Her Uniform Cowboy (Harland County Series Book 3)

by Donna Michaels

  “Come with me,” he said, pleased when she took his hand without hesitation. And because he couldn’t resist, he added, “I want to show you something in the barn.”

  Bypassing the boarding stables and the hustle of activity at the training arena, Kade led Brandi to the quiet barn set off to the side. Without a word, the woman walked with him, hand in hand, no indication she wanted to tug free. He held tight, relishing the feel of their entwined fingers. She was a vision in her white and orange dress, caramel waves falling past her shoulders, skin glowing from her time in the sun, emphasizing those big, brown eyes. The woman took his breath, and he was glad she agreed to come with him.

  “Have you been in here lately?” he asked as they walked inside the quiet stable.

  She glanced at him and shook her head, small smile playing about those sweet lips of hers. “No. Not since our…incident, which I really am sorry about.”

  “I know,” he said, squeezing her hand. “And I think you might be surprised.”

  He stopped in front of the stall where the image of her bent over flashed through his mind, as it had every damn day since their incident. Her sweet, blue jean clad ass had fueled many late night fantasies.

  “Oh, Kade…”

  It took him a moment to realize the breathless endearment had been real and not one of his fantasies. She squeezed his hand before releasing to step up to the stall door and peer closer.

  “She looks so much better.” Glancing over her shoulder, the woman hit him with an over-bright brown gaze full of emotion. “You certainly have a healing touch.”

  He shrugged, and leaned next to her against the stall. “Nah. She just needed care and respect.”

  A single tear rolled down her face as the beauty turned to him and nodded. “Guess all creatures do.”

  Gut tightening as if punched, he felt his heart snag in a rare occurrence. There was just something special about this woman. He lifted a finger to wipe away the tear.

  “We all need healing,” he said softly.

  She stepped closer, brushing her lips across his palm poised near her face. “Even you.”

  “Me? I’m fine.” No way was he delving into that darkness. Brandi and her gorgeous body were much more appealing. Made him feel alive. He trailed his finger across her cheek. “In fact, I’m feeling pretty good right about now.”

  She smiled. “Me, too.”

  “Good.” He twirled a piece of hair around his finger and tugged her closer. “Let’s see if we can improve on that.”

  With his heart knocking a hell of a beat against his ribs, he covered her mouth with his and found what he hadn’t known he was missing. Satisfaction. Completion. Something sappy and sentimental, but he didn’t care. Her lips drew a response from him like no other, fulfilling more than just a physical need. He probably would’ve run like hell if he hadn’t been so caught up in the embrace.

  Warm hands slid up his chest to settle at the base of his head as she leaned into the kiss, fingers lightly brushing his neck in a back and forth motion. Killing him. He groaned and dropped his hands to her luscious ass. Her curves felt good in his palms, amazing, even better than he’d fantasized. She moaned, and sweet Jesus, rocked against him, stretching his erection to full tilt.

  He broke for air, brushing his lips down the curve of her neck. “Damn, you feel good. I want to be inside you.”

  She shook in his arms. “Y-you drive me crazy.”

  “Ditto.” He smiled, holding her ass while he pressed against her.

  She drew back to stare at him, eyes dark and heated, making him just a little nuts.

  “I…before this goes any further, I think we need to talk.”

  Ah hell. The talk. Damn, he hoped to God she didn’t bring up the ‘r’ word, because he didn’t do relationships. But, if that was what she was expecting, it was best he heard now and set her straight.

  He loosened his hold, but couldn’t bring himself to release her fine ass. “Okay.”

  She inhaled. “I guess I just need to know what we’re doing.”

  “Well now, I think that’s obvious.” He chuckled, pressing their lower halves together.

  She inhaled again. “No…I know that.” A small laugh broke from her throat. “I mean you and me.”

  Shit.

  “Look, I don’t want to hurt your feelings or anything, Kade,” she rushed to say. “But I’m not looking for a relationship. And I don’t think you are either. I just started a new job. You just started a new job. There is no room for a relationship. That’s a complication I can do without right now, and I think the same goes for you.”

  He blinked, happily surprised by her words. “Yes, I completely agree.”

  “Good.” This time she released a breath, and played with the front of his shirt. “But I’ve never just had sex. I don’t know. I mean, can we just do that…have sex…without a relationship?”

  A smile tugged his lips. God, she was adorable. “Yes, as long as we both know that’s all it is upfront. Then no one gets hurt. I want you, Brandi, very much so. And unless I’m reading you wrong, you want me, too. So, now that we both know neither of us is looking for a commitment, we’ll be fine.”

  She cocked her head as if thinking, then nodded. “I guess you’re right. We can have it this one time. No one will get hurt. And no one else has to know.”

  “If that’s how you want it, no one has to know. Both my cousins are away for the night. Kevin got a call as we were leaving the party. He was meeting some flight attendant he knows at his apartment in Houston.” He brought his hands to her hips and bent at the knee to peer into her eyes. “But, honey, let me assure you, we will be ‘having it’ more than once today.”

  “W-we will?”

  “Hell yeah,” he said and, unable to resist, he leaned in to spread kisses against her collarbone. “Starting right now.”

  “H-here? B-but someone will see…” She clutched his shirt and moaned.

  He continued to kiss her neck, nipping at the soft spot behind her ear. “No one comes into this barn but me and Brock. He’s at his grandmother’s with Jen and Cody this weekend.”

  She trembled against him, her hands under his shirt now, stroking his back. He loved the feel of her flesh against his, and longed to get them both naked. But not yet. Not here. He somehow didn’t think she was comfortable enough with her body to expose it in a semi-public place…in the daylight.

  But he would make damn sure she’d remember the barn.

  Placing kisses on her jaw, he made his way back to her mouth and upped the heat of their embrace. She sighed into him, and the touch of her tongue kicked his pulse clear out of Harland County. Damn, the woman was potent. He groaned and dragged her body close, exploring her mouth, plunging deep and long, enjoying her equally thorough response.

  She was hot and soft and shaking in his arms, and heaven help him, he needed more. Backing them up to a stack of hay bales in an empty stall, he continued to kiss and caress the trembling woman until air became a necessity.

  He drew back and stared down at the panting woman. “I need to touch you, Brandi.”

  Brown eyes, hazed with desire, blinked at him. “I—I don’t know about here.” She bit her lower lip and glanced around.

  He gently grabbed her chin and turned her to face him. “It’s okay. You don’t have to get naked if you don’t want.”

  “I’d rather not…but how…”

  He smiled and pulled her close. “Much better to show than tell.”

  Capturing her mouth, he enjoyed her eager response as she drank him in, sucking on his lower lip, driving him beyond nuts and straight to psycho. He groaned and ran his hands over the front of her dress, cupping both breasts, brushing his thumbs back and forth across her peaked nipples until she moaned and shook in his hands.

  Oh, hell, yeah.

  He wanted to do that for so long, and only wished he could taste them, but it would have to wait until later. Right now, he had a mission. Releasing her, he took her hand and sa
t back on a stack of hay, three feet off the ground.

  “Turn around,” he said, gripping her hips to help her sit on his lap. “Now, just relax. I’ve got you.” Once he started to kiss her neck, he felt her back relax against his chest and she sighed.

  “But I can’t touch you.”

  He glanced down over her shoulder and watched as he reached around to cup her gorgeous chest. Heat skittered down his spine. Damn, she was stacked and hot. “Trust me, honey, you are,” he said, brushing his thumbs over the peaks demanding attention.

  She let out an unintelligible sound and pressed back against him, giving him better access to her throat—which he took—and her breasts—which he also took. Slipping a hand inside the opening of her top, he cupped her generous, soft flesh and pinched her peak, fighting the rush of need heating his body. This was not about him. This was about Brandi, and he intended to take care of the woman.

  While sliding his free hand down her hip and thigh, he transferred his kisses to her other shoulder and began to bunch up her skirt. She stiffened.

  “Shh… Relax. Close your eyes,” he soothed.

  After a moment’s hesitation, she did, her hands reaching behind her to grip his hips. Taking that as a green light, he snuck his hand under her skirt and caressed her hot, trembling thigh, nearly coming undone when he slid a finger under her panties and found her wet.

  “You’re soaked.”

  She nodded against his shoulder. “Kade, I—I need…”

  “I know,” he reassured, and at his first stroke, she jerked back, nearly setting him off.

  Eyes closed, he counted to ten backwards, then slipped his finger inside her slick warmth. Her moan shook through him all the way to his boots. She felt good. So damn good. In and out, he slid his finger in slow, sure strokes. She opened wider and, releasing her breast, he took advantage of the silent invitation. Bringing his other hand to her thighs, he relished the heat emanating from within and added a finger.

  “Kade…” She jerked back again. “I can’t…”

  “Don’t hold on. Come for me, Brandi,” he urged, his voice hoarse with need from the beautiful, responsive woman thrusting against his hands.

  And a second later, with two fingers sliding in and out of her heat, he brushed his thumb over her center and she burst, his name flowing from her lips in a drawn out, sensual moan.

  God, he’d never heard or felt anything so incredible.

  Letting her down easy, he slowed his strokes, then pulled out to hold her gently against him. And as she worked to get her breathing under control, he used the time to talk his body out of exploding. Hell, he wanted release inside her body, not in his damn jeans.

  Chapter Eight

  When her vision returned and she came back down to herself, Brandi twisted to stare at Kade. Her pulse hiccupped. The man stole her breath. Heat smoldered in his gaze, giving him a rakish, dangerous appearance. He was damn hot. It was a miracle the bales they sat on didn’t burst into flames.

  “I’m speechless…and legless.” She glanced down at her body. “Are they still there? Because I can’t feel them.”

  He chuckled. “Oh, they’re here,” he said, reaching down to stroke her thighs.

  Her heart thudded in her chest at the thought of what he was going to do to her next, and at what she wanted to do to him. But not here. She slapped away his tempting hand then fixed her panties before she stood. Good, she didn’t fall. Enough strength returned to hold her upright.

  Positioning herself between his legs, she trailed her hands up his thighs and leaned in to kiss him full on the lips. He needed little encouragement because he took over, crushing her close and deepening the kiss to mind-drugging proportions. And oh, look at that, she couldn’t feel her legs again.

  He drew back without warning, and rested his forehead to hers. “Okay, we…” He cleared his throat. “We’re going to have to save that thought until we’re inside the ranch.”

  She nodded, unable to speak. Inside the ranch was good. Inside her was even better, but inside her inside the ranch worked best.

  Warm fingers entwined with hers as they walked to the house, whinnies and neighs echoing in the distance along with an occasional command from one of the ranch hands. The late afternoon air was hot with little to no breeze, and she was immediately grateful for the climate controlled barn they’d just vacated.

  “Thirsty?” he asked as they entered the ranch, central air humming in the background.

  “Yeah.”

  She was parched. The guy had dried her throat ever since he’d stepped into the hot tub, all those muscles and ridges begging for attention. And now, praise be, she was about to get the chance.

  Still holding her hand, he led them into the kitchen she’d always admired while visiting and babysitting. Open and big, with a swinging door, state of the art appliances, a cute breakfast nook, large butcher-block island, it held so much charm she could see a family grow up happy there. Young Cody was lucky.

  “What would you like?” He held the refrigerator open for her perusal.

  Her first instinct was him, but she caught herself. Ed hadn’t liked that stuff and, although she was trying not to compare Kade to the jerk, she just didn’t want to presume his likes, either.

  “Water, please.”

  He swiped two from the shelf, passed one to her, then downed his bottle while he watched her drink. It boggled the mind how her throat could be dry during the act of drinking. She lowered and capped her water, and forced air into her lungs. His gaze was deliciously dark and heated.

  “You’re not going to drink the whole thing now, are you?”

  She shook her head. Voice low and full of need, the damn man robbed her of speech again.

  “Good, because I’m dying here, hun. I’d never last.”

  With that, he grabbed her water, set it on the counter...then tossed her over his shoulder and strode out of the kitchen.

  “Kade? What are you doing?”

  “You, in a few minutes.”

  “I’m too heavy. Put me down. I’ll hurt you.”

  He laughed. “Bullshit, honey. What you are, and what you think you are, are way off base.” Then he slapped her ass.

  “Hey!”

  His laughter increased. “Keep putting yourself down and I’ll keep smacking your ass.”

  “You’re crazy.” She laughed, a carefree, reckless feeling taking over. “What if I like it?”

  That stopped him in his tracks. “Then heaven help us both,” he said, before he continued to carry her down the hall and into a room blissfully dark, until he flicked on the light.

  Dammit.

  Kicking the door shut behind him, he slid her down his very hot, very hard body. By the time her feet hit the floor, Brandi was sweating in places that didn’t sweat.

  “Finally,” he breathed into her mouth, cupping her face and kissing her crazy mad.

  She shuddered and pressed into him against the door. He was hard. Deliciously hard. Every inch. Slipping her hands under his shirt, she reveled in the fact his stomach quivered under her touch. And she touched, oh, hell yeah, she touched, stroking the ridges in his flat stomach, feeling slightly guilty because hers was not.

  But then he broke the kiss. She wasted no time pushing his shirt up, and leaned in to lick his collarbone.

  “Son-of-a…”

  He yanked the confining T-shirt off and she inhaled at the sight. He was glorious...and hers. But when she made to step closer to continue her lick fest, he grabbed her upper arms and held her back.

  “Oh, no. It’s my turn.”

  Without warning, he grasped the hem of her skirt and ripped the dress up and over her head, leaving her standing there in bra and panties.

  In broad daylight.

  Under the gorgeous, magnificently ripped man’s scrutiny.

  She glanced down, slightly relieved her intimate apparel matched. Too bad it was all white. And too bad she spilled over in spots.

  He inhaled and blew out the br
eath. “You are so beautiful.”

  Before his comment registered, he hauled her over his shoulder again. A startled breath whooshed out of her lungs as the strong, sexy man strode to the bed and dropped her on the mattress.

  Standing at the foot of the bed, he stared down at her, gaze smoldering, breathing ragged. Her good parts tingled and beckoned.

  As if he knew, he crawled over her, a sexy smile spreading across his face. “You’ve got great bounce,” he said, before kissing her to within an inch of insanity.

  Then he released her mouth to zero in on the spot behind her ear that made her clutch his back and moan. Damn, he knew her well. Normally, she would’ve wondered how but, right now, it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but this incredible man who didn’t seem to care about her jiggling. In fact, he appeared to embrace her curves. And a second later, he did.

  “This has to go,” he said, kissing her shoulder as he slid her lacey straps down her arms. “Lift up.”

  When she did, he unhooked the back and tugged the bra free, tossing it onto the floor. Unable to hold that position, Brandi lay back on the bed, mesmerized at the hunger heating his gaze as he watched her breasts bounce. And bounce.

  “Gorgeous,” he breathed, leaning on one arm, tracing light circles over her cleavage, around her nipples, driving her crazy.

  Her breasts felt achy and heavy, and if he didn’t grab them soon she was sure to die.

  “Kade.” She hated the need in her voice, but hated the ache even more.

  Finally, a big, warm hand covered a breast while his mouth found the other. She cried out, but didn’t care. He touched and kissed and worshipped both with equal fervor, and by the time he left them, she was wet and hot and just a bit shaky.

  “I told you I was going to kiss you all over,” he reminded, smoldering gaze dark with blatant need. “Twice.”

  He kissed a path down her chest, and when he got to her stomach, she squirmed, kind of hoping he’d skip that area. But he paid it just as much attention, caressing and kissing, slipping his tongue into her belly button. She wriggled.