Her heart had fluttered that day when he bumped against her arm and laughed. She had experienced a subtle tingle so unfamiliar to her at the time, but it had happened whenever he was near. It had also happened at the restaurant when she met him as an adult.
Even at seventeen he’d been a sexy guy. All the girls had been swept off their feet by him, and many hated her for being his sweetheart. He’d always smelled so good, too. A young Jake had told her it was only to cover up the ranch smell. Then he’d wink and move in closer so she’d get another whiff.
He was bad at times when she got older—the way he tantalized her with sensuality she hadn’t known much about. She learned fast at the hand of Jake Lawton. The same man who sat beside her this day. And tonight, she’d be wholly his. Her nerve endings tingled all the way down her backbone.
“Hey, Macaroni, wake up from your daydream. Did I ever tell you I like to put a little mayo on my macaroni?”
She didn’t know if what she pictured was what he’d meant. Beth slapped her thigh and gulped. “Omigod! Listen to you. You know I could take that the wrong way. Mayo, Jake? You’re a naughty man.”
“Please do take it the wrong way, honey. Why don’t you bring your hand over here for the ride home?” Jake laughed, and Beth shook her head as she stared out the window. This was almost her favorite part of him. She slid her hand to his thigh, teasing him with her fingers until he squirmed behind the wheel.
“You want me to wreck my truck? First, you take your clothes off, now you’re—”
“It was your idea. You forget you’re dealing with an adult woman now.”
“Whoohoo, girl! Keep touching me like that and we’ll have—”
“Mayo on your Macaroni?”
***
When they got to his house, he opened a bottle of champagne and poured two glasses. “How’s this sound?”
“Yummy and enticing like you,” she said in a cheerful voice.
Jake sat the bottle down. He moved hair from one side of her neck, kissing along her throat while his fingers caressed her breasts. He lifted her to the counter top at the island, eased her legs apart, and moved in close. One hand lowered to between her legs, his fingers working through the denim. “You should’a left your dress on. I’d pull those red bikinis aside, and I’d be inside of you.”
“Next time I will. Jake, the champagne. Oooh, God!”
Her reaction to his touch drove him wild. His lips crushed against her mouth in a hard and demanding kiss, but he took a step back from her and blew out a breath. His chest heaved, and the seams in his jeans might rip apart. “I like the anticipation, too, but my body finds it hard to wait much longer.” He handed her the glass of champagne and guzzled his down. “I need more if you plan on teasing me.”
She took a sip. Her eyes widened. “I’d never tease you without following through.”
“Bottoms up. Since you aren’t wearing a bra to match your bikinis, do you want a t-shirt to wear in the hot tub? I don’t mind if you go topless.”
“Okay. I’ll take the t-shirt.”
Jake wet his lips, perusing her body from head to toe. “The t-shirt will be white, so you’ll be totally exposed to me. I’ll kiss your hard nipples right through the cotton. You know you like when I kiss them. Lick them.” Jake placed his hand against one side of her face, making her look at him when she averted her eyes.
Beth smiled. “Yes, I do.”
“I’ll get one from the laundry room. It’s clean,” he quipped. “Do you know how badly I want you right now?” He lifted the bottom of her shirt above her abdomen and slid his hands underneath to cup her breasts. Mm, so nice.
He moved in closer while lowering her shirt and unbuttoned it. The passion in her eyes as he undid the buttons set him aflame. He opened her blouse and leaned forward to kiss each breast. “For God sake, are you really here after all these years?”
Beth draped her arms over his shoulders and peered seductively into his eyes. “I’m real,” she whispered. “It’s going to happen tonight, Jake. I’ve waited for you.”
She’d never said whether or not she was a virgin, unless she just admitted it. “Let me get a shirt.” Pivoting, he rushed to the laundry room and returned in a snap. He tossed the shirt over his shoulder and removed her top, then handed her the t-shirt. When she slid it over her head, it fell sleekly down over her. He was enamored at the way a simple t-shirt adorned her body. The way it showed her perfect, perky breasts and beaded nipples standing ready to be soaked, kissed, and caressed.
“Come on.” Jake lifted her down, shuddering during the walk to the linen closet for towels. “I turned the heat up in the tub earlier today. It hasn’t been used in nearly a year, so I drained and refilled it yesterday. We’ll sit in there to finish a glass of champagne or two…relax a moment, and that’s all.”
“You don’t seem in a hurry anymore. Two glasses?”
“Patience, darlin’. I’m in more of a hurry than you know. I almost took you in your driveway and on the counter. We haven’t made it to the hot tub yet. To make it good for you, I need to calm down.”
Beth chuckled. “It would’ve been something for my mom to come home with her friends from the center to see us making love on the hood of your truck.”
“We’d scar them for life.” At the rear of the house where he had the hot tub built, he removed the cover and checked the temperature. “Smokin’!”
Jake closed his eyes and let her do her thing. She pulled his shirt over his head and undid the belt and the button on his jeans, sliding his zipper down, all in a moment’s breath. Yeah, that’s it baby. His pants fell to the floor, and he stepped out of them. Her gaze ran over his body, lighting a fire inside of him.
“You’re right, the black is sexy.” Her eyes took in his chest and abdomen, and he’d let her look for as long as she wanted, to a point. Soon, he’d need action. “You do work out.” She whispered breathlessly, “You’re all grown up, Jakey.”
Jake lifted her into the raging bubbles. He removed her glass from the ledge and handed it to her. Stepping inside, he pulled her onto his lap. “Quit the small talk. Enjoy your drink. When we get out of here, I’m taking you to the loft.”
“What? Well, that makes a hell of a lot of sense. We’ll be clean and then get dirty and smelly. Definitely not what I bargained for.” Her eyelashes fluttered, and then she smiled. “I can handle your loft, rancher.”
“I know you can handle anything I give you.” After she sipped a drink, Jake took the glass to set aside. He rested his hand on her thigh and moved it higher, leaving his palm inches away from where he wanted his fingers to play, but he, too, enjoyed the anticipation of waiting—of making her want him more. Tonight he got a kick out of how she wanted him. He cupped the side of her face and kissed her with his own animalistic need, sliding his tongue between her lips only to find hers to be hot and willing. Territorial. The kiss ended with his loins ready to burst, and he whispered against her ear, “I love you, Beth. It’s time, honey.”
He downed what he had in his glass. When she finished hers off, he said, “I’ve had enough freaking champagne. Come on.” He stepped out first and when he lifted her out, she stood beside him, beautifully wrapped in sexy, wet, and thin material. She lifted the ends of the shirt to squeeze water out.
Her wet bikini clung to her body, exposing every fold while the t-shirt exposed her rosy pink areola and hard nipples. He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her wet panties pressed tight against him.
“Mm, damn, that’s sexy. Whoa, there’s something to say about underwear in the hot tub.” His own underwear pressed tight against the flared ridge in the front. A hard-on like he couldn’t remember waited to spring forth.
“Do you have a bathroom around here?”
“In the loft,” he replied, out of breath.
“Weird.”
“Come on. Tell me if you think it’s weird when we get there. Slip those shoes on and grab the towel.”
“Are yo
u sure there’s a bathroom in the loft?”
Jake took one step forward then stopped. “Beth? Do you think I’d lie when I’m hot enough to set my barn on fire?” He clasped her hand and continued toward the barn. “Look at the stars tonight.”
“They sparkle for us, Jake, baby. The universe approves. There’s the big dipper!”
“Yeah. I don’t care if whatever approves or not. You’re mine.” He winked. “I’m the boss on my ranch. We’re going for it, sweetheart.” Inside the barn and past the stalls, Jake opened a door at the back end. “This is new. A few ranch hands lived here until they got on their feet.” They went up a staircase trimmed in a soft ivory color. The walls were paneled with four-feet of wainscoting.
“Did you decorate this yourself, because my goodness, this is fabulous? Fancy for a barn.”
“No, I didn’t decorate the place. I built it. Close your eyes.” Jake stood behind her with his hands on her hips to guide her. “I’ll turn the lights off, but you don’t open your eyes until I tell you to.”
She placed her hand along the railing as they went the rest of the way upstairs. “Bossy cowboy,” she whispered.
“Okay, open them.” He turned the lights on. Pecan wood paneling had become walls, no sign of beams and rafters, while at the end of the room, a tall, wide arched window took up nearly the whole end wall.
“When did you do this?” She entered the room and turned in a circle. Her gaze rested on the bed sitting beside the huge window. “I’m amazed. I knew I’d be amazed tonight, but not like this.”
“This is only the beginning. Not what you expected? Acceptable for our first time?” Jake lit a vanilla scented candle on the table across from the bed.
“Acceptable. Wait, a candle in a barn? Be careful.”
He nodded upward. “A sprinkler system. I had to for insurance reasons. I didn’t want no drunken ranch hand up here starting a fire.” He cocked his head toward a corner that consisted of a small kitchen. “It’s an apartment, so it can be rented out and be self-sufficient for the tenant. As long as they don’t mind horses nickering or the smell. I spent many nights up here alone.”
“I’m speechless. The smell is kind of like fresh hay. Sure is a nice bed.” Beth smiled, eying the king-sized rustic styled sleigh bed with a throw showing a palomino mare and colt.
Jake turned the lights off and lit another candle. The flames flickered and reflected off the etching in the window, which shed shards of light to that end of the room and across the bed.
“The bathroom is over there.” He pointed to a door near the stairway. “I’ll turn on some music.” He rolled his eyes when he switched the station to oldies and of all times, the favorite song of hers blasted through the speakers, and he was unable to get it switched off in time.
The water ran in the bathroom, yet Beth yelled through the door, “I love that song! Turn it up.”
Jake turned up the volume and peered at the bathroom door. As if her hot body had called him out through the planks, he went to it and knocked. In a powerful voice, he instructed, “Beth, open the door.”
She opened it. “Step out of those shoes.” He took her into his arms. No words were spoken when he lifted the dripping shirt over her head and carried her to the bed. “I missed you throughout these years. We have a lot of time to make up.”
“The same for me. In fact, at times, it was too much for me to allow myself to remember.” Her soft lips tenderly kissed his, and his heart melted away. Beth sat upon the bed and then laid in the middle of the fleece throw, holding her hand out for him. Jake stepped out of his trunks and crawled onto the bed beside her. His lips crashed against hers. He moved his leg over hers until he was pressed against her thigh—lost, bewildered, in love. Her kisses encouraged him. “Your skin’s flushed. You’re glowing, darlin’.” Her damp skin beneath him elicited a moan.
His gaze followed the path of his hand roaming over her body. He cupped one breast and leaned forward, opened his lips to take as much as he could into his mouth, and kissed the nipple he gingerly rolled between his teeth. His tongue circled one luscious areola, and he moved to the next as he sucked a rock-hard nipple into his mouth. Her wet skin beneath his hand had chilled, but soon it’d be hot. Her sensual sighs cheered him on. As much as he wanted her, he forced himself to take his time in pleasuring her.
His body rode on a cloud of desire, and he moaned her name. Loving and learning how she responded, he kissed his way over her skin and back to her lips. He stared deep into her eyes. “I burn for you, Beth. Always have, woman.” He couldn’t remember a time his erection was harder. A time his blood coursed faster through his veins. God, he had to have her now!
Beth held his face between her hands. Her heart raced against his. “Honey, this is as glorious as I knew it would be. Please, don’t make me wait any longer.”
“I won’t. Baby, our need to be together comes first and foremost. For our second time tonight, I’ll linger in longer foreplay, but now you need it as bad as I do.”
They’d been this far before. Jake removed her panties, but his lips kissed up her thigh, and his tongue delved into the tight, warm flesh, wetting with his tongue where his fingers had opened for him. She cried out with sighs and moans. Her fingers went into his hair as if she wanted to hold his lips right there to taste her sweetness, forevermore. “Soon,” he mumbled as she shuddered against him. “That’s right, sweetie, let it take you away.”
“Oh, honey. Jake. Please.”
“Mmm, yes, I know, sweetheart.” Jake took a condom from the drawer and put it on.
While she still quivered, he moved up her body, to her breasts, to the thumping pulse in her throat, and to her lips for a kiss. His fingers journeyed lower, seducing her again. She breathed soft sighs against his ear, her quiet moans sending chills over his skin. “Beth…” he whispered, upon entering her with a strong stroke. “Yeah…”
She sucked in a breath. He took his time at first, but a simmering wave of heat and desire slowly built up inside of him. Sweat covered his face. He couldn’t get enough of her. Hair raised on the back of his neck. The touch of her fingers upon his skin sent him to oblivion. Sharing this moment with the only woman he had wholly loved with everything within him, he claimed her as his and his alone— Until her nails dug into his back. Her body tensed, and she yelled out.
Jake came to a halt. “No. Beth? You…” Though a grimace appeared on her face, it contrasted with a joyful smile. “Honey?” God what an idiot. He never wanted to hurt her.
She squeezed her eyes closed. “You didn’t assume? I should’ve told you straight out. I tried. You wanted a surprise. You got one.”
Tenderly removing strands of damp hair from her face, Jake smiled and spoke softly. “No, darlin’, it’s perfect. Open your eyes and look at me. You know I like surprises. A guy can’t assume a thing this important, and I took it as you only teasing, but I am one happy man.” She’d been completely his all this time. Jake collapsed on top of her, halting any movement, though he was still hard and ready to explode. “Are you all right?”
“I want you like crazy. Don’t stop. Keep going.” She rocked her hips into him and pulled his face down to kiss his lips, but drew away and smiled. “Don’t stop. The years of yearning for you hurt more.”
I know! Jake began to move slowly, taking his time while she followed his lead, though he gave only so much until she responded wholeheartedly. He kissed her lips, her face, and her eyes. Beth moaned in sweet sighs as she climaxed with a heavenly smile. Her eyes opened as she watched him close to his own. Jake clenched her hand and held it tight as he breathed out through his own satisfied breaths, unable to hold back any longer. His moans came out in breathless heaves until his breathing was under control and slowly turned into quiet sighs. He collapsed to rest upon his elbows.
Beth held his face between her hands and peered into his eyes. “Jake, my love. I see you as I saw you as a teenager. The love in your eyes says it all. A whole new world has been opened up to
us.”
He took her hands, stretching their arms out above the pillow. Jake straightened his legs out between hers and lay flat atop her. After all these years, and his dreams of having her in every way possible…she was his. He breathed in the sweet scent of sex and her femininity.
He didn’t know how long they lay tangled when Beth released their hands. “Hey, baby. This was the most extraordinary moment I’ve ever spent with you, and we’ve had a few.”
Jake grinned. He moved to his back, then released a long, heartfelt sigh.
She wrapped her leg over his, their flesh sticking to each other. “I’ve never been so aroused or this satisfied in my life. Omigod, I’m still excited!”
Her eyes shone bright in the candlelight, and he smiled internally. Jake skimmed his fingertip along her jawline, giving an appreciative sigh. “I’m glad it happened this way, but next time I’ll take more time in the beginning. Honey, I promised you forever once, but never fulfilled it—”
“Yet…”
“Right.” He turned to his side and leaned on an elbow, his other hand caressing her flat tummy, and glided to her breasts, to her neck. His palm rested upon her cheek. “I still stand by that promise. Nothing can get in our way now except us.” He took her into his arms and kissed her again, lying entwined in peaceful bliss.
After a while, Jake got out of bed and wrapped the towel around his waist. “I’ll need to check my phone, sweetie. I don’t know if T.J. would’ve called. We better get to the house where there’s another bed to break in. My new one arrived, you know.” He winked. “Enjoy the memory of your first time, darlin’, for this is only the beginning.”
Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas (Canyon Junction: Hearts In Love #1) Page 18
