Soul Searching (Sweetwater Peak, #1)

by Lyla Sage

“So,” I said into her hair. “You like like me?” I felt her shake a little against my chest—laughing, I hope. “That’s what you took away from my little monologue?” “It stuck out,” I said. “Maybe because I haven’t heard anyone say that since I was fourteen.” “I don’t know why we leave it behind,” Collins said. “It’s a good descriptor.” “Is it true?” I asked. Collins was quiet for a few beats.

“Easy there, tiger,” Collins said as she pulled back. Her lips were swollen, and her eyes were hooded. I felt a deep satisfaction that she looked that way because of me. Collins looked around. “It’s so clean in here,” she said. “Compared to your side?” I asked. “I’m sure.” “Hey,” she said, and gave me a peck on the mouth. “Don’t be mean to me when I’m getting ready to tear your clothes off.”

“Y-yes,” I said against her mouth, but Collins pulled back. The look on her face told me she’d caught the hesitation. “What’s up?” she asked. “Nothing,” I said, and I tried to kiss her again, but she turned her head, and I sighed. Her chest was heaving, and I was having a hard time not staring at her. “Talk to me.” I buried my head in her shoulder and groaned. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m…I got nervous.” I knew I was blushing—embarrassed. I wanted to be smooth, suave. I wanted to rock this woman’s fucking world the way she deserved.

I didn’t notice when she reached one of her hands around her back to unclasp her bra until she rose up again to pull it off. The silver barbells in each of her nipples glinted in the dark. “Holy fuck,” I breathed. I didn’t think Collins would ever stop surprising me, and the thought made me grin into our kiss. The feeling of her bare body against mine, along with the cold metal, nearly sent me over the edge.

“Wh-what?” I asked. “I’ll show you what I do to get myself off,” she breathed. “Do you want to watch me?” she asked again. “Yes,” I said. I didn’t even think about it. Did I want to watch her fuck herself? Yeah, absolutely, no doubt about it.

“Is this the type of underwear you’re wearing around all the time?” I asked. “They make me feel hot,” she breathed. “You are hot, Collins,” I said with a kiss to her hip bone. “Should I take these off, too?”

“God,” she moaned. “I’m so wet for you, and you haven’t even touched me here. This is all for you.” I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to touch her. “Let me help, baby. Please, can I help?” I was begging her. I sounded possessed, and maybe I was—by her. Collins nodded. “Please,” she said. I moved up closer to her, and I kept stroking my cock as I moved my other hand near her entrance. “How many fingers, baby?” I asked.

“Sorry. I thought I’d be back before you got up,” she said. “I didn’t love that,” I said honestly. “That you were gone when I woke up after we…” I trailed off and shook my head. I felt like an idiot.

Anyway, Collins cared about him, and I cared about Collins, so here I was on a Saturday morning, determined to fix this man’s roof. She’d had a rough couple of days, and she mentioned more than once that she was worried about him, and I wanted to help out in any way I could.

Just when I got to Boone’s front steps, his screen door swung open, and he stepped onto the porch. And he was holding a shotgun. “Didn’t you see the signs?” Boone’s voice was deep and gravelly. “No trespassing. No visitors.”

I held my hands up. “No funny business,” I agreed. “Maybe we can also put the shotgun back in the safe,” I suggested. Boone grinned—an evil, terrifying, grin. “It ain’t loaded, pretty boy. Don’t you worry about it.” Well, it was a very effective intimidation tactic—that was for sure.

“No pity here,” I said. How did he know how Collins felt about me? Did she talk about me? “I don’t have anything else to do today,” I said tentatively—trying to figure out the best way to word this, so that Boone would accept the help I was offering. “What should we do next?”

“What’s his name?” “Shadowfax,” Boone said. “Wait.” I paused what I was doing. “Like from Lord of the Rings?” Boone raise an amused brow at me. “Just like that, yeah.” “What does an old rancher know about Lord of the Rings?” I laughed. “I read those books long before Orlando Broom or whatever the hell his name is starred in the movies. I’ve still got my original paperbacks somewhere in the house. I stole them from my hometown library.” I couldn’t be all the way sure, but I think one side of Boone’s mouth tilted a little bit—almost a smile. “My saint of a brother replaced them years later, though. He was riddled with guilt.”

When the pins were ready, I grabbed my ball. I swung my ball back as hard as I could, but I didn’t realize that Brady was still behind me. I felt my ball connect with his body, and I heard him let out a shocked groan. I dropped the ball, and it had enough forward momentum that it started going down the lane. When I turned around, Brady was doubled over with his hands over his crotch. “Nice,” he ground out—it sounded like he’d lost his voice. “Got me right where it counts.” I slapped my hand over my mouth to stifle my laugh. “I’m so sorry,” I said. Brady looked up at me. “No, you’re not, you liar.” He let his head fall, and I heard him take a deep breath. “You got me good.”

I turned my body toward him more, and pressed my lips to his neck. I heard his sharp exhale, which only spurred me on. I slowly trailed my hand up his thigh. “Are you trying to seduce me, trouble?” Brady asked. “I don’t know—is it working?” “It started working as soon as I saw you,” he said breathily as I moved my fingers to the inside of his thigh.

“You pack light,” he said, looking up at me. “I don’t want to ruin anything.” My heart jumped into my throat, and it felt like I couldn’t swallow. I didn’t know that was something he noticed or cared about. I didn’t know if anyone had ever cared about me the way Brady did.

“I am inside you,” he said, and I could hear the grin in his voice. “You’ll have to be more specific, you know—use your words. I know you know how.” A vision of him kneeling in front of me while I got myself off and he watched made its way to the front of my brain. My back arched at the memory, and a shiver made its way down my spine.

I positioned his dick at my entrance and started to slide down. Both of our moans filled the empty shop, and I had to stop for a second. He was big. “I have to go slow,” I said. “It’s a lot.” “Then go slow, baby.” Brady leaned forward and took one of my nipples into his mouth again. Goosebumps rose all over my skin. “You can take it.” I slid down another inch and gasped. “Relax,” Brady whispered against my chest. “I’ve got you.”

Brady’s hips bucked up involuntarily. “Careful,” he breathed. “If you do that, this is going to be over before it even starts. How do you feel?” “Full,” I said, and I felt his cock twitch inside me. Brady’s head fell back again. “God, you better start moving if you’re going to say shit like that,” he said.

“You brought me here,” he said as he pressed our foreheads together. I held on to his wrists while his hands stayed on either side of my face. “It was you.” I kept my eyes closed—clinging to him and breathing him in. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked. “Waiting for the right moment.” I shrugged.

The man on the screen smiled. “But ten years younger, and a hell of a lot better-looking,” he said. Boone grunted. “Amos Ryder,” the man said. “Wish we were all meeting under better circumstances. I’ve heard a lot about all of you.” “Oh my god, he’s so pleasant,” I whispered to Brady. “I heard that, Collins,” Boone growled.