Stripped Naked (Naked Cowboys)

by Desiree Holt

  “Jesus, Jinx. Way to drive a man nuts.”

  She smiled around his shaft. “Maybe this will make you even crazier.”

  Slipping one hand between his thighs she cupped his balls, feathering her finger over the skin and the soft hair covering it. As she slid her mouth up and down his shaft, she rhythmically squeezed his balls. He swelled in her mouth, filling it to capacity, and she hummed in satisfaction.

  And all the time his fingertip pressed harder and harder against her rear opening. The familiar throbbing pulsed in her cunt and her breasts ached with need.

  Suddenly, Dillon pulled his hand away from her body and tossed her flat on her back.

  “What—”

  “We’ll get back to that later. Right now it’s my turn.”

  He licked the line of her jaw and the sensitive spot behind each ear, making her tremble with a new rush of desire. Moving slowly, he tasted her neck before reaching the hollow at the base of her throat, pressing a kiss to the pulse beating furiously beneath the skin. Then, with agonizing slowness, he moved first to one breast then the other, tracing the fullness before taking her nipples one at a time into his mouth.

  Jinx threaded her fingers in his hair, pressing his head to her body, reveling in the wicked magic he created with his tongue. Her nipples swelled and stiffened as he gently raked his teeth over them, the friction a mixture of pleasure and pain. Impatient for him to do more, she tried to push his head lower.

  His chuckle rumbled against her, the vibrations streaking right to her pussy.

  “Impatient, are we?”

  “Yes. No.” She tossed her head. “I want it all.”

  “That’s what I’m giving you, sweetheart. Every bit of it.”

  His hands were gentle yet possessive as they roamed over her skin, following the curve of waist and hip. With his mouth, he traced a pattern between the valley of her breasts down to the indentation of her navel, swirling the circlet of flesh with the tip of his tongue. She widened her legs, urging him to move his attention lower, but he seemed determined to stretch out every taste and every touch.

  At last, he parted the lips of her cunt with his thumbs and blew softly on the wet flesh. Every muscle clenched in need and hunger. When he pulled her clit into his mouth she arched her hips, tightening her fingers in his hair and silently urging him to do more and more. When the tip of his tongue rimmed her opening little moans drifted from her mouth.

  “Please,” she begged.

  “Please what?” he asked, his mouth still covering her cunt.

  “I want you inside me. Right now.”

  “Exactly what part of me are we talking about here?” His voice was unsteady, his own need coloring it.

  “Your tongue.” She nearly shouted it. “I want your tongue inside me.”

  With a soft, sucking sound he thrust his tongue into her hot channel, at the same time pinching her clit between thumb and forefinger. The pressure built inside her until it was almost unbearable. Jinx wrapped her legs around his neck and pulled hard on his hair, pushing herself against his mouth. He worked his tongue harder and faster, dragging it against her inner walls. He squeezed harder on her clit and she exploded, bucking against his mouth, spasms rocking her body. He swallowed her essence, holding her hips firmly and riding her though the storm.

  Her breathing was ragged as the tremors subsided, but Dillon gave her no rest. He grabbed one of the condoms and rolled it on, lifted her legs over his shoulders and drove into her with one hard, fast plunge. For a long moment, he stared into her eyes, exchanging a silent message that neither seemed to want to acknowledge. Then he moved, pistoning in and out, dragging the head of his shaft against her G spot each time. Driving her so crazy she would do anything if he’d just let her come. Again. He was so deep she felt him in every space in her body.

  Beneath him she felt the rising tension in his body, the tightening of his muscles. She concentrated on his movements and the power they unleashed inside her. He pushed her higher, farther than she’d ever been.

  She didn’t need him to shout out to know they had reached the combustion point. Then she was flying, tumbling into space, whirling in a sea of black velvet as the walls of her pussy milked him again and again. He shouted her name as he emptied himself into the latex, his entire body convulsed in rhythm with hers.

  Jinx had no idea how long the shudders lasted, only that she shuddered over and over again until she was completely spent. Lowering her legs took an effort. Her heart raced and her lungs struggled for air as her body came down from the incredible high.

  She opened her eyes when she felt Dillon brushing the damp hair back from her face. He was staring at her with the same expression in his eyes she’d seen earlier, one that scared her in its intensity. What was going on here? For a moment, she was tempted to pull away from him, to tell him to leave.

  Then the moment passed and his mouth curved into his killer smile.

  “I think that should hold us for a while.”

  She huffed a laugh. “I should say so.”

  He slid one hand beneath her buttocks, finding that hot crevice again and pressing a fingertip against her opening. “I want to take you here.” His voice was rough with desire. “Do you know I dream about it?”

  Heat crawled up her body and something dark fluttered low in her belly. “You do?”

  “Mmm hmm. Trust me, Jinx. It will happen. Not tonight but soon.” He levered himself off of her and rolled to his back. “I don’t know about you, but I could use another glass of that wine.”

  Jinx was reading the piece on Dillon and his Appaloosa when Lew knocked on her door jamb. She turned from her computer and motioned him forward.

  “Nice piece on the sheriff and the horses,” she commented.

  “Thanks for letting me do the write-up. I was just checking to see what you thought about it.”

  “You’re welcome and it’s great.” She glanced at the computer again. “Excellent photos also.” She smiled at him. “I think you might make a reporter yet.”

  His face reddened. “I just wanted to say how much I appreciate all the stuff you’re giving me to cover. I’m learning a lot.”

  Her smile softened. “That’s what it’s all about, Lew. Experience is the best teacher. I’m glad to have you on the staff.”

  She was afraid he was going to rush over and hug her at the compliment. Thankfully, her phone rang just at that moment. She waved him away before she answered it.

  “Jinx Malone.”

  “My, aren’t we official-sounding.” Amy Montgomery’s voice was tinged with laughter.

  “You bet.” Jinx leaned back in her chair. “Just call me madam publisher.”

  “Well, madam publisher, I just called to see how things are going with sheriff hottie.”

  Heat crept up her cheeks and her hand tightened on the receiver. “What do you mean? Nothing’s going, as you put it.”

  “Uh-huh. Buck said he saw the two of you having lunch together. And last night Matt happened to be passing your house to drop something off to one of your neighbors and he saw Dillon’s car parked in the driveway.”

  Note to self: have Dillon park in the garage.

  “We were discussing the big story,” she told her friend. “He was bringing me up to date.”

  “Is that what they call it?” Amy laughed. “Don’t get me wrong, Jinx. I think it’s great if there’s something going on between the two of you. You deserve it after that rat fink Max. So does Dillon.”

  Jinx tried to keep her tone level. “What does that mean? I know he got shot during his last arrest. Did he have another problem? Another reason why he left San Antonio? ”

  On the other end of the line, Amy was silent for a long moment. “It’s really not my story to tell, but I’ll say this much. He was involved with a reporter in San Antonio and everything—the case and the relationship—went to shit at the same time. If you want to know how she was tangled up in it you’ll have to ask him.”

  Jinx picked u
p a pen from her desk and fiddled with it.

  “A reporter?” Maybe whatever happened was why he felt the way he did about the press. “Just out of curiosity, do you know who it was? I thought the crime reporters for the San Antonio paper were all men.”

  “Uh, this was a television reporter. Naomi Richardson. She didn’t start until long after you were gone.”

  “I know her.” A funny feeling settled in her stomach. “She started at one of the New York stations before I came back here. Did she blow him off for the Big Apple?”

  “Something like that.” Amy’s tone was noncommittal. “Like I said, anything else you want to know you’ll have to ask him.”

  “None of my business. We’re just professional acquaintances.”

  Amy laughed. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Then her voice sobered. “I just don’t want to see either of you hurt again. You and I have been friends for a long time and I’ve really gotten to like Dillon in the short time I’ve known him.”

  “Nothing to worry about,” Jinx assured her. “But thanks for your concern.”

  “So how about lunch tomorrow? I’ll bring Reenie and we can share some girl talk.”

  The offer was really tempting. Jinx knew she needed to really reconnect with Amy and she’d liked Reenie instantly. If she was making this place her home now she needed a circle of friends.

  “Sure. That sounds good. The Bit and Bite?”

  “Hell, no.” Amy chuckled. “Someplace where we’re not on display. How about Bristol’s? They have great lunches and we’ll have privacy.”

  “All right. Want me to meet you there?”

  “Sure, if you don’t mind. One o’clock okay for you?”

  “You got it.”

  After Jinx hung up, she sat back in her chair and thought about what Amy had said. She’d love to solve the mystery of Dillon’s relationship with Naomi Richardson and what it was that had affected him so badly. There had to be a lot more to it than just the usual kind of breakup story. And it probably was the reason he hated reporters so much. But she wasn’t about to pry. When you had a relationship that was just about sex you didn’t share those kinds of things.

  Only…last night had a different feel than the first night with Dillon. More intense. More emotional. They talked together easily and the moments between incredible sex weren’t uncomfortable or strained. She liked the way when they fell asleep he had his arm around her and his fingers linked with hers. And then there was the shower play that had started out as a game and turned into something far more intense.

  She wanted things with him she’d never wanted with Max. And she didn’t feel as if she was always on stage, primed to perform at his command.

  Well, shit, Jinx. Have your head examined, why don’t you? What happened to a relationship that was just sex?

  She had an uncomfortable feeling that in a very short span of time she and Dillon were moving way beyond just sex. And she wasn’t sure what to do about it.

  Dillon took a swallow of his coffee and waited for Charlie Whittaker to say something. His old boss had asked to meet with him and they’d settled for an out-of-the-way truck stop where they wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. The SAPD was still keeping the murder and the investigation of the hedge-fund partners on the down low, but Charlie had called to say he had information for him. Information he didn’t want to trust to a telephone, either cell or landline.

  “I suppose you’ve heard Naomi Richardson is back in San Antonio,” the older man said finally.

  Dillon nodded. “More than heard. She dropped in to see me.” He grimaced. “Said she’d made a big mistake and wanted to pick up where we left off. As if.”

  “Yeah.” Charlie nodded. “Once around with her is enough. I don’t suppose she told you she fell on her face in New York.”

  Dillon shook his head. “Of course not. You think she’d admit that?”

  “Seems she didn’t quite cut it and the producer she took off with got tired of her in his bed.” Charlie shook his head. “Why am I not surprised?”

  “I was an idiot,” Dillon said. “Never again. So, what have you got?”

  “We got a match on the DNA on your corpse. It’s Bert Redmond all right. No doubt about it.”

  “So now what?”

  Charlie motioned to the waitress for a coffee refill, waiting until she moved away before speaking again.

  “We’ve got a forensic accountant on the trail of the money now that we have an idea which trail to follow. And we’re slowly building the case against Vince Drummond.” He shook his head. “The asshole is still running around blaming poor Bert for everything and acting like he’s more innocent than a new babe. But we’re going through every movement he’s made for the past two years. There are strings there to pull, and we’re tugging away on them.”

  “What do you want to do about the body?”

  “If you can hold onto it for a little bit more I’d be very grateful,” Charlie told him. “I don’t want anyone to know who it is until we get Vince wrapped up good and tight.”

  Dillon nodded. “No problem. Just keep me in the loop.”

  “You can even get in on the arrest, if you want to.”

  Dillon rubbed his thigh, a gesture that had become almost automatic for him. “Thanks, but I think I’ll pass. I’ve had enough excitement in my life.”

  Charlie gave him a questioning look. “So you really like it out here? It’s not too quiet for you?”

  “Quiet is good. And yeah, I’m happy here.”

  “Now if you could just find the right woman to settle down with.”

  Dillon’s thoughts immediately flashed to Jinx, naked in bed, her body flushed with sated hunger, her lips swollen from his kisses. He thought about her sense of humor and how easy it was to be with her.

  No. Don’t go there.

  Anyway, they’d only really been together twice. Hardly enough time to get to know anyone. Besides, it was just sex. They’d agreed.

  “Dillon?” Charlie’s voice pierced his mental fog. “You already got someone on the brain?”

  “Not at all.” Dillon finished his coffee. “I’m living a life of single-blessedness.”

  Charlie laughed. “Single is right, but I’m not sure how blessed. You’ll know when the right woman comes along. And she won’t be anything like Naomi.”

  “That’s for damn sure.” Dillon rose and tossed some bills on the table. “Good to see you again, Charlie.”

  “Same here. And I’ll keep you up on what’s happening.”

  The two men shook hands then Dillon climbed in his SUV. He was surprised by the fact that he hadn’t wanted in on the arrest even a little bit. Maybe it was a sign he was finally putting the past behind him. He just wished he had a better handle on his future, especially where Jinx Malone was concerned.

  Chapter Six

  Two weeks passed and Dillon was still sitting on the dead body, fielding questions and avoiding giving direct answers.

  “We can’t move it until we know who it is,” he kept repeating.

  Jinx had been as good as her word about not pressing him, something that surprised him. She’d even emailed him two short follow-up pieces she was doing to satisfy the readers, asking him to approve them. He wondered if she was taking drugs. No bloodhound reporter he’d ever met acted like that. Certainly not Naomi.

  Just the thought of Naomi made his stomach twist in knots. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get passed what a fool he’d been. An idiot. And if he ever tried, to the scar on his thigh was enough to remind him.

  Charlie Whittaker had touched base with him several times since their meeting. The department had nearly all the evidence they needed to arrest Vince Drummond, including what had happened the night Bert was shot. An informant had even led them to the gun. They were waiting for one more piece of evidence before moving forward.

  “Vince isn’t going anywhere,” Charlie told him. “Not yet anyway. He’ll wait until the heat is off completely, then decide to relocate someplace where he ca
n tap into the money he stole.”

  “You getting a lot of pressure from the media?” Dillon wanted to know.

  “About what we usually do. And Naomi’s trying her act on everyone connected with the case to see if she can get any information. She badly needs to break the story herself. Word on the street is she’s only back at the television station on a trial basis.”

  “Not my problem,” Dillon pointed out. “Or yours. Well, give me a call when you’re ready to move.”

  “You got it.”

  Life had moved along from one day to the next. He and Jinx had spent several more nights together, nights that left him with an unfamiliar longing. He’d also had lunch with Matt a couple of times and once with Matt and Buck. He thought to himself how nice it was to have friends outside the law enforcement community. Normal friends.

  Now, at the end of a very long day handling a lot of nuisance stuff, he wanted nothing more than to go home, take a hot shower and unwind. Preferably with Jinx Malone, who was becoming more and more an integral part of his life. And just how had that happened? They’d both been very careful to observe boundaries. The just sex had turned out to be just unbelievable sex but it was more than that. He relaxed with her more than he ever had with any other woman, including Naomi. Even more than that, he’d come to respect her as a professional, something he’d never felt about the reporters who used to pester the shit out of him. He’d even surprised them both by asking her on a ride along one night.

  He knew the smart thing was to pull back, but the problem was he didn’t want to.

  Well, shit.

  He wondered if he could talk her into coming to his house tonight. They always spent time at hers, but maybe it was time to switch things up a little. Before he could stop himself, he picked up the phone and dialed her number.

  “Is this a phone-sex call?” she joked when she answered.

  He smiled. “It would be if I didn’t have an office full of people out there. Tonight’s when you put the paper to bed, right?”

  “Uh-huh. Got something in mind?” she teased.