Breathlessly, she pulled back. “Come on, then. I’ll show you how a pro camps out in a car.”
Will’s hand grazed her butt as she backed away. Shivers swept up her body. Delicious, anticipatory quakes of needy lust. Licking her lips, Ava quickly gathered her things from the cab, shoving everything she could find into her purse. Will crowded in behind her, his fingers delving inside the waistband of her jeans. Heat and warmth sparked from his fingertips on her bare flesh, charging through her like a runaway freight train.
His hard length pressed against her when he grabbed the soft-sided insulated carryall Guin had tossed in at the last minute. It was filled with snacks and water bottles for the road. Ava knew it contained one of Will’s delicious Chardonnays as well.
He slung the strap of the cooler over his shoulder and grabbed Ava’s wrist, tugging her toward the rear of the truck. “Good thing my mother threw in sleeping bags, huh?”
The fabric cooler shushed along the metal floor as he shoved it into the back. He gripped Ava around the waist, and without so much as a grunt on his part, lifted her, depositing her gently on the deck.
Before he could scramble up after her, she spread her legs and drew Will forward. Standing between her thighs, he strained upward, until their mouths connected. The soft slide of his lips over hers was like a benediction, a pleasure ordained between them. She squeezed her legs around his middle. Will swept his tongue along the rim of her mouth, licking and nibbling her until frenzy claimed her.
She gripped his hair and whispered against his lips, “Get in here now.”
“Back up,” he ordered.
Ava slid backward on the cold metal floor. Bracing his hands on either side of her legs, Will hoisted himself onto the deck and crawled toward her, a smile filled with promise on his mouth.
“We should probably close the door.” Damn her sensible side. But she didn’t want any passing cars interrupting them.
Will reversed direction and shot to his feet. “Let’s get the sleeping bags arranged first. It’ll be dark in here.”
“If we were in my car, I’d have candles.” Cocooned in pitch dark with Will would be an amazing sensory experience. All physical cues, nothing visual. Another rush of dampness hit her panties. She eased out a pent-up breath.
Will regarded her curiously. “Why would you have candles?”
“Because I’m always prepared for anything. Blankets, candles, a flashlight, power bars, and those packets that you can break to provide heat for your hands.”
“Good to know. Next time, you drive.” Will’s teeth flashed white in the dimness.
She crawled to where they’d stowed the blankets and rolled one in his direction. The metal teeth clicked musically together as he dragged the zipper all the way around the bag. The ends of her hair fluttered as he shook the bag open and spread it flat near the front stack of boxes. While he prepared the second bag, Ava shoved the cooler into a corner by her purse.
She snatched up the padlock where it lay on the gate.
“Ready?” Will asked. He stretched his arms overhead and snagged the canvas strap attached to the door. The movement lifted his T-shirt, exposing his lean abs and trim waist. Ava memorized the trail of hair disappearing into his jeans. Her excitement heightened as she mentally plotted a thorough exploration of his body in the dark. With her tongue.
She nodded eagerly.
The steel door clattered as Will lowered it into place and accepted the padlock Ava held out to him. A jerk of his chin toward their makeshift bed had her scrambling for the sleeping bags. Peeling back the top layer, she kicked her sandals from her feet, then tugged her shirt over her head.
In the low illumination, she felt her skin heat as Will’s gaze roved over her lace-covered breasts.
Inky darkness descended in the wake of him securing the door. Sudden dread zipped in her gut. She let her eyes drift shut and focused on the sounds of metal scraping on metal as the lock hasp slid through the ring at the base of the door. Knowing Will was making sure no one would be able to enter while they slept, helped ease the impenetrable black and the fact she was about to sleep in a vehicle again.
Fabric rustled, then something solid thumped on the floor. Will’s shoes, no doubt. Knowing he was stripping down, would touch her soon in utter darkness, escalated her pulse. Blood rushed through her veins.
Will’s belt buckle thudded on the truck bed.
Ava unfastened her jeans and shoved the material off her legs, along with her panties. She fumbled with the clasp of her bra as Will’s hot hand descended on her thigh. He stroked circles on her skin as she shimmied her upper body to remove the garment.
As though he could see in the dark, Will unerringly cupped her freed breasts. Electric pleasure bolted through her. He gripped her elbows and urged her to her knees, stabilizing her, then pressed against her, his arousal a steely ridge between their bodies.
Working a hand down his stomach, Ava stroked his shaft, relishing the smooth, hard, heated texture of his skin. Will hissed and released a groaning breath.
Lowering his face to hers, he pressed tender kisses along her jaw, and sought her lips. Once he found them, his tongue plunged past the barrier. He rocked his hips, telling her with his mouth and body what he needed, each touch deeply erotic in the total black enveloping them.
“Hang on,” Will grunted as he pulled back. “Gotta find my wallet. Need a condom.”
His arm bumped Ava’s chest as he felt blindly for his jeans. Heavy denim slid over her thighs, the brush heightened by the fact she couldn’t see. There was rustling, and then a thunk. Will must have found what he needed, then dropped the wallet.
Ava groped his arm, sweeping her fingers toward his hand to take the cool foil packet from him. Ripping it open, she rolled the latex into place. Easing away, still gripping his shaft, she dropped to the pallet, pulling him along. Her knees parted and she made room for him between her thighs.
She gasped as his tip entered her damp, slick channel. Will shifted to one elbow, covered her breast with his other hand, and slid all the way home.
Arching and stretching to accommodate him, Ava locked her ankles behind his butt. The hard floor at her back paled in comparison to the hard, hot planes and angles of his body.
Will started a rhythm within her, quietly groaning as he moved, the pitch-black interior heightening their sensual experience. The blazing heat of his chest against hers, even his scent—salty, musky with a hint of spice—seemed clearer in her head.
Every stroke of his cock, his fingers, his tongue on her neck, built delicious pressure within her core. Irrepressible desire fanned the flames until she thought she’d be consumed. Her entire body trembled with need, and in the inky darkness, intense colors flared behind her eyes.
“Oh, my God, Will,” she moaned. “More. I need more.” Her climax was close, centering every touch, every stroke. Luscious tension gripped her.
“Lift your hips, baby.” His voice was a whisper in the dark.
When she complied, he rolled his lower body against her, creating friction between his pelvis and the bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs. His chest brushed her nipples with every movement, heightening her need, until she nearly spun out of control. She rocked with him, prolonging the contact and riding a wave so erotic it stole her breath.
As her orgasm crashed over her, a rainbow of light and color flared and exploded behind her eyes. She cried out his name, her ragged shriek echoing off the metal walls. Will continued to piston his hips against her, seating himself deeper, withdrawing only to quickly slam home again. Each forceful thrust restoked her tension, wringing a second orgasm from her.
Balanced on trembling arms, Will tensed, grinding against her, thrusting impossibly deep. Then he rocketed over the edge with her, his shout mingled with her cries.
Wi
th a satisfied grunt, he collapsed on top of her. His warm breath washed over her damp skin and his heart thudded heavily in time with hers. Resting her palms on his back, Ava felt his pulse beat against her fingertips. Her nerves trembled as she drifted on a euphoric cloud of sensation.
“That was electric. We need blackout curtains in your bedroom.” Ava chuckled, her sheath squeezing on his cock.
He groaned and shifted his hips, his shaft still inside her. “We’ll get right on that. As soon as we get back home.”
The whoosh of passing tires filled the confines of the truck. Some traffic was about now, but the sound diminished quickly, telling Ava no one was paying attention to the disabled vehicle on the side of the road. Although they’d ferreted out a lot of unique locations, she and her mother had never parked overnight on an interstate.
Sated as she was, it didn’t surprise her to find she had no uncomfortable twinges about sleeping in a vehicle again. This experience was far superior to what she’d endured as a teen. “So we did good, right? Making the best of a bad situation. We could have let this bother us, but instead we did the whole lemons-lemonade thing.”
“We sure did.” Will withdrew slowly, easing away. His jerky movements told her he’d removed the condom. Freed, he rolled to his back, pulling her body atop his, tugging the top sleeping bag over them. “Not a bad way to pass the time.”
Ava nestled in closer and pillowed her cheek on his chest, the steady beat of his heart lulling her. She yawned. “This is a little like camping. If you overlook the metal tent, the stacks of boxes, and passing traffic.”
“Are you okay with the dark?” Will asked, concern deepening his voice and making it rumble in her ear.
“Yeah. But should we set an alarm?” They sure as hell wanted to be up and dressed when the tow truck finally showed.
“Yeah. I’ll do it.” Will groped for his jeans.
Light flared when he touched the screen, bouncing off the ceiling. Ava squinted against the burn on her retinas.
“How do I . . . uh, got it. Four hours enough time for a nap?”
She yawned again. “Sounds perfect.” Burrowing in closer to his side, Ava let her eyes drift shut and listened to his steady heartbeat until she fell asleep.
Chapter 31
Increasing traffic noise scrabbled at the edges of Will’s consciousness. Each whoosh started soft, increased in volume, and then diminished again, like a boat bobbing in waves. A thin, dull crack of light came from under the closed back gate, illuminating the confines of the truck.
His back twinged uncomfortably and pins and needles darted along the nerves in his shoulder where Ava’s head rested on it. Despite the discomfort, he stayed still, enjoying the feel of her warm, naked flesh pressed to his. His first experience sleeping in a vehicle had been nothing but pleasurable.
When it first seemed apparent they’d be stranded on the roadside overnight, Will worried about how she’d take it. But Ava had made a joke, and then made him come with such force his balls still ached from it.
Or maybe, his achingly hard erection was because he wanted another taste of her, another round in her soft, willing body. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, skimmed his fingers along her jaw, and then cupped her cheek. Pressing a kiss to her fragrant hair, he let his fingers drift along the tender skin on her shoulder.
She shifted against him, stretching along his torso, turning more into him with a deep, drowsy sigh. Her lips made contact with his nipple and his body bucked. Sliding her hand down his belly, she toyed with the narrow band of hair arrowing down to his groin. His cock jerked.
A loud chirp sounded right next to his head, and bluish-white light reflected off the truck ceiling above him.
He groaned. Goddamn alarm. What was I thinking to set that? He twisted to disable the annoying noise, dislodging Ava in the process. Chilly air spilled in where her skin had pressed to his. He hadn’t realized how cool it had gotten. He dragged the sleeping bag higher, tucking it in around Ava’s shoulders as she resettled.
“Morning,” she breathed, her voice raspy with sleep.
“Hey.” He touched his lips to her forehead.
Ava snuggled in tighter. “Don’t think I’ve ever woken in a vehicle and been so happy about it.”
He couldn’t help it, he laughed. Ava’s head bobbed on his chest. “Yeah, it’s lovely, but let’s not repeat this on the way home.”
A soft puff of air caressed his pec as she snorted. “No argument here.”
Back to reality. “We should get dressed before the repair service arrives.” He searched behind him for her clothes.
Soft cotton fabric touched his fingers and he snagged it, dropping it on Ava’s face. Rooting around some more, he located her bra and panties, then dug for her jeans.
Ava sat up next to him, her voice muffled. “You know you have a flashlight on your phone, right?”
“I do?”
She mock-groaned. When she reached across him, her breasts bobbed against his face. He flicked his tongue out and unerringly found her nipple.
She stiffened, then melted against him, gripping his head, pressing herself to his mouth. He sucked firmly, then tongued the taut peak.
“Will . . .” Her breast popped free of his lips when she stretched past his head.
“Hey, come back here.” He palmed her soft flesh.
Her hand curved over his briefly, her breath a quiet gasp. “Will, as lovely as this is, we have to get dressed.” She freed his hand. Plastic scraped metal as she located his phone and tapped it to life.
Brightness seared his eyeballs after the total darkness. She tapped again, diminishing the glare to a tolerable level.
Here they were on the side of the road, in the back of a broken-down truck. Anyone could come by at any time. Those thoughts were accompanied by a cold wave of awareness.
Ava had her bra, shirt, and panties on before he could roll over to find his clothes. Honestly, he had no idea which direction they flew as he’d discarded them last night. He found his shirt on the corner of one of the stacked pallets. Holding back amused laughter, he rose, stuffing his legs and arms into his clothing.
As he rolled the door upward, a tow truck pulled in behind them. In the dim early morning light, the blue and red emergency lights strobed off the rear of the cargo hold.
Will hopped down, then reached up for Ava. She landed lightly next to him, scanning the roadside.
The tow driver emerged, tucking a clipboard under his arm. “Will Bradford?”
Will shot him a wry look. It wasn’t like there was someone else stranded in a rental van right by them. Who the hell did he think Will was? “Yeah.”
“Got a replacement tire for you.” The driver skirted the back end of their rental van and squatted by the ruined wheel. He poked his fingers into the shreds and let out a low whistle.
Ava tapped Will on the shoulder and nodded toward the thick tree line at the bottom of the roadside ditch. “I’m going to . . .” Her cheeks pinkened. “Uh, I’ll be right back.” She marched away, and Will watched her progress as the service man jogged back to his truck.
A thud interrupted birdsong coming from the nearby scrub trees. Their tow guy had leaned the replacement tire near the wheel well and bent to loosen the lug nuts.
When Ava returned, Will took his turn in the trees. By the time he’d made it up the slight incline back to the road, Ava was engrossed in her phone; tapping, scrolling, and swiping her way through however many emails or alerts she’d received overnight.
Just then, Will realized the chunky, annoying device was missing from her wrist. “Honey, what happened to your watch?”
Ava glanced at her arm, like she half-expected to find it there. She shrugged. “Must have left it at the vineyard.”
“Are you okay with that?�
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“Oh, Will.” She ducked under his arm and nestled into his side. “You’ve taught me there is more to life than being connected to technology. Connection to you is more important.”
With a laugh, he squeezed her close. “Holy hell! I love you. And I feel like I have an evil acolyte.”
Ava giggled along with him and waved her phone under his nose. “Let’s not get carried away. I’m still connected, just not tethered.”
“All done,” their tire savior announced. He pulled a dirty rag from the pocket of his coveralls and scrubbed the grease stains on his fingers.
Will accepted the clipboard from the guy’s filthy hands. He scrawled his name across it as Ava retrieved a water bottle from the cooler. She cracked the seal, took a long drink, and then offered the bottle to him. He drained it in three long gulps.
As the tow driver clambered back into his rig, Will dusted his hands together. “We’ll stop at the next fast food place we see for coffee.”
“God, yes. That’s our first priority.” Ava rotated her shoulders, as though working out a kink. Will’s fingers itched to dig into her tense muscles and ease her discomfort. She glanced at her phone. “It’s five-thirty. Do we have time to check into a hotel and clean up before our deadline?”
“Yeah, but it will be close.”
Ava nodded, and snatched their belongings from the cargo area. Will closed the door and secured it with the padlock. Within thirty seconds, they were in the cab and on their way.
~ ~ ~
“Will?” The tall, broad-shouldered man approached, his smiling eyes crinkled at the corners. Deep lines etched around his mouth matched the wrinkles above his cheeks. His bushy gray brows arched high. “I’m Terry Shush.” The owner of Shush Distributing himself greeted Will and Ava.
“It’s an honor to meet you, sir.” Will passed over the bottle he’d personalized for Terry, and clasped the man’s extended hand. Gripping his heavily callused palm was a little like taking hold of a vise.
Chaos Among the Vines (Romancing the Vine Book 2) Page 25