Chapter 8

Eight

Harper

T ired and confused, I wake the next morning to an empty bed. Boone never made it back to the house last night. I shower and make my way down to the kitchen to find it empty too with only a note beside the pie I spotted when I first arrived.

Out all day tending to horses. Be back soon. Stay close to home.

I snort an unladylike sound that would earn me a good stern look from Austin if he were here. I flip the small piece of notebook paper over but don't find any Love Boone . Or, Wow yesterday was fantastic, great first blow job.

"Well, that's disappointing." I poured my heart out and then he sends me off to bed like some errant child who needs a nap.

I think about the way he practically ravaged me yesterday. A starving man would have had more finesse. Not that I didn't like it—I loved it—but there were signs in the way he took me. Like he couldn't control the need in him any better than I could.

I want to laugh and cry all at once. If he didn't sleep inside with me, where did he sleep? I walk around the house, which is eerily quiet. Not another soul in sight. Not even the ranch hands. What if he's gone back to the other house, wrangled up Austin and Hunter to come to get me? Worse, what if he's left, shunning me once and for all?

Taunting him, making him chase me probably wasn't the smartest but it got him moving. And now? Now he was off somewhere avoiding me.

I head back upstairs, change into a flirty sundress that exposes more skin than my jeans and t-shirt and head out for a long walk.

I head to the corral first, only to find it empty and the next three stables void of human life. "Well, what the fuck!" I take a deep breath, but musk from the horses and fresh mountain air do little to relax me.

I close my eyes, feeling the tension of not finding Boone anywhere drift away on the current of air.

With one last look around, I wander off to the back of the cabin and follow a familiar path down to the river.

Yesterday I felt like I was a part of something that had a real shot. I only had to break through his tough exterior to find the man and his feelings. I finally thought I had when he took me bare, but what do I know? He'd made sure I took every last drop of his milk inside me. I felt wanted, protected with how he encased me with his large, powerful body. Like he wanted to shield me away from the world while we shared our moment of ecstasy.

The gurgling sound of water over rocks welcomes me as I round the bend in the path. Slow-moving water runs over rocks, and I take a hint from Mother Nature to just let things be. But my insides are tied in knots. Large rocks I like to use for sunbathing line the edge of the river. I find my usual spot is in shadow, with dark clouds covering the sun.

"Crap." Entrenched in all my scattered thoughts, I lost track of the time and the weather. Rumbling, dark clouds move in and bolts of lightning are already splitting the sky in the distance. Boone is going to be so mad at me. How many times has he told me to watch the skyline in the this close to summer? That tornadoes and flash thunderstorms can sneak up out of nowhere.

I feel my body tingle with electricity in the air. I don't have much time before the storm hits.

"Shit."

No sooner do I think it does fat, heavy drops of water start to pelt me and everything in sight. I move to slip down from the rock. Useless sandals cause me to slip and I'm off the rock, loose gravel and sand not so much cushioning my fall.

Holy shit, that hurt. I mean, I could have landed on the other side, where the grass would have caught me but as luck would have it I take a nose dive off the side that hurts the most. I take stock in my hands and shins to make sure nothing is bleeding but when I try to stand and make my way back up the embankment, I find I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. My foot is stuck between a gnarled root and the rock I love so much. Kind of ironic.

I tug and try to free myself, but nothing is budging.

My heart starts to race. It's raining harder and the river is rising. I feel the water start to tease over my toes when it wasn't even anywhere near me a few minutes ago.

Two words enter my head—flash flood. Now I am starting to panic. I mean, fuck. What was I thinking? All I can think about is getting back to Boone. How much I want to tell him I love the rough cowboy and imperfect as he is. Feel his warm hands on my body, him claiming my mouth in the heated, hungry way.

Water is already at the hem of my dress, and the rush of currents hitting me and making my other foot slip. "Oh, God," I cry out when a log, or what I hope to God is a log rams into my side hard enough to burn. I make it another thirty seconds before I scream again, this time for Boone, for God, for anyone to hear me before I drown.

Numbness starts to seep in and I begin to lose feeling in my legs. It's so cold. Shivers rack my body. I'm almost swimming in place now. Gasping for air through the rush of water raging against me and the heavy rain pelting down from above. Please God, help me. I pray, plead and beg. I'm so close to finding happiness I don't want to lose it and if I get out of here in one piece, I'm going to do whatever it takes to make that stubborn ass man see me. I mean really see me.

Swirling my arms through the murky water, wondering if freshwater crocs are a thing, the sound of a motor breaks through my mental freak out. Or I hope. It's so cold, my brain could be hallucinating.

The water splashes against my chin and it's churning around me like an angry devil.

"Help," I scream, hopeful. Nothing.

I scream again.

"Harper!"

"Boone," I gasp and try to scream for him again but only get a mouthful of muddy water.

"Harper, I'm coming, sweetheart." His voice is faint, almost as frantic as mine.

By the time I stop choking on water I hear nothing but silence. Please don't let me die like this. Please, please , please . But only more silence. Only rain on water and lightning in the distance.

I fight to keep my head above water and tug at my ankle again. Nothing.

And then there he is just as the water threatens to take me under for good. "Boone, I'm here. Help. I can't get my foot free."

Rope lands beside me, and I reach for it as the man slides over the edge of the rock and into the water. The rope is tied around his waist and wordlessly he works to get a second around me, but the angry water isn't making it easy.

Through chattering teeth, I mutter, "My foot. It's stuck on a root, Boone. I can't get out and the water, it's rising so fast. I'm so sorry."

"Shh, baby, take it easy. Breathe deep and slow. I'm here. I have to break away the root it might hurt a minute, but I have to get you out of here now. We don't have much time, but you're going to be okay."

I try to nod except I don't know if my head is moving or I only think it does. I'm so damn cold.

"Tell me you understand," he barks this time with a bite to his tone. Fear filling his eyes.

I shake my head harshly. "Yes. Hurry."

I cry out as the Boone forces the root from my foot and frees me. The current is strong. Without the rope he secured around my waist and his strong arms I would be river bait, for sure.

He fights against the current to pull me close enough so that I can climb on his back. "Wrap yourself around my back and hold on. Just like that, baby, that's it."

I somehow manage to get enough feeling into my fingers and arms to lock them around his shoulders and hold on. Muscles bulge under me from the strain of carrying his weight and mine over the edge of the rock and trust me, I'm clinging to him hard enough I feel each masculine muscle ripple.

He carries us over the steep bank and we both drop to the ground, breathing heavily. Finally safe, we glance over our shoulders just in time to see my favorite place to sit and think get swept away in the heavy flow of floodwater. The boulder only being held in place by a simple root and the Grace of God.

My heart falls to the ground while I fall into Boone's arms. I bury myself against his neck. Breathe in the heavy scent of mountain air, water and something that is all Boone.

"Oh my God! I swear I saw God Himself there for a minute when I thought you wouldn't come..." My words drop off as tears steal my breath away. I push up, hands on his chest, our clothes soaking wet, and take his lips in a hard kiss, blurry vision and all. And he kisses me right back. His tongue moves over mine in a way he's never kissed me before. It's possessive, claiming, sure, but there's gratefulness to it like he thought I was a goner too and we might not ever get to be in each other's arms again, much less kiss.

"Baby girl, you're ok, you're ok," he repeats and peppers my cheeks, my nose, everything with tiny hot kisses. I groan and easily melt into him despite it raining like we should be seeing Noah's Ark at any point. Part of me wants to ask if this is real. If I'm feeling the same vibes he's putting out or if it's all in my head.

I ditch the internal dialogue and sink into our kiss, stroking my tongue over his again when I bring his mouth back to mine. Warring emotions threaten to choke me up, but I fight them back, unwilling to allow them to ruin our moment.

His arms are a warm, soothing blanket around me. "Don't cry—you're safe now." With little effort Boone stands, taking me up with him. Wrapped tight against his wide, hard chest he carries me to the truck and drives us back to the house with me snuggly tucked tightly against him.

Back at the house he carries me inside and heads straight for his bathroom.

I moan a real belly deep sound that probably doesn't come out at all sexy when the heated water rolls over me.

Without a word Boone strips and steps in beside me the fire of hell in his eyes. Like he's still fighting the demons keeping him from accepting what is between us. I try not to think about that for a moment and instead focus on the big billow of steam cocooning us from the rest of the world.

There's a huge part of me that doesn't know what the hell I'm doing. I've never really been on my own. I'm ok with that. I know what I want and there's nothing in the world and no one who can convince me loving Boone Urban is a sin. Not with the way he's gently lathering me up and washing every inch of my body as if I'm an angel that can break at any second.

"What's funny?" he asks when I laugh softly.

"This is the second time we've been caught in the rain."

He turns me around to where my ass is toward him and I have to crane my neck around to get a good view of his gorgeous body. His cock is hung heavy with need and the balls between his legs are filled with cum I know he wants to give me. With the way his eyes are trained on my ass, I have a good idea of what he's thinking. But he only continues to wash my body with very attentive caresses to all the right places.

Rough fingers spread my ass cheeks and I gasp when I feel the pads of his thumbs tease the crease just above and below my asshole. I reach for him, except he only takes my hands and places them on the wall.

"Don't move from there."

My breath hitches. I'm a headstrong woman, and no man ever controls me, but my cowboy's tone has me obeying.

"Only this time we made it to the shower. And now I get to care for you like I wanted to do yesterday. Like I should have instead of walking off." He pauses briefly. "I like caring for you. Too damn much. Your mother and father, Austin, Hunter...all of 'em will have my hide from what we've already done."

I latch onto the first half of his words. "Is that an apology from the great alpha Boone Urban? I can't believe it." Okay, so I might have used a little too much sarcasm but still. There are two things in this world I would go to the bank on not existing. Unicorns and Boone ever feeling sorry about anything he's done.

"Are you sassing me after I saved your sweet, beautiful ass?"

Boone's hand comes down on my ass with a loud smack. Heat blooms across my cheek, sending a bolt of electricity wound with heat through my body and straight to my core.

I cry out in shock.

Oh, my God . I press my legs together. Somehow the sting and burn of that smack went straight to my clit. I'm wet and I'm not talking about shower water. No, the heat pouring from me to make my thighs sticky is not that kind of wetness.

I jerk my head around, mouth wide open.

"Ah, ah, ah. I said don't move. Hands back on the wall, baby girl. I'm not done."

His voice dips low, husky and is filled with the same tremble I feel in my knees.

Smack.

"Did you just spank me again!"

No answer this time. Just strong hands on either side of my ass, massaging the heat into my flesh.

Smack.

I gasp, moan and, fuck me I purr, pushing my ass into his strong hands when another smack leads to his mouth coming to my flesh. Masculine lips drag across my skin and it feels so good when he sinks his teeth in and marks me.

I know I'm red—I can feel the heat of the spanking seep deep into me, and the claiming bite? Son of a gun, that feels good too.

I'm panting harshly, and I feel raw inside and out. Boone's hand comes down again and this time I reach for my throbbing clit.

"No!" he demands and guides my hand back to the damn wall.

"But I need to, Boone. I need. It's soo good. Why is it so good? What's wrong with me?" I press my forehead to the heated tiles of the shower.

"You like me taking control. Giving you what you want even before you know you want it." He stands behind me. "Like this spanking. And what I have planned for this perfect ass next."

Hard muscle wraps around me and I'm suddenly turned around looking into the dark eyes of my lover. Water streams over my ample breasts and curvy thighs. I'm warmed up now and no worse for wear from our little mishap. Just a little shaken and grateful.

And horny. Fuck, am I horny as hell.

"Thank you, for saving me today. I was scared you would never find me." My words are whispered but I feel a bone-deep need for him to know how grateful I am.

Between us, his cock is heavy, jutting toward my navel. I groan as I feel the thick, throbbing length of him press into me when he leans in to speak close to my ear.

"You could be a galaxy away from me and I would find you."

Dear God.

My eyes fall, lashes fluttering against my cheeks. His hand is smooth across my jawline when he tips my head up.

"What now?" I ask, afraid to hear his answer but willing to be brave enough no matter what it is.

"I want you, Boone. All of you. You say I can't handle you. Try me. I'm not some weak little girl carrying an infatuation for the big strong man. I'm a full-grown woman with needs. I need you ."

He growls a string of curses under his breath, and I can sense his hesitation. Then he says the one thing on Earth guaranteed to make my knees weak and my pussy wet.