by Sable Hunter
This made Canyon laugh. “Come on, let’s go catch lunch.”
…A little while later, Canyon lounged in the captain’s chair, totally ignoring the fact a fish was making off with his bait. His attention was completely focused on the vision before him. Seren was mesmerizing in that red bikini. “When did you slip off and buy that wicked little number?”
“Oh, I didn’t. Avery let me borrow it.” Seren looked down at herself, then cupped her breasts and held them up for him. “It’s a tad tight. Does wonders for my cleavage.”
“Your cleavage is wondrous all by itself.” He licked his lips, remembering all the fun they’d had in the past few weeks. He’d always loved sex. Hadn’t always had enough of it – but now there was Seren. She always welcomed him. Craved him. Anytime he reached for her, she came willingly. Many times, she initiated things with him – and he never turned her down. “What’s your favorite thing we’ve done together?”
Seren blushed. “Sexually?”
“Yea.”
She fanned her cheeks. “I have to pick? I’ve loved everything. Every position. Me on top. You on top. From behind. Oral. Anal.” This last word made her giggle.
“We didn’t do anal. I tickled you at your back door, that’s all.”
“You always take care of me.” She gazed into his eyes. “I love being with you in every way. Even when we just hold one another and sleep, that’s perfect.” Seeing the heat in his eyes, a mischievous look came over her face. “Although…I really love it when you play with my breasts.”
Canyon cleared his throat. “One of my favorite things is making you come just by sucking your nipples.” He cupped his growing package, shifting his aching cock around to give him more room. “Do you know how amazing that is?”
“Really?” Seren felt a tell-tale tingle between her legs. “You like that, huh?”
She moved a little closer to him, glancing around to see if there were other boats nearby. A movement in the water caused her to look down. “Canyon, you’ve got a bite! A fish!”
“Dammit! Not a good time.” He jumped up, reeled in the fish, then removed the hook from its mouth and let it go.
“What did you do that for?” Seren laughed. “I thought we came out here to fish.”
He settled back in the chair with a grin. “Found something else I’d rather concentrate on. Come here.” He held out his hand. Seren went into his lap gladly, straddling his thighs. She held out her arms as Canyon let his hands slide around to undo the clasp of her top. “I love your tits. They’re bigger.” He filled his hands with them – molding, rubbing, kneading – pushing them together. “I guess because I’ve been playing with them so much.”
Seren held her breath. They were bigger because she was pregnant. Confirmed by a doctor pregnant. Taking prenatal vitamins pregnant. Holding her breath, she sucked her stomach in. Glancing down, she half expected to see a noticeable belly bump. No, she wasn’t showing. Yet. She was filling out though. “I shouldn’t have worn this bikini. I’m too big.”
“Hush.” Canyon continued to play with her breasts, weighing them, caressing the creamy globes. “You’re perfect. You turn me on like no one else ever has or ever will.”
Heartened by his compliment, Seren once again pushed aside her concerns. Like Scarlet O’Hara, she would worry about the future tomorrow. “I do?”
“Oh, fuck, yeah.” He grinned at her as he tweaked her nipples, loving how they responded to him.
“You’re so wonderful.” Seren threaded her fingers through Canyon’s hair, bending to kiss his forehead, the corner of his eyes, the strong line of his jaw. When he began to shiver, Seren continued to love on him – nibbling, kissing, licking.
“Babe,” he whispered, hissing the word.
“So strong and sexy.” She kissed a line down his cheek to his chin, then nipped the sexy cleft. When he dropped his head to take advantage of the proximity of her lips, the kiss they shared was sizzling. One led to another, each kiss more electrifying and addictive than the one before. Easing her mouth away, she slid back on his thighs and lifted her breasts. “I need you. Please.” Leaning forward, she brushed his lower lip with her right nipple.
With a lascivious grin, Canyon accommodated her, his tongue teasing the distended bud. Knowing this wasn’t enough for either of them, he covered her nipple with his lips and sucked hard, a long deep draw. As he suckled, Seren threw her head back and reveled in the pleasure only he could give her. Nuzzling and nibbling, he teased each breast, rewarding her when she begged with soft kisses and ravishing sucks. “Come for me, Seren. Come for me.”
He knew her so well. She didn’t have far to go. She loved how Canyon indulged himself with her body, he always seemed so greedy. His voracious appetite just fed her own. Giving herself over to the luscious sensations, the thing that sent lightning streaking through her body wasn’t just what he did to her or the way he made her feel – vivacious, desire, loved. No, the catalyst for her was how blatantly aroused he became as he loved her. The greediness of his kiss. His feverish touch. The way his cock grew huge as he worshiped at her breasts. The thought of how much he needed her pushed Seren right over the edge.
As she trembled in his arms, Canyon jerked his trunks down, revealing his hungry cock. “Now. Now. Now.”
Wanting him with equal desperation, Seren tugged at the strings holding her bottoms and positioned herself over him. “Help me,” she cried as she took his thick staff in her hand and attempted to sink down on the broad head.
“Allow me,” he growled hoarsely as he held her hips and bucked up, burying himself to the hilt in her creamy, slick passage. “Oh, fuck me, love. Fuck me.”
Seren was so busy watching his face, she couldn’t respond. He had to be the sexiest man alive. Enthralled, she watched as his eyes glazed over with passion, his throat muscles bulging as he threw his head back, the muscles in his thighs clenching and unclenching as he surged up into her time and time again. She rocked back and forth, holding onto his shoulders as he moved her up and down in a long, delectable slide. Closing her eyes, she immersed herself in the thrill of being one with him. For so long, he’d been her world. She wouldn’t know how to exist without him.
Canyon was so far gone that his only concern was to insure Seren found her pleasure before he exploded. “Lean back, baby.” She mindlessly did as he asked, gasping when he flexed his pelvis. To add to her ecstasy, he palmed her mound to play with her clit.
“Oh, my God,” she moaned, her entire body pulsing with pleasure. As Canyon thrust up fast and hard, his finger still rubbing her clitoris, she shook as a wash of white-hot euphoria swept over her. “Hold me tight, Canyon. Never let me go.”
Canyon wrapped his arms around Seren and drilled up inside of her again and again, latching onto her throat and sucking as her pussy muscles massaged his throbbing cock, sending him careening over the cliff and into a vortex of pure sensation. Burying his face in her neck, he growled as he emptied himself, loving how she melted against him. After a while, he was able to whisper against her skin, “You okay?”
Seren smiled, thrilled at the way he responded to her efforts to please him. “I’m better than good. I’m happy.”
“Mission accomplished.” Lifting his head, he captured her mouth for one more blistering kiss. “Me too.”
“We didn’t catch lunch,” she murmured, not really caring one whit.
“No problem.” He squeezed her tight. “We’ll just have to live on love.”
Seren liked that idea very much.
* * *
A few days later, she came rushing out of Hardbodies to find Canyon putting the finishing touches on Isaac’s smoker. “Guess what?”
“What?” Canyon lifted his head for a kiss. “Did you win the lottery?”
“No, I didn’t buy a ticket. You could win something else though. A contest.”
The inflection in her voice worried him a bit. Setting aside his electric drill, he crossed his thick arms over his chest. “What are you ta
lking about? I’m not entering some kind of ‘date the bachelor’ contest.”
Seren frowned, pursing her lips. “And I wouldn’t enter you in a ‘date the bachelor’ contest.” She poked him in the chest. “You’re taken.” For now.
“Damn straight.” He pulled her close and kissed her soundly. “Okay, so what is it? Darts? Pool? I’m good with those.”
“No.” Seren held his forearms and went up on her toes. “Karaoke. Couple’s karaoke.”
“Shit.” Canyon barked out a surprised laugh. “Oh, no. Not that again. I can’t sing.”
“Yes, you can. You’ve sung in the shower for years.”
“And you’re just guessing.” He tapped her on the end of the nose.
“Canyon. Please.” Seren made her eyes big and round. “I want to do this. I really want to win.”
Growing more curious by the minute, Canyon studied her pretty face. “Why? What’s the prize?”
She clapped her hands together. “A puppy.”
“A puppy? We don’t need a puppy. Besides, the pound is full of puppies.”
“Exactly.” She nodded as if he finally understood. “This contest will raise money for the animal shelter. Plus, we get to pick one to come live with us.”
Canyon weighed what this meant. Sharing a puppy with a woman equaled commitment. This was something he promised himself would never happen. He waited for the panic to wash over him at the prospect of being tied down.
It didn’t happen.
Instead, he felt peace. Contentment.
Elation.
“Don’t count on winning. I sing like a frog.”
“Oh, you’ll do great.” She launched herself in his arms and kissed his mouth repeatedly. “Come in when you can and we’ll go over the playlist. I’ll let you pick out the song. Any will do. I’m a quick study and I have pretty good pitch.” Thanks to tons of angelic choir practice.
“When’s the contest? Next week?”
“No.” She smiled at him brightly. “Tonight. The event was supposed to be held at a bar in Bandera, but it was moved here due to a termite infestation. I just found out about it and I knew we had to try.”
Ah, hell. “Hmmm, okay.” She started to walk away. “Hold up. This is gonna cost you.”
“What?” She stopped, intrigued. “I have some money saved.”
“Not money.” He yanked her to him. “Win or lose. I get three wishes.”
Seren’s eyes became tiny suspicious slits. “What kind of wishes?”
“Whatever I want.” The self-satisfied smirk on his face made his point. “It could be anything.”
Since she trusted him completely, Seren didn’t hesitate to agree. “Okay. It’ll be worth it.” Who was she kidding? The wishes could be a reward in themselves. “Because I really want a puppy.”
Her smile was infectious and he smiled back. “Potty training is all on you.”
“I could use the practice,” she called over her shoulder as she returned to work, knowing he’d have no clue what she meant. Despite her happiness, an odd ache formed in her middle. She could almost hear the clock ticking. Her days to remain with him were numbered. Yet, she kept making plans as if she would be here forever. A sense of melancholy enveloped her. Maybe she was hoping to be able to stay. Hoping a miracle would happen and he would want to keep her and the baby.
“Yea right.”
Canyon had made it abundantly clear he didn’t want anything permanent with her or anyone. He didn’t want another child of his own and he certainly wouldn’t want one he thought belonged to another man. In fact, Canyon didn’t intend to ever love anyone again.
And that was why the puppy meant so much to her.
When…if…when it came time for her to leave, she couldn’t stand the thought of Canyon being alone. This way, he’d have the puppy with him. Someone to love him. Someone to protect him.
As she tied an apron around her waist, Seren tried to ignore the little voice in her head telling her how easily Canyon could find someone to love if he wanted to. Any woman would give her eyeteeth to be with him. “Ack!” The very thought made her feel like punching a hole in the wall. “Stop torturing yourself, you have tonight to look forward to.”
And tomorrow night.
And the night after that.
Shaking her head, Seren refused to look any further into the future than that.
…About an hour before the club was scheduled to open, Canyon came hustling in. “All right, Serengeti. Let’s pick out a song.”
She smiled at the nickname. He’d called her that…before. “There’s a list of available songs with the words preloaded in the DJ’s booth.” Pointing in the right direction, Seren continued to help Emma with her set-ups. “Are you and Josh singing tonight?” she asked the pretty redhead.
“Are you kidding? We wouldn’t miss it. It’s all in fun.”
“What song?” she asked, keeping her eye on Canyon as he thumbed through the catalog.
“Oh, an old one by LeAnn Rimes called I Dare You. I guess you could say it’s our song.”
“Neat. I can’t wait to hear it.” She looked up to see Canyon motioning her over. “Found something?”
“Yea. Who’s gonna judge this thing?” he asked with curiosity.
Seren shrugged. “The crowd. By applause.”
“Sounds good.” He held out a lyric sheet. “Ever heard of this one?”
Seren took the paper and almost swallowed her tongue. “Cowboys and Angels.” She jerked her head up to look at him full on in the face. “Why this song?”
He gave her a wink. “I like it. The song sort of inspires me.” Shrugging his massive shoulders, he smiled. “I can’t tell you any more than that, it’s sort of a surprise. You’ll have to wait and see.”
“Huh.” Warning bells were going off all over the place. “Well, okay. I guess.”
“You said I could choose. You said you were a quick study.”
From his tone, Canyon really enjoyed reminding her of what she’d said earlier. “Yea, I did.” She gave him a bright smile. “Let’s do it. Hold on. I’ll turn on the machine and the mics.”
A few minutes later, they were standing on the stage and the intro to Dustin Lynch’s song was coming through the speakers loud and clear.
“All right, stay with me now,” Canyon told her with a grin. “Come in on the chorus.”
Despite the disturbing coincidence, Seren couldn’t help but enjoy the experience. She was right in her remembering, Canyon could sing. He had this incredibly deep, husky voice that sent chills down her spine.
And the lyrics made her heart ache.
She stepped back and hung on his every word as Canyon crooned about want and need and a connection beyond explanation between cowboys and angels. At the appointed time she joined in, singing about riding side by side, temptation’s touch, and a redeeming kiss. Seren felt tears well in her eyes. He’d never know how true those words were for them. When the song was over Avery, Isaac, Doris, and Emma clapped uproariously.
“Not bad, huh?” Canyon seemed pleased with himself.
“Not bad at all. You’re a natural,” Doris told him, clearly impressed.
“Just one of my many talents.” He wrapped a big arm around Seren’s neck and kissed her on the cheek. “Listen, while Isaac’s here to watch over things, I think I’ll drive over and check on Bull.”
“Give him my best,” Seren said as she brushed invisible lint from his shoulder. “And thanks for doing this.”
“My pleasure.” Canyon tweaked a lock of her hair. “Besides, don’t forget those wishes you promised me.”
“I won’t.” She couldn’t. Knowing his imagination, they’d both enjoy every moment. “Be safe on your journey.” Seren still felt the urge to dog his every step. In light of the current circumstances, she grinned at her own thought. Soon, he’d have a real dog to dog his steps.
“You got it.” Canyon leaned in for a kiss, then snapped his fingers. “Oh, I almost forgot. We’re invited to
a party tomorrow night on the new duck boat. I told you about that, didn’t I? When Jacob first mentioned it to me?”
Seren searched her memory. “For the city officials and volunteers?”
“Yea, a thank you party to show everyone they’re taking measures to make the lake cruise safer.”
“Sounds fun.” She walked Canyon to the door. “What will we do with the pup? Find a babysitter?”
“Why? You think we’re going to win tonight?”
“I think we have a good shot,” Seren admitted. “Especially if there’s a lot of women in the crowd.”
Canyon chuckled. “What has that got to do with the price of tea in China?”
Now, it was Seren’s turn to give him a wink. “Because you’re sex on a stick, Brady. You’ll get the vote of every female in the house. All you have to do is stand on stage and look pretty.”
Seren laughed when Canyon looked inordinately pleased.
…The night proved to be a success. Hardbodies was full to the brim and the crowd looked ready to party. To Seren’s surprise and delight, the animal shelter brought dozens of animals in the hope more people would decide to adopt. All types of dogs. Big ones. Little ones. Older dogs and puppies. There were also a few cats and even a ferret. Seren also discovered she’d misunderstood the contest. Everyone who participated could claim a pet, the only thing the first prize winner earned extra was bragging rights. This news didn’t seem to matter to Canyon, he was in a great mood. When she brought drinks for his table, he tapped on a piece of paper lying in front of him. “Know what this is?” he asked with heat in his eyes.
“What?”
“I’m making my list and checking it twice,” he sang teasingly.
Seren shivered, knowing exactly what he meant. His wish list.