by Laney Powell
“You do?” His voice was warm.
“Oh, yes, I do. So hush up and follow me,” I said.
“Yes, ma’am,” Raif drawled, and the words made me shiver.
I got wet between my legs, wanting to feel him there once more. It was nearly all I’d thought about the past two days, and the fact that we hadn’t been able to see each other until tonight was driving me crazy. Moving quickly, we reached the small park in record time. There were no lights in the park, and as I walked us further in, the lights from the street faded, leaving plenty of shadows for us to hide ourselves in. I kept going, heading for a large tree on the edge of the park.
Once we reached it, I turned around and launched myself at Raif. He caught me, his arms going around my waist, and his lips crashing into mine. I could feel him through his jeans, hard and pressing against me. I wrapped my legs around him, grinding my pussy into his crotch, and he groaned into my mouth.
“You’re trying to kill me,” he said.
“I’ve been dying all week. No sense in suffering alone,” I whispered.
He walked me toward the tree, stopping as my back touched the trunk of the tree. We stood, our hands running through each other’s hair, and along each other’s body.
“I brought something,” I said, pulling a small foil packet out of my pocket.
“Are you—right here?” Raif asked. He sounded surprised.
“Right now,” I said. “Unless it’s too much for you,” I teased.
Raif was still for a moment, and then cradled my head, his lips brushing against mine. “Not at all. Tell me what you want.”
“What?”
“What do you want? I’m yours. Tell me what you want me to do,” he said, nipping at my bottom lip.
“Whatever you want,” I said.
“No. You tell me what you want, or we can walk back now.”
I blinked. This wasn’t what I expected, or planned for. Then I thought about my fantasies about Raif for the last two days. I think I’d had him in every possible position I could conceive, including some that didn’t seem like they’d work in real life.
“I want you to fuck me up against the tree,” I said in a rush, the dirty words making me blush. I could feel my neck go hot even though it was dark. The dark was a gift, because I might have turned into a tomato and sunk through the ground otherwise. But with Raif’s arms surrounding me, where no one could see me, I felt safe. I could say exactly what I wanted.
When was the last time I’d ever felt safe with another person?
I didn’t have time to answer myself because Raif bent his head to mine and plundered my mouth. At the same time, his hands ran down my body, squeezing my breasts, and he ground his cock into me. “You are so hot,” he whispered against my mouth. “You drive me crazy.” He slid a hand down my leggings—I’d worn leggings and a loose shirt today on purpose—and cupped my ass, holding me close so he could grind against me a little more.
“No,” I said.
Raif stopped, pulling back from me. “What’s wrong?” I couldn’t see his face, but I could hear the worry in his voice.
“I don’t want it like this,” I whispered, forcing myself to say it.
“What do you want?”
I turned around, leaning against the tree, and raised my arms over my head. Turning so that I could whisper and he’d hear me, I said, “I want you behind me.” Then I let my forehead rest against the tree. I’d had this one running in my head for the past two days. I wanted him to take me, like a marauding pirate. But without being the marauding pirate. Being in the dark made it easier to admit.
Raif’s hand reached up and plucked the condom from my hand. He moved my hair and kissed the back of my neck. “You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met,” he whispered.
A smile moved across my face.
Then I heard his zipper, and a second later, my leggings were pulled down. I spread my legs, aching to have him inside of me. Another moment where I heard him tear open the foil wrapper, and then his cock nudged at my entrance. A hard thrust, and he was in me.
“Oh!” I gasped. This angle hit all kinds of different oh-my-God spots.
Raif pulled out of me, and as he thrust back in, his hands reached up and I felt his fingers intertwine with mine. We gripped each other’s hands as he moved in and out, thrusting hard every time. It was glorious. I was so wet, and so on the edge of coming, I wasn’t able to concentrate on anything but him—his breath in my ear, the beat of his heart against me, the way his legs felt against my ass, and his cock pounding into me.
“Baby,” Raif whispered hoarsely, “Come with me.”
As though I’d been waiting for his command, I felt myself start to shudder. His thrusts were stronger, less rhythmic, and his breathing in my ear was ragged. He arched himself into me, pressing me against the tree, and I came, an explosion of all the things that made this the most intimate and sexy thing that had ever happened to me.
My heart pounded in my ears, and both Raif and I were panting. He let go of my fingers and slid out of me. I leaned against the tree, catching my breath.
“Oh,” I remembered, and shakily, I pulled my leggings up. I had a pocket on the side—whoever made these had to have been a woman—and I took a couple of paper towels out that I’d brought with me and handed them to Raif.
His voice came through the darkness, amused. “You thought of everything.”
“I haven’t been able to think of anything else,” I said. For whatever reason, this adventure made me feel bold. “It’s getting kind of embarrassing at work.”
He laughed, a rich, full laugh, and wrapped his arms around me. Raif kissed my head, one hand smoothing my hair.
“We need to look like, like… we weren’t just—”
“Fucking against a tree?” Raif finished, laughing.
“Yes, exactly that,” I said. I ran my hands through my hair and brushed myself off. I’d need to stop under a streetlight or something. His words thrilled me.
Raif took my hand as we walked back to my house, and before we made it all the way back, I stopped to inspect myself. Raif watched me. “Babe, I don’t think there’s any hiding that we were up close and personal.”
I stopped and looked at him. Inhaling deeply, I said, “Is it obvious?”
“Are you upset that it might be?” There was something in his voice I couldn’t define.
“Yes, and no. I,” I brushed at my leggings with my hands. “My family hated all of my exes. They’ve never liked any of them. It’s clear they think I choose losers. And I don’t want them to think you’re a loser that poor, stupid Taylor has thrown herself away on again!” I felt the prick of tears in my eyes.
Raif took two steps toward me and wrapped his arms around me. “They’re not going to think that,” he said.
“How do you know? They always have.” My fears that I’d misread dinner tonight came rushing to the forefront.
“Because I’m not a loser, and you’re not poor, stupid Taylor.”
I leaned into his chest, letting myself listen to his heartbeat, strong and steady, and let myself relax. “They don’t know you. They’re… ““Suspicious?” Raif finished my sentence.
“Cautious,” I clarified. “And I don’t want to hear about it from them.”
“So tell them that,”
“It’s not that easy,” I said to his chest.
“You’re right. It’s not. And some of your exes were not as awesome as me, it’s true,” he said.
I looked up, and I could see the whites of his teeth as he laughed. “This isn’t funny,” I said.
“Well, they did suck,” he said, his grin widening. “But that’s not your fault. If that’s all your family has seen, it’s okay that they’re cautious. That’s a good sign. It means they love you and want you to be happy with a good partner.”
“It doesn’t feel that way,” I grumbled.
“No, it doesn’t. They assume the worst. Let them. I’m not the worst. Neither are you. Yo
u know that. You can’t change their assumptions. They have to do that on their own.”
“How do you make it sound so simple?”
He laughed, letting go of me and taking my hand as we started walking again. “Because it’s not my family. Trust me, I have my own issues. But I can help you with yours, no problem.”
I had to laugh. “Everything’s easier when it’s not your own stuff,”
“That is so true,” Raif said. “I’m an expert on everybody else’s shit.”
We were laughing as we walked up the path to my house. I could see my mom in the living room, standing with her arms crossed. She was talking, but I couldn’t see who she was talking to. At the sound of our footsteps on the porch, she turned, and a moment later, the door opened.
“You’re back,” Mom said, and smiled.
I held back my comment. Did she think I wasn’t coming back? Raif’s words echoed in my head. They were cautious, they wanted me to be happy.
“Just in time for pie,” Link said, coming out of the kitchen.
“Perfect timing on our part, then,” Raif said, smiling broadly. He hadn’t let go of my hand.
Beezie came out with plates and forks.
“Where’s Tatiana?” I asked, looking around.
“She conked out,” Beezie said. “Thankfully before the pie. She didn’t need any more sugar today.”
Conversation turned to the bakery, and Link asked Raif about the herd out at Broken Falls Ranch. Raif, with a lot of laughter, told a story about the horses, and how he was getting used to riding one. I watched my family as he talked. They were watching him, paying attention to everything he said.
Raif was right. They were cautious. For me. At least, I hoped it was for me and not because they felt they had to gatekeeper for me. And I didn’t think I’d read things wrong. I did think that they cautiously liked him.
When he stood up to leave, Link shook his hand, Beezie smiled at him, and my mom walked him to the door with me, patting him on the arm.
“I’ll walk you out,” I said.
He took my hand again, right in front of them, and said, “Thank you for dinner. It was good to meet you.” Then he turned, and we were out on the porch. The night air was cooler, and I felt my shoulders relax.
“You all right?” Raif said quietly.
I nodded.
“It’s going to be okay,” he said. “They’re not that bad. I’ve seen worse. And you’re not as bad as you think,” he wrapped an arm around me as we walked down the porch steps together. “It just feels crappy when you’re in the middle of it.”
I didn’t want to get into all my stuff at the moment, and I gave him a one-armed hug as we walked. When we reached his truck, he put both arms around me. “Thanks for letting me meet your family,” he said. He leaned down and kissed me.
“Thanks for being willing to meet them,” I said. We kissed for another moment, and then he let go of me.
“I’ll text you,” Raif grinned as he got into his truck.
I watched as he pulled away, his face smiling at me. Then I walked back into the house, ready for whatever my family might have to say. Everyone was sitting in the living room when I came in. Mom and Beezie looked up, Mom smiling.
“He’s nice,” said Beezie.
“You like him?” I asked.
She nodded. “I do. He’s kind of intimidating, because he’s so big, with his tattoos, but he’s nice.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “He is nice.” I wasn’t going to get into anything else. I didn’t find him intimidating at all. When I’d first met him, I was mesmerized.
“He’s all right,” Link said. “I could take him in a fight.”
All four of us burst out laughing. Link was tall and wiry, and half the size of Raif.
With that, the tension I’d felt melted away. I didn’t think it was gone for good, but it wasn’t sitting in the room with us like an uninvited guest. I also had the uncomfortable feeling that I was the one who’d dragged all the tension in, but I stopped myself. I could hear Raif again, telling me that what other people did or thought wasn’t my fault. That included my family.
Link and Beezie gathered up their things and carefully picked up the sleeping Tatiana. Mom helped them out to the car. When she came in, she gave me a hug and a kiss. “You’d better get to bed. Work in the morning.”
“Thanks for dinner, Mom. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome honey,” she said.
I went to my room. In addition to work, I had an appointment with Nadine. I hadn’t seen her since Raif and I had slept together. How was I going to tell her about it? I had no idea. As I got into bed, I decided I wasn’t going to worry about it. I had enough to focus on. And after dinner tonight, and the walk I’d taken with Raif, I just didn’t have the energy to lay here and worry myself to sleep.
Oddly, I didn’t think about all the stress I’d felt about dinner. What I thought about was the moments with Raif, and how good he made me feel. His teeth, flashing in the dark at me as he smiled. The sound of his ragged breathing in my ear.
I fell asleep smiling.
Chapter Thirteen
Raif
I was up early again, but I took my time in the shower, and when I came out, Freeze was already in the kitchen. He looked over his shoulder as I came in. “Couldn’t let you try to sneak in and take my job,” he said. “I have to earn my keep somehow.”
“Yes, because otherwise we’ll bounce you out on your lazy ass,” Axel said. He smiled at me over his coffee cup.
“So how was the inspection?” Freeze asked, not looking around this time. “You pass?”
“I think so,” I said.
“Even though they had to be disappointed in just some Air Force guy,” Axel said, straight faced.
“Well, it could have been worse. It could have been some nut from the Army,” I replied.
“Or even worse, some puke from the Navy!” Freeze added as the front door opened.
“Some puke from the Navy? Are you lesser beings taking my name in vain?” Jensen came in, without Carissa this time.
Axel threw a napkin at him, and we were all trading insults as Pris came in. “Really? What are you guys? Twelve?” she asked, shaking her head.
“Maybe,” Axel said, grinning up at his wife. “Thirteen at the most.”
Pris turned to me. “How was your date?”
Jensen looked me up and down. “It doesn’t look like the family took a bite out of you.”
“They were too polite for that,” I said.
Freeze choked on a laugh. When he was able to speak, he said, “Don’t you be fooled. The Claiborne women are tough as nails. You screw up, Beezie and Lana will have your ass. There won’t be anything but scraps left.”
“No,” I said. “They seemed really nice.”
Axel shook his head. “I went to school with Beezie. She’s older than I am, but I saw her beat up a guy who kept bothering her friend. You know, pinching her ass, that kind of thing. So her mom gets called in, and he’s all bothered that Beezie beat someone up.”
“Not that she beat someone up who was grabbing asses?” Pris asked, her eyes narrowed.
“No. He wasn’t that enlightened,” Axel said. “Anyway, Lana asks him if they can step into his office. I, of course, am hanging around to see this because I saw the fight, and watched Beezie leave the guy in tears. Ten minutes later, Lana and the principal come out of his office and it’s clear as day that Lana had the principal for lunch. Beezie didn’t get suspended, but the guy she beefed with did. Those women are fierce.”
I was thoughtful as everyone talked around me. I wondered if that was why Taylor felt so defensive. She wasn’t as hard core as her mom and sister. Did she think that meant she was weak? Sometimes it was hard to see yourself clearly in relation to what you’d grown up around.
The thoughts of last night crept in. I’d tortured myself with them last night, but I was trying to keep them at a distance because I did
have to work today, even if it wasn’t a full day, and there was no fun in walking around with a constant hard on. But Christ on toast, she’d been so hot. Her dragging me off to the park and asking me to fuck her—how could I ever forget that? Not in a million years.
It was clear to me as well that Taylor was a work in progress. She was in therapy, she’d told me that. Which I got. I was seeing a therapist myself. It had been one of the things my doctors had insisted on. When I’d decided to stay here rather than go to Geoff’s in Idaho, I’d called my doctor in D.C. and asked for a referral here. If I didn’t do everything I was required to, I wouldn’t be allowed to go back onto active duty.
But did I want to? This thing with Taylor was definitely a thing. But I’d only known her a month. Was that enough of a thing to change my entire life? We both had our own baggage. Shit, I thought we could fill an entire baggage car with the crap we were dragging around. Normally, that would have sent me running the other way. Now, after dealing with all my own shit, it made me realize that at least Taylor was trying. Lots of people, including me before I got hurt, before I lost someone on my team, just shoved all that baggage aside and ignored it.
“Well, let’s get going, and then we can be lazy later today,” Freeze said. Everyone headed out to the barn. There was always, always work to do on the ranch, but on the weekends, Freeze had structured things so that we could take it easy. We were usually done mid-afternoon with the things that had to be done. Freeze liked to ride out and see the herd, and one of us would ride out with him. But it was casual. We took turns feeding the stock. With only five regular hands, it was nice that Freeze and Axel had tried to arrange the weekends so that everyone could feel they had a little of rest. During the week, it was game on.
My thought was that they needed some part-time hands. But it wasn’t my ranch, and I didn’t want to be pushy. It wasn’t my place. With things the way they were, at least there was some consideration that the ranch needed full-time care, and we all couldn’t be available at all times.
