Russell's Return (17 page)

“We’ll make an evening of it,” Jack
enthused. “Right Ethan?”

“What, you aren’t going to call me
Cowboy anymore?” he pouted jokingly.

“Can we eat yet?” Miranda asked, coming
back over to the table.

“Yeah, we should order,” Emily broke in.
“I guess I’m not the only one getting hungry.”

“There is a two pizza and wings combo,
let’s get that,” Jack suggested. “This meal is on me.”

“No Mr. Jack, you’re a guest,” Miranda
spoke up. “Daddy owns the place.”

“No honey, Grandma owns this place. I just
manage it.”

“Speaking of owned restaurants,” Ethan
reported. “Abby said that yours are doing fine.”

“Thanks for the information. Now let’s
order. The food is on the house,” Russell said. “The beer can’t be given for
free so you can treat that instead, Jack.”

“Deal! Who’s drinking?” he agreed. “I
know Cowboy will have one for old times’ sake.”

“Me, me, I want one,” Miranda shouted.
“I want a
root
beer.”

Jack chuckled quietly. “How about Mom
and Dad? You two game?”

“None for me, thank you,” Emily replied
with a sad look. “Bad memories. Russell will have one I’m sure.”

“One pitcher with three mugs for the
boys and root beer for the ladies then?” he said as the waiter appeared.

“Sounds fantastic,” Emily replied with a
weak smile. The waiter wrote down the order then left.

“So Miss, other than being crazy enough
to get hooked up with this bunch, what’s your story?” Jack asked her.

She smiled at the man she now thought of
as a comforting influence. “There isn’t much to tell. I came to Harper’s Rock
in middle school, left after high school and came back just over a month ago.”

The older man sensed there was more to
the story but knew better than to push it. Everyone was entitled to their
secrets. “Oh, so this is relatively new?” he asked, motioning to her and Russell.

“I guess you could say that,” Emily
grinned. “It seems we had a mutual admiration society going on in school but we
ignored it for other people.”

“Truthfully, I don’t think I’ve ever
seen my nephew look at someone like he looks at you,” Ethan cut in. “I think
he’s actually approaching true happiness.”

Russell tightened his arm around Emily
and smiled down at her. “I think you’re right, Uncle Cowboy.”

The waiter returned with the drinks and took
their food order. Just as he left, Russell’s phone rang. It was Evelyn.

“Hey Ma,” he answered.

“Hello Rusty. Did your uncle and Jack
make it okay?”

“Yeah Ma, they made it just fine. We’re
getting ready to have pizza at the restaurant.”

“Oh, I’m glad. Let them know that it may
be a few days before I make it home.”

“Is Dylan okay, Ma?” Russell cut in. Why
else would she be staying?

Evelyn sighed over the line. “Yeah, he’s
okay. He’s just acting like your father, stubborn as always. I’ll stay with him
for a few days and try to convince him of what is best for him.”

“Okay, good luck with that. Give him our
best.”

“I will, son. How does your Uncle look?
You know I worry about him.”

Russell chuckled. “He looks great, Ma.
Right this second he looks like an old cowboy.”

“Oh dear. He dressed like a cowboy with
Jackson there,” she sighed. “I think my brother has a death wish. I’ll talk to
you later, Rusty. Love you.”

“Love you too, Ma. He ended the call and
explained what was going on to the others at the table. Their food soon arrived
and they settled into the meal with friendly conversation. A movie was ruled
out when Miranda fell asleep, leaning against Jack.

CHAPTER
14

Russell was in the kitchen drinking
coffee when the household started to come alive again. He had been trying to
figure out how to have the special night he’d planned for Emily when his
babysitter was stuck in Billings and his back up, Miss
Platski
,
was sick.

“Morning Russ,” Ethan said as he entered
the room. “You look like someone punched you in the gut.”

“Yeah. I had a special night planned for
Emily, but it looks like we’ll have to cancel. My list of babysitters is short
and out of commission.”

“We’ll watch her,” Jackson said, joining
Ethan by the coffee pot. “We’ll take her all day too, if you think she would
like to go fishing with us.”

“Oh Daddy, can I?” Miranda asked
excitedly as she bounced into the room.

“Are you sure you want to, Squirt?”
Russell asked in surprise. “They’ll be at the lake all day.” He saw the flash
of fear and uncertainty cross her features but when she looked at her great
uncle and his friend, she smiled and her excitement returned.

“I’m sure, Daddy.”

“Well okay then. Thank you guys for
taking her.”

“It’s our pleasure,” Ethan said as he
prepared to cook breakfast. “Your Aunt Charlotte never lets me cook at home and
if Evie was here she wouldn’t let me either. So prepare yourselves for a
feast.”

A knock sounded on the back door and
Russell opened it to Emily. Instead of letting her in, he pushed her outside
and closed the door most of the way. “I want to kiss you in private,” he
whispered before covering her willing lips with his.

“
It’s
okay,
Uncle Cowboy. They just wanted to play kissy face before she comes in,” Miranda
quipped in her normal but loud voice.

Russell and Emily broke apart laughing
when they heard her. “I think we’ve been busted,” he said finally ushering her
inside.

“Good morning Miss Emily,” Jack said
with a polite smile as she set a garment bag on the counter.

“Good morning, Mr. Jack,” she said,
returning his smile.

“Hope you’re hungry, young lady,” Ethan
said. “We’re having a feast.”

“I’m always hungry, Uncle Cowboy,” she
chuckled as Miranda hugged her.

“Come with me and help me pick out what
to wear to go fishing today. Please Miss Emily.”

“You’re going fishing?” the counselor
asked, surprised.

“Yeah, with Uncle Cowboy and Mr. Jack.
That way you and Daddy can be alone.”

“Oh, all right,” she laughed. “Let’s go
find you something perfect to wear.”

Ethan laughed when he saw the look on
Russell’s face. “Why so down, son?”

“I think I’ve been replaced,” he
murmured.

Jack and Ethan both laughed. “She needs
new people in her life,” Ethan said. “And she needs a mother figure.”

“Yeah, don’t worry,” Jack said. “You’ll
always be her daddy.”

“Yeah…yeah, I will,” he returned as he
grabbed dishes and headed to the dining room to set the table.

**********

When Russell came back inside after
helping his uncle and Jack load up his dad’s old pickup truck, Emily called him
into the kitchen.

“What’s up?” he asked, dropping a kiss
on her cheek.

“I just had a call from Dr. Jacobs. She
said she is in Casper this weekend and then coming up here to visit family for
a few days. She wondered if we would be interested in having Miranda’s
appointment here, tomorrow.”

“Yeah, that would be great!” Russell
exclaimed. “Much better than waiting so long to get seen in Denver.”

“Okay, I’ll call her and then we can do
whatever you have planned.”

Russell smiled and walked to the
doorway. “My plan is to make love to you in my own bed for once. Meet me
upstairs when you’re done.”

**********

Russell was reclining on his bed with
his shoulders resting against the headboard, his eyes closed. His legs were
crossed, one over the other and he was wearing only his jeans.

Emily saw him on the bed and stood in
the doorway taking him in. Her eyes skimmed over his muscular chest and down
his denim clad lower body. Oh boy, someone wanted her bad.

“Unbutton and unzip your pants then
close your eyes and don’t move.”

He sucked in a deep, shaky breath and
reached for his jeans. His eyes never left her face as she watched him do as
she asked.

“Close your eyes now,” she reminded him,
her voice soft.

His eyes closed and his head fell back
against the headboard.

“Keep them closed,” she warned. “No
matter what I do.” She walked over to the bed and sat down gently next to him.
She spread the jeans open, her hands caressing his blue boxer briefs below.

Russell groaned, and shifted his hips.
Emily took advantage of the movement and peeled his jeans down over his hips
and off his body.

His boxer briefs were all that remained
between her and the hard flesh she craved. One finger traced his length,
causing him to groan and shift again.

“Close your eyes, Russell. I see you
peeking,” she said as she hooked her fingers inside the waistband of his
briefs.

“You’re no fun,” he grumbled as he
sprang free and Emily discarded of the underwear.

“Oh, I’m tons of fun,” she teased,
taking him into her hand. She straddled his thighs and stroked up and down
until he let out a hissing breath, then she bent down spreading kisses across
his taut abdomen and down. Her lips grazed the head and her tongue shot out for
her first taste of him. She wanted more. He pulsed beneath her as her lips
wrapped completely around him and started to move up and down, stroking,
licking and gently grazing him with her teeth.

When he gasped, she paused to look up at
him. His eyes were trained on her and a smile spread across his lips.

“Russell, close your eyes,” she
stressed.

“No way,” he grinned. “I love watching
you. It makes this even better for me.”

Emily giggled and shook her head at him.
“Fine, you can watch.” She started stroking him again and his eyes bored into
her, heating her body. Her lips found him again, teasing and tasting every
inch, working with her hand to bring him to the brink. As her teeth grazed him
he went over the edge. When she looked up at him his eyes were finally closed,
but the smile was still there.

**********

Russell opened his eyes to the back of
Emily’s head. It didn’t matter what part of her he set eyes on, his heart
constricted. What was it about her? She was…exactly what he’d always wanted.

“Em?”

“Yeah,” she murmured, snuggling back
into him.

“Sorry, I fell asleep on you. I don’t
sleep well alone anymore for some reason.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “I take it as a
sign that I’m good at wearing you out.”

Russell chuckled and wrapped his arms around
her. “It’s my turn to wear you out now.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” she said as
she tried to turn around in his arms.

“No,” he murmured. “Stay where you are.
I don’t want you looking at me.”

“Revenge?” she asked.

“Oh yeah,” he chuckled, reaching around
to run his hand underneath her shirt. He squeezed her breast. “You’re wearing
too many clothes.”

Emily wriggled out of her skirt and
panties then Russell helped her out of her shirt and bra. His hands went back
to what they’d been doing and his lips found her neck and worked down to her
shoulder blades. His hand teased its way down her body, over her stomach to
come to rest between her thighs. “Open up for me baby,” he whispered.

Emily let her hips fall back against him
and her legs came apart. “Please Russell, I need you.”

“Patience,” he chuckled as one finger
slipped inside of her. “Is that enough?” he asked nuzzling her neck.

“No,” she moaned, pressing against his
hand. “Not nearly enough.”

“How about this,” he murmured, sliding a
second finger in to join the first.

Emily’s head fell back and she ground
into his hand. “Russell, Please.”

“I don’t know,” he chuckled. “With the
way your body just reacted...”

Emily clamped her legs closed on his
hand.

“Relax baby. Roll onto your back.”

She did what he asked and looked up at
him expectantly.

“I need to see you,” he said, moving
over her. “I love seeing the look in your eyes when I enter you,” he breathed
as they joined together. He kissed her quickly and pulled back to look into her
eyes again. “And when I move so completely slow inside of you.”

Emily whimpered and her hands clamped
onto his hips, willing him to give her more.

“And when I lose myself in you so fast
and hard I can barely breathe.”

Emily cried out in pleasure, meeting
him, thrust for thrust.

“And when I hold you still,” he gasped,
moving her arms above her head. “While I go excruciatingly slow and see the
torture in your eyes. Until your body shudders and I know you’re ready to take
my breath away again.”

Russell drove into her, his eyes never
once leaving hers. “And,” he said breathlessly. “When you come apart in my
arms.”

A brief moment after Emily’s eyes
fluttered closed and Russell’s name slipped from between her lips, his eyes
finally lost focus and he found his own release.

*********

Early that evening Russell ran down
stairs to grab Emily’s garment bag. She snatched it from him and locked herself
in the bathroom. He’d told her to bring a dress for their special date, but he
didn’t know it would be a surprise. Hopefully it wouldn’t be such a good
surprise that he would make them late for their dinner.

“Russell,” he heard her call from the
bathroom. The lock clicked. “Could you come zip me up?”

Reaching for the door knob, he took a
deep breath and pushed it open. He groaned audibly. She was wearing a short
emerald green dress that showed off every luscious curve. Her eyes sparkled in
the mirror.

“God. I want you again,” he moaned,
caressing her shoulders. “Right here, bent over the sink.”

Emily smiled at him in the mirror.
“Maybe later. I need to eat. We missed lunch.” Her stomach growled as if to
prove her point.

“Yeah, yeah,” Russell pouted as he
zipped her dress. “I’ll meet you downstairs, beautiful.”

Emily finished getting ready and rushed
to the living room. “I’m ready, Rusty,” she called.

He was just putting his phone away when
she stepped up beside him. “Everything is all set. Let’s get going,” he said
with an excited smile.

They left the house, walking along the
path to her cottage. “Are we taking my car?” she asked.

“No. You’ll see.”

They kept walking, hand in hand and when
they cleared a set of trees and her place came into view, she gasped and
smiled. “Oh Russell, it’s beautiful.”

The trees and plants outside her cottage
were covered in twinkling lights and a table had been set up under the big
cottonwood near the fence.

“How on earth did you manage all of
this,” she whispered.

“Look over there,” he pointed to the
tall hedges at the side of the property.

“Luke’s
Catering
,”
she said as she saw the van. “Oh thank you!” She wrapped her arms around his
waist.

“You’re welcome. Now let’s go fill that
growling belly of yours with gourmet food.” He held her chair out for her. Luke
himself served the food then drove away. He would be back the next morning to
clean up.

Russell poured two glasses of wine and
handed one to Emily. “A toast,” he declared. “To us and whatever entity brought
us together in the parking lot of Movie and a Pizza Place.”

Emily smiled and raised her glass. “To your
mother.”

“What?” Russell asked, raising an
eyebrow.

“You were there to see her, and I was
there because she suggested Mom and I see the final showing of the movie that
day.”

Russell ran his hand down his face and
sighed. “Really?”

“Does that spoil things for you?” she
asked with a chuckle.

He looked at her and smiled big. “No.
Never. Now eat. I want to dance with you and the sooner the better.”

They enjoyed a meal of Chicken Cordon
Bleu and rice pilaf with Emily’s favorite dessert of white chocolate raspberry
cheesecake. They talked about everyday things, their nervousness keeping the
mood light.

“Would you care to dance?” he asked when
their wine glasses were empty.