“Now, now. Be positive.”
“Trust me, I am quite positive. I cannot move.” She coughed. “If I didn’t think it would hurt me more, I’d fall over.”
“Let me ask you something.”
“Shoot.”
“Did you learn anything?”
“Sure I did. Granted I can’t move to use the knowledge, but I did learn something. Namely, don’t piss off Dracen Lloyd.”
Roz laughed again. “Come on, don’t be a baby. Let’s walk. You need to move the muscles so they don’t tighten up.”
“Move?” She sliced her gaze askew at Roz, her new worst enemy. “I don’t know how I’m sitting upright.”
“Come on. Up you get.” She stood and reached out a hand.
Grudgingly, Taylor took it and winced when she was drawn to her feet. “Ohh, this sucks.”
“Don’t think about the pain.”
“There’s something else?” As much as she felt, she didn’t think there was a way
not
to think about it. “Like what?”
“Nature. The horses. The children. Anything. Hell, think about sex with Cale if it gets your mind off how sore you are.”
“As good as it is, I don’t think I have the energy for that right now.”
“There’s always energy for sex.”
“Is there?”
Roz winked. “Oh, definitely.”
They walked slowly and Taylor would admit—not aloud of course—she felt a bit better as she moved farther along. They stopped when they saw Lian sitting at one of the outdoor, wrought-iron tables.
“Afternoon, ladies,” he said.
“Lian,” Roz replied.
“Good afternoon, Lian.” Taylor wasn’t entirely comfortable calling him by his first name, but he’d corrected her on it so she would go with that.
He looked her over from head to toe. “Drink this.” He poured her a small cup of tea from the pitcher and added some herbs had with him to the brew.
Not wanting to offend him, she sipped it once she had it in her hand. The slightly bitter taste washed over her tongue and down her throat. Since the cup was so small, it didn’t take her long to finish.
“Thank you.”
“It will help,” he said.
“Excuse me?”
“You have been practising self-defence and fighting with Dracen. The tea and herbs will help your muscles recover faster.”
She blinked, unable to find the words. How had he known?
Lian chuckled. “There isn’t anything that goes on here I don’t know about, Taylor Kenyon. Worry not that I will spill your secret to Cale.”
She gave a short bow in thanks. “I appreciate it. Can we stretch that to not telling Dracen how badly I’m moving?”
His eyes sparkled with humour and he leaned closer. “She already knows.” His words fell in a stage whisper.
Taylor groaned playfully. “Of course she does. Thank you for the tea. And the help.”
“You are most welcome. Not to mention in good hands, learning from Dracen. Heed her words well, trust her advice.”
“I will.”
Roz bent over and brushed a kiss along his cheek then whispered something in his ear before they continued on their way. As they continued, as Lian promised, her muscles ached less and less.
“What did he give me?”
“No clue, some ancient herb.”
“You knew he was out here, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Figured you could use some help.”
“The way I was feeling, I thought I could use a wheelchair. Or a coffin.”
“Come on, let’s go see my babies.”
“Your babies?”
Roz broke out with a brilliant smile. “Yes.”
They went to the barn and Taylor followed her inside and through the aisle towards a large door open in the back. Nodding at the children who were working in there, she kept up with the woman who had a fierce stride, despite being shorter. They made their way through a pasture to a fence that Roz climbed over. Taylor groaned.
“Come on, up and over. It’s not that hard.”
“Says the woman who didn’t just get her butt royally kicked by some dragon warrior. I’m not sure who she reminds me of, but I’m sure it will come to me. Probably a mix of Rogue with her strength, Storm giving orders, Jean Grey when she was the Dark Phoenix and kicking everyone’s ass because that’s what she did me. And someone else.” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, can’t forget Shanna the She Devil. Right now, I’m going with an emphasis on she-devil. Extraordinary gymnast and athlete. Again, the ass kicking, you seem to have forgotten I just endured.”
“Stop whining and start climbing.” Roz practically bounced on the soles of her shoes.
Body screaming in agony, she made her way over the split rail fence then landed with decidedly less grace than Roz had. “Ouch,” she deadpanned.
Roz rolled her eyes and went on her way. Taylor trailed after her, praying they didn’t have to walk up that hill she’d noticed. Her muscles were better, not fixed. Thankfully that wasn’t the way she was led. She still wished she weren’t so sore.
They rounded a corner and Roz held up a hand, Taylor stopped and followed the finger she pointed with. Beneath a large oak were two foals and their mother.
They were dark brown with white blazes down their noses. Immediately awed by the cuteness, Taylor forgot about her aches and pains. The mare whickered and trotted over to them, the babies trailing after.
“How come they’re not afraid?”
Roz grinned. “I have an affinity with horses.”
Horse sign. Duh.
They petted, stroked and played with the animals until the sun lowered in the sky. Taylor walked with one hand on the mare back across the pasture to the gate so she could avoid climbing over the fence again.
She smiled and shared a knowing look with Roz when they discovered a man waiting there for her. Cale. She clenched her fingers in the mare’s mane to hide her own reaction. Shorts and a shirt worked so well on him. The backwards ball cap had him coming across as even younger than he was.
Cale swung open the gate as she said her farewells to the equines. “Have fun?” he asked, latching it again. “Hey, Roz.”
“Cale. I’ll see you later, Taylor.”
“Thanks for everything.” She waved at her friend who headed off back in the direction of the barn. “Yes. I did.”
“You look a little sore.”
“We were playing with the foals. They’re strong.”
“Come on, let me help you feel better.”
Her nipples tightened behind her shirt and she had to struggle not to moan aloud. In her head though, she was dancing a jig. “What did you have in mind?”
“Bath and a massage.”
The groan slipped free this time, for that sounded spectacular and incredibly enticing. “Let’s go.”
“First things first.”
She stopped and looked up at him. “What’s that?”
“This.” He kissed her. His tongue swept through her mouth with dominance. In and out he stroked, before touching everywhere he could reach. When he broke away, her legs trembled even more.
“Oh,” she sighed.
“That’s one word for it.”
She slipped her arm through his and he led her inside and up the stairs—more mental whimpering there as her legs screamed for mercy—to her room. He left her to undress while he started the bath.
“Ready?” he called out.
She walked into the bathroom wearing nothing more than her shirt, which reached mid-thigh. She carried some more clothing to put on after. “Yes.” The aroma wafting up from the bathwater was soothing and relaxing. “What’s that scent?”
“A mixture of white gardenia and spearmint.” He glanced at her over his shoulder. “You’re a bit overdressed for this, babe. And you won’t be needing those clothes. You have a massage after the bath.”
“I’m supposed to walk around naked?”
A wicked grin. “Works for me.” One shoulder shrug. “In this room, anyway.”
She removed her shirt, grateful the grimace came when the cotton was over her face, then dropped it on the floor beside the sink, which she’d placed the folded clothing on.
His gaze darkened and his nostrils flared. In response, her clit throbbed and nipples tightened even more. It was a heady feeling, knowing someone wanted her so much. Correction—knowing
Cale
wanted her so much.
“Climb in.” His voice much deeper than it had been.
She walked closer, deliberately avoiding staring at the noticeable ridge in his shorts. Okay, so maybe she sneaked a few peeks. “Thank you for this.” Her own voice was huskier than usual as well.
“You’re my mate. It’s my job to make you feel better when you are sore.”
She dragged her nails along the blue shirt covering his chest. “Are you staying to wash my back?”
“Don’t tempt me. You’re deserving a soak, so get in and soak.”
“Or what?” She wasn’t sure where all this taunting him came from.
He leaned in closer and put the tip of his nose to hers. “Or I fuck you against the walls and in the tub and you get even more sore.”
She kissed him. “That could be fun.”
He gripped her upper arms and swore. “No, this isn’t about that. Get in the tub, Taylor.”
There was no hiding the strain he was under to control himself and she let it go. “Okay.” She climbed in, groaning softly as the heat penetrated her muscles. The heavy aroma sank in and when he put a folded towel behind her head, encouraging her to lay back, she didn’t fight.
“Thank you,” she said.
“I’ll be back in a bit to check on you.”
“Perfect,” she muttered. This was heaven.
Chapter Twelve
Cale paced out in the bedroom, continually shoving a hand through his hair and doing his damnedest to keep out of that bathroom. She needed to soak—he could see she was trying not to show him how sore she was. They must have played really hard with the horses. He would have been concerned for her but for the fact she’d been with Roz.
Now she was with him. Naked. A room away. His cock pushed harder against the material of his shorts. This was not fair.
“I believe you said something about a massage.”
He turned at the sound of her voice and promptly lost his breath. She stood there, a vision of loveliness. The steam from the bathroom hovered behind her in the doorway. The pink towel she wore wrapped around her, covering her breasts, and stopping mid-thigh. Her short hair was darker on the ends and he knew it was damp. She shone and he wanted to… Massage, he’d promised her a massage.
“I did.”
Damn, when did my voice get so gravelled?
“Come here.”
She padded barefoot to stand before him. Large eyes watched him and he loved her thick, curved lashes.
“Lie on the bed.”
“Stomach?” She paused. “Or back?”
Doesn’t matter. I can fuck you either way.
“Stomach.”
She crawled up on the queen mattress and stretched out, arms by her sides. Her head turned to left so she could see him. In the depth of her gaze, he could see trouble lurking.
Willing his unruly cock to behave, he moved towards her and grabbed the oil he was going to use—the same stuff she put on her own skin after a shower. It might not be massage oil, but it would work in a pinch. He reached out and took hold of one end of the towel. A final prayer for strength left him and he pulled. The pink rectangle came off her body and he tossed it away.
Pouring some of the oil on his palms, he stared at her ass. Luscious. Plump. He wanted to bite it.
I have to focus.
He got to it, beginning at her feet and making his way up. Her occasional moans didn’t help his libido. When he’d made it to the nape of her neck, she was limp beneath his hands.
He turned her to her back and stared at the woman laid out before him. Breasts high and firm, just begging to be captured by his mouth. Flat stomach, and hips he loved to hold as he thrust deep inside her. Her pussy hair was neatly trimmed and he wanted to sink his tongue within the lips and taste her thick cream.
Dragging his gaze up further, he met her eyes. They were dark and swirled with desire and lust, but she didn’t move.
“Ready?” he asked.
“You’re really good at this.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.” He began at her foot again.
“Why? Hasn’t anyone else said so to you?”
“Never given anyone other than you a massage.”
She smiled. “Glad to hear it. But then, how do you know what you’re doing?”
“I don’t. All I know is I want to touch you. Everywhere. Repeatedly. And make you feel good. That’s what I’m going with.”
“Mission accomplished.”
Her legs were firm and moving up them brought him even closer to her slit.
Stay focused.
His current mantra.
“Glad you’re enjoying it.”
“I am.”
He held her gaze and felt the reaction in his groin. So much heat, it nearly burned him. His hand faltered for a moment before he got himself back under control. He knew she was enjoying it, but he admitted to himself he liked hearing it from her as well. He could smell her arousal and that wasn’t helping him any.
He worked up her left side to her breast then moved back to do the right. She moaned and shifted on the mattress. Taylor took his hand and slid it back down to her pussy, rotating her hips, grinding against his hand.
Cale got the message. The massage was over. Slipping back down her body, he nudged her thighs apart with his shoulders and spread her open. He leaned in and flicked out his tongue.
“Shit, yes,” she moaned.
Up and down he lapped, avoiding her clit. One finger, followed by another, he sank inside her.
“Cale!”
Her heat wrapped tight around him and he wanted to be inside her with another part of his body. In and out he thrust his fingers, latching his mouth onto her nub. Her cry spurred him on. Nothing else mattered other than delivering her to orgasm. He grunted when she gripped his hair and yanked. Cale swapped his fingers and tongue, delving deep and taking all the cream she offered as she came. Her own honey poured on his tongue and he couldn’t get enough of it. She tasted so damn good.
“I could do this forever,” he said as she lay shaking beneath him.
“Inside me, Cale.”
“No. I want more.” He ripped off his clothing in record time. Lay on the bed and lifted her to sit on his face. “So much more.” He groaned in pleasure, trailing his tongue over her folds.
* * * *