Black Hills Forever

by A. C. Wilson

  “It was a night he was apartment sitting for a friend and it just so happened it was Andy’s building. I can hardly take credit for kicking him out that night.”

  “Such a humble man.” Rayne cast him a smile and she squeezed his hand. He let out a little growl as he pulled her into him and nuzzled her neck.

  “I am anything but humble. You should know that.” He nipped at her neck and it made her squeak. Rapidly she was finding it hard to resist him and very little reason to do so.

  “Where’s your room?” She asked, biting her bottom lip.

  “Who needs a room when you have a whole house?”

  “A house I haven’t seen yet?” Rayne tried to play coy, but it really wasn’t her. She was ready to pull his clothes from him and show him just how much she wanted him. Garrett’s blue eyes blazed with sexual innuendo and caused her to heat further. She could have sworn flames licked from down around her thighs to the point she might just combust.

  “What better way to see a house than discover it inch by inch?” Garrett moved with her back against the wall and she felt the solid length. She was already breathing hard, her chest tightening and her breasts heavy with need.

  “I’m always up for an adventure.” Her voice was low, so low that it felt like it rumbled from her chest. Garrett bit her earlobe and the sensation sent instant awareness to every nerve ending she had.

  “I have thought about this for a long time. It tortured me when I stayed here a year ago thinking we were over.”

  Garrett’s admission brought Rayne’s feet back to the ground as she watched the sincerity intermix with desire. She pressed her lips to the edge of his jaw drawing a groan from him as she continued up behind his ear.

  “What did we do in your daydreams, Mr. Johnson?” She kept her voice impossibly low, almost a whisper against his skin near his ear. Every muscle in his chest firmed as he pulled her tight against him. His fingers slid up under her sweatshirt to find a soft t-shirt underneath.

  “First things first…you are wearing entirely too much clothing.”

  “It’s a bit chilly in here. Perhaps we should turn the heater up.” Rayne kept her voice low, but she was serious. The air of the house that touched the bare skin under her sweatshirt was chilly by her standards. It could be she was content sitting in front of a fireplace all winter long.

  “I promise to warm you up.” Garrett growled over her lips as his hands quested further along her skin. His fingertips reached the border of her bra and outlined it.

  “Truly?” She asked as a grin tweaked her lips and she couldn’t avoid the chuckle that spread through her. Garrett grinned too and she knew she was in for it. This was the man she first met. This was the devil-may-care attitude she was so fond of before other things got in the way. Rayne had to block that part out. She was in love and she wanted to enjoy him.

  “Truly.” It was firm and decisive. Garrett tugged the bottom of her sweatshirt up and over her head. She couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips. Brazenly she cupped him in her hand and loved the feel of a stiff male under her fingers. It stalled Garrett only a second before he pushed her flush with the wall and leaned in to devour the skin of her neck and shoulders now without cover. She loved the way his light stubble scratched and the suction of his mouth on her collar bone.

  “Still cold.” She whispered near his ear and fought the grin that would undue her tease. Garrett lowered himself down to his knees in the hallway on the plush carpet and began to unlatch the leather belt she wore around her waist. Rayne inhaled sharply when his fingers curved under the heavy fabric to graze the top of her lace panties. She had laughed when she found the sexiest things she owned laying out on their bed ready to be packed for their trip. She had put a couple of things on just for him. It was the reward she was looking for when he opened the jeans and saw the black lace.

  “I love these.” His breath hot against her skin as he pressed a kiss just above the lacy edging. Her brain was finding it hard to function properly with him so near the very place that ached for him to touch, taste and claim. The pressure of his thumbs against the crotch of her jeans brought Rayne stumbling from her search of appropriate words. The reflex nearly brought her up off the ground as she leaned her head back against the cool wall.

  While her brain was going up in flames and her body already on fire, Garrett tugged the jeans down her legs and aggressively pulled boots and jeans from her. She had to hang onto his shoulders to keep from toppling over. There was a mad rush now. A frenzy they always found. Today it seemed different. She couldn’t quite explain how, but thought it might be due to settling her future on him.

  Rayne’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head when her legs were spread wide and the melting heat was suddenly twice that. Garrett mouth was only separated from her by the thin material. Her heart stopped. She swore it did. The talent of this man was beyond any normal adulation.

  “Fuck.” She pushed herself into him seeking the pleasure that he could conjure. His rich, husky laughter brought a burst of hot breath against her skin. Garrett’s large hands gripped her hips roughly.

  “There’s my girl.” His praising words drifted past her ears and sank somewhere in the vaults of her mind to be wondered over later. Right now this was where she wanted to be. Right here with the one man who made time stand still.

  Rayne opened her eyes to find a room warmly decorated in rich dark browns, the color of hot chocolate and golden tones that reminded her of honey in the sunshine. There was an oiled bronze fan that slowly circled the room and the large windows that faced the east were shaded with soft cream blinds. Closing her eyes, she smiled and felt Garrett stir beside her.

  “What are you smiling for?” His sleep roughened voice brought her gaze to him. “I think I left half my foot on the door jamb.” As if punctuating the claim he had made his foot was brought from underneath the coverlet.

  “It wasn’t my fault you carried me in here. I told you not to do that.” She gave him a saucy wink and he quickly forgot about the injured foot. Garrett hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her into him. His teasing kisses tickled her neck and she squealed as she pretended to resist.

  “I’ll let you carry me next time.” Garrett chuckled into the bend of her shoulder.

  “Oh right!” Rayne shook her head and ran her fingers across his scalp and down his bare back. Instantly his eyes closed and she knew they rolled into the back of his head. It was something he loved for her to do. It was soothing too.

  “I’m glad you brought me here.” She mused softly as they lay there. It was past noon already. Garrett stretched to fit his toned body against hers.

  “It is nice. Although I could have rocked your world back at the ranch.” His sly grin made her breathless. She nodded.

  “It doesn’t feel the same now.” She turned her head to see him staring at her. She couldn’t read his face.

  “You aren’t going to tell me you didn’t come are you? ‘Cuz I’m pretty darn sure you did.”

  That evoked laughter from her and she laughed until she couldn’t breathe. Her ribs ached.

  “No. I meant seriously different.”

  “I know what you meant.” He sniffed as he pressed a kiss to her bare stomach. The gesture brought flutters of butterflies through her. “I am glad I wasn’t the only one to feel that.”

  “I thought maybe I was going crazy.” Rayne whispered into the room, her thoughts nowhere and everywhere at once. Garrett pressed more open mouth kissed up her ribs to her breast and back down again. It was oddly comforting.

  “You’re only crazy for loving me, Rayne. The rest of it is just life.”

  And it was. Life had inserted its dominance in such a way that she couldn’t escape it. The trouble was that she hadn’t dealt with it either. Thinking it could be beaten with sheer will and determination had been the wrong the tactic.

  “I’m crazy in love with you, Garrett.” Rayne tried to let him see it all in her eyes when he looked up. They
shared that speaking moment and she marveled at the depth of the blue she was lost in. If anyone could weather the storm with her, it was Garrett Johnson.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  Rayne and Garrett spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around. His secretary had gone above and beyond the call of duty—stocking his fridge, leaving beer and wine, and making sure the house was spotless. Rayne had joked with Garrett about the latter. He pouted. She laughed. She knew he wasn’t the cleaning type and told him so. Heck she lived with him and neither one liked to pick up or do the dishes. Laundry only happened because they thought leaving the house naked would cause some lasting memories of an unfavorable kind.

  Now she was sitting on the edge of Garrett’s king size bed drying her hair with a towel. It felt so good to feel the water running over her body and that shower head was to die for. Either they were going to have to come stay here more often or she was stealing it.

  “You aren’t going to tell me where we are going?” Rayne asked for what seemed like the hundredth time and still Garrett shook his head. He was enjoying this secret. She wasn’t a fan of them, but there was something sweet to this mystery. It meant Garrett had been planning. He rarely did anything like that even for a dinner date.

  “If I tell you where we are going, it won’t be a surprise. Besides a cowboy never reveals his mysteries.” He lifted his brows in a suggestive manner and Rayne laughed.

  “A cowboy and not a gentleman?” She liked teasing him. Garrett wrinkled his nose.

  “Naw, darling, I can’t always play nice. I don’t hear you complaining about the ride.”

  Rayne cracked up and wanted to wipe that knowing smirk off his lips. She would rather put them to good use. Heat surged within her again and there was no curbing the desire she felt for him. Garrett wagged his finger at her.

  “I am going to run out and check on my surprise. I am giving you an hour to get ready.”

  Rayne lowered her eyes demurely, but she felt anything but that. Garrett was dressed in dark grey slacks with a light blue button-up shirt. He was showered and shaved with his dark hair slightly tousled. Here was a different side to him. Never before had he dressed so nicely nor taken care with his appearance in Hot Springs. She thought she could at least do the same, if for no other purpose than to knock his boots off.

  Her curling iron was plugged in and her makeup was sitting neatly on the bathroom counter. The house was so quiet that she turned on the country music channel. Tossing the remote on the bed, she trolled through her suitcase and found everything that Garrett had put in there. Something new in a box that read “For Her Pleasure” made Rayne blush furiously and she tucked it under her jeans quickly. Apparently her cowboy had some more plans he hadn’t shared with her.

  Sliding her hand beneath the heavy plastic divider, Rayne found a carefully folded piece of fabric. Removing it from the suitcase, she tipped her head as she unfolded and held up the dress. It was a beautiful green with a golden hue. The skirt would fall just above her knee and there were no short cap sleeves. The neckline was probably the most impressive. It ran high across her chest, but the back fell low to her waist with a beaded net to cover the bare skin. It was elegant without being too revealing. Of course it didn’t really surprise her. Garrett was not a man to share. It flattered her greatly.

  Her ex-husband had been too free with his own gifts to worry about what she was doing. Thinking of Royal made her check her cell phone. No missed calls and no texts had come in. She hoped he was handling her schedule and clients well.

  Get a move on. Thirty minutes and counting. One more surprise in the closet by the bathroom.

  Garrett’s text dinged and caught her off guard. She nearly dropped her phone. Annoyed at the nudge, Rayne crossed the ten feet to the closet door. Opening it, she found a white box on the floor. It was shoes! Oh definitely shoes! She felt a giddiness in her chest as she lifted off the box and her eyes widened at the perfectly strappy gold shoes to go with her dress. Rayne got her phone back out.

  I hope your secretary picked out this stuff otherwise you have a serious career in being a personal shopper.

  Rayne laughed when Garrett texted back a wink. She looked at the clock on the top of the phone and threw it on the bed. It was really time to get moving. In record time she had amazingly smoky eyes and not a hint of tiredness of her face. She was pleased with her luck, because it never went that smoothly. Taking time to curl all of her long dark hair, Rayne began the task of pinning it up off her neck. The dress had a beautiful neckline and it should be the star of the show. Absently she wondered if they would make it out of the house tonight as she jabbed another bobby pin into the thick mass.

  Thirty minutes had her scrambling to put on the gold sandals with the impossibly high heels, but by the time Garrett peeked his head into the room, Rayne was finished. She lamented the lack of jewelry.

  “You are stunning.” Garrett stood in the doorway his hand spread over his heart like it just might escape his chest. His blue eyes lifted from her feet to the dress and touched every curve up to her lips. She loved the attention.

  “Thank you.” She stepped forward careful to stay upright on the carpet.

  “I think you could use a touch more.” Garrett’s sly grin was there again in a blink and she shook her head in wonder. He pulled out a long velvet box from his back pocket.

  “Oh I hate to tell you to stop. I haven’t been this spoiled in…ever.” Rayne noted the breathless quality to her voice and Garrett’s tell-tale pride. He radiated with it. Her fingers pushed up the lid and inside was a beautiful Black Hills gold and green leafed tennis bracelet. It was so dainty that she was afraid to touch it. It really was perfect.

  “May I?” Garrett asked and lifted it from the box. His large fingers were surprisingly nimble as he clasped it around her left wrist. It fairly twinkled in the light. He rolled her wrist over and kissed the pulse point there. It sent shivers of delight and need to the place that always demanded his attention.

  “Be careful, cowboy. We may not be leaving this house.” Her eyes challenged him to make good on her words. He smiled and tipped his head.

  “And after I took all this care to set your world on fire? We will get to the dessert of the evening later.”

  Rayne wanted to pout but she couldn’t. She wanted the world to see what she had found. She wanted the world to be happy and jealous of her with Garrett on her arm.

  “Promises, promises.” She batted her eyes and bit the bottom of her lip. She knew it drove him nuts and right now she would settle for that if she couldn’t have it all.

  “You should know by now that I would do anything for you.” Garrett collapsed their fingers together and pulled her along with him. Coats on including the signature cowboy hat and they were out the door. The night was already closing in on the world and the street lights were flickering on.

  “Where’s your truck?” Rayne asked as Garrett locked the front door. She looked up the block but didn’t see it.

  “I didn’t figure you’d want to ruin the night by trying to get up into that tall truck with such a short skirt.” Garrett winked and pointed to the sleek black sedan in the driveway. It was a sharp looking vehicle. “Relax. This is on loan for the night.”

  “Oh good. I was wondering how we’d hook up a trailer to it.” She teased and giggled when he swatted her behind. She took his arm as he led her to the car door and opened it for her. The heels were pretty but it had been a long time since she was in a pair. Boots were her preference, but tonight she felt like Cinderella. Sliding into the car with its lovely shiny leather seats, Rayne was enchanted. It really did beat the muddy, dusty interior of their ranch trucks.

  “You approve?” Garrett asked, sliding the key into the ignition and lighting up the dash from air control to radio.

  “I do.” She nodded and settled her seatbelt over her shoulder. Even the seats were heated and she was amazingly comfortable as they drove through Rapid City to a destination unknown to her.
/>
  The minute they pulled up in front of the Alex Johnson Hotel, Rayne screwed up her face. Garrett grinned broadly, clearly enjoying the suspense.

  “You know we could have stayed in at your place if you wanted to play.”

  “I told you dessert was for later. This is part of my surprise.” He smiled as he handed the keys over to a valet and helped Rayne out of her seat. The brisk South Dakota wind sent a shiver through her after the heated seats had warmed her.

  “I’m not ready for winter.” She smiled as Garrett put his arm around her and walked them to the doors.

  “Oh I can’t wait to hide out in front of a fire with you all winter long.”

  She swatted him, but it sounded good. The fact that he wanted to cage himself up with her did wonderful things to her insides. They got into an elevator and Garrett pressed the highest floor. Once the double doors opened Rayne was treated to a very elegant looking room dubbed The Vertex.

  “This looks…well, I’m speechless. I have never been in a place like this before.” Rayne looked it all over. Every seat, wall hanging, glittery centerpiece and sparkling glass only enhanced the fact that they were on top of the hotel. It was a sky bar. The lights of the city were on full display along with the frosty tops covered in snow.

  “I thought it would be something special. I often wondered why I had a membership here and now I know why.”

  Garrett gave his ID to the host and they were seated. She looked over the drink menu and ordered a whiskey sour. Garrett smiled and asked for two. Rayne couldn’t believe the length of the day since they’d left Hot Springs this morning. Was it only this morning she had spoken with Travis about her insecurities? Less than twelve hours since she had decided to that her future was with Garrett no matter the sacrifices that would have to be made. Here she was in a fancy place, dressed up with the man of her dreams, and sharing memories that would never fade.

  “Penny for your thoughts.”