Page 39 of The Runaway and the Rugged (Dusty Meadows #1)

GARTH

I didn’t know what to expect after claimin’ Emelia as mine.

I figured my desire to take her to bed would be stronger, and wantin’ to kiss her wherever and whenever I felt like it, but what I didn’t expect was for the feeling I got when she told me was going to start workin’ weekends at The Lonely Barrel.

I wanted to say no way, absolutely fuckin’ not, but I couldn’t.

I wasn’t that man. The type who dictated what his woman did and controlled every aspect of her life. And from the way her voice wobbled with nerves when she told me, it was clear she expected that to be my answer.

Fuckin’ rich controlling asshole…

Instead, I watched in awe as her eyes lit up like the Fourth of July when I told her I was proud of her, because I truly was. She may not be working in some fancy building, doing highfalutin work, but she made this happen all on her own.

I wasn't sure she even knew how to make a drink let alone serve one, but regardless, I wanted to be the man who cheered her on from the sidelines. And that’s why I was here, at The Lonely Barrel, watchin’ closely and giving her my support.

I told my mom I was goin’ to check on Emelia and to watch Grace for a few hours, but of course she didn’t buy it.

She knew I had a thing for her, but kept that observation to herself.

Emelia was a few hours into her shift, wearing a tight Lonely Barrel top with a denim skirt and the cowgirl boots I bought for her.

She looked damn good. Almost too good, because every other hot-blooded male in the vicinity thought the exact same. Every now and then she’d cast me a dangerous glance, one that read if we weren’t here, she’d make all my damn fantasies come true.

Trouble.

She was trouble and I was fuckin’ eating it up.

“Boss man!” a familiar, loud, very obnoxious voice called out, causing me to toss back the rest of my beer.

Settling onto the stool beside me, Beau raked a hand through his overgrown blond locks, lookin’ like some damn pretty boy.

“What are you doin’— Oh…” His eyes instantly landed on Emelia who was busy interacting with some old man at the bar, her smile intoxicating, lighting this whole damn place up. “That’s why you’re here.”

He grinned sheepishly, instantly making me want to wipe it clean from his face, but I held back.

“Didn’t know she got a job here. She looks like she’s enjoying it,” he pointed out.

She did look like she was enjoying it. Even when she tripped over a mat on the floor, she just laughed, looked at me, and went back to workin’.

Swear I could watch her all day long.

“She’s here on the weekends.”

He rapped his knuckles onto the bar counter then turned to me.

“Ah, so you still got her durin’ the week then.” He smiled.

No, I have her all the fuckin’ time now.

“Yup.” I wasn’t telling anyone anything just yet. I wanted to enjoy this moment without nosy folks butting in; that's how my family and this town always worked.

Everybody knows everything about everyone.

“She looks good up there.”

My fists went tight, but when I caught him from the corner of my eye, I realized he wasn’t watching her the way I do. He was lookin’ at her like a friend, like a proud sibling who was genuinely happy to see her happy.

It made me not want to punch him in the face as much.

I checked the time on my watch, and when I saw her shift was about to end, I bided my time, waiting for the perfect moment to get up and follow her into the back room of the bar where I knew no one would be.

Ponytail swishing, oblivious to what’s going on around her, I came up behind her and dropped my head into the delicate curve of her neck. At first, she jumped about a foot off the ground, but immediately recognized that it was me behind her.

“Jesus, Garth, you scared the crap out of me.”

I chuckled.

“You did good today, real good.” I sniffed her lavender-scented locks, burying myself deeper until I was scrapin’ my mustache along her neck and shoulder blade.

“Thanks.” She sighed, tilting her head back and to the side, exposing more of neck. “I wasn’t expecting you to watch me all day, so that didn’t help my nerves.”

Toying with her bra strap, I lightly tugged on it with my teeth until planting a soft kiss onto her now slightly-raw-with-beard-and-mustache burn.

“You did great, you’re a damn natural.”

She didn’t seem convinced.

“Hey, are you even supposed to be back here? I’m not tryin’ to get fired on my first day.” She swiftly spun around, her brow arched high with both hands placed tight on her hips.

Like I’d let that happen.

“I go where you go.” I stepped toward her, desperate to get my mouth on her again.

“Hm, I’m not sure if that's a feasible answer, cowboy.” She took a large playful step back away from me.

Fuck, I loved when she called me cowboy, her sultry, sexy-as-hell voice sending a shiver down my damn spine.

“Seems like a damn good answer to me.” I eyed her like she was my next meal, my tongue darting out to wet my bottom lip. “Besides, I ain’t worried about no one else right now besides you.”

She grinned.

“That right?” She began to walk around me, slowly, meticulously.

“Someone’s gotta show you how proud they are of you,” I whispered softly, knowing she needed to hear it.

Her feet came to a halt and her big, olive eyes glimmered brightly.

“You’re proud of me?” she questioned, her voice wobbling with a mixture of uncertainty and surprise. I was ready to tell her that I was proud of her a million times over just to get that reaction again.

To make her believe that I was bein’ sincere.

“Yeah, Outlaw. Real proud.” I stalked over to where she stood stoically until I pressed myself to her front. “Now, think you’ll let me show you just how proud I am?”

Her eyes went impossibly wide, knowing exactly what I meant by that.

Her throat bobbed but with a robotic-like nod, she gave me my answer. Before I knew it, I was liftin’ her off the ground and walkin’ her ass out the bar. As we passed by Shane, he glanced at Emelia and me for a second, then simply tipped his chin in a silent goodbye.

“Where are we goin’?” she asked breathlessly, nervous.

“Need you all to myself right now, that okay?”

It was dark, slightly hazy, and with my truck parked around the back of the building, I knew no one would catch us out here.

“Yeah, that’s… that’s okay.”

Once at the back of the truck, by the truck bed, I used one hand to pull on the latch and slowly lowered it into a seat.

Seconds later, I was placin’ Emelia onto the tailgate.

Using my hips to spread her legs wide and placin’ my palms firmly beside her, cagin’ her in, I found myself completely lost in her gaze.

This woman was dangerously breathtaking.

“It’s been a while,” I admitted, though I wasn’t mad at the thought.

She sucked in a lungful of air.

“Been a while since what?”

“Since I’ve touched a woman,” I confessed. “But seein’ you like this, feelin’ the heat comin’ off your pussy, I’m not upset that I haven’t.”

Her eyes damn near rolled into the back of her head, lust and arousal blatant in her expression.

“Garth, please,” she whimpered. “You should’ve warned me that you have a dirty mouth.”

I chuckled.

“Where’s the fun in that? Now, I’m gonna give you two options to choose from,” I explained. “You want my fingers?” Running the tips of my fingers up the soft, gentle curve of her thigh, I stopped just shy of her underwear. “Or my tongue?”

Her mouth had fallen open on a gasp.

“I… uh…” she stammered, her words shaky. I started to gradually lower myself until I was at eye level with her panty- covered pussy, waiting and fuckin’ starved for what was to come next.

“Shhh, you’re right, baby. You’ve done damn good today and need both of ’em… And you desire every bit of what I’m about to do to you, don’t you?”

Peering up at glazed, ravenous eyes, I noticed she was now leaning back onto her palms, more than eager to satisfy my appetite.

“Yes,” she moaned. “Please.”

Her skirt was bunched at the waist, and as I leaned in, heart thumping wildly, I used my pointer finger to push the fabric of her panties to the side and I dove in.

My tongue came down gently, swirling its way around her needy clit until she threw the hat off my head and speared her fingers through my hair.

Fuck.

She tasted just as I had imagined, like the best thing in the fuckin’ world.

With slow, leisurely drags up and down her center, I savored it all. Her taste, her delicate curves that I began to trace meticulously, and the way she moaned my name, I nearly combusted.

“Garth!” She panted, tugging and yanking my hair like reins, pulling me to her neediest spot until a cry of relief rang out when I touched it.

“Glad I fuckin’ waited for this.” I devoured.

“Only want this. Only need this.” Using my middle finger, I angled it just right before pushing in deep, makin’ sure to brush her sensitive spot inside.

She rolled her hips, fucking herself on my face, until the telltale signs of an approaching orgasm washed over her.

“Oh god…” The words fell past her lips on a moan that went straight to my cock.

Lost in lust, lost in the moment, my tongue and finger fell into sync, a firm pace that had her crying out for more.

“Garth, I think I’m there.” She whimpered, her voice coiled with urgency.

“I got you, baby, let go for me.”

Moments later, her body had tensed beneath my flicking tongue and soon she was filling the night sky with a piercing scream.

I didn’t stop, wanting to prolong the sensation longer, wanting her to feel every last bit of it until she finally slumped back into the truck bed, her entire body trembling from the aftershocks.

Legs weak, knees fuckin’ sore, I gently removed my finger and tongue before rising to my feet.

“You okay?” I asked with a smile cresting on my face.

She was struggling to regain her composure with a hand over her face as she breathed wildly.

“Yes,” she finally responded, and as I went in to claim her lips, she caught me off guard. “Can we do it again?"