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<title>Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004</link>
<description><![CDATA[Hunky Rancher Burke Dawson wants children but he has no love for a wife. Annie Douglas craves his love. Despite lies, accidents & treachery can Annie win her Texas Cowboy's heart? ***Contest Entry Please Vote***]]></description>
<language>en-us</language>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:45:32 -0400</pubDate>
<item>
<title>Chapter 1 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/1/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:06:47 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Burke Dawson frowned as he saw the rusted black pickup truck on the side of the road ahead. His favorite Garth Brooks&rsquo; tune played on the radio and he wasn&rsquo;t in the mood to play Good Samaritan. He shook his head as he recognized the truck as the notorious rental that kept breaking down. He wondered which unlucky out-of-towner had rented it this time. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Slowing his own truck, he came to a stop behind the disabled vehicle. He got out of his truck pushing his Stetson back. He smiled, puzzled to see small shiny black shoes, wagging in the air from inside the truck engine. The view of shapely calves and dainty ankles looked nice. Intrigued, he walked to the front, clearing his throat, letting her know he was there. She turned in surprise. &quot;Need a hand?&quot; he asked, looking into her wide green eyes.



&nbsp;Startled, she looked at him. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t hear you drive up. This bucket of bolts broke down so I thought I&rsquo;d take a look at the engine.&rdquo;



&ldquo;How does it look?&rdquo;



She smiled looking embarrassed. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. I&rsquo;ve never looked at one before.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;I could give you a lift, it's not far,&quot; He offered. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke helped her down from the truck, smiling at her oil-stained cuffs. She had a smudge of black on her cheek that tempted him to wipe it away. 



&nbsp;Quickly righting her skirt, she thanked him with her eyes and moved to the back of the truck, trying to lift her luggage out.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke smiled as she quickly walked away from his touch. He knew that she&rsquo;d felt the arc of energy between them. Obviously, she wasn't interested. He followed her to the back of the truck and intentionally put his big hand over her small dainty one. He bit back a smile as she hastily snatched her hand back. Burke easily lifted her bag out of the truck and tossed it in his.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They both heard a slight meow coming from behind the sagebrush on the side of the road. Burke watched as she walked in the direction of the sound and found a kitten. It looked tiny and its meow sounded slight. Immediately she picked it up and snuggled it under her chin looking as though she relished his softness. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke shook his head as he watched her cuddling the kitten. He wasn&rsquo;t a big cat fan.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I wonder where it came from?&rdquo; Burke mused.



&nbsp;&ldquo;He must have been in a fight or something. Look at his ear, he obviously needs a home.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I have enough going on at my ranch already. I can&rsquo;t take in every stray.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo; A Ranch? If you have a lot of land, you could certainly find room for a maimed kitten, couldn&rsquo;t you?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He knew he was a sucker but he couldn&rsquo;t say no to her pleading green eyes. He nodded. Hell, it was only a kitten. It could live in the barn.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Thank you. I know you won&rsquo;t regret it.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke had a feeling that he&rsquo;d regret it, but itmade this green-eyed beauty happy. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 2 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/2/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:08:04 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


He quickly inventoried her assets. He had a fondness for long hair and hers looked beautiful, he'd never seen a shade of auburn quite like hers, bright red with golden highlights. It curled wildly and Burke had the feeling that there would be no taming it. She wasn't very tall; she barely came up to his shoulder. She looked a little on the thin side but it was hard to tell in her baggy clothes she wore, an ankle length green skirt topped off with an ivory blouse and matching green vest. Her eyes drew him. They were so vividly green. She looked so wide-eyed and innocent, but Burke knew from prior experience that city girls could be trouble. She wasn't as pretty or as brazen as his ex-wife was but he knew the type.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Annie felt a bit flustered as she realized that she stared at him. He was such a big man, tall in stature with wide shoulders and slim hips. His western style shirt stretched tightly across his broad chest, enhancing his masculine appeal. He enthralled her but at the same time he scared her. She couldn&rsquo;t allow herself to feel fascinated by any man, not ever. &ldquo;If there&rsquo;s a hotel you could recommend I'd appreciate it.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He grinned. &quot;There&rsquo;s only one motel, but it's clean and the rates are reasonable. I'll drop you off and call the garage about your truck.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled back. &quot;That&rsquo;s a lot of trouble to go to for a stranger,&quot; she commented.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;I'd do it for anyone,&quot; he replied offhandedly. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;But you don't even know my name,&quot; she protested.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He laughed, glancing at her. Starting his truck, he drove toward town. &quot;I'm Burke Dawson, born and raised in Weltworth, Texas.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled back. &quot;I'm Annie Douglas, from New York City.&quot; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Well, Annie Douglas it's nice to meet you,&quot; he said.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;So, do you go to the &lsquo;big F.W.&rsquo; a lot?&rdquo; Annie asked, glad that she&rsquo;d learned the local lingo.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;The big F.W., what&rsquo;s that?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I thought everyone in Texas knew that Fort Worth is known as the big F.W.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&ldquo;I have to say that&rsquo;s a new one on me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie pulled out her most recent purchase, a Texas-English dictionary. &ldquo;I could have sworn that I had it right,&rdquo; she said as she flipped through the pages. &ldquo;Here it is on page 49, Fort Worth is known by Texans as the Big F.W.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Where did you get that thing?&rdquo; Burke asked as his lips twitched trying to contain his laughter.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;The airport gift shop had them. Why?&rdquo; she asked growing suspicious that she was the butt end of a joke.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Did you memorize that book?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;As much as I could, I wanted to fit in.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Do yourself a favor and forget everything you learned. We have our sayings but I think that book is meant in the spirit of a snipe hunt,&rdquo; He said.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;A snipe hunt?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Yes, there&rsquo;s no such thing as a snipe, but we like to tell greenhorns to hunt them. It&rsquo;s a little Texas humor. We&rsquo;re a good bunch so if you don&rsquo;t understand just ask. We&rsquo;re used to Yankees looking confused.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie finally laughed. She&rsquo;d never been called a yankee before. She could take a joke.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As they drove into town, it surprised Annie that she hadn't been very far from town. &quot;I could have walked here.&rdquo;&nbsp; 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 3 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/3/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:09:12 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


As towns went, this one was small. The main street stood lined with privately owned businesses, Mom and Pop stores. She realized that there didn't seem to be one chain store or restaurant in sight. She&rsquo;d miss her morning Starbucks coffee but she had a feeling that the novelty of a small town would make up for it. 



She spotted Hal&rsquo;s Hardware, Penny&rsquo;s General Store, Floyd&rsquo;s Feed and Grain, Julie&rsquo;s Yarn Basket and Wilt&rsquo;s Hat and Spurs. There was an old-fashioned diner and a church. The town had a feel of history to it. The buildings all looked like they had been here for a long time with their original weather worn wooden fronts. There wasn&rsquo;t one neon sign in sight.



&nbsp;&quot;How quaint this town looks!&quot; She remarked with pleasure.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Quaint it is.&quot; Burked chuckled. &quot;The motel is just ahead. I'll drop you off and swing by Barney's Garage and let them know about the truck,&quot; he explained. &quot;I'll have him leave word with Wanda, the owner of The Stay A Bit Motel, as to when it'll be ready.&quot; He gave her sidelong glance &quot;That same truck has broken down numerous times.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;What do you mean? Who would rent out a truck that keeps breaking down?&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Old Rowdy at the rental place is a bit eccentric. He claims that it runs fine for him. He blames it on operator error.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s eyes widdened in indignation. &quot;Operator error, I don&rsquo;t think so!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke parked the truck in the motel parking lot and laughingly raised his hands. &quot;Hey, don't get mad at me. I didn't rent you that truck.&quot; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Sorry. It's been a really long day.&quot; She gave kitty a kiss, got down out of the truck, and thanked Burke as he handed her the luggage. &ldquo;Be good to kitty,&rdquo; she added.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;I will, it was nice to meet you Annie Douglas,&quot; Burke said whole-heartedly. &quot;Wanda will get you a room. I'll call Barney's and have him tow the truck.&rdquo;&nbsp; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt a strange feeling of loss as she watched him drive away. She imagined he was a good friend to have. That was something that she was sorely lacking, friends. Walking toward the motel office she wondered about the strange tingling she&rsquo;d felt when he touched her. Shrugging her shoulders she became determined to put it out of her mind. Men weren't for her. She might want a husband and a family, but she sadly knew that would never be.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She&rsquo;d made the trip at her stepbrother&rsquo;s request, well orders. Sonny could be very controlling, not allowing her to take a step without him knowing. She&rsquo;d been feeling suffocated and when this trip came up, Annie jumped at it. She needed to be on her own for a while.&nbsp; 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 4 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/4/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:10:50 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


The next morning Annie found herself sipping her third cup of coffee in the homiest diner she'd ever seen. The smell of bacon, cinnamon rolls and coffee comforted her. It reminded her of better times. She prolonged her stay reluctant to leave the intimate setting. All morning families and cowboys came in for breakfast, greeted, by the middle-aged owner, Noreen. She seemed a dynamo of a woman, greeting customers, running the front counter and exchanging gossip with all. She was easy to talk to and had ferreted Annie's reason for being in town in less than ten minutes. Annie, usually a private, shy person felt amazed at how readily she took to Noreen. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Howdy, you two old cowpokes,&quot; Noreen said saucily to two older men as they sat at the counter. She tried to tuck her gray hair into a bun. &quot;Coffee and the usual for you both?&quot; she asked without waiting for an answer. She poured them both coffee and nodded her head towards Annie. &quot;Hank and Bo- this is Annie. These two old cowpokes have lived in this town forever.&rdquo; She waited as they all greeted each other. &quot;Annie here is looking over some land her stepbrother just bought. She's from New York City.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Which land would that be Miss Annie?&quot; Hank inquired.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;It's on Dawes road.&quot; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hank and Bo exchanged a startled look. &quot;I didn't know anyone had bought that property ma'am,&quot; Bo drawled.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The look they&rsquo;d exchanged puzzled Annie. &quot;My stepbrother bought it recently.&quot; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Well Miss Annie I hope he doesn't plan to be a long-distance landlord. We have enough of those already. What we do need is new blood in this town. Young people such as you,&quot; Hank remarked as he took a swig of his coffee.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;To tell you the truth, I have no idea what he plans to do.&quot;&nbsp; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Well whatever his plans are, it's nice to have someone as pretty as you to enjoy our breakfast with,&quot; Hank said as he winked at her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie blushed at the compliment, she knew it wasn't true but it was nice to hear for once. Lord knew that her stepbrother, Sonny had told her often enough that she was nothing to look at. At twenty-three, she&rsquo;d only had one boyfriend- well ex-fianc&eacute;. The break up had shaken her self-confidence. Two months later Annie still reeled from the shock, hurt, and humiliation of finding her fianc&eacute; and best friend in bed together. It seemed only to take a matter of hours before their break-up became common knowledge within their group of friends and only minutes after that for Annie to realize that she didn't have any real friends at all. Everyone in their social group seemed to have known and they had laughed at her naivet&eacute;. 



The last two months had been the loneliest months of her life. Just functioning became hard. The need to know why persisted foremost in her thoughts. She'd always been shy and a bit awkward but she couldn&rsquo;t think of any reason why Jeffrey and Lisa tried to ruin her life. Finally, Sonny sent her down to Texas just to be rid of her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked around the diner feeling the first sense of peace since that awful day. The red-checkered curtains were faded and the tables and chairs were old, or maybe they called it rustic down here. Wistfully she wished to be a part of it, a part of this town. She wanted to be friends with these people, who were genuine and not just playing up to her for her stepbrother&rsquo;s money. It would be so nice to belong somewhere.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was surprised to see Burke enter the diner. Her eyes flew to his handsome face. His head was bare and she liked his thick curly brown hair, sprinkled with blonde highlights, probably from being out in the sun. He looked rugged, not at all like the pale metro-sexual men back home. She smiled as she noticed the twinkle in his blue eyes, a twinkle that seemed to be exclusively for her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Well, just the little lady I was looking for,&quot; Burke said as he sat down beside her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie grew a bit flustered. &quot;You were looking for me?&quot; she asked in disbelief.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke grinned. &quot;I gave Old Rowdy the riot act for renting you that truck,&quot; he explained. &quot;There&rsquo;s a more reliable one sitting outside your motel room. This one shouldn't give you any trouble.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Thank you. How&rsquo;s kitty?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Fine.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Well howdy Burke!&quot; Noreen greeted as she automatically poured him a cup of coffee. &ldquo;How&rsquo;s the wife hunt going?&quot; She turned to Annie with mischievous eyes. &quot;This hunk is advertising for a wife.&quot; She laughed. &quot;Just look at him,&quot; she exclaimed, &ldquo;he&rsquo;s got to be the most handsome man in the whole dang county!&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked in astonishment from Noreen's animated face to Burke&rsquo;s reddened face. She wondered what was wrong with Burke. Why advertise for a wife? He seemed likable enough and helpful. What dark secrets did he have?



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;I don't have time for a courtship,&quot; he bit off defensively. &quot;I labor 24/7 working my ranch.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie took his explanation with a grain of salt. She knew that men hid their evil qualities until they were ready to unleash them. Her instincts told her that Burke was a decent person, but she couldn't trust her instincts anymore, especially where men were concerned.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Annie, are you married?&rdquo; Noreen asked with humor in her eyes. She obviously loved teasing Burke.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie squirmed in her seat. This conversation was getting definitely uncomfortable. &quot;No,&quot; she said as she got up to leave. She turned to Burke and thanked him again for all his help with the rental truck.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Burke noticed her intense perusal. It was almost as if she was counting on her fingers his possible flaws. Damn Noreen anyway, why did she have to shoot off her big mouth? It surprised him that Annie&rsquo;s opinion of him mattered. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;No problem,&quot; Burke muttered as he watched her leave the diner. He was going to kill Noreen. Based on Annie's troubled face, Noreen had ruined any chance he had to get to know Annie. He sighed deeply as he paid for his coffee. He wasn't in the market for a city woman anyway. He'd already married one of those, and he knew how it would end. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 5 : Texan Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/5/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:43:59 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Annie clutched the steering wheel of the truck with both hands. The road that led up to her stepbrother&rsquo;s property was beyond bumpy. Her teeth clattered in her head as she drove on, hoping for an end to the torture. The scenery was beautiful; she could understand why people loved Texas. The sun seemed brighter, the sky bluer and the grass certainly looked greener. Maybe she was just being fanciful, but she really loved Texas.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She stopped the truck before an old run-down farmhouse. It looked as though it had been standing empty for a hundred years. The paint was peeling and the front steps were in disrepair. There was a certain charm to it though, she thought as she studied it. The long wraparound porch was something from her dreams and the rose bushes in front, though untended were blooming in radiant colors of red and yellow. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hopping out of the truck, Annie made her way to the house. She had a key but the front door barely hung on its hinges. Carefully she traversed the front stairs, smiling to herself as they creaked, and cautiously pushed the front door open. It wasn't a big house by any means but it had a certain appeal. The musty smell she expected was actually a floral scent. The front room boasted a big stone fireplace, marred hardwood floors, and old broken furniture. Its quaintness captivated her. She walked into the only other room on the first floor and found to her delight, an authentic farmhouse kitchen. The big stove dominated the room. It was definitely an antique. Annie had no idea what era it belonged. The wooden counters looked well used with numerous scratches etched in them. The sink appeared huge. People were paying big bucks to obtain this look in their own homes and here was the real thing. 



&nbsp;Imagining a woman from the nineteenth century cooking and tending to her big family here made her feel such a sense of history, that it brought a tear to her eye. She wondered what it was like to be part of a happy family, to have a sense of belonging. Annie sighed heavily as she realized that her stepbrother would probably bulldoze the place without a second thought. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie berated herself for being so sentimental. She had been so lost in thought that she imagined that she had heard cattle outside. Laughing at herself, Annie went to the window and low and behold, there were plenty of cattle on the land.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She walked out the back kitchen door and stared. Beyond the barn, she saw a fenced-in sea of cattle. It surprised her that she hadn't heard their lulling while driving to the cottage. What a spectacular sight. Annie wasn't used to animals of any type. Her mother never allowed her to have a pet. She considered all animals dirty. As if in a trance, Annie felt them beckoning her to come closer. She practically ran in delight, through the tall Texas grass, to the fence and climbed up on the first rung wanting a closer look. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;She looked off into the distance as she heard the pounding of hooves. A real-live cowboy riding her way mesmerized her. As the rider got closer, Annie recognized him as the handsome Burke Dawson. Her stomach felt tied in knots as she watched him ride closer. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He was pure man. He looked as though he&rsquo;d been born to the saddle, from his Stetson to his worn black boots to his brown leather chaps. Annie realized that she was practically drooling and mentally reprimanded herself. She knew about men and didn&rsquo;t want any part of them, but she couldn't stop staring at this particular cowboy. She knew that she was smiling like a fool as he stopped in front of her but she couldn't seem to help herself. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 6 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/6/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:44:56 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Burke was amazed to see Annie Douglas on his land looking over his cattle. What was this woman&rsquo;s game? She'd seemed likable enough but one never knew. He'd already lost a few hundred head of cattle to rustlers this spring and by God, he wasn't going to let it happen again. There had been too much loss already.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Determined to find out Burke rode to her. &quot;What the hell are you doing on my land?&quot; he demanded, as he stared down at her from atop of his horse. Seeing the shock in her big green eyes wasn&rsquo;t going to sway him. Burke felt a bit contrite as he saw the fear in her eyes. Biting off a few curse words, he swung down from his horse.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;What is wrong with you?&quot; he ground out. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to hurt you.&quot; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Annie was suddenly afraid of Burke. She could feel the anger radiate from of him. She grew confused by his antagonism. &quot;I...I'm sorry,&quot; she stammered as she jumped down off the fence and took a step back. She felt pathetic being scared but she had learned the hard way just how dangerous an angry man was.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wanted nothing more than to take flight and find safety but she seemed riveted to that spot. Shaking she watched Burke vault the fence and come toward her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie, felt helpless as she watched him tightened his fists at his sides. Tears came to her eyes as she anticipated the first blow.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke strode forward and grabbed her upper arms. &quot;What&rsquo;s going on?&quot; he asked. 



Annie stood in his grip unable to look up at him. Instead, she stared at his heaving chest. She could tell he was mad from how fast he was breathing. He seemed bigger than ever with his large hands wrapped around her arms. She took a slow deep breath trying to gather her courage. Eventually she looked up into his blazing blue eyes with her teary ones. &quot;I...I don't understand,&quot; she stammered. &quot;I thought this was the land my stepbrother just bought. My mistake,&quot; she whispered, as she broke free of his hold.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie turned to walk away, never wanting to see Burke again. She just wanted to get as far away from this house as she could. Annie straightened her back and lifted her chin proudly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 7 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/7/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:45:56 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Burke wasn't used to such skittish females. Hell, he wasn't used to females at all. He didn't consider his ex-wife a true example of a woman. She was more of a hellcat that deserved drowning at birth. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Annie, wait!&quot; he called as he hurried after her, watching her stop, and turn. It amused him when she wouldn't meet his gaze. &quot;There's been some kind of misunderstanding here darlin',&quot; he drawled in a honeyed voice full of his Texas twang.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie's eyes shot up to his. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke took a step closer to her as he realized that his Southern charm worked. &quot;Now little darlin&rsquo; there must be some reason why you're on my land. I know in some circles they'd call it trespassing but since we're acquaintances, we'll just forget about that. I realize that we have certain chemistry.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s face turned red, as she grew angrier and angrier &quot;Let me tell you something bucko- I'm not a lonely woman chasing after you, of all the conceited gall!&quot; Annie's green eyes flashed, staring him down. &quot;I was under the impression that my stepbrother bought this land. I have the deed,&quot; she said as she fumbled around in her purse trying to locate it. Her shoulders were heaving in indignation. Finally, she found it and thrust it into Burke's hands.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke briefly looked at the deed. Unfortunately, he knew that what she said was true. Part of his divorce settlement stipulated that his ex-wife received one-half of the land that his family had owned for generations. He hadn't known that she had actually gone and sold it and he felt gut kicked. His chest tightened and he found it hard to breath. Walking to the stairs leading to the kitchen he sat down.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Slowly, she sat beside him and gently laid a comforting hand on his arm. &quot;I'm sorry Burke. This all seems to be a shock to you.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They sat there for what seemed an eternity before Burke finally looked at her shaking his head in disbelief. He'd been working so backbreaking hard this past year, trying to keep his ranch going and now this. He put his hand over Annie's and found a serene comfort in having her small hand in his. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He looked at her worried eyes and winced. It wasn't her fault and he felt guilty for raising his voice to her earlier. It was obvious from her previous reaction to him that sometime in her past she'd suffered from abuse. He sighed heavily as he gave her a smile. Remembering her bright smile when he first rode up, he felt like a heel for ruining her day. &quot;I'm the one who's sorry darlin&rsquo;. I had no right to come at you like that. I honestly had no idea that she&rsquo;d sold my land.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Who?&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke quickly shook his head. &quot;I don&rsquo;t want to go into all that now,&quot; he said with a halfhearted smile. &quot;Have dinner with me tonight,&quot; he blurted, suddenly wishing he could take the invitation back. He had no interest in this city woman, or so he told himself. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He felt her gazed on him. She seemed to be taking his measure. &quot;I'd be happy to have dinner with you,&rdquo; she answered softly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke grinned feeling buoyant by her answer. &quot;Come on over to my place tonight and I'll rustle up some steaks, ok?&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie grinned. &quot;Sure that will be fine.&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Seven o&rsquo;clock ok for you?&quot; he asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;I'll see you then,&quot; she replied.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 8 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/8/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:47:05 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Annie was a nervous wreck by the time she drove up to Burke&rsquo;s ranch. At one point, she reached for the phone wanting to cancel their dinner but she didn't have his number. Calling the hotel owner, Wanda or Noreen seemed out of the question. She didn't want everyone to know that she was having dinner with Burke. In the end, she decided to live a little. Although he intimidated her, Annie felt drawn to that big man. She knew that he could be kind and she sensed that he was honest. That was the most important thing. He did adopt the little kitten. She wasn&rsquo;t sure if she could trust her senses, not after the disaster in New York. Jeffrey and Lisa&rsquo;s betrayal had shattered her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke&rsquo;s house was certainly big. Annie found it to be charming. It was similar to the smaller farmhouse she had seen earlier but on a much grander scale. She smiled in delight as she studied it. It needed a coat of paint but otherwise it seemed well maintained, well loved. This house also had a wraparound porch lined in front with roses, well cared for roses. Feeling nervous, she walked to the front door but she also felt a lightness of spirit. She had a good sense about the evening.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke opened the door, his eyes smiling at her. He ushered her inside. &quot;Welcome, I'm glad you&rsquo;re here,&quot; he said softly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;He led her into the kitchen but not before Annie was able to see the massive fireplace in the family room. How beautiful. She could almost picture herself curled up on the leather couch in front of a roaring fire on a winter&rsquo;s day. She loved the wood floors and exposed beams. From what she could see, it looked a very masculine house, not a curtain or knickknack in sight. It surprised her considering he had been married until recently. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If the family room made her want to curl-up and be comfortable, then the kitchen made her want to twirl around in a circle. It was enthralling with huge windows. It has to be the biggest kitchen she had ever seen. The wooden cabinets, counters, and floors showed signs of wear. Annie knew that the wear showed the love of the generations of Dawson&rsquo;s. She could feel the warmth of family in this room and it made her wistful for things she never had. Things she probably would never have.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Burke watched the varied display of emotions on Annie's face. She seemed to have gone from sheer happiness to disappointment. He knew that the house needed work but he had hoped that she'd like it. He looked around with new eyes and admitted that he hadn&rsquo;t replaced anything since his father had died years ago. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;I know it's not much,&quot; he started.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;Oh!&quot; exclaimed Annie. &quot;This is wonderful! I mean I just love this house. The kitchen is magnificent!&quot;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke smiled at her enthusiasm. The last woman he had in his house had overtly insulted every inch of it. He could hardly believe her reaction. She seemed genuine in her pleasure. It didn&rsquo;t really matter he reminded himself. Although he found her damn attractive but she was off limits. He needed what equated to an unpaid housekeeper not a woman that probably had no practical skills. She was very tempting. There seemed something so vulnerable about her that it made him long to take her in his arms and protect her. It was obvious from their earlier confrontation that she had expected him to hit her. How he&rsquo;d like to find the person responsible and make him pay.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 9 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/9/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:48:00 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It pleased him to see Annie's bright green eyes smiling at him. She looked lovely in her yellow sundress with her curly auburn hair falling down her back. He admired her cute figure.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He grinned as he watched her scoop up the cat and whisper in its ear, her happiness so apparent. For a second he was glad that he adopted that ornery cat. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;What did you name him?&rdquo; Annie asked as she put the kitten down.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;The cat? It&rsquo;s a she and her name is Cat.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Why Cat? How about Betsy or Polly?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke looked at her in horror. &ldquo;A man does not name his cat Betsy and definitely not Polly. Cat is as good as it gets.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Annie held back a laugh as she looked at him. It must be a Texas thing, she supposed. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He opened the fridge grabbed two beers and offered her one. Annie noticed that he quietly observed her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie accepted the beer noticing that he didn&rsquo;t offer her a glass. It was obvious by his hooded gaze that he did it on purpose. He probably expected her to be too prissy to drink beer straight out of the bottle. Well she&rsquo;d show him. Looking at him, she took a nice long swig of beer. She surmised by the surprised look on his face that she had just passed some unspoken challenge. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke looked a bit flustered by her perusal. He scowled as he led her and Cat to the back yard, where he had dinner all ready to go. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke set the delicious looking steaks on the table. Annie shrieked as Cat suddenly had one of the big juicy steaks in its tiny mouth. Cat lead her on a merry chase.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Well, just don&rsquo;t stand there! Help me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Here kitty,&rdquo; Burke called.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie laughed. &ldquo;Like that&rsquo;s going to work.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke squatted down and called for the kitty once again and to Annie&rsquo;s amazement Cat went right to him, steak and all. &ldquo;That was almost as much fun as watching a greenhorn trying to lasso a calf. Guess we&rsquo;ll just have to share the other steak,&rdquo; Burke said as he petted Cat. He cut her a small piece and threw the rest out.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was enchanted. For all the show of not liking cats, Burke seemed attached to this one. If only he&rsquo;d had given her a better name.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After a delicious dinner of steak, potatoes, and homemade biscuits, Annie and Burke sat on the porch swing in the front of the house. The night has cooled pleasantly with a refreshing breeze blowing the prairie grass back and forth. Long-stalked sunflowers bent and danced to some unknown ballet. Annie closed her eyes and took it all in. She wanted to make a memory of this place, of this moment for when she was back in New York. It was going to be harder to go back to her stark existence after this perfect night. She looked at Burke&rsquo;s profile hoping to memorize it. There was such strength in his features from his square jaw line to his crooked nose. She wondered if he had broken it in a fight. His eyes were so blue that she had gotten lost in them many times throughout the evening. Annie tingled as her arm brushed against his. There was no doubt about the attraction they had for each other. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Have you always lived on this ranch?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke grinned. &ldquo;All my life.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;It must have been nice growing up here with your family,&rdquo; she commented.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Well my mother was a saint of course and my father&hellip; Let&rsquo;s see. How can I describe him without chasing you away? He was a strict old son of a gun who was about as mule-headed as a man could be. It was his way or you suffered the consequences. I guess you could say that I was a slow learner.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie put her hand on his arm. &ldquo;I grew up basically the same way. I know all about consequences.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 10 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/10/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:48:44 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Burke put his arm around her and pulled her close. He could feel her tremble at his touch and it humbled him. He couldn&rsquo;t remember a time when a woman had such a reaction to him. He wanted to pick her up in his arms and carry her to his bed, but he didn&rsquo;t dare. He didn&rsquo;t think she was the type for a one-night stand and that was all he was willing to offer. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He made the mistake of looking down at her upturned face. Her luminous green eyes were trapping him. Unable to resist the pull of her he carefully leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He only intended a brief kiss but she tasted like honey and he had to have more.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie moaned as Burke kissed her, realizing that there was a lot of pleasure to be had with this man. She could feel his tongue along the seam of her lips, coaxing her mouth open to deepen the kiss. She&rsquo;d never been kissed so deeply, so completely. His arms tighten around her pulling her close to him. He smelled of sunshine and outdoors. She was pulling his head down for more when she realized that he was trying to let her go. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke gently removed her arms from around his neck and looked down at her with hooded eyes. He felt so aroused by her and it was by sheer willpower that he stopped his lovemaking. Her bruised lips looked inviting to him and her eyes shone with pleasure. God he wanted her. Regretfully he stood up and moved away from her. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been fun.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Yes it has,&rdquo; Annie, answered quickly, hoping that her face wasn&rsquo;t as red as it felt. She was on fire. Taking a deep shaky breath and slowly let it out, she tried to calm her pounding heart. She knew that &ldquo;it&rsquo;s been fun&rdquo; was the universal signal for time to go. Standing on wobbly legs she and made her way to the porch stairs. She looked at Burke with her heart in her eyes. &ldquo;Maybe you could consider me as a candidate for a wife?&rdquo; she asked quietly. She held her breath as he turned toward her. His eyes were full of misgivings and she knew the answer before he even answered it. &ldquo;Never mind,&rdquo; she said hurriedly&nbsp;&nbsp; rushing down the stairs to her car.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Her hands were shaking as she started the car. Somehow, she managed to turn it around to leave. As much as she wanted to, she didn&rsquo;t look back. She&rsquo;d made a fool of herself once again and the knowledge sickened her.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 11 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/11/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:49:42 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Three weeks later, Annie was at her wits end, looking around her office she sighed in exhaustion. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Burke with his regretful eyes, telling her that she wasn&rsquo;t good enough to be her wife. Well, to be honest, he never really said she wasn&rsquo;t good enough, but that was how she felt nonetheless. She&rsquo;d relived their kiss dozens of times in the last few weeks. He had made her feel things she&rsquo;d never imagined feeling with any man. The knowledge that she wouldn&rsquo;t see him again brought a constant sadness to her eyes. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Desperately searching for a new path in her life, she decided that she wouldn&rsquo;t feel sorry for herself any longer. Annie rubbed her tired eyes and tried to think of her next move. She was so tired of committees and fundraisers. Even volunteering at the animal shelter hadn&rsquo;t given her the boost it usually did. She had thought about moving but had rejected that idea. The only place she&rsquo;d want to move to would be Weltworth, but she knew that it was impossible. Seeing Burke and his new wife would be torture. No, a new job was the answer and a cat, definitely a cat with a girly name.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feeling better for having made a decision, Annie packed up her things and went home. No sooner did she have her shoes off, than the doorbell rang. A delivery of flowers surprised her. After tipping the driver, she carefully opened the box. Her heart began to beat out of her chest as she hoped that they were from Burke. To her delight, the dozen long stemmed red roses were indeed from Burke. Included was a note asking, &ldquo;Will you marry me?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She cried out in shock and delight. This couldn&rsquo;t be happening. Fairytales didn&rsquo;t happen to the ugly stepsister, only to Cinderella, and Cinderella she wasn&rsquo;t. Annie sank quickly into her favorite chair, reeling, not knowing what to think. She was afraid to believe that it was real. The pain of finding her ex-fianc&eacute;, Jeffery in bed with her best friend Lisa was still devastating. The awful things he had said to her still made her want to curl up and die. He called her a cold frigid bitch, because she was saving herself for her wedding night. He laughed at her and taunted her with the fact that he and Lisa had been lovers all along. He said he never really planned to marry her. It has been a cruel joke. Could this be another joke?



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s eyes welled with tears as she remembered how Jeffery and Lisa had laughed at her. What little self-esteem she possessed had taken a beating that day. Tears spilled down her face as she stroked the soft petals of the red roses wanting to believe in this proposal. She wanted to believe in Burke, but her past was holding her back. She should have been jumping for joy. Instead, doubts tore her apart. It wasn&rsquo;t fair. Annie nearly jumped out of her skin when her phone rang. She looked numbly at it, not wanting to answer it. She was half-afraid that someone at the other end would be laughing at her. She told herself to buck up as she reached for the phone.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ***



Burke listened to the ringing hoping for an answer. He couldn&rsquo;t remember ever feeling so nervous. He ran fingers through his hair in agitation. He felt foolish, he should have gone in person to ask Annie to be his wife, but the expenses, and the time constraints of running a ranch prevented it. He hoped that she would say yes. It had been a hard three weeks for him, since she&rsquo;d left. He did date a few candidates but he ended up sorely disappointed in the results. People were not wholly truthful in their letters. One woman had said she was 31 years old but when he saw her, he could have sworn she was 50 if she was a day. Another was still married and the most recent wanted her controlling mother to move in with them to &ldquo;run things.&rdquo; Remembering made him shiver in disgust. As much as he didn&rsquo;t want to admit it, no one compared to Annie. He kept seeing her gentle smile everywhere he looked. It was as though she was haunting him with memories of the passionate kiss they shared. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After four rings, Burke hung up the phone. He knew she was there, he had paid to have the florist call him as soon as Annie received the flowers. She probably had caller ID on her phone, he thought angrily. He could almost picture her sitting there not answering the phone on purpose. Goddamn, he thought, His first wife did such a job on him, that he was distrustful of all women. Needing to get his anger out of his system he made his way to the barn. There was nothing like good old-fashioned ranch work to help keep him sane.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 12 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/12/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:50:36 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Annie berated herself for being such a coward. She&rsquo;d been unable to pick up the phone and now she was sorry. She wanted to talk to Burke she missed him so much. He didn&rsquo;t love her, but she couldn&rsquo;t miss this chance at happiness. Her feelings for him were so confusing, she barely knew him, but she felt such a connection to him, such a longing for him. She would have liked to say she loved him, but she wasn&rsquo;t sure what love was. She had lived her life under her mother&rsquo;s thumb, then her stepfather&rsquo;s and now her stepbrother&rsquo;s. She needed to have a life of her own. Sonny wasn&rsquo;t going to be pleased with her leaving, but she needed to spread her wings.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie jumped as the phone rang again. This time she picked it up on the first ring, desperate to talk to Burke. &ldquo;Burke?&rdquo; she asked breathlessly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Did you get my flowers&rdquo;?



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Yes, they are beautiful, Burke, thank you,&rdquo; she replied nervously.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Oh hell, Annie will you marry me?&rdquo; Burke blurted out.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie knew that it was a total leap of faith but she grabbed for &nbsp;it, she wanted the brass ring for once. &ldquo;Oh, Burke I can&rsquo;t believe you&rsquo;re asking me. The answer is yes, yes, yes!&rdquo; She cried.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad. When can you get here?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie laughed. His impatience thrilled her. &ldquo;In a month I suppose,&rdquo; she started.



&ldquo;No!&rdquo; he shouted. &ldquo;How about a week- week and a half at most, Annie I&rsquo;m going out of my mind wanting you.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie hesitated; he wanted her but was that going to be enough? She decided to take the bull by the horns and just do it. &ldquo;Ok, ok.&rdquo; She laughed. &ldquo;I do have a lot of things to do, I have to pack and close up my apartment, give notice at my job, and who knows what else.&rdquo; Her mind was reeling with the amount of planning and work involved. &ldquo;I want to be with you too, I&rsquo;ll do my best to wrap up everything here as quickly as possible. How about I call you tomorrow night? I should have a better idea of a date for you.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Yeah, call me tomorrow and we&rsquo;ll talk some more, and Annie?&rdquo;



&ldquo;What?&rdquo;



&ldquo;I wish I could kiss you right now, good night sweetheart.&rdquo;



Annie heard the phone click before she could reply. She held the phone to her chest smiling and feeling warm. She began weaving many dreams around Burke and his ranch. She hoped that she wouldn&rsquo;t be disappointed.&nbsp; 



Packing up her apartment was surprisingly easy. All she really needed were her clothes and a few personal items. Laughing she looked at her apartment decorated all in black and white. Grinning, she stared at her white couch it wouldn&rsquo;t last an hour at Burke&rsquo;s place. It was going to be her place too. Her only problem was telling Sonny. She dreaded telling her stepbrother that she was leaving. She had a bad feeling that he wasn&rsquo;t going to be reasonable about her upcoming wedding.



The confrontation was devastating. Sonny marched into her apartment with his high power business suit and his slicked-back dark hair taking her by surprise.



&ldquo;What are you doing here?&rdquo; Annie asked nervously.



&ldquo;I came to find out what my little whore of a sister was doing behind my back!&rdquo; He yelled as he stepped toward her.



&ldquo;Please Sonny isn&rsquo;t it time for me to find a life of my own?&rdquo; she pleaded.



Sonny grabbed her upper arms and shook her. &ldquo;Your life is what I tell you it is. You got that?&rdquo;



&nbsp;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 13 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/13/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:53:20 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie stepped off the plane, sunglasses masking much of her face. She frantically tried to cover the rest with her hair. It was just as she had predicted, Sonny wasn&rsquo;t happy about her plans and he tried to bully her, to threaten her. When that didn&rsquo;t work, he took it out on her with his fists. She could still see the fury in his eyes as he painfully slapped her left cheek, causing her eye to swell. She had tried to cover her head but he punched her in the mouth making both her nose and lip bleed. When she tried to crawl away from him, he wrapped her hair around his fist and began to kick her. Her back and ribs were incredibly sore. She knew that she was fooling herself, hoping that Burke wouldn&rsquo;t notice. The bruises were too fresh and too pronounced. However, she was free. Sonny warned her not to leave and if she was stupid enough to do so, she wasn&rsquo;t to darken his door again. He had left her apartment feeling confident that Annie wasn&rsquo;t going anywhere. Somehow, she got through it. It was over and done and now she had a new life to look forward to.



Annie walked toward the baggage claim and instantly spotted Burke. She had the pleasure of studying him unawares. He was so masculine, his shoulders were so broad, and his hips lean. Handsome was hardly the word for him. She luxuriated in the sight of him for a moment longer before she approached him.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She winced in pain as she tried to smile at him, she was so happy to see him. The look of absolute fury on his face alarmed her. She wanted to back away but she didn&rsquo;t. She stood her ground waiting for him to say something and was stunned when she found herself enclosed in his strong arms. It was a homecoming for Annie she was where she belonged.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke swore silently as he held her close to him. She looked like hell and he wanted to know why, but he decided that he&rsquo;d wait until they were alone. Annie looked fragile and hurt. He could sympathize with her pain. He&rsquo;d been thrown from a bronc or two but he couldn&rsquo;t remember ever looking as bad as she did. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s get your bag,&rdquo; Burke said gruffly, trying hard to curb his temper. Taking her hand, he located her bag, never letting go of her. He led her out to the truck and gently helped her in. His original plan was for Annie to stay at the motel until they were married at the end of the week, but he swiftly changed his mind. He didn&rsquo;t want her out of his sight, as hurt as she was. To hell with small town gossip, she was going home with him.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Annie could feel the tension in him as he got into the truck. It had been such a relief when he hadn&rsquo;t asked her any questions in the airport. Her emotions were high and she didn&rsquo;t know just how much longer she could hold out without breaking down. It was taking all she had to try to remain calm, but she knew that her shaking hands were just the tip of the iceberg. She hoped that Burke would wait until they got back to the ranch before questioning her, but as she looked at his fierce face, she knew that he wanted answers.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke opened his arms and she willingly went into them, snuggling against him. He pulled her tightly against him rocking her back and forth. That was the end of her struggle for normalcy. Annie put her face against his wide shoulder and cried. It seemed, as though once she started, she couldn&rsquo;t stop. She cried not only for the beating she had taken but also for everything that had gone on in her life. She cried for the cruelty of her ex-fianc&eacute; and her supposed friend Lisa. She cried for all the loneliness she had suffered when she found that her so-called friends had turned their backs on her. She even cried for the little girl that had lost her mother too early, leaving her in the hands of a nasty stepfather. Finally, she cried in relief that she was in Burke&rsquo;s strong and comforting arms. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 14 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/14/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:54:22 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Burke ran his hands up and down her back trying to help her ride out the storm and what a storm it was. He&rsquo;d never been one for female tears but this was beyond anything he&rsquo;d experienced. The little distress sounds she made wrenched his heart. Her suffering was almost more than he could bear. Burke was greatly relieved as the storm began to break and her cries began to subside. Holding her close he offered her what little comfort he could. He wanted to ask her who had beaten her, but he decided to wait until she felt a bit stronger. He especially wanted to hit someone, preferable the person who did this to her, but that would all have to wait. Slowly he let her go and gently put her seatbelt on for her and started the truck. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The trip home was long, silent, and a bit awkward. Burke was never so thrilled to see his ranch house. He felt as though he was jumping out of his skin. Patience was never one of his strong points, but wait he would.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie tried to smile as Burke helped her down from the truck. She cried out surprised when he swung her up into his arms and carried her inside. She looked so exhausted from her earlier outburst. She probably wanted a hot bath and a warm bed, but Burke wanted some answers, no matter how humiliating. Burke gently placed her on the threadbare sofa and mumbled that he&rsquo;d be back with some coffee.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Within minutes, Burke stood in the doorway holding two mugs of coffee. He took a moment to study her. She looked shattered as she petted Cat. His heart twisted as he watched her. He hadn't bargained for anything like this. He had wanted a simple unemotional marriage and kids. He didn&rsquo;t like the emotions Annie made him feel. He felt protective, possessive, and mostly rage. How could anyone hit a woman? It was unacceptable as far as he was concerned. Whatever happens, he decided, she was not going back home.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



In that moment, Annie wished that she were a beautiful, whole, sexy woman. She wanted to be all those things for Burke but sadly, she knew the truth she was a bruised, broken, frigid woman. Leaning forward she rested her elbows on her knees, groaning in despair as she covered her face with her hands. What if Burke didn&rsquo;t want her anymore? It was so humiliating to allow him to see her this way, but she didn&rsquo;t have a choice, she realized that she didn&rsquo;t have a plan B. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked up as Burke entered the room. The look of anger in his eyes was disturbing. She prayed that his anger wasn&rsquo;t aimed toward her; she couldn&rsquo;t bear it if it was. She had hoped and dreamed of being his wife and the mother of his children. Now, she had doubts of her dreams ever coming true. She sat up straight, her hands shaking as she took the coffee Burke offered. She watched as he sat down in a brown leather chair opposite her. He deserved to know what happened to her, and he deserved the right to back out of their arrangement. Annie&rsquo;s heart twisted as she gazed at his handsome face. It looked so hard and unyielding that it made her fearful of the outcome. Taking a deep breath and started to explain.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;It was my stepbrother, Sonny,&rdquo; She started, looking at her hands. &ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t want me to leave New York, and he definitely didn&rsquo;t want me to get married. He slapped me around a bit and he left warning me to be there when he got back or I&rsquo;d be sorry. He also told me that if I left, that I was never to darken his door again and that I was cut off financially.&rdquo; Annie took a deep breath and clasped her shaking hands together. &ldquo;As soon as he left I made arrangements with the doorman to have all my boxes shipped here. I packed a bag and got the hell out of there.&rdquo; Annie finally looked up to gage Burke&rsquo;s reaction. She was relieved to see sympathy in his eyes. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t take time to think about how I would look to you when I got here. I&rsquo;d understand if you wanted me to leave.&rdquo; Her greens eyes were luminous with unshed tears as she silently beseeched him to let her stay.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 15 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/15/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:55:13 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


He admired her, it had to be hard for her to tell him. Burke had taken all he could. He felt sick to his stomach, thinking about how she suffered. It scared him to think that he might have feelings for her, but he knew that he would never love again. He refused to love again. He was lost in her green eyes as he picked her up, and placed her on his lap, holding her gently, protectively. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll get married at the end of the week,&rdquo; he said gruffly. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie finally relaxed and laid her head against his broad shoulder. He felt her stiffen in his arms. She looked up at him with her incredibly beautiful green eyes and shyly told him that she was a virgin and that she wanted to wait for her wedding night.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Her announcement surprised Burke; he was hoping to bed her as soon as possible. He kissed her on the forehead, saying nothing. He&rsquo;d never been with a virgin before and he didn&rsquo;t know whether he should feel honored by her gift or annoyed. He wanted her in his bed and he didn&rsquo;t know if he had the patience, it would take to be gentle the first time. He had a lot to think about in the next few days.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ***



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie awoke to brilliant sunshine and a cool breeze flowing through her window causing her lace curtains to billow. Her momentary confusion melted away to avid delight as she saw Cat sleeping on her pillow. Annie leaned over and gave her a kiss. She felt buoyant as she realized she was still at the ranch. She was hopeful for her future. Burke&rsquo;s tender loving care last night left her with little doubt.



&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t wait to be Mrs. Burke Dawson!&rdquo; she told Cat.



&nbsp;She quickly dressed in jeans and a red T-shirt eager to see Burke. She grimaced as she looked in the mirror and saw her bruises in all of their colorful glory. Her eye had swollen and her lip was fat. It was going to take a while for them to heal and fade she realized ruefully. Knowing there was nothing she could do about it, Annie picked up the kitten and headed down the stairs.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It surprised her to find the house empty and quiet, very quiet. Her disappointment of Burke&rsquo;s absence was cutting. Surely, he&rsquo;d want to greet her on her first morning on the ranch. Annie went out to the front porch hearing the wooden screen door slam shut behind her.



&ldquo;Now where do you think he is?&rdquo; she asked Cat. 



&nbsp;Shading her eyes with her hand, she looked all around. Burke wasn&rsquo;t in sight. She realized that she was on her own and went back inside for coffee. Despite her disappointment, it thrilled her to be in Texas. Looking around the kitchen as she drank her coffee Annie realized that she had more than enough to keep her busy until Burke got back. Eagerly she began.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 16 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/16/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:56:43 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Burke scowled as he stared at the plate of salad and quiche before him. &ldquo;What else are you serving?&rdquo; he asked gruffly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;This is it,&rdquo; Annie explained as she sat herself opposite of Burke. She smiled at Burke, happy that he was finally home after such a long day. &ldquo;Is something wrong?&rdquo; she asked, noticing the scowl on his face.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Is this what you eat in New York? Good God, I&rsquo;ve been working for about 14 hours and you serve me this? I&rsquo;m a big man and I need more food than this at dinner,&rdquo; he said in disgust.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s happiness at having Burke home quickly deflated. She&rsquo;d been so eager to please him and had spent most of the day on her hands and knees scrubbing his floors. Not that he&rsquo;d noticed obviously. She felt sick to her stomach wondering if she fled from one controlling male to another. He had been so gentle last night, but now his angry scowl made her apprehensive. She began to tremble but caught herself. She had to make this work since she didn&rsquo;t have a plan b or c for that matter. Her fear quickly waned as she saw just how tired Burke was. He had washed up when he came in but his hair and clothes still carried dust and sweat. He was right. He worked hard and expected a big meal.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You&rsquo;re right,&rdquo; she conceded. &ldquo;I had no idea you could eat so much.&rdquo; She laughed, smiling at him. &ldquo;I usually cook just for myself and lately I haven&rsquo;t had much of an appetite. Let me make you a sandwich. I&rsquo;ll know better for tomorrow.&rdquo; Annie smiled even deeper as she asked what he wanted to eat for breakfast.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Burke was pleasantly surprised; he had expected some sort of confrontation with her. In fact, for a moment there he thought she was going to flee. He felt like such a heel for putting a look of fear into her eyes. Most of the day he spent thinking about her, wanting her and berating himself for feeling anything for her. He found her incredibly sexy and he kept becoming painfully aroused with no hope for relief. No wonder he felt like such a grouch.



 ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 17 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/17/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:57:49 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


The next few days went by swiftly. Her first day at the ranch had set a pattern for both Annie and Burke. He left early in the morning and she didn&rsquo;t see him again until dinner. Annie kept herself busy cleaning the house. It was a bit lonely, despite Cat&rsquo;s antics but Annie was glad to be there. Her only confusion was the way Burke treated her. He was quite cold to her. He hadn't touched her since the first night. He seemed cold almost aloof toward her and she didn&rsquo;t understand why. She could only hope that after they were married and shared a bed he&rsquo;d be a bit more affectionate. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Affection wasn&rsquo;t something Annie had experienced in her life but she longed for it. It was an ache inside her, to love and to have that love returned. She suspected that she was falling in love with Burke. It was sometimes painful hoping for a crumb of approval, or a show of feelings from him. She was looking forward to the security the marriage would bring her. Surely once they were married, Burke would hold her, kiss her, and whisper sweet loving words to her. Maybe he didn&rsquo;t find her attractive. It could be that she had read his signals wrong. Lord knew that her past judgment about men was a disaster. She could still hear the echoes of her ex-fianc&eacute;, Jeffery lying in bed with her friend Lisa, laughing at her. She could still hear his taunting voice calling her a cold frigid bitch. She feared that he was right. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tomorrow was her wedding day. The thought of displeasing Burke in bed made her anxious. Of course, she had some idea of Burke's expectations. She had seen movies and read enough romance novels to have some rudimentary knowledge of the act. In just about all the books she had read, love was involved. Annie knew that Burke didn&rsquo;t love her, and may never love her. Her anxiety grew so great that she had to run into the bathroom and get sick. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was brushing her teeth when she heard the screen door slam. Quickly she rinsed her mouth and went to see who was in the house. She was surprised to see Burke rummaging through the refrigerator. He hadn't once come home in the middle of the day. It was a nice surprise. Annie watched as Burke grabbed meat, cheese, and bread and set them on the counter.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Sit,&rdquo; she insisted. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll make you a sandwich.&rdquo; He looked worried and she bit her bottom lip, wondering what was wrong. &ldquo;What happened to the lunch I made you?&rdquo; she asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke didn&rsquo;t even look at her. He shrugged his shoulder. &ldquo;I must have misplaced it somewhere,&rdquo; he replied.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Clearly, something was on his mind. Annie went back to making his lunch, waiting. Waiting for him to call off the wedding, waiting for him to say he didn&rsquo;t want her, waiting for him to say she wasn&rsquo;t worth it. Finally, she couldn&rsquo;t take it anymore. Her nerves were stretched to the limit. She whirled to face him ready for the blow she knew was coming, maybe not physically but a blow just the same. &ldquo;If you don&rsquo;t want to marry me just tell me,&rdquo; she blurted out.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 18 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/18/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:58:41 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Astonished Burke whipped his head around and stared at her. She looked like a feral cat deciding whether to fight or take flight. Despite her red-rimmed eyes with blue circles under them and the bruises on her face, Burke thought she was beautiful. He felt bad if he had led her to believe that he didn&rsquo;t want to marry her. He stood up and walked over to her feeling her body trembling as he reached for her. He pulled her against him, enfolding her in his arms. She felt so soft and sweet in his arms. She smelled of vanilla. He held her close trying to reassure her. Finally, he felt her trembling subside and he was glad that tears didn&rsquo;t accompany her distress. He took half a step back and cupped her face in both his hands, lifting her face toward him, looking deeply into her emerald green eyes. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re getting married tomorrow. Nothing changes that, Annie.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As if he had read her mind, Burke lifted her up into his arms and carried her to bed, put her down and kissed her forehead. &ldquo;Get some rest, Annie,&rdquo; he whispered gruffly. He walked to the door and turned around, he wasn&rsquo;t surprised to find that she had already succumbed to sleep. He wanted so much to trust her, to have a good marriage with her, to have a houseful of kids and a profitable ranch. All of his dreams seemed wrapped up in her and it scared him. Besides he knew better than to trust a female. Hadn&rsquo;t he learned the hard way that no good came from being a fool for a woman? He&rsquo;d treat her right and she would want for nothing he promised himself. He just couldn&rsquo;t love her. With a bit of regret, Burke closed the door behind him and headed out to his ranch.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 19 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/19/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:59:44 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


A hand shaking her shoulder awakened Annie. Her momentary confusion gave way to a loving smile as she realized that Burke was sitting on her bed. &ldquo;Have I slept long?&rdquo; The darkening sky out her window answered her question. &ldquo;Oh no, There&rsquo;s no dinner for you!&rdquo; she exclaimed in dismay as she struggled to get up.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Slow down darlin&rsquo;,&rdquo; Burke admonished as he held her struggling body tightly against his. &ldquo;I already ate, I came up earlier, but you looked conked out so I let you sleep. My friend Ted is downstairs and I want you to meet him. I also have some papers we need to sign before the wedding,&rdquo; he explained.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie relaxed against him and nodded her head. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be down in a minute,&rdquo; she replied. &ldquo;I just need to freshen up.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke winked at her as he got up. &ldquo;You look fresh enough for me,&rdquo; he said, giving her a roguish grin. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt herself blush as she watched him walk out the room. She just couldn&rsquo;t get enough of his broad shoulders. She blushed even more as she realized that she had been staring at his tight rear end. He was such a handsome man. Annie felt lucky to have him Quickly&nbsp; she changed into a paisley blue sleeveless dress and put up her wildly curling auburn hair. Her bruises were still very visible. Experience had taught her that trying to hide them with make up just made them look worse. She whisked on a bit of mascara, dabbed on some lipstick and she was done. She was a bit nervous as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. With resignation, Annie turned from the mirror and pulled on a lightweight cardigan to hide the bruises on her arms. Taking a deep breath Annie went downstairs.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke&rsquo;s friend, Ted, delighted her. He tried to pretend she wasn&rsquo;t black and blue in places, and Annie adored him for it. She liked his whiskey colored eyes and his understanding smile. By the time she had coffee ready for them, Annie felt as though they were on their way to becoming fast friends. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie noticed that Burke was a bit nervous. She assumed that he was anxious that his friend wouldn&rsquo;t find her worthy of him. Annie understood considering that, he had been married before, and it hadn't worked out. She smiled to herself amused that the usually confident Burke Dawson was rattled.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Her smile quickly faded as Burke handed her papers to sign. &ldquo;What&rsquo;s this?&rdquo; she asked quickly scanning the documents.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 20 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/20/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:00:49 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not only Burke&rsquo;s friend but I&rsquo;m also his lawyer,&rdquo; Ted explained. &ldquo;He asked me to prepare a prenuptial agreement for the two of you.&rdquo;



Annie knew her eyes were full of accusations as she stared at Burke. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t understand, Burke. Why would we need a prenup? Are you already planning to divorce me?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&ldquo;Of course I&rsquo;m not thinking about divorce, but Annie I was burned once and I couldn&rsquo;t bear to sell anymore of my land.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie saw the truth of his statement in his eyes. She knew what this land meant to him. Glancing down she continued to read, not willing to sign anything until she had read it. At first, it seemed straightforward, in the event of divorce, he would not give her a settlement but rather he would pay her alimony as determined by a judge. It was the next paragraph that made her seethe. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m supposed to leave any children we have behind if we divorce?&rdquo; she asked incredulously. &ldquo;Are you insane? I could never leave a child of mine behind,&rdquo; she said angrily as tears filled her eyes. &ldquo;I understand about the land. Truly, I do, but as far as children go-, you can just forget it. I&rsquo;m not signing this.&rdquo; Her tears spilled over and fell freely down her face. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry.&rdquo; She got up and turned to go to her room. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be out of here tomorrow,&rdquo; she whispered heartbrokenly as she ran from the room.



&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Burke watched her retreat in consternation. He knew that he had ambushed her, but he hadn't expected it to go as badly as it did. Shaking his head, he got up and poured himself some whiskey, and quickly downed the first shot. He grabbed another glass and poured two shots. He could see the commiseration in Ted&rsquo;s eyes. They both swigged their shots and slammed the glasses down on the table. Burke wanted to refill his glass but he knew that he&rsquo;d had enough. He&rsquo;d try to make things right with Annie. He had put in too much time and effort to find a wife and he wasn&rsquo;t willing to start from scratch. Besides, he realized that only Annie would do. &ldquo;So, counselor, what the hell do I do now?&rdquo; he asked.



&nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got to tell you Buddy, if you give up that little filly upstairs you&rsquo;re crazy. She&rsquo;s as sweet as honey and she&rsquo;s crazy about you.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke sighed. &ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t go that far. Sometimes it seems like she barely tolerates me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Well I guess you haven&rsquo;t seen the way she looks at you,&rdquo; Ted insisted. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s a keeper. If I were you I&rsquo;d have your lawyer rewrite the prenup and leave the section about children out of it.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke was confused. &ldquo;You are my lawyer,&rdquo; he said.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ted laughed. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s why you should heed my advice old friend.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Ok.&rdquo; Burke conceded. &ldquo;Rewrite the damn thing and in the mean time I&rsquo;ll try to get her to stay and marry me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ted slapped Burke on the shoulder good-naturedly. &ldquo;Good luck Burke. Just remember groveling is not unmanly.&rdquo; He laughed.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke walked him to the door. &ldquo;You and Sherry will be here for the wedding tomorrow?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Wouldn&rsquo;t miss it for the world,&rdquo; Ted replied. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good thing you talked the Judge into coming out here. Those bruises Annie&rsquo;s sporting are very visible.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke rubbed the back of his neck. &ldquo;Yeah she&rsquo;s been through the wringer all right. I&rsquo;m glad Judge Mathers consented to come out here. I didn&rsquo;t want Annie to be embarrassed in town,&rdquo; Burke explained.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ted shook Burke&rsquo;s hand and headed out. Burke sat down on the front steps looking at the night sky, lighted in all its splendorous glory, contemplating his next move. He just didn&rsquo;t have the energy to look for another wife and he wasn&rsquo;t sure what he&rsquo;d do if he couldn&rsquo;t get her to change her mind. Maybe he was being an ass. Maybe he should just admit to himself that he wanted Annie for Annie and not as an unpaid housekeeper. When he had first started his wife search he had naively thought that almost any woman would do, but now he realized that he needed Annie. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 21 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/21/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:01:36 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Burke looked up at the sky again asking God what he should say to Annie to make things right again. He felt so hopeless and out of his element. Hell what did he know about women? Obviously not enough to keep the women in his house happy, that much he knew. A shooting star appeared and traversed the sky, leaving Burke more hopeful than he&rsquo;d been in a long time.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was busy packing jerkily throwing her clothes haphazardly into her suitcase. She didn&rsquo;t care, she could hardly see as tears blurred her vision. How she&rsquo;d ever gotten herself into such a mess she would never know. Her heart was beating out of her chest. Where would she go? Finally, she decided that it didn&rsquo;t matter. Anywhere else was fine. She had some money in the bank and if she was frugal and found a job, she&rsquo;d be fine. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She sat on the bed and blew her nose. A ghost of a smile spread across her face as she watched Cat jumping in and out of her suitcase. She had to get herself together. She knew that if she looked inside herself she&rsquo;d find the strength to go on. Shakily she wiped away the last of her tears and went to the window, looking at the ranch she had fallen in love with. There were a few of the horses romping in the corral and she smiled. She liked Texas and she liked small towns. There had to be a lot to pick from in Texas. All she had to do was to find one. She could buy a cheap car and just drive, this time taking her time to make a decision. Annie felt a bit better knowing that she had a plan. Her heart was still shattering but she&rsquo;d get over it, she hoped.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She took a deep unsteady breath. Turning from the window, she jumped, seeing Burke leaning against the doorframe watching her. The regret and pain was evident in his blue eyes and she knew that her eyes mirrored his. Annie quickly looked away. She didn&rsquo;t want him to sway her into signing her future babies away. It was inconceivable to her that he could even have thought she&rsquo;d go along with his grand plan. She steeled herself, as she stood up straighter. There was no way she was going to let him come into her room and call her darlin&rsquo; and make her change her mind. No way in hell!



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 22 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/22/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:02:31 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Burke didn&rsquo;t know what to say as he saw her standing there. He had heard her crying earlier and it tore at his heart. It made him nauseous that he was the cause of her pain. When she finally looked up at him, her green eyes were sparking with anger. Good, anger was something he could deal with. God, she was beautiful standing there her chin tilted up as to do battle; he noticed the squaring of her shoulders. He wanted to grin at his auburn haired, green-eyed warrior, but he didn&rsquo;t dare. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He stepped into the room until he was right in front of Annie, his heart heavy. &ldquo;Well, Miss Douglas you give one hell of a fight.&rdquo; He ran his finger through his hair nervously. &ldquo;I really thought I was right in this situation.&rdquo; He sighed heavily. He wasn&rsquo;t very good at apologies and from the anger in Annie&rsquo;s eyes, he knew he wasn&rsquo;t doing a stellar job. &ldquo;Annie I&rsquo;m sorry, I should have talked to you about the prenuptial agreement. I realize now that it must have seemed like I ambushed you,&rdquo; he explained.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Damn right it did!&rdquo; Annie responded angrily.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke took her hands in his, running his calloused thumbs over the top of her smooth ones, caressing her. &ldquo;I made a mistake and I don&rsquo;t want to lose you. I told Ted to rewrite the prenup omitting the part about the children.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Annie watched the contrast between their hands. Hers were so small and white and his were deeply tanned and rough. She felt a quickening inside as he continued to rub her hands. She really felt so much for this man and she wanted to marry him. His mere touch was making her tingle in places she never knew could tingle. He was making it hard for her to think. Pulling her hands away, she walked over to the window. She felt him right behind her, near enough that she could feel the heat of him, but he wasn&rsquo;t touching her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad you had him rewrite it,&rdquo; she finally said. &ldquo;I understand about the land, really I do,&rdquo; she continued as she turned around into his embrace. &ldquo;I want this to work between us. It hurts though that you would even think that I would have signed that despicable piece of paper! Maybe we don&rsquo;t know each other well enough to marry. Maybe we should wait awhile,&rdquo; she said pensively.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;No!&rdquo; Burke insisted. &ldquo;A lot of it has to do with my ex-wife.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You never talk about her,&rdquo; Annie accused. &ldquo;But sometimes I think she&rsquo;s still here between us.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Burke sighed. He didn&rsquo;t like talking about that woman, but now he didn&rsquo;t have a choice. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s go downstairs and sit in front of the fire and I&rsquo;ll tell you the grisly tale.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie nodded as Burke took her hand and led her downstairs to the comfortable couch in front of the massive stone fireplace. They sat side by side staring into the leaping yellow and orange flames. She looked at his strong profile and realized that her anger had abated. Sitting quietly she waited for Burke to tell her about his failed marriage.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke took a deep breath. It was difficult to talk about his ex. He&rsquo;d rather not drudge up all the painful memories, but Annie deserved to know. He didn&rsquo;t want secrets between them. He continued to stare into the fire as he told his story.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I met her at a stock show in Fort Worth. I was showing my prize bull and had won a big prize purse. I was elated and I wanted to celebrate so I went to the White Elephant Saloon for a few drinks with a couple friends of mine and there she was. Even now, I realize what a fool I&rsquo;d been allowing her beauty to sway me and she was a beauty! She latched on to me, batting her eyelashes at me, pressing her breasts against my arm at any opportunity. I felt honored that she picked me. We ended up in bed that night and wanting to impress her, I took her to a very expensive hotel. She assumed that I was a rich cattleman, especially since I won that prize purse. I never in my dreams imagined that I could land a girl like her. I was living all alone at the ranch and thought what the hell, why not get married? We got married the next day.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke got up and put another log on the fire. He didn&rsquo;t look at Annie the whole time almost as though he had forgotten that she was in the room. He didn&rsquo;t speak for a while and neither did she. Finally, he sat back down and continued.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t know that she thought I was rich. My ranch was doing well and I put any spare money back into the land hoping to be rich one day. I neglected the house and never bothered to update it. You could imagine what she thought as we drove up to it for the first time. That&rsquo;s when I realized that she was a shrew. She accused me of tricking her into marriage and told me that she couldn&rsquo;t believe that she had married &lsquo;a struggling old cowboy with a patch of land.&rsquo; The woman I thought was beauty, kindness, and full of sunshine was really an ugly spoiled brat. I wasn&rsquo;t poor by any means but that wasn&rsquo;t good enough for Alice and I ended up spending money earmarked for the ranch on her to make her happy but it never seemed enough. It was a stupid thing to do financially. In these times with the price of beef uncertain and property taxes going up, I shouldn&rsquo;t have dipped into my savings. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Finally, I told her that the money tree had dried up. She was spitting mad and just like that she left. A couple weeks later, her lawyer insisted on half of all assets in a divorce settlement. I tried to fight her but by then she had found herself a new sucker to pay her way. I had to give her half my land and I sold half my cattle. I&rsquo;m lucky I still have a house to live in.&rdquo;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 23 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/23/</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:03:34 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[














 


Annie snuggled up against Burke giving him comfort. She put her arms around him, giving him a big hug. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry you went through such an awful time.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke put his arms around her drawing her closer. &ldquo;I want this marriage to be a partnership. I want us to help each other to rebuild this ranch and to build a future for both our children and us. I&rsquo;m so sorry I made you cry earlier. It tore my heart out to know I was the cause of your misery.&rdquo; He put his hand under her chin and lifted her face toward him. &ldquo;Forgive me?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Annie couldn&rsquo;t resist the pleading look in his blue eyes. Annie nodded as Burke swooped down to kiss her. He kissed her gently, coaxingly, nibbling at her bottom lip, causing her to make small cries of delight. He licked the seam between her lips and she opened up for him. Soon she was matching her tongue to his. Annie put her arms around his neck pulling his mouth against hers even harder.



&nbsp;She was searching to deepen the kiss and Burke obliged her. Burke broke off the kiss. He lifted her and put her on his lap, holding her close.



&ldquo;Good God, Annie if we don&rsquo;t stop we&rsquo;ll never have a proper wedding night.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt as though she was in a daze. Never in her life had she been kissed like that. She could still feel his kiss searing her soul. Closing her eyes she laid her head on his shoulder sighing as she relived the kiss in her head. Annie smiled as she realized that she wasn&rsquo;t cold. The out of control feelings she felt being in his arms just had to be passion, at least she hoped so. She hoped against hope that she wasn&rsquo;t the cold frigid bitch that Jeffrey had claimed she was. Snuggled against Burke, she held on to the happiness of the moment. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



Burke could feel Annie finally relaxing in his arms. Her squirming was driving him to the brink of madness. Tomorrow was his wedding day and he prayed that he was making the right decision. He knew it was a leap of faith, and lately his faith had really waned but looking down at Annie as she slept, his heart lurched. He was willing to take this leap of faith. Hopefully, Ted was right and she was a keeper. He really hoped so as he carried her up to her bed, put her under the covers and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. She looked so peaceful, so lovely and he hoped that he never brought her misery again.



 


&nbsp;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 24 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/24/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 








 


Annie sat up in her bed. The sun gloriously streamed through her window bringing warmth and a good measure of happiness. She smiled to herself&nbsp; realizing that this was her wedding day. She shot out of bed and hugged herself. She wanted to get up on her bed and jump up and down, something that she had never been allowed to do in the past, but she was afraid that Burke might hear her down in the kitchen. Burke&hellip; she pressed her fingertips to her lips&nbsp; remembering their kisses from the night before. He had made her feel beautiful, even womanly and she wanted to open her window and shout her happiness to the world.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my big day Cat! I&rsquo;m going to be a wife and I&rsquo;m going to have a family. Maybe dreams do come true,&rdquo; she said as Cat stared at her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;She quickly dressed wanting to spend her wedding day breakfast with Burke.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She wasn&rsquo;t quite sure how she should greet him. Should she go right up to him and kiss him? She wasn&rsquo;t sure if he would like that. Sometimes he could be so cold and aloof. She couldn&rsquo;t wait to get married; she knew that things would be so different. They would labor side by side working the ranch and affection between them would be so natural. Annie finally decided that a bright smile would be just the right greeting for her groom.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s smile quickly dissipated as she realized that once again Burke was not there to have breakfast with her. Optimistically she reasoned that he was probably just out in the barn tending to the animals. A special breakfast was just what he needed when he came in. Annie had found a Belgium waffle maker in the cupboard the other day and today she planned to make use of it. She was puzzled that it looked brand new. It was probably a wedding present from his first marriage, she mused. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie made coffee and mixed the waffle batter humming all the while. She couldn&rsquo;t wait to see Burke. He had come to mean so much to her, so soon and she was both pleased and a bit frightened. She hoped that he was really what he seemed, a man of integrity, gentleness, and honesty. The waffle maker finally heated and she commenced to make waffles. She began to get impatient as she used the last of the batter. Looking at the plate piled high with golden brown waffles she was pleased with her accomplishment. Surely, this was enough breakfast for any man. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She put out Cat&rsquo;s food. Her tongue was so tiny and cute. Annie decided that the torn ear added character to Cat. &ldquo;Where is that man?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Finally, she went out to the barn to get him. She put on her best smile and entered the barn. To her consternation, he wasn&rsquo;t there. Annie&rsquo;s heart began to beat erratically and her breathing was coming faster and faster. Sweat beaded her forehead and she felt sick to her stomach. She slid down along the barn wall to a sitting position, not knowing what was wrong with her. Tears filled her eyes, as she feared that something was really the matter with her, and Burke wasn&rsquo;t in sight. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 25 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/25/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 








 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke had been checking on a few pregnant cows. He started toward the barn when he saw Annie sitting on the ground. Burke ran into the barn as he realized that something was not quite right with Annie. Her face was ghostly white and she was shaking, not just her hands but her legs too. Burke quickly scooped her up and ran into the house with her. He couldn&rsquo;t fathom what was wrong with her. He gently placed her on the couch and knelt beside her. &ldquo;Annie honey, are you sick? Did you get hurt in the barn?&rdquo; he asked worriedly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie tried to regain her breath. Slowly- very slowly her body seemed to calm down. Her breathing finally became even as her trembling subsided. Tears coursed down her face.  



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&hellip;.I think I&rsquo;m fine,&rdquo; she said shakily. &ldquo;It came on suddenly and now I&rsquo;m feeling better.&rdquo; She closed her eyes. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know what happened. One minute I was making Belgium waffles for you, I went to the barn to find you, you weren&rsquo;t there, and I got scared. I thought maybe you really didn&rsquo;t want to marry me,&rdquo; she rambled.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Burke gave her half a smile as he ran his fingers through his thick brown hair. &ldquo;My Granny Em used to have attacks similar to what you were experiencing. It took a long time to get her to see a doctor. She was a stubborn woman. Her doctor told her that they were panic attacks,&rdquo; he explained. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie sat up, looking worried. &ldquo;Will this be going on all day, or every day or what?&rdquo; she asked starting to sound a bit hysterical.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke got up and sat beside her on the worn couch. &ldquo;They didn&rsquo;t happen very often for her, but I think you&rsquo;ll be ok for now. If it happens again we should consult Old Doc Buddy.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled. &ldquo;Old Doc Buddy, that&rsquo;s his name?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke laughed, glad that she calmed down. &ldquo;Well to make a long story short his last name is virtually unpronounceable and his first name is Leslie, which doesn&rsquo;t work in Texas. It&rsquo;s not he-man enough. He got too much ribbing from the cowboys so he decided that he just wanted to be everyone&rsquo;s buddy and there you go- Old Doc Buddy.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie laughed and shook her head. &ldquo;Texans were indeed a unique bunch. I&rsquo;m glad to be counted among them.&rdquo; She stood up, grabbed Burke&rsquo;s hand, and pulled him toward the kitchen. &ldquo;We have waffles to eat,&rdquo; she said playfully.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke dutifully sat at the kitchen table and ate more than his share of the waffles. It lightened his heart to see Annie smiling again. Maybe Ted was right maybe she was a keeper. He hoped so they were getting married&hellip;. &ldquo;Oh shit!&rdquo; he yelled as he looked at his watch. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re getting married in an hour.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s eyes grew wide, &ldquo;I have to get ready and the kitchen is a mess and...&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke took control. &ldquo;Up into the shower with you, I&rsquo;ll tidy the kitchen.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie nodded and started up the stairs as she heard him call, &ldquo;don&rsquo;t use all the hot water; I still have to shower too!&rdquo; 



&nbsp;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 26 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/26/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;Annie was grateful that Burke was considerate enough to have the wedding at the ranch since she still had bruises on her face and had no desire to go to town. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She loved her dress. It was a strapless white silk creation with a lace overlay. The lace was in the pattern of roses and Annie just loved it. It was the most daring dress she had ever worn. When she bought it, she hadn't anticipated the bruises on her arms but she pretended that they weren&rsquo;t there. She left her curly auburn hair falling down her back except for the right side, which was swept it up, held by a pearl encrusted comb. She put on her pearl necklace and earrings that were the only legacy she had from her mother. She didn&rsquo;t spare a moment of thought for the woman who never seemed to want her. She felt buoyant as she left her own room, hopefully for the last time and joined her groom downstairs.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s eyes misted as she took in the sight before her. The family room had been totally transformed. There were red roses everywhere; someone had erected an arch in front of the grand fireplace, draped in red roses. Looking, down she saw the white runner that would lead her to her future husband. She smiled as a woman she assumed to be Ted&rsquo;s wife, Sherry gave her a bouquet of yellow roses. Annie smiled her thanks.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She couldn&rsquo;t help but notice that they were the same types of flowers that she had fallen in love with both at the old cabin and at this very house. The whole room smelled like roses, heavenly roses. It definitely made her feel like this was a long awaited homecoming. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked straight ahead and caught Burke&rsquo;s eyes. She could read the approval in his eyes and she knew that he didn&rsquo;t find her lacking. Drawing her courage from him, she proceeded down the aisle. Her smile grew shaky as she took his hand. She felt like her heart would burst. Burke looked so handsome in his black suit and she could tell that it was expensive and tailor-made. It made him look so striking. She was proud to be standing here with him. She was so lost in him that she barely made the right responses. She was surprised as Burke took out not one but two rings for them to exchange. Annie hadn't given it much thought but she was delighted that he intended to wear a wedding ring. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Judge Mathers finally pronounced them Man and Wife and told Burke that he could kiss the bride.



&nbsp;Kiss her? Burke wanted to eat her. God she was so beautiful. Her dress molded to all her curves making him crazy. Burke looked into her misted eyes and winked at her as he moved his lips closer to hers. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a searing kiss of possession. They were so lost in each other that they almost forgot about their guests. Burke heard someone clearing his or her throat and reluctantly released Annie.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Joyously Annie greeted and hugged her guests. It looked as though she and Sherry would be fast friends. The Judge was so rollie pollie that he could barely hug her. Ted gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. Burke felt lucky to have her at his side. He was proud of how nice and friendly she was to all the guests.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke opened a bottle of champagne with a huge popping of the cork. He laughed as the sparkling libation bubbled up and out of the bottle. &ldquo;Quick, get the glasses!&rdquo; He cried in amusement. He poured six glasses and handed them out. The last one went to Mrs. Harvy a slender older woman with an unmistakable twinkle in her eye. She had just put down a beautiful wedding cake on the table and accepted the glass. &ldquo;&rsquo;bout time you found yourself the right filly,&rdquo; she remarked with a mischievous smile.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad you approve,&rdquo; he said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. He walked her over to his bride and made the introductions. &ldquo;Annie, honey this wonderful woman is not only a friend but she is the best cook in all of Weltworth.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mrs. Harvy blushed at his compliment. She took Annie&rsquo;s hand and simply said, &ldquo;She&rsquo;ll do.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; With that, everyone said cheers and drank a toast to the newlyweds. Annie seemed to be having great time getting to know everyone especially Sherry. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Soon enough the champagne was gone and every one had eaten some cake. Their guests, seeing the long looks the newlyweds were exchanging, decided to leave. Just as Ted was about to leave, Annie turned to Burke and asked about the prenup. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d really like to sign it if it&rsquo;s been rewritten,&rdquo; she said softly.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 27 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/27/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke looked into her eyes trying to gage her reaction. He wanted her to want to sign it. He&rsquo;d thought about it a lot last night and decided that he really wanted her. He&rsquo;d thought to give it a bit of time and then have her sign a document relinquishing any claim she might have on the land. Now she had made it a lot easier.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Ted,&rdquo; he called out.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ted turned as he was unlocking the car door. &ldquo;What do you need?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Bring the papers we&rsquo;ll sign them now.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ted grabbed his briefcase and told Sherry that he&rsquo;d be back in a minute.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ted handed the papers to Annie for her perusal. She gave Burke a smile as she signed it. Burke signed too and handed it back to Ted. &ldquo;Well what are you waiting around for,&rdquo; he teased Ted. &ldquo;I have some honeymooning to do.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ted grinned. &ldquo;Well you two have at it,&rdquo; he teased. &ldquo;Remember Burke old boy, slow, and steady wins the race.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie gasped and Burke threw his head back and laughed as they watched Ted leave. He turned to Annie and embraced her. He loved the feel of her against his hard body. He was very impressed with her dress but he wanted her out of it. He lifted her into his arms and he could see by Annie&rsquo;s wide eyes that she was surprised. He took the steps two at a time carrying her into his room. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was reluctant to find out about the other side of marriage. She felt so naive. What if it was bad? She knew that it was supposed to hurt the first time, but how much hurt? What if he didn&rsquo;t like her naked body? Maybe she was a cold frigid bitch. No! She finally decided. She would not let Jeffrey&rsquo;s hateful words ruin what was supposed to be a very special moment in her life.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke watched the display of emotions as they played across her face. He saw fear, and determination. He hoped to God that he could make it good for her. He smiled to himself as he remembered Ted&rsquo;s advice. Slow and steady would probably be the right thing to do.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke set her down on her feet and turned her toward him. He looked into her eyes cupping her shoulders with his big hands. Caressing her creamy white shoulders he felt her begin to tremble and he hoped to hell it was out of desire and not out of fear. He knew that she must be somewhat nervous, what virgin wouldn&rsquo;t be? Running his hands up and down her arms, he felt her skin begin to warm. She trembled again. &ldquo;Cold?&rdquo; he asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie blushed and looked at his chest. Her body&rsquo;s response to his feather light touch embarrassed her it felt as though she had butterflies in her stomach and she wished them away. She could feel the thumping of her heart as she returned her gaze to his. Burke&rsquo;s endless blue eyes astounded her. She could see the blatant desire in them and she felt honored, hoping that the look she returned was as sizzling, but she was so naive that she didn&rsquo;t really know how. She wished that she had learned the art of flirting, but it just wasn&rsquo;t her. It would have come in handy now though. Annie put her arms around Burke&rsquo;s neck and pulled his head towards hers for a kiss. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The kiss started soft and gentle. Burke was trying to rein himself in, not wanting to scare his new bride, but to his surprise and pleasure, Annie deepened the kiss and put her tongue in his mouth. He could feel her smile as their tongues danced together. Burke pulled her tight against him and could feel her nipples grow hard through the fabric of her dress. His hands began to work quickly, unbuttoning her gown, but much to his dismay, the buttons were so tiny, and he needed to see them to unbutton them.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He quickly turned her around and unbuttoned her gown. He was tempted to rip it off, but he knew how a woman treasured her wedding gown. He finally unbuttoned her gown down her back, but her hands held up the front of her dress refusing to let it drop. Burke took a deep breath as he remembered that he needed patience.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie loved the feel of Burke&rsquo;s breath on the back of her neck. He pulled her curly hair to the side and rained butterfly kisses up and down her neck causing her to shiver. It felt so sensual and she knew that he wanted her to drop her dress, but she just couldn&rsquo;t, not yet. She felt at too much of a disadvantage since he was still fully dressed. She turned to him, feeling her face flush with desire and embarrassment. &ldquo;Maybe if you took off some of your clothes first&hellip;,&rdquo;she suggested shyly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke grinned. This he could do. He was half-afraid she was going to suggest that they consummate their marriage another time. He began to unbutton his dress shirt and he actually felt a bit self-conscious at her rapt attention. He heard her gasp as his chest came into view. He knew that he didn&rsquo;t have an ounce of fat on him, with all the physical work, he did, but he never made a woman gasp before. He liked it.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 28 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/28/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:45:41 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Burke&rsquo;s wide, strong shoulders and hard chest enthralled Annie. His had a chiseled stomach and it made her stomach coil- or maybe the coil she felt was a bit lower. She loved the sprinkling of dark hair on his chest and followed the line of hair until it disappeared under his belt. &nbsp;How she desired this man. Her breasts seemed to become heavy and it made her feel a bit wanton. Her eyes grew wide as he shucked off his pants leaving him in his boxers. There was something wrong with her breathing as she stared at him. She was actually panting. She put one hand on her forehead trying to determine if she had a fever, but she knew that the fever was building inside her, slowly incessantly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke felt incredible by her reaction to him. He couldn&rsquo;t wait to see her. He cocked his eyebrow as he looked at her and she blushed. She knew that it was her turn to undress. He could tell she was nervous but he could also see the desire in her glorious green eyes. He watched as she turned around and let her gown drop. Burke stared in fascination as he looked at her back, but he began to frown as his perusal went downward. Annie had whip marks on the small of her back, her buttocks, and the top of her thighs. He suddenly felt sick. How could anyone mark such perfection? He wasn&rsquo;t sure what to do; he wanted to kill someone at this point. Instead, he simply walked toward her and turned her facing him. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She was so very beautiful. Her breasts were full and her hard pink nipples ripe for the tasting. Her stomach was flat and sexy. She seemed aptly curved in all the right places. He looked lower and her auburn curls excited him. He pulled her toward him and kissed her as his hands roamed her bare back being careful not to touch her scars; he didn&rsquo;t want to address them just yet. His only goal now was to make Annie feel like a woman, his woman. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt warm and cherished in Burke&rsquo;s arms. His kiss made her feel so loved that her eyes misted. He held her with one arm and shimmied out of his shorts with the other. Annie could feel his hard arousal against her stomach. It seemed excessively hard and way too big. She wanted to peek at it but at the same time, she didn&rsquo;t want to know. Curiosity won out and Annie turned white as she looked down and backed away. &ldquo;Surely that won&rsquo;t, I mean we couldn&rsquo;t possibly, you wouldn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; she stammered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke laughed lightly and pulled her back into his embrace. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t worry we&rsquo;ll be a great fit. I don&rsquo;t want you frightened, but believe me darlin, it&rsquo;s not as bad as it looks,&rdquo; he reassured her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked doubtful as they continued to kiss and explore each other. She loved the dark hair on his chest. It felt so good to stroke it. She touched his hard stomach, avoiding his erection and then rubbed his back. She felt bold as she massaged his rear-end. Even that was hard. Finally, she began to relax and she even laughed as Burke lifted her in his arms and gently laid her on the bed. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He watched her for a moment, noticing the glow of her skin and he wanted her more than he could ever remember wanting any other woman. He took a deep breath, reminding himself to take it slow. Annie opened her arms to him and he accepted the invitation, kissing her rosy breasts. Annie cried out in ecstasy. When he suckled her hard nipples, she practically sprang up from the bed. Slowly he kissed his way down to her stomach, his hands stroked her inner thighs, making her wet.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wanted to jump out of her skin as Burke stroked her clitoris. She&rsquo;d never felt anything so intense in her life and she wanted more, much more. She bucked her hips in invitation and Burke obliged. Slowly he entered her feeling just how tight and slick she was. She bucked even more wanting more of him. He seemed to be going too slow for her. She was trying to reach some pinnacle but she wasn&rsquo;t sure what it was. Burke continued to stoke her cleft as he entered her. She was like a wild animal when she finally spun out of control and yelled her passion. Burke thrust into her as she slowed, and he felt her stiffen in pain. Tears spilled from her eyes. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke stilled inside her, allowing her to get used to him. He tenderly kissed away her tears and murmured encouragement to her. Soon enough he felt her move against him. He kissed her as he thrust in and out of her, making her yearn and buck again. He could feel her moving against him, matching him stroke for stroke. He knew that he wouldn&rsquo;t be able to last much longer. Suddenly he felt her contract wildly around him, squeezing him as she came. He thrust two more times and flung his head back as he spilled himself into her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke stilled inside her, enjoying the feel of her. She brought him a sense of peace he hadn't known since before he met his ex-wife. He luxuriated in this serenity as he kissed her face and neck. Slowly he withdrew and rolled off her, bringing her with him splaying her on top of him. He held her as he gazed into her eyes. He could see her passion and her satisfaction in her sleepy look. He smiled as she snuggled against his side, her head on his shoulder and her arm on his chest. The tenderness he felt for her overwhelmed him and for a moment, he wanted to run. He hadn't bargained for this, he hadn't bargained for Annie. He would just have to remember that this was just sex and nothing else, he couldn&rsquo;t afford emotional tangles again, especially not with Annie. She could wield the power to devastate him if he allowed it. &nbsp;He vowed to enjoy her but never love her. He would give her kindness, sex, and hopefully children. That would be enough. It would have to be.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 29 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/29/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie woke up feeling like a budding rose that had finally opened. She felt very sexy and very much loved. She wasn&rsquo;t used to this warm and fuzzy feeling but she luxuriated in it. Her one disappointment was that Burke was not in bed with her, but she knew that the ranch came first. She smiled to herself; she was now a rancher&rsquo;s wife. She scooped Cat up and nuzzled her under the chin. Getting out of bed, naked, she went to the window, and greeted the sun as an old friend. She felt as radiant as the sunrays and she wanted to dance. Grabbing her robe, she held it to her like a dance partner, waltzing around the room, laughing the whole time. Joy was hers for the taking and she was taking it. When she noticed Burke watching her from the door she came to a sudden stop giving him a brilliant smile. Walking toward him, she tried to embrace him. Somehow, he sidestepped her. She saw his scowl and wondered what was wrong. Before she could ask, Burke mumbled something about the day wasting away and he left.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; All of Annie&rsquo;s joy and sunshine faded in that moment. She had been on the cusp of a brand new wonderful life and Burke somehow snatched it away. Dejected, she sat on the bed wondering what had gone wrong. She had thought that the previous night had been magical, but then again she had nothing to compare it. All of her doubts and insecurities came back to haunt her. Tears began to fall down her face. Angrily she dashed them away and got up. She had a spine, a backbone and she wasn&rsquo;t going to let him ruin her day. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt better for making a strong stand and got herself dressed. She&rsquo;d go through her day as though nothing bothered her, but deep inside her heart was breaking. She swore herself for a fool, imagining herself dancing naked around the room. Nobody ever loved her and maybe nobody ever will but she had a wonderful place to live and she had hope for children. That would have to be enough.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The days were beginning to get warmer. Annie skipped breakfast and decided to work in the vegetable garden. It was her garden now and she felt a sense of pride as she looked at it. She wasn&rsquo;t exactly sure what was what but everything was planted in neat rows. It obviously needed tending and Annie grabbed some gloves and proceeded to weed it. She laughed often at Cat&rsquo;s romping and exploring. She had been at it for about three hours, when Burke came riding in. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she watched him. God, he was so masculine and she felt her body responding to him. Her nipples tightened as he drew near.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie stood up too fast and swayed a bit, feeling dizzy. She probably stayed out in the sun too long, she mused. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You&rsquo;ll need to wear a hat out here,&rdquo; Burke, admonished her. He gave her a long look and locked on her peaking nipples. He gave her a roguish knowing look and almost laughed as she blushed. &ldquo;I suppose that there&rsquo;s no lunch,&rdquo; he said irritably.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry,&rdquo; Annie whispered. &ldquo;I wanted to finish weeding and I forgot the time,&rdquo; she explained.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke looked at her sunburned skin with disgust. &ldquo;Nice burn no matter what, you&rsquo;re still a city girl.&rdquo; He looked over the garden and grew increasingly angry. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t tell me, you&rsquo;ve never gardened before,&rdquo; he bit out sarcastically. &ldquo;In fact I bet you&rsquo;ve never seen one before. Well I hope you&rsquo;re happy but you&rsquo;ve pulled up more plants than weeds!&rdquo; he shouted angrily. &ldquo;Do you know how long it takes to plant a garden?&rdquo; He asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was afraid but she wasn&rsquo;t going to shrink away from him. &ldquo;All I can do is apologize, Burke. I do have a lot to learn.&rdquo; She turned away from him and started toward the house.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke caught up with her and grabbed her arm. He could feel her flinch but he didn&rsquo;t care. He had spent a hell of a day trying to put her from his mind. She was making him crazy and he hated her for it. He couldn&rsquo;t believe that he was shouting at her, and grabbing her when all he really wanted to do was make love to her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Let go of me Burke,&rdquo; Annie said in a steady voice. She whirled on him eyes flashing. &ldquo;You know I&rsquo;ve been bullied and hurt by every man in my life! Hell even my mother didn&rsquo;t love me. Somehow, I thought you were different. I feel so stupid for thinking that I could trust you not to hurt me. I should have stuck to what I knew: men can&rsquo;t be trusted and they just hurt you in the end!&rdquo; 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 30 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/30/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


She thought she saw a look of regret in Burke&rsquo;s eyes before he turned and walked toward his horse. Sadly, she watched him ride away. She felt as though all her hopes and dreams were riding away with him. She stood there until she could see him no more. Her head ached and she was starting to feel the pain of her sunburn. Slowly she went in the house. She took an aspirin for both her head and burn. Next, she found a bottle of aloe and slathered it all over her red-burnt skin. It soothed the outside of her but there was no soothing her broken heart. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maybe she should have known better. She had seen his temper on numerous occasions but somehow she dismissed it. How could he be so kind and gentle one minute and raging mad the other? Annie supposed that was just the way of men. It hurt to move, her shoulders, arms and face were on fire. It was a good thing she was wearing jeans or she wouldn&rsquo;t be able to walk. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie went into the family room and sat on the worn sofa. She could still feel the house embracing her, welcoming her, inviting her to make it her home. Sadly, she didn&rsquo;t know if she could accept such an invitation. She wondered about all the Dawson women before her and if they had such hard men to live with. A strong breeze came through the front window bringing the fresh bouquet of the red and yellow roses with it. Somehow, it brought her comfort. She knew now that she was strong enough to fight for what she wanted. The problem was that she wasn&rsquo;t sure what she wanted anymore. 



&nbsp;Gingerly she got up and went into the kitchen. She made a simple stew and set it on low to simmer. She set Cat&rsquo;s food on the floor and took a moment to watch her eat. For such a little thing, she sure ate a lot. Slowly she made her way upstairs and climbed into bed, their bed, and promptly fell asleep.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke found her there fast asleep looking like a tomato. He was relieved that she was in their bed and not in the bed, she slept in before they were married. Hopefully it had meaning. He felt like such a jerk and he wanted to make things right between them. No matter what his issues were, he had no right to take them out on Annie. Lord knows she had been through enough. He could still hear the echo of her saying her mother never loved her. He couldn&rsquo;t begin to imagine her childhood, especially the whip marks she carried.&nbsp; He&rsquo;d never get his children at this rate. She probably never wanted him to touch her again. Looking down at her sleeping form he debated whether he should wake her or not, but in the end he decided she looked too peaceful to disturb. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie awoke to darkness and wondered how long she had been sleeping, crying out in pain as she sat up. At least she had learned her lesson about the hot Texas sun. She got out of bed making the least possible movements and gingerly went downstairs, she was hungry and she needed more aloe. Aloe first she decided, definitely first. Walling into the kitchen, she noticed the dirty dish in the sink. He had come home after all. Annie tried to tell herself to buck up it didn&rsquo;t matter what he did. Nevertheless, deep inside her, she was both glad and very nervous. She knew she wasn&rsquo;t in any condition to spar with him tonight. She grabbed the bottle of aloe and jumped as she felt Burke&rsquo;s big hand take it from her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She turned in surprise ready to face him down. &nbsp;The look of concern on his face surprised her. He took her small hand in his and led her to the family room. Without a word, he sat her down and removed her shirt. She had taken her bra off earlier because the straps irritated her burn. Slowly he covered her arms and shoulders with the aloe. He even got the back of her neck and part of her back that she couldn&rsquo;t reach earlier. &nbsp;His touch was tender, not sexual in any way. Annie had a hard time trying to reconcile this Burke with the one who had been ranting and raving earlier. She was glad for the truce though. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 31 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/31/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Burke knew she was hurting. His skin was nowhere as fair as hers was but he&rsquo;d had a burn or two in his lifetime and he knew just how painful it could be. He couldn&rsquo;t remember anyone looking quite so red. &ldquo;Darlin&rsquo; you&rsquo;re going to be in a world of hurt in the next few days,&rdquo; he commiserated.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie took a deep breath and turned her head to look at him. &ldquo;I already am,&rdquo; she said with a halfhearted smile.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;If you weren&rsquo;t in pain I&rsquo;d take you in my arms and hold you. I&rsquo;m sorry about earlier. You don&rsquo;t deserve my anger. In fact now that I think about it, it&rsquo;s actually kind of funny that you don&rsquo;t know a weed from a plant,&rdquo; he said sincerely.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie groaned. &ldquo;I was just trying to show you what a wonderful wife you married and I failed miserably.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke kissed the top of her head. &ldquo;As soon as I can touch you without hurting you I&rsquo;ll show you just how much of a failure you aren&rsquo;t.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked puzzled. They hadn't mentioned last night and she wasn&rsquo;t sure what he meant exactly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke laughed at her confusion. &ldquo;Honey last night was the best in my life. We are as explosive in bed as we seem to be out of it. I&rsquo;m determined to keep the fireworks in the bedroom from now on.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie relaxed. She could feel a glow emanating from her at his praise. It made her ecstatic to know that she had brought him as much pleasure as he had brought her. It made her wish for a brief moment that she could shove Burke&rsquo;s words down Jeffrey&rsquo;s throat. She wondered why she even thought of that creep anymore, but his words had really shattered her. Now she knew he could never hurt her again. She was a passionate pleasing woman who enjoyed sleeping with her husband. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That night when they went to bed neither touched. Annie knew that Burke was afraid to hurt her sunburn and she was glad of his consideration. Even Cat slept at the bottom of the bed instead of Annie&rsquo;s pillow. Once again she woke to an empty bed, but she realized that she was either going to have to accept it, or get up earlier. She decided that she would find out how much earlier. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke laughed as she approached him on the subject that night at dinner. &ldquo;I get up with the roosters, darlin. I&rsquo;m perfectly fine in the morning. You already pack a great lunch for me to take every day and the dinners have been delicious.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He took a good long look at her. &ldquo;Do you want me to wake you when I get up?&rdquo; he asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a lonely feeling to wake up alone,&rdquo; she explained honestly. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke laughed and gave her a roughish grin. &ldquo;But the nights are anything but lonely.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt her face turn red, &ldquo;I know. Well, lately I don&rsquo;t know but I&rsquo;m hopeful for when my sunburn fades.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke threw his head back and laughed. He gave her a wolfish grin. &ldquo;Oh darlin we&rsquo;ll be making up for lost time, believe me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was both embarrassed and excited by her husband&rsquo;s teasing. She realized that she had needs. She&rsquo;d always heard of a man&rsquo;s needs and frankly, she was shocked to realize that she had needs too. Now that Burke had awakened her sexually she felt as though he had created a monster. Maybe it was the fact that they couldn&rsquo;t that made her want it even more. She didn&rsquo;t know but wanting him preoccupied her mind a great bit over the next few days.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Finally, her burn along with her bruises had finally disappeared. Annie studied her image in the mirror critically, but she had to admit she&rsquo;d never looked better. She hoped that Burke agreed because she had wifely plans for him tonight. It was hot out so Annie put on her yellow sundress. The one she had first worn to the ranch. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She went downstairs and felt at loose ends. Dinner was cooking and she had worked hard cleaning earlier. Cat was napping in the sun. She decided to go out to the barn and meet the horses. She had wanted to get a look at them. The red barn was the most well kept building on the ranch. The smell was a bit overwhelming, but Annie found herself not minding it. She stopped at the first stall and looked in. The head of chestnut colored horse appearing right in front of her startled her and she gasped taking a step back. Then she smiled at the horse. &ldquo;I live here now,&rdquo; she told him. &ldquo;I would like for us to be friends,&rdquo; she announced seriously, as she took a step forward. She wanted to touch the horse but she knew she was out of her element and didn&rsquo;t want to have to explain a bitten hand to Burke. &ldquo;My name is Annie,&rdquo; she continued until she heard a slight snicker. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 32 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/32/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Burke found her enchanting, talking to his roan. She had actually introduced herself. He wanted to double over in laughter, but he didn&rsquo;t want to offend Annie. God she was beautiful. Best of all she looked fully healed. He could feel himself getting hard as his eyes devoured her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled brilliantly, lighting up the whole barn, when she heard his laugh. &ldquo;Well hello cowboy,&rdquo; she said huskily as she moved toward him. She swayed her hips extra sexily. She stopped right in front of him locking her green eyes with his. He could both read the blatant desire in her eyes.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke pulled her against him. He put his hands in her long auburn hair enjoying the softness of it. He brought her closer as he dipped his head to kiss her. He nipped at her lips giving her light, teasing kisses. Raining her face and neck in sumptuous kisses, he played particular attention to the place between her neck and shoulder. He could feel her shiver. Her eagerness seemed to match his. He drew back and gazed into her heavy lidded eyes. He knew the look of desire. He felt as though he was going to explode at any moment. He grabbed her hand, grabbed a blanket, and led her to a couple of hay bales stacked. They looked to be the perfect height for what he planned.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke covered the bales with the blanket and bent Annie over them. He reached up her skirt and ripped off her panties and he pushed her dress up over her back. Burke admired her perfectly rounded rear end. He untied the halter on her sundress allowing her large breasts to fall heavily toward the ground. He peppered the back of her neck with kisses as he rolled both nipples between his fingers. He heard her moan and felt her hips begin to move. He knew what she wanted, what he wanted. He let go of her breasts and reached around her waist as he massaged her cleft. Quickly he guided himself inside her and thrust for all he was worth. Nothing in his life compared to the feeling he experienced as he made love to her. Burke felt her tense as she came all around him bringing him to an immediate completion. &nbsp;What a completion it was. He hadn't ever had completion quite like that in his life. He felt spent as he held onto Annie. Finally, he pulled away, adjusted his jeans, and lifted her up into his arms. He sat on the bales of hay with her on his lap. The look she gave him was one of amazement and satisfaction. He couldn&rsquo;t help feeling proud to have brought those expressions to her face.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie reached up and stroked Burke&rsquo;s face, loving the way it felt, whiskers and all. She knew the back of her neck was probably rubbed red from all his kisses but she didn&rsquo;t care. She was trying so hard to get her breathing under control and her heart was racing as she snuggled against Burke&rsquo;s chest. That had been definitely worth the wait. She never dreamed of feeling so good. It was pleasure beyond anything she had ever felt and she didn&rsquo;t want to talk or move. She wanted this feeling of joy to last as long as it could. She knew that you could never predict tomorrow, so she was embracing this day. She spotted her torn panties on the hard dirt. She suddenly felt dirty and sexy simultaneously. Slowly she released herself from Burke&rsquo;s hold retied her halter-top and reached for her panties. She wadded them up in her hand and gave Burke a sideways looks before she scampered to the house. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She could hear Burke&rsquo;s laughter as she reached the porch. The leach she thought, he hadn&rsquo;t even taken off any off his clothes. It seemed improper, but hell, it felt wonderful. Annie smiled to herself realizing just how wild she made Burke. It was definitely good for her self-esteem. She grew giddy thinking about it. She skipped halfway up the stairs and stopped. Imagine Annie Douglas- make that Annie Dawson was skipping. She ran the rest of the way up and flopped down on her bed. She never wanted to feel any other feelings but joy and satisfaction and, she had to admit naughtiness, for the rest of her life.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She squealed in delight as Burke jumped in the bed beside her. He gave her a quick kiss. He lifted himself up on one elbow as he gazed at her exuberant face. He gently brushed the hair from her face and kissed her again. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s go out and celebrate,&rdquo; he suggested.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie kissed him back, long and lovingly. &ldquo;Can we afford to go out?&rdquo; she asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Your concern makes me proud,&rdquo; he said as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her eyelids. He pulled away and smiled. &ldquo;I think we can afford the diner,&rdquo; he teased, &ldquo;as long as you don&rsquo;t order extra fries.&rdquo;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 33 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/33/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


They held hands as they entered the diner. Noreen looked delighted to see them. She readily came out from behind the counter, her graying hair falling from her bun a bit at a time. She quickly took Annie&rsquo;s hand. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s got that special glow about her,&rdquo; she teased her eyes full of mischief. &ldquo;What do you think Old Rowdy?&rdquo; She motioned to the counter, &ldquo;doesn&rsquo;t she look just like a newlywed should?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie blushed at all the attention. The whole diner was looking at them. She heard Old Rowdy mumble something she couldn&rsquo;t make out but it didn&rsquo;t seem to matter as Noreen continued to chatter and lead them to their table. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Noreen seated them and announced to the whole diner that she had set them up together and was wholly responsible for their happy marriage. She preened as the other customers applauded. She turned back to the couple smiling. &ldquo;Now tell me the truth,&rdquo; she started, &ldquo;he&rsquo;s treating ok isn&rsquo;t he? I&rsquo;d hate to have to lay him out on the ground for meanness.&rdquo; She laughed her eyes sparkling.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke looked put out but Annie laughed good-naturedly. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a nice man Noreen; I have no cause for complaint.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Well of course he&rsquo;s nice, I wouldn&rsquo;t have fixed you up with just any yahoo.&rdquo; Old Rowdy, Hank and Bo were starting to make noises at the counter. They needed refills on their coffee. &ldquo;Hold on you old farts,&rdquo; she yelled to them. &ldquo;Can't you see that I&rsquo;m busy?&rdquo; She left muttering under her breath.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was glad she wasn&rsquo;t one of the old farts. Noreen didn&rsquo;t look happy with them. She couldn&rsquo;t hear what she was saying but it was obviously a scolding. She looked at Burke and they both laughed. &ldquo;I just love her,&rdquo; she said.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke held her hand on the table caressing it. &ldquo;She is a character,&rdquo; he agreed.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie almost fell on the floor laughing when Noreen came back without asking them what they wanted and placed burgers and fries before them. Noreen&rsquo;s smile was so bright that Annie didn&rsquo;t have the heart to say anything. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke seemed to take it in stride. He did laugh though as he heard the next table grumble that those must be their burgers they&rsquo;d been waiting forever for. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They both ate with gusto, having worked up an appetite earlier in the barn. They were just finishing when Burke excused himself. Annie sat there happily, waiting for Burke to return.



&nbsp;Unfortunately, she could hear the conversation at the next table. She didn&rsquo;t turn to see who was there but she definitely heard the spiteful way they compared her to Burke&rsquo;s first wife Alice.



&ldquo;She&rsquo;s certainly not as pretty as Alice,&rdquo; The first woman said.



&ldquo;You&rsquo;re right she has no sophistication, probably lacks good breeding. Why she has no sex appeal at all! What was Burke thinking to marry such a dowdy little thing?&rdquo; The second woman said.



&ldquo;Obviously he married &lsquo;down&rsquo; so she wouldn&rsquo;t want to leave him. He probably did her a big favor by marrying her. She&rsquo;s spinster material. No comparison to his first wife that&rsquo;s for sure.&rdquo; The first woman said.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie seemed to shrink in her chair feeling humiliated and angry. How dare these women talk about her in such a derisive manner? They didn&rsquo;t know her, but she had to admit they certainly knew Alice. They were probably qualified to make the comparison, but it hurt. She landed from the high she was on with a splat. Doubts began to creep their way back into her self-esteem. How she got out of there she would never know. She remembered faking a smile for Noreen and making it to the truck. As soon as she sat down, she shut down. She pretended to fall asleep, because she couldn&rsquo;t tell Burke what she had heard, she didn&rsquo;t want him to have to lie about how she was prettier than Alice was.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke had felt her withdrawal at the restaurant and wondered about it. For once, he knew that it hadn't been anything he had done. He shrugged his shoulders as he drove, women were complicated creatures, and he certainly didn&rsquo;t have the key to understanding them. His concern turned to happiness as he remembered their time in the barn. God, she was an exciting, sexy woman. He was going to have a hard time not wanting her every moment of every day. Thank God, he had a lot of ranch work to keep him busy night and day. His smile grew as he pictured her introducing herself to his roan. He&rsquo;d make time for her he decided. She needed to know how to ride a horse, at least. Hell there was many things she needed to learn about the ranch. She seemed more than willing to learn and that made Burke proud. For the first time in a long time, he felt very optimistic about his future and that of his ranch. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As soon as they arrived at the ranch house, Burke opened Annie&rsquo;s door and lifted her out. She had blue circles under her eyes, which made her look so tired. He carried into the house and up the stairs. Gently he laid her on the bed and began to undress her, kissing each section of skin he uncovered. Soon she was crying out in need and Burke obliged her, slowly and tenderly. Afterword he held her close, sensing her desire for closeness. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt relaxed and protected in Burke&rsquo;s arms. She lazily dragged her fingers through his chest hair. She knew that he had to be wondering about the scars on her back; after all, he had kissed every one of them. She felt that she needed to be honest with him, and he made her feel as if she could tell him anything. &ldquo;I guess you&rsquo;ve noticed the scars on my back,&rdquo; she said quietly. She could feel Burke stiffen in surprise under her. &ldquo;My stepfather thought that little girls should be seen and not heard. Unfortunately I was more of a tomboy than a ballerina and he punished me for it.&rdquo; She could feel Burke&rsquo;s big strong hands running up and down her back in reassurance. &ldquo;He used to beat me&hellip; a lot. My mother left all discipline matters to him. She constantly told me that I deserved it for being such an evil brat. I was constantly nervous because I didn&rsquo;t seem to know the rules. He changed them daily. If I answered him, I was talking back. If I didn&rsquo;t answer him, I was showing disrespect.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie hiccupped as she fought tears. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve come to believe that he just wanted me naked cowering in front of him. He seemed to relish the power he held over me. He enjoyed hitting me with his belt. In fact he made me remove the belt each and every time.&rdquo; She looked up at Burke and the sympathy she saw reflected in his eyes was her undoing. Tears ran down her face. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t bad, Burke, I wasn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; she insisted as tears poured in rivets down her grief stricken face.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke pulled her tightly against him. &ldquo;Of course you weren&rsquo;t honey. You are goodness, light, and certainly not evil. My God, you were just a tiny girl. You did nothing wrong darlin. He was the evil one, he, your mother, even your stepbrother. You are safe with me Annie- for always.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt a beginning of healing in her little girl&rsquo;s heart, no one ever told her it wasn&rsquo;t her fault. She had a lot of thinking to do but she was exhausted. Her last thought before she drifted off to sleep was that Burke had called her goodness and light.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 34 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/34/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Burke felt her relax and he knew that she was finally sleeping. His anger at her family was bubbling over within him. He wanted to hit something but he knew that for Annie&rsquo;s sake he had to be calm and understanding. She grew up with monsters. It was a miracle that she turned out as sweet as she did. It had to be fate that brought her here, away from her stepbrother. She was safe here, he silently vowed.





&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was busy making the morning coffee. It had taken some doing but she had finally gotten up before Burke and she liked it. There was a certain intimacy waking up in bed with your husband. He had given her a big kiss, against protests from Cat, and she was amazed that he was hard as a rock in the morning. Annie had wanted to stay in bed but Burke made promises for the night to come, and got dressed. Her face felt warm as she thought of how Adonis like he looked this morning, getting out of bed naked. Feeling her face growing increasingly hotter, she realized that she lusted after her husband. She smiled wickedly to herself.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The phone rang, jolting her out of her naughty thoughts.



&ldquo;Annie? It&rsquo;s Sherry I was Just about to go berry picking and I wondered if you wanted to come along?&rdquo;



Annie was thrilled. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d like that a lot, I have to confess that I&rsquo;ve never picked berries before.&rdquo;



Sherry laughed. &ldquo;Somehow I didn't think so. After we pick the berries we can make jam.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Seriously?&rdquo;



&ldquo;What you don&rsquo;t like jam?&rdquo; Sherry asked.



&ldquo;No I mean yes I like jam. It&rsquo;s just that I&rsquo;ve always wanted to make jam. What time should I be there?&rdquo;



&ldquo;Anytime, but the earlier the better, it&rsquo;s too hot in the afternoon to be out in the Texas sun picking berries.&rdquo;



&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be there soon. Sherry?&rdquo;



&ldquo;Thanks for inviting me.&rdquo;



&ldquo;It&rsquo;ll be fun. See you in a bit.&rdquo;



&nbsp; Annie had wanted to get to know Sherry better, and the jam making was definitely the cherry on top. She couldn&rsquo;t wait to tell Burke of her plans.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She poured his coffee as he walked in, beaming as he gave her a long leisurely kiss. Annie luxuriated in it. She had been waiting all her life for such affection and she cherished it with her soul. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke laughed as he tried to disentangle himself from her. &ldquo;The day&rsquo;s awastin darlin.&rdquo; &nbsp;He sat down and ate the eggs Annie had made. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re spoiling me, you know,&rdquo; he teased.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt warm inside as she sat down to join him. &ldquo;Sherry called. She asked me to go berry picking with her and then she&rsquo;s going to show me how to make jam!&rdquo; she exclaimed.



&nbsp;&ldquo;If I had known just how happy jam makes you I&rsquo;d have bought a truckload,&rdquo; he kidded. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll drive you over.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;That&rsquo;s ok, I&rsquo;ll just drive myself over.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I said I&rsquo;ll drive you,&rdquo; Burke said tensely, staring her down. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie eyes narrowed as she looked at Burke. &ldquo;Which is it?&rdquo; she demanded. &ldquo;Do you need the truck or am I not allowed to go out on my own?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke wiped his mouth with his napkin and threw it down on his plate. He ran his fingers through his brown hair. &ldquo;I need the truck today,&rdquo; he said softly, looking at her. 



Annie simply nodded her head and turned away from him, cleaning the kitchen. Somehow, she didn&rsquo;t believe him completely. She still had a sinking suspicion that he just didn&rsquo;t trust her and it made her wonder if it had anything to do with Alice. She was tired of paying for Alice&rsquo;s mistakes. Maybe Sherry knew more about the whole situation.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke dropped her off at Sherry and Ted&rsquo;s house, giving her a long searching look before he kissed her goodbye. He wished he had the words to take the look of doubt off her face but he didn&rsquo;t. Of course, he didn&rsquo;t want her going out alone. He had let Alice run wild and it brought nothing but heartache. He hadn&rsquo;t been able to curb her wild ways. She had her own car and went wherever, whenever she wanted. He realized that Annie hadn't given him any cause to want to know her whereabouts at all times, but he couldn&rsquo;t help it. Hell, he had panicked when she wanted to go to the store alone. He&rsquo;d have to get a grip on himself, but maybe not yet. Maybe he could hold her close for just a while longer. He watched her as she walked to Ted&rsquo;s house. God, he loved the sway of her hips and her rear end looked so good in her tight jeans. Smiling to himself, he realized that she must have bought a new wardrobe before moving down to Texas. It was a good bet that she hadn't worn jeans and t-shirts in the city. She really was fitting in and she was trying. Giving her slack was going to be hard, but he realized as he drove home that he wanted her happy. He cursed his ex-wife and her whorish ways. If not for her&hellip;. He refused to dwell on it, there was too much work to do. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 35 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/35/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Annie was delighted with Sherry&rsquo;s house. The decor was an updated country style. Everything was so cheerful, colorful with splashes of blue, and yellow. She knew that she was going to make a few changes in her house. She could even make new curtains and maybe a sofa cover or two. Sherry greeted her like an old friend and it filled Annie with warmth. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I love your decor,&rdquo; Annie commented as she walked through Sherry&rsquo;s house.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I like to go antiquing on the weekends. I hit a few flea markets too,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re welcome to come anytime you want. I know that Ted just humors me by going.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled at Sherry. &ldquo;Thanks I&rsquo;d like that.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They spent the morning, picking berries. Annie had never seen so many berries in one place and she certainly had never picked them before. She and Sherry both laughed at her enthusiasm. Sherry assured her that in a few years Annie would look upon it as a chore. Somehow, Annie didn&rsquo;t agree.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Making jam had always been a dream of Annie&rsquo;s. Unfortunately, rich city girls were discouraged from such things. She was lucky that their cook had allowed her to learn to cook. She stirred the bubbling mixture of berries, sugar, and pectin. &ldquo;This is so much fun,&rdquo; she said turning to Sherry who was getting the jars ready. &ldquo;Thank you so much for inviting me!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry smiled in reply. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad you&rsquo;re having fun. This is just one batch of many,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;We also have a lot of fruit trees on our land that I can and make jams with.&rdquo; Sherry laughed at Annie&rsquo;s hopeful look. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t worry; you&rsquo;ll be invited to help with that too.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie laughed. &ldquo;Good, I&rsquo;ll look forward to it.&rdquo; She began to ladle the jam into the jars. &ldquo;Did Alice help you make jam?&rdquo; she asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry was noticeably silent. &nbsp;&ldquo;No, she wasn&rsquo;t interested.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You didn&rsquo;t like her,&rdquo; Annie observed.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry hesitated again. &ldquo;We were never friends, she wasn&rsquo;t into country people.&rdquo; She sighed and paused a moment. &ldquo;To tell you the truth she was a snob of the first order and I always felt as though she looked down on me and Ted. I tried, for Burke&rsquo;s sake to be friendly, but she made it hard. After a while we just didn&rsquo;t spend much time with her or Burke for that matter.&rdquo; Sherry took Annie&rsquo;s hand, &ldquo;That&rsquo;s why we were thrilled to meet you. You&rsquo;re exactly the kind of wife Burke needs.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled at Sherry, enjoying the compliment. She hoped that she was what Burke needed, but she just wasn&rsquo;t sure. &ldquo;Do you happen to know if Alice ever cheated on Burke?&rdquo; Annie asked quietly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry locked her gaze on Annie. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t have proof and I don&rsquo;t like to carry tales but something happened. I do know that she was out at all times of night and Burke went crazy at first looking for her. What she was doing or where she was, I never asked. I didn&rsquo;t want to know,&rdquo; she explained. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie got up and stared sightlessly out the kitchen window. &ldquo;That explains a lot,&rdquo; she sighed. She turned as she heard Sherry walk up to her. The concern that she saw in her eyes touched her heart.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Suddenly they both turned to the stove at once. The smell of burnt jam permeated the air. Sherry rushed and took the pot off the stove.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie groaned. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t seem to do anything right. Maybe I&rsquo;m not the type of wife Burke needs after all.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry hugged her. &ldquo;You are the best thing that has happened to that hard headed man. Don&rsquo;t you forget it.&rdquo; She stepped back and laughed. &ldquo;Speaking of hard headed men,&rdquo; she said as she grinned, &ldquo;yours is coming up the walk.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie gave Burke a loving kiss as soon as he stepped into the kitchen. She could tell that he was surprised. She wasn&rsquo;t going to let that witch of an ex-wife come between them. &ldquo;I picked berries and made jam,&rdquo; she told him proudly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke kept her in his arms as he looked around the kitchen. &ldquo;Sure looks like you&rsquo;ve been busy,&rdquo; he commented as his nose twitched at the smell of burnt jam.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&ldquo;It was the best time, Burke. Just as I imagined it would be. I can&rsquo;t wait until the fruit trees are ready,&rdquo; she said excitedly. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry smiled as she looked at the couple. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll bring by your share when it sets up,&rdquo; she told Annie.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was surprised. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t realize&hellip;&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry chuckled. &ldquo;We do fruit here and vegetables at your place.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt her face turn white. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know how to tell you this, Sherry but we might not have many vegetable this year.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry gave her a puzzled look.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie blushed as she explained. &ldquo;I was weeding the garden and I mistakenly, not on purpose, mind you,&rdquo; She rambled.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke chuckled. &ldquo;What she&rsquo;s trying to say is that instead of picking weeds, she picked most of the vegetable plants,&rdquo; he explained good-naturedly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry laughed and took Annie hand in hers. She gave it a quick squeeze. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be over next week and we can fix your garden, it&rsquo;s still early enough in the season to start over,&rdquo; she reassured her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Thanks,&rdquo; Annie replied with a grateful smile. She gave Burke a sidelong glance. &ldquo;Someone was so upset by my mistake that I didn&rsquo;t know that it could be fixed.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry smiled at the couple, &ldquo;You two shoo now. I&rsquo;ve got house work to do, day&rsquo;s awastin.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked amazed as she walked out the door. &ldquo;Does everyone say day&rsquo;s awastin around here?&rdquo; she asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Mostly,&rdquo; Burke replied with an amused grin as he opened up her car door for her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ***



The next few days went by peacefully for both Burke and Annie. Annie tried to be patient with Burke&rsquo;s possessiveness. She didn&rsquo;t ask to use the car, but she often took long walks around the ranch and was purposely not immediately accessible to Burke at all times. He didn&rsquo;t like it but he seemed to accept her need to be alone at times. He never said a word to her about not being able to find her at home. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie walked along a wooded path behind the house. She loved the smell of the outdoors, the pungent smell of the pine trees, the soft fragrance of the flowers, and the fresh scent of grass. She breathed in deeply enjoying her walk. She held a bouquet of wildflowers, blue bonnets and Indian paintbrushes, she had found on her journey. As she got closer to the house, she spied Burke in the barn. He looked glorious without his shirt on. The sight of him made her stomach quicken. Their nights together had been spectacular. She smiled as she realized that if she hurried she might be able to seduce her husband before he got too involved in some project.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie tipped toed into the barn, gleaming Burke&rsquo;s strong shoulders, and back. He was so male, so very virile. Her nipples tighten and her breasts felt heavy in response to his blatant masculinity. She wanted him and it felt wickedly wanton as she snuck up behind him and grabbed his rear end. She laughed as he turned in surprise and grabbed her up into his arms. Playfully he peppered her face with kisses as she squealed to get down. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke yelped as he lost his balance and they both landed on the hard ground. Fortunately, Burke was on the bottom. He steeled his arms around Annie and drew her into a long passionate kiss. He suddenly rolled them both so that he was on top of her. Neither of them seemed to mind the dirt floor as they continued to explore each other&rsquo;s mouths. They were slow to release each other as they heard a truck horn honking in the yard. &ldquo;Damn,&rdquo; Burke muttered as he released Annie and got up.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;What is it?&rdquo; she asked pushing her riot of auburn hair away from her face. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Before she could even get up from the floor, one of Burke&rsquo;s cowboys, Nash Crosby, rushed into the barn. He looked apologetically at Burke as he realized what he just broke up. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got four cows bogged down in the east pasture, Boss, and Dan, Surly and Yates are all checking fences to the west,&rdquo; he explained. &ldquo;I could sure use your help getting them out,&rdquo; he said hurriedly. He was breathing hard as if he had run all the way to the barn instead of driving to it.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie realized that it must be important ranch business from Nash&rsquo;s look of alarm. She tried to look understanding as he sent her a look of regret. They&rsquo;d have tonight, and the next night and the next. Annie berated herself as she watched Burke drive away. She was turning into such a hussy. She smiled, as long as they were both happy&hellip;. &nbsp;Noticing a car coming up the drive she walked out of the barn. It looked like whoever was driving was in a hurry and she hoped that it wasn&rsquo;t more ranch business.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 36 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/36/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie waited at the barn door as the sleek black convertible came to a screeching halt before her. A woman got out of the car and her beauty stunned Annie. She watched, mesmerized as the woman pulled off her red silk scarf revealing perfectly styled blonde hair. She removed her designer sunglasses with enviable manicured hands. Her eyes were a deep steel gray. &nbsp;Annie didn&rsquo;t remember ever seeing nails so long or so red. Before Annie could introduce herself, she was cut off.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Bring my things in and put them in the master bedroom,&rdquo; she commanded. She gave Annie a derisive look, &ldquo;You&rsquo;re young and dirty, but I must say you&rsquo;re probably an improvement on Mrs. Harvy.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie stared after her stunned, watching the woman&rsquo;s hips sway back and forth in her expensive suit. Even if she practiced forever, her hips could never move like that, she thought. Annie frowned in dismay, she wasn&rsquo;t sure, but she bet that the glamorous, snobby woman was no other than Alice. Annie ground her teeth in agitation. Patting her hair, she found straw embedded in it. She didn&rsquo;t know if she should laugh or cry at the impression, she had made on the other woman. Annie looked down at her clothes and to her horror, she saw that they appeared painted up and down in dirt. Well, she thought, that&rsquo;s what you get for rolling around on the ground. Leaving the bags right where they were, Annie made her way into the house.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She walked in to find Alice making herself a cup of tea. &ldquo;Help yourself,&rdquo; Annie said a bit sarcastically. The sight of the other woman in her kitchen put her on edge. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice&rsquo;s eyebrows raised, she obviously wasn&rsquo;t used to such a tone. &ldquo;I beg your pardon?&rdquo; she asked, pinning Annie in place with her intense stare. &ldquo;I am home honey. I live here. I&rsquo;m sure my husband will let you know who the boss around here is, and it isn&rsquo;t him.&rdquo; She looked past Annie and indignantly put her hands on her hips. &ldquo;Where&rsquo;s my bags?&rdquo; she demanded as she took a step closer to Annie attempting to intimidate her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s eyes narrowed as she glared at Alice. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know who you think you are!&rdquo; She began, her voice getting higher as she spoke. &ldquo;I live here not you!&rdquo; Annie&rsquo;s face felt red as she looked at Alice noticing her unflappable appearance. She didn&rsquo;t seem to be listening to a word Annie was saying, making Annie madder.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice waved her hand in the air dismissing Annie&rsquo;s tirade. &ldquo;Sure, whatever, lowly housekeeper,&rdquo; she said as she turned toward the stairs. &ldquo;Just do as you&rsquo;re told and bring in my things,&rdquo; she ordered. She stopped and looked over her shoulder giving Annie a superior grin, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be in my room, and get rid of that filthy cat!!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie sputtered as she watched Alice walk upstairs. Alice&rsquo;s things could to hell before Annie ever brought anything in for that plastic bimbo. She wanted Burke, she needed Burke, but who knew when he&rsquo;d be home. She had no idea how long it took to get cattle unbogged or whatever they were. Huffing in aggravation, she grabbed Cat and walked out of the house. She didn&rsquo;t want to have another confrontation with that woman. Besides, she should have noticed by now that Burke obviously was living with a woman. All of Annie&rsquo;s things were in the master bedroom. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She heard Alice yelling, &ldquo;You Little Slut!&rdquo; at the top of her lungs. Annie kept walking. She had horses she needed to introduce herself to. There was no way she was going back into that house without Burke. Annie did feel a pang of envy. The women at the diner were right; there was no comparison between her and Alice. Alice was a beauty and she was nothing but plain. She wondered if it bothered Burke that she wasn&rsquo;t beautiful. Did he find her lacking? She certainly wasn&rsquo;t a big-boobed Barbie as Alice was. By comparison, Annie knew she lost.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wasn&rsquo;t in the mood to talk to the horses. She wasn&rsquo;t even in the mood to watch Cat play.&nbsp; Even though Alice was an impossible wench, Annie couldn&rsquo;t shake the knowledge that Burke had once loved her. Tears pricked her eyes as all of her self-doubt crept back into her consciousness. She began to shake and feel sick. She could feel perspiration form on her brow and upper lip. She felt just as she did on her wedding day. Her heart felt as though it was beating out of her chest. A panic attack, she remembered Burke calling it. She willed herself to remain calm, but it was time, not her will that finally made it subside. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She couldn&rsquo;t bring herself to go back into the house. She felt so helpless and she was disgusted with herself. That was her house, Burke was her husband, and she knew that she needed to go in there and have it out with that adulterer of a woman. She should have set her straight as soon as she treated Annie as a servant. Just who did she think she was calling Burke her husband? 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie dug deep and found her strength. She was not going to let Alice ruin her life. No way in hell, she chanted to herself as she picked up Cat and made her way back to the house. The motto: never let them see you sweat popped into her mind and it made her mouth turn up into a slight smile. She took a deep breath, she felt as though she was going into her first cage match. She hated confrontations and she&rsquo;d had enough violence in her life but she had to face Alice or she would never be able to look herself in the mirror again. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie entered the house and found Alice sitting at the kitchen table flipping through a fashion magazine. She had taken off her designer suit jacket and Annie could see her breasts practically falling out of her push up bra. Her silk blouse was unbuttoned practically to her belly button and Annie was disgusted. Annie did have to admit that the red blouse perfectly matched her nail polish, which perfectly matched her lipstick. Annie felt at a disadvantage in her dirty T-shirt and jeans. She knew that her hair was a colossal mess. Now wasn&rsquo;t the time to cry about spilled milk, she reminded herself. She set Cat on the floor and watched as she took off as if the devil was after her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie straightened her shoulders and looked Alice right in the eye. &ldquo;I think there&rsquo;s been some mistake here,&rdquo; she began, trying to sound calm and cool.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice laughed at her. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t worry honey; I threw all of your things out of my bedroom.&rdquo; She looked back down at her magazine as if Annie didn&rsquo;t matter. Before Annie made a reply, Alice suggested that she might want to clean up her skanky clothes from the hallway before Burke got home.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wanted to take flight. She didn&rsquo;t have the arsenal to fight this woman, but she didn&rsquo;t have a choice. &ldquo;Burke is my husband,&rdquo; she said in warning.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice looked her up and down and laughed. &ldquo;Nice try sweetheart but you&rsquo;re too ugly and definitely not womanly enough for Burke. He likes big busted, curvy women who won&rsquo;t scare him when he looks at them over the breakfast table,&rdquo; she said scathingly. &ldquo;He might be taking you to his bed, but I bet it&rsquo;s always with the lights off.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie gasped. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Alice that&rsquo;s enough,&rdquo; Burke commanded as he walked into the room. He gave her a scathing look and went to Annie&rsquo;s side. She knew he could feel her trembling as he pulled her close to his side. &ldquo;Annie is my wife and you should have a care what you say to her,&rdquo; he warned.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 37 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/37/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Alice completely changed as she caught sight of Burke. She squealed in delight as she rushed over to him, practically knocking over her chair in her hurry. &ldquo;Darling, it&rsquo;s so good to see you again,&rdquo; she gushed as she took Burke&rsquo;s hand and adeptly separated the married couple. &ldquo;I drove all day just to catch a look of you, Burke.&rdquo; Laughing she wrapped her arms around his neck. Alice pulled his head down, it took a bit of doing since he was resistant, but she was determined. She sighed loudly kissing him with relish. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie watched in horror as Alice kissed her husband. Her little sighs were tiny daggers to Annie&rsquo;s heart. She knew that Burke was strong enough to set Alice away from him, but he didn&rsquo;t. Annie wanted to rip every bleached blonde hair off Alice&rsquo;s head. Annie&rsquo;s fury turned to sickness as she realized that Burke wasn&rsquo;t fighting the kiss at all. She couldn&rsquo;t contain the sob of distress she made as she flew out the kitchen door. Not wanting to hide in the barn again, Annie simply sat on the porch steps, looking out at the land she had grown to love. The days were growing longer and the sun had yet to set. Annie gazed at her favorite roses. She loved to see them dance as the cooling breeze went through them. Maybe her marriage was a mistake. She closed her eyes replaying the kiss between Burke and Alice. Annie sat on the step not knowing if she was waiting for Burke to tell her that their marriage was over or maybe she was waiting for Burke to take her in his arms and tell her that the kiss was all a big mistake. She felt as though she&rsquo;d been punched in the stomach as she realized that either scenario could happen. After all Burke never claimed to love her&hellip;. &nbsp;She laid her head on her knees and waited.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke&rsquo;s eyes were flashing daggers at Alice as he disentangled himself from her. He wiped his mouth in disgust. &ldquo;What the hell are you doing here?&rdquo; He demanded. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice simply smiled at him. Her smiles usually worked in the past. &ldquo;Why Burke, I came here for a reconciliation. I realize now how wrong I was to walk away from you.&rdquo; Walking toward him again, she placed her hand on his chest. She felt him flinch but that didn&rsquo;t deter her. &ldquo;We were so good together, remember?&rdquo; she asked huskily. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve missed you dreadfully.&rdquo; She batted her eyelashes as she gave him a pleading look. &ldquo;I need you, Burke. I need you like I&rsquo;ve never needed anyone before.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m married, happily married.&rdquo; He responded. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re going to have to leave.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tears welled up in her steel gray eyes. She could see by the evidence in his jeans that he wasn&rsquo;t immune to her charms. &ldquo;I can respect that Burke,&rdquo; she lied. &ldquo;I just need a place to stay for a few weeks.&rdquo; She let the tears fall freely now. &ldquo;Please, Burke,&rdquo; she pleaded. &ldquo;I have nowhere else to go. I used the last of my cash to put gas in my car to get here.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke ran his fingers through his thick hair. He didn&rsquo;t want her here but he couldn&rsquo;t turn her out either. He knew that the next few weeks would be a living hell, but as her ex-husband, he felt a certain responsibility toward her. He shouldn&rsquo;t, but he did. &ldquo;Alright,&rdquo; he agreed, sighing deeply. &ldquo;You can stay but just for two weeks, and I want you to help Annie around the house. This isn&rsquo;t a bed and breakfast. Understand?&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice&rsquo;s tears quickly evaporated as she laughed in delight. She threw herself at Burke covering his face with kisses. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be good,&rdquo; she promised. &ldquo;You won&rsquo;t even know I&rsquo;m here.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke highly doubted that but he didn&rsquo;t know what else to do. Right now, his main concern was Annie and he had seen how hurt she was before she went outside. How he was going to manage the next two weeks he didn&rsquo;t know, but he had to reassure Annie. He saw her sitting on the steps and braced himself. He didn&rsquo;t know what he was going to say to her. From the look of things, they weren&rsquo;t getting along when he came home. He wasn&rsquo;t sure if Annie could defend herself from Alice. Alice had sharp claws. He knew from experience just how mean and spiteful she could be. Why in God&rsquo;s name did he tell her she could stay? Shaking his head, he started for the door and felt Alice right behind him. He turned toward her. &ldquo;Annie and I need to talk alone,&rdquo; he said. She gave him her pouty look but right now, he didn&rsquo;t care, he needed to make things right with his wife.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 38 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/38/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Annie heard the screen door slam. She felt so weary. All she wanted in this world was peace and love. Right now, she had neither and she felt crushed. Things were going so well between them and now&hellip;. Annie was afraid, afraid that she was going to lose Burke. Alice was so beautiful. Well, at least until she opened her mouth and any beauty disappeared. She stiffened as Burke sat beside her and put his arm around her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry darlin,&rdquo; he said, his voice full of regret.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie sat up and whipped her head around to face him. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t you dare call me that again! She calls you that!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke frowned. &ldquo;She calls me darling. I call you darlin.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Same thing!&rdquo;She snapped.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Believe me Annie there is a world of difference, but that isn&rsquo;t why I came out to talk to you.&rdquo; He stood up at the bottom of the stairs and grabbed her hand. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s go somewhere where we can talk alone,&rdquo; he cajoled.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Apprehensively, Annie let him help her up and began to walk hand in hand with him. She knew that she was trembling and it shamed her. She walked with him, breathing in the scent of him. He smelled of leather, spice, and masculine sensuality. He also smelled of hard work and the outdoors. She closed her eyes willing herself to make a memory of his scent for when they were no longer together. It wasn&rsquo;t fair, she lamented to herself. Alice had no right to come back. Burke was her husband now. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She realized that Burke had stopped walking. Annie looked up into his baby blue eyes and saw unhappiness and deep regret. Mentally bracing herself for what was to come, she straightened her spine and raised her chin waiting for the blow.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke looked at his little warrior with admiration. He could tell by her stance that she expected him to tell her that he still loved Alice. He had felt her trembling as they walked and wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and comfort her but he could tell by her anger that she wouldn&rsquo;t accept his comfort now. He watched helplessly as tears trailed down her face and he stepped toward her wiping them away one by one with his thumb. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; His gentleness was the last straw. Embarrassed by her tears, Annie put her hands over her face and turned her back on him. She was fighting fiercely to get herself together. It had been an awful day with that woman showing up. She knew deep down that she wasn&rsquo;t the type of wife Burke needed. He needed someone made of sterner stuff, not some wilting ninny like her. Annie wanted to tell him that she loved him, but she refused to make a fool out of herself. She shuddered as she felt Burke&rsquo;s warm hands on her shoulders. It felt as though he was lending his support to her and she wished it were so.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Shhhh, Annie,&rdquo; he murmured as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back snug against his strong chest. He kissed the side of her neck, causing her to shiver. &ldquo;She can be a spiteful bitch, and I&rsquo;m sorry that she unleashed her anger on you,&rdquo; he said as he held her tight.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt so protected in his brawny arms. The feel of his strong hard chest made her stomach feel as though it was full of butterflies. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m just so edgy today,&rdquo; she explained as she hiccupped. She turned in his arms and laid her head against his chest. She finally calmed her breathing and drew back enough to look at him. She blushed at his smile. It was unexpected. She laid her head against him again and sighed as he rubbed her back up and down. He was the only one in her whole life who had ever held her when she cried and she wanted to prolong the soothing feeling. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke felt her relax against him. It felt nice to have her in his arms, better than nice. He didn&rsquo;t want to ruin the moment but he had to talk to her. &ldquo;Annie,&rdquo; he said hesitantly. &ldquo;Alice will be staying with us for two weeks.&rdquo; He could feel her tense instantly and regretted being the cause of it.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie pushed against his broad chest to put distance between them. Sparks flew from her hurt eyes. &ldquo;No Way in Hell!&rdquo; she screeched.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke looked quickly at the house hoping that they weren&rsquo;t over- heard. &ldquo;Keep your voice down. I don&rsquo;t want Alice to know our business,&rdquo; he explained tersely. &ldquo;Annie I know that we are just beginning to make our way as a married couple, but Alice has no place to go.&rdquo;



Burke looked at his little warrior with admiration. He could tell by her stance that she expected him to tell her that he still loved Alice. He had felt her trembling as they walked and wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and comfort her but he could tell by her anger that she wouldn&rsquo;t accept his comfort now. He watched helplessly as tears trailed down her face.&nbsp; He stepped toward her and wiped them away one by one with his thumb. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Like that&rsquo;s our problem?&rdquo; she demanded, folding her arms in front of her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Unfortunately, as much as I hate the idea of her being here, I feel a sense of obligation toward her.&rdquo; Burke ran his fingers through his brown hair as he tried to find the right words to explain to Annie why he felt this way. He watched as she bit the bottom of her lip and he was concerned she&rsquo;d make herself bleed. He cupped her cheek in his large work worn hand, cradling it, beseeching her with his eyes to understand. &ldquo;I know it doesn&rsquo;t make sense but it&rsquo;s just the kind of man I am, the kind that I&rsquo;ve always strived to be, a man with compassion and integrity, a man who doesn&rsquo;t turn his back on his obligations no matter how distasteful they may be. Unfortunately I see Alice as an obligation that I can&rsquo;t turn away.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;She rubbed her cheek against his hand. Compassion and integrity were just a few of the reasons she loved him so. Reaching up for his hand, she kissed it lovingly. &ldquo;Only two weeks, right?&rdquo; she asked quietly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Only two weeks,&rdquo; Burke agreed as he drew her into his arms and kissed her. Annie was such an asset to the ranch and to him. He felt proud to be her husband and tried to convey his happiness in his deep kisses. He wanted to take her right there, against the corral fence. He started to unsnap her jeans and stopped when he heard the unmistakable sound of the screen door slam. With frustration, he let Annie go. He didn&rsquo;t want an audience, especially when it was his ex-wife. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll get through this honey,&rdquo; he whispered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. &ldquo;We&rsquo;d better, cowboy,&rdquo; she replied. &ldquo;I guess I have a mess outside our bedroom to clean up. I don&rsquo;t suppose her highness would have put everything back?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke grinned at her. &ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t bank on it,&rdquo; he replied as he grabbed her hand and walked her inside.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 39 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/39/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


The next morning Annie rose with a smile on her face. Burke had been right. It took more than an hour to put her belongings back into the master bedroom especially with Cat helping. Burke cleaned the kitchen and Annie had no idea what Alice did. She didn&rsquo;t care. She was the recipient of some good ol&rsquo; cowboy lovin&rsquo; last night. At least that&rsquo;s what Burke had called it. As far as she was concerned, her cowboy could give her some lovin&rsquo; anytime. Not even Alice&rsquo;s sour face at the breakfast table could bring her down. She was too satisfied. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; True to form, Alice didn&rsquo;t know how to cook and wanted Annie to wait on her. Annie made her eggs, toast, and served it up with a smile. Somehow, it seemed to infuriate Alice, but Annie didn&rsquo;t care.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Mrs. Harvy doesn&rsquo;t work here anymore?&rdquo; Alice questioned. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Not since I&rsquo;ve been here,&rdquo; Annie replied.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice laughed as though she was sharing a private joke with herself. &ldquo;Oh, darling this is rich!&rdquo; she exclaimed as she got up from the table towering over Annie. &ldquo;It all makes perfect sense. I just wish I had known about it yesterday, and then maybe my feelings wouldn&rsquo;t have been so hurt.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was perplexed. Alice was talking in riddles as far as she was concerned. She didn&rsquo;t want to know what it all meant.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Well?&rdquo; asked Alice. &ldquo;Oh,&rdquo; she said as she placed a hand over her heart in mock compassion. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t know do you? You poor dear, you see it&rsquo;s obvious that Burke married you as the unpaid housekeeper.&rdquo; She shook her head and tsked a couple of times. &ldquo;How utterly embarrassing for you dear,&rdquo; she patronized.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was about to lose her temper when she heard a truck drive up. Quickly she went to the front door, hoping to escape Alice. To her relief, Sherry got out of the truck. Annie bounded out of the house to greet her new friend. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m so glad to see you,&rdquo; she enthused as she gave Sherry a big hug.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry hugged her back and gave her a big smile. &ldquo;I did promise to help replant your garden didn&rsquo;t I?&rdquo;
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You most certainly did and you couldn&rsquo;t have come at a better time,&rdquo; Annie assured her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry looked toward the front door and her jaw dropped. &ldquo;Surely I&rsquo;m seeing things,&rdquo; she said in a whisper. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Afraid not,&rdquo; Annie replied.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Well, well if it isn&rsquo;t Ted&rsquo;s wife, Cher, isn&rsquo;t it?&rdquo; Alice asked in her superior voice.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;No Al, its Sherry not Cher,&rdquo; Sherry replied sarcastically, obviously hating the sight of the other woman. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very surprising to see you here. I thought with all the money you wrung out of Burke you&rsquo;d be living the high life somewhere&hellip; else.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Burke never did have much money,&rdquo; Alice retorted.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Certainly not after you got your hands on it,&rdquo; Sherry shot back angrily.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie could feel the tension rising. She turned to Sherry &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s get started on the garden,&rdquo; she suggested.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry gave Alice another disgusted look and turned away from her. &ldquo;Sure let me show you all the veggies I brought,&rdquo; she said in false cheerfulness. As soon as they were out of earshot of the house, Sherry grabbed Annie. &ldquo;What in the name of God is going on here?&rdquo; she demanded.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was extremely grateful to have a friend to confide in. &ldquo;She drove up yesterday,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;She told Burke that she was broke and needed a place to stay for two weeks.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry&rsquo;s eyes grew wide. &ldquo;He agreed to let her stay?&rdquo; she asked incredulously.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie nodded. &ldquo;He said he still felt an obligation to her and hell I don&rsquo;t know. She&rsquo;s supposed to be out of here in two weeks. I hope I can take her that long.&rdquo; She gave Sherry a sidelong look. &ldquo;She isn&rsquo;t the nicest woman I&rsquo;ve ever met.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Oh Lord.&rdquo; Sherry laughed. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s a viper,&rdquo; she warned her friend.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Yeah I noticed. I&rsquo;m going to do my best to ignore her.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Well if things get too bad, then just come over for a cup of coffee,&rdquo; Sherry offered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie gave her friend a hug. They each grabbed a flat of plants and headed out back. Annie briefly went inside to grab her gloves, hat and sun block and was extremely grateful that Alice was nowhere around.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie and Sherry worked side by side with Sherry explaining the finer points of gardening all the while. Annie drank in all of Sherry&rsquo;s advice and knowledge. She was determined to have enough vegetables to can. They laughed and joked, avoiding the topic of Alice for about an hour when they heard the screen door slam. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They both looked up to see Alice coming off the porch in a bikini obviously made of white dental floss. Annie had never seen anything so scandalous. She watched as Alice set up a poolside type of reclining chair. Both women watched as Alice rolled onto her stomach and undid the ties to her top. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt a bit envious of the blonde beauty&rsquo;s figure. Her skin was already a soft bronze, obviously, she didn&rsquo;t burn, she thought miserably. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The sound of an approaching truck and subsequent slam of the door drew all three of the women&rsquo;s attention. Annie had an urge to get up and run to her husband, she needed to feel his reassuring arms around her. Watching as he walked toward the trio, she couldn&rsquo;t help but admire her handsome husband. Even sweaty and dusted from head to toe in ranch dirt he was the sexiest man she had ever seen. Her stomach began to quicken as he moved closer to her. She was smiling at him, but his eyes weren&rsquo;t on her, sadly, they were on Alice. Annie felt as though she&rsquo;d been kicked in the stomach. She glanced at Sherry and the pity she saw in her friend&rsquo;s eyes was almost more than she could take. Her eyes misted as she pretended to be preoccupied with planting her carrots. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie raised her eyes to see what Burke was doing and almost gasped aloud as she witnessed him rubbing suntan lotion all over Alice&rsquo;s back, her perfect back. Annie never felt such envy as she did as she watched Burke&rsquo;s big tanned hands running up and down, Alice&rsquo;s lotion slicked back. She knew that he must have been comparing Alice&rsquo;s smooth back to her own-scarred one. It was just another way in which she didn&rsquo;t measure up to the previous Mrs. Dawson.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Slowly in despair, Annie began to pick up all of their gardening tools. She couldn&rsquo;t even look at Sherry she was too humiliated. Burke hadn't even greeting either of them. He only had eyes for Alice. Annie felt sick to her stomach. She gave Burke one last long look and with her hand over her mouth she rushed inside the house. She felt bad about not saying good-bye to Sherry but her need to be sick was too great. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie ran upstairs and emptied her stomach. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. Looking in the mirror, the reflection horrified her. Once again, she was streaked with dirt and sweat. Her hair looked like a rat&rsquo;s nest and her clothes were stained by her day&rsquo;s labor. She sat on the edge of the tub and wondered whether the physical abuse she felt as a child made her feel any worse than she did now. This was supposed to be her house, her husband, her chance at having a family and her soft place to fall. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she felt it all disappearing. She realized now that Burke didn&rsquo;t love her as she had hoped he would. His heart was otherwise engaged to that blonde bimbo. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Looking in the mirror, she couldn&rsquo;t blame Burke. She had always known that she was no prize. Hell, her own family hadn't wanted her. Annie felt so tired and so defeated. Usually she could shake things off, but not this. The worst part was that she had nowhere else to go. She thought about taking a shower and changing but she decided against it. It didn&rsquo;t matter anyway.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Slowly she made her way downstairs to be sure that Sherry had left and all the tools were put away. She could hear laughter coming from the family room as she walked through her kitchen. She went out the back and made her way to her garden. On any other day, she would have taken great delight in her accomplishments in the garden. Sherry had taught her a lot and they had worked hard, side by side. Despite herself, she smiled a small smile as she thought of her friend&rsquo;s fury at Burke on her behalf. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 40 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/40/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Burke stood on the back porch, watching his wife stand in the garden and he could tell by her stooped shoulders that she was upset. He shook his head as he figured that it was something Alice had done. It amazed him how much work she and Sherry had done in one day. It pleased him that Annie was a real partner in his ranch, their ranch. He admired her work ethic. He walked purposely toward Annie, wanting to praise her efforts, but when he saw her tear ravaged face he stopped short. &ldquo;Annie,&rdquo; he whispered as he held his arms open for her. He was surprised as she turned away from him. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; *****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie could feel the heat of him as he stepped behind her. She hoped he wouldn&rsquo;t touch her but he did. He put his hands on her shoulders, the same hands that had just been caressing his ex-wife&rsquo;s back. Quickly she shrugged his hands off and took a few steps away from him, refusing to look at him. His words had a way of melting her heart and right now, she didn&rsquo;t want to hear it.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&ldquo;Annie, I know that Alice can be a trial. I&rsquo;m sorry if she did something to upset you.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie turned in a flash. &ldquo;You are so mule headed if you really think that it was Alice that made me so upset!&rdquo; she cried. &ldquo;I expect her to try to rile me at every turn but not you, Burke,&rdquo; tears fell freely as she looked in his eyes. &ldquo;Never you.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&ldquo;If I&rsquo;ve done something to upset your delicate sensibilities just say so,&rdquo; he growled.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s wet eyes held Burke&rsquo;s furious ones. &ldquo;Oh Burke,&rdquo; she sighed painfully. &ldquo;Is that what you really think of me, a person with delicate sensibilities?&rdquo; She pulled her eyes away from his and looked at the horizon, knowing that she didn&rsquo;t expect an answer.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Maybe I am sensitive,&rdquo; she finally agreed. &ldquo;If seeing my husband greet his ex-wife and ignore his present wife wasn&rsquo;t enough, than watching him rub lotion on his ex-wife was enough.&rdquo; Annie bit her lip as she brokenly continued. &ldquo;I watched the pleasure you took in rubbing her perfect, smooth back. I saw the look of appreciation you had when you saw her in her bikini. Did you even know that Sherry and I were right there in the garden? You only had eyes for her and Sherry pitied me for it.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&ldquo;Annie, I&rsquo;m so so sorry,&rdquo; he said. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked at him finally and could tell that he was sorry but somehow it wasn&rsquo;t enough. She just turned and walked into the house, took a hot shower and went to bed. She cried herself to sleep that night and she hoped that she was silent enough, she didn&rsquo;t want Alice to know just how much she was hurt.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke stood outside and waited for the bedroom light to go off. He didn&rsquo;t know what to say to Annie and she sure as hell didn&rsquo;t want his comfort. Didn&rsquo;t she know that he&rsquo;d take her, scarred back and all, over the viper he had married before? His best guess was that she didn&rsquo;t know, he hadn&rsquo;t told her that he loved her. He hadn't been sure before but he knew now. His heart twisted as he recalled Annie&rsquo;s pain filled eyes looking at him accusingly. He wasn&rsquo;t sure how to make things right, but he was going to make sure that Alice didn&rsquo;t get in their way again. He had to admit to himself that it was his fault. He shouldn&rsquo;t have let her near naked body entice him. Laughing to himself in disgust, he realized that it was Alice&rsquo;s plan all along. She was poison and he knew it. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke walked into the dark house. No light welcomed him and he experienced a great sense of loneliness. He was startled to find Alice sitting at the kitchen table in the dark. He tried to walk past her but she grabbed his arm.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry that your wife got upset darling,&rdquo; she purred. &ldquo;How was I supposed to know that her back was all scarred? I mean compared to me she must feel like a circus freak,&rdquo; she said as she pretended to shake her head sadly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke&rsquo;s eyes narrowed as he shook her hand off him. He wondered what her game was and how she knew about the scars. &ldquo;Let it be Alice,&rdquo; he warned.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;But Burke it&rsquo;s not my fault you married a dirty housekeeper. If only you had waited you could have had your trophy wife back,&rdquo; she stated looking innocent.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke laughed harshly. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re no prize, believe me. That woman lying in my bed right now is ten times the woman that you are, so back off,&rdquo; he strongly cautioned. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t mean that,&rdquo; Alice said as she pouted.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I said let it be. Good night.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice watched him walk up the stairs and smiled to herself. Burke didn&rsquo;t know it yet but he was going to be hers once again, no matter what she had to do, and soon too. 



 


&nbsp;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 41 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/41/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;Annie groaned as she woke up and realized that the bright Texas sun had been up for a good long time. She&rsquo;d been sleeping in later this past week, trying to avoid Burke and Alice. For some reason Alice decided that she needed to be up early to keep Burke entertained, while Annie served them breakfast. After the second day, Annie slept in, not wanting to be their cook and server. She sighed as she stretched her arms overhead, trying to get the kinks out of her back. She hadn't had a peaceful night of sleep for a week. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; No matter how hard she tried, she couldn&rsquo;t get past the hurt of seeing Burke rubbing lotion on Alice. She tried to put it out of her mind but every time Burke touched her, she stiffened and pulled away. Today she was determined to try harder. Alice would be leaving in less than a week and Annie couldn&rsquo;t wait. She didn&rsquo;t know what Alice&rsquo;s plans were but she didn&rsquo;t care, she considered it not her problem. Burke had promised that Alice would be gone in two weeks and she wholly believed him. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie cheered a bit as she dressed in her cut off jeans and pink T-shirt. She couldn&rsquo;t go on this way with Burke. She walked downstairs determined to find him and put things to right. Looking out the window, she sipped her coffee wondering if Burke was still around or off cowboying. She smiled to herself. She needed some of that cowboy&rsquo;s love and she needed it now. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seeing his truck outside, Annie thought there was a good chance that Burke was close. She almost tripped over Alice sprawled out on her favorite lounge chair in yet another skimpy bikini. Annie shuddered in disgust and walked around her, pointedly ignoring her. She headed straight for the barn and was relieved to catch a glimpse of her hunky husband.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Standing in the door Annie watched his arm muscles bulge as he hefted a bale of hay. Her heart beat faster and her breathing became shallow. She was nervous to approach him after giving him the cold shoulder for about a week, but she loved him too much to let their discord go on any longer.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As if he sensed her gaze, Burke turned and looked at her. His eyes held hers. He was relieved to see her smiling at him. It had been a hard week, trying to get close to her only to have her rebuff him. He smiled as he watched her blush. She suddenly looked like a shy innocent as she slowly approached him. He had to resist the urge to meet her halfway. It had to be her decision, her desire that made her come to him. Her rejection the past week had hurt him. He understood it but it still hurt. He held his arms wide open and Annie ran into them, hugging him for all she was worth.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke grabbed her waist and lifted her up for a kiss. He was surprised and pleased by her passion. She couldn&rsquo;t seem to get enough of him as he felt her deepen each kiss. He felt her body trembling against his and he groaned. How he wanted this woman. His desire for her was unlike any other. He could barely contain his passion. He swung her up into his arms ready to climb up into the hayloft. He heard someone clearing their throat, behind him. Reluctantly he turned around to see who would dare to interrupt and wasn&rsquo;t surprised to find Alice standing there half-naked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke held Annie close to him as his eyes narrowed on Alice&rsquo;s smiling face. &ldquo;Did you need something?&rdquo; he asked nonchalantly as if he didn&rsquo;t have a care in the world.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice pasted a false smile on her face. &ldquo;I was just lonely and thought you might be in here,&rdquo; she replied in a sugary voice.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m here as you can see, but at the moment you&rsquo;ll have to entertain yourself. My wife and I were just on our way to take a nap,&rdquo; he said casually enjoying the hatred she spewed with her steel gray eyes. &ldquo;Maybe you could use this time to make a few phone calls so you know where you&rsquo;ll be living by the end of the week,&rdquo; he suggested.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie giggled against Burke&rsquo;s neck as she saw the utter look of horror on Alice&rsquo;s face. She held him tightly around the neck as he made his way across the yard to the house. He carried her up the stairs and gently placed her on their bed. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He slowly undressed her, kissing her all the while, anxious to get her naked. He wanted her. It scared him just how much he wanted her. It wasn&rsquo;t the path he thought their marriage would take. Something inside him was glad that his plan to keep his distance had somehow failed. He stared at Annie&rsquo;s body in rapt appreciation loving the silky softness of her skin. She looked so young, so beautiful, and so happy.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Her nipples hardened under his intense scrutiny. She nearly jumped off the bed as he rubbed her beaded nipples between his fingers. It felt like heaven. She tried to grab his head for a kiss but he kept himself at arm&rsquo;s length, giving her a wolfish grin all the while. &ldquo;Please,&rdquo; she pleaded in a taunt whisper.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke pushed both of her luscious breasts together and kissed both nipples at once, laving both nipples with his tongue, making her cry out. He heard her plea and could feel her grabbing at his hair. He wasn&rsquo;t finished feeding off her not yet. He looked up and saw her green eyes filled with passion. He kissed her stomach making her squirm and cry his name as he rained kisses lower until he found the exact spot he was looking for. He teased her with his tongue until she shuddered and screamed holding her tighter against his mouth as she rode out her wave of pleasure. As she seemed to calm a bit, Burke shucked his clothes and kissed his way up to her speechless lips. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She could taste herself in his deep kiss and couldn&rsquo;t believe that he had put his mouth down there. She couldn&rsquo;t believe how good it felt had never imagined experiencing such pleasure in her life. Annie kissed him back for all she was worth. She wanted to give him the same type of pleasure. She reached between them, grabbed at his hardness, and began to stroke it up and down. It was a heady experience to hear him groan in bliss, to feel her power over him. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want this to end too soon,&rdquo; he said, his husky voice straining.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Why would that be?&rdquo; Annie purred.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t hold on much longer, if you keep touching me like that,&rdquo; he ground out.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie pulled her hand away in surprise. She still had a lot to learn about the opposite sex. She was again surprised as Burke put her legs over his shoulders before he plunged into her. She had never felt such fullness. He was in her so deep it was pure heaven. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke thrust for all he was worth. She was made for him, he decided. He saw her eyes flair as she took her pleasure yet again. He groaned aloud, as he finished and had a hard time getting his breathing back to normal. Annie constantly amazed him with her willingness to try new things. Her passion was unequal to any other. Maybe city girls weren&rsquo;t so bad after all.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 42 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/42/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie lay at Burke&rsquo;s side with one leg draped over his. She loved being in his arms. She blushed as she wondered if Alice had heard them. Too late now, besides Annie decided she didn&rsquo;t care what Alice thought. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke smiled as he looked down at her. Her whole body was a rosy pink from their lovemaking and it made Burke feel a certain sense of pride that he caused it. Her cheeks were red, her lips appeared swollen, and she looked like a woman who had been made love to. Her eyes appeared heavy lidded and he knew she was ready to take that nap. He slowly got out of bed, so not to wake her and got dressed. Ranch work never waited.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie slowly stretched as she woke up. She felt wonderful. She had never felt closer to another person as she did to Burke today. She wasn&rsquo;t surprised that he was gone he was always working. She relived their lovemaking in her mind hugging herself all the while. &nbsp;Any lingering doubts about her capacity for passion were put to rest. Finally, looking at the time and realized that she was a bit late starting dinner. Reluctantly she left the bed and got dressed. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke decided to come home early. He needed to be close to Annie. She was on his mind the whole afternoon and he simply wasn&rsquo;t getting much work done. He walked into the kitchen and instead of his Annie, he saw Alice instead. &nbsp;The glare in her eyes and the pouting of her lips didn&rsquo;t surprise him. He intended to ignore her, but she looked ready for a fight.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I know you want to punish me,&rdquo; she whined. &nbsp;&ldquo;I knew it before I got here but for you to be so blatant about it is just plain cruel! Using that plain wife of yours to make me angry and sorry isn&rsquo;t fair. It&rsquo;s not fair to her or me. She must know how you still feel about me. I see it in your eyes every time you look at me,&rdquo; she cried.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke was startled. He hadn't wanted to admit to himself that she still managed to get under his skin. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d hoped it wasn&rsquo;t noticeable,&rdquo; he said calmly, pretending that he didn&rsquo;t care. &ldquo;However much I&rsquo;m attracted to you doesn&rsquo;t matter; I&rsquo;m married to Annie, not you.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Tell me that you love her,&rdquo; she challenged. &ldquo;Tell me and I&rsquo;ll go.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke turned from her and looked out the window. His silence was deafening.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



It was especially to Annie who stood at the kitchen door witnessing the whole conversation. Her face grew hot in humiliation as he refused to answer Alice. Her heart sank into her stomach and she felt sick. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She held her head up as she walked through the kitchen and grabbed her vegetable basket, not looking at either one of them as she slammed out the back door. She walked to the garden, knowing that Burke probably watched her. She refused to let him see her cry anymore. Hearing the backdoor slam, she expected Burke to come apologizing but she heard the truck leaving instead. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt numb. Somehow, she had lost him to that witch inside. Her eyes filled with tears but she quickly brushed them away. No more crying, she admonished herself. Enough was enough she finally knew the score. Now all she had to do was make a plan to leave. After her moving expenses, she only had about three thousand dollars to her name. She knew that she was a stronger person now than she was when she lived in the city. She could handle the future. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She quickly picked the vegetables she needed and walked toward the house with the painful knowledge that she and Sherry would not be canning them together. She was glad that Alice wasn&rsquo;t in the kitchen. Annie put down the basket and decided to take a hot shower wanting to remove all traces of Burke off her body. He repelled her. Somehow, he had managed to make her feel dirty and ashamed.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie scrubbed and scrubbed but she couldn&rsquo;t get the feel of him off her. Her skin was rubbed red as she finally got out and dried herself. She pulled on a pair of faded cut off jeans and a teal T-shirt and walked to the stairs. She hesitated not knowing whom she&rsquo;d encounter downstairs. She planned to make dinner and eat alone. She wanted nothing further to do with either Burke or Alice. Their little game of punishment had cost her dearly leaving her feeling shattered inside. She knew that Burke had never said that he loved her, but she had somehow let her imagination run away from her. She sighed. Once again, her instincts about men were terribly wrong. Burke had used her to get back at Alice. She felt so stupid, so pathetic. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 43 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/43/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[&nbsp;








 


&nbsp;Annie started down the stairs and suddenly she was flying through the air to the floor below. She had felt something trip her but she knew that was impossible. Her pain was intense as she lay there and she knew that her leg was broken, but she wasn&rsquo;t sure of any other damage. She closed her eyes as her head began to throb. She tried yelling a few times but no one answered. She didn&rsquo;t remember seeing Alice before she went upstairs. Maybe she left with Burke. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It seemed as though she had been there for hours before Annie heard the back door slam. Her hair was wet from her tears and she was moaning pitifully. Cat had faithfully stayed by her side meowing in commiseration. She didn&rsquo;t even have the energy to yell anymore, her voice had grown hoarse from her earlier attempts. She really didn&rsquo;t care who found her at this point, either choice was no bed of roses as far as she was concerned. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke saw the vegetables on the counter. He didn&rsquo;t see any dinner, though he didn&rsquo;t expect to. He was upset and ashamed by his fight with Alice, only because Annie had suffered for it. He didn&rsquo;t know why he just didn&rsquo;t claim to love Annie. He thought that he did, but he couldn&rsquo;t seem to say it, not to his ex-wife. He should have gone after Annie immediately realizing that she&rsquo;d heard the whole conversation and would naturally leap to the conclusion that he didn&rsquo;t love her. He felt like a first class jerk. At the time, his need to get away was so great that he had forsaken Annie.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He sat at the table and put his head in his hands. He didn&rsquo;t even know what to say to Annie and he was sure that she wouldn&rsquo;t believe him at this point. He didn&rsquo;t want to lose her. He straightened as he heard a groan. Quickly he was on his feet, looking for the source. Finding Annie at the bottom of the stairs, he knelt down and kissed her forehead. &ldquo;Easy Annie, I&rsquo;ll call an ambulance, just hang in there baby,&rdquo; he said as his heart twisted painfully.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke ran to the kitchen and called 911 requesting an ambulance. Just as quickly, he ran back to Annie to be by her side. He didn&rsquo;t like the look of her skin, ash white in some places and a splotchy red in other places. By the twist of her leg, he knew that it was broken. Her pitiful groans ate at him. If only he hadn't left&hellip;.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Burke,&rdquo; Annie whispered in a hoarse voice. &ldquo;Time,&rdquo; she managed to say.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about six, honey,&rdquo; he replied. Cat looked at him with disdain.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Two hours,&rdquo; Annie managed as she looked at him. She was trying not to cry but the tears started and wouldn&rsquo;t stop. She was crying in pain and she was crying for broken dreams. She closed her eyes, not wanting to look at Burke, it hurt too much. She heard the sirens and relaxed. Finally, she met blackness.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****
 
 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Waking was a painful process. Annie&rsquo;s eyes felt as dry as sand. She winced at the bright sunshine that flowed through the hospital window into her room. She was thirsty oh so thirsty. Her throat hurt, in fact all of her hurt. She felt the splint on her right hand and tried to wiggle it wincing as she realized that her right wrist was sprained. She groaned as she saw the seemingly giant cast on her right leg.&nbsp; Annie heard someone clearing their throat and she slowly turned her head, not really wanting anyone to be there. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke sighed in relief as Annie finally opened her eyes. Her leg had required surgery and she had been out for hours. He gently squeezed her small hand as it fluttered in his. Annie finally turned her head and looked at him &ldquo;Annie, do you know where you are?&rdquo; he asked. &ldquo;Do you know who I am?&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie took her left hand out of his large hand. &ldquo;I know who you are,&rdquo; she croaked before she turned her head away from him. She couldn&rsquo;t deal with the wave of emotions she was feeling. She couldn&rsquo;t look at Burke and she certainly didn&rsquo;t want to talk to him. &ldquo;Nurse,&rdquo; she whispered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It tore at Burke&rsquo;s heart to see her turn away from him. He ran his fingers through his thick brown hair in agitation. He didn&rsquo;t know what to do now. Somehow, their marriage had gotten off track and he wasn&rsquo;t sure how it had happened. He knew a lot of it had to do with Alice, but surely, they had gotten close enough that someone wouldn&rsquo;t be able to come between them. He heard her pitiful request for a nurse. With a heavy heart, Burke got up from his uncomfortable chair and went in search of one.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled at her doctor as he declared her able enough to leave the hospital. She had been there for two days and she&rsquo;d had enough of being constantly poked and prodded. She was still in a lot of pain but anything was better than being in the hospital. She was even ready to put up with Burke and Alice while she recovered. She figured that Alice must be leaving any day and maybe, just maybe she and Burke could find a way to settle their differences. She wasn&rsquo;t sure if they could ever come together again. She harbored a lot of hurt and heartbreak. She felt that she had a right to her feelings, but she was beginning to feel bad every time Burke came to visit. He was often unshaved and he had circles under his eyes. He looked at her with big blue eyes full of remorse and pain. More often than not Annie had to turn away from him. She just didn&rsquo;t know if she was able to forgive the conversation she had heard between Alice and Burke. The pain that he didn&rsquo;t love her was still too fresh, too painful for her to forget.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Her plan was to bide her time, get well and then weigh her options. She knew that she was strong enough to walk away if necessary. It would be painful, but she was already living an emotional nightmare.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie forced a smile as Burke entered her room. He carried a small bag with clothes for her in one hand and a single red rose in the other. Annie looked at the rose wistfully. She took it as he handed it to her. She could smell its full fragrance and she wished that the rose had been given for its true meaning, love. Annie quietly thanked him not quite looking at him, but rather at a point just off to the side of his face.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 44 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/44/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Burke knew that she was avoiding his gaze and he pretended that he didn&rsquo;t notice as he helped her into her clothes. He talked to her about mundane happenings at the ranch trying to lighten the mood by telling her all of the escapades of his ranch hands, Dan, Surly, Yates and Nash. He did manage to get her to smile when he told her how they had started a fight with hands from another spread in the diner and Noreen managed to whack Yates in the head and Surly on the arm before she was done. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie almost laughed aloud before she reined herself in. &ldquo;Are they ok?&rdquo; she asked concerned.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;They&rsquo;ll live,&rdquo; Burke replied. &ldquo;The real injury was to their pride. Dan and Nash won&rsquo;t let them forget it.&rdquo; He chuckled, happy that she was finally talking to him. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;What about Noreen?&rdquo; she inquired.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burkes eyes danced mischievously. &ldquo;She proclaimed herself the hero in the whole thing.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie finally laughed. The tension shortly melted away. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know how I&rsquo;ll get around the next few days,&rdquo; she said ruefully as she gestured toward her sprained wrist and broken leg.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke took her hand in his and gave it a quick reassuring squeeze. &ldquo;In sickness and in health,&rdquo; he said, not taking his eyes off hers. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll take care of you and it will be my pleasure.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The ride home from the hospital was silent, but to Burke&rsquo;s relief it wasn&rsquo;t uncomfortable. He had a feeling that Annie was going to need some time before she was accepting toward him and he prayed that he hadn't blown it for good. He was almost glad that she was in a cast and couldn&rsquo;t go anywhere else; he wanted her home where she belonged. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Annie needed him, at least until she recovered. What happened after that, she wasn&rsquo;t sure; it would be a wait and see kind of thing. She already knew that men couldn&rsquo;t be trusted and once again, lesson learned. She only hoped that this time the lesson stuck in her brain. She couldn&rsquo;t let her guard down again or allow her heart and emotions to make her decisions anymore. It just added up to heartbreak.



Annie smiled as she saw the ranch house come into view, she&rsquo;d come to think of this place as her home. Her roses swayed in the light Texas breeze and it felt as though they were welcoming her. They were in full bloom and she was looking forward to sitting on the front porch enjoying them. She waited in the truck for Burke to open her door. She knew that he was going to have to carry her in and she shivered slightly in anticipation. She knew that she would never let another man close to her again and she wanted to make memories that she could carry forever.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She smiled at Burke as he lifted her from the truck seat into his arms. Annie put her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck, loving the smell of him. He was all man with a scent of leather and spice. She closed her eyes, not wanting this moment to change. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie made a sound of protest as he put her down. Looking into his beautiful blue eyes, she saw raw desire. It gave her a start but it gave her confidence as she realized that she had such power over him. He still wanted her. It made her feel womanly and beautiful. She luxuriated in these feelings before she closed her eyes and tried to get comfortable on the couch. She waited until she heard him leave the room before she opened her eyes. She knew she had taken the coward&rsquo;s way out but she couldn&rsquo;t think of anything to say to him. She needed to find her center first. Her emotions were on a rollercoaster and she needed to remember that she would be leaving soon. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was startled out of her musings by Alice waltzing into the family room with a tray of tea and sandwiches and a big old false smile. Annie would have been amused if she hadn&rsquo;t had some inkling that Alice was somehow responsible for her fall. Annie knew that she tripped on something and it wasn&rsquo;t her own feet. Alice was dangerous she could just feel it. She had underestimated the woman before but never again. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;So how is our little patient this afternoon?&rdquo; she cheerfully asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Too cheerfully Annie felt. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be laid up for a while,&rdquo; Annie began.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;And that is why I have volunteered to stay on and nurse you back to health,&rdquo; Alice jumped in.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s eyes grew wide in horror. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think that will be necessary,&rdquo; Annie insisted. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s just keep to your original schedule.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really no problem. It&rsquo;s the least I can do,&rdquo; Alice, said a bit panicky. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke grabbed a sandwich, acting totally ambivalent to the tension in the room. &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t eaten all day.&rdquo; He settled into his usual leather chair by the fireplace and began to eat. It didn&rsquo;t take him long to realize that the other two women looked upset. He groaned as he asked the question. &ldquo;What&rsquo;s wrong?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was insulted that Burke seemed to ask the question of Alice and not of her. She remained quiet waiting for Alice to offer her services. She didn&rsquo;t have long to wait as Alice began listing all the vast reasons and benefits to all of them if she stayed to help. Annie withdrew and shrank into herself. It was hard to see Burke watching Alice in rapt attention. Soon she was staring out the window, trying to block them both out.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Annie?&rdquo; Burke prodded. &ldquo;Annie are you listening? This involves your life.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie turned her head to look at him, surprised that he wanted her input. &ldquo;I want her out of my house,&rdquo; she simply said and turned her head away, not wanting to continue the conversation any longer.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Alice could you give us some privacy?&rdquo; Burke asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice smiled. &ldquo;Certainly,&rdquo; she said as she sashayed out of the room.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke waited until the screen door slammed before he spoke. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll have her out of here in three days.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;But,&rdquo; Annie tried to interrupt.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Mrs. Harvy is unavailable until then and you can&rsquo;t be here all day by yourself,&rdquo; He said with disappointment in his eyes. &ldquo;I know that Alice rubs you the wrong way.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;That&rsquo;s an understatement,&rdquo; Annie responded.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke knelt in front of the couch, grabbing Annie&rsquo;s left hand. He kissed the palm making her tingle. &ldquo;I promise you that she will be leaving in three days.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie took his hand and rubbed the back of it against her cheek. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s just hope it&rsquo;s a quick three days,&rdquo; she conceded. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the lips as he got up. &ldquo;Get some rest. I&rsquo;ll be back in a few hours.&rdquo;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 45 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/45/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Annie nodded as she yawned. &ldquo;Good idea,&rdquo; she said with a slight smile. &ldquo;By the way, where&rsquo;s Cat? I expected her to greet me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke frowned. He hadn&rsquo;t seen Cat in a few days. In fact, he hadn&rsquo;t seen her since the fall. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure she&rsquo;s around. I&rsquo;ll look around.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke watched as she fell asleep. He was not looking forward to telling Alice that she had to leave. She knew all along but somehow Burke didn&rsquo;t think she had accepted it or made plans for it. With heavy shoulders, he went outside for what he knew would be an unpleasant conversation.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It was just as he had imagined. Alice shrieked, cried, begged, pleaded, and demanded, but Burke stood firm. He told her that she had three days and that was it. He could tell by her pale stricken face that she hadn&rsquo;t made any plans for her future, but he didn&rsquo;t care, not anymore.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice was shocked. She really didn&rsquo;t think that Burke would actually kick her out. She felt panicky as she watched him march away from her. Her tearful pleading hadn&rsquo;t worked. It usually worked for the curvy blonde. She stamped her feet as she watched him get in his rusty old truck. She&rsquo;d been so certain that causing Annie to fall would prolong her stay one way or the other. Now she wished she&rsquo;d caused a fatal accident. Her eyes narrowed and her resolve firmed. She had a plan for her and Burke, a plan that involved millions of dollars, money that Annie didn&rsquo;t even know about. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny had originally hired Alice to come back to Weltworth and make sure that the marriage didn&rsquo;t take place. He was desperate to maintain control of Annie&rsquo;s money. trust fund money that Annie didn't even know about. She was too late to prevent the marriage, but she planned to break it up and marry Burke. His divorce settlement was worth millions and she planned to get a portion of it for herself. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice calmed herself. Her goal was in sight and she wasn&rsquo;t going to let that little nothing ruin it for her. She smiled wickedly as she started to plan. They would never know what hit them by the time she was done. Alice patted her blonde hair in place and walked into the house. If they wanted her to be a nursemaid to that tramp, she would. She needed to keep her eye on the prize.





&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was a bit suspicious when Alice brought her a cup of tea. She anticipated having to wait for Burke to come home, but here was Alice being as pleasant as she could be. Something didn&rsquo;t feel right, but Annie accepted the tea thanking Alice for it.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be in the kitchen if you need anything,&rdquo; she said sweetly. &ldquo;Why don&rsquo;t you take a nap? You look done in.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I think I will, thanks,&rdquo; Annie responded hesitantly, eyeing the blonde beauty. &ldquo;Have you seen Cat?&rdquo;



&ldquo;No.&rdquo;



&nbsp;She didn&rsquo;t know what Alice&rsquo;s new game was but she was too tired to worry about it.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie heard Alice puttering around the kitchen as she fell asleep. She slept soundly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She woke up to silence. Annie stretched her arms above her head trying to work out the stiffness from sleeping on the couch. In pain, she reached toward the coffee table for her pain pills and was surprised to see that they were gone. The table was empty. Her glass of water was also missing.&nbsp; Slowly, she sat herself up. &ldquo;Alice,&rdquo; she called. &ldquo;Alice, I need my meds and some water please.&rdquo; It killed her to have to say please to that witch but she needed her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Silence again greeted her. Her first thought that this was Alice&rsquo;s revenge for making her leave, but Annie was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. She called for Alice two more times before giving up. The pain was unbearable and she urgently needed to empty her bladder. She couldn&rsquo;t stand it anymore; she had to get to the bathroom. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gingerly she propped herself up to a standing position. It was very tricky with her right wrist and leg out of commission. Finally, she felt balanced enough that she took an awkward step toward the bathroom. She took one-step, then another before falling, face first onto the floor. Annie saw stars as she hit the wooden planks. If she had thought that the pain was bad before, it was substantially more so now. Annie swore as she felt her bladder relieve itself. Tears streamed down her face in pain and humiliation.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Just how long she lay there, she didn&rsquo;t know. It was unbearable for her to lie in her urine. She tried breathing exercises that she had read about to try to manage the pain. It didn&rsquo;t help much but it gave her something to concentrate on. She was also worried about who was going to find her. Being helpless, she felt embarrassed. She tried to turn over and move away from the moistness but her pain was all-encompassing. She couldn&rsquo;t move.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 46 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/46/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry knocked on the kitchen door and was puzzled when she received no answer. She knew that Annie was inside with whoever was taking care of her. She opened the screen door and walked inside calling out, &ldquo;hello?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry heard a moan and immediately ran into the family room. The sight in front of her appalled her. Annie was lying on the floor moaning in pain. She immediately got down on her knees and brushed the wet, tear plastered hair away from Annie&rsquo;s face. &ldquo;Annie, can you hear me?&rdquo; she asked. &ldquo;Let me help you up,&rdquo; she offered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;No!&rdquo; Annie cried in panic. &ldquo;Get my pain pills first,&rdquo; she instructed.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry hurried back with the pills and a glass of water. She helped Annie to move her head enough that she could swallow the pills and water. &ldquo;Better?&rdquo; she asked as she stroked Annie&rsquo;s auburn hair.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I am now that you&rsquo;re here, thank you.&rdquo; Annie reached out and squeezed her friend&rsquo;s hand in gratitude. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;How long have you been on the floor?&rdquo; Sherry inquired. &ldquo;Where is every one?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Burke&rsquo;s working and Alice was supposed to take care of me&hellip;.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;What?&rdquo; her friend interrupted. Sherry was indignant. &ldquo;Who allowed that to happen? My God the woman hates you, I just don&rsquo;t understand.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie gave Sherry a ghost of a smile. She gazed lovingly at her friend. Her only friend it seemed. Annie liked the way her brown eyes looked murderous, and it was all in defense of her. It had been a long time since anyone was on her side. It gave her a warm feeling, maybe it was the pain pills kicking in. &ldquo;I think it would be ok to move me now, if you can.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s do it slowly, one step at a time,&rdquo; Sherry suggested as she got Annie turned on her back. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie grunted but it felt much better to be on her back. She saw Sherry looking at the puddle on the floor and turned bright red. &ldquo;I was on my way to the bathroom-,&rdquo; she started to explain.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry gave her a gentle smile. &ldquo;Accidents happen,&rdquo; she simply said. &ldquo;Besides this wasn&rsquo;t your fault. Where is the witch from hell anyway?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry carefully lifted Annie to her feet, and both were too winded to continue any sort of conversation. Slowly, Sherry helped her to the bathroom and cleaned her up. They laughed a time or two trying to get her clothes off and on over her cast. By the time they were done, Annie was in better spirits. Step by slow step, they finally made it back to the couch. Annie heaved a sigh of relief as she sank back into the soft cushions.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know how to thank you, Sherry. I&rsquo;d still be on the floor if you hadn&rsquo;t stopped by.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m just glad that I did come over. You never did say where your so called caretaker is.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie shrugged her shoulders. &ldquo;I woke up to find my pills and water gone. I called out but she wasn&rsquo;t here,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;If she went somewhere why take my pills away? It makes no sense to me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;She probably did it to be spiteful,&rdquo; Sherry conjectured. &ldquo;Burke told Ted that he gave her three days to get out.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the plan,&rdquo; Annie agreed. &ldquo;Mrs. Harvy should be back by then.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Are you two country bumpkins gossiping about me again?&rdquo; Alice asked cattily as she made her entrance into the family room.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Where have you been?&rdquo; Sherry demanded. &ldquo;I found Annie on the floor when I got here.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Oops,&rdquo; Alice replied as she put her hand over her lips in fake dismay.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wanted to blacken both of Alice&rsquo;s gray eyes. She had an incredible urge to pull out her perfect blonde hair and cut off all of her perfectly manicured fingernails. &ldquo;I needed your help this afternoon.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice shrugged her shoulder as if she didn&rsquo;t care. &ldquo;Like I said oops.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You are the sorriest example of a human being I&rsquo;ve ever come across!&rdquo; Sherry hissed. &ldquo;Annie fell while you were gone and lay there for hours until I came along. Where were you?&rdquo; She challenged with pure hate in her eyes.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice barely blinked as she watched Sherry attack her. Good, she thought. She was glad that she managed to make both Sherry and Annie upset at the same time. &ldquo;I was out,&rdquo; she replied as she picked up the packages she had carried in. They were shopping bags from high-end stores. Annie and Sherry exchanged puzzled glances.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;What did you do, go all the way to Dallas to buy clothes?&rdquo; Sherry asked in outrage.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice smiled at the brown-haired woman. &ldquo;Where I go is none of your business. However, since you asked, a friend gave me money to spend. As you probably know, you can&rsquo;t buy anything decent around here.&rdquo; She smiled maliciously. She made an overt scene of studying the other two women&rsquo;s clothes. &ldquo;Of course you probably don&rsquo;t know that.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;By the way Alice, Where is Cat?&rdquo; Sherry asked accusingly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Will you two give up on that damn cat?&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie had had enough. Her head hurt from the bickering. &ldquo;Please, both of you just stop,&rdquo; she pleaded. &ldquo;My head hurts from listening to you.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry bent down and touched Annie&rsquo;s forehead checking for fever. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to leave you alone with her,&rdquo; she whispered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled &ldquo;Burke will be back in an hour,&rdquo; she gazed solemnly at Sherry. &ldquo;Go, I&rsquo;ll be alright.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;If you&rsquo;re sure&hellip;&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m fine now thanks to you.&rdquo; Annie tried for some semblance of calmness. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll just lay here and before I know it Burke will be home.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry hesitated finally, she nodded to Annie. &ldquo;Call me if you need me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie reached up and hugged her. &ldquo;I will, and thank you for helping me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m just glad that I stopped by when I did,&rdquo; she said as she gave Annie a quick hug back. &ldquo;Take care.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I will.&rdquo;



Annie made sure that Sherry had left before she turned a vicious stare at Alice. &ldquo;You had no business leaving me like that!&rdquo; she cried. &ldquo;Why did you take my pills and water away? I woke up in such pain that I got up by myself to use the bathroom and you weren&rsquo;t even here! I fell flat on my face.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m here now,&rdquo; she said dismissively as she went upstairs with her many packages.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wondered where she had gotten the money to shop in such expensive places. She had made it known that she was broke. Alice was up to no good, that much Annie knew to be true but just what she was up to she didn&rsquo;t know.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;



Alice watched Annie doze. It has surprised her that Annie hadn&rsquo;t told Burke about this afternoon. She had been waiting for it all evening and nothing. Perhaps Annie didn&rsquo;t want any more conflict or maybe she was just waiting for later. Either way her time here was limited. She needed to put a bigger wedge between Burke and Annie and she had to start tonight. Fortunately, Burke was away on ranch business, it sounded like it would take a while and she was ready for action.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Annie,&rdquo; she said as she nudged her to wake up. She was happy to see Annie wake up so quickly. &ldquo;I have something I think you should see. I was cleaning Burke&rsquo;s office and I found these papers, dated a few weeks ago. It was addressed to you and already opened.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice smiled inwardly at the puzzled look on Annie&rsquo;s face. &ldquo;Here I think you should read it yourself,&rdquo; she said as she handed the letter to Annie. &ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t for the life of me think of a reason that Burke kept this from you.&rdquo;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 47 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/47/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wasn&rsquo;t in the mood for any of Alice&rsquo;s phony concern but she took the letter from her. It was addressed to her and the return address was that of her mother&rsquo;s lawyer, Charlie Banks. Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened the letter and began to read. Her heart beat faster as she realized that she was a woman with quite a bit of money. She closed her eyes remembering her stepfather always calling her &ldquo;his duty,&rdquo; &ldquo;his obligation&rdquo;, &ldquo;his waste of money.&rdquo; He would beat her for costing him too much, and the money had been hers to inherit on her wedding day. Tears fell down her face as she remembered Sonny calling her nothing but a millstone around his neck. She also remembered how he would hit her. She nearly laughed as she recalled him saying that she was nothing more than a poor relation that he should kick to the curb. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She grew deathly white and wanted nothing more than to run into the bathroom and get sick, but she didn&rsquo;t have that choice. She wouldn&rsquo;t be running anywhere for quite a while. She really couldn&rsquo;t wrap her mind around just how much she was worth. It was in the millions. Then her heart twisted looking at Alice who said that she had found it in Burke&rsquo;s office. Annie looked at the date of the postmark and it was indeed weeks old. Burke had kept this from her and she had no idea why. &ldquo;Why didn&rsquo;t Burke tell me?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. He never said a word to me. I know that he&rsquo;s been having money problems and he might even lose the ranch. Maybe he didn&rsquo;t want you to know that he married you for your money. Maybe he was going to wait a while, when you were too in love with him for it to matter.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was heartsick. &ldquo;We signed a prenup,&rdquo; she said shakily. &ldquo;It was his idea.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Who wrote up the prenup?&rdquo; Alice asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie closed her eyes. She didn&rsquo;t want Alice to see her downfall. &ldquo;It was Ted,&rdquo; she replied bitterly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Did you read it?&rdquo; Alice prodded.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;No not the second one. I only read one page of it. The page I wanted changed.&rdquo; Annie shook her head at her own stupidity. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Maybe he has a perfectly good explanation,&rdquo; Alice offered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie shook her head. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t think of one,&rdquo; she said sadly. &ldquo;If you don&rsquo;t mind, I&rsquo;d like to be alone.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Of course, I understand. I&rsquo;ll just go to bed.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie nodded absently. Her mind was on other matters. She couldn&rsquo;t believe what her life had been like since her mother&rsquo;s death. She wondered what role Alice played in all this, since she always had an angle and she certainly didn&rsquo;t tell Annie out of the goodness of her heart. It wouldn&rsquo;t surprise her if Alice knew about the money all along.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The worst was Burke&rsquo;s part. Whatever his position was, he had lied to her. He had deliberately kept her mail from her and he had the nerve to open it. The only conclusion she could come up with is that Burke already knew what was in the letter. Alice was probably right, he married her for her money, money that she didn&rsquo;t even know she had. He hadn&rsquo;t even told her how bad his finances were. He never mentioned losing the ranch. She knew that they were tightening their belts to get through until he sold his cattle but-. Why did he tell Alice and not her? She was his wife. They were supposed to share their problems, unless Burke considered her his problem. Being married for her money was humiliating. He certainly played his part to the hilt. He got his wish; she was very much in love with her husband. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She didn&rsquo;t know what to do. She really needed to stay until her leg was a bit better. Already the pain in her wrist was lessening and Annie was determined to try out her crutches tomorrow. 



&nbsp;



&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie dozed on and off all night and never heard Burke come in, but he had left his Stetson on the coffee table, so she knew that he was home. She was still very troubled by everything she had learned recently. Looking above to the balcony, she had a perfect view of each room. All the doors looked closed and she almost closed her eyes again, but she heard laughter. Her senses honed to Burke&rsquo;s door and she was surprised to see Alice sneaking out wearing a see-through yellow teddy, smiling as she tiptoed to her own room.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rage slammed Annie back to her pillow. She wished that she could run up those stairs and give them both a piece of her mind. How dare they? They must have known that there was the possibility that she would see Alice running around half-naked. She felt so helpless not able to get around. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Her first instinct was to confront them both in the morning but she really wanted to know what they were planning. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions. She felt deep in her heart that Burke was not the type to cheat on her. However, lately the honesty and integrity that had attracted her to him seemed to be false. Tomorrow she would call her mother&rsquo;s lawyer and find out the details of her inheritance. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She sighed heavily as she buried her face in her hands. She felt her foundation slip away. She no longer had anything or anyone to hang on to. Her whole life seemed like a gigantic lie, one big fat lie. Annie clenched her fists and pounded silently on the couch. What was it about her that made everyone feel as though they could take advantage of her? It had to be a major flaw within her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was so angry. She was angry with her mother, her stepfather and her stepbrother. She was livid at Burke and his role in all of this. However, most of all she was angry with herself for being so stupid, so naive, so- . She couldn&rsquo;t think if anymore words to call herself. It shamed her that she gave her trust and love so easily. Everyone must have thought she was desperate for attention, for affection, for love. How humiliating to know the truth. Most people would be thrilled to discover that they were suddenly very wealthy, but it was a small consolation prize as far as Annie was concerned.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pathetic was the word for it, she thought. They always say that what doesn&rsquo;t break you makes you stronger. She reached out and grabbed onto the ideal. It would become her mantra. Right now, she needed a backbone and thicker skin. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 48 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/48/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


The next day went painfully slow. Somehow, Annie wasn&rsquo;t surprised that she didn&rsquo;t lay eyes on her husband all morning. She had been waiting for a return phone call from Charlie Banks and it made her restless. Alice has been somewhat pleasant to her all day. It made Annie sick to her stomach just to look at her. She glanced at her crutches leaning against the coffee table. The sooner she got better, she thought as she reached for them. It took a bit of finagling and practice but she finally got it down. She was still in pain, but maybe the pain would make her stronger. It definitely made her more determined to be independent. Tomorrow was supposed to be the big day. Alice was supposed to leave. Annie wondered what would happen. She really didn&rsquo;t think that Alice would leave but she was anxious to see how it all played out. It amused her to wonder what lies they would feed her this time. God, she was bitter. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; *****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Wow great job!&rdquo; Burke praised her as he watched her circling the room with her crutches. He had unavoidably missed lunch and now he had wanted to spend time with Annie. Burke noticed her pale skin and the strained look on her face. He was worried about her; she seemed so different to him. It felt as though she was pushing him away and he didn&rsquo;t like it. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Why don&rsquo;t we go sit on the porch and get some fresh air?&rdquo; he suggested.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie gave him a quick look and then looked away. &ldquo;No thanks,&rdquo; she replied coldly as she made her way to the couch. She gingerly seated herself and promptly ignored Burke.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke silently swore. He couldn&rsquo;t allow this to go on much longer. He wanted to be able to take her into his arms and take that forlorn look off her face. &ldquo;We could sit here and talk if you like,&rdquo; he offered hopefully.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie couldn&rsquo;t look at him. She stared down at her wringing hands. She couldn&rsquo;t seem to still them. &ldquo;No thanks,&rdquo; she said. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke stood there studying her, willing her to look up, willing her to smile at him. He didn&rsquo;t like the way she was wringing her hands, he had never seen her do that. He was concerned but she didn&rsquo;t want to talk to him, he just had to accept it, for now. He gave her one last look. &ldquo;Day&rsquo;s awastin,&rdquo; he said as he left, but this time he didn&rsquo;t smile.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie hung up the phone after her talk with Charlie Banks. He&rsquo;d been trying to get a hold of her for the last few weeks but he was always told that she was unavailable. She had her suspicions about that. The amount she was to inherit was staggering. She was worth over forty million, more if Sonny hadn&rsquo;t been siphoning off some all these years. Her resentment toward him and her stepfather knew no bounds. Annie really didn&rsquo;t care so much about the money. The most interesting part of the conversation was that Burke had never contacted him about the inheritance. She puzzled over for most of the afternoon and she just didn&rsquo;t know what to make of it. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She was getting around on her own now and it felt great not being dependant on Alice for her every need. She even was so bold as to ask Alice where she would be going tomorrow when she moved out. To Annie&rsquo;s pleasure, Alice sputtered and stomped out of the room. Annie smiled, she was finally getting a backbone and she liked it. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **** 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Later that evening Burke tried again to talk to Annie and he found her non-receptive. She pleaded a headache and said she wanted to go to sleep. Burke was feeling very sleepy himself. He shook his head as he walked up the stairs. Maybe tomorrow after Alice leaves, Annie would be more herself. He hoped that was the case. He missed her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; All he wanted was for things to go back to the way they were before Alice&rsquo;s arrival. He had been a fool to allow her to stay with them. She wreaked so much havoc with his marriage that he wasn&rsquo;t even sure he still had one. Well tomorrow come hell or high water he was going to escort Alice off his ranch. He would have to stand firm and not allow her tears to sway him. Taking off his clothes he climbed into bed. He was feeling very groggy and was soon fast asleep.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie had her eyes glued to the closed doors above her. Tonight she planned to confront them and she had a feeling that last night was set up by Alice just for her benefit. She was sleepy but she was determined to stay up and watch the doors. She prayed that Alice would not go to Burke again. She didn&rsquo;t know what she would do if that were the case.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She started to doze as she heard a door open. Looking up she could see Alice in a sexy red number tiptoeing to Burke&rsquo;s room. Annie held her breath willing the woman to keep going toward the bathroom, but that was not to happen. Her heart was in her throat as Alice opened Burke&rsquo;s door and snuck in. Tears filled her eyes. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie couldn&rsquo;t leave it there, she had to see for herself. She knew that Alice was capable of such actions but was Burke? Now was not the time to give him the benefit of the doubt. It was fact time. She groaned as she swung her legs off the couch. The stairs loomed large and she didn&rsquo;t have a choice she had to climb them. She had to know. The doubts had been eating at her for too long. She loved him, but she had found a self worth here in Texas that she hadn&rsquo;t possessed before. She deserved the truth and she deserved a faithful husband.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Step by painstaking step, Annie climbed the stairs. Her brow was wet and her breathing came hard as she reached the top. She felt so winded that she had to take a break. Her stomach was in knots. Filled with dread, Annie opened Burke&rsquo;s bedroom door.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She couldn&rsquo;t contain her cry of dismay as she saw Alice on top of her husband. Burke didn&rsquo;t even look up at her but Alice smiled at her over her shoulder. They were both naked as Alice bounced up and down on Burke. Annie gripped the doorjamb for support, afraid that she would fall. She finally forced herself to look away and left the room. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was in shock as she tried to climb back down the stairs. She sat down at the kitchen table staring into space. Until she had seen the evidence, Annie had held on to the smallest of hope that it was all a bad dream. She realized that she could no longer hide her head in the sand. What a fool she had been. She needed to get out of there fast. She didn&rsquo;t want either of them to see how much they had hurt her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She thought of calling Sherry but didn&rsquo;t want to get her involved just in case Ted was part of some plan to defraud her. Suddenly she thought of Noreen. There must be someone at the diner that could give her a ride to the airport for a fee. She looked at the clock and was surprised to see that it was only nine o&rsquo;clock. Her hand shook as she picked up the phone and dialed.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You poor dear,&rdquo; Noreen commiserated as she heard the story. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t worry sugar your secret is safe with me. I&rsquo;ll just say you have a family emergency. Hold on a sec.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie could hear talking in the background before Noreen picked the phone up again. &ldquo;Hank is here, as usual, and he&rsquo;d be delighted to take you to the airport.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know how to thank you, Noreen. You&rsquo;ve been a good friend.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You keep your chin up kid and don&rsquo;t be a stranger,&rdquo; Noreen said before she hung up.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie began to get herself ready to go. She was still half waiting for Burke to come downstairs and beg her to stay but she knew deep down that it wouldn&rsquo;t happen but that was her, forever hopeful, she thought in disgust. Thank goodness that a good amount of her clothes had been bought downstairs when she broke her leg. She put as much as she could in a shopping bag, grabbed her purse and crutches. She wanted to be on the front porch by the time Hank arrived to take her to the airport.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She sat on the front porch of the house that had embraced her and filled her head and heart with promises. Burke did too she thought as her heart twisted painfully in her chest. The wind had kicked up a bit, a warm wind, making the roses sway back and forth. At one time, she would have been fanciful and would have thought they were greeting her, but now she knew differently. If anything, they were calling her a fool, waving good-bye, giving her the old heave ho. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She was thankful when she saw the headlights of Hank&rsquo;s truck bouncing up and down the lane. She was starting to question her sanity. Roses were just roses and houses were just houses. Most importantly, you only had yourself to rely on. You only had yourself to blame. Her heart did ache for Cat. She knew that she was gone for good.&nbsp; She gave Hank a quick smile as she climbed into his truck with her shopping bag and crutches. She was glad that he didn&rsquo;t seem inclined to talk. When they arrived at the airport, he helped her down and tugged on the brim of his cowboy hat. He gave her a sad smile and walked away.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 49 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/49/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


It had taken five weeks but Annie now had the evidence she needed to confront her stepbrother, Sonny. With the help of her lawyer, Charlie Banks, she was now in sole control of her inheritance. She also had many forged documents she planned to use to confront Sonny. It sickened her how he&rsquo;d treated her while he was helping himself to her money.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rumor had it that he was spending a lot of time with her one-time friend Lisa. Rumor also had it that they were playing house in her old apartment. She hadn&rsquo;t known it but she owned it. Armed with her evidence, Annie felt stronger than she ever had. Her cast had finally come off and she was feeling fine. No one was going to ride rough shod over her again. She was her own woman now and she was on a mission.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She glanced at herself in her compact mirror as she rode to her old address. Money had its privileges such as a car and driver. She had her hair done, her nails manicured and a complete makeover. Who knew that she had been a diamond in the rough? She hardly recognized the beautifully turned out confident woman staring back at her in the mirror. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was looking forward to their little meeting. In fact, Sonny was unaware that she was even in town and she couldn&rsquo;t wait to see his face when he learned that she knew of his deceit. Too bad his father wasn&rsquo;t still alive to feel her wrath too. She pasted a serene smile on her face as her driver opened her door.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; With her spine stiff and strong, she entered the building. She waved to the doorman who tried to intercept her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Miss Douglas,&rdquo; he called as she headed for the elevators. &ldquo;Miss Douglas you don&rsquo;t live here anymore.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie coolly turned around. &ldquo;Excuse me?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Your stepbrother advised me that you were not to enter the premises again,&rdquo; he explained apologetically.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t worry Frank, you won&rsquo;t get in trouble. In fact, I&rsquo;m still grateful for all your help a few months ago, but my stepbrother doesn&rsquo;t own the apartment. I do.&rdquo; Annie gladly showed Frank the necessary paperwork.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frank chuckled. &ldquo;I have a feeling there&rsquo;s going to be some fireworks around here soon.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie laughed with him. &ldquo;You better believe it.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frank pushed the elevator button for her and shook his head as the doors closed. He always felt sorry for the way her stepbrother treated her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s heart began to race at the thought of confronting her stepbrother. She smoothed down her high-powered Gucci suit, fixed her heavy gold jewelry and patted her professionally styled hair. Looking at her long nails she practically laughed aloud. She looked more like Alice than Alice did. After the meeting all that was fake would be washed away. She didn&rsquo;t like this style and never would, but she had hoped to shock and intimidate Sonny with her new look and her new determination. After all she had all the cards and wasn&rsquo;t about to back down.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This wasn&rsquo;t only for her and all the years she'd been treated like a dog. It was also for the baby she suspected she was carrying. The thought of being pregnant thrilled Annie, but her emotions toward Burke were still too raw. She had always wanted to have children, a family. Now she would be a single mother, but she wasn&rsquo;t daunted. She knew that she had what it took to do a great job. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was jarred out of her musing as the elevator door opened into the penthouse apartment. She had always wondered why she lived in such a nice place. Sonny had just said that it was an investment. Now she knew the truth, it was hers all along. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny and Lisa both jumped up as they heard the elevator open. &nbsp;Annie relished both the shock and the look of recognition on their faces. She wanted to laugh at them but kept a cool, indifferent facade. She knew that she couldn&rsquo;t make any sign of weakness for Sonny to prey on.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny was wearing his usual tailor made suit. His dark eyes simmered with rage. His back hair was slicked back. He thought it was in vogue but it just made him look greasy.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lisa looked worse for the wear. It was obvious that she wasn&rsquo;t taking care of herself. She was always so perfectly made up with her chestnut hair curled and bright eye shadow highlighting her golden eyes. Now she looked weary and haggard. Annie wondered if the tinge of blue on her chin was a bruise.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie sashayed into the living room, the same way she had watched Alice make an entrance. &ldquo;Please, don&rsquo;t look so surprised,&rdquo; she admonished softly. Annie made an apparent gesture of walking around the apartment, touching her own things that she had left behind. &ldquo;The place still looks good,&rdquo; she remarked off handedly, ignoring both their stares.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Finally, she turned and looked Sonny straight in the eye. He tried to stare her down, but she refused to cower as she had in the past. She smiled at him as he glared at her. &ldquo;We have some business to attend to dear, dear stepbrother,&rdquo; she almost purred. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been to see Charlie Banks.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She walked to the windows that spanned one whole wall. She had always loved the view from here. She took it all in, fortifying herself before turning toward Sonny with narrowed eyes. &ldquo;You remember Charlie don&rsquo;t you?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny&rsquo;s face turned pale. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know what line of bull Charlie has been feeding you but he&rsquo;s wrong,&rdquo; he sputtered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie almost laughed, but she kept her cool facade. &ldquo;I think not. In fact I have document after document, files and more files on your crimes against me.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny took a step toward her, wanting to intimidate her. He reached out and grabbed her upper arm in a vice like grip. &ldquo;Think again, sister dear,&rdquo; he growled. &ldquo;I do what I want, whenever I want!&rdquo; He grabbed her arm tighter and yanked her toward him. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m still in charge.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie pulled her arm out of his punishing grip. She could feel the bruises forming but she knew that she had to remain calm. Shaking inside, she pretended to examine her newly manicured nails, not looking at him needing a moment to regroup. &ldquo;So, you&rsquo;re with Lisa now?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny laughed. &ldquo;I always was, baby. I set you up with Jeffrey so that you would never get married. He&rsquo;s gay actually but was willing to play along for the right price.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s eyes widened as she stared at Lisa. &ldquo;But I saw you in bed together,&rdquo; she protested.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lisa laughed long and hard, making Annie feel two inches high. &ldquo;It was all a set up. Honestly, Annie you were ripe for the picking. Who could possibly want you? My God you&rsquo;re as cold and dumb as they come, but now that you have money you could buy yourself a husband.&rdquo; Lisa put her hand over her mouth, &ldquo;oops, you already did,&rdquo; she taunted.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was livid. &ldquo;You two are pure evil!&rdquo; she shouted.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Aw did we hurt your feelings?&rdquo; Lisa asked, smiling.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;The past is over,&rdquo; Annie declared.&nbsp; &ldquo;I have business to discuss with you Sonny and I believe that you will want to hear the deal I&rsquo;m willing to offer you.&rdquo; Annie opened her bag and flung a huge file on the glass coffee table. &ldquo;Read them and weep,&rdquo; she retorted.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny grabbed the file and flipped through it. He groaned as he sank down hard onto the white couch. His shoulders slumped in defeat. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He ran his fingers through his black hair in agitation. &ldquo;What&rsquo;s this deal you&rsquo;re talking about?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was surprised just how fast the fight went out of him. &ldquo;According to my accountants you have taken over twenty million dollars from my trust.&rdquo; She turned as she heard Lisa gasp. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t worry I seem to have plenty more.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie turned her attention back to Sonny. &ldquo;Here are my conditions,&rdquo; she began. &ldquo;I want the Texas property in my name, I want you out of this apartment and most important, I never want to see you or hear from you ever again.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny studied her for a minute. So, the sleeping dragon finally woke up. &ldquo;No jail? No authorities?&rdquo; he asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Right, just sign the property over to me and move out, it&rsquo;s that simple.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sonny grabbed the pen that she had handy and signed the deed over to her. The property was now hers. He threw the pen down on the table. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to be ruined. All the money is gone,&rdquo; he appealed, hoping that Annie would give him something.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie serenely picked up the signed papers and put them along with the thick file into her bag. She walked toward the elevator and turned. Cocking her head, she looked at Sonny. &ldquo;You know, you&rsquo;ve been nothing but a millstone around my neck and it kills me that I had to spend any money on you at all,&rdquo; repeating the old so familiar taunt. &ldquo;I want you out of here by the end of the month,&rdquo; she said as she stepped into the elevator. &rdquo;Oh and Lisa? You are such a bitch.&rdquo;



All of his planning had gone out the window. He even had Alice on the payroll. She was supposed to prevent the wedding, but since she was too late for that, she was to intercept any legal papers sent to Annie. He had also included a bonus if she could break up the marriage, believing that the control of her trust fund would revert to him. Now he realized that he&rsquo;d been wrong about that. 



&nbsp;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 50 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/50/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Six weeks later Annie was overlooking Central Park as she waited for her architect to show up. She was impatient to get on with her plans. Two more weeks and she was heading home to Texas. She missed Weltworth and the people she had come to know. Smiling to herself she looked down at her faded jeans and green T-shirt, she didn&rsquo;t need expensive clothes, or things for that matter. It felt good to be independent but she missed Burke. She knew that their marriage was over but she couldn&rsquo;t help but remember the good times.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie jumped when the doorbell rang and she quickly answered it and let her architect Van Crawford in. She was glad to see him. They had been working together for almost six weeks now, remodeling, rebuilding and outfitting her property in Texas. She was paying him a fortune, but he was worth it. He understood how important it was to her to maintain the integrity of the original house while, adding on and upgrading it. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie led Van over to a table by the window where they could go over the plans. She was building a horse ranch and she was so excited about the whole project. She smiled at Van. No matter how many times she saw him she couldn&rsquo;t get over just how good-looking he was. He had whiskey colored eyes that often winked at her. His blonde hair was rich and thick and he filled out a T-shirt. He was so beefy. He was a jeans and T-shirt kind of person and that was what originally attracted her. Unfortunately, her heart was occupied. She had no room for anyone else right now, except for the little one growing inside her. She unconsciously touched her lower abdomen and smiled.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Van smiled back at her. He liked Annie.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked over the plans for the barn. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m a fish out of water as far as the barn is concerned,&rdquo; she admitted to Van. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to have to hire someone experienced in horse breeding, training, hell I don&rsquo;t know a damn thing about horses.&rdquo; She laughed.



&nbsp;&ldquo;I think I have a solution to that,&rdquo; Van remarked. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been spending a fair amount of time in Weltworth and I happen to know a guy we can hire.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s eyebrows raised in question. She knew from experience that the grapevine in Weltworth ran fast. &ldquo;Well?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I found out that a man named Clint Maloney just had his ranch foreclosed on. I hear he&rsquo;s the best around with horses and knows about cattle as well.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;If he&rsquo;s so good why did he go into foreclosure?&rdquo;Annie asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know the whole story, but his wife died and his little girl wears a leg brace-.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Say no more,&rdquo; Annie jumped in. &ldquo;If they have nowhere to go offer him the job. In fact, tell him a house comes with the position. If it turns out he can&rsquo;t handle it we&rsquo;ll just get someone else, but I want him and his child to have a home.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Gathering strays are you?&rdquo; Van asked chuckling. He already knew that she hired Mrs. Harvy to be her live in help after she had heard that she had only one month&rsquo;s rent left in the bank. Then there was Jimmy McKeegan. He was Noreen&rsquo;s cousin, looking for a place to hang his hat and Annie hired him over the phone. This led to the building of a very nice bunkhouse. Van was confident that she would have it full fairly soon.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I know what it&rsquo;s like to feel unwanted and to have nowhere to go,&rdquo; she replied ruefully.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Van could see the pain flickering in Annie&rsquo;s eyes. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got a big heart,&rdquo; Van complimented.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Find this Clint fellow and offer him the job,&rdquo; she instructed. &ldquo;If he has nowhere to go right now move him and his daughter into my new bedroom. That should give them enough room until their house is built. Have him go over the plans for the barn and we&rsquo;ll use his expertise.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie walked Van to the door. &ldquo;Oh, one more thing, check with Noreen. She&rsquo;ll know the 411 on this guy. Either way, give him a place to live at my house. Annie hugged Van. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be there in two weeks,&rdquo; she said happily.



Van got on the elevator shaking his head. She had such a soft heart. He just hoped that the people she invites into her inner circle are worthy of it. He had already checked out Clint Maloney and was positive he was the man for the job; he wouldn&rsquo;t have mentioned it to Annie if he hadn&rsquo;t. He was headed for Texas, and he had a lot of work to do, but he was going to be sorry when all the projects were done. 



&nbsp;He liked Annie, but he knew she was nursing a broken heart and there was no way he was going to be the rebound guy. She was so in love with her husband; mad at him, enraged at him, furious with him, yes, but still in love. Now that he thought about it, there probably wouldn&rsquo;t be a rebound guy for Annie, at least not for a long time. He&rsquo;d miss her.



&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ***



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie had chosen a window seat on the plane since she wanted to see Texas from the air. She sizzled with excitement. She was going home finally to a place that was all hers. She didn&rsquo;t have to depend on anyone&rsquo;s goodwill or fickle heart anymore. She had spoken to Van yesterday and he said he&rsquo;d have someone there to meet her, driving her brand new Texas pickup truck- cherry red of course. Practically bouncing in her seat, she was impatient for the cabin door to open. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Finally, she was at the luggage claim. She looked around trying to spot a familiar face but she saw none. Instead, she found herself standing in front of the most rugged man she had ever seen. His face was very angular with laugh lines deeply etched into his skin. He was very tan as though he spent most of his time outdoors and when he took off his hat to greet her she could see his midnight black hair. It was curly but he kept it cut short. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Mrs. Dawson?&rdquo; the Man asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Annie, just call me Annie,&rdquo; she immediately said. She didn&rsquo;t like using her married name. &ldquo;You must be Mr. Maloney,&rdquo; she greeted as she spotted a little girl peering up at her from behind her father&rsquo;s legs.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m Clint Ma&rsquo;am,&rdquo; he said with a touch of shyness.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie didn&rsquo;t think he was a shy man. Maybe around women, but he had the look of a Man&rsquo;s man, just like Burke. She stopped her thoughts from going there. She didn&rsquo;t want to think about him, at least not today. &ldquo;Nice to meet you Clint,&rdquo; she replied as she crouched down. &ldquo;Who is this beautiful princess?&rdquo; she asked with a smile.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The girl was adorable. She peeked out from behind her father&rsquo;s legs and smiled at Annie. &ldquo;Are you a princess too?&rdquo; she asked in awe.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie laughed. &ldquo;All girls are princess at some time or another. What&rsquo;s your name?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Ennie,&rdquo; she said in delight.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Clint laughed and reached down to sweep his daughter up into his strong arms. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s right sweetheart, your name is Rheenie.&rdquo;



&nbsp;The leg brace on the little girl&rsquo;s leg was prevalent and it tore at her heart. She could see the love between them and was immediately envious. locating her luggage, they were off. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 51 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/51/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Clint wasn&rsquo;t much of a talker but his daughter made up for his lack of verbiage. Annie loved looking at Rheenie. Her hair was black like her father and she wore it long and straight, secured by a black velvet headband. Her brown eyes shone with excitement and her face was so animated and Annie was immediately smitten. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;My Daddy said to thank you for a roof,&rdquo; she said very seriously.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked over Rheenie&rsquo;s head at Clint in need of clarification. He had already translated many things for Annie. &ldquo;She means a roof over her head,&rdquo; he chuckled.&nbsp; &ldquo;Seriously though, Annie, we are beholden.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I feel like the lucky one here,&rdquo; she said as her heart swelled. &ldquo;I need your experience and knowledge. I&rsquo;m just happy that you took the job, and this little one is definitely a bonus.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;She&rsquo;s something alright.&rdquo; He laughed proudly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Annie I&rsquo;m a princess not a smothin,&rdquo; Rheenie explained as she patted Annie on the face with lollypop sticky hands.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie took her hands and kissed them, &ldquo;I know you are baby, I know.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As soon as her house came into view, Annie asked Clint to stop the truck. She wanted to take it all in slowly. The house was magnificent. It still had the old farmhouse look mixed with freshness. It had been painted butter cream yellow with emerald green accents. The front porch looked lovely repaired, painted white and it wrapped around the whole house. She loved it. The rose bushes were pruned but they were still there. It wouldn&rsquo;t be long before they bloomed again. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie opened the truck door. &ldquo;I want to walk to it alone,&rdquo; she said to Clint. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Clint nodded his head and drove up past the house toward the bunkhouse. He could feel her need to greet the house herself. It was a powerful thing to have your own land, your own house, and your own dreams for the future. He&rsquo;d had that once. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie approached her house in awe feeling the pull of it. It was the same magical feeling she had felt when she had first come here, all those months ago. Was it only months? Annie felt as though she&rsquo;d grown years in the past months. Closing her eyes she took in the sounds of the birds and building. She laughed; yes, she heard and smelled building. The smell of sawdust was very prevalent. It was a smell of new beginnings. She looked up at the big blue Texas sky and asked God to let this place be her haven.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled as she touched the screen door, it was the original, repaired, but the original, and anticipation filled her as she wondered what other surprises she would find. The family room had the original wood floors, although refinished. The huge rock fireplace looked to be in working order and Annie was thrilled that the scarred wooden mantle was still in place. It was everything she imagined and more. The furniture had been reupholstered and one Queen Anne style chair had a beautiful hand sewn tapestry on it. Van had mentioned the needlework he had found in the attic. Annie gently ran her fingers over the fabric. She was home, this time she knew it was right.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The rest of the house was a delight. The kitchen still had the original counter tops, scars and all. The big farmhouse sink was still there, modernized by new fixtures. It all blended in and gave the room an overall look of the early nineteen hundreds. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mrs. Harvy&rsquo;s room was off the kitchen, she had requested that room and it was lovely. Peeking into the spare room, she was surprised to see that Clint and Rheenie&rsquo;s things were inside. She had told Van to give them the master bedroom since it was bigger. Finally, she made her way to her room. It was huge. She gasped as she saw the bed covering. It was lush and opulent, covered in throw pillows and it sported a pattern of roses. Her bathroom was also decorated with a rose motif. She looked at her garden tub and instantly knew that it would get a lot of use.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hearing a sound, Annie went back to her room. There stood Mrs. Harvy with a great big smile on her face. &ldquo;Beautiful isn&rsquo;t it?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie quickly hugged the other woman. &ldquo;Did you-?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;No,&rdquo; Mrs. Harvy answered quickly. &ldquo;Van picked it all out. Not only is he a great architect but he knows how to restore furniture and he likes to decorate. He has great taste.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wholly agreed. Van had outdone himself. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mrs. Harvy seemed to sense Annie&rsquo;s need to be alone. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll go make us some tea while you take this all in.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; Annie agreed absently as she opened the French doors that led out to the porch. She wanted to cry she was so happy. When she felt the tears on her cheeks, she blamed them on hormones.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t be sad.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked down at Rheenie and smiled. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not sad, I&rsquo;m happy,&rdquo; she explained.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Tears, sad,&rdquo; Rheenie said as she shook her head at Annie.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie sat in one of the wonderful porch rocking chairs and lifted Rheenie onto her lap. She loved the feel of the little girl so close to her. She wondered if her baby was a boy or girl. Either way she&rsquo;d be happy. Annie kissed the top of the little girl&rsquo;s head. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not crying anymore. You make me happy.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t make people happy. People are always sad with me,&rdquo; she said then sighed. &ldquo;Mostly my Daddy.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie&rsquo;s heart lurched in her chest. She cuddled the child even more. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure that&rsquo;s not true. I bet he&rsquo;s very glad to have you.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You bet I am,&rdquo; Clint agreed with a smile. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You two look like you&rsquo;re getting along just fine,&rdquo; he said.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled back at him. She could see the sadness and pain in his eyes. He tried to hide it but now she could realize why Rheenie thought she made him sad. She hoped that this place would be a place of healing for all of them. &ldquo;How&rsquo;s the barn building going?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;These guys are fast and efficient,&rdquo; Clint said. &ldquo;Van has really designed a state of the art breeding facility.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Yes, he is good. He also said you did most of the designing.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Clint looked glad that she was pleased. &ldquo;All we need is some thoroughbreds with good blood lines and we&rsquo;re good to go. I&rsquo;ve already found the stallion that would be a big money maker. I&rsquo;m going to have to be quick on my feet but I think we can buy him. There is a horse auction in Fort Worth this Saturday if you&rsquo;d like to go.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll leave the buying to you but I&rsquo;d love to go and Rheenie can join us.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rheenie jumped out of Annie&rsquo;s lap and jumped into her father&rsquo;s arms. He lifted her up as she squealed, &ldquo;Rheenie go! Rheenie go!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Clint hugged her tight. &ldquo;Yes you can go, but right now Mrs. Harvy said she has milk and cookies for you.&rdquo; He looked over the top of his daughter&rsquo;s head. &ldquo;I believe that Mrs. Harvy also mentioned something about tea for you,&rdquo; he told Annie.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Sounds good to me,&rdquo; she replied
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 52 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/52/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Annie had never seen so many horses in her life, or so many cowboys before and she just loved it. Wearing her new red cowboy boots and her tan Stetson, she felt a part of things. She looked down at Rheenie who was wearing a pink cowgirl outfit that Annie had bought her. She was as cute as a button. She didn&rsquo;t wear boots because of her leg brace and special shoes she had to wear. Annie was very conscious of the stares that Rheenie got. She felt outraged on the girl&rsquo;s behalf, but she knew that there wasn&rsquo;t a thing she could do about it. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They made their way up the bleachers and sat next to Clint. Clint instantly picked Rheenie up and gathered her on his lap. Annie had noticed how much attention he gave to his daughter and it made her glad. Clint had already looked through the catalog and had inspected the horses he planned to place a bid. Ironically, most of the horses he wanted used to belong to him, before the foreclosure. They had discussed the budget before leaving the house, and Annie was willing to pay top dollar. She wanted her dream of a horse ranch to come true.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie scanned the crowd, enjoying people watching, especially the families. She envied them but she knew her time was coming. Looking straight across the arena, she was shocked to see Burke staring right at her. Her heart began to beat faster and she almost forgot to breath. She hadn&rsquo;t expected to see him so soon. In fact, she had been keeping close to home just to avoid him. She needed to tell him about the baby and she needed to do it soon. He looked good, as handsome as ever. His brown hair could have used a trim, but somehow it made him look sexy.&nbsp; Her heart felt like it was in a vice and she began to tremble. She bit her lip so hard that she drew blood, yet she couldn&rsquo;t look away. She heard Clint asking her if she was ok, she turned to look at him and nodded. When she turned back, Burke was gone. Annie frantically searched the large crowd for him, but it was useless. He was gone. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie tried to put up a good front for the rest of the day but her mind kept going back to Burke. God help her but she still wanted him. She was glad that Rheenie had been along, she filled in all the silent gaps with her enthusiasm, managing to make Annie laugh a few times. All the while Annie could feel her heart breaking all over again.



 


&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie heard it through the local grapevine that Burke was in danger of losing his ranch. His divorce settlement with Alice had wiped him out and he was unable to regain his footing. It made Annie sick to know that he might lose it all. She knew how much the land meant to him. She had called his house and left messages but he never called back. She wanted to tell him about the baby and to ask him about the divorce. She still hadn&rsquo;t received any papers. Finally, she left a message telling him that he was to become a father but she never received a reply.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She thought that maybe he wasn&rsquo;t getting his messages. Alice probably erased them she reasoned. Certainly, he would have contacted her about the baby. Annie decided to drive over to his house to confront him. She was almost four months pregnant and she knew that she would be showing soon. She had already gone up a couple pants sizes and she knew that a trip to the maternity store was inevitable. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was disappointed as she drove up to his house, and saw that his truck was gone. She decided to confront Alice and see if Burke had even gotten any of her messages. As soon as she stepped down out of her truck, Alice was right in front of her. Her angry look almost frightened Annie.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;What the hell are you doing here?&rdquo; Alice demanded.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked at her perfect hair, her perfect nails and designer clothes and wanted to laugh. &ldquo;I guess you don&rsquo;t do much housework in those clothes,&rdquo; she observed.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Unlike you, Burke doesn&rsquo;t want me to be his housekeeper,&rdquo; she retorted.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie sighed. She had a feeling that things were going to get nasty. &ldquo;Did Burke get my messages?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alice laughed. &ldquo;Yes he did each and every one of them. He did mention how pathetic you were.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie stood her ground. She wanted to leave and never come back, but she had promised Burke that she wouldn&rsquo;t keep his children from him. &ldquo;He knows about the baby then?&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Oh you mean the baby that&rsquo;s not his? Yes, he knows all about it and wants no part of it. In fact we&rsquo;re going to get remarried,&rdquo; she said her voice so malicious. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was stunned. &ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t think the baby is his?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I think you heard me the first time. He knows what a whore you are. You&rsquo;re not passing off another man&rsquo;s baby on him, honey. He&rsquo;s too smart for that.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie felt the color drain from her face. She held her hands together to hide the trembling. &ldquo;The marriage?&rdquo; she asked softly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Does the word divorce mean anything to you?&rdquo; Alice asked as she smiled triumphantly. &nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie turned and got back into her truck. She didn&rsquo;t know what she had expected but it certainly wasn&rsquo;t this. How could he believe that the baby isn&rsquo;t his? She was heartsick. She drove halfway home and pulled over. She took a few tissues out of her purse and had herself a good cry. He thought she was a whore.&nbsp; She cried out her grief for quite a while before she got herself together. She didn&rsquo;t want anyone at home to know she&rsquo;d been crying but she knew that there was no way to hide her red eyes. &nbsp;Luck was with her, somehow she did manage to get home and into her room without bumping into anyone.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Her mind whirled and whirled. She found it so hard to believe that she wanted to hear it from Burke himself. She would never accept it until he told her. With shaking hands, Annie called Burke&rsquo;s house. She was hesitant when he answered the phone. &ldquo;Did Alice tell you that I was there today?&rdquo; she asked.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;She told me everything,&rdquo; he said angrily. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t call here again and don&rsquo;t come here again. We are through. Do you understand?&rdquo; he demanded



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tears poured down her face. &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; she choked out. &ldquo;I understand perfectly.&rdquo; She hung up the phone feeling numb realizing she was on her own. She was going to be a single mother. Her child would never know its father. It was so crazy that Annie couldn&rsquo;t comprehend it. How did it all come to this? 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She thought of a paternity test, she dabbled with the thought of demanding child support but in the end, she realized that if Burke married Alice, then Alice would be her child&rsquo;s stepmother. There was no way she&rsquo;d allow Alice to have access to her baby.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As much as she wanted to lie in bed and tune out the rest of the world, she told herself to buck up. There was her horse ranch to build, a legacy to her child. She pressed a wet washcloth against her swollen eyes. It served Burke right to lose his land she decided spitefully. As she calmed down and her eyes started to feel better, she realized that Burke&rsquo;s land was her baby&rsquo;s legacy and she wasn&rsquo;t going to let it go to strangers. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She thought of maybe buying the ranch from him, so he&rsquo;d have something to live on. In the end, she decided to pay off his mortgage and his debts. Though there was a part of her that felt bitter, she&rsquo;d go to the bank tomorrow. Feeling a bit better, she fell asleep.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 53 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/53/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[&nbsp;








 


After her morning coffee, Annie was off. She wanted to get to the bank early. She had a lot of business to take care of. Mr. Todd the bank manager was happy to see her. She had deposited a large amount of money in his bank and he knew that she was his most valuable customer. He was surprised that she wanted to pay off everything for Burke. Rumor had it they were getting divorced, but it wasn&rsquo;t his job to get in the middle of their problems. It was a staggering amount but Annie didn&rsquo;t blink an eye. It must have been a tremendous burden for Burke to carry. Then she deposited an additional twenty-five thousand into his account. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feeling better about things, Annie thanked Mr. Todd and left his office. She walked toward the bank door as Burke came through it. Immediately she lowered her head unable to look at him as she tried to pass by. Burke jerked her by the elbow and glowered at her. &ldquo;I meant what I said last night; I don&rsquo;t want to see you.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie jerked her arm out of his grip and hastily nodded as she hurried out the door. She could still feel the heat of his touch and the anger in his eyes. She walked down half a block to the community garden. She had never been there before but it looked inviting. It was deserted and Annie sat down on the wooden bench. The garden contained not only vegetables but also an abundance of different flowers. She smiled as she recognized the vegetables, thanks to Sherry. The flowers had her guessing she wasn&rsquo;t very familiar with the different varieties. It was already getting hot and it was still morning. She didn&rsquo;t have much fight left in her. Burke and Alice had certainly drained her of her energy.&nbsp; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Needing to find some sort of comfort, she walked across the street to Noreen&rsquo;s diner. She knew it was a mistake as soon as she saw Burke sitting at the counter. Noreen greeted her warmly and Annie tried to smile but couldn&rsquo;t. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;God damn it!&rdquo; Burke roared as he spotted Annie. &ldquo;Are you stalking me now? I know what you did at the bank and I&rsquo;m sorry sweetheart but I&rsquo;m not for sale not at any price especially not to you. So, paying off my debts didn&rsquo;t buy me back. I don&rsquo;t know how many times I have to tell you that I don&rsquo;t want you. Stop following me, stop calling me, just leave me alone!&rdquo;



&nbsp;She was shocked. She became conscious of all the patrons staring at her. Feeling her face growing red, she was humiliated. She couldn&rsquo;t even choke back the sob that was in her throat as she turned and ran out of the diner. She could hear Noreen calling to her but she couldn&rsquo;t stop. She needed to be as far away from Burke as she could get.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Noreen stood in front of Burke and slapped him in the face. She was glad that she had made a big red handprint on his cheek. &ldquo;You bastard!&rdquo; she yelled. &ldquo;How could you yell at that little gal like that? I am so ashamed of you! You aren&rsquo;t the only one she&rsquo;s helped with her money- yes helped not bought. She paid off this place for me and she gave Mrs. Harvy a home and started a retirement account for her. She took in Clint and his little Rheenie when they were homeless. Even old Rowdy has a few new trucks in his rental fleet.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Noreen looked like she was going to explode. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s done nothing but give to this community! She&rsquo;s donated to the church and the schools. Why she even gave my nephew Jimmy a place to live and work. She has employed most of this town for one thing or another, now especially when times have been so hard!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Noreen could see Burke turning pale. &ldquo;That bitch Alice has you all turned around! Annie didn&rsquo;t want to buy you. She wanted to give you the one thing you wanted most in the world, your ranch free and clear. And don&rsquo;t tell me that it doesn&rsquo;t mean anything because I happen to know that you were a month away from foreclosure!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke was astonished. He couldn&rsquo;t believe what he was hearing. He hadn&rsquo;t kept up with the Weltworth grapevine, so he didn&rsquo;t know how generous Annie had been to those she cared about. She&rsquo;d been generous to the whole community and he had yelled at her for it. He felt like a fool, a complete fool. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry,&rdquo; he mumbled to Noreen as he left the diner.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He sat in his truck unseeing, knowing he was such a fool. How could he have yelled at Annie that way? Ever since he had seen her at the horse show with Clint and his little girl, he had been looking for a fight. He had felt gut kicked seeing her with another man. When he mentioned it to Alice, she told him that they had been living together for a while. She had led him to believe that they were &ldquo;together&rdquo;. Now he had a lot of thinking to do. He hit the steering wheel with his fist. He needed to get on his horse and ride until he dropped.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Driving home Burke&rsquo;s heart felt as though it was twisting inside him. He felt as though he had been gut punched and kicked around the yard. He now had serious doubts about what Alice had been telling him. Why hadn&rsquo;t he given Annie the benefit of the doubt? She was his wife for crying out loud! Was she still his wife or had the divorce gone through? He couldn&rsquo;t get his head on right. He pulled his truck up in front of the barn, saddled his favorite horse, and took off as though the devil was after him.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ***



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie sat rocking on her front porch with Rheenie on her lap. Rheenie had become a balm to her heart. At least she had closure. Burke said he didn&rsquo;t want her, now she finally believed him. Her brain had known for a while, but finally her heart knew it too. It was almost unbearable. She felt as though she was mourning a death and perhaps she was. She was mourning her first and only love. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She looked down at the precious girl sleeping on her lap and sighed. In so many ways, she was blessed. She knew that. She just wished that she could concentrate on the positive instead of a dead relationship. She thought of Burke constantly especially since she was carrying his baby. She almost laughed aloud at the ridiculousness of the situation. She just couldn&rsquo;t believe that a man who still felt responsible for his ex-wife had no problem denying his own child. What happened to the integrity she had so admired? Out the window when she saw them in bed together, she reminded herself. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maybe she shouldn&rsquo;t have paid off his debts. She probably hurt his big male ego, but there was no way she could stand by and let his place go into foreclosure. She had no regrets doing that. Hopefully someday he would see it as an act of kindness. For now, she had a baby to bring into the world, and a ranch to build.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Clint felt a tug to his heart as he gazed upon his daughter and Annie both sleeping in the rocking chair. He walked softly, bent over, and kissed his daughter on the forehead. He was surprised to see Annie&rsquo;s eyes open as he stepped back. They gazed at each other and smiled. &ldquo;Want me to take her?&rdquo; he whispered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie shook her head no. She seemed to need the closeness right now.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Clint nodded back with a grin and walked toward the barn. He knew Rheenie had fallen in love with Annie and it would be simple to ask her to be his wife and a mother to Rheenie, but his heart wasn&rsquo;t in it. He also had a feeling that Annie was also suffering a broken heart. He often saw his own raw pain reflected in her big green eyes. Time was supposed to cure a broken heart, but he wasn&rsquo;t so sure of that at least not anymore. Seeing Van talking to the contractor, he walked over to see how he could help.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie watched the men talking. They were going over the plans for the barn, although it was practically finished. She admired both Van and Clint. Maybe if things were different or if she had met either one of them first, before Burke&hellip;.&nbsp; Speculation was foolish. She had enough to do without making herself crazy with what ifs. 



Clint&rsquo;s house was almost finished and Annie was feeling a bit sad that Rheenie wouldn&rsquo;t be living with her anymore. It had been a month since she had last seen Burke but as always he was on her mind. She hadn&rsquo;t called her friend Sherry since she&rsquo;d come back to town because she didn&rsquo;t want to put her in the middle between Burke and her. Finally, she decided enough was enough. She missed her friend and she needed someone to talk to. Sherry didn&rsquo;t have to pick sides. As far as Annie felt there were no sides, not any more. &nbsp;She&rsquo;d faced up to her reality.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 54 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/54/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Sherry had been thrilled to hear from Annie. She had been waiting patiently for the call. She would have contacted her herself but sensed that Annie needed some time alone.



The reunion between friends was full of hugs and tears. Sherry really admired everything Annie had accomplished. She loved the concept of a horse ranch and was glad that Clint had landed on his feet. &ldquo;So, when is the little one due?&rdquo;



&ldquo;Talk about the elephant in the room.&rdquo; Annie laughed.&rdquo; I&rsquo;m almost six months&rdquo;



&ldquo;Does Burke know?&rdquo; Sherry prompted.



&ldquo;Yeah he does,&rdquo; Annie, said her voice full of sadness. Annie&rsquo;s face lost its glow and her eyes filled with sorrow. &ldquo;He says it&rsquo;s not his.&rdquo;



&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got to be kidding me?&rdquo; Sherry demanded. &ldquo;What universe does he live on?&rdquo;



Annie gave her friend a sad smile. &ldquo;If you could have Ted send me a copy of the divorce papers I&rsquo;d appreciate it, oh and a copy of the prenup too.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Ted didn&rsquo;t take care of the divorce,&rdquo; Sherry informed her. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t know who he used, but I&rsquo;ll have Ted get you a copy of both items. I just don&rsquo;t know what Burke&rsquo;s problem is,&rdquo; Sherry said. &ldquo;He needs his head examined. What he really needs to do is get rid of that blonde snake.&rdquo;



Annie sighed. &ldquo;It is what it is. I&rsquo;ve spent whole nights laying in bed wondering why he denies this child is his. I have no answers.&rdquo; Annie looked out at her land and smiled. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to raise this little one alone, but I have tons of support. The people living here on the ranch have become like family to me and of course I know that I can always count on you.&rdquo; Annie smiled at Sherry as she took her hand. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to ruin your friendship with Burke. I know that you and Ted mean the world to him. He doesn&rsquo;t let many people close to him.&rdquo;



Sherry squeezed her friend&rsquo;s hand in reassurance. &ldquo;It&rsquo;ll be hard not to give him the stink eye from time to time but I&rsquo;ll try,&rdquo; Sherry teased.



&ldquo;See you soon?&rdquo; Annie asked.



Sherry hugged her and was startled to feel the baby kick. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be around, you can bet on that.&rdquo; She was trying to get pregnant herself and was hopeful. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Annie watched Sherry drive away and felt much better about things. She didn&rsquo;t have any power over Burke&rsquo;s actions and she had to let go. There were times she thought that maybe she had, but inevitably, some small thing would remind her of his smile or his touch. Smiling, she watched Clint take time out of his busy day to push Rheenie on the tire swing. The more she saw him the more she wished that she knew what his story was. She wasn&rsquo;t going to pry. She was just glad to have him for a friend. 



Later that evening Annie received a call from Ted. He told her that he hadn&rsquo;t handled the divorce and couldn&rsquo;t find it filed anywhere. As for the prenup, her money was definitely still her money. He did say that he had talked to Burke about the divorce and Burke didn&rsquo;t even know the name of the lawyer. Alice had offered to take care of it for him. Ted told her that it looked like they were still married, but Burke was going to confront Alice in the morning.



Annie thanked Ted for all of his efforts and gently hung up the phone. She was puzzled, deeply puzzled. Burke didn&rsquo;t marry her for her money it seemed and shockingly there was no trace of the divorce papers. Alice had told her that she and Burke planned to remarry. Something was fishy. It didn&rsquo;t make any sense, but with Alice, it never did. Annie shook her head as she realized that she had been foolish to let Burke handle the divorce. Hopefully she would have some hard answers tomorrow.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ***



Burke was confused when he got off the phone with his friend Ted.&nbsp; Annie had been on the level, she wanted no part of his ranch. Somehow she had inherited a large amount of money and was benevolently giving it out to those in need right here in Weltworth. He was glad to know that Mrs. Harvy was going to be taken care of. He would have offered himself but he really thought that he would be homeless in another month or so. The price of beef had gone down and his profit margin was gone. He should have thanked Annie instead of humiliating her and yelling at her. Ever since she had left him for no apparent reason, he&rsquo;d painted her with the wrong brush. 



When she had left, he was so angry. He worked from sunup to sundown and then some trying to tire himself out each day so that he could sleep. The more he thought about her the more bitter he became. He&rsquo;d had this done to him once before. He had waited for some word from her. He thought that she would at least want alimony. What a fool he&rsquo;d been, she was worth millions. 



What surprised him the most was that she had come back to Weltworth to live. She could live anywhere in the world, but here she was. He wondered why. In the back of his mind, he secretly had wished it had been because of him, but now he knew better. Burke cocked his head as he heard Alice walking around in her bedroom above. He hoped she wasn&rsquo;t going to try to seduce him yet again. He had already told her that he&rsquo;d never touch her- ever. Sometimes she pouted and sometimes she gave him a secret little smile as though he didn&rsquo;t know the whole story.



Right now, he didn&rsquo;t care. He hardly saw her, working all the hours that he had been. Now he wondered what her part in all this was. She said she&rsquo;d take care of the divorce and at the time, he was too hurt and angry to think straight. Somehow, she was still here. Ted mentioned that the divorce wasn&rsquo;t on file. Alice had told him that he was divorced. He really hoped that he wasn&rsquo;t. As hurt as he was by Annie&rsquo;s leaving, he realized something. He realized that he still loved her.



Sure, he&rsquo;d been enraged when Alice had left. He had felt used and he had taken a huge blow to his ego. This time Annie leaving him was different. He missed her constantly and he felt as though half of him was gone. He heard Alice&rsquo;s high heels clicking on the wood floor in her room. He shook his head. Who in their right mind wears high heels at a ranch? Annie wore jeans and T-shirts. She&rsquo;d wanted to work the ranch. She had wanted to be a partner with him. Why did she leave? She never even said good-bye, and that ate at him constantly.



Glancing at the phone, he wished he had the balls to call her. He needed to apologize to her, but he didn&rsquo;t know what to say. She probably wouldn&rsquo;t talk to him anyway. He knew that he deserved her anger; maybe time would make a difference. Hopefully he could avoid her. Burke ran his hand through his thick brown hair and sighed heavily. Knowing that she was living so close to him was both comfort and torture. He was relieved to know where she was, but it was hell not seeing her. It was so hard knowing that she lived just on the other side of his fence and she wouldn&rsquo;t welcome him. 



He&rsquo;d confront Alice in the morning about the divorce papers. Something just wasn&rsquo;t right and he wanted to hear her explanation as to why the papers were never filed. With heavy heart, Burke went to bed, though he knew it be yet another sleepless night.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;



Alice was pleasantly surprised to see Burke sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. She had given up trying to have breakfast with him ever since Annie had left. Burke had gotten up earlier and earlier and Alice couldn&rsquo;t keep up. She did wish that she had taken a little more time putting her face on. However, she knew that she was naturally beautiful. 



She waltzed into the kitchen smiling at Burke. He looked as though he had been waiting for her and she was thrilled. Finally, he had put that little slut, Annie behind him. She had known that it would happen, but the waiting had been so hard. &ldquo;Good morning Darling!&rdquo; She rang out cheerfully.



He looked up at her with a gigantic frown on his face and she was taken aback. Maybe her assumptions were wrong. 



&ldquo;We need to talk,&rdquo; he said simply.



&ldquo;Of course Darling,&rdquo; she drawled. &ldquo;Anything you want, you know that,&rdquo; She purred suggestively as she gave him a come- hither look.



&nbsp;&ldquo;I talked to Ted. I wanted a copy of the divorce papers.&rdquo;



&ldquo;You know I didn&rsquo;t use Ted,&rdquo; Alice urgently interrupted him.



&ldquo;Well, darling, it seems that he can&rsquo;t find the papers on file anywhere.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Oh that,&rdquo; she replied trying to make light of it. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure that it&rsquo;s a clerical error somewhere,&rdquo; she explained.



&ldquo;I want a copy of the papers,&rdquo; Burke told her.



&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know why you want to bother yourself with such distasteful things.&rdquo; She sighed impatiently. &ldquo;But if it&rsquo;ll make you feel like a free man I have a copy in the study. I&rsquo;m surprised that you didn&rsquo;t see them,&rdquo; she said as innocently as possible.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Burke&rsquo;s eyes narrowed as he looked at her. How he had ever found her lovely was beyond him. She was ugly inside and out. He knew that she had to be lying. He&rsquo;d spent every evening going over the ranch books trying to find a way to save it. Surely, he&rsquo;d have noticed the divorce papers if they were there.



If it hadn&rsquo;t been so important, Burke would have laughed. Why hadn&rsquo;t he seen right through her before? She was making a nuisance of herself and he really didn&rsquo;t even like her.



&ldquo;Maybe you can go get them for me,&rdquo; he challenged.



Alice seemed unaffected by his silent challenge. Burke watched as she calmly left the room only to return shortly with a manila envelope in her hand. He was surprised. 



&nbsp;&ldquo;Here you go Burke,&rdquo; she said as she handed the envelope over to him. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know how you could have doubted me,&rdquo; she pouted.



Burke didn&rsquo;t even answer her. He immediately opened the envelope and looked at the papers. He&rsquo;d seen similar papers before and these look about the same, just what he expected. Maybe it was just a clerical error. He&rsquo;d call Ted later. He still had a lot to do today and all this waiting around for Alice to get up had been trying. 



Burke shoved the papers back into the envelope. So, it was over. He was divorced from Annie. He felt her loss keenly. He got up, grabbed his Stetson and walked out the door letting the screen door slam loudly. Day&rsquo;s awastin he said to himself miserably. Thank God, he still had his ranch to give him solace. Hard work would get him through. He did need to talk to Alice about her leaving, but that could wait. He just didn&rsquo;t have the energy it would take to get her to leave. He got in his truck and slammed his hand against the steering wheel. It didn&rsquo;t help to ease the wound to his heart. He drove off hoping to work himself hard enough that he could forget Annie.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 55 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/55/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Alice watched his little temper tantrum. She hoped he hadn&rsquo;t hurt his hand hitting the steering wheel as he did. Annie was not worth his upset. She smiled to herself, congratulating herself, on a job well done. She had drawn up the papers on the computer. She had used their own divorce decree as a template, all she had to do was change a few facts, and instantly she had divorce papers.



The longer Burke remained married to Annie the better the settlement he will get and she wanted as much as she could get. Sonny had called her well over a month ago furious that Annie had found out about her inheritance. She laughed at him when he told her she wouldn&rsquo;t be getting her bonus. She didn&rsquo;t need his pittance of a bonus when she had a big windfall coming her way. 



The fact that Annie was pregnant had thrown a wrench in her plans but she had a few different scenarios.&nbsp; She really wanted her original plan to work. The other plans required her to be a stepmother and there was no way she was going to play mommy to any little brat. She just had to keep Burke and Annie apart, and she especially had to keep Burke from finding out about the baby.



She hadn&rsquo;t had any luck trying to seduce Burke. She had drugged him those two nights that Annie was laid up on the couch. Nothing happened the first night, but Alice had been ready in case she had heard Annie on the stairs. The second night was much different. She could hear Annie making very slow progress climbing the stairs. Burke always slept naked so that was a help, but it had taken a lot to get him hard enough so that she could climb aboard. He had felt so good inside her, so right. She still relished the look on Annie&rsquo;s face as she opened the bedroom door. 



Alice knew that she had an evil heart and she basked it. It was just too bad that soon after Annie left the bedroom, Burke deflated. There would be other times she promised herself, many, many other times. She wanted to spend entire days in bed with Burke. He worked too much and with all the money he was going to get, he could hire enough men to work the ranch, then he could spend his days in bed. She didn&rsquo;t have plans to stay for too long. Just long enough to be able to get her portion of the cash. She figured that getting Burke to marry her again wouldn&rsquo;t be too much of a problem. From then on, it would be a waiting game until she was entitled to half his assets-yet again. 



Alice felt so good about herself that she immediately went upstairs to change her clothes. She was going to Dallas and she was going to shop, shop, shop with some of the money she had gotten from Sonny. Life was good.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;



Burke ran into Ted a few days later and he told him that he did have the divorce papers. Ted asked Burke to get the name of the lawyer that handled the divorce. The decree had to be on file for it to be legal. He offered to look into it again and reminded Burke to get the lawyers name.



Burke had felt a bit uncomfortable with his childhood friend. He knew that he wasn&rsquo;t pleased with the way his marriage had fallen apart, but Burke had a feeling it was more than that. He had probably heard about his row with Annie at the diner. Hell everyone seemed to know about it. In fact, this was the first time he had come into town since then. He needed to place an order for horse feed. 



As awkward as it was, Burke was glad to see Ted. He thought about their friendship as he drove home. He knew that the uncomfortable feeling would go away. After all Ted was still looking out for him as far as the divorce was concerned. Burke dismissed it as his thoughts turned to whose money he had used to buy the feed. He was now grateful for Annie&rsquo;s gift. 



He couldn&rsquo;t get her off his mind and it made him crazy. He was still bitter that she had left him. He had thought that everything was going well. She seemed a little standoffish after her fall but he blamed it on the pain she was feeling. &nbsp;Something wasn&rsquo;t right but he&rsquo;d be damned if he knew what it was.&nbsp; 



He drove his truck to the edge of his land and stared out at Annie&rsquo;s land. He could make out her house, a barn and it looked like another house on her land. He admired what she had accomplished. If rumor was right, she was on her way to having one of the top horse ranches around. He sat there gazing longingly at the other property, wishing that he had the right to go on it and knock on Annie&rsquo;s front door but he knew that he wouldn&rsquo;t be welcome. His heart felt heavy, filled with sadness as he turned his truck around and made his way home.



Mrs. Harvy was worried about Annie. She seemed to be moping around lately and she wasn&rsquo;t entirely convinced that it was just hormones.&nbsp; They say that your eyes are the windows to your soul. If that was the case then by looking into Annie&rsquo;s eyes, she could see a deeply hurt and saddened soul. She had heard from town what Burke had done and she could hardly believe it. She had worked for Burke and his parents before him, for years. She wished that she dared to get involved, but she didn&rsquo;t. Having never meddled in her employer&rsquo;s business she wasn&rsquo;t about to start now. Annie had been so generous to her in both salary and love. She could hardly wait for the little one&rsquo;s arrival. She never married, so having children was something that she had sadly missed. 



It couldn&rsquo;t be good for the baby to have its mother acting so gloomy. She gazed at Annie rocking on the porch, supposedly enjoying the early evening breeze. Her look of dejection tore at Mrs. Harvy&rsquo;s heart. 



She walked out into the cool evening air. It felt good to have the one hundred degree temperatures behind them for the year. &ldquo;Annie, honey how are you feeling?&rdquo; she asked worriedly. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Annie jogged out of her melancholy for a moment. She hadn&rsquo;t even heard Mrs. Harvy come out of the house. She gave her a watered down smile. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m fine,&rdquo; she answered automatically not wanting to focus on how she felt. She still felt like she was mourning a death and she couldn&rsquo;t seem to help it.



&ldquo;All this moping around really isn&rsquo;t good for the baby, you know.&rdquo;



Annie smiled at her friend. &ldquo;I know, you&rsquo;re right.&rdquo; She took in a deep breath of fresh country air and straightened up in her chair as she caressed her protruding stomach.



&ldquo;Why don&rsquo;t you go and catch that new movie in town,&rdquo; she suggested. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t remember the name but I heard that it&rsquo;s really funny.&rdquo;



Annie hesitated. Going into town really didn&rsquo;t appeal to her, but Mrs. Harvy was right. She needed to stop all her moping. Going to a comedy might be just the thing to shake her out of her present blues. &ldquo;Thanks,&rdquo; she said as she awkwardly got out of the rocking chair. Annie kissed Mrs. Harvy on the cheek. &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;ll do that.&rdquo;



Mrs. Harvy smiled. &ldquo;It&rsquo;ll do you good.&rdquo;



&nbsp;



&nbsp;



Annie was rethinking her decision as she crossed the town limit. Maybe this wasn&rsquo;t such a good idea. Maybe she should have invited Mrs. Harvy along. She&rsquo;d gone to movies alone before. She&rsquo;d gone to Broadway plays alone and she could do this. After all, she deserved to have some fun.



Annie parked her car on the street and walked over to the theater. It surprised her to see a line forming in front of the box office. Smiling she nodded to people, she knew. She really wasn&rsquo;t in the mood to socialize; they were obviously looking at her belly. She finally bought maternity clothes and was surprised to find that the current trend was shirts that clung to the belly instead of shirts that tented the body.&nbsp; There was no hiding her pregnancy. She had nothing to ashamed of, her baby was conceived in a marriage and at the time, it was conceived in love.



&nbsp;Gratefully no one tried to engage her in conversation. She felt a bit self-conscious but she really was looking forward to the escape the movie could give her. A cool breeze kicked up as the sun began to set. Fall was one of her favorite times of year and she was looking forward to harvesting her fall garden. Sherry promised to come over next week to help her.



Annie glanced at her watch. The person running the box office was a bit late. She shifted from one foot to the other, waiting. Then she heard someone behind her talking about her. &ldquo;She certainly has put on the pounds, wow what a whale.&rdquo; Annie heard a familiar voice say. It was the same voice she had heard in the diner comparing her to Alice. 



&ldquo;Hum, she sure has,&rdquo; was the confirmation in an even more familiar voice, Alice&rsquo;s voice. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t you agree Burke?&rdquo;



Annie felt her face grow red as everyone looked at her. She had never known him to go to the movies, but she never really knew him anyway. Annie couldn&rsquo;t stand the pitying looks anymore and turned to walk away. She glanced at Burke and the viper, accompanying him. There was sheen of tears in her eyes as she bent her head and walked away.



A whale indeed, she lamented. It was his fault she looked like a whale, a great big giant whale. She almost tripped as she stepped off the curb. She felt hands reach out to steady her and was both surprised and relieved to see Ted. All he had to do was whisper her name and she fell into his arms turning into a blubbering mess. 



Ted smoothed her back as he whispered encouraging words to her. Finally, she wound down and was so embarrassed to have broken down like that, especially in town. She pulled away from him and gave him a contrite smile. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry; I don&rsquo;t know what came over me.&rdquo;



&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll drive you home,&rdquo; he offered.



Annie gave him a weary smile. &ldquo;Thanks Ted but enough is enough with that man and his girlfriend. I need to buck up and not be so sensitive. I&rsquo;m so blessed with the people in my life and that&rsquo;s all I need remember.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;He didn&rsquo;t need a crystal ball to figure out who made her cry. Both Alice and Burke were walking toward them. Ted turned both he and Annie away from them and started toward his car.



Burke grabbed Ted&rsquo;s arm trying to get him to stop. He was in shock. He stood in front of Annie and looked at her very pregnant body. His eyes grew wide as he took in her big belly and her lush breasts. 



&ldquo;Go away, Burke,&rdquo; Annie said dully, not even bothering to look at him, as she tried to walk around him. She knew that she was in no condition to spar with him. 



Burke angled his body so that she couldn&rsquo;t pass him. &ldquo;My God! You&rsquo;re pregnant!&rdquo;



Annie almost laughed. &ldquo;Yes, you&rsquo;ve known that for months now.&rdquo; She finally looked at him and saw his confusion. She didn&rsquo;t believe it though. It was probably some act for all those who were still staring at them. It seemed that a lot of them had foregone the movie in place of reality. &ldquo;I need to go home.&rdquo; She said in a panicky voice. 



Ted put a protective arm around her shoulder and stared Burke down. &ldquo;Now&rsquo;s not the time Burke. Buddy from what I&rsquo;ve heard you denied that the baby was yours.&rdquo;



Burke backed away from Annie, not taking his eyes from her face. He could see that she how worn out and upset she was He wanted to be the one to protect her, not Ted. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t know,&rdquo; he insisted as he stared at Annie. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t know.&rdquo;



Annie made no response. She turned her head into Ted&rsquo;s shoulder and let him lead her to her car. She was so silent that Ted was worried. &ldquo;You ok to drive?&rdquo; 



&ldquo;Good night Ted, thank you,&rdquo; she said as she drove off.



&nbsp;She arrived at her home, her haven. She saw Mrs. Harvy rushing toward her and she put a hand up. &ldquo;I just want to be left alone, please, I need to think.&rdquo;



Mrs. Harvy reluctantly nodded and gave Annie her space.&nbsp; She went back to the kitchen worriedly shaking her head. She wondered what had gone wrong, but she knew that she&rsquo;d hear about it from the grape vine in the morning.



Annie thought that as soon as she closed her bedroom door she&rsquo;d have a meltdown, but instead she sat on her bed dry eyed, and confused. Either Burke is a great actor, or he didn&rsquo;t know. Arguments could be made for either. The picture of him in bed with Alice flashed before her and she decided that her well-being came first. She had to grow up, face reality, and put Burke behind her. She needed positive thinking. She wanted to evict the negative thoughts, for good. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 56 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/56/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Annie caressed her stomach as she thought of all she had accomplished. She had a wonderful home, her horse ranch was more than a dream it was a reality. She had surrounded herself with people she could love and depend on. She had done this, not Sonny, not Burke, not some other man she clung to. No, she did it. It was her accomplishment and she should feel proud of herself.&nbsp; Annie finally smiled a real smile. It had been a long time coming but she finally felt good about herself. Whether or not Burke knew about the baby really didn&rsquo;t matter anymore. 



She was taking her pain and frustrations from the past and the present and giving them up to God, grasping on to a new wonderful future. Her baby was going to be a major part and it was already bringing her joy. She had been denying herself joy, in her sorrows. Not anymore, she was loved, she was happy and she deserved to be able to enjoy the fruits of her labors. 



For the first time in months, Annie slept peacefully.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;



Burke drove home like a maniac. Seeing Annie pregnant had really upset him. He gave Alice a sidelong glance. Something was stinking to high heaven and he was positive that it was Alice. He couldn&rsquo;t wait to get her home and interrogate her. He wasn&rsquo;t going to put up with her bullshit or any of her pleading and crying. He was going to get the truth and he was going to get it tonight. His heart twisted painfully as he remembered Ted saying that he had denied that the child was his. How? Why? &nbsp;Parking the truck haphazardly he quickly got out. He couldn&rsquo;t wait to hear what Alice had to say.



Reluctantly she followed Burke inside acting as though nothing was wrong.



&ldquo;Too bad we didn&rsquo;t get to see the movie,&rdquo; she said petulantly.



Burke&rsquo;s eyes almost bugged out of his head. &ldquo;After everything that went on tonight, you&rsquo;re sorry about not seeing the movie?&rdquo; he asked in disgust. Burke stared sightlessly at the stone fireplace wondering where to start. What a mess and it was his mess. He should have never allowed her back into his life. 



He turned toward Alice, pinning her into her chair with his angry glare. &ldquo;How about we talk about this baby I didn&rsquo;t know about, but apparently denied?&rdquo; he demanded, almost growling.



Alice licked her lips nervously. &ldquo;I was just trying to protect you, Darling. I don&rsquo;t believe that the baby is yours. Annie is a whore; you need to face up to it,&rdquo; she said flippantly. 



Burke took a step toward Alice his fists clenched tightly at his sides. &ldquo;How dare you call Annie a whore? How dare you! She was a virgin when I married her for God&rsquo;s sake.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&ldquo;How was I supposed to know that? After all, she takes off, goes to New York and comes back pregnant? I was watching your back.&rdquo; 



Burke&rsquo;s eyes narrowed. &ldquo;How did you know where she went?&rdquo;



Alice grew even more nervous. &ldquo;I just know.&rdquo;



&ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to find out all of your lies sooner or later so you might as well spill them.&rdquo;



Alice was actually frightened of Burke. He looked crazed, and furious. She knew that the jig was up but her mind was frantically searching for new lies to use to get out of the old ones. She wanted her payday. Damn it she deserved her payday! After all, she&rsquo;d spent way too much time in this hillbilly town. Alice was growing even more frightened. She wasn&rsquo;t going to be able to get out of this one



Alice took a deep breath realizing that she might as well confess, after all her plan and execution of it was far superior to anything she had done before. She was proud of herself. &ldquo;She kept calling and leaving messages for you and I erased them. Then she came out here to announce her pregnancy and I told her that you already knew and that you thought that she was a whore and the baby wasn&rsquo;t yours,&rdquo; she explained as if she had done him a huge favor...



&ldquo;Why?&rdquo; he shouted. &ldquo;Why would you do something like that?&rdquo;



Alice pursed her lips together and tried to look so sorry. &ldquo;Because I love you Burke, I didn&rsquo;t want her to come between us.&rdquo; She tried pouting, she tried batting her eyelashes, and she tried cocking her head to the side and looking contrite. To her chagrin nothing was working.



&ldquo;Get this through your thick head. There is no US! Do you understand me?&rdquo; he roared, boring his hate-filled eyes into her eyes.



Alice got up and ran up the stairs pretending to be weeping hysterically. She just needed to get away and regroup. Her plan was coming apart at the seams and she needed a new plan. She was not going to be a graceful loser. In fact, she still believed that she was going to get a hold of Annie&rsquo;s money. She just needed to figure out how she could accomplish it. There just had to be a way. Maybe she could blackmail Sonny. He would pay her to keep her mouth closed. Feeling better, Alice went to bed.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Burke ran his trembling fingers though his brown hair. He felt like such a fool. How could he have been so stupid, so blind? He was continuing to berate himself when the phone rang. Burke hesitated, not wanting to talk to anyone, but it could be about Annie.



&ldquo;Hello?&rdquo; he asked as he answered the phone.



&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad you answered. It&rsquo;s Sonny.&rdquo;



&ldquo;What the hell do you want?&rdquo; He demanded. &ldquo;Annie wants nothing to do with you. How dare you call here!&rdquo;



&nbsp;



&ldquo;I have some interesting info about the bleached blonde living with you. I think you should know that she set you up. She&rsquo;s the reason Annie left. It&rsquo;s a long story but let&rsquo;s just say that we were after Annie&rsquo;s inheritance and I paid Alice to go down to Texas and break up your marriage.&rdquo;



Burke was enraged. &ldquo;Well you got your wish. Why are you even telling me?&rdquo; He demanded.



Sonny laughed bitterly. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m telling you because she betrayed me. She plans to marry you and get half of your portion of the marriage settlement.&rdquo;



Burke was floored; he had no idea what Alice had been up to. &ldquo;Well she has a long wait, Annie and I had a prenup. I don&rsquo;t get any of her money and I wouldn&rsquo;t take it even if I was entitled to it,&rdquo; Burke said in disgust. He was feeling nauseous talking to this slimy bastard. Many things were beginning to make sense though.



&ldquo;Well than Alice&rsquo;s plan is thwarted. That&rsquo;s all I wanted. No one double crosses me.&rdquo; Sonny said.



Burke slammed down the phone without replying. God, he wanted to get drunk. He also wanted to drag Alice out of her room and make her confess everything. According to Sonny, Alice was the reason Annie left him. How could he have been so clueless? Most of all he wanted to drive over to Annie&rsquo;s and make things right between them. 



The way she had acted toward him in town didn&rsquo;t give him much hope but he had to do something, she was carrying his baby. All of a sudden, it hit him. He was going to be a father. A wide grin crossed his face. A family was what he had prayed for. Suddenly he realized that it wasn&rsquo;t just the baby he wanted but he needed Annie too. It looked like he had some hardcore courting to do. He needed to win Annie back. 



&nbsp;



The first thing he did was get the whole story out of Alice. How he wished he could have slapped the smug look off her face as she explained the deal she had with Sonny. She told him that she was originally supposed to make sure that he and Annie never got married. Since she was too late for that Sonny wanted the marriage broken up. He had a misguided idea that he could take control of Annie&rsquo;s inheritance if she was divorced. Alice confessed that she had already found out about the prenup and made a little plan of her own.



&ldquo;I wanted to make her jealous. So I sunbathed constantly showing her my unscarred back. I wanted her to feel lacking as a woman,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t hard with that little wren you married. Burke you used to have such good taste.&rdquo;



&ldquo;So that&rsquo;s how you knew about her scarred back,&rdquo; Burke murmured. He had wondered about it at the time. With each sentence, Burke became more and more disgusted, but he wanted the whole story so he feigned a calmness he didn&rsquo;t feel.



&ldquo;A special delivery came for her from her lawyer and I opened it and hid it. That part had been Sonny&rsquo;s idea. He hoped that she wouldn&rsquo;t find out about the inheritance at all. But I realized that if I could convince her that you married her for her money, it would make her doubt you.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Well it obviously worked,&rdquo; Burke, replied bitterly.



Alice smiled. &ldquo;Oh no, even then she wasn&rsquo;t convinced that you were a cad. I had to come up with an even better plan. It was such fun planning the next part. It wasn&rsquo;t until she found us in bed together-.&rdquo;



Burke shot out of his chair. He couldn&rsquo;t contain his building anger anymore. &ldquo;We were never in bed together,&rdquo; he ground out. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t cheat on my wife.&rdquo;



Alice looked as though he slapped her but she went on, taunting him. &ldquo;I made sure that you couldn&rsquo;t sleep together, so she had a little fall. It was quite easily accomplished with a few nails and a bit of fishing line. It was brilliant actually.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Damn you!&rdquo; Burke shouted, as he remembered the pain Annie had been in when he had found her at the bottom of the stairs. &ldquo;You could have killed her!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&ldquo;That would have made everything easier. Since she didn&rsquo;t die, I drugged you and I made sure she saw me going into your room. She didn&rsquo;t come up the first night-.&rdquo;



&ldquo;There was more than one night?&rdquo; he asked incredulously.



&ldquo;Oh honey, it wasn&rsquo;t until the second night that we were together. I heard her pathetically limping up the stairs with her giant cast and I went into action.&rdquo; Alice smiled brightly at Burke. &ldquo;I made you so hard that I was able to climb aboard and ride you. It felt so good to have you inside me. It was like old times. Annie walked in as we were going at it. You should have seen her face it was priceless. She looked shocked, stricken and sick all at the same time. I relive that particular moment repeatedly and I have to admit it was one of my finest moments,&rdquo; she bragged.



&ldquo;And Cat?&rdquo; he asked.



&ldquo;Dead of course. I couldn&rsquo;t have cat hair on my clothes.&rdquo;



Burke groaned in disgust. Alice was sick in the head. It was going to take a lot of persuasion to get Annie back. No wonder she shot daggers at him. Placing his Stetson on his head, he went to the back door. He pulled open the screen door and turned around. &ldquo;Be gone from here by the time I come home, or God help you,&rdquo; He warned letting the door slam louder than usual and got on his horse. He needed to think this all through. He still was in complete shock. If only he hadn&rsquo;t let Alice stay, he lamented. 



Annie would never forgive him. Why should she? From what Alice had said, Annie has been to hell and back. He didn&rsquo;t know how to start to apologize to her. How could he possibly make things right between them? Maybe he should just wait until the baby was born. He had equal rights to the child, their child. Burke cursed as he looked to the heavens. He felt his face grow wet and realized that the wetness was from his own tears. He quickly wiped them away. A coward would wait and he wasn&rsquo;t a coward.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 57 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/57/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[&nbsp;








 


The next day Annie received roses. She didn&rsquo;t want to open them; she already knew who sent them. Sitting there gazing at the box curiosity finally got the better of her. She struggled to get out of her chair and she waddled her way to the kitchen table. She laid her hands on the box, feeling the silky smooth texture of the shiny box. There was a big red bow on it and it reminded Annie of better times. It reminded her of when Burke had proposed to her by long distance. A secret smile stole across her face as she remembered how happy and anxious she had been. The baby kicked and she laughed. Suddenly she decided to open the box. As she lifted the top off, the scent of roses hit her. It was her favorite scent. The long stemmed red roses were perfect. She stroked the satiny petals as she admired their flawlessness. 



She saw the card but was reluctant to ruin the moment by reading it. Finally, she couldn&rsquo;t wait any more she had to know what it said. It simply read; I was a fool, forgive me?&nbsp; Annie smiled sadly. Tucking the card back into the box she walked away, needing some fresh air. Yes, he was a fool, she thought, but she felt as though she was the bigger fool.



She abruptly stopped herself from thinking about negative thoughts. She just didn&rsquo;t have the energy to think about the past. She couldn&rsquo;t change it so she just wouldn&rsquo;t think about it. Annie laughed at herself. It was so much easier said than done but she was determined to try.&nbsp;&nbsp; 



She walked slowly and cautiously to her garden, feeling warmed and comforted by the Texas sun. It gave her pleasure to see that the acorn squash, the butternut squash and her pumpkins were finally taking shape. She wasn&rsquo;t able to do most of the gardening herself anymore. The last time she tried, she had the hardest time getting back up from the ground. Now she decided to forgo it. One of the men Clint had hired was blessed with a green thumb, so Annie knew that her garden was in capable hands.



She made her way to the corral to see the mares. They were beauties all right. Clint had a keen eye for horses and Jimmy McKeegan seemed a natural with them. &nbsp;Clint and Rheenie had finally moved into their new house. Annie had found a young girl to help him with Rheenie and to do some housekeeping. Noreen had mentioned to Annie that a girl in town needed her help. Apparently, her father had battered her and now he&rsquo;d thrown her out into the street. The poor thing had nowhere to go, so naturally Noreen figured that Annie would take her in. 



Her name was Ryelee and she was all of 20 years of age. She was all legs and limbs, a bit like a new filly. Her penny bright hair was curly and it seemed unmanageable but it fit her, just as her freckles did. She was a bit awkward but she took to Rheenie right away and Rheenie was her constant shadow. Annie had a long talk with Clint about Ryelee and the living arrangements. He promised Annie that he wasn&rsquo;t in the market wasn&rsquo;t even looking and he would be the perfect gentleman.



Annie knew all that before she approached him. It was good to know that her faith in him was well placed. She laughed as one of the mares named Sybil came right to her nickering, nudging Annie hoping for a sugar cube. Clint didn&rsquo;t really approve but Annie always brought her &ldquo;Girls&rdquo; something.&nbsp; She looked as far as her eyes could see, loving her land and was surprised to see a lone cowboy silhouetted against the horizon watching her. He was far away but Annie knew who it was. She would always be able to recognize her first love.



Annie greeted the other five mares giving them each a sugar cube. Every time she looked up, Burke was still there, watching. Annie was trying to decide whether it gave her the creeps or made her feel good when Clint walked up to stand next to her.



He had been working desperately all week trying to negotiate deal for a prize-winning stallion, to cover the mares. &ldquo;Someone outbid us on King&rsquo;s Crown,&rdquo; he said disappointedly.



&ldquo;You did your best. Clint. I don&rsquo;t doubt that. We&rsquo;ll just keep our eyes out for another stallion.&rdquo;



Clint gave her a weary smile. &ldquo;I really wanted that horse. You&rsquo;re right we&rsquo;ll look for another.&rdquo;



&ldquo;So who ended up with King&rsquo;s Crown?&rdquo; Annie inquired.



Clint shook his head. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. I tried to find out, but I didn&rsquo;t have any luck.&rdquo;



She looked into his deep brown eyes and smiled. &ldquo;How&rsquo;s Ryelee working out?&rdquo;



Clint smiled as he watched one mare after another nudging Annie. &ldquo;Giving them sugar again?&rdquo;



Annie laughed there was no sense denying it. She just simply nodded her head. She enjoyed Clint&rsquo;s company.



&ldquo;Ryelee and Rheenie are like two peas in a pod. She does a good job, but she won&rsquo;t even look at me. I think I make her nervous,&rdquo; he said 



&ldquo;Well she&rsquo;s been through a lot,&rdquo; Annie answered, stroking Sybil&rsquo;s nose.



&ldquo;I see you have a secret admirer,&rdquo; he stated nodding his head toward Burke.



Annie blushed. &ldquo;Not so secret. He sent me roses this morning.&rdquo;



&ldquo;And?&rdquo; Clint prodded.



&ldquo;And I don&rsquo;t know. I just finally made peace with myself. I&rsquo;m sleeping better; I&rsquo;ve stopped brooding over him. I just don&rsquo;t know if I can go there again. There was too much pain involved.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&ldquo;I can identify with the pain part but maybe you could give the guy a break. I&rsquo;ve met him and he seems like a nice guy.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Most guys are until they show their true colors,&rdquo; she commented bitterly.



&ldquo;Looks to me that he&rsquo;s making an effort to win you back.&rdquo;



Annie looked at Clint. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if it&rsquo;s me or the baby he wants. Part of me cares and part of me doesn&rsquo;t.&rdquo; She looked away from Clint&rsquo;s penetrating eyes; she didn&rsquo;t want anyone to look into her heart. She didn&rsquo;t even know what was there. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know how to deal with either choice.&rdquo;



Clint kissed her on the cheek. &ldquo;One day at a time, Annie, one day at a time.&rdquo;



Annie watched him walk away. She could tell that he was speaking from experience. She looked back to see Burke, but he was gone. A feeling of loneliness filled her as she walked back to the house.



The next day yielded another delivery of flowers from Burke. The note was the same; I was a fool, forgive me? Annie smelled each rose as she arranged them in a vase. Burke was making it very hard to ignore him. She was determined to stand firm. He had his life and she had hers. 



It was important that she to talk to him. They needed to make decisions about the baby and visitation. The whole thing depressed Annie. She never imagined that she&rsquo;d be single mother but here she was. Shaking her head, she tried to get rid of all of her negative thoughts, making a mental note to tell Mrs. Harvy to refuse any future deliveries of flowers from Burke. It made her feel things she didn&rsquo;t want to feel.



Grabbing a few apples, Annie walked outside to the mares. She loved to watch them frolic and play. Their antics always left her smiling. One by one, she feed them each an apple. Admonishing a few of them for being greedy, trying to take more than their share. It amazed her how each had a distinctive personality. Some were more dominate than others. Annie always made sure that each horse got her share. 



Looking out across her land she once again saw Burke on his horse, watching her. Part of her was annoyed and part of her was pleased. The pleased part scared her. She had promised herself that she wouldn&rsquo;t put herself in a position to get hurt again.



She had plenty of work to keep her busy. The busier the better as far as she was concerned. The nursery was her next project. Van had left paint chips and fabric swatches for her to look at. This was one time she wished that she knew the sex of the baby. She put aside the pinks and blues and tried to decide on the greens and yellows.



She had sent for a catalog of baby furniture and she absorbed herself in the many different styles, and colors. Who knew that there was so many to choose from? Did she want a round crib or a regular one? Maybe she wanted the one that converted into a toddler&rsquo;s bed. 



Annie smiled as she walked the room. Yellow, definitely yellow, she decided. It was a cheery color. She decided on green and yellow fabric with a butterfly and snapdragon pattern. Finally, she circled a maple crib in the catalog that converted into a toddler bed and the matching changing table and dresser.



Happily, she called Van and told him of her decisions. He promised to have the painters there the next day. The rest of the day was spent looking at pictures of strollers, high chairs and numerous other must-have baby items.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 58 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/58/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


The next day Annie overheard Mrs. Harvy refusing the flower delivery. Once again, she felt torn. It was a feeling she would have to get used to she realized. She wanted Burke to have as much access to their child as he wanted. That meant that she would be seeing a lot of him. She needed to find a way to put the picture of Alice and Burke in bed out of her mind. There were many things that had hurt her, but seeing them together was the worst. The anger and betrayal ate at her. 



The painters did a wonderful job. Their expert work pleased Annie. She had to sit outside most of the day, trying to avoid the paint fumes. She saw Burke watching her again. This time he watched her for a very long time. Finally, he tipped his hat in her direction and rode away.



She wondered if he knew that she had his flowers sent back. Did it make him mad? She hoped that he got the message, and would stop sending them. 



&nbsp; 




Annie felt that he must have gotten the message since she didn&rsquo;t receive a delivery the following day. A small feeling of disappointment managed to make its way into her consciousness. She&rsquo;d gotten what she wanted, but it was cold comfort. 



She was just finishing her lunch when she heard a truck drive up. Annie pushed herself out of the chair to find out who was on her property.



Mrs. Harvy came running in, smiling with excitement. &ldquo;Your crib is here and it&rsquo;s already assembled. Oh, it&rsquo;s a beauty, Annie.&rdquo; She took Annie&rsquo;s hand and led her toward the nursery. &ldquo;You need to tell them where you want it.&rdquo;



Annie was dumbfounded. She hadn&rsquo;t ordered the crib. She hadn&rsquo;t mentioned it to Van either. Walking into the yellow nursery, she was amazed. She couldn&rsquo;t take her eyes off the maple crib as she directed the movers. Finally she ran her hands over the smooth wood, smiling. It made the baby seem more reality and less abstract. 



She wondered who sent it but she had a feeling she knew who it was. A surge of joy leapt into her heart as she realized that Burke cared about the baby. How he knew the exact crib she had wanted was no great mystery. She highly suspected that Mrs. Harvy has something to do with it. Mrs. Harvy was trying hard to look innocent and Annie didn&rsquo;t have the heart to take her to task.



This time Annie sat on the porch in anticipation of seeing her handsome cowboy ride up. She was not disappointed. She stared across the distance, this time with a warm feeling. It was silly really, to reconsider just because he bought a crib, but she couldn&rsquo;t help it. A lot of the bitterness slipped away. Her resolve to keep him at a distance was starting to whey. She tried to draw on her anger and her past suffering to fortify her, but it was useless. He tipped his hat to her and she hoped that he could see her smiling back.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Burke was working hard on his campaign to win Annie back. It was hard considering that she didn&rsquo;t want to talk to him. Obviously, the roses weren&rsquo;t welcome. His last flowers were sent back. Thank God for Mrs. Harvy. She was one in a million. Her help these last few days had been invaluable. She was a treasure and her suggestion of the crib seemed to go over well. At least Annie hadn&rsquo;t sent it back. 



He knew that she probably thought of him as a lunatic for watching her. He couldn&rsquo;t help it. He had a driving need to know that she was well. The sight of her brightened his days and made him even more determined to resolve their problems. He wanted them to be a family. He ached for it night and day. &nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



The next day Annie was delighted with a delivery of a rocking chair. Surprise, it was the very one she wanted. Annie laughed as she thought of Mrs.Harvy walking around with a secret smile on her face. Little did she know that her secret was not so secret. Annie played along wondering aloud how Burke knew that she wanted that rocking chair.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The whole charade warmed her heart. She knew that the rocking chair was supposed to let her know that he cared about her too. She was melting toward him, but she still wasn&rsquo;t ready to let him back into her life. She had to protect her heart since she didn&rsquo;t think she could live through the pain again. 



She did need to talk to him. This baby was coming sooner than later and they had a lot to settle between them. She had heard that Alice had left, but she wasn&rsquo;t going to believe it until she saw it. She deserved a faithful husband and she knew that sadly, Burke wasn&rsquo;t one. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



&nbsp;She needed a nap. She had Lamaze class later in the afternoon and she wanted to be well rested. Sherry had agreed to be her labor coach. They had been to a few classes already and this class was the one everyone dreaded. It was the birthing film class. Annie wasn&rsquo;t looking forward to it but ignorance would not be bliss in this case.



Annie was waiting for Sherry to pick her up for their class when the phone rang. It was Sherry. She was having car problems and asked if Annie could get her own ride, since Sherry was just around the corner from the clinic. Annie agreed and asked Jimmy to take her into town. He dropped her off and told her to call when she needed to come home.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 59 : Texas Haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/59/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Annie walked into the class and was surprised that Sherry wasn&rsquo;t there already. The room was decorated with pictures of fetuses at different stages of development. Annie smiled at the other couples. She had been paranoid the first day since she was there with another woman instead of a husband but upon seeing the group, she quickly felt at ease. There was every combination. There was a mother and daughter team, boyfriend and girlfriend teams, husband and wife teams and there was even a threesome of two men with their surrogate. She and Sherry had fit right in.



Annie looked at her watch, Sherry was really running late and the movie was about to begin. She was already on her mat with her pillow, having done her breathing exercises- alone. She didn&rsquo;t want to watch the miracle of birth alone. Miracle of pain, probably, she murmured to herself.



The lights dimmed and the movie started. It started with a woman walking up and down the halls in a hospital waiting to dilate. Soon enough she was having contractions. Horribly painful ones as far as Annie could tell. Annie shuddered. Where was Sherry? She didn&rsquo;t want to watch any more of this movie. Frankly, it scared her.



She was so absorbed in the horror of pain she had hardly noticed when someone sat behind her, until she felt herself pulled back against a hard chest. Annie stiffened as she realized whose legs she sitting between. She didn&rsquo;t need to turn around, she knew Burke&rsquo;s scent. She had spent so much time making memories of him that she could never forget the scent of him, so masculine, all outdoors and sunshine. She began to tremble as he stroked up and down her arms. She wanted to pull away; run away from Burke. She didn&rsquo;t want him here and she couldn&rsquo;t stop trembling. Finally, he put both hands on her belly. 



Tears filled her eyes. Her emotions were all over the place. It felt good to have his hands on her especially since the baby was moving. There were times, so many times, she had wanted to experience this moment with him. She sighed and leaned back against him. When she looked back up to the screen, the woman was screaming in pain. Annie turned and pressed her face into Burke&rsquo;s arm. She could feel him stroking her hair and she calmed. 



Finally, it was over and the lights went on. She looked into Burke&rsquo;s sky blue eyes and saw tenderness, regret and pain in them. She gave him a shy smile and put her hands over his. They were both holding the baby, she realized happily.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Class was over and Burke helped Annie get up. It was a bit awkward but it had been worth every minute he had been with her. He glowed, having felt his baby move for the first time. It had felt so good, so right to have Annie in his arms.



&ldquo;Did you get my presents?&rdquo; he inquired.



&ldquo;Y yes I uh I did,&rdquo; she stammered. &ldquo;Did you like them?&rdquo; he asked, trying to make conversation.



Annie nodded her head, still refusing to look at him. &ldquo;Thank you.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Annie could we go somewhere and maybe have coffee and talk?&rdquo; he asked softly.



Annie so wanted to say no, but deep down she knew that he deserved a chance. They needed to be civil to each other since they would be parents. &ldquo;Not the diner. I don&rsquo;t want anyone staring at me,&rdquo; she said.



&ldquo;Not a problem, we could go to my place,&rdquo; he offered.



&ldquo;Www what about Alice?&rdquo;She sputtered.



Burke wished that she would at least look at him, but he knew that he had to take things slowly or she&rsquo;d shy away from him. &ldquo;I kicked her out after that night at the movies. I don&rsquo;t tolerate liars.&rdquo;



&ldquo;I just wish that I&rsquo;d never met her.&rdquo;



Burke shifted on his feet. He wasn&rsquo;t sure what to say. &ldquo;I have the same wish.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



She wished that she could be unaffected by his presence, but she wasn&rsquo;t. Her heart yearned to be one with him again. She didn&rsquo;t trust herself to look at him. She couldn&rsquo;t go through it all again, the broken heart, the betrayal, the humiliation. No, she had finally gotten back her self-esteem and she couldn&rsquo;t allow anyone to bring her down, ever again.



Annie finally looked at him. He looked so sincere and she felt like she was caving in. Her resolve to remain strictly co-parents was slowly trickling away. She remembered seeing him in bed with that slut of an ex-wife of his. It was a memory that she couldn&rsquo;t seem to shake. The look of pleading in his eyes was her undoing. She owed it to her baby to talk to its&rsquo; father.



&ldquo;Ok, let&rsquo;s go to your place and talk,&rdquo; she said a bit reluctantly.&nbsp; &ldquo;You have to promise me that if I want to leave, that you take me home immediately, no questions asked.&rdquo;



&ldquo;I can promise you that. I just want to talk, but if gets too much for you or the baby just say the word and I&rsquo;ll get you home as fast as I can,&rdquo; Burke replied seriously.



Annie didn&rsquo;t want to feel Burke&rsquo;s hands on her, but she needed help getting into his truck. The feel of his hands disturbed her almost beyond bearing. Her body automatically responded to him. Her larger breasts were actually aching for him. The ride to Burke&rsquo;s ranch was silent. Annie kept thinking about how he&rsquo;d have to help her out of the truck. She tried blaming it on hormones but deep down she knew that she desired this man. That made him dangerous and she would have to be on guard. She needed to be able to think and speak clearly. They had a lot to work through especially for the sake of their baby.



The house was just the same. It was bittersweet to be here now. Some of its magic seemed to be gone. The building was the same but Annie had changed. She wasn&rsquo;t the naive girl that she had been. She wasn&rsquo;t fanciful anymore. She had stopped thinking that a house could welcome you or that flowers could envelop you in joy &nbsp;So much had happened in this house and Annie wasn&rsquo;t crazy about spending time inside it.



She was so busy with her musings that she shrieked when Burke lifted up into his arms and carried her to the front porch. She held on with her arms wrapped around his neck. His strength always amazed her. &ldquo;Put me down!&rdquo; she screeched as she laughed. &ldquo;I must weigh a ton.&rdquo;



Burke held her a bit tighter before letting her go. &ldquo;Really, Burke put me down. I don&rsquo;t want to go into the house. Let&rsquo;s just sit here and talk.&rdquo;



Burke set her down gently onto the porch swing. &ldquo;Sure if that&rsquo;s what you want,&rdquo; he agreed. &ldquo;Let me get you a sweatshirt to put on it&rsquo;s getting a bit chilly.&rdquo;



Annie swung slowly back and forth on the swing. She didn&rsquo;t know why but the stars seemed brighter here, than at her place. There was a full moon dominating the night sky. It made Texas seem so big. There was a slight Texas breeze kicking up and Annie felt goose bumps on her arms. She was glad when Burke returned with his sweatshirt. Annie put it on, and felt instant comfort, it smelled like Burke.



The swing jostled as Burke sat down beside her. He didn&rsquo;t know where to start. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he should say, but deep down he felt as though if he didn&rsquo;t get it right this time, he&rsquo;d blow everything for good. If had his way he&rsquo;d sit right there on the porch swing with Annie on his lap snuggling. He did find a bit of comfort that she hadn&rsquo;t refused to talk to him. He admired her. He could sense an inner strength that he hadn&rsquo;t noticed before. &nbsp;



He took a fortifying breath and dove right in. His head turned toward Annie, looking at her profile. He could see her stiffness and he understood. He wanted to take her hand but somehow sensed that he shouldn&rsquo;t.&nbsp; &ldquo;I meant what I said in the card, I was a fool, I am a fool, and I&rsquo;m sorry.&rdquo; Annie still wouldn&rsquo;t look at him. &ldquo;The things I finally found out from Alice are diabolical. She planned on doing us both harm, and like a fool I never saw it coming. We&rsquo;d still be together if I&rsquo;d never let her into our lives. She manipulated me at every turn. She deceived me at every turn.&rdquo; Burke put his face in his hands. How was he going to explain everything and make it sound believable? Hell he didn&rsquo;t even believe it and he lived through it. Burke sat up straight and looked at Annie. &ldquo;Sonny and Alice were in cahoots to sabotage our marriage from the get go.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Annie gave him a quick look. She wasn&rsquo;t sure if she should be surprised or not. She felt sicker and sicker as the story unfolded. He told her about the deal Sonny and Alice had to steal her inheritance and how Alice double-crossed Sonny. She was surprised that Sonny had called Burke, but he was always a sore loser. She gasped when she heard that Alice had been responsible for her fall and she cried when she heard that Alice had drugged Burke in order to stage their sexual tryst. 



Finally, Burke explained how he didn&rsquo;t know about the baby. He had never received any of her messages. He had yelled at her on the phone because Alice told him that Annie was harassing and threatening her. He told her how bitter and upset he was that she had left without saying goodbye and he apologized for all the harsh things he had said to her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****









 ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 60 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/60/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:00:35 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[
Tears ran down her face  as she listened to Burke&rsquo;s bitter story. She knew that everything he had  to say rang true. All the tears, the pain, the jealousy, and heartbreak  were due to greed. It disgusted her. She was aghast that Alice and  Sonny could be so devious, so callous. She felt Burke&rsquo;s arms going  around her and she buried her face against his chest, trying to burrow  closer wanting to feel safe.



&ldquo;I&rsquo;m so sorry that I blew  up at you for paying off my ranch. Noreen made me see the light on that  one.&rdquo;



Annie was  surprised.&rdquo;Really, how did she do that?&rdquo;



&ldquo;First off she hit me,  slapped me right across the face after I yelled at you. She told me just  how generous you had been not only to her, but to the rest of the  community.&rdquo; Burke sighed heavily. His heart felt heavy as he remembered  how badly he had treated Annie.



Annie pulled away from  him. &ldquo;I saw you in bed with her. If you were drugged then how did you-  well you know?&rdquo;She asked, and then held her breath waiting for the  answer. She closed her eyes, not wanting the answer. She knew what she  had seen.



&ldquo;After she made you fall,  she took advantage of the fact that we couldn&rsquo;t sleep together,&rdquo; he  explained. &ldquo;She drugged me twice. She told me the first night she just  sat in the room. She said that the second night she could hear you  coming up the stairs.&rdquo; Burke turned red as he continued. &ldquo;I guess she  worked fast and hard to get me well, you know, able. I swear to you that  I didn&rsquo;t even know she was in there. I was out like a light. If it&rsquo;s  any consolation, she said that I deflated pretty fast.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie  weighed everything he said. She could finally see that what he was  saying was the truth. &ldquo;I thought that you had broken my heart that  night, but it was actually Alice&rsquo;s fault.&rdquo; She put her head on his wide  shoulder. &ldquo;She caused us so much pain, Burke. There were times that I&rsquo;d  thought I&rsquo;d die from my broken heart.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Me too darlin, me too.  It ripped my heart out when you left me. I didn&rsquo;t know why you left and  it killed me. It made me crazy wondering what I had done to make you  leave. It made me insane not knowing where you were. I missed you every  second you were gone,&rdquo; He confessed.



Burke ran his hands up  and down her back trying to comfort her. She began to be wind down a bit  when she could feel the baby moving between them. It felt like the baby  was doing some sort of acrobatics. Burke pulled away in awe and their  eyes locked in a deep searching gaze. They mirrored each other&rsquo;s pain,  regret, and love.



Burke got up from the  swing and took Annie&rsquo;s hand. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s something I want to show you,&rdquo; he  said as he helped her up.



Annie nodded. She wanted  to see what he wanted to show her. She felt a bit shaky and unbalanced,  more emotionally so. Still holding his hand, she followed as he led her  down the porch stairs. Now her curiosity was kicking in. She shot Burke a  questioning look, but he only smiled at her.



He led her to the paddock  and told her to stay right there. Annie was amazed as Burke led out of  the barn the most magnificent stallion she had ever seen. He was pure  black and he was a beauty. Her eyes widened as she realized which horse  this was. &ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t King&rsquo;s Crown is it?&rdquo; her voice reflecting the  excitement she felt.



Burke laughed. &ldquo;The one  and only.&rdquo;



&ldquo;But how did you do it? I  tried to buy him but I wasn&rsquo;t fast enough with my offer,&rdquo; Annie asked  amazed that King&rsquo;s Crown was actually standing before her.



&ldquo;The owner and I go way  back. I had to mortgage the ranch to buy him but I figured that he was  what I needed to help my wife fulfill her dreams and what I needed to be  a part of her dream and a part of her future. You see, I love my wife  to distraction and I want to give her happiness.&rdquo; Burke looked at Annie  with his heart in his eyes. He waited for her reaction barely breathing.



Annie stood there  shocked. Joy filled her heart as she realized what he was saying. He had  mortgaged the thing that meant the most to him, his land. She looked  into his blue eyes with adoration. She fell in love with him all over  again if that was possible. He was a man she could trust. He was a man  that had integrity and lived by honesty. She hadn&rsquo;t been wrong about him  at all.



&ldquo;Oh and one more thing,  we&rsquo;re still married, Mrs. Dawson.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Alice?&rdquo; She asked. 



&ldquo;She made fake papers for  me to see. I feel so brainless. I mean I knew her best. I knew just how  cruel she could be. This whole fiasco is my fault,&rdquo; he admitted.



&ldquo;She had me fooled too  Burke but she didn&rsquo;t win. I love you Burke- I have for so long.&rdquo;



Burke&rsquo;s grin was enormous  as he opened his arms to Annie.



Annie gave a slight cry  of happiness when she threw herself into his powerful arms. She covered  his face with kisses and the laid her head over his heart. She could  feel it beating strong and fast, all for her. She had finally found a  place where she belonged.



&nbsp;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 61 : Texas haven- new ending</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/61/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:27:08 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&ldquo;Now what Mr. Dawson? Do we still live in separate houses?&rdquo;



&ldquo;Well Mrs. Dawson my home is wherever you are.&rdquo;



Annie snuggled closer to him. &ldquo;Right answer.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Darlin&rsquo; I want us to have the best ranch we can make for this little one here,&rdquo; he said as he placed his large hand on her stomach. 



Annie stepped back and looked at him. He looked so sincere. So much had happened this evening she was becoming emotionally drained. &ldquo;Can we talk about this tomorrow?&rdquo;



Burke frowned at her. &ldquo;What&rsquo;s there to talk about?&rdquo;



&ldquo;I&rsquo;m so tired, I can&rsquo;t even think right now. However, I do want to invite you to spend the night at my place. I&rsquo;d like to have you hold me and the baby while we sleep and I want you there when we wake up,&rdquo; she explained smiling at him.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Burke didn&rsquo;t even need to think it over. He immediately lifted Annie into his arms and headed for the truck. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been waiting for an invite to your place for a very very long lonely time.&rdquo;



He gently put her in the passenger seat and reached over for the seat belt. He secured her and kissed her cheek. &ldquo;You do look weary,&rdquo; he observed as he looked at the blue circles under her eyes. They hadn&rsquo;t been there earlier. The pregnancy must tire her out. He&rsquo;d have to talk to Mrs. Harvy about it. He wanted to make sure that Annie got all the rest and pampering she needed. 



He felt buoyant driving to her house. He&rsquo;d been waiting to get her into his arms for a long time. God knows he tried to resist her. He tried not to love her, but in the end, his heart won out. He was lucky to be getting a second chance.



Mrs. Harvy looked so pleased when Annie and Burke walked into the house. She didn&rsquo;t ask any questions she just made herself scarce. 



Burke looked around and whistled. &ldquo;Nice digs.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Digs?&rdquo;



&ldquo;Yeah you know, nice place. They don&rsquo;t say digs in New York?&rdquo;



&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve certainly never heard of it before but thanks, I think,&rdquo; she said taking his hand.



Annie led him into her bedroom. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m nervous Burke.&rdquo;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 62 : texas haven</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/62/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:08:44 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


turned and framed her face with his hands. &ldquo;My sweet we are only going to sleep. I&rsquo;m your husband you have no need to be nervous.&rdquo;



&ldquo;I, I well I feel so fat!&rdquo; she wailed.



Burke smiled into her eyes. &ldquo;You are beyond beautiful. Don&rsquo;t forget that&rsquo;s my baby inside you, it&rsquo;s not fat.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Ok but I&rsquo;m going to put on my night gown in the bathroom.&rdquo;



He smiled as he saw her grab a granny nightgown. He looked around the bedroom and noticed the rose d&eacute;cor. &ldquo;A lot of flowers in this room,&rdquo; he said through the door.



&ldquo;Is it too much?&rdquo;



Hearing the pensiveness in her voice was endearing. &ldquo;No honey, you look great surrounded by roses.&rdquo;



The door jerked open. &ldquo;You charmer,&rdquo; she said laughingly.



&ldquo;Get into bed woman,&rdquo; he ordered.



&ldquo;Gladly.&rdquo;



They got into bed and Burke drew her into the safety of his arms. She felt so good, so soft, so... so Annie, his Annie. He kissed the top of her head as she snuggled against his shoulder. He could feel he tears fall on his skin. His heart twisted. &ldquo;Please don&rsquo;t cry Annie. I&rsquo;m sorrier than you could ever know,&rdquo; he said softly.



&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just so happy that you are here. I&rsquo;ve lain here night after night longing for you, missing you, furious at you. I just can&rsquo;t believe we are in my bed together.&rdquo;



Burke felt his own eyes mist. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad to be here. I&rsquo;ve had plenty of sleepless nights thinking about you too.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Lay on you back,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I want to feel the baby.&rdquo;



Annie turned onto her back, grabbed Burke&rsquo;s hand, and guided it to where the baby was kicking. &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;ll be a soccer star with all the kicking,&rdquo; she said as she laughed.



&ldquo;Or maybe she&rsquo;s a ballerina,&rdquo; Burke suggested.



&ldquo;Does it matter to you whether it&rsquo;s a boy or girl?&rdquo;



&ldquo;Are you kidding? I&rsquo;m just glad I get to be part of our child&rsquo;s life. Boy or girl it&rsquo;s a baby created from our love.&rdquo;



Tears rolled down her face again. &ldquo;You are the weepiest woman in all of Texas,&rdquo; he teased.



&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t help it,&rdquo; she wailed turning on her side to seek comfort in his brawny arms once again.



&ldquo;Its ok love, I don&rsquo;t mind,&rdquo; he said softly as he stroked her back. Finally, he felt her relax and fall asleep. He knew that he was one luck man to be here at all. He wanted to make plans for their future but he knew that he still had some wooing to do. He didn&rsquo;t expect her to forget her hurt instantly. 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 63 : Texas haven- new ending</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/63/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Apr 2010 10:59:46 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



Annie woke to the bright sunshine a bit disappointed that Burke wasn&rsquo;t still with her, but she knew he&rsquo;d probably been up for hours already, working the ranch. Being a ranch owner herself, she fully realized how much work was involved. 



Smiling she caressed her stomach. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to ok little one. Your Daddy is back.&rdquo;



&ldquo;He sure is!&rdquo; 



&ldquo;Burke what are you doing here? I thought you&rsquo;d be off roping a cow or two.&rdquo;



Burke chuckled. &ldquo;Actually I was then I had King&rsquo;s Crown brought over to your stables.&rdquo;



&ldquo;Let me get dressed I want to see him,&rdquo; she said eagerly as she got out of bed.



&ldquo;Whoa there little darlin&rsquo; breakfast before horse.&rdquo;



Annie frowned at him but she knew he was right. She needed to take care of herself for the baby&rsquo;s sake. &ldquo;OK.&rdquo;



She wanted to laugh at the surprised look on Burke&rsquo;s face. 



&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be right out.&rdquo;



It didn&rsquo;t surprise her that Burke was waiting in her room for her. &ldquo;OK let&rsquo;s go eat,&rdquo; she said cheerfully. She couldn&rsquo;t remember ever feeling so happy.



&ldquo;Good Morning,&rdquo; she said to Mrs. Harvy as she sat down at the kitchen table. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mrs. Harvy looked from her to Burke with a secret smile. &ldquo;Nice to you the two of you in the same room,&rdquo; she said as she poured coffee for Burke and Decaf tea for Annie. &ldquo;Will we be having a permanent houseguest?&rdquo; she asked hopefully.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie could feel Burke&rsquo;s sizzling gaze on her. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to have her dreams come true. It scared her to death that she might get hurt. She didn&rsquo;t think she&rsquo;d survive a second time. If truth were told, it wasn&rsquo;t his fault. If Alice hadn&rsquo;t&hellip;.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t talked about it yet,&rdquo; Burke replied.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Oh posh what is there to talk about? Honestly, you two are as bad as two stallions in the same stall. The way I see it, you are partners in the ranch and partners as parents why not just hop into the hayloft and have at it.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie and Burke both burst out laughing at the same time. &ldquo;Hop into the hay loft?&rdquo; Annie choked out.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mrs. Harvy looked flustered. &ldquo;What&rsquo;s wrong with that? Might save your marriage. Lord knows you two don&rsquo;t know a thing about it. Now after you see that shiny new horse of yours I&rsquo;ll have a picnic waiting for you to take.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Yes Ma&rsquo;am,&rdquo; Burke replied as he took Annie by the hand and led her outside.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Wait you didn&rsquo;t eat! Here take these rolls,&rdquo; she insisted as she handed them to Burke.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Thanks.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Walking hand in hand felt so right to Annie. She felt as giddy as a child did. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t wait to see him in the daylight.&rdquo;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 64 : Texas haven- new ending</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/64/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Apr 2010 10:59:14 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&ldquo;Wait don&rsquo;t walk so fast, I don&rsquo;t want you to fall,&rdquo; Burke admonished.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;OH pooh let&rsquo;s just go.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Did Annie Dawson, just say pooh?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Yes I did and I&rsquo;ve learned more words if you&rsquo;d like to hear them.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke threw his head back as the deep laughter rumbled out of him. &ldquo;God I love you!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie gave him a sidelong glance and felt herself beaming. &ldquo;Good you better.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie was instantly distracted as she caught a glimpse of King&rsquo;s Crown. He was so beautiful. A beautiful black stallion, winner of many races and he was hers. This was her hope for the future of her horse farm. He was going to produce outstanding foals. She was absolutely entranced by him.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She watched as Clint talked to him, getting him used to his new home. Clint smiled and waved. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe he&rsquo;s here!&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie wished that she could climb up the rungs of the corral fence but she was too cumbersome. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going in,&rdquo; she said.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke swept her off her feet before she could take another step. &ldquo;Not with my child you are not!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You are not the boss of me!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;OH yeah?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Hell yeah!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Hey, hey let&rsquo;s keep it down, you&rsquo;re spooking King&rsquo;s Crown,&rdquo; Clint said in a soothing voice trying to calm the big stallion.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Callie turned her head so she was looking right into Burke&rsquo;s eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. She tried not to laugh as his eyes widened in surprise. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Minx,&rdquo; he whispered.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Bully,&rdquo; she whispered back.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Wait until I hop in the hay with you,&rdquo; he said with a big grin on his face.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;It might have to wait until the baby s born but Cowboy I can&rsquo;t wait to hop into the hay with you,&rdquo; she teased.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke kissed her holding her close. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Mmmm. You can put me down now.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke put her down and they walked the rest of the way to the corral. Clint walked King&rsquo;s Crown over for Annie to pet. &ldquo;I still can&rsquo;t believe that he&rsquo;s here. What do you think Clint?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;His offspring will be legendary, I can feel it,&rdquo; Clint said looking as excited as Annie.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Well I&rsquo;m going to put him out in the north pasture alone so he can mellow a bit. Have a good one!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You too,&rdquo; Annie answered. She reached out and touched Burke&rsquo;s chest. I can&rsquo;t believe you are here with me. It tore my heart to see you on your horse watching me. I felt so alone.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke put his hand over hers and moved them so that they were over his heart. &ldquo;How should we do this? If I had my way I&rsquo;d move in right away but, it&rsquo;s your call.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked into his blue eyes and saw all the love he had for her and it stunned her, it humbled her and it delighted her to her very soul.&nbsp; 
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 65 : Texas haven- new ending</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/65/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:41:18 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Burke held his breath waiting for her reply. Her eyes were shining with hope and he wanted to grab onto that hope. This was the rest of his life, right here, right now. He could feel his heart skip a beat as she hesitated. Beads of sweat began to form on his brow. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He was never so frightened in his whole life. What if she said no? He knew that she would never keep his child from him, but did she want him? Did she want to live with him and be his wife? He believed in second chances and he hoped she believed the same.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Time stood still for him as he waited for her answer. When she broke eye contact and looked away, he felt crushed. So, this was it. There was no way in hell that he was going to lose her. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m afraid too,&rdquo; he whispered. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie looked at him, studying him. Burke felt as though his heart was in his eyes but he wasn&rsquo;t sure what she was seeing. He could see her doubt. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Annie please give me a chance, give us a chance. We have something good together.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ****



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie couldn&rsquo;t think. Of course, she wanted to give him a chance but what if it didn&rsquo;t work? What if? She couldn&rsquo;t live like this anymore. It was torture. &ldquo;Hold me Burke. I&rsquo;m so afraid.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She was instantly cocooned in his embrace. She realized that with Burke she didn&rsquo;t need to be afraid. All she ever wanted was right here. &ldquo;I love you!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Your place or mine?&rdquo; Burke asked in relief.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I thought you liked my new diggs,&rdquo; she teased.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I do I can run my side of the ranch from here. A few fences would have to come down and maybe a road built but it&rsquo;s doable.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Think so?&rdquo; she asked eagerly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I know so. Now how about that picnic,&rdquo; he asked taking her hand and leading her back to their house.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll need a hat and probably a pillow because I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ll be comfortable on the ground,&rdquo; Annie started to say.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The kitchen door opened and there stood Mrs. Harvy her arms leaden with items. &ldquo;And sunblock, and a blanket.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;What would we do without you?&rdquo; Annie asked her dear friend.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;To tell you the truth I just don&rsquo;t know.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke laughed and took the items from Mrs. Harvy. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m moving in,&rdquo; he told her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Bout time,&rdquo; she replied as her eyes twinkled.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I think we should postpone the picnic,&rdquo; Annie said as her water broke. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s baby time.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She had to bite her lip as she saw the blood drain from Burke&rsquo;s face. Even Mrs. Harvy became flustered. &ldquo;Burke I have a bag packed in my closet can you get it? Mrs. Harvy call doctor and let him know I&rsquo;m on my way.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;People am I the only calm one here? Get moving I have a feeling things are going to happen fast.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke and Mrs. Harvy looked at each other and ran in two different directions. Keystone cop time, Callie thought as a sharp pain sliced through her. The baby wasn&rsquo;t due for another month but she had a peaceful serene feeling. She wasn&rsquo;t sure but it felt almost spiritual.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 66 : Texas haven- new ending</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/66/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:30:02 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Burke came charging out of the house, scooped Annie up into his strong arms, and put her into the car. He looked shook up. She wished she could tell him it was going to be all right but there was no way to know for sure.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Hang in there babe, I&rsquo;ll get you there,&rdquo; he said trying to reassure her.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; My hero she thought. Another sharp pain sliced through her middle. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to worry you but I need to get there-NOW!&rdquo; she cried out as yet another contraction happened.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; By the time, they arrived at the hospital Annie was working on her breathing exercises, pant pant breath. The Lamaze class mentioned thinking about a happy place. Right now, she wanted to grab her instructor around the neck and tell her that there is NO happy place!



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She was wheeled to her room and immediately the nurse helped her change into a hospital gown. She was told that the doctor would be right in. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This time she screamed as another sharp pain rolled through her. &ldquo;Burke! I need Burke!&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The on call doctor came in and told her that burke was getting a gown on for the delivery room. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re progressing rather quickly. I&rsquo;m Doctor Potter. Don&rsquo;t you worry about a thing, were going to wheel you in now.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It was a whirlwind of activity. She pushed once and the baby was born. Annie could see Burke looking worried. &ldquo;What is something wrong with the baby?&rdquo; she anxiously asked as she tried to sit up.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;We need to take care of you, lay back down.&rdquo; The Doctor explained.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tears were pouring out her eyes as she waited for an answer. It seemed to take forever but finally she heard the baby&rsquo;s cry. She cried out in relief. &ldquo;Burke?&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He came to her side in his yellow hospital gown, reached over, and kissed her. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s perfect, just perfect,&rdquo; he told her is voice full of awe.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The nurse put the baby in her arms. Annie&rsquo;s heart expanded right then and there. He was beautiful with a touch of red hair on his head. The love, the instant bound took her by surprise. Smiling at Burke her eyes misted. &ldquo;We are so blessed.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke put his finger in his son&rsquo;s hand and watched him grab hold of it. &ldquo;We are. We really are.&rdquo;
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 67 : Texas haven- new ending</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/67/</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:50:28 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


Now Annie knew that the calm serene feeling she had right before her son&rsquo;s birth must have been some sort of sign from God. She&rsquo;d never know such joy, such bliss. They had decided to name him Seth. They rode up to the house, which Burke had lovingly dubbed Dawson&rsquo;s Haven after he learned of all the strays that she had surrounded herself with.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mrs. Harvey was standing on the porch, waiting but she quickly ran toward the truck. Opening the passenger door, she gave Annie a quick going over and then laid her eyes on the baby. &ldquo;Oh he&rsquo;s beautiful!&rdquo; she said as she took a tissue out of her pocket to dry her tears.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie smiled at her friend. &ldquo;Yes he is. Let&rsquo;s get him into the house.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Of course,&rdquo; Mrs.Harvy agreed as she stepped out of the way so that Burke could help both Annie and the baby out of the truck.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie had been worried that there would be a lot of people at the house but only Sherry and Ted were there. They immediately admired the baby.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burke settled Annie on the couch and kissed her. He handed her the baby and stood back looking proud.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;You just wait a few months and you&rsquo;ll have yours,&rdquo; Annie told Sherry.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sherry&rsquo;s hands immediately went to her blossoming middle. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t wait. He is such a doll! I&rsquo;m so glad he&rsquo;s ok. When I heard that you went so early- well I&rsquo;m just grateful.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;So are we,&rdquo; Burke said.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I can see you&rsquo;re tired and this one needs to put her feet up. Congratulations to you both!&rdquo; Ted said as he pulled Sherry along.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be back soon so we can visit,&rdquo; Sherry said as she was led out the door.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Mmmm I have you two all to myself,&rdquo; Burke murmured as he sat on the edge of the couch.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;OK! Now let&rsquo;s figure out the schedule and well there is a lot to talk about. My there is the bathing schedule, the feeding schedule the stroller schedule. I know there must be more to plan.&rdquo; Mrs.Harvy said excitedly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie laughed. &ldquo;I think the way it works is that we plan around what Seth does. At least for the first month or so.&rdquo; 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seth began to cry and Annie felt the milk let down in her breasts. &ldquo;Sounds like someone is hungry.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll give you some privacy then,&rdquo; Mrs. Harvy said a bit reluctantly.



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Laughing as she opened her blouse Annie looked at Burke. &ldquo;I think that I&rsquo;m going to have more help than I need.&rdquo;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Perhaps,&rdquo; he said as he handed her their son. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It embarrassed her at first to have Burke watch, but he seemed so amazed by the whole process that her embarrassment quickly waned.
]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chapter 68 : Texas haven- new ending</title>
<link>http://www.textnovel.com/story/Texas Haven ~~ Semi Finalist 2010~~/2004/68/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 03 Apr 2010 18:42:48 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[






 


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Annie had never felt so content, so happy or so complete in her life. Later that night after they got Seth to sleep she wanted to take a short walk to see the horses. They walked together in the moonlight holding hands. 



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stopping at the corral, Burke took her into his loving arms. She had done it. She had won this hardheaded Cowboy&rsquo;s heart. He was her husband, her heart and her haven.



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Thank you so very much for your reading, comments and inspiration. I never would have had the confidence to keep writing if it hadn't been for each of you!!!



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