Rubbing her hand over her skin, she was mesmerized by how soft she felt, both from the rain and Penn’s touch. She dug in her suitcase, looking for something to wear, and felt a feather-like slither at her ankle. Theodore wound his way between her ankles. “I don’t know, fellow. I really don’t know.”
She gave her head a shake. There was no way the cat understood how far she’d come with Penn.
Finding a cami and shorts, she pulled them on. Looking in the mirror, she ran her fingers through the mess that had become her hair. She started to add a little mascara, but decided she didn’t need it. She felt pretty—prettier than she ever had before.
Penn was squatting in front of the fire when she joined him. He was coaxing the wood to catch flame and she enjoyed watching the coiled muscles in his bare back move with ease. His hair was a mass of waves.
He adjusted the wood with the poker and she made no move to let him know she was behind him. Instead, she leaned against the wall and watched. She didn’t think she could ever get tired of being near him. He turned to grab another log and that’s when he saw her. He gave her a smile that melted her heart. “Hi.”
“Hi,” she said back.
He placed the log on top of the others that were now engulfed in flames, then he stood, turning to her. “It was a bit chilly in here so I thought you could warm up in front of a fire while I make us something to eat.”
“Thank you.” But she didn’t leave her spot.
“You move around quietly. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I didn’t sneak in on purpose. Although, I do enjoy watching you when you aren’t aware.”
He laughed. “I know the feeling. Are you sure you just didn’t want me to put you to work at getting the fire started?”
“I didn’t want to show you up. I’m pretty good with my hands.” She wagged her brows.
“And your mouth too. Just sayin’.”
His grin practically knocked her panties off. “Good to know we have similar skills.” Yeah, she liked the flirting banter between them.
He brushed his hands down the legs of his jeans and continued to the kitchen. “I’ve made hot water for tea. Want some?”
“You drink tea?” She finally took a short step closer.
“No, but I remembered you said you did.” He grabbed two cups, then turned his gaze on her. “Are you afraid of me?”
“No.”
“Then why are you standing back there as if I’m going to attack?”
She moved closer, watching him work deftly. She’d never seen a man so large working so easily. “I’m a little shy, I guess.”
“I thought that too until you proved me wrong.”
She wanted to giggle at the amazing shudders passing through her. “You have anything stronger to add to the tea?”
He reached into a tall cabinet and brought out a half-full bottle of bourbon. “Will this suit you, sweetheart?”
“I think that’ll work just fine.”
Outside, the thunder boomed and the rain pelted the tin roof, but she was safe and warm here with Penn. The snapping of the logs made her look. The flames were now burning bright and warm. Turning toward the window, she looked at the gray sky. Water assaulted the glass.
“Here you are.” Penn handed her the steaming cup.
She took a sip of the hot tea. He hadn’t emptied the bottle into the cup, so he wasn’t planning to get her drunk, but there was enough bourbon to make the hair on her neck stand. She took her mug to the fireplace and sat down in front of the hearth, enjoying the warmth. Crossing her legs, her shorts rode up high on her thighs, but she didn’t bother hiding from Penn. Once upon a time, she’d been self-conscious about her body, but he made her feel beautiful just the way she was.
The thunder seemed to grow louder and the rain heavier.
“Some storm we’re getting, huh?” He joined her, placing a plate of fresh fruit between them, leaning his back against the coffee table. He brought his glass with straight bourbon to his lips and sipped. The golden firelight illuminated his face and she took in his pensive eyes, the prominent set of his jaw and sexy lips, then popped a grape into her mouth. A part of her wished they could repeat making love here in front of the raging fire, but they needed nourishment, not to mention things needed to go slow. Although nothing had seemed slow since they’d met.
He brought a strawberry to his lips and bit into the fruit.
She shivered.
“Are you cold?” He didn’t wait for her answer. He grabbed the throw blanket from the couch and laid it around her shoulders.
She found the gesture sweet. Cuddling into the soft material, she imagined it was his thick arms.
“I love thunderstorms. While most kids hid under the blankets when it was storming, I’d be at my window watching the lightshow. It’s amazing to see the lightning strike the sky.” She took another sip of the bourbon-laced tea and winced as it slid down her throat, warming her belly.
“I’m not surprised. I find you comparable to a diamond, rare and with many facets.”
She lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a compliment. I’ve always looked at myself as being average.”
“Trust me, there’s nothing average about you.”
He took a drink and she watched his fingers tighten around the glass.
“I haven’t heard from Marshall in days. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. I can’t stay here forever, hiding.”
He hesitated and she wondered what he was thinking. “Are you ready to leave?” His voice was smooth, like the bourbon he was drinking.
“I don’t want to outstay my welcome.” She chuckled.
“After we just made love, you should realize you being here isn’t anything but a plus. I’ve even gotten used to the cat.” He pointed to Theodore who was curled up on the arm of the couch.
“I guess I need to be sure. Things have happened like an unleashed whirlwind between us.”
“Whirlwinds aren’t always a bad thing.”
She shrugged. “One good thing has become of this web with Marshall. You and I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”
“You don’t know that, sweetheart.” He brushed the backs of his knuckles along her cheek. “The law of magnetism, keep that in mind.”
“I’ve been thinking. You mentioned that you thought you saw Ray outside of the bookstore today. Do you think it’s possible he came to speak to me, but changed his mind?”
“Anything’s possible. I did some research on him. No red flags. Nothing that stands out to me. The man could have gotten scared and decided to get out of dodge.”
“This issue has grown horns.”
“Sometimes bad relationships take a long time to dissolve. Be glad you didn’t marry him. That can get messy, especially with kids.”
She moved closer, tucking her hand around his elbow, absorbing the warmth from his body. “Thank you, Penn.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re thanking me for what we shared.”
“No.” She smiled. “I’m referring to your kindness. You didn’t have to invite me here, but you did.”
“I’m glad you still feel that way. I hope you don’t think I brought you here with the intention of having sex. I can’t say that it hasn’t crossed my mind often since the first time I kissed you, but I have to make it clear.”
“I never thought that.”
Lightning flashed outside.
A log cracked and sparks popped up. He sat up and stoked the fire, and she kept her hand on his arm, feeling the muscles move under her palm. He was strong and capable. She knew this now more than ever.
He sat next to her, this time closer. She snuggled against his side, sharing in his warmth.
“I want you to know something.”
The sincerity in his voice made her look up, curious what he might say. “Yes?”
“I won’t lie and say that I’ve been a saint. There have been women, lots of them, at least probably by most people’
s standards, but I want to clarify that none of them meant anything to me.” He sucked in a breath “I guess that makes me appear like more of a jerk.” The lines around his eyes deepened. He looked genuinely concerned.
“If you’re trying to make it clear that I shouldn’t have expectations where we’re concerned, I should tell you that I get it. You’ve made it clear, several times that you’re not the relationship type. A woman can’t change a man or his intentions.”
He squinted. “Wow, that’s not what I expected.”
“You were thinking I would tell you that I’ve fallen in love?” She chuckled, mainly to hide the turmoil inside of her. Penn was a man that she could see women falling for, including herself if she didn’t watch her heart. He’d probably left a lot of heartbreaks in his wake.
“No.” He emptied his glass and swiped his hand across his lips.
“I like being here, Penn. I enjoy being near you, but neither of us are at a time in our lives where we can think of long term.” Everything seemed nice. The fire. The bourbon. Touching one another. Even the storm that threatened wrath outside. “I don’t know about you, but I’d like to linger in this cloud a little longer.”
One corner of his mouth lifted, his eyes dazzling in the firelight. He dipped his head and kissed her softly. She brought her hand to his cheek and his five o’clock shadow tickled her palm, sending traces of tingles up her wrist and inside her arm. He pulled back, his hazy gaze meeting hers for a long second before he bent again, kissing her, rolling the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips. He tasted like bourbon and strawberry, a heady combination. His touch was still soft and tender. Was he trying to prove something to her? Or to himself?
Closing her eyes, she allowed the magical sensation of his closeness to engulf her. His hands were on her shoulders, tucking his fingers under the thin straps of the cami and tugging until the top slipped down her bare breasts. She moaned and leaned forward, her beaded nipples brushing his arms, sending wave after wave of heat through her. He lowered his mouth to her neck and kissed the sensitive skin, leaving a trail of moisture to the indentation between her collarbones, lower to the cleft between her breasts that were swelling in need. A whimper rose in her throat and drifted from her lightly parted lips as he threaded his fingers in her hair.
She clung to his wide shoulders, feeling his strength, his power, especially over her body that craved his touch so soon after what they’d shared in the bedroom.
He groaned and she opened her eyes, watching his eyes turn dark as he bent his head to lick her swollen nipple. She loved seeing him work at her breast, lapping and sampling her goose bumped flesh. He slowly leaned her back onto the soft rug, sliding his knee between her legs and spreading them wide. She submitted to him, succumbing to him, allowing him to take her wherever, however, he wanted.
She marveled at his masculine beauty in the golden firelight. Sweat beaded like crystals on his forehead, sliding down his chin. She wondered if it was from the fire, or more because he was holding back? Every worry, every fear drifted away, melting like heated sugar.
He covered her nipple with his mouth, suckling the flesh deeper into his throat. The sensation was amazing and all she could do was arch her back and cry his name, over and over again as he continued to bring her to a near orgasm simply sucking her breasts.
He dragged the cami lower to her waist, then down her hips, gathering the fabric of her shorts until she was naked under his blazing view. He grazed his eyes down her body, making love to her with his soft stare. She trembled under him, sliding her hands down his shoulders, his sides, wanting to touch all of him, remember him on her fingerprints.
His palm flatted against her stomach as he kissed his way down to her lower belly, gliding his tongue down her inner thigh, so close to her core that she could barely breathe. Then he assailed the other leg with the same fervor, leaving her breathless.
When his tongue swirled around her moist, secret spot, she thrashed and cried out. She was still sensitive and swollen from the orgasms she’d experienced earlier. He suckled her core, gently bringing her to another release quickly.
The feeling slipped through her like honey and when she thought the spasms would finally subside, she was struck with another round more intense than the last. One after another washed over her.
When she finally relaxed in his arms, he came up to meet her gaze. “I’ll be right back with a condom. Don’t go anywhere. I plan to make love to you until neither of us can move a muscle.”
She listened while he ran down the hall. She smiled, feeling like somehow in all her chaotic life, she’d found a fortune—Penn’s fortune.
*****
Everyone was in the kitchen, and Penn waited for his chance, then grabbed Harley’s hand and pulled her through the French doors and onto the patio for a moment of privacy. Being around his brothers and the ranch hands, they’d been invited too, there wasn’t any chance before now to get a second alone with her.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I’ve missed this.”
She laughed. “You’re silly. It’s only been since this morning.”
“Count the hours, babe. Too many.” He kissed her chin, her neck, her ears.
Even though he understood how important it was to not let his family know about him and Harley, he also wanted to make it clear that he was at a happy spot in his life. The certainty of his joy settled into his body like a rock. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to think about her every second of the day and ache to have her in his arms again.
“I wonder if anyone is catching on?”
“About us? Well, I’d say us doing this when anyone can look through a window is quite risky.”
“Maybe I should just tell them. I’m a grown ass man. If I want to sleep with you, anyone, that’s my right.” He caught her narrowed expression. “Trust me, you’re the one I want to sleep with.”
He’d bent to kiss her lips again, but she’d moved away and he put a huge lip-lock in the air. He caught a good look at her face and his blood went cold. “I think it’s important for us to get a grip, not react hastily.”
“Huh?”
“I’m talking logic.”
Logic wasn’t in his vocabulary at the moment, not when his cock was as hard as stone. Something deep within him cracked, like a wrecking ball had ping-ponged its way through his body. He took a step closer, but she held up a hand, pausing him in his tracks. His idea to seduce her into kissing him was sidetracked by the little shake of her head. He tried to say something, but his tongue was chained to the roof of his mouth.
“You can’t listen to reason with your tongue down my throat.”
“I thought you liked it? I thought you quite enjoyed it?”
“I did enjoy it. A handful of orgasms to prove it.”
His gaze snapped up. “A handful? And I’m supposed to keep my hands off after you say that?” he groaned.
“Did you like it?” She looked at him, one corner of her mouth dipped as if any second she’d frown.
“Let me just say, it’s not every day a man comes that much in that short amount of time. I felt like quite the hero this morning.” He smiled from ear-to-ear, wishing he could lead her into the woods—or the barn—for a quickie.
“Okay, superman, chillax.”
She sighed and he took it as defeat. But when she shook her head, he stopped. He was close enough to get a whiff of her scent and it was a reminder of how good she’d felt. His cock came alive, making his jeans stretch.
“We can’t do this, Penn. Especially not here. I didn’t agree to come this evening to be near your family to announce that I’m having a clandestine affair with their brother.”
He took a long breath, trying to wrap his brain around her words when all he wanted to do was wrap his hands around her thighs. He should have suggested they stay home tonight. But, apparently, a repeat of sex wasn’t going to happen, not anytime soon. Disappointment slithered a path down his spine. “I’m
listening.”
“One, you’re supposed to be working for me, remember? What will they say if they know we’re sleeping together?”
Good point. “I can handle that.” Although, he didn’t want to quite yet.
“And there’s something bigger here, something more important.”
He crossed his arms. Better to restrain then to accidently drag her into his arms. “Okay, still listening.”
“I don’t want to be another Seneca.”
His brow shot up on its own accord. “That could never happen.”
“Oh, it could. Easily. I don’t want anyone to think I’m the type to fall into your bed so effortlessly.”
“Uh…but…” She held up her hand to stop him. “Yes, I know.”
“I thought you said you enjoyed it and you had no expectations?”
“And I was honest. But I want your family to respect me. I like your brothers and Pippa. In fact, I see us being friends after.”
He blinked. “After what?”
Her tongue darted out to roll across her bottom lip. “Okay, I’ll just spit it out. After you and I walk away from one another.”
Why did her words drill a hole right through his chest? While he was thinking about spending more time with her, she was planning on ending things. Maybe he was getting exactly what he deserved. He’d been on her end many times. “I thought you had no expectations?”
She nibbled her lip. “Again, I don’t regret what we shared, not saying I don’t want it to happen again, because I do, but we have to stay in control. When two people decide to have a secret affair, if that’s what we can call this, one that only consists of sex, there must be rules in place so no one gets hurt.”
“Are you going to get hurt?”
“Of course not.”
“Am I going to get hurt?”
“I doubt you will.” She blinked.
“And I’m guessing you have those rules?” He didn’t like rules, never had.
“I have a few in mind. One, we don’t make this more chaotic than it needs to be. We don’t involve people around us because when it ends, we don’t want anyone in an awkward position. Needing to choose sides.”
Penn's Fortune (Saddles & Second Chances Book 2) Page 13
