Chapter Four

Christopher

I’ve never been happier, or more afraid. I have two days to prove to Trish that I’m the man she’s been waiting for. I’m not sure that’s long enough.

“We’re gonna die.” Trish grips the handle of the door and the center console. “You see the edge, right? It’s,” she blows out a breath, “like right there.”

The afternoons turn to stark darkness quickly this time of year. By six p.m. it’s pitch black, and the moon is shining high above us. That’s good for stargazing, not so good for back country roads through the mountains I’ve never driven before.

“I see it. We’re good.” I lean forward to better gauge the edges of the road through the shine of the headlights.

Damn this road is narrow.

“Are you sure about that because the right wheel is riding the edge pretty hard?” She sighs and glances toward me. “Maybe I should get out and walk in front of the truck? I can guide you, so you don’t—”

“Just stay in the truck. The road is getting wider ahead.” I brush my hand down over my beard as I watch the old dirt road in front of us. I’m not sure if anything I’m saying is actually true, but it doesn’t matter. There’s no room to turn around. It’s dark, and at this point, we’re invested in this path until we find a pull out or get to the top of the pines. “Why don’t you tell me a few things I need to know about your family for the party.”

She sighs and turns towards me. “ Now? You want me to bother you right now with party stuff?”

“No time like the present. Might as well get it out of the way. What’s our story? How’d we meet? What topics should I steer clear of tomorrow?”

As much as I’d like to glance sideways to see her while she talks, I keep my eyes on the dark, narrow road ahead.

“Okay… well… they already know I went to the ranch to try dating, so we can tell the truth about that. We’ll just leave out the part where you’re paying me now. I’m pretty sure they’ll snap over something so weird.”

“Why is it weird?”

“Doesn’t that do something to you psychologically? I mean, if you had to pay someone to go out. Plus, you… really don’t need to pay for a date. You could just go outside and I’m sure the bitches would swarm you.”

I laugh. “Wow. Thanks for the ego stroke, but you’ve got it all wrong. I can have all the ‘bitches’ I can handle, but I’m looking for quality.”

“And what makes you think I’m quality?”

A rock catches the truck tire, and we bump around the narrow path. “Trust me. I know quality when I see it.”

“I live in a run-down cabin that used to belong to my grandparents and hasn’t been updated since. I drive a Pontiac that is so old they don’t even make parts for it any more. Hell, just this morning I couldn’t seem to argue legalized prostitution with a seventh grader. None of that screams highly valuable.”

“First of all, that’s not what makes you quality, but you know that already. The last thing I need is a new cabin or your car, but prostitution? How does that come up in school?”

She shakes her head and swallows hard. “He wrote an essay about it, then dedicated his class project to the history of brothels in the American west. I keep debating him on the topic, but he always has something to say about it.”

“Like what?” I try not to laugh. “He sounds… interesting.”

“I’ll say prostitution promotes human trafficking, and he’ll rebut with how legalizing it will actually make women safer since it’s done in a secure location like any other job. I’ll talk about the health risks, and he’ll remind me of the increased regulations for that as well. No matter what kind of approach I take, he finds a way to contradict me.”

“Except it’s morally wrong to pay for sex.”

She grins and turns toward me as though she’s holding something back. “Yeah? You think?”

“Yeah.” My brows narrow. “Why are you saying it like that?”

“Well,” she chuckles, “I mean… here we are on a date… and you’re paying me. So, I assume you didn’t pay a million dollars not to have sex.”

I grin. “Is this wishful thinking?”

She turns away and bites back a smile that I only see from the corner of my eye. “You’re something.”

For some reason, even the lively banter about sex has my cock eager to play. I really need to get that under control. It’s not my intention to fuck her. I want more than that. I want a life, a family, a home with her.

“Shit!” Trish groans and a twelve-point buck hops into the road, staring toward us as though he’s caught in limbo.

I brake quickly and the headlights shine on the kicked up dust and steam rolling off the engine.

“That’s it! We should turn around! This whole thing is getting kind of murder-e, anyway.”

“Murder-e?”

“ Murder-e. Yeah, like someone is going to hop out of the tree line with a gun or throw one of those spike strips out in front of us.”

“And what would be the purpose of that?” The deer finally runs back into the woods, and I creep forward.

“I don’t know. People are crazy. Haven’t you ever watched a scary movie?”

“Don’t watch many movies these days.”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re an outdoors guy. Aren’t you exhausted after a long day? Don’t you just want to plop down in front of the TV and binge cop shows?”

“Nah. I recharge in the woods, down by the lake, with a pole in the water. The TV exhausts me more. Besides, if we were both watching cop shows, who’d have the level head right now?”

She leans her seat back down. “Ha. Ha. Well, my extensive television research has told me that the woods are filled with murderers.”

“And yet you live in the woods.”

“I know enough not to go gallivanting around at night.”

I glance down at the dash. “It’s seven o’clock.”

“It’s only seven?” She sits up for a moment before throwing herself back again. “How did you find this place, anyway?”

Rocks pop beneath the tires and the crescent moon shines before us. There’s not a cloud in the sky tonight. We should be able to see every star in the sky. “It’s registered on the top five darkest places left on the planet. Apparently, NASA has a telescope up here somewhere.”

“What? How did I not know about this?”

I shrug. “Not sure. The guys down at the bar recommended it for stargazing. Honestly, I expected a little more traffic from the way they talked about it.”

“Maybe we’re going the wrong way.” There’s anxiety in her tone, and for some reason, my hand lands on her thigh in comfort. I don’t mean it sexually. I’m genuinely trying to comfort her, but her soft skin against my palm sends my body into a tailspin. Suddenly thoughts of her pressing against me, beneath me, and crying out with pleasure are all I can think about.

“Are you tired of my whining yet?” she laughs.

“Nah. It’s cute. If this were a business deal going bad, I’d be scared too.”

“That’s your worst fear? You’re not afraid of being murdered as much as a business deal going bad?”

“Yeah.” A sign appears at the side of the road. It’s not lit, but my headlights catch it, and I turn quickly. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No, just wondering what that means about you.”

“I thought you were a teacher, not a therapist.”

“Armchair therapy is a side quest of mine. I take it very seriously.” She grins. “So, tell me more about this fear of failure.”

“Well,” I smirk, as we bump along the uneven path toward a gazebo in the distance, “it started when I was young. While most people would find peace in the hippie way my parents raised us, I found the freedom debilitating. I enjoy structure, and I craved a sense of accomplishment.”

She tips her head back. “Fascinating. So, the lack of challenges made you feel like a failure, even though you weren’t actually failing at anything.”

“Exactly. Wow. You really should look into a second degree.” I park the truck beside the gazebo and kill the engine before glancing toward Trish. It’s beyond dark but the soft light from the silver moon shines just enough that I catch the smile on her face.

“Yeah, well… should we talk about all your immoral decisions now?”

My eyes widen playfully. “ My immoral decisions? I think it was you that said yes to the money. I’m just out here doing what I have to do to get you to see me.”

She laughs and looks away for a moment before glancing at me again.

The night is quiet except for an owl that calls in the distance and the trees that crack and rustle in the gentle wind. It reminds me of the nights out on the farm. The days would be filled with so many chores that seemed to go nowhere, but when the Earth finally got quiet, there were moments of such peace. It still makes me thankful for it.

I reach out and push a strand of hair away from her face, lingering on her cheek far too long.

Her lips part and her gaze drags up to mine. “I see you Mr. Christopher Becker. Maybe just this once, morals are optional.”

Good Lord!

My cock shouldn’t stand at attention so easily, but the anticipation of touching her alone has me beyond excited. I brush my thumb against her cheek. “Are you sure?”

Her tongue lands against her lower lip, wetting it as she glances up at me with glossy eyes. “Yeah.”

I nod slowly, biting back the smile on my face as I lean in and land my lips against hers gently.

Fuck!

We’re so close that I feel her pulse on the palm of my hand. Maybe I should stop this. I should convince her to wait, but I’m in the moment, feeling her body, breathing her in.

At first the kiss is stiff and awkward, but within seconds, she relaxes her body into my arms and sighs against my mouth.

My dick presses at the denim in my jeans as she kisses me harder, threading her fingers into my hair, lifting her curved frame up in the darkness before she straddles me, grinding her hips back and forth against the hard ridge in my jeans. Clearly, she’s excited, and I’ve never been more thankful for dresses.

My lips move from her mouth to her neck, and then linger on the lobe of her ear. “You’re a naughty girl, aren’t you? You let a shady man pay to drive you up a dark mountain and then talk you into whatever he wants? Do I need to teach the teacher a lesson?”

She sighs, breathing warm air onto my chest. “Should you punish me?” The words come from her mouth, but her body continues to grind slowly against my lap.

“Of course not. I’m excited you’re a naughty little kitten.”

Without hesitation, she kisses my lips and reaches between us, unbuckling my belt, pulling my cock free from its cage to stroke in her soft, tiny hand.

“You’re huge!”

“Fuck,” I growl, gripping her neck, pulling her closer, kissing her lips hard without hesitation. She tastes like a strawberry and chocolate drink mixed with her ChapStick. Whatever it is, it’s perfection.

She sighs and leans against me, brushing her soaking panties against my hard cock. What the hell am I doing? How did we end up here? I hadn’t intended on any of this moving so quickly. I thought we’d look at the stars, take our time, talk, and slowly, if I was lucky, something more would happen. I hadn’t really meant for tonight to turn into sex, but I don’t have the will to stop it.

I kiss her neck, soft and slow, moving toward her nipple before pulling it into my mouth with a suction that has her crying out for relief.

“I need to feel you. Please.” She rocks back and forth, helplessly moaning as though she’s ready for what’s next.

“I don’t carry protection. I—”

“I need you,” she begs.

There’s not much room, so I lean the seat back and reach between us, rubbing her soaking panties until I feel the soft nub of her clit that’s swollen and desperate, soaking and ready.

“My sweet little kitten needs relief?”

“ Kitten? You keep calling me that.”

Her eyes meet mine as I whisper, “Yeah, you’re my kitten. My sweet little kitten who’s going to do what I say.”

Slowly, her hips grind harder as a sharp whine spills into the air. “Tell me what you need.”

Her eyes close and I rub against her panties until she’s moaning soft in my ear. I slide two fingers inside of her tight core, pushing against the spongy walls of her soft pussy until she soaks my hand. I pull out and slide my fingers into my mouth, licking them clean as I stare at her. “I want you on my cock, kitten.”

Her mouth drops open, and her lips meet mine again. “So put me there.”

I haven’t had sex in at least ten years. The first few years were by choice. After that, time kept flying, and I kept away from women. This is all new again. “You want to ride my cock… without a condom?” I slide my fingers into her again and again, cataloging every sound she makes for future fantasies. I don’t want the first time I fuck her to be in my truck, but the moment is developing, and I don’t have plans to stop it. I’ve spent far too long living in a haze to not grab hold of the only thing that feels real.

She grinds against me, moaning in my ear, stroking my cock as she leans her back against the steering wheel, hitting the horn every so often. “I want you right now. I need all of you,” she pants as she grinds against my hand. “Please!”

It’s then that I hear a soft bang on the window. For a second, I figure a branch must have fallen in the snow, but when the light passes through, it’s clear it isn’t a tree interrupting us. It’s a person.

Trish stares toward me, then climbs off my lap in a panic, tugging her dress back into place. “It’s the murderer! Don’t open your door! Just drive away!”

“I can’t drive away. What if it’s important?”

A person circles the truck slowly, the bright flashes coming in through the windows before the light moves forward quickly as if the person is trying to run away.

What the hell is this about?

“I’m getting out.” I tug up my jeans and grab the gun from the lockbox beneath the seat. “I’ll be fine. You stay put.”

“No. Don’t go!”

“It’ll be okay.” I rest my hand on her leg for a long moment, kissing her forehead gently before opening the door. “I don’t care who’s outside. I’ll deal with it and get us back down the mountain so we can finish what we started.”

Trish nods slowly, and I jump down out of the truck, gun at my side. It’s one thing to try to run after someone in the darkness of the Colorado night, but it’s another to do it with a rock-hard, fucking erection.

“Oh my God, Christopher.” She opens her door and hops down, scurrying around the truck. “I know him.”

“What are you doing? I told you to wait!”

“Ethan?” Her tone is flat as she stares toward the kid who’s trying his best to hide behind a pine tree. Man, I swear they make kids dumber these days. Why didn’t he keep running? With that head start, I would’ve never caught him.

Trish catches up with me and reaches for my arm. “It’s okay. He’s one of my students. He’s the one I was talking about earlier.”

I glance toward her. “Prostitute kid?”

She rolls her eyes and steps toward the child who’s tucking his phone into his back pocket. “Ethan, what are you doing out here?”

“Ms. Marshall?” He pushes back his short brown hair and tugs up his oversized blue jeans. The kid is probably a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet, and he looks like he hasn’t showered in at least a week. Then again, it’s hard to see out here. Maybe it’s the dark color of his hair, or the reflections of the headlights. “I didn’t know it was you. I’ll delete it.”

“Delete what?”

“Nothing.” The kid stiffens and I get the feeling we both know where this is going. I step through the field, crunching over piles of half melted snow. “You filmed that?”

Half of me wants him to send it to me before he deletes it. I’d love a true to life replay of that moment over and over again. The other half knows better. “Give me your phone.”

“I’ll delete it,” the kid shakes as though he’s not used to being confronted, “I swear.”

“No. You’ll give me your phone now or I’ll take it.”

Trish glances up at me. “Christopher, he’ll delete it. It’s okay.”

I don’t do well with trust. It’s not because I’ve had some major event that’s left me suspicious. I just don’t see the point in trusting other people to do things you can do yourself. So, I swipe the phone from the kid, find the video, delete it, and give the phone to Trish. “Why were you filming?”

The kid grins and stands taller as though he’s proud of what’s coming next. “People come up here to make out and stuff. I post all the clips on social media for views. I’ve got like four million total right now.”

“What you’re doing is illegal, Ethan. You can’t film people without their consent.”

“I pixel out their faces. I mean… if they choose to come up here and do things in public, that’s on them.” He shrugs his shoulders. “You can keep the phone. I’ll get another one.”

“And your parents? What do they say about all this?”

He laughs. “They don’t care. I’m just playing around on social media like every other kid.”

Trish glances toward me then back at Ethan. “Why don’t you get in the truck? We’re taking you home.”

“What? No. I live like ten minutes from here if you cut through the woods.”

She shakes her head. “I wouldn’t feel right not bringing you back. So, either call your parents to come get you, or we take you.”

Ethan rolls his eyes, and for a second, I wonder if I’m going to be forcing a kid into the back seat of my truck. That would totally change the picture of where I thought tonight was going.

Instead, Ethan climbs up on his own as Trish and I stare toward each other with a look that I’m not sure I can explain. All I know is that the energy has shifted, and I’m pretty sure Ethan is to blame for all of it.

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