Sierra took my hand and gave me a slight pull. I dropped my head forward and looked into Sierra’s baby-blue eyes. “It was last Christmas and we had been driving on my parents’ ranch. We stopped at one of my father’s hunting cabins and before I knew it, I was making love to Ryn and something I’d never felt before swept over me. I told her I was falling in love with her.”
Sierra smiled. “What happened?”
I let out a gruff laugh. “My admission scared the fuck out of me, and right before that, my dad started talking about my feelings toward Ryn and some stupid fucking bottle. He called it the journey of love bottle. Some fucking family tradition you do with the person you’re wanting to spend the rest of your life with.” Pushing my hand through my hair, I let out a breath. “I had been seeing another girl off and on. Her name was Liberty. I hadn’t talked to her for some time, but I called her and told her I missed her. Ryn overheard the phone call and headed back to Austin in the middle of the night. Of course, it didn’t help I barely spoke two words to her after I let my emotions take over and told her I was falling in love with her.”
Sierra’s hand came up and covered her mouth. “What a dick move.”
Closing my eyes, I nodded. “Yeah. I know.”
Turning on her heels, Sierra headed to my truck. “Take me back to your place, Tristan.”
Walking behind her, I asked, “My place?”
Sierra stopped at the passenger side door of my truck. Looking up into my eyes, she nodded. “We have some serious talking to do, my friend.”
THE MOMENT I SAW SIERRA and Tristan dancing, I felt sick. I couldn’t pull my eyes away. Dodge shouted he was going to get us drinks as I nodded and watched Tristan pull Sierra from the dance floor.
“I’m going to head to the restroom. Be right back!” I shouted to Dodge who nodded his head.
I quickly made my way through the crowd. I couldn’t believe how packed it was. By the time I finally made it across the dance floor I started down the hallway. I stopped dead in my tracks as I watched Tristan and Sierra.
I couldn’t move. I wanted desperately to turn and walk away but I couldn’t. I stood there the entire time watching as Tristan worked Sierra up into what was clearly an orgasm. Sierra said something to Tristan and then quickly turned and started walking. The moment Sierra and Tristan saw me, they stopped dead in their tracks. I politely declined Sierra’s invite to join her and Tristan. When Tristan said he was ready to leave, I silently said a prayer of thanks. I knew I wouldn’t have been able to stay and watch him and Sierra together. I already felt like I wanted to get sick.
“Ryn? Are you even listening to me?” Dodge shouted over the music.
Looking at him I smiled. “It’s the music. It’s really loud.” He smiled and nodded his head. “Want to leave?”
“I think so,” I said as I nodded my head. After seeing Tristan and Sierra together, I was no longer in the mood for dancing. Grabbing my purse, I slipped out of the booth and began making my way out of the club and to Dodge’s truck. Dodge took my hand in his as we walked silently through the parking lot.
The image of Tristan’s hand up Sierra’s dress filled my mind. As I stepped into Dodge’s truck, I grabbed his hand. Smiling I said, “I want you.”
Leaning into the truck, Dodge kissed me softly. “Your wish is my command.”
Dodge jogged around the truck, got in and headed back to the house I was renting. We weren’t even through the door and we practically had our clothes off. “I want it slow, Dodge. I want to feel you inside me all night,” I whispered as I slipped my panties off and made my way to the master bedroom.
Dodge didn’t disappoint. He took his time as he made love to me. Each touch I prayed would push Tristan further from my heart. If only it had worked. When we finally called out each other’s names, Dodge rolled off me and pulled me next to him.
“Sleep, sweet Ryn.”
Closing my eyes, I felt my tears fall. I was doing exactly what Dodge said I was doing—using him as a means to push Tristan away. I needed to decide once and for all what I was going to do. Was I moving on with Dodge or would I allow Tristan to keep a hold of my heart?
Running along the beach, I found myself looking for Tristan. Dodge had left to head back to Austin. He was going to try and make it back down in a few days and I felt like a fool when I practically begged him to come back. I thought back to what he had said to me before he left.
“Ryn, we need to talk when I come back. I need to know if this is going somewhere.”
Ugh. Why can’t Dodge just keep it like it is? Why do we have to take it further?
“Hey, Ryn!”
Her voice stopped me dead in my tracks. Sierra.
Turning, I attempted to smile. A surge of jealousy ripped through my body. That should have been me against the wall with Tristan’s fingers inside of me.
“Oh hey, Sierra,” I panted between breaths. I hadn’t realized how hard I had been running.
“I’ll be finished up by this afternoon with the painting and then I’ll be out of your hair.”
I nodded my head as I took in a few deep breaths through my nose. “Sounds good, Sierra.”
She tilted her head and stared at me. “Hey, listen I’m sorry about mentioning you and Dodge being together yesterday morning.”
My heart dropped. I wanted to ask her if Tristan had said anything about it. Had the comment bothered him? Was he unaffected by it or did it piss him off knowing I was being fucked by Dodge?
Smiling politely, I said, “S’okay. I just didn’t know how Tristan would feel about it, because you know we dated not too long ago.”
Sierra narrowed her eyes at me. “Do you still have feelings for Tristan, Ryn? I mean, there is nothing at all serious going on between us.”
Now it was my turn to narrow my eyes at her. “Really? Because last night it sure looked like he was being pretty serious with that orgasm you obviously had.”
Oh God. I sounded like I was gearing up for a catfight.
Sierra gave me a weak smile. “I’m gonna go ahead and head back to the house and finish up the painting. Enjoy your run, Ryn.”
Turning, Sierra took off running toward her house. Dropping my head back, I let out a long frustrated moan. “Shit!” I said as I began jogging. I had really liked Sierra and it wasn’t her fault she and Tristan had a past. It’s not like Tristan was taken, not that that would stop him anyway.
I wasn’t sure how long I ran for before I stopped and sat. Staring out over the waves, I thought back to the day I decided I would never again let anyone make me feel like I was nothing.
Staring straight ahead, I stood there and listened to Tristan talking to another woman. Tears began streaming down my face as every moment we had spent together the last two weeks vanished in an instant.
“I’ve missed you too, Liberty. Yeah, it’s been okay. I’m ready to get back home. When can I see you?”
Every gentle touch of his fingers on my body now meant nothing. Whispered words in my ear . . . nothing.
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I stood. I hated myself for the way I was feeling. As much as I wanted to tell Dodge that I would be his everything, my heart was putting up one hell of a fight for Tristan. Closing my eyes, I could still feel his breath against my skin.
I’m falling in love with you, Ryn.
My head was telling me it was all a lie, but my heart couldn’t erase the look in his eyes when he made love to me that night. Wrapping my arms around myself, I tried to make sense of it all. One minute Tristan professed his love and the next, he made plans to meet up with another woman. Was he scared of his feelings? Did he regret the whispered words?
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I jumped. Shaking my head, I pushed all thoughts of Tristan away.
The name flashing across the screen made me smile.
Joyce. Tristan and Lark’s mother.
“Hello,” I said, attempting to sound chipper.
“Kathryn darling, how is the beach?”
Smiling, I began walking back toward the beach house. I had just seen Joyce a few days ago at Lark’s wedding. Azurdee and I had grown really close in the last ten months. I was happy she and Lark had found their happily ever after.
“The beach is wonderful. How are you and Peter?”
Peter was Tristan and Lark’s father. He was spit and fire like his sons. His passion in life, besides his wife, was the hunting ranch he owned.
Letting out a gruff laugh, Joyce said, “He’s out on the four-wheeler. I’ve asked him not to ride that thing, but he won’t listen. He is stubborn and has to do things his way or it’s the highway.”
Huh, must have passed that down to his son.
“You know boys and their toys,” I said with a giggle.
“Kathryn, I want you to come visit us. We haven’t seen you in so long.”
Laughing hard, I shook my head. “Joyce! I just saw you at the wedding.”
“We were too busy to visit. MaryLou wants you to finish that quilt you started a few months back with her. You don’t want to break the poor old lady’s heart, do you?”
I stopped walking as my mouth dropped open. “Joyce Williams, you are not laying a guilt trip on me right now?”
“Oh, but I do believe I am.”
Rolling my eyes, I looked down the beach as I pulled the phone away from my ear. I sucked in a deep breath and blew it out. I had fallen in love with Tristan’s parents last Christmas. We had kept in touch and I was one hundred percent positive, Tristan knew nothing about my growing friendship with his mother and father.
I had gone to visit them four months back and spent a week with them. I had learned to quilt, castrate cows, shoot a 30 ot 6 with more of an accurate shot than Peter had ever seen, and gut a hog. The last one, gutting a hog, I wasn’t too thrilled about and threw up at least three times during the whole process. My heart was torn. If I was going to walk away and forget Tristan forever, that meant walking away from Joyce and Peter.
“Kathryn? Are you still there?”
Attempting to control my tears, I replied, “When should I come down?”
Joyce made a silly sound and yelled out, “Kathryn is coming for a visit!” Giggling, I shook my head. I had no idea who she had just told, but it made me smile. Joyce and Peter were the only people who called me Kathryn since the day I left Florida to move to Texas. The only other people who called me by my full name were my parents and my best friend, Mindy, from high school.
“What about the week before Christmas?”
“Um, I don’t know, Joyce.”
“He won’t be here, Kathryn. I promise you.”
Closing my eyes, I pulled my phone away and let the sob escape.
Damn you, Tristan Williams. I hate you.
Taking control over my emotions, I barely got out the words. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Wonderful. I’ll let MaryLou know. Talk to you soon, darling.”
“Bye, Joyce,” I whispered as I dropped the phone to my side. I’d go one last time. I was going to have to explain to Joyce why this would be my last visit. It would be hard as hell, but I needed to move on.
Pulling my phone up, I searched for his number. Hitting his name, I smiled when he answered.
“Miss me already?”
Dodge. Even his voice calmed my nerves. Maybe my dependency on Dodge was more than just sex. He had a way of making me feel at ease and wanted. Was I just too afraid to let go of the past that I couldn’t see what was in my future?
“Checking to see if you had changed your mind and turned around yet?”
Dodge laughed and I could tell he had his windows rolled down. “Hey babe, the club is calling. Can I call you back?”
My smile faded. “Sure. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye, Ryn.”
“Later.”
Walking back to the beach house, I wondered how many times I would run into Tristan and Sierra. I was hoping none. I didn’t think I would be able to take seeing them together like I had last night.
Shaking my head, I began to run. I pushed Tristan from my mind and began thinking about work.
STANDING ON THE DECK OF my family’s beach house, I closed my eyes and just let the salt air hit my face. I was worn out from last night. Sierra had insisted on coming back to my place and we sat for almost three hours talking . . . about feelings. I’d rather push pins through my eyes.
“Hey.”
Turning, I smiled when I saw Sierra standing there with Starbucks coffee in her hands. “I’m going to head on over to my place and help Dad finish up painting. You doing okay?”
Reaching for the coffee, I nodded. “I didn’t sleep much last night.” Raising an eyebrow, Sierra nodded her head. “Okay, Sierra, just spit it out.”
She slowly took a sip of coffee and then walked up next to me. She faced the water as I leaned against the railing, my back facing the beach. “I ran into Ryn this morning and let me tell you, I think she was still pretty pissed about what happened between us last night.”
Blowing on my coffee, I asked, “Really?”
“Yeah. Tristan, I’m pretty sure Ryn has some strong feelings for you. I think her boy toy has gone back to Austin. If you want to make a move, now is the time to do it.”
Swallowing hard, I turned and looked down the beach. “What if she can’t forgive me, Sierra?”
Placing her hand on my arm, she gave it a squeeze. Turning, I looked down into her blue eyes. They were filled with compassion. “If she loves you, she’ll forgive you for the dick-ass move you made on her.”
Laughing, I placed my hand on the side of Sierra’s face. “I wonder what would have happened if we had really met back in college?”
Smiling, Sierra wiggled her eyebrows up and down. “I’m guessing we would have had crazy, hot, sex every day. Maybe even dabbled in a threesome, which by the way has always been a fantasy of mine. You would have taught me some kinky shit and I probably would have opened up a naughty lingerie store and catered to bored housewives who wanted to spice up their marriages.”
Standing there staring at Sierra, I had to process everything she had just said. “Who are you? Where did you come from? You’re like the girl of my dreams.”
Taking a step closer, Sierra reached up on her toes as she placed her hand on my chest. Instinctively, I lowered my lips closer to hers. When her hand began to move down my chest, to my stomach, we both smiled. “Do you think it would be worth risking our blossoming friendship to see how we would be in bed together?” Her hand landed on the hard bulge in my pants.
“Jesus, Sierra. Do you know how fucking seductive you are, or is this just you being you?” I asked as I licked my lips.
Biting on her lip, she shook her head. “I think I should go before we make a mistake I know we will both regret.”
My dick was so hard in my pants; I reached down and pushed her hand against my hard cock. “I’m thinking I don’t care at this point.”
“Tristan . . .” I dropped my coffee cup and grabbed both sides of Sierra’s face. Smashing my lips to hers, I kissed her. I couldn’t believe how much my body wanted Sierra, but my heart was fighting it like a son-of-a-bitch.
Sierra wrapped her arms around me as I moved my hands down and picked her up. Wrapping her legs around me, I carried her into the house. Something snapped in both of us. The way our tongues moved together was like we were crazed. Teeth hitting against each other as I walked over to the sofa. Dropping down, I never took my lips off hers. Sierra moaned as she began pushing off her shorts. Our kiss broke for less than ten seconds as we both ripped our shirts up and over our heads. One quick look at her breasts, I moaned and whispered, “Fuck.”
Pressing her lips back to mine, Sierra crawled on top of me. She began grinding her pussy against my hard dick as she pulled her lips from mine. “Oh God, what are we doing? This is . . . wrong . . . so wrong.”
Pushing her bra up, her tits dropped down. I quickly pulled one into my mouth and began sucking on it.
> “Oh God. Tristan, I’m going to come if you keep doing that.” Her body had been neglected for so long. The way Sierra reacted to my touch was amazing. Her body was begging to be fucked.
“Sierra, I want to fuck your body and give it the attention it deserves.”
Lifting up so I could pull my pants down, Sierra watched as my dick sprung free. “Ahh . . .” was all she said as she took my dick in her hand. I jerked and grabbed her hair, pulling her head back and exposing her neck to me.
“What do you want, Sierra?”
Closing her eyes, she whispered, “To forget.”
Turning, I saw my wallet on the end table. Reaching for it, I opened it and took out a condom. “Sierra, look at me.”
Her eyes sprung open and tears began to build. “You are not my fuck buddy, Sierra. I’m giving you what is long overdue.”
“Tristan,” pulling her head closer to me, we rested our foreheads together, “make me forget him, please. Make me feel desirable again.”
Picking Sierra up, I moved her off of me as I slid the condom on. Motioning for her to sit back on me, she quickly moved over me. She positioned her pussy right at my tip. Looking into my eyes, she said, “I haven’t been with anyone but my ex-husband in over ten years.”
Smiling, I said, “Then I’ve got a lot of teaching in this fuck session, don’t I?”
She quickly sank down on me and let out a whimper. “Holy fuck, you’re huge.”
“And that would be the correct thing to say to a man you just pushed your pussy down on.”
She began moving as she placed her hands on my chest. “Feels so good. So. Much. Better. Than. A. Vibrator.”
Laughing, I placed my hands on her hips. “Ride me, Sierra. Let it go and fuck the hell out of me.”
And that she did. I had never had a girl let go like she did. I wondered what kind of sex life she had with her ex. Probably vanilla. The way she was grabbing her tits had me fighting like hell to hold off.
“Sierra, you’re getting close. I can feel you’re body trembling.”
She looked into my eyes and said, “Oh God, Tristan!” She began moving faster as her orgasm ripped through her body. She called my name out over and over as she rode me until the last ripple of her orgasm vanished.