Excerpt from Sweet Redemption a current work in progress

Ellie had been unable to get Cord alone all evening. He had fixed a plate and eaten so fast she wondered if he’d inhaled it. Then he and one of the hands left to play poker. The only one around she could talk to was Justin, and she so didn’t want to have this conversation. Yeah, this isn’t awkward. 

Justin stood in front of her with his arms crossed, a steely glare on his face. “Ellie, we need to talk about this afternoon. You and I both know something happened between us. I can’t be the only one who felt it.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, and I didn’t feel a damn thing.” With her chin out, she prayed he’d just leave it at that.

“Bullshit, you didn’t feel it, and there’s plenty to talk about. You have to know that when Daniel left for Afghanistan, I promised to take care of you, and I aim to do just that.”

“Daniel has been gone for almost two years now.” Tears filled her eyes, and threatened to spill. She took a deep steadying breath. “I don’t need you to take care of me anymore. I’m fine now. The only thing I need you to do is your job.”  She moved to clear the dishes from the table. As she grabbed a plate, Justin’s hand covered hers. She gasped, surprised, and pulled her hand free. “What are you doing Justin?”

“What does it look like, El?”

“Don’t you dare use the name, El. Nobody has ever called me that except Daniel,” She turned away from him. She didn’t want him to see the tears now rolling down. Try as she might, they just kept falling, leaving a cold wet trail behind.

 With Daniel she had always felt cherished. His pet names for her were something special just between them. Each one had its own significance. She hated moments like this, memories of a life that could have been, if not for the IED.

Justin put his hand on her shoulder. She stiffened under his hand. Not wanting to feel his touch, no, not his, but Cord’s. Even with fresh memories of Daniel, she still wanted Cord’s touch, Cord’s tender perfect kisses. Sighing, she turned to Justin. One look at her face said all she needed to say. Justin’s arm fell away from her, and hung limply at his side. “Justin. I can’t do this, I just can’t.”

His steely glare returned, and a tremor shot through her at the anger radiating from him. “You can’t do this at all, or you can’t do this with me? Because you seemed to be fine last night in the gazebo kissing all over Cord.”

She huffed out a breath, “That’s none of your damn business, Justin.”  She bumped his shoulder as she headed for the back door, hoping he’d just leave. She couldn’t deal with this any longer.

“It is my business Ellie. You don’t see what he’s up to? What if he only wants to bed you just to get his hands on this ranch? That’s my business just as much as it is yours.”

She stood holding the back door open, her spine ramrod straight. “I don’t care why he wants to bed me, just so long as he does!” she yelled.

Justin pulled his Stetson from the hook on the wall, held it in his hands, and said, “I’ve known you since you were seven years old, and yes, you do care. I know you better than you think I do.  I’m in love with you Ellie, and in time you’ll see that together we can make this work. I’ve been waiting. Waiting a long time, giving you time to grieve, but after what I saw last night I ain’t waiting any longer.”

He cleared the threshold and she slammed the door behind him. “Dammit! You smug sonofabitch who in the hell do you think you are, laying claim to me like you own me.” Her fisted hand hit the door.  She just wanted a nice hot bath to make this all go away. She pivoted heading up the stairs, leaving the dishes for tomorrow. At the hard knock on the back door. She grimaced and headed back down. “Justin I can’t do this anymore tonight I—” She saw a very pissed off Cord staring at her through the glass pane.

Her shoulders slumped. She didn’t have any more fight left in her tonight.  “What is it?” she asked through the door.

“I need to talk to you Ellie,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Can this wait till morning?”

“No, I need to do this now.”

Sighing, she opened the door. Cord’s mouth covered hers, with virile force. An animalistic, possessive kiss that had her toes curling, and heat pooling in her belly. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Her fingers plunged into his hair pulling him closer. Their tongues dueled in a delicious mind altering kiss, leaving them both breathless. Her nipples spiked to hard peaks. His arms pulled her body flush with his, and she felt his erection through his jeans. She burned; she ached to feel him inside her. His cock pumping hard and ferocious, meeting her thrust for thrust.

Cord pulled back. “Can we take this upstairs?”

 “Yes.” That was exactly what she needed, wanted, and had to have.

 Cord lifted her; she wrapped her legs around his waist. She felt his cock rub her through her jeans as he carried her up the stairs. He hit the landing half way up, and eased her off of him. “I’m not going to make it to the bed. I need you now.” He yanked her jeans down her legs. She kicked off her boots, jeans and panties, as he shoved his jeans over his hips. He grabbed her to him, backed her up against the wall, and kissed her.”Tell me you want me.”

“I want you, Cord. Please, now.”

“Good because I can’t wait. I need to be inside you now,” he growled. Frustration and rage were driving his every move.

His hand slid between them and he fit himself to her. He swirled his cock in her moisture, then plunged in balls deep, in a single lunge. She moaned in delight and she moved her hips with his rhythm. He filled her to her womb.  It was a delicious friction, possessing her from root to tip. Her head fell back against the wall, her golden blonde hair falling like a silken curtain from her head.  Her body bounced up and down with each thrust. Her orgasm built, slick and hot all the way to her toes. Cord grunted, pumping fast and wild. Her ass was getting chaffed by the wall, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was this man, right this very moment. She held on, her nails biting into his shoulders through his shirt, her legs wrapped around him tight. The scent of their arousal, a musky spicy scent permeated the air, spurring them on. His hand slid between them finding her clitoris. He rubbed in circles, until she screamed his name. She felt the tidal wave of her release crash over her, tiny waves rolling languidly after massaging his cock. Cord followed right behind her jerking wildly calling her name, as he spurt his seed inside her.

They stood there forehead to forehead trying to catch their breath. She felt his legs shake, and he leaned into her, holding on, savoring the moment.