Bridled and Branded (9 page)

“A…a…future?”

“Yes, Lynlee. I’m not sure what I can offer you, but if you’ll have me, I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world.”

“What are you proposing here, Blaine?”

He grinned and then shrugged. “Well, I reckon, in my own way, I’m asking you to be my wife.”

She gulped. “You want to marry me?”

“Yes, ma’am. I want to marry you.”

“You’re a little young to be proposing marriage, don’t you think?”

He walked over and knelt down on one knee. “I’m three years older than you. If anything, you might want to think about the proposal yourself. You’re twenty-two years old. You’re young and healthy. I’ll never be able to give you children, even if you decide you want them la—”

“I don’t,” she blurted out. “I’ve never wanted children.”

“You might change your mind.”

“I won’t, Blaine. I promise you, I won’t.”

She leaned over and he cupped her face in his hands. He kissed her lips so softly that she felt like it was more like a goodbye kiss than the beginning to something more substantial in their relationship.

“I know this is bad timing, but I had planned on moving to Tennessee this September. Your dad said there were a few farmers selling off some land after the economy killed the crop business, and I’d already told him I planned on making you mine.”

“You did what?” Lynlee gasped. Now Blaine was full of one too many surprises. “You talked to my father about ‘making me yours’ and what did you say to him exactly?”

With a smirk, he took her hands in his. “I don’t think you want to know.”

“Tell me you didn’t tell my father you were going to take me to your bed.”

“I think he’s smart enough to know that’s exactly where I planned to take you.”

Lynlee blinked. Blaine remained on one knee. “Truth is, Lynlee, for years, you’ve kept my nerves in shambles. Yeah, I’ve had other women but—”

“I don’t want to talk about them.”

“Well, then, what do you say?”

“About what?”

 
“I’m still down here waiting for your answer,” he pointed out.

“Yes,” she agreed, lifting her left shoulder in a partial shrug and noting the obvious. He wasn’t well-prepared for a proposal. She didn’t see a ring, but then again, she’d never thought much about wearing jewelry.

“You drive a hard bargain,” he said, grinning. “Wanna see the ring first?”

“You mean you have one?”

“Yes, I have one. And it’s a shiner, too.”

She laughed. Naturally, it would be. The McCains had plenty of money to burn.

“Well?”

“When did you decide to marry me?”

“Hmm,” he said thoughtfully. “Would you believe six years ago?”

“No.”

“Would you believe ten years ago?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Would you believe three and a half years ago?” he asked softly, his voice changing drastically.

The light in his eyes dimmed, and they filled with a dozen tears. When the first one dropped, he quickly swiped it away from his cheek by using the back of his hand. Reaching into his shirt pocket with one hand and digging into his pants with the other, he said, “Your mother made me promise to give you this letter when I proposed.”

“Mom?”

“She helped me pick out the ring three months before she died, Lynlee. I know I haven’t acted like a man who wanted to tie the knot with anyone, and I’m not going to make apologies. I was waiting for you to grow up. Your mother asked me to let you finish school first, and if we get married, you have to promise to finish your education. I did right by her as much as possible. I waited until you had some college courses behind you. I can’t wait any longer. I want you to marry me. Make an honest man out of me.”

He retrieved and then opened a small box. A dazzling, two-carat, round-cut diamond winked back at her. “Blaine,” she gasped.

“It’s a good stone,” he said as if there were any doubt. “Perfect color and grade, not that I know much about diamonds, and your mother thought it would look mighty fine on that hand of yours.”

She couldn’t help herself. She snatched it from the red velvet case and shoved it on her ring finger, but before she took the time to inspect how well the ring flashed from her hand, she threw her arms around his neck and exclaimed, “Yes! I’ll marry you! Your timing may suck a little, but any time is the perfect time to say I do!”

“I’m glad you think so,” he said. “Because I was thinking about the day after tomorrow.”

* * * *

Lynlee was floating on cloud nine. She’d all but forgotten about the roadster pony class she missed and the two hundred dollars paid in entry fees. She was engaged. Everything she’d ever wanted seemed to fall in her lap and nothing—no one—would take away the joy she felt.

She’d never been happier. She held her hand out and looked at the ring twinkling back at her. “Ah, Momma,” she said aloud. “I wish you were here.”

Thinking about her mother made her realize the obvious. She’d been so busy planning her future with Blaine that she’d shoved the letter in her pocket right after Blaine gave her the ring.

Retrieving the envelope, she hopped up on her kitchen counter and began reading.

Dear Lynlee,

Congratulations on your engagement. I’m so happy for you right now that I know this will be the greatest secret—the only secret—I will ever keep from you. I’ve convinced myself that I shouldn’t tell you of Blaine’s plans. That boy is such a wild little buck that as sure as I tell you of his intentions, he’ll go and get himself killed by one of those dang steers he tries to rope.

I hope not. I’ve told him I’m counting on him to make my daughter happy, and there’s a reason for that. Blaine is the only man that will ever be able to make you happy. But you may have to overlook some of his flaws in order to live a life you can enjoy.

I know about those flaws, Lynlee. Believe me, I should’ve looked over one or two of them in my lifetime, too. See, your father wasn’t the first man in my life. Casey McCain was the first man I ever loved.

Thank goodness I didn’t marry him, right?

The McCain men have a few issues with their women, and the women who have remained loyal to their men have done things to ensure their happiness. You work on those, and you’ll have a solid relationship with Blaine. He’ll treat you like a princess, and you deserve a fairy-tale ending.

Just remember, a woman can’t find her happily ever after if she spends too much time thinking about the pain in her past.

I trust you’re happier today than you’ve ever been in your life. You hang on to that. Hold fast to Blaine, Lynlee, and he’ll hold fast to you.

I love you,

Mother

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room by the time she finished reading the letter. She looked up to find Blaine standing in the doorway.

“You knew?” she choked out.

“Yes, I found out about them a long time ago, right after we started traveling the same circuit.”

“Momma was in love with your dad?”

“She was.”

“Did he love her, too?”

“He’ll always love her.”

“Then why didn’t they…Oh, my God. This thing you do with….I mean the threesome bit, that’s why Momma didn’t…”

He slowly nodded. “All the McCains had a wild hair or two. Mom and Dad did some crazy couple swapping back in the day. Don’t you remember how your momma and daddy used to hang out with the teenagers while mine held out for the wildest all-night party they could find?”

She nodded.

“Your mother was one of the best women around. Dad has told me plenty of times how much he loved her. He believes they were soul mates, and even my own mother has told me time and time again he missed out when he missed out on your mother.”

“But your parents have been happy, haven’t they?”

“Truly blessed with a family and with happiness, Lynlee. But they’ve built their love into a truer love than what they had in the beginning.”

“Your mother knew about my mother?”

“Sure she did. They were good friends for a great number of years.”

“And my father?”

“Knew about my father,” Blaine confirmed. “See, your mother and my father believed they were soul mates, but for some reason, your mother’s love couldn’t tame my father, and that’s what she wanted. She wanted someone more like your father, someone who wanted to raise a family, have a solid foundation. My father wasn’t going to be controlled by anyone, and Lord knows, he’s never stayed anywhere long. Why do you think he owns farms all over the country?”

“I’ve never thought about it.”

Blaine pulled her to him. “I don’t want to step into my father’s shoes, Lynlee. They’re far too large for me. I don’t want to let another man share your joys and your tears. I don’t want someone else to hold you when you’re in pain, and I don’t want to know the heartache of watching another man lead you away. You belong to me, Lynlee, and in every way that is important, I belong to you.”

His confession sparked her curiosity. “Will you be loyal to me, Blaine?”

“I’ll be everything you need me to be.”

“What about other women?”

“I’ll never hurt you, Lynlee. Whatever you want from me, you’ll have.”

“And Rhett? What about him?”

Blaine smugly asked, “What about him? Did you enjoy us together?”

“Maybe.”

He chuckled. “It’s all right, you know. I enjoy bringing you pleasure.”

“Even with another man?”

“Call me twisted, but yeah.”

“You are a little, ya know…”

With a growl, he swept her into his arms and pressed his body against hers. “Yeah, Lynlee, I know.”

Chapter Twelve

Blaine carried her to the bedroom and placed her on the bed. His lips met hers in a kiss that could’ve moved mountains. Her wicked fingers rushed down the front of his shirt, moving his buttons skillfully, as if she’d been undressing him for years.

He let her have her way, taunting her with his mouth as she brushed her hands over his abs and worked to unhook his belt. With her accomplished mission, she moved to his zipper, unzipped, and worked for what she wanted. Within seconds, her little hand held him, stroking him as she pulled him free of his shorts.

“You’re in trouble,” he muttered.

“I hope so,” she said, falling against the bed and waiting for him to return the favor. Her boots were the first to go and then her socks.

He tore her riding pants away from her body and then pushed her shirt high above her head, right along with the bra. Forced to unhook the clasp at the back, he paused long enough to curse. Then, he filled his mouth with full rewards, taking into account he hadn’t lavished enough attention on her perky little nipples when they’d been together before.

“Oh, Lynlee,” he breathed. “We’re going to have such a happy life.”

She moved her hands over him, smoothing his chest hairs as she stared into his eyes. “I don’t want you to take me slow and easy, Blaine. I need to be wild with you.”

Admiring her impish grin, he said, “Then I want you to take the lead.”

He pulled her over him, and she sat across his middle, the tip of his engorged cock stroking her bottom with a slight amount of friction. She slid across his stomach, gliding her wet sex closer to his chest than his cock.

“Dare ya,” he said when she was right under his chin.

“Will you?”

“What?”

“Will you do what I wanted you to do yesterday?”

“You have to ask, Lynlee.”

 
Her cheeks turned pink, and she shocked him when she said, “Will you lick me until I come?”

“I’ll lick you until you beg for mercy.”

And he didn’t waste time making good on his promises.

* * * *

“Can anyone join this party or just invited guests?” Rhett asked from the doorway.

Lynlee gripped the headboard with both hands, and Rhett couldn’t remember a time when he’d been hornier. He reached in his pants and situated things before approaching the bed.

Lynlee’s body moved over Blaine’s face. Her thighs closed against his cheeks, and she ground her pussy against his mouth in such a sexy, slow sway he thought he might come in his pants just by watching.

The sweltering heat in the room demanded a third party’s participation, but when he moved closer to the bed, he noticed the ring shining from her finger. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Lynlee moved to the side, and he winked. “Congratulations.”

“If you don’t learn better timing, I swear I’m going to damn you to hell myself,” Blaine grumbled.

“This woman has you thinking you have all sorts of supernatural powers now, huh?”

“I’m strung out on her lovin’, that’s for sure.”

Rhett and Blaine locked eyes. “Everything all right now?”