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“Who’s this?” I paused on the steps and admired one of the photos. Dusty backed up and squinted to see which one.
“Oh.” He nodded his head and then smiled, proudly. “That’s my great, great-grandfather, taken at this very same ranch some hundred years earlier.” He studied the image for a few seconds, then turned around and contented up the steps. “This ranch holds a lot of history, Leila.” He turned the corner and then motioned for me to follow him into one of the rooms.
“This is one of the guest bedrooms. I thought that maybe for the first few nights, while we get acquainted, you could sleep here. I’m sure it would be rather intimidating to sleep in my bed the first night.” He placed his hands on his hips and I looked at his muscular stature. It sent a wave of emotion through my body and I found myself feeling strongly attracted to him. Maybe sleeping in his bed the first night wouldn’t be so strange, after all.
“Okay. That sounds just fine.” I smiled, afraid to tell him that I wouldn’t mind a little bit of human affection after such a long day of travel. I looked away and set my suitcase on the top of the bed, then followed him into the hallway.
“This is Carter’s nursery.” Dusty poked in his head and then closed the door. “Jasmine is giving him his bed-time bottle. I don’t want to disturb them.” He quietly made his way toward the end of the hall, then opened the door and stepped inside a spacious, airy room. A canopy bed, made entirely of cherry wood, sat in the center and a plush love seat was situated in the corner. I walked gingerly inside, then stood in the corner and watched Dusty open the windows. “I love to let in the fresh, Montana air.” He smiled and then folded his hands in front of him.
“This is really amazing.” I looked around and my eyes fixated on the bed. I could already picture the two of us lying next to each other, looking into each other’s eyes, making love and lounging lazily as the sun rose. I wanted to touch him, already, wanted to tell him that I was glad I had actually sent that letter. I wanted to tell him about Pete, and ho he had encouraged me to reply to the ad, and that Ella had doubted my sanity, as well. Instead, I simply looked around the room, quietly, then backed my way out of the room.
“Thanks for showing me the place, Dusty. I sure am tired, though.” I walked toward the guest room, then sat down on the bed and took off my boots. I wanted to relax and just process all that had happened since last week. I had gone from being a scared, doubtful woman, to being one of slight adventure. I had taken a risk, and so far it was proving to side in my favor. From what I could tell, Dusty was amazing. He seemed to be as interested in making a successful experience out of this as I was.
“Why don’t you get yourself comfortable. I’ll make some tea and bring you a snack before you go to sleep. I have to see Jasmine to the door, and check on Carter one last time.” Dusty closed the door for me on his way out, and I lied back on the bed, closing my eyes which already felt heavy with sleep. Before I knew it, Dusty had returned, a small tray in his hands.
“Here you go, Leila. I made you some cherry blossom tea, and there’s a doughnut from Billings Bakery.” He set the tray by my side and then sat down on the edge of the bed. “Tomorrow we can talk about all of your responsibilities. I think you probably already have a good understanding of what I’m looking for. Right?” Dusty looked at me for a response.
“Yes. I think so.” I leaned forward and picked up the cup. A warm aroma wafted into my nose, and I sipped slowly before continuing. “I could tell from your ad that you had pretty basic needs, and even though they were also specific, I felt like I was more than capable of handing them.” I surprised myself with how confident and collected I sounded. Dusty nodded his head and smiled.
“That’s great to hear, Leila. You know, I have to be honest.” He paused and then rubbed his hands across his knees. “My wife passed away right after Carter was born. It hasn’t even been a year yet, but I knew deep down that I had to find another woman so that I could progress with my life.” Dusty paused and then looked away. “Her death was completely unexpected, so I’m still trying to sort of put the pieces back together, so -to-speak.” Dusty got up abruptly. “Well. That’s it for now. See you in the morning.” Dusty walked out the door, then closed it shut behind him.
Chapter 7
When I woke up the next morning, I was surprised that it was already bright outside. Usually, I arose early enough to see the sun rise. I figured that I must have been so exhausted from travel that I’d just slept soundly until noon. Dusty appeared at my door just as I had slipped on a robe on my way to the bathroom. “Good morning, Sunshine.” He smiled and then handed me a hot cup of coffee. I looked down and smiled.
“Thank you. I’m kind of embarrassed that I slept this late. I’m usually an early riser.” I took a sip of my coffee and then looked toward Carter’s room. “Is the little guy still asleep?” I was curious to see what he looked like. Dusty nodded his head.
“Carter usually gets up around six, then goes down for a nap by about eleven. If that’s any indication of how late you slept, I can tell you that he’s sleeping away right now.” Dusty smiled and then looked at my robe. “You look very attractive first thing in the morning, by the way.” He reached out and touched a tress of my hair. I blushed.
“Well, I hope to make up for my late sleep by getting out and about today.” I was curious about how Montana compared to Arizona, if it did at all. I wondered how much work Dusty would have to do, considering he was a rancher. I thought about Carter, and then tried to imagine what kind of child he was like. I hadn’t been around a baby in such a long time that I was excited to get some time alone with him.
“Why don’t you get a shower? There are fresh towels in the linen cabinet, and I’ve got all kinds of soaps and shampoos in there, too.” Dusty smiled and then disappeared down the steps. I walked into the bathroom, shut the door, and ran the warm water. A huge, claw-foot tub stared back at me and I let my robe sip to the floor. For as appealing as a bath sounded to me at that particular moment, I knew that it was time to get motivated. A shower would do, so I ran the water and then closed the curtain and climbed in.
“Hey, Leila. I’ve got some fresh wash-cloths right here, too.” Dusty poked his head in the door and I balked. I guess it shouldn’t have been a surprise. After all, we were supposed to be partners in this arrangement. At the same time, I simply wasn’t used to having another person in my space. It didn’t feel intrusive, but I was definitely caught off-guard.
“Thanks, Dusty. I appreciate it.” I lathered some soap on my body, then peeked out from behind the shower curtain. “This is a great tub, by the way.” I gave him a little wink and then went back to my shower. He looked so enticing, dressed in his green t-shirt and jeans. I figured that a man like him was probably used to a lot of female attention. He had to be one of the most handsome men I’d ever laid eyes on.
He closed the bathroom door and then left me to finish my morning ritual. It was refreshing to stand under the water, and I closed my eyes for a few moments, imagining the two of us showering together, the water rolling softly over our bodies. I pictured his large hands cupping my breasts and then sliding over my hips. He’d caress my shoulders and kiss my neck, causing me to moan with pleasure. I smiled to myself, amused with my newfound sensuality. After washing my hair and shaving my legs, I stepped out of the tub, wrapped a towel around my body, and tip-toed back to the guest-room. To my surprise, Dusty was seated at the end of the bed waiting for me.
“Wow. You look so fresh and alive.” Dusty ran his hands through his hair and then settled back onto the pillows. “You don’t mind if I…” He paused and then smiled. “You don’t mind if I watch you get dressed. Do you?” His mysterious blue-gray eyes danced across my body and I gulped before squeaking out a timid “No.” Dusty smiled and then got himself more comfortable.
I wasn’t sure how to react to his surprise presence in the room. Surely, I would have to just relax and get used to him wanting to be with me. I wanted to be with him, too. I had just spent my entire shower fantasizing about him, and now that he was in front of me, I was too shy to do much of anything. I knew that men liked women who took initiative, so I decided to let my towel drop to the floor, and let him see what I was made of.
“Do you like what you see?” I turned around, slowly, so that he could take in all of my curves and features. I hadn’t been naked in front of a man for almost two years, I guessed. I’d had a one-night stand that had been memorable, but of course, nothing ever came of that escapade. I knew that I didn’t want to become like Ella, hopping form man to man. Because of my exposure to her behavior, I always made it a point to err on the side of conservatism.
“I absolutely love what I see, Leila. In fact, I’m so turned on by your body that I don’t think I can let you put any clothes on just yet.” Dusty leaned forward and then slowly climbed up off the bed. I stood motionless, the slight breeze wafting through the window causing my nipples to grow hard. I looked at Dusty, then reached out for his hand.
“I think you have an incredible figure. I swear, you look so amazing.” Dusty continued admiring me and I closed my eyes, just as he placed a large, firm hand on one of my breasts. I sighed. It felt so amazing, just a simple touch. He slowly toyed with my nipple and I ran my hand down his back. I traced a finger around his waist line and then gently tugged at the belt-loops on his jeans. “You know. This is perfect timing.” Dusty kissed the back of my neck, just like I had pictured. It sent goose-bumps down my spine.
“I think the baby will wake up soon. Right?” I still had my eyes closed, and felt as if I could drift into a sort of trance. Dusty’s touch had me mesmerized. “Maybe we should try to get me dressed.” I smiled and then playfully backed up onto the bed. Dusty followed me and shook his head.
“Carter will be asleep for at least another forty-five minutes. That gives us plenty of time to explore.” Dusty ran his hands over my breasts and then kissed both of them. “Your nipples are sweet as honey. Wow.” Dusty squeezed them and then pressed his body harder against mine. I could already feel the hardness of his groin, and it made me wet between my legs.
“Well, in that case…” My sentence faded and I sprawled back on the bed. Dusty kissed my neck, my breasts, and my stomach. I knew that as soon as he ran a finger between my legs he would discover just how enticed I was with his touch. I craved him and desired his manhood inside of me. He quickly unzipped his jeans and shook them down to the floor. I watched him yank his t-shirt over his head, then ease his body on top of mine.
“Let me make love to you, Leila. I want to feel your body next to mine.” He pressed himself against me and I pulled him closer. “We need to find out if we’re a good fit. Right?” He kissed my ear and then played with my hair. I smiled, then rubbed my hands against his back in a soft, circular motion. His skin felt so warm and inviting under my fingers.
“I had a feeling from the first time I saw your picture that we were going to hit it off just fine.” Dusty looked deep into my eyes and I caressed his back in long, thoughtful strokes. He felt so right next to my body that all I could do was savor the feeling and hope that it lasted as long as possible. Just as he was about to glide his hardened manhood inside of me, I swore that I heard Carter cry. I listened as closely as I could, but as soon as Dusty penetrated my warm, waiting walls, I lost track of my thoughts to get up and check the nursery.
