12-Alarm Cowboys (178 page)

Her smile skewered him. Her words did too. “Poor Cody.”

“Poor Cody?”

“I think your scar is…” His heart pattered as he waited for her to finish. “Hot.”

Good God. His breath locked. His pulse jerked. “H-hot?”

“Very sexy.”

Oh man. Her tone, her expression, her fingers brushing his thigh—
that
was hot.

“Don’t get me wrong. Cody is…pretty. I just don’t like
pretty
men.”

“What do you like, Lisa?”

Her lashes fluttered. Her lips worked. Lust and need clawed at his soul. “I like manly men.”

“Manly men?” He tried not to puff out his chest, but failed.

She leaned closer and her scent coiled around him. “I really liked…what we shared in the kitchen. I wouldn’t mind…you know. Exploring that.”

He audibly gulped. “I wouldn’t mind either.”

She looked away, staring out at the yard. Her sudden retreat made him ache. “But only exploring it.” Her sigh was heavy. It made something cold whip through him. “I suppose I should warn you, right up front, I’m not looking for a boyfriend. I’ve made a vow to avoid emotional entanglements.”

“I…see.” He hated the way his chest constricted.

“I’m just out of a bad relationship.”

“I get it.” And then, “Why was it so bad?”

“He cheated.” Her eyes narrowed. “They all cheat. They always do.”

No. They didn’t. “Maybe you’re choosing the wrong guys.”

She snorted a laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“That’s what I keep telling my mom.” She sighed and raked back her hair. “It runs in the family, you know.”

“What does?”

“Bad taste in men. It really is hopeless.”

No, it wasn’t. She had no idea. No clue what he would give to have the chance to be faithful to her. “So you’re not looking for a boyfriend?” The words desolated him.

“Nope.” She shot him a sharp look. “I want to make sure we’re clear on that. You know, so there are no misunderstandings or false expectations or anything.”

He didn’t like the idea of some rootless mating with her. He didn’t like the idea of using her and having her use him with no expectations. He didn’t like it at all. But as he studied her expression, so solemn and determined, he realized he would take it. Any deal she offered. Any opportunity.

And, if he was lucky, or diligent, or worthy, he could change her mind. He could make her want more.

“All right.” He said it softly, but she heard. Her chin jerked up, as though his assent had surprised her. “Only exploring.” He touched her hand—nothing more than a soft stroke, tracing the delicate veins. She shivered again, then turned her palm up and threaded her fingers through his.

“Only exploring. That’s all this is.”

Right. That was all it was.

But hopefully, not for long.

‡

H
e’d agreed.

Holy God, he’d agreed.

Lisa had no idea why she was flooded by such conflicting emotions. On the one hand, he’d agreed. They were going to…explore. And glory, what a thrill that was. On the other hand, he’d agreed. He’d agreed to no expectations, no commitments, no strings. She didn’t know why that depressed her so. It had been her idea.

“Do you…want to take a walk?” His low voice roused her from her dismal thoughts. The query was accompanied by a squeeze of her hand.

She glanced at him and was struck by the lines, the beauty of his face. Oh, he wasn’t cute like his brother. Cade had a hard, rough, savage beauty. A manly presence. Cheekbones were high and raw, his nose bold and slightly bent. The scar on his cheek only emphasized his masculinity. He was, without a doubt, the most attractive man she’d ever met. Everything about him, from his looks to his voice to his tantalizing scent, drew her in. Made her want to come closer.

Take a walk?

“Absolutely.”

His lips kicked up, snagging her attention. He stood and helped her stand. And though she didn’t need any help standing—she’d been doing it herself since childhood—she allowed it because she liked the feel of his hand in hers.

“Where shall we go?” She tried to infuse the question with a playful tone, but her excitement might have made it sound a tad manic.

“This way.” He led her down the stairs and over to the right of the ranch house, toward some outbuildings. She’d reconnoitered a little during her walk in the afternoon, but hadn’t made it over to this side of the property—some scintillating sight in the barnyard had scuttled her exploration.

“What’s that?” With her free hand she pointed to a large, low building hunkering in the shadows off the paddock.

“The shop.” He grinned and his teeth flashed. “You might find that boring, unless you like to work on machinery.”

She wrinkled her nose. She did not. “And that one?” She pointed to a long, double-storied edifice.

“That’s the bunkhouse. Do you want to go check it out?” He led her in that direction, but she held back.

“Oh, no. I don’t want to bother the ranch hands.” Aside from which, she liked this, being alone with him.

He huffed a laugh. “Oh, we won’t bother anyone. It’s empty right now.” At her curious look, he elaborated. “After Dad died, we had to downsize. We cut our stock in half and rented out part of the property to other ranchers. We couldn’t afford to keep full-time staff. Now, all of the guys who work for us are on contract. And the bunkhouse, well…” His grin widened.

“What?”

“We only use that on party weekends. You know, for the dancers.”

“The dancers? Strippers, don’t you mean?”

He chuckled as he led her toward the bunkhouse. “Most of them would beg to differ. They see themselves as professionals.”

“Mmm hmm.”

He barked a laugh at her sardonic response. “Really. Most of them are just working guys—”

“You’re not making your point.”

He stopped and set his hands on her shoulders, holding her still. His expression was serious, but there was a hint of amusement in it. “Kane is an oil-drill worker. He works our parties because they help him keep in shape. Stefan is saving up to open a bar in Dallas. Gareth is an accountant. He dances on the weekends to make extra money to pay for his daughter’s chemo.”

She put out a lip. “Oh, great. Way to make me feel like a scumbag.”

He winked. “Tony loves to have women fawning all over him. Does that make you feel better?”

“A bit.”

He mounted the stairs and opened the door, ushering her in. When he flicked on the light, she blinked.

“This is the lounge.” He waved at the mishmash of sofas and chairs, all well used. “The kitchen is over there, and the dorms are through that door and along the length of the building.”

“It’s nice.” Nicer, still, was his presence beside her. The humming energy arcing between them that had little to do with the layout of the bunkhouse and everything to do with the fact that they were alone. Together.

He knew it too. His voice dropped an octave when he said, “It’s private.”

And then, he flicked the light back off.

The room was shadowed, but the moonlight shone in through the window, illuminating it in a pale light. Lisa looked up at Cade and her heart lurched at the expression on his face.

She tried to be all blasé as he stepped closer and pulled her into his arms, but she didn’t know if she succeeded, and then, she didn’t care because he dipped his head and brushed his lips over hers.

It was a soft, teasing caress, a breath, the hint of a kiss. Then he did it again and again. All the while, his fingers skimmed over her back, her arms, her shoulders, her hair, mere traces of a touch. She sank her nails into his shoulders and tried to hold him still, tried to deepen the kiss, but he continued to toy with her until she wanted to wail with frustration.

“What are you doing?” she grumbled.

He leaned back and fixed a patently innocent expression on his face. “Exploring.”

She couldn’t help glaring at him for throwing her proposal back in her face, and he chuckled. Then he dipped his head again, but this time, he found her neck and teased her there, his mouth hovering over her sensitive skin, his breath skipping over her sanity. He cupped her breasts, thumbed her nipples and electricity surged through her. Delight mounted. Arousal sizzled and spat. “Cade.” She buried her fingers in his hair and scored his scalp with her nails. “Cade.”

He walked her back, toward one of the sofas, angled her down and then sat beside her. He took her cheeks in his palms and leaned in and kissed her. Thank God he kissed her properly. She’d been about ready to go out of her mind with his teasing.

She opened her mouth and welcomed him in, thrilling to the surge of his tongue. When she met his with hers, he hissed in a breath and deepened the kiss. It became a wild tumult, a force of nature, a howling storm.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Lisa was aware of all the kisses she’d ever had in all her life. And she knew, none of them, not one of them, had been this exciting, this crazed, this hungry. It exhilarated her to the core, because she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Cade wanted her with the same intensity with which she wanted him. There was no apathy here.

She did love that about him. He was an all-or-nothing kind of guy.

And right now, it was
all
. Definitely all.

His hold on her was tense and trembling. His mouth hot. His fingers restless. He didn’t break the kiss as he found and began working on her buttons. She took this as an invitation to work on his. And God. God.

When she slid her hand beneath the cotton and felt the hot, hard slabs of his chest beneath her palm, she shuddered. His skin was soft, smooth, though the hairs of his chest prickled. Unable to resist, she leaned in, kissed, caressed, explored.

His muscles shivered to her touch. He smelled of soap and shaving cream and musky man. She wanted to eat him up.

To her disgruntlement, he levered her back and, after shooting her a frown, finished unbuttoning her blouse. When the lapels fell apart, he stilled and gazed at her breasts, cupped as they were in a lacy bra. “Oh my God,” he breathed. He lifted his hands, as though to seize them, but stopped short.

Instead, he extended a finger and trailed it along the top of her bra. It was a skimming whisper that sent skitters through her. Then he drew a large circle around her breast. And another, smaller one. And another. And another, zeroing in on the aching nubs that swelled, awaiting his attention.

She nearly wept when he didn’t touch them, but began the whole damn process all over again.

By the third iteration of this hellish torment, she was ready to smack him. She grabbed his wrist as he tried to pull away. “What are you doing?” she snapped.

His grin was wicked and boyish at the same time. “Exploring.”

She did smack him then, on the shoulder, but with very little heat. “Exploring, my ass.”

He waggled a brow. “Okay.”

It was hard not to laugh, though he seemed far too eager for her to maintain composure. “You want an exploration? I’ll give you an exploration.” And then, before he could stop her, she slid between his legs and unbuckled his jeans.

Cade stared.

The sight was riveting.

Lisa, on her knees before him, looking up at him with an expression tinged with both anticipation and determination. There might have been a hint of mischief there as well.

“What—”

She lifted a finger, compelling him to be silent. He could not disobey, because whatever she had in mind, he didn’t want to discourage it. No fucking way.

And indeed, she drew his zipper down. His lungs locked. His cock surged. “Jesus, Lisa…”

“Hush.”

He shifted a bit so she could tug his jeans off his hips and then he sat as still as he could while she studied him, taking in his length, his breadth, the visible throbbing through the cotton of his briefs. The small damp spot where a tear had collected.

She blew out a sigh and it gusted over his belly. He flinched and his cock bobbled.

She glanced up at him and smiled. Heat howled through him, nestling in his balls. Damn, she was hot. Damn, she was beautiful. Damn she was—

Oh God.

Oh God. She touched him, stroked him, exploring the fat vein running his length. It was like being scraped with an electric wire, but in an exquisitely pleasurably way. He held his breath as she peeled his underwear off and took him in her hands.

His eyes might have crossed a little. And then they did, because she eased forward and touched her tongue to the tip. Nothing more than a nudge. A simple lap. But it nearly unmanned him. It took everything in him to hold back, to not surge into her mouth, or tip her on her ass and fuck her like a wild steer.

Yes, it took effort, but he held back. He didn’t want this to end so soon. He needed to see what happened next.

And good God. What happened next was worth all the agony. She took him in, deep. Sucked him into her velvet cavern and gorged on him. Her moan, as he hit the back of her throat, made every nerve in his body quiver. He released his hold on her head—hadn’t even been aware he’d been holding her—and buried his fingers in the leather of the sofa, holding on for dear life as she worked him. Up and down, swirling around, over, under…she explored him ruthlessly.