Page 36 of Unbroken (Poplar Springs #2)

THIRTY-FOUR

ELI

“ E li, it’s been an absolute pleasure to meet you. We have narrowed the number of candidates down and I don’t mind sharing that as far as I’m concerned, you’re at the top of the list,” the owner of Easy Eights Ranch told me.

“Thanks, Mr. Braverman. I really appreciate you saying that,” I told him as I pumped his hand.

“Doug, please. My father was Mr. Braverman.”

I smiled at him. “Doug.”

“We’ll be in touch soon,” Doug said and I headed for my truck.

Half Moon was a good five-hour drive each way, so we’d agreed to meet in Collinswood, which was about the halfway point.

Mr. Braverman—Doug—was there attending a livestock auction and a part of the interview had consisted of me giving my opinion on some of the stock headed for the auction block, including some excellent warmbloods that would work well for trail rides.

I’d also mentioned Shannon’s breeding program—he’d sounded interested.

On the drive back to Poplar Springs, I called my mom .

“Well? How’d it go?” she demanded without even saying hello first.

I chuckled at her enthusiasm. “I feel like it went well. He said they’d be in touch soon.”

“Of course he did. They’d be fools not to hire you. Not that I want you two to move so far away. Are you on your way back?”

When I’d first told my mom about my desire to move, she’d been devastated, but as time wore on, she came to understand my reasoning, even if she didn’t like it. “I should be back in town in a couple hours.”

“If you take that job, I won’t get to see either you or Patrick enough for my satisfaction. How about if Patrick spends the night tonight and maybe you can call that girl you’re sweet on for a fun night instead?” she said.

I wanted to correct her and say that I wasn’t sweet on Fiona, but I would be lying to both of us. I also couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a night away from my son. “You wouldn’t mind?”

“Of course not. We can bake some cookies and then watch that robot show he’s so fond of. You can come get him tomorrow.”

I’d barely disconnected the call before calling Fiona.

“Hey, you. Everything okay?” she asked as soon as she answered.

“Everything is fine. My mom offered to have Patrick sleep over, so I’m calling to see if you’re available for dinner. I have to admit that I don’t often have the chance to enjoy a dinner out that doesn’t include a children’s menu and crayons.”

“Eli Carter, are you asking your fake girlfriend out on a date?” I knew she was teasing and I was trying not to imagine that she sounded almost hopeful .

“Yes? Unless you don’t want to. I heard that the Bite and Brew is offering a tasting menu and it’s pretty good according to a couple of the hands who managed to go last month. I can come get you.”

“Actually, I’m over at Josh and Zoe’s. How about I meet you there?” A part of me wondered if I should invite them as well, but I was looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with Fiona that wasn’t work related.

“Actually, I’m about an hour away. Ninety minutes, tops.” I looked at my watch. “Meet me at my place around five?” She agreed and I sped up on the relatively empty road.

When I pulled up outside my house at ten minutes after the hour, Fiona was sitting on my porch waiting for me.

She stood up to wave and I realized that she definitely wasn’t dressed to be outside.

She was wearing a cute denim skirt that ended about mid-thigh, a cropped sweater, and her cowboy boots.

She looked adorable, especially the way her hair curled in long ringlets that looked as silky as I knew they felt.

“Sorry I kept you waiting. You must be cold sitting out here. I should have told you where I keep the emergency key.”

“It wasn’t cold-cold until a few minutes ago.” She smiled at me. “Besides, I could have waited in my car with the heater running if I’d wanted to.” She looked down at my dusty jeans and boots. “Where have you been? I know you weren’t at the ranch.”

I didn’t want to bring up my job interview, so instead, I said, “I was at the live animal auction out in Collinswood. Let’s go inside so you can warm up. I’ll take a quick shower, and then we can go.” I had intended to walk to the Bite and Brew from here, but now I was rethinking that plan.

Before we went inside, I showed her where I kept the key. If I got the job out in Half Moon, I doubted she’d have reason to use it before Patrick and I moved, but I didn’t want her getting stuck outside again if she didn’t have to.

Inside, I pointed her to the kitchen, in case she wanted something hot to drink, and I excused myself to go shower.

While the water warmed up, I stripped down wondering how she would have responded if I’d invited her to join me.

While my rental was small, the shower-tub combo was impressively large and definitely didn’t come out of a box.

I stepped under the full spray and groaned as the hot water pelted my skin. My hand found my cock, which was already responding to the thought of Fiona in my house. Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst idea to take the edge off …

“Oh my, do you always shower with an erection that stiff or were you simply that happy to see me?”

I yelped, my voice coming out far higher than it should have as I spun around to see Fiona standing in the bathroom. A very naked Fiona.

My embarrassment immediately shifted to something more as the woman I’d just been thinking about joined me in the shower.

I closed the distance between us, the steam from the shower making our skin glisten.

Instead of pushing her against the shower wall and kissing her senseless like I’d originally intended, I shifted so the shower spray hit the front of her body and water rivulets made their way over Fiona’s amazing curves.

With a wet washcloth in hand, I squirted shower gel on it and began washing her.

It might have been safer to do what I intended because every little noise that came out of Fiona’s mouth as I slowly swiped the cloth over her body only intensified my arousal to the point of pain.

I had her turn around and I washed her shoulders, then moved down to her back, over her hips and ass.

I crouched to make sure I got her legs and feet, as she meekly lifted each foot at my direction .

Rising, I added more shower gel and reached around to her front, one hand splayed across her tight abdomen to hold her place, while the other washed her neck and chest. When I started to wash her breasts, I ended up using both hands, kneading her sensitive flesh as she moaned.

I plucked at her nipples, tugging on them to elongate them and she collapsed against me and ground her ass into my cock, making me groan.

We needed to get out of here and take this to my bed, so I turned us around and used the handheld to rinse the soap off the both of us before we used up all the hot water.

The water was just starting to cool when I turned it off and helped her out of the shower.

I grabbed my towel off the hook and wrapped it around her, pulling her to me.

Our lips met with a crash. I tugged her hair loose and tangled my fingers in her damp tresses so I could control the kiss.

With a tug of the hair, I tilted her head, so I could deepen the kiss.

Fumbling for the door knob, I got the door open, and then abruptly broke the kiss.

I bent down, and scooped her up in a fireman’s carry, much to Fiona’s surprise, and strode into my bedroom before tossing her onto my bed, making her squeal in delight.

I stared down at her as she smiled up at me—taking her all in from the small scar on her left shoulder that she got when she’d been sitting on the bleacher rail in the school gym when we were in tenth grade down over her torso where she had a greenish bruise that looked to be old, over her hip to?—

“Eli.” She said my name on a moan and I was snapped out of my reverie when she held her hand out to me.

“What are you waiting for?” she demanded, and I grinned before flopping down on top of her, still very wet from the shower since I’d yet to dry off.

“Ewwww, you’re all wet!” Her fake outrage morphed into a moan once I scooted down her body and made myself at home between her legs .

I kissed the inside of her thigh, shaking my head slightly to send water droplets across her legs making her jump and giggle.

“I should have done this sooner,” I mumbled before I licked her seam.

I used my thumbs to part her folds, licking up and down, enjoying her taste and all the approving noises she was making.

But as much as I loved tasting her, the position wasn’t working for me.

I rose up over her and then rolled us so I was on my back and she was on top.

Her towel got wadded up beneath me and I pressed my heels into the mattress so I could lift the both of us and get it out of the way.

Fiona slid closer to my chest, so I lifted her up by her bent knees and brought her to my face.

“Eli, what are you doing?” She sounded alarmed, even as her question came out breathy.

“I want to pick up where I left off. So come closer.” I helped her until it became obvious that I wanted her to sit on my face.

From this angle, I could see how aroused and needy she was.

I parted her folds once again, enjoying the full access now available to me.

I immediately began to lick, pressing my tongue inside.

Fiona tilted forward, leaning against my headboard while I lathed her clit, swirling my tongue around the tight nub before flicking at it with my tongue.

My breath was hot against her flesh and I tightened my arms around her thighs to keep her from squirming.

I penetrated her with both thumbs, driving them in and out while she rocked back and forth, delighted noises coming out of her mouth.

“Wait,” she gasped. I didn’t hear her at first, far too busy enjoying myself. “Eli…stop.”

I stilled, moving my hands and face away from her as she rose up onto her knees. “What’s wrong? Too much? Not enough?” I worried that I’d done something wrong, gone too far, so was surprised when she managed to turn around and settled back to hovering over my face .

“No, I just wanted in on the action,” she said as she dropped back down on my face and then bent at the hips to take my cock in her mouth.

I jumped, thrusting up automatically and forcing her to gag before I could stop myself.

I worried that I’d hurt her, but instead of pulling away, she took hold of my cock in a death grip before sheathing it in her hot, wet mouth.

I damn near creamed myself it felt so good.

“All right then, challenge accepted,” I told her.

This was the type of competition I could get behind.

I gripped her thighs once again, pulling her tighter against my face as I licked and sucked at all the sensitive flesh that was on display in front of me.

When I sucked on her clit, Fiona shuddered above me, doing her best to match me lick for lick and thrust for thrust. As much as I was enjoying her hot mouth on me, I loved the idea of making her come completely undone just from my mouth.

Fiona’s shudders were coming faster and stronger.

She compensated by increasing the pressure on her suction.

I fought the urge to thrust up with my hips and fuck her mouth.

As much as I wanted to come, I wasn’t going to let that happen until she came all over my face.

She reached between my legs, running her nails over my balls and I almost lost it right there, groaning in response.

We continued to toy with each other, now on the mutual quest to get the other to orgasm first. I was determined to win.

I blew warm air inside her before nibbling along her lips.

She said my name on a drawn-out moan, so I kept going.

I could feel my own pleasure, coiled tight inside me and from the way she stiffened, I knew she felt the same.

I thrust my tongue in as far as I could, sucking hard on her sensitive flesh as I tugged on her clit with my mouth.

She lifted herself up, putting a bit of distance between us and when she started to drop back down, I was ready.

She sat on my fingers, which I now pumped in and out .

With a loud cry, Fiona orgasmed and I drank deeply, licking and thrusting my fingers deep inside her.

I rubbed the scruff of my chin against her sensitive skin and she shook with pleasure before tightening her grip on my legs and fully deep throating me.

With a hoarse shout, I came hard, thrusting my hips up to where her nose was pressed against my groin.

Fiona finally lifted her head and shifted so she could collapse at my side. I pulled her into my arms and kissed the top of her head, stroking slowly up and down her spine.

“I need a few minutes to recover and another shower—that is, if you’re still interested in dinner.”

I could feel her body shaking as she giggled. “I’m fine with pulling something together from whatever you’ve got here,” she said.

“In that case, give me a few minutes, and then I’ll be ready for round two,” I promised her.