by Susan Stoker
When they were finished, she thanked him. “I appreciate you helping me. I’ll call the auction barn tomorrow and see if they can get someone to come after them. That way, we don’t have to worry about leaving the property.”
“I like that idea,” Dallas agreed, as they returned to his truck. “How much money do you have to come up with?”
Lennon named a figure and Dallas didn’t really have the knowledge to know how big of a dent the proceeds from the sheep would make in her debt. “Is that enough?”
“No,” she shook her head. “I can’t really be sure what price the sheep will bring. I do have a plan B, though.”
Yes, he was driving, but Dallas had a way of listening that made her feel like he was totally focused on her. Just one look from him made Lennon tingle from head to toe. “A plan that doesn’t include accepting money from me, I take it.”
“You’ve already been more than kind to me. I won’t take money from you on top of everything else, no.” She couldn’t quite meet his eyes.
“So, what are you going to do?” A frown came to his face. “Don’t tell me you’re considering taking Daniels’ offer?” He couldn’t prove his suspicions–yet, but the idea was firmly implanted in his head. “You aren’t going to let that man run you off your ranch, are you?”
His outburst took her by surprise. If it hadn’t–she might have thought up something else to say. But she didn’t–the truth just erupted. “No, I’m not. I’m going to do a couple of rodeos this weekend.”
For some reason Dallas saw red. She didn’t belong to him. He had no right to tell her what to do. But she’d lain in his arms, he knew what she looked like when she came. He felt…he felt…helpless. “You can’t take on anything else. You work too hard as it is. Besides, how can I keep you safe? You’ll take the money from me–and that’s final!”
Chapter Six
‡
The drive from the barn to the lodge didn’t take five minutes, but to Lennon it seemed like an eternity. Dallas had just forbid her from showing up for the rodeo gig she needed to keep in order to pay off her debt. She was having a hard time trying to wrap her head around his attitude. He had a point about the risk, but what choice did she have?
“Well, aren’t you going to say something?” he asked. His tone wasn’t challenging. He almost sounded like he’d surprised himself.
Lennon grabbed the handle and opened the door. “I don’t really know what to say. You know I can’t accept your money. We aren’t dating. We just slept together, that’s all.” No matter how she wished it were more than that–it wasn’t. And he wouldn’t deny it. “You probably have a girlfriend already. Don’t you?”
Dallas didn’t know how to answer her. “Well…I’ve been seeing someone. It isn’t serious, it’s more of a convenience than anything.” His own words made him wince.
“Like I’m a convenience?” The accusation was out of her mouth before she could stop it. “Never mind. We didn’t do anything I didn’t want to do.” She hurried toward the door, wanting only to get away from him before she said something that would be more of a betrayal of her feelings than what she’d already uttered.
Dallas followed her. What else was he supposed to do? “Wait, Lennon.” He didn’t stop to analyze his motivation. He only knew he had to stop her. She was fast. He didn’t catch up to her until she was outside her room…the room they’d shared the night before.
“What?” She let him hold her arm, trying to pull away seemed futile and a little silly.
“You’ve got to understand. I haven’t been serious about anyone since Carly. The woman I’m seeing on occasion–she’s just a friend. Don’t you understand? I don’t want to feel anything for anyone.”
“I understand,” she said simply. “I wasn’t asking for anything. I can’t help how much I wanted you. I’ve been lonely and you came into my life so unexpectedly. I know this means nothing to you…but…”
She didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence. “Hush,” Dallas said. His request startled her so much, she obeyed. “You have no idea what this means to me.” Searching her face, his eyes intense, he angled his head and claimed her lips in a consuming kiss. Moving forward, he wrapped himself around her, walking backwards until she was sandwiched between the wall and his hard body. His large hands clamped down on her hips, then skimmed up her sides–caressing, touching–every thought in her head vanished. When he drew back, Lennon was dazed with passion. With her eyes still shut, she leaned forward, instinctively searching for more.
“That’s right, you want me.” Dallas ground his hips against her, pressing his hard cock into her softness. He wasn’t thinking of anything beyond the moment. “Do you feel it Lennon? Do you feel what you do to me?”
Oh, she could feel him all right. Even more, she could feel what he was doing to her. He made her crazy with need. Throwing her arms around his neck, she rubbed her aching breasts against his chest. “Just one more time.”
Dallas growled, his eyes devouring her. She was so beautiful. What man wouldn’t want a woman like this in his bed every night? “Once isn’t going to be nearly enough.”
Lennon might not be experienced, but she could tell Dallas wanted her. Looking at his beautiful face and his proud, powerful body, she knew she’d never regret this time with him. Aside from his appeal as a lover, he was also kind and giving. Forever might not be in the cards, but she could make the most of today.
“Come with me.” Before she changed her mind, Lennon took him by the hand and led him into her room, closing the door behind them.
Before Dallas knew what was happening, Lennon began to shuck her clothes, unclasping the utilitarian white bra she wore, bending over to pull plain white panties off of her curvy little rear. While she was slight, no ribs showed, and there was this intriguing indention down her back that he wanted to follow with his tongue, ending in a pair of the sweetest dimples at the base of her spine. Lifting her hands over her head, she began to loosen the braid. Her movement lifted those luscious breasts of hers up. Those big puffy nipples made his mouth water. His cock rose to full strength, aching and throbbing.
Walking up behind her, he molded his body to hers, his hands skimming over her body, cupping her breasts, thumbing the nipples, then one hand slid down to cup her pussy. She moaned with arousal, raising her arms to clasp his head, the move thrusting her breasts up so his hands could more freely–molding and kneading. Laying her head back on his shoulder, she gave him her mouth and the next thing he knew, he was devouring her soft lips.
The sexy little whimpers coming from her was driving him insane. Turning her in his arms so he could kiss her easier, they didn’t miss a beat. Her tongue tangled with his, she was like a fading ember being persuaded to reignite in flames. Dallas tightened his arms around her as the kiss became wilder, deeper, hungrier. Her movements fevered and urgent, she tore at the buttons of his shirt. If there was such a thing as spontaneous combustion, both of them were in imminent danger.
Lennon refused to let go of his lips as she ran her hands over his chest and fumbled with his belt and zipper. Dallas only let her go long enough to divest himself of the clothing that was now only hanging around his wrists and ankles. With her full length pressed against him, Dallas could feel the delicious warmth of her skin, the uneven little pants of her jagged breathing. Where last night was discovery, tonight was a heated, desperate need for them both.
Lennon’s body was going haywire at his slightest touch. He rubbed her arms, his palms gliding from her wrists up to her shoulders. “I’m not only taking what I want, Lennon, I’m giving you what you need.”
“I need you,” she told him simply, gravitating to his every touch.
“Lay down for me, Lennon.”
She let him guide her to the bed. The last time they’d been together she’d been so amazed it was happening, she had been too nervous to focus on the sheer wonder of it all. Now she wanted to remember every touch, every kiss, even the look in his eyes. Lennon lay there,
trembling with anticipation. “What are we going to do?”
“Are you too sore? There are many things we can do to one another.” As he spoke to her gently, he kissed each nipple, pulling the tender tips into his mouth like succulent pieces of candy. “We can start with me kissing your pussy, licking your cream and making you beg.”
“I’m ready to get to the begging part,” she whispered, gazing at him. In the romance books she read, the heroes were always blessed with a magnificent body. Until Dallas, she’d never had the privilege to see one. Buck naked–the man was ripped. All she could do was stare and lick her lips. Feeling bold, she opened her legs wide, offering herself to her lover.
Dallas knelt on the floor, never taking his eyes from the beautiful sight spread before him for his pleasure. She was wet and swollen for him. “I can’t wait to taste you. I should’ve taken the time last night.” He ran one gentle finger down the center of her pussy. “I just wanted you too much.”
Lennon lifted her hips. “Don’t you want me now?” His only answer was a smile. She watched in fascination as he bent his head, drawing ever nearer to her eager sex. At the first touch of his lips and tongue, her body almost bent double with delight. “Oh, my stars and garters,” she whispered. “I may not survive this.”
Dallas chuckled. “Oh, you’ll survive. I promise.” He held her fast with strong hands as he ate his fill of her sweet cream. Lennon arched her back in absolute ecstasy. She’d never known anything so wonderful except for being with him the night before. This was intimate, but joining with him had been heaven. How had she lived without this pleasure? He cupped her breast with one hand and began to massage the areola in rhythm with his thrusting tongue. “You’re so sweet. I’ll never get enough of you.”
At his tender words, Lennon pushed herself against his face, begging for more. Dallas gave her what she needed, circling her clit with his tongue, driving her mad with ecstasy.
Dallas didn’t let up, he kissed and licked her sex, fucking her with his tongue until she exploded. While she was still trembling, he crawled up her body, kissing a hot wet trail from her pussy to her neck, lingering at a few choice places along the way. But when he came to the tender skin of her neck, his teeth sank in and he gave her the slightest, softest nip.
Lennon gasped, it hadn’t hurt–everywhere and every way he touched her was just perfect. “I loved that, I’ll never forget this, never,” she whispered.
Rolling to his back, he pulled her on top of him, stroking the soft skin of her waist. Dallas wanted nothing more than to sink into her heat and take them both to paradise. Her cheeks were flushed and she was nibbling on that suckable lower lip. Reaching up with one hand, he caressed the soft skin of her face, tracing the arch of her cheekbone. He couldn’t remember feeling this way, even with Carly. She’d never looked at him the way Lennon did. With near trembling fingers, he slid his hand between her legs. “You’re so soft, so tender, and very wet. You do want me, don’t you?”
“Of course, let me get ready.” She started to crawl off of him and lie back on the bed.
“No, this time I want you on top.” Sitting up against the headboard, he urged her to straddle him.
Lennon protested. “I’m not sure I know how.”
“You’ll be a natural, you ride horses all the time.”
The idea made her blush. “Not the same.” He just smiled and arranged her on top of him, leaning in to tongue a nipple pebbled by her arousal.
“Today you ride me. Lift up.”
Balancing herself, she rose on her knees and he took his cock in hand, rubbing the head of his erection from the back of her slit to the front. Lennon moaned with anticipation, desperate to surrender to his raw magnetism. Her whole body was vibrating. Dallas was all man and she’d never felt more feminine.
Fitting the head to the small well of her opening, he pushed in just a fraction. “Now, ease yourself down.” Lennon nodded, sinking onto his thick shaft. The movement stole her breath. Dallas closed his eyes. “You’ll never know how good this feels.”
“Oh, I think I have an idea.” Lennon loved how it felt–the burning, the stretching–like the piece of her that had been missing for so long had been found. Finding his hands, she laced their fingers together as she worked herself down on him.
“Hurt?”
Lennon met his gaze. “Oh, yea. Really good,” she whispered. Her response made him laugh. The heat in his eyes amazed her. With a snap of his hips, Dallas seated himself fully inside of her.
“Oh, Dallas,” she moaned, closing her eyes. Lennon couldn’t be still. She threw her head back and moved her hands from his to rest them on his chest. Rocking back and forth, she lifted herself slightly, sliding up and down the hard rod of his erection. “I love this.”
Dallas had forgotten how much fun sex could be. He delighted not only in how he felt, but watching Lennon enjoy their lovemaking doubled his pleasure. Wanting to touch even more of her, he grasped her by the hips and scooted himself farther up in the bed until he was sitting up as straight as she. “Put your legs around me, hold my neck, rub those sweet nipples on my chest.” Seeming to want nothing more than to please him, Lennon did as he asked. Sliding his big hands to her back, he rocked up into her. This was perfect, they could touch and kiss and still be connected in the most intimate way possible. Dallas loved how she licked and nibbled his neck, his pecs, her hands moving down to rub his nipples.
At first Lennon was shy, but the hunger in his touch and on his face gave her courage to do everything she’d ever dreamed. She moved against him, loving the way her nipples felt as the hair on his chest rasped against them. Every time she lifted her hips, he bucked up, driving himself deeper.
Dallas didn’t know if she was doing it on purpose, or if her response was instinctual–but the way she was tightening around him, milking his cock was fast pushing him toward release. “Give me your lips.” Covering her mouth, he grasped her ass, lifting her just enough so he could pull out and plunge back in hard–over and over. As Lennon gasped, he inhaled her sweet surrender. And when she pulled away, bowing her body backwards in sweet ecstasy, the way her body clamped down on his was enough to take his breath away. “That’s it, baby. Cum for me.” Dallas buried his face in her neck and sucked hard enough on her flesh that it would leave his mark.
As she shivered and shook in his arms, Dallas let go, jetting inside of her with every beat of his heart. He cradled her tightly until the world stopped whirling and the greatest peace he’d ever known enveloped him. There was no sweeter sound than the pounding of her heart, he kissed the spot right over it, then raised his head to join their lips, taking the kiss he craved. For today, she belonged to him.
*
Lennon had dropped off to sleep and Dallas knew she was exhausted. She lay with her head on his shoulder, one arm draped across his waist and one leg thrown over his. He couldn’t stop touching her, trailing his fingers down one arm from shoulder to elbow and back. In a short time, she and her odd little family had become important to him. The idea both thrilled him and scared him to death. Lennon Haley was such a strange mix of vulnerable, enchanting, strong and sexy. In many ways she was elusive as a firefly flitting in the dark of night, at times shining brightly, and at others hidden behind a veil of obscurity. One thing he did know–it was going to be damn hard to walk away from her when the time came.
Bang! Bang!
Dammit! Lennon stirred in his arms and Dallas hated her rest was disturbed. “What time is it?” she asked as she raised up and made a grab for her clothes.
“A little after eight,” was all he managed to get out before the door was slung open.
“Oh, crap,” Lennon pulled at the upper sheet, holding it to her nude body. Dallas had to scramble to retain a corner of it to cover his own nakedness as George came barreling in.
“Lennon! Do you know where Dal…” The older man’s countenance changed from curiosity to disapproval in a microsecond. “Excuse me, I didn’t know you were…occupied.”
He backed out and closed the door.
“Wow.” Lennon rose and quickly dressed, her back to Dallas. “I’ve got a feeling I just fell from grace in his eyes.”
“You’re an adult. George knows that,” Dallas pulled on his own clothes. “I’ll get out there and see what’s going on.” He walked around the bed and pulled her against him. “Stop worrying. About everything. I’ve got it under control.”
Once he was gone, Lennon sank back to the bed. What was she doing? Setting herself up for heartbreak–that was for certain.
Outside Lennon’s room, Dallas found George standing at the cold fireplace, staring down into it as if he were looking at flames. “What’s going on?”
“I guess I could ask you the same question.”
“I don’t really think…”
George whipped around as fast as he could, leaning on his cane. “No, I guess you didn’t.” He pointed down the hall toward Lennon’s room. “That little girl in there has a heart as big as Texas. She’s as good as gold. The goddamn men in this county have been blind and stupid as far as she’s concerned. And then here you come–short-timer–and you’ll break her heart.” Pinning him with a stare, he spat out the words. “Unless you intend on doing the right thing.”
Dallas listened patiently, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m not sure I know what the right thing is, George.”
Boot steps coming down the hall halted their conversation. Conrad joined them. “Hey, we’ve been trying to get ahold of you. Is your phone dead?”
George muttered something unintelligible. Dallas pulled out his phone. “Damn, it is dead. Sorry, I charged it last night.”
“No problem,” Conrad said. “But you’d better get out here. We found the fence cut and there’s cattle all up and down the road. We did get a good lead though, we saw that same grey truck and headquarters just called and they know who it is.”