by Lux Miller
Once she relaxes slightly, I bring my hands up to her temples and press my fingertips into the softness there. When she doesn’t jerk away in pain, I begin to massage in slow, small circles. She moans with abandon as I continue to rub her temples with enough force to bruise her skin, but she isn’t pushing me away. Instead, she’s curled into me, every inch of her body touching mine. And as the world continues to spin outside of this room, my entire world stops as I pour everything I can into bringing relief to the woman who has somehow managed to steal my heart…
SEVENTEEN
Raven
I have no idea what time it is when I wake up, but the muscular arms wrapped around me are unmistakable. I’ve fallen asleep with Hunter and woken up entangled in his embrace twice in as many days. And despite flushing all of my candies down the toilet yesterday, I’m surprisingly mostly pain-free this morning. Sure, my head still has a dull throb, but that’s almost always there - a lovely souvenir from my car accident. But the thundering of a rebound headache is strangely absent. I’ve gotten so used to it by now that the relative silence inside my head is disarming.
“It’s early still. We could still sleep for another hour or two,” Hunter murmurs as I shift in his arms. He tightens his grip around me, and I don’t struggle to free myself. I’m not desperately trying to escape some level of embarrassment that could fall anywhere from I blew this guy last night to a full fledged fuck-fest where he tried out every position and can’t wait to tell his friends. Because that didn’t happen. I know it didn’t because I was actually there. I was aware of my surroundings and in full control of my own body. I had a head-splitting migraine that would bring the strongest leader to their knees, but I was me. Because of him.
I shrug in his arms and tilt my head up slightly. I find him gazing right back down at me, the shadows of the still-dark room highlighting the angles on his face. I offer him a small smile and explain, “I slept really well to be honest and I think I’m all charged, but I wouldn’t mind laying here with you a little longer, that is… if you want to…”
Hunter nods and tugs me up his side so that my cheek rests on his shoulder. I can’t help the stupid smile that spreads across my face when he does, either. There’s something about this guy that just makes me giddy like a damn schoolgirl. And I’m far too old and disillusioned to think like I’m still in high school. He’s just being sweet.
He leans down over me and places a kiss against my forehead, then mumbles, “I could lay here with you for as long as you’d let me… Raven…”
I shudder against his side, and he pulls the covers up over us. “Are you cold?”
I shake my head quickly, my ears turning neon pink. “I, uh… was just thinking how maybe…”
I don’t get to finish my statement as he interrupts me. “Maybe it isn’t so bad to wake up in a man’s bed when you know how you got there?”
My gaze shoots up to his, and our eyes lock for a moment. I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. Honestly, he’s pretty close to hitting the nail on the head. I know we didn’t do anything stupid last night, so I’m not automatically thrown into fight or flight mode. “Yeah, and I still have all my clothes on…”
Hunter shifts beside me and leans down, his lips coming dangerously close to mine. They’re so close, in fact, that I can feel his breath as he whispers, “That could change if you wanted it to…”
I tense and so does he. He groans softly and pulls back from me, “Just ignore me, Raven. I may have my sweet moments, but I’m still a guy. A lousy one at that. I’m sorry that one slipped through the filter. I think it might be broken…”
I watch him curiously, then shake my head, sliding my hand up his chest and to the side of his neck. I don’t have a good grip on him, but my movement is enough to make him pause. I smile and bring my hand up to his cheek, letting my thumb trace along his angular jaw. He blinks nervously and adds, “If you’re gonna slap me, do it quick. I hate the anticipation of getting smacked…”
A nervous giggle bubbles up from my throat. I shake my head quickly, then ask seriously, “Why on Earth would I slap you? You nursed me through a migraine, and because of that, I didn’t lean on my crutch and go apeshit crazy on you. And now, not only do I not have regrets from last night… I also don’t have a rebound headache. I finally feel like… me. I should be thanking you, not reprimanding you like you’re a child, so…”
I lean up and gently press my lips to his, wincing slightly when his entire body tenses. I chuckle against his mouth, then drag my tongue along his bottom lip. He groans softly, and I murmur, “So, you were saying something about losing some clothes? How about you start?”
Hunter jerks away from me, his eyes wild with worry. He backs away from me and holds both hands out in front of him. “Raven, I uh, wasn’t serious… I wouldn’t ask you… couldn’t ask you to do something like that. I know that you haven’t, uh, you know… done that kind of stuff when you’re in your right mind and all, so I couldn’t pressure you…”
I raise one eyebrow and sit up in the bed beside him. “Hunter, it’s me… it’s Raven.”
He shakes his head wildly as he watches me with wide eyes. “How do I know that? Raven wouldn’t say something like that… she wouldn’t think things like that. I was an idiot for even bringing it up. I didn’t mean you had to, would want to…”
I tilt my head at him slightly and bite down on my bottom lip until he quits blabbering. When he’s done, I shift myself so that I’m on my knees on the bed beside him with my feet tucked under my ass. “Because Queenie wouldn’t ask…”
Hunter stops moving, staring at me intently as he tries to figure out if I’m bullshitting him or not. He hasn’t moved a muscle, and I’m not so sure he isn’t holding his breath. I watch him with interest for a minute until his chest shifts slightly. Okay, he’s breathing. That’s step one.
I look down at him and put both hands on his chest, over the thin t-shirt he wore last night along with his jeans. At least he managed to pull off the belt with the almost-tacky belt buckle. I don’t think I’d have slept very well if he’d left it on anyway. I shudder as the hard muscles under my hands tighten. This guy must be absolutely ripped under his clothes. It’s not really something I’d thought about before. I’d never had a clear enough head to worry about what Hunter looked like under his cowboy chic finery. But now I can’t stop thinking about it.
“Queenie would also be trying to shove her hands down your pants to grab hold of the family jewels. From what I’ve been told, she doesn’t mince words or waste time with getting what she wants… I’m not looking to rock your world, Hunter… I’m just… looking to open mine to possibilities…”
Hunter blinks at me, swallowing hard enough that his Adam’s apple bobs in his throat like a freshly thrown line on a summer day. He groans as I push my hands up over his chest and to the sides of his neck, leaning down over him, my face inches from his. “Besides… it’s my birthday, Hunter… can’t a girl even get something as simple as a little birthday kiss?”
His body stiffens beneath me, but he doesn’t withhold himself any longer. He leans up to meet me and presses his lips to mine, groaning as we connect. For me, it’s different than last night in a way I don’t even understand. Kissing Hunter now, with no migraine, no medicine… there’s no electric spark racing through my veins or fireworks exploding like the fourth of July. Instead, there’s a sense of calm that washes over me and lulls me to acceptance.
Hunter groans as he drags his tongue over the seam of my lips, and I accept his request, parting them for him. He wastes no time in thrusting his tongue into my mouth, but it isn’t desperately needy. He’s not devouring my mouth like he can’t get enough. He’s gentle and sweet and dare I say it, his kiss puts me at ease. I’m not jumping at the bit to yank his clothes off… I just don’t want this moment to end.
But like every other good thing in my life, this too ends as Hunter pulls back with a surprised jerk. “I, Raven… I shouldn’t…”
&nbs
p; I nod quickly, “Yeah, you shouldn’t talk… just shut up and kiss me…”
He shifts uncomfortably on the bed, and I know without looking that he’s trying to hide his arousal before I notice. I smile and reach my hand behind me, putting it over his gently. I know he’s gripping his crotch and probably some degree of a bulge, but I don’t care. “Stop, Hunter… it’s okay. I know this must be difficult for you. You’ve had me physically, and just because I don’t remember it, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen or that it wasn’t good for you. Which I hope it was, at least, good for you, because if it wasn’t… that’s a whole new level of embarrassing.
“Look, I’m not a virgin, but I consider myself to still be inexperienced. At least in my head. I know my body isn’t, and I’ve come to peace with it… and I’m okay with you being attracted to it physically, but you have to know… I don’t plan on letting Queenie play any more… so if you’re attracted to me physically, you’re going to have to figure out a way to reconcile the Raven you’ve kissed and the Raven you’ve screwed, because even though we’re physically the same, we’re vastly different.”
Hunter is silent for several moments before he finally speaks, “And what if I want them to be the same? What then?”
His question catches me completely off guard. I’m startled enough that my hand slips off of his and onto his crotch all on its own. My eyes widen as the realization of what just happened dawns on me. I swallow hard, but I don’t move my hand. Instead, I grip him through his jeans and shiver when the purest sound of pleasure tumbles out of his mouth. He slams a hand over the lower half of face to stifle the sound, but it makes me squirm nonetheless.
“Do you, Hunter? Do you want me like you wanted her?”
Hunter nods immediately, his eyes glued to my face. “I wanted you all along, Raven. I thought she was you until it was too late, but even sleeping with her hasn’t sated the need to be with you. I just don’t want to push you into something you’re not ready for…”
I take a deep breath and look dead at him. He’s watching me like I’m a bunny about to bolt. I exhale slowly and cross my arms over my chest, grabbing hold of the bottom of my shirt, and tugging it off over my head. I drop it onto the floor behind me and turn to find him watching me in awe. I know my cheeks are flaming red as Hunter’s eyes take in every inch of bare skin he can see. Despite being fully covered by the black bralette I put on yesterday, I still feel incredibly exposed.
Hunter sits up halfway and reaches behind his neck, tugging his gray t-shirt off and dropping it onto the bed beside him. My eyes immediately drop to his torso, and I gasp with what I see. As I suspected, Hunter is ripped. Probably from years of manual labor on the ranch. He and his sister have been a fixture on the Bianchi ranch since before Aspen even knew Blake, which is over four years. That’s enough time to rip any body and working on the ranch has been kind to Hunter physically, though I know he’s been here closer to six years.
I swallow and bring one hand to his chest, tracing my fingertips along the ridges of his muscles. His eyes snap shut, and he groans softly under his breath as I slowly drag my right hand down his body, tangling my fingers into the tuft of sandy-blond hair below his belly button. He grunts and leans forward, sliding one arm around my back and pulling me against him as he sits up, our bodies clashing together almost as roughly as our mouths do.
This kiss is full of need, and my mind is racing with a million thoughts, more than one of which is laced with panic. Hunter brings his hands up to my face, cradling my cheeks in his palms as he delves his tongue into my mouth. I moan softly as he slides his hands down until they’re resting on my upper arms. He pulls his lips from mine to mutter, “Raven, just say the word…”
I jump with a start as I hear the front door slam open, and Eli’s panicked voice fills the house. “The miniatures are out! Ditsy’s done busted them free!”
I groan as I pull back and snatch his shirt off the bed from beside him, tugging it on over my head before Eli can catch us in this compromising position. The heat of the moment is gone, even though he’s staring at me with hunger. I sigh heavily as our eyes meet. He smiles a crooked grin and raises one eyebrow as I throw out one word, though it’s probably not the one he was expecting, “Fuck…”
EIGHTEEN
Hunter
If you’d asked me yesterday what my opinion of Ditsy, the troublemaker miniature horse, I’d have told you just that. He gets into trouble that he usually needs help getting out of, but as a ranch hand, I’m tasked with protecting the animals, even the ones who could use a few more brain cells. Today, my opinion has changed. Today, he’s become my mortal enemy and a grade A cockblocker. And while I’m silently cursing him for it as I climb out of my bed and yank on a clean shirt, I’m still sworn to protect the animals. Besides, it’s not just Ditsy that’s in trouble - he’s just the ringleader that set them all free.
I grumble as I shove my feet into my beat-up boots. I should probably change my socks, but I honestly don’t have time. These will just have to go in the trash when the day is done. Two days on my feet and they could probably walk on their own. But truth be told, all of my clothes are from yesterday, and they’ll have to stay that way. If the miniatures are out like Eli said, there’s trouble brewing. I groan and glance over my shoulder at Raven and notice she’s ready to go too.
I narrow my eyes at her. “Are you coming? Is your head okay? It’s cold out there today… are you sure you want to go?”
Raven nods as she grabs one of my hoodies and pulls it on. I notice, but don’t say anything. Everyone is gonna notice, because it hangs off her like a tent, but again with the time. Raven just nods with a sigh, “Surprisingly, yes… I’m headache-free at the moment. I’m sure that will change once we spend an hour chasing down the dirty little troublemaker and his six buddies, but they were left in my care. I’m responsible for their safety and the other animals too. Can you imagine what would happen if one of them spooked the herd?”
Shit, she’s right. The herd is used to Dallas and Fiona and will tolerate Liberty (though there’s never been anyone brave enough to ride her), but they haven’t been introduced to the miniatures yet, because the miniatures still need a bit of, ahem, training. Some of them are total dolts, (Ditsy, I’m looking at you!) and we haven’t felt comfortable putting them with the herd yet. Which wasn’t an issue, since the miniatures have been in isolation for a couple of weeks. Until today, of course…
I snag a hoodie for myself and yank it on, trudging out to the living room where Eli is waiting. “Finally,” he breathes. “I thought I was gonna have to come in there and drag you out of bed. I know it’s early, but Ashley is outright panicking over the miniature horses being missing.”
I nod slowly as I process what he’s saying. Ashley’s aware as well, and it sounds like she’s already out there trying to round them up. Which also means she’s likely on Fiona. Eli nods at me, “Yeah, I’ve got Dallas. I can give her over to you if you want, but there’s no way in hell I’m getting near Liberty again. She might’ve won me Ashley, but I value my neck being in one piece. No offense to Poppy…”
Chuckling, I nod and hold up both hands, “None taken. She’s about healed up now, at least physically. Emotionally, it was pretty traumatizing, but I assure you, she has far bigger fish to fry back home with her marriage. I’ll figure something out, but you go on and ride with Ashley. She needs the extra eyes in case the herd doesn’t react well to the intruders. Also, round up the Anatolian pups that aren’t currently in-herd and get them out there.”
Eli nods quickly, one eyebrow popping up as I hear footsteps behind me. He gives me a knowing look and turns to leave. He glances back over his shoulder and whispers, “Just don’t let Aspen find out. She’ll kill you. She might seem sweet and all, but she’s a bit protective… just don’t do anything I’d do...”
I nod as Eli pops out the front door, then groan, dragging one hand down over my face. Before I can even feel her presence behind me, I laugh, “Hey Rave
n… couldn’t let me scoot him out the door before you came out of my room, huh?”
I turn to face her, and she stops dead in her tracks, her cheeks crimson. Of course, she wouldn’t have been thinking that way. She’s not the one who’s normally involved in such affairs. Well, it’s her physically, so everyone assumes it’s her, but not me. I know better. I shake my head and step over to her, wrapping my arms around her and tugging her against me.
She’s tense as I do, so I lean my face down and whisper in her ear, “I’m not worried for my own sake, Raven… I’m worried for yours. Don’t want to get your sister all up in our business. But don’t you think for a minute that I’m embarrassed to be seen with you. Reputation be damned, I kinda like you, Raven. Besides, you’re not the only one who’s made some questionable choices in their sex life, okay? And I don’t have a valid excuse for them like you do…”