by Haley Travis
and I could spend more time together.”
Her excited grin made my hands tighten around her. “So I could ride with you, help you, visit
my friends, then come back to… Wherever we live?”
I nodded, and she seemed confused at my huge exhale of relief. “Baby, I was so scared
that there were a ton of things you were attached to, and the thought of taking you away
from your life made me feel sick. But if the only thing that you really need from the city is to see your friends every week, I will get you there every damn Thursday.”
Her palm stroked my stubble as she grinned. “When the weather is bad, I can just call
them. Or if it’s really busy here and you need your sleep. Honestly, twice a month would be
plenty.”
“How did you turn out so mellow and agreeable?” I chuckled.
She leaned in to press her lips to mine for a second before whispering, “I think I was a
country girl at heart the whole time, I just didn’t know that yet.”
“So, how do you feel about being my girl?” I asked seriously.
“I’m already your girl.”
She pressed her cheek to mine as we looked out over the violet and peach streaks of
sunset. I realized deep in my bones that I needed to make her understand how serious I
was. “Joanna,” I said, turning her to face me so that I could watch her eyes. “I’m already in
love with you.”
She blinked hard, her precious smile trembling slightly. “Good. Because I love you, too.”
Simply staring at each other for a moment, I held my beautiful girl, then gave her a soft,
warm kiss.
“I know there are lots of people in the guest house now,” she breathed, “But maybe you
could tuck me into bed again?”
Suddenly my jeans were so tight I wasn’t sure if I could walk, but after a moment I
managed to stand, holding her hand as we went to her room, for what I was certain was
going to be the best night of my life.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
* Joanna *
As Dean walked me to my room and locked the door behind us, I realized that I didn’t want
any huge adventures this summer, or ever. I hadn’t really been looking for excitement, or
new things to try. The only thing my life had been missing was Dean, and the way he helped
me see myself through fresh eyes.
As he turned to face me, his expression seemed strained. “Do you want me to tuck you into
bed like I did last time, sweetie?”
I shook my head, looking up at him with a saucy smile. “I need more,” I said softly, grabbing
the bottom of his t-shirt and pulling it up. He helped me peel it off, and I stared at his wide chest, running my fingers along his sculpted muscles.
He smiled, staying still so that I could admire him for a minute before he pulled off my top.
Then he unfastened my bra, flinging it on the dresser as he sat me on the edge of the bed.
“I’ve been dreaming of you,” he said, kissing my lips, then wandering down my throat to
slowly suck each nipple gently. The feeling of his hands cupping my breasts made my pulse
quicken. I could already feel myself becoming wet and ready for him, and knew without a
doubt that tonight was finally the night.
“I love the way you touch me,” I murmured, running my hands across his shoulders and
down his arms. I’d always been a bit shy, but something about Dean was making me feel
safe enough to ask for whatever I wanted.
Moaning as his teeth lightly grazed my sensitive skin, I reached out to unbuckle his belt. His entire body stiffened, and it was amazing to know how much I aroused him. Suddenly I was
on my back in the center of the bed, as he unfastened my skirt, pulling it down my legs. His
eyes grew smoky as he stared at me, wearing nothing but white cotton panties.
Spreading my thighs, he ran his fingers along the damp fabric. “So wet for me,” he growled.
Sliding them off slowly, I could feel the hunger rolling off him in waves. He stared between
my legs as he dropped his jeans and shorts, only meeting my eyes when he heard me
gasp.
I’d never seen a naked man in person before, and his equipment was quite a bit larger than
I had expected. The way he was looking at me made me blush all over, yet somehow it
made me feel powerful. As if I was somehow controlling this huge, strong man.
He laid beside me, kissing me as his hands roamed all over my skin. Gripping his shoulders,
my top leg circled his hip. Our bodies came together perfectly, his hardness pressed
against my wet softness.
I wondered if Dean wanted us side by side so that it didn’t feel like he was overpowering me. Gently moving and shifting as we kissed, I was struck with another urge to be bold.
Reaching down, I wrapped my fingers around his thick shaft, stroking gently. It felt so hot
against my palm. His instant groan filled his throat, vibrating against my lips. “Sweetie, are you sure you want this?”
“Absolutely.”
“Should I go find a condom?”
“I’m on the pill,” I said quickly, making a mental note to thank Kate later for making sure that I was prepared.
Everywhere our bodies touched created sparks. My thigh over his hip. His hand in the
center of my back. My palm along his strangely soft skin as I angled his thick shaft toward
me.
I liked the feeling of him in my hand, carefully gliding him against my slippery folds. I liked that I could just take hold of him like this, and that he was allowing it. The strangely intimate contact was making me quiver inside, as I rubbed him against me.
Dean moved his hips, gently lodging the thick round head of his cock slightly inside. I
moaned as his teeth caught my bottom lip, teasing me.
He reached down, his fingers playing with my soft curls until he found my clit. Stroking
gently, I felt waves of my juices coating him as he slipped a little deeper.
Everything felt so sensitive, and I could barely focus. Dean’s handsome face looked
strained as he moved so slowly, easing himself in bit by bit.
“It’s all right,” I whispered. “I know you won’t hurt me.”
Sparks were tingling straight through me as he kissed me deeply, his fingers digging into my
flesh as he pulled me slowly closer. My breath hitched, stifling a gasp as something inside
me gave way. Everything felt tense and strange, then the next stroke felt perfectly beautiful.
“Are you all right, baby?” he whispered urgently.
I nodded. “More,” I begged.
Carefully rolling us so that he was over me, my legs spread wide, gripping his hips. His
breathing was ragged, and I realized he was forcing himself to be gentle.
“Dean, relax… I trust you,” I smiled up at him. Gripping the back of his hair firmly, I pulled him to my lips, kissing him with every ounce of fire I possessed.
The deep growl that rumbled through him thrilled me to the core. “Damn, sweetie,” he
groaned, “Your hot little pussy is so wet for me.”
“Only for you,” I gasped, shivers running through me from his dirty words.
I was glad that he had such impeccable self-control, his tiny careful strokes stretching me
gently. It was a lot to take, and took some time to open for his impressive size.
Finally, I could feel him sink completely inside, another long shuddering groan passing
through him. Inch by inch his length touched every nerve, his long, slow strokes so
controlled. I loved that my body was stretching for his, and was relie
ved that I could
somehow take him completely.
“Joanna,” he choked, and I tried to focus on his bright eyes. They were locked on mine, and
at that moment I could see that this was so much more than sex to him. To us both.
“I’m yours now,” I whispered. “Completely.”
“Yes, sweetie,” he murmured, kissing across my cheeks. “And I’m completely yours.
Forever.” He pulled out almost completely, thrusting back in more firmly, as if he were truly
claiming me.
“Yes,” I moaned. “More.”
My fingers were digging into the wide muscles of his shoulders. My knees were clenched
around his hips, tilting up to meet him with every deep stroke.
“I love you, Joanna,” he growled softly, thrusting faster as I began to tremble. “I love the
feeling of you so close to me, not just now, but at dinner, at work, everywhere.”
“Dean, I love you,” I moaned, feeling the pressure inside about to explode any second.
Feeling his rough thumb gently gliding across my little button so gently pushed me straight
over the edge without warning.
“Oh… Dean... “ I screamed, staring into his gorgeous eyes as I felt like I was falling, pure
heat surging through my body.
“That’s it, sweetie.” His shoulders tensed as his body stiffened, his thrusts becoming
savage and uneven. “Oh God, I can feel you coming all around me.”
His searing gaze locked on mine as he came with a roar, pounding deep and fast as he
erupted so hard inside me I could feel his juices mixing with mine. As he collapsed on top of
me, my limbs tightened around him, caressing him everywhere I could reach.
That he quickly pressed himself up on his forearms. “That was…” He shook his head,
simply staring at me, dumbfounded.
I couldn’t help laughing. “Exactly.”
After a moment, Dean sat up, leaning against the wall as he pulled me into his arms. “I’m
going to be a terrible farmhand and sleep in a guest’s room tonight,” he said with a chuckle.
“And tomorrow at lunch I’m going to ask Miriam if I can stay another week,” I said.
His brows knit together. “I think there are a bunch of guests coming in a day or two. I don’t
know if there will be extra rooms.”
“Then I’ll ask her if it’s okay to stay with you in your room for another week,” I said. “I’ll still pay for my food and lodging with work, but I’d be happy to share a bed.”
Dean’s eyebrows raised. “Wow, baby. When you first got here, you were such a quiet little
thing. Now you’re going to just tell Miriam you’re shacking up with me for a while?”
I could feel how hard I was grinning and choked back a laugh. “Absolutely. I’m going to
blame all of this crazy country air for my inappropriate behavior. There’s just too much
oxygen out here. Maybe I’m high as a kite.”
Dean’s large hand cupped my face as he kissed my nose. “I think that you’ve always been
a country girl at heart. You just didn’t know it.”
“That’s entirely possible,” I agreed.
Reaching across him, I grabbed my phone to set the alarm. “Five forty-five?”
“Five-thirty. I’ll have to go to the house and get our breakfast and coffee.”
“And Miriam is going to notice that you stayed in my room,” I giggled.
“That’s okay. I have a feeling that she knew we were permanent before we did.”
I nodded as he wriggled so that we were lying flat, using his shoulder as a pillow. I couldn’t believe how comfortable I was with him. I also couldn’t believe that I was completely tired
at ten-thirty at night.
It was unbelievable how much my life had changed in the past week. This was not the
summer vacation I had been expecting, but it was precisely the adventure that I’d needed.
EPILOGUE ONE
* Joanna *
*** One Year Later ***
Pulling off the highway, I slowed down considerably once I hit the back road. Over the past
ten months, I’d really come to love driving into the city once or twice a week.
Sometimes I would come in on Thursdays with Dean. Sometimes I would drive, either
leaving girls night a little early after only having iced tea, or the next morning after crashing on Kim’s couch after a couple of cocktails.
Most of my work was done online, but it was good to meet some clients and editors in
person. Although my poetry book wasn’t coming out for a few months, I’d found many
freelance jobs writing for various websites and magazines.
It turned out that many urban publications were looking for the voice of a country girl. I
wrote articles about farmhouse cures for winter ailments, surviving the summer heat, and
big farm tips for the tiny kitchen herb garden. Miriam was a huge help, and I made sure to
drop the name Harmer’s Farms as often as I could.
I’d come to love being on the road, and driving away from the tall buildings to feel the fresh, crisp air by the fields. It was also incredibly relaxing to listen to audiobooks and podcasts
along the way.
Turning into our long driveway, I always grinned to myself as I approached our little white
house with sky blue trim. Dean had wanted to add a white picket fence, but I thought that
was a bit too cutesy. We compromised with a cedar hedge.
Parking my small car next to his huge truck, I was glad that Dean was already home.
Rushing in the front door and dropping my things on the side table, I found him in the
kitchen.
“That smells amazing,” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind. He shook
his butt at me, making me giggle. Then he turned around, holding a spoon up for me to
taste.
“Wow,” I said. “Your pasta sauce is getting almost as good as Miriam’s.”
“I’ll keep on trying,” he smiled, tossing the spoon on the counter and sweeping me into his
arms. He kissed me sweetly, but I always tasted that simmering lust that was barely held in
check. Now that we were living together, there was no reason for him to ever keep his
hands off me.
So I was surprised when he pulled away so quickly. “I’ll dish this up, if you could set out the cutlery, please?” he asked.
“Sure.”
Fetching the silverware and napkins, I turned to the table to see there were some
brochures and a pen beside my spot. Setting down the cutlery, I asked, “What’s this?”
He took my left hand, sliding something out of his pocket. It was like a key ring, with a
bunch of different loops. Methodically trying on circle after circle on my ring finger, he said,
“Is that the right size?”
“Yes,” I whispered, realizing that my hand was beginning to tremble.
“Size five and a half,” he said, pulling out his phone and making a note. “After dinner, I’m
going to need you to go through those brochures, if you don’t mind, and make some notes
on what you like. Your friend Laura set me up with a guy who will make anything you want.”
As a writer, I should have been able to form words. I just couldn’t.
“Hey now,” he smiled, rubbing my back gently. “It’s not that big of a decision, right? It’s
basically the color of the metal, the shape of the metal, and the color and shape of the
stone. He’ll take care of the rest.”
“That sounds really expensive,” I finally stammered. “I can’t let you spend your money on
me.”
“I thi
nk I will buy my beautiful lady anything I want,” he smiled, kissing my forehead.
“You work so hard,” I said, holding his face in my hands. “You already bought us this
beautiful house.”
“And you bought us the new TV,” he chuckled. I adored that he was proud of me, and
understood that I needed to pay my fair share, as much as I could.
“Honestly, I don’t need a fancy ring,” I said.
Dean swallowed hard, nodding to himself for a moment. “There are a few things that I’m
traditional about. I want to have your folks here for the next holidays. I want to put a
diamond on that cute finger. And I want to ask you important questions properly.”
Those lively brown eyes locked with mine, as I whispered, “I’m pretty sure you’re going to
get the answer you want.”
His arms wrapped around me, his hands under my shirt so fast I didn’t think he even
realized he was doing it. I adored how much his body craved mine, like he truly needed me
in every way.
As he kissed me, I felt the warm tingle that I always did when Dean held me. Yet there was
something extra special at this moment. Maybe there was no such thing as a pre-
engagement, but our lives were certainly entwined, and permanent. That was certainly
enough for me at the moment. But I dearly loved that he was thinking ahead.
Perhaps that was a country thing – always watching the sky, needing to know what the weather would be tomorrow so that you could plan ahead.
EPILOGUE TWO
* Dean *
*** Three Years Later ***
“Dean?” Joanna’s soft voice calling into the barn always soothed me. I couldn’t stand it
when she was more than a few miles away. But last night she’d stayed with her friend Kim
so that she could go to her doctor this morning.
“In here, sweetie,” I called from the sink where I was scrubbing up from hauling some fresh
topsoil to the greenhouses.
“What did the doc say?” I asked, rushing over to take her hands in mine. My thumb
immediately rubbed in a circle around her wedding ring.
“Everything is tip top. She said that it was fine that I stopped taking the pill last month, and gave me a list of things to keep an eye on. I already picked up prenatal vitamins. But she