in. "I know that people will give us grief when they realize how short a time we've known each other, but I don't care. And I don't care if you are a control freak, a little. What can it hurt to give it a shot?" "Nothing." "It's not like we're jumping into marriage or anything. Right?" His whole body jerked, but he didn't say anything, so she rambled on. "You've offered me a job with fringe benefits and no obligations. I can call in sick for a week. I have that much sick pay, so I don't have to lose my job. And my apartment's paid to the end of the month. Two more weeks. We can try living together and see if you can stand me by next weekend. You know?" 372
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He searched her face, and she waited pensively for a response. Anything in the positive. With a glance over her shoulder at the woman in the wheelchair, he asked, "So, you don't want to bring any furniture to the farm, then?" "There's no rush, is there? I mean, we can take it one day at a time. Don't you think?" "You don't want to commit tonight. Is that what you're saying?" Why was he wording it like that? She knew where her heart was. In his hands. But the guy needed to make sure she was what he wanted. That he could live with her. That she wasn't some transition relationship or something. "What I'm saying, I guess, is that I don't want to have the Kazinskys moving my furniture in the dark." She smiled. "I don't trust them not to finger through my underwear when we're not looking." "So..." He stood up. "You're planning on taking some with you?" She laughed out loud. Getting up, she collected her trash. "Yeah." "It's not necessary." "Says you." Together, they went over to the trash receptacle. He bumped her from behind, cozying right up, as he reached around her to dispose of his garbage. Dropping his lips to her ear, he said, "I may have to rip each pair off, one by one, to prove my point." "And then you'd be driving me into town so I can shop at Victoria's Secret again." 373
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"There's merit to this plan." He took hold of her elbow and steered her out of the room. At the doorway's arch, he pulled her into his arms and glanced at the woman in the wheelchair with a wicked glint before he laid a long, wet one on Candy and felt her up a bit with some roving hands. In the past, Candy had always wondered about people who were into public displays of affection, but now she understood the thrill that quivered through her over each kiss. The fact that he wasn't ashamed to lay claim to her in public made her heart dance. "This isn't a mistake," he said. "And I'm gonna prove it to you." One more kiss for good measure, then he snagged her hand in his and dragged her up the hall. She had to jog a little to keep up, he moved so fast. "What's the hurry?" He stopped abruptly, and she nearly got whiplash. There, at the end of the hall, stood Nate and Callie, obviously arguing. They were out of hearing, but definitely furious with each other. Nathan had his hands on his hips. She had her fingers slashing through the air, accentuating whatever she was laying on him. Levi straightened his back. Candy knew he was debating interrupting them. "Let's just go," she whispered. "You go over there, and they'll pressure us into moving furniture. And, honestly, I wanna have sex with you at my apartment before we head back."
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A tense moment passed before Levi relaxed and scooped her up in his arms, backing her against the hall wall. "Are you teasing me again?" "Yeah." He felt her up, squeezed her breasts. She groaned at the touch. Everything on her body felt sensitized. "Levi." She stopped him. "What are you doing?" "Making sure there's no doubt that you're mine." He kissed her again and pressed his pelvis into hers, letting her feel his erection, making her weak—like he always did when he put his lips on hers. "Levi," she gasped as his mouth slid down to her throat. "You've made your point. I have no doubt." He lifted his head. "I love it when your lips get puffy. I mean, they're puffy to begin with, but now you've got color in your cheeks and your eyes are glittering." "Bad light?" "I don't think so, honey." "Because you kiss my brains out?" She pushed at his chest, forcing him to back up so she could straighten her shirt. "How many years is it going to take for you to stop that?" Levi shrugged. "However many you give me." Candy put a hand to her hair. "I, uh, can't give you any guarantees on that." It wasn't because she had intentions of leaving him. Candy just needed to keep a line of escape for her pride. In case things didn't work out in a week and she had to run home with her tail between her legs. But the thought of that broke 375
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her heart. What if she really did fall in love with him and he got tired of her? How would she deal with that? It was better to make him think she was willing to give things a shot, but not fully committing, than to lay her heart on the line, wasn't it? Yes. And he had said a lot of things like "How can I not love you?" But had he actually said he loved her? Even if he had, could she trust in that after only one night together? She had to keep a grip on reality. Didn't she? Somebody did. He was moving too fast. And, while she was willing to go on the roller coaster, she had to keep one foot on the ground. But if it worked out, she'd regret not taking Nathan up on his offer. She glanced down the hall. There was a lot of truth to the things he'd said, now that she thought about it. After dates with Kyle, Noah, and Danny, she could see that they were all floundering, trying to stay busy and looking for love, but there had to be more to the reasons none of them had committed to full time relationships. Maybe Levi was holding them all back, somehow? Maybe she should...unlock them all. Hadn't Levi used that metaphor on her? Had she unlocked him? Did she have the power to free the whole mess of them? They certainly needed some help on a few fronts. She could see that. "What are you thinking about?" "Hmm?" She jerked her head and vision away from the couple down the hall just about the time they looked her way. "Oh, nothing." 376
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Levi squinted at her. "Do you need glasses?" "No. I see just fine." "You trying to read my mind?" She scrunched up her nose. "Because I don't recommend that." "Thinking something I don't want to know about?" Levi spared a look up the hall. "Like something about Nate?" "Yes. Actually, I am. And Ethan and Danny and Noah and Kyle, too." Secretly, she added Callie and Andrea to the list, too. If Callie and Nate were right, somebody needed to at least pretend to be with Levi long enough for the rest of them to move on. Not that she'd be pretending, but if things didn't work out, she could say that's why she'd given the whole schlemiel her time. Couldn't she? Should she go ahead and ask the Kazinskys to help her move her furniture and give it her all, or should she play it safe? "The whole field, huh?" Levi backed away from her, putting a foot of space between them. She tipped her head back. "Yeah. The whole damn field." Why did he have to go and put it like that? How could the man be so insecure and self-possessing at the same time? "You know. You guys need me to move out there." "You guys?" One good thing about moving to the farm with Levi would be getting to know all of them better. Even Jack and Frank. Surely Jack had some redeeming qualities? She wondered if there were any hidden women in his life. Any that he cared 377
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about for more than a quick romp in the hay. Pictures of sex in the milking barn sprang to Candy's mind. And then there was Rico, the one guy she'd never been set up with. Erica hadn't even mentioned him. Why? Levi took hold of her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. "Let's get this straight. I'm not taking you out there for— " "Would you shut up and kiss me, then ask Nate if he'll move my furniture?" He blinked. Rising on tiptoe, she kissed him a quick one. "Before I change my mind?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Twenty-Nine Levi had a moment of brain freeze. She was actually going to move in with him? And take all her things? Commit to making it work? Yes. That did seem to be the gist of what she had said. There seemed to be a catch. An if hanging in the air between them. He could see her willing him to come to terms with something. If he was reading her right, she wanted him to ask the Kazinskys for a favor. To take Nathan up on his offer of loading up her shit? "How much furniture do you have?" "Enough for two truck loads." Stubborn lips protruded. "You sure you don't know someone who would want the big stuff? All those brothers?" She tipped her head sideways like he'd lost his marbles to ask something like that. He took it for a no. A big, hard no, judging from the way she slid her hands onto her hips, waiting for him to come around to the reality of what he'd asked her to do and what she was agreeing to and what that would entail for both of them. Logistics filled his brain. Where would he put her things? While he wanted to do this, he now had to deal with the idea that a woman would want to change things in his life. Every thing. Not that she hadn't said that, straight up. She had been more than honest with him. She expected to be the center of his universe. 379
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While he already felt like his world now spun around her, he had to ask himself, could he let her force him into moving his parents' sofa to a barn and hers into the living room? And what other furniture did she have? Were they talking about getting rid of the things in his sisters' and brother's rooms? Those had been virtually untouched for ten years, save for Andrea's cleaning and an occasional overnight friend. Maybe he could store her things in his old room? He hadn't thought that hard on the whole idea. But now, he had to. Could he let her help him put his past behind him? Let go of all the things that made his house a home? That gave him comfort? Not only was she going along with his initial push, but pushing back. And worse, using the Kazinskys to do it. Damn Nathan for offering. Worse, she saw his reticence and understanding crossed her features. "We don't have to do it, if you don't want to. I thought—" "Just...don't say anything for a minute." Hands now on his hips, one look confirmed that Nate and Cal had come to terms or put their differences aside and were heading their way. Candy's fingers splayed across his chest, widely, and curled into a grip in slow motion. "Levi, we don't have to rush this, if you're not sure." He didn't want to look at her. He wasn't unsure of her or how he felt about her. But he didn't want to give an inch to Nathan or his brother. He never wanted to owe them a thing. He could make two trips in his own truck. Or simply take her home and come back with the horse trailer in tow. Jack 380
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and Frank would help if he needed a few more hands. They could manage it between feeding and milkings if they didn't waste time. "Is Ethan still in with Andrea?" Candy smiled at Nathan and Callie as they approached, letting him off the hook for the moment. "Yeah." Nathan sighed. "I've been telling him for ages that he needed to sit down and talk to her and work things out, but he's so fucking stubborn." Candy beamed a smile at Nate. "We were talking about your offer." Levi put a hand on the back of his neck. So, he'd read her wrong. She wasn't making it easy. The whole thing frustrated him. He could put his parents' furniture in a barn. He could handle loading her belongings up on his own. But she wanted him to lump the Kazinskys in with the move. To give an inch he didn't want to give. Distrust slipped across Nathan's features. "You want us to help you make the move?" Levi wanted to ask why Nate had made the offer. Why now, of all times, did he want to make an overture? Why not ten years ago? "I don't want to cut Ethan's visit to Andrea short." Candy rubbed her nose with the back of her first finger of her right hand. "But, I'll be honest. My couch is pretty heavy, and I don't want to lift it if there are guys around to do it." She wrinkled her nose. "Four brothers in the family made me appreciate having muscle around." 381
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It looked to Levi like she was appraising Nathan's biceps. Jealousy welled up inside him for the umpteenth time. This he had to get under control. It was one thing to knock his cousins around. They did that for fun. But biting into the Kazinsky temper without backup? That was beyond foolish. That didn't mean the urge wasn't there. To satisfy his need to touch something, he roughly pulled Candy toward him by wrapping a hand around her shoulders and yanking her close. He kissed her temple and whispered, "Stop." "You stop." She elbowed him. "You want him to do it or not? It's okay with me if you want to pass." Fuck. He wanted to scream. Why did she turn him in knots and spin him around? "I can get the horse trailer, and I'm sure Jack and Frank wouldn't mind—" "You just can't do it, can you?" Nathan's frustration came out in a growl. "Meet me halfway, Le. That's all I ever asked. I'm not saying you gotta have us in for a beer afterwards. Just let me do something for you." Callie's fingers curled on Nate's arm. "It's okay. Relax." He yanked out of her hold, ran a hand through his hair, and told Candy, "I appreciate what you're trying to do here. I really do, but—" Ethan stepped out of Andrea's room, overhearing Nate's tone. "Who's doing what?" Again, they were confronted with Kazinsky distrust, and Ethan's ready fists. "Your brother was just volunteering to help us move Candy's things out to the farm." "Is that right?" Eat's gaze seared through all of them. 382
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Levi was pretty sure a fight was imminent. If not between him and the Kazinskys, between Ethan and his brother. Eat turned on Nate. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You just can't leave anything alone, can you?" "I thought—" "You know what Andrea told me?" Ethan's fury rose. "She told them I knocked her around." Them. Him, Danny, Jack, and Frank. He didn't? "I saw her bruises." Levi accused. "What you saw," Ethan seethed, "were marks from getting bucked off that stupid nag of hers." The brood mare Levi had given her? The nine-year-old, never been broke, quarter horse that was bronc-y as hell? "She wouldn't ride pregnant." How could she? Everybody knew horseback riding was off limits, especially on unbroken horses, when a woman was pregnant. That was a no brainer. She'd sworn she wouldn't do anything more than ground work, run the horse in a few circles and stuff like that. "If you think that, you don't know shit about her." Ethan hooked his thumbs on his front pockets. "She wanted to surprise you." It was an accusation, more than anything. "And then she couldn't bear to tell you the truth when she messed up." "You mean she got bucked off that mare more than once?" Levi's chest seized up. How many times had Andrea lied to him? Why? "Hell yeah. Every fucking time I turned my back on her." 383
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"Maybe that was why she did it." Levi wanted it to be Ethan's fault she'd lost a baby and had lied to him. "Le!" Callie rebuked him. "Is it true?" Levi expected Cal to give him the honest answer. When she nodded, eyes averted, he pushed past them and went into Andrea's room. The minute she saw him, she begged, "I'm sorry, Le!" "You couldn't see that you'd get bucked off? I thought you could see the bloody damn future!" The baby in her arms burst out in a screaming cry. She bounced it and made the kid worse. Ethan bumped into him, passing Levi, demanding, "Why don't you get the hell out of our lives?" He took the baby from Andrea. "No," she cried, "Don't say that. I'm sorry. I just couldn't— goddammit, I needed to—" He felt the others swarming behind him. He didn't care, though. "What? Lie to me? Make things worse?" "How could I make things worse? You already thought he was the devil." "Well?" Levi ground out. "You did." "You don't think I feel bad enough for losing a baby?" "A baby you didn't want in the first place?" He stomped his boot. Ethan's head came up, shock evident. "Or was that a lie, too?" Levi could see that it was by the look on her face. She had wanted Ethan's baby, er, babies. He put a hand to his chin and rubbed, unable to think. She had been lying to him about everything? 384
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Playing him up for what? So he'd dole out cash to her? He'd done plenty of that over the years. Was that it? "You know," Candy slithered close. "We can go, and you can think about things, and—" "No. I need to hear this. All of it. Tonight." That's when Levi realized that Ethan had quieted the baby. That the monster had a gentle hand and apparently the patience of a saint—for having seen this other side of Andrea and known that she stirred shit, and not said a word. He'd taken how many arguments from Levi and Danny...and given them back without letting on a word about Andrea's true self? He didn't want to change his mind on the Kaz too fast. The guy could have set the record straight a long time ago. Why didn't he? To protect her? So he could be the recipient of Levi's money on the roundabout? God, he hated how the money thing circled around in his brain. It didn't all come down to that, did it? "That's all there is," Andrea said. "I lied. I swear that's all, Le." "Why didn't you marry her?" Levi had to know if she'd lied about that, too. "She said you were screwing around on her and didn't want to be tied down, even after you found out she was pregnant." "It doesn't matter." Ethan shrugged. "That's between us." "You don't think I've been between you all these years?" How could she have lied about so many things, so many times, and Levi not seen it? 385
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"I didn't say that." Ethan bounced the baby lightly belying the tension in the rest of his body. His gaze slid to Nathan. "Let's just," Nate eased between them, "all calm down." It wasn't like Levi would have rushed Ethan while he had the baby. And after his first question or two, he'd lowered his voice. Security rushed the room, but by the time the two guards arrived, there was nothing but silence. The older men backed up immediately upon sight of Nathan, who stood with fists clenched. "You need something?" "There was yelling." One guard put a hand to his gun. "Fuckin' rent a cop. You might want to think about that." The threat softened when Nathan moved a slight bit, revealing the baby in his brother's arms. "We got a baby in here." "Pull it out and you're a dead man," Eat said. "I swear to God." He leaned forward, handed the baby to Andrea, and stood up. "You want to talk? We'll step out of this room." Callie pulled her FBI badge out of her pocket and flashed it. "I have this under control." The only control she had was in saving the security guards from a beating as far as Levi could see, but he didn't argue the point. They eased backward. The security guard who had spoken before stated, "We don't want any trouble. Just looking to keep the peace." "We're fine. Please leave." Callie asserted herself with a business-like tone. "No offense, lady, but you don't look like you could handle a fly on the wall," the guy said. 386
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That didn't sit well. The man didn't know how wrong he was. Cal had a reputation for round-housing men in the crotch, among other things. "I said we had it under control." She glared at them until they left the room. Then she put her badge in her pocket and turned to face the crowd in the room. "The bottom line here is, Andrea's made a lot of mistakes, but she's learned a big lesson today." Andrea rocked the baby, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You don't think I'll regret everything until the day I die?" "But why? Why did you do it?" Levi's life had spun out of control. "Why name this baby after Danny and me, after lying to us for so long?" "Because," she hugged the baby close. "After everything, all three of you...oh, it's too hard to explain." "Hell, why didn't you throw Nate's name on the birth certificate, too?" Levi was pissed. "Because that was the one name I'd strangle her over," Ethan answered for her. "Come again?" Had Levi heard right? "You don't mind that my name is on your son's birth certificate? But your own brother's makes you mad enough to kill?" "You and Danny, I understand. Especially in light of you saving her life." Ethan shrugged. "I expected Levi to be the kid's middle name from the first and Danny's to be nowhere near it, but..." He shrugged again. "You can't pick your saviors. I'm just glad you got there in time." To Candy, he added, "And you. I owe you more than I can ever repay." "It's okay." Candy crossed her arms over her front, hugging herself. "You know, I'm feeling like I shouldn't be 387
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here in the middle of all this. I think I'm gonna step out and— " "I'll take you home." Levi felt more relief over that idea than any others in his whole lifetime. He just needed to get out of there. "I was serious about that offer to help you move her things," Nathan said. There he was, back to that again. Could Levi get any more emotionally tired? As much as he wanted to take Candy home with him, he had to rethink the timing. Maybe he should take a week and get some perspective on all that had happened? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Thirty "Thanks for the offer, but I think we'll pass." Candy wasn't surprised when Levi refused, and she tried not to let it hurt, but it did. It seemed like a final word on her moving in with him. She couldn't live with a man who wasn't big enough to admit when he was wrong, or to forgive people who weren't even...what? Guilty of the sins he credited them for? She figured he'd had too much for one day. She knew she had. Candy could barely think straight. The whole romantic fantasy had been nice while it lasted but unrealistic. Why was she surprised the dream had been so short-lived? A small rueful smile played around her lips. Numbly, lamely, she said, "Goodbye. Nice meeting you all." So much for trying to help them with their problems. Andrea had made that a tangled mess that didn't look like it would get better anytime soon. Would anyone be able to heal the wounds? Candy didn't think so. Although, she had to say that the Kazinskys seemed to have been given a bum rap across the board. On closer inspection, they didn't seem so bad. Levi would probably hit the roof if she admitted her thoughts to him and say it was his best reason for getting some distance from her. Sometimes life was so unfair. Happiness had been in her hands if only for a day. 389
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It was funny how first impressions could pan out to be so wrong. Levi had looked like the man of her dreams when he walked into that bar. But forgiveness was an integral part of who she was. They'd talked about religion. If he couldn't do it, then they weren't meant to be together. Admittedly, she'd never had to forgive anyone the trespasses that he had, but still. Nathan and Ethan didn't kill his family. Their father did. And Ethan hadn't abused Andrea as she'd led Levi and Danny to believe. She hated to guess how Danny would react to the whole thing, too. Would he take it better than Levi had? Not that it mattered. She was sure he'd feel betrayed, like Levi did, in more ways than one. As she left the room, she thought about the way Ethan had talked to her earlier. What had that all been about? It was obvious that he was in love with Andrea. Still angry at Levi for giving that horse to her? For standing between them all those years? For believing all her lies? For holding him responsible for what his father did to Levi's family? So, he teased or flirted or whatever with Candy, just to piss off Levi? Outside the room, she turned to Levi. "You know, I can take a bus home." "No. I'll drive you." They went out to his truck in silence. She climbed to the far side of the shifter and tucked her fingers between her legs. He got in and looked at her and the space between them. 390
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"You're angry. What did I do this time? I thought I handled all that bullshit pretty well." "Just drive. I'll tell you where to turn." The whole time they drove through the city, she tried to marshal her thoughts, but they were all over the place. She fought an anger at Andrea for creating the whole nightmare and bringing it all to a head on her weekend with Levi. If Levi was mad at Andrea, Candy thought they both had good reason. It was his attitude toward the Kazinskys that she didn't get. Why couldn't he let it go, when it was so obvious that he'd blamed them unfairly? She wanted to ask and opened her mouth as he pulled up in front of her apartment building, but it struck her that she wasn't exactly forgiving herself, if she was holding that against Levi. That upset her. Then, on top of that, he wouldn't get out of the truck, and the passenger door, as it was, made her a prisoner until he decided to free her. "You have something you want to say, say it." she demanded. "Nathan put me on the spot when he offered to haul your furniture. Suddenly, I realized that you were changing my life." "It was a dream, Levi." She stared out the window. "Fun while it lasted." "No." "Okay. Not fun. Whatever." "No. I mean, I had to work through the idea of moving my mom's couch out and yours in, or how to ask you if we could 391
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leave the furniture until we talked about it some more. But then I realized I wanted to go ahead and do it." "That was before all the revelations, huh?" "Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't believe Andrea's been playing me for a fool all this time." "Maybe we don't have the whole picture. I have to tell you, I don't see how she can be clairvoyant and create this whole fiasco. Why would she ride that horse? Why would she lie so much, if she could see the outcome?" "Who knows? Those are the million dollar questions." "It's sad that she played you and Danny against the Kazinskys." He looked over at her. She felt his gaze as surely as if he'd touched her. "I should have seen it. Andrea was manipulative when she was five." "You've known her that long?" "Yep." He let the p pop as he said it. "You'll forgive her, given enough time, won't you?" Levi breathed heavily. Since he didn't answer that, she insisted, "You'll have to. Her son has your name. He'll want to meet the man he's named after sooner or later." "Don't remind me." "You ever think you've spent way too long dwelling on a nightmare that happened a long time ago?" That got the truck door to screech open. "Yeah." He helped her out, even though she was getting good at it. "You don't have to walk me up." 392
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"I think I will." He shoved the door on Lucky Truck. It cranked closed. "Fine." She led the way. In the door, past the manager's apartment, up the stairs, and down a hall. She had to dig for her key in her pocket. "This is it." Candy tapped on the number, 204. She hated the awkwardness of saying goodbye. It would have been so much easier if he'd let her walk in alone. The key fit into the lock, and she turned it, pushing the door ajar, blocking his view in. "So, I guess this is goodbye." Again, she felt lame. "Candy." His voice quiet, he asked, "What are we doing?" How the hell did she know? Breaking up? Part of her wanted to fight over it, and the other half of her heart and brain wanted to go in quietly and crawl into a ball in a dark corner so she could cry herself to sleep. "I don't know." Levi's lips turned down at the corners. She eased herself in the door, but he leaned into the jamb as he always did, crowding her. Candy didn't have the heart to shut the door in his face. "I can't walk away." His fingers found her waist and tugged on her shirt while he tipped his head for a kiss. "Please don't send me away." His lips descended on hers with a wary expectancy, but she didn't draw back or do anything, really. She just let him work his magic, and before seconds had passed, her hands had snaked up around his neck, and he had her backed through the door, kicked it shut, and pressed her against the wall. 393
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This was the one thing she couldn't deny. There was sexual heat between them. And nobody kissed like Levi. His calloused hands found skin above her waistband and rode up to her breasts, his thumbs flicking over her nipples. She gasped, and the moment she did, he took advantage, sliding his tongue into her mouth. Her need for his touch felt more like insanity—desperate, desperate, panicking fear of losing him. She dragged him, kissing, all the way to her bedroom, peeling off his shirt and hers and undoing her bra as they went. Onto the bed, she fell, taking him with her. And before long, he had her pants off. When he backed away to take his jeans off, she had to smile. He looked so serious and hadn't said a word since they'd come in the door. She held her hands out to him, and he came into her arms, pressing her into the heavy duvet that covered her bed. He kissed her with the fervor of a man who was dying and had one last lovemaking session left in him. His lips trailed everywhere, from her lips to her throat, down to her breasts, where he hesitated, taking the time to look her over. So long, in fact, that she worried what he was thinking. "Levi?" "Hmm?" His thumbs slid over her nipples, now uncovered, so much more tender than they'd been before with the fabric of her bra protecting them. And he was so gentle. At least, until he put his lips there and applied himself to suckling. Ah, it felt so good she wanted to sigh repeatedly and moaned a few times before she realized it. He had her arching 394
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beneath him, her fingers in his hair, holding his lips to her breast and begging him not to quit. It went on for some time before she realized that his erection slicked her thigh but had not yet come anywhere near the center of her body. Why was he holding back? "Le?" "Yeah?" He pressed dainty little kisses around her left areola in some pattern only he could discern, driving her crazy with desire. "Make love to me." "You have a condom?" They both stopped moving. "No." Levi put his head on her chest and sucked in air. "We need to be smart. The law of averages is gonna catch up with us." He couldn't stop now! No. He was right. They needed to be responsible. "Erica has one." It came out on a desperate gasp. "I could call her." That made him laugh. "Condom delivery. There's a cousin for you." "Her and Jack and Danny. Gotta love 'em." Stiffening, he rolled away. "Why do you always bring Danny up?" "What?" She propped herself up on her elbows, feeling completely bereft now that he'd withdrawn. "It's like he's on your mind all the time." He slid a hand up, over his eyes briefly before letting it come to rest above his head. 395
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What was he suggesting? "He talked about condoms." She rolled to her side, facing Levi. "Remember? When he was sewing you up?" "God, was that today?" "Does your head hurt?" "Dull ache. Put it out of mind." Candy put a hand to his chest. "Levi?" "Yeah?" "I don't want to push you into anything, but...I really liked the fantasy of moving in with you." He pulled her head to his chest and wrapped his arm around her, rubbing her back. Kissing her head with a, "Me, too." "I know there's been too much going on, and you need time to think." She slid a leg over his, letting her thigh rock into his manly parts. Her fingers rode downward, clutching onto his shaft. It felt good to hold him intimately and have his fingers caressing her back. Under her cheek, his heart thumped steadily and missed a beat when her hand went to rest on his cock. That made her smile. "I don't want to think," Levi admitted. "I don't want you to make a mistake." His fingers caught hold of her chin and forced her to look at him. "I never once thought you were a mistake. A bit scary a few times." "Scary?" "I feel lost when I look in your eyes. Desperate when I think about saying goodbye, and lonelier than I've ever been 396
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when I think about going home without you." He kissed her softly. "Let's not think about it. Let's just do it. Things will work out. I know they will." She liked his confidence, the bossy way he made the decision for both of them. But could she go along without talking about forgiving the Kazinskys and Andrea and moving on? No. She sighed. "What?" "I just...need you to try with the Kazinskys." He frowned. "Why?" "Because..." She struggled with putting it into words. "I want the father of my kids to be a forgiving man." "I'm patient. Isn't that good enough?" She smiled. "I wish." "I've spent a long time hating them. I can't let that go overnight." Candy sensed a but in there. A maybe he would try. "Just say you'll do your best to let things die." His jaw tightened, and his Adam's apple worked a couple of times before he asked, "What, exactly, do you want me to do? Ask them over for dinner?" "No." She laid her head on his chest again, not wanting to look him in the eye...in case he turned her down on her next offer. "But maybe you could call and see if they're still in town, if they'd load my stuff up." His arm tightened around her. After the space of a long couple of seconds, he said, "Jimmy cleaned me out of beer, remember? I couldn't give 'em one after they unloaded it." 397
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"There's liquor stores between here and there." "God, you're pushy." "My mom says a woman should assert herself from the beginning of a relationship so she doesn't get walked on the rest of her life." A small chuckle slipped from his lips. "And what's your dad say?" "It's a good plan?" she squeaked, grinning. Levi rolled her to her back and reached toward the bedside table, then groaned. Unlike his house, there was no phone there. "What?" "It's not like we can call Erica and have her run that condom up or call the Kazinskys if I wanted to." "We can pull our clothes on and go knock on her door." "You're killing me." Lifting her eyebrows, Candy asked, "You wanted me to have a box of condoms?" "No. I guess not." They laid there for a few minutes, thinking, while Candy sighed a couple of times. His rod throbbed against her thigh, dripping wet, his ardor not decreasing if the feel of it was anything to go by. "I told you. I can't walk away from you." And with that, he slid into her, full and deep, and waited for her to insist he remove himself or to urge him on. Candy gasped at the hard thrust that reached all the way inside her. When had she pulled her legs up? As he did it? 398
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It was funny, how her mind went AWOL when he touched her, when his cock did its thing, intruding into her body and psyche like an arrow that went straight to her central nervous system, speeding up her heart, blocking signals to her brain. She should have the sense to say stop but she couldn't. She liked the thrill of skin on skin, how well they fit together, and the idea of having his baby if the odds went that way. "Jesus, I love the way you feel around me." Levi's lips found her throat. His fingers fumbled around, squeezing and releasing, everywhere at once, flitting faster with each new, and quicker stroke. She heard a voice whispering repeatedly, "Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God." And realized it was hers right about the time his lips covered hers and his tongue took up a plunging action that matched the friction action of his body sliding into hers. Harder. Faster. Deeper. They rode the crest of a big wave, pummeling into the shore of slippery release. Higher. Closer. Right there. Right there about the time someone beat on the front door. "Candy? It's Erica. I just got a call from Callie. Are you in there?" Levi didn't stop thrusting into her, the strokes quickening and extending, and stretching. Candy couldn't have answered to save her life. Not until they went over the edge, all the desperation swept into the tide of what was between them...not sliding to serene sandy beaches until Erica's voice went quiet. "Ah. Ah. Ah. There. There." Candy moaned. "Oh, God. That's it." 399
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Levi finished loving her, clinging tightly on his last thrust, driven by her digging fingernails on his biceps and the words she grunted in his ear. But he held on, groaning heavily as his cum pulsed from his cock, spilling inside her. He echoed her words. "Oh, God. That's it." And then his lips fluttered down the side of her throat. "There. There." "I know you're in there. I saw Levi's truck out front." Erica's voice, even louder now, cut through their senses. Why wouldn't she go away? Candy, who had loved Erica from the moment they met, wondered how, on earth, Erica could stand out there, knowing they were ignoring her and not figuring out why. Should she get up and answer the door? No. She needed to collapse for a few minutes. Just a few. And let Levi continue making love to her. This afterplay was where real loving seemed to happen. She felt so cherished. What was he whispering? "You are so sweet." "Levi!" Erica's tone turned completely shrewish. "You better not be taking advantage of her!" "She's persistent, isn't she?" Levi chuckled, burying his nose in her hair. "I'm gonna strangle her for yelling that." "I guess the Kazinskys are coming over." Erica's tone, still loud, informed the entire apartment building, "Cal asked for directions. I don't know what's going on, but I thought I should warn you. I thought Levi didn't get along with them." Levi lifted his head. "You've got to be shitting me." Candy looked him in the eye. "And you kiss with that mouth?" 400
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He smiled. "Yeah." And then he proved it with another thrilling example of why he turned on all her buttons at once. He accompanied that with another rocking core move. "What else do you do with yours?" "Wouldn't you like to know?" She laughed and pushed at him. "She's not going away." "So? Nothing says we have to answer it." "But Ethan and Nathan are coming." "I don't care." He rolled to his back, taking her with him, and cuddled her to his chest. "One thing I learned a long time ago is that I gotta do things in my own time. Figure out my priorities, and put my effort into them." She was a priority? "You mean?" "I mean." The next part sounded almost surly. "Give me a minute to catch my breath before I have to get up, get dressed, face relatives and enemies, and load your shit. Geez, woman, give a guy a break, would you?" His words told her that he hadn't withdrawn the offer of having her move in and that he was willing to deal with the Kazinskys if it made her happy. Candy didn't know whether to sigh with happiness or complain about his tone. She sent up a prayer, though, to thank God for giving her a chance to experience love. It wasn't quite what she'd expected although she couldn't put a finger on that right away. There was a sureness in making this move with him. It was the right thing to do. She felt it in her bones. And the jittery excitement of looking ahead, hoping he'd come around with a marriage proposal next, wondering if she 401
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could, indeed, have gotten pregnant—all those thoughts raced through Candy's mind. She knew the baby thing was too much, too soon, but wouldn't it make it hard for him to... Candy sat up. His fingers trailed over her skin as she did so. She liked the fact that he hated to break the contact with her. She finished the thought that made her sit up. He wasn't the type to walk away. He would stick around forever, even if she made him miserable half the time...because he was arrogant enough to think his lovemaking proved a point. She glanced over her shoulder at him. It wasn't just sex. This man made love. They fit together. And he put up with her mood swings, a fact she liked immensely. Not to mention, even with a concussion and his face swollen, he was still so pretty he made her heart hurt. "What?" His eyes smiled at her. Those gorgeous blue eyes. "I'm not going away until you answer this door. Even if I have to wake everybody in the building up." Candy rolled her eyes. "Get your jeans on, Levi. She's not leaving." He groaned but did as she bid him. As he zipped his pants a minute later, he leaned over her and said, "Kiss me, Candy." She obliged and a minute later, he walked away, leaving her in a stupor and giving her a good view of his ass in those jeans. She had to fan herself. Jesus, the man was hot! She suspected he knew she'd be ogling his back muscles and butt, and that made her grin. 402
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Out the bedroom door he strode. "Wait! Where are you going?" [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter Thirty-One Still naked, Candy panicked herself into Levi's shirt, which was inside out, just as he opened the door and asked Erica without preamble, "So, you gave the Kaz's directions to Candy's apartment?" Erica glanced at his bare chest, keyed in on the button of his jeans that he'd neglected to fasten, and gasped. Candy saw it all as she slipped into the entry area behind Levi. Her friend's eyes bugged out for a minute before she said, "Well, I guess you two hit it off. I told you, you would." She slid past them. "I'm sorry Levi. Callie asked me where I lived before she mentioned Ethan and Nathan wanted to know. What's going on?" "Candy's moving out to the country," he said as if the whole thing was as natural as could be. Erica opened her mouth a few times to argue but nothing came out. Finally, she slapped her lips shut. The question in her eyes asked Candy if she knew what she was doing. All Candy could do was hover at Levi's elbow, letting one hand ride over the curve of his ass in an intimate fashion. Yes. She knew what she was doing. Taking Levi up on his offer of happy ever after. God, she hoped nothing would ruin it for them. The Kazinskys filled the doorway a moment later, and since they did so on the heels of her last thought, Candy had to bite her lower lip and tamp down the feeling of fear that 404
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climbed into her chest. She wondered if she'd always be afraid that something would tear her and Levi apart. "We talked about it, Le," Nathan announced. "We need to do this." With that, he and Ethan pushed their way into the apartment, too, and looked around, eyebrows quirked as they took in Candy's belongings. Candy wondered what they thought of her furniture. Mostly antiques. Not high dollar ones, but she liked them. "Where do you want us to start?" "Oh, I don't know." She winced in Levi's direction. "You sure about this?" "Yes!" It was Erica who chimed in. "Take the big stuff first. We're gonna need a little bit of time to pack the smaller—" "Levi?" Candy had a sudden slice of worry cut through her. "You're sure?" He scooped her up, hands on her ass, carrying her through to the bedroom. "You own me, girl. What else am I gonna do?" He dropped her on the bed, kissed her hard, and said, "Now, get some pants on before I have to kick Kazinsky ass for looking at yours." For good measure, he planted another kiss on her—a long, wet and serious one—in no obvious hurry to finish it. She didn't care. Erica's voice trilled, ordering the Kazinsky brothers to take the sofa. "When we get home, I'm gonna screw your brains out on that couch," he said. "Oh, you think. That's an antique, buster." "So, we won't be the first. I don't care." He kissed her again. Then his gaze shot up and around them, and she knew 405
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he took in her bedroom set for the first time. It was a four poster solid mahogany. "I like this...a lot." Then, he frowned. "This wasn't cheap." "Most of my furniture came from my grandparents. I bought the mattress, though, and nobody's laid on it but us." Taking her by the hand, he pulled her to her feet, draped an arm over her shoulders, and stared at the bed. There was clunking in the other room as her sofa hit the wall, but she didn't care. She was too busy picturing herself lying on the bed, watching Levi take off his jeans while she waited for him to join her. In the image in her mind, they wore wedding rings. As if he read her thoughts, he tugged her closer and kissed her. "You are so fucking sweet," he said. "I want to eat you up." "I might let you if you buy whipped cream when you pick up the beer on the way home." Spinning out of his grasp, she knew she had to get a little distance after mentioning that he'd be sharing a drink with their moving muscle. He chased her, though, and she giggled and squealed as he snagged hold of his shirt and ripped it. Next thing she knew, he tackled her and pinned her to the ground. "Everything comes with a price, girl." "Oh. Is that how you want to start this relationship?" He hesitated, his eyes narrowing. "Hey." Erica peeked in. "They'll be back in a minute. Somebody explain to me why they're helping, would ya?" "It's a long story," Candy said. "How come you haven't been answering your cell all day?" 406
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"Lost it at the farm." "So, you're moving in so you'll have lots of time to look for it or what?" Candy had no answer for that, but Levi smiled at her. "Yep. We're gonna look by the duck pond tomorrow, after the morning milking." "Oh. Are we?" That was news to her. "Yep. And in the horse barn, later, when we check in on Babe's foal." Her mind ran over the stalls in the horse barn. There had been an empty one, now that she thought about it. Freshly cleaned, with a new bed of straw. She was pretty sure she was gonna like living in the country. "Come Monday, I'm hauling her butt down to the hay field. Could be lying under the shade of the tractor for all I know." Yes. She was definitely gonna like living in the country with this cowboy. Erica blushed. "Okay. Enough with the euphemisms. I know what goes on in the barns and out in the field. Why don't you two get dressed? There'll be time enough later for you to screw around." She started to walk away but hesitated, adding "But I'll come out and check on you, so try not to run around naked in the middle of the day, okay?" "We make no promises." Levi let Candy up. "Do we?" Candy ran her free hand through her springy curls. "Oh, heck no."
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"I decided earlier that I was closing my open door policy," Levi informed Erica. "Be sure and knock first or you're bound to get an eyeful." "Ooh," Erica wrinkled her nose. "Too much information. What happened to your eye?" "Jack." Candy felt it was time to contribute to the conversation a little more. "Levi's got a bit of a concussion." "Oh." Erica chuckled. "So, Jack knocked some sense into him?" Candy's own smile slipped. "You think he's only asking me to move in because he's what? Brain damaged?" "Out of my mind, completely." Levi slid past her, and she spanked him on the ass. "Give me a little time to rest up, honey, before you start that again," Levi chimed. He left her there, sputtering, and strode into the living room. And, real civilized, he asked, "What do you think? The entertainment system next?" Erica sighed and folded her arms. "Isn't he great?" "Why didn't you introduce us months ago?" "Because I had to make sure you were good enough for him." Candy's heart tripped. She was moving in with Levi, and everything seemed good. But would it be enough to last a lifetime? "She's better than I deserve, probably." Levi winked at Candy over Erica's shoulder as he carried something toward the door. 408
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The minute the men were out and on their way to the truck, Erica asked, "You sure about this?" "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. Or more scared. But, God, Erica. You have no idea. The man kisses like...oh, I don't know...like sex on a cloud. It makes me feel like I've died and gone to heaven." "Puh-leeze." "No." Candy put a hand on Erica's arm. "I'm serious." "He's no angel. So, don't go and try and pull that on me next." "No. But he's one amazingly hot cowboy, and he makes love like—" "Keep it to yourself. At least until I find someone that I can brag about, too. Then we'll trade stories. All right?" "We'll see, I guess." Really, Candy didn't want to talk about it. She was glad Erica had stopped her. She went to her underwear drawer and pulled out a sheer red and black teddy, thinking she needed to change, and quick, before he came back. Wouldn't he get a surprise when he stripped her down for love on the sofa later? "You are gonna make him crazy with your lingerie collection." Erica tsked. "Hey. I already have a deal with him. He's gonna rip off my Victoria's Secrets and then take me shopping for new ones. So, we'll be hitting the city pretty often, I think." It didn't take long before the force of three men had the majority of her things packed. Erica promised to box up the remainder of smaller items and drive them out in her car. 409
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Candy gave her friend a hug and promised to call when she got settled in. She straddled the gear shifter this time when she got into Lucky Truck, thinking she might lay her head on Levi's shoulder and sleep some of the way home. That was, until he turned on the radio to keep himself awake. That perked her up. "You can lie down in the seat if you want and put your head in my lap." "Oh, you would like that, wouldn't you?" In the dark cab, with spare light, his eyes glittered brightly. "You betcha." Candy had to think about it a minute before giving in. She wiggled her cheek around, getting comfortable, spying up at him, feeling an erection rising under the fly of his jeans. How long would he be able to keep up this sexual pace they'd set? He glanced down at her and grinned. "What?" "I know what you want." At least, she thought she did. His fingers slid over her and came to rest in her hair. "I have what I want, right here but...don't be shy. I'm not turning down your kisses—no matter where you want to put them." She laughed. "Not turning them down, huh?" "Nope." Several minutes passed as she thought about that and whether she had the guts to give him a blow job. She figured he was thinking about the same thing because his cock got harder and harder under her cheek. 410
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In the end, she thought she should save something special for their wedding night. Then kicked herself for hoping ahead like that. He didn't push it, though, and she was glad of that. Somewhere along the way, she fell asleep, and only woke up for a minute as he stopped at a gas station where he bought a case of beer, and then again as he shifted down in the farm yard. The truck lurched to a halt, and she heard the Kazinsky's pickup, idle beside them, so she sat up, licked her lips and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. Levi had his gaze toward the Kaz truck, and she saw their reflection in the window first, before she focused in on the stupid grin on Nathan's face. Levi put a hand to the back of her neck, then, and pulled her in for a kiss. "This is gonna be the quickest unload you ever saw. Get ready to get naked." "They, uh, they think I, uh." How could she put into words what she thought Nathan figured she was doing? "Does it matter?" Her eyes met Levi's. "I don't want them to think I'm a ho." "So, you want me to climb out and make a point of saying that you didn't, uh, do anything for me on the way home?" "Yes. No. Oh, I don't know." "Candy, people are gonna assume we're sleeping together and all the things that go with adult intimacy. I don't give a shit what these guys think, or anybody else. What's between you and me is between us."
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"I know. I'm just...." She shrugged, wanting him to respect her. His friends and family, too. But how to put that into words? Maybe she should have been more reserved and taken things slower. Made him court her the old-fashioned way? "Don't worry. I'll let them know." Levi opened the truck door, climbed out, and made no secret about readjusting his self. A blind man would have been able to tell he was stiff by the way he groaned. "Get out, honey. Go on in and lay down. I'll be in as soon as I can." "I can help unload stuff." "Nah. We got it. Hey. You guys want to take my other pickup and come back tomorrow some time? I can get Jack and Frank to help me unload it." "You sure?" Candy's interest piqued. "I didn't know you had another pickup truck." The brothers looked at each other and both shook their hands with simultaneous "Nahs." Candy wondered why they declined the offer. "What's the matter, is it older than Lucky Truck?" "No." Levi's voice came out like there was gravel in his throat. "It's only about ten years old." She might not be a rocket scientist, but she could do the math on that one. Especially with the Kazinskys willing to unload furniture after midnight. "You guys want a beer? Levi bought a whole case."
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"Let us get this furniture unloaded first." Ethan seemed in a hurry to go, and his words came across as if he was trying to be polite, and had no real intention of staying afterward. "I'll take one." Nate took the offered beer, slugged it down in a couple short gulps, and passed the empty back to her. Next thing she knew, they were unloading things into the calf barn. She didn't argue the point. Nor did she go inside. It was awful nice of them to help. Candy wished she could do something else to smooth the ruffles between the three men. Inviting them to lunch or something would be too much probably. Maybe it would take some time. They'd already accomplished more in a day than the whole ten years before it. The last stick of furniture came off their truck, and the men stood awkwardly in the calf barn. Candy said, "I sure appreciate your help." She thought she was being funny when she added, "Now, I may need you to help me load it up and haul it back to town if Levi, here, realizes he's made a bum deal." "Bum deal?" Nathan scratched his chest. "I'm working as a house keeper and cook now that Andrea won't be coming by like she was." "Huh." Ethan grunted. Levi stiffened. She knew she'd somehow offended him and surprised the Kaz's. Was it about the Andrea comment? Pulling his wallet, Levi said, "Let me give you money for gas and effort." Disgust evident on their faces, they shook their heads and strolled quickly to their truck and left. 413
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Levi headed toward the truck. "I gotta put Lucky Truck in the garage and check on things. Why don't you go on in?" "No. I'll walk with you." She had a terrible feeling she'd ruined something, but she wasn't sure what. He parked the truck beside the newer one he'd mentioned and together they stomped through the barns and over the hill with the aid of a flashlight to check on the new colt. "Looks like Frank and Jack took care of things," Levi said. "Has this been the longest day ever or what? I can't believe that baby was born this afternoon and Andrea's baby this morning and..." "And one minute you're my new girlfriend, the next you're my maid." That came like a slap in the face. "You'd rather they think..." "They already know we've slept together. I don't know what the point was, except to make me look like I was...what? Conniving to get you out here?" "Huh?" Maybe it was too late for her to follow his thinking. "You heard me." He led the way back to the farmhouse. "Why are you trying to pick a fight with me?" "I'm not. I'm just stating facts." Levi's pace picked up. "And those are...what? I annoyed you over the truck questions and—" "How did you come up with that?" "Where are the dogs?" She looked around as they approached the porch. "Don't tell me something else had a baby or broke down or—" 414
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"I'm guessing Frank took them to his place. He does that every now and then. Gets real lonely sometimes." "Oh." She was a little disappointed. It would have been nice to pet Skunk before they went to bed. "You hungry?" He yawned. "No." "You want a shower?" She didn't. She was tired, but they'd fooled around and stomped through barns. She figured she should take one. "Ah," he said as she headed for it. "I forgot your clothes. I'll go get that case out of the truck." "Fine." She didn't need clothes tonight, but she didn't want to argue about that. So much for the teddy and sofa sex. A minute or two later, she stood in the shower, too tired to do much. He joined her without conversation, scrubbed down fast, and climbed out. She sniffed and washed her hair. Looked like the honeymoon was over already. No friendly rub downs like she'd gotten before. "You awake in there?" "Yeah. I'm getting out." The water ran cool, and she turned it off. He had a towel waiting on the counter but he was gone. She saw his razor sitting by the sink and tell tale signs that he'd shaved. The shaving cream can had a fresh loop of foam on it. Some small hairs were in the basin. Rubbing herself down briskly, she slipped into the teddy and strolled into the bedroom. Her suitcase was there. Slowly, she glanced around. Everything was the same except for one 415
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or two things. Levi had brought her pillow in and on it were a few gifts. She could only assume he'd picked them up at the gas station earlier. In slow motion, she sauntered carefully toward them, past him, ignoring him, her gaze on the items he set out for her—a silk rose, some chocolate mints, and a card. Levi stood pensively, a towel around his hips, looking sexy and vulnerable, watching her silently. His pupils had dilated at the sight of the teddy, and his appreciation was immediately visible under a throbbing towel. Gingerly, she picked up the red rose and sniffed it, pretending not to notice the effect her teddy had on him. The rose was silk with a couple realistic dew drops. Beautiful, but why did he pick one with the dew drops? Early morning kisses? For all the tears of the day? No. Levi was a romantic. She was sure it represented waking up in the morning and seeing the beauty on the rose. And silk would last forever. What a sweet memento of their first date. The thing smelled good. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she opened the card carefully. It was a blank one featuring a painting of a cowboy and his dog. There were cows in the back field. The man had ruffled hair, a beat-up pickup truck, and a border collie at his feet. It looked as if he'd had a hard day, but appeared satisfied. Inside it, Levi had scrawled, "I know I make mistakes. Forgive me?" She glanced at him. "Is this what you planned on writing when you bought the card?" 416
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"No. Of course not. But it seemed like the thing to say." "I'm tired." She set the card on the side table, moved the mints and rose, then slid beneath the sheet. He flipped off the light, and they laid there in silence a while. "I was gonna write..." She almost thought he'd fallen asleep, it took so long for him to finish his sentence. But when the words came, Candy knew things would be all right. "Already, I can see you've taken over my life and I like it." She leaned up on one elbow. "You think that's romantic?" His head swiveled to look at her through the pale lighting. "It's honest, Candy. I'm trying to be what you want me to be. To say what you want me to. But, in the end, I'm just me. A guy who has no clue about how to treat a woman except what my dad showed me. I hope it's good enough." She scooted into his arms and snuggled up. "Just love me, Levi. That's all I want." "I can do that." Levi tipped her chin so he could kiss her, which he did tenderly. "I can definitely do that." His hands seemed detached and didn't rove as usual. Knowing he had a full arousal, she wondered what was going on. But soon, he whispered, "There was more on the card. You didn't turn it over." Candy immediately leaned up, reached across him to flip on the light, allowing her laced-in breasts to rub his chest as she found the card. On the back, he'd added, "Take me as I am, and I'll take you forever." 417
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It seemed an awful lot like a lifetime proposal, but Candy was afraid to ask if it meant what she thought it meant. After all, they'd just met. It would be crazy to talk about getting married, wouldn't it? She chewed on her lower lip for a moment, then grinned. Although marriage was her ultimate hope, with babies, and grand babies, and many, many happy returns, she knew she'd stay with Levi as long as he'd let her and take what she could get, even if it was early morning milkings, Lucky Truck, a couple of dogs, and some errant cousins. Rolling into his arms and snuggling up, she said, "Mister, I'll stick with you until you throw me out." He laughed, but maybe that was more from the tickling fingers she ran down his body and over his cock. She grabbed hold of it, scooped his balls up, too, kissed him on his neck, and added, "Just...try and make me leave. I'm in this for the long haul." Levi peeled her hand from him, pushed her onto her back, rolling on top of her and pinning her below him. "For richer or poorer?" She smoothed a hand up over his swollen forehead, near his stitches. "In sickness and in health?" And then she nodded. These vows were good enough for her, for now. "I have something I have to tell you." He kissed her hard, first, and Candy began to fear what his next words would be. "You don't have to—" "No. Yes, I do." He reached up, took her hand away from the soreness of his face, kissed her fingers, and looking more at them than her face, he admitted "I'm not a poor man." 418
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"It doesn't matter. I've heard the term "horse poor" and I'm guessing it applies to cows, and other livestock, too." Candy had watched plenty of television over the years. All the westerns her dad had played for her showed people in the country mostly struggling. She knew it would likely be a hard life. After all, regular cell phones weren't working out here. The place was primitive by those standards. She didn't mind. If she really needed a city fix, she could drive in. And Erica had already promised to come out to see her. "I'm not horse poor or cow poor, or any kind of poor, Candy. I live simply because I've chosen to, because when I lost my family, I felt like I'd lost everything, certainly all my desires for..." She put her fingers to his lips, hushing him. "It doesn't matter. I already said I made my bed, and now that I'm lying in it, could you..." She rocked her hips beneath him. "Pretend this teddy was worth the shimmying I had to do to get into it?" "Yeah, I can do that." With that, Levi buried his face in her cleavage, his hands moving over her the way she loved, feeling every inch of her, including sliding between her legs and testing the wetness. She didn't disappoint him. The teddy was not a snap crotch one. It was made of stretchy elastic and had an "easy access" thong style. Levi was able to slide right into her. Her pussy was warm and moist and tight, and the first stroke had them both gasping for air. 419
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Levi froze as the phone rang. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered. It didn't stop what he was doing. Nuzzling Candy's breasts, suckling them through the fabric, he grunted as he gave her another deep, hard stroke. Candy was fine with the quick lovemaking, because his attention to her breasts absolutely drove her wild. Her juices flowed, allowing easier insertion of his cock, and insert it, he did...with strong, possessive strokes. They exploded in orgasm almost simultaneously. Yet, the damned phone kept ringing. It stopped once or twice, and picked up again only a moment later. Finally, Levi lifted his head and kissed her lips. "Be right back. We'll do this again, slower." He abandoned her too quick, disappearing into the hall. Hating the instant loneliness, Candy used his bath towel to clean herself up a bit and then plodded barefoot into the hall. She found him in the kitchen, on the phone, talking to Andrea, of all people. For a moment, Candy felt jealousy rise. "So, everything's fine?" The minute Levi asked that, Candy's guilt was almost instantaneous. Andrea had been through a helluva day, worse than Candy's. Just thinking about the baby Andrea lost, Candy struggled not to cry. She'd been pretending all day that what she didn't see, didn't matter. But now, the whole thing broke her heart. She could allow herself a little heartache. 420
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Especially since she felt sort of detached from the situation. Levi pulled Candy into the circle of his arms, kissed the top of her head, picked negligently at the red accent lace on her shoulder. This close, Candy could hear Andrea's voice. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called, but I had to tell you, Le." Yawning, Levi insisted, "It's all right. I should have known." "What?" Candy mouthed. Levi moved the phone between them, so she could hear too. Andrea sniffled. "I...do you think she'd mind? I mean...it is..." Andrea choked "...a dead baby." Whatever it was, Candy grimaced, horrified. But she listened without a word. "It's an honor, even at that. She's here. You can ask her." "Candy?" "Yes?" "This is Andrea, the one with the baby." "Yes, of course." What this could be about, Candy couldn't even guess. "You saved my life today, and little Levi's." "I don't know about that." "Well, I do." Andrea's voice hardened. "And you cleaned up at my house...that would have been horrible to go home to." "Well, it was the least I could do." Candy's discomfort had her reaching out to Levi, but there was nothing on him to 421
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grab except his cock. She used that as a pull toy and drew him nearer. Andrea blurted, "I want to name my little girl after you." "Excuse me?" Candy could have fainted. She wanted to name the baby that died...after her? "Do you mind?" "Um, I'm just wondering why. I mean, I didn't think you liked me much and—" "I'm sorry about that. I don't like my visions, and I saw you with Levi and three kids, happily married and—" Candy's mouth dropped open. "You had a...what?" "Happily ever after and all that, and I can't see my own future, so it just made me...crazy." "Crazy." That was the best word Candy could apply to the vision and the plan to name the baby after her. "But why the baby?" "She was so beautiful and sweet. I got to hold her for a bit. She was like a little piece of candy, and I thought of you and how you did so much for Levi and me. My Levi, I mean. And now, you've somehow gotten Le to talk to Eat and Nate and, well, I just feel like it's all coming around...finally." "But don't you have a mother to name your baby after or a good friend? Someone you care about?" Silence crackled over the phone. "Candy, I'm going to bury my baby. She'll have a headstone and everything. I will visit her grave and tell her about you and how you came into my life on this particular day to save my life and her brother's. Now, you might not 422
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believe she'll hear what I have to say, but I have these visions and..." Levi dragged the receiver from Candy's grasp. "Andrea, we can talk about this in the morning. Tonight, it's late." "But you were awake." "And busy." He hung up the phone and led Candy back to the bedroom, giving her time to mull the whole request over. "She doesn't mean anything ill by it." "What I'm wondering most...is why she was riding that horse and lying to you, creating even more friction between you and Ethan." "She apologized for that. Apparently, she had visions about riding the horse at the next rodeo days." "But she was pregnant. And lying made you hate the Kazinsky's even more." "Not possible, really." They reached the bed. He sat on the bed, and she plopped onto the spot beside him before he could draw her onto his lap. "I've held a grudge a long time." "But they aren't guilty." Touching his forehead, fingering the stitches, he shrugged. "I know. I just have trouble letting go, and they seemed like a constant reminder, and unrepentant." "Because they aren't guilty." Candy felt awful for repeating herself, but she needed Levi to let this one thing go. How could they have a happy life together with him still hanging onto that bitterness? "I made a step tonight, I guess." "With a gun to your head," she joked. 423
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His arm came around her, and he pulled her close, kissing her temple. "The best revelation I had today was the vision Andrea had about us." Shouldering away from him, Candy said, "So, she told you." "I heard her telling you." Sensibility, her mother's reasoning, came to the fore. "Somebody's vision shouldn't affect us, or how we choose to progress in our relationship." "Oh, no. I already made my mind up, long before that phone rang." "Did you?" He kissed her, sweet, fingers under her chin, looking deep into her big brown eyes. "I might wait a respectable time to put a ring on your finger, just because I'm not exactly sure where my mother's wedding ring is, but I want to marry you." "But...we told people I was going to be your maid." "You think anybody believed that?" "I did." "Well, you can play at housekeeping. But if I'd been honest, you're moving in here as my sex slave." "Ha." Candy kissed him back. "Slave implies...I've been bought and paid for, and that I'm subservient." She pushed him onto his back, intent on teaching him a few things about her lack of subservience. Bossy, she told him how to touch her, and where she was going to touch him. And she started with trailing fingers down to his cock. Straddling him, she insisted, "You are my slave." Between the calves and cows and horses and dogs and relatives, I'll 424
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get this hard working man broke in to my way of doing things...maybe. He rolled her, though, pinning her much like he had earlier, and nibbled on her lower lip. "Just so long as you know I'm willing to hold you down until you scream, if you want, of course." And then he proceeded down her body, breathing warmly through her teddy, kissing here, sucking there, until he reached the juncture between her thighs. There, he used his tongue, sliding into her wetness, until she screamed with orgasm. When it was over, he climbed up beside her, waiting for her to catch her breath. When she did, she laughed lightly. "Oh, God, and I thought your jeans were one of your best assets." [Back to Table of Contents]
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About the Author Carys Weldon writes romance from a haunted hollow in the Missouri Ozarks, just north of Branson. She is married with five children and one grandbaby. She is an avid pet lover and lives with: two four pound yorkies, Mojo Jojo and Pixie Styx— both afraid of the scary squirrels living in the area; one cat, who answers to CAT and thoroughly ignores you when you call her by her real name Sibli (sister of the meadow); and one tobiano paint stallion named W.C. (Wild Card) who comes running at the slightest "Hey!" Or maybe he thinks we're saying "Hay!" Either way, food or no food, he comes arunning. Visit Carys at www.carysweldon.net To chat with Carys Weldon and other Wild Rose Press authors of erotic romance, join us at www.groups.yahoo.com/group/thewilderroses. [Back to Table of Contents]
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Also Available **** Rafe's Redemption by Jennifer Jakes He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman... For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependent woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower. She wanted freedom, not a lover... Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe. 427
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But when the snow clears, will the danger and secrets that surround Rafe and Maggie tear them apart? [Back to Table of Contents]
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Chapter One November 1866—Western Colorado Territory When they got back to St. Louis, she was going to kill him. "Maggie!" Michael's footsteps thundered down the hall. Her stomach churned at the urgency in her cousin's voice. She fingered the necklace hidden in the pleats of her thick velvet skirt. She wouldn't give him the locket, even though the heavy gold might be all that stood between her and starvation. At the rate Michael gambled, there'd be nothing left of their shared inheritance. She perched on the edge of the moth-eaten mattress, then stood, then sat and wrung her hands. All she'd wanted was to capture the western landscape with her sketches. How had the journey to California gone so wrong? "Maggie!" That's how. Michael's drinking and gambling had plagued the entire trip, despite his promises to change. "Goddamn it! A flush. A fucking flush." One heated curse after another echoed down the corridor. Her pulse hammered in her ears as she braced for his anger. He had not changed. The devil himself would make a better traveling companion. Michael flung open her hotel door, slamming it against the rough plank wall. Drunken voices floated up from the bar room, cries for whiskey and women, crude, coarse words that flooded her face with heat. Never had she imagined such an uncivilized place existed. 429
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He stomped toward her, his once impeccable shirt wrinkled and stained. "Get up," he snarled. "Now!" Maggie clambered to her feet and faced him. How many steps would it take to reach the door? "If you've come for more valuables, there's nothing left," she lied, praying her voice didn't give her away. He gave a disgusted snort, then hung his blond head as if resigned to defeat. Despite her earlier thoughts about him, pity pricked her conscience and she stepped forward. "Wrong," he sneered, shoving her against the wall. "I have one more piece of property to sell." The reek of whiskey assaulted her nose with each punctuated word. "And it's going to get me out of this hell hole in one piece." His gaze roamed her body. Then he gave a satisfied smile. "Aren't you?" Her heart clattered to a stop. A wave of nausea rose in her throat. Dear God, he intended to pay his debt with her. She threw her body into his, heaving with all her strength. But he didn't budge. "Don't be so eager, cousin," he taunted. "We are going downstairs. There are some men who want to see you." "No!" Blood pounded in her ears. "Michael, don't do this." She planted her heels and twisted, trying to get away. Hard fingers bit into her flesh as he dragged her through the door, toward the narrow stairs. She clawed at his hand, pierced the skin with her nails, but he tightened his grip until cold numbness throbbed through her arm.
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The necklace pressed hard against her waist as he forced her down the hall. There was no other way. She'd have to give him the locket. "Michael, wait! I have—" A vicious slap rattled her teeth, made the torn, dirty wallpaper dance before her eyes. "Shut up." His lips twisted into a cold grin. "It's just a good thing I hadn't killed you yet." Kill? Kill? The word crashed through her mind like a wave. What kind of monster had Michael become? Fear slithered down her spine. The deadly kind. He would kill her, then take the necklace. She'd have to think of another way to escape. "You might be stupid," he continued as he pulled her down the stairs, "but at least you're pretty. These backwoods simpletons only have the old whores who work here. The men will tear each other apart and pay top dollar to have you." The statement buckled her legs. Splinters pricked her cotton stockings as he dragged her across the stained saloon floor. "Slow down," she begged. "Let me walk." And think. He stopped and twisted her arm behind her back, hard enough she climbed to her feet before the bones snapped. "Why? Why are you doing this?" And why had she ever felt sorry for him? "The money." He shrugged. "Why else?" "I'll give you my share!" Poverty, dear God anything, was better than this. "Generous, but too late, my dear." He snatched a whiskey bottle from an empty table and gulped the amber remains. 431
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"But I'll be sure and enjoy your half. I might even think of you while I spend it." His smile froze. "Now, get outside." Outside. Maybe she could break free and run, scream for help. There had to be someone in this town who would stop Michael. She struggled for a calming breath, but gagged at the stench of unwashed bodies that hung in the smoky air. Two painted women sauntered from a back room, their expressions bored despite Michael's abusive stance. "Help me," Maggie pleaded. "Get the sheriff." The women's raspy chuckles filled the room. "Ain't no law 'round here, honey," one drawled. "The men do what they want." No sheriff? What chance did she have without help? Michael shoved her outside where light snow fell on the small crowd waiting in front of the saloon. Her boots slipped on the frozen boardwalk, but he jerked her upright. A hush fell over the men when she faced them. Her heart skittered to a stop as she met their lustful stares. "See, gentlemen, just as I promised," Michael shouted, his voice belying panic. "There's no need for a lynch rope. This woman is worth more than enough to pay off my debt." Whoops and yells filled the air as he pushed her onto a crate in front of the unpainted building. Her limbs shook with fear, teetering the box beneath her feet. "Michael, don't—" He yanked her arm behind her back. "I will break it. It makes no difference," he hissed. "Your arm is not what they're interested in." 432
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She swallowed hard and studied the sight before her—her future. The men stood like cattle, ankle-deep in mud and mire. Long unkempt whiskers covered dirty faces, whiskers with pieces of their last meal still hanging in the hair. For one fleeting second, death seemed preferable to belonging to one of these filthy creatures. She shuddered and looked from one end of the short street to the other. Where could she hide? Even if she could get away, it wouldn't take the men long to search three buildings and a corral. There was no place to run, no place they couldn't find her. "Now, Zeke, how much is my total?" Michael asked the saloon proprietor as if settling a supper bill. Zeke looked up from the paper he'd been figuring on. "You still owe three hundred seventy-five." "I already gave you all her jewelry and gowns!" "And you still owe three seventy-five," the big man growled as he reached for his gun. Michael's jaw twitched as he turned to the group and gave a tense smile. "Well, she's worth at least that much, gentlemen." Rafe peered out the window of the mercantile to a crowd gathering outside the saloon. Trouble. Cougar Creek overflowed with it. That's why he settled here, where he belonged. Or at least where his stepfather thought he belonged. He turned as Tom, the owner, came back inside from counting Rafe's pelts. "Will there be enough to buy my supplies?" 433
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"Aw, sure. You had a good summer." Tom moved to the stove and lifted a boiling pot. "What's going on over there?" Rafe pointed out the window, then accepted a cup of coffee. "Stage busted a wheel yesterday. Come here to have the smithy look at it." Tom wrapped his wrinkled hands around his cup and nodded to the street. "Some rich feller and his cousin had to put up at Zeke's. Cecil told me the fool lost everythin'—and then some—playin' cards." Rafe turned to look outside again, watching the group collect a length of rope. "They're going to hang him?" A cold ache filled his gut. He'd never understand why some men took pleasure in killing. "Reckon so." Tom sipped his coffee. "I'll go git your pelts now and start fillin' your order." "No, let me get them for you." Rafe set the dented tin cup on the rough wooden counter. "You can start gathering my supplies. A storm's coming. I don't want to spend the winter down here." He strode outside where a biting wind lifted his hat from his head. He pulled down the black felt and turned up his collar. Damn this blizzard. Those men were fools, standing in the cold when they should be headed home. He reached for the first armload of pelts, but the roar of the crowd made him turn. No one swung from the hanging tree. What had the men so riled? "One twenty-five!" a voice echoed down the muddy street. An auction? Whatever was being sold must be a rarity in these parts to bring that kind of money. Not that he cared. He 434
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didn't need anything, rare or not. Still...he slopped through the mud for a peek at the commotion. He stopped beside Cecil Two-Feathers as someone yelled one hundred fifty. "What's going on?" Cecil shook his head. "Nothing good." He nodded to the front of the crowd. Rafe shouldered his way between two men, then moved toward the boardwalk. His gut clenched. Tom had said cousins; he hadn't mentioned one was a young woman. A beautiful young woman. Lust shivered through him, hardened him. Damn it, he couldn't get involved. He'd do her more harm than good. But seeing a woman being used like this pricked his conscience. Could he do nothing? She stood on a broken crate, wide-eyed and trembling, a queen surrounded by swine. Her fine tailored traveling suit, her regal stature, both out of place in this ramshackle town. A man held her in a cruel grasp as he encouraged the crowd. "Come now, speak up. She's worth more than that. Never been bedded." Fear for her ran thick through Rafe's veins as memories of another time, another place, another woman being raped and degraded flashed in his mind. His gaze flicked back to the cousins. He shouldn't interfere. Look what happened last time. But like last time, he couldn't walk away. 435
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"I'll give two hundred!" old man Dobson offered, dribbling a stream of tobacco down his chin. The woman's blue-eyed gaze ran wild over the crowd. She leaned back on the crate, tugging on her arm in an attempt to break free. The man delivered a back-handed slap that stilled her actions and tangled long ebony waves down her back. Goddamn him. Rafe placed his hand on the butt of his pistol. "How about a look at what you'll get?" the man suggested. He grabbed the top of her bodice and tore until the buttons popped. Delicate, smooth skin and pure white undergarments gleamed bright in the surrounding sea of drab browns and grays. She clutched the ruined dress and tried to cover herself, but the cousin twisted her arm until she cried out in pain, and her lush breasts spilled over the top of her corset, her pink nipples puckered by the cold. Her eyes widened, and a scarlet blush spread over her cheeks, but she drew back and spat into the man's face. "Well, now, gentleman, you can see she's a fiery one." He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his face. "She won't disappoint you in bed. What's the bid?" "Two hundred fifty!" "Three hundred!" The blond man shook his head. "I'm afraid it takes more than that to have her." A putrid combination of molded pelts and rotten eggs invaded the air. Rafe knew who stood behind him before the man spoke. 436
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"Three seventy-five. Now give her to me." Skinner Joe's voice confirmed the smell. If Joe took her, she'd be dead before spring. The perverse man took pleasure in hurting women, and just the thought of his hands on this lady made chills slither down Rafe's spine. His hand tightened on the gun. Damn, shooting Joe would be less trouble than taking responsibility for a woman. "Ain't nobody gonna pay more for her," Joe argued. Damn, damn, damn. Rafe squeezed his eyes shut and sucked in a deep breath. "Five hundred," he shouted before he changed his mind. All heads turned toward him. Panic, colder than the icy wind, cut through Maggie. Five hundred. Good God. One of these disgusting men would own her. Her heart stopped, then started with a sickening thud. Who was the winner? "Sold!" Michael's giddy voice sang as he yanked her off the box and pulled her through the mud. She searched the crowd as men parted like the biblical Red Sea, her stomach rolling like a wave. A tall scowling man moved toward them. He wore an abused black hat pulled low on his forehead hiding his eyes, but the breeze caught too long dark hair and tangled it over a firm, full mouth. She swallowed as a thick lump of fear crawled up her throat. Maybe she had fallen asleep and was in the midst of a nightmare. Michael jerked to a stop, and a needle-like pain shot through her shoulder. This was no dream. She dared a glance at the man who had just bought her. He stood a head taller than Michael, broader in the shoulders, 437
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more muscular, more...everything. God help her. How would she get away from him? Zeke moved to where they stood. "Didn't figure you for bein' in on this, Rafe." Rafe? Maggie forced herself to meet his stare. Icy gray eyes assessed her, so cool she shuddered under their intensity. He looked mean, as hard and cold as the environment. Was there any chance she could convince him to let her go in exchange for the necklace? He continued to stare until she wondered if he had heard Zeke's statement. Then Rafe shot a glance to the man. "My pelts are over in front of Tom's. I'll get them." "You ought not to call them your pelts." A graveled voice cut the air. "They should have been mine, just like the bitch should have been." A bear-like man pushed through the crowd. The smell of the hides he wore—or maybe the odor of the man himself—reached her before he did. Hate flew from his bottomless black eyes, aimed at her new owner. "If Rafe didn't horn in on my trappin', those skins would be mine." He turned to her and swiped a slick tongue over rotted teeth. "You, too, darlin'." "You lying sonofabitch," Rafe growled. "I don't poach. The pelts are mine." His shoulder brushed hers as he leaned toward Joe. "So is she." Her hope for freedom plummeted at his possessive tone. "Well, I don't want pelts," Michael interrupted. "I demand cash or the deal is off. The auction continues."
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She gasped as Rafe spun and lifted him off the ground by the throat. Michael wheezed, his arms windmilling in the air as purple veins popped out on his forehead. "You'll take pelts." A nerve ticked in Rafe's jaw. "They spend the same around here." Maggie glanced around. Now was her opportunity. Every man present slobbered in excitement over the chance of a fight. All she had to do was slip away and run. Somewhere. Somehow. She stumbled backward in the thick muck, judging the distance to a horse tied in front of the store. The big animals scared her, but not as much as the big man choking her cousin. "That's right, darlin'." A grime-covered hand snaked around her wrist. "You just sneak away with ol' Joe." Maggie snapped around. Black eyes, previously filled with hate, now gleamed with lust. "No!" Her scream broke the heavy silence of the other's stand-off. Rafe dropped Michael and leveled a pistol at Joe. "Let go of her." She sidestepped and jerked her arm free. Joe grinned. "Never you mind. My luck's bound to change." He shoved her against Rafe. "Yours, too, blue belly. Last time I was at Turner's Mill I heard 'bout a man lookin' for a friend from the war. The description sure did sound like you." Rafe's hard stomach twitched against her back as he sucked a sharp breath. 439
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"I think I'll send word to that feller," Joe continued. "I'm right fond of happy reunions." "Go to hell, Joe." Rafe's voice never faltered, but his knuckles turned white as he gripped the gun. "Hah," Joe spat. "I'll meet you there." He backed away, laughing, his beady stare never leaving them. Rafe took her arm and tugged until she faced him, frozen in his steel gaze. He pulled off his coat and held it out to her. "Ma'am, I'm Rafe McBride. Put this on before you freeze." She glanced from where Michael rubbed his bruised neck, to the strong hand offering the coat. His expression softened as he waited for her to accept the coat, his gray gaze now warm, his full lips curved with encouragement. Who was Rafe McBride? Owner or savior? Cruel or kind? "Thank you." She pulled the coat around her and worked the buttons to cover her breasts. Musky male warmth filled her senses and seeped into her chilled body. "What's your name?" His voice rumbled through her. She swallowed hard and forced herself to meet his gaze. She had to at least pretend bravery. Sniveling and crying would gain her no ground. "Maggie Monroe." "Come over here out of the snow." He led her in a gentle grasp to the covered boardwalk in front of the mercantile. "Wait here. I'll be right back." He tipped the brim of his hat in a ridiculous gesture given the circumstances. He stalked toward the horses. A flannel shirt hugged his muscled back, wool trousers molded thick thighs. A simple wardrobe, but clean. His short, neat beard hugged a square 440
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jaw; dark brown hair brushed his shoulders. He had a looselimbed gait, but she didn't think for a minute Rafe McBride was relaxed. He looked to be the kind of man always on alert. Powerful. Dangerous. She inched toward the edge of the boardwalk. There had to be a way to escape. "Goin' some place?" A tall man wearing a skunk hat smiled, his gaze locked to her chest as if he could still see her exposed nipples. She shook her head and scuttled backward, shaking, though not from the cold. Tears pricked her eyes, but she clenched her hands into fists and bit her lip. Everything would be fine. She just had to remain calm and think. Rafe wrestled dozens of furs from his mule and handed them to Zeke. The men exchanged a few words, then the saloon owner left with two huge armloads. Michael, however, turned up his nose in disgust at the offered pelts. Rafe shrugged his wide shoulders, dropped the furs to the ground and turned to leave. "But I need money," Michael demanded, puffing out his chest. Rafe stopped; his cold glare pinned Michael. The door behind her opened. "Bring them pelts in here, boy," an old man called. "I'll pay you cash for 'em." Michael's eyes danced at the mention of cash, and he dug into his pocket for gloves. With theatrical reluctance, he picked up the skins. When he reached the boardwalk where she stood, he stopped. 441
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"Good-bye, dear cousin. Have a nice life. I know I will, spending your inheritance." He chuckled. A burning wave of hatred flowed through her, and she stepped toward him. "Good-bye, Michael." She kept her voice quiet, meek, then planted her knee hard between his legs. He fell to the ground, groaning in agony. "I hope you rot in hell." She let disgust drip from the words. A smile quirked the corner of Rafe's mouth as he stepped up onto the boardwalk. He took her elbow and turned toward the door. "I'll go to Zeke's to get the rest of your things. You wait inside where it's warm." She shook her head. "I don't have anything left. He gambled it all away." "Sonofabitch." Rafe turned to Michael and grabbed a couple of the skins. "She needs a coat. You're buying her one." Michael grabbed for the pelts, but drew back when Rafe pulled his gun. "F-fine, take them." Michael's drawn face flushed scarlet, and he gulped. "But the rest are mine." Rafe narrowed his eyes. "Go inside, trade your skins, then get out of my sight." Michael climbed to his feet and shuffled past on the boardwalk, giving them wide berth. Rafe's gaze skated over her, then away. "As soon as he's finished, we'll go inside." 442
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The frigid wind whipped her skirt from her legs, tangling the material around his leather boots. He jumped back as if flames, not velvet, encased him. She squeezed the necklace hidden in her skirt. He seemed to be a decent man. Maybe she could give him the locket for her freedom. The ping of the blacksmith's hammer rang through her thoughts. Soon the stagecoach would be repaired, and Michael would leave. And she would be here. Alone. With this man she knew nothing about. She stole a peek at Rafe's hard-set expression and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. Nettie's prediction about trouble had proved true. If only Maggie had listened. She inhaled the frosty air until her lungs ached, wishing she could float away on the mist she expelled. Float all the way back to St. Louis, to the life she'd thought dull. There'd be no more wild dreams of sketching the western frontier or displaying her art in galleries. Drawing ladies' fashions for Godey's fashion periodical would be enough excitement to last the rest of her life. Her fingers itched for her pencils. She could lose herself in a sketch and pretend none— Her paper and supplies! "Mr. McBride?" She grasped his arm. "I do have something I left in the saloon. It's in my room—a leather satchel." She had lost everything else; she couldn't leave her drawings behind. He nodded. "I'll see to it as soon as—" The door creaked open, and Michael strutted outside. He smiled and flipped a few gold coins in his hand as he 443
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sauntered toward Maggie. She stepped back, bumping her body against Rafe's. Reassuring warmth and needles of awareness prickled her skin, tightening her nipples, sending a hot shock of need pulsing through her cunny. She felt him stiffen, but his hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her protectively behind him. Michael sneered. "Aw, that's sweet. I—" "You're through talking." Rafe pointed toward the saloon. "Leave." Michael gave a smug grin and strolled to Zeke's. Rafe ushered her to the mercantile. "Go inside with Tom. I'll get your bag and be right back." He opened the door for Maggie, and she entered the store. The commotion from outside melted away in the quiet warmth. "Tom?" Rafe's voice echoed through the small room. "I need to leave Miss Monroe with you for a few minutes." The old man popped up from behind the counter. He scuttled toward the door to look Maggie up and down, then motioned her forward. "You come on in, young lady, and git warm." Rafe gave her a nod, then closed the door. She turned a slow half circle examining the room. Lanterns hung low from rough timbers, the dim light calming her scattered mind. Barrels and crates filled with shovels and axes stood in each corner. Dust-covered shelves climbed the wall behind the counter and formed two rows down the center of the store. And it was warm. 444
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The inviting fire of the large pot-belly stove beckoned her to the back wall. Heat seeped into her bones, reminding her of all the time she'd spent in the kitchen with Nettie. If she closed her eyes the yeasty smell of bread filled her senses, the tang of cucumbers dropped into jars with dill and vinegar, the sweet temptation of sugared apples ready for pies. Hunger gnawed at the delicious thought. "Miss?" Maggie jerked her eyes open. No clean kitchen surrounded her, just a dirty, drafty store. No warm bread or fresh dilled pickles, only musty blankets, tobacco, and a stench that could only be the pelts. No safe—albeit stifling—home in Missouri. Just fear—in the middle of nowhere. "I asked if'n you wanted coffee." "I'm sorry," Maggie offered, trying not to grimace at the way her boots gritted on the mud-covered floor. "That's most kind, Mr..." The old man smiled showing an almost toothless mouth. "Tom Ward. But you can call me Tom." "Maggie Monroe." Tom blushed at her outstretched hand, then wiped his back and forth against questionably clean pants before touching her fingers. "Pleasurable meetin' you." He dropped her hand and reached for a tin cup hanging from a peg on the wall. Then with a sheepish glance toward her, he hurried to a small cabinet, pulled out a chipped porcelain mug and grinned as if he'd struck gold.
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"I can git some sugar if'n you like." Tom's gnarled hand trembled as he passed the steaming cup. "Don't keep no cow for cream though." "No, I can drink it black." Might as well get used to living without the finer things such as sugar. Even if she could convince Mr. McBride to set her free, the life she knew would be lost forever. At the rate Michael gambled, the house, the money, everything would be gone, and Nettie put on the street to find employment elsewhere. And her one chance at life outside marriage destroyed. I won't let that happen. Rafe blew through the door in a swirl of snowflakes, the white crystals glistening in his dark hair and whiskers. "The blizzard's moving in. We need to hurry." His stormy eyes flicked over her. "I put your satchel in my saddlebags." "Thank you." Maggie took a fortifying gulp of the thick coffee. She had no time to lose. Now was the time to appeal to his sense of honor. She swallowed hard, preparing for the most important speech of her life. "Mr. McBride, I wondered if—" "Tom will show you to the coats." She stepped aside as Rafe brushed by her, leaving her hopeful proposal melting like the puddles of snow left from his boots. She riddled his broad back with silent curses. Damned, arrogant horse's ass. What made men think they owned the last word? Since her father's death, Maggie had had a small taste of freedom. She wasn't going to lose it now to some overbearing mountain man. 446
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Ice pinged against the windows, matching the cold beat of her heart. She needed another drink of courage. She drained the bitter coffee in one long swig, then handed Tom the cup. "Mr. McBride, there's something I have to say." The muscles in his back tensed, pulling the plaid shirt tight as he stiffened, then turned. "Well, I don't have time to listen. Do you understand if we delay, we'll be riding in a whiteout?" His dark brows knitted a frown. "I'm not afraid to die, but I'll be damned if I want to do it by freezing. Now hurry up and choose a coat!" Tom tugged her hand, pulling her down an aisle. "He's right. You two best git goin'." "But I can't—" "Oh, don't fret about decidin'. Not many of these coats be small enough to fit you. Won't be much choosin' to do." Maggie groaned in frustration. Tom was daft if he thought her concern lay with the stylishness of her coat. And Mr. McBride...she glared across the room. She hoped he choked on his coffee. Boorish bastard. "Tom, make sure it will keep her warm." Rafe spoke into his cup, never raising his gaze, but his rich voice, laced with worry, flooded her with shame. Maybe he was daft. Harsh and controlling one second, then worried about her comfort the next. "I'll pick the warmest one I got." Tom scratched his bald head as he scurried to the back of the store. He dug to the bottom of a stack. "This'n might do." She accepted the dusty coat he held out. The abrasive brown wool scratched against her palms, but the inside lining 447
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was soft and would protect her from the harsh weather. Even though she had no intention of leaving with Mr. McBride, she couldn't hide in the store forever. "Thank you, Mr. War—I mean, Tom." He blushed, toeing the floor like a schoolboy. "My pleasure, Miss Maggie." "Is there somewhere private I can change coats?" If not, then these two men would have to turn their backs. She was not exposing her breasts to anyone else today. "You know," Tom said as he tapped his mouth in thought, "she's gonna have a hard time ridin' in that fancy dress. I still got a box of Jimmy's clothes from afore he went to war. He weren't too big a boy. I bet they'd fit her." Rafe's gaze raked over her. Head to toe, then back again. When their eyes met, heat flooded her face. His look appraised, not lusted, still her heart beat a little faster, and the heated ache between her legs started again. It wasn't too far a stretch to imagine those gray eyes filled with desire, with hunger. A hunger she would not encourage. Freedom was what she wanted. Not a man. "Thank you." Maggie tried to clear the husky timbre from her throat. "I appreciate your offer." "Just let me go git them clothes, then you can change." Tom scuttled away. Several clanks sounded from two shelves over. "Hell and damnation. Where is that—ah-ha." He reappeared carrying a cobweb-covered box, then showed her to a small room attached to the side of the store.
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"This is where I sleep." He dropped the box onto the bed and lit a lantern. "You take whatever clothes fit. And don't fret." He gave her a wink. "Rafe's a good man." A patchwork blanket-door swung closed behind him, swirling dust throughout the room. Did she look so worried even Tom could see? She twisted, searching for a mirror, but this room competed with the hotel for sparse. A bed, a table, and one frost-covered, curtain-less window. The wind howled outside, a cold draft blowing through the rough, unpainted wall. How did Tom sleep in here without a stove? Goose skin prickled her body. And the thought of taking her clothes off in the frigid air made shivers run down her back. It was warmer beside the hanging blanket, but what if the men could see through the thin material? She sidled closer and squinted at the fabric. She couldn't see anything...but the floorboards groaned as footsteps passed on the other side of the curtain. The creak of the stove door made Maggie drop to her knees and peer under the blanket to the big cast iron heater. "I still need the supplies, Tom, probably more, but I don't know how I'll pay you." Rafe's muffled baritone floated across the floor She clutched the blanket until her fingers turned white. This was her chance. Rafe had spent all his money. And the necklace sewn into her skirts dangled hope. She didn't wait for Tom's reply. It was time to make her offer. Both men turned when she entered the room. "You need somethin' else, Miss Maggie?" 449
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"Scissors, please." Her high-pitched squeak didn't bode well for her bravery. Tom quirked a bushy gray brow, but reached behind the counter for the tool. Her knees wobbled as she sat down beside the stove to clip the threads. What if Rafe refused her offer? He won't. He won't. He won't. Still, her hand shook when she fished the locket from her skirt and looked into his frowning face. "If Tom will buy my necklace, I can repay what you've lost, Mr. McBride." She stood and met his stare. "I hope by replacing your money you'll be gentleman enough to grant me my freedom." She swallowed hard and pushed ahead. If she stopped talking, he might say no. "I only need enough money to purchase passage back home to St. Louis. You may keep the rest." She turned to Tom. "Will you allow me to stay with you until the next stage comes through? I will be no trouble." Tom gave a nervous laugh and rubbed his chin. Rafe stared into his coffee. "Well?" she prompted. Every item in the store seemed to hold its breath awaiting answer. Tom was the first to speak. "Miss Maggie, I don't think—" He coughed again. "I don't think you're fully understandin'. The stage don't run here regular. It only stopped because of the wheel. As much as I'd like to help you, I can't protect you. If these men 'round here wanted to, well..." He let the words hang and shrugged his stooped shoulders. "I'm too old to stop 'em. Rafe here'll take care of you." 450
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The words settled like a cold lump of porridge into her stomach. Blinking hard, she dropped to the hard oak chair and clasped her hands together to stop the trembling. She couldn't stay in this horrible town. There had to be another way. She turned to Rafe. "Then I'll pay you to take me to the next stage stop. I can even send you more money once I get settled. Name your price." She hated the desperate sound of her voice, but damn it all, she was desperate. "Please, understand. I—I—" The words lodged in her throat, then escaped in a warble. "I can't stay here. You can't keep me!" Rafe slammed his cup onto the stove. "Miss Monroe, I never intended to keep you." His gruff voice suggested she'd offended him. "Believe me, a woman is the last thing I want." "Then why—" His gray eyes narrowed to icy slits. "You saw your alternatives outside." Maggie shrank in her seat, the bitter coffee churning in her stomach. Just the thought of those men...Their nasty hands touching her bare skin...Their foul breath as they kissed her. She shivered and swallowed down coffee-tinged bile. Rafe heaved a loud breath. "You can't stay here. But I promise to take you to Fort Union as soon as possible. What you do—where you go—from there is entirely up to you. Until then I'm afraid you'll have to trust me." She stared at his mouth, hearing the words, but unable to believe what he said. Her nails bit into her palms as she fisted her hands. Trust me, he'd said. Well, she didn't! Men did as they pleased and made no apologies for whom they hurt in 451
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the process. She'd spent her life controlled by men. Now this one would take her off to God knew where, and she'd be at his mercy. Not if she could think of another way. "I'll go change," Maggie said. "It's snowing much harder now, and I'm sure we need to be on our way." She stood, her gaze fading from outside as she pressed her necklace into Tom's hand. "I'll appreciate whatever you can give me for the necklace." Maggie ducked beneath the blanket-door and eyed the tiny window, unsure if she would fit, but positive of the horrors that waited on the other side. No, that wasn't the way to freedom. That was the way to unspeakable depravity. Mr. McBride might be rough and bossy, but he didn't scare her like the men on the street. She slumped onto the bed. Even if she did climb out, chances were she'd freeze to death. And until Tom paid her for the necklace, she was penniless. She couldn't get to St. Louis. So there was no other way. "Reckon she knows how to cook?" Tom's teasing voice floated through the blanket. "I doubt she knows how to do anything." "That's not fair to say, Rafe." "Maybe not, but I've known women like her. They pour tea, buy dresses, pout and look pretty. The sooner I'm rid of her, the better." Relief flooded her despite his unkind words. He really didn't want her. But why should that surprise her? Father 452
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always said she was too stupid to attract a man. In this instance, she was glad. She quickly unbuttoned his large coat and stripped off her clothes, then fingered the red welts Michael had left on her chest. Her face flushed with embarrassment thinking how he'd exposed her breasts to those men. Including the one who waited for her. Trust me. The words again rumbled through her mind. He didn't know what he asked. Every man she'd ever known broke promises to her. She doubted Mr. McBride was any different. She spread her mud-spattered skirt on the floor, then rolled her petticoats and other clothes into a bundle. Inside the wooden box she found long underwear, soft from washing. A patched shirt was next, then she sat to try the trousers. Tugging the britches over her hips, she looked longingly at her skirt. She felt naked dressed in trousers, the fit indecent. She pulled the shirt from the waistband of the pants, relieved it hung to her thighs. At least she looked more proper. There was another set of Jimmy's clothes in the box so she took them, adding them to her bundle. She reached for woolen socks and yanked them over her stockings, then pulled on her boots. Tom looked up from the counter when she entered the room. "Them clothes look right nice on you, Miss Maggie." Heated fingers of awareness traced up her back, a lazy wave of desire that only one man had made her feel. She spun, catching Rafe's gaze as he watched from the 453
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boardwalk. A shiver prickled her skin. She reached for her new coat and slipped it on, letting the length cover her body. "Thank you. Did you get a chance to look at the necklace?" Tom grunted as he plopped down the sewing supplies and bent to get the gold scale. He pulled the chain from the locket, then weighed them both. "Will one of them cover Mr. McBride's loss and his supplies?" She wouldn't remain in his debt, but there had to be something left for her. "The locket is more 'n enough." Tom opened his cash register and dropped several coins into her hand. "This is for the chain." "Are you sure?" She hadn't hoped for this much. "Yep. Now stop worryin'." If only she could. Rafe came back inside in a burst of frigid air and blowing snow. "Are you ready?" No. "Yes." She took the burlap sack Tom offered for her bundle of clothes. "Don't fret, girl." Tom took her hand and squeezed. "He'll keep you safe. I couldn't see sendin' you with him if'n he wouldn't." She nodded and tried to smile. "Thank you. For everything." She buttoned her coat while the men said their good-byes on the boardwalk. Rafe took the sack from her hands and strode toward the hitching post. Her gaze landed on his horse. The huge beast was the animal she had considered making her escape on. He looked as testy as his owner—and 454
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she had to tolerate the company of both. She glanced from horse to man and raised her chin a notch. After his less than complimentary words, she'd be damned before showing fear. The icy wind whipped her hair when she started from the protective cover of the porch. She tucked the loose strands into the collar of her coat and stepped off the boardwalk. Rafe frowned. "Wait." He deposited her back on the porch and disappeared inside, then returned and dropped a man's felt hat onto her head. "To keep the snow and rain off your face." "Thank—" She stopped short as he pulled a pair of thick gloves from his pocket and pressed them into her hands. "Thank you." He shrugged. "Tom thought you should have them." Then he walked to the horses, leaving her to follow. Fine. He didn't want her gratitude. It made no difference to her as long as he kept his promise and took her to the fort. She stepped off the porch as the snow whirled around; bits of ice mixed with the large flakes and stung her skin. She tilted her head and leaned into the wind, glad for the hat and for Tom's thoughtfulness. "We'll have to ride double," Rafe said when she stood beside him. "There's no room on the pack mule." He tied her sack to the saddle horn, then turned. His steel gaze darted from her to the animals, and he frowned, as if he'd just realized how close riding double would be. Maggie couldn't decipher his muttered curse, but judging by his dark scowl, she didn't want to know his thoughts. 455
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He swung his lean frame onto the horse and settled in the saddle, then reached a strong hand down to her. She looked up—way up—at his outstretched palm. She placed her gloved hand in his and hoped she didn't fall. Her breath whooshed out in surprise when he pulled her up behind him as if she weighed no more than a sack of feathers. Oh, God. A shudder ran through her, and she covered her eyes with her hands. No wonder she hated horses. She cracked one eye open, glanced down...and buried her face into Rafe's back. They sat at least six feet off the ground! Thank God, she wouldn't have to attempt riding alone. Except now her body pressed against his, a fact that stole her breath and spiraled heat from her nipples to her cunny. What should she do with her hands? If she held on to the the saddle, she'd be dangerously close to his backside; wrapping her arms around him seemed bold. She clutched the sides of his coat in her fists and wiggled until she found a comfortable position. Rafe craned his head and glared over his shoulder. "Ready?" Before she could answer, he clicked his tongue to his horse, and they took off with a lurch. The mule's lead rope bit into her leg as the stubborn animal lagged behind. "Hang on. We've got to ride hard." She nodded. "I'm fine. Do what you must." As they rode by Zeke's, Michael's triumphant face grinned through the window. She stared at him, unwilling to look away in shame. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Michael was the one who should be ashamed. Her father had 456
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entrusted him with the family's fortune and with Maggie. The money would be gone before Christmas. Where will I be? The enormous weight of her situation crushed her. She shuddered and bit back tears, again nearly overwhelmed by the urge to cry. She was just tired and hungry. That was all. By next week this trip—this whole nightmare—would be nothing but a bad memory. Rafe tensed as Maggie went limp against him. A feathery sigh tickled the hair at his neck, the deep exhale rubbing her soft breasts across his back. Hell. He closed his eyes, but that was a mistake. Images of her ripped bodice, of hard nipples peeking over a silk corset sent a gut-twisting shot of lust straight to his dick. Double hell. She sighed again, her arm dropping forward to rest on his thigh. Christ. Two inches to the left and she'd be cupping his cock. He grabbed her hand and pulled it around his waist to keep her from falling off Moses. The last thing he wanted to do was dig her out of a snow drift. It wasn't that he wanted to feel her arms around him or have her body pressed any closer than it already was. Not that at all. She mumbled in her sleep, her warm breath fanning his ear, drawing his balls tight with need. A frustrated groan escaped through tense lips. What in the hell had he done? Hadn't he learned anything from the last time he'd defended a woman? But damn it all, he couldn't let Skinner Joe buy her.
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And now some man was looking for an army friend. Friend. Like hell. Rafe knew who searched. Simon. He'd find Rafe and Joe would help. Rafe pinched the bridge of his nose as every horrible scenario imaginable flashed through his mind. What the hell had he gotten Miss Monroe into? He groaned. And why did she have to be from St. Louis. For all he knew, she could have been to his family home. And the last thing he wanted was questions or pity. He grunted in disgust and pushed Moses a little harder. The cold wind howled as they started into the foothills. He tucked his chin into his chest and wished he had started a beard a little sooner. Maggie moaned, then slid her free hand inside his coat, stroking his stomach like a cat. He tensed. A hot need coursed through his body. His cock stiffened against his buttons, lengthening until the head threatened to break free from the waistband. No way would this be all right. He didn't want a woman around. He had been too long by himself. He just had to stay away from her. He could ignore her for a couple of days. Then once the blizzard passed, he'd take her to the fort. "Think I'll freeze if I sleep in the barn with you, Moses?" A soft nicker came in answer, and he figured his horse laughed at him. Easy for Moses. He was gelded. Another hour and they'd be home. Heat flooded his frozen face at the thought of this St. Louis society lady seeing how he lived. No doubt she was used to a mansion with servants to attend to every need. 458
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So were you once. He pushed the thought away, angry that Maggie made him remember things he'd rather not. That life was dead. As dead as the man he'd killed. [Back to Table of Contents]
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Thank you for purchasing this Wild Rose Press publication. For other erotic romance titles or to purchase Rafe's Redemption, please visit our on-line bookstore at www.thewilderroses.com. For questions or more information, contact us at
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