7. Shane
CHAPTER 7
SHANE
Holy hell, I just had the best kiss of my life.
With Caitlin, my best friend's little sister...
On top of that, it looks like we will be stuck in this cabin through the night.
"We should probably get some sleep." I’m desperate to put some space between us, hoping all the reasons we shouldn't do this will help me build that wall back up between us.
"Okay, hopefully, it will stop snowing by morning," she says, peeking out the window. “Not that you can see much now that it's dark.”
"Take the bed. I'm going to go get more wood for the fire, and I'll take the couch," I say, while already putting on my boots and jacket.
"Where are the extra blankets? I'll get them for you." She looks around.
I cringe. "There aren't any. I took them all to the main house to be washed when I was here back in November."
"Then you’re going to have to share the bed with me," she says, with a look of determination in her eyes.
Yeah, that’s going to be tough. Not only is it a bad idea, but my cock is already rock hard and ready for her.
"The couch will be fine. I'll get more heat than you will," I say. Then I step outside into the cold to cool off. It's the closest I'll get to a cold shower.
Taking my time gathering wood, I’m hoping she will be settled in bed so I can get my cock to go down. Though anymore it seems to be impossible when I’m around her.
When I walk back into the cabin with more than enough wood to get us through until tomorrow, I’m thankful she is in bed. I just wish my eyes hadn't caught sight of her jeans folded up on the end table beside the bed.
Fuck.
That means she is sleeping in just a shirt and panties.
Dammit.
Turning toward the fire, I add a few logs. Then I take off my coat and boots, setting them close to the fireplace so they’ll dry. Finally, I settle onto the couch, trying to get comfortable.
I can hear her tossing and turning for the next hour and I know there is no way I'm going to get any sleep with her being in the same cabin, much less in the same room. Trying to ignore her, I think about the ranch and my ever growing to-do list.
"You still awake?" she whispers sometime later.
"Yeah," I say, waiting to see what’s on her mind.
"It's still pretty cold over here," she whispers.
Dammit. I need to make sure to bring the extra blankets back here as soon as the weather clears out. So, for tonight I do the only thing I can think of. Against my better judgment, I get up and walk over to the bed. Her eyes watch my every move. I hesitate before climbing into bed with her.
As soon as I get into bed, she snuggles up to my side. Her nose and toes are freezing, and I pull her close and do my best to warm her up. This is the furthest spot from the fire, so it makes sense it is also one of the coldest. Though if I had to guess, the window above the bed must not be airtight. Something else to add to the to-do list to make sure this place is ready if I need it again in an emergency.
Not that I'm planning to have Caitlin out here again. This is a once in a lifetime occurrence.
"I really liked that kiss," she says, making me freeze.
"I did too." But then add, "I can't fuck things up with Atlas. I'm fucked up enough, and I have to get back on track."
She nods against my chest, and we are quiet for a few minutes.
"Atlas was friends with Bex's father. They served together," she says.
A lump forms in my throat. I know they did. The three of us were inseparable until everything fell apart.
"I know." I try to keep my voice steady.
"All I'm saying is that of all people, Atlas should understand."
"You are leaving soon and if we did this, it wouldn't be casual for me," I tell her, thinking that will be the end of it. New York City is night and day different from Mustang Mountain.
"It wouldn't be casual for me either, Shane. The way I feel about you isn't like anything I've felt before.”
There is no way she can’t hear how fast my heart is racing with her head resting on my chest.
"I know we can figure this out if we really want it," she says as she looks up at me.
"I don't think it's..." I don't have time to register her moving toward me until her lips are on mine again.
She is kissing me, and she wants me. Even knowing my past, even though I'm friends with her brother, she wants me . Fuck, I'd be an idiot to go through with this, but I know I'd regret it forever if I didn't give us a try.
What little control I have left snaps. Wrapping my hand behind her head, I pull her into me, and properly kiss her. I go slow and take my time, waiting to see if she changes her mind, but she presses her luscious body closer to mine.
I pull back slightly, my breath hitching as I gaze into her eyes. They’re filled with a mixture of desire and lust.
"You sure about this, baby?" I need to know she isn't going to regret this. That she is as all in as I am.
She nods, her eyes never leaving mine. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I want you, Shane. All of you."
Her words ignite a fire within me, and I crash my lips back to hers, kissing her with a passion I didn't know I possessed. I trail kisses along her jaw and down the column of her neck, making her tremble. She tilts her head back, giving me better access. I nip and suck at the sensitive skin there, marking her as mine.
My hands slip beneath her shirt, caressing the smooth expanse of her stomach before cupping her breasts. She gasps as I roll her nipples between my fingers, teasing them into stiff peaks.
"Shane," she moans.
At the way she says my name, my dick gets so stiff it feels like it’s going to burst out of my boxers.
Sitting up, I pull my shirt over my head and toss it aside. Caitlin's eyes darken with desire as she takes in my muscular chest and abs. She reaches out, her fingers tracing the tattoo over my heart - a reminder of my past mistakes.
Her touch is gentle, as if she's memorizing every line and curve of my body. I shudder beneath her fingertips, and my skin erupts in goose bumps. No one has ever touched me like this before, with such tenderness and care.
I capture her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm before guiding it lower, letting her feel what she does to me. Her breath hitches as she traces the hard length of me through the thin layer of my boxers.
"See what you do to me, baby?" I groan, my hips rocking into her touch.
I can't resist any longer. I need to feel her, all of her. When I tug at the hem of her shirt, I’m silently asking for permission. She sits up, allowing me to pull it over her head and toss it aside. My breath catches in my throat at the sight of her, bare before me save for a pair of lacy panties. Her breasts are flawless. Not too big, but a perfect handful for my large hands.
"You're so beautiful," I whisper.
My hand slips beneath the waistband of her panties, my fingers gliding through her slick folds. She's so wet, so ready for me. I circle her clit, teasing the sensitive bundle of nerves until she's writhing beneath my touch.
"Shane, please," she begs, her hips lifting off the bed, seeking more friction.
I can't hold back any longer. I need to be inside her, to feel her wrapped around me. Gripping her dainty panties, I tug them down her smooth legs and toss them aside. Now she's fully exposed to me and the most beautiful sight that I’ve ever seen. With her lightly tanned skin and her hour-glass figure, it’s like she was designed for me. Her chest is heaving with anticipation, and her pussy is glistening with arousal.
As quickly as I can, like my life depends on it, I shed my boxers. My rock-hard length springs free, making Caitlin's eyes widen as she takes in the sight of me. Her mouth opens in surprise and her tongue darts out to wet her lips.
Then it hits me. I don't have a condom on me. Reaching for the nightstand, I’m desperately hoping one of the ranch hands left some in here. Finding a couple with perfectly reasonable expiration dates, I slide the condom on with shaky hands. I haven't been with anyone since before I went to jail, and I want to make sure this is good for her.
I position myself between her thighs, the tip of my cock brushing against her entrance. Sliding into her slowly, inch by glorious inch, I savor the feeling of her tight heat enveloping me. She gasps as I fill her completely, her nails digging into my skin.
Pausing for a moment, I let her adjust to my size. She feels incredible wrapped around me, like she was made just for me. When she rocks her hips, urging me to move, I start a slow, deep rhythm.
She meets me thrust for thrust, her hips rising to meet mine. The cabin fills with the sounds of our gasps and moans, our bodies moving together in perfect sync.
"Fuck, Caitlin," I groan, burying my face in the crook of her neck. "You feel so good."
She whimpers in response, her nails raking down my back. I can feel her walls fluttering around me, telling me she's close. Reaching between us, I find her clit and rub tight circles over the sensitive nub.
"Oh god, Shane!" she cries out, her back arching off the bed.
Then her body tenses and shatters beneath me, her orgasm crashing over her in waves. I keep thrusting, drawing out her pleasure as long as possible. The feeling of her clenching around me is too much, and with a few more erratic thrusts, I follow her over the edge, spilling myself inside the condom with a guttural groan.
I collapse on top of her, both of us breathing heavily as we come down from our heights. I press soft kisses to her shoulder, her neck, and her jaw before finally capturing her lips in a slow, deep kiss.
"That was..." she trails off, seeming at a loss for words.
"Incredible," I finish for her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "And you're incredible."
I roll off her, disposing of the condom before gathering her in my arms. She snuggles into my chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on my skin. In this moment, everything feels right. Like this is exactly where I'm meant to be.
As we lay there cuddling, I can’t seem to stop smiling. I have the most amazing girl in my arms. She is mine and I plan to give this a real chance. Now, I want to know everything about her.
"Tell me something no one else knows," she says, seeming to read my mind.
I think for a minute. A few things run through my head, but one seems more important than the others.
"I had no intention of taking over the ranch for my dad. We fought over it more than I want to admit, especially after I enlisted. He finally seemed to accept it even before I got arrested. Sitting in jail all that time had me thinking, and I realized coming back and taking over the ranch was one of the few options I had. When I told Dad the last time he visited me, I'd never seen him so happy. Not being able to work the ranch with him will be one of my biggest regrets." I spill it all because I want her to know me. She is the first person I feel comfortable sharing that with.
"He's here watching over you, and he's enjoying every minute," she says.
I have to fight off tears. I hope what she says is true.
"Your turn," I say, needing to get my emotions under control.
"My last client was pushing me for a date, and I didn't want to go out with him. Toward the end of the project, he cornered me alone and got aggressive. Thankfully, one of the interns walked in before he could do more than kiss me,” she says.
I'm already seeing red, but I don't move a muscle because I want her to keep talking.
"Did you tell your boss?"
"Yeah, and he said it was a compliment and not to anger the client because he was the richest and biggest one on the company's roster. So, I left and came here. The wedding couldn't have been more perfect timing. What no one else knows is I'm dreading going back to the city. It’s the last place I want to be anymore."
"Is it too early to tell you to move in with me?" I mean every word of it.
If she doesn't want to go back to the city, then I will make sure she has no reason to go back. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it so she can stay here if that is what she wants.
"I think it's a bit too early." She turns her face into my chest, but I can feel the smile there.
I let the thought of her moving in with me soothe the anger of wanting to find this client and rip his head off. He and her boss will pay. I just need to do it the right way. Whatever happens, I can't let my anger land me in jail again and take me away from her.