Bitter Hearts (A Southern Loving Book 3) (10 page)

“Give
it to me, Kari,” Hank spoke through clench teeth.

“Yes…Oh…Yes!”

“Say
my name.” The pace became frenzied as he felt her walls begin to contract
around him.

“Oh…Hank!”
she screamed. Her body went limp as her head rested on his shoulder, trying to
regain her composure. His rough breath caressed her shoulder.

The
rain continued to fall around them. He cupped her face in his hands. “Spend the
night with me.”

“Okay,”
she grinned against his muscular chest. “I guess we just crossed two things off
my bucket list.”

“What’s
that?” he asked as he kissed her quickly and pulled her off the tailgate.

Sitting
next to him inside of the comfort of the warm truck she peered at him. “Dancing
and sex in the rain.”

“What
else do you have on that bucket list?” He looked at her sideways before
cranking up the truck and driving towards his house on the ranch.

“You
will just have to find out,” she teased.

Chapter Five

The
sound of something sizzling and popping in the kitchen woke Kari from her
peaceful slumber.  She blinked a few times, trying to focus and get the sleep
from out of her eyes, before she noticed that Hank was gone and his side of the
bed was cold. For the past three days they’d been spending every waking moment
with each other after their respective work. Stepping out of bed, she slipped
onto his University of Texas t-shirt, opening the bedroom door she peeked into
the hallway and smelled bacon cooking and fresh coffee being brewed.

Hank
stood in front of the stove wearing his black boxers from last night. His hair
was disheveled. He looked utterly tempting. She sneaked up behind him and
kissed the center of his back.

“Did
I wake you?” he asked.

“The
bed was cold without you,” she whispered, rubbing her hands up and down his
chest. “I can get used to a man cooking me breakfast, can I get dinner like
this too?”

“Under
one condition,” he teased, angling his head to grin at her.

“What’s
that?” She kissed the faint scar on his shoulder blade.

 “If
you cook naked with me.”

“We
can arrange that.” She noticed the scratches on his back. Reaching up, she
gently massaged the spot. If memories served her correct the scratches came
from him thrusting into her hard and deep. As if he was reading her mind, he
growled slightly and made her shiver.

“The
bacon is done,” he said, turning off the burner. Hank turned around so quickly
he nearly knocked Kari on her butt. Picking her up and sitting her down on the
countertop, he kissed her passionately. Their lips broke apart as Hank gave her
neck some attention, kissing and nipping. Kari’s arm draped around his neck as
he hooked a leg around his waist.

He
sighed heavily. “You are my drug that I must take every day,” he breathed
against her neck, moving to nip her collarbone.

“How
many times did the doctor order you to take this drug?” she teased, as a moan
escaped her lips. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed his rough hands caressing her
hips and butt.

“Four
times a day.” He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. Placing her on
the bed, he removed his boxers as she quickly removed her shirt. He dove onto
her. Kari shirked and giggled at his antics.

“I
have my prey.”

She
laughed. “Prey?”

“I
plan on devouring every part of your delicious body.” He cupped her full, perky
soft breasts that he couldn’t get enough. Taking one in his mouth, he ran his
tongue over it.

“Yummy,”
she whispered, the words coming I small hitch. When his hand massaged the other
breast, fingering her nipple, she moaned in approval.

Hank
could never get tired of seeing his siren. He nuzzled her breast and flicked
his tongue over her. With the other hand, he reached between her thighs to her wet
box, massaging gently and caressing her. He watched in fascination as pleasure
overwhelmed her and she gripped the white sheets. She moaned his name, long and
hoarse. Not deciding to wait any longer, he kissed her gently.

“Please,”
she groaned against his lips.

“Whatever
you want, doll,” he said, nuzzling her neck.

Kari
moaned louder when Hank buried himself within her, the rotating of his hips had
her body and mind singing. He lifted her legs over his shoulders to give him
more depth. She clung to him tightly, he could feel her body shuddering and
knew that she was about to cum. Kari cried out her orgasm, while he continued
to thrust into her, praying that the feeling he had with her would never end.

Wrapping
her legs tighter around him, meeting his thrusts and nipping at his shoulder.
Hank heard Kari whispering something to him but couldn’t make it out, but Hank
couldn’t concentrate on the words in the clouds of his desire. He moved
fiercely, on the brink of his release. Kari held onto him tightly as he came
into her. His body began to relax, breathing heavily; looking up into his eyes
she ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him tenderly.

“Are
you okay?” he asked against her lips.

Kari
laughed and nodded her head. Lifting his hand up to brush a tendril of hair off
her forehead. Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her again and nuzzled
the size of her neck.

Kari
hissed as Hank bit and sucked the side of her neck.  “You just gave me a hickey.”

“I’m
sorry,” he chuckled, kissing the spot gently. “I reckon I wanted to brand you.”

“Like
a horse?” she asked, clearing her throat.

“I
wouldn’t call you a horse…more like a beautiful filly.”

Kari
laughed so hard she head tears pricking her eyes. “That’s like me calling you a
stallion.”

“You
remind me of a filly, which is young and lively,” he said between kisses.

Kari
stared at him for a second before she laughed. “I’m hungry and you smelling
like bacon is not helping.”

“Well,”
Hank said, getting out of bed. “I don’t need to keep you and your tummy
waiting.”

Kari
squealed when he tossed her over his shoulder and went towards the kitchen. “No
clothes!” she shrieked.

“Baby
girl, that’s the pleasure having your own home, no one to interrupt.” Hank
smiled sitting her down on the counter top.

***

Hank
stumbled on the stairs blindfolded. “Is this necessary?” he asked.  For the
past few days he’d been staying with Kari and at Austin’s house, due to her
contractors tearing apart his house. All he wanted was to walk into the damn
house with no sign or trace of Natalie.

“I
don’t want you peeking, I want to see the surprise on your face.”

“Honey,
I was surprised last night when you burned chocolate chip cookies.” He laughed
when he felt a small punch on his cheek.

“Well
you don’t have to worry about my attempt at cooking anymore,” she pouted,
trying to sound offended.

“Oh
baby, I’m not going to lose any sleep with you not cooking,” he chuckled.
“Seriously K, you burned premade cookies.”

“We’ll
stick to buying cookies from the supermarket.”

He
felt her when she moved in front of him. “Can I take it off now?”

“Yes.”

Ripping
off the blindfold, he stared in shock at the house that he didn’t recognize.
“How much did this cost again?” His living room and kitchen looked like it cost
a million dollars

“I
used your money wisely.” She took him by the hand and led him around the
kitchen. “The kitchen is warm, woodsy and inviting, but I still incorporated
the rustic style.”

Hank
ran his hand on the warm, copper granite countertop. “This is awesome, you made
it more rustic.” His eyes took in everything that Kari designed for the kitchen
space including the completely stone wall and the mahogany ceiling beams.

Kari
allowed him to check out the kitchen, the smile on his face was evident that he
was smitten with the design.

Hank
nodded his head as he walked along the hardwood floor, automatically there were
a new vibe in the house. Kari replaced the old furniture that was picked out by
Natalie with masculine dark furnishings.

“Do
you want to see the bedroom?” she asked.

“Are
we going to christen it?” He wiggled his eye brow.

“If
you play your cards right.” She pulled him by the hands and steered him towards
the master bedroom.

Hank
stood there and didn’t say or show any reaction. She mixed contemporary and
traditional, especially with the exposed beams in the ceiling. Opting for a
tufted headboard gave the room a strong focal point. The tan bedding
complemented the warm neutral tones throughout the room. She added something
that wasn’t there when she first walked into the room and that was light.

“If
you don’t like it-”

“Honestly,
darling? I really like what you’ve done with this place.” He wrapped his arms
around her waist. “Why don’t we cook a meal in the new kitchen, throwback some
beer and wine…eventually head to the bedroom and christen the bed?”

“Hmm…I
like your plan Mr. Jackson.”

Two
hours later, they sat down to a nice dinner of grilled steaks, baked potatoes
and salad. “If you keep cooking like this I might just have to marry you.”

Hank’s
knife stilled over his plate as he looked at Kari.

“You
cook all this and made a banana pudding, not to mention you’re pretty handy.”
She stopped chewing on her steak and looked at him. “What?”

He
picked up his beer and took a sip. “The comment you just made.”

“About
me marrying you?”

“Yeah.”

“Rita
would say you’re the finest catch out there,” Kari whistled and drank her red
wine. “You don’t think you’re a catch?”

“Hey
my wife left me for another man.” He chewed slowly. “Apparently, I’m not a good
catch.”

“I
think you’re a great catch.” She twirled her finger around her glass.

“Thank
you ma’am,” he winked. “You’re a great catch too.”

“I
can’t cook worth a damn.”

“Honey
bear, any man would want a woman like you, who is confidence, intelligent,
honest, independent and sexy.”

“You
think I’m sexy?”

Hank
was about to take a drink from his beer. “You know I do.”

“I
think you’re a cute cowboy too.” Pushing her plate of food away, she wiped her
mouth and held up her glass. “We should make a toast.”

Hank
held up his bottle. “What are we toasting to?”

“To
new friends-”

“Lovers,”
he corrected.

“Here’s
to meeting a new lover and having no control of the future…”

“And
a big fuck you to the people who hurt us,” Hank interrupted, clicking his glass
against hers.

“I’ll
drink to that,” she said, smiling seductively at him, “Besides dessert, what’s
next on our agenda tonight?”

“I
reckon we’ll take this into the bedroom.” He stood abruptly from the table,
“Shall we, m’lady?”

Kari
nearly choked on her wine. “All you need is a fedora.”

“All
you need is your birthday suite.” Picking Kari up, he strolled through the
house to the bedroom, where he laid her down gingerly.

Stripping
out of their clothes quickly, he settled his big body between her trembling
thighs. “You’re all mine.”

"Dido,”
she murmured.

Hank
cupped her breast with trembling hands, as he kissed her and thrust into her
with aggravating slowness that made her beg for more. Closing her eyes tightly,
she savored the slow pace they found. It felt like it was just the two of them
in the world. 

***

Kari
stood in the doorway holding a cup of coffee, watching Hank work happily in his
garage that was converted into a woodshop. Walking into the room, she touched
the little wooden knickknacks on a shelf that he’d probably made himself.

“You’re
very creative,” she said, looking around the room that was filled with
different furniture pieces. “How much longer do you think it will take you to
build the cribs?”

“Well,
with the slats milled down to the right dimension, with your design and
following federal regulation for safety, I’m thinking about another week or so
unless a pretty woman wants to help,” he smirked at her and went back to work.

Kari
looked around the room and found what she was looking for and picked it up.
“Put me to work. The faster we get done, the quicker I can decorate the
nursery.”