by BA Tortuga
“I just don’t want you to be all rebound-girl. You just need to be aware.” Her dad was eminently practical, which was why the whole love at first sight thing he’d done with Daddy Chris was legendary.
“So what if I am? So what if I want to be with a guy that doesn’t think I’m a piece of shit for a little while?” The words surprised her, so angry, so bitter that they made her mouth taste acid-y.
He held up his hands, his frown immediate. “Do I need to go kill that Jim feller, then? The one from before?”
“Yes.” She surprised herself by launching into Dad’s arms and holding on.
“Okay, baby girl.” He held her tight, the scent of Stetson and smoke strong. Someone had been burning trash. “You’re no piece of shit. You’re my baby girl, and I will go forth and smite.”
She nodded, fighting the tears for all she was. “He was an ass, Dad, and I just want to feel pretty and wanted and like I’m special.”
Which, okay, was most likely what everyone wanted, but that didn’t change how she felt.
“Of course you do. Just don’t let that get you into trouble, okay? And I don’t mean pregnant, though you ought to be careful on that, too.” He kissed the top of her head.
That made her snort. “What? You’re not ready to be a grandpa?”
“Oh, I am. I could be the best Pappy on earth. But you’re not married.” He winked down at her and patted her back, and Addie wished, for the eighty millionth time, that people would stop being short-sighted assholes and let her dads get married, too. They deserved it, just like she did. “Until you’re ready to think on that, I want you to be careful.”
“I am. I mean, I really am. Condoms are a girl’s best friend.”
“Good girl.” He gave her one last squeeze. “So, you ready to talk about your daddy’s birthday present?”
“Oh, yes! I have the cake ordered for him, and I know Maddie’s having his old saddle repaired. What should I get him?”
Daddy Chris’ birthday was always a blast.
“Well, I figured you could go in with me on a pair of boots. He needs a new dress pair, and you know how vain he is.”
“Oh, I do. I’d love to do that. You thinking snakeskin?”
“Cayman, maybe. He sure liked Mattheus’ boots last spring. Man, that Brazilian can train horses.”
“Is that the green-eyed monster peeking, Dad?”
“Me? Nah.” Her dad grinned wryly, though, which belied his words. “He sure liked your daddy, though.”
“Daddy Chris has an excess of personality.”
“He does. You get that from him.” Dad Brandt’s stomach rumbled. “Wanna go get lunch?”
“God, yes. Race you home?”
He gave her a bright grin, his big brown eyes just dancing. “Last one home has to make the Rice Krispie treats.”
“Oh, the horror. You’re on, old man. I love you in an apron.”
Dad jumped on his horse and wheeled around, taking off like lightning. She whooped and vaulted into the saddle, laughing when Cherry went from zero to gallop in no time. Fool mare hated to be left behind.
By the time the house came into view, she was laughing, head thrown back, the worries of the world just ridden away.
Chapter Six
Bodie stood in the aisle at the Ace hardware, staring at paint chips.
Why he had the sudden urge to paint the guest bath, he had no idea. Could be that a certain redhead might have said it was too bad his master didn’t have two sinks. Apparently shaving was a messy thing. That and his counter didn’t have enough room for all that girlie stuff she was leaving around.
He grinned. She wasn’t that girlie, really, but that didn’t stop him from peering at the thousand and one shades of pink.
“Man, you painting the barn again?” Hector Morales came up, a big boxes of paint stirrers in his arms.
“Nope. Redoing the guest bathroom.”
“Oh. That butter yellow, it’s got a good look to it.”
Bodie nodded, picking out the chip. Away from all the other yellows, the color had a nice, homey appearance that he liked. “I like it. You think I should paint the chair rail brown?”
“I go for white, a lot, but brown works too.”
“Huh.” God, this was crazy. What did it matter if his bathroom was yellow or denim blue? “Primer?”
Hector pointed. “We got a special. Free brushes and drop cloths if you buy both.”
“Well, there you go. Might as well pony up.”
“You ain’t fixin’ to sell, are you?”
“What? No. Where would I go?” Hell, he loved that land.
“Well, nowhere, I hope. You just got things going real good.” Hector shrugged. “You’re not the home decorator type, is all.”
“I know. I also haven’t had anyone to impress in a bit, though.” He almost bit his lip clean through, letting that slip. Hector was a good guy, but Bodie knew how the whole town felt about him dating anyone.
“Oh, a girl? Congrats, man. She pretty?”
“She is.” Addie was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen, and he surely meant no disrespect to either of his ex-fiancées, bless their souls. Carla had been a soft blonde with strawberry lips, a high-school-sweetheart kind of girl. Lena had been the older woman, half Mexican and all fire.
Addie, though, Addie was the kind of woman you remodeled a bathroom for. “How much do you think it would cost to put in a double sink in my master? I got the space.”
“That depends, man. You can do it on the cheap or do it nice. Let me mix your paint up, and I’ll meet you in plumbing.”
“Thanks.” He clapped Hector on the back, grateful the man smelled a sale and let the conversation drop. He wasn’t sure he was ready to share Addie yet. Well, he wasn’t sharing her at all, but he wasn’t ready let the whole town know about her.
After all, he had a bad enough reputation, then add to that the fact that she had two dads, that she was a professional woman doing nothing at the ranch. Lord.
They were rumors just looking for a place to happen.
He waited for Hector to shake his paint up, trying to decide whether to panic or just go have a hamburger.
He thought she’d like the marble sinks. He liked them a lot. Bodie bit the bullet and ordered two. He’d shore up that old buffet cabinet he had in the barn and drop the sinks in there with a countertop.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he grabbed it, checked his messages. Addie in a tiny bikini, sunning herself. Damn. He grinned like a fool, his body tightening up some. Hoo, boy.
She was worth it.
He texted back a picture of the sinks. Maybe she’d have an opinion. He also sent a picture of the paint.
Man, he was hooked through the fucking balls. It was as terrifying as it was glorious. When she sent back a picture of her hand, curled into a fist with the thumb up, he almost did an undignified dance. Yeah, he was all in.
Damn, girl.
* * * *
Addie pulled into Bodie’s driveway, grabbed the bags of groceries and headed up to the porch. She’d promised to make burritos, which was, basically, her one big cooking skill.
Burritos, tacos, chili.
Weird, since none of them were Mexican, but Daddy Chris said their surrogate craved Taco Bell for damned near seven months. She guessed that was why she and Maddie had a jones for all things that came in tortillas.
She hoped he liked green chili. She’d learned to make this neat green chili beef burrito recipe one winter when she was working in Colorado, photographing avalanche areas for the park service.
She knocked on the door, using her elbow.
“Just a minute!” Bodie’s voice came from somewhere deep in the house.
“‘Kay, cowboy.” She leaned against the doorframe.
The door opened about the time her arms were fixing to fall off, and Bodie appeared, his whole front smeared with yellow paint. “Hey, honey. Shit! Let me take that.”
“You been attacked by a canary, lo
ver?” It was a pretty color, actually—warm and nice. “I like it, by the way. The color, not the possibility of avian molestation.”
He blinked, then chuckled. “No birds. Just a bathroom. I’ll finish up while you set up camp in the kitchen.” Bodie leaned over her carefully and gave her a kiss.
She kissed him back, just letting it be easy, lazy. Normal.
He hummed, then pulled back, not letting paint get all on her. “So, what’s cookin’, honey?”
“Burritos, as requested. I brought a cherry pie from Sally’s, too.” She wanted to watch him lick the filling off his fingers.
“Oh. I got some cream in a can.” He grinned for her, bouncing on his toes.
“Mmm. Yummy.” She winked. “Go, paint things, I’ll start supper.”
“Hey, I’m redoing the bathroom. Both of them.” He looked so tickled that she had to laugh.
“Ooh. I want to see!”
“Well, come see the master first. I got the sinks in there so it could be usable as soon as possible.” He helped her put her stuff in the kitchen before dragging her to the bedroom.
Addie laughed, following along. She hadn’t seen him so excited since his mare had twins. The guest bath smelled like paint when they passed, but the master…oh, it looked grand with the two marble sinks in an old sideboard that had been shined up, and with a new shower head that did the rain bath thing.
“Oh, wow. Wow, cowboy!” She clapped, admiring.
“You like it? I put in a new medicine cabinet on either side, too.”
“It’s fabulous. I love it. Honest.” The whole room was just amazing.
“Cool. I—” His cheeks heated to an adorable shade of red. “Shaving and all. Figured it would be better.”
“Oh, cowboy.” She stepped closer, kissed him, nice and slow, everything in her just buzzing.
“Mmm.” He pressed right up against her this time, hands coming around to rest on her ass.
Oh, she was going to have to encourage more remodeling, if this was what it did to him. He was all revved up for her, and that was a damned fine thing. Of course, they didn’t have a single problem in the revved up arena.
“You going to let me thank you for a non-shaving sink, cowboy?” She flicked the buckle open on his belt.
“Do we need to start supper first?” Look at him, making a valiant effort to be domestic. He should know by now they were far better off getting this out of the way right off the bat.
“I’ll make guacamole for chips while the rest is cooking.” She dared to flirt, even fluttering her eyelashes. “Unless you don’t want my mouth.”
“Oh, honey. I dream about your mouth. Wakes me up hard and sweating.”
She slid down, unzipping him as she knelt. “Excellent.”
He made her wet, made her clit ache for attention, and she wanted to make him need her, too.
Addie figured it was working. His cock pressed out, hard already, waiting for her mouth. She leaned in, licked a long line from base to tip, listening to him moan. He was salty, the smell of clean working sweat right there in her nose. She’d never wanted anyone like this, never wanted the heavy feel of a needy cock on her tongue.
This man, though, this man she wanted to know inside and out. She wanted to taste him and feel him and know what he thought.
She wrapped her fingers around his thighs, holding on as she took the swollen tip into her mouth, tongue playing at the slit.
“Fuck.” His fingers slid into her hair, undoing the clip that held it up and tossing it aside. Bodie combed those fingers through, then cupped the back of her head, holding her there. She looked up along his belly, her gaze dragging over all the rippled abs, broad chest, those eyes. He stared down at her, hot as fire, his mouth set in a hard line of pleasure. “Only if you want to, honey.”
“I want.” Then she wrapped her lips around his cock, moaning deep in her chest as she started to suck.
He moved with her, almost dancing for her, his hips starting a slow, rhythmic rock. Bodie wasn’t afraid he’d hurt her, but he wasn’t forcing it, either. His fingers rubbed her scalp, tugged her hair the littlest bit, making her ache, tingle. Suck harder.
“Christ, your mouth. Addie. So damned good.” His voice took on a rough edge.
She managed to take him all, swallow hard, tongue sliding on the shaft. That was damned impressive, considering his size, and he sure seemed to appreciate it, the way he let out a strangled shout.
Addie’s toes curled, cunt aching as she pulled harder, tasted him. He made her want things, made her thighs shake.
“Fuck. Fuck, girl. I swear to you, gonna make you feel so good.” Bodie’s face was set in hard lines, his hips jerking faster.
She knew he would. He’d never made a promise to her he hadn’t followed through on.
Her fingers rolled his balls in his sac, and he cried out, came for her, and she groaned, took it all in. The feeling was a powerful one, holding him in her hands and mouth, demanding his orgasm.
He was sucking air, panting, staring down at her like she was magic. It made her feel like a superhero. Heroine. Whatever.
It made her feel erotic as hell.
“Come here, honey.” He lifted her to her feet, then off her feet, kissing her hard.
She groaned, her nipples achingly hard, rubbing against his chest. Her legs shook a little, her belly pulling in as she panted. She needed him.
“Bed.” He walked her into his bedroom with the huge, king-sized bed, his fingers working her jeans open.
Humming, she wrapped around him as he lowered them to the bed, lifting her hips against him.
“My turn.” Damn, his hands were smart, pulling at her clothes, baring her skin. Yellow paint flecked his skin all the way to his elbows, and he poked at it, laughing when he rumbled. “Do we need to shower?”
“We can, together. After.” Right now, if he didn’t get her off, Addie was going to beat him.
“Oh, good. I need something else, first.” He rubbed against her, his body lean and hard and just what she needed.
“Touch me, cowboy. I’m burning up.”
“I love how you’re on fire for me.” His lips burned a trail down her neck, his fingers pushing between them to pluck at her nipples.
She arched, the sparks of sensation lighting through her. When he did it again, she laughed, the feeling like she was just going to fly apart.
“I can smell how good you need me.” Bodie’s words brushed her belly ring, made her gasp. He kissed just below her navel, his tongue tracing a line down around her tattoo, then down. God, he had a good mouth.
He nibbled on her hip, left a sucking kiss on her inner thigh that had her spreading. Then he shifted to lick at her, his tongue pushing against her clit.
Lightning shot up her spine, and she gasped, one leg drawing up as his fingers pressed inside her. She put a hand one hand on his head, tugging at his hair.
“Let me taste, woman.” He growled the words, playful, teasing, then he started licking, working her clit, over and over, making her body light up. His tongue felt rough and hot, his whiskers rasping the insides of her thighs. The steady rubbing was like to drive her out of her mind, the circling too slow to send her over, too fast to ignore.
The whole world narrowed down to Bodie and her pussy and the things he was doing to her. He was making her clench her legs, making her think of begging. His fingers slipped deeper inside her, pushing in a totally different rhythm than the swipe and slide of his tongue.
All she could do was ride the sensation, let him make her fly. Her legs slid on his sheets, her butt rising and falling.
“Bodie, cowboy, please…” Her toes curled, and she twisted, sobbed softly as the pressure inside her built.
He licked, pushing his fingers deeper, and she thought he might just insist that she come that way, but she blinked, heard the crinkle of the condom wrapper, and he was on her, his mouth on hers, his cock sliding into her.
“Please. Please, fuck.” She drove herself down
, taking him hard and fast, slamming their bodies together.
“That’s the idea, honey.” He chuckled, the sound breathless and happy.
She would have teased, but she couldn’t. She needed. Now. So she tugged and grumbled when he went too slow and shouted her pleasure when she he got going like a house afire. He grabbed her legs, spread her, drove into her.
It was stunning, taking her breath away. She was so wet it was almost embarrassing.
One touch. She only needed one touch.
He knew. Somehow he knew, and he changed his angle, his pelvis tilting so she got some pressure on her clit.
Her head slammed back, and she swallowed hard, heels drumming on the mattress. Her body clenched, her pussy closing tight around him, then she tumbled over, the buzz in her nerves making her shudder, cry out.
Bodie held her until she calmed, her heart slowing its frantic pace. Then he grunted, driving into her three, four, five more times before he came for her, hot and wet and deep.
She wrapped her arms around him, holding on. “Oh, better.”
“I swear, honey, you take all my good sense.”
“You make me dizzy.” She didn’t think it was a bad thing, though. She thought she could get used to it.
“Sure that’s not the paint fumes?” He chuckled before kissing her cheek.
“They took the BPAs out of paints, didn’t they?”
“Still makes me weird sometimes.” Bodie pulled out of her, gentle as anything.
She reached out, fingers tickling his belly. “The bathroom looks great.”
His belly sucked in, then quivered with his laughter. “Thanks. I figured that way you’d have a sink.”
“No one’s ever put in a sink for me before.”
“Hey, I dealt with Hector at the hardware store. We picked out paint for you.”
“Oh, wow. It’s a perfect color—warm, sunny, but not…ew.”
Colors were important to her. She was a photographer, after all. She was very visual.
