“You’re here,” I murmur, and turn to face him.
“Where else would I be?” he asks with a grin and drags his fingertips down my cheek to my neck.
“I’ve never woken up with you before.” He brushes his thumb over my chin and then leans in to plant a soft kiss on my lips. “This feels so good.”
“You have to wake up.” He kisses me softly again, pushes his fingers into my hair at the nape of my neck, rubbing rhythmically.
“Why? What time is it?”
“Five.” He winces as my eyes widen.
“Are you waking me up to say good-bye before you go do your morning work?” I sigh as he continues to massage my neck.
“No, I took the weekend off.” He smiles softly, his dimple winking at me, as he leisurely rubs the tip of his nose over mine.
“How is that possible?”
“I need some time with you.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“Good.” He smiles down at me. “Because I have something to show you.” He kisses my shoulder.
“I’ve seen that before,” I remind him with a laugh.
“Not that.” He laughs. “Let’s go.”
“But this is so nice,” I pout, and tighten my arms, trying to keep him still, but he easily pulls away and rolls out of bed. “We should stay here and take advantage of this soft bed and our lack of clothing.”
“Come on, up. It’ll be worth it.” He grins again and winks. “We’ll finish this later.”
“Promise?” I yawn, sit up, and let the covers fall around me.
“I promise.” He pulls his jeans up over his hips. “Hurry, or we’ll miss it.”
“What is it?” I ask, curious now, and pull on my own clothes.
“You’ll see. Come on.”
He pulls me out of the house and to the barn, where Magic is waiting with Louie, wearing a bridle and a blanket draped over her back.
“Mornin’,” Louie murmurs, and smiles down at me.
“Do you people ever sleep?” I ask incredulously, earning laughs from both men.
“Not much.” Louie hands the reins over to Josh. “See you on Monday, boss.”
“Up you go.” Josh lifts me easily onto Magic’s back, then swings himself up effortlessly.
“That was kind of hot.” I lean my head back so I can look up at him and smile.
“You’re easy to please, honey.” He kisses my cheek and urges Magic along, out of the barn and across the pasture.
The air is cool in the early morning and dew covers the tall grass brushing my feet. It smells clean, woodsy, as I take a deep breath and inhale it all, the forest ahead, the horse, and the sexy man curved behind me.
“Lean on me, baby. We have about a thirty-minute ride ahead of us.”
“Can I nap?”
“You do enjoy your sleep, don’t you?” he asks wryly.
“Doesn’t everyone?” I ask with a frown.
“Mmm.”
I lean back, my head resting on his shoulder, and he kisses my cheek, his arms wrapped loosely around my waist, the reins in his fists.
The rhythm of the horse soothes me, but I don’t sleep. We ride in silence, and as twilight breaks overhead, casting everything in gray and blue, Josh stops Magic near a tall maple tree in the middle of a field. The mountains are ahead, dark in shadow, and as we sit on the horse, Josh wrapped around me, the sun begins to rise, sending a riot of color down over the mountains.
Red, orange, and yellow bleed through the sky, interrupted only by a few white clouds.
“My grandmother,” Josh begins in a hushed voice, “used to bring me here very early in the morning, just like this. After my grandfather died, she brought me more often. I think she was lonely.”
I tilt my head back and watch him speak, enjoying the way he feels behind me.
“This is the best view of the sunrise in the world.” His eyes are trained on the mountains, watching as the whole world wakes up.
“But the best part”—he smiles down at me and guides Magic closer to the tree—“is right here. Look closely.”
He points to the trunk of the tree, where there are carvings. Three sets of old-fashioned hearts and initials are carved in the tree. At various heights.
“My great-grandparents”—he points to the set of initials highest on the tree. “My grandparents, and my parents.”
“No Zack and she-who-shall-not-be-named?” I ask sarcastically.
“No.” Josh shakes his head and glances down at me. “Z signed on with the army and they left pretty quickly after they got married.”
“It’s beautiful,” I murmur, looking at the weathered letters and hearts, and then back over at the sunrise. “This is amazing.”
“You are amazing,” he corrects me, and cups my cheek, pulling my lips to his. “I want to spend every sunrise with you, Carolina. Don’t go back to your house next week. Stay with me.”
“We’ve moved fast from the beginning,” I begin, but he shakes his head and frowns down at me.
“Tell me you were fine with sleeping alone last week.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Tell me you didn’t miss me.”
“I can’t do that either.”
“I need you here, baby.” He pushes my hair over my shoulder, his eyes soft and gentle. “I shouldn’t have let you go in the first place.”
“You didn’t let me go . . .”
“Yeah, I did. I’m not going to let it happen again.”
“I’m right here.” I snuggle against him and smile contentedly. “Let’s go home.”
“My pleasure.”
* * *
“Okay, I’ll say a word, and you say the first word that comes to mind.” We are sitting on Josh’s couch on Sunday afternoon, him in his sexy gray sweats that hang low on his hips, showing off his sexy V and defined abs and dark skin.
I want to lick him.
I’m in a tight tank and his short boxer-briefs, lying on the opposite side of the couch from him, my feet in his lap.
Those glorious hands of his are kneading the sole of my foot. I want to purr like a kitten.
“Uh, why?” he asks skeptically.
“We’re getting to know each other better.” I switch feet.
“I know you pretty well.” He offers me a playful smile and runs his hand up my calf.
“My head, not my body, perv,” I mutter dryly, making him laugh.
“Okay, shoot.”
“All right.” I settle back into the cushion, my hands on my belly, and watch him happily. “Tractor.”
“Field.” He’s watching his hands on my foot.
“Picture.”
“Frame,” he responds absently.
“Horse.”
“Friend.” I tilt my head and watch him carefully. He’s still looking down at my feet and legs, and enjoying giving me the massage. His voice is soft and relaxed, and his body is loose and stress-free.
“Cara.”
“Love.” I grin at him as he raises his eyes to mine before turning his gaze back down to my legs.
“Sex.”
“Cara.” His eyes find mine again, heating up now, and his hands tighten around my ankle. “My turn.”
“Okay.”
His hands glide up the side of my leg to my knee and back down again in long, fluid strokes. “Tree.”
“Fall,” I murmur with a smile.
“School.”
“Work.”
“Jillian.” He tilts his head slightly.
“Crazy.” I laugh.
He grips my leg and pulls me easily down the couch and moves over me, bracing himself on his elbows beside my head and nestling his pelvis against mine. He gently brushes my hair back from my face.
“Cock.” He grins widely.
“Hard.” I wrinkle my nose and circle my hips against him, feeling his hard cock pressed against me.
He sits back on his heels and pulls my shorts off quickly, tugs his sweats down to his knees and returns to me,
not filling me yet, just rubbing that hard, long cock through my lips and against my clit.
“Mmm . . .” I moan.
“Shhh, this is my turn.” He brushes his lips over mine softly. “Kiss.”
“Sexy,” I gasp as he moves his hips back and forth, tormenting me.
“Clit,” he whispers, and pushes his hand between us, circling my clit with his middle finger.
“Happy.” I smile up at him and brush my hands down his side.
He sinks into me then, slowly filling me, and then pulls back, only to push inside again, setting a beautiful rhythm of push and pull, setting my core on fire. He kisses down my throat to my breast, sucking my nipple gently into his mouth, worrying it with his teeth and then brushing his tongue back and forth over the hard nub.
“Oh my,” I murmur, running my fingertips up and down his back.
“Shhh.” He pulls the other nipple into his mouth and pays it the same attention as he did its twin, then pushes up to kiss me deeply.
“Josh.” His eyes are hot as he says his own name, thrusting in and out of me quickly now.
I gaze up at him and push my hands through his soft, dark hair. How do I come up with one word to describe him?
“Everything.”
“Ah, baby,” he murmurs, and kisses me again, pushing his tongue inside me to rub and coax my own tongue in a sensual rhythm that matches that of his hips.
I wrap my arms tightly around him, holding him flush against me, and feel my pussy begin to contract around his hard length. He pushes inside and holds himself there, grinding his pubis against my clit. I come undone, shuddering beneath him as the orgasm rolls through me.
He groans and cups my face in his hands as he comes, his hips pulsating against me as he empties inside me.
“I love you, Carolina. Don’t ever forget that.”
* * *
“I want to watch something romantic,” I inform him smugly.
“I don’t have anything romantic,” he replies, looking exasperated.
“It’s okay, I came prepared.” I jump up off the couch and run to the bedroom where my suitcase is, grab the Blu-ray case from my bag, and run back to the living room, where Josh is kneeling by the television.
“Did you seriously bring a Nicholas Sparks movie into my home?” He glares at me.
“Yes.” I smile sweetly and bat my eyelashes, making Josh laugh. “It’s the newest one. The lead actor’s real name is Josh too, so you should love it.”
“That’s pure girl-logic.” He shakes his head and takes the disc from me, slides it into the player, and flops onto the couch with me. “I get sexual favors for this later, right?”
“I can’t confirm or deny that.” I take a sip of my Diet Coke. “If I start spoiling you like that, you’ll expect it all the time and it’ll be anarchy around here.”
“I’m going to spank you later,” he whispers playfully in my ear, and despite having had a mind-numbing orgasm less than thirty minutes ago, my stomach clenches and electricity shoots through my fingertips.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I warn him.
“God, you’re sassy.” He laughs and shakes some Skittles into the palm of his hand. He feeds me a green one and pops a purple one into his own mouth as the movie begins.
“Um, do we have to watch a chick flick, Dad?”
We are suddenly joined by a bouncing, slobbering puppy who wants in on the wrestling fun. Thor jumps up on both of us, tail wagging furiously and trying to lick us both at once. He happily slurps an orange candy from Josh’s fingers.
“Whoa, I don’t think you’re supposed to eat Skittles, buddy.” Josh scratches Thor’s head and pushes him onto the floor. “Hey, guys.”
I sit up to see Seth and Zack standing just inside the doorway, both of them watching us as if we’ve just sprouted wings.
“Hi.” I wave.
Seth glances at his dad and then back over at us. “They’re weird.”
Zack smirks and pats Seth on his shoulder. “They’re in love, Son.”
“That’s dumb.” Seth scowls and crosses his arms.
“I hope you still feel that way in five years,” Zack mutters, then looks at the television. His face falls in shock and he pins Josh with a glare. “Wait. You really are watching chick flicks.”
“It was my turn to pick.” I glare at Zack defensively and snuggle Seth’s sweet, soft puppy, who has jumped back up onto my lap. “Thor would watch it with me, wouldn’t you, baby? Yes, you would.”
Thor licks my face happily.
“Thor was licking his butt earlier,” Seth informs me with a giggle.
“Yuck!” I push the pup onto the floor and wipe my mouth with my hand as the three men laugh at me. “Are you guys going to join us?”
“Hell no.” Zack shakes his head and backs toward the door. “We don’t do chick flicks.”
“No way,” Seth agrees, and motions for Thor to join them. “Dad, can we go fishing?”
“Not today, the water is running too fast and too high. We’ll have to wait a few weeks for it to recede.” Zack pats Seth’s shoulder.
“So, does this movie even have a plot?” Josh asks, and pulls me against him tightly.
“Don’t be an ass. Of course it does.”
“Are there guns? Car chases? Aliens?” he asks hopefully.
“No.” I laugh and kiss his cheek. “You’re going to survive it, I promise.”
“And I don’t even know for sure that I’ll get sexual favors out of this deal?” He sends me a mock glare and I laugh, holding my stomach.
“You probably will.”
“What do I have to do to get a ‘definitely’?” He eats an orange Skittles.
“Go pop me some popcorn.”
“Done.”
CHAPTER
Fifteen
JOSH
“Hey, man, wait up,” Zack calls to me as I walk from the barn toward my house. He jogs up to join me, matching my pace.
“What’s up?”
“How are things going?” he asks casually, but I know my brother.
“Fine.” I eye him suspiciously. “What’s going on with you and Jilly?”
“None of your fucking business.”
“Come on, Bro.” I smirk at him and shake my head. “Cara and Jill are as close to sisters as they can be. You’re my brother. Talk to me.”
“There’s nothing to tell. She went back to LA.”
“Have you heard from her?”
He slowly shakes his head no.
“Have you tried to call her?” I push my hands in my pockets.
“No.”
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, and shake my head at him. “One-night stands aren’t usually your style.”
His jaw tightens as he looks away, and I want to punch him in the chin, but I keep my hands in my pockets and my eyes trained on his face.
He laughs humorlessly and scrubs his hands over his face. “We are a fucked-up pair.”
“No, we’re not. I know who I want, man. She’s right inside with your kid. You’ll figure it out too. You always were the slow learner of the two of us.”
“You’re a dick.”
“Yeah, I can be.” I grin at him. “Cara will fit in here. Hell, she already does.”
“Just be careful, and for God’s sake, don’t knock her up.”
My eyes widen in surprise. “Are you saying that if you could do it all over again, you wouldn’t have had Seth?”
“No, I love my kid. I just wish I’d had him with someone else.” He brushes his hand through his hair and sighs.
“Well, maybe now you can have more kids with someone else.”
“Fuck that.”
“What did you really want to talk about, Z?”
“I can’t ask you how you are?” He grins when I glance over at him with a raised brow. “Okay, how are things with Cara?”
“Good.”
He nods and looks ahead to the house where Cara is getting her day started t
utoring Seth. “She moving in here?”
“That’s the plan.”
We stop by my truck and I lean my arm against the bed, watching my brother. He won’t look me in the eye, and I know it’s because he has something to say and doesn’t want to piss me off.
“Just say it, Z.”
“Is that smart?” he asks quietly, and looks me in the eye.
“She’s not her,” I remind him, and sigh when his eyes harden. “Dude, what were you supposed to do? Your wife was miserable. You tried to give her what you thought she needed.”
“Yeah, and where did that get me, J? She fucked anyone who looked at her sideways and abandoned my kid.”
I flinch and roughly rub the back of my neck.
“Why didn’t you say anything to me about her?”
I don’t even pretend to not understand him. “What was I supposed to say, Z? ‘She doesn’t belong here’? It’s not like it was gonna be a forever thing anyway. I have a habit of putting my foot in my mouth, I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by telling her she was not welcome here.”
Zack shrugs and looks over the pasture to the mountains and takes a deep breath. “She never would have fit in here. City girls rarely do.”
“That didn’t have anything to do with it,” I murmur. He looks back at me, then shakes his head ruefully. “Besides,” I chuckle, “it’s not like she’s from the big city.”
“No, but she grew up in town. What could she possibly know about this life? It’s hard for us and it’s in our blood.”
“True.” I nod. “Well, it’s just a good thing it didn’t turn out to be forever.”
“We’re all better off without her. I have so much to make up for with Seth. I had no idea things were so bad when I was gone. I don’t think it was always the case. I hope it wasn’t.”
“You’ll work it out, man. Seth will be fine. The change in him from the day he arrived to now is like night and day.”
CARA
“But I really, really want to go fishing.” Seth has folded his hands as if he were praying and is begging to play hooky from today’s lesson.
“Seth, we took Friday off for the Huckleberry Festival. We don’t want to get too far behind.” I smile softly at the handsome boy. He’s in his usual long jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers. He’s in desperate need of a haircut.
I’ll have to take him to town for one this week.