Every Little Piece of Him

by Debra Kayn

  She hurried over to him and slid her hands around his waist. Standing on tiptoe, she kissed the hardness from his face. "Bad day?"

  His whiskers scratched her face, and she rubbed her cheek against his, loving the roughness. Throughout, his body remained hard, and he stayed silent.

  She pulled back without letting go of him. "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing." He looked over her shoulder at the room. "Still practicing?"

  "No, I'm finished for the day." She unwound one arm from around him and held up her hand. "My fingers are sore."

  He grabbed her wrist when she lowered her arm and brought her fingertips to his lips, kissing each one. She stared at the fullness of his mouth.

  "My hand is calloused from playing." Having never been embarrassed about the roughness before, she wished for soft skin that would appeal to him.

  He frowned, letting her go, and rolled his long sleeve shirt up past his elbow. "Everyone has scars."

  She looked at his arm not seeing anything but the hardness, the veins, the thin cover of black hair. Then she trailed her hand over his skin, and the scars became apparent. On closer inspection, odd shaped white imperfections dotted his arm.

  "What happened?" she asked.

  "I worked construction before owning the Lair." He shrugged off her concern. "You want to get out of here?"

  "You can leave?"

  He nodded. "Grab whatever you need."

  She kissed his arm before letting him go. "I just need my purse."

  "Do you have a coat or something? It could get cool."

  "Yeah." Hurrying to grab her bag and her Boho sweater, she returned to find him still standing in the living room. She placed her hand on his back and smiled up at him, concerned that something had gone wrong earlier and put him in a quiet mood.

  He lifted his arm and pulled her close, kissing her temple, before walking her to the door and leading her down the outside stairs.

  Anders guided her toward a black Hummer. A soft beep and the lights flashed on the vehicle as he pushed the remote to open the big rig. He held the door for her and lifted her onto the seat before she could put her foot on the running board.

  "Thanks." She moved her legs over and put on her seatbelt.

  Anders went around the Hummer, got inside, and pulled away from the Lair. There were no other businesses around, only beautiful mountains. It was one of the reasons she wanted to come and sing here. The area was rural, catered to tourists traveling through the state, and unlike the crowds in the bigger cities, she always found the people away from Missoula accommodating and eager for entertainment.

  "Where are we going?" she asked.

  "Up the mountain."

  She peered out the windshield. "What's there?"

  "You'll have to see."

  She glanced over at him, found him looking at her, and laughed. "You're being secretive."

  He remained silent. She studied him. The vibes coming off him made her believe his mood had more to do with their relationship than the current conversation.

  There were a lot of times she found the silence comforting. She never thought the lack of talking odd or concerning because being with him felt right. But, now she wanted to know everything about him.

  He was a man who used his hands—which hadn't surprised her after finding out he'd built Stone Lair. Learning he used to work in construction impressed her. Manual labor was not for the lazy.

  The inside of the Hummer darkened. She turned and looked out the windshield. Pine trees lined the narrow dirt road, blocking the sun, as they climbed in elevation up the mountain. Having grown up in Missoula, the only time she went out in the wilderness was when her parents took her camping once a year in the summer as a kid.

  "Have you ever went camping?" When he frowned, she said, "That's probably a stupid question because you own Stone Lair and there are woods all around your business. Preferring the softness of your bed over a sleeping bag on the hard ground is a no-brainer."

  "I have." His hand tightened on the steering wheel.

  "Really?"

  "You're right." He glanced at her and raised his brows. "I like my bed."

  She smiled, pegging his personality.

  "I like my bed with you in it," he added, navigating a corner.

  She leaned over and rubbed his thigh. "So, I'm safe in thinking we'll be going back to your place after you show me these mysterious mountains?"

  He chuckled. "If you want laid, I can do that on the top of the mountain."

  She laughed, slipping into the warmth he created in the vehicle. Until he'd suggested having sex while on their ride, she hadn't thought that was his agenda. Now her body went in a different direction, and she hoped they stopped soon because she wanted to touch him.

  At the top of the mountain, the trees gave way to a large grassy area. Anders drove the Hummer over the wildflowers dotting the landscape. Distracted by the beauty of the land and being higher than the surrounding peaks, she looked forward when the vehicle stopped and gasped.

  "Oh, my God. Are we on the edge of the mountain?" She took off her seatbelt and scooted forward, trying to peer ahead of the hood of the Hummer.

  "We're safe." He opened his door. "Come with me."

  She stepped outside the vehicle and realized they parked a good twelve feet away from a steep cliff. Anders slipped his hand into hers and walked her to the edge. She held on to him, knowing he wouldn't let her fall.

  Dizzy from being near the drop-off, she looked straight out at several mountain peaks. "Oh, wow."

  The white clouds hovered near the tops of the Bitterroot Mountain range. She inhaled deeply, taking in the sounds of the birds and the wind blowing through the pine and tamarack trees. Up here, they were truly alone, and she was glad he chose to share the area with her.

  He pointed. "Look down that canyon, past the next ridge."

  Following the end of his finger, she found numerous cars surrounding a sizeable oblong building. She looked up at him. "Is that Stone Lair?"

  "Yes." He moved and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "If you go to the left, clear up the power line trail to about the middle of the ridge and then go right across the highway, I own clear to the river."

  "That's a lot of land." She leaned back against his chest. "You offer so many options at the Lair, from the gas station, cabins, casino, bar, and free R.V. parking, do you have plans to expand?"

  "No. The Lair now is what it'll remain to be." He kissed the side of her head. "What about your singing? Do you have an agent or manager?"

  She shook her head. "I like being in a position where I can choose where I sing."

  "No dreams of going bigger?"

  She stared out at the Bitterroot Mountains. "Not for me. Bigger crowds, bigger events, mean people start judging me rather than my singing. Life is too short not to enjoy doing what I do."

  "How did you become so mature at what...twenty-five years old?" He raised his hands from her stomach to her breasts, cupping them through her shirt.

  What she'd done with her life seemed normal to her. She struggled on occasion, and she excelled often enough to keep going.

  "I have a great family. My parents have always let me have the freedom to do what I wanted, and when I failed, they picked me up and helped set me on the right path again." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Like with the fire. They were my cushion when I went home. I figured out that I wanted to sing on my own without a band. Whether that was a smart decision or not, I guess we'll see."

  He kissed her. "Having support is good."

  "Who is your support team?" She turned in his arms, more interested in him than the view.

  "I'm too old for support." He smoothed her hair back from her face and caressed her cheeks with his thumbs.

  "Are your parents passed on?" she asked softly.

  He traced her lips with the pad of his finger. "Probably."

  Confused over his answer, she said, "When was the last time you've seen them?"

  "O
ver forty-five years ago." He lowered his hands to her neck, his fingers skimming her collarbone. "Never knew them."

  She wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him the freedom not to talk about his childhood. "You've got Stone Lair, and your manager seems to take his job seriously."

  "Mac's a good employee."

  "See, you're not alone." She stretched up and kissed him. "Plus, you've got me while I work for you."

  His arms came around her, lifted her up, turned her, and deposited her on the hood of the Hummer. Her laughter at his sudden craziness cut off at the intense gaze coming from him.

  The look frightened her. It looked a lot like the end, and she wasn't ready to leave him yet.

  "Anders?" She reached for him.

  His gaze dropped and his hands went to the front of her jeans. He yanked the material over her hips roughly, scaring her more.

  Her bare ass landed on the warm hood of the vehicle, shocking her.

  He lowered his head to her lap and wrapped his arms around her hips. "I’m not ready for you to leave me."

  Heart beating wildly, she stared down at the back of his head. He wasn't seducing her. He wasn't giving her pleasure. He took comfort from her being with him.

  She lowered her hand and stroked his hair. "I'm here now."

  Taken aback by the vulnerability after he'd only shown his power at seducing her, she caved. He was a mysterious man with worries, stress, and responsibilities like everyone else behind the prestige of owning Stone Lair.

  He nuzzled her thighs. Despite the importance of whatever thoughts were going through his mind to make him reach out to her, she found herself turned on.

  Anders sensed the change in her and without raising his head, removed her shoes and her jeans from around her ankles. Free from her clothes, the distance between her knees widened, and Anders nuzzled his way between her thighs.

  She leaned back, bracing on her elbows. Anders slipped his hands underneath her thighs and lifted her legs. She planted her feet on the edge of the vehicle's hood.

  He tongued her slit. Her eyelids fluttered at the intense pleasure.

  No one was around. They were parked on the top of the mountain. Wilderness surrounded them.

  It was only them.

  She could take everything he gave her, and he could give and give and give.

  Staring out to the mountain peaks in the distance, she literally was on top of the world.

  Anders licked and sucked. The pressure he created between her legs curled her toes.

  His mouth, hypnotically soft, centered on her clit. Perched high on the vehicle, she couldn't move, even if his hands weren't pinning her lower body down.

  His mood mixed with her pleasure.

  Forty-five years old.

  Alone.

  Sadness.

  Her vision blurred and she panted. Anders Stone was a loner, and he needed her.

  She liked that, more than she thought possible. At her age, she never expected someone in his forties to need something from her besides companionship.

  But, she'd seen the truth in his eyes.

  She'd felt the truth in his touch.

  He cupped her ass. Her legs fell over his shoulders. The change of position wound her up tighter. She moaned, lowering herself to the hood until she sprawled her arms out wide to the sky.

  Above her, the blues of the sky and the pink reflections from the sun mixed with the white fluffy clouds. Unable to take all the pleasure assaulting her at once, her orgasm rippled through her.

  Anders' head moved, and the vehicle shifted beneath her. She raised her upper body and found him standing on the bumper, reaching behind him and retrieving his wallet. Sitting up, she took the condom from him as he undid his belt and lowered his jeans past his hip bones.

  He leaned forward, kissing her neck as she opened the package. "Touch my cock."

  She hummed, hearing him voice his needs. "Come closer."

  He straightened and leaned his knees against the vehicle. She stroked his hardness. There was something so raw, so real, so tantalizing to see him in the daylight, outside. This was where he belonged, not shut inside a building.

  He was a part of the mountains. Rugged, hard, and unmoving. Except with her, then he came alive.

  Anders' thighs hardened, and he pulsated in her hand. She rolled the condom down his length.

  He jumped down off the hummer and lifted her closer to the edge of the hood. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gasped when he hugged her to his chest, taking her weight. She hooked her feet above his ass as he slid inside of her, supporting her body.

  From her view, they teetered on the edge of the mountain. Having faith that he wouldn't drop her or lose his balance and topple them both over the cliff, she hung on to him.

  He thrust and withdrew in short increments. Her clit, sensitive and swollen from her orgasm, brushed against him with the slightest of movements.

  His arm tightened around her, and he palmed the cheek of her ass, keeping her up. She lowered her head and kissed the side of his neck, licking the spot to warm, and capturing his skin, sucking lightly between tasting him.

  Anders breathing deepened and came faster. His excitement rejuvenated her.

  Every pulse of his pleasure urged her on. Her sex throbbed in answer.

  Oh, God. They matched so perfectly.

  His bigger size molded against her. He gave her what she needed as her life changed from one moment to the next.

  And, he needed her.

  He needed her deeply, and she loved knowing that.

  Anders pumped inside of her, grunting with each lift and throwing his head back. She held on, pulling back to look at him and found his gaze locked on her.

  A predatory and wild expression came over him, and the focus made her come.

  She jolted, shuddering her release, making her lightheaded, as he groaned and held her tightly against him, pulsating inside of her as he filled the condom.

  Aware of their position on the mountain and his burst of adrenaline waning, she unlocked her legs to slide off him, but he held her tighter.

  "Not yet," he whispered huskily. "Not yet."

  She wrapped herself around him and laid her head on his shoulders, running her fingers through his hair. "Okay."

  A crude wooden cross caught her eye. Only two feet tall sticking out of the ground. The cross stood at the highest corner of the peak, a clear view all around.

  She shuddered. Life was precious, and right now, Anders needed her.

  And, she needed him.

  Chapter 10

  Mac handed Anders a shot of whiskey. He downed the drink and handed back the small glass.

  "Bring me another." He watched the men near the stage.

  An hour into Iliana singing and the six men, who'd started out at the counter in the bar, had gravitated toward the other side of the room, closer to her. He hated the way they leered and knocked elbows every time she moved a certain way or swayed, sending her breasts moving in a different direction from her body.

  Iliana hypnotized the room with her singing. Her voice like seductive fingernails down his back, stringing him tighter. Her soft voice with a hint of roughness consumed him. It was the kind of voice that weaved him into submission.

  Mac returned with his drink. Anders knocked back the whiskey and strode forward as Iliana ended the song and announced a five-minute break. Before he could reach the door leading backstage, two of the men he'd been watching for any trouble stepped ahead of him and crossed the barrier where customers aren't allowed.

  "Gentleman, you'll need to leave the Lair." He grabbed one of the men's shoulders, stopping them both.

  The taller of the two turned. "Did you just put your hand on me?"

  "You've been eighty-sixed." He lifted his chin, motioning them in the right direction. "You can pick up your friends on your way out."

  "Bullshit." The smaller one straightened, lacking the six inches and fifty pounds he'd need to take on Anders. "We haven't do
ne anything wrong."

  Anders, itching to kick their ass, pulled out his phone, hit the contact button for Mac, and refused to move. "Two gentlemen need to be removed from the hallway to backstage. Their friends can be trespassed from the Lair, too."

  He slid the phone in his pocket and looked both men in the eye. "You do not want to make a scene."

  Three men from his security team stepped into the short hallway before the intruders responded. Anders refused to move as the two customers were removed and escorted out. He waited until he could no longer hear their arguments about being kicked out and walked into the room backstage.

  Iliana looked up as the door opened and smiled. "Hey, you."

  He walked to her and kissed her softly. "Do you know how beautiful you look and sound when you're singing?"

  She stood and wrapped herself around him. He held her close. Probably tighter than he should.

  He wanted to keep her to himself. Sharing her with a crowd of people, full of men who would give their left nut to be with a woman like Iliana, brought out the worst in him.

  "Only two more songs and then I'm going to sneak upstairs." She gazed into his eyes. "I've got a surprise for you."

  "Yeah?" He ran his finger down her neck into her cleavage. "Tell me."

  "But, then, I'll ruin the surprise."

  He exhaled heavily, unaware he'd been holding his breath. "I don't like surprises, Iliana."

  He demanded information and speculations before anything could happen in his life. To be caught off guard meant the difference between life and death.

  "You'll like this one. I promise," she whispered, kissing him. "It involves you. Me. Something a little skimpy."

  His cock pulsed to life, picking up on the hints. She was flirting with him.

  "I need to go back out." She kissed him again and slipped past him, smiling over her shoulder.

  Her excitement tangible, he remained standing alone backstage. The music started, and Iliana's husky voice floated into the room. He closed his eyes and stumbled over to the chair. Sitting down, he cupped his head. Every day spent with her, he realized more and more that he was responsible for her happiness.

  She never asked anything of him, but he wanted to give her the smiles she freely offered him. He wanted to be the reason she sang. He wanted to be the only one she thought about.