He made me feel good, the way he genuinely cared about what I like. For the rest of the drive, he talked about ordering some new restraints for the spanking bench. Exiting the freeway, I followed the GPS directions to the hotel. As we drove through Moab, there were signs all over the place for Arches National Park. Having had a glimpse of the incredible naturally formed arches on our drive today, I was excited to see the park tomorrow.
“Our hotel should be the first right after the next light,” Russell said.
I nodded and glanced around at the stoplight. Most of the hotels looked about the same and what would be expected for this area. Just on the other side of the stoplight, I spotted a motel that didn’t really look great. It looked run down, and the landscaping looked shabby. I couldn’t imagine Russell selecting it for us to stay at.
On the opposite corner was a park and a playground. Beyond the jungle gym and swings there was a lone caboose. It was part of the playground apparatus and had a slide going down one side. I started to sweat, and my mind slowly drifted backward.
“Ryan.”
I glanced at Russell; he knew what I had seen. I didn’t say anything about it or draw any more attention to it. I propped my elbow onto the doorsill and rested the side of my head against my hand. I didn’t want to be tempted to look at the park. When the light turned green, I drove through the intersection and kept my eyes glued to the right side of the street for the driveway to the hotel.
Hiding behind tall, lush landscaping was a nice-looking hotel. First right after the light. This was it. I smiled as I pulled into the parking lot. The exterior looked freshly painted, and the parking lot looked recently paved. As Russell suggested, I pulled under the covered section that appeared to be right in front of what I assumed was the lobby.
Once we were inside, I smirked. This wassoRussell. The lobby was decorated and designed with modern, minimalistic décor. Everything was immaculate. We checked in and took the luggage up to our room on the fourth floor.
As soon as I closed the door, Russell backed me against it. He pressed his palms on the door on either side of my shoulders before he leaned in to kiss me. His tongue commanded control of my mouth. Our kiss deepened, sending my pulse higher and driving my wants and needs to the surface. I weaved my hands inside his jacket and took hold of his sweater. My desire to feel his skin was growing. Russell’s hands grasped the jacket over my biceps, pulling me subtly toward his body.I needed to touch him.
“Russell,” I murmured into his mouth.
“Hmm?” he mumbled.
“I—”
Our mouths were glued to one another, and I didn’t want to ruin the pace or mood by talking. I was lost in the kiss but cognizant of the fact that I was burning up. Still in my jacket and forced into a confined space with Russell had my body on fire.
“What, Ryan?” he whispered, prompting me to finish what I had started to say.
“I need to touch you,” I panted.
“Touch me, then,” Russell calmly said.
My hands quickly moved under the hem of his sweater and pulled at his t-shirt to untuck it. Our mouths crashed back together when I found his bare skin. I gripped his sides while he firmly had my biceps in his hands. Eventually, his hands let go of my arms, and he moved a hand under my shirt and rubbed over my stomach. He pulled away from my mouth and stared into my eyes as he gave my abdomen a few pats.
“I missed those eyes,” he murmured.
“I’ve been beside you for about eight solid hours.”
“Indeed, you have. But I wasn’t able to look into those eyes.” Russell leaned in and kissed me again. “I need to be able to see your eyes,” he said as he leaned in to kiss me again. “They tell me things that you don’t.”
“I tell you things,” I smarted back.
“You do … when you realize they’re bothering you. I like to head them off.” Russell moved in to kiss me again. “Try to forget the train, Ryan. Focus on the now, not the past.”
I nodded and took a deep breath.
“Come on,” Russell said as he patted my stomach again. “Let’s go get some dinner. When we come back, we’ll relax and rest up for our hike tomorrow.”
Russell was talkative, which kept me talking during our drive to dinner and while we ate. And I had just about forgotten about the dumbass train, until we came back.
