by Jane Jamison
Again, she tried to reach out for him, aching to skim her fingers over his ribbed abdomen, but fell short. Flattening his tongue against her, he lapped up her juices, controlling her with a touch and a lick.
“Oh, my God. Please.”
His chuckle warmed her already heated flesh. “I’m not God, but I’ll do my best.”
He was a cowboy god and he was all hers. At least for now.
He plastered his mouth to her again, sliding his tongue between every fold, then back to rake over her clit. One, then two fingers entered her pussy, moving up and down, searching for her sensitive spot. She bucked, unable to control her body, unable to get away yet not really wanting to.
He held her down with one hand and thrust his fingers into her pussy again. And again. His knuckles bumped the skin between her pussy and her ass hole. His licking grew faster as he flattened his tongue against her clit. Yet every time, just as she was about to explode, he’d back off.
How did he know when to pull away? And yet, as long as he gave her relief in the end, she’d hang on. But oh, what an amazing ride it was getting there!
She’d given herself to him the moment he’d brought her body against him. Her mind might’ve struggled to accept it, but her body had known. He was an alpha male, a man who would take what he wanted and give so much in return.
He lifted away from her. “Look at me.”
She did as he’d told her to. She couldn’t have done anything else. What she saw there was enough to make her climax. She gritted her teeth and held back, hoping to delay satisfaction.
“Feel it?”
She blinked, at first not aware of his meaning. And then, she did. His hard cock pressed against her leg, solid like a steel pole. How could she not have noticed it before?
“Close your eyes.”
She did, giving herself over to his control once again. He moved, bringing his body over hers again.
“Touch me.”
She found his hard body and, at last, fulfilled her desire to caress the ridges of his stomach. Lightly, she skimmed her hands along his torso, loving the way he sucked in a breath when she dipped lower.
She teased him in return, bringing her hands to the curly patch of hair, then sliding them back up. Her hands shook. She wanted to explore every inch of him, to see how he felt under her fingers then along her tongue. She was amazed at her own willpower to not give into the urge. “What now?”
“Tell me about your tat.” He glanced down at her butterfly tattoo nestled in the crease of her right leg.
“It’s just a tattoo. Nothing special.”
“Bullshit. Women don’t just get inked for nothing. They almost always have a real reason.” He bent and pressed a tender kiss to the butterfly.
She wasn’t sure she could tell him the truth. It would make her seem more vulnerable, more exposed than lying naked outside.
“Tell me.”
Something inside her wouldn’t let her resist his command. He was her master and she was his slave. She had to obey him. Hell, she wanted to obey him.
“I like butterflies.”
“That’s not all of it. Spill.” He kissed it again, then slid his tongue over to her mons and snaked his tongue between her pussy folds.
She was still trying to regain her breath when he looked at her again and tilted his head in question. For him, she would’ve confessed anything. “When I think of butterflies, I think of them flying anywhere they want to go. They’re free with no worries. No problems. No bills to pay, no cleaning to do, no job to go to—”
“No younger brother to worry about.”
“Yeah, that, too.” Guilt threatened to sweep over her, but she pushed it away.
“I get it.” He dipped his body lower, hooked his arms behind her knees, and bent her legs. “But for now, I’ll make you forget all your worries.”
A mini-orgasm ripped through her at his promise, wetting her pussy and tightening her abdomen. If anyone could make her forget, even for a little while, it was him.
He slid two fingers back inside her pussy and worked them around a little. His smile came as he brushed over her sweet spot, leaving her breathless. He chuckled then removed his fingers. They were covered with her sweet honey and glistening in the light.
Slowly, he put his fingers inside his mouth, closed his eyes, and sucked off her juices. Sheer delight lit his face. She wanted him inside her again. But not his fingers. She wanted the fully erect cock pointing straight at her.
He opened his eyes, reached out, and caressed her cheek with his wet fingers. “You taste real good. Real good.”
“Please, Jarrod.”
“Yeah. I know what you want.” He grabbed her hip and tugged her body over until she lay twisted on the ground, her ass pointed toward the sky. “And I know what you need, too.”
She didn’t have time to think about what he meant. The slap against her butt cheek rocketed through her, stunning her with both its sting and the surprise of it.
“What are you doing?”
He pressed between her shoulder blades, putting her face to the ground and her ass higher in the air. “This is for lying to me.”
“What? I don’t know what you mean.”
“The hell you don’t. Do you two really think I’m buying your lame story? Jesse isn’t running from those guys because he fucked some other guy’s girl. That’s a load of crap. I’m guessing it has more to do with drugs than a girl.”
She let out a yelp as he brought his flat hand to her butt cheek again. “Ow!”
“Either you tell me why you two are on the run or I’ll keep punishing you.”
She couldn’t tell him. Who knew how he’d react if he found out Jesse did more than smoke pot? That he’d sold drugs and gambled? He’d been so angry about one joint. What if he kicked them off the ranch? Where would they go?
She couldn’t risk losing him now. Not even by telling him the truth he deserved to hear.
Another swat of his palm against her flesh sent a flash of pain. She bucked, but he held her down. And yet, if she’d really wanted to, she could’ve gotten away, could’ve said no.
If she’d wanted to.
No guilt, no shame. No feelings of being insulted or demeaned. Instead, she felt alive, sexy, and more turned on than ever before.
All because of Jarrod. Would she lie facedown and do it for any other man? Yes, but for only one other. For Seth.
Somehow the cowboy had taken hold of her and made her his. She hadn’t seen it coming, but the hell of it was that she wouldn’t have stopped it anyway.
Another spank came, sizzling through her flesh to scorch its way to her pussy. Pain mixed with lust, and she imagined she could see the imprint of his hand on her butt cheek. Her heart pounded in anticipation of the next strike. She held her breath and pushed her ass toward him, urging him to slap her again.
Another slap rippled her skin, sending a rush of juices between her legs. She longed to see his hand connecting with her ass, to see the expression on his face.
He rubbed her butt, easing the stings there. “Are you going to start talking?”
“I don’t know what you’re getting at.”
“Sure you don’t.” He paused, his hand caressing her skin, cooling the warmth of her branded flesh. And then the pain was gone.
She craned her head around. “What are you doing?”
“Tell me you like getting spanked.”
He wanted her permission. He didn’t need it, but he wasn’t the kind to take a woman against her will. Besides, why would she tell him the truth if it might mean he’d stop spanking her? At least she could be truthful about how much she enjoyed her “punishment”. “Yes.”
“And you deserve it?”
He was asking her if she was lying. Saying yes would admit that she’d lied. Saying no would mean she hadn’t lied, but then that would be a lie. Instead, she took a different option. “I like getting spanked. Do it again.”
He narrowed his eyes, knowing the diffe
rence. “You didn’t answer my question.”
She turned her face away then jerked as another slap landed on her ass. Oh, yes.
Her skin grew became more sensitive to his every touch. Like a moth to a flame, she was drawn to him, silently begging him to give her more primal treatment, uncaring if it was dangerous to want more. Her body trembled as desire rolled through her, riding the wave of rolling sensations as they traveled up her body.
Four more spankings came, leaving their hot stings behind. She was breathing hard, trying to pull in a breath between the strikes. By the time he stopped, she had to fight to keep from begging him to fuck her.
She waited, head down, hair falling forward to cover her face. What was he doing? Why had he stopped touching her?
The nicker of his horse surprised her and she jerked her head up. He was dressed and mounted.
She pushed up and, suddenly embarrassed, crossed her arms to cover her breasts. “Where are you going?”
“I’ve got chores to finish. We’ll talk more later.”
“You’re kidding me.” She snatched up her shirt and pulled it on. Had he done this to embarrass her? Was that her real punishment?
He tugged his hat lower. “Nope.” He winked, reining the horse around. “Better get dressed. You wouldn’t want your brother to find you lying on the ground and butt naked.”
Chapter Seven
Jarrod couldn’t believe he’d left Amy alone and naked on the ground. Yet when she’d kept refusing to tell him the truth, he’d had no choice. Or to be precise, he’d had only three choices, but only one choice made any sense in the long run.
He could’ve let her continue to lie to him and fuck her anyway.
He could’ve kept spanking her—enjoying the hell out of it— but then he would’ve had to pretend he believed her.
Or he could get away.
Fucking her while knowing she was lying hadn’t sat well with him even though his cock had about broken in half when he’d tried to get it stuffed back into his jeans. If there was one thing he detested, it was lying.
Fucking her and letting her think he believed her hadn’t been any kind of a choice, either. He would’ve become the liar.
The only choice he’d had left—tell that to my aching cock—was to ride away. Leaving her alone and naked was a shitty thing to do, but he hoped it would shock some sense into her. Besides, he’d hung around, hidden by a thicket of bushes, until he was sure she was safely dressed and headed to the house. He’d even waited until she’d gone inside before he’d ridden to the barn.
She couldn’t keep covering for her brother all her life. Especially if they were going to be a part of her life, too.
The thought had crossed his mind several times on the way back to the house. What the hell was he thinking? He’d just met the woman and not only did she have a brother who’d gotten into trouble, but she was willing to keep the secrets from him. That wasn’t the kind of girl he wanted to settle down with.
He tried to shove the ridiculous idea out of his head while brushing down the horse. Amy was the one they wanted, no matter how he tried to think she wasn’t.
Then he’d tried to reassure himself that a cold shower and a fast hand were the only things he needed to make him feel better. His hand stroking his cock was a sorry excuse for what he really wanted, but sometimes a man had to take a problem into his own hands.
Literally.
He was just getting out of the shower and warming up when his phone’s ringtone started playing. “Yeah, Mitch. What’d you come up with?” Jarrod pressed the phone hard against his ear.
Having Mitch get back to him so fast unnerved him. Did it mean his friend had good news or bad?
“I’m not sure you’re going to like this.”
Aw, shit.
“Probably not, but give it to me anyway.”
“Amy’s been on her own for a while. Her parents wouldn’t win any awards and they didn’t do much to help her along. Then, when Jesse got into trouble, they tossed his butt to the curb. Even with her help, he’s ended up living on the street a couple of times. Each time she’s picked him up, then gotten him a job and a place to live. Either on his own or with her. I hate to say it, but she’s either a fool or too softhearted for her own good.”
Maybe a little of both.
He’d already figured out that she had a big heart. Her loyalty to her brother was incredible. No matter how much he weighed her down.
“I’m betting that’s the good news. Am I right?”
“You are. Her brother’s been in trouble before. He’s got a sheet on him with Selena police.”
“What for?” Jesse seemed like the type to get into trouble, especially since he was into drugs. He was a young man with a chip on his shoulder and not enough brains in his head.
“Mostly small shit like driving under the influence and one possession charge. But rumor has it that he was dealing for a small-time drug dealer by the name of Ruben Bandura. Still, the guy’s got enough of a gang that you wouldn’t want to piss him off. Next time Jesse gets caught, he’ll more than likely get charged with dealing and end up doing time.”
“Is there a warrant out for his arrest?” If he had to turn in her brother, he’d feel like the biggest jerk in the world, but he’d have no choice. If he didn’t, Mitch would.
“Nope, but the word on the street is that he screwed up big time.”
“How?” He had a sinking feeling it would have nothing to do with Bandura’s girlfriend.
“The word is he took drugs or money or both from Bandura. Trust me. Bandura’s not the type to float anyone a loan.”
“Damn.”
“There’s more.”
“There always is. Go on.” He switched his phone to the other ear, only now realizing how hard he gripped it.
“The police reported shots fired at her apartment. When they arrived, they found the place shot up and the front door busted in. From the looks of things, Amy and her brother got out of there fast.”
He’d figured as much. Her abrupt departure explained the lack of luggage or even a change of clothing.
“Jarrod, are you sure you want to get involved with these two?”
They were already involved. And he wasn’t the type to bail out of a jam. “Seth and I can handle it.”
“It’s your choice. But were either of them injured? Did you see any wounds? From the way my contact sounded, Bandura and his gang shot the place up pretty bad. I could send Doc Varner over and tell him to keep quiet about it.”
“No. They’re both fine.” At least they had their health. For now.
“Sorry I couldn’t give you better news. What do you want me to do from here?”
“Just do me a favor and keep it under your hat.”
“Sure thing. What are you planning on doing?”
He shook his head as though Mitch could see through the phone. “Beats the hell out of me. I don’t want to get her in any trouble.”
“They aren’t wanted for anything. The only one looking for them is Bandura. Unless…”
Mitch didn’t have to say the rest. Unless she was more involved than she’d let on. She’d helped her brother out of jams before. If her hands were dirty, he wanted to know. Then he’d figure out how to help her. “Like I said, just keep quiet for now. Give me some time to work this out.”
“Sure thing. But I’ve got to ask. Why’d you take them back to your place? Why not set them up in a hotel or put them on a bus?”
Mitch wasn’t the type to ask questions unless he was pretty sure he already knew an answer.
“They’ll be safer here.”
“You mean, she’ll be safe with you and Seth.”
“However you want to put it. Sure. She’ll be safer with us around. She sure as hell can’t count on her brother.”
“Uh-huh.”
That “uh-huh” was a leading one if he’d ever heard it. He shouldn’t ask, but he couldn’t resist. “What are you getting at?”
�
��I find it interesting, is all. She’s the first girl you’ve shown any interest in for a long time now.”
“Naw, man. I was with—” What was her name? “With the redhead girl a couple of weeks ago.”
“I’m not talking about a buckle bunny. I’m talking about a girl you’d even consider settling down with. You haven’t had a female in your life for a hell of a long time.”
He was right. The thing with what’s-her-name had never been serious. At least not on his part. They’d played around for a couple of weeks in a hotel room while traveling to different rodeos.
“It’s none of my business, but…is it Elizabeth that’s holding you back?”
“I’ve been over Elizabeth for years.”
He’d been a foolish twenty-one year old man raring to make a name for himself on the circuit. When he’d seen the tall, curvaceous blonde with enormous boobs, he’d fallen for her and they’d become an item overnight. But after a couple of months, he’d suddenly realized she wasn’t for him. Seth had warned him from the start, but that was before they’d decided to find one woman to share. He’d ignored his brother and had listened to his cock.
Elizabeth Darring was the daughter of a wealthy rancher and used to living high on the hog. Her constant complaining about him not having the money her father lavished on her had driven him crazy. That, along with the hours spent primping in front of a mirror, had finally burst the love bubble—more like a lust bubble—and his eyes had been opened. A week later, he broke up with her in a flurry of flying dishes and promises of her father getting him blackballed from the rodeo circuit. Thankfully, her father had understood Jarrod’s need to get away and hadn’t listened to his childish daughter’s pleas of revenge. He’d been a foolish young man, but his experience with Elizabeth had taught him a valuable lesson.
“Maybe, but it’s saying something that you decided to take her to the ranch. Especially with her brother along for the ride.”
“I was in a hurry to get home.”
“Uh-huh.”
He gritted his teeth and fought the urge to argue. Making a big deal out of it wouldn’t help. “Keep what you know to yourself, okay?”