Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Ford:
He’s a smitten fucking kitten.
Can’t keep his eyes off her.
Boone:
The old man still has game?
Henri… you must’ve taught him a thing or two. FINALLY.
Landon Junior:
What the fuck???
I’m kinda drunk right now. Are we seriously talking about Reid?
Not much surprises me, after playing rugby at the top level and all my career entailed as an athlete, I feel like I’ve lived an entire goddamn lifetime all before I hit thirty.
Hell, I was retired from the game by thirty-four. Had to start over.
It’s a funny sort of thing to be racing a clock and trying to make the most of every opportunity when you know the next game could be your last. All it would have taken was an injury, a brutal tackle, something entirely out of my control… and poof.
Yet, today? What started as the most unassuming of days, working on a commission piece of metal signage for one of the local ranchers, has ended up bringing the sort of surprise I’d have never seen coming in among the snow and ice lying thickly over these mountains.
An extremely beautiful surprise of emerald eyes, silky dark hair, and a shy smile. Along with the gorgeous sight of my guy looking completely stunned, knocked down on his ass, like his horse has just thrown him from the saddle to hit the dirt of the arena.
After all the years we’ve been together—a long fucking time of us holding out hope we might eventually find the right woman to fill that subtle space we both feel a yearning for—I would never have picked today to be the day such a possibility might have flickered back to life.
The two of them walk in the front door holding hands, and I’m instantly grinning at the sight of them. Judging by the way Mia hides behind his giant frame, by the way Reid’s chest is puffed up, they’ve certainly been up to no good.
I couldn’t be happier to see it.
Reid holds her so damn carefully, but firmly, I’d bet my left nut he’s already planning to ask her if she’ll stay forever.
He’s a cowboy who doesn’t open up easily, certainly doesn’t trust many people in this world, but when he gives his heart, he’s all in.
The kind of trust fall where he’ll cradle you the whole way down and put his body on the line to make sure you don’t get hurt.
Reid is a both feet kind of cowboy. Diving deep with oxygen strapped to his back, ready to forsake his own in order to give you every last breath.
Stella lurches up from where she’s been busy in dog dreamland, running in her sleep for the past hour or so.
Blinking, she rushes over to greet our new friend, still sleepy, which means stopping to stretch first front paws, then back legs stiffly, one by one.
Mia beams and crouches down to give her an affectionate scratch behind her ears.
Yeah, there’s one way to ensure Reid will be a goner, and that’s if these girls buddy up.
Stella nudges for more pats until she’s satisfied, before yawning, then goes back to her spot in front of the fire, flopping down with a heavy sigh.
The two with hearts filling their eyes come over to join me in the kitchen, soft lighting illuminating the space around us.
“Have a nice date, did you?” I fold my arms and give a little tilt of my head to one side. My attention slides to Reid for the briefest moment. He doesn’t give me anything.
Mia, however, blushes straight away.
My burly cowboy scratches his stubbled beard and clears his throat.
They’re adorable. Equally as gone for each other.
Running my tongue over my bottom lip, I soak in a few more details of our newfound guest. Eyes sparkling like green jewels.
Plump mouth, a little flushed from either the cold or where they’ve been getting up to all sorts of mischief.
One glance at that dress would have been enough to break me on sight, that’s for sure.
Reid wouldn’t have stood a chance in hell of keeping his hands to himself.
She’s exactly our type, with all those lush curves, and a gentle but determined nature about her.
I mean, and the fact she’s here. She hasn’t run away or been startled by the unique circumstances we present. That in itself speaks volumes about where all our mutual interests lie.
“Did he treat you like a gentleman?”
Mia’s teeth catch her bottom lip. “He did.” She gives the tiniest of nods in reply, curious eyes bouncing between the two of us.
“Did he make your trou de cul ex look like an absolute idiot?”
That brings a pretty little smile sneaking onto her lips that she tries to bite back. “If that means something rude about him, then, yes.”
“Mmm. Was it satisfying as hell?”
She allows that curve at the corners of her mouth to tilt up. Another nod. “Was it ever.”
“Good.” This time, I openly look her up and down, making it absolutely goddamn clear that I’m on board with this.
With all of this. “However, one thing to know about me…” Striking quickly, I move around to where she stands.
Without pause, I hoist her to sit on the bench top, then lean down to whisper in her ear.
“Unlike our boy… he’s the one with the country manners.
Me? I should apologize now in advance, perhaps.
I’m not very good at following the rules, ma petite chérie. ”
Mia shivers and lets out a tiny noise, a hitch in her sharp inhale. Surprise and anticipation thrum in the air as I manhandle her and crowd her space.
“That doesn’t sound like something to apologize for.
” She breathes a little harder, her chest rising and falling more rapidly as I cage her in with one palm flattened beside her hip.
With the other, I reach up to tug gently on a loose strand of hair, letting my focus linger on her pretty features before checking in, quickly exchanging a glance with Reid.
He looks ravenous.
“Rules and me? We don’t tend to get on very well.
” Speaking to him as much as her, I let my forefinger drop to trace a path down the side of her throat, ever so slowly.
Oh, her shiver in response to my fingertip lightly grazing her soft skin is everything.
“I used to spend a lot of time in the sin bin.” Watching her mouth intently, I murmur the words, while soaking up every little reaction.
Her mouth parts a little. Pink deepens on the apple of her cheeks. A fragment of a gasp escapes, barely audible, but there all the same.
Mia is so responsive to even the most gentle of caresses. What kinds of noises would she unleash if I bend my head and suck down on her pulse point?
“Would you like to get us all a drink, mon big… big guy?” With a smirk dancing on my lips, I pointedly look at the place where his cock is making a sizeable impression against the front of his jeans. “Do you think notre fille… our girl… would enjoy some of that special whiskey you hide away?”
“Sure.” His voice is roughened with desire. “If that’s what you’d like, sugar?”
It’s cute how she reacts when he calls her that.
There’s no disguising the effect that Reid being soft and doting has on her.
On both of us, it would seem. My dick is already aching at the thought of watching the two of them together.
Hearing him speak to her in a sweet, gentle rumble, like she’s the most precious miracle he’s ever encountered? Yeah, that’s fucking hot.
Mia hums in agreement. “Sounds perfect.”
This is fast becoming my favorite Christmas ever.
Reid walks out of the room, leaving us, his broad shoulders disappearing along the hallway to the garage. While he’s gone, I take that opportunity to strike.
The girl beneath me sucks in a sharp intake of breath when my lips attack her neck. She damn well vibrates with a sultry noise of shock interlaced with relief as I start kissing my way down her throat.
Mia’s skin feels like satin beneath my mouth, warm and soft and so tempting to explore.
I forget about anything but pursuing ways to have her feed me more of those sweet little noises.
Like she’s caught by surprise, and with every scrape of my mustache and stubble down the slope of her neck until I reach her shoulder, it’s like she loses her inhibitions a little more.
She becomes more responsive the more I roam my mouth and my tongue, and I’m fucking starving for everything she’ll give us tonight.
Pinching the side of her neckline between my teeth, the material sitting above her collarbone is easy to peel away. I tug on the stretchy material, dragging it down one shoulder so that it slouches, then repeat the action on the other side.
As I draw back to admire the sight of Mia, perched on the counter, breathing heavily, I hum with satisfaction.
This girl is incomparable, stunning, enough to have me losing my goddamn mind over what she will look like when naked and panting with the flush of orgasm fresh on her pouty lips and nipples.
My efforts are well-rewarded. The fabric of her dress pulled down reveals her full, rounded breasts, hardened peaks poking through the fabric of her bra.
“How does it feel to know he’s barely left the room and you’re letting me put my mouth on you? Already permitting me to have my hands on you?” As I say those words, I don’t hesitate to let my lips tease in other ways. To go beyond saying filthy shit she obviously enjoys hearing.
At the same time as I dip my head, I bring one hand to Mia’s lace-covered breast and scrape my teeth over her tightly furled nipple until she moans softly.
The perfect little noise races straight to my dick.
As she pants and writhes with how good it feels, at how badly she wants me to continue to pluck that sexy little point gently through the fabric, I close my mouth over the peaked bud, sucking until the material is soaked, clinging to her warm skin.
“You make the prettiest noises when you’re trying to be quiet.” I swirl my tongue, rasping over the front of her bra and teasing that sensitive point a little more. “Would you allow me to get you off just like this?”