Chapter 33
JULES
S he stared up at Riley, cataloging every inch of his ruggedly handsome form. Glowing in the speckled stream of sunlight that poured through the forest outside the bedroom window, he flashed her a wild grin. “I’m really liking how you look in my bed,” he rasped, his own gaze sweeping over her.
By the time they had reached the bedroom, they were half undressed. His henley hung from the corner of the nightstand. Her long live the gritty tee lay on the floor by the door. Her jeans were flung to the middle of the room over his shoulder.
Sitting up on the foot of the bed, she crooked a finger—motioning for him to come closer. It took only two steps for him to be within her reach. Slowly, she undid his belt buckle, slipping the band of leather free and moving to the button of his Wranglers next.
“You should join me in your bed,” she purred, dragging her palm over the bulge straining inside his jeans before yanking them down his hips. Waiting for him to kick them the remaining way off, she added, “After all, the doctor’s orders involved plenty of rest.”
She stood, her lacy black lingerie clad body shimmying up his hard lines.
After hurrying to complete all the morning duties at the ranch, she’d gone home to change into it.
Her wishful thinking was paying off now, if the dark, hungry look in Riley’s eyes was any indication.
Hooking one hand around his neck, she kissed at the hollow of his throat.
“Sit,” she commanded against his skin. She pointed over her shoulder to the top of the bed.
Riley took her satin bra strap between his index finger and thumb, toying with it as he dropped his mouth to hers. “What are you going to be doing while I’m sitting and resting?” he breathed between kisses.
“All the work,” Jules answered plainly. A smile tugging at her lips. She tilted back, dragging a single polished fingernail along the chain around his neck until it looped at the bottom and took hold.
Using the hold she had on the lucky charm around his neck, she pulled him over to the top of the bed and maneuvered him until the back of his legs hit the side of the mattress.
Doing as he was told, he sat up against the headboard and folded his hands behind his head. Desire danced across his face as he watched her climb up onto the bed as well, straddling his lap.
“I’ll be gentle,” she whispered. Her breathing hitched as he dropped his hands to her hips and leaned forward, his mouth sucking at her nipple through the delicate lace cup.
“Don’t you dare be gentle with me, wild thing.
” His teeth grazed her breast, creating a teasing friction.
She was the one that was supposed to be giving him this pleasure though.
Reaching between them, she pulled down the waist of his briefs, freeing his aroused cock and gliding her hand along it.
Adjusting her position, she pulled the blue fabric off him and knelt between his legs to admire a fully nude Riley. It truly was a sight to behold.
She closed her hand around the base of his shaft and leaned forward, spitting before closing her lips around him.
A strangled moan escaped Riley as her mouth moved over his dick, taking him deeper and deeper with each pass—like a personal challenge to see how much she could give to him.
How much more she could stretch for his pleasure.
She might run from hard conversations at times, but her actions could speak for her.
He shuttered beneath her, another moan passing from his lips. “Fuck. Jules, wait. I don’t want to come yet; I need more of you.”
“As you wish,” she purred.
Reaching for her, Riley had her bra unsnapped in a blink of an eye, his other hand reaching for the waist of her panties. “Off. These need to come off.”
She slid them down her legs before tossing them and the bra off the bed, adding to the pile of disarray around them.
A strong arm wrapped around her waist, holding her to him as he leaned for the nightstand.
He withdrew a condom a moment later, leaning back against the headboard once again and holding it up between them.
“I need more of you,” he repeated before capturing her mouth with his.
She snatched the condom from him, rolling it down his length as he sucked at her neck, his fist knotting in her hair. She was already soaked from the way he reacted to her mouth on him, ready for him.
Lifting onto her knees, she lined him up at her center and lowered herself onto him. Again, she felt her body stretch for him. This time, the fullness sending waves of pleasure radiating through her core.
She slid back up his length, her legs working to hold her hovering above him before sinking back down. His eyes tracked her every moment, his mouth tipping up at the way she was teasing him.
But she was teasing herself too. And she needed more of him. She began riding him at an increased rate, finding the angle that hit her in just the right spot.
“Good God, Juliette,” he rumbled, his mouth claiming hers roughly. With urgency.
She moved her body with equal need, taking his cock greedily. Desire unfurled within her, and she threw her head back in ecstasy.
He dug his fingers into the soft flesh of her hips, guiding her rhythm as she rode him. Her whimpers increased, her nails clawing desperately at his neck, shoulders, chest as he lifted his hips to move with her.
“ Oh my ,” she moaned breathlessly. “Fuck, Riley. Yes .”
“That’s my girl,” he praised. “Riding me like this cock is yours. Fuck, I love being buried in you.”
She only managed a whimper in response, her brain in a haze. Her nerve endings lit up. Had it really been her idea to keep away from him, from this?
“That’s my girl,” he repeated, thrusting upward into her. She was supposed to be doing the work, but her body had gone limp as pleasure radiated through her, an orgasm coming on like a tidal wave.
She dropped her head to his chest, kissing the marks from her nails that were already turning his skin red as he shuttered his own release, clutching her tight to him.
Neither made a move and she leaned her cheek on his chest. His arms wrapped around her, one hand cradling the back of her head.
The sound of them slowing their breathing filled the silence.
Jules missed this part the last time they had fallen into a bed together.
They had gone round after round until collapsing into sleep, then she had run.
Tipping her face up, she found Riley’s eyes already on her, a soft smile peeking out from under his mustache. He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose.
“How is your back?” she asked, closing her eyes as he continued to scatter kisses across her face.
“Perfectly fine, never better,” he answered distractedly.
“ Riley .” There was a challenge in her tone.
“You did all the work, remember?”
“I was supposed to, but it didn’t go as planned.” She narrowed her eyes as he lifted her off his lap.
Swiftly disposing of the condom, he laid on his side and pulled her against his chest. His fingers moved over the soft curves of her side before settling on the rise of her hip.
He handled her like she was something precious, he had been doing it since the day they met.
The look in his eyes as he noticed her for the first time from his seat in the saddle mirrored the way in which he studied her now.
“I can’t help myself when it comes to you.”
She propped herself up on her elbow and bit her lip. Riley was so open and giving with her. So sure. She wanted things to be that clear for her too. The way her feelings for him had taken root, that was clear. But to have what she wanted; she would have to hurt so many others.
There was too much to decide, and she only had a matter of days to do it.
The trip to Argentina hung over her like a pall hovering in the darkness at the edge of her attention.
Lingering just enough to remind her that she couldn’t fully enjoy this moment.
She should tell him—Riley would make this feel manageable.
“Riley, before the bar last night,” she started. But as he blinked back at her with contentment and warmth overflowing from his gaze, she lost her nerve.
“Yeah?” His voice filled the silence that hung at the end of her unfinished thought.
She couldn’t make that look go away. She couldn’t rely on him to take care of yet another thing. It was high time Jules stopped running and handled it on her own. “I just… I feel so mad at myself that I kept you at arm’s length all summer.”
“No more?”
Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she agreed. “No more.”