Vivian Arend - Rocky Mountain Desire

Then…he stopped.

In response to her muttered complaints, Matt raised his hands from her breasts, instead dropping them to her hips and pinning her in place.

“You enjoy having sex with me?” Matt teased his thumbs along the tender skin by her hipbones.

No way. “Truth or Dare now?”

“Just truth.”

She grumbled asshole then nodded.

“Say it.”

“I like sex with you,” Hope confessed, her tone cranky even in her own ears.

“Good.” His eyes brightened, mischief and oh my God desire lighting them up to drool-worthy. “Because I love having sex with you. Next question. You like spending time with me outside the bedroom?”

Shit. “Yes, Matt, I like spending time with you. Just…”

He leaned forward, sliding his hands up her arms until he grasped her wrists. The rest of his body lowered one bit at a time until she was completely covered with a Matt blanket.

She shivered. Having him over her felt so good, she could barely stand to speak the words, already anticipating he would withdraw. “I promised to be honest. I’m scared I’m going to lose you. That all this shit with my sister is going to make you leave, and I really don’t want you to go.”

Matt turned his head until his lips stroked her cheek, warm air brushing her skin as he licked her earlobe. “Then stop trying to push me out the door. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

He scooted backward, leaving her hands over her head. Hope clutched the bars of her headboard as he untied her ankles, immediately coming back between her thighs. Hands gentle on her belly, he stroked outward, drawing her knees apart, opening her sex to his sight.

Hope licked her lips. “You’re not leaving?”

Matt glanced up and smiled. “Oh, hell, no.”

A gasp escaped as he slipped his thumb into her core, bending to lick and nibble as if he were starving. His tongue pressed firmly as he lapped at her, as he used every trick in the book to drive her crazy. The orgasm that had retreated while they’d talked roared up with a vengeance and slammed into her only moments after he’d begun.

She was still shaking as he rose, aimed his cock at her folds and drove in all the way. Hope clutched the headboard, staring at him, memorizing him, feeling him all the way into her heart as he lifted her hips and fucked her hard.

She lifted her legs into the air and caught him, ankles crossed at his lower back as she tried to help. Opened herself to his possession, enjoying the heated pummeling as he took ownership over her. That’s what it felt like—a seal, a brand. He claimed a place and she gave it.

“I’m gonna come, Hope. I’m going to fill you and make you mine.” Matt reached between them and pressed on her clit in time with his thrusts. He slowed enough to suck at both nipples for a second, before pressing her upward. “You nearly there, darling?”

Hope squirmed. Nodded.

He stopped and she cursed. Loudly.

Matt nodded. “That’s right, I’m a bastard. Because I’m going to take it all. Every damn bit of you.”

He levered her thighs into the air, spreading her wider. A cold sensation brushed between her butt cheeks, and she gasped. One of his fingers, slick with lube, pierced her ass.

Oh God, oh God, oh God.

Did she want this?

Matt leaned up and stared into her face as he moved quickly and opened her on two fingers. The burn continued, edged with something else. “Yeah, you like that, don’t you?”

“Yes. Oh damn…”

The shot of cold as he squeezed lube directly into her ass warned he wasn’t giving her a lot of prep time. Which was fine. She wanted this. Wanted this reminder of being taken. Being used a little—for the right reasons.

His cock touched her. The broad head slick as it pressed against her resistance, popping through the muscle with a sharp flash of—not pain. Not from Matt. A sharp pleasure that made Hope groan.

He stared down at where they connected, shaking his head slightly. “Prettiest thing, seeing you take me into your body. Your pussy, your ass. All of you fits all of me so damn fine.”

Another rock sank him deeper. He withdrew until just the head of his cock was inside her before pressing forward. He worked his way in slowly and yet quick enough. Less than a dozen moves and his groin was tight to her ass.

Matt breathed out ragged and harsh. “Dammit. I hope you’re ready for a wild ride, because there ain’t no way I can go slow after seeing that.”

He didn’t need her permission, but she wanted to say it anyway. “Do it. Fuck my ass, Matt.”

He squeezed his eyes tight for a second before grasping her hips and doing just that. Quicker and quicker he pulled out only to slam in hard enough the bed shook, her breasts bouncing. Her ass burned, but it was a good sensation. Edgy, violent pleasure. He pounded in, making her crazy, aching for release. A single brush of his fingers over her clit and she came, pussy clutching, ass squeezing. He shouted, but didn’t come, just took her again and again until every last pulse had died away. Matt pulled all the way out, smiling as he looked down. She had to be wide open to him, his fingers light on her hole before he pressed in smoothly once more.

“I’m not done, but I want your hands on me.”

Matt reached up, cock slipping from her ass as he folded her like origami paper and let loose the ropes binding her to the bed. He pulled her fingers into his hands, massaging until the blood returned.

Then he grinned as he put his cock against her now-closed hole and reopened her all over again.

Dirty? Wicked good.

“That feels so wonderful.”

“I know.” He used the back of his forearm to wipe sweat from his brow. “I like how your body accepts me. Takes me in. Gives me what I need.”

She grabbed hold of his shoulders and let her fingers dance over his muscles. Face to face as he rode her ass, slowly now, thoroughly, until his eyes kind of rolled back and he shook, his groin tight against her, heat and passion and wonderful connection all mixed into one.

Matt brought her to the shower and cleaned her from head to toe. Removed the plastic tie-straps. Washed her hair and wrapped her up like she was precious before bringing her back to bed and cocooning himself around her.

He was going to use every possible means to show what she meant to him.

“Your brothers are going to kick your ass if you don’t get back to the ranch soon.”

Hope’s tired but contented comment earned her another kiss. He couldn’t seem to stop touching her. Kissing her.

Wanting her.

“I’ve done the same for them before. This is important. You’re important.” He rolled her over to discover what the tiny gasp escaping her had meant. “Oh damn, I made you cry. I’m sorry.”

Hope shook her head. “It’s not you. I just don’t understand why all this is happening. Well, some things have sucked, but on the whole, I’ve been so lucky lately—it doesn’t seem possible. I’m not the kind who gets an easy break. If things work out, it’s because I’ve put in the effort. I just don’t know where you fit into the picture.”

“In terms of luck or work? Because, darling, if you’re talking about you and me as a couple, from what I’ve seen, relationships are work. The good ones—both sides give a hell of a lot and there ain’t much luck involved.”

She lay still for a moment before nodding. “I guess. Just haven’t seen enough good relationships myself to know that. I mean, I’ve been trying, but…”

Talking about relationships.

“Tell me about when your mom left.”

Her blue eyes widened as she went completely rigid beside him, kinda like he’d expected she would. Only the protests that her mother had nothing to do with this, or her slamming her mouth shut and refusing to answer didn’t happen. Instead she looked directly into his eyes, their faces only inches apart as she started.

“It felt as if they’d been fighting for a long time. I guess it was only six months or so, but it came out of nowhere and suddenly nothing he did was good enough, and nothing she did was right—accusations and cutting words flew at the strangest time. We’d go from ‘pass the yogurt’ to ‘you stupid asshole’, and that could burst out from either side.”

Matt stroked his thumbs against her wrists, making tiny circles, letting her speak. Willing her to share whatever was propping up that wall behind her eyes.

Hope sighed. “You really want to have this conversation while we’re naked?”

Hell yeah. Matt lifted and rearranged until they were tangled even tighter together, his cock nestled between her legs. “Distracted?”

“Yes.”

“Tough. Tell me.”

She tilted her head and gave him a dirty look, but kept talking. “I would take off when I could, but I was only fifteen. Helen would disappear to spend time with you or her friends, but I could only organize so many sleepovers, could only hang out at the teen club for so long, and for some stupid reason my parents decided my whereabouts was closely tied to their fighting. Whoever had control of me had the winning hand.”

Matt dropped his lips against her cheek. “I had no idea.”

“You were busy with your family, and with Helen. And I’m sure she told you all sorts of things.”

That was true. “I was surprised when she said the two of you were going to open the quilting shop together. I always thought…”

Hope’s smile twisted. “That I was this spoiled creature who got away with murder?”

“Actually, no. I figured most of Helen’s whining was just that, whining, but I sure didn’t see the two of you working together well.”

She shrugged. “It might have been okay, but yeah, I would have had to be the one who caved in any argument. It didn’t help the stress between us that before Mom finally packed her bags, she gave me a bunch of stuff, and nothing to Helen. I think because I’d shared the items were important to me—Grandma’s old quilt rack, things like that. All Helen talked about was getting out of Rocky someday. And then it was Mom who left. Dad missed her more than he wanted to admit, and he started hitting the bottle.”

Another piece of the puzzle fell into place. “That’s why you don’t drink.”

“Damn right.”

Matt could have kicked himself. Why had they not had this conversation before? “Helen moved out, but you still lived with him?”

“Yeah, and then he died. I was the one who found him. Didn’t know he was dead at first, just thought he was dead-drunk like usual.”

He stroked a hand along her arm, all the way up to her neck. Caressing until he could cup her face. “He left you too, didn’t he? Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally—he checked out long before he was gone.”

“I think my family is cursed. We can’t keep it together. And that’s why even though you’re lying there looking so damn understanding, I think eventually you’re going to have enough of the crap and you’ll wish you’d never tried to be with me.”

Holy shit. “You really think I’m going to hightail out because your sister is making your life hell?”

“She made your life hell once before, and she seems damn good at causing trouble. Unless you’re some kind of glutton for punishment, I’m not sure why you’d stick around me waiting for more pain to come your way.”

“Doesn’t sound like you think much of me, Hope Meridan.”

She wiggled upright, indignation on her face. “It’s not you—I mean, I just said I wouldn’t blame you for leaving. You’re not a crazy bastard, why would I expect you to put up with me and my insane sister?”

Because he didn’t mind dealing with the craziness if it meant he got to be with her? Didn’t want her to have to deal with it on her own?

Because he’d fallen in love?

He pulled her into his arms and held on tight. “Remember what I said about relationships being work?”

Hope sighed. “You sure you want to keep hanging around me?”

“You sure you can put up with me being a demanding asshole at times?”

She cupped his face in her hands. “I like you as a demanding asshole.”

Really? He was about to find out if she meant it.

“I think there’s a bigger trouble than you being worried I might leave. I think you’re still curious if I’m thinking about your sister. Comparing you to her, that kind of thing.”

Her face tightened. She swallowed.

“You know what? I’m glad she came back from Calgary, even though we have to figure out what the hell is wrong with her. I probably wouldn’t have brought this up otherwise, if she hadn’t shown up. If she hadn’t been going out of her way to come between us. And this whole issue would have been hovering over us the entire time, like some damn ghost in the background.”