Wild Rugged Daddy_A Single Daddy Mountain Man Romance

by Sienna Parks

  Maddox scoops me into his lap wrapping his arms around me. I let it go. Everything that’s been slowly killing me. “I tried to save your dad. I wanted to bring him back for you. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” He gently wipes the tears from my eyes.

  “You did everything you could. It wasn’t your fault. I could never have survived that day without you, A.B. Don’t you get that?” Our lips meet in a ghost of a kiss, soft and slow before turning needy and frantic. I want to lose myself in him more than anything, but in this moment, I know I have to pull back.

  “As much as I want to taste you, feel you, and love you right now, I need to explain why I came back.” I extricate myself from his warm embrace, pacing the ground in front of him. “Maddox, the man I lived with in New York… we started drifting apart almost a year ago. He wanted things I couldn’t give him. That I didn’t want… with him. Mad, he proposed before I left.”

  “Why did you wait until now to tell me this?” I can hear the pain in his voice, and I hate I’m the cause of it.

  “He didn’t propose because he loved me. He did it because I fit into his timeline. We weren’t madly in love. We were… easy. I found out a year ago…” The only way I can choke out the rest of this sentence, is to turn my back to him. “I can’t have kids, Maddox.”

  “Annabeth…”

  “Jonathan, my ex, was happy we could focus on our careers. He didn’t care that I’ve always wanted to be a mom. He wouldn’t entertain the idea of wasting time and energy to try and have a family. It was a defining moment for me. I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. I didn’t want to have kids with him. It’s always been you, Maddox. I knew I’d missed my chance with you, but the moment he proposed, I couldn’t deny my feelings any longer. The closest I could get to the life I threw away, was to come back to Kingsbury Falls and put down some sort of roots.”

  “I have to ask one thing. Why did you leave without telling him all of this?”

  “I tried, over and over again, but listening to me wasn’t exactly his strong suit. There were a lot of rumors around the hospital of him sleeping with one of his interns. I tried to ignore them, but after Jennifer, I knew I had to make a change. Every time I tried to talk to him, he made excuses and cut our discussion short. When he proposed, I knew the rumors were true. In the end, I got tired of waiting for him to make time for me. I wrote him a letter explaining everything. We’ve talked since and he understands why I couldn’t stay. I promise you I didn’t make the same mistake I made when I left you. It’s my biggest regret, and I know I need to earn your trust, but I’m here, Maddox… asking you to give me a second chance.”

  His arms snake around my shoulders, his lips finding my ear. “We need to take it slow.” His fingertips caress my cheek.

  “Are you saying yes? We can give this… us... a try?” I twist in his arms, my palms gently cupping the scruff on his face.

  “Yes. I love you, A.B. Always have, always will, but you have to give me time. I gotta make sure I do right by Rae. She just lost her granddaddy.”

  “What about the fact I can’t have kids? If you want more, I can’t do that for you.”

  “We can adopt a whole football team if you want. I want you, A.B. All of you, just as you are.” His lips descend on mine in a tirade of emotion, pouring it all into this one kiss. My hands fist in his hair, desperate to pull him closer, delighting in the rush as his hands roam my body with wild abandon. I push into his palm as his fingers bite into my breast—on the edge between pleasure and pain.

  “You guys seriously need to get a room. Outdoor sex at a party? Really?” Jax appears in the darkness, a sly grin on his face.

  “Fuck off, Jax. Could you be any more of a cock-block right now?” I laugh against Mad’s chest, a little embarrassed by our lack of control.

  “I just came to tell you I’m splitting.” He gestures toward the barn door. There’s an attractive woman I’ve never seen before, waiting for him with a shy smile and lust in her eyes.

  “Afraid not, brother. I need you to go and stay at the ranch tonight. Pops isn’t up to an overnight with Rae yet, and as you can see…” He slaps my ass. “I have my hands full.”

  “What the fuck?” He stares at Mad in disbelief.

  I wander over to my friend, pulling him into a tight hug, whispering in his ear. “Please, Jackson. Maddox and I need tonight. I’m begging you.” He looks to Maddox.

  “Fuck! You owe me big time.”

  A glorious smile spreads across Mad’s lips, those dimples working overtime. “I’ll be back before Rae gets up.” He slaps his friend on the back, and hands over his keys, before grabbing my hand and dragging me to the parking lot. I wave goodbye to Jax, watching as he presses the pretty blonde against the barn, making the most of the outdoors before heading to the ranch.

  Maddox throws me over his shoulder, striding through the field with purpose. “Where’s your truck?”

  “I walked. My place is only five minutes from here.”

  “I don’t know if I can wait that long.”

  The short walk to my house only took twenty minutes, but Maddox and I were unable to keep our hands off each other for more than thirty seconds. My body is on fire by the time we reach the front door, craving his naked flesh more than my next breath.

  “Fuck, A.B. You sure this is what you want?” His words are broken, his breath labored as he kicks the door shut behind us.

  “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

  “I can’t do this again if you’re not all in. Being able to kiss every inch of your body, to feel your body quiver as I come inside you. It almost broke me getting a taste of you again, only to have you walk out. If we do this right now, there’s no going back. I’ll never recover.”

  “Make love to me, Maddox Hale. I’m yours. I always have been.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, he rips open my shirt, tearing at the cups of my bra to expose my naked flesh. Dropping his head, the warmth of his mouth surrounds my nipples, licking and flicking with his tongue until they are tightly budded with anticipation. Grabbing me around the waist, we stumble down the hallway.

  “Where’s your room?” Gasping between kisses, I try to speak a coherent thought.

  “Couch. Left. Now. Can’t wait.” I claw at his t-shirt as he lowers us onto the couch. Our lips part just long enough to pull it over his head and drop it to the ground. “Oh God.” He makes short work of my jeans, dragging them down my legs with a hunger I’ve never seen before. It’s sexy as hell, and all I want is to watch him come apart for me. He dips his head, to kiss me through my panties, driving me wild. “Holy fuck. Mad, I want to taste you.”

  “All in good time, darlin’. Right now, I need to eat you or I’m gonna lose my mind.” He pushes my underwear to the side, sliding his tongue down the length of me. “Fuck. I’m never going to get enough of you, Annabeth.” My back arches, my fingers gripping his hair, forcing him to take more of me. His murmurs of delight send vibrations throughout my body, and I quickly find myself succumbing to an intense climax.

  Without another word, I extricate myself from his grasp, pushing him into a seated position. I begin by kissing him, long and hard, my hands enjoying the taut muscles of his abdomen, his soft tanned skin warm and inviting. My fingers follow the happy trail of hair down from his bellybutton, slipping under his waistband. I can’t get his jeans off fast enough, tugging at them as I kiss his abs, breathing in the scent of him. “You keep kissing down that path, there’s no way I’m going to be able to control myself, darlin’.”

  As I pull his boxers off, my core tightens, ready to take every last inch of him. “Who says I want you to be controlled? I plan on watching you lose control while I suck your cock.” His eyes light up. Giving him a blow job was not one of the firsts I enjoyed with him in high school. I never really got the fascination with it, and with future boyfriends I just saw it as a chore. Taking in the sight of him, naked and waiting for me, my stomach somersaults up into my lungs, making it hard to br
eathe. His cock is hard as steel, and sexy as hell.

  From somewhere deep inside, I feel a new confidence and freedom surge through me. I hold his gaze, dropping to my knees in front of him. I’ve never felt so powerful. His eyelids are hooded, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. I mimic his action, flicking my tongue over the tip of his cock, and am rewarded with a groan of pleasure. “Fuck me.” I wrap my hand around the base, letting my mouth encase his shaft. His skin feels amazing as I begin to move, slow and deliberate. “Your mouth feels so fucking good, A.B.” His head drops back on the couch, his arm coming up to stifle his moans.

  I run my hand up his chest. “You don’t have to be quiet in here. Let me hear how much you want me, Mad. Watch me.” As I take him back into my mouth, he lets out a shaky breath, his eyes fixed on mine as I swirl my tongue around the tip. The lightest suction has him shouting my name, clutching the cushions in an attempt to keep control. I pump my fist in time with my mouth, creating a delicious rhythm. Tilting my head to the side, I take him as deep as I can, my eyes fixed on him entire time.

  His hands fly to my shoulders, trying to push me away. “You gotta stop. I don’t want to come in your mouth.”

  “Please, Maddox.” I’m not ashamed to beg, my new-found confidence in full swing. I place his hands on my face, before wrapping my lips around his cock. One more lick and he begins to set the pace, gripping me tight as he thrusts into me, hard and fast.

  “Annabeth…” My name gets lost in a slew of groans, moans, and cuss words. I let him push until he hits the back of my throat. His orgasm pulses down the length of him before I’m rewarded with a warm spurt of come. “Fuck… A.B… so fucking good.” Maddox has never looked more beautiful to me than he does in this moment. I sit back on my heels and admire every inch of him.

  After a few minutes, he pulls me up and into his arms, his cock already hard again. “Darlin’, I’m gonna ride you so hard, you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.” I wrap my legs around his waist.

  “Don’t make threats you can’t follow through on.” He slaps my ass so hard it stings.

  “It’s not a threat, darlin’… it’s a promise.”

  MADDOX

  “I thought you and A.B. were taking things slow?” Jax is too chatty at this time in the morning.

  “Can you wait until my coffee kicks in before you start with this shit?”

  “Come on, man. You’ve been stealing moments for dirty ranch sex for weeks now. You’re seriously not going to give me anything?”

  “I’m a single dad. I’m not dead! Taking it slow means I’m not going to have her around Rae all the time. She needs to get to know A.B. And I need to know she’s not going to run when things get tough.”

  “She’s not going anywhere, Mad.”

  “We thought that when she was eighteen.”

  “So, you’re having no strings, filthy doctor sex? You lucky son of a gun.” I can’t believe he refers to A.B. as the sister he never had, and can talk about her this way.

  “Say that again and I’ll knock you the fuck out! When have her and I ever been no strings? I’m all in, Jax. I’m just trying to be cautious. I’m not carefree like you.”

  “I know, brother. I just want you to be happy.”

  “I’m making this up as I go along. I want her around all the time, and when we are together I can’t keep my hands off her. It’s crazy. I thought I was randy in high school, but our chemistry this time around is off the charts.”

  “You sound surprised?”

  “I’ve had some great sex in my life, but this is different. This is like, I want to shoot my load at the sight of her. It’s mind-blowing, addictive, hotter than a two-dollar pistol on the fourth of July… HOT.”

  “Wow!” He slaps me on the back, chuckling to himself. “I guess now is a bad time to tell you about the meaningless, wild monkey sex I had with this girl I met the other night?”

  “Nice segue! I’ll make you a deal. You can tell me about it on the way to the old barn in the west field. After that, no more talk of women for the rest of the day. Remember when we used to discuss work, horses, expansion plans for the ranch?” I can’t help the wry smile that cracks my lips. He’s always been one to share his conquests, and to be honest, so was I. But, with A.B., some things are sacred—for me alone.

  I give Artemis a nudge and head off over the fields of Mustang, my thoughts firmly on how to build my father’s legacy and secure the future of this ranch. Not only for me, but for Rae… and A.B. Jax follows hot on my heels, and Artemis takes it as a challenge, racing through the brush. For a while, all my cares fade away, the freedom of riding giving me an altogether different high. I miss the rush of bareback riding a mustang—wild and primal. All power and no limitations. That life seems so far removed from where I am now, but I would give it all up again tomorrow to have Rae, and a chance at the life I always wanted with A.B.

  I can see the apprehension in Jax’s demeanor as we walk the dilapidated barn. This was formerly known as The Wedding Barn. Pops and gran were married there. It used to be a venue for most weddings in town, and from old photographs, it was stunning in its heyday. I’m not sure if I want to restore it as a venue, or look at other ways to utilize it, but it could be a great investment, and that’s why I brought Jax here today. From the look on his face, he’s not seeing the potential!

  “Okay. I know it looks bad right now, but think of all the things we could do with this place.”

  “It’s a lot to take on at the moment. With your dad and everything. Don’t you maybe want to wait a while and get used to running the ranch yourself for a few months, at least?”

  “My dad thought he had another twenty years to realize his vision for Mustang. Why wait? And besides, I don’t run this place alone.”

  “Being a partner in one aspect of the ranch is totally different. I’d love to help you with whatever you want to do, but, I don’t have cash to contribute right now. I’m sorry, man.”

  “That’s the thing… I got paperwork from the lawyer yesterday.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Better than okay. Jax… my dad left you twenty-five percent of the ranch, and this.” I pull an envelope from my back pocket. I didn’t open it, but my dad left a letter for me, explaining what he wanted to do, and allowed me the final decision. Jax was here when I left. He was like a second son to my dad, always had been. He stepped up when I couldn’t and I can’t think of a better way to thank him than to carry out my dad’s wishes. His hand is unsteady as he grasps the letter.

  “I appreciate the gesture, but I can’t accept. It’s Rae’s future.”

  “Just read the letter, Jax. Please.”

  “Do you mind if I take a minute?”

  “Of course not. I’m going to walk the field and see if inspiration strikes for this place. Come find me when you’re ready.”

  “Thanks, brother.”

  As I stroll out into wide open space, there’s potential in the air. Every breath, full of hope for the future. My dad knew more about this ranch than I gave him credit for. Between my earnings as a rider, and the ranch—Rae and I are set for life. I never realized how many businesses he had invested in over the years. He was a silent entrepreneur—he didn’t showboat or give any hint of how well he’d done for himself.

  Today, I woke up to the kick up the ass I needed. The letter my dad left me, not only explained his desire to involve Jax in the ranch, but his long-term plans. He didn’t plan on me taking over so soon or so suddenly, but he knew I’d be back. I was equally impressed and pissed by that realization. Did he think I was going to fail as a rider? I guess I’ll never know. Did he trust I could continue in his footsteps and pass Mustang onto Rae one day? Yes.

  After the last conversation I had with my dad the day he died, I’m not sure I deserve his trust. But, I’ll do my damnedest to earn it. I haven’t told anyone about the last words that were spoken between my dad and me—not even Jax. Usually, I would go to Pops when something is bothering me, b
ut he’s so deep in his own grief right now, I couldn’t bear to see the disappointment on his face if he knew.

  The quiet serenity of the ranch from this vantage point is a real sight to behold. I can see why Pops picked this spot to get married. Land stretches out for miles around, the sun dancing in the clear blue sky. My mind wanders to thoughts of A.B. I need to bring her up here, she’d adore this view. Lost in the idea of a secluded picnic, outdoor sex, and a very naked Annabeth, I don’t hear Jax walk up behind me.

  “Hey, brother.” His eyes are red with tears, his stance one of emotional exhaustion. I know it well.

  “Hey. You okay?”

  “Did you read this?” He holds the handwritten note from my dad in his hand.

  “No. That’s for you, man. He left me a letter explaining what he wanted for the ranch. That’s all I know.”

  “Do you mind if I take some time to think about all this?”

  “You don’t want to work the ranch anymore?”

  “I can’t imagine doing anything else. I just don’t want you to be tied to the old man’s decisions. This is a big deal and it affects you and Rae.” This is exactly why my dad wanted Jax to remain a big part of Mustang. He values family above all else. Something I’ve had to learn over the years.

  “If that’s the only thing holding you back, then don’t worry about us. I want you to have it. I want you to be a part of this moving forward. You did so much for my dad, and you continue to do so much for my family. You are family. Please accept the offer and let’s rock the hell out of this place. What do you say?” He pauses for a moment, slowly tucking the letter in his pocket.

  “I say… hell yes.” We shake hands, and I pull him in for manly hug. The relief I feel that I’m not in this alone, is instant. Jax and I have made a hell of a team over the past three years, and I know we can take this ranch to the next level if we work together.

  “So… this rickety old barn. Want to turn it into something amazing?”

  “When do we start?”