Rough Riders Bundle 1(books 1, 2, 3) (38 page)

“Cash?” Her voice was strangely subdued.

“I’m here, hang on.” He angled across her back, kissing the lovely curve of her neck as he reached for the box of condoms he’d set on the table. He ripped a package open and rolled the latex down his stiff cock.

“Wait. I want to touch you.”

“Next time. Been a long time for me, and you’re so damn sexy.” He noticed her body had tensed and he whispered kisses down her spine. “Come on, sweets, spread your legs for me. Yeah. Just like that. Hold tight.”

Gemma’s arms stretched until her fingers curled around the opposite edge of the table.

Holding her hips with one hand, he aligned his cock and slid into her slick heat an inch at a time. He closed his eyes, savoring the moment he’d been dreaming of for two long years.

When he was fully seated within her, she arched up. “Oh. That feels good. More. Don’t stop.”

“Yeah?” He withdrew slowly and slammed home three times. “How ’bout like this?”

She moaned. “Just like that. The harder the better.”

Cash glanced down. Damn, but it was sexy as hell, watching his dick tunneling in and out of her hot pussy. As he pounded into her, he snaked his hand around, placing the heel of his palm on the rise of her pubic bone. His middle finger found her clit and he stroked in time to his thrusts.

“Yes,” Gemma hissed. She pushed back into him, meeting his increased pace, flexing her hips against his finger. “Faster. I can’t believe I’m gonna come again. Oh.”

He rubbed her clit more rapidly and his balls drew up. Gemma gasped and he felt her clit pulse beneath his stroking finger as she came apart. Between her erotic cries and the supplicating way she was splayed before him, Cash didn’t stand a chance of staving off his own orgasm. He threw back his head and groaned, lost to the greedy satisfaction of hot spurts shooting from the end of his cock, her slick walls spasming around his hardness, extending his orgasm until he felt woozy from the sheer blinding pleasure.

When the throbbing in his groin stopped, and the dots faded from his vision, he looked at her. Gemma’s face was smashed into the side of the table, her cheek flushed with color and damp with sweat. A small, secret smile lifted the corner of her lips. A wave of tenderness swamped him and he leaned over to nuzzle her neck. “You okay?”

Gemma made an affirmative noise.

He pulled out. “Stay here and catch your breath, I’ll be right back.”

After disposing of the condom, he grabbed two more from the box and gently slapped her ass. “Roll over.”

“I don’t think I can move.”

Cash fought a sense of unease. “Did I hurt you?”

She laughed softly. “In a good way. You wore out this old-timer, cowboy.”

He slapped her ass again. Harder. When she made a squeak of pleasure, he grinned. So Miz Gemma didn’t mind his hand on her ass? Interesting. “I don’t ever wanna hear talk like that because next time there will be consequences.” Flipping her over, he emphasized his point with a fiery, prolonged kiss. When he released her mouth, he whispered, “Wrap them sexy legs around me. Let’s find someplace a little softer for round two, eh?”

She sat up quickly. “Round two?”

“Yep. I warned you ’bout my savage appetites. Now that I’ve got you naked.” He planned to keep her that way. He wanted her so mindless, so occupied, that she wouldn’t have time to think or have time for regrets.

Or to wish he was someone else.

Gemma yelped when he picked her up and carried her into the dark living room.

Cash plopped on the couch, keeping her straddled across his lap.

“Can I take off the blindfold now?”

“No. But let’s get rid of the shirt. Lift.” In one quick movement her tank top disappeared. He eyed the front closure on her pink bra. Well, well. This presented an intriguing opportunity. “Lean back and put your hands on my knees.”

She did so without arguing.

Cash nibbled on her lips, not quite kissing her as he unhooked her bra. The cups split and he slid the straps over her shoulders and down to her wrists. Three quick twists and he lifted his foot to step on the thicker back strap, leaving her wrists trapped in the stretchy arm bands.

Gemma froze. “What are you doing?”

“Makin’ sure you can’t get away. I wanna take my time tasting these.” He flicked his tongue across her nipple. “And I know you’re a little squirmy.” He blew on the wet spot he’d created and watched the coral-colored skin tighten into a pointed tip.

She jerked back.

“See? I gotcha right where I wantcha.” His hands curved around her ribcage and he swept his thumbs back and forth across her beaded nipples. “Tell me what you like.”

She arched into his hands and rolled her chest closer.

“Huh-uh. Don’t go shy on me. I’ll do whatever you want, but you gotta tell me first.”

“Suck them. Put your mouth on me, Cash. Please. It’s been so long…”

While drawing lazy circles on her left breast, he bent his head and latched onto her right nipple. Suckling deep and long until she whimpered and thrashed. He used his teeth and his tongue until he smelled her creaming again. Then he switched his attention to the left nipple and started the process all over. Slowly. His cock stirred as she ground her wet pussy into him and made sexy, needy moans.

But Cash wouldn’t be rushed no matter how much she pleaded. He took his time, learning every nuance of her reactions. What made her sigh. What made her clench her thighs. What made her curse and gyrate her hips. As he licked a path up her neck, she shuddered and gooseflesh appeared beneath his tongue.

“Cold?”

“God, no. Please. You’re torturing me.”

“What do you want?”

“Take the blindfold off. Untie my hands. I feel so helpless.”

“Mmm. Ain’t it a bitch to have no control?” He growled against her throat, “This is what I’ve been feeling since the first time I saw you. You’ve had me all tied up in knots, Gem. Just thinking ’bout all the things I wanted to do to you. Now that you’re right where I want you, I ain’t inclined to let you go.”

She buried her face in the curve where his collarbone met his neck, trilling her lips across his skin until he shivered. “I’ll make it worth your while. Lord knows there are other places on you I wanna kiss too.”

“Got a specific place in mind?”

“Uh-huh. Need a hint?” She blew in his ear.

He smiled. “Why, Gemma Jansen. You offering to blow me?”

“Yes.” She scraped her teeth down the cord in his neck. “Please.”

“No.” Cash took her mouth in a consuming kiss. After he broke away, he said, “Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to see those sweet lips wrapped around my cock, watching you taking me deep in that hot mouth, feeling your throat tighten on the head as you swallow every drop I give you, but it ain’t gonna happen tonight.”

“Why not? Because you’re showing me who’s boss in the bedroom?”

Her pouting attitude didn’t help her cause. “Yep. I warned you I planned to be in charge. You agreed. That’s all you need to remember.” He reached for a condom package, ripped it open and rolled it down the length of his erection. “Scoot your knees closer.”

“Why?”

“So you can ride me, cowgirl.”

“Oh.”

“I’ll even let you take the reins—” he nipped her chin, “—this time.”

Gemma kept her balance, even though the bra straps stretched more tightly around her wrists as she maneuvered in position. She canted her hips and sank down on him.

The slick feel of her pussy tightening around his cock made him grind his teeth together to stop from howling his satisfaction like a beast. “You’re so wet for me. Do you know how sexy that is? You bein’ so slick and hot again?”

She groaned softly in his ear.

He smoothed the hair from her cheek. “What?”

Resting her forehead to his, she said, “Kiss me while you’re fucking me, Cash. I wanna be skin to skin and mouth to mouth with you when I come.”

“Whatever the lady wants.”

This time was slower. Sweeter. More intimate, more like making love than straight up fucking. Keeping his mouth attached to hers, he shaped her luscious breasts with his hands, avoiding her pebbled nipples entirely. Contenting himself with tracing her lush contours, a teasing touch of his fingertips on the upper swell as his thumbs swept the side near her armpits, until she began to shake with increased desire. He caressed the strong muscles in her bare back and squeezed the delicious curve of her ass as she lifted and lowered on his cock. They sustained the languorous kiss until the very end when the thrusts grew shorter and faster.

Her chest was slick with sweat. As was his. When she bowed backward, changing the angle so he could thrust deeper, his thumb found her clit and he brought her to the brink, keeping her there, greedily watching the pleasure cross her face, until the pivotal moment, her internal muscles clamped down on his cock and he smashed his mouth back to hers, swallowing her cries as they sailed over the edge of insanity together.

While she slumped against him, catching her breath, Cash released her hands, rubbing them vigorously to return blood flow.

Gemma nuzzled his jaw, the coarse cotton of the blindfold catching on his cheek. “I never imagined it could be this good again.”

Part of him wanted to ask if she meant their second round of sex, or whether she meant with a man other than her late husband, but a larger part of Cash couldn’t stand to hear the truth.

She sighed. “You’re quiet. You okay?”

“Fine. Great. Just tired.”

“No round three, then?” she teased.

“We’ll see.”

“Speaking of seeing…could you take this off?”

“Sure. Can you stand up first? I’m getting a cramp in my leg.”

“Oh sorry.”

He was reluctant to remove the blindfold, though he did so, his gut clenched in fear at what he might see in her eyes. Or what she might recognize in his. Cash tenderly kissed her eyelids, her eyebrows, the corners of her eyes, the bridge of her nose, every part that’d been covered by the cloth. She didn’t melt into him, rather, held herself stiff. With a sinking sensation, he whispered, “I’m heading upstairs.” And he turned away so she couldn’t see his face.

After he hit the bathroom he crawled in bed. A sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

Was she staying away, wallowing in regret?

Eventually Gemma entered the room. He feigned sleep as she climbed between the cool cotton sheets. She didn’t snuggle up to him. They stayed on their respective sides of the queen-sized bed, back to back. Cash had almost drifted off for real, when the bed creaked and he heard her get up. Her light footfalls stopped at the window.

He laid there in silence, in misery, pretending sleep as he listened to her soft sniffles.

Never a good sign to hear the woman you’d just spent hours making love to, crying as if her heart was breaking.

‡

A
t five a.m
Macie rolled out of bed, dressed, washed up, and braided her hair before she hopped in her SUV and navigated her way to work.

Late yesterday afternoon, after she and her father finished their meal at the local diner, he’d sped off to Gemma’s ranch to set up the camper. She’d sensed he needed to be alone with his thoughts and to gauge his new responsibilities without her chattering at him. So she’d lingered in the booth, thinking of her best friend Kat, wondering how she’d managed to be a third wheel again. Then she noticed the “help wanted” sign by the cash register and asked the waitress about the opening.

Velma—the sixty-something owner of the Last Chance Diner—needed a gal Friday to fill in part-time as a cook and waitress. The hours were sporadic, but the pay was decent for rural Wyoming. With Macie’s experience in restaurants, Velma seemed genuinely happy to hire her on a simple handshake.

Macie was glad her first day would be spent in the kitchen. Between the bizarre dream, and her father ignoring her, beating eggs and dicing veggies would be a productive way to channel her frustrations.

Inside the restaurant, the rich scent of coffee caused her steps to quicken and she poured a mug before clocking in.

Velma grinned. “Another caffeine addict, huh?”

Macie grunted.

“Well, I’ve already had four cups so I’ve shaken off the cobwebs and started the bacon.”

“What time do we open?”

“Six bells.” Velma dumped two packages of frozen hashbrowns on the griddle. “Most of the early customers are construction workers. They like a big breakfast in a hurry. So I always have a bunch of potatoes and meat done ahead of time.”

“Good plan.” Macie donned an apron, lifted the metal press flattening the bacon to check on its doneness while downing her coffee. “Mostly egg specials?”

“Yeah. Some with pancakes, most with toast. You have any problems making omelets?”

“Nope. But I didn’t check to see if there’s anything fancy on the menu like eggs benedict.”

Velma poured her another cup of coffee. “No. No huevos rancheros either, no matter how much Diaz begs me to add ’em.” She confided, “Don’t seem worth it since Diaz is the only Mexican around here. Though he threatens to bring his cousins up from Denver all the time.”

“If he asks me, I might just surprise him and whip up a plate.” She added more oil to the sizzling potatoes. “Most folks assume I’m Mexican anyway.”