CHAPTER 14
No sex?
She had to be kidding. She’d put the moves on him, and now she wanted no sex? When their chemistry was so explosive, it was a miracle the house was still standing? This woman would kill him. At the very least, give him a permanent case of blue balls.
But he was desperate, so he’d agree to anything she asked. “Sure you won’t change your mind about the last one?”
She hesitated. “I think it would needlessly complicate things.”
“Or it could be the perfect arrangement.”
Her eyes grew hungry, and he took his opening, drawing a thumb down her cheek and sweeping it over her luscious lower lip. “I wanna see this mouth swollen from my kisses. I want to feel your gorgeous tits pucker in my hand and turn pink from my tongue. I want to feel your soft, sweet pussy wet for me, and I don’t care if it complicates things. I want a long, good taste of you Lydia Grace, and I want to finish what you started in the barn. I’ll jump through whatever hoops you toss up, but I dare you to deny what’s between us.”
Her eyes had gone hazy and unfocused. Fuck, she had no idea how magnificent she was. His cock did, and it strained against his pants.
“Say it,” he rasped as he stepped closer, mouth watering to kiss her again. He could see the answer in her eyes. The words were right there. His heart pounded with expectation, his reply ready on his tongue when she gave the word. “Say it, Lyds.”
“You could charm the–”
“Pants off a rattlesnake,” he filled in for her, stomach dropping in disappointment. “You’ve said that. And I pride myself on that skill.”
“People will talk,” she murmured.
“They always talk. Might as well give them something to talk about.”
“Oh, they are definitely not finding out.”
Her comment stung. In the back of his mind, all his old demons rose in a chorus of you’ll never be good enough. Had he blown his chance with her in a fit of stupidity all those years ago? Because he couldn’t stand even one person looking at him like they cared? Well, fuck him, if that’s the way it went. Just another consequence in a long string of shitty consequences. Still, the overwhelming urge to prove himself to her, to show her that he could be worthy, hit him with the force of a charging bull.
With a sigh, he stepped away. “Fine. You’re calling the shots, darlin’. But you know where to find me if you change your mind.” He scooped up his hat, jamming it on his head as he made for the door.
He risked a look over his shoulder when he reached the door. His stomach twisted at the sight of her. Damn if she didn’t look forlorn. Conflicted. It took everything he had not to close the distance and wrap her in a protective embrace. Instead, he tipped his hat and stepped out into the cold, letting the door snick shut behind him.
He counted the steps to the truck, hope rising in his chest even though he knew better.
Two. He crossed the porch.
Five. His boots hit the bottom stair.
Nine. He reached the driveway.
Fourteen. His hand came to rest on the door handle. He paused, eyes drifting back to the door, willing it to open. Ten seconds. Twenty. “Ahh, hell.” He shook his head and yanked open the door, hopping in with a swallowed curse. For a shining moment, an alternate future had rolled out before him. He’d been foolish to think he could win Lydia’s trust. Or anyone’s in Prairie, for that matter. He turned the ignition and gunned the gas, casting one final look at the door. As if in slow motion, the door swept open, golden light flooding out from behind Lydia’s silhouette. His gut clenched as she bounded down the steps, flew around the front of the truck and knocked on the window.
Play it cool. He needed to play it cool. He jabbed the window button, and as the glass lowered, he was hit with the scent of her perfume.
“Don’t go,” she called softly, bouncing up and down.
“I’m not gonna play games, sweetheart.”
“What if we started our agreement tomorrow? Got each other out of our systems tonight?”
His brows furrowed. “Are you sayin’–”
“One night. Full-on-sex. No regrets. Everything starts tomorrow.”
She was still hopping. He craned his neck, trying to see down through the dark. “Where are your shoes, woman?”
She gave him a toothy smile, still bouncing. “You’re right. Everything you said was right. I don’t take risks. And-and, I’ve regretted that. At times,” she added. “A-and…” she took a deep breath. “I can’t stop thinking about you. And everything you said. And holy shit, it’s freezing out here. Will you just come inside? Please? I promise I won’t change my mind.”
She didn’t have to ask twice.
He cut the engine, not caring the window was still down. If some critter made itself at home, he’d deal with that later. She stepped back as he opened the door, and before she could turn, he scooped her up and stalked the fourteen steps to the still open door, kicking it shut behind him once he’d landed inside. “You sure ’bout this?” he asked gruffly. He didn’t want this coming back to bite him in the ass.
She nodded, eyes wide. “My bedroom’s down the hall.”
He didn’t stop until he reached her door. He hesitated, scanning the tiny space. One wall was covered with sketches of boots and shoes and a desk in the corner was covered with paper, pens, and samples. Aside from the chaos in the corner, the room was relatively sparse. His pulse threatened to race out of control as the realization hit him. He’d never once made love to a woman in her space. Always his – his terms, his space. Colt set Lydia down and moved to study the sketches, feeling like a bit of an intruder, yet savoring this tiny glimpse into Lydia’s private domain. His eyes flicked from one paper to the next, amazed at how each design was unique, yet there was a gesture, a way she moved her pen that made them unmistakably hers. Kind of like the way a good rider threw his arm or marked his ride in a telltale manner. “These are good, Lyds. Real good.”
The sound of material whispering to the floor had him turning. “I didn’t invite you back to look at my pictures, cowboy,” she said with a hungry look in her eye.
Oh hell, tonight her bra was blush pink. Barely there, and he could see her nipples, dark and dusky, pushing through the fabric. His hand went to his belt buckle as he moved a foot to toe off his boots.
Her eyes widened in shock. “Don’t you dare toe off those boots.” Moving with surprising speed, she dipped behind the bed, popped up and tossed him a boot jack.
He caught it with a grin and set it on the floor and set the heel in the groove, giving a little pull. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Tell me you haven’t toed them off.”
“Never. Cross my heart.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You just gave me an idea. I need to include a boot jack with each pair of boots I make.”
He set the second boot next to the first and rose, hands on his hips. “I thought you didn’t invite me here to talk business.”
Her eyes lit as the slow sexy smile he loved curled up her mouth, and she sashayed to where he stood. He stilled as she placed a hand on his chest, right over his heart. Could she feel it kicking like a bronc just free of the chute?
“I wanna see your tattoo again,” she said, her voice going husky and her eyes darkening to deep turquoise pools.
It took all of three seconds for him to loosen the buttons on his shirt and shrug it to the floor. He whipped off his tank top, deciding to give her the whole show. The appreciative rumble that came from her throat reverberated through his bones, settling in his balls with a tingle. “You have no idea how sexy those noises are.”
“Hmm?” she answered as if she knew exactly.
She lightly traced the outline of his tattoo. The movement was so innocent, yet so erotic, a shudder rippled through him. Hell, he’d ink his entire body to have her touch him like that.
“Colt?”
“What is it, baby?”
“Take off your pants.”
He eyed her jeans, perfectly molded to her curves, and slipped his fingers inside the waistband, tugging her closer. “You first.”
Her eyes sparked with amusement. “On three.”
“One, two… three.” His fingers flew, loosening first his belt, then jerking down the zipper. Their pants hit the floor at the same time, the clatter of his belt buckle filling the space. Her eyes widened as she took in the bulge in his boxer briefs. “See the effect you have on me, sweetheart?”
Lydia’s breath came out in a hiss, and she licked her lips. He was fucking lost. Stepping to her, he traced a line from the nape of her neck, across her collarbone, to the round of her shoulder. Then bent his head and followed the same path with his tongue, smiling against her skin at the ragged sigh that slipped through her lips.
Bands of desire tightened around his midsection, radiating out and pulling his muscles taut as he caught the faint floral scent of her perfume mixed with the slight musk of her skin. He was already worked up to the breaking point, but if this was his one shot with Lydia, by God, he was gonna make it damn good for both of them. He caught a finger under her bra strap and with a little tug, slipped it down her arm. “You’re so beautiful.” The words fell out of his mouth as he skimmed a finger over her creamy skin, over the luscious swell of her breast, stopping only when he came into contact with the lace top covering the best part. He grazed a thumb over her tight nipple, and again when she let out the sweetest moan. So alive, so responsive. The animal in him wanted to devour her, lose himself in her softness until he stopped thinking. “You have no idea what you do to me,” he rasped.
She answered with a gritty laugh. “I know what you do to me.”
Walking her back until the backs of her knees hit the bed, he tumbled them onto the sheets and rolled, positioning her above him. Pushing on his chest, she sat tall, arching her back while she reached behind to unclasp her bra. God, he loved a woman who gave as good as she got. A flash of hot jealousy stabbed through him at the thought that another man had enjoyed Lydia like this. The surprise of it knocked the air from his lungs. He wasn’t a jealous type, at least he never had been. But everything where Lydia was concerned came as a surprise.
She tossed her bra aside, and his mind went blank. “Your tits are perfection,” he whispered, awestruck. Heavy globes with dark pink centers that would fit perfectly in his palm. And sensitive too, as they puckered under his gaze.
“Take a taste, cowboy.” She bent forward, offering herself.
For once in his life, he had no words. With a grunt, he clasped her waist and brought his mouth to her breast, first lapping the velvety underside before working his way around top, avoiding what they both wanted most. Saving it until neither of them could stand it anymore.
She rolled her hips against him with a groan. “Stop teasing.”
He glanced up through hooded eyes. Her color was high, her lids half-closed, and that sexy smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. Fuck, if that didn’t make him want to come instantly. His cock was hot and hard as a poker. With an answering groan, he sealed his mouth around her tight peak, lapping at it with his tongue until she cried out. Moving to her other breast, he repeated the same action, only taking her nipple into his mouth when she begged, and licking at it, sucking and grazing with his teeth until she bucked against his shaft with a cry. “I want you inside me, now,” she growled with the ferocity of a baby kitten.
“Hold on, sunshine,” he said with a chuckle. “We’re gonna take our damned sweet time.”
She raised her head and glared.
With a laugh, he rolled them over so she was caged between his arms. “You need some sweet relief, darlin’?” He hooked a finger through the side of her panties and pulled them down with a tug. She raised her hips to help. Sitting back on his heels, he gazed at her, mouth going dry at her beauty. Her pussy glistened pink and swollen, peeking out from a neatly trimmed thatch of dark curls. She was like one of those museum paintings, come to life, all curves and shades of pink. Her thighs were strong and muscled, and he began his upward perusal at her knees, drawing his hands slowly up and bringing them to rest on either side of those glorious shiny pussy lips. He looked up, catching her gaze, eyes coming to rest on her full lower lip, caught between teeth. His mouth pulled up, along with his eyebrows. “Should I stop?”
She half laughed, half growled. “I’ll hurt you if you do.”
“Ooh, such threats,” he teased, half-curious to find out how far he could push her.
The teasing stopped when he touched her, reacquainting himself with her slick heat, only it was so much better this time because it wasn’t the whiskey making these hot demands. For half a heartbeat jealousy overtook him again. It killed him to think she might have been this way with some dispassionate namby-pamby touchy-feely prep school type who couldn’t possibly appreciate her depth of character or her passion. But as quick as it came, he pushed it away, refusing to let it get the best of him. Dropping to his elbows, he lowered his head to place a kiss on her thigh, nipping the soft flesh with his teeth, then smoothing it with the flat of his tongue. The scent of her buzzed through him like the finest bourbon. Her knee dropped open, inviting him in, and who was he to turn down a gift like that?
“You’re fucking gorgeous,” he spoke against her skin, a surge of desire pulling his muscles tight. “I wanna make you forget your name.” He raised his head, gaze colliding with hers in a shower of sparks.
She let out a breathless giggle. “You’re already halfway there.”
“Then hang on tight, sweetheart. Things are gonna get wild.”
The smile she gave him was so bright he forgot to breathe.
“Promise?”
He answered by lowering his head and kissing the side of her pussy before acquainting himself with her taste. He lapped up her essence all the way to her clit. She tasted like spring and spice and summer heat. One taste, and he was love drunk, ruined for anyone else.
“Oh, more,” she begged, lifting her hips.
He tasted again, filling his senses with the heart of her. Her thighs tensed as he lapped her up, and she clawed at his shoulders, writhing beneath his ministrations. He slipped a finger into her hot channel and twisted, searching for the bundle of nerves that would unleash her. Her breath came in harsh, sighing gasps, and as he tickled and tasted, she went rigid, letting out a loud keening cry that ended in a peal of laughter as her cream burst on his tongue.
An answering laugh of utter delight rose within him, along with gratitude that her roommates weren’t home.
Lydia dissolved in a fit of giggles as he continued to touch and explore her, helping her ride to the very end of the sensations coursing through her. At last, he lifted his head. This time, when their gazes locked, something deep in the recesses of his psyche pulled tight, and he braced himself against the distinct sensation of falling uncontrollably. His stomach lurched with the same realization he had the first time he was thrown off a bronc. One night would never be enough.