Consent to Love

by Abby Wood

  The pressure he was expecting from the new hairstyle didn’t exist. He patted his head and came away with loose strands of hair. “I thought you wanted to see me in a braid?”

  “I did. I changed my mind after I was done. It didn’t seem right on you for some reason. I guess I’m used to having your hair hanging free. I like it better down. It suits you.” She lifted her leg over his head, stood up and held out her hand. “Let’s go to bed and get these clothes off. I’m going to give you a full body massage. You deserve it after working all day with the horses and sitting through me having company over to the house tonight.”

  “You won’t find any argument from me.” He grunted as he unfolded his legs from sitting on the floor.

  Not wanting to waste time, he unbuttoned his jeans and slid them off. Ana followed him into the bedroom. Things would work out between them. He probably had been reading too much into the situation and letting his fears get the upper hand. Ana seemed more content every day, and he was more than happy with the way things were going.

  “Lay down, Howahkan.” Ana slid her fingers down to his ass, gave him a squeeze and a slap.

  “Keep it up, and you’ll find yourself sprawled on your stomach across the bed.” Kane plopped atop the mattress. “Don’t think you’re getting out of letting me have my turn on you afterward.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.” She crawled up and sat on his butt.

  A surge of desire hit him square in the balls. He lifted his head and glanced over his shoulder. This was going to be a quick turn, because he’d never make it more than five minutes without touching her. The little minx had stripped down to nothing and sat on the back of him, naked and beautiful.

  The heat between her legs warmed his ass. He shifted. This position would be okay if it wasn’t for the boner the size of Enapay’s dong that made lying on his stomach torture.

  Her slim fingers crawled over his back. He concentrated on himself. At least he tried, but every time she stretched to rub his shoulders, her nipples brushed his back, and damned if he couldn’t tell her big plan was turning her on too.

  “Your pussy is wet.” He moved his arm down and squeezed her thigh.

  “Hmm…” She scooted down, straddled the back of his legs and put her hands on his backside, kneading her knuckles deep into the muscles. “I didn’t notice.”

  “Liar.” He chuckled.

  The combination of her gyrating on his thighs and her thumbs getting close to invading a spot he’d never let anyone enter pushed him past his control. He twisted his upper body, grabbed Ana and was atop her before she could stop him. “My turn.”

  She pushed against him, flipped over and wiggled. “Go head…do your best.”

  Did she challenge him?

  Her round, tight ass popped into the air. “Feel free to start whenever you want.”

  The feral side of him emerged. He hopped off the bed and grabbed a tube of lubrication he’d picked up at the Lakota store a couple weeks ago.

  Slow down, Howahkan.

  * * *

  Kane sat on her thighs and she moved side to side. His cock teased her butt and she delighted in the rush of pleasure that surfaced. A squirt of liquid and his hand on her lower back brought out a groan.

  He spread her cheeks. She gasped as his slick finger ran the length of her, from anus to pussy. The man could make her come in record time if he wasn’t careful.

  His knees stayed rooted at her sides. The sweep of his large hands over her back, massaging her muscles, took her to a wonderful place.

  Kane’s fingers slipped down to the valley of her buttocks. She giggled. The ticklish spot sent titillating shocks through her body. He dipped lower to her anus. Yes.

  With gentleness, he massaged the tight ring. The click of the cap on the lotion came again, and his other hand came off her. She glanced back. His gaze locked on hers as he spread more lube on his hard cock. His lids were half drawn.

  He positioned himself over her back, bracing his weight on his arms, rubbing his cock on her ass. His mouth captured the side of her neck. His lips tasted her skin.

  “I’ll go slow,” he whispered into her ear.

  She mewled.

  He licked her earlobe. “You’re ready. You’ll like my cock all the way up your ass, won’t you?”

  “Yes…” Her fingers dug into the blankets. Warmth spread through her lower stomach and her pussy creamed.

  Moving his head to the other side of her, he nibbled her neck. “Is this what you want?”

  She humped her hips against him. “Kane…please.”

  Kane pushed himself back, pulled her up to her knees, and ran the head of his cock through her juicy slit, stopping at her anus. She bore down, welcoming him. Inching past the tight ring of muscle, he popped in and held still, letting her adjust to the fullness.

  “Reach under you and rub your clit. I want you to come with me inside of you.” He thrust a little more. “Squeeze my come out of my cock. Milk it all out.”

  She slid her finger between the folds of her pussy and rubbed over her clit. Closing her eyes, she luxuriated in the way he filled her up and possessed her body.

  Her nub grew and throbbed underneath her finger. She rubbed along the side, teasing and warming the sensitive nerves. The motion sent her lower muscles into pulsing and her anus constricted down on his cock.

  “Ah, that’s it. You want to come.” He glided back and forth, deeper with each plunge. “Do it, my naughty girl. Let it go.”

  Her breath came in little gasps. Her pussy throbbed and as if knowing what she needed, Kane slipped his thumb into her cunt and pressed down on her g-spot. Her knees came up off the blanket and she came. A glorious rush of pleasure flooded her body.

  Her ass spasmed and caressed Kane’s cock. He thrust in completely, balls deep, and held himself tight against her back. His hips quivered through his release. He slowly moved back and forth, riding the pleasure out.

  Ana’s legs gave out and she lowered her body down to the blankets. She turned and smiled over at Kane, who flopped down beside her. Her heart filled for the man who spoiled her and taught her everything there was to being a couple.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  He held her to his chest, stroking her back. “I love you too.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The music drifted into the kitchen, and Ana glanced up at the clock. She rang the bell. “Kitchen’s closed, Chum.”

  She wiped her forehead with the back of her arm and hurried across the kitchen. “Jordan, the grill’s shut off. I’ve put the tools I was using in the washtub.”

  “Thanks, Ana. See you next week.” The sixteen-year-old son of the mayor went back to scrubbing the sink full of dishes.

  When Chum advanced her to dinner cook, she’d focused on the pay raise and not the hours she’d have to work. She dragged her feet to the sink, washed and gathered her things. She missed spending her evenings with Kane and early mornings out with the horses.

  She walked out to the bar, guilt weighing on her shoulders. Kane now had to come pick her up at ten o’clock four times a week because her car went kaput the same day she’d driven back to Lakota to tell Kane the news about moving up to head cook. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another with her.

  “Hey, Ana. Are you too stuck up to socialize with the regulars now that Chum’s got you hidden in the kitchen?” Pete Conrad lifted his empty mug. “I’ll make a deal with you. You can come sit on my lap, and I’ll buy you a beer.”

  She shook her head. “Your stupid pick-up lines didn’t work when I was serving the drinks, Pete. They won’t work now either. Go throw your hook to someone else.”

  Pete’s hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist. “Aw, come on, sugar. Spend a little time with us. We’ve missed you since you shut yourself off in the
kitchen. Hell, Chum won’t let us come back and talk to you.”

  “Stop it, Pete.” She pulled her arm, but her pitiful attempt was nothing to his two-hundred-plus-pound body.

  “She said…let her go.”

  She whipped her head around. “K-Kane…I was coming out.”

  Kane ignored Ana, stepped around her and stood in front of Pete. “Let go of her.”

  With her hand back, she moved behind Kane and rubbed his back. “It’s okay. Let’s go.”

  “Yeah, injun. Listen to your woman.” Pete stood up.

  Ana gasped, and then reacted. She pushed her away around Kane and poked Pete in the chest. “Apologize. Now!”

  Kane pulled her back. “Go outside.”

  “No. He can’t talk to you that way. I’m sick and tired of people butting their noses into our life.” She glared around him at Pete. “He’s a drunk who doesn’t have the good sense to shuttup and mind his own business.”

  Chum approached her. “Problem, Ana?”

  “Yeah, this jerk—”

  “Enough, Ana.” Kane nodded to Chum. “We’re leaving. I’m taking Ana home now.”

  Without waiting, Kane escorted Ana out the front door. Her blood boiled inside of her. How dare Pete call Kane such a vulgar name.

  “Slow down, Kane.” She jogged to keep up with him.

  His stride never slowed down. In fact, he ignored her plea and never stopped until he arrived at his truck. He opened the door. “Hop in.”

  She scrambled inside and slid across the seat. “Kane, the guy is a jerk. He’s always popping off and causing trouble. Don’t let him upset you.”

  “He touched you.” He pulled out on the road and headed out of town.

  “Well…yes, but he didn’t hurt me. If he wouldn’t have let go of me, Chum would have come as soon as I called him over. He protects all his employees.” She leaned forward and tried to study his face in the reflection from the lights on the dash. “I’m sorry for what he said. That was mean and uncalled for.”

  Kane glared at the road. She hesitated, but only for a minute. Even a relatively minor problem could become major.

  Unexpectedly, Kane put on the brakes, turned off the road and cut the engine. He hit the steering wheel with his fist. She jumped, surprised at his outburst. He’d never gotten angry before. Sure, they’d argued about mundane things like her desire to take him to town to buy new boots when she got the raise, but nothing like this.

  “I wanted to kill him.”

  A metallic taste filled her mouth. She pulled her lip out from between her teeth. “Oh Kane…I’m sorry. People are jerks. Especially bigots who—”

  “I don’t care about what names he chooses to use, Ana.” He turned his head toward her. “He touched you. I should be able to defend my woman, and instead I have to walk away. Do you know what would happen to me if I hit him? Me, an injun,” he spat.

  She shrank back and bowed her head. For all the advances in the world, in Podunk some things never changed. The majority of people still viewed the Lakota as second-class citizens. A group set apart from regular laws.

  “I won’t have the same thing happen to you that happened to Heather.” He let his head fall back on the window of the pickup.

  Her stomach clenched. He’d mentioned this woman before. “What happened between you and…Heather?”

  A few minutes passed and she thought he wasn’t going to answer her. Despite knowing he loved her, she couldn’t control the sting of jealousy that popped up over hearing another woman’s name from Kane’s lips. What could be so devastating that years later, Kane still couldn’t talk about it?

  “Back when I was young and stupid, trying to fight my way into manhood and prove my worth as an adult, I became infatuated with a woman. She was two years older than me, and I thought I’d found love.” He reached over and held Ana’s hand.

  She enclosed his fingers and gave him an encouraging squeeze.

  “Everyone told me I was making a mistake, but I didn’t listen.” He laughed harshly. “I know now what Heather and I had wasn’t love, but I did have feelings toward her.”

  Ana shifted sideways in her seat but kept a tight hold of his hand.

  “Heather wanted to leave the reservation, her culture and everything the Lakota strived to maintain within the community. Against my better judgment, I moved off the reservation into a rental house over in Columbia County with her.”

  “Oh, Kane…” She brought his hand up and kissed the back of his knuckles. He belonged with the Lakota. He must have been miserable.

  “One night, I took Heather out to dinner at a restaurant. Nothing fancy, just a sit down place where families were welcome.” He shook his head. “Heather had slipped off to use the restroom, and I waited for what seemed like a half hour. Finally, I decided to see if everything was okay. I thought maybe she got sick.”

  “Where was she?”

  “Outside the restaurant locked in the arms of a white man.” He pulled his hand away from Ana and rubbed the back of his neck. “I was enraged. All I could think about was stopping the man from hurting Heather. Later, the police were called, and the next thing I knew I was locked in a jail cell.”

  “Oh my God.” Ana reached out and clutched his arm. “Did Heather explain to the policemen that you were only defending her?”

  He scoffed. “She wasn’t being attacked. I found out the man she’d met outside was someone she’d been fooling around with for months behind my back. It turned into a big mess, and she’d laughed at how stupid I was for wanting to stay true to the Lakota. She used me as a way off the reservation. Her parents were okay with her leaving with me. They’d hoped she’d come back over time. She’d deceived us all.”

  “That’s terrible.” Ana clenched her teeth. The jealousy over the woman who’d hurt Kane melted away and was replaced with hot anger. “You were able to clear your name, right? They can’t blame you for trying to protect a woman.”

  He shook his head. “They kept me in jail for five days, and finally handed me over to the tribal courts after the man Heather was in love with refused to press charges under the law. I later stood before the council and no punishment was handed down to me.”

  “Well, I would hope so. What an awful woman. She should be the one who was punished.”

  “I’ve let go of any anger I held toward her, but I will never forget standing in front of my elders and admitting how I turned my back on my people. It changed me. I had to earn my way back and prove my dedication to preserving our culture. Each generation loses so much of what we are about and believe, and getting in trouble myself, years ago, only hurt my people. I swore, then and there, I’d do my part in keeping our spirit alive. We are a proud group, and I want others to have more choices than what I have, to live their life with more options and freedom available to them.” He leaned over and pressed his lips to her cheek, held her there and sighed. “Tonight reminded me how truly vulnerable I am off the reservation when it comes to protecting you. One mistake, one fight, and I’d be ripped away from you, and even the elders won’t be able to help me if something happens out of their jurisdiction. I never want that to happen, Ana.”

  “I won’t let that happen. I swear, Kane. I’ll never put you in a position where you have to be anything less than the great man you are.” Ana kissed him. “I love living on the reservation. Do you feel like you are betraying the Lakota by being with me—even if we live on the reservation? Everyone welcomed me, but do you think they would prefer you to be with a Lakota woman?”

  “No, I…” He smoothed her hair back. “I just don’t want to screw up.”

  “You won’t.” She smiled. “Together, we’ll handle whatever comes our way.”

  “Inside Chum’s you mentioned other people bothering you about your relationship with me. Who else is hurting you?”r />
  She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, Kane.”

  “It matters to me.” He framed her face with his hands. “I told you being with me wasn’t going to be easy, but you promised to let me help you. It hurts that you’ve kept other incidents of harassment from me.”

  “It’s Judy…the other cook.” Ana reached up and placed her hands on top of Kane’s. “I was able to talk to Chum, and he’s aware of the problem. She hasn’t given me any grief since he told her to knock it off or he’d fire her.”

  Kane studied her.

  “I swear.” She nodded. “And I promise if something like this happens again, I’ll tell you. We’ll deal with it together.”

  Kane kissed her softly before starting the truck again. He drove on in silence. Ana unbuckled her seatbelt, slid over and leaned into him. He put his arm around her and held her tightly. They were okay. They’d go home where no one would bother them. Where it was safe.

  In the same way people in her world viewed her job of serving beer or cooking in a bar, Kane would never be able to advance outside the reservation until others made a conscious decision to treat him equally. Right now, to her, the world seemed unfair and unbalanced.

  * * *

  At quarter to noon, Ana had enough. Kane had stayed out all night working with the horses and still hadn’t come in to rest. She’d gone out numerous times and begged him to come to bed, but he’d shrugged her off.

  His indifference bothered her, and her insecurities played havoc with her thoughts. Kane was all for having sex with her, but when it came down to her supporting him emotionally, he clammed up. He wanted to play her hero, but he wouldn’t allow her to do the same for him. She marched across the field and didn’t stop until she was blocking Kane from the horse.

  “I’ve fixed your lunch. Please come inside and eat with me.”

  He glared down into her eyes. She stuck her chin up, ready to argue with him, but he merely nodded and turned. She had to half jog to keep up with him. He glanced over, slowed down and held out his hand.