Chapter 45

He let her drag him inside the trailer before pulling free to prowl the living quarters, tossing his hat on the table while his gaze lingered on the king-size bed up in the nose. She kicked a stray bra into the corner.

“Nice trailer,” he said.

“Thanks.” She crossed her arms, glaring at him. “Of all the boneheaded stunts…”

Delon swung around to face her. “You should lock that door.”

Her eyes widened as she read the intent in his gaze. “I…okay.”

He closed in as she fumbled with the dead bolt, backing her up against the door with a hand on either side of her head. His system was revving even hotter than it had been when the whistle blew at the end of his ride, and he could see the same triumphant glow in her eyes.

“I know we need to talk, but I swear, watching you rope was the biggest damn turn-on…”

His mouth closed over hers, hungry and demanding. She stiffened for a beat from the blast of his pure, unadulterated desire, then gave an actual growl, her hands tugging at his T-shirt in search of bare skin. He broke away from her mouth to trail kisses and bites along her jaw and down her neck, and grinned when he found the first button on her blouse.

“Pearl snaps.” He grabbed both sides and yanked, ripping them open in a series of emphatic pops.

“Delon, we—ah, shit, that feels so—listen…we have to…”

“We will. In a minute.” Or twenty. The front hook on her bra went next, and then his hands were on her. She moaned at the scrape of his calluses over her nipples as he molded and caressed, all gentleness forgotten. Her body jolted and the need roared through him like a tsunami, drowning every thought except now.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the practice session,” he muttered, as his tongue explored the hollow below her collarbone while his hands jerked at her buckle and shoved her jeans down.

She managed to kick off one boot and free herself from one leg of her jeans while getting her hands into his Wranglers. “I’m sorry I was too hardheaded to let you explain. You’ll have to get used to that if you plan to stick around.”

“Just try and shake me loose.” He groaned as she shoved at his jeans. “Unless you want me to nail you against this door, you should find a better spot while I suit up. Where do you keep your condoms?”

Her hands froze. “My…what?”

He pulled back to look into her flushed face. “Condoms. You always…”

“Not in this trailer.”

He was still for a beat, then whispered a curse and let his forehead fall against her shoulder.

“You didn’t bring any,” she said flatly.

He rolled his head back and forth without lifting it. Stupid, stupid, stupid. “I was too worried about getting here on time.”

She echoed his curse. Then she dragged in a deep breath. “Okay.” She sucked in more air, let it out, as if trying to blow off pent-up steam. “Okay,” she repeated, but her hands were still glued to his ass, and she was still pressed into him, her body vibrating with desire and frustration.

No, dammit. Not okay. This was their big moment. The time for all the truths he’d denied her for too long, words he’d rehearsed over and over on the flight from Austin. Playing out in his head, it had been flawless, but before he could even start, he’d ruined it all.

Unless…

His immediate, visceral reaction was to pull away. Too risky. Too…naked. But his heart and his head overruled his gut. This was Tori. From the night they’d met, he’d trusted her with more of himself than anyone else in his life—even if he’d been too scared to let her know. And this was the first test of his newly minted vow to hold nothing back.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked.

She twisted her head around to look at his face. “What?”

“I know you’re on the pill. And even though I’ve always been careful, as soon as I realized you and I might end up together again, I got tested. I’m clean.” He injected his gaze with every ounce of sincerity he could muster. “You’ll have to take my word for it. But I hope you know I’d never hurt you. Not intentionally.”

She stared at him for a breath. Then another. Then, “God, I love you,” she blurted.

Just like that, she destroyed him. The last shred of his control blown to smithereens.

“I’m taking that as a yes,” he breathed, and pushed between her legs.

Oh God. So hot. So…so…

She braced one hand on his shoulder and used the other to guide him home. He drove inside her, then froze, hissing a curse.

“What? Is there something—”

His chest heaved, his breath coming in strained gasps. “I’ve never… I didn’t know it would feel this…oh, geezus.”

It was so much more…everything. His body spasmed, bucking against her. He gritted his teeth, fighting for control, but it was too much. She wrapped her bare leg around his waist and he was just gone, his thrusts hard and frantic. She’d barely caught up when he cursed again as the climax rolled over him, pulse after mind-altering pulse.

For a few long, shaken moments, he held her there. Then he groaned and let her slide to the floor, burying his face in her neck. “Well. That was humiliating.”

Her fingers skimmed down his back, the caress more thoughtful than soothing. “You’ve never had sex without a condom? Ever?”

“No. I didn’t expect… Well, obviously.” He dragged in a deep lungful of air. What he needed here was a nice change of subject. “I lost track. Did I mention I love you too?”

Her fingers dug into his flesh for an instant, but her voice was amused. “No, but I got the picture.”

He breathed some more, until his head cleared enough to remind him he still had work to do. He slid his hands down her sides, thumbs tracing the creases of her thighs, where he knew she was particularly sensitive. There were a dozen ways he could pleasure her without leaving this door. “Now it’s your turn.”

She gently pushed his hands away. “Not right now. Later.”

A little bubble of panic winnowed up through his chest. He had to make this right. “I need to finish what I started.”

“I’m sure you do.” She patted his butt. “But my orgasms—or lack thereof—aren’t really about what you need.”

He pushed away to examine her face. The gleam in her eyes. The smug smile. “Are you…gloating?”

“You bet your exceptionally fine ass.” She stretched her arms out and arched her back, smile widening at his indrawn breath. “I’m your first commando sex. It’s almost like I took your virginity.”

He groaned again, ducking his head at the reminder of his juvenile fumbling. “You’re not going to let me forget this.”

“Oh, hell no.”

He gripped her hips, a strange sort of desperation clawing at him. If he let her down now… “Please. Just let me. I had this all planned. I wanted it to be perfect for you.”

“Exactly.” She grabbed his wrists and dragged his hands up to clasp between hers. “This is how real love works, Delon. It’s hardly ever perfect and it doesn’t give a shit about your plans, and in the end, none of that matters. I know you would give me an amazing orgasm. But I want you. The guy who doesn’t always get it right. Because damned if I’m gonna put up with some asshole who insists on perfection. It’s a lot of work, and it’s boring, and I suck at it.”

“But…” He had no words. She’d sliced him open, seen all of the twisted, ugly parts, and declared him…not perfect. Just real. And hers.

The idea, the unconditional acceptance, was staggering. And incredibly arousing. He kissed each of her knuckles. “If you give me a minute or two—”

“Nope. You’re gonna have to live with not making the eight-second whistle on this one.” She punched him in the arm. “And besides—you’re supposed to be in Austin. All our hard work, and you’re just tossing it down the drain—”

He cut her off with a kiss. “I needed to be here. For you. With you. There will be another rodeo next week, and the week after that, but I might only have this one chance to prove that you mean more to me than any championship in the world. And if that means we have to live somewhere else…” He squared his shoulders, determined. “We’ll work it out. It’s not that far to Santa Fe or Albuquerque or southern Colorado, and people there wouldn’t be so—”

She gaped at him for a beat. Then she punched him again. “Don’t be stupid. I just got my house fixed up. Why would I leave now?”

He scowled at her, confused. “You said you didn’t want to come home.”

“I think I might have lied.” She breathed out a soft, incredulous laugh. “I think I actually came back hoping to find you.”

And just when he thought his feelings couldn’t get any more intense, she blew him away all over again. He flashed a crooked smile. “Then it’s a good thing I waited for you.”

Her laugh was soggy, the tears brimming in her eyes. He brushed them away with his knuckles. “I wish I could say this is the last time I’ll make you cry.”

“That’s okay. I like a good fight. The make-up sex is totally worth it.”

He laughed and folded her into his arms, rocking her against him. “I’ll fight every damn day to keep you, if that counts.”

She melted into him—filling the space he’d been saving just for her—and drew a careful breath. “Even though I’m my mother’s daughter?”

“That was a cheap shot.” His arms tightened and he pressed a kiss to her temple. “Yes, you are relentless, but in a good way. I just pray I’m always on your side, because truthfully? You can be a little scary.”

She snorted. “You’re as pig-headed as I am—you just smother it in honey and watch people eat it up.”

He laughed with the pure joy of being so known. Then he kissed her, long and sweet.

Finally she shoved him away, trying to scowl but not quite getting there. “After the rodeo, you can make me scream until someone calls hotel security. But first we have to get you to Austin.”

“It’s too late. Even if I had a plane, getting from the airport to the coliseum takes too long.”

“You forget who you’re talking to.” She fumbled to clasp her bra and snap her shirt. “Button up, cowboy. Daddy’s waiting out back with the helicopter.”

* * *

If Senator Patterson insisted on flying in at the last minute, the Austin rodeo committee was determined to milk every possible drop of publicity out of it. They cleared an area for a landing pad in full view of the throng of spectators entering the building, and made sure everyone knew why. When Delon bailed out, he was met with a roar of applause almost as loud as the screaming turbine of the helicopter.

Tori planted a quick, hard kiss on his mouth, then slapped him on the butt. “Go get ’em.”

Even as he hustled inside to gear up, he knew in his bones how the ride would end. When a man made an entrance like that, he damn well better kick ass.