Protected Pt. 09

"What about you?"

"I wish I could tell you. I'm totally turned around. I think I'm mostly north, and maybe a little west of where we crashed. Like I said, we're parked beside a well. It's the only one I remember passing."

"It's going to be several more hours before we can get organized here. We're still trying to care for the injured and Goose is dealing with the cops. This is a big fucking mess, and the cops crawling up our ass with a microscope."

"We're clean. Tell them the truth."

"We are telling them the fucking truth, but they're stilling giving us a train load of shit!" he snarled. "Fucking pigs!"

"Do the best you can."

"Yeah," he grunted. "As soon as we can get the cops out of asses, get the injured patched up, and get the old ladies and squeezes squared away, we'll come for you."

"Do what you need to in order to take care of our brothers and sisters first, then find Ricky and Limpkin. Willow and I can hold out until tomorrow without much trouble if we have to, but bring gas."

"Gas. Got it."

"I'm going to hang up and save the battery on the phone. If you need to reach me, leave a message. I'll check messages every few hours."

"Hang in there. We'll find you guys."

"Limpkin and Ricky first!"

"We're getting everyone. Don't worry."

"Thank God everyone is, mostly, okay," she said as I ended the call.

"Yeah. It could have been a lot worse."

She mopped her face. "It's hotter than hell out here."

"Yeah. Come on, we can sit in the shade of the tank. Thirsty?"

She looked at the low tank of brackish water that cattle drank from. "Not that thirsty."

I couldn't help but smile. We'd gotten off lucky. Nobody dead, and nobody seriously injured. "I think we can do better than that water," I said as I circled the tank to where the pump rod was slowly rising and falling. I pressed the float down, the bulb disappearing under the water. With a clank the pump rod engaged the siphon piston, and after a dozen or so slow rises and falls, water began to flow from the pipe into the tank. She allowed the water to run for a long moment before she stuck her hands under the stream and drank deeply.

"That's good and cold!" She drank again and then used her wet hands to mop her face. She stepped to where I was and held the float down. "Your turn."

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WILLOW

I sat in the shade of the water tank, staring at nothing with my back against the ribbed metal as the sun slowly sank behind us. Colt had saved me again, and Limpkin had, once again, risked his life so I could escape. I was nearly paralyzed with despair and the lingering effects of our flight, unable to focus as my thoughts leapt from one subject to the next without reason or pattern. Even in the RV I hadn't been as terrified as I'd been on the back of Colt's motorcycle.

Until today, these past three weeks, after Colt had spoken to Suárez, had been wonderful, perhaps the best three weeks of my life. I'd been living with Colt for just over a month now, sharing his bed, and I couldn't remember being happier.

Even after the attack in my house, and the news that the cartel wasn't trying to kill me, I'd had a hard time truly believing someone at Larke as responsible for that was happening, but at Colt's instance, I'd remained in Rio Lago, limited my contact with Larke Oil, and told no one where I was. Most of my contact with Larke had been with Dad as we finalized the scholarships. I knew he'd worked with legal and accounting to set up the scholarships, but when no attacks came, I'd further convinced myself we were mistaken about it being someone at Larke Oil feeding information to the cartel. Now this, and the evidence was nearly irrefutably damning. Only days after I received the scholarship papers someone had tried to kill me. I'd thought Colt was being paranoid when he insisted that Dad, and Dad alone, address the envelop and mail it, but he'd been right to be cautious. Probably the only reason I wasn't dead already was because the paperwork had been mailed to the Buitre del Demonio clubhouse and not Colt's home... something else Colt had insisted on.

I no longer doubted someone at Larke Oil was involved. We hadn't formulated a plan for how or when it would be safe for me to return home and to work, and now I wasn't sure I cared if I ever returned. It was clear I wouldn't be safe there now, and if we didn't find out who was trying to have me killed, maybe I never would be. Maybe I wasn't safe anywhere and it was only a matter of time before Colt washed his hands of me, or, despite his best efforts, the cartel managed to reach me.

Larke Oil had been my life until all this shit started. I couldn't say it was no longer important to me, but it sure as hell was less important than it once was. My ordeal had, if nothing else, opened my eyes to what was actually important. I glanced at Colt as he sat beside me, his head resting against the tank with his eyes closed.

I warmed in a way no amount of Texas heat could ever duplicate. Over the years, I'd had kind men, strong men, good-looking men, and good lovers in my life. Occasionally I'd even had a man who had two or three of those qualities, but Colt was different. He was the complete package. He was kind and thoughtful with me, but he was his own man and didn't let me push him around. He was the ideal combination of kindness and strength, and that was the thing I found the most attractive about him. On top of that, he was an utter badass when he had to be which made me feel safe, not to mention panty-dampening handsome, and a devastating lover... and he was risking his life to protect mine.

I looked at him again. After a moment, he sensed it, opened his eyes, and returned my gaze before reaching over to take my hand as a small smile tickled his lips. I couldn't imagine any other man in my life, other than perhaps Dad, willing to give so much, to risk so much, for me. This was more than hero worship... and I could no longer deny I was falling for the guy, and falling hard.

"Think they'll be here today?" I asked as my gaze returned to the darkening horizon.

"Don't know," he murmured. I wasn't worried. We had water, and the nights were warm, but I didn't relish the idea of spending the night sleeping on the ground. There were too many no-see-ums that bit. "We're going to have to deal with this, you know," he continued after a pause.

"What?"

"Your father."

"You don't really think he put the cartel onto us, do you?"

"That's exactly what I think."

"My own father?"

"Who else could it be?"

"Maybe he told someone. Maybe it was someone who was working on the scholarships. I don't know, but I know it wasn't him."

"You told him not to tell anyone where you were, and you reminded him of why. Why would he risk telling someone else?"

"I don't know, but I know it's not him."

"How do you know?"

"I just know, okay? He wouldn't do that!" I snapped. He nodded but didn't say anything. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"Everything points to him. A week after we gave him the address to the clubhouse, look what happens."

"What possible reason could he have for doing this?"

"I don't know, but I think we should ask him. Tomorrow, or whenever we get out of here."

"Ask him, how?"

"Just that. Ask him if he told anyone. If he didn't, then you need to start facing a tough reality."

"I'm telling you, he didn't do it!" I said, unable to keep my rising anger out of my voice.

"I hope you're right."

"I am! I know I am!"

He didn't say anything else, but a cold lump formed in my stomach. Despite my protestations, Colt was right. I wanted to believe Dad had told someone where we were, but the handwritten address on the scholarship envelop was clearly Dad's hand, so he'd filled out the envelop himself, just like we'd asked him to. All the facts pointed to him, but I couldn't believe he wanted me dead. It made no sense! There had to be another explanation! There had to be!

Colt pulled me into his side. "Hey... we'll figure it out when we get to Houston, okay? Maybe there's another explanation. If there is, we'll find it."

I mellowed. He knew I was upset with his accusation and was walking it back... probably for me, though I suspected he still believed it was Dad. "I know he wouldn't do this to me," I murmured as I relaxed into his side.

"I know. I've seen how he looks at you. Maybe your phones are tapped."

I felt a ray of hope. "You think that's it? I just made that up the other day as an excuse, and he said the office phones didn't weren't bugged that anyone could find."

"I don't know the answer, but I won't stop until I find it."

I was quiet for a long moment. "Why do you keep doing it?"

"Doing what?"

"Saving me. Why haven't you kicked me out on my ass and told me to get lost?"

He looked at me for a long time. "Because I can't."

"Can't what?"

"Kick you out on your ass and tell you to get lost."

"Why not? I've been nothing but trouble for you since you showed up."

"I just can't."

"But why?" I pressed. "Four of your friends are dead, at least eleven more are injured, and that's not counting Goose and Big Dick when they were hurt. Why do you keep doing it?"

He didn't speak for a moment. "I have to."

"But why? Surely the money isn't that important to you."

"It's not about the money."

"Then I don't understand why you keep putting yourself, and your brothers, at risk."

He was quiet for a longer moment. "I have to keep you safe," he said softly.

"I don't understand. Why do you want to be mixed up in all this when you could--"

"Because I love you and don't want something you happen to you, okay?" he interrupted, his voice soft but firm.

My words froze in my throat as I stared at him. "You love me?"

He paused for the longest moment yet, almost as if he were debating with himself, but his gaze never wavered. "Yes."

I couldn't have been more shocked if he were to suddenly turn into an armadillo. I knew I was falling in love with him, and while I knew he cared about me, and enjoyed me sharing his bed, I hadn't realized he was feeling the same way about me.

"When?" I whispered.

"When did I know?" he asked. I nodded. "I don't know. It just sort of happened. I've been feeling this way for a while. Maybe after your house. After that guy broke in, I was sick over how close he'd come to killing you. Even though I was hurting, all I could think about was how glad I was you were still alive. Then today, when I was certain we were going to die, all I could think was how I'd failed. Sitting here, I've been thinking about how glad I am we got away... not because I'm still alive, but because you are." He looked away from me and stared into the distance. "I want to find who's after you so you'll be safe," he continued after a pause, his gaze still fixed on the horizon, "but I realize if I do, you may not want or need me around anymore, so I want the job to continue forever. It's stupid, I know, but..." He shrugged.

I whimpered once then reached for him and gently twisted his face to me. "Do you mean that? Do you really mean that, that you want the job to continue so you can still be near me?"

"No. I want you to be safe."

"Okay, but after the job, once I'm safe, you want me to stay with you?"

He held my gaze, his face completely devoid of emotion. "Yes," he murmured.

I whimpered again. "What if I said I'd like to stay?"

He licked his lips. "Are you saying that... what are you saying?"

I pulled his lips to mine for a brief kiss. "I'm saying I think I'm falling for you, too. I've been fighting it, trying to convince myself it wasn't real, that what I was feeling was gratitude, or hero worship, or... I don't know what, but I think maybe it's real."

He watched my eyes until we broke into smiles in the same moment. He cupped my face and pulled my lips to him, kissing me passionately as he held me in his hands. "I won't stop until I find who's responsible for this. I swear," he murmured as our lips slowly parted.

"I know. I trust you. I trust you more than anyone else I know."

He bought his lips to mine again as he pulled me more firmly into him. The intensity of his kiss stole my breath before his lips left mine and traveled under my jaw to my ear, and then down to my neck. His lips and tongue were electrifying, lighting me up with passion, but it wasn't his kisses that were different, I was different. Finally putting words to what I was feeling, and to hear his words in return, was making me feel alive in a way I hadn't before. I couldn't believe he loved me! The greatest, most amazing, most desirable man I'd ever met had fallen in love with me!

I nuzzled his neck, desperate to kiss him and never stop, to touch him and feel his touch in return until the end of time. I knew I was in a euphoric rush, the escape from death and his profession of love a one two combination that exhilarated me beyond anything I'd experienced before, but I didn't care. I felt like I could fly around the moon and that nothing could hurt me, not so long as Colt was in my life.

He kissed down the valley of my breasts, opening the four buttons on my blouse as he went. I wanted him, wanted him more than any man in my life. I suppressed a groan as his lips left my flesh, and then gasped when he roughly pulled my shirt over my head and threw it into the dust. I didn't care, and I moaned softly with the release of my bra as his lips returned to mine for another scorching kiss.

I twisted away from the tank, falling to my back while pulling him down with me, his lips enflaming my desires to make my heart pound and my blood rush. I tugged at his belt, quickly opening it before loosening the button on his pants and reaching inside to take his engorged member into my hand.

His groan was deep and sexy as he thrust his rod through my fist, his lips dancing over my flesh as he licked and kissed, each press of his lips and caress of his tongue leaving behind crackling pleasure. Though the sun was setting, it was still hot, and the dry Texas dust coated the inside of my mouth, but none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was us.

We roughly stripped each other, our mouths never long or far removed from our lover's flesh, our gasps and moans of pleasure loud in the quietness, the only sounds the soft rustle of the wind and the slow rhythmic squeaking from the lethargically rising and falling pump rod. The hard, baked ground was hot against my naked skin, but my blood was running hotter still.

With a snarl, he tumbled to his back, pulling me with him as he rolled. I turned before falling across him, taking his rigid cock into my mouth as he pulled my hips over his head and drew me down tight. As I swallowed him, taking as much of his cock into my mouth as I could, his wickedly skillful lips and tongue began teasing my flower. Holding his cock in my mouth with one hand, I panted rapidly, trying to capture the breath stolen by his kisses as his caresses sent my desire soring to heights I'd never experienced before.

I pulled his member from between my lips with a loud gasp. He was destroying me with pleasure, the erotic touch of his lips and tongue more searing than the desert heat. I slurped at his cock, teasing the head with my tongue before taking almost his full length into my mouth, fighting my gag as I pushed my ability to the limit. I wanted to cry my joy to the world, not for what he was doing to me, but for who he was. He was mine and I'd never give him reason to doubt my love for him.

He growled low and deep in his chest, licking and probing with his tongue, pinching and pulling with his lips, as I struggled to take every millimeter of his length. I jerked my head back with an explosive gasp, his tongue titillating my button as he slid a finger into my wetness to tickle me with hard and fast strokes.

I swallowed him again, taking him deeper into my mouth than I had any man before him, desperately trying to return to him the pleasure he was giving to me. I pulled his cock from my mouth in the instant before I gagged, my climax beginning to surround me and rob me of control. I lay over him, my flesh burning as if the Texas sun were directly overhead and not resting on the horizon. I began to keen, holding his cock firmly against my cheek as I gripped the dusty soil with my free hand, my approaching rapture stealing control over my body from my will.

My orgasm exploded inside me with cataclysmic power. I became stiff as I reared violently, my back arched as I shove up with all my might while howling my climax to the world. My legs quivering, he continued to lick and kiss, pausing his fast finger fucking long enough to slide another finger into me to join its mate before he pistoned both into me hard and fast.

I was going to die, my body frozen with pleasure as every muscle twisted and fought against its neighbor. He'd saved me from the cartel only to kill me with pleasure. My long, loud wail ended with an explosive exhale as I collapsed over him. I felt weak and unable to move, my breath coming in hard panting gasps as he slowed his driving fingers and flicking tongue.

Using the last of my strength, I slowly rose with a loud groan of effort, turned, and draped myself over him. As his arms surrounded me, pulling me to his chest, I kissed him like I'd never kissed a man before. Our kiss was long and luxurious, and the deep, gentle caress of his lips gradually revived me.

I slowly pulled back from the kiss to watch his eyes. In our tumbles, we'd left the shadow of the water tank, and in the fading light, his gaze was intense, as if he were memorizing every detail my face. After a moment, he pushed my damp and dirty hair from my face before pulling my lips back to his.

As our kiss faded, I pulled back slightly and rose. He was sweating from the heat and his exertions, and in the evening's ruddy light, his skin glowed like a fire god, the droplets of his sweat glistening like liquid gold. He tried to pull my lips back to his, but I lifted my hips higher and reached between us to steer his hardness into me. I sighed as I gently settled to slide his manhood into my wetness, the way his face twisted with pleasure as he sank deep into me profoundly erotic. With a small smile, he took my face gently in his dirty hands, caressing my cheeks with his thumbs as we became still, two becoming one.

"I love you," he whispered.

I thrilled with how he looked at me, his face softening, his eyes bright as he said the three words that warmed me in ways the desert couldn't, and I smiled in return.

"I love you," I murmured in return as I lowered my lips to his.

He held me in the kiss as he pumped his hips, his strokes leisurely. We moved together, whispering of our newly discovered love and of our pleasure, both physical and spiritual, our passion feeding our love, and our love feeding our passion in return. We were bathed in sweat as we gave ourselves to the other, kissing and caressing each other and extending the moment. There couldn't be a more erotic setting. Time became meaningless as the desert descended into darkness, the only sounds the slow, quiet screek of the well and the soft murmurs of the breeze and night creatures. The whispers of the night, the moon glowing huge and orange on the horizon among a billion tiny sparkling stars, and his arms holding me in a tight embrace that I never wanted leave, created the perfect moment in time.

His embrace tightened around my back and shoulders as he began taking me with more urgency. "Ah... fuck! Shit! Fuck!" he snarled into my neck.

"Faster, please, faster," I panted as my orgasm began to close in around me.

Having him struggle to hold his climax as I urged him on always, always, got to me in a big way. I suspected he knew what his breathless announcements, grunts, and gasps did to me, and he did it because he knew it turned me on, but it didn't matter because it worked every... fucking... time... he did it. Between fucking me hard enough to work up a sweat, and straining to hold his orgasm while fucking me, pretend or not, his erotic struggles made me come like no man before him ever could.