by Em Petrova
But she’d tumbled hard and fast, and she couldn’t lie to herself anymore. The swish of his tongue over hers pulled small moans from her, and that would have to be enough for now.
“Can you reach the door handle?” he grated out.
Not wanting to release her hold on Dane, she fumbled for the knob and managed to twist it. Using his shoulder, he nudged through her front door and kicked it shut behind him.
Ten steps and they reached the sofa. Gazing into her eyes, he gently eased her down and slowly covered her with his own body. Pressed beneath him, she drank in this moment, and he didn’t move to take off her clothes or even kiss her.
“I don’t know what this is between us, baby doll.” The rough sandpaper of his voice scraped over her senses.
With some effort, she swallowed. “Me either. All I know is I want you.” She wrapped her arms around him, drawing him closer. Her curves molded to his chiseled frame.
Still, he didn’t move. “You’re too good for me, Brennah.”
“Dane, you’re not a bad person. You lost your way because you had no guidance.”
He dipped his head.
“But now you have a chance to get on a path you’re proud of.”
He jerked his head up and pierced her in his stare. “I will too. I won’t stray again.”
“I believe you,” she managed to whisper around the lump in her throat.
She pulled him down, and he skimmed his lips across hers in soft, slow strokes that built up the tense strings tugging inside her. When she thought she couldn’t take another moment of his teasing, she parted her lips in invitation.
And he plunged inside. Harsh, all-possessing. She cried out and dug her fingers into his shoulders to bring him even closer to her.
When he slid his hand down her side and kneaded her hip, she rocked upward into his touch. Their mouths melded into a deeper version of any kiss they’d shared yet. The emotions brimming inside her seemed to vibrate through him as well.
After taking hold of his shirt hem, she worked the cloth up over his bulging body and tossed the garment aside. Eyes burning into hers, he removed hers as well, levering away from her body to give her room to move. Then he pinched the clasp of her bra and the cloth loosened. He roughly pulled it off her and lowered his lips to her aching peak.
The moment he sucked her nipple into his hot mouth, stars bloomed behind her eyes. Sweet desire smeared along her nerve endings.
At the same moment, they reached for each other’s zippers. She had more work to do, wrestling open his belt buckle. A gritty laugh burst from him, and he shifted to the side to give her better access. When she finally freed the buckle, he was one step ahead and slipped his hand into her panties.
She gasped.
“Fuck, you’re slippery.”
Doubling her efforts, she yanked open his fly and pulled his cock out of his jeans. The velvety steel in her fingers had her burning for so much more.
“You’re right—I do want your cock buried in my pussy.”
He groaned. “Why don’t we ever have a damn condom handy?”
Before she could answer, he got to his feet and gathered her into his arms again.
* * * * *
“I can’t get enough of you.” He stamped kisses down her body and parted her slick folds with the point of his tongue.
“Dane!”
He sucked her clit. She came off the bed. When he nibbled her lightly, she gyrated her hips. Passion skewed his thinking, and his heart pounded harder, faster. The liquid heat of her coated his tongue, and he delved in deep.
A choked cry burst from her, and he raised his head. “I need you. Now.”
His hands shook as he reached for a condom.
“Hurry,” she rasped.
Finally, he pinched the rubber between his fingers and fit it over the head of his cock. In one swift jerk of his hand, he settled the barrier to the base.
Looking down at Brennah, his heart gave a hard flip. God, she was beyond beautiful.
She parted her thighs farther, and he growled in response to a view of her wet folds. As he set his cock at her entry, he caught her gaze. When he plowed through her soaking folds and sank balls-deep in her pussy, they shared a cry.
She wrapped around his length and a tender expression claimed her glowing face. “Dane…”
“I know, baby doll. Fuck, I know.” He began to move.
Each churn of his hips had the fire shooting higher inside him. Having Brennah was so much more than physical. The burning lights of love in her eyes spoke to him like nothing else ever had.
His throat closed off, and he kissed her, the flip of tongues and the rake of their teeth over each other igniting a frenzy in both. When he felt her clamp down on his cock, the pressure at the base of his spine swelled to epic proportions. She pulsated and her release came hard.
He followed her over the edge, pushing deep and unloading in sharp, mind-blowing spurts. His muscles shook as he shared a connection with this amazing woman.
He didn’t deserve her. But damn if he would let her go…because he’d fallen in love with her.
Chapter Twelve
Brennah smoothed a hand down over the hard planes of Dane’s spine. “What do you think Ladybug needs that she isn’t getting?”
He grunted. “Dunno. I can’t say I have enough experience in training to know. But I can ask Zayden’s opinion.”
“Would you?” She propped herself on her elbow to look at him.
“Sure.” In juxtaposition to his simple tone, his eyes burned and he cupped her cheek with so much tenderness she had to gulp back emotion.
She leaned into his hand. “I really would like to take her to the fair. She doesn’t get enough stimulation here and my thought was always to sell her to a good rider. The fair’s the best place to get eyes on her.”
“True. What do you think o’ taking another horse?”
Tilting her head, she mentally ran through her stock. Since she felt connected to every animal on her ranch, she didn’t know if she could go through with such a thing.
“I’m not sure I could. The mare and the pigs I already had plans for when I bought them. Why? What are you thinking?” She settled the point of her chin into his hard pec to stare at him.
“The stallion. He’s got a great bloodline. You can stud him.”
“I considered that as well. When I bought him, I had the idea to train him too. But now I’m wondering if I’m cut out for this. I have a lot less free time than I ever expected when I came to Stokes.”
He tensed under her and clamped his jaw so tight that a tendon ticked in the crease.
“What is it?”
He swung his gaze back to her. “Did you make a decision about the job opportunity in Seattle?”
She rolled off his chest and stared at the ceiling. “I have a Skype interview this week.”
Without looking at Dane, she felt him drifting away from her, as if floating out to sea far from reach.
After sitting up, he swung his legs over the bed. “Let me know how it goes, okay?”
She sat up too, watching him reach for his underwear and jeans. “Wait—you’re leaving?”
“Yeah, gotta get up early and do some things for my brother before I come up here.”
Watching him dress felt like he was doing more than going home to his own ranch.
She stood and dragged the sheet off the bed. Holding the folds around her nudity, she circled the mattress to face him. “You’re upset with me.”
He gave a light shake of his head. She couldn’t help but think if she knew him better, she’d understand what that meant in Dane language. When she continued to stand there staring at him, he glanced up at her. His eyes softened. “Look, tonight was…”
“Fantastic,” she supplied.
He nodded. “Yeah…” After that, he tugged on his shirt and buckled his belt. He grabbed his boots and carried them out of the bedroom.
Trailing behind, she felt an icy clap of wind tha
t had nothing to do with a draft in the house. At the door, he put on his boots.
“Dane. It’s only an interview. I’m partly doing it out of courtesy.”
His amber eyes seemed to darken in front of her eyes. “It’s the other part I’m concerned about.” Leaning in, he laid a hand on her waist and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay, Brennah?”
Before she understood what happened, the door closed behind him.
“What was that?” she whispered.
She wandered back to her bedroom and dropped the sheet. Between her legs, she still tingled from Zayden’s attentions, and after glancing down, she saw the red streaks covering her belly and inner thighs put there from his beard.
Not for the first time, she wished she had somebody to talk to about all this. The confusion surrounding her findings of his drinking and gambling problems and how that roused deep fears founded by her mother. But Brennah felt an undeniable link to Dane, and she had a huge desire to see him push past all his personal issues to succeed.
What they’d shared tonight had been much bigger than dirty, hot sex. The glow in his eyes and the way he touched her spoke so many more promises. Maybe he hadn’t meant that, though. The things he made her feel had been all part of a repertoire, another trick up his sleeve.
Tonight I’ll tie you up with rope and tomorrow I’ll make you think I feel more for you.
On the other hand… She scrubbed a hand over her face. Could he really feel more and the idea of her interviewing bothered him enough to run? She told him the appointment was only a courtesy.
No, I said partly a courtesy.
And he was concerned about the other part.
To a man who’d lost out on love, his reaction made sense. Crap, how insensitive of me.
She walked into the bathroom and took a cursory shower. Washing away Dane’s scent down the drain bothered her, but she would never sleep with him all over her. She had enough of her memories to keep her up tonight.
In the morning when he came to do chores, she hoped to catch him and discuss this.
After toweling off, she slipped on an old T-shirt and underwear and climbed into bed. Alone.
* * * * *
“Here’s your pay.”
Dane brushed some sawdust off his shirt and turned to see Zayden holding out a stack of bills.
Damn. Maybe the idea of having cash on hand wasn’t such a good one. What if he couldn’t control himself and had a repeat of that night down at the bar when he lost everything betting on sports?
What if he went and had that whiskey too?
He hesitated a moment and then reached out and took the money from his brother. He stuffed the wad deep in his pocket. “Thanks.”
“You earned it. You up for another gig later this week? The homeowner told me he’s got a friend who could use some wood split.”
“I’m there.”
“Glad I can count on ya.” Zayden eyed him. “You all right?”
“Yeah, why?” He ducked his head, hoping his hat concealed whatever expression crossed his face.
“Just wondered. I gotta run some errands before I head back home. You want a lift or…”
“Yeah, I do,” he said firmly. The only way to keep his ass on the straight and narrow was to plan ahead. “I’ll tag along, if that’s all right.”
“Sure.”
They climbed into the truck again, and Dane looked out the window at the view of their efforts today. They’d cut down a pine and spent the entire morning cleaning up the mess, but the yard did look a sight better without the half-dead tree.
“Mimi asked me to pick up feed for her chickens.”
“Again?” Dane swung a look at his brother.
“I think she spoils them by feeding them more than once a day. But she does so much for us, who can tell her to stop being nice?”
“And we’ll have fat chickens on the table come butcherin’ time.”
“Exactly. After the feed store, I’m running into the credit union and making a payment.”
Payment. The faster Dane got rid of the cash in his pocket, the better.
“While you’re in the credit union, I think I’ll head into the grocery store.”
“No problem.” Zayden didn’t ask why he’d make a trip to the grocery store, and Dane was grateful.
The feed store took longer than expected, with a group of old timers standing around gossiping like old biddies. When they pulled Zayden—then Dane—into the conversation, he could only stand there in shock that they’d include Moons.
With his brother deep in the discussion, Dane broke free a moment to approach old Travis and slip a few bucks onto Zayden’s tab in order to cover the grass seed he’d charged. Then he returned to the group and stood there another twenty minutes or so talkin’ weather and cattle.
When they left the store with a few sacks of feed, Dane tossed his into the back of the truck and eyed his brother. “Since when is speaking to a Moon in public other than to read him his rights acceptable?”
Zayden grinned. “Was thinkin’ the same thing. But I’m not going to say I’m not happy attitudes are changin’ around here.”
They shared a smile and got into the truck to head up the road to the credit union. While he slipped inside, probably more to see Esme on her break than to make a payment, Dane walked down to the grocery store.
For years the small market wouldn’t allow a Moon boy inside. They were known to steal a few things in their day, and Dane had spent a couple evenings sitting in the manager’s office, waiting on the sheriff.
Both times the sheriff took one look at his skin and bones and let him go with a heavy telling off. Each time he went in, he felt uneasy about it.
Ten minutes later, he had a receipt in his pocket and only a few bucks left to his name. He also carried a bag containing a big box of condoms.
Glancing down the road in the direction of the animal clinic, he heaved a deep sigh. He’d treated her bad last night and regret weighed heavy on his conscience. She’d been nothing but honest about the interview, and he’d acted like a grumpy kid who didn’t get his way.
What is my way?
He took off walking back toward the truck rather than attempting to call on Brennah at work. Each step he took down the sidewalk punctuated the thoughts rambling through his mind.
He didn’t want her to go. If she left Stokes, he’d lose one of the only good things he’d ever known his entire life.
And goddammit, he loved her.
As he reached the credit union, he spotted a small break table around the side of the building, and he recognized the wild head of curls on the woman sitting there alone.
Brow crinkled, he slowly approached Esme. “Where’s Z?”
“Inside taking care of his business. He’s going to meet me out here for a few minutes of my lunch break.”
Dane gave a brief nod. “Mind if I wait with you?”
“Not at all.” She waved to the picnic table bench and then tipped her face up to the sun. “It’s warm today. Feels nice to be out of the stuffy building.”
“I bet.” He turned his face up too and closed his eyes. The warmth permeated his skin and created yellow spots of light behind his eyelids. “Feels good to be here and not in Vegas.”
They looked at each other.
“Esme, could I ask you somethin’?”
She blinked. “Sure.”
“It’s about a…a woman.”
She tipped her head. “The vet?”
He pushed out a noise. “Does everyone know?”
She shook her head. “Just Mimi, Zayden and me.”
“That’s somethin’ at least. In this town, rumors are like tree roots spreading underground and getting into places you never expected.”
“That’s true. I’ve been the butt of some rumors too, both with my ex and then Zayden when we first got together. Anyway, what do you want to discuss?”
Now that he had her attention, he had no idea how to go
about voicing his thoughts. A long moment passed. Then he said, “I think… I think I’m in love with her.”
Esme’s lips popped open in an O of surprise, which quickly turned to a bright smile. “Dane, that’s so exciting. I’m so happy for you.”
He couldn’t be more miserable. Staring at the wood grain of the table, he shook his head. “I don’t have anything to give her. No house, no money. Hell, I don’t even have a vehicle to take her out on a date, even if I had money to pay.”
She compressed her lips. “I see the problem. But you know love doesn’t care about those things.”
“No?” He arched a brow. “I doubt Brennah wants or needs a man clinging on to her. She’s got her whole life in order, a career and a busy practice. She’s got her small ranch and animals. Besides, I’m no good. I drink too much. I gamble. I’ve lied, cheated and stolen.”
“When was the last time you did any of those things?”
“Gambled weeks ago. Been months since I had a drop to drink.” He omitted the lie part, because he hadn’t been exactly truthful with his brother where the tractor was concerned.
Esme’s eyes were like two big brown puddles of melted chocolate. He could see why his brother fell for her. “Do you know how Dr. Peterson feels about you?”
He dropped his head. “Fuck, I dunno. Last night, I felt something. A spark or electric zing or something. I don’t know what, but we were…together. And I realized then that I’m in love with her.”
“But you two didn’t say it to each other?”
He shook his head. “Damn, I don’t know what to do. I just know she’s got an interview to leave Stokes, and I can’t handle it.” He pressed a fist over his chest where his heart resided. “I don’t want her to go, but I can’t hold her back either—not when I have nothing to offer but a load of BS and a dark past.”
“Don’t you think that’s Brennah’s decision to make, whether she wants you—and all your baggage—in her life? You’re not even giving her a chance to decide.”
He stared at the woman who would soon be his sister-in-law. Affection washed up for her, and for Zayden, Mimi and everyone else in his life who ever gave a shit about him.
