Page 10 of Loving Hard on the Highway (Love Along Route 14)

Sean

“This has been one of the best nights of my life,” I confessed as Gabbie lay in my arms.

“Who knew saloons could be so exciting?” Gabbie teased.

I let out a soft laugh. “You are incredible.”

She was quiet, but I hoped she knew how true my words were. She was amazing, and I knew I would do anything for her, for her love. I thought I should tell her, but before I could say another word, my phone rang. I could tell from the ring that it was my brother.

“That’s Max,” I mumbled.

“Your brother?” Gabbie sat up and pulled the bedcover over her body.

“Yeah.” I was tired and confused. “He wouldn’t call at 4 am unless it was serious.”

I answered the phone while pulling on my boxers. “Hey, Max, what’s up?”

“Sorry to call you so late,” Max said. I heard the stress and tiredness in his voice. “I tried to call you sooner, but things were crazy.”

“Bro, what’s going on?”

“It’s Grandpa. He lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital about an hour ago.”

“Is he…” I was afraid to ask.

“He’s alive, but we don’t know what’s going on. When do you get back?” Max asked.

“I had planned to be back in two days, but…” I ran my hands through my hair, thinking. “I can be home tomorrow evening.”

“Dad isn’t going to let you use the jet. Maybe Myra can get you a flight,” Max suggested.

“No, I’m in the middle of nowhere. By the time I get to an airport and make a flight, I’ll be halfway home.”

“Are you still traveling with your friend?” Max asked, with an implied question behind it.

I turned to Gabbie, sitting on the bed, concern in her big brown eyes. “Yeah, but that’s not why.”

“It was just a question,” Max said. “Get some sleep and get back as soon as you can.”

?

The morning light slipped reluctantly through the cracks in the curtains, pale and warm. I opened my eyes, despite sleep arriving in thin, broken threads that unraveled with every shift of thought.

Over the last couple of hours, my thoughts jolted between Gabbie and my grandpa. I’d drift to near sleep with the blissful memories of making love to her, touching her, tasting her, being inside her, only to be rocked by the dread of never seeing Grandpa again.

I placed a kiss on Gabbie’s shoulder. The warmth of her body against mine soothed me.

She stirred. Her hand found mine beneath the blankets, warm and instinctively caressing her breast.

“You didn’t sleep,” she whispered, not quite a question.

I shook my head, taking a breath of her sweet scent. “I kept thinking about him. About what my brother said. I should’ve gone last night.”

“You needed rest,” she said.

“I didn’t get it.”

I sat up, rubbing the sleep, or lack of it, from my eyes. The room was quiet except for the hush of early morning and the creak of the bed frame. Gabbie sat up with me, her hand sliding to my back.

“You’ll be there tonight,” she said. “You’ll see him. That’s what matters.”

I nodded, then turned to Gabbie. A gentle kiss from her gave me some comfort. The distance between now and the hospital visit felt immense, not measured in miles but in uncertainty. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my jaw tight as I paused there, shoulders slumped.

Gabbie wrapped her arms around me from behind and rested her chin on my shoulder. “You’re not alone in this,” she whispered.

I closed my eyes, allowing the simple weight of her to ground me. “Let’s get our little Ollie and hit the road.”

Gabbie was sweet enough to take the first shift driving. It was nice. Between holding Ollie and the low music, I drifted to sleep.

I only woke when I heard Gabbie’s phone ring. I opened my eyes to see a worried look on Gabbie’s face.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“No.” Gabbie swallowed hard. “Nobody has this number but Laurel and Evie. And they wouldn’t call. Do you mind answering it?”

I picked up the phone and put it on speaker. “Hello.”

“Oh, hi. I must have the wrong number. I’m looking for Gabrielle.”

“Mich.” Gabbie was relieved to hear her sister’s voice. “How’d you get this number?”

“Laurel gave it to me. Look, Gabs, when are you going to be here?”

“Umm, tonight, in like five hours,” Gabbie answered.

“I have bad news,” Michelle sighed. “Rick was here earlier. I don’t know how he found out you left, but he got a flight here and was being an ass. Lis and Mateo were here, and Mateo chased him off. I’m sure he’s probably watching us.”

“Mich, I am so sorry. I never meant to bring you any trouble.”

“We’re fine. But we had to find a place for you to stay. My friend Jess has a friend who is remodeling a B&B. Because she’s not operating yet, I don’t think Rick will know to look there.”

?

It was late when we pulled into the bed-and-breakfast. We apologized for bringing Ollie, but the owner, Skye, didn’t mind at all.

I was dreading saying goodbye to Gabbie when I finally got a call back from my brother.

“Are you here yet?” Max asked.

“I just got into town a few minutes ago,” I yawned. “I’m just going to grab a coffee and head to the hospital.”

“Grandpa was released an hour ago. He’s staying with me and Gemma for now. He’s sleeping in the spare room.”

“Can I see him?” I asked.

“Not until morning. The doctors only released him if we promised he’d get some sleep,” Max said. “Do you have a place to stay for tonight?”

“I’ll manage.” I smiled at Gabbie, relieved, and hung up the phone.

“How’s your grandfather?” she asked.

“Better. He’s home with my brother and resting. I can see him in the morning.”

“Oh,” Gabbie smiled. “So, what are your plans for tonight?”

The room was cute and cozy. Although there was still more remodeling to be done, this room was perfect. Gabbie put Ollie in his carrier, and the pup went right to sleep.

Skye made us some sandwiches with fresh grapes from the vineyard on the side, along with lemonade. It wasn’t much, but she promised breakfast would be better.

“So, what happens after tonight?” Gabbie asked as she twirled a grape between her fingers.

“Well.” I sat back and gazed at her with a smile. “I hope that once you get settled in, you’ll let me take you out on a proper date.”

“I’d like that.”

Eventually, I’d have to tell her the whole story about my dad, the company, and my inheritance and obligations, including the wilderness retreat I’d have to go on to receive my inheritance. Maybe that was an official first date conversation.

“I need a shower,” Gabbie said, hopping up and twisting her hair up into a bun.

I sat back in the chair, popping a grape into my mouth as I heard the water start. I couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to have a shower with her, and all the things I would do to her.

“Are you coming?” she called.

“Hell yeah.” Looks like I wouldn’t be imagining.

I rushed behind her, wrapping my arms around her and playfully kissing her neck.

She let out a squeal as we peeled each other out of our clothes.

I paused. The sight of her gorgeous naked body had me stiff and throbbing.

Her lips brushed mine. Not a kiss yet, more like a promise as we stepped into the standing shower.

“I think I owe you,” Gabbie breathed against my mouth as steam gathered around us.

She licked her lips as her hands trailed down my pecks and abs, then wrapped around my dick. Her hands on my body felt glorious.

“That feels so good. But you don’t owe me anything. It would be my pleasure to eat you out for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and multiple snacks.”

She grinned. “I might take you up on that.”

“Please do,” I teased, kissing her harder as she stroked my shaft.

She kissed down my body and took me in her mouth.

I looked down to see big brown eyes looking up at me, and I nearly lost my mind.

Her perfect full lips, mouth, and tongue worked from the head, taking as much of me as she could.

My hips slowly rocked into her as I fought the urge to thrust. I caressed her cheek, appreciating every second of this pure bliss, until she brought me a little too close.

“Gabbie,” I groaned, heavy with pleasure.

She understood and pulled me from her mouth, letting the head pop as she gave me one final long suck.

Oh, that was so fucking good. I knew if I fucked her now, I would cum in a minute.

I pressed her back against the shower wall, kissing down her body, playfully kissing and sucking her nipples before continuing down and planting my face between her thighs.

Her breath hitched as I part her lips with my tongue, indulging myself before taking her bud into my mouth.

She ground against my mouth, her body tightening and quivering, wanting more.

She was so close. I stood pressing my mouth to hers, our tongues tangled and danced in a fury, and our wet bodies rocked together.

I turned her back to me, bending her over. Her tight, round ass tilted up as her hands pressed into the shower wall.

“Fuck me, Sean,” she whimpered, desperation in her fain voice.

I groaned as I thrust hard and deep inside her, and she let out a deep moan.

Her walls tightened around my dick as I grabbed her hips.

I pumped hard as she pushed back into me.

She didn’t hold back, thrusting right back into me until she came.

Her legs quivered, and I held her steady, not stopping.

I wanted her to enjoy it. She regained her composure and was right back at it.

And I was about to blow. I pulled out just before, and Gabbie grabbed my shaft to help me finish.

An hour later in bed, Gabbie was on top, riding me, and her perfect breasts bobbing up and down before me were a sight I would never forget.

?

The room was pitch-black at 5 am. I should be exhausted after the night Gabbie and I just had, but I was way too excited. I was in love, and I needed to tell someone. Taking my phone into the bathroom, I called Max, knowing he’d be just waking up as cattle farmers did.

“Hey little bro, what are you doing up this early? Grandpa is still asleep.”

“I’m actually calling to talk to you.”

“Oh, sounds serious,” Max paused. “If it’s about the business. I am completely fine with you taking Grandpa’s shares of Holsten. I don’t want it, and he wants you to take his place. And we can split Iverleigh Farms. That stuff’s not important to me.”

“No, it’s not that, I promise. Iverleigh Farms is for you, Melany, and Gemma,” I said. “I wanted to ask you, how soon is too soon to be in love?”

“Oh.” Max paused again. “I don’t think I ever expected to hear anything like this from you. I take it we’re talking about Gabrielle.”

“Yeah.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “I’m pretty sure I am in love with her. She is so damned beautiful. And everything Gabbie does, I swear it’s perfect. I told you how she saved Ollie.”

“Yes, and now Gemma is a fan of Gabbie for that reason alone,” Max laughed softly. “So, I have to ask, are you sure she’s not in it for the money? We’ve both been there before.”

“She doesn’t know yet.”

Max paused again. “What do you mean, she doesn’t know?”

“It’s just never come up.” I tried to be casual.

“Well, please tell her before you sleep together. If you really like her, she might want to know what she’s getting into. Because we are a lot.”

“It’s kind of too late for that,” I confessed.

Max let out an exasperated sigh. “Bro…it hasn’t even been a week.”

“So, you think it’s too soon?” I was questioning everything.

“I’m not saying that,” Max said. “I’m saying I don’t know. You deserve to be happy. But I’m divorced after dating for two years and married for one. So, I might not be the best source.”

“She and Dad did you dirty.” Thinking about how my dad was fucking my brother’s wife made me hate him even more. “You didn’t deserve that.”

“I know,” Max sighed. “We didn’t deserve any of the bullshit Dad put us through. You should ask Grandpa when you see him later today. He made his marriage to Grandma work in this craziness that is our family.”

“That’s probably the best advice. Thanks, Max.”

I hung up and crawled back into bed with Gabbie. She curled into me and pressed a kiss on my chest.

“What time is it?” Her voice was barely audible.

“It’s a little after five,” I said, pressing a tender kiss on her lips. “Too early to wake up.”

“Mmm.” She wrapped her arms around me, guiding me between her thighs. “Not too early for this.

My dick twitched and sprung to attention, ready and eager to be inside her again. The warmth of her walls engulfed me as we kissed and fell into a slow, deep rhythm. This woman could have me anyway, anytime. I was hers.