by Foster, Lori
The temperature hung in the twenties, and Marci had her arms around herself. Yet she still stood staring out at the vast expanse of snow-covered acreage.
“All of it. In front of us, it goes all the way to the road. To the sides, it includes the woods, and some into the clearing, up to the fence line. Behind us it runs to the creek. Twelve acres in all.”
“A creek.” She whirled to face him. “Maybe tomorrow you can show me?”
His mouth, half-frozen, lifted into a smile. She was the charming one, so delighted with everything, so nonjudgmental. “Sure. We’ll make a snowman. Come on. It’ll be a lot warmer inside.” He led her to a door on the other side of the carport. “I usually park in the barn, but this is closer.”
She stared down at the bottom half of the door. “Is that a doggie entrance?”
“Yeah. Grimshaw uses it. He was Granny’s dog, but now he’s mine.”
The carport opened into a heated mudroom, so that when Ozzie worked, Grimshaw could get into the warmth of the house or outside to run, as his mood led him. Another doggie door opened into the main house, and when Ozzie was home, he kept it unlatched. But for reasons of safety, he secured it whenever he was away from the house. He’d had everything from raccoons to skunks try to enter and root around.
Expecting Grimshaw to come greet him as he usually did, Ozzie unlatched the door. But there wasn’t a single sign of the dog.
“He must be out playing. He does that. And with me being late, he probably got tired of waiting for me. The area is all fenced, but even if it wasn’t, he knows his perimeters. He’s safe enough. And I’ve found out that he loves the snow.”
Stepping from the mudroom into the kitchen, Marci asked, “What kind of dog is he?”
“I don’t know. A mixed breed. That was the only kind Granny ever had. I grew up with all kinds of animals, but now there’s only Grimshaw.”
Marci turned a circle to take in the spacious country kitchen with lots of wood trim. As she tugged off her boots to leave by the door, she said, “Wow.”
“When I find the time, I plan to refinish all the wood trim, replace the cabinets and countertops, and install new appliances.” Never taking his eyes off her, he removed his snow-covered boots, too.
“It’s amazing.”
At the end of his tether, Ozzie relocked the main door, set her bag on the table, and put his arms around her from behind. “My restraint has been amazing. But no more.” While kissing the nape of her neck, he deftly began opening her coat.
At first, she melted, but she quickly rallied. “Osbourne, wait.”
“Can’t.” He pushed his groin against her bottom and wanted to groan. “I need you.”
“I’d like to shower first.”
“I hope you’re joking.” He got her coat free and stripped it off her.
She turned to face him, her cheeks rosy, her eyes bright. “But…I smell like a donkey.”
Anticipation growing in leaps and bounds, Ozzie looked her over. “Trust me, Marci, you could smell like the donkey’s…”
“Osbourne!”
“Foot.” He smiled at her. “And I wouldn’t care.” She giggled, and that was enough to send him into a frenzy of lust. Scooping her up and over his shoulder, he said, “I’ll shower with you. After.”
He bounded up the winding stairway two steps at a time, his hand on her behind, caressing her. Thank God, Grimshaw was out playing somewhere, otherwise he’d need to spend a few minutes greeting the dog and he just didn’t have the patience right now. Poor Grimshaw had become especially needy since Granny’s passing, and Ozzie never ignored his feelings.
But right now, he had only one thing on his mind.
After moving into Granny’s house, he’d taken his old bedroom, the first at the top of the landing. That’s where he went now to dump Marci on the big brass bed.
She surprised him again by withholding all arguments. Instead, she began stripping away her clothes with the same frenzied need he felt.
Perfect.
Watching Marci as she twisted and turned on the bed in her efforts to get rid of her sweatshirt, Ozzie reached over his shoulder, grabbed a fistful of his shirt, and yanked it off.
With her sweatshirt bunched above her breasts, Marci paused to watch him.
“No, don’t stop.” Putting one knee on the bed, he hauled her into a sitting position and easily removed the roomy top, leaving her in low-slung jeans and a sexy white lace bra.
To Ozzie, she looked like an advertisement. She looked like raw temptation. She looked…like a fantasy about to happen.
A small, feminine smile tilted up the corners of her mouth and her eyes grew smoky as she watched him through lowered lashes. Baby-fine hair hung over her naked shoulders and her breasts quivered with her deepened breathing.
He could see her nipples, stiff and rosy, against the thin bra cups. His chest expanded, his erection grew. Blindly, his gaze glued to her breasts, he popped open the front closure of her bra and at the same time, bent to take one nipple into his mouth.
On a soft gasp, Marci arched her back. Her fingers sank into his hair and together they went down onto the mattress. He wished they were already naked, but he couldn’t seem to give up this pleasure to advance his position. She tasted better than perfect, and the small sounds she made, the way she squirmed, burned him.
He switched to her other breast, then stroked one hand down her narrow rib cage, to the waistband of her jeans, then onto the denim to stroke that fine behind.
“Osbourne?”
He didn’t answer. He couldn’t.
“I’ve waited long enough,” she whispered. “Let’s get naked.” Her hands roamed his shoulders before going to his neck and back into his hair. “I want to touch all of you.”
A shock of electricity couldn’t have jolted him more. In a nanosecond, Ozzie was off the bed. Their hands tangled as they both tried to attack the fastenings to her jeans. Ozzie gripped her wrists, pressed them upward to lie beside her head, and said, “Let me.”
With another contented smile, she settled into the covers and let him take over. Impatience had her squirming as he opened her jeans, got them down as far as her knees, and paused to look her over again.
“Osbourne…”
He stripped away the jeans.
Her panties matched the now-open bra. His gaze scorched her; his hand followed in the same path. From the inside of her left knee, up her thigh, over her belly and to a plump breast. She felt silky and warm, and so damn soft.
He actually trembled.
Forcing himself to a modicum of patience, Ozzie cupped his hand over the crotch of her panties.
Hot.
His guts clenched, and he accepted the inevitable. “I’m sorry, babe, but this is going to be fast and hard.”
“Good.”
Her agreement nearly laid him low. “I’ll make it better later.” And with that, he skimmed off her panties, and knew he wouldn’t last more than a minute.
Marci edged her arms out of her bra straps while he finished undressing. He placed his pager, cell, and gun on the nightstand. When he dropped his jeans and boxers he heard her sharp inhalation, but he didn’t look at her. Not yet.
Women always got giddy over his size; he’d learned to take it in stride. In fact, sometimes their enthusiasm almost seemed demeaning. Dumb as it sounded, and he’d never admit it to another guy, he wanted to be seen as more than a well-hung stud.
Doing his best to ignore Marci’s stare, he pulled out a condom from the dresser drawer and ripped open the foil packet with his teeth.
“Um…Osbourne?”
“Hmmm?” Please don’t let her start fawning on his proportions.
“Are you sure this’ll work?”
His head snapped up in surprise. Marci sounded more than a little apprehensive, and she was staring at his cock—but not with excitement.
Well, damn.
Her gaze lifted to meet his, and he couldn’t help but smile at her reservation. “Don�
��t worry. It’ll work.”
“You think?”
“I guarantee it.” Given her wary look, he probably should spend a little more time reassuring her. But he wanted her too much to waste time with conversation. Instead of telling her, he’d just show her how great it’d be.
She pushed up to one elbow. “I had no idea…” Her words trailed off into nothingness.
“You’ll like it, Marci, trust me.”
“Somehow I’m not as sure as you.”
Moving closer to the bed, Ozzie clasped her ankle and said, “I’ve never hurt a woman.”
“I know you wouldn’t on purpose, but…” She raised a brow at his erection.
Half-laughing, Ozzie used his hold on her ankle to open her legs a little, then he stretched out over her. He cupped her face and looked into eyes round with uncertainty. “We’ll be a perfect fit.” His voice turned gruff with need. “I swear.”
She nodded, but said, “It doesn’t seem…” Rather than finish that thought, she cleared her throat.
“Seem what?”
A frown marred her brow. “Why didn’t you tell me that you…?”
She wasn’t finishing her sentences, and Ozzie managed another laugh. “That I wear a magnum extra large condom?” Her skin was so soft, he couldn’t stop stroking her cheeks. “Yeah, that’d be a conversation topic, wouldn’t it?”
“Magnum extra large? That big?” She nodded. “I rest my case.”
Done with the chitchat, Ozzie kissed her gently on the lips and said, “Open your legs more, Marci.”
As if preparing for the unthinkable, she slowly sucked in a deep breath, and her legs parted more so that he naturally settled closer. His chest pressed her soft breasts, his erection nudged against the notch of her open legs.
It wasn’t close enough.
Watching her, Ozzie reached down between them and parted her soft sex. He didn’t enter her yet, he just rested against her. “Okay?”
With his weight on her, she squirmed, and said, “Oh.”
He pressed firmly against her little clitoris, and every movement she made stroked her along the ridge of his erection.
Softly, he asked, “Feel good?”
She licked her lips, and nodded.
“How about this?” Shifting the smallest bit, he rocked forward and back, and was rewarded with a groan and the bite of her nails on his shoulders.
“That’s what I thought.” Cupping her breasts in his hands, Ozzie kissed the corner of her mouth. “I’ll fill you up, honey. And you’ll hold me so snug. But I won’t hurt you. You’re almost ready for me. Can you feel how wet you’re getting?” He continued to move gently, holding himself in check to keep from rushing her. “Wet enough that I’ll go right in. And you’ll like it.”
“Osbourne…” Showing blatant need, she held his face and kissed him deeply.
From the very first time he’d seen Marci Churchill, Ozzie had felt drawn to her. Deep down, he’d known how perfect it’d be with her.
Now he also knew that he loved the taste of her, her scent, the feel of her skin and hair. Her openness and sexual honesty.
Marci was a little nuts, but not in a mean-spirited way. She’d focused on his size, but without lascivious glee. How could he keep himself distant from her, when on every level, she touched his heart?
Marci was special, and he needed their time to be special, too. While Ozzie let her control the kiss, he teased her erect nipples with his thumbs and continued that subtle body friction, back and forth, wetter and hotter with each stroke.
It seemed he’d been denying himself for a lifetime, and if she didn’t accept him soon, he’d embarrass himself. That thought no sooner entered his brain than she hooked her legs over his hips, wrapping herself around him.
Out of desperation, Ozzie took that as an invitation to proceed.
He drew back, and this time when he came forward, he sank into that wet heat.
She broke the kiss with a gasp, her eyes closed, her lips parted. Watching her, gauging her every reaction, he pressed in farther. Her nails scored his shoulders, but he didn’t mind.
“Easy,” he whispered, feeling her clench tight around him as he worked beyond the natural resistance of her body. He kissed her again, stifling her groan, holding her still as he squeezed in deeper and deeper. He wanted all of her. He wanted to bury himself in her.
When her legs dropped to the side of him, her heels bracing against the mattress, he raised his head to look at her. She appeared dazed and excited, and very accepting.
“A little more,” he encouraged.
Her breathing turned ragged, and her slender frame went taut.
He slipped one hand beneath her hips, tilted her up, and her body welcomed the rest of him.
Marci arched into him.
Ozzie held perfectly still.
Sweat dampened his shoulders, and he felt his muscles quivering with the restraint. His cock throbbed and pulsed with the need for release.
Through clenched teeth, he whispered, “Talk to me, Marci.”
Instead, she moaned, not a moan of pain, but one of acute pleasure. Her arms went around his neck, her legs wound tight around his hips. She opened smoky blue eyes, and murmured low, “Osbourne…”
He was a goner.
Sealing his mouth over hers in a voracious kiss, he began thrusting, hard and fast, just as he’d warned her it would be.
Unfortunately, she liked it enough that her internal muscles clamped around him, and she made small sounds of rising satisfaction that sent him right over the edge.
He left her mouth to growl, “Sorry, so damn sorry…” and he came in a blinding rush that wiped all coherent thought from his mind.
Marci held him, caressed him, moaned with him, and when the storm finally passed, she hugged him and put small, sweet kisses on his shoulder.
Lethargy held him for long minutes. In Marci’s embrace, he basked in the afterglow of release, the complete elimination of tension and the relaxation of every muscle. It had been a long night and a frustrating morning. The day had passed into afternoon and he was suddenly so tired he couldn’t see straight.
He was just about to doze off when Marci let out a shuddering, soft sigh. Ozzie returned to the here and now with startling speed.
Oh, shit. Talk about blowing it.
With much effort, he rolled to the side of her and tried to gather his wits. After that disappointing performance, he didn’t want to look at her. And with the way his legs still trembled, he wouldn’t even be able to make it up to her until he got some sleep.
But he wouldn’t be a coward. He’d apologize. He’d man-up and promise to do better next time. Soon. Like in a few hours.
Raising himself on one bent arm, he looked down at her, and was surprised to see her smiling at him.
What the hell did she have to smile about?
Ozzie frowned. “You okay?”
The smile widened. “I’m terrific.”
He glanced down over her naked body. Her legs were still parted, and one of her socks had fallen off, leaving a small foot bare. Her silky skin looked rosy. The light brown curls between her thighs were damp.
Hell, maybe he didn’t need to sleep after all.
He reached for her, and a distant bark carried over the wind.
Groaning, he flopped back on the bed.
“What’s wrong?”
“The dog must have finally seen my car. He’s on his way in.”
She crawled over the top of him and propped her pointy elbows on his chest. “That’s a problem?”
“It’s just that he likes a lot of attention when I first get home.” Ozzie put both hands on her bottom and patted. Damn, but being this close to her felt nice. Talking with her was nice.
Having sex with her had blown his mind.
“You don’t like to give him attention?”
“I do.” Her disgruntled frown eased. “But a sexy broad has pretty much taken all my steam. I’m beat.”
“Oh.”
Her lips curled again. “I can take care of him.”
That smile was starting to get to him. “Let me up, woman, or we’ll be taking part in naked wrestling with a wet dog.”
She moved off the bed, stood before him beautifully nude, and stretched. Without a speck of modesty, she bent and picked up her sweatshirt, then shrugged into it. “It’s chilly in here.”
Ozzie still felt like a furnace, but he said, “I’ll adjust the heat.” He scooped up his jeans and then caught her arm. “Bathroom is this way.”
Leading her out of the bedroom and a little way down the hall, he said, “Wait here. I’ll be right out.” He closed the bathroom door on her, rid himself of the condom, and splashed his face.
God, he wanted to sleep for a week, but it’d seem pretty crass to bring a woman in, do a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am, and then leave her to her own devices.
He was such an ass.
He pulled on his jeans and when he stepped out, Marci was peeking into the next room down.
“That’s a guestroom. Granny’s room is at the end of the hall, with a sewing room in between. When I get to renovating, I plan to connect the bathroom and my bedroom, and turn the sewing room into a guest bath.”
She trailed her fingers along a ragged piece of flocked wallpaper in the hall. “This place is huge.”
“And run-down. Granny didn’t take much to change.” He gestured for her to use the bathroom. “Make yourself at home. I’ll go down to greet Grimshaw. Join us when you’re ready.”
“Wait for me! I’ll only be a second.” And sure enough, she was in and out of the bathroom in a flash. Bare-assed and beautiful, she darted into his bedroom to retrieve her panties and jeans.
They were halfway down the stairs when he heard the clicking of Grimshaw’s nails as he raced over the kitchen floor.
Ozzie stepped in front of Marci. “Brace yourself.”
A second later, tongue hanging out one side of his mouth, eyes wild with excitement, Grimshaw skidded around the corner. He saw Ozzie, and he howled with berserk rapture before pounding up the stairs in a blur of black fur.
“Oh, Osbourne, he’s beautiful.”
Ozzie sat on a step so the dog couldn’t knock him over and then Grimshaw was in his lap, wiggling and licking to the point that Ozzie couldn’t help but chuckle. He tried to get around Ozzie to inspect the newcomer, but his paws were frosty with snow and he was slobbering, so Ozzie played defense for Marci.