The Lonely Cowboy (Trace Atkins Family) (5 page)

She
turned and left the sheriff pondering his dilemma while she headed to the preacher’s house.

When
she got there, the preacher was excited.  He had received an answer to the telegram he had sent shortly after the first attack on Trace and the Rocking A.  The telegram told him the San Antonio and Mexican Railway was going to extend a line from San Antonio to Corpus Christi and pass right through the Rocking A.  They were ready to begin acquisition of the right-of-way. Finally, here was the reason for Jess Clayton’s interest in the Rocking A.  

Trace
was up and about now but was still weak.  He and Sarah, who had been going back and forth to the Bar S walked over to Jess Clayton’s office.  Trace said, “As you can see Clayton, your latest try failed.  We know about the railroad coming through and about your little scheme.  There is no Rocking A any more. It is now part of the Bar S.

Sarah,
who had been silent up until now said, “The Bar S does not sell land.  We never have and never will.  If there is anymore trouble, and I mean anymore, you better not be around when we come for you, and we will come.  Come on Trace, let’s go home.  The boys are having conniptions from wanting to see you.”

“Have
a good day, Mr. Clayton,”  Trace said in parting.

Chapter
7  A New Member Of The Family

“Pa,
come quick, Ma’s sick.”

“Where
is she?”

“She’s
on the back porch throwing up.”

Hurrying
out the back door, Trace said, “Honey, what’s wrong?”

“I
don’t know.  When I started fixing the eggs, I had the sudden urge to throw up.  I almost didn’t make it out of the kitchen.”

“Is
this the first time?”

“No,
it’s happened several times this week.”

“When
you feel better, I’m going to take you into town to the doctor.”

“No,
I’ll be all right.  I’ll go sit down.”

Sure
enough, in a few minutes, she was okay and had no further problems that day.

The
next morning, the same thing happened as soon as she sat down to eat breakfast.  “Honey, are you sure you don’t want to go to the doctor?”

“I’m
sure.”

Trace
went out to help with the cattle.  When he came in for lunch, Sarah was fine. 

Sarah
said, “Honey, I need to talk to you.”

They
went into the living room.  Trace sat on the couch, Sarah came over and sat on his lap.  She put her arms around his neck and gave him a big sloppy wet kiss.  “What was that for? “ Trace asked.”

“You
remember telling me you always wanted to be a papa?”

“Yes,
and now I am one, thanks to you and Thomas and Josh.”

“Well,
there’s going to be another one.”

“You
mean someone is coming to live with us?”

“You
might say that.”

“I
don’t understand.”

“You’re
going to be a papa again.  I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant.  I was looking at the calendar.  I’m never late.  You could set the clock by me.  Well, I’m late by five days.  That would explain my upset stomach every morning.”

“We’re
going to have a baby?”

“We
are.”

“Listen,
I don’t want you doing anything.  I’ll get another girl to help out.”

“Trace,
I’m fine; I’m healthy.  Don’t forget, I’ve been through this twice already.”

“Well,
I haven’t and I want you to take care of yourself.  I don’t want anything happening to you.”

“There
is something you can do for me.”

“You
name it.”

She
gave him a mind blowing smile and said, “Take me to bed and make love to me.”

“Are
you sure that will be all right?  I mean it won’t hurt the baby or anything will it?”

“It’ll
be all right.  It’ll be too bad for you  if you don’t.”

“Well,
in that case…”  He scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.  He closed the door and turned to see another of her big smiles.

“I
might need your help getting my clothes off,” she said.

He
obliged her.  Soon she was standing in front of him, totally naked.  He took his clothes off and took her to bed.

He
kissed her cheeks, the tender spot on her neck and then full on the lips.  He massaged her beautiful breasts and kissed each of them tenderly.  He then kissed his way to the opening of her inner self.

“Trace,
do you remember the spot you touched and said you would remember it?  Do you think you could find it again.”  With his fingers, he began probing, moving around inside her.  “You’re getting close.  Oh… Ohhh… That’s it.  Stay right there.”  A moan from deep within escaped her tight lips and then she lost it.  Twisting, writhing, thrusting, and  moaning, she went to the top and back down again.  “Ahhhh… that was out of this world.  Now it’s your turn.”

He
was teasing her with the tip of his shaft, when all of a sudden she grabbed it and guided it home.  She began undulating her hips to meet him.  She felt him tense and knew he was approaching.  She tightened her muscles to tighten around him, his thrusts became quicker and quicker.  Deeper and deeper.  He shuddered.  He began pumping, emptying himself within her.  All at once he was spent.  He rolled off her and lay back with a contented sigh.  He pulled her over to him until she was almost on top of him.  She had one leg resting between his legs and the other outside.  He had his arms around her.  Her breasts were pressed against his chest.

“Ohhhhh…
This feels so good.  I love the feeling of your body against mine.  I feel so loved and safe when I’m here,” she said.

“You
are safe and loved.  There are no words that can describe how much I love you.”

“Try,”
she said.

“Try
what?”

“Try
to find some to tell me.”

“I
can’t find any, but I can show you.”

“Okay.”

He began kissing her.  Deeply.  Passionately.  Lovingly.  “If you went to the end of the world, the bounds of my love for you would still be beyond you.  If you took all the love in the world and doubled it, that still wouldn’t be as much as I love you.”

“Nice
job, cowboy.  Nice job.  Now get up.  I’m going to take a nap and then I’ll be out.”

“Okay.
  I know when I’m not wanted.”

“Not
wanted.  You come back here and I’ll show you how much you’re wanted.”

He
did and she did.

*
* *

In
her previous two pregnancies, Sarah had used the services of a midwife and planned to do the same again.  It was too early for her to show a bump but she visited the midwife to make sure she was still active.  The midwife told her she was fine and told her when she should come back.

*
* *

Sarah
began showing a baby bump when she was about four months pregnant.  When they were in bed, Trace liked to rub the bump.  About a month later, as they were preparing to go to sleep, she took his hand and guided it over her belly.  She asked, “Feel that?”

“Yes,
what was it?”
“That was your baby son or daughter stretching.”

“You’re
kidding?”

“No
kidding.”

He
held it there, wanting to feel the movement again.  As a rancher, he had seen and helped many calves come into the world.  This was different.  This was his daughter.  He was convinced it was a girl.  He already had two sons, now he wanted a daughter.  For the rest of the pregnancy, while in bed, he would ask Sarah to bare her belly and he would lay there, propped up on an elbow and watch for movement.

Despite
Sarah’s protestations to the contrary,  he continued with the fear that he might hurt her or harm the baby during their lovemaking, which was also becoming less frequent for the same reason.  He reduced the vigor of his efforts because of the worry.  Sarah decided enough was enough.

“Trace,
we need to talk,” she said one evening while they were in bed, after another restrained lovemaking event.

“What
is it, honey?”

“Do
you love me less than you did before I got pregnant?”

“Of
course not.  I love you more everyday.”

“Then
  are you holding back when we  make love?”

“I’m
not holding back.”

You
are too.  I know why.  It just isn’t necessary yet.  I really enjoyed the way you were before.”

“I
just don’t want to hurt you or the baby,” he said. 

“You
won’t.  I’ll tell you when we need to be careful.  Deal?”

“Okay.
  Deal.  But, you promise to tell me?”

“I
promise.  Do you remember that spot?”

“I
do.  Want me to look for it again?”

“Yes,
would you please?”

He
reached for her and kissed her deeply while he rubbed the nipple of one of her now fuller breasts.  He kissed her tender neck and then kissed the breast, taking it into his mouth.  “Okay, I’ll start looking for it now and began kissing his way toward the source of heat coming from her body.

When
he reached his destination, he put his face near the entrance.  He parted her with his fingers and put his face over the entrance guarded by the silky dark hair.  He pulled back.  “Honey, I don’t see it.  I’ll have to take a closer look. He put his face back and slipped his tongue inside and began moving it and his fingers around.

He
could feel her tense as her passion built and pushed her toward climax.  He retracted his tongue, then began running it around her clitoris.  She went over the edge, moaning as her passion took over.  Heaving and pushing, thrusting and pushing she continued the climb to the summit.  With a loud cry, she gave in completely.  The feeling slowly subsided, he continued to move his fingers inside her, one finger slowly rubbing its way backwards, and hitting the exact right spot.  She began anew.  “Ahhh… Ahhh… Ahhhhhhhhhhhh… She was reduced to a limber, whimpering mass of woman.  That was wonderful, she gasped.  That’s what I’m talking about. 

She
kissed him passionately, tasting herself on his tongue.  A different, sweet kind of taste.  She took him in hand and guided him into her vault, undulating her hips as she did so.  She pulled him inside.  He began slowly, wanting to prolong the feeling of moist heat.  The pace of his thrusts increased.  Sarah matched the pace, increasing her pace also.  “I’m close, I’m close,” she said.

“Wait
for me.  Wait for me, baby.”

“I
can’t wait long.  You better hurreeeeeee.”  She was there.  Suddenly he began moving faster and faster.  He was there.  They reached the peak together and expended themselves.  Trace emptied himself inside her.  She rolled him over and into what had become their favorite position.  He was still inside her, one of her legs between his, the other outside.  His arms were tightly around her and she nestled into him, pressing her breasts against his chest.  As often as not, this resulted in another mating of their bodies.

“I
love you, Sarah.  I love you.  You have filled my empty life.”

“Well,
it’s easier now.  There’s more of me.”

“And
every bit is beautiful.”

“You
are besotted with sex, sir.

“I
am that.  It’s a mighty pleasant feeling too.  I’m hungry too.”

“When
you get yourself something, bring me a couple of those sugar cookies, a pickle and a glass of milk.”

“You’re
weird.”

“I’m
pregnant, not weird.”

“Whatever
you are, I love you.  All of you.”

“And
I love you too, darling.  I love you with all of my heart.  My boys love you too.”

“Our
boys,” he said.

“Our
boys.”

*
* *

As
Sarah’s time got close, Carmen, the midwife moved into the house to be readily available when needed.  Trace became more and more nervous.  The time narrowed to three days. 

It
was the middle of the night and Trace heard someone calling his name.  “Trace, wake up.  It’s time.”

“Wha…?
   Huh…”

“Trace,
honey, wake up.  It’s time.”

Wide
awake now.  “It’s time, why didn’t you wake me earlier?  Where’s Carmen?  Why isn’t she here?”

“What
are you doing?  Aren’t you supposed to be doing something?”

“I
am doing something.  I’m in labor.  Now go get Carmen.”

“Trace…
Hurry.”

Pulling
on his jeans, he dashed down the hall.  Pounding on Carmen’s door, he was yelling.  “It’s time, Carmen.  It’s time.  Sarah said hurry.”

Carmen
hurried down the hall, to the bedroom where Sarah was.  “
Senor
Trace, boil a big pot of water.  Go, now go.  I take care of Miss Sarah. Soon you have a big boy.”

“It’s
supposed to be a girl.”

“It
is what it is,
Senor
Trace.  Now go.”

She
walked into the bedroom. 
Senor Trace está muy nerviosa,.”

“
Si, muy
,” said Sarah.  “él es un buen hombre y ver”

Sarah’s
labor lasted three hours and thirty minutes, after which Sarah Rebecca Atkins entered the world kicking and crying.  When Trace was allowed to come in, Sarah said, “We have a baby girl.”