Cattle Valley: Fool's Gold Part 8

50.

"Oh my G.o.d!" Mel shook her head. No wonder Addie is depressed. If anyone had a reason to be, it was her. "What happened?"

Addie shrugged. "I paid a lawyer up front to handle things for me then I spent the rest of the money as fast as I could. On this place." She glanced around. "Such as it is. My very own iron pyrite."

"Excuse me?" Mel wasn't following.

Addie waved a hand around the room. "Fool's gold. My father used to tell me about miners who gave up everything they had and moved west, looking for gold. Some of them found iron pyrite, which looks pretty on the outside but isn't worth much on the inside. They lost everything chasing fool's gold. Just like I did with this inn."

"It is not just like that!" Mel insisted. "This inn was a beautiful place with a great business. It will be again, you wait and see."

Addie shrugged. "I'll wait if I can. Have to see how the lawsuit comes out."

"The lawsuit-you mean your mother's pursuing that?"

"Yep. Isn't settled yet, far as I know. I a.s.sume the lawyer will contact me."

Mel blinked. "But you spent the money."

"Yep." Addie smiled. "So if she wins, I'll be forced to sell this place and pay her back."

"You don't think you could sc.r.a.pe together enough-"

"Melissa, right now I couldn't sc.r.a.pe together milk money. I'm running on fumes. Not literally, because when that big guy at the garage finds out I can't pay for my car, he'll have to keep it."

Mel thought about Gill driving the old green Pontiac and bit back a chuckle.

"What?" Addie looked at her.

She couldn't resist speaking her thought, hoping it would lighten the mood rather than p.i.s.s Addie off. "You think Gill will want that car?"

Addie stared at her then started to laugh. "Hey, it'll have a new m.u.f.fler!"

Mel laughed until her stomach hurt. She nudged her arm against Addie. "See, there's always a bright spot. You just have to know where to find it."

"Oh, yeah?" Addie's mirth faded away. "Find me the bright spot in this, Little Mary Sunshine. Thanks to my lawyer's advice, I did take out insurance on the inn. But he told me *

51.

since it was a business, I should go with a higher deductible to lower my payments. In order to have this place fixed up, I'll have to come up with thousands of dollars."

Mel gazed at her sincerely. "I'm sorry. So I guess you don't really have a cheque coming in?"

"Uh, no. Not proud to say it, but I lied."

Mel sighed. "No wonder you were trying to forget your worries."

"I was." Addie nodded. "I offered to take Chloe to the bar and relax for an evening. At the bar, she met some guy named Del and his girlfriend Rita, who wanted to have three-way s.e.x with us. No wait! That would be four-way, wouldn't it? Anyhoo, I declined, and Chloe left with them. Headed to some street faire in San Fran-wherever." She shook her head.

"You know where I mean."

"Chloe's gone?" Mel couldn't believe her ears.

"Yep. I haven't checked to see how much of my stuff she took with her. The house and c.r.a.ppy furniture are still here, so I have that."

"Chloe is gone." Mel repeated quietly. The words were too good to be true. But Addie had to be suffering, and Mel's first thoughts should be for her and her well-being. "I'm so sorry, Addie. That's just awful."

"Yes, it is." Addie closed her eyes drowsily.

"How long were you two together?"

"Hmm?" Addie murmured.

Mel couldn't tell if she were thinking or had fallen asleep. She waited.

"Almost three weeks, I guess."

"Three weeks?" Mel nearly shouted with excitement. Why did I think they'd been together so much longer?

Addie's eyes popped open. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Mel gripped Addie's shoulders, pulling the woman's head into her lap. She stroked her hair. "Not a blessed thing."

Addie gazed up at her. The look in her eyes was accusing. "You never came back. You dropped by that first morning, but I never saw you again."

52.

"Chloe." Mel touched Addie's face. "She warned me to stay away. I wasn't afraid of her-h.e.l.l, I could take her out-but I felt guilty because of the thoughts I had about you. I a.s.sumed you were in a committed relationship, and I didn't want to come between you."

"One of us should have been committed, all right." Addie scowled. "I can't believe Chloe threatened you."

"She was, let's just say, an interesting person. But sadly, she's gone now."

"Sadly?" Addie batted her eyelashes.

"Okay, not so sadly." Mel smiled.

Mel woke up and glanced around, getting her bearings. She remembered talking with Addie late into the night, and at some point, they'd moved to the only useable bedroom in the inn. They'd continued to talk softly, not looking at each other but staring up at the ceiling.

It hadn't taken long for Addie to fall asleep, her rhythmic breathing a comforting sound. Mel had rolled over and watched her for awhile before finally dozing off herself.

Shards of daylight filtered in through slits between the blinds, illuminating the empty bed. Mel heard the sound of water running in the adjoining bathroom. She stretched comfortably and waited.

The shower stopped, and footsteps padded around in the bathroom. A hair dryer came on briefly, then off again.

Addie appeared in the doorway, wearing a large, white towel. "Hey. You're awake."

"Yeah. Sorry I slept so long." Mel rubbed her face.

"Nah, it's early. I felt grubby when I woke up and wanted to hop in the shower.

Besides, I'm the one who should apologise. I'm sorry about last night."

Mel tried to ignore the fact Addie wore nothing but a towel. It was becoming increasingly difficult. She glanced away quickly and waved a hand. "No big deal. You had a lot on your mind. I understand completely."

Addie took a step closer to the bed. "I seem to recall you being very chivalrous. I remember throwing myself at you."

53.

Mel grinned. "It wasn't easy. But you were pretty..." she searched for the right word, "groggy. I wasn't going to take advantage."

"I was flat on my a.s.s drunk. You were very kind. I didn't know if it was because you weren't interested-"

"h.e.l.l, no!" Mel's face heated, the warmth slowly spreading lower. "Just the opposite."

"Really?" Addie dropped her towel.

Mel blinked. The naked body before her was more beautiful than anything she'd imagined. Addie's b.r.e.a.s.t.s were full and round, with perfect, brown nipples accenting the paler flesh. Her stomach was flat, leading down to the small patch of neatly trimmed pubic hair. "I, uh...Jesus. I need to go pee."

Addie laughed and motioned to the bathroom. "Help yourself. I'll be right here."

Her heart racing, Mel hurried into the pretty, peach lavatory and used the toilet. She glanced at the shower longingly and decided a few more minutes wouldn't kill her. "I'm going to shower real quick, okay?" she called.

"You bet. Clean towels on the shelf."

"Thanks." Mel saw the decorative wicker shelving unit and took one towel, setting it within reach. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and climbed into the stall, cleaning up faster than ever before. She hurried to dry off, but kept the towel around her when she returned to the bedroom.

Addie had thrown back the covers neatly and was lying across the bed on her side.

"Ah, no fair. I lost my towel. Your turn."

Mel smiled, letting the fluffy cotton fall away.

"d.a.m.n." The look on Addie's face was one of pure l.u.s.t. "You're hot, girl. Get over here, now." She patted the mattress.

Mel moved to the side of the bed and lowered herself slowly. She remembered her ponytail and dragged the elastic band from her hair.

Reaching up, Addie ran a hand through Mel's dark tresses before letting it travel lower.

She cupped one cheek gently. "You're so beautiful. I almost can't believe you're here."

"Why would you say that?" Mel turned her face into the hand. "You're absolutely gorgeous. I'm the one in disbelief."

54.

Addie grinned. "Then we've got a mutual admiration society. Come closer, so I can admire you some more."

Mel lay next to her and inhaled as Addie's hands began to explore.

With a light touch, the seductive woman teased every inch of skin she could reach.

Fingertips barely met flesh as Addie moved deliberately, avoiding the usual erogenous zones. Her lips took the same journey, and Mel groaned.

"Feel good?" Addie whispered.

"That's putting it mildly." Mel writhed on the bed.

Addie continued her exploration, leaving no spot untouched. When she'd kissed a trail down Mel's legs and back up again, she paused at the apex, allowing the tension to build and then settled in. With the lightest of contact, she spread Mel's nether lips and blew warm breath on them. "Beautiful," she murmured.

"Touch me." Mel could barely stand the torment. Every nerve ending tingled from the feathery caresses, and her loins felt like they might explode. "Please."

Addie chuckled and dragged her tongue along the tender flesh. She used long, languorous strokes over Mel's folds and c.l.i.t. The sensations were arousing and maddening at the same time.

"You're evil," Mel whispered, her body twitching wantonly with desire.

"Yep." Addie grasped each of Mel's thighs firmly and spread them wide. "But I can be nice, too. Just wanted to make sure you were ready."

"I'm ready!" Mel gasped at the strong grip. Addie's touch wasn't gentle anymore. It was aggressive, insistent, as if the woman knew what she wanted and was determined to take it. Mel couldn't think of anything better.

Addie drove her tongue into Mel's p.u.s.s.y and forced it deep. Pulling back, she lapped at the flesh, not gingerly as before. Her movements were purposeful, determined.