Long Hard Road (Crestwood Valley)

21. Madison

The hockey arena was larger than I expected for a middle-school team. It turned out that Crestwood only had one venue that was used by all the teams, all the way through high school teams. Nate held my hand tight inside his larger one as we navigated the stands to join his family.

I noticed a couple of younger women in the crowd were eyeing us while whispering loudly to each other. Probably just two of the many women around town who’d been hoping to land Nate Sullivan as their boyfriend. When he’d told me he’d been with twenty women, that number hadn’t surprised me. He could probably have a different woman every night if he wanted to.

A couple of teenage boys sitting a few rows down waved and greeted Nate with a, “Hey, Coach!”

“Coach?” I prodded.

“I coach the twins’ little league team,” he explained.

“I see. Coach seems like an appropriate nickname considering all the things you’ve been teaching me.”

The look he gave me was full of lust. It was the same look he’d given me as I’d looked into his eyes while taking him deep into my throat. As far as first times giving oral pleasure went, I was glad mine had been with him.

“Stop that,” he said, easily reading the desire on my face. “My family is right there.”

“I wasn’t doing anything,” I protested with exaggerated innocence.

“You’re looking at me with those eyes,” he said, squeezing my hand. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to look into them without picturing you on your knees.”

“Nate! Madison!” Harper jumped to her feet and started waving when she spotted us.

Nate waved back and pulled me closer to him. “Have you noticed that people are watching us?” he asked quietly.

“I just assumed those were your ex-girlfriends.”

“And what about the men who are staring?”

I shrugged. “I assume your sexiness would appeal equally to both genders.”

“Go.” He waved a hand up the stairs with a roll of his eyes.

The Sullivans had staked out a great location to watch the game. Harper waved for me to sit next to her while Nate stopped behind his father and bent down to speak with him.

“I’m glad you made it,” Harper said, giving me a quick hug. “I thought you might be in hiding.”

“In hiding? Why?” I didn’t think that Nate had told anyone in his family about my slashed tires.

“Because word of your presence in Crestwood has been circulating around town.” Harper waved a hand to where a group of teenagers was staring at us. “Didn’t you notice?”

“No.” My heart sank into my stomach. “How?”

Harper shrugged. “You haven’t exactly been laying low. I’m sure someone saw you at the bar or Amelia’s and wasn’t fooled by the new hairdo.”

“Damn it.” I ducked my head and let my hair shield my face from the stares.

“What’s wrong?” Nate asked once he was done talking to his dad and noticed I was tense. “Harp?”

“Everyone knows,” Harpers said. “They know who she is.”

“Ah.” Nate sank onto the seat next to me and put an arm around my shoulders. “Don’t hide that beautiful face, Madison. I want to show you off.”

“I don’t want everyone to stare,” I whispered.

“Too late for that, babe.” He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Let’s at least give them a reason to stare.”

I had never been comfortable with my fame. I didn’t like the attention of strangers and the way people felt like they could comment on private aspects of my life. I had always done my best to keep my personal life away from those prying eyes. But when I looked up and saw Nate staring at me like I was the only person in that entire arena, I did what I always wanted to do when he was looking at me like that. I kissed him.

He returned the kiss instantly and deepened it, burying a hand in my hair as he pulled my head even closer while sliding his tongue between my lips. I twisted a hand in the front of his shirt and let out a moan that caught the attention of the Sullivans in front of us.

“Get it, girl!” Lily sang out happily.

I broke away from Nate’s mouth with a laugh and then buried my head in his shoulder when I realized everyone in our section was staring at us. When I lifted my head, a few people had their phone cameras pointed right at us. I ignored them and turned back to Nate, pressing my lips firmly against his.

“That’s my girl,” Nate said proudly, gray eyes twinkling. “No more hiding.”

“No more hiding,” I agreed.

I felt good about that decision as the teams took the ice. Some of the people who had been staring now focused their attention on the players. Nate pointed out which players were his niece and nephew and Chase gave me the rundown of which players on the other team were known for being little jerks on the ice.

Just as the game was starting, two girls stopped next to Nate. “Madi? Could we get a picture with you?”

“Oh. Um…” I wanted to say no. I would have to get up and move into the aisle to take the picture and the people around us would be annoyed. Not to mention that once I took one picture, I’d likely be asked to take a bunch more. But there was no good way to reject them without sounding like a snotty celebrity.

“Now isn’t a great time with everyone watching the game, but maybe you could come back during intermission?” Nate said with a smile.

“Yeah. Sure!” The girls smiled happily and skipped back to their seats.

“That was smooth, Sullivan,” I said, giving his leg an appreciative squeeze.

“I’ll be happy to run interference for you, but I want a picture with you too,” he said, sounding surprisingly serious.

I kissed his cheek. “You can have the first picture, honey. As many as you want. Everyone else can wait.”

His arm stayed around my shoulders throughout the first period. I was impressed that he didn’t seem at all uncomfortable with the staring and pointing. The rest of the Sullivan family was also relaxed under the awkward conditions and when I asked Harper why she wasn’t bothered by it, she reminded me that they had a semi-famous brother.

“Noah tends to draw a lot of attention too,” she explained. “And when we go to his games, the cameras like to focus on the family members who are in the stands. We’ve gotten good at ignoring it.”

“Your fans are a lot more polite,” Ronan said. “Noah tends to attract the crazies. A lot of young women looking to hook up.”

“When Noah ignores them, they turn their attention to the guys,” Harper said. “It’s disgusting watching them throw themselves at my brothers.”

“And me.” Ronan grinned. “I know it bothers you, Harp.”

“You wish.” Harper put extra sass on her reply that did nothing to hide the flush in her cheeks. “Those women are fifteen years younger than you. Sometimes twenty.”

“And do you ever see me flirt back?” he countered.

She frowned. “No.”

“Exactly.” Ronan was staring at Harper with a mixture of exasperation and adoration. He might be an honorary Sullivan, but there was something between those two that had nothing to do with being pseudo-siblings.

At intermission, the girls returned with a half-dozen more friends. I squeezed past Nate to take pictures with them. They were sweet girls who told me how they watched my show as kids and loved my music. I was glad that I was able to make them happy by taking a few pictures and chatting with them.

Nate had moved into the seat next to Harper and was chatting with her and Ronan. I didn’t want to make him move again, so I took his seat at the end behind Tom.

The second period was intense. Evan’s kids were clearly the stars of the team and were responsible for all three goals. The opposing team was staging a comeback and tied up the game just before the second intermission.

“Madi.”

I looked up and frowned at the three guys staring down at me. They were all in their early twenties and leering in a way that had me leaning toward Nate.

“Yes?” I asked.

“We want a picture with you,” one of them said.

Nate’s arm went around me. “I don’t know if that’s a great idea,” he said.

“Oh come on. You took pictures with those girls,” a second guy said. His words were more slurred than the other guy’s. “We’re fans!”

“You’re drunk,” Nate snapped.

“Nate.” I put a hand on his leg. “It’s okay. I’ll just take a quick picture and they’ll move on. Don’t start a fight over this.”

He grunted and removed his arm. “Stay close.”

I wasn’t planning to move more than a foot away to take the picture. These guys might be harmless but I wasn’t taken any chances.

“Here. Take it for us.” The first guy shoved his phone toward Nate who looked like he wanted to throw it across the arena. With great reluctance, he took the phone.

It was not an ideal picture location with the three of us standing awkwardly on the stairs. The final arrangement was one guy on either side of me, up a step and down a step, with the third guy leaning over me from behind.

“Ready?” Nate grumbled.

“1… 2…” The guys counted together and I plastered a smile on my face. At 3, all hell broke loose. The guys on my sides leaned in and kissed my cheeks while the guy behind me got a hand around my chest and grabbed my breast.

I let out a loud cry that had everyone looking at us while Nate charged forward and threw the closest guy to the ground. He pulled me behind him and was about to punch the guy who had grabbed me when that guy was yanked away by my bodyguard, Xander, who had been sitting a couple of rows away while inconspicuously guarding me.

“I’ve got him,” Xander said.

“What the fuck?” the guy on the ground yelled. “It was just a joke. We were just messing around.”

Nate crouched down and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. “You don’t fucking mess around with women like that. And you certainly don’t fuck around with my woman.”

“Nathaniel.” Tom’s voice was calm but cautioning. “Let the security team handle this.”

Three men from the arena security had come rushing over. I tried to pull Nate back, but he didn’t even notice me tugging on his shoulder.

“We’ve got this,” Xander repeated.

Nate finally stood and stepped back to let security do their job. Xander gave them a quick recap of what had happened while quietly explaining that he was my bodyguard. When I glanced behind me, I saw that Chase, Evan, and Ronan were all still standing with their eyes locked on the three offenders. Nate handed the random guy’s phone to Xander and explained that he had gotten a picture of the whole thing.

“Alright. It’s being handled.” Tom clapped his hands once. “The game’s about to start again. Sit down, boys.”

This time when we sat, Nate kept me in the middle of him and Harper with Ronan on the other side of her.

“No more pictures,” he murmured in my ear. “You’re not leaving my side.”

“Fine by me.” I wrapped my arm around his and settled my head on his shoulder. “There’s nowhere else I’d want to be anyway.”

We stayed for the rest of the game but I was no longer paying attention. I was too busy trying not to look like I was affected by what had happened. Nearly everyone in the arena was taking a turn staring at me and Nate was still bristling with unresolved anger. We just needed to get through the game and then we could both let our emotions out once we weren’t in public.

“Did you want to come over for dinner after the game?” Lily asked. “Chase and Harper are coming.”

“With everything that’s been happening I think it’s best if we go back to my cabin,” I said. “My security is stronger there.”

“Right. Maybe next time.” Lily smiled but it was tinged with pity.

“We were supposed to have our dinner date tonight,” Nate reminded me quietly.

“I think we’d better just go home.” I had really wanted that date with him. I had wanted to feel like a normal woman going to dinner with her boyfriend. That wasn’t going to be possible now that everyone in town knew who I was. The last thing we needed was another incident that would draw even more attention.

“Whatever you want, angel.” Nate squeezed my knee. “We can grab some takeout instead. Have a little picnic in front of the fireplace.”

“That sounds perfect.” I kissed his cheek. “Thank you for understanding.”

“Anything for you.”

Nate drove us to his favorite diner and ordered a bunch of greasy food for us to take home. He even grabbed extra food for Xander and the security guard who was stationed outside the cabin.

“If you want to get started on the fire, I’ll grab drinks and set up the food.” I was surprised not to see Meadow waiting for Nate at the door. “Where’s your girlfriend?”

“Don’t be jealous. There’s plenty of me to go around.”

“I remember,” I muttered as desire began to pool low in my belly. I had never thought that I would enjoy having a man’s cock in my mouth, but that moment with Nate had ruined me forever. I couldn’t stop picturing his face as he released inside me, unguarded as he looked hard into my eyes and let me watch him come undone.

“As I remember, you handled all of me just fine.” He squeezed my ass before heading into the living room.

I had to take a couple of deep breaths before I was composed enough to move from that spot. It took me three attempts to open the paper bag because I was so flustered. I placed our food onto plates and took them into the living room. Nate had spread a blanket on the floor and was busy stacking logs in the fireplace.

“What do you want to drink?” I asked.

“Is there still beer in the fridge?” he asked without turning around.

“Coming right up.”

I grabbed two beers and started back to him, but stopped when I heard a tiny squeak. “Nate, did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” He had gotten a nice fire going and dusted off his hands before standing.

“I’m not sure.” I looked around the room. “Where is Meadow?”

He looked at the food spread out on the blanket. “She would never stay away after smelling our burgers.”

I placed the beers on the coffee table and walked over to where Nate had created a bed for her out of blankets. “Oh holy cuteness!” I clutched a hand to my heart. “Nate, she’s having her kittens.”

He was at my back in an instant, arms coming tight around me as he settled his chin on my shoulder. “Meadow is a mama now.”

One slimy kitten was already laying in front of Meadow and she was cleaning it with her tongue. She stopped and shifted her leg, revealing a second kitten starting to emerge.

“This is incredible,” I breathed. I had never witnessed a birth. “You’ve probably seen stuff like this a bunch on the ranch.”

“A few times. It never stops being amazing.” His nose brushed my ear. “Kind of like holding you. Never stops being amazing.”

“I like being in your arms. I feel safe here.” I sighed as he kissed my temple. “You’re acting pretty calm after everything that happened at the game.”

“I’ve had some time to let my rage dwindle. I still want five minutes alone with those three assholes, though.” His arms tensed around me and I regretted ruining our tender moment.

“All the stuff before that. The stares and the pictures. Did it bother you?”

“That’s part of your life. Not my favorite part– that part happens behind closed doors. But if I have to get through that shit to get to the good stuff, I can deal.” The stubble on his jaw tickled my cheek. “This is the good stuff, angel. It was worth it.”

I had tried to date after I first got out from under my parents’ control. I had gone on dates with a dozen different guys, most of them only once. A couple I had gone on two or three dates with before I realized it was never going to work. All of those men had been annoyed by the cameras that followed us. They had acted like being with me was a burden and I should be grateful they put up with me.

“Look.” Nate squeezed me tighter. “Kitten number two.”

Meadow had pushed the second kitten into the world without making a noise. She was dutifully cleaning this one just like she had the first one. “I wish we could help her.”

“She’ll be fine. Animals have good instincts for this sort of thing. Let’s go eat and give her a little space to bond with the babies. We’ll check on her in a bit.”

For the next several hours, we spent our time on the floor in the living room. After we finished eating, Nate piled more blankets and pillows on the ground so we could be close to the warmth while we sat and talked about nothing and everything. We checked on Meadow periodically and watched when she gave birth to her third kitten.

“Meadow better be getting a job,” I joked after resettling on the blankets. “Kids are expensive.”

“She’s got a sugar daddy to take care of her,” Nate joked. He grabbed our empty beer bottles to take to the kitchen. “Can I get you anything while I’m up?”

“I’m good. Thanks.” Good was the understatement of my life. I had never been this content, this happy, ever.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to take you out tonight,” Nate said as he rinsed our plates from dinner. “I don’t like all the staring, but I wouldn’t have minded getting to show you off.”

“Some other time,” I said, pressing a hand to the warm aching in my chest.

“I’ll be busy at the bar again until Sunday, but maybe we could go back out to the guest ranch sometime this week. We could ride snowmobiles or ice skate on the pond. Grab lunch. Make a nice day of it.”

He finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and then dried his hands on a towel. I watched each movement, enthralled by how his body moved. For such a tall and strong man, he was nimble on his feet. His steps barely made any noise on the creaky floor. He came back holding a glass of water.

“Just in case you get thirsty,” he said with a smile.

A bubble of emotion lodged in my throat. I knew that I needed to say something or I would regret it. “Nate.” I felt breathless as he looked at me, desire and affection equally evident in his expression. “I want to be with you tonight.”

“You don’t want me to stay in the guest room?”

“No, honey, I don’t. I want you inside me.” I laughed when his eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open.

“Madison…” He frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. “We don’t need to do that tonight. There’s no rush.”

“Isn’t there? I have less than two weeks left in Crestwood and I still have a list of things I want to do with you.” I pushed up to my knees and grabbed his hand. “I don’t want to wait any longer. I want you now.”

His eyes slammed shut and his jaw clenched.

“Unless… do you not want me?”

Those silver orbs flashed as he dropped to his knees in front of me, hands coming to both sides of my cheeks. “I’ve never in my life wanted anything more, angel.”

“Then why are you resisting?” I felt my lower lip tremble.

“Because I don’t deserve this moment. I don’t deserve you.” His thumbs stroked over my cheekbones. “I don’t want to ruin you.”

“That’s not going to happen.” I fisted my hands into his shirt and felt his heart pounding in his chest. “I know you would never hurt me, Nate.”

He nodded and sighed. “I don’t want you to ruin me.” Then he pressed his lips to my forehead in the gentlest of kisses. “But I think it might be too damn late for that.”

“Are you going to make me beg?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed hard and his hands slid into my hair as he tilted my head back. “Most definitely,” he said, that damn wicked smile reappearing briefly before he slammed his lips over mine.

The heat of his kiss had my whole body burning like the flames in the fireplace. His touch was electric as his hands skimmed under my shirt. “I want you naked,” he growled, tugging the shirt up and over my head. His fingers unclasped my bra with a surprising amount of deftness. I slipped it off my shoulders and tossed it aside.

“Fuck.” His eyes drank me in. “Another new favorite meal,” he said just before his mouth closed over my breast, tongue stroking my nipple.

My fingers slid into his hair and I pulled him hard into my body with a moan. Once he was satisfied with the first breast, he kissed his way over to the second and sucked the nipple into his mouth with a groan.

“Nate.” My head fell back and my core began to throb painfully. He was going to make me come without even touching me below my chest.

“Not yet, babe.” He pulled back, breathing hard. “Stand up.”

“I can’t.” There was no way my legs were going to hold me up.

He chuckled and got to his feet, pulling me with him. After another long, searching kiss, he tucked his hands into the waistband of my pants and tugged them down, taking my underwear with them. Nate dropped to his knees again and lifted my legs one at a time to free me of the fabric. Then he looked up at me and my heart shattered.

“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he said, rough hands gliding up my thighs. He followed those hands with soft kisses. “I’m going to worship every inch of you, Madison.”

His kisses grew heated as he approached my core and then they landed on the spot where I wanted him most. “Oh my god, Nate!” My legs shook and he wrapped an arm around them to hold me up.

“You’re going to need to be wetter than this, babe,” he said, breath hot on my skin. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” I said confidently, brushing back his hair as he looked up at me. Then I remembered how large he had been in my mouth and I grimaced slightly. “Okay, maybe you will a little bit. But it won’t last.”

“Not good enough.” He licked through my folds with a pleased murmur. “I could do this all night.”

“I wouldn’t object,” I panted.

After a few more torturous licks and one more hungry suck that nearly tipped me over the edge, he pulled back and stood. “Lay on the blanket and spread your legs,” he said with a sudden intensity that had me scrambling to follow his orders.

While I was getting situated in front of the fire, he started removing his clothes. Flannel was unbuttoned and tossed away, followed by the t-shirt he wore underneath. I gaped at the hard muscles that lined every inch of his torso. They were begging for my tongue to trace them. A black tattoo worked its way down his right shoulder.

“Touch yourself,” he commanded as he unbuttoned his jeans. “And keep your legs spread. I want to see everything.”

“I… I don’t know how.” I was embarrassed to admit that I’d never sought my own pleasure.

“Sure you do, babe. Think about what you like when I touch you.” His jeans hit the ground with a soft thud and he kicked them away.

I closed my eyes and pictured how his hands had moved when he’d given me my first orgasm. Slowly, I slipped one hand down and circled my clit. My mouth opened with a gasp.

“Fuck yes. Keep doing that.” Nate’s voice was extra-husky and laced with desire.

I opened my eyes to find him naked, hard cock fisted in one hand. “I don’t want to come without you this time,” I whispered.

“I won’t let you.” He stroked his cock once and it seemed to grow impossibly bigger in his hand. My inner walls clenched with anticipation. “Put a finger inside your pussy.”

I again did what he instructed because I trusted him completely.

“How does that feel? Are you wet?”

“Mhm.” I nodded and stroked the finger against my slick walls. “I’m wet for you, honey. Always for you.”

“Fuck it.” He dropped to his knees between my legs and leaned down to take my mouth, tongue hot and wet. When I wrapped my hand around his cock, he let out a growl. “Shit. I don’t have a condom.”

“That’s okay. I’m on the pill.” It went without saying that I was clean. “Are you… is there anything I need to know?”

“No. I’ve been tested recently. All good.” He swallowed hard. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “I want to feel every inch of you inside me, Nate.”

“Okay.” This time he kissed my lips softly. “I’m going to go slow. Tell me if it hurts too much. Promise?”

I nodded again. “It won’t. I’m ready for you.”

He stroked a hand down and between my legs, testing me with a finger. “Damn, babe. You are soaked for me.”

“Always,” I replied honestly.

His tip nudged my clit and elicited a loud gasp that made Nate smile. “So eager for me.” He stroked his cock through my slickness, coating himself with my arousal. “Wrap your legs around me, angel.”

I did and locked my arms around his neck. His lips covered mine and swallowed my soft gasp as he eased himself inside an inch. “Okay?” he asked and I nodded. He moved in another inch and my body stretched to accommodate him. “You are so fucking tight. You feel incredible, babe. How does it feel?”

“Good. Keep going,” I whispered, arching into him. “Don’t stop.”

With a final thrust, he planted himself all the way inside me, kissing away another gasp at the pinch of pain that only enhanced my throbbing. His eyes were full of concern. “Are you okay?”

“More than okay. You feel so good inside me.”

He smoothed away a strand of hair that had landed over my eye. “I’m going to start moving. I’ll go slow until you adjust, okay?”

“Okay.” I had never felt as protected as I did with his strong arms braced on either side of me as he looked deep into my eyes. That first retreat was torture for both of us. When he slid back in, we both let out a relieved moan. He repeated the move twice before I lifted my hips hard against his. “I’m ready, Nate. Don’t hold back. Please.”

“Told you I’d have you begging,” he teased and then thrust hard enough into me that I let out a shout. Before he could change his mind, I moved one arm from his neck to his backside and dug my fingers into his ass.

“More,” I begged.

That was the only encouragement he needed. His thrusts became harder and deeper as he angled his hips to drive into me in just the right way. He hit the spot inside that had been aching for him since our first kiss and I cried out his name. “Nate!”

“Don’t come yet, babe.” One hand found my breast and he tweaked my nipple while pounding into me again and I whimpered from the sheer pleasure of it. “I’m almost there. Just hold on.” He grunted when I squeezed his ass tighter and moved his hand between us, thumb pressing hard on my clit as my orgasm exploded through every inch of my body. My inner walls pulsed around him and he released inside me with an animalistic growl. I held him tight as he coated my inner walls while the aftershocks slowly faded away.

“Thank you,” I whispered as he collapsed on top of me, our skin slick with sweat.

“Don’t you ever thank me for that, angel.” He hoisted himself up on an elbow as he slid out of me.

“This is the best night of my life,” I confessed, slipping my fingers through his hair.

He smiled his most perfect smile and said, “The night is just beginning, babe.”