“A guy’s gotta have hope. We were three horny teenage boys. With an emphasis on horny.”
His jeans slid down his legs and he kicked them off along with his boots before reaching under her cotton sweater. His hard cock slapped against his belly and she reached out and ran her fingernails lightly up the sides, the skin like velvet over pure iron. He groaned in response and captured her lips for a long, drugging kiss. He tasted of the coffee he’d drank in the truck as they’d driven here, and although it wasn’t a flavor she normally favored she couldn’t get enough of it from Jared’s lips. When he lifted his head he nibbled his way down her neck and shoulder.
“I don’t think much has changed,” Misty giggled as his fingers tickled her ribs. He tugged the sweater over her head and casually tossed it away. His fingers went to work on her jeans and before she knew it they were lying naked in the sun, his body partially covering hers. He had promised to keep her warm.
“When you’re around I can’t help it,” he breathed against the skin of her throat. He kissed a trail down to one breast, fuller and more sensitive now than they were that first time together and gently laved at the nipple. Electricity rocketed to her pussy and clit and she shivered under his masterful touch. He ran his tongue down into the valley between her breasts before lapping at the other nipple until it was hard and erect.
Closing her eyes, she let her other senses come wonderfully alive. The fresh smell of the grass. The squawking of birds as they flew overhead. The feel of the sun and breeze on her bare skin. Making love outdoors made her feel decadent and free. Perhaps next time they could make love under a full moon and a sky full of stars.
“Jared,” she whispered as arousal tightened in her belly. “Need you now.”
“Soon.” He licked her nipple and then blew on the wet tip, sending arrows of pleasure to her curled toes. Kissing and nibbling his way down her belly, he pushed her legs apart and traced patterns on her inner thigh with his tongue. The flesh was sticky with her honey and she moved restlessly as he teased her with his mouth, never quite giving her what she needed to go over.
His large hand pressed against her stomach, warm and reassuring as his lips nuzzled her belly button. He did this more and more these days, hoping to feel the baby move. It was still too soon but she couldn’t wait for that day either.
His tongue was drawing lazy circles on her lower abdomen right above her clit. His mere touch fired off a round of sparks that made her entire body shudder and quake. She couldn’t take his teasing any longer. She needed him now, fucking her deep and hard.
Reaching down she wrapped her fingers around his impressive cock. Stroking up and down she dragged a groan from his lips, his breath ragged and labored.
“You are a torturous witch,” he chuckled under his breath. “Just for that I’m going to lie back here and relax while you do all the work.”
Taking her with him, Jared rolled over onto his back. Distinctly uncomfortable, she braced her hands on his hips as she straddled his thighs. Always during their lovemaking he had taken the lead and been in charge. Now he was reclining back, a smile on his face as he waited for her to do…something.
“I don’t know what to do,” she admitted, hiding her face behind her long hair.
“Honey, I’m going to love everything you do. Just do what comes natural. It’ll be okay.”
Still unsure, she ran her palms up and down his torso, delighting in the feel of his skin, so different from her own. Hovering over him she lowered herself down onto his cock slowly, inch by inch, until she was seated in to the hilt. She hissed at the pleasure that bloomed inside as she experimentally swiveled her hips. Once. Twice. Three times.
“Holy hell,” Jared muttered, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. His fists twisted the fabric of the quilt as she moved and swayed. Finding a sweet spot she bounced up and down, riding him fast and hard. Pleasure flowed through her, joyous in its intensity.
The coil of arousal in her belly tightened and then finally exploded as their bodies moved in synchronicity. Slamming herself down on him one more time, she screamed his name as she tumbled over the cliff. Her nails dug into his biceps as she gave her body over to her orgasm. Colored lights sparkled behind her lids even as Jared reached his own pinnacle.
When it was over, she lay on top of him exhausted and wrung out. The warm sun on her back and the smell of newly awakened grass mingled with the heavy musk of their lovemaking. Jared played with her hair, running his fingers through the long strands while the birds chirped.
“I hope you never cut your hair,” he said after a long while. He’d wrapped them in the blanket so she wouldn’t feel the chill, cuddling her close to his warm body. “It’s so goddamn beautiful and it feels like silk.”
“I don’t remember the last time I got my hair cut. I like it long except for washing it. That’s kind of a hassle so I only do it every other day.”
“I promise to help,” he vowed, his lips near her ear. “I know it’s none of my business what you do to your own hair.”
“Lots of women cut it after they have a baby,” Misty conceded. “We’ll see what happens.”
Immediately his hand covered the slight swell of her belly. It wouldn’t be long and she’d need new clothes again. Maternity clothes this time.
“I should probably get you inside,” he said, pulling away reluctantly. “You and Junior need your rest and maybe a snack.”
Misty giggled as he unwrapped them from the blanket and began to find their clothes piece by piece. “What are you going to do if Junior is a girl?”
Jared grinned and tossed her panties and bra toward her. “Spoil her. Just like I intend to spoil her mama.”
It sounded like a first class plan.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The next morning Misty was making the bed while Jared fixed breakfast. They’d had a wonderful first day and night of their mini-vacation and she was feeling the need to tell Jared how she felt – that she loved him. Surely he couldn’t look at her and make love to her the way he did if he didn’t love her? She didn’t know much about love and sex but every time she was with Jared it felt so right and perfect. He had to feel it too.
Tucking in the sheet, her hand came across something stuck under the mattress and she tugged it free. She frowned as she stared at what looked like a leather belt attached to the headboard at one end and a loop that fastened with velcro at the other. Crawling to the middle of the bed, she dug under the mattress and found another one just like it.
She stared at it for a long time and then almost smacked herself in the head with her hand when it finally dawned on her. These were for bondage. She’d read about it but of course had never experienced it herself. A cursory inspection of the bed revealed two more leather tethers, one at each corner of the foot of the bed. She also tried looking in the closet and dresser drawers, finding nothing. But strangely the bedside table drawer was locked tight. What did Jared have hidden in there? Men didn’t lock up their underwear and socks.
Sitting on the bed, she inspected the leather straps closely. Jared had never mentioned wanting to tie her up or do anything all that kinky. Of course she’d been so inexperienced when they first went to bed together that it probably wasn’t the moment to drag out the sex toys. She wasn’t against the idea, but Jared was absolutely the only man in the universe she’d even contemplate this with. She wouldn’t trust anyone else to tie her to a bed. Ever.
The idea did have its appeal. Helpless with Jared. All his attention focused on her. No decisions to make. Nothing to worry about.
Yep. The more she thought about it the better it sounded.
Her fingers ran over the butter soft leather. Wanting to experiment with Jared didn’t make her a whore. It didn’t make her easy or anything like her mother. It made her a woman in love that wanted to explore her sexuality with a man she trusted. That was all. There was nothing to be ashamed about. Millions of women probably did things like this all the time.
“Misty,�
� Jared called from the kitchen. “Did you fall back asleep? Breakfast is ready.”
“Coming,” she yelled back, furiously tucking the leather straps back under the mattress and smoothing down the comforter. She’d never asked a man if he wanted to tie her up before so she wasn’t quite sure how to bring this up to Jared.
The direct approach was usually the best but she still blushed at everything. Hopefully that habit would eventually cease, but as of now she was constantly hiding behind her hair and staring at her toes.
“Everything smells delicious.” She reached for a plate but Jared shook his head and pulled out her chair. Sitting down, she spread her napkin in her lap while he set a full plate of food in front of her. The last few days had been wonderful with nary a moment of nausea morning, noon, or night. Her energy had also returned along with a healthy sexual appetite. Jared didn’t seem to mind though and appeared to be thrilled that she was so enthusiastic about their physical relationship.
“Thank you. I made scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and toast.” Jared handed her a fork. “The hashbrowns have cheese in them.”
Misty bit into a piece of bacon and hummed her appreciation. Everything was better with bacon. Jared didn’t even give her a hard time about it as long as she didn’t eat it every morning. In fact he was piling it a mile-high on his own plate.
“This is fantastic. You’re quite a chef.” Misty sipped her orange juice. “What do you want to do today?”
“Whatever you’d like to do. We could go for an easy hike after breakfast and then maybe have a quiet afternoon. The temperature is supposed to drop later in the day so we could build a fire and watch a movie. I don’t have any chick flicks but I probably have a few that you might like.”
“A hike sounds good. I’ve got my energy back.” Misty quickly polished off the bacon and eggs and started in on the hashbrowns. “We’ve got that pot roast I can make for dinner.”
“It sounds perfect.” Jared yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “Damn, I needed this vacation. With everything going on with the Hicks case, Dad, and Royce it feels good to just relax and watch the world go by for a change.”
“Don’t forget dealing with a pregnant woman,” Misty teased. “Moody, sick, and tired isn’t a fun combination.”
“I’d take you any day over Dad. He’s never been a day at the beach and of course now he’s even more difficult.” Jared paused and wiped his mouth with the napkin. “I did have a talk with him, by the way. I told him whether or not you and I get married is none of his business and he needs to lay off.”
Misty was sure that the conversation hadn’t been easy for Jared but she was proud of him that he’d had it. His habit was to do whatever it took to make his father happy and gain his approval. Now he was doing the exact opposite.
Just as she was beginning to think that being married to Jared might be pretty wonderful.
“How did he take it?” she asked, finishing her last bite of toast. She’d cleaned her plate and once again marveled at her new pregnant appetite. Before the baby she’d grab a muffin or a toaster pastry before getting to work.
“He was shocked but then he backed off when he realized I was damn serious. I told him that you and the baby come first.”
Jared said it with such conviction she had no doubt he was serious and if it came down to it, he would choose her and the baby before his father. The thought was more than overwhelming. It was the stars and the moon. He was committed to her whether they had a piece of paper between them or not. So why not add the piece of paper and make it truly official?
All he had to do was ask her again.
“That had to be difficult for him to hear. Was he upset?” She liked Gerald Monroe. He was only trying to do what he thought was right even if it was none of his business.
“Actually he gave in kind of easy.” Jared saw the look on her face and laughed. “Yeah, I was shocked too which leads me to believe that was only the battle. He’s saving up ammunition for the war. He always was a long game player if you know what I mean.”
“He won’t give up?”
“My father doesn’t know the meaning of the word surrender. He’s full speed ahead at all times.”
Jared stood and began to clear the table while Misty ran suds in the sink for the dishes. “Even now?”
He sighed and stacked the plates on the counter next to the sink. “I don’t know. His emotions have become erratic and unpredictable this last year. He might drop it forever or be loaded for bear the next time I see him. There’s no way to know. But I’ll make sure I’m prepared if he does bring it up again. This is between you and me.”
She laid her hand on his arm and gave him her best encouraging smile. The situation with Jared’s father was likely to only get worse and never improve. The medication had stabilized his condition but it wouldn’t work forever. “I’ll be here with you every step of the way.”
Jared pulled her into his arms and she shrieked as her sudsy hands made contact with his t-shirt. He simply laughed and pulled her closer, not caring about being wet and soggy in the least.
“You and the baby are the best things in my life. I want you to know that.”
“I feel the same. I’m really happy,” Misty confessed, words of love on the tip of her tongue. But a rash of fear ran through her and she lost her nerve. There was still time this weekend to tell him of her love. Besides, if she were honest, she hoped he’d say it first. This morning he’d come so close. Closer than she’d ever imagined.
Misty and Jared were lying in front of the fireplace later that day watching television. Misty had slid the roast into the oven and Jared had put on a movie. He was correct when he said he didn’t have any chick flicks but he did have a great sense of humor and they settled in to watch Beetlejuice as the temperature outside dropped.
“More hot chocolate?” Jared asked, pausing the film and pointing to her mug. She nodded and he padded into the kitchen in bare feet to warm up more milk. “Are you sure you’re okay watching this movie? It’s one of my favorites.”
“Mine too.” Misty played with the fringe on the blanket they were lying on. Screwing up her courage, she sat up and took a deep breath. She’d been waiting for the right moment all day. “So I’ve been meaning to ask you…I found some leather straps attached to the bed when I was making it this morning. Is there anything you’d like to tell me about that?”
Jared froze, the spoon in his hand ceasing the circles it had been making in the cocoa mixture. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
Misty stood up and walked over to where he was standing in front of the stove. “You need to turn the burner down if you’re not going to stir that.”
Muttering an expletive, Jared lowered the heat on the pan. “This will be done in a minute.”
“So you’re plan is to convince me I didn’t see what I actually saw?” Misty queried. “Does that usually work for you?”
Jared sighed and let his head fall back so he was staring at the ceiling. “No. Shit, I don’t want you to think I’m some sort of pervert or monster.”
Misty took the spoon from his hand and stirred the cocoa before lifting it from the heat and pouring it into the two mugs on the counter. “I don’t think either of those things but I do think you’re avoiding my question. Obviously I’m not the first female you’ve brought up here.”
“No. Does that make me a jerk? Do you hate me?”
He looked genuinely concerned that she was pissed off.
“Jared, what you did before you met me is something I really can’t be angry about, now is it? I know you’ve dated more than your fair share of women and I assume you slept with most, if not all of them,” she explained patiently. “From all appearances, you may have had kinky sex with some or many of those women. I’m going to assume not all of them were into bondage but I could be wrong. So long story short? No, I’m not mad. Are you ashamed of your sexual peccadilloes?”
She lifted both mugs and walked back
in front of the fireplace, settling on the blanket. At first it didn’t look like Jared was going to follow her but he finally did, sitting across from her. “I am not ashamed. I just don’t want to scare you.”
“I’m not a child that needs your protection from the outside world. I may have been sexually inexperienced but that does not mean that I’m naïve about what goes on between a man and a woman. I’m also very open-minded and I’m not scared.” She blew gently on the steaming cocoa. “You know what’s funny? I thought that I’d be the one all embarrassed and blushing, not able to talk about this. But you’re the one that wants to squash the topic. If you don’t want to talk about it that’s fine. I’ll drop the entire subject and never bring it up again.”
“It’s not that.” Jared shook his head. “I think you’ve figured out that I like to be in charge. In control. Well, that extends to the bedroom. I like to be dominant in bed and through the years I’ve met women who prefer to be submissive when it comes to sex.”
“So you tied them up?” she asked. “What else did you do? And does it have anything to do with the locked nightstand drawer?”
A streak of red appeared on each of Jared’s cheekbones. “You have been a busy bee. Yes, there are some…what do they call them? Marital aids in that drawer. I locked them up because I occasionally lend the cabin to a friend and they don’t need to know anything about my personal life.”
Misty took a drink of her hot chocolate to give herself more time to formulate her question. “But you were willing to marry me and not do any of this ever again? That sounds like quite a sacrifice.”
Shrugging, Jared stretched out his long legs. “I never saw it that way.”
“Were you ever going to suggest we use some of these marital aids?”
“Honestly? As innocent as you were when we first went to bed together, I figured the last thing you’d want to do is have kinky sex with me. So no, I was not planning to suggest we use them. Maybe someday way in the future I might have.”
Imperfect Justice Page 21
