Leslie laughed. “That’s a Facebook status update, Abby. Spill it, what’s really going on?”
I sighed, looking up at her. “Jake and I don’t have a traditional boyfriend, girlfriend relationship. It’s a no-strings-attached relationship, by mutual agreement.” I laid my chopsticks across my plate.
“Neither one of us wanted any romantic involvement.”
“Yeah, but Jake already broke that rule, by telling you he loved you, right? So now what, are all bets off? Did you dump him because of that? And does Chase fit in with all of this? Do they know about each other?”
Trust Leslie to get right into the nuts and bolts of things.
“I care about Jake; he’s my dominant. That relationship I want to continue. His professed love for me is his responsibility. He knows how I feel, or don’t feel. And as far as he’s told me, he’s okay with that.”
I took a deep breath. “Chase, well, Chase is the complication. He’s wild, unpredictable…and I like that. A lot.”
“And? You’re avoiding that one last question, Abby. Do they know you’re seeing the other?”
“Chase knows about Jake, of course. He knows the whole relationship.” I poked at another roll, dissecting it with a chopstick.
“And by your continued avoidance, I bet Jake doesn’t know about Chase, does he?”
There was a glint in Leslie’s eyes. She knew the answer, but she was going to goad me into saying it.
“No, Jake doesn’t know about Chase. Not that I’m seeing him outside the club…or in the club.” I cringed. It sounded bad, even though I knew it wasn’t. That twinge of guilt came back.
“I don’t know how you’re managing to do this, keep these two guys straight, not get things all mixed up.”
I winced. “Well, Jake’s been out of town, so it hasn’t been all that difficult. And I really don’t know when he’s coming back. He’s never given me a date.”
***
I left work early on Friday, driving straight to Chase’s ranch. I’d packed a bag before I left work. And planning ahead, I’d bought the cat an automated feeder and watering gizmo and pronounced myself guilt free in regards to him and his care for the next few days.
I got to the ranch a little after dark. The porch lights were on, and the house looked warm and inviting. Chase was out the door and down the porch steps before I was out of the car.
“Welcome. How was the drive? You made good time.” He had me against him, arms around me, kissing me before I had a chance to even answer.
He took my bag from the car, leading me up to the master bedroom. “You’ll bunk with me, if that’s okay with you.” He winked.
I laughed. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Are you hungry? Rachel’s left some of her rosemary chicken and mixed vegetable something or other. I don’t know what it’s really called, but it’s excellent.”
Chase served me another amazing plate of food, complete with cherry cobbler for dessert. After we finished, he took me out to the back porch. There was only one soft light burning, casting shadows over the rough-hewn log siding. He took me down to the end of the porch, to a swing suspended by chains from the ceiling. We sat for a long time, nursing the beer we’d brought, swinging slowly back and forth. Eventually Chase spoke.
“I love this place at night. It’s quiet, except for the crickets. But even those are better than cars and trucks and city noises. I may have wanted to run away from this all, but I’m a country boy at heart.”
I took a swallow of my beer. “I’m always amazed by how dark it is away from the city. You never get this kind of dark with city lights.”
He laughed softly. “This kind of dark? Is there another kind of dark where you come from?”
I tried kicking his leg but only managed to set the swing moving in an elliptical arc. Chase toed the porch floor with his boot, slowing the movement, setting us on a smooth course once again.
“You know what I mean. It’s never dark in the city. There’s always light coming from somewhere.”
Chase chuckled, taking another swig of his beer.
“I’m glad you decided to come out for the road trip.”
He wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me against him. His lips followed, softly caressing my neck, up to my ear, his tongue tracing lightly over my skin. Hands followed, gently moving over my body, leaving trails of heat along my skin.
After a time he rose, silently taking my hand and leading me through the darkened house, up the stairs to his room. With gentle fingers he undid the buttons on my blouse, slowly pulling it away from my body. He bent his head to my br**sts, his lips brushing across the round fullness.
I watched as he moved from one breast to the other, his hands sliding around to my back, expertly undoing the clasp of my bra. He pulled it away, nuzzling my exposed skin, rubbing his cheek slowly against each, raining soft kisses over them.
My fingers threaded through his hair, holding him against me, breathing in his scent; smelling faintly of leather and hay, spicy and wild. And totally arousing. I felt that deep throbbing start low in my body, my breath going shallow, heart beating faster.
Chase lifted his head, taking my lips in a deep kiss, slow and passionate, his tongue lingering in my mouth. I responded to his slowness, his gentleness, surprised by this side of him.
He guided me toward the bed, shedding his shirt along the way, his fingers undoing the snap and zipper of our jeans, sliding them down my legs before removing his.
“No buttons on the floor tonight?” I looked at him in the low light of the single lamp in the room, his face soft, his eyes hooded.
His laugh was a gentle rumble. “It’s early. We have all night and I want this night to last, to be one you’ll remember.”
Chase pulled the covers back on the bed, slowly lowering me down onto the cool sheets, stretching out alongside me.
And he was good to his word. We spent hours slowly exploring each other’s bodies with fingertips and hands, lips and tongues. Chase spent what seemed like hours kissing my br**sts, tracing circles on my skin with his fingers and tongue, sucking my n**ples until they were hard, until I was arching up against his mouth.
I ran my hands down his chest and over his flat stomach, the muscles rippling beneath my fingers. My hand brushed against the head of his cock, eliciting a low groan from Chase. I held his c*ck in my hand, rhythmically squeezing and releasing him, moving down from time to time to fondle his balls, rolling them slowly between my fingers.
We were moving against each other, hot bodies barely touching but that touch just enough to light a searing fire inside of me.
By the time Chase took me, I was ready, my senses heightened from his prolonged attention to my body. I was almost vibrating at a high pitch, but my limbs languid and slow moving.
He entered me slowly, his first thrust filling me completely, making me draw in a long breath, exhaling in a soft gasp. In the dim light, as he held himself above me, I watched his face, the wild edge in his eyes I’d come to expect softened, mellowed.
Our bodies moved as one, long slow strokes from Chase, as I rocked my h*ps up to meet him. This pace carried us for a long time, fueled by passionate kisses claiming my mouth and Chase’s renewed attention to my br**sts, sucking them greedily now as he thrust into me.
Chase lifted his head, holding my face between his hands. His eyes traveled over my face, the curve of my lips, taking everything in.
“You are one beautiful woman, Abby. I’m so damned lucky to have found you.” He kissed me again, his body moving faster, his thrusts harder.
We built to a crescendo quickly, desire flooding through me, my body no longer languid, but insistent, wanting more, the intensity of our movements increasing.
Chase broke away from my mouth with a gasp, burying his head in my shoulder, his breath rasping in my ear. I ran my hands over his back, feeling the muscles taut beneath his skin as he thrust into me.
When I came it was with a force that surprised me, took my breath away, made me arch up against Chase in a silent scream. He lifted his head, watching me, taking in every nuance of pleasure that passed across my face. When I finally took a deep ragged breath, I heard him exhale, as if he were holding his breath with me.
In that exhalation, I felt him release, felt the pounding and pulsing of his c*ck as he came inside me. His next breath was a cry of pleasure mixed with something dark, the wild side of Chase coming out in the end. He pounded into me feverishly for several seconds, his body taking control, h*ps lost to his control in that delicious dance.
I wondered if that felt like subspace for him, that uncontrollable thrusting, that moment of release when there was no more holding back, just leaping forward.
We relaxed slowly, letting our bodies adjust, shifting arms and legs, like water finding its own level. I was on the verge of sleep, Chase’s arms wrapped tight around me, my back nestled against his chest, when he spoke.
“I really like that you’re here, Abby.” His voice was dreamy and I wasn’t sure if he was on the edge of sleep.
“I like being here too. It’s nicer than driving up early in the morning.” I snuggled closer.
“No, I meant I like having you here, period,” he murmured into my hair. “You should be here all the time.”
I shifted in his arms, suddenly awake. But Chase was already asleep. That was just a random thought, on the edge of sleep.
But it was a long time before I fell asleep.
***
It was pitch black in the bedroom when the alarm went off. Chase stirred beside me, fumbling briefly with the alarm before collapsing back onto the bed. I burrowed under the covers, curling up next to his chest. He wrapped one arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.
“Don’t get too comfortable. We need to leave as soon as it’s light. I want to get to the Paradise Ranch early, before anyone else gets a look at this filly. She’s supposed to be something special.”
Eventually I managed to get out of bed, after much cajoling from Chase. I’d have preferred another long session of love making, but he was insistent that we needed to get going. I decided if there were horses involved, he was impossible to derail.
Chase had gone down to the kitchen to start coffee and breakfast while I took a shower. There were a modest selection of soaps and shampoos, all masculine and spicy scented. I stayed as long as I dared under the hot water, conscious of Chase’s desire to get on the road. I finally pronounced myself clean, got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, grabbed a jacket and headed downstairs.
“Rachel’s down at the bunkhouse making breakfast, so you’re at the mercy of my culinary skills again.”
I could smell eggs and bacon, and a steaming mug of coffee was waiting for me on the counter.
“It’s just a quick omelet with cheese and bacon. The eggs are from the neighbor to the south; the bacon’s from the neighbor to the north. Can’t get much closer to home than that, or much fresher.”
I took a sip of coffee, blinking at its strength. Chase caught my reaction and laughed.
“Not used to cowboy coffee? You’re a city girl; I forgot. I tend to make it strong. In the future, I’ll remember to cut back on the grounds and increase the water. Here, this might help.”