Twisted Up (6 page)

“Of course there is. You talk to me and I talk to you. We’re holding hands. You didn’t have that before or maybe you did, I don’t know. There are a million reasons why it could and should and would work between us. I’m sure there are a few reasons it wouldn’t, couldn’t and shouldn’t. I’d rather look at the glass half full than half empty, and I’d rather try than wonder.”

Okay, she’d give him that. She admired that about him too. He could look at the bright, possible side of things, and there were times where she could too when she was around him. “Well, and you did drive ten hours in the middle of the night and threaten to hogtie me if I didn’t come along quietly. Coercion goes a long way, it seems.”

“There is that. But for the record, baby, I didn’t threaten to hogtie you. We can try that later though. I’m very good at ropin’.”

“Two days isn’t long enough to know, Justin.” Her tone was once again serious.

“No, it’s not. A year of talking, of learning to care, of weekends full of incredibly hot sex really makes me want to give it a shot, though.”

“Why does it have to be at your place?”

“Because at your place you could retreat into your shell too easily. At my place, you’ll be naked all day and night and unable to hide anywhere.”

“I could be naked at my place too.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same.”

“How is it not the same?”

“You have neighbors and I don’t have anyone for miles around. We can make all the noise we want. We can have sex outside in the yard. I can tie you to the old hitching post and spank you. I can let you be free to be the woman I’ve caught a glimpse of a few times. I can give you that at my place.”

Ella had a feeling they were no longer talking about being naughty at his house. She had a feeling they were headed into the heart of things again. She didn’t know if she could live up to what he thought of her, but she sure as hell needed to try. For both their sakes.

“I still can’t believe you came for me.”

“You didn’t give me a choice.”

And she hadn’t. She knew it. “How much longer before we get there?”

“Oh just a couple of hours. Why? You need to stop? The next exit is pretty populated with stores and such. We can stretch our legs.”

Was he always so kind, so giving, so accommodating? His care and concern amazed her. It wasn’t something she was used to. She was the one who always made sure everyone else was taken care of and had everything they needed for their comfort. Justin, though, even with his overt maleness and his aggressive sexuality and his ruggedly handsome cowboy looks, he was the kindest, most caring man she could remember, save for her grandpa.

The thought of the only solid male figure in her life as she’d grown up made her smile. He’d have liked Justin a lot. He’d asked if she was sure as he walked with her down the aisle, and though she wasn’t sure at all, she’d smiled at him and said yes so he wouldn’t worry. He’d worried anyway until the day he died.

“Do you want me to stop here?”

“No, it’s okay. I was just wondering if my bags were in a place I could reach them.”

“Should be. I put them right behind the seat.”

She tugged her hand from his hold and unbuckled her seatbelt. Pulling her knees under her, she knelt on the seat and leaned over the back of it. She had to move her laptop bag, but she got to the carry-on pretty easily. She unzipped the top and reached in for the item she needed.

She zipped the bag and started to turn around, but Justin’s hand, cupping her ass over her skirt, stopped her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why are you holding me in this position? I need to turn around and sit back down.”

“I know. Just a second.”

She looked over at him. “A second for what?”

“This.” He flipped on the cabin light and flipped up the back of her skirt as they passed a couple of semis.

“Justin!” Embarrassment heated her skin, and she buried her face in her arms. The air horns from the trucks added further embarrassment to her predicament, and the smack that Justin landed on her ass… “I can’t believe you did that,” she groaned.

“Sure you can. Wanna play some more? You could turn around and give them a real good show.”

“No!”

Justin laughed and removed his hand, letting her skirt fall into place over her behind. She turned quickly and sat, crossing her arms tightly over her chest and tucking her chin. He reached over and ruffled her hair before grabbing a fistful and pulling lightly until she lifted her head. “Baby?”

“I just… I’ve never done anything like that before.”

“You didn’t do it. I did.”

True, he had. “I know, but still.”

“Upset?”

Was she? “Not really.”

“Embarrassed?”

Very. “A little.”

“Like it?”

She was afraid she did. “I think so.”

“Good girl. I’ll bring that vixen out in you.”

And truth be told, she couldn’t wait.

Chapter Four

“It’s so dark out here.”

“Yeah. I like it. Quiet too. I don’t think I could live in the city for a long period of time.”

They were on the small two-lane road headed toward his place. About ten miles back, Justin had pulled off the highway and begun the last leg of the road trip. He’d been driving something close to twenty hours, but given the woman at his side, it was worth every bit of tired eyes and aching ass from having been awake and sitting too damn long.

He could get home in the dark. He knew this road so well. Three more bumps in the pavement and he turned left onto the dirt lane leading up to the house. It was about a quarter-mile to his front door.

“How long have you lived out here?” Ella asked, staring out her window.

“All my life. I bought this part of the property and some cattle from my parents. It still runs as one big operation, but I keep whatever profit I make on this side. I usually just put it back into the upkeep.”

The outline of the small clapboard house loomed ahead, and he parked the truck in front. There was no designated driveway or parking area and that was just fine with him. “Here we are. Home sweet home.”

Ella leaned forward in her seat a little and squinted out the windshield. “Well from what I can see, it’s a pretty little house.”

“You’ll see the outside tomorrow. Tonight though…” Justin turned off the ignition and climbed down out of the truck. He tried not to sound like a girl when he hit the ground and his legs wanted to give out as soon as he stood. He bent and flexed and reached as he stretched his body out. He loved his truck, but damn…

He walked around the front end to the passenger side and opened Ella’s door. She turned to the side with her feet dangling over the edge of the seat. “Bunny slippers? Really?” Justin shook his head, but the smirk was firmly in place as he looked down at Ella’s feet clad, not in the cute pink sandals she’d been wearing earlier, but in a pair of gray bunny slippers, complete with floppy bunny ears and what looked like a cotton tail at the back of the heel.

“Yes. Things were getting too serious in the truck there for a while.”

“I know.” And he did. He’d wanted, needed to lighten the mood for both of them. “That’s why I flipped up your skirt for the truckers. But, bunny slippers?” Never in a million years would he have guessed her to be the bunny-slipper type. He thought those were reserved for giggly college girls at slumber parties.

“After I signed the divorce papers, a couple of friends came over and brought me wine, chocolate and these slippers. They told me that when things got too tense, too serious, too dramatic, or too emotional, put the slippers on to ease and lighten things up. That you couldn’t be too much of any of those with bunny slippers.”

Much as he hated to admit it… “I guess I can see that.” She grinned, and he couldn’t help but move in and kiss her pretty mouth.

“Thank you,” she whispered when he pulled away a little.

“For what?” His hands gripped her hips, and he eased her to the ground.

“For not making fun of my slippers, for not…judging me.”

His heart ached for the softness in her voice. “Baby, you know I don’t judge you. Never have. Never will. Look—” he smoothed her hair back from her face, curving it over the shell of her ear, “—remember when I told you about Megan? The woman I lived with for a while?”

Confusion marred her brow for a moment but cleared soon enough. “Oh God, Justin. I’m so sorry. I’d forgotten all about her and… Oh damn, she left you for your friend.”

“Yeah, she did. I asked her a few times why when I saw her after the fact, and she never gave me any solid answer. I only got some version of ‘it just wasn’t working out, Justin’. I would have done anything to change whatever she thought or felt was wrong, but she never gave me anything to go on. All I got was how sorry she was.”

Ella nodded. “I remember now. I… Justin, how could you…?”

“Because you’re not her, and I’m not him. If you hadn’t left him when you did before we met, I don’t know where we’d be or what would have happened, but I don’t have to worry about that now because you and he are divorced and you’re mine now.”

“Yours?” She lifted a brow and another smile tugged at her lips.

“Yes. Mine. Until or if you ever give me a reason that you don’t want to be. You’ll be forced to give me a chance to change your mind, though.”

Her eyes widened and the smile fully formed. “Forced? You mean with rope and spankings?”

“Maybe.” Justin shrugged and started divesting her of the clothes she’d been wearing since he picked her up a little more than ten hours ago. “May include an anal hook, a saw horse, a ball gag.” He slipped her shirt off her shoulders and bit back his own smile when she shook it all the way down her arms. He grabbed it before it hit the dirt and tossed it back into the cab of the truck.

“What if I’m extra determined not to be yours?” She steadied herself with her hands on his shoulders as he bent his knees and reached around behind her to unzip her skirt.

“Then I guess I’ll have to employ a few other tactics.” The skirt slipped down, and she stepped out of it for him. It joined her shirt inside the truck. He stood to his full height again and took her in…the lush curves of her hips and thighs, the roundedness of her breasts encased in pink lace, the dip of her waist. She was, in his opinion, fuckin’ smokin’ hot.

At his slow, up-and-down perusal, she let her hands drift over her body in an effort to cover her chest and her sex, but he snagged her wrists and shook his head. “Nope. No hiding yourself from me.”

“I don’t like being stared at like that.”

“I don’t know why the hell not, baby. You’ve never had a problem with me looking at you before. You didn’t have a problem with the truckers getting an eyeful of your ass, either. I don’t know what you think you’re keepin’ me from seein’ but, no.”

“Justin… ” She turned her head to the side, breaking eye contact with him.

“No hiding your body from me.”

“Or what?” she challenged. “You’ll tie me up?”

“If that’s what you want.” He bent and softly nudged his shoulder into her soft belly, effectively lifting her over his shoulder.

“Justin! Put me down.” She beat at his back with her fists and tried to find a way to push against his shoulders, but she couldn’t.

Justin slowly backed away from the truck and kicked the door shut. “I will not. Now stop your fussin’.”

“I’m too heavy for you to carry.”

He took the steps up to the porch and fished the keys out of his front pocket. “Evidently not.” And he took a nibble of the butt cheek closest to his face. She yelped and wiggled, so he did it again. “Hold still so I can unlock the door without dropping you.”

She stilled immediately, and her chin rested against his back. “That definitely wouldn’t set the right tone for the rest of the night.”

A chuckle rumbled up from his chest. “It wouldn’t. You’re right about that.”

He fumbled the key into the lock and got them into the house without dropping her. He kicked that door shut too and headed up the small staircase to the loft where he’d situated his bed. Not much else fit in the space itself, but a bathroom to the left was the size of a small bedroom and housed a closet for his clothing.

“What about my luggage and stuff?” she asked when he lowered her to the bed and followed her down.

He swallowed her sigh in a kiss as she sank into the very nice, very expensive mattress. His tongue tangled with hers, her legs tangled with his and she cradled him against her body much as she had back at the rest area.

He almost couldn’t believe she was with him, beneath him in his bed. He’d never let on to her that he hadn’t been sure she’d come along. Yet, she’d said yes.

It was wet and hot between her thighs, even through his jeans, and his cock was insistent that it be let out of his confinement and into the tightness he knew awaited him inside her. He tried to break the kiss so he could make his way down to her breasts, her belly, her pussy, but she wouldn’t let him go, wriggling under him, as she tightened her hold and deepened her kiss.

Not that he really minded. He would happily stay right where he was for the next three days, but if he didn’t at least let his dick out and start fucking her…

He worked his hands down under his body as best he could and lifted slightly, enough that he could work at his jeans. The backs of his fingers brushed against her heat and he let her know with a groan how much he liked it.

Pulling back to take a breath, he wondered if the look on his face matched the hunger on hers. It had to. His brain was going a mile a minute with only one thought—fuck her now. Fuck her now. Fuck. Her. Now. It wasn’t romantic. It wasn’t sexy by romance standards. It wasn’t even erotic. No, it was pure animal need thrumming through his blood. He didn’t need slow, and judging by the insistent humping she was doing, she wasn’t looking for slow either.

Her next words confirmed it.

“Hurry, Justin.”

“Hurryin’, minx.” And his fingers fumbled with the button fly of the fresh jeans he’d put on before they left the rest stop. It was his usual choice, but damn if he wasn’t considering all zippers from now on.

“I’m too old to be any kind of minx,” she grumped, arching her back and pushing her chest into his.