Whiskey Lullabye (Southern Heartbeats, Vol. 2)

by Jennifer Rebecca

  “Holt…” She gasps. I’m keeping her from what she wants and that’s fine by me. I will gladly hold her there for as long as I want to. Liz needs to realize that I want something too and I won’t stop until I get it.

  “Yes, Liz,” I call as I circle my hips again.

  She moans out her pleasure and one by one, I wrap her legs tightly around my waist and lean forward, deepening our connection. I feel her walls grip my cock tightly at this new depth and a groan rumbles up unchecked from my chest. I wrap my arms tightly around her and rock us slowly back and forth. Sweat is dripping down my back and I see a single drop roll down her neck and between her breasts. I lean forward tipping Liz back and follow that trail between her breasts with my tongue. The salty flavor only serves to drive me mad.

  Aliza moans at my movements and I thrust my cock deep into her. I lick up her neck and trail a path of bites up her jaw to her ear, soothing them as I go with little licks and soft kisses. The whole time rocking my cock as deep as it will go. Again and again.

  “Holt,” she calls as she claws at my shoulder. “Holt, I’m…”

  “I know, baby,” I kiss her deeply my tongue in her mouth and my cock in her body. I rock into her again and again. Faster and faster.

  “Holt, I can’t stop…” She whispers, her breath choppy. “I can’t stop. I’m going to…” I rock into her again and again. Kissing her over and over as I pull her body onto my cock harder and harder.

  “Don’t stop, Liz,” I breathe into her mouth. Rocking into her again and again. “Let go. Let it go.” And she comes. Spectacularly. I rock into her one more time, thrusting my cock deep before I come too, our bodies sweating, panting, wrapped up tightly in each other, her heart pounding against mine.

  Liz opens her eyes and I see in them I’ve taken a chink out of her armor. There are bricks missing from the wall around her heart and she wants to back away. She wants to run. She puts her fingertips to my mouth dragging my lip with her as she passes it over them, I don’t know why she does. But the movement turns me on again. Everything she does gets to me.

  I slide her body up and over my shoulder as I stand from the sofa. Regrettably, my cock slips from her body, but not for long. I slap her ass. Hard. and the smack rings out in the quiet house only to be drowned out by our heavy breathing. I’m not about to let her escape and we both know it.

  I walk up the stairs towards my bedroom, my long legs eating up the distance in short seconds before I throw her down onto my made bed and her body bounces. It’s a sight I enjoy a lot. I stalk her on the bed and pin her beneath me. Her arms instantly going around my neck, her hips wiggling seeking my cock.

  I kiss her deeply and thrust deep. She breaks our mouths apart to toss her head back and whimper. I pump into her hard again. Over and over before sitting up on my knees, my cock still deep inside her. The movement dislodges her arms which fall to her sides.

  I push her own knees higher and wide, opening her up to me as I slowly thrust inside her. I lean forward slightly and my thumb finds her clit. I put a little pressure where my thumb is as I slow my thrusts and circle my thumb. Her keening cry tells me all I need to know and I smile wickedly as I do it again. And again.

  “Yes,” she breathes with her hands clenching the bed sheets and blankets as her head tosses back and forth.

  “Aliza,” I growl as I pump harder into her body as my thumb circles again.

  “Don’t stop, please,” she wails as I circle my thumb harder again, the strokes of my cock also coming faster and faster as I push her towards climax again. “Holt.” She calls out my name as her head tips back and her eyes close and she comes, beautifully again. I lean forward and grip her thigh in my left hand raising it higher to her chest. My right hand grips the bed as I lean over her again and pump my cock harder and harder faster and faster through her orgasam extending it into another one. She screams as I bury my face in her neck and growl as I come. Hard.

  When our breathing slows, I wrap my arms around her, one of my hands finding its way into her mess of dark blonde hair and roll us over, me to my back and her ontop of me, my cock still deep inside her. I tuck her face into my neck and hold her. She lies still in my arms and I think I have finally gotten through to her. Thank, Christ. This is the last thought I have before sleep rolls over me. And it is the best of my life. Relaxed, freshly fucked, and my woman in my arms.

  ***

  I wake up sometime later, deep in the night or early morning, I don’t know. I don’t look at the clock on my bedside table. I look for the woman I had in my arms and my bed and my sofa for that matter, a short while ago, but she’s gone. The sheets next to me are cold almost as if she never slept there. Fuck, maybe she didn’t. All I know is that once again, after the best night of my life with Liz in my arms, I wake up alone and my dick hard. This is getting old already.

  CHAPTER 21

  Holt

  Two Weeks Later

  You ever have one of those days where your alarm goes off and you’re just like, nope, and want to roll over and go back to bed? Like you just know the whole day is going to be full of one swift kick to the nuts after another? I’ve only ever felt like this once before and it was the day my twin brother, Will, was killed while we were on patrol. Today feels like that. I have that tingle that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Fuck.

  My alarm continues to ring and I don’t have to open my eyes or reach across the bed to know that she’s gone. Again. This girl, she has my heart in her fist and doesn’t care. Or can’t care. She’s my whole world and she’s left me with an ache in my chest and my dick hard. Again.

  I reach over and hit my alarm to silence it. I open my eyes and there is Diablo, my cat, sitting on the pillow where Aliza’s head lay before I shut my eyes.

  “Meow,” He tells me, his yellow eyes glowing full of disappointment in my lack of resolve and life choices where Liz is concerned.

  “Shut it,” I tell him.

  “Meow,” he tells me as he moves to the nightstand.

  “Keep this up and no wet food for a week,” I grumble.

  “Meow,” he cries just before his little kitty paw reaches out and in one swipe knocks everything off of my night stand. Thank God I lock all the guns away at night could you imagine me trying to explain that I got shot by my cat? “Meow!” I swear to God, that fucker looked me in the eyes as he did it. And I’m not afraid to admit, I’m a little scared.

  ***

  After a quick shower and all the coffee, I head to the station where there is more coffee. And a mountain of work to be taken care of. And by mountain, I don’t mean a little hill, I mean mother fucking Everest.

  “Good Morning, Sheriff,” my secretary says as I nod to her and make my way to the coffee pot. My favorite mug is full and the hot, dark liquid is innocent of all cream and sugar. Just the way I like it.

  I take my coffee and head into my office, closing the door behind me. I need to catch up on phone calls and catch up on reports. We’ve had a rash of illegal hunting in the area, so I need to get with Tate, the county Game Warden, and come up with a plan.

  Before I know it, I have been at my desk for hours. I’m starving. I head out of my office and walk across the street to the diner. Katy sees me and smiles a warm smile that never reaches her eyes when she looks at me. I rub the ache in my chest as it crops up. I can’t blame her, I know it. And I don’t. But damn if it doesn’t hurt to know that every time she looks at me, she sees him, Will. And I can’t blame her, he was my identical twin. And also, a small part of her hates me for it.

  I move to sit in the back booth, facing the door as I always do when a vision of dark blonde hair, slumped shoulders, and an ass I would recognize anywhere catches my eye. Dammit, there’s that ache again. Her spine stiffens as she realizes I’m near, but she never turns to meet my eye. And she won’t, not in public. But she feels me. I know it. Her body recognizes mine the same way mine does hers.

  “Well, hello there, prodigal son,” my mom laughs as
she slides into the booth across from me, followed by Sheila, Sam’s mom, and Mable. “Fancy meeting you here.”

  “Hello, Mama,” I smile at her. “What brings you lovely ladies out this fine day?” I ask.

  “Oh, just a little visit over lunch,” she smiles at me.

  “And maybe checking in on a few things…” Ms. Sheila says to me, with a nod in Liz’s direction.

  “Ahh, I get it,” I say.

  “Do you, son?” Sheila asks. “Because I think you don’t. Not really.” Damn, that hurt. Does she know I’m in love with Liz? Does she think I’m not good enough? Or that I’m disrespecting Sam’s memory? Shit.

  Katydid swings by and drops sweet teas all around our table. She is such a sweetheart. I feel the frown on my face. I haven’t been fulfilling my promise to Will or Sam. I told Will, I would look after his girl and I haven’t. She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

  “Thanks, Katydid,” I say as I lean in and kiss her cheek. She smiles again but more real.

  “Flirt,” she says as she swats my shoulder with the rag she wipes the tables down with.

  “What are you going to do about her?” my mom asks me. I think she’s talking about Katy so I move to reassure her I’ll watch out for her. Katy lives in my brother’s house which is next door to mine. I hope the walls are thick.

  “I’m going to look out for her just as I always have, I promised Will, mom.”

  “No, Aliza,” Sam’s mom corrects me. “You love her, Holt,” I scoff.

  “No really,” Mable chimes in. “We know. We’ve always known.”

  “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do about any of them. I feel at loose ends because I can’t fix any of it. Any of them,” I tell them, my mom pats my cheek.

  “You will figure it out, love,” she smiles sweetly at me. I wish I had her confidence on either front, Katy or Liz.

  We finish lunch in relative silence and I pay the bill and head on my way. I need to get back to the office before the place burns to the ground. I place my duty hat on my head and walk out the door.

  I love the walk through town. My town. I love seeing all the businesses, shops, the diner, all of it. I love seeing the people I have known my whole life and knowing that I protect them. That I keep them safe. Lately, I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. I have two women I have no idea what to do with, an illegal hunter, and I’m a deputy short. It goes without saying that today is a bad day.

  I walk into the office and move to my desk. The phone rings before my ass ever hits the seat and my spine stiffens in defence.

  “Sheriff Wilson,” I answer.

  “What’s up, brother?” And I’ll be damned, I would know that voice anywhere.

  “Well shit fire and save matches, how the hell are you, SCUBA?” my brothers best friend’s laugh rings in my ear.

  “I”m good. Great even, but I need a favor,” he tells me. I cringe, fuck I’m tapped out. Overdrawn, but I can’t say no to him.

  “What’s that?” I ask.

  “I need a job. You wouldn’t happen to know anyone hiring a deputy, would you?” Thank you, Jesus.

  “I just might. You got any qualifications I don’t know about?”

  “You mean like that time Uncle Sam sent me to federal POST?” he laughs.

  “Yeah, that one,” I cross my fingers and hope to God it’s for real. I need help. “You got a certificate for that?”

  “Yes, Sir,” his Tennessee drawls.

  “Fax that to me and you can have a job here I tell him.

  “You’ll have it within the hour,” he tells me. “So, when can I start?”

  “How soon can you get here?” I ask him.

  “I’m already here.”

  “Thank Christ,” I mumble into the receiver and know he heard me as he responds with his own chuckle. “Meet me at Father’s at 6 o’clock,” I shout before I slam the phone down on my desk.

  ***

  The rest of my day was long and frustrating. I still have no leads on our not so friendly, neighborhood poacher. And if Cody was understanding about someone illegally hunting on his family land, Mayor Hart will not be when he gets wind of how close this asshole is to his very pregnant daughter.

  Not to mention, I know that Aliza will come to me again tonight. Like she does every night. Only willing to give me her body and nothing else. And again, like always, she’ll be gone before morning. I know I should end whatever this is, but I can’t. And at the same time, this small taste of what I so desperately want, this glimmer of what could be is getting tougher and tougher to bare.

  So I stand and walk to my door, locking it behind me. I’m glad today is almost over and cringing at the knowledge that she’ll come to me again. I nod to my secretary and head out the door. Father’s is across the street from the station, so it’s not far to travel, and I love this place. I love that my family has owned it for generations and I love that little Katy has found a calling there. It was always meant to be.

  And speaking of Katy, When I open the front door and walk in, SCUBA is standing just a foot or two in from the door and is staring at my sweet little sister as she sits on a stool on a small stage in the corner and picks at her guitar like she’s a tall glass of water and he just walked out of a desert. I’m thinking I am going to have to shut that shit right down. She’s Will’s fiance for Christ sake.

  “Hey, buddy,” I say a little too loudly as I clap him on the shoulder just a little too hard. “Good to see you.” I smile grimly at him as he jumps. And my heart sinks when he turns to look at me because his eyes are dead. There is no life in them, only demons, and I seem to be finding myself fighting demons on every front, the rock in my gut tells me I’m an asshole, but I know I can’t take on anymore.

  “Good, man, how are you?” he asks me, as I can see he physically shakes off my surprise. SCUBA blinks twice and the mischief snaps back into his eyes and I think everything just might be okay. Well, not everything, but enough that I can buy some time. Some time to figure out what the hell I’m going to do with Liz. And Katy.

  “Tired and overworked. You?” Yes, I can buy myself some time.

  “Not tired and underworked,” he smiles at me before looking around the tavern. “I hear you might be hiring.”

  “In fact, I had a deputy quit this week. You got any certification?” I ask. “Actually, why don’t we go sit down in the back,” I say as I lead him to my favorite booth in the back of the bar.

  I slide into the bench and place my hat on the seat next to me. SCUBA slides onto the bench on the other side of the table and folds his hands on the table top.

  “What’ll it be, guys?” Matt, one of the bartenders who covers for Katydid when she sings asks.

  “Just a coke,” I tell him.

  “Sure thing, Sheriff,” he laughs as I sigh. I’ve been telling him to call me Holt like everyone else, but that’s apparently not going to happen any time soon.

  “Same for me,” SCUBA smiles, taking his interview cues from me even though we go way the fuck back.

  He sits back in his seat with his hands folded on the table in front of him and his eyes meeting mine. I know he’s taking this seriously, not just looking for a favor from an old friend. I also see that it’s hard for him to be here knowing Will is gone.

  “I’m qualified. Here are my POST certificates and my resume, including previous employment and references,” he says as he slides a folder across the table to me. I look it over while Matt brings our drinks over.

  “Anything to eat, guys?” he asks. “Your usual burger, Sheriff?”

  “That would be great, Matt, thanks,” I say looking up to let him know I mean it.

  “And you?”

  “The same, thanks,” SCUBA says.

  “This is a pretty good resume,” I tell him. “But why are you leaving Tennessee?” I ask after Matt walks away.

  “I need a fresh start. Somewhere new,” he says soft but firm.

  “Are you going to bail
on me and my department when you need to move on again? Because I have got to tell you, I need help. I have a poacher that I can’t catch and some personal things that need my attention.”

  “I won’t bail on you, brother, you know that.”

  “I do,” I answer.

  “What personal things?” he asks, but I stay unusually quiet and he answers for himself. “Aliza.”

  “Yes,”

  “Are you together?” he asks.

  “I don’t know,” I tell him.

  “Is that a good idea, man?”

  “Probably not, but I can’t walk away,” I want to say more, confide in my friend, but Katy is walking over with her arms full of burgers having just finished her usual Friday evening set.

  “Here you go, guys,” she smiles at me and then turns to look at SCUBA, tilting her head to the side to study him. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

  “No,” He rasps as he chokes on his words.

  “Do I know you?” she asks.

  “No, ma’am,” he says and then looks away. It looks as if he’s dismissing her like a dick and she stiffens her shoulders so I know that’s how she’s taking it.

  “Let me know if you need anything, Holt,” she says with an extra wide smile to me only before turning around and walking back to the bar.

  “What the fuck was that?” I ask as I watch SCUBA study his burger and fries like it holds the secrets of the universe.

  “Nothing,” he says softly and I decide to let my friend, my dead brother’s best friend, have that play. “So do I have the job or not?”

  “You do,” I say as I lean forward to tuck into my own burger. A recipe that my great-grandfather perfected in this very bar. “You start tomorrow at 0700. Be there early to get a loaner uniform while yours is on order.” And with that I see some life edge back into his eyes.