by Ivy Jordan
I had to get out of there, to run, pretend it never happened, maybe even send him a lawyer from my parents firm in New York, never to show my face again.
I slid from the truck, my feet on the side rail, and realized there was little room between James and myself. His warmth radiated from his body to mine; his breathing became music to my ears.
“What I need is this,” he said, his voice dripping like honey from his lips.
A look of hunger came over him as his big hands gripped the small of my waist. Before I could speak, move, or even breathe, his lips were on mine, hard, passionate, and hungry.
I thought I would pull away, that I would slap him for coming on so strong, but I didn’t. I melted into his strong arms, gripping my hands around his shoulders to press into him without fear of falling from the tall truck.
The world disappeared, the bad night at the auction, the fact that he was my client, and even the fact that we were outside under the moonlight where the sky tried to hide even that with large black clouds.
Our mouths separated, our eyes locked, and without words, we knew what the other wanted. James made his intentions clear with his mouth sucking at the soft skin of my neck, and I made mine clear with my hands sliding under his shirt to feel the ripple of the strong abs I’d dreamt about night after night.
My tongue glided across his neck, tickled by the stubble, and gaining my first taste of his salty skin. His hands gripped me tightly, hoisting me back onto the seat of the truck. I was leaning into him, unwilling to give up on the taste on my tongue.
Our bodies pressed tightly together, my legs wrapping around his waist to keep him close. The hardness of his erection ground against my jeans, teasing my pussy as his mouth teased my breasts from over my t-shirt.
My hands worked his shirt buttons open as our mouths found one another once more. His chest was hard, sculpted as if by an artist, and suddenly all I wanted was to feel what I knew would be his finest masterpiece inside of me.
My t-shirt lifted above my breasts, and I leaned back to allow it to be removed and tossed onto the seat of the truck. James effortlessly unsnapped my bra while his mouth continued to explore my exposed flesh. The loosened bar hung from my breasts, allowing the cool air of the night to brush against my hardened nipples. I moaned, unintentionally, causing James to immediately work his mouth to mine.
My back arched as the pressure of his hand guided me backward onto the seat. The leather was cool against my flesh, the interior of the cab dimly lit and an LED screen lit up with the temperature and the time. I moaned again, his mouth moving to my breasts, sucking at my nipples and gently flicking the sensitive flesh with his tongue. Another moan escaped my lips as his tongue slid down my belly, past my navel, and teased the hidden flesh just beneath the metal button on my jeans.
“I have to taste you,” he breathed.
Oh God, please, please taste me. I moaned again, this time louder, my fingers gripping his shoulders, pulling him towards me as he continued to pull downward between my legs.
My boots were removed carefully, placed on the floorboard of the truck. My jeans were unfastened, his tongue still teasing me, only flicking beneath the denim of my jeans in small circles as they were slowly removed.
My panties clung to my warm, moist skin as James slid his tongue against my flesh, carefully tracing the hem of the silk. I wanted to look up, to see his beautifully hungry blue eyes, but I stared at the temperature flashing in red on the screen instead. I knew I was blushing. I could feel the heat stirring on my cheeks.
A finger slid between me and the silk of my panties, gliding in the slick of my arousal through the plump of my pussy until it was inside me.
Everything was happening so fast but felt as if it were in slow motion, as if the world was standing still, waiting for us to get to know each other so intimately.
I arched towards him, my hips rocking onto his finger and let out moan after moan. Soon, my panties were removed; a finger replaced with a warm tongue, and my body was shaking with pleasure as I cried out into the night.
My fingers dug into muscular flesh as I pulled myself towards him. He worked quickly unfastening his belt, his buttons, and then reached into the glove compartment of the truck while the shape of his hardened cock glistened in the moonlight. My mouth watered as I watched him skillfully unwrap and apply the condom he found tucked between papers, cigars, and other useless items.
Our eyes met, for the first time since we’d gotten lost in our passion, leaving me breathless as his hands pulled me from the truck by my waist. My legs wrapped around him as he lifted me into his arms high on his chest, his cock teasing my clit as it pushed against the swollen nub that already began to throb.
Slowly, he guided me onto him, his manhood spreading its way into my body, my weight sending him deeper and deeper until I knew he could go no further.
I barely clasped my arms around his strong shoulders as he effortlessly lifted and dropped me onto him, groans of pleasure rolling from his lips with each stroke. Our eyes remained locked until my orgasm took hold of me, sending my eyes shut, my head back, and my body convulsing around his.
The motion of our passion slowed as he let out a groan and his cock pulsed hard against my quivering flesh.
I hadn’t even realized it started to rain, both of us soaked and still clinging together. Reality set in quickly as to what I’d done. I slid from James’s strong arms, quickly dressed, and rushed towards my car. Before I could leave, a grip on my arm spun me around. James pressed his lips to mine once more before letting me go, leaving me with the image of him standing in the rain with his skin glistening against the moonlight.
Chapter Nine
James
I stared out the front window towards the blue sky and watched the sun peeking through the rolling clouds. I wished Evelyn was with me to witness the true miracle of God’s beauty. The way she took off, it left me uneasy. I didn’t want her to regret what happened. Damn, that was hot. I don’t remember ever feeling that caught up in a moment.
My truck sat in its usual parking spot near the barn, small traces of the previous night’s rain in the shape of puddles around the tires brought back the image of Evelyn and my body entangled together.
I chuckled as I thought about how neither of us realized the rain had even started.
My phone set on the table as I turned to check. It was dark. I swiped the screen, just in case the flashing lights were disabled or not working. No messages. No missed calls.
There was still a large section of fence that was in need of inspection, cattle that needed to be moved to the back field, and animals to feed, so I decided to call Evelyn after the morning chores were done. I didn’t want to push too hard. She was one that I really didn’t want to get away.
I grabbed my gloves and headed out the front door, stopping on the porch to let the sun kiss my face before starting my long day. A truck slowed on the main road and then turned onto my lane. It was bright blue, unfamiliar, and I immediately assumed it was one of the Jasper kids, probably here to gloat about the low-ball number I got for the cattle the night before.
My stance firmed beneath me as I worked on calming my anger. I watched the truck rolling up the lane, still unable to make out who was inside, but able to make out that whoever it was, they were alone. Brave bastard.
The truck stopped a few feet from the porch where I stood. My eyes narrowed as they strained to look through the windshield towards the stranger behind the steering wheel.
Holy shit!
I strolled towards the truck as the door opened, my arms widening to greet my old friend. He stepped out of the truck, his boots landing firmly in the dirt.
“Hey, brother,” I grinned as he stepped towards me.
A sting bit me hard in the jaw as my feet tumbled beneath me. Soon, I was on my ass, in the dirt, looking up at Axel. My hand covered the sting; my eyes narrowed as I scattered to my feet. I wanted to swing back, but I was still in shock from the blow. My should
ers pushed back, my chest moved inward, towards the man that just knocked me to the ground.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I spat, my breath beating against Axel’s face.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he retorted.
I chuckled angrily, twisted my neck to loosen the nerves that were tightening as I tried to fight back the urge to knock his shiny bald block off his shoulders.
We both stood tall, we stood close, and as I smelled his breath, there was no trace of alcohol. He wasn’t drunk, so why?
“You’re the one who showed up here swinging,” I protested, taking a step back as I spoke.
I looked him over, up and down. Aside from acting a fool, he looked good, and it would’ve been good to see him.
“I told you not to fuck with Evelyn, that she was a good girl,” Axel growled.
My stomach ached at the thought she’d called him, that she regretted our encounter so much that she found it one-sided. My head spun as my hands reached up to try and stop it. The night played over in my head, the kiss, the way our eyes locked, her moans. No. She wanted it. I hadn’t been out of the game so long that I couldn’t read a woman.
“I don’t know what she told you, but I can assure you it was a mutual thing, brother,” I stammered.
“She didn’t tell me anything. She didn’t have to,” he snarled, reaching behind his back.
I stood there, wondering if this was it. Was he pulling a gun, shooting me dead right there in the spot I stood, and for what?
“Hold on,” I raised my hands, offering a sign of peace.
“I got these this morning,” Axel reached back in front of him with a stack of white papers folded in half.
He shoved the papers towards me until I finally took them. As I unfolded the stack my eyes widened and my heart raced. It was a photo of me and Evelyn standing at my truck, her lips on mine, and mine on hers.
“What the fuck?” I gasped, moving to the next paper.
It was another photo, this time more of me than of Evelyn as she lay in my truck allowing me to remove her jeans. Fuck.
My chest tightened as I moved to the next, a photo of her in my arms, raindrops captured by the photographer, unapparent to either of us as we made love under the moonlight.
“Where did these come from?” I sighed.
“An anonymous e-mail,” Axel replied, his tone still filled with fury.
“It has to be one of Jasper’s kids,” I sighed, refusing to look at the other photos in the stack.
I turned and walked towards the house, ready to go after whoever invaded Evelyn’s privacy so hideously.
“I’ll fuckin’ kill em’,” I growled, pushing through my front door.
“This could kill Evelyn, not to mention her career,” Axel tossed out as if I wasn’t already thinking the same fucking thing.
“Does she know?” I turned to find Axel standing in my office doorway.
He shook his head.
Thank God.
“I’m gonna kill them before she has the chance to find out,” I insisted, rummaging through my desk drawers for my gun.
“You don’t even know who sent these. It could be anyone,” Axel grabbed my arm and slung me around to face him.
He was right. I started thinking about William Platter, how obnoxious he’d been at the stockyard. He made comments about Evelyn, and he somehow knew she was my attorney. He had motive, but so did all of Jasper’s kids, and one of them had already been snooping around with a broker.
“How do we find out?” I asked, remembering that Axel was our lead tech guy. He could crack any code, break any password. There was no way he wouldn’t be able to find where this e-mail came from.
“Move,” he sighed, nudging me away from my desk.
I took a step back as I watched Axel slid into my computer chair and turn on my laptop. He didn’t even ask for my password to get in, he just typed in Queen and hit enter, and he was in. He turned to grin in my direction as I started to say something.
“Everyone knows how much you love that damn horse,” he chuckled.
It was good to hear something other than anger roll from his lips. I leaned over the chair, over Axel’s shoulder, and watched him work his magic.
The e-mail he received opened after he logged onto his account. My stomach grumbled at seeing the images again, this time clearer, not printed in black and white from Axel’s printer. He opened a few more boxes, copied an IP address, and then pasted it in a site he logged into from my browser window. Within a few minutes, several keystrokes, and probably an ulcer or two later, he had an address.
It wasn’t familiar, but the JJ in the address made me think of John, Jasper’s youngest son.
“Hold on,” I said quickly, moving to old man Jasper’s computer.
I turned it on, searched through his e-mail contacts, and there it was, John Jasper, the same e-mail address as the one on my laptop screen.
Axel already had his contact information by the time I announced my find, and of course, he had a nice grin to go along with it.
“I’m gonna kill that little twit,” I roared, again returning to my search for the gun.
Axel grabbed me again, this time his grip tightened around my wrists to hold me in place. He was strong, definitely keeping in shape as a firefighter since our SEAL days, but I knew I could break free if I wanted to.
“Let me handle this,” he insisted.
“I can handle the punk,” I growled.
Axel released his grip and walked away, stopping to stare out the front window towards the barn.
“You’ll ruin any chance you have at keeping this place if you do,” he said calmly as I entered the room behind him.
“I probably already did,” I sighed.
“No. You let me handle this mess,” Axel turned towards me, his eyes serious and bold.
“So, this with Evelyn, she just another conquest for you?” he asked, the hurt in his eyes obvious as he spoke.
I shook my head.
“You have feelings for her?” he questioned.
I stared at my friend, my brother. I knew I had a reputation as a ladies’ man, but most of that was just shop talk.
“I don’t know. There’s something about her, something special,” I admitted.
“Yes, there is,” Axel boasted with pride.
“I really do like her,” I smiled, getting the first sincere smile from Axel since he’d arrived.
“I’m sorry I jumped your shit,” Axel chuckled, and then rubbed his left hand over the reddened knuckled of his other hand.
“I’m sorry my face hurt your hand,” I snickered.
“You still have a hard fucking head,” Axel laughed.
“Yeah, and you still have one hellova’ punch,” I grinned.
“It really is beautiful out here. I’d forgotten how nice it was here,” Axel turned back towards the window.
“It needs a lot of work. Since you were here last, the place has been pretty neglected,” I sighed, looking out towards the work that still waited for me.
“I better let you get back to it,” Axel stated.
“Why don’t you hang around, maybe take a ride with me to check out the grounds,” I offered.
Axel shook his head.
“I’ve got a shift at the firehouse in a few hours. Besides, I need to start working on fixing this mess,” he winked and patted me on the back as he left.
Chapter Ten
Evelyn
Two days had gone by since I’d seen James, and that hunger was clawing at my belly once again. I’d been avoiding him as much as possible, hoping the feeling would pass, but it was clearly there to stay.
I was professional. I could handle this, and with the new paperwork I had for him to sign, I wasn’t going to have a choice anyhow.
The message he’d sent Sunday morning was sweet, but I hadn’t heard anything since. My reply to his ‘good morning, beautiful’ was short, a simple ‘good morning.’ I expected he would continue to chat
, but he didn’t.
Partly, I was relieved, knowing that sending cute texts back and forth was the last thing either of us needed. Focus should remain on his battle to keep the ranch; anything else is just a distraction.
The pep talk to myself still fresh in my mind, I sent James a text.
Me:James: I have more papers. I’ll bring them by shortly.
I hated the coolness in my message, but it was business. I suddenly hated that I was James’s lawyer. The thought of calling someone in from New York crossed my mind, but what was to prove he’d want me around without a reason.
I sighed as I dressed in my most dowdy suit, one that was certainly not to stir any kind of appeal in James. I pulled my hair into a tight bun, flicked on a light coating of mascara, and gathered my belongings. That first meeting, where I ended up wearing those ridiculous shorts, that was the mistake. I’d always remained professional, and even if a client was handsome, I never crossed the line.
As I drove towards the JJ Ranch, I thought about how James was by far the most handsome client I’d ever taken on. Still, I let myself get wrapped up where I didn’t belong. It was time to get back on track.
I pulled onto the lane that led to James’s ranch, telling myself that a man like him wouldn’t care that I was calling off our, our, whatever it was. I was certain he had plenty of women ready to warm his bed. I was a matter of convenience, that’s all, and he, just a moment of weakness.
His red truck wasn’t in its usual spot as I pulled in, but a small car was parked by the house. My stomach rolled as jealousy worked its way into my veins.
I sat in my car for a moment, trying to decide if I should just leave. No. I’d leave the paperwork for him on the porch, and he could get it to me when he signed it, mail it to me even if he wanted.
I gathered my briefcase and headed towards the porch, taking my first step up when a woman appeared from around the back of the house.
