A Cowboy in Paradise

by Shana Gray

  The crowd laughed.

  “But, seriously, how could a wedding in Hawaii not be spectacular? I hope you enjoy yourself and, as Matt stated, please see me if you have any concerns or needs. I want to make your stay here as fabulous as the bride and groom’s.”

  Samantha slipped away into the hush of the trees and all the guests began their chatter. Jimi took that as a cue to escape to her tent. A quick glance at Matt and Diana proved they wouldn’t miss her. She was still hungry, though, and filled a plate to take back to her tent.

  “I’m exhausted,” she whispered to the darkness.

  Juggling the plate and the mai tai, Jimi wove her way down the torch-lit pathways. A cozy couple approached her. They seemed totally in love, and as they passed, Jimi heard the man speak softly to the woman. The man had an accent, and it was either South African or Australian.

  “Hawaii seems to be our place, Lana. Who would have thought a wedding on a ranch could be as beautiful as one on a beach in Hawaii.”

  “I know, Grant. It’s so lovely. Magical. I never would have thought it.”

  As they passed her, both looked up. “Evening,” the man said, and the woman smiled at her. Jimi loved his accent.

  “Good evening,” Jimi answered, and returned the smile.

  Yeah, they were totally into each other. It oozed off them and made Jimi feel lonely, while knowing deep down she would love that for herself. It wasn’t on the horizon anytime soon, though. Maybe once she got her business more established, hopefully before she was old and gray.

  Jimi sighed and found her tent. She stood in front of the open flap. The dark interior wasn’t all that enticing. Despair rushed through her, as if going inside the tent would close the door on...something. She chewed her lip and glanced around. Mostly everyone was still partying under the twinkle lights.

  A sudden gust of wind shook the tent and the trees overhead. Jimi inhaled the night air—seductive, warm, with the scent of rain, flowers and the tinge of leather and horses. Reminding her what Dallas smelled like. She wanted more of him and to finish what they’d started earlier.

  * * *

  DALLAS COULDN’T GET her off his mind. It was probably best for everyone involved, though, that he was in his tent alone and she was off doing whatever it was with the wedding guests and bridal party. He’d said it before and he’d say it again. She was trouble with a capital T. He felt weak around her. Look how he’d almost broken the ranch rules. He shook his head and tried not to think of her. It was impossible.

  He wanted her. That, he couldn’t deny. Being with her would go against almost every rule he’d ever set up for the ranch. Plus, it would only be a fling if it ever did happen. She was way too high maintenance and a complete fish out of water in this environment. A cowgirl she definitely was not. And if he was ever going to find a suitable partner, she would have to like, no—correct that—love, farm life. Being left at the altar wasn’t something he ever wanted to experience again.

  He swirled the Scotch in his glass before downing it in one gulp. The party was still hopping on the other side of the camp. Part of him wished he could be there having fun—with her. Dallas wondered if she’d found somebody to spend the night with. That made him grit his teeth, and a muscle jumped in his jaw. It was more proof that she was trouble for him if he was already feeling jealous over someone he barely knew. He reached out and was turning the lamp low, but his fingers froze when he heard a soft voice.

  “Hello?”

  Dallas turned to the tent opening. He hadn’t dropped the flap yet. When he saw her standing there, his heart jumped and he surged to his feet. The chair skittering back to knock against the shelves.

  “What are you doing here?” He didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but he was surprised as hell to see her. She didn’t answer and, instead, stepped inside the tent, turning around to drop the flap and tie it shut.

  “I think we’re adult enough to know the answer to that.”

  Dallas watched her walk toward him. She moved with a sensuality that had him breathless. Even in borrowed clothing that was too big, baggy and hid her shape, she fired every nerve ending in his body. She unbuttoned the top until it hung open, exposing her flawless skin and firm belly. He narrowed his eyes, then widened them with delight when he saw a little flash on her belly. A belly button ring. Dang! This filly might be a wild ride.

  Slowly he raised his gaze, taking in everything, including the bra he’d seen earlier that held those tits he longed to cup with his own hands. Everything in him wanted to resist her, but there was something much deeper that made him pause. He stared down into her upturned eyes and saw something in them. Passion. Excitement. Vulnerability. And something he couldn’t quite put his finger on but needed to find out. Screw his rules. He’d rather be screwing her.

  Dallas smiled and met her in the middle of the tent. He liked the sound she made when he brushed his fingers over the jeweled piercing just above the waistband of the jeans.

  “You planning to lead me around with this thing?”

  Jimi looked up at him and laughed, a deep, seductive sound that flowed under his skin, running like hot lava about to erupt.

  “Anything to hog-tie and get you into bed, cowboy.”

  “No beds here, or fancy ones, anyway. Just plain old cots.”

  She glanced at the cot and then back at him with a sexy grin. “I’m flexible.”

  “Now, that leaves room for interpretation, doesn’t it?”

  Dallas flipped the belly button jewelry one last time before sliding his hands over the warmth of her skin and pulled her to him. Perhaps a bit roughly, but she didn’t seem to mind, coming quite willingly. Her arms wrapped tight around his neck and she pushed the back of his head down to her. He needed no encouragement, having already decided this was the path he was taking, regardless if it was a slippery slope. He stared into her eyes as he lowered his face to hers. Just before their lips met, her eyelids fluttered closed, and he did the same, losing himself in the feel of her. The taste of her lips on his and the sweet scent of her surrounded him.

  He held her tight with one hand while his other one pushed the shirt off her shoulders. She lowered her arms and shook them a bit, encouraging the garment to slip down to the floor. Then her hands were on him, swiftly getting his shirt off him, as well. Dallas exhaled roughly, eager to see what was coming next.

  They both reached for the front of each other’s jeans at the same time and laughed.

  “Seems we tend to think alike. But I wonder if you know what I’m thinking right now?” she purred.

  “I never presume to know what a woman is thinking about at any given time.”

  “Smart man.” She gave him a gentle push toward the cot. “How about we get this party started?”

  6

  HE WAS MAGNIFICENT. She couldn’t get his clothes off quick enough. Desperate to feel his lips and hands on hers again, she reached for the front of his jeans. He was turned on—there was no doubt about that. After undoing the zipper, she cupped him, brazenly taking the first step. That was her undoing. Never had she been so aroused, excited about having sex. She wasn’t about to ponder why—now wasn’t the time. All she knew was she wanted them both naked, wrapped around each other.

  He groaned, which spurred her on. Shoving down his pants, she quickly undid hers but couldn’t get them off fast enough.

  “Help me. This damn twine is in a knot.”

  Dallas kicked off his boots and stepped from his bunched-up jeans on the floor. He strode over to the cabinet where he’d gotten the bandages for her foot just a few hours ago. Jimi’s mouth dried up at the sight of him. He was tanned, and his back muscles rippled as he moved and searched the shelves for whatever he was looking for. His tight black briefs emphasized his drop-dead sexy ass, and she was blown away by his muscular legs. She almost drooled as her gaze
crawled over him, taking him in from top to bottom.

  “This ought to do.” His voice was thick with desire and made her belly do a little tumble. Jimi heard a click, and when he walked back to her with the blade in his hand she wasn’t the least bit scared. She barely noticed he’d tossed something on the cot, as her attention was drawn to the front of his briefs. Jimi swallowed at the size of the bulge where his cock pressed. All she wanted was to whip off his briefs.

  Her breath increased, and she was close to panting as he approached her with the knife in front of him. With a swift flick of his wrist, the baler twine she’d used as a belt fell away. No match for the sharp blade.

  “Oh.” She drew in a sharp gasp and her knees almost sagged. “That was rather erotic.” She gripped his forearm, further reminded of how muscular he was.

  She heard the knife clatter to the floor. Then his hands were on her hips, shoving down her jeans. A shiver rippled through her. She stood in front of him clad only in her bra and panties. But he’d seen that just a few hours ago, hadn’t he? She gazed at him as he stood back and looked at her, openly scanning her body without any hint of propriety.

  And she loved it.

  “It’s not fair.”

  “What’s not fair?” His voice still so husky and deep it sent delicious shivers through her.

  “You still have your clothes on.”

  He laughed and glanced down at himself. “You call this clothes?” He snapped the waistband of his briefs and stepped toward her, sliding his hands around her side and up her back until he cupped the base of her skull. “I call this pretty much even.”

  Jimi sighed as their bodies almost touched, a tease of what was to come as he pulled her closer. The thin space of air between them seemed electric. She laid her cheek on his chest, gently rubbing against the soft hairs curling across the broad expanse.

  “Your hair seems to get curlier by the minute.”

  The pressure of his fingers on her skull was glorious. Even a gentle tug thrilled her. He pulled her head back until she looked up at him.

  “I was cursed with kinky hair.” She smiled, realizing the word she’d used.

  “Is the girl as kinky as her hair?”

  Before she could think of the right answer to his question, he shuffled her backward until the backs of her knees pressed against the wooden frame of the cot. Before she could blink, he had her sprawled on the quilts. This time she lay under his hot, heavy gaze. As he looked at her, Jimi found it hard to breathe. Her chest rose and fell as if gasping for air as she watched him stare at her. She couldn’t take it any longer and reached for him. Grasping his boxers, she managed to get them down far enough that he sprang free.

  “Oh, my.” She swung her legs off the cot so she was sitting. Forgetting about Dallas’s briefs, Jimi ran her palms up his powerful thighs to his hips. He groaned and thrust his fingers into her hair, drawing her closer to his erection. With one hand she gently cupped his balls while her other circled his thickness. Moving ever so slowly, she stroked him and was delighted as he grew even harder. She squeezed her thighs together, arousing herself even more.

  “Keep that up and the show will be over before it had a chance to begin.” Dallas removed her hands and put his finger under her chin, tipping her head up, and bent over her.

  She gazed up at him with wonder. They seemed to go between frantic passion and gentle loving. She reached up and grasped his shoulders, tugging him down until his lips hovered over hers. “No more talk. Shouldn’t we try and be quiet?” she murmured before silencing them both as she pressed her lips to his.

  “I dare you to be.”

  “I can try.”

  Her body was craving more than he was giving. She wanted to feel his heat, the weight of him as he pressed her down. She thrust her tongue into his mouth and ran the tip of it across his teeth. That seemed to unleash the beast in him. The power and sexual being she’d been waiting for.

  His hands were everywhere at once. Tangling in her hair, caressing her cheek, her neck. He unhooked her bra and pushed her back, never breaking the kiss. This was it—what she’d been longing for since she’d first laid eyes on this man. The soft quilts under her snuggled sweetly, a complete opposition to the rough and insistent man above her. His hand ran down her side and he hooked his fingers into the fabric of the panties at her hip. He pulled and they fell away.

  He leaned back. Staring at her as if he touched her with his eyes. But her bra still clung to her, concealing her from his view. With what sounded like a frustrated growl, he reached for it and she knew he’d tear it off her. She didn’t care. Briefly she thought of her lost luggage and this was her only set of undergarments, but all thought fled when he pulled the straps down her arms and tossed the lacy fabric aside.

  He grabbed her hands and pulled them over her head, holding them with one hand while his other cradled at her neck.

  “I knew you’d be gorgeous.”

  He gazed at her as if in awe. The hand at her neck slowly stroked down, across her shoulder until he cupped the side of her breast. She glanced down to where he touched her. His big and rough tanned hand, dark against her pale flesh, caressed her gently. She groaned and squirmed as her nipple rose. He sucked in a breath and brushed his thumb over the stiffened peak. Fire shot down to her pussy, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the attention he was showing to her breast.

  “So sweet.” She barely heard his words and held her breath as his head lowered.

  She inhaled a sharp breath when his lips sealed around her nipple, his tongue flicking and his teeth gently tugging on the tip. Like a live wire connected straight to her clitoris, Jimi bucked her hips. So close to losing control over herself. Her need for him beyond bearable.

  Jimi clutched at his head, holding him tight to her breast. So focused on the attention of his mouth, she was caught completely off guard when his fingers settled between her thighs. Insistent. Probing. Biting her lower lip to stop from crying out, she let her knees fall open. Dallas took the opportunity and moved between her thighs, cradling between them. Letting go of her nipple, he reared back and stared down at her. His eyes, stormy and passionate. He was the most wildly handsome man she’d ever known.

  A flash of sadness surprised her.

  Why? Because he was a one of a kind. A decadent distraction while in Hawaii, at her friend’s wedding. Where a fling was just that—a fling—with no commitments for tomorrow. She had a life to go back to. A glaring opposite to his life.

  Live in the moment. Forget about tomorrow. “Good idea,” she whispered, acknowledging her mantra.

  “Mmm, what are you mumbling about?” He smiled down at her.

  “Nothing important.”

  He reached for something beside her head.

  “Now, it’s not gentlemanly to keep a lady waiting. Oh! I don’t have protection with me.” This couldn’t be happening! Not now, not when she was craving him in such a powerful way.

  “A gentleman always comes prepared.” He held up the little foil package between his fingers with a very smug grin on his face.

  “Who’s the lucky girl! But you’re still keeping me waiting.”

  Anxiously, she watched him rip open the package and slide it down his cock. The way he moved his hands on himself had her breathless. She ached to feel him inside her. He hooked his hands behind her knees and pulled her down until her bum was resting on his thighs, her legs spread wide so she was fully exposed to his heated gaze.

  Jimi trembled. Never had she felt so wanton, bare to the man’s gaze before. She tightened her legs, feeling the need to close them.

  “Relax, hemahema.” A delightful shiver ran through her at the unique term of endearment. She rested back, her arms flung wide, fingers curling into the quilt.

  She jumped when his hands rested at the crease of her thighs. His thumbs strok
ing so teasingly close to her center.

  “Oh, you’re killing me,” she whispered. Squeezing her eyes shut, she focused all her attention between her legs. His touch went from soft and tentative to demanding. It was exquisite as he mapped her out. Pressing, seeking, sweeping his fingers through her folds. When he pushed into her while at the same time pressing on her clit, she moaned and rose to meet him.

  “I want to see you come. Before I fuck you.”

  His fingers increased in pace. In and out, then curling against that most sensitive spot just inside her. The spot she thought was elusive and just a fairy tale. Oh, but this charming Hawaiian prince had found it. Coupled with his attention on her clitoris, and the way he knew how to stroke her, Jimi was lost. She was a raging bundle of desire, but she reached for him, needing and wanting to touch him.

  “Don’t. Just enjoy. Be in the moment.” She heard the strain in his voice. It told her everything she needed to know. He was giving her this gift of selflessness. Making sure she was being fulfilled. Her heart filled and she focused on his voice. The unintelligible murmur of words. The deep, rumbly tone that swept her away.

  His voice surrounded her like hot honey, as if giving her permission to not worry about him right now. So she let herself go. The dark behind her closed eyelids drew her down. She felt overwhelmed by him, and when that wonderful feeling rose in her belly she was lost. His fingers teased, touched, stroked and then rose to a demand that was almost fierce. Jimi held her breath, starved for oxygen, but no way could she draw in air. If she did, she would lose it. Lose the sensation. The rush of excruciating heaven that bore down on her.

  Then, when she couldn’t stand it any longer, her back arched and she let out a cry. That was immediately shushed by his lips on hers. She screamed into him as her orgasm rolled over her. She was boneless under him and he took her breath, drawing it in before giving it back to her once she had quieted. Jimi drew in a trembling sigh when his mouth lifted from hers. Slowly she opened her eyes to find his face hovering over hers.