His Secret

by Brisa Starr

  He shrugs. “Just easier to let sleeping dogs lie, I suppose. I don’t see them often, though they live only ten minutes from me. And, for the rare times I do, I’d rather just get along.”

  Again with that look, like there’s more he wants to say, but he doesn’t. He’s a puzzle, but I’m able to put a few pieces together.

  “Seems like a cop-out,” I venture. “I don’t understand why you can’t just work on your music full-time if you want. You’re a grown man, Adron.”

  “Look, I’m telling you how it is, not asking for advice, Alyson,” he snaps, apparently not appreciating my judgment. “I basically do work on my music full-time, it’s just not my main source of income. Anyway, I went to ASU, got a good degree doing something that’s pretty interesting and could end up helping people. It funds my passion… there are a lot of starving musicians out there; I’m not one of them. I have a nice place in Scottsdale. I live a good life. I can’t complain.”

  “Can’t complain? Seems like you could complain about your parents not supporting your adult decision to work on your music.”

  “It’s complicated,” he bristles, and I see his fists clench once and then relax.

  And on that note, he shuts down that topic.

  “OK, you’re not comfortable sharing more about that yet,” I say in a friendly tone, trying to ratchet down the intensity a notch. “What about relationships? Any serious relationships in your past?”

  He spins his ring and looks at me. “No. I’m waiting for the one.” He grabs my hand and pulls me to a stop, his deep blue eyes probing, searching, yearning into mine. “And I think you might be it, Alyson.”

  I laugh nervously, and although I let his ‘fall in love with me’ comments back at the café sort of slide, I need to set him straight because I don’t know what to make of all this yet.

  “Look, Adron. I’m really attracted to you. Like, really attracted. In fact, I’m more attracted to you than I’ve been to any other man, ever. And I’ll admit, there’s a weird, and even amazing, connection between the two of us. I don’t know if it’s because we’re similar cats, loners in our own way, but I’ll concede that there’s something there. And I’m interested in taking at least part of it to the next level. But I meant it when I said I don’t do love, marriage, all that. Picket fences don’t exist. They’re a fantasy.”

  “We’ll see about that,” he says.

  12

  Alyson

  We walk another few steps and approach a fork in the trail.

  “Which way do we go?” I ask.

  “We’ll go to the left.” He walks in that direction.

  “What’s to the right?”

  “The route to the left is easier. The route to the right is more dangerous, not for first-timers,” he warns with a scowl directed at me. “So we will go to the left.”

  “Wait,” I say. “Why are you choosing for the two of us?”

  “Because I just told you that the route to the right is not for first-timers.”

  “So? How do you know what I’m capable of? You think I’ve never hiked before? Or are Arizona mountains magically different from all other mountains?”

  “Well, your tolerance for heat to begin with. That route is directly under the sun at this time of day and there are no spots to rest in the shade. Plus, it requires more stamina, and although I’m still enjoying the process of getting to know you, I’ve yet to see you exercise beyond walking the dogs. Last, it’s a Class Three route, requiring some scrambling, and we didn’t bring gloves, and the rocks are too hot to touch. There’s a long stretch with some serious exposure, which means if you fall, you die.”

  “Well, I think that sounds fun and challenging,” I say, standing up straight and putting my balled fists on my waist, giving him my best Wonder Woman pose.

  “Alyson, I appreciate your boldness and your energetic spirit of adventure. In fact, it’s one thing I like most about you. But this is not one of those times, so tuck it away in your pocket.”

  I let out a small, bitter laugh. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

  I take off to the right and he calls out, his tone deeper, “Dammit, Alyson.”

  But he comes after me, on our little adventure. We walk a few minutes, and I’m thinking he was just messing with me. “This doesn’t seem very difficult, Adron. I don’t know what you were worried about.” I wipe the sweat from my brow. Because, well, he was right about one thing. The sun is unrelenting, and it’s a bitch.

  We keep on going for a few more minutes, and from behind, I hear him say, “Take it easy for the next quarter mile, the path narrows.” He’s right, and I look off to the right and down. It’s a long way. I’m surprised people even call this a “route.” There are no guardrails between you and the jaws of death.

  I turn and face the wall, walking sideways, with my back to the long drop off the mountain. It feels safer and puts the sun at my back, too. I’m using my hands on the mountainside and grabbing at anything I can for a little extra security. I keep moving, not looking down. I reach for a handhold under a bush coming out of the mountain, and that’s when I hear it. A very loud rattle, like beads shaken in a hollow piece of bamboo, at puree speed. The heart-stopping sound of the famous Western diamondback rattlesnake. I’ve never actually heard one before, but I don’t need to… evolution has hardwired us since monkey times to run the fuck away from this exact sound.

  Holy shit!

  “Ahhhhhh!” I scream and reflexively jump back. I lose my footing as the loose rocks under my feet roll. My heart racing, I fall backwards off the edge of the trail and frantically reach for anything as I slide over a ledge to my impending death. I grasp at a branch, and almost miss it, but just barely manage to grab onto it for dear life. My breathing is rapid as I grasp for oxygen, feeling my life is ending.

  I’m hanging over the ledge, the dry and brittle branch barely supporting my weight, and I’m terrified it will snap at any moment. My OSU hat flies off, falling down the mountain. I’m hanging there, dangling, looking over my shoulder, no longer able to see my hat. “Oh, my god! Adron! Help!” I scream, and my heart chokes the breath out of me as it pounds in my throat.

  “Alyson! Fuck! Holy shit” he yells as he gets on his knees and leans over the edge. “Hold on!” He sees I didn’t slip far, yet I’m not able to climb back up by myself. He leans over the edge and holds his arm out for me to grab.

  “Reach up with your left arm and hook it onto my forearm. We’ll lock and hold,” he says, trying to stay calm.

  Scared shitless, for once I do as he says and grab onto his arm. But it’s sweaty, and my grip slips a little, making me scream in terror as I squeeze my eyes shut trying to ignore my reality. Just as I think I’m going to slip to my death, our grips slide to a stop as our hands lock onto each other’s wrists. With his massive strength, he pulls me up and back onto the path and throws his arms around me in a super tight hug like no other, an overload of relief mixed with lingering panic. I hug him back, hard, my head on his chest, both of us breathing heavily, reconnecting and grounding together.

  Still out of breath and adrenaline pumping through our hearts, we sloooowly step away from the direction of the rattle, while staying well clear of the dangerous edge of the trail. The rattling stopped once we were far enough away. I never even saw the snake.

  My body aches, and I’ve got a few scrapes on my shin and elbow from when I slid down the rock.

  Once our breathing slows, Adron puts me at arms’ length, and I expect he’s going to profess his love to me after my dance with death. I quickly realize it’s the opposite. Oh shit, here it comes. His eyes darken like a desert monsoon storm, and I wince inwardly, backing closer to the mountain wall. It’s then that I notice the pain shooting into my ankle.

  “Ow! Ow!” I take a sharp inhale of breath and it hisses between my teeth. I look down at my ankle. “I think I rolled my ankle and sprained it. Shit.”

  He runs his hands through his hair, squeezes his eyes shut and yells, “Fu
ck! Goddammit, Alyson. Sit the fuck down and get off it. I can’t even deal with that right now. You ALMOST. FUCKING. DIED!”

  “I know. I’m sorry, I heard the rattle of a rattlesnake and I jumped and lost my footing.” My breathing, quick and shallow, I look away and say, “It could’ve happened to anybody.”

  “No!” he shouts. “Almost falling off the mountain can only happen to someone who’s on the dangerous trail in the first place!”

  He has a point. He continues yelling, his skin flushed and sweaty, “Do you have any sense of safety for your own well-being, Alyson? Any regard for yourself? Do you fucking care what happens to you? Or do you just throw yourself in front of any tough situation or dare?” His words are leaden with such darkness and fury that they seem hateful, and it scares me almost more than the fall.

  “You done?” I ask, clearing my throat and narrowing my eyes at him from my seated position on the ground, my ankle throbbing in pain. He stands with his back to the sun, shading me.

  “I don’t think so,” he spits, and I see a big vein bulging in his neck. “What the fuck is your problem? I told you this route wasn’t for beginners. My fucking god!” He throws his hands up and turns his back to me.

  Now he’s just pissing me off. Where does he get off yelling at me like that? I tighten my mouth, squint my eyes at him, and I try to stand up on my good leg. He hears me and faces me again. I puff out my chest with a big breath, making me seem taller than my petite frame stands. I square my shoulders to him and poke him in the chest. “Kiss my ass,” I bite. “I didn’t make you follow me.”

  He throws his head back and growls a bitter laugh. “That’s some fucked up gratitude for saving your life. Again! Thank the fuck I followed you!”

  “I don’t need saving! How many times do I need to say that? I’m fine All. On. My. Own!” A tear runs down my cheek and I swipe it away quickly, trying to hide it, but my quivering lip betrays me. I look down at the ground and kick a stone off the edge.

  He’s right. And I’m pissed. Pissed that I did something so stupid, and pissed at him for yelling at me about it. I take a deep sigh and drop my chin closer to my chest.

  He reaches out for me, and I let him pull me into another hug. I cry then, releasing the pent-up energy and adrenaline from my brush with death. I sniffle and he holds me tighter. He kisses the top of my head and says, “Thank fucking god you’re not at the bottom of the cliff. With your hat.”

  He’s trying to lighten the mood, but it’s a shitty attempt. “Let me take you home,” he says. “You shouldn’t walk on that ankle, so you can ride down the mountain on my back, piggyback style.” He smirks, and the storm in his eyes has calmed a little.

  He turns around and kneels on one knee so I can climb on top of the spider. Despite the terror I felt from the fall, and the pain in my ankle, I’m thoroughly aroused as he carries me down the mountain like I’m light as a feather. His strength, coupled with my spread-eagle legs wrapped around his waist, makes my pussy throb, aching to be touched.

  We get to the car, and he sets me down. He turns around to face me, and I back up until I bump into the car. He cages me with his arms and leans down to kiss me. A drop of his sweat drips onto my cheek, and I wrap my arms around him. Relief flutters under my skin, and I get goosebumps. He seems to redirect his anger into something sexier and kisses me harder. I soften and melt under him, our sweaty bodies pressed against each other. He moves his mouth to my ear and, irritation still in his words, he whispers a threat, “You were a naughty girl up there, Alyson, and you’ve earned yourself a spanking.”

  Heat scorches through me, and my knees buckle with desire as I grab onto him. “I’m sorry,” I say and rest my head on his chest. Then I look up at him and correct myself. “I mean, I’m sorry for not listening to you, and scaring us both. But I’m not sorry about the promise you just made.”

  A small laugh escapes his lips, and he leans down to kiss me, “We’ll see about that. Get in the car.”

  We drive home in silence, and I reach my hand under my shorts, between my legs, confirming what I already know. “I’m dripping wet for you,” I say softly and put my fingers in his mouth.

  He grabs my hand and sucks my fingers. “Mmm, that’s my girl.”

  My legs quiver, and he releases my hand. We pull into the driveway and get out of the car. He comes over and bends down to pick me up, one arm under my legs, and the other cradling my back. We get to the door and see the receipt for the air-conditioning repair. He opens the door, and it’s blissfully cool inside. He carries me into my bedroom, and sets me down on the bed.

  “Stay here,” he says and leaves the room, returning a minute later with a bag of frozen peas, a tea towel, a glass of water, two ibuprofen, and a little, red plastic first-aid kit. He gently removes my shoe, props my leg up on a pillow, drapes the towel over my ankle, and places the cold bag of peas on top.

  “Take these” he says, handing me the water and pills. He disinfects my minor cuts and scrapes, then patches me up with antibiotic ointment and band-aids. When he’s done, I look like Wile E. Coyote after he falls off the cliff. How appropriate.

  “You stay here and keep your foot elevated, while I get the animals some fresh water. I’ll be back in five minutes.” He leaves, and I lie back on the bed, exhaustion flooding my body. I close my eyes to rest them and fall asleep in seconds.

  A half hour later, he’s moving the peas off my leg and I open my eyes, happy to see him. I’m horny for him, wanting him, watching him.

  “Time for a shower,” he says, his eyes full of promise as he takes his shoes off and unbuttons his shorts. They drop to the floor and he pushes his black boxer briefs down and steps out of them too. His cock is hard as a steel rod and pointed right at me, begging to be licked and sucked.

  “First things first though,” he says and gently takes off my other shoe and my socks. He pulls my shirt and sports bra up and off me. He pretends not to be distracted by my breasts, but he’s not blind. “How’s your ankle,” he asks as I lie back, and he tugs down my shorts.

  “It’s feeling a little better, thanks,” I whisper, my breathing getting shallow with desire. I think he’s going to scoop me up and carry me to the shower when, no, he rolls me over onto my stomach. He grips my waist, pulling me sharply toward him until my legs are off the bed and I’m bent over the edge, my bare ass exposed.

  “Do I need to remind you of my earlier promise?”

  He spanks my ass — hard — and I gasp. Whoa. My head tilts to the side and I groan, liking the smart sting of his hand. I arch my back slightly, jutting my ass up a little higher to receive another. I hear him growl a low moan, and he smacks me again. Twice this time.

  “Oh…” I breathe sharply, but arch my back for more.

  He massages my ass where his hand slapped and then bends down and kisses it.

  I look over my shoulder. He leans back again, tilting his head and regarding me with lust. “You’re dripping wet, Alyson. I can see your luscious pussy lips gleaming from here.”

  He nudges my legs apart and kneels down on the floor. I look behind me and see him just as his nose nuzzles my ass and his tongue licks my slit, opening it, and my juices flow into his mouth. He moans into my pussy and the vibration of his growl makes me push my ass onto his face harder.

  “You’re so fucking delicious and hot. I want to suck on your cunt all day.”

  “Please, Adron, I need you inside of me,” I beg, my pussy needing to squeeze on something big and hard. I arch my back even more, and his hand presses down my lower back, pinning me to the bed, before he plunges two fingers from his other hand into me.

  “Ahhhhh… yes, Adron, yes.” I buck my hips, grinding onto his fingers, my pussy squeezing them tight.

  “Fuck, you’re so wet Alyson, all for me. Always. You’ll only ever get wet for me.” He pulls his fingers out and I moan in disappointment.

  “No, please don’t stop.”

  “Say it,” he commands forcefully and slaps my ass agai
n, and I feel blood rush to shape his handprint on my ass. “Say you’re mine.”

  “Yes, I’m yours, please, yes.” And I mean it. My heart skips a beat as I realize that I only want him. I want to be the only woman he fucks, makes love to, and owns. Only me. Only him.

  He stands up, and I hear him tear open a foil packet, sliding a condom on his thick erection.

  “I want to hear it again,” he demands.

  “I’m yours,” I gasp and lift my ass up begging for him. “Only for you, Adron. And you’re mine. My pussy is the only one you’ll ever fuck.”

  He groans, and I look back at him to see his eyes are closed. He opens them and says, “Are you ready, sweetheart? Once I’m inside you, there’s no going back. I’ll own your cunt forever. Do you understand?” He says with a grunt and slams his cock into me, not giving me a chance to answer.

  I gasp, “Ohhhhhh!”

  He withdraws his cock slowly and pulls out of me.

  “No, please don’t stop.”

  “Say it again, Alyson. You’re mine and only mine.”

  “Yes, please, yours Adron. Please don’t stop, fuck me again. I need you in me!” I beg, squirming for more.

  He slams back into me, and this time he doesn’t pull out. He fucks me with his giant cock, in and out, his hands gripping my hips tightly, pulling me toward him as he’s pounding into me, so deeply that his hard abdomen slams into my ass with every thrust, and each time, I feel his balls pressing hard into my clit.

  “Oh god, Alyson, you’re so tight. My sweetheart, so tight and juicy wet for me. Only for me.”

  “Yes!” I cry. “Oh god! You feel so good, please, don’t stop” I moan, letting him fuck me as hard as he wants. He spanks me again, and my pussy gushes more as I clench my grip tighter around the cock pumping in and out of me like a battering ram.

  I’ve never felt so naked and taken. I’ve never given so much of myself over to a man. All I want is for him to fuck the hell out of me, fuck me like he never wants to let me go.