Thunderstruck

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  “Perfect.” She started to kneel in front of him but he grasped her arms and pulled her back up.

  “Ladies first,” he murmured.

  “Uh-uh. And we don’t have time to argue.”

  “But—”

  “Be quiet, Damon.” She eased out of his grip and sank to her knees under the pelting water. Then she wrapped her fingers around that bad boy and began to stroke its rigid length.

  “Not likely if you keep that up.”

  “I mean, just let me.” And she took him into her mouth.

  His sharp intake of breath was gratifying, as was his shudder of reaction when she began using her tongue. He’d come fast, and considering how this was affecting her, so would she. When she raked him gently with her teeth, he quivered so much he was forced to brace one hand against the tiled wall for support.

  Gripping the base of his shaft with one hand, she cupped his balls with the other and started a slow massage. One swift move and she took him all the way to the back of her throat. Then she eased up again and applied intense suction to the very tip.

  He groaned as she stroked the sensitive spot behind his balls. At last she took all of him in once more and sucked hard. He came with a bellow of satisfaction that filled the tiny bathroom. She swallowed everything he gave her before drawing back.

  With surprising strength considering the way he’d trembled during his climax, he pulled her to her feet and claimed her mouth. She nestled her slick body against his and sucked on his tongue as he thrust it deep. Backing against the shower wall, he leaned against it as he turned her around and pulled her in close.

  As he cradled her breasts, she arched into his palms with a soft whimper. Slipping one hand between her thighs, he combed his fingers through her wet curls, seeking...there. He pushed deep and began loving her as his cock, which should be napping, thickened. Nothing to be done about that. He stroked faster and rotated his thumb over her clit. She moaned and shook in his arms.

  He put his mouth next to her ear. “Come for me, Philomena. Let go.”

  She tensed as her orgasm edged nearer.

  “That’s it. Take what you need.” He pumped his fingers faster, and she gasped out his name.

  Then the dam broke, and she came with a wail of pure pleasure. He stayed with her. She sagged against him, sated, but as he continued to caress and explore, the urgency returned. He stroked her breasts, her belly, her bottom, everything he could reach. She felt so wet, so sexy, so ready for more.

  His breath was hot in her ear. “I want you again.”

  Her response came between quick breaths. “I want you again, too.”

  “Not here.” He released her long enough to shut off the water. Then he helped her out and grabbed a towel, but neither of them bothered to use it. Uttering a soft oath, he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom, where they tumbled down on top of the comforter.

  She hadn’t turned lights on before they’d left this morning, so they had nothing except what spilled through the bathroom doorway. That was better. This wasn’t about slow and tender.

  There was nothing relaxed about the way they grappled and rolled on the bed, their bodies still wet, their mouths hot and eager for the taste of each other. She took his cock in her mouth again, but he stopped her before she could make him come.

  Wrenching open the nightstand drawer, he grabbed one of the condoms they’d stashed there. By the time he had it on, she’d rolled onto her back, parted her thighs and bent her knees.

  A wild woman had taken command of her senses, and she barely recognized her own voice. “Come and get what you want, cowboy.”

  He moved over her and thrust with enough momentum to slam the headboard against the wall.

  “Yeah.” Her laughter was low and breathless. “Like that.”

  “You got it.” He pumped hard, and that headboard banged into the wall every time.

  She dug her fingers into his butt. “More.”

  He gave her more, and the headboard hit the wall faster and faster. Even though she hadn’t worried about whether she’d have an orgasm this time, she did, anyway, hollering like crazy. He followed right on her heels, his cries drowning out hers. Dear God. The climax of the century. She thought the top of her head would come off.

  He was still breathing hard when he levered himself up to gaze at her in the dim light. “Wanna skip dinner?”

  She grinned. “You know I do.”

  “Great. Let’s—”

  “But we won’t.” She slapped him firmly on his delicious ass. “Move it, cowboy. We have people to see.”

  Operating as quickly and efficiently as they did on the construction site, they got dressed in record time.

  As they started out the door of her house, he paused to survey the trail of clothes that led to her bathroom. “We made quite a mess. And your bed’s a wreck.”

  She remembered his need for order. Leaving her house trashed might really bother him. “I know. But if we take time to pick up—”

  “Hell, I wasn’t about to suggest that.” He smiled. “To tell you the truth, if creating a disaster zone leads to that kind of sex, I’m all for it.”

  She returned his smile. “Good to know.” They were so much in tune. It was easy to imagine he could be happy staying in Wyoming. But he wouldn’t be. He’d made that clear, and she’d support his wish to keep some distance from Thunder Mountain Ranch...and from her.

  15

  THE OTHERS WERE being served their meals by the time Damon and Phil arrived, so naturally they had to endure some teasing comments. Damon didn’t care. That wild interlude with Phil had been the most carefree sex he’d ever had, especially tumbling into bed still wet from the shower.

  When he thought of the soaked comforter and pillows, not to mention the clothes scattered throughout her house, he didn’t cringe and wish they’d cleaned it up. Instead he remembered how she’d abandoned herself to the experience. And to him.

  No woman had ever done that before, but it might be partly his fault. If they’d sensed his need for order, they might not have dared. Apparently, he didn’t intimidate Phil at all, which made him smile.

  He was grateful for her sense of adventure. The comforter and pillows would dry, and the clothes would be gathered up. But the memory of their crazy, spontaneous lovemaking would stay with him forever.

  After Damon and Phil’s orders had been taken, Rosie nudged Cade, who was sitting next to her at the round table. “Okay, they’re finally here, so you can tell us about the phone call.” She glanced at Damon. “He wouldn’t say a word until you arrived.”

  Cade put down his goldfish bowl of a margarita. “Didn’t want to have to repeat myself.”

  Damon felt a twinge of guilt for thinking earlier that he and Phil could have skipped this dinner. Good thing she’d insisted. He focused on Cade. “Thanks for waiting for me, bro. So what happened?”

  “Well, I called the number Molly gave me.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Rosie made a rolling motion with one hand. “Cut to the chase.”

  “I asked for Jack Chance.”

  “Did you get him?” Like everyone in northern Wyoming, Damon had heard of the fabled Chance family and the historic Last Chance Ranch. Jack was the eldest son, and after his father’s death several years ago, he’d become the acknowledged leader of the clan.

  “I didn’t get him right away, but I talked to his mother while somebody went to fetch him.”

  “That would be your Aunt Sarah,” Lexi said.

  Cade exchanged a look with her. “I suppose she is, but I didn’t call her that.” He shrugged and took another swallow of his margarita. “Maybe eventually that won’t feel weird and I can do it. Anyway, she must have been able to tell I was nervous as hell, because she was so kind. Then Jack came on the line, and I don’t know how to explain this, but we seemed to... I don’t know...recognize something in each other. Does that make sense?”

  “It does to me,” Rosie said. “Molly’s hinted that Jack didn’t h
ave an easy childhood, and his dad’s death hit him hard.”

  “Molly’s mentioned that to me, too. But even if she hadn’t, something in his voice was familiar, as if he understood things about me because he’d been there.” He looked across the table at Damon. “You’d hear it. Any of us would.”

  “So you told him about Thunder Mountain Academy?” Damon leaned forward, eager for the news.

  “I did. Gave him all the basic info. We’ll talk more about it when Lexi and I go over there this month, but Dominique will call me tomorrow about the calendar. He’s positive she’ll love the concept. He loves the concept. He wanted to know if he could become an honorary part of the group so he could be in it.”

  Damon laughed. “Hell, he can have my month.”

  “Nice try, amigo.” Cade shook his head. “But adding Jack doesn’t mean we subtract you.”

  “Yeah, I know. In any case, congratulations. And I’m paying for that ginormous margarita, too.”

  “As a matter of fact, you are.” Cade looked pleased with himself. “When I ordered it, I told our server to put it on your bill whenever you showed up.”

  “Fine with me. You earned it.” Damon stood and reached across the table for their ritual handshake. “Great job.”

  “Thanks.” Cade’s eyes glowed with pride as he shook Damon’s hand and met his gaze.

  It was a moment Damon wouldn’t have wanted to miss, not even for an uninterrupted night in Phil’s bed. After he sat down, he lowered his voice to a pitch he hoped only she could hear. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Hey, you two.” Cade grinned at them. “Enough with the sweet nothings. You can pick up where you left off when you get back to Phil’s house.”

  “Leave them alone,” Rosie said. “I think it’s lovely that they’re getting along so well.”

  “Me, too.” Lexi winked at him. “Worked out okay after all, didn’t it, Damon?”

  “Yes, it did.” Under the table he reached for Phil’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

  Rosie beamed at them. “It does my heart good to see the two of you looking so happy.”

  Cade lifted his margarita in their direction. “I’ll drink to that. Anything that does Mom’s heart good is a plus in my book. Props to you guys.”

  “It seems a shame that you’re leaving so soon, though, Damon,” Rosie said.

  “Have to.” He didn’t like thinking about it, either. “I promised my buyer the house would be ready in two weeks.”

  “All right.” Rosie obviously wasn’t deterred. “So you have to take care of that, but after you’re done, why not drive back over and stay for a while?” She turned her attention to Phil as if seeking an ally. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

  Phil hesitated. “Um, actually—”

  “I’d be in favor,” Cade said. “Lexi’s convinced me that we need a rec hall, and if you and Phil could finish it this summer, before we have to worry about bad weather, that would be terrific. I realize that keeps you from starting on another house in California, but I think we can squeeze out some money to compensate you. Phil, too, for that matter.”

  Herb spoke up. “Definitely. The rec hall will take longer than the cabin, and we can’t ask either of you to work without pay. We padded the Kickstarter amount a little for situations just like this, so I think we can swing it if you can wait until September first for the money.”

  Damon was torn. The prospect of coming back in a couple of weeks and spending more time with Phil was way too appealing. He wanted to help build the rec hall, but putting it up this summer wasn’t critical.

  By postponing the project until spring, he’d have months to settle into his regular routine before seeing her. A long break was probably a wiser course of action if he wanted to keep their connection low-key. Ha. It had never been low-key.

  That might be even more reason to nix the idea of driving back here this summer. They both could use a cooling-off period. He couldn’t very well explain that to everyone at the table, though. He wasn’t even sure that he wanted to.

  The idea of coming back in two weeks hovered in his imagination, a tantalizing image of hot, sweaty days and passion-filled nights with Phil. He had to believe she was thinking the same thing. When she gave his hand a squeeze under the table, he was sure of it.

  Then she slipped her hand free and cleared her throat. “I think we need to let Damon get back to his work in California rather than expecting him to make another trip over here so soon.”

  He stared at her in astonishment. That was the last thing he’d expected her to say.

  She smiled at him before continuing. “He’s been incredibly generous with his time and talents. I know he’ll agree to do anything he can for the project, but if we wait until spring to put up the rec hall, he can schedule it in advance instead of dropping everything to build it now. He might not tell you it’s inconvenient, but I suspect it is.”

  Herb nodded. “You make a good point. We don’t want to impose on you, Damon.”

  “It’s not an imposition. I’ve never thought of it that way. I’m glad to help out.”

  Rosie looked worried. “I don’t want to impose, either. But I thought, since you and Phil work so well together, that...” She made a vague gesture with her hand. “You’d want to come back over this summer.”

  “Well, I—”

  “Rosie.” Phil’s voice was gentle. “We get along great, as I’m sure you’ve figured out. But that doesn’t mean we’re a couple. Whether he comes back in two weeks or months from now makes no difference, either to me or to him.”

  No difference? That sure wasn’t true for him, and he couldn’t believe it was true for her, either.

  Cade had been watching them both intently, and finally he took a deep breath and focused on Damon. “You know what, bro? Phil’s right. We should let you get back to the job that brings in the money. No matter what we can scrape together, I doubt it’ll equal what you’ll earn doing your own thing. The rec hall can go up next spring, no problem.”

  Damn it, now he was irritated. “I’m not concerned about the money. And even if I don’t come back in two weeks, I’ll show up for Christmas. Can’t do outside construction, but I can put in the bunks and the desks in the new cabin.” Of course he’d have no excuse to see Phil then. For all he knew, she’d head down to Cheyenne to be with her father and stepmother.

  “Excellent idea,” Rosie said. “I’d love you to come home for Christmas. I just hope we’re still at—” She caught herself. “Sorry.” Her jaw firmed. “Herb and I will be waiting at the ranch with bells on.”

  “Literally,” Herb said. “Last year I got us each a Christmas sweatshirt with bells sewn on the front.”

  “Sounds great. Count on me.” But whether he came back for the holidays or not wouldn’t matter much to Phil, apparently. He’d thought for sure she’d want him to return this summer, but instead she was arguing in favor of his staying away. That stuck in his craw.

  “I will plan on it, then.” Rosie still looked worried, though, as if she sensed something wasn’t quite right. “And by the way, the cabin is coming along beautifully.”

  “Thanks. We might be able to finish it tomorrow.” He thought about his suggestion that he and Phil drag a mattress in there and spend the night as a celebration of what they’d accomplished together. Now he wondered if that would mean anything to her.

  Their food arrived, and he ate because a hard day’s work plus sex made him hungry, but he didn’t feel nearly as warm and cozy as he had when they’d walked into the restaurant. Sure, Phil had accepted the limits on their relationship, but tonight she’d seemed almost clinical about it, as if she didn’t care whether they spent time together or not. He hadn’t expected that.

  He didn’t try to hold her hand under the table anymore, but he pretended everything was cool as they all said their goodbyes in the parking lot. Phil seemed to be cheerful enough.

  But Rosie obviously knew something was wrong. She made a p
oint of coming over to give him a hug. “I hope everything’s okay.”

  “Everything’s great, Mom.” He hugged her back.

  “I just—”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “All right.” She patted his cheek. “I’ll bring you guys lunch again tomorrow.”

  “Perfect. See you then.”

  Phil glanced over at him. “Ready?”

  “Yep.” Damn it, the last time she’d said it they’d been standing in her shower about to have sex. He wondered if that crossed her mind or if she’d forgotten all about it already.

  As they walked to her truck, he knew he had to say something about the discussion in the restaurant. He couldn’t just go back to her house, have more sex and not talk about it. Her attitude really bothered him.

  She reached for the door handle, and he put a restraining hand on her arm. “Hang on a minute. I have a question.”

  She turned to face him. “About what?”

  “How come you jumped right in and suggested I should head back to California and stay there?”

  She studied him for a moment. “I don’t believe I put it quite like that.”

  “Not word for word, but that was the general idea.”

  “Isn’t that what you want?”

  “Well, yeah, in a way, but...would you like me to come back this summer? Because if you would, I sure couldn’t tell from the conversation.”

  She stared at him without speaking.

  “I guess I have my answer, then. It’s exactly like you said, that it doesn’t matter one way or the other.”

  “What in hell are you talking about?”

  “The fact that you don’t seem to care whether I stay or go! That’s what I’m talking about!”

  “I can’t believe you.” Her voice was low and intense. “You laid it all out for me in the beginning. You said how important it was that you stay unattached so you can do your own thing. I thought you’d want to get back to California and live the way you seem to prefer!”

  “I do, but being with you is great, too.”

  She blinked. “So you want me to ask you to stay? Is that it?”

  “No. I know you wouldn’t do that, especially in front of other people. But the way you reacted, it’s as if you don’t give a damn what I do.”