The sun was high in the sky lighting up miles of desert all around. The beauty called to me, beckoning me to explore.

There was more to the desert than I saw through the windshield of my car. Small shrubs grew littering the arid desert floor; small lizards scampered about, dashing from one shrub to the next.

There was more to the desert than the flat plains I had first encountered. There were dips, valleys, ridges and crests, betraying the first glance appearance. Cacti dotted along the path I traveled, some of which housed birds of various sizes who drilled tirelessly at the meaty flesh of the prickly succulent.

I walked along, trying to clear my mind of the madness that had become my life. A lone Joshua tree called to me. Slumping down against the wooly trunk of the slender tree I let my legs fall out in front of me.

I took solace in this lone tree, standing like a flag against the high desert sun.  Drawing my knees against my chest I sunk my head down. I surrendered the stress of my situation to the open desert, releasing the pent-up emotions I held so close to my heart.

Silent tears trickled down my face. I refused to allow Bob Davidson to rule my life. I may be homeless, jobless, and have lost my boyfriend but he wasn’t going to break me. I refused to allow him to rule my life as he had done Emily’s.

A soft whimpering pulled me from my self-pity.  Looking up I came eye-to-eye with a long muzzle of a medium sized dog. She was slender, with slanted eyes, a trim reddish colored body, and a long bushy tail. The dog studied me in turn, her head tilting slightly to the side as if assessing me.

Gingerly I held out my hand toward the gorgeous animal allowing her to sniff me. The timid animal flinched at the movement, making my chest ache for whoever had caused her such fear.

I watched as her ears perked up, fine tuning to the sounds of the desert. She was wondrous to watch. 

“Get outta here.” The deep loud booming voice of Luka bellowed from behind me sending my heart into my throat.

I hadn’t heard him approach. 

Before I could turn to face him, the dog was gone. A trail of dust kicked up in her wake as she fled.

“What did you do that for?” I screeched, climbing to my feet.

“Do what? Save your hide?” He boomed back, his fists clenched at his sides.

My eyes didn’t miss the way his jaw ticked, radiating with anger, the taut muscles in his neck pulsed wildly.

“It was just a dog. She was harmless.” I shouted back, my hands flung wildly in the direction the small dog had run.

“Sorry Ducky, but that was no dog. That was a coyote.” Luka shook his head in disbelief.

“Looked like a dog to me,“ I huffed out angrily as I marched past him in the direction of the house.

Iron arms shot out halting me before reeling me in. The safety and comfort of Luka’s body pressed to mine caused my pulse to spike for entirely different reasons.

Gone was the anger that had only moments ago flooded my system. Raw hunger, desire to have his body wrapped around mine, flooded my system, spinning me on my axis.

“I promise you, Ducky, it was a coyote. If you want a dog we will go right now and get you one. But promise me you won’t come out here alone again.” his deep voice caressed the tender flesh of my neck sending delicious tingles down my spine.

“You would take me to get a puppy right now?” My breath came out in short pants as I tried to reign in my emotions.

This man knew how to hit every button I possessed. Like an expert operator he worked me over.

“Ducky, I would do so much more if only you would ask.” The flutter of his lips against the pulsing vein in my neck was almost more than I could take.

“Yes.” I hissed out, not sure of what I was agreeing to.

Just as quickly as he had pulled me in he was gone. I was left wavering on my feet like a drunk on wobbly legs my body swayed with his loss.

His thick hands captured my waist holding me upright.

“Come on Ducky; let’s go get you a puppy.” Luka took my hand in his and led me out of the desert.

My mind was a spinning mess. I couldn’t understand this man let alone myself. One minute he has me in his arms, his words laced with heavy innuendos and the next he is dragging me along taking me to get a puppy. A puppy.

I had no idea what that meant in the grand scheme of things. A puppy was something a couple got when they were inching closer to marriage or a baby, not something two strangers got together while in the midst of a property dispute.

“A puppy?” I asked again to clarify.

“If it means I won’t catch you wandering in the desert trying to make friends with the wildlife I’ll get you all the puppies in Nevada.” Luka’s hand clenched around mine, giving it a firm squeeze.

“It looked like a dog to me.” I mumbled under my breath.

Luka huffed out a low chuckle.

“Come on Ducky.”

Luka’s truck was everything I expected from a man like him. The large black truck gleamed with bright chrome trim. It screamed masculinity and power. If I hadn’t felt his large thick cock pressed against my ass last night I would have accused him of over compensating.

Luka opened the passenger door. Holding out a hand he helped me into the truck.

The soft cream leather seats felt like butter beneath me, molten butter, but butter nonetheless. The Nevada heat had absorbed into the seats leaving them nearly scorching.

“Buckle up buttercup.” Luka winked climbing into the driver’s side beside me.

His deep woodsy scent filled the cabin, wrapping around me like a lovers kiss, emptying my mind of anything but the memory of him pressed against me.

 

 

-

 

 

We had driven for what felt like hours through the hot desert. The landscape varied from what I had come across on my way in. Perhaps it wasn’t so much the scenery changing as it was my eyes finally being open to the beauty surrounding us.

I no longer saw miles of dry barren desert, instead I noticed the lush landscape rich with life and beauty. Clusters of Joshua trees gave way to rolling hills and craggy mountains with steep cliff drop-offs. Small animals scurried along the desert floor.

“It’s beautiful.” I said breaking the silence.

“Your first time to Nevada?” Luka asked, his eyes cutting to mine momentarily before focusing back on the road.

“I had never been out of Florida before coming here.” I admitted.

“Why did you come here?”

I took a moment to answer. My mind spun in a million different directions. I didn’t want to lie to him yet I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth.

“I just needed to get away.” I replied, my eyes never leaving the scenery in front of me.

“And Nevada was your first choice?” He asked a trace of humor in his voice.

I huffed out a laugh.

“No Nevada was the farthest from my first choice. But it was the only option I had.” I replied with a roll of my eyes.

“So where would you have gone had you been given the choice?”

I thought about his answer. Where would I have gone? If I couldn’t stay in my own home, where is it I would have gone?

The bright lights of Vegas flashed through my mind. I remembered being so excited about the prospect of buying land here. I remembered vividly my day dreams about walking the Vegas strip.

“What’s that smile all about?” The teasing tone in Luka’s voice only caused my smile to widen.

“I may or may not have thought about the bright lights of Vegas.” I admitted looking down with a blush.

“Ah, so you do have the desert running through your veins.” Luka’s hand pressed against my thigh, squeezing it lightly the way a lover would.

I tried to still the pounding of my heart, feeling sure he would be able to hear it in the silence of the car.

Before I could think too much about it, his hand was removed, returning back to the steering wheel, and the truck turned off the paved road onto a gravel road.

“Where are we?” I asked, my eyes scanning for landmarks, any sign that would give away our location.

I mentally rolled my eyes at myself. I had never been to Nevada before, let alone traveled the empty roads, so the fact that I could recognize a landmark was absurd but it didn’t stop me from trying.

“A friend of mine has a place out here. His dog just gave birth to a litter not too long ago. He said they were ready to find homes so I figured we would take a look and see if any called out to ya.” I didn’t miss the curve of his lips as a smirk appeared.

Turning my eyes back to the road I watched as a large house and barn came into view. It was magnificent. The scene reminded me of something you would see on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens. It was a large glass and stucco modern building with sharp lines and smooth curves.

The barn stood in sharp contrast. It towered high in the sky, painted a traditional red with white trim. Somehow together they looked in perfect harmony.

The land around the barn and house were covered in thick green grass, standing out of place in the hot desert like an oasis.

“Wow.” I stared long and hard as the truck bypassed the house, headed straight for the barn.

“You have a little drool on your chin.” Luka teased, his thumb swiping away at my chin, effectively closing my mouth.

“Oh, hush you. Let me soak up this goodness while I can.” I teased back.

The casual easy banter between us felt good. It felt right.