Champagne and Candlelight

V


“Didn’t you say you grew up in Philadelphia?”

Amber turned from her contemplation of Jarrod’s figure astride his horse and looked at Nick. “I did. Why?”

“Didn’t think there was lots of opportunity for riding in a big, eastern city like that,” the dark rancher explained. “You handle a horse real well.”

“Thanks, Nick.” Amber preened at the unexpected compliment. “That means a lot, coming from you. I haven’t really been riding long, but I had a lot of opportunity to practice on my way out here.”

“Well, you have a real pretty seat, Amber,” Nick said before spurring Coco to catch up with Heath.

Jarrod, who was close enough to overhear, slowed Jingo until Amber was alongside. “I must agree with my brother, but I think I can come up with a few better adjectives to describe your seat than ‘pretty’,” he told her, eyes flashing with desire.

“You think they’d notice if we fell behind and didn’t catch up for half an hour or so?” she murmured seductively.

Jarrod chuckled. “Knowing my family, they’d send a posse looking for us.”

“Well, I guess we need a good excuse.” She pulled up the grulla she was riding and slid off. “Just play along.” She stretched and grimaced as though in pain.

Heath noticed them stopped and rode back to see what the problem was. “Anything wrong?” he asked as he came up alongside.

Jarrod pushed back his hat. “Don’t think our little cousin here is used to all this riding, Heath, no matter what Nick thinks of her abilities as a horsewoman,” he said with a grin to Amber.

“I got a cramp in my back all of a sudden,” Amber explained.

“Why don’t I get the others and call a little rest?” Heath suggested, sympathy in his blue eyes.

“Oh, I don’t want to be a bother, Heath,” Amber protested. “I think I just need to walk a little and stretch it out.”

“I’ll stay back with her, Heath,” Jarrod offered quickly. “We’ll catch up in a couple miles.”

Heath nodded. “Walking’ll probably do you good,” he concurred. “Someone’ll come check on you if we don’t see you in an hour or so.” The blond cowboy spun Charger and cantered back to Nick and Victoria.

“You,” Jarrod told Amber as the rest of his family disappeared out of sight, “have a very devious mind.”

Amber stretched her arms around his neck. “And you love me for it,” she told him, nuzzling him playfully. “But I have to admit, my back is a little sore. Do you think we can find something better than walking to loosen me up?”

“Oh, I think that can be arranged.” Jarrod took her hand and they walked to a small stream nearby. Tethering the horses so they could reach the water, Jarrod reached up and untied his bedroll. “Get undressed and I’ll work on your back.”

Amber did as she was asked as Jarrod quickly unrolled a blanket in the warm sunshine. Divesting himself of his own clothes, he lay Amber down on her stomach. With long slow strokes, he worked his hands across her smooth skin, kneading the muscles, relaxing her. Her smooth backside was too enticing and Jarrod’s fingers worked their way down across her buttocks, sliding between until they encountered her silky lips.

“Mmmm,” Amber moaned in contentment and Jarrod leaned over to kiss her shoulders, his hard length nestled into the crease between her cheeks. His fingers continued their ministrations, pushing into her soft warmth as he slowly rubbed against her.

“More, Jarrod, please,” Amber begged and Jarrod took hold of himself, guiding his manhood to her slick cleft.

“With pleasure,” he murmured as he slid inside her, filling her with his swollen maleness. Amber pushed back against him and Jarrod reveled in the feeling of her beautifully rounded ass pressing against his belly. Bracing himself on his right arm, his left grabbed her hip and pulled her further onto his hardened shaft. “Nothing else feels as good as being inside you, being a part of you.”

“I love you, Jarrod,” Amber whispered as he rocked against her. Jarrod just leaned forward, planting searing kisses along her neck and shoulders, covering her body with his own. Amber met his thrusts as he pumped into her. “Harder, Jarrod.”

Jarrod’s strokes grew in intensity until his world finally exploded and he lost himself in the sensations as he filled Amber with his seed, Amber reaching her own climax seconds later, crying his name. He rested atop her, catching his breath until he was finally able to move.

They lay side by side and Jarrod stroked Amber’s silky hair. “I think this is going to be a very memorable trip.”

“It’ll be more memorable if we don’t get out of this sun and have to explain how we sunburned our backsides,” Amber teased. “If that happens, we might have to walk to Indian Springs for real.”

Jarrod kissed her softly. “It would be worth it, Amber,” he told her. “You are worth it.”

*

Watching the muscles of his broad shoulders ripple in the sunlight, Amber felt a warm tingle travel down her spine and settle between her legs. She never realized a lawyer could be so incredibly well-built before meeting Jarrod Barkley and caught her breath as he took a long drink from his canteen before pouring some of the water over his head. Droplets of water trickled down his bare chest and Amber’s heart started to race as Jarrod shook the excess from his hair then slicked it back over his forehead.

Jarrod realized he was being watched and turned to see Amber’s gaze riveted to him. He caught the unmistakable signs of desire on her face, the heavy breathing and slightly parted lips, and felt his manhood begin to stir. Slowly, deliberately, he stacked the remaining pieces of wood before peeling off his gloves, conscious of how the beautiful woman’s eyes never left him. Casually grabbing his shirt, the dark-haired attorney walked over to the luscious blonde.

“The wood’s stacked,” he told her in his sultry baritone, reflecting the wood wasn’t the only thing that was stacked.

“Mmm hmm,” she murmured, running a finger down his glistening chest and slowly licking off the moisture it collected. The vision of her sucking his sweat off her finger was unbelievably arousing and Jarrod made to reach for her before a bellow rent the air.

“Jarrod! Hey, Pappy, where are you?”

“And just why did I think this would be a good idea?” Jarrod groaned as he quickly slipped on his shirt. He hadn’t gotten a chance to be alone with Amber in the two days since they’d arrived at Indian Springs and the strain of being so close to her with no physical release was starting to get to him.

Amber just smiled as Nick strode into the clearing. “There you are!” he exclaimed. “Thought we were going hunting today.”

“We are, Nick,” Jarrod conceded, buttoning his shirt, “just thought I’d get the firewood chopped and stacked first.”

Nick glanced over to the tidy pile of split logs. “Good job, counselor. Glad to see your desk job hasn’t made you soft.”

“Oh, Jarrod’s anything but soft,” Amber couldn’t resist declaring quietly for Jarrod’s ears only. Jarrod gave her a dirty look as she gazed back at him innocently and her eyes followed him as he left with Nick.

*

Victoria found Amber placing a tidy pile of wood near the fire.

“Are you enjoying yourself, Amber?” Victoria asked as she set down the bucket of water.

Amber straightened up and gave Victoria a heartfelt smile. “Oh, yes, thank you Aunt Victoria. It’s been wonderful. And Nick’s been raving about the dance at the lumber camp tonight, I’m really looking forward to it.” She brushed off her pants and gazed around the glade where they’d set up camp.

“I was always restless back in the city, it was like there was something else out there, waiting for me. And here, surrounded by all this open space, it’s like I’ve finally come home.” Amber smiled ruefully at Victoria as she thought about what else she’d found by coming to the valley. “That probably sounds a bit silly, doesn’t it?”

Victoria shook her head. “No, it’s not silly at all. Your father and my husband both had a love of wide-open spaces and it seems all their children share it, without exception. Even Jarrod, although I think his love of the law and justice is equally strong.”

“Jarrod’s a brilliant attorney,” Amber concurred, trying to keep the expression on her face from showing anything beyond a modest admiration. “I very much enjoy working with him.”

“Well, you two certainly spent enough late nights at the office,” Victoria said innocuously.

Amber quickly went to the supplies and started looking through the foodstuffs, hoping the tinge of pink Victoria’s last statement brought to her cheeks went unnoticed by the older woman. “I had to get everything sorted before Anna left for her wedding. And Jarrod didn’t want to leave any loose ends while he was away.” She pulled out a few items, hoping her explanation sounded plausible, then changed the subject. “I thought I might start making biscuits so they’re ready when the men get back.”

“I’m sure they’ll be appreciated.” Victoria set a fresh pot of coffee on the fire while Amber started mixing biscuit dough. “I have to say, I’m glad you’re settling in so well. I don’t know if you’ve realized, but family’s very important to us. And you are definitely family.”

Amber smiled, but she was a bit uncomfortable. “Thank you, Aunt Victoria,” she said. “I consider you all family, too.” She thought about Jarrod and how much more than family he was to her. She hoped when it came time, everyone would understand and accept their relationship. If they didn’t, she knew it would hurt Jarrod deeply and that was the last thing she’d ever want.

*

A lively melody was playing as the Barkleys arrived for the dance and Nick turned immediately to Amber.

“What do you say, Amber? Like to dance?”

Amber took the proffered arm and let Nick lead her into the whirl of couples. “I’d love to, Nick.” Nick put his arm around her waist and swept her into the rhythm of the dance. Victoria was immediately grabbed by her own partner and Jarrod and Heath made their way to each grab a mug of beer.

“Think that little cousin of ours is fitting in right fine,” Heath observed as Nick and Amber spun past. “I take it things are working out well in the office?”

“Yes, indeed they are, brother Heath,” Jarrod replied, not taking his eyes off Amber.

“She’s right pretty, too,” Heath said.

Jarrod gave Heath a sharp look. “She certainly is,” Jarrod replied, wondering if his ever-observant brother suspected anything.

Heath just took a pull of his beer. “Reckon it runs in the family,” he said with a crooked grin, noticing a pert brunette smiling his way. “Excuse me, Jarrod,” and he set down his drink to go ask her to dance.

Jarrod talked some business with the camp manager and danced a few dances, but Amber was never far from his sight and mind. He finally caught her with only a few men vying for her attention and decided to make his move. “Excuse me, boys,” he said as he made his way to Amber’s side, “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of dancing with my lovely cousin yet this evening.” He offered Amber his arm, which she took graciously.

Gathering her into his arms, Jarrod swept her around the dance floor to the strains of the waltz being played. “You seem to be having fun tonight.”

Amber smiled, beguiled by Jarrod’s brilliant blue eyes. “I love to dance,” she admitted. “The only thing that would have made tonight better was if I’d spent it entirely in your arms.”

Jarrod fought off the urge to kiss her sweet full lips and tried to concentrate on the steps of the dance to keep his body under control. “I’d love to take you out of here,” he murmured into her ear.

“And I’d love for you to take me,” she murmured back.

Looking around, Jarrod noticed all his family was occupied, Heath dancing with the brunette from earlier and Nick and Victoria having a lively discussion with some of the other guests. “No time like the present.” He steered her across the floor to the edge of the clearing. “Let’s go while no one’s looking.”

Hand in hand, they made their way to the horses and rode back towards the camp.

“Jarrod, what if someone asks where we went?” Amber wanted to know.

“You’re right, I guess we need some sort of alibi.” Jarrod thought for a moment. “You had a headache and I took you back to camp. Sound believable enough?”

“I hope your clients come up with alibis that are more believable,” Amber laughed, “or you’ll never win any cases.”

Jarrod just threw her a rakish wink as they pulled the horses to a stop near an outcropping of rocks not too far from the camp. Tethering their mounts loosely, Jarrod and Amber wasted no time in removing each other’s clothing and Amber wondered just how Jarrod was going to explain his missing shirt buttons in the morning.

Jarrod’s mouth captured hers and Amber wrapped her arms around him as he lowered her to the ground. His fingers lightly skimmed over her belly, grazing her hips and moving down to caress her thighs. Amber moved, trying to get contact with her burning center, but Jarrod was in a mood to tease and kept his hand just far enough away to frustrate her.

“Two can play at that game,” she muttered and lightly brushed her hand between his legs as he straddled her, barely hard enough to touch his sac before running her hand over to his back.

Jarrod chuckled and grabbed her arms, pinning them above her head as he lowered himself onto her, his member finding her portal and gaining entry.

“I knew you wouldn’t last,” Amber breathed in satisfaction and wrapped her legs around him, opening herself further to penetration. She felt his balls slap her ass with each thrust and moaned as every movement brought her closer to climax. “Oh, Jarrod, yes! Yes!” she finally cried as he brought her over the edge. The clenching of her muscles around his throbbing flesh was too much and Jarrod’s manhood erupted inside her, filling her with his very being.

Amber gently stroked the hair at the nape of his neck as Jarrod’s body relaxed on top of her. “We should get going before the rest of the family comes back,” she murmured.

Jarrod kissed her lightly and helped her to her feet. They searched out their clothes and got dressed, Jarrod just heaving a deep sigh when he found half the buttons on his shirt had been torn off in their haste to get to each other.

They made it back to camp before anyone else and slipped into their bedrolls, briefly kissing good night and quickly dropping into contented slumber.