by Vivian Arend
Using both hands to hold her, he curled up to get a better mouthful, loving the noises of pleasure he dragged from her lips, awed by the fact he knew exactly how to slip his hand down her belly and between her legs to cup her intimately.
He pulled back until they were resting cheek to cheek, his lips inches from her ear. “And you’re mine from here on. Part of me is glad you had a good time, and part of me wants to go track down everyone you ever fooled around with and remove their teeth with my favourite pliers.”
She laughed, and then he was kissing her, the two of them rolling as he lost his clothing, as he stripped away her pants, and they ended up in the same position all over again. Janey looked down with a sense of power and pride.
“I have two questions,” she announced.
Len wanted to protest—his body wanted to protest like crazy—but he reined it in because forever was worth a little discomfort. “Shoot.”
She trailed her hands down his chest, tracing designs with her fingernails and making his skin come alive. “Why did you give me the deed to the house?”
No hesitation this time. “Because if you want, it’s your house, only this time with me. Together. But if you don’t want this place, we’ll find another. I probably should do something awesome to make up for being such an idiot the last time—”
She took her hands from his body to hold her palms up towards him. “Whoa. You know, you really need to stop being such a chatterbox.”
A snort escaped him. He was back to smiling every time she said something. Kind of the way he’d spent most of his life when she was around.
The way he wanted to spend the rest of his life.
“Second question?”
Her smile turned to sheer sexual mischief. “Do you have any condoms?”
For one panicked second he couldn’t remember where they were.
His expression flew past confusion to near terror. And Janey laughed as she rolled off him, reached for her pants and pulled a condom from the front pocket. She waved it at him before opening the package and resuming her position over his thighs. “I’m glad one of us is prepared.”
Everything was coming together perfectly, and in spite of any lingering doubts, Janey chose to take with both hands.
Including right now, and the two hands involved a certain bit of Len’s anatomy that had risen between them, thick and long. She couldn’t resist tormenting him, leaning over to lick the tip. Loving the groan of pleasure that escaped his lips. The silence that fell when she closed her mouth around him, slipping her tongue along the underside of his cock.
He remained partially sitting, his beautifully defined stomach muscles right there to tease with her fingers as she got him wetter. The taste of him in her mouth was good.
There were so many things she wanted to do. Maybe not for the first time anymore, but going back to perfect their skills. To really know what he liked. Not just in the bedroom, but out of it.
She worked briefly, sucking hard, pumping with her hand as he stiffened to rock-solid under her touch. And while she’d love to take this all the way, she needed him in her body even more. Needed to put aside the pain in her heart and accept their future.
She rolled on the condom quickly before getting back into position. Reaching between her legs to angle the head of his cock.
Len pressed one hand to her lower back, the other buried in the hair at the back of her neck. His fingers closed, and he tugged slightly until their gazes met, his dark eyes eating her up hungrily.
Their bodies pressed together, torsos tight as he guided her hips down, and she slowly surrounded him. His cock stretched her as he rolled his hips and buried himself completely.
The entire time he stared at her, holding her captive with eyes burning with love.
Len wasn’t full of words—he’d probably spoken his quota for the next three months, but right then Janey didn’t mind one bit.
He was speaking volumes with that expression. With the way he held her, tightly with one hand, the other bringing their bodies into intimate contact again and again as he thrust up.
There could’ve been a speaker mounted in the corner of the room, but what he was saying as he made love with her would still have been louder than any announcement blaring out at maximum volume.
And she listened. Soaked his love in like a refreshing spring rain bringing new hope.
She curled her hands around his neck and let him take charge of their bodies, staring back into his love-filled eyes. Pouring out her own emotions as best she could.
When he slipped a hand between them, teasing her clit and bringing her body closer to the peak, she gave it all to him.
“I love you,” she confessed. “I’ve always loved you.”
The words were a mere whisper. Quieter than the sound of their bodies connecting, his thighs slapping into hers.
But he heard her. Oh, how he heard. If she’d witnessed the emotion on his face before, now it was tripled. As if everything that had held him back was washed away and she was flooded with all the things he’d held on to for years.
She was the center of all his adoration as he kissed her. Continuing to make love to her as he rolled her under him.
She didn’t care if she came or not—her world was pretty much as perfect as life could be right then—but in the midst of her joy, pleasure broke. Her body accepted him with delight and held on tight.
A hard gasp stole from his lips as he stopped, deeply connected. Her body squeezing tight around his cock as he came. His hips pulsing against her as if he were trying to get even deeper.
He cradled her like she was precious. He pressed a million kisses over her cheeks and eyes, over her open lips as she couldn’t stop laughter from bubbling up.
They lay together afterward, candlelight flickering against the walls, his heartbeat slowing under her ear as she rested her head on his chest. His arms held her tight, and she didn’t mind one bit.
There was nowhere she would rather be.
Epilogue
“I love it.”
Janey twirled to face Len, damn near bouncing on the spot as she stared into his pleased face.
He shrugged. “It’s only a bookcase.”
“But you built it.” She stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips before settling against his body with a contented sigh. “And you painted it candy-apple red. I can’t believe you did that.”
His big hands rested on her hips, and he shifted her gently against him. “If it makes you happy, I’ll paint everything in the house red.”
It was so easy to smile. To let the joy inside her bubble up and come out and paint everything she did.
This wasn’t her old house anymore. Not only because the renovations she’d done changed the place from where she’d spent time as a child and youth, but now he was there as well. Len. His things mixed with hers all around the familiar setting, turning everything into something brand-new as well.
The home was theirs.
“Everyone will be here soon,” he warned as she snuck her hands underneath his T-shirt to explore.
It was tempting to pout, but then she had so much to look forward today. “And then you’ll tell me the secret? I can’t believe you’ve kept it from me this entire time.”
Len grinned. And placed his finger against his lips.
She pulled out of his embrace with a laugh, reaching to straighten the furniture they’d moved to put the shelf he’d made into position. “Yeah, yeah, I know, you’re the man of mystery.”
“I think you’ll like it.” That’s all he would share.
Janey didn’t bother teasing any further though. She would know soon enough what he’d been concocting for the past month.
After that night when he told her everything, their world had changed. She could tell there were still moments he was afraid, but now he didn’t close himself off from her. Those were the times that he’d sneak up behind her, and she’d find herself wrapped in an enormous bear hug. His arms protectin
g her as he held her tight and reassured himself all over that she belonged to him.
They were making memories. More mementos had been added to the scrapbook, some of them things she had saved over the years.
Her parents were a little perturbed her move to Calgary had been permanently called off, but they’d made plans to come out for a visit at Thanksgiving, and somewhere in all of it, Janey felt as if she had succeeded in making her point. She was successful. She was happy.
“Hello,” a deep voice called. “You want us to bring everything in, or are we picnicking on the deck?”
“Come inside, Dad,” Len ordered.
Keith Thompson kicked off his shoes and left them at the entranceway before walking forward and holding out an enormous bouquet of flowers to Janey. “Something pretty for my pretty girl.”
Len bumped shoulders with his dad on the way past to hold the door for Katy and Gage. “Stop flirting with my woman,” he demanded.
“It’s your fault for picking one who’s just my type,” his dad protested. “Pretty and smart. The best combination.”
Katy handed in the car seat, and little Tanner stared up at his Uncle Len with big eyes, his mouth twisted into a round O.
Thirty minutes later Janey leaned on the wall between the kitchen and the living room and watched as the people she loved the most filled their home with their noise and conversation. With their laughter and teasing.
Anna and Mitch were curled up on the couch together talking quietly, Anna still wearing her RCMP uniform. Gage now held the baby and was patting Tanner on the back as he discussed some kind of sporting event with an exuberant Troy.
“It’s bedlam in here,” Clay complained as he walked in the back door and dropped a couple of bags of chips on the table.
“Then you’ll fit right in, won’t you?” Katy teased her older brother.
Up at the front of the room, Len cleared his throat, conversation rumbling to a halt as everyone turned to face him.
He looked so uncomfortable that Janey wanted to go and rescue him, but then he caught her gaze. Staring straight at her as he spoke to his family.
“When I came to you and asked for help, every one of you did your damnedest to get me back on the right track. This is my way of saying thank you, because what you shared gave me the best thing I ever could’ve gotten—Janey.”
“Damn right,” Katy called out, and the family echoed her in some way.
Len smiled, reaching behind him for some wrapped packages. “There’s a catch. You get to open these, but Janey and I get to keep them. Right here.” He laid a hand on the empty shelving unit behind him before turning back and looking directly at Janey.
So this was the surprise he’d prepared. Janey waited as he paced around the room, dropping off two or three packages with his brothers and his dad before coming to her side and handing her one.
It was wrapped with bright pink paper and frilly bows and ribbons. “You must be getting tired of being teased every time you go down and buy something else pink,” Janey said with a smile.
“It makes you happy. I don’t mind.”
Her heart fluttered at the words, said so seriously as he wrapped his arms around her and cradled her to his body.
“Len, this is awesome.” Anna rose from the couch and came across to him, holding out a framed picture of her and Mitch on their motorcycles, the mountain pass in the background making them look a part of the wilderness, but most definitely a couple. She gave Len a hug. “I had no idea you were doing this.”
He tilted his head to the side, and she moved briskly across the room, placing the picture on the shelf before rejoining Mitch.
One after the other the Thompson siblings unwrapped pictures. Some older, some recent. All of them placed with lots of happy conversation on the display shelf that was turning Janey’s house even more into a home.
Then Keith Thompson unwrapped a picture that made all sound come to a halt.
The patriarch of the Thompson family swallowed hard.
“I had no idea this was still around.” He stroked a finger down the edge of the frame that held a shot of the entire family. “We took that at the start summer, before we found out Meg was sick.”
Len laid a hand on his father’s shoulder. “Remember how hard it was to get everybody to stand still for long enough to take the picture?”
“I remember everything,” Keith admitted.
“We want to remember everything,” Len offered quietly.
Keith nodded. “We do.”
Len slipped his arm around Janey. She held on tight, looking up and hoping he could finish this amazing journey he’d started.
“You want to put it on the shelf for us, Dad?”
It was a silent man who made his way across the room to place the family picture in amongst all the rest standing neatly on the shelves of the bright red bookcase. Like a shot of happiness mixed with a sliver of pain, and somehow all of it together made life that much richer.
Keith turned back and nodded at his son. Took a deep breath and glanced around the room.
Janey looked as well, her heart filling even more as she realized this truly was her family now. Katy’s eyes were full of tears, but Gage had his arm around her, supporting her like always, Tanner held between them like a living bit of love. Anna and Mitch sat side-by-side on the couch, rock solid as he whispered something in her ear, her face shining brightly. Clay was staring out the window, sorrow on his face, but strength there as well. Determination.
The entire family was silent for a moment until Troy cleared his throat. “Looks like there’s still room for more pictures on there.”
“That’s the idea. Make some memories, spend some time as a family. Every bit of it is worthwhile, even the parts that are hard.” Len got the last words out before his voice failed, but Janey was so damn proud of him.
After everyone had finally left and it was just the two of them, she drew him down to their bedroom, closing the door slowly. She turned, staring up at the man she’d loved forever. Letting him see everything she felt inside—exactly how much she cared for him, and trusted him to always be there for her.
She smiled at him from under her lashes. “You want to make some memories?”
Len answered without saying a word.
The series continues with the full-length novel Let It Ride (Thompson & Sons #3), out later this year.
If you’d like to know what new books I have coming, and stay up to date with releases, please sign up for my newsletter!
I hope you enjoyed Len & Janey’s story! They will be featured in future Thompson & Sons books. You can read the first book in the series, Rocky Ride, and the tie-in story, Baby, Be Mine now. Books 3 and 4, Let It Ride, and A Wild Ride will be out later this year.
If you’d like more stories like One Sexy Ride, check out the Six Pack Ranch series.
Book 1: Rocky Mountain HEAT: Blake Coleman is in denial that Jaxi, the girl next door, is all grown up. But Jaxi’s not willing to take no for an answer anymore.
Book 2: Rocky Mountain HAVEN: Young widow Beth moves to town and finds friends with benefits, and so much more, with Daniel Coleman
Book 3: Rocky Mountain DESIRE: Matt Coleman’s heart has been well and truly broken. And the only woman who seems to turn his head is the last woman he’d expect.
Book 4: Rocky Mountain ANGEL: Allison proposes a marriage of convenience to Gabe Coleman that offers more heat and healing than expected
Book 5: Rocky Mountain REBEL: Bad girl Vicki asks Joel Coleman to teach her to deal with horses, along with everything she needs to know about sex
Book 6: Rocky Mountain FREEDOM: Can Cassidy and Ashley tame Travis Coleman’s dark and dangerous yearnings?
Book 7: Coming Summer 2014
Want to try a bit of ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAT? Read on for a taste...
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAT
He’s the one who taught her to ride. Now all he wants is to ride her.
Blake Coleman is old enough to kn
ow that acting on impulse causes nothing but a heap of trouble. But when trouble’s a western-hat-wearing blonde with slim legs that go on forever, what’s a man to do? Wanting the sweet girl next door is just wrong. The responsible thing to do is keep his hands off.
Jaxi has other plans for Blake’s hands, and his heart. She may have once considered him a big brother, but that was a long time ago. She’s all grown up now and ready to convince him that she’s perfect for him. Except he can’t seem to see past the big “don’t touch” sign that’s apparently still hanging around her neck.
When Jaxi ends up living right under Blake’s nose, the undeniable heat between them slides off simmer and leaps up to barn-burning levels. However, a few of the younger six-pack Colemans have decided Jaxi’s brand of trouble is worth risking a few busted bones.
That is, if Blake’s finally ready to let go the reins and fight for what he wants…
Warning: Sexy cowboys seducing and being seduced in trucks, pool halls and barns. Droolworthy country charm, a little double-teaming, a few secrets and a whole lot of brothers to look forward to. Anyone wanna go for a ride?
Prologue
Calgary Stampede, Alberta, July
“Are you sure you can’t last a bit longer?” Travis looked away, but not before she’d spotted the disappointment in his eyes. The annoyance.
Jaxi leaned her temple against the wooden boards of the pen, fighting to keep herself vertical. The familiar scent of farm animals did nothing to ease the swirling pain. She felt like the bottom of a horse stall and faking her way through any more of the day was impossible. “I’m sorry. I have to go home now,” she pleaded.
“We bought tickets for the grandstand show tonight and—”
