The Lone Star Collection Read online

  For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t hungry. Her mind and her emotions were confused. Why was she feeling this way? Had she been alone too long? Was this love at first sight that the girls at school used to twitter about? Was she attracted to Cabe? She’d never felt like this about a man.

  There was a knock on the door, startling her. Her heart skipped even though she knew it was Cabe. This was going to get complicated if she didn’t rein in her ridiculous infatuation with this man, she thought. She had to gather herself.

  “That was mighty delicious, ma’am,” Cabe said. “Where would you like me to put these?” he asked for the second time in less than twelve hours. His empty cup was perched on top of his equally empty plate.

  “I’ll take them.” When Alice reached for the dishes, she saw that her hands were shaking. “I’ll just wash up here real quick, and we’ll get going.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I’m ready when you are.”

  Chapter Five

  They spent the morning touring the ranch, and Alice gave instructions on what needed to be done. Every morning they followed the same ritual, and every evening Alice watched as Cabe retreated to the barn after finishing his dinner he’d eaten on the porch.

  After several weeks, Alice stopped wondering if Cabe would still be there in the morning. He was a perfect gentleman, never taking advantage of her or her hospitality. He rarely went into town, and she never detected whiskey on his breath or the scent of a woman when he returned. He was a hard worker, never complained and finished everything he started. He chopped wood to refill the wood pile, mucked the stalls, and branded the new members of the herd. He checked the fence line, fed the chickens, and butchered a cow too injured to be saved. He helped her plow a new garden, and today, he was installing a new roof, sweat soaking his shirt. The shirt clung to his body, accentuating his strong muscles, and she was mesmerized. That evening, she invited him inside for dinner.

  The pattern continued for several weeks, and Alice grew more and more interested in Cabe. Several times, Cabe had almost caught her staring at him. His body was graceful, every movement flowed like water in the stream at the north end of her property. They talked for hours over coffee about everything from the contents in the Farmer’s Almanac, the amount of rain they needed for the garden, who was running for mayor, and if the town needed to build a bigger school. Cabe was smart, articulate, and educated, and Alice often wondered what his story was. He never alluded to anything and shied away from any topic that would reveal his history.

  Several days ago, Alice finally admitted that she felt something more toward Cabe than employer and hired hand. At first, she denied it, the inappropriateness overwhelming. Then, she tried to think it through logically as she did everything. She never let emotion get in the way of what needed to be done. When she finally realized her feelings were out of her control, it shocked her.

  The girls in her dormitory had tittered on about how they felt when a certain man would come calling, how they ached with desire to be kissed, and how their stomach tingled when they did. Some of the girls described how other parts of their bodies reacted when their boyfriends kissed or touched them. One brazen girl even went so far as to describe what it felt like when her boyfriend touched her “down there.” Alice hadn’t been interested in having any man touch her anywhere, especially there, but she’d played along nonetheless.

  She’d begun to envision what life would be like with Cabe always at the ranch. Would they plan for the upcoming season together? Make joint decisions on the running of the ranch? Go on stock-buying trips to increase the size of their herd? Buy the land adjacent to theirs to expand? Would they marry? Have children? Those thoughts alarmed her, but what worried her the most was that instead of wondering if Cabe would be here in the morning, she was terrified he wouldn’t be.

  This evening, like many others, she and Cabe simply sat on the porch together, enjoying the cool weather. The tension in the air between them was thick as she’d often caught Cabe looking at her intently in the past few weeks. He’d duck his head or avert his eyes but not before she saw the familiar burning of desire in his eyes. Alice knew Cabe would never acknowledge or act on what was going on between them. He had proven time and time again that he was, in fact, a man of his word, and she had come to respect him for that. Any moment now, he’d say goodnight, cross the yard, and disappear into the barn. Tonight, Alice decided to take matters into her own hands.

  “Cabe,” she began, her voice little more than a whisper.

  “Good night, Miss Wilson,” Cabe interrupted and hurried across the yard.

  †

  It was getting late, and Cabe had wanted to spend more time with Alice, but she knew she shouldn’t. She was walking a thin line, and she was afraid she would cross it and lose everything.

  She knew what went on between a man and a woman, having heard the cowboys talk after they’d come back from town. Cabe had heard stories about women loving women and had even seen two women head up the stairs in a saloon a few years ago. The entire time they were up there, she was unable to concentrate on the card game in front of her, her mind imagining what they could be doing behind the locked door. When they both came down with the same expression the cowboys wore when they descended the stairs, she dropped her cards face up on the table, and she lost the hand.

  Was that happening to her? Did she want to bed down with Alice? She lost focus, stumbled over things to say, and could not keep her eyes off her.

  Last week, they’d stopped at the stream that ran just inside the Broken Arrow fence line to water their horses. Alice sat under a tree and stretched her arms out behind her on the grass. She arched her back and moaned softly. Cabe’s mouth went dry, and she wasn’t sure she was still breathing. Alice was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, and she wanted her desperately.

  “Cabe,” Alice began, her whispery voice catching her off guard.

  Cabe didn’t know what Alice was going to say, but instinctively knew what was going to happen if she didn’t get up. A full moon provided enough light to clearly see the bold want in Alice’s eyes. It took her breath away. Cabe wanted to stay. Wanted to know the joy and pleasure of Alice in her arms. Wanted to feel the softness of her lips and the heat of her skin. She wanted to feel alive again, not living half a life. Cabe wanted this with Alice. But she’d decided long ago that want had nothing to do with anything.

  “Good night, Miss Wilson,” she said, her voice tight with control. She hurried across the yard into the safety of the barn.

  She closed the door behind her and paced back and forth, unsettling the horses. She had to get control of herself. She could not let her emotions overrule reality. There was no future with Alice, and the sooner she accepted that, the better it would be for everyone. The only thing she could do was leave. It was a difficult decision but the right one. She drew some water from the barrel and prepared to wash up before her last night on the Broken Arrow.

  Alice sat, stunned at Cabe’s sudden departure. She would have sworn on her parent’s graves that he had felt the same about what was happening between them. She was certain he would accept her overture. What man wouldn’t?

  Self-doubts started to creep in her mind as dark as a moonless sky. Did Cabe not find her attractive? Was the unconventional way she lived her life unappealing to him? Were her sweat and calluses repulsive? No, that couldn’t be. She’d seen the way he looked at her. Seen the interest and desire in his eyes. Alice didn’t think Cabe was aware of it, but she knew it was there.

  She thought for a few minutes then rose from her chair. She was living her life her way, the way she wanted, and she was not going to stop now. She stepped off the porch.

  The barn door had not fully closed behind Cabe, and thanks to his applying a liberal amount of axle grease to the hinges, it opened soundlessly. The flicker of a lantern light was coming from a stall on the far side.

  The straw on the ground muffled her steps, but her heart was pounding so loud Cabe surel
y had to hear it. The sound of water sloshing in a barrel drew her closer, and Alice couldn’t stop herself now if she tried. She rounded the corner of the stall and froze.

  Cabe was naked from the waist up, his shirt and some type of rag hanging on a nail to his right. His back was to her, and it took a moment for Alice to realize there was something very different about what she was seeing. Where she expected to see broad, strong shoulders, what she saw instead was well defined, yet small muscles tapering down to a thin waist. Where there should have been rough skin, Cabe’s was pale, almost alabaster and looked very smooth. Her pulse raced, and a low throb started in her groin. She stepped closer and touched the soft skin.

  Cabe spun around, shock and terror on his face, the towel in his hands dropping to the ground.

  Alice stopped, her hand on his shoulder where it had moved when he turned around. She was confused, but when her eyes were drawn to the rapid rise and fall of Cabe’s chest, it was her turn to be shocked. The sight in front of her was a mirror of her own, breasts full, nipples tight. Cabe, the man that was intriguing, fascinating, charismatic and handsome, was undeniably a woman.

  A thousand thoughts ran through Alice’s mind and were replaced with a thousand more. She didn’t even try to make sense of them; it wouldn’t be possible. She didn’t know what to think. She didn’t know what to say. But she did know, with absolute certainty, what she wanted to do. Slowly, she slid her hand up Cabe’s neck to the back of her head, leaned down and kissed her.

  It was exquisite. Every nerve in her body came alive when their lips met. Soft. Tender. Perfect. Sensation after sensation floated around the edges of Alice’s consciousness. Every nerve tingled, and every sense shifted into full overdrive. A fog she hadn’t known surrounded her lifted. Her hand trembled when she cupped Cabe’s cheek. Her skin was soft, her jaw strong. She was hungry for more than just Cabe’s kisses. When Cabe pulled her into her arms and kissed her back, Alice’s world, and everything she knew, shifted.

  THE END

  About the Author

  Julie Cannon

  Julie Cannon divides her time by being a corporate suit, a wife, mom, sister, friend and writer. Julie and her wife have lived in at least a half a dozen states, traveled around the world, and have an unending supply of dedicated friends. And of course, the most important people in their lives are their three kids, #1, Dude and the Devine Miss Em.

  Julie has sixteen books published by Bold Strokes Books. Her first novel, Come and Get Me, was a finalist for the Golden Crown Literary Society’s Best Lesbian Romance and Debut Author Awards. In 2012 her ninth novel, Rescue Me, was a finalist as Best Lesbian Romance from the prestigious Lambda Literary Society, and I Remember won the Golden Crown Literary Society's Best Lesbian Romance in 2014. Julie has also published five short stories in Bold Strokes Anthologies. Contact her at www.JulieCannon.com

  Meeting Miranda

  MJ Williamz

  My shift was winding down at The Black Hole, Houston’s most popular lesbian watering hole. With three hours left to go, I was working hard to keep drink orders filled and patrons happy. I had just served one of our regulars a Seven and Seven.

  “Don’t look now,” she said, “but you’re being checked out.”

  “I am?” I raised my eyebrows.

  “Yep. Cute blonde at eleven o’clock.”

  I looked in the direction she’d instructed, and there stood the woman of my dreams. She had long, wavy blond hair and a figure that was to die for. Our gazes met across the room, and she smiled at me. I swear, the whole bar lit up.

  I smiled back, hoping my dimple showed as distinctively as hers. She had two, and they framed her smile perfectly. She was a real knockout. I turned back to say something to our regular, but she’d walked off, leaving a space open at the bar.

  The space was soon filled by another customer, then another, and I busted my ass making sure everyone had what they needed. My fellow bartender for the night was nursing a hangover and wasn’t much help. She did her best, but I knew it was up to me to carry the bulk of the load.

  The drinks were flowing, and I hustled to keep up. I was serving several patrons at a time, struggling to hear their orders over the sound of the band rocking out on the stage. After serving five drinks at once, I was wiping down the bar when I heard a lovely voice that washed over me with warmth.

  “May I have a chardonnay, please?”

  I glanced up and was looking into the crystal blue eyes of the beautiful blonde. I smiled at her.

  “Of course you may.”

  I poured her wine and handed it to her. As she took the glass from me, our fingers met for a moment too long. White hot chills coursed through my body. I wanted her in a big way. But how to make it happen?

  “Would it be bad for me to sit here?” She motioned to the empty bar stool.

  “Not at all. Please. Have a seat.”

  A crowd had gathered behind her, and people were calling out their drinks of choice. When that group was gone, more people arrived. I wanted things to slow down. I wanted to be able to chat with the beautiful blonde. Her voice was melodic, and I wanted to hear it again.

  Finally, there was a lull in the activity. I made a pretense of wiping down the bar in front of her.

  “So, I haven’t seen you here before,” I said, realizing how dorky I sounded as soon as the words were out of my mouth.

  She smiled. Her teeth were bright white against her red lipstick. I felt my insides melt at the sight.

  “I just transferred to Houston. I’ve been working in Central California.”

  “Well, welcome to our fine city.”

  “Thank you.”

  “How do you like it?” I managed to keep the conversation going as I mixed more drinks.

  “So far, so good. This is my first venture into the nightlife. I like this place.”

  “Thanks. Not like I own it or anything, but it’s a great place to work.”

  “I love the band. Do they play here often?”

  “This particular band, The Bricks, plays about once a month.”

  “I’ll have to keep my eyes and ears open for when they’ll be back. I’d like to hear them again.”

  I reached under the bar and took out a calendar for her.

  “Here. This lists everyone who plays here and when they play. Keep it for future reference.”

  “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure.” I winked at her, then had to move down the bar to where my coworker was lagging behind. I looked back, though, and the blonde was watching me. I smiled. This could turn into a most excellent night.

  I worked my way back to her and saw her wineglass was empty.

  “Would you like a refill?” I said.

  “Please.”

  I placed the fresh glass in front of her and extended my hand.

  “I’m Rhett.”

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Miranda.”

  “The pleasure is mine.”

  “Have you worked here long?” she said.

  “A couple of years.”

  “Is this all you do? Can you make a living off it? Stop me if I’m being too personal.”

  “No worries. I work here and go to school at the University of Houston. Most of my school expenses are covered by scholarships. This is just to give me a little jingle in my pocket.”

  “I understand.” She smiled and again, the room was suddenly brighter.

  A new stream of women approached the bar, and I had to put my hormones on hold. I worked through the next couple of hours, only briefly speaking to Miranda, who never left her bar stool.

  My coworker rang the bell for last call, and the band announced it over the PA system. I looked at Miranda.

  “One more?” I said.

  “No, thanks. I think I’m fine.”

  I knew she was fine. She was beyond fine. She was gorgeous. And she was still sitting there with another almost empty glass. There was a mad rush on the bar, and when it was over, I moseyed back to Miranda.

&
nbsp; “How would you like to grab a cup of coffee after this place closes?” I held my breath waiting for her answer.

  “I’d love to.” She smiled brightly.

  “Are you okay to drive?”

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry. I’m not big on getting drunk or anything. I just like my wine.”

  I smiled at her.

  “I understand completely. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to start cleaning up.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  My stomach did a somersault. She wasn’t going anywhere. She was going to wait for me to get off work, and we were going on a date. I couldn’t have wiped the smile off my face if I’d tried.

  I worked quickly and efficiently and soon had the back of the bar close to being ready. We still had to clear tables and wash the dishes that were out there, but I had the till counted and locked in the safe with ten minutes to spare.

  When the lights went up and people were leaving, our manager walked over and asked Miranda to leave.

  “She’s with me,” I said.

  The manager gave me a look, rolled her eyes, and walked away to herd the others out. We bussed tables, and I washed the glasses while my coworker wiped down the tables. We got it all done by two forty-five.

  I walked out from behind the bar and sat next to Miranda.

  “Hey, Romeo,” my manager said, “get a move on.”

  I laughed.

  “Shall we?” I said.

  “Sure.”

  I offered her my hand, and she took it. Her skin was soft and silky, and I longed to discover if the rest of her was as well. Patience, I told myself. All in due time.

  We stepped out into the hot, humid summer night. Sweat made the back of my shirt cling to me. Normally, I wouldn’t have cared; it was part of summer in Houston, but I wanted to make a good impression. I tried to separate my shirt from my back.