She knew the shirt was a big mistake. “It was the only thing the casino shop had left that fit me. Apparently I’m not the only one who needed last minute rodeo clothing.”
His smile grew and her inner thighs moistened. “So you know who I am, and I know who you are.” His eyes dazzled.
“Is that right?”
“Didn’t you want me to know that you’re Pippa Wilder—the one with all of the relationship answers? The posters at the casino don’t do you justice, darlin’. Although, the prim teacher look is sort of sexy.”
She refused the need to fan herself. “I don’t introduce myself by my career. Just as you didn’t introduce yourself as a star.”
“I’m not a star, sweetheart.” He leaned in, their chests pressed together and she could barely breathe. He picked up a tendril of her hair and weaved it around his thick finger, brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply. “I’m just me.”
“You, who is well known as a rodeo star. All of these women are here for you.” She gave a quick look into the crowd from her spot hidden in the alcove. A part of her wanted to stay here, with him, as long as possible.
“Me and about twenty other cowboys. I haven’t donned my leather chaps in a year. They’ll forget about me soon enough.”
She swallowed hard. How could anyone forget about him in a million years? She knew she wouldn’t. “You’re still signing autographs. I’d say that’s pretty clear.”
“Two of my brothers still ride. It’s kept the name on scene.”
“Okay.” Had he leaned in closer? She could smell leather and spice, and the mintiness of his breath.
“I have a confession. When I saw you sitting at the table, with that pretty little wrinkle between your brows and sad expression, I wanted to see you smile. A woman as beautiful as you should never frown. And, of course, I wanted to kiss you. Those lips…wow.”
“Are you always this quick to divulge to a stranger what you’re feeling?”
“Only when I get the inclination.” He flashed a grin.
She smiled. She was totally taken by this man. His gaze held hers and the entire world disappeared except for the two of them, and the sensations spiraling through her like a cyclone were caught in her soul. The tiny creases at the corners of his eyes and mouth were even adorable. Was there any flaw or fault to this man?
He moved in and she realized he was going to kiss her. Her heart thumped against her ribs and she closed her eyes, parted her lips, anticipating the moment when he would put her out of her misery.
“Where the hell have you been?”
The words were like a cold shower on a barbecue.
Pippa flicked her eyes open and looked down the breezeway, finding a cowboy watching them with hands on his hips. He was a younger version of Roman with longer hair that touched his collar and a slightly thinner built. She knew this must be his brother, Penn.
Roman groaned and pulled back. “Not in front of the lady.”
“Sorry, ma’am.” The cowboy dipped his hat in apology. “We have more autographs. Let’s get this over with.”
“I’ll meet you at the booth, bro.” Roman’s words left no room for argument. Penn sighed and left.
“You should go,” she whispered, incapable of using her voice completely.
He nodded. “I should, but I don’t want to.”
*****
Roman wasn’t sure what was happening at this moment, but he’d never been this caught up over a woman in his life. At the casino he’d seen her sitting there, looking bothered and unhappy, and he’d been struck with a desire to make her smile. It was true. As he’d sat there longer, he’d found her company refreshing. She wasn’t like most of the women he came into contact with, or had come into contact with while on the circuit. The buckle bunnies were all so quick to throw themselves at his feet, he barely had the opportunity to look into their eyes. And boy did he like a nice pair of eyes. Pippa had a gorgeous set and they seemed to charge right through his chest and grip his heart. Deep green with a brown freckle in the left eye. Her hair, he wanted to sink his hands into the satin cascade while he sank his body inside of her. The need was overwhelming. He had a hundred women in the crowd that would happily ease the tension in his gut, but the only one he wanted was the timid, demure woman standing before him. She wore the tight tee, Daisy Dukes, and polished leather boots like a newbie, but he found her effort respectful. He loved the toned length of her legs and luscious thighs.
Pippa was a breath of fresh air. She had a brain and he’d guess she wasn’t afraid to use it either. He wanted to ditch the event, buy her a lemon shake and funnel cake, and sit under the shade of an oak tree and hear her talk—about anything really. Now that was a change from his old habits of meeting, greeting, and bedding.
Damn! He wasn’t that man anymore though. He swore to himself he wouldn’t sleep with a stranger and walk away feeling a bigger void. It was high time he started thinking of his future, and the things he wanted. He didn’t need a wife, but he was starting to want one. And a couple of kids. At thirty-five he wasn’t getting any younger. That’s why he retired from the circuit. A man couldn’t have a life when every time he got on a bull, he put his in danger.
“Will you stick around?”
She moistened her lips and he wanted to do that for her. “I will.”
“I won’t be long. An hour maybe. I definitely want to see you later.”
She groaned low, but he wondered if he’d imagined it. “I want to see you later too.”
He dropped his gaze from her eyes to her lips. They were plump with a rosy hue—the perfect lips for kissing. Her bottom lip slightly trembled and his gut ached. If only he could ditch his responsibilities. But his brothers would kick his ass. The money they earned from these things helped them grow their fairly new business—Second Chances Securities. Lately, that’s what Roman’s focus was on.
With great regret, he pulled away. “Don’t go far.”
She smiled and he turned, stepping into the crowd, making his way through the maze toward the building where he and his brother were set up. He tugged his hat low on his forehead, hoping to make it to his destination without being recognized. Otherwise, he’d be signing autographs here when what he really wanted was for the fans to line up at the booth where they sold memorabilia. This wasn’t Roman’s dream job, to be at a hot event signing pictures and skin, but it wasn’t the worst he supposed. He didn’t mind meeting the fans, or even signing autograph after autograph, but he was a man who liked to work with his hands—liked to sweat. When he was doing events like this, he was always one step ahead of himself thinking of the things he should be doing back at the ranch, Second Chances. There was always something that needed to be done. His brothers, Weston, Urban, and Hugh, were still back on the land, working, but none of them had bookkeeping skills and that was Roman’s area of expertise in the securities business.
He approached the booth where a line had already gathered. Penn was frowning. “’Bout time,” he groaned.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” Roman mumbled.
“You were the one who told me before we got here that this isn’t my playground. To be focused on promoting the brand. Your exact words, “Keep your dick in your pants and your brain on the job.’”
“Don’t judge me.”
“Someone should be listening to themselves.” Penn chuckled.
Roman gave him a look of warning and his brother’s smile fizzled. “Okay, you’ve made your point.”
“Haven’t seen her before. Things seemed pretty hot.” Penn saddled up to the counter that separated him from the crowd. “Who’s up?”
Roman wasn’t quite ready to get his head back in the game, but he plastered a smile on his face and greeted the first autograph. “Just met her myself.” Roman kept his voice low.
“Huh?” The fan widened his eyes.
“Talking to him.” Roman gave a side nod toward his brother. “Who should I make this out to?”
“Benny is fine.”
He laid a poster down on the counter and smoothed it out. “I bought this from your first rodeo,” the man said proudly. It was a picture of Roman with his arm high in the air, his other hand hooked in the braided rope while he was mounted on top of one of the scariest damn bulls he’d ever ridden. People had no clue that his butt was puckered and his heart was thumping hard, praying that his first time out of the chute wasn’t his last. He didn’t stay on for eight seconds—the most dangerous eight seconds in any sport—that event, but a year later, he qualified as a champion, thanks to Rowdy Basher, a bull that had made many a cowboy piss their pants. “You were my favorite. Why’d you retire?” the man asked.
Roman had heard that question many times. And every time he answered the same, “Me and the bulls had an agreement. They let me live until I was thirty-four, then I’d hang up my spurs. I held my part of the bargain.”
Satisfied with his answer, and his signed poster, Benny smiled happily and went on his way. The next in line was a platinum blonde, big blue eyes, and full crimson lips.
“Hi there, honey.” She winked.
He smiled and dipped his hat. “Hello, ma’am. Thanks for coming out today.”
“You don’t remember me, cowboy?” she said in a breathless tone.
He looked at her closely and her face wasn’t ringing a bell. “Sorry, ma’am.” He saw many people, had met thousands over the lifetime of his career, and had never been good at remembering names—and sometimes faces.
“Maybe you just need a reminder.” She reached for the hem of her shirt and dragged the material up to her neck, exposing a pair of large, firm breasts with both perky nipples pierced with hoop earrings. He still had no clue. Her bottom lip puckered as she lowered her T-shirt. “The name’s Sally.”
His mind jarred. Yeah, he did remember Sally. She was his best fan at the start of his career and never failed to show it. A wave of guilt washed over him. There were a few buckle bunnies he wouldn’t remember just by looking at their faces. An image of Pippa clouded his vision. Would he ever have a chance with a woman like her if she knew his past? His throat constricted. Penn elbowed him in the ribs. “You disappeared. Get tired of the rodeo?”
She rolled her tongue along her bottom lip. “No, never. I got hitched, moved away, had a kid, divorced, and now I’m back. I drove an hour just to see you again.” Her eyes dazzled with unspoken promise.
Sally was still gorgeous, but Roman didn’t feel anything like he should. Not when he knew Pippa Wilder was waiting for him. “That’s very sweet of you. Here,” he reached behind him, grabbed a poster from the stack on the shelf and held it out. “On the house.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Oh…thank you.” Penn’s chuckle made the hairs stand on Roman’s neck. He wanted to throttle his brother for being nosy. “Are you going to sign or not?” Sally sighed, pointing to the front of her shirt.
“Sure, sorry.” Another signature down.
Penn whistled as Sally sashayed away. “Damn. You just turned down a blatant offer. I hope the brunette is worth it.”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Roman murmured.
“If she is, you better marry her. It isn’t every day a Jericho looks into a woman’s eyes.” Penn laughed then turned his attention to helping the next fan.
An hour turned into two, until Roman lost any hope that Pippa would still be hanging out at the rodeo. Disappointed, he walked away from the booth and stopped dead in his tracks. She was leaning against the side of the livestock barn, one leg bent and her thumbs hooked in her front pockets. She looked good enough to eat…and he planned to do just that the first opportunity he got.
“Care to buy this girl a sweet tea and elephant ear?” She lifted one thin brow.
“It’d be my honor.”
CHAPTER THREE
SEVERAL ICED TEAS, elephant ears, and cheeseburgers later, Pippa dragged the sexy cowboy into the elevator and pushed him up against the mirrored wall, planting kisses on his jaw, his neck, and the top of his chest. She’d been wanting to do this all day. He’d given her enough heated looks and subtle touches that she was about to explode.
He sucked in a deep breath, threading his fingers in her hair. “Now what did you say your name is?”
She pulled back slightly, looking at him through the veil of her lashes. “Seriously?”
A smile broke out over his expression. “I’m only kidding. Pippa’s a name a man won’t forget. It’s different. I like it, and it suits you.” The tips of his fingers massaged her scalp.
“I like Roman too. Reminds me of a powerful crusader.”
He chuckled and it vibrated his chest. “You’re making my head swell.”
She brushed her fingers over the bulge in his jeans and moaned deep in her throat. “Now which head is swelling?”
“Damn. I’m about ready to burst through my zipper.” He smoothed his palm over her breasts. Her nipples puckered, wanting more without her shirt as a barrier.
“That would be a crying shame.” She rolled her tongue along the thick vein in his neck, resisting the urge to rip the buttons from his shirt. She’d have to, at least, wait until they were in the privacy of her hotel room. “Are we going too fast?”
“Do you feel like you’re being pressured?” he asked.
“No. I was worried that I was pressuring you.”
He laughed and it was one of the nicest sounds she’d ever heard. “Don’t worry about me, darlin’. I’m a go-with-the-flow type of guy and I like where this flow is headed.”
The bell dinged, alerting them that they’d reached the tenth floor. She stepped away from him, dragged the hem of her shirt down her hips and attempted to look normal as the doors came open. Together they stepped out into the corridor and found her room. Slipping the keycard into the slot, they were barely inside with the door closed before she was again pressed up next to him.
“Make love to me,” she begged as she tugged at the shiny buttons of his shirt. He brought his thick arm around her shoulders and gently backed her up until her knees hit the king-sized bed.
“Hey, is this a vibrating bed?”
She nodded. “That’s what lulled me to sleep last night.”
“We won’t be doing any of that tonight.” He wagged his brows.
Pippa sprinkled eager kisses all over his cheeks, the corners of his mouth and his stubbled jawline. The layer of beard scraped against her lips, leaving tingles matching the explosion of sensation between her legs. She wanted this man like she’d never wanted anyone her entire thirty-two years. Had she even had sex before today because this all seemed so new—off the charts insane in a good way.
And he wanted her…
The bulge behind his zipper threatened to pop the button.
“Let me help you with these.” She dropped her shaking fingers to the large buckle and wrestled with the metal. His hand joined hers and together they released the constriction, quickly tugging and unzipping until his erection eased into glorious freedom. A low growl vibrated his chest as he lowered her to the bed.
She pressed her aching breasts upward as she closed her trembling fingers around his warm, thick shaft. Her eyes widened and her mouth salivated at the sheer size of him. She shouldn’t be surprised, not really. A man over six-foot, a good two-hundred pounds of broad, toned muscle wouldn’t disappoint. She’d known the minute she spotted him strolling across the lobby of the casino that he was a force to be reckoned with. A ride of a lifetime. And she planned to rope her cowboy—for one, fabulous night.
He dropped his mouth over one hardened nipple, suckling the tip through the fabric of her shirt and bra. She lifted her breast up, pressing against his hungry lips, crying out in delight as he turned her yearning into a deeper craving.
“Let’s get this off. I need to see all of you.” His husky voice delighted her nerve endings. He reached for the hem of her shirt and tugged it off of her body. Her nipples bunched against the wet lace of her bra. In one swift movement, he had the bra gone too. His pupils dilated as he st
ared down at her partial nudity. “Best tits I’ve ever laid eyes upon,” he said on a long exhale of breath.
She trembled in his arms.
He bent his head to her breasts and she wanted to watch. She grabbed his hat and tossed it onto the chair, enjoying the view of his tongue sweeping out, rolling across her nipple, his mouth hungrily sipping at her, molding her moist, pliable breast with his large, callused hand. She sank her fingers against his scalp as he pulled her succulent flesh deeper into his mouth, tenderly feasting on her. She quaked under him, consumed in his lovemaking on her sensitive body. Her breasts had never been so achy as he circled the swollen tip with his tongue, gently nipping the bud between his teeth, then again suckling until she could do nothing but cling to him like he was her only lifeline against the waves of passion.
Finding his hard length with her exploring touch, she stroked him, smoothed her fingers along the silken skin, rolling her thumb over the plump head moist with pre-cum. His breaths became shallow and ragged, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “Please…undress for me,” she said.
He left her throbbing, swollen breasts and pushed off the bed, practically ripping the wrinkled shirt from his upper body. Several buttons popped and went flying. His erection pressed against his belly, the pearl of cum at the slit glistened in the light from the table lamp. He looked sexier than hell with his smooth, bare chest and open jeans. She watched in full interest as he dropped the shirt to the side, then worked on pushing his jeans off his lean hips, something she’d fantasized of doing the entire day.
Once he was naked, he stood over her, allowing her to get a better view of his strong, muscular body. He skimmed his gaze over the length of her long legs to her curled toes, then back to the V of her thighs where she turned wet under his heated stare. His cock jerked.
“Can I taste you?” she whispered, already sliding to her knees in anticipation.
His eyes widened and his nostrils flared. He grasped his erection as she leaned closer, settling her bottom on the edge of the bed, her legs spread to accommodate his thighs. His hard length was at the perfect level for her undivided attention. He moved his hand and she replaced it with her own, touching his engorged cock that beckoned her to treat herself to a lick. She brazenly circled fingers along his wide girth, drawing him closer to meet her parted lips. His thick juices moistened her lips and she lapped up the salty goodness with a swipe of her tongue, then with a swirl around his velvety head. A deep groan rippled from his throat, the echo of a man who was experiencing great torture under her power. She inhaled his scent—a mixture of spicy cologne, leather, and the musky scent of sex. The smell was a drug, driving her to wrap her lips around him and draw him deep into her mouth—all the way until she couldn’t take any more.
Roman's Choice (Saddles & Second Chances Book 1) Page 2
