Cowboys Like Us

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  “Oof!” she gasped, startled.

  Heat climbed up from Noah’s starched tux collar. He really hadn’t meant to do that. On the other hand, he was very glad to have that silky silver bottom planted firmly on his lap instead of another guy’s. Maybe a little too glad. In fact, a certain part of him was getting way too glad.

  “I want a ruling on that!” Jenny, the woman left with no lap, stomped over to Noah and Keely. She attempted to look disapproving, but a grin was trying to break through. “I think that was some kind of interference on Noah’s part.” She turned to Greg. “And possible collusion on Keely’s part. How would you call it?”

  Greg nodded soberly. “Definitely a lap violation, and possibly a moving violation, as well.”

  “I’m innocent, Mr. Judge, sir,” Keely snuggled down a little deeper.

  “It’s all my fault,” Noah said. And his automatic reaction had also been a mistake. Not only had he telegraphed his feelings to everyone in the immediate vicinity, he wasn’t going to be able to hide his erection if Keely didn’t stop shifting her weight around.

  “I say they’re both guilty as sin,” Jenny said, her lips twitching with laughter. “Throw the book at ’em.”

  Greg’s eyes twinkled as he stroked his chin. “The bride has spoken, and tonight she’s the law around here. I’m afraid I have to eliminate both of you from the competition.”

  “Sounds fair, right, Keely?” Noah stood immediately, hauling Keely up with him.

  “If you say so,” she said cheerfully.

  He released her and backed away, hoping to hell nobody would notice the bulge in his pants.

  “No hard feelings?” Jenny asked, winking at him.

  “Uh, no.” He just knew she’d used the word hard on purpose, and no doubt his face was pink as a flamingo.

  “Then I have a favor to ask,” Jenny said. “Would you two please go find the caterer and ask her to bring out some more fresh pineapple for the buffet table? I noticed we’re running low. Just go behind the waterfall and straight down the hallway to the end and you’ll find her. Her name’s Julie Osaka.”

  “Uh, okay,” Noah said, not sure he should venture anywhere with Keely at the moment.

  “Let me get my purse,” Keely said.

  “All right.” He couldn’t very well order her to stay at the reception, so he waited until she’d retrieved her purse before he headed toward the waterfall at a brisk pace.

  “Are we going to jog all the way to the caterer’s office?” she asked, hurrying after him.

  “Can’t have Jenny running out of fresh pineapple.”

  “Okay, but if the two of us arrive in her office panting like racehorses, no telling what the caterer will think we’ve been up to.”

  He realized he was overreacting, besides behaving like an uncivilized jerk. He slowed down. They were going in search of the caterer. Surely he could keep his act together for a simple errand like that. “Sorry.” He held the glass door open for her.

  “That’s better.” She linked her arm through his as they strolled down a carpeted hallway. Then she glanced up at him. “All that work to get your bow tie together, and you’ve spent the whole reception with it hanging loose and your collar unbuttoned.”

  “I was hot.” He quickly backpedaled. “I mean, warm. The night’s very warm.”

  She slipped in closer so that the side of her breast nudged his arm. “Actually, I think a guy looks sexy with his tie undone. It’s a tease, like the first stage of undressing.”

  “Hmm.” He didn’t dare try to carry on a conversation. Even though they were strolling at a leisurely pace now, he had trouble breathing normally. The most outrageous ideas stampeded through his fevered brain. She was wearing nothing more than that dress. All he needed was a dark corner. Surely there was one of those nearby. He’d already noticed a couple of places where the hallway branched off. God, he was depraved. And she’d done that to him.

  A trim woman with Asian features came out of a doorway and started toward them.

  When she was close enough for Noah to read her name tag, he realized they’d been lucky enough to run into the caterer. “Excuse me,” he said. “We’re from the wedding party, and the bride asked if you could see about putting out more fresh pineapple.”

  The caterer smiled. “Of course. You can’t have a decent luau without plenty of fresh pineapple. I was just heading down there to check on things. I’ll stop by the kitchen and take care of that first. Anything else?”

  “That should do it,” Noah said.

  “So the reception’s going well?”

  “It’s lovely,” Keely said. “Everyone’s having a great time.”

  “Good. Then I’ll let you get back to the party.” The caterer headed down one of the side hallways.

  Keely gazed up at him. “Mission accomplished.”

  “Right.” He looked into her green eyes and found heat simmering there. The accessibility she’d built into that dress was driving him wild. “Now we can go back.”

  “Right.” She ran her tongue over her lower lip. “Would you mind if I stopped by the powder room first?”

  “I’m…not sure where it is.” His heart pounded. He didn’t think the powder room was what she had in mind, but he couldn’t be positive.

  “I’m not sure, either. We can explore.” She tugged on his arm, leading him back down the hallway. Then she turned right down another long hallway that ended in a bank of windows looking out on a tropical atrium. “Maybe this way.”

  He didn’t think so. The doors they passed looked like offices to him. At this time of night, no one was working in them. But maybe there was a rest room down here, and maybe that’s really what Keely hoped to find.

  As they neared the end of the hallway, he couldn’t see any door marked Women. But he did notice the hallway widened at the end. Two private nooks on either side had been turned into conversation areas, and they each contained two armchairs, an end table and a potted palm. Probably a place for the office employees to take a short break.

  His pulse quickened. Behind that chair. Up against the wall. It was the darkest corner he was likely to get. He doubted anyone came down this hallway at night. His mouth grew moist, his penis hard. No. This was insane.

  He cleared his throat. “Nothing’s here.”

  Keely eyed the two shadowy nooks. Then she glanced at Noah. “Pretty deserted spot, isn’t it?”

  “We need to get back,” he said, his voice hoarse.

  “We will.” She tossed her purse on one of the chairs before turning to face him. Then she took the ends of his bow tie in her fingers. “In a little bit.” Slowly she drew him closer until a bare inch was left between them.

  He could feel the heat of her body and smell the scent of raspberries mixed with a more basic, musky aroma of excited woman. She’d been taunting him with this possibility all night. He’d never done something like this, never been driven to try. But then no woman had ever announced to him at the beginning of an evening that she wasn’t wearing underwear.

  Something within him snapped. With a groan he pushed her past the chair and into the corner of the tiny nook. With one hand he held her head while he plundered her mouth. With the other he found the slit in her skirt and reached inside. He encountered lace panties. He’d been had.

  He gripped her lace-covered bottom and lifted his mouth from hers. “You’re wearing panties,” he said, breathing hard.

  “Am I? I must have forgotten,” she murmured.

  “You were bluffing.”

  “I was teasing.”

  “I call it bluffing, and lady, I’m calling your bluff.” He looked into her eyes as he reached down and grabbed a section of her skirt in each fist. Then he yanked it up over her hips and bunched it around her waist.

  Her eyes burned with green fire. “Right here?”

  “Right here.” He held the skirt high while he used his free hand to pull down that underwear she’d promised she wasn’t wearing. Then he slipped his hand betwe
en her legs and his mind reeled. She was drenched.

  “Do you…have a condom?” she asked, her voice ragged.

  “No,” he whispered, allowing her skirt to ripple down around his wrist while he continued to caress her.

  Her eyes fluttered closed and she began to pant. “We… need…one.”

  “Well, maybe you should have thought of that. You’re the one who bought two boxes,” he murmured before he claimed her mouth in another searing kiss.

  12

  NOT MUCH OF KEELY’SBRAIN was functioning, but she had to admit Noah was right. She should have thought of condoms. But she hadn’t, and now…now he was driving her insane, using his fingers and thumb to create mind-altering pleasure. In a matter of seconds she’d lost all control of the situation.

  Sensation rocketed through her, making her thighs quiver and her breasts tingle. Her nipples grew hard and thrust against the material of her dress. Oh. Yes. There.

  She clutched his shoulders and arched toward him, craving more, craving deeper. If he chose to take her now, she wouldn’t have the will to resist him. If he kept caressing her like this, she might beg him to take her, condom or no condom.

  The birth control problem needed attention before it was too late. “Noah,” she said, gasping. “We can’t…” She couldn’t think, let alone talk. “If we don’t have a condom, then we can’t…”

  He lifted his mouth from hers while his fingers continued to work their magic. “I know we can’t,” he murmured. “So first you, then me. We’ll take care of each other. Deal?”

  “Deal,” she said with a sigh as her legs turned to rubber.

  And what a deal. He’d found the perfect rhythm to make her writhe in helpless abandon as her body throbbed and yearned for climax. He would give it to her fast, and that was fine. She wanted it fast.

  Then, at the moment when she balanced on the very brink of ecstasy, he slowed the movement of his hand and gentled the pressure of his thumb. He slid his fingers out and teased her with a light, butterfly touch. Slipped slowly in again, then withdrew. Circled his thumb right where it would have the most effect, then stopped.

  She whimpered against his mouth.

  He lifted his lips a fraction from hers. His voice was rough and untamed. “I’ve decided I want more. Unhook your collar.”

  She trembled and fought for breath. She’d unleashed the wild man in Noah. “If I let go of you, I’ll fall down.”

  He wrapped his arm more firmly around her waist. “Now you can let go.” He nibbled at her lower lip. “I want that collar undone. And the way I feel right now, I might rip it.”

  Her hands shook as she reached back to unfasten the collar.

  He brushed his mouth against hers. “I love it when you put your hands behind your head and push your breasts toward me like that.” He continued to stroke her in a lazy way, just enough to keep her at a fevered pitch.

  Oh, yes, Noah had made the transition from nice guy to rogue. She was quivering too much to manage the hooks. “I can’t do it.”

  “I think you can.”

  “Then be still,” she pleaded. He paused for a beat, and she unfastened the hooks. “There.”

  “Now pull the material down.” He stroked her again with that easy rhythm, deceptively easy.

  She was close. Very close. But it seemed he wanted her nearly naked when the moment arrived. Shaking with tension and the excitement of undressing in this barely concealed corner, she peeled away the top part of the dress and let it hang at her waist.

  His breath was hot and sweet on her face. “Now put your hands behind your head again,” he murmured.

  She reached back and laced her fingers together, cradling her head in her hands. Her breasts lifted.

  He leaned back slightly and looked down. A guttural sound of pure male satisfaction rumbled in his throat. Then his lust-filled gaze met hers. “Are you afraid?” he asked softly. “Afraid someone will see us? Hear us?”

  “Sure.” Her voice quivered. “That’s part of the thrill.”

  His eyes darkened and his whole body began to shake. “Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, it is. I didn’t know. This is so good.” With a soft moan he nuzzled her throat. “So good.” He quickened the movement of his fingers, circled his thumb over her aching flashpoint. “Yes. Oh, yes.”

  “You’re going to come soon,” he said hoarsely.

  She began to pant. “I…am.”

  His hot mouth trailed down the slope of her breast. “If you make noise….”

  “I won’t,” she whispered.

  Slowing the rhythm of his fingers, he drew a moist circle around her nipple with his tongue. “You’re sure?” he asked, his breath whispering over her breast. “It’s going to be good.”

  “Yes, I’m sure.” She moaned softly. “Make me come, Noah. Please make me come.”

  Lightly, ever so lightly, his tongue flicked against her taut nipple. Slowly at first, then more quickly. And his thumb, centered over her trigger point, mimicked the flicking motion. Faster, and faster still, connecting two charged points, arcing tension between them…tightening…vibrating… faster, faster, faster—now.

  She clenched her jaw to keep from crying out as spasms shook her. Stroking rhythmically with his fingers, he closed his mouth over her breast and sucked in deeply, then released the pressure, sucked in and released. The liquid sound of his sucking followed the beat of her orgasm, and each tug on her breast became part of her climax as he drew on her again and again.

  Her throat ached with silent moans of release—blissful, perfect release.

  His hand movement slowed, then stopped, but his fingers were still buried deep. With one soft kiss on the very tip of her throbbing nipple, he straightened and eased his fingers free.

  Gradually opening her eyes, she gazed into his—heavylidded with passion, and smoldering, still smoldering. She cupped his face in both hands. “Thank you,” she murmured.

  “You’re welcome.” He lifted a damp finger and traced the outline of her lips. “I want to taste your secrets,” he whispered before covering her mouth with his.

  He kissed her thoroughly, sharing the musky tang of her climax and stirring the embers of her desire. Unbelievably, she began to want again. But this time her needs had a different focus.

  Reaching between them, she stroked his crotch and found the metal clasp of his zipper. As she pulled it down, he shuddered. She slid her hand inside, cupping the warm weight of him, tight and near to bursting, barely contained in the skimpy briefs she’d bought yesterday.

  Such foresight. The soft cotton gave way easily to her quick tug, and in no time she had her hand around his big, beautiful penis.

  He gasped in reaction, lifting his head to look into her eyes.

  Meeting his darkened gaze, she closed her fingers around the base of his shaft. Then she stroked upward until she encountered his most vulnerable spot. Lingering there, she absorbed the tremors that shook him each time her fingers made contact. Then she stroked down again and eased back up to torture him some more.

  His eyes burned hot and hungry and his voice rasped in the stillness. “You’re driving me crazy.”

  “I hope so.” She rubbed her thumb over the moisture-slick tip and he closed his eyes with a groan. She knew what he longed for, but she wanted him to ask. It was so much more exciting that way. “Tell me, Noah, what else can I do for you?”

  His eyes opened, and unchecked passion flamed there. He stared at her, and his chest heaved with his struggle to breathe. “I want you on your knees,” he whispered hoarsely. “I want your mouth on me.”

  She loved playing with fire, loved taunting him as he’d taunted her. “Will you make noise?”

  He gasped again as she brushed a finger where she discovered he could feel it most. “No.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.” His voice cracked. “Please, Keely.”

  Dizzy from the thrill of her own sexual power, she sank to her knees. At first she used her tongue to explore and car
ess him until he was trembling so violently that he braced both hands against the wall. As she anticipated the moment to come, as she imagined him anticipating it, desire spiraled tighter within her.

  By the time she took his straining penis in her mouth, her frenzy matched his. His climax came quickly, and as she swallowed his warm, salty essence, she throbbed with unmet needs. She wanted everything this man had to offer. And she would get it. The night was young.

  NOAH HAD NO IDEA HOW much time went by before he gathered the strength to put his clothes back together and help Keely with hers. He felt like the victim of a shipwreck. Probably resembled one, too.

  He touched her cheek with a still-trembling hand. “Incredible,” he said, gazing into her eyes.

  “Yeah,” she said softly. She was totally mussed and outrageously sexy-looking, all tousled and pink. Her hairdo had self-destructed and her lipstick was MIA. Just thinking about how her lipstick had gotten smeared was getting him worked up again, so he’d be better off not thinking about it.

  A slow smile of satisfaction tilted those kiss-swollen lips of hers. “So you liked taking a little risk?”

  He looked into her green, devilish eyes. She’d won. “Yes, I did.”

  “Want more?”

  Yes, he wanted more. More of whatever she could dish out. “I think you know the answer to that.”

  “I do.” She stroked a finger over his lower lip. “But it pleases me to hear you say it.”

  He caught her hand and licked the crevice between each finger. “Do you want me to tell you I’m your slave?”

  “Are you?” She sounded a little breathless.

  “Looks that way.” And he wanted a chance to turn the tables.

  “What about the luau? And your friends? Shouldn’t we go back?”

  He studied her and searched for some diplomatic way to describe her rumpled condition. “I guess we should. For a while longer. But you might need to do a little repair work first.”