Chapter Four
Clyde
It’s at least nine o’clock, and my guys have just rolled out for the night. A lot got done today, but there’s more than enough left to keep us busy. The guys want the money, and I can’t blame them for it. That money is a huge bonus.
I pull open the lodge door and step inside, sheltering from the frigid cold of a Colorado night. It’s closing in on spring, but the temperatures will be near freezing at night until June. It’s what we get for living at this elevation. The bonus is definitely the views. Nothing beats the velvet canvas of twinkling stars up here, no matter the temperature.
“What are you still doing here? I thought you gave orders and went home early to your mega-mansion.” I’m half kidding because I know she’s renting a small cabin up on the hill, but half not because I really don’t know what she’s doing here this late. She doesn’t look as uptight as she usually does either. Her skirt is unbuttoned at the side, her blouse is hanging untucked, and her hair is loosely pulled back, with red strands framing her face.
She jumps when she hears my voice and turns back with a cup of coffee in her hand, her eyes rolling to the side. “Yeah, I’m a total slacker. You’re hilarious. You out lurking around, seeing what you can shoot with that gun, or are you coming to annoy me?”
I lean against the coffee station and watch her lower down onto the sofa opposite the grand fireplace. I remember building that thing. It took three weeks to source enough river rock to get it right. “I think I did my share of shootin’ today, but I’ve still got the drive home. Who knows what I’ll find?”
Her eyes roll and she sips her coffee. I’m not sure why this look has me so turned on. Maybe it’s because she finally looks relaxed. I can’t say I’ve ever seen her in that state before.
“So why you here then?”
She drags in a heavy breath and lets it out slowly, holding the mug close to her face as though she’s trying to absorb the heat. “I’m brainstorming.”
“About…” I pour my own cup of coffee and sit beside her. I don’t think I’ve ever sat in the lodge before. We built it and moved on to another project. It turned out pretty great if you ask me.
“About… none of your business,” she snarks.
“Okay, I get it.”
“Good.” She sits up straighter and stares at the fireplace as though the crackle is relaxing. Whatever happened today must be huge. “Is that one of your kills?” She nods toward the deer head mounted above the fireplace. It’s a fourteen-point and would’ve been an impressive shot. “No, a buddy of mine had him mounted and brought him up here for display. He shot the moose that hangs in the other room, too.”
She nods as though she’s less than interested. Maybe I missed the sarcasm in her question. “Why do you country folk feel the need to kill things and put their heads on the wall?”
“It’s the heritage of it all. Storytelling, pride, that sort of thing.”
She narrows her brows. “Couldn’t a picture do the same thing?”
“Sure, probably.” I take another sip of coffee and wonder why I’m still sitting here. We have nothing in common and this conversation is strained as hell, but I can’t tear my eyes away from her. She’s gorgeous and part of me is sort of enjoying the gentle ribbing.
I need help. Serious fucking help. I shouldn’t be staring at some twenty something’s ass. I shouldn’t be aroused every time she shifts on the couch. I shouldn’t be anxiously waiting for her to turn around so I can see how hard her nipples are again, half hoping the fire didn’t warm them.
“So, what’s your deal? Who are you outside all of this?”
“Me?” I glance around to make sure I’m the one she’s asking.
“Yeah, you. Speak, before I change my mind.”
Laughter settles in my throat. “You’re too mouthy.”
She narrows her gaze and shakes her head back and forth slowly. “You know, I gave you an in. I asked about your life.”
“My life is simple. I grew up here, I work here, and I’ll die here.”
“Okay,” she rolls her eyes, “what do you do outside of birth, death, and work?”
“Fish, hunt, and take care of my sister.”
Scarlett twists toward me and leans forward as though she actually gives a shit about what I’m saying. “Why do you take care of your sister?”
“Her husband died out in the desert last year. Army. She has two small kids so I do what I can to help her. Right now, they need a new roof, so I spend a lot of time working on that.”
“Shit,” she lets out a sigh and shakes her head before taking a sip of coffee, “that’s terrible. I’m sorry to hear that. And here I am, giving you a bunch of shit daily.” Her gaze drops to the fireplace and back toward me again. “I’m sorry. Life is so unfair.”
“Why’s that?”
“I mean, I’m born into this pit of privilege and someone else can’t afford to put a roof on their house.”
“Life is fair enough to those of us who can see the gifts,” I groan, remembering why the two of us would never work. “The problem is that people like you are raised to believe that money is what equals success.”
She narrows her brows toward me as though she’s not sure where I’m going with this, which is also quite sad. This woman needs a few weeks out here with real folks doing real things. “What are you talking about? Money is success. The more money I have, the more opportunities there are. The more money I have, the more stable life is. Success .”
“Yet here you are, sitting in the prettiest lodge I’ve ever seen, on the most beautiful mountain in the world… miserable.”
A grin lifts her cheeks. “I appreciate that you have an affinity for this mountain, but it’s not the prettiest I’ve ever seen. It’s… a mountain, and I’m not miserable. I’m introspective. Maybe you should try it sometime.”
I laugh and shake my head. “You know some people might say that relationships are what define success in life.”
“And those people are poor.” She stands from the couch and turns toward me, her nipples still rock hard.
I grin wider and stand as well, taking a step toward her. “Money can’t buy fulfilling connections. And if you ask me, it seems you could use some of that.”
“And let me guess… you’re going to be the guy who gives it to me?” She stares at me as the flames flicker in her eyes. “You men are all the same. Always some big revelation about what’s wrong with a girl before you slap them with how you can fix it. Ya know… I’m sure I look like some spoiled little brat to you, but I worked hard to get here.”
I laugh. “Well, I guess I wouldn’t know how hard it is to spend my father’s money. I always had to make my own.”
She narrows her gaze toward me and steps forward. “Something tells me your father didn’t have any money to spend.” Her mouth is moving, but all I’m thinking about is that big ass that needs a spanking.
“Nope. Sure didn’t.” I move closer, watching a strand of her hair fall out of her vision. “He worked his ass off, came home, and loved his family. I remember him sledding with us, teaching me how to throw an axe, how to tack a horse, and how to treat a woman. What did your dad teach you?”
She narrows her gaze and steps so close that we’re nearly touching. “He taught me how to avoid assholes like you.”
“How’s that working for ya?”
Heat rises in the room and suddenly her lips are on mine, her hands on my shoulder. My tongue plunges into the kiss and I’m tasting the sugar that she’s put in her late-night coffee.
“Fuck,” I groan into her mouth and take her deeper, pulling her curved frame against me until I’m holding a handful of her big, round ass.
“Jesus, I bet you’ve been dying to do that, haven’t you?” she pants as she speaks.
“My cock was hard just thinking about it.”
Half a smile lifts onto her face as she leans into me for another kiss.
Fuck, she’s delicious.
I slide my hand around her and lean her up against the wall. The lodge is quiet this time of night, though there’s still staff at the front desk around the corner. At any point, someone could see us. Hell, if those security cameras were installed, we’d be seen already. All that said, nothing could make me stop right now.
She lifts her leg and presses her pussy against my hard cock with a grin, biting her bottom lip playfully.
“Naughty little princess, aren’t you?”
Her lips touch mine again and her small hands wander my chest. Would it be awful if I hauled her over my knee and gave her the spanking she deserves?
She slips her finger into a hole in my t-shirt. I can’t remember the last time I was touched like this. It’s been years, a decade maybe. “You smell so fucking good.”
“You too.” Her voice is breathless. It’s the quietest I’ve heard her.
I palm her ass again and slide my hand under her shirt, rolling my palm over her hard nipples. Fuck, I want them on my tongue.
I want everything. I want all of her.
She stares up at me, the flames from the fireplace still flickering in her eyes. “You’re a pain in the ass.”
“You’re gorgeous.”
She wets her lips. “You’re kind of hot.”
“I want to put your tits in my mouth.”
“So do it.” She lifts her blouse further and stares toward me, her chest rising and falling quickly.
God damn. I lean into her thick, heavy breasts and slide my tongue over each nipple, suckling each one with a loud moan and pop. She moans and my teeth scrape over her breasts as she grinds herself against me.
I’m about three seconds away from becoming a man I don’t know. I’m going to rip her clothes off and fuck her senseless. I’m going to spank that big ass and watch it jiggle. I’m going to taste her sweet juices and slide into that tight, little pussy and make her mine.
I watch her face as my hand moves down her frame, into her pants, and over her soft, little pussy.
Her mouth drops open as I pet the soft slit and slide a finger inside, circling her clit in the juices.
“Right there,” she moans. “Oh my God,” she whimpers as I touch her, and I’ve never been more awestruck in my life. I could watch her moan and squirm until I turned to dust, and I wouldn’t be tired of it. I’d always want more. “I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on this. Oh my God!” She thrusts forward into me as her head leans against the back wall and her eyes squeeze shut as her nails dig into my shoulders. “Don’t stop.”
I circle her clit faster with more pressure, and she cries out, squeezing my finger as I work.
Fucking hell! I love this!
She cries out louder and louder as I slide another finger inside of her.
“Oh my God, yes! Right there, please.”
My cock is going to explode. I need to feel her. I need to slide into that tight little pussy and spread her wide. I need to feel her tight little walls press in around me.
She comes suddenly with an aching cry before convulsing around my hand.
I pull out quickly, bend to my knees, and lick her up, tasting her arousal, kissing her beautiful little slit, running my tongue up and over her seam with desire and need. Her thighs shake as her hands grip the sides of my beard.
“I need to feel you. I want your come so bad! But… you’ll have to go slow. I’m…”
The light flicks on in the main hallway, indicating movement.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
Standing, I tug down her skirt and pull her blouse back into place as she straightens her hair. The hallway is just out of sight to where we’ve been messing around, but the light is so bright it’s hard to miss. I peek around the corner to see a tall guy, about my height, with wide shoulders, a crisp white shirt, and a suit coat with one of those squares rich dudes like to tuck into their chest pocket. He’s carrying a briefcase in one hand, a cell phone in the other, and he’s smiling as though he’s seen Scarlett before.
She glances toward me and squeezes her eyes shut. “That’s my father. Shit! That’s my father. What the hell is my father doing here?”
“Take it you weren’t expecting him?”
“Not for another week,” she says through her teeth as she smiles. “Just go along with me, okay?”
I nod, though I’m not good at doing the whole ‘meet the father’ thing. People find me abrasive. Besides that, my cock is still partially hard, and it’s not easy to hide in these jeans. I’m also sure the man knows what come smells like, and I’m currently covered in it.
He steps into the atrium and holds out his hand. I should shake it, but I cross my arms and settle for a nod instead. “Sorry, I’ve been sick all week. You must be Scarlett’s father.”
“And judging by the time of night and the look on your face, I’m guessing you must be the boyfriend.”
I glance toward Scarlett and widen my gaze. She’s trying to send me a message, and though I don’t fully understand the complexities of her stare, I gather enough that I should shut my mouth and go with the flow.
“Yeah. The one and only.” I wrap my arms around the girl next to me and hold my breath as I think about that spanking she’s for sure getting later. This night just keeps getting weirder and weirder.