27. Candice
27
CANDICE
More and more about Nathan Booth is starting to make sense. What he just told me about the night he punched Brad—about the reason he’s at Star Mountain doing community service to begin with—has helped me understand his actions these last few weeks.
He’s not a fighter or a partier or a playboy. At least, he’s not just those things. He’s a man who cares deeply. Who feels deeply. Seeing a horse be mistreated shook him up so much that he didn’t compete as well as he should have. And in order to address the issue, he went right to the source, and punched Brad, consequences be damned. It’s why he’s been so down these last few weeks, and why he’s so negative about his career. He doesn’t trust it, or himself, any longer.
We joke a lot about my brother being the honorable one, but from where I’m sitting, Nathan seems pretty honorable himself. He also looks pretty damn good riding in front of me, with his powerfully muscled thighs gripping the saddle.
“We can take a bit of a break over here,” Nathan says. He gestures in front of us towards a small cabin that is perched between a few trees and overlooking a small, frozen pond.
“What is this place?” I ask.
“It’s an old hunting cabin. But now we use it as a spot to rest if we’re out for a while or just want somewhere to soak in the view.”
We both dismount, and then hobble the horses and get out some food for them from our saddle bags.
“Here you go,” I say to Thistle, feeding her a few pellets out of my hand. She takes them and then lips at my hand for more. I clear some snow with my foot, and then scatter a bunch on the ground for her, and Nathan does the same for Cranberry.
The cabin is dry, if not warm, and it has a perfect view of the icy blue pond. Inside, Nathan lays out the food his mom insisted we take, and we gaze out the window while eating.
“It’s peaceful here,” Nathan says, almost to himself. “I miss this.”
“Your life is lacking peace?” I ask, smiling at him.
“My life is competitions and photo shoots and interviews. Parties and uh, women. At least it was.”
“It sounds like you’re ready for retirement, old man,” I joke, turning to face him in my seat. Like always, I’m struck by Nathan’s rugged beauty. His features would be more at home on a Roman statue than on a human being. And his eyes—my God, his eyes.
“I might be,” he says, though he doesn’t sound convinced.
“Well, I think my life is the opposite of yours. It’s too peaceful. I spend all my time in Star Mountain, and nothing ever changes there. You coming to the rescue is the most exciting thing that’s happened to me all year,” I admit. I don’t mention that staying in Star Mountain, being tied to the town I grew up in, has narrowed my chances of having a family of my own one day. Unless I’m happy to settle for Ralph or one of the other idiots I went to high school with.
An image of a child with the trademark Booth blue eyes flashes through my head.
Shit. I must be ovulating or something.
“Maybe we could meet in the middle somewhere,” he says. “I could take you out in Bozeman when we get back.”
“And you’ll talk to me this time?” I ask, winking at him. It’s a stupid impulse—flirting with him—but I find I can’t help it. I like having all of Nathan Booth’s intense energy focused on me. I like having the charismatic playboy all to myself.
“Only if you talk to me too, Viper,” he replies.
More and more, I’m liking the sound of that nickname from his lips. Where once it aggravated me, now it almost feels affectionate.
“Nathan,” I say softly. “Come here.”
“For a lesson? Here?” he jokes.
“For whatever,” I say. It’s as much as I’m willing to give right now—my heart is still clinging desperately to the fantasy that the lessons are all that is between Nathan and me. That when he’s done with his community service in a few weeks and leaves Star Mountain, I’ll be okay.
I stand up and move towards him, settling myself between his thighs. He squeezes me between them, reminding me of the muscular power that lies underneath his jeans, and starts slowly rubbing his hands up and down my arms. I shiver from the contact, from the delicious sensation of his touch.
“Cold?” he asks.
“Never when I’m with you.” It’s more honest than I usually am with him, but it’s like being out of Star Mountain and our usual routine has set me free.
He pulls me towards him, and his lips find mine. His kiss is gentle, almost reverent. Like he can’t believe his lips are touching me—and I feel the same way. To have such a man here with me, wanting me is more than I ever allowed myself to hope for. I open for him, allowing him to sweep into my mouth. I deepen the kiss even further and our bodies meld together. I can feel his heat even through all of our layers, and all I can think is that I want his skin on my skin, his body on my body.
“I want all of you,” I whisper against his mouth.
“You have me. You have no idea how much, but you have me.”
I unzip and unbutton my outer layers, until I’m standing in front of him in just my bra, panties, and hat.
“Nathan. Let me see you. I’ve never really seen you before and I—” My breath hitches with longing in my throat.
Without a word, he removes his jeans and fleece and base layers. He goes right for the throat, too, and takes off his boxer shorts. I try not to gape at him but it’s tough—Nathan’s body is sculpted and muscular, in the way that tells me he spends his days riding and working, not pumping iron at the gym.
I swallow as I look at his cock. It’s thick and long, and even though I barely have any experience with this type of thing, it’s safe to say that he’s not average. And I guess that makes sense—a man doesn’t have the cocky swagger that Nathan does unless he can back it up.
“You’re joking right? That thing is never going to fit,” I say in a slightly hysterical voice.
“It’ll fit, honey. Your tight little cunt was made to stretch around my cock.”
“Oh my God.” His filthy words burn through my brain. Three weeks ago, hearing him say that any part of me was made for him would have had me swinging for his jaw. But now it sets a fire in me, and makes me want to get down on my knees and worship that very cock.
I move towards him and reach down and stroke his hard cock with my hand, just tentatively at first, unsure what to do.
“Candice,” he groans.
“Teach me this, too,” I say. “Teach me how to make you feel good.”
“You sure?”
“Please.”
He covers my hand in his, tightening my grip on him, and we stroke up and down his shaft together. He moans again, the sound low and plaintive, and his head lolls forward to rest on my shoulder. He moves his hand away and I continue, jerking him hard but slow, the way he showed me. I feel a bead of liquid on his tip and instinctively I drag my fingers through it and spread it around the head.
“Fuck, sweetheart, just like that. You’re such a good student,” Nathan says. “One day soon, I’m going to have you on your knees, and I’ll teach you how to take me here, too.” He strokes a hand up and down my throat, and the image he paints fills my mind: me on my knees, his cock pressing past my lips, filling my mouth and throat.
I almost get down on my knees then and there, but Nathan starts running his fingers through my pussy, spreading my wetness up and around my clit.
“So fucking wet, honey. Did touching my cock do this to you?”
“Yes.” I jerk my hips towards him, but keep a firm grip on his cock, stroking him as he parts me and works one, then two fingers inside of me.
“I want you fucking soaked,” he says. “I want you stretched and ready for my cock. But don’t come yet. Can you do that?”
I nod.
“Good. I know it will be hard for a slut like you to wait, but I want you to come on my cock, and only my cock. I want all of your orgasms today, Viper.”
I nod. It’s a lesson in control—and one I’m excited to learn. It’s about holding back until the right moment, letting Nathan take the lead completely. He thrums my clit, and I feel my knees start to buckle. It would be so easy to give in to the pleasure, but I focus instead on his cock. I rub up and down his shaft, and then cup his balls in my hand. This has him groaning again and biting my shoulder, so I do it a second time.
“Shit,” Nathan says. “I’m going to come soon.”
“So it was good?” I ask, suddenly nervous.
“Candice, I haven’t come from a hand job since I was sixteen. But I almost just blew after you touched me for a few minutes. So yes, it was good.”
“Thanks for the good grade, Mr. Booth,” I say with a grin.
“I’m nowhere near old enough to be your teacher,” he grumbles. “Now turn around and spread your legs like a good slut.”
I do exactly as he says, draping my body over the small wooden table in front of us. I hear Nathan rip open a condom package, and I turn a bit to see him roll it down his thick length.
“You ready, Viper?”
“Yes,” I say, throwing him a wicked grin.