After throwing my pajamas off, I stepped under the warm spray of the shower and let the water calm me. Ridiculous as it may sound considering I couldn’t swim and got nervous when near lots of water, it had a calming effect with me. I could sit on the bank of a river or on a beach and watch the water all day, until I stepped into it, then I would start to panic.
Finished with the shower, I wrapped a towel around me and went back into my room to root around for some clothes. I decided on my denim shorts, lavender lace tank top and my cowgirl boots.
My hair was damp after the shower. I didn’t have the time to blow dry it with it being so long, so I ran the towel over it and braided the still damp hair down my back. The closet door was open when I finished so I did something that I didn’t often do. I stood in front of it and took a good look at myself.
What I saw was me. I was slim built with legs that went on and on, or so I’d been told. My face had tanned since I’d been in Alabama; a sprinkling of freckles covered my nose and dusted each cheekbone; the bane of my existence, but I had to admit that they gave me a girl next-door appeal. My dark eyes and plump mouth added a sultry touch to my appearance.
Okay, I’d spent enough time in my room to try and avoid going downstairs and seeing Phoenix. He was down there; I just had the feeling in the pit of my stomach that he was there with Liam and…Mia. I needed to be composed before I saw them together, because every time I thought about them being together or saw them; my heart broke a little bit more.
Halfway to the kitchen it became clear he was in there…and he was laughing. How could he be laughing when I felt as though I never would again?
I pushed my way through the kitchen door and found them sitting around the kitchen table. Phoenix and Liam were shoveling pancakes into their mouths while Mia was perched next to Liam sipping her bottle of water.
“Thalia, Mom saved you some pancakes in the microwave,” Liam told me shoveling food into his mouth as though he’d never been fed.
“Thanks. Morning, Mia, Jack.” I chanced a glance at Phoenix who had my panties wet. I nearly stumbled, because after last night I sure as hell never expected him to look at me like that again.
His eyes lit with mischief, but I thought it best to ignore him, at least while I warmed my breakfast up.
With a coffee poured, I retrieved my pancakes from the microwave before I walked over and took the seat beside Jack.
Our thighs rubbed together under the table while I tried to get the chunks of food down my parched throat. Sitting so close and touching Phoenix wasn’t the wisest move I’d ever made, but my body and heart craved him.
“Thalia, we’re going to go and hang out around the lake today and maybe go swimming. Do you want to come?” Mia smiled warmly at me, which seemed strange. I may be one of her bridesmaids, but she was anything but nice, usually.
“Ah, maybe I’ll hang around here today. I don’t swim. Sorry.” I shrugged my shoulders and carried on eating, as my throat seemed to have relaxed some.
“You don’t need to swim, you could just stay on the bank and watch us,” Mia replied relentlessly.
“She said she couldn’t swim. Leave it alone.”
“Jack. I was just thinking about her being alone, that’s all.”
“She won’t be alone,” he quickly glanced at me then back to Mia, “I have some work to do in one of the fields on the tractor so I’ll be around.”
Phoenix’s statement was met by silence.
“Um, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Liam frowned looking between the two of us.
“No, but it’s what’s going to happen.”
As I finished eating, I looked up to see Mia staring at me with a worried look on her face.
Standing up, Liam pushed his chair under the table and placed his dirty dishes into the dishwasher before taking Mia’s hand into his. “Come on Mia, let’s head out.”
He pulled her up from the table and after saying goodbye, both Mia and Liam disappeared from the house and a few moments later we heard Mia’s car starting up and disappear into the distance.
Being alone with Phoenix wasn’t the best decision I’d ever made. As soon as I knew he was staying around I should have changed my mind and gone with Liam. “I can’t keep doing this with you. It hurts too much.”
He clasped my hand in his. “I know… It hurts me too, but I can’t stay away and I’m sick of trying. Mia knows it’s you I want and she knows, that I know, it’s Liam she wants. Everything is just so damn tangled right now, but I’m working on a solution…and that’s all I’m going to say.”
I brought our joint hands up to my mouth and kissed his knuckles, before I met his eyes. “I don’t want you to stay away. I miss you and it hurts not seeing you around.”
“I wasn’t lying about working in the field, but I want you to come with me on the tractor…please.”
Grinning, I teased, “Are you begging me to come with you?”
He smirked. “I can pretty much guarantee that I won’t have to beg you to come with me,” he whispered.
Blushing, I smacked him on his arm as I stood and loaded the dishwasher with my dirty dishes before turning back to him, and answered, “I’d love to spend some time with you.”
Chapter 45
Jack
I’d woken up this morning with the nerves gone. I was excited about my day with the first order of business being to head home to Thalia.
I still had trouble understanding why Lewis would force his only child to marry someone she didn’t love. I had no doubt that he loved Mia, so forcing her on to me when she loved Liam didn’t make any sense.
As I’d pulled up to the house, I’d caught Mia and Liam involved in a rather heated kiss on the back porch. I’d been surprised at first that they’d be so open with their affection and then laughed, telling them to carry on as I’d walked into the kitchen.
Inside I’d found Mom in one of her moods, slamming everything she could lay her hands on. Apart from telling me she’d made everyone pancakes, she stormed out the front door and within minutes I’d heard her drive off in her car. My only guess had been that she’d caught my brother on the back porch with my fiancée.
Slowly pushing away from the table, I walked towards Thalia who was watching me with all her emotions laid bare for me to see.
There was maybe an inch between us as I bent my head and placed a gentle kiss to her lips. I knew if I touched her anywhere else we wouldn’t make it outside.
Caressing down her arm I slid my fingers between hers before tugging her with me to the barn and the tractor.
I’d lived here all my life and even when I was a horny adolescent I’d never had a girl ride the tractor with me, but all that was about to change, and yeah, I was still horny.
Thalia climbed aboard first, which gave me an amazing view of her denim-clad butt with her sexy long legs.
Before joining her in the extra large cab of the new tractor, I quickly rearranged my dick in my jeans. After I maneuvered myself down into the seat, I took hold of Thalia’s hips and brought her down on my lap.
I caught my breath. She was wriggling around on top of my over excited cock. “Thalia,” I groaned.
“Just trying to get comfy…I’ve never done it in a tractor before.” She gave me a hopeful look and had me laughing when she batted her eyelashes.
“And you’re not going to today either. We’re going to behave and work the field, and then I might take you down to the pool and teach you to swim. On second thought, we’ll go to the smooth part of the river because being close to you with clothes on has me hard, but being close to you in next to nothing will be damn impossible and I’d rather not have witnesses to how hot you make me.”
She turned sitting astride me. “Mmm, are you sure about the no making out,” she whispered into my ear while nibbling my lobe, which sent a shudder through me. “I can feel how much you want to.”
Grabbing her butt, I held her tight as my hips surged up into hers. “You’re driving m
e totally fucking insane.”
“I know.” She started to nibble down my neck.
“Stop.”
“Stop,” she parroted.
“If you don’t stop right now, I’m going to rip your shorts from that sexy ass and fuck you senseless.”
Thalia chuckled into my ear, the sound sending shivers down my spine. “Promises, promises,” she purred.
I dropped my head against the seat, because just the thought of what I’d said had been enough to bring me to the brink of orgasm. Using my hands, I pushed her away, turned her around and started the tractor up.
Maneuvering the thing with Thalia blocking some of my vision, I just prayed I didn’t smash into something. Once in the open field I’d be fine, I just had to get us there first. I also needed to concentrate on the work I had to do instead of the woman whose back was turned to me.
“Phoenix?”
God, I loved it when she called me that. “Yeah.”
“What changed your mind…about us? About spending time together.”
Not sure how to answer her, I tried to collect my thoughts.
“I woke up today thinking what the hell. I love that amazing girl and nothing is going to stop me from being with her. So here we are, on a tractor heading into this field right here…while I try not to think about those tattoos I caught on you the other night. Because all I want is to get up close and personal with them.”
She didn’t look at me, but continued to look out of the window at the front. “Mmm, you have some wicked looking tats as well, not to mention those piercings. When I think about the one at the tip of your cock, my panties melt.”
My hands were shaking as I gripped the steering wheel. For the first time since I’d gotten it done, I was glad and just knowing the thought of it made her panties wet had me hard as hell.
Breathing heavily, I tried to concentrate on where I was driving, instead of where I could take us to strip her naked. I removed my right hand from the wheel and shoved it down the front of my jeans to dig my cock out from the screwed up place in my boxers.
Thalia chose that moment to look back and caught me in the act. Her eyes went wide as she licked her lips. Moisture pooled at the tip.
“I want a taste.”
My hips involuntarily arched towards her. I brought the tractor to a stop, switched it off, brought Thalia around to face me then slammed my lips to hers.
We both groaned as I continued to assault her mouth. She tasted of syrup and coffee. My groan turned to a pant when she pressed real tight against me.
We had too many clothes on. Oh God, what was I thinking, I couldn’t take her in the middle of the field when anyone could walk up to us. We’d probably be too engrossed to hear them.
Chapter 46
Thalia
After yesterday I didn’t think I’d see him again, yet here I was wrapped so tight in his arms that I could feel every muscle, including his cock twitching between my legs. I so wish I’d worn a skirt or a dress, it would have made it so much easier for me to ride him.
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but we have to stop.”
Was he for real? How could he expect me to stop when I was so close to coming in my shorts? And if I had to guess I’d say he was too.
“The next time I take you,” he kissed my neck, “is going to be in a bed,” he kissed along my collarbone, “because, I want to put my mouth all over you, and I can’t in here.” He kissed each of my nipples, which were poking through my top.
I shuddered and writhed around on his groin.
“I’m so close.” I ground against the rock hard length of him.
“Shit, me too. I don’t know why I try to stop with you.”
He yanked my top up, dug a breast out of my bra and sucked it into his mouth. I went off like a rocket, rubbing against him hard and fast.
As my befuddled brain started to work again, I felt phoenix’s hands shaking.
Opening my eyes, I looked at him. He was breathing heavily, his jaw was clenched tight, the veins on his neck standing out. He was ready to release.
“Don’t move,” he hissed through his teeth.
“If you won’t fuck my cunt at least let me suck you off,” I whispered into his ear, presuming he had the same reaction to the dirty talk as me. I wanted him to lose control.
“Fuck no,” he roared standing up, nearly knocking me out of the tractor. He caught me with one hand, while he used the other to quickly yank his jeans open and gripped his cock.
He watched me lick my lips as he moved his hand back and forth, once, twice, then he came shouting my name, shooting cum into the field.
There were no words for what had just happened. He had a gorgeous cock, long and thick; the sun glinted off the silver bar at the tip and it made me want to suck it into my mouth.
On wobbly legs he fastened himself back into his jeans and practically fell into the seat, gripping me around the waist he pulled me back onto his lap nuzzling my neck.
“I don’t have any condoms with me.” He laughed. “Hell, even if I had, I’m not sure I’d have lasted long enough to get one on. Hearing fuck and cunt come out of your mouth, blew my fucking mind.”
I stayed silent, because all I wanted was for him to take me back to his room and make love to me.
“Thalia, please talk to me.” I could hear the worry in his voice.
“I’m fine. Watching you like that was…hot. It’s just that, well, I want…”
His cell started to ring. “Hold that thought, babe.”
“Yeah,” he answered then his eyes flicked to mine.
“Mia, what’s wrong?”
Sitting on his lap while he held a conversation with his fiancée, didn’t sit too well with me, even though I knew they’d never been together, and that she was off with Liam, I still couldn’t help but feel jealous.
Phoenix had started to go rigid with tension.
“Look, we both know the situation…and, we both know I’m not going to let it go ahead, so calm down and put Liam on the phone.”
I climbed from his lap and as soon as I was clear he stood and jumped down into the field, walking back and forth while he had a heated conversation with his brother, at least I thought it was Liam with the way he was cursing.
Not knowing what to do, I put my butt into the chair he’d vacated and watched him.
He was delicious and the way his jeans displayed his muscular thighs and tight butt, just made me drool. He was sin-on-a-stick.
“What fucking garden party?”
What the hell was going on?
“I am not attending a garden party with Mia as a prelude to the wedding, so you can get that notion out of your fucking head.”
Hearing Phoenix talk about the wedding and party brought it home to me of what was expected from him. If I hadn’t walked into his life then he wouldn’t have been turned upside-down.
It was all my fault.
With tears in my eyes, I climbed down from the opposite side of the tractor to where Phoenix was and started walking back to the house, just letting the tears run free.
“Thalia,” Phoenix shouted.
Hearing him, I turned and saw him start to walk in my direction, so I started to run, not able to see properly because of my tears.
“Thalia, please wait up.”
Slowing down, I hesitated, when I heard a hissing sound. I froze. Oh fuck, please no – I really, really hated snakes and a rattler – Phoenix, help!
“Just stay there, please. Just talk to me,” Phoenix said as he walked closer and closer towards me, while I stayed frozen in fear.
“Don’t. Come. Any. Closer,” I hissed between my teeth.
“What?”
Then it hissed again and reared its ugly head slightly.
“Fuck. Thalia. Don’t move.”
Unbelievable!
I tried to stay as still as I could when every instinct in me was screaming to run.
“I can see it. I’m going to try and hit it with
my knife,” Phoenix told me as calm as anything. I’m glad one of us was because I wanted to scream.
“Phoenix, I’m scared,” I whispered. I wasn’t sure what Phoenix was doing because I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the snake.
“I know baby. I’m going to get rid of it, I promise.”
“Hurry, it’s moving.”
All the blood was gushing through my ears in fear. I seriously didn’t remember ever being as scared in my entire life as I was facing the rattler.
It started to rear its head and body back, I thought I was going to pee my pants, as a glint of silver came flying past me into the snake, sending it sailing backwards. Before the snake hit the ground, Phoenix had me in his arms as he ran towards the house.
I clung to him for dear life.
Chapter 47
Jack
A good distance away from the snake, I came to a stop, put Thalia down, crouched in front of her and started running my hands up and down her legs.
“Did it get you?”
She just carried on standing, in shock, while I continued to run my hands all over her.
“Thalia, damn it. Answer me. Did it get you anywhere?”
“No,” she answered in a thick voice, I hadn’t realized she was still crying until she spoke.
Standing up, I cupped her face in my unsteady hands then leaned forward kissing her tears away from her face. “I love you, Thalia.” I pulled her against my chest and just held her close to my heart. “For the first time in my life I was terrified I’d miss with the knife. I never miss, but I was afraid I would when it mattered.”
She shook her head and burrowed further into my arms.
“Let me carry you inside.”
Without giving her a choice, I picked her up in my arms and carried her into the house, straight upstairs to my room. I laid her down on my bed and disappeared into her room.
I quickly locked her bedroom door and then walked back into my room engaging the lock in there as well.
“I want to make love to you. I need to know you’re mine.” I walked over to her and gently caressed her face, placing a soft kiss to her lips.
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