TIS THE SEASON...FOR ROMANCE (WESTMORELAND/MASTERS/JEFFERIES) (8 page)

He never thought of getting serious until after he’d met Barbara, and after taking her out he knew she was someone he wanted to continue to get to know. He knew firsthand all the hurt she’d endured by a man and that she would be somewhat cautious in giving her heart to another any time soon. Presently, he enjoyed the getting-to-know-you stage and was glad to discover that they liked some of the same things and enjoyed indulging in a lot of the same activities.

As he slid his metal frame reading glasses on his face to check out his favorite magazine, he couldn’t help but look forward to tomorrow. He would be picking her up around six in the morning. The trip from Orlando to Ocala wouldn’t take long. It would be a leisurely drive down Interstate 75, and at some point they would stop to grab something for breakfast.

He could tell that Barbara was beginning to feel comfortable with him, and that was a good sign. He would continue to show her that she was worth all the attention he was giving her and more.

* * *

“Sounds like you and Detective Blair are enjoying each other’s company,” Courtney said, glancing across the room at her mother.

Barbara smiled as she continued to fold clothes. She usually did laundry on Friday nights. “Yes, we are,” she said and then added. “And he’s no longer a detective.”

Courtney smiled. “I know, I know, but I’d gotten used to calling him that.”

Barbara smiled. “That’s fine.” She then paused as she thought about all the fun she’d had going boating with Rick on Wednesday and how she was looking forward to the trip to Ocala tomorrow.

“What time is he picking you up in the morning?”

“Around six, but we’ll be back late tomorrow night.”

Courtney laughed. “You don’t have to rush back. You’re grown. If the two of you decide to check into a hotel instead of returning then -”

“Courtney!”

“What?”

“Of course we won’t be stopping to check into a hotel. We don’t know each other that way,” Barbara said, wondering if her daughter saw the flush of embarrassment on her face.

Courtney gave her mother a serious look. “Well, don’t be surprised if the relationship turns on you. Rick Blair is a handsome man and -”

“And your mother is a fifty year old woman and not a teenager with erratic hormones, Courtney. I think I can control myself.”

“You’d be surprised, Mom. Some men are more sexual than others and once they turn that irresistible charm on you, it might be hard to resist.”

Barbara began folding clothes again, not believing the conversation she was having with her daughter. And besides that, Courtney was talking like she had some experience in the matter and as far as Barbara was concerned, that was too much information for a mother to know, regardless of how old her child was. “Can we change the subject?”

“If you want to, but you’re my mother. I love you and I don’t want you to get caught unprepared. As long as you have a period you are capable of getting pregnant.”

“Courtney!”

“Mom, please chill. Talking about sex with your grown daughter isn’t all that serious. It should be more natural for you to discuss it with me now more so than it was when I was a teenager.”

Barbara sighed. Maybe Courtney thought it should be more natural, but she for one didn’t think it was. At the moment she just couldn’t think about having sex with Rick. In fact, she couldn’t think about having sex with any man. Although she would admit those kisses she and Rick had shared on Wednesday had been…how would Courtney describe it? Off the charts.

She smiled thinking that she had never been kissed that way before, with so much intensity and hunger. He had nibbled at her lips the same way he’d nibbled at those cookies.

“You know there’s nothing wrong with women having their own stash of condoms, Mom.”

Barbara stopped folding clothes again and just stared at her daughter. “What are you trying to do? Put ideas in my head?”

“No. I just want you to know it’s okay to embrace your sexuality.”

She gave her daughter a half smile and glanced back down at her towels. “I’m not from that time era, Courtney.”

“I don’t care what era you’re from, all women have needs that will get the best of them sooner or later, so I suggest you be prepared in case it might be sooner than later.”

Barbara shrugged. “I don’t appeal to Rick that way.”

Courtney laughed. “Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself? If you’re trying to convince me don’t waste your time. And you can’t judge Detective Blair by Dad’s actions. They’re not the same man.”

Now that much Barbara believed.

“And speaking of Dad, what’s up with him?”

Barbara placed the clothes aside and raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

“He’s acting like a sore loser. He knows you’re seeing someone, although I don’t think he knows who. He tried to weasel it out of me and couldn’t. I told him it really wasn’t any of his business who you dated and if he was beginning to feel bored that maybe he should call his old friend Ashira Wilson. And that maybe a trip with her back to Hawaii would be nice.”

Barbara gaped at Courtney for a moment. She really shouldn’t be surprised she’d told her father that. Courtney liked reminding him that he had been the one who’d screwed up in their marriage and not her mother.

“Anyway,” Courtney was saying. “I believe he thought getting you back would be easy, but now the thought that he might be losing you, really losing you, is a bitter pill for him to swallow. He’s fighting it all the way. I sense he’s not going down in defeat easily.”

Barbara shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve never given Ron a reason to think we could ever repair our marriage. And if your father wants to live under the false allusion that we can, then I feel sorry for him.”

And she really meant it. A part of her did feel sorry for him. He’d lost his teaching job at the university and was doing consulting work for some tourist company mainly from home. She wondered just where all his sophisticated hoochies were when he needed them?

She drew in a deep breath, not wanting to be bitter and knowing that no matter what, she really did wish Ron the best and wanted him to get on with his life, like she was trying to get on with hers.

Deciding she needed to change the subject, she asked. “So are we on for next Saturday? Shopping and then lunch, followed by that jewelry show at the St. Laurent Hotel?”

“Yes.”

Courtney didn’t know it but a surprised bridal shower was being planned for her that day at the hotel. Barbara’s job was to make sure her daughter showed up. “Good. I’m looking forward to it.”

Rick glanced over at Barbara as Sid led two horses over toward them. He could tell by the expression on her face that she was excited about the aspect of riding one of them.

When he’d arrived at her house early that morning, she had opened the door to him wide awake with a smile on her face and ready to go. And she’d already been dressed in the proper riding attire.

During the drive to Ocala, she’d shared with him about her five years of horse-riding classes and how much she’d enjoyed them. She’d even admitted wanting to compete in races but her mother refused to let her do so.

He had enjoyed her company and was still enjoying it, and could immediately tell that Sid liked her. Barbara was so down to earth and friendly, Sid mentioned wanting her to meet Margo, the woman he would be marrying. She would be dropping by later.

As if she sensed his eyes on her, Barbara turned her head and met his gaze. The moment their eyes connected he felt a deep pull in his gut and was suddenly engulfed in a cocoon of longing and desire so intense, for a moment he was held motionless. No telling how long he would have stood there drowning in the depth of her chocolate brown eyes if one the horses’ loud whine hadn’t filled the air and drawn their attention.

Rick reluctantly broke eye contact and shifted his gaze to watch as Sid approached. Feeling his need to do something helpful, Rick stepped forward to assist Sid by claiming one of the horses.

He glanced back over at Barbara. “Are you ready to ride?”

She smiled. “Yes, I’m ready.”

* * *

It had been years since Barbara had been on the back of a horse, but once she’d mounted and trotted around the yard a few times, it only seemed like yesterday. According to Sid, the mare that Rick had chosen for her to ride was one of the most well behaved animals they owned. And with Rick by her side on a huge bay, they covered a lot of distance in a trot before easing into a pleasant gallop. It was only then that she remembered just how much she’d loved horseback riding. It had always been so relaxing to her as well as a way to appreciate the natural beauty of open land.

Sid’s ranch was huge and encompassed over two hundred acres. She could understand why Rick would come here on occasion. She liked Sid and could tell he and Rick were close friends. When she’d arrived the man’s deep blue eyes had held a friendly glint and it didn’t take long to see his personality matched what she’d seen in the depths of his gaze.

“You want to stop and rest up for a while before we head back?”

They had slowed the horses to a trot and she glanced over at Rick and smiled. “Only because I know the horses need it, but I’m enjoying myself so much I can ride for a little longer.”

“You like it here?”

She glanced around, looked back at him and said. “What’s there not to like? It’s simply beautiful here.”

The smile that touched his lips made goose bumps form on her arms. “I think so as well.”

The horses had come to a stop underneath a huge oak tree and she thought at that moment Rick sitting on the horse made such an impressive picture she would capture it in her memory for a lifetime.

She watched as he eased his long legs over the side of the horse to slide down to the ground. She’d seen men mount and dismount horses before, but never had she seen one do so to the point that it caused such a rippling effect to go through her.

After tying the reins of his horse to a tree, he moved to help her down. He reached out and extended his arms up to her, and with an ease that made one think he’d done this for her before, helped her from her horse, letting her body slide down against his and into his open arms.

Their bodies were flushed together and she stared into the darkness of his eyes and sucked in a deep breath when somehow their mouths became just inches apart. And when he lowered his mouth closer, she tilted upward to meet his in a connection, being drawn to him by the heated look in his eyes.

The joining of their mouths seemed to be as natural as breathing and the contact not only touched her on a physical level but it was affecting her on an emotional one as well. He kissed her soundly and deeply. And when he deepened the kiss, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and stretched closer to him. Never had kissing absorbed this much energy from her, while at the same time giving her so much strength.

To be held in a man’s arms and kissed by him as if she was the only female on earth made her want to embrace womanhood in a whole new light. Who would have thought that at fifty, after divorcing the man she’d spent over thirty years with, that she could feel such strong sexual sensations. More than she could comprehend.

And when he finally released her mouth, her head fell limply to his chest. He continued to hold her while she breathed in his manly scent and fought to get her bearings. Although questions began forming in her mind of how such a thing with them was possible, she knew the reason. Rick wasn’t like other men. And he was doing a good job of making her feel like she wasn’t like other women.

She tilted her head back and gazed up at him, not knowing what to say and decided at a time like this it was probably best not to say anything at all. He reached out and the tip of his thumb stroked her cheek and he whispered in a soft voice. “I’m going to make it my business to erase every bit of pain and hurt that I see lingering in your eyes.”

She became mesmerized by his words and fought against the thickness she suddenly felt in her throat. Those words would always be precious to her regardless of whether he was able to do what he’d said he would do or not. It was the thought that he wanted to achieve them that counted the most.

And then his head dipped toward hers again and the moment their lips touched and their tongues tangled, she knew that Rick Blair assumed she was once again ready for love, both to give it and to receive it.

Now the question that raced through her mind was whether or not she truly was.

* * *

“Thanks for spending the day with me, Barbara. I had a good time and enjoyed your company.”

Barbara glanced over at Rick as he walked her to her door. It was after midnight and they were just returning from Ocala, but she had to admit she could have stayed even longer. Sid’s fiancée had arrived by the time they’d returned from riding and she and Margo had hit it off immediately. They even had something in common since both their daughters were engaged to be married. Margo’s daughter had decided on a Valentine wedding, so Barbara and Margo had had a lot to talk about.