Scarlet (6 page)

“Fuck, you wear these things around me on purpose.” I slapped at her cheek playfully. “You could use a punishment for all the teasing you’ve been doing.” I caught her by the waist and nipped at her earlobe as we stepped into my master bathroom.
 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. Loup.” Scarlet turned, landing a cocky grin of her own on me.
 

“Pretty little liar.” I grinned and caught her chin, holding it in place as I kissed her deeply, plunging my tongue past her lips and down her throat. “I want this ass so bad I won’t be able to think straight at work today. You’re dangerous for a man like me,
petite
rouge
.”
 

“Why?” She spun, one of her arms suddenly around my neck, her leg hitched around my thigh.
 

“You make me want things I’m afraid you’re not ready to give.” I hoisted her onto the bathroom counter, thrusting my cock between her legs and pushed the plaid fabric down her shoulders, using the arms to tie her wrists behind her back. “Look at those pretty tits thrust out for me.” I held the weight of one in my hand, pinching her nipple a moment before moving on to the other. “You like when I look at you like this?”
 

She nodded her head, her chest heaving in labored, lust-filled pants.
 

“I wasn’t going to take you this morning.” I pushed her thighs apart and settled myself between them, sliding my dick in her silky hot slit and holding on to the few thin threads of control I had left. “And I’m still not, but clearly you want my attention.” My fingertips danced across her heavy breasts. “And mark my words, I own all your pleasure. The day you leave this house unsatisfied is the day I fail as your lover.”
 

“L-lover?” Her eyes flickered open and closed again.

“Bet your sweet ass I’m your lover. Didn’t I make it clear last night?” I grinned, catching her bottom lip between my teeth as she rocked her hips fiercely against my cock.
 

“Yes.” She shuddered as I felt her pulse and shake around me.
 

“So sensitive.” I swirled her arousal on my fingertips and trailed it up her skin, painting the glistening path across one nipple before landing at the bow of her lips. I pushed my finger into her mouth. “See what I do to you?” I husked as I watched her tongue whirl across my digit, tasting the arousal coating my finger. Her eyes lowered with lust as she sucked and pulled, cleaning my finger like she was starved for the taste.

“Now get in the shower. I’ve got to get to work, and you’ve got to spend some time with Gran.” I pulled her from the counter and landed another swift smack on her ass. “This is mine tonight.” I rubbed at the flesh of her ass cheek, then landed another swift smack, watching her milky flesh pink up nicely.

“Beau!” Scarlet turned after the second smack, her eyes wide as she rubbed at her cheek, a beautiful blush creeping up her chest.

“My mark on your skin looks good,” I said, the only thing going through my head at that moment. “Now get in the shower before I do it again.”

NINE

Scarlet

“Christ, woman, you can’t wear that. I thought we talked about this.” Beau’s large body covered the distance between us in a heartbeat, his fingers pulling at the torn strap that had once helped hold my dress on.
 

“I don’t have anything else, and someone got a little wild last night.” I gestured to the hem, a new slit up the side seam that revealed more thigh that it had last night.
 

“Shit.” Beau thrust a hand through his hair, then rummaged through some drawers and pulled out a soft, blue, plaid shirt. “Put this on over it at least.”
 

“You’re being silly,” I giggled, but secretly enjoyed his doting hands pulling the warm cotton up my arms and over my shoulders. I sniffed the cool soapy scent of his laundry soap and let my eyes flutter closed for just a second.

“Damn, you look even more beautiful now.” He caught my chin between his fingers and pulled me in for a soft kiss. My hands wrapped around his neck on instinct, my mouth open and welcoming him as I melted against his body.
 

A low rumble fell from his lips as he broke the kiss and held me at arm’s length. “Wish like hell I didn’t have to work today.”
 

“It’s okay. I have a hundred things to do.” I buttoned the shirt around my torn dress as I spoke.
 

“Well, make it a hundred and one. I want you back here with me tonight.” Beau pulled a pair of jeans up his strong legs and pulled a clean white shirt from his drawer.
 

“Yes, Mr. Loup.” A Cheshire cat grin turned my lips.
 

His growl was the only response I got before his hands were at my waist and he was spinning me in his arms. As he bent me over the bed, he pulled up his crisp shirt and the hem of my dress, his palm stroking my bare bottom as if he adored it. I missed its absence a moment later when he landed a swift spank on my right cheek.
 

“Ow!” I jumped and squirmed, his palm pressed at my back, preventing me from getting far.
 

“Mm, love seeing my handprint on your ass,
petite
rouge
.” He stroked the fading sting with his palms, leaving me surprisingly comforted. “Now, say thank you.”

Lust rocketed through my brain. Thank you? He expected me to thank him after a spanking?

“Scarlet?” his delicious tenor sing-songed.
 

“What if I don’t want to?” I turned, taunting but with an undertone of seriousness.
 

One dark eyebrow rose, and his fingers slipped through my dripping sex, swirling arousal across the skin of my thighs. “Thank me,
petite
rouge
.”
 

I watched riveted as he slipped his finger, coated in my juices, into his mouth and sucked it clean.
 

“Thank you, Beau.”
 

“Mmm…I’m saving the rest of you for tonight.” He grinned wickedly and helped me off the bed, righting my dress and locking his hand in mine.
 

Butterflies battered my rib cage as we walked through his cabin hand in hand. Down the front porch steps, the very same he’d carried me over last night, he escorted me outside and into the bright summer sunshine. My eyes glazed as bliss bombarded my brain. I could see myself here, with him, forever. I could see it. I could feel it in my bones. With him, I knew.
 

“Be a good girl while I’m at work, baby.” His warm gaze heated my skin, his lips descending to meet my own. Every nerve in my body tingled when he slipped his arms around my waist, and I pressed up on my tiptoes to return the kiss. I was definitely too short, he was definitely too tall, but together we were perfect.
 

“I’ll miss you,” I confessed when we pulled apart.
 

“Keep kissing me like that and I won’t leave.” He pressed another kiss to my lips, one of his hands fidgeting at the hem of my dress, dusting my thighs.
 

“Later?” I backed away, our hands still locked and stretching between us.
 

He pulled me back to him swiftly, crushing my body against his and landing another dark kiss across my lips, his tongue pushing further, deeper, longer this time. “Later,” he murmured when he finished.
 

I nodded, taking a few tentative steps backward, our gazes still locked. I waved softly, a shy smile on my lips, while his gaze held mine with unwavering intensity.
 

My cheeks burned with the smile that lit my face. I ran a hand through my hair, relishing the scent of him. My lips were still a little swollen from his kisses, my vagina felt sore and a little raw, but it only reminded me of where I’d been the night before,
where he’d been
.
 

My fingertips fell on my lips, and I traced the bow, remembering his body pressed against mine.
 

 
It was heaven, and he was heaven, and I couldn't imagine a single thing that could shatter this bubble.

TEN

Beau

I smoothed the grout on a row of outdoor tile just as my cell vibrated in my pocket. I had employees who did the manual labor, but I loved the feeling of accomplishment after a hard day’s work. There was just something rewarding about hard labor.

“Yeah?” I listened a few moments before my heart slammed to a dead stop.
 

Emergency. Next of kin. Signatures needed.
The words tumbled violently in my head.

“I’ll be there as quick as I can.” I uttered, hitting end call on the phone before dropping my tools and heading for my truck.
 

The last goddamn thing I wanted to do was leave right now, but I couldn’t live with myself if I stayed. My only priority was getting to the main house to tell Scarlet I had to leave. I wished like hell I could bring her with me, but I knew this was something I’d have to do on my own. The idea of leaving her now felt beyond unbearable, but what kind of man would I be if I did nothing and stayed? She deserved a good man and for her, I wanted to be the best in every way imaginable.

I barreled down the road to the main house, catching sight of Darla as I walked up to the driveway. I gave her a curt nod as I rushed through the front doors, hoping to catch a glimpse of red hair, but settling on Ms. Fair when she turned the corner.
 

“Have you seen Scarlet?”

“She left for a walk. What’s wrong, Beau?” Her worried eyes assessed my near-trembling form.
 

“I have to go to Pennsylvania.”
 

“Oh no.” Her eyes laced with sympathy. She knew. I’d had a weak moment a few weeks ago and confessed to her some of the darkest secrets about my past. I normally didn’t open up too easily to people, but Ms. Fair’s gentle wisdom and kind heart had made me finally let go.

“I don’t want to leave her. She means everything to me, and I want to be good for her, so I have to leave so that I can be worthy of her.”

“Beau.” She pressed a hand to her mouth as her eyes watered. “Of course. I’ll take care of her for you.”

“I don’t want her to worry, and I know she’ll worry about me when I’m gone.”

“The only thing you need to worry about is getting on the road.”
 

“Thank you, ma’am. I can’t thank you enough.” I gently touched her thin arm.
 

“Be safe, dear. And get back to us soon.”

I nodded, relieved the Scarlet would get my message, and someone would take care of my girl.

ELEVEN

Scarlet

“You look gorgeous today, darling. Look at you!” Gran stood and took my hand, spinning me indulgently.

“Having a good day, Gran?” I asked as I took a seat next to her on the wooden swing Beau had made and set up the very first day I was here.
 

“Wonderful day, the sun is out, what’s not to love?”
 

“It is beautiful, you’re very right.” I looked up at the bright sun, feeling like its rays were shining just for me. My thoughts trailed back to Beau before I instantly pulled myself back to the present.
 

“Scarlet, Beau was here earlier. He had to leave unexpectedly.”
 

My ears perked up instantly at the mention of his name. “Leave?”
 

“He was frantically looking for you. It was when you were out for that walk. He stopped by and said he had a pressing matter in Pennsylvania he had to tend to, but that he would be back as soon as he could.” Her eyes twinkled as she relayed the information. “He did sound very concerned about you, I think you’ve left quite the impression on him.”

“Oh, I don’t think so, Gran.” I tried to wave off her polite concern. I felt the ground under my feet shift. Was I not important enough for him to wait until he could speak to me? What could be so pressing that it couldn’t wait another hour? I was foolish to think that he cared. Maybe the time we had spent together wasn’t as precious to him as it was to me.
 

“Please don’t think ill of him, it must have been something very important to pull him away. I got the sense that he was not too pleased to be leaving.” She winked at me and offered a small smile.
 

Heat crept up my face. Gran had always been able to read me like a book. She chattered on, and I tuned out, my heart shuddering to a slow stop as I realized I wouldn’t see him tonight, maybe not even tomorrow night. I sighed, slumping in my chair and feeling like the day had gone wildly downhill in just the course of a few hours. What could possibly have pulled him away? And why hadn’t he waited to tell me before he left?

“Are you ready to read, dear?” The question pulled me from my thoughts.
 

“Yes, Gran.” I smiled brightly and held up the copy of
The Little Prince
, a French classic Gran had requested.
 

“Good, honey. Now where did we leave off?”
 

I began to read, my thoughts drifting away to Beau behind the wheel of his truck, driving all day and night to get to whatever had pulled him away in Pennsylvania. And I was here alone. Why hadn’t he even tried to tell me? A quick stop before he left? Was it too much to ask? Or was I expecting too much?
 

He was the only person I’d ever been with, and I didn’t want to be one of
those
girls, but deep down I wanted to be one of those girls and scream and beat his chest and tell him I’d just lost my virginity to him last night and now he was gone. The soreness between my legs was the only reminder that it’d even happened at all.

TWELVE

Beau

An old Merle Haggard song pumped through the stereo as miles upon miles of highway stretched before and behind me. Here I was, somewhere over the New York and Pennsylvania state line, and my mind was three hundred miles away on the little saucy redhead who shared my bed last night.
 

That I’d kissed like the devil had possessed me this morning.