Unbroken (18 page)

“So beautiful,” he said, tracing the outline of one of her nipples with his fingertip, before lowering his head and retracing the path with his tongue before sucking her deep into his mouth. “I just want to look at you,” he said, pulling away from her, his gaze hot, his breath making goose bumps across her damp skin.

“I wish you'd touch me too.”

He gave her a very wicked Cade smile. “Feeling anxious, baby?”

She wrapped her legs around his thighs and rolled her hips slowly, the V at the apex of her thighs rubbing against his cock. “Are you?”

He cursed and lowered his head, his eyes screwed shut. “Not fair.”

“No?” she asked, her voice innocent, in contrast with the movements of her body.

He lowered his head and kissed between her breasts, down to her stomach, just above the waistband of her jeans. “I feel like you're one up on me.”

“Bullshit, Mitchell. You have two to my one.”

“No,” he said, “that's not what I meant.”

“What?”

“I haven't gotten to taste you yet.”

He unsnapped the top of her jeans, then lowered the zipper, slowly. So slowly. Her breath fled completely. From her lungs. From her lips. Possibly from the room.

Rough fingers hooked into the sides of her jeans and panties, and he dragged them down her legs, calluses scraping her skin.

Then she found herself completely naked and open to him in a way she'd never been in front of a man. Ever. He had her thighs spread wide, his hands planted flat on her legs, holding her still.

He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling, before leaning in and pressing a kiss where his left hand held her leg. She shook, shivered beneath the touch. It was a kiss on the thigh, which should have been . . . nearly innocuous . . . and yet, very much wasn't.

This was a new experience.

High school boys weren't much for oral sex that didn't go their way. And there was something vulnerable about it all, so the lack of it had suited her.

She preferred to be the one going down. The one who was in control.

Her hypothesis regarding this particular act had certainly been right. Because she'd never felt more owned, more out of control, more exposed, in her entire life than she did in that moment. With Cade pinning her to the mattress, an assessing look on his face

But she wanted it this time. If she was going to be like this with anyone, it had to be with Cade. There was no one else she would let see her like this. No one else who would be allowed to hold her at his sensual mercy. Because at least she trusted Cade to catch her if she fell. Trusted him to pull back if she asked him to.

Her lowered his head and took a leisurely taste of her body, starting at her slick entrance and working his way over her clit.

She curled her fingers into the blankets, the other hand going to grab his shoulder. And she was afraid she probably dug her nails square into his skin. But that didn't stop him.

Cole continued to pleasure her with his tongue, and then his hands, sliding one finger deep inside of her while he worked her body with his mouth, pushing her closer and closer to the edge.

Every stroke was white-hot fire. And she craved release. But she also wanted it to go on forever. This pleasure that was almost pain, a hollow ache that demanded satisfaction—but one that she wanted never to end.

He added a second finger, and she flung her arm over her eyes, a hoarse sound escaping her lips, her body trembling.

A deep, rumbling sound came from Cade, a sound a man might make when he was savoring some rich, decadent dessert. And that pushed her right over the edge.

Her climax hit hard, with the force of a runaway freight train. Speed, heat and destruction, and no way to stop it.

Her internal muscles tightened around his fingers and he swore, his face buried in her neck as she rode it all out. As she waited for her body to stop shaking.

When Cade shifted his weight and withdrew from her, he was shaking, sweat beaded on his brow. “I think we could use those condoms now,” he said, his voice rough.

She shook her head. “You killed me, Mitchell.”

“I'm going to be the one in danger if I can't finish this,” he said, the tremble carrying all the way through his voice. It made her chest tight.

“I don't think I can come again.”

“So soon?”

“Ever.”

“Don't issue challenges to a competitive man, Amber Jameson,” he said, reaching for the bag of condoms, tugging out the box and tearing it open. “Unlike some lesser cowboys, I complete my rides.”

The husky promise in his words was sexy, even if it shouldn't have been. At this moment, everything about Cade was sexy.

He got up from the bed and undid his belt and pants, and she watched. And ogled—her internal temperature rising as his clothes fell.

She didn't feel she'd ever gotten a chance to adequately admire the man while sober.

He was spectacular. Hard muscle and tanned skin. Everything masculine and beautiful right there on one body.

Her eyes fell to the scar that ran down his left leg, from the deep groove, showing heavy muscle loss, in his thigh, down to the evil marks around his knee. From the initial accident. From surgery. A mix of both.

It made her hurt for him.

But she knew he didn't want her pity. And pity wasn't what she felt. But she didn't even want him to catch a glimmer of sadness in her eyes, because she knew it was the thing he feared most.

She looked up at his chest, then at his eyes. “You know you're sexy, right?” she asked.

“You think I am,” he said. “I don't need to know as long as you believe it.” He ripped open the condom packet and tossed the plastic onto the floor, rolling the protection over his length.

She made a noise that felt somewhere between a whimper and a growl.

“What?” he asked.

“I like watching you standing there with your hand on your cock.”

“And as much as I like pleasing you, and hearing you say things like that, I'll be honest, I'm a little sick of my hand on my cock.”

She dissolved into laughter. “Oh, yeah, I bet.”

“So I'll just come over there if it's all the same to you.”

“It's even better,” she said.

He dropped down onto the bed, kissing her, his hands skimming over her curves. “I have an idea,” he said. He reversed their positions suddenly, and she squeaked as they rolled over and she found herself sitting astride him, his shaft against her clit, her thighs on either side of his.

“I know you gave me a hard time about this before, but I think it was a pretty good idea,” he said, his hands planted on her hips, his hold firm. Sexy.

She shifted until the blunt head of him met with the slick entrance to her body and she tested them both, teased them both. She was so wet it was easy to guide him inside.

When he was buried fully inside of her, neither of them could talk anymore.

There was nothing but the sound of their breathing, of skin on skin, and the rough, broken sounds that escaped their lips. She established a steady rhythm that was quickly broken by their urgency.

She met his eyes while she rode him, and her chest locked up, pressure building there, making her eyes sting, making her body burn for release. Already she was desperate for another release. But she suspected that another orgasm wouldn't do anything for the pressure around her heart.

But she would take what she could get.

“Oh . . . Cade. Cade . . .”

She found herself flat on her back again, Cade over her, still deep inside her as he thrust hard into her, claiming the control back for himself. And she found she didn't mind at all.

“Amber,” he growled, his pelvis grinding hard against her, sending a shock of pleasure through her body, making her internal muscles pulse, tension expanding in her stomach.

“Come for me,” he said, his words a command that she had no trouble obeying. The tension in her snapped, breaking the dam that held her together, her pleasure washing over her like a wave.

She shuddered out his name, curling her fingers into his shoulders, feeling his skin give beneath her hold. And then he followed her over, a short curse and her name on his lips.

Then he lay there on her, his weight warm and comforting. She just wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him close. Wanted to keep him there. And that scared the ever-loving hell out of her.

“I've got to get up,” he said finally.

She nodded and released her hold on him, watching as he got up and turned his back to her, tugging the condom off.

She took the opportunity to scope out his butt. Which was an epic sight. And then she let her focus wander up the strong column of his spine. The scars there were the most frightening. All surgical. Clean and methodical. Shiny pink skin that looked vulnerable against the tan, toned skin on the rest of his body.

Lines made by a surgeon's tools, necessary to try and fix the damage done to his back. A reminder that the lasting effects of the accident could be so much worse.

“I can practically hear you thinking over there,” he said, tossing her a quick look before he strode into the bathroom.

“And did you hear ‘Nice ass, cowboy'?”

“No, I think I heard much more serious thoughts.” He reappeared in the bathroom doorway, both his hands braced on the frame. And he was gloriously naked.

“I was looking at your back.”

“Enh,” he grunted, and walked back toward the bed, sitting down on the edge of the mattress.

Amber got under the covers and looked at him expectantly. He didn't move.

“Get in bed, Cade.”

His eyebrows shot up. “I didn't want to make assumptions. Since sex doesn't mean cuddling.”

“Cuddle me, you jackass.”

One corner of his mouth lifted and he got under the covers with her, one arm going beneath her, the other over the top of her. He pulled her against his body and she pushed her leg between his thighs, her hands resting on his chest.

He put his chin on her head, his breathing ruffling her hair. Just for a moment, things felt perfect. Just for a moment, she felt like she was in heaven.

“Why were you looking at my back?”

“Your scars.”

“I see.”

“It's not what you think. I just . . . Cade, when I think about how close we came to losing you it almost kills me. I've lost too many people. I don't know what I would do if I lost you.”

“Well, you didn't.”

“Yeah, and good thing. But still, when I see it . . .”

“Then don't look. Look at my ass.”

“Well, I also did that.” She traced a formless pattern on his chest with her fingertips. So weird to touch him like this. Like she had the right to. They'd never touched more than friends should. They'd never crossed that friend boundary.

And now . . . now she never wanted to take her hands off of him, and as long as the all-access touching was allowed, she was going to take advantage of it.

“Are you ever going to try and find who did this to you?” she asked.

He stiffened. “I did try. I was wrong. And I almost ruined Quinn's life over it.”

“You didn't do it on purpose.”

“And that matters?”

“Yes, Cade, it does matter. And anyway, the guy ended up marrying your sister. I don't think he's particularly sad about how it all worked out.”

“Well, anyway, I think my justice hunt is done.”

“Why? Because you feel bad about Quinn? Or because you aren't sure you deserve it?”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. I'm just wondering if you're not fighting for yourself because you don't know who it is you're fighting for.”

“Is this the price I have to pay to see your boobs? I have to listen to your advice?”

“Don't lie to yourself—you always had to listen to my advice. You just didn't get to look at my breasts while you did it.”

“That's supposed to make me feel compensated?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, fine, it works.”

“Does it work enough to make you consider looking into all of it again?”

“I don't think so, Amber. No. It won't make me able to ride again, so really, what's the point?”

She snuggled deeper into his hold. Because she was afraid he might start to pull away. “The point is that whoever hurt you doesn't deserve to be out there competing if you can't be.”

They lay there in silence for a moment, his arms strong around her.

“Davis,” he said.

“What?”

“I don't know. I think it's weird that he's here. I think it's weird that he wants this ranch. I don't see why he should care so much.”

“Property is hard to come by, et cetera.”

“Right. Fine. But why else?”

“I don't know.”

“He's still able to compete. He was on the circuit with Quinn and me. He was our other major competition. Though, at this point, some other young bucks have come up in the ranks, and he's still not in the top spot. I reckon he's the kind of guy who's sort of doomed to third place, because no matter who ends up out of commission, he's not a first-place guy.”

“Was he your friend?”

Cade paused. “It's funny. I remember something Quinn said one time about that. About how I thought everyone was my friend. He said everyone was competing with each other. No one was really a friend. He was just the only one who didn't fake it.”

“That can't be true.”

“I don't think it is. I think a lot of us had a pretty genuine bond. But maybe . . . maybe it was partly true. Quinn seemed the obvious guy to point fingers at because nobody liked him. But . . . obviously the person I really had to worry about was someone who went under the radar.”

“Like Davis,” she said.

“I don't want to go pointing fingers wildly this time around. I still feel . . . It wasn't a good idea the first time I did it.”