Chapter Text
December 23, 2010 Jackson, Wyoming
“Tell you one thing I’m damn near sick of this cold,” Joel huffed, making his hot breath mist into clouds in the cool air.
“You ‘n me both,” Sloane agreed. “I’m convinced my toes are gonna start snappin off one by–”
Joel held his hand up suddenly as his head turned to his right. “Hush now.”
“I was sayin one by one,” Sloane continued stubbornly.
“Hush, darlin!” Joel made a shushing noise. “Listen.”
Sloane rolled her brown eyes and listened closely. She didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary, and she was going to open her mouth again until she heard it. A neigh. A horse. Her eyes widened as she looked at Joel.
Joel motioned her onward, and the two of them began to try to locate the horse.
“Maybe we can hitch a ride the rest of the way on horseback. Get those toesies a break,” Joel whispered. “Follow me.”
“I said, HANDS UP!” The man urged them.
Sloane bit her lip and looked at Joel for any inkling of what he wanted to do next. Sloane had a tendency to jump the gun, figuratively and literally, so she was looking to him for the next move. Three more people on horseback approached them, and Joel shook his head.
“Listen to ‘em, Slo,” Joel said as he threw his hands up.
Sloane let out a long exhale and followed suit. I swear to God if we came all this way for nothin…
“What are you doing way out here in the cold?” A woman asked.
Sloane analyzed the woman closely. She spoke with authority, and the other men with her looked at her for direction. Boss woman. Her skin was the color of coffee beans that glowed luminously in the pale light of the day. Her deep brown eyes were analytical and cutting. Sloane couldn’t tell how tall she was, accounting for her being on horseback, but by the looks of her she was about 5 '6". She wore a heavy maroon jacket, and her face was partially covered with a bandana to protect it from the unforgiving winter winds.
“We’re lookin for my brother. Last I heard he was in Cody,” Joel admitted.
The woman huffed and looked to the others. She shook her head, and they raised their guns higher as if to take aim. The woman turned back to them. “Your brother isn’t out here. Not in this weather.”
Sloane heard the sound of a gun cocking and panicked. “Wait! Wait! His name’s Tommy Miller. Have you heard of him? Seen him?”
The man lowered his gun, and the woman gave her a long hard look before saying, “How do you know Tommy?”
“He’s my brother, as I said. My name’s Joel,” Joel piped up.
Sloane watched as the people on horseback exchanged glances.
“Get on,” The woman said frankly. “I’ll bring you to him.”
Sloane rode on the back of the woman’s horse while Joel rode on one of the men’s. They approached a large gate and were inspected for bites. Once they were let inside, Sloane’s mouth dropped open. People walked through the streets, streetlights were illuminated, and the buildings looked tended to. It reminded Sloane of the towns that she often saw in the western films–like at any moment, she’d see a sign that said, ‘SALOON.’
“Well plow me sideways,” Sloane mused. “Ya’ll have electricity?”
“And water,” the woman said proudly.
They got off their horses, and Sloane and Joel exchanged dumbstruck glances. She slipped her hands in his, feeling more vulnerable here than she did in the wide open as if civilized life were jarring to her now.
“Let me go find him,” the woman announced. “Wait here.”
Joel looked around, and suddenly he whipped he and Sloane around so quickly that it made her neck hurt. He excitedly pointed to a figure, and Sloane’s eyes widened. She’d recognize that stance and dark hair anywhere.
“TOMMY!?” Joel called out.
Tommy turned around confusedly and once he caught sight of them, he looked just as dumbstruck as them.
“Joel? Savage?” Tommy asked.
Within seconds, Joel had dropped her hand, and he was jogging over to him. Sloane laughed to herself and joined him. The two brothers pulled each other into a tight hug.
“Hi, baby brother,” Joel said with a giant smile.
“What’re doin here!?” Tommy asked as he held Joel’s face in his hands. He laughed and hugged him again.
“Here to save you,” Joel said quietly, realizing how silly that sounded considering how it looked like Tommy had been living much more lavishly than them. “You stopped radioin me.”
Tommy smiled and patted him on the back. “I’ll tell you all bout it in a minute, I swear. But first, I need to mind my manners and get a load of this girl.” Tommy turned to Sloane and shook his head. “God strike me down. It’s good to see you, Savage.”
Sloane leapt into Tommy’s arms and just laughed. He spun her around wildly.
Once he put her down she said, “Hiya, stranger.”
“You came here to save me too, now, did you?” Tommy teased, one of his brows raised.
“I nearly gave Joel an aneurysm convincin him to let me come. I wouldn’t miss it for nothin,” Sloane replied.
Sloane felt a presence and realized that the woman had been watching them reunite. The woman’s eyes were cautious and searching to which Sloane gave her a weak wave.
“Oh,” Tommy said as he observed the wave. “That’s Maria. She’s the judge, jury, and executioner round these parts. Maria, this is Joel, my big brother, and my old friend, Savage.”
“Sloane Savage,” Sloane corrected.
Maria sucked her teeth and gave Sloane a counterfeit smile. “How about I get you settled somewhere so that the men can talk?”
Sloane pulled a displeased look and turned to Joel to gauge his reaction. He gave her a knowing smile. “Go awn, darlin. Be right back.”
Sloane nodded apprehensively and let Maria lead her away.
“I was thinking that we can put the two of you up in the house across the street from Tommy’s,” Maria explained as she escorted her down the street. “How long were you planning on staying?”
“Oh, I won’t know until the men talk,” Sloane replied sarcastically. She watched Maria’s dark brows raise, and Sloane corrected herself by putting on her best charming smile. “Sorry. It’s been a while since I talked to anyone but Joel. What I meant to say is I dunno yet, and thank you kindly.”
“And the two of you…?” Maria asked searchingly.
“Together, yes,” Sloane nodded at her roundabout question.
Maria let out a small hmm that unsettled Sloane like she was being interrogated. She knew that Maria was doing her due diligence as mayor or whatever she really was, but something in it felt personal as if she were sniffing out a threat. But then again, Sloane always had a hard time connecting with women.
The two of them made it to an stone gray two story house with a white picket fence. It looked peaceful, picturesque almost in a way that took Sloane’s breath away. They padded up the stone stairs and made it to the red door. Maria opened it with a small smile. Sloane exhaled dreamily as she walked through the house. Parts of it were in the midst of repairs, but it was a palace compared to where they’d been.
“Still needs some work,” Maria announced as she moved over to the fireplace. “But it should do right by you.”
Sloane nodded her head in agreement as she continued to look around in awe. “It’ll do more than right by us. Thank you.”
Maria took to giving Joel a tour around the town while Tommy and Sloane conversed in what looked to be a bar. Tommy was behind the counter, and Sloane sat in a high-top. She felt normal, as crazy as that sounded to her.
“Pick your poison, Savage,” Tommy asked with his toothy smile that she’d missed so much. Sloane could tell how the years had aged Tommy, but he still had an air of mischievous youth within him that would be there even when he was eighty years old.
“Ain’t shit changed.” Sloane laughed. “Whiskey, if that ain’t too ambitious.”
“Shoulda known.” Tommy tsked as he poured them both a tall glass. He scooted it towards her and waited for her to grab it.
“To Savage,” Tommy said as he held up the glass.
“And the Miller brothers,” Sloane replied as she remembered the night in Joel’s apartment. It felt like an echo of a memory. They both took a long swallow, and Sloane couldn’t help but laugh, “Jesus H. That’s legitimate. Real good.”
“Oh, yeah,” Tommy mused.
Sloane’s blonde head moved on a swivel as she took in the scene around her. The fireplace was roaring, and it filled the air with heat that made Sloane feel lazy in the best way possible. The wood paneled walls were decorated with various animal heads, mostly deer. Although there was a bison head that caught Sloane's attention. There were a few tables, and the long mahogany bar that Tommy was standing behind. The shelf had more spirits lined up on it than Sloane had seen in a long time. She put her elbows on the counter and let out a small contented sigh.
“Glad you’re okay, Tommy,” Sloane said. “Joel was real worried.”
“I’m sure he’ll tell you, but the community’s strict about radio usage. They want to keep it as hidden from outsiders as they can for protection. I’d been sneakin to different towers when I’s on patrol, but it’s been a hot minute since I done that on account of some young bucks more eager to take charge. Trust me I wanted to…and I worried about ya’ll too, but…”
“No, I get it,” Sloane replied. “It’s a sweet deal here. Dunno if I’d want to jeopardize it either.”
Tommy let out a long sigh. “Yeah, I’ve been here maybe six months now.”
Sloane nodded and took a sip of her whiskey.
“So,” Tommy cleared his throat. “Joel told me about the two of you. How in the Hell did that happen?”
Sloane huffed a laugh. “When you left, it was just he and I, so just naturally, we grew closer. Just the way of things, I guess. We were foolin around for a while, but it’s been about a year and some change of bein together together.”
“Well I’ll be damned,” Tommy said as he took a sip of whiskey. “Didn’t think you’d ever settle down noways.”
Sloane brows knitted together. “Whatcha mean?”
“You’re just you. Loud. Stubborn. Wild. Didn’t think anyone would ever be able to handle you.”
“He handles me just fine,” Sloane replied bitterly as she shot him a disapproving glance. It was plain as day that she was all of those things, but the way that he said it made her feel like she was defective or something.
“Awww, c'mon, Savage. I didn’t mean it like that,” Tommy said with an apologetic soft smile.
Sloane rolled her eyes playfully and smiled. “Sorry, that was rude. Like I told Maria, I haven’t been round anyone but Joel in the last few months. What I meant to say is that…I love him, and we get along good.”
Tommy raised his brows. “Love? Golly. Well good for the two of you.”
Sloane couldn’t help but feel like the last part of his sentiment was hollow. Sloane ignored it and clinked her glass to his again. “Thanks, Tommy.”
December 24, 2010 Jackson, Wyoming
Joel covered Sloane’s eyes as the two of them stood in front of the door of their temporary house in Jackson.
“Alright, c'mon,” Joel announced as she heard the door creep open. “No peekin.”
Sloane chuckled to herself as she listened to him. She could hear the soft clacking of their boots on the hardwood, and Joel stopped them suddenly.
“You can open.”
Sloane opened her brown eyes and saw the fireplace going. In front of it was a pallet of blankets and pillows. Half a dozen candles shimmered in the living room, and she could feel her heart warm from the inside out. “Jo, did you do this?” Sloane asked with her hand over her heart.
“Well, yeah,” he announced as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “It wasn’t hard or nothin. Gathered up some wood and candles. Moved all the blankets and pillows from the two bedrooms. Simple as.”
Sloane shook her blonde head in disbelief. She knew that Joel loved her, but somehow she’d never expected a rough and tumble guy like him to do something so objectively romantic. “Are you kiddin? It’s so much more than that,” Sloane sighed moonily.
“Glad you like it. Happy Christmas Eve,” He replied with a proud smile.
“Happy Christmas Eve.”
Joel cupped her cheek and rubbed it with his thumb. He looked her in the eyes as he moved his thumb to her bottom lip and rubbed it gently. Sloane’s eyes widened, and Joel tugged her hand to lead her to the blankets. “Lay down, darlin."
Sloane’s heart preemptively began to beat quickly with anticipation. She knew where this was heading, and she was more than happy to get right to it. It’d been some time since they’d felt safe enough to be intimate. The wilderness didn’t exactly afford for anything more than the occasional quickie. But she could tell by the way Joel was looking at her that he was planning on eating her alive. She shed her hat, scarf, jacket, and boots, and laid down on the blankets.
Joel followed suit by shedding his outer layers and got down on top of her. He slowly began to unbutton his shirt, and Sloane watched closely–not wanting to miss a thing. His hairy broad chest emerged, and Sloane took the time to remember every scar and rippled muscle of his upper body as she cascaded over it with slow, searching hands. Her hands massaged his shoulders slowly and thoroughly; she liked to feel how the muscles bulked under her fingers. Joel let out a soft contented groan as she did this. His body was generously built–raw power.
“You’re so gorgeous, it hurts my fuckin feelins,” Sloane mused as she rubbed his traps. “God surely took his time with you.”
“Funny because I was thinkin the same bout you,” Joel smiled as he brushed her pieces of her blonde hair out of her face. Sloane went to take off her shirt, but Joel’s hand stopped her. “Let me.”
Joel leaned down and lifted her sweater slowly, inch by inch with his nose. He pressed featherlight kisses to her skin as he did this, causing goosebumps to rise on Sloane’s skin. He kept close eye contact with her as the sweater rose higher, and the sight made her want to jump out of her skin. She’d been starving for his touch, and she felt that if she didn’t have it right now, she’d go berserk. Sloane tried to speed the process along by lifting it higher.
“Stop that,” Joel tutted. “Be patient. I promise it'll be worth your while.”
Sloane let out a shallow forceful breath. “You just want to torture me.”
Joel had made it inches below her breasts and sucked at the spot. “Call it what you want. I consider it savorin you.”
“Alright,” Sloane rolled her eyes playfully. “Just remember that when the roles are reversed.”
Joel huffed a light laugh as he continued. Once he made it to her breasts, he palmed them with both hands and a guttural noise escaped his mouth. “I like it when you don’t wear a bra. Makes it quicker to do this.” He put her right bud in his mouth, surrounding the entire areola in the heat of it. Joel sucked on it slowly yet forcefully. “Mmm,” He cooed as he dragged his tongue over the whole breast sloppily. Joel refocused on the bud and took several small sucks of the nipple. He pinched her left nipple between two fingers and Sloane sank her head back onto the pillow. She let herself be swept away by it. He flicked it quickly with his tongue before biting it between his teeth.
Sloane cried out because although the pain was sudden, it was erotic all the while. He flattened his fingers against it to soothe as he moved to the other breast.
Sloane let out a frustrated whine, and Joel gave her a knowing smirk. “I said be patient, little savage. Let me take my time with you.” She went to run her fingers through his hair, but he grabbed her wrist and held it above her head. “Quit. Don’t rush me.”
A wave of electricity coursed through her body at his stern words. As stubborn and willful as she was, she desperately craved for Joel to take control of her. Sloane squeezed her thighs together–the tough fabric of the denim providing a dull reprieve to the aching wetness.
Joel latched onto her left breast and used the back of his mouth to create a powerful suction. His wide, generous tongue glided along the flesh. He flicked the nipple a few times with his tongue before moving his mouth to the underside of her breast. He cocked his head and licked her in a long line before pressing hard suction to her again to create a love bite. Sloane had a fleeting thought that she wanted to be marked by him so everyone knew that she was his, and it made her moan softly.
Joel finally lifted her sweater over her head, and Sloane let out a relieved sigh. She was beginning to grow feverish from her intensifying frustrations and the heat emanating from the crackling fireplace. Before he could protest, Sloane quickly undid her belt, button, and zipper of her jeans. She tried to slide them down, but his hand stopped her again. Joel didn’t utter a word, but his narrowed eyes told her all she needed to know. Sloane sighed and rested her hands at her side.
Joel gave her another smile. “That's my girl.”
The words stoked the fire of Sloane’s desire higher. She gave him a heady moan as he slowly pulled her jeans down. He threw them to the side and began to move closer to her again.
“Yours too!” Sloane protested as she pointed to his jeans.
Joel sucked on his teeth as he considered her proposition. He finally nodded and got out of them. Sloane nearly squealed in delight to which Joel huffed a laugh. Sloane took the opportunity to try to wiggle out of her underwear, but she was stopped again.
“Easy there, little savage,” Joel warned.
Joel lowered himself again to her core, and he pressed his hand on her mound that was covered by her panties. His thumb found her clit, and he circled it lazily and lightly to which Sloane inhaled sharply. She bucked her hips to try to collect more tension, but Joel put a hand on her hip to push her back down. His brown eyes glimmered with amusement. Joel kissed her inner thigh and inhaled her scent. He moved his mouth to her clothed clit and used the flat of his tongue to tease it. He began sucking on it, and Sloane’s frustrations were boiling so high, that she was convinced that steam was coming out of her ears. Sloane bucked her hips again and put her hand on the back of his head to force him down onto her. Sloane wiggled her body restlessly for any relief.
“Quit,” Joel scolded her as he seized her hand and banished it away.
Sloane bit her lip and cussed him quietly.
Joel was unbothered. He hummed as he tauntingly ran his tongue over her covered folds. His pointer finger traced the edge of her underwear too, and it made Sloane shiver. The tension inside of her was damn near unbearable. She was a tightly wound coil threatening to spring free.
“Please, please, please,” Sloane begged pitifully. “I need more, baby. Gimme more.”
“You want it so bad, don’t you?” Joel goaded her with a satisfied smile. “Like a bitch in heat.”
“Yes!” Sloane folded immediately. She didn’t care if she was groveling; in fact, she knew that it was his plan all along, so she groveled. She needed him. “I want it so bad. Pleaseeee.” The last word was whiny and needy, and Sloane watched as Joel’s cock twitched. Her pleading turned him on. “Won’t you let me ride you?” Sloane asked innocently. “Please,” She added.
A satisfied groan rose in Joel’s throat, “How can I say no when you ask in that sweet voice?” Sloane let out a victorious giggle, but Joel interrupted her. “But you gotta do something for me first.”
Her shoulders slumped, and she puffed a frown at him. Joel got on his back and palmed his covered hardness. “Tease us a lil while longer. C’mere.”
Sloane let Joel lead her on top of him. They were both still wearing underwear, and Joel guided her hips on his aching length. Sloane bit her lip and rocked herself slowly on top of him. Her wetness had already soaked the fabric long before this. In fact, she was so wet that with each slow and long dry hump of Joel, her juices made a squelching sound.
“God, I love that sound,” Joel huffed as he threw his head back on the pillow. “You just love that fuckin cock, don’t you, baby?”
This provoked Sloane to hump him faster. “Fuck yes, I’m such a little whore for you,” Sloane rasped breathlessly as her wetness slicked between them.
“Agh, fuckkkk,” Joel groaned helplessly. “Get those panties off and ride my cock right fuckin now.”
In a flash, Sloane tore through her and Joel’s last bit of remaining clothing. She had mind to make him suffer for making her burn for him for so long, but she didn’t have the willpower in her to make that happen. Sloane lined his cock up to her entrance and sunk into him with little to no resistance because her wetness from their prolonged foreplay pooled between her legs. Joel let out a low growl but stopped her before she could move any further.
“Take your hair down,” Joel requested as he admired her through heavy lids.
Sloane took off the hair elastic tying off the singular braid running down her back. Her dexterous fingers expertly undid it. She shook it loose before she raked her fingers through the hair at her temple to fluff it up.
“Ain’t you a pretty little thing,” Joel replied at the sight of her wild unbound hair.
Sloane gave him a lazy smile and put her hands on his chest to brace herself. She began to move slowly back and forth to really experience the fullness of him. Joel’s rough hands grabbed her hips possessively, and yet he didn’t guide her hands; he let her set the pace now. Sloane moved slowly yet aggressively as she ground herself against him. “Jesus, Joel,” Sloane praised him as she moved faster and greedier. “Finally givin me what I fuckin want.”
Joel’s fingers dug into her hips, and she was convinced that she’d have bruises there later–the prospect of that excited her.
“Always talkin about bein a cowgirl, prove it, ” Joel taunted her to go faster. “Ride that fuckin cock, baby.”
Sloane maneuvered herself to her feet so that she was in a squatting position. She used the power of her legs to bob up and down on him mercilessly. Her breasts bounced from the effort, and Sloane threw her head back as she worked on him stunningly.
“That’s my girl,” Joel rasped as he struggled through a flurry of approving cusses.
Joel knew full well that those words were like wildfire in a drought to Sloane; it was the most surefire way to ignite her. Sloane began slamming herself down now as she buried him into the hilt of her over and over again in quick succession. Her calves were burning with effort, but the fire in her stomach burned hotter. Sloane was a hard worker by nature, but those three words made her go feral with the desire to make him come. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she tightened herself around him. Sloane threw her head back as she listened to the sounds of her flesh smacking against his. She forced his cock deeper and deeper with sheer effort, making him bottom out inside of her. The pressure inside of her gut was inescapable, and she gripped Joel’s chest as she met her ecstasy.
“FUCK!” Sloane cried out as her center quivered around him. Her pussy had become swollen and tender, but she refused to relent as she continued to fuck him through her orgasm. Joel’s needy moans emboldened something in her. She reached a hand down and grasped his throat firmly. “You wanna fuckin come, don’t you? Tell me how bad.”
Joel hissed a sharp exhale of air as he watched her riding him with hypnotized precision. “So fuckin bad, and I’m gonna give it to you so deep.”
Sloane’s grasp around his throat tightened. “Give it to me, baby.”
She watched as Joel’s brown eyes fluttered closed as if concentrating on his desire. He bellowed a long moan. “Jesus fuckin Christ!”
His muscular body writhed under her, and Sloane slowed down the pace for him. Sloane loosened her grip on his throat. She could feel him spurting inside of her, and she felt satisfied to have gotten what she wanted. Once she was sure that he’d finished, she returned to her knees and leaned down to him. Joel's eyes opened, and Sloane pressed her lips to his. She swept her tongue into his mouth, and Joel moaned into hers. They spent a few moments nipping and gnashing passionately, until Sloane pulled him out of her and laid down beside him with an exhausted sigh.
Joel’s brown eyes looked at her in adoring disbelief as if he couldn’t believe that she were real. He shook his head slowly. “You’re somethin.”
“A cowgirl?” Sloane jested with a goofy smile.
“I know that’s fuckin right,” Joel huffed a laugh. He tapped his chest. “C’mere, darlin.”
Sloane edged closer to him, and he wrapped his strong arms around her. The roaring fire had been nice and cozy at first, but now that Sloane was weak and sweaty, she felt like she was in the pits of Hell. The heat was sweltering. Their bodies stuck together, but it only made Sloane want to nuzzle closer to him. There was something about seeing Joel Miller sweaty and satisfied that made her heart do triple backflips.
“I love you,” Sloane said softly. She would never tire of saying the words to him.
“Love you more,” Joel replied as he pressed a kiss to her blonde head. He got a secretive smirk on his face, and Sloane gave him a funny look. He raised his brows at her, but the smirk didn’t dissipate.
“What!?” Sloane laughed.
“Just thinkin about how I need to hand you the reins more often,” Joel admitted with gravel in his voice.