Buckle Down (8 page)

He reached around her and squeezed her breasts, tugging on
her nipples. He slammed into her over and over. A deep groan sounded in her ear
and Shane’s cock swelled, stretching her more as he filled her with his hot
seed.

She clutched at his arms, still wrapped around her trembling
body.

He breathed hard against her neck and kissed her shoulder.
“You okay?”

Tess nodded. “So much for the no sex restriction.”

He laughed. “No shit. That was a stupid idea.”

“I don’t think I’ll be walking any time soon. If ever
again.” She smiled but did not move.

Shane pulled out of her and lay beside her, pulling her back
to him. “Should I go?”

“No. Stay with me tonight.”

They showered and cuddled up together in her bed. He fell
asleep in the middle of Law and Order and Tess kissed his nose. “I think I love
you, Shane Wyatt.”

Shane had gone home early the next morning because he had to
work and Tess hung around the house doing chores and laundry and catching up on
some reading. They made plans to go out again on Tuesday evening. Those two
days seemed to take forever to pass. They texted and chatted on the phone a few
times.

Tess picked out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She loved how
she could just be herself around Shane. He didn’t expect all the glam and
makeup and hair like the people back in California. She put on her Mucks and
brought along a nicer pair of shoes to wear when they left the ranch. She
smiled a lot on the drive out there and bobbed her head to the country tunes on
the radio. She parked her truck next to Shane’s and walked over to his
apartment. She rapped on the door and turned around to look out over the ranch.
She loved the trees and all the nature. This is what she wanted some day, to
live in a place like this where she could keep her horses and maybe have a
couple of kids.

The door creaked open behind her and she turned around. “Are
you ready?” Tess kissed him on the cheek.

Shane sighed and rubbed his forehead. His hair was
disheveled and he looked tired. “I’m gonna have to take a rain check.”

She stepped back. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“Sierra is in labor. I tried to reach Phoebe, but keep
getting her voicemail. She knew that horse could go into labor any second.
Anyway, I can’t leave until after she’s foaled and I know the baby is okay. I
hope you understand.”

How could she be angry because he cared about this horse and
her unborn baby? “Of course I understand. How about if I just make us some
sandwiches and we can sit out there by the stable? Like a picnic.” She smiled
at him. “That is if you have the fixings for sandwiches. If not, I can go pick
something up in town and bring it back.”

He cringed. “I haven’t been to the store. I don’t really
have much here except Cup O’Soup and coffee.”

“No worries. I’ll go out to Jake’s and get barbecue
sandwiches.”

“You’re too good to be true, Tess.” He kissed her and pulled
her inside his apartment. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” She wrapped her arms around his neck.

His hand slid up to squeeze her breast. “Let’s have a snack
first.”

She laughed against his lips. “Stop that, you horny toad.
We’re going to eat first.”

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s exactly what I had in mind.”

A tingle started between her thighs and her nipples
hardened. She knew how good that would feel. Shaking off the thought, she said,
“No. You go check on Sierra and I’ll go get food.” She kissed his cheek. “Be
back.”

He poked his bottom lip out. “Okay. Fine.”

“No pouting. I’ll make it up to you later. I promise.” She
jogged out to her truck and headed back to town.

An hour later she parked in the spot beside his truck and
carried the bags to his apartment. She went inside and laid the items out on
the table. Jake made the best pulled pork sandwiches in Central Arkansas.
Nobody could replicate his barbecue sauce or his slaw. It had been a long time
since Tess’d had one and she licked her lips. She had also stopped at the store
and bought a jug of sweet tea and salt and vinegar chips along with a few other
snack items to keep them. She didn’t know how long Sierra would take to foal,
but it might be a long night.

Leaving everything set up to eat, she strolled out to the
stables and found Shane rubbing Sierra’s nose.

“How’s she doing?” Tess stepped up on the gate and peered
inside.

Shane smiled. “She’s doing good. Everything seems to be
progressing normally.”

“Can you come in for a bit and eat?” She looked at her
watch. It was half-past-six already.

“Yeah. I think she’s still a few hours off from delivering.”
He climbed over the gate and grabbed Tess, pulling her up on his back.

She squealed and held onto his shoulders while he piggy
backed her all the way to his apartment.

“That smells so good.” Shane set her on her feet on the
tiled kitchen floor. “I haven’t eaten there before.”

“Jake is famous for his sandwiches. I hope you like pork.”

“We’re from Arkansas. Of course I like pork. Soo-ie. Go
hogs.”

Tess laughed and opened the refrigerator to bring the tea to
the small table. “Can you get a couple of glasses?”

Shane set two plastic tumblers beside their food and pulled Tess’
chair out for her. “Thank you. This is really nice.” He poured tea into the
cups and sat down across from her.

She unwrapped her sandwich and bit in. Closing her eyes, she
groaned. “So good.”

Shane agreed and polished off his entire sandwich and more
than half of the chips.

Tess wrapped up what was left of hers and put it into the
refrigerator.

They sat outside Sierra’s stall and talked while the mare
paced and panted.

“Tell me about your family,” Tess said, playing with a piece
of hay.

“There’s not much to tell. My dad’s a truck driver. Mom
works in a grocery store. My brother is a roughneck. He works in the oil fields.”

“What do they think about you breaking into the rodeo
arena?”

He stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his
ankles. “My mom worries. She’s afraid I’ll get hurt. My dad is proud. Tells
everyone I’m a big star. I don’t talk to my brother much. He’s married with a
baby on the way and works his ass off.”

“It is dangerous. Luke has been hurt pretty bad a couple of
times. It’s hard to watch someone you love put themselves in that position.”

He looked at her and took her hand in his. “I know it is. My
folks have done a lot for me. I want to give them something back. I’d love to
be able to buy them a house like your parents’ place. And help my dad retire.”

“You will.”

“What happens when summer ends? You have to go back to
California?”

“Yes. I have two more semesters to finish my degree.”

Shane looked at his feet. “I wish you could stay here.”

“I do, too. I mean, I could probably transfer to ASU in
Beebe or Little Rock. I’d have to talk to my counselor and see what my options
are. I’m just not sure if that’s what I want. I’ve made so many great friends
and I’m looking forward to walking with my class. We’ve been in this program
together for three years, you know?”

He nodded. “I understand. I’d like to send my brother to
college. He’s the smart one. He could be anything but he has to feed his family
and my parents couldn’t afford to help him.”

They fell quiet and she leaned her head against his
shoulder.

“Tess. Tess.” Shane shook her arm.

She opened her eyes and blinked.

“You’re sleeping out here, babe. Go inside and lay down.
I’ll come check on you in a while.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so tired all of a sudden.”

“Comfort food.” He laughed and kissed her. “Go on.”

She stood up and wiped the hay off the seat of her pants.
“Okay. Text me if you need me to come back out. I’ll just take a short nap.”

He squeezed her thigh. “Will do.”

She went inside and slipped her jeans off and crawled into
his bed in her t-shirt and underwear. She made sure her phone was on, set it on
the nightstand, and knocked out.

When Tess opened her eyes, it was after midnight and the
other side of the bed was empty. Shane still hadn’t come back inside. The phone
beside the bed had not registered any calls or messages. She rubbed her eyes
and stretched. The wood floor was cold under her feet and she found her jeans
and pulled them on. The mirror in the bathroom revealed puffy eyes and messy
hair. She splashed water on her face and rinsed her mouth before redoing her
ponytail.

The night air was warm and heavy, typical for summer in
Arkansas. A fine bead of sweat erupted on her forehead courtesy of the
humidity. Lightning flashed across the sky and a few seconds later the crack of
thunder made her jump. It definitely felt like a thunder storm was moving in.

The wooden gate to the stall where she had left Shane was
closed and she stepped up on it to look inside. The scene inside stole her
breath and she gripped the top bar.

Sierra stood in the corner drinking water.

In a pile of hay, Shane lay beside the foal, a wool blanket
covered the brown baby horse.

Tess stood motionless and watched the baby to see if it was
breathing. Emotion welled up inside her and she bit her lip. Then the baby
sneezed, covering Shane’s face in horse spit.

He jumped back and wiped at his face, his eyes fluttering
open. He scampered to his feet and pulled his t-shirt off to clean his face.

The baby struggled to its feet and nudged its nose against
Shane’s leg.

Shane looked up and smiled at Tess. “It’s a girl.”

Tess laughed. “She’s beautiful. Congratulations, papa.”

“I’m proud of her.” He patted the mother and climbed out of
the stall. “I think my work here is done and I need a shower.”

“Want me to wash your back?” Tess winked at him.

“That’s not all I want you to wash.”

He piggybacked Tess back to the apartment and set her down
in front of the bathroom door. “Let me grab some towels.”

Tess kicked her boots off and stripped down to her underwear
before Shane returned.

He stacked the towels on the toilet seat and dropped his
pants and boxers. “Clean me up so I can get you dirty.”

“You got it.” She slipped out of her panties and bra as he
turned the shower on.

Shane pulled the curtain back and held it open for her.
“After you.”

“Always the gentleman.” The water beat down on her neck and
she tipped her head back to wet her hair.

He moved in close, sharing the spray with her. “I’m not
always a gentleman. And you like it.” He squeezed some soap onto a washcloth.
“Turn around.”

“I thought I was supposed to wash your back?” She glanced
back at him over her shoulder.

“We have plenty of time, babe.”

The soft slide of the cloth over Tess shoulders immediately
relaxed her. Shane rubbed her back and down to her ass before gliding down her
left leg and back up her right. His lips grazed her hip as he made his way up
her torso. He reached around and cupped her breasts, slippery fingers caressing
her nipples.

She took the washcloth from him and turned around to lather
his body slowly. He smiled when she took extra care to soap up his cock. His
balls were heavy in her hand, full. The stirring between her legs warranted
speeding things up. She pulled him under the water with her to rinse off the
soap. “Take me to bed.”

They climbed out and tumbled onto his bed, still wet.

He climbed over her, his teeth grazed her shoulder. His hard
dick pressed against her lower back and she rested her cheek against the soft
comforter. Her body was taut with sexual tension, like strings on a guitar
waiting to be strummed, and Shane knew exactly how to play her. He reached
between her legs and cupped her mound from behind. His breath was hot on her
neck. “I want you to come.”  

 “Make me come, Shane.”

He slipped two fingers inside her and moved them in and out
in a steady rhythm. “I know what you like.” His other hand slipped around the
front and parted her pussy lips to find her already hard clit.

She moaned and bit down on her lip. His hands rubbed, pushed,
and invaded her body. Little tremors started in her belly and spread downward
to her thighs, igniting her climax like a flame to a firecracker. Spots of
white clouded her vision and she moaned without inhibition, her fingers gathering
the blanket and pulling it.

“Mmm. I love how your pussy feels when you come hard.” Shane
continued to finger her.

 “I want you inside me. Take me.” She rolled over to face
him.

He pulled her legs around his hips. “Hold on, baby.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and licked at his lips.

His cock pressed insistently at her opening and she moved
her hips to take him inside. The swell of his dick stretched her pussy.

He kissed her, sucking her tongue into his mouth and
muffling her moans. His hips rocked and he buried his cock inside her hard and
fast before withdrawing slowly and repeating it again and again. Every stroke
rendered their bodies flush with no space between them.

Moving his hips in a circular motion, Shane’s cock touched
every spot inside Tess and her body hummed, ready to come again. He went deep
with short, hard strokes.

Her pussy contracted, holding him. “I’m coming, Shane. Oh,
my God.”

“Come, baby. I’m almost there.” He held still while her cunt
clamped on his dick. Once her muscles released him, he fucked her fast and hard
until he shuddered and came.

On the verge of hyperventilating, her head lolled to the
side. “Jesus.”

He stroked her hair and kissed the side of her face. “You’re
fantastic.”

“So are you. Can we sleep now? My legs are useless.
Actually, my whole body is useless.”