Kissed, Spurred, & Valentined (Cowboys of Nirvana Book 4)

by Rhonda Lee Carver

  Where?

  She couldn’t go back to the apartment she’d shared with Travis. Tina had offered Jax to stay with her until she found another place in the city. That’s probably where she’d land, for the time being.

  Maybe Chicago was no longer her home. A change wouldn’t hurt her any. But where would she go? Being here, in the open land of Wyoming, with no cars beeping, stereos pounding, people yelling, she felt relaxed. Could she live in the country? She’d spent much of her time in faraway places, in desserts, forests, and mountains, so this was a luxury compared to some of those locales.

  He reached up, scratched his temple, and laid his hand on his jeaned thigh. She stared at his fingers—long, with nice square nails. She followed the line to his wrist, further up his arm covered in dark, crisp hair. Heat scattered across her skin and the throbbing, low in her inner thighs, told her how much this cowboy turned her on. Her nipples bunched and her breasts swelled against the thin, lacey bra and her heart beat quickened. There was a deep yearning in her core. She wanted to feel Maverick inside of her. The feeling was almost overwhelming, making her fear that she would succumb to craziness and throw herself at him.

  He turned his cheek and their gazes met. He smiled, showing off a row of straight teeth and dazzling, green eyes. The irises darkened, telling her of his own inner turmoil. All doubt faded and something else took shape within her. Something so strong and forbidden, it excited and tempted her. She was here on one of the most romantic locations she’d ever been to, with a cowboy who fit every erotic description of a hero from a romance novel. Nothing had stopped her from doing exactly what she wanted to do from the moment he first smiled in her direction. Nothing kept her from doing something so out of character. Or was it out of character to allow sexual desire to take precedence?

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Splendid.” If only he knew her thoughts. Her cheeks flamed and her inner thighs pounded.

  No matter what her future held, Maverick was definitely a part of her week. She’d never been as intrigued as she was with him. Masculine, strong, mysterious, and sex appeal that rated out of this world. Thinking of him had kept her awake for a long time last night as she lay in bed staring at the snowflakes falling against the window. She’d craved his kiss—the one that he’d promised in the way he’d looked at her last night. She wondered how his lips would feel. What did he look like under his clothes? Sweat beaded between her breasts.

  He stopped and she turned her attention out of the side window. All she could see were the untouched hills covered in three feet of snow. “What are we doing out in the middle of nowhere?”

  “Riding,” he said.

  She swallowed air. Riding? Her mind drifted to all of the naughty definitions she could come up with from that one particular word. Her panties dampened and her nipples started to tingle. Everything this man did and said erupted wanton thoughts. He slipped out of the driver’s side and disappointment slithered through her. What she had in mind couldn’t happen in the cold and snow.

  Following his direction. She slid out of the warm truck and a blast of cold air swept over her. She tugged her coat tighter around her chest and pulled her hat lower on her forehead. She didn’t mind the snow, or the cold, but this was a blizzard. “What do you have in mind?”

  “Sledding.” He pulled a wooden sled from the bed.

  “Sledding?” She was on the fence whether she should be happy or demanding they head back to her place and start a fire—maybe even kiss a time or two. That thought alone warmed her insides—some.

  “When was the last time you sledded?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “Not since I was a kid when my body was much more flexible and I didn’t mind getting wet.”

  His brows shot up and she realized immediately how sultry and dirty her words sounded. She cleared her throat. “Flexibility and wetness sure are two things that go together well.” He winked.

  Lord help her. Had he slipped his hand inside of her jeans and tickled her nether lips? Sure did have the same affect. He was certainly giving off the signals of a man who was more than willing to take things to the next level between them.

  “After you, ma’am.” He held out his bent elbow for her to take.

  He was a perfect gentleman. She’d have followed him to the ends of the earth as long as he continued to flash those pearly whites her way. She tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow and leaned closer to his side, soaking up the warmth that was oozing from his body—her own personal furnace.

  “If you get cold, we can jump back into the truck and warm up.”

  “Right now, I’m toasty.”

  “Do you need your camera?”

  She’d forgotten all about it, for the first time in…well, ever. “Maybe after we tame this hill. I see you only have one sled there, big fellow. Does that mean we’re doing this together?”

  “Front or back?” His brow lifted.

  His words teased her inner temptress. “Whatever you prefer.” Her stomach did a flip.

  “I wouldn’t mind a little of each.”

  Oh for heaven’s sake. Just take me now. Get it together. “Can I trust that you’ll keep me alive?”

  “I’d protect you with everything I have.”

  Yup, the perfect gentleman, through and through. They came to the side of the hill and he dropped the sled and sat down, holding out his gloved hand for her to take. “Join me for the race, darlin’.”

  She wouldn’t have denied him if someone told her that hell awaited them at the bottom of the slope. Laying her gloved hand in his, she sat behind him on the slatted seat. He was warm and inviting and she leaned her body against his, wrapping her arms tight around his waist. Inhaling, she caught leather and spice. It wasn’t right that a man could look this good, be as appealing as a snake charmer, and smell good enough to lick. She lifted her chin, and the ends of his hair tickled her nose. She could stay right here. That would be just fine.

  “Hold on tight, sweetheart.”

  “Oh, trust me, I will,” she whispered.

  Using his legs, he pushed them to the brink of the slope and she could feel the sled start to give. She clutched him tighter and they slowly eased over the edge. She held her breath as the sled sped up, the wind blasting across her cheeks. She closed her eyes, burying her face in the back of his coat, squealing as they slid down the long hill. He laughed. She could feel the vibrations in her hands and she couldn’t even think, except to feel how good this was. Time seemed to stand still until the sled finally slowed and came to a stop.

  “That didn’t last nearly long enough,” he said.

  “You’re telling me.” Against her better judgment, she finally released her hold and stood, swiping off the snow from her backside.

  He did the same. “Now for the fun part.”

  “Yeah?” She looked up the side of the slope. “I’ll make a bet with you.”

  “Oh, a betting woman, huh?” His eyes were piercing, back-dropped by the bright snow.

  “The one who falls first on the trek up the hill will be the one who has to cook dinner tonight for the other. Sound like a deal?”

  He nodded. “Go ahead and start planning the menu, darlin’. I’m as light on my feet as a cat.” He started walking.

  She ran to catch up, attempting to stay in his large boot tracks. “Confidence can be a person’s downfall.”

  “I’ll warn you, might be a good idea for you just to go ahead and take a tumble, unless you like burnt steak and potatoes.”

  She fell a step behind, watching him walk. The worn jeans did wonders for his tight ass. He darted a glance over his shoulder and she pretended to be looking at the snow. “You can’t cook?”

  “Unless the meal calls for a microwave and a package, I’m out of luck. Do you cook?” he didn’t even lose a breath and she was already panting.

  “I can cook. When I was younger I did more in the kitchen, but now I don’t seem to have the time.”

  “I sure as hell c
an eat. That counts for something.” He chuckled.

  “Did you grow up in Wyoming?” If they had to walk all the way up the hill, they might as well chat.

  “No, in Montana. On a ranch with my mom, dad, sister, and brother. We were raised with respect, manners, and a good education.”

  “So why aren’t you back home, running the family ranch?”

  “I left it a few years back.” He walked a little faster and it took all of her energy to catch up to him. Her boots slipped and she almost fell, but she caught her balance just in time. “That was a close call.” He chuckled.

  “I’m still standing.” She smiled.

  “By the way, just a suggestion, I love a good cut of steak and all of the trimmings. I thought I’d give you a chance to plan the meal.”

  Frowning, she reached down, grabbed a handful of snow, rolled it into a tight ball, and aimed right in the center of his back. It stuck and splattered exactly where she wanted. He stopped and looked at her. “Ouch. You throw a mean snowball, lady.”

  She giggled. “It’s called survival. I grew up with brothers who showed no mercy.”

  “Is that right?” His eyes shone. “Well, then. Let’s see how my hand works.” He dipped his gloved hand into the snow.

  “That’s not necessary. I believe you have a strong—very strong—arm.”

  “I played pitcher in baseball.” He continued to roll, his smile growing.

  “Don’t you dare get me with that!”

  “Ahh, you can dish it out but can’t take it?”

  “Trust me, I can take it.” Her eyes automatically drifted to his zipper. Not only could she take it, but she wanted it.

  He cleared his throat and she brought her gaze back to his face. He pulled back his arm and threw the snowball. It splattered her thigh. She laughed and, because she wasn’t concentrating, she lost her footing. Her boot slipped and she flailed her arms as she gained her balance, but then the other foot skidded and she was a goner. Falling backwards, she fell onto her backside and slid twenty feet back down the hill. She dropped onto her back and groaned. All of that work for nothing.

  Maverick was next to her instantly, on his knees. Concern etched lines around his eyes. “Are you okay?”

  “Besides the bruised ego, I’m fine.” She pushed herself up to sit.

  “Technically, you lost the bet, but because I take some of the credit, I’ll do the cooking.”

  “You mean you’ll have the chef prepare dinner,” she corrected him.

  “Exactly. I don’t want you to come down with food poisoning.” He stood and helped her to her feet.

  By the time they reached the top of the hill, they were both out of breath and covered in snow. “I’d ask if you’d like to take another round, but from the redness on your cheeks, you’ve had enough.”

  “I’m freezing,” she grumbled.

  “You’re a good sport.” He opened the passenger door and she climbed in.

  “Actually, I do feel very invigorated now.”

  “Feels great.” He closed the door and she watched him drop the sled inside the back. He then joined her. Within minutes, he had the inside warm and toasty.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  MAVERICK COULD BARELY contain himself as he looked at Jax across the seat of the truck. The hat she wore was pulled low on her head and her long hair hung in wet tendrils around her shoulders. Her cheeks were crimson and her lips were bright pink. A part of him felt guilty that he’d taken her outside in this weather.

  “You should take your wet coat off,” he said.

  She did as he suggested and he skimmed his gaze over the slope of her breasts under the shirt. She dragged off the hat and flipped her damp hair over one shoulder, threading her long fingers through the locks and pulling out clumps of snow. She blinked and her long lashes skimmed the tops of her rosy cheeks as she smoothed the tip of her tongue over her plump bottom lip. Her action had him harder than a heavyweight’s clenched fist.

  He counted to ten and said the alphabet backward to keep from grabbing and dragging her into his arms for a kiss that would ignite a fire inside. He wanted to hold her body against him, just as she had been on the sled, but this time he wanted a full frontal hug.

  She brought her gaze up, meeting his, and an electrical current passed between them.

  “Jax…” Her name floated off his lips.

  Her mouth slightly parted and she exhaled. “I’d like for you to kiss me now,” she whispered.

  He blinked. His cock nearly snaked its way out of the waist of his jeans. “The feeling is mutual.”

  She exhaled and slipped closer, minimizing the distance between them. He could smell her sweet scent and it made him needier. He wanted to slide his tongue over every dip and curve of her beautiful body.

  Slow down, bro. Don’t take things too fast.

  She moved in, brushing the backs of her knuckles along his cheek. Holy shit! She was welcoming him in with her sultry gaze. He did what any sane man would do and lowered his mouth to hers. It’d been a long time since he’d kissed a woman and what should have been an awkward moment, wasn’t at all. It seemed natural for him to be kissing her, slipping his tongue between the seam of her lips, and sampling her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. The gearshift jabbed him in the ribs. It hurt, but only for a mere second because the pain in his groin was much worse. He’d never needed release more in his life.

  Jax must have understood the dire problem. With a quick shift of her body, she had his back against the seat and was straddling him, her thighs spread above his zipper that bulged with his caged cock. He’d never been with a woman that took the moment by the reins and he had to admit the truth, he liked her brazen ways. He liked knowing that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  She threaded her fingers in his hair, knocking his hat off as she moved her palms over his head, nicking his scalp with her short fingernails. She pushed her tongue deeper into his mouth, tongues tangling and breaths mingling as they desperately explored each other. He moved his hands to the small of her back, lower to her bottom, and squeezed the voluptuous curves. He wished the denim wasn’t in the way of his starving touch. His fingers ached to have skin contact with her silken body, to learn her in every line of his fingerprints. He was so hard, he thought he’d burst right in his boxers. Each time she moved, the apex of her thighs scrubbed his cock, and the muscle longed to be free from behind the confines of the zipper.

  She pulled back, her chest rising and falling, her ragged breaths brushing his cheek. Her eyes were glazed and her lips were swollen, ruby pink from his kisses. She never looked more beautiful, never a lovelier woman had been in his arms. He could stay here, right here in the driver’s seat, and kiss her, love her, ease the desire boiling in his blood.

  But she had other plans.

  She backed up, pressing her palms against his chest. “I hear there’s a waterfall close by?”

  Waterfall? What the hell? Could he get his vocal chords to work? “Yes. It’s frozen.” But he wasn’t.

  “Perfect.” She winked.

  “For?” How could he think of the icy waters when he had soft, warm Jax sprawled across his lap?

  “Will you take me there so I can get some shots?”

  “Now?” Kiss now. Waterfall later.

  “The lighting is perfect.” She gave him one last kiss on the lips and pushed back into her seat. Fuck! His body wasn’t meant to transition that easy. He shifted, adjusting his throbbing hard on and squinted at the tingly ache that swept from his balls to the tip of his cock. He had half a mind to jump outside and roll around in the snow. However, that wasn’t a good idea when he’d need certain parts of his body in excellent working order. Who knew, maybe she’d want to kiss him later, maybe more. He didn’t own a golden dictionary on women, but he knew when a woman’s kiss held promise, and Jax’s lips made every oath possible of things going further, and they’d be doing this again, soon.

  He glanced over at her and smiled.
She also smiled. Darn sexy wench. She had him by the gonads and, no doubt, she realized her power. Her cheeks were rosy, her lips matching in color, and she had her hand braced on her chest over her heart as if to calm the beating. Yeah…he most certainly would be getting more later.

  He shifted the truck into drive and slowly made his way through the snow. “Better prepare yourself, sweetheart. We’re about to embark on something very beautiful.”

  She turned her head, curious eyes nailing him. “Us or the waterfall?”

  “Both.”

  ****

  Jax glanced across the frozen land to where Maverick stood with his back to her. She skimmed her gaze from his wide shoulders that even the thick coat didn’t hide, along his back, his tight ass, down long legs. He looked so handsome standing there, staring out at the snow topped mountains.

  Grabbing her camera, she uncapped the lens cover and clicked one shot after another of the unaware cowboy. Once she had plenty, she put the camera back into the carrier, zipped it, all the while wondering what he was thinking as he stood there.

  His words were stuck in her head…, “We’re about to embark upon something beautiful.”

  Yes, the connection between them was very beautiful. And overwhelming. Breathless and passionate. Back in the truck they’d shared a kiss, one that would forever be branded on her still swollen lips.

  She wasn’t sure what had come over her, but she’d practically jumped his bones with her clothes on. Things would have ended up differently if she hadn’t pulled away. She wanted Maverick without the tiniest of doubt, but she also didn’t want to go at it with him like a drugged rabbit. She wanted to explore him, know every masculine line and coiled dip. She was possibly being too sentimental. All they had together was one week. Nothing had kept her from following the desire to rip his clothes off and ride him like a bucking stallion except for that part of her wanting to be held in his strong arms like a woman who was cared for. Kissed until breathless. Made love to until weak. If all she had with him was a short time of fun and games, then she wanted it to be a memory that lasted a lifetime.