by Kelly Moore
“Did you now?” His breath is warming my skin.
I can’t help it. My body is screaming for his. Licking my lips, I rise on my tiptoes, softly tasting his lips.
He jerks his head back as if I burned him. “How many men have you kissed since I’ve been gone.”
I shake my head. “None.”
“You expect me to believe that?” His eyes darken.
“I didn’t say I hadn’t fucked a few. But my lips haven’t touched another.”
His fingers press into my waist and he kisses me hard. His tongue is in my mouth, and I can taste the peppermint gum he’d been chewing. I invite him in further, tangling his hair in my fists. The soft bristles of his short beard scratch against my cheek as I grasp him tighter, not wanting him to escape. He plunges in, overpowering my senses and making me forget my own name. My curiosity about the heat that lies within this man, no longer a boy, rises.
I move my hands to his belt when I feel my dress rise above my bottom. His hard cock pushes against my belly, making me ache. Not wanting him to change his mind, I push his pants below his hips. His grip tightens. He releases it long enough to rip the thin, sheer material of my panties down to my feet. I step out of them, and he lifts me, entering me in one move. My head bangs against the wall as I take in the feel of him inside me.
His lips nip against the tender skin of my neck as if he’s trying to devour me. “I’ve wanted you for so damn long.” His words are heated in my ear, and it fuels the flame that had only flickered into a full-blown fire. He thrusts into me, scraping my back against the wall.
“Yes,” I cry.
My insides pulsate with each onslaught of the force of his hips moving upward. I’m totally lost in the moment. I give in to what he’s giving me, screaming out his name.
“Ian!”
He doesn’t stop.
He moves me across the room, knocking a lamp from the bedside table. He falls on top of me, thrusting even harder until I scream again. His piercing brushes against the spot deep inside me, making my body erupt and causing him to lose his control.
His body is covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and his chest is heaving. “Tell me, Ellie.”
I blow out all the air I have left in my lungs. “Why do you have to ruin it?” I shove him off me, pulling my dress in place and picking up my panties.
He rolls over, tucking his favorite possession back in his jeans.
I walk back over to him, and he stands. “This part was always so good between us, but damn, I don’t remember it being like this.”
“It won’t be again until you tell me what I want to hear.”
I bite back my anger. “Why do you have to hear the words? Can’t you feel it.” I storm toward the door. “Funny. You think you can resist me any more than I can you. As much as I hate it, we’re drawn together like magnets caught in each other’s pull.” I slam the door.
I pass in front of Margret’s office door as she is coming out. “You okay?” she asks, brushing my hair off my shoulder. Her eyes twinkle when she sees the redness on my neck. “I guess you found Ian.”
I purse my lips and nearly stumble down the porch steps, trying to get away as fast as I can. As I back out of the parking lot, I glance up to see Ian watching me from his room. “I hate you!” I yell, with my window up. Tears I can’t control haze my view.
I don’t stop until I’m at the bar Bear’s band plays at on occasion. I need a damn drink or two. After I’ve downed a couple, I go into the bathroom to clean my face and practice my deep breathing. When I come back out, I head straight for the dance floor, needing to feel another man’s hands on my body, erasing Ian from my skin.
Too bad it doesn’t work. Their touch isn’t his. Ian’s grip commands my body to his will. I swat large hands from my ass, heading over to the bar.
“Whiskey,” I say to the bartender who knows me well. There’s no need for him to ask my brand. He knows it. “Leave the bottle,” I say.
“Should I call Bear to bring you home?” He chuckles.
“I’m more than capable of finding a ride. Maybe you could take me home later.”
“Not on your life. Bear would kill me.”
“I’m a grown-ass woman, and I can do whoever I want.” The liquor starts to burn. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Watkins walk in and sit at the end of the bar. His gaze is glued to me. It makes me feel nothing but dirty. I ignore it, moving to the barstool next to him.
“Come here often,” I slur.
“You’re drunk,” he snarls.
“So what. I’m fun when I’ve been drinking.”
“You mean loose.”
I slap him hard. “Fuck you.”
He snags my wrist in his hand. “You better be careful,” he warns.
I twist out of his grip. “You need to heed the same warning.” I go back over to the barstool I vacated, pouring several more glasses of whiskey to down.
Chapter Seven
Clem
Boone stayed out late, chasing down some of the cattle that broke through a section of fence. I wanted to wait up, but the wine I consumed catching up with Nita has taken its toll.
Slipping on one of Boone’s nightshirts I love to wear to bed, I curl up in the middle, tucking the sheets around me. I doze off easily.
“Hey.” Boone’s lips are on my ears. “You awake?”
“I am now,” I say, lazily rolling over in his arms. “You’re naked.”
“That’s exactly how I want you.” He reaches under the sheet, gripping the hem of my shirt, and pulls it over my head, tossing it on the floor.
“I love a horny cowboy.” He kisses me hard as his hands roam over my body. He stops suddenly, with his fingers dancing between my legs.
“What the hell did you do?”
It takes a minute for his question to register.
He reaches above the bed, turning on a light. He sits next to me and throws the covers to my feet. His stare bores into my most private of parts.
“You waxed your honey pot?” He bends over, his face mere inches from my bare girly mound.
Embarrassment rushes over me like a hot blanket, and I cover myself with my hands. “Ellie made me do it. She said men like that sort of thing.”
He forces my hands away. “Let me look at you.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to watch him. I nearly bolt off the bed when his lips graze my lady lips. “You’re so beautiful.” His breath blows across my skin, making me wet.
“You like it?” I lift my head to look at him.
“Damn woman, what’s not to love? I can see your pink, purdy folds.”
His Bone Ranger is pressed into my side, making my mouth water. “Score one for Ellie,” I say, grasping him firmly, giving him a few strokes as he rocks against my body while he makes me squirm with his tongue deep inside me.
I hear something beat against the window. “What was that?” I say in a whisper.
“My tongue kissing your lips.” Boone’s voice vibrates between my legs, making me quiver.
“Don’t stop,” I rasp, then hear the sound again, louder this time.
“Boone. What’s that noise?”
He lifts his shiny lips long enough to listen for a moment, only to resume.
“It’s coming from outside,” I say.
“The only thing coming inside this room is you.” He delves deeper.
My body starts that familiar quiver right before I set Miss Daisy free. “Yes!”
Boone lifts his head. “I hear it now.”
“It’s my honey pot starting to vibrate from your tongue lashing,” I gasp and shove his head between my legs.
Something hits the window hard, and it shatters.
We’re both on our feet, and Boone is grabbing his gun. “Stay here,” he orders. He carefully steps over the broken glass and peeks out the window. “It’s Ellie,” he says. “I think she’s drunk.” About the time he ducks, a rock flies through the room.
“What the hell is wrong with
you?” Boone yells.
“I’m going to kill her,” I say, tugging on my robe and stepping into my boots. Marching through our house, I swing open the door. “What, pray tell, are you doing?”
She wobbles as she bends over to pick up another rock. “I need to talk to you!” she says loudly enough to wake up every beast on the ranch. Then she sways backward.
“It’s after midnight for god’s sake. My husband had his lips on my magical kingdom, and the fireworks were seconds from happening before you broke our window.”
She plops to the ground. “Gawd, I miss that.”
I don’t miss a beat. “And your drunk-ass… wait, what did you say?” I stop in front of her with my hands planted on my hips.
“I miss having a man making my cooter sing.”
I sit beside her in the grass.
Boone is fuming mad, storming toward us, buttoning up his jeans.
“I don’t understand. You have sex more than anyone I know,” I finally respond.
“That don’t mean nothing. I’ve gotten good at faking it.”
“Even with Ethan?” I ask.
She nods. “Only two things make my Netherlands shake, rattle, and roll.”
“I’m afraid you’re going to tell me, aren’t you?”
“One is the pink vibrating dildo in my nightstand, the other is Ian Daughtry.”
Boone almost falls over when he turns around so quickly, heading back to the house.
“Oh sure, walk away in my hour of need. Not at all what I expected from the man who likes his woman wrapped up as tight as leftovers,” she yells.
He whirls around, marching straight for her.
“Sweet baby Jesus.” I hop off the ground, stepping in front of Boone. Placing my hands on his chest, I hold him back. “Let it go. She’s drunk.”
Ellie reaches around me, yanking on Boone’s pant leg. “At least I’m not afraid to admit I like a little kink,” she slurs as she falls over, passing out cold.
Boone and I stare down at her.
“Damn, she really tied one on,” he says.
“She’s a mess. Help me get her inside.”
He bends down, scoops her into his arms, and carries her into our house. Her head falls back, drool running down her chin as he lays her in the guest bed.
“Cock-blockin’ drunk,” he mutters, and I laugh.
“More like orgasm killer.”
Boone wraps his arms around my waist. “She’s ain’t wakin’ up till morning. I could make you scream, and she’d never hear a thing.”
I pull from his grasp, dragging him back to the bedroom. “Come on, cowboy. You can yodel in my canyon all you want.”
“You ain’t right.” He chuckles against my ear.
“Hey, you gettin’ out of bed sometime today? Watkins has been blowing up your phone, looking for you.” I throw the covers off Ellie.
“What time is it?” she groans, tugging them back up.
“Noon.”
She shoots out of bed. “Why did you let me sleep so late?”
“Boone tried to wake you up this morning.” I sit on the bed. “What happened to you yesterday?”
“Nothing I want to talk about.”
“You got out of it at lunch yesterday too. You promised you’d tell me.”
She huffs as she sits. “I broke into Ian’s room at the Magnolia.”
“Did you find what you were looking for?” I drag my knee on the bed and face her.
“Yeah, a big gorgeous cowboy.” She softly laughs.
“He caught you breaking in?” I cover my mouth with my hand. “What happened?”
She angles her gaze at me. “What do you think happened?”
“Is that why you got drunk?”
“Did I break your window?” She presses her fingers firmly into her temples.
“Yep, you did.”
Her eyes grow wide. “I said something about liking things kinky in front of Boone, didn’t I?”
“Yep to that too. Don’t worry. He’s heard much worse from you.” I giggle.
“I’m so sorry. I’ll replace your window.”
“All I want from you is to tell me what happened between you and Ian that made him leave.”
“I done told you, I couldn’t give him what he wanted.”
“That’s the thing. You haven’t said what that was.”
She stands and stares out the window. “I met Ian about a year after you left Boone at the altar. He was so damn handsome, I knew the minute I met him I’d fall head over heels for him. He said all the right words, making my heart flutter. I wanted no other man from that point on.” She moves back to the bed.
“What made him leave, Ellie?”
“I watched you and Boone fall in love. I admired how you felt for one another. I’d always hoped for a man like him to sweep me off my feet.” She pauses.
“Go on.”
“Then, you left. You ripped his heart from his chest. You two were so connected, I thought he might die. I wondered all those times you told him that you loved him, did you mean it?”
Tears well up in my eyes.
“I mean, did you feel it to your core? Words are purdy, but they don’t mean anything if they don’t take your breath away. I decided right then and there that I’d never tell a man that I loved him. I wanted to show it. For him to feel it. Ian needed the words I couldn’t give him.”
“He left because you couldn’t say I love you?” I sniff.
“Yes, he did.”
I get on my knees in front of her, tears rolling down my face. “Oh, Ellie. I’m so sorry I made you feel that way about love. I did love Boone to my core. I was just confused about so many things. I never thought for one minute how that looked to you, and for that, I’m sorry.”
She brushes my hair back over my shoulder. “You did what you had to do. Ian chose to leave like you did. The damn stubborn man should’ve felt how much I adored him.”
“But, Ellie, a man needs to hear it. Every day.”
“Why isn’t it enough that he feels it?”
“It just isn’t. If you love him, you need to tell him.”
“How can I love a man that deserted me?”
I get up. “I deserted Boone, and he still loves me.”
“You’re a better person than me.”
“I’m not. You have so much love to give a man.”
She glances up at me.
I swat her playfully on the shoulder. “I’m not talking the love you’ve been seeking the last couple of years.”
“That was fucking. Nothing to do with love.”
“As I see it, you have two choices. One, keep showing him you love him without the words and risk losing him. Or two, find the words, Ellie. It’s very rare we get second chances. Don’t wait too long or you’ll miss out on something pretty fantastic.”
“Thanks, Clem.” She stands to hug me. “Oh, I forgot to tell you about my other breaking and entering yesterday.” I pull back to look at her.
“You’re becoming quite the criminal.”
“Noah, the guy that showed up here and gave Daddy the note.”
“You broke into his room?”
“Yeah. Ethan happened to show up at the same time I did. Noah came back, and we hid under the bed.”
“Together?”
I nod. “Guess who knocked on his door?”
“I don’t know. Tell me.”
“Daddy.”
“He didn’t aim a gun at him again, did he?”
“No. But I believe Noah Thatcher is Daddy’s son.”
“What? No! Daddy would never cheat on Momma.”
“Daddy didn’t deny it. He asked for proof.”
“I’m gonna kill him for Momma.”
Ellie snatches my arm as I try to walk away. “No, you’re not. We need to wait for Daddy to tell us his side of the story.”
“Does Wyatt know?”
“I don’t think he’s told anyone. He’s probably waiting for the truth to rear its ugly head
. You have to promise not to say anything to him.”
“My lips are sealed.” But I didn’t say I wouldn’t tell Boone. “I have to go. I promised Boone we’d get Moonshine ready for the local race tomorrow.” I walk her to the door. “Will you be okay?”
“You know me. I always land on my feet.”
“Thank you for finally telling me.”
“Tell Boone I’m sorry about the window.”
“It wasn’t the window he was upset about,” I snicker.
She looks over her shoulder. “Did he like the bare honey pot?”
“That he did.” I wink.
“Told ya.” She giggles.
I get my riding boots on and head to the track. Missy is dismounting Moonshine. “That was so much fun, Uncle Boone.”
“You did great, M.” He unbuckles her chin strap.
I hold back, watching him interact with her. My heart aches thinking about how good of a father he’d be. If it weren’t for me, we’d have two babies. One would be a little older than Missy, and one learning how to walk. I want nothing more than to give him a child, but I’m so afraid of losing another one. I don’t think my heart could handle it.
“Hi, Aunt Clem. Did you see me riding Moonshine?”
“No, sweetie. I’m sorry I missed it. But Boone tells me how good you are with him.”
“I want a horse of my own to ride in the Derby one day.”
“When you’re eighteen, I’ll buy you a horse to train for three years, and you can enter in the races when you’re twenty-one,” Boone tells her.
“That’s too long,” she whines.
“I know it seems like it. You’ve got a lot of learning to do between now and then.”
“Can I go with you and Aunt Clem to the races tomorrow?”
“Sure you can, sweetie,” I answer her.
“Thanks, Aunt Clem.”
“Why don’t you invite Ms. Nita to come along?”
“No thank you.” She purses her lips.
“Do you mind if I invite her?”
“Suit yourself,” she shouts as she runs off.
“She’s a feisty one.” Boone chuckles.
“I have no doubt Nita will win her over.”
“You ready to work with Moonshine?”
“Yes, but I have to tell you something first.”
