by BA Tortuga
She got the door open and they tumbled in, laughing as the wind slammed the door shut behind them.
“Wanna open the curtains?” They had a decent view out past the parking lot. The only thing blocking the way was the big sign for the hotel.
“Sure.” She shrugged his jacket off and pulled the curtains. He left the lights off and toed off his boots. If they got hungry later, they’d call Domino’s.
He didn’t bother to fold his stuff. It was all wet, so he tossed things over the second bed. No king for them. Still, that meant closer cuddles.
She was in a T-shirt and panties when she settled next to him, one arm around his waist.
“Hey, honey.” He kissed her cheek, wiggling to get them comfy. “Warm enough?”
“Mmmhmm. Was your mom cool with us stopping?”
“She was. She’d rather we was safe.” His momma could be reasonable, bless her.
“Good deal.” One of Em’s hands brushed his thigh.
“Now you can touch all you want, huh?” He shifted, showing her where he could use some lovin’.
“I can. I like that.” Her hand was so soft, so cozy and knew just how to touch him.
“Me, too.” He liked it a lot. A lot a lot. As in way too much for his own good. Em hummed low, leaned right up against him, and her fingers explored, driving him crazy.
“That’s it, honey.” Cotton got to exploring a little on his own, starting with her belly and trying to decide whether to work up or down.
The icy rain hit the window with little plinking sounds, but Emmy didn’t seem worried about it. She pushed toward his hand, belly silky and warm under her little shirt.
“Why on earth,” he started, pushing at the fabric, “did you even put this on?”
“Because it gives you something to take off.” Like that was the most logical answer on earth.
Hell, maybe it was. Men were damned easy that way. Cotton tugged and yanked until it came off over her head. She had on a black bra with little pink bows. Pretty. Lacy. Sort of peekaboo. Damn. Her nipples showed through, mainly as dark shadows. They called to his fingers, and Cotton pushed up on one elbow, turning so he could touch better. He could touch her skin for a thousand years, maybe two. It was pale and silky soft and smooth.
When he finally unclipped her bra, it was like an early Christmas present. Lord, she had great tits, though he’d never say it exactly like that. No, he’d bust out with, “You have amazing boobs.”
She chuckled, pushed those amazing boobs right into his palms, pierced nipples sliding on his skin. Good thing she thought he was cute. Cotton squeezed, loving how she felt against him.
“Love how you want me.” Her voice was all husky and rough.
“Good. ’Cause I do.” Bad. So bad he was gonna bust soon.
“Uh-huh.” She moved to straddle his lap, thighs hot against his legs. “This okay?”
“This is better than okay.” She would be a champion bull rider, way she liked to be on top.
She’d gotten on a mechanical bull in Austin, just so he could watch. Admire.
The memory alone made his cock jerk a little. Her pushing up against his lower belly helped with that.
She leaned down to kiss him, tongue stud teasing his lips open.
Cotton moaned, letting her in to taste him. He touched her all over, her butt and thighs, all up her back. All these hungry little noises poured down over him, and at the same time her nipples teased his chest.
“Sweet lady.” What else could he say? She was beautiful.
“I’m sorta crazy about you, baby.”
His cheeks heated, pleasure striking him a little dumb. Her fingers slid over his cheekbones, just barely brushing his skin.
Cotton chuckled and started moving, up and down, rocking their bodies together. Gave them a whole other sensation to feel, to need.
The weather outside was getting fierce, the wind howling like a damn banshee. It seemed right, somehow. Seemed to fit. Cotton felt like the storm was rising up inside him, too.
“Touch me, baby. Need you. Bad.” The words were moaned, breathed right by his ear.
“Mmm.” He touched, pulling one hand off her ass with effort, slipping his fingers between her legs.
“Uhn.” Oh, wet. Slick. Hot. She sorta made his eyes cross.
Cotton pushed against her, finding that little bundle of nerves that he was always so damned proud he could find. He grinned when it made her cry out. That tiny little ring was smooth, slick against his touch, and he took it between two fingers and tugged, dick jerking as Emmy moaned.
“Honey. Please.” Please now, something.
“Uh-huh.” Emmy nodded. “Now.”
Cotton lifted her up above him and put his cock right where it wanted to go. Now. Now, now, now.
“It’s okay, baby. I started the pill long enough ago now. We’re good.”
“Oh, God.” He pulled her down. Hard. Yay for pills.
His eyes rolled back as she surrounded him, wet and hot, slick and perfect, and oh, hell yeah. Cotton bit his lower lip, waiting for her to settle. He could feel her muscles flutter, trying to adjust.
“Fuck, you’re hot.” She panted, fingers digging into his shoulders.
“You’re tight. Emmy.” Her nails were just long enough to sting good, maybe leave a mark. Fuck, yes.
She leaned back a little, shifting him inside her, letting him see all of her, all the way down to where they were joined. His head might just explode. Cotton touched her there, felt every little movement she made. Her sweet little belly went tight, and he’d be damned if he didn’t feel that, all around his dick.
“Em. I need to. Christ, woman.” Cotton couldn’t hold it. He blew harder than the blue norther outside.
She moaned, fingers framing his face. “You like that.”
“What was the first clue?” Chuckling, panting, he worked her with his fingers, wanting her to be right there.
“The amazing shocked face, then the feel of you in me.” She leaned forward, groaning a little bit. “I never have done this bare with anyone but you.”
“Oh. Honey. Me either.” He hadn’t—not ever. He stroked her, played her, wanting her to come while he watched.
“G-good. Fuck, baby… Right there. Don’t stop.”
Jesus, he wouldn’t, not the way her body was working him.
“Still up, aren’t I?” He’d never done that, either. Been able to keep going after.
“Uh-huh.” She moaned so pretty, moving on him again, really riding.
Cotton took it, gritting his teeth to hold on for her this time, his hand between her legs. His other hand came up without him even thinking on it, fingers tugging her nipple ring.
“Fuck!” Emmy arched up, nails digging into his shoulders. “One more time. Come on. One more…”
Demanding girl.
He did what he was told, though, didn’t he? Yes he did. Cotton did it again, a little harder.
She was so fucking pretty when she came, crying out his name like he was the whole damn world. He lost it for her, body bucking, his cock jerking a little weaker, but still right there. He was right there with her.
“Oh, baby… You rock my world.” She panted against his lips, all flushed and shining.
“Yeah?” He smiled against her mouth, petting her back, up and down. “You’re somethin’ else.”
“Mmmhmm. I’m unique, Cotton. A special snowflake.”
“You are, honey.” Laughing up a storm, he patted her butt, ending on a tiny smack. Her ass just begged for it.
That it just made her hum and wiggle sorta blew his mind a little bit.
The window bowed with the force of the wind, and he hooted. “Woo! Want your pie, honey?”
“I do—” She got the sentence about half out when the lights flickered.
“Oh, man.” They’d do all right without the heat, but it would sure make going to the bathroom tough.
“My laptop’s charged. We could watch movies for a few hours.” She sta
yed, close and maybe shivering a little.
“We could just cuddle and tell each other stories.” He shifted her off him, bundling her in the blanket. “Hold that thought.”
There had to be extra blankets, and if there weren’t, he’d get the one under the coverlet on the other bed. That and he had a nice big flannel shirt in his bag she could wear.
She used her little phone to light the way to the bathroom, both of them cleaning up a little, then grabbing blankets and piling them up.
They got settled, with her wearing his shirt. Score. Cotton pulled her close, his skin a little too cool for comfort until they started making some heat together.
She fed him bites of his apple pie with her fingers, and Cotton thought he’d never had a better dessert.
They were a little sticky, a lot warm and a little sleepy come time the pie was gone, and he kissed her mouth, just a little. “Glad we stopped?”
“Mmmhmm. I’d spend a storm with you anytime, baby.”
“Me, too! Well, with you.” Thank God they weren’t on the road. She would be freaking out.
Besides, tomorrow was plenty soon enough for her to meet the rest of his family.
God help him.
Hell, God help them both.
Chapter Ten
There were a lot of wonderful things to say about being out in the middle of nowhere north Texas for Christmas. There were pretty horses, the house was warm and welcoming, there was the threat of snow flurries.
Caroline was a sweet, dear lady.
The food was amazing.
Really.
But they woke up at five-thirty in the morning and she got done working around three a.m. and the coffee was the nastiest stuff she’d ever tasted and Cotton’s little sister was vicious.
Add that to the fact that her room was in one side of the house and Cotton’s was actually outside with a bunch of cousins in a house for ranch hands and that the only place she could get cellular reception on her wireless card was outside on the back porch steps, which tonight was literally freezing, and it made for a very weepy Emily.
She logged on, hunting for someone to talk to. Ah. Jeff. Man, Jeff had been on every night for the last three, willing to chat while files were rendering. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, then Christmas, which would be fun. Cotton was heading out to go hunting with his uncles or something for two days after Christmas, and Caroline had asked her, Alison and Aunt Denise—who was possibly the biggest, scariest, grumpiest woman Em’d ever seen outside of a horror movie—to go spend a night in Dallas shopping.
Yay.
At least in a hotel room she’d get free WiFi.
J-Bird: Hey, lady. How’s it going?
AuntieEm: Hey. It’s going. Cold. How’s life?
J-Bird: Okay. Wish you were around.
Em grinned, cuddled harder into her coat. Jeff was a doll, honestly. He always made her feel wanted.
AuntieEm: Yeah. I miss you guys. You ready for Santa?
J-Bird: Nah. He’ll leave me coal.
AuntieEm: Awww. Poor baby. Shop busy?
J-Bird: Not bad. We’ll make it.
AuntieEm: Cool. I stick out here, huh? Bad.
J-Bird: You get the ‘you ain’t one of us’ speech yet?
AuntieEm: LOL
AuntieEm: Pretty much, I get a lot of looks.
J-Bird: you should come home where you belong, Auntie
AuntieEm: Yeah. He’s at home here, huh? Busy-busy.
J-Bird: Destined for failure, babe.
AuntieEm: Stop it, butthead. He’s a good guy.
J-Bird: So am I. Where did that ever get me *wink*
She laughed and rubbed her hands together to warm them. Sometimes the chemistry just wasn’t there.
AuntieEm: I bet you didn’t try it on Ricki
J-Bird: Ew. Ew ew ew.
She giggled softly, her breath visible in the air.
AuntieEm: You are a heavy-duty dork, my friend.
J-Bird: I try. You home for New Years?
AuntieEm: Coming home on the 2nd. Some big party at the local bar.
J-Bird: You’ll miss all the good music.
AuntieEm: Don’t tease.
J-Bird: You could tell him you have the plague.
Like she’d do that. Em thought she’d do a lot of stupid shit to make Cotton smile, and the man was really tickled to be here.
AuntieEm: Or malaria.
“Emmy?” Cotton sounded like sleep, voice rough, breath making a little puff at the bottom of the stairs.
“Cotton?” She jumped a little, squeaked, dragging the blanket tighter around her.
“What are you doing out here, honey?” He was whispering loud enough to wake the dead.
“Working. I get a connection out here.” She saved her file, smiled over at him. “Couldn’t you sleep?”
God, he looked good.
“I had this little voice in my head.” He gave her the most evil grin. “There’s no place like home…”
She giggled, closed her laptop and opened the blanket to him. “Auntie Em. Auntie Em.”
“Mmm.” He came on over and sat, snuggling in. “I’m sorry you had to come out here to work, honey.”
“It’s okay, baby.” Oh, he felt good. “I’m sorry you have to sleep all the way over there.”
“Me, too. I was hoping for a better arrangement. How do you like my room?”
“It smells like you. Well, maybe now it smells like me… You could come see.” They were adults, and the door had a lock.
“I could, but my momma has the most amazing mom hearing.” He nuzzled against her cheek. “We could go to the barn.”
“Okay.” She slid her hand into his, held on.
“Lemme get the blanket.” He grabbed all of her nest of covers in his free hand and hauled her toward the barn. It wasn’t far, though she’d learned there were different sheds for everything, and the one closest the house was for equipment.
They slipped inside—it was surprisingly warm out of the wind, dark, quiet.
“Oh, better.” Cotton bent and kissed her, and their lips warmed up real quick, too.
“Merry Christmas Eve.” She moaned the words against his lips.
“Mmm. Yeah. Or the eve of Christmas Eve.” He kissed her like he meant it, like he’d been missing her like she’d been missing him.
All the worry, all the stress dissipated with a pop, their kiss going deep and wild.
He slid his arms around her, holding her close. Oh, he felt good, all up and down.
“Cotton.” His hands slipped up her back, pushed into her hair to tilt her head back for his kiss.
Lord, he was good at that. So good. He rocked her socks. She stepped closer, let her hips cradle up against Cotton’s.
“Sweet lady. Damn.” Cotton was rocking. Rolling his hips. Oh, somebody wanted her.
She agreed, bone deep, arching against him with a soft little cry.
He nibbled at her lower lip, his teeth hard on her—her lips were already a little bruised. It made her shiver. She’d wear dark lipstick tomorrow, make Cotton look at her mouth over and over.
There was no bed, no convenient bale of hay or anything, so Cotton just held her right there. He kept her upright with a strong arm around her waist.
Her body was on fire, every nerve telling her this was who she wanted, who she needed.
“So pretty. Oh, Emmy.” His voice went down from tenor to bass when they were like this. It was kinda stunning.
“Yours, yeah?” She could admit that, mean it.
For real.
“That works for me.” Possessive much? That grin told her he liked the idea. A lot.
“Cool.” She reached down, thumb tracing Cotton’s shaft, tip to base.
“Uhn.” He made the greatest noise. It was a cross between a moan and a grunt, and he started pushing hard against her.
She worked his jeans open, chuckling as his cock pushed right out into her palm. “Going commando for me?”
“I was in a hurry
. Didn’t want to wake the boys.” He laughed, too, hands moving all over her, warming her up.
“Mmm. How did you know I’d be outside?” She kept touching him, knowing how he liked her.
“I wasn’t sure. I knew you’d be up, though.” He licked along her neck under her ear. “You don’t sleep.”
“I’m a night—” Her nipples went rock hard, and she squeezed his shaft. “Oh…”
“I know. Sorry we’re such early risers.” He pushed up into her hand on the last word.
“Bad…bad pun.” She let her thumbnail tease Cotton’s cockhead.
“Feels good, though.” He was panting, sweating, his whole body vibrating. He started sucking hard at her neck, which was bound to leave a mark.
“Yeah. Yeah, baby. Feels so good.” It was like her skin was on fire.
He licked and nibbled, then bit again. And again.
“Fuck—” She jerked, vibrating with need, not one inch of her skin cold.
They were starting to get the few clothes they had on out of the way when Cotton went still, freezing in place with his hand on her ass and his mouth on her breast.
She blinked, trying to figure out what the fuck was up.
“Shit. Someone’s out there, honey. Come on.” Now he wasn’t giving her the stage whisper. He was actually talking just loud enough for her to hear. She nodded, tugged her sweatshirt down, took Cotton’s hand. She didn’t want to embarrass him with his family.
The door burst open and a pair of teenaged boys tumbled in. Just about the time she was thinking a bad gay porno was going to start, though, they opened a paper bag and pulled out a bottle of something.
She leaned against Cotton, one eyebrow arched. Man, kids drank some cheap shit.
He shook his head and mouthed, “Mad Dog, man.” He rolled his eyes and pushed her back into the shadows.
“Adam Kyle! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
The boys jumped about a million miles in the air, the bottle going flying. Em fought her giggles with all she was. “Cotton? What are you doing out here?”
“Fixin’ to have a smoke. Which is perfectly legal. What you was about to do ain’t.”
