I wanted to kick something. This was the life I wanted, not running the fucking pub. I shouldn't be looking for more staff for our adventure tours, I should be looking for a manager to take over the Frosty Brew.
I'd get on that right then if my father wouldn't lose his shit. The weight of his expectations was almost crushing at times. It threatened to knock the wind out of me, leaving me gasping for air. Struggling to breathe, like I was drowning. Being pulled away by the current and tipped over the falls. Crashed against the rocks and broken into a million pieces.
Sometimes I envied Riley, not having that kind of connection. Not having anyone forcing him to stay in town. What would I do if I left here? I didn't know. I might shove him and Leah into my car and drive. I didn't care where. Wasn't that how she found this place to start with? Driving until she found somewhere to stop. We could do that. See the whole country if we wanted to. The whole continent. The whole fucking world.
Aurora Hollow was home, but sometimes it felt like a prison sentence. A noose around my neck that I couldn't pull off. If it wasn't for Riley…
I kept those thoughts to myself as we walked past Leah's rental cottage. The place was in darkness. I toyed with the keys again, tempted to slip into her house, into her bed. Into her pussy.
I would, but not tonight. I'd fucked her when she was sober. I wanted her to remember every second of it. My skin against hers. My cock sliding into her while my hands pinned her. I wanted her to watch me come as I lost my release inside her. I wanted that to be seared in her mind forever like it would be seared into mine.
When I claimed her, I'd do it fully. Then she'd understand how much she belonged to us.
29
LEAH
"What are you doing?"Connor strode over from his truck, hands tucked into his pockets.
"Painting." I unfolded my easel and set it up a comfortable distance from the zip line platform. From here, I could see over the trees, and the sparkling snake of the river.
"No shit," he said dryly.
I glanced up at him and smirked. "You did ask." I adjusted the easel and turned to shake out my camp chair. "I like the view here." I gestured toward the trees, but my eyes were on him.
It was his turn to smirk. "Of course you do." Arrogant prick.
"Am I going to bother you, sitting over here?" I asked.
"Do you give a shit if you do?" He pulled his hands out of his pockets and crossed them over his chest, looming over me as I lowered myself into my chair.
"I wouldn't want you so distracted someone got hurt," I said honestly.
"Except me," he said with a slight tilt of his head, like he was challenging me to deny it.
"I don't want you to get hurt either." I shifted to get comfortable. "If I'm going to distract you, I'll move further away." Reluctantly, I started to push myself to my feet.
He placed a hand on my shoulder and pressed me back down. "Stay there. I'm not going to be distracted."
Was that a flash of concern I saw in his hazel eyes? The glance down at my legs confirmed that suspicion. He'd seen my discomfort and didn't want me to push myself any further. Although, moving a chair and easel a few metres away wouldn't exacerbate things too much. I was tender today, rather than aching. For now.
Unless you counted my clit, which responded to both his presence and his worry. Even his possessiveness.
I sat back down and leaned to pull a canvas out of the bag beside the easel.
"You going to paint me, Kent?"
"What happened to honey?" I settled the canvas on the easel and reached for my paints.
"I figured a change wouldn't hurt. So, are you?" He watched me squeeze paint onto my palette and pull out my brush.
"I might," I said. "Do you and Riley take turns? Putting people on and off the harness, I mean." Now I was imagining them taking turns with me. One filling me to the brim before the other topping me up even further. Watching each other while they fucked me.
Judging by the way Connor's eyes darkened, his mind went to the same place.
"Yeah. Keeps things interesting. Wouldn't want to forget how to do half my job."
"I'm sure you wouldn't forget." I mixed my colours together, trying to get the right shade of green for the top of the trees.
