by Rye Hart
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: HUGH MADDOX
Earlier that morning, I couldn’t believe it when I saw an advert for the coin convention outside the gym. It was on one of those terrible circular pamphlets, tacked to a telephone pole next to ads for missing cats and vegan meetups.
My only plan tonight is to make her laugh, and that’s already going swimmingly. But I don’t want to make anyone feel stupid, so when we step onto the coin expo floor, I do my best to look respectful. We all need our obsessions. We all need something to keep us off the streets. These guys … need coins.
Then Sam grabs my arm and hisses. “Oh my God! That’s Owen!”
It’s too perfect.
“Where?” I say.
“He’s over in the corner at the table with the blue awning. Look! Not so fast! Be subtle!”
Being subtle isn’t working. Even in this crowd, it’s obvious that everyone knows who I am. My face is plastered all over building-sized billboards all over the city. The upcoming fight is getting even more press that my agent had predicted. It’s going to be huge.
Sam takes my arm and starts walking towards Owen’s table. He looks like a smart guy. A little rumpled. A little…little. Definitely smooth-handed, callus free, and probably decent, but I can’t forget that this guy made Sam question her worth and run all the way out to Washington to get away from her thoughts. Still, that led her to meeting me, so I owed him in that respect, I guess.
Sam surprises me when she strides right up to him. “Owen!” she says, putting a little snarl in her voice.
He looks up quickly.
“Sam, what are you doing here?”
I stop walking and observe. I don’t like the tone this dweeb is taking.
“I just, um,” Sam stammers.
“We’re not getting back together. You need to give me my space. That was always your problem.” Owen continues, “Well, one of your problems. Honestly, I don’t know where to begin…”
“That’s enough,” I say, stepping in between him and Sam.
His eyes dart to me and his mouth drops open. It’s like something you only see in comic strips. His jaw practically hits the floor.
“Hugh,” he mutters. He looks at Sam. “Did you bring him here to hurt me?”
Sam doesn’t know what to say. She’s baffled by the entire exchange.
“No, Owen. Of course not. I’m not mad at you,” she says.
“Owen,” I begin, “I don’t want to kick your ass. I want to thank you. I would never have met the most amazing woman in the world without you,” I say with a big grin plastered on my face. “I honestly didn’t think a woman like Sam could exist,” I add, pulling her to me.
Owen’s mouth is still hanging open as he looks from me to Sam and back to me.
“Uh, sure,” he stammers.
And with that, Sam and I make our exit.
“I love you. That was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I’ll show you something sweeter when I get you home,” I say.
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: SAM WASHINGTON
When we get home I drag Hugh into the bedroom.
“Do you want to see the greatest thing?” I say.
“Sure, show me what you’ve got there little lady,” he says with a mischievous grin.
“Mhmmm...there will be plenty of time for that after- first I want to show you something I’ve got locked away.” I get out of bed and go to the hallway closet. I take out the box with Owen 2.0. I tiptoe back to the doorway. “Close your eyes,” I say.
“They’re already closed.”
“Keep them closed, then.” I silently stalk across the floor until I’m at his side. When he opens his eyes I wave Owen 2.0 wildly in his face.
“What the hell?” He sits up and puts a pillow over his face. “Keep that thing away from me!”
I feel like if I start laughing I’ll never be able to stop, so instead I swat him across the thighs with Lacey’s gift.
He doesn’t even try not to laugh. He throws the pillow away, grabs the vibrator out of my hands, goes to the window, and dangles it outside. He’s laughing so hard that I’m worried he’s going to fall out. “Get away from the window!” I scream. “You’re going to die!”
He looks at the vibrator. “You really want it that bad?”
“No! I just don’t want you to die, you oaf!”
“Then come clean, quick. Why did I open my eyes to find you wielding this thing at me?”
“Come back to bed. I’ll tell you. You can leave him there.”
“Him?” Hugh smiles, drops the vibrator on the bedroom floor, and comes back to bed. He pulls the covers up to his chin. “I’m just protecting myself, in case you have any more surprises in store for me.”
“No, but I’ll give you the story. Right after I dumped Owen, I had drinks with Lacey.”
“You don’t say.”
“I do. And Lacey, to help me get over my problems, caring soul that she is, gave me a little present.”
“And that’s it, I presume?”
“Oh yeah. Want to hear its name?”
“I assumed it was named Hugh.”
“Close. That was the gadget formerly known as Owen 2.0.”
Hugh snorts. “I bet Owen would love to hear that. We should have taken it tonight. You could have waved it in his face like you did in mine.”
“But that’s not the real story,” I say. I love it that Hugh can joke this easily. There is nothing like a man who is so secure that he doesn’t need to flaunt or exaggerate his own masculinity.
“Do tell.”
“I’m getting there.” I lean over and give him a kiss. He sighs and burrows deeper into his pillow. “So, you know that night at the cabin when you were out hitting the bag? The first time when I was there?”
“I remember it well. I was out there because there was a woman in my bed upstairs. I wanted to sneak in and do something savage to her.”
“Oh, I could tell. What you might not know is that I was feeling the same way. I watched you from that window for a long time while you were out there.”
“Okay. And what was it that you saw, fair maiden?”
“I saw a lot. I saw everything you did to that bag, and then I saw you touching yourself.”
“Ha! You little pervert. You enjoyed the show, then?”
“Oh, very much. And not only that, I masturbated the whole time I watched you. I couldn’t believe it was happening. That was the hardest orgasm I had ever had, until…you know...”
He raises himself up on one elbow and opens his eyes. “No, I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
“Well,” I say, mimicking his posture and lowering my voice. “It just so happens that shortly after that, I ran into a big dicked freak in the basement who cured me of all my innocent ways.”
“He sounds amazing.”
“Oh, he is. And he was. That was a good lesson for me to learn that night.”
“And now you know it all?” he says, putting his hand on my thigh and sliding it upwards. I’m getting wet instantly.
“No, I don’t think so. I mean, I’m more confident and uninhibited than I’ve ever been, but…”
“But what?” he says, spreading my legs with his fingers and starting to stroke me.
I arch my back, wanting to purr.
“But I think I have a lot more to learn. He’s a patient teacher, though. I look forward to our next lesson.”
“Maybe we can go through that next lesson now.”
CHAPTER THIRTY : HUGH MADDOX
Feeling Sam’s wetness on my fingertips made me harden against my jeans so much that I felt like they were going to burst at the seam. I rolled onto my back and pulled her down to lie on top of me. She put her hands on my cheeks and swirled the tip of her tongue around mine. I wrapped my arms around her and moved my hands down to clutch her ass. She bolted up, straddling me as I pulled her closer. She had a look on her face that suggested she felt playful, but I knew she was far too eager to tease.
<
br /> She sat up and pulled her dress overhead. She undid her bra and let it slide down her arms. Her breasts, large and milky white, were begging for my touch. I cupped them in the palms of my hands and squeezed her nipples between my thumbs and fingers. She moaned at the wonderful pain and pleasure of it.
My cock was rigid beneath her. She started sliding herself along the length of it as I rubbed her breasts. The heat was intense. I felt like I might explode any minute and I wasn’t even undressed yet.
“Let’s get you out of these clothes,” she said, tugging giddily at my shirt.
She got up long enough to shimmy out of her panties while I quickly pulled off my clothes. When I lay back, my cock stood straight up like the mast of ship, ready for her to impale her beauty on it.
She licked her lips as I wrapped my hand around it and stroked it to its full length.
“Do you want me give you another show like that night outside my cabin?”
“Yes. Please.”
I continued stroking, my hand is moving up and down in a rhythmic motion. I get a look of Sam’s face, full of lust, as if the sight of me pleasing myself in front of her has put her in a deep trance. It was enough to push me over the edge, but I needed to be patient.
“Now, I want you on top of me.”
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: SAM WASHINGTON
Hugh took my hips and guided me over his cock. I did just as he instructed. I straddled him, bending my knees and lowering myself until I felt the head of his amazing cock touch my aching center.
I couldn’t help but smile as I held his free hand and lowered myself onto him slowly. I felt myself grow warm and wet, welcoming him deep inside of me.
It felt amazing.
He never disappoints me.
He grabs my hips and starts guiding me in a rocking rhythm.
I let my head hang and slide my hips back and forth. Hugh moves in and out as he brushes my clit with every stroke.
“Yes! Yes! Hugh… I’m going to come…” I heard myself say the words aloud. I loved the way they sounded coming in gusts of breath from my lips.
Suddenly he starts to come with me, pushing me over the edge to my own climax. I see stars from the rush of ecstasy that falls over me.
We stayed in bed all evening, whispering sweet nothings to one another and planning our life together. It was in that moment I realized just how grateful I was for all of my past heartaches and pains. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to truly appreciate the gifts Hugh brought into my life.
Passion.
Desire.
Love.
Love in the truest form, unlike anything this history nerd could ever have read about. Not even in one hundred lifetimes.
In most fairytales, all the worst things happen when they enter the woods. But not this one. My lumberjack saved me from all of that and more.
And I intend to spend the rest of my life thanking him for it.
THE END
Roped in By the Cowboy
Chapter One: Sydney
The sun is beating down on me as I drive through the flat lands of Middle America. My olive skin is drinking in the rays, thirsty for the warmth. A few strands of my auburn hair have escaped from my ponytail and are whipping about my face as I push the gas pedal to the floor.
I haven’t seen another soul in almost twenty minutes on this God-forsaken road, so I figure what the hell? I revel in the feel of the wind on my face, grateful that my oversized sunglasses are keeping the swirling dust out of my eyes. As long as I remember to keep my mouth closed, I can avoid the extra protein boost of a renegade bug, which means no singing along to the radio.
After what seems like forever, the outskirts of a small town come into view and I ease up on the accelerator. After a particularly rough year, my shrink had suggested I take a break from the rat race and “re-center my spirit,” whatever the fuck that means. All I know, is that I need a reprieve, and I need it bad. I sigh as the long journey is finally coming to an end. To be completely honest, I’m looking forward to some time away from my fast-paced city routine after the epic shit show my life has been over the past year.
I enter the small town and immediately start catching glances. Apparently candy apple red convertibles aren’t the norm around here. I sit at what must be the town’s only stoplight and smile to myself as I feel the eyes of nearly everyone on the street on me. I sit up taller and arch my back slightly, pushing my big tits out to strain against the thin material of my white tank top. I giggle as an old woman swings her purse at her husband who is openly staring now.
As the light turns green, I hit the gas and peel away from the intersection in search of the address Dr. Ferrell printed out for me. I leave the main street and all of its curious stares in my rearview mirror, waving as I go. Look out Sheepshead, Montana, Sydney Baines has arrived.
Barely ten minutes later, I’ve driven through the entirety of the tiny town and find myself on an open road with cattle pastures on either side of me. I slow down and slip my sunglasses down my nose to better read the addresses carved on the fence posts. I find the one I’m looking for and turn up the drive, my green eyes growing large as the house comes into view. I was definitely not expecting what is sitting in front of me.
The long, dusty driveway ends abruptly at a huge lodge of timber and glass. A large wraparound porch sports two rocking chairs that look out over the pasture land to either side of the home. The two-story structure boasts enormous windows along the front, centered by a massive oak door complete with large brass ring knockers. The only thing, besides the smell of cow shit, that points to the fact that I’m on a working ranch, is the beat up pickup truck parked in front.
I take a deep breath and climb out of my car, stretching my long legs from the drive. Propping my sunglasses up on the top of my head, I stride toward the front porch and the door opens before I am even up the steps.
“Holy shit,” I say out loud before I can catch myself.
“I’m sorry?” comes the reply of the Adonis that stands in the doorway.
I feel a blush creep up my neck and clear my throat. “Uh, hi,” I try again. “I’m Sydney Baines,” I say, sticking out my hand. Never in my twenty-seven years on this earth, have I seen a man this gorgeous.
He takes a step out on the porch and I realize that he’s even taller than I had originally thought. I’m on the tall side for a woman, standing nearly five foot ten and this guy towers over me. He must be well over six-five. His shoulders are broad, his hips are narrow, and his tousled black hair falls over his forehead. My palms are immediately sweaty and I try to pull my hand back but he reaches out and grabs it in his before I can. I nearly sigh as his large, calloused hand completely envelops mine.
His dark brown eyes take me in from head to toe and a smirk spreads across his tanned face. “Cole. Cole Parker,” he says, amusement clear in his eyes.
I know this look, and the immediate attraction I’d felt is quickly replaced by annoyance. This asshole thinks he’s better than me. I nearly yank my hand from his and stuff it in the pocket of my short red shorts. I notice that his eyes travel immediately to my chest and I take a step back, the heel of my wedge shoe catching on the top of the step. I feel myself start to fall, but before I can, Cole’s massive arms are around my waist. He hauls me up against his rock-hard chest and steadies me on my feet before letting go. He is still standing close enough that I can feel the heat coming off of him.
My heart is hammering in my ears and it’s not just from the near tumble down the porch steps. The feel of him pressed up against me has made me weak in the knees, and more than a little wet. Holy fuck Sydney, get ahold of yourself.
“Uh, thank you,” I manage to mumble as I smooth my clothes.
“Now I’ve had women fall for me pretty fast before, but that might be a record,” Cole teases.
My face immediately goes hot and I start to stammer out a response but he holds up a hand and stops me.
“Cool down Miss Baines, I’m only joking. Wh
y don’t we get your bags and get you inside and out of the heat?”
As I watch him walk down the steps toward my car to grab my luggage, I can’t help but think that as long as I’m anywhere near Cole Parker, I’ll never be out of the heat.
Chapter Two: Cole
I look up at the clock and groan to myself. It’s nearly dusk and my “guest” is set to arrive any minute now. I don’t normally do this sort of thing but I just can’t say no to my Aunt Nora. Shit, if it hadn’t been for her, my brothers and I would have been split up and put into foster care. I owe her.
I get up from the chair and do another cursory sweep of the living room. It isn’t possible for any dust to have gathered since I checked five minutes ago, but I’m feeling on edge and need something to do. Some of the other ranches in the area rent out rooms to bored, rich city people for extra income, but that’s never been my deal. Besides, the ranch does pretty well and we don’t need the extra cash.
My younger brother, Luke, comes down the hall and tosses a smirk in my direction.
“Your new roomie here yet?” he asks.
“Shut up,” I throw back at him. “I don’t know why I let Aunt Nora talk me into this shit.”
“Uh, yes you do. Without her, we’d have nothing. So, she calls and asks us to do something and we do it. Come on, it’s only for a few weeks. It won’t be that bad. I’ll bet she spends most of her time in town or up near Billings where there’s more to do,” Luke reasons.
I shrug my shoulders and hope that he’s right. The last thing I need is some city chick hanging around while I’m trying to work. I’ve seen it before and the novelty wears off rather quickly for them every time. All they end up doing is getting in the way.
I shake my head as Luke raids my fridge before heading out the back door. He’s got his own place on the property near the back, but he likes to come up and do his grocery shopping in my kitchen every once in a while. He’s lucky I like him.
I see the headlights of the little red sports car come up the drive and pull to a stop next to my truck. Here we go, I tell myself, taking a deep breath. I walk over toward the front door and stop in my tracks, my heart skipping a beat. Aunt Nora never told me what this girl looked like. I could’ve used a warning.
