by Sable Hunter
“Of course he is. You’re lucky to have a family like that.”
She didn’t say so, but Ten knew what she was getting at. Molly didn’t have a family. That bothered him more than he could say. “I don’t like you being alone. Who do you call on when you need something? Who do you call on when you get sick?”
His concern touched her. “I have a few friends at the trailer park, and people I’ve worked with, people I’ve met at school.”
“I hope so. But you have my number now, and I want to be the one you call first.”
“Okay,” she murmured. But if he was six hours away… “I’ll be fine, Tennessee. I always am.”
He heard her. Why didn’t he feel any better?
They stopped in Alpine at a small diner to get a bite to eat. While Ten chowed down on a burger and fries, she ate a Caesar salad topped with grilled chicken.
“Rabbit food, you need more to eat than that, sweet girl.” He wagged a finger at her plate.
“You’re always worrying about what I eat.” Molly licked the end of her fork. “I love salads. What’s your favorite food? Beef?” She looked at him with a knowing smile.
“Nope, not at all. Although I do love a good steak.” He gave her a mysterious smile. “Do you remember me telling you that I’m originally from Louisiana?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Well, I have Creole and Cajun blood running through my veins and my favorite foods are dishes made with crawfish. I love gumbo, etouffee and jambalaya.”
Molly wrinkled her nose. “Mudbugs.”
“Ha!” Tennessee laughed. “If you’re going to be with me, you gotta learn to like ‘em.”
If she were going to be with him. Her blood pounded in her veins. “Well, if you’re going to be with me, you need to learn to like nopalitos.”
“I’m game, what is it?” Ten drained his tea glass.
“Prickly pear, prepared and fried with onions and pimentos, served over eggs.”
“Hmm, sounds tasty.” He tilted his head sideways, giving her a knowing, sexy smile. “I can think of something else I’d love to eat.”
She grew warm all over. “What’s that?”
“It’s pretty and pink and oh so sweet.”
“Well, I’d like to su…”
The waitress interrupted her erotic suggestion with the check and Molly didn’t get to finish her sentence, she didn’t have to. Ten honed in on those two letters S and U like a heat seeking missile. He read her loud and clear. The launch system was activated. If she wanted to suck his cock, he was fully on board. “Hold that thought,” Tennessee directed with a heated look on his face. As soon as he took care of the bill, he escorted her out of the restaurant and toward the truck. When they were out of earshot of anyone, he growled in her ear. “Now you were saying, you’d like to su… what?”
Molly nodded with a straight face. “Yes, I’d like to suggest cotton candy, it’s pretty and pink and sweet.”
When his mouth dropped open and the look of disappointment crossed his face, she laughed. “I’ll race you to the truck, first one there gets to be on top.” She took off and he was right behind her. “I won!” she exclaimed.
“Oh, I win either way. Where to? My place or yours.”
Having calmed down since last night, and knowing how small and dinghy her trailer must seem to him, she opted for his. “Take me to your bed and do wicked things to me.”
He gunned it.
Once they were parked at the hotel, Ten had her out of the vehicle and halfway across the courtyard. She was giggling at the pace he was setting. “In a hurry, cowboy?”
“I’m always in a hurry to get my hands on you, Miss Molly.”
Everything would’ve been perfect if she hadn’t glanced over toward the spa entrance and saw Rita standing there with her arms crossed watching them. Odd. Greg O’Neil from last night was with her. She didn’t say anything to Ten, she didn’t want to spoil their good mood. Tearing her gaze away from the cold staring eyes, Molly turned her attention back on the man anxious to take her to bed. He had the door open and was waiting for her to walk through. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” He sat down on the bed. “Wait and see if I can satisfy you first.” He slapped his thigh, “Sit in my lap so I can reach all your good parts.”
Molly laughed, “If I do that, I’ll be covering up your good part.”
“That’s the idea.”
Placing one knee on the bed, she swung the other over both of his, balancing herself with a hand on his shoulder as she settled onto his lap. “Let’s get rid of this Stetson.” She took his hat off. “I love your long hair. You make me think of a big lion.”
Tennessee ran his hands across her back and pulled her against him. With gazes locked, they moved nearer, their breaths mingling, hearts racing, Ten tilted his head and claimed her mouth. With teasing touches, he nibbled, lingering over this single tempting kiss until they were both trembling with need.
“I never thought I’d meet someone like you,” Molly whispered as she let her fingers run over his face, soothing his cheek, his forehead, then raking through his hair. Leaning in, she bit at his mouth, sliding her tongue in to mate with his.
Ten gave a satisfied groan, he loved this wild side of her. “You were quite a surprise yourself.”
Molly felt reckless. More passionate than she’d ever felt, Molly caressed him, rubbing and grinding her crotch against him until they were so aroused both of them were panting. “I need more.” She buried her face in his throat, licking and nipping, allowing her hand to slide down between them until she could cup his erection. “Take your clothes off, I can’t wait to get my hands on you.” Shifting her to one side, he stood and undressed, peeling off his shirt, then everything below the waist was quick to follow. “Now, sit back down.”
Molly straddled his lap again, pushing herself back on his thighs so she could curl her palm around the shaft of his dick and squeeze. Ten growled as loudly as the lion she compared him to. Nuzzling his neck, she stroked his cock, long tender caresses up and down the full length, twirling her thumb around the head, teasing the glans underneath the head. When he shivered at her seduction, she slid to the floor between his knees.
“I thought cotton candy was first on the menu.”
“No, I’m in the mood for something more…filling.” Taking him in her hand, she lashed the head with tiny licks of her tongue, then slid her lips over the head, taking him deep into her mouth until the tip bumped the back of her throat. Running her fingers up and down his thighs, she slowly pulled her head back, letting the full length of him slide back over the rough velvet of her tongue.
Tennessee hissed, grasping a fistful of her hair. She continued to blow him, bobbing her head and curling her fingers, raking the muscles of his leg with cat-like claws. Sucking him deep down her throat, Molly squirmed. Her whole body was responding to his. She was wet and her pussy was starving to death for him.
“Oh, baby, baby.” His hand tightened on her nape, holding her down, ensuring she was going nowhere. His hips were flexing, there was no way he was going to last much longer.
Molly wanted to hear him roar. She held his cock in one hand, her thumb rubbing and pressing at the root. Moving her mouth to the end, she circled her tongue round and round the head, sucking hard.
“Hell yes, harder, feels so damn good.”
Knowing he was close, she doubled her efforts, moving her head faster, rolling his balls between her fingers. His climax was hers to command and she gloried in the power.
“Fuucck,” he yelled, the grip on her hair almost painful. She felt the pulse of his dick on her tongue, hot jets of cum coating her tongue. Molly swallowed, keeping him in her mouth, drawing on his cock until she had milked it of every drop.
“Good?”
“Good doesn’t even come close, Molly.” He pulled her into his arms, his heart pounding against her swollen breasts.
“You want to take a nap?” She was being generous be
cause her body was screaming for him.
“I’m not wasting one moment with you.” With deliberate moves, he undressed her. Slowly. Worshiping her with tender kisses and heated caresses. When she was naked in his arms, he stretched back on the bed, pulling her on top of him. The kiss he gave her said what he couldn’t yet put into words. He wanted her. He needed her. Even more, he ached to take her home with him. But it was too soon. “I’m so glad I found you.”
While he drank from her lips, he let his hands drift over her shoulders, down to those magnificent tits, then farther down to cup her fine ass. When she nipped his lip, he reacted by popping her on one cheek, making her giggle. Oh, how he loved to hear her be happy. Never letting their mouths part, he eased her to one side so he could play between her legs, tracing the delicate lips. She pressed her thighs together, trying to capture his hand while Ten blazed a trail of sucking kisses from her neck to the tops of those luscious breasts.
“Wasn’t there something you intended to do?”
Molly’s breathless question made him smile. “I’m sorry, my mind’s blank. Remind me.”
She huffed. “Well, if you’ve forgotten already, you must’ve not wanted to do it very badly.”
Raising up, he studied her, pretending to think. “Well, let me see.” He ate her up with his eyes, from the tip of her aquiline nose to the tips of her pink painted toenails. “I have to admit, you make me crazy.”
Molly spread her legs wide, as if reminding him of a previous appointment. “Oh, yea, now I remember. Seeing all that pretty pink flesh does remind me of something.”
“If you say cotton candy I’m going to make you eat your Stetson.”
“Oh, I’m going to eat something sweet all right.” Without another second’s hesitation, he buried his face in her pussy, licking and lapping at the cream of her arousal.
She wiggled on the bed as he rubbed his face across her softness. “Don’t stop,” she begged him.
“There’s no way I can stop. I want you too much.” Licking her slit from top to bottom, he gauged his success by the whimpers and her inability to be still. When she raised her hips, he used his tongue to tunnel inside her tight channel, spearing in and out like a little cock.
“Tennessee!” She clutched at the spread on the bed, bowing her back.
Ten slid his hands under hips and raised them, eating at her pussy with abandon. Hearing her accelerated breathing, he knew she was ready. Moving his tongue to the top of her slit, he flicked her clit over and over again until it was swollen and red like a ripe cherry. Then, in a move meant to win her undying devotion, he closed his lips over the tender nubbin and sucked.
“Yes!” she cried, her body bucking as she came against his lips. Even as she twisted beneath him, he continued to suck until she orgasmed a second time. “Now roll over, baby.” She was so limp with pleasure he had to help, but when she figured out what he wanted, she went to her knees and presented herself to him. He rose behind her, grasped her hips and got into position. With one powerful thrust, he impaled her.
Molly moaned, making sounds so sexy, Tennessee grew even harder if that were possible. “You’re so hot, so wet, so sweet.” He fucked her as she pushed her hips back against him. Fucked her hard and fucked her fast. She came again, squeezing him so tight his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Reaching under her, he played with her clit while he kept up the sensual pounding.
“Don’t stop, don’t stop,” she chanted and he didn’t. In and out. Faster. Over and over. He pumped into her until he was sweating and shaking, lost in the heaven of his cock pistoning in and out of her sweet sex until she screamed, burying her face in the bed. Only then did Ten let go, emptying his balls, his seed spurting up inside of her, mixing his essence with hers.
Caressing her back, he kissed a path down the feminine line of her spine. “Are you okay?”
“Perfect,” she sighed. “You wore me out. I lost count of the number of times I came.”
“Four, but who’s counting,” he teased.
Molly turned over, wrapping her arms around him. “I’m gonna miss you while you’re gone, cowboy.”
“I’ll be back. You can count on me. I’ll be back.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Leaving Molly hadn’t been easy. She’d had a nightmare during the night. From the way she cried and what she said, he’d known she was dreaming about her mother’s death. He’d held her tight, whispering words of comfort. And when they’d awoken and he told her it was time for him to leave, he’d kissed her over and over again, catching the tears rolling down her cheeks with his lips. Driving her home and leaving her in that sad little trailer had been almost impossible. His every instinct had been to wrap in her in his arms and carry her to the plane that would wind its way back to the Hill Country. But he hadn’t, Ten had driven off, leaving her standing in the door of her small home, a hand raised to say goodbye.
Like he’d intended, on the way to the airport, he stopped by the hotel office to see Ben Hunt. Ten needed to thank him one more time for the recommendation to the Gage brothers. He told him and Rita that he was flying back to Marble Falls to see his family. He also told them he’d be back soon.
Rita walked him out, her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend any time together, Tennessee.”
Ten enjoyed circumstances like this about as much as he did the confrontation with Greg O’Neil. Although Rita ought to already realize it, he couldn’t let her go on with the wrong idea. “Rita, I’m seeing Molly.”
The change on her face was instantaneous and startling. Venom flashed in her eyes. “You’re making a mistake. She’s not for you. She’s a typical low-class loose little piece of trailer trash.”
Ten didn’t hit women. But he didn’t mince words either. “I respect your daddy. I think the world of him, but I won’t stand here and listen to you badmouth a woman who means a helluva lot to me. Good-day, Miss Hunt. I don’t think we should spend any more time together.”
“If you think you’re the only man she’s messing around with, you’re wrong, you know.”
Ten didn’t want to hear her vitriol. He kept walking, but he could still hear her voice sounding in his ear. “Ask her about Carlos. Ask her about Paul.”
He didn’t turn around. Molly had mentioned no other man to him. The only thing she’d told him about was her lack of experience. Rita was lying. Any woman who’d badmouth another as she was doing, couldn’t be trusted.
Replaying Rita’s words in his head only fueled his anger. He sped toward the airport, passing very near to Molly’s place. Ten was tempted to turn in and see her one more time before his plane took off. But he didn’t. Rita’s accusations were still too fresh in his mind and he needed to calm down before he did or said something he’d regret later. Not that he believed Hunt’s daughter, but he would have to ask about those other men. He’d have to ask who they were. The question was eating him alive.
***
Picking up the phone, Rita pressed a few buttons.
“O’Neil.”
“Greg, this is Rita Hunt. I hope you don’t mind, I got your number from the Gages.”
“Ah, yes. What can I do for you, Miss Hunt?”
“Well, I might have a proposition for you. Did I pick up on a little animosity between you and Tennessee McCoy the other night?”
“Maybe. Why?”
“Are you interested in knocking him off his high horse?”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Meet me at the spa and we’ll discuss it. I think we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
O’Neil laughed. “I’m always interested in anything that will benefit me, Miss Hunt. I’ll see you there.”
***
As the small plane flew him over the vast landscape of West Texas, he wondered at why it looked different to him now than when he’d made the trip down. No longer did it look barren and desolate, now he knew of the hidden beauty that could be found there. He smiled at the thought. He
’d tried to make some notes, but frankly he was just too wound up. What he needed was to sit down with his brothers and get them to help him sort out his thoughts.
Looking out the window, he could see when the terrain changed from the mountains to the mesas to the flatlands and then to the limestone cliffs and rolling landscape of the Texas Hill Country. He wondered when he’d started thinking of this as home. He’d grown up in the swamp, on the wetlands, near the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. But after settling in the Highlands north of Austin, the McCoys had found a place to call their own. Oh they’d never get the bayou out of their blood. The family still owned his mother’s family property in southern Louisiana, but none had the heart, as of yet, to go home. Maybe one of the girls would eventually settle there. Pepper loved the plantation. As Tennessee grew older, he was beginning to realize that home usually was defined more by people than geography.
As soon as the wheels touched the tarmac, Ten saw it was Philip who’d come to pick him up. His brother had lost weight. The accusations made against him were taking their toll. Zane Saucier and a team of investigators were turning over every stone, following every possible lead. The authorities were trying to say Philip had killed Dalton Smith over a woman, but that was just hogwash. Philip wouldn’t hurt a fly and the woman in the supposed love triangle was not someone he’d ever been involved with. The family and those committed to help them believed there was more to it, possibly the location of a lost treasure mine. But until they had proof or Philip was put to trial, the whole situation hung over his head like an anvil. “Philip!”
“Ten! It’s good to have you back.” Philip came to hug him. He knew they looked a lot alike. Most of the McCoys, including their Tebow cousins seemed to be cut from the same cloth.
“How are you?” This was his way of asking if there was news.
“I’m good. Nothing new.” That was Philip’s way of telling him nothing had changed.
“Where is everyone?” Ten asked as he threw his bag in the back of the truck.
“Heath is at the resort, Jaxson and the men are branding calves and the girls are making a homecoming dinner for the prodigal son.”