by K. C. Crowne
Without another word, he pushed his cock into me. I let out a sigh of unimaginable pleasure as he entered me, inch by inch. Reaching around, I grabbed his firm ass and pressed down, making sure every bit of his cock was deep inside me.
Wyatt moaned before pulling back and plunging again. His lips locked onto mine, kissing me slowly and tenderly and deliciously. I dragged the back of my nails over the outlines of his muscles, feeling them tighten and loosen as his body worked.
We kissed, our lips not leaving the other’s as he drove in and out of me. I only opened my eyes for a moment to glance down and take in the sight of his cock tunneling into me. There was so much to worry about, so much we needed to address. But at that moment, there was nothing in the world but the two of us, our bodies joined together in the way only lovers could be.
Wyatt raised himself up on his arms, gazing down at me with those golden eyes, his expression hard and serious as he pumped between my legs. An orgasm began to take shape, and right in the middle of a deep thrust, it broke.
“Oh…oh my God!” I came like I’d never come before, not with another man, not on my own, not even with Wyatt. It was as though the love between us unlocked some deep reservoir of pleasure I didn’t know was inside me. The orgasm pulsed, rushing through me in waves, ebbing and flowing.
Wyatt’s expression focused even more deeply, and with another series of plunges he let out a hard grunt. His cock pulsed inside me, followed by the sensation of him draining against my walls. I loved to watch him come, to feel it happen inside me.
We finished quickly, and when we did Wyatt did the opposite of what he’d done whenever we’d been intimate before. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close.
“No holding back anymore, huh?” I asked with a dreamy smile.
“What’d be the point of that?” he asked. “We’re in love, dammit. No holding back anymore.”
I was giddy, thrilled.
“I want you to stay with me here,” he told me. “Whatever your old life was, leave it behind.”
“It was not much of a life to speak of,” I confessed. “Memories came back, and I remembered enough about it to know it’s nothing I want.” I smiled sadly as I told him about my life. “Tiny, lonely apartment, no family, no friends. A job where I’m paid to deceive. I’m done with it.”
He nodded. “You can start a new life here with me and the family. This cabin’s a little on the small side, but…” He shook his head, as if getting ahead of himself. “We can worry about that later.”
“I still need to go back and pack, break the lease on my apartment, stuff like that. And I want to be done with my old job,” I told him. I smiled brightly. “But maybe…I don’t know. Maybe I can go some good instead of making money off hardship.”
“Become a PI for good,” he tossed out, a smile on his face as well.
“Something like that.”
“I like what I’m hearing,” he acknowledged. “But from here on out, it’s you and me and this little guy right here.” He placed his hand on my bare belly.
“Or girl,” I said, grinning.
“Or girl.”
Silence fell, one that didn’t need to be filled with words.
We were in love. Nothing else mattered.
Wyatt
We spent the rest of the day making love and lying in bed and talking about what came next. I thought I’d been in love before, but with Jess it made me realize everything I knew – thought I’d known — about the subject wasn’t worth a damn. Being with her was like nothing I’d experienced before. I didn’t want her to leave my side, even for a minute.
But we both knew she had to. She had a life to sort out, and as tempting it as it might’ve been for her to leave it all behind, it had to be done right.
“I’m comin’ with you,” I announced the next morning over coffee and pancakes. “I drive you back to town, stay with you while you get everything wrapped up, then we come back.”
She shook her head, her lips pressed together. “I need to do this on my own. And I don’t want you leaving the ranch behind while I sort out my business. You’ve got Juniper and Red and all the rest of the animals to worry about. What if something happened to one of them while you were gone?”
She had a point. Maybe if things hadn’t been so crazy around the ranch, maybe if I didn’t have a new foal to look after, going with her might’ve been an easier option. But I didn’t like it.
“I want you to hurry back, then,” I said, reaching across the table and taking her hand. “We’ve got a new life to build together, and we’re not gonna waste a second we don’t have to.”
She squeezed my hand back. “You know I feel the same way. I’m just going to go back, tie up the loose ends, and I’ll be back before you know it.”
I nodded. “Perfect. But you’re gonna let me take a look at that car before you leave. Not a chance you’re gettin' on the road in somethin’ unsafe to drive.”
“Alright,” she said. “I’ll give you that.”
We finished the rest of our breakfast in silence, enjoying one another’s company. After breakfast, Jess gathered her things while I checked her car. As I checked the oil and tire pressure and all the basics, I made a mental note to make sure I bought her a new car when she moved in, something more suited for the area. I imagined she’d make a fuss about me doing something like that, but I wouldn’t hear a word about it. I wanted her to be safe, and after seeing what had happened to her car in the rainstorm, I wasn’t about to take any chances.
But I would worry about later. About the time I finished, Jess returned from the house with her suitcase and a small brown bag in her hand.
“What’s that?” I asked, nodding toward the bag.
She smiled as she stepped toward me, her gorgeous, auburn hair bouncing with each step. “Bumped into Ginny on the way into my old room.”
“Bet she was thrilled to see you,” I said, dusting my hands and leaning back against the car.
“She was. And when I told her I was driving back, she didn’t let me leave until she’d made me something for the road.” She held up the bag., shaking it slightly “Egg salad sandwich and some homemade potato chips.”
My stomach grumbled something fierce at the mention. “I’m tellin’ you, once you’ve had those homemade chips, you won’t want to touch that stuff that comes in the bag.”
Her hand holding the bag fell to her side, and it was obvious there was something else on her mind.
“Let’s hear it,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I might’ve let slip about the baby.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That right?”
“Sorry!” she gushed quickly. “I assumed you’d told her.”
“I didn’t, but I should’ve. How’d she take the news?”
“You kidding?” she asked, laughing. “She’s thrilled, said it’s about damn time you gave her a grandkid.”
I glanced to the side, allowing a smile to cross my lips. “Sounds about right.”
“OK,” she said. “I drive in, take care of business, and hurry back.”
I stepped up to her, hooking my thumbs into the belt loops of her jeans. Then I pulled her body close to mine. “Then we start our new life.”
“Then we start our new life,” she repeated, grinning from ear to ear.
I handed her the keys, and she took them before I planted a deep kiss on her soft lips. The kiss lingered, her taste filling my mouth. My hands on her body, my lips on hers…I sure as shit didn’t want to let her go. Hell, what I really wanted was to pull her back into my bedroom and really give her something to want to stay for.
But she had business to sort out. And so did I.
“Alright,” I said, using every bit of strength I had to pull my lips away. “You get a move on. Text me when you get to Houston, and keep me posted, y’hear?”
“You know I will.”
One more lingering kiss and she was off. I gave her gorgeous ass a firm swat and got giggles as a response.
Then I leaned against the front door and watched as she climbed into her car, flashing me one more loving look before starting the engine. Seconds later, her car disappeared over the horizon of the property and she was gone.
I hated it instantly. And the thought scared the shit out of me. When I’d gone through all that horseshit with Amy, I swore I’d never let a woman get close enough to me to hurt me. But I was doing it again before even a year had passed.
But Jess was different. I could feel it in my bones. There was something about her, something that made me want to let all my walls down. And I’d do anything to protect her.
I returned to the cabin. Once I had a cup of hot coffee in hand, I looked around my home. It wasn’t the biggest cabin in the world, though it was more than homey. I’d built it with my brothers, readying it to be a home for my wife and I when I finally settled down. After things went south with Amy, I’d moved back into the main house and hadn’t spent much time in the cabin aside from the past few weeks. Now, I’d found someone to live there with me. I had some work to do.
It was fine for just one person, but my little family, a word that lifted my soul, would be three. A one-bedroom joint wasn’t going to cut it.
Determination filled me as I made my way to my supply closet, opening it and gathering my drafting materials. I spread them out over the kitchen table, mug of coffee close at hand. Hours flew by as I worked. I’d taken the layout for the cabin as we’d built it and added a pair of rooms. There’d be an extra bedroom, one that could double as a guest bedroom or an office. But more important than that was the nursery. It wouldn’t be easy, and I’d need the help of my brothers, but it would get done.
Jess and I were going to build a life together, and we’d need a proper home to do it in. Once I’d finished the last bit of drafting, I sat back in my chair with a big old smile of satisfaction on my face. But I quickly realized an addition to the house was only the first thing I’d need to get started on. The baby would need all sorts of furniture – a crib, a dresser, maybe a nice little rocking chair for Jess to sit in while she was nursing. The expansion might need to wait for a spell, but these I could start now.
The ranch had a pretty damn decent workshop, and with some plans in hand, I started on a crib. Damned if it wasn’t one of the most satisfying things I’d made in a long, long time. Knowing I was building with my own two hands the bed where my baby boy or girl would be sleeping…hell if it didn’t put another big smile on my face.
After a couple hours of working, I hurried to the main house for a little something to eat. Mama G was there, and however I’d been grinning all day, it was nothing compared to the big smile on her face when I showed up.
She didn’t say a word, instead pulling her hands out of the sink where she’d been washing dishes and running over to me, throwing those skinny arms around my middle.
“My boy’s gonna be a daddy!” she squealed, squeezing me with the always-surprising strength she often showed.
“That’s right,” I said, returning the hug. “Sorry about not telling you right away, Ma.”
She pulled away and swiped her hand through the air, dismissing the idea. “Don’t matter none. You’re giving me a dang grandkid, and that’s all I care about.” Then a strange expression crossed her face, as if she didn’t quite know how to say what she had on her mind.
“What is it, Ma?”
“It’s just…” She sucked in a breath. “Well, I couldn’t imagine a better woman for you to be doin’ it with. I had a good feeling about Jess the moment I laid eyes on her, not the creepy-to-the-bone feeling I got with Amy. I know these things, Wyatt. That girl’s gonna be good for you.”
“I know she will be. Happy you like her as much as I do.” My phone shook in my pocket, interrupting our conversation, and I slipped it out. “Ah, hell.”
“Is it Jess?”
“Nope. You know what they say about speakin’ of the devil?” I held the vibrating phone up so Mama G could get a look at who was calling.
“Shit,” she grumbled, putting her hands on her hips. “Guess we gotta get a little reminder that it’s not all ice cream and butterscotch.” She nodded toward me. “Take care of your business, boy. And make sure she knows she’s not gettin’ a damn dime more.”
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of givin’ in to her,” I promised. I answered the call as I left the kitchen. A conversation with Amy was the last thing I wanted to deal with, but I couldn’t ignore her – she’d make damn sure I didn’t.
“Wyatt,” she began, her voice as curt and prim as ever. “How’s the day finding you?”
I reached my room in the house and shut the door behind me. “Let’s cut the pretend-pleasantry bullshit and get right to it. What do you want, Amy? Why you callin’ me?”
“I told you I was going to keep the pressure on you until I got an answer about the settlement. And that’s what I’m aiming to do right now. Not about to let you forget about me – it’d just break my heart.”
The joy I’d been running on the entire day took a backseat to the anger Amy inspired. Jess was the only woman I wanted to see, and Amy was the last one. This shit had to end. I wasn’t in a mood for beating around the damn bush.
“Alright, Amy,” I said. “You want an answer? You’re gonna get one – you’re not getting a thing more than what we both agreed to in the divorce. My offer was more than fair, and you’re gonna take it so we can put all this behind us. You wanna say no, spread some bullshit lies about me? That’s your call. But I’m lettin’ you know right now that I’m gonna fight you every step of the way. You wanna get dirty? We’ll get dirty.”
There was a long silence, a calculated one on Amy’s part.
“That’s how you feel?”
“That’s how I feel. Ridiculous as hell I’ve let you take things this far. But I’m lettin’ you know right here and now that if you want a sugar daddy, you’re gonna have to find someone else. And that’s all there is to it.”
“I’m disappointed to hear that, Wyatt. I was thinking you’d be reasonable about this.”
A few choice words came to mind, but damned if I was going to let myself get drawn into a petty argument with Amy. That’d be playing right into her hands.
“I’m being as reasonable as I need to be. The ball’s in your court, Amy. Leave it alone and go on with your life.”
“No, the ball’s in your court, Wyatt. Simple as that.”
I shook my head. “Nothin’ about this is gonna be simple. You’ve made certain of that.”
“Well,” Amy huffed. “You want a fight, you’re going to get one. Can’t wait to make my case for the judge. I’m sure he’ll find what I have to say very, very persuasive.”
The line went dead. Amy had always wanted to get in the last word. Fine – I’d let her have it.
I took a seat on the edge of the bed. My phone was still in my hand, and it buzzed as soon as I put my rear on the mattress. It was a text from Jess. I smiled, noting how a simple text from the woman I loved was enough to push away all the bad feelings Amy managed to drag up.
Hey! Just made it into town. Drive was fine. Miss you already!
A few heart emojis followed the text. I’d never been an emoji man myself, but that didn’t mean I didn’t like to see them.
Good to hear. Miss you, too.
I sent the text and laid back on the bed, my hands folded together behind my head. Shit was only going to get more complicated in the next few months. But I was ready. With a woman like Jess by my side, how could I not be?
Jessica
The moment I stepped into my tiny studio apartment I wanted to leave. All it made me think about was the ranch and Wyatt’s cozy little cabin.
I stared at the pitiful room, noting the lack of décor or personality or anything that would make the studio appealing in the slightest to live in. More memories came back, none of them good. I remembered nights in the front of the computer, a half-eaten container of one kind of take-out or another next to m
e as I poured over work.
Made a hell of a lot of sense. This was the home of a woman who worked and slept and ate when she had to. How the hell had I let myself live this kind of life for so long? How the hell had I tolerated it? It was so lonely, so meaningless. Sure, maybe I’d been making a decent living, but what for what purpose had I been doing it?
I went through my desk, sorting through documents that looked important, ones that might give me some leads on clients when I made it back to Patterson. There were some bank statements inside, recent ones that let me know I had a small nest egg saved up. Not that it mattered; Wyatt was the kind of man who likely wouldn’t let me pay.
I didn’t care a bit about the money he and his family had. But knowing he was looking out for me, protecting me, it was hard to describe just how damn good it made me feel.
And there was the little matter of the baby. I placed my hand on my belly as I’d done again and again since I’d found out. I needed to go to a doctor to confirm, but the handful of pregnancy tests I’d taken were proof enough.
More than that, I knew. I felt something different inside, like my body was telling me for certain I was carrying Wyatt’s child. I almost wanted to leave right then and there, forget about my things and the apartment and my work and everything else that felt like a weight keeping me from my new life in Patterson.
But I had to do the responsible thing. I sorted through some more papers, finding my landlord’s number and giving him a ring, letting him know I’d be breaking the lease. I was satisfied after the phone call, knowing one more loose end had been snipped off.
Then there was the matter of packing my stuff. The more I went through my belongings, however, the more I realized there wasn’t anything much worth saving. Aside from my clothes, there were no sentimental items, no keepsakes.
I did find a single picture of my parents, my heart stopping when I fished it from the back of the closet and held it in my hands. It was a shot of them on some beach, Mom wearing a colorful sarong and Dad with a pair of trunks and Hawaiian shirt, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. Longing surged through me as I regarded the picture. I placed it in one of the boxes, wiping tears from my eyes as I continued packing.