Cowboy Truth: Cowboy Justice Association #3 (18 page)

When she finally exploded for a second time, the room spun and her world tilted on its axis. He was every bit as good as he’d boasted and she realized belatedly she’d screamed his name as her climax had taken her over the edge, curling her toes and sending her into orbit.

She heard him rummaging in the bedside table and then the crinkle of a condom wrapper. The head of his cock nudged her entrance and she slid her feet wider apart. He pressed forward then paused, letting her get used to his girth. Her unused muscles stretched to accommodate him and she started to feel pleasure fizz in her veins like bubbles in a fine champagne.

His weight on his palms, he entered her at his own leisurely pace, their gazes locked. She watched his jaw tighten as he gave her every delicious inch. Gasping at the sensation, he filled every nook and cranny of her pussy with his cock. Her world rocked and she grasped his wide shoulders desperate for something solid to hold onto.

He fucked her slowly at first, never looking away or breaking the tenuous connection that tethered them together. Never in her life had she felt this close to another human being, this wide open and exposed. It was as if he could see all her secrets and thoughts written boldly across her features.

She could certainly see his. His expression was stamped with passion but something else as well. He looked surprised, as if he hadn’t expected to feel this deeply or this much. There was also a look of edgy control as if he wanted to hide everything from her.

She wouldn’t let him.

Wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck she abandoned herself to the onslaught of pleasure their synchronized movements evoked. His jaw tightened and then went slack as he too gave himself over, giving up the control he’d hidden behind for so long. He rode her hard and fast, their bodies shimmering with a fine sheen of sweat.

Amazed, she felt her orgasm building inside her again. Ragged breaths and murmured encouragement gave way to unintelligible groans. His cock swelled inside of her and he reached between them, his thumb caressing her clit and sending her flying off the edge of the cliff.

He buried his face in her neck and whispered hot, filthy words into her ear. She could feel her pussy tighten around his cock and the ripples of pleasure crested into waves so overwhelming all she could do was hold on for dear life.

When it was finally over, they slumped together on the bed, sated and sweaty. Ava deliberately kept her mind from straying anywhere but this moment. There would be time later to think; now she only wanted to revel in this feeling she may never know again.

Her hand stroked his spine and she heard him drag air into his lungs before levering himself up from the bed. She immediately felt cold without his body heat and she pulled a blanket over her to cover her nakedness.

“I’ll be right back.” He padded into the bathroom on bare feet, and she caught a glimpse of his muscular backside as he went. She took the opportunity to let her heart rate return to something like normal and curled up deeper into the covers. Unsure of what was expected of her now, she waited for the ax to fall. Would he expect her to get dressed and leave? She didn’t want to put any pressure on him or ask for more than he could give. She’d known doing this was a gamble. The odds weren’t in her favor but she’d been powerless to resist his plea to stay.

Face it, she’d wanted to be here with him. She’d wanted this.

He quietly returned to bed and she moved over to make room for him. He pulled her into his arms, pillowing her head on his shoulder. It felt like she belonged there but she knew better.

“Sleep. I’m going to want to make love with you again in a few hours. I want to make love with you all night, good girl. You’re going to need your rest.”

She lay there quietly until his even breathing signaled he was deeply asleep. She extricated herself from his arms and headed into the bathroom, taking care of a few things and splashing cold water on her face. She leaned over the sink patting her face with a towel ineffectually.

Tears were running down her cheeks, the liquid salty on her tongue. She didn’t bother to swipe at them. Instead she stood braced against the vanity and let the silent sobs rack her body until she was worn out, her eyes red and swollen.

When she was done, she pulled herself together, blew her stuffy nose, and slipped back into the bedroom. Clumsily, she found her clothes in the dark and dressed as quietly as she could. She looked around for her purse before realizing that it still sat on the porch steps. She walked out of the house, locking the door behind her so she wouldn’t be tempted to go back in.

Picking up her purse, she fished for her keys and headed for her car. She needed space and she needed it now. She simply couldn’t face Logan in the bright light of day and watch him back away from her. The pain would be too great.

She would never ask Logan for something he wouldn’t give of his own free will. If she stayed tonight, she just might beg.

Chapter Fourteen

L
ogan stomped up the steps of Ava’s parents’ house, banged on the front door, and tried to calm the fuck down. He’d been breathing fire since about five in the morning. It had been hard to cool his heels until the sun was up but he didn’t want to wake up Ava’s parents in the middle of the night.

When he’d woken up around midnight and found nothing but cold sheets he’d been shocked at first but it had quickly morphed into anger. Three cups of coffee and several hours later, his rarely seen temper had ratcheted up from simmering to fucking livid.

It didn’t help that he had a good idea why she’d left. In a way, he couldn’t blame her. He didn’t have the best of reputations with women. But fuck it all, after everything that had gone on between them, she should have given him a chance. He’d told her things he’d never told another human being. Didn’t she see that he’d made himself vulnerable?

Then she’d gone and kicked him in the nuts. Figuratively, but it still fucking hurt.

Carol Hayworth opened the door with a surprised smile. “Logan! Good morning. Are you here to see Ava? She’s in the kitchen having some breakfast. Are you hungry?”

Carol stepped back so he could enter. He took off his hat and his stomach growled at the delicious smell of eggs and bacon. He hadn’t eaten this morning. He’d been too pissed off, which was saying something. He rarely missed a meal over anything.

Carol leading the way, he followed her through a comfortable living area with a powder room off to the side. The kitchen and family room combination was at the back of the house overlooking the oversized lawn with several shade trees. Ava was sitting at the island in a white terry cloth robe with little blue stars and gold moons on the back and sleeve. Her curls were wild around her head, and her face was innocent of any makeup. She shouldn’t look so damn adorable in the morning. He wanted to be mad at her but already his temper was dropping a degree or two.

At the moment, she didn’t appear to be the judgmental pain in the ass he’d been calling her a few hours ago under his breath. In fact, she looked pretty pathetic. He moved further into the room so he could get a good look at the woman who had triggered this much emotion. Ava was hunched over, her shoulders slumped, holding a coffee cup with both hands and wearing a miserable expression on her pretty face. If he wasn’t functioning on about three hours of sleep he might have forgiven her completely.

“Ava dear, Logan is here to see you.”

Carol Hayworth’s gaze went back and forth between her daughter and himself, obviously assessing the situation. Ava’s eyes went wide and he saw her swallow hard before placing her cup on the counter.

“Logan. What are you doing here?” Trying to avoid looking directly at him, she was studying her untouched plate of breakfast.

“I need to make a trip to the market,” Carol announced, clearly deciding they needed to be alone. “It was nice to see you, Logan. Ava, why don’t you make up a plate for your guest? I bet he’s hungry.”

Before Ava could reply, her mother bustled away with her purse and keys. Carol Hayworth was a smart and sensitive woman. Ava certainly took after her mother. Mary, on the other hand, must take after the father.

Logan just stood there in the middle of the kitchen, his temper still engaged, until he heard the slam of the car door and the engine fire up. He sat down on a stool across from Ava and pulled her plate towards him, filching a piece of bacon. He idly munched it while he waited for her to speak. Anger churned in his gut but he needed to be in control for this discussion.

“What are you doing here?” she finally asked, lifting her eyes so her gaze met his.

He swallowed the bacon and tried to rein in the impulse to pull her into his arms and kiss her until none of this shit mattered. He’d do just that but then they’d be right back in the same boat tomorrow morning.

“I’m here because I’m angry,” he said, snatching another piece of bacon. “Very angry.”

“You don’t sound angry. And stop eating my bacon.” Ava tried to pull the plate back but he tapped at her fingers.

“After what you pulled last night I think the very least you could do is let me eat your bacon.” He was trying very hard not to yell. He didn’t get angry very often but when he did he usually shouted. Females had a tendency to cry, and he couldn’t handle any fucking tears from this woman.

She straightened her shoulders, a mutinous expression on her face. Good. He wanted her to have some fucking emotion. So far she’d been almost bland, a pale imitation of the passion he knew was inside of her.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

So she wanted to play it like that? Little Miss Avoider. He wouldn’t let her. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m not one of those dreamy artists you usually date. I won’t let you get away with distractions or obfuscating. Now answer my question.” He hardened his voice. “Why did you leave?”

Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, she started swinging her leg, the fluffy pink slippers she was wearing looking like two pink cats on her feet. The swinging was her tell. His good girl was about to lie. “I didn’t want my parents to be upset again. So I left. You were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“You’re lying, Ava. Try again.” He picked up her fork and dug into the scrambled eggs. They weren’t hot but they were still fairly warm. Carol Hayworth had added some sort of cheese and black pepper. They were as good as any he’d tasted. He wondered if Ava could cook as well. He wouldn’t mind having her cook him breakfast in the mornings.

“I’m not lying,” she denied.

“You are.” He quickly finished the eggs and started in on her toast. “I really don’t have time for this. I have to get into the office, but we need to settle this first.”

She opened her mouth to deny it again but one look at his angry expression must have made her decide against it. She shook her head and got up from the stool. She paced back and forth a few times before leaning against the refrigerator and playing with the belt on her robe.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Logan. Last night was a bad idea. It shouldn’t have happened.” She couldn’t even look at him when she said it.

“You are such a liar, Ava Hayworth. You’re lucky lightning really doesn’t strike people who don’t tell the truth.” He dropped the toast on the plate and stood, walking right up to her so she had to look up at him. “Last night was inevitable. It was also amazing. You know it and I know it. Admit it. You got scared and ran.”

He expected her to argue with him but instead her composure crumbled on the spot. Her lower lip trembled and her eyes grew bright with unshed tears. “Do you blame me?” she accused, her voice almost a hiss. “I know what would have happened if I’d stayed. You would have gotten cold feet this morning. Given me some bullshit about how we can be friends with benefits or something equally insulting. I would have got the ‘baby don’t get hooked on me’ speech. That’s the last thing I wanted to hear in the cold light of day.”

She turned to walk away but his hands caught her shoulders making her face him. “So you did it first? You decided to hurt me before I could hurt you?”

He could see she was surprised. He stepped back and scraped a hand down his face. “Yes, Ava, you hurt me by leaving. Wow, you really don’t have a very high opinion of me, do you?” He leaned down and got nose to nose with her. “It was a shitty thing to do.”