Birthday Bash Day 20 - Charlie Richards

Many thanks to Emily for giving me the opportunity to join her birthday blog bash! She mentioned a desire to hear a story about our experiences turning twenty-one. Sure, I could tell you a story about going to a strip club and watching sexy men dance, but since I got a bigger kick out of watching the thirty and forty year old women screaming and waving dollar bills, I won’t do that. I’ll tell you about something else…so, here it goes.

Right before I turned twenty-one, I was coming out of a bad relationship and moving back home. The guy barely held down a job, while more than once during our relationship I worked two. He lied…about everything. Like, why the hell would you lie about going to Taco Bell for lunch? And he had a wandering eye. Did he ever do anything with another woman? I don’t think so, but he sure liked to look.

As an adult, returning to live under your parent’s roof has got to be one of the hardest things ever. Although I love my parents, living with them wasn’t really something I wanted to do again. It kinda made me feel like I was a failure. I’d chosen a pathetic excuse for a man to live with and now I had to recoup at home.

Well, those are the things you take to heart and learn from.

Of course, before I could accept those life lessons, I had to get away and find my self-worth. I had to rediscover who I was. Or maybe, I had to rediscover what a terrific person I was.

Suffice it to say, right before I turned twenty-one, I scheduled a week-long vacation at a dude ranch. It was during round-up week, so we’d travel into the Colorado mountains, round up cattle, and drive them back to the ranch.

I know. Most of you are saying, “Why the hell would you sign up for that?” My response, “I love horses and I love the mountains. Get the chance to scope out some amazing views, while maybe pushing some cattle? Awesome!”

Yep, that’s my idea of fun.

So, I turned twenty-one on October 7th, then the last week of October, I tossed a bag in my Ford Focus and headed to Colorado. It was the first time I’d ever been away from home on my own. I stayed the night at a little mountain motel. I remember I watched the movie The Faculty before going to bed that night. The next morning, I relaxed and watched several Xena episodes before checking out. It was…nice.

After arriving at the ranch and checking into my one bedroom cabin, which would be my home for the week, I was at loose ends. It was Monday afternoon, and I was facing dinner at the lodge with a bunch of people I didn’t know. And, let’s face it, I’m a natural introvert. I just about cried, I was so stressed out.

Well, I did tell you my parents were good people. My mom—yes, I called my mom—gave me the ‘we love you and you’ll do fine’ speech. Lo and behold, she was right. The first dinner had assigned seating. I met an incredibly wonderful woman from England. To this day, I still wish I’d stayed in contact with her.

Regrets…

Anyway, she turned into a wonderful trail buddy and she was my pal for 5 of the 7 days. We wandered through the woods, took in amazing sites, and pushed a couple cows.

Why wasn’t she my bud the other 2 days? You probably guessed it. A guy. Hey, I was twenty-one. Lol.

On Friday night I spotted a hot dude in a leather jacket. Saturday morning, I spotted him again at breakfast. He introduced himself at the corral. We spent the day together on the trail. I rode a horse named Maryann. He rode a horse name Gyro. Yeah. Those are the odd things that stick—lol.

Yes, we had a very ‘good’ night together, then the next morning I piled everything in my Focus and drove home. Did I see him again? Yes. In Las Vegas. You know…what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. We were compatible in the bedroom, but not in real life. However, I did very much appreciate what that experience taught me—value myself. Every couple is different, but through this encounter, I learned what I wanted in a mate.

Someone who doesn’t look at every woman who walked passed him and blame it on ‘I’m alive, aren’t I?’ Yes, I understand you’re alive, but that doesn’t mean you can’t respect me. Don’t make eyes at another woman when I’m standing right next to you.

Someone who is reliable. Sure, there’s times my salary pays for things, but my man pulls his own weight, too. He holds down a steady job. He’s been there for over 5 years, and he was at his prior job for over 5 years too. I never needed a second job. If more money was needed, he got the second job.

Last, but probably the most important, he’s not a liar. Yes, everyone tells little white lies. I appreciate the fact that he doesn’t tell me how much weight I’ve gained, even though I know I have. But he’s a straight shooter.

Okay, so, I’ve shared about how my encounter with a one-night-stand turned fling in Vegas had an impact on my twenty-one year-old self. I hope it entertained at least a little. I’d like to offer a drawing. If you comment on my dear host's—Emily Wells'—site, then I’ll put you in a drawing for a pdf of your choice of one of my stories (drawing to be done May 1st).

Here is a blurb for my latest release, Compromises For His Moose, book 11 in the Kontra’s Menagerie’s series, and of course, a steamy excerpt.

When Adam Kingston decides to enjoy a cat nap in tiger form, he

never thought he’d be woken by the cries of young moose shifters, nor did he expect to need to save them from a douchy wolf shifter and his buddies. The day takes a turn for the better when he’s pleasantly surprised to discover the moose’s brother, Noah Oleander, is his mate. Except Noah is in the closet, is the legal guardian for his two siblings, and is on the run for attacking his alpha’s son. Can Adam get Noah to stick around long enough to find a way to help him? Or, will Noah decide it’s easier to grab his siblings and keep on running?

Excerpt:

Noah’s asshole clenched and released against the sensual assault. The thought of having Adam bury the thick shaft he felt rubbing against his own both thrilled him and sent a spike of fear through him.

He licked his lips and managed to grin. “Got any bad habits I should know about?”

Adam chuckled. “Oh, yeah.” He leaned forward, pausing with his lips a hairsbreadth away from Noah’s ear and whispered, “I like to drink milk straight out of the carton. Sometimes I bring greasy car parts into my hotel room. Also, getting to work on old vehicles gives me a boner that won’t quit. How about you?”

Noah imagined he could feel Adam’s grin against the flesh of his lobe. He tried to formulate an answer, but then, Adam pressed harder against his pucker and slipped one questing digit inside him. Noah gasped at the stretch and burn that felt far better than it should. His balls tightened and his dick flexed. Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t give a shit. “How about I tell you after you fuck me through the mattress?”

“Perfect.” Growling, Adam captured his lips in a feral kiss that curled Noah’s toes and set his blood on fire.

* * * *

Adam gripped his soon-to-be lover, enjoying the feel of Noah’s skin under his fingertips and the taste of his flesh on his tongue. Delicious. Closing the distance between their lips, Adam claimed Noah’s mouth, thrusting deep, mimicking with his tongue what he wanted to do to with his dick.

Moaning, Adam tightened his arm around Noah’s torso. He rolled his hips, grinding his aching dick against Noah’s. He couldn’t remember ever being this hard, needing this much. He slipped his finger deeper into the space he desperately wanted to bury his cock.

Lube.

Shit, too far. Gotta take the edge off.

He was desperate for relief and knew from the low noises Noah made, he must be, too.

Wiggling his finger, Adam searched for that magic button within every male. He knew when he found it. Noah yanked his mouth away, threw his head back, and groaned low in his throat. The sexy sound went straight to Adam’s dick, oozing and twitching.

Adam released Noah’s torso and shoved down the front of his mate’s sweats then yanked open his jeans, freeing both their cocks. He wrapped his hand around them, pressing the sensitive flesh together, and stroked. Leaning forward, Adam planted one foot and levered up, using his mass to press the more slender man into the cushion of the chair. He once again claimed his mate’s mouth.

Drinking in his lover’s sounds, Adam jacked their cocks. He swiped his thumb over their heads, using the pre-cum to ease his way. His balls pulled tight and he fed his lover a moan or two of his own.

Noah’s fingers dug into his upper arms where he gripped Adam tightly. He used his hold to buck his hips, driving his cock through Adam’s fist. Adam grunted, loving that his mate took what he so freely offered, and pressed against Noah’s prostate hard. Noah stiffened, mewling into his mouth. The sexy shifter’s cock thickened in his hand and pulsed, shooting stream after stream of seed between them. His ass clamped down on Adam’s finger and he imagined it was his cock buried in that hot death-grip.

His balls turned inside out and he came, adding his own seed to the mess. Shuddering, he wrenched his mouth away from Noah’s and tucked his forehead against his neck. Adam inhaled deeply, enjoying the combined scent of his mate and their spilled seed.

He smiled when he realized neither one of their shafts had gone down. Lifting his head, Adam looked into Noah’s deep brown eyes. He grinned and stroked their cocks slowly, loving the shiver that worked through the man’s system

Hell, yeah.

“That was just a precursor,” he crooned.

Author Bio:

Charlie is a happily married mother of many four-legged furry animals. Born in Lakeland, Florida, raised in Orchard Park, New York, and currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah, she's seen her share of frigid winters, stifling hot summers, and dry windy days. She currently lives on a mini ranchette with her husband, 5 horses, 2 dogs, and 4 cats. She dreams of one day owning a fifty acre spread in the mountains of Montana (heated indoor arena required). When she's not training for jumper competitions with her Arabian gelding, Apache, and rescued Thoroughbred mare, Repo, she's curled up with a laptop and a cup of tea, letting her imagination create her next book.

Links:

www.charlie-richards.com

ch.richards2010@yahoo.com

http://twitter.com/ch_richards2010