The Cowgirl Rides Away (Bluebonnet Texas Book 1) (15 page)

Enough.

On the bed once more, he latched onto one dusky, puckered nipple, then the other, sucking both lightly. Her short nails scratched at his back and she yanked his hair free of the band holding it back, her fingers kneading his scalp as they kissed hot and deep, devouring each other. Underneath him, she shifted, spreading her legs wide, and he rocked his hips against hers, reveling in the heat, in rubbing his cock against her. As if the friction would ease his frustrations. It didn't. Or hers either, obviously. She fisted her hands in his hair and kissed him harder, her hips moving faster under his until she stiffened and bucked underneath him a few heartbeats later.

The kiss gentled as she eased down off that cloud, loosened her grip on his hair and slowly relaxed against the mattress. Her orgasm had taken enough of the edge off for her that he could play at will.

His own edge was a whole 'nother matter.

But he'd worry about that later. He licked and kissed every inch of her neck, her chest, nipped at her ears, buried his face in her lush breasts. Her sighs were his reward. So he ignored the uncomfortable weight of his balls and pushed on until he'd tasted and kissed every inch of her. Until she turned frantic again.

About the time he licked the back of her knee.

Chapter Fifteen
Jessa

I was dying. I lay there wetter and hotter than I'd ever been in my entire life. And completely out of my element. For once in my life, I couldn't lead. I could only follow. And I didn't care.

It was a humbling feeling, but at the same time, a part of me was ready to follow Zack anywhere.

I trusted him implicitly, and to such a degree, it scared the bejesus out of me.

He'd been gentle, tender, patient. Hadn't said a word at my earlier orgasm. Had only touched me and kissed me. Hadn't let me be embarrassed at my nakedness or his own. Solid, muscular and thick, a naked Zach was a sight to behold—whether he knew it or not. So was his erection.

He'd kissed away my tears and not even asked why. As if he'd known it wasn't necessary to, though I probably couldn't have told him if he
had
asked.

He stretched out beside me, kissing me softly, teasing my lips, his goatee tickling my chin.

Then he watched me, skimmed my belly and thighs with his knuckles, his touch so light I barely felt it. My eyes drifted shut and I gasped. His warm breath caressed my shoulder, followed by his lips. I rubbed my legs against him, pulling him closer until his erection was pressed against my hip.

I felt energized and weak, alive and dizzy, all at the same time. "Please," I begged.

"Soon," Zack whispered, the palm of his hand pressing into my belly, then lower between my thighs.

My hips bucked of their own free will and I whimpered loudly, unable to catch my breath as he slipped a hand between my thighs and lazily traced my contours, as if he were memorizing each fold and ridge until, watching me, he slid one finger inside. I could feel my muscles contract around him, and I squeezed my eyes shut as one long moan slipped past my lips.

God, please don't let me come yet.

"Now," I panted, my fists balled up in the sheets. "Please."

We were skin to skin but it wasn't enough. I needed him inside me.

He reached over on the nightstand for a condom, and once it was in place, settled between my legs again.

Looking at me, he asked, "Ready?"

I nodded, unable to hold back a small whimper of need, not pain.

"Sure?"

"Yes," I whispered, nodding again. I'd never been more ready for anything in my life.

His cock gently invaded soft, wet flesh and I understood why he'd made me wait. I bit my lip and held my breath at the sensation of being stretched.

"Relax," Zack whispered, then laughed harshly. "God, you feel good."

I took a few deep breaths, willing myself to do as he said. The tension eased.

"Better?" he asked.

I nodded and he pushed a little further and then a little more. The tightness was still there but fading quickly, to be replaced by something else.

Taking a deep breath, the only word I could form was his name. "Zack!"

"Easy, honey," he said, withdrawing a little.

"No!" I grabbed for him.

"I'm not. It's okay." His thumbs gently stroked my temple.

I moaned, and he smiled. His hips set a slow, steady rhythm I quickly got lost in. He led, I followed. The callused pads of his fingers lightly tweaked and rolled my nipples, sending electrical currents straight through me while his lips left the lightest kisses on my face. I bucked, squeezing him tight.

He moaned and shuddered above me, and I sensed the smile on his lips, relaxing fully for the first time.

"More?"

I nodded, and he steadily increased his pace. He stretched out over me and wrapped his arms around me. We rocked, both of us sweating and panting. I locked my arms around his neck and leaned up to nip at him. He moaned, shuddered and increased his pace again, driving into me harder and faster.

In some distant part of my mind it registered that I had as much control as he did. But now wasn't the time to explore that.

"Zachary," I begged loudly, pulling his hair.

"Yes, baby. Come on… Hurry. We're almost there," he whispered against my lips.

I moaned against his mouth and Zack kissed me. His tongue mimicked his cock and I countered with my own as my climax approached again, like a freight train out of control. The intensity of it was frightening as it overtook me. I couldn't stop my tears as I let go, so I squeezed my eyes shut instead, clawing at his back, unable to stop myself. My hips thrust against his until it was over and I clung to him, weak and spent, and a little embarrassed but unwilling to let go.

"Look at me," Zack murmured from above me.

I did, smothering the last of my tears and locking my fingers around his neck as I watched him climax. I tried to memorize the expression on his face, the look in his eyes as they locked with mine. Then closed, shutting me out when he thrust hard and deep, his own release overtaking him.

"Are you alright?" he panted against my ear a few minutes later.

I nodded, still out of breath, my bones feeling like butter. I couldn't remember ever feeling so close to another person. And not just physically close. As much as I wanted to savor the feeling, it also frightened me. While Zack excused himself to dispose of the condom, I swiped at my face and curled up on my side, nervous all over again when he rejoined me a few minutes later. We lay there quietly for the longest time, me tucked up against his side, wondering what I should say as I drifted off.

***

I was woken up by the ringing of my cell phone and the discovery that Zack was gone.

"Hello." I groaned, stretching out tight, disused muscle.

"Jessa?"

My eyes flew open and I was immediately jerked out of my warm post-coital cocoon. "Jace?"

"Where the
hell
are
you
?"

"Didn't we have this conversation just a few days ago?" I groused, wondering where Zack had disappeared to. I hadn't even heard him leave.

"Yeah, and you were in Salt Lake, but you're obviously still not home, because, and I quote,
you don't know where you need to be
, and I didn't want you to hear about Colby from anyone else."

The sudden twist in my gut had me struggling out of bed and scurrying to my suitcase for a nightshirt. "How bad?" I might hate his guts but that didn't mean I wished ill on him.

"He'll live. Broken wrist, a couple broken ribs. He got hung up in his riggin' then trampled after he broke free. He had his Kevlar vest on though, so he's good. I just didn't know how you'd take it."

Colby had plenty of skills and had been taught by one of the best—Daddy's best friend. But he didn't have near enough respect for himself or anyone else, along with a serious lack of discipline and moderation. It was only a matter of time before fate caught up with him in some form or fashion and he ended up like me—or worse.

I switched on the coffee pot, then caught my reflection in the mirror. My serious case of bed-head was topped only by my raccoon eyes. "Were you afraid I'd have a nervous breakdown or something at the news? At just hearing the 'R' word? Damn, Jace!"

"That conversation with you the other day really made me wonder."

As badly as I wanted to hang up on him, I stopped myself. "I'm a grown woman. So stop treating me like a baby. I know, I know," I said, my voice softer now. "I nearly died, didn't I? I nearly died last December. And you were there, you had to see it and you had to take care of me. I'll always be grateful," I choked out, my voice thick, "but now, I think I deserve some time to figure shit out on my own."

"I didn't mean—"

"Yes, you did. So, listen up. I love you and I appreciate you calling me about Colby, and worrying about me, but I am not a piece of glass, Bubba."

"Fine." He sounded a lot more subdued now and more than a little sad. Sad as I felt. "Okay. So where exactly are you? Can I ask that now? Am I allowed to worry about you?"

"Texas. Now, keep me posted on Colby." I went to hang up when Jace's voice stopped me.

"Caron and Cutter…"

"Yeah," I sighed. "I know."

"About the shotgun wedding?"

"No, I didn't, but I think I'll skip this one." We said our goodbyes and finally hung up. Relief warred with sadness as I set down my phone. Relief that Jace finally,
hopefully
, understood; relief that
I
finally, hopefully understood, or at least was beginning to. Sadness as I realized that a part of me wasn't done grieving and no amount of great sex or even planning a future with Zack would negate that. Sadness that such a huge part of my life was over and that life as I knew it would never be the same again. Sadness that it seemed to have all ended with a whimper and a titanium rod.

No sooner had I emptied my bladder and poured myself a cup of coffee than my phone rang again. My growl of frustration died at the sight of Zack's number. "Good morning."

"Mornin', sunshine. Did you find my note?"

"No, I just got up." Now my gut twisted for a different reason. I caught myself smiling in the vanity mirror but was too far gone after last night to do more than raise my coffee cup and toast myself.

"I just didn't want you to think I was the sort to up and leave with no explanation. Shame on me for letting her, but Momma tends to rule things with a pretty tight fist. It was easier to leave you before sunup than deal with her. Okay, no it wasn't easier, but I saved the both of us a lot of future grief."

I giggled in complete understanding, then sipped my coffee. "It's fine. I just hadn't seen your note yet."

He cleared his throat. "So."

"So?" I echoed, my grip tightening on my cup.

"I've been instructed by the band to officially ask you to join us, but I don't want you to feel like you have to. Like I said last night, the pay's not much—we've never really done it for money."

My conversation with Jace was still a bit too fresh, and joining the band meant committing to staying. Something I wasn't quite ready to do, so I settled for, "Maybe we could consider this weekend a trial run, see how I like it, and go from there?"

"Works for me."

***

From there everything just sort of went downhill, or uphill, or maybe even sideways, depending on how you looked at it. Zack planned to spend most of the day doing ranch work, leaving me on my own. I'd just showered and was preparing to grab an early lunch when Susie Boudreaux showed up on my doorstep.

"I should be at the bar, getting ready for tonight, but I decided we should spend some time together." Her sweetly smiling, gently rounded face left no room for argument, so I grabbed my purse and dutifully followed her out of my hotel room.

"You weren't busy were you?" she asked as we stepped in the elevator.

"No." What else could I say? "About to go eat."

"Good. I'm starving."

Downstairs, we climbed in her big Tahoe and headed out

"Can I ask where we're going?"

"Miz Mae's. I'm guessing Zack didn't take the time to show you the actual town, did he?

"No," I said with a rueful smile. "But I've seen a lot of small towns in my life. They're pretty much all the same. No offense."

"None taken."

"So what's this about? Because I'm guessing there's more to this than lunch."

"You're direct… I like that."

Rather than answer me right away, she silently drove down the highway a few miles before exiting at the "Historic Downtown Bluebonnet" sign and passed Carmen's to the actual town proper. The brick streets, the clapboard post office, the tiny bookstore, and the patiently restored hundred-year-old storefronts were all quaint and sure to attract a lot of tourists.

"There's not much to it," Susie said, as if I'd find it off-putting.

"I'm from a town of seven thousand," I replied.

"And where's that at?" She pulled the Tahoe into a tiny diner located in at an awkward V in the road, it's parking lot over half full.

"Montana. Horseshoe Bend, Montana. Don't blink," I added with a grin. Then in hopes of forestalling more questions, I told her about the personal ad, the rodeo, all of it. At least, all the stuff that seemed pertinent. All the stuff I figured she was going to ask me anyway.

"And your intentions toward my nephew?"

"Honorable, I promise," I said, all kidding aside.

"You don't have to go back to Montana or Utah or wherever? You don't have people waiting on you to come home?"

"I'm a grown woman," I said, thinking again of my earlier talk with Jace. "There's nothing there, in Montana or Utah, for me. So no, no one's waiting on me to come home."

"That's a pretty big move. All the way across the country. What about your family?"

"They're ranchers, like your brother."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know." I paused and said again, "There's nothing there for me."

She sat, staring out the window for a moment, her brows furrowed. "Are you sure you two know what you're getting into? You have to understand, Zack is…different. Sensitive. Tender hearted—"