by Ally Prince
I wanted a family. A functional working family who loved and laughed and whose parents still had sex at sixty plus. I wanted that more than I knew, and it took Nick to come into my life and show it to me. I wanted to take it in both hands and cherish it because I knew nothing was certain, and with the way my father was, this too could be ripped from my hands at any given moment. But I would fight him this time. I had a reason to fight, Nick had given me that.
“Come on.” Nick emerged from the bathroom where I think he was running a bath. He had taken off his shirt and his jeans hung low on his lean hips. That snail trail led down to where I wanted to be. He reached for my hand and guided me into the room. The first thing I noticed was the aroma. It smelled like heaven. Perhaps a little fruity, but there was something calming that had me inhaling deeply. I took in the low lights and the huge tub filled with water.
I was not going to cry over something as stupid as a bath.
I was not.
Oh God, I blinked away tears and swallowed the lump that appeared in my throat.
“You did this for me?” Did he know I was getting emotional? Or did he just get me? Either way, I was toast, and this man had my heart.
“Kitten, you deserve this and so much more.” He stopped us in the center of the room, he turned me to face him. His green eyes a little darker in the low light but that handsome face showed nothing but kindness and perhaps, dare I say it, love. “Let’s hop in and relax, and you can tell me what’s been bothering you.” His big hands framed my face before he pressed his lips to mine. His whiskers tickling my lip a little, his tongue poked out and traced the seam of my mouth, so I opened for him. He devoured me, one hand slipping to the back of my head and gripping my hair, the action alone sent shivers down my spine. I mewled as he pulled back, but he wasn’t wasting any time as he gripped my sweater and tugged it over my head.
“I was right. You’re wearing ten layers.”
I snorted and rolled my eyes, not that he could see as my arms were in the air and my sweater covered my face. “I like to be warm.”
“I know, Kitten, I’m just playin’.” His soft voice made me sigh. Did I mention I loved that he called me Kitten? The way it rolled off his lips. The way his eyes softened when he said it. It made my heart all wobbly and soft.
Nick kept tugging at layers until my bra fell from my arms. His thumb and forefinger coming up to pinch my nipples gently.
“These are so fucking sweet.” He ducked his head and replaced a hand with his mouth. He took as much of my breast as he could fit into his mouth. His tongue laved as his other hand twirled, I was overwhelmed by how sensitive they were to him. He pulled back, my nipple popped out of his mouth and he made short work of my pants and panties. Then he just stared.
So, I took control and moved to him, to unbuckle his jeans which were already tenting. I lowered them and his boxers, his cock popping out and pointing right at me. My knees hit the cool tiles in front of him, I slid his jeans down and waited for him to step out before I looked up and licked my lips.
“Kitten,” he panted out, eyes wide. I licked him from root to tip, sucking him in gently and letting my tongue swirl a little. His groan made me wetter, but before I could suck on him again, he pulled himself from my mouth.
“This is not how it’s going to go.” The strain in his voice was real and I couldn’t help the chuckle that snuck out. He hauled me to my feet and slapped my ass as he led me to the bath.
The warm water was heaven. I was a little sore from all the sex and the work I had been doing, but I loved it. Nick sank down first, and I know he wanted me to snuggle up to him, but I needed him right now. I stared down at this beautiful man who made me feel worthy and knew what I wanted—I wanted him inside of me.
I straddled his lap, his cock settling between my folds nicely.
“Kitten?”
“I want you inside me.” My cheeks grew hot, let’s blame the warm water. Because the Kayla I knew would never say such a thing.
“Well, by all means, Kayla, take me.” I found his mouth as I rose on my knees a little, his cock slipped until it found where it wanted to go. He groaned as I sank down on his length. My body stretched, and it was slow and a little painful still, but I loved it. I loved having him inside of me. But I wanted more.
His hands gripped my ass cheeks, and he applied pressure as I rose and fell. His mouth more eager with every stroke. The water splashed around us and I’d have a hell of a mess to clean later, but that was later.
I ground down hard, rubbing my clit on his pelvic bone. He grew bigger inside of me.
“I’m gonna come, Kitten. You need to slide off.” I groaned taking his mouth again and sank back down on him hard and fast.
“I want you inside me,” I mumbled into his lips.
His hips froze, and he clamped me down hard, his cock twitching inside me. “What are you saying?”
Pulling back, I looked at his handsome face. Took in his expression and I knew it was what I wanted, I would not regret this. I would not regret anything with Nick. “I want to feel you inside me.”
“I am inside you.” He thrust his hips up a little hitting the deepest part, we both groaned.
“Come inside me.”
“Kitten.” He thrust again before holding me down. “If I come in you, this is it. This is forever. You got me.” Taking in the sheer determination on his face, the long line of his nose and the strain in his shoulders I nodded. I wanted that.
“Come in me, Nick.”
“Fuck, Kitten,” he roared and started to move hard and fast. “Touch yourself, babe, I want to feel you come with me when I shoot inside you for the first time. Fuck it’s so good.” I slipped a hand from his shoulder down between us. I barely touched my clit and my body was tensing. Nick huffed in my ear, I dropped my forehead to his shoulder. This was going to kill me. My body climbed so high so fast, I shouted into Nick’s neck when I came. My body clamping down on him. Nick tensed and the most delicious sensation ever erupted as his hot spurts landed inside of me. My body reacted, squeezing, flinching and milking him as he came. I continued to move until I could no longer. Nick held me to him, his body softening slightly but not fully, as we both caught our breath.
“Kitten, you alive.”
I blew out a long breath and sat up a little. He jerked inside me, my body clenched, and I groaned.
“Fuck baby, don’t do that.”
“I didn’t, you did it.” He did it again, and it was as much torture for me as it was him.
“Here I was, just wanting to bathe with my girl when she jumps me, what’s a man to do.” His hand came to my face, and I leaned into his palm.
“Keep me.”
“Oh, you ain’t going anywhere, Kitten. You belong here with me now.”
I loved those words so much. It felt amazing to have such beautiful words directed at me, maybe I was needy or selfish. If I had to, I would spend the rest of my life showing Nick how much I wanted and needed him in my life. We would make this work.
Chapter 9
Nick
Something had changed between Kayla and me. We were closer, deeper, more. It was the most overwhelming feeling I’d ever had, but it was also the most rewarding. Being able to connect with someone on such a level, knowing you had found your other half. There really wasn’t anything better.
Yesterday we spent on the ranch, she was my sidekick all day and didn’t complain at all when we rolled home at a quarter to eight after a nearly fourteen-hour day. I think that was the moment she stole the final piece of my heart.
Today, however, she said she had things to do. Her mom had called, and she thought it was best they chatted and tried to sort out whatever it was her mom was up to. She left her piece of shit car, her words not mine, that possibly cost as much as three trucks and took my truck into town.
I had watched the surveillance footage and so far, no-one was on it. Deep down I hoped things had died down. Maybe Summer realized things were getting a little t
oo hot. But rationally I knew things were far from over.
Kevin had just headed out to check on the water. Two of my other workers were dealing with stock and one had called in sick. His toddler spent the night in the hospital, so I didn’t really expect him to come in.
I was alone rattling around in the machinery shed trying to figure out why my quad bike wouldn’t start. I loved working with my hands and motorbikes had always been a part of my life but when one stops for no apparent reason it really pissed me off. I was spending hours on something that might not work, and tomorrow morning I might come out and she’d start first go. I was obviously too busy to hear a car drive up, but I caught the door slam. I peered over the top of the quad which was on a small lift to bring it to a better working height.
“Shit.” The last person I ever wanted to see was on my property.
I wiped my hands quickly on a rag and rounded the quad. Jonathan Summer looked around with his nose wrinkled. Did he like the place? I didn’t give a fuck.
“What do you want?” There was no need for pleasantries, not with him. He tried to stand taller and puff his chest out, perhaps trying to intimidate me, but I easily had half a foot on him and forty pounds of muscle.
“I was looking for something that’s mine.” If I had hackles, they would have risen. If he thought I was going to hand over his daughter, he could think again. “I heard she was here.” Yup, he was delusional.
“Well…” I held my arms out wide, “… as you can see I am all alone.” His blue eyes, so much icier than Kayla’s, squinted, and he briefly turned in the direction of the house. If he thought for a second I would let him inside my place well, let’s just say, I would be up on assault charges.
“Hmm,” he contemplated for a moment before his eyes shot back to me. “Let’s talk. Man to man.” I rolled my eyes and hoped like fuck he saw, because I knew where this conversation was going, and it would head downhill real quick.
I crossed my arms over my chest, got steady on my feet and waited for him to continue his little rant.
“All I want is sixty-four acres, that’s nothing for you. You won’t even miss it. I will take care of moving the fences, disconnecting any water. I’ll offer you well above the going price per acre. Harry is keen on the deal. So, it’s easy done.” The wry smile on his face was not at all convincing.
Harry Walker would never sell his land to Summer, he would rather set fire to it himself and have nothing than let this man own more than half the town. He did zero good for the town. The housing estates were built for those who lived in the city and wanted a reasonable commute. The backyards were tiny, and all the houses looked the fucking same, in no way was that appealing to me or half of Brookfield. But somehow through bribes and blackmail, Summer was working on his second subdivision with his eyes on a third.
“Really. Pretty sure last time I talked to Harry he said you could go and get fucked.” I smiled, his face tightened and so did his fists.
“I changed his mind.”
“I fucking doubt it.”
“I’ll give you fifteen hundred an acre.”
I nearly coughed. Was he fucking kidding me?
“That’s what you bring to the table for this man to man talk. Fifteen fucking hundred. Fuck off, Summer.” I pointed toward town and hoped he got the picture.
“Oh, well, hang on now. What about two?” He was so fucking lucky I couldn’t reach that wrench because it would become airborne in a nanosecond.
“I paid more than two for it. You would know that if you did your research. Which I’m sure you have, you’re being a cheap bastard. I’m not interested, now or ever.” I glared hard at the man, he looked a little uncomfortable. His eyes started scanning my place again, and I didn’t like him seeing my things. I didn’t trust the man, not that I had anything to hide.
“What’s a fair price? You have to understand I don’t want it for ranching.”
“I don’t give a shit what you want it for, Summer. It ain’t happening. The going rate of Red Oak is about five grand an acre.” He frowned fast, his brow furrowing, and he took a moment to himself.
“That can’t be right, that makes this place worth millions.” He seemed alarmed by his calculations.
“And?” I waited while he looked around again.
“You’re a rancher.”
“And.”
Summer ran his hand through his thinning hair and huffed out a huge breath. He started to mumble under his breath and pace a few steps.
“We could become partners.” The gleam in his eyes was evil, and he literally rubbed his hands together.
“Fuck off, Summer, I won’t tell you again. Get off my property. Next time I see you, it will be when I hand over the fucking boatload of evidence that people have about you and you dodgy fucking dealings. What about knocking up young girls? Should I go on?”
His face was so red, his chest heaved. Before I could say more he turned and headed for his car. There were no parting words, so I flipped him the bird as he looked in my direction, and headed straight to my office to make sure the ass drove through the main gate and off my property. About four minutes later he drove through the gate leaving a trail of dust behind him.
This wasn’t the end and I may have just poked the sleeping bear, but I was done. This shit needed to be over, I had more important things to do. Like his daughter. I wanted to plan our future, one that was free of him. Our kids would not have anything to do with the man, I knew that for certain.
Kayla
I didn’t want to be in this house.
It put me on edge, the place was also cold and unappealing. How Mom stayed, I had no idea. The house was a showroom, definitely not a home.
I was thankful for the call, Mom had decided enough was enough.
“I promised my mother I would get it all back.” She frowned at the suitcase she was packing in her room—my parents didn’t share a bed.
“Get what back?” Mom had been waiting for something, but I had no idea what.
“The money. I brought the money into this marriage, Kayla. Summer Holdings would be nothing without my funding. I was its beginning. My mother warned me he was out for money, I thought she was jealous.” Her laughed is stilted. “On paper, your father’s plans appear profitable, and the first subdivision was. But somewhere he has gotten greedy. Money’s gone missing, people aren’t being paid, and trying to siphon out my money has become harder.”
I widen my eyes at my mother. “Siphon?” As in illegally? Is what I really wanted to ask.
“Yes, dear, I needed to get it out without him noticing. Thankfully I have a brilliant man on the job and last night… well, I will spare you the details. The less you know the better, but it’s done, dear. Give your father a week to figure it out and things are going to get messy.” I nodded as she threw her jewelry into her bag haphazardly.
“Where are you going?”
“Florida.” Why did people run away to Florida? What was in Florida besides toll roads?
“Who lives in Florida that you know?” Her parents were deceased, her brother was in England, and let’s not forget my brother who is out of state at boarding school. What was going to happen to him?
“I brought a condo a few years ago.” She did? “Your trust is safe, too. So is Damien’s. I made sure of that years ago. Not that you’ve touched yours lately.” She shot me a look.
“I work, and I sell my furniture, I don’t need it for anything.” I also didn’t want to touch it because I had assumed it came from Dad. It was bad enough that my wage came from him.
“Well, your grandparents worked hard for that money, they would want you to use it wisely. It’s not bribe money, it’s not blackmail money, or to silence you. It’s yours, Kayla. If you need to or want to, just use it. Buy a house, build a shop, get into ranching.” She shot me a sneaky smile then, and I may have blushed. I wasn’t sure I wanted to have that conversation yet.
“So, Dad is going to be broke?”
“And h
omeless, and Summer Holdings will be taken over by a nice guy from out of town. He’s cute.” She waggled her brows causing me to laugh.
“Mom. I have Nick.” I groaned instantly.
“I knew it. I knew it. Good for you, dear. If I regret anything it’s the way I let him treat you. I can never apologize for that.” Tears slid from her eyes and mine began to fill, but I wouldn’t cry over it. Over the years I’d sensed Mom hated it, but it was harder to watch her appear to not care and let it happen.
“But first, I am going into rehab.”
My world stopped.
My heart raced.
“Rehab?” What the ever-loving fuck?
She sighed heavily and sat on the edge of her white bed. In fact, the whole room was different shades of white, not very homely at all now that I looked around. “I have a problem with prescription medication. I can admit it and I will get help. It’s not an excuse as to why I let my life and yours go downhill, but it was there, has been there for years. Since just after Damien was born. I need to get off them, I need to clean up my life in every way so I can be in yours, so that you will want me in yours.” I nodded, my chest aching. “I want my grandchildren to love me, I want my kids to rely on me.”
“What happens with Damien?”
“Well, the school is fine, he loves it there. So instead of coming here, he will come to Florida. He’s due for a weekend home soon, so I may need you to have him if that’s okay?”
“Of course he can stay with me.” He was my brother. We didn’t get along a lot of time together because there were twelve years between us, but he was my blood and I loved him.
“Good. Now, let’s get me out of here before he comes home.” I kind of wish I had brought Nick now that I thought about it. The last thing I needed was Dad coming home and causing a huge scene. Because he would, there was no doubt about that. But Mom had a right to a good life, and I hoped she found what she was looking for, and over the next few months and years, I hoped our relationship turned into what it was meant to be.