Worth It

Summary: Inspired by the upcoming chapter featuring a blizzard, MC (Ellika) and Sawyer steal some time alone, and Ellika convinces Sawyer to let go of some of that self-control.

“Sawyer?”

Ellika can just barely make him out, standing at the edge of the porch. The cold bites at her skin immediately, even bundled up in a warm winter coat. Sawyer doesn’t say anything, just keeps staring out into the swirling snow. Ellika wonders if he can even hear her, the wind is howling so loudly. The sudden winter storm has made it impossible to see anything more than a couple feet in any direction, and it gives her an eerie feeling.

Somewhere off to her right is the barn they’d worked on, nearly lost from the fire. Sawyer’s truck is parked just to their left. But all she can see is white. Ellika wraps her arms around herself and makes her way over to him.

“Sawyer?” she says again.

He turns. “Ellika? What are you doin’ out here? It’s freezing.”

He immediately wraps his arms around her and pulls her in close. She burrows into his warmth, snaking her arms around his back.

“You’ve been out here a while,” she says through nearly chattering teeth. “I was getting worried.”

Sawyer sighs heavily. “I’ll be alright.”

She starts shivering harder, and Sawyer takes her hand, leading her back in the house. His hat is covered in melting snow. Ellika smiles softly and brushes it off.

“You should warm up. I have to go check on the horses,” Sawyer says, gently unwinding her scarf.

“…you do remember there’s an actual blizzard going on right now, right?” she asks. “How are you going to get out there and back?”

“We have a guideline,” he reassures her. “I’ve used it before.”

He gives her a half-smile and lightly presses his fingertips to her furrowed brow. “I’ll be okay, Ellika. Promise.”

“I’ll come with you,” she blurts out.

Now he’s the one who looks worried. “You don’t have to do that.”

Ellika starts wrapping her scarf back around her neck. “I just don’t like the idea of you going out there alone.”

Sawyer shakes his head, but he’s smiling again. “I’d try and talk you out of it, but I know how stubborn you are.”

Sawyer calls in to the kitchen that they’re checking on the horses and will be back.

“Surely that can wait,” Duke frowns, coming out. “See if this storm eases up some?”

“It’s been bad for hours,” Sawyer replies. “Can’t wait much longer.”

Outside, the wind slams into her forcefully. Ellika ducks her head and steels herself against it, tightly holding Sawyer’s hand as he leads her to the corner of the house. He carefully closes her hands around the sturdy rope sitting just above her shoulder.

“Stay close,” he shouts.

She nods, and they make their way into the wind. It’s slow going, and she swears more than once that they should have reached the barn already. She runs into Sawyer’s back at one point, gripping his coat to steady herself. He pulls her against his side, and she realizes with relief that they’ve finally reached the barn. It’s blessedly warm against the bitter cold outside.

“Are you alright?” Sawyer asks, rubbing his hands over her arms.

“Cold,” she admits. “But I’m okay.”

Sawyer grins and tilts her chin up, capturing her lips in a kiss that warms her through. “That’s what you get for being so stubborn,” he murmurs.

Ellika teases his lower lip with her teeth. “As if you didn’t want me to come with.”

“You know I did. Though I would’ve preferred an easier way to be alone with you.”

The husky tone in his voice makes her groan to herself. She lightly pushes against his chest. “Focus,” she laughs.

“Yes, ma’am.”

They get to work, making their way from stall to stall. Thankfully, it doesn’t take them long to make sure the horses are settled for the night. She watches Sawyer work most of the time, grinning when he catches her staring at him.

“You’re supposed to be helping,” he teases her. “You’re a terrible farmhand.”

She shrugs. “I’m supervising.”

Ellika pats the side of Dottie’s neck and feeds her an apple while Sawyer finishes up with Dolly. Dottie’s nose tickles her hand and Ellika laughs when the horse looks at her woefully. “All out. Sorry.”

Dottie huffs out a noisy breath.

“I think she just sassed me,” Ellika calls over to Sawyer.

He chuckles, then tilts his head toward the door. “Ready to head back?”

By now she’s warmed up and has no desire to go back out in the wind and the snow.

“No,” she sighs.

Sawyer looks at her thoughtfully, then grabs a couple saddle blankets and extends his hand to her. “Come here.”

She laces her fingers with his and follows him to a ladder that’s seen better days. Ellika glances at it warily. “This looks about a hundred years old.”

“Close,” he smiles. “But it’ll hold.”

“Hmm,” she says skeptically, but starts making her way up the rungs.

“It’s kind of nice up here,” Ellika says when she emerges into the loft and surveys her surroundings.

“It is,” Sawyer agrees, coming up behind her and setting the blankets on the floor. “I used to come up here as a kid when I wanted to get away from Duke. Scared my mom half to death a few times when she couldn’t find me.”

Ellika grins, picturing little Sawyer hiding in the loft behind stacks of farm equipment.

“And it’s warm,” she adds, a little surprised. She tugs her gloves and hat off and tucks them in her coat pockets.

“We redid the insulation a few years back,” Sawyer comments. “And got new heaters.”

He pulls her back against his chest and she sighs, relaxing into him. She tilts her head back, kissing him softly. There’s a hint of worry and frustration on his face, one that’s been there since the barn fire.

“You sure you’re okay?” she asks quietly, cupping his face in her hand.

His stubble scratches over her fingertips. Sawyer sighs.

“Just worried. About AgraCorp and the ranch.” His face tightens in anger. “Who knows what measures they’ll go to, tryin’ to get their way.”

Ellika thinks about Garrett’s smug face and what an utter asshole he is. She frowns, then shakes it away.

“Hey,” she says. “You-we-are doing everything we can. That’s all we can do. As much as I’d love to punch Garrett in the face.”

Sawyer chuckles, burying his face in her hair.

“I know,” he says against her neck. His breath tickles her skin. “I’m glad you stayed, Ellika. You being here… it helps a lot.”

“I’m glad I stayed too,” she says, squeezing his hand. “I love it here. And I like being with you.”

There’s undeniable heat and raw desire on his face when he lifts his head back up to kiss her again. It’s soft and slow, but she can feel the hunger behind it. She kisses him harder, turning in his arms, and Sawyer groans. He pulls her tight against him and her arms go around his neck.

“God, Ellika… I want you,” he says raggedly.

“Then have me,” she breathes in his ear.

He groans again, kissing down her jaw and taking her scarf off to kiss her neck. Sawyer yanks his gloves off so he can unzip her coat, then pulls it aside and leaves soft, biting kisses on her shoulder. She moans in pleasure and fumbles with the zipper on his coat, impatiently pushing it off and over his shoulders. His hat gets knocked off in her enthusiasm and she sees a smile play over his lips.

Sawyer’s muscles tense when she runs her hands under his shirt, like he’s expecting them to be cold, and then he grins.

“Your hands are warm,” he murmurs.

Her fingers wander over the lines of his muscles and through the fine dusting of hair over his chest and stomach. She presses her hips against his and they both groan quietly.

“Mmm,” she hums, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him again.

He slips his hands just under the back of her shirt.

“Have I told you recently how really, really sexy you are?” she asks.

“Yesterday, I think,” he jokes.

Ellika pokes him in the side. “Well, you are. For many reasons. It bears repeating.”

She reaches for his belt buckle and unfastens it with ease, then pulls his zipper down and slips her hand inside to cup him over his boxers.

“God,” Sawyer groans, gripping her waist tightly. “You barely touch me and still drive me crazy.”

He bucks into her when she squeezes her hand a little and sucks at his pulse point.

“The feeling’s mutual,” she murmurs.

“Yeah?”

She nods, sliding her hand into the opening on his boxers and making Sawyer moan her name.

“It’s cold,” he groans. “We should head back.”

Ellika makes a faintly whining noise at the thought, running her thumb over the tip of his erection. “The house is full of people,” she protests. “And it’s too far.”

He grins against her lips. “But it’s warmer.”

She shrugs, reaching for the buttons on his shirt. “It’s not that bad in here. And I want you.”

She can feel him give in to her pleading words almost immediately. He makes quick work of her shirt, pulling it over her head and then kissing her so deeply that she sucks in a surprised breath and digs her fingers into the back of his neck. Her bra goes next, Sawyer unhooking it deftly and dropping it next to them.

“Beautiful. You’re so beautiful,” he mumbles into her neck.

The callouses on his fingers scrape pleasurably over her sensitive skin, bringing her nipples into hardened peaks.

“Sawyer,” she sighs.

Ellika threads her fingers through his hair, her breaths growing steadily more and more ragged when he unfastens her pants and kisses down her chest and stomach. He kneels before her and slides her jeans down, kissing down her thighs and making her tremble. She smiles when he reaches over to spread the blankets out so she’s not standing on the wooden floor in her bare feet.

She grips his shoulders so he can get her boots off, then her socks, then finally her jeans, leaving her in just her underwear. Now she is a little cold and shivers slightly. Sawyer’s lips quirk up.

“Told you it was cold,” he says, sliding his shirt off and slipping it over her arms.

It’s still warm from his body heat when she snuggles into it.

“Worth it,” she counters.

He laughs, then reaches for the waistband of her underwear.

“No fair,” she grins, snagging his wrist.

Sawyer looks at her quizzically and she glances pointedly at his own jeans and the very obvious bulge pressing against the front of them. He grins and then stands back up, stripping out of everything else but his boxers.

“Better?” he asks.

“Almost,” she answers, dragging her eyes over his nearly naked form.

Sawyer trails his hands warmly up and down her sides, then slides one into her underwear and between her legs.

“How ‘bout now?” he asks.

Ellika moans when he presses his fingers into her. “Better,” she gasps. “Right… oh… there…”

His other hand flexes into her back at her quiet moans.

“God, Ellika,” he groans.

“I told you the feeling was mutual,” she pants. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

He falters momentarily at her words, his fingers stilling for half a second before he moves his hand faster and tilts his head down to suck at her neck.

She moans, writhing against him when he moves his fingers just so and rubs his thumb over her clit.

“Sawyer!” she cries out. Her heartbeat pounds in her ears, her toes curling into the blanket under her feet, and she sags against him. Sawyer keeps his arms around her, holding her up and lightly tracing patterns over her skin.

When she somewhat catches her breath, he tilts her chin up and kisses her, once, twice, again and again until she’s almost breathless. She yanks his boxers down and slips her underwear off, nearly sighing in relief when they’re both finally naked but for his shirt hanging loosely off of her. Sawyer’s hands run down her back and squeeze her ass before he lifts her.

She loves how strong he is, likes the effortless way he can pick her up and hold on to her. She wraps her legs around him, grinding her hips against him and bringing her lips to his.

“Ellika,” he groans.

“I want you so much,” she breathes in his ear.

“I want…” he trails off, swallowing hard.

His hands squeeze her thighs reflexively before he relaxes his grip. She can see the conflicting emotions on his face, the obvious desire and arousal, but also what looks like hesitation. Ellika kisses him and can feel him holding back, just a little. She can feel his frustration with everything going on brimming just under the surface.

“Hey.” She meets his gaze and kisses him again, softer this time.

“You won’t break me,” she murmurs, taking a guess at what he’s feeling hesitant about it.

“I know,” he says hoarsely. “But you’re not some… conquest or fling.”

“I know that,” she reassures him. “I know, Sawyer.”

“I want you to feel good,” he says, his fingers tightening again when she brings her hand down between them.

He twitches against her touch.

Ellika groans. “I will. Trust me,” she says, laughing a little shakily.

She wants him to lose some of that control. Every time with him before this has been incredible, his utter focus on her undeniably arousing. She loves the way he’s made love to her, but right now they’re both stressed and frustrated and she wants him fast and a little rough. She wants him to slam into her, to kiss her hard, to dig his fingers into her enough to leave marks.

He still looks a little conflicted, so she kisses up his neck to his ear and breathes, “Please, Sawyer. I trust you. Take me.”

It’s like something inside him snaps. He nearly growls her name, his fingers digging into her thighs again as he walks them backwards. Ellika gasps when her back presses into one of the walls, the cold momentarily surprising her through the soft fabric of his shirt.

“Okay?” Sawyer asks.

“God, yes,” she groans, pulling him into another kiss.

His eyes turn impossibly darker. One of his hands roams over the curve of her hip. He wrenches his mouth off of hers to kiss and bite across her collarbone and shoulder, making her moan. Ellika rakes her fingers down his back, desperate to have him as close as possible. She nearly shrieks when he surges into her, his hips moving insistently against hers.

“Yes,” she moans. “God, Sawyer, yes.”

The guttural way he says her name makes her shudder. She threads her fingers in his hair and tugs slightly. He groans and slams into her, so she does it again. She’s so desperate for him, wants him so badly, that it takes no time at all before she’s close to coming again.

“Sawyer, I’m… I…” she gasps, heat pooling in her belly.

She holds onto him tighter, digging her fingers into his shoulders. Sawyer shifts her slightly upwards, thrusting harder, faster. His lips seek hers in a bruising kiss. It muffles the noises she makes when he pushes her over the edge, the way she cries out. He comes right after her, groaning her name and dropping his forehead to hers.

His chest rises and falls rapidly against hers before he walks them back over to the blankets and gently lowers her legs back down. Sawyer kisses her slowly, tangling his tongue with hers and threading his fingers in her hair.

“Mm,” she sighs.

“I take it that was… okay?” Sawyer asks.

She slides her arms around her neck, smiling into his kisses.

“No,” she murmurs. “That was… fantastic. Mind-blowing. You just took me against a wall. I think you left marks.”

She runs her hands gently down his back. “And I’m pretty sure I scratched you.”

Sawyer flushes, opening his mouth. “I’m-”

Ellika presses her fingers to his lips before he can say anything else.

“Don’t apologize. I mean it. That was some of the best sex I’ve ever had.”

“Some of?” he asks with a wry grin.

She grins back. “I mean, this is a big ranch. There are so many places I haven’t even been to yet.”

“Good thing you’re staying then.”

Ellika laughs. “Good thing. And you’d miss me.”

Sawyer ducks his head, kissing her sweetly. “I would,” he agrees.

“I’d miss you too,” she murmurs.

Eventually (she’s lost all track of time and isn’t sure how believable ‘we were taking care of the horses and it took a while’ will be now), they stop kissing long enough to get bundled back up and prepare to head back to the house.

“You know they’re never going to believe we took that long to take care of the horses,” Ellika points out with a smirk.

Sawyer shrugs and grins. “What was it you said earlier?”

He snags her lips in one last kiss before they head out into the storm. “Worth it.”