Chapter 13


    Jake


    It’s already noon when I finally wake up on Friday. Sylvester, David, Nick and I have pretty much been working from dusk until dawn, Monday through Thursday. The entire fucking roof of the shed had collapsed, which is why it took us so long to get everything fixed. We had not anticipated staying out there this long, so we didn’t bring nearly enough supplies to camp out comfortably. I don’t think any of us slept more than three or four hours during those primitive, cold nights.


    By the time we got back Thursday afternoon and got Ray up to speed about everything, we were all fucking exhausted. Thankfully, Ray told the four us to take care of our horses and then get the fuck out of there, which none of us protested against. I drove straight home, showered and then collapsed onto my bed, and continued to sleep for about eighteen hours straight.


    I’ve skipped dinner and breakfast, so it''s not surprising that I wake up to a rumbling stomach. I yawn and stretch my aching muscles as I get up, and head straight towards the kitchen. To my surprise, Lily is sitting at the kitchen island with her nose in a book.


    ‘What are you doing at home?’ I ask, frowning at her. ‘If Hugo finds out you’re skipping school, you’ll be in big trouble,’ I warn.


    I tried to pull that shit when I was still in high school. Hugo got so pissed at me that he drove me to school himself and literally stayed in the parking lot until I promised I wouldn’t skip anymore. Which I didn’t. Often.


    ‘Relax, Jake,’ Lily rolls her eyes at me. ‘The teachers are having a study day, so all afternoon classes were canceled.’


    ‘Alright then. I’m gonna make some panini. You want one too?’ I’m pretty useless in the kitchen, but putting stuff on bread and toasting it is something even I can manage.


    ‘Two, please.’


    I get to work and Lily continues reading. She doesn’t look up from her book again until I set a plate with two mozzarella chicken panini in front of her.


    ‘Eat up,’ I say, sitting down on the stool next to her and pulling my own plate with three panini towards me.


    ‘Thanks,’ Lily says gratefully. She hungrily takes a bite. ‘Are you in for the weekend?’ she asks me with her mouthful.


    ‘No, I''m on weekend duty at the ranch. I’m going back tonight,’ I inform her. ‘Why?’


    ‘Just trying to figure out whether I still have a brother who is in desperate need of my company tonight, or if you have plans too.’


    ‘What, everyone else is gone tonight?’ I ask, frowning as Lily nods in confirmation.


    ‘Cooper’s going to some sports game with his crew. Please don’t ask me which sport,’ Lily adds quickly. ‘I think it may or may not involve a ball, but honestly, I couldn’t tell you for sure. Hugo has a dinner meeting with that big hotel client he’s hoping to land, and I think Nate has a date.’ She furrows her eyebrows thoughtfully. ‘Not completely sure about the last one since Nate never tells me anything, but he did say he’ll only come home to shower and won’t be around for dinner.’


    ‘I see,’ I say slowly, lowering my half-eaten panini. ‘Well, if you don’t want to be alone, I can stay home with you?’ I offer. A little ball of dread twists my stomach. I’d hate to cancel my plans with Amber, especially so at the last minute, but there’s no doubt I’d do it for Lily.


    ‘What? No! I’m seventeen, I don''t need a fucking babysitter, Jake,’ Lily rolls her eyes at me again. ‘If the house is empty I can finally have Rose and Isabella over, without the four of you making it weird all night.’


    ‘Now I’m insulted!’ I say, feigning indignation, though I’m secretly relieved.


    Ever since Amber made it clear that she wants some no strings attached action from me, I’ve been dying to get on that. If she wants to gain some sexual experience, I''ll be happy to share some of mine with her. I''ve been fucking hard just thinking about it all week.


    I spend most of the afternoon doing a fuckton of laundry and playing a card game with Lily, which I spectacularly lose. I have a quick chat with Cooper and Nate when they get home, but they’re both heading out thirty minutes later after a quick shower. When they''re gone, Lily and I heat up the dinner Cooper left for us in the fridge, and split a pint of Ben & Jerry''s for dessert. Afterwards, I retreat to the bathroom I share with Nate to shower and shave. I put on my favorite jeans and a clean black fitted shirt. I open the drawer to grab a couple of condoms, since I''ve gone through my supply at the cabin, but I see that I''m out here too.


    Fuck!


    I cross the house to the bathroom Cooper shares with Lily. My big brother probably won’t mind if I raid his stash. I rummage through their cabinets, but I’m shit out of luck—Cooper doesn’t seem to have any left either.


    ‘Green bowl, on top of the cabinet,’ I suddenly hear behind me. Lily leans against the doorway with an amused smirk on her face.


    ‘Thanks,’ I reply, reaching up to grab the bowl from the top cabinet. Sure enough, it’s chock full of condoms. I take a handful and shove them unceremoniously into my back pocket. Glancing at Lily through the bathroom mirror, I ask casually, ‘Yours?’


    ‘Cooper’s!’ Lily scowls at me.


    ‘Just asking,’ I shrug with a smirk.


    ‘I thought you were going back to the ranch. Didn’t you say you had weekend duty?’ Lily asks me, raising her eyebrows.


    ‘Tomorrow and Sunday. I''m seeing a girl tonight first,’ I admit with a crooked grin.


    ‘In that case, you clean up nice, Jakey,’ Lily compliments me with a genuine smile. She looks at me intently. ‘You did all of that for a scheduled extracurricular?’


    ‘I thought I''d take her to the movies first,’ I explain somewhat reluctantly.


    I don''t want Lily to read anything into this. I usually don''t take women on dates, and it''s not like I''m actually dating Amber either. I just figured that she might like to get away from the ranch for a bit on her night off, since she''s pretty much always there. And just dragging her straight to my bed feels a bit wrong. Amber is nice. I know it''s her first time, and I do want her to relax and enjoy it. I may not want to be her boyfriend, but I''m not a complete asshole either. I glance at Lily and see a knowing smile appear on her face.


    ‘You two have fun. Tell Amber I said hi,’ she smirks.


    I snap my head towards her, but before I can say anything Lily has already darted into her bedroom. I stare after her in surprise. How the fuck would she even know that I’m going with Amber? The little witch!


    I shake my head in disbelief. I head back to my own bedroom and stuff the clothes I''ll be needing the next few days in my duffel bag. Then I shout a quick goodbye to Lily and grab the keys to my truck. When I arrive at the ranch, I park at the back of the stables. From here it''s a straight line to Amber''s quarters. I plan to knock on her door, but I’ve barely stepped out of the truck when the door already opens and Amber walks out. She''s wearing her black coat on top of a pair of white-washed jeans that does her curvy ass tremendous favors. Her curly hair is bouncing up and down as she’s almost skipping towards me.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ‘Saw you coming!’ she almost sings cheerfully.


    ‘What’s made you so happy?’ I ask, laughing, as I open the passenger door for her.


    ‘I got my first official paycheck today,’ Amber beams proudly, as she jumps in.


    ‘Congrats,’ I say with a smile, before I close her door and walk around the truck to get behind the wheel. ‘What are you going to blow it on?’


    I bought a way too expensive new watch with mine. The fucking thing was broken before my next paycheck came in, when my arm got caught between a cow and a fence.


    ‘Nothing!’ Amber says with big eyes. ‘I’m saving up to buy a car,’ she informs me as I pull out of the driveway. ‘I’ve never owned my own car before. I already have some money saved from all the babysitting I’ve done over the years for people at the church. And since I don''t have many expenses as a live-in nanny, I think I might be able to buy a decent second-hand car in a few months, now that I have a real job.’


    ‘Good for you,’ I say encouragingly. She seems genuinely excited about the prospect.


    ‘So we’re actually going somewhere?’ Amber asks, glancing at me curiously. ‘I wasn''t sure, because you were pretty vague, saying something about getting together and picking me up.’


    ‘Yes, we are going somewhere,’ I confirm.


    ‘Any hints as to where we’re going?’


    ‘I figured we’d just hang out at Pete''s for a while,’ I reply with a straight face.


    ‘Oh,’ Amber’s face falters. ‘Sure, that''s fine, I guess.’ She tries to hide her discomfort, but the tiny wrinkle in her forehead is a dead giveaway.


    ‘I’m just messing with you, Poppins,’ I say with a smirk.


    ‘That’s mean!’ Amber exclaims. She smacks my arm indignantly, but laughs as she relaxes back in her seat.


    ‘I thought we could go see a movie, if you''re up for it?’


    Amber glances at me hesitantly. ‘I thought you didn’t do, like, dates?’


    ‘It’s just a movie,’ I shrug somewhat defensively. ‘I figured you might like to get off the ranch for a bit. You know, since you don''t have your own car yet to get around,’ I say teasingly.


    ‘That does sound nice,’ Amber admits with a smile. ‘That’s very thoughtful of you, Jake, thank you! Going to a movie sounds fun.’


    ‘How was your week?’ I ask as I steer us towards the highway.


    Amber laughingly tells me about the antics of the Jenkins children, while I drive us to the nearest movie theater in Madison. Once we’re there I let Amber pick the movie, but when she gets her wallet out of her jacket pocket to pay for herself, I shake my head and make her put it back.


    ‘It’s on me. Save your money for that car, Poppins,’ I say decisively.


    We grab some popcorn and a couple of soft drinks as well, before we find our seats. Amber takes off her coat and reveals the black wrap around shirt she’s wearing. It has long sleeves and flares out around her waist, but it clings sensually to her breasts and shows more cleavage than anything else I have seen her wear so far. She catches me looking and her cheeks turn red.


    ‘Too much?’ she asks, a bit embarrassed.


    ‘Not nearly enough,’ I reply. I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively, which makes Amber chuckle, and then I smile reassuringly. ‘You look good, Poppins. Really good.’


    ‘I borrowed it from Hailey for tonight,’ Amber admits. ‘I haven’t really had a chance to upgrade my wardrobe yet. All I’ve done so far is buy a few pairs of jeans.’


    ‘Really? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in anything other than jeans so far,’ I laugh.


    ‘My mother didn’t allow me to wear them,’ Amber explains with a roll of her eyes. ‘She basically forced me to wear respectable skirts and dresses my whole life. I really love being able to wear jeans now everyday.’


    ‘She probably realized how sexy you look in them,’ I compliment her with a smirk.


    Amber gets flushed in response, but then the lights dim and the big screen in front of us lights up. We settle back in our chairs and start eating our popcorn while we roll through the commercials and wait for the movie to start. Amber chose some romantic comedy that I’m already bored with about ten minutes in. I mean, honestly, I have nothing against the genre, but at least find some decent actors and a screenwriter who can avoid plot holes the size of the Grand Canyon.


    I don’t really bother following the movie and focus my attention on Amber instead. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and gently start stroking my fingertips up and down her arm. After a while, I slowly move towards her chest and start tracing her breast along the lines of her shirt. Eventually, I slip underneath the fold and trace my index finger along the edge of her bra. Amber keeps her eyes locked on the screen, but I catch her holding her breath a few times under my caresses. I don’t stop until the end credits finally start rolling. It seems I’ve gotten myself rockhard, despite the terrible movie. Beside me, Amber lets her breath escape.


    ‘That was fun,’ I comment as neutrally as possible.


    ‘I honestly think this might have been the worst movie I’ve ever seen,’ Amber declares, to my surprise. ‘And that’s saying something, considering I’ve probably watched eighty percent of all the content on Netflix, being stuck at home all my life. But yes, this was fun,’ she adds with a sideways glance and a slight smile.


    ‘Very fun,’ I laugh, quickly glancing at my crotch before I give Amber a meaningful wink.


    Amber chuckles loudly as we put our coats back on and head outside. We make fun of the awful movie our entire way back to the ranch. Amber is surprisingly good at dramatically imitating the most terrible parts. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard with a girl in my life. I had no idea Amber could be this funny! She has me laughing so hard it even becomes a driving hazard, because at some point I almost swerve into oncoming traffic. When we arrive back at the ranch, I slow down on the driveway and glance over at her.


    ‘Do I drop you back at your place, or would you like to come back to the cabin with me?’ I ask her gently.


    I know what she said last Sunday, but it still has to be her choice.


    Amber visibly swallows, but she doesn’t hesitate. ‘Your cabin, please,’ she says quickly.


    I nod and speed up again. Instead of heading right, towards the main house, I turn left and park the truck in front of my cabin. Amber gets out at the same time I do and follows me inside without saying a word. After I close the door behind her, I take her coat and throw it on the couch with my own. I reach for her hand and pull her towards me for a kiss. Amber eagerly leans into it as I gently push the hair back from her face.


    I slowly let my hands roam up her arms, and down her chest, where I carefully cup her round breasts. Even with her bra and shirt on, I notice how they are overflowing my hands. I start to make gentle circling motions with my thumb. Amber lets out a small gasp and I can feel her nipples pebble up through the fabric. She is definitely responsive!


    After playing with the stiff buds through the fabric of her clothes for a while, I slide my hands down her waist. I grab the hem of her top and slowly tug it up. Our lips break apart when Amber lifts her arms and I pull the shirt over her head. She looks at me hesitantly, with a vulnerable look in her eyes. I realize this is probably the first time she''s undressing in front of a man.


    ‘You are stunning, you know that?’ I reassure her with a smile.


    I lean forward to press my lips against hers, a little more forcefully this time. I reach behind her back and easily unclasp her simple, black cotton bra. Amber helps me slide it off her arms. My hands quickly find their way to her breasts again, and I start massaging them with my palms. I can feel Amber’s breath speeding up. I lower my hands to her hips and slowly start walking her towards the bed. When her legs hit the mattress I stop, and break our kiss to pull my own shirt over my head.


    Amber’s gaze trails over my toned chest, and her eyes widen. Her arousal causes her cheeks to blush and her blue eyes to sparkle. I move my hand to the back of Amber''s neck and kiss her again, carefully lowering her onto my bed. Feeling her naked breasts against my chest sends a hot urge to my loins. My cock is fighting hard against the restraints of my jeans, but he’s going to need to have a little patience. It’s been a long time since I’ve been someone’s first, and I’m determined to make this good for Amber. She deserves that much at least.


    I start kissing down her neck and cup one of her breasts with my hand. I roll the hard nipple between my thumb and index finger, as I drag my lips across her skin towards it. When I reach her breast, I flick my tongue over the hard little bud and then move to take it into my mouth. I gently start sucking on it, as my hand moves to play with her other breast. Although I hear Amber panting, I notice that she goes quite still beneath me.


    I frown a little and slowly slide my hand down her soft belly to the waistband of her jeans. My fingers wiggle underneath it, until they catch a hint of her fine curly hair. I let my hand linger there for a moment, but Amber becomes completely motionless underneath my touch.


    Oh, fuck. Fuck!


    She’s not into this!


    As soon as the realization hits me, I withdraw my hand. I immediately let go of her nipple and quickly roll off her. I move to lie next to Amber on the bed, making sure not to touch her. Amber turns her head towards me, but I keep my eyes fixated on the ceiling, forcing myself to suppress my own urges.


    ‘Why did you stop?’ she asks me unsurely.


    ‘It’s fine, Poppins. We don’t have to do this,’ I say. It sounds a little strained, because I’m trying to will my throbbing cock to stand the he fuck down.


    ‘Y-you don’t want to anymore?’


    ‘You clearly don’t,’ I say stiffly. ‘And I''m not interested in having sex with a woman who’s not into it.’


    ‘What makes you think that I’m not into it?’ Amber asks, seemingly confused.


    ‘Because you’re lying there motionless like a fucking ragdoll,’ I snap, which I immediately regret. I didn''t mean to sound so harsh, I''m just trying really hard to control my need to ravish this beautiful, half-naked woman next to me. ‘Look, I’m sorry. I’m sorry! It’s fine, okay? You’re not ready for this. I get it. It’s a big step for you. Don’t worry about it.’ I sit up straight. ‘Let’s just get your clothes back on.’