SCARRED - Part 4 (The SCARRED Series - Book 4) Page 7

  His lips curled and he nodded. His eyes were still closed. “I was just enjoying the fingertip massage so much that I didn’t want to speak up and break your concentration.”

  Chloe pushed herself up slightly and pressed her lips against his. “I was just thinking about how beautiful you are and my hand took on a life of its own.”

  “Please, don’t let me interrupt. There are places left untouched...”

  Chloe giggled. “My fingertips are aching to touch other places, but what about Samantha and Trevor?”

  “This is a big house,” he said as she let her fingers slide down across his hard abs, pushing the elastic of his boxers down slightly as she went.

  He groaned.

  “Is the door locked?”

  He glanced over towards it and in a strangled voice he said, “Yes.”

  “What about your door, since it adjoins mine?”

  Her fingers were tracing along the top of one of his powerful thighs.

  He sounded almost like a soprano as he said, “They won’t come in.”

  Chloe pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry. I’d just be too worried...”

  “Don’t go anywhere...I’ll be right back...hold those fingers poised just like that...”

  He let his long legs drop to the floor and practically ran into the other room. Chloe giggled at the sight of him jogging back on his toes and jumping back into the bed. With a deep breath in and out he said, “Okay, commence the exploration.”

  Chloe brought her right hand up and began tracing the counters of his face. His high cheekbones...those full lips...

  “Derek?”

  There was a knock on his bedroom door and the sound of Trevor’s voice. “I’m sorry, I heard you up...”

  Derek growled and in an almost silent whisper he said, “Don’t breathe for a minute, he’ll go away...”

  Chloe tried not to laugh. Instead she pushed him in the ribs and whispered back, “Go! It’s my first night here as their daughter. I am not going to let them catch me in bed with you.”

  Derek laughed. “You’re going to make me beg?”

  “Go!” she told him, giving him another push that didn’t budge him.

  He turned and kissed her. It was quick, but it had a lot of business behind it. “Damn!” he growled as he let his legs drop back to the floor and tiptoed silently back through the bathroom. He flushed the toilet on his way by for effect and said, “Yeah! I’m here, Trevor, just a sec.”

  Chloe had to bury her face in the pillow and laugh. She suddenly realized how good it felt to just be silly and to have an entirely “normal” thought like not wanting her father to catch her sleeping with a man in the next room. At this exact moment in time, life was good.

  ******

  Derek slipped on his robe to hide his obvious erection and pulled open the bedroom door.

  “Good morning Trevor.”

  “Good morning. I hope that I didn’t wake you. I thought I heard you walk towards the door as I was coming down the hall.”

  “You did,” Derek said. “I was on my way out to find some coffee, but then detoured back through the bathroom. What’s up?”

  “Well as far as coffee, Sam has an entire continental breakfast set up on the patio. I told her it was too much...but you know her.”

  Derek smiled. “Yes, I do. It bodes well for us though. A continental breakfast sounds really good right about now.”

  “It does actually; I was just headed down myself.”

  Derek controlled his facial muscles but he couldn’t help wishing Trevor had gone down just a few minutes earlier.

  “Anyways, what I wanted to ask you was if you think you and Chloe might like to go for a ride today. After breakfast I was going to go out and give the horses a flake of alfalfa, but if you’d like to ride, I can bring them back in.”

  Trevor had three different shelters built for the horses in various spots of the property so they could get out of the weather if they needed to. He refused to “box them in,” as he put it, with a barn or a stable. There was a little tack house next to the main house where he kept the saddles and other supplies.

  “I would love that, I’m not sure if Chloe’s up yet though...”

  “That’s fine. Please don’t wake her. I’ll bring them up just in case. We can always turn them out again. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

  “Okay, I’ll get dressed and be right down.”

  He closed the door and waited until he heard Trevor’s footfalls on the stairs. Then he quickly raced back into Chloe’s room. He stopped and his face fell when he saw her. She was already dressed in a pair of cut-off jeans and a t-shirt.

  She looked at his face and said, “What? Are the cut-offs too much?”

  Going over closer to her he put his arms around her and slid his hands down her back to the cheeks of her ass. Taking one in each hand, he squeezed as he lowered his head and claimed her mouth. His tongue slid into her mouth and languidly explored every dark, warm and wet crevice. Chloe moaned against his mouth as her tongue tangled up with his and they deepened the kiss. It was one of those kisses that she felt a sizzle throughout her entire body. When he broke it and pulled his head up, she sucked in a breath.

  “Wow! That was...”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “My head is spinning.”

  “Mine too.”

  “We should go down for breakfast.”

  “We should take care of our...anxieties, first.”

  “What if he comes back?”

  “We can be quiet about it.”

  “I don’t think I can...” His lips were on her neck. “You’re not fighting fair...”

  With his lips still against her neck he said, “I’m not fighting at all. You’re the one fighting it.”

  “Grr...I’m just...”

  “Chloe honey,” a soft rapping sounded on the door.

  Derek’s face looked so painfully funny that Chloe actually did laugh out loud this time.

  “Yes, I’ll be right there.”

  He was still trying to kiss her as she led him into the bathroom and left him there with a quiet, “You might want to use cold water,” before she closed the door and left him there...alone.

  Chapter 11

  Samantha had been at the door wondering if Chloe liked her eggs poached, boiled, scrambled or fried. Chloe felt her lips twitch at the thought of poor Derek in the cold shower as she told her, “Anything is fine,” she said, “You really didn’t have to go through all of that trouble.”

  “I love to cook. It’s not as much fun when you’re only doing it for two people,” she said. “I’m sorry if we’re a bit overzealous...we’re just so happy to have you here.”

  “You’re not overzealous at all,” Chloe said. She was sure that Derek would beg to differ at the moment.

  “Thank you for saying so, but we know we are. Trevor’s gone out to bring the horses in just in case you two want to go for a ride this morning.”

  “That sounds like fun,” Chloe said. “I better get some coffee in me before then.”

  She followed Samantha downstairs, leaving poor Derek to his own devices. When they stepped out onto the patio, Chloe saw what her mother had meant about being “overzealous”. The table was laden with food. There were scrambled eggs and a platter of ham...a bowl heaping with fried potatoes and several tureens of fresh sliced fruit sitting in ice. There was a basket of croissants and a platter of toast, bagels and cream cheese and some kind of apple tart. Coffee and tea sat out in steaming carafe’s and orange juice and water were served out of lovely glass pitchers.

  “Wow! Samantha...you really shouldn’t have gone to all of this trouble.”

  She laughed. “It’s ridiculous, I know. I’ll have to pack up the leftovers and have Trevor take them into town later to drop off at the shelter. I got carried away.”

  “It looks amazing though. Thank you.”

  Chloe sat down and Samantha poured her a cup of coffee and handed her a plate. As Chloe fixed hers, Sa
mantha sat down next to her.

  “Did you sleep well?”

  “Yes,” Chloe lied. “The bed is very comfortable. Thank you again for having us.”

  “I never could have imagined or believed that this day would come,” she said, gazing at Chloe adoringly. Suddenly realizing she was getting emotional again she said, “I’m sorry. I’m finished for today with the sappy stuff, I promise. Derek better get down here if he wants a hot breakfast.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be down any minute. I hogged the shower last night, so he’s taking his this morning.”

  “Good morning, Chloe.”

  Trevor came up behind her and Chloe jumped. There were some old habits that would be harder to break than others. She turned and looked at him. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He looked so cute that she had to smile. She hadn’t seen him in casual clothes until today.

  “Good morning.”

  “How did you sleep?”

  “Well,” she lied again. “And I got up to all of this. How lucky am I?”

  Trevor bent and kissed her on the cheek and then suddenly looked abashed. “I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t just assume that’s okay...”

  “It’s okay,” she told him.

  He smiled warmly and said, “I’m going to wash up and then I’ll join you for breakfast. I brought the horses in just in case you and Derek would like to take a morning ride.”

  She thanked him and he went to wash up just as Derek came down looking yummier than the breakfast in a light blue polo shirt that matched his pretty eyes and a pair of well-worn jeans. He gave her a look and she stifled a smile as Samantha fussed over him, pouring him coffee and juice and even trying to fix his plate. They feasted and when Chloe was finally so full that she thought she might pop she pushed herself back from the table and said, “Thank you so much Samantha. That was probably the best breakfast I’ve ever had.”

  “Yes, amazing,” Derek said, patting his own belly.

  Chloe stood up and picked up her plate.

  “Huh uh! Samantha told her in an authoritative voice. “No cleaning up for you today.”

  “I really don’t mind. You did all of this work.”

  “Nope, you and Derek are either going for a ride or a walk or just having some quiet time in the back yard. You’ll be stuck with us all afternoon while we barbecue and have a fire...Oh crap!”

  “What is it Samantha?” Derek asked her.

  “She looked at Trevor who just came back out through the sliding glass doors and said, “There are a few ingredients I forgot to pick up at the store yesterday. I need them for tonight’s dinner.”

  “Oh, that’s ok. I’ll run into town after a bit and get some, don’t worry.”

  “If you wait until Chloe and I get back from our ride, I’ll go with you,” Derek told him.

  “Great!” Trevor told him. “I’ll wait, but no rush.”

  Chloe laughed and said, “I’ll have him back way before then. I’m not even really sure I can do this horseback thing.”

  Trevor put his hand on her shoulder. Surprisingly, she didn’t flinch. It did her heart good to realize that she was healing...little by little.

  “You’ll do just fine. Derek’s an expert on a horse. He’ll be a good teacher.”

  Chloe went upstairs and changed into a full pair of jeans. By the time she came back down, Derek and Trevor had the horses saddled. She went over to where they were behind the fence and looked at the beautiful creatures. They both had tan bodies with dark brown manes and tails, and the only way Chloe could tell the difference between them was that one of them was a lot taller than the other.

  “Is mine the short one?” she asked.

  Derek smiled, “Yes, Chloe...Rocket. Rocket...Chloe.”

  She pet the horse along his long nose and looked into his big brown eyes and said, “Hello there, Rocket. I’d appreciate it if you go easy on me.”

  “He’s a sweetheart,” Trevor told her.

  “Okay, are you ready?”

  “Wait!” Samantha hollered at them before Derek helped Chloe onto the horse. She came running out of the house with a wicker basket on her arm and a little red and black plaid blanket.

  Derek shook his head and said, “What is all this?”

  “Lunch.”

  Chloe and Derek both laughed. “You just fed us enough for an army.”

  “That was breakfast. This is just in case you’re having too much fun to come back in time for lunch.”

  Derek took it from her hands and strapped it to his saddle. “Thank you,” he told her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

  Samantha put her hand on his cheek and then Chloe’s and said, “Have a great time.”

  Derek laid the blanket over his horse behind the saddle and then took Chloe’s hand. He showed her how to put her left foot in the stirrup and then he said, “Okay, now just throw your right leg on over.” Chloe did and suddenly she was sitting up six feet off the ground. “How does it feel?” he asked her.

  “Good, I like it up here...as long as he’s standing still.”

  Derek laughed and handed her the reigns. “Rocket won’t make a move unless you tell him to. Just hang on to those for a minute.” He mounted his horse and Chloe couldn’t help but re-visit the tingle low in her belly that she’d had early this morning as she watched him. “Okay, here we go.” He clicked his tongue and his horse and Rocket both began to advance forward slowly.

  “Whoa!”

  “Do you need to stop?” Derek asked, pulling back on his horses’ reigns.

  “No, we just started.”

  “You said, whoa!”

  She laughed, “I just meant whoa, this is cool.”

  “Oh,” he said, laughing. “You’re confusing Rocket.”

  She patted the horse on the side of his neck and said, “Sorry Rocket. I’ll get this.” They rode along the trail side by side until they came to the little creek at the end. Chloe pulled back lightly and Rocket stopped. “I’m not sure about this,” she said.

  “Don’t worry; just give Rocket some slack on the reigns. He knows what to do.”

  Chloe did as he told her and just as Derek said, the horse treaded lightly down one side of the small embankment and up the other. She couldn’t stop smiling as they rode across the deep grass underneath the sun. It was a beautiful day. The weather was perfect and Chloe’s heart felt at peace.

  “You want to trot them for a bit?” Derek asked her.

  “Do you think I’m ready?” she asked.

  “Rocket will help you,” he said.

  “How do I do it?” she asked.

  “Just click your tongue at him and loosen the reigns.”

  “Okay, let’s do this.”

  They both clicked at the same time and the horses took off at a steady trot. The soft breeze caught Chloe’s hair and whipped it around her face. It made her feel...free. She followed Derek at a slow trot towards one of the small grassy knolls. The beauty around her continued to inspire awe and once they got to the bottom of the hill they reined in the horses and she said, “It’s so beautiful up here.”

  Derek looked at her and said, “Yes, it is.”

  “I meant the landscape,” she told him with a grin.

  “That too,” he said. “I used to ride up here often. It’s good for the soul,” he said.

  “I think I can feel mine getting lighter already.”

  He reached over and clasped his hand behind her head. He pulled her over slightly and kissed her lips. “Mmm, even better now.”

  He grinned and said, “Follow me, I want to show you something.”

  She followed him up the side of the hill. She was a little nervous riding sideways, but once again, Rocket seemed to know what he was doing. When they got to the backside of the hill he said, “Look down.”

  Chloe did and what she saw literally took her breath away. The meadow below them was blanketed in a lush carpet of yellow wildflowers.

  “Derek, it’s gorgeous.”

  “Yeah, i
t’s my favorite part. There’s a tree over there a ways where you can smell the wildflowers. I thought we’d try out that picnic basket.”

  “You’re hungry already?”

  “No. I just thought that sounded better than, “try out the picnic blanket.”

  “Out here, in the open?”

  He laughed, “There isn’t a soul around for miles. You haven’t lived until you’ve made love in the great outdoors.”

  “How do you know I haven’t?” she asked raising an eyebrow.

  “Oh, I’m sorry I just...”

  She laughed. “I haven’t. Let’s go!”

  She clicked her tongue at Rocket and he took off in the direction of the big tree. Derek caught up with her and when they got there, he slid off of his horse and helped her down off hers. He kissed her and then tied the horses to the tree. Then he spread the blanket out and they both sat down on it.

  Derek leaned forward and put his hand on her neck underneath her hair. His touch was sizzling and Chloe felt the tickle begin again deep inside her core. He put his other hand on her waist as they kissed. He kissed her like that for a long time, long and slow and then he pulled back and looked at her face.

  “I love being out here with you like this. You seem so relaxed.”

  She nodded. “I am. I love it too. The only thing that could make it better would be making love in the great outdoors.”

  Derek didn’t need any more subtle hints when his hands slid up her top and cupped her breast. His lips smashed into hers with such intensity that it took her breath away. They couldn’t shed their clothes fast enough as their bodies glistened with desire in the morning sun.

  His mouth dipped down and took in one of her nipples and licked and sucked gently as he slipped his fingers into her silken core and Chloe's eyes fell shut. There was no resistance as Chloe spread her legs wider to grant him all access as his fingers dove deeper inside her taunting her inner walls. She couldn't help but to rock her hips against his hand as she moaned out softly.

  When he looked at her she saw his primal need for her reflected on his face and with the same fierceness, Chloe claimed his mouth and reveled in the feel as their tongues explored every corner of each other. Derek worked her body into a frenzy and she swayed to his rhythm as she inched even closer to her own utopia.