I looked to Lawson to find out what he wanted me to do, and the vibrations began again at a low level.
“Take off your dress,” he commanded, and I began unbuttoning the plaid shirt dress, my fingers fumbling because I was quivering again from the powerful vibrations lighting up my core.
I eventually managed to cast the dress aside and I was bared, except for the harness around my middle holding all the vibrations in place.
“Lay back.” He was eyeing my body with a hungry expression.
I got down on the ground and writhed a little in response to the new area of my clit that was being stimulated.
“Now you’re all mine,” he growled, straddling me but being careful not to squash my bump. He flipped the vibrator to its full speed and as I moaned, he leaned down and took one of my swollen, over-sensitive nipples into his mouth, rolling the other one between his finger and thumb. Jolts shot from my breasts down to my clit, overshadowing the crackling electricity in my ass or the satisfying fullness in my pussy. The new stimulation sent me straight to the edge and my eyes widened, expecting Lawson to stop me again, but instead he released my nipple for a second, met my gaze, and said, “Come. Now.”
He bit down on my nipple and I exploded. All the times I’d almost climaxed, all the energy that had built while we’d driven here, the heightened hormones in my system and the slight fear that we might get caught all rushed together to create a blinding point where nothing existed except sensation. All the sensation. All at once. It was sublime.
I had no control over the way my hips shook, my legs stretched out, my fists clenched hard and my eyes were unfocused but gazed at the sky. I screamed, unable to keep the energy inside me, feeling the connection with Lawson where his hands and mouth worked my breasts.
He drew out every last drop of my orgasm, until it faded into a quiet buzzing in my core again.
He turned off the vibrations and unfastened the harness before easing the butt plug and dildo out of me. For a few seconds I missed the fullness of both my holes being stuffed, but he even had an answer for that.
“Now it’s my turn,” he remarked, tweaking both my nipples sharply. I was still reacting to the sharp buzz he’d created when he entered me in one quick motion.
It didn’t matter how big the sex toys were or how full they filled me, there was nothing that compared to the sensation of having his cock buried in me like this. I missed his cock when it wasn’t in my pussy.
I sighed from the heart.
He leaned down and kissed me, owning my mouth as he began fucking me at a rapid pace. The movement set my heavy breasts in motion again and I couldn’t keep quiet as his cock took me to the edge of ecstasy almost straight away.
“Don’t you dare come yet,” he growled. I whimpered, still not sure how to stop myself once it started. His cock just felt so good.
He swatted one of my breasts lightly, which just made everything more intense. I bit my lip as the heat inside me wound tighter and tighter, as he took me with everything he had.
“Pleeeease,” I begged, knowing it was impossible to avoid coming.
“Hold it.” His biceps tensed and I knew he was going to finish soon.
“Now. Come for me.” He slammed into me hard and I unraveled around him, contracting and gripping his body tightly as he stilled and shot his seed deep into me. The closeness almost made me cry as he stayed buried in my sheath until I finished exploding.
When we were done, he pulled out and handed me my dress. When I’d pulled it over my head, he picked me up, cradling me in his arms once more.
“I’d love to stay and cuddle, but we need to get out of the heat of the day,” he explained, as he carefully placed me on the passenger seat. Inside the truck was deliciously cool; the perfect antidote after all that steam.
Chapter 11
Lawson
By the time we got back to the house, we didn’t have a moment to do more than pour out glasses of lemonade before the sheriff showed up and knocked on the door. Alana was far less on edge than she had been before we went out to inspect the fences, which I was relieved about.
“Hey Bob, this is Alana.”
“Pleased to meet you.” He touched his big hat and she smiled back. “That the car out front?”
“Yeah.”
“Mind if I ask you some questions, ma’am?”
“Sure.” Alana picked up her lemonade and sat at the kitchen table. I sat beside her, to show her I was going to support her no matter what.
“Who does that car belong to?”
Her eyes widened. Typical of Bob to get a hunch almost immediately. He was a damn good sheriff.
“My ex-boyfriend.” She barely spoke the words. “He lives in Seattle.”
“And why is it here, if he lives in Seattle?”
She flushed red and the whole story came pouring out. At times, she broke down in tears, but Bob just let her keep talking until he had all the facts.
“So he’s vandalized his own property?” Bob clarified.
“I guess. But I’m scared of what he’ll do if he comes back.”
“He doesn’t sound too smart to me,” Bob remarked.
I nodded. “Too dumb to know he had a very special girl.”
Alana shook her head. “I was dumb. I let him run me into the ground.”
“What changed?” Bob asked.
“The baby. My baby deserves better than someone who tried to beat her to death before she was born. Oh, God, I was so stupid.” She began crying again.
“Is there any evidence that he hurt you?” Bob asked.
“I took her to the hospital to see an OB/GYN. They noted the bruises. Did they take pictures, Alana?”
“I don’t remember.” She was trying to dry her tears with a tissue, but it was made harder by the fact more kept coming.
“Doesn’t matter. The doctor’s statement will be enough. Lawson, I’ll need the doctor’s name and which hospital he or she was at. I’m going to pay them a visit. I’ll also get in touch with Seattle and find out about any outstanding warrants for your ex-boyfriend. If we catch him, he’ll be in for a world of trouble.”
“Thank you.” Alana was still trying to dry her eyes as Bob got up to leave.
“And ma’am? It’s none of my business, but Lawson’s a keeper. Good day.” He tapped his hat again and I showed him out.
* * *
Alana
All day I had been worrying and now it was bedtime, my mind really focused on what I was scared of. The sheriff was reassuring but his visit still meant I had to think about things I didn’t have answers for. What would I do if Jimbo appeared? In the time it took for the sheriff or Lawson to get to me, Jimbo could easily do a number of things. I wished I’d taken a self-defense class at least once in my life.
“Put it all out of your mind, sweet one. He ain’t here.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, but while I was brushing my teeth I had a bad feeling.
We were in bed, but I couldn’t get comfortable. Every way I rolled over, my body felt uncomfortable. Lawson was asleep and breathing rhythmically. The lights were off and, since the nearest highway was at the end of a long driveway, it truly was dark, in spite of those flimsy curtains.
Suddenly, I heard a bump from downstairs. I froze, holding my breath for a minute before I could react any other way.
“Lawson?” I whispered. He was fast asleep. I shook his shoulder.
“Huh?” he roused and to me, his voice sounded loud enough to resurrect Abraham Lincoln.
“Shhh!”
“S’up?” he asked in a quieter tone.
There was a creak from the stairs.
“That. I think there’s someone in the house.”
He snapped the light on.
“Call the sheriff, then call Clay.” He handed me his phone and I dialed as quickly as I could with shaky hands and sweaty fingertips that Lawson’s touchscreen didn’t like.
At the same time, Lawson got up almost silently, and ti
ptoed until he was standing right behind the door. I climbed out of bed and crouched on the floor, so the bed was between me and the door.
“Hi, Bob, we’ve got an intruder at Lawson’s place on Lemon Tree Ranch...” I said quietly.
Once he was on his way, I dialed Clay. I might have texted him, but the constant noise of a ringing phone seemed more likely to get a response at this time of night.
“Hey Law!”
“It’s Alana. Can you come over?”
The door handle turned and I clenched my jaw to try and stay quiet.
“Sure. Lawson need something?” Shit. We hadn’t told Lawson’s brother about the day’s events.
“Please hurry. There’s someone in the house.” I ended the call, my eyes locked onto the door, which was moving slowly. When it was open enough that someone’s head could fit through the gap, I watched Lawson grab the door by its handle, pull it wider, then slam it into the intruder’s face.
Taken by surprise, the intruder cried out as the corner of the door hit him loudly. Lawson jumped into the darkness almost straight away. I covered my mouth so no one would hear me sobbing quietly with terror.
There was a scuffle, then a gun went off. I screamed, my ears only hearing silence for a moment as the shot had deafened me. The silence was worse than hearing what was happening. I didn’t know whether Lawson was safe.
The next thing I heard was the front door bursting open downstairs and footsteps running up the staircase.
“This the intruder?”
Oh, thank God, that was Bob’s voice.
“Let’s put the light on and see.”
I got up and went to the bedroom door about two seconds before light flooded the upstairs hallway. Lawson was sitting on Jimbo, whose face was pale. Halfway down his left thigh, there was a hole in his pants and blood was oozing out.
I eyed the man whose baby I carried. I’d cared so much, once, but now I couldn’t muster up any sympathy at all.
“You shoot him?” Bob asked.
Lawson chuckled and shook his head. “Dumbass shot himself. He was trying to shoot me and I twisted the gun away but he pulled the trigger anyway.”
I saw Clay on the stairs behind Bob. They both laughed as they heard how Jimbo had shot himself in the leg.
“This Jimbo?” Bob asked me.
“Yes.”
“I just came to see you, babe! Tell them we’re together!” he pleaded. Like a rat in a trap.
“You came to see me... by slashing my tires and breaking in late at night with a gun?”
“She invited me here!” he persisted, looking to the sheriff. “Said we could rob the place together.”
Everyone except Jimbo laughed hard at the idea that I’d come here to rob a ranch.
“I came here to get away from him,” I mumbled.
“Making false allegations against someone doesn’t change anything,” Bob said.
“False? She set me up!”
There was more laughter, and I felt relieved that no one was going to take his lies seriously.
“I did some checks earlier. Apparently there’s eight outstanding warrants for his arrest and a ten-thousand-dollar reward,” Bob said.
Lawson whistled through his teeth. “That’ll pay for the damage his gun did to my window.” He nodded to the hallway window and I noticed it had no glass in it.
“How did you know where to find her?” Clay asked Jimbo.
“Like I said, she invited me here.”
Whatever the truth, he wasn’t going to share it with us. I knew from experience he’d rather go down in flames, clinging to an obvious lie, than tell the truth for someone else’s benefit.
“Then you’ll have a call or text message proving it,” Bob said.
“I lost my phone,” Jimbo replied quickly.
“C’mon, dummy. You’re under arrest for trespassing, breaking and entering, and attempted murder...” As Bob began to read Jimbo his rights, the truth sunk in. The bastard had come here with a gun, looking for me when he thought we’d be asleep. If I hadn’t been kept awake by the baby, we’d probably be dead by now.
“Officer, could I tempt you to take a look at the damage to the hallway window for three seconds?” I asked in a sweet voice once Bob had finished talking. He nodded and obliged me. While he wasn’t looking, I waddled up to Jimbo and kicked him hard in the balls.
“That’s assault! She just assaulted me!” Jimbo squeaked in a higher voice than usual.
“I didn’t see anything, and I was here the whole time,” Bob countered levelly.
“I didn’t see anything either,” Clay added.
“Nor me,” Lawson agreed. “Three witnesses say nothing happened.”
“I saw a vehicle parked out front with its tires slashed,” Bob said. “That belong to you?”
“It’s mine,” Jimbo replied.
“Well it’s been parked on my land illegally for the past week and I’d like it towed,” Lawson finished. I couldn’t contain a little giggle.
“You can’t do that!” Jimbo protested. “She stole my car! And she just assaulted me! That’s a crime!”
Bob shook his head. “Son, we don’t take kindly to men who beat on women around these parts. And we definitely don’t like men who try to kill unborn babies. I suggest you shut your hole because you’re already looking at a good long time in prison with all the things Washington want you for.”
“I never beat her! Is that what she told you? Why aren’t you arresting her for stealing my car and telling me to rob this place?”
“Frankly? Because you’re full of shit, son.” I burst out laughing at Bob’s blunt words. I’d never heard a cop talking like this before. “There’s a doctor at Phoenix hospital who took some real detailed photographs of the injuries you did. She’s lucky to still be pregnant. Which is good for you because fetal homicide is a serious crime in Arizona.”
“What?”
“Don’t worry. Looking at those outstanding warrants, there’s a good chance the Feds will stop you getting convicted down here... I’m sure they’ll want you to serve a good long sentence up in Washington for your drug empire and all related crimes.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Bob ignored Jimbo and turned to us, instead. I felt like I’d just watched a master walking rings around a criminal who was exposed as nothing but a wannabe kingpin.
“Thank you for helping us catch a dangerous criminal, I’ll let you folks get back to bed now,” Bob said, handcuffing Jimbo before hauling him over one shoulder and walking out of the house with him. It was something to watch a gray-haired sheriff carry the two-hundred-pound man as easily as if he were a baby.
“Is everyone in Arizona crazy strong?” I breathed.
“Nah. Some people are just regular strong,” Lawson replied with a wink.
“You two okay? You need anything?” Clay asked.
“We’re good,” Lawson replied. “Although we’ll need a new window tomorrow to fix the one that got blown by the gun.”
“Uh...” I mumbled.
“What is it?” Clay and Lawson asked together.
“I know this is going to sound crazy... but I could seriously use an IHOP around now.” I rubbed my baby bump, which was currently demanding turkey bacon dipped in strawberry sauce. The guys laughed and shrugged.
“Well, since we are all awake, let’s go get pancakes,” Lawson conceded.
We disappeared for a few minutes to all get dressed then we got into Clay’s truck and drove to the nearest IHOP. The whole way there, I held Lawson’s hand and rested my head on his shoulder.
“Thank you for letting me get late-night pancakes,” I murmured as we pulled into the parking lot.
“For you and baby? Anything,” Lawson replied in a low voice that sent chills through my body. He caught my chin, tipping it up to meet him, and kissed me.
When I’d left Washington, I’d wanted to go anywhere at all, and I’d envisioned a future where I was going to be a s
ingle parent struggling to make ends meet. Instead, I’d found a man who cared about me enough to fight an attacker who had a gun. I’d found a man who had immediately taken me to the hospital when he found out I was pregnant. He was also a man who had given me a chance to show I could handle being on a ranch, and he had never made me feel out of place, even though it would have been so easy for him to tease me for being a city girl from the west coast. He’d never told me he didn’t think I should be here.
All the way back to my childhood, I didn’t remember anyone being so straightforward and accepting me exactly as I was, without criticizing me or trying to change me. I’d never felt so strongly connected to anyone before.
Learning things about the ranch and making the transition to country life was going to have challenges, I knew that. No yoga studios nearby, for a start. Who was I kidding? I hadn’t been to yoga in years. But I also knew I wanted to stay; to give this my best shot and find out what it might lead to.
Clay went ahead, clearly eager to eat, while Lawson and I slowly ambled into IHOP. Halfway across the parking lot, Lawson stopped and squeezed my hand.
“This isn’t the most appropriate moment to say it, but I can’t wait any longer and the events we had tonight showed me I need to make the most of today. So here goes.” He gazed into my eyes and my heart clenched, waiting to hear what he wanted to tell me. “I love you, Alana. I want to marry you, someday, too. Before the baby’s born, if you want. I want to adopt your baby and I want to spend the rest of my life loving both of you the way you deserve.”
I stared at him for a moment, unsure what to say. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions but it sounded like he wanted to make me his wife.
“Is this a proposal?” I managed at last.
“Only if you accept,” he replied with a wink.
“Oh my God.” The world wavered around me for a moment. We’d only known each other for little over a week. How could he be so sure he wanted me? But my heart knew the answer to that, because I felt it, too.
I never wanted to live in a world that didn’t include him.
Tie Me Down: Arizona Heat Book 1 Page 8