Cowboy After Dark (6 page)

Hope loosened the reins and held onto the saddle horn to keep steady as Isabeau executed the ditch. The mare was a sweetheart. Horses had never played a part in her books, but after meeting Isabeau and Navarre, she could imagine how she could weave them into—no.
No.
That chapter of her life was over. She’d take stock of her finances and see whether she could afford to try stained glass.

Liam continued up a gentle slope as the trees fell away to create an open space. The horses’ hooves crushed the grass and the fragrance rose around them, reminding Hope of summers in the park flying kites. She’d never been an outdoorsy kid, but she’d loved kites.

“This is far enough.” Liam brought Navarre to a halt. “I brought a blanket if you’d like to get down.”

“That sounds nice.” She was touched by his respectful manner. Maybe she should have dated cowboys. The ones she’d met from Thunder Mountain Ranch were real gentlemen.

“Stay right there. I’ll spread out the blanket and then help you down.”

Although she was perfectly capable of dismounting on her own, she decided to go along with his suggestion. It was simple and elegant. While she waited for him, she leaned back to look up at the stars. She wasn’t aware of exclaiming in wonder, but she must have.

He turned toward her in alarm. “Are you okay?”

“More than okay.” She gazed at the light show above her. “That’s incredible.”

“I know.” He walked over and held up his arms. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

6

T
HANK
GOODNESS
.
Liam had worried this ride had been a huge mistake, but after Hope’s reaction to the sky full of stars, he relaxed. He hadn’t misjudged her. She might not be used to this kind of adventure, but when it was offered, she responded to it.

She was a puzzle, and he didn’t have all the pieces yet. Something didn’t fit the picture she was presenting to everyone, but he’d figure out the mystery eventually. Right now they had a soft blanket waiting. He lifted her down and led her over to it.

He’d ground-tied both Navarre and Isabeau, who were old and extremely mellow. They weren’t going anywhere. Hope sat on the blanket like a person about to have a picnic, except they hadn’t brought anything to eat or drink.

Liam decided to set the tone. After relaxing beside her, he took off his Stetson and stretched out on his back. “You can see the stars a lot better if you lie back.”

To his surprise, she laughed. “Is that a maneuver?”

“A maneuver?”

“You know, a move.”

“Oh.” He was getting a little tired of people telling him he had moves—first Grady and now Hope. Then he thought about the times he’d brought other women out to this meadow. She had a point. “I guess it’s a move, now that you mention it.” He sighed. “The truth is, I want to kiss you, and it’ll be easier if you’re down here instead of up there.”

“So it has nothing to do with looking at the stars.”

“It has everything to do with looking at the stars! First you lie on your back and appreciate how beautiful they are, and then I get to kiss you underneath their brilliant light. It all goes together.”

“You sound cranky.”

“That’s because nobody has ever made me break it down.”

“I see.” She flopped down on the blanket. “Beautiful stars. Now kiss me.”

“You just completely destroyed the mood.”

“Are you sure?” She rolled to her side and reached over to run a finger down his tense jaw. “Last time I checked, we still had a canopy of stars arching over us.”

“A canopy of stars.” He turned to face her and propped his head on his hand. “Did you write that?”

“None of your beeswax.”

Although she’d said it in a teasing way, he got the message. No more questions about her late great writing career. “Let’s start over. How about if you lie back and look up at the stars?”

“I did that already, and you didn’t pick up your cue.”

“Try it again.”

She sighed and rolled to her back. “Beautiful stars. Now kiss—”

His mouth covered hers before she could finish. And hallelujah, did she liven up the party. He’d thought she would. Any woman who had the guts to block the path of his F-350 as it charged up a hill would most likely be fun to kiss.

She ignited like a bottle rocket, pressing her fingers against his scalp and pulling him in deeper. He went gladly. He felt more than heard her moan, because somehow his hand had cupped her breast, and his palm absorbed the vibration.

The moan inspired him to unfasten the buttons on her shirt as he thrust his tongue into her mouth and explored the tantalizing sweetness there. She might be able to keep some of her secrets, but these he could unlock—her yearning to be touched as he unfastened her bra and caressed her silky breasts, her need to be kissed with a thoroughness that made her gasp and writhe beneath him.

Cade had told him to bring condoms just in case. Now he wondered if he’d been a fool to leave them behind. Her hot kisses and soft whimpers told him she might be willing to take whatever he offered.

Breaking away from the warmth of her lips, he braced himself above her, although he couldn’t make himself give up the delicious sensation of fondling her plump breasts. He struggled to breathe. “I didn’t come prepared to—”

“Neither did I.”

“But I should have—”

“No.” She laid a finger over his lips and took a steadying breath. “If you had, I would have thought less of you. I agreed to an evening horseback ride.” She rubbed her finger over his lower lip. “That’s all.”

“But now my hand’s inside your shirt.” He continued stroking her. “Do you think less of me for touching you like this?”

“Let me ponder that question.” With a soft murmur of delight, she closed her eyes.

She talked like a writer. Who else would say,
Let me ponder that question
? But he wouldn’t mention it. Instead he’d focus on giving her as much pleasure as she’d allow. Beneath his gentle massage, her skin warmed, and the tempo of her breathing changed.

“Mmm...no, I don’t think less of you.” She opened her eyes and arched into his caress. “In fact, if you should happen to kiss me there, I wouldn’t complain.”

Although she was mostly in shadow, he heard the quiver of excitement in her voice. “Then maybe I will.” Pushing her bra aside, he leaned down and brushed his lips over her tight nipple. Her moan of anticipation sent a message straight to his groin. In no time his already thickening cock became a steel rod.

If he had any sense, he’d stop before he ended up in agony. But the pressure of her fingertips against his scalp told him how much she wanted this. So did he, even if loving her within specified limits would be torture. Accepting his fate, he licked a circle around that quivering peak before slowly drawing it into his mouth.

His reward was her throaty cry of pleasure. She held his head to her breasts as he continued to lavish attention there. Before long she’d begun moaning and shifting restlessly on the blanket. Tension was building in him, and he knew it had to be building in her, too.

At last he kissed his way back up to her mouth and thrust his tongue inside in a blatant gesture of seduction. He couldn’t give her everything, but he could give her enough. When she began sucking on his tongue, he figured she knew exactly what he was suggesting.

Ending the sensual kiss, he gazed down at her. She was breathing as hard as he was. “Will you think less of me if I make you come?”

She gulped. “Not less. More.”

If he hadn’t been so high on hormones, he might have laughed. As it was, he had to clench his jaw to keep his own orgasm in check. He could laugh about her adorable answer another time, when he wasn’t busy unfastening her jeans and sliding his hand under the elastic of her very wet panties.

She was whimpering, so he wasted no time in foreplay. Thrusting his fingers deep into her slick channel, he pumped rapidly. She came fast, her cries filled with mostly incoherent words. The ones he did catch were earthy and to the point.

When at last she sank back to the blanket with a groan, he kept his fingers buried in her hot body as he leaned over and kissed her. He couldn’t see her smile, but he could feel it. He moved his lips leisurely over hers and enjoyed the contented and lazy way she kissed him back. Finally he lifted his head. “I think you liked that.”

“Oh, yeah.” She sighed happily. “Solo sex isn’t nearly this much fun. “

“Sure isn’t.”

Cupping his face in both hands, she gazed up at him. “I wish you could see me better so you’d know how happy I feel.”

“I can tell by your voice.”

“Thank you for...for giving me a wonderful orgasm.”

“Glad to do it.” He moved his fingers in a gentle rhythm. “I’d be glad to do it again.”

“I think that’s all I’ve got. You turned me inside out.”

“If you say so.” He didn’t believe her. Their first kiss had been explosive, and he’d sensed a wealth of bottled-up emotion. Orgasms were a great way to let off steam. He was in a pressure-cooker situation himself, but it was temporary. He couldn’t explain how he knew it, but he was convinced she’d been stressed for quite some time.

“You’re not going to stop, are you?”

“Not unless you want me to.” Curving his fingers, he listened to her breathing as he explored a little.

Her breath hitched. “That’s...nice.”

Ah. He’d found her G-spot. He stroked her there until she began to tremble. “Maybe you’re not done, after all,” he murmured.

“You have good hands, Liam Magee.”

“It’s a treat touching you.” He leaned down again and feathered a kiss over her mouth. “I like making you come. Listening to your cries.”

She laced her hands behind his neck and lifted her lips to his. “I might have sworn a little.”

“I think you did.” He thrust faster and circled her clit with his thumb.

“I might...swear this time, too.” She gasped. “That feels wickedly good, what you’re doing with your thumb. I’m vibrating from the roots of my hair to my toenails.”

“That’s the idea.” He marveled at the way she handled words.

“Oh,
Liam
.” She clutched his shoulders and lifted her hips. “I do want this. I
do
.”

“And you’ll have it. Come for me, sweet lady.” He bore down, craving her release because she so desperately needed to let go. No telling what had her locked up tight, but maybe someday she’d trust him enough to reveal it.

“I think... I think I... Oh, yes,
there
. Do that again!”

He pressed her clit with his thumb, and she came in a rush. This time there was no mistaking her jubilant swear words or the breathless laughter that spilled out as she lost herself in the glory of letting go.

Her laughter was contagious. He couldn’t remember watching a woman come and laugh at the same time, but he liked it. He liked her. A lot.

Finally they both caught their breath, and he leaned his forehead against hers. “That was fun.”

“You’re telling me. Epic climax. That’s probably redundant.”

“Probably.” And there she was, throwing out those fancy words again. As writers tended to do.

“Let’s relax and look at the stars.”

“Okay. Sure.” Easing his hand free, he lay back on the blanket. “I can’t improve on a laughing orgasm, at least not without condoms.”

“Just so you know, I don’t usually laugh.” A zipper rasped as she did up her jeans.

“Meaning my lovemaking is funny?” Maybe he should have been insulted instead of charmed.

“No! Your lovemaking is superlative.”

“I like the sound of that, but please don’t lie to boost my ego.”

“I’m not lying.” More rustling around indicated she was fastening her bra and buttoning her shirt. “You really know how to please a girl. I started laughing because it was so great it was either laugh or cry. I didn’t feel like crying.”

“I’m glad. That might have worried me.”

“I know. Most guys don’t understand happy tears.”

“That’s because we don’t cry happy tears. We don’t get that concept.”

“Do you get the concept of crying, period?”

“Sort of.”

She groaned. “Yeah, no, you don’t. You’re like ninety percent of the male population. You’ve been taught that crying isn’t manly.”

“Because it isn’t. In a crisis situation, you don’t want some guy sobbing when he should be busy saving the princess from the dragon.”

“I agree, but once he’s saved her and they’re headed off to a well-deserved night of passion, that’s when he could shed a few happy tears because they both survived. No one would judge.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Okay,
I
wouldn’t judge.”

“If we’re talking about your average princess, I predict she’d take one look at Sir Weepy and dump him for the nearest Sir Stiff Upper Lip.”

She chuckled. “That’s good. Sir Weepy and Sir Stiff Upper Lip. Can I use it?”

“For what?”

Her sudden silence spoke volumes. “For nothing. Never mind. I got carried away.”

He was tempted to ask her what really happened to make her give up writing, but now was not the time. “I like it when you get carried away.”

“I did tonight, that’s for sure. I was only planning to kiss you.”

“Well, you did that.”

“And a whole bunch more.” She hesitated. “I’m feeling a little selfish. It was all about me, and yet you—”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Because you’re Sir Stiff Upper Lip, right?”

“Um, yeah.”

“And Sir Stiff Tallywhacker, I’ll bet.”

“What?”
He couldn’t help laughing. She was a riot. “Where did you get that?”

“I have a book of euphemisms. There are three pages of synonyms for
penis
.”

“Good Lord. Three pages?”

“Maybe it was four. Tallywhacker was my favorite.”

“I’m not going to ask why.”

“I’ll tell you anyway. It’s the sound. It’s a fun word to say. You should try it.”

“No, thanks.” Couldn’t she see how much she loved words? How wrong it was for her to stop writing? “But while we’re on the subject, I plan to bring condoms next time.”

“We probably need to talk about that.”

“I’m sure we do. Finding private time will be tough, considering all the wedding stuff starts up tomorrow with the rehearsal. Technically we don’t have to be there, but...”

“We should go and watch. We may not be in the wedding, per se, but I think staying at the ranch makes us members of the wedding party.”

“It does. And Grady and I offered to help Saturday with the final setup for the ceremony. I guess Rosie decided they needed a tent, so it’ll be all hands on deck.”

“Which is as it should be. I’m not about to suggest we sneak off to have sex instead of helping. I’ll be with Rosie in the kitchen both days, I’m sure.” She blew out a breath. “So, what can we do? Rendezvous in the barn after everyone’s gone to bed?”

“That might be our only option for this weekend.”

“Grady will know if you leave the cabin.”

“Yeah, he will. The door squeaks. And Rosie hears
everything
. She wouldn’t mention that one of her house guests left in the middle of the night, but she’d know someone did.”

“I feel like a teenager with a curfew.”

“Me, too. So maybe we shouldn’t push it. After we get back to Cody, we won’t have these issues.” When she didn’t answer right away, his gut tightened. “Listen, you have to know how much I want to be with you, but the barn isn’t very romantic. I’d really like to make love to you on an actual bed next time.”

“Liam, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way.”

All his senses went on alert. “Any comment that starts out with that disclaimer makes me nervous.”