Texas Passion

by Anita Philmar

  “I bought it for you.” She stepped boldly forward, hoping the sexy garment would increase her appeal. But maybe he needed more incentive. She tossed her long hair over her shoulder to give him the full view of her breasts. “Do you like it?”

  He shook his head. “A man gets ideas when a woman shows off her underwear.”

  Good. Catherine arched her back to expand the fabric covering her breasts and sauntered across the rough wooden floor with an exaggerated swing in her hips. She laid her hands on his chest. Never in her life had she wanted something as much as she ached for Trent. “Really? What kind of ideas?”

  “Wicked thoughts of removing all her clothes.” He lifted his large hands, and his fingers toyed with her bloomers.

  Liquid need coated the lips between her legs, and she waited impatiently for his hands to slip beneath the material. What would it feel like to have them on her pussy? She’d seen men pleasure the women at the theatre with their fingers and they seemed to enjoy it.

  “And do I get to undress you, too?” She slipped the top button of his shirt loose and trailed a finger over the base of his throat.

  “You shouldn’t be here.” He groaned and caught her wrists in an iron grip. “Not with me, not tonight, I have a hunger that will consume us both if you don’t get out of here fast.”

  The fire in his stare should have frightened her, but instead, the impure thoughts in her head intensified. For four years, she’d dreamed of being in his arms, touching, kissing, making love to him. She refused to wait another day. “What if I yearn for the same thing?”

  He locked his jaw, as if afraid to speak. The grip on her wrists loosened, and he dropped his hands to her waist. The heat of his body drew her closer and warmed her soul. Could she give him everything he wanted?

  Doubt resurfaced, but she refocused her attention on the smooth line of his neck. The small knot of his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed. She toyed with the next button on his shirt, determined to convince him no matter what she had to do.

  Trent slid his hands along her ribcage and cupped her breasts. A light squeeze, then his thumbs caressed the tips through the silk of her corset. Need pulsed through her breasts, and her nipples tightened into taut points of agony.

  A low moan escaped, and she closed her eyes to absorb the pleasure his touch evoked. Catherine waited for him to say something, anything that would release her from the torture of wondering if he would refuse her.

  “We shouldn’t do this.”A groan rumbled in Trent’s chest and vibrated through her hands. Heat shot straight to her core.

  “Please, Trent. You have to make love to me.”

  ****

  Oh, fuck.

  Trent gathered every drop of self-control he possessed and removed his hands from Catherine’s lush breasts. No longer a half-pint child, she’d grown into a sassy woman who tightened his cock and numbed his mind with need. And he’d been without a woman too long.

  He massaged the curve of her shoulders and toyed with a silky strand of copper hair. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”

  She opened her green eyes and stared at his lips for a few seconds then met his gaze. Pink touched her checks. “You want to sink into a woman and satisfy the hunger in your soul. I understand that. I have a brother and two male cousins who’ve educated me on how much a man can ache for a woman.”

  With smooth creamy skin and a willowy figure, her beauty captured his lust and held him prisoner. He couldn’t back away. “Maybe, but a woman like you should have a ring on her finger before she gives herself away.”

  A shy smile softened her lips. She worked a few more buttons on his shirt loose. “What if I’m not willing to wait?”

  He captured her hands against his chest. He forced air into his lungs, and her alluring scent filled his senses. When was the last time he had held an innocent woman, slipped into her tight cunt, and enjoyed her naïve response? The temptation pulsed through his body, and his balls churned with the need to come. Images of shoving her against the door and taking her right on the spot taunted him.

  Careful of the field you plow, boy. There are women you can fuck for fun, while others demand more devotion like marriage.

  His father’s words played through his mind and cooled his desire. He eased back and turned his head to keep her from seeing how much he wanted what she offered. The bed across the room tempted him with the pleasure he’d have on the feathery mattress. “Catherine, a woman is expected to wait until her wedding night before she has sex.”

  “But if you’re going to be that man, why do we have to wait?” Her innocent question nicked his conscience.

  Was he really willing to marry her? The thought didn’t stick in his craw as it had when his father mentioned it earlier. He studied her face. Excitement sparkled in her gaze, and her slightly parted lips offered an invitation to partake of the pleasure of her mouth. After a long moment, his gaze dropped to the full swell of her creamy breasts and on to the shapely curve of her waist. She certainly had the body to satisfy him. But did she have the grit to be a rancher’s wife? After all, she’d spent the last few years in a big city.

  Hell, was she even innocent?

  With the way she was parading around in her underwear, she might have had a number of lovers during her stint in Boston. Still, honor wouldn’t allow him the freedom to make love to her unless he knew for certain she’d one day be his wife. After all, his father had already agreed to their marriage. “Are you a virgin?”

  A fire lit in the depths of her eyes, and with a quick jerk to free her hands, she stepped back. “I won’t be after you make love to me.”

  His patience thin, he grabbed her shoulders. “Don’t play with me. Have you ever had a man between your legs?”

  She blinked at his coarse words and shrugged out of his grip to stand a few paces away. “No, I haven’t ridden a man’s cock. Happy?” She threw the last word at him.

  Pleasure coursed through his body. If no man had touched her, then after tonight she’d truly belong to him. He grinned, content at last with what it would mean to take her innocence. “Yes.”

  “Well, that makes one of us,” she grumbled and turned to walk away.

  Where she was headed he didn’t have a clue, but he caught her around the waist before she could escape and hauled her against his chest. He groaned when she rubbed her ass against his engorged erection. “You best be still.”

  She turned in his arms, and her green eyes flashed with anger. “Or what? You’ll finally do what you came here to do and take me to bed?”

  He captured her face in the palm of his hands. The soft silk of her hair played between his fingers. “Yes.”

  Her body wilted against him, and a little smile formed on her pink lips. “Promise?”

  Air rushed from his lungs. How could she tempt him so? He leaned his forehead against hers. “God, Catherine. Are you always this persistent?”

  She snuggled closer, and her fingers trailed over his back. “Yes, when I really want something.”

  “And you think you want me?” He lifted his head a few inches from hers and wrapped his arms around her. She hadn’t seen him in years, didn’t know the first thing about him. How could she be so sure she wanted to marry him? “Because most people will tell you, I’m not an easy person to get along with.”

  “I know. You can be stubborn, domineering, and downright rude if the mood strikes you, but you also have a kind heart.” She tugged his shirt from the back of his pants.

  “Are you sure?” He guided his hands down her back and untied the bow at the back of her corset. She had to be out of her clothes soon, or he’d rip them from her body. He shoved his hands lower, cupped her plush ass, and tugged her closer to his aching cock.

  “I…uh…” She squirmed and worked her hands between them until she managed to slide them around his neck. “Can we discuss this later?”

  He brushed his lips against hers, and she shuddered. From need or fear?

  Her hands burrowe
d through his hair and didn’t allow him the space to pull back. Instead, her lips ran over his with hungry, wild kisses. Lust shot through his body to the sole of his boots.

  Consumed by an obsession to taste her, he captured her mouth and thrust his tongue deep. God, she was so incredibly sweet. Her unique flavor set off a firestorm in his blood. His cock turned rock-hard, and he wanted her so badly he couldn’t decide what to do. Tear off her clothes and carry her to bed? Or sink to the floor and take her right here?

  A low sigh escaped her as she eased her lips away. Her shallow panting brushed his ear as he licked and kissed his way down her neck to the soft hollow at the base of her throat.

  “Trent, please. Let’s move to the bed. My legs won’t hold me up much longer.” She wobbled on her feet.

  He tightened his hold and drew in her intoxicating scent—fresh spring flowers dancing in wind. He nipped her ear lobe then lifted his head. “Are you trying to hurry me?”

  “No, I…”

  Her endearing confusion drove him to action. He swept her into his arms. “Good, because I plan for this to take all night.”

  After laying her on the bed, he tried to straighten so that he could remove his clothes, but her arms were locked around his neck. He eased down by her side and drank in the sight of the light freckles on the tip of her nose, the small bow of her lips, and the round curve of her chin. Just looking at her drove him insane. He longed to strip off her boomers and plunge deep, to take her hard and fast, but he couldn’t introduce her to sex that way.

  No, he needed to take it slow so as not to frighten her.

  After a calming breath, he guided a single finger down the center of her body. “As much as I like this sexy getup, I’d prefer if you’d take it off.”

  A smile spread over her lips, and she moved to sit up. “Sure, but you’ll have to unwind the tie in the back.”

  He rolled out of her way and noticed the labyrinth of hooks the string ran through. She reached around and plucked at the twine holding the contraption together.

  “Wait a second, let me help.” He grabbed the two ends of the ribbon and slowly unwound the crisscross pattern. The task reminded him of the stakes involved in bedding Catherine. Could she endure the hours she’d have to spend alone while he was away riding the range or gone on a cattle drive? She’d need to learn everything it would take to be his wife, like how to run a household and…

  She wiggled and tugged on the corset. A gap formed, and the soft line of her spine popped into view. He jerked the string, and the material fell away. Before he could savor the full picture of her milky white back, she eased backward and settled beside him, her arms across her chest, each hand covering a breast. “That thing might look sexy, but it’s impossible to get in and out of.”

  Her shy actions hit him in the chest. She’s never been with a man. Suddenly uneasy with the reality of the situation, he rose to sit on the side of bed and stared at his boots. The smooth charm he usually relied on failed him.

  Hell, who was he kidding? Had he ever been with an innocent woman?

  Buying himself some time to decide how to proceed, he shed his boots and tugged his shirt over his head. Catherine squirmed on the bed behind him but remained quiet. Had she changed her mind?

  After tossing his shirt to the rocker, he turned. Every drop of blood in his body rushed to his cock. His mouth fell open, and he worked his jaw up and down like a fish trying to breathe air.

  Completely naked, Catherine lay against the quit. He swallowed at the incredible sight of her breasts and the rosy tips of her nipples. He laid a hand over the flat plane of her stomach and examined the crisp auburn curls sprinkled against her mound.

  Words backed up in his throat, and he wondered if he’d died. This had to be heaven.

  “Trent.” She slid her hand over his. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what to…”

  He blinked, and his gaze flew to her face. The lump in his throat wouldn’t budge so he sputtered around it. “Catherine, I’m trying really hard to go slow here. But a man only has so much willpower.”

  ****

  Catherine studied the serious look on Trent’s face, and the tension in her body eased. His concern for her was holding him back, not his lack of desire. For the first time since he entered the cabin, she felt as if he actually wanted her as his wife. Yes, he wanted to fuck her, but for him to think about her pleasure instead of his own confirmed her belief in his caring nature.

  Her gaze dropped to the brown hair covering his chest. Small male nipples lay hidden in the shadows, and lean muscles outlined his strong frame. Unable to keep from touching him, she sat up and brushed her fingers through the curly horde. “Then maybe we should speed things up.”

  “Catherine.” The rough sound of his voice drew her gaze to his mouth. The garnet color of his lips tempted her, and she leaned forward to brush her mouth against his. The taste of him sparked images of springtime—fresh air, a warm gentle breeze, and the sun soft and inviting on her face. She wanted more and threw her arms around his neck.

  Trent rubbed his large hands over her shoulders and along her back. “Honey,” he murmured against her lips. “You need to trust me. It’ll be so much better if we take our time.”

  Yet, his actions defied his words when he took possession of her mouth. She offered no resistance to his will, and the wet stroke of his tongue ignited a fire in her blood. Silken strokes teased the roof of her mouth, and her moans joined the low chirp of the crickets outside. His arousing kiss transported her into a fantasy world she’d only imagined before tonight.

  The brush of his hands tickled her ribs. She twisted away, and his thumbs hit the underside of her breasts. Energy surged through her chest, and her nipples tingled. Air backed up in her lungs, and she drew back.

  Trent released her mouth and lifted his head.

  She gasped for air and sank back onto the bed. He followed her to the surface and rested his weight on one elbow. The heat of his body scorched her side. He scraped his callused hand over her ribs and cupped her breast in his palm. “I’ve always enjoyed having a woman with nice breasts.”

  The twinkle in his eyes and the soft smile on his lips revealed his desire. Yet, she couldn’t see how her body looked different than any other women. “Why?”

  He lowered his head to her breast. “Because I like…” He licked the tight tip, and moist heat shrouded her nipple.

  The seductive squeeze of his hand sent a bolt of lighting through the center of her body. Moisture gathered in her core. She gasped and tightened her grip on his thick biceps. “Oh, my, that feels incredible.”

  Trent wrapped his tongue around the peak and sucked the bud deep into his mouth. Sweet delight changed into a maddening frenzy when he raked his teeth over her nipple. A long moan escaped from her throat, but he didn’t let up.

  Instead, he shifted his mouth to her other breast while his fingers toyed with the nipple he’d left behind. Pleasure bordering on pain seared through her chest. A hunger grew low in her belly, and she rocked her hips to appease the ache between her legs.

  Confusion clouded her mind. This wasn’t the same as when she’d pleasured herself. Anticipation fluttered over her skin like a swarm of butterflies seeking nectar. I never imagined my breasts could be so—

  He skimmed a hand over her stomach, circled her navel, and traveled lower. His finger rustled through the short hairs covering her mound and slipped between her folds. Catherine gasped at the unexpected penetration and lifted off the bed. “Trent.”

  He raised his head, and the dark lust in his brown eyes added to the incredible sensation of his probing finger. “You’re nice and wet.” The deep tone of his voice sent quivers of longing down her spine. “And oh so tight.”

  “But…” She struggled to form words while at the same time absorb the thrill of his seductive touch, and she marveled at the difference from her own.

  Strong and forceful, he plunged a finger into her cunt, retreated, then added another on the next
thrust. His mouth covered her breast again, sucking it deep as he added another finger and spread her wider. Delicious pressure built in her womb, and a quick breath rushed into her lungs. She closed her eyes to savor the exquisite sensation and released a long moan.

  The wet sound of his hand working in and out of her pussy fed her desire. She rocked her head back and forth on the pillow and pumped her hips, begging him in the best way she knew how not to stop.

  Suddenly, the suction over her nipple ended. Air cooled the over-sensitized tip. A shiver raced down her spine.

  “I can see you like having my mouth on your breasts and my fingers inside you.” He ran a wicked finger over her clit. “But there’s so much more I plan to discover before you explode.” Trent shifted one knee between hers. The other followed. The rough cotton of his pants grazed her thighs.

  She cracked open her eyelids as he rolled onto his haunches between her legs. A crooked smile curved his lips as his dark gaze fell to the apex of her thighs.

  Naked and exposed, she rose onto her elbows and pulled herself toward the top of the bed. The large bulge under his pants drew her attention. “Don’t you need to shed your breeches?”

  “No.” He guided his hands over her knees and along her inner thighs. The warm touch stopped inches from her pussy. He leaned closer and his nostrils flared. “You smell heavenly, and I bet you taste even better.”

  Before she could grasp the meaning behind his words, he dipped his head and ran his tongue along the seam of her nether lips.

  A scream erupted from her throat and a fire blossomed in her core, sending licking flames down her thighs. She captured his head with her hands and arched her back.

  “Delicious,” he muttered and eased his hands under her hips, lifting her pussy to his mouth. One long stroke of his tongue, followed by a light flutter over her clit. Each swipe vibrated through her core until her whole body pulsed. She wiggled and squirmed, the raw passion almost too much to bear.

  His head in her hands, she held him against her hungry flesh as his tongue dipped into her in quick jabs and ignited waves of pleasure, almost frightening in their intensity. Each pushed her higher, shoving her into a dizzying height of ecstasy.