By Chance, No Choice (Stetson Series Book 1)

by Xyla Turner

  Interesting.

  The next day we went back for more fun and games but both nights, we were dead dog tired afterward. The second night, JD carried me to bed and woke me up in the morning so we could catch up on our talking sessions. On Friday, we all went downtown to go to the beach, do some shopping and eat out. Knox took Nina out of the city to a place she wanted to check out while JD and I stayed local. Apparently, he had reservations at a five-star restaurant and since this was the day before we left Florida, he planned to make the most of it.

  Spending time with him had been more than I expected. Jagger Davis Timms was definitely under my skin and I wasn’t falling for him, I was still on my butt from the fall. I didn’t want to and I fought it but JD would not take no for an answer.

  “JD,” I started. “We really do need to talk.”

  His eyebrows rose as if to say, go on.

  “This whole thing about us. We’ve laughed at it, but our lives do not consist of conferences, seminars, and vacations.”

  He put down his steak knife.

  “Okay,” he folded his hands over his plate.

  “Okay, what?”

  “Well, I’ve already told you how this would go. For the past couple of months, I’ve left it up to you. Part of me knows that I should have done this before but I can’t risk losing you. So, I’m telling you now sweetheart. We’re going to do this.”

  “So, when it all goes to shit. What then?” I asked.

  “How would it all go to shit? If you don’t have the faith enough to believe in us, then trust me. Mama, I cannot see the future but what I do know is that I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t do everything in my power to see this through. I’ll carry the weight.”

  I shook my head, “Just don’t make promises that you can’t keep. JD. I cannot handle that and I’m telling you I won’t. You’re not wrong. I feel it, too. I do, but I swear to everything, I’d rather leave it like this than have to deal with disappointment in the long run.” I leaned towards him. “And I mean that shit and I need you to hear it.”

  “Who has hurt you like this? Who brought this out in you?”

  I shook my head. That wasn’t for him to know just yet.

  “I just need you to understand where I’m coming from, JD.”

  “Mama, I’m with you,” he said. “The same goes for you.”

  My head nodded in agreement.

  “So, we’re doing this?” He asked me.

  “Yes, Jagger. We’re doing this.” I smiled despite the feeling in my gut.

  “Hot dog, she called me Jagger.” He laughed.

  Chapter 10

  JD

  The first two weeks after we parted in Florida, were very interesting as we talked almost every day. Even if it was to check in, we talked. Despite her initial reservations, Tess usually called me first. So I had to counter and call her early in the morning to wish her a good day. Sometimes at night, we would FaceTime and she would show me her sexy lingerie. Or we’d stare at each other and I longed to be able to touch her, run my hands through that mound of hair or over her entire body and watch her get hot for me.

  The communication worked for what it was worth, but my longing for her only grew deeper.

  “Mama, what are you doing this weekend?” I put some leftovers in the microwave and hit the minute button.

  When I turned back around, she had her face closer in the phone with one eyebrow raised.

  “You have Jeff, my assistant, in your pocket. So why are you asking a rhetorical question that you already know the answer to?”

  I leaned on the counter, watching her make faces on the screen. “Well, how do you feel about traveling next weekend?”

  “Traveling where?” She laughed.

  “To Iowa.” Her screen returned to her counter, where she was eating dinner as well.

  Her plate looked more appetizing than my spaghetti. One thing I did learn was that she didn’t cook much, but had a delivery service bring her home cooked, healthy meals. They didn’t have that in Iowa, that I knew.

  “Hmm.” She smiled and took a sip of wine. “Sure, you don’t want to have us go to a conference?”

  “No, I want you in my house.”

  Pulling my meal out of the microwave, I went to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer.

  “Let me look at flights,” she added.

  Just like that. No fight, no fuss. Just let me look at flights.

  “It’s already taken care of. The confirmation should be in your email already.”

  “What?” I heard as I twirled the noodles on my fork.

  That wasn’t a good what, but a really bad what. Her face, which usually showed exactly how she felt, matched her what.

  “Yes, dear.” I probably shouldn’t have said that.

  “What do you mean, they’ve been taken care of. I can get the tickets, JD. I don’t need you to purchase my travel tickets.”

  She was no longer eating.

  “Mama, calm down.” I raised my fork. “I asked you, so that means I’m paying. Plus, I have so many miles, it didn’t cost me anything.”

  “Fine, JD. However, when you come to New York, I’m paying.”

  “Oh, that’s not happening, sweetheart.”

  “So, it’s okay for you to purchase my tickets, but not okay for me to purchase yours?” Her fork and knife were down and both eyebrows were making all sorts of threats through the phone at me.

  “I miss you.” I smiled and took a bite of my spaghetti. “So fucking much.”

  “Don’t change the subject, Jagger.” She brought the phone closer to her face. “Answer me.”

  “Hell, mama. It’s been a long day and I just want to eat dinner with you. Make sure you get tucked in right and have a smile on your face when you finish getting off from my voice.” My fork was down. “That’s it. That concludes my day until we do this over again and this weekend when I can show you just how much I miss you.”

  “Really?” She nodded and put the phone back down. “Well, when you can answer my question, you give me a call back.”

  She blinked off.

  No, she did not hang up the phone and end our FaceTime chat early.

  Goddamit.

  Yes, she did.

  * * *

  I didn’t call back that night because I had no idea how to say, ‘Yeah, I can buy you shit but you can’t buy it for me.’ There was too much sexual frustration and my hand was not working without her voice anymore. I’d need to record her for times like these when she’d get mad and didn’t want to talk.

  My frustrated ass even went on Amazon to find a book about long-distance relationships, but before I went to bed, I ordered an Edible Arrangement gift to be sent to her first thing the next morning. She couldn’t stay mad at me with pretty fruit and chocolate covered strawberries.

  “Hello, Mr. Timms.” My secretary greeted me as I walked in. “Your father is here to see you.”

  “Thank you, Holly.” I nodded.

  “Dad, how’s everything?” I asked as I walked inside to see him sitting in the chair across from my desk.

  “Son, I’m doing well. Still eating cornbread without choking.” He moved his Stetson to his knee. “How ‘bout yourself?”

  “I’m good, Dad.” I nodded my head. “I’m well.”

  “Good to hear son. Heard you got yourself a woman. A smart, sassy one too.” He nodded his head. “Good for you. Hope she can stand the test of time. You know these women. They put in their time and leave ya high and dry…”

  “Yes, Dad,” I interrupted him. “I know.”

  At that moment, my cell phone rang. It was Tess. She didn’t answer my call this morning, so that meant she received my sorry package if she was calling me back.

  “One-second, Dad.” I held up my finger and he nodded. “Hey mama.”

  “Hey, yourself. I received your ‘I’m sorry’ Edible Arrangements basket.” Her voice was even. “Thank you. It was very nice.”

  “But.” I let it hang.

&
nbsp; “You know, Jagger.” She sighed. “I don’t want to fight.”

  “Me either,” I said and swiveled around so I wasn’t facing my dad. “But you don’t want to hear that it’s not okay for you to buy something like that for me and its okay for me. You’ll be mad, we’ll fight and it messes up our routine. I’m all jacked up.”

  She laughed. “But it’s not fair, Jagger.”

  “So, that’s how this goes? You call me Jagger when you’re mad at me?” I observed out loud. “No, it’s not fair, but that’s me, mama. I need you to accept that.”

  “That’s not okay with me.” She cleared her throat. “At all.”

  “Then, when you come down this weekend, we’ll talk about it.” I tried to get us past it.

  “No, really Jagger. We’re going to talk. Like two adults.”

  “Yes, just like two adults.” I snickered.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “I’m not laughing.”

  “Yes, you are,” she sighed.

  “I miss you.”

  “Miss you too.”

  “I’ll call you back a little later, okay?”

  “Okay. Thanks again. I enjoyed the strawberries.”

  She hung up.

  When I turned back around, my dad was standing up with his hat in his hand. He was a cowboy’s cowboy and an Iowa man to the core. Dingy jeans, cowboy boots, plaid shirt and his lucky Stetson in his hand. He had a beer gut but he was still stocky like all of his sons. His gray facial hair did not take away from his handsomeness. According to some of the women in town, it added to it. They always wanted to cook us a hot meal or help around the house. My father wouldn’t have it. A woman scorned him once. The one that mattered and he wasn’t having that shit no more.

  “You’ve been bitten.” He huffed. “Knox said you were, but I had to see it for myself.”

  “Bit?” I asked.

  “Yeah, son. You’re in love. Know it, when I see it.” He tipped his head. “Well, y’all come over for dinner, so I can get a vibe about her. Will ya?”

  “Okay, dad. We’ll make that happen.”

  “Good. Good.” He stood there like he wanted to say something else, but decided against it. “See ya ‘round.”

  “See ya, Dad.”

  In love?

  Yeah, I guess that was about right.

  * * *

  The weekend couldn’t come fast enough and Tess was able to get the early flight on Friday. Michael was all for her taking the day off and vacationing. I’d have to personally thank him when I met the man.

  Holly kept complimenting me on my good mood but I think that was because I said she could leave early on Friday because I was. I had someone come to clean my house and the ranch. To make matters worse, I sold my dad out to get a full course meal from one of his lady followers, because Tess and I would be eating in on her first night. Nobody would get that time.

  As I was leaving the office around one on Friday, Troy was coming in.

  “Hey, man,” he greeted me.

  “Hey, what’s up?”

  “Came by to see you. Heard you were having some lady company?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Heard you also left Sara in the wind in Detroit.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to speak to you about that. Why the fuck would you send her to me and I told you over and over again, we were over? She comes to my hotel and I’m taking Tess to the airport, and Sara’s has her hands all over me like it hasn’t been two years. That’s fucked up and I know you think you know what everybody else should do to be happy, but I’m telling you. I am happy. Tess makes me fucking happy. Not Sara and even if there was no Tess. It would never be Sara. You may not agree, Troy, but you’re my goddamn brother. You should not be working against me. Take a long look at yourself. What makes you fucking happy? Are you happy on the farm? Is that your life’s mission? If so, do that shit. But do not,” I pointed to him. “Send vultures my way.”

  Troy was naïve but to the point where he was plain optimistic. Sara probably planted some sob story on him and he thought he was trying to help. I used that tone with him, so he knew I meant business. That shit almost cost me Tess and that was unacceptable.

  “I’m sorry JD. I, uh, didn’t know all of that.” He stammered with wide eyes.

  He looked just like all of us, but Troy was slightly shorter. He had the same Timms’ features, except he had a dimple. He took over my father’s farm and he looked like it with overalls, a Henley, and a shaggy beard.

  “I know she probably came to you, but trust my judgment on this. I know you’re trying to look out for me, but Sara is not the one.” I shook my head at the thought. “Believe me.”

  “I got you.” He nodded. “You coming over tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, we’ll be there.”

  “Want to go play pool tonight, so she can meet the gang?”

  “Naw, man. Tonight, it is just me and her.” I raised my eyebrow.

  “Ahh, got you.”

  * * *

  Tess’s flight landed at three and it was three fifteen as I stood near the exit for her airline. Eight minutes later, she emerged in a running suit with tennis shoes and a rolling carry-on bag she effortlessly pulled behind her. When she saw me, her face lit up and she walked faster, then I swear she skipped the rest of the way. When we finally touched, she had her arms around my neck and I had her off her feet with both of my arms around her mid-section, swinging her around the airport. After the fourth twirl, I stopped and she slid down my body and I took her lips in a kiss.

  No words, no thoughts. Just me and my lady seeing each other after almost a month. My grip had to be tight, but so was hers around my neck. Just like she knew I loved. Tess wrapped both her lips around my tongue and begin to take it in.

  I finally pulled back because at that moment, we could have easily taken it further. My forehead touched hers, when I said, “I’ve missed you, Mama.”

  “Missed you too.” She smiled and let me go.

  “Come on.” I grabbed her bag and hand. “We’re going home.”

  When we arrived, I gave her the fifty cent tour, showed her my mini-barn and my ranch. She took it all in with wide eyes and seemed impressed.

  “This is amazing, JD.” She turned to me when we re-entered the house. “All of it.”

  “Thanks.”

  I really wanted to ask her if she could ever see herself living here, but that would officially ruin the night and I knew better.

  “You hungry?” I asked.

  “I am,” she beamed and headed for the living room. I had a fairly new reclining leather cognac leather sofa.

  She turned to me as I was on her heels and said, I’m very hungry and pushed me on the couch. Right before my eyes, my lady dropped to her knees, unbuckled my belt and pulled my half-staff cock right out of my boxers and begin to lick it like it was a cold treat on a hot day.

  It definitely heated up the room and I was putty in her hands. She knew what I liked, how I liked it and how I wanted it. Therefore, she had the advantage, that is until she put her hands behind her back and used only her mouth and neck to suck me in.

  Shit on a stick.

  Her acts of submission were unraveling me to the point that I almost murmured, I love you. I didn’t mind saying the words, but the how and what was going on would be suspicious.

  “Yes,” She pushed her mouth further down on my cock, causing her to choke a bit. “Ohhh, yes. Sweetheart.”

  I grabbed her hair and started to rock in and out of her hot mouth. Saliva was dangling from the crevice of her lips, as each and every wet sound spurred me on.

  “Holy fuck, Tess.” I pushed faster and harder. “Baby, I’m coming.”

  She moaned and before I could even let out my own growl, my seed was spurting down the back of her throat. I pushed in further, murmuring for her to swallow all of it. Being the good girl that she was, she did just that and stood up.

  “Thanks.” She smiled sweetl
y. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

  The minx just came into my house, christened my living room like she owned the place.

  “Get over here.” I grabbed for her, but she ran.

  I barely had the energy after that last scene to chase her, so I walked rather slowly and followed her to the bathroom. She was in the shower, freshening up and smiling at me in the process. Her hands went down her abdomen, to the folds of her vagina and she began to rub. I needed no further invitation because I took off my clothes, kicked off my boxers and joined her.

  Grabbing her wrists and pushing her against the shower wall, I nipped her chin, ear, and her upper lip.

  “You want to play and I haven’t seen you in three weeks?” I kissed her neck. “Three long, excruciating weeks.”

  “I missed you too,” She moaned as I lowered myself down so my cock was rubbing against her clit. “So much.”

  “Come on, let’s take this to the bedroom. I have many ways I can show you how much I missed you.

  I was going to lay out the ribbons, flogger, and my whip but for our first night, play time could wait. At that moment, I just wanted to be inside my lady.

  “What was all that talk of whips, chains, and cuffs?” Tess asked as I laid her wet body on the bed.

  Her entire bronzed colored body was glistening from the water. Little beads of moisture gathered around her abdomen as that was the first place I started to lick.

  “No time for that today.” My tongue slid lower towards her small landing strip of hair. “Tomorrow, your ass is all mine.”

  My mouth latched onto her taut clit and I begin to suck until she knifed up to take hold of my hair. At that moment, all I cared about was her reaching a breathtaking climax and not the grip she had on the strands of my mane.

  “JD!?!” She screamed.

  That’s what I wanted, my name on her lips while I took her there. Only my name, my lips, my cock would touch her. My possessiveness was coming out, which confirmed what my father said. I was in love and it was too late to do anything about it.

  A few more flicks of my tongue on her swollen nub sent her completely over as she rocked her center into my face.