by Ronica Black
Rae eased her back down, pressing a gentle hand to her chest. “It’s you,” she whispered. “You do this to me.” She leaned down and kissed her, soft and hard.
Krista moaned, knotting her hands in Rae’s hair. Rae pushed her tongue in to taste all of Krista, to stake her claim, wanting it all. She ran her hand down the center of Krista’s chest to her stomach, to the wet flesh between her legs. As she plunged her tongue inside Krista’s mouth again, Krista opened her legs, inviting.
This time Rae moaned as her hand slid along the slick flesh, open and waiting for her. Hungry and eager. She stroked the sides of Krista’s firm clit and felt her reaction in her mouth when Krista’s tongue pushed forward, demanding.
Rae kissed her back, their tongues dueling as Rae rubbed her up and down, faster and faster. Krista’s hand lowered to dig into her back. The kiss went on, deeper and hotter, tongues swirling around and around. Noise came from Krista, groans, short moans, and Rae kept on. She dipped her fingers lower, getting more of the slick wetness on their tips, then returned to her clit. Krista’s reactions were so powerful Rae didn’t dare to stray to any other part of her body. She wanted to pleasure her this way, to work her sweet and hard. To see just how much she wanted, how much she could take. The cleft was hot and full, pushing against her fingers as they squeezed up and down. Another noise from Krista and then nails clawed Rae’s back. Krista’s body rose up off the bed and she turned away from the kiss and cried out into the night.
Rae watched her neck strain, felt her body shudder beneath her.
“Yes,” she whispered, the sight more beautiful than anything she’d ever seen before. “Come for me, baby.”
Krista pulsed, the cries loud and long as Rae continued to milk the pleasure from her.
“Rae,” she said over and over, her voice rough. Rae watched in amazement as the last of the orgasm shot through her. Krista stilled and opened her eyes. A grin spread slowly across her face. “Are you planning on waking me up like that every night?”
Rae stilled her hand and bent to kiss her on the lips, her own feeling swollen and tingly. “If you want me to.”
Krista threaded her fingers into the dark head of hair. “God, yes.”
Rae smiled. “This feels good.”
Krista studied her and cocked her head. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
“Thank you,” Rae whispered.
“For what?”
“For not giving up on me.”
Krista tugged her in for another kiss. When they moved apart, she lifted her hand to touch her lips. “You’re not someone who’s easy to forget.”
“I’m not, huh?” Rae raised an eyebrow and Krista laughed.
“No, you’re not.” Quickly and with strength that surprised Rae, Krista sat up and flipped her onto her back, pinning her hands up over her head.
Rae looked up at her, aroused beyond words.
Krista pressed her nude body down upon her, lowering her head to lick Rae’s neck. When she reached her ear, she whispered, “Now I’m going to do what I’ve been wanting to do since I first laid eyes on you.” She licked Rae’s ear, sealing the statement, and kissed down to Rae’s breasts. She lowered her hands and Rae watched in helpless wonder as Krista carefully avoided her nipples with both her mouth and her hands. Her tongue was long and agile, licking patterns all over Rae’s skin, driving her insane each time she blew warm breath across her straining nipples and then lifted her mouth to go elsewhere.
“Krista,” Rae breathed. But Krista wouldn’t stop. She kept on, lower and lower, pushing down, maneuvering between Rae’s thighs.
She bent and blew upon Rae’s hungry flesh and Rae shivered, mad with desire. Her skin tingled where Krista had licked her, leaving her starving for more. Krista stared up at her from between her legs. Rae had never seen a lover look so hungry, so thirsty for her. Her legs trembled and Krista pushed them apart as she rubbed her face against Rae’s flesh.
“Oh, uh.” Rae clenched her teeth. The pressure had almost sent her over.
Krista grinned, extending her tongue to lick up one moist lip and then down the other.
“Krista, God, Krista.” Rae clutched handfuls of auburn hair.
She wanted to watch as the tongue did it again, extending to lick her up and down, edging closer and closer to her clit. But the sensation was too much and her eyes clenched closed and her body bucked with frenzied need as the hot, wet tongue finally reached her.
“Jesus,” she seethed as Krista’s mouth found her and fed.
In and out, in and out, Krista was sucking her off.
Rae raised her head and forced her eyes open. “Agh…” She couldn’t even form words watching as her clit was tugged in and out of Krista’s mouth, the tongue massaging as the lips worked.
Krista stared into her eyes as she bobbed. She reached up and pinched Rae’s aching nipples, tugging them along with her clit. Rae tensed and her body thrust. They were in a rhythm now, so good, so goddamned good. Rae clung to Krista’s head, the feel of it moving back and forth adding to the pleasure.
“Oh God, oh Krista.” It was coming. The pleasure. The orgasm. Coming hard and fast. Her head fell back and her eyes drifted to the ceiling.
She tried to stifle her cries but the white-hot pleasure consumed her all at once, slamming into every cell over and over again. Her body arched and she cried up toward the ceiling, her head lifting off the pillow, her hands holding Krista to her. She cried long and hard, cried for the pleasure, for Krista, for love, for life.
All of it was sacred and pure, worth everything she’d ever had.
When the last wonderful pang of pleasure finally left her soul, she collapsed into the pillow, her throat tight and sore. Krista stilled between her legs and crawled up to straddle her waist. Rae could feel the hot slickness of her pussy.
“You okay?” she asked, stroking Rae’s jaw.
Rae smiled so easy she thought it’d slide right off her face. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
Krista grinned down at her. “You look fine.”
“Do I?”
“Uh-huh.” To Rae’s surprise, her eyes welled and a tear slipped down her cheek.
Krista wiped it away, concerned. “What’s wrong?”
Rae reached for her hand. “Nothing.”
“But you’re crying.”
Rae kissed her palm and whispered, “I’m living.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Krista awoke to the soft sound of a guitar. She opened her eyes against the morning light and squinted, sitting up in the bed.
“Morning,” Rae said softly. She was sitting at the foot of the bed, stark naked, guitar in hand.
“Good morning.” Krista smiled. “Are you going to serenade me in bed?”
Rae plucked a few strings, her dark hair tousled and hanging down near her eyes. “I thought I might.” She grinned and Krista’s heart flip-flopped in her chest. “You see, I’ve been working on this song.” She played the familiar tune, then stopped. “But I was having a hard time finishing it.” She fell into Krista’s eyes. “Until now.”
She cleared her throat and scooted closer to Krista. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to sing it for you.”
Krista felt her body and mind awaken at once, pulsing with nervous energy. “Please,” she managed, emotion already working itself up.
Rae nodded and cleared her throat again. Then she lowered her head to look at her guitar as she began to play. The tune was familiar, the rhythm beautiful. Burning hazel eyes found Krista when she started to sing.
I think I know
But I don’t
Life and love are pain
And I won’t
Then in my life
She walks
Head held high
Her eyes are green
And fierce
Her hair burning fire
She sees right through me
And nails my heart
Her look consumes me
&
nbsp; While her words
Her words
Tear me apart
Oh how I thought I knew
What life was
What love meant
But she cuts into me
And life ain’t over yet
Life ain’t over yet
Life ain’t over
Yet
And now I’m seeing
My eyes open wide
Her eyes are green
And fierce
Her touch burning fire
She sees right through me
And ignites my heart
Her look consumes me
While her words
Her words
Bring life
Bring love
They’ve given me
A whole new start
I think I know
And I do
I think I know
And I do
Yes I do
Life and love…
They’re you
Life and love
Yes they’re you
They’re you
Rae finished playing the tune. When she looked up, her eyes were full of tears. Krista fought to speak, her voice somewhere deep within her chest, burning alongside her heart.
“I don’t know what to say,” Krista whispered. “I…it was beautiful.”
Rae set her guitar to the side and moved closer. She reached out to hold Krista’s face.
“It ought to be. It was about you.”
Their eyes held as they grew closer and kissed.
“Make love to me?” Krista wanted nothing more than to feel Rae all over her. She’d already covered her body with her words, with her music; now she wanted to feel her mouth.
Rae groaned and lay down atop her. She slipped her thigh between Krista’s and rubbed, covering her mouth with a wet, hot kiss.
“Rae,” Krista whispered as the dark head moved lower and lower, trailing kisses down her middle.
“Krista,” Rae whispered just before kissing her slick flesh just as she’d done her mouth.
Krista lay on her back, her legs spread wide, Rae’s mouth working her slow and hard. She thought back to the song and as the words replayed in her mind, the pleasure rising up through her accompanied them.
Rae was right.
This was love.
This was life.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“That ought to do it,” Dwight said closing the hood to Clinton’s old Chevy. He walked to the driver’s side door and closed it as well. Krista stood at the hood holding a cover. Dwight took hold of the other side and together they spread it over the vehicle.
“I disconnected the starter,” he explained, wiping his hands on his jeans.
Krista smacked her hands together to get rid of the dust from the old cover. “I’ll give the keys to Rae.”
Sunlight streamed in through the worn wooden slats of the old barn, igniting bits of hay in fiery gold. Jagger, who was now all legs and ears, sniffed around, curious. The walls were lined with old tools, rakes, and worn wooden furniture. Some of it appeared to date back to the 1940s. She couldn’t wait to get her hands on one or two to try and restore it.
Excited, she inhaled the barn’s musty, earthy scent and walked with Jagger outside the door to watch Dwight close and lock it. He grunted as he worked on securing the latch.
“How are things with Doc?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
Krista smiled. “Fine.”
Dwight tugged on the lock and turned, ready to head back to the house. “Just fine?” His eyes twinkled.
“Better than fine.”
He grinned. “Glad to hear it.”
Krista fell into step next to him, Jagger lingering behind. Repeat ran up from the house, tail wagging, and the two bolted off, chasing one another.
“I wanted to thank you again,” Krista said.
“For what?”
“For telling me about Rae.”
He spat and squinted up into the sun. “I only did it because I knew Judith would want me to and, well, I love you both like my own daughters.” He looked over at her. “Otherwise I would’ve never told. It wouldn’t be my place.”
Krista touched his arm. “We’re all very lucky to have a loyal friend like you, Dwight.”
He stared at the ground, the emotion of the words getting to him.
They walked along in silence for a while until Dwight spoke, changing the subject. “The next group arrives tomorrow?”
Krista studied the house and bunkhouses as they came into view. “Uh-huh.” She was pleased with the work that had been done on them. She and Dwight and Cody had done the repairs themselves and they were starting to look as good as new.
After this next run, they were going to finish the bunkhouses and then start on the stables.
“You going to go out on the trail this time?” Dwight asked.
“You bet.”
He smiled over at her. “Well, I’ll be. That feisty little fifteen-year-old is back.”
Krista laughed. “I’ll have plenty of help. The two new wranglers arrived this morning. Have you met them?”
Dwight shook his head. “Not yet.”
“I think you’ll like them. Ben and Everet.” She was pleased with the two young cowboys. Their previous employers had nothing but kind words, and neither one had had any run-ins with the law. “Not to mention Cody. He’s been a real lifesaver.”
“He’s a good boy,” Dwight said.
“I filed the report on Howie,” Krista continued. “The cop told me he had several others. One for indecent exposure and one for voyeurism. One for public drunkenness.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“Yeah, I should’ve known. Should’ve checked.”
“What’s done is done. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Dwight moved the ball of tobacco around in his mouth. “’Sides, he won’t be back here.” His look was serious.
“How can you be so sure?”
“’Cuz Rae and I chased him off with a shotgun last week. I threatened to shoot off his balls.”
“What!”
“And that’s after I broke his nose.”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“We didn’t want to upset you.” He looked serious. “He won’t be back.”
“Hopefully, he’ll get a little jail time with this last charge,” Krista whispered. “But you and Rae have got to quit keeping things from me.” She stopped and held his forearm. “Promise me, Dwight.”
He bowed his head and sighed. “All right. But you better tell Rae that yourself.”
“Oh, I will.” She smiled as up ahead Rae’s big truck kicked up dirt and crunched gravel along the drive. Krista couldn’t help but get excited even though she’d just seen her the night before.
Krista picked up her pace and nearly jumped into her arms as Rae stepped out of the truck.
“Hey!”
Rae grinned, holding her tight. “Hey, yourself.”
Krista kissed her short but sweet. Rae blushed, catching sight of Dwight, who merely smiled and tipped his hat as he headed inside.
Rae closed the door to her truck and yanked Krista close for another kiss. This one longer and slower.
“Mmm,” Krista managed, her heart fluttering and her knees weakening. She pulled away reluctantly, her desire raging hot and nearing the breaking point. “God, you smell good.” She nuzzled Rae’s neck, inhaling her cologne.
Rae shuddered when Krista nibbled on her sensitive flesh. “You better stop,” she rasped, her fingers digging into Krista’s waist.
“I don’t want to.” Krista bit harder, sucking. She thought of the photos Adam had brought, sitting on the kitchen table. The ones of Rae all hot and glistening, tan and strong in her jeans and cowboy hat. Krista had wanted to eat her alive. She bit again, harder, hungry.
Rae jerked and lifted her off the ground. “Quit it!” she said playfully.
Krista laughed, full of mischief. She wrapped her a
rms around Rae’s neck, her thoughts growing more serious. “I’m going to miss you, you know.”
“Me too.”
They looked into one another’s eyes.
“I wish you didn’t have to go.”
“I know. But this is my responsibility. I want to go and make sure the new wranglers learn the ropes.”
Rae kissed her gently. “I’m proud of you.”
Krista smiled. “Thank you.”
They kissed again.
“I told Dwight no more secrets,” Krista said.
Rae looked confused.
“I know about Howie.”
Rae rolled her eyes. “That asshole?”
“Yeah. Sounds like you and Dwight made a lasting impression.”
Rae laughed. “We did.”
“Next time tell me, okay?”
“I didn’t want to alarm you.”
“Hey!” Krista said, holding on to Rae’s chin.
Again Rae rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. You don’t need protecting.”
They laughed as they said it in unison.
Krista lightly touched her face. “Can you stay with me tonight?”
Rae looked surprised. “Here at the ranch?” They’d been spending every other night at Rae’s, making love well into the morning hours.
Krista nodded. “Sonja asked for the night off. Lindsay’s taking her out. I need to stay with Clinton.”
Rae chuckled. “Sure.”
“Good,” Krista said, leaning in to whisper in her ear. Her desire was getting the better of her. Flashing images of her slamming Rae up against the stable wall and tearing down her pants to suck her entered her mind. Then she imagined the two of them in the hay, her straddling Rae, riding her long fingers. She shivered and her skin grew hot.
“Come on.” She pulled on Rae’s hand.
“Where we going?”
“To the stables.”
“Why?”
Krista stopped and nibbled on her ear. “Because I can’t wait until tonight.”
About the Author
Born in North Carolina, Ronica Black now lives in the desert Southwest, where she spends her time painting, drawing, and writing. A lover of true crime books, she spends any remaining time engrossed in the tales of unsolved crimes and forensic files, where she gets many of her story ideas. Romance, passion, and creativity are her great fortunes, and she shares them all with the woman she loves.