by Jess Bryant
“Hey.” He caught up to her in the backyard.
She turned to face him and a smile inched up her pretty face. Sunlight glinted off her golden hair and her blue eyes met his. Her pink lips turned up into a smile and he forgot to breath. He was in trouble, really big trouble.
“Hi ya cowboy.” Blue looked up into those soft green eyes and the handsome face that somehow seemed better looking every time she saw it and smiled her first real smile of the day.
He always made her smile. How he did it was varied and impractical but the truth was the truth. There was no lying to herself about it. Zach had the ability to make her smile even on the worst day of her life and that was a power she was unable to resist.
“What’re you doing out here all alone?” He asked.
“I’m not alone. You’re here now.” She shrugged when he continued to stare at her with that pursed lip look that said he was waiting for the truth, “I needed to get some air.”
“Did it help?”
“Not really.”
“What can I do?”
Her chest squeezed tight. The offer to help should have surprised her coming from the man that’d insisted he didn’t do relationships, dinner, conversation or being needed but it didn’t. Despite his claims and his hard edges he’d been nothing but there for her, always giving her exactly what she needed even when she wasn’t sure she knew what it was. If she was less intelligent she’d misread it as something more than it was so it was a good thing she was smart.
“Get me out of here?”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere but here.” She shrugged.
“Let’s go.”
His big hand slipped into hers and she let him lead her around the side of the house. She liked the feel of his hand in hers. She liked the way he walked a half step in front of her, leading but never tugging her after him despite his much longer stride.
“It was a nice service.” He helped her up into his truck.
“Thank you.” She relaxed and pulled the seatbelt around her as he shut the door and went around to get in.
Enclosed in his truck the familiar scent of Zach all around her made her muscles relax. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. It had been a long day but getting away was nice.
“There were a lot of people. Your dad was a big member of this town.” He started the truck after jumping in on his side.
“Yeah, it was nice to see so many people. He could be a mean old grouch but he did a lot for Fate. Did you know he donated the money to the First Baptist to build the rec center?”
“No, I didn’t but that was awfully nice of him.”
Look at them, having an actual conversation. Who knew? They almost sounded like a real live couple. That was a scary thought so she derailed it with a smile.
“Yep, if only he’d known building the rec center would lead to one of those wild West boys getting his hand up my skirt he’d probably have thought twice about it.”
He chuckled as he pulled the truck out of the drive and headed back towards the highway, “You’re probably right.”
They drifted down the highway in comfortable silence for a long minute. He was wearing another of his pearl snap shirts. This one was navy blue with a thin gray pinstripe. She preferred the white one, not that he didn’t look fantastic either way. She just liked the way she could see the barest hint of his tattoo under the sleeve of the white one. She liked the way it hinted at the big bad cowboy underneath.
“When’d you get your tattoo?”
“Hmm?” He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
“Your tattoo, when’d you get it?”
“You have a real fascination with my tattoo don’t you?” He grinned.
“I have a real fascination with most of you.” She smiled back.
“And with the compliments now? You don’t have to sweet-talk me baby-doll. I’m a sure thing.”
She laughed. A real laugh for the first time in nearly a week and it lightened the weight she’d been carrying around. He had some powerful mojo.
“Thank you.”
“For what?” He tilted his head.
“For getting me out of there. For making me laugh when I wasn’t sure how I’d ever be able to smile again. For being here.” She shrugged, “Thank you Zach.”
“Anytime baby-doll. Anytime.”
She unbuckled her seat belt and slid across the front seat before she had time to think about it. It was a silly thing to do but she did it anyway. She slipped her shoes off and curled her legs up beside her. She leaned into his side, felt the heat of his body against her and breathed in his scent. He chuckled and the sound washed away the rest of her troubles when he held the steering wheel with his left hand and circled her shoulders, pulling her tighter against his side with his right. She leaned her head on his big broad shoulder and closed her eyes.
“Mmm, this is nice.” She murmured.
“Yeah, it is.”
She smiled. This was probably a lot like the memory her father had told her about that last day. Driving around the back roads with her mama tucked into his side. Except she was no beauty queen and Zach wasn’t her boyfriend. She’d do well to remember that.
“I got the tattoo when I was eighteen.” He offered.
“Before or after your father passed away?”
“After.” He cleared his throat, “I got it about a month after he died.”
Oh that was something. He didn’t offer up much about himself. Every little detail was like a gift. She knew she shouldn’t press him though so she didn’t. That wasn’t what this was so despite the fact she figured there was a whole lot more to the story of why he’d gotten a big, dark tattoo a month after his dad died she wouldn’t pry.
“Maybe I’ll get one next month too. We can be tattoo buddies.”
He laughed, “Yeah, I can just see you all tatted up baby-doll.”
“I’ll have you know I’d look good with a nice, classy tattoo.” She feigned indignation but didn’t move away from him.
“I’m sure you would. You’d look good in a potato sack.” His thumb brushed her arm back and forth, “But your mama would roll over in her grave if you marred that beautiful skin.”
“Marred?” She frowned. “Is that what you think you did by getting a tattoo?”
“Sometimes. I was a stupid kid when I got it.” He shrugged and jostled her head, “You know if you have a thing for tattoos you should ask Dev to see his sometime.”
She smiled softly into his arm, deliriously pleased that he was being so open with her, “Devin has tats too?”
“To say he has a few would be like saying Texas is big. Gross understatement.” He chuckled.
“Really? I don’t remember seeing any the few times I’ve run into him.”
“They’re not exactly where you’d see them in public. He’d have to take his shirt off.”
“You want me to ask your brother to take his shirt off?” She smirked and he laughed and pulled her tighter against him.
“You’re right. Forget I ever mentioned it.”
“Did you ever think of getting more?” She asked instead.
“No. I probably wouldn’t get this one again if I could go back and do it again.”
“Well that’d be a shame because where you see marring I see embellishment.”
“I’m glad you like it.” He grinned.
“I do. I like it a lot. I like it so much I want to trace it with my tongue. I still haven’t done that.” She hid a smile against his shoulder when he groaned. “I think that’s a situation we should right. Don’t you?”
“Is sex all you ever think about baby?”
She laughed again, completely carefree for the first time in far too long and mimicked his words from the barn that day, “When you’re around? Yeah.”
“I have a hard time thinking about much else when you’re around too.”
He remembered what she’d said too. She grinned up at him. She’d been surround
ed by a crowd of people all day but she’d felt all alone. Now, she was sitting in the front seat of a pickup with Zach while they cruised down the highway and she didn’t just feel better, she felt alive. He took away the loneliness.
“Zach?”
“Hmm?”
“Pull the truck over.”
“What?” He glanced down at her quickly, “Is something wrong?”
“No. Nothing’s wrong.” She shook her head, “Just pull the truck over.”
His brow furrowed and he checked the mirrors even as he tapped the breaks, “Are you going to be sick?”
“No. I’m not going to be sick.” She shook her head again, “I want you, now.”
His head jerked and soft green eyes met hers. He stared at her so long she was certain they’d wreck. He glanced back to the road and his brow furrowed again.
“We can be at my house in a matter of minutes.”
“I don’t want to wait.” She shrugged. “Pull the truck over Zach. I want you.” To emphasize her point she went up on her knees and nibbled on his ear at the same time she slid her hand around the bulge at the front of his jeans, “Now.”
“Sweet Jesus…” He groaned and she felt the truck jolt as he pulled onto the shoulder of the highway. “Here? Here works for you?”
“Yeah, here works for me.” She slid her tongue over the pulse beating in his neck, “You work for me pretty much anywhere.”
The truck rolled to a stop on the side of the empty highway and he shoved the gear shift into park. Within a half second he’d wrapped his arms around her and somehow moved them out from underneath the wheel. She was in his lap and his mouth was on her neck, his hands were on her body and she was in heaven.
“You work for me too.” His teeth nipped her shoulder. “I want you really bad, I’ve wanted you all day but I don’t have a condom.”
“Well, that’s a first.” She grinned against his lips.
“I never carried them until you rolled into town but today, I didn’t want to assume…” He gave her a sheepish smile.
“I’m clean and I’m on the pill.” She licked her lips nervously and waited for his reaction to a statement that big.
He didn’t disappoint, his green eyes dilated and he swallowed hard, “Are you saying…?”
“I want you Zach. Now. Just you and me.”
“Jesus Bluebell…” He cleared his throat as his eyes studied her face seriously, “Do you have any idea what that does to me?”
She rolled her hips against the proof running along her thigh and smiled softly, “I think I have an idea.”
“Being inside of you, no barriers, nothing between us, I have to tell you it’s crossed my mind before but, baby, the idea…” He stroked her hair gently, “I have to tell you I’m not feeling very gentlemanly right now. I might be rough. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Oh that was scary. Scary in the kind of way that made her insides crumble and her heart squeeze just a little too tight. Scary in the kind of way that would have made her panties damp, if they hadn’t been already.
She knew he’d never hurt her, at least not physically. He could hurt her emotionally though if she thought about how much she cared for him and how this was supposed to have been temporary, a one night stand. He’d hurt her when it was over because as much as she tried not to she liked him too much but she couldn’t think about that today. Not today. She’d think about it tomorrow when she had to think about all the other messed up things in her life.
“Take me Zach, take me now and don’t hold back.”
He groaned even as his mouth took hers in a brutal kiss and he did just that. He pulled her hair to get better access to her neck. He shoved her dress up and her panties aside. He unzipped his pants and slammed into her and she gasped and held on tight.
It was hard and fast and she was on fire. It felt like she was burning up from the inside out. She’d never had him like this; dark and edgy, like he was so desperate for her he couldn’t control himself. She was that desperate for him too. It was out of control and she basked in every single second of it.
“So good,” He groaned as she began to tremble, “So good and so fucking crazy.”
She bit her lip to stifle a scream as her orgasm raged and she found herself smiling through it. Her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Her whole world exploded in a ray of light and sensation. When it was over and she floated back to reality she felt different, not so alone in the world.
He was panting as he rest his forehead against her chest, “Are you okay?”
She smiled and ran her hands through his short hair. There wasn’t really much to play with but she grabbed what she could and pulled his head up so she could look him in the eye. He looked wary again, like he wasn’t sure of himself. He was really worried he’d hurt her and that might mean he cared too. A girl could hope, but she wouldn’t bet her newly inherited money on it.
“I’m more than okay.” She kissed his forehead lightly, “That was amazing.”
“That was fucking crazy.” He sucked in a deep breath and released it with a shake of his head and the wariness faded away as he came back around, a smile tipping the corners of his mouth now.
“You mentioned that.”
“I like your kind of crazy Bluebell.” He kissed her on the lips briefly and then picked her up and set her back on the seat.
As they righted their clothing Blue couldn’t help but wonder just how much he liked her crazy. She didn’t want to wonder, didn’t want to care too much but she knew now that she did. She’d known he would be good at sex. She hadn’t figured on him also being sweet and understanding. He was a good friend and he’d been there for her and when he wasn’t she was going to be in a world of pain.
After they had sex on the side of the road, Zach drove them back to his house. He popped a beer for each of them and then said he’d worked up an appetite and offered to grill steaks. She took him up on the offer and they sat on the back porch in comfortable silence watching the sun set over the land in the distance.
“It’s really beautiful here.” She tipped her beer to her lips.
“My favorite view.” He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, “Except maybe for when you’re riding my lap, that’s a pretty good view too.”
“Just pretty good?” She laughed.
“Let’s call it a tie for first then.”
She smirked as he rose and went to check the steaks on the grill. He’d pulled his pearl snap shirt off the minute they walked through the door and she appreciated the unfettered view of his chest in nothing but a white t-shirt. She also appreciated the glimpses of that tattoo. She still hadn’t traced it with her tongue. She’d definitely have to get around to that before this, whatever this was, ended.
“My daddy always said the best view in town was from the back porch at Montgomery Oaks.”
“I’d have loved to tell him he was wrong.” He winked playfully and she laughed again.
“God, I can only imagine the look of horror on my daddy’s face if you’d tried. He never had any issue with the guys I dated but the idea of me going heels to Jesus with one of you West boys would’ve made him see red for sure. He’d probably have decked you.”
Zach chuckled, “I’d probably have decked him right back.”
She rolled her eyes, “You would not.”
“Don’t bet on it. I have a hell of a temper.”
“You’re joking right?”
“I wish.” He shrugged, “I do a pretty decent job of keeping it beat down but when it comes up I usually swing first and ask questions later. It’s one of the reasons I like demo work, gives me something to beat up, to take my frustrations out on instead of going looking for a fight.”
She eyed him carefully to make sure he wasn’t screwing with her. He had rough edges sure but he didn’t look like a rage monster. She couldn’t even imagine him angry. Upset sure, frustrated sure, but angry enough to fight?
“Do you do that a lot? Go looking for figh
ts?”
“When I was younger? Yeah.” He flipped the steaks and closed the grill. “Now I’ve found healthier ways to work out the frustrations.”
“Like demolishing your bathroom.” She snorted.
“And getting naked with a pretty blonde.” He grinned as he sauntered closer, “That helps sometimes too.”
So that’s what she was? A release for frustrations? She wanted to be mildly offended but she couldn’t. He was her distraction from her terrible, spiraling life. They were using each other. That’s all. They were benefits.
“Glad to be of assistance.” She batted her lashes as he leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
“I’m sure Devin’s face thanks you.” He chuckled as he sat back down beside her and tipped his beer to his lips.
“Devin?”
“Yeah, you know, my brother, shorter, stockier, less handsome version of me.”
“I know who you meant.” She rolled her eyes, “And you forgot to mention younger old man.”
“Ouch.” He tugged her into his lap, “That wasn’t very nice.”
“Neither was what you said about Devin, at least what I said was true.”
“You don’t think Devin’s a less handsome version of me?” He raised a curious eyebrow.
“Nope. I think he’s definitely better looking.” She lied with a smile on her face. “All the girls in town go crazy for his broody bad-boy thing.”
“I didn’t realize that included you.” He pulled her hair lightly so they were eye to eye.
“I do like them tall, dark and handsome apparently.”
He laughed, “Maybe you should go heels to Jesus with him instead then.”
“Maybe I will.” She shot back.
“God you’re frustrating.”
His mouth was on hers in a wild kiss a second later and she slid her arms around his neck. If this was what she got out of frustrating and provoking him she’d happily do it all the time. His mouth was warm and aggressive as he kissed her senseless. When he broke the kiss his green eyes were a little glassy and she was breathing hard.
“Keep that up and Devin’s face won’t fare well baby-doll.”