by HELEN HARDT
“Now that’s a lovely sight.”
Zach stood in the doorway between the bathroom and the bedroom, his eyes smoldering.
Dusty warmed and redness crept to her breasts. She stilled her hands.
Zach grinned. “Your bath is ready, darlin’. Though I think I’d rather join you.”
Though embarrassed, she couldn’t help but chuckle. How she wished she could forget everything about her life and stay here in this room forever, making sweet love to this phenomenal man.
“Come on,” he said. “I promised you a scalp massage.”
“A scalp massage? I just need my hair washed.”
“There’s more to hair washing than shampoo and conditioner.” He winked. “It’s an erotic art.”
She smiled. He was so damned adorable. “An erotic art, huh? This an invention of yours?”
“Yeah. As of five minutes ago. Come on.”
Erotic art, indeed. Zach’s strong and talented hands reduced Dusty to a pool of jelly by the time he had rinsed and conditioned her. As an added benefit, her hair felt extraordinarily clean.
“Your hair is beautiful,” he said. “And so long.”
“I’ve been growing it out for a while. Almost five years.”
“You used to wear it short?”
“Yeah. Real short, actually.”
“I can’t imagine that look on you.”
“Trust me, it’s not flattering. Luckily my hair grows really fast.” She threaded her fingers through his black waves. “Now I get to do you.”
“Oh, I’d love that, darlin’.” He gave her a playful smirk. “But I’ll settle for you washing my hair for now.”
She gave him a good-natured splash and lathered his thick, dark hair. Her hands weren’t as strong as Zach’s, so she hoped her scalp massage felt as good to him as his had to her. His soft moans indicated she was successful.
When they had washed and caressed each other’s bodies and the water turned lukewarm, they toweled off and dressed in the fluffy robes.
“Feel better now?” Zach touched her gently between her legs.
“It never felt bad,” she said, “but yes, it’s better now.”
Their dinner arrived soon after, and Dusty ate heartily, allowing the food to replenish her body. Eating with Zach was becoming a habit that would be difficult to break. Though not as difficult as the other habit she had just begun with him.
The wine he had ordered complemented the meal, and Dusty was nearly too full to try the chocolate soufflé, but Zach insisted.
“Oh,” she groaned. “I don’t need to eat for another week.” She looked around the room. “Where are my clothes, Zach? I need to get going.”
“They were filthy with hay and dirt. I sent them down to the laundry.”
“Oh, no. When will they be ready?”
“In the morning.”
“Great. What do you propose I wear back to my hotel? This robe and a pair of your boxers?”
“Sure.” He reached into a dresser drawer and threw her a pair of red silk shorts. “You’ll look adorable in these.”
Okay, the thought of putting his silk boxers on her bare skin had possibilities…but no. “I’m serious, Zach. I have to go.”
He leered at her. “You’ll just have to spend the night here, darlin’.” He pulled her into a hug.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Well, Sam…”
“I think I’d rather it just be you and me,” Zach teased.
“You know what I mean.”
“Why do you need to leave, Dusty? Don’t you want to be with me?”
“It’s not that…” God, no, it isn’t that.
“Please stay with me. I want to hold you and wake up next to you.”
Her heart melted inside her chest. What could it hurt? One night. One wonderful, incredible night in the arms of a wonderful, incredible man. What a perfect memory to get her through the rough times.
“Okay, Zach. I’ll stay. But I need to be at the barrel racing competition by nine sharp to warm up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted.
“Be serious.”
“I am serious. I’ll get you there, and I’ll be your loudest cheerer.”
She smiled. He was so, so handsome. “Zach?”
“What, darlin’?”
“Let’s go to bed.”
“I don’t know,” he teased. “You may have to twist my arm a little.”
Dusty smiled and handed him the red boxers. “Put these on, and I’ll make it worth your while.”
“I guess I can manage that.”
Zach pulled the boxers over his hips and Dusty gulped, shuddering. “You’re incredible,” she said. “You should be an underwear model.”
His wide grin sparkled, and two rosy spots appeared on his cheeks.
“I haven’t embarrassed the great Zach McCray, have I?” Dusty slowly ran a finger around the waistband of the boxers.
His response to her was immediate. The head of his cock peeked out from the fly of the shorts. “You’re killin’ me.”
“But what a way to go.”
“You said it.”
“Now, what should we do?” Dusty grinned.
“Whatever you want. I’m yours for the night.” He brushed his lips against hers.
“What do you want to do?” she asked.
“Honestly?”
“Yeah.”
“I’d like to make love to you again and show you how good it can be. If I’d known it was your first time…”
“We’ve been through that. I loved it.”
“I’m glad. But this time’ll be better. I promise.”
“Okay.” Dusty slipped her arm around his back and stroked the cheek of his bottom through the silk. She smiled when he groaned. “Make love to me, Zach. Do whatever you want to me.”
“Oh, darlin’”—his sexy voice flowed over her, into her—“I want to show you everything, teach you everything, experience ecstasy with you.”
His mouth found hers, and he took it gently, easing her open and kissing her with his lips, his teeth, his tongue. Dusty moaned as her skin tingled, her heart throbbed. If she lived to be a hundred, she’d never tire of Zach’s kisses.
He gently nudged her onto the bed and covered his body with hers, continuing his assault on her mouth. His erection pushed through the red silk into her thigh. She moved her hands down the strong sinewy musculature of his back and eased the sleek fabric down. He wriggled out of the boxers and covered her body with his again. Dusty loved the feeling of his weight on her. Of his hard muscled perfection blanketing her with warmth and joy. They continued to kiss, their lips meshing together in white heat. When Zach finally left her mouth, Dusty was panting.
He kissed a trail over her cheeks, her nose, and kissed her eyelids as gently as a butterfly. He nibbled on her ear and whispered to her how beautiful she was, how hard she made him, how much he wanted her. She ran her hands over his shoulders and neck, his muscular back, the firm male shape of him a pleasure to touch.
“You’re so damned beautiful,” he said. “I can’t get enough of you.”
He continued to trail fluttery kisses down her neck, over her chest, and then lifted his head for a moment to stare at her breasts. “Beautiful,” he said. “So beautiful.”
As he sucked a nipple between his lips, Dusty gasped and writhed, tangled her fingers in his silky black hair and urged him on. He nipped and bit at her, tugging on her nipple.
“The other one, Zach. Please, the other one.”
Zach released her nipple with a soft pop and turned his attention to the other. Was it possible to climax just from breast stimulation? Before she could find out, he was licking her belly, pausing at her blond curls.
“So beautiful,” he said again and buried his nose in her. “So sweet.” When his tongue darted out and flicked her, she bucked beneath him. He spread her legs and gazed at her. “Hold still, darlin’. I’m gonna show you a real good time.”<
br />
“Oh, God.” Dusty hardly recognized her own voice.
Zach clamped his mouth down on her and thrust out his tongue, kissing her as though he were kissing her mouth. His tongue swirled over her slick folds, licking them, tugging them between his teeth. Then he pushed his tongue into her opening again.
Dusty wanted to squirm, but he held her still. He licked her, sucked her, pushed her thighs forward, and slid his tongue over the sensitive skin of her buttocks.
“Zach…” she said tentatively.
“Hush, darlin’,” he said. “Just enjoy it.”
“Zach…”
He looked up, his chin and cheeks shining with her juices. “Yeah?”
“If you don’t come inside me soon I think I’ll go crazy.”
His gorgeous smile warmed her. “I want to make you crazy.”
“My God—”
He thrust two fingers inside her, and within seconds he had found a secret spot that made her explode inside. The orgasm shattered her and took her off the bed, seemed to levitate her over the mountains. She heard herself screaming his name. When she finally came back to earth, he began again, sucking her and massaging the inside of her with his clever fingers. Soon she slid back into euphoria.
Dusty lost count of how many times she climaxed. “Zach,” she pleaded. “No more. No more. I want you now. You.”
“One more, darlin’,” he said. “Fly for me. I want to make you soar.”
With his words she burst outward, outside her body once more. She was flying, just like he said. So high above the snowcapped mountains. Soaring like an eagle. Her body spasmed with the flight, shaking, trembling, the physical sensations mixed with heady emotion. When Zach lifted his mouth from her, she plummeted downward, still convulsing against his fingers, which he circled slowly inside her.
Limp and sated, she closed her eyes as Zach trailed his lips and tongue up her belly, her breasts, her neck. When he got to her mouth he stopped, leaving no more than a few inches between them.
“Open your eyes.” The breath from his words was a soft caress against her lips. “Look at me.”
Her eyelids fluttered as she obeyed his command and gazed into his beautiful unique eyes. So wonderful, this man. She expected him to kiss her, but he didn’t. They just stared into each other’s eyes. Her heart melted, her skin tingled, her mind melded with his. And just as she thought their very souls had joined, he took her mouth with his and thrust into her.
The sweet caress of his tongue, the urgent stabs of his cock, his hard body against hers—Dusty thought she had died and gone to heaven. She couldn’t imagine being closer to anyone. Ever.
As he joined with her, made love to her, she felt they were one body. And when she climaxed, he groaned and pushed into her, filling her. Zach had been right. It was better—perfect and amazing and absolute bliss.
He rolled them to the side, his sex still embedded inside her, and pulled her into his arms.
Chapter Eight
Dusty took a deep breath and smoothed Regina’s soft black mane. Sydney Buchanan had made good time, but hadn’t hit her personal best of 14.1. Dusty could still take first, but it would require intense concentration. She had to win. She needed the money. Especially now.
One more deep breath, and then she kicked into high gear. Her braid slapped her back as she and Regina crossed the electric eye and raced toward the first barrel. Dusty gritted her teeth as she set Regina up to turn the first barrel without knocking it over. Then, in a whirlwind, the centrifugal force invigorating her, Dusty took Regina around the first barrel perfectly. Pursing her lips, she looked straight ahead and galloped toward the second, taking Regina around in the opposite direction. Excellent. One more to go. Running toward the backside of the arena, she aimed toward the third and final barrel, the sweet rush of adrenaline empowering her.
Yes, yes, she was doing it. Regina was in fine form as Dusty rounded the last barrel.
“Yee haw!” she heard from the stands, and she looked up briefly.
This wasn’t new to her. She often looked in the stands near the end of a race. It energized her to see the crowd cheering, and she was always able to keep her concentration.
But not this time.
Because she saw Zach, her Zach, in the arms of Angelina Bay. His lips were on hers.
Within a microsecond, Regina had knocked down the final barrel.
Dusty forced herself into the zone and headed for home, a straight shot back down the center of the arena. She had done well, and she could still take the gold. If only—
Crossing the electric eye, she noted her time.
13.4 seconds.
A personal best for her.
But she wouldn’t win. Knocking over the barrel would cost her a five second penalty. Her time would be calculated at 18.4 seconds. Sydney would take first at 14.9 seconds. Dusty wouldn’t even place.
She fought back tears as she left the arena and took care of Regina. She could cry later. Right now, her horse needed her.
Standing beside her horse in her assigned stall, Dusty brushed out Regina’s mane and curried her coat. “It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart,” she crooned. “It was me. All me.”
“Tough break.”
She looked up to see a tall man with tousled brown hair. Handsome. No Zach, but handsome nonetheless. And familiar. She had seen him before.
“It happens,” Dusty replied.
“That’s a fine mare you got there,” he said.
“Regina’s the best. Never knocked over a barrel before today.”
“I can believe it. She was amazing. So were you.”
“Yeah, well, not quite amazing enough.”
“As you say, it happens.” He held out his hand. “I’m Harper, by the way. Harper Bay.”
Of course, she had seen him at the Bay party. Angelina’s brother. Zach’s almost-brother-in-law. After today, they’d be on the road to relations again. She took his outstretched hand. “Dusty O’Donovan.”
“My sister mentioned you. I’m sorry we didn’t get to meet the other night. I hear you’re seeing Zach McCray?”
Not anymore. “No.”
“Oh.” His face brightened. “I came in here because I have a proposition for you. But if you’re not involved with McCray, would you like to discuss it over coffee?”
“Depends on what it is.”
“Come to coffee and you’ll find out.”
He smiled at her. A nice, genuine smile. Was this guy really related to that Mary Ann wannabe?
“Look, Harper”—Dusty continued to curry Regina—“you seem like a nice man, and I appreciate the invitation. But I’m not in the mood at the moment. I just lost a race I should have won. I’m sure you understand.”
“Yeah, I understand.” He looked at her, his eyes rife with kindness. “Hell, I’ve been there myself. We all have.”
“I’m sure. If you’ll excuse me.”
“Can we talk here?”
Dusty sighed. Why not? “What’s on your mind?”
“Well, besides you…” His brown eyes glimmered. “Your horse.”
“What about my horse?”
“She’s the finest barrel racer I’ve seen in some time, and my sister’s birthday is coming up. She’s just getting into racing.”
“Angelina races? I thought she said she wasn’t involved in the rodeo.”
“Not Angelina. My younger sister, Caitlyn. Her sweet sixteen is next month, and my pa and I have been looking around for a horse for her. Yours is the finest I’ve seen.”
“Sorry.” Dusty turned away. “She’s not for sale.”
“I’d pay top dollar.”
Dusty inhaled sharply and met Harper’s gaze. “Just how much is top dollar?”
“How’s forty K sound?”
Dusty shook her head. “No. Sorry.”
“Okay. Fifty.”
“Sorry again.”
“Seventy-five is as high as I can go.”
Dusty gasped. This was Regina, her f
riend and comrade. How could she let Regina go? But seventy-five thousand dollars… It wouldn’t save the ranch but it would be a start. She had just blown the barrel race. Money was more important now than ever.
“Your sister would take care of her?”
“Heck, yeah. She loves animals, especially horses.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, but she’s not like…”
“Angelina?” Harper chuckled. “No, Catie’s nothing like Angie. I take it you don’t care for my big sister?”
“She’s your big sister?”
“Yeah, she’s twenty-seven. I’m just a babe of twenty-five.” He gave her a wide grin.
“I hardly know Angelina. I’ve only spoken to her a few times.”
Aside from seeing her lip-locked with Zach, which caused me to screw up my race.
“Angie’s all right,” Harper said. “Just kind of a girly-girl, you know. And she’s a bit spoiled. She was the firstborn, and a girl, so Pa gave her whatever she wanted.”
“I see. What happened between her and Zach?”
“Just differences. Was our families more than anything that pushed them together.”
Dusty nodded, moved to the back of the stall, and stroked Regina’s silky ears and kissed her velvety nose. Soft and sleek—she loved how Regina’s ears felt under her fingers. Looking into her horse’s big brown eyes, she tried to make her understand what she was about to do.
“You promise your baby sister will take good care of her?” A tear fell down Dusty’s cheek.
“Yeah. I promise.” Harper walked toward Dusty and wiped away the tear.
Dusty jerked backward. It didn’t feel right for him to touch her.
“I’m sorry,” Harper said.
“It’s okay.” She sniffed and held out her hand. “We’ve got a deal, Harper. Seventy-five thousand.”
He clasped her hand and shook it in a tight grip. When he didn’t let go, she pulled away forcefully.
Then she turned and walked out of the stall.
* * *
How she ended up at Diablo’s pen, Dusty wasn’t sure. She sat down, her back supported by a bale of hay, while the bull scruffed and snorted inside. She was alone. Everyone else was at the stock show or the rodeo. The practice rings were deserted but for a few ranch hands here and there. Just as well.