Ryelee's Cowboy (17 page)

Tears formed in her eyes as she saw
the concern on Annie’s face.

Annie quickly crossed the room to
Ryelee and hugged her. She ran her hand up and down Ryelee’s back.
“Burke, we need to get her warm. Could you ask Mrs. Harvy to make
some tea?”

Mrs. Harvy appeared with a blanket for
Ryelee and led her to the plush leather chair in front of the
massive stone fireplace. She tucked Ryelee in with the blanket.
“Tea it is,” she said as she studied her handiwork. “You’ll be warm
shortly,” she promised. “I’ll make it decaf for the
baby.”

Ryelee smiled her thanks as Mrs. Harvy
bustled out of the room, promising to take care of Rheenie while
the grown-ups talked.

Ryelee looked at Burke. “I’m so sorry
about your cattle, Burke. It’s entirely my fault,” she said,
ashamed.

She could see the frowns on all of
their faces as she continued. “My father caught up with me when I
was hanging sheets on the line, and he wanted money. He wanted all
of my earnings. When I said no, he tried to wrestle my engagement
ring from me.”

From the look of indignation on
Annie’s face, Ryelee realized she might have an ally. “I told him I
was getting married Christmas Eve. I should have told you or Clint.
I just kept praying that my father wouldn’t be so stupid. This is
all my fault. I should have told you what I suspected. Then he told
Bubba that I masterminded the whole thing,” she said, her voice
breaking.

She looked at them with tear-filled
eyes. “It wasn’t my idea. It wasn’t.” She began to weep. She pulled
Clint’s bandana out of her jeans pocket and used it to wipe away
her tears. It smelled like him, leather, and spice. Somehow, that
made it worse, and she began to sob.

Burke threw a look at Clint. His long
stride beat Annie’s as they both sought to comfort her. Burke
reached her first, scooped her up, and placed her on his lap as he
sat in the leather chair.

Annie stroked her hair, trying to
comfort her, trying to calm her. “Honey, it’s not your fault. Your
father has to take the consequences, not you.”

“She’s right, Ryelee,” Burke agreed in
his deep voice. “We don’t blame you at all.”

Ryelee finally quieted down. She felt
embarrassed to be on Burke’s lap. He got up and placed her back on
the chair, tucking the blanket around her.

Mrs. Harvy hustled in with the tea.
“Don’t worry about your little one.” She pointedly looked at Ryelee
and not Clint. “Hot chocolate and oatmeal cookies can make any
princess happy.” She turned to walk out of the room, jabbing her
elbow in Clint’s side as she went.

Clint walked over to Ryelee and kissed
her on the cheek, murmuring to her, asking if she was okay. He took
her hand and caressed it with his callused fingers, but a shadow
darkened his eyes. He gave her an encouraging smile. “Let’s go
home, Mrs. Maloney.” Gently, he helped her stand.

Ryelee nodded and gave him a tentative
smile, not knowing what to expect. She realized she didn't deserve
to expect anything.

Suddenly, Rheenie was by her side, all
bundled up in her light blue coat, holding Sunshine in her arms.
Mrs. Harvy must have wrapped the doll in one of Seth’s baby
blankets. Rheenie looked adorable cradling Sunshine.

Clint helped Ryelee with her coat and
then took her hand. He said a quiet goodnight to the Dawsons and
gave Mrs. Harvy a smile.

All three were tired when they entered
their own house. Rheenie announced she needed to tuck Sunshine in
and she was going to lie down with her baby.

Ryelee promised to check on them in a
minute. Being with Rheenie filled her with such joy. She stood at
the bottom of the stairs ready to climb them, but then she turned
around. Clint stood in the kitchen looking lost and miserable. It
cut deep that she was the cause. With a soft cry, she closed the
distance between them and hugged him. She gave a cry of relief as
he hugged her back and buried his face in her hair.

They clung to each other, neither
wanting to let go. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. He
kissed her gently at first. When she opened her mouth to him, he
groaned. Their kiss deepened into something almost spiritual. She
felt as though the kiss was a brand new beginning.

Ryelee broke off the kiss and rested
her forehead on Clint’s chest. Her heart was beating fast, and she
was taking in air in great big gulps. He made her feel things she
never felt before. He made her shiver, tremble, and ache. She ached
for only what he could give her, she knew instinctively.

“We have to tuck Rheenie in,” she said
breathlessly.

Clint didn't let her go. “Will you
sleep in my…our bed tonight?”

Ryelee took a step back so she could
see his face. She could tell he meant it, and she wanted
it.

Together, they tucked Rheenie in,
kissing both Rheenie and Sunshine. Hand in hand, they walked into
their bedroom.

“Take your clothes off,” he
whispered.

Ryelee hesitated. “What about the
baby?”

“We won’t go that far tonight. Please,
I need to see you.”

Ryelee loved it when his voice got low
and throaty. Slowly, she did as he asked. She took her top off,
leaving her heavy breasts encased in her bra. She shimmied out of
her jeans next, enjoying the looks of appreciation from her
husband.

Clint walked over and guided her in
front of the full-length mirror. He undid her bra and slowly let it
fall to the ground. He cupped her breasts in his large hands and
lightly squeezed them. His eyes met hers in the mirror, and she
could see his desire. Her nipples tightened as she moaned. Clint
took each between his fingers and pulled on them lightly. He gave
her a wicked smile and pulled her panties down. He guided her out
of them. They both stood there staring at her body in the
mirror.

Ryelee felt as though she’d fall if
she hadn’t been leaning back against Clint. He made her feel
beautiful with his wondrous stare. He caressed her taunt stomach
next. She couldn’t take her eyes off their reflections. It was so
sexy, so naughty. His hands reached lower until they found the very
place he sought. He cupped her with one hand while holding her up
with the other. His fingers probed her, and she felt as though her
whole body was somehow electrified.

Ryelee sagged against him. He quickly
turned her and grabbed her tight ass.

“I can’t believe that you’ve been
hiding this sexy body under those awful dresses.”

Ryelee knew that he was looking at her
backside, and it made her feel a yearning deep in the pit of her
stomach. She coiled, ready for something, but she didn't know what.
She began to shake, and Clint lifted her up into his muscular arms
and put her on the bed. He lay next to her, stroking her body up
and down. She shivered in need. Finally, he had her spread her
legs, and he stroked her until she felt like she was going to
explode.

“That’s it, baby, come for me,” he
urged, stroking her faster.

Ryelee cried out as she spun out of
control, her body convulsing. She felt as though she had died and
gone to heaven. Nothing in her life had prepared her for this. It
felt so good, she didn’t want it to stop, but eventually the
feeling subsided, leaving her content and satisfied.

She was also embarrassed. She turned
toward Clint and buried her head in his neck, shaking. She could
still feel the fire between her legs. Tears came to her eyes as she
realized she was indeed a tramp.

“Hey, hey, what are all the tears
for?” Clint stroked her hair.

Ryelee just shook her head. She
couldn’t tell him what he already knew. He hadn’t even taken off
any of his clothes. She could feel her body becoming red with
shame.

Clint lifted her head off his shoulder
and peered into her eyes with concern. “Didn't you like what we
just did?”

Ryelee nodded miserably, looking away
from him.

“Ryelee, I just don’t understand what
the problem is. Did I hurt you? Is it the baby?”

“No, no, you didn't hurt me or the
baby. You made me feel too good, and I don’t want you to lose any
respect that you still might have for me,” she said,
sniffling.

Clint’s smile was the last straw. She
pushed him away and scrambled out of the bed. Turning her back to
him, she tried to locate her clothes.

Clint jumped out of the bed and held
her by her shoulders. He gently turned her around. She wouldn’t
look at him, so he cupped her chin in his hand and forced her to
face him. “What we just did was wonderful, Ryelee. That’s what
married people do,” he explained. “Honey, listen to me. You were
perfect in every way. Your response and your passion please
me.”

Ryelee finally looked at him, trying
to gauge if he was telling her the truth. “You didn't even take off
your clothes.”

Clint hugged her to him. “I didn't
want things to get out of hand, Ryelee. You tempt me like no other
woman has ever done.” He smiled at her. “When we get the doctor’s
okay, I’ll be the first one naked.”

Ryelee nodded. Placated and pleased,
she allowed Clint to carry her back to bed.

He got her nightgown and handed it to
her. He laughed as she raised her eyebrows to him. “I’m only human,
woman. We’ll both wear our pjs tonight.”

Ryelee laughed. She put her gown on
and got under the covers, and the bed dipped as Clint got in. He
drew her into his powerful arms and held her. “Ryelee?”

“Ummm?”

“Let’s go see the doctor
tomorrow.”

“Sure thing, cowboy,” she agreed
sleepily.

Chapter Ten

Ryelee bathed and got dressed in a
pretty pink maternity top and blue jeans. At this stage of her
pregnancy, she could still tie her shoes. A few more weeks and she
would have to get some slip-ons. She looked at her reflection in
the bedroom mirror and blushed as she remembered the night before.
Watching Clint touch her naked body had been so sensual.

He was one sexy man. She hoped the
doctor gave them the okay to have marital relations. She still
wondered if she had been too out of control last night. Clint
seemed to like it, but Ryelee wasn’t sure that was how a wife
should act.

Clint met her at the bottom of the
stairs with a mug of decaf tea for her. His eyes shined at her, and
she felt herself blush all over again. She gave him a shy smile and
he chuckled.

Clint kissed her cheek. “Are you all
right?” He put his coffee mug on the kitchen table and then drew
her into the circle of his arms. “You look sweet enough to
eat.”

Ryelee stepped closer to him and
wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled his head down for a
kiss when she heard Rheenie laughing. Ryelee gave Clint a quick
kiss on the lips and turned to smile at her daughter.

“Good mornin’, Mama! I saw you and
Daddy sleeping in the same bed like real mommies and daddies,” she
said happily.

Ryelee’s glance flew to Clint’s. She
didn't know what to say, and she hadn’t realized that the subject
would embarrass her.

Clint answered Rheenie. “Yep, just
like real mommies and daddies.”

The joy on Rheenie’s face was
infectious, and before Ryelee knew it, they were all grinning at
each other.

Ryelee had just sat down when she
heard a knock on the door. Her whole body stiffened as she prayed
it wasn’t more trouble. To her relief, it was Burke.

Burke kissed Ryelee on the cheek and
lifted Rheenie in his arms. “I hear you two need to go to town this
morning. I thought that Rheenie and I could take a quick ride over
to the old homestead and look at a few cattle.”

Rheenie patted him on the face and
smiled at him. “Will I ride a horsey?” She began to tilt her head
and flutter her eyelashes.

Burke looked like he was trying hard
not to laugh. “Of course,” he replied, almost with a straight
face.

Ryelee turned to Clint. “I don’t
think…”

“It’ll be fine,” Clint reassured
her.

“I’ll have her sitting right in front
of me. I wouldn’t allow a princess to get hurt, would
I?”

Rheenie kissed him on the lips with a
quick peck. She happily looked at Ryelee. “He called me Princess,”
she said in awe.

“Yes, honey, he did. I want you to be
good and listen to Burke,” Ryelee said.

Rheenie was busy looking at Burke in
admiration and barely waved good-bye when he grabbed her coat, hat,
and mittens and carried her outside.

“Clint, what if she falls?”

Clint laughed. “Coming from the woman
who taught her to climb trees, it sounds funny.”

“I know. I just worry.” She put her
coat on.

“Welcome to my world.” Clint grabbed
her hand and led her out of the house.

The trip to the doctor was pleasant.
Clint treated her like gold, and Ryelee loved it. The only
awkwardness happened when Clint asked questions about sex. He
wanted to know how hard was too hard and what positions the doctor
recommended. Ryelee thought she was going to die of
mortification.