Caleb's Blessing Read online

  “Caleb, those things you said before; did you mean them and if you did how?”

  “Every word and how is easy. You’re beautiful first and foremost and I’d be a fucking liar if I said that that wasn’t part of it. But in life there’re very few things that a man is ever sure of. With me, I have a built in radar. It’s saved me a lot of headaches in the past and I’ve learned to trust it.

  The first time I saw you I knew. Same as I’ve always known when I went through the gate. I’m one hundred percent sure that you’re the woman who’s going to bear my children and sit out on that porch out there with me in the sunset on many an evening.”

  “Oh my.”

  “Damn straight. Now let’s get this grub going before those asses get done.”

  ***

  CALEB

  I kept my eye on her for the rest of the day. The boys had been perfect gentlemen when they traipsed in to eat. I was rolling my eyes hard enough to give myself eyestrain halfway through at their antics.

  “This is the best Chicken fried steak I ever did have.” Nathan got the praise brigade started and pretty soon they were all grunting like Olaf the Viking after a sacking. Pigs.

  “Maybe you can stop chewing long enough to talk like a human eh Mikey.” I’ma smack him upside the head, the boy ought to know to show some class in the presence of a lady.

  “No can do boss, I take too long to polish off my food, Simon will snag my last piece for sure.”

  “Lies, the young’un lies. Ms. Amanda I must say my friend here is quite correct, this is about the nicest fare I’ve partaken of in quite some time, if ever.”

  “What the ever-loving fuck Simon?” We were all staring at him like he’d grown an extra head. All except Amanda, who was preening under his glowing praise, smarmy fuck. I better hurry up and get her some flowers or some shit.

  “Hijo de la chingada.” Diego almost fell out of his chair as he glared at Mikey. “What...?”

  Mikey stifled a laugh but I caught on to what he was up to. He’d obviously seen me glaring daggers at Don Juan who was trying to make time with my girl and was trying to alert the other man, who was sitting next to him.

  “Which one of you are washing the dishes?”

  “Oh never mind that Caleb, I can take care of it. These guys have things to do.”

  “Don’t spoil them baby, they’ll never go away then. One of you got cleanup or it’s your last meal in my kitchen.”

  “I’ll take that duty. It’s the least I can do after such a fine meal.” I’ma kick Simon’s ass if he makes her smile one more time.

  “Thank you kindly for your help sir, and to show my appreciation, I’ll dry while you wash.”

  What the fuck? “Never mind I’ll take care of the dishes. Get the fuck out.” I knew I’d been had when the assholes donned their hats with grins on their faces before heading out the door.

  Even my girl was laughing at me, until I kissed her that is.

  Chapter 15

  CALEB

  I didn’t linger for too long over the kiss, though I wanted to devour her soft mouth. Instead I teased the tip of her tongue with mine, just enough to get her going, and then eased off.

  Little steps. I was thinking I’d feed her just the way I’d fed the little baby bird that got hurt last fall and I had to nurse it back to life, not too much at once.

  When I pulled away and headed to the sink she stood where she was for at least two minutes more, before she joined me, and I could tell she was very affected by my touch.

  I pretended it was business as usual as I picked up the first pot to add to the soapy water I’d added to the sink.

  “So, what do you want to do tomorrow darling?”

  “Me? What do you mean?”

  “I mean do you want to do something tomorrow with me? It’s a little late to plan something for today, but...”

  “But don’t you have to work on the ranch? I couldn’t take you away from your work again; and besides I have to make lunch for the guys in the afternoon.”

  “No you don’t, they’ve been feeding themselves pretty darn good before you came along. I thought you were only gonna cook for me?”

  Okay so I was sulking. I didn’t want to share her all the damn time with them, but I knew if I stayed around here that’s just what would happen.

  I can’t court her if they’re always gonna me hanging around making stupid faces and trying to make me nuts with their shit.

  Her cheeks pinked up and that hair got to swinging in that way she has when she wants to hide her pretty face. I shook the suds off my hand so that I could push it back behind her ear.

  “There you are. I like looking at your face, don’t hide it from me.” My heart was knocking the shit out of my chest cavity, waiting for her reaction.

  I couldn’t forget that only a few short hours ago she was in flight. And that reminded me. It was going to be a while before I can leave her alone again and not worry about finding her gone when I get back. Shit, what was I going to do?

  I passed her the last pan and headed for the door. “Here, I’ll be right back. I’m going to be right outside if you need me.”

  I hotfooted it out to the barn where the boys were supposed to be working for the rest of the afternoon. As usual there was some kind of heated discussion going on that I’m sure none of them knew the first thing about, but were all experts on.

  “Alright ladies listen up.” I looked back over my shoulder to make sure I had a good view of the house through the open door.

  “I don’t want to leave her alone for the next week at least. Not that I think she’d run again, but I’m not taking any chances. One of us will always be within seeing and hearing distance of the house from now on, until she settles in.”

  I didn’t receive any of the grumbles or complaints I’d expected, which told me they understood the situation completely.

  “We can take shifts boss, no worries.”

  “Thanks Nathan.”

  “Or I could hang around the house, see if she needs help with anything.”

  “I catch you anywhere near my house without me in it, I’ll shoot you on sight scamp.”

  Mikey held his hands up and grinned as he backed away. “I was only trying to help boss, you know how you’re always calling me lazy, I was just trying to show a little initiative.”

  “Ooh, you learned a new word.” I rolled my eyes at him before carrying on with what I was saying. “We can’t let her know what we’re up to though okay, so don’t be too obvious.

  I’m thinking I’ll deal with the asshole ex later. Right now I wanna work on her, make sure she’s okay first and then we’ll think about his dumb ass.”

  “Well, the fences are mended, we’ve taken care of that little problem in the north pasture so we really don’t need to be going too far for the next few days, I don’t see why we can’t do this thing boss.”

  “Okay Alex thanks, I’m gonna head back up to the house if you need me you know where to find me.”

  “I think we should draw straws, how come you get first dibs boss?”

  “Because I saw her first.” I felt like a damn middle school kid, and of course the jackasses started laughing again.

  The rest of the afternoon passed without incident and then it was dinnertime. The boys were on their best behavior for once, or at least they tried to be, but I guess getting a good home cooked meal loosens a man’s tongue.

  There were more animal sounds at my table than they were out in the damn stables. She’d made lamb with some kinda fancy smancy sauce, and wild vegetables that she picked from the garden out back.

  Of course I had to listen to her heap praise on Simon’s head for the great job he’d done with that, seeing as how it was him who’d planted it.

  I wanted to tell her that he went out there digging and planting whenever he got the urge to kill someone, seeing as how that’s what he’s good at. But that wouldn’t have been good sportsmanship on my part.

  The lot of them jus
t about made me sick the way they fought for her attention. It was only midway through, that I realized she wasn’t the least bit afraid out here with all these strange men.

  She was laughing and joking with the guys like she’d known them all her life and those clowns were eating it up.

  That meant she knew the difference between her abuser and the rest of the species though, and to me that’s a good start; it shows strength of mind at least.

  I already had a list of the things I was going to do in the upcoming days to help her forget. It was going to take time, maybe more than I was willing to give, but I could be patient. At least I hope I can.

  When the boys had gone for the night and the house was settling, I dragged her off to the den and sat her next to me on the couch to watch a movie.

  “Choose anything you want to watch baby.” She was a little shyer now that it was just the two of us, but she walked over to my DVD collection and ran her finger over the titles.

  She chose something sweet and smarmy that would probably give me brain damage, but I didn’t say anything as I took it from her and put it in the machine.

  I sat with my arm around her as the scenes played over the screen, stealing kisses every once in a while, gentling her with my touch and getting her use to my nearness.

  When the credits started rolling we both got up and stretched. It was getting late and there was nothing else to do for the night so it was time to hit the sack.

  “Well, goodnight.” She made to turn for her room down the hall from mine but I grabbed her hand.

  “You’re in here.” I pulled her along towards my room.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to take you. I just don’t want you sleeping alone after the day you had.”

  She was nervous as hell, and why wouldn’t she be? A man she’d only just met was dragging her off to his bed out in the middle of nowhere. I hadn’t thought this thing through.

  What a complete and utter ass. But I still didn’t want her alone tonight, not with things still so raw. What the fuck do I do now?

  Just when I was about to take her back and apologize, she made up my mind for me. “Can I at least get my nightie?”

  “Sure thing sweet girl.”

  We flitted around each other after she came back, fluffing pillows and smoothing sheets that didn’t need it, until I climbed into bed and held my hand out to her.

  “Come on babe, let’s get some shuteye.”

  She took my arm shyly as she placed first one knee and then the other onto the mattress.

  She held herself a little away from me, not exactly board stiff, but nowhere near relaxed either. “You have nothing to be afraid of remember. I just want to watch over you for a little bit, reassure myself that you’re okay. You forget, you’re my responsibility now.”

  She didn’t exactly melt into me, but she loosened up a little bit. I held her close until she fell asleep, after tossing and turning for a bit. The only problem is, on one of those last turns, she ended up with her ass pressed into my dick.

  Well Dunbar you’ve well and truly fucked yourself now haven’t you? How are you supposed to sleep with your dick hurting like this?

  I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes tight, fighting my natural instinct to turn her onto her back and drive into her.

  ***

  After the most hellish night of my life, I opened my eyes to the early morning light peeping through the window curtains.

  My heart gave a little jolt when I felt her weight on my arm and I remembered. With the memory of just who it was that was in my arms, my already hard morning wood turned to steel in five seconds flat.

  “Shit.” She’d run screaming from the house if she saw this thing pressing against the flap of my silk boxers. It’s not that easy harnessing eleven and a half inches, and when that shit was at its full girth, watch out.

  I eased my body away from hers, but couldn’t resist looking at her sleep warm face. “So fucking gorgeous.” I ran the backs of my fingers gently down her cheek, before placing a butterfly kiss there and rolling out of bed.

  I figured I better beat tracks outta there before I went back on my word, but fuck it was hard to walk away.

  I made the water in my shower as cold as I possibly could to help cool me down some, but it was no use.

  “Fuck it.” I soaped my hands up and with my eyes closed and head back, pictured her just as I’d left her. Only in my salacious imaginings I didn’t let it end there, with the innocent kiss to the cheek.

  Instead I envisioned myself turning her onto her back and slipping into her warm heat. I had no doubt she would be soft and sweet around my cock as I fucked into her.

  The vision grew hotter and hotter with each stroke of my hand until I had no choice but to speed up. I’d been trying to take it nice and slow, enjoy the moment, but it was too much. And if just the thought of her made me this crazed, I couldn’t wait to find out what the reality would be.

  I almost fell and broke my damn back when I came. Spraying jizz all over the walls and the glass door. When my vision finally cleared, the echo of my roar was fading away.

  “That’s the last time I waste my seed.” I promised myself as I cleaned up my mess. I hurried through the rest of my shower, because suddenly, visions of my seed going into her and doing what it was supposed to took over my mind.

  I dried off in a hurry and went through the rest of my morning ritual in a rush so I could get back to her.

  She was gone from my bed when I came out and I bit back the disappointment. Trying not to let my angst show, I dragged on some jeans and a chambray before heading out of my room with my boots in hand.

  I didn’t breathe again until I saw her in the kitchen knocking around pots and pans. “Morning beautiful.”

  She turned with a bright smile and pink cheeks, as the early morning sunlight shone through the window and encased her in its warmth, just enhancing that beauty of hers.

  “Come ‘ere sugar.” She took little shy steps towards me and I snagged her around the middle until she was pressed up against me.

  “How’d you sleep baby?” she cuddled in closer instead of pulling away and the act went right to my heart. We were coming along nicely.

  “Fine.” I checked her eyes, there were no clouds there thank fuck. I lowered my head slowly, giving the impression that I was giving her the chance to say no, but the hold I had on the back of her blouse said otherwise.

  When I was a breath away from taking her mouth I stopped and just blew air across her lush lips. It worked like a charm and she was the one who came that last inch and a half to meet my lips.

  I nibbled on hers first, then teased the slight sting with the tip of my tongue. I groaned and she moaned into each other’s mouths, as I folded her close and sunk into her.

  There was no hiding the condition of my dick and I didn’t even try. Instead I dropped one arm to her ass and pulled her in tighter against my hardening length, which was hitting her just about right.

  She went after my lips as hungrily as I did hers and softened against me as our tongues played tag. I had to pull away when visions of bending her over the breakfast table started chasing each other around in my head. I couldn’t resist rubbing my hard-on against her one last time though.

  “Babe, is it remotely possible that you’ll let me have you in say the next hour or so?” She froze for a minute before relaxing again and then she did the weirdest thing. She laughed.

  I put her away from me and put on my sullen face. “What’s so funny?”

  “I was wondering what that was poking me like that.” She howled with laughter and I sulked over to the coffee machine.

  “I don’t see that it’s all that funny. He just got a little excited that’s all, he can’t help it you know.” That only made her laugh all the harder. If I had to play the village simpleton the rest of the day to put that look on her face, I would.

  She shooed me over to the table and got busy dragging stuff out of the refrigerator. I was about to
ask her whose army she was feeding when I heard the herd tromping towards my backdoor.

  “Who the fuck invited you?” I growled at Diego who was the first one through the door. He just grinned as he took off his hat to greet her good morning.

  “Morning Ms. Amanda, how’re you this morning mi amor?”

  “She isn’t your anything jackass.” The rest of them were already tromping towards my table like they’d been invited.

  “I invited them last night after dinner, I hope you don’t mind.”

  “I hope they get the colic.” I grumbled it under my breath but turned a reassuring smile her way. As soon as her back was turned I let them see my displeasure though. Which didn’t do me a whole lot of good since they were already salivating over the hot biscuits she was taking out of the oven.

  It would be the first time in forever since we had some that wasn’t stone hard and full of weevils.

  Jonah was the only one who knew how to make them and he wasn’t much for getting rid of the critters before using the flour, not to mention he couldn’t cook worth shit.

  “Fucking hyenas.” They fell on the food as fast as she put it on the table. “Tomorrow we’ll take the food out to the old hog trough and let you at it.”

  “Here Caleb have some more coffee.” From her sweet secret smile I knew she was trying to soothe my ruffled feathers. Of course everybody needed refills after that, jealous asses.

  “So we’re patching up the barn today right?” I was setting up our ploy for today just in case she got suspicious at all of us being so close to home today.

  “Yes sir and I still have that one tractor to look at. We got the tack and stuff to take care of too so it’s going to be a long one.” Mikey was shoveling in eggs as fast as his mouth could hold them.

  We discussed the upcoming day’s work never once letting on the real reason for it.

  I waited patiently for them to finish up and head out, but of course they knew that and dragged ass. “I’ll meet you guys in a minute.” I had to glare their asses to shame behind her back until they got up and left.