Chapter Eight
Markie knew he was teasing her for some reason. No matter what he said, she knew he had to have seen her CDs of Grant Hunter when he was in her apartment. Some people still liked listening to them. Her stereo system had belonged to her aunt Lola years ago and Markie loved it. It sat in a wooden cabinet with a glass door. A turntable sat on the top, and inside was a receiver, double cassette player and a CD player that held thirty-two of them that would shuffle them and never play the same song twice. Two tall speakers, the same height as the cabinet, sat on each side of it and beside one of them was a shelf filled with vinyl albums and CDs. Most had belonged to her aunt.
Who owns The Hartland Restaurant? She sent to Sydney .
Ask Nate.
I did. He’s feeding me a line about it.
Sydney sent back a laughing emoji. Who did he say did?
Grant Hunter, the singer. I told him I didn’t believe him.
Then you owe him an apology. Grant Hunter does own it.
“Holy shit,” Markie exclaimed, making other patrons look at her, and Nate laugh. She looked around. “Sorry.”
“Why would I kid you about that?”
“Oh, come on, Nate. Why would I believe it? He was the best ever and you tell me he grew up in Clifton and owns this restaurant?”
“Which are both true.”
“Does he ever come in here?” She looked around like he would suddenly appear.
“Yes, I’ve seen him in here a few times, but his wife, Jessa runs it now. She’s here quite a bit.”
“Oh, yeah. I remember hearing he got married,” she said sadly, shaking her head.
“Did you think you had a shot?” Nate grinned.
Markie laughed. “Not even a little one.”
“Well, maybe he’ll be at Dewey’s tonight. Sometimes, he shows up and sings with the band.”
“Oh, I’d love to see that. I never made it to one of his concerts.”
“We’ll head there after we eat.”
“Alright.”
After finishing their meals, the server appeared, asking if they wanted dessert which they declined. Nate handed her his credit card and when she returned with the receipt, he added a tip, then slid from the booth, and helped Markie up.
He led her through the restaurant, out the doors, and to his truck. She slid onto the seat and watched as he walked around the front of the truck, then climbed in behind the wheel.
“Thank you for dinner. It was amazing,” Markie said.
“You’re welcome. I’ve never had a bad meal here or the diner.”
“Same for me at the diner. Connie is amazing.”
Nate nodded as he pulled into the parking lot of the popular cowboy bar. He shut the truck off, opened his door, and walked around the front then opened her door. He held her hand as he led her toward the bar.
Entering the bar, he stopped and looked around. “We might have to sit at the bar,” he said over the music.
“That’s fine.”
They found two empty stools and ordered drinks. Markie smiled as she listened to the band playing.
“The band is good,” she said close to Nate’s ear.
“They always are. Scarlett only gets the best.”
When the band played a slow song, Nate asked her if she wanted to dance. She smiled and nodded, then he led her to the floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he put his around her waist. Then Markie put her cheek against his shoulder.
“You smell good,” he murmured into her ear, making her shiver.
“So do you.” She grinned when he chuckled.
Around midnight, Nate asked her if she wanted to leave, and she nodded. She was nervous, but she wanted him to spend the night. She just wasn’t sure how to go about letting him know.
****
When Nate pulled into the alley, stopped by the steps, he looked at her intently and she returned his gaze with equal intensity.
“I’ll walk you up,” he said, then stepped out of the truck.
He was hoping to stay tonight, but it was up to her. He opened the door, took her hand, and helped her up the steps. She rummaged through her purse for her keys, he took them from her, unlocked the door, and pushed it open before handing them back to her.
“Would you like to come in?” she asked hesitantly.
Nate stared at her. “I have one question.”
“What that’s?”
“Am I staying for breakfast?”
He watched her bite her lip, then smiled.
“How do you like your eggs?”
Nate grinned, then they entered the apartment. Before she had time to say anything, he jerked her against his body and pressed his lips to hers in a deep, hard, passionate kiss. Markie moaned softly as her arms wrapped around his neck. His hands slid down her sides, tracing the curves of her body until they reached her waist; he pulled her even closer as their hips met.
He reached behind her and lowered the zipper on the back of her dress. He peeled it off her, discarding it on the floor as they continued their passionate kissing. He stepped back, stared into her eyes as he unhooked the front clasp of her bra then removed it. He stared at her breasts, then gazed into her eyes again. She responded by unbuttoning his shirt and running her hands over his chest, her touch like a feather on his skin. He pressed his lips to hers as he lifted her gently onto the kitchen counter and spread her legs so he could stand between them, never breaking their kiss.
As Nate began to trail kisses down Markie’s neck and shoulder, she arched her back in pleasure. His mouth traveled lower, teasing around her breasts before finally drawing a nipple into his mouth. Markie’s body shivered.
Nate’s hands moved to her lacy underwear. His fingers traced the waistband, making Markie gasp before slipping his hand to her slit. She moaned as he touched her clitoris.
“You’re wet, sweetheart,” he said as he removed her panties. He raised his lips. “Those shoes stay on,” he said then kissed her deeply again.
Her hands unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans, pushing them down to expose him fully. Their eyes met, full of desire and anticipation, as she reached out to grasp him gently. Nate groaned, then reached for his wallet to remove a condom and quickly rolled it onto his hard cock.
Breathing deeply and staring into each other’s eyes, they shared an unspoken understanding: it was time. Nate stepped closer and positioned himself between her thighs, guiding himself toward her, teasing her for a moment before pushing forward.
Their bodies joined in a perfectly synchronized rhythm, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through them both. Nate’s hands gripped Markie’s waist tightly, holding her in place as he drove deeper inside her. Her nails dug into his back while she wrapped her legs around his hips. The room filled with their heavy breathing and soft moans as they lost themselves in one another.
As they neared climax, their movements became more frantic and desperate; a race toward ecstasy. Nate could feel Markie’s inner walls clenching around him as she surrendered to the intense pleasure coursing through her body.
With a final thrust, Nate came hard. They clung onto each other tightly as their breathing slowly returned to normal. Pulling away from one another just enough to steal another passionate kiss, and Nate realized he’d never get enough of this woman.
****
The morning sun streaming through the bedroom window woke Markie up. She stretched her arms above her head, then glanced to the other side of the bed to see it empty.
Reaching her hand out, she felt the sheet and it was still warm. She smiled thinking about last night. It was amazing.
Tossing off the sheet, she stood, picked up her robe, pulled it on, then tied the belt and walked toward the living room. She frowned when she heard Nate talking. Was he on the phone?
When she stopped in the doorway, she grinned. He was talking to her cat.
“I don’t know why you keep following me around. I’m not feeding you,” he said as he looked down at the cat. “I don’t even know your name.”
“Socks,” Markie said, making Nate quickly turn to face her.
“What?”
“Her name is Socks.”
“Okay. She keeps following me around.”
“She’s a female, what do you expect.”
Nate grinned and walked toward her. “Would you follow me around?”
“Anywhere. Anytime.”
Nate leaned down and kissed her lips. “Good morning.”
“Morning. Are you hungry?”
“Starving. How about you get dressed, and I’ll fix breakfast? I make a mean Western Omelet.”
“If I have everything you need.”
Nate pulled her into his arms. “Darlin’, you have exactly what I need.”
Markie smiled. “I’m going to take a shower. I expect my omelet when I get back.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She stood on her toes, kissed his lips, then walked to the bathroom. When she returned to the kitchen, her stomach growled at the smell coming from the stove.
“It smells wonderful. Did you find everything you needed?” she asked as she poured herself a glass of milk.
“No ham, but that’s alright. It will still be good.”
“I’m sure.”
“I would have gotten you a glass of milk if I’d known you wanted it.”
“I drink milk every morning.” She smiled.
“Good for you. Do you want to do anything today or do you need me to leave?”
“You don’t have to leave. Sundays are my lazy days.”
“I have a pool at my place. It’s heated.”
“I love to swim.”
“Well, we’ll head there after we eat.” His eyes roamed over her. “You look good in those shorts.”
“Thank you. I’m glad it’s finally warming up. I’ll have to find my swimsuit.”
“Nah, you don’t need it.”
Markie laughed. “I suppose you swim in the nude.”
Nate raised an eyebrow. “Is there any other way?”
“Aren’t you afraid someone will see you?”
“No, besides I have nothing to hide.”
“No, you certainly do not.” She mentally cursed herself feeling the heat in her cheeks.
“We can swim or go horseback riding.”
“I told you; I don’t ride horses.”
“You can ride with me. We can go to one of the ponds on the property.” Nate shrugged. “Or we can take the ATV.”
Markie grinned. “That sounds like fun. Do you fish?”
“I do.”
“I love to fish.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”
“Yes. My dad used to take me all the time. I haven’t been since he died.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Three years ago.” She blinked back tears.
Nate hugged her. “You still miss him.”
“Everyday.”
“I’d bet money you were a daddy’s girl.”
“I was, and damn proud of it. He spoiled me and my mother. I know she misses him too. I think that’s why she married Jarrett. She was lonely.”
“Did you have a practice in Idaho?”
“No. I worked at an emergency vet hospital. I can practice in just about any state as long as I have proof that I graduated from a veterinarian school.”
“I see. Well, we can go fishing if you’d like.”
“I would.”
“Alright, sweetheart. Take a seat and we’ll eat then head out.”
“Let me feed Socks first.”
Nate shook his head. “Socks.”
“Because of her white paws.”
“Yeah, I get that, but those don’t look like socks. They look like, uh…” He frowned.
“Ankle socks?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“So… ankle socks .”
“Okay, smartass.”
Markie laughed as she opened the lid on a can of cat food, then dumped some in the bowl.
After washing her hands, she sat down at the small table, and Nate set a plate down in front of her.
“Eat up.” Then he picked his plate up and sat down.
Markie picked up the fork, cut into the omelet, and put it in her mouth.
“Oh, my God! This is fantastic. You’ll make someone a good wife one day.”
He pointed his fork at her. “You, Marjorie Ann Russell, are indeed, a smartass.”
“What’s your middle name?”
“Nope.”
“Nathanial Nope Jefferson. That’s a weird name.”
Nate lifted his cup of coffee and shook his head.
“I’m not saying because I know you’d use it when you get angry with me.”
“You think I’ll get angry with you?”
“You’re a woman. Women always get angry with a man.”
“Well, yeah. You got me on that one.” She smiled, but as he kept staring at her, all she could think of was how hot the sex was, and when a smirk lifted his lips, she knew he was too. “Stop.”
“I wasn’t doing anything.” When she snorted, he chuckled.
“After I clean up the kitchen, we can go.”
“I’ll help. I want to get out of these clothes anyway.”
“I forgot to mention how handsome you looked last night.”
“It’s just jeans, a shirt, and boots.”
“A dress shirt with dark jeans. You looked very handsome.”
“Thank you, ma’am and you looked stunning. Now, let’s eat so we can go.”
“Do you have any pets?”
“Just my horse. I’d love to have a dog, but I’m not home enough.”
“I understand that. Socks will be okay alone, but dogs do get anxious when their owners leave.”
“Yeah, when a friend of mine got a dog a few years ago, he left him home, out of his crate one day, and when he got home, his sofa was destroyed.” Nate chuckled.
“I’ve heard plenty of horror stories like that. I hope he still has the dog.”
“He does. He loves that dog. Most days he even takes him to the barn when he goes to work.”
“I love all animals.”
“It’s a good thing considering you’re a vet.”
Markie laughed when Nate winked at her.
After they finished eating, they cleaned up, and Markie went to the bedroom to get her swimsuit, then walked back toward the kitchen. Nate was squatted down in front of the stereo system. He looked at her over his shoulder, then got to his feet.
“This thing is amazing. Where did you get it?”
“My aunt. She got it from her mother. It holds thirty-two CDs and will never repeat a song when it’s on shuffle. I have all her CDs. I still have them just because of that stereo system.” Markie pointed to a shelf on the wall. “All of those albums belonged to her too, and I bet none of them have a single scratch. The cassettes were hers too. When she moved into an apartment, she didn’t have room for it and offered it to me. There was no way I could turn it down.”
“It’s great. I bet it sounds good too.” He walked to the shelves holding albums. “Damn, there are a lot of The Beatles albums. Abbey Road. The White Album.” He reached for one and pulled it out. “Holy hell, this is the first album they released,” he said in a shocked voice.
“She loved them. She definitely got me into them and Elvis. There are a lot of his there too.”
Nate nodded as he ran his hand over one of the speakers, then looked at the swimsuit in her hand and raised an eyebrow.
“A one piece? No bikini?”
“I like this one.”
“I’m just teasing you. I’m sure it will look great. If you’re ready, we can go.”
“I am.”
Markie locked the door behind them, then they walked down the steps to his truck. He opened the door for her and held her hand in his to help her get inside. He closed the door and walked to the driver’s side. After he closed the door, he started the truck and drove out of the alley.
****
Nate pulled the truck to a stop in front of his home and shut it off. He looked at Markie and saw her staring at the house, then she looked at him and smiled.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
“Have you lived here since you started working here?”
“No. When I first started working here, I was twenty-five. I’ve been here eighteen years.”
“Where did you work before here?”
“I worked at my parents’ ranch until they sold it, then I worked at the Flynn ranch. It’s a big ranch too. When Beau offered me the manager position here, I jumped on it.”
“Was the Flynn ranch upset with you for leaving?”
“Not at all. I knew it would be a long time before I’d get a higher position than a ranch hand, so they understood why I wanted to leave. I see Liam Flynn all the time. He’s a good friend.”
“Oh, I love the name Liam.” Markie grinned.
“Yeah, okay.” He shook his head and grinned. “Let’s head in out of this heat. You can tell June is getting close.” He opened his door and started around the front, but Markie had already gotten out.
He reached for her hand, then they walked to the porch, and Nate opened the door.
“You don’t lock it?”
“No. No one comes around. I have ten acres that go with the cabin. I built a small barn where I keep a couple of horses, and a trailer for them. The area is fenced, and the men know not to bother me on the weekends unless there’s an emergency, but they’d call or text, not show up.” He looked at her. “So, you can swim nude if you want.” He kissed her lips. “I know I want you to.”
She shook her head. “Nope.”
“Alright. It’s your choice.”
“I’d be too embarrassed.”
“Sweetheart, there isn’t an inch of you I haven’t seen.” He laughed when she swatted her hand at him.
They stepped into a small foyer, and he heard Markie gasp. He had to admit, it was a great house. It wasn’t big, but it was perfect for him.
“How many bedrooms?”
“Two, along with two full baths, living room, kitchen with a breakfast nook, and mudroom/laundry room.”
“I love the wooden beams across the ceiling.” She walked toward the patio doors centered on the back wall and gazed out. He followed her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
“The pool looks so inviting,” she said.
“Do you want to swim now or later?”
“Maybe after we fish.”
“Okay. Let me change, then we’ll head to the main barn. That’s where the ATVs are kept.”
“I’m ready when you are.”
“I’ll be right back.” He walked to his bedroom, stripped out of his clothes, then pulled on old, worn jeans, and a white T-shirt. He pulled his boots on, then left the room to head back toward the kitchen.
Nate saw Markie staring out at the pool.
“Are you sure you don’t want to swim now?”
“I’m sure. I’m anxious to do some fishing. What kind of lures do you have?”
“Just about any you can think of. There’s a container of worms in the fridge. I just got them the other day.”
“Okay. Let’s do this, then.” She smiled.
Nate nodded and they walked out to the truck, got in and drove them to the barn. He stopped the truck at the back door. They both got out and he took her hand as they entered the barn.
“It always smells good in a barn. To me, anyway,” she said.
“Me too. It’s the combination of horses, leather, and hay.”
He led her down the barn’s aisle and stopped in front of a stall.
“This is Mystic. He’s a six-year-old American Paint, but you probably know that.”
“Yes, I read his chart. He is just gorgeous. I love a gray and white Paint. I thought he was just beautiful when I first saw him. When I was here to give them their vaccines. Those blue eyes are so pretty.” Markie looked at Nate. “Like yours.”
“He’s a good horse.” Nate reached between the bars on the gate to rub the horse’s nose.
“Hey, boy. You are one gorgeous animal,” Markie said in a low voice as she rubbed her hand down the horse’s face. “I thought you kept him in your barn?”
“I do, but I like to let him run some days, so I’ll keep him here for a while.”
“How did you come up with his name?”
“It’s one of my mother’s favorite songs, Into the Mystic , by Van Morrison.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard it.”
“It’s a good song.”
“I’ll look for it on my phone.”
“People interpret it in different ways. Some say it’s about sailing, while others think it’s more of an ethereal meaning. I have no clue. I guess it’s up to the listener.” Nate shrugged. “Let me get the ATV, then we can go. I need to grab the poles too.”
“Okay. I’ll wait here.”
Nate nodded, then entered a room down from the stalls.
****
Markie continued petting the horse. “You’re such a handsome male. Like your owner.” She smiled when he blew into her hand. “I’m sorry I had to give you a shot.”
She turned when she heard a noise and saw Nate pushing the ATV toward her. He made her so hot. As she stared at him, his eyes met hers and he didn’t take them off her until he reached her.
Nate stopped the ATV, then stepped close to her and kissed her lips.
“We could just spend the day in bed,” he murmured against her lips.
“We could.”
Nate sighed. “We’ll go fishing.”
Markie laughed. “Maybe next Sunday we’ll do that. You told me you’d take me fishing.”
“Okay. Next Sunday, we’re staying in bed. Here.”
“Here? In the barn?”
Nate’s eyes narrowed, then he grinned.
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Markie gasped, then laughed. “That’s true.”
“Come on, let’s go before I change my mind and carry you up to the hayloft.”
“I’ve never had a roll in the hay.” She grinned.
“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” Nate said.
“Oh, so you have had one?” she asked as she placed her hands on her hips.
“I am not answering that question.”
“Afraid you’ll incriminate yourself?”
“I’m not answering that one either.”
Markie laughed, then hugged him. His arms wrapped around her, and he kissed the top of her head.
“Come on, let’s go fishing.”
“Let me get the poles and tackle. I’ll only be a minute.” He headed back toward the toolshed and went inside. He quickly returned with two poles and a tacklebox. He put them on the back of the ATV and put a bungie cord around the tacklebox. He swung his leg over the seat and put his hand out to her.
She took his hand, swung her leg over the seat and scooted up close to his back, then wrapped her arms around his waist.
He started the machine, gassed it, then tore out of the barn, making her scream with laughter.