by Jess Bryant
She gasped at the contact and spiraled further into oblivion. They were going fast again. Clothes were disappearing. Hands were groping. Mouths were meshed. He was everywhere and then he was lifting her again and setting her back on the edge of the bed. He released her to trail kisses down her neck and then he pulled back.
“You have the sexiest fucking shoes. Have I told you that?” He kissed her knee. “I’m going to have dreams of you wearing these while you ride me.”
She whimpered as he trailed kisses down her thigh to the top of her boot.
“You like the idea of that?”
“Yeah. Leave them on.”
He paused with his hands on the boot in an instant and she saw the hint of a smile play across his face, “Yeah?”
“Yeah. On the bed.” She grabbed for his arm and tugged until he sprawled next to her. She knew he was strong enough that she couldn’t have moved him if he hadn’t wanted it. That sort of power made her even more reckless and she quickly shifted out of her panties and rose up on her knees. “Condom?”
“Nightstand.” He motioned with his head, “I’d get it but I’m enjoying the view too much.”
She rolled her eyes and reached for the drawer. She smirked when she pulled it open. She’d half expected to see a pile of condoms and be repulsed but she should have known better. He wasn’t an asshole. There was only one box but that wasn’t what nearly made her giggle. She pulled one out.
“Green? Like your eyes?”
“What?” He looked confused for a split second and then a grin rose up his face, “You got a thing for my eyes baby-doll?”
“I got a thing for several parts of you.” She scooted back over him, “Pants off.”
She watched him push the boxers down with fascination. All hard tan flesh and powerful muscles, there wasn’t an ounce of fat on the man. He looked exactly like she’d always thought a man should. Not like one of those men that worked out nonstop to fill out their suit. He looked like the muscles just happened naturally, from hard work and strain.
“Lay back.”
“Now who’s being bossy?” He smirked but did as she said.
“You wanted me on top. I get to call the shots.”
“I’ll let that go this time but next time I’m going to remind you who’s really in charge.”
She straddled his lap and his thick swollen head brushed her in her neediest spot. She wanted to settle down on top of him, to feel him inside her skin against skin. But as reckless and impulsive as she might be, she wasn’t stupid. She ripped the condom packet open with her teeth and rolled it down his big, naked shaft.
He held her hips as she positioned herself over him. Their eyes met as she eased down onto him. He was big and thick, bigger and thicker than she’d ever had and on top of that it had been a while for her. He stretched her and she whimpered to keep from shoving down on him hard in one fell swoop.
“Easy baby. Easy.” He kept his thrusts slow and steady as he worked himself until he was deep inside her. His voice was hoarse with need and sweat broke out on his forehead. She took the last inch of him and he growled, “So tight. So hot and tight.”
His words spun her last bits of willpower to the wind. Her head fell back and her hips rolled to a natural rhythm. Heat burned her from her core outwards from where he penetrated her. She picked up the pace as the aching need ate away at rational thought.
“You look real pretty up there Bluebell.” His hands slid from her hips to massage her breasts, “You feel so damn good.”
He rolled her nipples in time with his thrusts and she whimpered, “Yes Zach. Please, yes.”
“You make me so crazy. Seeing you up there, riding me like a pony. I’ve been dreaming of this since the first moment you stepped out of that car Bluebell.”
She groaned and closed her eyes to enjoy the tingles breaking out in her body. Usually a man talking during sex was a mood killer. Usually they said something stupid and she couldn’t focus and they broke her rhythm and it ended up not being fun for anybody involved.
That wasn’t the case with Zach. Every word he said in that husky rumble made her ache and tremble even more. He was so big and so powerful that with every roll of her hips and thrust of his she edged further out of control. She’d known he’d be good at this. She’d known it but she still couldn’t quite believe how consumed she was. She was lost and for the first time she was found at the exact same time.
She was close, so close, so lost in passion and desire and lust that she squealed when she felt him move suddenly. In one quick movement her back was pressed into the mattress and his big, hot, hard body loomed over her, sinking in even further than she’d imagined. He’d flipped them like she was weightless and managed to maintain a pace at the same time. The change in position made her gasp as the first trembles of her orgasm loomed.
“Zach please, oh God please…”
“Legs around my waist.” His order was harsh and she knew she was seeing the rougher Zach now, the one he kept down behind the gentlemen cowboy act. It was hot, really, really hot so she wrapped her legs around him and locked them together. Skin smacked hard against skin, grunts and moaning accompanied the noise and she broke into a million pieces.
Her boots must have dug into his back but he kept going, pushing her through her orgasm as fire broke out in her veins and then over her skin. She trembled and the waves crashed through her body again and again. The intensity of the orgasm scrambled her world and made everything fuzzy around the edges as it continued to pound.
Just as it began to ebb she felt Zach twitch inside her. His big hands gripped her hips and pulled her tight against him so hard she’d probably have bruises but she couldn’t think to care. He held her through the flood of her orgasm and then through his. She heard his throaty growl as he fell over the edge and collapsed against her. He nipped at her throat as he pulled back and a smile touched the corners of his mouth.
“I do like it when you beg baby-doll.”
Blue was still trying to catch her breath when she felt him move beside her. Her eyes fluttered open and she bit her bottom lip as she watched him roll to his side and then sit up in the bed. That was quick. Usually men were all but asleep after sex, he just kept surprising her.
She sat up, clutching the sheet over her breasts. Her thighs still tingled and she stretched to ease the ache. It was a good ache though, one she hadn’t felt in way too long. Still, he was reaching for his boxers so she resigned herself to reliving the memory from her bedroom at home.
“Can you toss me my dress?”
He turned to face her then and a sexy smirk rose up his face, “No.”
“No?”
“No.” He stood and she got a healthy look at his tight ass as he slid into his boxers. “You hungry?”
“What?” She had to have heard him wrong.
“I worked up an appetite so I’m going to make some food and you look like you haven’t eaten in weeks. Come join me when you’re ready.” His eyes sank to her cleavage spilling over the top of the sheet, “Clothing is optional.”
She watched his broad shoulders retreat through the doorway and sank back into the bed. He wasn’t kicking her out. He was getting food. A smile touched the corners of her lips. He was repowering.
She looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was still early. She could probably stay a little while longer and nobody at the Oaks would know any different. She scrambled from the bed and grabbed her panties and bra. She picked up her dress and then rethought it and tossed it over a chair in the corner, grabbing one of his shirts instead.
A quick detour into his bathroom to straighten out the mess that was her hair revealed a mostly demolished vanity. She tiptoed around the floor, used the restroom and tried to straighten her makeup. Her lips were swollen and red but there wasn’t a thing she could do about that, not that she’d want to. She padded down the hallway back to the kitchen to find him and leaned against the doorway in appreciation when she did.
He hadn’t bothered to find the rest of his clothes. She didn’t blame him. If it was up to her he’d be naked every single second she was alone with him. She felt her cheeks blush when he looked up and caught her staring.
“Nice shirt.” A smile tugged at his lips, “It looks better on you.”
“I seriously doubt that.” She shrugged and walked over to where he’d spread out a batch of condiments on the island.
The shirt hung off her like a sheet. She had to roll the sleeves three-fourths of the way up just to get it to her forearms. Still, it smelled like him, like man and outdoors and she was going to enjoy that while she could, at least another hour or so.
“You want a tomato on your sandwich?”
“Sure.” She leaned a hip against the counter, “Can I help?”
“Nah, I’m pretty sure I can handle a sandwich. The only real need to worry would be if I decided to turn the stove on.”
“Ditto that.”
“I thought all true Texas ladies knew how to cook seven course meals?” He tore off two paper towels from the holder and set the bread slices out on them.
“I picked up the basics from Arlene over the years but I never crossed into actually enjoying it and I think that’s a requirement to being good at cooking.” She watched him hold up two different dressings and pointed to the mustard.
“Who’s Arlene?”
“Arlene Evans, she’s worked at the Oaks since before I was born. She’s kind of like a house mom for the hands. She cooks three meals a day for them and cleans up too. She’s cook, housekeeper and fill-in-mother.”
“Hmm.” He cocked his head to one side, “And she took care of you too?”
“Most of the time yes.”
He motioned to the fridge, “You can grab those beers now.” She stuck her tongue out but did as he asked. “How many hands does Montgomery Oaks have?”
“When I was little, probably twenty or so. Now…” she shrugged as she bent over, grabbed the beers and kicked the fridge door shut behind her, “I have no idea.”
He was staring when she looked back at him. His hand was frozen over a slice of bread unmoving. His eyes had that slightly glazed look again and they were directed at her ass. Yeah, wearing only his shirt and her panties had been an excellent idea.
“What?” She asked innocently.
“You know what.” He pulled his eyes to her face with a sheepish grin, “That’s a lot of men running around a house with a little girl. Arlene was the only woman on the ranch?”
“Yeah, probably why I ended up nearly flunking charm school. I’ve always been better at swearing and shooting than cooking and curtseying.” She set the beers on the counter.
“I don’t know about that. You’ve definitely got your charms.” His eyes lingered on her breasts and she giggled.
“These babies aren’t the reason I passed charm school.”
“No? What was?” He popped the top on the beers and slid one back to her.
“My last name.” She took a long drink and shrugged, “Or more accurately, my middle name.”
He raised one eyebrow up his forehead, “Montgomery?”
“Uh huh. My mama was Liza Beth Montgomery Carter and if you’ve never heard the stories she was kind of a big deal around here.” She motioned to where he was dropping the knife into the sink, “You done?”
“Yeah, grab your sandwich and a seat.” He motioned to the table a few feet away.
She slid the sandwich he’d prepared into one hand, grabbed her beer in the other and followed him to the small nook off the side of the kitchen that held an oak table. It was a square table with only four chairs. Strange to think how very different it was from the table at Montgomery Oaks just a few miles down the road.
“What?” Zach slid into a chair and looked up at her.
“Nothing, just thinking how long it’s been since I ate at a regular sized table.” She shook her head and sat down across from him.
“Regular sized? You’re not trying to hurt my feelings talking about size again are ya Bluebell?” Laughter sparked in his eyes and she grinned.
“No, definitely not.” She shrugged, “We just never had a table like this, for family. The dining room at the Oaks has this mahogany monstrosity that can probably seat twenty people. It’s all shiny and unused. I can’t remember ever sitting down to eat at it, not once.”
“Where do you eat?”
“In the bunkhouse.” She took a napkin and put it under her beer so it wouldn’t leave a ring, “After my mama died Daddy always ate out there with the other hands. I guess it made sense; Arlene already had all the food out there so it would have been pointless to drag it back into the house for us.”
“You don’t remember eating with your mother before she died?”
“This is really good Zach.” She took a big bite of her sandwich, chewed and swallowed before she shook her head, “But no, I don’t remember eating with her. I’m sure we did. I obviously wasn’t a starving child for the first five years of my life. I just don’t remember.”
“What do you remember about her?” He took a drink of his beer and then popped a chip in his mouth.
“Umm, I remember little things mostly, like her voice when she would read me a bedtime story or the smell of vanilla on her skin when she’d come to wake me up in the morning. It’s the bigger things that get jumbled with the stories I’ve heard from people that confuse me as memories.”
“How so?”
“All my life everybody in Fate has been telling me stories about my mama. Sometimes I’m not sure if I really remember some detail about her or if I’ve just been told about it so many times that I feel like I lived it when I really didn’t.” She took another bite.
“Like what?”
“Like how everybody in town swears I look just like her? I’ve seen the photos and I guess we resemble but she was really pretty, stunning even, she was a beauty queen and I most definitely was not.”
He chuckled, “I’ve seen a picture of her before in one of my dad’s old yearbooks and you definitely look like her Bluebell.”
Had he just called her beautiful? Just another of his easy compliments, he was so good at those. Still, all the talk about her mother was leaving her with a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t spoken about her mother this much in years, not to anyone. She’d practically talked his ear off and all he’d done was ask questions. Turnabout was fair game so she changed the subject.
“Do you look like your father?”
“For the most part.” He took a swig of his beer and grinned, “I got my mom’s eyes though.”
“I’ll have to remember to give her my compliments if I ever run into her in town.” She smirked.
“Your eyes ain’t so bad either.” He took another two bites of his sandwich.
And the topic was back on her? No way. Not already. As a journalist she was used to being the one asking questions. She was used to ferreting out information even from people that’d rather keep their mouths shut. Obviously, Zach was the strong, silent type but everybody had their topics they disliked. She’d just have to find one he did.
“So you helped raise your little brothers?”
“After my dad passed away.” He nodded and shoved a couple of chips into his mouth before reaching for his beer again.
“How old were they?” She pushed.
“Riley was ten. Devin was fourteen.”
“I remember Riley from school.” She offered and watched his head pop up.
“You do?”
“Kind of. I remember he was Molly’s partner in chemistry class. I remember he was really smart. I remember he asked me to go to the homecoming dance with him.” She smirked as his eyebrows furrowed, “I said no. He told me the other night I gave him his first broken heart.”
That story earned her a full on chuckle and Zach grinned, “That kid always had balls.” He took a sip of his beer and then offered, “Always had a thing for pretty girls too.”
Anot
her compliment? Another try to turn the conversation away from him? She pursed her lips. She wasn’t here to talk. He’d said that much himself. Still, he’d started it with the offer of food, real food, and not whipped cream.
“Thank you.” She sipped her beer, “I see you’re doing some renovating. Your bathroom looks like a bomb went off in there. I don’t know if your team is any good at construction but they’re certainly good at demolition.”
“I’m flattered.”
“You’re doing your own renovations?”
“Yeah, I already finished the bedroom and just started work on the bathroom. I’m pulling out the old tile and Devin’s going to help me lay the new in a few days.”
“You know how to lay tile?”
“I’ve been told I’m a good lay.” His smile was instant as his eyes lowered to her mouth.
She giggled and shook her head. Yes, he was very good at certain other aspects of laying. He was better than any man that’d touched her in a good long while, possibly ever. He was also the most mysterious.
He was one of the most handsome men she’d ever set eyes upon but behind the soft green eyes and hard façade was a big brick wall she doubted anybody ever got past. He didn’t lie. He was what he was, but he didn’t give up much about himself.
That was fine for her. That’s what she’d agreed to. She was leaving soon and she didn’t have the time or energy to deal with scaling walls. Scaling his body was a completely different story though. He surprised her again by continuing his story.
“I’ve always liked breaking things. Took me a while to realize I like putting them back together too. When I did, I took an interest in construction. I’ve picked up a few things over the years.”
“What all are you planning to do to the house?”
“I finished the bedroom already. I’m doing the tile and changing out the cabinetry in the bathrooms. When I finish that I’ll probably start on the kitchen, update everything with new appliances, hardwoods, granite tops, the works.”
