Jake (Demented Souls #16)

36

H eather’s body felt like a bowstring drawn tight. Colors burst behind her eyes and pleasure washed through her. She was barely aware of Aaron’s hands sliding up her body, until something flicked across her nipples, sending renewed sparks of heat through her.

The thick, blunt head of his cock nestled against her opening was impossible to miss. It was just what she wanted, no, needed. She slid her hands down his body until she found the round globes of his butt, then squeezed and pulled. She needed him inside, she needed him to fill the empty, hollow feeling in her core.

“I just wanted to make sure you were ready.”

The low rumble of Aaron’s voice sent shivers through her as he thrust inside, sinking all the way inside her in one swift, hard thrust.

“OH!” She couldn’t help but cry out as he filled her, sending more waves of pleasure crashing through her body. “More.” She needed more. She needed him. Now.

Her fingers curled into him, pulling him closer, needing more, anything. She couldn’t put it into words but as he withdrew and thrust back into her, her body clenched and seized, a haze of need and pleasure filled her mind, pushing out all thought but him. A wordless cry erupted from her throat, then, remembering the way they’d been interrupted the first night, she pressed her face into his shoulder, hoping to muffle the worst of her cries. Maybe keep people from coming to check on them. As wave after wave of pleasure washed through her, she lost track of what she was doing, lost track of what she was supposed to be doing and surrendered to the sensations and the peace it brought with it.

She didn’t know how long it took for the world to become real again, but when it did, she realized Aaron lay on the bed beside her, his arms tight around her as if even as he tried to catch his breath and recover, he couldn’t stand letting go. She liked that. She liked his holding her close, as if she was precious to him. She knew she should get up and clean up but before she had the energy to move, she drifted off to sleep, feeling safer than she had since Matt had shown up and surprised her.

L ight in her face woke Heather, reminding her that she’d forgotten to close the blinds after waking the same way yesterday. She rolled over and found the bed beside her empty. Running her hand over the space where Aaron had been the last time she’d gotten up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, she found the sheets cold. He’d been gone for a while.

She stretched, then lay staring at the ceiling for several seconds wondering what today would bring, before her bladder insisted that she get up and get moving.

After a visit to the bathroom, she stood for a moment, staring at the bed and debating whether or not to climb back in. She felt safe there. Like nothing would come looking to hurt her. It was silly, she knew, but she couldn’t help the way it made her feel.

It only took a moment’s internal debate before she discarded the idea. Instead, she picked up her clothes from where she’d tossed them the night before and put them in the basket in the shower. Oh… shower. She needed one. A quick check of the time told her the bunkhouse showers were reserved for women right now, so she pulled on some sweats, grabbed her shower bag and some clean clothes, stepped into a pair of flip flops, and headed into the bunkhouse and the showers there.

After her shower, freshly dressed and with wet hair, she carried things back out to the trailer, where she found Matt standing inside. He looked up as she opened the door and pinned her with a confused look.

“How did you get past me? When?”

“I don’t know,” she said as she stepped past him and toward the bedroom where she could put things away. “I didn’t know you were even watching for me, so I wasn’t trying to get past you. All I did was go inside to shower.”

“You can shower in here.”

“I know but there’s more room in the bunkhouse. It’s easier to shower in there.”

He stared at her for a moment, then shrugged as if to say it was her business. “What’s the plan for today?”

“I don’t have one.” She continued into the bedroom tossing her sweats across the edge of the dresser to wear again later, then put away her shower bag and straightened up the bed. “My immediate plans are to finish getting dressed, then go get some coffee, maybe a little food, and see what is planned for today. Don’t you have work tomorrow? What time do you need to leave to make it home in time to get some sleep?”

“You let me worry about that.”

Heather rolled her eyes. She hated it when he didn’t answer a question with a real answer. She asked because she wanted to know how much time they had together. How long until there was one less person watching out for that club hunting for her.

“Whatever.” She wasn’t going to argue with him and the last thing she’d do was let him know she was worried. If she did, he might drag her back to North Dakota with him, or at least try. She wouldn’t make it easy if he did. She’d spent enough time lounging on his couch feeling sorry for herself.

She might not be exactly productive here, but she did have her own space, even if it was borrowed, and she felt a little more in control of her life. Hopefully, she could find a job soon. That reminded her, she should ask some of the women who lived here about local vets. She wondered if the ranch had someone they used when they needed someone to check out one of the livestock. That should be her first call.

She pulled a pair of socks out of the drawer, used her hip to close it as she decided to wear her boots, and tried to remember where she’d left them. After checking the closet, and finding them inside, she carried them into the front room where she found Matt still standing. He had his hands on his hips as he watched her as if he was expecting something.

“What?” she asked as she sat on one end of the sofa and began pulling on her socks.

“You didn’t tell me what you’re doing today.”

“I told you what I have planned, which isn’t much. On the other hand, I asked when you need to leave so maybe I could make plans with you, and I got blown off. I’m not real thrilled with that.” She’d been going to let his answer go but when he called her on not giving the answer he’d wanted, she could do the same.

There were some things that might get the better of her, like knowing someone was offering money for her return. And others that she would never let just roll. And people thinking they knew what was better for her than she did, well, that was one of the things she just would not put up with.

When she’d stepped into both boots, she cast him one last glance that left no doubt how unhappy with him she was, then left. She wasn’t about to wait around for him to figure out what he’d done wrong. She wanted coffee and food and now that she was dressed, she was going to go get both.

She’d filled a plate and was in the process of filling her travel cup with coffee when Matt stepped out the bunkhouse door and looked around. She was still half pissed at him and his attitude, so she didn’t bother waving. Instead, she ignored him as she doctored her coffee, then carried it and her food to one of the tables and sat.

She was halfway through the food she’d gotten, and the caffeine was starting to hit her blood when Matt set a plate on the table across from her. He sat, stared at her for a couple of seconds, then spoke. “I’m sorry.”

Her mood was a little improved from when she’d left him in the trailer, but not enough to let him off the hook for his bullshit. She stared at him in return, waiting for him to say more.

“I’m sorry I jumped all over you. I went in to check on you and you were gone. I was scared and took it out on you, I’m sorry.”

“Thank you, and I didn’t pass you. I stepped out of the trailer, took what is it? Six steps to the bunkhouse and went inside. I won’t apologize for taking a shower or for not checking in with you when I do. I’m a big girl and I’ve been on my own for a long time. I shouldn’t have to get approval for basic shit.”

“You’re right. You shouldn’t have to, and you don’t. I just wanted to know what you were doing so we could make arrangements that you didn’t do it alone.” He hung his head, picked up a sausage link and took a bite.

That did not sit well with her. “I already said I won’t leave the ranch without telling someone, but now I can’t do anything alone? What if I want to go for a walk, or hike or whatever you want to call it. Just take off walking across the pasture and into the beyond. Can I do that alone? Do I need to get your permission to get some fresh air?” She closed her mouth and glared at him for a full minute before picking up her coffee and staring off into the distance while she drank it. What was left on her plate no longer held any interest for her. She was so angry. She didn’t even want to look at her cousin.

As she continued to drink her coffee, she knew she wasn’t being reasonable, but damned if she’d give in. They were only trying to make sure she was safe, she knew that, but if she gave in and took someone with her for every step she made, before long she would feel smothered. She would be desperate to get away from that feeling and would do something stupid just to feel like she wasn’t being held back or controlled.

Behind her, she could hear him continuing to eat. She was tempted to pick up her plate, throw it away and go find something to do. Not that she had any idea what. But something, anything away from him, sounded good right now. The only thing stopping her was that she knew she would be back as soon as she finished this cup of coffee for a refill. She didn’t want to walk away only to have to come back in ten minutes. She decided to wait until she finished this cup before leaving. That would give her cousin that long to figure out how to get out of the hole he’d dug for himself.