One Last Sunset (The Long Ranch Series Book 1)

by Prince, Michel

  “She didn’t understand what you were offering?”

  “She did, but she didn’t want me to be confused. She loves him. I guess in his own way, he loves her.”

  Melody reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers.

  His thumb stroked the top of her hand like he had in the clinic. He let go barely a minute later. “Can you get me an apple or something from the cooler?”

  She did and watched as he sat in silence eating. His jaw tight as his left hand drummed its fingers along the top of the steering wheel. She remembered in school, he’d gotten in a few dust ups and people said, what did you expect? He was a Parker.

  She didn’t understand it fully at the time. His father had pigeon holed him. Only on the ranch did he get fair shake. They never saw him as a hot head. They took him at face value, caring only about who he was when he was with them. Not the rumors.

  “I guess that’s why I never let myself fall in love,” he said, pulling her from her thoughts. “It’s kinda like the first time you get drunk. You don’t know if you’ll be fun, an asshole, sleepy or violent.” He toyed with the armrest and stared straight ahead. “It scares me how I feel around you.”

  * * * *

  Sunny was tired as they pulled down the long gravel driveway just outside of Joplin, Missouri. The sun had set over an hour ago and Songbird and Spot were so happy to be released into a pasture. They galloped through the open arena Kaitlyn used to train barrel racers. He’d let Melody drive on the stretch, but had decided not to indulge in the writing and sketching habit he picked up whenever he was a passenger. He wasn’t ready to share that part of himself.

  “I’d let them into my north pasture, but you’d spend hours tracking them down,” Kaitlyn said as she rested a booted foot on the lower rung of her wood fence. “They aren’t jumpers are they?”

  “Not that I’ve seen,” Mel replied with her eyes trained on the horses.

  Sunny could tell she was trying not to check out Kaitlyn. Not that he could blame her. Kaitlyn was a beauty with trim hips, blonde hair cascading down her back, and a killer smile.

  “You’re JT’s cousin?” Kaitlyn asked.

  “Yes, you know him too?”

  “Just a bit.”

  Even with only dim light Sunny could see her blushing before she turned her attention to him. “So why did you say you only needed one bed?”

  Melody turned her head, and he turned to lean his back against the fence.

  “See…” His breath caught in his throat and he couldn’t find the words to answer with Mel staring at him.

  “What were the sleeping arrangements you were expecting?” she asked.

  “That depends.”

  “On what?” Kaitlyn asked.

  “When was the last time you spoke to JT?”

  “Let’s see, my daughter is two…”

  “JT has a kid?” Mel squawked with mix of shock and a bit of relief.

  “No.” Kaitlyn smiled. “Well…at least not with me. I’d say it was three years the last time I saw you two in Jeff City.”

  “Let’s keep it that way,” Sunny said with a smirk. “I’d like to sleep with my lady here.”

  “And you haven’t told JT you’re with her?” Kaitlyn let out an infectious laugh. “You’re a moron, you should have told him when he was a few days drive away.”

  “Can I ask a completely in appropriate question?” Melody interjected.

  “I slept with JT when I raced at his rodeo,” Kaitlyn stated plainly. “You know they don’t travel with barrel racers, so when they send out requests I’d sign up if they were with in a few hours.”

  “That wasn’t my question, but it does sorta answer it.”

  “I never slept with Sunny.” Kaitlyn took his chin between her fingers and shook him from side to side. “Not for a lack of trying.” Looking back to Melody, she sighed. “Guess I’m not his type.”

  “I thought female was his type.”

  Sunny interjected, “Hey, I take offense…nope, that’s right. But brothers don’t cross swords.”

  “You can sleep in the same bed, but please no sex. I’m not going to be culpable if JT calls me.”

  “I’m exhausted, we’ll probably pass out the second our heads hit the pillow,” Sunny promised, crossing his heart.

  “No sex anywhere else in the room.” Kaitlyn gave him a knowing look. “I have a kid sleeping next door.”

  Mel slid her arm around his back and her hand into his front pocket. “You said this trip would test our relationship. Think you can pass this one?” Mel teased.

  His body reacted as exhaustion was replaced by baser instinct. “I never was a straight A student.”

  * * * *

  Morning came too soon. With morning wood sturdy enough he could build a house, he unhooked Mel’s leg from his and replaced his chest with a pillow. Softly, he crossed the hallway to the bathroom and a quick shower.

  “You passed,” Kaitlyn said as she leaned against the door to her bedroom while sipping from a coffee cup and nodded to his crotch. “Just don’t clog my drain with the crib notes.”

  “Funny. Thanks again for putting us up.”

  “Did you really pass out that quickly?”

  “No.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. The normally soft flannel of his pajama bottoms seemed constricting. “But we followed the house rules.”

  “You love her, don’t you?”

  “I haven’t gotten bored yet.”

  “Not what I was asking, but I assume for you that’s the most a girl can ask for.” Kaitlyn straightened. “I’ll start some breakfast.”

  Sunny had made it to half mast with a painful set of blue balls he played off as stiffness from driving.

  Mel growled at him that she was more than capable of driving, but he insisted.

  “You wanna pull over somewhere?” Mel asked after they’d been driving for about an hour.

  “You have to pee or something?”

  “No,” she purred. “I just thought last night we passed a test…” Her hand spun a few times, then she turned and looked out the passenger window.

  “If we weren’t hauling animals I’d be right there with you,” he said as shifted himself in attempt to stop the numbness probably causing nerve damage.

  “You have the cruise set?” she asked absently.

  “Yes.”

  Unlatching her seatbelt, Mel put up the armrest and began fiddling with his belt buckle.

  Yep, just like being drunk he became hyper focused on the road in front of him.

  With one soft kiss to his lips, she looked ahead on the road, then tugged his jeans down just enough the zipper wouldn’t scrape his shaft. Her head dropped to his lap.

  Her mouth covered him in a long warm stroke down and his spine melted, sending his hips forward. When her tongue traced back up his shaft his eyes crossed for a moment. With a hard suck to just the tip his head pressed against the headrest.

  “You good?” she asked with a growl.

  “Good isn’t the word for it.” He sucked in a breath.

  She swallowed him again.

  Her head bobbed up and down, and he tried to play off to the cars passing that he was a very attentive driver. His hand rested on her head. When her fingers wrapped tightly around his shaft he couldn’t remember a better feeling. Her lips were led by her fingers, as they glided up and down. Hurried powerful sucks had his asshole clenching and his balls tightening in prayer for release.

  Sweat beaded his temple as he slipped a bit more down the seat. When her fingers covered his tip, then split, and he was once again surrounded by her lips, his eyes closed for a moment, then he felt the truck drift. Bringing it back into the right lane, he caught sight of slower car and didn’t know if he had the ability to maneuver passing even though they were on a four lane interstate. Opting for slowing down instead of the pass, he settled in ready to keep this up as long as he could.

  When she moaned he looked down and saw her other hand releasing
the button on her shorts and working its way under her panties. Panting, he watched as she pleasured herself while sucking him into oblivion. Her body convulsed as his load shot deep in her throat.

  She turned and fell against his chest. Her hand stilled between her legs and her eyes closed as a smile crossed both their faces.

  * * * *

  The next time they stopped, Sunny found the edge of parking lot at the most abandoned rest area. It was quick but satisfying and should help them “pass the test” at her cousin’s. She was happy to see JT. It’d been since Christmas. Growing up with JT around all the time, she thought she’d eventually grow tired of him, but when he joined the rodeo a part of her had left with him.

  A white house with a wrap around porch greeted them when they pulled into his farm. Nowhere near the spread out buildings at the Long Ranch, JT’s barn was less than a hundred feet from the house. Being summertime, the sun stayed out late enough she could see the land lush and green.

  Tina would be in heaven.

  “Mellie,” JT cried as he ran down the steps and scooped her into his arms, swinging her around.

  The smile on his face made her day. When it came down to it, his happiness was all they ever needed. He’d been content on the ranch, but here he seemed happy. When he put her down, she took in her cousin with his five o’clock shadow, a bit more kept than Sunny’s.

  “I miss you guys,” he said.

  “Come and visit.”

  “Once everything is settled I’ll try, but I don’t have any extra help right now.”

  “You have a bit,” a woman’s voice called from the porch. “Hey Melody.”

  Betsy was a beauty. With a light tan, blue eyes, and auburn hair pulled into a ponytail, she was amazing as the first time Melody met her. “Hey Bets, something I should know?”

  She covered her left hand with her right, but it was too late. JT had put a rock on her finger.

  All Melody could do was look at his best friend Sunny with child like hope. JT was a romantic, always had been. Just because he’d been a moron because of Sunny didn’t mean he’d lost that part of him.

  “How about we unload my babies, then get some food?” JT suggested.

  Spot flipped out nuzzling JT when he unloaded him. They’d been best buds since the moment her dad’s mare had given birth. Spot had been the first horse he’d been allowed to do more than watch the birth. He got in there and helped the foal along.

  “You miss me?” he asked, scratching Spot’s nose. “I missed you too buddy, they gave me some broke down horses over the years to ride. They should of let me play with you.”

  “I’m stiff from driving all day,” Sunny said. “You know your princess of a cousin wouldn’t get behind the wheel.”

  “More like you wouldn’t let me behind it,” she chided back. “Seriously, the whole, ‘I’m a man I drive’ grunting you do gets old.”

  “How about after dinner Mel and I take out the horses,” he suggested, not affected at all by her spot on impression of him. “They need to get out too. I’d like to see your property.”

  “I can go with you,” JT said.

  Mel’s heart sank a bit. Damn Sunny. He should just say, “I’m with Melody and we want a romantic evening ride.” Instead, it’s all about sneaking off. Although that did have its rush of excitement from the secrecy. “He’s not the only one itching to ride,” Mel chimed in.

  Betsy gave her a strange look.

  “Well, this is past my bedtime.” He yawned. “The property line is pretty well defined. You can just ride to the pond and back. That should be enough exercise.”

  After dinner, Sunny grabbed a few bottles of water and some fruit before saddling up the horses.

  Mel took Songbird. Both horses were impatient and since she knew Songbird enough she let her take off once they were in the pasture.

  Sunny wasn’t about to be outdone and soon was riding as fast by her.

  A smile stretched across both their faces as they turned and cut through the higher grass. Soon, they were both short of breath and Melody was happy to see the pond that would be considered a lake anywhere but Minnesota.

  It was breathtaking. The trees dotted around the edge reflected off the smooth surface and as the sun was setting yellow, purple, pinks, and blues painted the lake.

  Sunny got off Spot first and wrapped his harness around a limb on a weeping willow whose leaves almost touched the surface of the pond. Then he turned and helped her down from Songbird and tied her next to Spot.

  “This is beautiful.” Mel sighed as Sunny stood behind her and wrapped his arms around body. Although the day had been warm, there was a coolness to the air.

  “The second most beautiful thing in the world,” he purred and kissed her neck as the sun crested the horizon.

  “We better head back before we can’t see anymore.”

  “I don’t wanna,” he whined, squeezing her tighter.

  “Okay, two year old, but it’s getting darker. That sun doesn’t seem to want to stay.”

  “I’ve got an idea.” Sunny let go of her and pulled a bottle of water out his satchel. He chugged it in an impressive four large gulps.

  Mel wasn’t sure if she should be impressed or scared.

  He then pulled out multi tool and punctured the bottle a half dozen times. Then like a kid, he started chasing fireflies. Without smashing the bugs, he stuck them into the bottle and by the time the sun was gone, they had a firefly lantern with just enough light to outline his firm jaw and tight muscles. “This enough to see by?”

  Mel didn’t answer him. Instead, she found his lips and they fell to the ground. This time there wasn’t the hungered rush…their kisses were long and lingering. Her hands felt the firm muscles of his stomach as she straddled him. Taking off his shirt when there was a break in their embrace, she trailed her tongue down his torso. His abs were clearly defined and with only the glow of a firefly she couldn’t make out if the bruising on his ribs had healed or not, but the way he was acting she assumed they had.

  With a curl to his arms, he caught her and brought her back to his lips. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. Then her wrist. Then the bend in her elbow. Unsnapping her shirt, he kissed along her collarbone down to her shoulder, then back up to pull her bra strap down with his teeth.

  Fingers glided down her arms, removing her shirt, then coming back up to unclasp her bra.

  Now free from confines, her engorged breasts ached.

  Sunny healed them. With his lips, he surrounded her perked nipple while his hand massaged the other breast.

  Her head lolled back as her fingers clawed at his back. Suckling her nipple, he swirled his tongue around the hardened areola before blowing lightly on the sensitive flesh. His hands were in competition with his mouth to touch every inch of her, and she was glad to be the recipient of his attention.

  With a pop, she felt her shorts being unbuttoned and she pushed up on her knees as he pulled her legs up one at a time until she was naked from head to toe.

  “Now this is the most beautiful sight on the planet,” he said as his hand glided up from the top of the little bit of trimmed hair, to between her breasts, then around her neck. Pulling her back to his lips, his other hand cupped her ass. He moaned and began grinding the swollen flesh against her. Even with the denim, she was so wet the rough touch sent a shock from her clit to her stomach.

  Once again, she sat up on her knees and worked his pants off. He dug through his back pocket and retrieved a condom, sheathing himself before she surrounded him. They both moaned.

  She grinded against his hips and her clit felt every motion. His cock was pressed against her G spot and he lay back holding her hands as she rode him into a climax. The walls of her core clenched as her head shot back and she let out yell while squeezing his fingers tight. Below her, his stomach was hard and she felt him pulse against her body. With both of their bodies lightly misted in sweat, she fell against his. He held her tight as they both fell into a
blissful slumber.

  Chapter Ten

  The muzzle of a horse followed by an amplified whiney because it was right by your ear is a bit unnerving and not the type of thing you can just smack away like a cat. Like a cat, they’ll keep nuzzling you, but unlike a cat, even in your deepest slumber a part of you says…there’s a horse by your head and their hooves really hurt.

  Jumping awake, Sunny caught sight of an animal he’d never met being ridden by Betsy.

  She stared down with her arms resting on the horn of the saddle. “I waited up for you,” she said.

  Sunny took in the time of day and the situation. Behind Betsy the sun was rising.

  “You might need to do a tick check, they’re not too thick right now, but you do look you were a smorgasbord for a few skeeters.”

  Sunny looked down for his pants. In the night, he’d pulled on his drawers and snagged a blanket, but Melody was wrapped in it with his shirt on. Pulling on his jeans, he looked for his boots as Betsy smiled down at his stumbling.

  “It’s not—Bets, I swear—”

  “JT thinks you’re still sleeping. I said you guys had a long ride up here…” She glanced at her nails, then over to the horses. “But when he goes to the barn he’s going to notice he’s two horses short. I doubt the whole ‘I got lost’ thing will work.”

  “He’s going to kill me.”

  “Probably. How long?”

  “Long?”

  “I could tell when you asked to ride the horses, Mel and you had been together a time or two.”

  “Yeah—it kinda happened.”

  “Well—” Betsy began.

  They both turned at the sound of a galloping horse.

  JT’s face was filled with a rage Sunny had seen a time or two. The last being aimed directly at him.

  Melody stirred at the sound and woke quickly when JT jumped off his horse then tackled Sunny around the waist. The freight train of cousin hate knocked them both to the ground and he had to wrestle to get JT underneath him.