“Umm. I, ah. I... Oh…” My train of thought completely derailed and his mouth came down over my nipple.

“How long, darlin’?” The want in his voice was hard to miss. So was the delicious way he was nibbling on my breast. I shifted my legs and rubbed them together in a feeble attempt to relieve the ache that was building between them.

“What?” I asked confused and distracted. I pushed my chest up, silently asking for more to no avail. He lifted his head and stared into my glassy eyes.

“How long you gotta be away from me, darlin’?” His smirk told me he knew how distracting his tongue and mouth were. However, with his hand slowly snaking up my inner thigh, I would tell him the answer to the world’s mysteries just so he’d keep going.

“A few days, a week at most, I think.” My chest was now moving heavily as the fire burned brightly inside of me. I reached up and grabbed either side of his head, my fingers twisting into his hair. I bit my lower lip and slowly scanned his chiseled jaw, his broad muscled shoulders and down his solid smooth chest. When I looked back up to his eyes, they were reflecting all the heat and passion I was feeling.

The hand he had running up the inside of my thigh stopped and he gripped my leg tightly, his fingers digging into my flesh, which in turn only worked me up more. He needed me as much as I needed him. I brought his face down closer to mine. A hairs breadth away from our lips meeting, we stopped. I could almost feel the electricity crackling in the air between us. I never knew being with somebody could be like this. It was exhilarating and the very opposite of boring everyday mundane sex. Destry set me alight in every way imaginable and I didn’t want it to stop.

X X X

“‘Melia.” A light kiss on my shoulder had me stepping from complete sleep to eyes closed not wanting to wake up. I loved when I had these types of dreams. Destry touching me, his soft gentle lips touching my skin. “‘Melia, darlin’. Time to wake up.” His voice sounded so real, but then it always did. I snuggled deeper into the blankets and sighed. Only when I moved my hands to grab the pillow I always tucked up against me, did I realize I wasn’t dreaming. I slowly cracked an eye and was greeted with a glorious naked—from the waist up—Destry. His hair ruffled from sleep.

“Mmmm.” Best non-dream ever,” I quietly mumbled, smiling to myself. That earned me a chuckle and another soft kiss this time to my forehead.

“Time to get up, sleeping beauty.” He moved to his knees and I noticed his jeans weren’t buttoned. The happy trail that I’d taken my time following the night before caught my eyes, and I all but eye raped his toned stomach.

“Commando in the morning might be the best thing in the world.” I yawned, stretching out my sore muscles. We’d cuddled under the stars all night making good use of the food I’d packed, and eventually fell asleep in the back of the truck. “Cum gutters are pretty high up there too,” I smiled sleepily.

“Cum gutters?” he asked with a short laugh, handing me my clothes he’d obviously gathered up at some point.

“Mhmm.” I ran the tip of my finger along the clearly defined V muscles that ran from the top of his hips and disappeared into his jeans. “Cum gutters.” Tapping the skin there, I slowly sat up, watching him shake his head and smirk.

After a quick unplanned make-out session and the short ride back, I pulled the ATV up beside Destry’s truck and watched him climb out. He walked around and lifted me off it before setting me down and laying a hard heavy kiss on me. It was a total caveman move with him marking his territory, but I was more than fine with it. He grabbed my hand and led us up the three steps to the house, not loosening his grip on my hand once.

The moment we walked inside, everyone stopped what they were doing and took in our clearly disheveled appearances. Braxton zoned in on our linked hands and smiled to himself before nodding once at Destry and walking back to the stove. Thankfully, my ankle hadn’t given me any grief. It seemed I’d slightly sprained it, and once the swelling had gone down, a slight twinge here and a small ache there was all I had left after my fall.

“You owe me ten bucks,” Austin called over to Ellie-May. “Told you they were out screwing around,” he snickered. Ellie-May slapped him upside the head as she walked past him and put a plate of crispy bacon on the big table. “Quit slappin’ me, woman.” He growled at her as she ignored him, and continued making breakfast. I gave them a brief eye roll and shake of my head. Funnily enough, I was not at all surprised about their bet. I was sure the tension between Destry and I was obvious to everyone since I’d been at the ranch.

“I’m gonna get a quick shower,” I whispered, let go of his hand and scooted around the other side of Destry to the steps. He grabbed me by the hips and pulled me back into his hard body. The moment his lips came down on the skin behind my ear all the worry and uncomfortable feeling melted away.

“I’ll be up real soon,” he whispered in that husky voice he’d mastered so well. I nodded and stepped out of his arms that were wrapped around my waist. On my way up the stairs, I heard a thud and then Destry in a hushed grumble, “Don’t be an ass, Austin.” Laughter rung out and followed me as I let myself into the bathroom with a smile plastered on my face. I hadn’t been this happy in… well, ever.

Halfway through my shower, there was a knock at the door moments before it opened. Destry walked in, shucking off his clothes as he stepped toward me. I stood, soapy hands in my hair, bubbles sliding down my body as I watched mesmerized while he got naked and stepped into the shower with me. I was still staring and quite possibly drooling when he leaned down and kissed me softly, while removing my hands that were still in my hair and replaced them with his own.