by Claire Adams
She drew in a deep breath, the color rising into her cheeks.
I stood at the same time she did, and we met in the middle of the room, pulling each other close as we kissed. The horrible week just melted away as I slid my tongue into her mouth. We kissed for a long time, pressed together in the kitchen, before she pulled her head back, leaving both of us breathless. She stared up at me, her green eyes wide and the look in them so hungry.
“Let’s go to the bedroom,” she whispered.
I didn’t need to be asked again.
I swept her up into my arms and carried her down the hallway.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Emma
Sunday
It felt different this time, after what we’d been through. Pete set me down onto my feet in his bedroom, the look in his eye drawing the breath from me. I’d never seen him this way. He looked like he hadn’t had a drink in days and now, here I was, the cool glass of water he needed, just in time to save his life.
His blue eyes took in the dim light in the room, widening so they looked black. He leaned to kiss me again, his tongue pressing past my lips and exploring every inch of my mouth gently in a way he hadn’t done before, like he was tasting me for the very first time.
We broke apart from each other, breathing heavily, the heat starting at my core and spreading out in tingling waves between my legs. His eyes drank in the sight of me when I pulled my dress over my head, and the desire on his face, the need that twisted his lips and widened his eyes, made me burn hotter for him. I stepped back, keeping my eyes on him, my chest rising and falling with my panting breaths, and sat down on the bed. He took his shirt off while I watched and tugged his jeans down. I smiled to see he wasn’t wearing any underwear. He came over to the bed slowly, giving me time to appreciate how damned good he looked standing there, his muscled chest, and long, firm limbs. And, of course, his thick cock rock hard and ready for me.
I scooted back on the mattress and lay back onto the bed. He climbed in next to me, his fingers tracing a trail from my flat stomach up to my bra. He licked his lips – and that undid me. I had to have my mouth on him.
I pulled him down by his neck, kissing him as that need welled up in me. I pushed the hand on my chest down between my legs, opening my knees so he could feel how much I wanted him. His fingers rubbed over the damp crotch of my panties, and I moaned into his mouth. He moved the fabric out of his way and sampled the wet heat of my sex, his fingers playing with my clit.
“I wanted this all week,” he said, his mouth moving over mine. He kept his fingers between my legs, rubbing over the wetness around my aching lips, but moved his mouth to my neck, kissing first, and then sucking on the skin while I writhed beneath his hands. He finally worked my panties off while I lifted my hips to help him. He unfastened my bra next, sliding it off my arms. He smiled as he took in the sight of me.
“I missed you so much,” he said.
I touched the soft stubble on his chin. He looked like he’d hardly slept a wink in days. “I missed you, too.”
He brought his lips to mine, his fingers sliding down between my legs again, this time moving into that heat completely, entering me so deeply, I could feel the palm of his hand press over my clit. I moaned and kissed him more passionately. His fingers fluttered inside me, stirring up those tingling sensations that moved over every trembling inch of my skin, bathing me in warmth. The heat blossomed, enveloping my entire body.
I wanted him more than I ever had before. Things had changed between us.
I needed him to scratch that aggravatingly pleasurable itch between my legs that his busy fingers were only making worse. I needed the whole thick length of his cock inside me.
He slid his fingers out of me, drawing a deep, gasping breath from me that brought his lips to mine again, his tongue exploring my mouth while his fingers explored the rest of my body. He cupped one breast, then the other, squeezing my erect nipples so I whimpered into his mouth, the pleasure nearly too much to take without begging him to climb on top of my trembling body and enter me as quickly as he could. I reached between his legs and took hold of his cock, closing my fist around it and pumping, gently at first, then faster. His hips moved against my hand as he groaned into my mouth. He broke away from me, his hot breath mingling with mine.
“I’ve never wanted anything more than I want you right now,” he said.
I pumped his cock harder, getting hotter at the way his face twisted with the pleasure I was giving him. “I want you inside me,” I whispered, and his eyes widened with hunger and need. “Right now.”
I let go of him as he climbed on top of me. His mouth found mine again as his hips dropped between my legs, the tip of his cock pressing into the needy heat of my sex. I wanted him, but I wanted to feel this dripping hot need for a few seconds longer, my body squeezed tight by how much pressure was building up inside me, all that luscious, tingling need. I tilted my hips, rubbing my dripping wet sex over his cock. He moaned, ending his kiss by nibbling at my bottom lip. He brought one of my legs up, bending it at the knee so my foot was resting on the mattress. He did the same with the other one. I let my knees fall to either side, opening myself completely to him.
He entered me gently, pressing his cock into that heat an inch at a time while I drew in a deep, shuddering breath. He pushed all the way into me, filling me up, and I wrapped my arms around him, just wanting to stay this way forever.
But my body knew what it needed.
I moved my hips, rubbing against him, urging him to move his. He began an agonizing rhythm, pulling his cock almost all the way out of me before plunging slowly inside again, stoking that heat, that itch, until I thought I would lose my mind. All the while, he kept his eyes on me, his full lips, just a few inches out of reach, curved into a satisfied, sexy grin. The heat growing between us as his cock moved in and out of me bathed us in sweat and boiled the air in the room.
I dropped my hands to his muscular ass, encouraging his hips forward, but I didn’t press him harder than he was already going. I liked this sweet, slow boil, the air between us getting even hotter than the pressure building under my skin. I’d never orgasm with him going this slowly, but neither would he. I didn’t mind letting it last as long as we liked, even all night. I just wanted him close to me, our bodies moving slowly together, my hands closing over his ass as he squeezed my nipple with his fingers, our eyes never leaving each other.
We kissed again, our tongues running over each other, and the rhythm began to pick up, my hips rising and falling beneath him, my nails digging into the skin of his back as I dragged my hands up to his shoulders. He pulled his lips away, both of us breathing heavily and the pressure between my legs building, all that pleasure pushing me over the edge.
I cried out as the orgasm blossomed just as his cock pressed inside me to the hilt, and, shuddering, Pete groaned behind clenched teeth. He wilted on top of me, his slack body jumping from the last surge of his own orgasm. The pleasure kept buzzing through me, my hot skin and throbbing, wet sex.
He rolled off of me, and I moaned at the sensation of his softening cock sliding out of my body. I turned to curl my body around his and set my head on his chest, listening to the sound of his rapid heartbeat. I closed my eyes, catching my breath as our mingled, sticky juices dripped onto my leg.
I loved this man. I could see that so clearly now. I couldn’t believe how obtuse I’d been over the last week. I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than here, in his arms, the smell of our lovemaking in my nose.
I didn’t fight it when the exhaustion pulled me under. I wanted to wake up next to him. And not just tomorrow, but every morning after that.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Pete
Saturday
Emma and I helped get Elroy into the corral where Lacey was ready to saddle him up. We’d gotten so much accomplished in the last two weeks. I couldn’t believe Elroy was about to race in his first rodeo. The girls were miracle workers, getting him t
rained and prepared way ahead of schedule. That didn’t help my nerves, though. I was always on edge the day one of my horses competed for the first time.
Lacey wasn’t talking much, which was her way on the day of competition.
“Good luck, Lacey,” Emma said, smiling at her.
Lacey dipped her head into a nod, but didn’t answer.
I told her good luck, too, before Emma and I went to find a seat in the stands. We waited through “The Star Spangled Banner” and a few riders racing around the barrels set up in a cloverleaf pattern before it was finally Lacey’s turn. This competition was bigger than her last one, so there was an electric eye.
“I’m so damned nervous,” Emma said. “I hope we made the right choice putting Elroy out there. He’s still a baby.”
“If Lace says he’s ready, he’s ready.” I’d seen the little guy running around the barrels we set up on the ranch. He’d looked good. Lacey knew what she was doing. I had a dull ache in my gut, but I always did before she raced. I’d only seen her fall once, and that was back when we were in middle school. She’d jumped right up and got back to work, pushing even harder. That was just how she was.
The announcer boomed Lacey’s name over the loudspeaker. I slid to the edge of my seat, keeping my eyes on the arena. Lacey and Elroy came out. I couldn’t see the expression on her face from way up here, but I knew it was grim and determined from years of watching her do her thing. All of a sudden, she and Elroy broke into a sprint, aiming for the first barrel, the one to the right.
“Come on Lacey!” Emma shouted, pumping her fists.
I turned, watching her so closely, I missed Lacey running Elroy around the next barrel. I put my eyes on the area in time to see her and Elroy hug the last barrel.
“Go, Lacey!” I shouted.
“Finish strong!” Emma screamed, a few seconds after I did.
Lacey bent low over Elroy, kicking gently at his sides to get him up to a sprint, the two of them racing over the finish line and out of the arena.
At the announcement of time — just shy of eighteen seconds, making it a personal best for Lacey — Emma let out a triumphant whoop and turned to hug me. I hugged her back, grinning to see her so happy for Lacey.
Over the last two weeks of getting Elroy ready for the rodeo, I’d watched the girls get closer and closer. Nothing made me happier. They were two of the most important people in my life. I wanted them to be the best of friends. If I wasn’t careful, they might take over the farm and tell me to get the hell out.
We rushed out of the stands to find Lacey back near the corral, pulling the saddle off of Elroy.
Emma ran to her, squealing, and they hugged. “You did so great!”
I hugged her next. “Who knew little Elroy could race like that?”
Lacey couldn’t wipe the mile-wide smile from her face, her brown eyes glittering. “He did just fine. He’s gonna be a good little racer. We might want to hang onto him.”
“We should celebrate tonight,” Emma said, looking at Lacey first, then me. “Let’s get funnel cakes and play games and just have some good old-fashioned fun.”
Lacey and I shared a look and a laugh at how excited Emma seemed by that. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the rest of the day than with the two of them, joking and filling our bellies. I wanted Emma to myself, but I had tonight back at the hotel for that. She’d started staying over at the house most weekends, too, and there was nothing better than waking up to find her snuggled in next to me in the mornings. She smiled to beat all every single time I made her breakfast.
“Let me put Elroy up, and we can go see how the fair is,” Lacey said.
We waited for her by the entrance to the midway, the smell of grease and sugar riding on the breeze.
“I can’t wait to have three or four funnel cakes,” Emma said, her green eyes wide, and I laughed.
“You ain’t kidding, either. I saw the way you ate last time.”
She pushed me a little, giggling herself. “There’s nothing wrong with a girl having a good appetite.”
Lacey came up to join us. The girls laced arms and took off, leaving me in the damned dust, the two of them chattering about how well Elroy had done and what they needed to do to keep him on track. I went along after them, taking in the sights and sounds. There were a lot of people out here, even with the rodeo still going on. Emma went straight to a booth where she could get a funnel cake, ordering one with powdered sugar. I stepped up to pay before she could pull money out of her pocket.
“Damn, I’ll take one, too, if he’s paying,” Lacey said to the attendant.
I laughed and handed the man behind the counter a couple more dollars to pay for Lacey’s. He handed them their funnel cakes.
“You gonna share any of that?” I asked Emma, who dug right in, tearing off a piece and putting it in her mouth before it’d even cooled. “Or should I get my own?”
She giggled, hiding her full mouth behind her sugar-dusted fingers. “You should probably get your own.”
I gave a look to Lacey, who pulled her plate of fried dough out of reach.
“Don’t think you’re gonna share with me, either, Pete Gains.”
“Well, goddamn!” I said, but couldn’t hold back the laughter when they both started giggling. We walked on, me stealing little bites of funnel cake from Emma’s plate in between her tearing off big chunks and sticking it into her mouth. As soon as they were done, we jumped on the Ferris wheel, the three of us cramming into a single car, with me in the middle.
“Damn, Pete!” Lacey complained, sticking her elbow into my ribs to get me to move over. “I didn’t remember your ass being so wide the last time we rode a Ferris wheel together.”
I elbowed her right back. “We were kids then, Lacey. Your ass was narrower, too!”
We kept up the ribbing the whole way, Emma laughing at us as we moved back and forth in the seat, trying to get it to swing as wildly as we could. After the ride ended, we wandered the midway, trying our hands at some of the games. Emma had a second funnel cake by then. She pointed at a stuffed horse hanging from one of the booths.
“That one looks like Elroy!” she said, and turned those gleaming green eyes at me, the smile on her face as bright as the flashing lights that had just come on as the sun went down. She had a little sugar on the side of her mouth.
“It does indeed,” I agreed and laid some money down to win it for her. It was the ring toss, which wasn’t my best game. I threw the first of three rings and didn’t get close. The second toss was better, and the third was worse than the first. “Shit!”
Lacey shoved me hard in the middle of the back. “Want me to win the horse for her since you can’t seem to?”
“I’ll win the stuffed toy for my girlfriend, thank you,” I said, giving her a nasty look before setting more money down. I won the damned thing on the second toss this time. I turned to hand the stuffed horse to my best girl, loving the way she grinned and hugged it to herself. She got up on her tiptoes to kiss me on the lips. She tasted like powdered sugar.
“Y’all want something to drink?” she asked. “I need something to cut through all that sugar.”
I gave her a ten dollar bill. “Grab me a beer if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll take a beer, too.”
I gave Emma another five and she went off, cutting across the midway to one of the booths that sold alcohol.
“How’re things between the two of you?” Lacey asked, looking over at me, her dark eyes gleaming in the flashing lights. “I know they got rough a few weeks ago.”
“We’re good now,” I said.
“I’m glad to see you so happy together.” I could see she meant it.
“I am, too. I almost lost her because of you, though.” I shoved her a little and she belted me one on the arm.
“The hell you did.”
“I’m glad you and her are such good friends. I’d really didn’t want to choose between you.” I smiled at her. She was already giving
me a nasty face, expecting the exact smartass dig to come out of my mouth that I had planned. “I’d have hated to see you go, Lacey, after all we’ve been through.”
She just rolled her eyes, but I could see she was happy about the way things had turned out, too.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Emma
Sunday
We got the horses fed and worked early, and were just relaxing into the day, sitting on the porch with Riley snoozing between us, watching the day warm up into the afternoon. I looked over at Pete, smiling at the way the wind ruffled his hair. It was getting long on top. He’d need another haircut soon.
“Let’s go out tonight,” I said.
He raised his dark eyebrows at me, the surprise widening his blue eyes. “To dinner?”
I shook my head. “Let’s drive up to Austin. We can meet up with Jack and have dinner at Murdock’s. Kasey’s working tonight.”
He pouted a little, drawing a giggle from me. “I was hoping to have you to myself tonight.”
“We’ll have all night after dinner. I promise.” I widened my eyes and did my own pouting because I knew he couldn’t say no when I made that face.
“Alright. You know I do just about any damned thing you ask.”
“That’s why I keep you around,” I said and laughed.
We went inside to shower and change, then took off for Austin in Pete’s truck. I called Jack on the way, telling him we’d meet him around five. We got into the city a little earlier than we’d planned, parking down the street from Murdock’s and walking the rest of the way hand in hand.
It was busier inside than I’d expected, but I’d sent Kasey a text message as we were rolling out of Round Rock, so she’d saved a table for us. She came running over to greet us, looking a little out of sorts from the crowd.
“There’s a big game on today,” she said after she’d hugged us both. “So it’s busier in here than usual. I saved y’all a good table, though.” Pete and I sat down, and she took our drink orders.
