Slim To None (Cedar Tree #1)

by Freya Barker

  Walking over to where Emma is was leaning back, he bent over and put his hands beside her head on the back of the couch, and then leaned in close.

  "And don't think I’ve let you off the hook, darlin'. I'm giving you a breather, that's all, get you used to having me in your space ‘cause I aim to be there a bit." He closed the distance, folding his mouth over her lips and slowly licked them from one side to the other before pulling back. Standing up, he gave a final look from his dark eyes that were now burning with intensity. He turned, walked out of the room, and left Emma sitting in stunned silence.

  *****

  "Do you want something? I think I may have a beer or two left in the fridge."

  They'd been at it for a couple of hours and had singled out most of the files related to Encorb, the company Ernst Corbin apparently used to shuffle money. It was the same company that she was supposed to have received a paycheck from a while ago; guess she could kiss that money goodbye. She had minor administrative tasks that had seemed innocuous at the time, as well as maintained a rather complicated ledger that included some sort of coding instead of creditors or debtors, something she remembered finding rather odd at the time, but she had assumed it had been done for security reasons. The thing that worried her the most was that she had stepped outside of her normal scope of responsibilities when she had agreed to perform those small projects. Most weren't more than placing certain files in a dropbox and sending a message to a certain email account. When she checked the dropbox, it was completely empty, but since she wanted to make sure everything she did could be repeated if something went wrong, she had copied each file in her own dropbox as well. Only problem was, the files made no sense whatsoever.

  With her eyes getting gritty from staring at the screen, she got up for a drink. Gus was making sure that all of what they found was immediately transferred to his IT guy, Neil, in Grand Junction.

  “Would you like a drink?”

  "Beer would be nice." Came the response. "I think we'll put this to rest for now. We've gotten a bit done, so let's see what Neil can come up with tomorrow. We'll also take a drive into Cortez, check the post office and pay my friend Joe a visit while we're there." Gus closed the laptop and walked over to the kitchen where she had just pulled a beer out of the fridge and was pouring some ice tea for herself. Grabbing both drinks, Gus returned to the couch, while she followed tentatively behind; a bit of anxiety starting to form in the pit of her stomach. Wanting to give herself a little space, she tried sitting down in the big lazy chair across from the sectional, but Gus was on to her, grabbing her hand and tugging her over to the couch where he plopped down beside her.

  "Done avoiding me now, darlin'. I wasn't going to let those remarks you made at the diner go, but wanted to give you some time to collect yourself."

  Busted, she thought to herself. Squirming in her seat, she was angry that she was allowing this man to make her feel so damn discombobulated. She, who had always been the strong one, always aware of exactly who she was and where she was going, was at a total loss after 10 years of pre-occupation. She raised her daughter, along with dealing with her own health issues, and now she was faced with this self-assured, strong and capable man. Oh how she hated being such a waffling, insecure, typical female.

  Turning to Gus, she found his steady gaze on her, patiently waiting.

  "This is not like me." She began, "That person on the phone is not like me. I don't do stuff like that. I mean, I never have...I never would have... before."

  "Before what?"

  "Before my life started getting out of control, no matter how hard I tried to reign it in. I already did the hardest part, which was packing up all I had and moving here to live a dream just for me. For once, I did something without any thought for anyone else. It still feels self-indulgent and unfamiliar, but it feels good, as well. I guess I figured, why not? I was on a roll when we had our little telephone thing, whatever that was. I had been doing so much “living in the moment” in the past few months and feeling so good about it, that I didn't think, I just jumped"

  "And what is wrong with that?"

  "Nothing, I guess, except it was surreal and I was outside of myself, feeling wanted for the first time in a fucking long time." The expletive made Gus chuckle.

  "Don't laugh, I'm serious!" She glared at him. "For too many years now, I've been naked and poked and prodded more than I care to remember, but nothing about that was sexual. All it made me feel was like a specimen in a petri-dish. Ten years I've been a mother, a friend, and most of all, a patient. Not once - not once has anyone made me feel like a woman until I answered that call, and I just went with it because it was an amazing feeling. I was greedy and wanted that for myself. I never thought that there was going to be a moment where the “woman” who had that amazingly unexpected experience on the phone would have to be matched up with the person who detached from her body so long ago. That person doesn't really care anymore."

  She could feel hot tears trickling down her face, and bending her head, she tried to find a way to undo the past twenty-four odd hours, where she was happily baking pies and had a nice memory to dream of, but then she found herself being lifted on to Gus's lap. His big hand tangled in her curls, pressing her head against his chest as he leaned them back against the couch.

  "All I see when I look at you is a woman." His voice rumbles comfortably beneath her; his heartbeat steady and strong in her ear. "Strong, capable, and so damn positive it radiates from your pores. I told you before, I had no idea what you looked like, and you had an effect on me, and then I met you. I didn't know who you were, and you affected me. I come to find the two are the same and I'm blown out of the water." Pushing her back slightly, he looked in her eyes, as if he was trying to find every answer in their depths. "I haven't asked about your condition, not because I'm not interested or I don't want to know, because I do. I’m just more interested in getting to know the woman first. That okay with you?"

  Lifting her hand to Gus's face, Emma traced the laugh lines beside his mouth with her fingers, before leaning in and softly kissing his lips.

  "I'll take that as a yes." Gus mumbled before taking her mouth in a hungry kiss that sucked every coherent thought from her mind until only sensation remained.

  "God, woman, what you do to me..."

  Adjusting her carefully on his lap so she could straddle him, she could feel his hard length between her legs.

  "Is this position okay for you? You'll have to tell me if something is painful." Gus said before renewing his attack on her mouth. With one hand tangled in her curls, almost to the point of pain to position her head for a better angle, the other hand had a firm clasp on her ample ass. She couldn’t tell if she was coming or going anymore. The taste of him, beer, and something inherently male were intoxicating. The feel of his stubble over her skin, rubbing through the wetness his soft lips left behind was sexy as hell to her. He placed open-mouthed kisses all along her jaw to her neck. Every part of her body was coming alive as he was awakening all of her nerve endings. Stretching her head back to try and give him maximum access, she groaned at the wet slide of his tongue along her neck as he alternated with nips, and then sharp bites on her skin. She was losing herself in the contrast of sensations he was evoking, and all the while, she was pushing herself on his hard cock, grinding her core on him in a steady, strong, pulsing rhythm, driving herself insane with lust. She was reaching, circling her hips, trying to spread her labia on the hard ridge of his fly through her jeans, just to get more friction. She was getting so frantic, her hands clawing at his hair, wanting more.

  She barely even noticed when he removed her top and had her bra undone, she was so lost in the long forgotten feelings. Feeling Gus lay her down, he leaned over her and sucked a nipple into his mouth and pulled hard, getting a response she felt all the way down to her pussy. Restless for more contact, she rolled her hips, looking for something, riding him through their layers of clothing. Gus licked and sucked at each of her breasts whil
e unbuttoning her jeans and sliding his hand inside, finding her bare, as promised, and so wet she had soaked through the crotch of her jeans.

  "Please, please..." The incoherent pleas fell from her mouth.

  "I know baby, I'll give it to you." Gus mumbled, not wanting anything to stop the release of built up passion that was setting this woman on fire. Quickly sitting up, he pulled off her jeans and panties all at once, not wanting to give her a chance to think at all. He gave himself a moment to take in her luscious body spread out for him, before making a place for himself between her thighs. He stroked the gorgeous, softly rounded contours of her body. Her skin was so pale, it was almost translucent. She had a slight blush that started between her breasts, climbing up her neck, and flared out over her cheeks. Her plump, wet lips were slightly parted in anticipation, and her thickly veiled blue eyes that were staring at him, full of lust and with a fair amount of vulnerability. It made his chest feel full to have this woman, so strong, and yet so vulnerable, opening herself up to him - exposing herself like this to him. It made him hard as rock and eager to taste every last fucking inch of her... Sheer beauty.

  Sliding his hands up the back of her legs to her ass, he tilted her a little, and put his mouth on her pussy, sucking as much in as he could while sliding his tongue from her entrance with slow, steady pressure, all the way to her clit. He pressed it with his tongue against the back of his front teeth, causing Emma to arch off the couch and groan. His mouth was flooded with the taste of her, his cock becoming so hard that he was afraid he was going to blow in his pants, but he wanted to make this good for her.

  He lifted his head and saw her flushed face and heavy lidded eyes focused on him. A slight whimper escaped her swollen, smiling lips. Reassured, he slowly inserted a finger into her passage, relishing the wet, tight heat surrounding his digit.

  Emma gasped and moaned as he pumped and stretched her, all the while teasing the hood of her clit with the tip of his tongue. Gently inserting a second finger, he had her pussy clasping him so tight, it felt like his circulation was cut off. He knew she was close, so he sucked the little turgid nerve bundle tightly between his lips and alternated sucking and flicking it with his tongue.

  "Ahh, Gusss... please..." Emma ground her pussy in his face, reaching for her release. When he hooked his fingers inside of her, he told her, "Come for me, babe. Show me all that beauty!"

  The walls of her vagina clutched his fingers while he looked up to see her throw her head back in complete surrender with tears tracking from the corners of her eyes.

  "That makes you even more fucking gorgeous." He laid beside her, gently stroking her soft abdomen with one hand, while brushing a few sweaty curls from her forehead with the other.

  "Like a peach, ripe and plump. Perfect to the eye, soft to the touch, and so juicy that once you get a taste of it, you'll never forget the sweet flavor sticking to your lips... it’s like sunshine." He leaned over and licked into her mouth to let her have a taste. The combination of a well-sated woman and her juices was almost too much for him as she slid her hands under his shirt.

  An out of body experience, that was the only way to describe what she just had. Her entire body was tingling and warm; super sensitized. She felt like any touch would send sparks flying. Before her mind had a chance to engage and interrupt her post-orgasmic bliss with self-deprecating thoughts, he gave her the “Peach” speech, which would have had her in tears if he hadn't kissed the stuffing out of her before she had a chance.

  Suddenly realizing her boneless and satisfied condition, versus his raging boner and state of dress, she lifted up on her elbow.

  "How come I'm stark naked and you are still wearing every stitch of clothing?"

  "Well that's easily resolved." Pulling his shirt over his head, he revealed a very tempting broad, firm chest with a decent sprinkling of dark and grey hair, as well as a set of big muscular shoulders, both adorned with very unexpected tattoos that curved onto his back as well.

  Eager to explore, she ran her fingers through the course hair on his chest, slightly pinching his nipple as she passed by it, which caused him to hiss between his teeth; Something for her to keep in mind. Hungry for more skin to run her hands over, she started unbuckling his belt, but just as she was about to lower his zipper to explore the promise she felt there, firm knocking came from the front door, interrupting their sensual haze...SHIT!

  *****

  "Sorry to interrupt, folks." Ralph said, looking back and forth between Gus, who had quickly slipped his shirt back on to answer the door, and Emma, who was just coming out of the bathroom where she had disappeared to with her discarded clothes to try and make herself somewhat presentable. "Frank asked me to check in on my rounds to make sure everything was quiet here. When I didn't see any cars parked out front, but a light on inside, I thought I'd check it out."

  "Pulled my truck into the treeline so it wouldn't be too obvious from the road. I'm bunking here tonight though, so you can tell Frank there is no need to worry about Emma." Gus intended his message to be clear. He wasn't about to leave Emma's side, and he didn't appreciate the glances Ralph was shooting in her direction.

  "Well, I guess I'll be on my way then since everything here seems to be under control." With a stiff nod in Gus's direction and a hat tip to Emma, Ralph made his exit. Gus stood in the doorway until the taillights of the patrol car disappeared down the road.

  Closing the door, he turned around to find the living room and kitchen empty. Turning off the lights and making sure everything was locked down for the night, he made his way to the bedroom. He found Emma curled on her side, her back to the door. Shedding his clothes, and leaving only his boxer briefs on, he slid under the covers behind her, fitting himself against her warm body, his nose in her neck.

  "We are not done, but I still have your taste on my lips, your smell in my nose, and with you to snuggle up against me; I'm a satisfied man. Can I just hold you tonight?"

  Chapter 7

  "The spot I've seen that truck waiting is just twenty or so yards back from the intersection, up ahead where we turn left to go to Cortez. " Emma told Gus as they drove into Cortez the next morning to check Emma's mailbox. They also planned to meet up with Joe Morris at the County Sheriff's Office to touch base and check on any progress.

  Emma had woken up earlier with the smell of coffee wafting out from the kitchen; momentarily catching her off guard until she remembered the events of the night before and the presence of a warm and very comfortable body wrapped around her all night. Her sleep had been deep and delicious, and although customarily sore when she woke up, the strong arm wrapped around her and the big hand grasping her boob, more than made up for that.

  She had been lying there for a while, fighting the need to get to the bathroom, just delighting in the sound of slight snoring in her ear and the possessive feel of him holding her down in bed, with a big ass grin on her goofy face before she dozed off again. The next time her eyes opened, she was alone in bed and drooling with a need for the coffee she was smelling, when Gus walked in with a cup.

  "I've just decided I'm gonna keep you." She smiled at him, holding her hands out for her caffeine fix. She was surprising herself with how unselfconscious she was feeling. It was only enforced when she looked at Gus and saw sheer appreciation reflected in his eyes.

  "You have, have you?" His deep voice rumbled over her, as he bent down for a kiss.

  "Sure thing. If it means getting rocked to sleep at night and served coffee in the morning, then hell yeah; it’s worth the pain of putting up with you the rest of the time." Emma joked, wincing slightly as she tried to get herself up.

  "You okay?" Gus wanted to know.

  "Oh yeah, I just get stiff during the night; I seize up, so in the mornings it takes a while for me to get limbered up... no big deal." Emma found Gus looking at her intently. "What's up?"

  "I'm thinking that's not going to be easy - seeing you in pain." Gus admitted. "Especially knowing there probably won’t be much I
can do to fix it." Cradling her face, he kissed her lips lightly, and with that, turned around and left the bedroom, saying, "I'll leave you to get ready. We need to get into Cortez today."

  The post office in Cortez wasn't busy, and opening her box, Emma found nothing but advertising; no check from the elusive Ernst Corbin, not that they had really expected it to show up.

  About to head over to Mr. Happy, a local eatery where they planned to grab some breakfast before heading over to meet with Joe, Gus stopped Emma at the door.

  "Are you okay to go ahead and grab a table? I just want to ask the Postmaster a few questions. You can take the truck, I'll catch up with you."

  "God no, it's just across the street. The exercise is good for me. Besides, you'll probably make it there in time to hold the door for me." She smiled at him as she moved past him and through the door he was holding open for her.

  "Won't be long." His deep voice a was a breath away from her ear, and full of promise.

  Being mid-morning, the temperature was still comfortable, but Emma feared that by noon, the day would have turned in to a scorcher. Enjoying the relative quiet of South Beech Street, just off the main thoroughfare of Cortez, she didn't have to worry about traffic. As she rolled her walker off the curb to cross the road, there was only a truck pulling out of a parking spot down the street. Her eyes were already scanning the curb on the other side to find a good spot to lift her walker up, so she didn't notice the truck barreling toward her until the last minute, when the sound of the revving engine registered in her brain. All she saw then was a big truck grill coming toward her before her anger set in. Hell no! Trying to dive headfirst in between the parked cars, she didn't quite make it before she felt the impact, and everything faded to black.

  The Postmaster was just about to show Gus into the small office in the back when the roar of an engine, followed by an impact and the screeching of metal snapped Gus's head around to the window. Seeing a dark truck speed off, he instinctively took note of any details he could grab before turning his attention to the small crowd of people gathering on the opposite side of the street. This was when he noticed the mangled walker half crunched under the dented side of a parked car, and the bottom fell out of his stomach. Emma...