by Mari Carr
“Lose the jeans, Claire, or I’m getting out my knife and cutting them off you.”
She reached for the button and he was impressed by how steady they were. Yep, his shy girl was all woman now and she didn’t seem to have any qualms about taking what they both wanted.
He crossed to the kitchen table and sat down to tackle his boots. After removing them he stood, intent on shucking his own jeans, but he paused when he caught sight of Claire, completely naked and standing by the kitchen sink. She took his breath away. Her blonde hair was still long, still wavy like it had been back in school, but she’d filled out—her hips wider, her breasts larger. She had curves in all the right places and his cock thickened even more. Getting out of his jeans was going to be a tricky operation; he could feel the hard flesh pressing against his zipper.
“Come here,” he said, his voice rough with the need she inspired. He had a feeling nothing short of burying himself in her wet heat over and over, for months on end, would stave off his hunger for her.
She walked across the room with self-assurance, comfortable in her own skin. Damn, he loved a confident woman. She was beautiful and she knew it. Another debt he owed her late husband. He’d known Bob Hutchins, though only as an acquaintance. They’d never been friends. Working at the ranch these past two weeks had confirmed what he’d suspected for years. Hutchins had been a kind person, shrewd businessman and loving husband. He’d cared for Claire, providing her a safe home, giving her all the things she needed, all the love she deserved.
She stood directly in front of him and her gaze never left his. He reached up to cup her face in his palm. She’d asked him to fuck her. He wasn’t about to do anything less than make love to her. He’d loved Claire forever and he was going to show her exactly how much.
Gripping her hips, he turned and placed her on top of the table with her legs dangling over the side. She started to drop down onto her back but he halted her, shaking his head. “Sit up. I want you to watch me.”
She shivered slightly as he pulled her ass to the edge of the table and parted her knees. Sinking between her legs, he bent his head to her pussy, taking one long, deep breath of her sweet scent before dragging his tongue along the damp slit.
She sucked in a quick breath, the sound almost a gasp, when he placed his lips around her clit, sucking firmly on the hard little nub. Her hands found his hair and he relished the way her fingers gripped the strands, tugging slightly to keep his mouth on her cunt. He thrust his tongue inside her and she moaned. Glancing up, he found her eyes locked on his as he worked relentlessly to bring her to orgasm. She began thrusting toward him, seeking out more of his dark kisses, silently trying to entice his tongue deeper into her hot chamber.
“Oh God,” she cried after several minutes when he nipped her clit with his teeth. He sensed her climax beginning as her movements became more frantic and her groans grew louder. Pulling back, he shoved two fingers inside her pussy while rubbing her clit with his thumb. The unexpected change catapulted her into an orgasm and he smiled when she screamed with her release.
She fell back onto the table and he stood, anxious to drag out her pleasure. He continued to push his fingers inside as her climax waned and she returned to her senses.
“No more,” she said weakly.
He shook his head. “Thought you’d figured out a long time ago, Claire, nobody tells me no.”
“Too much.” Her voice was soft, but he felt her body begin to respond as a fresh wave of moisture dampened his fingers.
“We’re only just starting,” he said. “Now hush and come for me like a good little girl.”
She gave him a brief, breathy laugh, shaking her head. “You do realize every part of me is offended by this macho routine of yours?”
He added another finger to the two in her pussy and she moaned. “Not every part, darlin’. This hot cunt of yours seems to like me just fine.”
“Why do I let you do this to me?” she asked, but he suspected her question was more for her benefit than his.
He shushed her, bending over the table to kiss her. “I think you missed me too, Claire-bear.”
She smiled as he placed his lips against hers and soon his tongue in her mouth was mimicking the motion of his fingers, moving faster, harder. Her hands tightened on his shoulders as she broke away with a gasp and she came for the second time in half an hour. He gentled his kisses as she trembled under the impact of her orgasm. When her body stilled again, he stood up.
“Roll over,” he said.
She hesitated for a moment before turning over on the table, her feet now on the floor, and the new position gave him a bird’s-eye view of her firm, round ass. Using his foot, he pushed her legs apart. “Open them,” he said as he moved her body to see her clearly.
“Give me your hands.” She looked at him over her shoulder and he knew she was wondering if he’d bind her again. He shook his head. “Not this time,” he said gently. “I’ll tie you up again—you can be sure of that—but this time I plan to put those hands of yours to work.”
She reached behind her. Gripping her wrists, he placed her hands on her ass. “Hold yourself open for me.”
“What?” she asked, trying to pull her hands away.
“Hold your ass open. I’m not finished playing.”
“Nothing there to play with,” she replied haughtily and he laughed.
“Claire. I’m bigger and I’m stronger. If you want to fight me on this, go right ahead, but I’m warning you now. I’ll win.” He let his words sink in as she remained still. He could practically see the wheels in her brain working overtime, considering his threat. “You’re curious what I’ll do, aren’t you?” he asked.
“I’m debating whether or not fighting with you would be worse than being naked and bent over my kitchen table, holding my ass open for your kinky games.”
“It’s only kinky the first time,” he joked and the two of them burst into laughter that only stopped when she conceded his point.
“Fine.” She grasped her ass cheeks, parting them a fraction of an inch.
“You’ll have to do better than that.”
“Maybe this would be easier if I knew what the hell you were planning to do.”
He ran his finger along her slit, starting at her clit, drawing through her moisture and not stopping until the tip of his index finger rested at her anus.
“That’s what I was afraid of,” she said. Her voice was sarcastic and he grinned.
“I don’t remember you being such a smartass when we dated in school.”
“I’m a lot smarter than I used to be.”
He bent over and placed a kiss on the small of her back. “I like it.”
Before she could reply, he moved his finger back to her pussy, pushing it inside, wetting it with her juices. Returning to her ass, he slowly pushed until his entire finger was buried inside. He wiggled it a bit and then realized she wasn’t breathing.
“Holding your breath ’til you turn blue won’t stop me.”
A burst of air escaped her lungs. “It’s just…I’ve never…” She paused.
“Do you like it?” he asked, pulling the finger out, only to push it back in again.
“Maybe.”
He chuckled, thrusting his finger in and out several more times, letting her get used to the feeling. “I’m going to fuck you here.”
“Haven’t you ever heard of asking?” Claire’s fingers clenched tighter on her ass and he suspected she liked the idea despite her question.
He reached lower with his other hand and wiped her words away, rubbing her clit in the way he knew she loved.
“Oh shit,” she moaned, pushing her ass toward him, trying to get more of the sensations he was providing with just two fingers. “Can’t. Come. Again. Too soon.”
“I’m not stopping until you do, darlin’. Give me another one of those pretty orgasms and then we can go upstairs and get started.”
“Started?” Her question ended with a sharp groan as he de
epened the pressure on her clit and added another finger in her ass. “God help me. Can’t stop.” A strong shudder racked her slim frame as she came once more. He grinned, stunned to discover he could go on pushing her over the top all night without worrying about his own pleasure. He loved seeing her like this, driven out of her mind by a few touches from him.
Grasping her arms, he pulled her up from the table, turning her to face him, and then he lifted her into a fireman’s hold over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a breathless laugh.
“Taking you to bed,” he replied, walking out of the kitchen and upstairs. His cock ached with a pain that would only subside once he’d gotten inside her body. At the doorway to her room, he paused, placing her on her feet. He knew this was the room she’d shared with her husband and he felt as if he should give her one more chance to change her mind. He wasn’t about to let this relationship begin with regrets.
He looked at her and started to speak, but she placed her finger against his lips. “I want you. I’ve always wanted you.”
He grinned and nodded. “Good. Now get in that room and in that bed. I want you on your back with your hands beside your head and your legs spread wide. Got it?”
She looked for a moment as if she wanted to call him out for his imperious tone, but instead she entered the room and followed his instructions to the letter. Jeb knew the pause after each of his demands would likely take a long time to go away, but he didn’t mind. It meant his woman had a mind of her own and she would always take the time to decide for herself. It also meant she wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want to do. It was one of the attributes he loved best about her. She would never be a doormat.
He shed his jeans, feeling instant relief as his cock was released from the constraining material. Walking to the bed, he enjoyed the admiring way she gazed at his body. He’d ridden the rodeo circuit for years and had the scars to prove it, but she didn’t seem to mind the imperfections.
“Must’ve hurt,” she murmured when he reached the side of the bed.
He glanced down, taking in at least five nasty-looking scars. “Which one?”
“All of them,” she answered, crooking her finger at him. “Come here and let me kiss them better.”
He knelt on the bed, crawling over her body. “You can kiss them afterward. If I’m not inside you in the next minute, this isn’t going to end well.”
She wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing his cock closer to his goal. “I’ll kiss them later then. Fuck m—”
He cut her off with a quick kiss. “Not this time, darlin’. I’m gonna fuck you, tie you up, spank your ass and pull your hair before the night is over, but this time I’m gonna make love to you.”
She blinked quickly and he wondered if she was fighting back tears. “I’d like that.”
He kissed her for a long time, both of them content now that they knew the moment of truth was at hand. Jeb was determined to make this a night they’d both remember.
Claire’s hands seemed to take on a life of their own, exploring his body and driving his need for her even higher. She caressed his chest, lightly scratched his shoulders and back, and gripped his hips for a moment before reaching down to grasp his cock. He broke off the kiss, trying to suck in some much-needed air as she stroked his erection with a firm grip and a steady motion that was slowly driving him out of his mind.
When it became too much, he stopped her with a hand on her wrist. “Enough,” he said. “For now.”
He started to rise but she placed a hand on his chest, stopping him. “Where are you going?”
“I’m not leaving, darlin’. Just gonna grab a condom out of my jeans.”
She didn’t move her hand and he sensed she was trying to come to some sort of decision. Her eyes when she finally spoke were filled with a sudden sadness he couldn’t understand. “I can’t get pregnant. Bob and I tried for nearly a decade. Endometriosis.”
His heart broke for her. Claire had always been great with kids, making loads of pocket money as a babysitter when they were younger. He wondered why she’d never taken the plunge into motherhood, though a selfish part of him that he wasn’t proud of was grateful he’d never had to see her belly grow large with another man’s baby. “Oh, Claire. I’m so sorry.”
“It just wasn’t meant to be.” She looked at him, shrugging lightly. “So a condom really isn’t necessary for that kind of protection.”
Her words made it clear what she was saying. “If you’re asking me if I’m clean, I am, but I’m still gonna leave the decision up to you.”
“We don’t need it,” she said.
He kissed her gently. The time for words had passed. He placed his cock at her opening and held her gaze as he slowly entered. Their eyes never wavered and when he pushed in fully, he held still for a moment and they smiled.
“Still fits,” she teased and he laughed.
“Never had a doubt.” He began to move, slowly at first, relishing the fact that he was back in her arms, her body. Claire was the only woman he’d ever wanted in a forever kind of way, and having her back again was a heady, incredible feeling. After her marriage to Hutchins, he’d gone into a deep depression, drinking heavily, avoiding his friends and family for months. Traveling with the rodeo had relieved some of those dark feelings and eventually he’d managed to pull himself together. Having this second chance to be with her was something he’d never expected and there was no way in hell he was letting her go again.
Their movements synchronized, sped up as both of them neared climax. Claire’s soft sighs and groans drove him higher and he dropped onto his elbows, kissing her as he felt the end near. “Come with me,” he murmured against her lips.
She pushed her mouth more firmly to his, kissing him thoroughly for just a moment before her head collapsed back onto the pillow and she cried out with her orgasm. Her vagina clenched against his cock and his balls tightened before he filled her sweet body with his come.
“God damn,” he breathed, the power of his climax almost making him dizzy it was so fucking good.
Collapsing to her side, he pulled her into his arms. Her head rested on his chest and he was struck by how right the embrace felt.
“That was amazing,” she said after several minutes. He agreed, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. Then they started talking, reminiscing about high school, the ranch. Jeb told her about his new nephew and how his sister Liv and her husband Rem were handling parenthood. They reconnected all the dots and the flame that had been rekindled the day he walked through her door burst into flames, higher and hotter than the biggest bonfire.
Just when Jeb thought she’d drifted off to sleep, Claire threw her leg over his hips, straddling him. “Tired?” she asked with a sinful grin.
“Climb on, cowgirl. Take a ride. Gotta warn you, though, this bull is bound to kick hard and fast right out of the gate.”
He expected her to laugh at his joke, but she was too intent on her goal and he sucked in a deep breath when she gripped his cock, guiding it to her cunt and taking him inside her slowly.
She rode him like a true cowgirl and he fought to hold back his release, anxious to prolong the sensations surging through his body as she took him just the way he loved. They came together in an explosion of stars and flashing white lights, and when she collapsed on his chest, they remained joined.
Her breathing deepened and he lay still for several minutes, listening to her sleep and grinning like a damn fool. He hadn’t just come home, he’d come alive again after almost a decade—and there was no force on earth that would drive him away again.
Chapter 4
“Rise and shine, Claire-bear.” He chuckled as she slowly opened her eyes, squinting against the sunlight streaming through her bedroom window. He’d woken her up twice more during the night and they’d made love, kissing and touching and talking until the wee hours of morning.
“What time is it?” she asked, her voice gruff from sleep.
“What?” She sat bolt upright, digging a painful elbow into his chest as she moved.
“Ouch,” he said, rubbing the sore spot.
She paid him no mind and started to get out of bed, but he stopped her with a firm grip on her hips. “Where are you going?”
“I didn’t feed the guys breakfast and now it’s almost lunch. Plus, you were going to work on that fence on the east pasture. The hands are probably wondering where the hell we are.”
He pulled her down onto the bed, despite her attempts to fight him off. Straddling her waist, he held her hands against the pillow.
“Dammit, Jeb! Let go of me. I need to get up.”
He shook his head. “I got up hours ago. Set out boxes of cereal for the hands, told them to pack up some sandwiches for lunch then sent them out to work on the fence. They won’t be back until dinnertime.”
She stopped struggling and looked at him. “You did?”
“Yep. I did.”
Her face was such a mixture of emotions he didn’t know what to say next.
“That was nice of you,” she finally said, and he grinned.
“It’s sort of my job, darlin’. I’m the foreman. Truth be told, I should have headed out with them but I couldn’t stand the thought of not watching you wake up.”
She sighed and closed her eyes. “Jeb. Last night was…” Her words died away and he tried to wait patiently for the rest.
When she failed to continue, he finished for her. “Last night was perfect, overdue, hot as shit.”
Her gaze returned to his face. “All of those, but I think I would have added ‘unwise’ to the list.”
“Why?” He tried to fight back his anger at her comment. It was obvious now that the sun had risen, she was going to try to push him away—return him to the foreman/past-lover box she seemed hell-bent on keeping him in. She pushed against him until he relented, letting her rise until she was sitting beside him on the mattress.
