Skye Blue (Hell Yeah!)

by Hunter, Sable

  Coming up alongside the porch, Noah steadied her while she dismounted. She gave him a searching look. “I’ll be right back,” he said. “Let me get Shawnee comfortable in the barn.” Once he was in the safety of the steel structure, he slid off the stallion and gave him some oats and water before sprinting across the yard toward the log cabin.

  “Hurry. Hurry,” she called. “I can’t believe you are out in this weather without a shirt! Have you lost your mind?” Still fussing, she held the door for him. “Let me get some towels.”

  Noah grinned. “You hurry up! I’m puddlin’ in here!” He looked down at the water accumulating on the wooden floor.

  “Don’t get your drawers in a knot! I’ll be right back!”

  The only light in the room was from the roaring fire. Noah stepped over to it. Damn, he was soaked through and chilled to the bone. “Actually, I don’t have any drawers on!” he yelled back, smiling when he heard her surprised laugh.

  Noah looked around. He hadn’t been in the hunting cabin since Avery had been attacked here by Ajax. The place looked inviting, but that was probably Skye’s touch. Their bachelor foreman had invited his half-sister to visit with him for a while. He didn’t know the details, but they’d been apart, only recently finding one another again. The McCoys were glad to have her. To give brother and sister both the privacy they needed, Skye had been given keys to his dad’s hideaway and Lance lived in another cabin about a mile away.

  All of the McCoys were fond of her. As they did with Lance, the family had included her in several dinners and celebrations. And while she always attended with a gracious thank-you and a smile, Noah could tell she held herself somewhat aloof, like she was observing life from a distance. What surprised him was when she sat with him at Libby and Aron’s wedding. During the ceremony, Skye tentatively reached out and grasped his hand. It hadn’t been a sexual thing. Noah felt as if she were offering him comfort. Perhaps Lance had told her of his fiasco with Harper or the misunderstanding with Isaac. It could have been either. God, that day seemed like a lifetime ago instead of just a few weeks.

  “You got soaked! These jeans look new. I bet they faded on you. Do you look like a smurf below the waist?” she joked from the other room.

  Her sense of humor made Noah chuckle. He’d glimpsed it a few times since she’d been visiting. Once Isaac had presented her with a couple of buckeyes, trying to convince her she was holding deer testicles and she’d zinged him with a one-liner which had brought the biker up short and caused Noah to almost choke with laughter.

  He decided to flirt a little bit. “If I’m gonna have a touch of blue on my private parts, I’d rather it be from you, Miss Skye.” God, he loved her name. Skye Blue. Just saying it made him happy.

  “You’re a nut.” She threw him a towel at him as she came back into the den.

  He couldn’t help but grin. “How did you know I was out there?”

  “A big bolt of lightning lit up the sky and I saw you. I was on the porch praying.” Skye turned on a lamp and threw some clothes on the back of the recliner which sat next to the coffee table on a big woven rug.

  “With your eyes open?”

  He teased her and she laughed. “And my hands raised, head back. Like this.” She showed him her pose. “I like to look at who I’m talking to.”

  Noah almost groaned. “You remind me of a pagan goddess. I’m glad you came out to find me.” He winked at her, noticing she’d slipped out of her wet clothes and now wore a soft, sleeveless buckskin dress which came to just above her knee. Beadwork covered the bodice. “Did you design your dress?” He knew she made most of her clothes. Libby said she was very talented and had been trying to lure her into joining forces with her to create a line of clothing to go with the purses in Libby’s Creations. Of course, after the wedding and Aron’s disappearance, all of the day-to-day business for Libby had come to a screeching halt. Most of life at Tebow, as they knew it, had ceased to be.

  “Yes, I did. Do you like it?” Skye smoothed her hands down the front of her dress.

  “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.” Noah couldn’t take his eyes off her. Skye celebrated her Native American heritage. And she should. “You look gorgeous, you always do.” Her long black hair was straight and hung to her hips like an onyx waterfall. Skin the color of caramel apples made him want to take little nibbles from her smooth, creamy shoulders. Big doe eyes the color of obsidian jewels seemed to gaze into his very soul. Her whole face was perfect with high cheekbones, plump lips and a dimple just over the right corner of her delectable smile. Skye Blue was a princess if he’d ever seen one. “I think you’re just about perfect.”

  At his compliment, Skye sighed and shook her head. “Don’t put me on a pedestal, Noah. I don’t like heights.” Taking the wet towel from his hands, she handed him a pair of pants and a T-shirt. “If you’ll take off your clothes and slip these on, I’ll throw the wet ones in the dryer. They were in the back of the closet. Maybe they’ll fit. All you guys are the same size—big.”

  “I know what you’re up to. You just want me to strip for you.” He stepped closer to the fire and started shucking his clothes before she could escape. Noah expected to hear a little squeal. Instead, she began to hum the tune of David Rose’s ‘The Stripper’. He froze mid-shuck, his boots off, his socks off and his belt undone. With a smirk, he decided to live dangerously.

  Slowly, he turned.

  Taking the zipper in his hand, he slid it down, his eyes hooded and his hips bucking forward in time with the music.

  “That’s right, baby. Take it off. Take it all off.” Skye smirked.

  Knowing she figured he’d chicken out, Noah began to lower his jean, an inch at a time, lower—lower. He knew his cock was about to come into view.

  “Noah!”

  There was the squeal.

  Skye spun in a circle and took off. “I’ll make tea!”

  “Make it cocoa, Scaredy-cat!” he called after her, rather pleased with himself.

  “All right.”

  “I haven’t seen you in a while.” He continued to talk as he dressed.

  “You’ve been busy.” Skye hid her smile as she put on some milk to heat. She’d seen enough of Noah to realize there was plenty to see. The man was built—from top to bottom.

  “Yea, I’ve had a lot to take care of. Our family is in a tail-spin.”

  A note of sadness in his voice made her heart hurt. The whole sad thing with Aron was a tragedy. Skye couldn’t imagine what Libby was going through. “I know, I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m decent.” The deep whisper came from right behind her, his warm breath cascading down her neck, causing her to shiver.

  Skye jumped. “Decent? That’s debatable. God! You scared me!” She held a hand to her chest. “I’m supposed to be the one quiet on her feet around here.”

  “And I’m not even wearing moccasins.” He held up his bare foot so she could see. “My stealthy gait is from years of sneaking up on my rowdy brothers. When you’re the next to the youngest, you have to use every ploy at your disposal to survive.” He watched her add chocolate, vanilla and sugar to the warm milk. “We would play hide and seek in the house. The loser had to muck out the stalls. I learned how to win. I’ve always been a little smarter than my brothers.” He grinned. “And better looking.”

  “Is there room enough in this kitchen for me and your ego?” It was hard to catch her breath. The tension between them was electric. And completely unacceptable. “Want marshmallows?”

  “Lots of them.” He instructed with a hopeful boyish glint in his eye.

  “I’ll fill the cup.” She poured them both a mug, filling his to the brim with the small white confections. “Let’s go sit by the fire.”

  “Here, let me carry yours for you.”

  “What a gentleman.” She let him take her cup,
then led him back to the den. Sitting down in a side chair, she left the couch for him.

  “No, let’s sit on the rug next to the hearth. I’m still chilled and I know you have to be.”

  Being that close to Noah wasn’t wise. He was quickly thawing her long frozen libido. Skye wasn’t innocent, not by a long shot, but she’d learned most men couldn’t be trusted. With the exception of her brother, she’d decided it was better to keep them all at a distance rather than be hurt again. Still, she respected the McCoys. They had been good to her and Lance. “Okay. I’ll get some pillows.”

  Noah watched as Skye made them a comfortable nest on the floor. “Thanks for taking me in at this time of night. I needed this.”

  “Me, too,” she admitted. “I couldn’t sleep. I had a bad dream.” She knelt on the rug and held up her hands. He placed the hot mug carefully in her grasp. From where she was sitting, the firelight played on the angles and planes of his body. In the tight, white T-shirt he wore, his chest and shoulders were broad and solid. Skye had a momentary vision of her spreading herself across him, molding her body to his and holding him close. She bit her lip—hard—reminding herself to behave.

  Noah settled down in front of her and was once more struck by her beauty. He’d dated many women, but none had the regal bearing and pure seductive appeal of Skye Blue. “I guess we’re on the same wavelength. A nightmare woke me up, too,” he confessed, taking a sip of hot chocolate. “Hmmm, this is good. Nothing beats homemade.”

  “Thanks.” She was sort of surprised at Noah’s admission. It was hard to imagine a dream bothering him. “I hate to wake up afraid. Grabbing onto a pillow isn’t much comfort.”

  “A woman who looks like you wakes up alone by choice.”

  Skye felt a blush warm her cheeks. She said nothing.

  Noah couldn’t help but let his mind wonder to how Skye would look stretched out on his bed, all that dark hair flowing over his pillow. “But I understand. I couldn’t go back to sleep. Hell, I couldn’t even stay in the house. I felt like I was smothering. All I could think about was getting outside so I could breathe.”

  “That’s why I was on the porch. I ran from my dream.” Skye watched the lights and shadows play over his face. Noah McCoy was breathtakingly gorgeous. Thick blonde hair teased his forehead. A strong jaw and a cleft chin were dusted with raspy stubble proclaiming his masculinity with all the subtlety of a shock wave.

  The fire crackled as they were silent for a few moments. He drained the cup of cocoa and set it aside. “I dreamed we were having Aron’s funeral.”

  “Noah, I’m so sorry.” Skye sat her drink down and went to her knees, needing to do something totally out of character. “Can I hug you?”

  In answer, he held his arms out. She went into them.

  Her nearness took his breath away. He pulled her in his lap, cradling her to his chest. A sense of peace enveloped him. He’d been so lonely. Even surrounded by his family, Noah was lonely. “Thank you. I know it was a dream, but it shook me up.” He rubbed his lips on her soft hair. She smelled like sugar and spice. “Damn, you’re sweet.” It had been months since he’d known the solace of a woman, and now with this most feminine of women in his arms, his hunger knew no bounds.

  “It’s my shampoo.”

  “I don’t think so. It’s just you.”

  She could feel his lips moving on her hair. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to tilt her head up and seek his mouth. Just the thought of kissing him made her tremble. But she didn’t. She forced her muscles to obey her dictates. The effort made her ache. The memory of holding hands with him at his brother’s wedding was something she daydreamed about. Noah had beautiful hands—broad, heavily veined, capable. Right now those same hands were running up and down her back. “Hold me closer? Just for a second?” she asked bravely. When she’d spent so much time in solitary, there would literally be months when the only touch she experienced was a guard placing her in handcuffs.

  Immediately his arms tightened. “Gladly. Want to talk about your dream?” He rubbed her arm, bringing her palm to his lips for a kiss. The electric sparkles that swept through his body rivaled the fireworks illuminating the heavens.

  “No. Mine was a replay of bad memories. I’d rather not think about them anymore.” She couldn’t talk about it. Not to him. Never to him. “Want some more cocoa? Or are you ready to go to bed?” She tried to get up.

  “Not so fast.” Noah chuckled, pulling her back. “While I appreciate the invitation, I’m old-fashioned. I expect a girl to kiss me first.”

  “Oh, good gravy.” Skye laughed. “Your virtue is completely safe with me.” This time when she pulled back, he let her go. “What I meant was, were you ready to go home, back to your own bed?”

  “I knew what you meant, Skye. And no, I’m right where I want to be. If you’ll let me stay a little longer, that is.”

  Skye studied him. Noah was a mountain of a man with tawny hair and skin. The mesmerizing power in the dark depths of his eyes held her captive. Just thinking of what he might be capable of unleashing within her caused her to quiver. What would it be like to make love with Noah? Feelings of inadequacy roiled up within her. What was she doing? This was Noah McCoy and she was…she was…she dropped her gaze. “You can stay.”

  Standing up, he walked right up against her. “Look at me.” His voice was one she had to obey. It was husky, vibrant. The very sound of it made her clit swell. Sliding a big hand around her neck to cup her nape, he lifted her hair, tangling the long strands through his fingers. “Your eyes are so hungry, Skye. Your skin is flushed and warm. I bet your nipples are getting hard. Aren’t they?”

  She wanted to gasp like a virgin. What a hypocrite. But her lack of innocence didn’t change the fact that this male/female by-play was totally alien to her. Why didn’t she pull away and walk off? “Surely we can find a more interesting topic to discuss than my nipples.” They were hard and as he gripped her closer, he’d soon know. Skye groaned at the exquisite sensation of her breasts crushed up to his chest. More than anything she wanted to bury her face in his neck and just hide. Feelings of newness and wonder battled ugly memories of cruel hands on her body, trying to force from her what she wasn’t willing to give.

  Noah snorted. “Don’t ever underestimate the power of a woman’s breasts, especially a woman as hot as you.” He let his lips slide over her temple, his mouth trailing feather-light caresses down to her ear. “Kiss me.”

  “I don’t think—”

  “Don’t think,” he whispered. “Pucker.”

  Despite the magnitude of the moment, Skye wanted to giggle. But he was so close, and she wanted to kiss him so badly. Even though she knew it would be a mistake, she whimpered in surrender. Her body arched into his, begging for his touch. Every part of her was starving to death for him. She could feel the large ridge of his erection nestled between them. Her vagina pulsed at the erotic sensation. The urge to rub herself against him was almost more than she could bear.

  And he knew. When her eyes met his, there was satisfaction in his gaze. And when his lips captured hers—it was bliss. Noah didn’t hesitate, he didn’t fumble. As he rubbed his lips over hers, his expertise was obvious. Pleasing a woman was second nature to him. Clasping her bottom, he pulled her even tighter, nudging his cock harder against her mound. He fit so well there, her pussy clenched in jealousy. She gasped, silently begging for more.

  Noah understood. Moving his hands between them, he cupped her breasts. His big palms covering the aching mounds, massaging the nipples swollen with need. “Please, Noah,” she whispered.

  “You’re exquisite,” he spoke between kisses, his voice husky with arousal. “Let me cherish you.”

  His words were odd, but struck a longing in Skye she hadn’t known was there.

  Slanting his mouth over hers, he teased the seam of her lips with his
tongue, growling with pleasure as she took it in her mouth and sucked on it. Skye lost herself in his strong embrace, their hearts thundering in a strong tandem beat. A warm rush of excitement sizzled through her veins. Noah’s kiss was erotic and masterful. He exceeded every expectation and hope she’d ever entertained. This wasn’t her first kiss. She’d allowed a fumbling boy to grope her behind the bleachers a few weeks before her dad had been killed. She’d been trying to erase the memories of what happened on the side of the road. It hadn’t helped. But this…Noah’s lips on hers erased every fantasy she’d ever had.

  He was pure decadent sensuous sin.

  Skye relished every touch, every nibble, every tender movement of his mouth on hers, and wanted more. Just one more taste of a forbidden paradise. Running her fingers through his hair, she tangled them in the long, sun kissed strands. She strained toward him and kissed him back for all she was worth, thanking God for thunder and lightning.

  “I want you,” he whispered between kisses. “Can I take you to bed?”

  Bed? “Wait.” She forced the clouds of arousal from her mind. “We need to discuss this.”

  “My body is not in discussing mode,” he grumbled.

  Skye could tell he wasn’t happy. Tough. “You need to understand.” He was Noah McCoy. He could have any woman in the world. At his growl of discontent, she put a finger over his mouth. “Let me finish.” When he kissed her finger, she melted inside. “I am not interested in a relationship with you.”

  Noah narrowed his eyes. “I wasn’t proposing, Skye. I was just propositioning.”

  Skye stiffened. The words weren’t meant to hurt. After all, they had no past together and no hope of a future. But they still stung. No man, after learning what she’d been through would ever propose to her. And that was the way she wanted it. “I am not a femme fatale, Noah. But I’m not naïve either. A marriage proposal is the last thing I’d ever expect from you.” She could have offered more of an explanation, but she had no intention of confessing her sins.