She opens her mouth in what would be start of a protest, but Derek takes her arm and shows her the door.
Tanner mumbles something to Charlotte before leaving the room without a word to me. However, I do catch a glimpse of his angry face.
I sag into the chair opposite Charlotte, feeling a tremble in my hands. “That went well.” My gaze on my cousin becomes blurry as tears hover on my lashes. “What do I do now?”
Charlotte smiles and reaches across the table, taking my hands. “You continue to follow your heart. That’s what you do. It’s been obvious to me just how much Derek likes you from the first time you met each other. Tanner loves his father, and he will come around and accept his relationship with you.” She bites her lip, which makes me think she isn’t as convinced as she’s trying to make out.
“I love him Charlotte, and his age doesn’t bother me. It has never been an issue for me. I know it has for him.” I move to look out of the kitchen windows, relieved as I watch Dee drive away. It’s short lived though as Tanner now approaches his dad.
They move toward the stables and finally disappear after a few words to Geary.
“I want a relationship with him, and it would make all the difference to Derek if Tanner supported him.” I drop my shoulders and face her. “Derek said he’s in this with me regardless.”
“Look, my husband is level headed and he just needs time.” Charlotte moves closer. “I want you both to be happy.” Hugging me close, she says, “I’m going to the stables. Join me?”
“I’d love to.” Grabbing a cinnamon and raisin bagel, and after placing my coffee into a thermal cup, I step outside.
The air smells fresh and there’s a cool crisp breeze, but soon it will be much warmer as the sun rises higher in the sky.
“It’s beautiful here,” Charlotte comments.
My eyes find Derek riding out of the stables on his black beast of a horse, and I softly smile and reply, “It most certainly is.”
Chuckling, Charlotte steps down from the porch and heads toward her husband. They’re so cute together. Tanner holds the reins and leans down as far as he can to accept Charlotte’s kiss. He wraps an arm around her waist and hauls her up, seating her in front of him.
“Should I be insulted that you’re watching them and not me?” Derek smiles from under the brim of his hat.
Grinning, I move down the steps. “Oh, don’t worry, I can assure you, my eyes are most certainly on you.”
He pauses and holds his hand out. “Join me up here.”
I eye the beast and hear Derek chuckle. “Don’t worry, Knight won’t bite you…can’t say the same for the rider.”
Smirking, I take his hand and with some swift maneuvering, find myself on the horse. Derek wraps an arm around my waist, his palm flat against my stomach.
His lips graze my lobe, and with a gentle tug, he gets the horse moving while my temperature rises. “You’re enjoying this.”
“Mmm, I have your hands on me, and your body pressed against mine. Why wouldn’t I be enjoying this?”
With a gentle tug, my bottom is snug against the hardness at Derek’s groin. “I’m enjoying this too, in case you were wondering.”
“I don’t need to wonder, I can feel.” I turn my face up to his and tease. “I remember how it felt to have you sliding inside of me.” His eyes darken as we move further from the house and stables, so I continue, “All hard and pulsing into my warm swollen and wet body.” I caress his jaw, his eyes now blazing with arousal. “I was ready for you. I always am.”
Derek growls and captures my lips in a heated kiss. Our mouths move together, our tongues slipping and sliding like another part of his body does so well.
Panting, Derek rests his forehead against mine. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
“Not a chance.” I brush my lips softly over his, my body wanting him in a way I’d never experienced before.
His eyes gleam seconds before the snap of my jeans opens and the zipper goes down.
I catch my breath and rest my head back against his shoulder; my arm reaching up and I curve my hand behind his neck.
He whispers, “I’m going to give you a memory, so that every time you see me astride Knight, you’ll remember what I did to you.”
Before I have time to respond, a large rough hand slips inside my T-shirt, grabbing a handful of breast. He shoves the cup of my bra out of his way and then he’s pinching and rolling my nipple. Pleasure shoots straight between my legs causing a heavy gasp to leave my lips. His fingers dip into the opening of my jeans, and splay over my mound beneath my panties. The tip of his finger presses between my swollen lips.
“So good,” I moan. “I’ve wanted you to touch me for months.”
“I’ve been just as in need as you.” He kisses my cheek softly.
“Enjoy!” he hisses in my ear when a thick digit presses at my entrance. “So wet.”
“All for you.”
His hand trembles and the moment he enters me, my orgasm rushes forward. My muscles pulsate and clamp hard around his finger as I turn and search for his mouth.
The strength of Derek’s kiss heats my blood and sends me into another climax. He’s everywhere. His body completely surrounding me while his hand works magic.
“No more.” I struggle for breath.
Breathing heavily against my back, Derek, slowly withdraws his fingers, his hand wet. He puts my breast away and brings his hand from under my shirt, keeping it on my hip.
The hand that was in my jeans, he brings up to his face. My blush rapidly rises as he inhales my arousal.
His hooded eyes hold mine and I watch as he licks and sucks until his hand is clean. “Best scent and taste in the world.”
My breathing quickens, and I swiftly look away. “The things you do to me. I can’t think straight.” I push into him and remember just how hard he is.
“Are you not hurting?” I slip my hand between us and rub against his thick erection.
Derek hisses, quickly removing my hand. “I’m too close,” he admits. “I’ll come in my jeans.”
I snicker. “I just did…twice.”
“Mmm, so good, too.” He bites my earlobe. “I’d make more of a mess.”
“Then as soon as we get back your penis has a date with my mouth.” I smile to myself feeling ten feet tall when he lets out a stream of curse words under his breath.
I also notice when he moves his hips slightly away from my bottom. Sighing happily, I relax into him and enjoy the rest of the ride.
42
Derek
Unfortunately, stripping in the stables isn’t an option when we get back, not with Geary being in there, brushing the horses down before they get sent back outside
I chuckle when I notice the same disappointment on Madison’s face. I’d known exactly what she had planned the moment the words had left her mouth. Her blunt and explicit teasing was a surprise to me. Certainly, a refreshing surprise, considering she’s always come across shy.
Geary insists on taking Knight for a rub down, so I hold my hand out to Madison and get a beaming smile in return. Her fingers intertwine with mine and I hold on tight.
“I’ll make us some lunch, we can eat in the shade on the back porch, and talk.”
“Should I be worried?” her eyes searching for any clues.
I search her gaze, and smiling, move her so my arm is around her shoulders. “No.” I kiss the top of her head. “I want to hear about your family and your life up to now, nothing bad.”
“Like a first date.” She giggles.
“Exactly.”
Her arm slips around my back and the other over my stomach, resting on my side. She becomes solemn. “So, what happened with Tanner and Dee?”
“I’ll tell you over lunch.”
Fifteen minutes later we’re outside, eating our sandwiches and drinking the homemade lemonade.
“Tanner will come around.” I tell her, looking out to the horizon before holding her gaze. “He hasn
’t seen me with anyone before, and now that I’ve found someone I really do want to spend my time with, he finds it difficult to grasp because of your age.
“You’re Charlotte’s family and he doesn’t want you to get hurt, but I’m sure he’ll eventually get used to the idea of us.” I smile and take her slim hand, kissing the palm before I close her fingers over it. “At the end of the day, he wants me to be happy, and when he sees I’m content with you, he’ll be able to accept us.”
“Tanner is a good man, I mean, Charlotte did fall for him after all.” She grins. “I think I might talk to him and tell him how I feel about you. It might help, him hearing it from me.”
“Every little bit helps.”
“And Dee?” she questions.
I can’t help the wince at the mention of the other woman.
“That bad, huh?” Madison can’t help but let out a little snigger, covering her mouth in an attempt to hide it.
“Yes and no.” I cringe.
She raises a brow.
“Dee told me that she would stay away for now, ‘let me have my fun’, and then she’ll be back.” Those hadn’t been her exact words, which I’m sure Madison can figure out.
“She thinks you’re playing with me?”
“You know that’s not true, right?”
“Of course, I know that, but Dee obviously doesn’t.”
“Dee won’t be outshined by someone young enough to be my daughter.” I sigh. “I don’t want her.” I tug Madison from the chair into my lap and wrap my arms around her. “I only want you, and that’s all I’ve wanted since we met.”
“I know.” She brushes a kiss across my lips. “I guess we’ll be seeing her again, huh?”
“More than likely.” I do feel as though I led her on, even though I was straight with her from the beginning. Dee knew I wanted a friendship only, even if to begin with, I’d led Madison to believe otherwise. I should have known better with a woman like Dee.
Madison senses the end of that topic, steering the conversation away from Dee, she sighs. “I think this is my favorite place.” She rests her head on my shoulder looking out to the horizon. “I love the peace and quiet, and the view is something else entirely.”
“It means more to me now that I have you to share it with,” I admit, and laugh. “Corny, huh?”
Her eyes fill with excitement. “No. I feel the same way.”
“It doesn’t have to be temporary,” I whisper.
Madison lifts her eyes to mine and holding my gaze, she nervously licks her lips. “What do you mean?”
I softly smile and stroke a finger down the side of her face. “Exactly what you think I mean. I want someone to share my life with someone who wants me to share hers. This between us, started months ago, even if I’ve only just seen sense.” I caress her lips with the tip of my finger and focus on her reaction as her lips quiver, and the wet tip of her pink tongue sneaks out, licking me. “I don’t want to frighten you away, so we won’t go in to detail right now, but I need you to know that I’m serious—very serious about being with you in every way.” Resisting her lips, I kiss the tip of her nose. “I thought you should know.”
“So, what you’re saying is that you want me to live here with you?” She sits up. “I need it spelling out, so I don’t get the wrong idea.”
So much for not going into detail. “Yes.” I change the subject, “I’ve met your family, and I think they like me, right? But that was before we were together.”
Madison rolls her eyes and moves back to her chair, finishing her lunch. She munches on a sandwich looking thoughtful. “They like you. They also know how much I’ve fallen for you, especially my hardheaded brother, Dylan.” She grins. “Don’t worry about their reaction. They’ll love you.”
“Isn’t your brother at school with your cousins?”
“Yes, although Rachel and Paige have graduated now. Dylan and Jaxon have one more year, which they’re dreading. I think he’s had enough of school.” She sighs and sits back in the chair, kicking out her feet. “Rachel is now happily married to Alexander, and Paige is still having treatment with Seth by her side.”
“Seth?”
She chuckles. “Seth is Dylan’s best friend. Apparently, he’s always had a thing for Paige, and vice versa, but it wasn’t until Paige got sick and was in the hospital that everyone found out just how much Seth liked her. I think he’d really surprised Paige too. He hasn’t left her side since and he’s taken her to his family’s beachfront property. I like him and I’m glad she has someone to look out for her other than family.”
“Ramon and Noah don’t mind her traveling with someone else, while she’s sick?” I frown, knowing that I’d want to keep Tanner close if he had been as sick.
“They mind, but Paige is strong and knows what she wants. I think at the end of the day as long as she’s happy, and they know that they can visit her whenever, then they’re happy.”
“You have a good family, Madison.”
“I do.” She laughs. “We all grew up together because we’d always be around our grandparent’s ranch house. We’d ride the horses and just mess around. Plenty of time during the summer months would be spent at the pond, swimming and goofing around. It was great fun. Charlotte and Michael are the oldest and then it’s Alexander and Sirena. So, we’d sometimes spy on Michael and Alex when they’d have a girl over. Mainly Michael though. I think Alex had a thing for Rachel for a long, long time before he even knew himself.” She shrugs. “They’re so cute.”
“I enjoy being around your family. Until Tanner had fallen in love with Charlotte, it had always just been the two of us. I get overwhelmed sometimes because of that, but I enjoy watching the interaction between everyone. No one is uncomfortable, and the teasing can be harsh, but it’s amusing.”
“You need a thick skin to be around us McKenzie’s.”
“Did I hear the McKenzie’s mentioned?” Charlotte interrupts, joining us on the porch.
I glance behind her. “No Tanner?”
“He’s making me a sandwich and then he’ll be joining us.”
“Good.” I sigh, relieved that maybe my son will come around sooner rather than later.
Madison chews her bottom lip and getting to her feet, she caresses over my shoulders. “I’m going to have a talk with Tanner.”
I watch her go, my eyes still lingering once she’s disappeared inside.
Charlotte chuckles. “I’m glad you finally saw sense.”
“Me too.”
43
Madison
Tanner pauses with a knife loaded with mayonnaise in his hand when I walk into the kitchen before stiffly going back to his task. “I’m trying Madison.”
Sighing, I move further into the room and sit opposite him. “I know, and I’m not going to say I know how you feel because I don’t. But I just wanted you to know that I’m in love with your father.”
Tanner winces.
“It isn’t sudden, it’s been building since we first met, and Derek has been pushing me away ever since.” I shrug and wipe a stray tear.
Tanner sits and stares. “I’m not selfish enough to want my father alone for the rest of his life, but, with you, being two years younger than me, it’s weird, okay? I always expected him to find someone around his own age.” He holds his temper in check. “I liked Dee,” he grumbles, and it feels like a kick in the teeth.
“I guess you won’t even give me a chance, huh?” My heart pounds while I wait for his answer, and then he gives me a wry grin.
“Honestly, I don’t know.” He sighs softly. “But I can’t deny the way he looks at you or the pain I see in his gaze when he turns away.” Brushing a rough hand through his overlong hair, Tanner continues, “He’s been alone for so long, Madison, and I can’t help worry about him.”
“I get that, but I promise you I’m not going to hurt him. I’m not that kind of person. I want this relationship with him to work more than anything.” I reach out and rest my hand on the top of h
is. “If it means living here with him then I will. I’ll need trips for work, but my office is mobile.” I grin. “I’ll do anything that I have to, so your father is happy. There is only one Derek Jackson, and he’s mine.”
Tanner frowns deeply. “I need time.” He rubs a hand over his face. “Does my father know you consider him yours?”
“I do,” Derek appears in the doorway, and slowly moves closer, placing his hands on my shoulders. He bends and places a kiss to the top of my head. “She’s mine too and I couldn’t be happier.” Derek rubs his hands together trying to play it cool.
“Siesta time,” Charlotte says as though reading my thoughts, staring at her husband.
Turning, I wink at Derek who tries to keep the delight from his face.
Tanner gives us both a curious glance before shoving a plate of sandwiches into Charlotte’s hand, and two sodas and chips into his own. “We’ll see you later.”
My smile slips as they disappear, which Derek notices. Taking my hand, he drops into the chair next to mine. “What happened?”
“He prefers Dee.”
“What? That’s not true.”
“That’s what he told me. I’m too young and Dee is in the right age.” I shrug. “I hate how he’d prefer you to be with Dee.” A tear slips down my face.
“Please don’t get upset.” Derek brushes my tear away with his thumb. “I know he’s a grown man with a wife of his own now, but it’s going to be strange for him to see me with someone.” He winces. “And then he wouldn’t have been expecting me to choose someone younger than him, I guess.”
Derek cups my face in his hands. “I choose you, Madison McKenzie.” He quickly kisses my forehead. “Follow me and let me show you how much you mean to me.” Pulling me out of the chair, he leads me to the stairs.
Once we’re locked inside his large bedroom, I grin. “You’ve already shown me.” I raise a brow and slowly lick my lips. “I think it’s my turn to show you.”
He gets an excited light in his eyes and lowers his lids when I drop to my knees in front of him. “I do believe I promised my mouth a date with your,” I eye the bulge at his groin and smirk, “very excited penis.” Fluttering my lashes, I smirk, Derek laughs, turning it into a groan as I lower the zipper.
McKenzie Cousins Box Set 2 Page 18