Cowboy from the Future (21 page)

“I’m
not a lady.”  Addy snorted.  “I’ve told you that. 
Repeatedly
.”  She
thought she was very clever, tossing his own phrasing back at him.

Cade
wasn’t amused.  “You
are
a lady.”  He’d never met one before, but he
knew this woman was the epitome of the word.  “There are
laws
that
forbid us from being in a room together like this, Adeline.  My brothers
know
that.”

“And
as The Year Three Thousand’s version of Bonnie and Clyde, it’s
so
important that we follow the law.”

He
stared up at the ceiling, asking the gods for patience.  “You’re not
understanding how serious this is.  Without Deke and Jake around, we’re alone. 
And right now you’re naked.  Before this, there was chance we could’ve
convinced them you were kidnapped.  But being alone
and
naked with me is
enough to get you arrested.”

“
You’re
not understanding.”  Footsteps sounded and Addy moved so she was standing in front
of Cade, all her pale curves revealed.  “I’m not going to lie about
anything
.” 
Her eyes locked on his, her face determined.  “No one tells me who I can be
naked and alone with.  Not in
any
time period.”

Cade’s
mind went blank.  His eyes skimmed down her nude body, lingering at places that
he wasn’t supposed to see in the first place.  “I’m going to count to ten and
then this is going to become serious.”  He warned in a rasping voice.  “I mean
it.”

Her
eyebrows rose, as if his response caught her off guard.  “Really?”  She blurted
out, like she was surprised that he didn’t plan to keep arguing about whatever
it was they’d been arguing over.

“Yes! 
Fuck
, you have no idea what you’re doing.”

Addy
looked intrigued by the looming disaster.  “Oh, I think I do.”  Green eyes
glinted with feminine awareness as she considered her options.  “Unlike certain
jackasses, I can think for myself.”

Nothing
in his entire life had prepared him for someone like Adeline Mulhaney.  She
truly did beguile him.  “You can’t do this.  You’re supposed to be afraid of
me.”  He tried to keep his eyes above her neck, but it was like trying to stop
his heart from beating.  “Everyone’s afraid of me.  Why are you never afraid of
me?”

“Maybe
because I think you’re a lot more afraid of
me
.”  Her head tilted, red
curls caressing her shoulders.  “So, just to clarify, I have ten seconds of
leeway before the seriousness begins?  Ten
whole
seconds of fun?”

The
possibility of that drove all logic from Cade’s mind.  “Damn it, Addy.”  He
whispered helplessly.

“That’s
what I thought.”  Her mouth curved into a smile.  “One Mississippi.”  She
stepped closer to him and took hold of his wrists.

“What’s
a Mississippi?”  Cade got out, knowing this was a mistake, but unable to pull
free of her tender grip.

“It’s
a state, a river, and a dice game.”  She flattened his palms against the lush
mounds of her chest and Cade surrendered with a groan.  She had the most
beautiful breasts he’d ever seen.  He could come just from the feel of them. 
His power sparked across her nipples, jolting them into tight points.

“Two
Mississippi.”  Her head went back on a sigh as he squeezed her flesh.

“
Addy
.” 
The weight of her breasts had his hands lighting brighter than ever before. 
Her fingers slid between his, moving his hands, and the top of his head nearly
blew off.  The power sizzled across her skin and her cheeks flushed in
pleasure.

“Three
Mississippi.”  Her eyes closed, her voice going dreamy.  “Oh, yes…”  Addy’s
body rocked against his, apparently content to spend the next seven seconds
right where she was.

Cade
cracked.

He
needed more.  He needed everything.  Dragging her closer, his mouth slanted across
hers.  Addy gave a soft cry against his lips, as he spun her around and lowered
her back against the sleeping bag.  Oh gods, she was warm and sweet and just
what he’d always dreamed of.

He
raised his head.  “Four Missa-sippy.”  He murmured.

She
looked dazzled.  “Wow.”

Cade
didn’t recognize that word, but he knew it meant she was pleased.  Emboldened,
he pressed farther.  His right palm left her breast and slipped downward,
settling in the damp folds of her body.  Green eyes met his in surprise.  Cade
didn’t pull back, but he did stop to give her time to refuse.

She
was going to refuse.  Obviously.  Not even a lady as daring as Addy would allow
a Voltyn to go this far.  And, no matter how she denied it, the woman was a
lady.  She probably wouldn’t even let a human touch her under these
circumstances.  She was going to say no.

Instead,
she beamed up at him with mischief and joy.  “Wow.”  She whispered again.

Adeline
wanted him.

Cade
let out a shaky breath of relief and wonder.  She actually wanted him, in the
light of day and with their eyes meeting.  Not as some forbidden sexual
encounter in an anonymous room, but like he
mattered
to her.  It had to
be some cosmic mistake, but he wasn’t going to question his good fortune.

“Five
Missa-sippy.”  He told her and deepened his touch.

Beautiful,
gentle hands dug into his shoulders.  “Please, please,
please
.”  One
glowing finger eased inside of her, her body drenching his palm, and she gasped. 
“Oh Cade.  Oh
yes
.”

Something
wasn’t right.  She was so
tight
.  It jangled in the back of his mind,
but he was too far gone to pay attention.  “Six Missa-sippy.”  Her head was
thrown back, exposing the curve of her throat and he licked his way down the
graceful column.  “I knew you’d tasted this this good.”  He stayed up at nights
imagining it, in fact.  Gods, her skin was so fucking
soft.

“Don’t
stop.  Please don’t stop.  Your power is vibrating and…”  She bit down on her
lower lip as he rubbed his fingers together, sending out small sparks.  “
Ooooh
. 
Forget everything I said about your carpentry skills.  You are
amazing
with your hands.”

Cade’s
mouth curved and he pushed the shiny hair back from her awed face.  “Seven
Missa-sippy.”  He kissed his way south, savoring the lush bounty of her breasts. 
No one could be so perfect.  It just didn’t seem possible.  “Gods, I love your
skin.”

“You
do?”

“I
could drown in it and die happy.”  His teeth grazed her nipple.

“Don’t
die until you finish this.”  Addy gasped, arching into his mouth and hand.  “Your
electricity is so
deep
.  You’re so deep, Cade.  Please, don’t stop.”  She
gave a moan that raced through his blood like fire.  “Please.”

The
breathless “please” had him groaning.  “I know you’re close.  Don’t worry.  I’m
not going to stop.”  Not if a thousand armed humans showed up to drag him away.

Addy
looked desperate.  “But, we’re only at eight Mississippi.  There’s no way you
can finish me off so fast.”

“I’m
a Voltyn.”  For once, he didn’t say it like a curse.  “I have some
‘extra-specialness’ remember?”  Cade had never tried to control his powers
before.  Mostly, he just wanted to hide, repress, or extinguish them.  But, the
“electricity” was about to give him something magical, if he could just figure
out how to use it.  He needed to be careful with her. 
So
careful,
because she was
so
delicate.  But, if he could just deliver a small jolt
to the perfect spot…

Adeline
gave a shriek of pleasure and Cade suddenly loved his heritage.  “Nine
Missa-sippy.”

“
Cade
.”

He
caressed her body, reveling in her cries.  “Say it, again.”  He could listen to
her exotic accent dance over his name forever.  “Who am I?”

“Cade. 
Cade Westin.”

“That’s
right.”  He dipped his head to kiss her.  “Now, tell me what you want me to do
to you, lady.”

“Take
me.  Please.”  She begged.  Her hand came up to cradle his cheek, so their eyes
connected.  “Please, Cade.  Say
ten.
”

Whenever
she said “please,” he gave in and they both knew it.  Cade turned his lips into
her palm, his teeth grazing her skin and then kissing the small mark he’d made. 
“Ten Missa-sippy.”  He agreed and sent more energy zinging through his fingers.

“Oh
yesssss
…”  Adeline convulsed, her lips parting in a wordless scream and
Cade felt a smile spread across his face.  In that moment, everything he’d ever
wanted was safely held in his arms.

She
truly was a miracle.

Addy
went limp against him as he milked the last aftershocks from her body.  “Wow.” 
She whispered again and snuggled closer to Cade.  “Ten seconds.  Holy
shit
. 
You really just did that in ten seconds.”

“Give
or take.”  He nuzzled her temple.

Every
other time he’d been with a human, the entire process made him feel dirty and
depressed.  But touching Addy was like being cleansed.  She didn’t try to push
him away or immediately start making excuses for her lapse in judgment. 
Instead, she grinned, perfectly content to lie beneath him.  Trusting him.

Addy
leaned up to kiss him soundly, even as she struggled for breath.  She fit
against Cade’s body like she’d been made for him.  “I didn’t expect that.”  She
sounded dazed.  “I really didn’t.”

“You
should see what I can do when I have a full minute.”

“That’s
definitely
flirting.”  She laughed and Cade suddenly understood exactly
what the word “wow” meant.  Everything he’d ever believed about Voltyn not
possessing feelings was garbage.  What he felt for Adeline was real and vast
and filled every part of him.  Cade closed his eyes against her hair.

Nynan.

“I
mean, I waited twenty-eight years to try this with another person and you just accomplished
that
in ten seconds.”  She continued happily.  “I just can’t believe
it.”

The
jangling in the back of his head returned.  The knowledge that something wasn’t
normal.  That there was a barrier, where he’d never felt one before.  Cade
hesitated.  It was stupid and impossible, but he still he heard himself asking
the question.  “Adeline,” he braced himself, “you’re not a virgin, are you?”

Silence.

Cade
winced.  He’d
known
she was too tight.  “You’re still a godsdamn
virgin?
”

“A
little bit.”  Addy muttered and squiggled free of his hold, like she was
feeling embarrassed.

“A
little bit?
”  Cade got to his feet and ran a hand through his hair.  “How
can you be ‘a little bit’ virginal?”

“Well,
I mean
technically
, I haven’t slept with anyone.  But…”

“Shit!” 
He cut her off with a frustrated growl and started pacing around the room.

Of
course
she was a virgin.  He should’ve known, given the absolute purity
of the woman.  No.  On second thought, the purity was just a part of Adeline’s
soul.  He should’ve known she was a virgin, because it was yet another reason why
he shouldn’t be touching her.  The universe kept setting up signs for him, but
he wasn’t taking the hint.  A Voltyn touching a virgin was the stuff of human
nightmares.  The lynching was inevitable at this point.

…But,
so fucking worth it.

“Everyone’s
a virgin at one time in their life, Cade.”  Addy grabbed up her clothes,
looking irritated.  “Some of us just stay that way for an unfashionably long
time.”  She pulled on that delicate and complicated contraption called a “least-favorite
bra.”  “Besides, we didn’t really have sex, so you don’t have any reason to
panic about my dad getting a shotgun.  Not that he’d give a damn,
anyway
. 
You can relax, alright?”

He
ignored that, pinching the bridge of his nose.  “How in the hell could someone
like you still be a virgin?”  Did they keep her locked up in a tower?  “How is
that even possible?”

“Truthfully? 
It’s Patrick Swayze’s fault.”

His
eyebrows slammed together, fully prepared to hate the unknown man.  “Who?”

“I
watched
Dirty Dancing
when I was a kid.  You couldn’t have seen it, but
it’s about a rich girl who falls for a poor boy, and they dance this big musical
number at the end, and it’s basically the greatest movie ever made.”  She
paused when he just stared at her.  “It’s a film.  Like… a play. 
Dirty
Dancing
is a story of epic romance”

Romance
again.  Fuck.

“The
movie shaped my whole world view.  I wore out two VHS tapes and a DVD watching
it.”  She stood up, buttoning her pants.  “Patrick Swayze was the actor who
starred in it and I totally fell for his character.  I mean I was
smitten
,
in the sappy-love-poems-written-in-my-unicorn-covered-Lisa-Frank-notebook sense
of the word.  I wanted to have his beautiful, rebellious, dance instructor
babies.”

Yep. 
Cade hated this man even more than Michael Landon.