Beauty Shot (Hope Parish Novels Book 5)

by Dawson, Zoe

  “Ack, he’s huge Travis.”

  “I know, but he’s gentle. I wouldn’t put you up on him if he wasn’t. I think you’ll love it.”

  I took a deep breath, screwing up my courage, because Travis had brought me out here to show me part of his life. “All right.”

  A wide grin split his face. “Let me introduce you to the ladies, then we’ll get them saddled up and head out.”

  “This is Jingles. She whinnies at the sound of spurs. When she was a foal, I used to visit her and give her apples and she associated it with the sound of my spurs. And this one’s an American Paint.”

  “Not a pinto?”

  “No, she’s got American Quarter in her. She’s also sweet as pie. Aren’t you, girl? She’s my cow pony, and her name is Willow. I’ll put her through her paces later, after we have our ride.”

  I was looking forward to seeing a real American cowboy in action. Travis was sexy enough as it was, but I had a feeling that sexiness was about to get more real.

  He went into Chico’s stall first, brushed him down, and then saddled him with a blanket and Western saddle, and then inserted the bridle. He explained everything as he worked, and answered all my questions patiently.

  After he was done, he saddled Jingles, then led both horses out of their stalls.

  Outside, a man greeted us with two sets of saddlebags. “Here is the lunch you ordered, Mr. Blackwell, and the hat for the lady.” He had two blankets under his arm. He tied one to each saddle, tipped his hat and said, “Have a good ride.”

  “Food?”

  “Yes, ma’am. We’re going to have us a fine ride and a picnic on the beach. Here’s your first cowgirl hat.”

  He settled the straw hat on my head and I put my hand on his chest and leaned towards him, needing his sexy mouth on me. He kissed me, lingering over my lips until Chico stamped impatiently beside him.

  We laughed and parted. He helped me mount, and as I settled in the saddle, my butterflies kind of took wing and flew away. When I reached down and smoothed my hand over Chico’s neck, he snorted and tossed his head.

  Travis adjusted the stirrups while he explained to me how to hold and use the reins on a Western mount. Then he mounted with a powerful move, his thigh muscles bunching as he pulled himself up and into the saddle.

  “Ready, darlin’?”

  “Let’s go, podner.”

  He chuckled and I followed him away from the ranch into a pasture beyond. Before long I could smell salt on the wind and hear the waves. We rode down a small hill, and across pasture land until the grass gave way to a white sand beach.

  The day had turned balmy for the end of September, the wind mild as it blew off the Atlantic Ocean.

  We rode for about half an hour, then Travis stopped in a secluded area, a sheltered half-moon indentation in the side of a hill that stretched out into more pasture.

  “This is a beautiful spot,” I said as I dismounted and discovered my muscles were a little sore and wobbly.

  “Yeah, I’ve always loved this place. We don’t have beaches like this where I live in Texas. There’s one in Galveston, but that’s on the Gulf…you hungry?” he asked.

  “Starved.” He tied the horses off with two metal stakes up on the hill, and they started to graze. Then he hefted the saddlebags and blankets off them and carried everything back down the hill to the beach. He spread out the blankets. Scooping out a jug of iced tea, two bagged lunches, and napkins, he set everything down on the blanket. I took off the straw hat and folded down on the blankets, the sand soft beneath me.

  He removed his hat and set it down next to mine. Settling down on the blanket close to me, the scent of him filling me up, he kissed me. I wound my fingers into his silky dark hair, all tousled from the wind.

  “Are you trying to woo me?” I said against his lips.

  “Is it working?” he said with a smile.

  I touched his jaw, wandering my fingertips down his throat. “Yes, it is.”

  He gave me a wet nap so I could clean my hands. “You’ve thought of everything.”

  He reached for one of the bagged lunches. “Check out what we have for lunch.”

  My stomach grumbled as I accepted the wrapped sandwich from him.

  While I unraveled my lunch, Travis eagerly said, “It’s lobster salad on a croissant and chips. There’s even a cookie,” he added, his eyes that twinkling blue I could not get enough of.

  “Lobster? I’ve never had it. Does it taste good?”

  “Boy howdy, it shore does. Try it.”

  “Chocolate chip. My favorite.” I kissed him.

  Looking pleased, he poured the iced tea into paper cups. “I hope you like it.”

  “You’re good at paying attention.”

  We ate the delicious food, and I discovered I loved lobster. Afterwards, he pulled me into his arms and we watched the ocean lap against the shore. The horses were still grazing, and the day was about as perfect as it could be.

  He nuzzled my neck. “You’re so beautiful, Emmie.”

  “I’m glad you think so, Travis.”

  “You are.” He moved so I was cradled in his arms and he could look me in the eyes. The earnest look on his handsome face made my heart turn over.

  “Thank you, Travis.”

  His eyes met mine, and I felt suspended, floating. The intensity, the life of him winding around me, taking me without even touching me. I felt like I was his, possessed, wanted…beautiful.

  “Travis…”

  “I know,” he said. “Shoot, Emmie, I know.”

  #

  Travis

  It was too soon and just right, all wrapped up into one glorious moment. I slid my hand to the back of her neck and drew her mouth to mine. I kissed her softly at first, then more deeply, letting my tongue play inside her mouth, letting the taste and feel of her get me hard.

  And she kissed me back, her hands in my hair, holding me. Her tongue slid across my teeth, exploring my palate, invading me on every front, and I gave myself over to it—soft lips crushed against me, her breath on my skin, the taste of her in my mouth. We kissed forever, deliberately, erotically, until I was drugged with the sensation of her body moving against mine as I pressed her down into the sand. She consumed me, kiss after kiss, until I was so hard I couldn’t think, until I had to be inside her or die.

  Emmie.

  She was mine, every cell, every sigh. Her love of Batman and Spiderman, her cute, stunning brain, her longing for sex so clear in her eyes, sweet, intense yearnings that had her unbuckling my belt and lowering my zipper—all mine.

  Slipping her hand inside, she ran it over me, and I groaned into her mouth. “Emmie, are you sure about this? We don’t need to rush. We can wait.”

  “Shh, more sure than I have ever been about anything in my life.”

  “Have you done this before? I don’t want to take anything for granted. I want to keep you safe. Don’t do this because you think I want you.”

  “You don’t want me?”

  “Shoot yeah! You’re killing me. I want you so much, but we don’t have to hurry.”

  “I don’t want to wait another minute and, yes, I’ve done this before. But, Travis, it feels like the real very first time for me.”

  She pulled my shirt over my head and helped me with my jeans. “Oh, Travis,” she breathed. “You are so beautiful.”

  She pulled her top over her head and wiggled out of her own jeans, then she straddled my lap while I was running my eyes over her exquisite curves. “Why do you hide all this beauty under those baggy clothes?”

  She shrugged and wrapped her arms around my neck. It was such a perfect tease, being half naked with Emmie in my lap, the way she grazed my lips with her teeth, gently nipping me, licking the sting and sliding her tongue back inside my mouth, and the whole time she was kissing me, she was stroking my dick.

  I was floating in carnal bliss, the sweet weight of her holding me in place, her hand small, exciting, and so much less predictable than my
own.

  “Geez, Emmie. Don’t, yes…ah, God.” She was incredible, destroying me with soft, wet, deep kisses, the exquisite friction of her palm, and the lazy trailing of her fingers going around me, over the top of me, all over me.

  Suddenly, I needed to see her completely naked—her breasts and the naked curve of her hip, and especially between her legs, where she was practically riding me. I needed to see it all. Right now.

  “I don’t usually wear…pretty underwear.”

  “I think you’d look sexy in burlap.”

  “Ooh, that’d be scratchy.”

  Finally I noticed what she was wearing. I stared at the pretty pink lace concoctions.

  “Matching panties,” she said, twisting so I could look at them.

  “Gorgeous.” I didn’t know what else to say. It was a miracle I could even get the one word out. “Take them off.”

  She giggled and stood up, and I helped to brace her, rising with her. God, I wondered if it was possible for anything to be more erotic. Then she slipped the panties down her legs and stepped out of them.

  Equal parts lust and love welled up in my chest and brought me to my knees. She was so incredibly pretty there.

  I pulled her to me, kissing the soft skin of her belly, the silky length of her thighs, the even silkier, softer place between her thighs. I buried my face in her dark curls, then burrowed my tongue in even farther, finding the sweet place that made her melt.

  And I stayed there, played there, teased her until I thought I’d die, everything else becoming elemental. The way she gave it all up for me, her knees weakening, her hands coming to rest on my shoulders, the taste of her, the lovely female scent of her. It all made me crazy.

  I licked her until cried out and pulled away, trembling. Then I tugged at her waist until she lay down with me on the blanket. My lips were still warm with her heat, still tasted of her, when I kissed her. It was incredible to feel a kiss in the marrow of my bones.

  Slowly, I reached over to my jeans pocket and pulled out a condom, but she stayed my hand. “We don’t need that. I’m protected.”

  I braced my hands and slowly pushed into her, looking up to watch her face. Her eyes were dreamy, the tip of her tongue tracing her upper lip. She sighed, and I brought my mouth back down to hers, letting her breath infuse me with a light sweetness. It was unlike anything I’d ever known, being inside her, a part of her, our heat and bodies joined.

  It wasn’t sex. It was a surrender, and I gave myself willingly. When she accepted me, I felt overcome.

  “Travis, please,” she whispered, and I thrust—my beautiful Emmie,. It was so sweet. A soft sound escaped her and her head went back, her throat arching.

  Her body tightened beneath me, slick and heated and wanton, her breath coming in pants. I was on my forearms on either side of her, my fingers in her hair, my thoughts dissolving into mindless sensation and need, desperate, compelling need, and my dick—oh, God. I bent my head to look down between us, to where I was sliding in and out of her, a driving beat. My cock was rock hard, my belly tight, my chest, my thighs, my balls, all so tight.

  “Travis,” she gasped my name. “Please…oh.”

  I cupped up her breast and took her nipple into my mouth, laving it, warming her skin, and when I sucked, she came undone.

  A cry burst from her, and sharp, sweet pleasure shot through me, gathering instantaneous force. I rocked into her, pumping hard and deep, my teeth gritted, my body rigid—then release, even sweeter. Fuuuuck. It was heaven, pouring out of me, all consuming…transcending.

  “Ohmigod, Travis,” she said a couple of minutes later, still lying limp next to me.

  Ohmigod was right. I pulled her closer.

  “Can we do that again?”

  “Yeah,” I said, and dragged my fingers back through my hair, trying to catch my breath, trying to ground myself. Then I kissed her shoulder and her cheek. Felt a grin try to escape. “Yeah. We ought to do that as many times as I can before it kills me. But just give me a minute.”

  The minute came and went, and another, and I felt her laughing against me.

  “What?” I looked down at her face.

  “We couldn’t do it…um…I mean guys can’t do it again that soon. Am I right?”

  I grinned. “Um…no, not right.”

  “Ho-lee mo-lee,” she said on a gasp.

  “You do it for me, Emmie.”

  “I’d say that was for sure,” as her eyes widened. She looked down between us. “Nice and big…and all for me.”

  “All for you,” I whispered. No woman had ever done this to me, done it so quickly. No one except Emmie.

  When we were on our way back to New York City, we stole many kisses in the dark, murmuring sweet nothings back and forth. It was late when we got back to Columbia. I walked Emmie to her dorm.

  “Emmie?” a voice came out of the shadows, followed by a shady character dressed in shabby clothes, looking dirty and very unkempt.

  Emmie gasped. “Duncan?”

  She turned to look at me and my stomach dropped at the fear in her face.

  “Who the hell are you?” I demanded, immediately putting myself between him and Emmie.

  “A friend,” he scowled, then his hollow eyes shifted back to Emmie. “I need to talk to you.”

  “Travis,” she said, pulling away from me and it felt…permanent. Scary. “Please, give me a minute.”

  She walked out of earshot with that lowlife. I wasn’t leaving her alone with him. That was for sure.

  They exchanged words, then it was clear they became heated. Suddenly the guy grabbed her, and I rushed over and pushed him away from her.

  “No, Duncan,” she said when he took a step toward me. “Get out of here. Now.”

  “You’ve changed,” he spat.

  “That’s right. I have. Now leave. Never come back.”

  “To hell with you.” He stalked off, but Emmie was already backing away.

  “Emmie, what is it?”

  “Please don’t ask me any questions.”

  My world came crashing down. “Why the hell not? We just shared something special. I thought we had something special, but you don’t trust me.”

  “It’s not that, Travis.” Her voice broke and she covered her eyes, her chest heaving. When she looked at me there was guilt and shame in every line of her. “You just don’t understand.”

  “Help me understand.”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ever let this happen between us. You are better off without me.”

  I took a step, but she retreated, shaking her head and my guts twisted. “No. No I’m not. I’m better with you, more than I have ever been.”

  “I can’t,” she said, tears filling her eyes before she bolted away into the dorm.

  I stood alone in the night, confused, angry, my heart breaking. What the hell had happened?

  Chapter Six

  Deke

  To say that I was one of the most disgruntled men in New York City wasn’t much of a stretch.

  The other most disgruntled guy would have to be my roommate, Travis. He wasn’t just disgruntled, though. He was devastated. He had a falling out with Emmie a month ago, and she had disappeared from our lives. I missed her, but I knew Travis was really struggling.

  Thanksgiving was coming up fast, and I was set to go back to Suttontowne to visit my parents and my brother and sister to celebrate the holiday. I looked forward to going home and seeing everyone.

  There wasn’t much I could do to help him, or help my own situation. Minnie had taken my virginity and it had been…mind-bending. I had believed we became really close then, but she might as well have been miles away.

  She was professional, and, true to my word, I was just as fucking professional as I could stomach. It didn’t stop her from giving me those sultry looks when she thought I wasn’t looking, or stop me from having to grit my teeth to keep from putting my hands on her. I ached to touch her, ached to hold her. I went to her shoots and did as I was to
ld. They paid me an obscene amount of money, but I didn’t give a damn about that. We only were together behind closed doors and I hated it. It put me in a bad mood. We wrapped ourselves around each other. Couldn’t get enough of each other.

  My classes were going fine. Pretty easy. I worried about Travis and Emmie, but neither of them would talk to me. He soldiered on. His responsibility to his father made him conscientious about his studies. Every morning he was up and gone by the time I got back from my shower. I dressed and headed to my first class. English. Tiffany had long since given me a wide berth, and although she hadn’t apologized, she at least didn’t force her attentions on me anymore. Not the same for the rest of the class.

  I still got asked out and outright propositioned, but I wasn’t interested in meaningless sex. Never had been. Now that I had experienced this amazing connection to Minnie, I couldn’t even imagine anyone but her. But I chafed against the restriction against carrying on or being open in public. It was the only thing about us that weighed heavily on me.

  As I left class, I ran into Emmie. She had her head down and hadn’t seen me, or she probably would have gone out of her way to avoid me, as usual.

  I grabbed her to steady her, and when she looked up, her eyes full of misery, they cleared and she tried to bolt.

  “Emmie, wait a minute!” I said, dragging her to a lounge area and making her sit down.

  “Deke, leave me alone and let me go.”

  “Not until you talk to me.”

  “I don’t want to talk to you.”

  “Emmie. I care about you. We’re friends. Tell me what’s wrong.”

  She struggled for a few more minutes, then collapsed against me bursting into tears.

  “Aw, honey, come on. Whatever it is can’t be as bad as you feel being separated from Travis. He’s a sorry sonavabitch right now.”

  She shook her head and pressed harder into my chest. Several people looked at us, then went back to their studies.

  I tilted her head up, my finger under her chin. “What?”

  “Travis doesn’t deserve this. Not at all. But I’m scared,” she whispered, looking away.

  I frowned. “Of what? He would never hurt you.” I was sure of that. Travis was a complete goner.