Crossroads: the Chance City Series Book Three
Copyright© 2023 by Robin Deeter
Chapter 8
Romantic Sex Story: Chapter 8 - Carter “Wheels” Ellis doubts that he’ll ever find a wife since he’s a paraplegic. But Nora Guthrie has strong feelings for him, and they begin a powerful romance. Sparks fly between Mayor Carly Branson and male prostitute Ray Stratton despite their mutual hate. Or is it love? Four people come to important crossroads. Will they find happiness, or take a wrong turn and end up heartbroken?
Caution: This Romantic Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Consensual Heterosexual Fiction Historical Mystery Western
Judge Stanley Fairbanks sat at his desk the next morning finishing up some work before going to Jim’s wake early that afternoon. His clerk, Freddy Lipton, appeared at his doorway.
“Sir, I have a call for you from Carter Ellis.”
Stanley’s forehead wrinkled. “Who?”
“Wheels.”
“Oh. Carter must be his given name. What does he want?”
Freddy replied, “He wouldn’t say.”
“I imagine that he wants to talk to me about his punishment. Go ahead and put him through.”
“Yes, sir.”
Freddy withdrew, and Stanley’s extension rang.
He picked up the handset. “Good morning, Wheels.”
“Good morning, Judge. How are you?”
“Fine, thanks. I’m not lifting your sentence.”
“Oh, I wasn’t calling about that.”
“Then what are you calling about?”
Wheels said, “I’m not going to have your wife’s clock done by Friday.”
Stanley drummed his fingers on his desk. “Why not? It’s her birthday and her mother gave her that clock. I want to surprise her with it.”
“I know, but I can’t go to work and Daddy and Carl are buried right now with other jobs. Besides, clocks are my specialty.”
Stanley narrowed his eyes. Wheels’ shrewd maneuvering both irritated and impressed him.
“Can’t they bring it over to your house so you can work on it?”
“They could, but all my tools are set up at the shop in my work area and it’s arranged specifically for me. I never know what I’m gonna need,” Wheels said.
Stanley grunted. “You’re twisting my arm, Wheels.”
“Not at all, sir. I just wanted to let you know.”
Stanley sighed as he thought about the situation. “You can go to work for three hours a day from eight until eleven in the morning, but that’s it. Nowhere else but work.”
“Oh! Really?”
“Yes, really. Now, get that clock done.”
“Yes, sir.”
Stanley said, “Well played, Wheels. Well played.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Nora kept Wheels company that afternoon, trying to occupy him instead of constantly thinking about missing Jim’s wake. It was easier said than done, though. He couldn’t concentrate on anything because his anger and grief were too strong. His heart was breaking for Sandy and for himself because he couldn’t be there for her or participate in the service for a dearly departed friend.
Finally, he laid down his cards on the table. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Nora, but I’m just too disgusted to play cards.”
Nora put hers down, too. “I know. I’m so sorry.”
“I talked to Sandy this morning and she understood, but that doesn’t make me feel any better. I’m glad that Daddy took Ollie. He’ll cheer Sandy up a little.”
“If anyone can, it’ll be Ollie,” Nora said. “He’s so sweet and funny.”
Wheels smiled. “Yeah. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him. Honey, you could’ve gone to the wake.”
Nora shook her head. “I wasn’t going to leave you alone. I know how hard this is and I wanted to be here for you.”
He took her hand and tugged. “Come here.”
“What are you up to?”
“Nothing. I just want to hold you.”
Unlike other women, Nora had never sat on Wheels’ lap because she’d been too shy. Her pulse throbbed a little harder as he drew her down onto his legs and wrapped his arms around her.
Looking in her eyes, he said, “Honey, relax. You’re not hurting me. I do this all the time.”
“I know,” she said. “I used to wish that you’d ask me to dance, but I was terrified that you would.”
Wheels smiled. “Why were you afraid?”
Nora blushed. “I was scared that if I did, you’d see how I felt about you.”
“What would have been wrong with that?”
“I thought you’d reject me,” she said. “You’d do it nicely, because that’s the kind of man you are, but even so...”
“Nora, if I’d have had any idea that such a beautiful, wonderful woman had any interest in me, I wouldn’t have rejected you,” Wheels said.
Nora laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m so happy that you asked me to dinner.”
“Me, too.”
“Do you want to dance?” she asked.
“There’s no music.”
“You keep time and I’ll sing,” Nora said.
Wheels grinned. “I like that idea. I’ve never heard you sing.”
“I sing all the time at home, but I’ve always been too shy to sing in public.”
“I’m very honored that you would dance with me and serenade me.”
Nora fought down her nerves and began singing. Wheels gently rolled his chair back and forth, slowly turning in circles as Nora sang. Her pretty alto voice made goosebumps break out over his shoulders and arms. He closed his eyes as he listened to her, enjoying every moment. She conveyed the emotion of the love song, and he loved feeling her arms around him, the weight of her body leaning against his.
Her soft hair brushed against his cheek and her slightly floral scent stirred his senses.
When she finished the song, he said, “That was so pretty. You’re as good a singer as your brothers. You have a beautiful voice.”
She met his eyes and smiled. “Thank you. I love singing, but I can’t do it in front of a lot of people.”
“Maybe when I’m free again, I can convince you to sing with me at Benny’s.”
Nora ran her fingertips through the hair at his temples and fresh goosebumps rose on his skin. “Maybe, but don’t count on it.”
He stopped moving his chair, putting his arms around her waist. “I have ways of coaxing people into things.”
“Is that so?”
“Mmm hmm.”
The air in the parlor became charged as desire flowed between them. Nora pressed a kiss to Wheels’ warm, supple lips, tightening her arms around his neck. Wheels ran his hands up her back, responding eagerly to her. In moments, they were lost in each other, their pulses rising as passion ignited between them.
Ray and the girls helped Sandy ready the saloon for Jim’s wake. She’d refused to have a funeral at the church and Jim had been cremated since Sandy didn’t want him buried in the cemetery. After what had happened, she wanted nothing to do with a church and that included putting Jim in the ground outside of one or having Pastor Clem officiate.
The pastor had been outspoken against the Chowhound and Sandy felt that it would be hypocritical of Clem to come say nice things and pray for Jim’s soul. Instead, she wanted to celebrate Jim’s life and have everyone tell their favorite stories about the man she’d loved for so long. The repairs were finished, and the place had been cleaned from top to bottom for the occasion. Ray had assisted Sandy with the menu for the wake and he would help cook, too.
As Sandy dressed in one of her few dresses, she worked hard to keep her grief at bay. The pretty green muslin dress had been Jim’s favorite and she’d paired it with the diamond earrings that he’d given her for Christmas that past year.
She applied just a little rouge and lipstick and gazed at her reflection. She should be dead, not her Jim. Her heroic man had been her hero until the end, just as he’d been when they’d met over thirty years ago.
Although she and Jim had never had a church wedding or a certificate, they were considered common-law husband and wife. They’d loved each other completely and had been partners in every way.
And now she was a widow. Jim was gone, ripped from her life in a matter of moments. Looking at the wall beside the full-length mirror in their bedroom, she gazed at the picture on the wall in which she and Jim smiled at each other.
By society’s standards, he wasn’t the most handsome man, but he had been beautiful in her eyes. He’d rescued her all those years ago and his huge heart and dry sense of humor had quickly endeared him to her. The kindness in his blue eyes and the generous, erotic way he’d made love had enthralled her. She might kid around with her male friends, but she’d never had any desire for another man outside of Jim.
His absence had left a gigantic, jagged hole in her soul that she knew would never heal. The past two days had gone by in a blur of activity and yet excruciatingly slow. She hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours, and, while she was exhausted, her mind wouldn’t rest.
It kept replaying Jim’s death over and over so vividly that she heard the sound of gunfire, the smell of gunpowder, and the scent of burning alcohol and wood. She could still feel Jim’s warm blood on her hands and see his sightless eyes dulled by death when they’d once been so full of life and love.
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