by Susan Stoker
“God, you’re beautiful.”
Her eyes popped open wide. “What?”
Laz wanted to turn and swim away, but he wouldn’t. The last week with Beatrice had been eye opening and the best thing that ever happened to him.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful sight than you in this pond.” He kissed the edge of one breast. “I want to make love to you, Beatrice.”
She blinked, drops of water splashing down her cheeks. “Be careful, Lazarus, you’re going to make me fall in love with you.”
This time when he smiled, he fell a little in love with her too. Not that he would admit that anytime soon. It was all too new, this emotional vulnerability. He would be honest with her but he wouldn’t throw himself on his sword just yet.
But soon. If things kept going so well, he wouldn’t be able to help himself.
She turned and wrapped her legs and arms around him, pulling him against her cool curves. He cupped her ass and held her in place as his feet touched the ground. It was fairly deep there, over five feet, but not enough to hinder his moves.
He pressed his fingers between her legs until they slid beneath the bikini bottom. The sweet heat of her pussy made his dick twitch. She made a contented purr and started kissing his neck.
He slid two fingers inside her while his thumb found her clit. “Let me pleasure you.”
She sat up and he used his teeth to pull the bikini top to the side, then licked her nipple. Bea’s eyes darkened with passion as it bubbled inside her. He suckled her while his hands brought her pleasure and his cock throbbed against her thigh.
He switched to the other breast, and then slid a third finger inside her. She gripped his shoulders and rode his hand. He bit her nipple as her muscles contracted around his fingers. She moaned and whispered his name, pleasure shudders wracking her body.
Laz wanted to plunge into her and fuck her into next week, but he held back. Instead he kissed her soft skin, up her chest to her neck and face, then down the other side. Her head lolled back and she rubbed against him.
“If you keep that up, I’m gonna muss my shorts.”
She laughed and wiggled harder. “Maybe you need to.”
“Or maybe I need to slide into you.”
“Mmmm, I like that idea even better.” She reached down and wrapped her hands around him.
It was Laz’s turn to close his eyes and enjoy the ministrations of her long, talented fingers. He reached into the tiny pocket of his shorts and pulled out the condom. With shaking hands, he yanked his shorts off and slipped the rubber on. Before he knew it, she had his dick poised at the entrance to her pussy.
He sank into her depths an inch at a time, slow and easy. The water lapped at them with their movements, the coolness a contrast to their heated flesh. She was tight and slick, her inner muscles holding, tugging him deeper each time.
She scratched at his back as they danced the most ancient of dances. His release threatened but he wanted her to find another. Their mutual pleasure with no regrets. He reached between them and found her clit, pinching it through the fabric.
“Oh shit.” She tightened her legs and pulled him so deep he touched her womb. She gasped as the second orgasm rolled through her.
Then the universe exploded. He pumped into her hard and fast while the stars flew right and left, blinding him, pulling him to a place he’d forgotten existed.
It was at least a full minute before he could form a coherent thought.
“That was—”
“Magnificent. Absolutely magnificent.” She smiled and his heart flipped.
This was the woman he would have never known if he had stayed trapped in his own self-imposed prison. How the universe managed to put her in his path was a mystery.
All Laz knew was he was infinitely glad it had. Beatrice was one in a million. A woman he would never get enough of.
Chapter Seven
‡
Beatrice stared out the new glass windows of the store while the sun rose, sending shadows dancing across the floor. Her mood was pensive, unsure, and if she were honest with herself, hopeful.
The experience two days ago with Laz had been incredible. Amazing. Life-changing. He’d managed to show her that she was a desirable, beautiful woman, no longer Queen Bea. Her heart had become engaged for sure. The problem was, she wasn’t sure if his heart was. In fact, he hadn’t called or texted her since then.
Doubt began to creep in and she needed to beat it back with a big stick. Unfortunately, she had been battered emotionally by the break-in, the suddenness of Laz in her life, and the burgeoning romance had thrown her into a tailspin.
When the door of the shop opened, she started and stumbled backward. Laz stood in the doorway, his silhouette dark against the early morning light, but she would recognize him anywhere.
“Shit, you scared me.” She pressed her hand to her heart. “What are you doing here?”
The question came out sharper than she intended. It wasn’t his fault she had been stuck musing about the fact she was falling in love with him. He’d appeared as though she’d conjured him.
“I have news.” He put his hands on his hips and fixed her with that unblinking stare. As a cop, he was damn good at intimidation simply by existing.
She crossed her arms. “About what?” She couldn’t stop the annoyed tone in her voice. He disappeared for two days and then popped in as though he hadn’t been on radio silence.
“A few things.” He held up a folder and gestured to the office. “Can we sit down?”
She shrugged. “Fine.”
They walked into the office and she put the table between them. He sat down and opened the folder. Three very neat paper-clipped bundles were inside. He lined them up beside each other, then laced his fingers together.
“Sit.”
She raised her brows.
He closed his eyes. “Please.”
Bea wasn’t normally a brat, but she felt like one. She sat across from Laz, wondering what his game was. Did he come to mess with her just to see if he could? Self-doubt assailed her.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you in the last two days. I was working on the leads and tracking down a suspect.” He pulled out bright sticky notes, which, dammit, charmed her. He set out a bright green one that read WORK on the first pile of papers. “One Daniel Jones was a disgruntled former owner of a sporting goods store. It went out of business to be replaced by a florist shop owned by a woman. He doesn’t have an alibi and we’re close to tagging the evidence to him for all five crimes.”
She was almost disappointed. “Who the hell is Daniel Jones and why does he hate me?”
“It appears he’d been close to bankruptcy when he went to the business expo at the Circle Eight. Old school guy who was raised that a woman’s place is barefoot and pregnant. Female business owners threatened him and he blamed all of you for the loss of his business. Personally, I think he might have a chance at an insanity plea. I’ve left this in the hands of another ranger to complete.” Laz moved the pile to the side then pasted a bright blue note that read HOME on the second group of papers. “I leased an apartment in Brier Creek yesterday.”
Her heart slammed into high gear. He was moving back home? She didn’t know what to say. Butterflies danced through her belly.
He put a bright red note on the last pile and it read BEA. “I’ve spent time thinking about you. A lot.” His blue-green gaze found hers. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but after spending time with you, I feel like I’ve found where I belong. Maybe it’s too early to talk about the future, but I wanted you to know how I feel.”
Her mouth had gone cotton dry and her damn eyes stung. She pointed at the papers with one shaking finger. “What is in there?”
He smiled and it transformed his harsh expression into one of male beauty. Lazarus Graham was so damn good looking it hurt to look at him sometimes.
“Tickets to a weekend in Corpus Christi for your birthday.”
She pressed
a hand to her heart. “You know my birthday?”
“Of course I do. How can I ask to be your boyfriend if I don’t know everything I can about you.” He gazed at the red note. “When you turned sixteen, my sisters went to your party but I wasn’t invited. I never forgot the date or the fact that I wanted to be there, but I was such an asshole to you I didn’t deserve to be there.”
“I also have a brochure from the community college for a degree in criminal justice. You’re so damn smart and a natural born detective. I’m overstepping, but I think you can kick ass if you decide to move into law enforcement.”
She struggled to find the words to express just how full her heart was. She could only swallow and look like a doofus. It was as though someone looked into her deepest fantasies and brought forth everything she wanted. Including Laz Graham.
“I don’t know what to say,” she managed to squeak out.
“You don’t have to say anything. All of this is for you.” He got to his feet. “Read through it and then call me when you decide if you want to take a chance on a cowboy who is half in love with you but a little screwed up. He also comes with baggage and rusty social skills.”
He turned and walked out of the office. Bea traced the writing on the red note, the square handwriting neat and precise. Laz had just offered her so much including the opportunity to change the direction of her life, her career and her heart.
Was she ready for it?
Did it matter if she was ready or not?
Bea jumped to her feet and raced through the store. He was walking toward his car when she ran into the street.
“Lazarus Matthew Graham!” Her voice echoed across the morning light. A few people on the sidewalk stopped to stare. “Where the hell are you going?”
She sauntered toward him and he crossed his arms, accentuating the breadth of his chest and shoulders. A shiver raced down her at how delicious this man was.
Her man.
“Getting out of your way.”
She pushed her breasts against those powerful arms until he opened them and she looped her hands around his neck. “What if I want you in my way?”
His gaze was wary. “Are you sure you don’t need time to think?”
She smiled with everything that was in her heart. “Nope.”
He hugged her then pulled her off her feet and swung her in a circle. “Good, because I don’t think I can go another day without kissing you.”
His lips found hers as the bright sunshine bathed them in warmth. Beatrice had begun the week with a horrific crime against her and here she was ending the week the promise of a love and a man to share it with.
Fate might be a fickle mistress, but she had her moments.
The End
About the Author
Beth Williamson, who also writes as Emma Lang, is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her books range from sensual to scorching hot. She is a Career Achievement Award Nominee in Erotic Romance by Romantic Times Magazine, in both 2009 and 2010, and a quarter-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.
Beth has always been a dreamer, never able to escape her imagination. It led her to the craft of writing romance novels, fueled by Reese’s and tenacious pursuit of the perfect story. She’s passionate about purple, books, and her family. She has a weakness for shoes and purses as well as bookstores.
Life might be chaotic, as life usually is, but Beth always keeps a smile on her face, a song in her heart, and a cowboy on her mind. ;)
Website:
www.bethwilliamson.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/bethwilliamson
Twitter:
twitter.com/authorbethw
Newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/fd822
Table of Contents
Title Page
About Cowboy Justice 12-Pack
Copyright Page
Justice for Laine
Title Page
About the Book
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Discover other titles by Susan Stoker
Connect with Susan Online
About the Author
Justice Burning
Title Page
Author’s Note
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
About the Author
Other Titles by Elle James
Laying Down The Law
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Epilogue
Author’s Note
About the Author
Texas Justice
Title Page
Dedication
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
About the Author
Look for these titles by Cynthia D’Alba
Texas Lonestar
Title Page
About the Book
Chapter One – Prologue
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight – Epilogue
Bio and Links
Cain’s Law
Title Page
About the Book
Copyright Page
From the Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
About Delilah Devlin
Cowboys on the Edge series
Uncharted SEALs series
Cowboy Lawe
Title Page
Author’s Note
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Author’s Note
About the Author
Also by Donna Mich
aels
Cowboy’s Best Shot
Title Page
About the Book
Copyright Page
Acknowledgments
Author’s Note
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Excerpt from Trace’s Trouble
Also by Lexi Post
About Lexi Post
Protect and Serve
Title Page
About the Book
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
About the Author
Books by Sabrina York
Badge and a Saddle
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Excerpt from Hot in the Saddle
Connect With Me
Blind Sided
Title Page
About the Book
Praise for Lindsay McKenna
Also available from Lindsay McKenna
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Excerpt from Secret Dream
The Books of Delos
Everything Delos!
Lazarus
Title Page
About the Book
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
About the Author