14. Fourteen
Fourteen
Sam
The sun is high, and the sky is endless, without a cloud in sight, stretching over the rolling fields and trees. Driving the buggy down the dirt path, I steal a glance at Emily. She’s sitting beside me, a soft smile playing on her lips. Her hair is loose, blowing gently in the wind, and as I watch, she pushes it out of her eyes—her big, bright, gorgeous blue eyes. For a moment, I can’t look away.
“You’re quiet,” I finally say, nudging her with my shoulder.
“Just enjoying the view,” she replies, turning, her gaze sweeping over the pastures.
I grin, leaning back against the seat. “Good because this next spot has the best view on the whole farm.”
Her brow arches in curiosity, but she doesn’t press me. Maybe she’s reliving how it felt at the barn dance when I held her in my arms. She fell asleep in the truck on the way home, so I left her alone. This morning, when I woke, I was very tempted to kiss her awake, but then I heard the soft thud of the back door. And I knew my dad was already heading out to milk the cows. So, I did the gentlemanly thing and left Emily sleeping while I did the chores.
That’s one of the reasons I planned today’s little outing, I think, with an arrogant smirk.
The buggy bumps gently along the trail, the rhythm of the wheels over the dirt path mixing with the faint sound of birds chirping in the distance. The air is filled with the earthy scent of grass and wildflowers.
When we reach the old swimming hole, I pull the reins, bringing the horse and buggy to a stop. Emily looks around, her eyes wide as she takes in the scene.
A wide, clear pond shimmers in the sunlight, surrounded by tall trees whose branches sway lazily in the breeze. The ground slopes gently down to the water, covered in soft grass that looks perfect for lying on.
“This is beautiful,” she says, her voice filled with awe.
“Yes, it is,” I reply with a grin, hopping down and tying off the reins.
I grab the picnic basket from the back of the buggy and offer her my hand. She takes it, and I help her down.
We find a shady spot near the water’s edge, spreading out a blanket and unpacking the basket. The sound of the water lapping gently at the shore only adds to the peacefulness.
I watch as Emily reaches into the picnic basket, pulling out the sandwiches I made earlier. Her movements are slow and deliberate as if she’s enjoying the simplicity of a country picnic. There’s no rush here, no schedule to follow, just the two of us and the quiet hum of the countryside.
“This is nice,” she says softly, unwrapping her sandwich. “I didn’t realize how nice a picnic would be.”
I grin, leaning back on the blanket and propping myself up on one elbow. “Yeah, life’s simpler out here. No deadlines, no noise—just peace and quiet.”
She bites into her sandwich, humming in approval. “And good food.”
Exhaling, I admit ruefully, “You know there was a time when all this peace and quiet drove me crazy. I couldn’t wait to get out of here and make it big.”
Emily nods in understanding. “Sometimes we don’t realize what we have until it’s gone.”
“Yeah,” I say softly. Just one word, but it's heavy with meaning.
Trying to lighten the mood, Emily forces a laugh. “Who would guess that Sam Ryder could make such a mean ham and cheese?” She takes another bite of her sandwich.
“Just another one of my many talents,” I say, following her lead. “My dad used to make me fix my own lunch when I was a kid. Said it’d teach me self-reliance.”
“It worked.” Emily glances at me, her smile warm. “You’re different out here. More capable, more responsible than when you’re with the band.”
Her words catch me off guard, and I shrug, trying to play it off. “There’s very little room for mistakes when working a farm.” I nod. “But you’re right. With the band, I let the other members, or Cass, take the lead.”
“Still,” she says, her voice soft but firm. “You’re responsible when you need to be. You take good care of people: your dad, the band, me.”
The way she says “me” sends a wave of longing through my chest, but I keep my expression neutral, even as my heart thuds a little harder.
Now, it’s my turn to change the subject, pulling out a container of fresh fruit. “Here. I read these were good for the mother and the baby.”
“Is this what you’ll be like once the baby’s born?” She laughs, popping one of the grapes in her mouth.
We fall into an easy rhythm, eating and talking softly to each other. The sounds of the pond and the rustling trees are the perfect backdrop. Things feel good between us—simple.
“You’ve been holding out on me,” she says, taking another bite of the sandwich I made.
“What do you mean?”
“This place,” she says, motioning to the pond. “It’s lovely. Did you come here a lot during your childhood?”
“Yeah,” I tell her, “Went skinny dipping here every chance I got.”
She gives me a look, half amused and half incredulous.
“Yep,” I say, grinning at her reaction and sitting up to tug my shirt over my head. “It’s the best way to enjoy the water.”
Emily laughingly protests, “Sam!” her voice rises as I kick off my boots.
“What?” I ask, feigning innocence as I stand and start undoing my belt.
“You can’t just... What if someone comes by?”
“No one’s going to come by,” I assure her, stepping out of my jeans and tossing them onto the blanket.
She glances around, and I see the color rise in her face. “You’re shameless.”
“And you’re overdressed,” I smirk, wading into the water.
The coolness envelops me immediately, refreshing and invigorating. I dive under, swimming out a bit before surfacing and shaking the water from my hair.
“Come on, Em,” I call, treading water. “You’ll love it.”
She hesitates, her arms crossed. “I don’t know...”
“It’s just us,” I say, my tone lower now. “No one’s watching. I promise.”
She bites her lip, glancing around nervously before finally relenting. “Fine. But if anyone shows up, I’m blaming you.”
“Deal,” I say with a grin.
She takes her time, slipping off her shoes and slowly unbuttoning her shirt. When she’s finally nude, the sight of her standing there, the sunlight dancing on her skin, takes my breath away.
She folds her clothes neatly, placing the towels close to the water’s edge, and I can’t help but laugh.
“What’s so funny?” she asks, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Nothing,” I say, shaking my head. “You’re just...”
“Shut up,” she mutters, stepping into the water.
The coolness makes her gasp, and she glares at me. “You didn’t say it was freezing!”
“It’s not freezing,” I protest, swimming closer. “You’ll get used to it.”
She splashes water at me in retaliation, and I laugh, diving under to avoid her.
When I surface, she’s grinning, her earlier hesitation replaced by a look of pure pleasure sparkling in her eyes. She wades deeper into the water, and I’m struck by how beautiful she looks–her skin glowing in the dappled sunlight, her dark hair curling damply around her shoulders.
“See?” I say, pulling her slowly into my arms as my voice deepens. “Told you it was worth it.”
She rolls her eyes but doesn’t argue, her breath catching in her throat as my hands reach out to explore her wet curves.
When I pull her closer to my chest, she willingly goes, wrapping her legs around my waist. Taking our time, we slowly explore each other’s body. Our breathing is harsh as our mutual passion rises. I glide my hand between her legs, finding her heat. Her eyes close as I slip my fingers through her wet folds.
She gives a soft moan when I push a finger inside her. Suddenly, I can’t wait. I have to taste her, but I want her laid out before me so I can feast on her. Carrying her with me as I wade from the water, I gently place her on the thick grass and follow her down. I kiss my way down her damp body from her lips to her toes and then back up.
Hovering over her as I part her thighs. Then my mouth covers her most intimate place, and I lift her knee over my shoulder, giving me a better angle. I dive in, caressing her with my lips and tongue. Delving in even deeper, I feel her fingers grasp my wet hair. She tugs slightly, just enough to urge me on, and I give a devilish smile. Pulling away, I sink a thick finger into her, knuckle deep. When I curl it slightly, pushing against her inner walls, she gives a soft whimper.
As I continue my ministrations, her whimpers turn into moans. Raising my head, I say in a voice filled with satisfaction, “No one can see us or hear us. Be as loud as you want, Cupcake.”
Leaning down, I push deeper into her as her moans grow louder. When I lightly pinch her clit she lets out a high keening cry, then a loud shout, as she orgasms hard in my arms. Her body clenching uncontrollably around my still-pumping fingers.
She finally stills, and I watch her face as she slowly opens her eyes. When she finds me staring, she gives me a soft, womanly smile. It sends a sexual jolt right to my cock that jerks in response and hardens even more.
Slowly, I rise over her prone body, settling between her spread legs. My cock is hard and throbbing, waiting for its turn. My eyes lock on hers, and neither of us looks away as I slowly enter her welcoming warmth. When I’m in full throttle, I pause just to enjoy the sensation of being home in more ways than one.
I grin as I feel Emily’s legs shift impatiently, her eyes begging me to move.
“What do you want, Emily?” I softly demand, taunting her.
Her eyes deepen as she looks up at me. “You, Sam.”
That’s all I need to hear as I pull out and then plunge in again. Slowly, I increase the rhythm of my thrusts until our harsh breaths fill the air around us.
My face feels tight because it’s taking all my control to hold back as I wait for her.
“Sam, I… Sam!” Emily says with a shout.
“Em!” I groan just as loudly as her as I finally let go—Emptying myself into her. I roll to the side once I can finally think again.
We sprawl there lazily under the sky while our breathing returns to normal—neither one of us is in any hurry to move.
“Come on, we’ll wash off in the water,” I murmur as I stand, reaching down to assist Emily up. Leaning softly against me, we slowly waded back into the cool water.
Not able to help myself, I pull her pliant body against mine and kiss her again. When I see Emily give a shiver a few minutes later, I murmur regretfully, “We’d better dry off and head back to the house.”
Handing her a towel, we take turns drying each other in the bright sunshine. Emily is quiet, but there’s a slight smile on her lips.
Folding a towel around her, mostly dry skin, I ask, “You okay?” My voice low and husky.
She smiles, her eyes soft. “Yes, I was just thinking… daydreaming,” she says, her voice wistful.
“About what?” I ask her just as softly.
“I was wondering what it would be like to bring our child here someday,” she answers.
Grinning, I kneel down in front of her and place my lips against her abdomen. “You hear that, baby? Your mama likes skinny dipping.”
Emily softly chuckles as she looks down at me. “Yeah. I guess I do.” Her hands run gently through my hair.
“Your dad has red hair, and when the sun hits your hair, it has a reddish tint to it,” she says softly, fingering the wet strands. “Do you think our baby will have red hair?”
“Damn, I hope not,” I say as I bark out a laugh. “Well, I guess it would be okay if it’s a girl. They used to call me ‘Red’ when I was in grade school, but my hair is darker now,” I admit with a shrug.
As we dress, we only have to stop a few times to share a soft kiss or give the other a gentle caress.
Once we have everything back in the buggy and climb in, the sun is lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over everything.
“You’re right,” she says, wrapping herself in a blanket. “That was fun.”
“Yes, it was; very,” I reply with a sexy grin, sitting beside her and running a hand through my damp hair.
Emily leans against me, her head resting on my shoulder, and my arm automatically pulls her snuggly against my side. And for a moment, everything feels perfect—and right.
“Thank you for bringing me here, Sam," she says softly. "I don't just mean what happened back there. I mean experiencing all this—meeting your dad, seeing the farm, your home. It helps me know you better—the real Sam Ryder.”
“Anytime,” I reply, my arm slipping around her.
And I mean it.