One Last Sunset (The Long Ranch Series Book 1) (7 page)

Hunger consumed him as his lips claimed hers and their bodies crashed against each other. The taste of her sent a shock down his spine as he moaned deep and his hands dove for her flesh. His knee spread her legs and thrust upward as one of her legs wrapped around his waist. Fingers ran through his hair and he swore he lost vision in his eyes for a moment. Desire had overwhelmed and when he finally came up for air they were both panting on the verge hard sex.

“Are you trying to get me killed?” he growled, then claimed her mouth once more and kneaded her breast with his hand. “I swear, woman, I wanted to bend you over the hood of that car.”

“No one is back here.”

“You are trying to get me killed,” Sunny growled as he brought his lips to her neck and inhaled her scent. “I can barely control myself when you’re in scrubs, much less these shorts.”

Chapter Five

Sunshine’s cock was hard and pressing against Melody’s cleft. With only a slight shift in her hips, a jolt shot up her stomach and hardened her nipples.

Sunny’s teeth caught her earlobe and pulled with the sweetest pinch of pain.

Kendra’s advice had culminated in a kiss she’d never forget. Sunny’s lips made her most vivid fantasies rated G. It was as if she finally knew what her body was for.

A cool breath of air kissed her left breast before being surrounded by the warm wet heat of Sunny’s mouth. Her fingers tangled in the mop of hair on his head as moans vibrated against her skin and she unhooked her leg from around his waist. Suckling at her breast while nimble fingers unbuttoned her shorts.

“Please,” Melody moaned while his thick fingers slid under her thong. Her hands cradled his head and brought him up so they were locked eye to eye, as he thrust three fingers inside her slickness. His free hand held her hip and even though her legs were weakening just from Sunny thrusting deep inside her, his thumb also rubbed against her clit. “Fuck,” she moaned again, as her eyes rolled back in her head.

“Look at me,” he commanded.

Melody stared in his hooded blue eyes staring back at her as his rhythm increased.

“Your pussy feels so damn good.”

Melody panted. She’d never been talked to this way. In college, the guys were childlike grunting fools.

“I bet you taste good too,” he purred as his thumb pressed circles harder and she didn’t even understand how he could bring her to the brink like this. Her pussy clenched hard around his fingers. “You gonna come for me? Right here when I haven’t even started with you.”

“You haven’t,” Mel panted.

“Melody.” His southern drawl made her name sing and her pussy clench anew. “Woman,” he groaned and claimed her lips.

“Yeah baby, I knew you liked that shit,” a man with a Hispanic accent said.

Sunny retracted his hand and Melody pulled her shirt back up. The man from a few days ago stood with a swollen black eye and six friends. Already trembling from being on the brink of orgasm, Melody tried to focus on what was happening, but all she could do was clutch Sunny’s muscular shoulders as she hid behind him.

“You just wake up?” Sunny goaded the guy. “Or did I knock you into last week and you forgot the last ass whoopin?”

“It appears you’re new in town,” the man said as he pulled out a switchblade.

Melody started to look for an out to go get help. Something about the swish click turned her brain back on.

“Gee Fonzie, no, I was born here, but then again is it nineteen fifty again?”

Mel pinched Sunny. “At some point in my life I’d like to finish what we just started,” she whispered. “Would you do me a big favor and not get killed?”

“Don’t worry,
Puta
, we’ll all take care of you.” The man’s laugh was followed by a chorus.

“They don’t know who you are, do they?” Sunny laughed as he looked back at her with no fear.

“Some uppity bitch that thinks because she went to school she’s too good for a ranch hand,” the man sneered. “Then again, maybe she’s changed her mind.”

Three more blades emerged.

“Leave the girl, step away now and you live,” he said.

Mel’s heart stopped.

“Run,” Sunny said as he shoved a guy standing at the edge of the building.

It gave Mel a straight shot to freedom. Taking off, she turned around long enough to see Sunny toss one guy, then get knocked to the ground by another. Pushing past the guy working the door, she knocked people aside until she saw Miles leaning over to whisper in a woman’s ear. “Come quick,” she said, tugging him away.

“Hey honey, I saw him first,” the woman said.

“Fuck off,” Mel snapped. “Seven guys with knives are out back jumping Sunny.”

“Clay, Monty,” Miles called without so much as a goodbye to the girl.

The guys knew from his voice what was going on and all three burst from the club and went around the back of the club.

Sunny was being held down by three guys with the leader standing over him threatening him with the knife to his throat.

Clay picked up a chunk of concrete broken off a parking bumper. When the man reared back, Clay whipped the six inch chunk and nailed the man directly in face.

The man flew backward as blood exploded from his nose and mouth and the men holding Sunny down loosened their grip enough for him to struggle free.

“You broke my fucking nose,” the man spat.

Sunny had already knocked out one guy from the look of a mound by the corner of the building. With two men down the odds had evened enough for the Long men, plus Sunny, to put them down.

Fists flew and when a man caught Sunny in the gut Melody held her own stomach as if she could take away the pain. Faces screwed in anguish after being punched. No one was immune to contact. Mel wanted to call the bouncers or Carolyn, but they’d call the cops. Long’s settle their own debts, they stay away from the law, and they can handle themselves in any situation.

Another man fell after Monty made contact with his jaw, then smashed his knee harder than a mule kicking the bench. The snap sent chills up Mel’s spine, but didn’t seem to affect the men who continued to pummel each other. Sunshine’s lip that had only moments ago made her body sing was now split. What she couldn’t understand was how the men didn’t seem to notice the swelling, bruising, and general beating their bodies were taking. Instead, they kept going back for more until finally exhaustion must have taken over and the men stared at each other with labored breaths.

“This doesn’t concern you, Miles,” a man about her brother’s age growled.

Mel looked at him for some sort of recognition. “This asshole started a few days ago with us.”

“Yeah,” Miles spat blood on the ground before stepping closer to the group gathered further back behind the building. “Hector, Sunny does tend to finish things, at least when the odds aren’t too stacked against him. But he never starts shit.”

Miles’ jaw tensed and Mel knew this wouldn’t be settled with words. Clay, Monty, and Sunny were as ridged and unwilling to show any signs of weakness no matter if injuries had proved they were.

“Your guy who ran into a wall needs a doctor?” Clay laughed. “Maybe we should postpone this till later.”

“No,” Miles snarled. “We end this. You good, Hector? Got your pound of flesh?”

The instigator started to speak, only to have Hector raise his hand to stop him while cussing him out in Spanish.

“We’ll stay on our half, you stay on yours,” Hector said.

“See, that doesn’t work for us,” Monty said as he kicked some rocks. “The Long’s built this town…There isn’t a part that isn’t ours.”

“What about the
Blanco
?”

“Damn, he’s a little light skinned,” Miles joked. “But that’s okay, light skinned brothers are coming back in style.”

“Man, that’s fucked up,” Sunny laughed.

“Consider him a Long and stay away,” Miles warned.

“Don’t let him wander alone, with or without a puta,” a man from the back of the group ordered.

Carolyn must’ve gotten word because a gunshot went off, causing all parties involved to duck and turn. She stood with the shotgun pointing to the sky and a snarl on her face. “Twice in one week,” she snapped. “Sunny, I love you like my own kid, but you’re banned until further notice.” Her eyes scanned the crowd and she shook her head. “Hector, I better not see you and yours in my bar until fall.”

It was over and all Mel wanted to do was rush to Sunny’s side, but his eyes warned her not to. He was right—this fight wouldn’t be over if the guys knew about her involvement. That Sunshine wasn’t picked at random. Or, that she was the one they were calling a whore.

“Mel, you better head home.” Monty took her arm and led her back to the parking lot.

“But what about you guys? You’re hurt.”

“Bumps and bruises.”

“Clay and Sunny are bleeding,” Mel said as she scanned the damage done to her family.

“Won’t be the last time,” Clay said as he wiped at his ear with a cut on the lobe. “And don’t you prefer four legged creatures?”

“She’s just saying you guys are animals.” Monty slapped the two guys on the back and looked at Carolyn. “Are you sure we can’t get a few beers?”

“Not even if you took me right here and now.”

“Worked last time,” Monty teased.

Carolyn waved him off.

* * * *

Besides being amped up from the adrenaline rush of the fight, Sunny was weighted down with injuries and fear of the line he’d crossed. He hadn’t gone to Henry and asked to date his daughter. Not even talked to the family who just declared him a member. No, instead, he took who he wanted like a beast. Even now looking at Melody rocking back in her boots had him licking his lips. Thank God for the split on his bottom lip to disguise his intent.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to look at this?” Mel asked as she held his face in her hand and stroked along his lip with her finger.

“Yeah, I’m good.” He pulled away. “Look, what happened…”

“You’re not afraid a half dozen guys with knives, but my brothers—”

“It’s a respect thing.” He wanted to reach for her hand. Cradle her in his arms. The things he wanted to do to her would only lead to more broken bones. “Trust me, you deserve better than up against the wall behind a dive bar with some cowpoke.”

“Hey man,” Clay said as he approached the two of them. “Be careful, ever since she learned to neuter she’s all about snipping men.”

“Only wild animals,” Melody snapped at her baby cousin. “Your appointment is coming up isn’t it?”

“Keep your voodoo away from me, woman.” Clay put his fingers up in a cross.

For a moment, Sunny got to see the little girl he remembered as she chased Clay off.

He laughed as he jumped into his truck and honked for Mel’s brothers.

When she looked over her shoulders, the lights outlined her cheekbones and made her lips glow.

Could it still be his kiss wet on her lips? The possessive thought of still being on her. A part of her may still feel him and better yet, even after the fight, he could still feel her.

“Hey Sunny, Carolyn said someone called for an ambulance.” Miles slapped Sunny back. “Time to head out before explanations are needed.”

“Can I catch a ride?” Sunny asked, and Miles opened the back door of the truck for him and Monty. “Thanks, you can just drop me at the edge of the park.”

Being dropped off by the Long’s would just start more shit with his dad, and yeah, that wasn’t his plan. Once again, he’d be back to being a ghost when his father was conscious and when unconscious, to not make noise so he wouldn’t have to go into ghost mode. He’d played the game for years and it had been the thing he never missed when he was on the road.

Crashing on his bed, he stared up at the ceiling grateful the hour was late enough his parents had gone to bed. Part of him was afraid to even turn the switch on his lamp. Somehow, all the noise outside the trailer couldn’t wake his father, but so much as the flip of a switch inside echoed against the walls until it woke him.

Too many thoughts were rushing through Sunshine’s brain for him to slow down and sleep. The day’s events, the fight, the offer from the Long’s and…Melody. Pulling off his jeans, he reached in the back pocket and pulled out the small notebook he always had on him. The current one was black. At the risk of his father’s wrath, he flipped on the light as softly as he could, then flipped to an empty page.

Pulling the pillow from behind him, he sat up against the wall and rested the pillow on his bent knees. Digging in his nightstand drawer, he found a pencil with just enough lead at the end he could scratch out a few words and settle his mind.

Swirling pools of darkness pull me in.

Infinite possibilities causing my head to spin.

Memories crash against—

Scratching out the lines, he tried to focus again. He wasn’t a damn poet. His scribbling’s were just that, scribbles. Tossing magnetic poetry on the fridge from across the room would have deeper meaning. Then again, most of his musings had been at the expense of other riders and those around him. But Melody had him reaching deep. To places he tried to forget.

All the times he’d come back with JT over the years. Checked in on his mom and drank at The Hard Root. Never had he seen the little girl turning into a woman. How had he missed it? There had to of been pictures up even if Mellie was away at school.

His phone vibrated and read the text from JT.

Can you talk?

JT knew the house rules having made the mistake of knocking lightly one night because the guys didn’t have cell phones at the time. The only thing that saved him was his father wouldn’t dare attack the son of his employer.

Dad’s sleeping.

How you healing?

Good. You’re up late for an old farmer.
Sunny teased his riding partner.