by Becky McGraw
She squirmed in his lap, felt him grow harder against her ass. “Make love to me, Zack,” she begged, turning her face to the side to gasp for breath. Make this ache inside of me go away. Give me hope again.
“One thing one-armed cowboys aren’t good at is carrying you to bed, sweet thing,” he replied, sounding frustrated.
Heather eased off of his lap and held out her hand to him. “It’s a good thing you have two good legs then. And I’m not particularly interested in your arm right now, cowboy.”
The side of his mouth kicked up, and that mysterious dimple appeared again as he took her hand and stood. “Did I mention you’re also the smartest-mouthed woman I’ve ever met?”
“Nah, your sister holds that honor, I think,” she replied with a laugh, as she dragged him toward her bedroom. At the doorway, she released his hand to walk inside and strip off her t-shirt and shorts. She turned back toward him and Zack’s eyes darkened as they ate her up. When he reached her toes, they glided back up to her breasts and he whistled.
His nostrils flared as he lifted his t-shirt exposing his lightly rippled abdomen. “What if a one-armed cowboy can’t manage to undress himself? he asked, and Heather noticed just then his jeans were unzipped.
She laughed as she walked over to him. “Have your jeans been unzipped since I did that in the truck?”
“Yeah, and it’s a damned good thing don’t you think?” he asked, looking down.
His thick cock strained at the waistband of his underwear, and Heather shivered, but laughed. Seemed she’d laughed more around this man than she had in years. Ever. “I’d say maybe you need to buy bigger jeans, or have less um….”
He frowned, as he looked down at himself, tried to shove his jeans down, and with a frustrated sigh, he gave up. “I usually don’t have this problem—only around black-haired witches who have magical cotton candy bath gel that keeps me on go most of the time.”
“Black-haired witches, huh?” she repeated, looking up to meet his heated gaze as she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of his jeans and underwear. She bent to drag them down to his knees, and when she looked back up, his thick cock was right there in her face, jutting toward her, pulsing, asking her to taste it.
Heather hadn’t had a chance to explore his body the last time, so she took the time now. Her hand trembled as she raised it to grip him, to rub her thumb under the ridge of the head. It swelled, and that fascinated her, encouraged her. Holding him steady, she leaned forward to place a wet kiss on the tip, which was silky-soft and tasted slightly salty. A low-pitched growl came from above, and Heather’s eyes flew up to make sure she hadn’t hurt him. Zack’s eyes were almost black with desire, his nostrils wide to accommodate his quick breaths, his lips stretched tight over a snarl. “Let me know if I hurt you,” she said, unsure he was liking this. “I don’t know what I’m doing remember? Just tell me.” She lowered her mouth to him again, covered the head of his cock with her mouth.
“Oh, God—yesss,” Zack hissed, his body tensing more, his hands holding the sides of her head. Heather smiled against him, and experimentally ran her tongue over the smooth skin, pressing him to the roof of her mouth.
Zack growled, his fingers curled against her skull, and a little more confident, Heather slid her mouth farther down his shaft, taking him deeper into her mouth and a tremor rocked him.
“More—suck me, angel,” he begged, his voice a tortured rasp.
Relaxing her throat muscles, Heather took more of him, pinched her lips around his girth and sucked. Zack let out a low-pitched moan and Heather sucked harder. “That’s it, baby—fuck me with your mouth,” he begged, pulling his hips back, before gently gliding forward, going deeper into her mouth. Heather got it and moved her head in time with his hips.
With every gentle inward thrust, he grew inside her mouth, his skin got hotter, tighter, her mouth wetter, saltier tasting. Heather swallowed, and her teeth scraped lightly along his length. With a violent tremor, and a breathless moan, he suddenly stopped and shoved her away.
“Too fast—need to stop now,” he growled, looking down at her, his face pained, his breathing labored.
“Why?” she asked, pushing up to her feet.
“I almost came in your mouth, sweet thing,” he replied, stroking his cock with his left hand, as he walked to the bed. “I want to come inside of your hot pussy—and I want you to come first too.”
“You can’t come twice?” she asked, following behind him. Bob made her come multiple times in a row any time she wanted it. Mostly when she was frustrated.
Zack sat on the bed to look up at her. “I can and have, but don’t want to wait to build up steam again this time.” He reached out to fondle her nipple, and Heather’s knees went weak. “I want to be inside of you and for us to get there together.” His hand fell away, and he grinned as he patted the mattress. “Now crawl your pretty ass up in this bed. I want my dessert.”
Those warm and fuzzy feelings from earlier were gone, but seeing the look in Zack Taylor’s handsome, flushed face sure made Heather hot and bothered, as she did as he requested then sat and turned to face him.
“On your back, sweet thing,” he growled, as he knelt on the bed. “And spread those gorgeous legs.” A heavy throb set up shop at the top of her thighs, as Heather scooted up on the bed, laid back and dropped her knees apart, feeling more exposed than she ever had in her life. “Wider,” Zack said shortly as he knelt by her ankles, his hot blue eyes streaking up her body to meet her gaze.
Heather thought he’d work up to the main act, but it looked like he meant it when he said he wanted to come inside of her. He must’ve forgotten the part about her coming first. And wasn’t that too damned bad? A little disappointed, Heather closed her eyes and dropped her knees wider for him. She was confused when she didn’t feel the bed move, or his weight on top of her. What she felt was his hands on the back of her thighs, as he lifted them. Heather opened her eyes, and looked down just in time to see his face disappear into her crotch. His hot breath brushed her wet folds, and she shivered.
Her heart kicked hard against her ribs, as she leaned up to ask, “What are you doing?”
“Having dessert,” he replied with a chuckle, before his tongue took a long, wet swipe up her body. The rasp of his tongue raked her clit, she collapsed and a violent tremor rocked her. “Holy hell, what do you know? You do taste like candy,” he murmured, against her clit, before his tongue circled it.
Heather’s body tensed, and she mewled. Her hips lifted toward him, moving in time with his slow circles. Slow deliberate tension built with every circle of his tongue, every suck he made to the bud in between hot licks. The tension was like a rubber band stretched tight inside of her. One extra lick or suck and she would have snapped. But Zack kept her orgasm just out of reach, taking her just high enough before slowing, teasing her until she couldn’t take it.
Agitation mixed with that tension as he kept up the irritating motions on her clit. His hot raspy tongue became her sole focus, everything else faded to black, and her goal became a pinpoint of light behind her eyelids. So high now, so close, she thought, her breath coming in short uneven gasps, as she reached for that brass ring that would carry her to a place she could find her release. Her inner muscles worked, wanting it too, needing to end this torture as moisture flooded there in anticipation.
“Oh, Gawwd, Zack, take me there,” she begged on a raw whisper, her fingers curling into the comforter.
The hair on his left arm tickled the back of her thigh as he slid it from under her leg. His body shifted right, but he didn’t lessen the pressure on her clit. He changed tempo though, to short fast flicks against the irritated bud. His hand raked up her inner thigh, his fingers circled her opening and Heather tensed, gasped. Zack plunged two fingers inside her body at the same time he sucked her into his mouth. Her muscles contracted around his fingers, trying to suck them deeper. Zack sucked harder, nipped her clit and the light spread, shattered into a million pieces behind he
r eyelids then she was inside the light. Heather screamed his name with her release, her body rocked by violent tremors.
He waited until her body settled, before easing his fingers out, and his laugh vibrated against her tender flesh, before he knelt on the bed. “Bet Bob can’t do that for you, can he, sweet thing?” Zack asked smugly.
No, he definitely couldn’t. And it was damned good—so fucking good. Heather would never say she didn’t need a man again. They definitely had their uses, but this one was just a little too sure of himself. She leaned up on her elbows, and rolled her eyes. “No, he can’t and you know it. But that doesn’t mean it makes a man worth the trouble.”
Zack grinned, and that damned dimple showed up for the party. “Well, I assure you before morning, I’ll convince you that this man is worth the trouble,” he said cockily. “And I think you have just enough condoms to burn to prove my point. Where are they?”
Heather shivered, as she pointed to the closet, before collapsing against the mattress. Three fucking boxes. She was going to be a puddle of boneless jelly tomorrow morning, because she knew this man wouldn’t stop until he did prove that point to her.
She was either a very lucky or very stupid woman. Why had she let that old hag goad her into buying three boxes of condoms?
Her eyes drank in the muscled back, tight ass and long corded thighs of the man reaching for the box on the top shelf of her closet. Because when you bought them, you had secret hopes of using every single one of them with the man who is digging in your closet. That having them would keep him in your life for a while. Yep, stupid definitely fit.
Heather had no idea how she would get back to normal after Zack Taylor. He’d wrecked her for the other men she’d never allowed into her life. For anyone after him. Because dammit, she’d gone and let herself fall in love with him like a fool.
Chapter Sixteen
Zack’s left hand gripped hers like a vise as he stopped at the door of the doctor’s office to let her open it for them. He’d been edgy and tense all morning, the glow from last night gone. Heather thought she knew why too. The big tough cowboy was scared of what the doctor would tell him today. He knew he was probably in for an ass-chewing from the man too. He deserved one, and he knew it. Not only had he not finished his therapy, he’d gone to that ranch and worked so hard he’d lost any progress he made with the therapy he’d had.
But just like he’d helped her, Heather was going to help him. Reassure him that things would be fine, do whatever it took to get that progress back. She opened the door and he dragged her inside, but he didn’t go to the counter, he just stood there staring at it.
Heather squeezed his hand. “It’s going to be okay, Zack,” she whispered. He dragged his eyes to hers, and she saw she was right. His eyes were dark and filled with fear and worry. “We’re going to get through this.”
“I have a ranch to run now. Being out of commission isn’t an option,” he growled back. But with a heavy sigh, he pulled her toward the reception counter. When he stopped there, a pretty blonde nurse looked up, her eyebrows raised and her eyes glided down to Zack’s waist, before meeting his with a wide, toothy smile. “Can I help you?”
He released Heather’s hand to lean his elbow on the counter, and the hair on the back of Heather’s neck prickled. From the interest in the woman’s smoky green eyes, the tone of her voice, Heather knew she would like to help Zack with a lot more than his appointment.
She obviously didn’t see Heather standing behind Zack, so she moved up to the counter beside him. Forcing a tight smile, Heather said, “Yes, we have an appointment with Dr. Graves. Zack Taylor.” She hoped her tone told the woman to back off of those thoughts.
Heather felt Zack’s eyes on her, and glanced up, but they were shaded by his cowboy hat, so she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. She didn’t care what he thought. That woman was just rude, and shouldn’t be flirting with patients. Was that a chuckle she heard, before Zack’s left arm draped over her shoulders?
His fingers dug into her shoulder, as he pulled her closer to his side. “Ten o’clock,” he said, and the woman shot Heather a look, before she dragged her eyes down to the appointment book in front of her.
“Dr. Graves is a little behind, but he should be with you shortly. I’ll pull your file,” she said standing. Without looking at Zack again, the nurse glided away like she was walking a New York runway. Heather bit back a growl as she looked up to see if Zack was watching the wiggle-show the nurse put on in that tight, white uniform. But his eyes were on her and the grin he was wearing told her he knew exactly what her problem was.
Heat crawled up her neck to her face when his grin spread wider, showing his perfect white teeth. “After last night, you think you have anything to worry about, sweet thing?” he asked gruffly, as he turned them toward the waiting room. “You must think I’m Superman or something, and although it’s flattering, you have nothing to worry about.” Zack sat down and she took the chair to his left. He draped his arm over her shoulders again, pulling her closer to kiss her hair. “This one-armed cowboy is thoroughly satisfied. Hell, I’ll probably need the doctor to look at that too, because it’s limp.”
A bark of laughter tumbled from her lips, and Heather choked. Zack looked down at her, and his blue eyes sparkled with laugher. “My arm might be healed before I’m ready for another go round. You might have to call on Bob and his friend to help you for a while.”
Heather choked again, laughter bubbled in her chest then exploded as she elbowed him in the ribs, her face getting hotter, her eyes scanning the room to see if anyone heard him. “You are cruising for a bruising, cowboy,” she whispered weakly, in between gasps for air.
“I think I have a few of those too. Those will be hard to explain to the doctor since I’m not riding bulls right now, only sexy, hardheaded cowgirls,” he said, his voice lowered and conspiratorial. “You’re a little rough now that you know what you’re doing.”
Heather looked up at him through tears of laughter, and her sides hurt. Zack Taylor looked damned good through those tears, she felt damned good. “You’re a hot damned mess,” she squeezed out, holding her sides. “Stop it please, I can’t take it,” she wheezed.
“Heard that a time or two last night too,” he whispered behind his hand, with a chuckle.
Forcing air into her lungs, she slapped his knee. “Oh, Gawd, Zack, please!”
“Heard that more than once last night too,” he said, his deep voice soaked in laughter. “Damn girl, you’re gonna give me a big head.” Heather’s eyes met his and Zack waggled his eyebrows comically, and gave her a bodacious wink. “Guess that’s something else us one-armed cowboys are good at.”
The light-hearted bubbles inside her all converged in her chest, surrounded her heart then burst as her heart swelled, feeling too big to fit there. With a shuddering sigh, Heather looked up at him, and fell into his beautiful blue eyes. The words danced on the end of her tongue, but she knew she’d never be able to set them free. Instead, she turned, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. “Both of us are going to get through this, and you won’t be a one-armed cowboy forever,” she mumbled into his shirt.
Once he isn’t, he won’t be your cowboy at all. You’ll either be in jail or moving on with your life, and he will be running his ranch. The remnants of the happy tears in her eyes heated, and Heather sucked in a deep breath to stifle them.
Sitting back up, she pointed her finger at him and forced a smile. “Because this time, you are going to take it easy and do what the doctor says. I will be your extra set of hands, and I’m not a man, but I can work just as hard as one. Just tell me what you need done, and I’ll do it.”
Heather hated ranch work, detested it. After her maintenance days at the rodeo, swore she’d never lift another hay rake or shovel again. But she would do it for him. Do whatever she could do to help Zack get better.
His eyes darkened and his mouth pinched. “You will do no such thing. I hired two hands to finish puttin
g up the fence and help with the herd. My parents are leaving, so the most strenuous thing you’ll be doing is cooking and cleaning up after my ass. That’s not an easy job,” he said, his eyes falling to her mouth. “I have it on good authority that I’m a hot mess.”
Like magnets, his heated eyes drew her to him and Heather lifted up, put her palm to his face to press her lips to his. With a growl, Zack turned, his arm closed around her waist and he held her there while he feasted on her mouth, ravished it. The longer he kissed her, the tighter he held her, the deeper Heather felt the connection with him. It wasn’t their mouths doing the communication, it felt like her soul fused to his like it had last night.
God, she wished it were so.
Someone cleared their throat. “Doctor Graves will see you now,” a female voice said shortly, but Zack didn’t pull away until he was finished. With a final slick pass across her mouth with his lips, his arm loosened, Heather eased back into her seat and he looked at the nurse.
“Thank you.” Zack stood without meeting the woman’s eyes, reached back his hand to Heather and she took it. They followed the stiff-backed nurse, who had a helluva lot less sway to her step, as she led them to the exam rooms. She opened the door, but didn’t wait for them to go inside before she kept walking down the hallway to another room.
“I think she’s a little disappointed,” Heather said with a laugh, looking down the hall again before she shut the door.
“Yeah, every woman wants a one-armed cowboy,” Zack said flatly. With a huffed breath he sat in one of the two chairs against the wall and cradled his arm. That look was back in his eyes again, and his happy mood was gone. He was scared, and Heather felt damned sorry for him, but he needed to keep the faith as much as he’d told her to.
She sat down beside him, and put her hand on his knee. “Don’t make me drag out tough-girl Heather to whip your whiny ass—buck up, tough cowboy.”
He huffed another breath and looked at her. “I don’t feel so tough right now…I’m a little worried, but please don’t drag Heather back out, I like Haley too much. She needs to stick around.” Zack held her eyes for a long minute, until Heather looked away.
