12-Alarm Cowboys (42 page)

A second finger joined the first, thrusting in and out of her in rapid fire. Her hips gyrated in time to his movements. Tension coiled in her gut, pulled tighter as his tongue lapped and licked.

“Tanner,” she gasped. “I can’t take much more.”

“Then let go.” He blew cool air against her inflamed flesh. “I want to taste you coming on my tongue. Taste it in my mouth.” And with that, he removed his fingers from her and replaced them with his tongue.

Her orgasm hit her with the force of a train. Her back arched as she cried out. Waves of bliss rolled through her. As her climax ebbed, a tear trickled out of the corner of her eye.

“Hey,” he said, his voice full of concern. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

“I’m more than okay. And I’ll be even better once I feel you inside me.”

“My condom is in my pants.”

“Check the drawer behind you. Your pants are too far away for me to wait.”

In seconds he was rolling the condom down himself. He spread her thighs wider with his and pushed his cock’s tip in. It’d been almost two years since she’d felt a man inside her. As Tanner entered, she bit her lip.

“Feels so good,” she said. “More.”

With one quick thrust, he seated himself deep. Georgie gasped from the sudden stretching of muscles long denied.

“I need it fast and hard,” she pleaded. “Can you do that?”

“Damn. You’re killing me. I’ll never last long like that.”

“Fine. I’ll give you another chance later. Fast and hard.”

She left no room for argument.

He pulled out and slammed into her, jarring her up on the bed. She reached over her head and grabbed the headboard.

“Again.”

He did. In and out with hard, forceful strokes that fueled the fire in her gut.

“You like that? You like the feel of me inside you? Fucking you hard?”

The next thrust was so hard, Georgie was sure she felt it in her lungs.

“Oh, yeah. I like what you do to me.”

The muscles in his cheeks hardened as he growled her name as he pounded into her.

Without much warning, another orgasm crashed through her. She cried out his name as her back arched. Within seconds, he followed with his own climax so powerful she could feel the strength of his pulses.

After he’d dealt with the condom, Tanner rejoined her in bed, pulling her snug against him. His breathing was still a little ragged, which was great since hers was too and she didn’t want to be alone in this.

“That was…awesome.”

“Yeah. It was.”

She covered the area of his chest over his heart with her hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Seeing if your heart is racing as fast as mine.”

He chuckled and pulled her palm to his mouth for a kiss. “I think I’m having a heart attack.”

She grinned. “Maybe I’ve overcome your first impression of me.”

“What do you mean?”

Turning on her hip, she looked into his eyes. “I don’t think you liked me much.”

Snugging her against him, Tanner said, “Well, I didn’t know you enough to like or dislike you. But…” he added in a hurry, “I was in lust with you from that first poke on my chest.”

“Hmm. I might have noticed you that night. So, still in lust with me?”

Georgie was stunned at herself. The minute she asked the question, she wanted to suck the words back down her throat.

“Never mind,” she blurted out.

He tilted her face for a kiss. “Yeah, I sort of am. I like you, Georgina. You’re cute and sexy and smart. But I’m not looking for anything long term.”

She licked her swollen lips and gathered up her courage. “Me neither. This is just a stop in the road for me. I’m not looking for anything right now but someone to help the time pass faster. Maybe a dinner now and then. And a sleepover from time to time. I very much enjoyed tonight and I’d loved to do a lot of that while I’m here.” She shrugged. “If you’re not interested, I can respect that.”

His eyebrows hiked. “Not a woman who minces her words, are you?” He let out a long breath. “I’d like to see you while you’re here.”

“I’m leaving, Tanner.”

“I get that. I’m okay with that. We’ll have what we have while we have it. I can’t promise more than that right now either.”

For a brief second, his cavalier acceptance of her terms stabbed her heart, but she accepted that Tanner was her transition guy…from Chris to whomever she might go to next.

“And no other women while we’re together,” she added. “Not a jealousy thing. Just a ‘don’t want to worry about diseases’ thing.”

“Ditto. No other men.”

“Not even Zack,” she teased.

He laughed. “Especially not him. This will be different for me at least,” he added.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been back for a couple of years. I haven’t dated much, not that I haven’t had the chance.”

“Oh, yes. Women throwing themselves at you. Such a bother.”

He chuckled. “I had a couple of long term girlfriends when I lived in Kentucky. Seemed like I was always trying to figure out what was going on in the relationship. Like it was a game but no one had given me the rulebook, you know? One of them broke it off with me when I forgot our six month anniversary. Not of our dating, but of our meeting. Who remembers crap like that?”

She snorted. “I know. But since we know this is finite, there’s no reason for us not to just enjoy it. No mind games. All the fun of a relationship without really having one.” Pushing her hair out of her eyes, Georgie added, “God knows I need some sex and fun.”

“Oh?” He kissed the top of her head. “Why’s that?

She told him about Chris, the broken engagement and his recent marriage.

“Is that why you’re here?”

“Yes and no. It was a great opportunity for some large animal husbandry and to catch up with Magda, but Texas did have the added benefit of being thousands of miles away from Chris and Priscilla.” She shifted in bed until she could see his face. “What about the gossip mill? Won’t we make the fodder?”

“Who cares? A fling with the sexy vet can do nothing but improve my reputation.”

“Not that it needs any help with the ladies.”

“True.”

She laughed and elbowed his side, which made him roll on top of her and start round two of all fun and no games.

‡

T
he next month
passed in a blur of long days at the clinic and longer, sexy nights with Tanner. As he’d said, they made the gossip vine the first time they showed up for dinner at the Lone Star, even though they’d made a conscious decision of no public displays of affection. Georgie didn’t care one way or the other about the Whispering Springs gossip vine. Within a month after she left, some other couple would be on the spit, spinning the rumors.

The nights were magical, not that she’d ever tell Tanner that. Many times she wished she were more like a man when it came to sex…no emotional involvement required. As much as she didn’t want feelings for him, they came anyway, pushing and shoving their way into her heart.

But they had an agreement. Shoot, she’d lived through being dumped at the wedding altar, sort of, so she’d be able to move on from here.

Georgie was busy filling out applications for other veterinary clinics with large animal practices. Helping Jolene with her delivery had left its mark on her. Of course she still loved the dogs and cats, and even the occasional turtle, but she felt the call for large animal medicine.

In early November, Georgie headed out to the D&R Ranch to check on a sick cow and, at the same visit, have lunch with Magda. The cow would be fine, lunch was delicious, and Magda’s questions were relentless.

Magda set a plate of chicken enchiladas in front of Georgie. “This is the first time you’ve made it out for lunch in six weeks. Surely the clinic isn’t keeping you that busy.”

“Hmm. It’s busy.” Georgie forked a sliver of enchilada into her mouth and moaned. “This is delicious.”

“Thanks. Now…” Magda propped her chin in her palm and studied Georgie. “You want to tell me what’s going on with Tanner?”

The mention of his name jettisoned a heat flash through Georgie. She grabbed her water for a long gulp.

“Umm…”

“That’s what I thought.” Magda sat back in her chair with a self-satisfied expression. “I told Reno we’d be gaining a new vet.”

“Oh, no, Magda. I’m not moving here. This is just temporary. Tanner and I are just having a little fun. That’s all. Nothing serious at all.”

Magda’s brow furrowed. “Really? Cause that doesn’t sound like you at all. You were always the one who wanted a husband and kids and a dog and maybe even a picket fence thrown in.”

“It’s been a long time since you’ve known me well.” She shrugged. “I’ve changed.” She shifted her gaze back down to her plate. Magda’s words felt as if someone were pressing on bruises all over Georgie’s body.

“And what about Tanner? You just gonna use him and toss him away?”

Georgie laughed. “I wouldn’t worry about Tanner, if I were you. He’s a big boy and he has no interest in anything long term either.”

“You’re playing with fire,” Magda said.

“Nope. Playing with a firefighter.”

As Georgie drove away from the D&R Ranch, Magda’s words kept repeating in her mind. She had been the girl who’d wanted it all…the job, the perfect husband, two-point-five children, the dog who responded to every command and never threw up in the house, and all this wrapped in a pretty white fence. She wasn’t sure when that dream died for her, certainly before being left by Chris. She couldn’t even say she was all that surprised when Chris dumped her. In a way, she’d been expecting it since they’d become a couple.

She was a happy enough person, she guessed. It was just that she didn’t expect the happily-ever-after ending for her.

It was a Friday night in late November. She had not had a great day at the office. The worst—absolute worst—job was putting down an animal and damn if she didn’t have to do five today. Two dogs, two cats, and a horse. Realistically, she believed it was the humane thing to do when an animal was suffering. Emotionally, she felt a piece of her heart die each time the owners cried and then thanked her for making it easy for their loved one to go.

When she unlocked her door, the aroma of spices and meat met her.

“Hello? I don’t know who’s here but will you marry me?”

Tanner leaned around the kitchen door jamb. “Hey, babe. Come here. I want you to taste something.”

After kicking off her shoes, and dropping her keys and purse on the entry table, she followed the delicious scents to her kitchen. A quiet gasp escaped when she saw what he’d done.

The tiny kitchen table held two place settings of dishes, complete with cloth napkins—she had no idea where he’d found those in this house—fresh flowers and two lit candles. A pair of wine glasses stood ready for filling.

It was difficult for her to see everything through the tears that’d appeared.

“Tanner, what the…what’s going on? Why?”

After pouring a chilled white wine into one of the glasses and handing it to her, he said, “Heard about your day. Figured you could use a little TLC this evening.”

He pulled out a chair. “Sit.”

She sat. And then the tears she was fighting won and spilled over the dam.

“This is…is…so…nice,” she hiccupped out. “How did you know?”

“Spies.” He grinned over his shoulder where he was stirring something in a pot. “I have spies everywhere.”

“It was a horrible day.” She took a gulp of the wine.

“I know.”

She sniffed and then said, “I’ll be right back.” She finished the wine and then headed to her bedroom. A shower and fresh clothes would make her feel better. It always did.

While the water ran to allow the shower to heat, she brushed her teeth and stripped off the scrubs that still bore the scent of death.

Steam floated over the top of the glass shower door as soon as the water was scalding hot. She adjusted the temperature to just below lobster boil and stepped in. With eyes closed, Georgie braced her forearms on the shower wall under the spray and let the heat soak into her tense muscles.

A cool breeze caressed her ass just before it was replaced by a large, work-harden hand.

“Need company?” Tanner whispered into her ear and then placed a kiss on her neck.

She arched her neck to give him better access…to what she wasn’t sure. He could have access to whatever he wanted as far as she was concerned.

Removing his hand from her butt, Tanner placed both hands on her shoulders and with strong fingers, began to massage the knots there.

“Hmm,” she moaned. “Feels so good.”

His mouth found her nape and nuzzled there, kissing and licking her skin as he continued to knead her shoulders and then down her back. His thumbs pressed along her spine as he walked his powerful fingers down to her hips.

The entire time, all she could do was moan and whimper with pleasure at his touch. Sometimes coming home to an empty house after a horrible day added to her stress but having Tanner here, even temporarily, filled some of the empty places she had in her soul.

He caressed her bottom, molding the flesh with his palms. Reflexively, she arched her back, pressing into his hands.