Roping Your Heart (14 page)

She wanted him so badly, but at the same time she loved the way he was taking it slow with her, the way he looked at her.

“You have the same good heart, the same beauty within, that always attracted me to you.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “We’ve each lived a lifetime separately. But you’re still the same sweet woman you were when we were together. And I’m still the same man who never stopped loving you.”

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. She wasn’t sure what to say. So much had happened over the years. Despite what he’d said, she didn’t think she was the same person he thought she was. Would he still love her if he got to know her better?

Before she could speak, he put his fingers to her lips. “Shhh… Don’t say anything. Not yet.”

While he held her gaze, he moved his palm along her body then skimmed the back of his hand over her nipples, causing her to gasp with pleasure. He trailed his fingers down her flat abdomen to the soft curls at the apex of her thighs.

She shivered with want and need, but something more, too. Her heart was filled with whatever was rising inside her. It filled to overflowing, a warmth that suffused her entire being. How could she be so blessed as to be in Blake’s arms again after she’d left the way she did?

He moved his fingers back to her face and she stilled as he traced the scar from one side of her face to the other. “You must have been through so much, honey.” He cupped her scarred cheek. “I wish I could have been there for you.”

The beauty of the moment made tears back up behind her eyes. How could she have left this man?

“You’re so beautiful.” He kissed her scarred cheek before moving his lips down the slender column of her neck to the hollow at the base of her throat. “Everything about you is beautiful.”

The way he accepted her, the way he told her she was beautiful, filled her heart even more to the brim.

He trailed kisses to the valley between her breasts and then she arched her back as he took one of her nipples in his mouth and rolled the other between his thumb and forefinger. As he licked and sucked each of her nipples she squirmed and grasped his powerful shoulders like she was clinging to a life preserver to keep from drowning in ecstasy.

When he moved his mouth to her bellybutton, his big hands felt calloused and rough against her soft skin as he slid them beneath her ass. He eased lower, his lips and tongue leaving a damp trail down to the curls below.

He moved his big shoulders between her thighs, spreading them wide. She still couldn’t get over how big he was now. He was the same Blake, but even more powerful and rugged than he’d been when they’d been together as teenagers.

She tensed as he kissed the inside of one thigh and then the other and she waited for his mouth to move to her folds. His hands beneath her ass brought her closer to him. And she heard his deep inhalation.

Her heart beat faster as he spread her thighs even wider, lowered his head and ran his tongue along her folds.

She hissed with pleasure. He continued to lick her clit and she realized she was grabbing the comforter to either side of her and clenching it in her fists as if to ground herself. She wanted to toss her head back and revel in the sensations, but she wanted to watch him, too.

Seeing him between her thighs, looking at her while he licked her, nearly made her come unglued. Incredible sensations built inside her and she felt like her whole body was whirling and she couldn’t control anything. She wanted to hold back, to draw it out. But when he slid two fingers into her core and started pumping them in and out, she couldn’t stop herself from falling apart.

She couldn’t have held back the scream if she’d tried. She thrashed beneath the assault of his mouth and fingers as he continued drawing out her orgasm.

When he raised his head, his eyes were dark with satisfaction. He moved up her body and braced himself above her so that his full weight wasn’t on her. They’d already talked about safe sex the second time they were together that first night and the fact that he didn’t need a condom.

“Take me, Blake.” She found herself begging when he just stayed still and watched her. “Please.”

She reached between them and grasped his cock, putting it at the entrance to her core. He kept his gaze pinned to hers as he pushed himself into her.

Her eyes widened at the feel of his thickness and length filling her up. Every time he entered her felt like the first time.

He began a slow and easy pace as he continued to watch her. His jaw grew tense as he moved and her breathing grew harsher, perspiration coating her skin and his.

“You’re so damned beautiful, KitCat,” he murmured and she felt the truth in his words. He made her feel beautiful and sexy again.

“I want to come when you do.” She remembered all the times they would reach orgasm together and the sense of completeness it had always given her.

He nodded and moved in and out, picking up his pace. She felt herself spiraling, an orgasm so near, she could barely keep from coming.

“I’m there,” she whispered. “I’m waiting for you.”

He thrust a few times more. “Come, baby. Come now.”

She cried out with the exquisite pleasure that took hold of her as his shout joined hers. He continued moving in and out as her body vibrated. She felt the throb of his cock inside her as her core contracted around him, drawing out his semen to fill her.

He stopped and lowered his head, still braced above her, his chest rising and falling with his harsh breaths. He was still inside her and she loved the feel of him there. Then he pulled out and caught her to him as he rolled onto his back and brought her on top of him.

She laughed as she found herself above him, her skin slick against his, her long hair sliding against his skin and brushing his face. He looked at her as if she might be some kind of goddess that he’d captured and intended to keep forever, even if he had to lock her away.

He cupped the back of her head and brought her down for a long kiss. When their lips parted, he pushed her hair behind her ear. “I wish we could stay here all day, with you in my arms.”

She smiled down at him. “We have work to do.”

He rolled her onto her back, causing her to giggle. “Not if I keep you prisoner.”

She laughed and looped her arms around his neck. “That might not be such a bad fate.”

He grinned. “Just know that I don’t intend to let you go.” His expression grew more serious and she knew that he meant it when he said, “Ever.”

Happiness like she hadn’t felt in a long time filled her, completed her. Where once she’d felt broken, now she felt whole again.

It was a long time before they made it out of bed and back to reality.

Chapter 15

Cat waited at Folsom Ranch for the last couple of 4-H’ers in the horse club to arrive. One of those who hadn’t shown up yet was Demi, and Cat hoped she’d make it. She was surprised at the flutters in her belly as she prayed that the girl would be accepting of her. It was important to her in a way she didn’t fully understand.

It was a beautiful May Saturday with a nice breeze that smelled of dust, horses, and the scent of the oncoming summer that always started early in Arizona. Cat’s western hat shaded her eyes from the rising sun.

The horses—Gretchen, Dolly, and Shelton—stood beside her, saddled, swatting away flies from their rumps with their long tails. Two of the 4-H’ers had ridden their own horses over.

Cat thought about her time with Blake over the past few days. After spending Wednesday morning in bed before getting to work on the audit, they’d seen each other twice more during the week.

Friday they’d played putt-putt golf and had laughed like teenagers and Cat had fallen into a fit of giggles when Blake had hit his ball across the course, in the wrong direction, and had made a hole-in-one at the Dutch windmill instead of in the castle that had been directly in front of them.

Cat held back a grin as she saw Blake’s red truck when came around a bend in the road and Amy said, “Demi’s here.”

For some reason, Brett looked like he wanted to hide as Blake brought the truck to a stop and parked.

Both Demi and Blake climbed out of the truck and Cat’s belly fluttered for an entirely different reason than when she’d been worried about seeing Demi. Cat felt like she could never get enough of looking at him and having him close. When he reached them she was glad he didn’t kiss her in front of the kids and Demi. He just gave her a smile that sent thrills through her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

Demi, on the other hand, had her arms crossed over her chest and wouldn’t meet Cat’s eyes. Cat nearly sighed. At least the girl wasn’t glaring at her.

Blake went up to Brett who looked at him with something like fear. Blake held out his hand and Brett took it hesitantly. When they released their grip, Blake spoke quietly to the boy but Cat couldn’t hear him nor Brett’s response. But when they parted, the boy looked relieved and even smiled.

Demi had tensed and had been watching with what had looked like concern, but she visibly relaxed when she saw Brett smile.

Blake squeezed Demi’s shoulder then touched his hat with one hand when he looked at Cat. “I’ll be back to pick up Demi when you’re ready.” He looked at the girl. “Call me when it’s time.”

She nodded. “Okay, Dad.”

Cat did her best not to stare after Blake and admire his nice ass and the way he filled out his western shirt and his Wranglers as he walked away.

Apparently, she hadn’t done a very good job of hiding her interest because Demi was staring at her when she turned her gaze back to the group.

“As you know, the Flagstaff Junior Rodeo is in two weeks.” Cat smiled at the 4-H’ers standing around her. “We’re going to pack in as much practice as possible between now and then.”

The teens nodded and started talking about who their competition was from the surrounding counties. Unanimously, the kids said Demi was the top barrel racer and Brett was the best at tie-down calf roping. The other 4-H’ers were strong competitors as well.

Demi acted like a pro when it came to participating in the discussions, even when it meant talking to Cat. She was certain, though, that Demi was still unhappy about the relationship between her father and Cat. She could only hope the girl came around and that it wouldn’t take too long—that was, if she ever did.

But Cat wasn’t ready to look that far into the future. What was between her and Blake was incredible, but would it last? Would he stop finding her attractive as time passed?

Cat gave tips and guidance as the 4-H’ers practiced their events. They would need to practice a lot on their own horses between now and the rodeo.

When it was time for Demi to practice her event, she mounted Gretchen and hesitated. She looked down from where she sat on the horse. “Will you teach me that trick again, the one that you showed me at the last meeting?”

“Sure.” Cat felt a little sense of elation that Demi was turning to her for something. She mounted Dolly and the horses moved side by side as Cat went over the move that had helped her to win several championships. “Watch me now.”

Demi sat on Gretchen and watched Cat ride to the starting point on Dolly. Cat felt a sense of elation as she prepared to race Dolly. Even though she wasn’t going to go full out, the pure enjoyment of the moment made her heart thrum.

She raced the barrels, wishing she could run them hard. No matter her insistence on riding horses, a niggling fear was always at the back of her mind that it was possible for her to take a spill and hit her head.

When she finished the cloverleaf pattern and trotted up to Demi and Gretchen, Cat felt a flush in her cheeks and couldn’t help the broad smile on her face.

“You love it, don’t you,” Demi said in a way that sounded like a statement, not a question. “Just like me.”

Cat grinned. “Absolutely. As a 4-H leader, these last couple of meetings are the first time I’ve been back at it since the accident and it feels good to be doing what I loved, even if it’s only in a small way.” She was surprised that she was talking so animatedly with Demi, as if there was nothing between them.

Demi seemed to have a hard time keeping from smiling, too. Regardless of Demi’s feelings about Cat and her dad being together, this was a bond they both shared. Cat hoped it would be enough for them to develop the start of a relationship. It wouldn’t be enough to sustain it, but it was a start.

“I’d better get going.” Demi took off on Gretchen and trotted to the starting point.

When Demi was ready, Cat shouted for her to go and timed her. The girl was poetry in motion, her movements smooth and beautiful. Even though Gretchen wasn’t her own horse, it was like the pair of them had been practicing together forever.

“Beautiful,” Cat said, when Demi returned, and the other teens clapped and called out to her.

Demi’s face looked as flushed as Cat’s had felt and her eyes glittered with happiness as she grinned. Cat knew the feeling. The girl felt more at home on a horse than anywhere else.

Cat and Demi rode side-by-side back to the group and both dismounted.

“Two more weeks.” Amy bounced up and down on her boot heels. “I can’t wait.” She whispered to Demi, “Maybe that cute guy from Coconino County will be there. Clive Turner.” Amy giggled after she said it and Demi grinned.