AlmostHome (21 page)

Haley took a deep breath and exhaled as Wyatt toyed with
her. Dear lord, he had her so close, she was practically ready to come, and
then…whap.

“Ow!” she screeched. “Damn it, Wyatt.” He chuckled
and…whap…that one really stung.

“Never again, Haley,” he gritted out. “If you ever put
yourself in harm’s way again,” whap, “you’ll be eating standing up for a week.”
Whap. “Are we clear?”

When she didn’t answer, he gave her another sharp smack.
“Yes! Yes, we’re clear.”

“Good.” He stroked her stinging backside, then wedged his
hand between her legs again. “Open up, baby, let me play.” She opened her
thighs, uttering a keening moan when two fingers wormed inside her and pumped.
“I think you like getting your bottom spanked,” Wyatt crooned. “Isn’t that
right?”

When she didn’t answer, he withdrew from her and gave her another
swat. “I said, isn’t that right?”

“Yes,” Haley gasped. “Please Wyatt…I—”

“You want my cock, darlin’? Is that what you need?”

“God yes,” she groaned when he probed her again. “I need you
inside me.”

“Mmm-hmm,” he said softly. “And you’re not gonna try to run
out on me?” He added another finger and went deeper.

“No,” she wailed. “I swear. I was just scared.”

He withdrew from her and stroked her bottom. “I know you
were, darlin’ but we’re a team and we’re gonna get through this together.” He
gave her a little pat. “Get up on your hands and knees, sweet pea. Turn around
and face the headboard. You might wanna hang on cause it’s gonna be a hard
ride.”

Haley shivered in anticipation when Wyatt moved into place
behind her. God but she loved it when he took her like this.

“Wider,” he demanded, giving her inner thigh a little smack.
She spread herself wider and grabbed on to the headboard slats. “That’s
perfect, darlin’. You’re so pretty, all pink and swollen like this.” He ran his
index finger through the silky threads of moisture. When she moaned loudly, he
chuckled. “I think you’re ready for good, hard ride, ain’t you?”

“Yes,” she hissed.

“Well, let’s make you come first.”

She nearly screamed when he stretched out beneath her and
pulled her down over his face to torment her with his wickedly skilled mouth.

“Oh god,” Haley moaned.

The man had talent with his lips and tongue, sucking and
licking her from anus to clit and back again. But he didn’t stop there, oh no,
not her husband. His fingers poked and probed, stroked and pinched, tormenting
her. Her pussy quivered and gushed as he ate at her and she sobbed and begged
him to please let her come. His only response was “soon” and then he went back
to driving her absolutely wild with need.

Haley gasped and moaned as he fed, so close to release.
“Please, please,” she begged. The orgasm that rocked her was the first of what
she knew would be many.

“God.” She moaned, the sound a mix between a gasp and a
sigh. “Wyaaattt!” Her whole body quaked with anticipation when he slid from
beneath her and rolled to his knees. She held her breath when the head of his
cock nudged, then pushed inside.

“Is this what you want, sweet pea? You want my cock?”

Haley groaned in frustration. “Yes, yes. Damn it, Wyatt,
stop teasing.”

Wyatt chuckled and gave her another inch. “You want slow and
easy? Or do you want hard and fast.”

“Hard,” she shrieked. “And fast, Wyatt. Now.”

“Okay baby,” he crooned and thrust deep.

Haley’s eyes nearly rolled back in her head. The orgasm that
rocked her had to have been an eight on the Richter scale.

“More?” Wyatt rasped.

“Yes, yes. Ah god, I need you.”

Her rode her hard, giving her everything she wanted and
more, lifting her until she straddled his thighs. He was so deep and she was so
full, all they could do was rock together. One hand cupped her breast, tugging
and pinching the nipple, the other stroking between her thighs to worry her
clit. Her pussy clenched and the slow spiral into ecstasy began. Heat coursed
through her, radiating from deep inside her, down her thighs to her toes,
shooting back up to her belly, bursting like a dying star through her entire
body.

Behind her, Wyatt cursed. “Ah fuck, I’m gonna come,
darlin’,” Wyatt croaked. He pushed her down until her chest and forehead rested
on the mattress and then picked up the pace, driving deep, nearly withdrawing,
then plunging in again.

Haley keened, thrusting back against him, panting. “Yes,
yes, yes.” When he slammed into her once last time, she came with a violence
that stunned her. And then the world went black.

Her husband was still inside her, holding her tight against
his body, when Haley opened her eyes.

“Welcome back, darlin’.” He pressed a kiss against her bare
shoulder and she felt her body flush with embarrassment over her shameless
behavior, reacting to a spanking like she had and begging him fuck her. Seemed
like he always had her begging for more. It was downright unseemly. “Hey now,
what’s with the blushing? We’re married and nothin’ we do together is wrong.”

She nodded. “I know. It’s just that I…you spanked me and…I
liked it. And I passed out. Is that, you know, normal?”

“I like that you liked it. It made me so hot and hard it’s a
pure wonder I didn’t come the second I got inside you.” He chuckled and his
softening cock slid from her. “As for the other, I’ve heard of it but I ain’t
never seen it happen before. Seemed like it was one hell of an orgasm.”

Haley bit her lower lip. “It was the most powerful feeling I
ever had.” She could tell by his smile that he was pretty damn pleased with himself.
“You make me feel like that all the time.” She looked away for a long moment,
then met his gaze. “I’m scared, Wyatt. If anything happened…if I lost you. I
wouldn’t wanna live.”

“Haley—”

“No.” She put two fingers over his lips. “Let me finish. You
and this place are the first good things I ever had in my whole life but I’d
give it all up if it meant keeping you safe.”

He took hold of her wrist, brought her hand to his lips and
kissed her palm. “Well, I appreciate that, darlin’, I really do, but we ain’t
gonna let your daddy drive either of us outta our homes.”

Haley raised an eyebrow. “Appears to me like he’s already
done it. Your house is gone.” Tears welled again. “You’ll never know how bad I
feel about that.”

“Like I said, it ain’t your fault.” He leaned down and
kissed the tears from the corners of her eyes. “Does it piss me off? Hell yeah.
Is that fucking house worth more to me than your life, than my life with you?
Hell no. And that’s what he’s counting on, darlin’…he was betting on you
setting me aside to keep me safe and then he woulda made his move. But we ain’t
gonna let that happen, are we?”

“No. No we’re not. Fact is we need to order up the lumber
for a new barn and plan us a wedding party.”

Wyatt tipped her chin up. “That’s my girl. I’m glad we got
that settled.” He gave her a wide grin and a wink. “But I gotta admit I’d like
to do the spanking thing again.”

“Really?” Haley looked down, heat rushing to her cheeks. “Me
too.”

“I’m mighty glad to hear it, sweet pea, and believe me, I’ll
be looking for excuses to do it again real soon.” He kissed the tip of her
nose. “Now how about we get showered up and make an appearance before folks
think I’ve done you bodily harm?”

* * * * *

Her brother was sprawled on a chair, foot propped on the
bench, talking with the deputy when Haley and Wyatt walked outside arm in arm.
Conner looked up, his leg swollen and discolored from the snakebites. The
wounds, open to the air, looked worse than she could have imagined. Haley
rushed to his side.

“You all right?” Conner demanded, giving Wyatt the stink
eye. “Sounded like World War Three in there.”

“For heaven’s sake, Conner, you should be back in the
hospital,” she scolded. He shook his head stubbornly and gave her a critical
once-over. She smiled reassuringly. “I’m okay. Wyatt would never hurt me. I’m
the one who was breaking things. He just had to…shake me up some so I’d start
thinking normal again.”

Conner looked over at Wyatt and nodded. “Heard about your
house. I’m real sorry. Gotta figure it was Winslow. The deputy here says he
done some time for arson, along with a buncha other shit.”

“Yup,” the deputy chimed in, scratching his chin. “He’s a
bad one all right. ”

Haley gave her brother a hug. “Now we just need to
concentrate on getting you better before Pa turns up for a showdown.”

Conner shifted in the chair, grimacing. “There’s a showdown
coming for sure, Hales, and you need to get the hell outta Dodge like ya was
hollering about doing a little while ago.” He leveled his gaze on Wyatt. “Ain’t
you got some relatives in Timbuktu or someplace you can send her ‘til this is
over?”

Haley snorted, folded her arms over her chest. “Like I’d
leave.”

Wyatt scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Reckon I could send
her on down to the South Pole to count the penguins but you don’t really
believe she’d agree to leave over something as minor as arson and attempted
murder, do ya?”

Chapter Fifteen

Pickup trucks, tractors and campers filled the ranch yard.
As happens in the ranching community, neighbors came from miles around to help
raise the new barn and celebrate Haley and Wyatt’s marriage. The Flying W hands
had driven Wyatt’s herd onto One-Eyed Jack property and were bunking with
Haley’s hands until a decision could be made as to whether or not the newlyweds
would rebuild the Flying W ranch house or Wyatt would take up residence at
Haley’s. Regular patrols had been set up with the men rotating in and out on
six-hour schedules. Shifts were doubled at night and everyone present was
armed.

The women bustled around, setting up tables and seeing to it
they kept the refrigerator filled with enough food to keep the men energized.
The island and countertops practically groaned under the weight of home baked
breads, biscuits and desserts. Children and dogs ran riot indoors and out and
the scents of fresh-cut lumber and roasting meat filled the air.

Haley stood on the porch with Tracie Owens, surveying the
shirtless men diligently working on framing the barn. Even Conner was swinging
a hammer. Tracie was just about to graduate from nursing school and she eyed
Conner’s injured leg critically.

“Looks like the swelling’s gone down and the skin grafts
took, “ Tracie observed. “How’s he doing?”

Haley struggled not to smile. Tracie had taken care of
Conner at the hospital and had developed a not so medically related interest in
her brother.

“He’s doing good,” Haley said nonchalantly. “Still some pain
but not as bad as it was. Getting stronger every day.”

“He’s doing the exercises the physical therapist
recommended?”

“Yup. Reluctantly, but he’s doing ‘em.”

Tracie nodded thoughtfully. “You think I should talk to him
about it?” The girl looked at Haley with such a hopefully sweet expression, she
just couldn’t say no.

“Probably wouldn’t hurt. He misses a day or two now and
again and I don’t think that’s a smart thing to do. Do you?”

Tracie shook her head. “No, it sure ain’t,” she said
gravely. “I’d best have a chat with him.”

Haley smiled. “Maybe you’d best.” She watched as Tracie
crossed the ranch yard, Connor in her sights.

“She sure does have it bad for Conner.” Haley squeaked when
one of Wyatt’s arms circled her waist. She relaxed against him.

Wyatt nuzzled her ear. “Almost as bad as I got it for you,
sweet pea.”

She turned her head, tipped it back for a kiss. “Mmm, been
at the chocolate chip cookies again, have you?”

Wyatt kissed her again, his tongue a sensual glide against
hers. He broke the kiss and murmured, “Well, my wife won’t go upstairs with me
and let me eat what I really want, so I’m forced to settle for cookies.”

“That bitch,” Haley said and laughed.

Wyatt joined in. “Here now, that’s the woman I love you’re
cussing. Besides, I figure I’ll lure her away in a couple of hours, once I’m
all sweaty and smelling like lumber shavings. She likes that kind of manly
stuff.”

“Mmm, yes she does,” she agreed, turning in his arms,
offering her mouth to him. He took it, kissing her until she moaned and pressed
herself against him.

Behind them the screen door opened and slammed shut. “Ma!”
Ezzie Dooley shouted into the house. “Pa told a fib. They’re at it again.” She
looked at Haley and Wyatt in disgust. “Pa said you’d slow down all that mushy
stuff once you was married.”

Wyatt turned Haley loose and wiggled his fingers menacingly
at Ezzie. “And did he tell you’d I’d stop tickling you too?” He took a step
toward Ezzie, who screeched and leapt off the porch. He gave Haley a hard, fast
kiss. “Hold that thought, darlin’, I got me a kid to tickle.” He jumped off the
porch to give chase to the squealing five-year-old.

The screen door opened and Maria Dooley walked out, nodding
toward Wyatt. “He will make a good father, that one.”

Haley smiled, her insides going all soft. She touched her
flat belly. “Yes he will.”

Maria put and arm around her shoulder. “Does he know yet?”

“No. I haven’t told him.” She sighed, rested her head on
Maria’s shoulder. “I’m scared he’ll send me away.”

Maria patted her shoulder. “He will try but I think you will
not let him. Still, you must tell him.”

Maria was right. Wyatt deserved to know. He’d try to make
her leave but no matter what anybody said, she would not be driven from her
home. She had a chance to build something here. A business. A family. A life
with the man she loved. Her daddy could do his worst but this time when he
pushed, she aimed to push back.

“Well,” Haley said, coiling her long braid and pinning it to
her head. “I’d best get out there and get to work. Don’t want the men to think
I’m a slacker.” She descended the steps and made her way to the worksite. “What
can I do boys?”

None of the men really wanted her pounding nails but they
finally set her to work with a couple of Wyatt’s men, cutting lengths of
lumber, labeling and then stacking them. Construction was hot, sweaty work made
worse by the Texas summer heat. After several hours of constant work, Wyatt
came in search of her.

“There you are, sweet pea.” He stood back and took a good
long look at her. “That’s quite the hairdo. Going for the milkmaid look, I see.
Sexy. I like it. I like that sweaty, wet t-shirt look too but I think it’s time
you took a break.”

She looked around. “I don’t see nobody else taking a break.”
She sighed when Wyatt folded his arms over his chest, one eyebrow raised. “Oh,
all right.” She set the circular saw on the stacked lumber she’d just cut and
signaled to her partner she was going to get a drink. “By god, you’re getting
bossy. I bet you’ve been this way the whole dang time and you was just waitin’
‘til you married me to show your true colors.”

Wyatt laughed and twined his fingers with hers as they
walked. “You’re right, darlin’, I’ve been deceiving you all these months.” He
led her into one of the smaller equipment sheds, closed the door and slid the
bolt home.

“What are you up to?” Haley asked as he led her over to a
wooden equipment box.

His gaze roamed over her body. “You got something to tell
me?” he asked, sitting down on the lid.

Her brow wrinkled in confusion. “I…no, I don’t think so.
What’s this about?”

“Take off that shirt, sweet pea.”

She took a step back. “What? Why would I do that? Wyatt,
it’s the middle of the day and there are people everywhere. Anybody could come
in here at any time.”

He folded his arms over his chest. “I bolted the door.”

“One of the doors.” She stomped her foot. “What is wrong
with you? Somebody could come through the side door looking for a piece of
equipment.”

“Then you’d best make it quick.”

She threw her arms up in frustration. “You are acting like a
crazy man.” But she skimmed her sweaty t-shirt off and tossed it at him.
“Satisfied?”

“Not yet. “ He spread his legs, gestured to the dirt floor
between them, pointed. “Come here. Right here.” She stepped between his legs
and he cupped her hips in his hands. Drawing her close, he pressed a kiss
against her belly. All the breath left her body.

“Oh God. Who told you?” she asked.

She cupped his head as he pressed his cheek against her.
“Dooley overheard you and Maria talking, figured I should know, what with
what’s going on. My question to you, Mrs. Brody, is why didn’t you see fit to
tell me?”

When he pulled her onto his lap, there was so much
expression in his handsome face—hurt, anger, joy, wonder. And fear. It was the
fear that scared her most. That was the emotion that would cause him to lose
his mind and go all overprotective of her.

“I was afraid you’d send me away,” she whispered. “I
couldn’t bear it if you made me leave.”

Wyatt heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Honey, if I thought
you’d leave and stay gone until this was over, I’d surely do it, but I know you
well enough by now to know that you’d just find a way back.” He held her close,
rubbing his cheek on the side of her breast.

“I’m sorry,” she said miserably. “I should have told you the
minute I knew.”

He nodded. “Yes, you should. No more secrets, Haley. I mean
it.”

“Yes, Wyatt.” She looked at him, wide-eyed, and smiled
tenderly. “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

A big hand came up to cup her breast. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll
think of something. But in the meantime, you’re off construction duty. Are we
clear on that?”

“Absolutely clear.”

He got that sleepy-eyed look, the one he got when he was
fixing to seduce her and Haley felt a little thrill zing straight to her pussy
as he reached up and flicked open her bra.

“I hear a woman’s breasts get more sensitive when she’s
pregnant.” His tongue curled around one distended nipple for a quick taste.
“What say we find out?”

It was a rhetorical question, she knew. Wyatt would do what
he would do and she wasn’t of a mind to try to stop him. When his mouth closed
over her and sucked, her pussy gushed and she moaned.

“Wyatt.” His name came out on a breathy sigh.

Hot breath skimmed across her chest and he gave her a little
nip before drawing deeply on her other breast.

“Oh god,” she whispered, squirming on his lap. When he
looked up at her, the heat of that gaze nearly set her over the edge. He
reached for her belt.

Haley brushed his hand away and slowly rose. She looked him
right in the eye and smiled as she slowly dropped her jeans and stepped out of
them, then slid her hand beneath the waistband of her cotton panties and
touched herself.

“Damn, woman,” Wyatt groaned and practically tore off his
own clothes.

Haley teased her clit while Wyatt spread their clothes on
the wooden box to use as padding. Taking his seat again, she smiled when he
fisted his cock in his hand, slowly stroking. “Damn that’s hot. Take off those
panties, honey, let me see how wet you are.”

Haley laughed softly and shimmied out of her flowered
bikinis. She ran her finger through her slit and held the glistening evidence
out for him to see. He grasped her wrist, pulled her closer and sucked her
finger into his mouth. With a slight shove to his chest, he leaned back,
eyelids at half-mast as she straddled him.

“How about a ride, cowboy?”

She bit her bottom lip when Wyatt’s hands closed around her
hips and dragged her down over his cock.

His arms closed around her. “You want a ride, honey, I’ll
give you a ride.”

“You feel so good,” Haley whispered. “God, I could have you
in me every minute of the day and it would never be enough. I’ll never get
enough of you, not even when I’m a hundred.” She squeezed her inner muscles as
she rose, prompting a low moan from him.

“Ah fuck, honey, that’s good. Do that again.” He took one of
her breasts in his mouth, teeth closing over the nipple with just enough sting
to make her gasp and gush. She rose and fell, tightening her grip on him each
time. The look of pure, unadulterated lust on his face sparked something carnal
and raw inside her and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding tight as
her mouth slammed against his in a kiss so smoldering hot they both went up in
flames.

Wyatt’s hands grasped her hips, guiding her, grinding her
against his groin. She moaned, fisting her hands in his hair as she rode
him—rising, falling, grinding as she took her pleasure and brought him his.

The heat of orgasm built, stronger and more intense than
she’d imagined. Only Wyatt’s mouth against hers kept her from screaming when
her body gave a short, sharp jerk, froze for a heartbeat, then quaked. He
joined her, thrusting up one final time as her inner muscles milked him, both
of them shaking with the power of mutual release. She slumped against him,
chest-to-chest, gasping for breath, her head on his shoulder.

He rubbed her back, soft strokes that sent shivers up and
down her spine. “Holy crow,” she breathed, then kissed the side of his neck.

“I second that, sweet pea.” He gave her squeeze. “Jesus,
when you touched yourself like that I nearly came all over myself.”

She leaned back and gave him a lingering kiss. “Liked that,
did ya?”

He chuckled. “Hell yes, I liked it.” He cupped her breast.
“It was sexy as all get out. One of these nights, I wanna watch you pleasure
yourself. Will ya do that for me?”

“I’d do anything for you, baby. Anything.” She was just
about to kiss him again when they heard footsteps and someone calling their
name. She practically vaulted off his lap. “Oh, shit. Clothes.”

Wyatt laughed. “We’ll be right out,” he called, then stood
and began separating their clothes

He shook the sawdust from their garments and handed over her
clothes. “Put those on quick in case somebody come in. I don’t want anybody
seein’ what’s mine.”

* * * * *

Haley’s face heated and she held her husband’s hand as they
exited the equipment shed. Amused faces watched as they exited, knowing exactly
what the newlyweds had been doing in there.

“Relax,” Wyatt teased. “It ain’t like everybody here ain’t
done the same. Now that the crime scene folks are gone, I’m gonna have you in
the hayloft, too.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her and Haley thought she might
die of embarrassment at the speculative looks. Still, the idea of doing it in
the hayloft had merit.

They’d gotten a hell of a start on the barn by the time
things began to wind down for the day. The frame had been up by midafternoon
and by the time the hog was done roasting the siding was being applied and the
roof had a plywood skin. They wound their way through the throng of people,
shaking hands and thanking everyone for their help. One by one, men began to
clean and put away tools before taking turns washing up.

Darkness was beginning to fall and someone had lit a fire in
the pit one of the older boys had dug earlier in the day. The hog was off the
spit and Dooley had just tapped a keg of beer. Haley squeezed Wyatt’s hand.