The Outlaw Stakes His Claim (17 page)

“That’s it, Hope. Come so fucking hard, baby. Use me,”
Dallas roared out.

She felt his cock swell inside of her, felt the
first powerful jet of his release fill her, warm her, and cause another round
of aftershocks to move through her veins. “It’s so damn good.” The words
tumbled from her
on their own,
and Dallas didn’t
verbally respond, just grunted out and continued to fill her with his cum. He
rose up while she was still moving on top of him and the shift in position had her
clit grinding against the root of his dick. The sounds that came from him were
so deep and almost dark, as if he were releasing a lot more than just his
pleasure. When the ecstasy faded what was left was Dallas holding onto her,
their
bodies
slick with sweat and their breathing
identically harsh. They didn’t move from their position until a cool breeze
picked up and the sound of the dried leaves on the ground rustled beside them.

“I’m never letting you go, Hope.” Dallas said those
words as if he were talking to himself.

She pulled back so she could look into his face and
smiled. “I thought we already made that our reality.” She didn’t phrase it like
a question. “I am yours just as much as you are mine, Michael ‘Dallas’ Stoker.”
And then she leaned in and kissed him. It was that one moment where their lips
were fused together that everything in the world was just utterly perfect.

Chapter Twelve

Two
weeks later

Hope finished going over a few article proofs that
would go in the
Steel Corner Gazette
.
It had been a few weeks on the job, and although she would still be in training
for the next several weeks, she felt comfortable in her position, and so glad
she had decided to make this move. She had spoken to Parker once more, but it
had been to tell him that she was truly happy in Steel Corner, and was starting
her life over. Having him still in her life after all the things they had gone
through—that she had gone through—wasn’t productive. She was putting all that
negative stuff behind her, focusing on the good things she now had, and Parker
still communicating with her was only keeping her in the past. He hadn’t been
happy, but no matter what issues he was dealing with, his thinking that he
could somehow get her back after the shit he had put her through was laughable.
He would have to come to terms with his own life and what he wanted on his own.
She was done with all of that. Since being with Dallas she had grown into
herself as a strong woman. She would still have struggles, still have to fight
every day to keep her thoughts positive and her self-esteem up, but she felt
comfortable and content in Dallas’s presence. They might have been two broken
souls—and still struggled with it daily—but together they found that missing
piece within each other. A part of her knew that there were some people in this
world that were born for each other, and that was how she felt being with
Dallas. They would most definitely be trials and tribulations along the way,
but it was as if everything came around in the most perfect of ways when she
was with him. She knew in her heart that she was that for him, too.

Maybe it had taken her a long time to realize that
she could channel her own strength if she pushed away all of her baggage.

She smiled at her thoughts, and at the euphoric
sensations that filled her at the thought that she was genuinely happy. The
sound of a motorcycle coming down the road had her looking to her left and
seeing Dallas coming toward her. He pulled his Harley behind
behind
her Jeep, and she didn’t waste any time in moving
toward him. She was the one to wrap her arms around his muscled chest and rest
her head right over his heart. It felt good to be close to him, and even better
when he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, as if he didn’t want
to let her go.

“You okay, baby?” His voice was deep and laced with
concern.

She felt great, more than okay really. “I am.” She
tilted her head back ad smiled up at him. “I’m just really happy to see you.”

He cupped her cheeks in his hands, and she could
actually feel the affection pour from him. “Have I told you how grateful I am
that you’re in my life?”

She smiled and placed her hand over his. “Yes, but a
girl can never get tired of hearing that.”

He didn’t smile back, but instead leaned down and
placed his lips lightly on hers. “It’s true, every fucking word of it, and I
will never feel anything but that.” He kissed her again and again, until Hope
felt drunk from it. “And the fact you’re going with me to see
Maddix
means more to me than you will ever know.” He pulled
away but immediately took her hand and led her to the Harley.

Once she was straddling it and had the helmet on
they just sat there for a few seconds. She had her arms wrapped snugly around
his middle, and he had a hand over hers that were curled into fists against his
hard abdomen. This had to be emotional for him, but she was going to be there
for him, just like he was there for her every step of the way. She knew Dallas
was thinking about going to see his son and his ex-wife at the gravesite, and
although he had told her he had been there since they passed, the fact he
wanted her to go with him, to give him strength and support, meant more than
she could ever relay in words. She rested her cheek on his back, closed her
eyes, and inhaled the scent of his leather cut. “I’m right here with you, and
we’ll get through this, Dallas.” She felt him tighten his hand over both of
hers, and they stayed that way for several seconds.

Finally he let go of her, gripped one of the
handlebars, and cranked the engine with his other hand. “I know, baby, and I
love you for it.”

His words had her heart racing. Their relationship
was early and new, but deep and profound. She had fallen hard for this big
grizzly bear biker, and no matter where they were headed, she wanted to be
there for him and with him.
 
From this
moment on they were in this together, and she was looking forward to
experiencing one hell of a ride.

He pulled onto the street, and they drove for a long
time. The cemetery they were buried at was two towns over and a few hours out.
The ride was long, but the feeling of being on the back of his bike, of the
wind in her face, the sun on her skin, and just knowing that all that was
keeping her stationary was holding onto this big man, was very freeing. Finally
they were pulling into the small, quiet cemetery with the large evergreens and
blue spruces. It was somber. He parked off to the side and cut the engine, and
the silence stretched before them. She could hear a bird chirping in the
distance, saw the leaves of the trees sway as the wind rushed by, and felt a
sense of peace fill her. It was strange having that kind of sensation move
through her in a very sad place.

Dallas climbed off and helped her off next, and then
he grabbed her hand, held it in an iron grip, and started moving toward the
plots. When he stopped it was in front of two headstones set under a thick
evergreen. The scent of wilderness and nature filled her nose, and as she
scanned the headstones, saw the dates and knew how they had passed, tears
gathered in her eyes. But Dallas was still as stone beside her, and when she
looked up at him it was to see this very painful expression on his face. Hope
didn’t move, didn’t talk or seek to comfort him, because she knew he needed
this time to process this. He may have been here before, but no amount of time
would make seeing something like this any easier.

“Do you need a moment?” she asked in a very quiet
voice.

He didn’t respond, but just shook his head and held
her hand even tighter. They stood there for several moments, and although this
was a very depressing moment, she was glad she could be here for him.

“
Maddix
would have loved
you.”

She looked up at him, but he was already staring at
her. “I’m sure I would have loved him, too.” Speaking about a child in the past
tense was heartbreaking, and the sad smile had the tears she tried to keep at
bay falling fast and hard.

“Hey, now.”
Dallas turned and placed his hands on her shoulders, smoothing his fingers
along the exposed skin of her neck. “No tears.” He leaned down and kissed the
tears away.

“I should be the one comforting you,” she said
softly and watched as he shook his head and smiled.

“You are by just being here, Hope.” He turned back
around to face the gravesites, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She
leaned into his side, and they just stood there, not saying anything, but
deriving strength from one another. Life was a hard thing to deal with, and
tragedy made it even more painful, but he had her, and she would show him every
day that happiness could still be found in the darkest of days.

The End

www.jenikasnow.com

Other Books by
Jenika
Snow:

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