Love in Riverbend

Chapter 6

Dax

Six years ago

As we crest the hill, the skies open and torrents of rain fall in sheets from above. A few steps ahead of me, Kandace laughs as she runs. For a moment in time, I forget about my grandfather and the future. As my suit is drenched and Kandace's dress sticks to her beautiful curves, my only thought is getting us out of the rain.

Lightning crisscrosses from cloud to cloud as thunder rumbles the ground beneath our feet.

Lengthening my strides, I catch Kandace just as she slips on the wet grass. Her blue eyes come to mine as she takes my hand. Together, we hurry past the trees with the outline of our finish line barely visible through the downpour. Mud splatters as we refuse to slow. What was dry ground turns to running streams and my shoes slosh with each step.

We're both breathing heavily as I push the barn door open. From this side of the large structure, there's no climbing a ladder. We enter directly at the level of the hayloft. Once we're both inside, I grip the handle of the door and pull it closed.

As water drips down my face, I turn to the vision at my side. With her auburn hair soaking wet and her dress plastered to her skin, Kandace is an angel on earth as she wipes the rain from her face. “That came fast."

“Fuck."

I wipe the wetness from my hair and taking off my suit coat, shake it out. My suit is ruined and so are my shoes. I don't care. When I look over, Kandace has her arms wrapped around her midsection and is peering up at the opening in the roof as rain continues to fall to the hayloft. The walls echo with thunder merely a second after the inside of the barn brightly flashes as lightning streaks through the sky, only to fade into the shadows seconds later.

I reach for her hand. “Come this way."

Kandace's hand is cool in mine as we climb a stack of remaining hay bales. In another few months, harvest will be here, and this entire loft will be filled with hay. Once we get away from the rain to a drier spot, I wrap my arm around her and pull her against me. “Are you cold?"

Her body shivers as she nods. “Who would have thought? It was eighty yesterday."

My mouth goes dry as I stare into her beautiful blue gaze. I'm living in one of those moments, one that feels surreal. From being overwhelmed with grief only a short time ago, my thoughts are now completely and totally consumed with the woman before me.

My stare lingers on Kandace's.

Time ceases to move.

The rain and wind no longer register.

Leaning down, I kiss her lips before reaching for the buttons lined down the front of her dress. One by one, I open them. Dropping to my knees, I undo the final buttons as her dress gapes open, revealing her sexy body now only covered by her bra and panties.

Still on my haunches, I look up. “I didn't suggest going on a walk for this."

Kandace's soft hand comes to my cheek. “The way you look at me." She shakes her head. “I can't describe how it makes me feel." She grins as her hands fall to my shoulders. “My hands and feet are cold, but you just looking at me—you warm me from the inside."

My voice lowers an octave. “I'm looking at you like you're the most beautiful woman in the world because you are."

Her voice is soft as the drumming of the rain on the roof registers. “I only feel that way with you."

Standing, I push the wet dress from her shoulders, letting it fall to a puddle near her bare feet. The sound of the storm again fades as I gently push damp strands of hair away from her face. “I want to spend tonight with you. I want to get so f*****g lost in you that I forget about everything and everyone else."

Like a statue of a goddess before me in only her bra and panties, Kandace's smile grows. “During the funeral, I wanted to make you feel better. It was all I could think about." She reaches for my tie and slowly loosens the knot. Next, it's her turn to undo the buttons on my shirt.

Once the material is pulled from my arms, I wrap the dress shirt around her shoulders. I can't stop my grin. “My shirt swallows you. You're so damn perfect."

Kandace pulls the collar to her nose and grins. “It smells like you."

Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out my wallet. When I open it, I realize what I'm missing. My Adam's apple bobs as I look down at her. She's there also looking into the depth of the wallet before her blue gaze looks up at me.

“s**t. No condoms."

Her lips quirk. “I suppose you used them all with someone at the brewery?"

“No, there's no one at the brewery. I guess heading to a funeral…I wasn't thinking…"

“We don't have a commitment, Dax. It's okay." She inhales. “I'm on the pill."

“You are?" As I ask, a strange feeling overtakes me.

Why is Kandace on the pill?

Who is she dating?

Who has she slept with?

As if reading my mind, she answers what I have no right to ask. “My periods have been crazy and random. I'm not a kid. I'm twenty-one. The doctor thinks the pill will help regulate them."

My finger skirts over her flesh, down her neck and between her breasts still covered with the lace bra. I watch as I lower my touch to the edge of her panties. “I have no right to ask you to be exclusive." Even if I want to more than I want anything else.

“You don't. Not unless it goes both ways."

I take a deep breath, feeling the need to be completely honest. “There was one girl. We were on and off—now off. I know college is supposed to be some huge orgy, but it isn't for me. You see, it's hard to take s*x lightly when I keep thinking about this one girl." I grin and tease my shirt from her shoulders. “I can't get her out of my mind."

Kandace's eyes flutter as she concentrates on my touch.

When they open, she tilts her head. “I haven't been with anyone else, Dax. It's not because we're exclusive. It's that I'm not some slut who sleeps around. Besides, everyone here knows everyone else. I mean, I could go to Washington or Vincennes to hook up with a stranger, but I don't want that. I also don't want to be someone's notch. I mean, the only man I've slept with isn't mine to claim. Why would I want that from someone else?"

Me.

That's who she means.

My chest feels heavy.

“You're on the pill?" I ask.

She nods.

“We've never been skin on skin."

A rosy hue fills her cheeks.

“I'm clean, Kandace. I promise. After…" I hate saying this. “Her name was Allison. I found out that even though I was only with her during that time, she wasn't as exclusive. I went to the health center on campus. I was so f*****g mad."

Kandace reaches for the belt on my suit pants and undoes the buckle. Next, she reaches for the button and zipper. Soon I'm standing with my pants and boxers around my ankles.

She peers up through her lashes and smiles. “I want to make it better. For tonight, can we only think about each other?"

I nod as she licks her lips before dropping to her knees on the scratchy hay. With one sexy look up at me through her lashes, she opens her mouth to take me in.

Shit.

There is no one else in the world, no world beyond this hayloft.

My entire body ignites as Kandace swirls her tongue around the tip and runs her hands up and down my rock-hard shaft. My balls grow tight and my thighs tense as I begin to rock with her. I never felt as right with anyone as I do with Kandace Sheers.

Though I try to pull away as the heat within me builds, Kandace won't let our connection break, taking all I have to give. After the best f*****g blow job of my life, I kick off my shoes, pants, and boxers, and kneel in front of her, our noses nearly touching as we stare at one another.

Our breaths come fast as my chest presses against her breasts. Skirting my touch over her arms, I marvel at the softness of her skin. Our lips come together with a hunger that could never be satisfied with the food back at the church. It's as if I can't get enough of her.

Kandace isn't only beautiful with her lips bruised by my kisses, for there is more to her, a goodness within her that radiates through her smile, her laugh, and her words.

As I lay Kandace back on the hay and take my place between her legs, I have a momentary thought, one of her and me with a future. It seems that being with her is where fate keeps bringing me.

The daydream is interrupted by thoughts I don't want to entertain. I push them away—my mother and father and their ideals for a future in the world of success that doesn't include a connection with Riverbend, even if that's where my father's roots are planted.

Sitting back on my knees, I take in Kandace's curves lain out before me. Maybe it is because we took this road together, but I love how open she is. There's no shyness or uncomfortableness. It's just us. Running my finger through her folds, I make sure she's wet. A smile curls my lips as she bucks at my invasion. “You're soaked."

“The blow job turned me on."

“Note to self…start with a blow job."

Kandace giggles.

Leaning over her, I line myself up with her core and watch her expression as I slowly move inside her. Her eyes are on me as her lips open. Sounds come from her lips that range from desire to pleasure.

“You feel so good." My rhythm slows as her core squeezes me.

“Don't go slow, Dax."

Driving deep, I marvel at the way her p***y contracts. Like a f*****g vise, she holds me, and her noises grow louder. As with everything else about Kandace, her sounds are real. I flash back to thoughts of our first time. It wasn't the fireworks that others claim. At the time, I wished I was more experienced to make it better for her, and at the same time, there was magic in sharing our first with one another.

We didn't give up.

Each time with Kandace is better than the last.

As her hands grip my shoulders, I lift her legs over my arms, giving me the best view as I thrust in and out. What we're doing is another first, the first time I've had s*x without a condom.

The skin on skin is everything, the way I slide inside and the way her essence coats my c**k. I've never been so turned on, so hot, as if fire is burning within me. My thrusts come faster as despite the cool storm, my skin covers in perspiration.

It doesn't take long until her fingernails grip my skin as her legs tense.

“Oh God, Dax."

“You're f*****g beautiful."

“I-I-I…"

Her core contracts around me as she calls my name.

“I'm not stopping."

Kandace's smile grows. “We're not limited to the number of condoms."

“Oh, Kandace, we have a long night ahead."