Loving You: A Cowboy Romance (Texas Hill Country Romance Book 1) (24 page)

He woke up sometime in the middle of the night. Annie’s back was still leaning in to his front and his dick was hard. He rocked into her gently, once, and a half a second later she rocked back into him. He smiled and turned her around.

“Hey,” he said with that wake up look she loved. His hair all messy, and his eyes all smoky.

“Hey,” she said.

He kissed the corner of her lips as he placed his hand at her throat. He moved his hand down her body and his kisses followed. She arched into his touch. He palmed her breasts and took a nipple in his mouth and gently tugged and she gasped, feeling it down in her core.

“Where’s your nipple clamps?” He raised his head and asked her.

“I threw them away.”

“Oh… We’ll have to get you more, then. I love the way you writhe under me when I pull the chain, it’s so damn hot,” he said breathlessly, and he pinched her nipple and she sucked in a breath. Then he massaged that nipple and she moaned.

He brought his mouth all the way down her body until he found her magic spot. He greedily ate her as she thrashed about.

When she came, he moved up her body and sunk into her and thrust a few times. Then he pulled out, flipped her over and slid back into her. He got deeper in that position and he groaned as he paused all the way in her.

He started moving in her, slowly at first, then he put his arm around her waist and brought her up as he sat back on his knees. He moved her up and down so hard and so fast on his cock, he began to lose control. He loved to lose control with her. No matter what he gave her she took and she knew how to give back.

When she came again, she clamped down on his cock and milked him to a mind blowing orgasm. He lowered her back to the bed and laid on top of her a bit longer than he should have because his legs were shuddering.

Cord got out of his truck and walked briskly to the other side to open the door for Annie. He promised her he would be by her side except during the rodeo at the fundraiser at his parent’s.

She was in awe as she stepped out of the truck and looked around. There were huge white tents set up by the river that ran on the side of the McCreedy house. One was set up with tables and chairs the other was set up with a stage and a dance floor. There were rows and rows of barbeques with chefs manning every two. Cord told her that was the lunch shift. Another crew of chefs would come in later to cook up dinner.

On the other side of the house was a make shift corral, with grandstands on the sides, and one side had four chutes that Cord explained the bulls and the horses with riders would come out of.

He pointed to the tops of the chutes, where he’d be helping the riders get set and comfortable on their mounts before coming out of the them.

She was in awe at how excited he was.

When he looked to her and saw her smiling at him he bent his head down and kissed her.

He continued to walk her around. They paused every so often for Cord to shake a hand or chat, or to introduce her to the many men and women in uniform, representing every part of the military. Some were wounded, a missing limb or two. Some were in a wheel chair. He introduced her to, and chatted a while with a group of men that were in his late brother’s battalion, but he never used the word late in the intros.

It warmed Annie to see these men interacting affectionately with Cord and they were equally friendly with her.

Cord was elated that she was gracious and genial with that group of guys.

He introduced her to some politicians and prominent people in the community and all around Texas.

They continued walking around when Annie spotted Cord’s father walking toward them. He was with a younger man who seemed to have the same features as Cord and his dad. Where Cord had dark hair though, he had blond hair. Shane had blue eyes and was fair skinned where Cord was more olive. Shane wasn’t as tall as Cord, but he had the same broad chest and tapered waist as Cord. They even had the same walk.

“Cord,” his father said as he nodded.

“Hi, Dad.” And Cord gave him a kiss.

The younger man met Annie’s eyes and smiled to her. She smiled back.

“Hello, Annie,” his father said.

“Hi, Mr. McCreedy,” Annie said shyly.

Cord put a protective arm around her and squeezed her gently.

“Hey, bro.” the young man said.

“Hey,” Cord said and they gave each other a handshake.

“Annie, this is my brother Shane. Shane. Annie.”

Shane nodded to her and said. “Darlin’.” Then he turned to Cord. “Man, Cord, she is pretty.” He turned to Annie. “What are you doing with this ugly dude?” he teased.

The corners of Annie’s lips turned up slightly.

“Asshole,” Cord said half grinning.

“Hey, hey. The mouth, there is a lady present,” Cal said.

Shane took Annie’s hand and said, “Come on, I’ll show you the bull I’m riding later,” as he dragged her with him.

Annie looked back to Cord who wanted to rip her out of his brother’s hand if only because he was making Annie feel uncomfortable, and he promised her he would keep her safe, but instead he told his father he’d catch up with him later and ran to catch up with them.

The three of them went behind the corral where there was another pen with six individual stalls and each one had a bull in it. Shane walked her over to a big beige colored one with short horns.

“Is this Rebel?” she asked Shane.

“Yeah. He’s a brute. Dad tell you he’s still unridden?” Shane asked Cord.

“Yeah. He’s looking good. He has a shot at the finals if he keeps this up.”

Jake and Jennie came up to them. Jake and Shane gave a quick man hug and Shane kissed Jennie hello. They were all talking back by the bulls.

Annie was talking with Jennie when Cord noticed she backed up and grabbed his hand. He felt her stiffen. He looked up and saw his mother coming over to them. Cord was disappointed. He wanted Annie to get along with his mother but he wasn’t going to push her. Still it bothered him and he hoped in time she would come around. Time, huh. Time was running out, but he wouldn’t let himself think about that now. He wanted to have a good time and not think about when Annie would leave him.

“Jake, honey.”

“Evelyn,” Jake said, and he gave her a kiss on her cheek.

“Cord, dear, when did you get here?”

“Mom.” He gave her a kiss and said, “a little while ago.”

Evelyn nodded to Jennie who said hello and she smiled slightly at Annie. Annie nodded and smiled back.

Evelyn’s eyes went to Cord’s hand which she noticed was holding Annie’s. She looked up to Cord and said to all, “You kids enjoy yourselves.”

“Oh yes, Mrs. McCreedy, thank you. The place looks amazing,” Jennie said, clearly in awe.

“Thank you, darling.” Then she addressed her son, “Cord, honey, don’t forget you’re needed behind the chutes soon, to help your brother and father. Oh, there’s the Fairchilds, if you all will excuse me,” she said as she walked away.

Collectively, the gang was annoyed that the Fairchilds had the nerve to show up. Jimmy told them it was just a matter of time. At any point now, Lisa would get her due.

“We’ll catch up with you later. I want to introduce Annie to a few people,” Cord said to Jake, Jennie, and Shane.

Cord walked Annie around some more. They came up to a young man, who to Annie’s calculations was no more than twenty-two, twenty-three, in a wheelchair.

“Cord, my man. How’s it going? What happened?” the young man said, extending his hand.

Cord knew he was referring to the cast on his left arm. Cord gave him a short version as he shook his hand. “You’re looking good, how you been?”

“Ah, you know, I’m still training for the New York City marathon,” he joked, and the two guys laughed.

Annie’s mouth formed a perfect O and they both laughed.              

“Running joke,” Cord clarified with a grin at his own pun. “Annie, this is Private Curtis Bower, USMC. Curtis, this is Annie.”

Annie extended her hand and smiling, said, “Hi.”

Curtis took her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed the backside. “Hello, sugar.” Then he turned to Cord. “Man, Cord, you out did yourself this year.”

Cord, Annie noticed, fidgeted.

“Can’t wait to share her later,” Curtis continued with a wicked grin on his face.

Annie’s eyes grew wide as she quickly removed her hand from his.

“Uh-uh. Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t share her,” Cord said to Curtis’ disappointment. And Annie’s eyes went wider still, and Cord felt her eyes bore into him.

“Not to worry, my man, I got you covered. She’ll be here tonight. I’ll hook you up. Later,” Cord said and ushered Annie out of there as he thought about how to explain this to her.

Holding hands, he dragged her away. He knew she was letting him lead her because she was still stunned about what had just transpired.

With her eyes on him, he knew she was waiting for him to explain.

When it looked like he wasn’t going to, she slowed then finally stopped, forcing him to stop. They locked gazes.

“Well?”

“Okay, here goes,” he said, but more to himself. “I’m not sure how it started, but every year, I take care of some of the guys here.”

“Take care?”

“I get them laid. Sometimes I, um, participate-”

Her eyes went wide yet again.

He continued. “-Participated.”

“Huh?” she said, looking bewildered. She gasped then grinned. “Oh, pimping, huh?”

He was happy he seemed to have dodged a bullet and grinned wickedly, “Nah, no money’s exchanged, ever. Those ladies are happy to service our servicemen,” he said as he laughed.

“Oh, well, then there you go.” she said and grinned while rolling her eyes.

“Not mad?” he asked.

“No. Of course not. I don’t judge. I know you had a life before me. Do you plan on participating this year?” she asked cautiously.

Cord paused and with her hand in his, he pulled her to him. “I promised you exclusivity,” he said and he kissed her.

They started walking again.              

“Thank you,” she said.

“For what?”

“For not wanting to share me.”

He stopped walking again, catching her by surprise. He pulled her to him and brought his lips very close to hers and whispered “You’re mine, Annie.” And he kissed her. He broke the kiss, then he brought his hand up and with his forefinger he slowly traced her lips. He noticed a little reaction from her body.

“What?” he whispered with a smile.

“I’m not sure how to explain it, but every time you touch me or are this close to me, I get this feeling in my body that starts below my belly and shoots out in all directions, down my legs, up my arms, and when it gets to my neck I feel flush. It reminds me of liquid heat zigzagging through me. Like mercury in a thermometer or something. I don’t know...” She trailed off.

The corners of his mouth lifted and she was treated to that smile that rocked her world. He kissed her again. He felt a bump and they drew apart to see Shane with a grin on his face that was not unlike Cord’s, walk on by.

“Asshole,” Cord muttered. Shane put his hand behind him and gave Cord the finger. Cord just shook his head and Annie giggled.

“Come on,” he said. They walked to the large tent with the tables and chairs and spotted Calista and Rory sitting at one of the tables. They went over to the table and sat with them for a while.

Cord excused himself and got up and strode over to another table where he shook hands with a big dark skinned man in a ribbed tank and green pants.

“Robert, how the hell are you?”Cord asked.

Robert saw a lot of combat in Iraq. He went in as a boy, came out a man. He’d tell you himself he came out a broken man. He roamed from state to state, couldn’t hold on to a job and had a wife and a kid who he saw once or twice a year.

“Fine, my man. You?”

“Good. You still in McKinney, working with that cable company?”

“Nah, things didn’t work out. You know how it is. I’m heading to Oklahoma. Got family there. I’ll look for something there. Who’s the mighty fine woman you walked in with and haven’t taken your eyes off of since you sat down?” Robert asked.

Cord had been watching Annie and when Robert asked that, he looked to Robert and smiled.

“She is mighty fine, isn’t she?” he said.

Robert let out a laugh that Annie, and Calista and Rory looked over to them.

Cord made eye contact with Annie and they smiled at each other. Then Annie went back to talking with Calista and Rory.

“Someone’s got it bad.” Robert continued to laugh. “So, you passing her on later, I’d sure like to tap that.”

“No, man, I’m the only one tapping that. Besides, she gets one look at your big dick, she’ll drop me like a hot potato. Can’t have that, man,” Cord said laughing as he got up. He put his hand out and Robert shook it as he laughed even louder now. And anyone who was in the tent turned to watch him.

“Later, man,” He walked back to the table Annie was at.

“Come on, I gotta head down to the chutes and I want to make sure you’re seated in front.”

On the way to the stands Cord introduced her to someone named Toby. Toby said, “Good luck at the bronc riding today, Cord.”

“Thanks, man, have a good set later.”

“Thanks.”

And when Cord and Annie walked away it struck her and she asked,“Was that Toby K…?”

“Yep.”