Saving the Rain (Crimson Ridge #4)

by Elliott Rose

Balling my fists in an effort not to shove this twiggy-looking motherfucker out of the way, my grunt comes out gritty and forceful. “He’s got asthma, you shit for brains.”

Acting all innocent. As if he doesn’t have a clue that he’s gonna have jerks like that panting after him wherever he goes.

He looked ready to smash the dude I’d been talking to, all for lighting a cigarette next to me.

The whole drive back to the ranch last night in the dark, I kept replaying the way his Adam’s apple moved beneath his stubble as he talked. Kept seeing the defined veins on his hands, standing out like a map beneath the crowned skull he’s got on his right hand, and the vintage-style rose on the other.

Even worse is the throat-tightening realization that the moment I saw him grab that girl and walk off . . . it was the same feeling I’ve had in the past if a girl I had my eye on went home with someone else instead of me.

Except in this picture, I couldn’t have given a shit about that random redhead.

Why am I feeling any kind of way—let alone jealous—about seeing my stepbrother talking t...

I don’t need to be popping random boners and having sudden urges to jerk off, all because of a guy I can’t stand being around.

It’s my tattoos and my fingers that curl to yank that blond hair until I hear the soft little masculine whimper of pleasure in response to my command.

Scrambling to put a loan with a finance company in my ex’s name, just to get enough desperate cash at short notice will go down as one of the worst days of my life.

Now, I’m so close to making something of myself. I’m so close to actually achieving the rodeo dreams I’ve had my heart set on since the first pro bronc ride I ever watched. Since the first time I saw Raine compete.

I pocket the cigarettes. Ready to drive around the block and toss them in the trash like all the others, all the times before.

Overnight, I went from having only my own skin to look after, to make sure I survived his foul moods, to having two extra people under our roof to take care of.

I wasn’t the little kid to beat on. But that also meant his attention was far too easily gonna turn to the two people in that house who he could smack around any time he pleased. So I was stuck.

That plan I’d so carefully stitched together had to be reworked, steadily reconfigured, until the point in time I knew they would be safe if I wasn’t around.

I’ve had to physically put myself in the way and take punches that my father would have dealt to him, or his mom, if I hadn’t stepped in his path first. If I didn’t purposely start shit to keep his focus off them, then who knows what damage he might have caused.

I don’t want to acknowledge how itchy my skin feels at the prospect of never having a reason to cross paths in the future.

He’s become my sun, and without him, I don’t know which way to turn.

Because right now, all I want is to feel his body writhing beneath mine, to see him fall apart time and again, for me.

What I do know for certain is that I might die if he doesn’t slide his cock past my parted lips and let me know what it feels like to suck him down.

Raine has just given me something I could never have imagined. And as I stare up at him, I want to do it again. With him. Possibly only him.

“It’s—it’s ok.” “Good,” I murmur, wholly fixated on his mouth. “Because I don’t think I could stand not doing this any longer.”

“Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?” I say as I shift my weight to kneel behind him.

“Can you manage on all fours for me, pretty boy?”

“No. Raine. My name is the one on your lips when you’re taking my dick, snowflake.”

“That’s because my cock gets really nice and big for a little slut like you. With such a perfect ass.”

“Look how you’re taking everything. Swallowing every inch. Such a good boy for me.”

Raine starts to move, and I realize in that split-second that this man is about to drop to his knees. For me.

“And what if I enjoy knowing that I can make you spill cum like this, too? What if seeing you lose your goddamn mind like a little slut is the thing that gets me off hardest?”

“How hard are you right now, hmm? How fat does this perfect,” Kiss “. . . pretty boy cock of yours,” Lick “. . . get when you’ve got a real cowboy to look after you?” Bite. “How desperate are you to fill my throat with cum because you know it’ll please me?”

I want to drive through that gate with the taste of him on my tongue, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that Kayce won’t be thinking of anything else except what it felt like to feed me his climax.

Except, every fiber of my being hates the idea of him giving those eyes, that mouth, to anyone else.

Shoving at me, he lets out a little growl. A frustrated, gritty noise in the back of his throat. “Fuck you.” Before I can say anything in reply, he slams our mouths together.

“I know I’m fucked up for saying this out loud . . . punch me in the face if you want, but . . . I want this, not in a way that’s hidden. I want us. And I want what we have to be more than just a random hook-up.”

“There ain’t a question mark on the end of that. Come. Here.”

“Good.” His whisper is velvety and oh-so-delicious. “Because I need you.”

“Ride with me,” I offer. “I haven’t—I don’t think—” he stammers, eyes going wide. Bending to kiss him softly, a quick reassuring press of my lips, I hand him the halter. “I know.”

I really, really fucking like waking up with him right there.

This man is so quick to shoulder the load for others, and he’ll gladly do it all without anyone being any the wiser.

I’m the one he’s in bed with. I’m who he’s pre-planning ways to enjoy spending a cute little morning sleep-in alongside.

His lips brush over the shell of my ear as he whispers in a dark, gritty voice. “I fucking need you.”

This has gotta be the strangest place to realize you’ve fallen for someone. Standing in the middle of the grocery aisle, contemplating which cereal to buy, and the only thought in my head is that I know Kayce prefers to eat the pink charms first.

That’s the part I secretly enjoy. It’s him.

And then there’s the inherent worry; if I stay here, eventually, he’ll follow. Foul bastard that he is.

A bigger part of me is fearful that if Kayce is part of my life, that leaves him the easy target.

With Kayce? Now things between us have evolved? I can’t imagine doing any fucking thing without him.

“I just wanted you to be as strong as you could be, you know. I wanted you to be tough enough to survive without me there. I needed you to be able to survive.”

“I prefer this version of me. He’s the guy I want you to know.”

My golden boy who has no idea the lengths I’d go to if it meant keeping him protected. And now, in this new connection between us, to support him in being happy.

“If you think I would choose a drink over you, snowflake. Then you’re sorely mistaken.”