Backroads Read online

  By the end of the week, I’m done priming three of the four rooms and have moved on to the neutral colors.

  Still covered in paint, I find I’m in need of something to drink. A young girl who I can only assume is Beth is helping Linda in the kitchen.

  “So you’re Holly?” She doesn’t wait to introduce herself before giving me a hug. “I’m so happy you’re here. We need more help, but your aunt thinks she can handle it all.”

  “I can handle most of it. That’s what you’re here for. You’re supposed to be my relief,” Linda says, hugging the petite woman.

  “I can’t wait for school to be over. Then I’ll be here all the time.” She smiles. “So what has she been having you do? Shoveling all the manure from the stables?” She laughs at my scrunched-up face.

  Before I can ask if that’s something I would be doing, Linda says, “Don’t worry. That’s what the boys are for. Let’s show her what you’ve been up to.”

  We continue talking, making our way to the other side of the house.

  Beth pauses and sniffs the air. “Is that...” She takes off in front of us, entering the first room squealing. “Oh my god, thank you! These rooms have been such an eyesore.”

  Beth isn’t like I thought she would be. I knew she was younger than me, but she acts more like a person my age would. She is fun and brings her positive attitude with her, bouncing in like she belongs here. Not in an overbearing way, just in a take-charge way. Her shoulder-length brown hair is tied up in a pony, and she has the toned, tanned legs of an athlete—maybe a volleyball player. She only stands about five two, and with her youthful looks her height makes her look all that much younger.

  Linda absolutely adores her, and it’s easy to see why. Aside from her larger-than-life personality, she actually handles more of the business than I realized. While Linda loves having the bed-and-breakfast to meet new people and keep her busy, she doesn’t like the business part of it or marketing. Once Beth started helping out and showing more of an interest in helping her run it, Linda had a contract written up ensuring Beth gets to run the bed-and-breakfast and will own a share of it after she completes her business degree. I don’t know all the terms and conditions, but both seem pleased with the arrangement and Beth has no intention of moving away.

  We gather back in the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. Beth can’t stop talking about decorating the rooms. “We should take a day trip one of these days to the city to complete the rooms.”

  “That would be great. I’m here to do whatever.” It’s been a while since I’ve done anything with a girlfriend. Every day I’m reminded of how controlling Daniel was over my life. How did I not see it before?

  Chase enters the kitchen and takes in our laughter. “Ah, hi, ladies. Beth.”

  “Oh good, I was hoping you would stop in,” Linda says. “I was wondering if you would mind showing Holly some chores in the morning. Nothing that’ll take her too long—I want her help with breakfast—but I figured she could handle the chickens and maybe feeding the goats.”

  It seems so long ago that we’d talked about me doing some of the animal chores, I’d almost forgotten about it. The way things have been going between Chase and me this past week, I don’t know how I feel about being alone together for any long periods of time. The more I’m around him, the more the pull I have toward him continues to grow.

  Both of us just sit, staring at Linda, me with a surprised expression and Chase with a grin that seems to grow the longer the moment stretches.

  “I think I can handle that,” he says.

  I want to say no to Linda, because being alone with him is getting more difficult. But that’s why I’m here—to help out. I’m here to do anything she needs me to do. That includes chicken and goat chores apparently.

  “S-sounds like fun,” I finally manage to get out. Is it hot in here? It feel like it’s getting hotter in here. Wiping my hands on my shorts, I move to the fridge to get a glass of lemonade to cool off, and I feel everyone’s eyes on me.

  “Anyone want something to drink?”

  “Sure,” Beth and Linda both say in unison.

  “I’ll catch up with you later and we’ll talk about tomorrow. Gonna be an early morning,” Chase says, never taking his eyes off me.

  Lord help me, I don’t think I can be left alone with this man. His eyes seem to always be undressing me, as much as mine undress him.

  Not being able to do anything but nod at him, I sense Beth and Linda looking back and forth between us. Nodding in return, he glances at my shorts with a smile, before heading out the door. I take a mental picture of his backside before the door closes.

  “Wow, what the hell was that?” Beth says, taking the lemonade from me to pour her own glass since I still had yet to do so.

  “Oh, it’s been entertaining watching these two. You missed some interesting interactions,” Linda chimes in.

  “I didn’t think he could make full sentences. That’s the most I’ve heard him talk.”

  “The best is the super-long intense looks he gives her and the ones she gives him in return. They act like I’m not even in the room most of the time.”

  “Hello, I am right here, ladies. And I do not give him anything in return except a piece of my mind,” I say before taking a long drink.

  “Oh, you don’t? What was that as he walked out the door? Your eyes were groping his ass and practically giving it a smack.”

  Laughing, Beth adds, “I seriously didn’t know he had that many teeth. He is a giant beautiful man, but he’s usually broody and quiet. More than anything he seems to run from the women that throw themselves at him.”

  “I was not eye-groping him.” They both raise an eyebrow. “Okay, fine, but it’s hard not to enjoy when he walks away in those tight pants.” They don’t move or say anything. “Oh, shut it—both of you. You’ve both admitted to combing him over with your eyes, and don’t even try to pretend you wouldn’t want to feel that hard, muscular chest of his.”

  “Down, girl, down.” Beth laughs. “You’re right, I have had my share of fantasies involving that man.”

  “Bethany!” Linda scolds.

  “You have too and you know it, Linda.” That makes me snicker, seeing this tiny young woman scolding my much older aunt. “Chase is one of those men. Gorgeous. More muscles than you ever thought a man could have. And really, he is a decent guy, not a filthy manwhore. I’d do him if he looked at me like that.”

  “You have a boyfriend, Beth. You two are practically engaged. And being older I have learned to appreciate beautiful things.” Linda grins like she has a dirty secret.

  “That doesn’t mean I can’t look.” Beth shakes her ass a little more as she walks by.

  I clear my throat. “Well, I just got out of a shitty relationship, so I’m not looking to jump back into one.”

  Linda lays a hand on my shoulder. “Honey, I know we still haven’t talked about that. I’m here whenever you’re ready. But just because one man was an asshole, doesn’t mean they all are.” She gives me a squeeze as she follows Beth to start making supper.

  It’s not only that he was an asshole, it was that I myself became an asshole being with him. Designer clothes and parties filled with fake people had become my life when I was with him.

  I know Chase isn’t like Daniel. Money doesn’t rule his life. It’s how different he seems from my ex that scares me.

  He is everything Daniel isn’t: kind, thoughtful, attentive. He’s good-looking but doesn’t walk around thinking he’s God’s gift to women. But he is. He really is. I find myself thinking about his lips and how they would feel on mine. How they would feel everywhere.

  I crave the way he looks at me. If he had me, would he always look at me the same? If he knew...

  I look out the window and see Chase playing with one of the dogs, ruffling his fur as he heads to the barn.

  Hearing my name, I finally tear my eyes from him and join the ladies, helping with whatever they direct me to.

 
; Chase is becoming a bigger distraction I can’t ignore.

  “Hot damn, I can’t stop thinking about Holly and her ass!” Lee shouts to me as we throw hay bales down from the loft above the barn.

  “I think she’s wearing those shorts specifically for me. I mean, she had her ass in the air the entire time I was in the house yesterday. You could tell, right, Lee?” Charlie yells up to us, laughing.

  Hearing both of them talk about her makes my blood boil. I’ve had to listen to them the whole week, talking about her like she’s one of their pieces of ass they pick up on a Friday night. I’ve warned them enough times not to talk about her that way, especially around me, yet here the fuckers are.

  “I can’t get her to give me the time of day though, can you, Charlie? I mean, anytime I try to engage her in conversation, it seems like Linda is always right there too. Makes it hard to flirt with the girl.” Lee wipes the sweat from his forehead with the bottom of his shirt.

  “Will the both of you shut your traps about her!” I can’t hold back any longer.

  Laughing up at us, Charlie shouts up, “Someone finally caught your eye there, Chasey boy?”

  “Fuck off. I don’t want to hear you talking about her that way,” I growl, glaring at the both of them.

  “Sounds like someone doesn’t like that we stare at her ass, eh, Lee.” Charlie laughs when he sees my scowl.

  “We haven’t even talked about her tits yet. Pleeeeease. I can’t think about them without needing to touch myself. You two don’t mind, right?” Lee adjusts himself crudely while laughing.

  “I said shut. The. Fuck. Up! Both of you.” I fling another bale of hay down to Charlie and hope I hit him.

  “Holy shit. You actually really got it bad, don’t you?” Lee says, completely surprised. “I mean, I just thought you were going on about her like that because of Linda. It’s not that though, is it? You like her.”

  The air is still, the stagnant air in the hay loft stifling. My shirt is irritatingly plastered to my skin, and these two are pissing me off. I can’t calm my breathing, and all I want to do is punch one of them—both of them.

  “If I admit it to you, will you stop talking about her that way?” I heave out. I take a deep breath in an effort to get a hold on myself.

  Charlie yells up at us, “Hey, we still need about ten more bales to fill the truck bed up.”

  Lee is still looking at me, thinking. I’m waiting for the smart comment I know is coming. “Look, we’re just joking around. We’ve never seen you get so touchy before. Especially about a woman,” he says so only I can hear him. “We both like and respect Holly and Linda. You’re serious about her, aren’t you? Never thought I’d see the day, after you’ve passed up all the pussy that’s thrown themselves at you.”

  “So will you stop with this stupid shit?”

  He laughs. “No, I can’t promise that.”

  “Fuck off, prick,” I say, throwing a sixty-pound bale at him he easily dodges.

  “Oh come on, Chase. This is huge! This is gonna be good. That woman has hardly looked at Charlie or myself, and you think you’re going to turn her eye your way?”

  “What makes you think I haven’t already?”

  Laughing, he responds, “Easy. You still don’t have the girl.”

  “I’m wearing her down with the Chase charm. Besides, I actually want to date her. You know, be with her more than once.”

  He throws his head back, laughing as though I’ve gone crazy. Maybe I have. Between Holly teasing me with her outfits and these jacks throwing it at me daily, I have gone a bit crazy.

  “Women are complicated. I haven’t found one I wanted to figure out for more than a night or two.” Lee shrugs, tossing the last few bales down to Charlie.

  I can’t blame him for how he looks at things. I’ve been running from my own complicated mess for a while now.

  “Come on, let’s get out of this heat before one of us starts talking more about our feelings. By that I mean you,” Lee says as he heads for the stairs.

  I follow close behind him. The moment we step outside and I feel the breeze start to dry my sweat, I feel like I can breathe again. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic in the loft.

  “I’ll meet you guys in the field in a few. I gotta run to the house for a second.” Every second I’m away from Holly, all I can do is think of her. I see her lips turn up in a smile. Hear her laughter at something. And those damn shorts that I swear if she bends over just right I’ll be able to tell what color underwear she’s wearing.

  I have to see her. Right now.

  I jog back to the house and skip going in through the kitchen entrance. I’m hoping she’s still working on one of the rooms and that I can catch her alone.

  As luck has it, she is alone when I find her. Barging into the room, I startle her. “Chase, w-what’s up?” she stutters when she takes stock of how I look.

  I’m still covered in sweat, and bits of hay cling to me all over. I can feel it in my hair.

  “I needed to see you,” I say, closing the door behind me.

  “Oh? About?” She tucks a few strands of loose blonde hair behind her ear.

  Why did I rush in here to talk to her? I can’t remember having a reason, just that I needed to see her. I close the distance between us, close enough I can reach out and touch her.

  “Chase?” she says, still questioning me.

  I want to touch her so badly. To keep my hands busy, I clench them at my sides. “Do you know you’re making me crazy?”

  Laughing, she responds, “What? I mean... shit, Chase, the way you came in here, I thought something happened.”

  “Something has happened. Is happening. You’re driving me fucking crazy. Not only you but fucking Charlie and Lee too.”

  “I’m lost, Chase. What are you going on about with all this crazy talk?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to tell you—you’re driving me crazy.” The way she bites her bottom lip and smiles at me causes my dick to twitch. I want to kiss that grin off her face.

  I hadn’t even noticed she’s backed herself up against the wall, or that I’d followed her step for step till she had nowhere to go. Placing my arms on either side of her, I lean down to her and gruffly say, “You are driving me crazy. I can’t think straight around you. Away from you. And these little shorts are driving me mad.”

  I reach down to run my finger along the bottom of them but stop myself just short of touching them, of touching her.

  Her breathing increases as she stares at me. “How mad are they driving you?” she whispers.

  The way her voice has dropped and the breathy way she says it is making my dick hard. Her eyes dip to my lips, to my chest, then back to my eyes. I swear her eyes dilate as she sucks in a breath. Is that an invitation? I don’t think I care at this point. I have to taste her.

  “They make me wish I could touch you. They piss me off because I can’t, and I don’t want anyone else to see you in them.” I practically growl my frustration at her.

  She almost seems to enjoy what I’m saying. “And?”

  “And?”

  “What else do they make you think?”

  “Fuck. Are you doing this to me on purpose?” Leaning in she reaches up, putting her hands on my chest. Shit. Is she going to push me away? I move to pull back, realizing how crazy I really am.

  “What if I like making you crazy?” She grabs a fistful of my shirt to pull me closer—the invite I’ve been waiting for.

  The moment my lips collide with hers, I moan out in satisfaction. Frustration. Her mouth opens a fraction and I take it, licking my tongue along the seam until our tongues collide. She tastes sweet, and all I can think is I need more.

  She pulls my hair to close the space between us, and I lose any control I have. I grind into her, enjoying the friction. It’s not enough—our height difference is too great.

  Allowing my hands to explore her curves, I find the bottom of her shorts, my fingers meeting her smooth skin. I pick her up a
nd slam her against the wall. My pelvis meeting her core makes her cry out in pleasure.

  Her hands have sneaked up my shirt and are greedily exploring my body. This. This is what I’ve been craving from this woman.

  I want more. I need more.

  Fuck.

  I need to stop.

  Pulling back, I look at her swollen lips and watch her chest rise and fall from her heavy breathing. A pleasant pink is rising up her cheeks to the tips of her ears. Fuck she’s gorgeous.

  “You drive me mad.”

  My words cause her to open her eyes. “You drive me mad,” she says before diving toward me, claiming my lips again and wiggling her hips against my raging hard-on.

  As good as this feels, I know this can’t go any further here. This isn’t how I want things to start with us. She deserves more than this.

  “I want you. There’s no hiding it,” I say, grinding into her center once again.

  “God yes,” she moans.

  I still my movements, trying to calm my heartbeat. “You deserve more than this. Let me give you more.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” She tries to push out of my arms.

  Being stronger than her, I hold her up, letting her feel me again. “I said you deserve more than just a quick fuck. I’m a fucking filthy, sweaty mess right now, and when I fuck you I want to take my time devouring your body with my tongue and lips. I want to watch you come over and over again. I want you so badly—you drove me mad enough to come find you, just so I could tell you.”

  My voice is hoarse, my throat is dry, and it’s taking everything not to indulge my throbbing cock and fuck her right now. She has no idea how unraveled I feel right now.

  “I want to do this the right way.”

  She stops struggling and rolls her eyes at me. “And what is the right way?”

  I smile and quickly taste her lips once more. “Let me take you out on a date.”

  Tipping her head back to the wall, she diverts her gaze from me. “Put me down please.” Her voice is quiet. I comply, letting her slide down the wall till her feet hit the ground.