He slowly turned and faced me. “Someday I’ll tell ya, but just know this—if you let Azurdee go, you’re going to let the love of your life slip away, son. It’s okay to open your heart again, Michael. Anyone who sees the way you look at her can see how much you’re in love with her. Don’t let her slip away.”
He grabbed his crutches and made his way out of the kitchen. I looked back at the window and watched as Azurdee laughed at something Tristan had said.
My mother walked up next to me and let out a little laugh. “Michael, just follow your heart. It will never lead you the wrong way if you truly listen to it.”
I looked down at my mother and smiled. “I love you, Mom.”
She returned my smile and said, “I love you too, son. Now get on out there and show that little fucker who Azurdee belongs to.”
I laughed as I hugged my mother and then headed toward the door. As I pushed it open she yelled out, “Muck out the stalls in the main barn!”
“Yes, ma’am!” I yelled back.
I walked towards Azurdee and tried to keep my hands from balling up as I watched the shorter bastard put his hand on the small of Azurdee’s back as they all made their way over to the jeep. I smiled when I noticed Azurdee move away from his touch.
“Heading out for a day hunt?” I asked as Tristan looked at me and gave me a look. I nodded to let him know I was okay. Azurdee spun around and smiled as she walked right into my arms. I held onto her as I looked at the bastard who couldn’t seem to keep his eyes to himself.
Tristan slapped the fucker on the back, causing him to pull his eyes away from Azurdee. “Lark, this is Jonathon and Luke. They’re looking to get them a nice buck. You up for a hunt?”
Azurdee pulled away and smiled as she whispered, “Good morning.”
I kissed her gently on the lips and said, “Good morning, mi amor.”
Her eyes lit up and I couldn’t help but smile bigger. I knew how much she loved me calling her that and I made every attempt to use it all the time, not just when we were making love.
“I’ve gotta pass on this hunt, Tristan,” I said as I continued to look at Azurdee. “I’ve got to take care of some things for Dad and Mom.”
Azurdee smiled and bit down on her lower lip as I felt my pants grow a few sizes too small. I’d hardly been able to spend any time with her the last few days, what with trying to help out around the ranch since my father broke his ankle.
“Probably for the best that I take this one,” Tristan said with a laugh. I looked over at him and smiled as Ryn shook her head and walked to Tristan. She reached up and kissed him and said, “Be careful. Hurry back, I’ll be missing you.” Tristan seemed shocked by what Ryn had just said. He smiled back at her and nodded his head. He watched as she walked back to the house. When he finally looked away he looked at me and attempted to smile. He looked back at Jonathon and Luke and clapped his hands and said, “Let’s do this. Let’s get us some big-ass south Texas bucks.”
I helped them get all their gear into the jeep and then pulled Tristan off to the side and asked, “You want me to take them?” He pulled back and looked at me, confused.
“No dude, I got this. You took the one out yesterday. Spend some time with Azurdee today. I’ve got this. Tomorrow is Christmas and you know Mom is going to want us to do the whole family bullshit.”
I nodded and said, “Yeah, I’m surprised Ryn hasn’t fled yet.”
Tristan nodded his head and looked away. “Yeah, well…let me get these guys out there before it gets too hot. We’re already starting out too late.”
I watched as my brother walked away and ran his hand through his hair. Yep. He was just as fucked as I was. His problem was he was falling in love with the one girl who he didn’t think was the one he should be falling in love with, and my problem was I couldn’t tell Azurdee I loved her.
I looked around and saw Azurdee was gone. When I walked around the corner, she was making her way down to the barn. I smiled and began jogging to catch up with her.
“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” I called out as I came up behind her.
She turned and smiled and said, “To the horses.”
I grabbed her and pulled her to me as I whispered against her neck, “Did Mom tell you that you had to muck out the stalls too?”
She laughed and said, “No, but I’d be more than happy to watch you do it, cowboy.”
I kissed her neck and saw the goose bumps cover her body. I loved that I had such an effect on her body like I did.
I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around me as I walked her into the barn. “Fine, but I’m not taking off my shirt.”
I set her down and she began laughing as she said, “Damn it. I thought I would get a free show.”
I walked over and turned on the radio and picked up a rake. I watched as she sat down on a bale of hay and pulled her knees up to her chest. She smiled and motioned for me to begin. I shook my head and started off to work.
It didn’t take long before I was working up a sweat. I glanced back a few times and looked over at her sitting there watching me. “You wanna help?”
She smiled as she shook her head and said, “Nope,” popping the p loudly. Her smiled faded when Selena Gomez’s song “Stars Dance” began playing. She slowly stood up and started walking towards me. When she walked up to me, she took the rake out of my hand and wrapped her hands around my neck and began moving her body against mine. I quickly was lost within her eyes.
I grabbed onto her body and began moving right along with her. The heat from her body and the way she was looking into my eyes had my complete attention.
What is this girl doing to me? I was totally hers, body and soul. I leaned down and brushed my lips across her neck. “Azurdee, you have no idea what you do to me,” I whispered against her sensitive skin.
She dropped her head back and let out a whimper. “I do, because you do the same to me.”
I kissed her along her neckline and then made my way up to her lips. I pulled her lower lip with my teeth and gently bit down on it. I felt her hands on my body as she made her way to my jeans and began unbuttoning them.
“I want you so much,” I said as I pulled her tank top up and over her head. I looked at her white lace bra and moaned as her nipples hardened under my touch. I stepped back and watched as she began slipping her jeans off her body. She stood in front of me with nothing on but her panties and bra.
“Take your panties off, Azurdee, and give them to me. Keep your bra on.”
She slowly slipped her panties off as she licked her lips and handed me her panties. I took them and picked her up as I carried her into the side office and shut the door.
I put her down and smiled as I said, “We’re going to make love and then I’m going to do the one thing I’ve been dreaming about since we got here.”
Her eyes lit up as she asked, “What have you been dreaming about?”
“Tying you up and fucking you in the barn.”
She leaned against the wall and sucked in a quick breath of air and I quickly stripped myself of my boots and pants before I sat down on the chair. I smiled as I motioned for her to come to me. She smiled as she walked over and slowly began to sink down onto my body. The moment I felt myself slipping inside her warm body I let out a growl. Azurdee threw her head back and sighed in relief.
“Nothing feels better than you inside of me,” she whispered. She snapped her head forward as she began slowly moving up and down.
I smiled and placed my hands on her hips and moved slowly in and out of her.
She smiled back at me and brought her lips to mine, but stopped just short of them and said, “I love you.”
Something happ
ened in that moment and I was overcome with such a strong emotion. I closed my eyes and got lost in her lovemaking. When the song “Adore You” by Miley Cyrus began playing, I looked into her eyes.
“Say it again,” I whispered. At first she looked confused, and then a smile spread across her face.
She whispered to me, “I love you.”
I closed my eyes. I needed to hear her say it. I needed to hear it from her lips while she made love to me.
I opened my eyes and whispered, “Say my name, too.”
She moved up and down so slowly as she said, “I love you, Lark.”
I shook my head and looked into her eyes. “Say my name, mi amor.”
She stopped, and when I saw her eyes filling with tears, I wanted to look away but I couldn’t. She took a deep breath and leaned down and gently kissed me.
She pulled back slightly and her eyes moved everywhere on my face before she embraced my eyes again. “I love you, Michael.”
I wrapped my arms around her and held onto her as tight as I could. My heart was pounding in my chest so hard I was sure she could feel it. “Say it again, please,” I said as my voice cracked.
She let out a sob as she said it again, “I love you, Michael. I love you so much it scares me.”
I stood up as she wrapped her legs around my waist. I walked over to the small bunk that was in the office and laid her down on it. I moved onto her and slowly pushed myself back into her as she arched her back and let out a moan.
I placed my hands on the sides of her face as I slowly made love to her. I looked into her beautiful caramel eyes, now filled with tears, and I smiled as I whispered, “I love you, Azurdee. I love you so much. I’ll love you forever.”
Azurdee wrapped her arms around me and held onto me as she said, “I’m going to come.”
I pushed myself into her harder and whispered in her ear as I came, “I’ll. Love. You. Forever.”
I lay wrapped in Lark’s arms as I silently cried. I’d never felt these emotions before in my life. There is no way to measure the love I was feeling in my heart. The moment he told me he loved me my whole world changed. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for this man. No mountain I wouldn’t climb to prove to him how much I loved him.