Second Burn Cowboy (Second Chance Series Book 6) (9 page)

Shudders passed through him and settled in his gut. He couldn’t imagine ever getting enough of her, no matter how much he touched, licked, made love to her.
But it was possible this would be their only time together. Good things didn’t come with a guarantee.

“I’m on fire,” she whispered
, drawing his mind back on track.

The frightened, reserved Elsa was gone in exchange for a sultry siren who wielded power in her sexuality. She brought every part of him alive, even the parts he’d buried long ago.

Sliding one finger into her opening, she spread her legs wide. Damp petals glistened against his callused hand. He inhaled sharply, dragging in pussy fragrance and spicy scent. No woman could be sweeter or hotter.

Wrapping his free hand around her waist, he pulled her closer, her ass pressing against the tips of his fingers. She wound her arms around his
back and he lowered his head, kissing the tender skin on her neck. Her moans teased his ear.

“I need you now,” she demanded.

Pushing through his cluttered mind, he pulled away. “I’ll be right back.” He left the room, grabbed an unopened condom from the top drawer of his nightstand and hurried back to Elsa. Ripping open the package, he quickly rolled the sheath over his cock and lowered his body back to the goddess who awaited him.

She br
ought her legs around his hips and gyrated her sex against his erection. Pleasure tumbled through him, seizing him in its grip. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d rubbed against a woman, and he probably wouldn’t remember anyone except for the livewire clutching him in her lustful power.

Elsa was different, he’d known from the start. He didn’t want to just fuck her and find satisfaction. He wanted to rock her body, take her down a forbidden road that only lovers found together. Driving her wild in hunger was his only goal.

She slid her hand
between them and her fingers grasped his cock, guiding him to her core. With a gentleness that rugged cowboys weren’t supposed to have, at least admit to having, he eased himself into her, slowly and carefully, not wanting to hurt her with his size. Her tight muscles told him it’d been a while for her too, which sent him closer to the edge.

He took on a rhythm, pumping her and rubbing her clit with his thumb until her body tensed with orgasm. Control dissipated and he jerked as he reached release.

****

The sun came up too early for Elsa. She rolled an arm across the empty bed and sighed. Deckland was gone. If her inner thighs didn’t ache
and her nipples weren’t tingling, she’d almost believe last was a dream. After they’d made love, he’d pulled her into the crook of his arm and that was where she’d stayed, until he’d left.

A chill sprinted through
without his warmth and she wrapped her arms around her body.

And her mind swirled with a cocktail of confusion and bliss.

She realized she could fall for Deckland. He was so giving, thinking of everyone before himself. And for the first time in her life, she was beginning to believe she deserved happiness. Guilt had plagued her for the mistakes she’d made, but she’d grown from the blunders. It didn’t matter how a person started, as long as they finished at their best.

Smiling, she climbed from bed, stretched and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.

When she returned, her cell was vibrating with a missed call and text. Reading the screen, all air left her lungs.

How long did you think you could hide?

Dropping the phone back onto the table, she sucked back a sob. She didn’t doubt who the message came from.

A gathering of emotion spiraled through her. She’d changed her number twice over the last year, and it never did any good.

Rubbing her forehead
, her thoughts raced to Deckland.

Would he understand her past?

To give herself to someone meant opening up completely, and was she ready?

She didn’t think so.

CHAPTER SEVEN

DECKLAND SAT CRADLING a cold longneck between his palms. His legs were stretched and his boots were relaxed on the table. He glanced around at the empty kitchen where Elsa had been scooting around that afternoon while getting the last preparations done for a client’s wedding today. The smell of sugar lingered in the air and embedded itself deep within his blood. He didn’t think he’d ever get the scent out of his nostrils, nor would he forget how warm and pleasurable Elsa was in his arms last night. His palms ached to touch her again.

Being
near her was far more dangerous than he first thought possible.

He practically ripped his hand through his hair and sighed his worries away.
Even working on the land earlier hadn’t eased the tension. He hoped the beer helped.

Soft music
played from the radio, but the silence surrounding him was almost too much to bear. He didn’t like the hush that mocked him, reminding him that his brothers were gone, happy with their new families and, if Elsa stuck to her promise, she would leave soon too.

Disappointment slithered through his veins.

Hell, he couldn’t feel sorry for himself. Getting involved with Elsa was a risk.

He downed the beer, threw the bottle into the nearby trashcan
, and the glass hitting metal cracked the calm of the night.

Laying his head back, he closed his eyes.

“Deckland?”

He
opened his eyes, not sure how long he’d been asleep sitting in the chair. Turning his cheek, he dragged his gaze from pink painted toenails to pale eyes. Elsa looked as lovely as ever. Her hair hung straight and shiny down her shoulders and her cheeks were flushed, probably from working. The gauzy white blouse skimmed her firm breasts and the long flowing skirt accentuated her slender curves.

“
You look comfortable. Am I interrupting?” she asked.

“Depends. If you’re here for the party, you’ve missed all o
f the fun. It ended with a bang,” he teased.

“
A party? I’m always a day late and a dollar short.” A sweet smile spread her lips.

He sat up. “
How’d the wedding go?”

“
Magnificent. In fact, I was asked to bake a birthday cake.” Her eyes twinkled. “I couldn’t turn it down since I can use the money.”

“Of course. No one can resist Elsa’s Fluff.” He smiled
, but it quickly fizzled. He shook his head, hoping to dislodge some of his embedded irritation. He wasn’t sure what had come over him, but he guessed the woman standing before him was a good place to look.

She’d been quiet all day, skirting around any discussion
about what they’d shared. He understood she was rushed, but he suspected she had been avoiding him. She’d seemed different—distant. He wouldn’t pressure her, but he also wouldn’t be played.

He didn’t know much about her past, but he had a feeling she wanted to keep it closed and away from anyone’s view. If he
went out on a limb, he’d say a man was involved in helping her build her wall of protection. Each time they got close, the barricade came up.

Truth was, he saw a pattern here. Just as Elsa had pointed out, and his brothers, he was always there to pick the pieces up for the people he cared for. People needed to help themselves on occasion.

He had broad shoulders, but the last thing he needed was another person to fix. He’d gotten good at cleaning everyone’s troubles away, and he guessed it was time to stop, if possible. Sometimes it was hard for a cowboy to change his ways.

From the first time
he’d met Elsa, he’d known she had a few sharp corners that needed filed. He didn’t mind that she had a past, everyone had a history, but when a person failed to empty the trash it made it difficult to move forward.

“You
seem thoughtful this evening, Deckland.”

“
Care for a beer?” He got up, went to the refrigerator and grabbed a cold one, holding it out.

“I—I don’t know—
”

“It’s just a beer, not a kidney.” He winked.

“In that case, why not.” He popped the lid and handed it to her. She took a seat at the table and he sat back down. “No one likes to drink alone.”

He shrugged. “Are you hungry?”

“No.” She brought the bottle to her lips and took a long drink. He couldn’t help but admire how her smooth neck curved.

He wa
nted to kiss her skin, explore her like an ancient discovery. A long, slow repeat of last night. The scratches on his back were proof she’d enjoyed herself.

His cock came alive. It was impossible for a man to think clearly with a hard on.

Tearing his gaze away, he opened his beer. “Cheers.” He held up his bottle, and she
clinked
it with her own. He wasn’t much of a drinker, probably why he was buzzing after his second, but tonight he needed something to ease the strain in his muscles—the one behind his zipper in particular.

“I’ve never been to a wedding where the bride rides a horse down the aisle. It was amazing
.” She tapped her finger against the bottle.

“N
ever know what you’ll get around these parts. I once heard a man and woman got hitched in an elevator.”

“That’s a little odd, but I’m sure they had their reasons.”
Shaking her head, she drank again.

He scraped his
fingers along his chin. “Give me a simple wedding in the backyard and I wouldn’t complain.”

“The
sunset is beautiful here on Brooke Creek.” She looked at him through her thick lashes. “It’d make a pretty backdrop for an evening ceremony.”

“Then we’re in agreement.” He kept his gaze steady with hers.
“Cupcakes all gone? Need any help unloading?”

“Every last one.
I’ll unload tomorrow.” She relaxed into the chair and one strap of her dress slid down her arm. She tugged it back up. “Ooh, I love this song. I went to his concert when I was eighteen. A friend dragged me there, but I ended up having the greatest time.” She jumped up and set her bottle on the table. He could see the alcohol was having a relaxing effect. “Let’s dance.”

He shrugged and stood up, taking her hand into his.
“A George Strait fan, huh?”

“
Does that surprise you?”

“Sweetheart, there are a lot of things about you that throw me for a loop,” he admitted.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. And there are two things that should never go to waste—good food and good music.”

“A girl after my own heart.” He led her to
the middle of the kitchen. “How do you like the dance floor?” He wriggled his brows.

“It’s lovely. But wait.” Sh
e bent and slipped off her heels, tossing them a few feet away. “Much better.”

Placing his hand at her waist, he
gently pulled her closer, getting a strong scent of chocolate. He’d only meant to dance but when she wrapped her arms around his neck and eased against him, a fire ignited through his body as his zipper stretched. His cock wanted a replay.

Her head dropped back onto one shoulder an
d she stared up at him through the veil of lashes. He was so close he could see a small, thin scar above one brow. Before he connected the dots of his actions, he lifted a hand and traced the blemish with the tip of his pointer finger. She blinked and her tongue darted out to moisten her bottom lip, which made his balls pulsate. Dropping his hand to her shoulder, he caressed her silky skin.

“I’m confused, Deckland.”

He smiled. “I’ve already guessed that.”

“
You make me feel things I didn’t think were possible.” Her voice was soft and warm, infusing his blood with honey.

The beer was definitely
calming her. And her touch was soothing him. “Better than being numb.”

“I can’t believe on a Saturday night you’re here when I bet there are tons of women who’d love to dance with you.”

“That’s why I don’t go anywhere. I have to beat off the entourage.” He winked. “What’s your excuse? It’s early yet.”

“I don’t go out much.”

“Someone did a number on you, didn’t they?” She stiffened. “Bad subject?”

“You could say that.”
She averted her gaze.

He real
ized if he went any further in questioning, she’d pull away. “Then let’s not ruin a perfectly good dance with useless conversation about the past and exes.”

She
eased into him some and he glided his hand along the small of her back. 

The
slow song pacified his soul. The tune ended and another began, neither made an effort to end their hold.

Elsa laid her head against his chest and smoothed her hands down his arms until her fingers
were at his wrists. Her delicate fingers looked pale and fragile against his darker skin, kicking his protective side in gear. He had one larger than a football field.