Page 8 of Gourd Enough To Eat
From what I’d seen of her apartment last night, the chipped, second hand furniture that must have been sourced from every garage sale this last week in Forest Grove, I doubted Cadance had more than a few bucks left to her name right now.
And I wondered if her violent little stalker knew just how close she was to running dry on everything—funds, energy, even pluck.
I saw that in her last night when I kissed her, felt in the way she fell into my arms. The moment I offered her a little TLC, she submitted to everything I needed from her, opening to my kisses, gave me everything I demanded from her.
It’d been all too easy to rile her up into a hot mess on my lap. She’d cum for me in mere minutes, rolling her hips over mine until I thought I wouldn't be able to hold my own need back. It’dbeen damn close with her, the way she’d ridden me with pure abandon.
I hadn’t been so reckless since I returned from military service. There’d been a few women over the years, sure, but none, not one, was like her.
I could still feel the warmth of her curves etched into my palms, how she'd leaned into my touch the moment I encouraged her. The worst part? I knew she was my new addiction. Even though I shouldn't take advantage of the woman who latched herself to the first person who showed an interest in her, who touched her with care, I couldn't help it.
Tonight, I knew I’d go back to her, rather than stay at the ranch after I was done there like I should. Was it taking advantage if we both needed it? Hell, I didn’t know any more. The mechanic before me was still talking about her glitter van, and I hadn’t heard a word he’d said, lost in my daydream of the pretty girl riding my cock with too many layers of denim crushed between us mere hours before.
And tonight I’d damn well make sure there wouldn’t be anything but bare skin between her pretty pussy and my fingers and tongue.
The mechanic looked up at me expectantly, and gave me an encouraging nod.
I knew then that his price was more than I wanted to hear, but I’d pay it anyway because she needed to have that van running to make her on-the-road beauty business work. I understood that part all too well, the need for independence.
“Tell me again what’s wrong with it?” I muttered, promising myself I’d pay attention this time and concentrate on the pink glitter monstrosity in front of me instead.
The mechanic rattled off a list of internal faults apart from the single damaged tire. I winced as he kept going happily andknew I was in for a long negotiation before I could head back to the ranch for the afternoon.
“I always did wonder if the gourd business would cross over with your duties here.” Ash watched me with his arms folded across his chest like he knew exactly what I wasn’t telling him.
Daisy Duke whickered at my shoulder. I stroked her nose gently. “It’s one night.” My voice strained. I wasn’t sure if it was from the outright lie, or the omission I refused to say.
Ash nodded. “Uh huh. And one night will become two. Two nights will become a week. What’s her name, again?”
I smirked. “Did you think I’d give it up that easily?”
He shrugged. “I could try. So I’m worried about the wrong thing, then?”
My shoulders cracked as I rolled them. Daisy wandered away in search of fresh grass or another cowboy to fetch her treats. “Maybe. But point taken anyway.”
Ash watched me a while longer. If he was waiting for me to get fidgety, he was shit out of luck. Finally, he blew out a breath. “You’ve got a cabin here for as long as you want it. You know that, soldier.”
I nodded. “I know that.” He’d never drawn rank into a conversation before, and service talk was usually off the table, unless the conversation called for it. Apparently this one did, which meant that my feet were about to get itchy real damn fast. “Looks like I’m due back in town about now, then.”
Ash didn’t contradict me or try to stop me as I walked away, but by the time I climbed into the cab of my truck, my feet were a little less itchy, and I wondered if I wasn’t doing the wrong thing heading back into to town for a fling that wouldn't last more thana few weeks at most when my heart was set on a piece ranch land that Ash offered with no strings attached.
Usually I carved in the evenings as a way to keep the tremors out of my hands that seemed to come on with the bouts of exhaustion I worked into my bones at the ranch. There were more technical and mechanized ways to do it, but holding the chisel and lathe in my hands, working through the designs I drew on myself, calmed something in my mind, a lot like hyper focus, I guessed. Something that took all the white noise and chatter and pushed it back for a few more hours. Then, like I did with Cadance last night, I could finally sit still.
Those scant hours late at night were hard earned, but worth every minute to get there.
Tonight, however, I baked. Or, more to the point, I prepared. Because when Cadance walked through the doors I left unlocked just for her, I wanted her to find my shop—absent of Declan, who took the night off to give me space I requested—covered in a huge mess. Part of me wanted to see what she’d say. The other part of me had different plans.
While I waited for my newest addiction, I wrapped up a particular sugared treat with a sweet strawberry centre from last year’s local crop that Declan and I had stewed large batches into a compote and frozen them, and now it was time for their use.
I’d just taken the first batch out of the oven when the shop door swung inward. Not a tentative opening, nor did I expect her to be gentle this time around. Cadance had topped up her sparkly little love tanks last night. Now she seemed energized and I couldn't wait to see what the real woman underneath was like when she shed the cumulative months or years of fear, whatrunning on pure adrenaline had done to her when she got to be herself again and could simplyfeel.
I knew I couldn't achieve all that in just one night but damned if I wouldn’t give it my best. And the pretty little baked critter on the bake tray before me was my offering on a sugared altar to her.
“What’s it meant to be?” Cadance peered around my arm as I dusted the fat, four legged, strawberry filled critter with sugar.
I grimaced. “It’ssupposedto be the first in a batch of a family of capybaras. But this one didn’t turn out quite the way it should.” I poked at the oversized snout, and a little strawberry oozed out.
Cadance swiped the drop onto her fingertip and poked it into her mouth before I could warn her about burning her tongue. Her eyes flew wide.
