Blackwood

by Celia Aaron

  “I need to work on that for the next election cycle.” His easy smile was contagious. No wonder Bonnie had a crush.

  “These are nice.” Rory walked over and ran his hand along the handlebars of one of the ATVs. “You still planning on doing your surveying, Miss Vale?”

  “Looks like it. Garrett was nice enough to get the ATVs, so it should cut my field time in half.”

  Rory looked up and caught my eye. “You know, I’m pretty familiar with these parts. I’d be happy to help you—”

  “You’re about to freeze out here.” Garrett’s voice turned gruff as he walked around the car and took my upper arm. “Come on inside.” He started walking me toward the steps but called over his shoulder to Sheriff Crow. “Glad you and Junior Mouseketeer Rory stopped by.”

  “It’s Deputy Fields.” Rory snapped.

  Sheriff Crow cleared his throat. “Uh, all right. We need to skedaddle. Got a report of a…a poacher on Mr. Bowry’s property. Yep.”

  “We did?” Rory didn’t seem convinced.

  “Yeah, come on, son.” Sheriff Crow chuckled. “Let’s go check it out and leave them to it.”

  “Nice to meet you, Miss Vale.” Rory’s hopeful voice only spurred Garrett to tighten his grip as he helped me up the stairs.

  “I’m fine,” I hissed as Garrett walked me through the front door and slammed it behind us. “I can walk.”

  He whirled to face me. “I know, and Rory Dickhead watched every step you took.”

  “He was just trying to be polite. What’s your problem?”

  He backed me into the door, and my body tingled with the memories of what happened the last time we were in this position. “My problem is that I don’t like him looking at you.”

  The sound of the sheriff’s engine died away.

  “That doesn’t give you a license to be an asshole!”

  “I think it does.” His voice lowered.

  I met his eyes and licked my lips. He followed the movement and bent his arms at the elbow until his body pressed against mine. My breath hitched, and I gripped his waist.

  My desire for him, the fire that had burned low over the past few days, roared back. I couldn’t deny it, not anymore. Rising onto my tiptoes, I kissed him. He answered, smashing his lips against mine in a blaze of passion as he cupped my face. A low growl rumbled in his chest as his tongue swept into me. I trembled, all hint of the cold disappearing.

  My nipples hardened and crushed into his chest as he ran one hand down to my ass. He squeezed hard, and I moaned into his mouth. His other hand dropped to my throat. I dug my nails into his sides as he pulled me close. My panties grew wet, and I ground against him shamelessly.

  His hand tightened at my neck, and I bit his bottom lip. The sting of pain seemed to bring him back to himself in the worst way. He broke our kiss and stared down at me.

  “What?” My voice barely made a sound.

  “I won’t hurt you. Not like this.” He backed away and held his hands up. “I won’t.”

  The stab of rejection sank deep inside me like a poisoned splinter. “Why?”

  “You’re too…” His chest heaved, and his cock pressed against his jeans. “I can’t do this to you.”

  His face began to blur as tears clouded my vision. “You can’t or you don’t want to?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” He took another step away, then turned his back on me. “I won’t hurt you.”

  “Fuck you.” I wanted to hit him, shove him, do something to show him that I wasn’t going to break. “I didn’t call black.”

  His shoulders slumped. “I know, but I feel like…”

  “Like what?” I demanded.

  “I feel like if I do those things to you, those things that I want—” He let out a heavy sigh. “Look, it doesn’t matter. It’s just not going to happen. Things are good the way they are. Let’s keep them that way.”

  I dropped my head and two tears plopped to the floor.

  “I’m going to work. You, um, you get ready to start surveying or something.” He walked toward the library.

  I turned my head away from him. I didn’t want him to see me cry. A flash of red caught my eye. My pea coat hung on a hook along with other jackets in the foyer.

  I blinked hard, ridding myself of the tears. He opened the French doors to the library, his back to me. In a moment of pure impulse, I snagged the red coat and pulled it on. He still hadn’t turned around.

  With a deep breath, I gripped the front door handle and pulled.

  He turned then, and shot me a look so fierce I almost faltered.

  “What are you doing, Red?” The warning notes in his voice only strengthened my resolve.

  I gave him a smirk and my middle finger before taking off across the porch, down onto the lawn, and into the cold, shadowy woods.

  Chapter Eighteen

  I ran fast but not hard enough to re-injure my leg. Sprinting across the leaf-strewn ground, I felt electric. Each stride carried me away from Garrett, but also right into his arms. I’d made my choice. I hopped a small stream and cut to the left, dashing down an easy slope.

  My feet skidded on a patch of wet leaves. I slowed to keep from falling. That’s when I heard Garrett’s footfalls. A thrill coursed through me. My body kicked into a higher gear, and I sped away, endorphins telling me I could beat him, that I could get away even if that wasn’t my intent.

  I passed the silent trees. They watched as I ran for my life, my mind conjuring a killer chasing me down. A killer with Garrett’s face. The fear took me higher, gave me wings as I sprinted through a clearing. Garrett’s footfalls grew louder, the earth thundering beneath him as I broke through the tree line and darted to the right.

  Five more steps. That was all I got. Garrett tackled me to the ground, his strong arms wrapping around me as we fell. I hit the forest floor hard, my breath escaping my lungs with a whoosh. He grunted, and I threw an elbow back into his ribs as I tried to crawl away from him.

  “Not a chance, Red.” He gripped my upper arm and yanked me onto my back. Pinning my arms above my head, he glared down at me. His pulse thundered in his throat, and his eyes were wild, the pupils huge.

  He straddled me, his strong thighs keeping my legs pressed together. Transferring my wrists to one hand, he used the other to grab a handful of my t-shirt.

  “I won’t let you go. I can’t. Not now.” He yanked the shirt, and it ripped at my shoulders. “Call black.”

  “No.” I tried to pull my wrists free, but his grip was like an iron band.

  He yanked again, and the shirt came apart. Cold air assaulted my exposed skin, and my thin bra was no match for the frigid temperature. He leaned down and bit one of my nipples through the material. I arched and whimpered as he tongued me, then bit the other nipple.

  In one rough movement, he ripped my bra down, one strap shredding against my skin with a sting. He bit the inside of my left breast hard, and I squealed at the sharp burn.

  “Call black.” He growled and ran his hand to my jeans.

  “Fuck you!” I wriggled, a stick poking against my right shoulder blade.

  He tugged at my jeans so hard my hips lifted from the ground. The button popped off and the zipper ripped. When his fingers snaked inside my panties and down to my clit, I threw my head back onto the hard ground.

  “Jesus, your panties are soaked.” He rubbed my clit, then sank two fingers inside me.

  I yelped at the sudden intrusion. In answer, he bit my other breast hard enough to almost break the skin.

  “Garret!” I struggled, arching my back and trying to yank free. Did I want to get free? Lust infected every one of my thoughts as he handled me roughly.

  “Call fucking black.” He leaned back and released my hands only to grab the hem of my jeans and rip them and my panties down my thighs.

  I instinctively flipped onto my knees and tried to crawl away. His large palm slammed into my upper back and pressed me into the cold ground. I clawed at the dirt and the leaves, but got n
owhere as he yanked my jeans all the way off, my sneakers pulled off right along with them. I was naked except for the red coat.

  His hand came down hard on my ass, and I shrieked. The sharp ache cut through my haze, and I fought against him. He hit me again and again, each slap as unforgiving as the last. The cold amplified the pain to almost unbearable levels. My ass burned and tears welled in my eyes as he beat me. When the slaps stopped, I heaved out a breath, but then he bit my ass, tearing another scream from me.

  “Fuck!” He roared and bit me again, then flipped me onto my back.

  His hair hung in disarray, and he was every bit as wild as the forest around us. Danger and desire mixed.

  “Call fucking black.” He surveyed my body with a hunger that made wetness pool between my legs.

  “Never.”

  “Wrong answer, Red.”

  Spreading my legs, he dove onto my pussy, his hot mouth licking and sucking. He pressed my thighs painfully wide with his palms. I ran my dirty hands through his hair and yanked. He growled against my skin and bit my pussy lips. I cried out, and he sank his tongue inside me, fucking me as his upper lip pressed against my clit. He dug his fingers into my thighs as I moved my hips against his face. My body was drawn tight, ready to be shot like an arrow. Each stroke with his tongue, each rough touch of his hands only made me burn brighter.

  He returned to my clit, lashing it with his tongue as I writhed on the dirty ground. Just when my hips began to seize, he stopped and rose to his knees.

  “Don’t fucking move.” He unbuckled his belt.

  I stared at the bulge in his jeans, then up into his dark eyes. Fuck him. He would have to fight for it. I scrambled back and tried to get to my knees. He was on top of me before I could even contemplate my next move. His weight pressed down, and his cock was like an iron rod against my pussy.

  He gripped my chin and forced me to meet his eyes.

  “You’re mine, Red. Where the fuck did you think you were going?” He ground his hips into me, and I moaned. “You asked for this. For my cock. I’m going to give it to you. Your dripping cunt is mine.”

  I tried to slap him, hit him, do anything I could to have one more chance at running. I wanted him angry, hungry, and past all reason. And I wanted to be caught.

  He laughed as I struggled, then dropped his mouth to my neck and bit me again.

  “Stop!” I screamed and raked my nails down his arm.

  “I like your fight, but I’m still going to do whatever I want to you.” He tugged my hair until I had to arch my back, my breasts jutting into the air and my ruined bra hanging to the side. “Don’t move.” Rising to his knees, he whipped his belt free.

  He gripped my hips and wrenched me over onto my stomach. With two hard pulls, he stripped my coat off and threw it aside. I tried to push up, but he took the opportunity to loop his belt around my throat and pull it tight. Panic blossomed in my mind.

  I reached up to work my fingers between the leather and my skin so I could breathe easier.

  He yanked on it, cutting off my air. “Try that again, and you’ll regret it.”

  I nodded as he pulled me onto my knees.

  He eased up, and I gulped in a breath.

  The sound of his zipper was loud in the quiet woods. I curled my toes in anticipation, needing to feel him, to feel everything he kept hidden, but also afraid of what I’d find.

  “Last chance, Red.” He ran his hand up my back and gripped my hair. “Call black.”

  “Fuck you.”

  His low laugh seemed to chill the air even further. “You sure?” He pressed his cock against my pussy, and a shudder went through me.

  I surged against his hold, still fighting, still pushing him. The leather tightened, and my scalp stung.

  “Scream for me.” He shoved inside me.

  I howled from the sudden shock of pain and the sensation of being full to bursting. He didn’t stop, only reared back and slammed harder into me, using the belt to keep me in place. Releasing my hair, he slapped his palm onto my lower back and pushed down, forcing me to bow my back as he began a relentless pace.

  My breath vanished, and I clawed at the ground as the pain sizzled away like water droplets on a hot pan. Raw pleasure shot through me, and I shook from each impact. Our bodies slapped together, and the slippery sounds from our union made an illicit soundtrack.

  I’d never felt so alive. He slapped my ass, but the pain morphed into something different. Something with wings. I flew higher, each cruel stroke setting my body on fire and tightening the coil in the pit of my stomach. His grunts grew louder as he pulled on the belt. I could barely take a breath. He bent over me, his chest against my back as he pressed me into the ground. My cheek met the cold leaves as he snaked a hand to my clit.

  I tried to buck, but he was too big. I was caught beneath him, his cock owning my pussy as his fingers strummed me roughly.

  He pressed his lips to my ear. “I’m going to come deep in your cunt. That’s what you want, what you need.” He ran his teeth along the shell of my ear. “I own you, Red.”

  My entire body shook as he ground me into the dirt. All of it was wrong, but I reveled in it. My body seized, he tightened his hold on the belt, and the hardest orgasm of my life ripped through me. He plunged deep and roared as my pussy convulsed around him.

  “Fuck!” He slammed harder, his cock thickening even more.

  All thought was blasted away as the purest form of bliss filled my veins. I let my forehead rest against the hard earth as electricity skittered across my body.

  He didn’t let up, still fucking me deep. His erotic groan filled my mind as his cock kicked against my tight walls, and he surged hard against my cervix. He dug his fingers into the side of my ass as he came. I welcomed the pain and breathed in the dirt, the sweat, the sex.

  He collapsed onto my back and loosened the belt. I gasped as the aftershocks of my orgasm shot through me. He panted in my ear, his heart beating strong against my back. I floated down slowly, see-sawing back and forth like a feather on the breeze.

  My eyes fluttered closed as he removed the belt and stroked my neck with his long fingers. I couldn’t move, every bone in me melted. He pulled out, and I clenched my thighs together at the loss. My body trembled. From shock. From cold. I didn’t know.

  He moved around in the leaves, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I felt untethered, surreal. His hands, so violent only moments before, gently pulled my shoulders and turned me toward him. He eased an arm behind my back and one beneath my knees and lifted.

  I snuggled closer to his chest as he knelt, then tossed my red coat over me. My eyes closed, and I entrusted myself to him. He carried me to the house in silence, up the familiar stairs, and into my bathroom.

  Sitting me on the edge of the tub, he kissed my forehead, then peered into my eyes. “You’re coming back down, Red. The bath will help.”

  He twisted the squeaky knobs, and water began splashing behind me. He stood and stripped his navy plaid shirt off, the sleeves covered with dark dirt. His jeans, the knees black, went next. I gripped the edge of the tub to stay upright. Had he drugged me when I wasn’t looking?

  “I feel…” I couldn’t mold my thoughts together enough to continue.

  “It’s called subspace. So many endorphins in your bloodstream that it’s like you’ve taken a hit of heroin.” He stripped off his shorts, and I stared at his thickening cock. Fuck, it was gorgeous. A thick mushroom head and a straight, lickable shaft. “But you’re about to crash.”

  He stepped into the tub and hissed, then tinkered with the knobs. Once satisfied, he gripped me under my arms and pulled me down with him.

  I moaned at the hot water, my skin prickling at the onslaught of comfort and warmth.

  Garrett’s erection twitched against my ass. “Do you have any idea what the noises you make do to me?” He wrapped his arms around me, and I relaxed against his chest.

  “I can guess.” I wriggled my ass.

  He growled. “Y
ou’re playing with fire, Red.”

  “Burn me, then.” I sighed, contentment coating every corner of my mind.

  His hands smoothed down my sides, lingering at the curve of my waist and then skirting along my upper thighs. “What am I going to do with you?” He turned me sideways, our legs tangling under the water.

  “I think you’ve already figured that out.” I stretched up and nipped at his throat.

  “Red.” The warning in his tone didn’t deter me, but my fatigue did. He wrapped his arms tight around me, pressing my softness against his hardness. I sank down and laid my head on his chest.

  “Are you…” He coughed. “Sorry, are you on birth control?”

  I snickered. “Yes. Maybe you should have asked that before having your way with me in the woods.”

  He squeezed me. “You didn’t really give me a choice there, Red. You ran.” He said it as if those two words explained everything.

  “Hang on a sec.” I grinned. “You’re cuddling. This is cuddling.”

  He shrugged, sending a small wave sloshing over the tub’s edge and slapping into the tile floor. “You make me do things that don’t make sense.”

  I traced my fingertips around the barbell in his dusky nipple. “Like what?”

  “Like cooking, like playing doctor without any of the pervy benefits, like cuddling, like not using a condom, or like taking baths with an angel in my arms.”

  If I weren’t already melted, his words would have done me in. “Smooth talker.”

  He laughed, the water trembling. “That’s the thing, I’m not. You’ve done this to me.”

  “I like it.”

  “Of course you do.” He shook his head, his beard whispering against my hair. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up. I want you warm and in bed with me.”

  “Cuddling?” I grinned up at him.

  He smirked and ran his hand between my legs. “Something like that.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  “That word is misspelled.” I peered over Garrett’s shoulder at the book he was working on. The text had been written in a harshly slanting hand, each letter seeming to lean on the next for support.