Cowboy from the Future

by Cassandra Gannon

  His mouth slammed across hers, cutting her off mid-word. Oh God yes. Addy’s lips parted beneath his. Yesyesyesyesyes. Clearly, Cade liked it all. This was exactly how she’d imagined it would be and she had a really vivid imagination. Jesus, it was better.

  Cade groaned deep in his throat at her eager response. “You are the truest, purest, most perfect part of my life. I need you so much, there are no words.” His hand tangled in her hair, his eyes on her. “Let me have you.”

  Addy smiled with anticipation, her palm still moving on his shaft. “All you have to do is ask and I’ll give you anything, cowboy.”

  He blinked, like he didn’t understand. Blood wasn’t exactly rushing to his brain. “Twenty-eight years of waiting to have sex with Padrick Sway-zee, and all I have to do is ask?”

  “I was never waiting for Patrick Swayze.” Addy rested her free hand on his cheek, lifting her head for another kiss. “For twenty-eight years, I’ve been waiting for you.” Her tongue touched his. “Ask me and I’ll say yes.”

  “It’s that easy?”

  “Yes.”

  Cade took a deep breath and seemed to brace himself. “You deserve more, but will you be with me anyway?”

  “Yes.”

  For one heartbeat, he just gazed at her, waiting for the other shoe to drop. “Yes?”

  “Yes!” How was he not getting this? “For you, it’s always yes, Cade.”

  His mouth curved into a luminous smile. Then, he was lifting her higher into his arms. Cade was the only guy in the world who could make her feel dainty. “You’ll be glad to know the seduction was a complete fucking success. Steps two and three were foolproof. We’re moving onto the part where I’m inside of you and on my way to dying happy.” The hard ridge of him was right at the junction of her thighs. He dipped his head, sucking her nipple into his mouth and angling her forward.

  “Cade.” She moved against him wanting more. His whole body was starting to glow and that made her even hotter. “Wow.” Voltyn superpowers worked just fine in the water. His hand slipped between her legs, sending sparks right through her, and Addy’s eyes nearly crossed with pleasure. “Oh wow.”

  He lifted his face from her breast. “So, you’re seducing me because you a-little-bit-more-than-sort-of love me?” He made it sound like perfectly reasonable question to be asking at such a moment. “Right?”

  “What?” She twisted her hips, needing him to touch her even deeper. “Yes. Right.” Cade’s finger squeezed inside of her and Addy’s head went back on a moan. Goddamn, but the man was wow. How could he touch her in so many places at once?

  “Exactly how much is a-little-bit-more-than-sort-of?”

  What a strange question. The answer was so obvious. “It’s a lot, Cade.” She grinned at him, her eyes bright. “I love you a lot. Every time I look at you, there’s this… click. I know you feel it, too.”

  “I feel it.” Lavender eyes met hers. “But, you’re still taking a risk with me. Most people will tell you that Voltyn don’t know how to love.”

  “Most people will tell me that time travel’s not possible, but I still wake up every morning in Tomorrowland. ‘Most people’ don’t know anything important.” Addy shook her head, trying to concentrate as his hand did naughty things to her. “Because of me, you’re homeless, a wanted criminal, unemployed, and you were almost made into cannibal surprise. But, you’re still right here by my side.” She shrugged. “I figure you’ve gotta sort of love me back. Either that or you’re just plain crazy.”

  Cade snorted as if her logic amused him. “If I’m crazy, you drove me there.” He shifted her closer, a second finger tunneling into her flesh.

  “Oh.” She bit down on her lower lip, her palms clenching on his shoulders. Those delicious sparks were shimmering through her, again. “I love it when you touch me.” She gasped, gliding up and down on his hand. “I should’ve seduced you the very first night I arrived.”

  His mouth curved. “You have no idea how easy that would’ve been. I have been going out of my mind with wanting you, Adeline. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. And the kindest. And the oddest. And the most devious.” His thumb brushed some magical spot and her whole body jerked. “Have you ever had a plan that didn’t work out just like you wanted, seductress?”

  “This one’s sure going my way.” Addy’s sheath tightened on his fingers, on the verge of the biggest orgasm of her life. “Oh, God.” Her grip on him was the only thing keeping her head above water. “Just a tiny bit more and I’ll…”

  “I know. Believe me, I know. Soon. I promise. Let me just be sure you’re ready.” Cade was struggling for breath. “I’m so big and you’re so fucking tight.”

  She gave a whimper as he eased a third finger upward. Her body was completely opened to him. Addy tried to move, needing one small brush of his hand to send her over the edge.

  “Shh.” He made a calming sound, holding her still. “Not yet, Addy. Just give it a second.” Cade lifted her higher and her legs automatically wound around his waist. “There you go. Let yourself adjust to me. Don’t come until I tell you.”

  The juxtaposition of his tender tone and the erotic command turned her on to an unhealthy degree. Her head dropped against his shoulder in surrender. He could do whatever he wished, just so he gave her relief.

  “That’s my good girl. Let me just see how we’re going to fit.” He squeezed his fingers apart and she tried to hold on. “Good girl.” His voice thickened as he continued his massage. “You like that?”

  She nodded desperately, biting down on her lower lip.

  “Yeah, this is going to work just fine.” His touch was relentless, pushing deeper and wider, but he was still murmuring gentle words. “Such a good girl, Addy. Take just a little more. A little more, lady. I want to be sure your first time is perfect.”

  Everything with him was perfect. “Cade.” She whispered helplessly.

  Hearing her say his name seemed to break his control. Cade snarled in lust and pulled his hand free. “I can’t wait anymore. I’m sorry. I need you too much.” The tip of him brushed her core. “Are you ready?”

  Her nerves started jangling again, now that they were at the main event. “Yes. …I mean no.”

  He stopped, his gaze jumping to hers. “No?”

  She tried to concentrate. “No, not no. Clearly, it’s yes. Just…” Her body was screaming for him, but twenty-eight years was such a long time to wait. Damn Dirty Dancing and its uncompromising view on romance, she should have practiced more. What if she was terrible at this? What if he was disappointed? “Tell me what nynan means first.” She blurted out.

  Cade frowned at the non sequitur. “What?”

  “You say it about me all the time. I need to know what it means.”

  “You seriously want to discuss linguistics right now?”

  Addy winced, feeling a little bad for him. The guy sounded like he was going to cry. He had a colossal amount of patience, but she could feel his strain. “Please.”

  Because he was Cade Westin, he actually took a deep breath and did as she asked. “Alright. In your language, it would be something like… ‘The woman is mine.’” He paused, considering that translation. “No, that’s not quite it. It isn’t possessive. It’s the reverse.” He thought for a moment. “‘I’m hers.’” He nodded. “Yes. It means roughly, ‘I belong to this woman.’”

  Addy’s nerves melted away. “I like that.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Do you really think you’re mine?”

  “I know I am.” He watched her steadily. “I will be yours even if we stop.”

  This time she didn’t hesitate. “I don’t want to stop. I’m sorry. I just panicked for a second, because I’m new at this.” She leaned in to kiss him. “I’m yours, too, Cade. Please take me. I’m so close…”

  Cade thrust into her before she even finished the whole sentence. There was a brief moment of pain and then she felt nothing but ecstasy. The girth of him was even wider than his fingers had b
een, stretching her to the brink. It felt sooooo good that her mouth fell open in a silent scream.

  “Come now, lady.” Cade pushed as deep as he could go and Addy exploded. Her body had been starving for this. For him. The man really was an alien superhero. He did things to her that no human could ever achieve. She gave a sob of pleasure, hanging onto him as her whole body shuddered.

  “Oh fuck yes.” Cade jaw was clenched as he watched her rock against him. “Addy.” He broke off in a panted litany of future-words. She didn’t need the exact translation to know just what he meant.

  Replete and gasping, she slumped against him. “Wow.”

  Cade was just getting started. One hand supported her beneath the water, holding her, while he moved in and out of her spasming channel. His other palm lifted her breast to his lips. Teeth grazed the hard point of her nipple and Addy was suddenly on the brink for a second time.

  “Cade.” She levered herself higher so he could have better access to the aching mounds. “Let me come, again.” She panted. “Please.”

  Her demand was met with a hungry growl. “Adeline, I…” Cade suddenly blinked, looking around like he saw something strange. “Shit.” He turned, carrying her towards shore. “Hang on.”

  “What’s wrong?” She tried to focus, but his lips were on hers and she forgot there was even a problem. The next thing she knew, Cade was lowering her to the ground at the edge of the hot spring. “Why are we stopping?”

  “We’re not stopping.” He flipped her onto her stomach in the grass, pushing her to her knees. “I’m never fucking stopping.”

  Okaaaaay. She let out a submissive sound of desire as he moved behind her. “But… Oh Jesus.” He slammed inside of her again and Addy let out a cry of pleasure. Inside of her, she could feel electric sparks coming off of Cade’s manhood as he got closer to completion. The Voltyn in him was taking control and she loved it.

  Cade didn’t seem nearly so pleased with their progress. “Oh Gods, Adeline.” His face was buried in her neck. “You’re so perfect. Just don’t look at me and everything will be perfect.”

  Wait… Addy froze. What did he just say?

  She turned to look at him over her shoulder, immediately spotting what he was trying to hide. Cade’s whole body was glowing now. Every bit of him.

  Her shocked eyes met his and he cringed. “I can’t help it.” He whispered. “It never got this bad before. I just want you so much, that it’s…”

  She cut him off by squiggling free of his grasp. Cade held onto her for a second, like he couldn’t bear to let her go. His fingers frantically tightened on her hips, his chest heaving. “No…” He stopped short and quickly released her, because he would always care about her needs before his own. “I’m sorry. Addy, I’m so sorry. I won’t hurt you. Give me a second and I can be more human. I swear it.”

  Addy turned around to face him, both of them on their knees. “You are a human.” She said, very plainly. “Voltyn are humans with some added DNA.”

  He gave a humorless laugh. “You’re the only one in this world who…”

  She cut him off, trying a different tack to get through to him as fast as possible. “If I’d been born a Voltyn, would you think I was inhuman?”

  Purple eyes flashed to hers and she could see his brain making a sharp turn. “Huh?”

  “Would I be less beautiful to you if I was a Voltyn?”

  He slowly shook his head. “Nothing could ever make you less beautiful to me. Voltyn or human, you would be Adeline.”

  “Exactly.” Her palm went to his illuminated cheek. “You’re so beautiful, Cade. Just the way you are. Don’t ever doubt that. I wouldn’t change any part of you.”

  He gave a choked sound of emotion, dragging her closer. “Addy.” He got out, hoarsely. One large hand came up to thread through her hair. “Nynan.”

  “Mine.” She agreed and shifted her thighs, so she was straddling him. “You are all mine, cowboy.” She eased downward, taking him deep.

  Cade’s gaze stayed locked on hers as he moved within her. “I will never have another.” He whispered, stroking faster and faster. “You are the beginning and end of all things, Adeline Mulhaney. When you leave me, you’ll rip my heart out and take it with you.”

  Addy was too far gone to answer that. Sparks were flying everywhere Cade touched. Literal sparks, like from the sparklers that kids played with on the Fourth of July. Her skin tingled from the inside out. She leaned into his body, trying to withstand the sensual onslaught. “Please, Cade. Now.”

  “Yes.” The tendons in his neck stood out as he slammed into her one last time. “Come now.” He gripped her tight and erupted with a triumphant roar. “Addy!”

  Fuck sparklers, this was a whole fireworks display. Addy gave a shriek of amazement as her entire system went into meltdown, again. She held onto Cade, her body convulsing in waves of pleasure. Around them, multicolored flares of electricity exploded in the air. It was so beautiful. All of it. Cade made it all so beautiful. Addy sagged against him, boneless and unable to speak.

  “Shit!” Cade caught hold of her chin, looking panicked when she went limp in his arms. “Are you alright? Did I hurt you?”

  She shook her head and gave him a damp smile. “No, of course not. I’m just happy and emotional and wrung out and… you know.” She wiped at her eyes. “You know?”

  His concerned expression faded into something infinite and very soft. “I know.” He repeated gravely. “In your language, I think the word is ‘wow.’”

  “Wow.” Addy concurred and kissed him gently. “Are you okay? No side effects from the extra-glowyness?”

  “I’m fine. Gods, I am more than fine. Everything about you is a miracle. It was my powers screwing things up for a moment. Back in the water, I saw,” he hesitated, “more. That’s all.”

  “More?”

  “Colors were all around us. Like the auras of everyone who’s passed this way still float in the air.” He sounded a little confused by the idea. “I think the Voltyn energy can do more than just create electricity, if I let it.”

  “Well, you should let it, then. The powers are a part of you, Cade. You should figure out how they work.”

  He held her close. “Before I met you, I wouldn’t even consider such a thing. But, now…” He trailed off and kissed her forehead. “You change the way I think.”

  Considering so many of his thoughts needed changing, Addy took that as a compliment. “You’re welcome.” She closed her eyes with a contented sigh. For once in her life, everything was perfect. Here with Cade, she was safe and warm and exactly where she belonged. She never wanted to go anyplace except back into the pool and…

  Wait a minute.

  Her eyes popped open, Cade’s earlier words suddenly coming back to her. When you leave me, you’ll rip my heart out and take it with you.

  WHEN.

  That son of a bitch still wasn’t planning to ask her to stay.

  Chapter Fourteen

  As promised on our award-winning website, you’ll be visiting plenty of authentic mining towns this trip.

  But one hundred and fifty years ago, these picturesque tourist spots were very different places.

  Sanitation was often lacking. Construction was always substandard. Fur blankets were made from actual animals.

  It’s hard to imagine the hardships of actual frontier life.

  Just be glad you’re staying in our highly-rated and vegan-friendly facilities, Glamper!

  Brown’s Glampling Tours Official Pocket Guide

  Deke arched a brow as Cade hopped down off Madonna. “Just looking at your face, I can tell you completely ignored my note and fucked this up.” He deduced. “Why do I even bother helping you, brother? I should have a drink, and leave you to your masochism and brooding.”

  “Shut up, Deke.” Cade turned to lift Addy from the saddle. “You’re lucky I don’t beat the ever-loving hell out of you, after what you did to us.”

  “What I did? Giving you a golden opportunit
y to claim your woman, you mean? God you just couldn’t be any stupider.”

  Deke might be swearing out insults, but the guy actually looked… good. For the first time since his captivity in the Wilderness, his hair was washed and cut to a halfway presentable length. His fresh clothes were clean and in the newest style. Most importantly, the dangerous red and black shards in his aura had faded back into the long-absent, serene blue that Cade remembered. Deke was finally leaving the horrors of the Wilderness War behind him and returning to normal.

  Addy had done that. She soothed all of them.

  As happy as it made Cade to see Deke coming back to the land of the living, he was still pissed at him, though. “Your idiotic plan left me all alone with Addy and a shitload of Outlanders. Did you even think about the danger you were leaving her in?

  Deke arched a brow. “Oh, stop whining. The girl was fine when I left. Don’t blame me if you fucked up.”

  Cade had fucked it up and that just made him angrier. “They almost killed us, you asshole.”

  “You guys need to stop arguing and appreciate the fact that we’re actually here.” Jacobi put in with typical positivity. He waved a hand around the polis. “Big Rock, Cade! Did you ever think you’d see it?”

  No, he hadn’t. As a boy, he’d imagined it, though. He’d heard that Big Rock was the only place where Voltyn were free and he’d dreamed of living there every time someone in Shadow-of-the-Gods spat in his direction. He’d seen himself walking the infamous streets of the outlaw stronghold with pride. People respecting him. Welcoming him into the stores and saloons. Having a home where he was loved. With children that no one ever hit and a gentle wife with big green eyes.

  That was another thing Addy did. She tore down the walls of your reality, so that everything you’d ever dreamed of was suddenly possible.

  Cade looked around. Not that this place was living up to the expectations of his boyhood. Big Rock was a larger than Shadow-of-the-Gods, with far more buildings and people. A trading post for criminals, it boasted a dozen saloons, three general stores, a laundry, five brothels, and four casinos. …But it was still just a grubby polis on the ass end of nowhere.