A playful glint came into his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Come on. You purposefully undid everything I tried to do, from banner placement to balloon arrangements to just generally getting in my way.”
“You really don’t know why?”
“Because you’re a macho jerk?” She’d said nearly the very same thing over a year ago when the man had annoyed the hell out of her. Now the words carried no conviction whatsoever.
“I was just trying to get your attention, Red.”
“Well, you certainly did that.” She nudged him with her body. God, the man was a wall.
A serious expression came over him. “I liked you from the start. Something about you.” He touched her cheek.
The caress was so gentle and sincere, it took Gloria’s breath away.
“That night in Chicago...?” He tilted her face to meet his gaze. “It wasn’t a mistake. Not for me.”
Was it the angle of her head that made her throat feel constricted?
“Then, last night? Well, I sure as hell hope you don’t think that was a mistake.”
Gloria meant to shake her head, but Dillon had a grasp on her chin and he held her in place as he leaned toward her and whispered, “Because I don’t.”
Before he kissed her, Gloria reached out and removed his hat. There, now she could see his face. “I don’t think it was a mistake, either.”
“Good.” He ran a hand through his hair, a mischievous grin playing at the corners of his mouth. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic square. “Because I’m planning on making it happen all over again.”
“Where’d you find that?”
“Thad gave it to me. Must have recognized the guilty expressions on our faces this morning.”
“Oh, God.”
“He’s quite the ladies’ man, our Thaddeus.”
“Stop.” She covered her face, laughing with a twinge of discomfort as she imagined the cowboy thinking about what the two of them had been up to last night. Dillon pried her fingers away from her face in order to place the plastic square in her hand. “I’ll just leave that right there.” He closed her hand around it. “Now it’s up to you.”
He nudged one of the thin straps of her dress, making it slide down her arm and kissed the top of her shoulder.
“Why are you leaving it up to me?”
“Because.” His fingers traced along the top of the bodice, grazing her until her skin sang with yearning.
“It should be a joint decision.”
He tasted the inside of her ear and nibbled her lobe, whispering, “Babe, I’m telling you what I want...” His hand covered her breast and gently squeezed. “Right this second.”
“Presumptuous cowboy.”
“Sexy city girl.” He held the back of her head, angling her in order to gently lick the side of her neck. “I love your neck, have I mentioned?”
“Mmm.”
The kisses continued, soft and sweet, leaving Gloria boneless as she leaned against the mountain-of-a-man beside her. When the second strap fell away, she moaned, “What are you doing?”
“What do you think?” He tugged on the zipper at the back of her dress. “You took off my hat, only fair I disrobe you.”
She clutched at the front of her dress because she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath. “I hardly think that’s fair.” She searched the surrounding area. “Plus, we’re in public.”
Dillon leaned in and placed a soft, iced tea–flavored kiss on her lips. “Darlin’ there isn’t another soul for miles around. Don’t tell me you’ve never made love in the out of doors?”
“Well...”
“Oh, honey, you don’t know what you’re missing.”
Gripping the front of her dress, she whispered, “But...here?”
“Damn straight.”
“But—”
Those naughty fingers of his found the zipper again and tugged all the way down. “Trust me.”
She leaned closer, keeping her dress up with one hand while touching his jaw with the other. God, she loved the man’s face. “Okay. I trust you.”
“Good.” He pulled her hands away from her chest, allowing the top of it to slide down, revealing her bare skin. Dillon’s groan of appreciation was enough to make her forget she was now topless in public.
“It’s like you’re not real.” He drew a finger down between her breasts, circling one and then the other before cupping her in his big hand. “You’re like a mythical creature—a mermaid or a wood nymph.” He ran a thumb across her nipple. “Or maybe a fairy queen.”
It was a whimsical notion, not something she expected from Dillon, but when he latched on to her nipple and sucked, Gloria gave herself over to the divine sensation. Throwing her head back, she gazed through hooded lids up at the wide expanse of incredibly blue sky. Maybe she was caught up in a fairy tale, maybe none of this was real, because this moment, this experience, was so far outside the realm of her day-to-day life, it felt magical, dreamlike.
Dillon blindly swept the empty plates and food containers to the side and eased her back onto the quilt, lying beside her, giving him the opportunity to both have his way with her and watch what he was doing. From the intensity of his gaze, he seemed to like the look of his tanned hand against her pale skin. Gloria sure did.
“That feels so good,” Gloria said, as he brushed a thumb back and forth across her nipple.
“For you and me both.”
She arched her back, pressing herself into his hand, an automatic response to the tantalizing sensation of his touch.
“Woman.” He leaned over and took more than just her nipple in his mouth, as though he was ravenous and she evoked an unquenchable hunger. Up until now, he’d been so gentle—last night, this morning. But now? Now he was letting loose and Gloria loved it. The scratch of his short beard against her sensitive skin, the suction of his warm mouth, the roughness of his hand.
“Dillon.” She loved his name. It was more than a name, it was synonymous with pleasure.
As he moved from beside her to on top of her, Gloria frantically worked the buttons on his shirt, needing to touch him. What a wonder it would be to see such a magnificent man in the full light of day! Somehow she managed to fumble through all the buttons and tug the shirt from his jeans.
“Oh, baby,” he said, moaning hoarsely in her ear. “Your touch drives me wild.”
“So does yours.” She tried to undo his belt but there was a big buckle in the way and she didn’t know how to work it.
“Dillon?”
He didn’t answer. He was too busy using his mouth to make love to her breasts while searching up underneath her skirt with his free hand. Gloria forgot about his belt buckle because Dillon’s hand kept climbing the inside of her thigh and she realized he was about to discover that she had a secret.
12
HIS FINGERS STILLED when he reached the very top of her thigh. He propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at her with wonder and wicked surprise. “No panties, Red?”
She shook her head. After showering, she’d washed her underwear in the sink and they were still hanging to dry.
He let out a low growl and then propped himself up higher. Taking the hem of her skirt, he slowly pushed it up her legs, never taking his gaze from what he was doing. The cool cotton slithered up past her knees and higher and Dillon didn’t stop until the skirt was bunched up around her waist and she was completely exposed to the elements.
It was marvelous.
She should have felt embarrassed. She didn’t. Gloria felt beautiful and powerful. Maybe it had something to do with the rapt expression that Dillon wore as he gazed down at her, as if he was completely and utterly under her spell.
“Dillon?”
“Yeah, baby?”
He touched her, stroking her mound before easing two fingers between her folds and dipping inside. His groan told her how wet she was, how ready. Not that she needed proof, she already knew what she wanted. Him. Though the way he plunged two fingers deep, almost made her forget what she was going to ask until he leaned closer, and Gloria felt the bite of his buckle on her hip.
“Take off your belt,” she whispered.
“Hmm?”
“Your belt. Please.”
He had to pull his hand from her in order to do as she asked and Gloria immediately missed his touch. But once his belt was loosened, she got to work on his fly—buttons, nice—giving her room to fit her hand inside. How on earth could he stand being cooped up behind that fly? He was so wonderfully aroused, she had to free him of his shorts, needed to touch him.
“Oh, baby,” he groaned. “I love that.” He dipped his face to hers and kissed her, filling the inside of her mouth with his talented tongue, sucking on her lips as she squeezed his length, up and down, marveling at how he continued to grow in her grasp.
“Where’s the condom?” His voice was hoarse.
She found it where she’d left it, beside her hip, and handed it to him.
“I said it was up to you, but...”
“Put it on. Now.”
His eyes rolled back in relief and Dillon pushed himself to his knees so he could roll the rubber over his length. It was a magnificent sight with the sun shining behind him, the sound of the bees, a dragonfly hovering for a moment before taking off. It should have seemed improper to be doing what they were doing, but the truth was, it felt anything but.
It felt right.
Once finished, Dillon reached for her knees, grasped and tugged her toward him, spreading her before him. “I’m sorry but,” he groaned as he slid his hands down her thighs and impaled her with both thumbs, “I need you, right now.” He stroked inside of her and then massaged her clit, back and forth, round and round. “Is that okay?”
“Hell, yes.”
Guiding himself to her entrance, he stayed there for a second before shifting his weight forward and filling her in one sure stroke.
Oh! How could something feel so good? How was it possible to feel as if her body was made just for this? To have this man fill her and complete her and move inside of her as though there was no other place he should be but right where he was, right now?
She worked her hands into his open shirt and gripped his powerful shoulders, urging him on by raising her hips to meet each and every wonderful thrust.
She fought the urge to shut her eyes, because part of the pleasure came from watching and seeing her surroundings. Experiencing this, as if this was the first time she’d ever had sex. Marveling in the beautiful expression of concentration on Dillon’s face as if making love to her was the most important job in the world. Seeing his features change as he increased his pace, bringing himself nearer to climax.
Just the thought of him, releasing inside of her, pushed her over the edge, and Gloria tilted her chin to the sky, crying out in ecstasy. Joining her voice with the buzz of the bees and the wind and the trickle of the creek flowing into the pond, as if she was one with not only Dillon, but with this place.
“Oh, babe.” His fingers dug into her hips as he filled her one last time, and she felt his orgasm pound up from the very base of him and along his length in powerful pulses.
One thought consumed her.
I want this again.
* * *
DILLON ROLLED OVER in the big bed. Unlike the morning after the wedding, when he went to reach for Gloria, she was there, her warm, naked body nestled perfectly in the circle of his arms. Sleepy, contented sounds came out of her as though she was a kitten curled up in the sun, purring. It was the third morning in a row he’d woken up to her, if you counted the cabin. Which he most certainly did.
Damn. He could get used to this.
Working hard all day, cooking up a meal from scratch, lighting a fire and reading or playing cribbage, a game both of them knew. Making bets as to who would win, bets involving taking off articles of clothes and such.
Showering together. Making love together. Over and over again. Even when he thought he was done, all she had to do was nestle her sweet little ass against him and he was ready to go one more time.
Making love to Gloria was a new experience for him: fun, erotic, but something else, too. There were tender times and passionate times that went beyond any sexual encounter he’d had before and while he lay in bed, Dillon could practically see the two of them working the ranch together, as if this was where she belonged. In Montana. With him.
She rolled in his arms and pressed a sleepy kiss on his chest.
That kiss might as well have been a hot coal because it spread flames out in every direction, waking up his senses and another part of him that was incredibly attuned to every movement of her body.
He wanted nothing more than to make love to her again this morning. And again tomorrow morning.
Dillon stroked the tangled curls at the top of her head and held her close.
As much as he was enjoying himself—the word enjoy didn’t actually do justice to how he felt—he had to remind himself that Gloria did not belong here. Didn’t matter that she could ride with the best of them and that she seemed content and relaxed. Her life was in Chicago and he needed to curb all these warm, tender thoughts right here and now.
Except that Gloria was drowsily caressing his thigh which was not conducive to curbing sensual, tender thoughts in the least. Her actions were producing thoughts of the lustful variety. Thoughts that involved spreading her thighs and filling her until she cried out his name, for example.
Dillon rolled over and sat up.
“Where are you going?” she asked as he strode naked from the room.
“Shower.” The only way to curb his arousal right now was a little distance and a nice cold shower.
* * *
GLORIA UNDERSTOOD WHY a 4x4 vehicle was necessary when living on a ranch. Not only had the bridge been washed out, but parts of the road, too. The forty-minute drive to town took them an hour, not that Gloria minded. She spent the entire trip thinking about the past few days. The cabin, the ride, the picnic. Working together in the house. She’d had to measure each room for her 3-D software and Dillon had helped, though it took longer when he kept interrupting the process with kisses and hot-and-heavy grope sessions.
She smiled to herself in remembrance. When was the last time she’d had so much fun?
Then there were the evenings spent together in the great room in front of the fire. No TV, no internet. No cell service. Nothing but each other. Out of habit, she worked, while he read whatever he could lay his hands on—biographies, historic novels, the farmer’s almanac—the man was a voracious reader. Then the games began. Strip cribbage? She’d never heard of it.
So fun.
And, it all seemed so natural. From the stormy night in the cabin, to making love outside, to falling into bed together back at the ranch. Gloria still couldn’t believe she’d done all that, particularly the outdoor sex thing. God! Her friends would never believe it in a million years. She wouldn’t have believed it about herself, except that she was there, she’d done it. And the event continued to play on a loop in her brain, not allowing her to forget.
Not that she wanted to forget.
The only downside was that Dillon had seemed a little distant this morning. But then, he’d gotten up early and taken off to help with chores. It was probably all in her imagination. Even if it wasn’t, they were going back to town, to separate places. Would things change? Would their relationship go back to strictly business?
As Dillon drove down the main street of Half Moon Creek, her phone suddenly started beeping from the depths of her purse. She fished it out and held it up. “I’ve got a
signal again.”
“Welcome back to civilization.”
Before she had a chance to go through her messages, they’d pulled up in front of the Gold Dust Hotel.
Not one word had been said about where they went from here. Maybe it was understood from his side of things, but it certainly wasn’t from hers. She had no idea where she stood with him and she had a sudden need to ask. Yet, for some reason, Gloria was experiencing difficulty bringing it up. When Dillon came around to her side of the truck in order to open the door for her—she loved that he did that, though it was completely unnecessary—she figured it was her last chance to say something.
But Dillon beat her to it. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at five thirty.”
She choked. “In the morning?”
“Yep. Work starts early on a ranch. Those boys have more work right now than they can manage.”
“Oh.” Gloria frowned. “Why don’t...” she paused “...you just stay out there? Wouldn’t that make life easier?” God, she’d just about said, “we—why don’t we stay out there?”
“The place isn’t mine.”
That didn’t make sense. The place belonged to Dillon and he worked it as though it belonged to him. The past couple of days had sure made her think of the ranch as his.
Ours.
The word spoken so clearly inside her head startled her, and she realized he was waiting for her to take his hand and step down, so she did. He released her hand the moment she was on the sidewalk.
What was that about? Could be nothing. She was probably being oversensitive. Things were confusing at the moment. Besides, just because they’d slept together, more than once, that didn’t make her his girlfriend, and while they hadn’t had the conversation about where they stood, she could only assume one thing.
It was a one-time thing.
Or a nine-time thing. Ten, if you counted Chicago.
“So, we’ll see you bright and early, okay?”
Gloria frowned. “Sure.”
He leaned low and kissed her cheek, a chaste, brotherly sort of kiss, before rounding the truck and climbing aboard. Nothing more. No offer of dinner, no mention of what had happened between them. Nothing.
Big Sky Seduction Page 11
