by Wilder, L.
“Watching and actually riding are two different things.” We were about to step off the front porch when I stopped and said, “Maybe we should do something else.”
“Wait. Are you actually doubting my abilities?” Looking almost wounded, Flynn fussed, “I went on a covert mission with your dad and the brothers. I even, almost...kind of saved your father. I think I can handle riding a horse.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Chapter 17
Flynn
“How long are you planning to walk around here like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like an eighty-year-old cowboy who rode on a broken saddle one too many times.”
It had been days since Lauren took me horseback riding, and I was still feeling the effects. I’d tried my best to hide my discomfort, but clearly, I hadn’t been doing a good job. “Maybe I wouldn’t be walking around here like an eighty-year-old cowboy if you hadn’t put me on the horse from hell. The damn thing was determined to buck me off.”
“Sweet Pea is not the ‘horse from hell.’ I’ve ridden her since I was a child, and she’s a total sweetheart.” Lauren placed her hand on her hip. “The kids ride her all the time. And again, her name is Sweet Pea!”
“She should be called the Spawn of Hell.”
“Flynn!” she fussed.
“I’m just saying; there was something up with that horse.” Not willing to take any of the blame for my rough ride, I told her, “Maybe she got stung by a wasp or something.”
“Or maybe you didn’t listen when I told you to take control and guide her with the reins.” I had to bite my bottom lip to keep myself from smiling. The second Lauren caught on that I was messing with her, she rolled her eyes and said, “You’re impossible.”
“Just telling it like it is.”
“Um-hmm.” She eased up on her tiptoes, pressed her lips to mine, then smiled and said, “You keep telling yourself that.”
“Oh, I will. You can count on it.”
Lauren walked back over to my kitchen table and sat down in front of her computer, along with all the schoolbooks and papers Cass had brought her. She’d been grading papers and working on lesson plans off and on for the last couple of days and was close to catching up on everything she’d missed. I felt a little guilty about bothering her, but I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “Whatcha doing over there?”
“Working.”
“Working on what?”
“Next week’s lesson plans.”
“I thought you already did that.”
“I did.” She looked up at me with an inquisitive expression. “I’m just giving them one last check before I send them in.”
“I see.” When she turned her attention back to her lesson plans, I asked, “You going to have a busy week?”
“Shouldn’t be too bad.” She didn’t look at me as she asked, “What about you?”
“About the same. I told Pappy I’d be back on Monday.”
Knowing the past couple of days had been tough on Lauren, I’d tried to be there for her—an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, whatever she needed, but she was stronger than I thought. She’d taken this whole thing in stride and hadn’t let it break her. She’d been open and honest, sharing what she was going through with not only me, but with Hadley and Cass as well. The bruises on her face were still there but were fading. Lauren was getting stronger by the minute, and as she sat there in front of me in her oversized t-shirt and shorts, I’d never seen her look more beautiful—which is why I continued to pester her.
“Just a few more weeks until summer break.”
“Um-hmm.”
“You have anything special planned?”
“No, not really.”
Lauren’s eyes moved slowly from her laptop to me, and after studying me for a moment, a seductive smile crossed her face. She closed her laptop, stood up and walked over to me, then wound her arms around my neck as she smiled. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to get my attention.”
“Maybe.”
“That mean you’re up for foolin’ around?”
“Not sure if you’re ready for that.”
“Oh, I’m ready.” A spark of mischief flashed through her eyes. “I’ve been ready. Just waiting on you to recover from Sweet Pea.”
“Is that right?”
“Um-hmm.” She raked her teeth across her bottom lip, trying her best not to smile as she said, “I wouldn’t want to take advantage.”
“Baby, you can take advantage of me any time you want.”
I slipped my arm around her waist and drew her closer as I lowered my mouth to hers. She felt unbelievably good in my arms, like her body was meant to be next to mine. I silently cursed myself for not making her mine sooner. When she inched her way closer, I was done. I had to have her. I pulled her over my lap with her knees straddling me as I delved deeper, tasting her, teasing her, driving us both crazy with need. Her hands slowly drifted over my chest as she grazed her center against my throbbing erection. Knowing there was just a tiny piece of fabric between us was driving me to the edge, and hearing all of her little moans and whimpers wasn’t helping matters.
“Flynn,” she rasped.
At the sound of my name, I lowered my hands to her hips, carefully lifting her as I stood up from the sofa. I took a step forward, and her legs instinctively made their way around my waist. My breath caught when I felt her body pressed against mine. Damn. Need surged through me like a fucking wildfire. I feared it would completely consume me as I made my way down the hall. When we finally made it to my room, I carried her to the foot of the bed and slowly lowered her feet to the floor. As I stood there looking down at her, I knew she was it for me. There would never be anyone I’d love the way I loved Lauren, and I didn’t want to spend another moment without her in my life. I brought my hand up to her face and ran the pad of my thumb across her bottom lip as I asked her once again, “Move in with me.”
“What?” she gasped. “Are you being serious right now?”
“I am.” I slipped my arm around her waist and inched her closer. “I want to start and end my day with you, and I can only do that if you’re here. So, move in with me.”
“Okay.” With her eyes trained on mine, she unbuckled her shorts and lowered them to the ground. ”I’ll move in with you, but I have a couple of conditions.”
“Okay, bring it on.”
“One is we never go to bed mad.”
I nodded. “I can go along with that.”
“And”—she pulled her t-shirt over her head, revealing her black lace bra and panties—“no matter how difficult it might be, we never keep secrets from one another.”
“Yeah, I think I can manage that.”
“And last but not least ...” I watched in awe as she reached her arms behind to remove her bra. “You can never, under any circumstance, use my toothbrush.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep, that’s a must.”
She stood there in nothing but her lace panties looking at me with needful eyes, waiting for my response. “Then I’ll steer clear of your toothbrush.”
“Okay, looks like you have a new roommate.”
I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I was too enamored by the woman standing before me. I’d never seen a more incredible sight. From head to toe, she was absolute perfection. I could hardly restrain myself with her looking so unbelievably beautiful. I was barely able to keep it together, and seeing that spark of eagerness only made it more difficult as I kicked off my boots and removed my shirt.
I dropped my hands to her waist and slowly lowered her sexy little body onto my bed. Impatient for more, her hands quickly dropped to her hips as she slowly lowered her panties, inch by inch, down her long legs. Her eyes never left mine as she kicked them off. She lay there, her naked body sprawled across my bed as she waited for me to come to her. “You’re so damn beautiful.”
“Flynn, please.”
I was done. I let my eyes d
rift down her body, and her delicious curves called me as I lowered myself onto the bed next to her. I watched the goosebumps rise along her skin as I began to trace the slope of her breast with my fingertips. She was perfect, every damn inch of her. My mouth moved to her neck, kissing and nipping gently at her soft skin before traveling to her collarbone and then her breast. I rolled my tongue around her nipple and watched with satisfaction as her back arched off the bed, silently pleading for more. I glided my tongue along her stomach, ever so slowly, trailing kisses here and there as I positioned myself between her legs.
I needed to taste her, to see just how turned on she really was. I slid my hands under her ass and lowered my head, then ran my tongue ever so slightly across her center, teasing her, tormenting her as she squirmed beneath me. Damn, everything about her had me burning for more. I never dreamed I could want anyone like I wanted Lauren. She gasped as I pressed the flat of my tongue against her clit. I loved seeing her come apart, knowing that I was in complete control as I watched her body respond to my touch. I wanted to make her come undone. I wanted to hear all of her little whimpers again and again as I pushed her to the edge of her release.
“Flynn,” she stammered as her fingers dove into my hair, guiding me as her knees opened wider. With the sounds of her moans echoing through the room, I placed my hand on her thighs, holding her in place as I continued to lick and suck while easing my fingers deep inside her. I covered her with my mouth, tormenting her until she inhaled a deep breath. Seconds later, her body started to tremble beneath me, and her orgasm surged through her body, causing her to writhe beneath me. As she gasped for air, I could hear her mumbling incoherently.
She was still lost in the haze of her release when I stood up and removed my jeans and boxers. I quickly grabbed a condom from the nightstand and rolled it on, then lowered my body on top of her. Eager for more, her thighs spread as she wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me close and grinding her hips against mine. I raked my throbbing erection against her, and as soon as I felt the warmth of her center, I whispered, “See what you do to me?”
A nod was all she could muster.
She pressed her lips to mine in a possessive, demanding kiss as she used her legs to pull me forward, and I felt her tremble beneath me as I slid deep inside her, giving her every aching inch of my cock. Fuck, she was so tight, so warm and wet, engulfing me in splendor. After pausing for several breaths, I started to move, slowly rocking against her. I watched as she started to writhe beneath me, her neck and chest flushed red with desire, and her eyes clenched shut. For the moment, she was lost in all the sensations, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. The mere sight of this woman called to me, and as much as the thought rattled me, it didn’t stop me from wanting to make her mine. I lowered my mouth to hers, kissing her deep and rough before I started to increase my pace.
I thrust against her, hard and demanding, and her head fell back with a pleasured moan when I hit that spot that drove her wild. Her hips rolled into mine with the same fevered rhythm as my own. She wasn’t holding back. Instead, she met my every move, letting me know without words exactly what she wanted. Her nails dug into my lower back as she lifted her hips, trying to force me deeper, and when she started to tighten around me, there was no question that she was getting close. I could feel the pressure building, forcing a growl from my chest. Unable to resist, I began to drive deeper, harder, and her head reared back as she cried, “Yes, Flynn! Don’t stop!”
“That’s it, beautiful.”
I couldn’t wait to see her orgasm take hold once again, to hear those little sounds she made over and over. Her body grew rigid, and she started gasping for air as her thighs clamped down around my hips. I knew she was close to the edge, unable to stop the inevitable torment of her building orgasm. The muscles in her body grew taut and still as she held her breath for several long moments. Finally, her muscles began to quiver and a rush of air escaped from her lungs. With my impending release quickly approaching, I continued to drive into her with the sounds of my body pounding against hers echoing throughout the room. After one last deep-seated thrust, my orgasm finally took hold.
After several deep breaths, I lowered myself down on the bed next to Lauren. I slid off the condom and tossed it in the basket by my night table, then reached over and pulled her close. She rested her head on my shoulder with the palm of her hand on my chest and a satisfied smile on her face. After a few moments of recovery, I was pleased to see that Lauren was more than willing to have another go, and then another. In fact, we spent the better part of the day tangled up together and would’ve continued on even longer if my phone hadn’t started ringing.
I reached down and grabbed my jeans from the floor, then pulled my phone out of my back pocket. When I saw that it was Cotton calling, I answered, “Hello?”
“Is Lauren there with you?”
“She is. Why? Is something wrong?”
“No. Just bring her over to the clubhouse. I’ve got something you’re both gonna want to see.”
“You got it.” I hung up the phone, then turned to Lauren and said, “We’ve gotta go. Cotton wants us over at the clubhouse.”
“What?” Lauren sat up on the bed. “Right now?”
“That’s what he said.”
“But why?”
I shrugged. “No idea.”
“But why right now?”
“We won’t know until we get there.”
We both forced ourselves out of bed, threw on some clothes, and then headed to the clubhouse. When we pulled up, Maverick was waiting for us at the back door. I’d barely parked when he started motioning for us to follow him inside. As he led us down the hall, he announced, “Everyone’s in the family room.”
“What’s going on?” Lauren asked with concern.
Maverick stopped at the doorway, then said, “You’ll see.”
A curious look crossed Lauren’s face when she stepped into the family room and found all the brothers surrounding the TV. They were all smiling and talking amongst themselves, which I hoped was a good sign. As soon as we made our way over to Cotton, Lauren asked, “What’s this all about?”
“I thought you might want to see this.”
He grabbed the TV remote and turned on the news. A reporter was standing at the state park with a line of FBI trucks and cars behind her. As she spoke about the hard truths of sex trafficking in our country, the camera scanned over to one of the rental cabins where officers were seen escorting several women out of the doorway and down the front steps. It was at this point when the reporter said, “Today, officers discovered that Port Angeles had a sex trafficking ring of their own—one that was owned and run by Robert Demarco. Mr. Demarco has been under investigation for some time. After investigators uncovered his transport log, they were able to determine that several women were being held prisoner in our very own park. As you can see behind me, officers are escorting the women out of one of the rental cabins and will be helping them return to their homes. Mr. Demarco’s whereabouts are unknown at this time. Please contact the local authorities if you have any information about his location.”
As soon as Cotton muted the television, Lauren looked over to him and asked, “Is this for real?”
“It sure is,” Cotton answered proudly. “Because of you, those girls are getting a second chance at life. You saved them.”
“But how?”
“After Cass went to school and picked up the journal for us, we started looking into it and realized it was bigger than we thought. We could’ve handled it on our own but decided against it and got in touch with MJ’s dad. He’s no longer the sheriff, but he was able to find a way to get it into the right hands.”
“So, he got it to the FBI, and they were able to use it to find the girls?”
“That’s right.” When he saw that Lauren was about to cry, he reached over and gave her a hug. “You did good, kid. Because of you and that journal, there’s a good chance that other girls will be found and brought
home.”
“What about Demarco?”
He released his hold on her as he looked down at her and said, “Like I told you before, you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”
“So, it’s over?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. It’s over.”
“That’s right. Our girl shut down a sex trafficking ring.” Clutch stepped over to us with a big smile on his face as he said, “I don’t know about you, but I think we have some celebrating to do.”
“Oh, yeah,” Two Bit agreed. “I definitely think we should celebrate. How about you, Prez?”
“Absolutely.”
As soon as Cotton gave the word, the guys dispersed and started preparing for the party of all parties. They called the ol’ ladies in, and they brought enough food for an army. A few of the prospects did a beer run and picked up a couple of kegs and a few cases of liquor. When Lauren went to the kitchen to help out the girls, I decided to go out and give the brothers a hand with the fire. I’d just knelt down to grab a few old planks of wood when Q came up behind me. I didn’t even know he was there until I heard him say, “You know, you’re alright.”
“What?”
With my hands full of wood, I stood and turned to face him as he continued, “I still don’t think you’re good enough for Lauren. Not sure anyone is, but you’re alright, brother. You’re really alright.”
“Appreciate that, Q.”
He gave me a slight chin up, then grabbed some wood and walked away. I carried what I’d collected over to the fire and tossed it in, then took a moment to just look around at all the brothers working together to make a hell of a party for Lauren. I’d heard her say a hundred times that these men were her family, but it wasn’t until recently that I finally got it. Family had nothing to do with the blood that ran through one’s veins. It was about the people who stood by one another when times got tough and celebrated when a victory was won. Lauren had that with Cotton and the brothers of Satan’s Fury, and she had it with me.
I was still standing by the fire when Lauren came up beside me and said, “Hey there, handsome. How ya making it over here?”