Rowdy

by Patricia Green

  "It's Rowdy Jackson," shouted one woman to another and they each told one more until the word had gotten around.

  "Rowdy, Nellie," Bear said, apparently eager to have an excuse not to deal with the flirting women. "Broke it but good, didn't you?" he asked, indicating Rowdy's arm.

  "Yeah, it's a wreck. But it doesn't matter."

  "No, I don't s'pose it would since it didn't stop you from winning."

  "You almost had me, man."

  "Close is only good in horseshoes and hand grenades."

  Rowdy chuckled. "True. Next year we'll do it again."

  "I hope so," Bear said, disengaging himself from one persistent woman who was determined to take his arm so she could rub her big breasts against him.

  "We were just going to go out by the pool," Rowdy prevaricated.

  "I'll join you," Bear said.

  "Me, too!" said two of the groupies in unison.

  "No, ladies, this is boring rodeo talk. I'll catch up with you later."

  The two looked at each other and pouted. Then the redhead spoke up, pointing at Gretchen. "Then why is she going?"

  "She's my good luck charm," Rowdy said with a smile. "She goes everywhere I go."

  "Hmph."

  Rowdy nodded and tipped his hat. Bear tipped his hat and gratefully followed Rowdy and Gretchen outside to the pool. It wasn't much quieter there, but there were a couple of chairs available in a shadowed corner of the deck. Gretchen took one and Bear nodded at Rowdy to take the other. They exchanged a few "no you" comments, but Rowdy lost the battle and took the chair.

  "Man, I can't thank you enough. Those women were like remoras."

  "That makes you a shark," Gretchen pointed out.

  He laughed. "I guess it does."

  "How long have you been at the party?" Rowdy asked.

  "Oh, about an hour. I was just fixin' to go when you came by."

  "Could have taken home your pick," Rowdy pointed out, half-joking.

  Bear looked embarrassed. "Not my style."

  Gretchen touched him on the arm. "Good for you. They were pretty transparent about their interests."

  "Yeah," Bear agreed. "I know."

  "It seems to happen to Rowdy quite a lot. Does it happen to you a lot, too?"

  He shrugged.

  "The babes all love ethnic charm," Rowdy said.

  Bear was pretty exotic, though Rowdy was more her type. "Well, you're saved from them for now."

  "Yeah. I think I might sneak out the back way."

  Laughing, Gretchen suggested they all leave, so they set off looking for a back gate. Bob materialized, simply saying, "Over here."

  Bear looked surprised.

  "Long story. Let's follow," Rowdy said.

  Nodding, Bear agreed and the trio plus Bob exited the pool deck with no one the wiser.

  Bear said his thank-yous and goodbyes and sauntered off in his relaxed, somewhat boneless gait.

  "He's a nice man," Gretchen said as they turned to follow Bob to the valet station.

  "One of the best. I'm happy to call him my friend."

  Gretchen took Rowdy's good arm and walked side-by-side in the cool, Christmas, desert air. After the cacophony of the party, the quiet of the desert was welcome. Las Vegas was a glittering jewel, but Gretchen thought it was about time to go home. But what would happen with Rowdy?

  Chapter 6

  Bob approached the truck and got out the keys. "Where to?"

  Gretchen had just assumed they'd go back to the suite. She hadn't taken the thought to its next step: what they would do at the suite. She didn't think they'd watch a movie again. But she also couldn't tell how bad Rowdy's arm was. Was he in too much pain to get intimate with her?

  He was staring at her while she considered her options, apparently waiting for her to decide. Could his thoughts have gone where hers were?

  "Bob, will you excuse us a moment?" Rowdy asked, his eyes never leaving hers.

  Gretchen glanced over and saw Bob moving away a few yards to give them auditory privacy. They both started talking at once. "Rowdy, I–"

  "Gretchen, I–"

  Laughing, they each indicated the other should go first. Then Rowdy said, "Ladies first."

  Gretchen relented. "Okay. I just wanted to say I understand you might be in pain."

  He lifted his right hand to her face and cupped her cheek. Gretchen rubbed her cheek against his palm and closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the physical contact. "I won't lie, it hurts. But I'm also aware we're at a crossroads here, princess."

  She nodded, sad to feel his hand move from her face, though he did smooth down the hair on the side of her head, feeling it run through his fingers. He seemed to enjoy it. "Yes, I know."

  "I'd like to continue."

  "You would?" The thought made her very happy, happier than she would have expected. "Me, too."

  "Come to Rexburg and meet my folks. Let's take the next step."

  Rubbing his broad chest, she nodded. "I'd love it. But what about…"

  "I know. Tonight. Let's not talk it to death. Do you want me to spend the night with you, Gretchen?"

  "Yes," she whispered, closing the distance between them to give him a hug.

  He hugged her back, his cast arm stiff against her back. His breath moved his chest rhythmically against her, warm and firm, his heart beating inside so strong and loud against her ear. "Bob," he called, arms still around her. "We're going back to the suite."

  Bob said nothing, just unlocked the truck and stood next to it.

  Rowdy took Gretchen's hand and led her to the truck, helping her in. They both sat silently in the back seat as Bob drove.

  Once at Gretchen's hotel, she and Rowdy watched Bob make a sweep of the room before signaling for them to come in.

  "Good night, Bob," Gretchen said. He said his good-nights and went into his room.

  "You're so somber, you'd think we were going to a funeral. Are you sure you want this?"

  "I'm sorry," she said, realizing she was distancing herself. She wanted Rowdy, wanted to go forward with their relationship, and this was a way to do it. His physical presence really excited her as well. There was no denying the strength of the man was just plain sexy. So why was she being so subdued?

  "Come here, princess," he said softly.

  She hurried over to him and he drew her into his arms. He tilted her head up and kissed her softly. When she encouraged him, he kissed her more forcefully, capturing her mouth with his and making her toes curl with pleasure.

  Moaning in his embrace, Gretchen felt her tension melting away. This was Rowdy. Her Rowdy. There was nothing to be hesitant about. Gretchen kissed him for all she was worth, until she was breathless and pliable.

  He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they turned and made their way to her room. Once inside, she closed the door and ran to him. It knocked him back a few feet and he ended up sitting on her bed. "Whoa there, princess. Don't you think we ought to slow down?"

  "No! I want to speed up!" Her mind was made up. She wanted it now. It had been too long since she felt those feelings. The buttons on his shirt were easy, getting the sleeve down over his cast not so much. They ended up cutting it with the knife Rowdy always wore tucked into a pocket.

  She pushed him down on the bed and ran her hands over his smooth, tanned chest. "Take off your clothes," he told her, his voice stern and controlled. He sat up again, his washboard abs tightening as he did so.

  "Yes, sir!" She did a truncated strip tease before him. Truncated because she ran out of patience as she was done with her jeans. When she was down to her panties, blue with a lace inset in the front, he reached out and took her arm, halting her.

  "You're so beautiful." He patted his knees. "Kiss me again."

  Eager, she sat in his lap and planted kiss after kiss on his lips and all over his dear face. "Like that?"

  "Yeah, and a few other places," he said on a chuckle.

  She squirmed on his lap and slid down between his knees, trying to wor
k his belt with its big buckle. "Got it!"

  He stood, stepping over her as he shucked the rest of his clothes and carefully put his boots by the door. She didn't know how he was so in control, because it was clear he wanted her. The throbbing dick he displayed upon shucking his jeans showed it sharply. "Come here."

  She smiled as she approached. It was finally going to happen. This was a man she cared about, with whom she could spend hours talking, enjoying each other's company, and now, making love.

  Pulling her into his arms, he ran his good hand all down her back, his callused palm slightly rough against her smooth skin. He slid it into her panties and cupped her bottom, then moved it around the front and down beneath the blue lace to find her closely cropped, lightly furred mound. Gretchen moaned against his chest as she pressed herself into his hand. His fingers roamed there, playing with her excited wetness, finding the tender bead kept hidden in its sheath. "Oh, God."

  It was awkward, but his fingers were mostly free on his cast arm, so he moved them around from her backside and stroked a breast, finally pinching the hard nipple until she moaned louder. It felt so good to be in his arms! Her body was vibrating as his hands worked their magic. She wanted him to feel good, too, so she disengaged and slid down his front to kneel in front of him. His prick was hard, upthrust and ready for whatever she doled out. She felt his hands in her hair as she kissed around the base of his penis and then up the sides toward the sensitive head, exposed and ready for her ministrations. As she touched her tongue to it, he drew his breath in sharply. "Mmm."

  Taking it as a sign she should continue, she licked down one side and up the other then concentrated her lollipop teasing on the crown of his rod. He pressed her head and she opened her mouth to take him in. He was so big and hard and it had been so long since she'd been with a man. But this came naturally, so she took him deep into her mouth and then mimicked the rhythm of a man inside a woman as he guided her with his hands in her hair.

  "I don't want to come in your mouth," he told her. "Let's move to the bed."

  She released him and got to her feet, taking his hand in hers and leading him to the bed. Her panties were discarded at its foot and then she crawled onto the big mattress with its soft off-white sheets. As she crawled toward the head of the bed, she wriggled her bottom at him, knowing it was sexy, feeling she was sexy.

  "Someone's fanny is asking for a spankin'," he said, his Western accent more pronounced in his excitement. "But not right now." He moved onto the bed with her and lay on his back. It was easy to see he couldn't hold himself over her in the usual fashion with his arm in its black cast. Gretchen hadn't thought about it too much. "I don't carry condoms with me," he said. "No need. Do you have any?"

  She shook her head, disappointment touching her eagerness. "I'm on the pill."

  "Well, that's good for one thing, but not much else."

  "Please? I'm clean. I haven't been with a man since Amy was conceived. Aren't you clean, too?"

  He thought for a moment. "Yeah." She smiled, hoping it was an encouraging smile. She felt safe with him and hoped he felt safe with her, too. "Climb on."

  "Will I be in charge?"

  "No. We'll both be in charge."

  Fine with her. She didn't know if she could set a pace for them not to reach their peaks too soon and shorten the experience. Of course, there could be more later. So much more.

  As it was, feeling him slide into her wetness made her shiver with pleasure. She was a small person, but she accommodated him after a moment or two of getting used to him in her body. Sitting there, she simply reveled in the full feeling, the intimacy of this embrace.

  He seemed to be enjoying it too. His eyes closed for a few seconds, but then he opened them and moved his hands up her ribcage and to her breasts where he massaged and teased them until she squirmed and sighed with desire.

  "I guarantee I won't throw you on the ground if you ride me," he teased.

  Coming out of her trance, she giggled, then began to move on him. He slid in and out easily, she was so wet and excited. Moaning, she rode him harder and faster.

  "That's it, princess. Take me where you want to go."

  "Come with me?"

  He waited to speak, tension building in his jaw, eyes closing as he concentrated. "Yeah, better make it soon."

  The pressure was building in her, too, and she felt the first frissons of an orgasm drawing her in before she burst. She barely got out the word, "Yes," before she shot through the roof in her body, every muscle tensing and releasing within a second. She cried out and rocked harder.

  "Good girl," he said, almost growling. Arching his back to push into her harder, he grunted. She could feel his strong pulses as he came in her, but soon enough he had relaxed against the bed. Feeling him relax was her cue to fall on his chest and press their bodies together, moist with sweat and exertion.

  "You make me feel so good," she said.

  "I feel the same way, princess."

  "You'll sleep here tonight, right?"

  "Yeah. I'm not the kind of guy who'll take what he wants and then skulk away."

  "I'm learning what kind of guy you are, Rowdy. So far, I really like what I see."

  He chuckled. "I hope so, considering what we just did."

  Giggling, she rolled off him and he gathered her up in his good right arm. She yawned, feeling very tired and satisfied. "I'll get the lights and draw the curtains."

  "Leave the curtains. The view is beautiful, almost as beautiful as you. And this way I can see you in the moonlight."

  Warmth spread all over her at his words. She took care of the lights and crawled back in with him and they spooned while looking at the Vegas night out the window. "Good night, Champion of the World, Rowdy Jackson."

  She could feel his pleasure, she didn't know how. "Good night to you, my little cash-princess."

  They had their pool party with Amy the next day, and if the little girl wondered why Rowdy had been there for breakfast, she didn't ask.

  The question came up about when they would go to Idaho to see Rowdy's parents. "I had planned to head for home today," he told her. "But if you need a few days to get ready, I can wait."

  "No, I can be spontaneous, despite all these people in my entourage."

  "'Entourage' is a good word for it," he said with a grin.

  "The butler called them that yesterday morning. I guess it stuck."

  This time Rowdy laughed. "So when did you want to go?"

  "We could go this afternoon. I can charter a jet."

  "Um… No. I plan to drive. Rexburg doesn't have an airport anyway. We'd have to drive from Pocatello."

  "Oh, right. It's kind of snotty to charter jets."

  "No, it's not snotty. It's great you have an option. This isn't the best time to do it, is all."

  "Okay." It was hard not to be self-conscious of all her money. It was hard to get used to and then hard to decide when to use it and to use it wisely. "If we're going to drive, we need road food. I'll make a list."

  She got pen and paper from the suite and then went back out to the pool to sit and watch Amy shooting Rowdy with a super soaker. It was hard not to laugh at their antics. She made her list of trail mix, water, gummy worms, pepperoni sticks… all the junk food she thought she could get away with, then sent their butler to pick the things up.

  By the time they were eating Rowdy's celebration cake after lunch, they were set up and ready to go. The butler had not only gotten their snacks but had packed them up and had the bags sent to the limo.

  "It's getting kind of late," Gretchen pointed out as they stood in the foyer, waiting for Bob and Melody to make sure all had been packed. "How long is the drive?"

  "About ten hours total."

  "We won't make it all today. I don't think Amy could sit in the car for ten hours anyway. Do your parents have room for all of us? Shouldn't we stay in a hotel? Is Pocatello the place closest?"

  "Hmm. Come to think of it, no, they don't have a big house. My sister
, Lucky, still lives with them."

  "Lucky?"

  "Her name is Lucinda, but everyone calls her Lucky."

  Gretchen grinned. Rowdy's family sounded like fun. Bob and Melody were finished and came to the foyer. Amy was hopping around, making horse hoof sounds as she trotted all over the wide entryway.

  "You ready for a ride in the truck, peanut?" Rowdy asked Amy.

  "Yay! Truck!"

  "Wait a minute," Bob said. "No one said anything about taking Rowdy's truck."

  Rowdy had set his jaw before Bob got his whole sentence out. "There's room for Gretchen and Amy and I can drive now that I'm used to the cast."

  "You can trail us in the limo, Bob," Gretchen said, hoping her stern tone of voice was no-nonsense enough.

  "Gretchen, you're not only risking yourself, you're risking Amy."

  Melody murmured, "Low blow, Bob." He gave her a dirty look.

  Gretchen's temper flared. Of course, she was concerned for her daughter, but their restrictions were too much! They had to have a life. "Enough. We're going in the truck. I don't want to have this argument again."

  "You'll have my resignation this evening," Bob said.

  Oh, no! What would they do without Bob? He was the head of her security team. He had become a stalwart, reliable person in their lives. "Now, Bob," she said, softening her voice. "I didn't mean it that way. But you have to see it from my perspective." Amy had stopped hopping and now stood next to her mother with her doll clutched tight against her chest. "Amy and I need something less confined. I feel like I'm in prison. You don't want to be a jailor, right?"

  "No, of course not," he said with a frown. "But it's my job to make sure you don't get kidnapped or worse. You have to let me do my job."

  "Let's have some compromises," she tried. "Rowdy is safe, right?"

  "I did a background check. He's safe."

  Gretchen's ire rose again. "You did a what? Without my permission?"

  "I had Rowdy's permission, Gretchen."

  The wind went out of her sails. Checking up on Rowdy must have been what he, Bob and Melody agreed to a few nights ago. It was undoubtedly why Bob allowed as much congress between Gretchen and Rowdy. "Well… So, you know we're safe with him."