“You’re doing so good, angel. So good.”
I whimpered.
Finally, he moved up behind me. He leaned forward and kissed my shoulder. “Ready, sweetheart?”
I nodded, grinding back against him.
He slowly pulled out his fingers, then the head of his cock was there, pressing against my ass. I kept watching him, the way his body was bowed tight, the way he gritted his teeth. He pushed some more, breaching the tight ring of muscle, and I gasped. My arms collapsed from under me, my chest dropping to the mattress, and I fisted the pillows.
His hiss was loud. “Okay?” he asked, voice rough as hell. “Am I hurting you?”
“N-no. Keep going.”
He rubbed my back, talking softly the whole time, praising me, gentling me as he slid in a little more. He withdrew some, only to come back. He did that little by little, inch by inch, over and over, until he finally slid in all the way. I was so full, stretched so wide, all I could do was pant through it.
“Jesus Christ. So hot and tight.” He continued to smooth that wide, rough palm over my back.
I could only nod.
He slid out and then pushed back in, and we both groaned.
“Shit, sweetheart, I need to go faster.”
I was lost between pleasure and pain. The feeling confused me, aroused me, had my mind scrambling. My body made the decision for me, and I humped back against him, telling him to do it.
“Oh fuck, angel.” Then he started fucking my ass, deep and fast. “Play with your clit, darlin’.”
I did what he said, reached down and rubbed at my stiff, slick nub. I didn’t think it was possible after already coming so much, so hard, but another orgasm began building almost instantly.
“That’s my girl. Make it feel good.”
“Please,” I groaned. But I wasn’t sure what I was begging for.
“I’m gonna come, angel, gonna fill your sexy, tight ass.”
His words came out a snarl, deep and distorted with lust. It tipped me over the edge. I screamed, biting the pillow, my ass squeezing down on his cock.
He barked out a curse, heavy thighs trembling against mine, then he pulsed deep inside me and started coming as well. Hot come pumping into me with each erratic thrust of his hips.
When he was done, he carefully pulled out and collapsed against my back, taking me to the mattress on our sides.
One arm was wrapped around me, while the other brushed my hair back. He peppered my neck and the side of my face with kisses. “You did so good, angel, so good.” He squeezed me tighter, and the bed shook with the tremors racking his massive frame as he held me. “That’s my girl,” he rasped. “That’s my beautiful girl.”
He continued to hold me like that, smoothing his hands over me, kissing me. I could barely hold my eyes open, warmth spreading through me as I lay in his arms. I’d never felt more content or cherished—this connected to another person.
I fell asleep to the sound of his voice telling me I was his.
…
After dragging a brush through my hair, I headed outside to find Eli. Four days had passed since he took me to the trapper’s cabin, and we’d been living in our own little world since. I’d mostly ignored the phone and its constant ringing. Cassie had given up on trying to “talk sense” into me. Other than a visit from Garrett—and though he hadn’t said it out loud, he made it clear he was there to make sure I was still in one piece—we hadn’t seen anyone. They truly thought Elijah was capable of hurting me. As soon as Garrett had driven off, I’d flown into a rant. Eli had calmed me down. He always knew how to make me feel better. I’d come to rely on his calming presence. He just made everything right. We felt right together. I was never unsure around him. I knew that he cared about me, would never do or say anything that would cause me pain.
The truck was out front, but I didn’t see Eli right away. I headed over to it. We’d sold two horses the day we returned from our overnight getaway. Enough to cover the mortgage for a few months. Things were looking up, and after our meeting the other day, and several more horses going soon, I was actually starting to believe that everything would be okay. There was no way in hell I’d lose this ranch. And now, thanks to Eli’s hard work, that wouldn’t happen.
“What were you thinking about?”
Elijah’s deep voice rumbled behind me, and I spun to face him. He was in his usual jeans and a T-shirt, this time black. His cap was on backward, so I knew he’d been out with the horses. The man was gorgeous, made me tingle all over. Memories of what he’d done to me, what we’d done to each other—dirty promises whispered while he was moving inside me, promises of things to come—filtered through my mind. “I didn’t see you there.”
His lips tilted up on one side. “I noticed.” He moved in close and brushed the backs of his fingers over my cheek. “Why were you blushing?”
I squirmed. My ass cheeks still throbbed from last night. We’d been in the kitchen, Eli at the table while I made dinner. I’d said something about eating less, that I needed to lose a few pounds. He’d tugged me over to him, told me how beautiful I was and to never put myself down like that again. Then he’d thrown me over his knee and spanked me…then fucked me over the table.
When we finally sat down to eat, he’d watched me chew every bite, then took me to bed and made me come with his mouth as a reward. I squirmed again.
“I was…I was thinking about last night.”
Heat flashed through his eyes. “You’re not the only one.” He cupped one of my breasts, the move utterly possessive. He gently squeezed, rubbing his thumb over my instantly hard nipple. “Makes riding a horse damned uncomfortable.”
I was already wet, just from that touch alone, ready to jump him if I got half the chance, but instead my mouth dropped open. “Did you just crack a joke, Elijah Hays?”
He grinned wider, flashing his straight white teeth, and my knees nearly gave out. “Looks that way.”
“I never thought I’d see the day…”
He grabbed my butt. “You’re very sassy for a girl walking around with my handprint on her behind,” he said, a wicked glint in his eyes.
I threw my hand up to my chest and faked shock, stumbling back against the truck. “Another one! My heart can’t take it.”
His chuckle was low and sexy as all hell. “Get in the truck before I throw you over my knee again.”
I smirked. “Promise?”
He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath, which is when I noticed his impressive hard-on. “Maybe I’ll think of some other way to punish you.”
Damn, now I was turned way the heck on and there was no relief in sight. But I was having fun teasing him, so I poked the bear a little more. “Does that mean you’ve been on the computer again, big guy?”
“Jesus,” he rumbled and walked around to open my door. He gave my butt a smack as I climbed in, making me squeak, then walked around and climbed in beside me.
I grinned over at him.
He shook his head.
I poked my tongue out.
His eyes widened.
I burst out laughing.
When I stopped with the giggles, I looked over at him again. He was watching me in a way that made goose bumps lift all over my body. It was warm and hungry, affectionate, and it made my belly swirl with delight.
“Love the way you laugh,” he muttered.
“Ditto.” I smiled again, and I knew he could see all the things I’d seen in him reflected right back, because he sucked in a sharp breath, murmuring my name before he started the truck and headed down the road toward town.
I hadn’t allowed myself to think too hard about what people’s reactions would be to us after Kyle had opened his big trap. But it became obvious when we walked in the bank to deposit the check from the horse sale that word had spread among the gossips. Everyone was staring at us like we were the main attraction at a freak show.
Every muscle in my body stiffened, my racing pulse loud in my ears. My skin flushe
d hot with anger, with betrayal. They were turning on me, on us, and it was an agonizing blow to my heart.
As we were leaving the bank, Mrs. Simms actually had the nerve to shake her head and mutter, “Stupid, reckless, girl.” And she wasn’t the only one who had something to say.
An unwelcome feeling swirled in my belly, behind my ribs, something alien, its weight growing heavier and heavier with every step we took. I’d seen these people—my people—do this to others…God, to Eli.
I’d never in a million years thought they’d do this to me. I couldn’t believe they had the nerve to say things like that, of course not to our faces, just loud enough we’d hear. I’d known most of them all my life. They’d been nothing but friendly and open to me.
Eli was stiff and tense by my side, and the sense of helplessness, the pain I was feeling for him, intensified. I wanted to scream at them on Eli’s behalf. I wanted to tell them to leave him alone, not to treat him like this. It was killing me, every minute he was subjected to their scorn. I didn’t want that hate directed at him. My natural instinct was to protect him, defend him, not because I thought he was weak or couldn’t look after himself but because I felt that way about everyone I cared for. Instead I kept my lips zipped. I knew after the last time, he wouldn’t welcome it.
So with my only thought to stop the stares and hateful comments, I moved a little away from him, putting more distance between us. When we walked into Coopers, instead of sitting down to eat, Eli grabbed us a muffin each and coffees to go. He was paying when Joanna, a girl I used to go to high school with and who had worked at the diner ever since, asked, “So it’s true, what Kyle said? You two are together?” She motioned between the two of us with the money Eli had given her, eyes bright with excitement. The prospect of getting the details from the horses’ mouths too much for her to contain.
I ignored her question and looked up at Eli. “Right, we better get going.”
I grabbed the muffins, and her eyes stayed locked on me, like if she looked long enough, I might break and spill all my secrets to her.
“He seemed pretty certain,” she said, pushing as she worked out Eli’s change and handed it to him.
My palms grew sweaty, the sick feeling in my belly growing more intense. I couldn’t take it anymore, their judgment, their looks. The way they were treating Eli like he wasn’t a human being. Like they had a right to what was in our hearts, our minds. The way we felt about each other. Just waiting for the chance to dissect something so personal and beautiful and turn it into something sordid. I wasn’t going to give them that.
And I just…snapped. “Kyle isn’t exactly the most reliable source of information. He was certain about the UFO he saw senior year as well.”
She narrowed her eyes, and I spun around and walked out before she could ask any more damn nosy questions.
The drive back to the ranch was quiet. Eli was focused inward, deep in thought, unhappy. My stomach churned. I’d done it again. Spoken without thinking. But I’d been shocked that people, friends, people I’d known all my life, could behave that way. Judge us like they had a right, like they knew any damn thing about us. I sucked in a breath, closing my eyes when the full impact of what I’d done, of what Eli had faced most of his life, hit me like a ton of bricks.
I started shaking, the ache I felt for him more than physical—it was soul deep. And I’d gone and added to his pain. Again. I thought I might actually vomit. Sick over what I’d said. Over how Eli must feel. Why the hell had I lied? Why hadn’t I just admitted what was between us?
I turned to Elijah, my heart in my throat, desperate to make him understand. “I shouldn’t have said what I did to Joanna. I’m sorry, Elijah. God, I don’t give a shit what an idiot like her thinks, I don’t care what any of them think…”
“You did the right thing,” he said to the windshield, surprising me. “You were right to deny it.” He pulled up to the barn and shut off the engine.
“No.” I shook my head. “No, I was wrong. I don’t know why I said that… I just wanted them to stop… I—”
He placed his hand tenderly against the side of my face, successfully silencing me. He shook his head. “You weren’t wrong.” Then he brushed his lips over mine, climbed from the truck, and headed out to the field and the horses.
I watched him go, heart lodged firmly in my throat.
Chapter Twelve
The day was dragging, and the queasy feeling in my belly wasn’t showing any signs of subsiding.
The fact that Eli hadn’t come in the whole afternoon, had been out working since we returned from town—had been avoiding me—wasn’t helping.
I could see him from where I stood at the front of the house, his shirt off, sweat and dirt coating his skin as he mended fences. He’d started the task after he’d run the horses through their paces. Now the sun was dipping low in the sky, and he didn’t look like he had any intention of finishing any time soon.
Dinner was almost done. We’d been eating every meal together, and I didn’t know if I should leave him to his own thoughts or go out there and try to get him to come in. I hated this, how a pack of ignorant busybodies had managed to get between us, had caused Elijah to doubt what we were doing. Because that’s what was happening here. He was torn, conflicted. I’d seen it in his eyes when he’d finally looked at me. When he’d said I was right to deny what was between us.
When Kyle had found us together earlier in the week, he’d said he didn’t care what they thought, that they weren’t worth the wasted breath. Now, though, after the incident in town…
Well, I didn’t know what he was thinking.
I decided to leave him for a little longer, hoping he’d come in when he was ready, and walked back inside. I finished up dinner and left it to cool. We could reheat it later. I didn’t want to eat alone. I wanted to eat with Eli. Restless and worried, and desperate for something to keep myself occupied, I headed outside to tackle the pile of wood he had been chopping, and began stacking it against the barn wall.
It was almost as tall as me when I heard the crunch of his boots behind me.
I started to turn, but I didn’t get the chance. He collided with my back, yanked the piece of wood out of my hand, flung it aside, and walked me forward to the truck parked a few feet away.
His hand dropped to the front of my shorts. “Need you,” he growled against my ear. “Will you let me fuck you right here, angel?”
We were behind the barn; even if someone just showed up, they wouldn’t be able to see us. And right then, I wanted him so bad I didn’t care. “Yes,” I gasped out, dizzy from the sudden onslaught, the way he was now tearing at my shorts to get them open. “Is this my punishment?” I wanted it, needed it, deserved it. The guilt over today was eating me up. I needed release from it.
“No,” he rasped. “You did nothing to deserve punishment.”
“Eli…”
“Don’t,” he said, cutting me off, agony in his voice. Then he shoved my shorts and underwear down, and I kicked them free. “I need you, right now. I can’t get enough of you, darlin’. You’re all I can think about, all day, every day. When I’m inside you, I’m in heaven. And as soon as I pull out, all I’m thinking about is when I can get back in.”
I twisted in his arms, and he let me. He lifted me off the ground and planted my bare ass on the hood of his truck. His cock was free a second later. He cupped my bottom in one of his massive hands, while I grabbed for his dick, guiding him in.
He slammed up inside me.
I sank my nails into his wide shoulders, mouth dropping open on a moan at the feeling of fullness. It was impossible to think, to do anything but take all of him however he wanted to give it to me. I clung to him while he slammed into me full force, yanking me forward so I met each one of his brutal thrusts.
He grunted, teeth gritted, jarring my entire body every time he pounded into me. I cried out, scratching at his shoulders and back, wanting more, wanting everything he had.
His eyes b
lazed bright with something I couldn’t name, something that was as beautiful as it was painful to look at. “You’re my salvation, Abigail,” he said, voice low and guttural, each word punctuated with an almost violent thrust of his hips. “Right here, inside you, I’m redeemed. I’m the man you need. I’m yours and you’re mine.”
His words sliced though me, the enormity of what his life had been like, of the way he saw himself. A sob exploded past my lips, forming a coherent reply an impossibility.
Leaning into me, he grabbed my hands, shoving them above my head, and took me down to my back, pinning me against the hood of his truck. “Who owns this pussy?” He ground into me. “The one my cock was made for, the one that gets wet as soon as I touch you?” he snarled.
The answer flew from my lips. “You do.”
“That’s right.” His mouth slammed down on mine, then he rasped against my lips. “Who owns the mouth I’m kissing, darlin’?”
Another sob burst from me. “You do.”
He let go with one hand and dropped it down to my ass again, dipping lower, between my cheeks, teasing my hole. “Who owns this tight ass?”
“Oh God. You do!”
He pushed the tip inside, and I screamed, coming so hard I shook, grinding and moaning as I spasmed around his hard-as-steel cock.
He pulled back suddenly and lifted me off the hood. I wrapped my legs around him instantly, and cock still hard and deep inside me, he strode into the barn. It was quiet, the setting sun filtering through the single window on the rear wall, light catching the dust motes drifting around us like glitter. “I need…” He hissed a breath out through his teeth and shook his head. “I need more, Abi.” His voice was gritty, deep. “Will you give it to me?”
I didn’t know what “more” meant, but I’d give him anything he wanted. We’d tried a few different things since our time in the trapper’s cottage, and I’d loved everything he’d done to me. I trusted him to take care of me, to make whatever we did good. “Y-yes.”
Breaking Him Page 12
