Along Came a Ranger (Texas Lawmen Book 3)

by Debra Holt

  Through a heated fog, her brain registered the fact his hand soon found and cupped her breast. Her breathing caught in her throat as his thumb stroked the already hardened tip in a slow and agonizingly erotic way. Their erratic breathing mirrored each other’s. With her arms still entwined around his neck, her back arched and she let her eyes close as her head fell back at the exquisite touch of his mouth as it slid down along her neck in a slow descent that eventually rose over the curve of her breast, to capture the stiffened nipple between his lips, his tongue slowly replacing his thumb. Her inner core was convulsing with each draw of his mouth against the peak. Somewhere, she whispered his name as soft as a prayer in the silence of the night.

  “Upstairs.” The word came out in a husky whisper against her skin.

  He was voicing his need but asking for her permission at the same time. Time to choose. Her nod had to suffice for a voice that was too full of emotion.

  That was all the permission Davis needed. With his hands tucked under her bottom, he held her tightly against his chest as he lifted them out of the swing. Her legs wound themselves automatically around his waist and her arms tightened their hold. His mouth had returned to hers in a series of hot, drugging kisses. She was vaguely aware of the sensation of movement, a door closing with the impetus of a booted foot against it. Then she was carried up the stairs. Another door closed, and she soon felt the soft covers of Davis’s bed beneath her. But he did not release his hold on her. His mouth dipped to kiss her throat as he slid his length beside hers, one leg draped possessively across hers.

  Stacy knew in the fevered recesses of her mind, they were going to a place that she should withdraw from while there was still time. But her body simply would not follow her mind’s direction.

  She did manage to find a breathless, low version of her voice. “This is research?”

  “Mmm hmm.” His guttural reply resonated against her skin. “Hands-on research is always the best way to go.” His hands were indeed doing wonderful, sinful things to her body. “Don’t you agree?”

  “I think more research may be needed before I can answer with any certainty.” If his hands got any better at what they were doing, she would burst into flames, her ashes floating away on the wind in a thousand different directions.

  “We’ll start like this.” Davis placed his mouth at the lobe of her ear, gently tugging at it before blowing a warm breath softly along the tender skin beneath it.

  This brought an immediate groan up from her midsection.

  “And add this…” His fingers softly blazed a trail down her chest to the next set of buttons which were quickly dealt with, before the material was pushed aside.

  “Then we follow up with some in-depth exploration.” His lips placed kisses along the line from her throat down to encompass each breast and then downward to flick his tongue around her belly button. She balled her fists into the deep suede covers beside her at the exquisite torture he was inflicting. But he wasn’t finished. With a deftness she could only marvel at, he had divested her of her silk panties, and then his hand moved over her to slip between her legs, and almost immediately a gasp escaped her lips as his fingers found the moistness they sought and slipped inside.

  “I don’t think I can take much more of your research methods,” she managed between short gasps for air.

  “It could take hours for our research, but I don’t want to hurt your cuts…” he murmured against the skin of her stomach.

  Stacy’s fingers buried themselves in the hair at the back of his head again. She was not about to let him even think of stopping.

  “The research actually makes them feel much better. My mind is definitely not on them at all.”

  Davis raised himself on his elbows to look down at her, his eyes ablaze with blue fires that lit the darkened room. “Are you sure about this? I know what I want, but what do you want?”

  Stacy looked up at him through her long lashes. If there had been any hesitation on her part, both knew he would have moved away from her. The truth of the matter was simple… she had made up her mind on the porch swing. What would it hurt to have this man make love to her… if only for this one night?

  She had always been one to plan and calculate and organize. Spontaneity had been a foreign word in her vocabulary… until he had come into her life with his larger-than-life persona and dreamy smiles and sexy eyes. She felt safe with him. And she had never felt more alive than she did at that very moment in his arms. Tomorrow could take care of itself. She was going to live in the moment.

  “I’m right where I want to be.” No other words were needed for a very long time.

  *

  How did one react after such a mind-blowing event as the last few hours had been in the arms of the man whose bed she shared? That was just one of many questions flitting across Stacy’s mind as she lay on her back, still naked beneath the sheet, her eyes on the ceiling fan above them as it gently whirred in its continuous circle.

  Davis lay on his stomach but one strong arm was draped across her middle, keeping her from rising and slipping away. She was just about to finally make her move, a soft slide to the right and hopefully out from under his arm without waking him. But her timing was not fast enough. Much to her chagrin, his arm moved from her side, to allow a hand to rest cupped over her bare breast. When she ventured a side glance, his eyes were still closed, his features still relaxed.

  Now what? Stacy glanced down and had to admit the sight of his tanned hand against the flesh of her body caused a warm stirring in the pit of her stomach. How could that be? Remembering the night before, she was amazed her body could still have energy to make any response. Her cheeks flamed as she recalled the two… make that three… additional times they had made love before falling into an exhausted sleep in the early hours of the morning.

  In for a penny, in for a pound. Stacy had to admit when she had decided to throw caution to the wind, she had jumped in wholeheartedly. But she wasn’t quite sure how she should react in the light of morning. Davis McKenna was only the second man she had slept with.

  While people probably thought all those racy scenes from her books came from experience, they had no idea what a novice she really was. The first time had been with her high school boyfriend, the summer of their graduation, just before he left for the service. Each of the times, it had been fumbling, swift and regrettable… absolutely nothing like what she had experienced with the man beside her. With him, she had experienced raw passion… and something else. It was something far more intense and had reached into her very soul. It was also something that scared her. It was an emotion she didn’t plan to have happen. At least not with the man beside her… or the rather the type of man she had thought he was. It was all just too confusing. And it was highly possible that she was overthinking the whole episode. Right?

  This incredible relationship between a man and woman was what she wrote about, but had never experienced. Well, now she had. She supposed she could thank Davis for that. His “research” had certainly proved invaluable in more ways than she could ever have imagined. For the present, however, she needed to get up and get dressed before facing him. She felt too vulnerable in her present state. Stacy slowly slid her body an inch or so… and paused. Nothing. So, she slid a little more and then a little farther. It was awkward but, before long, she had her body away from his touch and her feet reached the floor beside the bed.

  She stood up and then made a beeline to the bathroom. Carefully, she closed the door and then breathed a sigh of relief. Stacy turned on the shower heads in the native stone shower stall and while waiting for the water to warm, she realized the aches and pains were being replaced by stiffness in parts of her injured body. She wasn’t sure that a night of intense sex was what the doctor had in mind.

  Standing under the very warm spray of the water did bring some relief to the soreness. Stacy’s head moved forward for a moment to rest on the cool stone in front of her, the soothing water beating down on her neck and sho
ulders. The heated water did work some magic on the stiff areas. A brief shift of cool air was the only hint that something had changed. Soft lips on the skin of her shoulder brought her eyes wide open and she turned without thought.

  Davis planted two hands on either side of her head and the shower spray deflected off his head and down his back. He was definitely not asleep any longer as evidenced by his hard maleness that now rested between their bodies. And it wasn’t lost on her how her body seemed to welcome his in a heartbeat. His eyes held a gleam of enjoyment at the reaction she was having at his sudden appearance in the shower with her.

  “I knew enlarging this shower area was a good idea. I just had no idea how good until this moment.”

  His voice washed over her already warm skin, bringing a sizzle to her nerve endings. She had a really hard time finding some place to rest her gaze.

  “Good morning. I hope you slept well?”

  Was that a joke? There had been very little sleep at all that she could recall.

  “You must not be a morning person since you don’t have much to say. It can’t be because you’re suddenly shy, or could it?” Davis’s blue eyes narrowed to look more closely at her.

  “Mornings are just fine and I’m not shy. You just surprised me, that’s all. I thought I was alone. I was trying to allow the warm water to help with the scratches.”

  His eyes lost their teasing light and became instantly serious. They fell to the areas that were still healing. “Are you in pain? Did I hurt you last night? I did get carried away…”

  She didn’t need him going back to the things they had shared. That would not help her nerves a bit.

  “No, you didn’t do anything. They’re sore because they’re healing.”

  “Well, I don’t think I didn’t ‘do anything’ exactly.” He grinned down at her. “I seem to recall we both did a little of everything.”

  Now her cheeks had to be truly flaming. “I usually take my showers alone.” She hoped that got her point across.

  It didn’t, or he just chose to ignore it. His gaze was intent on two other points at that moment. Her cheeks flamed even more as she saw where his interest had fallen.

  “And so do I… usually take my showers alone.” He clarified with a lazy smile. “However, I think I plan to change that. There’s something to be said for water conservation.” His body was much closer, fitting flesh to flesh. “At least part of your body is pleased to see me this morning.” He didn’t say any more. He became too busy elsewhere.

  Stacy squeezed her eyes shut as he bent his head between them and his lips gently kissed first one and then the other nipple. It didn’t help that they had stiffened to attention the moment she realized he was in the shower with her. Traitors! Her eyes flew open when she felt his mouth upon hers.

  It wasn’t a hurried kiss, not passionate, just simply gentle and… loving? That was not the word to use, but it was the only one that came to mind. Her mind became too busy figuring out her response to it because her lips had become traitors, too. His gentleness continued. At each spot where she had been hurt, his lips placed a light caress. It was evidently his version of kissing and making it better. It had to be the sexiest medicinal treatment she could imagine.

  Stacy should do something to stop him. Right? And why would I do that? If he would just not touch her in that spot… she might remember what it was she was trying to work out in her brain. Her mind just would not stay on track and her body was a lost cause.

  At some point, he sensed her surrender. Davis switched off the water, withdrew them from the shower, and then wrapped her snugly inside a large, soft bath towel from the warming bar. Gently, he dabbed the water droplets off the tender areas of her injured skin. With strong hands around her waist, he lifted her and sat her on the cabinet, his fingers then reached for the prescribed cream. He deftly began applying it to the areas that required it.

  Stacy sat bemused as this tall man, standing unabashedly naked before her, used such tender care to administer to her needs. By so doing, he became even sexier in her eyes. And that led to something else… an intense urge to step out of her comfort zone once more. When he had finished his ministrations, and placed the lid back on the tube of cream, it was her turn. Stacy slid off the cabinet, took him by the hand and led him out of the bathroom and back to the bed. This time, it was her turn to push him down onto the bedding.

  Davis did not resist at all. His acquiescence was his silent permission to allow her to take the lead. He remained still even when she undid the ends of the towel and let it fall to the carpet. The desire that leapt to his eyes emboldened her to continue.

  This time, it was she who reached for the condom beside the bed. She took her time unwrapping it, then slowly stroked it onto his hardened length. The darkened look in his eyes and the faint clenching at the side of his jaw told her that he was fighting to keep his desires in check. He was letting her lead, but it might not last for long. Stacy did not rush though.

  She straddled him then, lowering her head to draw in his lips in a sultry kiss, the tip of her tongue teasing the corners of his mouth, until he finally captured it inside his. Her hands moved to keep his in place above his head as the kiss deepened. Their mouths did their own brand of communicating that needed no words. It was her turn to trail kisses over the hot male flesh and exact moans from him. When she settled her moist heat around his throbbing manhood and began to move her hips slowly at first and then building to a crescendo, his hands moved to clasp her hips. He held her in place as his pelvis began its own heated thrusting, bringing them both toward the same release with earthshaking results.

  For several moments, the only sound in the room was their combined labored breathing. Stacy lay collapsed against his chest and he held her tight within his arms. She should move… but her limbs wouldn’t cooperate. They were so replete. Davis made no move to break their rose-colored cocoon either. Except life sometimes had a way of interrupting all of its own accord.

  The sound of a car horn in the driveway filtered through each of their minds almost at the same time. The jarring slam of a car door shattered the cocoon. At the same time, she slid from his chest and he lifted himself away from her to move to the window. Stacy grabbed for the towel on the floor and drew it around her nakedness.

  “Damnation and tarnation!” The words broke from Davis’s throat as he turned hurriedly from the window, gathering up clothing. “That sister of mine has the worst timing ever. I’ll stall her while you dress.” He had his jeans on and was shrugging into his shirt as his feet were jamming themselves into boots.

  Just as he reached the bedroom door, he stopped and turned. In two long strides, he was in front of her. Without missing a beat, he placed a hard kiss on her mouth.

  “To be continued,” he said with a wink and grin then was out the door before she could gather her scattered wits.

  What had she done?

  Chapter Eleven

  “I was just telling this dear, nosy sister of mine that I’ve been taking good care of you. Seems she won’t be satisfied until she sees it for herself.” Davis’s raised voice reached Stacy just as she took the last step and turned to head down the hall toward the kitchen. He was clearly sending her a heads-up.

  Darcy stood in the center of the kitchen next to her brother. She slowly looked Stacy over as she came through the doorway. Stacy had placed a smile on her face but felt as if she must have a huge neon sign above her head proclaiming “harlot” or worse.

  If Darcy suspected anything, she said nothing. She gave an answering smile and tossed her head in the direction of the cabinet to where a casserole dish sat on hot pads.

  “I didn’t think my brother would feed you a very nutritional breakfast, so I brought along a breakfast casserole and some fresh oat and bran muffins. And the basket on the chair over there has a few articles of clothing that I thought you could use until you get back to your own closet. I hope you managed to get some rest since your ordeal.”

  “Than
ks,” Stacy managed in an even voice. “I did get some great sleep and your homemade soup was delicious and really helped. Thank you for being so thoughtful.” She threw a quick glance over to where Davis stood at the counter, having just poured himself a cup of coffee.

  His eyes remained on the liquid in front of him. She sensed he was not going to be much help.

  Darcy smiled in return. “I would stay for some of that coffee, but my brother doesn’t seem inclined to share this morning.” She threw her brother a sly look. “And by the way, Davis… you missed a couple of buttons on your shirt. You must have been in quite a hurry to get out of bed. See you two later!” Darcy had a full-blown “gotcha” grin on her face as she made her way down the hall and out the front door. They had not fooled her one bit.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” Stacy spoke up the moment the door closed, her hand motioning to the two buttons on his shirt front that had been fastened in the wrong holes. “She knows what we were doing.”

  “So, she guessed. She doesn’t know exactly what we were doing,” he added, a wide sexy smile emphasizing the last remark. Setting his coffee mug on the cabinet beside him, his fingers set out to button his shirt front in the correct manner. “Besides, that ‘after lovemaking glow’ is all over your face so it could have been you that gave us away first.”

  Stacy’s hands went to her face and she looked for a mirror but found none. “I have no idea what that means and I don’t want to know. I don’t see how you can be so calm about this.”

  “Relax, Stacy, we’re above the age of consent and my sister isn’t a prude. I think she’s rather glad of this turn of events.”

  “Glad?”

  “Now she can turn her matchmaking skills elsewhere. Her brother is off the market.”