Bound by Trust

by Lila Munro

  Rafe released a low growl and took her head in one of his palms, watching her consume him fully. He hissed as she came back up, using her teeth to gently tease his rippled flesh, stopping to run her tongue over the sensitive back side of his tip. His groin tightened and he knew if she took this much further, she’d be doing more than just sucking him. He wound her hair around his hand and pulled her off him, seeing she looked disappointed.

  “Weren’t you enjoying that?” She licked her lips, emphasizing her joy with doing it.

  “Yes, very much, but you’ve become way too skilled at it for your own good.” He finished stripping and joined her on the bed.

  On their knees their mouths met in a heated exchange of tongues and Madi felt him pulling the ties holding her negligee together, undoing them one by one. He slid his hands underneath the nearly invisible fabric to take her breasts in his palms and squeeze them, rolling her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers bringing them to tight, pebbly peaks. Then he released them and leaned down to take first one, then the other in his mouth, sliding his warm, moist tongue over the sensitive puckers of flesh. She never grew tired of his attention to her breasts, each time he gave them his undivided focus, he sent invisible flames flitting along her skin, from her stomach to her toes. He eased her back on the bed and straddled her, taking her head in his hands and running his tongue along the base of her neck, eliciting a gasp from her and causing her to grow wet. Moving down her body, yet still holding her hostage beneath his weight, he ran sizzling kisses down her belly ending at her hip where her panties were secured with more ties. He took the silky string in his teeth and pulled it, then moved to the other side and repeated the process releasing the flimsy fabric. With his hand, he pulled the material down in front and ran his fingers over her apex, parting her throbbing lips and pushing his thumb knuckle upward over her clit, smiling at the groan she sent into the air at his touch.

  “Tell me what you want,” he breathed into her ear before taking the lobe between his teeth.

  “I want you inside me.”

  “Turn over.”

  He moved off her and pulled a pillow down from the top of the bed. On her hands and knees, braced on the pillow for support, she spread her legs and felt the tip of his erection brushing against her. Reaching between them, he ran his fingers over her again causing her to tingle and ache for him.

  “Please, Rafe, I need you,” she moaned.

  “Give me your hand, Madi.”

  Hesitantly, she pushed her arm underneath her and put her hand out for him to guide. She felt something warm being spread across her fingers and knew he’d found the bottle of oil, then he placed her fingers over her clit and with his hand over hers showed her how to circle herself the way he had so many times. Losing herself in the feeling of him pleasuring her in tandem with her own hand, she barely noticed him leave her hand and slip his fingers inside her until a wave of heat emanated from his contact with her and she hesitated.

  “Don’t stop, Madi, I want to watch.”

  She closed her eyes and ran her fingers over her sweet spot again and felt him pull her legs apart further giving him better access.

  He withdrew his fingers from her and eased his cock inside her slowly until he was in her completely. Then, watching her fingering herself, he eased back out until only the very tip was seated in her warm folds.

  “That’s it, sweetheart, make yourself feel good,” he said, plunging back inside her forcefully and torturously pulling out slowly again.

  As she began to moan and push back against him, he increased his pace, holding her open, letting her engulf him to the hilt. With his hands firmly on her ass cheeks, he pulled her over him, meeting her desperate strokes as she began to beg for release.

  With her belly coiled in a tight knot, she clenched around Rafe and pushed into him as hard as she could, her need to go over the edge more desperate than it ever had been. Too weak to hold herself up any longer, she quit running her fingers around her clit and collapsed on her elbows. He picked up where she left off, flitting a tight circle around her, sending sparks outward from that spot up her stomach and down her legs, followed by a molten fire. Rising up to almost sitting astride him, she put her hands over his and cried out. As the wave of contractions subsided, she felt him tighten within her and with one final thrust he groaned and pitched her forward, driving as far as he could go, calling her name as he contracted repeatedly. Sitting back on his heels, he held her atop him with his hands covering her breasts, kissing her back. Then with his arm around her waist, he lowered them both to the bed and nestled her in the crook of his arm.

  Chapter 12

  With just a few hours left on their journey to Big Sandy, Madi discovered that apparently the only thing that would make it across the airwaves at such a steep altitude was sappy country tunes. And much to her horror, Rafe knew the words to every single one of them.

  “Dear Lord, husband.” She clapped her hands over her ears. “Is that the only thing there is to listen to in this state?”

  “No, but I opted not to have satellite radio when I bought this truck so this is what we’re stuck with.” He pushed his hat back and rubbed his eyes, then boosted the cruise control up a few notches.

  “What are you trying to do, get a ticket? I’m sure your command would love to see an MP’s name on the blotter tomorrow morning.” She drew her legs up under her and began tinkering with the radio knob, looking for anything besides another crying in my beer, cheating song. Even a talk show would top that.

  “As long as we have daylight, there is no speed limit on this highway. And quite frankly, wife, I’m getting tired.” As if to prove his point he yawned.

  “Well, maybe next time we should fly.” She finally gave up and shut the radio off.

  “What and miss out on the scenery?” He waved a hand toward the windshield.

  He was right of course, Madi had never seen landscape so beautiful anywhere else she’d ever been. The gentle rolling green pastures were filled with a veritable pallet of wildflowers in every color imaginable and the mountains only served to emphasize the natural splendor of the place. And the smell was incredible, so fresh she’d swear there wasn’t a pollutant for literally miles and miles. She could completely understand why he would want to come back here when he was finished doing his duty to God and country. In fact, she was fast falling in love with it herself.

  Seeing how tired he really was getting, she decided to entertain him herself with a stirring rendition of When You’re Good to Mama from Chicago followed by Tomorrow from Annie.

  “So, why is it you’ve never expressed your love for me through song before?” Rafe scooted around in his seat.

  “I’m full of surprises. You should hear me yodel.” Madi filled her lungs as if she meant to demonstrate then burst out laughing at the shocked look on his face. “I’m teasing, I am a terrible yodeler, in fact, I failed Yodeling 101.”

  “Please tell me you’re kidding on that part, too.” Rafe cast her a half-smile.

  “Oh no, that class was hard to get into, I still have a big fat F on my permanent record from never being able to get back in it.” She feigned the most serious face she could muster before bursting out in loud laughter again.

  After they stopped laughing, he reached over and took her hand. “So, what else can you sing?”

  With the wind whipping a few strands of her ponytail around her face, she cleared her throat and an almost ethereal, spine-tingling, sorrowful noise came forth, as she gave voice to an ages-old Gaelic love song in the native tongue of the Scottish Isles. Sometimes Rafe wondered if he would ever know everything there was to know about Madi.

  It was past nine when Rafe finally pulled off the main highway, drove down a long, bumpy dirt road which, after nearly an hour, led them to an expansive two-story log home. It had an enormous rock chimney, a porch that wrapped around three sides of it, covered with hanging baskets of flowers Madi didn’t even recognize, and floor-to-ceiling windows on both f
loors.

  “Well, this is it.” Rafe put the truck in park and turned off the engine. “What do you think?”

  “I didn’t know people still lived like Grizzly Adams. But I think I could become accustomed to it, as long as you don’t grow one of those long mountain man beards and start wearing flannel shirts.” She flashed him her smart ass smile and giggled.

  “Very funny. If I weren’t so damn tired, I’d club you and drag you to my cave.”

  “Ooohh, I’m terrified. What, there isn’t a piano here to ambush me under?”

  Rafe jerked off his seatbelt and climbed over the center of the seat, mashing her against her door, and took her mouth, running his tongue through her lips and taking her breath. She gave in to him, and was feeling quite enraptured, when a sharp pecking on her window sent him off her, jarring his forehead against the glass with a loud crack.

  “Son of a bitch!”

  Rafe sat back and rubbed the offended spot furiously, as Madi tried to suppress the giggles erupting from her throat.

  “That doesn’t…feel…too good…does it?” she gasped in between laughs.

  “Hell no.” He was leaning back with his hand still on his head, when whoever had done the knocking opened his door, and stuck their head in.

  Madi’s eyes were blurred from the tears from laughing so hard, but she could see that it was a man near Rafe’s age with the same black hair, tanned skin, and dark eyes.

  “Brother, aren’t you a little old to be making out in the driveway?” he asked, also holding back a burst of laughter.

  “Aren’t you a little old to be sneaking up on people?” Rafe shot back.

  “Karma’s a bitch, isn’t it, dear?” Madi giggled again.

  “So, you must be my new sister-in-law. I’m Gabe,” he said, sticking his hand out across Rafe.

  “Yes, I’m guilty,” Madi confessed, taking his hand. “I don’t suppose there’s a Michael running around here as well.”

  “Yes,” the brothers nearly sighed in unison.

  The house was full of people who had come to spend the night so they could meet Madi on arrival. There were Rafe’s two brothers, Gabe and Michael, and their wives, and two of his sisters, Cecile and Rita. Also in attendance were too many children for Madi to remember the names of so soon. After receiving an enormous hug from his father, Devin, and his mother, Clare, she was introduced to his grandmother, Mary. The tiny woman stood about the same height as Madi. Her long, black hair interspersed with silver streaks was braided and woven in an enormous bun on the back of her head and her eyes were like raisins in the middle of a very brown gingerbread. Madi loved her instantly.

  It was well after midnight before the two of them were allowed to go upstairs and go to bed. Rafe had been right, she did fit in and they seemed to love her.

  * * * *

  “Where are we going?” Madi was hanging on the roll bar over the truck door as they bounced along the field Rafe had driven off in behind his family’s home. It was the last day they would spend with his family and he’d insisted on going for a drive.

  “It’s a surprise, but I think you’ll like it.”

  After driving for what seemed like an hour, but was probably in reality only a few minutes, he stopped. They were sitting on a ridge overlooking a valley with a dark blue stream running through it, with the mountains in clear view on the horizon. He got out of the truck, came around to Madi’s side, helped her down, and taking her hand, walked to the edge of the overlook.

  “So, what to do you think?” He released her hand and pulled her back against him, resting his chin on her head.

  “It’s beautiful, Rafe. You brought me all the way out here just to show me this?”

  “Well, I wanted your approval first.”

  “Approval for what?”

  “To build our house here when I finally retire.” He smiled at her and ran his fingers along her forehead, pushing back a few loose hairs. “So, what do you think? Will you live here with me and raise cutting horses?”

  Madi turned and looked at him. “You want to raise horses? You never told me that before.”

  “I’ve always known that’s what I would do when I came back here. I was just fortunate enough to find someone like you to share that dream with.”

  “Yes, I absolutely will, and snuggle with you through those ferocious winters you’ve told me about.” Appreciating the overwhelming beauty, she could envision them living here watching the seasons pass.

  “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.” He sounded serious.

  His tone was a bit disconcerting and she felt her heart skipping emphatically. “Okay, tell me.”

  “In November I’ll be up for promotion to E-8, I’ve opted to go the first sergeant route this go around. If I make it, I need to know if you want me to re-enlist and take the promotion, or if you want me to retire and call it quits.”

  Madi took a breath and let it out slowly. It was the talk of all talks he needed to have with her. Their fate lay at her feet awaiting a decision.

  “What do you want to do?” She put the ball back in his court.

  “I want to do what will make you happy.”

  “Rafe, marriage is a two-way street, it can’t be just about what makes me happy.” She pulled away and walked a few feet off with her hands on her lower back. “I can’t ask you to quit doing what you love because I might be afraid of the what-ifs. I never asked Gage to choose me over his career and I won’t do that to you either.”

  “If I make it then it means we’ll have to move.”

  “Where?”

  “I’m not sure, but there’s a strong possibility it will be the East Coast, and I’ll go back to Iraq or Afghanistan within a few months of getting there.”

  She hugged herself and kicked a dirt clod with the toe of her boot. Remembering all she had told Liz a few weeks ago, she knew it was time to wife up, as it were.

  “Okay. I’ll support you in this, Rafe. It doesn’t mean I won’t worry, but I’ll back you a hundred percent.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.” She swallowed back a lump that was forming as she realized she’d jumped off another cliff with him.

  * * * *

  With the chill of fall in the air, Madi helped her sister zip up her tea-length, white wedding gown in the bride’s room at the tiny chapel she and Aiden had decided to get married in near Branson. Madi had been correct in assuming that she would change her mind. She and Liz were now standing looking at each other, wishing they didn’t have to put on the fuchsia bridesmaids’ gowns hanging on the rod beside the full-length mirror in the corner of the room. They were also hoping no one had a camera within a mile of the place. But Meredith was happy and that was all that mattered.

  Once Meredith was zipped up, Madi helped her finish putting her hair in a complicated twist on top of her head and laced it with baby’s breath. Then she sat her in a chair with her feet up and applied her make-up.

  “You look stunning,” Liz complimented.

  “Are you sure?” Her voice was rattling with nerves. “I think I look like a cotton ball with legs.”

  “You look fine, Meredith,” Madi reassured her. “Aiden would take you dressed in a big black trash bag at this point. Now don’t move while we get dressed.”

  Liz pulled her dress off the hanger and let Madi carefully tip it over her head, trying not to destroy her up-do in the process. It fell into place and once she was zipped, she slipped into the matching satin pumps Meredith had asked the shoe shop to dye for them. Then it was Liz’s turn to help Madi. With the dress over her head, Liz pulled the zipper and stopped midway.

  “What’s wrong?” Madi asked, turning to look in the mirror. “We had these sized two weeks ago, it fit then.”

  “Well, hon, you’re going to have to suck it in more than that or produce another inch or two of this lovely fabric.”

  “Hey, I heard that snide remark, Liz.” Meredith shot from her seat in the rickety meta
l chair. “I’m not entirely thrilled with the red dress you have picked out for me, I’m going to look like a big old tomato in it, come January.”

  “Whatever, Meredith. Right now we have to figure out how to get Madi in this thing.” Liz tugged at the zipper, trying to get it to go the rest of the way up.

  Meredith pushed herself up and waddled over. With her holding the sides together, Liz tugged again on the zipper with more fervor than before and got it to move another inch or two.

  “My God, Madi, what have you been eating, anyway?” Meredith accused. “I’ve never seen anyone gain that much weight in a few weeks unless they are…”

  “What?” Madi countered. “What were you going to say, a big old pig?”

  “No, I was going to say, unless they’re pregnant.”

  “Well, wrong again, little sister; I still haven’t managed to accomplish that feat.” Madi crossed her arms under her breasts and huffed. “So what do we do about this damn dress?”

  “Liz, go get Mama,” Meredith ordered.

  When she was gone, Meredith looked at Madi. “Now, are you sure you’re not pregnant?”

  “I had my period three weeks ago right on schedule. I thought I was when we came home from Montana. I missed then, but I took a test and it came out negative, and I’ve had one twice since then.”

  “What were they like?”

  Madi thought for a moment. They had been quite a bit lighter than normal and less crampy, and for only two days instead of five.

  “They were different. Can you have a period and still be pregnant?”

  “Yes.” Meredith rolled her eyes. “Have you been sick, overly tired, are your breasts sore?”

  “I’m not sick…actually, come to think of it the smell of sausage cooking starting making me sick a few weeks ago, so I quit fixing it, and I have been tired. In fact, I’ve been taking a nap every day for a couple of weeks now.” She paused and smiled. “And I haven’t been interested in sex because my breasts hurt all the time. Rafe probably thinks I’m tired of him.”