by Virna DePaul
Ryan caught her arm again. “Don’t do this, Annie,” he said.
Instead of pulling away from him, she stepped closer, kissed his cheek, and whispered in his ear, “I’ll always be your friend, Ryan, I promise. No matter what you choose. Don’t let me hold you back. From the job or anything else.”
Then she did step back, gently pulling her arm out of his grip. He frowned at her. And with her heart breaking, she turned away.
Chapter Fifteen
Annie and Clint took a cab to South Point Arena and Equestrian Center. The exhibit hall was huge, and the hotel and casino that surrounded it were beautiful. When they walked into the arena, there were rows of concession and souvenir stands. The place was buzzing, full of cowboy hats and boots, both male and female.
“This place also has a movie cinema and bowling alley. I try to stay here when I come to town, but it was booked this time.”
Annie nodded, but didn’t respond. She hadn’t said much since they’d left Ryan. It was hard to talk when her heart was in her throat.
She had no one to blame but herself. She’d left Ryan alone with Monica even though he’d told her he’d rather be with her. But she’d been so scared that he was just saying that to be a good friend, so scared by her feelings for him and her fear that she was losing him because of his job offer, that she’d turned coward and run.
She was ashamed of herself. Hadn’t Melina and Clint told her that she needed to fight for what she wanted? She didn’t want anything as much as she wanted Ryan. Yet even after the amazing time they’d spent in each other’s arms, all it had taken was one beautiful woman whom he’d expressed interest in years ago and she’d caved. Been the same old Annie. She could transform herself physically all she wanted, but deep inside she was the same coward she’d always been.
“I probably shoulda asked you this earlier, but you aren’t one of those animal-rights activists, are you?”
That got Annie’s attention. “I’m not a member of PETA or anything, but I love animals. They aren’t going to hurt the calves, are they?”
“Honestly, I don’t think it hurts ‘em. But the activists have been against calf-roping for years.”
“How does it work exactly?”
“The calves are lined up back there,” he said, pointing toward a narrow chute with a door. “When the calf enters the chute, the door is closed behind it, and a little trip lever is fastened around the calf’s neck.”
“Around his neck. Like a noose?” she said, sounding as horrified as she felt.
Clint laughed. “Are you sure you’re not PETA? No, honey, not like a noose. It’s a real lightweight rope, and it’s attached so that when it’s pulled on, the spring-loaded door in front of the roper will open and the rope will fall away.”
“Why can’t someone else just open the door?”
“It’s set up like that to make sure the calf gets a head start. When the roper is ready, he calls for the calf. The guy operating the chute lets the calf out. The calf will run in a straight line, and when the trip runs out of slack, it falls off the calf. That makes the barrier for the horse and rider open up.”
“What do they do to him when they catch him?” she asked.
“Wouldn’t you rather just watch? It’s gonna start here in a few.”
“I’d rather know what I’m getting myself into,” she said.
With a grin, Clint said, “Well, the rider has to lasso the calf on horseback, and once the rope’s around its neck, he dismounts, picks up the calf, and flips him…gently of course,” he added, probably because of her wide eyes. “He flips him gently onto his side and ties three of his legs together. When he’s done, he throws his hands in the air, and after the timer runs for six seconds to make sure the calf doesn’t get loose, the time is recorded.”
“What’s a good time?”
“Well, most of ‘em can do it in about seven seconds. The world record is just over six.”
“Hmm,” she said. “None of that sounds very gentle.”
Once the event started, Annie’s worries were confirmed. She was too concerned about the animals to enjoy the sport. After the first round, Clint stood up and held out his hand. “Come on, pretty lady. Let’s get you out of here.”
But Annie shook her head. “You stay. I don’t want to ruin your night.”
Besides, she was done being a coward, Annie realized. She needed to face Ryan. But first…
“Clint, there’s something I need to do.”
He smiled. “Something having to do with your friend?”
“In a way. But mostly just for me.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I came to Vegas for an adventure. This will be my last one, and I need to do it on my own.”
“All right,” he said. “But will you do me a favor? Take my number and give me a text when you’re back to your hotel?”
“You’re a good guy, Clint.”
“Yeah, that’s mostly my problem.” He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead, and then she programmed his number into her phone. Annie made her way outside and called a cab.
* * *
Annie texted Clint as soon as she got back to the hotel.
Back safe ☺
Good. Thank you for hanging out with me tonight. How did your final adventure go?
Great. But the final outcome is still uncertain.
Good luck.
Thank you for teaching me about calf-roping. I’ll be joining PETA now.
☺
She imagined him laughing in his cute cowboy way. What a great guy. Hopefully he’d find someone who deserved him.
She went up to her room and showered. Before she dressed, she peeled off the small bandage that covered her new tattoo and used a hand mirror to look at her lower back from various angles.
She really liked it, especially with the changes she had decided to make. A part of her regretted that most people would never be able to see it, but another part of her was glad that it would be her private reminder of the man she would always love.
She replaced the bandage, glad she wasn’t as sore as she’d thought she’d be. The only part that had really hurt was when the tattoo artist had colored in the flowers. A young woman had done the flower, but the big guy at the counter had drawn the initials in. She’d been amazed that someone so big and brawny could do such delicate scrollwork.
She’d order some room service before calling Ryan. Maybe even order a glass of wine for courage. She was looking through the room-service menus when her phone bleeped with an incoming text.
Don’t sleep with the cowboy, Annie. Please.
After a brief hesitation, she typed: Why shouldn’t I?
You’ll regret it. That’s not who you are.
What am I?
Amazing.
But he didn’t stop there. Each new text popped up in quick succession.
Beautiful.
Kind.
Gorgeous.
A great friend.
The best lover.
Sexy.
Passionate.
Delicious.
The words kept coming, bringing tears to her eyes.
I sound pretty awesome. But I’m not as awesome as you. I’m sorry I left. I was jealous of Monica.
I told you, I don’t want Monica. I want you.
Want to come to my room?
I’m already here.
Quickly, she went to open the door. And he was there, his beautiful face tight with worry.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
“Clint took me to watch calf-roping.”
His eyes widened, and he laughed. “Seriously?”
“I don’t think I’m a rodeo kind of girl. I didn’t stay long. I went and got my tattoo instead.”
Ryan suddenly became serious again. “He went with you to get the tattoo?” He looked almost as hurt as he would have been if she and Clint had slept together.
“No. I went by myself.”
“Did it hurt?”
“A little,�
� she told him. “But it was worth it.”
“Can I see it?”
Annie knew if she showed it to him there would be no turning back. Ryan’s initials were inside the white rose, mixed together with hers. The artist had done an amazing job of crafting the four letters to look like a perfect little heart.
* * *
“Annie?”
Slowly, Annie pulled up her shirt and turned around. She felt Ryan delicately remove the tape that held the bandage in place, then waited as he examined the tattoo. She tried to be patient, but if her heart was about to be left bloody and battered, she’d rather get on with it.
Finally, he replaced the tape. He swept her hair over her shoulder so he could kiss her neck. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist, curling himself around her and burying his face in her neck. He held her like that for several long minutes before kissing her neck again and pulling away. Taking her arm, he gently turned her to face him.
“I don’t know what to say,” he said.
Annie was shaking, and there were tears in her eyes. The way he’d held her and kissed her had told her she’d done the right thing. “You don’t have to say anything, Ryan. I love you. I’ve loved you since we were sixteen. But that’s my problem to deal with, not yours. I’m so blessed to have you in my life. To have you as my friend—”
“I love you, too. I always have. But, baby, you deserve so much more than I can ever give you.”
“What are you talking about?” Annie was genuinely confused. How could this amazing man possibly think that?
“Look at you. You’re gorgeous, and you’ve always been gorgeous. I can’t even tell you how many cold showers I’ve had to take over the years. You’re so smart. I can’t begin to keep up with you there. You radiate this goodness from the inside. And about your naughty list… It’s true, I didn’t want you doing anything you’d regret. But mostly I was jealous. I couldn’t stand the idea of you being with someone else. Not that way.”
“But I’ve had relationships. Dated. We both have. And you never said anything before.”
“When you were in a relationship, I could convince myself those men had more to offer you than I do.”
“But last night, you figured if I was going to go for casual sex anyway…” she prompted.
“I couldn’t hold back any longer.” He winced. “I know. Crazy. See what I mean about not being all that smart?”
Annie cupped the side of his face. “I never told you how I felt either. How smart does that make me? I’ve been an idiot. I should have risked putting my feelings out there a long time ago. But yeah, of the two of us, you’re most definitely the crazy one.”
Ryan laughed and said, “Thanks. That’s what every guy who tells a woman he loves her wants to hear.” His expression turned solemn. “And I do love you, Annie. In every sense of the word.”
“I love you. And you’re amazing. Amazingly smart. If anyone thinks that being a firefighter is all about muscle and not about intelligence, too, they’re crazy. That means you’re crazy. How many medical calls do you respond to each day? How many different types of chemicals do you have to understand to fight different fires? You and I have always been able to talk about anything and everything…intelligently. When you were sixteen, you didn’t need a tutor. What you needed was a vacuum. You couldn’t keep your mind on your schoolwork because you were too busy thinking about girls and football and girls—”
Ryan cut her off by covering her mouth with his. Annie kissed him back, and for the first time, she poured all her love into the kiss. When they finally came up for air, she had tears in her eyes again.
“I shouldn’t have interrupted you…”
Annie laughed through her tears and said, “These are happy tears. I was so afraid that if you hooked up with Monica…well, I was afraid that I’d lose you. I don’t want to imagine life without you. Even if you want to be with someone else…”
Ryan cut her off again with another kiss.
Annie wasn’t sure if she’d ever get used to kissing him. Most men wanted to set their own rhythm, and it was almost always fast and involved way too much tongue. Ryan moved with her, and the result was blissful, sweet, and incredibly amazing. He pressed in close, delighting her with the hard press of his body as they kissed. Surrounding her with his scent.
Ryan ran his tongue along her bottom lip then pulled back and looked at her with those piercing gray-green eyes that she loved so much.
“You taste as sweet as you look and feel,” he told her. “You are so beautiful. Last night was incredible. But last night I wasn’t sure if you wanted more than fun. More than sex. I want to make love to you. I want to do it right.”
“I’m not sure I can stand anything better than last night or this morning. Security might come busting in.”
“Let ‘em come,” he said with a grin as he led her over to the bed.
Annie laughed, but that laughter faded when he cupped her face in his hands.
“There will never come a time in my life when I don’t want you to be a part of it. You can’t get rid of me…ever. I walked Monica to her hotel but didn’t even go inside with her.”
“Didn’t want to be tempted?”
“Could barely function after you left me.”
“I’m so sorry, baby—”
He rested his forehead on hers. “Shh. It’s okay. You’re here. You’re mine. We’re each other’s.”
They kissed for a long time before Ryan pulled back again. Then he suddenly grinned and shook his head, “Calf-roping, huh?”
Annie giggled. “Yep. It’s good to experience new things.”
“Yeah, well, let’s see how many new things I can come up with for you to experience tonight.”
He kissed her again as he laid her back on the bed. Annie prepared to lose herself in him. No, she didn’t just prepare for it—she’d beg for it if she had to.
Ryan lay down next to her and caressed the soft skin of her neck underneath her hair. She couldn’t help smiling, and she felt the corners of his mouth curve upward as well. Sliding his hands down her sides, he let out a soft, contented noise, almost like the satisfied purr of a cat. It caused her pulse to speed up even more. Knowing that Ryan wanted her was like an aphrodisiac.
“No more holding back,” he whispered against her mouth. Annie moaned, wanting to revel in those words, but there was no time. Ryan took all conscious thought away with a flick of his tongue that sent jolts of electricity surging through her body. A white-hot fire of desire grew in her belly, along with a warm wetness between her thighs.
Something was different tonight than it had been that morning or the night before. Annie felt the depth of his feelings, the reality of their future together, in every touch. The sparks between them were almost palpable.
Ryan rolled over on his back and pulled Annie on top. She was suddenly straddling him, feeling his desire pressing hard against her. Ryan was the one to resume the kiss. As badly as Annie wanted him, she was still afraid she’d do something to mess this all up. All she wanted to do was focus and feel everything…commit to every moment of this journey they were beginning together.
Ryan ran his hands down the length of her back, and as he did, he lifted his hips, pressing his growing arousal into her. “I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you tonight, Annie,” he said.
“I’m all yours, baby,” she said. She hoped it didn’t sound as trite to his ears as it did to hers. There was so much meaning behind it…so much feeling.
So much truth.
Ryan flipped her to her back. He kissed a hot, lingering trail across her breasts and, scooting himself down the bed, down her belly.
He unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down, discarding them as quickly as he had her blouse. He left her panties on, and she felt his hot breath against the wet crotch. His warm hands delicately spread her legs apart, and he nipped lightly at her inner thighs.
Annie fought the urge to hurry him. She was aching with need, burning with desire. Bu
t Ryan was determined to be patient, and she knew he was going to draw her pleasure out. His tongue curled against the lace of her panties, and she barely resisted the urge to tangle her fingers in his hair and hold his mouth there. Her clit was throbbing, engorged, aching for his touch.
A blissful agony of time went by before he finally hooked his long fingers into the waistband of her panties and tugged them down her legs. He kissed and nipped around her thighs and belly, teasing her with the occasional fleeting touch between her legs before moving his tongue along the other curves and angles of her sensitive flesh.
The goose bumps on her arms and legs were multiplying—one on top of the next—and she couldn’t stop her legs from shaking. She wanted to melt into the covers. As if he could read her mind, he buried his face between her legs, giving her the heat of his tongue against her slick, bare skin.
She came quickly, breathing his name, and crying out in moans and grunts. She lost herself completely in the shockwaves of pleasure rolling through her. But he kept pleasuring her, forcing her higher. She was torn between wanting to push him away and wanting to draw him in closer. It was almost too much…until it was perfect. She gasped and arched her back as another giant wave of climax crashed into her.
He slowed his kisses at last, moving his mouth until it settled on her thigh. He covered it in light presses of his lips, and she felt him grin against her leg before he finally looked up at her. She loved that confident, self-satisfied smirk.
“You’re amazing,” she said, her voice breathless.
He shifted his body and moved on top of her. “I’m only getting started.”
When he kissed her again, Annie delighted in tasting herself on his sweet lips. They worked together to add his clothes to the pile of hers on the floor. Once he was naked, Annie took the time to appreciate him. Her gaze caressed every inch of his ripped, muscular body. He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen, and he was hers.
Annie wrapped a leg across his back and drew him down closer. He settled just above her with his elbows on either side of her and his long legs in between her own.
His hard length brushed against the hot, wet flesh between her legs. Annie took a deep breath, desperately trying to calm her own urges, concentrating on his lips as they brushed against hers once more. She was so focused that she didn’t realize when he shifted to thrust inside her.
