• Twenty-Eight •
· Twenty-Eight ·
“When I get naked with you, it never ends well.”
Briar
I had dated wealthy men. Very wealthy men. But holy shit. I stared in complete awe at the stables while jumping down from the passenger seat. This was insanity. People could live in this, but they had horses in it!
“I was going to help you down,” Storm said, snapping my attention back to him.
I pointed at the buildings in front of us. “This is where you keep horses?” I asked.
He nodded, not taking his eyes off me.
I shook my head and let out a laugh. “I’ve dated millionaires whose houses weren’t this impressive.”
Storm’s eyes darkened as if that comment angered him. “It houses thoroughbreds that make millions. The most sought-after bloodlines in the racing world live in there.”
“Wow,” I breathed, taking it in again.
There was elaborate white fencing, marking off different arenas and tracks as far as my eyes could see. A track over to the far right had one of those horses he had spoken of running at an incredible speed with a small rider leaned forward on its back.
“Is this where you live?” I asked, turning my attention back to him.
He shook his head. “No. This is the Shephards’ property.”
But they all worked here. I already knew that much. The horses belonged to the family or Mafia or whatever they were.
“I’m ready to see if the inside is as impressive as the outside,” I told him.
“Songbird,” Thatcher called as he stepped out of the door closest to us.
Storm moved then, stepping slightly in front of me. What was that about?
“You coming to ride?” he asked as if Storm hadn’t just been weird and basically gotten between us.
“Yes, but I wasn’t prepared for the grandiosity of what you people call stables.”
He smirked. “You didn’t expect the best?”
Storm turned toward me and placed a hand on my back. “Let’s go.”
The door opened again, and an attractive blonde with a short, tight black leather dress came hurrying out with a pair of red stilettos dangling from her finger. It was clear she’d just gotten out of bed and chosen not to check the mirror or run a brush through her hair. Her eyes scanned over me, then lit up at the sight of Storm before moving on to Thatcher, who was lighting up a cigarette.
“You left me,” the woman cooed as she sauntered toward Thatcher slowly.
“Time for you to leave,” he replied before inhaling the smoke deep.
The woman let out a soft laugh as if he were teasing her. “Already? What about a shower?” she asked him, placing a hand on his arm.
“That face of yours might have weakened me momentarily, but I’m no longer drunk, and you’re no longer welcome,” he said with a bored tone while his eyes stayed locked on the horse and rider currently rounding the track at a high speed.
I winced as I saw her snatch her hand back. Her shoulders straightened, and she turned her attention to Storm. A slow, sexy smile spread over her lips, and the sympathy I’d felt for her vanished as she ran her tongue over her lips.
“It’s been a while, Storm,” she said.
“Not long enough,” he replied. “Let’s go,” he said, turning his attention to me.
Storm’s hand was firm against my back, and I tried not to think about how much I liked it. Heading toward the door that the other two had come out of, I looked up at Storm. His jaw was clenched, and I wondered if he’d dated her once. Was he jealous she had been with Thatcher? She was beautiful enough to interest him. Even all mussed from bed. It wasn’t like I could ask him about it though. It wasn’t exactly my business, and he didn’t need to think I cared about his sex life. Even if … part of me seemed to care. A lot.
Turning my attention back to the stables we’d just entered, I was once again struck by complete opulence. I would live in one of these stalls and be happy about it. Holy crap, this was luxurious. One of the horses moved forward, sticking its head out of the stall, and I froze.
“What is it?” Storm asked, his hand flexing on my back.
“What do you feed these horses? That thing is massive.”
Storm chuckled and leaned closer to me. “That’s a thoroughbred, baby.”
Okay, so clearly, I had never ridden a thoroughbred, and I was now questioning my agreeing to ride today. Because I was not getting on that thing. And … had he just called me baby? Was it on accident? Or just a saying he tossed out at women and he’d not meant to when speaking to me?
“Come with me,” Storm urged, pressing his hand against my back.
We walked in the direction of the monster he’d called a horse. I stopped several feet away and refused to go any closer. Storm seemed amused, but I was trying to decide if that thing could get out and maul me.
“This is Sword. He’s one of our champions,” Storm informed me.
“I bet. All the other horses run scared of him. How could he lose?” I asked.
That got a full laugh out of Storm, which distracted me momentarily. I liked that sound. The deep rumble made my chest feel light and my stomach flutter.
Trying to focus on the current issue, I found my voice again. “I am not riding that horse or one like it.”
Storm slid his hand further around me until his arm was around my back, and then he turned me to look down the row of stalls. He pointed at a stall much farther down on the opposite side. “Your horse is down that way.”
“And it’s dainty and old, I hope,” I replied.
“She’s perfect for you,” he told me.
I didn’t know if that made me feel relieved or not. He let out two short whistles, and I opened my mouth to ask him what he’d meant by perfect for me when a white mane appeared up ahead as the horse stuck its head out from the stall.
As we got closer, I realized the horse wasn’t solid white, but was covered in dark spots. Almost like someone had decided to use it as a canvas for their artwork.
When the horse turned its head in our direction, my hand flew to my chest. “Oh my God,” I breathed.
I’d never seen a horse that beautiful in real life or photographs. The eyes were ringed with dark spots, making them stand out more against the white. The comparison to art hadn’t been wrong.
“What do you think?” Storm asked.
“She, he—it’s stunning and not massive, like Sword. Does that mean it’s not a thoroughbred?”
“She’s an Appaloosa. Nine years old and very gentle.”
My gaze swung to look up at him. “This is the horse I get to ride?” I asked.
He nodded. There was a pleased gleam in his eye. “Yes. This one is yours.”
I moved closer to her. “What’s her name?” I asked, wanting to reach out and touch her, but not sure if that was allowed or if Storm needed to prepare her first.
“Noor,” he replied, then nodded his head in her direction. “Go on, you can pet her. She’s an affection hog, and she shines when praised.”
Stepping up to her, I placed a hand on her neck and gently ran it down. “You are stunning,” I told her.
She turned her head toward me, as if to nuzzle me. I giggled without thinking and leaned in closer to her.
“I’ll let you two get acquainted, and I’ll go get her tack,” Storm told me.
I nodded, not wanting to look away from her as she studied me. The dark brown of her eyes was striking. I wondered what she was thinking. Who did she belong to? Was she a horse they kept here for women they took riding? The idea of her not having a specific owner bothered me. She should belong to someone. Know she was loved. That she was special.
I pressed a kiss to her soft mane. I knew all too well what not belonging felt like. The idea of her living the same life seemed terribly unfair. Even if her accommodations were fit for royalty.
The smile spreading across my face was so big that it was almost painful. I’d not been this happy in … well, I couldn’t remember. The warm sunshine, wind in my hair, and the freeing feeling of riding on Noor across the smooth, even pasture made the bad stuff seem unimportant. I knew it was brief, but right now, I wanted to embrace it. I wished Dovie would come riding. She’d love Noor.
A large body of water came into view, and Storm slowed to almost a stop on a large black thoroughbred he’d introduced as Poseidon. Noor immediately fell into step beside him. She was smart and seemed to read what I wanted before I even told her. I figured this was where we turned around.
“You not only get on a horse like a pro, but you also canter with ease,” he said, his eyes narrowed.
I shrugged. “You’re not the first man to take me riding.”
His body tensed at my words as if I had said something insulting. Did he think I was suggesting this was a date? Or that he was trying to woo me like the other men? I hadn’t meant it that way.
“Shouldn’t be surprised.” His tone had an edge to it.
Sighing because he was ruining a perfectly good time for me, I rolled my eyes. “I am not comparing this to what I did with them. You’re just getting me out of the house. I don’t think of this as a … a … date or anything. You don’t have to get all uptight.”
I would not be insulted. I knew he wasn’t a fan of mine, and he’d offered for Dovie’s sake. I wasn’t an idiot.
“You think I’m uptight?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Call it like I see it, Kingston.”
The tight line of his mouth softened.
He began to dismount, and my attention got stuck on his ass momentarily. I blinked and tore my eyes off his assets.
“Are we stopping?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he replied as he moved over to me. “Need a hand getting down?”
I shook my head and began to swing my leg over Noor’s backside when I realized my legs felt a little like Jell-O. I’d forgotten how this felt when you didn’t ride regularly. Both of Storm’s hands grabbed my waist as if he’d anticipated this and lifted me, then set me on the ground with ease.
Glancing up at him, I scrunched my nose, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Thanks. Guess I did need a little help.”
He didn’t release me immediately, and either my mind was playing tricks on me or his hold on me tightened before he finally let me go.
“Do you swim as well as you ride?” he asked me.
My gaze swung over to the water, then back at him. “Uh, yes, but …”
He grinned at me as he finished taking off his boots, then reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt. My eyes dropped to lock in on his fingers as they worked their way down, as if he were doing a striptease meant just for me.
Forcing myself to blink and get ahold of myself, I cleared my throat. “Are you suggesting we swim in that?”
“Not suggesting.”
“Not suggesting?” I asked, confused.
He shook his head and tossed his shirt to the grass beneath our feet. “Doing.”
I let out a breathy laugh that I wished hadn’t sounded so affected. “Doing,” I repeated as his hands went to the zipper of his jeans. “Oh.” Was he going in naked?
He cocked an eyebrow. “You gonna take those clothes off, or are you waiting for my help?”
Help. His help. Gulp. Naked with Storm would mean we’d do things we had no business doing, and then he’d get mad that he did it and leave me. I’d feel like a fool again, and it would hurt like a bitch.
No thank you. Not again.
I shook my head. “I think I’ll keep my clothes on. When I get naked with you, it never ends well.”
Storm stilled with his hands on the waist of his jeans he was shoving down over his hips. The black boxer briefs he’d left on did little to hide the size of his impressive cock. I didn’t need to be looking in that direction.
“You screaming my name as you orgasmed several times wasn’t a good enough ending for you?” he asked, sounding insulted.
I tilted my head back and closed my eyes as I kept my face pointed toward the sky. “Not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Why don’t you explain it anyway?” he replied, sounding closer than he had been when I closed my eyes.
I wasn’t going to open them and see exactly where he was either. I did not need to keep looking at his bare chest or his … other things.
“Yes, you get me off, but then you leave, angry about it. I prefer you not leave me out here alone, if that’s okay with you.”
His large hand slid over my waist, and he jerked me forward until he had me plastered against his chest. My eyes flew open as I stared up at him.
“I won’t leave you out here alone,” he said with a fierce tone that didn’t seem to fit the conversation. “Now, get your clothes off before I take them off you.”
Sweet Jesus. My body trembled as that demanding scowl of his held my gaze. I was a very stupid girl.
“Okay,” I replied just above a whisper.
He ran a finger down my cheek, then traced my jawline. “Good girl.”
My mouth opened just barely as he stepped back, letting go of me, and thankfully, I didn’t crumple to the ground.
Had he really just called me a good girl? Apparently, I liked praise as much as Noor did because I was ready to do whatever he asked of me.
Reaching for the hem of the crocheted crop top I was wearing, I had to drop my gaze from his as I pulled it over my head. My lace bra did little to cover my breasts with its sheer fabric. I knew he could see how hard my nipples were. I kept my gaze on the ground and went for the buttons on my jeans when his jeans hit the grass at his feet.
Swallowing hard, I paused as he stepped out of them, kicking them over to where his boots and shirt were lying. Closing my eyes, I tried to calm myself down. The panties that I was wearing matched the bra, and once I was wet, I might as well be naked. He’d seen me naked. I didn’t need to make this something it wasn’t.
“Move a little faster, baby, or I’m gonna have to take over,” Storm warned, but he’d called me baby again. Had before not been an accident? Had he meant to call me that?
No! I would not set myself up to get hurt by this man again.
I stopped and lifted my head, finally getting control of my reaction to him.
“This is a bad idea,” I said, wishing he didn’t look like the Greek god his horse was named after.
Holy hell, he was even better in the sunlight.
Storm closed the distance between us, and I tried to move back, but before I could, his hands were at my waist, holding me still. His hands went to my jeans as he shoved my hands away and unzipped them, then shoved the fabric over my hips.
“Take them off—now,” he snarled.
Every fiber of my body wanted to do exactly as he’d ordered me to. I knew how amazing he could make me feel. It was the after that I wanted to avoid.
“No,” I choked out. “You’ll hate me more when it’s over.”
The calculating look in his eyes unnerved me as he bent over and slid my jeans the rest of the way down, then took off my boots before removing the denim. I stood there, unable to fight it, but knowing I was making another mistake.
“Don’t do this, Storm,” I begged, knowing the moment he touched me, I was going to be his to command.
He slid his hands up my bare legs, then grabbed my thighs and pulled then open so he could slide a finger underneath the barely there fabric that covered me.
My knees buckled, and I grabbed at his shoulders to steady myself.
“Storm,” I breathed, already at the point where I would give in.
That was all he had to do in order to control me. It was pathetic on my part, but the man was perfection. I was weak.
“We were gonna swim, but now that you’ve let me smell this pussy, we aren’t gonna get that far.”
I didn’t even try to speak. I just stared at him, wanting whatever he was going to give me. Later. Later, I’d deal with the after. Right now, I was going to pretend this wasn’t going to hurt me tomorrow.
Storm remained knelt down in front of me while he slid another finger inside. A whimper left my lips. His wicked grin as he looked up at me was one I wanted to memorize. When he was being mean or looking at me as if he hated the sight of me, I wanted to remember this. Know that I didn’t always disgust him.
“Spread your legs more, little siren,” he growled.
I didn’t even hesitate. The moment I had them open, he moved in, shoving his face between my thighs. The pressure of his tongue as he ran it over the crotch of my panties was intoxicating. I buried my fingers into his hair while I panted. I wanted that tongue on my flesh. I was ready to rip the delicate, expensive panties off. Right now, they were in the way.
Storm reached up, and with two fingers, he moved the offending barrier over, then lapped at my desperate, aching core.
“Fuuuck, that’s sweet.” His voice was raspy. He was clearly as affected as I was. He might hate it later, but right now, he wasn’t hating anything.
I tugged on his hair, wanting to force his magical mouth harder against me.
He tore his mouth off me and glared up at me hungrily. His face was wet with my arousal. Another image I was burning into my mind. His hands went to the sides of my panties, and he jerked them down. I heard a rip before they were gone from my body.
My eyes followed him as he stood back up, and he hovered over me, grabbing my face and closing his mouth over mine. My nails bit into his biceps as I held on to him, savoring the taste of me on his tongue.
“Taste how sweet that pussy is?” he asked against my lips. “Fucking addictive.”
His hands reached around my back, and the clasp on my bra was swiftly unhooked before the bra fell down my shoulders.
He pulled back enough to take it and strip it from my body before his hands covered my breasts. His hands were large, but I was still more than a handful. He squeezed hard, and a low sound came from his chest.
“Fuck, I want to see these bounce while you’re riding my cock.”
Yes. “Please,” I begged, breathless.
He tilted his head to the side as he ran his hands down to my butt. For one moment, we stood there, locked in each other’s hungry gaze, before he picked me up. I wrapped my legs around him, feeling his erection, and the pierced tip pressed against my clit. I shifted my hips to get closer, and he slapped at my butt hard, stopping me, then walked over to the edge of the water before lowering us to the ground.
The coolness of the water lapped up his legs and against me as he eased into it slightly.
“Go ahead,” he said, sliding his now-wet hands over my chest. “Rub that needy little pussy on my dick. I want it covered in your juices if I have to put a condom on it before I fuck you.”
My hands went to his shoulders again as our gazes held. As I lifted my hips, the bead at the end of his piercing slid over my clit, and a cry fell from my lips. That was amazing. I felt my eyes start to close when Storm grabbed my chin hard.
“Open! You look at me. Know whose cock is making you feel like this,” he ordered.
I blinked, startled, when he rocked his hips with a thrust, and the large, swollen tip sank in just until the head was inside. His eyes glazed over with lust, and a hiss came from his lips. I squeezed the head, and his fingers bit into my ass hard.
“That’s it,” he groaned, barely moving his hips so that the piercing slid in and out of me just enough to drive me crazy.
“OH GOD!” I cried, fighting the urge to lift my hips and sink down onto him, burying all of him inside me.
“Feel good?” His voice was deep and on edge.
I moaned again as a small gush of my pleasure leaked out over him.
“Jesus,” he swore. “That pussy is dripping.”
My willpower was almost gone. Common sense, good decisions, being smart—it was all about to mean nothing to me. I wanted Storm Kingston inside of me. I wanted to know what being fucked by him was like. Everything else we’d done had been on another level of nirvana.
I moved a little closer, causing him to sink further inside me.
“Fuuuck,” he growled, his hand grabbing a handful of my hair and jerking my head back as his eyes bored into me. “You trying to get my dick?”
I sucked in a breath. “Yes,” I panted.
His eyes took on a dark, twisted gleam that should scare me, warn me off. But instead, I shivered with anticipation. Whatever that was inside of him that he kept just below the surface, I wanted to see it unleashed. Feel the power behind it.
He moved so fast that I didn’t know what was happening until my back was on the damp grass while Storm’s body covered me. His hands grabbed my knees, and he bent my legs back and held them open before he thrust hard inside me. All at once, I was full, stretched, and it hurt from his size, but the roar that he let out vibrated through my body, causing me to gush in my excitement.
The hazel in his eyes was almost gone as his pupils dilated while he stared down at me. “Is that it? You want my dick, baby? This what you want?” he asked in a gentle voice that didn’t match his unhinged expression. “Fuck, that pussy is squirting. My good girl,” he said, reaching up to slide his thumb between my lips. “That’s a big dick you took,” he said, staring at my mouth. Then, his eyes lifted to meet mine. “Take some more, hmm?” he said softly, then pulled back and thrust back into me harder. “Fuuuck. That’s it. Take my big dick.”
A sob came from me as I clawed at his back, desperate for more. He was making me as crazy as he suddenly seemed.
“It hurts,” I manage with my mouth full of his thumb. “More.”
Slowly, he pulled his thumb from between my lips. “You want to be fucked, baby? Raw? My bare cock is buried inside you deep, and you keep talking with that dirty mouth, I’ll unload inside of you. You’ll be leaking my cum the rest of the day.”
Oh, good God. Yes. I knew this was a bad idea. It was borderline insane, but I wanted it. Everything he said, I wanted it.
I nodded my head.
His eyes narrowed, and his hand gripped my neck, squeezing. Then, he moved, sliding out, then slamming back in. His mouth was slightly open as his wild gaze never left mine. Every time I made a sound, his hand tightened on my throat.
Lifting my knees, I watched with my own clawing desperation for where he was taking me. We were flying there faster as our breathing grew heavier and came faster. Storm’s eyes dropped to my chest and seemed transfixed with my breasts as they moved with our bodies.
The moment my body hit the peak, I cried out. His hand left my throat, and then he covered my mouth with his. I jerked beneath him as his tongue mimicked the same act as our bodies. He let out a low, deep rumble before he let my mouth go. His eyes back on mine, he shuddered his release, shooting inside me. He didn’t close his eyes, but he looked into mine during his most vulnerable moment. It was more intimate than anything I’d ever done. I felt like I was looking into his soul. Seeing what was hidden from the world. His pleasure sent waves through his body at the height of his climax, and I watched it all unfold through those hazel depths.
We stayed like that as our bodies cooled. I was afraid of the moment he realized what we’d done. What he had let me see. I felt more exposed and rawer than I’d ever felt in my life. There was a new ache inside my chest that made it hard to breathe deeply. It was a level of terrifying I hadn’t been ready for.
Storm pulled from me, and I winced, knowing it was done. He would leave me here now. I’d be left with all these new feelings, and I wasn’t sure I could recover from this. He’d just … broken me somehow. Taken my soul while letting me get a glimpse of his.
I closed my eyes, unable to see him get up and leave as he lifted away from me. Then, his fingers slid into my tender opening, and they flew back open to see what he was doing. Storm’s attention was between my legs as he continued to … push his semen back into me.
When he lifted his eyes to meet mine, a crooked grin touched his face. “Not ready for it to leak out just yet. I want to make sure you’re marked completely.”
Shockwasn’t the word I’d use, but it was the closest one I could think of. “Wh-what?” I asked, staring at him, thinking I might have blacked out and I was dreaming.
“My cum, baby. I want it all inside of you,” he repeated as he cupped his hand over my vagina, like he was going to literally cover it so nothing could come out.
“Uh,” I said, wondering if I should pinch myself but deciding against it. I did not want to wake myself from this if it was a dream.
“I’m clean,” he said. “I was checked last week. I have the paperwork if you want to see it.”
Clean? Checked? Oh, yeah, he was currently holding his cum inside me.
“Wait!” I said as realization hit me. “Stop! I need to get up!”
I tried to move, frantic as I realized I’d missed my birth control pill last night. It was in my car.
“There is no way in hell I’m letting you move yet,” Storm replied, entirely too calm.
“Storm!” I said his name with urgency. “My birth control is in my car. I didn’t take it last night!”
He smirked. He literally smirked. Yep, I was dreaming. I relaxed. This was not real.
“One missed pill won’t get you pregnant.”
“You don’t know that,” I pointed out. Sure, it was a very small chance, but still.
Storm leaned over me while two of his fingers pushed up inside me. “You’re right. I don’t know,” he said as he began to pump his fingers in and out of me.
“Storm,” I breathed, trying not to get turned on.
“Yeah, baby?” he asked, pressing a kiss on my cheek, then my nose.
He was still calling me baby. What was actually happening?
“You don’t want me to get pregnant. ME. Remember? The woman you can’t stand?”
He paused and leaned back, staring down at me. “Does this feel like I can’t stand you?” he asked as he sank another finger inside me.
I shook my head.
“That’s right,” he replied as he ran the tip of his nose along the side of my face.
“What changed?” I asked, fighting not to lose my concentration.
His lips brushed against the pulse in my neck. “Everything.”