CHAPTER NINE
Belly Up to the Bar…
Cowgirls are like barbed wire…handle with care.
Trespassers cabin along the Flat River
An odd sound awoke her and she realized she was face down on a strange bed. Kanda raised her head up. The sound was some kind of humming. A man’s voice humming a tune? Her memory became clear; she fell from her horse and was in the camp of some strange foreign guy. He’d even built the log cabin this bed sat in—on her land!
Her whole body grew rigid with pain as she tried to lift herself up.
“Nope, you shouldn’t do that,” he warned from above her.
She froze at his words.
“Let me get you.” Hands came down around her waist and gently turned her over.
There above her was some kind of illusion. It had to be.
Breaking into a huge smile, his blue eyes twinkled at her. He was bare chested and his chest was just a muscled as the rest of him. “I was hoping you’d be able to join me!” He bent down and scooped her up.
Whoa! Yes, he did this yesterday, carrying me around like I was a feather on a breeze. Next, her eyes were assaulted by the bright sunshine as he carried her away from the cabin. Trees shaded them and then, she realized they were at the edge of the river. He folded neatly and slowly to the ground with her in his arms.
I knew it, he couldn’t carry me anymore!
He set her gently against him. “You can’t sit on that beautiful ass at all today, so I am gonna help you,” he announced and divested her of her T-shirt.
Gasping, she could now feel that she only wore her bra and underwear. He had stripped her to her undies!
He stood up while holding her in his arms and waded out into the river. “Now, this time of year the water is warm and it will be good for your…” He gazed down at her face, “Injured areas.”
The water came up slowly past her thighs, then over her waist and the sensation was pleasant. She hurt all over, but the pain wasn’t what was foremost in her mind. This man was at the very front. Who was he? Where did he come from? And why haven’t I cussed him out and kicked his tail down the road, already?
“You sure are a quiet female,” he noted.
Kanda batted her eyes. That was a first. Her brothers, along with many other men, had said she couldn’t shut up if her life depended on it.
“Well, I guess I will start then.” He lowered his body down further into the river water and held her floating in front of him. “I’m Wade—Wade Monroe.”
Kanda blinked up at him, as the sun danced like lighted effects on his blue-black hair. And I’m—I’m speechless, because I’ve never seen a man like you before. She gazed into his eyes, mesmerized once again by the burning shade of blue there.
“You did get a wallop on the head after all, you know. And I should be sorry as hell, but I’m not.”
She shook her head.
Not moving even one of his delectable muscles, Wade stared at her face for a long moment. “You sure aren’t like most of the American women I’ve met so far.” He was now staring at her lips. “I mean—well…”
Kanda heard his voice, but just didn’t register anything he said really. She must have hit her head pretty hard, because she was stunned and just couldn’t seem to gather her resolve or anything.
“You have the most luscious lips I have ever seen,” he whispered close to her face. “I just want to taste them.”
Kanda’s gaze was pinned to his lips and suddenly she wanted him to kiss her and keep kissing her.
His lips came closer to hers. “I just want to…” He jerked his head up and looked out over the water. “I’m sorry, that was out of line.”
NO! No, it was perfectly in line. All the way down the line with—
Letting go of her a little, he held her easily with one arm. “Now, let’s see if we can make you feel better.” He winked at her. “That’s why I brought you out here and gave you a dunking.” He gently felt underneath her and massaged her tailbone area. “Tell me when it hurts and I’ll stop, okay?”
She didn’t even nod, because the feel of his warm hands was all-consuming. Hurt? Oh, how could he think this kind of massaging would ever hurt? No one had ever touched her like this and she was lightheaded from it.
He caressed her from there on up over one of her butt cheeks and then he massaged the other.
Kanda felt no pain, but she did feel something altogether different. She’d only felt this way a few times in her life and she never knew if it was a fluke or what. Because it would pass as quickly as it came. Not this time though. The feeling grew and it seemed to start in her lower belly, then it spread along her thighs. Her head fell back while his large hands continued with the massage, and a sudden ache started between her legs. Her eyes widened as the feeling built and she was breathing heavily.
He gazed into her eyes. “Better?”
Kanda swallowed heavily and tried to concentrate on his features. Better? You fucking bet, better than anything I’d ever received from a guy—any guy. Oh, man, anymore and I would be better to the point of jumping right up on you, right here in the river! Pinning her lips shut to avoid sounding like a babbling fool, she nodded her head slightly as an answer.
“Good.” He swung her around and made his way out of the water. “I’m gonna set you up and then fix you something to eat.”
Still stunned by her body’s reaction to him, she remained silent. Her breathing was still rapid and her pulse was going through the roof. Set me up? I just want you to never set me down! Reeling with some strange newly found euphoria, Kanda was clinging to this strapping man with all her might.
Taking her into the cabin, he deftly wrapped her in a huge, fluffy towel, then lay her on her tummy at the end of the brass bed. “Here, you’ll be able to see me while I cook.”
Gulping again, she wanted to yell at him, You sure are cook’n! I’m about to melt like butter on pancakes here.
He grinned at her and shook his head. “I hope you like eggs and bacon?”
Remaining in the position he put her in, she grunted as a response. What the hell was that? She asked herself. Why in the hell don’t you speak? Her gaze caught sight of him turning away and she took in a sweet male butt in those stone washed jeans and again, her thoughts flitted away. I wonder how his cheeks would feel in my hands. I would love to just get a good squeeze and—
“Over easy?” he called back at her as he took out a pan and turned to the Coleman stove.
Over easy, over hard, just anything over. Turn me over, flip me over, legs up in the air over— Her mind wandered and she looked up to see him staring across the space at her.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked while looking concerned. “Maybe I shoulda’ taken you into town and had you looked over.”
The phrase look you over ran through her mind and Kanda almost smiled. Yeah, look me over…now that’s a good kind of over. She shook her head. “Um— no— I mean…yes! I’m okay.”
“Oh, so you can talk?” He flashed her that smile of his. “Good. Okay, so how do you like them?”
Kanda blinked her eyes at him. Tall, Australian, built and…hard. Her mind just kept going with all kinds of wild responses while her mouth remained watering and shut. Thank the heavens!
“How do you like your eggs?” he repeated.
Kanda smiled and giggled a little. “Sunny side up.”
He looked surprised. “Why that’s almost raw.”
Visions of him in the raw and all the things she would like to do to him while he was bare, danced in her mind like a porn video. I wonder if he cared if I just tied him up and stripped him bare— Gasping at the bold and outrageous thought, she rose up. What the hell is the matter with me? The pain in her backside reared up while she kept jerking her body around and she groaned loudly.
Wade dropped the pan and rushed over. “Oh, no. No, unh-uh. You can’t be making sudden moves like that!” He sat down and pulled the towel away from her body. “Just let me get the salve again.” He got up, retrieved the little tube from the bedside table, and sat down to massage it in. His firm strong hands rubbed vigorously along her skin.
The tense pain did gradually go away. “Oh…thank you,” she breathed the words out and put her head down.
“Okay, now remember, no sudden moves. If you need to get up or do anything at all, call me.”
Kanda nodded mutely, feeling pretty stupid again. I’m calling and calling, like a love struck fool here.
“Just call my name out and I’ll be here so fast, you won’t believe it.” He patted her ass cheeks gently and placed the towel back over her body.
Lying very still, she tried to keep her mind clean and keep the wild thoughts at bay as she watched him cook. His long legs moved with a fluid grace she never knew a man could possess.
He whistled some foreign tune the entire time and would give her a slight smile whenever she caught his eye.
Oh, wow. A man had never affected her like this before! Where did he come from? It was like I secretly wished for him and then? There he appeared.
Wade moved the table over close to the bed. Setting the plate of eggs and bacon down, he came over to the bedside. Raising her body gently up, he tucked two big pillows underneath her upper torso. “There now, you can eat without sitting.”
Kanda smiled and watched him set her fork and a large glass of juice with a straw sticking out, in front of her.
He sat at the side of the table as close as he could get to her and handed her a napkin.
Truly hungry now, she took it and grabbed her fork.
He pushed her plate closer to her face.
Feeling like a lost calf on the wide-open plain, Kanda stared over at him.
“It’s so you can drop any food onto the plate, okay?”
She kept smiling at him. I mean, who wouldn’t smile? Just look at him! A girl-like giggle slipped from her lips.
He raised a brow.
Kanda avoided his dazzling eyes.
Wade remained quiet while she ate and he leaned forward helping her to sip her juice. “Okay, so what am I to call you?”
Her eyes shot up.
He was grinning at her.
“Um—Kandy.” Kanda didn’t know why she told him that. She hadn’t allowed anyone to call her Kandy since her dad died, since he was the one who dubbed her that.
“Mmm, yes. That fits all right.”
Her startled gaze met with his.
“I mean, it really does!” He chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve met anyone sweeter.”
Kanda’s eyes rounded. Sweet? Another first. She’d been describe as hell on earth, a shrew, a bitch and many other expletives, but never sweet! Somehow, she didn’t want to know the reason he was here on her land for anymore. She didn’t even want him to know who she really was. What the hell? Why? She closed her eyes and thought of all the things she’d already felt in just the last several hours. She’d never experienced any of these feelings before in her whole life.
“So, were you just out riding for like the fun of it?” he was asking.
See? He was now wondering who she was. Well, not yet, mister, not yet. She nodded. “Oh yeah, it’s just a hobby.”
“I see.” He got up and took her plate. “Well, is there someone who might worry after you?”
Her brow wrinkled up. “What?”
He cleared all the stuff from the table. “I mean family or something?” It’s been 24 hours since you fell from your horse.”
“What?” She rose up with a shock. “Twenty—Ahh!” she shouted.
Wade dropped the dishes back onto the table and rushed around the side of the bed “Don’t you listen to good advice?” He sounded upset. “You could pull more muscles and then you won’t heal right!”
“Oh, ow!” she seethed in pain.
“Okay now, just try to relax,” he soothed.
He again rubbed her down and she finally fell to sleep while he kneaded and caressed her skin. Her last wakeful thought was of how she would pay with her life savings, just to have him to do this every day.
*~*~*~*
The Plush Rooster Ranch, Twelve miles out of Victoria, Texas
The inside of the house was just as impressive as the verandah, and Brea was in awe. High ceilings, crisp paint and an awesome chandler like they had in the old days, hung above an airy front room. Another sign hung on the wall above velvet benches which lined the entire side of the room.
Time is your friend, so be friendly while you wait.
It really looked like a waiting area for the over privileged in a high-class doctor’s office. Brea suppressed a smile. Doctors? Doctors of love. She pressed her lips together and shook her head. This isn’t funny, Brea. Your mom is breaking the law. Hell…she’s breaking several, including the moral ones.
Her mother went around to the side of the stairs. “Bert!” she shouted.
Brea jumped back as a huge hulking man stepped in front of her.
“Nah, Bert. She ain’t an intruder.”
The hulking man crossed his arms over his chest. He stood at least 6 foot nine in height and weighed maybe three hundred pounds. His enormous python like arms had tattoos all up and down his skin.
“I need ya to show her to my room, okay?”
Nodding with an emotionless expression on his face, he stepped to the side.
“Just go with him, sweetie. I don’t think you’d appreciate the fun that is about to be had in the main auction room.”
Brea hesitated. “But Ma—?”
“No buts! Unless you wanna see some necked male tail. You’d better go with Bert.” Daisy turned away and disappeared down the hall.
Left with seemingly no choice, Brea followed the inked hulk up the stairs.
Bert was truly a man of no words, and she wondered what the hell her mom as thinking having someone like this in her employ. He looked really rough, like maybe he even did some time in prison. He just had that air about him. A chill he exuded, like he could kill or maim within the blink of an eye and feel nothing about it.
He halted at the end of a wide hallway.
Brea shyly made her way to where he stood.
Opening the door, he motioned his large head for her to pass through.
Brea stepped inside.
Without a word or even a polite nod, he shut it behind her.
Looking around, she did see familiar things. Stuff her mom had for years. The long dresser top had some new things though. Brea moved closer to take a peek.
There were pictures of Daisy and a man. He was an older man, but just about her mom’s age. That was sure interesting. Her mama had had many boyfriends over the years, but she never displayed pictures of any of them. She picked up the framed picture and took a closer look.
He was a good-looking man. With a slight graying at his temples and a good frame on his body, he was something special to look at all right. A big guy, like Daisy liked ’em. Brea chuckled as she remembered one of her mama’s comments on the subject. The bigger they were? The harder you could make them fall for ya.
Only this time, it looked like her ma may have taken the fall. The look of love on Daisy’s face made Brea feel a little uneasy. She couldn’t pinpoint why, she just felt funny about it. She never knew her dad, and her ma had put it bold and simple when Brea asked at 7 years old, where her daddy was.
“Life gets messy sometimes, Brea. Some people are messier than others. Let’s just say, he got the trash and I got you.”
Later on, Brea figured this must have meant Daisy had kicked him out and went on with her life.
A loud noise startled her. It was more female whooping and hollering from downstairs. Brea set the frame down and went to the door. She just had to see this for herself. She knew she’d probably regret it, but she had to find out just how bad a casserole her mama had cooked up this time. A smile came to her lips. It was something she teased her ma about. Daisy Plush couldn’t cook and there’d been many burned, inedible casseroles in Brea’s upbringing.
Taking a deep breath, she peeked out. The hallway was empty. At least the hulk-man hadn’t been placed as a guard. Brea made her stealthy way down the stairs. The noise grew louder and she crept around the stairwell and closer to the double doors.
“Psst…” A noise came from her left.
There stood a young woman with the longest blonde braids Brea had ever seen. She had rosy cheeks and was buxom as all get out; she was stacked.
Brea gave her a curious look.
“Come on!” The girl waved her over.
Looking around, Brea wondered what this was all about. She tiptoed over.
The girl took her hand and opened what looked like a closet door. She pulled her in and shut the door. “It’s so nice to meet ya,” she whispered and held out her hand. “I’m Maggie.”
Brea squinted and shook her hand while wondering who this girl was. “Why are you sneakin’ around?”
Maggie scoffed with an obvious disgust. “Daisy won’t let me see all the goings on, cause she says I’m too young or something stupid like that. So, shush and look over here.” She nudged her toward a square crack in the closet wall.
Brea could see the young woman’s features a little better now and knew she was probably about eighteen. She wasn’t really all that surprised about Daisy’s protectiveness as her ma could be like that, despite all her bawdy ways. Everything has it’s time to flower, but tiny buds need a lot of protection. Daisy had said that many times to her when she was a little girl.
She could keenly see the crack of light through a little square in the wall now. Well, I sure ain’t tiny anymore, she thought as she stepped over toward the crack. With a kind of scared exhilaration, she pressed her eyes close to the lit square. Her eyes rounded at what she saw. Holy bull crap!
*~*~*~*
On the Flat river, Trespasser’s cabin…
Kanda opened her eyes some hours later and she was staring at lamplight. It was from several kerosene lamps which sat in various spots and the place had a sweet glow to it from the old-fashioned illumination. She looked around and wondered where he was.
“There you are,” Wade spoke from somewhere in the cabin.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“Don’t move now, I’ll be right over.” He came into view and knelt down in front of her, so that she could see his face. “So, how’s my sweet candy this evening?”
Staring at him, her mouth remained shut. She’d met men that made her want to not ever speak to them again and she’d met men she refused to speak to, but never had she met one who literally took her words away.
“You really don’t talk much do you?”
Kanda gave him a smirk. “I guess it ain’t fair to let you believe such nonsense. I’m usually the loudest and I always get the last word in.”
Wade pulled his head back. “No, that can’t be right.”
She nodded her head. “Oh yeah, it’s true.”
Grinning at her, he stood up.
Her gaze rose and she again took in that long muscled frame. How could a man have a bod like this? Why, even her toughest most active cowhand wasn’t built like this. He had large hands and muscled forearms. His chest was broad and his shoulders matched the rest of him.
Unexpectedly, Wade reached out and hefted her up against him.
Kanda’s breath remained trapped in her chest.
He gazed into her eyes. “Tell me, candy girl…”
She let her breath out in a great big rush as her breasts pressed up against his hard chest
“Is there any…?” He seemed to hesitate.
Kanda stared at his yummy lips as he spoke.
“Is there a Mister Candy or a man candy?”
Her eyes widened. Hell yeah, there’s a man candy and I’m looking at him. His expression looked tense as he waited for an answer.
“Oh!” she realized she’d not answered him aloud as she laughed. “No, there isn’t.”
His expression turned serious as he stared intently at her lips now. “I don’t believe that.”
She felt shocked at the accusation. “Why?”
“A woman who looks like you, and with that body? Your smile? Come on!”
Kanda had never received any kind of compliment like this in all her days. “What do you mean—looks the way I…?” She shook her head. “I’m a big woman and there aren’t many real men, you know?”
“This is the territory of Texas, isn’t it?”
She nodded, not understanding what he meant.
“Well, most of the world believes that’s where the real men are.” He winked at her.
Kanda laughed. “Well, that very well may be, but I haven’t met one.” Her eyes locked with his. “Until now, “she whispered.
He released a long breath. “I was wondering…?”
Yes? Kanda’s mind shouted.
“I wanted to know what real candy tastes like.”
Her throat completely closed up as her body shook.
“Is it okay, if I—?” He lowered his lips to hers.
Kanda wasn’t waiting any longer, so she smothered his mouth with hers.
Wrapping his arms tighter around her, Wade lifted her clean away from the floor. His lips pressed against hers while his tongue met with hers.
He was as delicious as she thought he would be, even more so as he tempted her with a breathtaking exploration of her mouth. The kiss grew and grew as he tugged her closer and rubbed her back with those large warm hands. Their bodies were so close together, she could feel his heart beating against her breasts and her nipples throbbed with a life of their own. Her nerves all tingled as well and she knew she was slick between her thighs.
He broke the kiss. “Wow!” he whispered.
Kanda hung limply in his grasp and she couldn’t even swallow, let alone respond. Wow and how! Moisture was still seeping from her.
Wade was smiling as he set her back a little, so he could look at her. “I never thought I would find someone like you out here. It’s like finding a diamond underneath layers of ugly coal.”
I feel the same way, finding a mountain of a man where there are no real mountains or real men! A little perplexed again about why he was here at all, she peered up at him. “What are you here looking for?”
Shaking his head, he lay her back down on the bed. “Not diamonds, that’s for sure.”
She laughed because that would be the find of a century or two. Diamonds in Flatonia? Despite her curiosity and the fact that she was supposed to kick him off her land, she suddenly wanted to ignore all of that. But how could she get to know him without knowing why he was really here?
“I’m a geologist. Actually, I’m a geophysical engineer, but diamonds aren’t what my expertise is.”
Dammit, he went and did it. Although, I think kissing and caressing should have been his field of endeavor. She giggled.
He glanced over at her. “Something funny?”
She suddenly found that she loved hearing that accent and she wanted him to talk about himself. “I was thinking how impossible it would be to find an actual diamond around here. The only place I know of is the Southern Baptist Church bingo parlor, where all the old ladies play.”
Looking amused, Wade moved to the big bureau dresser. “Yeah, I’ve been into town and cute as it is, it ain’t much better than an outback stop.” He gazed at her again and shook his head like he was disappointed about something. “Well, right now, we’d best cover up your brilliant glory.” He rifled through some drawers.
Baffled, she peered down at her bra and underwear. “Oh, yeah!”
He laughed and brought over a large shirt. “It’s too tempting for me.”
Grasping the shirt, she stared at him with a baffled expression.
Leaning in close, he whispered, “I am tempted to mine you.”
Kanda gasped at the tingles that ran along her skin.
“You know, explore your depths—take some samples of your topsoil?”
Her eyes almost rolled in her head at the sensual meaning behind his teasing. Go ahead, mate, I’m ready for the plundering! She swallowed hard and put the shirt on. It hurt to stretch her arms up and she visibly winced with the effort.
“Let me help.” He tugged the shirt down and over her ample curves while he stared at her waist. “You’re just so…”
Kanda was breathing heavily again. So? So what?
“I’m gonna get dinner on.” He stepped away from her. “…and then maybe we can talk about—well, who you are and who I am?”
Nodding her head, she couldn’t speak again. This must be a world record. Kanda Kincade keeping her mouth shut! Well, I know who you are, that’s for sure. You are him! The one I’ve needed and didn’t even know it. She lay down on her stomach and watched what was now the best entertainment in her world—the glorious sight of the well-built and gorgeous Aussie, cooking in his small makeshift kitchen.