Chloe's Secret

by Shelley K. Wall

  He kicked the stall door closed and we were alone. Well, except for half a dozen horses somewhere out there.

  Which, for some reason, didn’t bother me. I ran my hands over his back, and down further to cup his very tight and firm butt. He lifted up for a second, and I ran my fingers between us and clutched into those deliciously wet pecs. He didn’t seem to mind because his hands were pretty much doing the same thing.

  It wasn’t until I felt the straw against my bare back that I realized somewhere in the confusion, my boots had flown off . . . one by one. My jeans were off too, and my shirt was hitched up under my armpits while he sucked on my neck. One of his big hands was cupped over my breast with a thumb rubbing greedily against the tip, while the other hand squeezed inside the back of my panties. I was lying in a horse stall about to do it with a stranger. This had to be straight out of a movie.

  When he ran those firm and wet lips down to where his thumb had left me panting and needy, I squealed. I couldn’t help it, it was amazing. He was amazing. And I was acting crazy. So not like me.

  “Hello?” a voice called from the house side of the barn. Colton pressed his lips to mine and shook his head to shush me. Whoever it was, I really hoped they would leave. I was sure it would scare the bejeezus out of someone to find us half naked in the hay. Correction, I was half-naked, he still wore his jeans and his boots.

  “Hello, anyone in here?” I thought I heard steps approaching.

  Colton whispered in my ear, “Shhh, be still. They’ll leave.”

  Seconds ticked away as he pressed against me fully covering me with his warmth, then the voice cooed somebody said, “Hey, big boy, I haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been?”

  Bullwhip stomped and breathed out a rumbling snort, then the footsteps trailed back out of the barn. When the steps were sufficiently away, Colton let out a rasped sigh.

  “Bad timing for a visitor, wouldn’t you say?” I started to scoot out from underneath, but he held me in place. “Hey, don’t be in a hurry now. Seems like that would make us both miserable.”

  Obviously he had registered my stilted breathing and the fact that my nipples were on full alert with him against them. Yep, he bent down to bite into one through the lace of my bra. I sucked in another squeal. “Misery wasn’t exactly on my mind.”

  “No?” He bit me gently again and ran a hand over my stomach, twirling fingers around my heaving naval. “What was on your mind then, Tess? Don’t tell me it was Grams, ’cause I know you’d be lying.”

  Actually, she was the reason I showed up. Or at least that’s what I told myself, but in reality it wasn’t true. I just wanted— I didn’t know what I wanted. And it didn’t matter. I pulled his head down and positioned those lips back where I wanted them and he stopped talking. In fact, he didn’t make another sound until I slid my hand into the back of those jeans and clutched a handful of skin. Then he groaned.

  And shucked the boots and jeans. When the warmth of all of him touched against all of me from ankles to armpits, I was lost. No going back. I’d had sex before so that wasn’t a problem, but I had a control issue. As in, I had to have it. I’d never lost it with a guy ever, until now. And it had completely flown out the window—or maybe barn door. Yes, I was doing IT in a barn, in a pile of straw, on the ground no less. Wow. Serious lack of control.

  He trailed his lips down my entire body, stopping only when he reached the wetness that he’d caused. Not from the water he’d drenched me with, but from the heat of touching, and kissing, and wanting. And he used that tongue until my eyes rolled back in my head and I held him tightly against me. I could feel tears starting to squeeze out of my lids. When I finally came, the spasms were strong enough to shake me out of my clothes—if I’d had any on, which I didn’t.

  I hadn’t even gotten my breath back before he had scooted back up and slowly, gently worked himself between my legs. He had rummaged through the discarded jeans and found the necessary protection, thank god, because I ha d completely forgotten that part. I felt him hot and hard against me as he teasingly slipped in, then stopped. His chest pounded against mine and he stared into my eyes. His were completely dark. He looked hot but confused—and concerned. I saw the hesitation. Then I wrapped both palms around his hips and pulled him to me, hard and greedy. I forced him to take the final step, which he did.

  “Yes,” I whispered as he closed his eyes and struggled for control.

  “Shit, Tess.” His face was strained, his neck pulsed, as he pulled back and stroked again and again. “Oh, my God, look at you.” He held himself up with forearms as he continued to fill me. I could feel his heartbeat throughout his entire body as the tension climbed and climbed. His release was more violent than mine. He grasped my hips and pulled me to him, melding us together in sweat, straw, and heat as his body convulsed until he collapsed. With a satisfied hum, he slid to lay with his head snuggled against my neck. One bare leg lay across me, holding me down, until his breathing returned to normal. And the straw itched against my backside.

  Then I panicked. Grasping for clothing, I slipped on my panties and bra in a hurry, and grabbed for my jeans. He clutched the bottom of them as I tried to get a foot in.

  “What’s wrong?”

  What’s wrong? He lifted up, naked as a jaybird, unconcerned with the straw or the ground, and watched me.

  “What’s wrong? We’re naked. With people coming in and horses all around. That’s what’s wrong.”

  “There aren’t any people here. Just us. And I kinda like the naked part.” He let go of my pants and wrapped his fingers around my wrist, then yanked on it. I tumbled into him and he slid those big hands around my waist. “You’re okay with this, right?”

  Other than the fact that I was completely embarrassed, and I’d just had sex with a man I barely knew anything about. In a barn, no less. I lied, “Sure.”

  He let go of my arm and I slipped into my jeans, tugged my shirt back over my head, and pulled on the boots. I felt like such—a tramp. I stood up and brushed the straw from my clothes. I was about to open the stall and run when he pressed into me from behind. All of him. Every naked inch.

  Colton lifted my hair from my neck with one hand and trailed his lips down my neck. “You’re lying, Tess. I can see the terror in your face. You’re scared as hell.”

  “Of you? Don’t kid yourself.” I pulled the stall opened and rushed out, leaving him completely naked—and watching, and it took every ounce of shattered control to not look back.

  I was officially nuts. It wasn’t bad enough that I had nearly lost my job. Or that I had practically killed myself on a motorcycle. No, I had to take it to total destruction. My entire life had spiraled completely out of control and I’d capped it off with that. What was wrong with me?

  Chapter 18

  This time she really was lying. He didn’t know what that wild story on Mona was about, but as far as he was concerned she really was scared. Not that it mattered to him. And it didn’t.

  Okay, maybe it did a little. He struggled into his jeans and ran after Tess. He barely noticed the door open on the house. When the woman he hadn’t seen in years, crossed her arms across her chest and gave Tess a look as she passed, he was less than six feet from catching up.

  “Mom?” His mouth dropped. He stopped briefly and did a double take. It was her. The slam of a car door jerked him out of his surprise, and he rushed across the drive.

  Too late.

  He turned, barefoot and shirtless, to an aged version of the woman who had walked out on Dad. Walked out on them.

  “Well, I guess the barn is still in prime form. So, Colton. A redhead? And here, of all places? Don’t you have an apartment close by?”

  “None of your business, is it?”

  “You’re still my son.”

  “Well, I can’t really change that, can I? But you lost all rights to make judgments or ask questions when you ditched us.” She lost all rights to judge him way before now and her timing was shit. He’d not list
en to anything more.

  Colton watched the back of Tess’ car peel away on the pavement, then turned and headed to get his boots and shirt. Once dressed, he mounted the bike and headed to town. He needed to apologize. He shouldn’t have let it go that far, shouldn’t have taken advantage. Wait. She started it, right? He didn’t force the issue. He didn’t exactly stop it either, but that wasn’t the point.

  Sadie stared after the son that despised her. He was a constant reminder of her failure as a parent, the spitting image of his mother in every way which probably infuriated him as much as it warmed her. Admittedly, it was unsettling to see her face on a man—but he had enough of his father’s own chiseled nose and cheekbones to balance it out. He was a successful veterinarian and business owner to boot.

  And obviously a successful and accomplished skirt chaser.

  She watched him peel out after the redhead that had bolted away. Well, that part definitely came from his dad. The persistence, which must have been a male trait in their family. James had doggedly pursued her for a year before she agreed to their first date. She glanced at the sun glinting over the barn and smiled. A lot of memories in that old place-good thing it couldn’t talk.

  The crunch of tires spun her around to see the truck and empty horse trailer bumping into the drive. When the door squeaked open, her heart lunged. She swallowed hard and pasted on a smile.

  “Hey there, handsome. I thought you’d never get here.”

  James Scott’s mouth fell open and he stood with his hand cemented to the truck door. Maybe she should have told him she was coming. She expected him to jump back in and follow his son’s path, but he didn’t. He didn’t smile either.

  She waited for him to move. To step forward or say something. The distant whinny from one of the horses broke his trance.

  “You look good, Sadie.”

  He tapped the truck door, then walked to the back and loaded two bales of hay into the truck bed. Well, okay then—that was a start.

  Halfway to Tess’, Colton changed his mind. She ran, not him. And if she hadn’t, he wasn’t sure whether he’d have rushed out himself or not. It was better this way. He had enough stress in his life without adding a woman. And she obviously had the same thoughts, the same need to keep things sane. Although the insanity of the past couple hours had been incredible.

  Until his mom waltzed into the picture.

  What kind of ridiculous timing was that? It was like high school all over. She disappeared without a word for all those years then she just shows up? And she gives Tess that look, the one probably intended to make her crawl under a rock. He was a grown man and his mom still had the ability to humiliate him. Except he wasn’t going back to let her.

  Things got even worse when he stepped into his apartment, dropped his keys and phone on the counter and headed to the shower. His roommate, the wonderful girl that traipsed around in underwear, had a guest. A tall, brunette—who also traipsed around in underwear. Every guy in his right mind, would thank the stars for such a gift, but some things were sacred and a man’s home was one of those. And as much as he would have given his right arm for girls in underwear when he was younger, he was now pissed. Because she was in his room.

  “What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

  She hadn’t seen him approach and was peeking in his dresser.

  “Looking for a t-shirt.” The woman’s raven eyes met his in a dare. Seriously?

  “Those are my clothes. You don’t have your own?”

  His roommate, Maggie stood in the doorway behind him. “Hey, Colton, this is Kathy. A friend from school. She’s staying a few days.”

  His blood boiled. No way. Not now. The woman traipsed toward him with long spindly legs. “Hi there? Mind if I borrow a shirt?”

  “Yes, I mind. And Maggie, your friend is not staying. This apartment is too small for three people.”

  “You’ll barely notice her.”

  “Yeah, right. Just like I barely notice you. Listen, we need to talk. This isn’t working.” He ran a hand through his hair and rested it at the back of his neck.

  Maggie had that deer in the headlights look, and he knew he’d have to watch out or he’d cave. Just like he caved every time someone brought in an injured pet and didn’t have money to pay. The only difference being this girl knew exactly what she was doing and had practiced the routine before—if he guessed right. She probably hadn’t actually paid her way in several years. She had perfected the ability to pull empathy out of unsuspecting schmucks. Like him. Today, though, he was officially finished with being a schmuck.

  “What’s wrong? I’ve cleaned the bathroom and put all my clothes away.”

  “Yeah, well maybe you shouldn’t put all of them away. Maybe you should put some of them on.”

  She pouted, with Kathleen the lanky one watching. “I have clothes on.”

  “Barely. Listen, I appreciate your need to be comfortable. Everyone wants that in their home, but the thing is, this is mine. My home that is, and I just don’t like—all that.” He waved a finger at the women’s lack of dress. He really had to be losing his mind to get all moral at the moment. Geez, he’d just made love to a woman in a barn. Who was he to care if two of them walked around unclad in his apartment?

  But that was just it; it was his apartment. And she’d taken over practically every inch of it, which irritated the hell out of him. Nope, hang tough dude.

  “What don’t you like? I can’t fix it if I don’t know what to fix.”

  “The only way this is going to be fixed is—you need to leave, Maggie. I don’t want a roommate.”

  “I signed a lease.”

  “Yeah, and it’s up next month. Find another place and take your girlfriend with you.”

  He pushed both of them out of his room and slammed the door. He hadn’t caved.

  Then his phone rang. On the counter in the kitchen and Maggie decided to answer it.

  “You’re calling for Colton?”

  A pause.

  “Sure he’s here. He just went into the bedroom. I can get him for you.” Another pause. “His roommate.”

  He heard her feet padding toward his room, then a knock. “You have a phone call.”

  Only he didn’t really, because Tess had hung up before she handed him the phone.

  I wasn’t sure what I expected after everything that had happened, but a roommate hadn’t been on the horizon. Especially not a female roommate who had access to his phone. Wow. I didn’t wait until he answered. That pretty much confirmed the fact that I knew nothing about him. Except what the entire surface of his skin felt like, which I had probably better forget soon.

  What a fool.

  When my cell rang, I ignored it. There wasn’t much he could say that would make this any less embarrassing. It was time to muster up what was left of my pride and get that precious control back in place. So, I’d let off a little physical steam. Big deal. Other people did it all the time, why should I let it bother me?

  Probably because while other people did it, I didn’t. Ever.

  I spent the next two days with my mother, brother, and his latest girlfriend, so it was easy to put the entire experience on a shelf for a while. Or so I told myself whenever Colton popped into my thought pattern. Which, thanks to Tanner, was a bit more than I wanted. He asked about him several times. When I refused to satisfy his curiosity, he finally backed off and left me alone.

  My boss called me at home the following Saturday and asked if I would finish something for him, if I could manage the time away from family festivities. As if I had a choice when he’d specifically mentioned that I needed to put more effort into my job. I spent the remainder of the weekend in front of my computer.

  Three weeks later, I’d finally achieved the perspective I wanted about Colton. He was officially labeled “wild side”, as in trip to. My night out, my roll in the hay. That was all. He knew it, and so did I. Or at least that’s what I thought. Why else would he stop calling after three tries?

/>   What kind of guy gives up that easy?

  One who had a female roommate who kept him in line. And even though I passed the horse stand daily, I kept my focus on the street or the sidewalk in front—not a single glance that way. I was satisfied that I’d officially put it in the past. Put him in the past. Which would be a lot easier when I had a new job that didn’t require me to go by Mona’s every day.

  Without my boss’ knowledge, I had applied for as many openings as I could find through the internet and local job postings. Only three had called for interviews, one of which was way too far away.

  “I brought dinner.” Tanner held up a pizza box when I came home one Friday from work. It surprised me because he’d been so involved with his new girlfriend that I’d seen nothing of him. “You hungry?”

  “What makes you think I don’t already have plans tonight? I could, you know. You assumed I was going to be home and took it one step farther by assuming I was staying home.” I stepped over his legs as I moved to unlock my front door.

  “Well?” He raised a brow. So much for my bluff.

  I sighed. “Come on in.” After he dropped the box on the counter, we pulled out pizza slices and sat silently eating.

  “How’s work?” Tanner asked.

  “I’m looking for another job. I had a sit down with my boss a while back and he said they’re doing serious budget cuts.”

  “Budget cuts. That usually is a precursor to job cuts.”

  “Not yet, but why would he come talk with me about budget cuts if that wasn’t on the agenda? I pretty much gathered that since I was one of the newest employees, my job was most likely to not succeed. So, I polished off the resumé and have been submitting anywhere I can.”

  “Any luck?”

  “A couple of people called and asked for interviews. I have appointments next week. We’ll see from there. I have to do something. I can’t afford to live here on what I make now, let alone if I lose that. I thought maybe I’d take a part time job at night or on the weekend. Just for a little while.”