by J. S. Scott
“Stubborn woman,” he complained mournfully. He nodded his head to the right. “There’s a herd of elk.”
Ally marveled over the field littered with elk. “They’re huge.” A few were right beside the road, and Travis slowed down through the area to avoid hitting any of the animals.
After they passed the herd, Ally asked Travis curiously, “So why were you so insistent that I was coming with you to Colorado? You’re obviously comfortable with the crowd here. You know the Colters well. Why is this any different than any other charity function?” She’d been wondering that for a while now.
“It’s an auction and a ball,” Travis answered grimly.
“So? You attend auctions,” she shot back at him.
“It’s not a typical auction. Tate thought it would be interesting to have a billionaire auction to raise more money. Bastard! And he has the connections to gather a very wealthy crowd.”
“So only billionaires will be there?” Ally asked, bewildered.
“No. Billionaires are the auction items. Women are bidding on the billionaire of their choice to be their escort for the ball.” Travis visibly shuddered. “I can’t believe Sutherland showed up. Poor bastard. I hope he knows what he’s getting himself into. Tate’s own brothers conveniently had to be out of town.”
“So you’re going to be auctioned off?”
“Hell, no. I’m exempt because I have a woman. It’s just the single guys.”
“So you brought me along as your cover?” Ally asked, biting back a laugh, knowing that was probably initially the reason he’d needed her.
He hesitated for a moment and then answered, “Yeah. I’m not going up on some auction block like a damn antique or a prize show horse for sale.”
Ally snickered. “Well, you are priceless and a stud. That’s hilarious. And I think it’s very unique. I think it will be fun. And the men who are participating are good sports. Is Tate going to do it?”
“Yeah. Some unsuspecting woman will have to put up with his ornery ass all night,” Travis grumbled. “He got a surprising number of men who volunteered. We should raise a lot of money.”
“So I’m going to be in the same place as many of the world’s most eligible bachelors?” Ally asked teasingly.
“No. You’ll be there with me,” Travis told her gravely.
“Jason Sutherland will bring a hefty price. So will Tate. I know women who would give anything to spend an evening with either one of them. And I imagine there will be women there with very deep pocketbooks.”
“And are you one of those women who would love to spend an evening with Tate or Jason?” Travis questioned, his voice harsh, but a little vulnerable. He turned off the highway and onto a paved road that had a “Welcome to Rocky Springs Resort” sign beside it.
Ally looked at Travis in surprise. Was he serious? Not another man even existed for her anymore. Jason was certainly handsome, and so was Tate. But there was no other guy in the world like Travis. She found it incredible that he could even ask that question, that he still had any doubts. She panted after him like a woman in a perpetual state of heat. It was amazing that Travis had any insecurities, but apparently…he did.
Just like I do.
“No. I’m not.” She reached over and gently stroked his rough jawline. “I’m already living my fantasy with you, and I’m lucky enough that it’s been more than just one night.” She sighed as she stroked the hair at the nape of his neck. “If anything, I wonder why you want me. You’re a brilliant, incredibly handsome man who gives to others without any recognition for doing so. I’m just a regular woman, and I’m nothing special. My butt is too big, I’m much too curvy, and I’m not anything out of the ordinary, yet you still want me. Sometimes I’m afraid I’ll wake up and realize everything that’s happened with you was just one very long, one very hot wet dream. So no…I don’t dream or fantasize about any other man but you.”
Travis grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm reverently. “Jesus, Ally. Sometimes I feel exactly the same way.”
Time stopped for just a moment, as though only the two of them existed. Ally’s breath seized in her lungs, the beauty of Travis leaving himself wide open to her making her heart flip-flop in her chest. Her connection to him was so strong, so right, that she wanted to cry just from the joy of being with him. “I’ll never hurt you again, Travis. Not willingly.” She released the tremulous breath she’d been holding. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to convince you of that. Even if I have to get out your ‘naughty boy tie’ and tie you up and ravish you until you’re completely convinced.”
Travis grinned at her wickedly. “I’m suddenly feeling incredibly insecure.”
She shot him an equally naughty grin. “Then I guess we’ll just have to work on that.”
Travis pulled into the driveway of an enormous, beautiful mansion with a circular driveway as he replied, “I’m going to take a lot of damn work.”
Even though Ally had butterflies in her belly at the prospect of meeting so many of Travis’s peers, she smiled.
“I think you’ll be comfortable here. Travis has stayed here before, so he knows where everything is. Make sure you stay well hydrated and take it easy tonight. We’re a little over eight thousand feet here, and you’re a flatlander. You might feel the effects of the altitude for a while,” Tate told Ally with a charismatic smile. “I’m glad you’re here, Ally. I hope you have a good time.”
Tate Colter was probably what Travis would call his best friend aside from his brother Kade, but he still wanted to punch him every time he turned that admiring smile toward Ally. “We’re fine. You can leave now,” Travis told him gruffly, looking around the guesthouse. He had stayed here many times before, and it was a nice place. But all he wanted was for Tate’s ass to leave. A ranch hand had brought their bags over earlier, while they’d sat and chatted with Tate over dinner. Now all Travis wanted was to be alone with Ally.
“Glad to know you missed me so much, buddy.” Tate slapped Travis on the back with a smirk.
Travis glared back at him, knowing Tate was just trying to push his buttons. It hadn’t taken long for Tate to realize that Travis was feeling territorial about Ally, and he’d immediately started paying as much attention to her as possible just to irritate Travis. Bastard!
Ally stepped forward and offered Tate her hand. “Thank you so much for having me. It’s beautiful here.”
“I’m very happy to have you,” Tate answered, putting his emphasis on the word “have” intentionally as he shook Ally’s hand much longer than he needed to.
“If you don’t leave, I’m gonna fucking kill you,” Travis growled.
Tate let go of Ally’s hand and let out a choked laugh. “Okay, okay. I’m going.” Tate obviously noted that Travis was getting close to his tipping point.
Travis gave him a hard shove, moving Tate closer to the door, not an easy feat since he and Tate were about the same size. But Travis had irritation on his side. Opening the door, he motioned Tate impatiently through the entrance, and slammed it behind him, flipping the lock noisily. He could hear Tate’s booming laughter as he walked away from the guesthouse. “Son of a bitch!”
“Travis. He was just giving you a hard time. He isn’t interested in me,” Ally said soothingly behind him. “Show me the house. It’s gorgeous.”
“I know what he was trying to do. I swear I’ll repay the favor someday.” He couldn’t wait until Tate had a serious love interest now.
The guesthouse was an expansive ranch, all on one floor. He took Ally by the hand and led her around the various rooms, stopping when he finally reached the master bedroom and slid open the sliding door to the patio off the bedroom. “My favorite part of this house.”
Ally stepped outside and sighed, a sound that had Travis’s hard cock twitching, wanting to hear that sound as he buried himself inside her.
“It’s lovely. And the skies are so clear here. The stars look incredible,” she said with awe. “What is this
?” She waved toward a small pool with a waterfall that trickled down several ledges of rocks.
“It’s the hot springs. They have an incredible flow on this land that allows them to divert it to several places. The biggest one is in the resort and spa.”
Ally sniffed loudly. “It has a different smell.”
“It’s the minerals. This is a natural hot springs. It has like fourteen or fifteen different natural minerals.”
“It’s beautiful. Is it warm?”
“It is,” Travis said casually as he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. “And relaxing.”
Travis nearly groaned as he saw the look of longing on Ally’s face as her eyes roamed over his chest. “I’ll go get us some water. Tate is right. You need to keep drinking water.”
“I’ll get it,” she answered quickly, licking her lips as she watched him flip the top button of his jeans. She backed up slowly and headed for the kitchen, as though she didn’t want to take her eyes away from him.
Travis quickly stripped off his jeans and briefs and slid into the pool, groaning as the warm mineral water sloshed over his body. He submerged himself, letting the warmth soothe him as he dunked his head and then sat on one of the lower rock ledges, leaning back so the water trickled over him, relaxing his muscles.
How often had he sat in this exact place, dreaming about Ally? He’d left the patio light off, leaving only the light from the bedroom on. He looked up at the sky, marveling at the miracle that she was finally here with him. Unconsciously, he gripped his hard, pulsating cock, stroking it as he stared up at the sky, both exhilarated and terrified at how Ally had changed his life. Let’s face it, he wasn’t a guy who’d had a whole lot of happiness in his life, and it was intoxicating. But he still had fears of losing Ally. And he knew that now he’d never survive the loss.
A small, needy moan came from beside the pool, and Travis looked up to see Ally with two giant bottled waters in her hand, looking at him with so much longing that his heart accelerated like a race car taking off from the starting line. Finally realizing that he was stroking his own cock, he froze.
“Don’t stop,” Ally begged him quietly. “Please. You look so hot.” She set the waters down next to the pool and pulled her delicate short-sleeved shirt over her head in a slow, seductive move.
At that moment, Travis couldn’t have stopped if he wanted to. He watched as she slowly stripped for him, her bra coming off next in languid, sensual motions of Ally’s upper body. Travis’s hand moved up and down his shaft, gripping himself tightly as he watched her, knowing her every movement was meant to arouse him, and it did. Painfully. Her unabashedly sensual movements drove him mad. “God, you’re beautiful,” he told her hoarsely, their gazes locked on each other.
She cupped her breasts, running her thumbs over the nipples, gasping as she watched him jerking his hand up and down his cock. “God, yes. Touch yourself, Ally.” Watching her pleasure her own body nearly broke him.
He saw her bite her bottom lip, trying to hold back her moans of pleasure. She was standing directly in front of the light coming from the bedroom, and she looked like a fucking goddess.
She moved her hands and slowly undid the button and the zipper of her jeans, shimmying out of them, revealing her body slowly, taking her panties with them. Finally, she stood in front of him boldly and beautifully naked, no longer shy about revealing herself to him completely.
“Come to me,” Travis ordered, unable to stand another second without touching her.
She slid into the pool silently, the water rippling over her breasts. Placing her hands on his thighs as she arrived in front of him, she slid her hands up and down the muscles, massaging him.
Travis moved his hand from his cock and reached out for her. “Come ride me, Ally. Convince me that you’re really here with me,” he told her in a pleading but commanding voice.
For once, he wasn’t going to hurry this moment. It was too magical, and he wanted to savor Ally the way he’d always needed to, but had never been able to accomplish.
“I almost just wanted to watch you come. You looked so amazing,” she told him breathlessly.
Travis’s heart skipped a beat, his arousal growing even hotter. What woman said something like that? Only Ally. And it made him want to please her even more. “You’re coming with me, baby,” he told her adamantly as he lifted her onto the ledge and into his lap. She straddled him, and he reveled in the slick heat of her pussy as she nudged her hips into his groin. Locking his arms around her waist, he put his lips to her neck, nipping and stroking her skin with his tongue. He took his time, relishing every touch, feeling her body quiver in his arms as he latched onto one of her nipples and then giving the other one the same attention. Lifting his head, he demanded, “Kiss me.” He put a hand behind her neck and guided her mouth to his.
He explored her mouth with his tongue slowly, loving the way she followed his lead, entangling her tongue with his, bringing them closer than they’d ever been before. Moving his hand down to his cock, he groaned into her mouth when he parted her folds and his fingers found nothing but hot, wet need between her thighs. He guided his cock to her tight channel, pressing his hips up to enter her. She moved then, bearing down on his cock until he was completely buried inside her.
She moaned into his embrace and threaded her hands through his hair, neither of them moving for a moment. Travis luxuriated in the feel of her lips on his, her inner muscles gloving his cock with warmth. Hot mineral water flowed over them as they lost themselves to sensation.
Ally rotated her hips slowly as she fisted his hair, breaking off their kiss to pant beside his ear. Travis grasped her hips, thrusting upward, wanting to fill Ally so completely that she’d crave him forever. In that moment, Travis realized he wasn’t just fucking anymore; he was making love with the woman who melded with him so perfectly that he never wanted it to end. Truth was, he’d always been making love with Ally, and it had always been so much more. She was fucking perfection. “Make love to me, Ally. I can’t believe you’re really here.”
“Yes,” she moaned as she rotated her hips faster. “I’ve always been making love to you. And I never want to stop.”
Travis pulled her body against his, felt her heart hammering in the same rhythm as his, their bodies both jolting every time they joined together.
They climaxed at the same time, both of them groaning as their lips locked together, Travis feeling her milking his cock as he exploded deep inside her, rocking his world totally and completely.
They stayed locked together, panting as they recovered from the earth-shattering lovemaking they’d just experienced together. Finally, Travis slid down into the water, sitting on the lowest ledge, taking Ally with him to sit between his legs. She rested her head back on his shoulder and he tightened his arms around her waist. “You were meant to be mine, Ally,” he whispered into her ear hoarsely.
“I know,” she answered simply, gazing up at the sky. “Look, it’s a shooting star. Make a wish, Travis.”
He’d never been the type of guy to do something as silly as wish upon a star. He was pragmatic, an asshole. He didn’t believe any wish on a star would come true. But one wish came immediately to mind:
I wish Ally would fall in love with me and stay with me forever.
Okay…maybe he was a realist, but he could use all the help he could get.
“Did you do it?” she asked excitedly. “I did. But you can’t tell. You can only tell me if your wish comes true.”
“I did,” he confirmed. “Did you?”
“Yes,” she answered quietly.
He wondered what she’d wished for, and he fervently hoped that someday he’d be able to tell her that his wish had been granted.
“Hope is getting married.” Jason Sutherland downed another slug of his drink, his voice full of despair. “What the hell? She went back to the same asshole she was with in Aspen. I thought I was giving her time to heal, and she went back to the bastard. All he wa
nts is her money. Doesn’t she get that? Christ! I should have just pushed her harder after what happened between us at the holidays.”
Travis actually felt for the poor guy. He’d walked up to Tate’s house after putting Ally to bed because she was tired and had a mild headache, probably the result of the altitude. He’d have to head back soon and check on her. But he and Tate were currently wrapped up in trying to get the distraught Sutherland to calm the hell down.
Tate barely knew Sutherland, but he said sympathetically, “So what are you going to do? If you’ve been crazy for this woman for years, don’t you think it’s time to make your move?”
“It’s complicated. Her brother Grady is one of the East Coast Sinclairs. And one of my best friends. I’ve known Hope for years and none of the Sinclair brothers know I want to fuck their sister. Bad,” he answered unhappily. “We had one fucking incredible night together at the holidays…and then we had a disagreement. I was going to just bide my time, wait until she was ready. But I’m done waiting. I’m going after her. She’s not marrying this asshole.”
Tate whistled quietly. “The Sinclairs are a pretty powerful family. You sure you want to tangle with one of their own?”
Jason gave Tate a disgruntled look. “I want to do more than tangle with her.”
Travis couldn’t help but feel sorry for Sutherland. He’d been in the exact same boat with Ally when she was engaged to another man. “I’m sure your friends would rather see her with you than some guy who just wants to drain her bank account.”
“Honestly, it doesn’t matter what they think anymore. Hope is the only one who matters,” Jason confided angrily.
“You think she’s really in love with this guy?” Travis asked curiously, relating Ally’s situation to Hope’s, and it annoyed the hell out of him. Obviously, some loser was latching onto Hope Sinclair for her money, using her like Ally’s ex had used her.
“No. But Hope has a huge heart. She’s likely to fall for just about any sad story.”
Travis watched a slow smile form on Tate’s face, a smile he’d seen before, and it scared the shit out of him. Tate was forming a plan, and it was likely to be trouble.