Rocky Mountain Heat

Chapter Twenty

Matt stared across the coffee-shop table at Helen. “You’re headed where?”

“Edmonton. Just until next weekend.”

He bit back his frustration. “You said you would help out at the picnic this afternoon. Going to be kinda hard to help when you’re four hours away.”

She picked at the rim of her paper cup, refusing to meet his eyes. “Well, gosh, what a shame. A community picnic. Be still my heart—I’ll miss the social event of the decade.”

“Don’t be like that.” Matt glanced at the tables around them to see if anyone had heard her snide comments.

“Don’t be what? Honest? For God’s sake, Matt, I don’t want to spend all Sunday afternoon wandering out in the sun with the smell of horses and sheep and shit. I said I wanted to spend the day with you. I didn’t think that meant I had to go country for the entire day. Again. So when the opportunity came up…”

Matt leaned back and stared out the window as he drank his coffee. His mind raced. He’d thought things had gotten better between them after the ménage, and for a few days, it seemed they had. Helen had been the most content he’d seen her in a long time.

But then she’d started making comments about how maybe they should think about moving. Only she wasn’t talking about moving in together like he’d suggested, but moving away. Getting jobs in Calgary or Edmonton.

What was a rancher supposed to do for work in the city?

He turned his gaze back to look her over carefully. All the things about her that had attracted him in the first place seemed to be changing, and he wasn’t sure quite what to do with this new Helen.

Even in the bedroom she was different, more demanding. Which was okay every once in a while, but being commanded to tie her up seemed to lose some of the spontaneity. He wanted to be involved in what they were doing, not simply servicing her requests.

But ordering her around was a lost cause. He didn’t want to be one of those asshole boyfriends who assumed he could control her entire life.

“How you getting there?” Since it seemed she was determined to go.

“Darrel Aften is driving out. I’m hitching a ride with him. He’s going to his cousin’s. Dora and I go way back.”

Matt swallowed the words wanting to burst out. Yeah, those two went way back. Dora was one of their high school classmates who’d been on a bus out of Rocky before the ink was dry on their diplomas.

Helen leaned forward, all excited to tell him about the things she planned on doing while away. Matt listened with only half an ear. Keeping a smile on his face took more effort than he thought possible.

Fine. She’d go away. When she got back they were going to have a serious discussion about the future, because this relationship wasn’t growing the way he wanted. He wasn’t giving up on them, but for two people who’d spent so many years and so much time together, the paths they were walking seemed to be veering part.

It would be a fucking shame if he couldn’t pull them back together.

The children led Jaxi through the maze, a dark bandana covering her eyes. The little fingers tugging her along were sticky from the picnic dinner, giggles rising as they guided her around obstacles toward the finish line. Suddenly there was an extra loud burst of laughter, and Jaxi smiled in amusement.

The past weeks had been better than anything she’d ever expected. Her work around the house had flown while at every possible opportunity Blake found time to romance her. Not only dinner, but dancing and horseback riding. Long walks in the fields where he’d teased to try and find out more about her schooling over the past years. She’d told him a bit, but there were a few things she thought better shown than told. She’d even suggested a game of pool at one point just to see his reaction…

“You ain’t going anywhere near the pool hall for a good long time, Slick. My heart can’t handle any more games right now.”

Jaxi opened her eyes wide. “But you promised we could—”

He’d covered her mouth with a finger, followed by his lips, kissing her into oblivion.

And that’s about all they’d done in the physical department. Held hands, snuggled on the couch watching movies. Kissed. It was a step backward, taking it sweet instead of sexy. She missed his touch, his intimate caresses, but she had to admit there was something intoxicating in seeing his eyes clouded with lust when she turned from washing dishes or doing chores and have him simply give her a gentle kiss. She knew no matter what clothes she wore, he found her attractive.

That he wanted her, but wanted to be with her more, shook her to the core.

A tug on her hand brought her back to the present and the picnic.

“Miss Jaxi? You gotta hold this now, okay? We’ll lead you with the rope.”

She smiled at the sweet sound of the child’s voice. “Are we almost through the maze? I need to serve coffee and dessert soon, you remember.”

The chorus around her all assured her she was nearly at the end, so she grabbed the section of rope they pressed into her palm.

More giggles and a few shhh noises rose before another tug led her forward. She inched ahead with careful steps, trusting the little ones to do their best, but knowing they might miss a gopher hole underfoot.

The sound of voices faded and she hesitated. “Are we still going the right way? Kids, what are you up to?”

The rope jerked again and Jaxi held back, wondering what had changed.

“Don’t you trust me?” Blake’s deep voice was unexpected and she sucked in air.

“Blake?”

His fingers linked through hers and a hand caressed her cheek. “Well, you’ve been playing with everyone else, I figured it was my turn. Follow me, not much farther.”

Her heart thumped a steady beat at the easy tone in his voice. The tension she’d noticed building in him over the past years had faded away, leaving behind the man she remembered. The caring individual with a wicked sense of humor and the patience of a saint. He must have been sexually frustrated. They hadn’t made love since his wooing started, but he seemed content. She reached for him and clasped his elbow, tucking in closer to his side. His arm wrapped around her, and she blindly walked at his side with confidence.

She’d go anywhere he wanted to lead her.

“Blake, can I tell you something?” Suddenly it was important she share what she felt, what a joy it had been to find he’d been right about slowing down. Even though she physically ached for him, seeing him with new eyes had been the right thing.

“In a minute. Let me get that blindfold off first.” He reached behind her head to untie the knot and his lips caressed hers, brushing back and forth tenderly. She opened her mouth a crack and slipped out her tongue a tiny bit, meeting his touch, tasting his flavor. They stood wrapped together kissing tenderly, slowly, savouring each other until he pulled back and she sighed in contentment.

“You need to open your eyes.”

She looked around with delight. He’d arranged a blanket on the grassy bank of the river, a basket with food open to the side.

“I watched you. You were so busy helping everyone else, as usual, you never got anything to eat.” He led her to the blanket and sat, patting the spot next to him.

“I’m supposed to serve—”

“You’re supposed to be with me. I arranged it all in advance. Cari and Leo agreed to serve desserts. Jesse and Joel are working coffee, and the rest of the boys are doing cleanup.” He held out his hand. “You, on the other hand, I have assigned a different task. It ain’t going to be an easy one for you, Slick, I can tell you that now.”

She joined her hand with his and snuggled in close, feeling guilty that she wasn’t helping at the picnic yet ecstatic to be alone with Blake. “What’s my task?” she asked.

He reached over her to grab something from the basket, the heat from his body covering her, and she couldn’t stop from wiggling upward, letting their bodies touch. A groan broke from his lips as he sat back, desire clouding his eyes.

She gazed into the depths of his soul.

Blake breathed heavy for a minute, his chest heaving, his hands shaking as he handed her the sandwich. “I can see this task ain’t going to be easy for me neither. Holy hell, woman, you’re driving me insane.” He collapsed back on the blanket, covering his eyes with one arm.

Jaxi nibbled silently. The blood pounding through her body made the sound of the river fade until all she heard was the constant thump of her heartbeat and the echoing throb in her core.

“I need to tell you something.” He rolled on his side to stare at her. “I’m not sorry about teasing you until you caved, and I’m not sorry we made love, but I’m also not sorry you took over and made these past weeks special.”

He chuckled. “That’s the strangest ‘not apology’ I’ve ever heard. I’m not sorry either. About any of it.”

She handed him a can of pop from the basket. “I need to ask you something. You said we needed time to see the truth about each other, to see if what we felt was real or just an image.” His throat moved as he drank and Jaxi found herself having to swallow hard.

He made every inch of her tingle just sitting next to him.

“I did.” He lifted a hand to play with her ponytail.

She closed her eyes briefly to gather her thoughts. Facing him square on, she held his hands tightly in hers. “Blake, what I’ve seen is a man I trust. A man who has the respect of both the community and his family. Jesse went off to school a couple weeks ago after hugging you to pieces and giving me a chaste peck on the cheek. He’s got no bitterness brewing with either of us and I’m so grateful. That’s because of you, because of the way you talked to him and shared with him. The way you treated me when he was around to prove you were the best one for me.

“Even Travis—God, the way you opened yourself up to him? I had no idea, but somehow you figured out what he needed. You haven’t urged me to share his secrets, and you trusted me right when it was most important. You haven’t asked me to give up reaching out to the others. You’ve supported me around the house and in the community. Heck, even today, stealing me away and making me relax. That’s what you want me to do that’s supposed to be so tough, right?”

He grinned at her with his new cocky smile that made her heart melt and her panties wet all at the same time. “Well, you do seem to have a problem with the word no. Using it with others, that is. Did you notice I had to find seven people to replace you?”

She lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles. “What I’ve also seen is a man who put his sexual desires on hold, even when tempted by a very naughty tease. Your strength of character and your…”

She couldn’t go on. Her throat was closing, and it all came down to one thing.

“I love you, Blake Coleman. I always have, but I know it more now than ever before.”

Blake brushed his thumb over her mouth and she kissed it. He moved in close and nestled her alongside him, the hard length of his muscular body heating her up. She relaxed back on the blanket and stared up as his strong features broke into a smile that reached his eyes.

“I’ve got a whole lot to say about you too, but I’ll start at the end. I love you.” He leaned down and kissed her again, this time harder, his tongue dipping into her mouth and stroking hers. His hand cradled her neck, directing the angle to mesh them closer, nibbling and tasting each other until they drew back breathless.

Blake grinned at her and continued. “You’re not a little girl, you’re all woman. Not just your body but your mind and your heart. The only person I’ve ever seen work as hard as you is my ma, but she’s nowhere near as good looking.” He winked and she swatted him teasingly. “It’s not just the energy you use when you serve others, but the way you pour in love. Everything you touch is better because you’ve been involved. It’s humbling to see how much you love others and realize you love me too.”

He kissed her nose, kissed her cheek, touched a finger to the moisture escaping from the corner of her eye.

“I could go on and on about how you care for my family so tenderly it makes me ache inside in the part of me that needs family to be number one. I can’t just love you, Jaxi, I’ve got to love my family. I’ve got so much more to learn there about how to really be there for them, but the way you fit in and belong with us all is incredible. So important.”

Her heart was full to overflowing. She closed her eyes to stop the tears from escaping.

His voice scratched. “Thank you for being stubborn enough to force me to see you belong with me.” He lifted her to a sitting position across from him and clasped her hands again. She stared into his eyes, and he took a deep breath.

“Jaxi, I want to—”

A series of giggles broke the intimacy of the moment, and Jaxi snorted in disbelief.

“Miss Jaxi? You gonna come hand out the awards for the colouring contest?” A trio of children traipsed over the ridge to surround Blake and Jaxi. One of them crawled into her lap, another into his. The oldest of the three glared at Blake in disapproval.

“You’ve been kissing her, haven’cha?” he complained.

Blake nodded slowly and solemnly. “I have.”

“Ughhhh. Doncha know girls got cooties?” he whispered in Blake’s direction.

“Children, come back. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know they were looking for you until a minute ago.” Cari tried to round up the strays and shoo them away, even as she checked the details of the setting with interest.

Blake laughed out loud as the tyke in his lap wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. “Well, it’s fine, Cari. I forgot Miss Jaxi was supposed to hand out awards. I guess we need to go and do that right now.”

He rose to his feet and shifted the little girl to his hip, reaching a hand to Jaxi. Guilt at ruining his wonderful surprise rushed her, and she tried to make it better. “We don’t have to go, Blake.”

A chorus of disappointed cries rose from the children, and his playfully stern headshake brought more tears to her eyes.

“Of course we have to go. This is important, handing out prizes. Come on, kids, show me where we need to take Miss Jaxi.” He nodded at Cari, and she winked before moving to pick up the blanket and basket. He lowered his voice conspiratorially to the little boy waiting. “You see, I haven’t been in a colouring contest for a long time, and I can’t remember where they hold it.”

Jaxi ambled slowly, a child in her arms. Beside her Blake listened to the running monologue of the little waif, nodding and ahaing at appropriate times.

If this was what a family felt like…

Bring it on.