Heart of Rockies 03 - More Than a Feeling

by Sara Richardson

  Sawyer said nothing, but his hooded eyes pleaded with her to hurry, to reveal everything and abandon herself into his arms.

  Hurry. Yes. She was torturing herself as much as she was torturing him. Unable to prolong the torment, she let the bra fall away from her body.

  “Finally,” Sawyer gasped, reaching out his hand.

  She took it and let him pull her into the shower.

  Hot water sprayed down on her, enhancing the sensations that already danced across her body.

  “I love your curves,” he uttered helplessly, smoothing his hands across the arc of her lower abdomen while he kissed her shoulder, then her neck, then her nipple…

  Each light touch of his lips on her skin left behind a tantalizing heat, engraving both her body and her heart.

  He stepped back, his hungry eyes following the contours of her body, fixated first on her breasts, then on her hips like he wanted to savor the details.

  Except she’d already been waiting too long. The sensations that had been torturing her since she’d woken up only intensified, infusing her with a passionate desperation.

  “Come here,” she murmured, clasping both of his hands in hers and towing him closer. Pressing her body against his, she kissed him, not soft and light like she had before, but hungry and frantic, gasping into his mouth. Water showered down on them, steam clouding the air. And it was so hot. So damn hot the way his tongue caressed hers, the way their bodies fused together. His erection pressed into her stomach and made her nipples quiver against his chest.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been this hard,” Sawyer growled. He gathered her hair in his hands and kissed his way down her neck, over her breasts, sucking and nipping, devouring her skin with the same urgency that coursed through her.

  Elation hurtled into her lungs, pumping them faster, making them feel like they would burst open. “It’s never felt like this,” she breathed, somehow finding enough air. “I didn’t even know…” It could feel this way. Every sense heightened and engaged, so exhilarating it was almost overwhelming.

  “I’m gonna make you feel everything,” Sawyer panted, kissing his way down her neck, her sternum. Taking her backside in his hands, he lowered to his knees and tasted his way down her stomach, then lower, swirling his tongue against her inner thigh.

  Now she couldn’t draw in a breath. There wasn’t enough air for how fast her lungs worked.

  Sawyer spread her legs with his hand, grazing the folds of her skin, sending an electrical current all through her.

  “Lordy,” she hissed, and he laughed, the vibration of his voice working its way over her, into her. Then his tongue. Oh, sweet mercy, his tongue. It dipped into her, soft and hot, riveting every cell in her body with breathless anticipation. Bracing her hands against the tiled wall, she clenched herself tight as his tongue moved over her, slicing through her swollen flesh, because even though it was ecstasy, it wasn’t enough. “Sawyer…” His name ended in a moan on her lips. The tantalizing thrill spread higher, almost taking her over, but she fought. She wanted to look in his eyes as she let herself go. She wanted to see him let go, too.

  Sawyer pulled back and grinned up at her. “Let it take you,” he instructed her. “There’ll be time for more later.”

  “But…” She couldn’t get anything else out except for another helpless moan because he wouldn’t let her. That’s what Sawyer did. He took away her instinct to fight, melting it into an irresistible urge to give in to him. So she did. She slumped and let her hands hold her weight, focusing only on the titillating sensations that gathered inside of her to create a tight ball of pleasure that rose higher and higher until it exploded, sending up sparks to blind her. The force of it softened her bones, and just when she thought she wouldn’t be able to hold herself up, Sawyer was on his feet, catching her in his arms.

  “Easy,” he murmured against her cheek.

  She draped herself over him, still unable to balance herself. “My god, I can’t even stand up,” she announced, in case he couldn’t tell.

  “You don’t have to stand,” he said through a grin that promised the fun wasn’t over yet.

  That grin was all it took to start the throbbing again.

  “We’re just getting started, Ruby,” he murmured all sexy and low. And, yep, she could go for another round.

  His arms threaded around her and lifted her. Bracing her back against the wall, he pushed that impressive erection into her, staring into her eyes with a passionate devotion that she would never forget. His wet lips closed over hers as he withdrew and thrust back into her, filling all of her, grazing some uncharted spot that pried a cry from her lips. He did it again, slower this time, seeming to enjoy watching her come apart in his arms. “Faster. Please,” was all she could get out between the hard thumping of her heart and the blinding rush in her body. She wanted him to take her over the edge, to mesh their hearts together, to feel the heat and power of him as he came in her arms.

  “I like taking my time with you,” he grunted against her hair, but his breaths were ragged, giving him away. He couldn’t stay like that forever, just like she couldn’t. She was too close. The feeling of him inside of her, giving himself over to her just as she gave herself over to him, nudged her closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy. They were both on the verge of that same explosion she’d just survived, the outpouring of unimaginable pleasure but also unimaginable depth that would take their connection further.

  “Thank you, Sawyer,” she murmured, kissing her way across his jaw to his ear. “Thank you for showing me what it means to be cherished.”

  “You deserve to be loved,” he said again, his eyes intent in hers. Still holding her tight against him, Sawyer spun away from the wall, plunging deeper, until every muscle in her pulled taut with anticipation, until she was clinging to him like he was life. “I can’t hold on much longer,” she panted. She didn’t want to. She wanted to let go, wanted him to let go.

  “I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you right now,” he said, kissing her forehead, burying himself deeper inside of her than she thought possible.

  And she couldn’t hold it back anymore. The force of the orgasm seized her abdomen, echoing through in her euphoric trembles. His body rocked and swayed as he moaned her name, but his arms held her strong and tight, which was good because she was spent, draped over his upper body like a rag doll, body still reveling in the aftershocks. The water ran down her back, warm and tranquilizing.

  “Damn, I wish I didn’t have to go to work.” Sawyer’s chest heaved against hers, exuding the same exertion that had drained her. He carefully set her feet back on the floor and kissed her forehead, her nose, and her lips with a tenderness that prompted happy tears. She’d never belonged to anyone, not this way. Not all of her. She’d never given all of herself to anyone.

  Sawyer gathered her into his arms, holding her like he’d held her all night. “Can I make you some breakfast?”

  She quirked her lips at him. Just like a man to think about food right after sex. “I’m pretty sure your pancakes won’t blow my mind the same way this did.” She latched her hands behind his neck and gazed up at him, still under the spell of her body and heart harmonizing with his. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to walk to the kitchen,” she said honestly.

  He laughed and swept her into his arms, flicking off the faucet, stepping out of the shower, and somehow snatching a towel off the hook. “You don’t have to walk.” He carried her into the bedroom and gently set her on the mattress. “I can bring you breakfast in bed.”

  She propped herself up on her elbows while he conducted a visual inspection of her body.

  “What I have in mind has nothing to do with breakfast.” She glanced at the clock. “Far as I can tell, we have exactly forty-five minutes before you have to be at work.” Her voice purred as it never had before, and her blood had already thickened into honey again. “I think we should make the most of it.”

  “You have the best ideas,” Sawyer utte
red in that alluring gravelly tone. Then he sank to the bed and pulled her body over his.

  Heart humming in a new rhythm, she lost herself in the feel of his warm skin against hers, in the way his lips erased every thought.

  He’d introduced her to this new world of sensual intimacy, and now she never wanted to leave it.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Maybe I could call in sick,” Sawyer suggested, dragging his feet in front of the door.

  Ruby took the opportunity to admire him in his uniform again, all strong and crisp and noble.

  “Officer Hawkins,” she teased. “The community needs you out there. There’s no playing hooky so we can stay in bed all day.”

  “Who said anything about bed?” he asked, coming at her. “I was thinking the table…couch…kitchen counter…” His hands captured her waist and he pushed her back against the wall, kissing her until her fists had rumpled his pressed shirt.

  Lordy, was she glad he wasn’t treating her like a fragile artifact anymore. Stepping away from him, she smoothed his shirt. “I’ll see you in nine hours.”

  His lips pouted. “That’s a long time.”

  Tell her about it. But she opened the front door and walked out onto the porch anyway, since it was obvious he wasn’t going to be first. “You have to go to work,” she reminded him.

  Besides that, she had to get home to poor Nellie. She couldn’t bear the thought of the dog being lonely, wondering if she’d been abandoned.

  “Fine.” Sawyer shuffled reluctantly onto the porch behind her, sliding his arms around her, pulling her against the solid wall of his chest. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, only for a second, letting the feel of his strength and tenderness soak into her body.

  A car engine startled her eyes back open. She recognized Paige’s silver truck right away. Sure enough, it stopped right in front of the cabin. The window rolled down.

  “Well, well, well,” Paige called. “What do we have here?”

  Uh-oh. Busted.

  Quickly, Ruby wriggled away from Sawyer and planted one last kiss on his lips. “Work, buddy. Now.” She gave his ass a hearty slap. “You’re already late.”

  “I’ll see you later?” he asked, then kissed her before she could answer right away.

  Her face felt neon, seeing as how Paige was right down on the road, watching everything. “Yes,” she promised. There was a going away party for the kids later that evening. And, while the thought of saying good-bye to them hurt, she wouldn’t miss it. Not for anything. “I’ll see you at the party.”

  “Maybe after the party, we could get takeout?” he asked hopefully. “And go back to my place?”

  Despite the surge in her body, she simply shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “I’m happy to make it worth your while.” One side of his mouth turned up in a grin, and she knew he’d make good on that promise. He’d made everything worth her while four times this morning. The aftereffects still shivered through her.

  “Trust me. It’ll be the best takeout experience you’ve ever had.”

  She laughed and followed him down the steps, knowing there was no way to avoid a conversation with Paige.

  “I’ll be thinking about it all day,” he promised.

  Shaking her head at him, she waved. “’Bye Sawyer. See you tonight.”

  With a silly grin on his face, he trotted to his SUV while she headed over to Paige’s idling truck, ready to face the music.

  “So…” Paige’s arms were already draped over the open window. “It’s eight o’clock in the morning. You’re standing on Sawyer’s porch. Kissing him. On your day off.” She tapped her finger against her chin as though considering all the facts.

  “What’re you doing here?” Ruby asked, giving a change of subject her best shot. She wasn’t exactly ready for the world to know about her and Sawyer.

  “Helping out on the rock climb with the kids.” Paige stabbed a finger into Ruby’s collarbone. “What were you doing in there?” She pointed at Sawyer’s cabin with a smug grin.

  “We were…discussing some things.” That’s how it’d all started, anyway.

  “Your shirt is on backward,” her friend informed her.

  She looked down. Sure enough…

  Her cheeks tingled too much to battle the sheepish smile. What could she say? She’d probably be smiling all day. For a year…

  “Holy Mona Lisa!” Paige slapped the steering wheel. “I knew it!” She leaned out farther and lowered her voice, thank the lord. “Did you tell him everything? About your ex?”

  She should’ve. She knew that. Eventually she’d have to tell him she was Kate McPherson, but he’d been so angry when she was talking about Derek. Though he’d tried to hide it from her, he looked like he could kill someone. His face had turned to stone. His eyes had been narrow and dangerous. “I didn’t tell him everything. I’m afraid of what he’d do.”

  Her friend’s face sobered. “Yeah. Sawyer wouldn’t tolerate that kind of thing. And he can definitely be a badass when he wants to be.”

  “Exactly. And I don’t want him to find my ex.” It wouldn’t be that hard. Sawyer knew where she’d lived. Derek was a cop. She had not doubt that Sawyer would be able to track him down.

  “You have to tell him everything eventually,” Paige said quietly, like she hated to relay bad news.

  “I know. I will.” After some time had passed. After his anger had faded and she could be sure he wouldn’t try to hunt Derek down.

  “You can always change your name if you don’t want the guy to find you,” Paige said thoughtfully. “I know people who’ve done it. Had a friend who smoked a lot of weed back in college. She changed her name to Mary Jane.”

  Ruby laughed. Paige was always good for a laugh. “That definitely wouldn’t fit me.” But maybe she’d look into legally changing her name eventually. She was kind of attached to Ruby now. It seemed to fit her better.

  “I’m texting Avery,” Paige informed her, digging her phone out of a small backpack. “We’re having a girls’ night tomorrow. Got it?” In her trademark frenzy, she didn’t give Ruby a chance to disagree. “Because I want to know exactly how that shirt ended up backward.” Paige sent the text with dramatic stab of her pointer finger and tossed her phone aside. “But right now, I’ve got to get down to the climb site and set up.”

  “Got it.” A girls’ night sounded great. She actually wouldn’t mind reliving the morning of passion with Sawyer. Not that she’d give all the details away. But she’d definitely be reliving it for a long time.

  “Oh, and, Ruby…” Paige slipped the truck into gear, her eyes serious again. “Just make sure you tell him everything soon. Okay? Before things get too serious. Kaylee lied her ass off for a long time. He won’t take it well if he finds out you didn’t tell him.”

  “I know.” She’d tell him as soon as it was safe. But for now she would keep things this way.

  As long as he didn’t make an issue out of finding Derek she could stay in Aspen. She just had to convince Sawyer that finding her ex wasn’t worth the fight.

  * * *

  “Well, someone’s sure been chipper today,” Vicki commented from behind her desk.

  “I have no idea what you mean,” Sawyer insisted, filing the last of his paperwork. Okay, so maybe he was grinning like a shot fox. Whistling, too. He couldn’t help it. For only getting two hours of sleep, he sure had a lot of energy, thanks to Ruby. He had a hard time wiping that just-got-laid grin off of his face.

  A wave of heat rolled through him. God, that woman. She’d given him a hell of a lot to think about today. The shower. The bedroom. The best couple of hours of his life. And he’d get to see her in…he glanced at the clock…approximately twenty minutes. Not that there’d be time to re-create what had happened this morning. No, this little meeting was all business. Knowing that the kids were heading home tomorrow morning, he figured they had one more shot to bring up the thefts, and he wanted to do it before the party. No sense in bringing down
the mood when the kids were supposed to be enjoying their last night at the ranch.

  So he’d called Thomas and Ruby and asked if he could swing by after lunch. He’d been surprised that Ruby was open to the idea, though she’d made him promise to keep it short and sweet. They didn’t have much of a window with the kids packing up and everything. Which meant he’d better get over there.

  “I’m headed out, Vicki.” He snatched his keys off his desk.

  “See ya, Hawkins,” she called. But then her eyes narrowed. “By the by, have you made any decisions about sticking around?”

  The shock must’ve shown on his face because she laughed. “No such thing as secrets around here, doll.”

  “No, I guess not.” Especially when she bribed Chief with a latte every morning.

  “So?” she prompted, palms tilted. “I won’t tell anyone. I swear.”

  He busted out a laugh. There was a lie if he’d ever heard one. He knew exactly why there were no secrets around this place. Before anyone else could hear her yapping, he walked over to her desk. “When I figure it out, you’ll be the first to know,” he lied. That honor would belong only to Ruby. And he’d tell her soon. Not like the decision felt that difficult.

  After he’d seen Kaylee, he realized he didn’t have to leave. Didn’t matter where he went, the grief would follow. That’s what he needed to work on. And he knew it’d be a process, but he also knew he wouldn’t have to go through it alone.

  Vicki frowned. “Fine. Just give me enough time to plan your welcome back party, will you?” she sassed.

  “You got it,” he said, heading for the door before she could read anything into the look on his face and use her women’s intuition to figure it out on her own. He didn’t need any rumors flying until he’d made things official. He still had to politely inform the Denver precinct that he wouldn’t be coming. And then there was the whole business of finding a place to live. He couldn’t mooch off his cousin forever.

  But there’d be time to figure all of that out later.

  As he trotted across the parking lot, he shifted his thoughts to the kids. The short drive over didn’t give him time to script out exactly what he wanted to say, but it didn’t matter. This time he wouldn’t rehearse. He’d simply speak from his heart and leave the rest up to them. That’s what Ruby had advised him to do and he knew she was right. So wise, that woman.