She laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Good night, Lee.” He kissed her quickly once more, then gave her a hand into the truck and closed the door. His erection slammed against his jeans, making him grit his teeth to keep the smile in place. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the team competition.”
When Buck left, the image of Marlene’s flushed face, wide pupils, deliciously hard nipples, along with her raspberry colored lips burned in his thoughts. That was probably the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life. His dick might never forgive him.
* * * * *
Marlene sat there in the parking lot of the Sugar Shack for at least half an hour, trying to get her pulse to slow down, to make her head wrap around the fact that Buck left her there. Left her there. He kissed her, caressed her, aroused her to a frenzy, then left.
Son of a bitch!
What was that all about? She wouldn’t respond to his lovey dovey stuff, so he didn’t want to bed her anymore? That was just not possible. He wouldn’t do that, would he? Her experience with men was so limited, she had no idea how to answer that question. She supposed it was possible, and that pissed her off.
She arrived home grumpy and horny. Her favorite vibrator got a workout, but even after bringing herself to orgasm twice, she wasn’t satisfied. She needed Buck and he wasn’t there.
That night, she slept badly, waking every few hours and reaching for someone who wasn’t there. What really fueled her anger was that she’d only slept with him once, yet she was already missing him next to her.
Chapter Seven
True to his word, Buck was there for the team competition with another soda for her and a mind-numbing kiss. Babs and Veronica were blessedly silent, but it seemed they had their own issues they were working on.
Marlene felt energized. This was another chance to get that perfect score. The only problem was, half her mind was stuck on the big cowboy that stood behind the lane, watching her, cheering for her, and at the same time, distracting her. Her body was hungry, her heart was confused, and her mind was whirling.
Was this what love was all about? Being a mess? It didn’t seem like much fun at all. Of course, having hot monkey sex was more than fun; unfortunately, he hadn’t put out.
The thought made her laugh out loud. Now she knew how guys felt when a cocktease left them high and dry, or high and wet in Marlene’s case. She wasn’t going to let Buck get away from her again. Even if she had to sit on him.
The Ballbusters team, made up of Marlene, Babs, and Veronica, usually scored well in league competition. The tournament started a bit shakily for them, but in the second game, they all seemed to hit their stride. Marlene had a feeling she wasn’t going to come close to a three hundred game, but she still bowled as best she could.
In the end, she bowled better than the individual competition, but hadn’t achieved her dream score. Yet. The couples’ competition was two days away and she was determined that would be her ultimate triumph.
After the competition, it was between lunch and dinner, too late for one and too early for the other. Babs and Veronica went off with their respective partners, and that left Buck, waiting for Marlene again.
She could get used to that. Every woman in the Starlite looked at him. They couldn’t help but look at him. He was six and a half feet of solid man, with an incredible ass and an amazing grin. Marlene winked at him and he winked back, then headed down into the seating area.
“You did great!” He gave her a quick hug and stepped back to look at her. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything is okay. I didn’t get my perfect score. Again.”
He kissed her lightly. “But there is our competition on Friday. Maybe we’ll both get that perfect score.”
Marlene hadn’t considered that. What if they both got a three hundred in the same game? Would they split the ten thousand, or would whoever bowled first get the entire pot? The man usually bowled anchor in couples’ competition, which meant Marlene would actually achieve the perfect score first.
The whole thought made her head hurt, so she decided to focus on something she could control. Getting Buck into her bed.
* * * * *
Buck couldn’t hold out much longer. As he sat and talked with Marlene after the team competition, he couldn’t help but remember how incredible it was to have her in his arms. Naked.
He stood abruptly in the middle of her sentence, and her gaze immediately locked on his bulging erection. One slim dark eyebrow went up.
“Something wrong, cowboy?”
“I gotta go. I’ll catch you later.” He was not running out of the bowling alley. He was walking quickly. When he got to his truck, he realized his hands were trembling. He fumbled with the damn key fob.
When her hands touched his shoulders, he knew it was too late. Buck gave up the battle and took her in his arms. She was all warmth and sensuality. Her body fit so perfectly against his that his skin sighed in relief.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Her hands traveled up and down his back.
“I, ah, had to do something.” Now that sounded lame.
“Um hm. Okay, what?”
Buck wasn’t a very good liar. “Oh, hell, I was trying not to bed you.”
She laughed into his shoulder. “Really? I was thinking of how to get you in my bed.”
He shuddered against her touch. “I’m trying to seduce you into more than a tussle in bed.”
“Seducing is definitely working.” She sucked on his neck, and he closed his eyes against the pleasure.
“Same here.”
Buck couldn’t think anymore, he could only follow his instincts. Without a word, he opened the door and tucked her inside the truck, then climbed in after her. He knew he shouldn’t look at her or they’d never make it out of the parking lot. He drove like a madman to his motel, wondering if the circulation being cut off to his crotch might cause brain damage.
He turned to look at Lee, and the raw desire in her eyes was enough to feed his dreams for years. He’d never met a woman who matched him in the bedroom like Marlene did. What completely made up his mind was the fact that she was wearing the bracelet. The bracelet he’d given her. He’d never given a woman jewelry before. To see it on her freckled wrist was a high.
“Let’s go, cowboy.”
Buck scrambled out of the truck and ran around to her side like a kid on his first date, tripping over his own feet no less. They finally made it into the motel room, and there was no slow seduction. Not a chance. He barely remembered to lock the door before they started pulling clothes off and kissing like two halves of a whole.
They were naked in seconds and landed on the bed in a twisted pile of limbs and hot flesh. Marlene flipped Buck on his back and straddled him. The heat from her pussy was a mere inch away from his throbbing erection.
“I can’t take any teasing, baby. Please put me out of my misery.”
She smiled and offered him a plump nipple. He latched on and suckled her while she rubbed her wetness up and down his shaft. He groaned and thought about begging some more.
“Mmmm, you are as hard as an oak. I like that.”
She reached for him with her agile hands and within moments, he buried himself inside her deep, hot core. He grabbed her hips to keep her from moving. If she moved, even an inch, he’d come his brains out. He let her nipple loose and sucked in a breath.
“Wait ...” he whispered.
Marlene clenched around him, but she didn’t move. After a minute, Buck took a deep breath and let it out. He could feel her impatience, her hunger, but she waited -- for him.
“Can I ride now?” Marlene whispered against his lips as her tongue slowly swiped back and forth.
“Yeah, baby, I’m ready.”
Marlene must have ridden horses in her time, because the woman rode like a pro. She pulled nearly to the tip of his dick, then brought herself back down until he was deep, deep inside her. She did it repeatedly, squeezing him with her
inner muscles, bringing him intense pleasure.
“God, that feels good.”
“Yessssss,” he barely hissed out between breaths.
She sat up and reached around to fondle his balls while her other hand landed on her clit. Buck squeezed and pinched her nipples. It was an entire rodeo of pleasure. His orgasm started in his toes and worked its way up to his head, exploding through him like a bomb.
He shouted and bucked her while she clenched around him. He pulsed and pulsed until he thought he’d never be able to come again. She collapsed on him, her breasts pushing against his chest. Buck could feel her heart beating against his.
“Wow.”
He chuckled. “I agree. That was definitely wow.”
She rolled off him and snuggled into the crook of his shoulder. Buck hooked his arm around her and let the amazing feeling of being with Marlene wash over him. This was what he wanted.
* * * * *
Marlene snuck out of Buck’s motel room sometime in the middle of the night. Her bleary eyes focused on the clock in her car. It was three twenty-one and all was quiet in the town of Espejo.
She knew she was being a coward. A huge stinking coward, but she didn’t want to wake up in Buck’s arms. It felt too damn good just to be in his arms period, much less wake up in them again. Buck was mighty dangerous, and as much as her body wanted him, her heart was running scared.
They were supposed to meet at the alley at nine to practice for Friday’s competition, then she was working the snack bar again. They only had an hour to practice so it was important to be there on time. Marlene knew it was her last chance to get that perfect score. Buck was a distraction, an incredible distraction, but she didn’t want that to keep her from her goal. She needed, she wanted that three hundred game. It wasn’t the money. It was being perfect. Something Marlene felt she had never achieved in her life.
Marlene arrived home, a little numb and a lot confused. When she pulled into the bowling alley just before nine, she was still feeling the same. Buck was already there bowling. She stopped and watched him for a few minutes, remembering just how amazing Buck made her feel.
She pasted on a bright smile and kept her focus, or at least tried to. Her brain was having trouble focusing.
“Good morning.”
Buck smiled at her. “Hey there, beautiful. I bought some coffee and muffins.” He pointed to the table.
The coffee cups and muffins sat waiting for them. Marlene was always the one to bring things to other people. But Buck had brought something for her every day that week. He was thoughtful and considerate. Damn. He needed to stop being so perfect.
Perfect.
The word rang in her head, making her thoughts whirl madly.
“You okay?”
She nodded and stepped down to the seating area to practice. “I’m just tired, that’s all. Let’s get some practice in.”
Like old friends, they worked together to spot kinks and tweaks they could make in their game. The hour passed quickly, too quickly. The tournament was beginning and they had to give up the lanes. The doubles competition was on that day, and Marlene needed to get to the snack bar.
“You working today?”
“Yep, until tonight.” Marlene tucked her bowling shoes into her bag and zipped it up. “I’ll see you later.”
Buck let her go without calling her back. She hoped he’d come by later, but she didn’t ask. She was still afraid that he’d say no. Rejection was not her strong suit.
* * * * *
After lunch, Buck came by the snack bar to see Marlene. She looked tired and frazzled. He pulled her out from behind the counter against her protests and simply hugged her.
“I missed you, so I thought I’d come by and say hey.”
She pushed against him. “I’ve got to work, you big galoot.”
“Mmm, you can take a two minute break.”
After a moment or two, she stopped struggling and relaxed against him.
“That’s better.”
“You smell good.” Marlene sniffed his shirt.
“I took a shower this morning, although it was a lonely shower.”
He wished she’d been there when he’d woken up, but he’d known she wouldn’t be. Marlene was like a scared rabbit, and if he wanted to tame her, he needed to let her run free. It was about the hardest thing he’d done. Waiting for her to come to her senses was going to kill him or save him.
“Oh, that was a low blow.”
He pulled back to look at her. “Nope, no blowing involved.”
She smacked his shoulder and laughed. “Let me get back to work.”
“Okay, but I warn you, I don’t scare easy.” He winked and lightly slapped her ass when she went back behind the counter. He was determined to keep her company that day, help her see how nicely they rubbed along together.
They spent the afternoon talking while Marlene worked. It was the first time he’d spent time with a woman and felt comfortable just being himself, without wearing a mask or pretending to be something he wasn’t just to figure out if she was worth being around. Her friend Veronica came by, and Buck chatted with her partner Patrice about the best restaurants in San Antonio. He couldn’t help but notice the differences among the three women. Marlene seemed like she was made for him.
She was different. So different. He only had one day left to convince her that he wanted a relationship with her. Hell, he’d just discovered that’s what he wanted. It was more of whatever it was they had together, even if it meant driving all the way the hell down here to Espejo from Wichita Falls and wasting a ton of gas.
Marlene was worth it. Now to convince her of that.
Chapter Eight
Friday morning dawned sunny and hot, a hint of the summer that was just around the corner. Marlene arrived at the alley two hours before the competition started. She felt like a soldier getting ready for battle. This was going to be the day. The day that either allowed her to achieve her dream or flattened it like a pancake.
As Marlene put her hair up in a ponytail, she sensed Buck nearby. Her body recognized his presence, his scent, or something like that. The familiarity after a week was as if he was an old friend, someone she’d known forever.
“You ready for today?” she asked without turning around.
“I hope so.” He set his bowling bag down with a thump. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
Oh, not now!
“Later, please, Buck.” Marlene turned to look at him, hoping, praying he’d listen to her. “I need to focus.”
He nodded tightly. “I can respect that; don’t have to like it, but all right. You are not getting away today without talking to me though.”
“Agreed. Now let’s get some practice in.”
Their movements were stiff at first, and their usual banter seemingly gone. It was uncomfortable and their bowling suffered. Marlene gave up after an hour and stalked off alone. Buck was pressuring her without pressuring her, but she felt it nonetheless.
Everything just seemed wrong.
When the mixed tournament began, their first game sucked. Gutter balls, missed spares, and even a foul or two. Neither one of them even bowled a two hundred, painfully below their averages. Marlene was itchy and antsy and felt like fighting. She only had two more chances now, and the distraction of Buck was getting in the way of her dream. After she snapped at him for touching her towel between games, he dragged her off the lanes and found a corner.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me? What’s wrong with me? You are destroying my chances for the perfect score. Why can’t you leave me alone?” Marlene felt desperate.
Buck reared back with hurt in his blue eyes. “Is that what you want?”
Is that what she wanted? To have him leave her alone?
“I ... don’t know.”
He huffed out an impatient breath. “Well, let me tell you what I wanted to tell you earlier. I like you, Lee. A lot. More than I should after on
ly a week. I want to have something with you after this. I don’t want it to end here.”
Marlene’s entire body clenched. “You what?”
Buck slapped the wall beside her. “I want us to be together, baby. I want to come see you whenever I can.” He cupped her face. “I like you.” He kissed her. “I like you.” He kissed her again. “I like you.”
“You don’t love me?” Marlene squeaked. It was the only thing she could get out. Her throat decided to close up like a vice. Her heart thundered so loud it drowned out the rest of the bowling alley. She could only hear Buck. She could only see Buck.
He shook his head. “I don’t think it’s love. Yet.”
Yet.
“Y’all got to bowl now,” Jesse said from behind them. “We got a schedule to keep.”
Buck kissed her hard, then stepped away. “Let’s kick some ass, baby.”
Marlene took a deep breath and nodded. They walked back to the lanes together and although things weren’t settled between them, she felt better. More in control. Less antsy. Strange how a little tiff with Buck actually made her feel better instead of worse.
The second game was better, but neither of them was able to hit the three hundred mark. Marlene’s stomach was jumping like crazy and she was nervous as hell. When the third game came up on the scoring computer, she felt like crying. This was it. Her one and only chance.
Buck wiped down his ball and watched her try to dry her damp hands. Her wrist brace dangled from her hand while the bowling charm bracelet graced the other wrist. He must have sensed how tense and frustrated she was. He stood behind her and rubbed her shoulders. His big hands soothed the knotted muscles while he spoke in her ear
“Don’t try to throw that perfect game, just bowl. It’s like singing. If you focus on the music too much, you lose the melody.” Buck’s quiet words hit her between the eyes.
He was right. She was so busy trying to bowl a three hundred game that she was forgetting to bowl. He turned her around and kissed her again. Marlene finally smiled. This is what a partner meant. She could get used to that so easily.
The Perfect Score 3 Marlenes Man Page 6