Breathless (Meadowlarks) Read online

  I bit tenderly down his side, over one hip and straight across to the other. He breathed heavily and pulled my hair, twisting it in his hands.

  “Get up here,” he whispered.

  I climbed up his legs and straddled myself across them. The muscles in his thighs clenched as he tried to lift me up higher on his body.

  Now who is teasing whom?

  I end the torture. Because really, in the end, I am just prolonging my own satisfaction too. I eased down on him and he gripped my thighs with his strong hands. I have to give props to Blaine for hiring Alex. He was muscular before, but now after working on that farm he has bulked up and he is all rugged and sexy and taut.

  Scarlett's cries from her bedroom down the hall stopped me, and I looked down at Alex and frowned.

  He pushed his head back into the mattress and groaned with frustration.

  I looked over at the clock; it's two in the morning. I should have known she'd be up since it's her usual time. I wrapped a robe around myself and quickly used the bathroom before making her a bottle.

  She was sitting in her little bed, with her purple silk blanket curled in her fingers. “Mama...bubba,” Scarlett whimpered and reached for me.

  I pulled her into my arms. “Hi, my beautiful baby girl.” I rocked her in the chair by her window, humming the same melody my mother used to use to put me to sleep as a child.

  She closed her eyes when she was nearly finished her milk. Her long lashes whispered on her chubby cheeks; she is absolutely perfect.

  I could gaze on her beautiful face all night long.

  When she was done, I gently took the bottle from her and set it on the dresser beside the rocking chair. Her little mouth still making a sucking motion, and it made me smile.

  Alex was sleeping when I climbed back into bed. He snored softly, and had wrapped himself up like a cocoon in all the blankets.

  I pulled at one of them, barely getting enough to cover myself, so I snuggled into his body and snaked my arm around him tightly.

  ***

  In the morning Addison called and asked if I want to go for coffee.

  “Umm, yes! Get me out of here!” I laughed into the phone.

  Scarlett and I watched while Isaac caught the bus to school, and we waited on the porch for Addison to pick us up.

  “I'll have a large vanilla latte, please!” I smiled at the cute girl behind the counter. “Whaddaya want, Cole?”

  “Medium coffee, please,” Addison said to the barista. “Black.”

  “Boring.” I smirked. “Can we have two cherry cheese danishes too, please?”

  We sat at a table for four. Addison set Seth's car seat down and unbuckled his straps, pulling him up into her arms.

  Scarlett's eyes widen when she noticed the baby and she started babbling excitedly.

  I grabbed a high-chair for her to sit in and broke off half of my danish for her to eat. She mainly just picks out the cherries and rips apart the rest.

  “So, we didn't get to talk because of Blaine and Alex being there, but...” I stared at Addison. “How was the date?”

  She smiled and blushed. “Good.”

  “Good?”

  “Well.” She smiled again. “It was much needed and very overdo. Thank you.”

  “Spill. You know I love details.”

  “Well, we went for a ride. Jax is awesome. You should take him out sometime...”

  I looked at her with a raised brow. “I wasn't talking about those details.”

  “Riley!”

  “Oh please, you know everything about me, and I know everything about you. Details! Sexy ones...now!”

  She looked around to see if anyone was within earshot of us, and thankfully, it's seemed like everyone else was immersed in a book, laptop, or their companions so we were all good to talk dirty.

  “We did it again on the grass. Riley, I am telling you...I am probably going to die from having sex with that man.”

  I gaped.

  “He's so intense. It's so raw and carnal and mind blowing.” She grinned. “Here lies Addison Blackstock. Death from over-sex.”

  I laughed, picturing her humorous headstone. “Well, that'll make one of us.”

  She frowned. “Anything you want to talk about?”

  I shook my head. “Not really anything to talk about. We're good. Alex is good. Just the odd weirdness every now and then.”

  “Jeremiah.” Addison half-smiled, sympathetically knowing what I was talking about. “I know, Blaine still has his days when he's moody and distant. I give him space. I know he needs it. I don't know how I would be if I lost you like that.”

  I reached across the table and held her hand. “I don't ever want to find out.”

  “I'll never forgive myself, Riley.” Addison frowned, and I could see tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. “Reid was all my fault.”

  “Addy, no!” I inhaled sharply. “In no way was that your fault. You don't ever think that. Please!”

  “Deep down I know that. But, it's still hard to deal with. Jeremiah's gone and he left such a gap in our lives.”

  “I was thinking the same thing yesterday. I am having a hard time living in that house. But, don't get me wrong, I’m grateful we have it.”

  “I know what you mean. Have you talked to Alex about making it more your home now?” Addison smiled understandingly, and rocked Seth in her arms. He was sweetly nodding off, tenderly curled in his mother's arms.

  “I don't know if he's ready.” I shrugged.

  Scarlett reached for the other half of my danish with sticky little fingers; I handed it to her and smiled.

  “That looks yummy, Scar!”

  After coffee, Addison and I window shopped in the lovely town of Sheridan and I thought about how much I miss Maine. I miss my parents, and even the girls; Leah, Camille and Zoe.

  Addison stopped in front of the window at a small kids clothing store. We looked at the reflection staring back at us, and I almost didn’t recognize myself.

  Here we are—thirty is creeping up at our heels and we are toting around babies. For most people this is normal, but it's not how we pictured our lives if you had of asked us when we were sixteen years old.

  We would have told you we were going to live in New York, or California. Living lifestyles we only read about in Cosmo, or Glamour magazine. Each marrying a Wall Street-type or Leonardo DiCaprio (we could have learned to share).

  But, here we were in the great state of Wyoming; babied and barely hanging on to our twenties.

  I held Scarlett closely, her hands again played with my hair. I noticed a cute dress in the window and told Addison we should look inside.

  Back to reality.

  ***

  Alex was absolutely miserable when he came home from work. He tore in the driveway in the Dodge and flung open the door before charging through the living room.

  Isaac and I looked at one another while we sat at the kitchen table, where I was helping him with his homework.

  “Hey, babe,” I said, wondering what his problem was.

  “Hi.”

  “How was your day?” I got up and walked over to him.

  He was standing in front of the refrigerator with the door wide open. He grabbed a carton of juice and twisted off the cap, put his mouth to the opening and drank right from the spout.

  “Eww, you know I hate when you do that.” I winced.

  He gulped the juice obnoxiously at me and drank some more.

  I crossed my arms, annoyed, and waited for an answer.

  “It was fine,” he snapped, and tossed the empty juice carton on the counter. “What's for dinner?”

  I smiled at Isaac. “Honey, how about you take your homework to your room and I'll come help you with it in there. Okay?”

  “Okay, mom.” Isaac didn’t hesitate to close his textbook and grab his pencil to leave the room.

  Once he has gone, I turned back to Alex.

  “Alex, what's going on?” I glared at him; angry for Isaac ha
ving to witness the tension.

  “Nothing, okay?” He groaned. “I’m just tired.”

  “Right.”

  “I'm sorry, babe. I had a shitty day.” Alex frowned and hugged me hard, burying his head in my shoulder.

  I squeezed him tightly in my arms and breathed in his scent of sweat, dirt and wood. His usual musk as of late.

  He eased in my embrace and breathed deeply into my hair with exhaustion. “How was your day?” he asked, and then stood up to look at me.

  “Good,” I answered. “Addison and I had coffee. I bought the kids some clothes.”

  He smiled—a beautiful sight, and I welcomed it greatly.

  “Yeah, I saw her with bags when she got home so I figured you had been shopping too.”

  “Why was your day shitty?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Just was. It's harder with only two. Don't know how they did it for so long. Then again, I am not Jer—”

  “Alex, stop.” I gripped his shoulders. “You and Blaine have to let Jeremiah go. You will never forget him, but you have to move on with your life! He wouldn't want this for either of you.”

  Then Alex did something I have only ever seen twice—when Scarlett was born, and again when we were standing at the cemetery watching Jeremiah's casket being lowered into the ground.

  Alex broke down and cried.

  “Fuck, Ry... I’m trying so hard,” he sobbed. “Jer helped me when I didn't deserve it. He changed me. He didn't deserve to die like that.”

  I had no idea what to say to Alex, so all I could do was hold him and let him know he was okay to let it out. I hugged him tightly again, and he pulled me against him so hard I almost couldn’t breathe.

  “I love you. I love you so much. I love Scarlett and Isaac, and if anything ever happened to you guys I would die.”

  “Alex, babe. I love you too, but you're starting to scare me now.”

  He inhaled a sharp breath, and steadied himself as he pulled away from me. “Sorry, babe. I'm sorry.”

  Alex started to walk away from me, pulling off his hoodie and then his t-shirt. “I'm gonna take a shower, and then I'll help Isaac with his homework.”

  “You don't have to do that, Alex.”

  “Haven't you smelled me?” He laughed.

  I smiled. “I meant about the homework, I'll do it. Scarlett's sleeping any way.”

  “I want to. I’m not that bad at school stuff. I did go to college remember...briefly.”

  I cringe at his comment, but managed another smile. “Okay, but call me if he needs any more help.”

  He turned on his heel and left the kitchen. I sighed and looked at the sink full of dishes and the crock-pot full of stew. It's been simmering since after lunch, but now I had no appetite at all.

  I wasn’t sure if I could handle this roller coaster.

  Will it always be like this? I wondered if t was because we were living in Jeremiah's house, or that he was driving Jeremiah's truck. But neither of those two things I could change right now. So I tried to let it go...for now.

  Surprisingly, neither Alex nor Isaac called me for help, and when Scarlett woke from her nap we all sat down to eat dinner. They wolfed down the stew like it was the last meal they would ever eat, and I managed to get a spoonful or two into me.

  Scarlett mashed a concoction of potatoes, peas, and carrots on the tray of her highchair and shoveled a handful of the mess into her mouth.

  “Mmm, can daddy have some?” Alex leaned in and Scarlett shoved her hand right into his mouth. “Thank you!” He muttered with a mouthful of slop.

  “Gross!” Isaac gagged from across the table, and we all laughed.

  After dinner I quickly checked through Isaac's homework. Not without feeling guilty that I didn’t trust Alex's knowledge of “school stuff”, as he called it.

  I was impressed when I saw he had done it all, and correctly it seemed too. I put both of the kids to bed and peeked into the living room where Alex was watching TV.

  “I’m going to have a bath, and maybe read a little.”

  He didn’t look away from the television. “Kay.”

  I rolled my eyes and headed to the bathroom, grabbing my e-reader and robe out of the bedroom along the way. I filled the old claw-foot tub with as much water as it would hold and poured lavender oil into the depths.

  When I climbed in and slipped beneath the water I almost melted, it was heavenly. Carefully holding my e-reader in my hand I turned it on and selected a book to read. Something flirty, lovey-dovey, and a whole lot of dirty.

  I could feel my eyes getting heavy, so I reached over and put the device on the counter by the sink. I shoved my hands under the warm water and rested them on my stomach.

  Complete and utter relaxation, baby.

  I sleepily opened my eyes when I felt Alex's hand reach down into the water as he touched the inside of my thigh. I cleared my throat. “Hey, babe.”

  “Hi.”

  “What time is it?”

  “After ten,” Alex whispered softly, and leaned over the porcelain edge to kiss me.

  Sparks and deeply penetrating pulses rippled down my body and my stomach flipped. His hand traveled up my leg and reached the apex of my thighs, cupping me tenderly.

  I looked up at him, praying my eyes were intense enough to show him how badly I wanted him, needed him. I bit my lip and closed my eyes when his hand started to move under the water.

  Suddenly his fingers were gone and I fluttered my eyes open. He reached down to the drain and lifted the plug out.

  What? Why?

  “What are you doing?” I asked, pouting.

  “Making room.” He smirked.

  He drained enough water to satisfy him, leaving the waterline just above my breasts and his eyes flared when he noticed the nakedness of the top of them.

  Then Alex did one of my favourite things—he stripped. He pulled off his t-shirt, letting me drink in every delicious inch of his chest, arms, shoulders, neck...and oh my, that stomach and those hips.

  He slowly unzipped his jeans and pushed them down to the floor, as he stepped out of them he tossed them away with his foot. He was already hard, and I let my eyes greedily relish in the sight of him. Lusting for his body, his mouth and his hands to touch me. Anywhere, and everywhere.

  When he climbed into the bathtub, the water rose and almost splashed over the sides, I reached across and grabbed his shoulders to pull myself onto him.

  Alex lifted me and then reached down to position himself below me. “I want you,” he breathed.

  “You have me,” I answered, and I lowered myself down on him, devouring him, drowning his length with my body.

  “You're so beautiful.” He bit my shoulder and sucked gently on my throat. “You taste so good.”

  I started to climax around him, falling to pieces, shattering and melting in the still-hot lavender water. My body gripped him so tightly and he came, pulling me into a kiss, punishing my lips for giving him such a sweetly brutal orgasm. He moaned and breathed heavily into my mouth, repeating my name quietly.

  ***

  I was thankful when the weekend came and Alex made his way home on Friday in a wonderful mood. He told me about his day; how Blaine was actually teaching him how to rope cattle, and how “awesome it would be to go to the rodeo and do it.”

  I blinked at him. Unsure if this was the same Alex Cole I fell in love with. It couldn’t be the one from Maine, surely.

  “So, Blaine said he thinks we might have a shot! I have to register and get like, good and stuff though first. The cowboy thing is some pretty serious business, ya know.” He grinned and crossed his arms over his chest, proudly.

  “So I've heard.” I smiled and let my mind wander. Thinking of Alex in a cowboy hat, jeans and boots.

  Oh, baby... this might just be good.

  “Alex, I was thinking that I would like to take the kids to Maine. To visit my parents.”

  He frowned. “When?”

  “Well, I was thinking this weekend
.” I looked at him, my eyes sending quiet requests for agreement. “I miss them.”

  That was all it took.

  One point, Riley.

  “Want me to come?”

  “Well, it's kind of last-minute. Blaine probably has plans for you two this weekend.”

  He scratched his head as he thought about it. “Yeah, he does. Are you sure you'll be okay with both the kids?”

  “I'll be fine. Isaac will be there to help me.” I smiled and reached for his hand, taking it and holding it against my cheek.

  While Alex was showering, I opened the laptop and checked the travel sites for the best flight deals. I could get all three of us to Maine and back this weekend for under fifteen hundred dollars. Unfortunately there will be two stops, as usual, but I was sure we would manage. I booked the tickets and smiled with excitement. I cannot wait to see my mom and dad.

  Addison drove me and the kids to the airport, and told me to give both of her parents a hug when I saw them. Which I most definitely would do, since Scarlett was their grandchild too.

  Isaac took my hand as we walked into our gate. We found our seats and got ready to head back to the East Coast.

  “Grammie! Papa!” Isaac shouted across the busy terminal at my parents who were standing there waiting, and actually holding a sign with all three of our names written on it.

  That's my dad for you, he is funny like that.

  “Excuse me, young man! Just who do you think you are?” My mother exclaimed when Isaac threw his arms around her. “You're not my grandson. My Isaac is at least a foot shorter than you are.”

  “Grammie!” Isaac stomped his foot. “It's me!”

  She laughed and hugged him tightly. “I've missed you so much!”

  My dad took Scarlett from my arms and held her up in the air, flying her like a chubby little air plane. “Look at the little tumbleweed that's blown in, Gram!”

  Mom covered her mouth and started to cry at the sight of Scarlett. “Clive! Give me my baby!”

  I looked around, because I was positive they were making a scene, but thankfully it was so busy in there that no one took notice to my very loud family.

  “Riley, my baby girl. We're so happy you're here.” My dad hugged me and kissed my cheek. “It's been too long.”

  “I know, daddy.”