Craving Country

by Gorman, A.

  Heat flashed over her skin. “You’re not.”

  “I’ll take care of that.” He sat up and bent over to pull his boots off, exposing his beautiful bare ass. Her fingers itched to grope the hot man flesh, but he slid off the car and turned to face her as he shoved his jeans down and jerked his shirt over his head.

  A sticky breeze blew across Ariel’s naked body, puckering her nipples while she watched him strip. She leaned back on her elbows, trembling as they stared at each other, his cock standing erect and eager, straining for her. Moonlight glinted on his stark muscles, and the wind tossed his black hair around his blacker eyes. The man was a fucking vision of lust.

  Eddie licked his lips. “I’ve waited fifteen years to see you like this.”

  She raised one knee and let it fall at a wide angle, catching her breath as the wind tickled her wet flesh. “Like it?”

  “Fuck yeah.” His eyes glittered as he brushed his palm over his quivering cock.

  The hard metal under her ass buckled as she squirmed, aching for him to touch her. “I need you, Eddie.”

  “I know.” He slid his arms under her thighs and pulled her down the hood, spreading her legs around him as he knelt in the grass, breathing hot on her exposed flesh. Starting at her knee, he nibbled and teased her shaking legs, licking his way up, then skipping over to bite down the other leg.

  Ariel groaned and tangled her fingers in his long hair, trying to direct him, but the stubborn man ignored her, taking his sweet time while her body practically begged for more.

  “I wanted to do this to you a long time ago,” he whispered as he flickered licks along the inside of her thigh. “But I didn’t know if you’d like it.”

  She giggled then gasped as he nipped the tender skin. “Back then, it probably would’ve freaked me out.” Back then, neither one of them knew much about sex.

  He blew a hot stream across her spread flesh then kissed the other thigh.

  “But now your patience is driving me crazy.” She shuddered and closed her eyes, no longer able to watch his slow torture.

  Eddie chuckled and shifted, then his tongue touched her clit.

  “Oh God!” She arched and mashed into his mouth. His teeth grazed her, sending shockwaves through her limbs. Sweet heaven, how long had she wanted him like this? Wanted his tongue to make her blood sing, his lips to kiss her to oblivion. The stars above them sizzled and popped, raining sparks down on her quivering skin.

  His arms clamped around her hips as she nearly slid off the hood. A harsh moan escaped him, tickling her flesh.

  Ariel bucked under his relentless mouth. “Don’t stop!” She wished the moment would never end, but it had to. Love couldn’t stay buried. It had to grow. “Oh God, I need more.” She sat up and slid a hand behind his neck, pressing her forehead to his while they both breathed hard.

  Eddie stood between her spread legs, rubbing his hot cock up and down her wet slit. “Tell me what you want.”

  “I want you.” She reached down between them and grabbed his hard shaft. “Inside me. With me.” Always. She kissed him before she could say the word.

  He pressed his tip to her entrance, lingering for a throbbing moment before pushing in, slow but certain. “Oh God, I wanted this for so long.”

  She slid down the hood, shoving him deeper, desperate to have all of him after longing for this hot connection for years. He filled her, burying his cock to the hilt while she moaned and pressed closer. “Yes! Finally.” She sighed on his neck.

  He pulled out and thrust in again, rushing as if he couldn’t bear to be without her. She gasped, and he groaned, holding tight, breathing hard. Their pace increased, hurried, becoming frantic.

  Ariel lost her balance as Eddie’s knees buckled, and they slid off the sweat-slickened metal, tumbling down onto the grass and their clothes. He rolled on top of her, claiming her body with desperate need.

  He pinned her to the ground with his weight, driving hard while she dragged her fingernails down his back. “You belong to me,” he hissed as her nails scored his ass. “We belong together. Always.”

  What? How? “Shut up and fuck me.” She wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him in harder. How could she belong to him when she didn’t belong anywhere? Not in Minneapolis. Definitely not in Bitterweed. But did it matter where they were?

  The stars sparked again, and she closed her eyes, unable and unwilling to think. Just feel. His cock surged inside her. Feel him. Her body tightened around him. Feel us. A loud wail tore from her lips, ripping with frustration and longing.

  “Come with me, darlin’,” Eddie panted on her neck, then bit down, holding her in place while he pounded her.

  “Oh God! Don’t leave me.” Which made no sense because she’d left him. But she didn’t care. She wanted him, one way or another, and right now she couldn’t imagine leaving him behind again.

  “Fuck!” He planted his knees and shuddered, spurting hot and hard inside her.

  Ariel twisted, holding him tight as the night sky flashed white hot and glittering. She settled under him with a long, draining sigh. “Oh sweet mercy. Getting naked with you was definitely worth coming home for.”

  One by one, the crickets resumed their song. Eddie chuckled on Ariel’s shoulder. He knew he should get up. He knew his limp, sated body was crushing her, but he’d be damned if he’d let her get away so easily. “I’m glad you came.” He realized what he’d said when he said it. Eh, it works.

  She arched an eyebrow.

  “Yes, that’s what I meant.” He grinned and kissed her.

  She smiled. “I am too.”

  Grass crunched underneath him as he rolled to his side and wrapped her in his arms. The muggy air still hadn’t cooled, and the stickiness mixed with the sweat on their skin. “You feel so good.” This was where she belonged. With me. Had he told her that? He vaguely remembered mumbling something about her belonging to him. Had she responded? Oh, right. She’d told him to shut up and fuck her. After that, he hadn’t been able to think at all.

  Ariel sighed and rubbed her cheek on his shoulder. “I don’t want to go.”

  “Good. I don’t want you to leave.” He tightened his arms around her and plunged off the deep end. He’d probably drown, but at least she’d know he needed her. “I have a life here, but it’s only half a life without you.”

  “No, I meant, I don’t want to get dressed and go back to Mom’s house tonight.” She sat up as much as his firm embrace would allow and met his gaze. “I can’t stay just for you.”

  Dammit. “Why not?” It’s not like this town has anything else to offer.

  She stared off into the dark woods, apparently pondering her options. Then she looked back at him with concern in her eyes. “Would you leave with me?”

  “Yes.” No deliberation required.

  “But my world isn’t for you.”

  “That doesn’t matter anymore.” He tugged on her arm, pulling her down on his chest. Her heartbeat matched his. “I wasted too much time doing nothing, wishing things had been different, hoping you’d come back. My home is with you—wherever you go.”

  She’d wanted to hear him say that for so long, but now that he had, she didn’t quite know what to do with it. “Then follow me into the water.” Ariel stood and held her hand down to him. Eddie grinned as she pulled him up then scrambled after her as she splashed into the river.

  The cold water shocked her senses. Damn river never warmed up, even in the dog days of summer. She stepped carefully on the rocky bottom as the current swirled up to her bare thighs. They’d gone swimming in this very spot hundreds of times but never completely naked. Once, she’d taken her bikini top off and nearly lost it when the rushing water swept it out of her grip. He’d swum after it and brought it back to her while she ducked under the water with her arms clamped over her chest. This time she stood facing him while the current flowed around her waist, her arms floating on top of the water, open to him. Nothing to hide. He knew all her secrets, all her failures.
And he still wanted her to stay.

  He grinned through gritted teeth, obviously chilled. “I haven’t done this since high school.”

  “You don’t swim anymore?”

  “Not here. Too fucking cold.”

  “You’ve got to duck under all at once.” She took a deep breath and dropped to her knees. The river rushed over her head, sweeping her hair across her face. The cold cleared her mind, and she surfaced with a gasp. “Better to do it quick and get it over with.” She should’ve done that tonight. Stepped on the gas all the way to the Minnesota border. But something had drawn her here. And Eddie had followed just as she knew he would.

  He caught up to her, just as she expected, and wrapped his warm arms around her chilly body. “Then why are you still here?”

  “I have nothing to go back to. Minneapolis isn’t home.”

  “Am I?”

  “You, yes. But—”

  He cut her off with a swift, heated kiss. “Let’s start with that.”

  She nodded, shivering.

  “I thought you loved water.” He smiled and kissed the goose bumps on her wet shoulders.

  “Not at the moment.”

  “Come with me.” He took her hand, and they waded through the cold current, splashing as the river got shallower, and they climbed up on the bank. The stars twinkled bright, and the crickets chirped, apparently having decided to ignore their presence.

  Eddie searched the cab of his truck. “This should do.” He pulled out a rolled-up sleeping bag. “I’ve only got one, so we’ll have to get cozy.”

  “Please tell me that’s not the same sleeping bag we used in high school.” They’d lain on top of a sleeping bag in the back of his truck for hours, talking about everything. They’d made out too, kissing and touching. A sudden urge to recreate that magic made her stomach flutter.

  “No.” He laughed as he dropped the tailgate. “This thing has seen better days, but it’s not that old.” He unzipped the bag and spread it in the truck bed.

  Ariel crawled up onto the thick, warm bed and into Eddie’s arms, curling her chilled body against his muscled heat. For once she was grateful the humidity didn’t allow the night air to cool much.

  He pulled her in close, resting his cheek against her wet hair. “When are you going back?”

  She didn’t want to answer that. “I can’t leave until you fix my car.” She rested her chin on his chest and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

  “Oh.” A short laugh. “I did. It’s ready to go.”

  “And you didn’t tell me because?”

  A leering grin twisted his lips as his gaze drifted down. “You’re naked. I can’t be expected to remember things when you’re naked.”

  “That’s acceptable.” Ariel sighed, and Eddie stroked her bare back while she drew swirls on his chest with her fingertip. She could easily give up the hectic culinary life for nights like this. “I don’t know if I’ll go back to Minneapolis. I sold my restaurant. All I’ve got there is my apartment.”

  “No friends? Boyfriend?”

  “No, I was too busy working for a social life.”

  “Yeah, I get that.” He slid his hand behind his head and gazed up at the stars.

  She leaned up on her elbow. “Really, the garage keeps you that busy?”

  “Some days, but I’ve always got something going on: town council meetings, school board meetings. I play and coach baseball in the summer and plow snow in the winter. I’m a volunteer firefighter. We saved Joe Wallace’s barn last week.”

  Hot damn. “You don’t have a fireman’s calendar, do you?” The thought curled her toes.

  “We joked about the idea.” He winked at her. “It’s still under consideration.”

  “Wow, you…you’re not doing nothing with your life.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Is that what you thought? That I was just sitting here pining for you?”

  “Well no, but I had no idea your life here could be so full.” And hers had been so empty even with activity filling up her days, nights, and weekends. “Makes me wonder what I’ve been missing.”

  He caressed her cheek. “I’ve been missing you.”

  Her heart pounded as a crazy idea took root. “Do you think I could make my place here? Like you did?”

  “Do you want to?” Eddie seemed skeptical.

  She didn’t blame him, though. “I don’t know what I want.”

  He frowned slightly.

  “I want you.” She leaned over and pressed her lips to his until she felt him smile again. “But other than that, what would I do? I can’t be a mechanic’s wife.” Whoa, where did that come from?

  “I could be a chef’s husband.”

  She loved how he never got freaked out by her ramblings. He took her wild thoughts and rolled with them, never once making fun of her. She’d missed this—him—but more than that, she missed the way he made her feel. At home. Like she belonged here, but not because she fit in, she never would, but because he was here. With her. Leaving hadn’t been her mistake. Leaving him behind was. But she’d had to do it. “Where would I be a chef? There’s only one restaurant in town, and I’m never going there again.”

  He leaned up on his elbow so they lay face to face and smiled into her eyes. “You know Mrs. Wooten retired last year. The reunion was also her retirement party.”

  “Damn it, why didn’t anyone tell me? She was my favorite teacher. This night should’ve been about her, not me.” She’d come here for all the wrong reasons. Could she stay for the right ones?

  “She wasn’t just the culinary arts teacher. She was also the nutrition director and head chef for the district.”

  An elementary school, one junior high, and one high school, less than four hundred students all in the same building made up the entire district. “Who’s taking her place?”

  “We haven’t hired anyone yet. I could recommend you…if you’re interested.”

  “I’m a world class chef…and you want me to be a lunch lady?” The idea was insane, but she almost liked it.

  “Who says lunch ladies can’t be world class chefs? Our kids need good food. For some of them, a school lunch is the only meal they get.”

  Ariel’s heart pounded. She’d often wondered why she wasted her time cooking for rich snobs who didn’t appreciate her work. Cooking for students, teaching them to eat well…could that be what she wanted? “Can I think about it?”

  “As long as it keeps you here.” He pressed her knuckles to his lips. “Can I sweeten the pot?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I love you, Ariel. I never stopped. I’ll stand by you, whatever you choose. I just want you to be happy.”

  She blinked back tears.

  “But will you give me the chance to make you happy?” He reached out and caressed her cheek, his touch adding fuel to the confusing fire.

  She bit her lip and curled up into his chest, unable to answer him. For the first time in her life, staying in Bitterweed offered so many possibilities.

  Eight weeks later

  A squealing third-grader bounced off Eddie Grayhawk as he walked into the Woodland School District cafeteria. He caught the girl by the shoulder and directed her frenetic energy back toward a harried teacher, then paused and searched the chaos around him. The school board had gotten good reports about the new cafeteria chef from both students and staff, so he decided to taste her cooking himself.

  He spotted Ariel in the middle of the kitchen, giving her staff directions while she stirred a pot of macaroni and cheese.

  Jack, the principal, waved him over to the faculty table. “Thank you for recommending her.” He smiled and nodded toward Ariel. “The food has improved one hundred percent. The students love her cooking and her classes, and she’s planning to start a school garden in the spring.”

  “That’s great. I knew she’d be good for the school.” Eddie pasted a smile on his lips. Ariel had been nervous about the job in the weeks leading up to the new school year. He hadn’t had much ti
me to talk to her since she started. She appeared to be happy, but she’d seemed to be happy the first time she left.

  Eddie slipped into the kitchen and watched Ariel, waiting for a break in the activity.

  She turned away from the stove and smiled as she caught a glimpse of him. “Hey, I’m glad you’re here.”

  “You look right at home.”

  She nodded, grinning brightly as she surveyed her domain. “I am. I love coming to work every day, planning the menu, creating healthier recipes. I’m getting the students involved, and they love it. I love it. Thank you so much for encouraging me to take this job.” She rose on her toes and planted a smacking kiss on his cheek.

  “Thank you for taking a chance on us.” He took her hand and squeezed it.

  She quickly led him away from the busy kitchen to a relatively quiet hallway, bursting with barely contained excitement. “I got the best phone call right before the lunch hour started. James Gifford, a rockstar chef in Chicago wants me to cook in his five-star restaurant!” Glee practically gushed from the woman.

  Eddie’s gut twisted. He’d been afraid something would lure her away. “Are you going to do it?”

  Her eyes sparkled, and she bounced on her toes. “I want to—”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Searing pain boiled over, fueling the rage that had been simmering for fifteen years. “After all we’ve meant to each other, everything we’ve been through, you can just walk away? Again! And for what? Some chef?”

  “Chef Gifford! It’s a huge compliment.”

  “Is that what you need? Compliments?” He sagged back against the wall and ran his hand over his face. “All right. You’re beautiful.”

  “Stop.” Ariel blushed and scowled as if trying to figure out where he was going with this.

  Eddie didn’t quite know either, but the words rolled on. “You’re smart, you’re funny, and you’re an amazing chef.”

  “You’ve told me all that.” She blinked fast.

  “You’re the one person in this shithole town who never made me feel like an outsider. When you left, I buried the pain in work, community service, and mountains of snow. I don’t know what I’ll do now. There’s nothing else left. Not without you.” His eyes stung, and he mashed his trembling lips together. “Maybe I’ll take up knitting.” He pushed off the wall and strode into the noisy lunchroom.