B9 Hometown Lover Read online

  "Don't," he whispered against my lips.

  "I have to," I mumbled. "It could be important."

  "Or it could be bullshit."

  "You want it to be bullshit so we can go back to doing this, remember?" I laughed.

  "Very, very true."

  I chuckled and leaned off of his lap to grab my phone. Amber popped up on the screen and I inwardly groaned. Not now. The last thing I wanted was to talk to my boss. I quickly stood up and answered as I wandered away for a bit of privacy.

  "Hello?"

  "Joanne! Thank goodness. I've been trying to reach you like crazy. Where has your phone been?"

  "Reception is spotty here," I said as I glanced back and watched Peter collect up his clothes and walk down the hall.

  "How's packing up the house going?" She asked, even though I knew she didn't really care about that. "When are you coming back?"

  There it was.

  I knew as soon as I left that she'd go crazy without me. Amber was young, attractive and smart, but when it came to kids she had no clue what to do with them. And she had three of them. I had no idea if she could even do anything at this point without a nanny for support.

  "Not for a little while," I said honestly. "As soon as I got into town there was a huge snowstorm and I've been locked in since then at a friend’s place. As soon as the road is cleared we're going to drive back to my place and get it finished up. I did quite a bit of work on it already."

  I heard her sigh. "Thank goodness. The children are asking for you and I know they miss you."

  I smiled. "I miss them too. How's the temp from the agency working out?"

  Amber scoffed. "She's awful! Yesterday she completely forgot Kylie's piano lessons and skipped Kyle's tutoring. I just… cannot with this woman. Please, hurry and come back, okay? I'll throw in a hefty bonus this year if you do."

  I nodded. "Sure. I'll see what I can do."

  "Really, please do so as fast as possible. If you need me to I'll wire the bonus early."

  "Well, my car broke down, Amber. I still have to wait for it to be fixed, you know? Right now we're just waiting on the snow and the plow. Peter says there's a lot of ranches and they can't get to them all so quickly. Part of living in a small town."

  "That sounds awful," she said and I could imagine her nose all scrunched up in disdain. "Just please do your best. I'm swamped here. Edward isn't home, the baby doesn't sleep and I'm at my wit's end."

  "Try the agency again," I suggested. "That's why I gave you their number. They're good at finding you exactly what you need. I'll be back as soon as I can."

  "Thanks, darling. Kylie do not climb on that!"

  The call ended and I sighed. That was the end of the fantasy. Real-life didn't stop for anyone and I knew that neither would Amber. She barely liked to wait on things that were good, let alone things that inconvenienced her. I knew I had to get back to reality at some point, but not so soon. I'd wanted to fantasize a little longer.

  "Who was that?" Peter asked as his arms wrapped around my waist. "Was it important?"

  I sighed and leaned back against him. "No, not that important."

  "You sure hightailed it across the room when you took it. Are you sure?" He asked.

  "Yeah, I'm sure."

  I turned in his arms and stepped up on my tiptoes before I placed a kiss on his lips. He kissed me back but I felt hesitation behind it for a minute. I pulled away and patted him on the chest before I nodded.

  "Alright, time for me to go and take a shower and then we should refuel. I'm not finished with you today."

  Peter grinned. "Is that so?"

  "Absolutely," I chuckled. "You're welcome to join me in the shower."

  We headed there together, but my mind was still on Amber. I knew that I could probably stretch things out about two weeks and then I'd have to go home. One way or another. I glanced at Peter as he adjusted the water for our shower. He seemed so hopeful and happy. I didn't want to shatter that. Not yet. Even if it was selfish, I couldn't bring myself to tell him that my boss wanted me back so soon.

  "Earth to Jo. Are you there?" He asked as he ran a thumb over my cheek.

  I leaned into his palm. "Here. Just a little tired."

  "Are you sure?" He asked as he frowned. "You know if something's bothering you that you can talk to me, right? That's never changed."

  I saw the worry in his sweet brown eyes. The fact that he always wanted to protect me and look after me made everything feel worse. He deserved someone that would stick around. Not me. Besides, there was no way I could just hang out on his ranch. I loved my career and I wanted to get back to it as soon as possible. I realized he was staring at me and I quickly lifted my head and smiled.

  "I'm fine," I said with a nod. "I really am a little worn out from ranch work and from your housework," I grinned as I traced my fingers over his firm muscles.

  He burst out laughing. "I guess that has been a bit exhausting. Let's get you cleaned up and then we can eat on the couch and watch a movie."

  "That sounds like heaven," I sighed.

  It really did.

  Chapter 10

  Peter

  I watched Joanne stare at her phone again for the tenth time that day. She'd been distracted by it since the phone call the day before. I also wondered if she was getting a bit of cabin fever being locked in the house for so long. I'd finally gotten word that the plow would be hitting me next, but it had gone down for a while and they still needed to get it back up and running.

  I was used to it. Every winter I usually spent a good week on my own. It had almost been a week this time around.

  She's probably antsy.

  "If you keep staring at that phone you're gonna go blind," I said as I reached down and petted Rory. He took everything he could get before he trotted over to Jo Jo and glanced up at her expectantly.

  "I will not," she countered as she put the phone down and stroked Rory too. "Sorry, I know I've been distracted. Just setting everything up with the house and the trip back home. It's a lot."

  I frowned. "Can I do anything to help?"

  Joanne smiled but shook her head. "No, honestly I have it all under control. I'm just a little frazzled."

  "Well, I'll make sure we get your car up and running for you so you won't break down on the way back. I can't stop thinking about you being stranded in the desert and not having a way home."

  She smiled. "Aww, you care about me."

  I waved a hand. "You're okay. Don't push it."

  We both laughed and sipped at our coffee. As much as I didn't want her to leave, I knew I couldn't hold her back. She had a whole life in Vegas and I wouldn't be the one to stop it. Not even if I kept thinking about her in ways I never imagined.

  "You never told me about the family you nanny for. Are they good people?" I asked.

  Joanne nodded. "I mean the best they can be. Usually, they're busy and don't have much time for the kids, but it's hard to maintain a certain lifestyle if you're not working all the time."

  "What about the kids? How are they?"

  I watched her face lighten up. "They're great. Kyle and Kylie are twins. Eight. They're always playing pranks on someone and getting in trouble. You'd think they were little adults though, how packed their schedules are. John is the baby. He's a fussy one but if I hold him he's quiet all day. It's just hard to get things done with one hand," she laughed.

  "You seem like you really love it," I said.

  "I do love working with kids. They're still so sweet and innocent. And all they really want is love and attention. I think their parents want the best for them so badly that they forget the kids would rather have them."

  "Just like when we were kids," I said.

  "Just like that," she nodded. "That's why it makes me so happy to give them what they might otherwise be lacking. It can be a lot of hard work and sometimes being around all that glitzy drama makes me dizzy, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I always want to work with kids. What about you? I remembe
r once you didn't want to work on the ranch."

  I laughed. "Yeah, I was pretty stubborn about that, huh? I swore I was going to be a pro football player."

  "Whatever happened to that dream?" She asked.

  I shrugged. "My dad died and I realized there was just me and my mom in the world now. I had to look out for her and make sure she could go on living. It didn't help that we found out she was sick shortly after. We needed all the money we could for treatment. She died two years ago."

  Jo Jo reached across the table and laid her hand on mine. She gave me a squeeze and I smiled at her. I could see the tears in her eyes and I quickly reached across and brushed them away.

  "None of that. She had a great life and now she's with my dad. I'm okay," I pressed.

  She shook her head. "I should have been here for you. Two years ago I was doing nothing. I should have been the one that you could call and tell everything to. I'm a shitty friend."

  "Hey, no you're not," I said quickly as I moved from my chair and pulled her face against my chest. "Don't say that about yourself. You had your own pain to deal with. It's not your job to take on everyone else’s."

  "Not everyone’s," she said as she sniffled and shook her head. "Just yours. You did so much for me and I turned my back on you."

  I lifted her head up and shook my head. "You were just trying to survive. Now, stop blaming yourself, okay? I'm alright. The ranch is alright. Life is exactly the way it's supposed to be for me right now. What more could I want?"

  Besides maybe you coming back home. Now that I would love to see. I did want her back home. I hadn't realized just how much I missed her until she came back. The easy way we talked, the way we fit together perfectly as if we hadn't missed a step. That's what I wanted. My friend back.

  "Sorry," she whispered as she rubbed at her cheeks. "I'm so emotional right now it's ridiculous."

  "You've been through a lot. You're allowed," I said as I leaned down and kissed her forehead.

  "You always make me feel better."

  Joanne stood up and wrapped her arms around my waist. I smiled down at her. I did love that I could make her feel better. To me, it was easy to make her smile and I loved the fact that I could.

  "I like to think I help," I laughed.

  "You could help me more," she whispered as her hand pushed underneath my shirt.

  I raised a brow. "Oh, really now?"

  Joanne grinned. That was all I needed.

  I kissed her deeply, my hand on the back of her neck as we pushed our bodies together. She traced lines over my stomach and back as I groaned against her lips and coaxed them open with my tongue. My tongue ran over hers and she melted in my arms.

  I pulled her shirt over her head after I leaned back and threw it to the floor. She reached back and undid her bra and let it join her shirt. As soon as I could see them, I lavished her nipples with attention. Her head tipped back, her mouth open as she moaned and gripped my hair lightly. Her eyes fluttered closed and she groaned as she held onto me. I nipped and licked her flesh until her nipples were hard and ready. My lips wrapped around them one by one as I sucked on them and pushed my hand into her pants.

  Joanne moaned and jutted her hips out toward me. My fingers spread her open and explored just how wet she was. I dipped a finger into her slit and she gasped against me. I quickly crooked my finger and stroked her walls as she moaned and gripped me tightly.

  "Mmm," she moaned. "You always find my spot in five seconds."

  I grinned. "Would you like me to fumble around clueless for a while?"

  "Hell no," she replied.

  I chuckled. My finger pulled free and I went to undo her pants, but she pushed my hands away. Joanne reached down and undid the tie on my sweatpants. I watched as she pushed them down my hips along with my boxers completely exposing me to her green-eyed gaze. My cock was already hard.

  I was always ready when I was around her, I was finding out.

  She wrapped her palm around my shaft and stroked slowly until I shivered in delight. I watched as she lowered herself down to her knees and looked up at me. Slowly, she licked the head of my cock and I groaned deeply. Pleasure tingled up my spine as she bathed me with her tongue slowly and teasingly. Each new pass made my knees want to buckle.

  "Shit," I swore under my breath. "You're way too good at that."

  Joanne grinned up at me before she engulfed my length completely. Her head bobbed up and down as she sucked her cheeks in and moaned. She stroked what wouldn't fit in her mouth, her hands fondling my balls as I groaned and gripped her red hair.

  I closed my eyes and gave in completely to the pleasure that flooded me. My hips jerked and twitched as her saliva coated every inch and coaxed moans out of my mouth.

  "No more," I hissed after a while. "Get up."

  Instead, Joanne removed her mouth from my cock and trailed it over my balls. She licked and sucked them gently, drowning me in pleasure as I held onto the table for support. My balls tightened and I quickly pulled away before I could lose myself completely.

  "Up," I growled.

  Joanne grinned as she slowly rose to her feet.

  Look at her. Damn proud of herself.

  I knew she loved almost bringing me to my knees. I would repay her the favor. I quickly grabbed her and pushed her onto the table before I yanked her hips back toward me. My hands ripped the shorts down her slender thighs before she groaned and pushed herself back toward me eagerly.

  I took my time and dug into the pocket of my sweats before I produced a condom. Quickly, I tore it open with my teeth and slipped it onto myself. The minute I touched her she shivered and I watched her hand disappear between her thighs so that she could rub herself.

  I pushed my cock against her opening and rubbed it up and down. Each time I started to spread her open even a little I pulled away and started all over again. Joanne groaned in frustration.

  "Say please," I teased.

  "Fuck you," she laughed.

  "Come on, Peter. Please," she added as she glanced over her shoulder. "Stretch me open with your big cock."

  I swallowed hard and shivered. Damn. She seriously knew exactly how to get me and it took her no effort at all. I growled and she grinned. We both knew she'd won. I pushed inside of her and bucked my hips. The smile disappeared as she gasped and held onto the table, bouncing and moaning wildly.

  "That's what I thought," I said against her ear.

  I gripped her hips and pressed inside of her until I couldn't go any deeper. My body flush against hers was pure heat. I thrust and she jolted before she pressed back against me. She reached behind her and spread herself for me giving me easier access to her.

  Each thrust against her echoed the sound of our skin as it slapped together. The sharp sting to my thighs was more than welcome if I could keep moving inside of her like I was at that moment. She threw her head back, my name on her lips as she cried out and pushed back against me as hard as she could.

  The table rocked and pitched underneath us. I was almost sure we were going to break it. Joanne didn't seem to notice or care. She was in a world completely of her own.

  "Yes!" She cried out as she tightened around me. "Right there!"

  The way she clenched around my shaft made me explode. I thrust hard and deep until I came hard. I leaned down, panting and euphoric as I nipped her shoulder. She groaned and shuddered underneath me.

  "Weren't we supposed to be doing something?" She asked after we stayed together for a little while.

  "I have no thoughts anymore sweetheart," I mumbled.

  Joanne cracked up and I grinned as I kissed her back. I knew it was just a fling, but damn I wished it would last longer.

  Chapter 11

  Joanne

  "If we keep doing this we're both going to be reduced to five pounds and die in this bed," Peter mumbled.

  I laughed. "You're so dramatic. Come on, get up."

  He growled, wrapped an arm around me and yanked me close against his body. I laughed. I h
ad to admit it was easy to relax with him and forget that the rest of the world existed. His lips brushed against the back of my neck and I shivered.

  "We're never going to make it out of this bed, are we?" I sighed.

  "Not yet at least," Peter mumbled back against my skin.

  He snatched the blanket off of my body and climbed on top of me. Who was I to fight such an amazing invitation? I eagerly wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed him as he grinned and nipped my flesh. He was so eager with me. I couldn't remember ever being so wanted and I really loved the fact that he did want me all the time.

  We panted when we were done, all wrapped up in each other's arms as sweat pooled and dripped off of our bodies. I didn't care. I could cuddle with him for the rest of the day. The snow was still outside, the heat was perfect inside and I was happy and comfortable.

  I don't ever want to leave.

  That thought jolted me. Had I really just thought that I never wanted to leave? Of course I had to leave. I had a job, a home, a life waiting for me back in Vegas. I tensed up and Peter shifted until his head rested in his palm.

  "What's wrong?"

  I loved and hated how quickly he could read me. Peter seemed to know my body and every little tense motion that I made. I shook my head as he glanced at me expectantly. I wasn't going to tell him what was going through my head. It was silly and it was me being weird about the situation. I knew what this was, what we were doing, and I loved it. Why ruin it?

  I stroked my finger over his cheek. "Nothing. I was just thinking about how hungry I am and how hungry the cows must be."

  He grinned. "It's time to be adults, isn't it?"

  I nodded. "Had to happen at some point."

  Peter groaned, but pulled me out of the bed. Instead of letting me walk, he pulled me into his arms and carried me bridal style into the bathroom. I would have protested, but my legs still felt like absolute jello and I was pretty sure they'd give out if he put me down.

  He sat me on the edge of the tub and turned on the shower before he climbed inside. I watched the water roll off his strong body. Every inch was muscled and powerful. It made me want to lick him all over.