by Ward, Alice
I sat between his legs and leaned back against his chest. James dipped a washcloth into the bubbles and gently rubbed it up and down my body.
“There’s not much room in here,” I observed as he struggled to move his legs.
“I know,” he agreed, squeezing the washcloth against my neck. The hot water ran down my spine, relaxing my exhausted muscles. “When we build our house, I want the biggest tub money can buy,” he said.
I smiled and moved my hips, rubbing my back against his hard, slick cock. “That sounds perfect. And I want a shower like the one in our Baltimore suite.”
James gathered my hair in his hands and brushed it over my shoulder. He leaned forward and kissed the top of my spine. Shivers ran through my body as he moved his hands to my shoulders.
“You’ve been so stressed lately,” he observed, massaging my muscles. “And I’m so sorry. But things are about to get much better, baby. I can feel it. We’ll tell the parents before we leave for Belmont. The trip can be the beginning of the rest of our lives.”
My heart smiled at the thought of walking into Belmont Park as James’s girlfriend. I was no longer afraid of anyone else’s opinion. I knew plenty of people would gossip and whisper behind our backs. But I also knew that if Mondo won the Triple Crown, the people who mattered in the industry wouldn’t give a damn who I was sleeping with. They’d pay through the teeth for the select horses I chose to part with while I was building my bloodline.
“You feel more relaxed,” James said, kissing my shoulder. “What are you thinking about?”
“Walking into Belmont Park on your arm, with nothing to hide. What are you thinking about?”
He kissed my other shoulder. “Carrying you into my bedroom and having my way with you,” he whispered into my ear. His hands moved around my chest and he gripped my breasts roughly. “Any thoughts?”
“I think I could get on board with that,” I cooed. I took a sip of my wine as James climbed out of the tub. He toweled off quickly and then offered me his hand. I stood up and he wrapped a towel around me before lifting me into his arms.
“I’m starting to notice a trend,” I teased as he carried me through the living room. “You always carry me to bed.”
“If I had my way, I’d never let you go,” he said, pushing open the bedroom door. He deposited me on the mattress and I rolled out of the towel. I slid up to the headboard and James lay down beside me. I crawled into his lap and stared down into his eyes.
“I’m all yours baby… forever,” I whispered. I held his face in my hands and kissed him softly. I felt his stiff cock throb between my legs and reached to the drawer for a condom.
“I want you, right now,” I said, staring into his eyes. I opened the package and reached between us, rolling the rubber down his shaft. I planted my knees on the bed and lowered myself down on his cock. I settled into his lap and then stilled, relishing the feeling of having him inside me.
“Oh God Willow, you don’t even have to move,” he moaned. He caressed my face and kissed me gently, holding himself back and then thrusting his hips up just once. “It feels so good, just being inside you.”
I kissed him again and then tightened my pussy muscles for a quick second. James groaned and his breath quickened.
“Just think, James. We have the rest of our lives to do this,” I whispered, my voice husky. I raised myself a little and then slammed back into him.
“Oh Willow,” he moaned again. He put his hands on my ass and pushed in deeper. He leaned back against the headboard and I dropped my lips to his neck.
I squeezed him again, this time a little longer, and then released. His cock grew even bigger inside me and I lost the will to hold myself back. I bounced up and down on the mattress, coming down harder with every thrust. James gripped my ass tighter and buried his face between my breasts. He licked and teased them as I speared myself over and over again with his cock. I cried out as I climbed to my release.
James took one hand off of my ass. He brought it to his lips, licked his fingers, and circled around to my backdoor. No one had ever done that to me before, and I was shocked by how willing I was to try it. He teased the hole cautiously and breathed into my ear.
“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he whispered.
“Just go slow,” I moaned in reply.
He gently pushed one finger inside and I was consumed with sensations I’d never had before. I’d never felt so full, so completely consumed by someone. I lost control of my body and fell into James’s chest. He lifted me up and down on his cock and my body exploded in the most powerful orgasm I’d ever had. I felt his body soaked beneath me and for a split second, I wondered if I’d lost control of my bladder.
“Oh my God, Willow,” he moaned. “Do you feel how much you just came? That is so hot.”
He pulled his hands away and rolled me onto my back. The comforter was damp beneath me and I marveled at the sensations still rocketing through my body.
“I think… I’m still coming,” I moaned beneath him.
“Yeah, baby?” he moaned, jackhammering into me.
“Yes… yes… oh God…”
My toes curled and my legs spasmed as I clamped my pussy muscles again. James cried out and then with a soft grunt, collapsed beside me on the bed. He held me as my body continued to spasm. It took almost five minutes for my muscles to calm.
“That was amazing,” I said, my breath still labored.
“You’re amazing,” James corrected me. He kissed my shoulder and offered me a bottle of water. I accepted it and took a long drink while he wiggled between the sheets. I handed the water back to him and moved to leave the bed.
“Where are you going?” he asked, taking me by the arm.
“Home,” I replied. “I can’t stay here tonight, remember?”
“I’m not ready to let you go,” he insisted, pulling me into his arms. I slid between the sheets and curled up on his chest.
“I’m not ready to go,” I confessed. “But I can’t fall asleep here.”
“Just stay a little while longer,” he pleaded.
It didn’t take much to convince me.
I won’t fall asleep. As soon as I feel myself drifting off, I’ll get up and go home.
“Fine… just a little longer,” I agreed. I nuzzled into James’s neck and listened contently to the sound of his breath.
***
“What the fuck is going on here?” Renee demanded.
Her loud voice startled me awake and I bolted upright in the bed. Sunlight was shining through the bedroom windows and Renee was standing in the doorway. Her hands were on her hips and her face was red with fury. My heart raced and my mouth felt like it was full of cotton.
“Renee… what are you… this isn’t…” I stammered, pulling the blankets up to my neck.
“Save it, Willow,” she snapped. She stormed across the room and shook James awake. He stirred, but didn’t open his eyes.
“James Parker, wake the fuck up right now,” she yelled into his ear.
James opened his eyes and the color immediately drained from his face. “Mom,” he croaked. He cleared his throat and sat up, leaning against the headboard. I felt trapped. I knew the last thing Renee wanted to see was James and me in bed together. But my clothes were in the bathroom, so I couldn’t exactly run away.
“What time is it?” James asked, rubbing his eyes.
“What time is it?” Renee repeated, her voice full of frustration. “I walk in on this and the first thing you have to say is what time is it?”
“Mom, I’m sorry,” James said. “I wanted to tell you. We were going to tell you... but then Cole had his heart attack and… I never wanted you to find out this way. What are you even doing here?”
“You wanted to tell me? This has happened before?” she gasped. She looked back and forth between us, trying to make sense of what was happening. She took a deep breath and smoothed the front of her tunic.
“I came over here to see if your headache ha
d gone away,” she continued. “Obviously, you’re feeling much better. I’m going to go to the kitchen and start a pot of coffee. The two of you are going to get dressed and then you’re going to tell me exactly what’s been going on.” She left the room and I let out the long breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
James turned to me and squeezed my hand under the blanket. “That wasn’t ideal,” he groaned. “Are you okay?”
I shook my head. “I’m terrified,” I confessed. “You saw the look on her face. She hates us. Get dressed and go get my clothes from the bathroom. I’m sure she’ll love seeing that.”
“Relax, Willow,” James insisted, his face calm. He got out of bed and pulled on a t-shirt and flannel pajama pants. “Mom has a tendency to over react. But she doesn’t hate us. Once she gets over the initial shock, she’ll see that we really love each other.”
“Please, just go get my clothes,” I begged. He nodded and left the room.
Shit, shit, shit! Why the hell did I fall asleep here? This isn’t how this was supposed to happen. Getting caught in the act makes it look ten times worse. Please God, let James be right. Let Renee understand that we’re truly in love with each other.
The bedroom door creaked open and James tossed my clothes onto the bed before shutting the door again. I dressed quickly and left the room, my stomach knotted with anxiety. When I sat down at the small kitchen table, I felt like my heart was about to jump out of my throat. Renee pushed a mug of coffee to me and studied the two of us in turn. She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in her chair.
“Okay, I want to know everything,” she said. “When did this start? Who knows about it? And most importantly, what the hell were the two of you thinking?” she finished, her eyes narrow.
James cleared his throat. “Mom, Willow and I have been seeing each other since before you and Cole started dating. Or at least before you told us you were dating.”
“And you thought that wasn’t worth mentioning?” she snapped.
“We didn’t know what to think, Mom,” he sighed. “The two of you said you were going to take things slow. Then suddenly, you were engaged. Willow and I tried to fight our feelings. We tried to stay away from each other. But we couldn’t.”
“We really did, Renee,” I meekly agreed.
“You tried to break Cole and me up,” Renee corrected us. “My God, everything’s starting to make sense now. This is why you punched Bradley after he kissed Willow in Kentucky. It’s why you suddenly settled down and stopped running from one rodeo to the next. It explains so much.” She let out a long sigh and folded her hands in her lap.
“I’m really sorry we didn’t tell you,” I said, searching her eyes for forgiveness. I had to find a way to make her understand how James and I felt about each other. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to say. You and Daddy are so happy together. But James and I are happy together too. We love each other, Renee.”
“Honey, I’m sure you think you do,” she said. Her eyes were kind but firm. “But you don’t even know what you’re talking about. This isn’t love. This is youth and the thrill of doing something you’re not supposed to. You’re both too caught up in the excitement to realize that this relationship is never going to work. It ends now, for both your sakes.”
My heart sank and I stared down at my coffee, fighting back tears.
Damn it, I was afraid this was going to happen. We should have told them weeks ago. I think it would be easier for Renee to talk about this if she hadn’t just caught us in bed.
James stared at Renee with patient eyes and folded his hands together on the table. “Mom, I know you’re worried about what people will think. But Willow’s not my sister. Maybe it would be different if you and Cole had gotten married when we were young. But we all met each other as adults. And we all have the right to act like adults.” He reached across the table and took my hand. My face flushed hot with anxiety, but I didn’t pull away.
“That’s just it, James,” Renee replied, her voice full of resolve. “You’re not adults at all. You certainly haven’t acted like it. I know you both think you’re grown, but you still have a lot to learn... about yourselves, about life. I don’t give a damn about what people might think. I care about the two of you and I don’t want to see your hearts broken or our family torn apart when this inevitably ends.”
James squeezed my hand. “Don’t you think we’ve considered that?” he asked her. “Willow and I know how much we have to lose if this doesn’t work out. That’s why we tried to stay apart. But we couldn’t, because we love each other. You know if our situations were reversed and Willow and I admitted we were dating before you and Cole did, this wouldn’t even be an issue.”
Renee stared back at James with narrowed eyes. “Maybe you’re right. But that’s not how things happened and all that matters is reality. James, I love you more than anything else in this world. But I’m not blind. I’ve noticed that in twenty-six years, you’ve never once had a serious girlfriend. You’re not ready for the kind of commitment it would take to make this work. And you,” she said, turning to me. “Have you thought about what this could do to your professional reputation?”
“I thought you said you didn’t give a damn what people think?” James reminded her, his voice full of restraint. I put my hand on his forearm to calm him and met Renee’s gaze.
“I thought long and hard about that,” I assured her. “And I don’t think it will be a big deal. Like James said, we’re not related. And the fact that you’re marrying my father won’t change that, not biologically. I know people will talk, initially. But then they’ll see that we’re just like everyone else.”
Renee shifted in her seat and stared at us with intense frustration. Our confidence in our relationship seemed to be irritating her worse than anything. She looked away from us, took a long drink of her coffee, and sat her mug back on the table. She looped a finger through the handle and pushed the mug in circles while she gathered her thoughts. Finally, she cleared her throat and met my eye again.
“Do you really think you’ll be able to deal with James being gone for long stretches once he qualifies for the PBR Tour?” she asked, her brow furrowed with doubt.
“I’m not going on the tour,” James said.
“What do you mean you’re not going on the tour?” Renee demanded, her hot eyes flying to him. “You’ve dreamed of qualifying since you were a little boy. You’re suddenly giving up your dreams? That’s just another sign that this is a bad idea.” She stared down at our joined hands and then looked up at me and scowled. I pulled away from James and folded my arms across my chest.
He rolled his eyes. “You hate that I bull ride,” he argued. “Besides, Cole needs me here. I’ve taken on quite a bit of the workload since he’s been sick.”
“We appreciate that, James. But we could hire someone to replace you. I do hate that you ride. But I love that you have something you’re so passionate about. I won’t sit by and watch you give up your dream for something that will only bring you pain.”
James cleared his throat and stood up. I had no idea what he was doing, but I followed suit.
“Mom, it’s clear that we’re not going to come to an agreement on this today. I love you, but I’m a grown man. You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore. With all due respect, if Willow and I want to be together, you can’t really do anything about it,” he said, his voice firm and his jaw set.
Renee straightened her shoulders and pushed her chair back. “You’re not going to dismiss me so easily,” she said, rising to her feet. “And you’re not going to be together. For the love of God, Cole’s heart is just starting to get strong again. You want to give him this kind of shock, this kind of disappointment? Well, I won’t stand for it.” She shoved her chair under the table, tossed her plastic mug into the sink, and turned back to us, hands on hips.
“Let me tell you what’s going to happen,” she said with a determined glare. “The two of you are going to end this today
. You’re not to breathe a word about it to Cole. I’m assuming Matt and Lucas know what you’ve been up to, so tell them to keep quiet too. All of your little overnight trail rides and weekend trips are over. You will see each other over family meals and that is it. You will learn to be brother and sister and these other feelings will disappear.”
“Mom, I’ve already told you that we can’t do that,” James said, his voice like steel. His impatience just fueled her anger.
“You’ll do it, or you’re both cut off,” she said, forcing the words out between clenched teeth.
I was shocked by her idle threat. “You can’t do that,” I gasped.
“I’m not talking about money, Willow,” she replied. “I’m talking about everything else. If you and James insist on being together, I can’t have relationships with either of you. I can’t speak for your father, but I’m confident he’d feel the same way. We won’t sit on the sidelines and watch the two of you destroy each other. You both need to think long and hard before you do something you can’t take back. I need to get back to the house, Cole’s probably wondering where I am. Breakfast will be ready in twenty minutes. I expect you both to be there.”
She turned and walked to the door. She held the knob in her hand for a few moments and then turned back to us. Her face had softened and her eyes were wet with tears.
“I hoped it wouldn’t have to come to this, but you’ve left me no choice. I know you both hate me right now. I only hope that when you each have children of your own, you’ll understand that I’m doing whatever I can to protect my family,” she finished with a sniffle and disappeared out the door.
CHAPTER 6
“I’m so glad that you’re flying out with me and Lucas on Thursday,” Matt said with a bittersweet smile. “Are you sure we can’t convince James to come with us? I mean, his ticket is already paid for.”
It was Monday afternoon and Matt and I were sitting in my office going over our itinerary for the Belmont Stakes. After the encounter with Renee, I was more than ready to get away from home for a few days. I was too devastated to look forward to the race, but I knew Matt and Lucas would do their best to make sure I had a good time once we got there.
