by Mari Carr
“What sort of goal?”
Jody turned on the burner, placing the sandwiches in the pan. Her words were coming slowly and Seth began to think that whatever was driving her to marry Paul wasn’t going to be that easy to overcome. “Paul’s studying to be an architect. He’s incredibly talented. He’s going to build a cancer treatment facility with some trust fund money he’s about to come into.”
Seth rubbed his jaw, trying to figure out what the hell she was talking about. How was this connected to her wedding? “That’s real nice of him.”
She smiled. “He has to be legally married by his next birthday in order to get the money.”
Suddenly a light came on and Seth began to understand. Her words triggered his temper. “You’re marrying him so he can get some trust fund?”
She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. He tried to ignore the fact the pose accentuated them and made him hungry for a taste. She was dressed in his T-shirt and nothing else. “Do you know how much good can come from the research that would happen in Paul’s facility?”
He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “My issue isn’t with Paul’s plans for the money. It’s an admirable thing to do. I just don’t understand why you have to sacrifice your future, spend your life in a loveless marriage so some building can be built.”
“It wouldn’t be my whole life. Just a year.”
He paused. “What?”
“According to Paul’s lawyer, if he were legally married for a year, the stipulation in the will would be met. If he fails to get married, the money goes to a distant cousin.”
“Maybe the cousin would agree to give the money—”
“The cousin’s an addict. He’d blow every penny of the inheritance, filling his veins with drugs.”
“Oh.”
Suddenly her vehemence about following through with this wedding made sense. He wasn’t fighting another man for her heart. He was fighting against her dead mother. He sighed. It was a competition he couldn’t hope to win. Jody would gladly sacrifice a year if she thought it meant other young girls’ mothers could be saved. Fuck. Even he could understand now. That didn’t mean he agreed though.
“Surely there’s some other way.”
She shook her head. “Time’s not exactly on his side. He has to be married before his next birthday, which is just a few weeks away.”
Seth crossed the room and sat down. He leaned back in the chair, desperately seeking for an answer. “Seems like an odd stipulation for a will.”
Jody shrugged, flipping the sandwiches. “Not if you consider the fact Paul’s father was the world’s biggest homophobe.”
He sat up, his suspicions confirmed. “So Paul is gay.”
She nodded. “The will was a punishment. Plain and simple.”
“Pardon me for saying so, but Paul’s father was a prick.”
She smiled. “Amen.”
They were quiet for a few minutes as Jody finished the sandwiches, putting them on plates and adding a handful of potato chips. She came over to the table and placed a plate in front of him. He had an ache in his gut that wouldn’t go away until he asked the question he already knew the answer to. “You won’t go back on your promise, will you?”
She sat down across from him, but she didn’t answer. Her face said it all.
“I’m going to change your mind,” he said, unwilling to consider spending five minutes without her, let alone a year. He had her here and he was going to make sure that by the time these two days were up, there was nowhere else on earth she wanted to be. There had to be an answer to Paul’s dilemma that didn’t include Jody. When they returned to the ranch, he’d demand to see the will. He’d fax a copy to his dad’s lawyer. There had to be a loophole, an out.
She shrugged, a noncommittal gesture that tweaked his temper. Reaching over, he pulled her chair toward his.
“Hey,” she said.
“Open your legs. Wrap your ankles around the front legs of your chair to keep them apart.”
She hesitated.
“Do it now, Jody.”
He hadn’t bothered to dress and suddenly, he didn’t like the fact that her body was hidden beneath his large T-shirt. He pulled the thin material over her head before she could stop him. She wasn’t wearing panties. Her hands moved to cover herself, but he gripped them, applying the slightest bit of pressure when she tried to pull them free.
“Don’t.”
Her breathing was ragged, and he could sense her rising arousal. She definitely liked it when he took control.
He looked down at her legs which were still tightly closed. He took a deep breath and started counting to ten in his head. If she hadn’t moved them by the time he reached the end, she was going to be introduced to the concept of punishment.
He hadn’t made it to five when her knees parted, her ankles looping over the legs of the chair. He looked up and smiled. She narrowed her eyes, and he knew she wanted to make a smartass comment. Amazingly, she refrained.
He pointed to her sandwich. “Better eat before that gets cold.”
She’d just taken her first bite when he reached over and pushed a finger into her pussy. She was wet and hot and more than ready for him.
She gasped.
“Chew,” he said, when her eyes drifted closed. She obeyed, putting the sandwich back on the plate.
He thrust first one, then two fingers inside her, maintaining a steady, deep pace. Her hips began to move in time.
“Keep eating.”
She shook her head, and he sensed she was close to coming. He withdrew his fingers.
“Seth,” she protested.
“Pick up your sandwich and keep eating. You aren’t allowed to come until your plate is clear.”
“That’s impossible.”
He chuckled. “No, it’s not. Eat.”
He waited until she took another bite before replacing his fingers in her pussy. She managed to choke down two more bites, though he sensed she was struggling to hold off her orgasm. She’d just popped a chip in her mouth when he started stroking her clit with his thumb.
“Fuck,” she muttered, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. Ever the Southern lady, she managed to chew with her mouth closed. Her pussy muscles clenched, and he stopped moving.
“I have to come, Seth. Now.” Her tone was a perfect mix of pleading and demanding.
He looked at her plate. “You know what you have to do.”
She hastily shoved a large mouthful of the sandwich in her mouth as he added a third finger to the first two. Her hands grasped the sides of her chair and tightened into a white-knuckle grip.
“Your orgasms belong to me,” he whispered, leaning closer when he felt her fighting her body’s natural impulses.
She shook her head. “My body belongs to me. And only me.”
He removed his fingers. “Is that right?”
She moaned, trembling at the loss. “Dammit, Seth. Finish what you started.”
He stood up and walked to the bed. Reaching beneath it, he pulled out an overnight bag. When he’d picked up the groceries from the ranch house last night, he’d gone to Jody’s room to pack some extra clothes for her. The devil in him had prompted him to rifle through her nightstand drawer.
He opened the bag, pulled out the treasure he’d found and turned back toward her.
Her eyes narrowed. “Where did you find that?”
“Where do think?”
She rose, angrily. “Did you go through my drawers?”
He grinned. “I thought you might like some clean clothes. Have to admit I didn’t expect to find this.” He waved the vibrator he’d found in front of her. “Bit disappointed to see it’s still in its wrapper.”
She shrugged. “It was a gift.”
He walked closer to her. “From who?”
She smiled smugly, clearly happy to have gotten his goat. Damn woman would always keep him hopping. “My fiancé.”
Seth frowned. “Just how good a friend is Paul?”
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She laughed, good-naturedly, and let the joke go. “He gave it to me the night he proposed. Said he’d always make sure his wife was well provided for. He was kidding, of course. I thought it was a pretty funny gag at the time.”
He was glad she had a friend like Paul in her life. He’d worried about her going off to college so far from home. Paul had filled a void and kept her safe. He admitted to himself he owed the guy a great deal of gratitude for that.
“Doesn’t explain why you never tried it.”
She rolled her eyes. “He only gave it to me a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been packing up to come home. Time hasn’t exactly been on my side.”
“Well, now it is.”
“What do you mean?”
“Go lay on the bed. I think you and I need to have a little heart to heart about who owns this body of yours.”
She walked to the bed, but she wasn’t cowed. “You can talk until the cows come home, but that’s not gonna change the fact that my body and my orgasms belong to me.”
He tried to stifle his smile. This was going to be fun. She crawled up onto the bed, taking care to make sure he got a very good look at her bare ass before she rolled over onto her back. She beckoned him with a finger and he struggled to look stern. She was topping from the bottom. Obviously it was time to take off the kid gloves and teach Ms. Kirkland a little lesson in submission.
Walking to the kitchen sink, he opened the package containing the vibrator and washed it. He took his time. Through the reflection in the kitchen window, he could see Jody squirming on the bed. She’d been close to coming on the chair. It wouldn’t take much to push her over the edge. He’d have to tread that razor’s edge lightly. Before she came, she’d know without a doubt that her body belonged to him. He aimed to wrap her up so tightly in lust and desire that she’d never consider marrying another man, promise or not.
He walked to the foot of the bed. Jody lounged, trying to give the appearance of nonchalance, though he detected the slight tremor in her hands and her accelerated breathing.
“Open your legs,” he said softly.
For a moment, he thought she might refuse. Then she gave him a smile sexier than silk sheets and spread herself open for his perusal.
He could see she was wet even from several feet away. She wanted this, wanted him. “Touch yourself. Get yourself hot, but don’t come.”
She bit her lower lip and again he sensed her nervousness, her desire to withdraw. However, his girl was nothing if not resilient. Her fingers drifted down her bare stomach slowly before lightly rubbing her clit.
He watched quietly for several moments as she toyed with the firm nub, her fingers moving faster before dipping inside her pussy. He let her stroke herself several times, enjoying the flush covering her body, her breasts. She was hot. Hell, he’d say she was on fire.
“Stop,” he demanded.
Her fingers paused, still buried deep within her cunt. Her breathing was labored.
“Seth,” she whispered. “I need you.”
He grinned, climbing onto the mattress. He knelt between her parted legs. “Taste yourself.”
She licked her lips nervously, slowly dragging her fingers out of her pussy.
He leaned closer as her fingers moved toward her mouth. “Rub your juices on your lips. Pretend it’s lip gloss.”
She grinned and rolled her eyes, but she obeyed.
“Now lick your fingers.”
She stuck two digits in her mouth, sucking on them in such a provocative way his vision went black for a second.
“You’re going to do that to my cock very soon,” he whispered.
She glanced down at his erection letting him know she was more than ready for that reality.
He grasped her wrist, pulling her fingers out of her mouth with a light pop. He needed to get back on track or he’d be the one begging for release, not her. He lifted his right hand and showed her the vibrator.
Without speaking, he put the toy at the opening to her body and pushed it inside slowly, but steadily. He kept his eyes on her face, watching for any discomfort. He wasn’t forgetting the fact that she’d been a virgin a few hours earlier. Once the toy was fully enveloped in her hot flesh, he flipped the switch on the bottom on low speed.
She jolted as it started vibrating.
“God,” she said on a breathless sigh.
“You like that?”
She nodded, her eyes drifting closed.
He bent down, lifting one of her breasts in his palm and directing her nipple to his mouth. He didn’t hold back, didn’t refrain from taking her exactly the way he’d always dreamed of. He sucked on the turgid tip roughly, giving it the occasional bite. She groaned, writhing on the mattress.
“Please,” she whispered.
“You need more?”
She nodded, without opening her eyes. He reached down and increased the vibrator’s speed. She cried out loudly, her hips gyrating wildly, as he turned his attention to her other breast.
When he sensed she was getting close to coming, he quickly turned off the vibrator.
She trembled, her eyes flying open. “What the hell?”
“Who owns your orgasms?” he asked, repeating his question.
Her teeth clenched and she refused to answer.
He smiled. “Stubborn girl.”
Leaning forward, he placed soft kisses on her throat until he felt her pulse calm. Once her impending need to climax passed, he turned the vibrator on once more. Bypassing the lower speeds, he cranked the toy up to its highest setting. Her head flew back against the pillow, her hips thrusting uncontrollably.
He gripped her hips tightly, holding her still as he moved downward until he could suck her clit into his mouth. Her legs started to clench around his head and he pushed her knees farther apart, giving him more access to her sweet arousal. Nipping her tight bud, her cries grew louder, more frantic.
When her orgasm seemed imminent, he pulled the vibrator out completely.
“God dammit,” she screamed.
“Who owns this pretty body?”
She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her waist. He wondered if the movement was for self-defense or comfort.
“You,” she whispered.
He smiled. “Say it again.”
She blew out a frustrated breath. “You. You own my body. I’m yours, Seth. I’ve always been yours.”
He tried to recall if he’d ever heard a more beautiful sentiment. No force on earth could have stopped him from kissing her at that moment. He moved over her body and placed his lips on hers. He could taste the tang of her arousal there and it drove his higher. Dragging his tongue along her soft lips, he tried to show her how much her words meant to him.
Rising at last, he quickly donned a condom and pushed inside her, memorizing the beautiful expression on her face as he took possession of the precious gift she’d given him. Slowly, he moved inside, the two of them finding their rhythm, their cadence. Neither of them rushed to find their release. Instead they let the power of the moment close around them and when they reached the peak, they dove into the light together.
Chapter Nine
Jody smiled when she noticed Seth’s gaze on her face. She’d been lying on her side since waking up, studying the tattoo on his back, as he slept peacefully on his stomach.
“Like what you see?” he asked, giving her a shit-eating grin.
“You know I do.” She reached out and ran her finger over the tattoo that had fascinated her for years. She’d caught more than a few glimpses of it, mainly in the summer when Seth pulled off his T-shirt on the piping-hot days.
He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly as she outlined the dark shape, following each intricate line. “That feels nice,” he mumbled after a minute or so.
“A compass?”
His eyelids rose slowly. “Mmm hmm. I grew up on Compass Ranch. You knew that. My brothers and I all got the same tattoo.”
She nodded. “The brand in the middle? That’s t
he one you use on the ranch?”
“Yep.”
She touched the bottom of the tattoo and paused. “The S on the compass is bigger than the other direction marks.”
He turned onto his side, facing her. Reaching out, he pulled her closer until they were chest to chest, nose to nose. He wasn’t the only one suddenly wide awake. His hard cock pressed against her stomach, and she felt her pussy clench with need and desire.
“I got the tattoo right before I left home. I was young, cocky, wild and ready to see the world. In my mind, all my dreams were gonna come true in Texas.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist, loving the closeness between them. For years, she’d wondered what it would be like to share a bed with Seth. Dreamed of engaging in pillow talk.
“Did they come true?” she asked.
“You’re in my bed, aren’t you?”
Her heart lurched at his sweet words.
“Sweet talker,” she said, struggling to get the light-hearted words out. This moment, hell, the past twenty-four hours, had sent her world spinning. She was dizzy and giddy and happier than she thought possible.
He leaned closer and kissed the tip of her nose. “How about a shower?”
“Together?”
He laughed. “I have one more day with you, darlin’. You’re gonna be hard-pressed to keep me more than an inch away from you.”
She pushed closer. “I don’t remember complainin’.”
He gave her a hard, quick kiss, before rising and climbing out of the bed.
She started to pull on a T-shirt, modesty still winning out despite the fact Seth had probably seen more of her naked body than she had. He’d studied every nook and cranny of her throughout the night, the light of the moon casting a romantic hue on the bed as he made love to her time and time again.
“No clothes,” he said, taking the T-shirt out of her hands. “It’s a quick trip.”
She felt herself flush, but willed her embarrassment away, taking his proffered hand as he led her to the bathroom.
Bending down, he turned on the hot water and she watched the small room quickly fill with steam. Together, they stepped into the stream and she sighed blissfully as the heat hit her stiff muscles.