July 4th came and the ranch decided not to hold a fireworks show. It was far too dry to be safe. Instead, the festival that had been held in town for time immemorial was touted to the guests and most of them decided to attend. Luke and Hannah took both the kids and went themselves.
The town folk had finally stopped ignoring Hannah or acting as if
the Whore of Babylon were walking down the sidewalk. Most stopped to look at
and admire Calli and ask Stevie if he liked being a big brother. They wanted to
know how she was doing, if Calli was a good baby; pretty much all the usual
give and take that had permeated Hannah’s life since she’d arrived all those
years ago. Of course, there were a few who turned their backs or looked right
through her, but it didn’t bother her because they weren’t the people that
really mattered to her.
While Luke took Stevie on the rides that were appropriate for his
age, Hannah moved through the various displays of home-canned goods,
quilt-making and other fair exhibits. She particularly liked the floral exhibits
and decided she was going to have a flower and herb garden. She made note of
some of the names so she could ask for their advice later on.
When she met up with Luke and Stevie, her son was carrying a
rather large plush bear. His dad had tried his luck at the various games and
managed to win the thing for Stevie. Hannah figured it would become Stevie’s
new bed partner that very evening.
They moved on to the fair food vendors. Hannah stayed away from
her favorite hot spicy fare since it gave Calli indigestion, but found more than
enough, you can only get it like this at a fair, food. She was stuffed by the
time they were finished. Luke also made a wide variety of choices and Hannah
didn’t believe he’d actually be able to eat the entire turkey leg and
everything else. He had to be miserable when he’d cleaned all those plates. At
the same time, Luke allowed Stevie to have all the junk food he desired from
cotton candy to some kind of shaved ice. Hannah hoped Stevie wouldn’t upchuck
in the truck on the way home. Hell, she hoped she wouldn’t upchuck on the way
home.
Hannah wanted nothing more than to unbutton her jeans, but that
wasn’t a possibility. They wandered around and finally found a place that would
allow them a view of the sky over the lake that was some distance away. The
town fireworks would be shot off there because it would be safer than anywhere
else. Finally, it got dark enough for the show. All too soon as far as Stevie
was concerned, it was over and time to head for the ranch.
Finally, Hannah thought as she unbuttoned her jeans and drug a
pair of pajama bottoms out of the drawer. She was almost back to the size she’d
been before Calli’s birth, but there were enough pounds to go that her jeans
were still way too tight, especially when she made a pig out of herself. Stevie
had fallen asleep on the way home and Luke had carried him inside. Hannah assumed
Luke was putting him to bed. It had been a very long day for all of them and
she herself was very tired.
Ready for bed, Hannah was almost there when Luke appeared in her
doorway.
“Stevie’s sound asleep. I didn’t bother with jammies, just took
off his shoes and jeans. Did manage to get him to pee even though I had to hold
him up, so he should be good for the night.”
“That’s great. I just hope Calli isn’t too fussy tonight. I’m
really tired.”
Luke walked into her room to stand before her. “You know no one
else is back yet. It’s just us in the house. God, how I want you Hannah. Don’t
you think I could join you here instead of having to be upstairs all alone?”
Luke’s arms had gone around her as he spoke, and Hannah leaned
into the warmth of his body. He felt so good pressed up against her and she
could tell he was very aroused. His lips found the sensitive place just behind
her ear that he knew made her tremble and tremble she did.
Hannah could barely breathe for wanting Luke. She was more than
ready to rip his clothes off and her own as well and give herself up to the
delights she knew he could give her. Luke was slowly walking her backwards
toward the bed as he kissed his way from one side of her neck to the other and
finally to her mouth. They were both breathing and wanting so hard. For an
instant, Hannah thought about pulling back, but Luke’s tongue found its way
into her mouth and all thoughts of anything but having him inside her
disappeared.
They would have fallen on the bed and ravished each other except
for Calli. As if she knew Hannah was being sorely tempted, the baby woke up and
began to cry. It was her I’m wet and hungry cry. She wasn’t going to settle
back down until she’d been changed and fed.
Luke groaned as Hannah slowly pulled away. Hannah felt like
groaning herself, but knew the two of them had to talk about the future before
they had sex again. Thanks to Calli, she’d been spared another mistake,
although maybe it wouldn’t have been a mistake. Still, she couldn’t know until
they had a conversation about the future. If Luke was going to leave, then she
didn’t want to get any closer to him than she already was.
Hannah smiled at Luke and said, “Good night. See you in the
morning.” And turned to pick up Calli. It was then she noticed her sexual
arousal had also caused her milk to let down and both her shirt and bra were
soaked. She figured as close as she’d been to Luke, his t-shirt had to be wet
as well. She’d have put on dry clothes after she changed Calli and before they climbed
in bed to nurse.
Finally in bed with Calli latched on, Hannah allowed herself to
remember all the wonderful times she’d had with Luke in the past. She was so
horny now that she figured once Calli was finished and asleep, she’d have to
take care of herself and was sure it wouldn’t take long at all. Fortunately, or
unfortunately, Hannah fell asleep before she could summon the energy for
self-pleasure.
The next morning things were back to normal with neither Luke nor
Hannah talking about the night before or making arrangements to have a serious
discussion. That was just fine because the ranch was busier than ever with
guests who wanted to participate in as many of the activities as possible.
Their lives remained just as busy all through Labor Day.
It wasn’t as though they ignored each other or spent less time
together, it was just conversations were pretty much limited to staff and activity
schedules, supplies, guests arriving and leaving, how Stevie and Calli were
doing and the wide variety of the various aspects of business on a daily basis.
There really wasn’t time to spend reflecting or planning or anything that didn’t
involved either the ranch or the kids.
Hannah knew if they were a couple it would have been different.
They would have had at least the nights together. Instead of saying good night
at her bedroom door before she entered and Luke went upstairs, they could have
said that in a much more personal and pleasurable way. Hannah didn’t know about
Luke, but she was feeling extremely sexually frustrated. And, yes, she knew how
to relieve herself, but it wasn’t the same as having Luke as a partner. She
wished the season would come to a complete end. She hated the fact they’d even
booked a couple of weekends in October.
Luke was also feeling the strain of their relationship. He often
fantasized about throwing Hannah across his saddle and riding off into the
hills where they could have their way with each other. There were times when he
wanted to snap and had to actually stop and take a deep breath or two before he
responded to Stevie, Hannah or one of the staff.
The only time Luke actually felt calm and centered was during the
time he spent with Calli. He and Hannah had continued the daily habit they’d
established at the very beginning. While she was with Stevie after dinner and
put him to bed, Luke took care of Calli. He had been amazed on almost a daily
basis at how quickly she grew and changed. The first time she giggled instead
of just smiling, he thought his heart would melt. Her vocalizations made no
sense, but they were always accompanied by the smiles and laughs. She loved to
stand up while he held her hands, her little knees bending and straightening. That
always made her giggle. The first time she rolled over when he was changing
her, he thought his heart would stop because she was so close to the edge of
the table. From that point, she seemed to take off and was almost sitting up on
her own by Labor Day.
During their time together, Luke did it all. Besides changing her
diaper, he gave her baths and was careful to make sure he was always right
there. It was then he realized just how strong Hannah’s genes had been in the
development of this little person. She had Hannah’s smile, her eyebrows were
slowly growing as was her hair and it looked as though it would be the red-gold
that Hannah’s was. Calli also had her mother’s long fingers with perfectly
formed fingernails. The arch of her foot was high and her toes were also long
and even just like Hannah’s. No matter how hard he looked, Luke could not see
anything in Calli that wasn’t Hannah. He was grateful for that because it would
have been just a little bit harder to love her so completely if she’d looked more
like the father, whoever that was.
Because of the drought, WFR had stopped the treks to the waterfall
even before the end of summer. The waterfall was more of a trickle and didn’t
provide enough water to completely fill the pool. As it was, some of the places
downstream were having difficulty getting enough water to meet their needs.
Toward the end of September, it was still hot and Hannah was tired
of practically every single thing in her life. She decided what she needed was
at least an afternoon away from all the guests, staff and kiddos. She asked
Emily if she would mind looking after both Stevie and Calli and then invited
Luke to join her in a ride about the ranch, just the two of them. She hoped
they’d have an opportunity to talk, and suggested they go first to check on the
waterfall and pool.
“Well, the flow hasn’t increased or decreased since I was here
mid-August.“ Luke said when they arrived. “It’s a good thing it keeps flowing
since the pool would be horribly stagnant if it didn’t.”
Hannah dismounted and let her horse’s reins drop. “It sure doesn’t
look like it did before. Everything’s so dry and brown, practically no green at
all except for right at the edge of the stream and pool. I sure hope we have a
very wet fall winter and spring. I’d never dam up the flow, but the idea of
jumping into that water is so inviting.”
“Well, there’s nothing stopping us.” Luke responded. “It’s not
likely anyone is going to be riding up this way.”
Hannah found some shade and sat down, leaning back on her hands. “I
don’t know about that, but I do think it’s time we talked about us and the future,
don’t you?”
Luke walked over and sat beside Hannah. “Yes, I think it’s way
past time we had a conversation about us and our future together. You know how
sorry I was and am over the whole Jamison thing. I can’t apologize any more
than I already have. I also think since I came back, we’ve been as honest with
each other as possible. I know I’ve held nothing back and I’ve tried to show
you just how much I love you.”
“Yes, I know,” Hannah said, sitting up and turning to face him. “You’ve been
absolutely amazing with Stevie and Calli as well. You moved right back into
helping with ranch business and Joe, Dave and Dale have nothing but positive
things to say about you and your efforts.”
“That’s good to hear, but the only positive opinion I want or need
is yours, Hannah. I think you still love me and I want to stay here. I want us
to be a family.”
“Does that include Calli?”
“Are you kidding me? I mean do you really have to ask me that
question? Haven’t you noticed how much I value my time with her, how much she
delights me each and every day?”
“Yes, I have, but I need to know, to make sure you aren’t just acting
a part so you can be with me and Stevie.”
Luke reached out and took Hannah’s hand in his. “I’ve never told
you this, but being at Calli’s birth was just about the most meaningful
experience in my entire life. When the doctor handed her to me, she opened her
eyes and it was as though she could see right inside my head. And, even though
I knew babies that young don’t smile, I swear, she smiled at me as though she
knew me. Hannah, I fell in love with her that very instant and nothing about
her, Stevie or you has changed that. It’s only grown as has my love for Stevie
and you.”
Hannah covered Luke’s hand with hers. “Luke, you have no idea how
happy I am to have you tell me this. I too want us to be a family, but there’s
no way I could have Calli’s life be unequal to Stevie’s or any other child’s in
any way. I have watched you with her and could see how much she means to you. I
just needed to hear you say it.”
“So, Hannah, does that mean
you will marry me?” Luke asked. “I’m not on bended knee and I don’t have a ring
in my pocket, but will you please marry me?”
Hannah’s face lit up with a huge smile. “Yes, yes, yes. I can’t
wait to be your wife.”
Luke stood up and pulled Hannah to her feet. “How about we shed
these clothes and jump in the pool? Maybe we could make love in the water like
we did in the beginning, you know, to celebrate our future? You have no idea how long and how much I’ve wanted to
be skin-to-skin with you since I came back. God, Hannah, let me love you,
please let me love you.”
Hannah stepped back. “There’s nothing I want more in the world
right now than to strip, get all wet and have you love me while I love you, but
we went about it the wrong way the first time. This time, we’re going to wait
until our wedding night, or afternoon or whatever, so if you plant another
seed, there won’t be anyone talking behind our backs. So, no, no lovemaking
right now. But please know I want to so very much.”
Luke pulled Hannah into his arms. “Okay, we’ll do it your way. I
can wait if it means we’ll be together, that we’ll raise Stevie and Calli and
however many more we have together.”
“Yes, we will, Luke. But we’d best mount up and head back before I
lose my grip on my desire for you and throw caution to the wind, or into the
pool.”
They shared a long and passionate kiss before mounting their
horses. As they rode through the meadow back toward the ranch, they rode
side-by-side, holding hands.