Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Renn
The Riptide
“Where’d you learn to train and breed horses?” Renn asked as he carried the beach bag she’d packed down a weathered wooden path to the beach. They’d brought his truck since hers still had supplies in the back. He was excited she’d agreed to spend some time together.
“My mama loved horses. She raced them. Her daddy had been a breeder, and he’d taught her and she taught me. Before she left us.”
“I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “Said she couldn’t sit by and watch my daddy cheating and lying.
So, when I was ten, she divorced him. I thought she’d take me with her, but she said she couldn’t.
That it’d be too hard for her to work the racing circuit and keep me in school.
And then she just never came back for me. ”
“Sounds like we have something else in common.” He reached out to hold her hand but then decided he better not push his luck. He was still surprised she’d agreed to let him help her today.
With a faint smile she unbuttoned her shorts and let them fall to the sand. “Last one to the water is the loser,” she called running toward the waves.
He still had to kick off his boots, pull off his jeans and remove his shirt, but he didn’t mind losing if it meant getting to watch her full bottom bounce in her fitted one-piece, and her long legs kick the water.
He took his time walking toward her where she’d already dived into the water.
The sand was shelly and felt good after a long run that morning.
She was treading water as he walked further in, but he could still touch.
“Come here, I’ll give you your prize,” she said, reaching out to him.
“Prize for what?” he said, moving closer to her but stopping an arm’s length away. He was going to need her to make the next move.
She swam closer moving her hands up his shoulders pulling his body into hers. “For helping me today,” she breathed as she wrapped her legs around his waist and he gripped her bottom.
“You are a prize, but not to be bartered. You should be won and only by someone you want to win right back.”
“You’re too good and too tempting,” she breathed and then she was kissing him.
With his hands on her hips, he moved her up and down his hard length so she could see just how much he wanted her.
Even in the cool water he was throbbing for her.
Next her hand started to move down his boxers to pump his length, and he knew she was asking for more.
The beach was private and there wasn’t a trace of another person as far as the eye could see.
He carried her out of the water and set her down on the blanket.
Near the tall grass of the dunes just in case they needed to get dressed fast. Then with patience he didn’t really have he slowly peeled her bathing suit down and shucked his briefs.
Then she surprised him by pulling a condom from the beach bag.
“Shelby said I should always be prepared and gifted me a box.”
“You can thank her for me,” he said, watching her open the condom and then helped her put it on him.
He kissed her again as he moved between her legs and let her take the lead. She stroked his sheathed length as he balanced most of his weight on his forearms.
“My body seems to know exactly what it wants from you,” she said as she moved the tip of his cock through her folds.
“Show me,” he encouraged her, kissing each of her breasts and teasing her nipples with his teeth.
She lined him up with her core and slowly pressed her hips up to take him in just enough for him to feel her wet heat, then pulled away. He sank his mouth over one of her nipples and bit down, and she rewarded him with lifting her hips up again to take more of him.
“More,” he begged, moving one hand down to cup under her bottom and hoist her up while at the same time sinking down into her until he was completely seated inside her. And when she spread her legs wider he sank a fraction more and she let out a guttural sound of pure pleasure.
“You can have all of me, just please don’t stop,” she said, and he buried his face in her neck.
He pumped his length in and out of her until there was no chance she would forget their day on the beach making love on the sand.
She came the first time, sinking her nails into his back and then the second time while his mouth devoured her sweet juices.
This woman could have anything she wanted from him.
They spent the next hour rolling around on the beach blanket, making out like teenagers, and ignoring the fact that they weren’t a couple on vacation.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d be in town, and she had enough walls to build a skyscraper.
They were the two most unlikely people to find each other, and yet here they were.
They didn’t talk about anything serious—not family, work, or life goals.
They just enjoyed each other’s company, had sex, a picnic, and when they were both spent, they dried off and headed back to the truck.
“We should be able to knock out the rest of the fence fast now,” he commented as he parked next to her truck.
“Good because it’s almost time for my evening chores, and to get back to reality.”
“I guess there’s no chance you’d let me take you out to dinner then?”
She sighed heavily. “It sounds really nice, and I have to admit if I were looking to find someone to sometimes spend time with and take me out, you’d be the first one on my list.”
“But you don’t have time for dating, or someone who lives six hours away.”
“Right. My life is already complicated enough as it is.”
He knew it sounded crazy for him to find someone he liked in this small town where his estranged father had raised his half-brothers, but it didn’t change the fact that he had. The timing was all wrong, but that didn’t change the fact that he wanted to see more of Miranda.
“Ya, in fact I’m not really interested in finding someone who laughs at my jokes or fits my body like a glove either,” he said playfully, earning a smile out of her. “I just figured while I’m in town, I could make myself useful.” Then he headed back over to the fence post to check how it had set.
Once he’d confirmed it was strong enough, he started to attach the two-by-fours, and they made quick work of finishing off the fence.
But by the time the fence was done he couldn’t help but notice how quiet Miranda had gotten.
The last thing he wanted to do was add any stress to her life and it was probably absurd to think they could roll some steamy hookups into any kind of a real relationship.
Before he could say he was sorry, another car pulled down the drive and Miranda’s younger brother got out.
“Wow, you built a fence today?” Jeremy asked.
“Well, Renn did most of the building,” Miranda said, pulling her brother in for a hug. “Ugh you’re supposed to shower after practice,” she teased.
“Coach made the freshmen stay dirty, said we stink so bad on the field we could stink off the field.”
“That’s BS,” Renn said, but caught the warning look from Miranda. “It’s bad for their skin to stay in their dirty, sweaty uniforms, and probably against the health code for the school.”
“I need to have another talk with the coach,” Miranda said.
Jeremy groaned. “Please don’t—he’ll just give me more laps as punishment like last time.”
“Fine then I’ll ask Wes to talk to him, but he can’t treat you like this.”
“I’m okay, Andy, but I’m going to go take that shower now.” Then he ran off toward the house.
“Your brother’s coach is a bully, and he shouldn’t be punishing him just because you’re concerned about his coaching style,” Renn said, annoyed.
“Tell me something I don’t know. You think I don’t know exactly why that SOB thinks he can push my little brother around and treat him like dirt?
That I don’t feel guilty about the fact that between our daddy and my reputation, Jeremy won’t ever get a fair shake from the people in this town?
” Her eyes were dark green with anger, and the sunset made her hair look like it was glowing.
“I didn’t mean to get you upset, I just meant you shouldn’t have to put up with that.” He pulled her into him and hugged her.
She buried her face in his chest and took a deep breath then pulled away. “I’m not worried about that misogynistic jerk, I just wish he wouldn’t take out his judgments on Jer.”
“Wes could handle him, if you’re willing to let him.”
“Thanks for saving me again today. But don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine.”
He watched her walk back to the barn and it took every ounce of his willpower to get in his truck and drive off.
But he knew if he pushed too hard, she’d be too angry to let him in.
If he wanted to get a chance at spending more time with her, he was going to have to find a way for her to think it was her own idea.