One Night Rodeo

by Lorelei James

  His sexpot wife blushed and looked away.

  “Huh-uh. Eyes on me. If you’re bold enough to wear that outfit in public, you can hear all the dirty things I wanna do to you while you’re wearing that outfit.”

  Celia’s bashfulness disappeared, replaced by a look of challenge. “Would those dirty thoughts include tying me up? Because you haven’t done that near enough for my liking.”

  Kyle bit back a growl.

  “I really thought we’d christen the barn as a sexual playground, because there’s lots of rope, and hooks in the rafters.”

  “Playin’ with fire, Celia.”

  “Mmm. Maybe. Or maybe I need to fan the flames that are already there, since I’ve been a little…hesitant in expressing my wifely needs.”

  “Why?”

  She kept her gaze on his. “Because this raw sexual need is new to me. And in the last week you’ve been more interested in talking than—”

  “Fucking you until you scream. Well, that’s about to change.”

  “Good.” She put her lips on his ear. “Besides the one time Breck talked me into a threesome with Michael? My sexual adventures have been limited and I’ve been wanting to explore all that uncharted territory with you.”

  That admission surprised him. “How is it in all the conversations we’ve had in the last month this hasn’t come up?”

  She didn’t answer. She just looked away.

  He trapped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “How limited?”

  “Kyle—”

  “Tell me all of it. We’ve been married for weeks.” Christ. He hadn’t exactly gone easy on her in bed, believing she had the sexual experience to back up her passion.

  “I’ve only been with three guys. Pistol, the guy who popped my cherry—he didn’t even know I was a virgin. Breck. I don’t count Michael because his part in the threesome was only a blow job. And…you.”

  Don’t show shock.

  “I know what you’re thinking. On the circuit I wanted people to believe I’d been around the block. I was tired of being the horse-loving, homely hometown girl whose brothers practically enforced her virginity until she was twenty-one. I thought if I acted sexually sophisticated it’d give me confidence to follow through and become that way.”

  Her teasing and evasive comments hit him then. Over the last few years Celia had only implied she’d been playing musical horse trailers. “Is that why you wanted the marriage to be in name only?”

  She nodded.

  “Thank God I’m a pushy bastard and wouldn’t stand for that, huh? And this news just presents a whole bunch of new possibilities for us.”

  “So you’re not upset?”

  “That you’ve been selective with who’s sampled these very fine goods? Hell no. But it wouldn’t have mattered to me if you got off banging the entire rodeo team. The past is the past for us, kitten. For both of us.” His hands fell from her face and he smoothly slipped his leg between hers so the hard muscle of his thigh connected with her sex.

  She hissed, “What are you doing?”

  “Dancing with my wife.” He rocked them a little more and she gasped. “See? I ain’t such a bad dancer after all.”

  “You trying to make me come right here?”

  “No. I’m trying to make you so edgy”—his lips feathered over her jaw—“so needy, that you come on that first, hard thrust.”

  Celia tilted her head back. Her gray eyes were decidedly somber. “What is going on with you?”

  “As much as I’d like to hotfoot it to my truck and take you straight home to bed, I do like bein’ out with you. And I thank you for the reminder that I don’t expect us to isolate ourselves on the ranch all the time.” He grinned. “I cannot wait to see them other outfits you got.”

  She kissed him. “Thank you.”

  “But I am gonna whisper dirty nothings in your ear for the duration of the dances.”

  “I oughta grind my pussy down on your leg and come right now.”

  “You’d better not.”

  Celia kicked her heel in, which squeezed his thigh more tightly between her legs. “Oops.”

  “I’m warning you.”

  “I’m warning you. I’ve got about one more song dancing with you like this or I’ll lose it.”

  Kyle wondered when he’d lost control of this situation. But he had a really good idea on how to get it back. “Fine. One more song. Now put them sugar lips on mine.”

  The play of mingled breath and stolen smooches made him damn dizzy. Celia too, if the rapid pounding of the pulse in her throat was an indication. When he bent to lightly suck on that bit of flesh he felt her knees buckle.

  Enough foreplay.

  He whispered, “Let’s go,” and towed her off the dance floor. As he helped her with her coat, she said, “I need to say good-bye to my friends.”

  “They’re gone. Their husbands showed up right after I did and took them home. Tobin and Fletch promised to handle getting your wild Mud Lilies pals home.”

  Kyle pulled her behind him, trying to block the wind. They skirted the edge of the building that faced the back of a hill. He spun her around and pressed her into the metal siding. “You ever been fucked hard and fast up against a honky-tonk?”

  She shook her head.

  “Take off your panties.”

  Celia held on to his arm as she slipped them off.

  He shoved them in his pocket and crowded her against the building. Watching her liquid silver eyes, he reached beneath her skirt and could feel the heat pouring from her sex. His fingers inched up her inner thigh and delved into her pussy, finding her warm, slick, and ready. He damn near howled that he’d primed Celia’s body to this point without touching her.

  She whimpered a soft, “Please.”

  He sealed his mouth to hers as he moved his fingers in and out. Then he unbuckled, unzipped, and dropped his jeans before breaking the kiss to urge, “Jump up and lock your ankles around my waist.” Latching onto her tight buns, he hoisted her against the building. He was shaking, but not from the cold. “Reach between us and guide me in, baby.”

  Her cool fingers brushed his balls, then circled his shaft.

  The instant his cockhead touched her molten core, he canted his hips and plunged into her.

  “Yes. Do it again.”

  He withdrew fully and slammed into her fully.

  “Don’t stop. Hard and fast like that.”

  He didn’t pause to catch his breath. He just fucked her steadily. Pulling her body to meet his demanding thrusts. He went up on his toes to fuck her deeper.

  Despite the frigid air, sweat gathered on his brow. Sweat also trickled down the crack of his ass and dampened his balls. He slammed into her, her wet heat easing each hard stroke.

  Celia’s arms were around his neck, her short fingernails sunk into his scalp, the heels of her cowgirl boots digging into his ass. She panted, her breath indicating how close she was. “Kyle.”

  “Hold on. I’m gonna tip you forward.”

  As soon as he did that, she gasped. “Oh. Yes. Like that.”

  “Squeeze me. Harder.” He rested his forehead on her shoulder and jackhammered into her. Near to that tipping point himself, he gritted his teeth and hoped he could hold on because it felt too fucking good to stop.

  She stiffened, her grip on his head increased and she arched back, a sexy wail drifting from her mouth.

  The clenching of her cunt around his shaft set him off. He shoved deep and stayed there, managing a hoarse grunt as her body milked his cock until he had not a drop of seed left.

  A cold breeze and tickling fingers between his balls roused him. He jumped when he realized it wasn’t soft fingers caressing him but the fringe from her skirt flapping in the breeze. He chuckled.

  “What?”

  “I told you I’d make that fringe move tonight.”

  Celia drummed his buns with her boot heels. “Smart-ass.”

  Kyle kissed her. He could’ve gone on kissing her, if
not for the fact she was shivering. “Sorry,” he murmured. “Whenever I get a taste of this sinful mouth of yours, I don’t wanna stop.”

  “I don’t want you to stop either, but I’m literally freezing my ass off.”

  “Hang on.” Kyle pulled out and paused for a second before putting her feet back on the ground. He attempted to straighten her skirt before quickly redressing. “Let’s get you warmed up.”

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  Kyle frowned. “No.”

  “My panties are in your pocket. Give ’em back.”

  “Nope. They’re mine. Besides you’d just be taking them off again in a little while, so I thought I’d save you the trouble.” He tugged her coat around her and tied the belt.

  “So thoughtful.”

  He pecked her on the mouth. “I try. Come on, let’s go home.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The carpet layers arrived early.

  Celia knew it was silly to be nervous, but she’d never picked out carpet before. Kyle hadn’t cared—or so he’d claimed—but she really didn’t want him to hate it.

  Rather than stand around the house and wring her hands because Kyle insisted on doing the cattle check himself, she headed to the horse pasture.

  Mickey had designated himself king of her horse pack. Her other horses, Minnie, Coco, and Lazarus were used to Mickey. But Marshall’s horses, Bugsy, Capone, Scout, and Pixie were used to Capone being head horse. There was bound to be jockeying for position at feeding time, so she’d separated them. Better to let them get acquainted over the fence line first.

  Although the day was bitterly cold, the sun shone brilliantly and not a breath of wind stirred. Celia bundled up—not her favorite thing to be so immobile atop a horse—but the weather demanded it. She saddled Coco and kicked her into a trot. She could spend hours on horseback checking out the lay of the land if there weren’t so many other things that needed done. She could spend the next two years getting the place up to snuff.

  Too bad you don’t have that long.

  It seemed her subconscious had taken to warning her of the six-month rule whenever she considered breaking it. Which happened all the freakin’ time since she’d finally admitted to herself she was in love with Kyle. She just didn’t know what the hell to do about it.

  At times it seemed Kyle wanted more. Other times she felt he was eager to do the ranch work on his own and he’d be happy to see her taillights at the end of their agreed time together. So she decided that waiting to broach a possible change in their agreement was her best option. Wasn’t like she would fall out of love with him. And maybe if he wasn’t in love with her now, he would be in a few more months.

  After her ride, she brushed Coco down, fed her some oats, and hung up her tack. She noticed Kyle hanging over the fence, talking to the horses.

  She exited the gate and stood beside him. “What’s up?”

  “Checking out my horseflesh. What did you find out on your frigid horseback ride?”

  “There’s an old metal shed northwest of here that’d work as a calving shed if we got stuck out there.” She looked at him. “Any signs in the herd that we’ll have calves soon?”

  “Explain signs,” Kyle asked without a hint of sarcasm.

  “Teats filling with milk. Any cows laying down, getting up over and over, then looking for a place away from the herd?”

  “Not that I saw. But to be honest, I wasn’t looking for those signs. I’ll do a teat check tomorrow for sure.” He sighed. “Thanks for not makin’ me feel like an idiot because I don’t know much about this stuff, Cele.”

  She patted Minnie’s neck. “There’s a lot to learn about raising cattle. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know it all.”

  “Seems like you do to me.” He raised his hand to pat Minnie too but she shied away from him. “I’d like these horses a whole lot more if we were facing off in the arena and they were trying to buck me off. I might stand a chance with them.”

  “That’s crazy talk. They’re all very sweet.”

  “Which one is pregnant?”

  “Blue. She’s not here. I left her with Eli.”

  “Why didn’t he bring her when he brought the others yesterday?”

  “Since Blue’s due date is during calving, I didn’t want her to deliver when I couldn’t give her all my attention. Mares in the same pasture that don’t foal will try to steal another mare’s baby.”

  “Seriously? I’ve never heard of that.”

  “It happens all the time. This is Blue’s first foal. She’s so sweet-tempered and she doesn’t have the experience to fight off more aggressive mares. Since Eli has a pasture of pregnant mares, Blue is better off there.”

  “Who’s the sire?”

  “Mickey. The randy bastard mounted Blue before we could put her with Xavier.”

  “Speaking of foaling…”

  Celia met Kyle’s eyes.

  “Let’s take a trip to town.”

  She wondered if he’d bring it up. “I’ve been dealing with horses all morning. I’m a mess.”

  “You look fine.”

  “She’s probably tired.”

  “We won’t stay long.”

  “Why are you pushing me on this?” she demanded.

  “Because you’ll kick yourself if you don’t.” He held out his gloved hand. “Come on. I’ll drive.”

  Celia and Kyle scoured the hospital parking lot for Abe’s truck or Janie’s Prius before they entered the hospital.

  She knocked on the door of Janie’s room, then poked her head in. “You decent?”

  Janie was sitting up, a blanket-wrapped bundle tucked in the crook of her left arm. “Celia! I’m so glad you came.”

  Grateful for the reassuring squeeze from Kyle, she kept hold of his hand as they entered the room. She gave Janie a one-armed hug. “I’m so thrilled for you.”

  “Thanks. It is a pretty thrilling thing to finally get to see the fruit of my labors—ha ha.”

  “Congrats, Mama. You look happy.”

  “And Kyle’s here too,” Janie said as Kyle kissed Janie’s forehead. “Thank you.” She shifted to better show them the baby. “This is our boy, Tyler. All eight pounds of him. According to the Mud Lilies gals, all this dark hair is the reason I had heartburn for six months.”

  “He’s beautiful.”

  Janie flicked a glance at Kyle and Celia’s joined hands and then her gaze moved between them. “Congratulations are in order for you two as well.”

  “Thanks. We’re happy.” Kyle lifted Celia’s hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

  “Your brother is a jackass, Celia,” Janie said.

  “I know.”

  “He’ll come around, but probably not until he’s done fussing at me like an old woman and he’s got me and precious here locked down at the ranch under his watchful eye.”

  “Some big changes in your lives, that’s for sure.”

  “Changes we’re ready for this time around. Although I worry the one with the biggest adjustment will be George.” Janie frowned. “I’m not convinced he needs to be a house dog.”

  “My mom never would’ve let me have Murray inside either. I threw a hissy fit when Hank and Abe got me a puppy but wouldn’t let me have him in my room.”

  “I remember that,” Kyle said dryly. “You tried to enlist my help.”

  “And you thwarted me, which was par for the course with us.”

  “Then,” he emphasized. “Not so much anymore.”