Romance: Luther's Property (24 page)

I worked my usual shift at Avalanche then walked home to
change.
 
I still hated my job as much as
I did when I first started, but now that I was making some money, it didn’t
seem to be so difficult to drag myself in.
 
I got home with just enough time to get changed and motor down to Bozeman
Café.
 
When I stepped inside, Rick was
already seated at a booth.

“Hi there.”
 
I sat
down and then unwrapped my scarf from around my neck.
 
Rick smiled and passed me a menu.
 

“I know I invited you for coffee, but this place has amazing
blueberry crepes, in case you’re interested.”
 
He winked and then folded his hands on the table, looking me square in
the eye as he did.

“Well, I’m glad that I came here to meet you.
 
I guess we should cut to the chase while
we’re deciding on food.”
 
I raised my
eyebrows, intent on finding out as much as I could in as little time as needed.

“Yes.
 
Of
course.”
 
Rick nodded his head and then
looked up as the waiter came to our table.
 
“Hello.
 
I’d like an espresso and
a short stack of blueberry pancakes.”
 
He
handed the waiter his menu and then looked at me to order.
 
I had been having a rather nausea-free day,
so I opted for a plate of French toast and an orange juice.

“You know, a few of the waitresses over at Avalanche told me
to watch out for Christopher.
 
They
seemed to insinuate that he was a player.”
 
I figured I might as well tell him what I already knew.
 

“They were telling you the truth.”
 
Rick confirmed the accusations, then added
more.
 
“He’s also been known to rough up
his women.”
 
He took a sip of his water
and then studied my face to see how I reacted.
 
“He beat up his last girlfriend because she wouldn’t go to some bonfire
at Glen Lake Park.”
 
Rick shook his head
and then got quiet.

“This is all very surprising.”
 
I wasn’t even sure of how to react.
 
I couldn’t picture Christopher being violent,
and it hurt to hear that he wasn’t possibly the man that I’d been led on to
believe that he was.

“You know, Alyssa.”
 
Rick looked me in the eyes and then got quiet when the waiter reappeared
with our pancakes and French toast.
 
“Wow.
 
This looks amazing.”
 
He smiled and then nodded his head at the
waiter.
 
My eyes widened when I saw how
large the portions were.
 
Since I was
eating for two, this posed no problem at all.

“What were you starting to say?”
 
I felt like I was being impatient with how
quickly I wanted Rick to disclose his information, but I sensed that he knew
quite a bit about Christopher, and I wanted to find out all that I could.

“What I was going to tell you was that I think you could do
much better than Christopher.”
 
He took a
sip of his espresso and I could tell by his lingering gaze that he wanted me to
consider him one of the better men he referred to.
 
I lifted a forkful of French toast to my lips
and then chewed the sweet, cinnamon flavored bread while Rick watched me in
silence.

“I get the feeling that you’ve got your own intentions,
Rick.”
 
I couldn’t help but give him a
flirtatious smile when I made my statement, and he gave me a playful smile
right back.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that I’m interested.
 
I mean, come on.
 
Who wouldn’t be interested in you?
 
You’re pretty, you’re unique and you’re
patient.
 
I watched you trying to assess
that tire for a good ten minutes.”
 
Rick
chuckled and then took another bite of his pancakes.

“Thanks for the compliments.”
 
I sipped my orange juice and then looked out
the window.
 
I felt a little overwhelmed
with everything Rick had just told me.
 
I
had the feeling that he wasn’t just playing around, either.
 
“I should probably get going soon.”
 
I looked at him with an apologetic
smile.
 
“I’ve got a lot of housework to
do.”
 
I know it sounded like a pathetic
excuse, but it was true.
 
Rick nodded his
head, took some cash out of his pocket to pay the bill, then reached for my
hand.

“Come by my place before you go home.
 
I’ve got an extra tool-kit and another spare
tire that you can keep.”
 
He smiled and
then finished off his pancakes and reached for his coat.
 
I gave him a playful smile.
 
It was a good ploy.
 
I had to give him that.
 
Without even thinking, I followed him out,
got in my truck, and drove behind him until we reached Arapahoe Drive.
 
His house sat alone, at the top of a hill,
surrounded by pine trees.

“I must be crazy to come here after just meeting you
once.”
 
I cocked my head and then watched
as he opened the door and motioned for me to enter.

“It’s not crazy at all.
 
You’re a woman, and you’ve got intuition.
 
I think we both know that there’s a
little…”
 
He paused and then chuckled.
 
“There’s a little chemistry between us,
right?”
 
He pushed his glasses up his
nose and then waited for me to walk inside.
 
I grinned and then stepped into his living room which was decked out in
a variety of unique art pieces, wood carvings and black and white photographs.

“Nice place.
 
It feels
very cozy.”
 
I looked around and then
breathed in the faint scent of amber that seemed to emanate from the air.
 
Rick smiled and then gestured for me to sit
on the couch.
 

“Get comfortable.
 
I’m
going to grab that tool-kit and tire from the shed.
 
I have tea in the kitchen if you’d like to
help yourself, and I have a stack of National Geographic magazines if those are
of interest to you.”
 
He motioned to a
large wicker basket and then disappeared through the door.
 
I leaned forward and picked one out of the
basket.
 

“I must be losing my mind.
 
Seriously.”
 
I flipped through the
magazine and then landed on a page that featured a picture of the Grand
Canyon.
 
I studied the landscape for a
few minutes and then fought back a tear.
 
Joe and I had gone to the Grand Canyon for one of our
anniversaries.
 
I still couldn’t believe
that he was gone.
 
Equally troubling was
the fact that I had just dated two different men in the span of three days, and
was now sitting inside one of their homes.
 

I closed the magazine and stared blankly out the
window.
 
Rick had a view of the mountains
and the meandering creek below.
 
I took a
deep breath and then closed my eyes.
 
What was I doing?
 
When was I
going to tell anyone else that I was pregnant?
 
Did I even have any business dating when I knew that I’d never love the
way I did with Joe?
 

I sat with my questions for what felt like an eternity.
 
When I opened my eyes, Rick was standing
before me with a glass of water and a handful of wildflowers.
 
He smiled and handed them to me, just as the
sun set behind the mountains.
 
I stared
at him for a few seconds, then leaned forward and kissed him square on the
lips.

“You know.
 
I’ve been
wondering what your lips tasted like since the first time I saw you at
Avalanche.
 
Looks like I just found
out.”
 
Rick smiled and gently backed
away.
 
“Let me show you the rest of my
place.”
 
He took me by the hand and led
me through his dining room, then around a corner and into a huge bedroom that
overlooked Paradise Valley.
 

“This is an incredible place.
 
Your views are amazing.”
 
I smiled and he pulled me closer.

“Not as good as the view I have looking at you.”
 
He ran his hand over my hair and then drew me
into his chest.
 
I could feel his heat
beating and it filled me with a rush of excitement.
 
I closed my eyes just as he leaned in and
kissed me.
 
It was peculiar that I found
myself enjoying the kiss, rather than wishing it away with thoughts of
Joe.
 
I wrapped my hands around his neck
and rocked slowly back and forth.

“Come over here.”
 
Rick guided us toward his king-sized bed and then propped himself on the
edge.
 
He pulled my sweater over my head,
then ran his hands over my breasts.
 
I
could smell his clean-soap scent, and it made me even more attracted to
him.
 
“This is the best afternoon I’ve
had in ages.”
 
Rick grinned and unzipped
his jeans, and I watched with anticipation as he tossed them to the floor.

The sun had tucked behind the clouds and a few oddly shaped
shadows danced across the floor.
 
I slid
out of my pants and then inched up onto the bed with a flirtatious smile.
 
Rick wasted no time following me and before I
knew it we were both lying on our sides, caressing each other and kissing with
reckless abandon.
 

“I would have never expected this.”
 
I laughed as Rick played with my hair.
 
“I really did just plan on having breakfast
and going home.”
 
I leaned my head back
on the pillow and Rick ran his tongue down my neck.
 
It sent Goosebumps down my spine.
 
“What a pleasant surprise.”
 
I grinned, then curled my toes as he kissed
my ears, my face, then my stomach.
 

“Let me make love to you, Alyssa.”
 
Rick backed up and then looked at me with a
serious expression.
 
I smiled and bit my
lip.
 
Was this the right thing to
do?
 
We had just met the other day.
 
I knew that if I allowed it, my mind would
travel with unbridled anxiety into places I’d rather not go.
 
I gave myself a break and ignored the
chatter, then pulled Rick on top of me, ready to honor his request.

He wasted no time sliding into me, and I clutched his waist
with my hands.
 
It had been so long since
I’d felt anyone on my body, that it was almost too much stimulation for me to
handle.
 
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the
sensation that came from his powerful manhood.
 
He moved with a gentle force, and I found myself crying out with
pleasure as he brought me to the brink of ecstasy.

My orgasm came too quickly, but his followed only seconds
behind me, and we both lied motionless on the bed with giant smiles on our
faces when it was over.
 
“I hope you know
that there’s more from where that came from.”
 
Rick traced my face with his finger, then rolled over and looked me in
the eyes.

I lied there in silence for a few seconds, then sighed and
faced him with a shy smile.
 
“I really
liked that.”
 
I leaned in and kissed him
on the nose.
 
Without his glasses he looked
even younger, but either way he was handsome.
 
I slid off the bed and then reached for my sweater and my pants.
 
“And now, I really need to get that
housecleaning taken care of.”
 
I winked
and then got dressed.

Bozeman was hit with another unexpected snowstorm
mid-week.
 
I was still able to trudge
into Avalanche, but we weren’t as busy as usual.
 
It was a somewhat welcome change for me,
because it meant that I wasn’t as exhausted by the end of the day.
 
However, the lack of money in my pocket was
noticeable, and I found myself sitting up at night worried about my
future.
 

“Hey, Rebecca.
 
It’s
me.
 
Long time no talk.”
 
I smiled, glad to hear a familiar female
voice.
  
“I know.
 
I have a lot to catch you up to speed
with.”
 
I chuckled, then proceeded to
tell her how work was going, and how I had become involved with two men since
starting the new job.

“I’m in shock, Alyssa.
 
Do you like either of these guys?”
 
I could hear her talking to Cherry in the background and smiled at the
thought of having my own child one day soon.
 

“I do like them.
 
That’s the odd part.
 
I can’t
really explain it, and I sometimes feel like I’m going behind Joe’s back,
but…”
 
I paused and then shook my
head.
 
“I think it’s kind of like a
welcome distraction, you know?”
 
I sighed
and then looked out the window.
 
The
neighbors were shoveling out their trucks, and a few plows were beginning to
make their way down the old gravel road.

“Well, you have to do what makes you happy, and what’s right
for your situation.
 
Believe me,
Alyssa.
 
Nobody can even begin to imagine
the pain you’re feeling now that Joe is gone.
 
I’m sure some people will misinterpret you seeing two guys…”
 
She chuckled and then cleared her
throat.
 
“But nobody knows your story, so
who cares?”
 
Rebecca offered her take on
the situation, and I silently nodded my head.
 

“I’ve been really lonely, Rebecca.
 
I’m in this big house by myself and… I don’t
know.
 
I guess I’m just feeling
vulnerable.
 
However, I must say.
 
The one guy, Rick, is really nice.
 
I can’t tell if he’s really serious about me,
but we spent time together yesterday, and I think there’s some potential.
 
The only problem is that Christopher was the
first one I dated, and I have a really strong attraction to him.”
 
I realized I was babbling and quieted myself.

“Well, I suppose it’s not such a bad thing to be in the
position to pick and choose.”
 
Rebecca
spoke as I walked into the kitchen.
 

“I’ll keep you posted.
 
Thanks for your advice.
 
You
always make me feel better.”
 
I hung up
and then got dressed, just in time to receive a phone call from
Christopher.
 
He wanted me to meet him at
the River Bed Café after my Avalanche shift tomorrow.
 
I agreed, and then spent the rest of my day
trying to clean the house and fix the corral post that was crumbling in the far
end of the field.

When I got ready for work the next day, I was excited at the
idea of seeing Christopher, but I was also worried that Rick might find
out.
 
After all of his
information-sharing, maybe he’d think I was a fool to still go out with
Christopher.
 
I realized that so far,
there was no commitment necessary in any of our eyes.
 
Yet I still didn’t like the idea of making
plans with one man, while another one waited in the wings.
 
I wasn’t much for playing games.

“Glad to see you made it, Alyssa.”
 
Christopher was seated at the bar when I came
in.
 
He looked handsome as ever, dressed
in a black button down and a pair of jeans.
 
His green eyes seemed to stand out against the black shirt, and I
imagined him kissing me with passion.
 
He
ordered a Jack and Coke, which I now assumed was his signature drink.
 
I opted for a hot tea this time, and decided
that I still didn’t want to tell him that I was pregnant.

“You know, I still want to extend the offer for you to come
out to Bobcat Ranch.
 
I’ve got a great
pool room, and a bar, and even a little hot tub.”
 
He winked and then took a sip of his
drink.
 
I blushed and lifted my tea to my
lips.
 

“I’ll think about it.
 
Maybe one day this week I can make it out there after my shift.”
 
I batted my lashes and then decided that
maybe Rick had been wrong.
  
How could
this man with the mysterious green eyes be violent?
 
How could I believe that he was once
physically aggressive with his old girlfriend?
 
I was beginning to wonder if Rick had exaggerated, or even lied
completely, to win my affection.

“Well, I hope you decide to make the trip.”
 
Christopher took a sip of his drink, then
waved down the waiter for a pen.
 
“Here’s
my address.
 
I’ll be home all day
Wednesday.”
 
He raised his brows and then
sat back in his seat.
 
I could see his
thick, rounded chest through his shirt, and a pang of lustfulness filled my
loins.

“Thanks for inviting me.”
 
I flicked my long hair over my shoulder and then got more comfortable in
my seat.
 
An image of Rick making love to
me filled my mind, but I wished it away, convinced now that he had just made up
lies about Christopher.
 
I took another
sip of my tea, then nibbled a few of the pretzels that were in the bar basket.

“Well, I need to go tend to my horses, Alyssa, but it was nice
seeing you again.
 
I think we need to get
some alone time soon.”
 
He winked and
then laid a ten-dollar bill on the table.
 
I smiled, then reached for my coat.
 
I watched him walk away and then decided that I would go visit his ranch
like he wanted.
 
In fact, I’d make it a
big surprise.
 

I got home and took off my clothes, then stood in front of
the mirror.
 
I only had the slightest
bump that indicated I was pregnant.
 
I
wondered how long before my secret was revealed.
 
I didn’t really feel like I was lying right
now by keeping it to myself, but it would be nice to share my truth with the
world as soon as the time was right.

I went to sleep with thoughts about how I could surprise
Christopher.
 
I knew he said that he’d be
home on Wednesday, but I was too excited to wait that long.
 
I decided that I’d drive out Monday
afternoon, after I had gotten home from Avalanche.
 
I picked out one of my favorite brown
sweaters with a pair of maroon leggings.
 
I smiled, already picturing his face when I showed up at his house by
surprise.

Waiting for Monday to arrive was like torture, but I made it
through.
 
As soon as I got home from
Avalanche, I showered and dressed, then pulled out the paper that he’d scrawled
his address on.
 
I dressed in my outfit
then headed out to the truck.
 
The entire
ride to Bobcat Ranch put my stomach in knots.
 
I had never surprised a man with a visit before.
 
This would be memorable.

As I pulled up to Bobcat Ranch I noticed his large truck
parked out front.
 
Then I saw another
smaller red truck parked off to the side.
 
There were several horses galloping through the snow, and I smiled at
the serenity.
 
Carefully, I stepped out
of the truck and then walked slowly toward his house.
 
I reached the front door and rang the bell,
but there was no answer.

“I wonder if he’s out back.”
 
I wasn’t familiar with the property, but I could see that there was a
patio leading to a back door, so I stepped around and craned my neck, hoping to
find him out back splitting wood or grooming a horse.
 
Yet I only found a pile of snow and a couple
of wooden shovels.
 
I walked now,
curiously, to the back window that faced the ranch.
 
Then I pressed my face against the glass and
peered inside.

“Oh my God.”
 
I spoke
out loud and then froze in my tracks.
 
My
heart sank and my face turned red.
 
There
was Christopher- on top of a red-headed woman, making love to her as she clawed
his back with her hands.
 
I couldn’t
believe what I saw.
 
I wanted to turn
around and run away but I couldn’t tear my eyes off them.
 
Christopher ran his hands up and down her
body and thrust deeper inside her.
 
I
covered my mouth and then finally turned away.
 
I stormed up the driveway, opened up my truck door, climbed in and drove
away.