Ropin' Trouble (Cowboys of Nirvana Book 2) (19 page)

She’d watch and daydream for now.

A man like Ben would have all the girls swooning. Dark hair, sky-blue eyes, and a smile that could rock the world on its axis…and tonight, he was hers—if she could manage to remove the skunk smell.

Leave it to one bad-behaving skunk to ruin her plans.

Ben would save the day. She crossed her fingers—and her toes for good measure.

Her core muscles tightened at the prospect of having Ben naked in her bed and deep inside of her. Mm-hmm. She missed him.

She wondered if he’d missed her too.

“Okay-dokey. I think we have all that we need.” He stood, arms cradling several bottles of household cleaning supplies.

“I thought you were going to help me, not clean the treehouse.” She frowned and laid her head down on the table. “It’s hopeless. It’s going to take days to fade.”

“Hold your horses, darlin’.” He set the containers on the counter. He searched the pantry for something, moving canned goods, pushing items around the shelf. “There we are.” He took out a box of baking soda and shook it. “And it’s full. Soda, lemon juice, dish liquid and a splash of bleach are miracle fixers.” He grabbed a bowl from the cabinet.

“I thought I was going to have to shave off the top layer of my skin,” she groaned.

“With your rosy hue, it looks like you stopped just short of removing skin.” He winked. “Don’t feel bad, sweetheart. We’ve all been sprayed at Nirvana, some two and three times. Thankfully, Motley came along and gave us the secret treatment.”

She looked at the concoction, wrinkling her nose. “Anything is worth a try. At this point, I’d bathe in deer urine if I thought it’d help. Baking soda and dish detergent are a great alternative.”

“Much better choice. Now, get undressed,” he demanded.

She smiled, couldn’t help herself. “I was hoping I’d hear those words.” She wagged her brows.

“Trust me, this will be more painful for me than you. I guarantee it,” he admitted.

Self-consciousness at a minimum since he’d seen every inch of her, and licked most spots. She boldly removed her shirt and shorts, down to her matching red bra and panties.  “Is this good?” She tilted one hip.

“I hope I don’t have to remove my jeans, too, otherwise, we’ll both be covered in this goo.” His voice was playful and full of promise.

“Now I like the way this is headed.” She had come so far in such a short time. She never would have voiced those thoughts to James, and she’d never had the same feelings with him. Maybe her brazenness was because Ben made her feel free enough to say and do anything. He helped her move forward while James had held her back, for his own needs, of course.

He dipped his fingers in the gooey mix and wiped it on her skin. It was cold, but the heat rising in her core warmed every inch of her body. She had to remind herself that she couldn’t jump his bones until she smelled less like a critter and more like a woman.

While he concentrated on her body, she followed the lines of his face, slowly moving her gaze over his chest and the open buttons of his shirt. She liked the chords in his neck and his olive complexion. It contrasted with the white and pale blue color of his shirt—that also brought out the blue in his eyes. Unconsciously, she moistened her lips and sighed.

She moaned when his fingers brushed her inner thighs. He grinned. Their gazes met, meeting his eyes and all of the warmth she saw there. Her heart beat so fast she grew a little weak.

He worked his way downward and, when his face loomed within inches of her secret spot, tingles shot to her lower belly. It didn’t work to keep her heart beat under control when other parts of her were spiraling down blood pressure rise valley. Nope, her body had a mind of its own.

She turned her eyes to his broad shoulders as he worked. The shirt stretched like a second skin. Yes, he filled out the shirt quite nicely. She licked her lips and sighed. He looked up at her and she smiled.

“Now, to the back.” He moved around her body.

His fingers moved on her flesh, slowly, lingering a little longer on the waistband of her panties. Her breathing had become ragged and her senses were on high alert. Her nipples were hard and tight and she had a strong urge to massage them, but kept her hands planted at her sides.

Soon, she hoped his hands would be on her for another reason besides skunk.

When he finished, he took the bowl to the sink and rinsed out the remaining mix. “We should let that dry.”

Cara stood statue still, staring at him. The silence between them grew thick and tense. He was quiet, in a way she’d never known before. The air between them was electrically charged. She felt there was something he needed to say, but debated if he should.

She breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly.  She wanted him, and God help her, she would be forever changed.

****

Ben was having a hard time breathing. His cock was paralyzed in erect mode since she’d stripped down to her bra and matching thong. He didn’t have a clue she owned sexy lingerie, but he wouldn’t complain.

That same feeling as he’d felt the first time he’d seen her naked returned, but tenfold. Everything disappeared around him---his world, his past, his future—and all that existed was Cara.

He was weak in her presence. That he realized long ago. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever had the pleasure of touching. He could get used to her being in his life, and that was a revelation for him.

“Glass of wine?” she asked as she pulled on a robe.

“Sure.” He wasn’t sure why he was so uncomfortable. He’d always been calm and collected in situations.

She poured two glasses and handed him one. He drank half of it in one gulp. “Ben, you seem nervous. Is something wrong?”

“Are we okay after today?”

“I overreacted. I don’t want to use my past as an excuse, and you already know, trust isn’t so easy for me.”

“Looks like you’re dry enough. It needs rinsed,” he said. “How about we take care of that and then we can talk.”

“Okay, I’ll go down—”

He picked her up into his arms and headed toward the back door.

“Ben,” her voice was breathless. “What are you doing? You’re going to get this stuff all over you.”

“I don’t care. It’ll wash.” He effortlessly carried her through the door, down the steps to the  open shower and set her down on the outside. “I always finish what I start.”

She blinked. “That’s a loaded statement.”

“You betcha.” He tuned on the water, adjusted the temperature. “It’s all ready, sweetheart.” He unclasped her bra for her. She slid her panties down her long legs and he salivated. Clearing his throat, he said, “Go ahead and get started, but save room for me.”

He quickly pulled off his clothes, hearing seams rip in the process. He joined her under the stream. Steam rolled up around them, enveloping them in a warm cloud as he pulled her naked body closer.

“You are something, Ben. I can’t quite explain it.” She looked up at him, her eyes dazzling in the overhead light, her bottom lip trembling.

“I want to make you mine. Every inch. Every part of you.” He swallowed hard.

She leaned into him, her hands gripping his shoulders, her cheeks pink from the warmth of the water. “How did we get here?”

“One step at a time.” He pushed her wet hair away from her cheek. “You don’t have anything on the stove that we should be worried about burning do you? I smelled something delicious and we could be in here awhile.”

“I have the timer set but we should have a good twenty minutes.” Her voice cracked.

“Not enough time for me to take you to a place where you will forget your own name, but enough that I can wash your sweet body.” He reached for the tallest bottle, checked to make sure it was shampoo, and poured a dollop into his palm. “I’ve never washed a woman’s hair before, but I’m willing to give it a try. Turn for me, darlin’.” She did as he requested and he lathered her long hair. He was engulfed with coconut.

She rested her head on her shoulder and a moan escaped her throat. “I must be hitting the spot,” he whispered in her ear.

“More than one, I assure you.”

“Now to rinse.” He was careful to keep the soap from running into her eyes as he rubbed her hair to make sure he removed all of the shampoo. He poured body wash onto his hand. He started at her shoulders, massaging them, the soap a lubricant, helping him slide across her wet skin. Her muscles loosened under his touch and he’d barely gotten started.

She leaned forward against the wall of the shower as he moved his hands lower, to the long, slender line of her back. Her hands pushed further up the wall and the smooth chords of her muscles tightened slightly under his palms.

Moving his hands around to her front, he cupped her breasts in his soapy hands, rolling the tips of his thumbs over her hardened nipples, using the soap to his advantage as he swirled and flicked. She moaned louder and her tight bottom moved over his thighs. His cock twitched, but he wouldn’t take things too fast. Tonight he wanted to make love to her.

Rinsing one hand, he then slipped his fingers over her firm buttocks and eased between her legs, finding the nub tucked between her moist lips. She stuck out her hips, angling so that he had better access to her most sensitive part.  “I want that pussy to cream for me,” he urged.

She rolled her hips, thrusts them, pumping his hand. He rewarded her by slipping his middle finger deep inside of her, swirling the digit around the pulsating muscles. He continued rubbing her clit with his thumb and followed the rhythm of her body until a deep, wild moan floated from her.

He turned off the water, wrapped her in a towel and carried her up the stairs while she snuggled deep into his arms.

“I don’t think I can eat a bite right now,” she mumbled.

He chuckled. “I can, but it’s not food.”

Chapter Twelve

After Ben laid Cara in the middle of the bed, she watched him hurry to shut off the buzzing timer to the oven. Then he returned to the bed and climbed in beside her. “Hi,” she said, smiling.

“Hi.” He smoothed the backs of his knuckles across her cheek.

“I don’t think I could ever get too much of you.” She kissed his chin, his jaw, his eyelids and each corner of his mouth. “I think you’re exactly what I needed—what I need.”

His hand was on her breasts, kneading and pulling her sensitive nipples.

“Please, Ben.”

“Please what, my sweetheart?”

“Please don’t stop. Let’s stay here, right here in this paradise,” she whispered.

“I’d like to give you that, but I’m afraid life would eventually come knocking.” He nuzzled his nose in her hair. “My God, you’re a drug and I go into withdrawal if I don’t have you near me.”

His breath was warm against her flesh as he lowered his head, rolling his tongue over one erect nub and then the other. Her nipples tingled and she threaded her fingers into his damp hair. The tips of his fingers smoothed over her stomach, lingering at her navel before slipping between her legs. He teased her, not dipping into the moist nest, but teasing the outer lips.

She spread her knees, opening her core, silently inviting him to explore—needing him to explore.  Her body ached for him and her legs quaked with desire. “I need you, Ben,” she cried out, not too embarrassed to beg

“Not yet, sweetheart. You’re not ready yet,” he said against her skin.

“I’m ready. I swear. I’m so ready I think I’ll explode.” Her flesh was covered in goosebumps.

“Patience, my dear. It’ll come, very, very soon.”

With one finger, he followed the seam of her body, brought his hand to his mouth and licked her juices from his digit. A tremor quaked through her. She’d never seen anything hotter. “That’s a taste beyond words.” His husky voice played a melody on her nerve endings. “Wet and smells like heaven.”

“That should be proof that I’m ready for you.”

“Let me explore you, sweetheart.” He pushed his fingers between her nether lips and rubbed the pearl nub. She arched her back and cried his name. “Oh yeah…I like that.” His voice was deep and his erection rubbed her thigh.

“What is this feeling between us? It’s pure electric. I think I’ll burn alive.”

“Sexual chemistry, baby. Pure, erotic magnetism.” He swirled his finger around her opening, dipping the tip inside, then withdrawing. She knew he teased her. She licked her lips in anticipation of having his tongue take his finger’s spot.

“Before it’s all said and done, I will know all of your secrets. I will know what thoughts you hide away in the recesses of your mind.” His warm breath tickled her quivering body.

She was willing to reveal everything if that meant he’d put out the fire scorching her core.

“Your scent, it’s intoxicating.”

Her legs were tingling. Her breaths were ragged as his words swirled through the cloud in her mind. He was like a thunderstorm and she waded through lightning, torrid rains, following the promise of the rainbow that comes after the squall.

His tongue entered the silken folds of her body, slowly, as if he was building a crescendo. She dug her fingers deeper into his hair, tugging and nicking her fingers over his scalp. She was a cowgirl riding her bull—the bull’s tongue that is. She shifted her hips higher and he slipped his tongue into her opening, in and out—as if he gave her a visual of what would come later…his big cock claiming her pussy.