Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Roth couldn't believe Autumn had been hiding the fact that Russell had been harassing her all this time. His gut said there was more to it than the annoying messages she mentioned. He had half a mind to drive back to Houston and give the piece of shit a refresher course on why it was a bad idea for him to even speak Autumn's name.

"What else, Sugar? Russell didn't seem like the kind of guy who responded well to words alone."

When her bottom lip fell victim to her teeth, Roth knew she was still holding back. He was well aware she wasn't doing it to protect Russell. She was worried about what Roth, Nick or both would do in response. Because, there was no way in hell he wasn't gonna tell Nick about that motherfucker ignoring their warning.

Of course, Roth would make certain the message was crystal clear. Then, Nick could have what was left—if there was anything left. Finally, Autumn's teeth released their captive.

"It's nothing. And like I said I handled it."

"Sugar..."

The warning in the single word changed the endearment. Roth didn't miss the widening of her eyes before resolve caused her shoulders to slump slightly.

"I was at a legal conference. I can't say for certain he orchestrated being at the same conference, but I saw him there. It was last year. Since I hadn't heard from him in so long, I figured he'd finally gotten the message.

After one of the sessions, he approached me asking if we could have drinks and catch up. I looked at him like he'd lost his mind and declined. When he grabbed my arm, I put him on his ass. Someone called security. Once I explained what happened, they escorted him away and I never saw him again."

"So, you just lied to me. You said you hadn't seen him in person since the wedding."

Roth felt Autumn's body go rigid. Her thoughts may as well have been scrolling across her forehead like a news ticker. She'd somehow forgotten what she said when he admitted to having a run in with Russell.

"I – uh." Roth remained quiet, watching as she stumbled before composing herself enough to speak again.

"I didn't intentionally lie."

"So, it was an accident for you to say you hadn't seen him in more than a decade when you actually saw him a year ago?"

"Roth...I wasn't thinking about the conference when I said that. I only interacted with him for those few brief minutes, and I never saw him again."

Clamping down on his hold when she attempted to shift away from him, Roth's brow creased.

"Sugar, I don't like the idea that you feel as if you have to lie to me, or omit things. Him continuing to contact you after all these years is more than the nuisance you're treating it as. The shit is weird, and it's gonna stop."

Autumn's eyes narrowed. "See. That's why I handled it myself. Based on what happened at the wedding, I knew you and Nick would take things too far."

"There's no such thing as too far when it comes to you, Sugar."

"Roth... I'm not some damsel in distress who needs to be rescued. Russell is a non-factor in my life. I ignore him because nothing he says or does matters to me."

Moving one hand from her back to the base of her neck, Roth tangled his fingers in the hair at her nape. Keeping her face tilted upwards, he pierced her with a stare.

"See, the difference between your thinking and mine is this, it doesn't matter if you think you need saving. I'm going to protect you. And he may not mean shit to you, but you obviously matter to him.

Apparently, he's one of those guys who can't take a hint and needs to have it spelled out using a language he understands. I'm just gonna make sure he learns his lesson better this time."

Autumn's attempt to shake her head was thwarted by Roth's hold on her hair.

"Roth, you can't keep beating up people for hurting my feelings. Besides, Russell doesn't have the power to hurt me anymore. I no longer believe myself to be in love with him."

"It's good to hear you confirm you aren't in love with him, Sugar. That would definitely put a kink in our relationship. But, I didn't need to hear you say it. I already knew. There's no way you could be in love with that idiot when you're in love with me."

Autumn's gasp was accompanied by the widening of her eyes. Roth was certain his hold kept her from moving her head, but her gaze skittered away from his. Squeezing her soft curves against his hardness, Roth leaned closer to her face, forcing her to look at him again.

"No need to be shy now, baby. It's not like you're the only one feelin' it."

When he'd begun this conversation, Roth hadn't intended for it to take this turn. However, he wouldn't back away from it now. He was in love with Autumn Daley, and he knew she felt the same about him. Announcing her feelings on her behalf, before he expressed his own may not have been the most graceful way to do it, but it was done now.

"What—?" Autumn cleared her throat when the word came out as a scratchy whisper. "What does that mean? I'm not the only one feeling it?"

It was good she didn't deny loving him. Roth couldn't say how he would've responded if she'd tried to lie to him again and deny it. Caressing her jawline with his thumb, gave her a chaste kiss.

"You know what it means, Sugar. I love you. I'm in love with you."

Her fingertips pressing into his chest slightly stung from her rounded nails digging into him through his shirt, but Roth didn't care. He held her gaze as he watched the effect of his declaration take root.

"You love me?"

Not liking the note of disbelief in her voice, Roth lifted her onto his lap with her legs straddling his hips. Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her again. More thoroughly this time. Her tongue met his eagerly as he attempted to show her in deed to match his words. Once he was finally able to pull back, he peered into her eyes.

"Yeah, Sugar. I love you. And if we weren't on your granny's porch, I'd show you just how much."

Autumn's crestfallen expression would've been comical if it weren't for the pressure from his cock. The greedy bastard was protesting being so close to her sweet heat without being inside. Flexing his fingers against the rounded curve of her ass, he couldn't resist giving it a squeeze.

"We don't have to be."

The frown creasing his brow had a different meaning. Roth tilted his head to one side assessingly.

"We don't have to be what?"

"On my granny's porch."

Gripping her ass, Roth shifted her against his hardness unable to stop himself from adding to his torture. Regret shook his head while he shut his eyes against her beguiling expression.

"No matter how progressive Miss Hattie is, I'm not fucking you in your grandma's house."

Increasing his torment, Autumn wound her hips rubbing her covered mons against his rapidly hardening cock.

"I wasn't asking you to. But you have a perfectly good truck parked in the driveway and a big ass bed at the Lazy Creek that we can make use of as loudly and often as we want."

"Oh yeah?" Giving in to his urge to at least put his lips on her, Roth nuzzled the crook of her neck nibbling at the exposed skin of her collarbone.

"Mhmm." Autumn's response was more of a moan. Her hands glided up his chest and around his neck. Her fingernails scraped against his scalp before she latched onto what she could manage to grab of his close-cropped hair.

"Didn't you tell your grandma you were staying the night with her?"

Roth threw it out there, but he was praying she didn't take bait and decide to stay. Her reply was the grinding wind of her hips. Gripping her jean covered ass, Roth locked down her movements.

"Fuck, Sugar. I'll go grab your bag while you leave your granny a note."

Standing with her in his arms, he stalked toward the door. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she returned the favor of raining kisses along the column of his neck. At the foot of the stairs, he reluctantly set her on her feet. Getting her moving with a tap to her sweet ass, he took the stairs two at a time to reach the bedroom she used.

The bag was easy to spot as she'd left it in the chair next to the night stand, which also held her purse. Grabbing them both, he left the room. By the time he made it downstairs, Autumn was folding a piece of paper and scribbling something on the outside of it.

That had to be the shortest note ever. Not questioning it, he waited impatiently for her to take it into the kitchen and leave it where her grandmother was sure to find it. In less than five minutes, they were in his truck speeding down the road. Not for the first time, he wished there was more than a horse trail connecting the two properties. If there was, he was certain he could cut the time it took them to get home in half.

They still made exceptional time. Roth barely had them through the door before they were tugging at one another's clothing. He was undeterred by the ripping sound when he attacked her pants and underwear. By then, Roth knew they'd likely not make it to the bed for the first round. Taking a sharp right, he guided her into the living room, not stopping until they hit the back of the sofa.

"Turn around, Sugar."

Issuing the instruction, Roth didn't wait for compliance. Instead, he whirled Autumn around. Dropping to his knees behind her, he licked his lips as he stared at the cheeks of her high, rounded ass. Placing a hand at the center of her back, he applied pressure.

"Put your hands on the couch and hold on."

The command hit the air a millisecond before he leaned forward and swiped his tongue along her lower lips. Inhaling deeply, he savored the aroma of her arousal.

"Fuck. You smell delicious, baby."

With two hands full of her luscious posterior, Roth delved his tongue between her labia, lapping at her leaking channel before latching onto her clit. Suckling the little bundle of nerves, he alternately caressed and delivered light smacks to her ass. With each tap, Autumn gave a little jump causing him to growl and pull her sweetness back toward him.

"Now, be a good girl and give me my prize."

Sliding two fingers into her channel, he began a dual assault stimulating her inside and out. Roth's wait for his prize was short. A few more flicks and suckles were delivered, then Autumn's keening wail hit the air. Her walls clamped around his questing digits, and he released her little bean to transfer his attention to lapping up his reward.

He didn't stop until she was draped limply over the back of the couch. Her legs trembled in their effort to support her. Reverently kissing her sweet spot, Roth stood. Raining kisses on her ass, then her back before swiping her hair to the side and tenderly pecking her neck, he admired her post orgasmic beauty.

Roth's voice was only slightly louder than a whisper when he spoke directly into her ear. The additional gruffness was evident.

"I hope you don't think I'm done with you."

"Mmm..."

Autumn's languid response made his lips curl in a smile.

"Are you ready for me, Sugar? Can you handle more?"

Despite the limpness of her repose, Autumn's nod was enthusiastic.

"Use your big girl words. Tell me."

Her response was as strained as her attempt to get her arms beneath her to push upward from the soft cushions.

"Please, Roth."

"Please what, baby?"

Rubbing the plum shaped tip of his cock along her pussy, he teased her with a shallow dip into her channel. He sent up a prayer of thanks when she put them both out of their misery.

"Please give it to me. I'm so ready."

In a sudden burst of energy, Autumn rocked her hips back, impaling herself on his hard stiffness. Gripping her ass, he tried to hold her in place. But his own body wasn't respecting his commands. His pelvic thrust buried more than half his length inside her before he regained control.

"Naughty little sugar lump. You must want me to fuck you hard. Make it so you can't walk tomorrow."

It was probably good her face was pressed into the cushions, because the look on his was likely unhinged. Taking the winding of her hips as a challenge, Roth flexed his fingers against her plush cheeks pulling her into each of his strokes.

He had to close his eyes against the erotic vision of his cock disappearing into her honeyed depths. Seeing it while feeling her heat engulf his entire shaft was enough to make him blow his load within seconds. His woman deserved better than that. And he gave it to her. Roth didn't offer either of them relief until her walls fluttered around his thickness and her wails became hoarse screams announcing her climax.

"That's it, Sugar. Milk my cock. Take it. Take all of me."

Murmuring encouragement into her ear, Roth's entire body stiffened as he released his seed. It was much longer than he'd anticipated before they were able to make it upstairs for the evening. But, he wouldn't complain about a second of it.