Chapter 15
15
T he weekend passed in a whirl of activity and simmering anticipation. By the time Monday morning rolled around, Petra and Aiden had at least five conversations with Jinx about exactly what she wanted to happen for her entrance into high school society.
Each time, Jinx had slowly stiffened her resolve, until now they stood on the porch, a collection of four very antsy adults hovering over a sixteen-year-old as she determinedly focused on her boots.
“If you change your mind, you give us a call,” Declan said.
Jinx stood and hoisted her new grey backpack over her shoulder. She straightened and met each of their eyes fearlessly. “I’m going to be okay. I like school, and I like Sasha, and I’m going to be okay.”
Petra dipped her chin firmly. “Damn straight, you are.”
Jinx’s lips twitched as she glanced at the guys to see how they would react to Petra swearing.
“If Jinx’s teachers complain about her language, we’re pointing at you,” Jake warned. Petra only grinned.
“Time to get a move on,” Aiden informed Jinx. “Take this for later, and we’ll see you at the end of the day.”
Jinx frowned slightly as she accepted the brightly coloured envelope he held. “What is it?”
“Something to read when you’re on the bus. If you want,” Aiden told her as he snapped a salute. “You’ve got this.”
Jinx dipped her chin. She proceeded to surprise the hell out of Petra, darting back to steal a brief hug. Petra didn’t have time to do more than fight to keep her balance before Jinx was running down the stairs, Dixie racing by her side.
“Oh. Petra,” she called over her shoulder. “You left your purse on the floor in the living room last night. I hung it back at the front door for you.” Jinx waved one final time before marching down the long gravel road to the highway.
They all stood in silence for a moment before Aiden laughed. “We must look ridiculous.”
“I don’t give a shit how I look. I’m nervous as hell,” Jake admitted.
Petra folded her arms over her chest and glared at Jake. “I’m going to start a swear jar, and I bet you are going to fill it in its entirety, Jacob Anthony Skye.”
Jake looked taken aback, but Declan chuckled, soft and low. “You got second-named, bro. I’d hate to be in your shoes.”
“How did she know my second name? That’s what I want to know.” Jake narrowed his gaze at Aiden.
He threw his hands in the air. “Not me. Remember, she’s a woman of many talents.”
“And on that note,” Petra said brightly, because this was not the time to admit she’d been looking them up online. Curiosity was an evil gift at times. “Jinx is at the road and she’s waving. Wave back, everybody.”
It was the oddest sensation, watching the young woman who’d only been in Petra’s life for a week stepping onto the bright orange vehicle and vanishing from sight.
Dixie dejectedly paced back to the ranch house alone, the absolute picture of doggie sadness.
“This is going to be one hellishly long day,” Declan complained.
Jake whirled, pointing a finger in his face. “Don’t you dare show up at her school.”
“I am her guardian,” Declan offered innocently. He eyed Aiden. “What was in the envelope?”
“A you can do this message along with twenty bucks so she can buy herself and Sasha something from the cafeteria as a treat.” Aiden winked at Petra. “I’m going to be her favourite big brother.”
“You’re a pain in the behind, as usual,” Declan said, glancing around at the small gathering. “She’s going to be fine, but in the meantime we should all keep ourselves busy. Easiest way to make this day pass quickly.”
“I have plans,” Petra assured him.
“I won’t be around for lunch, but I’ll be back by the time the school bus arrives,” Jake said.
“Same for me.” Declan sighed heavily. “Guess I should get started.”
Aiden walked back inside the house with Petra as Jake and Declan headed toward the barn and studio. “We’re all going to be there when the school bus arrives,” Aiden said softly. “It’s going to feel like forever, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. It seems so odd to know she’s not in the house or with one of you guys.” Petra twisted and pulled herself against him. “How did that happen so quickly? The feeling as if she belongs here?”
His strong arms wrapped around her and held her tight. “As if she’s been around for a split second, and yet all of forever.”
“Pretty much.”
Aiden pressed a kiss to Petra’s forehead. “There’s a strange magic when things are right.”
She nodded. No use keeping him from his tasks as well. “I’ll see you later.”
“Hope you have a great day.” He squeezed her one final time before slipping out the door.
As Declan had suggested, distraction was a good idea. Petra booted up her computer and got to work on the accounting system for Red Boot ranch. While her brother and his business partner might have no timeline expectations, sitting on her butt and worrying for the entire day wasn’t going to help anyone.
She had just finished setting up the initial data links when her phone pinged with a message.
Jinx: Everything is going great. Thought you should know. Sasha says hi.
She’d attached a selfie showing her and Sasha sitting on the bleachers in the school gymnasium. Both girls were smiling, their innocent faces shining with happiness.
Relief rushed in, and Petra carefully considered her response to not let on exactly how worried she’d been.
Petra: Glad to hear it. Have fun, work hard, and you can tell me all about it at supper.
Jinx: Okay. Putting my phone away now because RULES. Give Dixie a pet from me.
Petra sent a quick message to all three Skye brothers, letting them know Jinx was doing fine. Then she dove headlong into programming, relief and happiness making her fingers work double-time.
By one o’clock, she was nowhere near done but had accomplished enough she decided it was time for her treat. She tidied the small desk Aiden had set up for her in the room they were using as an office, closed her computer, and headed to the bedroom. The soaker tub in the corner of the primary bath was about to get a workout.
She stripped off her clothes and wandered into the bathroom, pausing when she spotted three bright red boxes lined up on the edge of the tub.
“What the hell?” She lifted the first and pulled the card with Aiden’s handwriting from under the ribbon.
Thanks for everything you’ve done. But mostly thanks for being an awesome person. Enjoy relaxing.
Petra lifted the lid, and the drugging scent of lilacs wafted up. Pale purple bath salts filled the box.
The second box held three doughnuts, and the third box a candle labeled Inhale The Good Shit, Exhale The Bad Shit . Petra grinned and got the bath water running before picking up a doughnut and taking a bite.
She groaned with happiness. It was delicious and exactly what she needed. Scalding heat made her skin tingle as she eased into the sweetly scented water. With a rolled up towel behind her neck, she closed her eyes and let the sweet goodness of the Maple Cream doughnut slide down her throat.
She’d been soaking for over half an hour when a knock clattered on the door.
“Petra? Okay if I come in?” Aiden asked.
“It’s not locked,” she assured him. “The water is still warm, although I have to inform you the sweets are all gone.”
Aiden strolled around the corner, his expression growing heated as his gaze roamed her body. “I see something plenty sweet.”
The perfect distraction of the bubble bath morphed into something even more enticing. Especially when Aiden pulled his shirt off over his head and tossed it to the floor.
“Tell me you got really dirty this morning and you’re desperate for me to scrub you clean,” Petra suggested.
The trim lines of his body made her fingers itch to touch. The sweep of his waist down to lean hips, the firm lines of the muscles framing his abdomen. The flex of his broad shoulders as he knelt beside the tub. All of it combined to heat her from the inside out, anticipation growing as he dipped his fingers into the bubbles floating on the water’s surface.
He snatched them back instantly, cursing lightly. “Christ, woman, how hot was the water when you got in?”
Petra snickered. “Average hot for a bubble bath. Cold compared to a thermal geyser.”
Aiden examined her closer, gaze dipping over her breasts. He ran a finger over her skin parallel to the water. “You’re red and pink and glowing, like a sexy jellyfish.”
Amusement flared. “You say the sweetest things,” she informed him. “Sort of.”
He hummed, slipping his hand under the water and cupping her breast. He stared into the water as his thumb caressed over her already rigid nipple. “You feeling more relaxed?”
“Yes, although at this moment, I’m decidedly tenser than five minutes ago.” Petra arched into his touch as he rolled his thumb and fingers together, pinching lightly. “My period is over.”
“Good to know.” Fingers brushed her belly, landing between her legs. “I considered asking if I could join you, but I’m not lava resistant.”
Petra widened her knees, covering his hand. “I can get out of the tub.”
“In a minute,” he suggested. “Right now I’m having fun. Partially boiling to death, but fun.”
She laughed, the sound turning to a moan as he slicked their joined fingers over her clit. Teasing circles set a tingle rising in her core. She rested her head back on the towel and examined his face closely as he admired her. Fire danced in his eyes as he slid fingers into her yet kept up the steady brush over her clit.
Lordy, that felt good. Petra sucked for air, fighting to speak. “I’m not about to complain if you get me off like this, but I would very much like to have sex.”
“This is sex,” he pointed out.
Stubborn man. Talented man, too. “It’s hard to think when you do that thing with the…oh God, that .” A twist of his fingers inside her? She wasn’t sure what it was except the fast road to an orgasm. “That’s deliciously evil.”
His grin widened. “This?”
She hissed, curling her fingers around the back of his neck and tugging him toward her. He lowered, lips hovering over hers, hand continuing to tease.
She forced out the words. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed that we’ve fooled around but not actually done the deed.”
“If you’re still able to think this hard, I’m doing something wrong.” Aiden’s smile softened. “Stop holding back. Let go.”
“Promise we can have sex.”
“We are?—”
“Penis, then. Cock. Dick. I want yours inside me.” She clamped down on his fingers, and this time he cursed.
“Be careful what you wish for,” he warned.
“Put up or shut up,” she taunted back.
He reached into the tub, and Petra found herself airborne. She clutched his neck as he marched to the bedroom, dripping water everywhere.
Aiden dropped her on the bed and shoved his jeans off his hips. He sat on the mattress hard enough that she bounced, his hands guiding her over his lap. One knee on either side of his hips, her butt resting on his thighs.
Stretching to the side table, Aiden snatched up a condom and rolled it over his thick cock, Petra doing her best to help.
Every brush of her fingers made him curse softly. His breath came in ragged gasps, and as he caught up her hips and levered her over him, his face turned serious. “Yes?”
Hell yes. Petra notched his cock into position then sank down one slow inch at a time.
Finally .
His fingers on her hips tightened, and he closed his eyes briefly. “So fucking good.”
“Agree.” But full—so full she needed a minute to adjust.
Good thing she had something else to enjoy at the same time. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.
He might have fucked up royally by caving, but with Petra’s heat wrapped around him and her tongue in his mouth, Aiden’s give a damn was busted.
He squeezed her ass, enjoying the give of her curves. When he nipped her lower lip and she pulled her lips away with a gasp, he savoured his way along her jaw line to the sweet spot on her neck that made her squirm.
“Fuck yeah. Rub yourself against me. So fucking hot.” Aiden bit her neck lightly, rocking his hips and moving inside her the slightest bit.
Petra let her head fall back, fingernails digging into the tops of his shoulders. “Sweet mother of pearl.”
He shouldn’t find it so funny, considering the waves of pleasure rocking through him should’ve been enough to keep his mind fully on the here and now. But still… “I think I need to see how many swearwords I can get you to say.”
She snapped her head up and smiled evilly. “Is that a challenge?”
He was about to answer with some cocky bullshit when she lifted up, dragging that sweet pussy of hers over sensitive skin and making his mind go foggy.
When she dropped in place, thighs smacking into his, Aiden cursed.
The bed bounced slightly, and Petra’s smile went downright demonic. She rose and fell, setting a pace that sent his tongue tripping over itself, the heat of their bodies meshing as he turned the air blue.
“Touch me,” Petra demanded, grabbing hold of his wrists and bringing them to her breasts. Aiden held on as Petra did the work, driving him deep over and over until he was holding onto his control by a thread.
Her face was tight, right on the edge of pleasure and pain, and Aiden dropped a hand between them and caught hold of her clit. She gasped as he gave it a squeeze, dropping one more time and digging her nails into his skin as she writhed over him.
Her pussy tightened around his cock, and Aiden once again caught hold of her hips, thrusting up as high as possible while holding her against him.
Petra wrapped her arms around him, clinging tightly as waves of pressure enveloped his cock…
A sharp snap sounded. The mattress tipped, dropping in place as Aiden scrambled to catch their balance before they were flattened like a pancake.
“What the—” Petra clutched him tighter, but Aiden caught them in time. He sat on the edge of the mattress, legs straight in front of him on the floor with her still skewered on his cock.
They were two feet lower than they’d started, wooden splinters from the support base of the bed scattered at his feet.
Petra glanced around before leaning in and kissing him. Sweet and self-assured and with a hint of mischief. A final nip sank into his lip before she grinned into his face. “I can’t believe we did that.”
“I’m glad we did that.” He bumped his nose into hers, and an aftershock sent her squirming against him briefly. “The bed’s still under warranty.”
Laughter bubbled up. Petra brushed a hand over his cheek as she smiled indulgently. “If you’re suggesting we should test drive every bed before the warranties are up, I’m game.”
He kissed her, hands stroking naked skin. He needed to deal with the condom, and he needed to not go too fast, but what he needed most of all was right here in his lap.
Petra finally broke the kiss, carefully crawling off him and onto the mattress.
Aiden dealt with the condom then pulled up his underwear and pants. He opened his arms. “Come here. I’ll take you back to the tub while I clean up.”
“As long as you come join me,” Petra offered.
He lowered her into the water and did a quick temperature check. “This I can handle. Give me a minute.”
Thankfully, there was no sign of his brothers when he grabbed the broom and dustpan, dealing with the wood splinters but leaving the broken frame for later.
He grabbed two glasses of lemonade and peanut butter cookies from the jar and made his way back to the bathroom.
Petra accepted the food and drink, chugging down half of the lemonade even as she gestured to the water in front of her. “It’s big enough for two. It’s big enough for three, but that’s not my kink.”
He stepped into the water gingerly, arranging himself with his back against the incline of the tub and her legs in his lap. “Good to know. It’s not mine either.”
Petra took a nip of the cookie and made a noise that made him want to go right back to the bed, broken or not. “These are really good.”
“Agreed.” He ran his finger up her shin, caressing her skin slowly. “I thought you made those.”
She shook her head. “Not me. I thought you did.”
“Well, whichever of my brothers was the mastermind, we’ll request a new batch as soon as possible. These were the last two.”
She licked crumbs off her fingers then stretched her arms along the top of the tub, smiling at him contentedly. “That was a most excellent bit of distracting.”
“Agreed.” Her skin was so soft he wanted to pull her into his lap and keep touching her. She was pink and red now for reasons other than the heat of the water, and the shine in her eyes made him all the more determined to convince her this needed to be real.
“I like that look.”
Aiden lifted his gaze. “What’s that?”
She wiggled her finger at his face. “You know why I went back to your hotel with you three years ago? It was mostly because of that look.”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I’m very happy to have that look.” Aiden picked up her foot and rubbed gently. “Anything particular about it? Just in the interest of science and making sure I offer you the look on a regular basis.”
She laughed then her expression grew thoughtful. “It was my brother’s wedding weekend. Second wedding, if you count the one they can’t remember that took place in Vegas.”
“ Now you tell me this story. I can’t wait for the next time we see Zach and Julia.”
“Mischief maker,” she teased. She shook her head as if remembering. “I love my big brother, and at that point, all my other sisters were married, most with rug rats, so it was kind of as if they were all at the stage of a game that I had no interest in yet. I didn’t want to settle down, but seeing Zach with Julia—they were so freaking in love, it just poured from them every time they looked at each other.”
Aiden raised a brow. “So you decided having a one-night stand with a total stranger was a good way to celebrate your brother’s wedding?”
“Pretty much,” she agreed, but she wrinkled her nose in the most adorable fashion. “It was less about trying to counteract the wedding cootie vibes that were floating around and more about just doing something that made me as happy as they were at that moment.”
“Well, I remember you getting happy.” He smirked. “Although we didn’t break a bed that time.”
Her laughter rang, loud and clear. She smiled, a sweet sincere smile that made his toes curl. “But you had that look. That one that says you’ve got secrets. Not evil dark secrets, but delicious and naughty, and if I’m really good you might share them with me.” She paused then nodded firmly. “And kind. It makes you look kind.”
Aiden sighed heavily. “You had my hopes up there for a minute with secret looks and naughty looks, and then—bam, you hit me with that damn kind button. At least you didn’t friend zone me.”
She splashed him.
It seemed as good a time as any to admit this. “I picked you up because of your look as well. You were so full of life and fire I was drawn to you. That’s what I remember the most about that night.”
“Not the sex? Right.”
“Oh, the sex too. But you shine, Petra. You really do.”
She stared at him for a couple of seconds, something odd twisting her expression.
Without a word, she crawled from the tub and vanished into the bedroom.
The hell ? “Petra? What’s wrong?”
By the time he got out of the tub and wrapped a towel around himself, she’d vanished from the room. Cursing, he got dressed, stalking down the hallway and into the living room, looking for her.