THE RANCH - CHAPTER 15

As usual, Dorothy was the last one to wake up in the morning and found the other three eating breakfast. She felt a pang of guilt. Knowing the Rogers was leaving today she should have been up to make them something to eat. Instead, Charlene was busy cooking away and motioned for her to sit while she dished out a plate full of food for her.

‘Thanks, Charlene, but I should be the one cooking for you, seeing that you’re leaving today.’ She felt Luke’s hand on her knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

‘Don’t be silly honey, I love cooking for my family,’ she said and sat down, picking up her coffee. ’That’s a beautiful necklace you’re wearing.’

Dorothy’s hand went to her neck, her fingers caressed the Gold Heart. ’Thank you. Luke gave it to me.’ Looking over at him smiled, his hand was still on her knee.

Denny chuckled. ’My son always did have good taste. Just look at the beauty he married.’

Dorothy blushed, she would truly miss these two. ’Then I must also have good taste since I married your son.’ She looked at the couple and sadness gripped her heart. ’I do wish you both could stay longer. I will miss you both.’ Maybe it was her hormone but whatever it was she couldn’t stop her tears from falling down her face. Besides her own mother, these two felt like her parents even though she had only known them a short time. But they showed her more love than her father had in all her life.

Charlene got up and rushed over to her side. ’We’ll miss you too sweetheart.’ Taking a serviette wiped away her tears. ’We will come back and call all the time. I always wished I had another child, a girl. It seems I got my wish.’

The tender scene between the two women had both men tearing up. Luke was amazed at how his parents warmed up to Dorothy so quickly. After the dishes were washed up they all went into the living room. Luke’s parents wanted to talk to them before leaving.

Charlene did the talking. ’Luke honey, it was always your father and my intention that when you found the woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with we wanted to give you this diamond ring to give to her.’ She took off her engagement ring, the one that had been passed down through generations and held it out to him.

‘Mom.’ Luke started to protest.

Charlene holds up her hands, stopping him. ’This ring you will someday pass down to your son to give to his wife. Now you take it and place it on Dorothy’s finger.’

Luke took the ring and turning to her she shakes her head.

Dorothy was beside herself with guilt, the ring was beautiful. It was a family heirloom and was meant for someone who Luke truly loved and would be married to forever. It was not right that she should wear it. ’I can’t,’ she cried out.

Luke went to her, taking her hand. ’It’s going to be ok,’ he said as he slipped the ring on her finger.

She looked at the large diamond in the center, small one surrounding it. ’It’s really beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it before. ’Her eyes were most with tears.

‘My it does look good on you dear,’ Charlene said, she takes Dorothy’s hand to admire it. ’It suits you.’

After all the hugs and kisses Denny and Charlene head off with the promise that they would come back for another visit.

Dorothy takes off the ring and hands it to Luke. ’Put this somewhere safe and give it to your real wife someday.’ Every part of her wished that she could be that person, the one he would love and want to be with forever.

Luke’s palms were sweaty, his heart ached. Holding the ring he looked at her, there was so much sadness in her eyes, matching what was in his heart. ’Maybe you should keep wearing it.’

‘Why?’ She asked, turning to look back at him.

‘I was thinking that a child needs two parents. Ones that live in the same home. So maybe you should stay living here, even after the year is up.’

‘Children also need two parents who love each other, not just living together. And it wouldn’t be fair to you if the right woman comes along and you weren’t available.’ Not wanting Luke to see her cry she turned and walked out of the room.

He followed right behind her, grabbing her arm swung her around to face him. ’Maybe I do.’

‘Do what?’ she asked him, her eyes filled with the tears she didn’t want him to see.

‘Love you.’

‘What?’

‘I love you Dorothy. Your father may have forced us to marry but he didn’t force me into falling in love with you, neither did you, You teased me, flirted and showed off your body in an attempt to get me to sleep with you. What you don’t know is the moment I saw you in your father’s office. I wanted you.’

Moving closer he placed his hands on either side of her face.

‘Tell me you don’t love me and I’ll let you leave when the year is up.’

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, it was like a dream come true. He really did love her and wanted her to stay.

There was no way she was going to lose him, not now. ’I can’t tell you I don’t love you Luke because I do love you.’

His heart was bursting with joy when she told him she loved him. ’You do?’

‘Yes, I love you, Mr Rogers.’

‘I love you, baby.’ Letting go of her face he undid his shirt and removed it, his eyes glued to her face. The warmth of her hands when she placed them on his bare chest had the blood pumping fast trough his veins. Ripping open her shirt his mouth went to her breasts as he slowly edged her backward, towards the sofa.

Laying her down he removed his pants and undoing the button on her jeans pulled them down at her in her bra and panties, she had a small baby bump. ’God, you are so beautiful.’ Unhooking her bra he tossed it away and with his lips left a trail of wet kisses as he moved down, pulling off her panties.

She arched her back and moaned when he stroked her into a climax he stroked her into a climax with just his fingers and mouth. He then embedded himself inside her, thrusting in and out, letting her know she belonged to him and no one else. Her scalp tingled, toes curled when she felt the hot, velvety length of him moving faster and deeper, sparking the heat in the pit of her belly.

When she had come for the second time he then allowed himself to let loose and he too came, his body shook and trembled and collapsed on top of her. His breathing ragged and choppy he shifted his position, his arm slid around her waist as he lowered his head and took her mouth with heated desire and vengeance. She had her hands tangled in his hair, holding him closer as their mouths continued their attack on each other.

There wasn’t much room on the sofa but with them laying face to face they made do.

His one hand moved along her curves, he loved the way her skin felt like silk. ’Now that you’ll be staying I want to let you know your father won’t be a problem. I’ll make sure he stays away from you.’

‘I know you will, but knowing him he won’t even bother with me anymore.’

‘You know we’re going to have to fix up that spare room and turn it into a nursery for the baby. I’ll pick up some paint tomorrow. What colour would you like?’

She smiled, tracing her lips along his mouth. ’I haven’t really thought about it.’

Pressing her body into him felt him getting hard and she then kissed him, letting him roll her onto her back.

Later she went with him to feed the horses.

‘I would love for you to take me riding someday. I haven’t been riding in over two years,’ she said as she patted the one horse.

‘I didn’t know you knew how to ride.’

‘There’s a lot about me you don’t know,’ she said, winking.

Pulling her into his arms looked deep into her brown eyes. ’Well, we have years ahead of us for me to find out all there is to know.’ Leaning her up against the fence, his hands on either side of her went to kiss her but she stopped him, looking over his shoulder. ’What’s wrong?’ he asked, turning to see what got her attention.

‘I thought I saw someone behind the trees, over there.’ She pointed to the woods.

Luke shook his head. ’How can you see that far away.’

‘I have perfect vision. Maybe I was mistaken, it could have been an animal.’ This is what she tried to convince herself of, though she again had the feeling someone was watching them.

‘Will it make you feel better if I go and check?’

‘Yes,’ she said, nodding her head.

‘Ok, you stay here and I’ll be right back.’ Jumping on the back of one of his horses bareback he took off towards the woods.

Fifteen minutes late he returned, getting down he put the horse back inside the fenced area. ’I didn’t see anything or anyone, no tracks, nothing.’

Though he said those words to her he had to wonder if there was something going on, first the car with the tinted windows and now this, it couldn’t be a coincidence.

‘Sorry, Luke. It must be the hormones making me crazy.’

‘Let me take you out to a nice steak dinner,’ he said, wanting to change the subject.

Wrapping her arms around his neck she smiled. ’That sounds good, anything to get out of cooking and cleaning.’

They called Keenan and asked if he and Kimberly wanted to go with them, which they gladly accepted. Over dinner they discussed what colour to paint the nursery. Keenan said he’d help. Since she didn’t want to know the sex of the baby they picked a powder blue for the paint.

Luke asked them if they had noticed any strangers coming into town, describing the dark car with tinted windows. Or if Kimberly had anyone new come into the ’Pancake Shack,’ neither one knew anything.

‘We also have some good news to tell you.’ Luke said, putting his arms around Dorothy’s shoulder.

‘What’s that?’ Keenan asked, taking a bite of his steak.

‘Dorothy and I are staying together when the year is up. We are going to make this marriage work, we love each other.’

Kimberly clapped her hands together.’ I knew it, I just knew you two were falling in love. Oh, I’m so happy for you both.’ She looked at the couple and turned serious. ’As evil as your father is Dorothy he did you both a great favour, he brought two people together who found love with each other.’

‘Yes, he did.’ Dorothy agreed. ’But I won’t be calling him anytime soon to thank him’ She touched Luke’s face. ’I am glad we met and married. I can honestly say that I would never have thought I’d like living in the country, but I love it here and I don’t miss the city one little bit.’

‘Awe,’ Kimberly squealed with delight. ’Go ahead and kiss you two, you know you want to.’

‘She’s right about that, I do want to kiss those gorgeous lips of yours.’

‘Go ahead cowboy before someone else comes along and does it,’ she said teasingly. ’Like I’ll ever let another man kiss you,’ he said as his mouth came down to hers. He didn’t care who was watching as he kissed her with deep passion, pulling her close.

‘Ok, ok that’s enough now,’

Keenan chuckled.

"DOROTHY'S SECRETS ARE GOING TO BE REVEALED, IS SHE SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT AND WHO'S THE FATHER OF HER BABY???KEEP READING TO FIND OUT MORE!