The ranch hands were in the stable standing behind Sam and Cassie.
Some held their guns, ready for anything else that might come.
“You boys take care of this.”
He cocked his head over his shoulder at Samson.
“I’m taking Cassie back to the house.”
Cassie leaned into him and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders the whole walk back.
“What am I going to tell RJ?
Samson was one of his favorites.
He was the first one that RJ got to name.”
“Tell him that Samson died protecting the others, which I think he did.
If we hadn’t had the mares with their foals in closed stalls we could have lost them, too.”
“Do you think Borden had anything to do with this?
I mean, I don’t know how but it seems like too much of a coincidence that this happens now, just as he comes looking for you.”
They climbed the stairs to the bedrooms.
“Borden was definitely behind it.
He left a trail of meat leading directly to Sheba’s stall.”
Just as they started down the hall, RJ peeked out his door then threw it wide when he saw them and ran down the hall.
He threw himself into his mothers arms.
“I heard shots….”
“It’s all right.”
Cassie cooed to him and held him tight.
He was her baby no matter how old he was, he would always be her baby.
Sarah toddled out of the bedroom.
Saw RJ in her mother’s arms and, not to be out done, ran to Sam launching herself at his chest.
He caught her easily and hugged her close.
She was his little girl and had him wrapped around her finger.
He knew it and didn’t care in the least.
Bridget opened her door, looked out at all of them, nodded, then closed the door again.
Cassie guessed she was satisfied everyone was safe and accounted for so she went back to bed.
That is what Cassie was going to do after she put her children safely back to bed.
And she didn’t want to go alone, though she knew she would.
CHAPTER 9
Would he accept it?
Could they just be lovers?
Then she wouldn’t be hurt if…when…he left.
Cassie arranged for them to have their supper in the parlor.
Just the two of them.
The kids and Bridget ate early and she took them upstairs to bed.
She wanted to have privacy for what she had to say and asked him to join her there.
“Good evening.
You look lovely,” he said as he entered.
He took her hands, turned them over palm side up and kissed the inside of her wrists sending shivers of need up her spine.
She’d dressed with care in her best sky blue blouse that matched her eyes and plain black skirt.
She pulled her hair up on the sides and left the back falling in loose waves down her back.
She’d bit her lips and pinched her cheeks to add some color to her face.
She never used cosmetics.
Sam looked wonderful.
He wore a black shirt and had left it open at the neck, the top two buttons undone.
Skin, golden from years in the hot sun, peeked out at her.
His dark denim pants fit well, emphasizing his long legs.
His boots were polished and he had almost no limp now, his sprain nearly healed.
“Please sit down,” she said as she sat at the small table.
She’d raised the sides on the table so that it was now round.
She’d fold them down again once they were done.
He held her chair out for her and then took his seat across from her.
“I hope you don’t mind that I had supper served in here.
I wanted to talk to you.”
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you too.”
“You have?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“You know why.
I want you Cassie.
I’ve never made any secret of that fact.
Spending the night with you in town night before last made me realize just how much I want you.”
“Oh Sam.
It did me too.”
He got to his feet and pulled her up into his arms.
His lips came down on hers with a force such as she’d never known before.
The kiss was ferocious and…wonderful.
But she wanted so much more. He broke the kiss.
Left her only long enough to lock the parlor door and close the window curtains.
Then he was back and she was in his arms again.
He walked her backwards to the settee then followed her down, his lips never leaving hers.
“You are so beautiful.
Let me see you.”
He undid the buttons of her blouse, slowly one by one.
Then he pulled it open revealing her lace edged chemise.
He kissed her breast from the topmost curve to the beautiful pink tip.
The linen abraded her nipples making them hugely sensitive.
He took a nub in his mouth and suckled her leaving her chemise damp.
He pulled up his head and blew lightly on the damp cloth making her nipple peak to a hard round pebble.
Unlacing her chemise, he opened it to the waist and took her in his mouth again.
Nipping and tugging until she was breathless, yet she clasped his head tighter to her breast begging for more.
“Oh Sam.
What are you doing to me?”
“I’m loving you Cassie.
Just loving you.”
He sat her up and pushed at her blouse until she was bared to the waist.
“Lovely.
Absolutely perfect.”
Cassie went to cover herself.
Shyness warring with need.
“My breasts aren’t firm and perky anymore.
I’ve had two children and it shows.”
“Don’t.
Don’t ever hide yourself from me.
You’re beautiful.”
As if to prove his words were true, he trailed kisses from her lips to her breasts and back again.
He tasted of mint and coffee.
Cassie leaned her head back, exposing her neck to his questing lips.
She stood and dropped her skirt to the floor.
She still wore her open chemise and pantaloons.
Her skin was afire as Sam slid the pantaloons slowly down her legs, caressing every inch of her skin as he went.
Then he slid the chemise down her arms and had her lie down once more on the settee.
He latched on to one nipple with his mouth and rolled the other between his thumb and index finger.
With his other hand he cupped her
mons
, found the outer lips to her center, rubbed up and down, pressing hard above her love knot.
Then he delved deeper, thrusting first one finger then two into her hot, wet opening.
He caressed her, stretched her.
Sam kissed and licked his way down her body to the blonde triangle that covered her mound.
He replaced his fingers with his tongue.
Thrusting in and out with his tongue as he would soon be doing with his cock.
He moved to her pleasure bud and sucked, then soothed, then grazed it with his teeth and sucked hard.
Her body responded to his questing fingers and magic tongue, leaving her wet and ready for him.
Cassie felt her world quake, tremors wracked her body and prepared her for her first climax in years.
She pulled his head closer.
“More.
Harder.
Yes.
Oh, God yes.
Faster.”
She instructed Sam, urging him on.
She moaned unable to stop herself.
He circled her sensitive nub then thrust his tongue, each stabbing contact made her shiver and the pressure within her build.
Then he sucked hard.
She exploded, shattered.
She bucked, her body in the throes of release.
She fisted her hands in the cushions underneath her in an attempt to silence her scream of pleasure.
Sam didn’t leave her after she came but continued to lick and soothe her till she’d calmed.
“That was magnificent,” she breathed.
“Now you.
I still need you.
Need to feel you inside me.”
“Your wish is my command,” he said.
He sat on the settee took off his boots, then removed his shirt.
When he removed his pants, his cock sprang free, jutting proudly from the dark brandy brown thatch at its base.
There were none of the slow movements he’d taken when he stripped her of her clothes.
She laughed.
“You’re pleased to see me.”
He stood over her his cock standing proud.
She reached out and grasped him.
Silk and steel.
So soft and so hard at the same time.
Immediate arousal coursed through her veins.
She got on her knees in front of him, kissed the head of his penis and rubbed the slick, dewy drop of clear liquid on the tip of his penis, around her lips before licking it off.
He thought he’d died and gone to heaven when she wrapped her hand around his length and began to move.
Up and down, she pumped him and the feeling was exquisite.
He threw his head back and enjoyed it but only for a moment.
He was too close.
“I need in you.
Now.”
“Yes.”
She got back up on the settee and spread herself for him, one leg on the back of the sofa and one leg on the floor.
He rose above her and spread her open.
He was at the opening of her vagina and he paused.
“Are you sure, Cassie?”
“Oh, God, yes.
Please Sam.
Don’t make me wait any longer.”
Satisfied, he put the head of his cock in her and pushed a little, just enough to get inside.
He pulled back then pushed in again, a little farther this time.
She was so damn slick and ready for him, he wanted to thrust in to the hilt but he also didn’t want to hurt her.
It had been a long time since Cassie had made love.
He could tell it by the tightness of her passage around his shaft.
“Please,” she begged.
“More.”
Sam pulled almost all the way out and with her juices coating him he thrust in hard and buried himself to the hilt.
“You feel so good.
You’re so tight, so right for me,” he said on a moan.
“You fill me completely.
It’s wonderful.
Now stop talking and move.”
She said it with a thrust of her hips and a sigh of pleasure.
He rocked forward pressing against her and then rocked back.
The feel of her sheath around him was so good.
For having had two children she was incredibly tight.
She thrust up again and he stopped rocking and began thrusting, in and out meeting her, loving her.
Faster and faster till he was about to go over the precipice.
He slowed determined he would take her with him.
He reached between them and found her clit.
He rubbed the tight little nubbin and lightly flicked it with his fingernail.
Her muscles clamped hard around him.
She shuddered and moaned as her tremors began.
He kissed her taking the sound into his mouth.
Her body trembled, her muscles squeezed around him, milking him to release.
He tensed, thrust once, twice, three times then groaned back into her mouth as his release over came him.
He collapsed on top of her.
Rested.
When he finally came to his senses, he realized he lay upon her with his full weight.
He pushed up on to his arms, leaned down and kissed her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
Her tongue played with his, darting forward then pulling back.
He laid with her, their bodies still connected.
Contentment, like he felt now, had always eluded him.
He’d never felt this way with Jane or any other woman he’d had sex with.
But with Cassie it wasn’t just sex.
It was so much more.
They were so much more if only she could see it.
Cassie was his salvation, his peace.
“When should we tell the kids?”
“Tell them what?”
He sat up next to her.
“That we’re getting married.”
“Married?”
“Yes.
Married.
Did you think I’d make love to you without marrying you?
What kind of man do you think I am?”
“You’re an honorable man, Sam.
Do we really have to talk about his now.”
She pulled on her pantaloons and began lacing up her chemise.
Sam pulled on his pants and was buttoning his shirt.
“Yes.
We do.
What’s the matter, Cassie?
Don’t you want to get married?”