Desire (Montana Dreams Book 3) (12 page)

“I—”

“Wait, I’ve decided not to return to my practice, and I will not pursue another allergist position.” She spoke as excited as a child getting their first pet. “I’m going to give horseback riding lessons and possibly trail rides…here in Montana.”

His heart did a crazy flip. “I didn’t know you even considered a job here.” In the far corners of his mind, he’d hoped, but he figured that once their relationship smoothed out, everything else would fall into place. Not a good business plan, but Cadence held the reins. Whatever she wanted, he’d do.

“I’ve never mentioned this to anyone, much less myself.” She edged back, and her attention slipped to her fidgety fingers playing with a button low on his jacket. Her butt firmly planted in his hand. “When Trina decided to become a doctor and give up what she really wanted, I automatically followed, though I wanted no parts of working with brains like Trina had planned. I can’t figure out my own much less anyone else’s.” Her hands brushed his erection and he tried to focus on what she was saying. “Out here in the open air, I can see clearly.” He wished he could. His thought stayed on stripping her naked. “Trina and I did everything together. Going into the medical profession made sense, and I didn’t give much credence to my decision. It was easy, but now I know why I did it.”

He didn’t and wouldn’t have a clue if she didn’t move her hands. He removed his glove and lifted her chin with a finger until she met his gaze. She stopped worrying with his jacket, and he released a breath. “Why?”

“The night you overheard your parents ordering me to leave wasn’t the first time they tried to push me away.”

Anger heated his blood. “My parents are despicable. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t have to see them. I won’t be.”

A slight smile tugged her lips and compassion filled her eyes. “That’s the reason I didn’t tell you or Trina. She would have reacted the same way. Neither of us have parents worthy of being called Mom or Dad.”

The unspoken words three Maryland kids tried to avoid. Still, she did talk to hers, and they stayed a part of her life. “They were wrong to push you away from Trina.”

“This isn’t just about her,” Cadence said, her throat scratchy. “Despite trying to convince her to live her own life, I went to medical school because I wanted your parents to consider me worthy.” She swallowed and studied him a moment. “The truth is I went with the hopes they would believe I was good enough for you.”

His heart split open. The young girl he met years ago turned into a beautiful, vivacious woman. She’d returned to him ten-fold. His first reaction was to figure out a way around their clothes and get to the lovemaking portion of the evening, but rationale won out. A few more minutes wouldn’t make a difference. She opened her heart. He needed to follow suit. Put a voice to his concerns. “When I relocated to Florida, I removed my meddling parents and gained freedom like I’ve never experienced. But not until I came to Montana did I truly find myself.” Nerves crept up from his stomach, producing a lump in his throat as he broached a tender subject. “I want to scratch off the last thing on your bucket list. First, I need to say something.”

The sun peeked through the clouds, and the snow continued to fall. A perfect romantic moment. He halted Thor and draped the reins across the horse’s neck. “Cadence…”

Her eyes darted between his, the green in them looking like emeralds dancing in the midst of diamonds. “Yes.”

He slid his bare hand over her silky cheek into her hair. The extra weight in his pocket reminded him that people would soon gather on the side of the mountain and freeze their butts off if he botched this. “Cadence...”

“I want you now.” her words were a daring whisper as her sneaky hands slid up to the panels of his jacket and tugged them apart. Snaps coming undone echoed in the mountain air. She settled her lips on the skin, just under his jaw, and worked her tongue over the already-heated area. “I plan on showing you every emotion I feel and to savor every tingle of excitement running through me.”

Popping the question would have to wait.

****

Gathering her hair in his hand, Bradley kissed and licked the area beneath Cadence’s ear. “I love you. I want you to be mine.” His eyes filled with so much raw emotion, her ribs squeezed her heart.

“I already am.” The words went through her like a warm cup of hot chocolate. She clung to them as the truth settled into her bones. No longer able to control her desire, she kissed him. Or maybe it was him kissing her. It was hard to tell with their hands caressing and sliding over body parts. Clothes became restrictive. Somehow, some way, one of her boots hit the ground. With his help, she balanced on top of Thor and tugged a pant leg off. Her panties followed.

The cool air pebbled her skin but her body heated. Bradley had slid to the ground. He unbuckled his belt, kicked his boots off and his pants. His briefs followed. Never had she seen a man more magnificent than the man hopping back onto the horse, freezing his butt off.

Thor snorted and stomped his foot, but bless his heart he didn’t take off. Maybe he’d received enough training, or he just knew how much this meant to her. More than likely, he wanted extra bananas for his treat. Whatever the reason, she was thankful he didn’t throw them into the snow.

Bradley lifted her and lowered her ever so slowly onto his long, thick, sheathed erection, filling her, and overwhelming her senses.
Wow!
Her head fell back, savoring the moment. She didn’t move, couldn’t and wouldn’t break the profound tender sensation flowing between them. He groaned. So much love radiated off his gorgeous green eyes, shining with a hint of blue, just as they had done when they were together the first time. She’d done that! She put the life back in his eyes.

Cupping the back of his neck, she held his mouth to hers as he kissed her deep and long. No longer able to stay still, she rocked her hips into him. A deep growl vibrated from his chest to hers, and she wished her naked breasts touched his bare skin. “I want to feel all of you.”

“Not a problem.” They eased apart, removed the rest of their clothes, and tossed them into a pile on the snow.

Bradley’s mouth closed around a nipple and she arched her back, rocked her hips, and felt the sweet tight pull of an orgasm wanting to break free. She didn’t want to come yet, not yet when they’d just connected. She laid back, rested on Thor’s neck, and stretched her hands above her head. Thor’s ears twitched but he didn’t move.

“You’re a gorgeous sight.” Bradley’s husky voice puffed a cold cloud of air around him as he massaged her stomach, one breast and then the other. “I could look at you all day and all night. Right now though, I’m about to erupt. I want you coming with me. He tugged her to him. She crushed her body against his and moved her hips. Her inner muscles tightened around him as she felt the climb to the edge of an orgasm. He lifted her hips and lowered.

“Oh my God!” She clutched his back, pushed his head to a breast, his mouth sucked her right in, and she rocked.

A lick across her nipple, and then his chest replaced his tongue. “Look at me, sweetheart.” Love and trust mingled in his gaze, and she whimpered. Whimpered because her heart swelled so much it ached.

He stilled her against him, bucked his hips upward, thrusting further into her. Emotions tumbled out of her in a wave of overpowering, sweet release, and she called his name at the same time he groaned, “Heaven.”

Boneless, she peeled her damp body off his and leaned against him, his arms wrapped around her and his chin rested on her head. “That was amazing,” she said sliding her hands to his ramrod back. How did his body not go slack? “How are you staying up?”

“I hung onto you and my legs gripped Thor. If either of us tilts, we’ll end up on the ground with our snow-covered clothes.”

She peeked at them. A thin layer of white discolored her red jacket, purple bra, and baby blue turtleneck. Without the heat of the moment and not much clothing on, the setting sun produced goosebumps over her skin. “Either we go for round two, or retrieve our clothes.”

Bradley jostled as if coming awake. “You stay here. I’ll get your stuff.” He shook the snow off his clothes and slipped his briefs and pants on before stepping into his boots, and stretching his arms out to her. Her body slid down his, her nipples pebbling and wanting more, as he lowered her feet to his jacket. She reached for her underwear around her ankle, and he waved her hand away. “Allow me.” Kissing a path from her leg to her waist, he slipped up her underwear and patted her bikini-waxed area before helping with her jeans. Standing behind her, he buttoned her jeans, and slid his warm hands over her sides and cupped the underside of her breasts, his fingers gliding over her hardened nipples. Groaning, she leaned back into his warmth and tucked her head into the crook of his neck. “Next time, let’s have more time to feel each other up.”

He chuckled, slid his hand between her legs, and squeezed gently. Her insides bounced at the thought of another go around. “There’s a place I’d like to try out if you’re game.”

A delicious, naughty thrill raced through her. “Oh, yeah! Where? On the edge of the mountain, on a brink, or a cap?”

“I want to enjoy making love to you, not fear for my life.”

Laughing, she slipped on her bra, turtleneck, and coat. “Where to?” she asked, trailing a finger over his broad chest ripped with strength.

“You’ll see,” he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

****

Dangerously close to the location where their family and friends gathered, Bradley blew out a puff. When they’d stopped in the clearing, he’d been in such a Cadence fog, he didn’t care where they talked nor had sex as long as they did both. They had, gloriously so. His muscles still hadn’t gained full control, but his dick had. It knew a good thing when it felt it and was ready again.

Putting his manhood on standby, he finished dressing while Cadence kissed Thor’s face and sweet-talked him. Bradley climbed onto the stallion and grasped Cadence’s hand. She placed a foot against his, grabbed his hand, and swung up behind him then maneuvered around until she straddled him, her front to his.

“You’re killing me, woman.” He nudged Thor, and directed him the short distance to where he hoped his bachelor days would end.

“I hope not. You’re my sex toy.”

He chuckled and stopped a few hundred yards away from where they were, yet not too close to the spot where he, Matt, and Travis previously visited. He didn’t want Cadence to see over the edge to the large flat piece of rock and his surprise, at least not yet. A question needed asking first.

Slipping off, he clutched Cadence’s gloved hand then grasped her waist, letting her slide down the front of his body. Bulky clothes or not, her heat radiated through the material, teasing him.

“Here,” she said and shifted toward the side of the mountain.

He clasped her hand. “Not yet. One thing first.”

“You’re gonna give me sex conditions?”

“Something’s missing.” He pressed a finger to his lip, and perused her body, letting her feel his eyes eat her up.

She patted her breasts, her butt, between her legs. He sucked in a breath. “I don’t know what. I have all the parts, and the last time I checked, you do too.” She kissed him. “A big one.”

Laughter drifted from the side of the mountain, and Bradley rolled his eyes. Cadence tipped to the edge slowly. Like a puppy dog, he followed.

****

A man she didn’t know stood on a white carpet on the farthest point of the ledge, his gaze drifting over the side. Trina stood to the left in the same gorgeous red maternity dress she’d worn to Autumn and Travis’ engagement party. Autumn stood next to her, smiling and holding two bouquets. Matt passed a larger one to Trina while Travis held up the lavender dress Trina had loaned her.

“Oh, my God. Bradley, you did this? You arranged all this?” Air whizzed out of Cadence. Her eyes burned; she covered her mouth and her stomach.

He dropped to a knee atop the outdoor grass carpet. “Will you cross off the only thing I’ve ever had on my bucket list? Will you marry me?”

Tears fell. He held up a single solitaire diamond, as sweet of a ring as the green-eyed man gazing up at her with hope and love. Crying, laughing, and wanting to get him undressed to take total advantage of him coursed through her body at once. He slid the ring on her finger and kissed it. “I’ve waited a long time for this moment, and I don’t want to wait another one.”

“You want to get married now?” She pointed to her friends standing on a cliff. The spectacular view took her breath but not as much as the man in front of her did.

“Yes.”

She knew being with Bradley made her whole, but this—this was much more. She pulled her lower lip in and tried not to cry, but the tears came and she nodded. He gathered her in his arms, kissed her, and clung to her as he’d never had. “Wait until I get you alone, Sparky!” She smacked his shoulder, trying to put levity into the situation and stop crying.

“Yeah, about that.” Matt stepped forward with an envelope. “Hotel accommodations. In the morning, Travis will pilot you wherever you want to go. Trina and I don’t need to hear you two in action.”

“Go get changed!” Trina demanded. “I’m having contractions.”

“What?” Matt’s voice rose to almost a squeak.

Bradley and Cadence righted themselves in time for her to see Trina warding her husband away. “Hush, I’m trying to get them moving. It’s cold.”