“Please.” I barely finish the word when he’s in front of me, his hand cupping my cheek.
“Zoe,” his breath co-mingles with mine as he whispers my name with reverence and hope, “I’ll do anything for you.”
When he softly presses his mouth to mine, it’s unexpected. There’s no crashing of lips against teeth or impatience. He kisses me like a man who has all the time in the world to fall in love and he’s going to enjoy every single second.
“Am I forgiven?” he whispers along my neck when we come up for air.
“No more surprises?” My voice is breathless. Tilting my head, I give him more access to my skin.
“Now where’s the fun in life without the unexpected?” His teeth nip the tender spot where neck becomes shoulder.
A shiver runs down my spine in response to his touch.
“Does your studio door have a lock?” he asks with a needy rasp.
“Yes.” I slip away from him to close it. I loop the hook for the screen door, too.
Justin eyes the cluttered space. “Not ideal, but we can make this work.”
I lift my eyebrows in question.
He meets me in the middle of the space. With his hands on my upper arms, he slowly guides me to the old Victorian settee underneath the giant pin board. Wrapping his arms around my back, he kisses me slow and deep until my knees weaken. I slide down to the settee’s worn velvet cushion, pulling him along with me. My head rests on the curved arm and he stretches his body over mine.
Settling between my legs, he braces some of his weight on his thighs and props his hand next to my head. I widen my thighs, and he grinds against my center. Lifting my left leg, he props it on the back of the sofa.
All the while, his lips never leave my skin. He alternates between deep, soul kisses and trailing his mouth along my jaw and neck. The tender softness behind my ears becomes one of his favorite places to lick. My toes curl and my back arches with each pass of his tongue.
I thought his kisses were deliberate before. Today I realize how painstakingly cautious he’s been. The man has been holding back. Because sweet mother of pearl buttons, I’ve never been kissed like this. I feel worshipped.
He shifts his weight, allowing his hand to cup and squeeze my breast. The contact cracks through my last inhibitions. I need him and I need him now.
Resolved, I gently push him off me.
“Do you want to stop?” he asks, his lips darkened from our kisses and his eyes even darker with desire.
“Hell no.” I flip the buttons on my overalls and slip out of them. Next I peel my tank over my head, leaving me only in my pink bra and mismatched teal underwear.
His eyes widen and then he grins in the most wicked, mischievous way. “Can you be quiet?”
“Give me a second.” I scramble out from under him. Letting my overalls flop to the floor, I dash to the work bench. In a few seconds, music fills the room.
Justin stands to meet me. Stepping into his arms, I immediately go for the hem of his shirt. Pulling it out of his dress pants, my fingers sweep over the warm, smooth skin of his abs.
He’s already unbuttoning his shirt from the top while I undo his belt.
“Why do you have so many buttons on your clothes?” My fingers twist with his as I race to get him naked like my life depends on it.
“I’m adding impatience to the ever growing list of things we have in common.” He gives up trying to remove his own clothes and instead focuses on my bra.
With a flick of his thumb, my bra’s clasp falls open. The last button of his shirt is undone and I sweep my hands over his chest, shoving the fabric down his shoulders. Where it catches on his wrists.
“More damn buttons?”
He exhales a chuckle while sliding the pink lace cups of my bra away from my breasts. “You had a head start.”
We’re both naked from the waist up. A sigh escapes my lips the first moment our skin touches when he envelops me in his arms again.
His tongue strokes mine as his thumbs hook into the sides of my underwear. I hum into his mouth while my own hands slide his pants over his hips.
“Boots,” he says and it sounds a little like boobs.
“Huh?” I mumble against his mouth.
“Boots have to come off before pants.” He holds my shoulders and steps back. His mouth curves into a satisfied grin as he observes me, naked before him for the first time. “How’d I get so lucky?”
Quickly and gracefully, he removes his boots, jeans, and finally his boxers. Every inch of naked Justin is perfect. I take a moment to stare at him, letting my eyes sweep over each ridge of strong muscle. Lighter brown hair darkens as it trails down from his chest past his navel.
What I imagined and dreamed about since the first time I saw him in chaps doesn’t disappoint. He’s long and hard. Beautiful.
I reach for his cock, gliding my hand along his smooth length. His groan encourages me and I tighten my grip.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers right before pressing his lips to mine.
We tumble on the settee, a tangle of limbs and hands exploring new skin while we kiss and nip. He’s everything I imagined. Each touch is reverent and deliberate. Soft strokes become focused, and soon I’m arching into the waves of pleasure his fingers pull from my body.
I don’t think I’ve ever come so quickly.
“I love that.” His voice holds awe. He kisses over the swell of one breast as he slowly continues to slide his fingers inside of me. “Shall we go for another?”
My answer is a searing kiss, because honestly, I’m not sure I’m capable of speech. He hums against my mouth before sliding down my body. Kneeling on the floor, he shifts my body and lifts my calves to his shoulders.
When his tongue makes contact with the most intimate part of me, my eyes close and I grapple to dig my fingers into the soft velvet cushion.
I forget to be quiet. I forget where we are.
The world ceases to exist outside this room as pleasure begins to pulse low in my abdomen. My thighs tighten around his head as my body tenses. A few more strokes of his fingers and a soft suck with his mouth, and I shatter into nothing but blissful sensation.
His kiss to my inner thigh grounds me, bringing me back down to earth.
“I believe good things happen in threes.” He grins at me from his spot between my legs.
“I’m not sure I can handle more.”
“Want to find out? You’ll never know unless you try.” He strokes his erection, fisting the tip.
“I want to, I really do, but I don’t have any condoms.”
“A cowboy is always prepared.” He stands and searches for his wallet. Finding the foil packet, he holds it up in question. “Are you sure?”
My answer is to lie back against the cushion and pull him over me. When he’s ready, I take him in my hand, brushing his tip against my sensitive bundle of nerves. My body jerks in response.
“I thought you were beautiful before, but nothing compares to the sight of you now.” His finger caresses my cheek and then down my neck to my breast, where he circles my nipple. “You have the loveliest flush on your skin, and there’s a passion in your eyes that’s never been there before. I want to see you like this every day. I want to be the reason you radiate joy.”
As if his words aren’t enough to incinerate me, he slides inside of me, inch by slow inch until he fills me. We’re joined together into one. The weight of the moment hits me and I blink away unexpected tears.
“Anything for you,” he whispers against my lips, stealing my answer with his kiss.
I keep my eyes open, staring into the warmth of his. Pure happiness reflects back at me as we move together.
When I feel the pull of another orgasm, I close my eyes and tuck my head into his shoulder. He bends my knee, changing our angle as he brings himself closer to the edge.
I open my eyes again as my body reaches a new peak. His face twists with ecstasy as his movements still and he erupts.
Our panting become
s steady breaths. He rests his head on my shoulder while I trace circles and curves on his back, his warmth covering me.
He must be able to feel the racing of my heart beneath his cheek. It flutters around the cage of my ribs, full of joy and new love.
“Looks like Zoe’s not in her studio after all. Oh well. We should come back later when she’s back.” Sage’s loud voice on the other side of the door breaks me out of the post sex haze. We’re naked in my studio and not an hour ago I invited everyone to come check out my work.
“Expecting company?” Justin’s sleepy voice asks near my ear.
“Only your grandmother and the rest of the board.”
He jumps off the settee, and I laugh as his still semi-hard cock bounces in the air.
“Are we in trouble?” I giggle.
“You made sure the door’s locked, right?”
I nod. “The windows are high enough you’d have to jump or stand on something to see in. Plus, Sage is running interference from the sound of it.”
Panic leaves his face. “Good. We should still probably get dressed and be presentable.”
“And light a candle. I think it probably smells like sex in here.”
With a happy smirk on his face, he picks up his pants. “I’m sure we’re not the first to have sex in one of these spaces.”
“I’m not a performance artist, so let’s keep this to ourselves, k?” I look around the floor for my underwear. Lying next to it are the shattered pieces of the slip-cast heart I threw earlier. A new idea floats into my head for my project.
“If we go on the trail ride, there won’t be any interruptions.” He hands me my bra. “There are benefits to being alone in the wilderness with me.”
I narrow my eyes at him.
“Come on, say yes and you won’t regret it.” He leans over to kiss me.
“Yes.”
I’m hopelessly falling for this cowboy.
And it’s the best adventure I’ve ever been on.
Chapter 27
Justin
Zoe’s an amazing artist, but she’s a terrible actress.
When I shared my weekend getaway idea with her at the rodeo, her face looked like she’d sucked on a lemon. I struggled to keep a straight face as she pretended a backcountry trail ride sounded fun.
Yet when I brought it up again at Ashcroft last week, she agreed to an overnight trip. Post sex endorphins can make people agree to crazy things.
I shouldn’t be amused by her reaction, but I am. And because she’s such a trooper, I’m going to make it a weekend she’ll never forget.
If she said “No, let’s spend a weekend in bed in a five star hotel in Denver,” I’d have made the reservations that night.
Maybe I’ll bring her to Denver soon to make it up to her. We can stay in the condo for the Ashcroft show in October.
If this whole surprise doesn’t backfire in a glorious mess right in my face.
On the surface, Zoe and I are going to be roughing it. Tent, bedrolls, sleeping bags, and some freeze dried meals. I’ll bring my rod and impress her with my fly fishing skills as I catch dinner for us.
I’m pulling out all the stops on this cowboy fantasy fulfillment.
To her delight, I involve Tammy in the planning. She’s more than happy to fuss over me and give her unsolicited advice on the dos and don’ts of courting a woman.
“If she’s still speaking to you, you need to pay her lots of compliments. And not just about how pretty she is or how much you like her breasts. Women like to hear what else you admire besides the packaging. We may tend to be vain, but we’re also aware that the exterior is subject to change. Flatter her mind and honor her soul.”
I nod in agreement with her words.
“Good. You’re listening. That’s key.”
“You should write a book, Tammy.”
“What do I know about love? Three strikes and I’m out.” She wipes her hands on a towel. “Damn buttercream is messy business.”
I drive into town to pick up Zoe as the sun begins to crest the mountains. Sprinkled on the slopes, one or two aspen trees shimmer with golden leaves amongst the green. Soon frost will dust the ground in the mornings as summer fades into fall.
Next to me I have large coffees for both of us and a couple of donuts from City Market. Yes, they’re bribery for the early hour.
We have six hours of riding ahead of us and I want to get to our destination with time to enjoy the evening before dark.
Cash, one of my favorite trail horses, and Dolly, are loaded in the trailer. We’ll park at the trailhead and someone from the ranch will come collect the truck and bring it to the other end for us tomorrow. We could ride both directions, but Zoe’s a novice and I don’t want to overdo it.
In the past week, she’s been up to the ranch for riding lessons a couple more times. I’m confident Dolly will take good care of her.
Seeing Zoe’s face when my surprise is revealed will be worth all the duplicity.
When she answers the door, she’s mid-yawn. “Sorry. I’m not a morning person.”
“I have coffee and donuts in the truck.”
“Why are we lingering around here?” She grins and gives me a quick kiss. “I didn’t know what to pack, so I only have this little bag.”
“You’re not going to need much. We’re only gone tonight.” And I plan for us to be naked most of the night.
“So the two pairs of heels and the little black dress I packed will be too much?”
I almost miss the curb. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I am. It’s mostly extra socks and warm, cozy things in case it’s freezing.”
“I promise I’ll keep you warm.” I envelop her in my arms from behind. “The best part of camping is spooning for warmth.”
“I’ve always wondered what the appeal is.” Turning in my embrace, she faces me. Doubt fills her eyes.
“Trust me, I’m going to change your mind.” I brush my lips against hers.
“I trust you’ll give it your best effort.” She wrinkles her nose and I kiss that, too.
The trail is easy, in spite of the gain in altitude and winding switchbacks. We climb up out of the Roaring Fork Valley, heading east toward the Continental Divide. As the hours pass, we fall into a rhythm on our horses. Cash and I lead while Dolly happily follows behind us. At times conversation is impossible because of the terrain. Other areas of the path allow us to ride side by side.
I check in frequently, making sure Zoe is doing okay.
“The view is incredible. I feel like we’re explorers and the first people to ever see these mountains.”
“It’s rare to find a place where you don’t see constant reminders of humans and our impact.” Other than the trail, there is no evidence of modern society. No cell phone towers or overhead electrical wires. No roads or buildings. Just us and the horses.
Cash carries our supplies in two saddlebags flanking his belly. Zoe’s small pack easily fits into one of the larger bags. Our bedrolls are tied behind my saddle and hers. I also have a tent.
The trail winds through a grove of trees right before opening into a wide, green valley flanked on one side by scree slides.
“Okay, now I feel like I’m on another planet. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Zoe’s voice holds awe as she turns her head to take in the view.
“Just wait. It gets better.”
“Stop. That’s impossible. I’m not sure I can handle more natural beauty. This is all part of your ploy to get me to be happy about sleeping on the ground, isn’t it?”
“Is it working?” I pull Cash beside Dolly so I can see Zoe’s expression. Even in the shadow of the brim of her straw hat and her sunglasses, her face glows with happiness.
“Maybe. For now. I’m still not sure I’m up for anything where my food and deodorant have to be stored in a can because of bears. Bears who might try to eat my head while I’m sleeping.”
“You’re adorable.”
“Are you really g
oing to fish for our dinner?” She dips her head to look at me over the top of her sunglasses.
“I can.”
“That’s sexy.”
I chuckle and give her a wicked grin. “Good to know. Ready for lunch?”
“Starved. How can sitting on a horse make me so hungry?”
I spot a location on flat ground near some trees where we can tie up the horses. There’s grass for them to chomp on and a narrow stream for water. I help Zoe down from Dolly. When she’s steady on the ground, I give her a lingering kiss.
“Can I help?” she asks after we break apart.
“No, I’ve got it.” I loop and knot both sets of reins around a pair of narrow aspen trunks. In one of Cash’s saddle bags, I locate the picnic supplies.
“Here, you can spread the blanket.”
“Did you make all this?” Laying down the faded quilt made from old jeans, Zoe eyes the food I’m unpacking.
I laugh. “Tammy’s doing. She and the kitchen staff make all the food for the ranch hands and our trail rides.”
“She’s the ranch mom, isn’t she?”
“Exactly.” Kneeling, I open the containers of various salads and set the steak sandwiches on the quilt. “She’s outdone herself. I think she wants me to impress you.”
Zoe picks up her sandwich and takes a huge bite. After chewing, she moans and swallows. “Consider me impressed. This is amazing.”
Relieved she likes it, I relax on the ground next to her. Stretching out my legs, I watch her enjoy lunch.
“Taking in the view?” she asks as she spears a chunk of watermelon with her fork.
“It’s beautiful.”
“You’re not even facing the valley.”
“My view is better.” I grin at her. “Trust me. I’ve been coming to these mountains my whole life.”
“You’re lucky, you realize this, right?”
“I do. I never take any of this for granted.” I eat my own food as we fall into silence.
The wind rustles the small aspen leaves and in the distance a hawk whistles, circling its prey. The small creek splashes and gurgles over rocks as it winds through the valley.
Wild for You Page 19
