Cowboy 12 Pack
Page 124
His other hand drifted down her body to gently caress her inner thighs. Light touches like butterfly wings. She felt herself ache, mentally willing him to touch her.
“What do you want, Cinnamon Girl?”
“I want more.”
“Where?” He bit her nipple, and she almost jumped off the desk.
“My pussy.” Saying it out loud had the effect he wanted. She grew even wetter, waiting for his touch.
One lone finger started at her ass and slid all the way up to her clit, where it circled. Once.
“Yesssss,” she hissed.
“There? Is that where you ache?”
“Yes, there, please.”
He used two fingers to stroke her up and down again. And again. She felt herself reach out to try and clutch the elusive digits.
“Can I lick you there?”
She moaned and thrust her hips forward.
“Can I suck you there?”
She grabbed his head and kissed him hard. “Go down on me, cowboy. Lick, suck, nibble and eat me like I’m a goddamn filet mignon.”
He smiled. “All you had to say.”
She wanted to tell him to hurry up, but she held it in and waited, ever so impatiently.
Hank kneeled down and spread her legs just a bit more. He ran his hands up and down her thighs, then his thumbs gently spread her pussy lips and pushed them open. He blew on her lightly. She shivered and clenched at the sensation.
“Looks like a strawberry patch. Let’s see if it’s just as sweet.”
The first swipe of his tongue shot a zing through her like an arrow. She moaned again and squeezed her eyes shut. Then he really started. His lovely tongue seemed to be double-jointed. Licking, then fucking her, then laving. His teeth nibbled at her clit, while his fingers slid inside her.
“Oh, God, yes!”
When he started sucking on her clit, she knew it wouldn’t be long before she came. She reached up and started tweaking her nipples, twisting and pinching in rhythm to Hank’s sucking and finger fucking.
“Hank. I’m coming, Hank,” she breathed as the release started crashing through her like an ocean wave. Slammed by sensation, she clenched around his head, trying not to squeeze him, but unable to stop herself. He pushed back a bit with his hands until her body finished bucking.
Hank looked up at her and then licked her one last time, a long lave from top to bottom. She jerked and felt another brief wave of her orgasm. Lord, that man had a great mouth.
She slipped down onto shaky legs.
“Sit on that chair, Buttercup.” She pointed to the chair where he had sat that first day they met.
He grinned, then rose to his feet, kissing her skin as he went. By the time he reached her mouth, TJ was flushed with arousal again. Throbbing for him. His erection rose stiff and hard from between his legs. He kissed her and she tasted her own arousal on his tongue.
He finally released her mouth after his usual bottom lip suck, then sat down in the chair.
“Ride me, Cinnamon Girl.”
She straddled him and positioned his cock at the entrance to her pussy. She had planned to tease him, but her need was so great, she simply impaled herself.
TJ threw her head back and clutched his shoulders as the sensation of being completely full of Hank echoed through her. It was as she remembered. Intense, incredible.
“God,” he whispered. “Un-fucking-believable.”
She couldn’t agree more. After catching her breath, she started moving up and down. She set a rhythm he caught immediately by meeting her down thrust with an upward one.
He used his hands on her nipples again, caressing and arousing her to a fevered pitch. TJ felt an orgasm starting somewhere in her toes and knew she had less than a minute. She reached behind her and cupped his balls, lightly scratching them.
He jerked and moaned loudly.
“You are magic with me,” he breathed as he grabbed her waist to slam himself home.
She started to come and a keening sound escaped her throat. He shouted hoarsely as his own release hit and he thrust inside deeply while squeezing her hips with his hands.
The whirling circles of pleasure cut through her leaving layers of sensation so sharp they almost hurt. She was breathing heavily and laid her head on his shoulder. She inhaled his scent along with the smell of their joining.
She stood and felt the loss of his erection as if someone had cut off part of her own body. TJ never wanted to give him up. Nevertheless, the time had arrived.
*
HANK WAS FEELING good. Not only did he just have another fantastic sexual encounter, but it was with the woman he was in love with. Yup, no doubt now, he loved her.
She grabbed the box of tissues and used some to clean herself off, throwing the used ones in the trashcan. With a sigh, she opened a desk drawer and got a pair of underwear (he didn’t want to know why they were there), and slipped them on, followed by her bra, shirt and jeans.
Hank sat in the chair, still weak in the knees from the way his woman had ridden him. And put him up wet.
“Can you get dressed?” she asked quietly.
With a frown, he stood and walked to the little bathroom to dispose of his condom, then dressed quickly. As he was pulling on his boots, he saw something that made the bottom drop out of his stomach. The TJ that sat behind the desk now looked like she had that first day. Tough and immovable.
Hank had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what she said.
“Listen, Hank, I, uh, need to tell you something.”
No, he definitely was not going to like this.
“Certain information has come to me, and it’s not good. It implicates me and Bar T in an investigation by the rodeo circuit.”
He swallowed hard.
“About our relationship and the rodeo’s reputation. Rumors are that I’m compromising the rodeo for you. I’ve got to make a choice here, Hank.”
He stood, unable to sit still any longer. His anger was rushing up from the depths of his soul to stop her in her tracks.
“Not a goddamn chance. You haven’t lifted the disqualification, but you’re gonna throw away what we have because of rumors?”
“It’s my job, and my father’s business, Hank. I can’t throw away twelve years of work for a relationship that’s been going on a week!”
“You’re not throwing it away if you stick to your guns and answer any questions truthfully. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
She ran her hands through her red hair. “I know that, but the point is, if anybody comes under investigation even if a disqualification isn’t lifted, nobody forgets it. We won’t be able to contract our rodeos next year. People don’t want to deal with a cheat, even if it’s proven that they didn’t cheat!”
He clenched his hands into fists. “You’re kicking me to the curb for nothing.”
“It’s not nothing! It’s me, it’s everything I do, and who I am!”
He felt like someone had taken his heart out of his chest and stomped on it. He was hurting something fierce, but he was also angry as hell.
“It’s not who you are, Tessa. It’s what you do. I love you, dammit. Are you going to tell me that you don’t love me?”
TJ stared at him; her green eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her mouth was open in a small “O” of surprise.
“Don’t ask me to give up my career for you.”
Hank turned and stalked to the door. The sweet musky smell of sex was making him nauseated. On the other hand, perhaps it was his heart breaking and his soul bleeding.
“I guess that’s all there is to say then. We could’ve had forever, Cinnamon Girl. And you threw it away. For a job. I hope it keeps you warm at night.”
He practically yanked the door handle off in his haste to escape her trailer. To escape the selfish choice that she had just made. That robbed them of any future they could have had.
Chapter Ten
‡
HANK BELTANE HAD never been in a worse mood. He was
n’t angry or anything like that. He was just as blue as a winter sky. He guessed he was heartbroken. He tried to talk to TJ, but then Charlotte from that damn PR firm came by, and with a dismissive nod to Hank, she left with her.
He was getting ready for the rodeo, checking his lasso, securing the buckles on his chaps, and such, but his mind was not there. Neither was his heart. They were both with one redheaded stubborn woman who had taken his heart, then thrown it back at him. It didn’t matter if he wouldn’t compete in the all-around or the calf roping. None of that seemed to matter.
Other cowboys were milling around talking. All of them avoided talking to Hank. The rumors were still running rampant and he was keeping a low profile.
“So, did she dump you?”
Hank turned to look at Art, who was dressed and ready.
“None of your fucking business.”
Art held up his hands. “Hey, don’t bite my head off. You look pretty damn sorry for yourself. I figured your romance-TJ-until-she-relents plan didn’t work.”
“Jesus, does anyone around here mind their own business?”
“Nope.”
Hank nearly snapped the strap on his chaps he yanked so hard, then swore when it bit into his leg.
“I don’t really want to talk about it.”
“I understand. I just want you to know that I never thought TJ was going to change the decision. No matter what you did. She’s too honest and too stubborn.”
Hank nodded and turned to walk away. He felt a little lost, so he went to see Charlie. The horse that would not be competing in the calf roping.
*
LOOKING OUT OF the control booth, TJ saw Hank down at the fence talking to Art. Her heart began to pound, her palms got sweaty and her eyes stung. After Art walked away, she saw a spot of color next to Hank and realized he was talking to someone with red hair. It was Lauren O’Shea, that teeny tiny thing. Jealousy roared through her, sinking talons deep and ripping up and down. She thought she saw Hank smile and laugh.
Dammit, did it have to hurt so much? Why did she have to make the choice between her life or her heart?
TJ realized she couldn’t stay there. If she did, she’d make a complete ass of herself by breaking down and blubbering. She fled with her clipboard in hand. She ran down the stairs and under the bleachers, ignoring the looks people gave her. She hit the side door with a bang and kept running. If she didn’t, the tears would start and they wouldn’t stop.
TJ ran all the way to the trailer, the sounds of the crowd, the cheers, and oohs and aahs followed her as the first events got underway. She should be proud. She should be watching. She should be with Hank, but she’d made her choice. Her heart told her it was the wrong one.
Her father was just walking out of the trailer when TJ stopped. She was out of breath and wheezing like an out of tune accordion. Her father looked at her and slapped her on the back, as if that was going to help her breathe.
“Stop it, Daddy!” She waved his hand away. “Here, take this. It’s yours…tonight.”
She slapped the clipboard into his chest and kept walking toward her truck.
“Tessa Jean Maguire! Where do you think you’re going?”
“Home, Daddy. I’m going home.”
“Wait, who’s going to run the show tonight?”
TJ didn’t answer. It was his company. He could damn well run the show. She was done. More than done. It was time to go back home to the Bar T Ranch.
*
HANK WAS ABOUT to climb the fence to the bronc chute when he stopped and realized there was nothing on earth that he wanted to do less than compete.
Instead, he waved at the official.
“I’m forfeiting. Go on to the next one.”
He walked purposefully toward the control booth. TJ was more important than any rodeo. It was about time she heard it from him. He’d give up this one and every one after it if he could have a chance to make a life with her.
His decision made, his heart felt a hundred pounds lighter. He knew this was the right course, for both of them. He took the steps two at a time, ignoring the families watching the bronc busting. When he reached the control booth, he looked inside and only saw three men. One of them was Big Tom and another was a fancy-dressed man in a suit who glanced at him with curious eyes. The third was the announcer, Bob Sullivan.
He couldn’t quell the disappointment that seeped through him to find that she wasn’t there. He tapped on the door and Big Tom turned to glare at him as he stomped over and yanked the door open.
“What in the hell do you want? TJ ain’t here, thanks to you. She ran outta here an hour ago and left the whole shebang to me. Ungrateful girl!”
Hank felt the worried fingers of panic tickling his neck.
“Do you know where she is?”
“Probably past L.A. by now. She’s got a lead foot.”
Past L.A.? She was gone? Gone?
“Why did she leave?”
Big Tom threw up his hands. “She got it in her head to start acting like a woman, I guess. I thought you did something.”
Hank shook his head. “No, it wasn’t me. She told me she didn’t want to lose her job or hurt your business, and with the rumors flying about the circuit stepping in.” He stopped to take in a breath and swallow to release the tightness in his throat. “She chose you and this goddamn rodeo.”
“Good choice.”
That’s when Hank lost his temper. He grabbed hold of the man’s shirt and backed him into the glass wall.
“No, it wasn’t a good choice. I love her. And I think she loves me. All this shit with the disqualification came between us. We could have had a life together. Now it’s gone. It was not a good fucking choice.
Hank let Big Tom loose and stepped back, trying to get the reins on his anger. He turned and stalked out of the control booth.
*
BIG TOM WATCHED TJ’s cowboy barrel his way out of the arena and had to admire him. The man had brass balls coming in there and shaking him like a dog.
He should’ve taken him down a peg or two, but what he said about TJ and her choice. He had been the one to start the rumors about the circuit. He realized that perhaps he had been hasty in starting them. He hadn’t meant to hurt TJ, but he had. Badly.
Apparently ruined her chances with her big cowboy too. Big Tom decided he would try to fix it.
First, he had to figure out this goddamn schedule and pull off the rodeo by himself. Something he hadn’t done in twelve years without TJ to help him.
Chapter Eleven
‡
IT WAS CHRISTMAS Eve at the Bar T Ranch. The traditional Maguire gathering was in full swing. Every employee, and their families, came for dinner and a party each Christmas Eve to celebrate the success of the rodeo season. TJ was dressed in an emerald-green dress that matched her eyes.
It was TJ’s favorite party. At least it used to be. She was still licking her wounds from her breakup with Hank. It had been more than a month, but she was still hurting deep down inside. For the children’s sake, she kept a smile plastered to her face, but the adults could see past that façade into the misery that lurked behind her eyes.
Her father came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
“You’re not having any fun, kitten.”
His childhood nickname for her hadn’t been spoken out loud for at least twenty-five years. She turned and looked at him.
“I’m a helluva big kitten, Daddy.”
He smiled. “You’re still my kitten.”
She shook her head at his foolishness. He got so mushy, like a marshmallow, at Christmas time. He loved to give presents, big ones, and watch people open them.
“Don’t change the subject, TJ. You’re looking real down in the mouth. You were hurt bad and I hate that.”
She shrugged. “I’ll get over it. It’s just gonna take some time.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “I know. I got something to tell you, girl. I should’ve told you be
fore now. And you’re not going to be happy about it.”
TJ felt her stomach drop. “What is it, Daddy?”
He took her elbow and pulled her out of the great room where everyone was gathered and into the panel lined hallway. The smell of lemon was strong since the cleaning crew had polished the wood in preparation for the party.
Big Tom actually looked uncomfortable and his eyes darted around, never settling on her eyes. She grabbed his arms and forced him to look at her.
“What?”
He actually looked guilty! TJ could almost grin at his expression. She didn’t ever remember him looking guilty.
“It was me.”
“What was you?”
“Um, the Mission Viejo Rodeo? The rumors about the circuit investigating you over that cowboy? It was me. I spread ’em. There weren’t no investigation.”
TJ knew her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn’t close it. There was a pain in her chest that almost forced her to sit down.
Her father? Her father had almost ruined her career? And stolen her chance at happiness with Hank.
“How could you?” she finally whispered.
He looked down and heaved a big sigh.
“It scared me something fierce, Tessa. I thought for sure you were leaving me, leaving Bar T, and all for that cowboy. I panicked. I know it was selfish and mean. But in the end, when you left, it gave me a kick in the ass that I needed. Running the show that night was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
TJ stepped back from him and wrapped her arms around herself. The green velvet of her dress crackled with static electricity when it touched the garland hanging from the doorjamb behind her.
“I’m sorry, kitten. I can’t tell you how much. You’ve been moping around here like a hound dog ever since. I know it ain’t right between us yet, but I’m gonna try to make it up to you.”
He awkwardly reached out and hugged her briefly. She was stiff as a board and as angry and hurt as she had ever been at her father. He mumbled, “I’m sorry,” under his breath and went back in the great room.