by Cat Johnson
Still grinning, Mustang nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I think I can manage that.”
With one last glance back at the room’s doorway, Jenna sighed and finally nodded. “Okay.”
Chapter Twenty
Slade opened the door of the trailer and slowly stepped in with a groan. “God. I feel like I’ve been run over by a train.”
“Bull. Train. Same thing.” Lounging in bed, Mustang grinned at Slade. “So what’d they find out at the hospital? Anything?”
“Nothing I didn’t already know. Hairline fractures on a couple of ribs. Concussion. The usual.”
Mustang pointed to the bandage on Slade’s forehead where a hoof had clipped him at some point during Ballbreaker’s trouncing. “Did you need stitches for that?”
Slade leaned against the edge of the cabinets, sure he looked as worn out as he felt. “Nah. They used some liquid bandage on it.”
“That’s good. Wouldn’t want a scar to mess up that pretty face of yours.” With that, Mustang swung his bare legs onto the floor, grabbed a piece of paper out of the pocket of the jeans lying crumpled there, and thrust it at Slade. “That’s for you.”
Slade frowned down at the scribbled phone number. “What’s this?”
“Jenna’s cell phone number. I thought maybe you’d like to have it.”
Slade stared at the slip of paper for a second. When he looked up, Mustang was watching him. “So, you talked to Jenna?”
“Yeah. She somehow got back to the infirmary to see you. I’m not sure exactly how it happened, but it seems as though she got through security by saying she was your girlfriend.” Mustang raised a brow and waited as that statement caught Slade’s attention.
“She did?”
Mustang nodded. “Yup. Oh, and by the way, I talked to Chase and the kid wants you to know, and I quote, if he had any idea Jenna was with you, he would never have gone anywhere near her in the first place.”
Jenna. His girlfriend. Hmmm. Slade glanced down again at the number in his hand as he considered that. When he finally raised his eyes, he found Mustang studying him again.
“So, what else happened while I was out of it?” Knowing Mustang, and having seen personally exactly how much Jenna enjoyed Mustang’s company the few times they’d all been in bed together, Slade hated to consider the possibilities.
“If you’re asking if Jenna and I had sex again without you the answer is no. I tried to take her to bed and she outright refused me.”
Slade felt his eyebrows shoot up and consciously wiped the expression from his face.
“That wasn’t what I was asking,” Slade denied, though it was harder to deny how happy he felt at hearing Jenna had turned Mustang down.
“Yeah, sure it wasn’t.” Mustang raised an amused brow in Slade’s direction. “Oh, and I told her we’d drive her to the airport in the morning.”
Slade’s mood did a reversal and turned once more, for the worse this time at the thought of Jenna flying back to New York. “She’s leaving in the morning?”
“Yup, she is. You wanna know something? I’ve bedded women while I’ve had broken ribs before. With a dislocated shoulder a time or two, also. None of that gets in the way too much if you pick your positions carefully.” Mustang left the unspoken suggestion hanging in the air.
Slade laughed, jarring his sore shoulder and ribs. “You’re suggesting we go over there, to Jenna’s, now?”
“No. I’m suggesting you go over there to Jenna’s now. Alone.”
Slade drew in a deep breath, immediately regretting it when he felt another painful tug in his ribcage. “Why do you want me to go alone? You have other plans?”
Mustang glanced down at himself. He was in nothing but a t-shirt, boxer shorts, and socks. “Do I look like I have other plans?”
Suspicious, Slade pushed further. “Then why don’t you want to come with me?”
Mustang shook his head, laughing. “You really don’t see it, do you?”
“See what?”
“The way she looks at you. Slade, Jenna’s got it bad for you.”
“No she doesn’t.” If she did, Slade wouldn’t have had to bear seeing the satisfied look on her face all the many times Mustang had made her come over the last few days. And she wouldn’t have been kissing Chase in the arena.
“Yeah, she does. Why else would she turn me down flat tonight?”
“I don’t know. She had her reasons I’m sure. Maybe it’s her…you know…female time.” It was the easiest explanation Slade could come up with, considering.
Mustang laughed. “No, it’s not her female time. She came right out and said being with me alone would feel like she was cheating on you.”
Really? Slade’s stomach gave a little jump. “She said that?”
“Yup. Go over to the hotel alone, Slade. See if there really is something there when it’s just the two of you. If you don’t, I’m afraid you’ll regret it.”
Slade narrowed his eyes at Mustang. “First of all, when have you ever given up a chance to have sex? And second, since when are you such a matchmaker?”
“The answer to the first question is never, so you should appreciate my doing so now.” Mustang laughed. “As for the second, I guess the answer to that is just now. Right about the time I told you Jenna called herself your girlfriend and you didn’t make us pack up the trailer and head for the hills to get away from her.”
“I’m not that bad,” Slade mumbled.
Mustang raised a brow, silently challenging that answer.
All right, maybe Slade had been a bit skittish when it came to women recently, but given some of the crazies Mustang liked to bring them, who could blame him? Unfortunately, even if Slade didn’t have the instinct to flee, things could still never work out.
Slade felt the need to point that out and remind them both of that fact. “She’s leaving for New York tomorrow and we’re heading back home to Texas.”
“You still have all night tonight before she leaves, and next season’s tour kicks off in New York City in only about two months, or did you forget that?”
No, Slade hadn’t forgotten. He had actually considered looking Jenna up while they were there, even before Mustang’s recent foray into matchmaking.
Before Slade had a chance to say anything in response, Mustang reached again into his jeans on the floor.
“Here.” His set of car keys came flying at Slade. He reached out and caught them in mid-air with his one good arm as Mustang asked, “You remember which room she’s in?”
“Yeah.” As if he could ever forget the time they’d spent there last night.
“So, what are you waiting for? Get going.”
Slade swallowed hard, scared at how much he wanted to be with Jenna at that very moment. He turned toward the door, and then turned back. “I’ll pick you up in the morning and we’ll drive her to the airport together. Okay?”
Mustang nodded. “Thanks. I’d like the chance to see her off.”
Slade nodded back. Halfway to the door, he heard Mustang call behind him, “Have fun.”
“See you in the morning.” Slade ignored the flutter in his stomach as he opened the trailer door and headed for his car, and Jenna.
In record time, Slade was standing outside Jenna’s hotel room. Heart pounding, he tried to ignore the tremble in his hand as he raised it to knock.
Jenna must have seen him through the peephole, because in no time, he heard the locks flip and the door flung open. “Slade! Thank God.”
Then she was in his arms, crying. Slade backed them both into the room, closing the door behind them while he noticed how incredibly good it felt to have Jenna, even a crying Jenna, in his arms.
Damn it. It shouldn’t feel so good because after tomorrow she’d be gone. Good thing too, because a city girl from New York and a cowboy from Texas just didn’t mix. A few nights were one thing. A lifetime was another. Jenna was the kind of girl a man was tempted to keep around for a while.
Mustang had been right. At least
Slade had tonight. Maybe, hopefully, he and Jenna would have a few more nights in New York when the tour took them there in a couple of months. After that…well, Slade would have to deal with that later.
In his arms, Jenna pulled back and wiped at her eyes so she could study him from head to toe.
“Are you really okay? You looked so horrible when I saw you lying there in that room.” Her voice broke and the tears started again.
“I know. Mustang told me you were upset. That’s why I came over.” One of the reasons, anyway.
She shook against him as her sobbing continued. Slade pulled Jenna closer, wincing when she clasped her arms around him and squeezed nearly hard enough to break a few more ribs.
“Shh. It’s okay, Jenna. I’m fine. Really. Just a few bumps and bruises. Nothing I haven’t had before.”
Jenna laughed into his chest, which was rapidly growing damp from her tears.
“A few bumps and bruises? Bull riders are crazy.”
“Never said we weren’t.” Slade smiled, stroking her hair and enjoying the feel of her clinging to him since she’d released his ribcage. Now he could feel the benefit of how nicely she was pressed against his crotch. “Jenna?”
She pulled back to look at him with glistening eyes. “Yeah?”
He’d had some line about getting naked ready, but it didn’t feel right. Mustang was the king of the lines, not Slade. So instead, Slade did what felt right to him. He tipped his head down and touched his lips to hers.
If the room were any darker, he probably would have seen sparks from the electricity coursing through him and into her. Slade claimed Jenna’s mouth as his, and she willingly let him. Her hands held him close even as her mouth moved to devour his.
Slade had always loved kissing Jenna before. He liked it even more now that they were all alone with no Mustang between them. Slade wanted Jenna, all of her, naked. Although the silky pajamas she wore certainly felt good, he knew first hand what was underneath felt even better.
Jenna’s mind, thankfully, was in the same place as Slade’s. Apparently her goal was also getting them undressed. Jenna unbuttoned his shirt, and then kissed his chest while she reached her hands between them and began to work on his belt. Slade groaned as she conquered not only the buckle, but also his button and zipper.
Slade reached for the buttons on her pajama top just as Jenna reached inside his briefs and freed him. Then Slade forgot all about his goal of getting Jenna naked when she did something she had never done to him or Mustang before. Jenna pushed Slade down onto the edge of the bed, kneeled between his legs and slid him, all of him, between her lips.
With a groan, Slade watched her make love to him with her mouth. He thought about pulling her up onto the bed so he could please her while she pleased him, but he became transfixed watching her. Slade never meant to let her continue for so long, but it felt so good, before he knew it, he felt the tingling begin.
His whole body tensed and Slade drew in a deep breath. “Jenna. I’m gonna come.”
He’d given her fair warning so she could stop if she didn’t want him to, but instead, Jenna redoubled her efforts, working him harder and faster. He threw his head back and tried to not come yet, but it was no use. Finally giving in to the inevitable, Slade grabbed Jenna’s head with both hands, held her still and shouted while she drained him dry.
Only after he’d stop twitching in her mouth did Slade regain enough sanity to release his grasp on her. He kicked off his boots and pants and pulled Jenna up onto the bed, where they lay next to each other, panting.
He stroked her hair. “Sorry.”
Jenna laughed. “Sorry for what? For coming?”
Slade shrugged, regretting the movement immediately when pain shot through his shoulder. He looked down at her face where it lay against his chest. “Yeah, and for coming without, you know, doing anything for you at the same time.”
“That’s okay.” Jenna blushed and bit her lower lip. She looked innocent and devilish at the same time. “I’ve been kind of wanting to do that to you for a while now. It was nice to concentrate just on you for once. Sometimes multi-tasking is overrated.”
He laughed. Who was he to argue with that?
Even though he’d wanted so badly to slide into her from the moment he’d walked in the door, it was probably better off he’d come in her mouth anyway since he hadn’t thought to bring protection. The way he’d felt since seeing the concern on her face and feeling her clinging to him, taking Jenna without a condom and saying to hell with the consequences was a definite possibility.
Hell, Slade was still struggling with the urge to slip inside her now and she’d just finished with him.
But his stupidity and the fact he’d forgotten to bring the necessities didn’t mean they were done having fun for the night. There was still plenty else they could do and Slade owed Jenna an orgasm. Slipping one hand down inside the elastic waist of her pajama bottoms, Slade felt how wet and warm Jenna was. He wanted her all over again.
Pulling off Jenna’s pants, Slade positioned himself between her splayed legs and lowered his head. He heard her sharp intake of breath as his tongue connected with her and he smiled. The way her muscles were already tensing from the smallest touch, Slade predicted he’d have her coming in no time.
Feasting on her, he returned the favor she’d done for him until she was shuddering, writhing and crying out above him. Jenna begged him to stop, saying it was too good and too much, so Slade added his hand and kept going.
Chapter Twenty-one
“Why do you do it? Ride bulls, I mean?” Jenna ran a hand over the smooth skin of his chest and felt the warmth of his skin. She cringed inwardly at the purple areas beginning to form on Slade’s face and ribs where the bull had pounced on him.
Wearing just the top of her pajamas—her pants were still somewhere on the floor—she leaned over and planted a gentle kiss over the worst of Slade’s bruises. He shrugged and then winced. Jenna wondered just how badly it hurt. She didn’t bother to ask since he’d never admit to it.
“I don’t know. I can tell you this…to this day I remember every heartbeat, every smell, sound, and image of my first ride.”
Slade was revealing more of himself to her than he ever had before. Jenna asked a question to keep him talking.
“How old were you?”
He stared up blindly, as if he was watching the memory on the ceiling as he retold it.
“I was eighteen the first time I got on a bull. I could tell my buddies were talking to me but it seemed kinda in the distance, you know? When I nodded my head, that gate seemed like it took forever to open...slowly creaking wide enough. Then we went on our way.” Slade drew in a deep breath and looked at Jenna with a smile. “From there I was hooked. I always wanted to ride after that.”
“Wow.” Jenna breath caught at the passion in Slade’s softly spoken words.
For the first time she felt like she’d really gotten inside of him. No barriers. No walls. Just Slade, raw, opened wide for her to see. At that moment, she wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life. She swallowed hard, realizing too that if she didn’t clamp down tightly onto her heart right then and there, she’d fall totally in love with this man, the man she’d be leaving in a few hours.
Blinking away the mist that threatened to blur her eyes, Jenna crawled on top of Slade, careful to avoid his shoulder and ribs as she lowered her mouth to his. Both of his hands rose to encompass her waist as he kissed her back with as much need and desperation as she felt.
Slade rolled them both over and Jenna hissed with concern for his injuries. “Be careful.”
He growled as he slid one thigh between her legs. “To hell with careful. I’m fine.”
As his mouth covered hers, she didn’t argue with him, but when he broke the kiss and cursed, rolling off her again, fear conquered her desire to pull him back on top of her. “What’s wrong?”
“I didn’t bring protection and you’re too damn tempting. I d
on’t trust myself to pull out in time.” Slade looked absolutely miserable. “I’m so sorry, Jenna. We can’t do this.”
“That’s the only issue? If we had protection we’d be good to…you know.”
Slade nodded. “Yes, and I know, I was stupid to forget.”
With an evil smirk, Jenna rolled off the bed and grabbed a small white plastic bag off the dresser. She tossed it to Slade on the bed.
“What’s this?”
Jenna smiled. “My goody bag from the conference’s closing dinner tonight. That’s why I was late to the competition. The keynote speaker at the dinner ran late and I was at a table right up front so I really couldn’t sneak out in the middle and have everyone see me. Well? Open it!”
Looking doubtful, Slade upended the bag. When the contents cascaded onto the bed, his expression changed. Slade picked up and inspected first a condom wrapped up like a lollipop, then a packet of chocolate-flavored lubricant. The elephant-shaped penis warmer got a fairly comical reaction as he read the tag and figured out what it was. He pushed aside the deck of playing cards featuring partially nude, male cover models.
Finally Slade looked up from the items strewn across the bedspread. “They gave you this kind of stuff at dinner? What kind of conference is this anyway?”
Jenna sat down next to him and picked up a fluorescent green condom from the bed, holding it up between them temptingly. “Are you going to sit around and complain about it or be grateful and make love to me?”
Slade smiled and plucked the packet from her fingertips. “There’s no contest there. Though as happy as I am to see this little number, as weird as the color is, I am a little intrigued by that chocolate lube. It says it’s warming.”
Jenna laughed. “We can try that too.”
“Oh yeah? Where should we put it?” Slade looked enticingly evil and Jenna felt a tingle spread through her.
She bit her lip as she considered the possibilities she was sure were running through both there minds. “Wherever you want.”
In under a minute, Jenna found herself flipped onto her back while on top of her lay a fairly heavy bull rider armed with chocolate lube and a fluorescent green penis. She was totally pinned down and breathless from laughing, but Jenna didn’t mind one bit.
