CHAPTER TEN

FERN

I hadn't been expecting to see or hear from Alex again, so I was shocked when he pounded on my door and asked me out. At first, I tried to convince myself that a free meal was a free meal and that was the only reason I accepted.

It was such a flimsy rationale that I snorted and laughed while carefully putting on my makeup and agonizing over what to wear. It was my first date in over four years, and I was nervous.

Alex wasn't like the men I had dated in the past. He was a man that worked with his hands and spent long amounts of time outdoors, not for mere pleasure but because that was a job requirement. His skin was tough and weathered from the sun, his nails square and blunt, and he worn jeans and faded t-shirts. He didn't smell of fancy cologne. He smelled of the outdoors, sweat, and something spicy and wholly male.

I was fast becoming addicted to being around him. I didn't want to think about how I'd miss him when I left the little town of Parker's Rest.

In the car, I blurted out the fact that I was a widow and it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. He took the information well, though his grin faded.

It returned in full force when I admitted I didn't miss or pin for my husband. I'd love to never mention or think about Jared again and when Alex brought him up while we were eating, I was thankful he didn't push and accepted that I didn't want to talk about him.

Honestly, I want to put my sad marriage far, far behind me. Another reason moving back home held such appeal.

As we eat and chat, I can't even say I relaxed around Alex because being with him already has me far more relaxed than I'd been in a long time. From time to time the way I came around my fingers while thinking of him and the way his name left my lips as I climaxed has bright, burning balls of heat blazing on my cheeks that Alex comments on and that I blame on the spicy General's Tso's chicken.

Despite me telling him there was not much to me, I find myself talking about my family, the classes I still needed for my degree, and how while I didn't have a green thumb either, I adored watching the butterflies flittering around my butterfly bushes.

"I'll buy you new bushes."

"No! This wasn't me hitting you up for that," I protest, even while inside it touched me that he would be sweet enough to offer.

"The offer stands, no expiration date on it, so if you change your mind."

His blue eyes gleam and it strikes me how easily I could see myself staring into them for the rest of my life.

Alex's gentleness, his strength, everything about him appeals to me in a way I've never known before.

When he pays the bill and drives me home, I'm sad that the evening is over.

He walks me to my door like a gentleman and the kiss he gives me, while sweet and tender, lacks the crazy, explosive passion of earlier.

I want to invite him in. Which is insane. I don't sleep with random men and definitely not on the first date.

More than that, I'm moving, so there's no future in store for us.

But there is now.

And I want him so much.

I become far bolder than I have ever been before in my life, skimming my hands down the broad planes of his chest, loving the way the tight muscles of his stomach quiver under my touch and finding reaching my goal the thick bulge beneath the soft, faded crotch of his jeans.

At my touch, Alex's breath shudders out, his fingers tightening and digging into my upper arms as I feather light, teasing strokes along his growing length.

My thighs clench as my pussy throbs. He's big all over, exactly like I hoped and fantasied. Taking him is going to be a stretch and probably leave me blissfully tender afterwards.

"Do you want to come inside?" I ask fully cupping him between the legs and giving his balls a gentle squeeze.

"Fuck, yes," he growls, thrusting his hips.

Once we're inside, he wastes no time trying to grab me, but I dance away from him. Alex isn't slow by any means, but there's benefit to being on the shorter and smaller side. I'm light on my feet and able to easily evade him.

Taking off for the stairs, I call out, "Catch me."

His thundering footsteps are only a few paces behind me as I race up the stairs and lead him to my bedroom. At the door he catches me, pressing my front to the hard wood, while his hard wood grinds into my backside. Hot breath skates along my neck as he bunches my hair to the side, his lips kissing and sucking my skin.

"Fern, you drive me wild," he pants, his hips rolling and erection digging into me.

Hot need pools in my core, my body on fire for him. I moan and push my ass back, relishing his throaty groan.

Alex's big hands slide around my front, cupping my breasts. He has no trouble finding my erect nipples jutting through the thin material of my dress. I didn't have any bras that worked with the cut of this dress, so I didn't wear one. It's a decision that is paying off as he rolls and pinches my nipples, sending desire raging down from my sensitive nipples to my needy little clit.

Now I'm the one moaning as he torments me so sweetly.

"Fuck, honey, I want you so much," he says, punctuating his words with thrusts of his dick.

I'm a hot mess down below, my pussy so wet that my thighs are slick with my juices.

Fingers tightening in my hair, Alex suddenly nips at my neck. The sharp pinch of his teeth sends pulses of lust through me, centering mostly on my nipples and soaking wet pussy. He could take me right against the door and I'd be in heaven.

I push against the door for leverage and grind my ass harder on him, trying to tell him without words what I want.

"Fern, I can smell you," he hisses, giving my neck another sharp nip and then chasing the hurt away with the rough rasp of his tongue. "Smell how wet you are for me." He pinches my nipples and thrusts savagely against me, pinning me back to the door.

He's a rough man and I absolutely love it. Love the hard feel of him surrounding me, his big body caging my much smaller one in.

When he takes me, it's going to be hard and fast.

My pussy clenches at the thought and I can barely stand with the way my body is trembling.

Alex's hands leave my breasts to skim down my belly, his fingers raking my dress up as he goes. When he reaches my panties, he gives a low growl of approval when his fingers find out just how wet I am for him.

His big fingers part my swollen folds and dip inside, the rough pad of his finger breaching me and sending me over the edge. I spasm and tense around his fingertip, my body quivering as I come and come hard.

While I'm squeezing around him, he works his finger entirely into me, his thumb grazing my clit and leaving me shuddering as my orgasm goes on and on.

"That's it, come on my finger, honey," he coaxes, pumping his hard digit inside me and crooking it to jab at the front of my pussy and stimulate my g-spot.

I didn't know it was possible to come twice in a row, but I do. Screaming as I shatter again so quickly.

Instead of milking and extending my pleasure like he did before, Alex's hands leave my body and I cry out, missing his touch.

His throaty chuckle promises that he's far from done. He tugs my panties down and before I know it, his hands are prying my thighs further apart and then…

Ahhh! His tongue slides along my sodden folds, lapping up my cream.

I tip my hips back, trying to get that clever tongue on my clit.

He gives my entrance a wet smacking kiss and I'm glad for his hands on my thighs to help hold me up.

"Soon I'll give that little button the attention it deserves. Right now I want to thoroughly eat this sweet pussy."

And eat me, he does.

His lips, tongue, and mouth lick, suck, and fill me. He wrings so much pleasure from me that I'm sobbing and shuddering as I cling to the door, trying vainly to hold myself upright.

True to his word, he does turn his attention to my clit. His tongue running along it and bathing it in his saliva. He pulls me apart, thrusting two fingers into me as he licks me.

Despite having three of my own fingers inside of me earlier, his fingers are far thicker, and I feel a slight burn as they burrow inside.

That brief pain is quickly forgotten and forgiven as he tunnels them in and out. His tongue leaves my clit and is replaced by his thumb, circling around and around as his tongue moves to a different spot.

At the first wet touch of it to my exposed rosebud, I freeze. I've never had anyone play with my ass before. The sensation of him licking me there is odd, but not unpleasant.

With his fingers filling me and thumb tormenting my clit, I relax into his ministrations. Lightly, his tongue worms inside my back hole, tenderly flicking and exploring the crinkly edges. He returns and resumes licking and sucking, softening me up so that when next he presses his tongue in, I'm shocked at how easily my tight hole gives for him.

I moan as I'm bombarded with sensations and desperately push my body back into his face, needing more of what he's doing.

A third finger pushes into me, and I tense, feeling full and unbelievably stretched. His cock is bigger than his fingers, even with how big his hands are. If I'm going to take him, I need to be good and ready. Something he seems to realize as he slowly works those three fingers deeper inside me.

His tongue continues playing with my ass, but I desperately want it on my clit again. I want his cock so badly; I'm whining with need.

"Fuck me, Alex," I plead, even as my inner walls pulsate and cling to his thick fingers.

His slick tongue leaves my puckered hole and I miss the warmth and naughtiness of it. "Soon, honey, soon," he croons, placing small kisses along my buttchecks.

When his fingers leave me, it's a shock. I'm standing there, shaking as my poor pussy clenches around nothing. I'm so empty I physically ache.