Page 60 of Lassoed Love

Xavier leans over and presses the automated button, rolling down the window slightly, a cool breeze instantly whooshing inside the car, sending chills down our bodies. I feel Xavier’s body tremble underneath mine.

The rain has now completely settled, and the thunder has ceased. Xavier and I remain close, our bodies still emanating heat around us.

“Well, that didn’t go the way I planned,” I huff out with a nervous laugh, feeling the weight of our actions sinking in. I hide my face, trying to mask my embarrassment.

Xavier notices and gently turns my face to look at him. “No, it definitely did not,” he drawls. “Still gonna deny that there’s something here?” His deep voice sends tingles throughout my body. I can’t bring myself to answer. Xavier squints, shaking his head slightly. He’s definitely not amused at me dodging his question, but I just need a moment to process everything that just happened. Our date, that kiss, my father, and Jesus Christ, justhim.

As I watch his expression, I notice his eyes are so dark, hooded from his arousal. Intense. I look away for a moment, trying to distract myself from the intensity by picking up his black cowboy hat—well technically it’s an Akubra hat—resting on the seat to my left with a playful smirk, and placing it on my head.

We just fucked… I just hadsexwith Xavier Mitchell—car sex, if we’re being technical. I’ve never had sex in a car before. I softly breathe a laugh through my nose, the sound barely audible but full of amusement, at the thoughts running through my mind.

“Something funny, Doc?” Great.

“No, not at all. I just—” I shudder. “I can’t believewe just did that.”

“I can,” he says matter-of-factly, “and it was fucking incredible. You’re incredible.” I take a deep breath in, taking in his words.

He tucks a rogue strand of my hair—now a complete mess—behind my ear. He then adjusts the hat on my head.

“Perfect,” he murmurs, and I feel my cheeks burn with a deep blush. He then gently pulls me closer, my body naturally leaning into his. Our breaths synchronise, creating a perfect moment of intimacy. Butterflies flutter in my stomach, and my mind is consumed by the warmth of his body and the unexpected connection we’ve just shared.

What happens now? Where do we go from here?The thought stirs a feeling of unease within me, at the uncertainty of what lies ahead. All I am certain of, is that this is what it feels like to be alive—to be consumed by desire and tangled in the aftermath of a storm.

And that both terrifies and excites me.

26

Hunger - Ross Copperman

It’s been four days since the tumultuous encounter with Isla’s father—the man is genuinely troubled. The memory of that night stirs unease within me. His drunken state, wielding the shotgun, was a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the unpredictable nature of human behaviour.

At home, things have settled into its usual routine. Bradley, my younger brother, is enjoying a day off today, having officially become a police officer after completing his training in Goulburn. Liv, on the other hand, has been nothing but an annoying ball of energy since finishing up her course at uni. She’s already planning stuff for Christmas—it’s bloody three months away. Her over-enthusiasm just really irks me. The September spring has brought scorching temperatures, making me dread the impending heat of summer that I know we’ll face during the upcoming holiday season.

I’m sprawled on the couch, grateful for the cool respite from the scorching heat outside. Dad’s been up since the crack of dawn, off handling business down in Sydney, leaving the house to us for the day. With Mum, Bradley, and Liv scattered about, I’m left alone withmy thoughts.

My mind drifts to Isla. The memory of our intimate moment in the car lingers, altering the atmosphere between us. There’s a potent mix of desire, arousal, and something more elusive that I can’t quite grasp. Thoughts of her dance through my mind, her presence lingering in the air like a sweet, intoxicating fragrance.

Isla has lodged herself in my thoughts in a way no other woman ever has. The intensity of our encounter in the car has left an indelible mark, unlike any experience I’ve had before.

I woke up thinking abouther. I went to bed withherface behind my eyelids. I pumped my cock in the shower this morning, visualisingherbody,hermoans, and the way she tastes.

I couldn’t understand why I was feeling this way. Where had this sudden shift come from? After years of being contentedly single, of never sticking with a woman for more than a night—whenever that happened—this woman who had vanished from my life for so long, not even crossing my mind, untilnow, was stirring something deep within me.

I tried to resist it, to push it down. But it was futile. She had crept back into my thoughts, weaving herself into my consciousness in a way I couldn’t shake.

I couldn’t fight it. Even if I tried.

A soccer match blares on the screen, and Bradley is beside himself, shouting at the TV screen, hurling colourful phrases at the referee. It’s so unlike him, but with soccer, he’s a different person. I join in, unable to resist the adrenaline of the game. Olivia, on the other hand,looks utterly uninterested, scrolling through her phone and releasing an annoyed huff.

“Ugh, you both are so boring. I need another female in this household. Too much testosterone in the fucking air,” she complains, her face twisted in disgust. My mind immediately jumps to Isla, imagining what it would be like if she were here, blending into my family chaos. The thought brings a smile to my face, arareoccurrence, unless I’m around Isla.

My mother’s voice cuts through the banter from the kitchen, admonishing Liv, “Olivia! Language.”

Olivia throws her hands in the air, pointing between me and Bradley. “What? Seriously, so these brutes can swear, but I can’t,” she protests, her frustration evident.

Her words trigger thoughts of Isla again, and my smile lingers. Olivia directs a question my way, breaking me out of my stupor. “Remind me, why did I come back home again?” I just smirk.

“To be honest, I don’t know why you did. You were probably better off there,” I reply, teasing her. Olivia looks at me funny, and her lingering gaze unnerves me.

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