Southern Spice (Southern Desires Series Book 1) (17 page)

Removing his mouth, he trailed his kisses lower, first her ribcage then her flat stomach. As he kissed the front of her matching lace panties, he felt her hand push on his shoulders. He ignored her, his hand sliding beneath the waist of her panties. This time, her push had more force, but her tiny frame wasn’t going to be able to budge him. He lifted his head and looked at her, puzzled. The hot sultry eyes were now filled with panic. Why? How had he scared her? Was he going too fast for her?
That’s impossible. She’s the one who turned on the heat. It’s something else, but what? God, I’m so out of practice with reading women. I’m so fucked.
“What is it, sweetness?” He couldn’t believe it. She was blushing.

“I . . . never . . .”

“Are you a virgin?” He pulled his hand out of her panties, as the thought both excited him and terrified him. They had no future, and she shouldn’t have her first time with someone who didn’t believe in tomorrows.

“No. Of course not. I’m thirty years old.”

“Then what is it?”

“No one has ever . . . you know, kissed me there.”

She has to be kidding. A stunning woman like her and no man had ever wanted to taste her? What kind of selfish lovers had she been with?
That wasn’t going to be her experience tonight. Not if he could help it.

He pulled himself up so she could not avoid his eyes. “Why?” Casey tried to turn away from him, but he turned her to face him again. “Why, Casey?”

She closed her eyes before speaking to him. “No one ever tried.”

“And you didn’t ask?”

Casey only shook her head. It was then that he noticed how vulnerable she was. Why didn’t he see it before? Was it because she put on such a strong, invincible front? Did she hide her insecurities behind the rules and regulations of her job? How could he have, even for one moment, thought she wasn’t as sweet as she appeared to be?

There was no way in hell he was going to be a selfish lover with her.
Get ready, sweet thing, I am going to rock your world.
“Trust me, Casey, and remove your hands,” Derrick whispered as he moved his hand back to her panties while taking a nipple into his mouth. Sliding a hand inside her panties, Derrick ran his finger through her wet folds. Stopping at her sweet nub he applied a small amount of pressure as he gently drew tiny circles. When he could feel her at the brink of climaxing, he stopped the pressure and repeated the process until Casey was writhing and moaning beneath his touch.

“Ask me, Casey,” he said, trying to coax her. She half-growled half-moaned. Derrick chuckled and slid farther down, kissing the crease between her breast, then her stomach. Kissing and nipping one hip, then the other.

When his mouth once again found its way to the lace he said again, “Ask me.”

“I can’t.”

Rubbing her swollen clit through the cloth, he said in a firmer voice. “Ask me, Casey.” He wanted her to want it as much as he did. If that meant making her beg for it, so be it. But tonight she was going to know what it was like to be taken care of properly.

Casey shivered as he licked her inside thigh. “Derrick, please.”

Licking it again, but tracing the edge of her panties with his tongue, he asked, “Please what?”

“Kiss . . . me.”

“Here?” He rubbed his finger over the wet lace covering her center.

Breathlessly she answered, “Yes.”

Derrick grabbed both sides of her panties and slid them down. In the process, he heard the delicate fabric tear.
Fuck it. I’ll buy you a million pairs if I need to, but I have to taste you now.
In one swift movement, he tore them completely and threw them to the side.

She let out a gasp, and her hands reached out to cover herself. He brushed them away while parting her legs so he’d have full access to her delicate folds.

His mouth once again kissed and licked but no longer through the lace. This time, he kissed her in the most intimate way.

“Derrick,” she cried out as his tongue touched her sensitive clit the first time. His tongue teased her, licking and circling it again and again until her hips were rocking toward him to take more of her into his mouth.
Oh yeah. Open up to me like that.

His strong hands reached behind her lifting her closer to him.
God, she tastes like heaven.
Her moans increased and grew louder as he increased the rhythm.

“Derrick I can’t—”

“Let go, Casey.”

Her body trembled. Moving one hand he slid a finger inside her as he sucked her clit. Her cries of pleasure echoed through the still night. “Oh God. Derrick. I’m going to explode.” Her high-pitched voice shook with need.

She was so close, so he inserted a second finger and stroked her intensely on the inside as well as the outside. Her body tensed, and he felt her clench around his fingers as her body began to shake with her release. The waves continued, and she moaned calling out his name again and again.

It took everything in him not to climb on top of her and bury himself deep inside her. There would be time for that, but right now he wanted Casey to feel what she had not before.
You’ll never be able to forget tonight.
Her body slowly calmed.
Nor will I.

He knew her body was still tingling with desire. With one hand he removed his briefs and found the foil packet he had tossed on the blanket earlier. He quickly sheathed himself and adjusted himself to lie fully on top of her.

Casey struggled to look at him. “That . . . was . . .”

“Nice?”

“Amazing,” Casey said breathlessly.

He kissed her as he opened her legs wider with his hand then slid his finger once again in her hot, wet center. Her body tightened around his finger, and it didn’t take him long to find the spot inside that made her quiver.

She was ready for him, and he needed to be inside of her. Removing his finger he replaced it with his throbbing cock. Not entering but stroking her entrance, waiting for her to look at him. He wanted her to watch as their bodies joined. When her eyes met his, he not only saw the reflection of the stars above but such passion and yearning. For him. It made his heart race. He knew it wasn’t just her, as he yearned for her as well.

Slowly he entered her, letting her adjust to his size. She moaned and rocked against him. Casey was biting her lip to contain her moans, but he seized them with this own. He withdrew from her and teased her with his hard tip then thrust deeper into her. Each time he entered her faster and deeper, making her toss wildly beneath him. Her response only intensified his own. He brought her to the edge again and again, and when he thought she couldn’t take any more, he felt her body tighten around him.

“Derrick. Oh God, Derrick.” Casey’s cries were muffled by his own.

“Oh, Casey.” His body began to shudder against hers as he felt himself explode deep within her.
Oh God.
When the wave of the climax ended, he collapsed on her, her arms wrapped around him.

He tried to pull himself off her, knowing his weight was too much. She refused to let him go, and he didn’t have the strength or desire to argue with her. Lying on the blanket with their bodies entwined and their breathing slowing, they lay quietly, holding each other, neither of them wanting to let go.

In the quiet of the night he heard Spirit start to stir in the distance. Snorting and stomping. Derrick listened carefully.
Fuck.

“Casey, I don’t want to scare you,” he whispered still on top of her.

“I’m not afraid of you, Derrick.”

“That’s not what I—”

“After what we just shared, how could I be sca—”

He covered her mouth with his hand. “Casey, we’re not alone.”

She tried to sit up, but he kept her covered with his body. When he removed his hand, she asked very softly, “Don’t tell me it’s that darn deputy again.”

Oh, if it were only that fucking simple.
“Sweetness, you have to promise me not to move. Just stay where you are, and let me take care of you.”

“Derrick, what are you talking about?”

Spirit was calming down, but that might not be a good sign. Once everything was quiet, he waited. He heard nothing, so that had to mean one thing only.
Rattler. Fuck
. He couldn’t believe he’d risked her like this. She wasn’t from Texas, but he was. He knew the dangers of the land day and night.

“Casey, I’m going to stand up, then I’ll pick you up and carry you to Spirit.”

“Wait, what about my clothes?”

“There’s a rattlesnake somewhere nearby.”

Her entire body stiffened, and she practically jumped out from underneath him. He held her still. When she stopped trying to move, he released his firm hold. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her, but he knew the snake was going to be drawn to their movements and body heat.

Her voice shook, and she trembled. “I’m scared, Derrick.” Her head turned as though searching for the venomous creature.

Turning her so her eyes saw only him, he tried to reassure her. “Casey, I will never let anything hurt you. Trust me.” She looked deep into his eyes then nodded, and her body relaxed slightly. “Let me do all the work. You just close your eyes and do what I say.” She kissed him on the cheek.
I’ll never let anything hurt you. Never.

Slowly he pulled away from her. Once he stood, he looked around to see if he saw any movement in the grass around them. The glow of moonlight, incredible for making love, was not efficient for much else.

Bending down he scooped her high into his arms.
Here goes nothing.
Derrick, still naked and barefoot, took the first step toward Spirit. That also meant possibly moving in the direct line of danger.
If someone’s bitten, it’s not going to be Casey. Not my sweetness.

About ten feet from the blanket the distinctive rattle sound could be heard.
Fuck. Where is that bastard?
Stopping wasn’t an option. He needed to get her onto that horse and out of danger. Spirit wasn’t dancing around, so the snake most likely wasn’t around him any longer. That didn’t mean it wasn’t between him and the horse.

“Derrick. I’m—”

He kissed her on the forehead. “Don’t be. I’ll never let you go.”
Couldn’t even if I tried. Not sure how I ever will.

Taking a deep breath he moved forward one step at a time. Each step closer to safety. His heart was racing as they finally made it to his horse. He sat her upon Spirit and looked back where their clothing was.
Some things just aren’t worth it.

Derrick untied Spirit before climbing behind her. He settled himself. Casey looked amazing naked sitting on his leather saddle, but bareback on Spirit wasn’t ideal for him and his balls weren’t going to enjoy it either.

Reaching into the saddle bag he pulled out a small wool blanket and wrapped it around her. It barely covered her but was better than nothing. Turning the reins, he guided Spirit toward the house. This night was far from over.

She sighed and relaxed against him. “Let’s go home.”

Derrick tensed. He never referred to the ranch as home, and there was no way he ever could. This was the place he avoided at all cost. There was only one reason why he was still here, and she was in his arms now. But as he told her earlier, today was all they had.
When tomorrow comes, this will all be a memory. Nothing more.

C
asey woke alone in his bed.
That’s a birthday I won’t ever forget.
Stretching, she’d had very little sleep yet felt more rested than she ever remembered. If she were a person who wrote in a journal, pages would be filled. From her surprise party to lovemaking that still had her body tingling, everything had been perfect.
Well, almost. What was I thinking going out into the wilderness and getting naked? If I thought driving my truck off the road was embarrassing to explain, how was I going to explain a snake bite in the middle of the night while I was naked?
Even though it had been scary as hell at that time, she found herself laughing at it now. She lost all common sense when she was around that man.
And I’ve never felt more alive.

Getting out of bed, she wrapped the sheet around her and made her way downstairs, hoping to find Derrick. As it was each morning before, the house was quiet.
He did say it was only for a night. Tomorrow was here and . . . he’s not.

The thought made her ill. She didn’t want to want him, care about him, but she did. It wasn’t his fault he was incapable of giving her anything in return. He’d been nothing but honest about that. Somehow her heart wasn’t accepting that as a viable answer.
The risk of getting my heart involved.

As she began to climb the stairs to go back to bed, the front door opened and Derrick walked in.

“Good morning, I thought you’d left.”

He smiled, which was a rare but amazing sight. “I had an early morning errand to do.” He lifted a bag, puzzling her. “Figured clothes scattered all over the hillside might lead to some unwanted questions.”

Casey blushed.
Thank God, since they are not mine. I don’t want to explain to Sissie how I misplaced the clothes she lent me. I might as well take out an ad in the newspaper if she finds out.
“Thank you. You didn’t happen to grab my phone while you were there, did you?”

Derrick reached into his back pocket and pulled it out, tossing it to her. “I had to shut it off. That thing was making a racket the entire ride back here.”

When she reached to catch it, the sheet began to slip. Quickly she tugged it back in place. Although she would love nothing more than spend the day in bed in his arms, she needed to remember she was here to work.
And he had only promised one night.

Turning on her phone, she scanned her missed calls. Her mom and dad had called, leaving her a voicemail. She would listen to that later. It would be what they always do, sing happy birthday to her. No matter how old she was, she would never tire of hearing them. The next call was Mark. No message.
Oh, that’s not good. Please don’t show up here. I don’t need the questioning looks from you today.

There was one number that appeared several times. It was from her coworker; she expected an email, not a call. What was in the report that they didn’t want to put in writing? Did they have the answer she’d been waiting for? This call was one she needed to do privately.

“Thank you, Derrick. It looks like work is trying to reach me. Would you mind if I took the call in your office?”

“The office is all yours.”

His expression became unreadable before he turned and left the house. Why such a drastic change? Had she said something? Was it because she asked to use his office? That didn’t make sense, but then again, nothing between them did.

Casey had two choices: spend her morning trying to figure it out, or hop on the phone and see what her coworker had to say.
Maybe one will answer the other.

With Derrick no longer in the house, there was no longer a need to use his office. Settling herself on the couch, she returned her coworker’s call.

“Casey, where the heck have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you since dawn,” Donna whispered over the phone.

“Donna, why are you whispering?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you. I’m not even sure I want to send you this report.”

Donna seemed overly concerned. Casey hadn’t followed protocol for obtaining a copy, but there wasn’t anything illegal about her reviewing it. “It’s okay. I just want to see what our take on the situation was.”

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about.” Donna voice was muffled as she spoke. “If anyone finds out you’re looking into this, there’s going to be trouble.”

Why was she so darn dramatic? What possibly could be in that report to cause concern?
Guess there’s only one way to find out.
“Just send it to me. I’ll deal with the repercussions.”

“Casey. If what I think I’m reading is right, you’re going to be in way over your head.”

What?
We document facts, so there shouldn’t be anything questionable in there. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this. I promise if anything happens, I won’t mention your name. Now please send it.”

Casey’s phone beeped announcing the arrival of a new email. She quickly confirmed it was from the agency.
Too much drama to start the day.

“Thank you.” Donna didn’t respond as she disconnected the call.
Maybe the office is getting more stressful than when I was there. I’m glad I’m out in the field.

Opening the document, something jumped out right away. The report was lacking major details. Most importantly: documentation of Derrick’s accusations regarding the faulty dam. Everything in the report stated the damage was due to flooding from the hurricane. She knew there should’ve been an inquiry of some sort, particularly with a fatality, but none took place. If it had, the results never made it into the official report. If it hadn’t been for her conversations with Derrick, the report wouldn’t appear to lack details, but she knew otherwise. With the amount of anger that man had, he never would have kept his suspicions to himself. Could he be right? Was there a cover-up, and did it involve FEMA? There was only one name on the report, and it wasn’t their local FEMA agent. It was the supervisor in charge, Jeremy Talroy.
JT had signed off on this report? Why would JT not follow protocol?

Donna was right. Digging deeper meant things were about to get very ugly.
If JT was part of a cover-up, then seeking internal help could put me at risk for a lot more than just losing my job. What the hell do I do now? This nightmare is so not what I thought I was going to find.

Casey got up and paced back and forth. Should she tell Derrick? What could she tell him? That she believes he was right concerning a cover-up, but she had no proof except lack of information? No, that was only going to cause him more pain than he was already feeling. She needed someone impartial.

Going to Donna wasn’t going to work as she was already afraid, and for good reason. No, she couldn’t ask anyone else to risk themselves for this.

What if I find out the truth? It won’t bring them back, and I’m not sure how big this is going to get, or who else is going to get hurt.
This was something she couldn’t decide on her own. She needed a sounding board. Someone who would look at all the pieces and know where to go from here.

Grabbing her cell phone, she made the call she never thought she would.

“Late night?”

“I need to see you right away. Are you still in Honeywell?”

She knew if he weren’t, her serious tone would bring him back. “Haven’t gone anywhere yet. Want me to come to you?”

“No, Mark, I’ll meet you outside of town. What I need to talk to you about is something I don’t want anyone overhearing.”

Once off the phone Casey grabbed the clothes she’d worn last night, which thankfully Derrick had retrieved. Putting them on right there in the living room, she left the sheet on the couch and headed out. She’d noticed that McLean left the keys in the ignition of the old pickup truck. She quickly looked around but saw no one. She hated taking it without asking, but she’d return it shortly. This mission was too important.

She pulled away and saw the sun shining down on the jacaranda tree. She slammed on the brakes and looked up. It almost glowed as though Penny was sending her approval.
I’ll find the truth. Not just for Derrick, but for you and Kim too.

Seeing Casey wrapped in only the sheet from his bed had his cock aching to have her again. Being asked to give her privacy so she could work wasn’t how he’d envisioned the morning. But she was in Honeywell for one reason, and it was not him. That should ease his mind. He didn’t want to be attached to anyone again, especially someone like Casey.
You’re so fucking sweet. All I can do is cause you heartache. I can’t let that happen. Won’t let it happen.

Sitting in his F350, he used his phone to respond to his business emails. There was a big business opportunity. It would require him to be back in New York tonight. He would need to leave shortly if he was going to make the four-hour flight.
Maybe that is what is best for both of us. She needs to concentrate on work, and I need to get my head back in the game and out of my ass. I’ve already spent too much time on the ranch. Too much time with her.

Derrick started the truck and headed back to the house. He might want out of this place, but he wasn’t about to take off without saying goodbye to Casey. He didn’t want it to be goodbye, but they both understood this couldn’t go anywhere. He had unfinished business that needed to be taken care of before he could move on. Even then he wasn’t sure he was going to be able too.

He parked the truck in front of the house and went inside. She wasn’t in the living room, so he went and knocked on his office door. It felt odd knocking on his door, but she seemed to have wanted her privacy, and he was going to respect that.

There was no answer, so he opened it and found it exactly the way he’d left it, empty. Closing the door, he called out to her but there was no response. When he entered the living room again, he saw the sheet she’d been wrapped in on the couch and her clothes he’d brought back from their little adventure were no longer where he’d left them. He hadn’t been gone long enough for her to have called for a ride so where the hell was she?

Leaving the house, he made his way to the barn. The horses were there except for McLean’s and Bubba’s. That’s normal. Then he noticed McLean’s old piece-of-shit truck wasn’t there. Mclean was one hell of a cowboy, but driving and riding at the same time was impossible.

Could she have taken the truck? And if so, why? If she needed to go somewhere, she could’ve called him, and he would’ve gladly given her a ride.
Well, except I never gave her my cell number.

Why would she think that? Have I ever been there offering my services? No. I bailed her out of trouble, but that is different. She has no reason to think I would be anything other than what I say I am. A jackass.

That didn’t stop him from questioning where she would be and why. If he had to guess, Honeywell to meet with the townsfolk was his first choice. One thing he’d come to respect about her was she genuinely cared.
Another damn thing I like about her. Is there anything not appealing? If so she hides it damn well. I have an entire list of shit she wouldn’t like about me.

He debated stopping in town to find her, as opposed to leaving a note. Neither seemed right. He was leaving, and he had no clue what to say to her.
“I had an amazing fucking time last night, but I can’t see you again,” sounds too damn cold, even for me.

It was a stupid question and not what he wanted. Leaving wasn’t about not wanting her, because he wanted her more than he ever thought humanly possible. It was the fact that she brought out something in him he didn’t want to deal with—
feelings. And a whole lot of them.

This morning he’d awakened thinking of Casey. It shook him to the core, and he was physically sick. In five years, he’d never thought about anyone other than Penny. How could he forget, even for a moment? She’d been everything to him. He’d told her he’d never love anyone as he’d loved her. And he’d held onto that, until now.

He wasn’t sure what his feelings were for Casey. It was not infatuation, or simply lust; he wanted her. It was so much more. He wanted to know so much more. Last night, he’d thought they would lie awake making love all night. Instead they’d lain in each other’s arms and talked.

Why did he care what her favorite color was, or food? Did she like comedies or drama? He even asked about her family and childhood. He wasn’t just asking; he truly wanted to know. The more she spoke, the more he asked.
Why, Derrick? Did I think I would come across something that would turn me off? All it did was make me want her more.