Can't Touch This

by Pepper Winters

  Polly had always been the strong one of our duo. Her mother had died in a car accident when she was fifteen and her dad had passed away three years ago thanks to prostate cancer. She truly was alone, but it didn’t break her. If anything, it added steel to steel until she barely bent in a breeze and carried so damn much on her shoulders.

  It was too much to hope that she’d find a friend and romantic interest in Rupert but watching her interact with him made my heart glow with hope.

  “I have to admit, you’re better than the rest,” Rupert said, toasting in my direction with his beer. “My little brother has full permission to keep you.”

  “Keep me?” I blinked.

  “Yep. He said he wasn’t letting you go. I see why now.”

  Ryder groaned behind me, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’ve done so well up till now, Rupe. All during lunch you behaved. Drinking games you were good as gold. But now you decide to throw me under the proverbial bus.”

  I’d been sitting on Ryder’s lap for the past hour, canoodling and being that annoyingly touchy feely couple that sickens everyone in a two kilometre radius.

  “Hey, just saying how it is. You had terrible taste when you were younger. This one is much better.”

  Polly giggled, tipsy and carefree. “Hear that, Vessie? You’ve earned the stamp of approval. You could put it in your passport and say you permanently live in the state of Ryder.”

  It was my turn to groan. “You guys suck.”

  Rupert turned serious, shifting on his chair to sit on the edge with his beer bottle dangling between his fingers. “No, I’ll tell you what sucked. Seeing my best mate and brother be made a laughing stock by some bitch in high-school. That sucked. Seeing him give up on finding happiness because he lost trust because of lies. That sucked. What doesn’t suck is seeing just how fucking happy he is with you.”

  “Great, bring up the exes now. Thanks, Rupe.” Ryder rolled his eyes. “Let’s tell the world how pathetic I was when I was younger.”

  “Hey, we all have the dating horror stories. I have my fair share, too.” Rupert’s lips melted into such a sincere smile, he gave me heart-hiccups. “All I’m saying is, you’ve done well.” His gaze landed on me. “Thank you for putting up with him, Ves. He’s a good guy and I’m glad you put a collar on him and made him yours.”

  “Goddammit.” Ryder growled with mock anger. “Don’t mention the collar again—especially not with town folk listening.”

  “Why not?” Rupe took a swig.

  “Because everyone thinks Vesper is his cousin and they’re having incestual naughtiness.” Polly ran her hands through her hair. “It’s all over the place. And apparently Ryder is cuckoo.”

  “Can’t deny that.” Rupert barked with laugher. “The cousin part is new however. Well, Ves, if you are by some chance related to us, nice to meet you. If not, then welcome to the family.”

  I lowered my gaze, slightly overwhelmed by the welcome. “Thank you, Rupert.”

  Ryder threw back the rest of his beer, scowling at his brother. His fingers brushed aside my hair and placed a distracted kiss on the back of my neck.

  The moment his lips touched my skin, I squirmed on his lap.

  “Shit, that feels good when you do that,” he murmured in my ear just for me. “Your ass on my cock makes me so close to coming. I’ve been fighting the urge all day.”

  My thighs squeezed together as a sudden throbbing started in my clit. Ryder shifted beneath me as the tip of his tongue replaced his lips.

  “Something very important just came up,” he whispered, arching his hips into me. Something hard poked me. “Are you ready to take care of it now or will you give me an even worse case of blue balls?”

  “Take care of what?” I looked over my shoulder, blinking innocently.

  Rupert and Polly drifted into the background as they fell back into conversation, leaving us in our own private bubble.

  “This.” Ryder pushed up, prodding my ass again.

  I shivered, purring. “Oh that? I think I can guess what that is.”

  “You think, Einstein?”

  “Do you know Einstein holds a very special place in my heart now.”

  “What on earth for?”

  “Because that was the first time you kissed me. On his nose.”

  His forehead furrowed. “Whose nose?”

  “Einstein’s.”

  “Why the hell, and how the hell, could I kiss you while on Einstein’s nose?”

  “At laser strike. It was a glow-in-the-dark artwork in the tepee.”

  Ryder laughed. “If you think I remember anything about that place, you have a higher opinion of me than I deserve.” His voice dropped as he cupped my chin with beer cool fingers. “From the moment we stepped inside that acid trip all I could think about was pressing you up against a wall and shooting you with a different weapon than the one intended.”

  “Is that the weapon I feel currently?”

  He winked. “You guessed it.”

  “In that case, I do agree something important came up. I heard it’s bad to store live ammunition for too long.”

  “You read my mind, woman.”

  Nuzzling my throat, his arms tensed around me as he helped me to my feet. Keeping my body in front of his, to hide the fact he had a giant erection, we ambled toward the bifolds leading toward the house.

  Rupert and Polly were chatting in a mixture of chuckles and murmurs but of course we didn’t get away scot free.

  “Gonna bang, huh?” Rupe laughed.

  Ryder froze, looking over his shoulder. “You always did have a dirty mind. We’re off to get some more supplies.”

  “Not the way you’re walking you’re not.” Rupert snickered. “Unless you smuggled a sausage down your shorts from the BBQ, you’re packing and need relief.” He glanced at Vesper unapologetically. “Better serve my little brother, Vessie. He so needs your magic touch.”

  The fact he’d used the nickname that only Polly had used up till now seemed to annoy Ryder. He growled, “Back off.”

  Grabbing my wrist, he dragged me over the threshold and into the shady lounge. The relief on my eyes from the hot sun was immediate.

  I instantly felt guilty for leaving Polly.

  Untangling myself from his hold, I said, “Wait just a sec.” Darting back to the deck, I met Polly’s eyes. “You’ll be okay, right? I’ll only be five minutes. I don’t see any donkey moments happening in that time.”

  Polly laughed out loud. “Yeah, I’m good. Go be a cowgirl on that very eager pony.”

  Striding back out, Ryder did his best to rearrange his unavoidable condition. “Why are we talking about ponies and donkeys?”

  “No reason.” I bit my lip, snickering with Polly.

  He scowled, impatience and joking plaited in his gaze. “Girly secrets are quickly deflating the mood.”

  “Could’ve used a better choice of words, baby bro.” Rupe chuckled. “And from where I’m sitting, nothing’s deflated.”

  Ryder slashed a hand over his face. “Jeez, Rupe, give me some remaining respect.”

  “Vessie, you better go. I know an animal in pain when I see one.” Polly laughed softly. “I’ll scream if I need you.”

  “Are you sure?” I glanced at the shadowy house then back to her. Once again that damn guilt for being so ecstatically happy and rubbing it in her face swarmed.

  Ryder rubbed the back of his neck. “Ves, don’t worry about it, it’s—”

  “If you two don’t leave, I’m going to swat you with the last lamb chop. Now go,” Polly ordered. Taking a sip of her fifth watermelon vodka, she smiled. “If I don’t hear moaning in three minutes, I’m coming in there and getting the whip out.”

  I felt as if I’d been given a pass to ditch school on hot summer days. Joy! I swayed toward the house. “Okay, then. If you insist.”

  “I insist you go get ridden.”

  “Oh wow, I like your thinking.” Ryder beamed. “Come along, Vesper. Can’t disappoint th
e woman.”

  Smiling, I clutched Ryder’s hand. “I agree. She’s bossy when she wants to be. Let’s sort out this matter of importance of yours.”

  “Fucking finally.”

  Our fingers interlocked as we bolted from company, laughing under our breath.

  We didn’t get far.

  I didn’t think we would.

  The minute we made it to the foyer, we turned at the same time and pounced. Stumbling against the wall as our lips collided and body parts tangled, we rolled along the freshly painted surfaces until we left the wide open entrance and tripped into the gloomy corridor.

  It would have to do.

  Because God, I couldn’t stop how much I needed this boy. We would just have to hope no one decided to pop by and appear at the front door because it was wide open to encourage a breeze through the house and we couldn’t move another step.

  Ryder slammed me against a wall, his lips on mine hard and demanding, his hips pulsing in time with his raging heartbeat. “Christ, it’s been the longest day in history wanting you.”

  Luckily, I’d worn a dress today and his fingers vanished up the billowing red and white material to find my knickers.

  “Do you mind if this is fast?” he grunted as he shoved aside my underwear and plunged two fingers inside me.

  Oh, God.

  “No.” I scratched his back. “Fast is good. Fast is very good.”

  With his right hand up my skirt, he struggled to undo his belt and free himself with his left.

  “Here, let me help you.” My fingers fumbled with his. I moaned in pleasure as his cock popped free and his legs trembled, positioning himself in just the right place.

  Removing his fingers, he lined me up with his erection, hoisting one of my legs over his hips.

  “Fuck, Ves…” He paused, teasing me. His hand clutched my jaw, holding me immobile for a sinful kiss. The second his tongue plunged into my mouth, he thrust inside me.

  Oh.

  My.

  Yes!

  I didn’t know what the profanity was for or what he wanted to say afterward, but suddenly, I didn’t care as he fucked me fast and deep against the corridor wall.

  My fingernails latched onto his waist, finding bare skin, loving the way his hips moved. “Yes, damn that feels good.”

  We’d done a good job at christening this house. In his shower, kitchen, lounge, bedroom, even the outside veranda when I’d tried to leave one night and it proved too much for both of us. The pole holding up the porch had been a great holding place while he took me from behind.

  But this, this corridor hadn’t been christened yet and holy hell it felt amazing.

  The only thing that wasn’t perfect was the open front door had a perfect view to the shadows where we fooled around.

  It shouldn’t have mattered because Rupert and Polly were chilling on the side of the house away from hearing or seeing our frisky business.

  So it didn’t compute in my sex-obsessed brain when a silhouette suddenly appeared in the entrance and a feminine voice said, “Hello?”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  ---------------------

  Ryder

  SHIT, SHIT, SHIT.

  My forehead crashed against Vesper’s as I struggled to stop my body’s natural motion and cease thrusting into her. “Is there or is there not someone at the front door?” I squeezed my eyes, hissing in frustration. “The bloody front door that we left wide open?”

  Vesper pushed my shoulders, grabbing the hem of her dress as we disengaged. It fucking hurt pulling out of her before I’d finished.

  Whoever our impromptu guest was pinned us with their gaze. I felt that death stare right down to my unsatisfied balls.

  “Unfortunately, your ears did not deceive you,” Ves whispered, quickly straightening her hair and wiping her kiss-swollen lips. “Put that weapon away.”

  Turning to the side, so the damn visitor didn’t see my junk, I winced as I tucked away the throbbing-for-the-finish-line erection. There was no disguising it though. I made the executive decision to tuck the length beneath my belt to keep it flat against my stomach and made sure the tip was covered by my t-shirt. It would work until it deflated and then I’d have to do some subtle rearranging.

  Vesper shed herself of sex before I did and waltzed from the shadowy corridor with her hand outstretched. “Hello, I’m Vesper. And you are?”

  The visitor stood haloed in late afternoon sunshine; I blinked against the glare. Sticking both hands into my pockets, trying to be as nonchalant as possible, I joined the two women who were shaking hands.

  “Hi Vesper, I’m Michelle. I was wondering if Ryder Carson was available?”

  Me?

  What the fuck?

  “Can I help you?” My voice was still gruff from being inside my woman. I cleared my throat. “How did you find this location?” Anger that someone had tracked me down and trespassed on our relaxing day of fun overflowed.

  Then the woman sidestepped, blocking the sun and revealing my worst nightmare.

  Michelle.

  As in my ex Michelle.

  Michelle fucking Kaylan.

  The same woman Rupert had been ribbing me about only moments ago. The same woman who’d shot into my thoughts for the first time in years when I told Ves we all had moments of dating mortification.

  She was my mortification.

  It had been years. So many years. But she’d left an imprint on me and definitely not for the better.

  This was the girl who took my V-card when I was sixteen and then shattered my heart a year later when she decided I was too boring for her. When kids our age were partying and sampling with drugs and alcohol, I preferred to renovate beside my dad and hang with my brother at the river. Because of her.

  She’d spread bullshit lies about me that she’d broken up with me because I had crabs and didn’t know where to stick it our first time.

  Little bitch had ruined my fragile teenage ego for too long.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I crossed my arms.

  Vesper’s eyes widened, bouncing from Michelle to me. The damn witch still looked the same with brown shiny hair to her collarbone and calculating dark eyes. Technically, she was pretty (not that she had anything on Vesper). Realistically, she was a bitch.

  “I heard you have dogs that need rehoming. I saw your website. I’ve been messaging the past few days but no one replied.”

  “It’s the weekend. I don’t work weekends.”

  “Oh well, we’re here now. Can we—”

  I took a step forward, standing to my full height. “Just how exactly did you get here? My website doesn’t have my home address.”

  “I know but—”

  “The proper way to go about canine adoption is to fill in the form, give me a few days to do necessary background checks, and then I come to your place with the dog best suited and check out the offered home.” I barged past Vesper, pushing Michelle from the threshold and onto the stoop. “You do not come to my personal house and interrupt a very personal—”

  “Shag? Does she have any idea of your little problem, Ryder?” She smirked, dropping the stranger act and acknowledging that we knew each other. She looked nastily at Vesper. “You best go see a doctor; that’s all I’m sayin’.”

  My temper snapped. “That’s it. Get out.” I pointed at the horizon, noticing a white sedan parked behind Vesper’s dinged up Honda. A little boy climbed out, hugging a tatted teddy bear. “Mummy?”

  Shit!

  Every profanity I wanted to hurl sucked back into my chest out of decency for innocent ears. However, Vesper didn’t take too kindly to another woman who obviously had history with me making quips about a past I hadn’t discussed.

  “Excuse me, Michelle was it?” She smiled coldly. “Ryder and I were busy before your interruption and we have family waiting for us to return. I think it’s best if you do what he said and—”

  “Ah shit, if it isn’t Lies-a-Lot Michelle.” Rupert appeared
from the lounge, nursing a fresh beer. “We were just talking about you. Funny how the cat drags in unwanted road kill at the worst times.” His gaze landed on Vesper, then me, and finally the little boy now pressed against Michelle’s leg. “Went and got knocked up, huh?”

  “As if it’s any of your business, but yes.” Michelle cocked her chin. “This is my son, Nate.”

  “Nate.” Rupe’s demeanour blared ‘leave’ but he grinned at the boy. “Hey, man. Want to go for another drive? Your mummy got the wrong address. Time to hop back in the car.”

  “But she told me we were going to get a puppy.”

  “Not from here, I’m afraid.” I kept my voice low and professional. “If you’re serious about adoption, go through the proper channels.”

  Michelle’s face darkened. Pulling a few photos from her silver handbag, she shoved them at me. “Here. This is our home. The yard is fully fenced and the dog would have full rein of the house with his or her own bed.” Patting her son’s head, she swallowed some of her pride. “Please, let us just see which one would work. You could always come and check on us in a few days and see if the dog is comfortable.”

  “Please!” The little boy bounced. “Please, please, please. Mummy said I’d get a puppy. I can see them. Over there.” He twisted to point at the kennel-barn. “I want one!”

  Rupe gave me the look that offered to take over but I wouldn’t let him fight my battles for me. Michelle had no power over me. Not anymore.

  And unfortunately, as much as I wanted nothing more than to kick her ass off my property, if she offered a good home for a dog and her son would benefit from a canine best friend, then I had to be the bigger man.

  Glancing quickly at Vesper, I touched her hand. “Go with Rupert. I won’t be long.” Sighing heavily, I glared at Michelle. “Fine. I’ll take you over there. But then you’re leaving. I have a party and unfinished important business to get back to.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  ---------------------

  Vesper

  MY CLAWS WERE OUT.

  I wanted to sink them into Ryder and pull him back. I wanted to scratch the she-devil walking beside him across the meadow to the dog’s barn. And yet all I could do was stand there. Like an idiot. With a damn bleeding heart and snarling stomach.