Yeah, look and learn, little girl, because this is how it’s done.
“Now please tell me you didn’t get so involved helping this girl with her horse problems that you forgot about our celebration tonight.”
Annabeth’s eyes narrowed at the word girl but she wisely kept her heavily glossed lips closed.
“I didn’t forget. I was gonna call you when I finished.”
Tanna placed her hand on Fletch’s chest. His broad, rock-hard chest—and jealousy lit Annabeth’s eyes at Tanna’s casual touch. Then she ran her palm up the outside of his arm. His thickly muscled arm. Next she turned her head and looked around the empty space. “Where’s the patient?”
“He’s loaded up. Nothin’ major that required an overnight stay.”
“Thank goodness. I’m so grateful to you, Dr. Fletcher, for making time for me,” Annabeth said in a breathy tone. “Percival means everything to me and I’d lose my mind if anything happened to him. Especially if it was my fault.”
That comment caused a tiny blip in Tanna’s radar. That’d been directed at her. So Snoopy Barbie had checked her out after she’d accompanied Fletch to an “emergency” visit to the Edmunds ranch on a Sunday afternoon.
“You treat that horse like gold, Annabeth.”
“I do pride myself on taking good care of things that belong to me. Being neglectful usually leads to big problems.” She gave Tanna a challenging stare.
Oh, honey, please. Is that the best you can do?
“I couldn’t agree more. I’m sure your daddy is proud he’s got such a smart teenager.” She smiled and focused on Fletch—his facial expression wavered between laughter and exasperation. “Well, darlin’ man of mine, as long as I’m here, I’m gonna check the Ludlows’ file and track down their phone number. I do believe I left my favorite scarf there when we were preg testing ewes. I’ll be waiting in your office after you lock up back here.” Tanna looked Annabeth right in the eye and said, “Nice seeing you again,” but she clearly meant, “I wanna see the ass-end of you now, girlie.” She sauntered to the door leading to the reception area without looking back.
She thought about heading straight to Fletch’s office, but it was dark enough that they wouldn’t see her peeking out the small window, just to make sure Annabeth was about to skedaddle her skinny butt home.
Fletch walked Annabeth to the door. The little snot stayed close enough to him that their arms brushed. Then as she said good-bye, she threw her arms around him, smashing her body against his.
Point for Fletch that his hands remained at his sides.
Point for Tanna that she didn’t storm back out there and beat the fuck out of that little shit for putting her greedy hands on Tanna’s man.
She blinked. Where had that violent thought come from?
Fletch pushed the button and the door began to close.
Tanna hustled to his office. She plopped in his chair and propped her boots on his desk. Her fingers twisted the gold chain hanging from her neck as she waited.
Oh, this was gonna be some fun.
He appeared in the doorway, his hands braced on the doorframe as if deciding whether to come in. “Was that really necessary?”
“Absolutely. And given the fact she still hugged you good-bye, I could’ve been a lot clearer.”
Fletch bestowed that slow, panty-dropping grin on her. “Even if she didn’t get the message, I did. Loud and clear.”
“What message would that be, Dr. Fletcher?”
“That you’re all woman, a woman to be reckoned with, and you’re all mine.”
“Mmm. But I am feeling the teeniest bit hurt, sugarplum, that we had celebration plans tonight, and you were too nice a guy to tell Annabeth to get lost.” Tanna cocked her head. “Was it her great conversational skills or her shameless display of perky tits that held you enthralled?”
He shrugged. “She has a nice rack. I’m a breast man, if you’ll recall.” His eyes locked on her fingertips brushing the top of her cleavage as she twisted the necklace. Then his gaze moved to her mouth. “But I’d be more than happy to give you a demonstration of how much I love your rack, if you need a refresher.”
Tanna laughed. “Why don’t you come over here and give me a kiss. Then you can work that talented mouth of yours down to my poor neglected rack.” Fletch started toward her with that gleam in his eye. “Ah-ah. Not so fast. Take off your shirt first.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Partially because you have a fantastic chest and I can’t get enough of it. The other reason is because you smell like her perfume.”
Fletch stripped the shirt off and tossed it aside.
She dropped her boots to the floor and pushed the office chair back, making room for him.
His hands gripped the chair’s armrests and his liquid gaze seemed to drink in every nuance of her face. “Sweet Jesus, you’re so damn hot when you’re jealous.” His mouth crashed down on hers, owning her with his hungry, possessive kiss.
No hands. No body parts rubbing together. Just lips and tongues and passion. Good Lord. He packed so much passion into the kiss, she felt dizzy.
He eased back, their breath still mingling, their damp lips barely apart. “I need you in my bed, sugar twang.”
“We’ll get there, but first things first.” Tanna pushed him and his butt connected with his desk. Watching his face, she hit the hydraulic lever on the chair until she was at the perfect height.
“Woman, you’ve got a gleam in your eye that’s making me nervous.”
She scooted forward, placing her hands on his knees. Then she slid her palms up his thighs. Reaching his pelvis, she scraped her fingernails up the length of his already hard cock. “Is nervous another word for antsy?” She pulled the end of his belt through the belt loop of his jeans.
“I’m antsy if this is goin’ where I think it’s goin’.”
Tanna tugged the belt buckle, revealing the button on his jeans. Keeping her eyes on his, she said, “Ever been sucked off in your office?”
He shook his head.
“Seriously? A hot doctor like you never had a veterinary assistant follow you in here, lock the door and get on her knees?”
“Ah. No.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve strongly discouraged anyone from hanging out in my office.”
“Good.” She bent forward and mouthed his shaft through the denim, blowing hot air into the material and lightly sinking her teeth down.
He hissed.
She looked up at him across the expanse of his chest. “Drop your pants.”
Fletch didn’t scramble to lose his pants. He stood and very methodically eased the zipper down and loosened each side, revealing gray pin-striped boxer briefs.
“Classy.”
“I thought so.” He slid his hands down the flat plane of his abdomen, his fingers slipping beneath the fabric and shoving until his jeans caught the tops of his hiking boots.
“How far can you spread your legs? Or are the jeans hobbling you?”
He widened his knees.
“Perfect. I can play with your balls too.”
He muttered, “Christ, you’re killing me,” but he leaned back and braced himself on the desk.
Tanna rolled forward. She nuzzled his sac and licked from root to tip. Then back down. With her fingers circling the base, she pulled his cock away from his body and swallowed it in one gulp.
He groaned.
She sucked, letting his flavor fill her senses completely before releasing the hard shaft a little at a time. “I love the way you taste.” She tongued the tip of his cock and reached for his heavy balls. After eliciting such sexy hot sounds from him, she switched the position of her hand and mouth. Sucking his balls into her mouth and rolling the globes over her tongue while her thumb teased the rim of his cockhead.
&
nbsp; “Goddamn, that feels good.”
As much as she liked to drag out the torture, loving the power in hearing a man beg, she was too greedy this time. As soon as she released his balls, her lips were sliding down his cock.
Another groan.
Her hands stroked the tops of his thighs as his dick shuttled in and out of her mouth. Tanna wanted to bring him off with only her mouth. No hands jacking him. Just suction, friction and wet heat.
And skill.
His legs began to bounce and she had to dig in her fingernails to stop the motion. “Sorry. It’s just so fucking good.”
She moaned around his shaft and his entire body shuddered from the sensation. She plunged his cock completely in past her gag reflex and released it just as quickly until the tip quivered on her lips. Tanna got lost in the rhythm, in the taste, in their mutual sounds of pleasure.
“I’m close. Jesus. How can I already be . . . goddamn, that tongue of yours is lethal.”
She shortened the strokes, only taking half his cock in her mouth and concentrating on sucking the head. Lips, teeth, tongue worked him.
His legs started to shake, but he didn’t pound his hips into her face. He made that strangled groan, his body went rigid and his head dropped back.
She sucked in time to the first couple pulses, feeling the come coating her tongue. Then she deep throated him and swallowed as he moaned and cursed and praised her in the same breath as God.
Then Fletch’s hand landed on her head, patting her hair so sweetly. She dislodged his cock from her throat and suckled the tip one more time before releasing him.
Tanna tried to catch her breath and find a comfortable position because her panties were soaked.
Then she noticed the damndest thing. His dick hadn’t immediately gone soft. In fact, if she hadn’t felt his cock jerking on her tongue and tasted his sticky cream, she’d think he hadn’t come at all.
His gentle touch on her head vanished. He twined his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back to look into his face.
“Yes, I’m still hard as a fucking brick. That’s what you do to me, Tanna. You sucked me off and I came so hard I thought I’d popped something in my brain. But when I look at you, or put my hands on you, or think about getting naked with you”—his cock jumped against his belly—“I’m totally hard again.” Wildness danced in his eyes.
She expected he’d release her hair but he didn’t.
“I’ve never had sex in this office. Or any rooms in this building. As I conjured depraved places I wanted to fuck you mindless, I realized you were already in the place I wanted you the most. Handy, huh?” He grinned at her. “Now ditch all them clothes you’re wearing.”
As she rolled the chair back, she ditched the tank top. After toeing off her boots, she shimmied out of her jeans and traced the satin edges of her plain white bra, holding back a laugh at his greedy look. “You want this off, rack-lovin’ man? You’ll have to do it.”
“That right?”
Her hands moved down and she traced the satin edge of her matching panties. “These too.”
“You’re awful bossy for the one who ain’t in charge.”
“Who says I’m not in charge?”
Then he plucked her out of the chair, spinning them both around and pinning her to the desk. “Bigger, badder, stronger”—he flashed his teeth—“hornier; sugar twang, I’m always in charge.” He popped the front enclosure on her bra and stripped it away. “Take off the panties or I’ll cut ’em off.”
She maneuvered around until they were gone. Where they ended up, she didn’t care.
“Don’t. Move.” He snagged a condom from his jeans. Suited up, he pressed his crotch against hers, resting his cock on her slit. Rolling his hips so the ridged edge of his cockhead rubbed on her clit. Back and forth. Spreading her wetness until they were both sticky with it.
Damn man knew how to rev her up.
Fletch studied her face. “Do you want to get off like this?”
Tanna shook her head.
“You sure?” Short jabs put constant pressure on that hot spot. His pulling and twisting fingers exacted the perfect amount of pressure on her nipples. “Once this way, and once me hammering into you as hard as you like it.”
“No. I want you in me when I come.”
“Does wild things to me to hear you say stuff like that.”
“I can tell.” Tanna arched her back and widened her thighs. “How about when I do this?”
“Oh yeah. Put your arms above you. Turn your head and moan.”
Tanna followed his instructions, but added in a breathy voice, “Ooh, Dr. Fletcher, you’re such an animal.” She moaned softly. “Please. Do me now.”
“Total fantasy moment, fucking a gorgeous woman across my desk. I’ll be reliving this for years.”
So would she.
But he’d stopped moving.
“We playing doctor or what?”
“Look at me.”
She opened her eyes at his soft command.
Oh, hello, lust. The possessive way he looked at her sent shivers up her spine. “Fletch? What’s wrong?”
“Nothin’. Everything is right for once.”
Tell him you love him.
But as he plowed into her all coherent thought vanished.
Chapter Thirty-three
Tanna could say one thing about Sutton, when he made up his mind to do something, he acted on it immediately. She agreed to watch a training video online, featuring the seven-year-old blue roan mare. Intrigued, she watched another, and another, until she’d seen them all.
When Sutton asked whether she was interested in trying the horse, and she said yes, then next thing she knew, he was on the phone with the breeders, discussing possible dates.
Given Tanna’s schedule, she couldn’t take a few days off and drive to Colorado. So color her shocked when the owners of the Grade A Horse Farm agreed to bring Madera to her over the weekend.
And now they were almost here.
No pressure.
“Tanna. Stop pacing. You’re makin’ me crazy.”
“Can’t help it. I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be. Chuck and Berlin Gradsky are good people. They’re just as nervous to meet you.”
Probably because they’re afraid to let me on their horse.
Sutton sighed. “I know exactly what you’re thinking, Tanna, and that’s not it. Come here.” Sutton dug his thumbs into her shoulders and moved outward toward the ball of her shoulder. “Maybe this’ll help.”
“Oh. God. That is perfect.”
“Just what I love to hear when I’ve got my hands on a beautiful woman,” he murmured.
Warning bells went off. Sutton had been saying things like that since they’d set up this test run. Was he flirting with her?
Don’t be ridiculous. Sutton knows you’re with Fletch. You’re just feeling neglected by the man you love.
Fletch had been scarce the last week. They’d seen each other once. They’d talked on the phone twice. She understood he was busy, but they hadn’t been this hit-and-miss since they’d first started seeing each other before Fletch started his sabbatical.
A truck and trailer rig eased up the driveway.
Her heart rate increased dramatically.
“Showtime.” Sutton squeezed her shoulders once before his hands fell away.
She knew the drill. Let the owners unload the horse. Let the horse run free in the corral a bit. Then introduce her.
Tanna remained in the shadows and paced. She heard the horse kick the inside of the trailer. The sound of hooves hitting metal made her jump.
Eli was on hand although Summer had made herself scarce.
Tanna wanted Fletch here so bad she dug her phone out of her pocket.
You don’t need a man to be strong. You c
an do this.
She didn’t call him.
Late afternoon heat seeped into her bones. She ducked into the barn and let the cool darkness calm her. Breathing in familiar scents. Watching dust motes dance in the shafts of sunlight like bits of fading glitter. She rested against the partition that held her tack, knowing she might not need it. Some owners preferred to use their own bits and training gear, especially in a situation like this one. She forced herself to zone out and wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the barn door creaked.
An arc of sunlight cut through the shadows. “Tanna?”
“I’m here.”
“Thought you might be. Gradskys are ready for you.”
“Okay.”
Eli’s boot steps thudded across the dirt floor. “You all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t have to do this, you know.”
“I want to. I just don’t know how to tell them that even if they do lend me the horse for a trial period, I don’t know how I’ll pay for feed.”
“We’ll figure something out. I promise.”
Her lips flattened. “This isn’t Sutton’s doing?”
“We’ll talk later. They’re waiting.”
“What do I need to bring out?”
“Just your saddle and saddle pad.”
Tanna grabbed her stuff and headed to the corral.
Chuck and Berlin Gradsky were in conversation with Sutton.
Tanna came up on the back side of the corral. She thrust out her hand. “Hi. I’m Tanna Barker.”
The slender, dark-haired woman, fifty or so, smiled. “I’m Berlin Gradsky. This is my husband, Chuck.”
She shook his hand. “Nice to meet you both. Thanks for driving up here and for the opportunity to try out your horse.”
“We’re happy to be here. We’ve been huge fans for years. We watched you win all three championships at the MGM Grand.”
Tanna smiled. “Those were good times. Anything I oughta know about Madera before we get started?”
“She’s been brushed down. Since we knew you’d ride her right away, we left on her protective boots.” Berlin handed over a bridle. “We’ve been reintroducing competition bits, but for right now we’d prefer if you’d use this transition bit.”
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