by Kadie Scott
“Thank you,” Cash said over her giggles.
Suddenly all those sleepless nights and the doubts that had piled on in the minds of his family were worth it.
“Wait…” his dad said. “Months? Is that where you’ve been on those nights you didn’t come home?”
Autry shrugged.
“I think we owe you an apology, Son.” John Hill going gruff and emotional was a rare sight.
“I don’t blame you, Dad. I earned my reputation, fair and square.” And he’d earn the house fair and square too. Moments of insanity with Beth notwithstanding.
“All right, everyone,” a woman announced from the doorway. They turned to find a nurse in pink scrubs standing there. “I hate to break up the party, but visiting hours are over. Time to go and let Mama rest.”
“I can stay though, right, Daddy?” Sophia blinked up at Cash with those big, blue Hill eyes, the picture of angelic innocence with her honey-blonde curls.
“Sorry, baby. Hospital rules. I’ll stay here with Mama. You’re going home with Gammy and Pop-pop.”
“But—”
“Hospital rules, darlin’,” Holly murmured softly.
The thunderous frown gathering over Sophia’s brow eased. “Okay, Mama.”
Behind his daughter’s back, Cash shared an amused smile with Holly, giving his head a shake.
It took at least another ten minutes for everyone to say goodbye to Holly, Cash, and the babies—Sophia especially, who insisted on kissing her new brother and sister several times—and file out of hospital. Then they had to fill Autry in on what he’d missed, most of which had been waiting, before they all said goodbye to each other.
Though he’d been quiet all the time with the family, Dylan chattered nonstop about how small the babies were and his opinions on the names the entire drive to his house. Beth waited in the car while Autry ran the kid up to the house and handed him over to Mrs. Wright who offered her congratulations on the new babies in the family when she was told.
Leaving Dylan with a promise to go see the babies after they went home, prompting Dylan to offer to help Autry with his nighttime gifts, Autry hopped back in the truck. The drive to Beth’s house was quick. He walked her to the door.
“Those babies were pretty darn cute,” he said. “I’m glad you were there tonight.”
The words were out of his mouth before he thought them through, but damned if he’d take them back. Because he meant that. Sharing that moment with both Beth and Dylan had made it even more… special. In a weird way.
He had no idea what that meant, maybe, just maybe, it meant that he liked having them in his life.
Beth gave a soft smile. “Me, too.”
Usually, he’d give a teasing parting shot and leave about now, but reluctance slowed him down, had him pausing, and gazing down at the dynamo who’d invaded his life and taken over his thoughts. “So… what chore are you going to make me do?” he asked.
Was it his imagination or did her cheeks turn red? Hard to tell in the dark on her front porch.
“I had something in mind,” she murmured. She nibbled at her lip, as if she were nervous.
He cocked his head. “Can I get it done tonight?”
That brought out a low chuckle. “If you’re not too tired.”
She lifted her gaze and he couldn’t miss the glimmer in those blue depths. Beth was up to no good in the best way.
“It depends. What’d you have in mind?” he asked slowly.
“I could use a—” She broke off and tugged at the hem of her top, shifting from foot to foot. “I really need you to—” She stopped again and shook her head.
“Yeah?” he prompted. Did his smile look as confused as he felt?
Beth blew out a breath then stepped up to him, going up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. “I could really use an orgasm, if you’re not too busy.”
*
Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious. Did I seriously ask Autry Hill to give me an orgasm as his chore for winning the bet?
What in the world was she thinking?
She was thinking she wanted a repeat of last time, and more of Autry. That’s what she was thinking. This man, charming as he was, she was discovering was also kind, loyal, and dedicated to things he believed in. Practicing to help both Michelle and Cash and Holly with their babies about floored her. Who knew the cowboy had such a sweet side?
If she could just get a little piece of him, even for a little while, maybe that would be enough.
Was she joining the pool of pathetic women who’d fallen for this man?
Probably.
The thing was, she was starting to not care. She liked him… and she liked who she got to be with him.
Only he was still staring at her with zero expression. No reaction.
“Say something,” she whispered.
Only he didn’t. He stared for another moment, then something shifted in his eyes, going dark and hot and pulling out the same immediate, throbbing reaction from her body.
He put his hands to her waist and walked her backward, kicking the front door closed behind him. He didn’t stop there, backing her through the open space to the island in her kitchen. He moved one of the barstools aside and lifted her up to sit on it, then stepped between her legs, pressing the most intimate part of her against his body. His already hard erection jutted through the soft cloth of the old jeans he’d worn.
Slowly—her heart picking up speed with each passing moment—he closed the distance between them. “This is about me doing for you. Tell me what you want,” he whispered, his warm breath feathering across her lips.
Beth sucked in a breath at the light in his eyes—as though he saw her, everything about her, and wanted every part of her.
“I want you, Autry Hill,” she murmured. “Any way I can have you.”
She’d barely got all the words out before he captured her lips, giving her exactly what she’d asked for. Beth sighed into his kiss and gave herself over to him, giving her body free rein to absorb and revel in every sensation he drew from her with his lips, his tongue, his hands, his heat.
His heart.
In less time than it took to say boo, she was lost. And frantic.
Maybe because she’d thought of him, of this, all week, her body on a razor’s edge of need nonstop. Or maybe because in between possessing her body, Autry whispered the sweetest damn words she’d ever heard—telling her she was gorgeous, incredible, and perfect. Telling her how hot she made him and how he’d thought of her, too.
Somehow, he managed to get her completely stripped while still sitting on the counter, the granite deliciously cold against her heated skin.
“Lay back, honey,” Autry said. An order she was more than happy to follow.
To her surprise, rather than hook her legs over his shoulders, Autry gently pushed her thighs wide and propped her feet on the seats of her barstools. Then he stood and ran his gaze over her, and Beth swore she felt that look like a physical touch.
Throbbing took up a steady drum deep in her womb.
With a teasing touch, he brushed his hands over the insides of her thighs, stopping just short of where she wanted those hands the most. Then he flicked her clit with his thumb and Beth let out a moan.
Autry grinned, wicked intent in those eyes, now dark with need.
With lazy strokes, he ran his thumb back and forth without pushing inside. “I’m going to put my mouth on you, honey.”
She nodded rapidly. “Do it. Please.”
“I’m going to make you come so hard you scream my name.”
“Not a problem.” She waved her hand, trying to get him to get on with it, because his words might induce an orgasm on their own.
Autry chuckled and lowered his head. He placed the sweetest kisses up the inside of her thighs, then paused, his hot breath blowing through her curls. Then Beth’s world contracted to pressure and wet heat and the magic he was rendering with his tongue on her body.
Clenching her eyes shut, she gave in
to the sensations riding her body, swelling inside her. Autry added two fingers, sliding them inside her, fucking her in the most beautiful way until the pressure was more than she could take.
Vaguely she was aware that she was chanting Autry’s name, begging him to let her tip over the edge.
Without warning, he clamped down on the bundle of nerves, swollen and turgid from his touch, and sucked hard.
Beth arched off the countertop, and dang if she didn’t scream his name as wave after pulsing wave of sensation buffeted her.
Pure bliss followed as her body slowed and she relaxed against the countertop, her breath coming out in panting little bursts that slowed to happy sighs. Autry stood, running his hands over her, almost soothing, as she came down from the high.
Finally, Beth opened her eyes to catch Autry smiling at her with the strangest look in his eyes. If she hadn’t known better, she would have said possessiveness. Only that couldn’t be right.
She pushed to her elbows, completely unashamed of how naked she was when he was completely clothed. Maybe because she reveled in the way he looked at her body. “I think I should return the favor?”
His eyebrows shot up. “Is that a question or a statement?”
“Both.”
She hopped off the counter and he let her hands go to his belt without protest. “I want to put my mouth on you,” she said.
He stilled her hands with his over them. “We can’t. We agreed last time. That counts as sex.”
Beth shrugged, trying to act way more confident in her skills than she felt, given the discrepancy in their experience levels, but determined to give as good as she’d just got. “I’ll only use my mouth a little. Then you can take over.”
Indecision pulled the smile from his mouth, but his hands loosened, and she continued what she’d been doing. In record time, she had him stripped from the waist down and was on her knees. She took him in her hands, squeezing tight, loving how he was already hard and swollen for her.
Tentatively, she took him into her mouth, sliding her lips as far down him as she could take where she paused, then hollowed out her cheeks as she sucked. Hard.
“Fuck,” Autry muttered.
She lifted her gaze to find him watching her with rapt attention. Keeping their gazes locked, Beth ran her mouth up and down, sucking hard with each stroke. In seconds, she had him pumping his hips.
“Damn, if that’s not the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” He grunted. “Fuck, Beth.”
His cock swelled in her mouth in an unmistakable way and she let him go with a gasp, even as he pushed her away, taking over with his hand, tugging on himself with fast, rough strokes.
“Stay right there, honey.”
Then he came, long and hard, with a low moan that she felt from where she was kneeling. Feminine pride filled her with each low groan and each spurt. She’d made him do that. She’d brought him that pleasure.
When he stopped, Autry dropped to his knees in front of her and took her mouth in a long, possessive kiss. Then he gathered her up into his lap and they sat there, cuddled like that, content in a way she never, ever would have expected with this man.
“I haven’t come that fast since I was a teenager,” he murmured into her hair.
Beth giggled, more satisfied than if she’d just won the lottery. “Just think what full-on sex could be like,” she murmured sleepily.
Autry groaned against her. “I’m trying not to. Not with months to wait.”
Beth’s heart did a happy little dance. Did that mean he wanted to wait for her? Common sense kicked back in and warned her not to get her hopes up. This was just sex, or not-sex, as the case might be for Autry. That was all.
Speaking of which… “You should probably go home.”
Lord, she didn’t want to say the words let alone have him leave her. What she really wanted was to sit like this, held in his arms, content and happy and even blissful, forever.
His arms tightened around her, as though he didn’t want to let her go either. “I know.”
Chapter Eleven
Autry swiped at his face with the back of his sleeve. The days were definitely getting warmer as they moved into spring, unseasonably so today, but then, Texas weather was never predictable. Behind him, in the wide-open pasture, bluebonnets were starting to carpet the new green field with their iconic bursts of color. Soon the entire field would be carpeted in the flowers.
He tweaked the radiator cap he was tightening, careful to only touch it with the rag and avoid burning his hand. Satisfied, he stepped back from the tractor he was doing his damndest to keep running through the end of this season. “Try it again,” he called.
Jennings cranked the ignition, only nothing. The engine choked and stuttered and coughed but didn’t catch.
“Damn,” Autry muttered. Then waved Jennings to stop. “Okay, let me try one more thing.”
“Face it,” Jennings called from his perch. “It’s toast. I’ll go through the books again. We have the money, it’s a matter of prioritizing.”
Autry shook his head. “It just needs to make it through spring.” If he had to turn himself into an oxen and lug the dang thing, the piece of junk was going to make it.
He dove headfirst back into the engine, checking everything he’d already checked five times over again. Maybe he’d missed something. If that didn’t work, he might have to bite the bullet and replace the radiator altogether. However, that was better than replacing the whole tractor. Thanks to several consecutive years of droughts, the ranch had been dealing with a downturn. Not that they were in trouble or anything, but best to do everything possible to save further expense.
After yet another series of adjustments, he stepped back. “One more time.”
This time, when Jennings started it up, the engine wheezed then caught, the big machine giving a mighty, low rumble of sound then a puff of black exhaust.
Autry grinned. “Who’s your daddy?” He hooted at the thing. Not that he could hear his own voice over the loud ruckus of the machine.
Jennings turned it off and climbed down as Autry closed up the hood. “Good job. I’ll let Trent know he can get started on the hay in the south pasture.”
Autry nodded, wiping at the grease stains all over his hands and arms with the dirty rag, not that it did much to help. After he’d done his best on clean up, together they put away the tools and headed for the barn. Spring brought with it a laundry list of chores. Spring rush, his dad had always called it, and he wasn’t wrong. Plus, the long list didn’t stop because the clock showed five o’clock or the weekend had come.
But Autry loved it. Most of the time.
Especially when he could see how decisions he made directly impacted his family’s business. Usually for the better—he was damn good at what he did, even if he said so himself. But mostly, he couldn’t imagine being cooped up indoors behind a desk when the land begged him to come out and get dirty.
“I’m meeting Cash at Hurricane Harry’s tonight for a game of pool,” Jennings said as they rounded the corner of the barn. “Want to join?”
“No, thanks.” Though that got him thinking… When was the last time he’d been to a bar anyway? A quick search of memory told him, it had been the night Beth locked her purse in his car.
And he’d kissed her for the first time.
Hundreds of kisses since, and he could still remember the taste of her, the feel of her that night. Maybe he should’ve paid attention to that more?
“Why not?” Jennings prodded, interrupting his thoughts. “The bet with Dad didn’t say anything about hanging out with your brothers. You worried you’ll slip up and take some random woman to bed or something?”
Despite a pop of irritation at the assumption, Autry barked a laugh. “That’s definitely not it.”
Because that was so far from his mind, it bordered on hilarious. He’d never been worried about the bet in the first place. What he hadn’t counted on was Beth, though. How had a little blonde elementary teacher
with killer dimples and a heart the size of Texas make hooking up with anyone else about as appealing as a can of creamed corn? Not to mention putting the bet he’d been so damn sure of at risk?
“Then what’s the problem?” Jennings pushed.
The bond he and Jennings shared was partly their lineup in the siblings, but also had to do with the two of them essentially running the ranch with their father. The other three were all busy elsewhere, though Will’s business added to the bottom line. Just in a different way. His and Jennings’s closeness was usually a good thing but could sometimes make Jennings a real pain because the guy had no problem speaking his mind.
“Dylan joined a baseball team. I’m going to his game.”
Jennings paused on the threshold of the barn, toolbox in hand, and stared at Autry like he’d sprouted a halo instead of horns. “You’re skipping beers and pool with your brothers for a kid’s baseball game?”
“Yeah.” Autry frowned.
“You.”
“Me.” Autry grabbed the toolbox and headed for the tack room which doubled as a tool shed.
One of the horses Rusty was training popped his head out of his stall, watching them closely. His sister-in-law was probably in the attached covered arena-like space Will had built a few years back, working one of the other horses. He had no idea where Will was today.
Jennings followed, stopping to lean a shoulder against the doorjamb to the tack room. “I mean, I could see Cash, or Carter, or even Will at some kid’s game, but—”
“Dylan’s not some kid,” Autry snapped. He shoved the toolbox up on the shelf where they kept it a little harder than he intended. Dust rained down onto his face. He swiped at it, then spun to glare at his brother through bleary eyes. Normally, while blunt, Jennings wasn’t such a dick.
Jennings held up both hands. “Okay, okay. I’m just surprised.”
“What? Surprised that I can be a good guy?” he snapped.
The irritation sparking along Autry’s skin raised the fine hairs. His family loved him, but did they honestly see him as a Good Time Johnny, unable to do other things with his life? Didn’t his work on the ranch prove anything to them?