by Sable Hunter
Judah groaned, “God, you slay me. You ought to be the one writing songs, that was the hottest thing I’ve ever heard.” Angling his hips, he bucked forward, sinking all the way in, burying himself as deep as he could in her softness.
Pepper could feel him trembling and she understood, their connection wasn’t commonplace. He was her first and only lover, but she couldn’t imagine anything being more perfect than this. Having him inside of her like this was Pepper’s dearest fantasy. He was so large, so hard, she shut her eyes and concentrated on the wonder of his possession. She brushed kisses on his chest, rubbed her hands up and down his back, and massaged the length of his cock by clenching and unclenching her feminine muscles. “I love this so much.”
Judah cradled her bottom with one hand, anchoring her to him as he increased his speed, pistoning into her velvet heat, moving faster and harder. With every pass he made, pleasure radiated from her core in waves. She moved against him restlessly, her nipples rasping against his chest hair with every thrust. Her breasts ached as exquisitely as her pussy. Her whole body was on fire for this man.
Deep within her, she felt a climax began to build, the promise of rapture coiled inside of her, tighter and tighter. All she could do was strain for it. “More, please! Faster!” she begged.
Banding his arms around her, Judah pummeled into her, latching his teeth to her neck and sucking on the tender skin as his cock hammered in and out. In and out. Over and over.
Pepper gasped and closed her eyes, unable to breathe as a tsunami of white hot pleasure washed over her. Her heart stuttered as she reached her peak. Her pussy clamped down on him, and she clawed at his back, a cry of ecstasy filling the air.
Judah felt his balls draw up and tighten as he neared his release. With one more mighty thrust, he buried himself deep, a powerful orgasm throwing him into a sea of pleasure unlike any he’d ever known. Roaring her name, the edges of his vision faded to black as he emptied himself deep within her.
Long minutes later, they curled up together, finding peace in one another’s arms.
* * *
“You’ll love it at Lost Pines. We’ll have a cabin all to ourselves and we can go horseback riding or hiking, just enjoy the great outdoors and each other.” Pepper was more than excited to get him out of the city and out of the limelight. She’d hit the streets of downtown Austin as soon as the stores opened, buying what she’d need to survive for a few days until she could get back to Highlands and pack a bag.
“Tanner Barron, that name seems familiar,” Judah mused.
“Well, it should, you probably know his wife. She’s a musician too.”
“Who?” Judah asked as he turned off I35 and headed west on 71 toward Bastrop.
“Tanner’s married to Desiree Holt, the current Queen of country music.”
“Holy shit,” Judah muttered. “Are you sure we aren’t jumping from the frying pan to the fire? She’s sure to be surrounded by paparazzi and music industry folks.”
“No.” Pepper shook her head. “Desiree is extremely private. They keep Lost Pines separate from her public life.”
“I’ll have to ask for some pointers,” Judah mused. “I used to think if I ever made it big, I’d never want to be out of the public eye. Now, all I crave is privacy.”
As they drove from the hills of Austin to the piney woods near Bastrop, Judah saw what looked to be a hitchhiker. A woman walking along the side of the road. He noticed her because she wore this long, white flowing dress. She didn’t appear to be in distress, but he hated to see a woman walking along. To be on the safe side, he slowed down. “Did you see that woman hitchhiking?”
Pepper looked behind them. “No, I must have missed her. I was thinking about something else.”
Judah was about to put on his blinker to turn around when he noticed someone else on the side of the road. To his unease, he realized it was the same woman. This time when he passed her, she waved at him.
He didn’t wave back and he didn’t mention it to Pepper.
Between there and the turn-off to Lost Pines, he saw the woman twice more.
So, what the hell did that mean? Did his delusions have to mean something? What if he was seeing ghosts? Hell, he didn’t know if that would be better or worse.
“There’s the turn-off up ahead, Judah.” Pepper pointed to a small dirt road. There was no sign indicating they were approaching a guest ranch, this gave him some reassurance. As they headed down the narrow lane, he felt himself begin to relax. Maybe this was a wise thing after all.
The first house they passed was small. “I think that’s where the caretaker lives, a couple who look after the property when the Barron’s aren’t home.” As they ventured deeper into the forest, a beautiful home came into view. The log house fit in so naturally with the surroundings that it might have sprung forth from the ground rather than being built. “That’s Tanner and Desiree’s house. Just pull in there and we’ll let them know we’re here.”
Just as soon as they climbed from the vehicle, the front door opened so hard the screen door smashed against the side of the house. “Pepper! It’s good to see you! And what do we have here? A rock star!”
Judah realized the small tornado moving toward them was Desiree Holt. She was a legend in Austin, but he’d never met her in person. What hit him first was how much smaller she seemed to be in person and that she was younger than he’d imagined. He didn’t know her exact age, but he knew she’d been a force in the industry for a number of years.
“Desiree, it’s good to see you. Yes, this is Judah James. Judah, this is Desiree Holt and her husband, Tanner Barron.”
Judah shook hands with the mega-star and her husband, a big rugged cowboy with a mile-wide smile on his face. “I’m grateful you allowed us to come.”
Tanner gestured toward the house. “I’m glad you’re here. Desiree needed a distraction. She’s been writing songs non-stop for the past couple of days.”
Looking around, Judah could see why. “I can’t say I’m surprised, this place seems to be ideal. Peaceful. Inspirational.” He took in the impressive vista. Deep forests. A crystal blue lake. Wild deer grazing in the pasture. “I bet I can crank out a few myself.”
“Good, that’s what we like to hear. Desiree has her heart set on billing this place as a refuge for artists.”
“You folks come on in,” Desiree encouraged them. “I’ll put on a pot of coffee and cut you a piece of blackberry pie.”
Judah smiled and kissed Pepper on the nose. “You were right, this is exactly what I needed.” He put his arm around her and they followed Tanner and Desiree into their home.
CHAPTER TWELVE
As soon as they entered the welcoming interior of the Barron’s home, the sound of a baby crying met their ears.
“Oh, she’s up, Tanner. If you’ll go get her, I’ll warm her bottle.”
“Gladly.” Tanner headed to the stairs. “Our daughter is a demanding little soul.”
“You two come with me, like Tanner said, I’m hungry for company. I’ve been experiencing this amazing influx of inspiration. I can’t seem to write down the lyrics and melody of one song before another is clamoring for attention.”
She led them into a cozy kitchen with a big, comfortable table with cushioned bench seating. “Just find yourself a spot, while I put on the coffee. Tanner likes me to brew it, he can’t stand those little cup thingys.”
“Those K-cups don’t seem to make the coffee hot enough for me,” Judah agreed with her. “You have a beautiful home, Mrs. Holt.”
“Thank you. Please call me Desiree, Judah.” She got busy in the kitchen.
He laughed. “All right, Desiree, but I have to tell you I find it hard to do. You’re like my idol. I grew up watching you sing.”
“Watch it.” She shook her finger at him, giving Judah a mock frown. “I’ll be straight up-front with you, I’m sensitive about my age.”
“I don’t know why, you just keep getting more beautiful to me.” Tanner arrived
carrying a little girl with a halo of blonde curls standing straight up on her head.
“Aww, you always know the right thing to say, sweetheart.” Desiree gave Tanner a kiss, then took her daughter from his arms. “Everyone, meet Mary Celeste, the boss of this joint.”
Pepper’s eyes brightened and she reached for the baby. “Oh, please, let me hold her. I love babies.”
“Sure!” Desiree deposited the little girl in Pepper’s arms. “Judah, how do you take your coffee?”
“Black, but Pepper takes three sugars and two creams.”
Tanner laughed. “Oh, she takes a little coffee with her sugar, does she?”
Judah winked at Pepper. “That’s why she’s so sweet.”
While Desiree poured up the coffee, Tanner sliced the pie. “So, I have the cabin down by the creek all fixed up for you,” Tanner said as he handed them both a big slice of the blackberry pastry. “It’s fully stocked with everything you’ll need. There’s wood for the fireplace, but I think it’s too warm for a fire. We have horses when you’re ready for a trail ride, or you could hike, and if you decide to fish, I have plenty of extra gear.”
“Sounds heavenly,” Pepper said as she smiled at Mary Celeste who was blowing bubbles and grinning at her like she was the funniest thing she’d ever seen. “Ten told me about your plans for the Wilderness Camp, I think that’s a great idea, Tanner.”
“I agree. So many young people are hungry to get out of the city. I think we’ll be able to do a lot of good.” They settled down to have pie and coffee. “We’re thinking about bringing Bowie Travis Malone and Beau LeBlanc in on the deal.”
“That’s a good idea, Bowie can do anything from cave diving to fly fishing and Beau can teach them target shooting and how to use a bow and arrow.” Pepper took a bite of the pie. “This is fabulous, Desiree!”
“Thank you.” She beamed with happiness. “I tell you, I’ve never been happier than I have this past year and a half. I’m so glad to get off the road. Touring is great, but there’s no place like home.”
Judah nodded. “I thought I would enjoy touring more than I did, it gets old fast.”
“Exactly,” Desiree agreed, rising to pour her husband another cup of coffee. “Anyone else?” Judah and Pepper passed as she continued to speak. “I find that in the age of music videos, You-Tube, and live concert streaming, I can keep my music in front of my fans as easily as taking the music to their hometown.”
“What label are you with now?” Judah asked.
Desiree rejoined them, placing Tanner’s coffee by his plate. “My own. Yellow Rose Recording.” She cut a bite of pie, but her arm froze before she got it to her mouth. “You’re with Ace, aren’t you?”
Judah sighed. “Yea, sorry to say.”
“I’ve heard about their problems. There was a new report on the news this morning.”
“Oh, no,” Judah said. “I haven’t heard. Have they declared bankruptcy or something?”
“No.” Desiree shook her head. “They announced it was Ivana Paul’s record that was boosted, not yours.”
Judah felt an immense sense of relief. “Thank goodness for that.” At least that was one less thing he had to worry about.
“You know…” Desiree looked between them with a happy, conspiratorial expression on her face. “You ought to sign with me. I have connections out the ying-yang.”
“Really?” Judah was surprised. “I’m not really a country singer, Desiree.”
She waved her hand. “Neither is Heartland, but I just signed them.”
Judah’s eyes widened at the name of the hot rock band. “Oh, wow. Reese and I would love to discuss the possibility with you.”
“Excellent!”
“You two are so busy, what with Desiree’s career and Lost Pines, not to mention Tanner’s tracking and the new camp.” Pepper was hit anew by her lack of a plan, a goal. Judah was her prime focus, but she also needed some type of project or career to call her own.
“Speaking of the camp.” Tanner threw down his napkin. “Would you like to see the blue prints?”
“I would!” Pepper rose and looked at Judah.
Before he could rise to join them, Desiree held out her arms for the baby and looked from Pepper to Judah. “You two go on, Pepper. I’d like to speak with Judah about a few things.”
Knowing they had business to discuss, Pepper didn’t mind at all. “Of course, sure.”
“The plans are in the den,” Tanner said. “We’ll be right back.”
When they were gone, Judah placed his fork across the back of his clean pie plate. “Desiree, before we talk serious business, you are aware of my…problem, aren’t you?”
The country singer bounced her baby on her knee. “I saw the news, yes. I’ve also been the victim of an expose, so I can relate.” At his confused expression, she giggled. “How did you miss it? When word got out that Tanner and I were dating, the music world went crazy because I was robbing the cradle. They called him Cougar Bait.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. You two are perfect together, what do they know?”
She smiled in agreement. “Yea, but couple that with my near mental breakdown and the gossipmongers had more fodder than they knew what to do with.”
“Your what?” Judah couldn’t have heard her right.
“My therapist called it PTSD, I’d survived two assaults and a surgery where I had a bad reaction to anesthesia.” She kissed Mary Celeste on the cheek. “I almost lost my mind. I couldn’t sit still, I couldn’t ride on a plane, I had to sleep outdoors, I couldn’t stand the dark.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I was a certifiable mess.” Desiree heard her husband’s voice in the other room. “Tanner saved me.” Looking out the window at Lost Pines, she muttered softly, “This place saved me.”
Judah thought a minute. “I don’t think my situation is comparable to yours. I’ve been diagnosed with schizophrenia.” He pointed to the toaster. “Any minute, I could get an important message from that toaster over there.”
Desiree laughed. “Well, if you do, let me know. The damn thing burns my toast every morning. I’d love to give it a piece of my mind.”
“No, I’m serous. I see things. I hear things. I have conversations with people who aren’t there, I get lyrics from oak trees. Hell, I saw a hitchhiker on the way here. A woman. Doesn’t sound odd, but I saw the same exact hitchhiker three times. Somehow, she kept getting ahead of the car.” He tapped his forehead. “I’m the one that’s certifiable. Literally.”
“Yet, you’re a success. You’re talented.” She pointed to the door that Tanner and Pepper had left through. “And one of the most beautiful women in Texas is in love with you.” She drained her coffee cup. “You get music from trees, you say?”
“Yea, some good songs.”
Desiree gazed out at the surrounding forest. “I’ll have to have a word with my pines, they’re falling down on the job.” She grinned when Judah chuckled. “And if it’s any consolation, that hitchhiker you saw wasn’t a hallucination. Belladonna has been haunting that highway for years.”
Judah’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t get a chance to reply. Tanner and Pepper returned. “If you’re ready, I’ll show you the cabin,” Tanner offered.
“Sounds good.” Pepper retrieved her purse and stole a kiss from the baby. “I want six just like you.”
“Six?” Judah asked in mock surprise.
“At least.” Pepper teased.
“Just follow me down there,” Tanner told them. “I’ll help you with your bags.”
“And Judah,” Desiree spoke behind them. “Think about what I said. The Yellow Rose would make a fine home for your music.”
“Thank you.” He hugged her. “I will certainly think about it.”
…Once they were alone, Judah stood out on the porch looking over the landscape. “Would you like to have a place like this someday?”
Pepper hugged him from behind. “The place you live isn’t nearly as important as the people you live with.”
He covered her hands with his, pressing them into his chest. “I agree, wholeheartedly. Where would you be happiest, all other things being equal?”
She kissed his back. “If I could take my family with me, I would choose a country lifestyle. I love having flower gardens and a place to roam.”
“Good to know.” He turned his head to kiss her over his shoulder. “Are you ready to explore?”
For the next few hours, they took Lost Pines in. After a long hike through the woods, they cooled off by the creek and enjoyed a picnic lunch Pepper had packed from the supplies in the cabin’s larder. After lunch, they mounted up and rode horseback around the entire perimeter of the ranch. When they returned to the cabin, they cleaned up and sacked out in a rustic four-poster on the screened in porch, wearing nothing more than towels.
“What do you think about Desiree’s offer to sign you with her record label?”
“I think it’s well worth consideration. I intend to look into it closely.”
“Good. Maybe you can get away from Ivana. She’s bad news.”
“Amen to that.” He held her right hand in his left one, their heads resting on the same pillow. “I just wish I could combat some of the gossip going around. People need to know I’m not dangerous or frothing at the mouth or something. I hate to even look at my sales figures.”
“This will work out. You’ll get a chance to say your piece and once you sign with a new record label and get a new song out there, everything will get back to normal. You’re too talented to keep down, it’s just not going to happen.”
Her confidence in him was heartening. “You’re so good for me. I wish I could give you the same amount of support that you give me.”
“You do,” Pepper asserted. “I love my family, but you’re my happiness. Of course, if you think of any worthwhile contribution I can make to society, please let me know.”