by Jaci Burton
Sam laughed. “I can just picture her now, mowing down a herd of cattle.”
“You’d be surprised how fast those cattle can haul ass when an eight-thousand-pound monster of a truck is bearing down on them.”
She pulled her legs up and crossed them, facing Reid. “I can’t even imagine my tiny little grandmother behind the wheel of one of those trucks.”
His lips curved. “Makes you want to bring her out to the ranch and let her try, though, doesn’t it? You know she’d have a great time rolling around the back roads of the property. All the freedom in the world, and nothing to worry about.”
“That does sound lovely. Maybe I need a day at the ranch to drive around and let myself get lost.”
“I could arrange that.”
“You could, huh? Would you come get lost with me?”
His eyes darkened, and what she saw there was very . . . compelling. Interest mixed with definite desire.
“I know all the great places to get lost on the ranch, Sam. Places where no one would come looking for us, and no one would find us. Maybe I can kidnap you this weekend when you’re out for the barbecue, and we’ll get lost together.”
“I like the sound of this. Des has told me the ranch has some beautiful lakes. And cabins. Very secluded.”
He drew circles around one of her knees with his fingers, then pulled her legs out and draped them over his lap. The temperature in the room suddenly soared as their bodies touched. Even fully clothed, she felt the searing heat of Reid’s body and wanted nothing more than to touch him. That kiss the other night, the one before they’d been interrupted by the phone call from her grandmother, still burned hot in her memories.
They had just begun to explore each other, to see where this explosive chemistry between them could go.
She wanted to do a lot more exploring with him.
When he shifted their bodies and she suddenly found herself on his lap, she was about three seconds short of an explosion.
“You know,” he said, “if we go find some of those hidden places at the ranch this weekend, we might get so lost we’d be gone all night.”
Her heart beat so rapidly she could barely think straight. It wasn’t often she found herself so wrapped up in a man that she lost all sense of coherent thought, but Reid had amazing eyes, and an incredible mouth. She traced his lips with her fingertip.
“I don’t think we’ll have to go very far, Reid. I’m feeling a little lost right now.”
He tilted her back onto the sofa, then covered her body with his. “Are you?”
He rubbed his erection against her, and she instinctually arched against him. “Oh. Definitely.”
His lips curved. “Good.”
And then he kissed her.
Chapter 18
SAM HAD NEVER experienced the kind of kiss that took her breath away.
Until now.
There was something so exponentially hot about a man who knew how to kiss, who wasn’t tentative about it and kissed with authority. Reid was that kind of man. He had one hand on her hip and the other on her neck, and his mouth moved over hers with an eager passion that told her he was as much into this as she was.
A definitely heady feeling.
Sam lifted into him, her lips and tongue doing a desperate dance with his. As he pressed into her, his body all hard planes and angles, she tried to memorize this moment, to feel every moving part of him, from his mouth to where his hands were. Her senses went haywire, like electrical zings pulsing through her, her body crying out for more, more, more.
And when he moved his hand underneath her to cup her butt, she moaned against his mouth, arching toward him. It was almost embarrassing how close she was to an orgasm already. It had been sort of a dry spell for her in the sex department, and Reid was supremely hot and sexy, and the way he rubbed against her hit all those hot, delicious parts that hadn’t been . . . serviced lately.
He lifted his head. “You’re shaking. Everything okay?”
She managed a smile. “Everything is definitely okay. More than okay. Like, I could come really soon if you keep moving that way kind of okay.”
His lips curved. “So what you’re saying is you’d like to stay in this position?”
He surged against her, and she gasped as tingles of pleasure shivered through her.
She wrapped her legs around his hips. “Yes, this could definitely work for me. Or, we could get naked.”
“I like the naked idea a lot. Hold on.”
He pushed off the sofa and stood, his hands cradling her behind.
“Can I just say I like your hands on my butt?”
He grinned. “I’m making a mental note of that.”
He held her so easily as he headed toward the hallway, as if she weighed nothing.
“Which door?” he asked.
“Last one on the right.”
He shifted her, holding her with one hand while he turned the knob on her bedroom door.
So. Impressive.
He pushed the door open, walked in, and flipped the light switch on, and at that moment she really hoped she hadn’t flung her bra and underwear on the floor before her shower earlier.
Not that he would notice her underwear on the floor, since his gaze was most definitely fixed on her, which only heated her insides more. He laid her on the bed, then leaned over her.
“Now. How about we take some clothes off?”
If it were possible to go up in flames spontaneously, this would be the time. The man just oozed sex appeal with his bedroom eyes and the way his voice lowered when he suggested they get naked. And they hadn’t even gotten to all the actual sex stuff yet.
She could well imagine just how good he was at the actual sex stuff, and she couldn’t wait to get there. She pulled off her shirt and wriggled out of her yoga pants, watching intently as Reid kicked off his boots and undid the buckle of his jeans. When he drew his shirt over his head, she had to pause, because, oh, his chest and those abs. Rock-hard didn’t even begin to describe him.
Wow.
This was about to get really interesting, and she didn’t want to miss a thing.
He held his shirt in his hand. “You stopped.”
She got up on her knees and moved to the edge of the bed so she could touch all that beautiful, sculpted skin. She laid her hands on his shoulders, then skimmed her fingers down his arms. “You took your shirt off. I got distracted.”
He grinned, then dropped his jeans to the floor, making her shudder with anticipation.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, then dropped them both to the mattress. “And you’re wearing pink underwear.”
“I am.”
“I have a thing for pink.”
She looked down at him. “You do? Because your boxer briefs are black.”
He laughed. “I don’t mean I wear pink.”
“Good to know. Because my sex buzz might have died a little if you did.”
He smoothed his hand over her stomach, his fingers teasing the top of her panties. “I meant I have a thing about women who wear pink underwear. And you look very sexy in yours. Hot pink especially is my favorite.”
“That’s very good to know, because I happen to own a lot of pink underwear.”
He rolled her onto her back and toured the curves of her breasts with his fingertips. “Then I might just have to see them all.”
“I guess you might.”
“But for now, let’s take these off.” He reached for the clasp in front of her bra and, with one expert flick of his fingers, unhooked it. He pulled the cups away, then swept his hands over her breasts, brushing his thumb over her nipples.
He met her gaze.
“These are pink, too. And hot.”
Her senses went haywire as he leaned over and put his mouth on one of her nipples, while his fingers teased the other. She tunneled her fingers into his hair, holding tight while tingling pulses shot south, making her sex quiver in anticipation.
She wanted his hands o
n her everywhere. She wanted to explore his body with her hands and her mouth. She wanted everything. Right now.
She lifted his head and looked down at him. “Panties.”
He smiled up at her. “Yes. Did I mention those were hot?”
“Off. Take them off.”
“I can definitely do that.”
He pressed kisses down her body, which only prolonged the torment as his mouth moved over her hip bone. When he dragged one edge of her underwear over her hip with his teeth, she shuddered.
“Reid.”
He lifted his head. “I like the way you say my name, Sam.” He drew up on his knees and dragged her underwear over her hips and down her legs, then spread her thighs and nestled between them. “Let’s see if I can make you scream it out.”
She sucked in a deep breath as he put his mouth on her sex.
He swept his hot, wet tongue across her and she lifted up, craving more of the delicious sensation. She was already spiraling so fast it made her dizzy. She grabbed the sheets to hold on, to suspend the moment, because the things he was making her feel were just so good she wanted to delay the inevitable fall.
But it had been too long, and Reid must have some kind of sorcerer’s tongue, because she was out of breath, hit by lightning and losing it fast.
She did cry out his name when she hit her climax. And she had absolutely no regrets about it, because it had been glorious.
When he climbed up her body and hovered above her, she framed his face with her hands.
“Well. That was a very good start.”
He grinned. “I’m glad you thought so. You seemed kind of into it.”
“Kind of? I nearly passed out.”
“Hey, don’t pass out. I’m not finished with you yet.”
She brushed his hair away from his face. “If this gets any better, you might need to bring in an oxygen tank for me.”
“You sure know how to feed a guy’s ego.” He rolled to his side, then swept his hands over her breasts.
There went those tingles again. She shifted to face him. “You sure know how to give a woman a great orgasm. Just stating the facts.”
“How about we try that orgasm thing again? The first one seemed to go well.” He shifted his trajectory, moving his hand over her stomach. He was slow with his movements, which she appreciated, since he seemed to enjoy touching her. And she sure liked the feel of his fingers exploring her body, especially when he went lower, cupping her sex, using those exceptional skills he possessed to make her breath catch.
“Keep doing that,” she said.
He moved over her so his face was aligned with hers. She saw the heat in his eyes, making desire coil deep in her belly.
He increased his movements. “That?”
She gasped. “Definitely a lot more of that.”
His erection lay hot and hard against her hip. She knew what she needed, what she wanted more than anything right now.
“I need you inside me. How about right now?”
“You sure you don’t want more screaming?”
She managed a laugh. “I have a suspicion there’ll be more of that.”
He rolled over and shrugged out of his boxer briefs, then grabbed a condom from his jeans pocket.
After he put it on, he rolled on top of her.
“Were you thinking of me when you slipped that condom into your pocket?”
He entered her. “Every fucking day and night, Samantha.”
His words inflamed her. And when he took her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss and began to move inside her, her world turned upside down. She wrapped her legs around Reid’s hips and lifted against him, needing him to give her all he had.
She’d never felt so fused to a man before, so deeply connected. Maybe it was nothing more than his finesse, the way he so thoroughly captured her with every touch, every kiss. But for her, it felt like so much more. She was in deep here, and if Reid hadn’t been kissing her, holding so tight to her, grounding her, she’d drown in it all.
But he held her and kissed her and she felt every movement, every thrust, and it was perfect as he ground against her, taking her right where she wanted to go.
She had no words to give him, only her touch as she smoothed her hands down his arms, only moans and whimpers to voice her approval, only her body as she rose against him to meet him halfway.
He grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged. Sensation shot right to her core.
She came with a wild cry, her body tightening around his cock. He shoved in deep, only increasing her pleasure as waves of orgasm tunneled through her. He kissed her, a deep, thorough kiss that rocketed her further into those waves.
And then he went with her, his entire body shuddering as he came. She held on, reveling in every body-shocking sensation.
After they both came down from that incredible high, she smoothed her hands over his shoulders. His body was slick with sweat, his heart beating in fast time against her chest, matching her own hard-driving rhythm.
He ran his tongue against her bottom lip, then lifted his head, looking down at her with a satisfied smile and those sexy eyes of his.
“Need oxygen yet?”
She smiled up at him. “Maybe.”
He got up and disappeared into the bathroom for a minute, then came back and climbed into bed with her, pulling her against his chest. It felt good to lie there with him, to feel the warmth of his body. She wrapped her leg around him and just . . . settled.
This had been good. Really good, especially now when they were quiet. There was nothing awkward about it, and Reid didn’t seem in any hurry to take off. He rubbed her back, his fingers occasionally gliding into her hair.
She hadn’t felt this peaceful and relaxed in a very long time.
She closed her eyes and let the calm wash over her.
REID JERKED HIS eyes open as something wet slid along his hand.
Disorientation took over for a few seconds before he got his bearings. There was a warm, naked body next to him.
Samantha.
And a dog with a wet tongue licking his hand.
Not My Dog.
Okay, check. Bearings realigned.
He slid out of bed and got dressed—at least half dressed, anyway.
He took Not My Dog out back and let him do his thing.
“Sorry, bud,” he said as he led the dog back inside. “I kind of passed out.”
The dog went into the kitchen for a drink, then sat and looked up at him.
“Yeah. I agree. Time to go.”
He had no idea what time it was. He found his phone on the chair in the bedroom, grabbed it, and checked the time.
Four a.m.
Shit. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep. Sex was fun and all, but he didn’t want Sam to think—
A warm, naked body—with breasts—pressed against his back.
Damn, that felt good.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Four. The dog needed to go out.”
“Oh. Are you coming back to bed?”
He turned around, and damn if the sight of her—naked, her hair tousled from sleep—wasn’t tempting as hell.
“Actually, no. I have an early meeting tomorrow—today. I need to get back to the ranch so I can shower and change clothes.”
“Okay.”
No argument. No whining or pouting. She sure made this hard on him.
Hell, she made everything hard on him. Including his dick. Which made him want to pull her back in bed and slide inside her warm, wet heat until at least dawn.
But, no.
Instead, he kissed her—briefly, because she was too tempting for him to linger. Then he grabbed his shirt and his keys while she put on a robe and walked him to the front door.
“Thanks for bringing me dinner tonight,” she said. “Though, I suppose that was last night.”
“You’re welcome.” He grabbed the lapels of her robe and brought her close. “Thanks for dessert.”
She laughed a
nd twined her hand around his neck to bring him down for a kiss. “Anytime.”
If he kissed her for any longer he was going to pick her up and carry her to the bed. If they even made it to the bed.
“I gotta go.”
She nodded. “See you later, Reid.”
He walked out with the dog and climbed into his truck. The air was chilly, and he turned the heater on, wishing he were still in bed with Sam.
But that would be a really bad idea. The last thing he wanted was to get close to Sam. To get close to anyone while he was here.
He put the truck in reverse and backed out.
Chapter 19
SAM PUT THE finishing touches on a funeral spray, constantly checking the clock on the wall. The delivery was time sensitive.
It was a rush order, and for funerals, she did what needed to be done.
She knew the family of Mr. Tyrone, and had known him personally. He’d bought flowers for his wife for many years before she’d died. She’d stopped hearing from Mr. Tyrone after he’d gone into the nursing home many years ago.
And now she was making beautiful flowers for his casket.
Samantha took a step back and surveyed the red, white, and blue flower spray his family had decided on for their family tribute, signifying his military service. It would stand upright next to his casket, next to the flag that would be draped over it.
Perfect.
His grandchildren and great-grandchildren had already stopped by and selected the flowers they wanted. Several people had called to order wreaths, sprays, bouquets, and baskets as well. Edgar Tyrone had been popular and well-loved in Hope. And though he’d spent the last six years in a nursing home, people hadn’t forgotten him.
Sam intended to make sure gorgeous bouquets to celebrate his life abounded at his funeral service.
It took her the entire day to make all the flowers, which she delivered to the funeral home before they were due. She helped the funeral director set everything up, then lingered in front of Mr. Tyrone’s casket. She wasn’t a personal friend—she had only known him from his trips into the flower shop—so she wouldn’t be attending the funeral. But she said a few words and wished him well on his journey, then thanked the director and let him know to call her if there was anything else he needed.
