Chapter Two
T he Shoshone believed visions were of great importance. A gift given by the spirits, these dreams often granted wisdom and power to the recipient. Not that he’d ever experienced it. Sure, Billy dreamt like most folks did. Crazy, mixed-up shit that never made a lick of sense. Heck, most of the time, he couldn’t remember them when he woke up in the morning. He tried to, though.
Like Matthew Brooks, his father had inherited the gift. But Billy didn’t need a dream to tell him Emily was his future. He’d always known it, just as he’d always loved her, even before he understood what loving somebody meant.
He glanced at Emily beside him, then at Jake beside her. They were one of the lucky ones.
His brother turned onto the gravel drive that would take them to Miss Kim’s Dutch barn house, its timeworn wood weathered and gray. Pots of vibrant flowers he’d helped Emily plant this past spring, all but dead and gone now, flanked the front porch. Once calving season was done and over with, when the weather warmed up again, they’d plant new ones. Emily loved her flowers. And anything she loved, Billy loved, too.
“Goodnight, wild one.” Taking her hand in his, Jake raised it to his lips and kissed it. “Sweetest dreams.”
“Night, Jake.” Smiling up at him, Emily went to kiss his brother’s hand in return, but he moved away before she could.
Idiot.
Her smile frozen in place, Billy felt her limbs tense up beside his. She bit into her lip, and rubbing them together, turned to him. He took her by the hand, offering a gentle squeeze, and opened the door. “C’mon, babe. Let’s get you inside.”
They stood on the front porch, the cold November wind blowing through her long chestnut waves. Taming it with his fingers, Billy tucked it behind her ear and held her body snugly against his. “I love you.”
“And I love you.”
He kissed her. “Jake loves you, too, you know.”
“I know.” Her fingers rubbing the front of his jacket, she sighed. “But sometimes it sure don’t feel like it.”
A touchy-feely kind of girl, Emily craved physical affection. And his brother couldn’t give her that. Not for now, anyway.
“It’s hard, Em, but Jake does the best he can.” Taking her chin in his hand, Billy bent to kiss her gently on the lips. “Five more months and you’ll be feelin’ it. You won’t have any doubt how much he loves you then.”
“And then I have to go without you.” Pained green eyes looking up at him, she swallowed hard. “I don’t know how I’m gonna survive it.”
Truth be told, he didn’t either, but those were the damn rules. If they failed to abide by them, they risked losing favor, and Billy wouldn’t allow that to happen. Come her eighteenth birthday, Emily couldn’t let him kiss her anymore. Or touch her the way he loved touching her. Not until he came of age, too, when he and his brother would meet her at the stones.
“It’s our test, baby.” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms to soothe her—and himself. “Just one year of our whole lives together. For Jake, it’s been a helluva lot longer.”
His brother, being almost twenty-three, hadn’t so much as kissed her yet.
“Well, it’s stupid.”
Billy couldn’t disagree. They loved each other, and they were going to be married, for chrissakes, so what difference did a year make? None. But the rules said it did. And so, they would endure the senseless waiting, just as every other triad had before them.
“But we’ll appreciate what we share even more for it, Em.” That’s what Jake always told him. “Now, give me a kiss.”
Her luscious lips, soft and full, melted into his. Sliding his fingers into her hair, Billy slipped his tongue inside, tasting her as if his life depended on it. Because it did. His dick stiffening in his jeans, he groaned, and holding her even closer, he kissed her until the need for air forced him to stop.
“We love you, Em. This is from the both of us,” he murmured, out of breath, pressing a parting kiss to her forehead. “G’night.”
Thumb tapping against the steering wheel, looking straight ahead, Jake stared at nothing through the windshield. Even after Billy got back inside the truck, his gaze did not waver. “Let’s go.”
“Right.” As if clearing his thoughts, he gave his head a quick shake. “Emily get in okay?”
“Yeah.” And he looked his brother square in the eye. “You gotta love her more.”
His brow furrowed, but otherwise, Jake didn’t respond.
“Show her, I mean,” he said as the truck turned toward town.
“What the hell? You sayin’ I don’t?”
“You do, but…” Scraping a hand through his hair, he cleared his throat. “Could be I said it wrong. You gotta let Emily love you , brother.”
“Heh. I think maybe you had too many glasses of Grams’ cider.”
“And you’re supposed to be the older, wiser one.” With a furtive glance at Jake, Billy crossed his arms. “You pull away from her all the damn time.”
“I do not.”
“Yeah, ya do.” His voice rose a notch. “I ain’t blind. Our Em’s an affectionate girl, Jake. She needs hugs and kisses.”
He didn’t even pull over. Jake stopped the truck and then turned to look at him. “I can’t.”
“You can,” Billy insisted. “It’s not breakin’ the stupid fucking rules to hold her. You can let her kiss your cheek or play with your hair.”
“Believe me when I tell you, I can’t.” His hand curling into a fist on his thigh, he dropped his chin. “Come April, you’ll understand.”
Maybe so, but Billy didn’t care to think about that right now. While he could only imagine how difficult this must be for his brother, it was Emily’s feelings that mattered here.
“You gotta at least try. For her.”
He put the truck back in gear. “I know.”
The upperclassmen made a beeline for the stairs at the sound of the bell. Emily, Shiloh, and Griffin were waiting for him, the same as they always did since the senior classrooms were the closest to the stairs. At least they got to have lunch together this year. Last year, when Billy was a sophomore, he only passed them in the hall.
He hooked his arm around Emily’s waist, and drawing her closer, kissed her on the cheek. “C’mon, I’m starving.”
“You always are.”
True, but then he’d woken up late and barely had enough time to wash down a pop-tart with some orange juice, so he was extra hungry today. To make up for it, he loaded his tray with a double cheeseburger and an extra-large order of chili-smothered cheese fries.
“That’s a heart attack on a plate there, Billy.”
“So good, though,” he said, his mouth still full. “My mom wants you and your mom to come over for dinner one night this week, so y’all can start makin’ plans.”
“Already?” With a lift of her brow, Emily’s pretty green eyes widened. “The wedding’s a year and a half away yet.”
“It’s never too soon to start, Ems.” Shiloh nodded, drowning her French fries in ketchup. “You have no idea how much work goes into it.”
“That’s only ‘cause you and Cassie can’t agree on nothin’.” Archer tipped his head back, and staring up at the ceiling, he sniggered.
Ignoring their friends, Billy took Emily’s hand in his. “You want our day to be perfect, don’t you, baby?”
“Course, I do, and it will be.” Her smile beaming, she kissed him on the lips. “Let me ask my mama when’s a good day. She and Grams are doin’ up a room for Arien and we might have to go to Jackson for some things.”
“Arien?” Shiloh put the ketchup down. “Who’s Arien?”
“Shoot,” Emily muttered, clapping her hand over her mouth. “It just slipped out.”
“It’s okay, babe. No one said it was a secret.”
“Okay, so spill it.” Shiloh’s gaze riveted on Emily, she reached for a soggy red French fry.
“Uncle Matty met a lady in Denver and they’re having a baby,” she all but squealed, bouncing in her seat. “The wedding’s Friday.”
“Oh…wow…wait…how come y’all are doin’ a room for her?” Shiloh asked, her face scrunched up all funny. “Won’t she be sleepin’ with your uncle?”
“The room ain’t for her, silly. It’s for her daughter.” And Emily grinned. “Arien’s seventeen. She’ll be finishing her senior year here with us.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.” His mouth falling open, Griffin tossed his shaggy blond mop and grinned along with her. “Their old man called it, didn’t he?”
“He sure did,” Billy agreed.
“The Brooks boys got themselves a girl,” Archer announced to everyone in the dining hall. Then, chuckling, he glanced over to the girls at the next table. “Sorry, ladies.”
“Sit your ass down, Griffin Archer.” Shiloh tugged on his shirt. “She’s an outsider. It will not go over well.”
“Those bitches wouldn’t take kindly to it even if she weren’t,” Emily said with a shrug.
“What if it don’t work out?” Shiloh’s question was valid, especially considering this girl knew nothing of their ways. “She might not take a liking to ‘em.”
“Are you kidding?” Emily disregarded her concern. “Arien’s gonna fall head over heels for Tanner the minute she lays eyes on him. Everybody loves Tanner.”
“And Kellan?” Archer raised a brow. “Look, I love the guy, but y’all know he can be a moody motherfucker.”
“He is hot, though. My sister said—”
Griffin cut Shiloh off with a scowl. “No one cares, girly.”
“We’re puttin’ her in the room right across the hall from him.” Emily giggled as if their scheming were the answer to everything. “Kellan’s been waitin’ for her forever. I think he loves her already.”
“You can’t know that.” Shiloh tsked with a dismissive wave.
“Yes, I can. I know my cousin and he was smilin’. Big.”
Shiloh mouthed a silent ohhh .
But lunch was almost over and Billy had more important things on his mind. “Wanna go by the barn after school?”
“Yeah.” Emily kissed him. “I do.”
The old red barn stood by the stream, within walking distance of the school, near the edge of town. Belonging to the ranch, the structure had been empty for a very long time. It had become the place to throw a party and dance, to sit around the fire with your friends and a beer, or just hang out with your girl.
Under a warm afternoon sun, they took advantage of the picture-perfect day, watching crystal-clear water tumbling over the rocks as it made its way downstream. His chin resting on Emily’s shoulder, Billy wrapped his arms around her middle, breathing in the scent of her hair. Herbs and sweet wildflowers. Winter was coming, and soon, there wouldn’t be any days left like this.
“I think we’ll be seein’ snow before the weekend.”
“I can almost smell it.” She turned in his arms, her pretty green eyes gazing up at him.
His lips brushed over hers. He pulled her in close, her softness pressed against him sending blood coursing to his dick. Holy fuck . This girl made him crazy.
Kissing Emily as they went, Billy backed her into the barn’s rear door, a hand firmly planted on her ass. Without having to look, he released the latch and staggering into the very first stall, they fell onto a nest of straw that reeked of the stench of stale beer from the last bonfire party.
It didn’t matter. Because his body embraced hers, fingertips stroking warm, soft skin. For one stolen, precious hour, it was just the two of them.
Emily hooked her leg around him, pushing the aching bulge in his jeans into her belly. With a grunt he couldn’t contain, clutching the fabric of her long-tiered skirt between his fingers, his hand swept up her thigh. Silky panties greeted him. Billy let the skirt go to slide his fingers inside.
He felt for the patch of curls and parted her lips, skimming his knuckles along her slick folds. Emily pulled at his shirt, a squeak coming from her mouth. Sweet, warm breath fanned his neck, the beat of her heart galloping against his chest.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, teasing her with his finger.
Billy circled the hole, and taking a dip inside, brought it to his nose. “Yeah, baby.”
She stammered, a flush of pink creeping across her cheeks.
“You smell so damn good, I gotta have me a taste.” His mouth watering, he sucked the digit into his mouth. “Divine.”
He’d never done this before and wasn’t sure how to go about it. The only thing Billy knew at this moment was that he had to have her in whatever way he could.
The denim jacket she wore eased down her arms. Tossing it to the side, he pushed her shirt up and kissed the creamy swells of flesh spilling out from the ivory silk. He nipped at her nipples through the fabric, smiling at her whimpers and the stiffened buds he left behind on his way down her tummy.
With the skirt bunched around her waist, he removed her panties, and caressing her thighs, Billy positioned himself between them. Her cunt on display before him, he stared at it in awe. He reached out, the tension leaving his body, and swiped his fingers through her slit. Maybe he couldn’t fuck her with his cock just yet, but he could with his tongue, dammit.
“I’m gonna eat this pretty pussy up, baby,” he said and threw her legs over his shoulders, Emily’s cowboy booted feet dangling behind him. “Make you see stars.”
At least I hope I can. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doin’.
He’d seen videos, heard his friends brag about it—couldn’t be that hard, right?
Her ass cheeks cupped in his hands, he breathed her in and took the first tentative lick at the crease of her thigh. Dainty fingers grasped his forearms. It was his own heart galloping now. His stomach fluttered and his mouth was too dry. But Billy inhaled her deep, and determined, his tongue sought her smooth pussy lips.
He took his time. Long, delicious strokes up and down, his nose grazed her clit with every lap. Her head thrashing on the straw, he glanced up at her. Was he doing it right? Did she like it? It seemed so. Billy relaxed then, licking and suckling on every part of her pussy, caressing her thighs, along her sides, and her nipples.
Emily’s sounds made him confident. Breathy pants and soft whimpers became moans. He traced her hole with his tongue pointed. She seemed okay with that, so Billy pushed it inside, and fuck. Succulent. He couldn’t think of another word to describe it. A pussy that tasted like salted honey. He twitched, his breath easing between his teeth.
She tangled her fingers in his hair, holding him to her cunt.
He answered with a breathless chuckle.
Wishing his throbbing dick could be inside her, he fucked her with his tongue. Then, with a torturously slow lick up her slit, he brushed over her clit. Just barely. Billy did it again and again until she shimmied her hips to get his tongue right where she wanted it. Slow circles. Quick flicks back and forth. He experimented to see what would bring her the most pleasure.
Addicted to the taste of her now, Billy nibbled at her clit. He suckled on it, and sensing she was close, slid a finger inside her.
He loved watching her unravel.
But it was the sound of her cries as she tumbled over the edge that was his undoing.
Hot, sticky semen filled his underwear.
“You were right, Billy.” Emily panted, her fingers raking through his hair. “I saw the stars.”
He kissed her clit and smiled.