by Leigh Curtis
It wasn’t just a kiss, she realized as he pulled her breath into his chest. He was fucking her with his mouth. His teeth and tongue subdued her better than if he’d tied her wrists and ankles. Moving, pushing, pulling, and teasing her, he worked his mouth like an assaulting army, and the only thing she could do was meet him measure for measure.
When he pulled away, she felt him laugh against her. “I can see you ain’t gonna make this easy.”
“Easy’s not fun, cowboy,” she said, breathless. Both of them were panting like dogs on a hot August afternoon.
“Yes, ma’am.”
He then launched another attack, this time slower and more deliberate. First her mouth, then her neck, his hands caressing her breasts as he drove her near to madness. Then, he slid downward, his groin moving away from hers, and it was all she could do to keep from wrapping her legs around him and pulling him back into her embrace.
Without giving her time to think, however, he moved his mouth to her right breast. He proceeded to spend a torturously long time there, suckling and pulling her nipple, teasing her flesh with his tongue. Just when she thought she could stand no more, he moved and repeated his actions on the other breast. This time, Lily couldn’t hold back her moan.
Damn, the man was good.
When he finished there, he proved he was better than good. Pushing her legs farther apart, he went down lower. His breathing hot and moist on her abdomen, he paused a few seconds to either fill his lungs or stretch out her anticipation. Then, she watched helplessly as he dove into her groin, clamping his mouth on her pussy, where he began an assault of a different kind.
The gentleman’s kiss was what Marie had called it once. Whores knew of it but rarely experienced it. Most men were all about pleasing themselves, and a lot insisted that the woman take them in her mouth, but rarely did they ever want to reciprocate.
Wade was not most men. In fact, he had done something Lily hadn’t thought possible. With that one act alone, he’d started a soft spot in her hard shell hatred of all things male. Indeed, as he continued to suckle there, scraping his teeth lightly against her clitoris, she almost came undone. If he asked her for the deed to the pleasure ranch, she’d probably had given it to him. Lily was thankful that he didn’t.
Without any control over her rebellious body, Lily had lost control over the situation. Before she knew what was happening, she was moving her hips wildly, pushing her ass upwards into his mouth, and gripping his hair with both of her fists.
“Please,” she moaned and heard him chuckle in response.
He paused a moment, lifting his face from her juncture. “Oh, like this do you?”
Lily nodded, panting so hard that she feared if she stopped she’d suffocate.
“Good girl,” he said before plunging face first back into her curls.
Although barely seconds passed, it seemed an eternity before she decided that she could no longer hold off his assault and keep her body from responding. She was certain it was either climax or die. Of course, she did consider that a climax as strong as the one she was about to have might kill her. Hell, it would take down even the strongest of women. Still, like standing in front of an oncoming train, she was helpless to stop it. So she did the next best thing and gave into it.
And it was an experience like she’d never had. All at once, her body went into a spasm, mercilessly, joyfully twisting, and the orgasm beat through her like a bass drum. Her insides wrenched sideways, and she could feel the smile on the smug bastard’s face. Well, see if she didn’t repay him in kind. That was, if she survived the next few seconds.
She didn’t know how long her climax lasted, because at the end of it, she came apart. The next thing she knew, she was relaxing back onto the bed, his huge form hovering over her like a bear arousing from a long winter’s slumber.
Then he spoke words that nearly stopped her heart in her chest.
“Oh, I’m not done with you yet.”
Smug bastard.
*****
Wade knew he had her right where he wanted her, sure enough. Even if his body hadn’t been about to explode and his flesh hadn’t been on fire, he would have known that he had the upper hand. At that precise moment, however, his victory seemed unimportant. Only one thing crowded into his brain. He had to get inside of her now. That very second. Or he was surely going to perish.
In truth, he’d expected that he could bed her good and proper. He just hadn’t foreseen the effect it would have on him.
“…I’m not done with you yet.”
With that he slid his right arm under her and flipped her on her stomach. Then, he rose up, placing one arm on the headboard, and the other under her belly and pulled her up so that her round, soft ass fit tightly into his groin. The pleasure of having her like this was all his, and he damn well knew it.
“Wait…” she began, but then stopped when he rubbed his erection into her backside. “Oh, fuck!”
“Exactly what I had in mind. Stallion style. That’s the way I like it.”
Then, he began moving, lifting her up slightly as she bent down to accommodate his size, and in a single thrust he entered her velvet softness. It wasn’t enough to be there, he quickly realized. He wanted more. He needed to feel her respond. All of her, the way she had a few moments before. So he pulled back until just the tip of his cock was inside of her.
She drew in a sharp breath in response. Yeah, he was going to like this.
Sweat broke out on his brow as he repeated the action. In, then out. In, then out. He felt her tighten around him. She moaned again, and he continued, increasing the pace and drinking in the cooing sounds she made as he did so.
It took every bit of his strength not to let go. Both of them were hot, and their skin was slick, and he could barely hold onto her. Still, he continued. In and out, in and out, his body was more machine than man. Pushing and pulling, until he felt her climax begin, her body clenching onto his like a vise.
And when her climax started to peak again, he gave a final push. Like a river exploding over the edge of a waterfall, both of them flew over the edge of reality and into the mist of sexual bliss.
Wade had never known heaven in his twenty‐nine years, hadn’t even thought of it really. Until that moment. Now, he knew exactly what it was: the soft form of a good woman around him and a release sexual and emotional tension that had been building up for a long time. In that instant, he was no longer ex‐convict Wade MacReynolds. He was just a man.
And that was enough.
*****
Sometime later, Lily came back into herself. Instantly aware of the man sleeping beside her, she rose up on her elbows and dared to really look at him. By the moonlight, she supposed he wasn’t different from most men. His face was square and ruggedly handsome, though she could see a bit of softness around is eyes. Must have come from his mother, she thought. It didn’t make him appear weak, but rather showed that maybe there was a part of him down inside that wasn’t as hard as the rest of him.
She hoped so, anyway. The truth of the matter was, she was tired of the harshness of life. It only seemed fair that there might be one small part of it where she could be like other women and know what it was like to be worshipped by a man. Although she was no expert, she was fairly sure that was just what he’d done, though he likely would never admit to it.
Was it possible that she had found a decent man? She’d heard rumors, things that women had said when she’d come across country in a stagecoach, but at the time she’d thought that they were just lying to themselves to make them feel better about their situations. After all, being married was just like any other business contract, and one in which women didn’t fare so well. That was the way the things worked.
Her own mama had once told her that only a whore or a nun could ever demand her measure from the world. And Lily had believed her. Until now. Lily was pretty sure she’d known every sort of man there was. Good ones and bad ones alike. They were all pretty much the same between the she
ets. If she was sure of anything in her life, she knew that no man could ever make her feel loved. Make her feel like she was special. Make her feel safe.
And yet, in the arms of this cowboy, her body curled up beside him, she’d felt all three.
She shook her head. It wasn’t possible. No man who breathed ever thought of a woman over himself. No man came to bed with any thought except pleasuring himself.
But still, here he was. The first man in a long time who had made her doubt her own hard heart. Not that she was given over to letting him have what he wanted, either. No, she would stick to the terms of their agreement for now. If she tired of him, as she was certain she eventually would, then she’d likely give him what he wanted, at the price of a considerable profit for her, of course.
She sighed and sank back into the sheets, her body buzzing from the sex and whirl of thoughts that crowded her mind about men in general and MacReynolds in particular. Lily sighed and closed her eyes. That act alone, and the feeling of a warm solid body lulled her into sleep.
*****
Wade knew she was awake. He hadn’t yet fallen asleep but had decided to lie unmoving for a little while, satisfied with just existing for the time being.
The woman beside him was a puzzle, one he guessed he’d spend many a night pondering. On the outside, she was tough as newly tanned leather and twice as smooth. In a way, the two of them were a lot alike. He suspected that she’d known some rough times. That was no surprise. Life was hard for women, he knew. Some pretended to be faint‐hearted and weak, but he knew better. A woman’s will was far stronger than a man, and for good reason. Not strong in the same way, mind you, but still unbendable at times.
The one thing a woman could do better than a man was endure—harsh climates, men meaner than snake spit, and a life of drudgery. He’d seen his mother suffer the blows of a drunken husband and then go out the next morning to work in a field. He’d seen his sister labor for twenty‐eight hours bearing her last child and then get up and fix a meal for her family. Nope. No man could ever do that.
It was in the midst of these thoughts that he felt Lily move. She’d propped herself up, and he could almost feel the hard stare she gave him. Good, he thought. He was as much a curiosity to her as she was to him. He liked that idea, so he remained still until he heard her sigh and settle back down beside him. God, she felt like heaven, all warm and soft against him. If he wasn’t careful, he might get ideas about this one. And those kind of thoughts could only lead to his undoing.
So, pushing back any sort of seriousness, he let loose his own tensions from the day and breathed as quietly as possible. He listened for the sound of her breathing to change, telling him she had fallen asleep for real. When it did, he grabbed the sheet wrapped around his waist and pulled it up, enfolding her in its warmth and his embrace. She sighed again and settled in her sleep.
For the first time in a long time, Wade let himself enjoy the presence of another person. Knowing that he wore a silly grin, he simply basked in the glory that was Lily Barnett. He rested his chin lightly on her shoulder and breathed in the scent of her and of their lovemaking. And when he let go and grinned big, he knew his smile went all the way to the bone.
*****
Just before dawn, Lily awoke, surprised to find that the sated feeling she’d had earlier had fled. Now, the itch for the cowboy had started anew. Of course, feeling his hard cock caress her thigh with each breath he took didn’t help. Nor did the overwhelming scent of his musk and the sound of his even, throaty breaths do any good at all when it came to squashing her thoughts of screwing him senseless.
Okay, she thought, maybe it wasn’t an itch. Maybe it was a burn, judging from the heat building between her legs. A burn that could lead to a full out four‐alarm fire if she wasn’t careful.
Lily’s first urge was to push him on his back, mount him like a prized stallion, and ride him until daylight. Thankfully, she wasn’t the kind of woman who gave in to her first urge.
No, she had to play this right. Make it look like he was the one who’d wanted her first. That shouldn’t be too hard, she thought. Most men were very randy when it came to morning sex.
Deciding the best bet for her to awaken his arousal would be a subtle one, Lily yawned and stretched herself out to full length beside him. Like a cat with a belly full of milk, she purred. Then, turning to her right side, she ever so cleverly scooted her backside to nestle against his erection. It tickled her in the most delicious place, so she wiggled a bit more. The feeling set off all kinds of riotous thoughts but she held her place. Let him be the first to move, she told herself. With an iron will she kept still, barely able to contain the moan that stirred deep in her chest. It was like holding her breath under water, but she kept herself unmoving, waiting for him to respond first.
And respond he did. Like a cougar capturing a deer, his arm shot out and snaked around her belly while his mouth found its mark on her left shoulder. Biting down hard enough to sting, he then moved his teeth and tongue upwards to her neck to rest just beneath her ear.
Lily did her best to let out what she thought was a surprised squeal. “What are you doing?” She barely breathed.
In answer to her question, he yanked her body back so that his erection went through the moist juncture of her legs, not entering her, but instead, sliding across the top of her labia. Then, he breathed out a long sigh.
Lily couldn’t help moaning. Nor could she help squeezing her legs together and trying to move so that he could enter her proper.
“I know what you’re doing,” he whispered in a coarse, throaty tone.
“Why, sir, whatever are you taking about?” she said between gasps. “I believe you started it.”
“Don’t play me for a fool, Miss Barnett. I am not a fool.”
With that, he jerked backwards, loosening his grip on her waist just enough to slip his other hand beneath her. Then, in a single motion he twisted her sideways so that they were now face to face.
More than a little angered at being so easily found out, Lily gave his a short laugh. “A fool is as a fool, does.”
She instantly knew that it was the wrong thing to say when he flopped over on his back, dragging her on top of him. Although his erection was a breath away from entering her, he instead pushed her upwards and held her by her suspended, his huge hands encircling her waist. Like a rag doll she hung there, loose‐limbed and scrambling for some way to get out of his control.
“Let me down!” she screeched through clenched teeth. A trickle of sweat had formed on her temple and now slid down the side of her face to dangle on the tip of her nose.
Wade MacReynolds only smiled beneath her. “Well, Miz Barnett, who’s the fool now?”
Lily was so angry, she could have scratched the eyes right out of her head. Only her better sense kept her from doing that very thing. The last thing she wanted was an injured cowboy beating her half to death.
Her expression must have said as much because in the next instant he flipped them both over, and now he held himself at arm’s length.
“I ain’t never hit a woman.”
Lily licked her lips. “So you say.”
He shook his head and scoffed. “You know, you’re probably the most beautiful woman I’ve ever been with. You’re also the smartest.” He paused to lean down and gently caress her forehead with his mouth. “If you want something, Lily, try asking for it.”
Lily swallowed hard. At that moment, she was keenly aware of several things at once. She could feel his hot breaths against her face, his large, lean body pressed against hers chest to toe, and his thick erection trapped between their bellies.
“I want you to fuck me, Mr. MacReynolds. Please.”
In the next instant, he gave her one of the most touching gifts she could ever have asked for when the hard grim line of his mouth became a large, lazy smile.
“I’m happy to oblige you, Miz Barnett.”
And oblige her he did. Three times over.
Hard and fast.
Soft and slow.
The last time, with every touch as measured and deliberate as if they were to be lovers the rest of their lives.
*****
As Wade rode away from Lily’s, only one thought ran through his mind. How in God’s name was he going to keep his head straight around her? Within the first few minutes of meeting her, he was panting after her skirts like a hound sniffing out a prairie dog. It was damned embarrassing. Not a single day of his life had he ever surrendered himself to the wiles of a woman.
Of course, he had to admit, Lily Barnett wasn’t just any woman. She was a hard‐hearted vixen who used her womanly attributes to milk every last dollar out of the men around her. Why, he’d even heard of a fellow who’d sold the gold fillings out of his teeth for a week of Lily’s delights.
And yet, the memory of her softness, her enticing scent, and her moans of pleasure struck a chord deep in his soul. Somehow a real woman’s heart beat within her. He was sure of it. True, it was buried beneath the layers of cynicism and anger, but it was there.
Riding through the early morning mist, Wade had an idea. Maybe it was possible to get through those hard layers and bring the real Lily out. Surely, if anyone could accomplish it, it was him. He knew all about leaving the past behind and starting a better life.
Of course, he had to admit, wooing Lily was definitely going to be a challenge. But, she was now like an itch under his skin that no amount of scratching could cure. So, what if he decided to return the favor?
Smiling, Wade spurred his horse forward. Thinking of ways to entice Lily would keep his mind occupied while he did his chores the long day ahead.
Yep. He definitely had some planning to do.
*****
When Lily awoke, she realized right away that she was alone and the bed beside her had long gone cold. Squinting in the early morning light she pulled the covers up to her chin. A gentle tapping sounded at her door.
