Saving Savannah (Haven Book 3)
Page 13
“Logan, I want to help. This ranch is too much work for one person. Is there something I can do?”
“I thought we’d settled this. Where did this new interest in ranching come from?”
She stared down at the mess she’d made of part of her sandwich and wiped her hands on her napkin. “You guys work so hard to keep this place afloat, I feel like I should do my part to help out.”
He opened his mouth then closed it again. “Savannah, you don’t have to do your part.”
“Of course I do. I don’t want to be that person that does all the taking with no giving.”
“Like your mother?” he guessed.
She looked away.
“Savannah, hear me on this. You do not have to work on the ranch or do the housework or bring in money to contribute to this relationship, understand me? You are our wife, we love you through good and bad. We take care of you, no matter what.”
“I want to do the same for you.”
“You do, woman,” he told her almost impatiently. “Jesus, how can you not see everything you do for us? You brought laughter to us when we’d forgotten how. You’re the reason we come home each night and leave with a smile on our faces in the morning. Hell, without you, Max would probably be a workaholic, and I’d have become a grumpy old hermit a long time ago.”
“You are a grumpy old hermit,” she told him.
He snorted. “Maybe so. But I’m your grumpy old hermit. Enough of this nonsense about needing to give something to us. You give something to us every day.”
“Even now?”
He pushed his stool back and crooked a finger at her. She moved slowly over to him, and he drew her between his legs. Pulling her close, he kissed the top of her head.
“Of course, now. We don’t just love you because of what you do for us, Savannah. We love you for you.” He sighed. “Christ, you know I’m no good at this mushy stuff. Did you deliberately wait until Max was gone to bring this up? Are you trying to torture me?”
She laughed quietly. “No. I’m not that evil.”
He ran his hand up and down her back. “I don’t want you looking up all that crap on the computer anymore.”
“I’m just trying to figure out where he is.” And if he was all right.
“And you’ll tie yourself up in knots trying to do that. We won’t know where he is. You have to trust he’ll take care of himself.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know, darlin’. I know.”
They were silent for a while, and the feel of his body against hers was stirring her need.
“You didn’t ask him to stay,” Logan said abruptly.
She tried to pull back, but he held her tightly against his chest.
“You think I should have?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. Just wondering why you didn’t.”
She sighed. “Do we have to talk about this now? Don’t you have work to do?”
“Yep. But I think this is more important. You’re worried about him. You didn’t even hear me calling you, you’re not eating again and don’t think I won’t be addressing that. He’s only been gone a day, keep this up darlin’, and there’s going to be nothing left of you when he comes back.”
She snorted. “I eat.”
“Like a mouse. So, spill it.”
“I thought you didn’t like talking about feelings and crap.”
“Doesn’t mean I won’t do it. Especially when I feel it’s the best thing for you.”
“I have a therapist to talk this stuff out with.”
“And have you talked to her about this?”
Oh, shoot. She should have left Molly out of this. Now she’d gone and done it.
“I think I’ll email some of my old clients this afternoon, see if they have any jobs I could pick up.”
“Oh no, you don’t. We’re not changing the topic. Have you told Molly that Max is gone?”
“No,” she told him.
“Why not?”
“He only left yesterday, I haven’t had a session with her.”
“Hmm.” He pulled her back so he could study her face. Crap.
“It’s not healthy to bottle things up.”
She stared at him incredulously. “Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?”
“I don’t bottle shit up.”
She just raised her eyebrows.
“I don’t. I just don’t have that much deep shit going on.”
“So, in other words, you’re not a complete basket case like me.”
“Didn’t say that,” He tapped her nose chidingly. “But you do like to keep things locked up and you know that’s not allowed. So, talk.”
“I really don’t want to.”
“I know. You’re still going to do it.”
Most of the time, the way both of them completely focused on her, to the point of ignoring everything else, felt amazing. And sometimes it was just frustrating.
“You can be a real pain in the ass, you know that?
“Yes, I can. I also know that in about three minutes we’re going to be having this conversation with you over my knee.”
She shook her head.
His gaze turned thoughtful, and she resisted the urge to shuffle around. The naughty girl shuffle as Max liked to call it.
“I seem to recall that after a spanking was when we used to learn about what was really going on with you.”
She shook her head frantically.
Clasping her hand, he led her to the dining table. He pulled out a chair and sat. Then patted his lap. “Over.”
Oh, Lord, what had she started? She glanced over at the door. Could she make it?
“Don’t even think about it,” he told her. “There’s nowhere to hide that I won’t find you. And when I catch you, your ass is going to pay the price. Because I’ll spank you until my arm tires, and we know that will take a long, long while.”
She swallowed heavily. Yep, she had firsthand experience of just how long it would take for him to tire.
“Now, come here, Savannah Jane. And I’m not gonna tell you again.”
Oh, hell, she hated when he used her middle name. It meant she was in big trouble. She moved closer, and he widened his legs and drew her between them, cupping her ass. He squeezed her butt cheeks.
He rubbed her ass until her legs turned to mush, arousal sapping her strength as her blood seemed to pool in one area, her throbbing clit.
He started to undo her jeans. “Are you wet, Savannah?”
Oh, shit. She didn’t want to tell him the truth yet she knew that lying would just get her in more trouble.
“Savannah? It’s easy enough for me to check, so I want you to tell me the truth now, are you wet?”
“Yes,” she gritted out.
He smiled. “Good girl. Being honest is going to earn you a reward.” He tugged her jeans fully off, and she clung to him for balance as he pulled them off over her feet. Now she was dressed in just a white T-shirt and a pair of black, lace panties. She hadn’t even put on a bra this morning. Her T-shirt was an old one of Max’s, so it was loose enough that it hid her hard nipples.
“Spread your legs.”
“Logan.”
“Uh-uh, do as you’re told. I’m in charge right now.”
A thrill raced up her spine at those words. She spread her legs apart. He cupped her mound, and she knew he could feel how wet her panties were. A blush raced across her face. She closed her eyes as he squeezed her wet lips.
“Hmm, seems that maybe we haven’t been giving you what you need, Savannah.”
Her eyes shot open as she stared down at him. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve always enjoyed having us take command in the bedroom, haven’t you? Only we’ve been worried about frightening you, so we’ve held back. But from the feel of this hot, wet pussy you’re more than ready for me to take back control.”
“Oh, God, Logan.” He was killing her. Seriously.
He pushed her panties to one s
“Yes. Yes.” She held onto his shoulders, closing her eyes once more as her need threatened to pull her under, to have her sinking to the floor in a pile of mush.
“I can feel that you do.” Suddenly he withdrew his fingers, and she swayed at the loss. “Now lay across my lap.”
Her temper surged, and she opened her eyes to glare down at him. “Not right now!”
He just stared at her calmly. “Over my lap.”
“You are a real tease, you know that, right?” she grumbled. She couldn’t believe he’d gotten her so hot and bothered and now he wanted to spank her.
Damn man. She moved around to the side of his lap then laid over it. “Just for the record, I think it’s cruel to tease someone without release.”
“Just for the record, I think you have one fine ass.” He massaged her butt then pulled her panties down just below her cheeks. He placed his whole hand against her ass. He was so big in comparison to her, but she knew he’d never use his strength against her. “And I never said you weren’t going to get a release. Although keep up the attitude, and that is a definite possibility.”
Okay, that was her cue to shut up. He rubbed his hand up and down her butt. She hated when he did that, trying to build the anticipation. Anticipation sucked when it came to a spanking. Suddenly, he smacked his hand down on her ass. She jumped then groaned. He followed it up with a few heavier spanks. The sound filled the room, and she had to resist the urge to squirm, to try to get away knowing that would only result in more hard slaps of that firm hand against her vulnerable bottom.
He paused, gently rubbing the heat into her skin. “How does your butt feel?”
“Um, sore.” Was that it? Was he going to go easy on her? Did that mean they could get down to more interesting things?
“Good.” He started the spanking in earnest, and she realized those first few had just been the damn warm up. Soon, he had her bawling, deep, heart-wrenching sobs that shook her whole body.
“Well, that didn’t take long.” He gave her two more smacks before drawing her up, so she was sitting on his lap rather than lying across it. He made certain her ass was hanging over the side of his legs, so she wasn’t resting her weight on it as he drew her in against his chest.
She hiccupped, tears dripping down her cheeks. The pain was pretty intense, but she was crying way more than she thought her roasted butt cheeks warranted.
“That’s it, darlin’. Let it all out.” He rocked her slowly, murmuring things to her that didn’t make much sense. But she didn’t care. The sound of his voice was all she needed. That low rumble that came from deep in his chest. Gradually, her tears lessened.
“Coming back to me now?” He tipped her chin up then reached over for the box of tissues on the dining table. They’d taken to leaving boxes of tissues all over the place after realizing how much she cried during and after a spanking. There were boxes in places she never thought she’d receive a spanking. The mudroom, the storage room, the damn hall closet.
Then there were the boxes outside the house. In the car, the barn, and hidden in a small rock enclosure down by the pond.
Now she lay against Logan, feeling completely wiped out, but in a good way. As though all her fears and worries had been lifted from her. They’d been set free on a wave of tears and snot.
Kind of gross. But true.
Logan wiped the tears from her cheeks then grabbed a new tissue, holding it to her nose. “Blow.”
“Logan . . . I can blow my own nose.”
He just gave her “the look” and she sighed.
“Blow.”
She blew her nose, her face growing at least as hot as her butt cheeks. He threw the tissue down then grasped her chin, studying her.
“What is it?” she asked, reaching up with her hand. Was there something on her face? No doubt she looked a complete wreck.
“You are so beautiful.”
“And you need glasses.”
“Savannah,” he said in a low, growly voice that sent a delicious shiver of arousal up her body.
“Come on, Logan. I’m dressed in one of Max’s old shirts. I’ve just been crying my eyes out, so they’re probably swollen and red. My cheeks will be blotchy because that’s what always happens when I cry, and I’m not wearing a bit of makeup. I haven’t even run a comb through my hair today.”
Jesus, when she laid it all out, she realized she hadn’t been making much of an effort lately.
He kissed her lips lightly. “Why didn’t you ask Max to stay?”
She sighed. “Because he needed to go. Because I could tell he felt like he’d failed us. Failed the ranch. If I’d asked him to stay, and then we lost everything, it would be my fault. He was hiding this from us because he didn’t think I could handle it.”
“Maybe. But that was only part of it. The other part is Max’s fucked-up mind.”
“Logan.”
He shrugged. “It’s true. Max takes everything on his shoulders. He has this thing about protecting everyone else.”
She nodded. “And you think that because your stepfather called you stupid you are?”
“Something like that.”
“You’re not.”
“And you don’t like to ask too much of us because you think you’ll end up like your mother.”
She bit her lip and looked away. “I guess.”
He clasped her chin, turning her face back. “I get why you didn’t ask him to stay. We could have forced him to. He’d have stayed if you’d asked or if I’d told him I couldn’t handle it all. We both had our reasons for letting him go. But none of this is your fault. And I want to make damn sure you know that. The ranch has been in a downward spiral for much longer than these last few months. And remember, the most important thing to both of us, is you. Always.”
“And you think you’re not good at this emotional stuff.”
He snorted then cupped her face. “You’re beautiful. Fuck, I can’t resist you.”
Then he leaned in and kissed her. It started off soft at first then morphed into something harder. Hotter. She whimpered, her pussy clenching with the hunger to have him inside her. The spanking hadn’t dampened her desire. No, as usual, for reasons she couldn’t understand, it had only ramped up her arousal.
He stood, holding her against her chest, but instead of making his way up to the bedroom, he laid her out on the dining room table. Her ass rested at the edge, the coolness of the table felt good against her bottom. Then he lifted her legs, placing her feet on the surface, so she was spread wide, completely open to him.
“Keep them there,” he said gruffly, his face filled with hunger.
And then the damn man pulled up a chair. As though she was dinner. And as he lowered his mouth to her damp pussy she came to the realization she was.
“So good,” he muttered between licking her. He licked every inch of her pussy, touching her everywhere except where she wanted him most—her clit.
“Logan!” She cried out.
“Yes.” He pulled back to look at her body. “Was there something you wanted?”
As if he didn’t know.
She glared at him. “You know what I want.”
“Ask me.”
“What?”
“Ask me for want you want. And then maybe I’ll give it to you.” He smiled. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to wipe that smug grin off his face.
“Please touch me there.”
“Where? Here?” He licked across the top of her mound.
“No! My clit, damn you! Lick my clit!”
He touched her clit. Just the once. Just enough to make her breath catch in her lungs.
“I want you to touch my clit again while you’re licking me. I want your mouth on my nipples, I want you inside me.”
“See, not so hard to ask for what you need, is it?”
No, not at all. As long as they kept it to sex. He dropped his mouth to her pussy again, this time flicking his tongue against her swollen clit as he pushed one then two fingers deep inside her. In and out, slowly at first then faster until her hips were pressing up against his face. Just a bit more . . . a bit more.
He pulled his tongue away from her clit, and she cried out. “No!”
He kept his fingers deep inside her.
He kissed his way up her stomach, pulling the T-shirt up as he moved, until he pulled one breast free. He licked her nipple before pulling it into his mouth, sucking. Hard.
“Oh. Oh.” She wriggled underneath him, not caring that each movement rubbed her tender butt against the table.
Logan moved to her other nipple, nipping it before soothing it with his tongue. Then he stood back and quickly tugged his jeans and boxers down, revealing his thick cock.
“I was going to take my time and savor you but I just don’t have the patience.” He grabbed hold of her hips, tugging her closer as he stood between her spread legs. Then he slowly pushed himself into her.
“Logan! Feels so good.”
“Better than good. Fucking good.”
Yep, fucking good was right. Once he was fully inside her, he drew right back then slammed his way into her. Each movement was hard, fast, and hot. He reached down and rubbed her clit as he drove himself into her, completely filling her.
“Logan! Logan!” she screamed as she came, clenching down on his thick rod.
His own shout of satisfaction filled the room as he came, pushing himself deeper. Then he leaned over her, taking her mouth in a deep, scorching kiss.
***
“Are you eating your sandwich?” Logan called, walking into the open-plan kitchen/dining area after having cleaned himself up in the downstairs bathroom. He glanced up at the clock. Crap, he should have been back out by now if he wanted to get through his list of things to do before tonight. That was looking more and more unlikely now.
“Yes,” she grumbled. She shifted about in her seat. “Can’t I stand to eat, though?”
He hid his grin. “Nope.” He wasn’t doing it just to be mean. Sitting on a hot butt would be a reminder of what happened if she didn’t do as she was supposed to.
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