I stood up and grabbed my brother’s arm, gripping it tightly. “Please be nice,” I said under my breath. I then turned my back to Bryce and looked Jake in the eyes. “I’m in love with him Jake, I mean really in love with him.” I tugged my brother along as we stepped down from the porch.
Mum patted Bryce’s arm as an indication to let go so that she could embrace her son. “Jake, Darling.” She pulled the cigarette from his mouth and butted it out on the ground.
“Mum!” Jake protested.
She completely ignored him and wrapped her arms around her big boy.
Dad kept walking past and slapped Jake on the back. “Good to see you, Son. I’ll need your help in the stock yards in a minute, some of the heard has pinkeye again.” Dad continued on into the house, I’m assuming to prepare the ointment that he had to wipe into the cows’ eyes. Just the thought of it had my stomaching churning again. Ewww, big cow eyeballs with oozy ointment. I gagged, and I swear I spewed a little in my mouth.
“Are you okay?” Bryce whispered, looking a little concerned.
I smiled at him and whispered back. “Yeah, I’m just a little extra queasy today.” I wrapped my arms around his waist, and he gently moved a piece of hair away from my eye.
He leaned forward and kissed the top of my head. “Do you need anything?”
Still whispering, I answered, “Hmm, I could think of a few things.” I smirked at him and his eye involuntarily twitched, making me giggle.
“Ahem,” Jake cleared his throat.
I turned, squinting my eyes at my brother. “Jake, this is Bryce. Bryce, this is my brother, Jake.” I kept my tight grip around Bryce’s waist.
He reached an arm out to shake Jake’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Jake.”
“Same. So, is that your ride?” Jake motioned to the chopper.
“Yeah, is that yours?” Bryce motioned to the Harley.
“Yeah, sure is.”
“2010 Fat Boy Lo, right?” Bryce pried my hands away from their comfortable position on his firm sexy arse and started to walk toward Jake’s bike. I pouted at the loss, but more so because I could feel my massive sexual urge creeping up on me. I was terribly tempted to sneak him into the shed and take him in amongst the hay bales. Hmmm, that’s a thought.
“Yeah,” Jake answered, impressed. “You like bikes? You’ve probably got a few, right?”
“Just a couple,” Bryce said modestly, obviously trying to play it down in the hope he did not come across as boastful. I knew he had a couple of motorbikes in his garage, although I’d never seen him ride them, nor did he ever talk about them. I made a mental note to ask him why at a later point in time.
Jake and Bryce soon became embroiled in a heavy discussion about ‘Knuckleheads’ and ‘Ecosses’, so I left them to it, deciding to take a walk.
***
I had wandered down the hill my parents’ house sat upon and across the creek into the furthest paddock on the property. Nate had followed me on his bike as far as the creek but decided to turn back when I said I was heading to the hay shed. When he was younger, I had put the fear of God in him, telling him the shed was full of snakes—which technically, it probably was. He had refused to go there ever since, so my not-so-false-lie had worked a charm. The hay shed wasn’t really my destination though, the gum tree that was only ten metres from the shed was. When I was younger, I would often climb up it a few branches high and perch myself comfortably in the gum’s inviting arms, reading my books for hours.
I always knew it was time to head back to the house when I heard Mum’s voice echo across the valley, shouting for me to return home—her voice probably carrying for miles. I just loved it on the farm; it was my one true home, and I loved that my children got to experience it as well.
I made my way to the gum’s large trunk and traced my fingers along the etchings I had made during the years. ‘Alexis’ tree home 1987’; I scratched that one when I was ten. ‘Mum and Dad suck’; I’m pretty sure I was 12 years old when I engraved that one. They’d said I couldn’t go to the school disco, and that decision pissed me off. ‘I love Johnny Depp’; yep, I was definitely 14 when I lovingly tattooed that to my tree. And finally, ‘Rick and Alexis were here 1995’. I poked at the letters as tears welled in my eyes, memories flooding back of the two of us sitting in this very spot studying for our school exams—my head on his shoulder as he quizzed me about the ‘Fair Trading Act’. I wiped the tears away and moved around the trunk some more, smiling when I got to the spot where I had marked Nate and Charli’s birth dates.
The sound of an approaching bike distracted me from my etchings. I looked out past the shed to see that Bryce had jumped on Dad’s quad and was making his way to where I was standing. I smiled at how quickly he could settle in and feel at home, it made me happy seeing him so comfortable, not only at my parents’ property but comfortable with my family as well.
He pulled up and turned off the ignition.
“Hey, you gonna buy one of those now?” I asked, as I pointed to the blue Polaris quad bike.
“I’m thinking about it. I don’t have one of these,” he replied with a smile.
He jumped off and walked toward me, his eyes speaking many things. Automatically, my body started to react by tingling in the spots that wanted Bryce’s touch.
“What are you doing?” he said softly, as he cupped his hands on my cheeks and pulled me in for a kiss. I started to answer but couldn’t as his lips were pressed firmly against mine. One of his hands slid to the back of my head, the other dropping to my hip, pulling me further into him. I opened my mouth, inviting his tongue to caress my own and when it did, I moaned with desire and went slightly limp in his arms. He groaned in response, as his hard cock pressed into the base of my stomach.
My body began to express it needed Bryce desperately, as my pulse raced rapidly and my breathing quickened. I pulled him around to the other side of the tree and frantically pulled at his jeans, undoing them and unleashing his erection in my hands. Closing my eyes, I surrounded his shaft, feeling its warmth on my fingers.
He gently stepped me up to the trunk of the tree and mouthed my neck. “Your touch sets my body on fire, Alexis. The way you stroke my cock is fucking sensational.”
I smiled as he gently licked and nipped at my neck, adoring that my touch had the same effect on him as his had on me. I brought my thumb to my mouth, licked the tip then swirled it over his crown. He growled harshly. Fuck! That sound never gets old. I love it.
He pulled away and lifted my top, showing signs of frustration with it being there.
I noticed him grip it tightly in his hands. “Don’t Bryce, don’t you dare rip my top. I can’t fucking explain that to my family when we get back.”
He growled again, aggressively yanked down my bra, and sucked my nipple into his mouth, tugging it delightfully with his lips. Holy Fuck! I gripped his head and dug my nails into his scalp.
Moving his hands down to my shorts, he quickly unzipped them, forcefully pushing them to the ground. Then, teasing me with not only his hovering digit but his wanting eyes, he slid his finger along the seam of my underwear. My mouth fell open and my head dropped back at the anticipation of his touch.
“Open your eyes, Hunny.” Oh fuck, not this again, I barely managed it last time.
“No,” I said firmly, but with a smile at bay.
He moved his mouth to the side of my head and breathed hot into my ear. “If you want me inside of you, you will open your gorgeous fucking eyes.”
I flung them open instantly and was rewarded when his finger slid deliciously into my wet pussy. “Oh God!” I moaned.
“God isn’t finger-fucking you, my love. I am.”
“Oh Bryce,” I corrected myself with a giggle.
He chuckled ever so slightly as well, but ceased the amusement when he grasped my leg and wrapped it around his waist. I leaned in and kissed him forcefully as he slid himself inside me.
For some stupid reason, I suddenly had the tune of “H
ome among the Gumtrees” in my head. What the fuck, Alexis. Shut up! I smiled with smugness, thinking I was sort of sexually patriotic. I must’ve started humming in between moans of pleasure while he was sliding his cock in and out of me.
“Are you humming?” he asked incredulously, in between thrusts.
“No.” I answered quickly, delightfully lapping up his rhythm.
“You were. What were you humming?” he asked as his breath spiked.
“Nothing. I wasn’t humming anything. Either shut up, or talk dirty to me.”
He laughed. “I know you were humming, and until you tell me what it was, I’m not going to let you come.”
I looked at him coldly. “You wouldn’t dare,” I sighed as he slowed right down, unbearably dragging his length out to the tip. A bike engine came to life in the distance, and my eyes widened at the prospect of it being either Nate or Charli coming to look for us.
Bryce must have been thinking the same thing as he begged the question again. “So, what were you humming? You better hurry and tell me, it sounds like we might get some company.”
I tried to lean over and peek around the tree but he held me tight. “Please, Bryce,” I moaned.
“Are you gonna tell me, Hunny?” He pushed back in and slowly pulled out again while groaning and making me gasp. His pace increased along with my orgasm.
The bike engine noise slowly got louder, indicating someone was definitely heading in our direction. I was so close, my body heating and my fingers clenching, when he stopped—just freakin’ stopped.
“Tell me,” his gaze was intense, and the smallest sign of a smirk crept across his face. He twitched his dick, persuading me further.
“Alright! Alright!” I shouted. “It was fucking ‘Home among the Gumtrees’.”
He practically mashed his mouth to mine and thrust into me hard, deep and fast until I was shouting again, only this time it had absolutely nothing to do with a stupid song. Bryce, too, groaned with his release as the bike approached only a minute or so away. He pulled out of me and zipped up his jeans while I reached down and pulled up my shorts, fastening them in no time at all.
He began to laugh.
“What? It’s not funny, you’re not funny. Don’t ever threaten me with not coming again.”
“Home among the Gumtrees’? Really? That’s fucking awesome.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Shut up.”
Just as I smoothed my hair down, Nate rounded the corner on his bike with Charli on the back. Fuck, that was close...too close. He cut the engine and they both climbed off.
“Hey, ratbags. What you doin’?”
“Nanny said that dinner will be ready soon.”
“Okay.” I suddenly got an idea. “Hey, you two come here.” I motioned them over to the tree. “Find yourself a stick like this,” I said, holding up a pointy branch. “You too,” I instructed Bryce. He frowned a little in question, but did what he was told.
I started scratching my name into the tree trunk.
“What are you doing Mum?” asked Charli.
“I’m adding a new entry to my tree diary,” I answered. “Scratch your name here.” I pointed to a spot close to where I had finished writing my name. “You too,” I said to Nate and Bryce. All three of them stood there and tattooed their name to my tree. I finished off by writing ‘were here 2013’.
I smiled.
Charli happy-danced.
Nate said, “That’s kind of dumb.”
And Bryce hummed “Home among the Gumtrees” as he kissed my head and subtly placed his hand on my belly.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Family dinner at the Blaxlo house was always eventful, this particular night being no exception. Every time Jen or Steve placed food in their mouth, the twins would cry, having some kind of baby radar that said ‘Mummy and Daddy are having me-time, quick intervene’.
Livy sent all things that were a shade of green from her plate onto the floor, and Nate unsuccessfully tried to roll his Brussels sprout onto Charli’s plate unnoticed. Charli then vocally expressed that it wasn’t hers and not so subtly tossed it back onto his plate. I had to laugh when Dad performed the same manoeuvrer as Nate, rolling his onto Mum’s plate. But unlike Nate, Dad succeeded then basked in his victory—Mum was none the wiser. I honestly didn’t know why she persisted in cooking the things, because Steve had passed his to Jen—who grudgingly ate them—and Jake had also pushed his aside. Mum and I were the only ones who actually liked them, together with Bryce who happily ate three.
Jake—mouth full and all—voiced his appreciation of Mum’s new style of roast chicken. “Good chook Mum. What’d ya do, buy it from the shop already cooked?” He gave her a teasing smile.
“No,” she defensively snapped. “It’s Bryce’s recipe thank you very much. He showed me how to do it.”
Jake stopped his fork midway to his open mouth. “You cook?” he addressed Bryce, a hint of a mocking smile creeping across his face.
“Yes, he does,” I interjected before Bryce could answer, “and he’s very good at it. Maybe you should get a lesson. You might actually succeed in keeping a girlfriend if you too, possessed such a skill.”
Steve, Jen and Dad burst into laughter.
Mum gave Jake the ‘your sister has a point’ look.
Livy threw another piece of broccoli on the floor; thinking we were laughing at her.
“Olivia. No, naughty girl.” Jen scolded.
And, the twins began to cry again.
***
Not too long after dinner, Jen and Steve took the kids to bed, clearly wanting to get all three of their children safely to the land of nod.
“See you in the morning,” she called from the bedroom door. “Don’t forget to set an alarm.”
“I don’t need to,” I answered. Then, registering her baffled look, I pointed to my tummy, indicating that Baby Clark and my frequent toilet visits were the reason why.
“Ah yes, baby bladder,” she smiled.
“Jen!” I whisper-growled.
“Sorry,” she whispered back, then happy-danced and quickly closed the door.
I shook my head and headed to my room.
Our family home had three spare bedrooms, all of which belonged to us kids when we had lived here. So Jen, Steve, and their kids slept in the room that was once Jen’s, Jake slept in his old bedroom, and Nate, Charli, Bryce and I accommodated mine. Bryce and I had been sharing a room for quite some time now, so it was no longer awkward for Nate and Charli to see us share a bed.
While the kids brushed their teeth, Bryce and I got changed into our sleepwear, me in my usual long satin nightie and Bryce in a pair of boxer shorts.
“So, this was your bedroom when you were young?”
“Yes,” I replied, smiling after registering his adorably sneaky grin.
He looked around, scanning the area and seemingly taking in every surface. “I wish I’d known you when you were young. I would’ve snuck into your room and had my fucking way with you.”
I heated at that thought of it. “I’m not sure my dad would’ve liked that.”
“No...he wouldn’t have.” Bryce winked at me just as Nate and Charli entered the room.
“This is just so cool,” Charli squealed, while jumping onto her makeshift bed on the floor. “We are having a slumber party. I know, I know! Let’s play truth or dare!”
“No. That’s for you and your friends to play,” I answered while smiling at her attempt.
“No it’s not,” Bryce said with a smirk. “I’ll play.” He had an elated smile on his face which was infectious.
“It’s your funeral then,” I warned him.
Charli happy-clapped and sat crossed-legged. Nate, who was now lying in his bed, propped his head on his hand with an amused look on his face.
“Well?” I gestured to Bryce, “What will it be, truth or dare?”
“Dare,” he said confidently, standing beside the bed in all his boxer short glory.
Nate scoffed
and put his hand over his eyes. “You’re nuts, Bryce.”
Charli happy-clapped again.
“Slap yourself across the face,” I commanded, smiling with the knowledge that he would do it.
He smiled back and obliged, giving himself a decent whack. I burst into laughter and fell back on the bed as he raised his eyebrow satisfactorily then pulled back the bed covers, climbing in beside me.
“It’s your turn, Mum.” Nate said, sitting up and crossing his legs like his sister. Crap! How did I get roped into this again?
“Fine,” I contemplated my choice for a split second then decided I would follow Bryce, not wanting to be outdone, of course. “I choose dare,” I huffed.
“Fart,” Nate blurted out, my typical nine-year-old son seeming quite pleased with his suggestion.
“No. I can’t,” I shrieked, embarrassed and honestly telling the truth. Suddenly a bottom rumble sounded within the room. Nate and Bryce looked at me, their eyes widening. “That wasn’t me,” I exclaimed, hands in the air in surrender. Bryce chuckled so loudly that I had to playfully punch him in the arm. “It wasn’t me, I promise.”
“No, it was me,” Charli chimed in. “I took Mum’s dare.”
“What?” I asked astounded and now laughing as hard as Bryce. “This game is stupid.”
“No it’s not. If you can’t do a dare or tell a truth, someone else can do it for you. So, I did it for you, Mum, us girls have to stick together.” Charli was the only one deadly serious and not laughing.
“Oh...thanks Sweetheart,” I choked out, trying to be as serious as she. “So...what happens next?”
Quite proudly, she answered. “You get another turn.”
“Oh, okay.” I breathed in and looked at her purposely. “Fire away.” And I mean from your mouth, not your rear-end.
“You have to pick truth or dare, Mum.”
“Oh, sorry. Truth then.”
Charli smiled. “Are you going to marry Bryce?”
Charli-Bear, we’ve been over this. I looked at Bryce who had placed both his hands behind his head, a smug smile protruding from his face. “He has to ask me to marry him first.”
Fulfillment (Book 3 in The Temptation Series) Page 8