Chapter thirty-three

Amy watched out of the window as they drove, fascinated by the difference between here and Connecticut and already trying to imagine what Mark's house would be like. It was warmer here, even though it was only February, but Mark had warned her to pack warm clothes as it could get bitterly cold at night, and the sun was already starting to set. She listened raptly as Mark started talking about the surrounding area and pointed out different things of interest. She had lived in San Antonio herself, but she hadn't stayed there long and had never really been out to explore her surrounds, so it was all like looking at Texas through new eyes.

By the time they entered a wide driveway that seemed to go on for miles, Amy was feeling a little apprehensive. She had dreamed about being alone with Mark for ages now, but now she actually was she felt a bit nervous about what was to come. Not that she thought he would hurt her, not if he could help it, but she knew that whatever he started this time, he wouldn't stop. She bit her lip as she looked at him, her eyes going to his huge body and imagining it covering hers, and she felt her face heat at the stark images this conjured up.

Mark turned to look at her briefly, and he gave a confused smile. "What's all that colour for, darlin'?"

"Er...nothing," she said and cleared her throat, looking out of the window to see a beautiful sprawling ranch house coming into view. It was made of various misshapen stone blocks and huge timber beams, all built up to form a solid structure that looked like it had been standing since the civil war. "Oh Mark, it's beautiful," she said in a hushed whisper, her eyes taking in the surrounding fields. She could see cows far in the distance and what appeared to be a lake of some sort closer to the house. Everywhere she looked there were trees. She had expected it to be a barren landscape, but this was breathtaking. Barns were visible in the distance along with another house, and she pointed to it as Mark parked the car. "What's that house over there?"

"That's where the people who run this place live," he explained, getting out of the car and coming around to open her door and get her out too. "You remember I said it was a working ranch? Well, I make some money from this operation, but it's only small. Most of the profits go to Sam and Rachel because they keep the place going, and I sort of like it like this. I don't know I'd have the patience to run it myself. The cattle over there are mine and so is pretty much all the land you can see. We can explore it all tomorrow, but for now, let me show you my home."

He took her hand and tugged her along onto the wide porch that ran all the way around the building, opening the big front door and pulling her inside. Amy looked around her and her eyes widened in amazement. Everything was made of wood by he looks of it. The floors were polished oak, as was the staircase, the panelled walls, all the doors and the furniture that was scattered around the enormous hallway. The rooms that led off the large space also had heavy wooden furniture in them. It was very obviously done to a masculine taste, but it wasn't overbearing by any means, and she loved it on sight. She let Mark take her from room to room, her smile turning into a grin when she saw the kitchen and all it's ultra modern accessories. She knew she would love cooking in this room and she was already planning meals that would tempt Mark. There was a study which was even more overtly masculine than the rest of the house, a sitting room, a television room and a fully fitted gym. A swimming pool led off from the gym, and a fully fitted bathroom was next door to that. The garden that she could spy out of the windows was well kept and full of blooms of various sorts and she couldn't wait to go outside and have a look, but Mark quickly had her walking up the stairs in front of him so he could show her the bedrooms.

There were several guest rooms, all decorated in keeping with the style of the house and all with small en-suite bathrooms. There was a main bathroom and it had a massive Jacuzzi in it, something that Mark planned to get Amy into before her visit was up. The biggest room upstairs was Mark's bedroom, though, and he stood watching her look around the room, interested in how she would like it. She could sense him waiting for her to say something and she turned to him, smiling shyly. "It's such a lovely house," she told him, going into his arms as he held them out to her, his eyes closing as he pulled her against him.

"Do you think you'll be happy here, sweetheart?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.

"I think I'm going to love it here," she replied, tilting her head back so she could receive a kiss on the lips when he bent again.

"And you won't mind staying in this room, with me? I've got lots of closet space for your stuff you know, plus there are spare drawers too," he said, raising his eyebrows.

"I wouldn't want to stay in any other room," she said, looking at the huge bed that dominated the room.

"I was worried you wouldn't like it," he admitted, laughing self-consciously. "Most people think my taste is a bit...old fashioned, I guess."

"I don't, I love all of it. Especially the kitchen! I can't wait to cook in there!"

"Well, no point in waiting for long, I'm starving and I happen to know that Rachel stocked the refrigerator up. Come on woman," he said, pulling her swiftly out of the room and towards the staircase, "feed me!"

Amy giggled as he pulled her faster than she could walk and then picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, nearly jogging as he went bounding down the stairs. "Put me down, you big moron!"

He didn't stop until they were in the kitchen, then he dropped her so she was sitting on the counter and put his arms either side of her, leaning in and narrowing his eyes. "What did you call me?"

"I can't tell you that, you'll just tell me off," she said, still laughing.

"Yeah, I just might at that. Okay, I'll let you off this time, as long as you feed me," he growled, leaning in to bite her neck. "Better hurry or I'll end up eating you!"

"Okay!" she squealed, trying to push him away. "I can't feed you unless you let me down from here!"

He pulled back reluctantly and smiled at her, feeling happier than he had in some time. "I guess I'll have to let you go then, I have to check things out around here anyway. But I won't be gone long and I'll be wanting my dinner when I get back!"

She saluted him as he lifted her down from the counter and he grinned at her. "Yes, sir! Oh, I can see how it's going to be now...I'm going to be a slave all day in the kitchen and..."

"And my sex slave at night in the bedroom," he muttered, wiggling his eyebrows at her and making her laugh again. "Right, I'm gonna go down the road and check on Sam, make sure the ranch is all okay. I won't be long, just make yourself at home."

"Okay," she said, watching him walk out into the hallway. She followed him and tapped him on the back, making him turn around and cock his eyebrow at her. Reaching up on tiptoes, she put her arms around his neck as far as they would go, smiling when he bent down so she could accomplish the task with more ease, and then she placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"Mmm, what did I do to deserve that?" he asked her, his hands holding her small waist and his thumbs caressing her there.

"You're going out, that was your goodbye kiss," she said, feeling shy again.

He grinned suddenly and then laughed. "Oh God, I am gonna enjoy having you here, honey, if this is the way I'll be treated. Give me a proper kiss!" He bent and kissed her deeply, lifting her off the ground and holding her there in the middle of the hallway whilst he ravaged her mouth. When he put her down her legs were so shaky she had to hold onto him for a second and he grinned arrogantly. "Oh yeah, I'm gonna enjoy this a lot!"

Amy watched him leave the house and then walked back in the kitchen in a daze. She had a feeling the next two months were going to change her life more than she had imagined.

A short while later she had prepared a lasagne and was putting it in the oven, looking at the clock on the wall. She had nearly an hour now to look around and unpack, something she should have done when she first got here. Mark had put their bags just inside the front door and she lifted her heavy suitcase and started up the stairs, puffing a bit when she got to the top and finally made it into the bedroom.

Once she had unpacked all her stuff and put it carefully away in the closet, she went back down to get Mark's bags and do the same for him. He had two bags and they were even heavier than hers, but she gamely hoisted them up the stairs and unpacked them, laying everything on the bed in individual piles so she could put them away quicker. It seemed very intimate to be folding his clothes up, especially his underwear, and she found herself holding up a huge pair of boxers and just staring at them, a smile on her face. They were black, like most of his things, but they had little red hearts all over them and she wondered where he had got them from.

"I told you before, baby, if you want to get into my pants you only have to ask," he said from behind her, and she jumped and swung around to face him, her cheeks heating as she hurriedly dropped his underpants. "What are you doing with my underwear?"

"I was just putting it away for you," she said, suddenly aware of how much smaller the room seemed with him in it. "Where did you come from?"

"Scared you did I?"

"No," she grumbled, turning back to his clothes and taking a pile of his shirts over to the chest of drawers and locating the right one to put them away in. "I thought you'd be gone longer."

"I've been gone for over an hour, you know," he pointed out, picking up some clothes and helping her put them away. "Thanks for doing this, darlin', I hate unpacking."

"That's okay, I needed something to do whilst the Lasagne cooks," she said, shrugging. "Mind you, I seriously thought you had rocks in your bag, it was so heavy!"

Mark frowned as he thought about that. "Yeah, it was heavy, and you carried it upstairs all by yourself didn't you?"

"Well, yes, there isn't anyone else here," she said, looking up in time to catch his frown.

"You shouldn't have done that. You ain't strong enough for stuff like that yet, so you ask me next time there's some heavy lifting to be done," he said, folding his arms over his chest.

Amy looked at him and couldn't help giving a deep bow. "Yes, oh Lord and Master," she intoned deeply, sweeping her arm in front of her.

Mark laughed at her actions and grabbed her, pulling her against him. "Saucy wench, I shall have to punish you for all of this cheekiness later on, you realise?"

"You wouldn't punish me would you? Not when I've cooked you such a lovely meal?"

Mark grinned down at her and squeezed her. "I suppose I could let it pass, just as long as you don't think I'm a soft touch."

"I don't think that at all. Now carry me downstairs so I can serve you dinner," she said, lifting her arms and waiting until he picked her up.

He did so instantly and stared at her with faint worry. "You haven't been overdoing it have you?"

Amy laughed and ran her hand along his jaw. "I'm fine, now, Mark, don't worry about me. I'm fully recovered."

"Then why did you want me to carry you?" he asked her, looking confused.

"Because I like it when you carry me," she admitted, shrugging as she rested her head on his shoulder.

She saw him grin. "Well, that's okay then," he murmured, taking her out of the room and down to the kitchen where wonderful smells were coming from the oven. He set her down and sniffed appreciatively. "Smells good. Is it ready? I'm starving!"

"You're always starving," she returned, bending and opening the oven so she could check the food.

They sat down to eat in the kitchen and Mark made sure he told her how good the food was after every mouthful, something that made her smile. She gave a huge yawn after she had finished her own meal, and Mark stood up, scooping her out of her chair. "Come on, bed for you, you're tired."

"I'm okay," she protested, suddenly nervous about what might happen once they were in bed together.

Mark noticed her nervousness. "What's wrong honey?"

She shook her head, biting her lip. "Nothing."

"Mmm-hmm. It ain't nothing, you've had that same look a few times since we left Vince's. Come on, 'fess up."

"I...well...I guess I'm scared," she said quietly, shrugging and looking away from him.

"Scared? What of?" he asked, looking worried as he carried her up the stairs.

"Er....you know," she said, going scarlet.

He frowned and then his eyebrows lifted. "Oh. Well, darlin', there ain't any need to be scared."

"I can't help it," she murmured, feeling as if she was letting him down if she didn't go through with it. In truth she really wanted to sleep with him, but she was just nervous.

"Listen," he said gently as he laid her down on the bed when they reached the bedroom. "We don't have to do anything at all, not until you're more comfortable with the idea, okay? Tonight we just sleep, God knows I'm tired too, it's been a long day. After that, we'll just take it day by day."

"But you'll think...you won't think I'm leading you on?" she asked, her voice small and worried as she looked up at him.

Mark smiled reassuringly. "I won't think any such thing, baby. I know you, I know how that mind works now, and that means I know you wouldn't do anything like that to me. Now let's get ready to sleep...just sleep," he said, starting to strip his clothing off.

Amy followed suit, getting a night-gown out of the drawer and slipping it over her head, aware of Mark watching her every move. She still found it embarrassing, but his eyes told her he liked what he saw every time he looked at her, and it gave her the strength to undress in front of him.

He pulled the covers up over her when she had laid down again after a trip to the bathroom, and then he slid in beside her, pulling her into his warm arms and switching the lights off next to the bed. "Relax, honey, and get some rest."

"Okay," she murmured, turning her face into his shoulder and relishing the feel of his big arm around her. "Night, Mark. Thank you for bringing me here."

His arms tightened briefly. "You're welcome, honey. Night."

****

The next day he showed her around the ranch and even managed to get her on the back of a horse, laughing ruefully at her terrified posture when she saw how high off the ground she was on the animal. He relaxed her and started to gently walk the horse, getting her used to the feel of it until eventually she started to get the hang of the movement and gained confidence. Her favourite spot was the lake though, and she stood looking at the water for ages, fascinated with the beauty of it. "It's like something out of a fairy-tale," she said to Mark when he moved behind her and pulled her back against him.

"So are you sweetheart," he whispered, bending to nip playfully at her ear. "Come on, let's go inside and have some lunch."

After they had eaten Mark sat with her in the television room, holding her on his lap as they watched an old movie. He looked at her, his eyes falling to where she was chewing her lip. He noticed she did that when she was thinking about something, or was nervous about something, and he reached his hand up to pull her lip out from between her teeth. "Something on your mind?"

She looked at him and bit her lip again, then shook her head and turned back to the screen, her actions making him smile. She was skittish and he wondered why.

Amy stared blankly at the screen as she tried to think of a way of saying what she had on her mind. She had been thinking about last night all day, and she knew what she wanted to do. Saying it, though, was something else entirely, and she gave a deep sigh at her own cowardice, her body giving a slight shake.

"What's wrong baby?" he asked softly, feeling the small tremors running through her body where he was holding her to him. She sighed and snuggled deeper into his embrace, not saying a word. "Can't you tell me?" He chuckled when she shook her head, burrowing against him and making his body shudder with unfulfilled needs. "Come on, ya little coward, talk to me."

"I can't, it's embarrassing," she whispered, closing her eyes and enjoying his warmth.

"Nothing you say to me should ever embarrass you honey," he murmured, tracing her spine gently with his fingertips.

"I want..." she began, hesitating then taking a deep breath and continuing before her courage failed her, "I want you to sleep with me. Will you?" she asked, her voice so quiet that he barely heard her. When her words registered he took a shocked breath and she groaned. "See? I've shocked you, I knew it would be embarrassing!"

She felt his chest rumble under her ear as he laughed. "Honey, I confess I am a little bit shocked, but only because of the way you worded it. You really think we're gonna get any sleep, little girl?"

"Sleep? Well, no, that wasn't what I had in mind at all," she said, confused.

"That's how you put it though. You want me to sleep with you? Or do you want me to make love to you?"

"Oh! Well, I want you to make love to me. But....if you don't want to...I didn't mean to..." she stammered, wondering if she'd made a huge mistake. Mark's mouth cut her off as he bent and kissed her deeply, his tongue shooting past her lips as she opened her mouth on a gasp.

"Don't want to? Why wouldn't I want to? Unless you've forgotten I've been working up to tearing your clothes off for the last few months," he growled deeply as soon as he released her lips. "Hell, yeah, I want to!" He stood up with her in his arms, carrying her out of the room and up the staircase, glad that he finally had her here in his home and he could show her how much she meant to him without any interruptions.

She couldn't have imagined anything more romantic than actually being carried up the stairs and she clung to him and gave in to the impulse to nuzzle his neck, feeling his pulse beating beneath her lips as she gently kissed his skin, surprised at how smooth it felt. She felt the pulse beat faster with the caress and so she did it again, flicking her tongue out to taste the saltiness of his skin, his unique spicy taste.

"Girl, you keep on doing that and I'll take you out here on the stairs," he growled, moving faster towards his room and kicking the door closed behind him once they were within it's confines.

"You like that?" she asked, honestly curious because she didn't know what was the best way to touch him yet, but she was eager to learn.

"Do it again and we'll see," he murmured, tilting his head to one side so she had free access to his throat.

She smiled at the expression in his eyes and bent her head, using her tongue and lips to touch his pulse point and lick at his skin. He shuddered when she did it and she raised her head to look at him, making sure it was all okay. He had a deep flush of colour on his cheekbones and she wondered if that was a good sign, deciding it was when he opened the lids he had closed and stared at her with desire heavy eyes. She was still being held closely to his chest and he carried her slowly over to his enormous bed and lowered her onto the comforter, easing himself down next to her and capturing her lips in a kiss so gentle it almost brought tears to her eyes.

She responded with abandon, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his, needing the closeness. He seemed to sense that and he enclosed her in his embrace, deepening the kiss and running his hands up and down her back.

When he drew back she took a deep, shaky breath and moved her arms down, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt until she could unsnap the soft material and ease it from his enormous chest, her mouth watering at the sight of him. She leaned forward and placed a kiss right in the middle of the vast expanse, and he placed a hand on the back of her head, encouraging her. She didn't need telling twice and she pushed him so he fell on his back and she could feast on him, just the way she had wanted to but had been too shy to ask. Now she was going to live out every single fantasy she had had about him, to the best of her ability.

Mark chuckled at the voracious expression she wore and sat up abruptly, ripping his shirt off and unbuttoning his jeans to ease the press on his aroused flesh. He lay back down and grinned at her, putting his arms above his head and grabbing the headboard. "I am at your service, ma'am, you may do whatever you want with me," he said, watching her eyes widen and her tongue come out to moisten her lips.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, as long as you don't decide to get a stick and beat me with it," he said, frowning. Then his eyes narrowed and glittered. "On the other hand....." he left the sentence unfinished and she had sudden visions of her wielding a whip over this huge man, a giggle bursting from her, making him raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head, then she sobered and stared again at him laying there before her, wondering where to start. She thought back to when she had last had him naked and knew that she would get to that part eventually, although she wanted to be more adventurous this time, and she wanted to taste all of him.

Mark watched as she went through different thought processes and then saw her finally make up her mind and lean down to kiss one small nipple, her mouth opening to let her tongue come out and lick at the small nub until it hardened and she could suckle it softly. He tensed when she did it, surprised that he was so sensitive there when he hadn't really been that way with other women. He tried to think as a jolt of pleasure shot through his body, and decided that no other woman had really bothered with his nipples, that was probably the reason he was surprised. A groan worked it's way out of his throat when she turned her attention to the other one, making it equally as hard and then biting on it gently, feeling his back arch off the bed when she did so.

"Sorry...is it..."

"It's okay, I liked it," he mumbled, closing his eyes to concentrate on the sensations she was causing.

Amy swallowed and went back to her task, kissing his throat again and working her way around it and down, nipping every now and again as she reached his shoulders. She licked down the centre of his chest, through the fine hair that was starting to grow there again, relishing his taste and his scent, enjoying the way the huge pads of muscle tensed under her questing fingertips and mouth. His ribs received the same regard, and she nibbled along his side, making him tense again and again, partly from being ticklish. His eyes opened and he looked down at her, seeing the small smirk she couldn't hide.

"You little tease!" he accused gruffly, chuckling. "You keep tickling me and I'll have to retaliate!" he warned her, his breath gasping out when she immediately stopped tickling with her teeth and ran her tongue around his belly button.

She delved inside and then took a tuft of hair that grew below it between her teeth and pulled, making him arch towards her again. Placing her hand firmly on his heavily muscled body she attempted to stop him moving, surprised when he instantly settled back. His face wore a look of extreme pleasure and something else, something she couldn't quite define, although it could have been frustration.

She looked down at where she had got to and took a deep breath, grabbing the edge of his jeans nervously and tugging them downwards. He lifted his hips to help her and she eventually got the heavy material down his legs until they tangled around his boots. She wished he was already undressed, but she was also enjoying being the one to actually take his clothing off. His boots came off with some difficulty, followed by his socks and then the jeans. Finally he lay before her clad only in a pair of boxers, the thin material not up to the task of concealing his hugely aroused flesh.

Okay, she thought, this is the point where you chicken out. But she was determined she wouldn't, after all she had seen him naked before and had touched him, brought him to climax with her hands and her mouth. It wasn't all that new, not anymore. But the fact that this time they would go all the way, made it different and she couldn't help feeling nervous.

Mark watched her every move and saw the sudden indecision written on her expressive face and he took matters into his own hands, stripping the boxers off and flinging them carelessly across the room. He lay back unashamedly, letting her gaze settle on his naked body until her cheeks flamed, but she had guts he had to admit. She didn't back off or stop, she crawled her way up his body, caressing his big feet, his ankles, his calves, the backs of his knees - which he found incredibly sensitive - until finally she planted her hands on his thighs, pulling them slowly apart so she could settle between them on her knees. She let her fingers run up and down his inner thighs, watching the muscles ripple with every touch, her fingers skimming higher with every stroke until she could wrap her hands around the base of his manhood.

It was the most erotic thing Mark had ever seen, watching her explore his flesh with innocent fingers, her face still red, but her eyes alight with curiosity and desire. He bit off a sharp groan when she ran her hands up to the head and brush her thumbs over the sensitive surface, one finger coming up to touch the small slit and smear the bead of moisture over it.

He knew he wasn't going to last and he waged a silent battle in his head over whether to stop her or not. The feel of her mouth enclosing the head in hot moistness while her hand went down to the sensitive sac underneath made his mind up for him and he arched off the bed, his knuckles going white where they gripped the headboard. He hadn't expected her to do that and he looked down to watch her, shocked because she had no experience other than with him and she had only licked at him uncertainly last time. About to say something, he found his voice deserting him when she moved him further inside her mouth and sucked experimentally, pleased at his abandoned response and the sounds he was making.

It was funny, she decided. She had thought she would find this sort of things repulsive, but she was loving every second of it, enjoying the way his body tensed and loving his unique flavour. It was something she couldn't quite get enough of and she moved her head back a bit to lick at the tip of him, her head coming up as she heard him mutter something.

Their eyes met and she stared at the change in his face, the rigidity of his jaw and the colour of his cheekbones. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" she asked softly.

"Don't stop," he groaned, letting go of the headboard and cupping her cheek, his hand running round to her neck when she bent down again and engulfed him. He guided her this time, putting pressure on her to show her how to bob up and down and she happily complied, trying to take him even deeper but finding it too uncomfortable. "Don't force it honey," he said deeply, pulling her back a bit, his eyes fascinated by the sight of her full lips enclosing his hard flesh, just the picture it made almost making him cum.

She carried on, running her tongue around the head and over the slit repeatedly, then lightly grazing her teeth to see what would happen, at the same time raking her nails across his scrotum. He arched up suddenly and shuddered, his hands threading through her hair as though to pull her away and she shook her head, wanting to carry this through to completion. Mark groaned as he tried to stop himself from exploding in her mouth, but when she used her teeth and nails again he couldn't help it. "Amy, stop...I'm gonna.....Christ!" he yelled as he came, flooding her mouth with his seed as his body lost control. His head was thrown back and his muscles all tensed up, a harsh groan coming from his throat as he gave himself up to the pleasure.

Amy was surprised at the amount that burst out of him and tried gamely to swallow it all, not finding the taste too bad, but there was too much and some of it ran down her chin. She quickly wiped it off with her hand and then released him, laying her head on one of his thighs and catching her breath.

A few seconds later she found herself flat on her back with him looming over her, his hands making quick work of getting rid of her clothes even though they were shaking. "I suppose you think that was clever, huh?" he asked grimly, sounding like he'd just run a marathon, though not looking in the least bit angry. "Making me go all weak and mushy like that, well, it's your turn now!" he growled, smiling down at her and looking wicked.