Monday . . . Since Saturday afternoon, Ray had avoided Ava like the plague and she was glad of it. He hadn’t sat down at meal times with the boys or Jesse. And when Ray was at home, he went straight to his bedroom or study. Jesse had come by her quarters Saturday night after they had all gone out for dinner. He had brought her two pieces of pepperoni pizza. “Don’t let Ray upset you. It was obvious you remembered that you knew how to ride and very well I might add.” “Thank you,” she had said and took the small box that said Frank’s on top of it. “Sure. And one more thing. Ray doesn’t want the boys to know you have amnesia. That’s why he interrupted out there this afternoon. It was obvious you were going to tell them.” “Yes, but it’s not a secret.” “Well, Ray wants it to be a secret from the boys. He said he didn’t want the boys to know you were sick. He’s afraid it might upset Tom and . . .
Saturday night . . . Ava had cooked racks of lamb, asparagus, and roasted potatoes for dinner. It was the first time she had cooked lamb and it turned out great. The boys seemed to like it. Ava had wrapped up a plate for Ray and put it in the microwave as usual. She hadn’t seen him since the day they had all gone riding and she was glad – in a way. Despite his attitude, he was easy on the eyes. But Jesse was handsome, too, in his own right and she would be looking at him half the night. Ava and the kids walked out of the kitchen to the living room. “Will you two be all right until your father gets home?” Apparently, Ray, Gill, and Wes rode out on the range to check on a small herd that had wandered to the east end of the property. “Yeah,” Dax said as he plopped down in an arm chair. He swung his leg over one of the arms. “Are you going to get ready for your date with Uncle Jesse?” Tom asked as he sat down Indian s
Jesse wore a brown Stetson, blue jeans that were nice and tight around his buttocks and a long-sleeved, ivory buttoned-down shirt. His features were attractive, nose of average size, brown eyes, and a smile that would make Ms. America contestants swoon. Ava did find him attractive but she found Ray more physically attractive with his chiseled jaw and his once in a while unshaved shadow. Him being in his fifties just made him more handsome and distinguished. His metallic-colored hair shimmered in the sunlight sometimes. If Ray had Jesse’s personality, she might make an outright pass at him. But Jesse was nice enough and seemed fun. Ava could use some fun. Ava had put on a brown leather skirt that came above her knees and a semolina-colored blouse. She left the first two buttons undone. “What do you want to try first? The tequila or the beer?” Jesse asked. Ava picked up the beer mug. “Beer it is,” Jesse said as he leaned back i
Jesse put his arm around Ava’s waist. They had only taken three steps away from the dance floor when Ray and a smaller, younger man had approached them. “What the hell are you doing here?” Jesse asked with slight surprise. “We’re here for a change of scenery. Right, Shane?” Ray said as he looked Jesse square in his eyes. “Yes, sir,” Shane said like a dutiful solider. Jesse’s gaze did not avert from his brother’s. “Yeah. Ava, I don’t think you ever met Shane. Shane, Ava. Ava, Shane.” “Nice to officially meet you, Miss Ava. I sure did enjoy that chili you made over a week ago,” Shane said as he tipped his white cowboy had at her. “Thank you,” Ava said with a little smile. What in the world is Ray doing here? She refused to believe he had come to hang out with this little cowboy. Just the way he was staring at Jesse told her something was going on. “Shane, why don’t you escort Miss
Ava, Ray, and Jesse, said goodbye to Shane, Lance, and Gill and headed for the front door. It was after eleven. “Hey, where are you going?” a man asked loudly. They turned to see Hawk Calhoun. “What about that dance?” Hawk asked. “Oh,” Ava nearly slurred. She had forgotten. “Another time, Hawk, we’re leaving,” Jesse said. “I just want one dance,” Hawk slurred. “It will only take five minutes.” “All right,” Ava said. She didn’t want the situation to escalate all because – “No,” Ray said sternly. Jesse rolled his eyes as he started taking off his watch. “What?” Ava and Hawk slurred at the same time. “You’re not dancing with him tonight or any other night,” Ray said nastily. “I’m not,” Ava squeaked out. “You’re not,” Ray reiterated with determination. “Why –” Ava began. “Why don’t you let the lady s
Being a smart ass or not, both brothers met her in the kitchen. She had gotten a first aid kit from the hall bathroom. Jesse had wanted a steak over his eye, but Ava had made him use a small ice pack she had made for him. “It’s a waste of food,” she had said haughtily. Jesse’s side was sore, but she couldn’t tell if he had any broken ribs or not. “Even if I do, there’s nothing that can be done about them,” Jesse said. “Ribs have to heal on their own.” Ava cleaned and attended to the cut on Jesse’s hand. Ray held a handkerchief over his nose as she bandaged Jesse’s hand. “Thank you, lovely,” Jesse said. “Would you ever be so kind to get me a beer from the fridge?” Ava got him a beer and even opened it for him with the can opener that was on a magnet on the refrigerator. She handed it to him and went to Ray. “Let me see,” she said. “It’s fine,” Ray insisted. She smacke
The New York Times Society Young Billionaire Heiress Missing! By Judy Budd I had found it suspicious that Ava Bartholomew had not been seen at any summer and this season’s events. After a lot of questioning and digging for almost a month, this reporter has learned – to her horror, Ava Bartholomew has been missing for a little over four months! Apparently, one of her father’s, billionaire publisher and investor, Lester Bartholomew, jets had mal
Lester loved Ava. He truly did. But he hated and despised the pussy she came out of, namely Whitney. “How could you not call me when my only child – our child was in a plane crash and reported missing! How!” Whitney shrieked. “I always knew you were a rude and crude bastard, a liar, a cheat but I never thought you were a complete sociopath! “Yeah, yeah, yeah, what is it the young people say now? All that talkin’ do that shit while you walkin’,” Lester said as he glared at her. “Out the door and out this house so that we’re clear.” “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on, you, you . . . demon from hell,” she sneered. She wore a dark red collarless peplum blazer with a matching pencil skirt. A mink fur was hanging over her shoulders, secured with a gold chain in the middle that hovered above her waist. She looked damn good as always, but the black widow looks good, too, until she strikes. “Detestable woman, if
Ray had won first place for bull riding and breakaway roping. He had two blue ribbons and nine thousand dollars in prize money. “I had no idea the prize money was so substantial in a rodeo,” Ava said as they walked upstairs at The Coyote Bluff Estate. Ray nodded. “Contestants can win up to ten to twelve thousand, depending on how many people are in the contests and how many there are in.” “Wow,” Ava mumbled. They got outside of their rooms. “So . . . would you like to come to my room tonight?” Ray asked. Ava’s body tingled all over at the proposition. “Yes. Just let me grab some things, and I’ll be right over.” **** Ray had taken off his boots and socks. His clothes were dusty and dirty and so was he. He had asked Ava to give him a half hour to take a quick shower. He didn’t want to smell like horse sweat and dust
What the hell was I thinking? I haven’t rode a bull in five years. The same for barrel racing. Roping a calf? I do that all the time. But the other things I’m rusty on. I gotta be. I’m older now, too. I could break my damn neck out there. But it was too late now. Ray had paid the entry fees for the three contests and met Lou’s new wife, all the while Ava looked up at him dreamily like a teenage girl who had a big crush. He couldn’t back out. He would look like a coward if he did. And he didn’t want to disappoint Ava. She seemed excited at the prospect of him possibly breaking his neck in the arena. Nathan and Kevin had congratulated Ray and Ava on their new relationship. And asked about how the rest of the football season went for the Broadwater Bulldogs. They had nearly flipped out of their boots when Ray had told them the Bulldogs had won the championship game. Then they had hooted and hollered when Ray told them how well Dax had played that nigh
Ava finished getting ready as quick as she could. She couldn’t wait for Ray to come back over. So, she went to his door. Ray opened it with a smile. “Couldn’t wait to see me again, huh?” He wore a maroon-colored long sleeve shirt with pearl snap buttons and black jeans. Ava grinned. “I always love to see you and as fast as I can, but . . . I came over instead of waiting for you because I had another memory as I was getting dressed. This was the first memory she has told him about in a while. She hadn’t told him about the last few. “Oh?” Ray said as he stood aside, letting her in. Ava walked in as she told him about what she had remembered. “I could have been to Townsend before. I mean . . . the woman invited me to her wedding to a man with the last name Townsend. He could be a descendant of the founder of the town. Or a descendant of someone who lived in the town when it was first established.” “Hmm. I don’t know,
Ava was practically purring like a cat that was being rubbed the right way when Ray began moving up her body. He couldn’t hold out anymore. His goal was to give her as much pleasure as he could as a reward for being so patient while he sorted himself out. Ray hadn’t meant to make her cum so early like that, but the sound of her moans – and knowing he was the cause of it made him want to prove that he could satisfy her. And he was about to do it again whether she was ready or not. Ray got on his knees and lifted one smooth, luscious leg and placed it against him. Ava sultrily widened the other, knowing what he was about to do. He grabbed his manhood and placed the tip at her opening. Then he pushed in. “Uh,” Ava moaned as he slowly entered her soaking, wet pussy. Ray tried going slow at first since she was so tight, but something rose up in him. Like an animal had awakened in him that smelled a hottie in heat. He began thrusting in her –
Ava pulled out of the kiss. “Kissing me isn’t going to fix this, Ray.” He released her. “I know,” he said as he entered the room, making her walk backwards a few steps. Once he had enough room, he turned to close the door and secured the deadbolt. “Oh, no,” Ava began sternly. “You’re not staying so we can talk. I’m done, Ray.” “I know,” he said as he took of his coat and black Stetson. As he tossed the hat on the desk and the coat on the chair, Ava said, “I mean it. Don’t get comfortable because you are not staying. I mean it.” “I know.” He loosened the first top buttons of his shirt then he had the nerve to sit on the edge of the king size bed. “What the hell are you doing?” “Taking my boots off,” he answered like there was nothing unorthodox about what he was doing. “Why are you – I don’t care why just leave them on and get out.” Ava walked to the other side of the room.
“Hey, Ray,” Troy greeted as he approached. “Hey. You guys have fun?” Ray asked and sipped his scotch. “Oh, yeah. It was great. Me and my friends were talking and we hoped Ava would come with us tonight to a club.” “What she say?” “I don’t know, yet. My friends are asking her now but I had a feeling she wouldn’t say yes unless it’s okay with you.” “Oh. Well, if she really wants to go –” “You’ll be okay with that?” “Yeah.” “There’s just one thing, though.” “What?” “Um . . . do you mind staying behind? No offense. You’re a really cool guy but it would be pretty awkward to go to a nightclub with someone’s dad.” “What?” Ray said as his eyes narrowed. “Look, I’m sure you and Ava came up here to spend some father/daughter time together and I – I mean we don’t want to interfere in that, but, surely, you can give her one night out with peop
The Coyote Bluff Estate was more beautiful in person than it was online. Snow covered the landscaping. It was a huge log cabin home that was turned into a getaway. The two owners were friendly. They took them on a quick tore inside and then showed them to their rooms. Ava’s room was across the hall from Ray’s. They had lunch an hour before they had gotten to their location. So, they decided to get back in the truck and look around at the sites. Apparently, Ray hadn’t been to Kalispell in ten years. He had said a lot had changed since then. They took a tour of Glacier National Park to look at the scenery and the wildlife. When they had finished with that, they had gone to The Montana Club Restaurant for dinner. During dinner, Ray opened up to her, telling her more about his parents and grandparents.After dinner, they went back to the estate. It was almost eight o’clock.As they walked to their rooms, Ava said, “I have to say you seem more . . . relaxed than usual.”“Oh? We
Two days later . . . After dinner, Ray was packing what he needed for his trip with Ava. They were leaving in the morning around nine. They had told the boys they were going on a short trip together and would be back sometime Sunday. Jesse was in attendance for dinner tonight. They seemed to be fine with it. Dax and Tom had wished them a good time. Jesse was milling around in Ray’s bedroom like he used to when he was a teen, looking over him as he packed and asking a bunch of annoying questions. “Did you buy new drawls?” Jesse asked as he paced by Ray for the tenth time. “No. Why do I need new drawls? What I got is fine.” “No holes in them?” “No!” “Skid marks the washing machine couldn’t get out?” “Shit no, Jesse!” Ray shouted. “Now, if that’s all, can you get the hell out of here!” “One more thing.” Jesse rounded around him as he reached in his pocket. He pulled som
Two days later . . . Ray was in the stables preparing Nicklaus for travel tomorrow. For the first time he was being put out to stud. Ray was going to send him to the man that liked Nicklaus more than Whisper, the Albano, he had originally wanted to put out to stud. “I’ve seen her, buddy,” Ray said as he packed up Nicklaus’s favorite feed in the corner for the boys to take when they backed up the truck. “You’ll love her. Trust me.” The horse snorted nastily. “Hey,” Ray eased out as he stood straight from bending over. “I wouldn’t lie to you.” Nicklaus blinked. He had a solid shiny, brown coat along with a long, brown mane and tail. “Are you nervous?” The horse turned his head a little. “There’s a first time for everyone, buddy. Just . . . take your time. Let her feel you out and you feel her out.” Nicklaus turned back to him. “I know you weren’t expecting