by Vivian Wood
“God you’re beautiful,” he said, his eyes devouring her. “Jesus.”
He kissed every inch of skin he could reach, saving the breasts for last. He kissed the top of her breasts, then worshipped a stiff pink nipple with his tongue and teeth through the thin lace of her bra.
She moaned. Her hands clutched at his shoulders, fingers digging into his skin. She felt like a live wire ran from her nipples straight to her core, threatening to burn her alive from the inside out.
Colt rocked her gently where she sat on top of him, and she picked up the motion with interest. She pressed herself down against him, gasping when she hit the right spot. Her clit throbbed as she rubbed her core back and forth.
He groaned, releasing her breast in favor of grabbing her hips. “Touch yourself,” he growled.
She blushed, but moved her hand down her abdomen, and underneath her panties.
“You’re so sexy, Rose,” he said, moving against her as she ground on him.
She slid two fingers against her clit, massaging gently. She was so slick with need, so wet. She closed her eyes, imagined his tongue moving against her, how it would make her toes curl.
It wasn’t enough, though. She’d never been able to come like this, no matter how good her imagination might be. Besides, she wanted him.
She opened her eyes, letting out a frustrated whine.
“You need more?” he asked, eyes dark with want. “Just tell me, Rose.”
“More,” she whispered. “I need your mouth.”
She moved off of him, skimming her panties down her legs. She laid down, propped up by her elbows.
To his credit, he didn’t fuck around. He moved between her legs, kissed the inside of her thigh, then the apex.
“Yes,” she murmured. “Yes…”
He spread her core with two fingers, then licked her pussy from top to bottom, nice and slow. Then he sealed his lips over her clit, and sucked it gently.
“Ah!” she cried, almost coming off the blanket with her excitement.
Colt moved his tongue over her clit in a swirling pattern, then alternated it with gentle sucking. She rocked her hips into his mouth over and over, feeling the incredible pleasure.
“I’m close,” she moaned. “So close…”
She was at the edge, ready to topple over. He shifted his weight, and very gently introduced two fingers to her tight, slick heat. The invasion was unexpected, but it felt so good.
She could feel her body tightening around his fingers, even as he sucked on her clit with more force. She rocked into him hard, and shattered.
It was freefall, it was nothingness. At the same time, she was aware that her body was shuddering and convulsing, that her core was clutching tightly at his fingers.
She slowly drifted back to earth as he was withdrawing. He kissed his way back up her body, kissed her lips.
Rose felt so overwhelmed by the orgasm, she was almost bereft upon finishing. She sat up and scrambled for her panties, in a total panic because she could feel tears threatening.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, sitting up and reaching out to touch her back.
“Nothing!” she said tearfully. “Just… I’m fine.”
She wasn’t fine; she could hear the tears in her own voice just as well as he could.
“Rose…”
She grabbed her dress, and dragged it over her head. Tears blurred her vision as she got up and put her shoes on. She was beyond embarrassed, and didn’t even know why. She didn’t know how to say that she was confused, or what she was crying about.
“Rose, will you wait?” he said, befuddled, as he scrambled to his feet
“I’ll be in the truck when you’re ready,” she managed. Leaving him there to pick up the remains of their picnic, she wiped at her eyes and hurried toward the truck.
She got in, tears streaming down her face. She watched as Colt approached the truck, his expression cautious. He opened the door, placed the backpack next to her.
He looked at her. “Rose, please don’t cry.”
“Just take me home!” she said, miserable.
His jaw tightened, but he climbed in the truck and started the engine. He backed his truck out, and threw it into gear.
Rose looked out the window, embarrassed beyond belief, wishing for nothing more than her own bed.
21
Colt was sitting in his truck outside Sawyer’s house, looking toward Rose’s. He hadn’t talked to her in days, deciding that she needed some space.
Now that it was the fourth day, he questioned his judgment. The problem was that he had no idea what was going on in her head. He still didn’t know exactly what had brought on her freak-out.
And after she’d freaked out in front of him, she'd completely shut down. There was no point in even talking to her.
He sighed and shifted in his seat, looking out at the main road. Colt spotted a group of men walking across the road to the diner, Jared Chalke amongst them.
He squinted at the men. Mostly they were older members of the community, men who owned large tracts of land.
That plus Jared Chalke didn’t add up to anything good, as far as Colt was concerned. It was straight up fishy for a real estate developer to be hanging out with some of the town’s decision makers.
He saw the sheriff’s bald head right there in the mix. Interesting that Sheriff Thorn would choose to hang out with Jared. The sheriff was usually too busy worrying about his image to spend time with such low-hanging fruit
Colt started his truck and pulled out slowly. Jared’s head turned as he went by; Colt had definitely gained his attention.
He mulled over the situation with Rose on the drive home. By the time he pulled up outside the bunkhouse, he’d come to the conclusion that he was going to have to call her, sooner or later.
He got out of the truck, heading into his apartment. The curs were unusually anxious today, whining and pacing.
“What’s going on?” he asked them, not that they could answer. He turned and looked around. “What, are you guys gonna Lassie me? Is Timmy in the well?”
His lips twitched at his own joke. He scanned the yard, thinking that something was out of place.
He looked around. Missy was usually someplace easy to find, but he didn’t see her now.
He whistled. “Missy!”
Twenty other curs showed up, but no Missy. He frowned.
After a quick search of the yard, he found her in the barn. She was in a hay-filled corner, lying with her eyes closed, no puppies evident. When he approached her, though, she growled at him.
He’d seen a hundred or more Catahoula curs born, and none of the births had involved such passivity. Usually once the labor pains came on, the puppies were out of the womb twenty minutes later.
“Shit,” he said.
Colt got closer, ignoring her growls. Her belly was moving, contracting, the puppies inside her ready to come out. When he tried to touch her, she snapped at him, using a bit of her reserved energy.
He withdrew. He needed to call Rose.
Pulling out his cell, he dialed her phone number. She picked up after the fourth ring.
“Hello?”
“Rose? It’s me,” he said, feeling a bit foolish.
There was a silence.
“Hey,” she said, awkward.
“I’m at the ranch. Missy’s in labor, but something’s not right.”
Another silence, then she sighed.
“Hold on, okay? I’ll be right over.”
He thanked her, then hung up.
“You’re gonna be okay, Missy,” he told her. “I’m about to go get some towels for you.”
He had to round up some towels from the main house, and got stuck talking to a tourist. By the time he headed back out to the barn, Rose was just pulling her car in beside his.
She climbed out, her dark hair gleaming in the sunlight. She shouldered her bag, spotting him.
She turned a particular shade of red, he noticed.
; “Hey,” he said, nodding toward the barn. “She’s in here.”
Rose’s mouth quirked. He lead her to the barn, where Missy lay. The dog growled at them, but it was less menacing than before.
“She’s tiring pretty quickly,” he said.
Rose nodded, putting her bag down. She knelt by Missy, who growled again.
“No more of that,” Rose crooned. “Let me get a look at you.”
She palpated the cur’s belly, then moved a leg to get a better view.
“Ah,” she said. “I think she just needs a little lubrication. That’ll help the puppies slide right out.”
Rose rooted around in her bag, producing a white tube. She put on a glove, then put some of the clear jelly on her fingers.
He turned, pacing to the door while she did her thing. When he turned around, she was pulling the glove off.
“We should give it like twenty minutes,” she said, standing up. “If she doesn’t start whelping by then, we can worry.”
Missy seemed to know that Rose had done something, because she rolled over and strained. After a second, the puppy’s hind legs were visible.
“See?” Rose said. “No big deal. Let’s go sit outside and give her some privacy.”
They headed outside, sitting on a pair of hay bales.
“Thanks,” he said, looking at her. “I appreciate you hurrying out here to see her, given how we left things the other day.”
She flushed. “I’m… I’m sorry about that. It wasn’t you.”
“So what was it?” he asked, staring at her intently.
Her throat worked as she swallowed. She looked down at her hands in her lap.
“I just… I panicked. I was feeling really good, and then suddenly I was crying. And I sort of flipped my lid because I was really embarrassed that I couldn’t control my emotions.”
She took a breath, then looked up, making eye contact with him. “I am sorry. And I don’t think you should have to put up with that sort of thing, honestly.”
He frowned. “Are you breaking up with me?”
“No! No. I’m just… I don’t know,” she said, looking away. “I’m crazy, you know? No one should have to deal with that.”
He stood up, and moved to touch her shoulder. “Hey.”
She looked up at him, gray eyes shining.
“You a glutton for punishment?” she asked quietly, tears in her eyes.
“If that’s what it takes to get to know the real Rose Elliott, sure.”
Colt was almost sure she was going to cry again, but she just said, “Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
He leaned in for a kiss, pressed his lips to hers. As emotional as the conversation was, he found himself getting hard from a simple touch of her lips.
He chastised himself as they broke the kiss. She blotted at her eyes with her sleeve.
“Don’t say I didn’t try to warn you,” she said.
“I won’t,” he said, giving her a lopsided grin.
She squeezed his hand, then got up. “I’m going to go check on Missy.”
He looked at his watch.
“Have you eaten?”
She paused. “Um, no.”
“All right. You make sure the dog’s okay, and I’ll see if I can’t scare us up something to eat, huh? Meet me right there.”
He pointed to the porch of his bunkhouse apartment. She smiled, pushing back a strand of hair.
“Okay. It’s a deal,” she said, heading into the barn.
He headed toward the main house, planning to rifle through their stock of fresh meat and vegetables.
Apparently he still had a lady friend, and he was damn sure he was going to feed her.
22
After their meal, Colt suggested they hang out on his front porch. There was only the one bench, a small lopsided thing, but it was nice outside and there was really nothing else to do.
After making sure that Missy was doing well, Rose joined him on the bench, even though it meant squeezing in to fit.
“This is cozy,” she joked, scrunching in beside him.
He smiled and put his arm around her, which gave them just enough space to sit comfortably.
“It’s good enough for me,” he said.
Rose leaned her head on his shoulder after a few seconds. He hugged her close, appreciating that he’d managed to make it over her walls, if only this far.
“Do you mind if I ask you something personal?” she said.
He looked down at the top of her head. “Sure.”
“Can you tell me a little about your leg? How did you lose it?”
He stilled, flip-flopped about how to proceed.
“Do you want the long version, or the short?” he asked.
“Whichever you choose to give me, I guess.”
He thought for a moment, then nodded.
“I was with the SEALs, temporarily stationed in Zaranj, with is on the border of Iran. My unit was moving people out of Zaranj, away from Iran.”
“I vaguely know where that’s at,” she said, nodding.
“The short version is that there was an attack on one of the convoys we used to shuttle people out of town. Apparently the Iranians thought we had someone special in the convoy, a government official. They hit the truck with an RPG while we were still loading it.”
“Jesus.” She looked up at him, concerned but not pitying.
“Yeah. I’m only alive because I was standing five feet away. Three members of my unit didn’t make it.”
He tried his hardest not to get too emotional, but talking about the boys who didn’t make it back was always hard. He felt his eyes grow misty.
Rose nodded. “I appreciate your sacrifice, Colt.”
He nodded, taking a long moment to settle himself. “I lost my left foot, and a little of the shin.”
“Does it hurt?” she asked.
“Not much. I’m lucky, I got the best doctors, the best prosthetist.”
“Oh, who's your doctor?”
“A doctor named Dr. Slattery, based in D.C. He’s made five different pieces for me, for different activities. It’s not the same as having my foot back, but it’s as close as I can get.” Rose nodded thoughtfully.
Silence stretched between them for a bit, both of them thinking.
“Thanks for telling me,” she said after awhile.
“No problem.”
“Would you want to… um… go inside?” she asked, breathily. “Maybe?”
Colt looked at Rose, tilting her chin up with a finger.
“I’d like that,” he said, kissing her gently.
“Then lead the way,” she said, rising.
He stood up, lacing their fingers together, and made his way inside.
23
Rose let him lead her into his apartment. She’d been here already for dinner, but she’d stuck to the kitchen and dining room table.
This time she went with him to the bedroom area, separated from the rest by a partial wall. It was mostly done in white, except the floors and the bed frame, which were both dark. The fresh linens on the bed looked inviting.
Colt released her hand as they approached the bed. He turned around and sat down on it with a little smile.
This was my idea, she reminded herself when she started feeling nervous. It goes however far I want it to go.
Rose bit her lip and toed off her boots, looking directly at Colt as she did it. He took off his boots too, and then beckoned for her to come closer.
She walked over to the bed, heart thumping. She looked down at him, saw desire burning bright in his eyes, but he made no movement toward her.
It was all her show.
She brushed her hands down over her jeans and t-shirt, then pushed him back, straddling him. The instant her hips touched his, she sighed.
It felt so good, to touch someone like this, to be touched. She leaned down for a kiss, hard and demanding. His hand twisted in her hair as their tongues clashed, and she felt that same electric current
running through her body.
She took his other hand and placed it on her breast, reveling at the sensation. He kissed her as he cupped her breast and pinched the nipple.
She groaned at that, and started unbuttoning his shirt. As she spread her hands across his muscular chest, she rocked her hips a little.
He caught her motion, moaning, and turned the rocking into a slow grind. She loved it. The fact that his erection was pressed against her turned her on.
“Take your shirt off,” he whispered.
She pulled up the hem of her shirt and tugged it off, breathing hard. He kissed the tops of both of her breasts, slowly pulled off her bra.
“I like…” she started, then blushed.
“What?” he said, pausing as he cupped her breasts.
“I like you taking charge, when I’m on top,” she said, embarrassed.
He growled, looking her in the eye before leaning upward to kiss her pert nipple. He ground her hips against his while he took her nipple into his mouth, making a low, carnal sound.
Chills raced up her spine. “Ahhh,” she gasped.
She was on overload, her hips and thighs flaring with a dangerous heat, while his wet, hot mouth worked on her breast. She was growing increasingly damp between her thighs, heated and slick and wet.
It was good, but she wanted more.
“Take your clothes off,” she ordered, moving to strip her jeans off.
She watched as he fluidly removed his clothes, muscles rippling the whole time. He shoved down his pants and boxers, letting his manhood spring free.
It was beautiful in its way, long and thick and veined, standing free from his body. She blushed when she realized that she eyed his cock with something very much like hunger.
When he was naked, she pushed him back down on the bed and climbed on top of him once more.
She kissed him as she brought their hips into contact. They both moaned as her slickness brushed his cock, tantalizing them both.
He looked up at her with dark eyes, grabbing her hips to guide her all the way down until his shaft lay right against her slit. He smiled at her small gasp of appreciation, then started moving her hips so that his cock slid up and down her lips, the head hitting her clit every time it came down.