Exposed: An Anthology

by Brooke Cumberland

  ***

  “So, tell me a bit about yourself, Ace,” Jackson asks. We’ve not long waved off his parents, brother and Oscar and now we’re sitting on his comfy lounge relaxing from the delicious dinner.

  “Why don’t we play ‘question for question’?” I suggest.

  “Right-o. I’ll go first, what brought you to Pine Creek?”

  “My car,” I deadpan.

  “You’re so funny,” he pokes me in the ribs, eliciting a shriek from me. “Answer the question.”

  “Okay, okay. I will, just stop poking me. Well, I didn’t plan on coming here. I didn’t really know where I was going. I didn’t have a plan at all, to be honest. I left Sydney in a rush after I caught my boyfriend cheating on me. I had to get away.” I admit softly.

  “Moron,” Jackson mutters.

  “Pardon?”

  “He’s a moron. Any man who cheats on a woman is a scumbag, but a man who cheats on a woman who looks like you, well, he’s a fucking moron. His loss is my gain though – you know, one man’s trash is another man treasure.”

  “Uh, Jackson, I’m not sure I’m okay with you referring to me as trash,” I say giving him a chance to take it back or correct himself.

  “Ace, I don’t think your trash, he’s a moron and didn’t look after his woman. Now that woman is sitting in my lounge room, with me, on my lounge, playing ‘question for question’ and I’m thinking I’m pretty fuckin’ grateful for his moronic behavior because now, I get the treasure that he tossed out.”

  “Oh,” I mouth. Well, when he puts it like that…

  “Your turn,” he looks at me expectantly.

  “Hmm, tell me about the Station,” I say and then immediately, I regret it. I should have asked him about Dannika – especially with the reply he gave just now about cheating men being scumbags and morons. Damn it.

  “Well, I take care of the cropping side of things and Jeremy takes care of the cattle. We’ve got a bunch of people who work for us, some permanent; others are backpackers looking for casual work. We run Braham’s – they’re a breed of cattle with a large hump on their back,” he elaborates when he sees my confusion, “on Jeremy’s side and he uses helicopters to muster them. Over this side with the cropping, we sow wheat, oats, barley and lucerne crops. Some we make into hay to sell, some we leave for feed and some we harvest and sell to Corporations who make stock feed or human feed, such as your cereal or bread,” he finishes proudly.

  “Wow, that’s awesome. Maybe one day you’ll show me around,”

  “We’ll talk about that later. My turn: What’s your real name?”

  “You already know the answer to that. If you hadn’t heard it before, you certainly heard it when I told your parents.”

  “Yeah, but I told you, I want you to tell me.”

  “Eden Cross. If you’re nice, I’ll let you call me Edie. Speaking of names, you told me only you could me Ace, yet you let Oscar call me Ace.”

  “Oscar is the exception to the rule. Always.”

  “I can see how that would be so. Where’s his mum?”

  “She took off when he was born. Claire is her name. Jeremy dated her for about a year, I guess. They broke up amicably, and a couple of weeks later she found out she was pregnant. She didn’t want the baby – wanted to give it up for adoption. Jeremy said no way and anyways long story short, there were lawyers involved and contracts were exchanged. Jeremy gave her the option of being in his life if she wanted to, she declined. Left when Oscar was two days old – the same day Jeremy brought him home from hospital. Haven’t heard from her since.”

  “Oh my god,” I whisper. “I thought you were going to tell me she was at their place sick in bed or something. I didn’t expect that.”

  “Yeah, it’s fucked up on her behalf but he’s a champion kid. He loves the farm life and Jeremy spends most of his time helping him develop more social skills. He’s come a long way in the last two years – before that, you couldn’t even look at him, even if he knew you. Except for me, Jeremy and Dad, no one else could touch him, or talk to him without him initiating the conversation. Jeremy does a great job with him.”

  “I agree. He’s such a beautiful kid. A mini Jackson and Jeremy Henley; he’s going to be a heart breaker for sure,” I laugh

  “You sayin’ I’m beautiful, Ace? That I’m a heart breaker?” He grins his sexy, cheeky grin.

  “No,” I scoff.

  “My turn again,”

  “What? Wait, I didn’t have my question.” I want to ask him about Dannika.

  “Yeah, you did. You asked about Oscar’s mum.”

  God fucking damn it! I did, too.

  We spend the next couple of hours asking questions back and forth and getting to know each other better. We ask silly questions such as favorite color, as well as more serious questions. I find out that Jackson’s favorite chocolate is Snickers, his favorite color is blue, and the station has been in his family for over a hundred years; it was passed onto him and Jeremy by his parents when they retired. He built this house five years ago, while Jeremy and Oscar live a few kilometers away in the house the boys grew up in. I still haven’t got around to asking about Dannika.

  “So, I’ve been thinking about your earlier question,” Jackson murmurs. Somehow, during our conversation, we’ve inched close to each other and now, our thighs our touching lightly and there a dull current of electricity running up and down my leg making it hard for me to concentrate.

  “Oh? What question?”

  “You wanting to see more of the property. I was thinking, you stay the night, I’ll take you out and about tomorrow, maybe even take you up in one the choppers, if you want.”

  “Uh,” I baulk. I’m not sure about staying overnight. I mean, of course I would love to. I never want to leave this place. But something is stopping me. I close my eyes and hear Jules’ voice in my head,

  You know it deep down, Edie, but you’re too scared to admit it. Jackson is the type of guy you could fall in love with. My best friend a couple of years ago would have jumped right in feet first, knowing that even if the ride turned to shit, she still enjoyed it with no regrets. You miss that ride, sweetie, you’re going to have regrets. It might turn bad, it might not, you’ll never know unless you try and from what I seen last night and from what you’ve told me, he’s got it just as bad for you. The only difference is, he isn’t afraid to admit it.

  She’s so right. She knows me better than I know myself. I can’t remember exactly when it was that I lost myself, or if there was a defining moment, but I can’t deny it. I did lose myself. The person I was is not the person I am today. The good thing is I can feel some of her starting to come back. Edie a few years ago would never have baulked at being asked by Jackson to spend the night.

  “I need to know about Dannika,” I say meeting his eyes.

  “Whatever you want to know,” he states immediately.

  Well, I wasn’t expecting that reaction. “Uh, are you two together? That first night I met you, she seemed to think you were cheating on her …” I trail off.

  “Dannika and I were together for about a year. She spent that time accusing me of cheating on her – something I never did, or would do. I’m not a cheater and never have been. I spent that time reassuring her that I was not and would not cheat on her. I got sick of constantly explaining where I’d been, what I’d been doing and who I was doing it with. I also got fed up with being accused of something I wouldn’t do, but despite how many times I told her, she still didn’t believe me. The other week when she came storming into the pub, we weren’t together. We’d discussed getting back together, she promised she’d changed, she begged me for a second chance so I said I’d think about it. I didn’t want to get back with her because I didn’t believe she’d changed and to be honest, our relationship was not based on love - from either side. For me, it was convenience, and I know that sounds harsh but it’s true. For her, I have no idea, but I have a feeling she wanted to be a farmer’s wife and live a life
of luxury. With that stunt she pulled, she proved me right; she hadn’t changed. I took her outside, we sat and talked and I told her that I’d never get back with her because, among other things I’d found out where her insecurities come from. See, she constantly accused me of cheating so that I wouldn’t cotton on to the fact that she was actually cheating on me for the entirety of our relationship.”

  “I had you pegged wrong from the beginning,” I murmur, stunned.

  “Is that so?” He chuckles.

  “Yeah, I thought you’d be a player. I told myself to stay right away from you,” I admit sheepishly.

  “So are you going to answer my question?”

  “Are you going to kiss me again, like you did the other night?” Yes, I just blurted that right out. I can’t believe I said it and from the look on Jackson’s face, he can’t believe I asked it either. He doesn’t reply, instead, he leans in and cups my jaw in his strong, calloused hands and lightly pecks my lips. I wait for more, but each time it’s just a peck. After about the tenth light touch of his lips, I grab his neck and hold him to me. If I’m not mistaken I feel his body shake with laughter. Tease. I slide my tongue into his mouth and feel myself dampen at the sound of his resulting groan. Not so funny now is it, Henley? Things turn hot and heavy pretty quickly. I lie back, taking him with me. I can feel his erection pressing into my thigh as he snakes his hand up inside my shirt and runs a finger across my erect bra covered nipple. I sigh into his mouth and bite down on his bottom lip. His reaction is to shift and press his hips into mine so his hardness grinds against my center. I don’t sigh this time. I whimper.

  I pull his shirt from his jeans and run my hand up and down his taut back as his lips leave mine to travel down my neck, nipping and sucking along the way. With one hand he deftly undoes my shirt button exposing my bright rainbow coloured bra. He raises his eyebrows at me.

  “I got it at a Mardi Gras market one year to support equal rights,” I pant out quickly, hoping he’ll get back to what he started. He gives a small shake of his head and then kisses the skin above my bra before taking my bra cup between his teeth and pulling down so my breast is exposed. He then does the same with the other cup.

  “Come with me,” he rumbles.

  Standing up he takes my hand and leads me down the hallway and into his bedroom. My breasts are propped up by my bra but exposed because my shirt is unbuttoned and I resist the urge to cover them up. I don’t though, because the walk to his room doesn’t take too long and I’m too turned on to really care. “Not going to take you for the first time on my lounge, Ace. That’ll come later.”

  “Okay,” I agree readily. Honestly I couldn’t care where he fucked me, so long as he does.

  He lays me down on the bed and assumes the same position we were in on the lounge. Taking my nipple into his mouth, he sucks deep and then releases the bud to lave it with his tongue. Over and over he continues his relentless torture, alternating between my nipples until I am begging him to let me come. I try to clench my legs together hoping to obtain some friction where I need it but I can’t because he’s on top of me, so I tilt my hips hoping to grind myself on him but he moves away and begins kissing down my stomach. He dips his tongue in and out of belly button at the same as removing my belt and unzipping my jeans. Rising up, he removes my jeans and panties in one swift movement. Essentially, I am naked. My shirt is undone, my breasts out but trussed up by my bra and there’s nothing covering my bottom half.

  “Prettiest pussy I’ve ever seen,” he mutters as he drags a finger torturously slowly through my slickness. He lies down between my spread legs, still admiring my “pussy” as he puts it – personally, I prefer “Kitty”, but whatever. “So pink. So wet. So swollen. All for me.” He flicks his tongue and licks me from bottom to top, stopping at the top to do a swirl. My back arches off the bed and I moan loudly. Over and over he repeats his delicious torture changing the speed and the pressure to tease me, but it’s when he slides two fingers deep inside me, that I fall apart screaming his name. He gentles his tongue and laps up all my juices. Holy fuck! I’d only ever had oral sex once before, he was drunk, I was drunk, he didn’t know what he was doing and it was sloppy. Jackson is not sloppy and he definitely knows what he’s doing.

  When I come down from my high, he’s lying beside me drawing patterns on my stomach. I reach for his jeans and tug them down along with his jocks. His erection springs free and I gasp. It’s long, thick, silky smooth and has a shiny head with a drop of pre-cum sitting on top, begging to be licked clean. I dart my tongue out and swipe his essence. I see his balls bob up and down when I do it again. He likes it. His groaning, “Fuck,” also tells me he likes what I’m doing. I take his bulbous head in my mouth and swirl my tongue around before sinking down around his shaft, swallowing him to the back of my throat. I resist the urge to gag and slide my lips back up instead. Seeing how much he likes it, I do it again. And again. Soon, his hands are in my hair and he’s guiding me up and down his glorious cock. “Enough,” he growls before rolling us over so he’s on top of me.

  “Ready?” He asks.

  “Yes,” I reply in a breathy voice.

  He slams inside me in one swift movement and a moan tears deep from my throat. Raising my hips in time with his, I meet him thrust for thrust. I feel tiny beads of sweat start to break out on my skin at the same time goose bumps erupt over my body. I’m panting loudly and I’m not sure what’s happening. It’s different from all the orgasms I’ve ever given myself – Matt sure as shit never took the time to make me come and all my other conquests (more than one, less than ten) were drunken one night stands who could barely keep their dick hard let alone worrying about satisfying me.

  I can feel it building, whatever it is, taking me higher and higher. Causing me to pant louder and louder. My nipples harden painfully, my “Kitty” contracts tightly and I explode on a scream. I squeeze my eyes shut as powerful shudders take over my body. I feel Jackson’s cock thicken inside me before he abruptly withdraws from my body and I look down my stomach to watch a generous burst of hot come shoot from his cock, spraying over my pubis and stomach. A smile takes over my face and I close my eyes, fully sated. Just as I start dozing off I feel a warm washer wipe over my lower stomach. I open my eyes to see Jackson cleaning himself off me, a tender look in his eyes. I sleepily divest myself of my bra and shirt and slide under the covers buck naked.

  I fall asleep when Jackson climbs in beside me and tucks me close to him; holding me tight. I feel content, happy and replete. No regrets.

  Chapter Six

  “Wakey, wakey, Ace,” Jackson nibbles on my ear.

  “I told you my name so you can stop calling me Ace,” I grumble sleepily.

  “C’mon, baby. You gotta wake up. I got something to show you.” He sounds excited and impatient. I crack my eyes open and the first thing I notice is there’s no sting of blinding light because it’s still fucking dark! The second thing I notice is the happiness and excitement dancing in Jackson’s baby blues. I blink away sleep and ask, “What’s going on, Jackson? It’s still night. Are you kicking me out before the sun comes up?”

  He starts laughing so I grumble some more. Then I’m not grumbling, I’m moaning because he’s got one of my nipples in his mouth and he’s sucking and licking. Then he’s between my legs sucking and licking. All thoughts of sleep are forgotten and instead I’m focused on the orgasm that’s just about in my reach. Before I can grasp it, he pulls back. “Jackson?,” my voice is hoarse and so full of lust that it doesn’t sound like me.

  His answer is to slide inside of me slowly and grind his pelvis hard against mine. It sends me flying over the edge and I clench and shudder around him. His thrusts don’t waver in their leisurely assault and soon I feel the burn igniting again. I couldn’t come again so soon, could I? Yes I could. This time it’s a little less intense but still good all the same. He captures his mouth with mine as I moan my orgasm into his mouth. This time he follows me over the edge, withdrawing and spil
ling his seed over my stomach once more.

  “Fuck, baby, that wasn’t supposed to happen. Now we’re gonna be late. You gotta get up, get dressed in something warm. Quick,” he says wiping himself off me an with old t-shirt he’d picked up off the floor.

  “Hmm, there’s a lot to be said for sleepy morning sex,” I mumble.

  “Ace. Up, dressed, warm. Now.”

  I drag my ass out of bed and put on my clothes from last night – I wasn’t anticipating staying the night so I didn’t pack a spare set of clothes. Everything is still clean, except my panties, because they’re stained with the evidence of last night’s arousal. I’ll just have to go commando.

  “Ready?”

  “Yep, I just have to grab my jacket out of my car. Where are we going?”

  “I’ll show you when we get there,” he winks.

  I race over to my car, finding my way in the dark by the light of the sensor lights that surround Jackson’s home, and retrieve my jacket. Jackson is waiting in his Ute with the engine running and the heater blaring. You see, even though the days are warm here in winter (compared to a Sydney winter) the nights and early mornings are everything you’d expect from the coldest season of the year. I jump in and Jackson starts driving. I have no clue where we are going but fifteen minutes later we pull up to a large shed like structure and Jackson cuts the engine.

  “C’mon, quick. We’re gonna miss it.” He hurries me out of the Ute and into the shed, which I notice immediately is a hanger for all of Binowee Station’s helicopters.

  “Wow.” I say taking in all the choppers – there must be at least ten of them.

  “This one,” he says guiding me to one of the choppers, “In you get.”