The Wrangler (The Yacht Club #2)

Chapter 13

Thirteen

Alex

The box of condoms is just out of reach. I roll forward, pressing SJ into the mattress and free another packet. Not sure how many we’ve used, but I’m glad I grabbed the box. At some point today, I have to get out of this bed, but not yet. Not until my sweet rabbit comes for me again. She’s soft and yielding in my arms, still recovering from me eating her out before she was fully awake. I can’t get enough of her, even though it feels like she’s holding back. Maybe because she’s leaving soon? Doesn’t matter. She’s here now.

“Ready, baby?” One more time, I’ll bury myself inside her and avoid reality for a few minutes more.

She wraps her legs around my hips and clutches my shoulders. Her eyes are still filled with the clouds of sleep, she’s beautiful and open. Mine. Holding myself above her with one hand, I guide my cock to her opening. With the tip seated in her heat, I rebalance over her and pause, perched on the edge, letting the anticipation build. She tilts her hips up a fraction, and pin her in place with a small thrust. “Don’t rush this, rabbit.”

“I need you.” Her voice is a husky whine. Rough from the screaming she’s done each time we’ve come together over the past hours.

“Gotta savor you, baby.” I shift forward, deeper, stretching her open. Each squeeze and flutter threatens to wreck my control and have me fucking her hard. Again. But this time will be slow, sweet, and satiating. I hope. Because I have to get out of this bed even though I’m pretty sure I could die a happy man right here. Another inch. Her thighs hugging my hips, fingertips gripping my shoulders, puffs of breath teasing my chest, eyes nearly closed, trusting. She’s got me tied up in knots and I don’t think I’ll ever free myself. Why would I want to?

One final deep thrust and I’m seated in the cradle of her hips. Fuck, there is nothing that has ever felt this good. I lower myself, to press my chest against hers, nuzzle her neck. Peach ice cream, melted on a hot summer day. The scent slips inside me, owning me. She wiggles the tiniest bit, trapped in my embrace, begging silently for more. I could tease and torture her, but the day is starting, and I have to leave. No matter how much I want to, I can’t linger inside her. Any more than I can tie her up. She’d be so gorgeous with my ropes spun around her.

The image triggers me to move. I imagine her suspended, wrapped like a gift for me. Her juicy pussy at the perfect height to swing onto my dick, every move controlled by me. Her sweet cries of submission caressing my balls while she takes my length deep inside. Exactly as she’s doing now. Deeper and deeper, until the press of my cock inside her chokes us both on the sensation of being united. Faster, losing control, or letting it go. My grip on her hips mimics the scene in my head, holding her in place, moving her where she should be to take everything I’m giving. My back bows as I lose control. As I let go. She cries out, going over with me. The rhythmic tug on my cock drawing out every last drop of my cum. I collapse, but roll at the last moment so I don’t crush her.

Words don’t come, so I hold her tight against me until I can breath regularly again. So I can string together a sentence. She’s quiet too. Too quiet. I scrape her hair back from her face and tilt her chin until she looks at me. “You okay, rabbit?”

“Too good.” She closes her eyes and rests her forehead on my chest.

I hold her because I don’t know what it means to be “too good,” but it sounds like clouds gathering on a perfectly sunny day. Whatever it is, it will pop this bubble we’ve made. Anytime in my life I’ve been this content, it’s been ripped away.

Fuck. What am I doing? She’s probably just worn out and I’m making it into a big ole deal. “How about some breakfast?”

“Sounds good, but I need a shower first.”

I smack her ass playfully. “Go clean up. I’ll grab one after I feed you. Meet me downstairs.”

She moves out of my arms and the bubble pops anyway because that’s what bubbles do. We still have another day before everyone comes back. Maybe I can put us in another. But first, I have to feed her and call Gabe. I slip on jeans and a shirt in case I decide to make bacon and grab my phone before jogging down the stairs with a goofy grin and a vague sense that she’s right. We’re too good.

“Gabe, I slept in.” I say when he answers.

“Figured that out. Halfway suspected you’d taken the weekend off.”

“No such luck. We gotta get that door installed.” Hell, still gotta pick it up and that takes a day.

“Talked them into delivering.”

“What?”

“Their delivery guy has a run to Glenwood, so they called to see if I wanted delivery.” Gabe pauses. “After you didn’t answer your phone.”

I look at my screen, and check for missed calls. Shit . “Sorry about that.”

“Lookin’ forward to the story. Anyway, I’m leaving now so I can meet the guy. See you out there?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right behind you.”

Gabe’s laughing when he hangs up. I’m the one who’s always early, calling him, pushing to start earlier and stay later. He knows somethings up, but I’m not sure of how much of this story I should share. Probably none.

The eggs and bacon are in the fridge as Amy said. She even left a frying pan on the back burner of the stove. Like I can’t find a pan. Three drawers later, I find the spatula. Bacon sizzling, I pull a couple of bagels from the freezer and shove them in the refrigerator for tomorrow. I haven’t done a very good job of keeping SJ fed. We split a sandwich and had some tortilla chips and salsa somewhere around midnight. Probably not enough to make up for the calories we burned. If it weren’t for the condo for Blake, we’d probably still be tearing up the sheets. Despite the extreme amount of sex, more than I’ve had in one go maybe ever, my dick is up for more. Horny fucker.

“Mmm. Bacon.”

I spin to find her in the doorway of the kitchen. She’s barefoot, in jeans and a form fitting pink tee. Wet hair, so dark the red is nearly black, tied in a braid. Damn. Lookin’ like all kinds of sexy country girl.

“Help yourself.” I nod at the filled plate. “How do you like you eggs?”

“Fried or scrambled right in that pan of grease.”

“Good girl.” I crack four eggs directly into what’s left of the fat I didn’t already drain off. “Best way to make them.”

She has a mouth full of meat, but still manages to smile. The eggs don’t take but a couple minutes. I plate it up. “Grab forks.”

Unlike me, she goes straight for the silverware drawer like she lives here. A pang of “what if” follows that observation. Yeah. No. I put the plates on the table, on opposite sides. Gabe’ll be waiting if I don’t get a move on.

“What are your plans for today? Doing some writing?” Guilt about leaving her alone pushes my questions.

She sighs and sets down her fork. “I should be but I’m totally stuck. I think I need time away from the story, let it come to me.”

I nod as if I know the first thing about writing a book.

“You?” Her tone is soft, barely a question.

We’re not at the stage of accounting to each other, but I started this. “Soon as I’m done eating, heading to the resort to put in a fire door with Gabe.”

“I’d love to see it.”

“The door?”

“No, the resort, you goof.”

I grin at her because I am goofy. Good sex does that to a person. “You can tag along. I’ll give you a tour. But first, eat your breakfast.”

She scoops up another bite of eggs. She’s glowing, even her eyes are smiling.

I have no idea why I offered to take her with me except that I’m not ready to leave her alone. She intrigues me. More questions than answers. Wonder if I’ll get a chance to figure her out before she heads back to Texas. The one place I can’t follow her.

“Oh my god. This is amazing.” SJ is standing outside my truck, tracking from the first, mostly complete condo building to the restaurant and around the estate. “How big is it?”

“Big enough to satisfy.” I nudge her shoulder and grab her hand.

“Was that a dick joke?” She bumps me back but lets me guide her to the entrance.

“Guess not, if you have to ask.” Gabe’s truck is in the lot. Hope the delivery guy didn’t already get here. Or maybe I do so I can finish and take SJ back to the inn. Back to bed.

“Seriously, what all is planned for this place?”

“For now, finishing this first set of units, the restaurant, and the dungeon. Stone’s planning on adding more multi-unit buildings like this one and some cottages out there.” I point toward the wooded part of the property.

“You did all this?”

I laugh. “Not at all. We’ve had a ton of crews come in. Concrete guys, plumbers, electricians, framers, you name it. Gabe and I have been on-site for all of it. Overseeing, working, but there’s no way two guys could have done this.”

“Did you work on big sites like this in St. Louis?”

“Sometimes.” I’m not okay talking about my past, leaving breadcrumbs back to my home. Habit I got into when I left Texas and one I’m not ready to change. The automatic door to the lobby glides back. I head directly to the huge three by two bedroom condos we’re finishing for Eliot and the other guys. Ground floor access, fully wheelchair accessible with all the latest gadgets like voice activated lights and environment controls. Inside the opening between the units is bare. No door at all.

I holler into the living area, “Gabe?”

“Back here.”

SJ tries to free herself, but I tug her with me to the bedrooms. Gabe’s in the primary with the en suite bath.

“Got the temp door off.” He says from the ladder where he’s just installed a lightbulb in the new fixture. “Test it.”

“Lights on.” The fixture illuminates almost instantly.

“That is so cool.” SJ stares at the ceiling.

“Think that’s cool? Check out the shower controls. I guide her over the wet area, the tile continues straight in behind the glass wall, a variety of shower heads including rain and massage and side spouts break up the slate. “All controlled by this panel which can save six presets. And if you slide the panel closed with this button,” I point at the control for the freaking heavy shatter proof door that closes off the area, “it can be used as a steam room.”

“I could die happy in here.” SJ glances over to the jetted tub. “Seriously, I want to live in this bathroom.” She plunks down on the built in bench. “Send food.”

I chuckle at her. “It’s not even painted yet. Amy wouldn’t let you move in until it’s fully decorated.” And I wouldn’t let her live with the guys. I would keep her all to myself if she was staying. An image of her naked in the shower, taking my cock comes to me clear as day. She is wrecking me. I step out of the shower and ask Gabe, “When’s the door supposed to get here?”

He glances at his phone. “Half hour.”

“Mind if we go check out the restaurant.” Gabe gives me a knowing look. Yes, I mean the dungeon, might be the only time I ever have a woman alone in one. “Unless you need help screwing in lightbulbs.”

“Go on. I’ll call you when it gets here.”

“Want to go see the rest?” I ask SJ.

She picks herself off the bench and comes to me. I take her hand again as soon as we leave the apartment. We start in the restaurant with its huge windows designed to catch the sunset and the beautiful mountain views. Booths line the two solid walls, tables fill in the open space. Wood rafters with oil rubbed bronze fittings make the space feel intimate according to Amy. My favorite are the bronze chandeliers that look like antlers, despite the fact they were a bitch to install. SJ oohs and ahs and touches each detail within her reach.

I don’t bother with the kitchen, it’s a restaurant. “Let’s go downstairs.”

The slight hesitation before she agrees surprises me, but I blow it off. She’s fascinated by the luxury space, probably wasn’t ready to move on, but I can’t wait to get her in the dungeon now that we’re here. I take her down the stairs since we’re still waiting for the elevator sign-off. It’s a story and a half down. Plenty of space in between for sound proofing materials. SJ is quiet. I pause before I press the bar on the door. “You okay.”

“Yeah. Of course. Excited to see it.”

I lean on the bar with my ass, keeping my eyes on her. Only a few steps back to trigger the motion lights and reveal the space. She turns her head away from me, to the open room and gasps. Yeah. That’s the reaction I was looking for. Pot lights run along the outer edges of the room softly illuminating the privacy booths and some of the more static stations. There’s a ton more lighting that took forever to install. All controlled by a central panel in the sound booth. A full stage fills the end of the long room, about where the kitchen is in the restaurant. Beams criss-cross the ceiling, providing infinite points of attachment. My mandatory addition to the space. It was a huge expense and time consuming but totally worth it in the end for the flexibility it will give us. SJ tugs free of me and walks to one of the leather panels that line the walls.

“It’s padded.” She glances back at me.

“Double duty. Sound proofing and a comfortable place to rest if you’re restrained.” I tilt my head to the ceiling.

Her mouth forms an O. She scampers over to one of the booths, trying it out before she bounces back up and tracks back to check out some of the equipment we’ve already installed: spanking benches, St. Andrew’s crosses, various stockades and restraint options in the walls. She bends down to inspect one of the tables with a built in cage.

“Wow.”

“We have private rooms too. But those aren’t set up yet. Waiting on paint before we put the furniture in.”

She nods, eyes wide. This place is already completely different from Pandora, the only dungeon she’s been in. As I open my mouth to ask her if she wants to see how the restraints work, my phone dings. Gabe saves me from a bad decision.

I text back. Be right there.

“We gotta go. Door’s here.”

“You mind if I find somewhere to sit. A flood of ideas for the marketing copy hit me.”

“Of course. Lobby has plenty of seating. You need a paper or pen?”

“Got my phone. I’ll dictate.”

Man, I’d love to get a copy of that recording. SJ talking about the dungeon and the Yacht Club. Pretty sure that would go in my spank bank. I rush to help Gabe with door. It’s a heavy bastard. When we finally finish installing it and connecting the accessibility controls, Gabe reminds me it’s a holiday weekend and we have to take some time off. If SJ wasn’t here, or soon to be back in my bed, I’d argue with him. Instead, I wish him well and make plans to drive in together early on Tuesday.

After another night and most of the day feeding and fucking SJ, I’m almost completely at ease, one arm folded behind my head, the other around her, staring at the ceiling. There should be words after the weekend we’ve shared, but none come to mind. There’s still a tiny disconnect between us, a distance that maybe my ropes could have closed. Maybe the unease is all me because I know she’s leaving soon. “You okay?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Hungry?”

“No, but I should probably take a shower. Everyone will be back soon.”

Is she worried about being caught in bed with me? Am I? I’m the one who broke the easy silence.

She rolls to sit on the edge of the bed. “This was a fantastic weekend, Alex.”

But—I wait for her to say it, clenching my jaw tight so I don’t say it first.

She sighs a shuddering breath. “Think we should keep it to ourselves. Don’t want everyone making more of this than it can be. I’m not staying.”

“Not like you’re leaving today, right?”

She glances back at me, her blue eyes cloudy. “No, but I am leaving. Soon.”

I fake a shrug. “You have a book to write and you saw all the work I have to do. Bright and early tomorrow. This was a nice break.”

She nods, a smile teases her lips but doesn’t quite appear. I expect her to say something else or at least plant a parting kiss on my lips. But she turns her head and walks out of my room. I rub my chest were my heart twinges as the door closes. I don’t know her well enough to call this feeling love. Hell, I don’t really know her at all except how she sounds when she comes, and how her eyelids flutter with pleasure, and how her nails sting when she clutches my shoulders. I know every line of the butterfly tattoo on her back and how it looks ready to take flight when I sink into her again and again.

But I wouldn’t know how to tell my mama about her, how to explain why I’m so captivated. In some ways, I’ve known more about the rope bunnies I’ve played with than I know about SJ. She’s a BDSM romance writer, from Texas, with an asshole agent. And I can’t let her tie me in knots.

Maybe we’ll hook up a couple more times, just to get her out of my system before she goes. In the meantime she has a book and I have a resort—we both need to finish.

I leave the bed. Strip the sheets and take a shower. My hair’s still wet and I’m tucking the last pillow into the fresh case when Amy and Tyler and the rest of the gang bust inside downstairs, talking and laughing. I toss the pillow on my bed and head downstairs. Alone.