The Taming (The Black Thunder Series) (35 page)

“Arrogant and overbearing yes, but you’re not a fool.” Kate looked up and saw his eyes fill with water.

“I love you, Kate.” Jack laid his hand on her cheek.

“Oh Jack, not now,” Kate said and started to cry
. “Don’t tell me you love me when you’re all remorseful.”

“When Kate?” He asked as it pained him to see her cry
. “When should I say it?”

“Tell me in the morning.”

“I will. I’ll tell you tomorrow, and the next day after that. I’ll tell you forever.”

“That I can accept,” she said
. Jack wiped away her tears. “But right now both of us are in no condition to do anything. Why don’t we go back inside and get some coffee in us.”

“All right,” said Jack
. “But first, I need to know if you forgive me.”

“I forgive you.”

Jack breathed a sigh of relief. Kate took his hand and felt a slight tremble. It startled her as she glanced at him and saw a strange haunted look upon his face. Kate reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. “It’s okay, baby,” she whispered and placed a tender kiss to his lips. She led him back in to the establishment and they took a seat bar side. The bartender saw the couple and strode toward them.

“Two coffees, Kyle,” said Kate.

“You got it.” She watched the tall slim figure of a man disappear into the kitchen only to return several minutes later with two cups in his hand. “You take cream, sugar, or both?” Kyle asked them.

“I take cream
. Jack will have his black.”

Kyle took a carton of creamer from the small fridge under the counter and poured it into Kate’s coffee.

“So you two work out your differences?” he said like a bartender ready to listen.

“We’re always scraping,” said Jack as he looked at Kate.

“It’s our love language,” she smiled at him.

Jack couldn’t help but smile back
. He never thought about it like that. In a strange way she was right. “Making up is the best part,” Jack winked at her.

“Lovers quarrels are the renewal of love,” said Kyle as he placed the creamer under the counter.

“That’s Terrance,” said Kate surprised to hear a barkeep quoting poetry.

“Smart lady
.” Kyle nodded.

“I’m more of an Emerson girl myself,” said Kate
. “When we quarrel, how we wish-”

“
-We had been blameless,” Kyle finished the line.

“Well, now I’m impressed.” She put her hands on her hips and smiled.

“Say Jack, looks like you found yourself one special lady,” said Kyle. “Where did you attend school?”

“Chico University,” she answered.

“No way, so did I!” He leaned his elbow on the bar top and stretched closer. “What was your major?”

“Education with a minor in literature,” Kate beamed.

“History major,” laughed Kyle. “Minored in lit too.”

“Well, isn’t this a small world,” said Jack with a hint of sarcasm watching their connection unfold before his eyes
. Kate didn’t seem to notice his irritation being wrapped up in her new friend.

“So, are you teaching in the area?” asked Kyle.

“Not yet.” She leaned against the bar top bridging the distance between them. “I interviewed with Virginia City Elementary School and I’m waiting to hear from them.”

“Well good luck
. I hope you get it.”

“Me too,”
she stated. “So what’s a history major doing bartending at a honky-tonk bar?

“Not much call for a history major in these parts,” he laughed
. “Besides, I like bartending. I get to meet all kinds of interesting people, like you.”

He smiled at her and Kate smiled back
. Jack growled and grumbled something but Kate was too preoccupied to hear. It ticked him off not to be a part of their conversation. Kate seemed to shine as she and Kyle discussed their common interests in education, books, and finally history.

Little by little Jack’s confidence wilted away and he sank lower in his seat
.
How could he possibly compete with a college graduate like Kyle?
He was an intellectual where Jack’s philosophy was about the sweat of a hard day’s work and toiling the earth with his hands. He wasn’t familiar with the works of great poets and deep-thinkers. He got his learning from ranch hands and rodeo crews.

When it came down to it, he was nothing more than an unschooled cowboy who got lucky making a decent living
. For the first time in his life he felt inferior, and he didn’t like it.

Jack needed to feel like a man again and pull Kate away from this sweet-talking educated fool
. So Jack McBride did what he always did best; order people around with his arrogant, overbearing nature. His possession over Kate flared and his jealousy reared its ugly head.

She belonged to him, not to this intellectual nonsense-talking bartender, not to a school in Virginia City that would slowly steal her away
. She was his, plain and simple, working alongside him at his ranch, cooking his meals, cleaning his house, and making babies in his bed.

Anger rose with his need to take control so that she didn’t see the real Jack McBride, the man who couldn’t compete on an intellectual level like she was used to
. He needed to take her away from that so one day she wouldn’t wake up and realize she made a mistake by being with him.

“Say Kate, there’s a poetry class that meets every Thursday at the high school in Dayton,” said Kyle
. “Maybe you would like to come with me sometime.”

“I’d love to,” she said excitedly realizing there was culture in this town after all.

“I’ll give you my number,” said Kyle as he jotted it down on a napkin and handed it to her. “Call me and we’ll go together.”

That was the last straw for Jack
. “I’ll take his number,” Jack grumbled as he stood from the chair. His eyes narrowed and he gave Kyle a deadly stare. He snatched the napkin and placed it in the pocket of his jeans. “Time to go, baby,” he said more like a command than a request.

“You sure you can drive
?” She asked. “Maybe you should have one more cup just to be on the safe side.”

“I don’t need another cup,” he barked
. “Now let’s go.” Jack grabbed her hand and practically hoisted her out of her seat. He marched her toward the door.

“See you later, Kyle,”
she called over her shoulder while Jack dragged her away.

“Call me,” Kyle hollered back.

Before Kate had a chance to respond, Jack pushed her out the door. He was mad, really mad. Kate could tell, but she remained silent not wanting another confrontation. Jack stormed ahead, refusing to let go of her hand. She had to run to keep up with him.

Jack reached the truck, and he swung her around backing her against the truck
. He pinned her with his body then slammed his mouth against her and kissed her hard.

It was primal, his need to claim her to mark her as his while driving his tongue deep in her mouth taking possession of what was rightfully his
. Kate knew what he was doing, and in a strange way it felt good, sparking her desire for him to claim her body, her soul, her heart.

Jack lifted his hands, roaming up her sides until he found the ripe fleshy mounds and squeezed upwards
. Kate released a sweet moan that he captured with his mouth.

“You’re mine,” he growled as he nipped at her ear
. “Remember that, baby.”

“Yes, Jack
.” She barely got the words out as he barricaded her in with his chest.

“You belong to me, not Kyle or any other man,” he growled again
. “You got that, Kate?” He paused, eyes facing hers waiting for her surrender.

“I’m yours, Jack,” she murmured with hushed heat.

“Good,” he stated. “Now that we got that squared away, let’s go home.”

Jack stepped back, taking her with him
. He opened the truck door and motioned to Kate to get in. He closed the door and walked around the truck then climbed into the driver’s seat. He pointed his finger at her and signaled for her to move closer. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled out of the parking lot.

He was going to make her pay for sparking his jealousy
. He envisioned her beneath him begging for sweet release. He would torture her with sweet kisses between her thighs until she could no longer stand it, until she lay beneath him spent, exhausted, and completely loved. He would do it all night if he had to, robbing her mind of everything except him.

A slow smile fell across his face, feeling his victory before
it even begun. By the end of this night, Kate would be his as he weaved his spell into her flesh. She would want no other man but him. Jack was confident about that. With his mind made up, he headed for home
.

Twenty-Three

We Regret to Inform You

K
ate was in the kitchen when the news came. She was just finishing up the afternoon dishes when she heard the front door open and the sound of spurred boots scraping against the floor. She would have recognized that sound anywhere and it brought a smile to her dampened cheeks as she wiped them dry with a dishtowel and closed the dishwasher door.

He was home and she wondered if he returned for round two but after this morning’s tryst she was not so sure she could take another session of Jack McBride
loving her good
.

She wasn’t complaining
. In fact it was just the opposite, as she felt a sweet tingle of delight, in spite of her soreness.
Traitor
, she murmured and rubbed her still aching thighs as if she were cajoling them to want what her insides suddenly craved. But instead of coming into the kitchen, his footfalls vanished down the hall.

Now wanting round two, she left the kitchen and moved down the hall knowing full well where to find him
. If the cowboy wasn’t looking to go riding than she would have to coax him into it
.
She giggled a little thinking it wouldn’t take much.

Kate paused at the open study and saw Jack sitting at his desk sorting through the afternoon mail
. At once, he sensed her presence. He looked up and smiled at the long legged blonde leaning admiringly against the door jam.

“You like what you see, baby?” he said sitting back in his chair and displaying his broad chest.

“Maybe,” She gave him a sweet pretty smile.

“You just going to stand there gawking at me or are you going to come here so I can kiss you
.” His eyes turned a sharp green like grass.

“I haven’t made up my mind yet.” She batted her long lashes against her brown speckled cheeks.

He caught the glimmer in her eyes, its blue crystal light casting her infatuation right to the place that struck his own flame.

“Don’t make me come over there or I’ll take you right in the hall,” he said adjusting his now tight jeans
.

Kate had no doubt he would make good on his threat, but the image of a dozen hired hands finding them sprawled on the hall floor made her spring off the door like a quarter on a well
-made bed and bounce into the room.

Jack swung his chair to the side and motioned for her to take a seat on his lap
. She did and he wrapped his arms about her waist and locked her in.

“Now about that kiss,” he said lowering his lips to hers.

Kate was eager to oblige. He gave her one powerful pucker and she felt her body melt like butter into strong thick arms and hardened chest.

“I am never going to get my housework done if you keep popping in and out of the house,” she teased.

“I’d like to pop in and out of you instead,” he gave her a mischievous grin. “As a matter of fact, I think I will.” The image of throwing her over his desk and poking that sweet little ass of hers made him twitch. “Stand up, baby,” he ordered.

“Oh goody,” Kate complied.

He spun her like a top till she landed with both hands on his desk. She laughed with glee gazing down at the desk calendar and the assorted mail now scattered across its top.

One particular letter caught her attention
. “What’s this?” She asked and picked up the letter vaguely aware that Jack was vigorously working on removing her shorts.

“I have no idea,” he said finally able to free one button from her jeans
. “It came in the mail today.”

“It’s from the Virginia City school district,” she said holding the letter addressed to her and balancing on both elbows as she looked at Jack then back at the envelope
.

Her focus was now directed on the grey toned envelope
. It was never a good sign to receive a letter from a potential employer. She stood despite Jack’s objections.

“Come on Kate, open it later,” he said feeling his balls turning blue by the sheer jolt of stopping in midstream
.

He took the letter from her hand then plopped her bottom on the desk and leaned over till she fell back on her elbows
.

“No Jack, let me up,” she laughed and pushed him away then sat up and snatched the letter from his hand
. “This is important.”

“So is this,” he growled and rubbed the tight spot on his jeans.

She laughed again and shook her head before directing her attention to the sealed envelope.

She was too nervous to open it
, knowing whatever its contents held would make her either gloriously happy or devastatingly sad. “Here goes nothing.” She took a deep breath and exhaled then opened the envelope. She retrieved the letter from its confines and unfolded it.

“Well what does it say
?” He asked impatiently wanting to get back to more important matters.

Kate read the letter carefully as a great sadness washed over her
. “It says, I didn’t get the job,” she said quietly. “Thank you for your application but we regret to inform you that the teaching position has been filled.” Her hand fell to her lap while her fingers clung to the letter. She blinked looking down at her lap as all her hopes and dreams disintegrated into ash. “I didn’t get the job,” she said again as tears rose in her eyes.

“You didn’t want to work for them anyway,”
he said, placing a hand to her shoulder. “It’s a lousy school. Trust me I know.” But she wasn’t listening.

“Now what am I going to do
?” It came out in barely a whisper.

“You’re going to keep doing what you’re doing
. He gave her shoulder a little squeeze. “Take care of me.”

“You don’t understand,” she said looking at him with forlorn eyes
. “I’m a teacher not a housekeeper.”

“You’re also mine baby,” he said abruptly
. “You have responsibilities right here on this ranch. That teaching notion of yours isn’t what we both need.”

“My teaching is not a notion,” she stated matter
-of-factly. “I’ve worked hard to get where I am and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“Let it go Kate
. What will be, will be,” he said as he took the letter from her hand. “Now come here. Let’s finish this so we can both get back to work. I still have to go to the feed store in Dayton.” He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck.

“I am no longer in the mood,” she said rather annoyed and pushed him away
. She jumped down from the desk and re-buttoned her jeans. “And I am not going to let this be. Adam said the job was practically mine. I don’t understand what happened.”

“Maybe they found someone more suitable,” he shrugged with his own annoyance.

“More suitable?” She looked up and glared at him before retrieving her cell phone from the pocket of her shorts. “I’ll have you know that I have a master’s degree in education
and
childhood development, and I’m a year away from my PHD,” she said pointing it at him before searching through her contacts. “Plus I had impeccable references from my last school.”

“What are you doing, Kate?” Jack asked as his eyes narrowed into green slits at the phone.

“I’m calling Adam,” she said and went to place the call but Jack stopped her taking the phone from her hands.

“You don’t need to be getting him involved in this,” he said rather abruptly and tossed her phone out of her reach
. “Besides, you’ll only be helping Clara to stir the shit and we’ve had enough drama already on account of her.”

“Well someone needs to,” she said not able to let it rest
. “I need to find out why they didn’t offer me the position. Maybe I should call the superintendent instead? Ask him if he would give me a few minutes of his time and critique my interviewing skills.”

“What good would that do?” he frowned
. “It still doesn’t change the fact that the position was filled according to that letter he sent you.”

“Yes but then I could find out why,” she replied
. “Besides everyone does it.”

“You’re just not anyone baby,” he said to her
. “And I’m not about to let you grovel at some fool’s feet asking why you didn’t get the job. It ain’t fitting Kate and I won’t allow you to do that to yourself.”

“You’re a good man Jack,” she gave him a sad smile.

“I’m not so good,” he said looking away as his eyes fell on the letter. “You know what I think,” he continued returning his attention back to her. “I think you’re too good for them. They don’t deserve you.”
And neither do you
, said a small voice inside his head.

“You’re right I am too good for them,” she said firmly but then a pout formed on her mouth and her lip started to quiver
. “But I really wanted that job.”

She withdrew her breath and began to cry
. Jack stood there watching buckets of tears pour down her cheeks as her shoulders shook intermittently with her sobs.

“Ah Kate, don’t cry
.” He opened his arms wide and beckoned her into their folds. She did and he wrapped his arms tight about her and just held her as she wept into his chest. “Everything’s going to be okay,” he said gently stroking her hair.

“I so wanted that job, Jack,” she blubbered something fierce soaking his t-shirt in the process.

“I know,” he said placing a tender to kiss to her hair.

He held her for several minutes but the longer he held her the more she wept
. He hadn’t expected this at all. He thought maybe she would bawl for a moment or two and then they could get back to the task at hand but this was more than just feeling bad and it unnerved him feeling her heart shattering across his chest, making his own heart hurt as well.

“It was the perfect job too,” she wailed through muffled sobs.

“I know,” he said again.

  “And it was five minutes from home,” she mumbled between ragged gasps
. “Now I’m going to be traveling all throughout the counties substitute teaching since it’s too late to put my application in with the other school districts.”

“What do you mean traveling throughout the counties?” His green eyes went wide with alarm.

“That’s what I’m going to have to do if I want to teach,” she blubbered. “I can only hope that one of the districts likes me enough to offer me something permanent for next year.”

“Hold on there a minute, Kate,” he said as he pulled her back from him and stared into reddened blue eyes
. He seemed totally taken aback by this revelation. “I ain’t having you traipsing to Reno one day and Carson City the next.”

“I don’t see I have a choice, since I didn’t get the job,” she said as thick droplets continued to fall.

“I’ll be damned if I’ll have you gone all the time,” he said shaking his head no. “We’ll never see each other. Besides you ain’t used to the weather out here and when winter comes I’m not having you driving through black ice or some freak snow squall so the answer is no and that’s that.”

    
“I appreciate your concern,” she said in between intermittent sobs. “But I’m teaching Jack one way or another.”

“Why do you have to be so stubborn about teaching?” His voice bellowed.

“Why are you so adamant against it?” Her voice grew louder to match his.

“I’m not,” he said lowering his voice
. “I just thought that if you didn’t get the job that it would be the end of it.”

“Jack, I’m a teacher,” she sighed
. “It’s what I do.”

He scratched his head as if he was in deep thought and his eyes drifted to the letter on top his desk
. “I figured you’d bawl a little
when-
I mean
if
you didn’t get the job,” he said. “But I didn’t figure you’d take it this hard.”

“Well of course I would,” she heaved another involuntary sob
. “Teaching is my heart and soul.”

“I thought I was your heart and soul
?” He looked hurt.

“You are,” she said giving him a small smile despite her tears
. “But teaching is everything to me. That’s why I came to Nevada in the first place. I wanted to make a difference.”

“You make a difference to me,” he said with such sincerity that it made her feel slightly better.

“That’s sweet Jack,” she said placing a hand by his heart. “Haven’t you ever wanted something so badly that you would move heaven and earth to get it?”

“Yes,” he nodded thinking the same about her
. He’d moved heaven and earth but he never expected the end result would be Kate devastated by it.

“I’m sorry,” he said cupping her cheeks in his hands
. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know teaching meant so much to you.”

“It’s not your fault,” she said heaving a ragged sigh.