Head Over Spurs: Hell Yeah! Page 12

  * * *

  Tanner was gifted with another Christmas present, one every man would like to receive. Sitting on the edge of the bed, a beautiful woman knelt at his feet.

  “Remember, I don’t have a lot of experience at this.” By a lot, she meant zilch – but Desiree kept that bit of information to herself.

  “This is one of those things you can’t mess up, honey. Anything you do for me, I’ll love. I promise.” He stroked her hair, winding the long length around his fist. “Just hold it like a microphone,” he suggested when she hesitated.

  “Oh, okay.” A mischievous look came to her eye and Tanner wondered if he was in trouble.

  Desiree had wanted to get a better look at Tanner’s cock, and this was certainly the vantage point to do so. Taking the thick shaft in her hand, she appreciated the length and the girth. Licking her lips, Desiree placed a kiss right on the tip, slipped a hand down to tease his sac and began to sing. “Jingle balls, jingle balls, jingle all the way.”

  Tanner snorted, and added his own line. “Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun.”

  Now, it was Desiree’s turn to laugh. Who knew sex could be so much fun? “I’ll have a blu-u-u-u-e Christmas without you.”

  Her sweet breath on his cock was driving him crazy. “I’ll only be blue if you don’t finish,” he said with a groan.

  Taking pity, she stopped her crooning and got down to business. When she opened her lips and slid them across the broad crest, Tanner growled with appreciation. Pressing the flat of her tongue on the tip, Desiree licked, then curled it around and around, tasting and swirling, reveling in his grunts of enjoyment. Remembering what she’d seen and read, Desiree took him in hand, pumping as she sucked. Relaxing her throat, she took him deeper, knowing by the way his hips moved that she was doing this intimate act to his satisfaction.

  Tanner shut his eyes in absolute bliss. The heat of her mouth, the way the little sounds she made in the back of her throat vibrated around his cock – everything she did for him was incredible. To show his appreciation, and just because he wanted to, Tanner moved his hands to her breasts, weighing the generous globes in his hands – rubbing and milking her nipples.

  Desiree was enjoying the act much more than she’d expected. His hands on her body, the feel of him between her lips, the erotic movement of him fucking her face – Desiree found her own body reacting, her breasts swelling, her pussy growing warm and ready. She found herself thinking unfamiliar thoughts, Desiree wanted to feel him shoot down her throat. or like she’d seen in videos, she wanted to experience him pulling out and stroking himself to spurt his cum all over her breasts. Her lips stretched by his size and length, she licked and sucked Tanner’s cock, slipping her hands around him, holding on to his hips, her own arousal growing by the second.

  She wasn’t by herself – Tanner was holding on to his control by a thread. Sliding up his length, Desiree drew in her cheeks to provide suction so exquisite, he curled his toes. And when she used her tongue to trace the pulsing vein under the flared head, he hissed with pleasure. “God, baby, you’re killing me.”

  Desiree didn’t stop. She hummed her satisfaction, which caused him to buck his hips forward. God, he was a beautiful man. His cock was thick and virile – perfect, just like the rest of him. When he threw back his head, she knew he was near. Grasping his cock at the base, she pumped him with one hand while playing with his balls with the other. The trifecta of sensation sent him over the edge and he bellowed his release, jetting his seed into her mouth. Swallowing around him, she was thrilled when he jerked with the pleasure.

  His climax felt so good, Tanner thought he’d pass out. Looking at the goddess sitting at his feet, he lifted her up and held her tenderly in his lap. “You’re amazing, I have never known anyone like you.”

  Cuddling against him, she relaxed. “Tell me something about you, something I don’t know.”

  Tanner kissed her cheek, loving the feel of her soft body next to his. “I’ll tell you a few things.” He thought for a minute. “My favorite color is green. I like sprinkles on my ice cream and I believe there’s life on other planets.” When she giggled, he tickled her and added. “There are thousands of other things you don’t know about me. I promise to tell you one a day, but it will take me years to get through them all, so I guess you’re stuck with me.”

  “I can think of worse things to be stuck with,” she teased as he arranged them under the covers. “Like a knife.”

  “You little minx!”

  After they tussled, Tanner made love to her tenderly, then they slept Christmas night all the way through.

  * * *

  Over the next few days, the couple was inseparable. He made a place for her in his life during the day, riding the range, taking care of the cattle. Desiree loved playing with Leon and she even spent some time covering for Mrs. Foster. When she made her first reservation, it amused her no end when the woman told Desiree that her voice sounded familiar and asked her if she was Flo from the insurance commercial.

  Tanner surprised her with a gift each day. On the second day of Christmas, he gave her a pair of warm socks where each toe was a tiny pink pig. She thought they were adorable, wearing them while she padded around his house, making herself at home – cleaning, cooking, reading – even napping. On the third day of Christmas, he gave her three gold bangles, appealing to the gypsy in her soul. The gift led to a strip tease that Desiree didn’t get to finish, due to Tanner pouncing on her and dragging her to bed. On day four, he gave her two pair of gemstone earrings, moonstone and sunstone, telling her that she made his day – every day they were together.

  Desiree didn’t know they made men like Tanner Barron.

  And the nights! The nights were when he gave her the best gifts of all. He taught her so much about making love. Not technique, although she certainly couldn’t fault his. No, he taught her tenderness. Made her breathless with longing, then swept her to the heights of ecstasy. No more did she give credence to the cruel words of her former lover. She now knew the deprecating claims he’d made said more about him as a lover than they did her own abilities.

  On the fifth day of Christmas, Tanner knew his life was irrevocably changed. He gave her five tiny gold stack rings, all the while wishing it could be a single solid gold one. He held his breath while she slipped them on, feeling relieved when they just fit. Being with Desiree showed him how empty his life had been before her. How could he go back to the loneliness, now that he knew what he was missing?

  As he threw bales of hay out for the cows, pulling them off the truck and cutting the baling twine, Tanner couldn’t envision a future without her. Blowing out a frustrated breath, he stared at the cloud it made in the crisp air. The snow had melted, leaving the ground slushy and wet. He’d left Desiree working on a song, using his guitar to work out the melody. She seemed so content – and Lord knows, he knew the feeling.

  After the requisite number of bales were spread, he stood for a few minutes, watching his herd. A sound from over his shoulder alerted him that he was no longer alone. Turning, he was surprised to see Desiree coming toward him, driving his four-wheeler. Tanner’s heart lurched in his chest – something must be wrong for her to come barreling across the pasture ninety-to-nothing. When she braked and pulled up beside him, he could tell whatever news she had to share was good.

  “They caught him!”

  No more explanation was needed. She was referring to her stalker. “Where? How?”

  “In New York. The bait my team released on social media with the photos and a fabricated agenda worked! He was apprehended by police trying to enter one of the clubs through a back door.” She raised her arms in the air as if she was ready to be carried away in rapture. “I’m free!”

  Tanner grabbed her up and kissed her. “That’s wonderful! You were safe here with me, but I know you’re relieved to have him off the streets.” He’d have to call Zane and get him to check and make sure of the prosecutor’s plans. The man needed to be kept beh
ind bars as long as possible. Despite his sharing her ecstatic joy that her tormentor was behind bars, he was afraid to ask what she meant by her declaration of being free. Would she leave him before their time was up? Before he could check his impulse, Tanner just blurted out the question. “Does that mean you’re leaving?”

  Desiree stilled. She studied his face, trying to read the motivation behind his inquiry. “Do you want me to?”

  “Hell, no!”

  She smiled, that was clear enough. “Okay. I don’t want to go back until my time is up. I’m sleeping good. Resting.” Enjoying my time with you.

  And enjoy it they did. On the sixth day of Christmas, the weather had warmed enough that Tanner took them camping. They went on horseback, Desiree riding a gentle mount by the name of Tilly. “While we’re on our little excursion, I thought we’d ride the perimeter and check the fence line.”

  “Good. What are we watching for? Gaps?” Desiree asked, wanting to be helpful.

  “Yes, missing poles, sagging wire, anything that would weaken the fence like branches resting on it or fallen trees,” he explained, letting Tasha take the lead while he enjoyed the view. Desiree looked so happy, stress free, nothing like the frightened woman he’d first encountered. She looked cute as a bug in jeans, a button up shirt and a Sherpa-lined vest. The cowboy boots she wore were pink with spangles on the side, but she carried off the look with aplomb. A rumbling noise from her stomach surprised him. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes, but I brought provisions.” She reached down in her saddle bag and pulled out two of the candied apples he’d give her that morning as her sixth day surprise. “This is a treat, you know. I’m always watching my weight. I can’t remember the last time I ate something like this.”

  “You let me watch your weight, I’ll keep you fat, fine and happy.” Tanner appreciated her curves.

  Desiree laughed. “That’s what I’m afraid of. Like I told you earlier, you’re spoiling me.”

  “Oh, these little things are just for fun.” Tanner tightened his hold on Tasha’s reins as they headed down a steep hill. He was watching Desiree closely. He’d rather she’d ridden with him, but she’d insisted on practicing her cowgirl skills. “Fall in behind me. The trail narrows ahead.”

  The gifts might be just for fun, but the thought behind them – the desire to brighten her days and show how much he cared – was priceless. “Look, Tanner!” Desiree pointed down below them. “It looks like the fence is down in that gully.”

  Good catch!” he praised her as he turned Tasha to the right. “The rushing water weakened the post. There are a lot of dry creek beds in these parts. When the rains come, the rushing current can be strong. We have flash floods a couple of times a year.”

  Once they dismounted to make the repairs, Desiree didn’t hesitate to help him. Despite the mud, she held the wire while he reset the post and put in a few staples to make everything tight and secure. “You’re going to ruin those boots. I should’ve gone into town to buy you some decent footwear.”

  His thoughtfulness made her smile. “Don’t worry about it, I’ve got a dozen pair. I call them costume props. Believe me, they weren’t expensive. In fact, they were free. Companies give me clothes to wear on stage to promote their brand.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Marketing.”

  An uneasy feeling swept through Tanner. The life she was used to was so different from his.

  After they returned to the trail, Tanner pointed out some wildlife she would’ve missed had it not been for his sharp eye. Deer grazed just beyond the tree line. A bushy tailed fox scampered through the tall grass. Squirrels abounded in the trees and a lone raccoon waddled across their path, causing Tilly to balk in her tracks. “Come on, girl. Don’t quit on me now,” Desiree urged the old horse forward. “I’ll give you one of my apples if you’ll keep going.”

  Tanner laughed when the horse twitched her ears and picked up her pace. “You’ll have to carry through on your promise. She has the memory of an elephant.”

  In companionable silence, they rode another mile or so. Finally, Tanner broke the silence. “How many days a year are you on tour?” His question sounded conversational, but his motive was ulterior.

  “More than I want to be,” she freely admitted. “Since music went digital, pirating put a huge dent in record sales. Touring is the way musicians make their money these days, that and endorsements.”

  He wasn’t presuming to tell her what to do, but he had to know. “How about the writing side of things. What gives you more pleasure – composing or performing?”

  Easing back in the saddle, Desiree thought about her answer. “You know, I’ve changed. I used to thrive on the excitement of singing onstage. The energy the audience generated in me was an addictive high.” The tone of her voice turned somewhat nostalgic. “I have some fantastic fans. In the beginning I loved interacting with them. They were giving and loving. I miss that – Stark stole all that from me.”

  “Well, you don’t have to worry about him anymore. My friend Zane, one of the best attorneys around, is making sure he’s prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

  “Will I have to testify?” Her manager had told her the discussion of this topic could wait until she returned to Tennessee, but the thought of it made Desiree apprehensive.

  “I’m sure you will,” Tanner didn’t know how else to say it. “Without your input, they wouldn’t know the full extent of his crimes.”

  “Will you go with me?” Maybe she was being presumptuous, but Tanner made her feel safe in more ways than she could count.

  Her request made him happy. “You couldn’t keep me away if you tried.” He remembered his own father’s trial. The courtroom could be a scary place. In the last few days, he’d been relieved to see her demeanor change. She wasn’t as tense. Trust in her well-being, something everyone deserved, was returning to her daily life. Tanner liked to think he was partially responsible.

  “Thank you, I dread it.” Looking off into the distance, she mentally counted the days she had left with him. Wanting to make the most of them, she swallowed hard and dove in. “Do you think – while I’m here – we could go out a time or two?” As soon as she voiced her request, she realized how it sounded. “I don’t mean anything fancy. I’ve just felt caged in for so long…and I feel so protected with you, I’d…”

  “Of course.” Her wish was his command. “I’d love to squire you around. Just leave the details to me. I’ll show my fair lady a time she’ll never forget – country style.”

  Desiree laughed with joy. “Don’t forget, I am country. This will always be my home. Nashville is just where I make my living.”

  They stopped for lunch, leftover turkey sandwiches and thick slices of chocolate cake. He’d spread a blanket, making a comfortable place for her to rest. “Getting sore?” Tanner knew riding any distance when you weren’t used to it could result in quite a bit of pain.

  Desiree stretched her legs, testing her muscles. “A bit, I’ll have to take a walk and limber up.”

  “We’re not going to ride too much farther. The place where we’ll make camp is just over the second ridge. When we get there, I’ll build a campfire, spread out the sleeping bags and rub you down with some liniment.”

  “Okay.” No pain, no gain. And the idea of his hands on her body – for any reason – was definitely gain. “You’re sore too, huh?”

  Her barely concealed come-on turned Tanner on faster than a wink. He flexed his muscles. “Yea, I could use a little massage.”

  Jumping up, Desiree announced. “I’m ready to get going.”

  Tanner laughed. “You’re so much fun. I love spending time with you.”

  His admission caused Desiree’s heart to swell. She wished their time together could go on forever.

  Once they reached their destination, Tanner set up their camp site and settled the horses while Desiree gathered wood for their fire. “Don’t wander off too far,” he cautioned.

  “I won’t.” She promise
d as she ventured out to see what she could find. Before she knew it, her arms were full and she’d traveled much farther than she intended. She stopped to catch her breath, when she heard it…an almost imperceptible crunch of leaves behind her. Freezing – thoughts of Stark went through her mind. With a sharp sense of fear, Desiree whirled and saw that she was being stalked…but not by a man. Two large coyotes were following her. She didn’t hesitate another second. “Tanner!”

  He’d been in the process of pounding the tent stakes into the ground when he heard Desiree scream. Throwing down his hammer, he took off in a run. “Where are you? Call again!” he yelled.

  At her scream and Tanner’s answering call, the big dog-like creatures high-tailed it. Desiree felt weak. She thrown her burden into the air, but she was trembling too much to start picking them up. Barely a few seconds passed before Tanner was upon her. He didn’t hesitate. He swept her up in his arms, his eyes roving around. “What’s wrong, baby?” Like her, he’d been thinking of two-legged threats – not four.

  “Coyotes, two coyotes were following me.” She breathed raggedly into his shirt, dampening it with her tears.

  “Shhhh, you shouldn’t have walked so far. You’re such a tempting tender morsel,” he tried to make light of her situation. When she trembled against him, he regretted his levity. “Oh, honey, they were probably just curious. There’s only been two cases in history that I know of when coyotes became aggressive. People have more chance of being hurt by a stray golf ball or an errant champagne cork than coyotes.”

  “I know, I shouldn’t have panicked,” she apologized.

  “No, don’t apologize. It just gave me another excuse to hold you.” He kissed her on the forehead. “And I’ll take every opportunity I can get. And…just so you know, I’m packing heat.” He patted the concealed handgun at his side. “I can take out anything or anyone who threatens to harm you, and I wouldn’t hesitate a micro-second.”