A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe
Page 17
“You do?” Sage looked at the dog that sat between them inside the truck. “Why?”
“Because I need to kiss the hell out of you, and it’s going to be mighty awkward with him in the middle.”
She giggled, the sound light and joyous. “We can switch to my Jeep if you want. You can drive. I have a back seat that’s perfect for a good boy like him.”
“Works for me.” He cared less about who was driving and more about getting his arms around her quicker.
Sage opened her door, and he unharnessed Achilles while the dog licked his face. He couldn’t even be mad about that, either. Silly dog was just too good-natured for Jason to get irritated with him. He rubbed the dog’s ears, giving him attention until Sage signaled they should join her, and then they went out to the Jeep.
The moment they were inside, Achilles settling down on the blanket in the back seat, Jason slid the driver’s seat back and pulled Sage into his arms. It was a little tight thanks to the bucket seat, but he tilted his chair back and wrapped his arms tight around her. “This is more like it.”
“My backside is pressed against the steering wheel,” she warned him.
“If we honk at someone, we’ll blame it on the dog,” he teased her, wrapping his fingers around one lock of her soft hair. “I missed you today.”
Her eyes went soft with pleasure, and she slid her arms around his neck. “You did?”
“I did. Kept thinking about those dimples.” He rubbed his knuckles lightly over her cheek. “That smile. The scent of your hair.” He glanced down and couldn’t help but grin. “That damn ugly sweater. What the hell is that thing?”
“Teddy bears, but they’re supposed to be Krampus, who’s a Christmas monster.” She looked down proudly at the green-and-red monstrosity over her chest.
Well, it was certainly creative. Hideous, but creative. “All right, I guess I missed that, too. I mostly just missed you and hearing your voice.”
She looked so damn soft and sweet as she leaned in against him. “I missed you, too, Jason. So much. That’s silly, isn’t it? We’ve been apart less than a day, but I missed you.” They’d gotten together repeatedly over the last week but it never felt like enough time.
“I don’t think it’s silly,” he murmured. “Because I feel the same way.” And he dragged his hand through her thick, glossy hair and then pulled her in for a kiss.
He always forgot just how good kissing Sage was. It was like the experience was so damn amazing that his brain couldn’t possibly be remembering it correctly. But she always tasted sweet, and her little tongue danced along his with shy strokes. He loved the way she sank against him, her mouth open to his, as if she were giving him everything. This was what he’d been looking forward to all day, just the moments with her in his arms. The weight of her pressed against his thighs, pushing down against his cock, and he wanted to rip that denim off of her and sink deep inside her.
She moaned against him, breathless, and her fingers rasped over his scalp again, as if she couldn’t get enough of the tactile sensation. He knew just how that felt, because her gorgeous hair kept sliding through his fingers, and he wanted to bury his face in it and just breathe in her, forever. “Sage,” he murmured, flicking at her mouth. “You feel so good.”
“I’m”—she kissed him again, her weight shifting on his lap, then continued—“not too heavy?”
Never. He liked the solid feel of her against him, and it didn’t matter to him that she wasn’t a stick-thin waif. She was strong and capable, and she felt real. He loved the way she felt. “Not at all.” He kissed along her jaw and then moved toward her ear. “You’re perfect.”
Sage shuddered against him and then made an unholy sound when he nipped her earlobe. He could feel her thighs clench in response, and her reaction made his cock ache even harder. God, she was sweet. “You like it when I nibble on your ear?” He flicked his tongue over her earring and felt her hands grip at his jacket. “Or are you just imagining me nibbling on other spots, instead?”
“Other . . . spots?” she managed, clinging to him and holding him against her as he licked and bit at her sweet ear. It sounded as if she were having a hard time concentrating, and he loved that. When he touched Sage, it felt like the rest of the world fell away, and he was gratified that it was the same for her.
“Like . . . your pretty breasts.” He wanted to cup one desperately, but his girl was shy, and he knew this was all new for her, so he’d just talk about it for now. “Or maybe you’d like me to go lower.”
Another moan escaped her. “Oh, Jason, the things you say make me feel . . . oh . . .” She sucked in a breath as he gently bit her earlobe again, and she squirmed on his lap. “Oh mercy.”
“No mercy,” he murmured, then gently licked the soft skin of her throat. Maybe he’d leave her a nice hickey here, so she could show the world that she belonged to him. He liked the thought of that. He liked it so much that he scraped his teeth over her throat and loved her shudder of response.
Her phone rang, a happy Christmas song blaring out into the quiet car.
Sage jerked against him, and the car horn blared in response.
The sound startled both of them, and the horn honked again, even as Sage crawled off of his lap. He didn’t move, the sudden loud sound sending adrenaline rushing through his body. He could feel it creeping down his arms, making his skin prickle. He felt cold all over, but he knew he’d be sweating in a matter of moments. His head was spinning, like he was losing control. Not again. Not again.
“Sorry,” Sage told him in the quiet of the car.
He nodded. Desperate not to let Sage know he was going to lose it, he dropped his hands to his sides and quietly clenched them in and out, trying to relax. Trying to chase off the feelings of another anxiety attack.
A warm tongue touched his fingers, and Achilles licked his hand, then pushed his head against Jason’s palm. Absently, he touched the dog’s head and stroked it, noting how calm Achilles was. The dog’s peaceful nature helped ground him, calm him. There was nothing to worry about. He wasn’t in Afghanistan. The street was quiet, but safe. Achilles would have reacted if they were under attack.
Or if there were chickens. The dog really hated chickens.
For some reason, that thought made him bite back a smile, and he scratched at Achilles’s head more vigorously, fighting off the last vestiges of the panic that threatened to grip him. He tried to focus on Sage and noticed she hadn’t answered her phone. She just stared at the lit-up screen and bit her lip, her brows furrowed with worry.
“Who is it?” he asked, voice hoarse as he kept stroking Achilles’s head.
Sage looked over at him, worry and confusion in her eyes. “It’s Greg. I didn’t answer, so he just texted me. Jason, he’s at my house and wants to talk to me. I told him I had a date, and I guess he decided to show up anyhow.”
“You want me to go beat him up?” He was only half joking.
She took a shuddering breath, and he hated the pinched look of concern on her face. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Tell him you’re out with me and you won’t be home until late.”
She nodded and started typing, worrying her lip as she wrote. When she was finished, she sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back against the headrest of the car seat. “Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because Greg’s being pushy and I honked the horn and startled us both.” Sage gave him a chagrined look. “Did I ruin your evening?”
“Nope, I’m fine.” He meant it, too. Had he had a flare-up? Sure. But he was able to chase it back, just like when Truck was at his side. He kept petting Achilles’s soft ears, thankful for the dog’s reassuring weight against his side as Achilles scooted closer and closer. He liked this dog a lot, he realized. He’d been annoyed initially at having him foisted on him, but now . . . he was grateful.
He nodded at her phone. “Put that away, and let’s go get a bite to eat at the restaurant. Maybe by the time we’re done, he’ll have gotten the hint and left. If not, I’ll send him a few videos of me nibbling on your ear so he can see that he’s got no chance.”
And he loved her delighted giggle of relief.
* * *
• • •
Jason tried to keep her distracted all through dinner so she wouldn’t think about Greg. He wanted to kick that asshole in the teeth for showing up at her house and making her worry. He knew Sage felt responsible, even though the idea was ludicrous. Her crush on Greg all those years had been entirely unrequited, and for Greg to decide to put the pressure on now was the height of selfishness. He hated the guy, and he hated how his sweet Sage somehow thought it was her fault. So he teased her and held her hand, rubbing little circles on her skin as they sat together. They ordered dessert because he’d learned she had a sweet tooth, and he fed her a few bites and loved the sight of her blush. They had a cup of coffee and lingered at the pub until he saw her yawn. Then Jason paid the bill and took her hand in his. “Let’s get you home.”
“But . . .”
“If he’s still on your doorstep, I’ll take care of him,” he promised her.
Sage seemed uneasy but nodded. He walked her back to her Jeep and then got in his own truck so he could follow her to the ranch. As they drove out into the night, he kept close behind her, sending furious thoughts to Greg if the man had dared to stick around. Thankfully, when they got to Sage’s ranch, there was no car in the driveway. She pulled up to the garage, parked, and then hopped out of her Jeep, and even from inside his truck, he could see the relief on her face.
“I think he’s gone,” she told him, coming up to his window. “You don’t have to stay.”
“Nonsense.” He wouldn’t relax until he’d checked the perimeter anyhow. This time it wasn’t to appease his own senses, but to protect his woman. “You stay here, and I’ll check the grounds.” Not that he expected a whiner and manipulator like Greg to try something, but you never knew. So Jason took Achilles with him and circled the house and checked inside the barn. When he was sure no one was outside, he went into the house and checked all the rooms while Sage waited inside his truck, the heater on. When he was satisfied, he went outside to get her. “All clear.”
“You don’t think Greg would break into my house, do you?” she asked him, full of disbelief as she got out of the warm truck. “He’s not the type.”
“Was he the type to dump his fiancée on the day before the wedding?”
She was silent at that.
He put a hand to the small of her back and led her inside, and they immediately gravitated toward her comfortable sofa. Sage looked up at him, her hand going to his waist. “You want a drink? Something to eat?”
“Nah.”
She bit her lip and then curled her fingers into his jacket. “Will you stay the night with me?”
He wanted to. He wanted to more than anything. “I wish I could, but I have to be up at dawn to help Eli.”
“Oh, of course. I always forget that just because it’s the weekend, the cows don’t know that.” Sage leaned against him, as if seeking comfort. “I just love having you here.”
Jason loved being there. He wanted to stay all the time, too, but he felt a responsibility to Eli, and he needed to stay employed. “Just because I have to wake up early doesn’t mean I have to leave right now. We can still spend some time together, you know.”
She smiled up at him. “What did you have in mind? Did you want to watch something?”
Watching television was the last thing he wanted to do. He took her hand in his and led her to the couch, then pulled her jacket off her shoulders. He tossed it onto the nearest chair and then took his own off. Achilles settled himself in front of the quiet fireplace, and Jason sat on the end of the couch and held a hand out to her.
Sage’s dimples showed as she took his hand and sat down carefully beside him. He could tell by the look on her face that she knew this wasn’t about watching television. He could practically see her breathing harder, lips parted. Her gaze was utterly focused on him.
It was probably driving Greg crazy that she was here with Jason, that Jason was the one with her in his arms. That Jason was the one that got to kiss her. He knew guys like Greg back in the navy. They had a girl in every port and a sweetheart back home who needed to remain loyal and chaste, even if the rules didn’t apply to the man. Sage deserved better than that.
She deserved better than him, too, but she seemed to want him, and he was going to be grateful for that every day he had her. Jason caressed her beautiful face lightly, and when she slid against him, her full breasts pressing to his chest, he put a hand to her waist and pulled her in for a hard, driving kiss. It was a possessive kiss, as if he could brand her as his and scorch Greg out of her mind and her worries entirely. Sage moaned against him, clinging to him even as her fingers sought the buzz of his hair, rubbing against it even as his tongue flicked against hers. Over and over they kissed, mouths working together, tongues dancing and teasing until the need for her threatened to overwhelm him. He ended the kiss and loved that she was panting, her eyes soft with arousal.
“How far have you gone in the past?” he asked.
“Gone?” Her brows furrowed. “Jason, you’re my first boyfriend. I thought you knew that.”
He knew that part, but it wasn’t entirely what he meant. “I know. But you can pleasure yourself, too.”
Her pretty pink mouth parted, and then her cheeks flushed. She ducked her head, burying it against his neck. “You’re asking if I . . .”
“Yeah. You touch yourself, sweetheart?”
She gave a little moan, and he wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment or arousal. Maybe both.
“There’s no being ashamed between us,” he murmured, lightly running his fingers through her thick hair. “You think I don’t touch myself when I think of you?”
“You do?” She lifted her head to look at him. The expression on her face was no longer embarrassment but fascination.
“All the damn time. Every morning, in the shower. Every night, before I go to bed. I imagine my hand is your hand and it makes me come so damn hard.”
Sage sucked in a breath. “Really?”
“Really.” He traced a finger along the edge of her jaw. “Because you’re so perfect and sweet I can’t help it. I need you, even if it’s only my imagination.”
“Oh, I need you, too, Jason.” Sage’s words were an intense whisper as she pressed her breasts to his chest again. “So much.”
“We’ll take it slow, sweetheart, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t free to explore each other. You can touch me however you want, or I can touch you. You tell me which one makes you more comfortable. Which one arouses you.”
She licked her lips. “Both.”
Ah, that was his sweet girl. He chuckled. “You pick one, then.”
He expected her to think about it, to duck her head and blush again. To his surprise, she leaned back and pulled her ugly sweater over her head in one fluid motion, revealing a pale pink bra. Jason stared, his mouth dry at the sight of her beautiful body. He hadn’t been expecting that, and now he couldn’t stop staring. She looked so damn soft, and her breasts were perfect, high handfuls against that demure bra with its tiny straps. Her belly curved, gently sloping, and he could see her navel peeking out just above the waistband of her jeans. Her skin was pale and silky looking, and she had a beauty mark on the slope of one perfect breast. He wanted to kiss it. Hell, he wanted to kiss all of her. “You’re gorgeous.” He reached out and rubbed his knuckles along the length of one arm. “That mean I can touch you?”
Sage took in a shuddering breath, closing her eyes. “Please, Jason.”
He pulled her close again, tucking her against him as he claimed her mouth in another kiss. As he kissed her, he let one hand move over her arm and her back, touching her as much as he could to get her used to his caresses. He’d never been with someone as innocent as Sage, and even though his cock was aching for release, he had to go slow. He needed to make this good for her. So good. He wanted her trembling with need, not trembling with shyness.
With another deep kiss, he slid his fingers up her spine and loved the shiver of response that brought on. He swept up her back again and then teased at the clasp of her bra, testing her reactions. When she moaned against his mouth, he gently undid the clasp and brushed his fingers over the now-bared spot so she’d know exactly what came next.
She lifted her mouth from his, breaking the kiss with a little pant. “Do . . . do you want me to take my bra off?”
His brave, beautiful Sage. “I’ll do it,” he murmured, and slid one strap down a pale, perfect shoulder. “Damn, you’re pretty.”
She closed her eyes, shuddering as he eased it down one arm as far as it would go and then to the other arm. Then she leaned back, and he could see the molded cups of the bra clinging to her breasts by sheer gravity alone.
Her breath quick and nervous, Sage met his eyes and then lifted her shoulders, and her bra tumbled into his lap.
And . . . damn. She was beautiful. Her round, plump breasts were tipped by the palest pink nipples, tight little buds that seemed to grow even tighter as he stared. He couldn’t resist touching one, rubbing his thumb over the peak, and loved her whimper of pleasure. “Oh mercy,” she breathed, leaning forward to press her forehead against his shoulder. “That . . .”
“Shhh,” he murmured, idly rubbing the nipple and loving the way she squirmed against him in response. “Too much?” At her choked whimper, he suggested, “Should I stop?”