One Tough Cowboy

by Sara Orwig

  “No, I’m not scared. And I still want to get past those barriers, and I really thought my cooking might do the trick.”

  “Your cooking is good enough to tempt me to let go of the barriers, but—” he shrugged “—I’m set in my ways. Guarding my heart is an old habit now. On the other hand, that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a night of love.” He danced her over to the wall, then placed his hands on both sides of her so she was hemmed in. “And I’ve waited, Laurie. You have your memory. You’re free to love, and you’ve flirted and tempted and toyed with me from the first day.” He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she whispered, and dragged his head down to kiss him.

  Josh tightened his arms around her, leaning over her while he spread his legs. His hand slid to her bottom to pull her up against him. Laurie felt his thick shaft and knew he was already aroused. He kissed her possessively, as he had earlier, driving all thoughts from her mind.

  Sensation and need enveloped her. She desired this strong, tough cowboy, who offered both excitement and risk. Being careful of her wound, he gently removed pins from her hair until it fell freely around her face. His warm fingers brushed her back along her zipper, and then cool air spilled over her shoulders.

  Josh pushed away the dress and leaned back, drawing in his breath and knowing there would be no going back this night. She wore a lacy black bra and a wisp of black lace for panties. Her breasts were full, and her legs so long they were a dream.

  He flicked the clasp on her bra and pushed it away, cupping her breasts and circling her nipples with his thumbs. She tugged at the buttons on his shirt, twisting them free while she gasped and threw her head back and closed her eyes.

  As he caressed her, she pulled his shirt open and trailed her fingers lazily over his chest. She shoved his shirt away and ran her fingers along his arm, above his healing wound.

  “You took this for me,” she said, brushing kisses on his arm below the scar. Then she tugged at his belt, struggling to get it unbuckled. He was aware of her unfastening his jeans, freeing him, and he paused to yank off his boots. Stepping out of his jeans, he flung away his shirt.

  “You’re gorgeous!” she gasped, hooking her fingers into his briefs to shove them down.

  “I’m the one who’s supposed to say that,” he said in a husky voice. “Damn, you’re beautiful!”

  He swung her into his arms and carried her to the family room, where he sat on the sofa and pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her breast, his tongue drawing lazy circles over her nipple.

  “Josh!” Laurie gasped, running her fingers through his hair. She twisted to straddle him, kissing him hungrily and stroking his thick, hard shaft. Her heart pounded and she was on fire, burning with urgency. He was solid muscle and hard planes, his chest well sculpted. He was so male and so ready for her.

  His hand slid between her legs and she was wild with need as his fingers stroked and circled and entered.

  “Josh, please…”

  “You like that? And that?”

  “Oh, yes! I want you!”

  He kissed her savagely, possessively. She kissed him back, trying to drive him to a need that equaled hers. She wanted to do things that would make it impossible for him to keep that heart of his locked up. She wanted to make him unable to blithely send her away.

  “Try to forget this,” she said, scooting away from him and pushing him down on the sofa, coming over to kiss and stroke him, her hair spilling over his belly and thighs.

  He gasped and wound his fingers tightly in her hair while she continued, relishing the feel of his male body, wanting to touch and kiss him all night long.

  He inhaled, making a guttural sound deep in his throat as he sat up. When he picked her up, she wound her arms around his neck, too aware of their naked bodies, hers still tingling from his kisses and caresses. He took the stairs easily, two at a time, and then crossed his room to stand her on her feet beside his bed. The only light spilled from the hall, highlighting his muscles.

  Wanting to give him a night he couldn’t ever forget, Laurie pulled his head down to kiss him, moving her hips against his. His arms wrapped tightly around her while he kissed her long and deeply in return.

  Josh fought to keep his control, wanting this night to last, wanting to make love to her for hours. He shifted slightly, caressing her, his fingers trailing over her warm, soft breast, sliding down over her flat stomach, down between her legs where she was wet, ready.

  But he wanted her to be a lot more ready. He wanted her wild with need. He stroked her and she thrust her hips against him, moaning softly while she clung to him.

  He was on fire with wanting her. She was cream and pink and golden, and those dark eyes held mysteries in their depths.

  “Josh, please!” she gasped again, moving against him. All the pent-up desire he had felt for her since that first day boiled up in him, and he vowed to love her through the night.

  He shifted and picked her up again, to lay her gently on the bed, and then he moved to her feet, watching her as he caressed her.

  Laurie inhaled, her hips moving compulsively. She was caught in Josh’s gaze, unable to look away. He moved slowly higher, his tongue hot and wet, an exquisite torment. Kissing the skin along her calf and stroking behind her knees, he shifted between her legs, his kisses trailing higher. His tongue flicked along her inner thigh and she closed her eyes, gasping and winding her fingers in his hair.

  And then he spread her legs, sliding them over his shoulders and bending to trail his tongue where his fingers had been, kissing her intimately.

  “Now I’ll kiss you like you’ve kissed me—all over. I’ve dreamed of this, Josh,” she said, pushing him down and trailing kisses from his throat to his flat nipples, feeling the rock-solid muscles of his chest. Her fingers fluttered over him, caressing him and sweat beaded his brow. He started to get up, but she wouldn’t let him, moving astride him again and looking down at him.

  “Let me kiss you,” she whispered, and then leaned down to trail her tongue over his nipple again, moving lower, down across his flat, muscled belly. She scooted lower still, caressing his thighs and then taking his shaft to kiss him, her tongue stroking him.

  “Laurie!” He nearly growled out her name as he sat up, his hands framing her face. He looked at her, a hungry gaze that made her heart thud, and then he kissed her, hauling her into his arms as he sat back on the bed and leaned over her.

  How long he kissed her, she didn’t know, but suddenly he stopped. “We’ve barely started here,” he said, his voice a deep rasp. He pushed her down, turning her over to kiss and caress her back, his hands playing over her bottom while he moved down to kiss her behind her knees.

  Each time she tried to sit up, to reach for him, he pushed her down gently. “Wait, Laurie, wait. Let me love you. Give me time to love you,” he whispered.

  His kisses and caresses burned her to cinders. She felt boneless, on fire, wanting him more than she would have ever dreamed possible.

  There was no world beyond Josh. Each time she tried to twist away—to kiss him, stroke him, discover him—he gave her only a few minutes, then was kissing her again.

  She was in sweet torment, wanting him, never wanting him to stop. Finally he moved between her legs. “Are you protected?” he asked.

  When she shook her head, he moved away to return in a moment. As soon as he was between her legs, he opened the packet in his hands to remove a condom. Watching her, he slowly lowered himself. She cried out, arching against him. “Josh, now, now,” she whispered, wrapping her legs around him.

  He slowly entered her. She pressed forward eagerly, wanting him.

  “Josh, please!” she cried out, clinging to him. How long she had wanted him! Night after night she had dreamed of this moment, and the reality of it was far more exciting.

  He turned to kiss her, slowly filling her and then moving back.

  She was wild in his arms, passionate
and sweet. Sweat poured off Josh as he started thrusting against her, nearly mindless with pleasure. Yet he wanted to make the moments last, to take her to the heights with him.

  She was as exuberant and responsive as all her earlier eagerness had hinted. He was enveloped in her softness and warmth, and for these few minutes, she was his woman.

  Josh held her tightly, kissing her, loving her, still moving slowly, although it was costing him more by the second. Still he tried to hold back, to make it last for her. Her hips arched and she moved rhythmically with him, an age-old dance that bound them completely.

  And then his control was gone. He couldn’t hold back any longer, thrusting and pumping and feeling her match him, hearing her cries of pleasure and need, until he shuddered with release. She cried out, arching one last time and then letting go.

  Laurie burst over the summit, satisfaction rocking her as she felt Josh’s shuddering release. She held him tightly, knowing that at this moment all differences between them were but ephemeral shadows that hovered in the background. For now, she and Josh were one and there were no barriers. He was hers and she was his. For now, she laid claim to him, to his heart. And she knew she loved him. Wisdom had nothing to do with the decision. How could she keep from loving this tough, exciting man who had just shown her rapture and ecstasy?

  He was a mass of contradictions, fearlessly chasing the killer who was after her and then cautiously guarding his heart. So tough and responsible as a rancher, but caring enough to hire young men who had been in trouble and needed help.

  So seemingly controlled and guarded, and then unleashing passion that consumed her.

  She held him close, mentally saying I love you, but knowing that wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

  His back was covered with a fine sheen of sweat and his weight felt good on her. She wanted to hold him for hours. He shifted and raised his head to look at her, and then he kissed her, long and slow and sweet.

  When he raised his head again, he rolled to his side, taking her with him and holding her close. He stroked her hair away from her face. “That was just a beginning,” he whispered.

  “A beginning?”

  “The night is long and I want to love you every minute of it.”

  “That feeling is mutual,” she said, running her fingers along his jaw and feeling the slight stubble. His hair was tousled and he looked sexy and marvelous to her.

  He hugged her tightly, stroking her throat and then running his hand down her bare back. She leaned away to look at him again.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said, kissing her temple. “I can’t stop touching or kissing you.”

  “That’s good. I like that,” she answered honestly.

  “I think you melted my bones.”

  “I hope so. At least for now, those barriers you keep around yourself are almost gone.”

  “I don’t really keep barriers. It’s just the way I am.”

  “No, it isn’t, but I don’t want to argue with you about it. Everything is too good right now.”

  “It is good,” he said in a husky voice. “I don’t want to let you out of my arms.”

  “That suits me, too. You’ll at least keep in touch with me by telephone when I go back to Kansas City, won’t you?” she asked.

  “Sure.”

  “I don’t think you mean that, but I’ll call you.”

  He held her quietly for a few minutes, his hand stroking her while their heartbeats slowed and their breathing returned to normal.

  “Come here. I’ll see if I can stand up, and if I can, we’ll totter into the shower.”

  He slid off the bed, then reached down to scoop her into his arms. “There. It’s a good thing you’re light as a feather because tonight I’m not up to much.”

  “Seems to me you were up to plenty a few minutes ago,” she teased, and he chuckled while he nuzzled her neck.

  “How did someone who is so beautiful get brains and personality, too?” he asked. “It isn’t fair to normal mortals.”

  “As if you’re a run-of-the-mill mortal.”

  “I’m just a country boy, ma’am. Born and bred in Piedras County.”

  “Oh, sure.”

  He stepped into the shower and turned on the water, adjusting the nozzle so the spray wouldn’t hit her scalp wound. Then he started slowly spreading soap lather over her smooth, wet body.

  “Josh,” she said, desire igniting again. She did the same for him and finally he picked her up, braced himself against the shower wall and let her slide down his body. His thick shaft entered her and she moved with him, holding him tightly until they both burst over the brink of ecstasy once more.

  He finally let her slide back down to her feet, and she leaned against him while he held her close. Their racing hearts slowed, and then they washed and he dried her off after she had dried him.

  “Back to bed before I collapse,” he said, picking her up again and carrying her to bed, to pull her close in his arms.

  To her joy, they made love all through the night, and the sky was growing light when he finally fell asleep in her arms.

  Laurie marveled at his stamina and energy. She toyed lightly with locks of his hair, her heart filled with love. It would hurt when they parted, but she would never regret this night. “I love you, Josh,” she whispered softly, knowing she was wildly in love with him, knowing that he had warned her repeatedly against that.

  She didn’t want to sleep at all. Excitement and joy bubbled in her. She wanted to look at Josh and touch him. She would never get enough of either one. He was a marvel to her, incredibly sexy.

  She lay beside him, facing him. He had one arm flung over her waist, holding her in his sleep. She wasn’t going to think about tomorrow or the future. It would come all too soon and wreak its havoc. Right now they were in each other’s arms, and she could relish that and store up memories.

  In spite of wanting to stay awake, she finally fell asleep for a while, to wake once more in an erotic haze. Laurie opened her eyes to find Josh watching her while he drew lazy circles around her nipple with his fingers.

  She reached up to slip her arm around his neck and pull him to her for a kiss.

  They loved for hours. She could see sunshine slipping through slits between the shutters, and knew the morning was passing, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was Josh, being with him, exploring his body, storing up more memories.

  “You’re sex-starved, cowboy.”

  “Yeah, ain’t it nice,” he drawled, and she laughed, hugging him close. He tightened his arms around her.

  Twice the phone rang, but they let the answering machine take the calls. The third call was from Drake, with a message for Josh about lost cows.

  With a groan, Josh crossed the room to his desk to pick up the phone. Laurie rolled on her side to look at him, her gaze roaming slowly down the length of him, over his muscled back, his firm butt, his long legs. She paid little attention as he talked to his foreman, except when he glanced over his shoulder at her, his gaze traveling with as much deliberation over her as hers had with him.

  When he replaced the receiver and turned to come back to bed, she saw that he was aroused again, ready for her.

  She smiled, holding out her arms, and he came down eagerly to kiss her. Then they were lost again in another rapturous hour of loving.

  Laurie had no idea what time it was, but she knew the day was far advanced when she stirred. His eyes came open and he looked at her, tightening his arm around her middle.

  “Josh, I am starving.”

  “So am I,” he said, nuzzling her.

  “No. I mean for breakfast, lunch, whatever. My stomach is grumbling.”

  “I can end that,” he said, shifting to kiss her stomach.

  “No, you don’t!” She pushed against him and slipped out of bed, going to his closet to rummage around and finally take one of his shirts. “May I?”

  “Sure. It’ll look a whole lot better on you than it ever has on me.”

 
“That’s debatable.”

  He got out of bed and she left the room quickly, afraid that if he crossed the room to kiss her, she would be lost to more lovemaking, and her stomach was rumbling fearfully.

  It was half past one in the afternoon. She busied herself, heating the leftover pasta casserole, swiftly making another tossed salad. As she worked, Josh appeared in jeans and cleared the dishes from the table from their supper the night before. In minutes he had the dishwasher running and water poured, bread on the table, and was holding a chair for her.

  Lifting her hair, he brushed a kiss on her nape when she was seated. Her skin tingled at his touch, and she marveled how he could do that to her with such a feathery kiss after their marathon lovemaking.

  “You’re such a good cook, I’m surprised you didn’t want to stay in the restaurant business with your sister.”

  “No, that’s not for me, but thanks for the compliment.”

  “I told Drake I was taking the next few days off, and not to disturb me unless it’s an emergency.”

  “Few days?” she said, laughing. “We’re staying in bed for the next few days?”

  “You object?”

  She reached over to take his hand. “Never!”

  “I have to let Will Cordoba come out here sometime soon and get his report from me on this last incident, but I can put him off for a few days.”

  “So we’re just going to hole up here and make love wildly, and hope no danger comes slipping up while we’re distracted?”

  “I’ve got alarms now, and lights, and the dogs are out at night. I think we’re pretty safe. Are you backing out?”

  “Not on your life!”

  He pushed back his chair and caught her wrist. “Come here,” he said in a husky voice.

  She had eaten plenty and now she wanted to be in his arms again, so she went eagerly, sitting down in his lap to kiss him.

  The next three days were a time of passion and discovery. They talked for hours, learning more about each other, and they loved wildly, with as much exuberance and need as the first time.

  Laurie was amazed he would take so much time out of his busy schedule, because she knew how hard he worked. Yet she wanted every minute possible with him. Time was fleeing, and soon Josh would be gone from her life.