Chapter Thirteen
When they got back to Letty’s apartment she asked, “Are you sure you don’t need to get back home?”
Riley smiled. “I can stay awhile. If you want me to.”
She unwrapped herself from her layers of clothes.
Riley didn’t have on as many clothes as she did, but after stuffing his gloves in his pockets, he took off his coat and hat.
She wore another form-fitting sweater over tight jeans.
Letty’s body was made for blue jeans. Her legs weren’t long and endless but the pants fit her perfectly, as every feature of her body fit together to make a perfect, small human. A very pretty, perfect small woman.
He put his arms around her and kissed her. Taking his time, tasting, his tongue playing with hers. He wanted her, as if he hadn’t had her in weeks, instead of only days. Slipping his hands beneath her sweater, he caressed her breasts. She sighed and pushed into his hand.
“I should have known you’d be good at this,” she said.
He smiled. “Thanks. But you make it easy.” He stripped off her sweater, then her bra. Took a good long look at her breasts before covering them with his hands and tweaking the nipples. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back and sighed again.
She wrestled with the buttons on his shirt and once she got that off she helped him yank his T-shirt over his head.
Then she splayed her hands on his chest. “You have such nice muscles,” she said, stroking him.
“It’s obvious you get them from physical work, not from a gym.
And your hands are strong and used to hard work. ”
“Too rough?” He knew his hands were rough. Calluses, cuts, healed scars. They were the hands of a rancher.
“No, I like them.”
Knowing that the condoms were in the bedroom, he scooped her up and carried her there. Once by the bed he set her on her feet and helped peel her out of her jeans. All she wore now was a tiny pair of filmy red panties. He really liked her choice of panties.
Letty grabbed his belt, unbuckled it, then tried to undo his jeans. When she couldn’t, she reached beneath his jeans and underwear and grasped his shaft. Riley groaned. He made quick work of his jeans and boxers, then started to pull her with him onto the bed.
Instead she made him sit on the edge, picked up a condom and rolled it down, taking her sweet time, driving him a little insane.
Once he was covered she gave him a sultry look and she climbed on top of him, her knees on either side of him.
She smiled and slid down, taking his whole length inside of her.
They both groaned and then she rode him like there was a fire between them. And there was.
He thrust up inside her, wanting to last and knowing he wouldn’t. He drove up, she slammed down and they went over the edge together.
They stayed as they were until their breathing evened out.
Letty climbed off him and he went to the bathroom to clean up.
When he came back he gave her a warm, wet cloth.
After she used it she tossed it on the floor.
She snuggled against him and he wrapped his arm around her. “I wish you could stay.”
“I don’t need to leave yet.”
“But you can’t stay all night.”
“Do you want me to?” It surprised him, not only that she wanted him to stay but that she’d told him.
“I know you can’t. You have too much to do at the ranch.”
“But if I could?”
She turned her head to look up at him. He couldn’t read her expression. Was he getting through to her or was that just wishful thinking?
“There’s no point talking about things that aren’t going to happen.”
Things like him staying over. Or them staying together after the new year.
*
Letty should have realized that in a town the size of Marietta, everything was cause for speculation.
The fact that she and Riley had been seen going out to eat, joining in festivities like caroling, and attending Christmas parties together created a lot of talk.
Not to mention that kiss during the Stroll.
The day after she and Riley had gone to a party hosted by one of his old friends, Letty ran into a woman she’d gone to high school with who’d also been at the party.
She and Paula Lackland had never been good friends but Letty had never had anything against her.
Their little conversation in the library had her changing her mind.
“Letty, it was so good to see you last night,” Paula said.
“I thought you weren’t dating anyone since I never see you out and about.
And you were with Riley Fletcher, of all people.
How did you manage to convince him to date you?
You know there are a lot of women who’d give their right arm to be with him, don’t you?
And the ones he has dated have been…” She paused and looked Letty up and down. “Let’s just say your opposite.”
How was she supposed to respond to that? “Really? He’s never mentioned anyone to me.”
“Well, he wouldn’t, would he?”
They talked for a little longer with Paula digging for more information about the state of Riley’s relationship with her. Letty didn’t comply and Paula eventually left in a huff.
Letty spent the rest of the day shelving books and helping a couple of people find research material.
Then Bonnie Driver came in with a man in tow and the two of them sat in two chairs that were side by side and began reading.
Letty supposed the man was Norm. He was a nice-looking man and appeared to be around Bonnie’s age.
After a while Bonnie came to the desk to talk to her.
“That’s Norm,” she said, jerking a thumb at the man.
“I figured it was. He’s very handsome.”
“I suppose. He’s more tolerable than I thought at first.”
Letty smiled. “Don’t be too enthusiastic, Bonnie.”
Bonnie snorted. “I’m reserving judgment. Well, I’d better get back to my book. Don’t want Norm to get too far ahead of me.”
Something nagged at Letty about what Paula had said.
Finally she realized she was jealous. She knew Riley had dated.
Of course he had. And sure, she’d seen some of his women and yes, they were gorgeous.
Tall, blond, slim, whereas she was short, brunette, and curvy.
So why had he picked her? Because she was different than the usual?
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
The bottom line, though, was that she had no right to be jealous.
They were keeping it casual. A fling. One that would be over by New Year’s.
So what if she wasn’t Riley’s usual type?
And why was she suddenly doubting herself?
She’d had enough of that years ago. She was a strong, independent woman who knew better than to let gossip concern her.
Wasn’t she?
*
For a change, Riley had left Letty’s place early the evening before. He never wanted to leave but leaving really late and getting up at his regular time—very early—was beginning to wear on him. Damn, I’m getting old. He remembered when he could go for days on very little sleep. Not so anymore.
He’d taken care of the horses, made sure the cattle were good, fed the dogs, and done most of his other chores, and now he was fixing the gaps in the fence and his dad was helping.
As usual, a couple of his dogs, Pringle and Poppy, were with him.
Val had named them what he thought were dumb names, but they’d stuck.
He could tell Jasper had something on his mind, but so far he’d been quiet. Which, of course, wasn’t unusual.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Jasper said, handing him the come-along.
Riley glanced at him. “What do you mean?”
“Letty. She’s not just some woman you can have fun with and leave. Letty’s special.”
He’d been expecting this for a while now. Like a lot of men of his generation, Jasper had different standards of behavior between men and women. Especially women related to him.
“I know she is. And that’s not what I’m doing.”
“Do you think I don’t know what’s going on? You’re burning the candle at both ends. Before long you’re going to have a wreck, falling asleep while driving home in the early hours.”
“Can’t be helped. I need to be here in the mornings.”
“Why don’t you stay with her and come back a little late? It’s not like we can’t handle the chores first thing.”
Okay, different standards. But still. “Are you kidding? You about had a heart attack over Val getting pregnant before she married Liam. There’s no way you’d be okay with me staying with Letty.
” While Val had been pregnant with another man’s child, a man who wanted nothing to do with her or her baby, Liam had married her.
He’d adopted the baby, and they were all very happy now.
Jasper had eventually accepted what had happened but then, he’d always liked Liam.
“I didn’t say I approved. But you’re a grown man and you’re gonna do what you’re gonna do. I just hope you’re not leading her on, and planning to break her heart.”
He stopped what he was doing to stare at his dad. “Other way around, more likely.”
“What do you mean?”
“We talked about this before,” Riley reminded him. “I’m in love with Letty. I want to marry her.”
“Well, then. You said you were serious but you didn’t mention marriage.” Big smile. “What are you waiting for?”
“I’m waiting for her to realize she loves me too. At the moment she just wants to be casual. She’s scared to commit and I really don’t know why.”
“Hmm.” Jasper rubbed his chin. “You know, she had a hard time when her parents died. Your mother and I were right worried about her.”
Riley had been around when Letty came to live with them, but he’d been grown by then and busy with the ranch and taking business classes at a nearby college.
“You think that has something to do with her attitude?”
“It might. She was only seventeen. That’s a tough time for a girl even when her parents are alive.”
“I haven’t pushed her. I’m afraid if I do, she’ll flip out and call it off.”
“You think so?” Jasper asked.
“It’s a definite possibility.” He’d had to be so careful not to say the wrong thing. Something like, “I was waiting for you.” If that had freaked her out what would realizing he was in love with her do to her?
Hell, she’d probably break up with him the minute he let on how he truly felt.
“You’ll figure it out.” Jasper paused. “We love Letty. Your mother and I would be very happy if you were to marry her.”
“Right now, I’m just trying to convince her we can be happy for longer than she thinks. Marriage talk is way down the line.” He had until New Year’s to convince her to give them a real chance. Sometimes he was hopeful. Sometimes he wasn’t. But he was treading very carefully.
It was exhausting.