by Banks, R. R.
“Lie down and look up,” he said.
I did as he said and couldn’t withhold my gasp as I saw the breathtaking expanse of stars overhead. Shane lay down beside me and gazed above us.
“This is incredible,” I said.
“I come out here sometimes when I want to think,” he said.
I pointed up at the cluster of stars above us.
“The Pegasus,” I said. “It was always my favorite when I was a little girl. My mother used to tell me that the star at the very tip of its wing was the Wishing Star. I have made a lot of wishes on that star.”
I let out a sigh and looked over at Shane, who stared back at me.
Chapter Seventeen
Snow
Shane rolled over onto his side until he was facing me and I did the same so that we were looking at one another, our bodies only inches apart. We weren't touching, but we were close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off of him and the ripple of his breath sweeping down between my breasts. He reached forward and cupped his hand around my face, tilting it so that he could better look into my eyes.
"You look incredible," he whispered.
"Not adorable?" I teased, remembering how Shane had reacted to me when I had tried to help him with his ranch chores earlier in the day.
He shook his head and licked his lips as his eyes traveled along by face, down to the swell of my cleavage, and then further along my body. He eased his body closer to mine until the hands that were supporting us on the floor of the truck bed were pinned tightly between us.
"No," he breathed, his face coming closer to mine, "Definitely not adorable." He drew closer and nuzzled my nose with his, "Sexy," he whispered, "So sexy I could barely keep my hands off of you while I was driving out here.”
"Really?" I asked breathlessly.
The softness that was starting to show through Shane’s rugged exterior was enticing in a way that was completely different from what I had experienced with the first two men. With them, the attraction and sexual spark was sharp and explosive. With Shane, the burn was slower, the sense that he desired me making me feel more feminine and beautiful than wild and erotic.
He nodded.
"I am having a hard time keeping my hands off of you now."
I lifted my eyes to his. They looked slumbering, holding a gentleness that seemed to correspond with the rich, slow quality of his voice.
"Then why are you?" I whispered.
Shane leaned forward to touch his mouth to mine in the same soft, natural way that he had as we sat beside the campfire that evening. I felt him ease his hand away from where it had meshed lightly with mine between us so he could bring it to my thigh. I parted my lips beneath his to welcome his tongue into my mouth, sighing as I finally tasted him. His hand slipped under the hem of my skirt and I felt him pause as he discovered the top of my thigh highs and the garter belt that held them in place. It hadn’t been included in the clothing that had been in the date box, but I had packed it anyway. Wearing it tonight had been a risk, but the slow, gradual attraction between us had left me wanting to do something special for Shane, to primp myself a bit more, and the lacy white lingerie had seemed the perfect choice.
He groaned, pulling his mouth away from mine and looking down so he could push my skirt up around my hip and watch as his fingertips traced along the lace at the top of one thigh-high.
"Do you like it?" I asked softly.
He kissed me again, nipping lightly into my bottom lip.
"Let me take off your dress.”
I rolled onto my back and sat up, lifting my hips so that he could ease my skirt out from under me. His hand went to my back and I felt him lowering the zipper on my dress. It went all the way to the bottom, so when he finished I was able to peel the fabric away. He took it out of my hands and leaned around to toss it through the driver's window into the cab of the truck. I shivered in the cool air of the night and Shane opened the large black case that we had been leaning against to pull out another blanket. He draped it over the side of the truck, a promise of cuddling up later. For now, we didn’t need the blanket. There was plenty of warmth coming soon.
My hair tumbled around my shoulders and pooled around me on the worn quilt as I lay back. Shane took a breath as he looked down at me, taking all of me in, and I had never felt so beautiful. His fingers moved quickly down the buttons on the front of his shirt and he let it slide off of his broad shoulders before tossing it into the cab of the truck like he had with my dress. My breath caught in my throat as I saw the moonlight shining down on his sculpted body. All of those days spent working on the ranch had done amazing things to him and the only word that I could think of to describe him appropriately was magnificent.
I reached up and touched my hand in the middle of his chest, flattening it and letting it run down his hard belly to pause at the front of his belt. The heel of my hand brushed against his fly and I could feel the swell of his hardening erection straining against the denim. He shifted and I heard the thud of his boots hitting the ground as he kicked them off and let them tumble off of the edge of the tailgate.
He eased himself back down beside me and cupped his hand at my waist, stroking my skin with this thumb for a few moments before bringing his upper body up to hover over mine. I arched slightly to touch my skin to his, seeking his warmth, and he gently pressed me back down into the softness of the quilt beneath me.
"Slow," he whispered, and lowered his mouth to brush against mine.
His lips moved down to my neck and he created a gradual, torturously slow path to the hollow between my collarbones. The tip of his tongue slid across the tender skin there before he continued his progress down the center of my chest toward my breasts.
"Patient," he whispered.
I was feeling many things at that moment, but patient certainly wasn’t one of them. I could feel his control, however, and knew that if I maintained myself and allowed him to set the pace, there would be something truly luscious to discover. He kissed along the white lace edge of each cup of my bra, then followed the path again with the tip of his tongue. I gasped when he lifted his mouth to blow a stream of air across the damp area, chilling me even further yet illustrating how much my body had heated up since he had come to lie beside me. I writhed beneath him and he lifted his mouth away until I calmed again. He was committed to this slow progression, allowing the burn that had been smoldering to continue to grow naturally. I told myself to savor it, to appreciate every moment of what we were creating together. Once I was still, Shane's lips rested on my stomach. He continued to kiss until he reached my navel, and then drew his tongue back up to the underwire of my bra. I could feel the heat building between my thighs as he continued to coax me.
"Sit up."
I did as he asked so that he could reach behind me to unhook my strapless bra. It immediately fell away from my body and I tilted my head back to enjoy the now-familiar feeling of the cool night air grazing my nipples. It was something that I never would have expected would seem comforting and familiar, but it had become another way that I had become more aware of my body and the sensations it was capable of enjoying. Already taut from Shane's touch, they hardened further, sending a thrill through my core.
Shane's hand cradled one breast and he drew the nipple in between his lips. I whimpered, clutching the back of his head as he suckled me. He brought the same attention to the other breast and I pressed up into the touch. I had never been treated with such reverence and my body was tingling with anticipation, ready for the next delectable attention he would give.
Shane gently led me to lean back against the box at the back of the truck bed and rolled onto his knees. I felt him release the hooks of my garter belt and slide it down my hips and off of my legs. He ran his fingertip down the front of my panties and then further, encouraging me to part my thighs. His finger slid under the edge of the lace and I gasped, closing my eyes to revel in finally feeling the intimate touch. He eased the panties out of the way and suddenly his
tongue was on me.
I cried out and let him lift my hips to remove the last bit of fabric that kept my body from him, leaving me in only my white thigh highs, which he peeled off tenderly. I looked down and watched as Shane drew a long lick up through my folds. Watching the act was intensely stimulating and I felt my hips buck. This gave him the chance to catch them and tilt my pelvis up so he could hold it against his mouth. His tongue dipped inside me and I felt my body completely give in to him, readying with a wash of hot, slick fluid. I watched without shame as he continued to explore all of the intimate folds and crevices of my core, then focused on my clit for a few, powerful seconds. One of his hands left my hips and went to his belt so that he could release the buckle and draw the zipper down.
He rose up over me, his forehead pressing against mine so he could look into my eyes. Our breath lingered, twisting and blending between us, and for a moment everything was so still I could nearly hear our hearts beating. I lifted my mouth to his and we kissed languidly for several long seconds. I became suddenly aware that I could taste my own body on his lips and tongue and felt myself react even more.
"Touch me," he whispered.
That was all of the encouragement I needed. I reached down and ran my fingers along his thick, hard length. They found a drop of silky liquid at the tip and I swirled it into the tender head. One of his hands came to mine and led me to grip him tighter, stroking him so I could feel his full length as it continued to grow harder with my touch. I bit my bottom lip, whimpering at the feel of his powerful cock in my hand and the surge of desire to have him inside me. Shane dipped his fingers into his pocket and withdrew a condom. He started to open it, but I reached out and took it from him. I ripped open the package and pulled the condom out. It felt slick against my fingertips like the head of his cock and I rubbed it for a few seconds before settling it onto his erection. Using one hand to hold his shaft steady, I slowly unrolled the condom with my fingertips, applying gentle pressure as I went. When it was fully in place, I stroked my fingertips up his length again.
Shane lowered his mouth to my ear.
"Let me inside you."
I didn't realize that my thighs had closed until then and I opened them so that he could settle between my legs. The hot, swollen head of his erection slid down over my clit and I moaned as a wave of pleasure rolled through me. He paused at my opening and groaned.
"Can you feel how much I want you?" I whispered breathlessly, drawing my knees up beside his hips.
The movement opened me further and brought my hips closer to him, causing him to dip inside me. He drew in a sharp breath and I closed my eyes, my mouth opening, but no sound coming out.
"Open your eyes. Look at me."
I opened my eyes to meet his slumbering gaze and Shane pushed forward, sinking the rest of the way inside me. He didn’t hesitate, but started to roll his hips, the movement keeping him close to me while still nurturing my walls with intense strokes. Each thrust seemed to press a little deeper and I wrapped my legs around his hips to hold him closer to me. Shane tucked his head into the curve of my neck and shoulder and kissed softly. His skin was warm as if it had absorbed the heat of the sun and I ran my hands along his muscular back as he continued to stroke within me.
Though his movements were slow and measured, the pleasure that he was creating within me was intense and soon I felt myself building toward a powerful peak. I squeezed my eyes closed and tucked my head forward so my forehead rested on his shoulder. Shane increased his pace only slightly and I heard his breaths becoming ragged. We climbed together, our bodies sharing in the feelings. Shane pressed into me as deeply as he could and held himself there. The pressure within me suddenly crashed and I felt Shane’s cock give a hard pulse inside of me at the same moment that my body started spasming around him. We clung to each other, riding our climaxes until they slowed and eased, and then Shane eased down beside me. He reached beside us to pull the blanket down and draped it over us. I curled up against him, not fighting the sleep that settled over me beneath the warmth of the quilt and the beauty of the stars.
I didn’t wake up until the next morning when the movement of the truck startled me awake. Shane had tucked the blankets close around me and we were driving slowly back toward the main path. The limo was waiting for me when we got there and Shane led me over to it, offering a gentle kiss before walking away into the predawn purple. I knew that he would be changing his clothes and heading to work the ranch, but all I could think about was going back to sleep, which I did promptly upon settling into the backseat of the limo. I woke up again when we stopped in front of the cottage.
Noah was walking toward the short hallway that led to the kitchen when I stepped into the cottage. He turned and looked at me, shock registering in his eyes.
“You’re just getting back?” he asked.
I nodded sleepily.
“I think I’m going to go try to get a little more sleep.”
“I won’t bother you by bringing breakfast,” he said.
“No,” I said quickly. “It’s OK.”
Noah shook his head.
“It’s fine. You need your rest. I’ll just have something waiting for you in the kitchen. You can let Fawn know when you wake up.”
He disappeared into the hallway and I started to my room, hoping that the strange feeling I had in my chest was just the tiredness.
Chapter Eighteen
Snow
Thursday two weeks later I still hadn’t gotten my box for my next date and was starting to feel anxious. I lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling of my bedroom, watching the gentle swirl of light that emanated from the lamp that I had gotten. It looked like a wash of tiny stars. I let it soothe me to sleep and by the next morning I was filled with resolve. Packing my luggage, I headed to the retreat even without a date box. It was my weekend there and I wasn’t going to be swayed from going.
I had left for the retreat slightly later than I usually did, which got me there after supper. I wasn’t surprised that Fawn wasn’t there to greet me, but I was when I found a small box sitting on the table in my room. It was pink rather than the usual white of my date boxes and tied with white string. I opened the card on top.
“ Tomorrow .”
I’ve been reduced to a single word.
I untied the string and opened the pink box. I couldn’t imagine what type of clothing might be tucked down into the tiny box, and was relieved when I saw that it wasn’t clothing at all. Instead, there was a small chocolate cupcake. I lifted it out of the box and admired the perfect swirls of frosting and tiny pink sprinkles. My heart suddenly felt like it skipped. There was only one person who I could think of who would have left this for me.
I looked at the clock and settled the cupcake back into the box before leaving my room and scurrying toward the kitchen. Noah was wiping one of the brushed metal tables when I peered inside.
“Noah?”
He looked up at me.
“Snow,” he said, his voice holding a hint of the surprise that I had felt when I found the cupcake. “I thought that I wasn’t going to see you until tomorrow.”
“So, you did leave that cupcake for me.”
He nodded and I stepped into the kitchen with him. I hadn’t been all the way inside it and was temporarily silenced in awe of the pristinely clean, sparkling space.
“I’m sorry that I didn’t have time to get one of the usual boxes to you. I was hoping that you would come here this weekend anyway.”
“I’m confused,” I said. “You’re my date?”
“I am now,” he said.
“What do you mean ‘now’?”
“I’m kind of a fill-in,” he said. “Your original date had to cancel. Fawn wanted to find a replacement, but she didn’t have time to go through all of her files to find someone she thought would work for you, and she was running out of time. I volunteered.”
“You did?” I asked, my heart leaping slightly. “Isn’t this incredibly against my contract?�
�
Noah shook his head.
“Fawn said that it was extenuating circumstances. To be fair, though, I don’t think that she knows how much time we’ve spent together.”
I didn’t want to contemplate that too much and I moved ahead.
“Does the date you have planned have anything to do with that cupcake?”
“You already know that I’m a baker. I thought that you might like to see some of that.”
“You’re much more than a baker,” I said, thinking about all of the delicious foods that he had prepared for me over the weeks. “Maybe,” he said, “but baking is what really matters to me. Tomorrow I’ll teach you some.”
He walked out of the kitchen behind me and I said goodnight to him at the door to the cottage before rushing to my room, wanting to spend as much time as I could pampering myself before the date.
Noah came to my room early the next morning and I was waiting for him.
“You’re up early,” he said. “I thought that I was going to have to wake you up.”
There was a hint of disappointment in his voice and I briefly regretted that I had gotten up. The thought of waking up to him seemed like a wonderful start to the day. He offered me a cup of coffee and I sipped it happily.
