Love in the Rockies Page 9

  Dropping the closed bottle on the mattress, he bent and sucked a hard, tight nipple into his mouth. She whimpered. Roy rubbed her clit with a slippery finger, gradually working it back to her ass and circling the tight muscle until she relaxed enough for his fingertip to breach the ring to the first knuckle.

  She tensed around him. “Shhh, relax, deep breath.” She loosened a bit, and he slid his lubed finger deeper added another, and scissored them stretching her gently. As she shivered, and he poised his slippery cock in their place. “Ready, baby?”

  Teri nodded, shallow breaths lifting her breasts and letting them fall in a quick rhythm and he didn’t wait for her to tense again.

  “Push out.”

  She knew what he meant, they’d been there before, despite their jokes about virginal outrage, and when she obeyed, he gave a short thrust, and his head shoved inside. From there, he glided forward, tight heat clenching, squeezing his cock as if to milk the semen from it and he paused, buried balls deep. If he moved too fast, he’d empty his load in two seconds flat.

  Once he regained control, he began to move. In, out, slow, long strokes, savoring the fist of her back channel. It massaged him from base to tip, ripples of sensation lifting him closer and closer. “I love you so much, baby.”

  She murmured something, so low, he had no idea what, but her face tightened, jaw clenched and he moved faster, closer, closer. Pinching her clit between thumb and forefinger, he gave a short tug and she screamed and came, taking him with her. His balls sent streams of hot fluid through his cock to fill her ass with his cum. She shuddered under him, finally coming down to lie limp and he hung over her, propped on his elbows, drawing ragged breaths.

  Roy found the strength to withdraw and dropped to his side, next to his wife. Eyes closed, she reached for him, and he gathered her close to his heart.

  “Is the whole week going to be like this?” she asked without opening her eyes.

  “Better,” he answered, although he couldn’t imagine anything better. “I’m going to show my girl a good time.”

  “God,” she said. “Better than this might kill me.”

  He grinned and dropped a kiss on her forehead before heading for the bathroom for warm washcloths to clean them up. “Doing my duty as your husband and HoH, ma’am.”

  Chapter Three

  A sharp slap on her abused bottom woke Teri from a dream of tropical sands and seas.

  “Time to get up, Teri.”

  “Ouch.”

  “It’s still pink.” The hearty satisfaction in Roy’s voice told her he wasn’t referring to the sunrise.

  In fact, as the bright blue sky of her dream faded, she took in the bare branches of the tree outside their window, flakes clinging to them on their way to earth. She pushed her hair back, regretting she hadn’t had a chance to at least brush it before bed. It would take a long time to deal with the knots a night on wet hair inevitable left. But after their lovemaking, she hadn’t had the strength to move—grateful for Roy’s loving care and gentle cleanup services. With a heavy sigh, she sat up and kicked the pile of comforters and quilts to the foot of the bed. “I’d better get Ben ready for school.”

  He’d be going home in the afternoon with Kirsten and her daughter, his buddy, since the late afternoon flight required Teri and Roy to leave for Denver by noon. Thus, Roy’s plan for a half day at work.

  Her husband, wrapped in his favorite beat-up flannel robe, moved toward the window and shook his head. “I don’t like the look of the sky.”

  Teri stuffed her feet in her fluffy lambskin-lined slippers and joined him. “Do you think the snow might get heavier?” The heavy gray clouds hung low over the mountains, their dark centers ominous although what fell was drifting slowly down, spaced far apart.

  “I think it’s a sure thing.” He shrugged and headed for the bathroom, shedding the robe as he went. “I’ll try to get home a little earlier than noon, so we won’t have to rush. You know how crazy the roads can get in a snowstorm.”

  She considered the weather as she picked up his discarded garment from the floor and moved to hang it up. In New York, she would have left it there until either Roy or their two-times-a-week housekeeper dealt with it. But she’d learned the pleasure of doing little things for her husband. He had always been considerate of her.

  She paused, pulling fresh underthings for him out of his dresser drawer. What if it became a big enough storm to shut down the airport? Shades of all their previously canceled vacations. But Roy didn’t seem worried, and she didn’t want to bring up something so negative. Shutting the drawer, she caught a glimpse of his suitcase and remembered the box.

  Strains of some obscure indie tune—a garage band probably known only to Roy—emerged from the bathroom as he showered for the day. He’d asked her to leave the box alone. Threatened repercussions.

  It must be something good.

  Slipping her arms into her wooly-soft robe, she considered obeying him. She didn’t want to ruin his surprise. The wise thing to do would be to go about her day and trust her loving husband would show her what he’d purchased in his own good time. Feeling a halo settle about her head, she headed down the hallway and poked her head into Ben’s room.

  “Rise and shine, buddy. It’s gonna be a snowy day.”

  Kirsten’s day for carpool, Teri remained in her robe while she made oatmeal—with far fewer lumps than even a month before—and got her men fed and out the door. Her little guy was the only reason she’d hesitated when she’d opened the box containing the tickets and brochure on Christmas. Leaving Ben for a whole week…did a responsible mother go on trips without her son? New to the job, she questioned everything she did.

  Putting her parka on over her robe and exchanging slippers for Uggs, she escorted Ben and his backpack and duffel bag down the driveway to Kirsten’s car and gave him a big hug and kiss. The local teen they employed to shovel snow buildup seemed to come and go invisibly, leaving cleared walks in his wake. Her friend and neighbor got out of her car while Ben hopped in the backseat next to Suzanna without a glance back, as usual—as if his parents weren’t leaving him behind while they selfishly frolicked all over the Caribbean. Teri’s heart gave a little pang.

  Kirsten opened the SUV’s hatchback and reached out for Ben’s bag, but Teri clutched it closer. “We should have gone on a Disney cruise.” Tears stung her eyes.

  The other woman pried the duffel from her finger. “You’re entitled to time to yourselves.”

  “But he’s an orphan.” Teri held onto the strap.

  With a jerk, Kirsten freed it and placed it into the back of the car. “Yes…but he’s a lucky orphan to have a new set of parents who love him so much.”

  “So much we’re abandoning him.”

  Kirsten closed the hatch with a firm click. “To make him a sister. And what do you mean you’re abandoning him?” Shaking her head, she wrapped Teri in a firm embrace and patted her back. “Sweetie, you’re not exactly leaving him by the curb with the garbage. I promise Ronnie and I will feed him and keep him warm, and he will have a wonderful time with Suzanna.” Releasing her, Kirsten put her hand to the small of her back and groaned.

  “That’s one more reason we shouldn’t take advantage of you. With the baby due next month…”

  “Enough. I’m not anywhere near ready to deliver and with my elephantine proportions, I’m too awkward to play with Suzanna. They will keep each other busy.” Kirsten turned Teri and gave her a playful whack on her abused bottom. She yelped. “See? Seems the fun has already begun.”

  Teri stepped onto the curb as Kirsten and the kids zoomed off down the street. Maybe when they returned from the cruise she, too, would be on the way to giving birth. At least in the beginning stages of growing a baby. Patting her belly, she grinned and headed back to the house with a skip in her step.

  She settled at her desk to take care of a few final customer matters. Her boss had grumbled when she’d announced she would be unavailable for the duration of their t
rip, but she’d held her ground. Another reason she should consider being her own boss. With the money she made for the company, she could darn well enjoy her first real vacation in her entire tenure without having to put up with attitude.

  Opening each e-mail, she handled her customers’ issues and concerns, and when she finished with new business, sent a blanket message to them all letting them know she would be out of touch for a week and giving them the name of a representative at the company who could handle any emergencies.

  Perhaps being on her own wouldn’t be optimal. Maybe a partner…but she would prefer someone local and didn’t know anyone in the greater Denver area in her field who she would want to have such a business relationship with.

  It could wait.

  Shutting the lid of the laptop, she unplugged it and carried it upstairs. Despite her plans not to work, a real emergency couldn’t be totally avoided and Amanda in the office would know how to reach her. She tried hard to ride the line between workaholic and irresponsible flake. If she hadn’t spent her whole life on the workaholic side, she might know where the line lay, but baby steps. Baby steps… If all went well, this time next year, she might have a baby. While caring for Ben was not the same as a tiny newborn, she drew courage from the fact she’d kept him alive and well so far. And she wouldn’t be in it alone. She’d have Roy and big brother Ben to back her up.

  Lost in dreams of sweet-smelling cuddly babies, she tripped over Roy’s bag inside their bedroom door, knocking it over, and nearly dropped the laptop. Grasping it close to her chest, she reconsidered her ability to handle a baby. She’d need to learn to watch where she walked, for certain. Teri placed the computer on the bed and turned to face the fallen suitcase.

  Her mind whirled with reasons why she shouldn’t open it. He’d told her not to. Roy wanted to surprise her. It was not hers to touch. Stand it up and go shower. As she kicked off her slippers by the bed, with a flare like a sparkler on the Fourth of July, a reason to open it burst into her brain.

  She’d knocked his bag over.

  What if the item or items in the cardboard box were breakable? If her clumsiness had resulted in damage, he might not know until they were far out at sea. They might not be replaceable on shipboard. The brochure had not offered specifics about the specialty vendors attending, nor did she know if the contents were available anywhere but Corbin’s Bend. She might have—completely by accident—ruined his surprise.

  He’d be crushed.

  A tiny voice dared to suggest she could tell him what happened, but she shushed it.

  She was doing her wifely duty by checking to be sure nothing broke. The moment he arrived home, they’d head for the airport. Perhaps, if she had caused damage, she could replace whatever she had damaged, and he’d never be the wiser.

  As stealthy as if he might return any moment to catch her, Teri approached the maroon bag, lying on the carpeted floor, face down. She rolled it over and grasped the zipper, working it slowly, quietly, as if he were close enough to hear the noise. The warring voices in her head offered competing advice. Open it. Don’t open it. It’s your duty to make him happy. It’s your duty to obey.

  “Enough,” she barked then froze, cheeks heating. Only her own conscience and curiosity spoke to her, not a literal angel and devil on alternate shoulders. And she had no doubt what the correct action was. With a strong measure of regret, she released the zipper tab and stood the bag once again on its end by the door.

  When Roy returned, she’d let him know she accidentally knocked it over and let him check the contents. Surely he had nothing so obscure he couldn’t replace it in Denver or Florida, if necessary. And—she flushed again—the vendors would offer most items that might appeal to spanking for kink, pleasure, or punishment on a cruise geared especially for them.

  Visions of paddles and floggers swam in front of her eyes, although she doubted they’d fit in such a small box.

  But what spanking toys would be breakable anyway?

  No…with a clean conscience, halo back in place, Teri sailed into the bathroom to shower and get beautiful for the trip to the airport. Tomorrow, they would board ship for exotic islands with swaying palm trees and gleaming sands. What kind of adult couldn’t wait a little for a surprise?

  Teri slipped out of her robe and hung it on its hook then stole another peek at the suitcase looming by the bedroom door before turning on the water and stepping under the spray. In fifteen minutes she returned to the bedroom, one towel wrapped around her hair and another around her torso.

  The bag again lured her with its siren call of the forbidden, and she dragged it into the center of the floor and walked around it, as if the sides might turn transparent. And, the cardboard, too. She expected Roy before noon and it was after ten already. Once he arrived, she’d no longer be tempted to sneakiness. Past history told her he’d hold firm, there’d be no wheedling, so the sooner he arrived and they reached Denver and turned the bag over to the airline, the better. The next time they saw it would be aboard ship.

  Giving the evil thing a little kick, she turned to return to the backroom and froze at a thud. No. She spun on a heel to see it tipped over—again. If she hadn’t broken his…whatever…the first time, she surely had this time.

  So, therefore… She reached for the bag and a reggae tune chimed from the nightstand. Ringtone. Keeping her eye fixed on the suitcase, she backed up until her thigh hit the bed and reached for the phone. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Teri.” Despite herself, she glanced up at the corners of the room for hidden cameras.

  “Hi, Roy. Almost ready to come home?” How did he always know when she was up to something?

  “Almost, the sooner the better. I’m hoping to get us to Denver before the highway gets too bad.”

  Teri’s focus shifted from snooping to safe travel. “You don’t think there will be any trouble flying out, do you?” She peered out the window where the snowfall now obscured all but the house across the street.

  He hesitated. “I don’t know. The airport is still open, but the temperature is expected to drop, and there’s always a chance.”

  She swallowed. Despite her concerns for leaving Ben, the thought of missing another vacation brought back bad memories.

  Like the day Melinda and her husband were killed in a car accident…while her sister lay bleeding out in a ditch on the side of the road, she’d been informing Roy yet another trip wouldn’t be happening. Too busy at work…

  It’s not a big deal, nothing to be so upset about.” She shrugged free of his grip and faced the City view. “We just have to reschedule our vacation for later in the summer. You don’t mind, do you?”

  His voice held no inflection. “Mind? Why should I mind?”

  “So, I’ll call the travel agent and cancel.” She turned to him again, amazed he hadn’t argued. He’d been so adamant about this trip. Relieved, Teri bent to straighten a pillow on the couch, aware her straight gray pencil skirt tightened around her ass. Seduction would ease the sting of her news and distract him from any lingering irritation.

  At a growl, she spun toward him. Roy’s face reddened, his eyes spitting rage. She barely recognized her easygoing husband. Sure, they had never had a vacation. Even their honeymoon had been cut short by an emergency at the office. But he had to understand…their careers had to come first.

  “So, I’ll call the travel agent and cancel.” She moved another decorative pillow into its exact place on the leather sofa. “And maybe we can go in the fall?”

  “I don’t think so.” Roy moved the few steps to stand behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Not this time. I am holding you accountable for your promises, for once.”

  Teri’s memories of the night held a variety of emotions. They’d had their first spanking session in years followed by the hottest sex she could remember. But the selfish woman in the scene…how could Roy have tolerated her for so long?

  Then the next morning they’d gotten the call that changed their lives and s
hattered her heart into a million pieces.

  * * * * *

  “Teri? Teri?” Roy tapped the phone. Had the storm killed his landline connection? “Are you still there?” He initialed a form and flipped to the next page, anxious to get going.

  A long pause, then a subdued voice. “Yes, honey. Sorry.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “I was right here, but…”

  He recognized the tone. “Thinking of Melinda?” The moments of sadness came and went, but he’d hoped their trip would help her to keep healing.

  “You know me so well.” She sniffed and cleared her throat, her next words stronger, more together. “What’s up?”

  “I wanted to tell you, I’m leaving now, so be ready, okay?”

  “Sure.” He hoped for more enthusiasm, but that would come when they got on the road. The cruise would give them time alone to have fun—something they hadn’t done since college.

  “Leave the bags upstairs, and I will load them.” He signed another document and shoved the folder to the front of his desk. Sam Edger had agreed to return for the week and babysit the practice he’d sold Roy when he and his wife moved to Florida, but he didn’t want to leave him any more to do than necessary.

  “I will, honey.”

  “Love you, Teri.” The trip had a threefold purpose. To spend some alone time together, to make a baby, and most important, to make his wife happy. Her therapist—she’d begun seeing someone at his insistence and the recommendation of Father Henry who’d become a good friend despite their lack of churchgoing—suggested a few days out of her sister’s former home might lend perspective. While he believed Teri happier than ever in their lives together, her twin’s loss still caused her pain. “I’ll be home soon.”