by Em Petrova
She tucked the item away in her dresser drawer alongside her PJs. For the first moment in many months, she felt good about the direction of her life. Love did that to a person.
Chapter Ten
Brielle let out a hoot as Kaoz tossed another big dead log onto the massive bonfire. Flames shot twelve feet into the air, so hot that he tossed the log and had to jog away before the hair on his arms singed.
He stood back, watching the fire ripple and change, like life itself. When he last built a fire like this, he thought he had his life in order. Everything plotted out. How things had changed so quick and he never could have guessed at the paths laid out before them now.
Before him and Brielle both.
She sat far enough away so as not to catch a spark, but the s’more fixin’s sitting at the side of her lawn chair showed she was more than ready to poke a marshmallow into the fire once it died down a bit.
Around the fire, Beau, Cort and Joss, her sister Jada, and a couple of the ranch hands who helped them put up hay, Theo and Cole, all sat talking and sipping drinks. Across the flames, he met Brielle’s stare. Electricity shot between them, leaving him smoldering but not from the flames.
The big log he tossed on caught and shot flames higher into the air.
Cort laughed. “I think you need more dead wood on there, cuz. The fire’s not high enough yet.”
“Sounds good to me.” Kaoz stomped toward the tree line, and laughter followed him. As he searched the ground for fallen branches, he thought about how much he wanted to get Brielle alone. That look in her eye didn’t hold back a thing, and he knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
When he heard the crunch of feet on underbrush behind him, he glanced around to see she’d followed him.
In two steps, he reached her. Plucking her off her feet, he pressed her spine up against a tree. Her gasp muffled under his lips as he captured her mouth. Flicking his tongue inside, he sucked a low moan from her.
She wiggled closer, rubbing suggestively on his cock. A growl burst from him.
Tearing his mouth away, he gazed at her. Heat built between them.
“I have to have you,” he rasped out.
“Yes!” She unzipped the hoodie she wore and pulled her top up even as he went for the button of her jeans. In seconds, they each pushed and pulled clothing up, down or aside to grant them access.
The scent of her arousal rose up as he slipped two fingers over her wet pussy. Her head dropped against the tree trunk, and she shuddered in pleasure. “Kaoz…don’t stop.”
“Not till you’re holding off a scream, sweet thing,” he drawled out, watching her closely as he sank his fingertip into her outer lips and over her wet inner folds. As he settled his finger atop her hard bundle of nerves, his cock grew achingly hard.
She gripped him at the base of his exposed shaft and stroked him. Lust drew a gasp from his throat, and he got down to the business of tormenting his woman. He swirled his finger through her juices and smeared them across her clit. Rising onto tiptoes, she spread her legs farther.
He eased a finger into her tight channel while teasing his thumb around her nubbin. Their mouths clashed in a long, drawn-out, heart-pounding kiss. Her fingers worked magic up and down his cock, pumping him until he couldn’t let her touch him another second.
He rocked, covered her hand where it rested over his cock, and guided his shaft toward her pussy. Replacing his finger with his erection roused another groan from him.
“Hell, you’re so tight.” He sank his flared cock head into her folds fraction by fraction. When he couldn’t get exactly the right angle he wanted, he lifted her.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he sank balls-deep. He rocked. She levered herself into him. Her tongue teased along his lip, and he drew on the small tip. As passion enveloped them, the words he’d been holding in threatened to burst out.
Marry me.
Not yet. Not till I get that ring.
He’d upgraded, keeping the original band since it had their initials engraved in it and had special meaning. But bumping it up a whole carat had felt right. He only regretted he didn’t have the ring on him right now.
Holding her under the ass, he claimed her mouth over and over. Her sweet pussy clenched around him as he worked it deeper and deeper into her with every pass. She trembled in his hold, and small squeaks of bliss passed through her lips.
Tingles built at the base of his spine. Holding her stare, he shoved in as Brielle shattered around him. She locked her hands behind his head and kissed him as her pussy flooded. His cock stiffened, and a long moan burst out as his cock began to spurt.
With each jet of cum filling her, she pulsated around him. Their tongues tangled, and he tasted the sweetness of emotion on her. Love.
“God, I love you, sweet thing,” he grated out.
“Love you so much.” She slowed the kiss, and their tongues tangled. Finally, she collapsed forward, limp in his arms.
His cock gave a last twitch, and he let her slide off and down his body to her feet. The darkness in the woods fell around them, enclosing them in private, but he saw the gleam in her eyes.
“I found some big wood, I guess.”
His jaw dropped at her comment, and then they both burst out laughing. They continued to laugh as they dressed. After that, he located a fallen log and began dragging it out into the open. When he felt the load lighten, he looked over his shoulder to see Brielle hefting the other end. Together, they carried it across the field to the bonfire.
Cort nudged Aidan, who’d shown up. “Looks like they were looking for more firewood after all.”
Teasing ensued, and Brielle would definitely be sporting a blush, if they could see it through the orange flicker of flames across her beautiful face.
Over the fire, they shared a grin.
* * * * *
Headlights spanned across the front of the house as their guests backed out of the driveway, headed for home. The bonfire had taken a long while to turn to coal and ash, all the s’mores had been devoured and talk had finally turned to waking up early and then they called it quits for the night.
She moved to toss some empty bottles in the trash can and felt Kaoz move up beside her. His closeness and body heat made her even more aware of the love between them.
She smiled. “The bonfire was great.”
“It was.” He took her hand and led her inside the house. In the bedroom, they stripped off their clothes scented with woodsmoke and collapsed into bed. He drew the covers up over them both. Skin to skin, they snuggled for a minute.
“You never told me your decision on your uncle’s offer.”
He fell silent.
She lifted her head and looked at him. “Kaoz?”
He avoided her stare.
Blinking, she sputtered, “You’re not going to take it.”
He didn’t answer.
Heaving herself up, she cupped his jaw with both hands and forced him to meet her gaze. “You can’t turn it down, Kaoz!”
“I decided I’m stayin’ by you. If you’re here on your brother’s ranch, so am I.”
“You’ve lost your mind. This is the perfect life for you. Whether you knew it or not, it’s one you set out to gain. Don’t you see that you were meant to go to New Mexico and learn all these things so you can help others? You helped Beau. He never would have gotten this far without you. Now your uncle is asking for your help. You’re planning on letting him down?”
Heaving a sigh, he drew up into a sitting position. They stared at each other. “Brielle, this isn’t only my life. You want a ranch—always dreamed of one. We wanted that together. I can’t give that to you if I take this offer.”
“Things have changed. We’ve changed, Kaoz. What if I don’t want that anymore?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed. “You don’t want us anymore is the thing. I get it. I—”
What the heck was he going to say?
She leaped off t
he bed. Buck naked, she stalked across the room to the dresser and whipped open her PJ drawer. She pulled out the beer tap and whirled to the bed again.
She reached the edge, heart pounding, no idea what she was about to do until she sank to one knee. Kaoz’s eyes popped open wide, and he slid to the edge of the bed, looking down at her.
Holding out the beer tap, she said, “Since I’ve been waiting days for this and realized you’re not going to do the asking, then I will!” She stared into his eyes. “Kaoz Bellamy, will you marry me?”
At first he only blinked at her. Then his gaze shifted to the beer tap in her hands.
“You’re proposing to me with a beer tap?”
“Yes, because…because…boys!”
Silence followed her outburst, and then he let out a low rumble of a laugh. Reaching out, he closed his hand over hers and gently removed the beer tap from her hand. He set it aside on the mattress and pulled her up and into his lap.
Cupping her face, he rumbled, “Yes, I’ll marry you. It’s the only thing I want in life, Brielle. But if you would have waited a week, I would have done the askin’.”
She twisted her lips, unsure if she wanted to laugh or burst into tears. “What do you mean?”
“I took your ring—”
“I know you did! I planted it days ago hoping you’d get the hint. You had so many chances. I thought you’d propose when we were in the bed of your truck under the stars, but no! Then so many other times. Over barbecue and…”
“Brielle, I took the ring to the jeweler and had him make some improvements.”
“Improvements? Kaoz Bellamy, that ring was everything a girl could ever want! What’s to improve upon? I—”
He silenced her with a kiss. The soft but insistent brush of his mouth made her forget her tirade and when he pulled away, she remembered what she’d done in the heat of the moment.
She buried her face against his shoulder. “Did I really just propose to my man, totally naked and with a beer tap?”
Laughter burst from him. “You did. As you said…boys. I can’t think of a better proposal, to be honest.” He lifted the beer tap and stared at his monogram. “Yes, sweet thing. I’ll marry you. But I’ll be doin’ some official proposin’ once I get that ring back.”
“When?” She searched his eyes, already melting into his embrace the longer she sat in his lap.
He arched a black brow. “That part’s a surprise.” He set aside the beer tap and rolled her into the sheets, covering her body with his big, hard one.
She smoothed her hands down his tattooed arms and couldn’t stop herself from rubbing against his growing erection. “I love you.”
“Love you so much, sweet thing.” His eyes glowed as he rocked his hips into hers.
Her mouth dried out. “And I want you.”
“You don’t have to ask twice.” Using his knee, he parted her thighs, poised at her pussy and slid inside her.
* * * * *
The fresh Georgia breeze washed over their damp, bare skin. Kaoz brushed kisses over her breasts, when she stiffened.
“Oh my God! Hand me a shirt, quick! Someone’s comin’.” Brielle’s urgent whisper broke through the haze of Kaoz’s release. His cock still throbbed with the final strains of his orgasm, but when he lifted his head he did detect the crunches of footsteps on grass around the pond.
“Damn, you’re right.” He jumped to his feet and tossed her the first item of clothing his hand landed upon. She shimmied into his T-shirt while he hauled his underwear and pants into place. He reached for his boots and she bundled the rest of her clothing into her arm as the source of the footsteps rounded the trees.
Fishing poles in hand, Cort and Joss seemed to have eyes only for each other. They had no idea he and Brielle were even there. Suddenly, they both dropped their poles and threw themselves at each other.
Fearing things would reach a pretty embarrassing moment soon, Kaoz gripped Brielle’s hand and hauled her out into their path.
The lovers broke apart on a gasp. Cort dropped his palm from Joss’s breast. Her face burned red as Cort cleared his throat. “Didn’t know anybody was here.”
His cousin dipped his stare over Kaoz’s shirtless torso, mussed hair and then shot to Brielle, who wore only his T-shirt. She shifted in the grass, her feet bare.
“We were just leaving. You two…have fun,” she burst out. Grabbing Kaoz by the hand, she dragged him around the pond, away from Cort and Joss.
Once they got out of sight and earshot, Kaoz couldn’t stop the laugh he’d been holding in from bubbling out. She slapped at him, though she bit down on her lower lip to hide her own smile.
“That was so embarrassing.”
“I think they were as embarrassed to be caught as we were.”
“A few minutes before and they would have seen…well, everything.”
“Guess Cort and I need to coordinate our times at the pond so we don’t overlap.”
“Oh God.” She buried her face against his neck. He felt the heat of her blush penetrating his skin.
His heart thumped. Now would be as good a moment as any, right?
He slipped a hand into his pocket, caught hold of the ring and then slid it onto her finger. He didn’t even get it on the entire way before she jerked away, staring down with a gasp.
“Kaoz!”
He couldn’t look away from her beautiful face. “I love you, Brielle. Will you make me the happiest man on Earth by being my wife?”
She shoved the ring to the base of her finger and then gaped at it. “It’s huge.”
“Not as big as my love for you.”
A sob broke from her. “Oh Kaoz. You crazy, wonderful man. I love you. Of course I’ll marry you.”
He hauled her against his chest as she threw her arms around his neck and clung to him. Tears flowed to wet his skin, and he swayed with her for a moment while birds chirped and leaves rustled in the Georgia breeze.
“I want in on all the weddin’ plans. I want to sample the cake and pick out the food for the reception.”
With a sniffle, she pulled away, blinking and smiling up at him through her tears. “It’s going to take both of us to plan a wedding in a month.”
“A…month?” he choked out.
“Yup. I already had the invitations printed while you were in New Mexico. I don’t want to waste all that money.”
“We’re getting married in a month?” he asked again.
She bobbed her head. “Yup.”
He shook his head a little, processing that he would have everything he wanted in such a short span of time.
He let out a whoop. “We’re getting married in a month!” he hollered to the sky.
Some birds took flight. Then they heard it, a faint call in return. “Congratulations!” The chorus from Joss and Cort had them both doubling up with laughter and then leaning on each other all the way down the path leading home.
Epilogue
Brielle placed a hand on the barn door and pushed it open enough to peek inside. She’d been looking all over the ranch for her new husband, and sure enough he was with the horses he loved caring for.
His back faced her, the muscles of his bare spine glistening with hay dust and sunshine and hard work as he talked quietly to the mare they were boarding till spring.
A lump of emotion blocked Brielle’s throat as she looked on. Things had changed so much. They were fresh off their honeymoon, and she’d fallen even more in love with Kaoz in the days since they spoke their vows and returned to Beau’s ranch to live out their newlywedded bliss.
For now, they had the ranch to themselves—Beau had gone to meet with some cattle dealers over the weekend. That left her feeling more than a little breathless with want. That and seeing her husband’s broad, muscled spine and his jeans clinging low on his hips.
She stepped into the barn. He heard and lifted his head. A dark look filled his eyes.
“You’re up early. I was about to come inside and fix you some eggs.�
�
Her stomach burbled at the mere thought. “Kaoz, I have to confess something to you.”
He turned from the mare, brows drawn down. “What’s that?”
She moved closer. “I hate eggs.”
“What? You hate them?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Then why did you let me make them for you all these mornings?”
“Because you’re so sweet and I loved being waited on.”
“Since when do you hate eggs?”
She slipped her arms around his neck, angling her face up for his kiss. “Since forever. I got sick on them when I was a kid.”
“Let me get this straight. You can’t butcher your pigs, so you got chickens but you don’t eat eggs.”
She burst out laughing. “I guess so.”
“Dang. I feel stupid about the egg thing.”
She ducked under the brim of his hat. “Not stupid. I told you you’re sweet. But how ’bout we go inside and I’ll fix you some pancakes?”
Resting a hand on the curve of her ass, he leaned in. “I can think of something for dessert,” he rumbled.
A gasp escaped her as he squeezed her buttocks and hauled her up against him for a kiss. His tongue stroked over hers with purpose, and she shivered in his hold.
“Maybe we can’t make it inside. We haven’t tried out the hay loft, after all.” Catching hold of him by the belt buckle, she towed him with her to the hay loft. Then she got to feel all the steel of his muscle as he boosted her up and lay her down in the fresh hay.
Wetting her lips, she drew his cock out of his jeans.
“Mrs. Bellamy, you naughty woman.” His ice-blue eyes burned into hers.
“I can’t help it. I want you every minute of every day.”
“That’ll fade. We’re still on our honeymoon.” He dipped his tongue to the soft spot behind her ear that made her wiggle against him.
“Nuh-uh. Never. I’ll never stop wanting this. Wanting you.” Then she bracketed his handsome face in her hands and drew him into a long, long kiss.