Her hands go to the towel around my waist, tenting almost rudely at her. The left side of her mouth kicks up in a smirk as she loosens the knot, letting it drop to the floor. She fucking licks her lips as her eyes take in my length, pointing straight out at her. “Once we do this, Stelle, we can’t go back.”
Her voice is soft as she reaches out, grasping me at the root. “I don’t want to.”
I reach out to her too, palming the underside of her breast, rubbing my thumb over the peaked nipple. “I don’t either.” I hiss in the back of my throat as she makes one pass along my length, cupping her palm at the tip, before coming back down. “I’m passionate,” I warn her.
“I like passion, I like cuss words, slapping skin, and my partner to show me their strength.” Her eyes bore into mine. “If you do something I’m uncomfortable with, I’ll tell you - simple as that.”
“Eight months, long time.” I drop my hands to her thighs. “Might not last as long as I want, as long as you deserve, but I’ll make it good. I promise.”
My mouth captures hers in a kiss that’s so hot it curls my toes. Our mouths own one another as we twist and bend to each other. We kiss for what feels like hours, until we can no longer breathe. When I pull away, she chases me, but I hold her back, trying to catch my breath and not lose it all over her before I even get there.
“I know you will.” She moves down my torso, running her tongue along the tip, swiping up the fluid that’s collected.
With that move – it’s on.
Faster than I thought capable I separate her thighs, denting her skin with the force of my grip as I push her back onto the bed. Laying on top of her, I cover her with my weight, groaning when I feel her nails dig into my sides.
Dropping my head, I mouth her nipple, twirling my tongue around the turgid tip, closing my lips around the flesh, sucking. Her hands move up my back, into my hair, tugging on the ends as she blows out a deep breath.
“More.” She squirms underneath me, catching my cock with her thigh. Just the feel of my skin on hers is enough to have me almost spilling against her.
I let her nipple go with a pop, looking up at her. “What do you need, babe, don’t be scared to tell me.”
“Harder, more, don’t treat me like I’m glass.” She puts my mouth back on her flesh, and I give her exactly what she wants as she hooks her legs around my back.
I’m hard and long between us, rubbing her smooth skin as she undulates between us. Wetness is coating her thighs, and I know I need to get inside her soon.
“Ransom, I want you.” She throws her head back against the cover.
She doesn’t know how bad I want her too. Prying my body away from her, I manage to keep my head about myself. “Protection, Stelle?”
“I’m on birth control and I’m clean.”
“It’s up to you, babe. I’m clean too.”
Running my hand up and down my cock, I jerk it as I wait for her to make a decision. Her hands move up to her tits, twisting her nipples as she eyes my hand on my length. “Your decision, I just need to get inside you.”
“I’m good with you going in bare.”
That’s all I need to hear as I come up on my knees, spread her legs wider, bring her to me, and bury myself home. Throwing my head back, I groan out a fuck as I slip inside. Her hands reach up, running her nails along my abs as we start the age-old motion of fucking.
“Ransom.” Her voice is deep as she pushes up against me, reaching one hand up to brace against my headboard. “God, you feel so good.”
“You have no idea, babe. No idea. It’s been so long, and I’ve wanted you so much.” I hold onto her hips as I plunge in, pull out, plunge in, pull out. My knees burn as I move us along the sheets, but I don’t even care. My nipples and abs tighten as I lift one of her legs against my shoulder, allowing me to go deeper. Her wetness coats my cock, allowing me to push all the way in, our bodies touching, that slapping sound she was talking about earlier filling the room.
“Goddamn.” I let my head fall back on my shoulders as I let my body take over. Moving one hand down to where we’re joined, I thumb her clit. “Are you gonna come for me, baby?”
I tilt my head back down so that I can look at her. She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, nodding. “Yes, oh my God, yes.” She braces heavily against the headboard, pushing against me. “Don’t stop, please don’t stop, Ransom.”
“Never.” I make the promise.
Looking down between us, I’m mesmerized by the sight of my body going into hers, by the way she feels as she tightens against me.
“I’m close,” she pants, digging her other foot into the bed, using it as leverage.
Even though I didn’t think I could, I pick up the pace, thrusting with abandonment into her. She tightens against me with a scream. “Ransom, yes, oh my God, yes!”
She’s beautiful in her pleasure and it’s all I need to see in order to push me over the edge. My whole body tightens and words fall out of my mouth as I spill inside her, groaning so deep in my throat it’s a growl.
“Fuck. Me.”
I let out a breath as I fall forward onto her body. She catches me, running her hands up and down my back as we both breathe hard. We’re sweating, every bit of us touching, and I realize I’ve never felt this close to another person in my life.
Kissing her softly on the neck, I chuckle. “I think you blew my mind, Stelle.”
She giggles. “I’m not sure I can walk.”
“Then my job here is done.”
Chapter 11
Stella
I’m warm, warmer than I normally am, and I hear a thudding in my ear. A steady rhythmic beating. As I start to come to awareness, I realize I’m in bed with Ransom. My head is laying on his chest. Below me, I can see the ink of his tattoos, the light sprinkling of hair he has there. His arms are wrapped tightly around me, and our legs are entwined with one another.
It’s a huge surprise to me that I’m here. Before a few months ago, I never would have thought we’d be together. Truthfully, I saw him as nothing more than a friend, but something changed. There’s a couple of moments that stick out, but really there are a group of memories in time. Where I started to look at Ransom differently, where he stopped being an annoying friend of Nick’s, and a member of our group. Somewhere along the line, he started to become someone I looked at as if I’d like to get to know him better.
Before the day at my grandparent’s pool, I always waved off his invitations to hang out. Even when he got Rambo and bought this house. But after seeing the confidence he walked with, the way his body and personality had changed, I wanted to get to know him better, and I’m so grateful that my eyes were opened.
“What are you thinkin’ about so hard?”
His voice is deep, rough, and scratchy with the remnants of sleep. It sends goosebumps up my arms, and gives me a feeling in the pit of my stomach I haven’t had in years. That giddiness of a new relationship.
“When I started seeing you as something more than Nick’s friend and my dad’s co-worker.”
“When was that exactly?” He tightens his grip on me, kissing me quickly on the forehead.
“There were two moments. One day you walked into The Café, and I took a look at you. It was like overnight you’d become a man.” I giggle loudly, just remembering how much the thought had affected me. “Then there was the cookout at my grandparent’s.” I remember the day well. “I had just gotten there. My mom had forgotten some of the stuff she needed, and I’d run to the store for her. As soon as I walked out of the back door, you were pushing yourself up and out of the pool. Damn Ransom…” I trail off. “You were so hot, and I’d never noticed it before. Chiseled abs, tighter thighs, more ink - it was like you grew up.”
“I’ve been grown up a while, Stelle. I’m twenty-six,” he laughs.
“I know.” My cheeks heat with embarrassment. “But I always felt weird, because I’m older than you.”
“Two years.” He rolls his eyes so
hard I can almost hear it. “Your mom is ten-years-older than your dad. He doesn’t seem to mind, Stelle. And honestly, you look younger than you are.” He thrusts his fingers through my hair. “It wouldn’t matter to me either way. You’ve given me a hard-on since I was able to get them.”
Burying my head in his neck, I giggle. “That’s pretty flattering, Ransom.”
“Flattering? Fuck, try being the guy hiding one. It’s not easy.”
“Good thing you don’t have to hide them anymore, huh?” I lift my head slightly, grabbing the lobe of his ear with my teeth, swiping it with my tongue.
“Mmmm.” He tilts his head back farther on the pillow, turning his face to mine. “I have morning wood and if you don’t want to mess with it, you should probably stop that right now.” His voice causes my nipples to harden as they brush against his skin. It’s still rough, still deep, and oh-so-sexy.
It’s been a while since I’ve been in a relationship, an even longer time since I woke up with a man in the morning, ready to go. Spreading my thighs across his stomach, I push myself up, placing my hands on his chest.
Those blue eyes of his are hooded as they move up and down my body, stopping at the apex of my thighs. His tongue comes out to run across his lips as he looks his fill. “Are you sore?” His voice is soft in the mid-morning light.
“Uh-uh.” I shake my head as I rock myself against his abdomen, letting him feel how excited I am. His cock jumps where it rests against my ass. “I feel pretty damn good, as do you, handsome.”
He laughs slightly, deep in his throat. “Hate that name.”
“You’ll love it,” I promise him as I reach behind me, gripping his cock holding it up so I sink down on his length.
We both moan in the quietness of the room. His hands come to my hips, helping me rock against him as I brace against his chest, using the strong muscles to hold me upright.
“Go after it, Stelle. Take what you need, take what you want,” he encourages me as I start to grind in circles, my breath coming faster as the angle allows part of his dick to rub my nub with each circle we make.
Once I get my rhythm down, I lean back, putting my hands on his thighs. The change in angle causes my eyes to roll back in my head with the most pleasure I’ve ever felt from this position. I move faster and faster, the bed rocking against the wall as the two of us go after what we want.
“Mother fuck,” Ransom moans as his thumb connects with my clit. “You’re beautiful Stelle.” His other hand grips my hip tightly before his big palm moves to my ass, holding strongly, digging his fingers in the cleft of my ass. “Taking what you want, tits bouncing, stomach clenching, those thick thighs tense - goddamn you’re gorgeous.”
“Same, handsome.” I give him a cheeky grin before I close my eyes, working toward the climax we both want so much.
“Stelle, shit.” He presses up against me as I move faster. His fingers dig deeper into my flesh, his thumb speeds up. “Oh shit,” he chants. “I’m gonna come,” he warns me as his body tightens. “Gonna come,” and that’s when I feel him explode inside me.
“Sorry, so fuckin’ sorry,” he pants, his chest pumping up and down. “Didn’t mean to come before you, but you hit every fucking button I have.” He doesn’t stop allowing me to move on him, doesn’t stop his thumb at the middle of my body.
He’s still hard, allowing me to ride him, and the extra lubrication helps me slide faster, and it’s then the orgasm takes me by surprise, pitching me forward.
His strong arms catch me as we grind against each other, and then a giggle bubbles up in my throat. “Couldn’t even last, handsome.” I give him a hard time as he runs his hands up and down my back.
The chuckle that escapes his throat is unashamed. “If you saw what I saw and felt what I felt, you wouldn’t have lasted either. I’m not sorry, you’re sexy as fuck.”
I lift up onto my arms, looking down into his eyes. “I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“It’s a huge one.” He kisses me softly, his palm cupping my ass. “I hate to do this, but I gotta go check on Rambo.”
“I need to clean up anyway,” I tell him, sliding off his body, my legs shaking as I try to make my way to the bathroom. I put my hand on the wall to help hold myself up. “I’m gonna take a soak in your tub if that’s cool with you.”
“Go ahead.” He grabs the towel he used last night clean off with. “After I get done taking Rambo out, I’m going to take a shower myself.”
“You’re off today,” I remind him. “What’s the plan?”
“I know it’s raining-” he points to the window, where we can see a soft drizzle coming down, “-but Rambo loves to go on the nature trails. It might be good for the two of us, keep us from getting too sore.”
He doesn’t add that the nature trails are in the next county over and it’s pretty much a given that no one we know will see us. I like being active and so does he. “I’d love that. I packed workout clothes, just in case.”
“It’d be cool…” he scratches his neck, that bicep of his tightening with his movement. I’m beginning to learn, this is a nervous gesture for him. “If you know, you wanted to keep some stuff here just in case.”
The uncertain tone he uses makes me smile. “I think that might be a good idea. Something tells me that with the hours you keep, seeing each other will be a lot of stolen moments here and there.” I tilt my head as I walk over to him.
Placing my palms on his bearded cheeks, I level his gaze to mine. “And before you say anything. That isn’t a problem for me. You know who my dad is, you know who my brother is. I’m used to it. You’re not gonna scare me off.”
“I’ll do my best to remember that.” He kisses my nose, before he opens the door.
Rambo is laying outside the door, giving us both a look.
“Did he hear us?” I ask, looking down at the dog.
“Probably.” Ransom reaches down to scratch him on the head. “He was judging me last night when I asked him to sleep in the living room. He’s not impressed that we had a good time.”
As I watch the two of them walk down the hallway, so he can let the dog out, I see a vision of what my life is going to be like from now on. As long as I’m willing to put in the time, so is he, and that right there is the best feeling in the world.
Chapter 12
Ransom
The back and forth motion of the windshield wipers make a thumping noise as they work to combat the drizzle coming down outside the cocoon Stelle and I have ourselves in. These rainy, overcast days of soon-to-be-summer are some of my favorite. Before the really unrelenting heat kicks in and when we still have a little room to breathe because the humidity isn’t so high.
“Do you mind?” She leans over, going to change the station on the satellite radio.
“Octane too much for you this morning?” I reference the hard-rock station I like to listen to.
“Just a little.” She flips until she finds something we can both agree on, then sits back against the fabric seats of my truck.
Reaching to the middle console, she clasps our hands together, entwining our fingers. If somebody had asked me this time last year if I thought I would be in this moment with her, I would have had a great big middle finger to flip in their direction. I’m still unsure of how this all happened, but I’ll count my blessings, no matter how long this lasts.
“I haven’t been over here in the last couple of years,” she looks out the window. “They’ve made it look so tame, compared to what it did last time I was here.”
We’ve come about twenty miles to the west of Laurel Springs. What once was woods as far as the eye can see has now been turned into nature trails, with defined marks to show you where to go, a campground in case you want to camp, and a couple of mom and pop restaurants that I’ve grown to love. When I see a parking spot open up at one of them, I slow to a stop, put my blinker on, and back my truck into the empty slot.
“Me and Rambo love this place.” I grin over at Stelle. “Hang t
ight, I’ll be over there to help you out.”
When I get out on my side, I reach into the back, hooking Rambo’s leash onto him, and grabbing a hat to put over my head. It’s going to be a wet day, but the hat and the rain jacket I have will offer a lot of protection, as will the canopy of trees where we’re going. Rambo barks loudly as he jumps down from the back seat, trying to pull me over to where the picnic tables are set up for this place, under an awning. “One sec, we gotta get Stelle.”
He’s sniffing everywhere, grabbing at grass with his mouth. “Leave it,” I command when he tries to walk farther away from me.
We get over to the passenger side, where Stelle opens her door. I offer her a hand up, smiling brightly when I see she’s braided her hair and put on a University of Alabama hat to go with the rain jacket I gave her. “Where’d you find that hat?”
“A good fan never leaves home without one, Ransom. It’s been in my bag.” She points to the tote she brought with her holding an extra change of clothes in case we get too muddy. Its days like these I wish I had leather seats, but that wouldn’t do well for Rambo, and I’d have a hard time keeping them clean.
“Are those words of wisdom from Whitney?”
“Of course they are. You think my momma raised me not to Roll Tide?”
“I have no doubt you can sing the fight song and everything.” I hold her hand as we make our way across the gravel lot.
“Every year for her birthday, we go to the game. Sometimes Dad can come with us, and sometimes he can’t, but some of my earliest memories are of going to that October game.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” I shake my head with a chuckle.
We step under the awning and get in line behind an older couple.
“What’s good here?” she asks, tucking her arm around my waist, holding our bodies close together.
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