stiffened before collapsing on her. He took in great gulps of air, nuzzled her neck, and licked her skin. He quickly rolled to the side, and pulled her against him, the sweat making their slick bodies slide against each other.
They lay panting, her head tucked in the crook of his shoulder. The cool breeze from the small porthole drifted over them, calming their overheated flesh. Tessa ran her fingers lightly over the dark hairs on his chest. “Lucas?”
“Hmm?” He kissed the top of her head.
“I never felt that before.”
He shifted away from her, and glanced down. “Seriously?”
“Never. I’ve read about it, always wondered, but never felt it.” A flush crept over her cheeks at her confession.
Lucas wrapped his arms around her, and held her close. Tessa closed her eyes and remembered the first time she and Dean made love and he discovered her one indiscretion in college and called her a slut for not being a virgin. For the remainder of their long and miserable marriage he continued to treat her like one. Sex had been rough and uncomfortable. He took his pleasure then dismissed her.
This experience with Lucas was so different from what she was used to, yet so special—just like him. His fingers gently massaged her scalp as he dropped soft kisses on her forehead, mumbling words of love. The rocking of the boat and the beat of his heart beneath her ear soothed her into sleep.
****
Dean entered the dimly lit bar . Fuck, that shit-kickin’ cowboy music makes my ears bleed. How the hell do they put up with that? “Hey, honey. Get me a Bud.” He threw a five dollar bill on the bar.
The big blonde tending bar, who most likely had never been called honey in her life, glared at him. She reached under the bar, pulled up a brown bottle dripping ice water and popped the top. “You want a glass?”
“Nah.” Christ, what a dog . Stringy hair, fifty pounds too many, and a tattoo on her neck. Sure as hell not one to bring home to mother, or anywhere else well lit.
She slammed the bottle down, swiped the five dollar bill and walked off.
There better be some change comin’ in my direction. As if she read his thoughts, she glared at him, rang up the sale, took out a single and two quarters, and dropped the money in front of him.
Dean picked up the beer and his change and looked around. Two cowboys played pool in one corner. The one with the checkered shirt bent over the table, the swinging light above him highlighting the lines of concentration on his face. His partner shifted a wad of tobacco from one cheek to the other. Dean wrinkled his nose. Disgusting habits these backwooders have . Several tables held groups of drinkers in various stages of inebriation. An old couple shuffled around the dance floor in time to the wailing from the jukebox. He took another swig of beer. What a dump.
I can’t take much more of Hicksville, so guess it’s time to look up the little woman and dole out some overdue punishment.
Tessa’s Treasures. It fit her perfectly. He took the last swallow of beer. Always doing the right thing, always ready to please. The harder she tried the more it pissed him off.
Then she finally got the guts to turn him in and hightail it back to big brother, Chief of fuckin’ Police. The bitch was going to pay for the eight years she took from him. Pay, and pay and pay. Hell, instead of killing her outright, maybe he’d bring her along with him when he left for his new home in Colombia. Fuckin’ A. Pleased with that bit of brilliance, he turned back to the bar for another beer.
****
Tessa pounded her fist on the steering wheel. It had been a long day at the store and she was ready to go home. But her car didn’t agree. She turned the key again, hoping for a spark of life. Nothing. Not even a twinge of noise . She sighed and leaned her forehead on the wheel.
She hated to call her brother, Mason. Things were always chaotic at his house. With the crazy hours he worked as Chief of Police, the kids,
They lay panting, her head tucked in the crook of his shoulder. The cool breeze from the small porthole drifted over them, calming their overheated flesh. Tessa ran her fingers lightly over the dark hairs on his chest. “Lucas?”
“Hmm?” He kissed the top of her head.
“I never felt that before.”
He shifted away from her, and glanced down. “Seriously?”
“Never. I’ve read about it, always wondered, but never felt it.” A flush crept over her cheeks at her confession.
Lucas wrapped his arms around her, and held her close. Tessa closed her eyes and remembered the first time she and Dean made love and he discovered her one indiscretion in college and called her a slut for not being a virgin. For the remainder of their long and miserable marriage he continued to treat her like one. Sex had been rough and uncomfortable. He took his pleasure then dismissed her.
This experience with Lucas was so different from what she was used to, yet so special—just like him. His fingers gently massaged her scalp as he dropped soft kisses on her forehead, mumbling words of love. The rocking of the boat and the beat of his heart beneath her ear soothed her into sleep.
****
Dean entered the dimly lit bar . Fuck, that shit-kickin’ cowboy music makes my ears bleed. How the hell do they put up with that? “Hey, honey. Get me a Bud.” He threw a five dollar bill on the bar.
The big blonde tending bar, who most likely had never been called honey in her life, glared at him. She reached under the bar, pulled up a brown bottle dripping ice water and popped the top. “You want a glass?”
“Nah.” Christ, what a dog . Stringy hair, fifty pounds too many, and a tattoo on her neck. Sure as hell not one to bring home to mother, or anywhere else well lit.
She slammed the bottle down, swiped the five dollar bill and walked off.
There better be some change comin’ in my direction. As if she read his thoughts, she glared at him, rang up the sale, took out a single and two quarters, and dropped the money in front of him.
Dean picked up the beer and his change and looked around. Two cowboys played pool in one corner. The one with the checkered shirt bent over the table, the swinging light above him highlighting the lines of concentration on his face. His partner shifted a wad of tobacco from one cheek to the other. Dean wrinkled his nose. Disgusting habits these backwooders have . Several tables held groups of drinkers in various stages of inebriation. An old couple shuffled around the dance floor in time to the wailing from the jukebox. He took another swig of beer. What a dump.
I can’t take much more of Hicksville, so guess it’s time to look up the little woman and dole out some overdue punishment.
Tessa’s Treasures. It fit her perfectly. He took the last swallow of beer. Always doing the right thing, always ready to please. The harder she tried the more it pissed him off.
Then she finally got the guts to turn him in and hightail it back to big brother, Chief of fuckin’ Police. The bitch was going to pay for the eight years she took from him. Pay, and pay and pay. Hell, instead of killing her outright, maybe he’d bring her along with him when he left for his new home in Colombia. Fuckin’ A. Pleased with that bit of brilliance, he turned back to the bar for another beer.
****
Tessa pounded her fist on the steering wheel. It had been a long day at the store and she was ready to go home. But her car didn’t agree. She turned the key again, hoping for a spark of life. Nothing. Not even a twinge of noise . She sighed and leaned her forehead on the wheel.
She hated to call her brother, Mason. Things were always chaotic at his house. With the crazy hours he worked as Chief of Police, the kids,
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