When Gabe had ended the kiss last night, she'd almost cried in frustration. She knew if he'd pressed the issue, she would have jumped into bed with him, damn the consequences. But afterwards, she was thankful he'd called a halt. She couldn't sleep with a stranger on the first date, now could she?
Luckily, Gabe wasn't a stranger any longer. Okay, that was a mere technicality, but she knew in her heart they'd end up in bed tonight. The attraction was too strong.
The drive to the ranch flew by. She and Gabe talked about everything under the sun. And nothing at all.
It didn't seem very long before they were turning onto a dirt road and driving under a wrought-iron sign that said The Diamondback Ranch. Darcy had heard of The Diamondback, of course. It was a good-sized spread by Texas standards--sixty-four hundred acres of prime ranch and farmland.
Gabe introduced his friends and Darcy found herself in the midst of the McCade family. They took Darcy to their collective hearts and she fell in love with Ruth, who turned out to be the quintessential mother.
They rode horses for a couple of hours on trails winding through the rugged West Texas landscape. Mesquite and prickly pear cactus stood out green against the red soil of the land.
When they finished riding, Ruth insisted on feeding them an early dinner. They enjoyed generous helpings of delicious fried chicken, gravy and homemade biscuits; and for dessert, Ruth served her famous Texas Hot Cocoa cake.
"I don't think I'll ever eat again!" Darcy said, as she and Gabe headed back to Abilene.
"I guess I should have warned you about Ruth. She does love to cook and feed her family and friends."
"She's a sweetheart. Thank you so much for inviting me."
Gabe reached for her hand and held it in his on the seat between them. "It was my pleasure."
His touch sent chills and thrills through Darcy's system. She'd enjoyed their visit to the ranch and watching Gabe's interaction with Dallas and Austin McCade. The two brothers had treated him as one of their own.
The more she got to know Gabe, the more Darcy liked. And wanted. Anticipation made her toes curl.
If holding hands was such a turn on, what would it be like when they were in bed together? Darcy's blood heated at the thought.
****
Gabe thought the drive back to Abilene would never end. His body was throbbing with a desire so strong, he hoped like hell he wouldn't embarrass himself when he finally got Darcy into bed. He felt like a horny teenager, not a respectable thirty-three year old math teacher. They were holding hands like teenagers, too. Funny how that simple connection could feed the burning passion in his groin that was growing ridiculously out of control.
Damn, he hadn't been this hot for a woman in a long time.
"Are you hungry?" Darcy asked. "You said we'd go out to dinner, but Ruth fed us so well, I don't really feel like food. Do you?" Her soft voice filled the dark cab of the truck with visions of tangled sheets and sweaty bodies.
Gabe slowly withdrew his hand from hers and gripped the steering wheel. Tight. "No, I'm not hungry for food either. Let's skip dinner tonight."
"Oh, but I didn't mean our . . . date has to end."
Gabe chuckled. "I'm not ready to say goodbye, either. I'll take you home and we can watch a movie or something." Gabe pretty well knew what that something would be.
Darcy sighed. "That sounds lovely. I'd like that."
He hoped she'd like it. He was certainly banking on liking it. "Then it's settled. Movie night at your house. But I can't stay too late. I have school tomorrow. Five o'clock comes awfully early."
"Tell me about it."
The lights of Abilene could be seen in the distance. By the time Gabe pulled into Darcy's driveway, he was reciting geometric postulates . . . backwards, in an effort to curb his impatience to get her naked and into bed.
Once they entered the front door, Gabe's patience fizzled out. He took Darcy's purse and keys and set them on a table, then gathered her into his arms. He held her for a moment, searching her dark eyes. "I've been dying to kiss you all day. Tell me you don't really want to watch a movie."
Darcy shook her head, her long hair swinging with the movement. She twined her arms around his neck. "All I want is you."
She tugged his head down and kissed him. His stomach bottomed out when Darcy plunged her sweet little tongue in his mouth, making sweeping forays in and out, nipping his lower lip, sucking his tongue. All the time, playing with the hair at his nape.
Holy shit! He was going to have a very hard time of it. Hard being the operative word here. He was going to explode before they even got into bed.
He lifted her in his arms, holding her close. "Put your legs around me."
Never breaking contact with his mouth, Darcy wrapped her legs around his waist. She deepened the kiss, holding his jaws in her hands, rubbing his chin with her thumbs.
Gabe settled her against his length, torturing himself with the pressure of her body against the fly of his jeans. Oh yeah. He was going to lose it for sure if he didn't get them into bed. Pronto.
He carried Darcy through the living room, down the hall and into her bedroom. Yesterday, he'd scouted out the place when he'd been here fixing her plumbing. Even then, he'd been planning her seduction. When he'd first seen her at his demonstration workshop, lust had hit him full force. And it had only grown stronger as he became better acquainted with her last night and today. He like her. He liked her a lot.
Darcy came up for air when she realized they were in her bedroom and Gabe was getting ready to set her on the bed. Her body was on fire, but she wanted this first time to be perfect. She felt dirty and smelly. It would be too embarrassing.
She slid her legs down the length of Gabe's body and immediately, he let her go. But he still kept his hands on her shoulders, a question lingering in the depths of his heavy-lidded eyes. "Darcy?"
Again she wished there was a workshop on Dating after Divorce. How to get through the awkward moments.
She put her hands on his strong chest. "I can't do this--"
Gabe dropped his hands from her shoulders and stepped back. "I'm sorry. I've been too-- uh--"
Darcy smiled. "No, you haven't. I mean I don't want to do this smelling like horses. I need a shower." She hesitated. She really liked Gabe. She was ready to take this to the next level. What did it matter if their first time was in bed? In for a penny, in for a pound, as they said in the Regency romances she loved to read. "Care to join me?" she asked.
Gabe smiled back. "Oh yeah. A shower sounds good." He bent to nibble her earlobe. "A shower could be really fun."
Tingles of awareness shimmied down Darcy's spine. She led the way to the bathroom and waited for Gabe to follow. Drawing back the shower curtain, she turned on the faucets and adjusted the water to a nice comfortable temperature.
Taking a deep breath, Darcy faced Gabe. "I know I've been married and stuff, but I haven't really done . . . this, since my divorce." She looked at the shower, then back to the gorgeous man she'd only met yesterday. "Especially this." She pointed between them with a wave of her hand.
Gabe grabbed her hand and held it in a tight grasp. "It's been a while for me, too. We'll take it one step at a time." He pulled her to him and kissed her. Tenderly at first, but the passion flared fast and the kiss turned hot and sizzling.
Darcy tugged the tails of Gabe's western-shirt out of his Wranglers and began unbuttoning the snaps. She felt his fingers doing the same to her long-sleeved blouse. Every brush of his hands on her skin sent electric currents zinging through her, making her almost frantic with hunger and need.
Gabe sat on the bench at the vanity and pulled off his boots and socks. He stood before Darcy, unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans. He shucked them off along with his boxers in one smooth movement.
Darcy nearly fainted at the sight of him. He was so beautiful and masculine. She toed off her shoes and quickly slipped her jeans and panties down her legs.
Gabe pulled back the shower curtain and c
limbed in the stall. He held out a hand to Darcy. "Come on in, before the water gets cold."
She put her hand in his and he helped her step over the tub and into the shower. Immediately, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a ruthless passion that left her breathless and wanting more.
His hands slid over her, gliding down her neck, collarbone and chest until finally he cupped her aching breasts. Darcy moaned into his mouth. It had been so long since anyone had touched her so intimately.
Gabe caressed the beautiful breasts with both hands, rubbing the rosy nipples with his thumbs, swirling the cascading water from the shower around and around. He couldn't stand it and bent to take one in his mouth. Darcy's knees buckled and she began to fall, but he caught her by the waist and continued suckling. She ran her fingers through his wet hair, massaging his scalp.
Straightening to his full height, Gabe pushed Darcy against the tiled wall and kissed her again. When she wrapped her fingers around his shaft, he nearly lost it then and there.
He grabbed her hand to make her stop. Words strangled in his throat. "As good as that feels, you have to quit or we won't make it to the bed."
Darcy smiled a sultry smile. "Would that be so bad?"
Dear God in heaven. No. But he wanted to feel her beneath him on a soft mattress as he plunged into her heat.
"I'll take a rain check on that. Hand me the soap and let's make this quick. I want to towel you off and get you in bed."
Gabe lathered them both, enjoying touching every inch of Darcy's slim body, anticipating the moment when he could explore more thoroughly in bed. Each took a turn standing under the spray of water until they were well rinsed. He snatched a towel from the hook near the tub and dried off, then helped Darcy out and carefully dried her off, too.
He stooped to retrieve his jeans and dug a hand in one of the pockets.
"What are you doing?" Darcy asked.
He pulled out a couple of condoms and held them up. "Protection."
She smiled. "We should have plenty then, because I bought a box this morning and put it in the nightstand drawer."
"A whole box?"
Her eyes twinkled. "I have high expectations?"
"Then I'll do my best to live up to them and not let you down." Gabe swooped her up and carried her into the bedroom. She laughed and draped her arms around his neck, nestling her head against his shoulder.
Stopping at the side of the bed, he set Darcy on the edge of the mattress. He gently pushed her flat on her back and covered her with his body, relishing the feel of skin on skin. He kissed her hard on the mouth, and she eagerly responded, her clever hands rubbing all over him, her curvy body wiggling enticingly beneath him.
He leaned on his forearms and looked down at her. She gazed back with warm trusting eyes. He swiped an errant curl away from her cheek. "I want this to be good for you, Darcy. But I'm afraid I might be a little over eager. I don't know how long I can last."
Darcy touched her hand to his jaw. "Don't worry. It's already good for me."
When she smiled, Gabe felt himself grow harder. He kissed her again, taking her tongue and sucking, nudging his shaft against her in rhythm, testing, teasing. He moved down her body, licking and gently nipping the soft skin with his lips.
He paid homage to her breasts, laving around the beaded nipples then away, over the swell of one breast, dipping in the valley between, then kissing the swell of the other. Never actually touching the nipples, but instead taunting them with a promise, a hint of what was to come.
Darcy moaned and clutched Gabe's hair to hold him close. He was driving her wild with desire and if he didn't take one of her nipples in his hot wet mouth right now, she was surely going to die. "Please, Gabe. Please . . ."
"Please what?" He flicked his tongue over one of the turgid peaks and blew softly.
Darcy's body jerked in response and she bit her lips to keep from crying out.
"Don't hold back, sweetheart. Give me all that you've got."
He bent over her and licked one nipple then the other. Darcy thrashed her head back and forth on the mattress, arching her body, lifting herself, seeking the relief only Gabe could provide.
He pressed the flat of his tongue to the bottom curve of one breast and slowly moved upwards, stopping a scant millimeter from the areola, huffing his hot breath over her skin, then continuing relentlessly up and over the nipple, lingering and making circular motions, before catching it in his mouth and sucking, gently at first, then harder and harder still.
Darcy felt the tug clear down to her womb, and fierce yearning rose up inside. She held on to Gabe's head, cradling it to her breast as he suckled and licked, ministering to one then the other. He raised his head and smiled a sexy smile, then moved down her torso, dipping his tongue in her belly button, caressing her thighs with his fingertips.
He kissed the sensitive skin of her inner thigh and spread her legs wide. Darcy gripped the sheets with hands bunched into fists. She didn't know how much more pleasure she could endure, but no way did she want Gabe to stop what he was doing.
Her body was taut with exquisite tension, her breasts still tingling with desire. She closed her eyes and gave herself up to the bliss of the moment.
"Are you with me, sweetheart?" His deep sexy voice sounded hushed in the dim confines of the bedroom.
"Yes, I'm with you," she said dreamily.
He chuckled and kissed her thigh again. With gentle tenderness, Gabe pressed his lips to her sensitized flesh, kissing her mound and slipping a finger inside her heat. Then he hovered over her with his mouth, so close she could feel his hot breath whispering across her skin.
Darcy waited excitedly for Gabe to keep going. She was hanging on by a thread, so close to climaxing her body ached with it. She tried to lift her lower body upward, seeking his touch. The touch that would send her over the edge, but Gabe held her in place with strong hands, keeping her immobile.
He trailed warm kisses along a path across her inner thighs, to the sensitive skin behind her knees, then returning to between her legs. Teasing. Taunting. A torture so sweet, she could feel the passion building to an almost unbearable degree.
Finally, when she thought she could stand it no longer, Darcy felt the feather-light flicks of wet warmth on her nub. At the same moment, Gabe moved his finger inside her, massaging, caressing, finding a rhythm he matched with the motions of his tongue on her hypersensitive flesh.
Her body rocked of its own accord, moving in cadence with Gabe's sure strokes. The tension mounted and passion scorched every nerve ending. And when he sucked and blew and sucked again, Darcy exploded in orgasm. Shards of pleasure burst in her brain, raining down on her as every ounce of pent-up sexual tension gave way to complete release.
Gabe knew the minute Darcy climaxed. Her inner muscles contracted around his finger and his body flexed in response. He had to have her. Now.
Snatching up one of the condoms, he quickly covered himself and took Darcy in his arms. She looked at him with dreamy eyes.
"I need you inside me, Gabe. Please!" She pulled him down and kissed him, lifting her body, bumping against his engorged shaft.
Gabe clenched his jaw at the excruciating torture. He knew he wouldn't last a minute once he plunged into her waiting heat.
With his knee, he nudged her legs apart and positioned himself above her. Their gazes locked and Gabe pushed against the entrance of her womanhood, testing, seeking.
Darcy touched his chest, raking her fingers over his flat nipples. He hardened even more, his body throbbing with need. Gabe thrust inside her liquid heat, burying himself to the hilt. Pulling out, not all the way, only to plunge in even deeper.
Darcy wrapped her legs around him to gain better traction, meeting thrust for thrust. They soon discovered their own perfect rhythm, the tempo of the dance only the two of them could share.
"I can't hold out much longer, sweetheart."
"Let it go, Gabe. Let it go." Darcy pulled him in deeper with her legs and g
round her lower body into his.
Sweat beaded on Gabe's forehead and he flung his head back as the force of his orgasm slammed into him. He pumped in and out one last time as the throbbing pulsed through his body, threatening to rob him of his last breath.
He collapsed on top of Darcy, resting his head next to hers on the pillows. Breathing hard, he waited for his heart rate to slow down to normal.
Darcy turned her head to look at the man who'd tilted her world. Never had she experienced such a powerful climax. She kissed his cheek. He opened his eyes and winked.
"You know," she said, rubbing his shoulder. "I never really thanked you properly for fixing my pipes yesterday."
"Oh yes, you did. Just now. This is thanks enough, and I appreciate it mightily," he said with a smile.
"You know," Darcy continued, trailing her fingers down his ear and jaw, "I have an ice-maker on the blitz. Now, where do you suppose I could find someone to repair it?"
Gabe rose up and supported himself on his elbows. He kissed her nose and grinned. "Look no farther, sweetheart. You have found your very own handyman."
###
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***
KRISTY AND JIM
by
Anne Marie Novark
***
When a swarm of honeybees takes up residence in Kristy Baker's backyard, she calls for help. Jim Hennessey comes to rescue the bees. Will the shy sexy beekeeper capture her heart as well?
***
Texas Two Steps: Kristy and Jim
Copyright © 2011 by Anne Marie Novark
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
***
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.
Texas Two Steps Four-Pack Bundle Page 2