Page 43 of Saddles and Snowstorms
“Fuck,” he gasped as I thrust up to meet him, hitting somethingdeep inside that made his whole body shudder. “Right there, Brooks. Don’t stop.”
I did it again, angling my hips to hit that same spot. The sound he made—half-moan, half-whimper—sent fire racing through my veins. I’d never been with someone so responsive, so unashamed in their pleasure. It was intoxicating.
“Look at me,” I commanded, surprising myself with the authority in my voice. Rowan’s eyes snapped open, locking with mine as he continued to ride me. The connection was electric, intimate in a way I hadn’t expected. “I want to see your face when you cum.”
His rhythm faltered for a moment, his breath catching. “Fuck, Brooks,” he panted, a flush spreading across his chest and up his neck. “Keep talking like that and it’s gonna happen sooner than later.”
I smirked, feeling bold in a way I never had before. With one hand still on his hip, I wrapped the other around his cock, giving it a firm stroke from base to tip. The noise he made was almost inhuman—a deep, guttural sound that made my own cock throb inside him.
“That’s it,” I encouraged, matching the rhythm of my hand to his movements. “Let me see how good I make you feel.”
Rowan’s pace became more frantic, his thighs trembling against mine. The morning light caught the sweat on his skin, making him glow like something otherworldly. I stroked him faster, twisting my wrist on the upstroke just to hear that catch in his breath.
“I’m close,” he warned, his voice breaking. His movements grew erratic, desperate. “God, Brooks—I’m so close.”
I could feel myself approaching the edge too, heat building at the base of my spine. But I was determined to see him fall apart first. I wanted to watch this city boy come undone on my cock, wanted to hear my name on his lips when he did.
“Come on, Rowan,” I urged, my voice a rough whisper. I thrust up harder, hitting that spot inside him that made his whole body jerk. “Let go for me.”
His eyes locked with mine, wide and vulnerable. For a moment, it felt like he was seeing straight through me, past all my carefully constructed walls. Then his back arched as he cried out, his release painting hot stripes across my chest and stomach. The sight of him—head thrown back, lips parted, utterly lost in pleasure—pushed me overthe edge. I gripped his hips as I thrust up one final time, burying myself deep inside him as I came with a growl that tore from somewhere deep within me.
“Rowan,” I gasped, his name a prayer on my lips as waves of pleasure crashed through me.
He collapsed forward onto my chest, heedless of the mess between us, his breath coming in ragged pants against my neck. I wrapped my arms around him instinctively, holding him close as we both trembled through the aftershocks.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke. The only sounds were our gradually slowing breaths and the soft crackle of the fireplace in the other room. Outside, snow continued to fall, insulating us from the rest of the world. In here, time seemed suspended, reality held at bay for a little longer.
Finally, Rowan shifted, pressing a lazy kiss to my collarbone. “Well,” he murmured, voice husky and satisfied, “that’s one way to burn time while we’re snowed in.”
I nodded, wrapping my arms over his back and pulling him tight against me. There were no words to describe how I felt. Well, maybethankfulwas a good place to start. But the fear bubbling away in the back of my mind knowing that this would all soon come to an end remained unspoken. Pushing it away, I leaned into him, trying to enjoy it while I could.
Chapter 16
Rowan
Iwas thankful I’d thought to grab my backpack before I braved the storm out to Brooks’ farm. He didn’t have internet for his cabin, but I doubted it would’ve been much use in the storm, anyway. However, I was able to hotspot my phone so I could update the clinic’s website and the outgoing message to people calling in. As much as I wanted to help everyone I could in Sagebrush, the simple fact remained that I wasn’t going anywhere.
The wind and snow had almost completely buried my truck in a drift. In most places the snow was up to my mid-thigh. In others though, it had drifted to shoulder level on Brooks’ farm. And if his farm was any clue as to what lay out on the roads, I’d never make it back to town even if I could dislodge my truck in the first place. We were snowed it, plain and simple. So, the people of Sagebrush and their animals would have to wait for now.
Despite all that, I was pretty happy where I was. It turned out Brooks was pretty good company once he stopped acting like a grumpy asshole. Since we were stuck together and he was laid up, he had no choice but to get along with me. Then again, I had a feeling me riding his dick that morning had something to do with his good mood. The surly, introverted man I’d met that first day was gone, replaced with a shy, sexually suppressed one that seemed relievedto finally have someone to talk to. And the longer we spent in that cabin, trapped by the snow, the better we got to know one another. With each new piece of information, I found myself liking Brooks more and more. Something I knew was dangerous.
My resolve to keep Brooks at an arm’s length was quickly crumbling. Each time he flashed me a small smile or a wink from those big brown eyes of his, I felt myself fall a little further. He had a habit of keeping close to me too, always wanting some small part of himself touching me. It was adorable and intimate in ways I didn’t know I needed. Not to mention, the man was quite the horndog and a master in bed for someone without much practice. I felt myself drawn to him more and more as time went on. We’d been trapped together for a little over twenty-four hours and already I knew I was in too deep.
After lunch, we sat together on the couch, my laptop open as I showed Brooks pictures of my family back home. His thigh pressed against mine, warm and solid, as he leaned in to see the screen.
“That your momma?” he asked, pointing to a silver-haired woman with my same smile.
“Yeah. She’s the one who got me interested in veterinary medicine. She ran a shelter when I was growing up.”
Brooks nodded, his expression thoughtful. “You got her eyes.”
His hand found mine, calloused fingers intertwining with mine like it was the most natural thing in the world. For a man who’d spent most of his life alone, he was surprisingly tactile. I wondered if he’d been touch-starved all these years, living out here with just his cattle for company.
“What about your folks?” I asked, then immediately regretted it when I felt him stiffen beside me.
“Both gone,” he said, his voice tight. “Pa first, then Ma not long after.”
I squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”
