Page 34 of The Rogue (Four Corners Ranch #11)

She was completely strung out by the time they got to the lodge. Justice had been so frank and exacting in his conversation.

Asking her if she had any boundaries that he couldn’t cross, talking about the sex they were going to have in such a casual

manner. Well. Maybe it wasn’t casual. But he was right; she had been more comfortable playing with him over text. When they

were sitting next to each other in a truck it felt risky. Far too risky.

But what was the risk? They were going to have sex. That was the whole thing. It was what they were there to do.

It was a natural evolution of their relationship, honestly. She had taught him how to read. He was going to teach her how

to come.

Seemed like a pretty fair trade.

It took her a minute to realize that they had been sitting in the check-in spot in the hotel, under the broad overhang that

was just in front of the grand lobby. The windows stretched from floor to ceiling, and the view of the mountains and green

pines dusted with snow was glorious.

And she’d been sitting there spacing out thinking about sex.

“I guess I have to check in. Since everything is under my name.”

“I’ll get the bags,” he said.

A man in a suit came up and asked for Justice’s keys.

“Valet,” he said. “That’s fancy.”

She was sort of surprised when he surrendered the keys. It was out of character, but she supposed it spoke to the honesty

behind the comments he made about urgency. Her hands were sweaty. She went into the lobby and walked up to the wide, highly

polished oak front desk. “Hi. I have a reservation under Matthews. Ruby Matthews.”

“I see that. Yes. Checking in for a seven-night stay.”

“Yes. That’s it. Seven nights. Seven of them.

“Honeymoon suite. And the other guest on the reservation is...”

“I need to update that actually,” she said.

The eyebrows of the woman behind the desk shot upward.

“It’s just... I... The wedding ended up not actually happening. But I’m here. And I have... My friend... Just

add Justice King to the reservation. If it matters.”

“It probably doesn’t,” the woman said.

“I just didn’t want the other name on there.”

The woman met her eyes for a moment, then she nodded. “Understandable,” she said, typing quickly on her computer.

“And I was won—What he was wondering... is there any way we could check in early?”

“I’m not sure if the room is ready...”

At that moment, Justice came in, carrying the two bags they had brought. He grinned at the woman behind the counter. And then looked at Rue. “Getting checked in okay?”

“I’ll see what I can do about the early check-in,” the woman said, looking at him, then looking back at Rue. Rue’s heart started

to beat a little bit faster. This was actually going to happen.

She felt her face getting hot.

“I didn’t see the other guy,” the woman whispered, reaching into a drawer and taking out two key cards which she put into

a machine that was obviously programming them. “But all I can say about who you brought with you is... nice work.”

“Yes,” Rue said, her breath coming out in a gust. “I think so.”

Usually, in these situations she felt slightly awkward. All these years, people had been assuming that Justice was her man.

He hadn’t been. He had been just a friend. But now... Well. Things were a bit more complicated. And the woman’s assumptions

weren’t wrong. They wanted an early check-in so...

She was starting to get nervous. Very nervous.

“You’ll be room 605. Sixth floor, and you’re going to take that third elevator bank and go up. Then all the way down at the

end of the hall. You have a view that overlooks the mountains, and the most spacious accommodations available.”

“Thank you,” she said.

The whole place was done up in a sort of rustic fanciness, glossy wooden beams and antlers adorning everything. There were also a lot of touches of new technology. A beautiful haven out in the middle of nowhere.

She was focusing on those details because if not she might actually hyperventilate and pass out. And that wasn’t what she

was trying to do. Justice for his part was a silent, strong figure behind her, and her throat was dry, her body achy.

She might’ve thought she had a fever, or was catching some sort of illness if the malady hadn’t come on as soon as they approached

the room.

He had bags, so she was the one that took the card out and unlocked the door, pushing it open so that they could let themselves

in.

The room was... It was gorgeous. The back wall was entirely glass, nearly invisible sliding doors leading out to an expansive

balcony that overlooked the mountains.

They were covered in snow, a winter wonderland right outside.

Not a person or residence anywhere in the view. A lovely feature, because that meant windows that size didn’t compromise privacy.

She pushed open the bathroom door, and saw that it was nearly as big as the bedroom. There was a massive tub, freestanding,

like a giant white bowl positioned next to a window, and then there was a big glass shower with two showerheads positioned

opposite each other. Definitely for a couple to enjoy it together.

She swallowed hard, then looked back at the room. At the bed, which she had been trying to ignore.

It was huge. The bedding all white and plush.

This room wasn’t quite so rustic as the rest of the hotel.

It had more of a sleek, modern design to it, but still seemed warm and soft.

But most importantly, the bed had a sort of minimalistic quality that seemed to announce that its real and only true function was for two people to be on it, exploring each other.

Not sleeping.

There was nothing in the way of extra pillows or other accoutrements that might get in the way. No. It was all about having

an expansive playing field.

“I can hear you thinking,” he said.

She turned to face him, and she must’ve looked like a terrified squirrel. Because he looked at her like he might look at a

poor animal that needed quieting. But then he moved to her, and cupped her chin. He didn’t usually touch her like that. Intimate.

Knowing. Firm. “We don’t have to do this. If it’s not working for you, or it’s not something you actually want, I’m okay with

that. Rue, you are the most important person in my life. Nothing is ever going to change that.”

She wanted to thank him for that, but the words got jumbled up in her throat. And mostly, she didn’t want to think that meant

she didn’t want this. She really wanted it. Really. She was terrified that he was looking for an excuse. An out.

But she was also just plain terrified.

Not because she didn’t want it, but because she did, and because of how much.

“I want this,” she said. “But I’m nervous.”

“Then let me take the lead. If we were knitting, you would have to be in charge, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I have knitted before, you’ve shown me. But what I’ve come up with is just a lumpy mess. I just don’t have the experience. But you

do. You’re a good teacher. So I could trust that whatever you told me would be the right thing. And that you wouldn’t be upset

at me if it was imperfect, right?”

“Right,” she said.

“So think of this as knitting class. But it’s sex. And I’m the one that knows what they’re doing.”

She shivered, and looked around. Needing a barrier between them. Because this. “It’s bright in here.”

“Good,” he said, his voice rough, bringing her focus back to him. “I want to see you. I want to see every inch of you. Ruby

Matthews, I have known you for most of my life. But I don’t know the secret of what you look like under your clothes. I’m

a curious guy. I like knowing that the mystery is going to be solved. What do you think?”

“Yes,” she said, the word coming out breathless.

“Meaning you want to see me too?”

“Yes,” she said. “I... I want to see you.”

“Good. So I’m going to take the lead. And if there’s ever something that you don’t like, you just tell me to stop. I will.

But trust me. Trust me that I know what’s going to make you feel good, okay?”

She nodded. He wrapped his arm around her waist then, bringing her flush against his body. Then he dipped his head and pressed

his mouth to hers, and it was like those dark corners inside her all lit up. And all the fear just melted away. This was like

the moment in the barn. When their lips had met for the first time.

So slick and hot and perfect. So glorious.

His large hand moved to her lower back, and a small moan escaped her lips. She didn’t even know herself in the moment. Maybe that was a good thing. She didn’t know herself, but she knew him. He was solid, his hands strong. He was Justice King. And there could never be any doubt about that.

He paused their kiss for a moment, and looked at her, and she knew a solid forty-five seconds of pure panic.

Once they did this they couldn’t go back. She would never be able to not know what Justice looked like naked. She would never

be able to not know what it felt like to have him surge inside of her. She had convinced herself that they had passed the

point of no return a long time ago. But this was really it. These were the things that would never be a mystery again.

These were the things that would take their friendship, this thing that they’d cultivated and protected for years, and put

it in a different space altogether.

Then he kissed her again, and there was no more room for panic, because need filled her, drove her.

Made her into something she didn’t even recognize.

The way his hands moved over her body, creating a web of tension inside of her, that each new touch vibrated. So that when

he touched her lower back she felt it between her legs, so that when he slid his fingertips up her spine she felt it in her

breasts, which had grown heavy and sensitized.

Her lips felt swollen, hot to the touch. He just kept on kissing her. On and on. He moved his hands through her hair, and

she let her head fall backward as he kissed down her neck.

Then he moved back, and stripped his shirt up over his head.