Her Unbridled Cowboy (Harland County Series)

by Donna Michaels

  Kerri smiled. “Working on my chili for the cook off.”

  His brows rose. “You entered?”

  “Yeah.” She nodded. “Thanks to Emma. She’s got me doing the basket raffle, too. Says it’ll be good advertisement for the restaurant.”

  “She’s right,” he agreed, easing down on a stool. “And, hell, as for the cook off…” He closed his eyes and inhaled, then reopened them. “Darlin’, if you could win on smell alone, you’d take the grand prize.”

  “Thanks. I’m excited about the cook off. I’m glad it’s opened to professionals.” Kerri sighed. “But not about the raffle. I’m just not crazy about having to eat with a stranger who bought my goods.”

  A low laugh rumbled from the handsome cowboy. “Bought your goods, huh?”

  She smiled. “Emma’s words.”

  “Ah.” Again he nodded, gaze glued to her face.

  The intensity of his stare made her blush, and it wasn’t just her face that heated. Darn it. What was with her body and this cowboy, anyway?

  Nothing. That was the problem.

  Whoa. She shook her head. Not even going to…

  Ice cream. Right. She rushed to the cupboard, grabbed a bowl, then two spoons and headed back to the island.

  “Here.” She handed him the bowl and a spoon.

  He frowned. “Aren’t you going to eat any?”

  She opened the ice cream, then glanced at him. “Oh yeah.” Scooping a few mouthfuls into his bowl, she smiled and pulled the pint closer. “I don’t need a bowl.”

  He chuckled. “Oh, I see how it is.”

  “That’s right,” she said, shoving her spoon into the ice cream, her mouth dutifully watering before she tasted. “Mmm…” Kerri closed her eyes and savored the flavor as the cold treasure slid down her throat. Old man Foster sure knew how to blend his chocolate. She opened her eyes and enjoyed another spoon before looking at Connor. The heat in his gaze set her stomach a flutter.

  She pointed her spoon at him. “The way I see it. You owe me a bigger apology, so I get more.”

  He looked down at his small helping before glancing back at her. “Then here,” he said, pushing the bowl her way. “This is yours, too. I owe you a huge apology, Kerri, and you do not owe me any.”

  Stupid watery eyes. She sniffed. “Dang it, Connor. Why do you have to go and be so sweet?” She jammed her spoon in the ice cream in order to swipe the wetness from her face.

  “Ah, hell, darlin’. I’m not sweet,” he claimed, an uncomfortable look pinching his face.

  But she knew differently. He was sweet. And he probably tasted sweet about now, too. And chocolatey, because, like her, he’d already had a few spoonfuls of ice cream.

  What a combination. Shards of heat sliced low in her belly. Connor and chocolate ice cream…

  Holding her gaze, he lowered his spoon and swallowed. “Jesus, Kerri. What are you thinking right now?”

  That I need my head examined.

  Or him, covered in chocolate so she could lick it off.

  She shook her head and cleared her throat, neither helping to dispel the desire now coursing through her body at mach speed.

  “Nothing,” she replied. “Just that I’m sorry about the other night. About making you think Duke and I…that we…because we didn’t. I swear.”

  God, she hoped he believed her. She didn’t know why it was so important, only that it was.

  He slid off the stool and stepped to her, grabbing her hand and tugging until she looked up at him. “It’s okay, Kerri. I know. I do believe you. But at the time…not so much.” He drew in a breath and slowly exhaled. “I’m sorry. I was such an ass. The things I did. The things I said. I should’ve trusted you.”

  Wow. She stared up at him, unable to tear her gaze away from his troubled face. She hadn’t expected the T word. According to Jordan, he had trust issues. It was a good sign that he recognized his faults.

  “If it had been anybody but Duke, I would’ve let you alone. I wouldn’t have liked it, but I would’ve let you be.”

  Her heart rate increased. He wouldn’t like her to be with someone else… What did that mean?

  “Kerri, Duke is bad news. I just didn’t want him to hurt you.” He gave a derisive laugh. “But in the end, it was me who hurt you. And I am really sorry.”

  She freed a hand to touch his face. “It’s okay. I understand, now. And like I said, I’m to blame too. I’m the one who made you think I’d slept with the guy. I just never thought you and I’d end up on the couch…”

  Her voice trailed off. It felt weird to say making out. And the way her heart was slamming against her ribs, she couldn’t really get any more words out.

  “Me either,” he said, reaching up to cup the hand she still held against his face.

  She should’ve dropped it, let him go, but dang, he felt good. Slight scruff from his five o’clock shadow scraped her palm while rough calluses scraped the back of her hand. A tremor started at that hand and raced straight down to her toes, increasing the tingle in all her good parts.

  The next thing she knew, they were stepping into each other and kissing. Oh, dang me, kissing. His mouth was warm and seeking and tasty. Yeah, he tasted of chocolate and man. All man.

  She shifted closer, practically climbing up him, which he helped by lifting her right off the floor without ever breaking the kiss.

  He had an arm around her back, cupping the back of her head while the other cupped her butt, holding her in place. And what a place. A great place. Her new favorite place. He was hot and hard, and she felt every incredible inch of him pressing into her, right smack low in the belly.

  By the time they broke for air, and he let her gently slide down his body until her feet hit the floor, she was a trembling, panting, wet heap of need. His arms remained around her, thank goodness, or she’d be a trembling mass on his boots.

  Kerri dropped her forehead to his thundering chest and drew in a few ragged breaths. “Okay…wow. I don’t even know what that was.”

  His chuckle rumbled against her head before he cupped her chin and tipped her head back until their gazes met. “I’d say that was pretty incredible.”

  Dang. Yeah, it was. But she didn’t know what she was doing. She nodded, then closed her eyes. This was just too much.

  “Don’t you think so?” he asked, his tone troubled.

  Again, she nodded and opened her eyes. “Yes, I do. It’s just…I don’t want to give you the wrong impression.”

  “What do you mean?” Now he was frowning. “Are you saying you’re not attracted to me?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I am. Very much so. It’s just…” She sighed. God, this was hard, especially with his thumb caressing her chin. “Look, Connor, you’ve been with…you’ve had...lots of experience. And...I haven’t.” She laughed a small, cynical laugh. “I’ve only had one lover, and he didn’t even like…”

  Crap. She pulled out of his embrace and strode to the sink. Holy, crud. She almost told him. God, how embarrassing.

  “Kerri. Hey,” he said, big hands caressing her shoulders from behind. “What is it? What didn’t your ex like? Surely you don’t mean you, because I saw the way he looked at you, and he most definitely has feelings for you.”

  She nodded, drawing in a shaky breath. “I know. It’s not that.”

  Connor turned her to face him and bent slightly at the knee to look into her eyes. “Then what is it?”

  She squeezed them shut as if that would keep the secret in. “Please don’t make me say it,” she whispered.

  Two warm hands cupped her face. “Say what?”

  Eyes still closed, she shook her head.

  “Come on, darlin’. Get it out. You’ll feel better,” he gently urged.

  She’d already gotten it out with Jordan and had her little talk with Lance. And he was right. She had felt better. But telling this big, virile, hunk of a man she’d been having sex with a guy who preferred guys, was more than she could handle.

  “Kerr
i, open your eyes. Look at me,” he said, still lightly caressing her face.

  She inhaled and forced her eyes to open, and was staggered by the amount of compassion warming his brown eyes to a delicious caramel hue.

  “Are you trying to tell me Lance is gay?”

  Her sharp inhale and obvious clenching of her body as she did her impression of rigor mortis should’ve answered his question. But in case that wasn’t confirmation enough, she gave him a curt nod before the sudden onslaught of tears rolled down her cheeks.

  He groaned and crushed her tight against him. “Ah, darlin’. I’m sorry,” he said, stroking her hair, while she burrowed deeper into his accepting warmth. “I really am, but it makes sense.”

  Okay, poke her with an electrode, she was shocked.

  Kerri drew back. “W-what do you mean?”

  He brushed her tears aside and smiled. “The guy had to be gay to let someone as hot and gorgeous as you get away.”

  Her mouth dropped open and eyes widened. She was channeling that darn electrode again. “Y-you think I’m hot?”

  “Hell, yeah, darlin’.” And to prove it, he pressed her against the sink and ground into her. “I’d love to show you how much. In fact, I’d love to show you a lot of things,” he said, running those big, wonderful hands up and down her body, bringing with them a trail of heat, while his mouth lowered to kiss a path up her neck. “I can guarantee you, you’ve been missing out.”

  Kerri clutched at him as sensations rushed through her body in wave after delicious wave.

  “What do you say, darlin’? Want to let me show you how a cowboy makes love to a woman?”

  She shook. Literally shook at his words. Well, that certainly made it clear what her body thought about his offer, but Kerri wasn’t sure. She was afraid.

  “What are you afraid of?” he asked as if reading her mind.

  The bugger.

  Drawing in a deep breath, she fought the urge to cross her eyes as he sunk his teeth into the curve of her neck. “Th-that I’ll disappoint you.”

  There, she said it. It was out there, floating in the miniscule space between them.

  He drew back and locked gazes. “Darlin’, you could never, ever disappoint. Trust me.”

  She shook her head. “But I wouldn’t know what you’d want.”

  “You, Kerri,” he said, wrapping his hands around her hips and drawing her up close against him. “I just want you.”

  She backed up a little. “But what about our parents? Won’t it make it awkward at family functions?”

  “Isn’t it awkward now?”

  She laughed. “Yeah, I see your point.”

  “Good.” He drew her close again.

  But she put her hands on his chest to stop him. “Wait. Connor, you do know I’m not staying, right? Once this restaurant has an established clientele, I plan to head back to California and reopen Comets, or maybe look for a Top Chef position.”

  Last thing she wanted to do was hurt this guy. To become another city girl who left him. “I just want to be as honest with you as possible.”

  He nodded. “I know. And I appreciate it, darlin’.”

  “And you’re okay with me leaving?”

  “Sure.”

  “You don’t have a problem with me being a city girl?”

  He smiled. “Nope. This time it’s different. This time I know up front you’ll head back to the city.”

  She searched his eyes. They appeared to be earnest, and heated and dang, she was not equipped with the ability to fight the strong attraction flowing between them any longer. Not when they’d laid out all their concerns and considerations.

  And why the heck should she fight it? They both wanted a friends-with-benefits relationship. A mutually satisfying one.

  “So…what do you say?” he asked, forehead pressed to hers, lightly running his hands up her arms again, gaze hopeful, and yeah, still heated.

  “Okay.”

  He stilled, then drew back. “Okay?”

  “Yes, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. I really don’t know what I’m doing.”

  His smile broadened until his dimples glared. “Don’t worry, darlin’. I’ll teach you. Starting right now.”

  And her heart nosedived into her ribs while her pulse soared sky high. The combination made Kerri sway and clutch at his shirt. Apparently this was okay with him because he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed the rest of her senses into oblivion.

  If possible, he tasted even hotter, hungrier, more potent now that they’d dropped all their barriers. And heaven help her, she was sunk. She moaned and did that climbing thing again, to which he cupped her bottom and lifted while she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  Hot dang, it felt good.

  Still kissing, he turned them around and walked to the island where he set her down near their forgotten ice cream. Breaking the kiss, they drew in air, still touching and feeling. His forehead met hers again.

  “You take the lead, Kerri. What do you want to do to me?”

  “Me?” she practically squeaked. “I-I told you, I-I don’t know.”

  He smiled that dang sexy, lop-sided grin as his hands ran up and down her thighs. “Oh, but you do. Listen to your body. Trust me. A guy is going to enjoy anything you do to him. So, what do you want?”

  She wanted…her gaze traveled over him. She wanted him naked. She wanted… “To lick my ice cream off your chest.”

  Oh crud. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but a second later, he’d ripped off his shirt and between her dangling legs, a glorious, bare torso awaited her pleasure.

  Her mouth watered—and other parts further south—at the sight of him. With a wicked grin, the sexy cowboy shoved the pint of melting ice cream into her hand.

  “Have at it.”

  So she did.

  Tentatively at first, then she got both of her hands in on it, reaching into the pint before slathering the sticky, cold, delicious confection all over his broad chest and each individual ridge of his abs. God, he looked good enough to eat.

  So she did,

  Kerri leaned forward and began to lick that magnificent chest, delighting in his inhales and the way his hands tightened on her thighs as he stood while she licked him clean.

  “Are you done?” he asked, voice strained, gaze dark and hungry.

  She shook her head. “No.” Then wiped a fresh coat of ice cream across his bottom lip. “There’s still a little left,” she said, then cupped his face and pulled his mouth close enough to lick.

  His control snapped. He groaned and grabbed the back of her head while his mouth devoured hers, eating, drinking, plunging until she quivered with so much need she didn’t know what to do with herself.

  Then his hands were on her shirt, unbuttoning, driving her wild with each brush of his knuckle across her breasts. She wanted his whole hand there. And…and maybe his mouth. Yeah. Definitely his mouth. He eased the shirt off and stood back. Her body shivered under the heat of his gaze.

  “Purple. Nice,” he said, then tugged the bra straps down her arms until she sprang free.

  He inhaled, and reached behind to unhook the bra and toss it aside. “God, you’re beautiful,” he muttered, lowering his head. A second later, he was kissing her cleavage, a nipple, and when he caught the other between his thumb and finger and squeezed, she cried out and arched into him.

  Lance had never done these things. He’d touched her, but not so lingering. Or greedily.

  Connor lifted his head, eyes dark and practically glowing before he took her mouth. She nearly climaxed from the erotic sweeping of his tongue while his hand tweaked her nipple and the other strayed further south to stroke between her legs.

  Kerri moaned and let him lay her back, tensing briefly when her bare skin met the cool counter.

  He pulled away to look down at her. “Gorgeous,” he said, gaze traveling down her body then back up. “But you have on too many clothes.”

  Strong, sure fingers were undoing her jeans, and b
efore she could change her mind, or help, he had them down to her ankles while he removed her shoes. Which he did with startling efficiency, before he yanked off her jeans and socks.

  Now that heated gaze of his devoured her purple lace bikini. “They’re not grandma panties,” he said, a smirk tugging his lips.

  She smiled. “Nope. Not today.”

  “Wouldn’t matter. These aren’t staying anyway,” he said as he hooked both sides with his forefingers and slowly tugged them down her legs until they joined the rest of her clothes on the floor.

  Can you say, self conscious? Heck yeah. Big time. She swallowed, and her face heated. Cripes, she was practically laid out like a buffet on her own kitchen island.

  Ew, she was going to have to disinfect later.

  “God, you’re so damn beautiful, Kerri,” he breathed, his gaze slowly running up her body and back down again.

  It sent all thoughts of cleaning from her mind.

  Okay, seen it once, no reason for another pass.

  Her entire being screamed for her to cringe, to curl up and cover up. And because she wanted to roll away and hide under the quilt on the couch, Kerri forced herself to remain where she was and waited.

  Forget breathing. That wasn’t possible. Not with the gorgeous Connor McCall taking in every inch of her.

  “Mouthwatering,” he said, his gaze finally reaching hers. “God, Kerri, the things I want to do to you…”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kerri could feel Connor shake as he gripped the counter and bent down to kiss her lips. The fact he was so turned on caused her to shake in response.

  Something cold and sticky hit her chest. She gasped, and he drew back and smiled, holding up his ice cream covered hand.

  “My turn,” he beamed, and proceeded to slowly drive her mad with a barely there touch that circled her breasts, but not the nipple.

  She inhaled and gripped the counter. Not fair. He did it again, each time coming closer, but never quite touching her firm peaks. She grit her teeth and held back a groan while she squeezed her thighs shut in an attempt to block the aching need.

  It didn’t work. The hunk of a cowboy was standing between her legs.

  “Connor.” The need forced his name from her lips.