by Laney Powell
But if he’d come when I wasn’t here? He might have hurt Gran. With that pleasant thought in mind, I walked out to where our cars were parked, and we left, going our separate ways. I thought a lot about how my stupid relationship was putting a burden on more than just me—another reason to leave.
What in the world was Stephen thinking, coming here? I went over it, puzzling. I’d moved out. I’d taken all my stuff, leaving most of the furniture, and all his stuff. I’d been meticulous about making sure I didn’t take anything that wasn’t mine, because I didn’t want to deal with him.
So why would he come here?
When I parked at the main house at the ranch, I still didn’t have the answer. But I didn’t have any time to think about it further because Freeze came out before I’d even got out of the car.
“Took you long enough,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee.
“Hush,” I said. “You’re totally monopolizing me, keeping me from helping my poor old Gran… and yet, here I am.”
Freeze looked at me and burst into laughter. When he’d stopped, I’d walked up the stairs to the main level. I didn’t even look at the window of the guest room on the ground floor where I’d had the best sex of my life. Not even a side-eye in that direction.
“Well, that didn’t take long. Here I thought you were sweet and respectful toward your elders and now look at you.” He shook his head.
Despite the worry that I hadn’t shaken, I smiled at him. “You become like the people around you, right?”
“Well, then, you’re doomed,” Freeze said. “Coffee?”
“God, yes,” I said.
Once inside, he poured me a cup. As I set it up with the appropriate amounts of cream and sugar, he continued.
“You know what you’re going to do?”
I nodded as I wrapped my hands around the cup and took a sip. Ambrosia. Freeze preferred strong, dark coffee. Just what I needed this morning.
“It’s not going to be complete, and if you get audited, it will be scrutinized. I don’t have the time to do a proper evaluation. I also need to leave around two today. I need to get some work done for my day job.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?”
“I am,” I nodded. “I never take a vacation. I actually do enjoy my job. And my boyfr—well, my ex, he didn’t—” I stopped, both furious and wanting to cry. I took a breath. “That doesn’t matter. I have a metric ton of vacation hours.” I forced myself to laugh. “Since I never take them, my boss managed for a week before he called me in a panic. So I’m getting overtime pay when I work on his cases, and vacation pay.”
“Pretty sharp. I suppose I should be glad you didn’t take me for everything you could.”
“Freeze! What a thing to say!” I glared over my coffee cup. “I like my boss. He got the friend rate.”
Freeze burst out laughing again. “Then I’d better leave you to it. I gotta get out and make sure they don’t mess things up. Kids,” he shrugged.
He made me smile. I couldn’t believe how much I liked him.
“Coffee’s in the pot if you need a refill. See you later!” He waved as he left, grabbing his cowboy hat as he walked out the back door. A moment later, I heard him going down the stairs.
I refilled my cup and went to the office. I needed to get as much done as possible. I really did have to finish work for my firm, and I wanted to get ready for my date with Jensen tonight.
The boxes of records I’d stacked up didn’t seem quite as daunting with a smile on my lips at the thought of Jensen.
A couple of hours later, I heard people coming in. My heart sped up. I could hear Jensen’s voice. I found that I wanted to see him badly, but I didn’t want to expose this… this whatever we were, to anyone just yet. And I really needed to keep working.
“You coming out for lunch?” Jensen poked his head in.
I shook mine. “I need to get this done. I’m leaving at two. I have things to do at home.” I flashed him what I hoped was a flirty grin. I was so out of practice. He looked so good. My nipples tightened at the sight of him, and I could feel the bloom of desire in my lady bits.
His face took on an appreciative look. “I’ll bring you a plate.”
“Thank you,” I said.
We stared at one another for a moment, and then he disappeared. Jesus. All he had to do was look at me and I was close to dissolving in a puddle of lust. Another reason to skip lunch. I didn’t think I could hide it well, and while I wasn’t sure how much Pris and Axel saw, Freeze saw everything.
A few moments later, Jensen reappeared with a plate holding a sandwich, salad, and potatoes. He set the plate on the desk and came to where I’d been looking in one of the record boxes.
Without even thinking about it, I walked into his arms, loving the way it felt to be embraced by him. I felt safe and protected. Something else fluttered at the back of my brain and I pushed it away.
“You doing all right?” he asked.
I knew he was referring to my call this morning. I nodded against his chest. “I’m better. I just don’t understand why he’d think he had a chance with me again.”
Jensen made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort.
“Thanks for talking with me this morning.”
“I’m always here,” he said, the rumble of his voice through his chest making a pleasant vibration against my ear. He smelled good, like the outdoors, and sunshine, and a little bit of horse, and whatever soap he’d used this morning. He smelled like a man. I loved it.
“I’ll be over after five today,” Jensen said. “I asked Freeze if I could cut out a little early.”
“And he just let you?” I looked up at him.
He nodded.
“Good.”
Jensen leaned down and kissed my head. “I’d kiss you more, but I don’t have a lot of self-control with you, Carissa.”
“Fine by me,” I said, letting him go.
“Can’t wait for tonight,” he said.
“Me, either.” I went to the desk and grabbed the sandwich, watching his backside as it walked away. He was a man who looked good in jeans. I thought he’d probably look good in anything. It was all the training as a SEAL. He didn’t have an ounce of fat on him.
I knew his arm wasn’t at one hundred percent, but I hadn’t really seen any major faults in how he moved, how he used his arms. Remembering the way he used his arms on me the last time I was here made my cheeks hot and my panties wet.
“Focus, Webber,” I told myself. I hurriedly ate and got back to my records. I figured one more day, and I’d have all the records I needed to offer a basic, high-level evaluation. I’d be sure to write a letter that made it clear that I didn’t have enough time to be as thorough as I liked, so that I didn’t get sued later.
None of the Buckleys seemed like the sue happy types we saw at the firm, but you never knew. One of the things I’d learned early on was cover your ass. Now that I was a CPA, it was even more important. A paper trail and copious records.
Axel stuck his head in. “We’re all headed back out, Carissa. Freeze said you were leaving around two?”
I looked up. “Yes, that was the plan.”
“Will you lock the door on the way out?”
“Sure.”
“Have a nice evening,” he said with a big grin, bigger than I thought was necessary. What was that about?
“Oh, thanks. You, too. I’ll be here tomorrow. I need another day with these,” I gestured at the boxes, “And then I’ll be able to write up what Freeze asked for.”
“Hey, better you than me. Seriously, thank you for the work you’re doing. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With another oversized grin, he was gone.
The house went quiet as everyone left. At a quarter to two, I tidied everything up, and left my plate in the sink. Then I went home, excited to get ready. Gran was gone for the night, which meant that I had Jensen in the house all to myself.
There wasn’t much furniture left, but we had a t
able, and we had my bed. What else would we need? I smiled. Not much. Maybe a shower? The thought made me want to fan myself. I sped back to Gran’s, only stopping once at the drug store.
Going through my email, I finished up the tasks that Ted needed today, and then turned my thoughts to more pleasant things. First things first. I went right to the fridge to see what I could make. This could be a challenge.
“You can do this,” I muttered. “It’s food, and a stove. Simple. There are even instructions.” I found chicken, and some corn on the cob, and the makings of a salad. OK. I could manage this.
When I’d offered to cook, I hadn’t been thinking about the fact that I wasn’t really much of a cook—Stephen had done most of the cooking. I preferred takeout. Cooking was not my thing. But it was just chicken. Gran had tried, and with her oversight, I managed. I was what I called a survivalist cook, even with the gift of cast iron pans. I could feed myself. But I didn’t love it like she did, and I wasn’t great at it.
Well, I’d manage now, damn it.
I pulled spices from the cupboard, going by memory of what I’d seen Gran use. I rubbed them on the chicken and put it back into the fridge. Then I peeled the corn and chopped vegetables. Finally, I pulled up the recipe for the chicken to make sure I was doing it right.
“Well, that’s as good as it’s going to get,” I said, having stored everything. Jensen was going to be here around five. If I started dinner at four-thirty, it would be ready a short time after he got here, and then we’d have the entire evening together.
Dinner sorted, I went into my room, and pulled out comfy leggings and a tee shirt along with the sexiest underwear and bra I owned. They were both white and lacy and barely there. Normally, I wouldn’t do leggings for a date, but I wanted to have something on that was easy to get out of.
I laughed at myself. I was setting everything up so that it all led to one place—Jensen in my bed. That was the perfect place for him to be.
And if he was dazzled by me and my undies, maybe he wouldn’t want to talk about my panicked call this morning. Or the fact that I had an expiration date here in Paulson. Shit, I didn’t want to talk about either of those things.
Shaking my head, I hurried to the shower, and I took such a long time, the water went cool. When I got out, it was twenty to five.
“Shit!” I hurried to the kitchen and got the chicken in the stove. I opened the window—it was hot in here, with the sun on this room most of the day and now the stove on. Then I got dressed and took extra time blow-drying my hair. I usually went out to the ranch with my hair up in a sort of bun, or a ponytail. I wanted to look a little more put together tonight—maybe the leggings weren’t a good choice?
“Shit!” It was after five. I needed to get myself together. I finished my hair, and then went back to the kitchen, and started mixing up the salad, and got the corn going. I felt rushed, and I hated that.
I stood up straight and took a deep breath. It would be fine. Jensen was coming here to see me. He’d seen me with dirt and dust all over me, sweating at Gran’s estate sale, and he still wanted to be with me. He’d already seen me naked.
“Deep breath,” I said. I took a few more. This was supposed to be fun. Fun.
I went to sit at the table, looking over my laptop. There were several emails from my bank, and my retirement funds management company. My firm had a pretty good pension system set up. You had to work your ass off to get it, and I’d done that last year.
Both reported that someone had attempted to log into my accounts. That was weird. I followed the directions of both to reset my password into something no one would guess. Then I checked in with work, seeing what else needed to be done. My boss had sent a rather whiny email, asking when I’d be back. I laughed. He wasn’t a jerk, but he was driven, loved what he did, and expected a lot from the people who worked for him.
I left his email until later and closed the laptop. I’d need to work tomorrow, on both Freeze’s evaluation, and some of the files the office had sent me. I was thinking about both of them when the doorbell rang.
Jensen stood there, wearing a cowboy hat, and looking freshly showered. He’d been dusty when I last saw him. He held a bouquet of flowers.
“Well, come in,” I said. “Going native?” I pointed at the hat.
“It’s handy, and I think I look pretty hot in it,” he said with a grin.
“I would agree with that,” I took his hand.
“These are for you,” he handed me the flowers, a bouquet of a mix of summer colors. There were sunflowers in the bouquet which I loved.
“Thank you, although I’m not sure I have a vase,” I laughed. “It’s getting pretty bare around here.” I turned to walk to the kitchen and his arms snaked around me, yanking me to him.
“You look fucking incredible,” he whispered against my neck as he kissed it.
“I’m glad you think so.”
“Your ass,” his hands slid down to cup it, “has no business going out in public looking like this.”
“Why is that?” I whispered, feeling a little breathless as he kissed my ear and his hands kneaded my ass.
“Because it’s enough to drive any man insane.”
“Is that so?”
“It is,” Jensen’s hands moved back up and held me around the waist.
“Well, as long as you think so,” I said, feeling a little shy. How did he do that—throw me into a tailspin with only a few words and the touch of his hands?
“I do indeed.”
“Let me put these down, and we can continue this,” I said, easing away, even though I wanted to stay right where I was.
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day,” Jensen said as I went into the kitchen.
I found a chipped mason jar under the sink, filled it, and arranged the flowers, taking them out to the table. As I set them down, Jensen gestured to my laptop.
“Working?”
“Sort of. I was seeing how I needed to plan out the rest of the week. But did you really want to talk about my work?” I asked, amazed at my boldness. He seemed to bring that out in me.
Carefully, Jensen set his hat on the table. “I’m interested in everything about you, Carissa. But right now, no, I don’t want to talk about work.”
“Excellent,” I grinned. “Why don’t I show you my bedroom?”
We smiled at one another, and then he swooped me up in his arms and went to my bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him with his foot.
“Yee haw,” I said, pulling his face down to kiss him.
Chapter Seventeen
Jensen
I’ve had to get undressed quickly at times in my life, but I don’t think I’d ever undressed as quickly as Carissa and I did after I kicked the door closed. She was out of her little leggings before I had my boots off. She was wearing a tiny lacy bra that cupped her breasts beautifully, and the smallest pair of panties ever.
They looked fucking fantastic on her. “Let me take those off,” I said.
“You’re kind of slow,” she said, laughing, as I struggled to get my second boot off. While the cowboy hat was new, I’d had the boots forever, although I hadn’t had the chance to wear them much while I was still in. I spent too much time deployed. They were nearly broken in, but still a little stiff at the tops.
Kind of like me, I thought.
Finally, the damn boots were on the floor, and I shucked my jeans.
“I’ve been thinking about this all day,” Carissa confessed. Her cheeks were pink.
I loved that. That she wasn’t afraid to ask me for what she wanted, but it still made her blush. And that her blushes were for me.
I’d been determined to talk with her about the stupid ex douchebag, but she’d opened the door looking so damn delicious, I decided that could wait. I needed to be next to her, in her, and lose myself in her.
“That makes two of us,” I said, yanking off my tee shirt.
She waved a box at me.
I laughed. “Feel
ing optimistic?” I asked. It was a larger box than the one she’d had before.
“Hopeful,” Carissa said.
“Well, let’s get to it,” I said. “That is, if you’re on the same page I am,” I added.
“Hell, yes,” she said. She tore open the box and pulled out a small foil packet. Tearing it open, she gestured at me to come closer.
My cock was already rock hard, which seemed to be a permanent state for me around this woman, and she rolled it onto me, keeping her eyes on me. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. I couldn’t remember feeling so comfortable with a woman. So… myself.
Carissa reached for her panties and I stopped her. “I promise to get you another pair,” I said.
“What?” she asked.
I tugged hard at them and the lacy panties ripped. They didn’t stand a chance. I had to take a breath at the sight of her.
Carissa shivered.
That was it. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I lay down on top of her, and she opened her legs. I plunged in, and she grabbed my shoulders as she thrust toward me.
My bum arm shook a little, and I adjusted, trying to keep my balance. It had been a long day on the ranch, and it was tired.
“Why don’t you roll over?” Carissa asked.
“What?” I asked, taken off guard and trying to keep my balance so I didn’t fall on her.
“I want to be on top,” she said.
I leaned back, staying joined with her, and slid my hands under her ass, pulling her up. Then I sat back. She moved a little, making my cock want to fuck her until she screamed my name.
And then Carissa rode me, fucking me until we both yelled out each other’s names.
Afterwards, we lay in her bed, her in my arm, head on my chest. She’d done this before.
I said, “You’re a hell of a woman, Carissa.”
“Well, you’re pretty amazing yourself,” she said.
Whatever I was about to say was cut short by banging on the door.