by Wild Horses
Beer. Beer would solve things. She took another long drink.
Cooper stooped and retrieved an amber bottle from the cooler, cracked it open, and continued approaching her.
Go away, go away, go away...
“Jackson.” He leaned against the wall beside her, facing her.
She didn’t look at him. “What?”
Perhaps her tone was enough of a warning but he paused for several long seconds.
Go away, go away—
He started to speak and then the door opened, loud voices both irritating and welcome. People poured into the space that had seemed large just moment earlier; now it was filled to the brim with denim and cowboy boots and plaid. Music came on almost immediately, country twang barely audible over the talking and laughing.
“Hey!”
Dani winced at the sound of Carlee’s voice.
The other girl stopped in front of Cooper. “I wanted to talk to you about Sweet Pea’s bit—I’ve been using the longer shank for a while now, but then he always had a hard time stopping. He’s gotten a lot better, but do you think I should stick with what he knows or try something else?”
Cooper cleared his throat. “Well—”
“Because I’ve been giving serious consideration to a chain one—”
Dani promptly left, both because she was certain Carlee wasn’t speaking English and because she didn’t care about Sweet Pea’s chains or whatever. Gus walked in, so she strolled over, removed the key from her wrist, and promptly deposited it in his hand.
He smiled brightly. “Feeling better, Dani?”
“Much,” she returned, though the gentleman singing about his lost love and his lost truck—which, as far as she was concerned, might’ve been the same thing—made her want to run herself over with a tractor.
She left Gus to talk to his guests and found a nice corner to sulk in. She could play, in some circumstances, the social butterfly, but she knew almost no one in a crowd of at least sixty and felt it acutely, awkwardly watching people mingle with familiarity.
Well, at least she had beer. Red ale made a great date.
“Hey.”
She looked up at the sound of a familiar voice, and then scowled. “Go away.” She gave Cooper her back, turning to stare blankly in the other direction.
But he followed her, stopping to lean against the wall in front of her. “I’m here to apologize.”
“I’ll bet.” She polished off the last of her beer. It went down far too quickly.
“You know,” his tone was laced with irritation, “I’m trying to be nice here.”
“Maybe if you weren’t a jackass to begin with—”
“Well, maybe if you weren’t a useless princess—”
“Ahem.” Gus cleared his throat and Dani glanced over to see him standing four feet away with a pair of people, looking pointedly at them.
Right. He probably didn’t want a scene caused.
“Let’s go outside,” Cooper said with a sigh and reached for her elbow.
She stopped him with a glare.
He paused, then turned his hand palm up in offering.
Oh yeah, sure—give you my permission to haul me about. She set her empty beer bottle down on a windowsill and marched past him toward the door. She slipped between dancers and clumps of people, then outside, letting the screen door swing shut in her wake. The porch was empty but bright, still near people, so she took several more steps and stopped to lean against the apex of the railings in the corner and crossed her arms at her midsection.
Adam appeared seconds later, his gaze darting around the porch until he spotted her.
She looked up at him as he neared and tried not to sigh dreamily. His arms were strong and toned, and she bet she’d fit perfectly in them.
“I’m sorry for freaking out on you this morning,” he said.
She waited. Nothing more. “But...?”
“But...what?”
A cool breeze drifted over her and she shivered. “But I deserved it? But you still think it was me? But I’m useless and I should go back to the mall?”
“Maybe just that last one.”
She balled her hands into fists but he grinned suddenly, melting her anger even as she tried to hold on to it.
“You’ve done good work.” Another step brought him close enough that she could smell his aftershave. He set the half empty bottle of beer on the railing—why he needed his hands free, she wasn’t sure.
But wanted to find out.
“Well.” She cleared her throat. It was awkward when he was being nice. “I’ve done a lot of jobs, you know. I do learn quickly.”
“I wouldn’t say you learn a whole lot but you definitely—”
Her hand lashed out to smack his forearm.
His fingers wrapped around her wrist, trapping her.
High in her throat she felt the thrum of her pulse, beating so loudly she swore he could probably hear it. Wind stirred the hair around her shoulders, skirt around her legs, and her body seemed to both heat and shiver all at once.
The music within shifted, changing to a familiar beat, and Dani grinned absently.
“What?” he asked.
“Oh.” She nodded in the direction of the house where “Need You Now” played. “I actually know this one. I sang—badly—and danced to it on video in my underwear for charity.”
“Your underwear?” He cocked a brow.
Warmth flushed her cheeks and down her neck. He still had her wrist but she hardly noticed now—not when her attention was focused on him drawing closer. “They had white and yellow daisies on them.”
“I’d like to see that sometime.”
“It’s still on YouTube.” Two million views. Her most popular video to date. Her grin faded and she swallowed tightly as she tilted her head back to gaze up at him. “So...I’d apologize too, but then I’m not the one acting like a dick.”
“I hate these...events,” he said with a sigh, “and get irritable. I didn’t mean to upset you this morning or accuse you of anything.”
“Oh, you most certainly did mean to accuse me—”
“I mean not like that. I meant to see if you’d left the door open by mistake. And I lost it. I just...prefer things locked up.”
“Well.” Her head felt warm so she plucked off the hat, set it on the railing, and let the wind dry the sweat on her brow. She ran her hand back through her hair nervously as she tried not to pay too much attention to how close he was. “You are a jackass.”
“And you are a princess.”
And he was extremely close now.
In his eyes waited a challenge, one that set her blood ablaze with want, desire coursing through her body. Her nipples strained against her bra and thin cotton tank top, and as he crowded in her space, pinning her against the railing, she was certain he felt it too. Her chest heaved with panting breaths, brain told her to get away—to push him aside and flee back for the party, but she was caught in his dark, dark blue eyes just as she was against his body, and didn’t think she could run even if he told her to.
His head dipped down and an electric current seemed to pass between them, raising the fine hairs on her arms and sending adrenalin blasting through her veins. She breathed in, drinking the scent of him enveloping her, and her eyes went heavy-lidded as his mouth neared hers. While her fingers wrapped around his shirt, her lips parted in preparation to taste him at last. All rational thought left her and it was just Dani, Adam, and a kiss that felt like it had been building since—
The screen door screeched several feet away. “Adam?”
Cooper cursed under his breath and leaned back. His face was several shades of red, eyes livid, and Dani was very glad she wasn’t in his warpath at that moment. “What?”
“I...uh...” Dewey stood there by the door awkwardly, giant owl-eyes blinking. “Um.”
Cool air touched Dani, helping to tone down her flushed flesh and beating heart. She stole the moment to duck past Adam, wiggling her wrist from his g
rasp, and fled back for the dance.
Bad idea. Bad, bad. She had to spend God knows however much longer at the ranch and getting involved with that bossy prick was not how she should spend her time. She ran around Dewey, embarrassment running deep and leaving her unable to even look in his direction, and threw herself into the busy party happening inside.
Somehow, even with all the people in there, it managed to be cooler than it had been outside. Of course, her fading arousal and distance from its cause probably had something to do with that.
She snatched another beer from the cooler where it sat in a melting clump of ice and took a long drink, emptying half of it in one gulp. The partygoers might think she was an alcoholic but at that moment, she didn’t damn well care.
The screen door opened and slammed again as Adam stalked inside; she braced, waiting for him to approach her, but instead he turned the corner and stormed upstairs.
Guilt washed through her swiftly. Maybe she hurt his feelings. Like, if he had any. At the very least, she probably wounded his pride. Did he not know, then, how badly she wanted him? That her lips were all but trembling with the desire to feel his touch.
She took another sip of her beer and it didn’t cool her down at all as her gaze turned upward, thinking of him upstairs alone.
Chapter Nine
Adam stomped up the last of the stairs and into his room, kicked at the door behind him, and paced across the floor. The door latch didn’t catch, but he was only dimly aware of it as he crossed the length of the space. Only his bathroom was separate—the rest of the apartment was open concept, everything he needed there in the one large room.
Well, not everything.
His cock strained against his jeans, his temper was fuming, and he couldn’t get the sight of Danyiah’s full, berry painted lips out of his mind. Fucking Dewey had to interrupt them—just had to—but he should probably be grateful. If he’d actually tasted her or held her lush curves, he knew exactly where the night would’ve ended up...
Her in his bed, screaming his name with her knees thrown over his shoulders.
He could see it, too, right now as he glanced toward his bed. The sheets were askew, and the light over the tall dresser spilled pale yellow over the crème-colored comforter. She’d be on her back, spine arching, hands reaching back to grip the wrought iron bars of the headboard. Her head would throw back, dark hair spilled across the pillow, and her lips would part in a cry of ecstasy.
His blood was pumping hotly, erection almost painful, chest heaving. Shit. He couldn’t take it.
And why should he? He was in his room. Alone. The others downstairs busy and far from his mind. Visions of Danyiah played in his head—in her tight tank top and skirt sitting low on her hips.
Adam slipped his T-shirt off and cast it onto the dresser, dragging his gaze up and down the bed, envisioning her there. Almost absently, his right hand dropped down to drift over his erection, easing the pressure on it for a moment. Jesus, he couldn’t remember the last time he was this hard, this riled up. He deftly popped the top button of his jeans and hauled down the zipper, eased the front of his boxers down, groaning as his cock sprang free.
He might not last long, and he didn’t give a damn—maybe he’d finally sleep. Maybe he’d be just a little less wound up tomorrow.
Maybe he’d get her out of his head.
He worked his fingers up and down the length once, just lightly at first, teasing. Imagined her plump lips dragging over the head, her big brown eyes gazing up at him. He groaned again and wrapped his fist around his cock, firmer this time.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, this would all be over—tomorrow he’d be himself again, if he really gave in to these fantasies tonight. He’d have her out of his system.
He turned and sat, pumping his hand up and down his cock, eyes half-lidded. She’d been so soft up against him. There had been none of that in his world for so long—no sweet scented skin, no satiny flesh. And deep down, he knew the truth of it: there would be no getting her out of his mind, his dreams. He’d never get his fill.
God, he wanted her.
In the haze of his arousal, visions of her distracting him, the creak of the stairs didn’t register in his mind—not until the door opened in his peripheral vision.
Adam’s heart stopped as he looked up.
Dani stood there, lips parted, eyes wide, hand still on the doorknob.
Shit.
Shit!
He swallowed thickly, his hand stilling. Her gaze traveled over him, just a sweep of her eyes over his body, and her cheeks darkened beautifully. A thousand and one thoughts were going through his head and his chest heaved with terror.
And arousal.
Why was she still standing there?
Adam cleared his throat. “You don’t knock?”
Dani yelped and clasped her hands over her eyes. “I’m sorry! I...um...” She stammered for a moment and started to turn.
And he didn’t want her to. Something warmed his blood further at the thought of her watching him jerk off, eyes roaming him. He wanted her to stay. Wanted to see where this would go. Another vision of her sprawled over his bed entered his mind unbidden and he stiffened further.
So he made a split second decision and rose, fist still wrapped around his dick. He’d push her. Maybe she’d run—again—and that would be it.
But maybe she wouldn’t.
“You, ‘um’, what? Thought you’d drop by? Enter a man’s room without knocking? Something you were hoping to see, princess?”
“I, uh...” She started to lift her hand, saw that he was still exposed, and squeaked as she covered her eyes again. “I’m sorry. I just came up ’cause you seemed pissed...”
“And thought you’d stay for a show?” He was two feet away from her now, his heart thudding hard though he tried to seem calm.
She dropped her hand and glared straight at him. “Screw you! And pull your goddamn pants up!”
He grinned as he got closer and her eyes widened again. He swept his gaze over her and watched her nipples harden under his attention, poking through her shirt as if the room was cold. “It’s my room. I can stand here buck naked if I damn well feel like it.”
As if to prove his point, he kicked off his jeans, standing in front of her completely naked and erect.
Work on Monday was going to be really awkward if this didn’t pan out.
“You’re still here, Jackson,” he said in a low voice, watching her lose the battle and lower her gaze over him again. “Any particular reason why?”
“I...” She swallowed, breasts rising and falling as she panted. “Um.”
“Tell me something.” He was inches away from her now and breathed in the scent of her shampoo and body wash, a rare breath of strawberries and vanilla in a world of leather and animal smells. “Are you wet right now?”
She breathed heavily, chest rising and falling rapidly.
“Hmm?” he prompted, moving in close. “Are you?”
She chewed at her bottom lip, eyes narrowing into a glare.
“You might not like me very well, but you want me, don’t you, princess?”
She didn’t confirm or deny, which in a way stung—he wanted her to like him, wanted it to be more than just physical.
But he could barely see straight this close to her and he’d settle for physical for the time being. Gladly.
“I’m not going to sleep with you,” she said at last.
Especially since I don’t have any condoms and I’m not going to holler downstairs and see if anyone has one. “No, you’re not,” he said. But you’re still here. “Not yet, anyway. But for now...” Adam crowded her as she backed against the wall by his door—his door which was still open, which she could leave through at any moment. “I’d like you to stay awhile. No sex. Just...play.”
Her eyes were heavy lidded and drowsy, and gasping breaths passed her parted lips. “Play?”
Adam thought fast. “A game.” His gaze moved down her pointedly—over
her breasts, her taut belly, to her skirt or at least what it covered. “You close the door. Take off your panties. Drag those fingers over that pretty pussy of yours until you come. I get to watch. If you get off first, I win. I get off first, you win.”
She hadn’t said no yet. Hadn’t left. Just stared at him, corners of her mouth flickering up as if she liked the challenge and her pink tongue darted out to lick her lips.
“What do you say, Jackson?” He gave his dick a long, much needed thrust against his fist again and bit back a groan. “Dare to play?”
****
What the hell am I doing?!
Going insane, that was what she was doing. Plus drenching her panties. She was ready to orgasm just listening to him.
She should run. Fast. Out the door, down the steps, away from the building and back to the house. Sure, she’d lock herself in her room and probably not sleep until she put the ache between her legs to rest, but he didn’t have to know that.
Though she guessed he already did.
“What’s the winner get?” Did I just say that?
His mouth relaxed, gaze focusing on her lips. “Get?”
She focused on his eyes, not his broad shoulders. Or strong arms. Or defined chest and abs. Or huge cock jutting toward her. “Games have winners, winners get prizes.” Her voice was breathless, husky, and she couldn’t help it.
“How about...loser has to do something of the winner’s choice?”
Dani didn’t think he meant cleaning out a horse stall.
It wasn’t sex. Not really. Not with him. It was just...doing what she’d be doing in the privacy of her own room later—what she’d failed to finish last night. Except now in front of him. Watching him touch himself.
Oh God.
Dani turned and wrapped her hand around the door handle, taking a deep breath. She stared out into the short dark hall outside of his room and the stairs beyond. She vaguely heard the thrum of music and laughter just downstairs.
Heart beating hard, she closed the door and snapped the lock.
I can’t believe I just did that.
