by Claire Adams
“You don’t have a thing to worry about between Lacey and me. We’re just good friends.”
“I know that now.” Her eyes widened as the grin twitched off her face. “I’m just so damned sorry I almost let that get between us. I don’t know what got into me.” Her wide eyes were shiny now. She looked close to crying. I didn’t smell great after being outside all day, but I had to have her in my arms after the lonely week I’d had. I pulled her close, kissing the top of her head as she snuggled into my chest.
“I’m sorry, Pete,” she whispered. “I brought dinner as a peace offering.”
My stomach chose that exact moment to growl, and she laughed. “That sounds great,” I said.
“You go get cleaned up,” she said. “I’ll set up dinner.”
I pressed a kiss onto her mouth while she giggled, then hurried to do what she ordered. I went back to the bathroom, stripped off my dirty, sweat-soaked clothing, and got in the shower. I washed the day’s stink down the drain, scrubbing hard so I’d smell nice and clean for Emma, and cut the water off. I wrapped a towel around my waist, not even hesitating long enough to dry the rest of me, and went to the bedroom. I picked any old shirt and jeans, forcing them on over my wet body before rushing back out to the kitchen.
Emma had set two places at the table and laid a chicken casserole in the center, surrounded by a bowl of steaming mashed potatoes, another bowl of roasted vegetables, and a plate of freshly baked rolls. She’d opened a few beers and set them next to our empty plates. She smiled up at me from her seat.
“How’s it look?” she asked.
I never took my eyes off of her, loving the sight of her in my kitchen waiting for me after a long day’s work. “I never saw anything better in my life.” I took my seat as she dished out the casserole. “It smells so good.” I hadn’t eaten this good since dinner at her daddy’s house. Things just felt natural again as we dug in. I was relieved to find it was so easy to pick up right where we left off before Monday night.
“I had a lot of time to think this week,” Emma said, peeking across the table at me. “I realized I was so hurt by what I thought was happening between you and Lacey because I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I hated losing you, but I didn’t want to stand between you and Lacey if that was what you wanted.” She smiled, but her pretty eyes were shiny and sad. “It was a long week.”
I knew just what she meant. I put my fork down, not wanting anything to get between us right now – even the delicious food I couldn’t get enough of.
“You could never be in the way of anything, Emma. I want you in my life.”
“I know,” she said, and her eyes had changed. I knew that hungry look. I felt a stirring in my jeans. But she went back to picking at her food.
“I missed you this week,” I said, and she looked up at me again. I just couldn’t go on without feeling her lips on mine and her smooth, warm body beneath my fingers. It had been far too long. “I’m going out of my mind just sitting here, watching you.”
She drew in a deep breath, the color rising into her cheeks.
I stood at the same time she did, and we met in the middle of the room, pulling each other close as we kissed. The horrible week just melted away as I slid my tongue into her mouth. We kissed for a long time, pressed together in the kitchen, before she pulled her head back, leaving both of us breathless. She stared up at me, her green eyes wide and the look in them so hungry.
“Let’s go to the bedroom,” she whispered.
I didn’t need to be asked again.
I swept her up into my arms and carried her down the hallway.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Emma
Sunday
It felt different this time, after what we’d been through. Pete set me down onto my feet in his bedroom, the look in his eye drawing the breath from me. I’d never seen him this way. He looked like he hadn’t had a drink in days and now, here I was, the cool glass of water he needed, just in time to save his life.
His blue eyes took in the dim light in the room, widening so they looked black. He leaned to kiss me again, his tongue pressing past my lips and exploring every inch of my mouth gently in a way he hadn’t done before, like he was tasting me for the very first time.
We broke apart from each other, breathing heavily, the heat starting at my core and spreading out in tingling waves between my legs. His eyes drank in the sight of me when I pulled my dress over my head, and the desire on his face, the need that twisted his lips and widened his eyes, made me burn hotter for him. I stepped back, keeping my eyes on him, my chest rising and falling with my panting breaths, and sat down on the bed. He took his shirt off while I watched and tugged his jeans down. I smiled to see he wasn’t wearing any underwear. He came over to the bed slowly, giving me time to appreciate how damned good he looked standing there, his muscled chest, and long, firm limbs. And, of course, his thick cock rock hard and ready for me.
I scooted back on the mattress and lay back onto the bed. He climbed in next to me, his fingers tracing a trail from my flat stomach up to my bra. He licked his lips – and that undid me. I had to have my mouth on him.
I pulled him down by his neck, kissing him as that need welled up in me. I pushed the hand on my chest down between my legs, opening my knees so he could feel how much I wanted him. His fingers rubbed over the damp crotch of my panties, and I moaned into his mouth. He moved the fabric out of his way and sampled the wet heat of my sex, his fingers playing with my clit.
“I wanted this all week,” he said, his mouth moving over mine. He kept his fingers between my legs, rubbing over the wetness around my aching lips, but moved his mouth to my neck, kissing first, and then sucking on the skin while I writhed beneath his hands. He finally worked my panties off while I lifted my hips to help him. He unfastened my bra next, sliding it off my arms. He smiled as he took in the sight of me.
“I missed you so much,” he said.
I touched the soft stubble on his chin. He looked like he’d hardly slept a wink in days. “I missed you, too.”
He brought his lips to mine, his fingers sliding down between my legs again, this time moving into that heat completely, entering me so deeply, I could feel the palm of his hand press over my clit. I moaned and kissed him more passionately. His fingers fluttered inside me, stirring up those tingling sensations that moved over every trembling inch of my skin, bathing me in warmth. The heat blossomed, enveloping my entire body.
I wanted him more than I ever had before. Things had changed between us.
I needed him to scratch that aggravatingly pleasurable itch between my legs that his busy fingers were only making worse. I needed the whole thick length of his cock inside me.
He slid his fingers out of me, drawing a deep, gasping breath from me that brought his lips to mine again, his tongue exploring my mouth while his fingers explored the rest of my body. He cupped one breast, then the other, squeezing my erect nipples so I whimpered into his mouth, the pleasure nearly too much to take without begging him to climb on top of my trembling body and enter me as quickly as he could. I reached between his legs and took hold of his cock, closing my fist around it and pumping, gently at first, then faster. His hips moved against my hand as he groaned into my mouth. He broke away from me, his hot breath mingling with mine.
“I’ve never wanted anything more than I want you right now,” he said.
I pumped his cock harder, getting hotter at the way his face twisted with the pleasure I was giving him. “I want you inside me,” I whispered, and his eyes widened with hunger and need. “Right now.”
I let go of him as he climbed on top of me. His mouth found mine again as his hips dropped between my legs, the tip of his cock pressing into the needy heat of my sex. I wanted him, but I wanted to feel this dripping hot need for a few seconds longer, my body squeezed tight by how much pressure was building up inside me, all that luscious, tingling need. I tilted my hips, rubbing my dripping wet sex over his cock. He moaned, ending his ki
ss by nibbling at my bottom lip. He brought one of my legs up, bending it at the knee so my foot was resting on the mattress. He did the same with the other one. I let my knees fall to either side, opening myself completely to him.
He entered me gently, pressing his cock into that heat an inch at a time while I drew in a deep, shuddering breath. He pushed all the way into me, filling me up, and I wrapped my arms around him, just wanting to stay this way forever.
But my body knew what it needed.
I moved my hips, rubbing against him, urging him to move his. He began an agonizing rhythm, pulling his cock almost all the way out of me before plunging slowly inside again, stoking that heat, that itch, until I thought I would lose my mind. All the while, he kept his eyes on me, his full lips, just a few inches out of reach, curved into a satisfied, sexy grin. The heat growing between us as his cock moved in and out of me bathed us in sweat and boiled the air in the room.
I dropped my hands to his muscular ass, encouraging his hips forward, but I didn’t press him harder than he was already going. I liked this sweet, slow boil, the air between us getting even hotter than the pressure building under my skin. I’d never orgasm with him going this slowly, but neither would he. I didn’t mind letting it last as long as we liked, even all night. I just wanted him close to me, our bodies moving slowly together, my hands closing over his ass as he squeezed my nipple with his fingers, our eyes never leaving each other.
We kissed again, our tongues running over each other, and the rhythm began to pick up, my hips rising and falling beneath him, my nails digging into the skin of his back as I dragged my hands up to his shoulders. He pulled his lips away, both of us breathing heavily and the pressure between my legs building, all that pleasure pushing me over the edge.
I cried out as the orgasm blossomed just as his cock pressed inside me to the hilt, and, shuddering, Pete groaned behind clenched teeth. He wilted on top of me, his slack body jumping from the last surge of his own orgasm. The pleasure kept buzzing through me, my hot skin and throbbing, wet sex.
He rolled off of me, and I moaned at the sensation of his softening cock sliding out of my body. I turned to curl my body around his and set my head on his chest, listening to the sound of his rapid heartbeat. I closed my eyes, catching my breath as our mingled, sticky juices dripped onto my leg.
I loved this man. I could see that so clearly now. I couldn’t believe how obtuse I’d been over the last week. I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than here, in his arms, the smell of our lovemaking in my nose.
I didn’t fight it when the exhaustion pulled me under. I wanted to wake up next to him. And not just tomorrow, but every morning after that.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Pete
Saturday
Emma and I helped get Elroy into the corral where Lacey was ready to saddle him up. We’d gotten so much accomplished in the last two weeks. I couldn’t believe Elroy was about to race in his first rodeo. The girls were miracle workers, getting him trained and prepared way ahead of schedule. That didn’t help my nerves, though. I was always on edge the day one of my horses competed for the first time.
Lacey wasn’t talking much, which was her way on the day of competition.
“Good luck, Lacey,” Emma said, smiling at her.
Lacey dipped her head into a nod, but didn’t answer.
I told her good luck, too, before Emma and I went to find a seat in the stands. We waited through “The Star Spangled Banner” and a few riders racing around the barrels set up in a cloverleaf pattern before it was finally Lacey’s turn. This competition was bigger than her last one, so there was an electric eye.
“I’m so damned nervous,” Emma said. “I hope we made the right choice putting Elroy out there. He’s still a baby.”
“If Lace says he’s ready, he’s ready.” I’d seen the little guy running around the barrels we set up on the ranch. He’d looked good. Lacey knew what she was doing. I had a dull ache in my gut, but I always did before she raced. I’d only seen her fall once, and that was back when we were in middle school. She’d jumped right up and got back to work, pushing even harder. That was just how she was.
The announcer boomed Lacey’s name over the loudspeaker. I slid to the edge of my seat, keeping my eyes on the arena. Lacey and Elroy came out. I couldn’t see the expression on her face from way up here, but I knew it was grim and determined from years of watching her do her thing. All of a sudden, she and Elroy broke into a sprint, aiming for the first barrel, the one to the right.
“Come on Lacey!” Emma shouted, pumping her fists.
I turned, watching her so closely, I missed Lacey running Elroy around the next barrel. I put my eyes on the area in time to see her and Elroy hug the last barrel.
“Go, Lacey!” I shouted.
“Finish strong!” Emma screamed, a few seconds after I did.
Lacey bent low over Elroy, kicking gently at his sides to get him up to a sprint, the two of them racing over the finish line and out of the arena.
At the announcement of time — just shy of eighteen seconds, making it a personal best for Lacey — Emma let out a triumphant whoop and turned to hug me. I hugged her back, grinning to see her so happy for Lacey.
Over the last two weeks of getting Elroy ready for the rodeo, I’d watched the girls get closer and closer. Nothing made me happier. They were two of the most important people in my life. I wanted them to be the best of friends. If I wasn’t careful, they might take over the farm and tell me to get the hell out.
We rushed out of the stands to find Lacey back near the corral, pulling the saddle off of Elroy.
Emma ran to her, squealing, and they hugged. “You did so great!”
I hugged her next. “Who knew little Elroy could race like that?”
Lacey couldn’t wipe the mile-wide smile from her face, her brown eyes glittering. “He did just fine. He’s gonna be a good little racer. We might want to hang onto him.”
“We should celebrate tonight,” Emma said, looking at Lacey first, then me. “Let’s get funnel cakes and play games and just have some good old-fashioned fun.”
Lacey and I shared a look and a laugh at how excited Emma seemed by that. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the rest of the day than with the two of them, joking and filling our bellies. I wanted Emma to myself, but I had tonight back at the hotel for that. She’d started staying over at the house most weekends, too, and there was nothing better than waking up to find her snuggled in next to me in the mornings. She smiled to beat all every single time I made her breakfast.
“Let me put Elroy up, and we can go see how the fair is,” Lacey said.
We waited for her by the entrance to the midway, the smell of grease and sugar riding on the breeze.
“I can’t wait to have three or four funnel cakes,” Emma said, her green eyes wide, and I laughed.
“You ain’t kidding, either. I saw the way you ate last time.”
She pushed me a little, giggling herself. “There’s nothing wrong with a girl having a good appetite.”
Lacey came up to join us. The girls laced arms and took off, leaving me in the damned dust, the two of them chattering about how well Elroy had done and what they needed to do to keep him on track. I went along after them, taking in the sights and sounds. There were a lot of people out here, even with the rodeo still going on. Emma went straight to a booth where she could get a funnel cake, ordering one with powdered sugar. I stepped up to pay before she could pull money out of her pocket.
“Damn, I’ll take one, too, if he’s paying,” Lacey said to the attendant.
I laughed and handed the man behind the counter a couple more dollars to pay for Lacey’s. He handed them their funnel cakes.
“You gonna share any of that?” I asked Emma, who dug right in, tearing off a piece and putting it in her mouth before it’d even cooled. “Or should I get my own?”
She giggled, hiding her full mouth behind her sugar-dusted fingers. “You sho
uld probably get your own.”
I gave a look to Lacey, who pulled her plate of fried dough out of reach.
“Don’t think you’re gonna share with me, either, Pete Gains.”
“Well, goddamn!” I said, but couldn’t hold back the laughter when they both started giggling. We walked on, me stealing little bites of funnel cake from Emma’s plate in between her tearing off big chunks and sticking it into her mouth. As soon as they were done, we jumped on the Ferris wheel, the three of us cramming into a single car, with me in the middle.
“Damn, Pete!” Lacey complained, sticking her elbow into my ribs to get me to move over. “I didn’t remember your ass being so wide the last time we rode a Ferris wheel together.”
I elbowed her right back. “We were kids then, Lacey. Your ass was narrower, too!”
We kept up the ribbing the whole way, Emma laughing at us as we moved back and forth in the seat, trying to get it to swing as wildly as we could. After the ride ended, we wandered the midway, trying our hands at some of the games. Emma had a second funnel cake by then. She pointed at a stuffed horse hanging from one of the booths.
“That one looks like Elroy!” she said, and turned those gleaming green eyes at me, the smile on her face as bright as the flashing lights that had just come on as the sun went down. She had a little sugar on the side of her mouth.
“It does indeed,” I agreed and laid some money down to win it for her. It was the ring toss, which wasn’t my best game. I threw the first of three rings and didn’t get close. The second toss was better, and the third was worse than the first. “Shit!”
Lacey shoved me hard in the middle of the back. “Want me to win the horse for her since you can’t seem to?”
“I’ll win the stuffed toy for my girlfriend, thank you,” I said, giving her a nasty look before setting more money down. I won the damned thing on the second toss this time. I turned to hand the stuffed horse to my best girl, loving the way she grinned and hugged it to herself. She got up on her tiptoes to kiss me on the lips. She tasted like powdered sugar.