She gasped. “You took a photo?” She swiped the cell from her friend’s outstretched hand then sucked in another breath at the picture of her and Brick melting into each other. “Damn.”
“I know, right? You two sure heated up that fairway. It’s a good thing Cord hadn’t shown up.”
“Oh my God.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Can you imagine?”
Beth knew the reason Cord had always given her dates the third degree was because he’d taken it upon himself to fill in for their father, who’d died when she was ten. But it hadn’t lessened her frustration. Even during Skype chats while on deployment he’d always inquired about her social life. Eventually Beth refrained from dating, because she didn’t want him worrying about her while he was out there putting his life in danger.
Her focus changed. She’d started working and saving money to take some online courses. Money was too tight for her to go to college, although she’d never admit it to Cord. The guy was sacrificing enough for the family, sending his checks home, never spending money or going on vacations when he was back on leave.
“The fists would’ve flown, for sure.” Rachel grinned, stirring her iced tea. “Although I don’t think it would’ve been as easy to pull this kisser off you. He was full of hard muscle, wasn’t he?”
She nodded. Brick lived up to his name. He was ripped, and she suspected, former military. The way he carried himself reminded her of her brother. Confident. Sure. And the way the sexy cowboy walked with a lethal agility made her hot and bothered. Then there was the tattoo on his arm. An eagle with other symbols she refused to look at closely and deliberately didn’t acknowledge. Last thing she needed was verbal confirmation Brick was in the military. With her luck, her brother probably knew the guy.
God…was it really wise to go out on another date?
Her gaze dropped to the photo on the phone in her hand, and her heart literally skipped a beat. Yes…yes, it was wise. And wonderful, new, and addicting.
And if she didn’t get a move on, she was going to be late.
“I’ve got to go.” She slid the phone across the table to her friend then rose to her feet to take her empty glass to the sink.
“Call me first thing tomorrow morning and let me know how it went,” Rachel said, joining her by the sink. “Or better yet, tonight if he leaves. But I hope he stays. He kind of looked like a guy with mega stamina. You could use an all-nighter.”
“Rachel!” She turned to stare at her grinning friend who had no clue how right she was about Brick’s stamina. Although he hadn’t stayed the whole night. Yet.
“What?” Rachel quirked a brow. “I know you agree. I can see it in your eyes.”
Lordy, she didn’t need her friend to see anything else. She walked to the table to grab her purse and forced memories of a naked, ripped, Brick and his mega stamina from her mind. “Talk to your fiancé about the new menu choices the caterer gave us today. And don’t forget to find out about guests with food allergies.”
“I will.” Rachel pointed to the clock on the wall. “You are officially done today. No more work. Go have fun with your sexy cowboy.”
Beth saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”
Eight minutes later, she parked behind the hotel in front of her room, and some common sense returned with her. Seeing this guy was foolish. She wasn’t a fling kind of girl, and her life wasn’t in Braxton. She lived over two hours away.
With a sigh, she pulled her cell from her purse and brought up his number. Secret Cowboy. A smile tugged her lips. She really liked his sense of humor. Among other things.
All the more reason to hit call and cancel the date. Get out now before her heart got as involved as her body—which refused to tap the dang screen.
She was still waging the inner battle when a truck pulled in next to her and her secret cowboy unfolded from the cab.
Shoot. Too late.
Shoving the phone back in her purse, she took a deep breath and then opened the door. She’d just have to cancel in person.
“Hey, angel.” His sexy drawl sent shivers of awareness down her body, with extra emphasis on her good parts. Parts he knew how to make feel real good. “Just get back?”
She nodded, trying to find the right words and the courage to say them as he rounded his truck and drew near, looking sexier than he had a right to in a blue button-down shirt, black pants, Stetson, and boots. He’d changed. Holy crow, he looked absolutely delicious.
Didn’t matter. It was best if she said her piece. By the time she got her mouth to open, he was in front of her, cupping her face with his big hands and bringing her lips to his in a kiss that curled her toes.
Slow and thorough, he took his time ravaging her senses with a tenderness she hadn’t expected. All thoughts of canceling disappeared, along with her brain cells…and her ability to stand. Bugger stole the strength from her legs, forcing her to clutch at his broad shoulders—all solid and warm beneath. Beth did what any girl would in her position, she melted into his delicious body and swept her tongue into his mouth.
He rewarded her with a low, sexy growl and slid a hand around her back to haul her in closer. Every inch of her body in contact with his tingled. It was crazy. Each time they kissed, it got better and better, and heaven help her, she wanted more.
It took the honking of a horn from a car driving around the building to break them apart. Still clutching his shirt, she set her cheek against his chest and sucked in air, listening to the thud of his heart slow to a steady, sure beat.
“Sorry.” His ragged breaths stirred her hair as he kissed the top of her head. “I didn’t mean for that to get so out of control.”
She tipped her head back to smile up at him. “I wasn’t complaining.”
A teasing gleam entered his eyes. “Good to know. But I think maybe I had better wait out here if you need to go inside. I doubt I’d be able to keep my hands off you, and I’d really like to take you to dinner.”
Warmth funneled into her chest and her heart cracked open. Damn. Why’d he have to be so sweet? She wanted to keep their connection physical. Letting the guy into her heart was dangerous on so many levels her head spun.
Or was that still from lack of oxygen?
One thing was certain, she wasn’t thinking straight. Why else would she lift up on tiptoe and kiss his cheek, instead of pulling away and reminding him she was only there temporarily?
“I don’t need to go inside. I’m ready now.”
Dammit.
Her mouth was a traitor. She never gave it permission to say that.
“In that case, allow me.” He opened the passenger door of his truck and offered his hand as she climbed inside.
He smelled good. Great, actually. She stole a second inhale as he leaned in to secure her seatbelt. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she was more than capable of handling the task, but then his chest brushed hers and her nipples told her to keep quiet. They were more than happy with the situation.
Of which he noticed.
His gaze dropped to her chest, and she watched the pulse in the vein at the base of his neck increase. Then he swallowed and glanced up, and damn, her throat dried at the raw need he didn’t bother to hide.
“I swear, cowboy, that whiskey gaze of yours is so hot it could melt my panties off.” And was making her uncharacteristically bold. She never talked naughty with a guy before.
His lips twitched into a badass grin. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Heaven help her…she liked it. “If I were wearing some.”
His indrawn breath sucked the smile from his lips. “Damn, angel, you’re killing me.”
“Right back at you.” She chuckled and brushed her thumb over one of his dimples.
“You’re kidding about the panties, right?”
She decided to put him at ease. “Yes.”
He blew out a breath and nodded as he straightened to stand at her door. “Good.”
“I’m wearing a thong.”
Muttering s
omething under his breath she couldn’t quite catch, he shut her door and appeared to be talking to himself as he marched around the front of the truck. Beth smiled and couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so lighthearted, wanted, empowered. Just knowing she could knock such a virile man off kilter was a hell of a boost to her self-esteem.
He climbed into the truck but didn’t start the engine, just stared straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel tight.
She tipped her chin. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” he said, but shook his head.
She chuckled. “Well which is it?”
“Both.” He finally glanced at her, his gaze dark and troubled. “I’m trying to forget the fact you’re wearing a thong under that dress.”
Beth tried to behave. She really did, but something about this giant, hunk of a man and his desire for her made her adventurous. And bold. And not at all hungry for food. “Would it help if I remove it?”
His head jerked back. “Jesus, Beth, you are trying to kill me.”
“No.”
“Well you’re making it hard for me to keep my hands to myself and our date on track.”
She smiled. “I think our date is going just fine.” To prove it, she unhooked her seatbelt and slid closer, very happy his truck had a bench seat.
“What are you doing?” he asked as she leaned in to kiss his neck and set a palm on his abs, loving how they bunched under her touch.
“If you don’t know, then I must be doing it wrong.”
He groaned and released the death-grip he had on the steering wheel to grasp her upper arms and pull her away. “No. God, no. You’re doing it right. You do everything right, angel. But I wanted to take you to eat. To be a gentleman.”
The sincerity shining in his eyes split her heart open further. “You’ve always been a gentleman, Brick.”
“Yeah?” Some of the tension eased from his shoulders and his grip. “I just don’t want you to think I’m only looking for sex.” He released her to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “This is new territory for me, but I’d like to get to know you beyond the bedroom. Is that okay with you?”
Her heart tripped in her chest. There were several reasons it wasn’t okay. Good reasons. She dismissed every one, because there were even more reasons it was wonderful. Like the way he made her feel. Important. Wanted. “Yes, I’d like to get to know you, too. But, Brick?”
“Yeah?”
She reached up to cup his chin, brushing his lower lip with her thumb. “Can we order takeout? Later?” Her body just craved his too much to waste time on food. “I’d much rather have you now.”
His gaze widened a second before filling with a delicious heat. “Hell yeah.” He shoved his fingers through her hair and held the back of her head as his mouth captured hers in a hungry, desperate, demanding kiss.
She moaned and pressed closer, her whole body already hot and aching for his touch. Tangling her hands in his hair, she knocked his hat off, but he didn’t seem to notice as he groaned her name.
Damn, it sounded so good on his lips.
Around them, the evening approached. The sun slowly lowered. Leaves blew back and forth on the small trees lining the quiet lot. Traffic sounded in the distance, muffled by the truck’s closed windows, which incubated the heat from the still strong sun…and from the cowboy kissing the smart from her brain.
Why else would she be necking with him in the parking lot like a teenager when they could be in her room, naked, between her sheets?
Memories of the last time they’d rolled around in her bed added to the flush already simmering through her body. As soon as she was done kissing him, she was going to drag him to her room to create more of those delicious memories. Try something new. Adventurous. But right now, she couldn’t pull away from the man if her life had depended on it.
Over and over, he teased her with a slight pass of his tongue while his big hand slowly glided down her body, leaving her trembling for more. He cupped her breast, and she silently praised the designer of her sundress for using a blessedly thin material. His palm was big and warm, and she pressed closer to show her appreciation then made a needy sound in her throat as he brushed her nipple with his thumb, once…twice…not nearly enough when his hand left to slide down her hip. Beth was about to draw back and protest when that big, sure hand slipped under her dress and up her thigh, drawing another desperate sound from her throat as his rough palm scraped her skin. Then his long fingers hit home and she rocked forward.
He broke the kiss with a hiss of breath. “You’re wet.”
“You kill me, too.” She watched her admittance darken his eyes with passion and something feral.
“Never. Only pleasure. I promise.” His gaze bore deep while he stroked a finger over her, the callused pad playing with the edge of her thong.
“Here?” Her mind tried to hang on to reason. “Someone might see.”
Leaning in, he kissed her neck, trailing his mouth to her ear while he tugged her thong down to her knees, giving him access to where she ached most. “No security cameras, and no one back here but us.”
She wanted to ask how he knew those things but breath hitched in her throat as he continued his delicious torment, stroking slowly, purposefully—all while watching her face.
“Still…we should g-go inside.”
“In a minute.” A wicked smirk twitched his lips a second before he made good on his promise and slid that long, thick finger inside her.
Beth gasped as pleasure shot out in all directions, overriding her concern about their location. Already pent up from his kisses, she rocked into his hand, straining closer for more. Damn, he felt so good. Always felt so good. Her body trembled, recognizing his exquisite touch and ached for all it knew he could bestow.
“Brick…”
So close to that blissful edge, she wriggled against him, breathing ragged and frantic, clutching his shoulders as he brushed her center with his thumb. The orgasm hit her suddenly and with a force she’d never experienced. Bucking with wild abandon, Beth threw her head back and moaned his name low and long while he drew out her pleasure with a talent that rocked her world.
When she finally regained the ability to speak, she opened her eyes and met a very hot gaze dilated nearly black with need. “I… What just happened?”
“Angel.” He brushed her cheek with his thumb. “You’re what happened. You’re amazing.”
That’s when Beth knew. She knew it was too late to keep her heart from needing the sweet cowboy as much as her body needed him. Her plans to walk away tonight just took a hike.
But she’d worry about the future later. Right now, she had an incredible, giving man who deserved a release just as ground shaking as he’d given her.
“Come inside so I can return the favor.”
Chapter Three
Heaven was being in his angel’s arms.
Each time they got together it was better than the last. Tonight was proving to be no exception. Watching Beth come apart in the truck had nearly taken Brick with her. The woman’s reactions to his touches and kisses made him hungry for more. So much so, he was barely holding it together as he ushered her into her hotel room.
Once inside, she pressed into him against the locked door and rubbed her sweet curves up and down his body. “Brick.” Her hands fisted in his hair and pulled his mouth so close her lips brushed his as she spoke. “I need you naked. Now.” Then she kissed him, moaning into his mouth as if he was the best thing she ever tasted.
Damn, the woman had him so hard he was afraid his erection might fall off.
While her fingers worked the buttons on his shirt, he shoved his into her hair and took over the kiss, slowing the pace, brushing his tongue just inside her bottom lip. She let out another of her breathy little moans and pushed his opened shirt down his arms, broke the kiss, and drew back to stare at him with a crazed hunger heating her gaze.
“Jesus, Beth, if you don’t stop looking at me like that this’ll be over
before we even start.”
She shook her head and took another step back. “We can’t have that.”
He was about to agree when she grasped the hem of her dress, ripped it over her head, and stood before him in nothing but her sandals.
Then she kicked off the sandals.
Brick nearly swallowed his tongue. But he had plans for it and her. “Sit on the edge of the bed.” His voice sounded rough, but he could tell she knew it was from need, and heaven help him, her eyes flared with the same fierce emotion as she did as instructed.
He stalked her the whole way, dropping to his knees when she hit the mattress, her gorgeous breasts bouncing, beckoning his attention. He gave it willingly, cupping each beauty, delighting in the way her nipples puckered under his touch.
“Brick.” Half plea, all need, her voice sent a shaft of heat straight to his groin, and the way she arched into his hands had blood flow whistling through his ears.
No one ever said his name like Beth.
Setting a hand on each knee, he spread her wide, and his whole body tightened while his mouth watered, longing to taste her exquisiteness again. He wanted to nip and taste every inch of her again, and would, later. There’d be so much “later” she wouldn’t know what hit her.
But right now, his mission concerned the delectable spot between her legs.
Brick shot to his feet, quickly shedding the rest of his clothes and rolling on a condom he’d fished from his pocket.
“Mmm.” A wicked gleam entered her eyes a second before she rolled over and got onto all fours, wiggling that sweet ass at him while she grinned over her shoulder.
Holy hell.
His heart stopped for a full beat then nearly rocked out of his chest. “Beth, angel, I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t want to hurt you.” He knew he was bigger than the average man. Taking her from behind could do just that.
“I think you’ve got me more than ready to handle it, Brick. So, come on. I never tried this position. I heard it can be good as long as the guy…you know…touches the girl just right. And trust me, you know how to touch me just right.”
Her Secret Ranger (The Men of at Ease Ranch) Page 3
