by Leah Braemel
“I’m going to get going then.” Jake’s chair clattered across the tile floor as he stood. He stuck his thumbs in his belt loop, his shoulders hunched. “Are we going to be okay?”
Ben grunted. “Yeah. I’ll make sure we keep the ranch going according to the legacy.”
“That’s not—” Jake stopped, frustration flickering across his eyes then disappearing. “Forget it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ben didn’t look up to watch his brother leave. Instead his head remained lowered as if all the world’s troubles balanced precariously on his shoulders.
Jake’s footsteps echoed across the porch then scuffed the gravel on the path. Still Ben stayed silent, waiting until Jake’s ATV roared off into the distance before he raised his head and met her gaze. “Could Gabe make us lose the ranch?”
“Can you come up with a third of the ranch’s worth if he wants to be bought out?” If Gabe got a lawyer with dollar signs in his eyes, who knew what they might try or how much they might demand. And potentially win. A very large sum if Gabe’s lawyer were really good. And given the amount of land and money at stake, he’d have very good lawyers lining up at his door seeking his retainer.
She sat in the chair and covered his hands with hers, rubbing her thumb over his. “Jake wasn’t asking about whether the ranch was going to be okay, you know.”
“I know.” A deep breath. “I can’t tell him things are going to be okay between us yet. Maybe one day but not right now.”
Thanks to Lewis, She knew how it felt to learn you’d been lied to for months by the people you should have been able to trust. But she’d been able to walk away and never have to see Lewis again while Ben would have to face Jake and his mother every single day. “I know it sounds trite, but give it time. It does help.”
His stomach rumbled, reminding them both neither had eaten. Trying to lighten his mood, Allie chatted about lighter topics while they made dinner, but got only grunts or single syllable answers in response so by the time they sat to eat, she fell silent.
His second roast beef sandwich raised to his mouth, Ben paused and stared at it for a moment before placing it back on the plate and pushing it away. Dark circles ringed his eyes and his exhaustion was palpable. “I’m not hungry.”
Allie put her own sandwich down and stroked his wrist. “Why don’t you go lie down? Call it an early night.”
Not that nine thirty was early considering he’d get up at 4:00 a.m.
He turned his hand over beneath hers, lacing their fingers and tightly squeezed them before meeting her gaze. “Stay with me?”
The bleakness in his eyes lanced Allie’s soul. “Of course I’ll stay.”
She stood, and waited as he pushed himself to a stand as well. God, he moved so slow, like he was hauling a thousand pound bull on his shoulders.
She took his hand again, and followed him upstairs, letting him set the pace. Good thing she’d already arranged her schedule so she could stay because there was no way she could have walked away from him tonight.
The need to take care of him, to comfort him, roused all her protective instincts. If she’d doubted she was falling for him before, she couldn’t deny it now. This man, this strong beautiful man, needed someone—her—to lean on. Heaven knew the rest of his family weren’t here for him.
Once they were in his bedroom, she tugged him to continue into the bathroom.
“Take your boots off.”
The effort it took for him to toe off his boots confirmed his exhaustion. She’d originally thought to have him shower. Instead she turned on the taps to the tub, and after testing the water temperature, turned to where Ben still silently stood.
She expected him to fight when she unbuttoned his fly and withdrew his shirt from his pants, but he just stood there, swaying, letting her undress him.
He gripped her hips and rested his forehead against hers, his breath caressing her skin. “Don’t leave.”
Did he really think she could walk away now? “I’m right here.”
Her palms brushed over his chest as she slipped his shirt over his shoulders, and as had become her habit, her right hand lingered on his tattoo. Had his grandfather objected to the permanent reminder of his grandson’s refusal to bow to his demands? Is that why Ben had gotten it? Had he enjoyed college? She didn’t need to ask if he’d done well—that had been evident in the gold honor stole he wore in his graduation photo hanging next to his diploma. Why hadn’t she asked anything about what he’d been doing before this?
Because you didn’t want to know. You were trying to stop yourself from falling in love with him again.
His hands brushed hers aside when she reached for his fly. “You don’t have to baby me.”
“Shh,” she soothed. “Let me take care of you tonight.”
Despite the scowl creasing his face, he let her remove his pants, and briefs. His previously limp cock raised to half-mast when she lowered herself to her knees in front of him. “Lift your foot.”
He braced a hand on the wall and lifted the foot she tapped in a show of obedience she’d never seen from him before. A glance up showed he’d closed his eyes.
Bless his heart, he must be beyond exhausted if he wasn’t even making a comment about her face being inches away from his cock. His clothes removed, Allie led him to the bath and pressed the button to turn on the jets. The low rumble of the engine vibrated against her knee as she braced herself to help him in. “In you go.”
“You’re babying me again,” he grumbled. But he stepped into the bath, then frowned. He cranked up the hot water before sitting down with a groan, resting his head on the back of the tub.
She scrunched his clothes into the laundry hamper and turned to make sure he was okay, only to find him watching her through the slit of one eye.
“Aren’t you getting in too?”
“Not tonight.” He needed time alone, to sort out everything that had happened today. She leaned over the edge of the bath and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
Before she could rise, he cupped the back of her head and brought her down for another kiss, a soft fleeting gesture. “Thank you.”
The love filling his eyes and heartfelt gratitude in his tone had her blinking hard. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you, okay?” She hurried from the bathroom before she completely lost it. Gulping for breath, she leaned against the wall. Looked like she’d already boarded the fallen-in-love train.
* * *
His muscles screaming, Ben stretched out in the tub and lowered himself until his face was the only part of his body not underwater. The jets weren’t quite positioned right for this angle, but they helped ease some of the throbbing pain. Too bad they couldn’t get rid of the misery of finding out both his mother and Jake had been lying to him all these months.
What the hell had possessed Ma to destroy Pop’s legal will? Why hadn’t Jake told him what Ma had done? Let him help protect her?
What would he have done if he’d known? If he’d been in Jake’s place?
He scrubbed his hands over his face, ignoring how the water pooled in the hollows of his eyes. Would he have done anything different than Jake? Other than bring his brother into his confidence?
Hell if he knew.
Thank God for Allie. His plea for her to stay with him had popped out of his mouth without thinking, and once said, he was certain she’d run for the hills. Given her history with his family, and the current mess, it had surprised the bejesus out of him that she’d agreed to give their relationship a chance. At least something in his life was going right.
He let the thrum of the jets’ motor and the whisper of bubbles popping on his skin lull the questions from him.
He had no idea how long had passed when cool air brushed his cheeks. He opened his eyes to find Allie sitting on the side of the tub. She’d changed from her business suit and now wore one of his T-shirts and nothing else from the way it clung to her curves. Her eyes were soft—sympathetic, damn it. Her mouth opened as
if she were talking, but he couldn’t hear what she was saying over the noise of the jets.
“Hang on. Let me sit up.”
She waited as he shook his head to clear the water from his ears. “Are you okay? You’ve been in here so long I was afraid you might have drowned.”
“I’m fine.” He might have been better if she’d climbed into the tub with him, but then again, she’d have probably wanted to talk about his feelings the way all the women he knew always did. Right now his feelings were the last thing up for discussion.
She swirled her fingers in the wake of one of the jets, her gaze drifting to his groin. Huh. Guess there was one part of him that wasn’t exhausted to the bone.
He popped the plug with his toe to drain the water. “Hand me a towel, would you?”
Instead of handing it to him, she held it open. “Step out and I’ll dry you off.”
The moment both feet were planted on the bathmat, she stepped closer, the scent of fresh well water and Allie’s shampoo, mixing with the lingering steam from the tub. He opened his mouth to complain about her babying him again then closed it the moment the towel touched his chest. Holy moly, when she rubbed the rough terry over his chest, over his nipples, his legs went pliant as putty.
The musky fragrance of her arousal tinged the air with each movement, the gold in her eyes turning liquid with each pat. Damn, his legs could barely support him, and he was weaving like a damned drunkard, but he couldn’t resist cupping her breasts. Her breathing matched each soft, slow pass of his thumb lighting brushing over her nipples.
Her lids were heavy when they lifted to meet his gaze. She shook her head slowly and pressed her hand over his. “No. Tonight’s going to be all about you.”
“But looking after you is what...” gets me off. Okay that wouldn’t come out right. “I like seeing you...” get off. Not right either.
He shut his mouth before he totally put his foot in it and ended up sleeping alone. In the tub.
Or worse, with the damned armadillo.
He tugged the towel from her hands and slung it over the shower stall. “Let’s go to bed.”
The moment he opened the bathroom door, he stopped. She’d cut off the lights and now candles flickered in holders on either side of the bed. Vanilla or cinnamon scented the air—whether from something she’d sprayed or if she’d bought scented candles he wasn’t sure. This was what she’d been doing—setting out a seduction scene.
“What’s with the towels?” The covers had been pulled down and four thick towels had been laid over the sheets.
“Because I don’t want to get the sheets messy.” She pressed her hand against the small of his back, caressing it lightly, her touch soothing the lingering doubts from his psyche. “Go lie on the towels. Face down.”
Her plans became clear when he spotted the jar of edible massage oil he’d ordered online on the bedside table. All righty then. No objections from him.
His body molded itself to the bed, grateful to be horizontal again. God, he hoped he had the energy to satisfy her.
The mattress dipped when she climbed on the bed and straddled him. Holy hell, did he like the feel of her ridin’ his ass.
He twisted his head on the pillow. “You know this would be more fun if I were face up.”
Geez that made him sound like such a horn dog.
“You’re sounding better.” She’d picked up the bottle and dribbled oil on her hands, some of which dripped on his back. An almond scent filled the air, mingled with the scent of the candles.
At some point tonight, he was going to turn over and convince her to use those oil-slicked hands on his dick.
He couldn’t stop his groan of appreciation with each touch of her fingers dancing over his spine. Nor could he stop his dick getting harder when she kneaded his arms, right down to his hands. “No wonder you ladies love spending so much money at the spas if this is what they do.” Though he hoped they didn’t have male masseuses with hard-ons like his.
She hmmed and pressed on another knot.
“Do I get to do this to you later?” Because if he did, he couldn’t wait to use the oil on her breasts.
Her hand smacked his right butt cheek. “I told you, tonight is for you.”
She lifted herself off him and slid down in a sinuous motion that taunted him.
He twisted to look at her again. “Can I turn over now?”
She swatted his left cheek. “No. And lie back down.”
“You’re having too much fun,” he griped as he settled himself back onto his pillow. He hissed in a breath when she dribbled oil over his butt and down the back of his thigh.
“Sorry, is it cold?”
“Surprised me is all.” And turned him the hell on, especially when a trickle eased into his ass crack and over his balls. He slipped a hand beneath him and adjusted his dick. It was either that or lift his hips clear off the mattress because his dick was turning into a damned tent peg.
Oh sweet baby Jesus, she was kneading his ass, which pressed his dick into his palm in a rhythm that was too damned similar to how he wanted to slide into her.
Had she planned this when she’d suggested he come to bed? Maybe even when she was in Houston? She must have if she brought those little candles. Or maybe she’d found his mom’s old emergency supply. Ah hell, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting her under him, over him, around him.
She slid down again and lifted his right foot into her lap. “Considering you wear boots for—what, fourteen hours a day?—you have sexy feet.”
“My feet are not sexy. Yours are though.”
She hooted. “I doubt you’ve ever taken your eyes off my breasts long enough to notice my feet.”
“Sure I have. Especially with that pretty blue nail polish peeking out of your shoes today.”
“If I knew you weren’t bone dead tired, I’d say you’re trying to seduce me with that silver tongue of yours.” She sounded pleased though.
“If I were tryin’ to seduce you—” He yawned so hard his jaw cracked. Damn it, if she kept this up, he’d fall asleep before he had a chance to slide into that sweet pussy of hers. “—you’d be the one lyin’ here with my hands all over you and my silver tongue would be lapping your pussy.”
“Stop talking and let me finish. And no one’s seducing anyone here.” She worked her thumbs into his soles with as much vigor as she had his back. By the time she set his second foot down, he was boneless. Well, except for that one particular part of his body.
“Okay, turn over. I’ll do the other side now.”
Hallelujah. It took some work convincing his body to move but he finally rolled over.
She oiled up her hands, working her way up his legs. His body shook with need as she approached his groin, but instead of sliding her slick hand along his shaft, she bypassed it and stroked his belly and up over his chest. Her hands were warm and smooth, comforting. He bit the inside of his lip. You will not beg her to jerk you off. She said she’s doing this for you so sit here and enjoy it.
Thing was, he was enjoying it. When was the last time someone had touched him like this, stroked him, pampered him? Never.
“God, that feels good.”
She hmmed and wiggled her butt against him.
This was exactly what he’d needed tonight, what he’d wanted since...forever. To come home after a tough day and have someone to talk to, to listen to him. To have Allie listening, because she heard not the words, but the undertones too. He’d never figured out how she did it but it was like she could see into his mind, knew what he was thinking at the same time as him. To touch him with those gentle yet confident hands, knowing what he liked, the way he liked it. To just shoot the breeze about anything—sports, politics, crop reports, she could hold her own in any conversation. And unlike most of the women he’d dated, Allie knew when she didn’t need to say a word. When they could just sit on the veranda, listening to the wind in the trees and be there for each other. The way they were right now.
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br /> * * *
Focusing her attention on relaxing his muscles, Allie dug her thumbs into one particularly rigid knot just above his collarbone, pressing until it released. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him, it was all hard, lean muscle. She played her fingers over his pecs, loving the warmth of his skin, and the way the candlelight glistened off the oil clinging to his chest hair turning it to gold.
Unable to ignore the tingling heat spreading through her belly, she canted her hips so his cock slid through her lips, the pressure delicious against her clit. The hard shaft slid over her clit, sensitizing it until she was trembling all over.
Stop it. This is to help him relax, it’s not for you to make it all about your pleasure.
His eyes had drifted closed, and though his breathing was deep, he wasn’t asleep, though not far from it. The man was exhausted, stressed out beyond belief.
Hey, sex is always a good way to work off stress.
“Get a condom and ride me,” he growled without opening his eyes, “or I’m going to roll you beneath me and take over.”
And the problem with that was what? She pressed a finger against his lips. “Shh, let me take care of you.”
Because this was for him.
She bent her head to his nipple, catching the nub with her teeth. His body quivered with each lick of her tongue, each press of her fingers against his flesh. She worked her way down his chest, over his belly, swirling her tongue around his navel until the swollen head of his cock bumped her chin.
She repositioned herself between his thighs, and licked up his veined shaft as delicately as a cat. A lick, two, over the head, daintily licking the pearly bead at the slit.
“Oh fuck, Al!”
He arched his back, the muscles and veins in his neck casting sharp shadows in the flickering candlelight, his hands fisted in the towels at his side. His reactions both humbled and challenged her, to know that she had the power to make him forget his troubles, and to forget the turmoil he’d faced earlier. Still faced.
She slipped her hand beneath the far towel and pulled out the condom she’d tucked there when she’d set up the room. The oil slicking her hands caused some problems opening the package but she held it up triumphant. He groaned, a deep broken sound with each stroke as she unrolled the condom onto his cock.