by BJ Wane
“I’m more than all right,” she returned with a forced laugh, pulling away from the comfort of his arms with reluctance. Going up onto her toes, she gave him a quick kiss, forcing a light tone as she reached down and placed a hand over his cock. “Thank you, but it wouldn’t be fair to leave you—”
Before she could finish, he stepped away from her touch, his face getting that closed look she was familiar with. “Not necessary. You’re welcome to stay here for a while, but you need to drink a glass of water soon. I’ll have one for you at the bar whenever you’re ready.”
Roz blew out her breath as he walked out, closing the door behind him without another word. “Well,” she huffed, picking up her clothes. That rebuke was plain enough. At least he was making it easy for her to refrain from pursuing him. With her lust appeased, she should have no trouble this time around.
****
Drake returned downstairs, bothered as much by the way Roz pulled herself together so fast as he was by the need still coursing through his bloodstream, tempting him to go back and appease it. He shouldn’t even consider it; it was for the best if they both put that scene behind them and moved on. Knowing that hadn’t prevented the quick stab of disappointment when he’d pulled away from her, or relieved the uncomfortable pressure against his zipper.
Time to quit fighting the inevitable. Drake scoffed as he reached the short hall and walked past the restrooms. That thought was easier to contemplate than to do since he’d already decided that before hauling her sweet ass upstairs and burying himself in her hot pussy, and here he was still working his way through the process. He couldn’t get past the fear of getting in so deep with his chosen significant other he might lose his shit if Roz were in jeopardy. The final snap to his sanity in that cave had come when his captors added his family to their constant threats. Their skill with combining the right words with pain to get to him had been their undoing, and his.
Taking a deep breath, Drake vowed to put aside his issues and let Roz know he was willing to give her more of what she wanted, that tonight was just the beginning. With that decision, the heavy weight pressing on his shoulders lifted as he entered the club room and crossed to the bar.
“Where’s Roz?” Cody’s eyes went from Drake to the hall.
“Relax, she’s still in one piece and will come down shortly.” Drake grabbed a glass and drew a beer as he scanned the late-night crowd still going strong. “I hate to admit it again, but you were right about this place.”
Cody winked at Olivia. “Even if it means you’ll have to continue putting in your share of time?”
A teasing grin curled her lips. “I don’t know, Cody. That much time spent with other people might put too much of a strain on your baby brother.”
With the shift in his stance going forward with Roz came a lighter mood, and Drake reached across the bar top and yanked on Olivia’s dark-red hair. “Keep it up, brat, and I’ll retaliate.”
Her gray eyes warmed, and she patted his arm. “It’s good to see you smile, Drake.”
“Sex with your mate will work wonders every time.”
The heated look Cody leveled on Olivia sent Drake’s gaze toward the hall. If Roz didn’t come down soon, he would go upstairs and check on her. She had appeared lucid and in need of a few minutes to herself when he’d left, but maybe second thoughts had crept in once she was alone. Recalling the tight clutches of her spasming, gushing pussy around his cock as she’d climaxed, and the glazed, sated look etched on her face and in her eyes, he didn’t think she would regret the fast, hard fucking against the door. Given her independent nature, however, she might start second-guessing her easy capitulation to the light bondage and his control of both scenes. Since meeting her, she’d kept him on his toes wondering what she would say or do next in her quest for an affair, and he doubted that would change now.
“Where’s Gavin? Did he and Aislyn leave?” he asked, giving Roz a few more minutes to come down.
Cody nodded toward the front doors. “Gavin went with our new bouncer, Phil, to check out an altercation in the parking lot, and Aislyn’s in the restroom. They should return shortly if you want to head out.”
“I’ll wait for Roz and walk out with her.”
A wide smile creased Cody’s rough face. “You won’t be sorry, bro.”
“That remains to be seen,” Drake grumbled, praying Cody was right.
****
Roz crept down the stairs, veering toward the rear exit as she reached the bottom. She almost made it undetected until Aislyn emerged from the restroom and caught her trying to sneak out.
“Are you leaving?”
Frustrated, she turned with a shrug, feigning a lightheartedness she didn’t feel. “Yeah, I’m tired.” Injecting a teasing note into her voice, she fanned herself and quipped, “My first time with bondage wore me out, but, wow, so worth it.”
Aislyn cocked her head, her gaze remaining steady, and too damn knowing. “First times can do that. You have my phone number, and Olivia’s, if you need to talk. We’ve both been in your place, with the lifestyle and with a McCullough brother. I hope you won’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions or doubts.”
She welcomed the offer, but given her fears regarding her future, there wasn’t much either of her new friends could do or say at this point. Tonight, Drake had turned a fantasy into a reality that didn’t disappoint, but left an ache for more she couldn’t afford to assuage. Every time she thought of him, or saw him, or got near him, her heart executed a slow roll, her body continuing to erupt with warm tingles as intense as the first time she’d laid eyes on him and gotten the same response. Those reactions had failed to abate the more she was with him, and even now, after he’d sated her lust not once, but twice, the temptation to seek him out in the club was just as strong as when she’d decided he was the one to fulfill part of her bucket list.
“Thanks, Aislyn,” Roz replied. Aislyn’s next words dashed Roz’s hope she would let her leave it at that.
“We can get together for lunch on Wednesday.” A teasing grin split her face. “I manage the business side of the ranch. My boss won’t mind if I take the afternoon off.”
A knot of envy coiled in Roz’s abdomen. How long would she have to remain in limbo before knowing if she was free to pursue such happiness as reflected on Aislyn’s face? There was no answer to that question. Dean’s condition was irreversible, his mother and uncle just waiting to pin his eventual death on her. The thought of being responsible for another person’s death was as distressing as paying a high price for defending herself, and another reason she should step away from getter closer to any of the McCulloughs.
“Thanks. Can I take a rain check? I have a lot to do Wednesday afternoon.”
“Sure. If you change your mind, call me. We could go for a ride afterward.” With a look of triumph, Aislyn pointed a finger at her. “You like that idea, don’t deny it. I can see it on your face.”
Damn, it did sound appealing, too appealing. “I haven’t ridden since I was a teenager, and then only a few times at the local riding stables. I wouldn’t be able to keep up with you.”
Aislyn patted her arm. “Leave it to me. We have several calm mounts you can handle with no problem. Twelve-thirty, our house. I’ll have lunch ready. See you then.”
Roz opened her mouth to utter an excuse, but Aislyn dashed into the club too fast, leaving her standing there agape, wondering how to get out of plans she really didn’t want to ditch. Maybe, as long as she didn’t run into Drake, she could still have the pleasure of spending an afternoon with a friend. The McCullough ranch was huge, and he would be working, so the odds were in her favor, giving her something to think about between now and mid-week.
As she stepped outside, a coldness she couldn’t contribute to the nighttime frigid drop in temperature invaded her body. She shivered as she wound her way around to the parking lot and her car, jumped behind the wheel, and cranked up the heat. She drove to the clinic, already missing a man she had n
o business harboring feelings for beyond sexual attraction. Regret and anger over her circumstances dug into her abdomen with painful intensity. As much as she lamented Dean’s condition, she still despised her husband’s actions that had driven her to this point in her life.
Gripping the steering wheel emphasized the ache in her damaged arm, made worse from the colder weather. Keeping that hand on the wheel, she reached over and rubbed the dull throbbing that matched the beat of her heart and the lingering pulses between her legs.
All I have to do is get my head back in the game of taking one day at a time, living it to the fullest, and concentrating on fun and adventure instead of Drake. He scratched an itch and fulfilled a bucket list item. Done.
Too bad Roz’s life hadn’t been that easy for over a year now.
CHAPTER SIX
Richard Lindstrom kept his eye on the front entrance to the bar, waiting for his contact to arrive. Seated in a darkened corner of the sleazy dive just outside of Ames, he debated on how much to offer Rodney for this job. He’d used the petty thief and oxy-dependent junkie for harassment before, minor tasks against a competitor, or to scare off a clinging ex. Rodney enjoyed the adrenaline rush of the work as much as his little white pills and the easy cash, and that made him a reliable asset. He just hoped Rodney was up to the task of going as far as Patricia insisted.
The heavily made-up waitress with the breast-spilling top and short skirt returned with his second whiskey, her flirty smile in place as she bent over with exaggeration to set the glass in front of him.
“Here you go, sugar. Anything else I can get you, you let me know.” She pointed one long red-coated fingernail at the number written on the napkin.
He couldn’t afford to send the woman off in an embarrassed miff, like he would normally do. She might remember him if he issued the scathing response on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he dipped his gaze down her top then up to her eager expression and feigned interest. “I’ll do that, sugar.”
Of course, she missed the intentional sarcasm, spinning around and prancing to the next table. Richard breathed a sigh of relief as he spotted Rodney entering the bar and waved him over. The sooner he hired the thug and got out of this loud, sleazy dump, the better. He doubted he’d ever get the smell of the place out of his clothes. If he weren’t in alignment with his sister’s grief and fury over Dean’s fate, he wouldn’t have agreed to take this big a risk for her.
“What’s up, man?” Rodney folded his wiry, too-skinny frame onto the chair in front of Richard, his eyes bright, an eager grin splitting his face.
Getting right to the point, Richard leaned forward with serious intent. “An all-expense paid trip to Idaho for a week or two.”
Greed dripped from his voice as he replied, “That’ll cost you.”
“You know I have it, and that I pay up. Trust me, you’ll earn what I’m willing to pay, as long as you don’t get caught setting up your mark to take the blame for a few destructive mishaps.”
Rodney snorted, full of confidence. “I’ve never gotten nailed before, have I? How far do I get to go?”
Richard liked that about the low-life, his willingness to take things up a notch. “Enough to get her fired. Cause her enough trouble she’ll want to leave the area.”
Patricia believed Roz would return to Ames, making her easier to bring to justice if Dean passed away. Richard wasn’t so sure, but it was worth a shot. At least, if they tried, it would get her off his back.
“Sounds like fun. How much, and when do I leave?”
Sliding an envelope holding enough cash for transportation, food, and a motel room for two weeks across the table, Richard hoped this was the beginning of the end of their vendetta to get justice for his nephew.
****
I shouldn’t be looking forward to this so much. Saying that didn’t stop Roz’s excitement as she changed out of her work clothes into jeans and a sweatshirt Wednesday afternoon. She’d gone through every excuse she could think of in the last few days, but Aislyn’s text saying she’d picked up barbeque from Wildgrill sealed her fate. With the cooler fall weather, she’d become addicted to Rosemary’s new entrée, wild turkey-and-rice soup. Riding high on the success of her treatment of a colicky horse, she couldn’t wait to go for a ride.
The older palomino she had checked over at last Saturday’s auction had tugged at her heartstrings the most out of all the livestock on sale, tempting her to bid on the mare. Common sense had intruded in time to stop her, but she still wished she could own a horse someday. The morning had flown by in a flurry of activity, meeting people from the area, and having fun learning more about how the auctions were run. She’d returned tired, with an abundance of useful knowledge and experience she hoped would benefit the clinic, and a longing to set down roots here that had snuck past her defenses in such a short time.
Scruffy hobbled over to her as she sat on the sofa to pull on her boots, her new pet wagging his tail and licking her hand in a show of affection that pulled Roz’s thoughts away from useless, wishing thinking. The abandoned stray had wormed his way into the hearts of everyone at the clinic, making the rounds when she brought him with her in the mornings before settling on the bed Stacy and Karen had made up for him behind the receptionist counter.
“Not this afternoon,” she told him, rubbing behind his ears. “Coco and Biscuit are too rowdy for you just yet.” Aislyn’s labs were recovered and typical puppies filled with boundless energy. “Dr. Dennis will come by in a little while to let you out again.”
Roz had offered to stay around this afternoon to keep an eye on the horse who had undergone the strenuous flushing of her intestines needed to clear a blockage, but Dennis had somehow gotten wind of her lunch plans and refused to let her renege. She was still adjusting to the fast spread of gossip small towns were notorious for. After giving Scruffy a beef chew stick to amuse him while she was gone, she went out the rear door. The bright sun warmed her face from the clear blue sky and helped dissipate the chill that racked her as she walked to the car.
Aislyn was waiting for her on the front porch of their sprawling, one-story home, wearing a welcoming smile and long-sleeved, thermal top tucked into a pair of black jeans. Skipping up the steps, Roz grinned at the goofy pose and expression of the pink flamingo decorating her top.
“Cute.” She nodded at the shirt.
“My one clothing weakness is for anything with a flamingo, for no particular reason. Come on in. After I told Rosemary you were joining me today, she insisted you would want the soup, and I’ve got it heated.”
“Works for me. It’ll help keep me warm while we ride.”
Following her inside, Roz took in the massive river rock fireplace as they passed the great room, picturing a blazing fire in the hearth and a snow-covered scene out the floor-to-ceiling windows. A quick flash of her riding Drake’s naked body in front of it popped into her head, the image heating her as much as lying in front of a real fire would. No, no, no. I’ve marked off fantasies from my list. Her vow to keep her mind off Drake and out of the gutter was going to take work.
Aislyn turned as they entered the kitchen, taking in Roz’s flushed face before she could recover. “You okay?”
“Just fine. Looking forward to riding.”
Aislyn carried over two bowls, set them on the table, and waved to a chair. “I half expected you to cancel. Drake wasn’t happy when he learned you had left Saturday night.”
Roz recalled his closed expression when he had disengaged himself from her embrace. It had been a mistake succumbing to the need for a comforting hug to help settle her still convulsing body and mental turmoil he knew nothing about. His rebuff of her offer to return the favor of oral sex still hurt, but it helped her to remember she couldn’t let herself fall for him, or anyone else. It was bad enough she’d responded to the jealousy he’d portrayed on the dance floor by letting her lust overrule her brain. He’d made no attempt to contact her since, and she figured he was as ready to move on as she was determi
ned.
“Considering his aversion to socializing, I doubt it was my absence he was disgruntled with,” she returned dryly, taking a seat and picking up the spoon as soon as she caught a whiff of the steaming soup.
She was tempted to turn the conversation around and ask Aislyn about her experience at the club where she’d met Gavin, but since the odds were against Roz continuing down that path with someone else, she picked a subject to take her mind off Drake, and sex.
“So, did you pick out a sweet-tempered horse for me, one that won’t mind my riding ineptness?”
Eyes twinkling, Aislyn shook her head. “Nope, Drake insisted on choosing your mount after Gavin spilled the beans about our ride.”
So much for moving on. “Tell me he’s not going with us. Doesn’t he have to work?” Roz shoveled in a spoonful of hot soup, hoping to calm her jumpy stomach and jolt of pleasure at the thought of seeing him. No, no, no. Bad body. No more Drake. Somehow, she didn’t think the reprimand would have much effect on her libido.
“No.” She grabbed a roll and pushed the basket toward Roz. “Not that he mentioned, and yes, they’re out on the range this afternoon, shoring up for the winter months. I think he just wanted to ensure your safety since you haven’t ridden in a while, and he knows the horses probably better than anyone around here.”
That sounded plausible. Drake never tried to curb or hide his protective streak, just like he never suppressed his reluctance to get involved with her. Roz loved, no, liked that about him, his open honesty regardless of what others thought. She really needed to get her head on straight before seeing him.