by K. Anderson
The pain subsided and Jack begun to move again, her muscles stretching to accommodate his size. The pain lessened with each stroke and soon her body begun to respond. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he responded by lifting her hips further up.
What seemed like hours later, Leila exploded with ecstasy and Jack followed suit, his brow wet with sweat. He collapsed against her and rolled over while she sleepily cradled into his chest. She woke up later to a dark room. She felt for Jack and found the side next to her empty. Disappointed she allowed herself to fall back asleep, with questions plaguing her brain.
Why had he left? She had thought that after what they had shared, they would spend the night together in each other’s arms.
Chapter Seven
A woman that hot in bed and beautiful to look at was just what Jack needed in his wife. To cap it all, she wanted babies too. He would propose to her when the time was right, he now decided, as he led the young horse over colored poles on the floor. His thoughts returned to the previous night. Jack was not a saint and had slept with several women over the years but the experience with Leila stood out.
For one, he had never slept with a woman that tight who was not a virgin. He knew it spelt of her inexperience, yet it did not show in bed. He had been right about her. Seducing her had been easy. The only problem was, he felt like sleeping with her over and over again when his lust should have disappeared last night.
As long as he kept his feelings in check, Jack told himself. Despite the longing to sleep with her, her blond hair over his chest and her soft arms wrapped around him, Jack had eased himself off and tiptoed out once she had fallen asleep. That and keeping her out of his bedroom were the swords he would use to keep his feelings at bay.
It was a struggle as it was. He remembered the feelings of protectiveness she had brought out in him when she spoke of her parents and her marriage. He had wanted to wring her dead husband’s neck.
“Morning, you were up early.”
Jack swung around to find Leila standing at the fence, one hand on her waist and the other shielding her eyes from the glaring sun. She had the most beautiful smile and he found himself smiling back in response.
“I like to get an early start,” Jack said.
“I’m ready for my lesson,” she said, still smiling.
Jack noticed that she was in a pair of jeans again and her feet clad in knee length boots. God she was sexy! He wondered why none of the bachelors of California had snapped her up. Still, it was their loss, not his.
“How about we go for a ride instead,” Jack said, guiding the horse back to the paddocks.
She followed him into the paddocks and down the stalls. He picked out a docile mare by the name of daisy for Leila’s first ride and for himself; he picked out a fiery stallion, who was already stumping his feet on the ground. Around them, morning activities were going on, with his stable hands brushing down the horses and others mucking out the stalls.
“Can I help out here sometimes?” Leila asked, leaning on the side of the stall.
Jack looked up in surprise from where he was saddling the mare.
“Sure if that’s what you want,” he said.
When the horses were ready, he handed Leila her reins and he led the way out of the barn. Once outside, they both got on their horses and Jack took the lead leading Leila to the tracks. His aim was to weigh how good she was on her horse; though he seriously doubted that daisy the mare would rise to the occasion.
Daisy needed to be coaxed to do the jumps and only a skilled rider would be able to do so. Once on the obstacle course he took Leila to the beginner’s section. He motioned for her to stop and then demonstrated with his own stallion the jump over the chevrons. It was an easy jump but he didn’t want taking risks by starting her off with the more complicated jumps.
Experience had taught him that people often exaggerated their prowess and it usually resulted to serious injuries. After his jump over the narrow, he rode his horse to where Leila sat on the mare.
“Your turn,” he said to her, admiring her confident stance on the horse.
“Alright, here I go,” she said with a traffic stopping smile and galloped some distance away from the obstacle.
He watched her relaxed face and soon she had jumped over the chevron and afterwards, the mare continued galloping without losing its stride which told Jack that Leila was a pretty confident rider. He took her to the next obstacle, which were raised steps made of raised land bordered by wooden chunks.
She did well here too, and he noticed her whispering softly to Daisy and that’s when he knew she was a genuine horse rider. Leila had sensed the reluctance in the mare to make the jumps and had deduced that the only way was to coax her through them. They went through higher levels of jumping until the most complicated ones which were combinations.
“Alright, so I see that you were telling the truth, you can ride,” Jack said grinning at her.
“Did you doubt me?” Leila asked, throwing her hair back.
Her top clung to her body and he had to fight to keep his eyes from roaming over her body.
“Maybe. You’ve earned the right to a ride. Come, I’ll give you a tour of the ranch on horseback.
“Sounds like fun,” she commented.
They rode at an easy pace, with Jack explaining to Leila how the ranch got going. He took her past the ranch guest house, where guests basked in the outside terraces and waiters in black and white uniform dashed about.
“Do you come here often?” Leila asked.
Jack shook his head. “Not quite my thing. I prefer to keep my business to the horse side of things.”
She nodded her head in understanding. They finished the ride by galloping through the open steep plains and he was again impressed by how she handled Daisy on uneven ground. When they returned to the stables, his own back was caked in sweat. To his surprise, Leila proceeded to brush her horse down after removing the saddle.
He aped her movements and brushed his own stallion down. Usually after a ride, he usually left his ranch hands to take care of the horses. He found himself admiring her more and more. As they returned to the house, she placed her soft hand into his and Jack found the gesture sweet and a little frightening.
Upstairs, they stood at a loss in the middle of both their rooms.
“Do you want to shower together?” Jack found himself asking, his body longing for release.
“Yes please,” Leila murmured looking at him shyly.
He opened the guest room and waited for her to enter before shutting the door. Jack went straight to the bathroom and opened the taps to fill the tub with water. His skin was alive with expectation and he breathed fast at the thought of what lay ahead.
Leila walked into the bathroom then and when he saw her, Jack’s breath caught. She was completely naked and he stood for a moment admiring her curves. It felt odd to be fully dressed while Leila was completely naked. He took her by the hand and after feeling the temperature of the water, he helped her in.
Her movements were graceful as she stepped in and she made him want to grab her and kiss her as she had never been kissed. At the same time, Jack wanted to hold her tenderly so that no one would ever hurt her. Realizing the train of his thoughts, he jerked his mind away and instead concentrated in what he wanted to do to her at that very moment.
A fast as he could, Jack tore off his clothes from his body and joined her in the tub. This was a first for him. He had never shared a bath tub with anyone.
Chapter Eight
Leila felt like a seductress as she stepped into the bath. She could feel Jack’s eyes burning into her back and when she turned to sit, they were everywhere burning with desire. It was a novel feeling to be wanted so badly and Leila could not get enough of it. Jack removed his clothes and then slid in behind her.
She leaned back on his wide chest and closed her eyes. This was pure heaven. With one movement, he lifted her up so that she now sat on him and she gasped at his hardness nes
tled on her backside. His thighs were hard against hers and the rub of the hairs on his legs go her doubly excited.
He lifted her hair and planted small kisses around her neck. His hands slid around her waist and crept up to her breasts, cupping them from behind. Leila arched her chest forward giving in to the sparks of ecstasy running through her body. Jack reached for a washcloth and she opened one eye and watched as he doused it with bathing gel.
He began by washing her back in soft sensual movements and then he brought to the front and soaped her chest, stopping at each nipple to rub it. Leila thought she would die of desire. He moved to the undersides of her arms, all the while Leila’s breath held, wondering how he would deal with the rest of her.
She gasped when she felt the washcloth at her center. He rubbed the cloth back and forth, stimulating her and she could not help the soft groans that escaped her mouth. Then he took the cloth away and folded her legs so that he could wash them. Leila shifted about with frustration.
“Patience my dear Leila,” Jack whispered and she went still.
His hands returned to her nipples which were now hard and begging for attention. He dropped the washcloth and teased her nipples alternating between both, teasing and squeezing. By now Leila was panting and arching her body forward her control completely overtaken by her desire.
“One moment Leila,” Jack whispered and stood up.
She opened her eyes and salivated at the sight of his obvious arousal. He moved from her back and sat opposite her in the tub, lifting her les and parting them so that they faced each other. With the patience of a monk, Jack took the washcloth again and this time he directed his attention to her center, washing her gently. The without warning, he inserted and finger and she gasped with shock and pleasure.
With his other fingers he teased her most sensitive part and with every movement, Leila felt herself getting closer to orgasm. He increased the pressure and then it happened. All the knots in her body tightened and she felt herself carried off into wave after wave until it all exploded into smithereens.
Leila opened her eyes to fins Jack observing her. His own desire was still reflected in his eyes. She lifted herself off the water and sat astride him. Using all her self-control, Leila lowered herself into his manhood, taking as much time as she could. Jack had self-control, she gave him that. Rather than grab her hips and pull her down, his hands came to her breasts and he massaged them and then took each nipple into his hands.
The feeling of him completely inside her was more than she could bear. She took on a leisurely rhythm to give her body time to expand enough to accommodate him. His hands cupped her from the behind and she could see the strain he was under by trying to hold back.
“Leila, I can’t do this much longer,” Jack groaned.
Gently he lifted her off and turned her so that she faced away from him and was on all fours. Her hips were in the air and she felt exposed but also turned on. Jack ran a hand over her back and her hips.
“Ready?” he murmured.
“Yes,” Leila said, wanting to feel him inside her again.
With his legs, he nudged her thighs further apart. Leila’s breath was held, excited, yet worried about the pain mixed with pleasure that was about to come. He did not enter right away as she expected. He teased her with his manhood until she cried for him.
“Take me jack,” Leila said shocking herself.
She had never been a vocal person when making love. In fact, she had seemed more of an observer rather than a participant. Jack though, brought out her wild side and she loved it. In one rapid movement, he thrust into her and for a moment, Leila could not breathe. She felt so full, as though all of his body had entered hers.
His manhood stretched her and her body felt as though it would come apart. He ceased all movement until she began to wriggle.
He thrust into her again and then stopped.
“Shall I stop Leila?” he said, leaning forward to touch her nipples.
“Please no,” Leila said unashamed.
His thrusts grew in speed and intensity. Leila held on to the edge of the tub for dear life. He leaned into her ear without missing a beat.
“Do you want more Leila?” he whispered.
“Yes,” she said.
“How, tell me Leila, how do you want it?”
“Like that Jack. Hard and fast.”
Her words seemed to fuel him and he grabbed at her hips and jerked back and forth. Leila could feel her orgasm coming close and she welcomed it. With a couple more thrusts, she came and she felt jack’s own shudders and groans. Afterwards, he pulled her back onto his lap and gently washed her off.
Leila returned the favor by changing her position and washing him down. She soaped him, rubbing the cloth over his muscular chest and the coming down to his manhood. Her eyes rose when she saw that he was hard again. Oh Lord, the man was unbelievable, she thought with delight. She wanted to do it again and again.
Chapter Nine
It happened on the second week. Jack had told her during the day that he wanted to take her out for dinner. Leila took her time getting ready and when she looked at her reflection, she liked what she saw. Her skin glowed and the off shoulder shimmery black dress, showed off her body perfectly.
Jack was waiting for her downstairs and when he saw her, he whistled.
“You look amazing,” he said.
“So do you,” Leila said, admiring his black suit and white shirt.
He held out his arm and she linked hers with his. They walked out together into the moonlight and waiting car. Jack was a complete gentleman, Leila thought as he held the door for her to get in. He sat next to her and this time it was he who took her hand into his. Along the way, they passed shops already decked out in Christmas decorations.
“You like Christmas then?” Jack said.
Leila nodded happily. “I love Christmas and all the trimmings. It brings back sweet memories of growing up. It was the one time when my parents and I spend days with each other with no interruptions of work or school. What about yourself?”
Leila realized then how little she knew of Jack. He never spoke much apart from mentioning his parents in passing and she knew there was a brother and a sister.
“We always have Christmas lunch with my parents and siblings and grandparents from dad’s side. It’s fun, I like it,” Jack said.
“You’re lucky to still have your parents alive,” Leila commented.
He squeezed her hand. The restaurant overlooked the mountains and from her vintage point by the window, Leila could see lights stretching as far as her eyes could see. She imagined families seating to dinner and probably talking about their plans for the holidays. She turned her eyes from the window and looked at Jack.
He looked breathtaking in his dark suit. The lights of the restaurant brought out the blueness of his eyes, making them a shade darker. Leila felt as though she could burrow herself in them and loose herself in the blue sea of loveliness. Her eyes lowered to his mouth and she found herself blushing. Jack looked at her in amusement as though he could read her thoughts, which he probably could.
To distract herself, Leila looked around the packed restaurant, though tables were placed at a discreet distance from each other.
“Appetizer?” Jack asked her when the waiter came.
Leila shook her head. She wasn’t a big eater and an appetizer would do the opposite and fill her up instead, spoiling her appetite for dinner.
“OK, we’ll go straight to the main course,” Jack told the waiter. “Leila?”
“Go on and order for both of us please,” Leila said, her mind on the last few weeks.
So much had happened and every day, she and Jack grew closer, though she had to admit that they spent more time in bed than out of it. Still, she felt as though he held back a part of himself. It was nothing she could lay a finger on; rather, it was a feeling. Sometimes he got that guarded look on his face and she wondered what the cause was.
“What are you t
hinking about my precious Leila?” Jack said, with a teasing smile.
Like now, when he uttered endearments to her, they felt like part of her name, rather than a sweet name for a lover. She looked at him and decided to be honest.
“I was just thinking how much I’ve enjoyed getting to know you. But then it crossed my mind how little I know you. I feel as though you hold yourself back and I was wondering the reason behind it.”
Like a curtain, the feelings on his face closed away, in its place a neutral look, almost like a spectator observing a scene with minimal interest.
“Maybe after tonight, you’ll not think that way again,” Jack said and fished a dark blue velvet box from his pocket.
Leila’s eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth. Was this what she thought it was?
He pushed his chair back, came to her and knelt by her side. He held her hand and kissed it. Then his blue eyes focused on her face.
“Leila Wakefield, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” he said.
Tears flowed freely from her eyes. She touched his cheek and nodded.
“Yes I will.”
The applause from other diners reminded Leila that they were in a restaurant. The world had ceased to exist as far as she was concerned. She felt as though her heart would burst from joy. She couldn’t wait to speak to speak to Susan the next day to share her news. Leila and Jack held hands throughout dinner.
They skipped dessert, and like teenagers ran to the car as soon as Jack paid the bill. In the car, they barely spoke, the emotions of the last hour rendering Leila speechless. There was so much to think about. The wedding, her dress and wrapping up her life back in California. As if on cue, Jack spoke to her.
“Planning the wedding?” he teased in a gentle tone. “Big or small?”
“Definitely small,” Leila replied.
