by Aliyah Burke
Patrick had never experienced anything like it before. She made his blood sing in ways he’d never believed possible. All he could think about was her, touching her, kissing her and more. It had been too short in his estimation of their time together, but he wouldn’t ever forget the way she panted and moaned as she came. The way her pussy clenched and milked his cock. None of it. It had fueled his dreams for years, and now, hell, he had the woman herself in front of him. All that had been important was soothing the passion between them, putting out that burn.
“Patrick!” his father snapped. “Boy, don’t be insolent. She asked you a question.”
He jerked and blinked, unhappy to be pulled yet again from his daydream of the feel of her hands on his skin.
“Sorry. I need to speak with Ms. Milne alone for a moment. Will you come inside with me, please?” While it was posed sort of nicely, it wasn’t really anything he was going to let her say no to.
In his peripheral vision, he saw Joe’s lips twitch. He made a mental note to kill his brother later. His father narrowed his gaze while his mother tsked.
“Just one more thing I have to wrap up with her. We’ll be right back outside and even be around for the wagon ride.” He held up his hand. “Scout’s honor.”
“Don’t make me come in after you. Ten minutes tops,” his father warned, before patting her hand and shooing her toward him.
Patrick had no problem reading the reluctance on her face as she got up and moved over the dark wooden porch to where he stood, although to be honest he wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t want to be near him or she wasn’t sure she would be able to control the sass he knew lingered on the tip of her tongue.
He hid his smile and the need to poke her a bit more. I want to do some poking of another kind. He gestured to the door and walked inside after her. She paused there moments after he shut it.
“Keep going,” he instructed, well aware of his family and the fact they were being nosy and looking in the windows. “To the kitchen.” What he didn’t need right now was his siblings and parents watching this.
Ainsley muttered something under her breath but continued on until her feet crossed over onto the smooth linoleum of his mother’s kitchen. Patrick almost ran into her, she stopped so swiftly. He edged around her, capturing her with his arm and drawing her close to him until they were nose to nose.
“Tell me it wasn’t you with me in Chicago.” He was daring her to deny it, he was more than ready to prove the attraction was just as strong now as it had been then between them.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her words were a solid attempt at being sure and strong. But he detected that waver in them.
“Sure you do. Chicago Pier. An empty room with two very naked, very fucking horny adults in it. Me and you.”
Her pupils were dilated and he knew without a doubt who he had in his arms. The same woman from that night. He remembered everything. His cock pushed hard against his pants, knowing where to go. Wanted to slip between her legs and push into her wet heat.
“Tell me,” he challenged. “Tell me you don’t remember me on my knees licking that sweet pussy of yours until you came. That you don’t recall taking my cock deep into your throat as my hands were wrapped around this soft hair of yours.”
She whimpered.
“You do remember.”
“Of course I do,” she bit off in a ragged whisper. “I just didn’t expect that person to be you, the man who threw me in a jail and is the brother of one of my best friends.”
He bent his head and claimed her mouth. As expected, his blood hummed in his veins and he struggled to get closer. Patrick spread his hands along her waist and dragged her tighter against him, needing each curve pressed hard to him. She twisted her hands in his shirt, angling her head to give him better access.
“Well now, this is unexpected. So you do know Ainsley, yet you still threw her in jail?” His mother’s question split the bubble they’d created around themselves.
She tried hard to free herself from his embrace, but he didn’t allow her to go anywhere. Patrick met his mother’s accusatory glare as the woman in his arms burrowed her face into his chest.
“Yes, I know her, Mother. Intimately.”
* * * *
Ainsley wished Jenn would stop staring at her as if she’d grown another head. Or three. Shifting on the seat, she waited for her friend to say something. Anything. But she didn’t. Jenn just sat there and stared at her, a look of disbelief on her face.
“What?” Ainsley asked. “Why do you keep staring at me?”
“I just…you and Patrick? Oh, I can’t see it and yet it makes total sense to me.”
“How so?”
“You’re the same age and you’re a lot alike in some ways. Tell me how this happened.”
She rubbed her hand along the back of her neck. “This happened because I’d been drinking.”
Jenn’s eyes widened. “So he’s the one who got you off alcohol?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, I can’t put the blame solely on him. I was a consenting adult and knew exactly what I was doing when I decided to fuck him in that room.” She shook her head. “I have to take part of the responsibility for that night. I definitely wasn’t forced into anything.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What difference would that have made? I never saw his face, sure as hell didn’t get his name. It was a one-night stand in a dark room.”
“But I knew he worked in Chicago.”
“Jenn, I love you but let it go. Chicago isn’t like this place, and add to the normal number of people they have that it was Fleet Week.” She patted her arm. “You wouldn’t have had reason to think I would have ever run into your brother.”
And shit fire, just thinking of Patrick had her nipples drawing tight and her pussy getting slick.
“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Jenn teased.
Glaring at her friend, she shook her head. “You just mentioned him, of course I was.”
“Come on,” Jenn said, moving back from the table they’d snagged at the small diner in town, Mindy’s Eats.
The food had been delicious and, thank God, Jenn was okay with leaving the farm for a bit, because Ainsley needed a break from that man and the state he put her body into. But they’d promised to be back for the last wagon ride at least, which meant that they had to go. And while it had been wonderful catching up with her friend, part of her wanted to see Patrick again. Hell, she dreamed about him most nights. Only difference now was that she had a name to go with the body. If she’d not been so sick when she’d pulled in yesterday, she wanted to believe she would have recognized him then.
They paid and walked out to Jenn’s car. As she buckled her belt, she side-eyed Jenn. “How are things here for you? I know you weren’t ready to come back full time to take over the business end of the farm.”
“I’m good. It was hard at first, but I have to say, not having to get up and shimmy into some suit and four-inch heels to head off to work is a blessing. I’ve gotten used to wearing this to my job,” she said, gesturing at her outfit of a long-sleeve button-down and jeans.
“You seem happy, that’s obvious.”
“I am. Come on, I’m sure there’s a man who wants to claim a seat by you on the wagon ride.”
“I never said I was going on the ride,” she protested.
“Good luck with that.” Jenn drove them back to her family farm.
There were even more cars than before, and children running around, laughing and playing with each other. Parents were talking and enjoying the offerings of the fruit farm.
Ainsley smiled—there was no denying the beauty of the area, that was for sure. She climbed out and shut the door behind her. A prickle ran up the back of her spine and she turned toward the barn to find Patrick leaning there, looking at her. At least she believed he was. And so, apparent
ly, did her body.
Jenn’s laugh informed her that her friend had noticed it too. While she would typically have flipped off Jenn, with all the children around, she had to behave herself. Damn it.
“Go talk to him,” Jenn encouraged.
“No thank you.” The less time she spent around him, the easier it would be when she left and went back to her life. There wasn’t any point in allowing her body to get used to his touches, kisses and more.
She almost whimpered aloud. Nope, no reason for it at all.
Ainsley stuck by Jenn as they found her parents. Her mother glanced at her and gave her an assessing look, but the welcoming smile never fell from her expression. “If you don’t mind helping out Mary, Ainsley?”
“Absolutely not. More than happy to do so.” She gave Jenn a small smile and headed off to where Mary was joking around with her boyfriend.
He sauntered off when she walked up and Mary smiled at her before pulling her in for a hug. Ainsley didn’t move for a bit, shocked by the behavior. Mary laughed. “You’re family now, better get used to all the hugging.”
Unsure of what was the proper response, she didn’t say a single word. Instead, she wiped her hands on her pants and moved behind the large bowl of cider that was available for people to get a cup of to try. Right beside that were premade jugs of the stuff, up for sale.
Mary laughed once more and gave her a friendly shove in the shoulder. “Please, when we heard about you and Patrick, well, that was the end of the stranger bit. Don’t worry, you’ll love us, we’re awesome.”
Ainsley looked at the baby of the Meyers family. She was a vet who’d come home as well and opened a practice here to be closer to her sick father. They were nearer in age than she was with Jenn, but she’d gone to school with Jenn and they’d grown tight there, both women had been extremely focused on their careers and bypassing the drinking and partying so many partook in, in the collage scene.
Theirs was a different sort of a friendship, but as time went on, it had grown. So Ainsley had jumped at the chance to come out for a visit when the offer was presented to her. And in doing so, I’m faced with the man who got me off drinking. Forever.
After that night with Patrick, she’d never touched a drop of liquor again. Refused to. Hated how it had, well, given her a night with him that wasn’t anything she’d be able to have once more.
Although, now that she stood where she was, on his family farm, there was a chance it could be repeated. However, only if she allowed it to happen with Patrick. She closed her eyes tight, trying to prevent the memory from swinging back at her, further encouraging her to allow this incredible experience to happen between them once more.
I don’t need this man in my life, making it more complicated than it already is.
Chapter Three
Patrick winked at the last child he helped onto the wagon. Turning his gaze to Ainsley, he noticed she had parked herself between two younger kids. He chuckled. As if that was going to stop him from sitting beside her.
The first few rides in the day had been warmer, but now there were blankets out so the children were able to wrap up to stay toasty. Some of the parents came with the younger ones, but this one didn’t have many adults aside from himself and Ainsley. Joe was driving the tractor and Sissy and her son had come along.
Patrick swung up into the back and gave a sharp whistle to Joe, who shifted into gear and got them rolling. Working his way to the side where Ainsley sat, he jerked his thumb at the boys on either side of her. One moved and he took the seat to her left.
“Really? Wasn’t there space off the end?”
He settled back against the railing of the wagon, pushing his shoulder against hers, embracing the thrill it gave him to be touching her. “Space off the end implies I’m not here.”
She grunted.
The wind picked up but the children didn’t seem to lessen in their enthusiasm about the trip. Sissy was giving them a rundown of spots on the farm. Patrick turned his head and gave his soon-to-be sister-in-law a smile. She returned it and gave him a look he knew to mean she expected him to behave himself. Especially in front of the children.
Without asking for permission, he took the blanket and put some of it over himself.
“Really?” she asked.
“I’m without one. Do you want me to freeze?” He gripped her hand and threaded their fingers together. “Never mind, don’t answer that.”
“Let go of my hand,” she muttered.
“No.” He leaned closer and pointed off to the distance. “I want to take you down to that lake over there and show you how beautiful it is.”
“How about you go and take pictures, then I can see it.”
“Stop fighting your attraction.” She muttered something low and he had a hard time making out the words, although he did, and was glad the children couldn’t hear her. Hell, he wasn’t sure that was anatomically possible anyway. “This isn’t the time or place for this. Sissy will beat me if I make a scene with the children around.”
“So go ahead, make a scene.”
“You’re sure you want me to?” He allowed challenge to leak into his question. “You’ll be front and center in my scene if I do.”
“No.”
Her pulse skittered faster as he began swiping his thumb along her wrist and the back of her hand. Joe slowed down and Patrick took his attention off the woman beside him and looked around.
“Patrick,” his brother called out.
He stood and went to the front of the wagon. “What’s up?”
His brother pointed to the right and he swung his gaze that way. Shit. There was a group of kids trying to climb some of the trees.
“I’m on it.”
“I have to keep going,” Joe said. “I’ve got these kids.”
“No problem. This is something I know how to handle. It’s my job.”
There was a crying child with that group as well. Patrick scrubbed a hand over the back of his head. “When you get back, call Trevor and send him out here also. Maybe even a medic, we’re going to want to have them checked out.”
“I’ll call it in on the way.”
Patrick hopped out of the wagon before it even stopped and headed over to the group. “Hey,” he called out.
Three kids looked at him, fear and something else in their eyes. Patrick held out his hands but never stopped approaching.
“I’m Sheriff Meyers and I’m also part owner of this farm. Anyone want to tell me what’s going on?”
He scanned the children and saw three boys and one girl. It was the girl on the ground crying and the boys were around her in a group. He recognized protection when he was presented with it.
The oldest stepped forward, defiance flashing in his expression. “We’re not hurting anyone, and you can’t separate us.”
“Stealing hurts the ones you’re stealing from.”
“What he means to say is a few apples won’t hurt, but it would have been better if you asked first so you wouldn’t be stealing.”
Patrick jerked his head to the left in time to see Ainsley move past him, blankets in hand. He almost reached out to impede her progress, not wanting her near them. She cut him a glare in the setting sun that distinctly said, Back off, they’re just kids.
He let it go but moved a bit closer, just in case. Ainsley pushed through to the girl and knelt beside her, draping the blanket over her slender shoulders.
“Are you okay, sweetie?”
“What are you three doing here?” Patrick asked the eldest as he moved in and crouched by the girl as well, making sure that she wasn’t seriously injured. Her ankle was swollen and looked an ugly purple.
“We’re going to our grandmother’s house.”
“Hang in there, hon,” he told the child before angling his head back up to the boys around him. “And where is she?”
As he waited, he watched as Ainsley handed out blankets to the other boys and instructed them to wrap up. Even the defiant one didn’t arg
ue with her, not when she cocked an eyebrow in his direction. Then she walked over to some of the apples that had been dropped on the ground. She rubbed them off on her shirt and handed one to each with a command to eat.
He got very little information from them as they ate, the children seeming to gravitate a bit more to Ainsley. Not too long after the apples had been eaten and the children appeared warmer, the ambulance rolled up through the trees following his deputy’s car.
The kids huddled together, eyes growing wide. Patrick went to meet Davis as he got out of the vehicle.
“What’s up, boss? Joe said there are some kids out here.”
“We found four. Not sure where they are from, but he said they’re heading for their grandmother’s. The girl has an injured ankle and all of them are cold, so we need to get them taken care of first, then we can figure out who they are and where they are heading.”
“Got it. You want a ride back?”
“Yes, I don’t want to make them wait any longer. I’ll ride with you.” He turned to see about Ainsley and shook his head when she climbed up in the rear of the ambulance, holding the hand of the little girl. “And I’ll bring her back when we’re done.”
* * * *
Ainsley walked outside, rubbing her arms as the brisk air landed on her skin. Her breath puffed in the silvered moonlight. The ride had been nice, beneath the blanket. Especially with Patrick touching me. But once the adrenaline from finding those children had worn off and she’d calmed down, the cold had once again set into her bones.
She had to face it, she’d yet to get over being sick. And for that reason alone, I should be in that house, beneath a nice warm pile of blankets, sleeping.
That wasn’t the case, so here she was, out and meandering about as if, one, she had the right, and two, it wasn’t so flipping cold out here her teeth were chattering. Still, she didn’t head back inside.