by Gayle Eden
Oh, wow.
She wet her lips and felt herself trembling even while she nodded and watched his hands dragging her pants downward. Skye stepped out of them. She peeked at him, saw him grin sexily eyeing the lace panties. Her red strip of curls clearly visible.
Carter stood, then moved around her, making her blush as he looked at her, the bare feet, up her legs, over her whole body, ultra-slowly.
“Woman. You are sexy.”
“Carter…” She felt like her legs would buckle already.
He came to her. His hands caressed while he kissed her, his tongue going deep now, arousing. Then he picked her up and carried her to the bed, laying her down.
Carter leaned over her a moment, still standing and looking at her again. “Not cold?” His gaze met hers, his palm on her quivering stomach.
“No,” she rasped. “I’m—nervous.”
He sat her hip. His hand moved to smooth her hair back, his eyes searching, “Tell me why?”
Skye blew a tense breath, his hand was dragging downward again, feeling her, shaping her before it came to rest on her outer hip. “I’ve never done this.”
“This?” He went down the outside of her thigh, up the inside, watching her face.
“I’m not real—experienced—with foreplay,” she choked.
Her body jerked.
His palm covered her sex.
“Part your legs, babe.”
She did.
He still cupped her heat. His eyes glowed greener in the candlelight. Carter rasped, “Is that all, just bad lovers?”
She nodded, knowing what he was asking because of her past.
“You’re turned on?”
“Very.”
He moved so that he was down in the bed, his torso up when he began kissing her, from ankles upwards, his strong hands caressing at the same time.
Supple lips smoothed over her limbs. Carter nibbled and laved until she was breathing deep and strident. He had her legs parted wider and his body higher when he bit teasingly at the inside of each. A little intoxicated, a lot turned on when and he met her gaze, Carter’s fingers moved to the folds that were slick and sensitive.
“Soft, slick, sweet,” he said and glided the pads of two fingers over her clit.
“Jesus.” She grabbed the coverlet by her hips, her thighs trembling.
Watching her, he moved to the opening and teased there.
The deep groan came from the back of her throat.
Carter began easing his finger inside of her.
She met his hot gaze a second before whispering, “Yes.”
That was all he needed. He fit it deeply inside then brought it out a few times before shifting to his knees, between her legs.
“You feel so good,” he told her, thrusting in and out with his touch before leaning to kiss her.
The kiss was all tongue, parted lips and hot breaths. Skye loved what he was doing. She lifted her hips to his touch. He raised his head an inch after sucking her tongue lightly and moved down her body. His head moved in half circles as his mouth nuzzled the folds of her sex before he sucked and alternated that with his tongue laving her.
“My, God—Carter.” She grasped the comforter harder.
He sucked her clit, ate her, his finger pushing deep and snug, until she was whimpering.
Carter lifted his head to let her catch her breath.
Her heart was beating at her ribs.
He stretched up, kissed her with tangy lips and then delved down and suckled her nipples with his finger still deep inside.
Muscles contracting, Skye was drowning in lust. Layer after layer increased the eroticism. He was so good, felt so good.
He whispered his pleasure at doing it, and feeling it.
She became a mass of live nerves when he elevated and pulled her downward, until his denim-clad knees were near her ass, with her spread legs wide. Leaning to kiss her this time, his finger thrust inside the silky juices, moving faster and deeper.
Her sounds were wild in his mouth when they kissed. Skye pulled his hair and sank her nails into his shoulders.
Taut muscled and tightly aroused in tone, Carter breathed darker as he parted their mouths to encourage, “Yes, Skye.” Moving his body and hers in sexual simulating. “You’re hot. You’re so wet, and ready.”
In the haze and hunger, her lashes heavy, she arched her hips and met his gaze, “Please. I can’t take much more.”
He kissed her and moved down, his mouth instantly covering her sex and his tongue hard, pressing her swollen clit. His head moved in rhythm—until the orgasm ignited and went through her whole body, muscles grabbing the finger inside her, milking every sensation. Skye she cried out. She moaned in surrender. She shivered and shuddered until the warm waves dissipated.
At a lucid moment afterwards, he was up in the bed holding her, kissing her brow, her cheeks, and her mouth, softly.
She opened her eyes, his thigh between hers and her body against him.
His gaze was waiting, expression hot but pleased, and his mouth flushed dark from pleasuring her.
“Wow.” She scrapped her teeth over her lip.
He grinned sexily. “You taste good. You’re sexy when you come.”
“I was so out of it, I’ll take your word for it.” She leaned up on her elbow.
He reached up to smooth her hair. “Relax. That’s half the point of coming.”
She lay back down and felt him reach behind her, dragging the comforter over her. “Don’t you want to—come?”
“I want to be with you,” he said simply, and despite the fact, his body was obviously aroused. “Just relax. I’m okay.”
She lay for a long time, her head on his chest, their bodies close, listening to his heartbeat.
“Carter?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
She smiled and lifted enough to look at him.
He was wearing a slightly smug and lazy grin.
“I’ve never had a guy do that before.”
His brow rose. “Eat you?”
“Yeah.” She flushed. “It was…amazing.” She laughed.
He pushed up, turning, so she was on her back and he was gazing at her. “You’re beautiful. Sexy. Hot. I’ll do it as much as you’ll let me.” He skimmed his hand under the cover, between her legs. “It turned me on. I’ll show you a half dozen more ways I can get you off like that.”
She got wet again, and aroused again but said, “Why are you just giving. We can—”
He kissed her. “Yeah, and when we do, it’s going to be so damn good, we’ll both be out of our minds.” Those fingers stroked her lightly. “I want to. I want to kiss, taste, and feel you. I want to get to know what turns you on.”
Skye muttered, “Are you for real.”
His white teeth showed. “You turn me on, Skye. Your beautiful eyes. Your sexy lips. This sweet, hot, body. I like breathing and tasting your skin. I liked going down on you.”
She swallowed, her gaze pinned to his. “I want to do all that to you, too. You turn me on.”
He looked excited by that, but still kissed her and nuzzled her ear before whispering. “You want to come again or I’ll just lay here with you, until you sleep?”
“Rayne will be coming back—”
“Where’s he sleep?”
“Below. The sofa is a futon…” She reached and covered his hand, her eyes searching his face. “That was so intense; I don’t think I can handle it twice.”
He moved his hand away but skimmed it over her hip and to the small of her back. Resting his head back down he said, “I’m here. I’m holding you.”
She made her body relax.
He was warm, big, strong, and she did trust him.
She was drifting to sleep when he said, “I’m going to be with you for a long time, Skye. I’m not with you to get it and run. I’m with you, to make you feel as good as I do, just being next to you like this. I’m with you, because we kno
w we’re good together.”
“I think you’re nuts. Wonderful. But crazy,” she mumbled succumbing to sleep.
He laughed, his fingers in her hair, stroking. “And I think you’re going to be the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Chapter 7
Carter eased out of the bed and carefully covered Skye’s nude body.
Before dousing candles, he stood there, and while pulling on his shirt, buttoning it, he let his gaze touch her red hair, spread over the pillow. He eyed her smooth shoulder and the arm she had brought out of the cover. Her hand splaying on the pillow. She looked sexy. Young. Vulnerable. He knew she was tough, a survivor, determined and successful. He felt like scooping her up and carrying her back to the ranch—protecting her.
He also knew that was his protective instincts. She was a mature woman who had made her own way, in a tough ass world.
He snuffed out candles, letting the smoke drift out the window before he closed it, and carried his boots down the stairs.
From the lantern, he could Rayne easing up to a sitting position on a Futon that sat against the wall. His hair was down, sliding around his shoulders. He scooped it back and motioned that Carter could sit on the cushion and put his boots on. He was shirtless and shoeless.
Keeping his voice low as he did so, Carter told him what happened with the fire.
Hair tucked behind his ears now, Rayne’s silvery eyes were hard. He fished out a cigarette from the jacket on the floor and lit one. Carter did the same and heard Rayne say, “Fucking town. Cowards. They’re like Cassel’s, browbeating us as kids, tormenting Skye. And not a damn one of them would say what they say about us to my face now.”
It was truth, and Carter didn’t try to deny that. He leaned back, knees wide and eyes scanning the interior, absently noting labeled crates and boxes, props and smelling spice and apple scents mingled with mellow wood.
“I’d take her with me, take care of her,” Carter said honestly. “But that’s not Skye. She has earned this, in spite of everything. She wants this more than anything. To have made it. To have her own things, and her own business, and life.” He took a long drag and blew the smoke. “She dreamed of this and made it happen. She is strong. But I don’t want anything happening to her. Or destroying this.”
Rayne was regarding him, still tense jawed, but Carter could feel his surprise too.
Her brother said, “She’s always wanted me close by. But even if I stayed here, I work late nights.”
“I heard Jesse talking about security. They need it. I’ll talk to Rio about a couple of good guard dogs. Hopefully this was just…” Carter sighed and sat up, elbows on his knees and eyes on the fire end of the cigarette. “You’re right. This shit should have been over years ago.”
“You know, Salinas is probably not Skye’s father.”
Carter looked aside at him. “You two look nothing alike. But he’s definitely yours.”
“Probably. He calls me all the time, leaves messages. Fuck him. I’m not a kid anymore. I don’t owe him the time of day.”
“I don’t blame you, Rayne.”
Those silver eyes held his a moment. “Don’t hurt her, Carter. Don’t fuck with her emotions. Don’t get her wanting something you don’t intend to deliver.”
“That’s not my intention.”
“Doesn’t matter. You know the details, but you don’t know what that life does to a girl like that. You don’t know what a nice guy being nice does. In spite of your old man fathering Rio, whatever. You Crofts live the dream out that on your spread, with you big house, and family roots. Skye can start to long for all of that. And if you make her promises…”
Carter got to his feet, rubbing the back of his neck before he let his hand drop. “Rayne. I respect you for everything you’re saying. Why, you’re saying it.” He met the man’s eyes before crossing to the door to leave. “I’ll tell you something. Skye scares the hell out of me. She does—because I understand who she is, and what it means to her. She’s a hell of a woman, and I’m already falling in love with her.” Carter shrugged. “Whether or not I’ll ever really have her, even if she comes to feel the same, I don’t know.”
After a heartbeat, he walked across the room, opened the door, and went out to his truck. It was nippy, foggy, and Carter got in his truck, lighting a smoke he didn’t want, eyeing the barn while he started the engine. Picturing Skye asleep in that bed.
He finally pulled out and drove slowly to the ranch, the fog so thick in the valley; his headlights were not much help. Home, after parking, he got out and went inside, but only to get a coat, another pack of smokes and go back outside. Hands in his pockets, he started walking toward the pastures.
Dawn found him on the banks of the river, just down from Rio’s old camper.
That’s where Rio saw him too, when he came out riding a leggy sorrel. He dismounted at the camper and fed all the animals, some in pins and with casts, others he had to coax out of the bushes, working and soothing them, before he walked down to stand by the rock that Carter sat on.
“Brooding?”
“Yeah.” Carter watched the water, following the mist rising off it.
“Heard about what happened at Skye’s. You were there?”
“Afterwards. Juda said it happened last year, only then they messed her bike up. It’s not so much that it happened; Rio, it’s that she is still putting up with that shit. What Chloe did, is not her fault. Skye deserves respect for what she’s done with her life.”
Rio half sat on the massive rock, bracing his feet in the sandy soil and looking at Carter. “Most people do respect her. It’s just a bad element, rednecks and ass holes that every town has. I should know.”
Carter glanced at him.
Rio said, “Gets more complicated than blacking a kid’s eye on the playground. Don’t it.”
Carter grinned slightly. “Yep.”
Eyeing him, scanning his face, Rio suggested, “Go home. Get some sleep. Take her out on a real date.”
Climbing to his feet, Carter started to go then looked at Rio. “What’s bothering Kane—besides Grandpa’s death?”
Rio drew on the cigarette, narrowed his eyes against the smoke, and muttered, “Don’t know. He was in a foul mood, and not just because of his hangover. He and Kelly had words when she came in late.”
Carter’s brow rose. “What?”
Shrugging, Rio supplied, “I told him. She’s a grown woman, doesn’t need a curfew. He was waiting on the porch, and made some smart assed comment when she came in, after Rayne left. To her credit, she told him to mind his own damn business—told him she’d get a job, move off the ranch, and he could go to hell.”
Laughing in spite of his confusion at Kane’s attitude, Carter said, “That is good, for someone like her. She let that ass push her around. I told Kane that. He should know better.”
“Probably does. But he was twice as pissed when she slammed her door upstairs.”
Shaking his head, Carter decided to put it down to Kane’s grief.
He was walking away when Rio joined him, going to get the horse, leading it while they headed to the ranch house.
Rio offered, “Aside from losing his hero and someone who loved him like a son, it has to do with Kane avoiding relationships with women.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“I had them. Still do, after a fashion.” Rio grunted. “Whether he admits it or not…his mom leaving him, and his crush on a woman that anyone for miles could see wasn’t right for him—sent him down a path of getting it and going.”
“Ain't that what you do?”
“No.” Rio stopped and climbed up in the saddle, looking down at Carter. “Kane will say he respects them. He probably does. But he is not their friend, or much else besides a quick fuck. He doesn’t want anyone messing with his emotions, digging in his head, or making him feel anything close to needing.”
“He told me he wouldn’t have gone with us—”
“No. He wouldn’t
have. But, it left its mark on him. Even though he probably realizes Adeline was not for him, it was a rejection of sorts. Kane is tough as nails and just as hard, most times. I doubt he even knows what makes him restless at times.
“I felt that—restlessness. Until I came here. Different reasons, but…” Carter walked and Rio kept the horse apace. “I was shit at relationships. I wanted them. I’ve never felt like I have since I decided to stay. Since I met Skye.”
“Good for you.”
Carter laughed. “You being a smart ass?”
“No.” Rio clucked at the horse and then passed him by at a lope.
Carter watched him riding toward the barn, thinking that Rio, he, Kane, were a lot alike in many ways. They had enough of 4 Oaks, and their grandfather in them, to care for each other. Whether they showed it or not.
* * * *
After having breakfast and finding a note from Rayne saying he would call later—Skye went into town with Juda and Jess.
They met with a security company and though Skye didn’t want anything that would invade her privacy, they settled on something reasonable for monitoring the grounds around the barn.
Afterwards, Juda headed to an auto parts store and Jess went with her to look at used trucks. What she decided on wasn’t for looks. It was diesel and big enough to haul her bike, if need be. She set up payments, and was there a good two hours, before driving it off the lot. She would get it painted and have detail work done, to advertise her business.
Jesse went to the mall. Skye was in the grocery store when she saw the deputy. The woman obviously pulled the night shift and looked like she would rather be in the bed than buying food.
Those brown eyes smiled at Skye. “Hello.”
“Hey. Thanks for coming out last night.”
“Part of the job,” the woman said, looking different out of uniform, wearing a pair of jeans and stacked shoes, a nice bronze fall sweater.
“You look beat,” Skye observed.
“Dead on my feet. But I don’t have anything at the place I’m renting.” She moved her hand from the cart and offered it, “First name is Dani. Sorry.”