Only Heaven Knows (Hell Yeah!) Read online

  Bryn followed his directions to the letter and when they reached her home, she was rewarded with another kiss. “Good incentive. I bet you could make a fortune giving driving lessons if women knew they would earn kisses for their performance.”

  “I think I’ll just save them for you, if that’s okay.” On the way out of the truck, he grabbed his tool belt. “I want to walk through the house today and survey what needs to be done. I’ll do what I can and prepare to do more later.”

  She waited for him at the front of the truck and they walked up to her door together. “I’ll make it worth your while, I promise.”

  Denver met her teasing gaze and he wondered if she had any idea what she was doing to him. “I’m looking forward to it.” He knew she probably meant she’d cook for him, when all he wanted was a chance to love on her a little bit.

  “Make yourself at home. I’ll get things ready,” she told him as she made her way to the kitchen, leaving him to explore at will. As she worked, warming the chicken, slicing the cheese, and making fresh tea, she enjoyed the fact that Denver was in the house with her. It was nice to know he was close by and that they’d be sharing a meal and conversation later. Living here, in Mary Estelle’s family home, was the first time she’d ever been completely on her own, but oddly enough, she wasn’t lonely. Living in the convent with the other nuns had been lonely. The Mother House was always cold and constantly quiet. There was no laughter, no conversation above a hushed tone, and no music. Now, that she could, Bryn played the radio almost all the time.

  “And now, dear listeners, we have a dedication going out to Heather Marley from Alex Ledger. Heather, he’s sorry, forgive the poor bloke. Let’s listen together to I’ll Name the Dogs.”

  Denver found Bryn laughing and dancing as Blake Shelton made his case to his lady love, telling her how marriage between them could be. They both could play a role, give and take, she could name the children and he’d name the dogs.

  “Do you like that song, sugar?”

  “I do.” Bryn turned to him and slipped her arms around his neck, moving her body just enough so that her tits rubbed across his chest. Denver groaned when he felt her hard little nipples graze his flesh. His cock sprang to life and he wrapped one arm around her waist, lifting her up so he could crush his mouth to hers.

  Bryn swooned, she’d read enough in the book to know what was possible between them. An ache began between her legs and she twisted in his arms, wanting something, yet not knowing how to get it. Her mouth opened to his and their tongues collided frantically. He tasted so good, she didn’t ever want to stop. Who needed to breathe?

  Denver was past thinking. He let one hand slide down to cup her perfect ass, picking her up enough, so that her legs wrapped naturally around his waist. Before he realized what he was doing, he’d nudged his erection right up to the heart of her.

  Bryn moaned when she felt him pushing against her private place. Her legs were wide open, spread-eagled around him and the sheer fabric of her panties provided no effective barrier to the truth of his need. As he kissed her deeply, biting down on her bottom lip, then sucking it into his mouth, she did what came naturally, rubbing herself up and down the thick ridge, something inside of her sparking to life like a rock being struck to a flint.

  “Oh, fu…dge, baby,” he growled and deepened the kiss, his hips bucking forward of their own accord. “What? Do you…ah, damn,” Denver groaned. He had to stop. He had to stop. While he could, he had to stop. “Bryn?” He eased her down gently, almost blacking out with pleasure when her sweet pussy scrubbed against his cock one long drag, before he set her feet on the floor.

  “I’m sorry.” She reached up and touched his cheek.

  “Don’t be,” he whispered as he turned her hand over and kissed the inside of her palm.

  “I’ve been reading this book and it’s giving me ideas, I guess.” She turned toward the stove to rescue the grilled cheese sandwiches just in time.

  Denver’s mind wasn’t on food. “What book?”

  “A book I found in the library here. It’s a sex book.”

  Crash! The glass of iced tea Denver had been about to raise to his mouth slipped from his fingers. “Dammit!”

  “I’ve got it.” Bryn hurried to get a towel and wiped up the tea.

  “Let me help,” Denver said as he pushed her aside to sweep up the broken glass. “I’m sorry.”

  “No problem, it was just a glass. I’ll fix you another.” She prepared a fresh drink from him and tided up the area. “Accidents happen.”

  Denver pulled out a chair and sat down. “So, you found a book?”

  “Yea, it’s called The Joy of Sex, have you ever heard of it?” Bryn felt a little odd talking about this with him, but who better? She felt closer to Denver than anyone else. And if she were to ever have sex, she’d want to have it with him.

  “Uh, yea. I’ve never read it, but I’ve heard about it.” He cleared his throat, piling a chicken breast and a sandwich onto his plate. “It’s a sex manual. A how-to book.”

  “Oh, that makes sense. I suppose it’s a good thing I found it, since I didn’t know…how to…” She grabbed her tea glass and took a big swig, needing to cool off. “Do you want to see the book?”

  “No, thanks.” He wanted to say yes, but he didn’t think he could control himself if he started looking at sexy photos with the woman he desired more than life. “I’m going to do a bit more work after we eat and call it a night. I have to work in the morning.”

  “Oh.” She did her best not to look disappointed as she tore a piece of crust off the sandwich and put it in her mouth. “Another time, then.”

  Denver shook his head as he swallowed a bite. Maybe this was a moment for honesty. “If I’m not badly mistaken, considering things you’ve said and the way you act, you’re not very experienced when it comes to sex.”

  “No. I’m not.” She was sure a large V was emblazoned on her forehead. “I’ve led a very sheltered life.”

  “Right.” Denver’s voice was extra gravelly. “And I am very attracted to you.”

  “I’m glad.” She brightened, sucking a bit of cheese from the tip of one finger.

  He wiped his face. There was nothing hot about the food, but he was perspiring anyway. “Since you are so innocent, I want to take things slow…if…we do…plan on…”

  “I understand, you don’t want to frighten me.”

  Denver exhaled loudly. “I think I’m the one whose afraid. I’ve never been with a…”

  “Virgin.”

  “Yea…before.”

  “No problem, I have a bit more studying to do before I’m ready to seduce anyone.”

  Denver closed his eyes. He felt like he was being put through the wringer. Bryn had no idea he was ready to bow at her feet like a knight of old at his lady’s service. “You’d better not be planning to seduce anyone but me.”

  “Oh, you’re the one I have my eye on, all right.” She gave him an innocent smile.

  He chuckled. “This has to be the oddest conversation any man has ever had with a woman.”

  “We’re friends, though, right?” Bryn covered his hand with hers. “No one has ever been better to me than you. Teaching me to drive. Repairing my house.”

  An uneasy thought filtered into his mind. “You’re not studying up on seduction as a way of paying me back, are you?”

  “No, no,” she assured him. “I’m doing it because I want to, I want to know what I’ve been missing. I want to experience everything…with you.” She passed the platter of chicken to him, so he could take another piece. “I’ll let you know when I think I’m ready.”

  Denver prayed for strength. The woman had no idea how potent she was. “Well, you do that and until then…” He saluted her with a chicken leg. “I’ll take my vitamins.”

  * * *

  The next morning, Denver awoke from a sound sleep. No bad dreams had marred his rest. He knew the reason why; his mind was too full of Bryn to think of anything else.
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  Once he was up, dressed, and had coffee, he straightened his trailer, making his bed and doing a handful of dishes. He planned on asking Lance if he could work through lunch and take off early. After arriving at Tebow, he headed for the barn to saddle his mount. The sooner he got those fence posts set, the sooner he could head to the used car lot.

  …As for Bryn, she was feeling great. She made it to work with time to spare.

  “Hey, Tricia,” she called to her boss, as she came in though the back door. “What’s on the agenda for the day?”

  “We have a five-year old’s birthday party to get ready for. Four dozen Mylar balloons and an edible candy centerpiece,” Tricia answered as she wrestled six balloons she’d already blown up and tied off with ribbon.

  “Let me help you with those.” Bryn laughingly captured the strings and pulled the balloons to one side and fastened them around a piece of PVC pipe positioned especially for that purpose. “How do you feel?”

  “I’m good,” Tricia nodded, patting her stomach. “A little morning sickness.”

  “Great.” She didn’t ask about the epilepsy, but she kept a close eye on the other woman. If she got a chance, she planned on giving her a blessing. Bryn frowned at the thought, she hoped she wasn’t being blasphemous calling it that, she’d picked up the habit from Sister Mary Estelle, whom she trusted implicitly. “Why don’t you sit down and let me do this for you?”

  “You talked me into it.” Tricia stepped away from the compressed air tank and sank into a chair. “Did you have a good evening?”

  “I did.” She smiled at the memory. “Denver is helping me fix up the old place. There were some rotten boards on the steps and the porch. I had some doors that wouldn’t shut and a few loose tiles in the bathroom. Normal chores for the upkeep of an old house.”

  “Denver seems nice, I’m glad he found you.” Tricia reached for a bottle of water, but couldn’t quite grasp it without getting up.

  “Hold on.” Bryn jumped over and grabbed it for her.

  “Thanks, I’m stiff and sore for some reason.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I think I pulled a muscle when I had that last seizure.

  Perfect opportunity, Bryn thought “Let me rub your shoulders for a few seconds. Sister Mary Estelle used to say I had the right touch.”

  “You talked me into it, for just a few minutes, we don’t have a whole lot of time to spare.”

  Bryn positioned herself behind Tricia and began to give her a light massage. The focus of her blessing, however, wasn’t on the tight muscles. She directed her love, for lack of a better word, into Tricia’s brain, hoping to heal the nerve cells that caused the debilitating disease. Her knowledge was imperfect, but her method was not of this world. She didn’t claim to understand what she could do, or how she could do it, Bryn just knew she could. And no matter what the nuns said, her ability came from good, not evil. She knew she wasn’t the source of the miracle, she was just the channel.

  As her hands moved on Tricia Yeager’s neck, her thumbs worked high on the nape and into her scalp. All the time, she prayed, sending positive healing thoughts to lessen the severity of her epileptic attacks. They might not disappear immediately, but over time, she hoped they would become milder and milder and milder until they eventually grew dormant once more.

  After a few more minutes, she stopped. “Are you asleep?” she asked her patient.

  “Almost,” Tricia sighed, “I feel like melted butter. Much better.”

  “Good.” She returned to blowing up the balloon, satisfied that she’d done what she could to help.

  …Later that day, Bryn put the finishing touches on an edible arrangement made of candy bars and colorful lollipops. “This looks good enough to eat, if I do say so myself.” As she twirled a ribbon around her finger to decorate the last sweet addition to the sugary bouquet, she hummed along with the radio, “Seen my share of broken halos…”

  The bell over the door drew her attention. “Can I help you?” she asked without looking up.

  “Yea, you can.”

  “Denver!” Bryn ran around the counter to greet him. “I didn’t know you were dropping by!”

  When she lifted her face for a kiss, he framed her face and kissed her softly. “I was hoping you could give me a lift home.”

  Bryn was so into the kiss that it took her a moment to process what he’d said. “Pardon?” She gazed at him quizzically. “You know I don’t have a car.”

  “You do now.” He held up a set of keys. “Want to take a ride?”

  Bryn’s squeal brought Tricia and Kristen rushing to the front. “What’s going on?” the boss lady asked.

  “Denver is too good to me.” Bryn was about to cry. “I think he bought me a car.”

  “No thinking about it, the car is right out front. Do you want to see?”

  “Oh, you’re one lucky woman.” Tricia gave Bryn a hug. “Why aren’t there more men in the world like you?” she asked Denver.

  Kristen and Bryn raced out front to see the compact SUV. “It’s a Subaru, second-hand, but it’s in good shape, I checked it out myself,” Denver told them.

  Bryn’s heart was so full, she thought she might faint. “I love the color, it’s such a beautiful blue.”

  “Well, go on. Take it for a spin. We’ll close up the shop.” Tricia urged her.

  “Thank you!” She hugged both women, then gave Denver another one for good measure. He held the door for her, then hurried back around to crawl in beside her before she left without him.

  “Easy now, babe, you’re pretty excited.”

  “I am.” She took several deep breaths. “I can’t believe you bought this. Can we afford the payments? I’m not sure how much I’m bringing home yet.”

  Her use of the word ‘we’ did not go unnoticed. “It’s paid for, free and clear. I considered the asking price to be cheap compared to the worrying I’ve been doing over you. I also stopped by Sheriff Saucier’s office and picked up a hardship permit for you. All you need to do is pass a quick written test and they’re letting me vouch for your ability. So, you can be driving legally very soon.”

  Bryn ran her hands over the steering wheel, then turned to face Denver. “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. First the phone and now this? I don’t know how to say thank you for such a gift.”

  “How about one of those edible arrangements I saw you making in the flower shop? I’m partial to Hershey bars.”

  His joking answer made her laugh. “An edible arrangement it is.” And much more. Bryn didn’t know how she’d repay him, but surely there was something she could give him in return. She’d just have to watch and listen to see what he needed the most. Then, if it was in her power to grant his wish, she’d move heaven and earth to do it.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “I can’t believe you brought these orange cones. When you said we were taking a spin, I thought you meant a joy ride. I didn’t realize you were expecting me to parallel park.” This was just a few days since he’d given her the car, so she was feeling surer of herself. Parallel parking, however, was another matter.

  “I was never a Boy Scout, but I came prepared,” Denver told Bryn as he set up the traffic cones the right distance apart for her to practice the skill she’d need to get her license. Once he was through, he climbed into the passenger seat. “We’ll work on the joy part later.”

  Remembering the title of the sex manual, she blushed. Bryn was glad he had no clue what type of daydreams she’d been having lately. “Promises. Promises.”

  “Now, focus.” He made sure they made eye contact. This wasn’t the best time in the world for a lesson. She was too excited to concentrate. When she held his gaze for a second or two, he winked. “Good girl. Now, while at a complete stop, turn your wheel all the way to the right.” She did, then stopped. “All the way.” She did it some more. “Now, that’s right. Turn your head and watch out the back of the car.” He bit his cheek to keep from laughing at her cute expression of concentration. “Ok
ay, good. Now, begin backing up.” She did, wrenching the wheel in the wrong direction. “No! Don’t turn your wheel, let it stay in the all-the-way-to-the-right position!” He winced, but didn’t say anything until she corrected her stance.

  “I’m sorry, Denver. I’m trying.” Bryn huffed out a breath. “This is hard.”

  “You’re doing fine.” He encouraged her. “Just keep going, backing up slowly. Stop backing up when that first orange cone is in the exact middle of your rear windshield, that represents the right-front corner of the car behind you. Okay, good. Slow!” he cautioned, bracing himself on the dashboard as he watched behind them along with her. “Imagine a line extending backwards from your car along its centerline. You stop when the right front corner of the rear car reaches that line.”

  “What rear car?”

  He cursed lowly. “I said STOP!”

  Bryn pooched her lips out as she slammed on the brakes. “There’s no car back there, you know that. You keep referring to an invisible car.”

  “I said IMAGINE!”

  “Okay, okay, I’m visualizing. It’s a Mercedes Benz.”

  “Don’t make it an expensive car, you’re probably going to damage it.”

  Bryn grumbled under her breath.

  “What did you say?”

  “Nothing, let’s finish this.”

  “Okay, WHILE STOPPED, turn your wheel back to the middle position.”

  Bryn did so. “Done.”

  Denver held on to his hat, his big hand spread across the crown. “Now, back up slowly until your car just barely clears the front car, then stop again.”

  “Another invisible car? You’re over-estimating my imagining ability.”

  “Okay, until your car just barely clears the orange cones. Satisfied?”

  “No. When you said we were going to practice parking, I thought you meant necking.”

  Denver froze, then gulped a breath of air, which set off a coughing spell. “What did you say?”

  Bryn giggled, backing up. “You’re all red. I think you’re going to blow a gasket.”