by Jess Bentley
As the vehicle tore across the dirt road, neatly jumping over the dried tire tracks and rocks, I shone my handheld flashlight in the grass along the path. I circled back once I reached her stalled car, knowing that I must have missed it.
Lucky for her, something shiny glinted in the beam of my headlights. I pulled up alongside it, reached down, and plucked her keys out of the dirt. While rising back up, another shiny little dot caught my eye, the reflective logo on her black bag.
“Missing these?” I teased her when I made it back to the house. Meredith was sprawled back against the sofa cushions, but jumped up when I held out her bag and car keys.
“You found them! You’re a lifesaver! I was sure it had been dragged halfway across the state by those mongrels by now!” She took the bag from me and carried it to the table, then began searching inside.
“Naw, those things don’t want it unless you’ve got some food stashed down in the bottom of it. Then they sure would make quick work of ripping it to pieces, though.” I hesitated, not wanting to be the one to say it, then finally asked, “You think your camera survived? The bag was pretty dirty, like maybe it’d rolled when you dropped it.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” Meredith answered, holding up the camera and turning it on. “This bag has taken a bullet, been run over by a rickshaw, fallen in a contaminated river, fallen in an even more contaminated sewer… you name it, we’ve been through a lot together.”
“Sheesh, that’s a lot of danger for a fancy architecture magazine!” I said skeptically. How was it that the woman I’d just helped onto my couch over a little coyote had been through so much other stuff?
“I wasn’t always a ‘house portrait’ lady, as one of the editors called me not too long ago,” she said distantly, still looking in the bag for her notebook. “I got into this after taking a bullet in the arm while on assignment.”
“What? You? You got shot at?” I demanded, waiting for the explanation. I was a little surprised at how such a simple confession made me boil with rage. Like I wanted to kill the guy who tried to hurt her.
“Yeah. It was just a graze, nothing too serious.” She pushed up her sleeve and showed me a faint streak that ran just above her elbow. “But it scared my mom out of her wits. And I’ll be honest, it had me a little too shell-shocked, too. I traveled for a while after that, but I never felt at ease again, and I thought it showed in my work. So when she begged me to get out of foreign assignment work and do something safer, it wasn’t too hard to argue. It was the least I could do.”
“And you don’t miss all the adventure and the travel?” A small part of me was asking for myself and not her.
So many times I had heard of others from my unit coming home and being unable to get back into civilian life. I had been shaken from time to time, loud noises and such forth, but I always wondered a little bit if I would ever turn into one of those guys who could only function in the military.
“Well, I still travel. After all, look where I am!” she said, smiling up at me with a knowing look. “But the adventure? That’s a different story. Some of the places were amazing and the people were incredible. Other stories, though… some of the things I photographed and wrote about, they were enough to break your heart. They could also make sure you never got another good night’s sleep as long as you lived. I think that incident happened at just the right time. I’d gotten a few good years of hard-hitting journalism behind me, enough to prove that I’m a serious professional, and then I turned my lens to something a little more artistic. And more lasting, if you ask me.”
She took everything out of the bag one by one, placing them in a straight line on the table. I tried not to pry when the items turned more personal, like her wallet, her phone, and some kind of little makeup bag. But when she shook her head and muttered a very unladylike word under her breath, I watched her intently.
“It’s not here. It must have fallen out when I dropped the bag.”
“What’s that?” I asked, scanning the items on the table for any sign of something missing.
“My notebook. It had my outline for the article, all the questions I’d asked. I mean, it’s all backed up on the recorder, but the notebook is where I put specific points while you were talking, you know, like really important stuff I wanted to highlight. I’ll just have to look for it on my way back to—”
“Oh no, ma’am! You’re not going back out there at this time of night!” I interrupted. “That old car is in no shape to get you anywhere.” I thought back to the glowing eyes surrounding the porch. I wasn’t about to let her go back out there no matter how harmless they were.
“Look, it’s nice of you to let me stay here, but I can’t. I’ve got to get going. I only tried walking back here in the first place so I could use your phone,” Meredith argued, pointing at the desk in the other room.
“Hon, nobody’s gonna come out this far for a service call at this time night, at least not anybody your magazine can afford. Just stay here, and we’ll call in the morning. For that matter, I bet one of my guys can get it up and running. They’ve been fixing every tractor and combine on the place for years, and I’m sure your old Bug won’t give ’em too much trouble, even if it’s a German-made piece of kraut.”
Meredith looked absolutely defeated, and for a second I thought about just sending her back to civilization in the helicopter. Then she shrugged her shoulders and smiled with tired relief. “Thanks, really. Just let me know where I’ll be sleeping, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
“That’s a phrase I haven’t heard in quite a few years,” I said, laughing. “The last time Bryant or I told you to ‘get out of our hair,’ you were young enough to do as you were told! If you’d listened to me tonight, there wouldn’t be a pile of dead scrap metal blocking my road.”
“Hey now, I told you. That’s enough wisecracks about Beatrix! She has gotten me through far more situations than this one!” she answered, smiling bigger now. “But really, I am tired. Just let me know which sofa is mine…”
“And have my mama skin me alive for treating a guest that way? Not a chance, Honey. I’ll show you to one of the guest rooms. If you’re really nice, I might even be able to scrounge up a clean t-shirt and a pair of shorts for you to sleep in.” I grinned, picturing Meredith swallowed up in my clothes. It was an image that got me thinking things I probably shouldn’t.
“But first, you never got to see the best feature of this house. I don’t know that it’ll make it into the magazine, but it’s my absolute favorite part.” I held out my hand to her, and waited while she took it hesitantly. I don’t know why but since she got here I had been needing different little ways to touch, her, any part of her.
I helped her to her feet and led her towards the wall of windows overlooking the back of the property, holding the French doors open for her. Meredith gasped when she saw the back porch, a wide-open area she’d already seen, but now it was dark, lit only by a few strands of soft yellow lights pinned up in the rafters of the eaves. The stars overhead practically poured out onto the ground. I left her standing in awe while I made short work of getting a fire going in the oversized fire pit, dragging two comfortable chaise lounges close enough to enjoy the warmth but not so close that the flickering orange glow would block out the stars.
“This can’t be real,” she said in a whisper. “It’s like I’ve seen this same sky a million times, but at the same, I’ve never seen it before now.”
“That’s because you’ve been away for too long, Honey. This old sky’s been waiting for you to find your way home.” I took her by the hand and pulled her towards a chair, then fixed us both a glass of wine from the bar pushed back under the eaves. I handed her a glass, and sat in the chaise next to her, letting the angle pull me back until I could see straight overhead.
The stars were as familiar to me as ever, but seeing them with Meredith was a whole new experience. She was stunned into silence by the view, and her amazement forced me to see them again with new eyes. Knowing that
my parents and my brothers were looking at the same stars every night was the only thing that got me through my time away from home, and now it was like introducing her to our Texas night sky all over again.
“It’s breathtaking,” she finally said. “If I had my camera, I’d go crazy with a sky like this.” She looked like she might get up, so I put my hand on her arm and gently held her back.
“No. No cameras, no digital crap, no Photoshop, no amazing angles. Just let your eyes tell your mind how beautiful this is. Just enjoy the moment.” I turned to face her, “I know I am.”
I watched her steal a glance at me out of the corner of her eye. She was wondering if I had meant only the sky and I wanted it clear that I had not. I had a tumult of thoughts running through my head. Wondering what Bry would think about right now. How much I had forgotten the little girl with this woman sitting here before me. Wondering if my attraction was simply need or something more. I turned my head back to the stars.
Fuck it! I thought. I reached across without looking and took her hand in mine again. She didn’t pull back. Her smooth palm traced the back of my hand, and I turned my palm to face hers, exposing the rough, work-worn broken skin of my hand.
She looked down as she traced in a particularly deep scar.
“From the farm or…”
I shrugged not wanting to tell her where that scar had come from.
“It was all worth it,” I replied, turning to look at our hands and watching in fascination as she traced her fingertips lightly around the open calluses at the top of my palm. “Maybe a little scratchy though,” I added, by way of apology.
“I like rough hands,” Meredith said shyly, not looking up from our interlocking fingers.
Without even thinking, I pulled our hands close to my mouth and kissed her knuckles, inhaling the scent of her soft skin as I did. I felt the slightest twinge in her nerves as I did, and then held my breath when her hand unwound itself from mine and slid up my cheek, scraping wonderfully against the stubble I hadn’t shaved earlier.
I took both of my hands and grabbing her around the hips, pulled her on top of me. She willingly straddled me, curving her legs around my hips. I felt myself quiver while she wove her other hand around my neck. I was enjoying the sight of this beautiful woman resting on top of me.
I sat up straight in my chair putting just an inch or two between us. I hesitated, enough to make sure she wanted this too. She gave me a shy smile and a nudge with her nose.
That was the green light I needed. I took her hard with my mouth. All the pent up attraction of the day burst through me. I tightened my grip on her, digging into her hips and pushing her hard against me. I raised my hips up just enough so she could truly feel my desire for her. I felt her gasp against my lips. I took the chance to possess her mouth even more.
The only downside was that tiny part of my brain, growing smaller by the second, that screamed at me. What are you doing? This is Bryant’s baby sister! That thought faded faster and faster by the second.
She was moving her hands down my chest feeling the muscles underneath. Encouraged by this I let my hands start to find their way up inside her shirt. It only took me a moment to find the edge of her lace bra, the clasp that met at the back. With a flick of my wrist I released the snap and felt her chest relax heaver against me.
Stop, Colt! This is insane! I thought frantically, never breaking our kiss. That persistent little voice was all too easy to ignore as I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth moving my hands around to the front, causing her to squirm slightly.
I pulled back and watched her as I slid each rough hand under the cups of her bra and around her soft breasts. She arched her back and closed her eyes in satisfaction. I loved watching her. I twisted each nipple between calloused fingers.
I kissed the side of her neck, licking her sweet taste up. Suddenly she pushed back on me, and I worried that one of us had come to our senses. She pushed my hands out from under her shirt.
“Honey, I’m sor—” I started to say.
She gave me a wicked grin and reached down to the edge of her own shirt. I watched as she deftly pulled it up over her head and slid her bra off and away. Her beautifully auburn hair looked fire red in the light from the fire. It floated and curled around her breasts. She looked at me while shyly biting her bottom lip.
“I want you, Colt. If I’m honest, I always have.”
Chapter 6
Meredith
What are you doing, Mer? I repeated silently in my head. This is Colt Stone!
Fortunately, my brain had shut off all rational thought the second I felt his tongue mingle with mine, the taste of him sending shock waves all through my body.
I leaned down and let him take my mouth again, brushing the hard tips of my nipples against his flannel shirt.
The intensity of the moment grew and I helped him unbutton and struggle out of his own tight shirt. I rested my bare chest against him and almost orgasmed from the touch alone.
“Oh baby,” he said, sending kisses down my neck and between my breast, “You sure you want this?”
I lifted his head back up to meet mine. I could see his gentlemanly concern in his eyes. It was clear he wanted all I would give, but he wouldn’t take it from me if I didn’t want the same.
“I just don't want you falling for a little hero worship just ’cause I took you in for the night in your time of need,” he added with a wicked grin.
I giggled. “I'm sure, Colt. I want you too.”
It was a struggle to keep my voice steady, whether it was the wine making me sound nervous or the fact that I was dangerously close to letting Colt Stone do whatever he wanted to me.
“That's all I needed to hear, honey,” he replied, lunging for me with a sexy snarl that sent fresh shivers across my heated skin. He kissed me deeply again.
As if his tight flannel shirt hadn't been sexy enough, the sight of his tanned, rock hard chest was breathtaking. I ran my hands across the taut muscles, unable to tear my eyes off him. He must have mistaken my lustful gazing as hesitation, and a note of regret filled his voice.
“It’s okay, it doesn't still hurt, you know,” Colt whispered, watching my face warily.
“What?” I asked, bewildered. I was hungrily gazing at his abs by then, and wasn't sure I’d heard him.
“My scars.”
He looked away for just a flash before meeting my eye again. I blinked and looked back at his bare skin beneath my hands, seeing them for the first time. I honestly hadn’t noticed them when he appeared at the door half naked, and was now too distracted by the way the soft lights threw shadows across every hard plane of muscle across his torso. When I gently reached a hand to touch them, Colt tightened slightly.
It was a large purple and pink gash at his right shoulder just above his heart. I guessed from its relatively round shape it was some sort of bullet hole.
“Would you tell me about it sometime?” I asked softly.
Clearly this wasn’t the time either one of us wanted to talk about it. I could tell by his concern with it that the pain was much more than just on his chest.
He gave me a relaxed half-smile and a slight nod. I bent down and kissed the soft, scarred flesh softly. He ran his hands deep in my hair and I took the opportunity to take a turn kissing his body.
I made my way down each ripple of his chiseled chest and stopped at the narrow V leading past his jeans. I paused for a moment and looked up at him. He was smiling down at me with hungry anticipation.
I bit down on the button of his pants and with a quick motion undid them with my teeth. It was literally the only trick I knew, and I had to admit this was the first time I got it first try.
I heard him laugh under his breath and I looked back his way unable to hide my satisfied smile.
“Proud of yourself, honey?”
I bit my lower lip shyly. He had clearly seen it was the only trick I had up my sleeve.
I was well aware that he was sitting on this chair half-nake
d, his pants that much closer to freeing him, me straddling him face to groin. I was half-naked myself in the middle of an open expanse. It was certainly something I had never done before. It made me feel hot and wild.
He reached down, finishing with the unzipping of his pants, and pulled out his fully erect member. I bit my lip again examining his large girth.
I didn’t wait for an invitation. I took him fully with my mouth. He dug deeper in my hair as I heard a hiss escape his lips.
He nestled back into his seat while I did my best to take him deep inside my mouth. I felt his erection pulsing harder against my tongue. I used my teeth to gently scrape across him.
“Oh, Mer!” He groaned, pulling me harder toward him.
I lifted for just a second to lick the small drop of cum on the dusky tip. He took his chance to lift me up to him so that I straddled him fully, and sucked at my breast with his mouth. I arched back in satisfaction. All that was between us was my thin leggings and lace underwear.
While he twisted and teased one nipple he sucked and nibbled the other. I arched and gave my own moan of satisfaction. I leaned down hard and rocked my open legs against him. He grabbed my hips and continued the motion.
He wasn’t even inside me and already I could feel myself getting soaked.
“Colt,” I moaned. I wanted to tell him I was so close but I couldn’t seem to get much else out.
He released my nipple from his kiss. In an instant he flipped me so my back was on the chair and he was on top of me. I was so lost in my almost-orgasm I have no idea how he got me there.
“Not yet, honey,” he said in a husky voice.
He made his way down the chair. Standing on the edge he leaned over me. Grabbing my remaining clothes he pulled them off and grabbed my legs pulling me to the edge. Kneeling on the edge of the chair he lifted my lower half up and took me in his mouth.