Chapter 42
Forever and Ever, Amen
Duke
It’s been a month since the accident, and things are starting to fall into a rhythm around the ranch.
Cash, while still on crutches, is at least making his way on his own up and down the stairs and seems to be in good spirits.
It broke my heart to see the hollowness in his eyes when he realized his rodeo career was over.
It’s not an easy thing to watch your life’s work go down in a single eight-second span.
Once he put in the paperwork for his official retirement from the rodeo circuit though, it was a turning point for him.
He’s focused on rehab and building the ranch into something bigger and better, though I don’t for one second think he’s done completely.
I suspect in the coming years, he will be in the arena coaching some up-and-coming rodeo cowboy, like Sleepy did for him all those years ago.
We’re all healing and figuring this out together but there’s never a day that passes I don’t feel more resolute in the knowledge that this, Caroline, and me, and Cash, are it for me. And I love her more every day.
“Hey, Sunshine.” I lean down and press a kiss to her sleepy mouth as I sneak into her room when I get home from the bar.
“Hey, Grumpy,” she replies, her voice heavy with sleep as a small smile tips up her lips. “Lay with me?”
Unbuckling my belt, I push my jeans down my thighs and leave them in a pile next to the bed before pulling my t-shirt over my head. Squeezing in beside her, I give her a gentle nudge to push her over, which she reluctantly does.
“You gotta give me a little space, sweetheart.” I laugh to her.
“You could just lay on me,” she replies, her voice mischievous.
Raising an eyebrow that I know she can’t see in the dark, I reply, “Oh, really?”
Instead of replying, she wraps her warm body around mine and plants a few wet kisses against my chest, before moving her mouth up to my throat and sucking the skin between her teeth.
My cock, which was already interested in these developments, fills with all the blood in my body, pressing against my boxers.
Rolling to my side, I maneuver us until we are facing each other, her soft pajama top pressing to my chest and the ridge of my cock nestled at the junction of her thighs.
“Feeling a little needy tonight, Sunshine?”
Rubbing her body against the length of mine, she replies, “Yes, Duke. Please, it’s been long enough. I need you.” That sentence falling from her lips is the sexiest thing I have ever heard in my life, I think.
Grabbing the hem of her shirt, I tug it over her head, revealing her gorgeous skin in the moonlight shining in through her window.
Lowering my mouth to a peaked nipple, I pull it into my mouth, clamping my teeth gently around it, drawing a gasp from her.
Caroline writhes against me as my cock strains against my boxers, begging to be a part of the action.
Running my hand down the soft skin of her back, I cup her round ass, discovering to my delight that she’s bottomless.
Slipping my hand under the curve of her cheek, I run a fingertip across her slick opening, slipping it just inside of her.
Lifting myself, I turn her so she’s under me, her knees bracketing my hips. Pushing my pelvis into her, I rub my cock against her.
“Please, Duke. Please,” she whimpers desperately from beneath me, pulling me against her.
“Please what, sweetheart? Tell me what you want.”
“I need you inside me, Duke.”
Whatever blood was left to feed my brain flows into my cock, and I’m unable to form a coherent thought.
The last time I had her, it was frantic and desperate, on a table, while I held my hand over her mouth.
This time, I will give her the devotion she deserves.
Bringing my mouth to hers, I plunge my tongue inside, resting my body against her.
She is eager and pushes her pelvis up to me, but I put the weight of my hips on her to keep her in place.
“Baby, we’ve got all night, and last time I was inside you, it was rushed. This time, I intend to take my time. Settle down.”
Her breath whooshes out of her in a gasp. “Okay. I just want you so badly. I need you inside me.”
“You may actually be the death of me,” I reply.
Her giggle causes our bodies to rub together, and my skin is on fire with need.
“Stay put,” I tell her, leaning back on my haunches as I take in her glowing skin in the moonlight. “Fuck, you’re so goddamned gorgeous, I can’t think around you.”
Placing my palm open against her heaving chest, I run my hand down her body, across her stomach, and grab her hips, just feeling her soft skin in my hands.
Lifting a leg, I bring it to my mouth and kiss the top of her foot, before peppering kisses up her shin and nibbling on the inside of her knee.
Putting her leg down, I repeat the motion on the other side.
She vibrates with need below me, her breathing labored.
Leaning forward, I lay a wet kiss to the scar on her ribs that matches one Cash now wears.
Lifting my hips, I push my boxers down my legs and taking my cock in my hand, I give it a few strokes to try and relieve some of the pressure.
Running the head of it through the wet flesh between her thighs, we both hiss at the contact. “Fuck. I’ve missed this so much. I can’t wait to be inside you,” I whisper into the darkness.
“So, fuck me, Duke.” She has no idea what those words do to me.
“Soon,” I tell her, rubbing my cock against her swollen, wet pussy.
Lowering my body, I press my mouth to hers, pushing my tongue between her lips, tasting every part of her mouth that I can reach.
Memorizing every inch of it, reveling in the taste of her, as I thrust my hips against her, pushing myself into the wetness, but not allowing myself to slip inside her just yet.
Moving to her neck, I suck the blood to the surface, flicking my tongue against her, hoping I leave a hickey like a teenager. The thought makes me chuckle.
“What?” she asks.
“Just hoping you wake up tomorrow covered in my marks.”
She lifts her head, giving me more access to her neck and I dive back in, eager.
Moving down her body, I pull each nipple into my mouth, tugging gently before moving down her stomach where I bite and nibble the skin, before settling on my stomach between her thighs.
Her perfect pussy right in front of my face, I press my face against the wet skin and suck her clit between my teeth, tugging gently.
Lifting her knees to my shoulders to give me better access to her, I spear into her wet heat with my tongue, pulling a full moan from her as her back bows off the bed.
Continuing down, I run my tongue across the tight skin of her ass, to which she responds with a squeak that causes me to laugh against her.
Holding her thighs pushed back, I lave at the sensitive skin as she writhes above me, her fingers going into my hair, tugging gently at my scalp.
Moving my hand to her swollen clit, I rub gentle circles around it as my tongue makes matching circles around her tight opening.
Her breathing gasps out in pants and moans that cause my hips to buck involuntarily against the mattress, my erection painful where it’s trapped beneath me.
When her thighs begin to shake where they are wrapped around my shoulders, I move up and suck her into my mouth, pushing two fingers into her dripping wet pussy and it pulses around me.
Suctioning my lips to her, I move my tongue in time with my fingers as they plunge into her, her breathing accelerating and her back bowing off the bed.
She comes in a rush of wetness against my face. Squeezing my fingers, she feels so tight and perfect. As she shudders and shakes beneath me, I sit up quickly and slide my straining cock into the wetness that still pulses with aftershocks of her orgasm, causing her to cry out at the intrusion.
Her body squeezes me so tightly I almost come then, embarrassing myself. I push into her until our bodies are glued together and there’s no space between us. Capturing her mouth again, I swallow the moans as I begin moving inside her.
“Duke, fuck...” My name slips between her lips like a mantra spurring me on. She clamps a hand over her mouth which I promptly pull away.
“Why are you covering your mouth? I did that the first time; this time I will hear you.”
“What about Cash?” she whispers to me in the darkness.
“Let him listen, he might learn something.” A gasp escapes from her before she giggles, slapping my chest lightly as I continue to slide into her body, a slow, soft rhythm. “You feel so fucking perfect wrapped around me, baby. Like a dream come true.”
We create a gentle pace, our bodies moving in perfect sync as I stare into her eyes, moving inside her, and pour every ounce of love and devotion I have in my body into her.
I can feel the love radiating off her skin as we move together.
Rolling onto my back, I pull her on top of me, and grabbing her hips, I watch her find her own pace above me.
She slides her body against mine, creating the friction she needs, and she starts to pulse against me.
Reaching down, I rub circles against her, my other hand cupping her breast and pinching her nipple.
Her movements become increasingly erratic as she pushes herself closer to the edge, her skin covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
“Come for me, gorgeous girl. I want to feel you squeeze my cock.” Her moans increase in volume as she pushes herself closer to the edge, riding my cock and pressing into my fingers.
“Duke…Duke…” My name falls repeatedly from her lips as she sets a furious pace, pushing us both closer to the edge. The heavy wood of the bed frame hits the wall and Caroline’s eyes widen slightly, causing me to chuckle.
“I’m going to come with you, okay baby? Come on my cock.
Fuck, fuck.” I feel tingles creeping up my spine as I’m pulled closer to the edge with her, as we both sit balanced on the edge.
Grabbing her hips, I pull her tight to my pelvis, and as her moans and gasps reach a fever-pitch, I feel her pussy clamp tight on my cock.
Pulling her mouth to mine as she cries out through her orgasm, I piston my cock inside her, pouring myself into her.
I hold her close as we both breathe through the aftershocks of our joint ecstasy.
My heart feels like it might burst out of my chest, and I gasp to catch my breath.
I want to marry this woman and spend the rest of my life with her wrapped around me, just like this.
Feeling her extricate herself from my now heavy limbs, I watch her climb from the bed and close the bathroom door behind herself. I’m asleep before she returns.
My eyes pop open as I hear the door crack and I take in the sun-filled room, realizing I slept here and it’s morning.
And Cash is standing in Caroline’s doorway, a shit-eating grin on his face, where he leans heavily on the door frame, a crutch under his arm.
I narrow my eyes at him, tilting my head in question.
He jerks his head back, beckoning me, before pulling the door quietly closed.
Looking down, I see the ray of sunshine spread across my chest, a cute little snore escaping her every once in a while.
I smile at her peaceful face before pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead and begin trying to free myself without waking her.
Sliding out of bed, I grab my stuff and head into her bathroom, then slip out of her room, closing the door softly behind me.
“And how was your night?” Cash says with a knowing smile as I walk into the kitchen.
Giving him a narrowed glance, I walk to the coffee machine which now exclusively brews the coffee Lizzie has at the inn. “‘Twas fine.”
“She’s pretty amazing, isn’t she?”
“Cash, I’m not talking about this. Not now, not ever.” I take a huge gulp of hot coffee, scalding my mouth.
“Okay, okay. But hear me out…”