Falling For A Cowboy (18 page)

She pulled back to look at him. She knew what he was asking. If she said yes,
t
he
y
’
d be celebrating in a very intimate way
.
He
may not be a
rodeo cowboy but
it was doubtful he was in this for the long haul, despite his words
.
He
’
d take his winnings and go home
and resume his playboy ways.
But looking into those dark blue eyes, she
knew she
couldn
’
t let him leave just yet.

* * *

Her room was like a cotton candy factory—pink, soft and fluffy. Ruffled curtains, shaggy carpet and so many pillows he
’
d had to push them off the double bed to make room.
He
’
d felt as out of place as a
sheep
in a cow pen
.

But
he
’
d sure
enjoyed taking the
clips
from her hair and watching each tendril drift loose over her shoulders
,
enjoyed peeling off her clothes, layer by layer, until she lay on the pink bed
cover, naked except for a pair of white
cotton
panties
. With her golden hair fanned out around her, Dusty looked like an angel in a pink heaven.

Her finger
traced the veins that mapped
the back of his hand
.
“
You have
large hands,
”
she whispered
. Her light touch tickled.

On
bent elbow
,
he braced his head and shifted his body nearer so he
had a better view of her
adorable
face
with
its
delicate nose, sculpted cheek bones
,
and wide eyes.
His shirt was gone but he still wore his jeans which right now were uncomfortably tight
and getting tighter by the second
.
“
There
’
s nothing
so
big about me that I won
’
t be tender with you.
”
He brushed his lips down her
smooth
throat. Her flowery scent filled his nostrils.
“
I know how to make it good for you.
”

In the dim gray light her darkened eyes were warm, inviting, encouraging
,
trusting
.
She was the most beautiful thing he
’
d ever seen
.
Angel or a nymph, he couldn
’
t decide
.
But tonight she
’
d be his.

“
I
’
m not…well I
’
m not as experienced as…
”

H
e silenced her with a finger to her
moist
lips
as his
pulse raced
.
“
You
’
ve been here before though?
”
He sure hoped she had
, though it might explain her reluctance
.
Taking a virgin to bed was not an arena he
’
d
ever
ridden
in
.
So why did the thought of someone else having her unsettle him
?
“
With Bradley, I take it?
”
He
’
d like to know all about Bradley, like how close?
For how long?
And what did she feel for him now?

S
he nodded and worried
her
lip.

“
He was the only one?
”
Not that it should matter how many men she
’
d been with
.
He
’
d never been a hypocrite about that kind of thing
.
But
with her,
he didn
’
t want there to be
any
others.

She nodded again.

Relief
.
And he
was
being a hypocrite
.

Needing to touch her, he
ran
his hand down her torso, past her budding breasts
. This time she didn
’
t flinch as his fingers skimmed those
sweet
nipples
.
She seemed insecure about her body, about whether she was attractive
.
Hell, he
’
d never been so attracted to a woman
.
Delicate and finely made
,
she
made him want
to
be
tender
and loving
. He rested his
palm upon the silky bare skin of her stomach
.
Lovely.

Usually, he
’
d just
shuck
his
clothes, enjoy a little foreplay, and then go at it hard and fast
.
Tonight he wanted to take his time, savor her like a fine wine, make it matter, make it memorable.

T
he idea some other man had made it memorable for her
was jabbing at
him.
“
Bradley must have been a special man to get such a gift.
”
Why was he feeling jealous?
It had been
before he knew her and he
’
d never even met this
Bradley
.

“
Once
I thought so
,
”
she said.
She ran her
hand up his arm
leaving a trail of heat
before
rest
ing it on
his shoulder.

“
He
’
s not now?
”
He swirled his thumb over her navel
.
Soft, smooth, warm skin.
He nipped her shoulder
.
T
he fragrance of flowers was like incense, drugging him.

Talking about a woman
’
s former lover when all
he
wanted was to bury
himself
deep within her wasn
’
t his smoothest move
,
but he had to know
.
It mattered. It shouldn
’
t have. He knew that
.
But it did.

“
No.
”
She shifted slightly, angling her neck for better access
.
He feathered kisses along its swanlike length
.
“
And you
?
Was
there…
i
s there anyone special.
”

No
.
There was no one
.
Had been no one
.
Until now.
“
Just you.
”

She
smiled,
a
lovable
, enticing smile
.
“
At this moment
,
”
she said.

Agree
.
Tell her it
’
s just this moment
.
That
’
s what she
’
s expecting. Saying anything else will set her up
with
expectations
you
may not be able to
ful
fill
. She
’
s not going to run if you tell her it
’
s just for now
.
But
his heart wasn
’
t listening to his mind.
“
No, darling.
For more than this moment
.
Could be for much more.
”

H
er arms wrapp
ed
around his neck
to
pul
l
him closer.
Lips
,
soft and sweet
,
met his.
He shifted, moved on top of her,
covering
the lithe body underneath him
.

“
Your buckle,
”
she gasped.

He jerked back, let go a curse. Already he
’
d hurt her. His thighs
straddled
her hips as he fumbled for the clasp.

“
Let me,
”
she said and reached for the belt.

His heart was pounding as he watched her small hands undo the large silver buckle
.
His erection was pressing uncomfortably against the tight fabric. Watching her fingers brush against
him
made
things a whole lot tighter.
When the buckle was
undone, her hand grazed his length as she tugged down the zipper. Damn
,
it was hot despite the air-conditioning.

“
I
’
ll take it from here,
”
he said. He pulled back from her and set a foot on the floor to steady himself
.
H
is cock jutted out as he slipped the jeans and underwear down his legs in one motion and then stepped out. When he turned to look at her, her eyes were wide and rounded.

A satisfied smile claimed him.
“
Now I
get to
do you,
”
he said, as he climbed back on the bed
.
In o
ne movement he drew the white cotton bikini pants down her l
imbs
and off
.
A small
sliver
of
curly
corn silk guarded the juncture of her slender thighs.

His erection throbbing with need, his pulse jump
ing
with anticipation, he
captured her hips
,
straddling her between his knees.
He was going to make this good for her.

Her fine
-
boned body was toned and sculpted, probably from the work she did at
Sweet Water
rather
than any gym.
Two
small
,
pale
,
mounds topped by
what looked like
cinnamon
candies
called his attention.
For some reason, she
’
d been skittish
before
when he
’
d
touched her breasts
.
He hadn
’
t met a woman yet who hadn
’
t enjoyed his ministrations
.
Maybe
her ex
hadn
’
t known what to do to make it good for her, but he sure did.

He ran his fingers up
the
cool skin of her
abdomen until his palms rested right under those little sugar cookies.
With practiced ease his thumbs flicked th
eir
hardened nub
s.

“
Clay,
”
she whispered his name on a breathy breeze, but he couldn
’
t tell if it was aimed to stop him or convey her pleasure.

“
Let me have some fun, honey.
”

“
I
’
m not, they
’
re not…
”

He glanced at her face
.
He
r mouth was set in a tight line as if she was trying to hold something in.
“
You have
beautiful breasts, Dusty
.
Perky
.
And your nipples are standing at attention which means they like what I
’
m doing.
”