The doctor sat back and closed his notebook. “You’re blessed, Ember, not cursed.”
The doctor finally looked at Joseph. “I know you’ll take good care of her, but a word to the wise? Don’t let her bottle it up inside. She’s afraid for you and that’s normal. Tell her what you can, it will help.”
Joseph nodded. He uncoiled off the floor rising to his full stature before he bent down to lift her in his arms. When he stood again, she rooted into his chest as if he could protect her from the world. God, he prayed he could. Throwing the doctor a glance, he nodded. “You’re a fucking dick…but thanks.”
The doctor let out a long breath. “Been called worse. I’ll be here for her after you…leave.”
Chapter Fifteen
With every ounce of willpower and the last shred of strength she possessed, Ember tried to balance in the saddle the way Keelee showed her. Use your feet to stand in the saddle. Lift so the saddle doesn’t smack you in the butt when the obstinate animal pounds your brains out and dislocates your spine at a trot. Yeah, right. Em had saddle sores on top of bruises on top of chaffing. Of course, the physical woes were inevitable because that harbinger-from-hell she rode, made sure to jolt her six ways to Sunday and back again. They named the damn thing Charmin. What a freaking joke! There was nothing, absolutely nothing, soft about the damn animal.
The two men who went with them on the ride looked like they were born to live in the wild, wild, west. Dixon and Drake—twin Adonises. Was that even a word? Okay, maybe Perseus and Hercules, anyway they rode like it was second nature. The men also had enough guns strapped on to rob a stagecoach. Who would have thought smelly old cows could be so scary you needed to wear that many guns? Yeah, they were serious eye candy, but Lord above they never stopped talking. Never. The banter between the brothers fell seamlessly, as in without a breath, between the one-liners. Ember would be willing to place a bet those two were afraid of silence. Oh, and of course, they offered advice, too. Like that helped.
Rounding the small curve on the road to the barn, she discovered another level of humiliation. The intensity of her mortification knew no boundaries today. Joey and Adam casually sat atop the coral fence waiting for them. How was she going to get off the damn animal, let alone pretend she could walk? She heard Keelee’s sharp intake of breath. “Damn it why is he here?”
Ember didn’t let go of the saddle horn, but she did manage a fleeting glance in Keelee’s direction. In all actuality, she probably couldn’t have let go because her hands were molded to the leather with a death grip. Somehow in her mind the stranglehold on the saddle equaled making sure the Tasmanian devil under her didn’t jolt to the left or right without her noticing it.
Ember risked another glance towards her new friend and whispered so the two Greek gods riding behind them couldn’t hear. “No walls remember? This could be your chance to start your relationship over. If he doesn’t remember the first time around, you have a blank slate. The future is yours to write. Besides, you said there’s an attraction right?”
Keelee threw a quick look over her shoulder making sure Gorgeous One and Gorgeous Two weren’t in hearing range. Satisfied neither twin was listening she hissed back, “Crap Em, I shiver at the thought of that man. He could be my everything, but he’s already told me he doesn’t want me. Is it sick that I’m happy he has no idea he rejected me?”
“No. The heart wants what the heart wants. No walls, girlfriend. This could be your do-over.”
Crossing the hundred yards to the two men sitting on the wooden corral rails seemed to take forever. Ember and Keelee finally stopped their horses where the two men waited. Thankfully, the Delicious Duo continued their ongoing conversation and walked their horses straight into the barn. The laughter they shared had nothing to do with her. Nothing at all. That was her story and she was damn well sticking to it. She was a board certified doctor. She had skills, mad skills, talents people envied! So what if one of them wasn’t riding a mammal the size of a Volkswagen van? Joseph jumped down and grabbed the reins of the devil’s spawn somebody had the audacity to call a horse. Ember let out a huge sigh of relief before seeing the mirth in Joey’s face.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me, Joseph Theodore King!”
“Laugh at you, little girl? Now would I do that?” His shoulder’s shook as he looped the reins so they wouldn’t fall.
“Okay, I admit this was a mistake. ‘Just come with me,’ she said. ‘It’ll be a fun time. You really don’t need to know how to ride,’ she said. Oh my God, I have never hurt so much in my life. Muscles I, as a doctor, didn’t even know were part of the human anatomy hurt.” Her voice turned whiney when she admitted, “I ache Joey.” Keelee’s carefree laughter at her mocking didn’t bolster Ember’s deflated spirits.
Joey’s low roll of laughter joined Keelee’s. “I won’t bring up the fact I told you maybe you should start with a shorter ride. You were out for over three hours.” His smile as he leaned against her leg and looked up at her did nothing to help her bruised ego.
“Ember, you did really well for your first ride. You’ll have to come out with me again. Believe me, it gets easier. You’re sore now because you were trying to fight the natural balance of your body on top of the horse.”
Keelee swung off her horse and looked damned graceful doing it. “What are you doing here Doctor Cassidy? Were you afraid I was going to allow serious bodily harm to come to our guest?”
Ember watched the doctor. His gaze locked on the tall sexy blond who was busy adjusting something under the stirrup of her saddle.
“No. Actually I was hoping I could speak with you if you have the time, Ms. Marshall.”
“My name is Keelee. We don’t stand on ceremony on the ranch side of the compound. But since you haven’t been over this way before, you probably didn’t know that. Give me a couple minutes to put up these two and I’m all yours.”
Keelee turned her back on Adam and gave Ember a wide-eyed look over the back of her horse. She cleared her facial expression and turned to Joseph. “If you could get the good doctor off Charmin for me I’d appreciate it. I think you may have to pry her hand off the leather though. Lucky she didn’t break the glass inside that saddle horn.”
Ember released the leather immediately with a gasp. “You didn’t tell me it was made of glass!”
Joseph, Keelee and Adam all laughed her shocked exclamation. Oh, great...another level of humiliation hell.
“Oh ha, ha, ha! Sure, go ahead make fun of the city slicker.” But Ember gratefully fell into Joseph’s arms when his hands circled her waist pulling her off the miserable mountain of hoofs and hair. She luxuriated in the strength and hardness of his body as she slid down him before her feet hit the ground. Pushing into his hardness, she buried her face against his neck and linked her arms lightly around his waist.
“A hot shower and a full body massage should blot out some of the horrible memories of your first experience on the back of Beelzebub, here.” Ember felt the rumble of his words throughout her body and couldn’t help but notice the laughter it contained.
She kept tight against him but lifted, kissing his earlobe before she bit it gently. He groaned and tightened his embrace. She sighed and shimmied her hips against the growing bulge in his jeans. “I know you’re making fun of me but I don’t care. I’ll take you up on both the shower and massage as long as somewhere in the mix there is mind altering sex.” At her whispered words, Joseph dropped his forehead to hers before he responded so only she could hear. “Oh, little girl, I guarantee it.”
Chapter Sixteen
The trip to the house and journey up the stairs hurt her poor chaffed thighs as much as walking on hot coals without shoes would hurt. Admittedly, having never walked barefoot on hot coals she couldn’t be certain, but damn, the rub of her denim jeans against the tender skin of her inner thighs made every step a challenge. Joey set the shower taps and gently helped her out of her clothes. His almost constant laughter at her expense was rather smug on his
part, but all things considered, Em knew she looked and acted comically. Just hearing the unusual sound of her lover’s laughter made the pain easier to tolerate.
Joseph’s hands guided her under the warm pulsing showerhead. And thank God he did, because voluntary movement didn’t seem a remote possibility. Her body groaned in appreciation. Okay, it wasn’t an actual groan, but oh, if her abused glutes and hamstrings could make a noise—they would have. With her eyes closed and the hot water working against her tired muscles, she knew without a doubt heaven existed. When Joey’s hands massaged her shoulders and pulled her back against his chest, she discovered she had a few more stops in between the near angelic delight of the shower and real heaven on earth. His hands lightly brushed down her shoulders to her arms and rested on her hips with fingers splayed across her midriff.
“Shower with a massage, little girl.” He lowered his lips to her neck and sent rivers of sensation through her when he nipped her skin. His tongue soothed the sting of his bite.
“Turn and face the wall.” Ember complied without hesitation. Joseph sensually lathered soap over her body. His strong hands worked every muscle down her neck, back, thighs and calves and turned her aching body into putty. Yep, as a doctor she had determined the formula for being turned to putty needed just three ingredients: Joseph, hot water, and soap. Alright, the last two elements were optional.
An aroma of citrus and vanilla wafted through the building clouds of steam surrounding them. When his strong fingers massaged the shampoo through her hair, she leaned back into him and smiled. His obvious arousal pressed against her very sore derriere. Without regard for her delicate condition, she pushed back into him and shifted her hips.
Joey chuckled and grabbed her hips, stilling her. “You little minx. Be good or I’ll take you right now, just like this.” He pushed forward placing his hard cock in between her cheeks letting her know exactly what he would do.
“And you're saying that like it would be a bad thing? Why should I be good if I like the reward for being bad?”
Joseph delivered a sharp slap to her abused bottom and Ember yelped in surprise. “You’ll be good because I told you to behave.” The sizzling demand flipped a switch deep within her. A little moan escaped her lips, but she held still. His hands blazed a trail of heat and strength as he worked her body. His ministrations induced a mind-melting laxness from head to foot.
After he rinsed her off, he turned her around. His eyes blazed with unconcealed passion. He dropped his lips to hers and licked the seam of her lips, coaxing them open and devouring her soft recesses. The demand of his possession reminded her she would indeed do what he wanted, when he wanted. Ember gave him everything he asked for and slumped limply against the tile wall when he finally pulled away.
“I’m not the type of man to wrap the stars in moonbeams and offer to give you the universe, but I’ll carry this time we’ve shared, with me forever…here.” He placed his hand over his heart. Ember’s breath caught in her throat. Could this man, the one who spoke of moonbeams and stars, be the same one who killed for a living? She felt a tear slip down her cheek knowing with a fatalistic certainty that he would be leaving soon.
“When are you leaving?”
“Don’t cry, little girl. I’m flying out tomorrow.”
“How long will it take? How long before…?” Ember shivered even under the hot fall of water.
“Realistically? Several months…perhaps longer. Gaining access to Morales won’t be easy. I need you to promise you will stay here on the ranch. If you leave, one of the Alpha team members will be with you at all times.”
Joseph turned off the water and reached for a fluffy bath sheet. He wrapped one around Ember and used a smaller towel to dry her hair. The flapping terry cloth muffled her reply. “What’s an Alpha team?”
“Not what. Who. Chief, Doc, Dixon, and Drake. Until Doc and Chief are back in fighting form, one or both of the twins will be with you every time you leave the ranch. Understand?”
“Oh, please, make me suffer! Okay, okay…I promise to take one or both of the Delicious Duo with me wherever I go.”
Joseph stopped his drying and pushed her hair out of her face. His eyebrow lifted. Its effect sinister. Joseph walked her against the wall with his body and growled. “Delicious Duo? Do I have reason to kill them?”
“No, no killing needed. I’m not into blonds, or hadn’t you noticed the type of man who turns me on?” Em traced a bead of water in a meandering path as it trickled down his chest.
“Good. Didn’t want to deal with the paperwork killing them would entail. Plus, I’d have to talk to your biker-shrink friend again.”
He grabbed a towel from the rack and stepped back. She looked up at him and asked, “Will I ever see you again? Or just talk to you from time to time … when it’s safe?”
She watched him dry off. His hard chiseled muscles flexed gloriously as he stretched his towel around his back.
“No. There can be no connection between us. I can’t risk it.” He dropped his towel and lifted his hand to the bath sheet he had tucked around her, pulling one edge. It fell to the floor.
“Never?” Her traitorous voice trembled.
“Little girl, if I could without jeopardizing you or getting myself killed, I would.” He kissed the tip of her nose and smiled sadly. “Now, no more of our night spent talking about what can’t be. Tell me, Doctor Harris, what would you recommend for this serious medical condition I appear to be suffering from?” He took her hand and placed it on his hard sex.
Ember swallowed the desperation she felt, determined not to spoil their last night. She stepped back and put her hand on her hip. “Honestly, Mr. King, I’m afraid for your wellbeing. If we don’t relieve the pressure soon, you will expire from an extreme case of erectus maximus complicated by a terminal case of cobalt orb syndrome. I hesitate to speculate on how much paperwork an explanation of that cause of death might involve.”
Joseph’s laughter rang out and echoed in the bathroom. “Dr. Harris, your diagnosis is spot on. What is the prescribed course of action to reverse this life-threatening condition?”
Slowly moving up to him she placed her open hand on his heart and lifted her eyes looking at him through her lashes. Her voice trembled when she spoke. “I think I’ll allow the patient to determine the method. You see, I trust him with my life.”
“And I trust you with my heart, little girl. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. But tonight is about us. Let me make love to you. My way.”
Ember lifted to toes and brushed a kiss across his lips. “No. Our way, Joey. Our way.”
He leaned down and trapped her mouth with firm pressure seconds before he lifted her into his arms. His kiss held her lips as he carried her to the bed. He devoured her mouth with a savage force that robbed her of all air. He released her mouth and she gasped, filling her lungs with sweet cool air. He rolled her so she straddled his hips. Her legs, back and glutes objected immediately. Ember’s whimper didn’t go unnoticed.
“Poor little girl. You didn’t learn your lesson very well today so I’m giving you another. You’re going to ride me tonight. But be warned, little one, I’m not a gentle old nag.” Her back complained when he pulled her down and sucked a nipple into his mouth. His tongue flicked the hardening peak and then his teeth applied steady pressure as his hand found her other breast. His fingers mimicked his mouth’s assault and Ember shivered seconds before she moaned and tried to pull away.
Joseph’s free hand wrapped around her and pulled her down to him stopping her attempt to move. He spoke clenched around her nipple. “Mine.”
Ember braced herself with her hands grasping the sheets next to his shoulders. His assault continued. Teeth, tongue, suction and fingers assailed her nipples and the sensitive flesh of her breasts sending plumes of desire rolling straight to her sex. His relentless possession of her breasts heated and moistened her folds. Ember tried to grind herself against him. His hard cock strained just below her. She could feel th
e heat of his shaft but couldn’t lower her body without causing intense pain to her breasts. A distant sound of frustration registered. It took Ember a moment to realize she was the source. Finally, Joseph stopped his attack on her now hypersensitive breasts.
He pulled her down to his chest. Painful rivulets of sensation streaked through her tender breasts as he held her to him. He kissed her hard. His tongue dominated hers as it tunneled into her. She willed her body into compliance, relishing his power and strength.
He released her and gazed up into her eyes. The depth of the emotion she saw floored her. It was as if he had lifted the walls around his feelings and let them flood out. Ember couldn’t tear her eyes away from his.
“Lift up baby girl.”
She moaned as her overused thigh muscles spasmed in pain.
She felt him spread her with his hand. “So wet and so hot. It’s time for your riding lesson.” He centered his thick, long shaft under her. “Brace on my shoulders.” When she did as he asked, he lifted his hands and pushed the riot of curls away from her face. “Lower yourself and don’t stop until you reach the base of my cock. Understand?”
Her eyes went as big as saucers. Joseph gripped her ass with both hands and squeezed. “Answer me.”
Ember tried to speak, but she couldn’t make the words come out. Instead, she nodded.
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