Saddled Up (Windy Peaks #3)

Prologue

Aspen

Two years ago, the first time

Tonight is the night I am going to go for it. It being Rhett. There’s a fifty percent chance this will go my way, and from the way I see it, it's pretty good odds. Worst case scenario is tomorrow I blame it on too much booze, even if I nurse the drink in my hand all night like I plan to do.

I take another long sip of my drink and lock eyes with him.

Seriously, it should be unfair for my brother to have a best friend this damn attractive.

He’s built like a damn lumberjack, and has the whole dark hair and sexy beard thing going on.

Criminally rugged and one hundred percent my type.

I wait for him to break eye contact, but he doesn’t.

I wish I could read him, but judging by the crimson flush on his chest and the smolder, there’s no denying this attraction is mutual.

You know what? I’m upping my odds of this going my way to sixty percent.

I’m four years younger than my brother and his best friends, and up until I came home from college a few months ago, Rhett never gave me a second glance.

They all pretended like I wasn’t there. But, like all younger siblings, I so badly wanted to be a piece of their puzzle.

None of them are biologically related, but you would never guess that with the way they show up for each other.

“Suck it. Mav,” my big brother, Weston, says to his other best friend after he sinks the 8 ball in the pocket, ending their game of pool.

“If you’re that desperate for some action, I’m sure we can find you someone around here,” Mav fires back.

Just like that, my happy feeling of day dreaming about Rhett is gone. In my mind, my brother is celibate.

“You guys ready to head out?” Weston asks over his shoulder as he puts up the pool sticks on the wall.

“Probably, a good idea. We’ve got a lot of shit to do tomorrow,” Mav agrees.

“You guys good to drive?” Weston asks.

Rhett and I answer at the same time; his “I’m good” is covered by my “I need a ride.”

He shakes his head in amusement as a chuckle slips out of him. “I’ll take her; you guys can head home.”

West claps him on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. See you in the morning.”

Once again, my scheming works. Rhett is reliable to a fault, which makes him predictable. He may not have all the pages of his book available, but this one I can read. I knew if I said I needed a ride, he’d offer.

My now very warm and wasted beer sits in my hand. I don’t need a ride, but I’ll use whatever excuse I can to hang out with Rhett.

I’ve had a crush on him as long as I can remember, but once again, the little sister curse struck me down.

He never looked twice at me when I was younger, which now that I’m older makes perfect sense.

He was always kind, but in a "I'm best friends with your brother so I have to protect you” way.

Fourteen-year-old me thought it was chivalry.

Well, until I came back from college. Don’t get me wrong, he hasn’t made a move, but his gaze lingers a little longer. And his cheeks turn red every time I catch him, which is a lot. It’s easy to catch on when I’m constantly looking at him too.

The boys leave through the door, just as I go to grab my coat, but the music changes and my favorite song blares over the juke box.

My gaze immediately locks with Rhett, a sly smile already sneaking its way on my face.

“No,” he says, shaking his head.

“Please, Rhett. It’s my favorite song. Come dance with me, just one song.”

“We have an early morning.” He makes a weak attempt at arguing. I wonder if he can hear how unconvincing it is?

“I’m pretty sure five less minutes of sleep won’t kill you, cowboy. Now come dance with me.” I grab his hands and drag him to a dark corner of the dance floor, out of sight from peering eyes.

He tries to hide it, but even that beard of his can’t hide his smile.

“Fine.” His hand swings around my waist and I feel my heart somersault in my chest. His scent wafts up around me and I feel like I could get lost in it.

We tuck ourselves back into a corner, as far away from prying eyes as we can get.

The thing very few people know about Rhett is this man can dance. The tempo of the music picks up, and he spins me around in circles. Taking the lead, leaving me with nothing to think about other than him.

A laugh escapes me as he stops me mid-spin and I slam back into him.

The heat from his broad chest seeps into me and something ignites.

Attraction seems like a poor way to describe this feeling.

It’s more like an invisible string tied between us.

“You know, if you keep smiling at me like that, I’m going to think you actually like dancing with me. ”

“And what if I do?” He stares down at me as if in a challenge.

Have I mentioned I love challenges?

“Then I might make you stay out and dance with me all night.” My saccharine grin is followed by an equal one on his face.

“I can think of worse ways to spend my night.” His voice turns to a gruffer rumble and I feel exhilaration shoot through my veins.

This is one of those moments that feels too damn good to be true.

Never in my life did I think he would be flirting with me.

For one, I’ve never seen him flirt with anyone ever.

And two, I’m pretty sure my brother would have a few things to say about it, but we’re both adults now.

Weston will get happy in the same pants he got unhappy in.

The tempo of the music changes, slowed down to the point of a sway. Rhett's thumb finds the bare skin on my lower back where my shirt has risen. He rubs it in slow, tantalizing circles. My breath feels like it’s caught in my throat. My hands can barely reach around his neck.

One song quickly turned into three, and God, I could get high off the way he’s looking at me. His brown eyes are bright and that smile of his isn’t hidden. It’s stretching wide across his face. I long to bring my hand up to his jaw, and close the distance between us.

His eyes snag on my lips, and I wonder if he is thinking the same thing I am. What would happen if we just went for it? His gaze feels like fire, and it spreads over me with his perusal. I’m burning up for him and the only way to satiate the heat is his lips on mine.

My eyes can’t pull away from his full lips, they’re like a beacon and I’m honing in.

“Aspen, I think we’re playing with fire here.”

“You planning on burning me?” Little does he know I already feel lit from within.

“God, I can’t think straight with you.” He closes his eyes for a second.

“Then don’t think.” My heart feels like it’s beating a million miles an hour. It feels like I’m in a dream; I’m half tempted to pinch myself. My dreams could never do him justice with the way he is looking at me right now. That fire in his eyes. The flush on his neck.

My thumbs move on their own accord, and my heart isn’t the only one that’s racing. My thumb barely rests on his pulse, and I can feel it hammering like it’s begging to be freed.

He opens his eyes and they are filled with torment, as if I can see him wrestling with himself.

The tension of the moment has me feeling more confident than ever, and my hand moves from his neck to the wispy hairs hanging out the back. My fingers slowly thread through his thick locks.

“Aspen…” he says, his fingers move to my hips, fingertips digging in.

“Do you feel it, too?” I ask in an attempt to draw the truth out of him.

“We can’t.”

“Last time I checked, we’re both adults. But, if you don’t want this…” I trail off, pulling back. I like the guy, but there’s no way in hell you’ll catch me begging for any man's acceptance. This one in front of me, I might do some persuading, but begging is a hard no.

As I try to slip out of his hands, he pulls me tighter. “I didn’t say that. But you’ve been drinking.”

“I had one drink all night and I didn’t even finish it.”

His eyes flash open. “Then why…”

I cut him off. “You know why. Stop fighting it, Rhett.”

He heaves out a sigh.

“Fuck it.”

His lips meet mine and I swear to God the world stops spinning.

It’s like electricity bounces between us.

It takes us no time to sink into each other.

I’ve day dreamed this a million times. And a million times my daydreams undersold me on what the reality of it would be.

I thought the movies were full of shit when they said a kiss could feel…

life changing. It turns out they’re not.

“God, Aspen.” He pulls away and I grip my hands onto his flannel shirt.

“Don’t think, just do.”

“If I don’t think, I’m going to drag you out of here.” His voice has a husky timbre.

“Perfect, there are less eyes at home.”

The second his truck hits park by his cabin, I pull him in my direction, dragging his lips to mine.

He slows me down. “Aspen, we need to talk if we’re going to do this.”

I blink at him, a little too hot and bothered to be doing a lot of talking.

His intensity in his gaze lets me know he’s serious. So I sit back and wait.

“If we do this, it can only be once.” His voice sounds pained.

I scrunch my face, immediately ready to argue that my brother will get over it. “Weston will-..”

“Please, if you want to do this. It’s just once. I know you deserve more, but I can't offer you more than one night.” His words cool some of my rushing blood.

“One night only. Do you agree?” he asks, leaving the ball in my court.

“If we’re only doing this once, you better make it the best night of my life.” I wink.

I don’t want just one night, there's something here. That kiss felt like we’ve been doing it our whole life, I want more of that.

His eyes reignite, all of the desire pooling back up. “I can deliver on that part.”

My body roars back to life with the way he looks at me.

He carries me in and drops me on my back to the mattress. Slowly, he unbuttons his shirt, and fuck, if this man doesn’t devour me in seconds I might die.

Rhett is all man, strong chest covered by dark, curling hair.

Leaning over me, he peppers my body with a whisper of kisses from my lips down to my collarbone, making my body break out in goosebumps.

One arm braces him up, while the other sneaks under my shirt. When his large hand cups my breast, my body arches underneath him.

“Fuck, if that has you squirming, I can’t wait to see what happens when I get my mouth on you.” His tongue glides over his lips and suddenly I find myself a little afraid of what I just signed up for.

He helps me pull off my shirt as his gaze skates over me, perusing every inch of my skin. That act would usually leave me feeling self-conscious, not with him. I find myself glowing internally at what my body does for him.

“These have got to go.” He unbuttons and tugs my jeans off with such ease that I’m left speechless.

Who knew ripping jeans off could be so…hot.

“Take yours off too, while you’re at it.” My voice comes out more breathless than I’d like.

“Eager for me, are ya?” He chuckles.

Yes. I’ve been dreaming about this for years. But saying that would be mortifying, so instead I just grin.

When his pants hit the deck and I get the first glance at what he’s working with, package-wise, my eyes feel like they’re going to bulge out of my head.

“Uh, I don’t think that is going to fit,” I say, propped up on my elbow.

He quirks a brow. “Oh yes it will. I promise.”

His fingers push my panties to the side, and they glide across me, gathering my arousal. “Good God, Aspen. You’re so wet.”

I’d be embarrassed, but the look on his face squashes that feeling before it can take root.

He looks like he wants to eat me whole, and I think I want to let him.

“Can I get a taste?”

I nod, grateful that the desire coursing through me might finally be sated.

He drops to his knees with a thud against the hardwood floor. His tongue is fucking me before I even have a chance to grip the sheets beneath me.

My hips buck up off the bed, but he puts a strong, demanding hand over them, holding me down. His other hand goes to my clit, rubbing circles on it, gaining just enough friction to catapult me over the edge.

He stands to his full height, ripping a condom open with his teeth and tossing the wrapper off to the side.

“I’m on birth control,” I whimper, because if I’m only going to get this once, I want nothing between us.

“I don’t take chances, but don’t worry. You’ll still feel every inch of me.” He winks at me.

For such a quiet, serious man, he sure talks a lot in the bedroom.

He throws my legs over his shoulders and then notches the tip of his cock in me and I gasp at the stretch. “I’ll go nice and slow for you.”

His thumb rubs circles over my clit while the other hand grips the top of my shin.

He slowly glides in and I see stars. Still sensitive from my last orgasm, this feels like too much. But knowing this will be the only time makes it feel like not enough.

He begins working me like we’ve been doing this forever.

Something about him drags out levels of confidence I didn’t know existed.

Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m his salvation.

He’s perfectly in tune with what my body wants.

No shy, “I like it like this,” he just knows what I need.

I’ve never felt so comfortable with someone in this intimate of a situation in my life.

Our bodies work together in perfect tandem.

His cock thrusts in and out. “Told you that you’d be able to take it. You’re going to be thinking of me all day tomorrow.” He thrusts again, making my tits bounce with the impact.

He leans in, his lips right against my ear. “And when I think about it, I’ll make myself come to the thought of you.”

I shiver in response.

He groans, his hand flexing around my calf and he throws his head back. “Fuck, Aspen. You’re killing me.”

I'd answer, but I'm so dangerously close to coming that the only thing I can do is take in short, rapid breaths.

He pulls back, looking to where our bodies meet, and where he slides into me over and over. “Come on me, Aspen. Let me see you come all over my cock.”

Never in my life have I enjoyed being told what to do, but when Rhett does it, it’s not half bad. In fact, it drops me right into an orgasm.

“Yes, fuck.” His pace picks up and he follows shortly behind me before collapsing on my chest.

“I think you just ruined my life; only getting to do that once is cruel,” he mumbles.

“Well, we can bend the rules and make it just one night. How long you need?”

He picks up his head and looks at me. I can’t help but laugh at his expression.

“Twenty minutes, tops. Hope you weren’t planning on sleeping.”