Page 10 of Rancher’s Healing (Flying Diamond 5)

CHAPTER TEN

JAKE

F ull fall had hit Montana, the temperatures started to drop.

There was frost on everything almost every morning, and life had found its new normal.

We’d all attended Jason’s funeral and helped Hattie as much as we could, since she was wheelchair bound and likely would be for a while.

She’d broken her back and was in pain much of the time, so her visits with the girls weren’t ever very long.

Tayla and I would take them over and would stay close, so we’d be there when they were ready to leave.

It was so much harder than I’d even imagined. Hattie tried to put on a brave face for them, but she was dying inside from grief. Once, when Tayla had taken the girls to the truck and I was closing the door, she’d looked into my soul and wondered how long she’d be able to go on without Jason.

“You’ll do it for your girls, Hattie, because you’re a good mom and you love them. Focus on them and what you have, not on what you lost.”

Her mom had come out of the kitchen as she gripped my hand tightly before I left. “Thanks Jake, I don’t deserve this after everything.”She had support in place and I believed she’d get well again. But now it was time to focus on my future.

Battery operated candles flickered all along the walkway up to the door.

I watched Tayla walk up the sidewalk with a questioning look on her face.

She didn’t knock, just opened the door and saw more candles along the hallway.

“Jake, Lib, Sky, are you here?” She called.

I motioned for the girls to take their places.

“Tayla, welcome to Chez Gordon. For your dining pleasure tonight, we’ve curated a menu that we hope is to your liking.” Libby remembered everything she was supposed to say. Skyla moved behind her and tugged at Tayla’s coat. I couldn’t help but smile when Tayla pretended to let her take it off.

“Please follow us,” Skyla said as she walked beside Libby.

This was it. Now or never, she’d say yes or no.

I pulled out her chair and motioned for her to sit.

Our plates were already served and the girls and I took our places.

This wasn’t originally my plan, but when I’d talked to the girls, they had wanted to be involved.

They sat between us, and this was how it should be.

“This is amazing. You guys have been busy.” Tayla smiled at the girls before she looked at me.

Chatter flowed easily, but I couldn’t hide how nervous I was.

If Tayla realized it, she didn’t mention anything.

The girls cleared the table and sat back down.

“Tayla, you came back into my life in just about the most unexpected way. You also quietly worked your way into my heart and took my daughters under your wing like they’d been a part of your life forever.

” I looked at my girls who were about ready to ruin the not so surprise, surprise.

Moving my chair, I stood and walked over to kneel beside Tayla as the girls came to stand behind me.

“Tayla Miller, when you pictured how your proposal would go, I don’t think you imagined two daughters being included, but this is who I am.

I’m a dad who is completely in love with you.

Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? ”

Tears streamed down her face, and she looked up at the girls before she looked back at me. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” I slipped the ring on her finger, and she didn’t even look at it, just leaned in and kissed me. The girls wrapped their arms around us both, bouncing on their feet and squealing.

When we got things settled down, the desert was set at our places. “So you’ll be our step-mom?” Skyla asked.

“Yep, sweets, I will.” Tayla grinned at her, but there was something bothering Skyla.

“Hey, what’s up?” I asked as I took a spoonful of ice cream.

“Step-mothers are mean. That’s what Jodie Perkins said.” Sky looked worried, and Tayla shifted her chair back from the table. Kneeling beside my youngest daughter, Tayla took her hands.

“Sky, I will answer to whatever you want to call me. There will be times that I have to be the adult, but I promise I will always have your best interest at heart, and I will always keep you safe.” She smiled at Sky and waited.

“Could I tell people you’re my extra mom?”

“I like how that sounds.” Tayla nodded, and they hugged. “Just so you know, you’ll always just be my daughters.” She looked over at Libby, who was smiling through her tears as she nodded.

They’d been hurt by their mom moving on with Jason and his family, and I vowed it would never happen in this house.

I knew Tayla felt the same because she wanted to pummel Hattie every other week.

It hurt her how much the girls were being neglected by their mom, but she never showed it to the girls.

Whenever they saw Hattie, Tayla was her same wonderful self, and I didn’t have any reservations about our life together.

* * *

With the kitchen finally clean, and the girls exhausted from today, they had gone to bed without complaining tonight. Tayla came out of the kitchen with a beer in each hand. “So, fiancé, how are you feeling?” She handed me the drink and sat on my lap, leaning back on the armrest of the couch.

“I feel like my life is perfect,” I told her before kissing her again.

“Me too.” She said between passionate kisses. She pulled away from me and smiled. “When do you want to get married?”

“Tomorrow?” I asked, and she laughed before taking a drink. “Really, any time is good with me, but I’d prefer sooner than later. I’ve waited my entire life to find my soulmate, and I don’t want to go another day without you.”

“You’ll never spend another day without me, marriage license or not. I’m yours forever, doc.” I liked sitting here with her, but I wanted her under me or on me. It didn’t matter. I just wanted her. “Take me to bed,” she whispered, and I stood as she wrapped her legs around me.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

“I didn’t ask, I told.” She ground her hips against me as I walked to our room.

“Is this how married life will be? You bossing me around, telling me what to do?” I asked, before dropping her onto the bed. Her laughter filled the room that had been lonely and quiet for too many years.

“Make love to me,” she whispered as I ran my hand over her body.

“I always do, sunshine,” I replied before I slipped my hand under her shirt. “But you are wearing far too many clothes.” She stood, and I watched raptly as each piece of clothing ended up on the floor.

“It’s your turn, doc.” She grinned as she slid back onto the bed. My clothes quickly landed in the pile with hers.

“Not here. I have a change of plans. Grab that blanket.” Barefoot with only my boxers on, I pointed to the end of the bed, grabbed her hand, and pulled her back to standing.

I wrapped the blanket tight and together, we tiptoed through the dark house and through the front door.

The lights were off in the house, and I quietly opened the front door.

“Jake, where are we going?” Pulling her behind me, we ran across the yard, and I opened the small door on the barn.

“I made love to you for the first time in this barn, so I think it’s only right for our first time as an engaged couple to be back here.” Flicking the light on, we walked to the stairs, Tayla clutching the blanket close to her, staving off the chill in the air.

Flipping the blanket onto the floor of the hayloft, I laid down and waited for her to join me. “It wasn’t just our first time that night,” she said as she stood in front of me.

“I know.” Smiling, I let my gaze travel down her amazing body. “I didn’t know if we’d have another opportunity after that night, and I wanted it to be memorable and perfect for you.”

Her eyes softened, and she shivered. “Jake…”

“Now we’ll have every night for the rest of our lives together. But tonight, I want it to be memorable and perfect again. On your knees, sunshine.” Her eyes grew dark, and she knelt before me as her lips widened into a smile.

“Now I want you to crawl to me.” There wasn’t a question or hesitation, she just did it. She moved across the floor like a cougar stalking its prey. I was the prey, and I didn’t even care.

Our eyes were locked on one another, and she moved right over the top of my rock hard cock.

The muscles in her arms flexed as she lowered and licked the head of my dick.

Letting my eyes fall closed, I groaned at the movement.

I looked at her just as she wrapped her lips around me.

“Fuck, Tayla.” The bubble of her laughter vibrated through me, and I pushed deeper into her throat.

Gripping the base of my shaft, she pulled me all the way out of her mouth, licking her lips and smirking at me. “As fun as this is, I need you.” She whispered as she moved to kiss me.

I slithered under her, grabbing her hips where she knelt and maneuvering her until my mouth found that delicious pink center.

She cried out and her hands fell forward to land in the hay.

The angle pushed her further into my mouth, and I moved one hand around her ass to slide first one, then two fingers inside her.

God, she was already soaked, but I had a primal need to feel her come apart in my hands. Soon her legs were shaking and her thighs squeezed my head even as her slick pussy clenched my fingers with her orgasm.

She panted on her hands and knees, and I pushed my way back up on the blanket until she was poised over my throbbing dick.

“Kiss me,” I growled.

Our lips came together as she sank down on my cock, and we both moaned. As tight as she was, I knew I wouldn’t last long, but I was still determined to make this a night to remember. I teased her nipples and played with her clit until her rhythm changed.

Then I thrust harder and harder, taking over while her hands settled on my chest. When she found my own nipples, my jaw clenched together.

“Damn it, Tay.”

“Now, Jake, now,” she replied with a gasp.

And we both fell apart in an explosion of fireworks that should’ve burned down the barn.

My vision went white as she squeezed and spasmed, her breathy cries making me pump harder, longer until I was wrung out and bone dry.

The weight of her delicious body fell atop mine, and I rubbed soothing circles over her back.