Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"If you keep wiggling your ass against me, I'm gonna have you instead of my morning oats for breakfast."

Roth's gruff voice in her ear sent a sensual tingle straight to Autumn's core. One would think after the night she'd had letting him put that monster of a dick inside her as often as it got hard, she would've immediately stilled her squirming. Instead, her bratty side made an appearance, writing a check her pussy would have to cash.

She couldn't hold back the pout when instead of the prize she wanted, she received a light stinging tap to her backside. Testing Roth's gangster, Autumn tilted her hips as if to offer her ass for another smack. His long, thick fingers clamped onto her side locking her into position. Autumn wasn't able to prevent the giggle and shimmy when Roth's beard tickled her neck and shoulder when he growled into her ear again.

"Sugar... You seem bound and determined to test me."

Autumn's giggles cut off sharply when she was suddenly relocated to her back with the hulking cowboy leaning over her, braced on his thick arms. In the dim light filtering in through the curtains, his expression seemed fierce, but full of promises. Instead of fear, Autumn felt her core slickening in anticipation. One corner of her mouth tipped up and a single eyebrow lifted in a universal look of challenge.

Responding to her nonverbal defiance, Roth returned her half grin with a smirk of his own.

"So, that's what you're up to, huh? You want me to have that pussy for breakfast."

Leaning down, he captured her lips in a kiss which quickly transitioned into him keeping his promise of having her for his first meal of the day. Following her second leg shaking orgasm, Autumn tapped out. Brushing her hair from her face, she gasped for air as Roth flopped onto the bed beside her. She was definitely gonna need to soak in some good bath salts, but it was totally worth it. Even though she wasn't thinking about moving, one beefy arm reached out keeping her close to his side.

Their heads were inches apart on the same pillow. Autumn couldn't stop herself from studying Roth as he lay there with his eyes closed. He looked so relaxed. Free. Far different from the expression he wore when she first saw him last night. For that matter, it was different from the rare photos she'd seen of him following his time in the military.

She never did learn why he'd taken an early retirement or why he'd spent almost two years in Ironhaven, South Dakota. Nick said Roth was working on a ranch there, which was additionally confusing because his grandpa had a fully functioning ranch he could've worked on. Roth didn't return until his grandfather became sick and was no longer able to run the ranch by himself.

When he passed away, Roth took over completely. Autumn wasn't sure how much input his brothers had. Nick had made it seem like the other two Stephens boys didn't have the desire to be in the ranching business. Of course, she couldn't ask too many questions of her brother. If she did, he'd start to wonder why she was so interested in Roth and what was going on in his life.

The distant sound of buzzing interrupted the quiet of the room, ruining Roth's peaceful expression by putting a frown on his face.

"Fuck... Who the fuck is calling at the butt crack of dawn?"

Roth grumbled, but made no moves to actually locate the buzzing interloper to find the answer. However, his mention of the time had Autumn bolting upright in the bed. For completely illogical reasons that made perfect sense to her suddenly frantic mind, she scrambled to grab the sheet, pulling it up to hide her nakedness.

It was only when she popped up that Roth put any serious effort into appearing more alert.

"What's wrong, Sugar?"

"It's morning."

Autumn's succinct response seemed pretty explanatory to her, but Roth simply stared at her. Clutching the sheet harder, she ignored the way his frown deepened when he saw she'd covered herself up.

"It's morning, Roth! I've been here all night."

Releasing a huffing breath, Roth sat up. With his back against the heavy wooden headboard, he quirked an eyebrow at her.

"I know it's morning. If the sunshine trying to blind me through the sliver of an opening in the curtains wasn't a clue, the time on the clock did the job."

With an offended expression, he tugged at the sheet she gripped to her chest. Of course, she was no match for his strength, so the soft fabric gave way, revealing her bare breasts. In the full light of day, she was more self-conscious than when he'd undressed her the previous night.

"As for you still being here. In my bed. I'm also fully aware of that fact."

Leveling her with an expression she couldn't read beyond what she thought might be irritation, he continued with his assessment.

"The question is, why does it seem like it's suddenly a problem for you to be here with me ?"

His query bounced inside Autumn's head along with what he didn't say. He'd asked her plainly last night what she wanted. She'd had no problems with any of it. Honestly, she wouldn't change a moment of it.

However, in the light of day, reality reared its head like a snake poking out from a burrow ready to strike. She'd spent the night with Roth. She hadn't called or messaged even one person to let them know about it. And while her sex life was none of their business, she was staying with her grandmother during her time back in Lone Star Ridge. Anyone with a Southern grandma knew, not only do you not come into her house at all times of the night, you most definitely do not spend the entire night out without giving her the courtesy of a phone call.

Her eyes had to be as round as saucers when she looked at Roth, because his expression shifted to one of concern. Whatever he'd been gearing up to say seemed to be pushed aside as he watched her face.

"Heeey..." His voice was noticeably softer as he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. "What's going on, Sugar? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I didn't tell anyone where I was going when we left the event last night."

Tucking her head beneath his chin, she curled into his body seeking warmth and protection.

"Okay..."

"Roth, I've been staying with Grandma Hattie since I've been home. Remember?"

Roth's entire body went rigid beneath her. Although both sets of his grandparents were no longer living, he'd been close to her grandparents and now her grandmother since her grandfather passed not long after his. Not calling her nearly ninety-year-old grandmother to let her know she was safe, was going to go over like a ton of bricks.

Two light taps to her hip preceded him nearly lifting her from the bed and hustling her into the bathroom.

"Come on, Sugar. We need to get you back to Miss Hattie's. It's still early. Maybe she's not up yet."

As unlikely as it was that her grandmother wasn't awake at six a.m. on a Sunday morning, Autumn clung to the sliver of hope Roth presented. Unlike when they'd shared a shower the previous evening, there were no slips of the hand or accidental bumps leading to intentional slips and bumps. Autumn almost felt like she'd joined the military with the efficiency Roth used to bathe first her then himself before hopping out of the shower to dry them both off.

While she was attempting to wrangle her hair into a semblance of something which didn't look like she'd been doing exactly what she'd been doing all night, Roth left the bathroom. He returned with her clothes and clutch purse. Reaching into the linen closet, he produced a toothbrush still in the packaging.

"Amelia is big on not running out of things." he explained as he opened it for her.

"I guess I owe her a thank you," Autumn murmured.

Accepting the offering, she made quick work of cleaning her teeth after slipping her dress on. While she brushed, Roth zipped the gown. The entire moment felt as if they were a real couple—one who had been together for so long they were comfortable in one another's space. When she was done, he folded her hand into his and they walked downstairs.

In the time it had taken her to fuss with her hair, brush her teeth and slip into her dress, he'd donned a plaid button down and tucked it into the waist band of jeans which fit him like sin. He also held his hat in one hand. When they reached the door, he helped her into her heels before shoving his feet into his boots.

The drive to her grandmother's house took less than twenty minutes since the Daley property bordered the Stephens' ranch on one side. Crossing the little stream separating their properties was quicker when traveling on horse or foot, but in a vehicle, they had to drive around.

Autumn tried not to fidget during the ride. It was possible she could have the answers to soothe her anxiety if she looked at her phone to check her messages. But, she didn't. She was putting off facing that particular reality as long as she could.

When Roth turned his truck onto the long driveway leading up to the house, Autumn suddenly realized how loud the vehicle was. It may as well have been an army tank rumbling up to the front door of her grandmother's home. Sighing, she just looked out the window. There was nothing that could be done about it now.

Once the behemoth rolled to a stop, Roth put it in park and cut the engine.

"What are you doing?" With one hand on the door, she raked her gaze over him.

"I'm gonna walk you to the door."

"You absolutely are not! It's bad enough that I've been out all night without a call. Having you walk me to the door will simply add fuel to the fire."

Although not the fire Autumn spoke of, the heat which blazed to life in Roth's eyes was just as hot.

"I'm not gonna just drop you off and drive away, Sugar."

Letting go of the door handle, Autumn wrapped imploring fingers around Roth's forearm.

"Please, Roth. Please. Just do this my way. Grandma Hattie might still be sleeping. If she is, I don't want to disturb her."

"How is me walking you to the front door gonna disturb her sleep? I'm big, but I ain't a clomping Clydesdale. I know how not to stomp around making a ruckus."

She was certain after his years as an Army Ranger he was very adept at moving silently. Still...she didn't want to risk it.

"Let's say you come to the door with me and we don't wake Grandma Hattie—she's already awake. Then what? Are you coming in for breakfast? Are you also going to tell her why you're bringing me to her doorstep early in the morning after I've been out all night?"

Autumn watched as Roth mentally cycled through her questions. Never once had she ever considered him to be anything but brave. This moment included. However, she didn't need him to be brave right now. She needed him to drive this monster away from her grandma's front porch and let her try to sneak in the back way with some dignity. After a stare down which seemed to last forever, Roth finally nodded.

"Fine. We'll do it your way." Piercing her with a stern expression, he wrapped his thick fingers around the back of her neck, pulling her closer. "This time. And this time only, Sugar."

Punctuating his promise wrapped in a warning with kiss, he reminded her of where he stood. While brief, his exploration of her mouth was thorough before he released her with a parting peck. Reaching over her, he pushed the door open and unbuckled her seat belt before settling back in his seat.

"Go on inside before I change my mind."

Slightly dazed, Autumn accepted the gift. Grabbing the side of the truck, she stepped down and began the trek around the side of the house to the entrance right off the kitchen. If she was lucky, she could make it up the back stairs and to her room without running into her grandmother. As she rounded the corner, she looked back to see Roth still sitting in the cab of the truck watching her. Giving him a smile and a wave, she kept moving before she got it into her head to run back to him and spend the day in his bed.

Autumn felt really good about her chances after she turned the knob on the back door and it opened without so much as a squeak. The thing usually creaked or moaned like it required constant oiling. The only way to keep the noise down was to move glacially slow when opening it. Closing the door behind her slowly, she tip-toed on bare feet, carrying her shoes in her hand. She had just stepped on the second stair when she learned luck was not on her side.

"Little girl, why are you trying to sneak into my house fo-day in the morning? And what is Rothschild Stephens doing parked in my front yard?"

Autumn's entire being deflated. Her shoulders dropped and her head hung low enough for her chin to graze her chest. Not only was she caught, Roth hadn't left. So, it was likely they'd both have to face the wrath of Grandma Hattie.