A Little Harmless Ride

by Melissa Schroeder

  She was lying on her stomach, so he brushed her hair over to the side. There was so much he loved about her. She had a belly ring he didn’t know about and he loved her back. He’d been a lover of all things women from the time he hit thirteen but with Crysta, he seemed to love just about everything about her body.

  He leaned over and kissed her back, right at the base of her spine. She shifted. This close, he could smell her flesh. Damn, the woman was intoxicating. Had there ever been a woman who called to him like this?

  “Having fun down there, St. John?” she asked him. Her voice was still sleepy and it made it even huskier.

  “I am.”

  He kissed her again, scraping his teeth against her skin and moving just an inch closer to that magnificent ass. He wanted to spank her again, but they hadn’t talked about submission. They hadn’t even discussed what would happen tomorrow.

  Eli pushed those thoughts aside. Tonight was about pleasure, and they would deal with those feelings tomorrow.

  He pulled back and rolled her over, slipping between her legs. He needed another taste of her. Settling his mouth against her, he slid his tongue between her pussy lips. Damn, she was already wet. The taste of her rushed through is blood. Sweet, sassy…like the woman herself. He added a finger, easing it into her damp passage as he took her clit into his mouth. She moaned, long and loud…and it was his name. The sound of it in the dark room touched something in him and he knew then, right then, he needed to be inside of her. He moved from her, grabbing another condom wrapper. He ripped it open and realized his hands were shaking. She apparently noticed his problem and took the condom from him.

  “Let me,” she said, her voice husky with her arousal. She sat on the edge of the bed and rolled it down his cock. Fuck, it was probably one of the most erotic things he had ever seen in his life—and he’d seen a lot. But watching her long fingers slip over his cock almost had him coming right there and then.

  He eased her back onto the bed, wishing he could take more time with her, but knowing that again, he needed her. Last time was fast and furious. This time, though, he was slow, methodical. He kissed over her skin, tasting her, sliding his cock in easily. He took her up and over into her orgasm, slowly.

  Eli watched, delighted as her eyes went blurry with pleasure as she sighed his name. And again, he took her, wanting to feel those tiny muscles dance over his cock. And again, but this time, he joined her, shuddering with his release.

  * * * *

  Crysta woke early, before the sun. For a second, she couldn’t seem to figure out where she was. Then, it hit her that she was in a hotel room. She shifted and ran into something solid and hard.

  Eli.

  She opened her eyes and watched him sleep. Knowing that she would touch him and they would make love again, she slipped out of bed. It might make her a cold-hearted bitch, but she needed some time away. It was self-preservation.

  She tried her best to be as quiet as possible as she slipped into the bathroom. After relieving herself, Crysta looked at herself in the mirror, trying to come to grips with the night before. It wasn’t anything monumental. It was just sex. Really great sex. Okay, it was sex on a level she hadn’t expected. There was a link between them after just one night in bed. She might be the only one who felt it, but she could admit to herself that it was the first time she felt this kind of connection with a man outside of playing. She just never thought she would be able to do that.

  She started the shower. She’d gotten no sleep. They’d made love several times, each time just as incredible as the time before, but now, she felt drained. Her emotions were all over the place, and she wasn’t sure she could deal with it.

  After stepping into the shower, she stood under the spray realizing that she would have to put on that brave face tomorrow. There would be no way around it. But right now she gave in and cried.

  * * * *

  The next morning came early. The sun was shining in the room and Eli winced. He reached for Crysta but found the bed empty. He frowned and listened for her, realizing she was out on the balcony. She was on the phone and she was laughing. God, he loved that laugh. He watched her as she continued to talk. Eli was sure that a psychiatrist would have a field day with his behavior. He couldn’t help it. He liked watching her. And he was doing it again while she was on the phone with her father.

  Sick, St. John, real sick. Lusting after a woman while she was having a talk with her father was probably the weirdest thing he had ever done.

  And that was saying a lot.

  He was going to go out onto the balcony but realized he was naked. He slipped out of bed and went to his room. He needed his boxers at least. After relieving himself and brushing his teeth, he found a pair in his bag.

  It wasn’t going to last. It couldn’t. As both of them agreed when they were done, it was only one night. It was to let off some steam.

  But it hadn’t felt that way. He didn’t want just a roll in the bed with Crysta. The Dom in him wanted her submission. Complete submission at that. He wasn’t in for a bit of play, but he didn’t know what to do about that.

  There was so much worry. The ranch, the work they had to do together, and she wasn’t there forever. He knew at the end of the six months, she would be on her way back to the mainland. Something told him if they partnered up, it could cause problems on the ranch.

  “Deep in thought, St. John?”

  He glanced back over his shoulder at her. He realized at that moment, she made him vulnerable. He couldn’t remember wanting a sub as his own so badly…ever. And now, this woman who could cause more problems than he could list, was pulling at needs he didn’t know he had. He frowned.

  “No. Just. A lot on my mind.”

  She nodded. “About last night…”

  “Yeah,” he said, trying to think of a way to say they needed to just let it go.

  “I think it best if we just chalk it up to hormones.”

  “Yeah…wait, what?”

  “Listen, I understand what our problems are and involving sex, well that’s just going to cause more problems.”

  “That’s true.” But he didn’t like it. Sure he had been trying to come up with reasons that they shouldn’t be doing this, but now that she had said it, it irritated him.

  “I really had a fantastic time last night, but I honestly think we need to be careful. I don’t want to jeopardize the working relationship we have. I did that once before and I don’t want to do that now.”

  “Is this about that bastard, Ashton?”

  She frowned. “What about Ashton?”

  “The ex. The one you caught cheating. Is this about him?”

  “Yes, we worked together, but that had nothing to do with the problems we had. It made working together impossible.”

  “And so you left?”

  She shook her head. “No. I handled it. He didn’t and his behavior got him fired. While he was an ass to me and I wouldn’t wish him on my enemies, he was an excellent teacher. I just…the ranch is so important and while I felt I failed Joe as a niece for a lot of my life, I know his one wish was that the ranch be yours. He wanted you to run it and I want to make sure I do everything in my power to help with that.”

  He didn’t know how to respond. She was thinking of Joe, and that was on thing he couldn’t fault. While he might have had misgivings about her to begin with, she had definitely pulled her weight and she had loved Joe.

  He nodded.

  “Now, I’m supposed to go to lunch with May and Dee. They’re going to pick me up.”

  She stepped forward, cupped his cheek, and kissed his other one. He could smell the fresh air on her skin. He didn’t give into the need to turn his head and kiss her mouth. He watched as she walked around the corner to her room then let out a breath.

  She was wrong for him, and she had been right about the ranch. On top of that, they had never engaged in play, just fast and fun sex.

  And Eli was pretty damned sure he was in love with her.

>   Fuck.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Crysta wasn’t feeling any better by lunch than she had that morning. After telling Eli it was just a one-night thing, she realized that she wanted to cry again. How sad was that? She hadn’t even cried that hard when Ashton had cheated on her. But one night with a man had her acting like a little crybaby.

  She knew why she was feeling that way and she didn’t like it one bit. Being depressed over a night of fantastic lovemaking was kind of stupid, but she couldn’t seem to stop feeling sorry for herself. It had been a mistake and god…she couldn’t even imagine if they had been playing. But she knew to make sure there weren’t any complications with their arrangement—and also to protect herself. Eli St. John was just another name for heartbreak.

  “Earth to Crysta,” May said snapping her fingers at her.

  Crysta shook herself out of her funk. “Sorry. I guess I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

  She sipped her root beer, hoping the sugar would give her the boost she needed for the day.

  “Really?” May asked.

  Crysta nodded and looked around the restaurant. It was just a bit after eleven in the morning and the place was already starting to fill up with customers. There were lots of locals but a good deal of tourists, which told her they had a solid base to work from. They’d gotten a table in the back, secluded enough they were afforded some privacy.

  “Well, if you hadn’t been sexing it up with Eli, you would have gotten more sleep.”

  Crysta blinked. “What?”

  “Oh, please. Both of us can tell you had sex last night.”

  She glanced at Dee. “Yeah, but I have more class than you do and I didn’t mention it.”

  Crysta could feel her face heating up. “I’m not saying we did anything.”

  May snorted. “Puleeeeze, you did so. And now we want details.”

  “Maylea Aiona Chambers,” Dee said.

  It was May’s turn to blink. “What?”

  Dee rolled her eyes. “You just asked a woman you’ve known less than twenty-four hours about her sex life.”

  She shrugged. “Like you don’t want to know.”

  “Again, I point out, I have more class.”

  “And that makes me more honest.”

  Crysta threw her hands up in the air. “Oh, please, stop. You’re making my head hurt.”

  Dee patted her on the shoulder, much as she had the night before. “I’m sorry about that, Crysta.”

  “Yeah, sorry,” May mumbled. “I just wondered what kind of Dom he was in private.”

  She glanced at both women, then gave in to the need to share. “There was no play.”

  A beat of silence filled the booth. “No play? Eli just…you guys just…” Dee didn’t finish.

  “Holy cow, he is hung up on you,” May said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “This is a guy who never has a woman on the side. He picks his subs at Rough ‘n Ready and makes sure there are no strings attached.”

  It irritated her to hear, but she knew it was true. “Okay.”

  May looked at Dee then back to Crysta. “Honey, there are all kinds of reasons he shouldn’t have slept with you last night. And tonight, if he didn’t have feelings for you, he would have easily picked a sub and went off with her. But instead, he took you to bed last night.”

  “Although I hate to admit it, I have to once again agree with May here. The way he acted pissed that Devon was talking to you was fun to watch last night.”

  “Yeah, Eli tried to forbid me to show Devon around the ranch.”

  May giggled. “Oh, my, the Delicious Dom is in love.”

  Her heart jerked. “No, I don’t think you can say that. We’re attracted to each other.”

  “Oh,” Dee said, her voice softening. “You’re in love with him.”

  “Am not,” she said. “Oh, god, now I sound like a five-year-old. That man has dissolved all my working brain cells.”

  “Oh, wait, here comes Cynthia. Cyn, come on over. We’re having a girl’s day.”

  She turned her head and saw a petite but curvy blonde walking down the aisle.

  “Cynthia, this is Crysta. She’s the one who co-owns the ranch with Eli.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”

  “Cynthia’s hubby owns this place. Sit down.”

  Cynthia chuckled as she slid into the booth beside May. “So nice, May.”

  “Hey, I never said I was nice. And before you say anything, Chris deserved a reminder that he had morning sickness while you were pregnant. He was being a butt this morning. ”

  “How are you liking the ranch?” Cynthia asked Crysta ignoring her friend’s comments. It was easy to hear the Deep South in her voice, telling her Cynthia was another transplant.

  “I’m really enjoying it. I used to ride and compete with barrel racing, so it’s been nice to get back up on a horse.”

  “Not to mention Eli,” May said.

  “Oh my god, May,” Crysta said, her facing burning brighter than the sun at the moment.

  May smiled. “I thought we should get it out in the open. See, Cynthia didn’t see him last night. He was all over her and about threw a fit when Devon showed up to dinner.”

  “Then called me later. He really wasn’t happy about that.”

  May glanced at Dee. “Dee, you’ve been holding out. You gave Devon her number?”

  Dee blinked in mock innocence. “Devon asked for it.” She looked at Crysta. “I hope you aren’t mad at me.”

  Cynthia held up her hands. “Okay, I am lost. What is this about Eli and Crysta and why was Devon asking for her number?”

  “He met her last night at our house. He wanted her number. I gave it to him,” Dee said.

  Cynthia looked at Crysta. “And Eli didn’t like this?”

  May leaned closer to her friend with a small smile on her lips. “He seduced her last night.”

  Crysta looked around the table and realized that she was telling virtual strangers about her personal life, but she felt strangely okay with it. Maybe there was something in the water in Hawaii. She glanced around and made sure no one had moved closer or been seated close enough to eavesdrop.

  “We sort of seduced each other,” she said.

  Cynthia nodded, apparently understanding everything. “No play. And you’re a sub, not a switch or anything?”

  “She asks because both she and her husband are,” Dee said.

  “I’m a sub. I haven’t played since I broke it off with my fiancé. I really haven’t had time. My dad got sick and I moved closer to help.”

  “Oh,” Cynthia said, reaching across the table and patting her hand. “Is he doing okay now?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. In fact, he practically kicked me out to get me over here. But of course, I had to come. I couldn’t let Joe’s surrogate son lose that ranch.”

  “Well, I find it interesting that Eli didn’t try to dominate you last night. Very weird,” May said.

  Cynthia nodded. “I have to agree. You haven’t had a Dom in awhile?”

  “Truth is, I wasn’t sure I was made out for the life anymore. It still drew me, but my ex was my Dom. He cheated on me, so of course, I started wondering about my ability to judge character in both a mate and a Dom.”

  “That makes sense,” Dee said. “It would be a hard thing to overcome.”

  “Are you going to Rough ‘n Ready tonight?” Cynthia asked.

  She nodded.

  “Yeah, he could have found someone there.” Cynthia looked at May. “What is it you wanted me to answer?”

  “I wanted to know if you think Eli is ga ga over her?”

  She glanced at Crysta. “Uh, yeah. I mean, the Delicious Dom didn’t dominate you last night, lost control and slept with you? That’s a man who is smitten. Just my opinion.”

  “There’s my love,” Chris, the owner and May’s boss, said as he walked over. He was a tall black man, with a ready smile and the most amazing New Orleans accent. He kis
sed his wife on the cheek. Then he looked at Crysta. “Your meals should be up in just a few minutes. Oh, and May?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Medusa called. She’s looking for her snakes.”

  She threw a napkin at him, but he was already laughing as he wandered off.

  “That man.”

  Cynthia laughed. “You deserved that.”

  Crysta blinked. “What was that about?”

  “That’s about May throwing things at him. And he says that she can give a man such a stink eye that it will shrivel…how did he put it, Cyn?”

  “Shrivel the bits and pieces near and dear to a man’s heart,” Cynthia said, giggling.

  “Oh, well…” She was trying not to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. He was probably right.

  May frowned and turned to Crysta. “So, all of us need to go to Rough ‘n Ready tonight. It will be interesting to see what happens.”

  Cynthia smiled at her. “I think I might even stay up for that. I think it will be worth it.”

  “Cynthia runs a bakery and has to be up before dawn and at work. It’s horrible.”

  “Believe me, I know. I work on a ranch.”

  “Now, you have something very sexy to wear tonight?” May asked. “Because I want to watch Eli suffer a little.”

  * * * *

  Eli looked out over the Honolulu Harbor and tried to pay attention to Conner Dillon. He’d set up the meeting to deal with possible problems at the ranch. He could have done it over the phone or videoconference, but since he was there, he figured he would check out the new offices.

  “You’re not hearing a damned thing I’m saying.”

  He glanced at the former FBI agent and shook his head. “Sorry. Didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  He turned and walked back over to the desk.

  “You have a good right to be preoccupied,” Conner said with a stern look.

  “What are you talking about?” And how did the man know about his night with Crysta.

  “Well, rustling here isn’t that common. We know it happens, but this looks like it was more to give you shit. And that means it’s the family. They are going to be a constant thorn in your side. Although, I’m kind of surprised that Sam could pull it off. He’s not that much smarter than his father.”