She took a deep breath and planted her hands on her hips, revealing tantalizing glimpses of bare breast through her silky hair, killing him further.
“Giving you everything you ever dreamed.” Her eyes flashed like sapphires in the firelight. “You tell me right now when your ancestors settled Fortune, and I’ll drop my underwear. Right here in the middle of the damn forest like a wood nymph.” She met his gaze. “Are you ready?”
His life came down to this one pinnacle moment. This one moment that he had been hoping for most of his life. A part of him recognized the danger of not proceeding cautiously and with a clear head. But every other fiber of his being demanded that he seize this moment. Rational thought was swallowed by this primal, hungry desire to take what was being offered, regardless of the potential consequences and the no-way-out position he was in.
Jake swore and was on his feet, pacing away before rounding on her and taking a step back toward the campfire. And he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of her. The power of Apple blew through him, leveling him.
There she stood, like a gypsy goddess, her voluptuous body cast in dancing light and shadow by the flames. An expectant look was on her face.
“What’s it going to be, Jake?” Her voice was soft, coaxing.
A wave of lust and yearning and some other feeling that rose up like a tsunami—powerful and terrifying and mysterious—crashed into him, and he lost his ability to think. Passion surged up, along with this absolute need.
Because now, he didn’t just want to touch.
Now he needed to claim.
Lost to the visceral calling, the one that had never disappeared, but he realized now had only been banked and on slow-burn for years, Jake stared hard at Apple’s body, barely able to tear his gaze away to look at her face long enough to say “1860.”
The words rushed out like an avalanche. Because that’s what it felt like to him just then. An avalanche. This huge, rushing, thundering crush of need/energy/something that made him forget the situation, forget his promises, and forget to care that he was stalling—made him willing to risk that potential problem—to finally just . . .
Fucking.
Have.
Apple.
To feel her. Taste her. Worship her.
It had been a lifetime of wanting and waiting. Of dying inside, knowing she could never be his. Of needing her to be. And knowing that even if she somehow could, that he would never be able to give her what she needed, and in the end he would leave her brokenhearted. Knowing that made him resist, hesitate.
But then Apple began to smile, slowly at first and growing brighter and bigger by degrees, until she was absolutely beaming. “Oh. My. God. Finally! You gave me a straight answer. You told me, and I finally freaking know!”
But he barely even registered that she was talking because in her excitement she’d placed her hands in the waistband of her underwear and shimmied right out of her cotton panties, kicking them off to the grass with the rest of her things with a delicate flick of her ankle. Then she reached for the blonde waterfall of hair covering her breasts and, in an absentminded gesture, tossed it over her shoulders.
And there. It. Was. The culmination of everything he’d ever thought, wished, or dared hope for: Jake’s deepest dream come true.
Apple stood before him, her naked body more exquisite than anything he’d ever seen or imagined. He raked his gaze over her, like a hungry man on death row who’d finally been presented a feast, memorizing the way her hips flared so femininely, the curve of her beautiful full breasts, the thatch of dark blonde curls covering her gorgeous, perfect pussy.
He couldn’t handle it. His heart squeezed painfully as unfamiliar emotions tore through him, drowned him. Blinded him. So he reached for the only thing he knew could stabilize him. He reached out for his anchor.
He reached for Apple.
Wrapping her in his arms, he kissed her, not knowing whether it was smart, or whether she’d hate him later when she found out the full truth about his family.
He only knew that he had to.
“I need you,” he rasped after he yanked his mouth away, panting heavily. His hands streaked over her body, desperate to know the feel of every dip, every curve, every silky voluptuous inch. When they came to the underside of her breasts, she moaned, and his cock jerked, hungry for her. “Apple, my Apple,” he whispered against her neck, losing himself in his feelings for her. “I’ve always needed you. You’re my only cure. Tell me why,” he said with a heavy breath, nipping her skin tenderly.
She shivered beneath his touch, and when his hand slipped down over the gentle curve of her belly and split her blonde curls with his finger, he found her wet and so very hot. “Fuck, baby. You’re so wet.” He smiled darkly, something inside him deeply satisfied. “You need me.”
“Jake,” Apple cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders, her head falling back in ecstasy. “I’ve always needed you.”
The sultry whisper cut straight to his heart. Hungrier now than he’d ever been, Jake kissed her, nipped her tender skin as he trailed a path down to her gorgeous, perfect breasts. He found her nipple puckered and tight, and a groan ripped from his throat as he took her peak into his mouth, rolling his tongue around it and sucking passionately. “Say it again,” he demanded, his mouth against her creamy skin.
Suddenly hands were in his hair, gripping and tugging, pulling him from her. He raised his gaze in question, only to be sucker punched in the gut by the sight of Apple turned on and flushed with arousal. It took his knees out, but he recovered quickly, giving in to the inevitable truth: Apple had him. Completely and totally.
“Look at me,” came her soft, coaxing voice.
He did, his heart stumbling a little.
“I know that now. I’ve always needed you, Jake,” she said, her eyes filled with heat and tenderness. “Always.”
He couldn’t take it. Her words and the expression in her eyes undid him. Unraveling as a growl tore from his throat and his heart burst into a million pieces, Jake dropped to the ground in front of her. Breathing heavily as emotion stormed him, he wrapped his arms around her hips and placed his cheek against her abdomen, closed his eyes.
Thank you.
It was all he could think.
“It’s always been you, Jake.”
Opening his eyes as heat poured heavy in his veins, Jake slid his hands down her hips and around her legs until his thumbs were caressing the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. When she sighed and rolled her pelvis toward him, he smiled and slid a thumb up her thigh until he’d reached her dark blonde curls. Brushing her fold lightly and finding the curls damp there, Jake said as his mouth lowered to cover her, “Tonight I will be your king, and you will be my queen.” He flicked his tongue over her slit and heard her gasp. “I will explore all of you.” His tongue pushed farther until he found her clit and circled gently. “All of you, Apple. I feel like I’ve been waiting all my life.”
And he did. He took her in his mouth, using his fingers to spread her for better access, and licked her, sucked her pussy until she draped a leg over his shoulder and was alternately fisting her hands in his hair and caressing it as she moaned and rocked against him. Knowing she was close to coming, but not ready for her to find release from the tempest yet, Jake pulled her leg down and spun her around and bent her forward. Before she could protest, his mouth was on her juicy ass, his tongue searching for the core of her while his hands kneaded her firm flesh.
“Jake!” she gasped when he found her and thrust with his tongue.
“Want me to stop?” he pulled away and asked.
“No!” She rotated her ass toward him and dug into his hair with a hand, urging him back. “More. Just. More.”
Taking her pussy in his mouth again with a growl, Jake lapped and licked until she bucked against him. “Not fair!” she gasped raggedly.
“How’s that, baby?” he said, his cock throbbing against his fly, begging to be touched.
“Becau
se,” she cried softly, her body beginning to tremble against him. “I want to taste you too.”
Jerking painfully, his cock filled to impossible fullness. Unable to take it anymore, but not willing to let it end just yet, Jake used his hands and tongue on her body, exploring every dip and luscious curve as he rose to his feet. When he reached the back of her neck, he brushed her hair away and gave her an openmouthed kiss there. And when he turned her back around to him, his breath seized in his chest at the dazed, passionate expression in her eyes.
“Take me, Jake,” she demanded softly, raising her arms and draping them around his shoulders. “Take all of me.”
I will, every single beautiful part of you, his heart replied.
“Fuck,” he growled, knowing what it meant, and not knowing if he was ready for it. But he did know one thing. “You’re mine, Apple.”
“Yes,” she said on a sigh as his hands stroked boldly, hungrily over her. “I’m yours.”
When he reached her, he parted her swollen folds and found her clit, rubbed it slowly, teasing her tiny plump bud before sliding his finger into her, filling her. “Come for me,” he urged roughly. “Now.”
He needed to know the sight of Apple coming.
For him. Only for him. Ever for him.
She began panting softly, rocking her hips rhythmically as he brought her higher. Kissing her again, he took his time tasting her as he felt her orgasm build. And when she tensed, finding her peak, he stroked his tongue slowly over hers and took her moan of release into him, feeling it in his very soul.
Apple shuddered, and her knees buckled. Jake tightened his hold on her and lowered them both to the sleeping bag, laying her on her back. Impatient now, Jake stood back up and reached into his pocket. Ripping his clothes off, he covered himself with protection, knowing that he couldn’t wait much longer to be inside her.
Kneeling between her spread thighs, Jake looked at her, flushed and so very beautiful with that satisfied little smile she wore. And the fact that he was the one who put it there overwhelmed him with so much emotion and male pride that he didn’t know how to process it, so he stroked his hands up her gorgeous body, leaned forward, and tasted her hot little pussy again, needing that most personal intimacy. She gasped and arched into him, spreading her legs open even farther and fisting her hands in his hair, encouraging him. “More.”
The musky, female scent had him losing that last little thread of control, and he rose over her, thrusting into her in one sure movement. Jake cried out as he was enveloped in her slick, swollen heat. Grabbing her legs, he pulled them up around his waist and thrust, making them both gasp. “Look at me,” he demanded, needing that connection with her.
Apple opened her eyes, her expression hazy with passion, and she smiled softly, nearly sending him over the edge. “Mmm, I’m looking,” she said, pulling him down for a drugging kiss. When it was over, she looked him in deep in the eyes. “And I see you, Jake. I see you.” She kissed him gently, and he lost a part of himself to her when she added, “You’re beautiful to me.”
Tears stung his eyes as those same unfamiliar emotions swelled up inside him and he came undone. Linking his fingers with Apple’s, he pushed her hands into the mat next to her head and took her, thrusting deep, over and over until he felt her tense once again beneath him.
“Yes.” He wanted it. Needed her orgasm once more. And he had to see her face as it took her, knowing it was him who pushed her over. “Look at me.” She did, her eyes gone with passion, and he teetered on the edge.
“Apple!” he groaned when her inner muscles started to tighten around him, signaling her impending release. It fueled him, urged him to join her.
He went.
And he didn’t let go of her hands, couldn’t, when the storm took them both.
Chapter Fifteen
APPLE WAS SO in love. So totally, completely, 100 percent in love with Jake Stone it was ridiculous. It was amazing, really, just how much a person could feel for someone else. Amazing and awesome—and fun. Can’t forget the fun.
Over a week had passed since their camping trip up Jasper’s Peak, and when she wasn’t freaking out about making her looming deadline, she and Jake were spending a lot of time together. A lot of quality naked time. Because really, that was important. Every good relationship started with a boatload of smoking-hot sex. She should know. It was in all the great works of literature. Personally, she’d rather do it than read about it. Handily for her, Jake felt the same. And for her, knowing that it came from a place of emotional attachment—and wasn’t just a fling—made it all that much sweeter.
It hadn’t taken her any real soul-searching to realize that she’d had feelings for him all along, that they’d just been misplaced. Especially since she’d pretty much been slapped upside the head by her mother and best friend about it. It was kind of hard to ignore the truth when it was presented like that. Now that she had accepted it, she couldn’t wait to move forward with everything. Even being upset over knowing that Jake hadn’t told her the whole story during their camping trip and was still holding back didn’t change her feelings. She wanted him. Turned out it was just that simple.
And maybe Jake didn’t realize it quite yet, but she knew it’s what he needed, to spend the rest of his life in a warm, cozy home, surrounded by a big ol’ family who gave him so much love that it made up for all that he’d missed out on growing up. Oh, the babies they could make! They’d be so stinking adorable. She could just picture it: his gorgeous brown eyes and her mouth. Ah! Too much cuteness.
Yep, she had it all sorted out. When the time was right they’d take that next step together.
But that wasn’t happening today.
Oh no, today was for fun and lightness. Why? Because it was the last Saturday in September. And that meant it was time for Fortune’s biggest annual event. The one that drew crowds of thousands and visitors from all over the globe and spilled from the huge flat expanse of Riverside Park at the base of Jasper’s Peak to Main Street. The very one that filled Nell’s climbing club to the gills with rock climbers from all over the world for weeks on end before it started. Tourists and residents alike entered town and were greeted with the enormous banner that spanned across the road, declaring to one and all: “Fortune’s Blues and Brews Festival.”
Apple couldn’t have been happier.
She was rocking her favorite vintage floral dress today with a ruched waist and deep neckline. She flashed Jake a secret smile when she caught him looking at her cleavage. One would think that with as much quality time as he’d been giving her girls lately that his interest level would be starting to wane. But no. If anything, it seemed to be growing. And she wasn’t complaining, not at all.
Turns out, she rather liked Jake liking her body.
She also rather liked being in love with him.
“When are you and the guys going to go play?” she asked Jake as they stood under one of the many beer tents lining the side of the grassy meadow to the left of the main stage. Of course, they were in the Two Moons Brewery and Pub tent along with Aidan, Sean, and Shannon—and two actual pub employees who were there to really work and not just socialize. A band that sounded a lot like Big Head Todd was finishing up its set, the easygoing crowd clapping appreciatively.
“We’re going to be up in the next set or two.” He had this happy expression that just made her heart squeeze with joy for him. It was obvious how excited he was to be playing with the band again. Even if it was just for a few songs. “It’ll be fun.”
That was the understatement of the century. But it was just so darn cute. “What’s Heath going to play since you’re taking over drums?” She couldn’t remember what instrument he had played last year—mostly because she’d been too busy staring at Jake and remembering what it had been like to watch him perform in high school and how much she’d hated that it had secretly excited her and made her wonder about things she was better off not wondering.
At least this time her enthusiasm didn’
t have to be quite so secret.
Sean squeezed in around them to hand a plastic cup of beer to a waiting customer. Lines easily five deep stood shoulder to shoulder all up and down Beer Row as people took refuge in the shade of the oversize tents. It wasn’t so much that it was hot, it had more to do with being over ten thousand feet in elevation and that much closer to the sun. Sunburns happened fast.
Turning back to Jake, she had to stop and admire how all three Bachelors looked so rugged and handsome in their matching navy Two Moons T-shirts while they served the smiling, laughing customers. Yes, she noticed a lot of coy female glances aimed in their direction, but she didn’t get her panties bunched over it. The guys had appeal, why wouldn’t they look?
They just couldn’t touch. At least not Jake or Sean. Aidan, well, she didn’t want to think about that. Gross. He could do whatever the hell he wanted.
Happy and content, Apple waved to familiar faces and tried hard not to grab Jake and plant a big fat kiss on him, making quite the scene. But they’d already talked about it and decided that until one or both of them had spoken to Aidan about it, that they would keep their hands to themselves when out in public.
Didn’t mean it was easy though.
Suddenly the crowd broke into a huge round of applause, calling and whistling and making a ruckus. Quickly moving out of the tent for an unobstructed view, Apple waved Shannon over. “Hey, lady, come here. You need to see this.”
No sooner had she finished the sentence than the woman was standing next to her. “I’ve been dying to see this,” she leaned close and whispered like she was in confession.
They both watched the scene unfolding as the Redneck Rockstars took to the stage and greeted a cheering and enthusiastic crowd. The band’s popularity was huge. It wasn’t hard to see why. Besides killer music, every single one of the band members was drop-dead sexy. It was going to be almost too much sexiness for a person to handle when the Bachelors joined them onstage too. Phew!
“Hey, has Sean told you anything about the Rockstars?” Apple casually started.
Talking Dirty Page 16
