34. Sarah
Chapter 34
Sarah
Gravel crunched under my feet as I looked up at the night sky where the moon was shining in all her glory. Mist clouded in front of my face from the cold fall air that was quickly shifting to winter. It wouldn’t be long now before we had our first blanket of snow covering the ground. Likely a thin layer as we didn’t often get heavy snowstorms, but I felt excited about the potential of the new season. To be bundled in blankets with hot cocoa in my hands and Ranger by my side.
Something in me had changed the day my mother stormed into my work kitchen and berated him. I’d finally discovered that it truly didn’t matter what other people thought of me, as long as I was happy, I could let go of everything else. The pressure to succeed in my business or to appease my parents. Feeling like I was put in a box that was never meant to hold me. I could let go of all of it because I knew what waited for me .
Love .
I almost said it to him the other day, not fully realizing the words that were about to come out of my mouth. The way he’d looked at me called to my soul. An awakening that only he could draw from me. I knew I was one of the lucky ones who’d found their person. The other half of my heart. And I wasn’t going to waste it on other people’s thoughts about me.
Ranger came into view. His broad shoulders were working against the thin layers of his t-shirt and flannel as he finished saddling Hank. “Hi, cowboy,” I called to Ranger.
His broad smile had me stopping in my tracks. He was so damn beautiful, I wondered how people couldn’t see through his rough past to the man who stood before me. It truly was their loss and if it meant I got more of him to myself, I really couldn’t complain.
Frigid air lined my lungs as I took a deep breath in.
“Hi, gorgeous,” he responded, his Southern accent drawling with each word. Hank jostled his head up and down, bumping into Ranger’s shoulder.
Standing on my tiptoes, I reached up and pressed my lips to the corner of Ranger’s mouth. “I’ve missed you.”
His smile tilted to the right. “We might need to remedy that one of these days.”
My cheeks flushed, not from worry that his mention of us moving in together felt crazy. I was done with placing judgment on myself and the wants I had in this life. His words brought a twinge of excitement to my chest. Hope for a future I never knew was possible for me until he came into the picture.
“You know, I was just thinking about how I thought I had my whole life planned out. Make sweet treats. Open a bakery. Build my skills in cake design and take the industry by storm.” Sliding my hands into the back pockets of his jeans, I pressed him against me. “I never accounted for a sexy rancher to steal my heart.”
His fingers stroked the edge of my jaw. “And now that you’re here, what do you think?”
I took a deep breath in, biting my bottom lip. “I think I like the view from here a lot more than anywhere else I’ve been.”
His eyes softened, and his words came out rough. “I wish you could see the view from where I’m standing. It’s the most beautiful sight in the world.”
Time slowed as he pressed a tender kiss to my lips. I gripped the edges of his flannel shirt and leaned into him more.
When we pulled apart, he tucked a tendril of my hair behind my ear. “Ready?”
I nodded. “Should I go get Honey Blossom?”
“No, this ride is a bit treacherous and she hasn’t been on the trail for a few years. We’ll both be riding Hank tonight.”
“Okay.”
Ranger gave me a boost into the large saddle before settling in behind me. My legs were spread wide over Hank’s back. Ranger took the reins and we started off into the night.
The air was colder in the mountains than it was in the valley of Ranger’s ranch, but I hardly felt the frigid temperature with him at my back. Our ride was slow and feeling my ass rub against him for an hour was nearly torture when all I wanted to do was spin around in the saddle and kiss him like a mad woman.
But as Hank crested through the thick overhang of pine branches on the trail, my breath caught in my throat. Tears of wonderment hit the back of my eyes as I took in the space before me. We were on a carved ledge of the mountain that overlooked the valley below. A long stretch of the river Ranger and I swam in weeks ago threaded throughout the land. Above us was a mass of stars twinkling against the darkness. The full moon cast a silvery glow on everything below it.
“Oh my gosh,” I whispered, bringing my fingertips to my open mouth. A gleeful laugh brushed past my lips. “It’s so beautiful.”
“And it’s ours.” Ranger’s arms settled on the horn in front of me before I felt him move off the saddle. I could hardly tear my eyes away from the scene in front of me as he grasped under my arms and helped me down.
I walked toward the edge and looked around, feeling like I was floating above the world and nothing could touch me here. An owl hooted from somewhere behind me and there was a faint whisper of the roaring river below us where the smooth surface transitioned to a heavy path of rapids.
“What do you think?” Ranger said from behind me. I turned around, his tanned skin was illuminated from the shine of the moon.
“I’m thinking you’ve been keeping this incredible secret from me for a while and I don’t know if I should be upset about that or not.” I arched a brow at him and he chuckled.
Walking towards me, he slipped his arms around my waist, his palms settling where my back met the curve of my butt. “I couldn’t give away all my secrets at once now could I?”
I bobbed my head back and forth. “We can debate that question another time.” I rubbed my hands together to ward off the cold.
“Come on, let me get the fire started for you.” I followed him a few paces back where there was a circular pit outlined with white stones, fresh logs of wood were already tepeed together. With all my attention on the beauty of the landscape, I didn’t notice there was a thick pallet of blankets with a few pillows on the other side of the firepit.
Taking off my riding boots, I settled under the top blanket and watched Ranger blow against the glowing embers of the fire he’d started. It didn’t take him long to get the kindling wood aflame before he took off his boots and settled next to me. Taking me under his arm, I leaned into his side, inhaling deeply my favorite smell of leather that always reminded me of him .
“I can’t believe this place exists. Was this something else your mom showed you growing up?”
“No. I discovered this place myself. One day before I was sent to prison, Miles and I were working the cows below and I looked up at the mountainside and saw this cliff edge jutting out through the pine trees. I wondered what the world might look like from up here, so I took my time carving a path through the trees until I found it. No one else knows it exists besides me and you.”
The heat of the flames started to reach the edge of the pallet, warming my feet. “Our own little hideaway,” I mused, looking up at him.
He gripped my chin between his fingers and kissed me. “Ours,” he repeated against my lips.
A hum vibrated in my throat as he slipped his tongue along the seam of my mouth. Heat soared through my body when his fingers threaded through my hair, his lips moving against mine with a need I felt in my core.
I moved to straddle him, my legs splaying wide across the length of his thighs. When he was gentle, I forgot how big he was, but then it didn’t take much to remind me as I rolled my hips into him, feeling his length grow beneath me.
Our kisses turned desperate, nipping and sucking one another’s lips and tongue. It felt so good to be with him, like I was so light I might float away and join the stars above us.
“I want you,” I said, pausing our kiss, and gazing into the depthless blue of his eyes. “All of you.”
I felt his heart rate kick up against where my palm lay over his chest. “Are you sure? ”
“There have been a lot of things in my life that I’ve felt unsure of, but wanting you has never been one of them, cowboy.”
His kiss was gentle against my cheek as he said, “Okay.”
I rose from his lap and we both stood, facing one another. He didn’t take his eyes off me as he stripped off his flannel and t-shirt, revealing his tanned chest and abs. I went to take off my jacket, but he reached for my wrist and said, “Let me.”
“Okay,” I swallowed the dryness in my throat. The flames from the fire danced in the reflection of his irises and I thought how fitting it felt to have a roaring fire right next to us when it resembled how I felt for this man. He burned away every bit of my insecurities and made me feel like I could withstand the heat of this world as long as I had him by my side. He made me feel alive. He made me burn bright.
With my jacket thrown to the side, he played with the hem of my long sleeve shirt, fingers grazing against the skin of my stomach. Every part of me he touched sent a thrill of electric energy to my core. I lifted my arms over my head and felt the scrape of his rough knuckles along my ribcage and arms before my head came through and I saw him toss my shirt onto my jacket.
Those blue eyes dipped to my breasts, nipples peeking through the sheer blue lace of my bra. Goosebumps rose along my skin as he reached behind me and unsnapped my bra with one hand. My breasts fell free as I slid the straps down my arms and dropped the dainty fabric on the ground. He licked his lips, his Adam’s Apple bobbing up and down as he took me in.
“My turn,” my voice was hoarse. I stepped closer until we were toe-to-toe and reached between us. Cold metal bit at my skin as I unclasped his belt buckle, then worked my way to his button and zipper. The bulge of his cock and taut ass kept his jeans from falling, so I bunched the fabric in my hands and pulled down. His length tented his boxers, my mouth watering at the memory of how he tasted against my tongue.
Finishing it off, he glided his boxers down, freeing himself. My clit throbbed and I knew I was already soaking wet as I followed suit and stripped the rest of my clothes off. We stood there, staring at one another, a shiver running over my entire body as the low temperature finally started to settle over my skin.
“Cold?” he asked.
“Yes, but I’m okay.”
Grabbing the top blanket from the pallet, he sat down in front of the pillows. “Come here,” he urged.
I straddled his lap again, nearly hissing at the contact of his cock pressed against my clit. It felt so fucking good and he wasn’t even inside of me yet. Then, he wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and leaned back on the pillows. A crinkling sound emanated between us as he reached into the pocket of his jeans next to him. He pulled out a condom and went to tear the packet, but I grabbed his wrist and stopped him .
“I’ve been on birth control since I was a teenager. I don’t want anything between us.”
His eyes were like raging storms as he nodded slowly. “You’re in control. We go at your pace,” he said, tossing the condom packet somewhere in the dirt.
“Okay,” I whispered, my voice a little shaky. Nerves of excitement and anticipation had my body buzzing.
With the blanket draped over my shoulders and Ranger lying below me, I took a moment to settle my eyes on the details of him. How a crease formed along the corners of his lips with the tilt of his smile. The thickness of his brows framing his beautiful blue eyes with long lashes fanning around them. Down to his chest, where his skin was completely smooth, and out towards his arms where his corded forearms reminded me of just how hard he worked every day. And finally to his hands that held onto my hips, callouses scraping against my skin.
He was beautiful. So perfect.
And I got to share this pivotal moment with him. He was all mine and I was his.
My chest rose with an inhale as I reached between us, grabbing onto his length. He was hot and smooth against my hand. Guiding him to my entrance, I felt Ranger’s grip on my hips tighten slightly. When I had him nestled against me, I rested both my hands on his chest and slowly worked my way down his cock, taking him in inch by inch.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered into the night around us, our eyes meeting. Words were lost to me. He filled me so fully the more I settled on top of him. I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than where we connected, our bodies becoming one.
I’d broken my hymen years ago with a vibrator. There was no pain with Ranger. No resistance as I slid all the way to his hilt.
“Fuck it feels good,” I hissed through my teeth. “You feel so good inside of me.”
“Yes,” he said through clenched teeth before he rose from his back and sat up with me. We were face-to-face, his cock hitting me deep in my core before he threaded his hands through my hair and kissed me.
I moaned into his mouth, sweeping my tongue against him. I started to move my hips forward and backward, working him slowly. Tingles spread over my entire body, my clit ground against him as I rode his cock. His mouth sealed over my right breast while he palmed the left. I let my head fall back as I moved up and down, stroking his cock with my pussy. I could feel his ridge and how every time I came down on him, his dick pulsed against me.
“Don’t stop,” I told him, his lips moving over to my left breast.
“Not a fucking chance.” His tongue flicked over my nipple, then he took it between his teeth and pulled gently. The edge of pleasure and pain was like a lightning bolt to my clit. I couldn’t get enough friction against him. My movements became frantic as my climax built deep within me.
Releasing my breast, he brought his forehead to mine, hand pressed against the back of my head. His eyes were piercing as he said, “Tell me what you want, baby. Tell me what your body needs.”
“Rub my clit,” I breathed.
He bit into my bottom lip in a searing kiss as his hand dipped between us, those rough fingers grazing over my clit. My pace quickened, riding him so fucking good as he rubbed my clit, back and forth. I looked down, watching my slick arousal coat his fingers, catching glimpses of his cock pushing in and out of me.
“Yes, baby. That’s it. Please, don’t stop. Just. Like. That.” I closed my eyes, taking in the feel of him inside me. The way he moved against my clit, giving me exactly what I needed.
A moan escaped his lips as I slowed down, pulling myself up until his tip teased my entrance. Then I slid down so slow, I could feel every part of him filling me. This was what I’d waited for. Not some rushed chaos in the back of a car when I was a teenager. No. I wanted a fucking man to show me the true meaning of pleasure. Someone I loved who would take his time making sure I got what I needed. But as I opened my eyes, I knew it was even more than that. I was waiting for him . There was no one else in this world who could make me feel this way. And I wanted him to know that.
Grasping the back of his neck, I pressed my cheek to his. Our chests meeting with each breath. “I love you, Ranger,” I whispered, a tear falling down my face. “I don’t care if that makes me crazy. Because I love you and I never want to stop loving you. ”
His breath stopped for a moment as I pulled back to look at him, my hips still moving up and down because it felt too good to stop. His hands moved to frame my face, silver lining his eyes. “Loving you, Sarah has brought me back home. You’ve breathed life back into me. I love you.” He pressed a kiss to my lips. “I love you,” he whispered again.
A gleeful laugh burst through my lips, every fiber of my being was on fire for him. There was nothing I could do to hold back the rising sensation of my climax nearing. His words, his touch. It was all too much for me to contain.
He held me close, as I moved over him, our breaths growing quicker by the second. “I’m so close,” I told him, grasping at his back so I could feel every part of him.
“Keep going, baby. Keep going,” he pressed.
And I did, letting him fill me with each stroke. His cock slid over my spot over and over again as my clit ground over his pubic bone. Gripping my thighs, his fingers pressed hard against my flesh, he started moving with me, lifting himself up to meet where I came down on him. Heat flared in my core and I could feel him getting closer, his moans and short breaths driving me closer to the edge.
His lips crashed against mine, a mess of tongues and teeth as I felt his cock pulse inside of me just as I tumbled into my orgasm, the sensation near blinding.
Only the mountainside and stars above heard me scream his name, my body roaring from the crashing wave of bliss. I stilled, too sensitive to ride him any longer. My knees quaked next to his thighs, neither one of us willing to part as our kisses turned slower, less hungry, more tender .
He pulled back and looked at me. My chest swelled, nearly bursting from the emotion that took hold of me. “I love you, Sarah.”
“I love you too, Ranger.”
Sated and beyond happiness, I curled up beside him. He tucked me in close, his warmth warding against the cold air. With the sound of crackling wood and Ranger’s steady breathing, it didn’t take me long to drift into a peaceful sleep.