by Amanda Rose
Jameson smiled again, and took a step closer to me. I could smell the deep scent of pine trees and cinnamon that surrounded him. He was so close, I could reach out and touch him if I wanted to, and I did want to. So what was I stopping myself for?
As I stood there wrestling with my dirty, filthy thoughts, Jameson went ahead and made the move I was too scared to make.
"Well Sweetheart, if you're interested, I would be glad to make this night especially memorable. In all the right ways..." His hand was suddenly sliding up my arm. Goosebumps erupted on my skin in his wake and I felt those butterflies come back in full force.
There was a moment that seemed to stretch on endlessly, while he looked at me, waiting to see if this was what I wanted. Fuck yeah this was what I wanted, but was it a good idea? Probably not... I lifted the glass to my lips again and drained it. Fuck good ideas. I was here for a month to get away from my life. Sort things out. Clear my head. And I couldn't think of anything that would do me more good than to see where this goes right now.
I stepped forward, and that was all the answer that Jameson needed.
His lips were on mine in an instant, and my mouth parted to let him in. His hands moved down to my waist as he lifted me onto the counter. I pushed my glass away and wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders. Holy shit this guy was buff! Whatever he did on the farm must be one hell of a workout. He had lifted me up like I weighed nothing at all.
"I've been thinking about this since the moment I saw you, Miss Holly," he said in a low growl between kisses. His hands made their way back up my body to the thin straps of my cami, slipping them slowly off my shoulders. The silky fabric fell easily, leaving my breasts fully exposed in the faintly lit room. Jameson began kissing his way down my neck slowly, my heart still racing beneath his gentle but fervent touch. "So beautiful." he whispered against me.
When his lips reached my nipple I instinctively arched into him, my body responding without me being fully in control of it, asking for more. His tongue danced across my flesh, drawing a moan from my throat that I tried to stifle. We had been lucky so far, but if I wanted to continue getting lucky we would have to keep it down. Uncle Mark walking in on us would be a real mood killer...
His hips pressed into mine, the perfect height to meet me as I sat perched on the stone counter. His arousal was obvious, even through the jeans he was still wearing, and I couldn't stand to wait much longer. I felt his fingers hook into the waist band of my shorts and I lifted myself to accommodate him as he slid them down my hips and let them flutter to the floor.
I was completely naked, but for the top that hung loosely around my midsection. He pulled back from my chest; the look in his eyes was pure hunger and admiration. I had always been self-conscious in these situations, but beneath his gaze I felt fucking beautiful.
Jameson reached for his belt and hurried to release himself from his work worn jeans. As he finally dropped his pants to his knees and positioned himself at my opening I saw enough to know that the big truck did indeed match a big cock...
He pushed his thick length into me hard; stars swam in my vision as he filled me completely and began to move roughly. My nails dug into his shoulders and a warm pressure began to build in the base of my spine, the promise of release. Our bodies found a rhythm easily, and as we moved together, soft moans and primal grunts echoed softly around us.
My orgasm hit me suddenly, my body convulsing around him as it rolled through me. I could feel him respond, his grip tightening and his thrusts becoming wilder until he too reached his climax. His fingers in my hair, he pulled my lips to his once more.
As our wild and frantic movements began to slow, his kiss turned soft and tender. Still wrapped in his arms. he broke his lips from mine and whispered in my ear, "I hope that was an acceptable way to welcome you, Miss Holly.”
Yeah, it was the best welcome party ever.
CHAPTER FOUR
The morning was rough. After Jameson and I parted ways last night I had refilled my glass with what had turned out to be a lovely red wine from a local vineyard. I'd taken it to my room with me and sat there—my body still shaking from the best sex I had ever had—thinking for another hour.
What the fuck was that?
I had never been a one night stand kind of girl. Usually I required at least some kind of commitment before jumping into bed with someone, let alone have them rock my world on a kitchen island only hours after we had just met. So why did that feel so right? I searched for the answer to that question until I finally fell asleep, completely exhausted and confused.
When the alarm went off the sun wasn't even up yet. Uncle Mark had been pretty clear that the day started early around here; it was a farm after all. I reluctantly pulled myself from bed, my body still pleasantly sore, reminding me again of last night’s little escapade.
As I took a long and desperately needed shower, I tried to get excited for my first official day of work. I mean, that's what I was here for, right? To take the holiday season off and share some quality time with my uncle before I had to face reality back in Los Angeles. I was supposed to be enjoying the change of scenery and some country air before I headed back to my regular life.
There was a new job waiting for me at home, one I had been working towards for years. Okay, so maybe being the regional manager of a credit union wasn't all that glamorous, and it certainly wasn't what I had dreamed of doing with my life as a little girl, but it came with a very nice salary and I had already put in so much time working towards it. Of course having to see my ex at work related events wasn't going to be ideal, but I could worry about that later.
Having no idea if Jameson was going to waiting for me at breakfast was making my nerves go crazy. As I descended the grand stairway the scent of eggs and bacon came wafting up to meet me, making my mouth water. Entering the kitchen, I saw uncle Mark waving to me from the stove, a big smile on his face.
"Good morning Holly dear. Sleep well last night?"
I glanced down at my black leather knee high boots to avoid looking him in the eye, scared that if I did it would somehow be obvious that I had been laid out naked on the same counter he was now arranging a buffet style breakfast feast on.
"Sweetheart?" He asked again, snapping me back to the moment and out of my very detailed walk down memory lane.
"Yes, sorry!" I sputtered, "Honestly, I had a little trouble getting to sleep. I'm sure it was just all the excitement of being here finally. I'll fall asleep quicker tonight, I’m sure." I smiled back at him bravely and went to grab a plate, dishing myself up a huge pile of the amazing looking biscuits and gravy. If I kept my hands and mouth busy I wouldn't be able to look awkward and guilty, right?
"I'm sorry you had trouble getting rest last night, Hon," he said, looking at me with concern. "You know, this house looks shiny and new, but it really is just a massive remodel and additions to the old log house that was here when I bought the place. Sometimes the house creaks and groans in the night. Hell, Sweetheart, I thought I heard some weird noises last night myself. I just figured the house was settling or the pipes were knocking though."
I choked into the glass of orange juice I had just brought to my lips. Oh my God. I thought we had kept it quiet! Fortunately, Uncle Mark didn't notice. A small grease fire had erupted in the bacon pan and he was rushing to smother it with a dish towel at that exact moment.
"Strange noises in the night you say?" a new voice said from the doorway. I cringed to myself and turned around slowly. If I had been taking another drink of orange juice I probably would have choked on it again.
Standing there looking casually cool was yet another tall handsome stranger. Sandy blond hair framed his rugged face, and an easy going smile played on his full lips. He was wearing actual cowboy boots and a ten gallon hat, a red flannel shirt pulled tight over his broad chest. He could have graced a Marlboro poster in days gone by.
He took his hat off and nodded to me in a ridiculously cute display of gentlemanly behavior that you
just didn't see anymore. "Ma'am." He said seriously. "My name is Wyatt Blake, and I'm pleased meet you." He perched the hat back on his head and extended his hand to me.
I set the OJ and my full plate onto the farmhouse style table and reached my hand to meet his. When he took it, I felt a little spark fly between us; a sensation of warmth traveling up my arm from where our fingers were entwined. I was having trouble finding words again. Damn.
"You must be the famous Holly McCall that your Uncle has been going on about." he offered when I remained silent. "I gotta say, Miss Holly, that the morning is a hell of a lot brighter with your pretty face joining us for breakfast." His eyes sparkled in the sunlight that was filling the room.
I finally felt my vocal chords kick in again. "Yup, that's me!" I managed to squeak out.
Great, I was really making a good first impression here. He released my hand after what felt like an eternity, a very pleasant eternity that is, and I was able to retreat to the table and my waiting food. I swear I could feel Wyatt's eyes burning a hole into my backside as I walked away. Oh Lord, give me strength to get through this meal—without finding myself in a strange man's arms for the second day in a row.
Wyatt walked over to the counter and started dishing up his own plate, never taking his eyes off me. I tried to occupy myself with the sausage. Wait, no, don't think about sausage right now!
"Wyatt is in charge of the horses, Holly. He has a real way with them actually!" uncle Mark offered cheerfully from in front of the stove. "A real life horse whisperer if I ever saw one."
"Aww, Mr. McCall, I just do my job the best I can. Nothin' magical about it," Wyatt laughed. "A gentle touch and a soft voice can work wonders."
I freaking bet they do, I thought to myself and had to work pretty hard to not imagine his gentle touch working wonders on me...
When he joined me at the table I wasn't quite sure where to look. The urge to gaze on his beauty was uncomfortably strong, and every time I dared to glance in his direction I caught his sapphire blue eyes looking right back at me. I tried my best to eat like a lady, but the gravy soaked biscuits weren't making it easy on me. If I'd known that we would be joined by an old west themed Adonis I would have chosen a less messy meal... For his part, uncle Mark seemed oblivious to the tension in the room, happily occupied with the cooking.
When my plate was finally cleared I went to rinse it in the sink. "So, what can I help out with today, Uncle?" I asked with all the confidence I could muster. I just needed to focus on work, not worrying about the country boy hunks that kept crossing my path.
"Actually, Hon, the first thing you are doing is helping Wyatt out in the stables. He's going to be teaching you how to hook up the horse drawn carriages!"
Oh, lucky me...
The rest of my morning was spent in very close quarters with Wyatt. My uncle kept a small team of draft horses in the magnificent barn that I had caught a glimpse of the night before.
The structure matched the main houses log cabin theme; the floor was actual cobblestone that looked as though it had been flown in from a medieval French village. Huge wagon wheel lights hung above us from the vaulted ceiling, and those twinkling white Christmas lights adorned the stalls. Why was this barn so fucking romantic? I mean, you could host weddings in this thing.
I tried not to dwell on the idea of a rustic but glamorous wedding as Wyatt reached around me to grab some tackle. The barn may have been huge, but the stall we were currently in was small enough that we kept accidentally touching. Well, maybe it wasn't so much of an accident on either of our parts, but I couldn't seem to stop myself from asking him to help me with every little task in the hopes that he would give me a very hands on demonstration. I was like a moth to a flame.
"Soft strokes, like this." Wyatt said, guiding the brush I was holding along the smooth hide of creature before us. A thrill ran through my core at his touch, and I accidentally let out a girlish giggle. The horse stamped its hooves in what was clearly a frustrated gesture. I may have been brushing him the wrong way, waiting for Wyatt to come give me some guidance. Believe it or not I could have guessed the proper way to brush a horse on my own, it was just so much more fun this way.
As he stepped closer behind me the scent of peppermint and hot cocoa permeated the air. Closing my eyes I breathed in deeply, He was so close. Only an inch more and he would be pressed against me...
"Holly?" He said quietly.
"Hmm?" I responded, eyes still closed.
"Would it be too forward of me to say that teaching you how to brush a horse is the most exciting thing to happen to me in a long while?"
I couldn't help it. I laughed out loud at that one. Like, seriously, was that not the most adorable come on you have ever heard?
When I turned around I found a soft smile on his face, and, was he blushing a little bit? "I'm sorry if you found that too forward of me. I'm just not used to a beautiful girl spending the morning with me is all."
"Not at all!" I laughed. "I'm actually enjoying this quite a lot." And I really was. I hadn't even been here for a full day and already I could feel something changing inside me. There was magic in these trees or something. Of course, the hot guys might have been affecting my insides too.
"Just let me know if I come on too strong, love. Sometimes I don't think before I speak and all the thoughts runnin' through my mind just come out before I know what's even happened." He said, his voice coiling around me like a soft caress, though he had yet to actually close the distance between us. A shiver ran through me as I imagined what would happen if he did.
His presence was intoxicating. Almost as effective as the Merlot had been last night. I was feeling lightheaded and silly. What was going on with me?
Thoughts of Jameson making me moan in the dark swam to the forefront of my mind and I felt almost guilty. I mean, we hadn't said anything about being exclusive, or even if it was a one time thing. Would he be upset to see me flirting with Wyatt? Should I feel upset about it myself?
The thing was, I was still really into Jameson. Every time I pictured his handsome face and rock hard body I felt the echo of him moving inside of me again. But, Wyatt was, he was thrilling in an entirely different but equally powerful way. I wanted him too.
Damn.
Wyatt watched my face with interest as all this flickered across my mind. "I can tell you think a lot before you speak, Holly." he said. "I may not know you that well yet, but I can see so much depth in those river blue eyes. If you ever feel like sharing with someone, I'd love a chance to swim in those deep waters."
A cowboy and a poet? Wow. I didn't know how to respond to that. I didn't seem to need to though. Wyatt leaned in hesitantly, and when I didn't pull away he brought his lips to mine. The kiss was soft, gentle, like everything else about him. It felt like fire though, and fire isn't sweet. Fire burns, and I was melting into the flames.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Are you listening, Holly?" My Uncle asked me as I struggled to take in his instructions on how to properly use the cash register. We were standing in an adorable little gazebo with a roaring fire pit in the center of it and ornaments sparkling from every available surface. Uncle Mark had spent the afternoon giving me a little tour of the property, informing me about the various jobs that I would be doing. We were discussing cashier duties and the prices of trees, wreaths, and the handmade ornaments we sold for local artists.
Opening day was tomorrow, and the whole farm had been bustling with activity during our tour. People were busy with heavy machinery that I didn't yet know the purpose of, there was a small team assembling what looked like a Santa's workshop, and a candy cane lane was popping up before my eyes; complete with towering sweets. It was overwhelming as it was, and Uncle Mark was promising me that compared to tomorrow, this was the calm before the proverbial Christmas storm. When the crowds were let through the gates it was going to be like a holiday hurricane.
Needless to say, I was getting a bit nervous.
Only a few hours b
efore this I had been in Wyatt's strong embrace, feeling the poetry of his kiss. The moment had been broken when my cell phone went off loudly in my pocket, causing both of us to break apart in surprise. I checked it quickly, a bit embarrassed. When I pulled it out of my pocket to look at who was ruining one of the most romantic moments of my life and saw the name of my ex boyfriend flashing across the screen my heart went from all aflutter to ice cold in about a second
Clint Harris. What the hell could he be calling for? I had quickly slid my manicured thumb across the screen, sending him to voicemail and stuffing the phone back into my pocket. Clint could go to hell. I had nothing else to say to him at this point. He had ruined plenty of things during the three years that we had been together, he had no right to keep doing it after I was finally free of him.
"Anything important?" Wyatt had asked with curiosity. He didn't look upset at all, just concerned. There must have been something on my face to tell him that wasn't a call I wanted to be getting. I tried to put a reassuring grin back in place, not wanting to make him think I was uncomfortable with what had just transpired between us.
"It's nothing." I’d replied. Why did Clint have to call at that exact moment? I never wanted that kiss to end.
Despite the lingering tension between us, we had continued with our work, making no mention of what had just passed between us until it was time for me to meet my Uncle. As I had turned to walk away I heard him call after me "I hope I see you later sweetheart."
It was getting dark and I finally had finished preparing everything for tomorrow. Dinner was waiting in the kitchen and I was more than ready to eat and go to bed. This day had been confusing beyond belief. As I had walked towards the house, all lit up and sparkling in the distance, I was thinking of nothing but a getting a good meal and soaking in a hot bubble bath before slipping in to my cozy bed and falling into a (hopefully) dreamless sleep. I was going to need to be well rested for tomorrow if even half the amount of people showed up that uncle Mark predicted would be here.
