by Desiree Holt
Molly smiled and buried her face against Chance’s chest. “I guess that answers all our questions. But how—”
“Smarter than both of us, I guess.”
“Why don’t you give me your key? I can go on ahead later and fix something for us to eat.” She bit her lip. “That is…I mean…”
“It’s fine, Molly. I want you to.” He pulled a key off the ring and handed it to her, then put his mouth next to her ear. “Maybe tonight we’ll see if that plug’s been doing its work.”
Heat surged through her as he winked at her and walked away. And maybe tonight they could actually talk about where they were heading. Together.
The day alternately dragged and sped by for Molly. Her father and Chance were both gone the entire time. She knew her Dad usually left Chance to supervise things like this, but they also had a pleasantly large crop of calves and everyone was on their toes to make sure none of them got hurt in the cutting process.
Finally, late in the afternoon, she drove into Littleton to the grocery store, then on to Chance’s house. Something simple and easy to fix, she reminded herself, as she worked in the kitchen. Spaghetti sauce could sit and everything else could go in at the last minute. With the sauce simmering she set the fat candles she’d bought into glass holders, took them into the bathroom and lit then, and drew a bath in the huge tub, dumping ocean breeze-scented bath salts into it.
She was lounging in the tub, sipping at a bottle of beer, her hair piled on top of her head, the candles flickering, when she heard Chance come through the door.
“In here,” she called.
“Wow!” He lounged in the doorway, his Stetson pushed back on his head, arms crossed and a hungry look in his eyes. “I could sure get used to coming home to this every night.”
“That right?” She answered him casually, but her heart was hammering. She knew they were going to talk about their relationship and she just hoped he wanted the same thing he did.
“Damn straight.”
“Why don’t you start by hopping in here with me right now? This tub’s big enough for two.”
He was out of his clothes in seconds, climbing into the still steaming water and positioning himself behind her, his legs stretched out on either side of her. Molly lifted the wash cloth she’d been holding in her free hand and passed it over her shoulder to him.
“I’ve just been waiting for you to get here and wash my back.”
“Always glad to oblige a lady.”
She could feel his hard cock bumping against the cheeks of her ass as his strong hands rubbed soap into her back and sluiced it off with the wash cloth. Every nerve in her body was standing at attention and begging for his touch.
But she had something to run by him before she let herself fall into this sensuous cloud.
“Chance?”
“Mmmhmm?” His hands moved around to cup her breasts, his thumbs rubbing back and forth against her nipples.
“My father said something real strange to me yesterday.”
His hands stilled. “About us? Or me?”
She shook her head. “No. Well, maybe, in a way. He told me John Trammel’s leaving the ranch. Moving to Arizona.” She paused. “He told me the ranch manager’s job is mine if I want it.”
She felt the sudden tension in his body, then his thumbs resumed their tantalizing movement.
“What did you tell him?”
“Nothing yet.”
His teeth nibbled on the tender spot where neck and shoulder joined. “Are you thinking about it?”
“I never thought he’d make me a part of Hayes Ranch operations. But I’ve got a business degree. I know ranching. I’d really like to do it. Except…” She bit her lower lip.
“Except what?”
His hands began rhythmically squeezing her breasts and disrupting her concentration.
“It would mean we’d probably be thrown together a lot. And I didn’t know how you’d feel about it.”
Her heart tightened painfully as she waited for a long time for his answer. Had she been misreading everything so badly?
“I think you should do it,” he said at last and bit down on her neck.
She shivered. “You do?”
“Uh huh. It goes right along with what I planned to say later on.”
“Oh?” Her heart resumed its normal beat, but anticipation skittered through her. “And what’s that?”
“Later,” he teased. “Isn’t that what I said?”
They made bathing a sensual activity, washing each other and teasing each other until they were both ready to explode. At last Molly reached her toe out and pulled up the drain stopper and let the water drain away. Chance climbed out of the tub and wrapped a big towel around himself, then lifted her and dried her off carefully. Tossing the towels aside, he carried her into the bedroom where she’d already turned back the covers.
“Dinner can wait a while, right?”
“Yes.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “What did you have in mind?”
He lay down beside her, turning her to face him, his fingers stroking her cheek.
“Molly, I know we’ve only been…together for a couple of nights, but we’ve known each other forever. And I’ve wanted you it seems for as long as I can remember. But the timing was never right.” He chuffed a breath. “I tried to make it work with Sabrina. The things I like in the bedroom turned her off, but the plain truth is, she wasn’t you.” He kissed her softly, then licked her lips with the tip of his tongue.
“What are you trying to tell me?” She searched his eyes, trying to find some answers there. “That the sex between us is great? I think we both know that.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m not doing this very well. Molly, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I’m hoping you want the same thing.”
Her pulse was racing. “So, are you saying…”
“I love you, Molly. I want to be with you forever.” When she didn’t say anything, he frowned. “Am I making a mistake here? Assuming something?”
She finally found her voice. “No, not at all. I love you, too, Chance. And I want the same thing.”
“Thank god.” His voice dropped. “I wasn’t sure until this minute that you felt the same way. Loved me like I love you. I can’t wait to show you how happy that makes me. Right now.”
“Oh?” Her mouth curved in a slow grin. “And how do you plan to do that?”
“Like this.”
The kiss was deep and powerful, his tongue searching every surface of her mouth while his hands stroked her back and his body pressed against hers. One hand moved up to thread through her hair, holding her in place so his tongue could work its magic. When she was almost totally breathless, he lifted his head and shifted their bodies around on the bed. Before she realized what was happening, she was flat on her back, her legs raised, and Chances mouth was doing wicked things to her pussy.
He licked her everywhere, lapping the length of her slit, teasing her clit with the tip of his educated tongue. Thrusting that tongue inside her, mimicking what he wanted to do to her with his cock. Molly clenched his hair in her fists and arched her hips up to him, riding his tongue until she felt only the sensation of it inside her and the heat it spread through her body.
When he sat up abruptly, she cried out in frustration. “What are you doing?”
“Easy, sugar. I just wanted to get you ready for the big show.”
He turned her over and maneuvered her until she was on her hands and knees, the pillows stuffed beneath her to give her support. Very slowly he eased the plug from her ass, his hand cracking down on the flesh as soon as the toy came free.
Molly jerked, then wiggled her ass at him.
“You like that, don’t you.” His laugh was low and sensuous. “And I love doing it. I love to see that skin nice and pink, streaks running down to your pussy.”
His hand came down on her again, and yet again.
By now, between the wonderful things he done to her w
ith his mouth and the spankings, she knew she was dripping wet. And needy. She wanted him badly enough to beg for it if she had to.
“One more for good measure,” he said, bringing his hand down to her flesh again. “Then we get to the main event.”
She was trembling with arousal, wishing he’d hurry before she self-destructed. In a moment his fingers were prodding her anus, slicked with something cool. When they slid inside her, the fit was tight but not painfully so. He slid a third finger in beside them and scissored them, stretching her tissues, rubbing in the gel.
“That plug’s done its job, darlin’. You are so ready for me.”
Then his cock was prodding at her, pressing against her. His hands were on the cheeks of her ass, spreading them wide.
“Deep breath, Molly. Just like we did with the toy.”
She hauled in as deep a breath as she could. When she let it out, Chance pushed forward, slowly and steadily, until his cock was completely inside her. There was a brief flash of icy hot pain, but pleasure soon overtook it. Dark satisfaction crawled up through her, seeping through every pore, lighting every single nerve ending.
“Reach down and touch yourself.” Chance’s voice was so thick and raw she almost didn’t recognize it. “Go on, sugar. Do it.”
She moved one hand down between her legs and found her clit.
“You just rub that little bundle of nerves,” he told her. “And when I say so, pinch it real hard. Okay?”
She nodded, unable to say one thing.
His hips set up a rhythm motion, moving his cock in and out of her dark channel, slowly at first, then faster and faster. The sensations clawing through her were unlike anything she’d ever felt before. She moved her body to the same tempo, riding his cock, taking him as deep as she could.
The orgasm was like a living thing twisting up out of her belly, reaching, reaching, reaching. Chance’s hands tightened on her as he pounded into her.
“Now, Molly,” he shouted. “Do it, now.”
She pinched her clit as hard as she could…and exploded. Chance gripped her hips as his cock flexed and pulsed inside her and her cunt spasmed again and again. She fell forward, unsure if she would survive the aftermath, Chance moving with her. The only sound in the room was the grating noise of their breath seesawing in and out of their lungs, although her heart was pounding so hard she was sure it, too, could be heard.
It could have been minutes or hours when Chance finally rolled to the side, taking her with him, still connected to her. He kissed her neck, brushing away the damp tendrils of hair. Then her cheeks, her ear, biting the soft flesh of the lobe.
“You’re mine, Molly Hayes. And don’t you ever forget it.”
“Same goes,” she managed in a whisper.
“It’s been a tough ride,” he said, “but I guess you could say we’re both back in the saddle again.”
“I’ll ride with you anytime, cowboy,” she murmured.
And for the first time in as long as she could remember, Molly knew she was where she belonged.
Eight Second Ride
Chapter One
Kyle Mitchell wanted to pry his eyes open but someone was pounding a drum inside his head so hard he was afraid to see daylight. Not only that, but whatever he was lying on was harder than a concrete floor and killing his back. He needed aspirin and coffee in large supply. He tried to raise his hands to press them against his aching temples but something jerked his right hand and prevented him from lifting it. Now he opened his eyes. And wished he hadn’t.
Unfortunately this wasn’t the first jail cell he’d been in, but he was pretty sure it was the worst. And he was pretty sure it hadn’t been modernized in the last fifty years. One wall consisted of the usual arrangement of bars with a portion of it hinged for a door. The sleeping arrangement, rather than a crummy cot that would have been a vast improvement, was a flat piece of wood with a mattress on it so thin he was sure he’d be able to see through it. And it was the kind that pulled down from the wall on chains.
And speaking of chain, he yanked at his right hand again and discovered he was handcuffed to one length of chain.
Damn! What the hell had happened? What had he gotten himself into now?
Squinting against the brightness of the light from the ceiling lights he looked down the length of his body.
Boots. Check.
Jeans. Check.
He clapped his left hand over his waist in a sudden panic.
Champion belt buckle! Okay! Check.
Shirt. Check.
He rubbed a hand over his square jaw, feeling the stubble of yesterday’s beard growth. Testing everywhere on his face he discovered his nose was tender but not broken, but the rest of his face felt as if a bull had stomped on it.
Wait. Was that what had happened? The last thing he remembered was lasting the full eight seconds on Sodbuster before landing in the dirt of the rodeo arena. Everything else was a blur.
“Well. It looks like you’re finally awake.”
The voice was pure music, soft, with a faint drawl. Squinting through the bars he thought for a minute his heart was going to stop beating. In the hallway looking in at him was about five-foot-four of the most breathtaking woman he’d ever seen. Dark blonde curls tumbled down to her shoulders, framing a lightly tanned face with emerald green eyes peeking out from thick, thick lashes. The stiff fabric of the uniform shirt she wore couldn’t conceal the lush ripeness of her breasts any more than the pants hid her mouthwatering curves.
But what really shook him up was the star gleaming from its place of prominence on her shirt, right over one of those nicely rounded breasts.
Holy hell! This was the sheriff?
He looked at her and something inside turned over. He had an urgent need to see this woman naked in his bed, but not the way he did with the usual women he rolled in the sheets with. Not an eight-second ride and done. No, even in his pitiful condition he could imagine making slow, soul-searing love to her. Everything from his balls to his brain went on instant alert.
Kyle did his best to clear the frogs out of his throat and twist his dry lips into a smile.
Have pity on me. Whatever I did, I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you.
“Mornin’, ma’am. I’d tip my hat to you but it seems to have disappeared.”
“The only pleasantries I’d like from you, Mr. Mitchell, are an apology, your fine paid and to see the backside of you as you leave my jail.”
There was no humor on her face as she swung the door open, strode across the cell and reached to unlock the handcuff. Kyle didn’t know if it was his apparently scruffy appearance or the shit-eating grin on his face that made her stop just before she reached him.
“Swing yourself around and sit up, Mr. Mitchell. And keep your free hand to yourself. Don’t let my size or my sex fool you. I’m an expert in three kinds of hand-to-hand combat.”
He felt every one of his thirty-five years and his head still pounded like a jungle drum, but he couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off his face. He sure did like women with spirit, and this one obviously had more than her share.
“Can I ask why it was necessary to keep me cuffed all night? The way I feel, I couldn’t take on a baby.”
She looked at him with disgust. “The way you were swinging at my deputies, I was afraid you’d take out the whole squad. I guess anyone who could tame the famous Sodbuster could handle just about anyone.”
He managed a weak grin. It was slowly coming back to him. “Oh, yeah. Sodbuster. Got my eight seconds in this time.”
“And a whole lot more, as I understand.”
He slid a glance at her. “Don’t tell me you were there.”
“Didn’t have to be. While you were trying to beat them up, my deputies were singing your praises. Half of them were there for the rodeo finals last night. Saw your eight-second ride on Sodbuster.”
His chuckle was a little rusty. “Are you impressed?”
She managed to unlock him w
ith as little contact as possible, an amazing feat, then stood back, a good three feet away.
“Disgusted would be more like it. It takes a lot more than that to impress me. I’d think a big rodeo star like you would want to set a better example for others.”
“Example, huh?” Kyle stood slowly, taking inventory of his aching body. “If I promise to behave can you dig me up some aspirin?”
“I’ll have my deputy find some for you. Follow me.”
She turned and headed out of the cell, expecting Kyle to follow her. He scrambled off the bunk and caught up to her as quickly as he could. He started to reach for her arm before he remembered what she’d said about touching her.”Uh, ma’am? Excuse me, Sheriff?”
“Just follow me,” she snapped over her shoulder. “We’ll take care of business and you’ll be on your way.”
Kyle’s head throbbed with every thud of his boots on the concrete floor. He wondered if he closed his eyes and then opened them again real slow, he’d find himself in his room at the hotel, with the gorgeous buckle bunny who’d been hanging on him the night before, and all this would be just a nightmare.
The sheriff turned a sharp corner, her ass wiggling provocatively—more tempting because he was sure the wiggle was not deliberate—and he found himself in a small room with a table and three chairs. A man who looked to be somewhere in his sixties sat on one side of the table. The sheriff closed the door and leaned against it, folding her arms across her tempting breasts.
“Sit down, Mr. Mitchell,” she said. “This won’t take five minutes. Judge Harley will take care of things, you can pay your fine and be out of my sight.”
His stomach clenched, a combination of the aftereffects of the night before and the prospect of what dire things a judge might decide. “Did you say judge?” He looked from one to the other. “What do I need a judge for?”
“I think we’ll get through this if you just do what the sheriff says,” Judge Harley pointed out.
Kyle wondered if he’d fallen into an alternate universe. He lowered his aching body into one of the chairs.
