Stripped (8 page)

“I
don’t think I’ve ever heard you say ‘fuck me.’ Have you ever said that, Abby?”

His
cock was brushing against the inside of my thigh, so very close. I wiggled
beneath him, the hay scratching my back, seeking contact.

“Say
it, Abby. Say what you want. Tell me.” He smiled, a very wicked gleam in his
eye.

“Say
all those dirty words you’ve never said out loud. Say them to me, Abby.”

I
struggled up on my elbows, blood pounding in my head, matching the thunder and
drumming of the rain outside.

“Oh, Chase…fuck
me, please…” I was breathing hard.

“Is
that what you want?” He was breathing as hard as I was, our eyes locked
together.

“Yes.”
I grabbed the back of his head, pulling him to me, his face inches from mine.

Chase’s
hungry smile was smothered against my mouth as I pulled him close, my kiss as
brutal as any I’d had from him.

He
did fuck me then, and hard, just as I asked. Something was unleashed inside me,
something just as wild as what I sensed in Chase, and I screamed and cried out,
raked my nails across his back, thrust my body against him as hard as I could.

I
came quickly, unexpectedly, and it was almost overwhelming. My body arched up
against Chase, as he pulled me hard against him, one arm braced on the hay
bale. He held me while I shook, my body lost to the sensations that swept through
me, carried me some place far away, crashed and tossed me about and then ebbed
away, leaving me limp in his embrace.

I
opened my eyes, looking up at Chase. He was watching me, a look of wonder on
his face, frowning slightly.

“You
okay, Abby?”

I lay
back on the hay, breathing hard, my heart still hammering in my chest.

“Yeah.
Wow…” I was aware Chase was still inside me, not moving, but still hard. I
placed my hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating just as hard as mine.

“Chase….”
I caressed his face with my fingertips, slowly rocking my hips, feeling him
move inside me.

He
gave me a questioning look. I nodded my head and he began moving inside me,
whatever restraint he’d been exercising now gone. He thrust fast and hard,
coming quickly with a loud tearing cry, his body shuddering beneath my hands as
I held him to me, cradling his head on my shoulder.

When
he was done, he stayed flung across my body, breathing hard, his back slick
with sweat. I realized that it was quiet outside, the rain had stopped, so
quiet now that I could hear Chase breathing.

He
pushed himself up from me, groaning theatrically, pulling me to my feet.
Smiling, he plucked a stray piece of hay out of my hair before pulling me
close, holding me against his chest.

“You
know, you look so beautiful with you are coming, Abby. Sometimes I wish I could
follow you wherever it is you go.”

“You
can’t follow, Chase…because you’re leading me.” I looked up, embarrassed by the
warmth of my words, running my fingers down his cheek. He took my hand, kissing
my fingertips.

“I’ll
take you there anytime you want, Abby.”

***

The
sun was brilliant on the ride back, the world all shiny and clean after the
rain, the dust settled on the back roads. We got back to Chase’s ranch in the
late afternoon.

“You
want a shower before dinner or after?” He’d put the bike away; we’d come in to
the kitchen through the back porch door.

“I
want one now, with you.”

I
caught Chase off guard. He turned, smiling.

“So,
now it’s like that, is it?” He pulled me against him, lips on mine in a
lingering kiss.

“Drop
everything and do as you say?”

I
looked up at him, laughing. “You asked. And I answered.”

***

The
shower turned out to be an invitation to a bath in the most amazing tub I’d
ever seen. Chase had taken me upstairs to his bedroom, stripping me of my damp
and dusty clothes, apologizing for the torn panties.

“I’ll
buy you new ones, lots of new ones, enough to tear one off of you every day of
the week.”

The
bathroom off the master bath was a huge affair, with a steam shower large
enough for more than two. But the centerpiece was a raised tub at least seven
feet long, wide enough for two side-by-side and deep enough to bathe a horse.

“Chase,
this is huge.”

He
was filling the tub, adding something bubbly and wonderfully scented, fresh and
citrusy. There were a few candles lit on the counter and the edge of the tub.

“Do
you frequently take bubble baths? With scented candles?” It seemed such a
contrast to the rough and tumble rancher image I had of him, to imagine him soaking
in a tub of bubbles by candle light, and despite my best efforts, I giggled.

He
straightened, giving me a scowl.

“There’s
nothing better than a long soak in hot water after an afternoon of breaking
horses. We used to use the horse trough out behind the barn when I was growing
up.” He nodded at the tub.

“This
is a far cry more comfortable, especially for two.” He took a step toward me
with such purpose, I backed up.

“Unless
you want me to dunk you in the tank out behind the barn? I’d be more than happy
to do that, if you’re not happy with the current accommodations.”

Then
he burst out laughing. “Abby, you should see your face. Never play poker,
that’s my advice to you, first and last. Never play poker. You’re holding a
deuce and a seven, the hammer, and wondering if you should bluff.”

He
pulled me against him, kissing me hard. “I’m calling your bluff and we’re
taking a bath.”

The
water was silky smooth, almost too hot, but not quite. Chase hit a switch
somewhere and the water gently swirled around us. He settled back in the tub,
nestling me between his outstretched legs, my back against his chest. His arms
rested comfortably on the wide edge of the tub and I rested my head on his
shoulder, my body floating gently in the water.

If I
shifted just right, I could feel his cock poking me in the back, or along my
thighs or brushing against my ass. There was no rush, neither of us feeling the
need to do more than just let the water swirl around us, warm and soothing, our
bodies touching in the warm water. There seemed to be all the time in the world
for the two of us to be together, to do whatever was going to come next.

Eventually
Chase began running his hands across my breasts, the water making them
deliciously slippery. One hand slid lower, cupping itself between my legs,
slowly rubbing and touching, his fingers drawing lazy circles around my clit,
slipping lower every so often to slide deeper into me.

I let
my body relax, let my legs fall open, gave him all the room he needed. I
watched his hand for a little bit, entranced by the motion of his fingers, the
bubbles that were left in the tub moving away from the motion of hand. Then I
leaned back, closing my eyes, letting him have his way with me. He was patient
and slow, starting a fire that slowly built, the heat rising through my body.

It
soon became impossible for me not to feel his erection touching me or his hips
moving beneath the water. And I wanted to feel him, inside me, surrounded by
all this warmth.

The
tub was wide enough for me to turn around, facing Chase, my legs wrapped around
his waist. I settled myself down on him, his cock slowly sliding into me.

He
drew a breath, looking up into my face. I rocked my hips back and forth, tiny
movements that seemed just enough. The light outside had grown dim, the candles
the only light in the room now.

In
the soft glow I saw such tenderness in Chase’s eyes, something I hadn’t seen
before. It made my heart swell, something I’d only read about in romance
novels, but that’s what it did. There were sudden tears in my eyes at the raw
emotion I saw on Chase’s face.

He
came quietly, his face against my chest, arms tight around my body, the only
sounds a soft exhalation that might have been my name. I held him a long time
after that, rocking slowly in the water.

***

We
ate the dinner Rachel had left, sitting down at one end of the long dining room
table. I was beginning to think the woman was a ghost, leaving behind delicious
food before heading back to the spirit realm.

“No,
she’s real. But she’s got a sixth sense about when I’m here or not. I rarely
see her. We get along great, but she’s territorial about her kitchen when she’s
in it, so I give her a wide birth and she cooks when I’m out. And she’s got the
men to cook for, out in the bunkhouse kitchen. So she’s a busy woman.”

“Does
she live here on the ranch?” I was devouring a small plate of casserole,
something creamy and delicate, with what I suspected were homemade noodles.

“No,
she’s from town. But she’s here early, stays late and doesn’t complain. Or,
rarely complains. But when she’s got something to say, you’ll know it. She’s
never been one to keep her peace if she’s got something she thinks needs
saying. And she rules the roost out in the bunkhouse. Those men toe the line
she draws. I’ve told her time and again I have a place for her at the club;
she’d make an excellent dominatrix.”

I
laughed. “Do you miss the club? You don’t talk about it much.”

He
chewed in silence for a moment. “You know, I haven’t thought about it much, at
least not when you’re around. You’re a good distraction.” There was another
moment of silence.

“You
know, I meant what I said last night.” His voice was low.

“Last
night?” I looked down at my plate, knowing I was blushing.

“When
I said you should be here all the time. I meant it.” He was still watching me.
I played with my food, my mouth suddenly dry, heart thumping wildly.
Calm
down, Abby. Take a breath.

He
reached across the table, taking my hand. “I don’t say these things on a whim, Abby.”

I
looked up at Chase. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t
say anything. I’m putting it out there. It’s what I do. You should know by now
I don’t hold back, in anything. When I want something, I go after it. When I
like something, I buy it. When I find a woman that does to me what you do,
makes me feel like I do, I want her around me, as much as possible.”

“How
do you feel?” My voice was barely a whisper. I managed to hold his gaze.

“Do
you want a declaration of love? I can’t give you that…yet. My heart isn’t
easily given away; it’s been trampled too many times. I can tell you that in
the short time I’ve known you, I’ve grown to like you quite a bit, for a city
girl. I enjoy our time together. You’ve become an important part of my life. I
look forward to seeing you and I miss you when you’re gone.”

He
rubbed his nose, a sheepish grin back on his face. “To be honest, I wouldn’t
let Marie change my sheets after you left last week. They smelled like you…like
us…and I didn’t want to give that up. She finally got them off the bed when I
wasn’t paying attention.”

He
stood suddenly, holding out his hand, smiling down at me. “Come on, let’s
dance.”

“Who
would have thought that you were such a romantic,” I teased, my eyes lit up
with desire.

I
took his hand and he led me down the hall to the living room. There was a collection
of electronics on a bookcase and he punched a few buttons. Music filled the
room, apparently from some artfully hidden speakers.

“Oh,
Robin
Hood.
I remember this.”

Chase
took me in his arms, holding me close, my head resting on his shoulder. I let
him slowly dancing me across the floor to the raspy, sexy voice of Bryan Adams.

“You’re
right. I am a romantic. I just hide it well from the rest of the world.”

“You
hide behind whips and chains?” I closed my eyes, inhaling his scent, the
citrusy smell of our bath still lingering on his skin.

“Sometimes.
It’s an easy way to cover up a lot of things I’d rather not think about.”

We
were quiet, Chase humming softly with the song, expertly guiding me. I felt
comfortable and content.

The
song ended. I sighed, not wanting to move. Something I didn’t recognize began
playing but we didn’t dance. I lifted my face, Chase’s lips soft on mine, his
kiss as gentle and slow as the music.

***

It
was late Sunday when I got back to my apartment. The cat was needy, but well
fed.

There
were several messages on the machine. I was sorting the mail, listening with
half an ear, hearing Leslie’s voice, then my mother’s. The next voice made my
hands freeze, the mail falling back on the desk, now forgotten. It was Jake.

“Abby,
where are you? I’ve been trying to reach you since Friday. I’m back home and I
want to see you. Call me.”