Chapter Nine
A strong arm draped over her, anchoring her to the bed as legs entangled underneath the satin sheet.
Their bodies were entwined and the heat surrounded them, creating a world all just their own.
She burrowed against him, absorbing the warmth his body offered.
As if he understood her silent request, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, so close that she could hear the heavy beating of heart.
His thighs were covered in crisp hair and tickled her skin.
His hand spread her legs open and his hand found her throbbing apex.
Pleasure jolted through her, a force so strong that it caged her breath and stole her logic.
He slid above her, his body a comforting blanket not at all suffocating which would be expected from someone as big as him.
She gave a tiny jerk when his finger traced her slick core. He joined one finger with another, exploring her damp flesh. The calluses scraped her heated skin.
“Now!” she cried out. “Don’t make me wait.”
She arched her back, moaning as he pressed against her seam and into her.
She whimpered in wonderment as he stretched her body, filling her slowly and awakening sensations she’d never experienced. She lifted her knees high at his sides, taking all of him.
She couldn’t remember ever feeling so free, so wanted. Adored.
Their bodies moved in unspoken vows, as hands and mouths explored.
She licked the skin, tasting his bold flavor of masculinity.
She sunk her teeth into his flesh, not hard, just a nibble.
His moan bounced off the walls and vibrated her center.
She slid her hand down the strong and powerful plane of his slick back down to his tapered waist, around to trace the hard lines of his rippled stomach.
She wanted to map every detail, learn every dip in the landscape of his body—every scar.
She ghosted her hand over his chest, over the spackling of hair in the center.
A language as old as time played in her head as she drew circles with her fingernail around one flat nipple.
His weight pressed her deeper into the mattress, thrusting deeper, spreading her thighs wider to accommodate him.
Their bodies connected on a level beyond earth’s boundaries.
They were molded as one. He claimed his place there, against her, inside her, a missing puzzle piece that she didn’t know she’d been missing.
They couldn’t get close enough although their bodies were flush. She couldn’t get enough of him, like the proverbial carrot that was unattainable.
His lips brushed hers, a shadow of a touch that borrowed to her bones.
“Look at me, Aasia,” he commanded in a soft voice. Their breath entangled. The universe stood still.
Then something wet touched her nose followed by a feather caress on her cheek.
Flicking open her eyes, she looked up into a kitten’s wide green eyes. He reached his paw out, tapping her on the cheek then bounced off her chest and pounced on her foot that was sticking out from the blanket.
A blanket that didn’t belong to her.
That was when she saw Bear. Standing in the middle of his room, dressed with his hat on.
Curiosity made her breath heavy.
She’d been dreaming that she and Bear had been making love. But what was she doing in his bed?
“Good morning,” he said in the most amazing raspy morning tone she’d ever heard.
“Morning.” She winced against the splintering pain currently bombarding her skull. She was reminded of how much she drank last night.
“How do you feel?”
“Like a tree fell on top of my head,” she groaned.
“I’ll be right back.” He left the room and gently closed the door behind him.
Pushing herself up onto one elbow, she looked around but there wasn’t much to see. The small space held a bed, a dresser, and nothing else. There weren’t any personal items. Just like Bear…simple.
She explored her muddled brain looking for answers. The last thing she could recall they’d stopped to rescue the kitten, and not much after. Nothing really at all. She didn’t remember getting into his bed.
The kitten jumped off the bed and she heard its paws slapping against the wood floor as it disappeared under the bed. Probably after a dust bunny.
“You’re a little rascal, aren’t you?” She laughed, but the effort sent a pain through her temples.
Her phone buzzed from the nightstand. She swiped it up and clicked on the screen. Eight-thirty am. She had ten missed calls. Three of those were from Pedora. One from her mother and the rest were from Bentley. He’d also sent her multiple text messages.
The most recent read, “Can we talk?”
She flipped her phone down on the nightstand.
Aasia didn’t want to see or talk to him again. If he could hold it against her that she’d worked her way through college by selling foot pictures on the internet, then she didn’t need him. He wasn’t perfect or a saint by any means.
Obviously, he only cared about himself. And his career. Just like the ring he’d placed on her finger—he wanted everything large, shiny, and polished. She wasn’t a bauble to be polished and displayed.
Anger overtook her. She grabbed her phone.
Clicking on the thread of text messages she read the prior texts…
“Where have you been? You didn’t go home last night. I’m worried about you. Please call.”
“What a liar,” she whispered.
Staring at her phone, she typed out…
“You let your mother pick out a wife for you so next time she approves.”
Then she removed the message.
“I spent the night with someone who gets me. Oh boy did he get me.”
No, that wouldn’t work. She deleted that message also.
“I could never spend my time with a man who’s a mommy’s boy. Or a man who is a runner-up in the smallest penis contest…I found someone who is perfect in every sense of the word.”
Before she could hit send, the door opened and she dropped her phone onto the bed.
Bear had returned. He carried a cup with furling steam rolling out and a bottle of pain medicine, she took two.
Although it hurt to even hold her head up at an angle so she could look up at him, if she lowered her chin she’d be eye level with a part of him that she’d been curious about since day one.
Aasia knew he wouldn’t be a winner in a small penis contest. She felt him through his jeans last night and he was built, and sexy as hell.
“What happened? Did we…you know?” Her pulse stuttered. She needed to make sure the dream was actually a dream and not reality.
“Yeah, we did and it was amazing.” His eyes turned brighter and his grin was sandwiched between dimples.
“We did?” Her voice rose as she tried to piece together the events of last night. “
“Nothing beyond a bit of flirtation and some hot and heavy kissing. I tucked you in and you fell asleep. You slept in the same house as a handful of ranch hands and didn’t get lucky.” He winked.
“Oh…”
“Just so we’re clear, if we had sex, you would remember. I’m not into taking advantage of drunk women. You were in no condition last night to do anything but get a good night’s sleep. I slept on the couch. I slept like shit.” He rolled his head and kneaded his shoulders.
“I’m sorry for taking your bed.”
“Hell, I had a beautiful woman in my bed and I didn’t get lucky either.” That drawl. The unmistakable accent that caused an uproar of heat between her legs.
She pushed back the cover, squealed, then hurried and pulled it back over her partially nude body.
“My skirt…it’s gone.” She skimmed the floor. “I assume that’s it.” She pointed at the denim blob on the floor.
“Yeah, that’s it. Wouldn’t be mine.”
“You undressed me?” she squeaked.
“Relax. I didn’t. You were fully dressed when I left last night.” When she narrowed her gaze, he chuckled. “Honestly. Unless there’s a clothes thief fairy in this room, you must have gotten hot and took the skirt off.”
She dropped her face into her palm. When she looked back up, he was still smiling. “I should thank you. I mean, for bringing me here.” She sat up straighter, pushing through the dull pain in her head.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. “We couldn’t have Pedora grounding you. I want to see you again.”
“I know it must seem juvenile to be worried about her seeing me drunk. I respect Pedora.” What Aasia couldn’t say to Bear was that she felt like she needed to walk on eggshells to make sure she didn’t offend the people where she lived.
She lived in fear that they would abandon her.
Years of therapy had made her fully aware that she had abandonment issues.
However, self-reflection made her realize she had to grow a backbone.
The time of stepping aside and staying quiet had passed.
“I respect that you respect her. And it wasn’t a problem.”
She took a long sip of the coffee and almost spat it out. “What in God’s name is in this cup? That’s not coffee.”
“Coffee strong enough to make a sloth move faster. Perfect for those pesky hangovers.”
She set the cup back down. The kitten clawed its way up the blanket and jumped onto her lap. “Looks like I have a new friend.” She scratched his head, being rewarded with an eruption of deep purrs.
“Lucky cat,” he said. “He got a name yet?”
“No, not yet.” She picked the kitten up and looked up into his eyes. “He needs something unique. Something like Bear.” She shifted her gaze onto him, hoping he sensed her curiosity.
“That makes a lot of sense. Lots of hair. Always hungry. Loves to lay in your lap.”
A warm flush washed over her. She cleared her throat. “You certainly have a way with words. Anyway, again, I’m sorry I took your bed.”
“No apology needed. That’s what friends are for.” He stood and crossed to the dresser. “That shirt has vomit on it. I don’t think you’ll want to wear it outside.” He took out two items and held them up. “T-shirt or flannel?”
She looked up from her stained blouse. “How about the button down. I think I can work with that one.”
He tossed it onto the bed and returned the T-shirt. “I’ll let you get dressed and meet you outside.”