Heart & Hope (Rosewood Ranch #2)

Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

RUBY

R eed’s tongue sweeps through my aching center, and I arch off the bed like a rocket of fireworks bursting from its canister. The lightning outside has nothing on the man between my legs. I grip the duvet under my back like my life depends on it.

Oh. My. Lord.

Heat pools, and I’m drenched and still growing wetter by the second, if that’s even possible. Every part of me is a live wire. Everywhere his fingers, his tongue land is electric.

I’m his.

His words.

My words.

I tremble uncontrollably, the storm shaking the house. Snowflakes slap against the glass windowpanes continuously. I can’t grapple enough air. I don’t want it. The only thing I need is Reed inside me.

I may be his.

But he is also mine.

Right now, I am loving him taking what he wants. It’s so overwhelming to relinquish control and let him take the lead. It feels like love. Like being loved. The true sentiment of the word, in action. A real-time experience of something so deep and all-consuming that my body swells with emotion.

Heat tracks over my skin as he flicks his tongue over my clit. I whimper, wanting more. So much more.

“Fuck beautiful, you taste so good.” He sweeps through my center and suckles on my clit. My hands are stuck, aching to run through his hair. To anchor myself to him with touch. My fingers would tangle through his hair, gripping tight when he sucked my clit.

“You alright?” Reed rasps.

“Uh-huh.”

The syllables are raw, almost incomprehensible.

“You’re gonna ride my face now, baby. Up you come.”

He withdraws his hands and lifts me to sitting up on the bed. “Flip over and crawl over a little.”

I push to my knees and crawl to the edge of the bed. Rough hands grab my ankles and drag me back a few inches. A moment later, Reed slides through my legs on his back, his mouth lining up with my throbbing center.

God, yes.

What I wouldn’t do to have use of my hands right now.

“This is the last nice part, baby. Then we’re turnin’ up th...” Thunder drowns his words with its raw growl.

His mouth meets my wet center, teeth grazing my clit. My legs tremble. It’s too much and not enough. I need him inside me.

I’m dizzy with it. He suckles, kisses, lets his teeth skate over the bundle of nerves sending me higher and higher with every small move he makes.

“Reed, more.”

He slides two fingers inside me, excruciatingly slow. Mouth opening and head falling back, I force air into my lungs to tamper the orgasm that’s teetering on the edge. His works in and out, eyes watching me by the heat that’s flooding my chest, neck and face. His free hand tracks up my stomach, so light it leaves a wake of goosebumps.

He moans as I start to move on his mouth. I couldn’t stop, even if I wanted to.

Adding another finger, he slaps my ass, hard. The fire of the slap melts to tingles as I pick up the pace on his face. “Reed!”

I want my hands free.

I want to kiss my taste from his lips, his chin, and his jaw. I want those green eyes locked on me when I come. I snap my gaze down. My face is wrecked with desperation, every part of it tugged tight. Each choppy breath is lined with a whimper.

He curls his fingers forward, sucking hard on my clit.

“Fuck, fu— Reed.”

He slaps my ass and bites down on my clit, only hard enough to limit my movement. I spiral upward, into the heady bliss of release. He growls around my clit, and I explode, milking his fingers. A rough hand grabs my hip, and he smooths out my erratic rhythm, drawing out the orgasm.

I slump backward as the most intense orgasm of my life fades out, sitting on his stomach. The biggest grin spreads over his face, my release covering that megawatt smile.

And when it fades and his eyes darken, I move onto the bed and wait for my next order.

“On your stomach, Captain.”

I rest my head on a pillow and slide my knees apart, canting my ass up for him, hands still tied behind my back.

“Sweet Jesus, Rubes.”

“Yours, remember.”

“Yes, it fuckin’ is.”

The head of his cock swipes through my soaked pussy. I wriggle backward, desperate for him. A hand slaps my ass, hard.

“So fuckin needy, beautiful.”

Heat fills my cheeks, but my pounding heart loves it.

“Again, Reed.”

His hand lands on the other cheek, drawing out a whimper when his hands grip my hips tight and tug me backward. I turn my head to find his eyes closed, breaths plummeting.

“Fuck me hard, please.”

“Beg again, Ruby baby. If you want it, you have to say it again.”

“Please, Reed, fuck me so hard.”

He lines up the head of his cock, slamming into me a heartbeat later. I cry out. The fill, the stretch. My mouth waters. The sky lights up, all oranges and yellows. Reed is backlit by Mother Nature, and he is stunning. I moan at the sight. But he stills, as if he has to pace himself.

“Oh, Reed. Fuck. Fuck.”

“Thinkin’ about anything else right now. Not gonna blow this, baby.”

I huff a laugh and grind back into him. He snaps his eyes open with a growl.

“Like that, is it, hey?”

He pulls out, slow. So, so slow. I whimper when the tip falls from my entrance.

“Please,” I whisper, face contorted with need.

He grips my hips so hard it smarts and slams back into me with a groan. And again, I cry out. Not even caring that our very first set of guests are probably hearing every syllable. Even over the storm.

He slides out again, making me whimper with the heartbreakingly slow deliciousness. Slamming in, he leans over and runs kisses down my spine. And when his hand leaves my hip and slides underneath me, tweaking my impossibly hard nipple. I strangle a moan, tightening around him.

He slams into me for another few strokes before lifting me from the bed with one arm, my back against his sweaty chest. He picks up the rhythm again, his choppy breath rasping into my ear. His heated, sticky skin pushes against mine.

“What’s your name, baby?”

A bent smile grows over my slack face. “Ruby.”

“Wrong answer,” he growls and thrusts harder.

Cries slip through my parted lips, his hand pushing the soft flesh of one breast, the other hand rolling the opposite nipple.

Like a fucking god.

How he can concentrate on three things at once and keep his own body in check is awe-inspiring. But something is missing. As if he read my mind, his hand slides up to my throat. I lay my head back on his shoulder in answer. His face is all light, shadow, and gorgeous angles.

The Great Reed Rawlins.

A lazy smile pulls over my face, strung out by ecstasy.

His fingers squeeze around my airway, and I huff a heady moan against his palm.

“Name,” he snaps, raw and gravelly.

Stars creep into the sides of my vision, my center coiling tighter as my breaths shorten even more. Each thundering thrust sends me higher and higher. Lightning cracks, loud and close.

“No fucking idea,” I rasp.

On a huffy breath, he says, “Good girl.”

Every stroke is strong. The bed creaks, shuddering with every rough movement that becomes more and more sloppy. He’s close. I run two fingers over my clit, wanting desperately to go with him.

He slaps my hand away. “Mine.”

The hand that was cupping my breast has reduced to two fingers, swirling over my overstimulated bud erratically. I spiral and explode with a breathy whimper that sends tears prickling behind my eyes. Reed follows with a raw rumble as he spills inside me with each hard stroke.

“Fuck, Rubes . . . Mine . . . baby.”

“Yours.”

Folding me back against his chest, he nips along my neck. “And I’m yours, beautiful. Have been since day one.”

I rest my head back on his shoulder, and he dots kisses to my cheek and down my neck and shoulder.

“You’re gonna need another shower,” he breathes.

“I’ll run the rivers dry if it means we can keep doing that.”

His soft chuckle buffets the curve where my neck meets my shoulder. “Keep wearing those heels and you’ll be in for a lot more showers.”

“Promise?”

Thunder rumbles, softer now, and his smile stretches against my neck. “Ten-four, Captain.”

The devastation on Reed’s face—he’s trying his best to flatten—is breaking my heart. Mack holds him in a tight hug. “Later, gunny.”

The Great Falls airport isn’t much, but the few people who mill around offer sympathetic expressions directed at the army uniform Mack is wearing and the hollow faces of his family who are trying their best to see him off with smiles.

Louisa sets her face in a tangle of grief and forced happiness as Mack pulls her in for a hug, and I swallow back the sob that has sent tears stinging behind my eyes.

Harry stands, hands clasped in front of his waist, by his wife’s side. His Adam’s apple bobs as Mack whispers something to Louisa. She nods as he releases her.

I all but fly into his arms as he turns to me. It’s stupid, I know. But a sensation akin to someone pulling my insides out through my teeth is unfolding at seeing Mack leave his brothers, his parents. They have a bond and love that I have never experienced, and it has me all messed up.

I clear my throat, not letting the emotion show through. That’s what we’re supposed to do, isn’t it? Be brave. Pray he comes home safe. I catch a glimpse of Reed, his face twitching as he struggles to hold his jaw slammed shut, his eyes shiny.

This is eating him up.

I push from Mack’s hold and plant a kiss on his cheek. “Make sure you come back.”

He salutes with two fingers to his forehead, but he’s not looking at me. His gaze is set on Reed.

I turn and wander back to Reed’s side, sliding my hand into his before Mack has the chance to notice the silver that’s flooded my eyes. Lacing my fingers with Reed’s, I lean into him as Addy and Huddo crowd Mack. Hudson slaps him on the back, and Addy pulls Mack’s head into a one-armed embrace as he leans down to her. Everything is so intimate.

So raw.

The air is so damn thin.

A woman’s voice announces boarding over the PA system.

I blow out a breath. As one, the Rawlins family take a step back, like old habit. A routine they have been through many times. Mack shakes Harry’s hand and lands one last kiss on Louisa’s cheek before plucking up his army-issued duffel from the floor and walking toward gate number one.

Harry tucks Lou under his arm, saying something to her softly. When she nods and they turn and walk from the building, Addy and Hudson do the same. But Reed stands staring at his brother’s receding form. Like some unspoken rule, Mack turns back at the gate’s entrance and waves with a bright smile.

Reed’s nostrils flare, his entire body tensing, but he returns the wave.

“Hey,” I whisper, standing in his field of vision, hands on his face. “You will see him again. Okay?”

He doesn’t respond.

He’s barely breathing.

Taking his hand, I lead him into the weak sunshine of the late-fall mid-morning sun. We have the inn’s opening gala tonight. And, despite the overwhelming want to run back to the ranch and hide under the covers and hold Reed for hours, I have work to do.

I can’t mess up this event. And it has to go perfectly. Because if our fake marriage, with this relationship that doesn’t feel so fake anymore, gets back to Mary-Sue I will have a catastrophe on my hands. And no amount of pleading will land me back in Olive’s good books.

My phone buzzes in the back pocket of my jeans. I slip it out and tap the screen. Two messages. Three missed calls from the lawyer.

I open the message from Olive.

Make sure tonight goes off without issue. I will see you back in the office first thing Monday morning.

I tap out a reply and check the next message.

The lawyer. I tap his name and read the text twice. And on the third pass, my gut sinks.

A notification pings on the ranch’s socials. I tap it open. I don’t believe my eyes. My mouth gapes.

Two reviews for R & R Ranch, the grand opening flagged, both one-star reviews. The sentiments are beyond harsh. They are flat-out trolling the business. The names that sign them off hit harder than it should.

Skye S

Starr M

I glance at Reed. I can’t show him this. Not now.