Cowgirl Up and Ride (17 page)

He delved his tongue into her tight channel, long strokes as deep as it could reach, as his thumb flicked her clit in the same cadence.

AJ began to whimper immediately.

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Cord sensed her orgasm gathering steam and her pussy muscles clenched around his tongue as she went over the edge. He figured the first one would be fast. Kissing a path down the inside of her thigh, he rotated his hands to clutch her ass.

“Cord.”

“Again, baby doll. You can go again.”

“But—”

He smacked her butt hard and she yelped. Leisurely, he licked every spot in her engorged pussy but her clit and blew a cool stream of air across the wetness. Petted the curve of her mound with his chin and cheek, intrigued by the contrast between her pale blondness and the darker tones of his hands on her skin.

When she could take direct contact, he fastened his mouth to her clit and sucked relentlessly, refusing to release that sensitive nub until he felt blood beat against his lips and she cried out his name.

Then she wailed, “Oh-man-oh-man-oh-man. Stop.”

“No. One more. This one will take longer, but it’ll be worth it, I promise. Come on, let me bring you off once more.”

“But—”

Another spank. “Every time I hear a but, I’m whackin’ yours.”

“But. Crap. That one didn’t count.”

“Yes, it did.”
Whack
. “I think maybe you like a little ass play.” Cord smoothed his hands over the curvy, hot cheeks. Then he traced the seam of her ass down to her tailbone. “You know I’m gonna want in this ass, AJ.”

She looked down at him. “In. Meaning—what in?”

“My fingers. My tongue. But mostly I wanna grind my cock in there. I’ve been the only man in your pussy, the only man in your mouth. The way I see it, that last bit of virginity belongs strictly to me.”

“But—”

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Another crack across her tush. Both sides this time. “I can see the interest in your eyes, so don’t lie to me. You wanna know what that feels like, but you think you shouldn’t wanna know stuff like that. Feels dirty, right?”

She nodded.

“If thinkin’ about me doin’ that to you turns you on? Nothin’ wrong with that.

Nothin’ that happens between us is wrong unless it ain’t consensual. If you say no, I’ll respect it. But sweet baby Jesus I’d be lyin’ if I didn’t say I’m hopin’ for a big yes at some point. Soon.”

He flattened his tongue and licked her from her bottom hole to the top of her sex.

“Hang on.”

Cord nuzzled the seam of her thighs. He dragged the wetness from her pussy down the crack of her ass to her tight hole, which was as pretty and pink as the rest of her.

She immediately tensed up.

“Not doin’ anything. Just givin’ you an idea on how this’ll feel.” He circled the tip around those blood-rich nerve endings, suckling her clit in time to his finger until she began to bump her hips.

“Cord. Please. Make me come. No more teasing.”

What AJ didn’t know was he wasn’t teasing her. After two fairly quick orgasms she’d need time to recover, just like a man would.

Evidently
Cosmo
hadn’t mentioned that factoid.

He built her again, circumventing her clit entirely. When he knew she was close, he twisted two fingers inside and stroked her G-spot. He held her clit between his teeth and flicked it with the very tip of his tongue, keeping his lips suctioned around it.

AJ went wild. Her legs shook. She alternately whimpered and begged. It was so unbelievably hot having her riding his face, that after her intense orgasm left her hoarse and gasping, Cord dropped his hand to his cock and jacked off like a randy teenager, letting come spray across his belly and losing his mind in AJ’s willingness to try anything.

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Finally, her sex quit pulsing and AJ flopped to the mattress. He retreated to the bathroom to clean up.

She murmured a protest at the sensation of the warm cloth, but ultimately let her legs fall open to him. He swiped the area between thighs sticky with her juices and his saliva, with a few red marks from his beard.

He looked at the clock. Two a.m. Then he glanced at her. AJ looked so comfortable, so cuddly, so perfect in his bed he didn’t have the heart to make her get dressed.

Cord tossed a few pillows at the headboard and nestled her against his chest.

“I’m tired. I know I have to go home.”

“Just rest, baby doll.”

“Mmm. I like this. Your body is so hard. And warm. Like snuggling up to a sun-warmed rock.”

A much better description than Colt’s accusation of him being a cold bastard.

“You’ll wake me up?”

“Early in the morning so you can sneak in bed before anyone knows you were out all night.” Selfish of him, but he didn’t want her to leave.

“Good plan. Which means that’s another virginity you can claim.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve never slept in the same bed with a man. Ever. Not for an hour, especially not all night. I’m glad it’s with you.”

“Me too.”

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AJ woke with a start. Where was she? And why was she…naked? A snore behind her made her jump. She turned slightly and saw Cord sprawled face down on the mattress beside her. Just as naked as she.

She was in Cord’s bed? Her gaze flew to the clock. Five a.m.

Damn. She’d been out all night.

So? You’re an adult. You’re entitled to cut loose once in awhile.

True. But neither her mom nor sister needed the extra worry in their lives.

AJ slid off the bed and kept an eagle eye on her lover as she dressed. Part of her wanted to wake him; part of her wanted to sneak out and deal with him later. She withheld a snort. How very Bridget Jones. She never thought this situation would happen to her. She and Cord hadn’t had sex—well, technically not penetration sex, but oral sex counted as real sex, right?

Stop with the dissection and move your behind.

She retrieved her purse from the kitchen counter and checked her cell phone as she tiptoed out the front door. No missed calls, no new voice mail messages.

Whew. Dodged a bullet this time.

She climbed into her Jeep. The sun was a salmon-colored speck, lightening the sky to a myriad of pinks and orange. When she hit the gravel road running in front of Cord’s place, she stopped.

Even after twenty-two years, the magnificence of this land flat out stunned her. This early in the morning the hills were still hidden in darkness, but the promise of dawn burned across the fields and valleys in a splash of pastel colors. The only part AJ had loved about getting up at the crack of nothing to do chores was the sense of accomplishment that she’d managed to help them hold on to the ranch—the place she’d called home—for another day.

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Home. She’d never bought into that old saying, “home is where the heart is”, mostly because it’d never applied to her.

It wouldn’t be easy for her mother to move. Florence Foster had spent more years living on the ranch than her daughter. And AJ felt childish wishing for childish things—

for things not to change.

Oddly enough, she accepted things wouldn’t change with Cord. His serious nature and need for control never scared her, mostly because she’d experienced the same weight of responsibilities that still hung on his shoulders. He’d always been curtly polite with her, never teasing her mercilessly like Keely’s other brothers, so discovering Cord’s sense of humor was an unexpected bonus.

Wouldn’t do her any good to dwell on all the things she liked about him because that could eat up her entire day.

Since she was already up, she fed Lucy and the other horses and cleaned stalls.

Three hours later Jenn and the kids waved as they left for the day. She and Jenn had debated on keeping the kids at the ranch with Aunt Amy Jo instead of sending them to the summer day camp. But Jenn wanted one normal thing in her children’s lives in light of the divorce and their impending move.

AJ dragged into the house. She started a pot of coffee and ran upstairs to shower. As she dressed, she looked longingly at her pristinely made bed, but there’d be no rest for the wicked today.

Three cups of coffee lifted the mental cobwebs and she heard her mother stirring in the front room. “Ma? You ready for breakfast?”

“Just coffee this morning, sweetheart.”

AJ set the cup on the tray and perched on the chair by the bed. “A couple of things I need to know before I get started. All the farm equipment is property included in the deed? We don’t have to worry about holding an auction or cleaning out the machine shed?”

“No. Carson said they’ll deal with it.”

“Everything in the attic is boxed. Where should I start next? The cellar?”

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Florence shook her head. “Jenn tossed most of that old junk when the propane guy came.”

“When was that?”

“Couple months back when I was having problems with the heater again.”

“Has the temperature been better in this room? I know you said it was too cold.”

“It fluctuates, as usual. The heating problems are one thing I won’t miss about this old house.” She sighed. “You should start by throwing away a bunch of stuff like the magazines in the middle room upstairs. Your daddy loved ’em but there’s no point in keeping ’em.”

“Good. Which leads me to my next question. We haven’t talked about what to do with the horses. I want to keep Lucy. As far as the rest? I know Macie’s dad, Cash Big Crow, is looking for stock. He’d treat them well.”

“Tell you what, you take care of that part of this ranch sale business and I’ll let you keep the money from the sale.”

That was an unexpected surprise. “You sure?”

“Positive.” She drained her coffee and AJ brought the pot over for refills. “Thanks.

Sorry to be such a pain.”

“Mama. You’re not a pain.”

“Well, I am sorry you’re doing all the packing up. I won’t be any help and Jenn has packing of her own to do.”

“That just means I get first dibs on the cool stuff for my apartment.” AJ scrutinized her mother head to toe. “What do you need me to do for you before I get to work? Are you ready for your massage?”

“Later. I’ll probably watch some TV.” She stared into her cup. “Maybe you should rest since you were out all night.”

AJ hated the guilty heat burning her cheeks. “Were you worried?”

“No. I probably wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t gotten up to use the bathroom and saw your car pulling in at a quarter after five this morning.” Florence sighed. “No lecture.

You’re an adult. Can I ask if you were with a man last night?”

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She debating on lying, but she saw no reason to. “Yes, I was.”

“Do I know him?”

“Ma!”

“Just curious.” Her mom winked. “I’m gonna say
be
careful
and let you escape before your face turns any redder, sweetheart.”

“I’ll be upstairs. If you need anything, just holler.”

She hauled a bunch of full garbage bags downstairs. By the third trip she took a breather on the porch steps. It’d be another hot one today—the thermometer read ninety at ten o’clock. She’d finished her second glass of iced tea when her cell phone rang.

Caller ID said
MM
.

“Macie McKay, what’s up?”

“My breakfast,” she grumbled. “Anyway, how are you?”

“Tired.”

“Know the feeling. I remember how much work it was being a caretaker and I feel for ya.”

AJ couldn’t confess the real reason for her tiredness—playing grab ass with Cord till the wee hours. Macie would blab to her husband, Carter, and then all the McKays would know about her and Cord. “So didja call me to lend your support?”

“No. I called because I’m coming to Sundance tomorrow.”

“Really? Cool. What time, how long, and all that?”

“Early, we’ll be there overnight.”

“We, meaning you and Carter?”

“No. Me, Gemma and the twins.”

AJ squealed. “Not that it’s not awesome you’re coming, Mace, but I love love love those darling babies.”

“You and everyone else. Channing hasn’t been feeling well enough to travel, so she’s dying to see Gemma and the babies again. Gemma’s a little stir crazy stuck in the house breastfeeding twins every two hours, and I have a building I need to check out.”

“A building? For what?”

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“Tell you when I get there. In fact, is there any way you can get tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night off from your caretaking duties? After the business deal, Channing wants a girls’ night with the four of us. I guess she’s kicking Colby out too.”

“Cash isn’t coming?”

“No, it’s haying season and he’ll be working until dark. It’ll drive Dad bonkers to be away from his twins for even a day, but between us, I think Gemma’s looking for a break from him too.”

AJ grinned. Cash Big Crow was all gooey-eyed and awestruck over the newest additions to his family. To hear Macie tell it, because Cash hadn’t been around at all during Macie’s early years, he was determined to do and learn everything this go around and be a very hands-on daddy.

“I’ll talk to my sister and see if I can work something out. If nothing else, maybe one of Mama’s friends would like to come over, especially since we’re moving and it might be a last chance.”

Macie was quiet. “You okay with the McKays buying the Foster ranch, AJ?”

“I don’t really have a choice but to slap on a happy face. I won’t lie; it’s gonna be hard.”

“I know, sweets. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

Over margaritas, AJ hoped. “Where are you staying?”

“You think Channing would let Gemma stay anywhere besides with her?” Macie laughed. “I’d planned on staying there too, but Carter wants me bunking at Carolyn and Carson’s.”