KIDNAPPED COWBOY (25 page)

“Dalton...” she groaned as his heated gaze moved over her.

“I never thought an oversized T-shirt could look so damn sexy on a woman.”

Her nightshirt had ridden up her hips, giving him more than a glimpse of her skimpy lace panties.  She reached down to tug at the sleep shirt, feeling the need to cover herself.

“Don’t.”

Her hand stilled.

“I like looking at you,” he said huskily.  “And I plan on looking at every inch of you tonight.”

She struggled to breathe.  To speak.

“Fifty minutes, huh?” he muttered.

“Too long?” she managed with a teasing smile, knowing she no longer had the strength to turn him away.  She wanted Dalton to make love to her again.  Needed him to.

He arched a brow.  “You questioning my stamina?”

Laughing softly, she reached for his shirt, pulling him to her.  “Not on your life.  I know better.  I was just thinking that for a man who spent years perfecting the eight second ride, fifty minutes might be quite a stretch.”

Threading his fingers through her hair, he looked down at her.  “The stretching part is no longer in question.  Hell, much longer and it’s gonna take a crow bar to get me out of these jeans.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” she said as her fingers moved to the button of his fly, working it free.  There was no awkwardness between them.  No embarrassment.

With a groan, he lowered his mouth to hers.

Her hand moved lower to the straining zipper, tugging at it.  “Dalton...” she moaned impatiently against his mouth.

With a husky chuckle, he placed his hand over hers and helped ease the troublesome zipper down.  Then he sat back and yanked his shirt up over his head, tossing it aside.

Her appreciative gaze settled on his chest.  Her mouth went dry.  No man should be that perfect.  And why would a man like him want someone like her anyway?

He caught her face between his hands, tilting it upward until her gaze met his.  “You are so damn beautiful.” 

Even without makeup, her hair all a-tangle, and in the least sexy sleepwear she owned, he made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

She slid her hands up over the ridges of muscle that cut across his abdomen.  “You’re not so bad yourself.”

Her words brought a smile to his face.  He bent to press another kiss to her lips. “I’ve waited all summer for this moment.  To be with you again.”

“Mmm,” she mumbled between his heated kisses.  “Lucky for me you’re a patient man.”

“Lucky for you.”  Releasing her, he stood, kicked off his boots and then pulled a foil packet from the pocket of his jeans, grinning as he showed it to her.

She dropped back onto her pillow with a smile.  “Always the Boy Scout.”

“I’ve had a lot of time to prepare for this moment,” he told her with a sexy grin.  Shoving his jeans down over his lean hips, he stepped out of them and kicked them away, evidence of his desire thrusting against the thin cotton of his stark white fitted boxers.  “And being the good Boy Scout I am, I’m always willing to help those in need.”  That said, he removed his socks and briefs and then turned to her in a bold display of pure male magnificence.

“And I appear to be needy?” she said, feeling a little breathless as she watched him roll the condom onto his very impressive erection. 

“Very.”  Not taking his eyes from her, Dalton stepped toward the bed where she lay and ran his fingers slowly up the inside of a thigh.  “Your skin is so soft.”

She shuddered, closing her eyes as those long fingers skimmed the edge of her panties.  So close.  Not close enough.  “Please,” she groaned, her hips lifting.

His hand slipped beneath the lacy material, one lone finger stroking along her damp center.  “Is this what you want?” he asked, his voice even huskier than before.     

All she could do was groan in pleasure.  Why had she waited so long to be with him again?  She could have had a whole summer of memories with Dalton to look back on.  Now there was only two weeks left until Dalton’s forced commitment to Stoney Brook ended and he was free to go on with his life.  A life she would never again be a part of.  Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, she closed her eyes and melted into his lovemaking, determined to savor every moment of it.  Something special to hold onto long after he had gone.

She writhed under his skilled touch as his fingers stroked and dipped, teasing her swollen, aching flesh.

“You’re so damn wet,” he said in a low growl.

“You do that to me,” she admitted.  “Only you.”

He thrust a finger inside her, making her cry out with pleasure.  “Mine.”

His.

His fingers hooked the sides of her panties, working them over her hips and down her legs.

“Mmm,” he muttered as he tossed the handful of lace over his shoulder and bent to press his lips to the tender flesh of her inner thighs.

Caitlin arched upward, her legs parting as his mouth continued its torturous quest upward.  He shifted, positioning himself so that his broad shoulders filled the space between her spread thighs.  Then he dipped his head to taste her.

Her breath caught as he loved her with his mouth in slow, teasing strokes.  He was relentless in his seduction and she was mindless with need.

“Dalton, please...”

He rose up and slid the sleep shirt up over her head, baring her breasts to his heated gaze.  Then he worked his way up her body, loving every inch of her until he reached her mouth.

The kiss that followed was intense.  Pure fire.  Demanding.  Caitlin buried her fingers in his thick hair, returning his kiss with equal fervor.

“I want the hell outta you,” he muttered against her lips in a voice strained with passion.

And she wanted him.  Now.  Wrapping her legs around his hips, she opened herself to him, her hand gliding between them to wrap around his hard, heated flesh.

Dalton groaned.  Then he pulled her hand away.  “I’m too far gone for that.”  Securing her legs firmly around him, he said, “Hold on tight, darlin’.”  Then he rolled onto his back, taking her with him.

She looked down at him questioningly.

“Ride me.”

Grasping onto his muscular shoulders, she settled herself over him, taking him inside her.

“Yes,” he groaned.  Clasping onto her hips, pulled her down, sinking himself even deeper into her awaiting heat.

She began moving her hips, her rhythm slow, deliberate, eliciting another groan from him.  She leaned forward, pressing her mouth to his ear.  “Am I doing this right?”

“Do it any more right and I’m gonna go up in flames right here in your bed.”

“Oh, dear, we can’t have that.”  She stopped moving, letting her fingers play over his chest as she straddled him.

“Caitlin,” he growled.

She squealed in surprise as he rolled them over, pressing her into the mattress with his much larger body.  Hands pinning hers to the pillow above her head, he pulled out and thrust into her.  Deeper.  Harder.  Faster.

She was no longer the one in control.  Dalton was.  He released her wrists to cup her bare bottom, sinking into her wetness in frenzied thrusts.  Her fingers curled into fists beside her head while her heels dug into the mattress.  Sensual fire licked through her, burning her alive.  Release came in a maddening rush, making her cry out.

Dalton’s body shook with the fierceness of his own release as her body shuddered around his.  His pleasured groan echoed loudly off the cabin walls.  Hanging his head, he pressed his brow to hers for a long moment before rolling off her and onto the mattress beside her, gathering her in his arms.

Caitlin sighed softly.  If only they could stay this way forever.

*              *              *

“Penny for your thoughts.”

Caitlin turned from the empty corral she’d been staring off into to find Dalton standing there.  “I wasn’t thinking anything.”

Except about their lovemaking the night before.  About everything he had done for the retreat that summer.  And about how soon he would be gone from her life.

“I see.”  His tone implied that he didn’t believe her, but was letting the falsehood go unchallenged.  He moved to stand beside her at the fence and then turned to lean back against the railing.

“Did you need something?” 
Like me?

“The kids have been asking when we’re gonna hold the greased pig competition.  Can’t say that I blame them.  There’s not much time left before camp ends, you know.”

As if he had to remind her of that.

She hated the inner clock that was ticking away in her head.  Hated her inability to stop it.  To keep Dalton in her life.  Hated that she had gone and done the unthinkable.  She had fallen in love with him. 

“Caitlin?”

She looked up at him, her heart aching.  It wasn’t his fault.  He’d never made her any promises.  And why would he? 

“You okay?” he pressed, his expression one of concern.   

She forced a smile.  “I’m fine.”

“Up for a little pig chasing?”

“What?”

“The kids are up for it,” he told her.  “And since summer is almost at its end, I think it’s time to reward them for all their hard work.”  He nodded toward the pen on the far side of the corral where the camp’s mascot was pacing about and snorting.  “Even Squealer is raring to go.”

She cast a skeptical glance that direction.  Did he really think the smelly little thing was looking forward to being greased up and chased around by a bunch of shrieking kids?  Wait, she might as well include herself in that bunch, thanks to Dalton.  However, she wouldn’t be chasing Squealer.  She’d be running from him.

She shook her head.  “I really think the weekend would be a better time to hold it.”

He chuckled.  “Darlin’, it’s summer.  Weekends and weekdays are all the same here.”

I’m not your darlin’
, she wanted to say, but held the words in.  She’d gone into their relationship with open eyes.  “I don’t think-”

“Come on, Caitlin,” he said, cutting her off with a warm smile.  “The kids deserve this.  Especially, Jimmy who’s finally given up cussing.”

“No,” she told him.  “He’s switched to using hand signals instead.” Jimmy was definitely one of a kind.

Dalton chuckled.  “Want me to wash his hands with soap?”

She shook her head.  “Somehow, I don’t think that would accomplish much.”

“Break his fingers?”

“Dalton,” she gasped, grinning as she smacked him playfully in the arm. 

“Just kidding.”

“I know that, but if the wrong person ever heard you talking like that there could be trouble,” she pointed out.  “The retreat could be shut down.”

“Point taken.”  He removed his hat and dragged a sleeve across his sweat-dampened brow.  “So what do you say?  Can I tell them today’s a go?”

The teens had come a long way over the summer.  And even more surprising was the way this group of kids had bonded, becoming one big, occasionally quarrelsome family – related or not.  And, unlike her, they were all looking forward to this contest Dalton had planned for them. 

The need to make these kids happy overrode her aversion to pigs.  She nodded.  “All right.  Tell them it’s a go.”

His toothy smile widened.  “I’ll let them know.”  He pushed away from the fence, his gaze trailing over her.  “Oh, and, Caitlin...”

“Yes?”

“You might wanna go back to your cabin and change into something old for the competition.  We’re gonna be doing a lotta rolling around on the ground.”

In another context, that thought would excite her immensely.  But not when there was going to be a pig involved in the rolling part.

“Maybe we should wear our swimsuits,” she suggested.

“What?” Dalton choked, hoping to hell she was only kidding.  Because if Caitlin wore that skimpy swimsuit of hers it wouldn’t be Squealer he’d be trying to wrestle to the ground. 

“I think we should wear our swimsuits,” she repeated.  “You know, that way we could just go jump in the lake once the competition is over and wash the dirt off.”

He shook his head.  “No.  We’re better off wearing clothes.” 
Had he actually just said that?
“It’ll provide some protection when diving after Squealer.”

“I never thought about that.”

“The more skin covered the better.” 
Especially where you’re concerned. 

“Well, what are we waiting for?” she asked, smiling up at him.  “Let’s go give the kids the good news.”

*              *              *

The greased pig competition turned out to be even more fun than Caitlin had ever imagined it would be.  She’d never seen the kids look so collectively carefree and happy. 

“Go, Billy, go!” several of the girls cried out, cheering the young counselor on from the other side of the fence.  “Get it, Tommy!” they added, encouraging the boy Billy had been paired up with that afternoon.

The boys, however, weren’t about to cheer on their competition.  Instead, they heckled and hollered at the pig, hoping to make Squealer run faster.

The teens were having the time of their lives and that meant more to Caitlin than anything.  Just seeing the looks of pure enjoyment on their faces warmed her heart.  And more importantly, they were competing without fighting or cursing at each other.  Just good clean fun.

Well, maybe one wouldn’t exactly refer to it as ‘clean’ fun.  The boys’ idea to hose the grass down to make the contest more interesting had in turn left the kids muddy messes from head to toe.  Dalton was right.  A simple swim in the lake would never get the grease and grime off these kids.  She wasn’t even sure soap would do the trick.  But none of that mattered.  Not now.

Laughing softly, she looked toward Dalton who stood a few feet away.  His long, lean body stretched out over the top rail of the fence as he waved his hat in the air, urging the panting boys on.  The expression on his tanned face matched that of the kids - unrestrained excitement.

Even Squealer appeared to be having the time of his life.  Especially since no one seemed to be able to catch him.  Inwardly, she found herself cheering the little pink, curly-tailed mascot on.

The timer went off and Billy and Tommy dropped onto their backs in exhausted relief.  Caitlin slipped through the rails of the fence, smiling.  “You boys did great!  You almost had him.”