Rustic Hearts (Poplar Falls Book 1)

by Amber Kelly

  The three of us walk back down to everyone else, and I say my good nights as Braxton comes from the other side of the barn and takes his seat next to his female visitor. I don’t like him sitting beside her at all. Walker seems to be holding her attention though, and Braxton’s eyes meet mine.

  Heat. I feel it all the way to my toes.

  I wave one last time to Russ and Trey and to the crowd at large.

  Dallas stands to hug me and speaks low into my ear, “Don’t think I didn’t notice that both you and Braxton were missing for a long-ass time. I wasn’t the only one who noticed either. You’re lucky I was the one to come looking for you.”

  I hug her tightly. “Thank you,” I whisper back because there is no way to hide it.

  She pulls back and gives me a wicked grin. “You have a good night, Sophie.” She winks at me and lets me go.

  I jog up back toward the barn and straight to Braxton’s steps, trying to stay tucked into the shadows.

  I grab the key from the flowerpot I have seen him use before to let myself in. Hawkeye yaps and comes galloping at me from his spot on the floor.

  I bend and scoop him up. “Shh, calm down. Your daddy will be home soon, and he’ll take you out.”

  He licks my face, and I sit him down. I remove my boots and jeans and make myself comfortable. I curl up in nothing but my sweatshirt to wait for Braxton, and I fall fast asleep.

  I awaken by a hand sliding up my leg. For a second, I forget where I am and start to kick it away.

  Then, I hear Braxton’s low voice. “Easy, Princess. It’s just me.”

  I relax and curl back into the pillow I’m hugging and close my eyes.

  “Oh no, you don’t. I was going out of my mind out there, waiting for everyone to leave, knowing you were up here.”

  “Mmm,” I respond as I start to drift back into la-la land.

  Then, I feel a tongue in the dip of my low back, and it starts to slowly trail its way up my spine. His hand glides over my bare hip, and he gently turns me till my back is against the bed. I blink the sleep from my eyes and look up into his handsome face.

  “Hi,” I whisper.

  “Hi.”

  “You took long enough.”

  “My apologies. I had to make sure the fire was put out properly and get all the riffraff sent home.”

  He’s already changed into his lounge pants, and his hair is damp.

  “You showered.”

  “I smelled like smoke. Didn’t want you to have to sleep next to that all night.”

  “That was thoughtful.”

  “I have my moments.”

  I snake my arms around his neck and lace my fingers through his hair.

  He hesitates for a moment, and then he bends down and presses his lips to mine. I immediately open to him, and he deepens the kiss. He nips at my bottom lip and then gently soothes it with his tongue. His weight shifts fully on top of me, and I wrap my legs around his hips as he settles between them. I’m completely exposed to him. There is nothing between us but the thin material of his sleep pants and my panties, and I can feel every hard inch of him. He laces his hands into the hair at the side of my face and kisses me hard as he thrusts his erection against me.

  I reach between us and undo the tie to his pants. “I want to touch you.”

  He bears up slightly to give me room, so I can dip my hand in.

  “Fuuuuuck,” he groans.

  I tug his cock loose, and his pants slide down his hips. I wrap my hand around him and slide down his length and back up again. He grows harder in my hand.

  He lets me play for just a moment, and then he stands and drops his pants to the floor. I sit up to watch as he steps out of them. Then, he puts a knee on the bed, grips the hem of my sweatshirt, pulls it over me, and tosses it on the floor. I lift my hips, and he slides my panties down my legs and flings them.

  He prowls back up my body and puts his mouth on my shoulder where he gently bites down. I drag my nails down his bare back in response, and he kisses a trail down my collarbone to my breasts. He kneads one as he laps at the other. Then, he moves down to my belly button where he dips his tongue as I thread my fingers into his hair and tug. He continues his descent until his mouth is right there.

  I watch as he lifts my right leg and wraps it around his shoulder, spreading me wide. Open completely for his viewing pleasure. I’m too turned on to be the least bit embarrassed. His hot breath feathers over me, and I shudder with anticipation.

  He brings his thumb to my clit and starts to run lazy circles around it. Each one shooting an aching sensation up my spine.

  “Braxton,” I beg because I need more.

  He dips his head to where I need him. He runs his tongue from my opening to my bud, and then he sucks it into his mouth. My hips come off the bed to meet his mouth, and he starts lapping at me. It’s amazing. I start moving my hips with his mouth, and it feels so damn good. He slides a finger inside me as he continues to lick at me and then another. He pumps his fingers in and out as he curves them to hit the exact spot I need.

  I grab on to his head and hold on as he brings me to the edge, and I tumble off. His name is on my lips as I fall.

  When I recover, he moves back up my body. His lips coated in my taste, he takes my mouth again in a hungry kiss.

  “You’re beautiful, Princess,” he says as he sits up and looks down over me. Then, he reaches in the drawer of the nightstand, pulls out a foil packet, and tears it open with his teeth.

  He comes up onto his knees, and I watch as he stretches the latex over himself. He’s at my entrance a moment later, and he pauses, waiting for permission. I grab his ass and bear up to bring him inside me. His tip enters, and I moan as he slowly rocks forward until he fills me completely. There it is.

  He moves inside me, and it feels exquisite. I lock my left leg around his waist, and I thrust my hips up to meet him as he pushes inside me deeper and deeper until I’m screaming his name into the dark room as I climax again.

  “Oh, yes, Braxton!”

  He quickens his pace until he lets out a cry of his own. I wrap my arms up under and around to grip his shoulders and hold on until he finishes and collapses on top of me.

  We lie there in a sweaty, entangled mess while we catch our breath until we hear loud scraping at the bathroom door, followed by rapid-fire barking.

  I burst into laughter, my face buried in his neck as Hawkeye tries to claw his way to us.

  “Calm down. I’m not hurting her, Hawk,” he yells down the hall.

  “I’m good, Hawkeye. I’m very, very good,” I call reassuringly.

  Braxton looks into my eyes and gives me one last, long kiss. Then, he hops up and heads for the bathroom. As soon as he opens the door, Hawkeye shoots past him and straight for the bed. He puts his front paws up and peeks over the edge at me, waiting for permission to get up with me.

  “Just a minute, Hawk,” Braxton says as he returns to the living room, sans the condom. He slides on his pants and picks the puppy up and walks to the door. “We’ll be right back. Don’t fall asleep.”

  He grabs the leash, and they walk out the door.

  I roll over on my side, and a feeling of euphoria rushes over me, quickly followed by a sense of panic.

  I just slept with Braxton. Shit. I just slept with Braxton.

  I snatch the cover at the end of the bed and pull it up over me.

  What now? Should I get dressed and go back to the house? I look around for the rest of my clothing and freeze when the door opens again.

  He takes me in with the cover pulled up to my chin, my distress obvious.

  “I leave you alone for five minutes, and you’re already overthinking,” he says as he reaches down to release the puppy from the leash. Amusement in his voice.

  He picks Hawkeye up and drops him on the bed next to me. Then, he plants his arms on the bed on either side of my body, caging me in. “Relax.”

  He takes his hand and tugs at the blanket as I tightly grip it up under my c
hin.

  He smiles and plants a loud kiss on my lips. “Relax, Sophie,” he gently demands again.

  I let out a breath and let go of the blanket. He pulls it aside and slides under it with me. I watch as he stacks pillows behind his back and turns the television on. He side-eyes me until I settle in next to him. Hawk tottles up between us and turns in a circle a few times before he lies down. Braxton wraps his arm around the two of us and scoots us closer to him. I give in and lay my head on his chest.

  “You done freaking out?” he asks once I settle.

  “Probably not,” I admit.

  I can feel his silent laughter through his chest.

  Asshole.

  Sophie

  I wake up, curled into Braxton’s back. My leg is slung over his thigh, and my arm is around his middle. I’m wrapped around him like a burrito. I scooch closer to him and let his warmth seep into me. I slide my hand down his abs and find his morning erection tucked against his stomach. I take a moment to peek over his shoulder and have a look. Last night, it was dark, and I was in a blissful haze. It’s an impressive sight. I stroke the length of him with one fingertip, lightly grazing him with my nail. His cock twitches, and he stirs. I halt my finger and wait. I think he’s still asleep, and I continue my exploring when he suddenly clasps my wrist and yanks me over him as he turns.

  I’m now flat on top of him. I fold my arms and rest my head on them. He opens one eye and looks at me. My nose is resting on his chin.

  “Morning,” he greets as he slowly runs his hand up and down my back.

  “Good morning,” I whisper.

  I caress the inside of his calf with my big toe as I gaze at his face.

  “Now what?” I ask into the silence.

  “You ask that a lot.”

  “I just like to know where I stand.”

  “It’s too early for hard questions, Princess.”

  “Is it a hard question?”

  “It’s not an easy one.”

  “Yeah,” I say as I look away.

  “Tell you what. Let’s enjoy at least another hour in this bed and then get some food in us before we have a serious conversation. Can we do that?”

  I consider it and decide. “We can do that.”

  “Good.”

  I slide off to his side and snuggle into him. He kisses the top of my head and runs his fingers into my tangled hair.

  I drift right back to sleep.

  I wake back up to Braxton’s hands on me, and he finally lets me explore in the daylight. I decide that whatever this is, I’m just going to enjoy it. I’m only here for another week. There is no reason to try to define something that is going to be over so quickly.

  We shower together. Then, I dress and wait once again for my aunts to leave for church before I sneak down to the main house.

  Emmett is sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch, whittling a piece of wood, when I tiptoe up the steps.

  He grins without looking up from the knife. “Good morning, Sophie. I take it, you enjoyed yourself a nice long walk this morning.” He spoon-feeds me my alibi.

  “I did.”

  “That’s nice.”

  I take a seat on the chair beside him and rock. “I wasn’t really taking a walk.”

  “You don’t say.”

  “I’m an idiot, Emmett.”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that. Seems to me you’re just done fighting a losing battle.”

  “I am?”

  “You and Braxton have been circling each other for weeks now. I’m just surprised it took this long for me to find you sneaking across the lawn.”

  I blush from embarrassment. “You don’t think badly of me?”

  He looks up and meets my eyes. “Think highly of you, Sophie. Think highly of him as well. Always have. Why would that change just because you finally started thinking highly of each other?”

  I lean over and kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you, Uncle Em.” I use my old nickname for him for the first time since I arrived back in Poplar Falls.

  It earns me a teary smile just as Daddy walks out the front door.

  “Ah, Sophie, I was looking for you.”

  “You found me.”

  “The attorney called this morning, and he’ll be home Wednesday. He scheduled the will reading for Friday morning.”

  “Okay.”

  “I know you have a life to get back to. We appreciate all your help around here the last few weeks.”

  At that, I stand. “I guess I’ll go make some airline reservations.”

  I make my escape before I burst into tears. Never in a million years would I have guessed it would be hard to leave this place, but now, I wish time would slow down. I’m not ready for Friday.

  I stop by the kitchen and find a plate of food on the stove with a handwritten note from my aunts, saying they didn’t want to wake me. I make myself a cup of coffee and carry it up to my—Aunt Doreen’s room. I check my phone, and I have a ton of missed calls and messages from Dallas.

  Call me.

  You’d better call me as soon as you wake up.

  You’d better call me the second you finish what you’re doing once you wake up.

  CALL ME, DAMN IT.

  I hit her number and call before she storms the farmhouse.

  “It’s about time,” she says in way of a greeting.

  “I called as soon as I got to my room.”

  “Well?”

  “Well, what?”

  “Don’t pull that with me. How was it?”

  I sigh. “It was nice.”

  “Nice? Nice? I’m on my way over.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Because I can’t read your face over the phone, and I know good and damn well it was better than freaking nice.”

  “All right. It was better than nice.”

  “Too late. I have my keys. I’ll be there in twenty. Be ready.”

  The line goes dead.

  Grr.

  I make a call to Mom as I wait for Dallas. She’s so relieved that I’ll be home by the weekend. She’s been growing more and more distraught, the longer I stay in Colorado.

  Elle is downstairs when I hang up with Mom.

  “Good morning,” she greets as she types away on her laptop.

  “You working on something new?”

  “Yes. I’m working on a research piece about climate change and the truth behind carbon footprints.”

  I consider her before determining. “You have a heart for environmental causes.”

  She thinks about that for a moment. “I do. Which is strange. I have always wanted to move off to the big city and live this glamorous life, but I think we can do that and still protect the planet for future generations. Something so simple as using a washcloth instead of a paper towel or using white vinegar to clean our homes instead of a harmful chemical spray, which creates a cloud of poison that floats up into the atmosphere, can make a huge difference. It might take a little more elbow grease to get the job done, but isn’t it worth it? We are all so concerned with convenience when we should be more concerned about the state of the world we are passing on to our babies.”

  “I couldn’t agree more. Tell you what. Once you finish this paper, send it to me. I’d like to read it, and I’ll have my stepdad read it. He is on the board of several environmental charities in New York, and I bet he can answer a lot of questions or put you in contact with someone who can help you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. It’s essential to start making the right connections now. Then, you work hard and finish school. After you graduate, he might even be able to help you get on at a paper or magazine or an independent organization in New York, Chicago, or Denver. He works with people all over the world.”

  “You’d do that for me?”

  “Of course.”

  She leaps from her spot on the couch and throws her arms around me. “Thank you, Sophie.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. You still have to do the work, but I believe in yo
u.”

  I hear a throat clear behind us.

  “Braxton!” She disengages from me and runs to her brother.

  “Did you hear? Sophie believes in me, and she’s going to help me.”

  “I heard. That’s awesome.”

  He gives me an appreciative look over her shoulder. He loves his little sister so much. It’s written all over him.

  Sophie

  Dallas makes it to the ranch just as the aunts pull in from church. Madeline, Elle, and I decided to make lunch. We’re just pulling the chicken casserole out of the oven when the front door swings open, and their excited chatter fills the house. That’s one thing I’m going to miss when I return home. All the noise of a house full of people. When I first got here, I hated it. I was so used to the solitude of my one-bedroom apartment that I never realized how lonely and quiet it actually was.

  “Something smells divine,” Aunt Doreen says as they make their way into the kitchen.

  “We thought we’d make lunch today. Madeline taught me how to make a chicken casserole,” I state proudly.

  I can’t wait to show Charlotte all of my newly acquired culinary skills. I bet she’s never eaten a casserole in her life.

  Dallas sidles up to my side and speaks under her breath, “After lunch, you spill.”

  Then, she grabs a plate and starts to load it up.

  A few minutes later, and we are joined at the table by Daddy, Emmett, and Braxton.

  “How was your night last night, kids?” Aunt Doreen asks as she passes the green beans to Braxton.

  Dallas props her elbows on the table and focuses on Braxton. “Yes, Brax, how was your night?”

  “Fine, I guess,” he answers without looking at either of them.

  “I bet it was,” Dallas comments as she shoves a forkful into her mouth.

  I kick her under the table.

  “Ow, did you just kick me?”

  “Sorry,” I bite out as I shoot arrows with my eyes that are pleading for her to shut up.

  “You guys must have been out there late. I could still see the flames rising over the barn when we turned in, and you look a little haggard, dear,” Aunt Doreen continues as she assesses Braxton.