She yanked it off of her head and hung it on the handlebars.
Just as I was about to kiss her again, this time sans helmet, an angry voice sounded from the yard.
I’d heard them come up, they made enough noise to wake a herd of elephants, but I hadn’t expected Melody to be traipsing in the yard this late. Or for her to show her face.
“This is a family neighborhood!” Melody all but yelled. “Take that inside behind closed doors. There’s a child in the house right across the street from you.”
She had a fuckin’ point.
I didn’t need to be in the front yard doin’ this.
But I was never really good about being told the word ‘no’ when I really wanted something bad enough.
I cupped Crockett’s ass when she stiffened, her first instinct was to get away.
“Don’t,” I said. “We’re not doing anything bad. We’re in the shadows. There’s no light around us. And I’m on my property. Not to mention the only house that can see us, if they’re fuckin’ lookin’ since there are no windows on their particular side of the house, is her. She had to have been looking for us to know that we were here.”
Crockett sighed, relaxing almost before I’d even finished the words. “You’re right.”
“I will call the cops,” she promised.
I moved until I could see over Crockett’s shoulder. “Call ‘em. By the time they finally get here, we’ll be done, and already be back inside. I hope that you enjoy the show.”
I wasn’t really going to fuck her here.
At least, I hadn’t planned on it.
But Crockett had other ideas when she started reaching for my belt.
And who the hell was I to tell her no when it was what I wanted just as much as she did?
Just sayin’, but I lost all need for privacy when I was in prison.
I didn’t need it anymore to function.
In fact, there were times that I could function more without privacy than I could with.
I’d been working well under pressure since I’d gone to medical school.
It’d just been a different kind of pressure when I was in prison.
A soft hand cupped my face, and I blinked, surprised that my mind had wandered off so far into the past.
“You’re not paying attention,” the woman in my arms teased.
I licked my lips, then grunted. “We can’t have that, can we?”
“Seriously!” Melody screamed. “I can’t believe that y’all are doing this. It’s gross and disgusting and I don’t want to see it!”
“Then go the fuck inside, Melody!” the woman in my arms roared.
“I didn’t raise you to use that kind of language!” Melody continued, digging herself deeper.
I was stiffening, no longer amused by the way she was standing there carrying on.
Which was why, when I stood up seconds later with Crockett in my arms, intending to go inside just so I could get the fuck away from her, I snapped.
Why did I snap?
Because if she had to say the one thing that would’ve made me lose my shit, it was what she said next.
“You’re just a no-good piece of trash is what you are,” Melody said. “I knew from the beginning that you were going to ruin this family. That was why I had your dad cast you aside. That was why, when your mother died, I fought so hard to get into his life because I knew that, if left to your own devices, you’d ruin this family. And God, you were so whiny! Always begging for every little scrap that we would give you. My God, you were an embarrassment from the very beginning. The day you moved out was the best day of my life.”
Crockett’s forehead came down onto my shoulder, and I knew without seeing her face that she was crying.
What the fuck was it about the woman that could dig so deep into Crockett’s heart and shatter it?
God, I wanted to pull my leg back and kick her in the cunt.
She was such a shithead.
“Melody,” I said carefully. “If you do not get the fuck away from me right now, I am going to go over to your house, pull your teenage daughter out of it, and burn it with you inside of it.”
I had a feeling that she finally understood the absurdity of her actions because she took a step back.
“And if you ever, and I do mean ever, come near Crockett again, I’ll ruin you. I’ll take away everything you hold dear. Your daughter. Your husband. Your money. Your car. Your cushy little job at that doctor’s office where you get prescription pain meds and Xanax anytime you need it. I’m going to take it all. I’m going to bring you so low that you’ll not ever be able to feel what it’s like to breathe regular air again. And when you’re so low that you’re thinking of committing suicide, I’ll have you committed. I’ll make sure that you’re very much aware of just how shitty your life is. And I’ll enjoy every. Single. Second. Do you understand me?”
“You can’t do anything to me,” she tried.
I moved until my back was to her, but said one last thing to her as a parting shot before I disappeared through the back gate of my house.
Normally I used the front, but I didn’t want to be anywhere near Melody for longer than I had to be.
“I can and I will,” I promised her. “I’ve killed someone once. I can do it again. And this time, I know what to do and not do to make sure that I don’t get caught doing it. It’s interesting who you meet when you’re on the inside. There’s a fountain of knowledge there just ripe for the picking.”
“I’m calling the cops,” she growled.
I slammed my gate closed and was just about to put Crockett down onto her feet when she slammed her mouth down on mine.
Surprised, I took a startled step back and my back hit the fence behind me.
The gate groaned in response to my added weight pressing against the latch, but it held.
When she started to yank at my jeans, I realized that she was back to where she was before her step-monster from hell had come over to douse us with cold water.
Why?
Because I’d defended her.
Something she told me seconds later.
“I’ve never had someone stick up for me like that,” she gasped when she pulled back, still trying to get my belt and my jeans undone. “Not even Murphy has taken it that far. You threatened to kill her!”
“And I will,” I promised her. “If she hurts you, I’m not going to be able to stop myself. I only thought that I was pissed when it came to Juniper. You have the power to ruin me.”
The belt came free with a loud clink, then the jeans were unbuttoned and unzipped in the next second.
I had enough cognitive thinking to take her over to the hammock-like swing that I had in the back yard.
Really it was a chair that was tied to a rope made of a parachute material.
But it would serve my purpose.
Because just like her, I was right back where I needed to be.
We didn’t waste any more time.
We both knew what we wanted, and when I had her legs spread wide, I didn’t bother with anything more than dropping down to my knees and tasting her, right then and there.
“Zach!” she cried out, startled when my tongue found her clit.
My tongue slowly circled the bundle of nerves, my hands finding her outer thighs and dragging her closer to me as the swing tried to pull her away.
I moved forward some, causing the swing to move backward, and then laughed when her vagina all but punched me in the face on the swing back.
“Oh my God!” She laughed as she tried to sit up.
That was when she fell out of the swing, directly on top of me.
My back hit the grass hard, and I’d never been more happy in my life that I’d taken the time to put down sod when I’d moved in than I was right then.
With her straddling my chest, and her hands on my cheeks, she leaned down so that she could study my face.
That was when I realized, yet again, the floodlights were illuminating the
yard, and I could see her entire body.
Her sexy, half-naked, straddling my bare chest body.
I could feel her heat and moisture pressed against my upper belly.
I licked my lips, tasting her there.
“I’m fine,” I rumbled, my hands moving up the outside of her thighs.
“Are you sure?” She bent down to press her lips to my nose, then my lips. “My vagina hit you pretty hard.”
I reversed our positions until her back was in the cool grass, causing her to squeal in surprise at the cold.
I moved until my hips were wedged between her thighs, then shucked my t-shirt up even farther past her hips until her breasts were exposed.
“Your vagina doesn’t pack that great of a punch,” I teased just before pulling her nipple into my mouth.
“Oh, God,” she whispered, her breasts shaking as she started to laugh. “I’m going to forever be embarrassed about this. What are the odds?”
I switched to the other nipple, causing her to hiss.
“I’m just lucky I didn’t cut you with my teeth,” I admitted. “That could’ve been fun to explain. At least I know how to perform sutures. Can you imagine having to go into the ER and explain why you had a laceration on your vagina?”
She giggled, her breath now coming out in pants as I ground myself against her and continued to press my denim-clad cock against her mound.
“Inside,” she breathed.
I started to stand up, thinking that she meant that she wanted to go inside, but she latched on to my hair and started to shake her head. “No. Inside. Of me!”
Understanding dawned, and I reached for the zipper on my jeans for the second time that night, pulling myself free and notching myself at her entrance.
Even without my mouth—I made a mental note to taste her for real at some point tonight—she was wet.
The head of my cock slipped in easily, seating inside of her fully, and being engulfed by flames.
“Jesus,” I hissed, my eyes closing and likely crossing.
“Hurry.” She lifted her hips, causing me to slip just a little bit farther inside.
“Patience,” I said, teeth gritted, as I pulled back, then sank inside just a little bit more.
“God,” she breathed. “You’re teasing me!”
I wasn’t teasing her. I was trying not to come.
Which was what was so funny.
I’d already had her once tonight. One would think that I’d have more control than I did.
But, obviously, when it came to Crockett Archer, control wasn’t ever going to happen.
Therefore, when I realized that it was futile, I reared up onto my knees, lifted her by the hips, and pushed in deep and hard.
She cried out, her back bowing, and sank her fists into the grass above her head.
Her tits bounced, and the sight of her wearing my shirt, tits exposed, back arched, and her pussy stuffed full of my cock was enough to have my balls tightening.
“Get yourself off,” I ordered. “Play with your clit.”
She licked her lips, her eyes opening to slits, and brought one of her hands down to where we were connected.
I pulled back and pushed inside, and her fingers dragged along the length of my cock as she did, causing it to jolt inside of her.
She grinned wickedly, then brought her juice-covered fingers to her clit and started to swirl.
She didn’t go fast, and she didn’t actually touch her clit, just circled it and got herself off all the while I filled her over and over. And watched.
I wasn’t sure what was hotter—watching her play with herself, or watching my cock disappear inside of her pussy.
My cock was slick with her juices, and each time I’d disappear inside, I’d come out covered even more.
It was driving me insane, and at one point, I knew I wasn’t going to last.
When I started to come, I couldn’t stop myself from pulling out, fisting my cock, and splashing my release all over her hand, her clit, and her lower belly.
She paused, surprised by my move.
“Keep it going,” I urged, fisting my cock so that I could thrust it back inside.
She cried out, and then she was coming again, tightening around my cock as she rubbed my release into her clit.
“Oh, fuck, fuck!” she cried, her voice loud and clear.
I waited until the vibrations finally subsided before pulling free of her.
But instead of taking her inside like I would do in a moment or two, I pulled my t-shirt free of her body, cleaned her off, and then helped her up onto her feet.
“Let’s go to the hot tub for a bit,” I murmured. “I have a feeling we’re going to get a visit from the cops, and I’d just rather be out here so we don’t have to answer the door.”
Her laughter was enough to make me happy I’d come up with the idea.
“Now…” I said teasingly as we sank into the hot water together. “Tell me everything about your plans for running and getting Olympic gold, and don’t skip a single thought or detail.”
CHAPTER 16
You’re fat. But you’re good fat.
-An avocado to itself
CROCKETT
“What’s bothering you?” I whispered to the man that’d finally pulled over to get gas in his bike.
I had no freakin’ clue how fuel efficient a motorcycle was. Until I was on the back of one, anyway, and realized that we’d have to ride for hours straight and utilize my bladder control.
It was two hours into our trip, two hours since I’d drank my weight in water when we’d stopped to get breakfast, when I’d finally tapped out and pointed at an exit sign.
He’d gotten the message and had not pulled over at the particular exit I’d first pointed out, but a better one a few exits later with a hell of a gas station that was, apparently, a trucker’s paradise.
No, really.
It was called ‘Trucker’s Paradise’ and was literally filled with so many truckers I couldn’t see a regular car from where he’d stopped us.
“I have a bad feeling,” he admitted, rubbing his sternum.
“A bad feeling about what?” I wondered, looking at him like he was the love of my life, and hoping that it didn’t show on my face or in my eyes.
Luckily, he was really concentrated on the pump and not my utter devotion to him.
He rubbed his chest some more.
He stayed silent so long that I considered going to the bathroom and waiting him out, but just as I was about to take a step in the direction of the store, he spoke.
“Zakelina,” he murmured. “She was watching us as we were heading out. You waved to her, and she waved back. She looked… sad.”
I had noticed that, actually.
That was why I’d waved.
She’d been sitting on the porch, watching the neighborhood as if she’d rather be anywhere but where she was at.
It’d broken my heart and made me want to pluck her off of the porch and steal her away with us.
Alas, I tried not to do illegal things that would get me sent to jail for long periods of time, so I’d left her there. Even though it’d broken my heart to do so.
Being an adult was so hard sometimes.
“I noticed that,” I admitted, repeating my thoughts.
He finished filling up his tank, hung the nozzle back up, and then tightened his gas cap down before finally looking at me.
What I saw made my heart race.
“You’re really worried,” I found myself saying.
He nodded once, then jerked his chin in the direction of the store.
I fell into line with him, then grabbed his hand and held on tight as he confirmed my suspicions.
“I’m worried as fuck,” he admitted. “The parents were fighting today. Really loud when I went for that run. They were yelling about finances or something. When I came back almost an hour later, they were still yelling, only Zakelina had come out onto the porch to get away from them. Sin said that the d
ad was abusive, and though I’ve never seen signs of it on the little girl, I’ve had this worsening feeling in my gut for the last hour and a half that I shouldn’t have left.”
That was what had been bothering him. I had noticed that it’d gotten progressively worse as time had passed. I’d just assumed it was because of his visit to his parents’ house.
“Call Laric and tell him to go stay at your house. Or mine. Yours is next door, but mine is across the street, and it would look right at where he needed to be watching if he sat out on the front porch like he’s known to do with his dogs,” I suggested, coming up with a plan on the fly. “And didn’t he say that he was staying at a hotel because his concrete floors were getting stained?”
Zach nodded. “Actually, yeah. And it would be the perfect amount of time since you were able to snag four days off.”
That was right. After discussing it with Murphy, we’d decided that I would be taking the next four days off. Murphy would be running the store if he felt like it, sans grill, and he would also be interviewing people to take over for me two days a week, open to close.
It was… freeing.
I hadn’t had a vacation in so long that I didn’t know what to do with myself.
“Call him,” I urged when he caught the store’s door for me and gestured me inside. “I’m going to go pee three gallons of water.”
He winked at me, and I hurried toward the bathroom.
When I came back out, he was just shoving his phone into his pocket and looking a lot calmer than when I’d left him.
“He agree?” I ask.
Zach nodded, then reached forward to grab my hair and tug me toward him.
After placing a claiming kiss on my mouth, he winked at me and then disappeared into the bathroom, leaving me to wander around the aisles and aisles of trucker stuff—I really wanted to put a CB radio in my car if it ever got fixed—and waited for him to arrive.
I was loitering in the Velcro patch section, admiring the Texas Flag patch that looked like it was rippling and tattered, when I felt the presence of someone come up behind me.
I looked over my shoulder and blanched when I saw the massive guy standing there.
I instinctively crowded closer to the display rack and hoped that the man would take the hint and either pass me or back the fuck off, but he did neither.
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