28. Hannah
28
HANNAH
I t was strange being back in Aspen Springs after our whirlwind road trip. Everything was exactly how I had left it. Nothing had changed. My cats, Jo’s, the library—everything was the same way it had always been. I was the one who was different. And it was all Zack’s fault.
It hadn’t even been a full forty-eight hours since he’d dropped me off at my house and went on to Lodestar Ranch with Hurricane Red, but I missed him. It was ridiculous .
I walked to the library, and I thought about Zack.
I stopped in at Jo’s for a cup of tea, and I thought about Zack.
I showed a patron how to create an account and print out tax forms, and I thought about Zack.
I didn’t eat my lunch. I just sat there staring at it, because I was thinking of Zack.
We texted throughout the day. Random little things, like how I daydreamed of murdering our ancient printer like they had in Office Space or how much I had missed the group of kids who showed up after school every day, even though they seemed more feral than ever because the weather had turned warm, and they could see summer break on the horizon. Zack told me about how annoying Adam and Brax were, and how proud he was of Blaine, and that Hurricane Red was settling in well at the ranch.
I shouldn’t have had time to miss him, what with how busy I was and the texts that came through every hour. But his texts never told me the important things.
Like if he was wearing that stupid belt buckle of his.
Or if someone told a joke that made his eyes crinkle in that special Zack way.
If he had found something healthy for lunch.
Those were the things I wanted to know.
There had to be something wrong with me. Surely it wasn’t normal, being this obsessed over a man. It was embarrassing. I was mooning over him like one of those buckle bunnies, except it was even worse. At least they treated it like a game: bang as many rodeo champions as possible, get bragging rights. I just wanted the one rodeo champion, and I didn’t care about his winning record at all. I only wanted him .
It was like I had gone on a five-day Zack bender, and now I was suffering withdrawal.
In the back of my mind, there was a niggling worry. We both had busy lives and jobs that required early starts, but Zack’s never really let up. I couldn’t expect him to spend the night with me in Aspen Springs and then get up at three in the morning to drive the hour back to Lodestar Ranch. Would weekends be the only time we could spend together? How could I possibly go five days in a row without seeing him?
God, I was pathetic.
“Your mom is a silly goose, Annabelle.” I pushed to my feet, empty soup bowl in hand, and moved to the sink to clean up from dinner. “I’m sorry.”
Annabelle winked her green eyes at me. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. I knew she agreed.
My phone buzzed on the table. I dropped the bowl into the sink with a clatter and sprang for it, much to the disapproval of Annabelle. She jumped out of my way with a yowl of displeasure.
Zack:
I miss you.
Hannah:
Do you have plans for Friday night? I know ranch chores don’t stop for the weekend, but I could come out to Lodestar, if that’s okay.
Zack:
That’s cute.
Hannah:
What it?
Zack:
That you think I’m waiting until Friday to see you. Open your door.
With a sharp squeal of excitement, I rushed to the door and pulled it open. “Zack! What are you?—”
It was as far as I got before his mouth crashed down on mine. He wrapped his arms around my waist and leaned back, taking me off the floor, and walked us inside. He kicked the door shut behind him while I returned his kiss like he had just come back from war.
Ridiculous .
I didn’t care.
“Hey, you,” I said breathlessly as he set me back down on my feet.
His lips hooked up. “Hey.”
We stood there, smiling goofy smiles at each other. He straightened my glasses, and my smile became exponentially more goofy, if that was possible.
Then he dropped to his knees. “Have I told you how much I love your skirts? Here, hold this.” He scooped up handfuls of fabric and deposited them in my arms. “God, I’m so fucking hungry,” he muttered as he dragged my underwear down my legs. “Step out, duchess. I have you.” He squeezed my hips.
My arms full of my dress, I wobbled slightly as I lifted one foot, then the other, to kick my underwear aside. “We can go to the bedroom.”
“I’m not waiting another second to eat you, Hannah. Evie, no . Shoo.” He gently pushed the little cat away from my ankles and I bit back a grin.
He lifted one of my legs and slung it over his shoulder, then cupped my bottom and brought me to his mouth. When he buried his face there, we both groaned.
For once, I didn’t think about coming. I was too busy thinking about him . The way he smelled like summer. The sounds he made as he devoured me. I didn’t think about coming as he dragged his tongue down my lips. I didn’t think about coming as he found my clit and sucked. I didn’t think about coming as he pushed one finger inside me, then another.
So when an orgasm came barreling down on me like a freight train, it caught me by surprise. I rocked my hips against his mouth, dropped my skirt in favor of grabbing Zack by his hair, and hung on for dear life.
My legs shook as he lapped up every last drop. Slowly he pushed to his feet.
“That was so good, duchess. Here, taste.” He kissed me and I tasted myself on his tongue, sweet and tangy. “All right, now we can go to the bedroom.”
He scooped me into his arms and I laughed. “Are you giving me a ride, cowboy?” Good thing, because I wasn’t sure my knees would get me there. They had turned to goo from Zack’s wicked tongue.
He smirked. “Damn right I am. But first I’ll carry you to bed.”
I buried my face against his neck, giggling.
He set me down next to the bed and tugged off his boots. I pulled off my sweater, the camisole underneath, and unhooked my bra. He took off his shirt and I shimmied out of my skirt. I stood there, naked, and watched while he used one hand to remove his belt in the sexiest way possible. His cock tented his boxers, but then he pushed them down along with his jeans and I got the real thing. I bit my lip as another bolt of lust shot through me.
He knew what he did to me. I could see it in the glint in his eyes, the smirk of his lips, when he picked me up again, this time depositing me on the bed. He hovered over my body, spreading my thighs wide, lining us up. His cock bumped against my entrance, and I whimpered.
“I want to go slow,” he rasped as he eased inside.
“All right,” I whispered back.
He slid out and pushed in again, a little further. My hips canted and I rolled my lips together to keep from begging for more. Again he slid out, again he pushed in further, edging deeper inside me inch by inch.
“You feel like fucking heaven , Hannah,” he said, and then slid all the way home.
“Oh, goodness,” I breathed.
His shoulders shook with laughter. “That’s it, duchess. Talk dirty to me.”
I pushed my glasses up my nose and fixed my severest librarian glare on him. “Be a good boy and give me a reason.”
He froze. Then, with a low growl, he pulled out and rolled off me. I lifted my head, confused, and he grabbed me by the ankles and pulled me across the mattress toward him.
“Hey!” I yelped. “What are you?—”
But he had me at the edge of the bed now and wasted no time in tossing my legs over his shoulders. He sank into me, and I gasped.
“Oh, god, Zack. You’re so deep inside me I can feel you everywhere .” My eyes practically rolled in my head as I arched my back, impaling myself even further on his dick.
“Yes,” he hissed through his teeth, his gaze riveted to my face. “Tell me what you want.”
“Touch me. Please touch me.”
“You beg so pretty, duchess.” He squeezed my ankle, then stroked his large hand down my leg until he reached where we were joined. “Is this what you want?”
“Yes. Please, yes.” My hips rocked off the bed, seeking more. He gave it to me, pinching my clit between two fingers. “I’m going to come,” I said, the wonder of it in my voice. “Oh, my god, I’m going to come.”
And then I did, exploding with pleasure as every muscle in my body contracted at once. His thrusts grew harder and more erratic and then he came, too, turning his head and biting my ankle as he pushed himself as deep into my body as he could go.
My legs trembled as I slowly unhooked them from his shoulders. He maneuvered us both under the covers, nudging me backward with his torso until my head met the pillow. Then he rolled us so he was on his back, and I collapsed over him like a ragdoll.
“Are you staying the night?” I mumbled.
“I’m staying.” He stroked my hair.
“Your dick is still inside me.”
“I know, duchess. Go to sleep.”
It was still dark when I awoke. I blinked sleepily, my eyes adjusting to the lack of light, and tried to figure out what had woken me. My body was still draped over Zack’s chest. I could feel the steady rhythm of his breath as his abdomen rose and fell beneath me. My hips were cramping a little from straddling his hips. I wiggled carefully, trying not to wake him. That’s when I realized his dick was still inside me.
And now it was hard.
Oh, my goodness .
I wiggled again and felt him twitch inside me. I shoved my face into the pillow to muffle my groan. And then I did it again.
“Hannah.” His sleep-rough laughter rumbled against my cheek. “What are you up to, duchess?”
“ You’re the one who’s up, Zack,” I returned pertly.
He scraped his teeth against my shoulder. “Is that so?”
I rocked my hips to prove it. “Yes, that’s so.”
“Your pussy is still full of my cum, and you want a second round of it? Is that what you want?” His fingertips trailed down my spine, then dug into the globes of my butt.
I groaned, rocking harder. “Yes, that’s what I want.”
“Good. Then that’s what I’m going to give you.”
He thrust upward, hard and rough, again and again. His hands pinned me in place. All I could do was surrender as he fucked me senseless. I rarely had reason to use that word, but that was what this was. Fucking. There was no other word to possibly describe it.
And I loved every second of it.
I came crying his name, and that made his thrusts turn harder. Wilder. And just when I thought he might truly split me apart, he came, too. His body went rigid as he pulsed inside me.
We lay there for a moment longer, breathing heavily, and then I rolled off to use the bathroom. I didn’t want to look back on this gorgeous moment and think, yep, that was it. That was what gave me the worst UTI of my life.
When I came back, he was right where I left him, his eyes half shut, his mouth half smiling. I crawled back under the covers and rested my cheek on his chest, my body still warm and glowing from what had just happened.
It had been so easy .
“I think I’m actually getting used to you being inside me,” I marveled.
Zack barked a laugh. “You’re a fast learner, duchess.”
I lifted my phone from the nightstand and took in the time, then sighed and put it down again. “It’s time for you to head back to Lodestar, although you could squeeze in a shower if you hurry.”
He nuzzled my hair. “I wish I could take you with me. I’m not ready to let go yet.”
I laughed and snuggled closer. “I know it’s going to be hard, figuring out how to see each other with me here in Aspen Springs and you at Lodestar. I’m open to ideas.”
“Well, you could marry me.”