33. Chapter 33
Chapter 33
Maci
I nstead of heading back to Sutton’s room after dinner, he hauls me into "the Defender". It’s basically a golf cart on steroids with a badass motor, but it handles the terrain of the ranch which would destroy something smaller.
“It’s just as easy to drive this around the property.” He takes a rough trail, running parallel to the driveway, toward the front of the ranch. When he turns on a branch of the road I didn’t notice before and goes all the way to the end, I give him a sideways glance.
The wind whips my loose hair around and it’s like a wild piece of me I’ve kept tamed has been released. I’ve been at the ranch less than twenty-four hours and the entrepreneur from Austin living in a tiny apartment seems so far gone. Can I be both?
Eventually, we come to a gate and Sutton pulls along the fence, jumping out and unlatching it. He doesn’t worry about shutting this one.
Tall grass and shrubs create an unruly meadow ahead of us. A mixture of oak and mesquite trees form a natural perimeter on the north side. When he cuts the engine, I don’t move. “What is this place?”
“I thought you might like to decompress for a bit.” His voice is quiet.
“Are we dancing again?” My head rests against the firm seat and I tip my chin his way with a smile .
He mirrors me, seeming both surprised and pleased. “Do you want to dance?”
“I love dancing with you.” My eyes lower to his hand on my knee as I trace his corded arm back up, over his chest. When my eyes return to his face, his lips are pursed gently in thought. It’s an uncommon expression for him. My brows furrow.
He gives my leg a squeeze before exiting and rounding the front of the machine. Once I’m out with him, he guides me into the grassy area, placing me in front of him. I relish his warmth as one hand grips each of my hips, pulling me flush to his chest.
For the first time, his silence seems heavy. The setting sun gives the space a mesmerizing glow. A cooler breeze than this morning brushes my hair into my face and brings with it a bubbling sound. My eyes dart around.
Reading my thoughts, Sutton points into the distance to my right. “There’s a creek back there.” Despite the openness of the meadow, the scattered trees add a feeling of seclusion. There’s nothing else as far as the horizon.
He steps out from behind me, turning to walk backward and making his way toward the center of the colorful field. “I’m going to build a house here.”
“Oh?”
His face is the Sutton I met in Nana’s house. The Sutton from the porch after he saw me chastise flowers. The Sutton from the truck when we arrived yesterday evening. He’s studying me, assessing for something. Though unsure, his look doesn’t fill me with anxiety.
I’ve learned during our time getting to know one another that he does nothing without thought. He’s quiet, solid, and sexy as hell. And there’s a depth to him that he doesn’t share openly .
I keep my features soft. “It’s a beautiful place for a home.” I wonder what kind of dream house he envisions.
Pride washes over his face.
I’m still admiring the space when he walks to the Defender. The engine and lights come on and music pours out. A smile pulls at my lips.
Sutton’s fingers slip into my hand and he pulls me against his body, wrapping his other arm around my waist and gliding me through the meadow on our own personal dance floor. My cheeks heat at the idea of it being ours, which is silly because my mind running away with itself is the last thing I need to allow to happen. I tuck my head into his chest to hide the color.
When the song changes to something a little faster, Sutton’s pace picks up naturally. Grasshoppers leap out of our path, areas of the grass hip-height for me, as he continues to spin and swing me around. I embrace the tranquility he fills me with. It doesn’t matter that his words are few because he easily displays the giant heart hidden inside.
A blue haze overtakes the glow as the sun sets. Sutton shifts suddenly, pulling me tight and looking down into my eyes. “Do you trust me?”
Something giddy lights his features, and despite already telling him yes, I’m convinced he wants me to say it again. His grin is infectious. I’d do anything he asks to keep that light in his eyes. I bite my lip and nod.
On the next spin, he shifts us so my back is flush to his chest again, our arms crossed together around my torso. “Do you like roller coasters?” His warm voice against my ear causes heat to pool between my legs.
“I might be a bit of an adrenaline junkie.”
Locking me in place, he sways gently as he gives me instructions. Fairly certain he’s going to flip me, I let him guide me through a series of spins before lining me up next to him, where I drop my arms over his as told. My breath catches and he uses both hands on my waist to lift me off the ground and flip me backward over his arm.
Laughter bursts out of me when I land upright on my feet. It’s beautiful, and freeing, and I know without a doubt that I’m falling completely and totally in love with this man. And it’s not some fancy dance move or giving me an amazing orgasm in a deer blind. It’s his heart. The way he cares for me when I’m convinced I don’t need it, in a way that I absolutely do.
“There she is.” His rugged face glows with pride and elation. He presses me against his body again and doesn’t let go, dancing until the song is finished and another one plays. And another. And another.
The sun sets and our bodies move together in the darkness, the song of crickets with the undertones of frog calls performing a concert in tandem. I never want to leave this place.
Coming back from the planned site of Sutton’s home, my phone is ringing in the bottom of my purse. An unknown Texas number is listed on the screen. Normally, I screen calls, but decide to answer since I handed out several cards at the festival.
A lone sconce from the hallway offers light to the room, and I have to dig in near darkness to find the tiny electronic. “Hello?”
“May I speak to Maci McCullough?”
Not a potential client then. “This is she.”
Sutton is eyeing me intently as he toes off his boots in the hallway. I follow suit, pretending not to notice his attention .
“This is Officer Casey Callahan from the Bull Creek Police Department.”
“Oh. Hi, Officer Callahan.”
Sutton’s posture relaxes and he sits down on the leather couch, spreading his legs wide and keeping his eyes trained on me. His arms spread out along the back. Once again I want to photograph him.
“Casey is fine.” It sounds like he’s grinning. Casey has such a boyish face. I imagine if he weren’t a police officer, he’d be a trouble maker. Maybe both are true. “Sutton’s never introduced me to a woman before and I get the impression we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, Casey.” Sutton’s eyes pop wide before he narrows in on the phone. My cheesy grin isn’t helping matters.
“All good from me.”
Tucking the phone between my ear and shoulder, I meander to the closet to pull out my pajamas. My camera bag is tucked next to my duffle and I pull it out as discreetly as possible.
“I don’t want to take up too much of your evening. Normally, a detective would call about something like this, but I offered.”
“Oh? Well, I’m on the edge of my seat.” Sutton’s eyes are piercing when I turn to face him. He’s unprepared for the shutter and I manage a fabulous candid. I replace the camera and unbutton my jeans, working them down my legs.
“Some young teens got picked up today for vandalism. They were throwing rocks and just overall being destructive. Looks like there’s a good chance they were the ones to break your window.”
“Really?” Skepticism lines my voice. Sutton stands abruptly, drawing my attention to him and joins me on the opposite side of the bed in no time. A detail is hidden in the shadows of my mind, but I can’t give it the attention it needs because Sutton’s heat radiates into me as he crowds my space. Intending to treat him as if his proximity doesn’t affect me, I turn my head to one side, but promptly tense when one warm hand trails up the inside of my leg.
“Yeah. They were in the area around the right time and didn’t keep track of where all their rock throwing occurred.”
Anticipation causes my breaths to deepen and I can only hum a response to Casey when Sutton’s open mouth presses warm against my neck. The tip of his tongue tickles my skin. My free hand flies up to grip his arm and I tip my head back, granting him easier access.
My mind is in overdrive, trying desperately to focus on Casey’s information while also wanting nothing more than to give in to Sutton’s touch and the bliss it brings. As if reading my mind, Sutton’s fingers dance on my lacey undergarments.
“Wouldn’t I have found a rock in my car, if so?” The fact that I can form words is a miracle.
“Sure, unless it wasn’t a rock. Maybe it was a skateboard and they don’t want to fess up.”
A finger sneaks beneath my panty line and I stifle a squeak, squeezing harder on Sutton’s bicep. “A skateboard.” I’m a parrot now.
“Yep.” If Casey has any idea what’s going on, he doesn’t let on.
Sutton’s breath is hot against my ear. “I’m about to light you up, Firecracker.” Without further warning, he dips his fingers into my arousal, gathering the wetness and circling my clit. Pain shoots through my lip as I bite down to refrain from making any noise.
“Um, Casey— ”
Sutton pulls his head back to pin me with a look. His deep whisper is a warning. “Sounds count as sharing, Firecracker.” He kisses my lips. “And you better not say another man’s name while my hand is playing with this pussy.”
My eyes widen and heat fills my entire body. Sutton holds my gaze.
“Maci?” Casey’s voice is quieter, further away, and I realize the phone is slipping.
“Sorry! Was that all?”
“Uhh, yeah.” He seems confused by the abrupt change in my tone. “We’ll keep you updated if—”
“Sounds great! Thanks so much, Ca-Officer!” My thumb repeatedly taps the end button on the face of the phone until I’m positive the call is disconnected. I hurl it onto the couch without further consideration.
Before I have a chance to ask Sutton what the hell he’s thinking, his free hand slides into my hair at the base of my neck, gripping hard. “Why do you insist on teasing me, Firecracker?”
“I don’t know what you mean, Cowboy.” I’m fully prepared to die on this hill, but he’s having no part of it.
“Liar.” He kisses me, hard, his hands leaving my hair and my pussy, gripping my waist instead. Right before he throws me.
A constricted squeal leaves my body as I land among the stupid amount of pillows he keeps near the headboard. I’ve never seen a man with this many pillows.
My legs fall open, exposing my drenched panties, the bottom of my peasant shirt bunched up around my ribs. As Sutton takes me in, his eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen. He’s like a caged animal waiting to pounce.
With one hand, he grabs his shirt behind his head and yanks it off. It lands on the couch. He climbs onto the bed on hands and knees, hovering over me. The interrupted light from the hallway casts half his face in darkness, while the other half reflects the amber glow. I wish I could frame him this way.
“Cowboy,” my hands reach up to touch his chest, “what are you up to?” Every tanned muscle tightens as my fingers lightly trace their outlines. He’s on fire and I’m suddenly chilled, wanting to bask in his heat.
He doesn’t respond at first. Instead, he’s busy studying me while my hands are memorizing him. When they slide up his neck to cup his jaw, his eyes flutter closed briefly. The rough stubble against the smooth skin of my palms has a renewed arousal coursing through me.
Sutton’s eyes spring open. A wicked gleam lights his eyes. “Do you trust me?”
Completely. I suck my bottom lip between my teeth and nod.
In one swift movement, he slides back down the bed, each powerful arm wrapping around one of my thighs, yanking me to the middle. Settling between my legs, he kisses the inside of one, staring directly up at me. I lift onto my elbows, unwilling to miss this show.
His mouth moves to the other thigh, placing a mirrored kiss there. Dragging his fingers up the outside of my legs, he grips the lace panties at each hip and lowers them down. He’s watching me so intensely he doesn’t blink. The panties fly behind him.
Torturously, he kisses and licks at my legs, working his way up to their apex. The thrumming of my heart is so strong, I’m confident he can hear it beating in my chest. My hips rise, begging for him to come higher. His grip on my thighs tightens and I try to contain a whimper.
A chuckle precedes the highest kiss yet and I decide I’m not above begging if that’s what it takes. “Please.” That was definitely a whimper.
Sutton’s teeth graze one thigh in response. “What do you need, Firecracker? ”
My back arches off the bed and my head falls back. He knows what I need.
“Maci.” My head snaps back down at his commanding tone. I hold my breath. “Eyes here.” Drier than the Sahara, my mouth falls open. “What do you need?”
“Stop teasing me, Cowboy.” The wickedness in his eyes is still there. He doesn’t move. “Please.”
“Since you asked so nicely.” Keeping eye contact, he places one more kiss on my thigh, before shifting forward.
With a flat tongue, he licks me from the base of my entrance to my clit. An appreciative groan vibrates through me, overtaking my own gasp. On the second swipe, my eyes flutter closed. He sucks on my clit, causing them to pop back open, his lips smiling against me proudly as he continues to work me over.
A breathy moan escapes me and he growls into my pussy, causing my hips to buck again. Wanting to increase the friction, again I roll my hips. His eyes shoot up to me and the grip on my thighs loosens long enough for each hand to slip from behind my legs. He presses his palms outward on the inside of my thighs, watching my face as he opens me wider. I’m at his mercy.
His mouth is hot and addictive as he continues to alternate his movements against the entirety of my pussy.
When I press the fabric of my top down to expose my breasts, my nipples are already hard and tight. Sutton’s eyes flame as I run my fingers over the sensitive tips, rolling and kneading the flesh. He gives a powerful suck to my clit, popping his mouth off and raising his head. “You trying to kill me?”
“Definitely not. I need you to finish what you’re doing. ”
A hand slides into my wetness, two of his fingers slipping along either side of my clit and rubbing up and down, slow and firm. “You mean my dessert?”
Pausing his mouth’s attention to my body is killing me. My grip on my breasts tightens. “Sutton.” I don’t miss the spark in his eyes. “Please.”
“Fuck, Firecracker.” Then he devours me. Gone is the gentleman everyone sees. He’s gone feral. His arms stretch out to pin my legs wide, gripping a knee in each hand and he laps up my juices like it’s his last meal.
One of my hands drops to his head. My fingers thread into the soft, sandy hair with a tight grip. He doesn’t need me to guide him. He knows exactly how to work my body. The escalating moans I release are proof.
Like a volcano, my orgasm builds from deep within. Without warning, Sutton shoves two fingers deep inside me, thrusting hard while he continues to circle my clit with his tongue.
“Give it to me, Firecracker. Come for me.” The combination of the thrusting, the licking, and his hot breath against my pussy sends me over the edge.
I cry out his name, sure my grip in his hair must be painful now. But there’s nothing I can do. He moans into me as he continues to lick up the fruit of his labor, sliding his fingers slowly from me when my orgasm has subsided.
Pressed deep into the pillows, my fingers release his hair, my eyes flutter closed.
His thumb whispers over my clit and my hips jump, earning me a chuckle.
The weight of the bed shifts as Sutton pushes back up to all fours, looking down at me. I don’t need to open my eyes to feel his gaze. He kisses my flushed face, my jaw, my neck .
“That’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.” His hot whisper sends a chill down my spine.
With a gentle hand, he guides my face to his and I open my eyes to find him studying me with softness. The wild man is gone.
His hand slides into my hair as he rests on a forearm, kissing me softly. When his tongue traces the seam of my lips, I open willingly for him, tasting myself on his tongue.
This time, passion reignites in my belly.
One lingering kiss precedes him releasing my lips.
“Did you want to get into the pajamas you pulled out?” He makes quick work of removing his pants. I grunt my decline. “Here. Arms up.” His hands grasp the hem of my disheveled shirt and I do as I’m told. The shirt comes off with ease and he slides into the bed, shifting to lay on his side. One warm arm pulls me into his chest and draws light designs on my back. Content, my body is quickly succumbing to sleep.
“So, what did Officer Callahan have to say?” I can feel the smirk of his lips against my hair.
“Teenagers,” I mumble and drift off.