Chapter Thirteen

 

She really would be the death of him. Tim was trying to get to a place where he could last more than a minute or two, but she was demolishing any illusions of control he had. The whole time he kissed her, she touched him, too. She stroked his dick and pinched his flat nipples, palmed his ass and raked her nails down his back. She was trying to break him and he didn’t know how much more he could take.

It turned out to be not much. When she cupped his stones again, he broke. With a growl, he spun her around. “Later,” he said, nudging her legs apart with his knee, “I’m going to lay you out on the bed and make love to you properly.”

Everything about her went tight and she moaned in what he hoped like hell was anticipation. The salty sweetness of her was still on his tongue and her ass flared out from her waist, begging for him to grab it. So he did. He dug his fingers into her flesh and spread her wide. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“What about now?”

The challenge in her voice was unmistakable. He was afraid he might have scared her with the intensity of his need—but he shouldn’t have worried. And he did love a good challenge.

  He bit her on the shoulder—not hard, but enough that she arched her back into him. “Now I’m going to fuck you.”

She moaned, her head dropping against the wall. But then she straightened and said, “Condom?”

“Yeah.” He reached out to where he’d set the condom on the edge of the sink. His hands shook as he rolled it on. It’d been so long—he didn’t want to disappoint her. He’d wanted to go down on her—who the hell wouldn’t? But he needed to remember how this went. Yeah, he was a little shaky.

He got the condom on and turned back to her. She hadn’t moved, arms flat against the wall, her forehead resting on the tile, her legs spread wide. He covered her body with his and rubbed his dick against the crease of her sex. It didn’t matter how long it’d been. There were some things that never changed and the way men and women fit together was one of them.

“So wet for me,” he murmured in her ear as he fit himself against her. “Yeah?” Because he wanted to be sure.

“Yes,” she whimpered, pushing back against him and taking the first inch inside of her.

As much as he wanted to watch his dick sink into her wet heat, he had to close his eyes because the feeling was so much more than he remembered. Her inner muscles gripped him tightly and it was all he could do to grit his teeth and hold on.

“You feel so good,” she whispered, quietly enough he barely heard her over the water streaming against the back of his legs. “God, I’ve wanted this so much.”

“Me too,” he managed to get out. He flexed, then he was buried in her. For a long moment, he just stood there, letting his body adjust, hanging onto his self-control by the thinnest of threads. She shifted against him, around him, and suddenly, he couldn’t hold still any longer. He grabbed her by the hips and pulled out before thrusting back in as slowly and carefully as he could.

“Oh,” she moaned, shifting so she was almost bent over at the waist, her hands still on the wall. It gave him a hell of a view. “Oh, yeah—like that.”

She surrounded him, overwhelmed him. She was completely open to him, entirely vulnerable. If anyone ever tried to hurt her in any way, Tim would kill to keep her safe.

The ferocity of this realization knocked him off his rhythm for a moment.

But it was true. She was something rare and special, an outsider but also a member of the tribe, and a woman who looked at him and saw a man. Not the law, not an enemy—just a man. A man she liked. A man she trusted enough to be vulnerable with.

He would keep her by his side, if he could. Short of that, he would protect her with his life.

She moaned, thrusting her ass up against him harder and harder. His control snapped. He grabbed her ass, opening her wider, and watched as her body took him in again and again. He thrust hard and deep, gaining speed with every pump of his hips. He stroked one finger over the little rosebud of her ass, wanting to explore every part of her, but just then, she threw back her head and screamed out his name. “Tim—Tim!”

At the same time, her body tightened down on his and he couldn’t hold on any longer. He came and came and came inside her until he went limp and collapsed against her back. He managed to pull out before he lost the condom, but that was as much moving as he could do. They stood there, water hitting him in the back of the legs, his forehead resting on her shoulders, panting. He wanted to laugh and tell her how perfect she was, and more than anything, he wanted to hold tight and never let her go.

He wasn’t sure he could do any of that. So he just held her, his arms around her waist, her back against his chest. Minutes passed before she turned and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face against his chest. “God, Tim,” she said in a shaky voice.

“Yeah.” He didn’t know what else to say because he was afraid if he talked, he might say something stupid, like asking her to stay.

But what could he offer her? A house, yeah—but it was small and the walls were thin and the door stuck and even if she was willing to overlook that, Georgey would be living on his couch.

Plus, he was still the law around these parts. He’d still have to gear up and take down gang bangers and arrest his own people and always be looking over his shoulder. The hours were hell, the job both brutal and boring. And she’d be stuck out in the middle of this rez, far away from her family and friends. The best she could hope for was a part-time gig at Sinte Gliske and that wasn’t enough. Not for her.

It didn’t matter how much he wanted her, how good they were together. She deserved someone who could give her 100% and that wasn’t Tim. And there was no way he could follow her anywhere. He’d taken an oath.

Damn. He’d known this was short-term at best, but that was when he’d only liked and respected her and wanted her. Now that he’d had her—and would, God willing, have her again…

This was going to hurt. A lot.

Finally he got his brain unstuck. Tomorrow would come soon enough. Right now he had a beautiful woman in his arms and he’d made her feel good. Pride might be a sin but what the hell—they were naked in the shower.

Just then, the water heater gave out and the spray hitting his back turned ice cold. He yelped and she squealed, and somehow, they got out of the shower without slipping or falling.

She giggled and he couldn’t help but smile as he wrapped a towel around her waist and kissed her firmly. “Come on,” he said, keeping his voice light. If one night were all he got with her, he’d do his damnedest to make it a memorable one. “I promised you dinner.”

***

Summer relaxed into the passenger seat, watching the last of the purple dusk fade into night.

“My apologies for the long drive,” Tim said, his voice deep and rich. “But the only place to eat out on the rez is the gas station and you deserve something nicer than stale pizza.”

She tried to fight the grin, but she lost the battle. Luckily Tim was focused on the road that stretched endlessly before them. “I’ve never had a dinner date at a drugstore before.” Of course she had seen the signs for Wall Drug as soon as she’d hit the South Dakota state line. Free ice water and the world’s largest jackalope were the highlights of the strangest tourist trap she had ever been in.

She and Tim had eaten buffalo burgers at a little diner and wandered through the various stores within the store, had their picture taken next to a miniature Mount Rushmore, and sat on the giant jackalope statue. It had been silly and fun and easy and, frankly, after the summer she’d had so far, that was exactly what she needed.

“Never let it be said that I don’t know how to show a girl a good time.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

“I can safely say I am having a great time.” He’d unleashed amazing orgasms on her, then driven her to what was potentially the most amusing spot in the entire state, where he’d bought her dinner and ice cream. She hadn’t had dates this fun in, well—she’d just leave it at a long time.

It had been a lovely surprise that the serious, intense sheriff of the White Sandy was capable of silliness, but he was. She had the picture of him fake-wrestling the jackalope to prove it.

She stared at him, his face little more than a silhouette in the darkness. Strong nose, strong jaw—everything about him spoke to his strength.

This was just a summer fling, nothing more. Fate had thrown them together and she wasn’t too proud to take advantage of that happy accident. “How late will Georgey be out on his ride-along?”

It wasn’t as if he moved, because she was pretty sure he hadn’t. But somehow, anything relaxed or easy-going about him had shifted right back to intensity.

More important, that intensity was focused on her.

“I don’t know,” he said, his voice low. Her nipples tightened in anticipation. “Why? Did you have something in mind?”

Honest to God, she went wet just listening to him. There was always a chance that the sex in the shower had been a one-off, a fluke. But she wasn’t willing to risk that. She wasn’t willing to only have him once. Nor would she be enthusiastic about waiting days or weeks until they could get Georgey out of the house again.

She had him all to herself right now. And she wasn’t going to waste a single moment.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over the center console, running a hand up and down his thigh. “Something,” she said, squeezing his leg close to his dick.

The car jerked a little to the left and immediately began to slow down. “Such as?” Tim gritted out as she palmed the hot length of his dick, already straining at his jeans.

The car dipped as he pulled onto the narrow shoulder, then he threw it into park. Summer sat up just long enough to look around, but they were in the middle of nowhere. There was no one on the road, no lights for as far as the eye could see. Just the night sky, the dark earth and the man next to her.

And it felt right. It felt good, being here with him. She wanted him again. More.

Luckily, she was going to have him. “You, me, significantly less clothing? Something like that?”

With a groan, he lifted her over the console. Her sundress bunched around her waist as she straddled him and she gasped as her clit came into contact with his erection.

“How about this?” he growled, pulling the sundress over her head and throwing it over his shoulder. With nimble fingers, he undid her bra and tossed that aside too.

“Something like this,” she said breathlessly as he cupped her breasts and lifted them.

“Yeah, this will do,” he said as his lips closed around her nipple. Her hips begin to shift of their own accord, grinding down on to him. She was wearing the cutest pair of panties she had packed, a lacy pink pair that were no match for his jeans and zipper.

“God, Summer,” he said, switching to her other breast.

It felt dangerous to do this on the side of the road. Exciting, even. “One day,” she gasped as he pinched her left nipple between his thumb and forefinger and pulled lightly, “I’m going to get you in a proper bed.”

“I’d like that,” he said, his other hand stroking down her back and over her bottom. His hand slipped underneath the edge of her panties and squeezed, rolling her hips forward, driving her against his hot erection harder, faster.

She sank her fingers into his hair and tilted his head up so she could kiss him. Even kissing him was something different, something new. The taste of coffee, with a hint of vanilla ice cream. Strong, with just a touch of sweetness. That was Tim Means.

But he was still too in control, still holding himself back. He was still in charge of things and she wanted to strip that away and drive him just as mad as he drove her.

So she ground down on him at the same time she bit his neck, right where it met his shoulder. She tugged with her teeth—hard, but not hard enough to leave a bruise.

Probably.

It worked. “Out of the car,” he growled, throwing open his door. “Now.”

Yeah, it might take a lot to make him lose control—but right now? He didn't have a single bit of it. She grinned as he stood, carrying her with him. Her legs went around his waist and the humid night air brushed over her bare skin.

She didn’t care that they were on the side of the road, where anyone could see them. All she could feel was this aching need to have him inside her. She needed him, needed the freedom that only he could give her.

It wasn't wrong to want this. She had to believe that.

“Do you see what you do to me?” Tim asked, his voice low and raw. It set every one of her nerve endings on fire.

Darkness touched him with deep shadows, but there was no missing the hunger in his eyes. The intensity she saw there made her body shiver with anticipation. She was in too deep and there was no going back now.

“There was a music video when I was growing up,” he said, backing her up until his body had hers pinned against the hood of his car.

She arched her back, thrusting her breasts up toward him. “Do you want me to dance for you?” She was breathing hard and she knew if he asked, she would. Nude, in the middle of the road, she’d climb up on the hood of his cop car and give him a hell of a show.

She was a long way from the mild-mannered high school English teacher Ms. Collins right now and she’d never felt better.

“No time.” He did away with her panties and pulled back only long enough to grab a condom out of his pocket. “Later, I’ll make sure there’s foreplay and kissing. But not now. I need you too much right now, babe.”

She moaned and writhed underneath him, clutching at his shoulders and arms for balance as she slid over the smooth surface of the car hood.

Then he was against her, inside her, thrusting into her wet heat. Summer cried out his name and he managed to pause, staring down at her. “Jesus, you’re so beautiful,” he moaned before leaning down to capture her lips in a kiss. He thrust forward again and the orgasm ripped through her. All she could think was there he is—the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Then a new emotion shot through her—one she didn't want but didn't know what to do with because he was still buried inside her.

Fear.

Because she might damn well love this man—but how could it work? How could any of this work?

“Stay with me,” he murmured against her chest before he flicked his tongue over her nipple.

She gasped. Was he saying—

“Just stay in the moment, love,” he went on and she didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. “Don’t overthink it. This ain’t no thinking thing.”

At that, she did laugh, a sated, happy sound. Sex with him was a joy, one she didn't know if she'd ever get enough of. She stroked his cheek, her body still shimmering with the aftershocks of the orgasm. “I’m right here with you,” she told him, threading her fingers through his hair. “Nowhere else I’d rather be.” Then she lifted her hips up, pulling him deeper.

He took hold of her hand and held her palm to his cheek before kissing the inside of her wrist. Through it all, he stared down at her as if he were trying to memorize every detail—just in case.

The sadness in his eyes stole her breath away. “Tim?” Summer tried to push herself up on her elbows. “What is it?”

But he just shook his head and hauled her against his chest, holding her tight. She locked her legs around his waist and for a perfect moment, they were together. She wasn’t lonely and he wasn’t, either. It made her eyes water with joy, with sadness. What only made it worse was she could feel waves of emotion rolling off him, too.

God, she’d miss him when she left. But there she went again, thinking. He was buried inside her and she was nude on the hood of his car and now was the time to feel, dammit. But she couldn’t ignore their connection.

So she skimmed her teeth over his neck. “It's all right,” she whispered in his ear, her heart bursting with a whirlwind of emotion. “Because I feel it too.”

“Right here, right now, you’re perfect,” he said as he laid her down on the car hood again. This time, he didn't hold back. He pounded into her body and nipped at her lips, her neck, tugged on her nipples until her cries of pleasure filled the night as he pushed her body over the edge again and this time, he followed her.

They lay locked together, panting hard, for a long time. Oh, holy hell, she just didn't have any words, dammit. All she had were feelings and she didn't have a clue how to describe them out loud. So she said nothing while he held her and gloried in her holding him.

Finally, when she was sure she could say words that weren’t I love you or I want to stay with you, she spoke. “That was a pretty good fantasy. Whitesnake, right?”

He pushed himself off her chest, grinning wildly. She did that. She made him look so happy. “Right.”

Finally—almost reluctantly—he pulled free of her. She sagged against the car hood, her mind feeling like it was coated in a thick layer of mud.

He lay on top of her, both of them breathing hard. Summer held him against her breast, staring up at the night sky and its dazzling stars.

Even when she had imagined the summer fling, it hadn't been this good. This perfect. Because it hadn't been Tim Means.

He leaned back enough to stare down at her, his lips quirked into a smile that looked shocked. "I can't believe we just did that."

She arched against him, stretching her arms over her head and putting her breasts at their best advantage. "It was rather amazing, wasn't it?"

"You’re amazing," he said, cupping her breasts and brushing his thumbs over her nipples. "I want you in my bed tonight. I want to wake up with you in the morning."

She gasped at the sweet words, made all the sweeter by how damn serious he sounded.

"Even though you're not exactly a ray of sunshine first thing in the morning," he added with a smirk.

She swatted at his arms and they both laughed. But then she remembered what sleeping in his bed would mean. She could wake up with his arms wrapped around her—but in the very next room, Georgey would be on the couch. "But…"

"I don't care," Tim said, pushing back and helping her sit up. She needed the help, too. After that orgasm, her muscles felt like jelly. "He already knows there's something going on between us. He's protective of you, but then, so am I. I just want to hold you, Summer. We don't have to have crazy sex when he's around. We can always come out here." He looked up, where the night sky twinkled in what seemed like amusement. He took a deep breath and looked at her. Even in the darkness, she could see the want in his eyes. She could feel her body answering with the same desire.

It only got worse when he stepped back between her legs and cupped her face in his palms. "I know we don't have much time, babe. I don't want to waste a minute of it simply because of what the snot-nosed teenager might say. I want you for as long as possible."

Summer wasn't sure if she had ever been in love before. Lust, yes. She had cared deeply for a few of her boyfriends. But this?

This was so much more. Tim wasn't a boy playacting at being a man. He didn't duck responsibility—either in his job or in bed.

Or on the car.

He cared deeply about his people, about Georgey and, it seemed, about her.

All of that would've been enough to make her fall for him. Because she was falling for him. But that wasn't solely who he was. He was still a man who could take a girl for ice cream and take silly pictures with giant statues of imaginary creatures.

She touched her forehead to his and covered his palms with hers, holding him close. "When I'm with you, I'm not lonely anymore." That was the truth.

She was perfectly fine being by herself. But she knew what it was to feel alone even when she was out with a group of friends. Especially when she was visiting her mother.

"You feel it, too?" he murmured, sounding awe-struck and nervous and hopeful, all at once. “Something more?”

Something more. That’s what Tim was. “I do.”

“Stay with me tonight.”

She sighed as she kissed him. She shouldn’t want more than a night or even a summer at a time. All she could ask for was what he was offering.

So she took that—and nothing more. “I will.”

“Good.

***

After that, they settled into something that felt like a routine.

Three days a week, Summer took Georgey with her when she drove out to Sinte Gliske community college. She didn't exactly have a lesson plan for him—he needed help in everything, so she tutored him in whatever she was tutoring another student. It wasn't the most educationally sound way to approach things, but he was making progress. At the very least, he was trying and that was more than she'd been afraid he might be able to do. They listened to audiobooks in the car and went over the graphic novels during dinner and talked about life in Minneapolis.

Tim was right. She couldn't stay. And if Georgey wanted to have a shot in hell at an education and a life, he couldn't stay either.

Two days a week, Tim took Georgey on a ride-along. The kid seemed honestly excited about the idea of being a cop. And there was no denying the bond between him and Tim. Georgey was basically an unpaid deputy intern at this point and frankly, having a goal and a mentor was good for him.

How long had it been since there'd been a man Georgey could look up to? Their father had died so long ago… Had her brother had anyone since then?

Those afternoons, Tim would drop Georgey off at the childcare center to help after nap time until Summer got back from either the community college or a grocery run. She bought a lot of groceries. She could see Georgey growing and filling out before her eyes, putting on muscle and growing into his hands and feet.

But for his sudden size, he was still a kid at heart. When she came to get him at the center, he was usually out running around the makeshift soccer field, coaching his team with lots of cheers and high fives.

Sometimes she would sit in the car and watch. Little kids would tackle him when something exciting happened, nearly knocking him over with their exuberance. There was something so familiar about that. She remembered Georgey as a toddler, running into her at top speed because he was happy to see her and how she would pick him up and spin him around, trying not to drop him while he squealed with delight.

She wished they didn't have to go. She wished she didn't have to take him away from the only family he'd known. She wished her mother hadn't kept her away from this, either.

But that was in the past. In the future, there wasn't any other way forward.

Through it all, she enjoyed her time with Tim Means. Because he made time for her.

One night a week, Jack, the other deputy, would take Georgey for a nighttime ride-along. Tim was training someone named Ezra to be a third deputy and on those nights, Ezra was the backup. For one night of the week, Summer had Tim all to herself.

Sometimes they drove to Wall or Rapid City to see a movie and eat out. Or they did silly things like play miniature golf or go to a bar to throw darts or play pool. They even caught a concert one weekend, all the way up in Sturgis, surrounded by bikers. And it was fun. Crazy, exciting – all those things she'd wanted out her summer fling, she got with Tim, and more.

And then, on the way home? Tim would find some deserted back road and make every single one of her fantasies come to life. She rode him in the back seat, pinning his hands over his head and nipping at the skin along his shoulders until he groaned with the best kind of pain. He bent her over the hood of his car, landing a playful swat or two on her ass as he buried himself inside her. Once, she had his zipper down and his shorts shoved aside before he even got the car in park. She’d blocked his attempts to pull her mouth off him until he had spurted his release down her throat.

Then, as punishment, he’d all but thrown her onto the roof of his car so she was right at his eye level. When she’d shattered under his tongue and his fingers, he hadn't let up. Instead, he nipped and sucked and licked harder, faster, making her cry out and then scream as she broke again and then a third time.

The house, they shared with Georgey.

But the night sky was theirs and theirs alone.

She had to leave. But how was she going to? How could she walk away from a man like Tim Means?

She didn't know. But she needed to figure it out, and quickly.

The pow wow—the unofficial end of summer and her time on the White Sandy—was less than a week away.