by Harloe Rae
The tangle in my stomach smooths out with a swoosh. I suck in a sharp breath. “You got this for me?”
He nods. “I did.”
“Today?” I lower the gift onto my head and fasten the strap.
He scratches the nape of his neck, looking almost sheepish. “Uh, something like that.” Grady straddles the seat and pats the small cushion behind him. “Hop on.”
I do just that while channeling an ultra-chic biker babe. But in reality, I’m sure my version of saddling up is clumsy and ridiculous. Whatever. I have many next times to improve.
He reaches for my arms and wraps them snug around his middle. “Hold on. Ready?”
I lace my fingers against his torso and squeeze every muscle available. “Yes.” I add a nod for good measure.
The bike starts up with a deafening growl. With a seamless motion I’m jealous of, Grady cranks the throttle and sends us flying. A rush of adrenaline immediately floods me. I laugh and snuggle in for the ride.
Out here there’s nothing except pavement and rolling fields. The wind tunnels through my helmet. All I can hear is a dull roar from the engine. I press my palms flat against Grady’s abs. He inhales a deep breath, shifting my touch lower. I use that as permission to explore his upper body—within reason.
Grady responds by resting a calloused palm on my bare knee. His simple touch is a shot of piping hot lust straight to my lower belly. The bike vibrates beneath me, sending my synapses into a tailspin. I can hardly see straight. It makes me feel reckless.
I squeeze the metal between my thighs and release the death grip around Grady’s waist. I tip back and spread my arms out the side.
“I’m the queen of the road,” I call. The words bounce off my visor and disappear into the sky.
Grady pulls off the road and steers into an empty lot. It’s difficult to see much, other than a wide open space. He shuts off the bike and all is still. I swing my leg over to dismount. Grady follows suit. With a quick click, he removes the strap under my chin. He hangs my helmet on the handlebar next to his. It’s as though we’ve done this a hundred times.
He tucks a hand in his pocket. “What’s the verdict?”
I comb through the snarls in my hair. “I’m in love. It’s so freeing. Like riding a horse ten times faster.”
He laughs. “That’s exactly how I feel.”
“Your steel steed. Maybe you’ll let me take you for a spin on Daisy.”
“I prefer wheels.”
“Did I do okay on the back?”
Grady rakes a hand over his head, sending the dark strands to stick up in sexy disarray. “You’re a natural. At the turns, you leaned with me like a pro. Horseback riding has given you natural balance. Your body is made for this.”
Shit, that sounds naughty. “Oh?”
Fire licks up my neck while I consider what other hidden talents he’ll uncover for me. Our conversation hits a lull and the silence surrounds us again. There’s nothing except the distant sound of crickets.
“It’s so quiet,” I whisper.
“Almost scary, huh?”
I nudge his boot. “Not with you here.”
He steps into me. “I’ll always protect you.”
“Good.” I tip my face up and Grady presses our lips together. The kiss is chaste, sweet, and over before I can attempt to take things further.
He turns and lifts the seat, hefting out a small cooler. “I grabbed dinner.”
Did you hear that? It’s my fantasies knocking. This man is the end of me. “You’re so thoughtful,” I muse.
Grady threads our fingers together. “You bring it out in me.”
We begin walking toward I’m not sure where. Letting him take control and lead has been in my favor. Why stop now. I feel the soft brush of cotton before seeing anything. A glance down proves my suspicion. I hadn’t been looking in the right direction for our destination. It’s all around us.
To anyone else, this would be an abandoned yard full of overgrown weeds. It’s a happy something for us.
I scan the countless rows of dandelions. “What is this place?”
“An escape.” His throat bobs with a thick swallow. “A reminder.”
I tug on his arm, bringing us to a stop. “It’s beautiful.”
Grady’s mouth twitches. “I was banking on you thinking so. Otherwise it’s just a field no one tends to.”
“Thank you for bringing me.”
We sit in the center of a dense patch. Puffy white non-flowers form a perimeter around us. It’s been at least ten years since we did this. I release a long exhale at the memories.
Grady unzips the cooler and takes out a few containers. He pops the lids, arranging everything between us. Cheese and pesto tortellini. Caesar salad. Strawberries and watermelon. Unsweetened iced tea. More favorite things. Pressure builds behind my eyes. I blink at the blur in my vision. A utensil I can’t see gets placed on my palm.
“This looks delicious,” I manage to croak.
His gaze leaps to mine. “You okay?”
I’m nodding too fast. Accept the past, live in the present, and look toward the future. I’d planned on coasting. But impulsive adrenaline still pumps through my veins.
“So,” I broach the subject that’s been mixing me up. “We’re really together? All in?”
The fork he’s using freezes in midair. “Why would you think otherwise? Do you doubt me?”
“No.” My answer is instantaneous.
Grady’s face dips toward mine. “Then why?”
I stare at him, this man who’s already giving me everything. My eyes don’t waver. “Just letting my brain catch up with what my heart has always known.”
“Hmmm,” he murmurs against my lips. “That’s a great answer.”
I seal the remaining space. “Thought so.”
He pulls away after a moment and reaches for my hands. “We rushed forward without talking much, but I figured that wasn’t necessary. A chance isn’t worth taking if it's not crazy. There’s no true love without a little heartbreak. We sorted that out. No more pain.”
A lump the size of Wyoming gets lodged in my windpipe. I sniff and keep staring at the wonder before me.
Grady wipes away the lone tear trickling down my cheek. “Sutt, you’re all I’ve never had but desperately wanted. Happiness and peace and comfort and anything decent. You’re the only one I’d choose, ever. If you didn’t want me, I’d live a damn lonely existence. Lucky for me, that’s not the case.”
My sigh wobbles. “I’m the lucky one. You’re agreeing to be mine. Really and truly.”
“Always have been. There was never a choice, right?”
“Not since day one.”
His mouth hitches upward. He plucks a dandelion out of the thatch of weeds. With a quick breath, he blows the fluffy seeds. The particles scatter in a floating wave. Grady reaches for another and holds the white puff close to my lips. “Make a wish.”
I let my eyes slide shut. There’s no thought involved. With a slow exhale, I silently ask him to take what I’ve always been willing to give.
Happy something #18: Stealing glances at a certain pair of baby blues.
I cut the engine, sending sputtering rumbles to ricochet off the garage walls. Exhaust and gasoline cling to the air. Above the pungent bite, barest hints of coconut and strawberries float to me. My mouth waters for another taste of her. I’m already hard and aching behind the confines of my zipper.
The continuous lust pumping into me is testing all sorts of limits. I’m already toeing the line, desperation clawing at me for release. My control is a rapidly fraying thread. The girl behind me holds a scissor.
Neither of us moves for several beats of my rapid heart. Her chest pushes into me with each rise and fall. A delicate palm wanders from my pecs down to the buckle of my belt. The significance of what’s waiting just beyond reach rests in my lap. I can almost feel her there. That’s enough to get my ass in gear.
After clambering from the bike, I help Sutton off
her seat. There’s a shy sort of smile curling the edges of her lips. I want to watch that expression spread into uncontrollable ecstasy. For now, I unclip her helmet and tug it off. Chocolate waves flow out, cascading around her shoulders. A fresh dose of coconut hits my system. I don’t bother trapping my low growl. She should be aware of my fizzling restraint.
Bear’s whining yelps break into our bubble. He sounds close to being tortured. I can empathize.
Sutton tiptoes over to the pained noise and peers out the window. “Should I let him in?”
“Probably, or he’ll bust down the door.”
She smiles and turns the knob. Before she can blink, one-hundred pounds of German Shepherd are gunning for her. Bear does his best to topple her. Sutton stumbles, but catches her balance. He doesn’t relent and slobbers her with sloppy licks. Lucky mutt. She giggles, lavishing him with coos and sweet words. Bear eats it up and goes back for seconds.
My turn.
I whistle and Bear trots to my side. He gets a scratch under the jaw for that. I wouldn’t leave her unless forced. She lifts her gaze to mine and I nod toward the house. “Let’s go inside.”
“Sounds good.”
I place a palm on the small of her back, branding my spot. She pushes against me and fiddles with the hem of my shirt. We take turns pressing boundaries, shoving closer, playing an ultimate game of who teases best. She wins. I’m more than ready to raise the white flag.
We pause near the kitchen. I clear the rust from my throat. “Want something to drink?”
Sutton shakes her head.
“A snack?” I lift a brow with my suggestion.
“Dessert,” she murmurs. A pair of fingers walk up my torso. I catch her hand and dust a gentle kiss to her wrist. Sutton steps into me and lifts her chin. “In bed,” she adds.
Those words snap the final threads of my control. I kick off my boots without finesse. The rubber bounces against something behind me. Sutton watches me, slipping out of her sandals.
I knead her ass and squeeze, hoisting her up against me. She cinches her legs around my waist and clutches tight. The slight bite of her nails digging into my shoulders makes me harder than titanium. I want her too fucking bad. That fierce need pummels me as fresh strawberries bloom on my taste buds. I’m a damn junkie for this girl.
Refusing to wait another moment, I smash our mouths together. Sutton gasps and opens for me. The sweetest heat meets me, a mix of mint and fruit and passion. She moans when I slide my tongue along hers. The siren call is my undoing. I stagger to the nearest wall, shoving her against the solid surface.
The new angle makes me hyperaware of our bodies aligning in all the right places. Tingles are already threatening to erupt in my groin. I’ll never last at this rate. As if knowing my limits are being tested, Sutton draws my bottom lip between her teeth. The hint of sting flips a switch and releases lava beneath my skin. I’m burning for every part of her. I rock my dick into her core, showing her exactly what she’s doing to me.
“I need more, Gray,” she whispers at my jaw.
I smirk against her cheek. “Coming right up.”
Sutton crosses her ankles along my lower back as I begin climbing the stairs. My room is dark and quiet, but not for long. I toss her onto the bed without warning. Her lithe figure bounces with the grace of a cat. She muffles a squeak and shoots me a playful glare. I quirk a brow at her, waiting for more. My girl never disappoints.
Sutton rises to her knees and crooks a finger at me.
“What do you need, beautiful?”
She points to the mattress. “You. Naked. Laying down. In that order.”
“Really? You gonna take control?”
“For the first round.” Her eyelids get hooded and heavy.
“Whatever the lady wants.” I reach back and grip the collar of my shirt. It gets ripped off with one deft move.
She traces my upper body with ravishing hunger in her eyes. “That’s very good to hear.”
“You always get me, Sutt.” I get to work on my belt, yanking at the leather and whipping it open. The button of my jeans pops and I nearly tear out the zipper. Threadbare denim drops around my ankles, leaving me in a pair of black briefs. She nibbles her lip and makes a circling motion at the garment.
“All of you.”
Her sultry tone caresses me with silk. A shudder wracks my limbs, and I make sure she catches the reaction. I inch the fabric down, exposing slivers of skin with each second. The elastic band pulls lower and my dick bobs straight up with a salute. She tries to hide her shock, but there’s no missing the widening of that ocean gaze. Her tits rise and fall at a hypnotic rate. I can almost taste her longing in the static air between us.
I hold my arms out, putting myself on full display. “Satisfied?”
“I’m about to be.” Sutton’s stare is fastened on my cock. I give myself a slow stroke for added impact. She gulps down a wheeze and gets to work. She whips her top off in a flurry. Those sinful cutoffs quickly follow. She’s left in a matching bra and thong, the red pops against her tan. Having her in front of me in this nearly naked state should be a crime. I’m one lucky man.
Sutton shifts backward and pats the bed. “C’mere, Gray.”
Her command is followed in a streak of speed I’m proud of. I settle against the pillow with my arms crossed behind me. Sutton’s slow perusal is full of appreciation that has my cock twitching. She crawls over me, straddling my lap. I remain still underneath her. Handing over the reins has never suited me, but Sutton is different. In every conceivable way.
She leans forward, her long hair creating a canopy around us. Her lips press over mine with a tender touch. I arch into her for more and she smiles against me.
“Be patient,” she whispers.
Now she wants to go slow? All right, I can play. I lower myself down and let her lead.
She trails a path of kisses down my throat, leading to my collarbone, and aiming lower. “What do you like, Gray?”
“You, touching me. Anything you do.”
Her tongue flicks my nipple and I nearly bust from that alone. Keeping a lid on my arousal is going to test all limits. She continues her descent along my body, licking a scorching path across my abs and wickedly lower. One palm roams down and cups my balls. The fingers of her other hand wrap around my shaft. She hasn’t used her mouth yet and I’m already leaking.
Sutton peeks up from her post with molten fire swirling in those baby blues. “I want to taste you.”
Does she need permission? I part my lips with a jerky nod. But words aren’t needed. In the next beat, she’s licking at my tip.
“Christ,” I mumble. “You’re my fantasy, Sutt.”
She swirls around my cock, faster with each pass. Her tongue is wet velvet against my steel. I prop up on my bent elbows, watching her devour me. Aside from her smile, this is the hottest view I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. I can officially die happy. Her mouth is my nirvana.
I try to relax in a reclined position, but that’s impossible. She’s a lit matchstick and gasoline to the flaming lust burning me up. I wanted to take care of her. This is the other way around. My head is spinning over what she’s doing to me. I’m dizzy and disoriented without moving. Sutton finds a smooth rhythm, gliding her lips down my length and slowing drawing up. Damn, she’s good and I’m instantly hooked. I’ll never get enough of this.
On the next upward spiral, she releases me with a pop. Unbridled yearning reflects at me. “Show me what gets you off, Gray. I want to learn.”
I lift my hips. “You’re already doing it.”
Sutton kisses my tip, not taking me in. “Teach me.”
I’m not going to argue with that. My dick demands release and is ruling above brain functioning. I clutch a fistful of hair and guide her deeper. This change in angle allows her to take more of me. The impending orgasm curls at the tail of my spine, trying to break loose. I grit my teeth and force the release to recede.
“Fuuuuuuuck.” The guttural growl r
ips from my throat. “Just like that, beautiful.”
She hums in response, her lips suctioning full force around me. The vibrations in her throat zap straight to my balls. Telltale heat spreads through my lower half. I try to pull her off me.
“Baby, I’m gonna come.”
A muffled groan is all I get in return. Sutton doesn’t stop. Instead, she hollows her cheeks and sucks me to the base. Fuck. Yes. My girl isn’t messing around by showing off her lack of a gag reflex. I buck my hips, striking the deepest point possible. She swallows and that’s all the trigger I need. Warmth shoots out of me in spurts while I try to remain conscious. The edges of my vision get hazy. I’m going to pass the fuck out from a blowjob.
I come to my senses moments later, sagging against the mattress with the purest form of pleasure coursing through me. The grin Sutton is wearing says it all. I would clap if my arms would cooperate. There was no end of the line when it came to my desire for her. I want to savor her. Explore every inch over hours, throughout the night. She licks her swollen lips and purrs.
Oh, it’s on now. I scoop under her arms and flip us so she’s tucked underneath me. Sutton blinks up at me. Her mouth forms an adorable circle.
I give her a cocky smirk. “Your turn.”
Happy something #178: Two broken halves becoming a whole.
An unmistakable smoldering roars to life inside of me. There’s a thundering that won’t be silenced, not after this. My need for this man borders on desperate. The feeling clings to me as a second skin. I’ve always been ready for him. And he’s finally hovering above me with our bodies locked in place.
I drift my palms up Grady’s bulky arms, over those sculpted shoulders, and pause against his strong neck. “That was a smooth move, Gray.”
He ghosts his nose along mine. “Are you impressed?”
“Very.” My lower half rises to his on instinct.
“You’re so sexy, Sutt. The things I want to do are indecent.” There’s no disputing his words. His desire prods at me. “Tell me to stop.”
I toss my hair. “Never.”
He shudders out a breath. “I’ll never deserve you, but fighting us is no longer an option.”