Chapter Sixteen
It was the week before Christmas and the holidays in Marietta were in full swing.
Festive touches were everywhere on Main Street and the shops were teeming with decorations and people trying to find the perfect gift.
Letty was one of them. She had no idea what to get Riley.
Yes, they were only going to be together until New Year, but they were together now and she knew Riley would get her something.
Therefore, she needed to get him a present. But what?
After searching online, she found a history of his stud, Meteor’s, ancestors.
She couldn’t be sure he didn’t have something similar, but she managed to get a new hardback copy of it, which she knew he wouldn’t have.
It seemed like the perfect gift for the man who had what he wanted and who loved his horse like his child.
Which led her to thinking about Riley and children.
And his admission that he was thinking about marriage and children eventually.
Implying he wanted it with her. She’d thought he understood when she put a time limit on their romance.
He’d seemed to accept it. But the longer they were together the more serious he seemed.
Even though it had only been a few weeks.
And even though she cared about Riley, she was determined not to fall in love.
She couldn’t risk it. Which meant she was in for a very lonely life.
She had friends, even a family with Jasper and Lorraine.
But she wouldn’t be having kids. A family of her own.
At the same time, she missed Riley. It wasn’t as if she never saw him, but she never really saw him alone.
Ever since his mom’s illness she’d seen very little of him.
She understood. Of course she was thankful that Lorraine was well enough to go home but since then she saw even less of Riley than she had when his mom was in the hospital.
And when she did see him, which was mostly only when she went out to the ranch, he was invariably tired and stressed. It worried her.
She’d always known Riley worked hard and even more so since his father had to cut back on the work.
But now with Lorraine having pneumonia and needing more care, not to mention trying to see that Jasper didn’t overdo it, he had even more to do.
Part of it was his dad being a pain in the butt.
Letty loved Jasper like a father, but she had to admit he could be difficult.
It seemed like he was doing his best to drive his son crazy.
She’d offered to help take care of Lorraine when she wasn’t working.
But Riley and Jasper wouldn’t hear of it, saying she had her own life to take care of.
The best she could do was to get them to agree they’d call her if they needed her.
One day not long after Lorraine came home, Letty went out to the ranch to visit. She found Riley and Jasper arguing in the barn.
“You’re not required to like her,” Riley said. “Mom likes her, so she stays. And you need to stop being rude to the woman.”
“I’m not being rude,” Jasper said. “It’s my house and I can damn well tell the woman when she’s overstepping.”
Clearly Jasper was mad since he rarely cussed. She wondered what ‘the woman,’ aka the nurse, had done.
“If this one leaves, I swear to God you’re going to live in the bunkhouse until Mom is well.”
“Don’t you threaten me, Riley Fletcher!”
“It’s not a threat, it’s a promise.”
Jasper stomped off, probably to go back to the house and cause more trouble.
Riley squeezed the bridge of his nose and sighed before turning to Letty. “This is the third home health care nurse we’ve had. So far she’s let Jasper’s attitude roll off her back, but I don’t know what we’ll do if she quits as well.”
“He’s probably just scared, and this is how he reacts. Do you want me to talk to him?”
“I doubt it will do any good. But you didn’t come out here to listen to me bitch. What do you need?”
There was no one else around. Letty grabbed Riley’s hand and pulled him into the tack room, shutting the door behind them. “I need you.”
He blinked at her. “Uh—”
She crooked a finger at him. His mouth lifted in a slow, ridiculously sexy smile. The next thing she knew Riley had caged her in against the door with his hands on either side of her face. Then he kissed her.
It wasn’t leisurely, or sweet, or gentle.
It was rough and real, but she could tell he was still holding back.
And she didn’t want him to. She wrapped herself around him and poured everything she had, everything she wanted, into the kiss.
He put his arms around her and held her tight.
He lifted her up and she felt him, hard and ready for her.
He groaned and let her slide down his body. “We can’t.”
“Why can’t we?”
“Because you deserve more than a quick bang against the door of the tack room.”
“I don’t want more. I just want you.”
*
I just want you, she’d said.
“Damn, Letty, you’re killing me.” She was wearing a dress. He wondered what she had on under it. He suspected that was what she’d intended. He locked the door in case things progressed further than they should. Which, he knew, they would since he couldn’t possibly resist her in this mood.
“Good.” She put her hands on his belt and unbuckled it before attacking his jeans.
He could have stopped her. Could have talked her out of it.
To hell with it. Letty was here, she was willing, she was so soft and smelled so good.
And he’d missed her, every day that he spent away from her, he’d missed her.
He’d talked to her but it wasn’t enough.
He wanted to see her, hold her, love her, and he couldn’t.
Even if he could be with her he couldn’t tell her he loved her. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
But she was here with him now and he couldn’t wait any longer. He moved her hands and finished unfastening his jeans and pushing them down, freeing himself.
She stroked him and he nearly came right then. He’d wanted their next time together to be more romantic. Wanted to make her feel special, to take his time arousing her, and even more, satisfying her. But she had other ideas. And he couldn’t fight her.
He reached beneath her dress, hooked his fingers in her tiny panties and yanked them down her legs.
Her arms wrapped around him. He lifted her up, pushing up her dress, and thrust inside her, driving in and out.
He felt crazed, as if he’d lose his mind if he didn’t have her.
Everything faded. The room, the horses, everything he needed to do, everything but him and Letty, lost in each other.
She tightened around him as he pumped inside her.
He heard her cry out and watched her eyes go blurry and her head go back, lost in the throes of her orgasm. He came, a scalding release.
Still inside her, he leaned his forehead against hers. He felt like a shit. Hell, he’d hardly even kissed her. It had been the epitome of ‘slam, bam, thank you, ma’am.’ “I’m sorry.”
She looked at him, clearly puzzled. “Why? That was exactly what I wanted.”
He let her down slowly and smoothed down her skirt. “I was rough. And fast.”
“I liked it. In case you missed it, I seduced you.”
He still didn’t like it. Damn, he should have had more self-control.
Should have been able to slow things down.
But she’d been determined, and he’d wanted her so badly.
He’d missed her so much. The ache had been constant and now, for the first time since his mom got sick, he felt better.
Like he could make it through this mess. Everything would be okay.
Unless he couldn’t convince Letty to give them more time.
*
There wasn’t a whole lot Letty could do to help Riley, especially since he and his dad had turned her down. But she could talk to Jasper and try to make him see that having help for Lorraine was in his best interests. With that in mind she went to the house after she left Riley.
She walked into the kitchen to find Jasper fussing at the nurse.
Patricia Wilcox was middle-aged and according to Riley, very good at her job.
She gave off the impression of being competent and unflappable.
Which was good considering what a pain Jasper was being.
Even if she hadn’t heard Riley and his father arguing she’d have known Jasper was making trouble just from his expression.
After Letty introduced herself, Patricia went to see about Lorraine, leaving Letty alone with Jasper.
“That woman needs to mind her own business,” Jasper said.
“What did she do?”
“Tries to order me around. Always checking to see if I washed my hands. What am I, a slob? I know all that. She acts like I don’t know how to take care of my own wife.”
“Don’t you take care of her at night?”
“Of course. They usually leave around seven and get here around seven in the morning. Riley was talking about getting someone to stay overnight but I put my foot down. I already have to put up with that woman or another one all day.”
Jasper had no business trying to take care of Lorraine both day and night. But how to tell him that without pissing him off? “What happens when Lorraine has a bad night?”
“Riley and I take care of her.”
Lord, no wonder poor Riley looked exhausted. “But Riley can’t help during the day, can he?”
For whatever reason, Jasper looked like that was a revelation to him. “No, I guess not. He’s got to see to the ranch.”
“And Riley could use help during the day, couldn’t he? I know you’ve cut back, but Riley still depends on you for advice and other help.”
“That’s true. So what are you saying, Letty?”
“Wouldn’t it be easier if you let the nurse care for Lorraine during the day and then at night you take charge?”
“I suppose you’re right.” He thought about that, then asked, “So I just leave them alone? What if Lorraine needs me? Or just wants to see me?”
“I’m sure Patricia would be happy to call you in that case.” She paused and added, “And you could think about getting some help two or three nights a week so you and Riley could get some sleep.”
Jasper rubbed his chin. “Riley is looking a little tuckered out. I’ll talk to him about what you said. See what he says.”
“That’s a good idea. I need to go now.” She hugged Jasper. “Give Lorraine my love and tell Riley I’ll talk to him later.”
“I will. I’m going to the barn right now.”
She watched as Jasper put on his heavy coat and walked out the back door. She hoped Jasper would take her advice. She had a feeling Riley was on the edge and needed respite. Or at least not to have to referee between his dad and the nurse.