by A. L Long
When I headed in that direction to investigate, Charlie pulled me back and led me away towards a wooded area behind the small house. I wasn’t sure what she had in mind, but I took her lead and followed her. We were well out of view from everyone when she turned and faced me. There was a look of mischief on her face as she pushed to her tiptoes and planted a kiss on my lips. It was very unexpected, but inviting all the same. Taking her in my arms, I deepened our kiss, devouring her softness. In response to my eager exploration, her arms lifted and wrapped tightly around my neck, pulling me even closer.
Feeling a delicious sensation, I moved forward, pressing her body against the strength of a large tree. “Okay, baby,” I said, before I harnessed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head. Her simple nod was all I needed. Catching the sight of a branch as I moved my lips to her throat, I threw her shirt over it to avoid getting it dirty from the damp ground. The instant my hand was free, it was working the clasp of her bra, which was located in the back. I knew with her bare skin against the hardness of the tree, she would soon be raw from the bark. Charlie removed her bra while I removed my shirt and placed it on the grass where I knew it would be soft enough to lay her on. Taking her in my arms, I carried her bear style over to the grass and knelt down so I could position her on the soft cloth.
As she lay there with only her pants covering her perfect body, I positioned my body over hers and kissed her on the lips. Leaving her mouth burning with fire, I lowered my head to her ample breasts as I began exploring her ivory flesh. Even though it was a warm day, the shade that the woods provided caused her nipples to peak. Placing my mouth over the taut bud, I began teasing it with my tongue while caressing the other between my fingers. Charlie’s back lifted from the ground, causing her breasts to push upward. It was like having my cake and eating it too. The taste of her flesh in my mouth was like creamy sweet frosting.
Leaving my temple of enjoyment, I lowered my head further down her body, searching for yet an even sweeter taste. Releasing the button to her jeans, I worked them down her legs and pushed them off while admiring her skimpy black silk panties. Trailing kisses down her abdomen to her center, I inhaled her scent before kissing her at the beginning of her womanhood. I slid her silky panties off and continued to consume the warmth of her glistening folds. Just as I predicted, her cream was even sweeter. Lapping up her wetness, I moved my tongue to her clit while I swept my finger between her folds. When I dipped my middle finger inside her most guarded place, her body began to buck forward, accepting the intrusion like a welcomed guest. “Ryan,” was all she said as her moans of pleasure bounced off the trees and a smile of satisfaction presented itself upon my face. With just a flick of my tongue on her clit, I knew she was mine.
Smiling, I positioned myself between her gorgeous legs as I ripped open the small packet and sheathed myself before entering the confines of her warmth. It took all the control I had not to spill my manhood inside her before I had a chance to enjoy her tight pussy. Bracing my hands on either side of her shoulders, I began moving my hips, thrusting my cock inch by agonizing inch deeper and deeper inside her. I could feel the strength of her walls as they gripped my member, pulling me even deeper inside. Not even the cool air could impede my imminent release. Unable to hold back, losing my control, my orgasm took flight, sending me to a faraway land I never wanted to leave. With our bodies completely sated, I held Charlie close as we looked for the blue sky between the thick leaves. It was then that I knew I was falling hard for her and I never wanted this feeling to end.
~****~
When we got back to the guest house it was late afternoon. I wanted to do something special for Charlie, so while she went upstairs to take a bath, I decided to make her the greatest meal she would ever have. Taking a peek inside the fridge, I pulled out a brew that was probably going to cost me a fortune and popped off the lid. With my first swallow down, it dawned on me that I didn’t let anyone know at Jagged Edge where I was. I never even told Chavez when we dropped Nick at the safe house. Digging my phone from my pocket, I brought it to life, realizing I wouldn’t be getting in touch with anyone. I had no bars, which made it impossible to contact anyone. Walking to the window, I held my phone up high, hoping that I would be able to get at least one bar. No such luck.
Heading back to the kitchen, saving my call for later, I pulled out some of the ingredients that Josh must have purchased from the little store next to the main office and set them on the marble counter. There weren’t a whole lot of options on what to cook, but there was enough to at least make a killer salad, with chicken as a topping. Even though it wasn’t freshly grilled, the taste was amazing as I sampled a small piece. Stowing my creation in the fridge, I headed to the main house to make a call to Peter to let him know that I had found Josh and that we would be heading back to the city in a couple of days. We could by all means leave tomorrow, but I wanted to really get to know Charlie again, and that was something I wouldn’t be able to do with her brother around.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Charlie
The warmth of the water enveloped my body like a blanket of cotton as the bubbles surrounded the surface of the water. The relaxed state I was in left me wanting nothing more than to fall asleep. My mind began to wander and the touch of Ryan’s body next to mine was all I could think about. Even though I was okay with sleeping in separate beds, sharing a king-sized bed in the comfort of his arms sounded like a much better plan.
Stepping out of the comfort of the tub, I wrapped a towel around my body. Grabbing another towel, I began drying my hair before wrapping it turban style around my head. I had forgotten to grab a clean change of clothes, so I gathered my soiled ones and headed to the master bedroom. I wasn’t too worried about being seen, especially since Ryan knew every inch of my body and Josh was still asleep in his room.
Dressed and feeling one hundred percent better, I headed down the stairs to check if Ryan needed any help with dinner. When I got to the kitchen, he wasn’t there. He must have been outside. Walking back to the front room, I looked out the window to see that he was walking up the road.
The country life really suited him. He looked amazing as he walked toward the house. Opening the door, I ambled his way to see where he had gone. When we met each other about half way, I asked casually, “Where did you go?”
Slipping his hands in his pocket, he turned his body slightly, gesturing with his shoulder before saying, “There isn’t any cell service out here so I went to the office to call Peter. I wanted to let him know where we were and that we would be back in the city in a couple of days.”
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I pushed to my toes and gave him a little peck on the lips before heading back to the house. Entering the house, we both decided it would be nice to have our meal out on the back patio. While I gathered the plates and silverware, Ryan was busy opening the complimentary bottle of wine that was left for us in exchange for renting the house. Josh stepped into the kitchen looking a lot better than when I first saw him. As I took in his features, I vaguely remembered him from school. Aside from his bruised face, he was a really good-looking guy. There was one thing I did notice about him: he looked nothing like Ryan. Ryan was dark haired and brown-eyed while Josh was sandy blonde with blue eyes. Not even their facial features resembled each other. Trying to remember what their parents looked like, I could have sworn that their dad had almost black hair and their mom had chocolate brown hair just like Ryan’s. It was a mystery for sure. I guess Josh must have gotten his blonde hair further down the bloodline. Either that or they weren’t brothers at all. Now wouldn’t that be crazy?
Focusing my thoughts on the task at hand, I took the salad that Ryan created, along with the chicken that had already been heated and placed on a platter, out to the back patio. Josh followed close behind, pushing open the door for me since my hands were full. Placing the meal on the table, I took a seat next to Ryan and watched as he finished pouring the wine. Raising his glass, he made a toast.
“Here’s to family and friends.”
“Cheers,” we all said in unison.
As we ate our meal there was something that didn’t sit well with me. I wasn’t sure that Ryan even noticed it, but the look on Josh’s face after Ryan made the toast was that of a man insulted. When I got the chance, I would need to ask Josh what was going on, somewhere away from Ryan, because the look he gave was directed towards him. Something was definitely wrong as I watched Josh pretty much stare at his food, moving it from one side of the plate to the other. He looked like a kid trying to hide the fact he wasn’t hungry and wasn’t going to eat.
When he rose to his feet and said sarcastically, “Great meal, Ryan,” before lifting his plate from the table and heading inside, I wanted to question his lack of appetite, but thought it was best to leave it alone.
Finishing our meal, Ryan and I gathered the empty dishes and went back inside the house to wash them up. I wasn’t sure where Josh ran off to, but my guess was that he was back in his room. Loading the last dish in the dishwasher, Ryan and I proceeded to the living area to see what we could find to watch on the flat screen TV. With a variety of movies to choose from, we decided to go for the classic “Casablanca,’ the remake in color. As we sat snuggled up together on the couch, a thought crossed my mind. I wondered if this was how our life would be spent together; sitting, holding each other as we watched old movies.
~****~
I must have fallen asleep during the movie, because the last thing I remember was the famous line that Humphrey Bogart said to Ingrid Bergman. Ryan softly whispered in my ear, “Babe, the movie is over, let’s go to bed.”
I didn’t want to move as I said, “Let’s just sleep here.”
I guess he didn’t accept my alternative sleeping arrangement because his arms were around me in an instant and I was lifted from the couch and in his arms. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I placed my head against his neck as he made his way up the steep steps. When we finally reached the top, Ryan stopped for a moment, debating on whether or not to check in on Josh. Taking careful steps so that his boots wouldn’t be heard against the wood flooring, Ryan shifted me slightly as he slowly turned the knob to Josh’s bedroom door. When he looked inside, he was comforted to see that Josh was lying in bed fast asleep.
As we head to where we would be sharing a bed for the first time, I asked softly against his throat, “All good?”
“All good,” he responded, kissing the top of my head.
Ryan carefully placed me on the bed. He knelt at my feet, removing my Ked tennis shoes. Putting them to the side, he stood, positioning his body between my legs, and slowly began removing my clothes. If I wasn’t so tired, I would have assisted him as well as helped him remove his own. Falling back onto the bed, I lifted my hips so that he could glide my jeans down my legs. Once they were completely off, the only thing left to take off was my spaghetti strap top that I wasn’t wearing a bra with for fear that the straps would show. Sitting before him in only my lacy panties, I watched as he went to his bag and grabbed one of his t-shirts. How I loved the way his ass flexed as he walked. Returning to the bed, he gently glided the soft shirt over my head and waited for me to place my hands through the sleeves. His scent filled my nostrils, leaving me all warm and fuzzy inside.
My eyes felt so heavy that I didn’t get the chance to watch him undress. It was only after he crawled in beside me that I could feel the warmth of his bare skin next to mine as he pulled me close. Letting my mind drift to Neverland, I consumed the comfort of the pillow and made my escape.
~****~
The next morning my senses were brought to life as the scent of hazelnut filled the air. Grinning to myself, I stretched my body and rolled over to find that the space next to me was empty. Turning my head, I opened my eyes to find that I was lying in the bed alone. Sadness swept over me as I felt the emptiness of not having Ryan next to me when I woke up. Pushing the covers off and swinging my legs over the bed, I had great appreciation for the fact that at least I was wearing his t-shirt. Grabbing the collar of his worn-out shirt, I put it to my nose and took in his scent. My mind filled with comfort knowing that he was going to be a part of my life.
Slipping on my yoga pants that were sitting on top of my bag, I headed down the stairs to get me a cup of coffee. When I turned down the hallway, I noticed that Josh’s door was still closed. I knew that it was early, but not so early that he wouldn’t be awake yet. Knocking lightly on his door, I heard nothing, so I turned the knob and slowly pushed open the door. The bed was empty and unmade. At least I knew he was awake, and hopefully spending some brotherly time with Ryan. Closing the door, I proceeded down the stairs to see if I could find the guys.
Everything was quiet, which didn’t seem right. It was as if I was the only one in the house. As I looked around, I saw I was the only one in the house. Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I doctored it with cream and sugar and took my cup of deliciousness to the back patio. I thought for sure that Josh and Ryan would at least be out here taking in the beautiful morning. Taking a seat on the lounger, I sipped my coffee, becoming more and more concerned. When I heard the door to the kitchen open, I shifted my body to find a very disgruntled Ryan standing in the doorway.
I was about to rise to my feet when he said, “Josh took off in the car. I have no idea where he went and he won’t answer his damn phone.”
I could only imagine what was going through his head. Standing to my feet, I walked over to him and asked, concerned, “Maybe he will be back?” I only hoped I was right.
“I doubt that very much, babe. The money he took is gone too. I have a funny feeling that he is going to try and fix this mess himself. We need to get out of here.” Ryan stared across the way like the answers he was searching for were hidden in the trees.
As we entered the kitchen, I placed my cup in the sink and followed Ryan to the front room. It was then that we heard a loud boom, which sounded like a bomb going off. Looking through the front window, I saw Josh was heading toward the house in Ryan’s car, and he wasn’t alone. A black Chevy Tahoe was on his tail, kicking up dirt as it picked up speed. The passenger was practically hanging out the window with a shotgun.
Giving it everything that I had, I began yelling, “Hurry, Josh, hurry,” as though he would be able to hear me.
Just then Ryan left my side and headed up the stairs. As quickly as he left, he was back. He swung open the front door and pointed his gun toward the Tahoe. He managed to hit the guy aiming the shotgun in his shoulder, which caused him to move his body back inside the SUV. Josh stopped the Charger with the driver’s side facing us, using the car as protection as he got out and began running to the house. There was a small window of opportunity for him to get inside as Ryan continued to fire shots. Ryan moved to the side, allowing Josh to get safely inside. Backing away from the door, Ryan slammed it shut and ordered, “Get to the kitchen.”
Josh and I hurried to the kitchen, leaving Ryan in the front room. Taking in deep breaths, I tried calming myself as I attempted to understand what the hell was going on. Josh looked over to me and said regretfully, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything. I should have been the one to go after your brother. He didn’t know me, but I knew him. Charlie, I am so sorry.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ryan
My gut ached when I saw Josh coming full speed toward the house. I knew I had to do something. Protecting Josh was something that was in my blood. The day he became my brother, I harnessed that job. I knew the only way to keep my promise was to take the asshole that was firing shots at him out of commission. I was nervous, no doubt, but my aim was spot on. I could have hit the guy in the head, but I wanted to spare his life, at least until I got the answers I needed from him. Thank God, Josh was smart enough to use the car as protection. I knew exactly what he was trying to do, and it was my cue to cover him.
I knew that it was a matter of time before the men that followed Josh were inside the house. It was no longer a safe plac
e to be. Ordering them to go to the kitchen was our only hope. When I got there, Charlie’s arms were crossed at her chest and the look on her face told me that she was scared. Approaching her, I pulled her close to me and said confidently, “It will be okay. Somehow we need to get to the main house and call Peter.” I knew the minute I said it that there was only one option for us. Pushing Charlie to arm’s length away, I gave her a serious look. “Charlie, I need for you and Josh to run behind the house and run as fast as you can. The main house should be on the other side of the trees. Josh, you need to call Peter.” I finished, with a feeling of uneasiness creeping deep inside me.
“Wait. What about you?” she cried.
“Someone needs to stay behind and keep these guys occupied. Since I’m the one with the gun, it is only fair that I stay,” I explained. “Now go, before they come inside.”
Watching Josh and Charlie leave through the back door, I waited until they were far enough away to make my move. Opening the back door, I slowly began making my way to the front of the house where I knew Gallo’s men would be. Looking around the corner, something was wrong. The black Tahoe was gone. Scratching my head, I pondered for a moment where they could have gone. “Shit, Charlie!” I hissed between gritted teeth. Running as fast as I could to my car, I hopped on the hood and slid my ass along the smooth surface until I was on the driver’s side. The door was already open, which saved me the time I desperately needed. All I could think about was losing Charlie. Gallo’s goons must have caught sight of them taking off into the woods. It was the only thing that made sense as to why they were no longer here.