by Vivian Arend
“Blake?”
“I had something real interesting planned yesterday when we got interrupted.” Blake lugged a tall stool from the corner of the room and returned to his spot in front of her. His head lined up with her breasts, and he hummed with satisfaction.
“We’ve had that stool since I was little. Ma used it to let us get a better reach on things, and it works as good now as ever. Maybe even better since the treats are sweeter.”
He cupped a breast in each hand and lowered his head to cover the exposed surface of one with his hot mouth. Jaxi braced her arms behind her on the counter as an electric shock pulsed all the way to her womb. He alternated sides, lapping and sucking. She shut her eyes and enjoyed his intimate touch.
“Keep your eyes closed.”
Blake slid away, and somewhere nearby a drawer opened and closed. She debated peeking when drops of liquid touched her skin, rolling down the swell of her breast. Moisture trailed to the tip of her nipple and clung there, cool in the moving air blowing in the window.
She opened her eyes to see he had the peach in slices. He’d crushed one piece between his fingers, letting the juice land on her body.
“Close your eyes,” he warned.
Jaxi laughed before squeezing them shut. And waited.
Moist heat flicked as he lapped at the juice. Blake followed every sticky sweet line with his tongue, licked her skin clean, covered her with kisses. His fingers rolled her nipples, pinching and teasing. Ripples of desire spread through her body; her panties grew damp. The sound of something bumping and rattling slowly filtered though her sexual haze. The canner was ready, the water boiling.
“I’ve got to set the timer.”
“How long you need?” he asked around a mouthful of breast.
“Thirty minutes.”
He drew back with a satisfied suck. She looked down to see him stare at her with admiration, his hands still supporting her.
“Blake?”
“I’ll tell you when thirty minutes are up.” He stood, knocking the stool behind him to the floor. He plucked her off the counter and carried her to the dining room, laying her on the solid wood table. He opened the button on her shorts and tugged until they slipped off, leaving her clad only with the matching panties to the bra he’d discarded in the kitchen.
“Blake Coleman, I hope you’ve got your brothers working on something that’s going to keep them far away from the house. Ohhh!”
He’d slid her down the table to where he usually sat, her panties suddenly dangling from his fingers.
“Nobody’s going to show up here for a while. I want to see you, Jaxi. All of you. I want to sit at my place at the table and remember touching and sucking your pretty pussy. Everyone will wonder why I can’t stop smiling.” He shifted her slightly to get a better view.
“Open yourself for me.”
Jaxi flushed. She already sat naked on the table where she’d shared Christmas dinners and birthday cakes with the Coleman family. She let her legs fall open and used one hand to slide her curls apart.
He leaned forward and licked, and her leg twitched so hard it slipped off the table. He smiled at her.
And did it again.
Sensations wrapped around Jaxi to meld into one enormous collage of emotion and touch. The pot bubbled on the stove, the canning jars rattling as they processed in the high heat. The windows were open, and a light breeze blew though the house, ruffling the curtains before coiling over her heated skin. Blake licked and sucked, slipped a finger inside her sheath and pulled her cream up and over her skin before rasping hard with his tongue. Time stood still as he loved her with his mouth, his fingers, his patient touch. She shook as her release came, waves of pleasure he drew out by licking again and again.
Then he stood, dropped his jeans, and slid in.
His cock was hot and hard, stretching her, as he forced his way into her body a little more with each stroke. She was attempting to meet him, trying to match with his timing, when he touched his fingers to her clit and rubbed.
Bursts of pleasure, sharp and fast, broke over her. He held her by one hip and leaned into the table, pressure mounting, his movements growing desperate, frantic even. He thrust hard enough the table rocked. He drove deeper still and shouted. His semen, hot and wet, bathed her inside as she shuddered around him again, her passage squeezing him tight.
Blake dropped his hands, one on either side of her body, and breathed hard, still buried in her body. His eyes caught hers, the grey storm clouds swirling. She gasped for air, her breasts jiggling with each breath she took. A trickle of moisture escaped from where they connected, and she tensed.
He’d done it again. They’d done it again. No protection.
He gave her cheek a gentle caress before he pulled out and tucked himself back into his jeans. Without a word he slipped her panties back on, helped with her shorts before carrying her back to the kitchen and assisting with her bra and shirt. Every time she tried to speak, he stroked a finger over her lips or brushed her to silence with a kiss.
Once she was fully clothed, he lifted the canning pot from the stove to the hot pads and helped her remove the steaming jars to the sideboard to cool with the rest of her labours.
He took her in his arms and kissed her senseless one final time before grabbing another peach from the countertop and strolling to the door.
“Supper at six thirty?”
Jaxi blinked in surprise, then nodded dumbly.
He took a big bite of the peach, then wiped the juice from his chin with the back of his hand as his eyes twinkled at her. “Peaches. My favourite.”
He winked and scooted out the door, leaving Jaxi a little dizzy in his wake.
14
Blake jingled the contents of his pocket as he waited by the bay window in the sitting room. Jaxi had the table all ready for supper, the smell of chili and cornbread filling the air with spicy tones. The woman could cook all right.
More ways than one.
“Hey, Blake. Time to ring the bell?” Joel looked much better than the last time Blake saw him, eyeball deep in muck.
“Jaxi’s not here yet. Let’s wait until she’s back.”
Joel nodded and broke the crispy edge off a piece of corn bread. He looked Blake over while he nibbled on the tidbit. “So…?”
Blake stared back.
“You’re not going to tell me how good it was, are you?”
“Shut up.”
Joel snickered. “No, I figured as much. You’re lucky she’s wanted you all this time or I would have given you more of a fight after last night.” He backed away as Blake took an involuntary step in his direction. “I’m teasing. I’m glad she’s here and I’m glad she’s with you. Jesse, on the other hand, was a tad more upset we went home alone last night.”
“Alone? Yeah, right. That’s why I saw the extra car in the driveway when Jaxi and I headed to Red Deer. Who’d you bring home? And please tell me there was more than one girl between the two of you.”
“If you don’t kiss and tell, I won’t either.” Joel winked before pulling a face. “Actually, Jesse did go home alone. He didn’t seem to want to play anymore after we left you. Not even with the sweet thing we found on the dance floor who was very willing to join us both. I left the bar before he did.”
“I don’t want the details.”
His little brother shrugged. “Whatever. Just didn’t want you to think I’ve got any issues.”
Blake shook his head slowly. There was one thing they needed to address. “Jaxi told me you’d agreed to play the game last night as a lesson for me. You pushed the limits there. A lot.”
“Yeah, well, we never realized having you watch would make the fooling around that much more intense. Plus she was so damn responsive. Jesse did go a little further than we’d intended—the whole situation felt so good we kinda lost track.” Joel looked at Blake and grinned from ear to ear. “She’s yours and all, but, holy shit, last night was hot. I’ve never had a game of pool turn out
like that before.”
“Joel Coleman, I’m going to wash your mouth out with soap if I ever hear you mention last night to anyone again. You got me?” Jaxi swung into the room. Her long legs were bare to thigh high in another pretty sundress, this one bright red.
Joel leered at her for a minute, spun her in his arms and gave her a quick hug. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be good.” His stomach grumbled loudly, and he dropped her to her feet again. “Permission to ring the bell?”
“Ring away, then help me get the drinks to the table.”
She turned and settled in Blake’s arms for a kiss, nuzzling close as a kitten. Blake drank in her scent. The concerns of the past faded with each indication the walls he’d built between them were made of nothing but straw. Being wanted, being accepted so clearly—he wanted to soak in the sensation. Glory, and gloat even, in her bold-faced declarations.
It annoyed the hell out of him that one thought kept popping up and poking him in the nuts, ruining his buzz.
She’d dated Travis first.
All the Coleman boys had a similar cut. Solid features, clear lines. In their immediate clan, the twins were the fairest with their dark blond hair, but the other four were clearly family. And he and Travis, other than the age difference, looked a lot like twins themselves.
Blake couldn’t bear to discover Jaxi had been chasing a dream all these years. Trying for a substitute for Travis.
She tugged his hand and he blinked. He’d been woolgathering while his brothers arrived at the table. He escorted Jaxi to her seat before joining the others and digging into the spicy food before him. An ear-to-ear grin stretched his face as he thought about the afternoon and Jaxi lying naked right about where his bowl now sat.
She was hotter than any five-alarm chili.
“You think Dad will be able to help at all this harvest or should we plan on finishing without him?” Matt asked.
“Let’s plan on going it alone. He won’t be driving machinery with that monster of a cast, although I imagine he’ll be impossible to stop from helping completely.”
Daniel scooped more salsa and chips onto his plate. “I’ll finish the outstanding furniture order. It’ll take most of tomorrow, but after that load is done I’ll have time to help out wherever I’m needed in the fields. I think we should hold off on accepting more requests for the shop until we know for sure we’re got things under control.”
“Agreed.”
Blake relaxed into his chair, his gaze on Jaxi as she sat across from him. She looked around constantly, checking the table and the food, eyeing the boys and the expressions on their faces. She caught him staring and blushed.
He chuckled softly. She’d sat naked on this table three hours ago. Now she was blushing while he looked at her fully clothed. She was too good to be true.
Talk continued for a bit before Blake turned from his conversation with Daniel to check again on Jaxi. The content expression she’d had at the start of the meal was nowhere to be seen. He followed her gaze. Both Travis and Jesse looked as if they’d swallowed a bug.
“Can I get someone to help dig beets tomorrow?” Her voice sounded falsely bright and Blake paused. What was going on?
He nodded toward Jesse. “He should be able to finish the fences by dinner. After that he can give you a hand.”
Jesse ate slowly, all his focus on his plate. Jaxi laid a hand on his sleeve to get his attention and he jerked away. He shoved his chair back and rose. “I’m not real hungry. Got chores to finish in the barn.”
Avoiding Jaxi’s eyes, he stomped from the dining room.
The sound of forks on plates grew loud in the suddenly quiet room. Travis wiped his mouth, then threw the napkin on his plate. “Well, I may as well go too. Thanks for supper, Jaxi. Appears you still know how to cook up some heat, when you want.”
She sucked in a quick gasp and Joel placed a hand on her arm.
Blake was on his feet in a flash. “Travis, what kind of rude-ass remark was that?”
His brother shrugged. “Didn’t mean anything. I’ll be in the barn if you need me.”
His footsteps echoed across the floor, the door slamming shut behind him.
Matt shook his head and turned to Jaxi, whose face had gone white. “It’s nothing but Travis being an asshole again. You know how he gets.”
Jaxi nodded silently and poked at the food on her plate. Her big eyes looked suspiciously as if she was holding back tears.
“Excuse me.” She slipped into the kitchen, her head down.
Blake made to follow her, but Joel held up a hand. “Let me. Please, Blake. I can at least ease her mind about Jesse. I know what he’s thinking, and he really doesn’t mean to be a shit.”
Then there were the three of them. Blake glanced at Daniel and Matt, at the unfinished meal in front of them. Silently Daniel gathered plates together. Blake’s stomach was tied tighter than he thought possible.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a meal at this table end like that.”
Daniel snorted. “It ain’t always been roses either, Blake. What did you expect? You won and they lost. Give them time.”
He grabbed the load of dishes and headed for the kitchen.
Matt cleared his throat.
Blake turned to him. “You planning on offering me advice too?”
“Depends if you need it or not. I wanted to know. This thing with Jaxi, is this a keep-to-play or a play-to-keep thing?” Matt asked.
“Why is everyone expecting me to propose to the girl the day after we—”
“Don’t be such a stupid shit. Because Jaxi’s the kind of girl you should have proposed to before you took her, that’s why.” Matt’s anger seemingly blazed out of nowhere as he rose to his feet. “You’ve had the woman dogging your heels for years. It’s been clear to everyone she’s head over heels in love with you, and more than willing to admit it. You’re the bastard holding your relationship back, and I think you’re an asshole if you don’t get your butt in gear and face the truth. She may be hotter than the peppers in that chili, but she’s a good girl. Treat her like one.”
Matt stomped from the room, leaving Blake utterly alone.
He rose and paced to the window. The irony of the mess was he’d already had his own plans in place before all this unsolicited advice came his way. He jiggled the contents of his pocket again. It appeared he now had to deal with his brothers who were acting like idiots, as well as his own stupidity.
Outside, the sun painted the family land with bright colours, turning it into a picture before him, everything orderly and neat. His father and grandfather had worked hard to make the Coleman land a success. His brothers were right. This wasn’t the first or last time the family would have to deal with having differences of opinions. Strong-willed, bullheaded bastards, all of them, with his name firmly on the top of the list. He headed to the barn to do some damage control.
With a short stop in the kitchen first to give Jaxi a kiss and a hug.
Travis sprawled on his butt on the straw-strewn floorboards, blood pouring freely from his nose. Jesse wiped at his mouth and glared at Blake, who’d just hauled his brothers apart. Jesse spun on his heel and headed for the door.
“Oh no, you don’t.” Blake yanked him to a stop by the back of his collar. “First you tell me what this is all about, and then we’re going to settle any troubles you two have with me and Jaxi.”
Travis and Jesse exchanged angry glances, but neither of them spoke. Travis heaved himself to his feet and tried to staunch the flow of blood. He backed away to stand warily as Blake eyed Jesse.
“Me and Travis had a difference of opinion. We’re done.” Jesse spat at the floor, his tongue licking at his bruised lips.
“Nothing else to say?” Blake demanded.
“Travis is the King of the Assholes. Happy?” Jesse snapped.
Blake barked out a laugh, “We already knew that. Of course, it looks like we need to put your name up for the title as well. You think you could work a little harder to hu
rt Jaxi? If you tried, you might beat Travis out of his crown.”
“I don’t have an issue with Jaxi,” Jesse insisted.
“Well, it didn’t seem that way to her.”
Jesse bent his head against the wooden sidewall and stayed quiet for a minute. When he finally spoke it was toward the straw-covered ground at his feet.
“Blake, you need to back off on this one. I’m happy for you, I guess. But last night it could have been me making love to Jaxi. How would you have felt?” Jesse looked up at him, his blue eyes dark with emotion. “She’s been a good friend for a long time and I’m not about to stop caring for her but…I got a taste of something I’m not gonna be able to forget overnight.”
His whole body had gone rigid. Blake nodded slowly. He could sympathize with Jesse’s hurt. He waited patiently, letting the words come as Jesse found the strength to let them free.
“I’m trying to do right by her and you. Give me time.”
“I can do that.”
Jesse’s eyes flashed with one last burst of emotion. “But if you hurt her, you need to know I’ll take you apart, then I’ll take her away.”
Blake hauled Jesse into a bear hug like he was a kid again and held on tight. They clung to each other, two grown men both needing the reassurance of family. It took a while before Jesse relaxed in his grip, his short, angry breaths of frustration slowing. Finally, he slapped Blake’s shoulders and stepped away, head held high.
“I’ve never been so glad to head back to school as I am right now. It would kill me to watch the two of you spooning all over the house for the next couple months.” Jesse wiped his fingers over his mouth again before examining them closely.
There was no way Blake’s smile could look anything but forced. He was thrilled at having Jaxi in his life, but hurting his brother hadn’t been his intention. “This will last a little longer than that.”
Travis cackled, a harsh brittle sound. “Damn right it’ll last longer, if she’s got anything to say about it. Stupid, stubborn—”
