Untamed (Irresistible Bachelors Book 9)

by Lauren Landish

  It’s quiet as we approach the parking area. There’s no one around as we unload, walking down along the shore to set up a picnic area. I spread out the cloth before seeing Ana trying to lug the big cooler down, and I rush up as best I can, putting my hand on her shoulder. “Uh-uh. Let’s just grab our lunch and drinks and leave that heavy beast in the truck. Neither of us should be hauling that thing.”

  “Oh, so you can give in to reason,” Ana jabs, but she grabs the food and helps me set everything up while Rex dances around, excited to be running in a new area. “Should we watch him?”

  “He knows the lake, and he won’t venture far off,” I reassure her. “Come on, let’s have some food.”

  It’s so different, watching the quiet lake lap at the shore as I sit down with Ana. Part of it, I think, is that while there’s attraction between us, the scenario’s sort of tamped down our perpetual desire to rip each other’s clothes off, considering Brad and Trey will be back shortly. I should probably use the time to tell her more of the backstory, but I’m leery of sharing too much with potential witnesses to the fallout. I think I’ll take her lead for now, considering it’s her brother who’s invaded. Looking across the water, I feel her out. “Never would’ve predicted this. Chicken?”

  “Sure,” Ana says, taking a piece of cold fried chicken from me. “Predicted what?”

  “That I’d be having lunch with an incredibly beautiful woman who’s nursing me back to health . . . and who was my high school sweetheart.”

  Ana blushes furiously, giving me a small smile. “It’s funny how things work out, isn’t it?”

  “Never thought it’d happen,” I admit, the rest of my story trembling behind my lips. “I actually avoided you for the longest time, scared that you were still mad at me. Probably more scared that you’d moved on and had this whole happy life without me, even if a part of me wanted that for you. The one we’d dreamed of . . . with some other asshole who brought you flowers, made you smile, and got to hold you in his arms all night. I’ve been lonely . . . I just didn’t know it. After a while, it all felt routine, and years passed without my even being aware of it.”

  Ana nods. “There hasn’t been anyone, Aubrey. Not really, just casual boyfriends, nothing serious. I couldn’t trust anyone anymore, and guys could sense that, I guess, could tell I wasn’t whole, that I’d given my heart to a boy as a kid and never gotten it back, never had closure.” Her voice is sad, a dark shadow on the bright day, cutting me to the core. “I saw that brochure, the pictures so beautiful and reminding me of before, and I just came here because . . .”

  “The memories,” I finish quietly. “Same reason I bought my place. Because believe it or not, it reminded me of the best times in my life . . . of my time with you. That was the last time I felt right, happy. Ever since then, things just went so wrong.”

  I’m on the verge of continuing my story, taking the painful trip through my past, our past. But Ana stops me with a kiss, her lips pressing to mine, soft and sweet. A surprise. It takes me a heartbeat to catch up and kiss her back, cupping her head and enjoying the taste of sunshine on her lips.

  After one more smack, she pulls back and smiles at me. “What was that for?” I ask. “Not that I’m complaining.”

  “Not right now,” Ana says with a shake of her head. “I want this to be an afternoon of good memories for us, and for those two to have fun on the river, and I don’t want to ruin it. I promise I’ll let you tell me. Hell, I’m going to make you tell me. But I have a feeling it’s going to be heavy and take more than the time we have right now. It’s waited for years, and we’ve avoided it for the last week. What’s a few more hours? So, how about trying this apple with a taste of honey?”

  I want to press her. I need to get this off my chest. It’s been buried for so long, festering deep inside, and somehow, I think she’s the only one who might understand. But this has got to be on her terms. I’m the one who fucked up, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make that right, even if it’s pushing the painful words back deep into my gut. I take a breath, attempting to let the past go and reset my mind to this moment.

  Ana dips an apple wedge into some local honey and tries it. “I was thinking you were going to try and seduce me with fruit,” I say, falling in line with her orders for fun and uncomplicated.

  “I thought about it,” she admits, licking her lips. The sight of her pink tongue sticking out draws my focus. I grab another apple slice and dip it, letting her eat it from my hand, groaning as she starts sucking my finger, making me hard in my pants. “But I see you already had that idea.”

  “Guilty as charged,” I admit. “We were interrupted this morning, remember? And I don’t like being interrupted.”

  “Oh, really? What did you have planned for us before we were so rudely interrupted by my well-meaning and pussy-blocking brother?” Her voice is full of bedevilment.

  “This,” I growl, moving in close and taking her mouth. She tastes sweet, like the apple and honey, so I lick at the seam of her lips, wanting every delicious bit of the flavor from her.

  She kisses me back, leaning toward me and almost climbing into my lap. I’m tempted, so fucking tempted, to let her. Sitting on the lakeshore with Ana grinding against me sounds like a teenage dream come to life. Actually, I think we did that once. But we’ve grown up since then, and I want more.

  Pulling back, I shift so that I’m sitting behind her, cradling her hips between my spread thighs. “What are you doing?” she moans, her head falling back to my shoulder.

  I let my hand drift up, wrapping gently around her neck, guiding her to tilt her head so I have access. I lean down, sucking and nibbling along the line of her neck as I slide my other hand lower to pull her knees open. I knead her inner thighs, squeezing firmly through the soft denim. Ana lets out a gasp at the sharp massage as I get closer to her center. “Aubrey—”

  “Can you be quiet, Ana? There’s nobody around, but we’re sort of in public here, and those sounds you make . . . those are mine, no one else’s.”

  A groan escapes her open mouth, sounding somewhere between aroused and annoyed, and definitely loud. But luckily, we seem to be alone, for now, but that could change at any minute, even if Brad and Trey aren’t due back for a while. “I can be quiet.” Her voice is breathy, desperate, and needy.

  I chuckle darkly. “Woman, if there’s one thing you never are . . . it’s quiet. But I can help with that too.” I unbutton her jeans, slipping a hand in to caress her pussy. She’s slick with desire, and I spread her juices up to her clit, circling it in quick, tight circles to get her to the edge fast and hard.

  Her breathing hitches, and she bites her lip, trying valiantly to stay quiet but failing miserably. I move my hand from her neck to cover her mouth, watching her face for any signs of discomfort, but she seems more than fine. In fact, I think she likes it. I press harder, both against her mouth and her clit, growling in her ear. “That’s it, Ana. Scream your pleasure into my hand. I’ll keep you quiet as I make you come for me.”

  It only takes a few more swipes of my fingers across her clit before she shatters, her hips lifting as her back presses to me. I clamp her cries with my hand, the vibrations hot on my palm as I gather every one like a trophy for giving her pleasure.

  She comes back to earth, and I release her mouth, slipping my fingers out of her jeans and into my mouth. She tastes delicious, and I love the way her eyes dilate and her mouth opens as she watches me lick her orgasm from my fingers. She watches raptly, then meets my lips in a heated kiss, tasting herself on my tongue.

  Chapter 20

  Ana – Ten Years Ago

  The lunchroom is normal, which means that I can almost imagine David Attenborough giving a voiceover. As the teen animals begin to feed themselves, groups form to help protect from predators. The only question is, who are the predators and who are the prey?

  I guess it’s the same in every school lunchroom. For me, my eyes immediately search the room, looking for my handsome boyfr
iend, who is now damn-near six foot five but finally seems to have stopped growing. At least he’s easy to spot.

  It’s not Aubrey I see first but Declan, one of Aubrey’s teammates. “Hey, Declan, seen Aubrey?”

  “Draining the lizard,” he says, grinning as he looks over my shoulder.

  Before I can turn to see what he’s looking at, I feel powerful hands wrap around my waist, and I squirm, turning to see Aubrey looking down at me. “Hey, baby.”

  “Hey to you,” I reply before Aubrey takes my breath away with a kiss. He’s daring today, slipping his tongue into my mouth as Declan groans beside us.

  “Will you two get a room? Or at least give a fuck if Mr. Anderson’s in the room or not?”

  “Okay, okay . . . don’t want you to get in trouble,” Aubrey says, finding us some extra seats. “Anderson isn’t going to say anything with my signing day so close. Not about a kiss, anyway.”

  “Hey! Guess what? Marissa and I went shopping yesterday after school and I found my prom dress!” I tell Aubrey as I take out my lunch. It’s a cute dress, and I know Aubrey’s gonna love it. “What about you? Need any help with your tux or anything?”

  “Nope, I’m all set and ready,” Aubrey says, taking out a huge beef sandwich that looks like it should feed a small village. Then again, he’s working out even harder than he did during football season, bulking up for college play and it shows. “Can’t wait to spin you around the dance floor in my arms, show everyone what a lucky bastard I am. I don’t know why you put up with me, but I’m damn sure glad you do,” he teases me, well aware that I still have occasional doubts about what a star of the school on the fast track for college glory is doing with someone like me.

  I’m definitely not as nerdy as I used to be. Aubrey’s circle of friends accepted me and Marissa into their fold last year when we started showing up for games and parties, me on Aubrey’s arm. Well, they accepted it after a while. At first, there was some definite jealousy and petty bitchy comments, but now people keep telling me that they’re voting us as prom king and queen because we’re ‘such a cute couple . . . so adorbs!’ with actual squeals. I don’t get it, but I’ll admit that getting crowned prom queen and dancing with Aubrey as my king sounds like the cherry on top of our high school years, a sweet beginning to our college days together at Oregon.

  My imaginary image of Aubrey and me dancing, sparkly crowns on our heads, is interrupted as I realize Aubrey is still talking.

  “ . . . and Gabe’s going to be home soon for the baby, and I’d like him to see I’m wrapping up high school on a high note. Face it, Sweet Ana, we’ve got the world at our feet. Finish high school with a bang, head to a great school for college . . . and most importantly, I get to do it all with you. You’re gonna be my queen, for prom and for always. I love you.”

  “You’re silly,” I murmur, blushing furiously. The things he’s saying are making my insides feel like the champagne my parents let me have on New Year’s Eve this year, bubbly and happy and shiny. But there’s a whole table full of people listening to him wax poetic about us. I’m equally proud and self-conscious.

  Aubrey, though, is riding too high to notice. “I’m serious. No one else stands a chance. Everyone loves you.” He swings his arm wide, gesturing to everyone in the cafeteria.

  “No, they don’t. Most of these folks wouldn’t even know who I am if I wasn’t your girl.” I say, not being modest. It’s just the truth.

  But Aubrey’s not hearing it. Suddenly, he stands up, pulling me with him and his voice booming out across the lunchroom. “Hey everyone!” There are a few folks that echo back a greeting and all eyes turn to Aubrey as I try to sit back down, a huge grin on my pink face. I don’t know what he’s doing, but it’s already such an Aubrey thing to do . . . impulsive, confident, and loud. “You know my girl, Anabelle Tucker, right? Just wanted to make sure you knew who you’re voting for when you write her name down as prom queen. She’s the best girl in the whole world, and I’m lucky enough that she puts up with me, so she damn sure deserves a crown.” He laughs, and the whole room laughs with him, although I hear more than a few ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from the girls. I want to tell them that I agree with their sentiment . . . Aubrey is over-the-top and romantic and crazy. And mine.

  I’m blushing again, his words meaning more to me than he could possibly know, a big grin of happiness fighting down the nerves of standing up in front of the whole room of kids.

  “Baby, come on,” Aubrey says, leaning in to talk with me softly. “I’m your king, you’re my queen. Now we’re gonna make it known to the whole damn school.”

  He bends down to kiss me, full on the mouth in front of everyone. Suddenly, Mr. Anderson is at our side. “Mr. O’Day and Miss Tucker.” His voice has that hard edge of a teacher, but you can hear the humor tickling underneath where he’s pushed down his grin too. Aubrey’s like that. His charm can get anyone on his side for anything, even obviously breaking the rules against PDA in school. “I think your declarations are done for the day, and perhaps it’s time to get on to your next class.”

  Aubrey grins at Mr. Anderson, throwing an arm around my shoulder. “I think you’re right, sir. We’re off to fifth period. We have chemistry, right?” He says it with a wink, and at first, I don’t get it, too good-girl to catch the tease. But when I realize what he’s joking about, I blush again and Mr. Anderson quirks an eyebrow pointedly. Aubrey leads me out of the cafeteria, a chorus of hoots and hollers in our wake. I wave ‘bye to Marissa, who’s lit up like a Christmas tree and mouths ‘we’ll talk later’ as she quietly mimes a slow clap.

  Once we’re in the hallway, away from the prying eyes of teachers, I stop and look up at Aubrey. “Aubrey, I love you too. I don’t need some stupid crown. Just you. You’re all I need.”

  When Aubrey meets me after school, I can tell he’s got something on his mind, probably still prom. “Come with me,” he says.

  “Where?” I ask, taking his hand. I don’t have a car yet, so it’s no big deal to get a ride with him, but Mom and Dad like to know where I am.

  “Just a special place,” Aubrey says mysteriously. “Tell your mom that I’ll have you home by nine.”

  I text Mom and jump into Aubrey’s truck as he takes off out of town, driving up into the mountains. For the most part, we just chat, talking about classes, the almost constant rumors that someone’s going to open a ski resort up in these mountains, what Oregon is going to be like next year, and other stuff.

  By the time the sun’s starting to set, we’re a good way out of town, and it’s getting a little chilly. “Glad the heater works in this thing.”

  “Yeah . . . here, wear my jacket too,” Aubrey says, grabbing his letterman’s jacket from the back seat and handing it to me. “That’ll cover you.”

  “From knee to shoulder,” I joke, slipping it on. It is warm, though, and when Aubrey turns off the main road and down a short dirt path into a clearing, I find my breath taken away. About halfway across is a small pond, barely a hundred feet across, but it’s breathtaking.

  “Wow, this is beautiful,” I whisper as I look out over the entire Great Falls valley. We’re surrounded by nature, the darkness of the evening encroaching all around us, but below us, the lights of town are just beginning to come on. “How’d you find this place?”

  “My folks used to take Gabe and me camping up here when we were kids, but we found this place a lot later than that,” Aubrey admits. “One of the rare times Gabe was on leave, he and I came out here . . . hiking, camping, talking, just roughing it up and goofing off like we used to. We found this spot, and I knew as soon as I saw it that this place was special.”

  We walk across the field, which is crunchy with the last remnants of winter’s frost, but the spring daytime sun has melted most of the ice and snow. The thin film of ice around the edge reminds me that we’re up in the mountains, but Aubrey’s jacket and his warm arms help me. “Thank you for bringing me here. This place . . . it’s beautiful.”

 
Aubrey nods, and we sit on a blanket, watching the sun go down and the first stars twinkle to life. “I come out here to think sometimes, and it was here I decided something,” Aubrey says, looking up. “Ana, this is where I realized I was in love with you.”

  My eyes shine bright, remembering the first time we’d said ‘I love you’ to each other. It’d been quiet and soft, sweet and special. I hadn’t been surprised. I knew we’d both been feeling it for a while, but the meaning in the depth of the words would stay with me forever.

  “I came up here last week again, thinking about my future, our future. What I want it to look like and knowing that things are going to be different in college.”

  I hold my breath, not sure where Aubrey’s going with this line of talk but able to read the seriousness of this moment in his eyes.

  He takes my hand, his eyes locked on mine as he swallows audibly. “My Sweet Ana, we’ve got our whole lives in front of us and I imagine what that might look like every day. In every one of those possibilities, I see you, me . . . us. I know we’re young, way too young to get married, obviously. But I want you to know that I see that for us. I want that.”

  He digs in his pocket for a second, pulling out a small black box, and I gasp, unable to hold back my shock as tears start streaming down my face. “Aubrey—”

  “It’s not an engagement ring, and I’m not getting down on one knee yet. But this is a promise that one day, I will. A promise ring that one day, I’ll put a diamond ring on your finger and then a wedding band. And that we’ll have that forever I see in my dreams.” He opens the box, and I blubber all over again.

  The tiny gold band has a knot at the center, the two sides coming together and weaving into an infinity knot. He takes it from the box, slipping it onto my finger, a perfect fit. And we kiss, my arms wrapping around his neck and him pulling me tight to him with his hands on my waist.