by Em Petrova
He twisted in the tractor seat and nudged his hat up, giving her a clear view of his eyes—and his grin. Her stomach fluttered at the sight.
He jumped off the tractor and landed lightly. When he meandered out into the daylight, she braced her knees to keep herself from falling into his strong arms. If the scorching depth of his amber gaze was anything to go by, whatever had taken place between them that night still burned hot.
While he ran his gaze over her, his grin didn’t fade. “You’re home a little earlier tonight.”
Had he come over the last two days and found her gone? She chewed on her lower lip and nodded. “This week has been brutal. The heat has cases of heat stress cropping up like weeds.”
“Yeah, always hard on a herd when the weather shifts drastically.”
She waved toward the field. “All planted?”
“Just finished. Then I saw your llamas could use a fresh bale. I hope you didn’t mind me delivering some to them.”
“Of course not. I was going to thank you for it.”
He sliced a look toward the llamas. “I don’t know why I bothered when they weren’t the nicest to me this afternoon.”
“What do you mean?”
“One o’ them spit on me.”
Her jaw dropped and then she clapped a hand over her mouth as laughter spilled out. “That would be Phoebe.”
“She doesn’t care for me.”
“She’s very expressive.” She giggled again and raked her gaze over his chiseled chest and abs. “Where did she hit you?”
“Right here. Had my shirt so gross that I ended up taking it off to dry.” He twitched his head toward the horses. “I hung it on the fence.”
She caught herself staring too long at his mouth and dropped her gaze before she made a fool of herself. But she was too late—he saw.
He caught her wrist, yanked her toward him and slammed his mouth over hers.
A cry of desire rose up as he switched the heat on inside her. As he walked her up against the shed wall, she kissed him back. Trapped by his strong hips and broad chest, she couldn’t even think of escape.
Staring down at her with lights playing in his eyes, he closed his fingers over her wrists and slowly raised them above her head.
A shudder ran through her.
He pinned her with a look as much as his body. “Been thinkin’ about you pretty much nonstop, baby doll.”
Her insides turned to liquid heat and trickled into her core. “Have you?” Her question came out a breathless whisper.
Nodding, he nuzzled his nose against hers. The brim of his hat shaded them in a private cocoon she never wanted to step out of. And the feel of the rough wood of the shed against her bare arms excited her in ways she never dreamed possible.
“What have you been thinking about?” she asked.
“You honestly wanna know?” he drawled, nipping at her lower lip.
She sucked in a gasp. “Y-yes.”
He drew back enough to look into her eyes again. “Been thinkin’ about findin’ some rope and tying you up so I can have my way with you.”
Dark need crawled through her belly, leaving her thoroughly soaked.
Her gaze darted to his mouth. “I’ve never done anything like that.”
“I know you haven’t. And I aim to teach you exactly how it feels to surrender.”
“Oh God.” Her words came out weak.
He kissed her again, a hard claiming that had her writhing between him and the wall. Passion skated over her, and she curled her fingers until they clamped on his where he held her wrists.
He moved back as swiftly as he’d swooped in, and then gave a slow grind of his hips, leaving her totally aware of the bulge digging into her crotch.
“Dane.” Her chest rose and fell.
“Yeah, baby doll?” He pierced her in his stare.
“Find the rope.”
Chapter Eight
Brennah’s mind could barely keep up with the demands of her body. Every swirl of his tongue against hers and the rough wood wall at her back heightened her senses until she shook for more.
As he tore from the kiss, he leveled his dark gaze on hers. For a long moment, neither moved.
She pushed her hips into his, and he bit back a groan. Still, he didn’t move.
So she repeated her action.
This time a growl broke from his chest. “You’re playin’ with fire, Brennah.”
“Am I?” She rocked against his bulging fly a third time.
“Yes, you are.” He pitched his tone low. She was about to move once more, when he pinned her hips beneath his. He swayed them in a slow grind that he’d use on a dance floor, but holy hell, the move was effective in foreplay.
He tipped his bulge into her slow and soft, then pushed hard. Her clit hummed at the pressure, and she slipped her hands from under his hold to cling to his broad shoulders.
When he pressed into her and held the pose for so long that her knees started to give out from the dizzying pressure, she caught his gaze.
Something was off deep in the amber depths.
Suddenly, he pushed off the wall and stumbled away from her. The cooler air rushed over her front, and she had to dig her heels into the ground to stay on her feet.
What just happened? Her confused mind couldn’t make out an answer. Bee sting? Second thoughts?
“Dane?” Her voice came out as a whisper.
He twisted away. Then swung back. His glance over her body left behind a brand of sensation, and he didn’t even lay a hand on her.
“Goddammit.” One long step forward and he trapped her again. He braced his hands on either side of her head. Inch by inch, he eased in until she felt the heat from his body—but he didn’t touch her.
She searched his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“You deserve more than me.”
“Shouldn’t that be my decision?”
“You don’t know me.”
“I know enough. I know the man who helped save my horses. Who didn’t need to replant my field after the fire.”
He winced.
She went on, “A man who saw I could use some dinner and who took it upon himself to prepare food for me.”
Dropping his forehead against hers, he rasped, “It’s not enough.”
She raised her hands to cup his stubbled jaw. “I’m not sure what you think you need to offer, but I’m not asking for jewels and a pony. I just want you. I want the way you make me feel.”
He made a noise in his throat. “Brennah…” Struggle played over his rugged features. “I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.”
She had a feeling he didn’t only mean the rope he promised. Growing up with an alcoholic mother taught her to be a realist. She suffered no romantic fairy princess notions of walking down the aisle to Dane, or the two-point-five kids and a minivan in the driveway.
The war going on in his eyes tugged at her heartstrings. “I trust you. You won’t hurt me,” she whispered.
He started to speak, and she pressed the pad of her thumb over his lips. “I’m only asking for right now, Dane. Not for tomorrow.”
“Hell,” he swore quietly.
Her body still urged her to get closer to the cowboy, to beg if necessary. The release she needed taunted her with hard nipples and a throbbing clit. Every inch of her in between ached for his touch.
But she couldn’t push him.
She dropped her hands to her sides.
“No. No, baby doll. Wait.” He grabbed her waist and slammed his mouth over hers. No more tender kisses—not now. The brutal crush of his lips ignited her, and she swayed against him.
He lifted her and stumbled around the corner of the shed to the front opening. He grabbed something and put the object into her hands. The rough hemp felt like a live wire, and she clung on as she pressed kisses to his neck and jaw on the way to the house.
Inside the door, a cage full of brightly colored songbirds chirped, and Dane stopped in his tracks with her still in his arms. �
�Those are new.”
“I’m fostering them for a bit.”
“Life of a vet.”
She nodded and pulled his head around to kiss him. The sandpaper of his beard growth sent tingles all the way through her and tugged an invisible string to her pussy. She gasped, and he continued through the house to her bedroom.
When he lay her on the bed, he started to move away, but she grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and yanked him in again. This time he didn’t just kiss her—he laid claim to her.
Bolts of need struck her over and over again with each demanding pass of his tongue. He fumbled her top off and dealt with her bra in a blink. She helped him remove her jeans by wiggling her hips and reached to tear off his T-shirt.
After gathering her wrists in one hand, he moved for the rope. His eyes burned down into her, and her breasts heaved with each shivery breath she took.
“Trust me,” he rumbled.
“I do.” She didn’t lie.
“If these feel tight or you’re afraid, you tell me, okay? I’ll stop.”
She nodded. The haze of passion amplified when the rope prickled her wrists. He bound them using a simple slipknot and then gently eased them up over her head. Leaning in, he nuzzled her throat.
“Jesus Christ. I shouldn’t feel so good at tying a woman up.”
“You’ve never done this before?”
He shook his head. “Never had anyone worth it, I guess.”
Closing her eyes on the shudder of excitement rolling through her, she let her thighs fall open in invitation.
* * * * *
Brennah arched to meet the slow downward skid of Dane’s lips over her ribs. His cock hardened, and he knew he couldn’t hold out long. Not tonight, and not with her in his ropes.
Her breaths came in short pants as he scraped his jaw over her lower belly and cut a path over her mound of curls. As he grasped her hips, her eyes flew open.
“Watch me eat your pussy, baby doll.”
She gulped back a cry, and he opened his mouth over her slick seam. The moment her soft, wet folds met his lips and tongue, he shared a loud moan with her. Flavors of sweet arousal flooded his head, and he dipped his tongue into her folds for more. He zigzagged it down to her drenched opening.
A glance up at her revealed her gaze riveted on his actions and her bound arms twisted over her head. Christ, seeing her in nothing but ropes had him throbbing. The steel of his cock shoved at his fly. What he wanted to do was unzip his jeans and let the length glide into his palm. Then stand over her and slowly pump his cock through his fist—to let her watch but not touch.
Buried in the back of his mind was the fact he liked this control, fucking craved it and if he was honest, always had. Maybe until now, he’d chosen partners who couldn’t tolerate him being in the driver’s seat. He didn’t quite know what made Brennah different, but she was.
God, was she.
He probed her pussy with the point of his tongue and flicked inside her four or five times until her hips rocked up to meet his mouth-fucking. Then he moved up again, dragging his tongue through her petals to her hard pearl. The moment he covered the bundle of nerves with his mouth and sucked, she bucked off the bed.
“Mmm.” He batted her clit with his tongue, and she pushed up. He released his suction on her clit and lashed the nubbin with his tongue, giving her soft, teasing strokes.
“Dane. Oh God…” She writhed.
For show, he stuck out his tongue and worked over her clit with short swipes. Her eyes rolled up in her head and she cried out.
“Watch, Brennah,” he commanded.
Her eyes popped open and she locked on him. A tight heat enveloped his chest. Damn, he’d never forget this moment even if he never got to share another with her—because for the first time in his life, someone put their complete trust in him.
Swallowing against the rising emotion, he poured himself into loving her with gentle teases and hard sucking pulls of his mouth, alternating with scrapes of his rough jaw over her inner thighs to heighten the moment. When he opened his mouth wide and took her whole pussy, she stiffened. Her orgasm hit hard and swift, taking him by surprise with the force. She screamed, and her pussy pulsated.
He thrust two fingers deep into her tight, clamped sheath. Fuck, she was so tight, so wet. He pounded his fingers into her, and juices flowed over his digits for several heartbeats.
Her inner thighs trembled, and she collapsed to the bed, jerking in the aftershocks he refused to let her come down from.
* * * * *
With two fingers still buried in her pussy, he rolled to the side and reached for the nightstand drawer. He rooted around a minute, and then located the box of condoms and plucked one out.
A thrill hit, and her pussy contracted on his fingers once more. The dark look he gave her as he slowly pulled them free raised shivers in his stomach. Then he stuck his fingers in his mouth and sucked.
Desire swept her up like a gale on a pile of fallen leaves. Her moan sounded as a grating plea.
“Spread those pretty thighs for me, baby doll.”
Oh God.
She had no control over her limbs anymore, but somehow, she managed to do his bidding. He looked her over, part heat, part appraisal.
“Wider. I need to see how wet your pussy is when I drive into it.”
Flutters of need hit. She planted her heels wider.
“Draw your knees up.”
The dirty command just about stole her mind. Suddenly, she realized that was her reason for enjoying this loss of control so much—she put herself into his hands and she didn’t need to think about how to gain her own pleasure on top of everything else in her life she held the reins for.
Slowly, she engaged her abs and drew her knees up and to the sides, splaying herself wide for him.
“Fuck yeah. Don’t move.” He shucked his boots, socks and jeans, all the while staring at her most intimate spot. When he shoved his boxers down, the steel of his erection drew a noise from her.
His gaze jumped to hers. “You like my cock, baby doll?”
Breathless, she nodded.
“You wanna suck it?” He edged up to the bedside.
She swung her gaze from his to the thick, veined length hovering inches from her lips. Suddenly, her mouth was dry. She ran her tongue over her lips, and a groan rumbled from him.
“Come closer,” she whispered.
He inched in until his mushroomed head poised at her mouth. She parted her lips, and he glided inside. God, he was bigger than she remembered. And all salty, delicious man.
She squeezed her eyes shut on the flavor of his juices leaking from the tip and bobbed her head to take more of him.
“Fucking hell.” His curse came out faint.
Rolling to the side, she sank over his erection, taking him all the way to the back of her throat. His body brushed her lips. She pushed back to take a breath, and he thrust his fingers into her hair, holding her.
“Don’t move. Christ. Fuck. Don’t move, Brennah.”
She realized he struggled not to come, and damn if that didn’t amp her up even more.
She swished her tongue over the side of his cock.
With a jerk of his hips, he drew free of her mouth and shoved the condom on with a quick flick of his wrist.
From the dark expression in his eyes, he’d make her pay for that extra stroke of her tongue over his cock. He climbed atop her. Each muscle strained, so hard and tight. And she burned up for him.
Hooking one of her ankles over his shoulder, he fixed her in his stare. At the same time, he reached between her legs and skimmed her pussy with a fingertip, from clit to soaking hole, then he continued down over her pucker.
She cried out at the unfamiliar touch in her most private spot.
He paused his finger over her netherhole. Damn if her body didn’t rise to the challenge, and her muscles clenched underneath his fingertip.
“Someday, Brennah, I’m claiming this too.”
She had no
words for that gruff promise, because every one of her veins scorched.
“Dane, please.” Those words didn’t sound like they came from her, but she was quickly learning new things about herself. Such as how much she wanted him—all of him. Everywhere.
“Brennah.” He clenched his jaw.
She met his gaze.
“Don’t look away.”
He drove into her. In one hard shove, he buried his cock deep in her pussy. His balls slapped her flesh. Besides the exquisite bliss of him stretching her, the look in his eyes stole the last of her sanity.
She writhed, drawing him a bit deeper. He hooked her other leg over his shoulder so both wrested on his muscles. “Oh God, the angle…”
With a slow grind, he started what he’d begun by the shed. The sway of his hips dragged his cock through her length. Then he slammed back in, over and over. Cries escaped her, each throatier than the last. When a heavy pulsation sucked at his length, he gathered her ass in his hands and began to fuck her in a way she’d never known before.
Gone were slow twitches of his hips or gentle teases. He needed deeper, and she wanted him like nobody else in the world.
He crumpled forward, thrusts growing jerkier. Her legs slipped off his shoulders, and she wrapped them around his waist, angling upward for more. Unable to stop herself, she moved her bound wrists to his neck and clung.
As he pounded her toward the finish line, a tenderness washed up in her throat. She twisted her face and found his lips, waiting. Their mouths met, their bodies undulated in sync, and she felt the liquid heat of his release.
Her own body leaped in response to his pleasure. “Dane!”
Her cry muffled on his kiss, and stars blinded as the wave of her bliss washed up and overtook her.
“Brennah,” he murmured, brushing his lips over hers in the most gentle of caresses. “Beautiful Brennah.”
She clenched her fingers in his hair. “I’ve never… I’ve never let go like that before.”
Pushing back onto his elbows, he stared into her eyes. “Me either.”
Her chest heaved with emotion she was too afraid to admit to, too afraid to put words to for fear it would vanish in a puff of smoke.
He reached up and unbound her hands to massage her wrists. Then he nuzzled a path down to her breasts, kissing and nibbling for long minutes. She closed her eyes and held him against her, trying to make their last hour fit into some logical compartment in her mind. But she couldn’t find anything to explain the way she felt now.