My shoulder muscles were tight and I rolled them, trying to alleviate some of the tension. It was something that never went away, though. The stress and tension ate at me.
Now, there was even more eating at me. Even in the sanctuary of my office, where I was usually too stressed about work to worry about anything else, Veronica was poking her head in. And her sexy little black lace pantied ass, and her perky little titties. Fuck!
I sighed and scooted away from my desk. Paperwork could wait. There was a car that I knew one of my guys hadn’t finished. I’d work on it until I was too exhausted to think and then I’d go home.
That was my life.
I tried not to think too much about it as I rolled up my sleeves and lifted the hood of a late model Ford. It had a cracked head and needed a lot of little repairs. It’d bring in a hefty paycheck for the shop. That was what I had to focus on.
I worked at the shop until the car was finished and it was nearly three am. I was dirty and tired, and all I wanted to do was climb into my bed and sleep for a few hours before waking up and doing it all over again.
Barely able to keep my eyes open, I decided it was safer to walk home. I crossed the street and headed towards my house, only to be surprised by the lone figure walking ahead of me.
I knew immediately it was Veronica. Maybe I should head to the river and drown myself. I had the worst luck.
I watched her walk. I watched as she slowed down until she was barely moving. I started to worry that something might be wrong and continued to watch from a distance. Finally, she veered off to the right and headed away from her house.
Swearing, I made the decision to follow her. The crime rate in Burden was basically non-existent, so she didn’t truly need my protection, but something compelled me to make sure she remained safe.
I kept a distance between us and stuck to the shadows as I followed. Just as I was struck by the chilling thought that maybe she was headed to some dude’s house for a sleazy, late night hook-up, she turned down the path to the library. I watched as she looked around before unlocking the door and then creeping in.
My pulse skyrocketed and I made an impulse choice that I knew I would probably regret. I quickly crossed the street and slipped in the still unlocked door behind her.
CHAPTER 8: Veronica
I should’ve locked the door behind me, gul durnit. I chastised myself for my disregard for basic safety. Foolish.
Instead of taking that simple precaution, I was hiding under my desk with a hardback copy of a popular erotic novel. I’d slipped in on my way home from the bar to grab a couple of spicy new books that I hadn’t read yet—the kind that I was too shy to just walk out of the library with in broad daylight. Although, maybe that was changing too, because I’d openly suggested different novels to the women tonight at dinner.
I’d been all smiles heading home and then even happier when I changed my mind and detoured towards the library. I had the perfect novel that I knew Georgia would love. It wasn’t library policy, but I was going to sneak it out to her. Lately, I was rebelling left and right.
I’d thought I felt someone watching me, but I hadn’t seen anyone. Then, I’d heard the door open behind me. Someone had followed me inside a dark, empty building at after three in the morning.
My mind was in a vortex of panic. I’d been attacked once before in Dallas while coming back from visiting my family. I’d thought I was going to lose my virginity that way, terrified and against my will, in a dirty alley between a deli and a drycleaners. Fortunately, someone came along and screamed at the man on top of me and I’d ended up being a victim only of robbery, instead of rape. I didn’t know if I’d be as lucky a second time.
I heard my office door creak open and I held my breath. I was going to die. I was going to be raped and then die. My heart beat such a painful rhythm in my chest, I thought it was possible that I’d have a heart attack before anything else happened.
Footsteps rounded my desk and I took a pro-active approach. I used all of my might to swing the book into my attacker’s shins and then I scrambled out as fast as I could. I didn’t even make it out from under the desk all the way before a massive arm scooped me up and jerked me against a solid chest.
I tried to scream, but he slapped his hand over my mouth.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Stop freaking out!”
Hutch. I went limp in his arms and was starting to think I was in the clear when a nasty thought occurred to me. He wouldn’t kill me, would he? My body stiffened right back up and what had been a fantasy of mine—me, Hutch, alone in the dark, abandoned library—was officially becoming a nightmare.
“What are you doing hiding under your desk in the middle of the night?”
As soon as his arm loosened, I broke free and turned to face him while backing away. “What are you doing attacking a woman in the dark in the middle of the night? Did you come to kill me?”
“Kill y—what? You thought I was going to attack you?” He looked incredulous.
“I didn’t hear you come inside. You snuck in behind me in the dark.” I stepped towards the door. “How would I know if you were or were not here to attack me?”
“Are you kidding me? I’m not a monster. I don’t kill people, and I wouldn’t hurt you.”
I snorted. “You sure about that?”
He took a step towards me and grimaced when I backed away again. “Veronica.”
A shiver went down my back, and it was not from fear. Hearing him say my name in that low, husky growl of his did something to my insides. Immediately, my body responded and I cursed it. “I’m going to get what I need and go. You should leave, too.”
He sniffed the air and growled low in his throat. “Jesus, Veronica.”
I rushed towards the door and squeaked as his arm locked around me again and his mouth was suddenly hot against my ear. His rough breath sent my hair flying forward and his words were barely more than a growl. “Don’t run from me. Don’t do it. You have no idea what it does to me.”
My heart raced for a completely different reason. Wetness pooled at my core and I let out a breathy sound that should’ve been embarrassing. “Let me go.”
Hutch’s arm tightened, pulling my body flush against his. His huge erection dug into my back and he dragged his teeth down my neck. “This is what you wanted, though. I remember how you clung to me that day I caught you, the way your little body writhed against mine as you tried to kiss me.”
Heat scorched my cheeks and embarrassment won out over desire in that moment. I jerked away from him and through my office doorway. Without any fanfare, I grabbed at the stack of books that I’d left on the circulation desk and didn’t stop until I was at the front door.
I waited there for him and sighed in annoyance as he took his time coming over. “Tonight would be nice, Hutch.”
He tilted his head to the side and stared at me. “What’s your issue?”
I shifted the books from one arm to the other and frowned at him. He was hot as hell and I wanted to jump his bones, but he was annoying. “You’re my issue, you big… butt face. You’re a fartknocker and I don’t want to have to look at your stupid mug anymore tonight. So, hurry up. Get out of here. I want to go home.”
He looked even more confused, but at least he stepped out of the building. “Fartknocker? What the hell’s a fartknocker?”
I locked the door behind us and shifted the books again. “Goodbye, Hutch.”
I looked both ways down the tiny street and then crossed it before I realized that Hutch was still beside me. I dared a side glance at him and raised my eyebrows. “What?”
“We’re both going in the same direction.” He reached over and took my books from me. His eyes widened as the title on top of the pile caught his attention. “Spankings, Sundaes, and Strippers?”
“Give those back!”
He spun away from me and continued to read off the smutty titles. “These books are in the Burden Public Library?”
I tried t
o reach around him but he spun away again. I grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled. “Hutch! Stop it. Those are a private collection.”
He spun into me and the books went flying to the sidewalk as he caught me before I could fall. Chest to chest, our faces inches apart as he stooped slightly, our breath mingled. With his huge, strong arms completely wrapped around me, I felt my defenses crumbling. Not that I had much in the way of defenses, but still.
“Your private collection?”
My cheeks burned and I was thankful it was dark out. “Yes… maybe.”
His eyes flashed from honey brown to gold. His thick lashes fluttered as he looked down at my lips. He wore his golden blonde hair short, and it looked so soft to the touch that I wanted to run my fingers through it.
I felt like I was melting into him. For every soft inch of me there were twice as many hard inches of him. From knees to chest, we were pressed against each other. God, he was beautiful that close. A rough dusting of golden scruff covered the lower half of his ruddy, tanned face and I wanted to feel it against my skin. I wanted to wake up with evidence of it on my sensitive skin.
“You’re different lately.”
I swallowed and nodded. “I’m not hiding anymore.”
“Why not?”
I pushed away from him and straightened my dress. “Because you’re not worth it. If you’re happier not seeing me, maybe you should hide. I’m over you. I’m ready to have some fun.”
CHAPTER 9: Hutch
“And if I don’t want to hide from you?” He grabbed me again and pulled me back into his chest.
I pressed my hands against his chest and shook my head. “Too bad. You’ve treated me like doo-doo. I’m not interested in you anymore.”
Lies. Lies. Lies. My body was screaming for him and I was pretty sure he knew it. Still, I pushed him away and bent down to collect my books. My heart was once again pounding in my chest. I didn’t even know what I was doing. Punishing him? Punishing myself? Running scared? I had no clue. I just knew that he’d shunned me for months. Longer. He knew I was his mate and yet he’d flirted around town with other women while I hid in the shadows, unable to give my virginity away because the thought of another man touching me made me sick to my stomach.
It was so painful, and I was angry. Sweet, docile, easily manipulated Veronica was angry as hell. I grabbed the last book and jammed it in his direction when I stood up. “You show up out of nowhere and try to touch me like you have some rights to me or something. Like I’m somehow yours. Well, newsflash, you big nincompoop, I’m not. I’m not yours. So, don’t put your hands on me like I am. Don’t touch me at all.”
He growled and grabbed the books from me. “I’m walking you home.”
I released a bitter laugh and walked ahead of him. My heels made loud clicking sounds that annoyed me so I reached down and yanked them off before continuing my angry march.
I looked back at Hutch and shook my head.
His lips thinned as he pressed them together.
I walked backwards, feeling my face tingle and burn with rage. “What is this? What are you doing? Did you think you can make me feel like a discarded, snotty Kleenex for over a year and then snap your fingers and I’d just throw myself at your feet? Beg you to touch me? Beg you to run your hands over my body and pleasure me?”
Growling, he glared. “Stop talking.”
I stopped moving and put my hands on my hips. “Stop talking. Stay hidden. Don’t come anywhere near my friends or my bar. Don’t live or breathe. Don’t do anything that may look like you’re having fun anywhere near me. Stay inside, Veronica. Tucked away. Better yet, leave town altogether. You’re so full of commands, both silent and not. Well, I’ve got one for you, Hutch. Go. Eat. Bull pucky.”
I watched my books dent as his grip tightened. “You’re pushing me.”
I deepened my voice and rolled my eyes as I mimicked him. “You’re pushing me. You won’t like me when I’ve been pushed.”
He charged towards me and I squeaked once before turning and sprinting towards my house. He was fast, but I was smaller and faster. I also had a lot of experience running.
My front door was locked so I raced towards the backyard and slipped in between a slight gap in the fence. I dared a glance back to see Hutch clear the top of the fence and land with ease. My mouth hung open and I tilted my head up to his as he dropped my books and took three giant steps to close the gap between us.
His hands grabbed my arms and jerked me into his chest. Glaring down at me, he licked his lips and gently shook me. “Don’t run. It makes me want to push you down and mount you right here in the yard. Do you understand?”
I was breathing heavily from the run, my chest brushing his with every inhale and exhale. I rested my hands on his waist and dug my fingers into his sides. “If that’s what you want to do, do it.”
His eyes went wide and he stepped backwards. My body was on fire, though. I was done playing. I wanted him with a need that I’d never felt before. My anger could wait until the sex part was over.
I moved with him, step for step. “Are you going to run forever? I want you to take me right here. I’m not asking for anything besides that. I’m not asking for anything else from you, Hutch. Just stop running for five minutes. For five minutes, just give in and let our bodies do what they want.”
In the blink of an eye, he laid me on the ground and was on top of me. “Five minutes?”
I couldn’t help the teasing smile that tilted my mouth. “Fine, two minutes.”
He growled next to my ear and then nipped at my earlobe. “I should turn your ass red for teasing me when I’m trying to do the right thing.”
I lifted my hips and rocked them against his. “Do it.”
He shifted to the side and flipped me onto my stomach and over his legs. His hand came down on my bottom hard, once, twice, and a third time.
I’d been putting on a brave front. I hadn’t known if I’d like spanking or not. I didn’t know what I liked. I was as untouched by a man as a woman could be. Feeling his big hand connect with my butt cheeks, though, had my body reacting and reacting hard.
I arched my back and thrust my bottom higher for him.
Hutch spanked me once more and then ran his hand down the back of my thigh. When he moved it back higher, he took the hem of my dress with his hand, revealing the tiny black thong I wore. His hand cupped my bare cheek and squeezed. “Who’d you wear these panties for?”
I laughed. “Myself.”
His hand came down hard on my skin again, slap, making me yelp. “Who?” He rubbed the sting away and continued to rub, his thumb dipping lower and lower the longer he went, until he was touching me.
“You,” I breathed.
His thumb stroked back and forth over the cloth covering my most private spot and a rumbling, drawn out growl sounded from his chest.
My breath caught and I dug my nails into the grass in front of me. I wanted more. I felt embarrassingly wet and needy.
Hutch pulled me up until I was straddling his lap. One hand cupped my sex and his other caught my hair and tightened his grip in it. “I’m dangerously close to fucking you right now and It’s not going to be like in one of your romance books, V. It’s going to be rough and hard.”
I ran my hands over his scalp and raked them through his hair, my nails biting into his skin. “You’re thinking of the wrong romance books, buddy. Mine are exactly like that.”
He ripped my panties and slipped them into his pocket. “I’m not your buddy.”
I leaned forward and bit his shoulder through his T-shirt. “You’re not my anything.”
Hutch pulled my hair harder, tilting my head back so he could stare into my eyes. “No?”
I stared back, burying the emotion that threatened to show. I wasn’t going to get anywhere with him emotionally. He didn’t seem to want to connect with me. If the physical was all I could get, I’d take it for the night. That meant lying about how I felt about him. “Why do you sound
wounded? Not used to being with a woman who doesn’t think you’re so amazing that she wants forever with you?”
“Were you always this sassy?”
I licked my lips and nodded. “You were a doofus for running from me. This could be good.”
His lips turned down. “You keep calling me names.”
“Only the ones that fit.”
His hand shifted and one of his fingertips pressed into me. I’d used vibrators before, but having him inside my body made my eyes want to cross. I clung to his shoulders and pressed against his hand. Hutch grabbed the zipper at the back of my dress and tugged on it.
“I want you naked. Now.”
CHAPTER 10: Hutch
I wasn’t gentle as I yanked the zipper down on Veronica’s dress. It stuck and I yanked harder, ripping the leather. If she was surprised by the show of strength, she didn’t show it. If anything, it made her hotter. She writhed on me like she was already on the verge of coming undone.
I pushed my finger deeper into her, amazed at how wet and tight she felt. My dick throbbed painfully at the thought of being in her. Veronica let her head fall back and I couldn’t resist running my tongue up her throat.
I knew I should take it slow with her, but my bear and body were demanding I thrust into her already. As tight as she was, though, I needed to prepare her for me. I wasn’t a small man.
Thrusting my finger in and out of her slick, tight channel, I used my thumb to circle over her clit and watched in awe as she whispered my name and came in convulsing shudders around my finger.
Her mouth fell open and her teeth clamped down on her bottom lip until I could smell the sweet tinge of her blood. She shook against me and then nuzzled her face against my shoulder. “More.”
Bears of Burden: HUTCH Page 4