Before she could reply, he slid a finger inside her, and she let out a low, needy moan, nearly seeing stars when he changed the angle and increased the pressure. “Brock.”
“Yeah? Tell me. What do you want?”
She tried to catch her breath and tell him, but his movements were exquisite and her panting increased. Unable to control herself, she thrust her hip, and gripped the arm he was using for leverage on the bed. “I…want…that,” she managed between breaths.
Holding her gaze, he added another finger, and when his thumb brushed the outside of her folds, she burst into the million pieces his touch had promised right from the start. After several seconds, minutes, days…she finally came back to herself, feeling blissfully boneless and relaxed.
She smiled as he stood at the foot of the bed, removing her boots, then her skirt.
“You’re so beautiful, Jen,” he said, staring at her lying on top of the sheets in just her black lace panties.
Gaze still on her, he quickly pulled off his boots, then the rest of his clothes, his erection thick and proud as he bent to trail kisses up her inner thighs. But when his mouth brushed over her still tender flesh, her hips shot off the bed. “Easy.” Warm breath tickled her sensitive skin while his large palm pressed against her belly and gently lowered her back down. A few more talented swirls of his tongue and her satiated body started to heat back to life.
That’s when he drew back to grab a condom from his jeans. She sat up, eager to get her hands on his throbbing flesh. It was time she gave him some pleasure.
Twisting them around, she shoved him onto his back before he could cover what she needed to taste. “My turn,” she said, and giving him no chance to protest, took his tip into her mouth and treated him to some of that swirling tongue action.
A muffled curse left his lips as he closed his eyes and gripped the sheets. She watched the big, strong cowboy fight to hold onto his control. “So damn good.” The muscles in his neck and shoulders strained as heat and need meshed to form an almost painful expression. A warm thrill gripped her tight at the knowledge she was responsible for taking him there.
Two strong arms grasped her shoulders and pulled her up his body. “Not this time,” he said, flipping their positions. “I’ve been thinking of this all day.” He opened the condom and slipped it on before he positioned himself between her legs and pushed in with the tip.
She gasped and clutched his hips as he slid inside.
“Damn, Jen, you feel so good wrapped around me.” The heat and need from before paled in comparison to the raw, pure pleasure lining his face.
Then he began to move, and she lost all coherent thought. Only the slide of their bodies, their heat, and moans mattered. He had her on the fast train, building that ache, promising to take her over that blissful edge. She was becoming addicted to the sensations he had awakened in her body. Her mind had convinced her it hadn’t been real back at the gulf. That she’d imagined the roar of blood through her ears, the heavy thud of her heart as it beat wildly in her chest, the unrivaled heat scorching her veins as he took her higher and higher out of herself.
It had in no way been the alcohol.
It was all Brock Kincaid.
And boy, was she enjoying all of Brock Kincaid.
Dipping down, he captured her mouth, kissing her frantic and hot, sliding his tongue against hers as he upped their pace. She tried to hang on, tried to savor every sensation for as long as possible, but his movements, and the delicious feel of his hard, thick length driving inside her, filling every speck of space, was too much.
She broke the kiss and called out his name, as once again, she toppled over pleasure’s edge.
“Ah…yeah…Jen,” he muttered, throwing his head back and trusting one last, deep thrust before he followed her over to the paradise he’d created.
Slipping her arms around his back, she held the man breathing heavy against her shoulder as he worked to catch his breath like her. With her body still tingling, and relaxed and satisfied, she had to stifle a threatening yawn. No way did she want the magic man to think she wasn’t up for more before the night was through. He was way too good for a oncey.
“You okay?” he asked, kissing her shoulder before lifting up to stare down at her face, concern and lingering heat warming his eyes.
She smiled and reached up to trace his jaw. “It’s like I told you in the barn, cowboy, you took care of me real good. When can we do that again?”
Sunlight was spilling through a crack in the curtain, highlighting the golden tone of Jen’s soft, warm skin as she slept naked with him, entwined in the sheets after a night of hot sex. Brock hadn’t meant to stay until morning. Talk was going to be bad enough with him in the house alone with the young ranch owner. But when he’d tried to detangle himself to leave last night, she’d kissed his chest, tossed a leg over his, and the heat between her thighs had sparked another round that ended with them both extremely satisfied and exhausted. He’d fallen asleep.
Once again, a night with Jen had been incredible. Memorable. A true rarity. Her touch, her kisses, her moans had sparked feelings and responses that scared him shitless. He wasn’t sure what it meant, other than if he let it happen again, he was screwed. There were still seven weeks left before he finished his contract in Harland County and started another up in Amarillo.
He inhaled and closed his eyes. The soft, flowery perfume of the woman curled into him mixed with the scent of their lovemaking to form a heady fragrance he wasn’t likely to forget.
As if he’d ever forget his time with this special lady.
“Mmm…” Her warm sigh washed over his skin as her hold on his hip tightened. “You’re thinking so loud it woke me up, cowboy.”
He smiled and rolled her over, thrilled at the need flaming her beautiful, sleepy gaze. “Well, now that you’re up…”
Her smile grew as wicked as the hand that found and stroked his already throbbing erection. “So are you.”
“That’s your fault,” he said, dipping down to nibble her earlobe, then bite the soft spot on her neck that made her squirm.
She had great squirm.
Her intake of breath brought her gorgeous breasts in contact with his chest, and he groaned at the exquisite feel of her beaded nipples scraping his skin, beckoning for the attention he was more than happy to give.
A second later, he had one beauty in his mouth and the other between his thumb and forefinger when his cell phone rang in his discarded jeans on the floor. Damn. He drew back, then rolled off the bed to fish his phone from his pocket.
Glancing at the caller ID, he fought a moment of panic. Gram. She’d never call this early if it wasn’t an emergency. “Gram? You okay?”
“Yes, Brock, I’m sorry to bother you so early, but I just got up to put coffee on and read the paper, and found the laundry room and hall flooded. The dang hot water heater must’ve busted over night.”
Shit.
He sank down onto the bed and gripped the phone tight. When the hell was he ever going to catch a break?
“Okay,” he said, taking pains to keep the aggravation from his voice. “I’ll be there within the hour. I’ll take care of it. Don’t you do anything.”
After the seventy-year-old promised she’d leave the mess alone, he hung up and cursed.
The clean up was one thing, but where the hell was he going to get the money to buy a new water heater and replace the drywall and floor he knew had to be a mess? All the money he was saving from this job was supposed to be slapped onto the mortgage at the end of the month.
“Brock?” A warm hand ran up his back. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
He patted the hand Jen placed on his shoulder. “My grandmother’s hot water heater busted. I’ve got to go.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
Releasing her, he shook his head. “No, but thanks for offering.”
This was his problem. He’d take care of it somehow. He always did.
“Okay.” S
he squeezed his shoulder. “If you change your mind, I’m right here.”
She was sweet and giving. He didn’t deserve her. She didn’t deserve him. She deserved more. Much more. Someone who could provide for her, and right now, he couldn’t even provide for himself.
Disgusted, Brock toed the jeans and belt at his feet, then closed his eyes. There really wasn’t another option. He knew what he had to do.
Eight days.
It’d been eight days since the incredible night in Brock’s arms and Jen hadn’t seen much of the cowboy since. When he wasn’t working on the ranch, he was running to his grandmother’s in the next county. She knew from Lenny that the guy was busy cleaning and remodeling the laundry room.
But she missed him. Missed his heated glances. Warm smiles. Devilish grins. They were all gone. Now, whenever she saw him, his expression was sad, closed up. Cold. She rubbed her arms as she hid, crouched down behind his truck, waiting for him to appear.
It was Saturday morning, and after he finished his rounds in the stable, she knew he was going to head to his grandmother’s to work on the remodel for the rest of the weekend. Well, dammit, so was she.
Even if he didn’t want her help.
The misguided notion that he wasn’t good enough for her was starting to piss Jen off. It was bullshit, and she was having none of it.
Gripping her duffle bag of clothes, she stilled as the crunch of gravel under boots hit her ears. As soon as she heard his door open, she rushed to the passenger side and jumped in.
“What the hell?” He blinked, then frowned. “Jen, what are you doing?”
“Going with you.” She clicked her seatbelt and smiled.
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.”
Jaw set, he leaned across her and opened the door. “Get out.”
Chapter Five
“Nope.”
“Jesus, Jen. I don’t want to argue. Just please get out. I’m heading to my grandmother’s to paint and finish the damn laundry room.”
“I know. I’m going to help you. It’ll go faster with two people,” she said. “And I’m pretty darn good at painting.”
Watercolors. On canvas.
Her last stint at painting the bathroom at her college apartment proved she was apt at getting more paint on her than the walls. But he didn’t need to know.
The cowboy blinked at her, aggravation turning to defeat. He slumped his shoulders. “Fine. Does your brother know?”
“Yep. So, I’m all yours this weekend.”
Apprehension dulled his gaze and his grip tightened on the steering wheel. “Jen…”
“For remodeling,” she quickly added. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”
A small twitch pulled Brock’s lips as he started the truck and backed up. “I think you know I don’t own any.”
She smiled. “I know. But I do, and if you’re a good boy, maybe I’ll let you have them.”
His frown returned. “Jen, if that’s why you’re going with me, then you really should stay home. You know I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“I know, neither am I,” she said, folding her arms across her chest. “I’m helping a friend, and if at the end of the day, we happen to want some hot sex, so be it. If not, that’s fine too, but you aren’t going to keep me from helping out. Okay?”
He stared at her a moment before he nodded. “Okay.”
“Good, and if you think you can threaten me with no sex just to keep me from working, you have another thing coming, cowboy. I’m going to your grandmother’s house to work, and by God, I’m going to work, you got that?”
Another twitch tugged his lips until a full-fledged smile appeared. “Got it.”
By the afternoon, Brock realized he was in big trouble. When they’d first arrived, he’d watched his grandmother and Jen interact, smiling and joking in the kitchen. It had been years since the house had heard his grandmother’s laughter. Warmth spread through his heart. It was good to see the woman who’d worked her ass off and sacrificed her whole life for him enjoying the company of a woman whose company he enjoyed. Seeing the happiness light the older woman’s face, subtracting years from her appearance, was like hitting the lottery. His chest squeezed tight, and he had to resist the urge to rub the ache.
Somehow, the beautiful ranch owner was erasing the walls he’d erected around his heart. Her friendly smile, genuine kindness, and addicting kisses all added up to a force of nature he couldn’t resist. Didn’t want to resist.
He should.
He still felt Jen deserved someone who could provide more. But the way she looked at him, as if he was all she wanted, needed, made him feel ten feet tall. It had been so damn long since anyone had made him feel like he was their world. Actually, she was the only one who made him feel that way. And he liked it. A lot.
Needed it.
Craved it.
Maybe, just for this weekend, he could enjoy her company and the way she made him feel.
Blinking, he brought his mind back to the present, and finished rolling the wall with the robin’s egg blue paint his gram had picked out. That was the second coat. Jen was right. It had gone much faster with her help. He glanced at the accounting major, lower lip pulled firmly between her teeth as she worked on the adjacent wall.
A wide smile tugged at his mouth. He set his roller down on the end of the tray and stood, silently watching her complete her task. As if sensing his gaze, she stiffened and turned around, a small smile curving her lips.
“Did I miss a spot?”
His smile widened. “Nope. I think you covered yourself pretty good.”
She looked like a smurf. A sexy one, complete with a blue nose and ponytail. And butt. He couldn’t forget the blue splotch across her sweet ass.
“I did?” She glanced down at herself and laughed. “Well, at least the wall looks good.”
He transferred his gaze to the wall. “Yes, I particularly like the assprint. I think you should sign it.”
“What? Where?” She twisted around to gaze at her handy work, and gasped. “Sign my ass,” she muttered as she rolled the spot smooth.
“I think you already did,” he couldn’t resist teasing.
“Yeah.” She straightened and stepped back, studying her wall again. “What can I say, I like to be thorough.”
He snickered. “It shows.”
She pivoted on her heel and smiled. He should’ve known by the wicked gleam in her eyes that Smurfette was up to something, but her blue-tipped boobs sidetracked him enough to allow her paint-soaked roller to make contact with his chest.
“Oh…you did not just…” he stammered, glancing down at the baby blue paint covering his shirt.
“Oops, did I do that?”
He glanced at the woman blinking her own baby blues at him. Laughing, he lunged for her and she squeaked. “Come here.”
She dropped her roller and rushed toward the door, but he caught her and spun her around.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, hauling her up against his painted shirt while she giggled.
“Hey…” She placed her hands on his chest and grimaced. “You’re all wet.”
He chuckled, staring into those fathomless sapphire eyes. “I wonder how that happened.”
“Me too,” she said, then cupped his face and kissed him long and wet and deep.
Crushing her closer, he gave himself permission to let go of his control. She was intoxicating and fun, and he was soaking in every bit. It wasn’t until they drew apart for air, and a triumphant gleam entered her heated gaze, that he realized her sly maneuver.
She held up her paint stained hands and smiled. “You better suck in more air, cowboy. Your face is blue.”
Before he could retaliate, his grandmother stepped into the room and stopped dead. “Oh, my.” The older woman chuckled. “Look at you two. You’re as pretty as the walls.”
“Why thank you.” Smiling, Jen curtsied. “But I don’t think pretty is a man
ly enough word for your grandson. I think he’d prefer bluebeard the pirate.” She slid an arm around his waist and grinned up at him. “And I’m his sidekick, Robin…no, wait.” A frown wrinkled her brow. “That would make him Batman. I don’t like Batman. I like Spiderman, but I don’t like spiders.”
He laughed and dropped an arm around her shoulders.
She was adorable.
His grandmother laughed some more, then sobered and let out a contented sigh. “It’s so nice to see you smiling and happy, Brock.” She sniffed. “Thank you for that, Jen. You’re good for him.”
Jen squeezed his hip. “He makes me happy, too.”
“I noticed,” his gram replied. “And I can also see you’re going to have a heck of a time cleaning up, so I’d better let you get to it.” She held up a tote bag loaded with material. “I was just on my way out to quilt with the ladies. Don’t wait up for me. It’s movie night at the senior center.”
A second later, his grandmother was gone, and he was alone in the house with the sexy woman responsible for the tightening in his groin. And the smile curving his lips.
“You look great all covered in blue.”
Stepping back, she held out her arms and glanced at herself. “I’d deliberately brought old clothes so I could throw them out. I just hope I can get all the paint off my hair and skin.”
“You’re in luck,” he said, moving closer, holding her amused gaze.
“Oh?”
“Yep. I happen to be a great cleaner and would be happy to lend a hand.”
That wicked gleam reappeared in her eyes and kick-started his pulse.
“Well now, I just might take you up on that, cowboy, if you’ll lend a little more than your hand.”
“I think that could be arranged.” He swept her into his arms, enjoying the feel of her clinging to him as he carried her upstairs to his master bath. “I should warn you, though.” He let her slide to her feet, then began to peel off her clothes. “This will probably take all night.”
Chapter Six
Harland County Christmas (Harland County Series) Page 5