Gone Country: Rough Riders, Book 14

by Lorelei James

  “Only two days.” His fingers pushed her hair out of her face. “What else are you burning to do?”

  “This might sound weird, but I want to see the house you grew up in and where you went to school.”

  Confusion crossed his face. “Why?”

  “You’ve seen where I grew up. It shaped me. And I’m betting where you grew up shaped you too.”

  “Okay. If that’s what you want.”

  “Cool. I would like a desert tour tomorrow.”

  “Done.”

  Although they spent some nights sleeping in the same bed, would being together every night for the next two weeks change things?

  “Honey. The gears grinding in your brain are keeping me awake. What are you thinking about?” Gavin asked sleepily.

  He’d probably think she was neurotic if she told him the truth. She hedged. “Just wondering if it was hard for you to leave Sierra with her mom.”

  “Well that woke me up.”

  “Sorry. This day has been epically long and I realized I hadn’t asked how that had gone.”

  “Ellen was as happy to see Sierra as Sierra was happy to see her. I wonder how long that joy of being reunited will last.” He sighed. “It’s different being here now than it was before. I was only a phone call away if Sierra needed me. In the last seven months since Ellen has been in France, I’ve dealt with all Sierra’s major trauma and minor drama without Ellen’s input or interference. I worry even if Sierra needs me, she won’t call. Not knowing what she’s doing for the week I’m not here will drive me crazy.”

  “You miss her.”

  “Like a limb. So much of my life, so much of who I am, is being a parent.”

  “I understand how that is, Gavin.”

  “I know you do, which is why you won’t think it’s strange that I keep looking over my shoulder thinking she’ll barge in on us. Or expecting to hear her ransacking the kitchen at midnight for snacks. Or that she’ll plop beside me on the couch to show me some bizarre video on YouTube.” His hand tenderly brushed her spine. “But my selfish side is happy for the chance to be alone with you like this. No kid, no responsibilities. Just us.”

  “Mmm-hmm. I called Rory and told her I arrived safely.”

  “Rory still isn’t happy we’re involved.”

  “Only because, like she pointed out, I’ve pretty much lived like a nun the last twenty-four years, with the whole abstinence and poverty thing.”

  Gavin chuckled. “So her beef isn’t because I’ve got McKay blood?”

  “No. She claims she’s worried I’ll get my heart broken, but the bottom line is she’s selfish. She doesn’t want to share me with you. Sierra is more mature than Rory when it comes to that.”

  “Maybe because Sierra lives with us and sees us together every day. She did say she had a great time with Rory the night they went out.”

  “Rory’s protective streak toward Sierra surprised me. Did you know they’re texting?”

  “Huh. I can only hope Rory has a positive influence on Sierra.”

  “Gavin. Sierra has been a model child, for the most part, since you moved to Wyoming.”

  “But see, she was away from her mother’s influence. I’m a little fearful of how Sierra will act after two weeks with Ellen.”

  Rielle rolled until she was on top of him. “Worrying won’t change anything. If I can take a break from work, you can take a break from parenting. So how about if I try and take your mind off it?”

  Gavin sighed. “Well…you can try.”

  “So you’ll be thinking about your ex-wife when I do…this?” Rielle reached down and jacked his shaft.

  And no surprise Gavin lost the ability to think about anything by the time she finished with him.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  A week in Arizona with Rielle had been one of the best times of Gavin’s life, ranking next to the Disney World trip he’d taken with Sierra the year she’d turned nine.

  He gave Rielle props for embracing the vacation mindset. She let him choose their daily activities—where they went, what they did, where they ate. But she couldn’t stop working completely. She cleaned the pool every morning before swimming laps.

  After a few hours at the office had become more than half the damn day, he’d been a little tense walking in the door. Rielle noticed immediately, fixed him a drink and suggested he change into swimming trunks and come out to the pool.

  He’d expected a fun, sexy swim. He hadn’t convinced her to have sex outside on the deck or in the pool since the first night. But she’d spread out a puffy blanket poolside and offered him a massage.

  The warmth of the day, the strong drink and the sensation of Rielle’s oil-slicked hands on his arms, shoulders and back should’ve relaxed him. But his dick got so hard it dug into the concrete decking.

  Then she turned him over and started on his front. Massaging every inch of his upper torso with coconut-scented oil. His jaw, his neck, his chest, his hands. Even his earlobes. When she’d told him to ditch the trunks, he’d happily obliged. She used that slick hand to jack his cock as she rubbed her mouth, teeth and her tits all over his chest. She sucked his nipples, bit his neck and stroked him until he squirted all over her hand and his belly.

  When he’d found his mind, he’d opened his eyes to see her licking his come off her fingers. And then his stomach.

  That was almost enough to make him hard again. She dove into the pool; he chased her. After hot and sexy water games, he’d carried her to the blanket, positioned her on hands and knees and fucked her from behind until she’d screamed.

  Twice.

  The next day Gavin drove her by the house he’d grown up in and the condo he’d lived in after the divorce. Then he’d shown her the schools he attended, the golf club where he and his dad played.

  Rielle seemed melancholy after his trip down memory lane. He told her to dress up and he made reservations at the see-and-be-seen restaurant in Phoenix. They ran into a few of his colleagues, who invited them for a drink in the bar. Rielle attempted to retreat into her wallflower persona, but Gavin wouldn’t allow it. She was beautiful, smart, funny and an interesting woman. She made him happy and he wanted her—and everyone else—to see it. And for her—and everyone else—to understand she was his.

  He didn’t take her on a tour of his office building until after his employees were gone for the day. Partially because he didn’t relish getting stopped a million times about business issues. But he also wanted her to see the city lights from his office window. Wanted her to know how many nights he’d spent up here alone. Working. Wondering if he’d ever have a life beyond the walls of this room.

  Gavin had an almost desperate need for her—needing to meld his past and his future. He’d taken her against the glass window, looking down on the urban sprawl, her feet straddling the floor air conditioner vent. Cool air blew over the hot tissues as his cock slowly tunneled in and out of her wet pussy. Rielle was always ready for him, always eager. She had no idea what a turn-on that was, so he told her. Showed her. Shared his life and thoughts with her in ways he hadn’t known he was capable of.

  She requested they stay in their last night, cooking together and dining outside. He’d scrounged up candles, placing them everywhere in the backyard, including floating some in the pool.

  They hadn’t made love, but it was still the most romantic night he could remember.

  Early January…

  “Gavin.”

  Come on, come on. “Dammit. It’s not working. Try a different play. God. I cannot believe they called that one twice in a row.”

  “Gavin.”

  “Hang on. This is third down.” The quarterback faked a handoff and then passed for six yards for first down. “Yes! That’s what I’m talking about.” He tossed a handful of popcorn in his mouth, eyes on the game. “What the fuck? Why are you putting him in? He can’t block for shit.”

  “Gavin. Sierra’s not here.”

  “I know. She comes home tomorrow.” He watche
d the handoff and the running back bobbled the ball. It bounced downfield until someone took his head out of his ass and covered it. “Lucky save.”

  “Gavin.”

  “Yeah, honey, just a sec.” It’s a wonder they won any games with the lousy plays they’d been calling this season. They didn’t have a running game, so it made zero sense why they’d tried that one—

  “Gavin, I’m naked.”

  Okay. That got his attention. He turned around.

  A naked Rielle leaned against the door to his bedroom.

  Man, he loved her body. Small and compact, with sculpted arms and shoulders. Her muscular torso flowed into flared hips and strong thighs. And those tits. He couldn’t get enough of those.

  A whistle blew on the screen and he turned around to see what’d happened. The camera zoomed in on the ref. “Intentional grounding. Five yard penalty.”

  The calls in this game had been lousy.

  The quarterback threw a long pass only to get picked off at the twenty-yard line. “Fuck.” He took a long pull of his beer.

  Rielle sauntered in front of the TV. Naked. “So. You wanna score with me?”

  He glanced at the clock. Three minutes remained in the third quarter. If he could hold her off that long, then he could give her the kind of hard, fast fuck she liked. Tons of commercials and sportscaster bullshit played between quarters anyway so he wouldn’t miss much of the fourth quarter.

  “I saw that! For just a split second you were torn between staying on the couch and watching football or taking me to bed.”

  “Hey, I always want to take you to bed. Always. But Ree. Honey. It’s the last game before playoffs.”

  “And your team is winning?”

  “Ah, no. But there’s a chance they can come back…” He angled his head, trying to see around her. What the hell was that penalty flag about? Jesus. Was it on the damn defense? Were they seeing the signals at all?

  Rielle walked off. The door to his bedroom slammed.

  No misinterpreting that signal.

  Why the hell did she have to pick right now for a tumble? Couldn’t she wait another seventeen minutes and twelve seconds until the game ended?

  Really? A stupid football game is more important than hot and dirty sex with the woman you love? You’re an asshole.

  Fuck.

  Gavin scrambled off the couch and paused in front of his bedroom door, opening it cautiously in case Rielle decided to throw some shit at him—which he deserved. But the bedroom was dark and quiet and he didn’t see her. “Rielle?”

  “Go away,” came from beneath the covers.

  He sat on the edge of the bed and reached for the blanket-covered lump, but he jerked his hand back at the last minute when he heard a muffled sound. He heard it again. Sounded like a…sob.

  Shit. Was she crying?

  Gavin pulled the covers back and she curled into a little ball, further away from him.

  You’re an asshole.

  “Ree. I’m sorry.”

  “Go away.”

  “I’m here now.” He put his hand on her butt and rubbed. “We could—”

  “No! I will not be a quick fuck during a break in your stupid football game.”

  Tell her it’s not the end of the quarter yet.

  He should’ve earned some points for walking away from a game in progress, right?

  You’re an asshole.

  “Please talk to me.”

  Rielle pushed up and glared at him. “I don’t do this seduction stuff. And whenever I try, I feel like a total idiot because it doesn’t have any effect on you and I’m never doing it again. So go away.”

  His gaze dipped to her chest. Damn. She’d already put on her nightgown.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. Now you’re staring at my tits when they’re covered up, but you couldn’t be bothered when they were bouncing right in front of your face? Get. Out.”

  Man. He’d fucked this up. “Look. I’m sorry. I’ve spent a lot of years by myself, watching football games uninterrupted. And I didn’t handle…you wanting my attention, in the best way.”

  “Ya think?”

  Anything he said would likely piss her off, so he kept his stupid mouth shut.

  “Do you know why I’m upset?”

  Do not say because I didn’t drop everything and fuck you.

  Luckily, she jumped right in and answered. “You are so smooth. Seducing me with words. You’ve got all the hot sex moves and you know a hundred ways to turn me inside out. You intimidate me sometimes, Gavin.”

  That brought him up short. “I intimidate you…sexually?”

  Rielle blushed but she didn’t look away. “Yes. You know I don’t have—didn’t have—much experience before we got together.”

  “Why would you think I did?”

  “Because you’re amazing in bed!”

  Gavin felt cocky even when he wanted to laugh. Time to come clean. From the bottom drawer of his armoire he took out the four books he’d hidden. “You have no idea how happy it makes me that you think I’m amazing in bed. Despite what you think, that’s not because I have some type of…McKay sexual history.”

  “You don’t?”

  “No. I knew from the first time I kissed you we’d end up in bed. And I wanted to make it good for you, Ree. I wanted you to think I was amazing in bed and I might be the same kind of sex stud my brothers and cousins are rumored to be.” Gavin tossed the four how-to sex books on the bed. “So I bought these. I read them cover to cover and hoped like hell I could remember anything when I finally got you naked with me.”

  Rielle stared at the books, frowned and looked at him. “I don’t understand.”

  Gavin blushed. “I had to read up on how to be a good lover. Because before you? I didn’t have a clue.”

  “Did these books help?”

  “Some. But being with you…my instincts took over. Your body, your eyes, every sexy little moan you made taught me what I needed to do to be the lover you want. The lover you deserve. The lover I’ve always wanted to be, but I’ve only ever been with you.”

  Silence.

  Way to throw it all out there, loser.

  “Oh my God, Gavin Daniels, I love you.”

  He froze. “For real?”

  She nodded.

  “Because I wasn’t some macho stud in bed before I met you?”

  She nodded again.

  That made no sense…and yet perfect sense because this was Rielle. “You are one weird-ass woman, but I’ll take it.” Grinning, he said, “So…you love me, huh?”

  “Yes. Even though you are a pain in the ass sports fanatic. Who ignores a naked woman for football.”

  “I’m here now, aren’t I?” He kissed her. “And just so we’re clear. I’m in love with you too.”

  He stripped, ripped away the covers completely and crawled on top of her.

  “Gavin. Don’t you want to—”

  “Nope.” He smoothed his hands up the insides of her bare thighs. “Goddamn. I’m already hard. You—” his mouth meandered down her throat, “—have cast a spell on me.”

  “Same.” She groaned. “Yes, put your mouth right there.”

  “You do like that,” he murmured, teasing the spot with his teeth and tongue.

  “I love that.” Rielle moaned again. “It’s another one of those hot spots I wasn’t even aware I had.”

  Gavin mouthed the tip of her breast through the thin fabric of her nightgown.

  Rielle hissed and arched back, thrusting more of her breast into his hot mouth.

  He sucked her nipple through the sheer fabric. Then switched sides, lost in the way she clung to him and how much he loved having her nails digging into his back.

  But he wanted her naked.

  “Lift up so I can take this off.”

  She kissed him with sweet fire. Then she pushed him away with a smirk.

  “What?”

  “Go watch your game.”

  “What? Now?”

  “Yes, now.�
�

  “But…” I’m as hard as a fucking two by four.

  “I know you wanna watch it. And from now on, I won’t seduce you on game day, at least until the game is over.”

  He grinned. “Rielle Wetzler, you are the perfect woman.”

  “You know it.”

  Gavin slipped on his sweat pants. “You really don’t mind?”

  “I’ll be right here, waiting. I’ve got some good reading material. Who knows what new things I’ll learn when I’m flipping through your sex books?”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Late January…

  Freedom could be spelled one way: C-A-R.

  God. Her life had gotten so much better in the last month since she could drive.

  No more begging rides.

  No more sitting around doing nothing.

  No more waiting for Marin to toss her a few scraps of friendship. She made her own fun and her own friends.

  She’d met a lot of people at house parties the last four weekends, when she, a lowly sophomore, became the undisputed beer pong champion. She preened at the comments about living up to the McKay reputation.

  Sierra Daniels had arrived.

  Her transformation had started during Christmas break, when her mom had lifted her curfew, handed her the keys to her Escalade and told her to have fun. Wasn’t it proof of how awesome she was that so many people from her old school wanted to hang out with her?

  Amazing how many friends you have when you’ve got wheels and booze, isn’t it?

  She shoved that bullshit thought aside. People liked her. And she liked herself.

  Her dad hadn’t wanted her to go out tonight, but that was too bad. After all the times she’d sat at home by herself since they’d moved to Wyoming, it served him right to spend a night or two alone. Besides, if Rielle had been around this weekend, he wouldn’t have even noticed she was gone.

  “Sierra!” Kara yelled from across the room. “Come here, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

  Sierra weaved through the crowd, saying hi to some people, hugging others. She’d heard the buzz around school after she’d started going to parties that she wasn’t the stuck-up rich girl that people thought.

  “This is the one I was telling you about,” Kara said to the guy sitting next to her, who was probably five or six years older than her. “Sierra, Tyler. Tyler goes to Vo-Tech in Gillette.”