One Night Rodeo (27 page)

He couldn’t look away from her and the brightness in her eyes from taking control of his pleasure. The wetness and the heat sent goose bumps down his legs. He started to shake. “Don’t stop.”

She smiled around his girth. She didn’t use her hand to jack him. Her fingers lightly teased his balls and her mouth did all the work. A humming sound vibrated around his shaft that made him rise up on his toes.

She pulled off long enough to say, “Watch me when you come.”

“Yes.”

“Say my name.”

“Celia.”

Her teasing ended. She used her hand to rapidly stroke his shaft while her mouth parted to receive each short jab of his cockhead.

His groin tightened. Kyle glanced down as the first spurt of come landed on her upper lip. The second spurt hit her tongue as it flickered over the sweet spot beneath the head. The next three pulses coated her mouth, ran off her lips and down her chin. The raunchy visual, the wet marks of his possession, prolonged his orgasm until he was spent, dizzy, and trying to remember how to breathe.

And she still didn’t release him. She licked and sucked, nuzzling his groin until his dick was flaccid again.

He sighed and touched her cheek. “Can I just say how much I love that you’re a dirty girl?”

“Something as simple as having come dripping off my face puts me in porn-star territory?” Celia grinned and pumped her fist. “Wahoo! That’s one life goal achieved.”

He laughed softly.

Celia gently tugged his briefs and jeans up while he rested against the wall like a sated lion. She even buckled his belt. Then she stepped back.

He snatched her hand before she could get too far. “Now that my brain is functioning again, let me take care of you.”

She shook her head. “Just surprise me like that sometime, okay?”

But he couldn’t let it go. “Can I ask why the surprise blow job?”

“I wanted to remind you that I’m okay with whatever raunchy scenario you have in mind in the future. I like that you now see me as a dirty girl.”

Kyle studied her, unsure where she’d take this conversation. “Why?”

“Do you remember when you said sometimes you looked at me and had a hard time reconciling the girl I used to be with the woman I am now?” Celia ran her knuckles over his jaw. “Same goes. There are so many more facets to you than I ever imagined, Kyle. I like that you’re willing to show them all to me. You are getting better at this sharing stuff.”

For the first time in his life, the thought of opening up on more than a superficial level didn’t send him into full retreat.

“I particularly like your sweet side. Maybe it’s selfish, but do you know why I like it? Because I’m pretty sure you don’t show that part of yourself to many people. It makes me feel special.”

“You are special, Celia. Not just because you’re my wife.”

“See? That’s the sweet stuff that makes my knees go weak.” She pressed her lips to his. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have cookies to make for my husband.”

“Cookies?”

“The thought of cookies perked you up almost as much as a blow job.”

He laughed. “A blow job
and
cookies? In the same afternoon? This is turning out to be a fine day after all.”

They went straight to bed after supper. Not for another round of slap and tickle, but because their furniture choices were the bed or the table and chairs in the kitchen. Part of him wasn’t eager for the couch to arrive. He
could get used to slipping into bed early every night with Celia curled into him, nestling her head in the spot between his chest and his armpit that seemed to be made just for her.

A couple of days later the furniture arrived. Celia insisted on immediately putting the finishing touches on the living room. Kyle installed the new curtain rod while Celia ironed the curtains. Once the gold paisley-patterned panels were hung and framing the windows, she took a moment to admire the room. From the furniture she’d chosen, to the carpet, to the color on the walls. Everything had come together so perfectly. A surge of pride filled her. Maybe she didn’t suck at this home-and-hearth stuff as much as she’d feared.

Then she rearranged the few knickknacks displayed on the shelves. Messed with the pillows on the couches. Kyle finally told her to quit fussing while he set up the electronic equipment for the TV.

After taking a shower, she checked the pork roast. It’d be another hour before supper was ready. Celia rested against the doorway separating the kitchen and living room. Her gaze landed on Kyle. Sitting forward on his knees as he fastened cords behind the DVD player. His T-shirt rode up, exposing the lower section of his back. Even that part of him was muscled.

He rolled back until his butt met his calves, keeping his back to her as he wrenched on some piece of equipment. “Still rearranging furniture in your head, kitten?”

“No. I like it the way it is.”

“You did a damn fine job picking stuff for this room. Ain’t too girly. I won’t be afraid to sit on my own couch. It looks like a real home now. Like our home.”

Right then, she’d lost any chance of not falling completely in love with Kyle Gilchrist.

Right then, she needed her hands on his body to cement this connection between them.

Celia crossed the room and dropped on her knees behind him. She slid her hands beneath his shirt, greedy to touch all that smooth muscle.

Kyle froze.

She put her mouth on his ear. “I want you.”

“Now?”

“Right now.”

“Hang on. Lemme put this down.” His screwdriver fell to the carpet with a muffled thud.

Then she yanked his T-shirt off and spun him around, pinning him to the floor.

He wrapped her braid around his fist. “What’s gotten into you, little wife of mine?”

“Seeing you all manly, wrenching on shit, turns me on.”

He laughed. “Evidently. So what are you gonna do with me now?”

“Strip you. Use your body to christen our newly improved living room.”

“Good plan. I surrender…on one condition.”

“Which is what?”

Kyle tugged her closer by her hair. “Can we postpone this for a little bit? I think I’ve finally figured out hooking up this TV and I need to finish it before I lose my train of thought. ’Cause seeing you naked? It rids my brain of all coherent thought.”

Celia sighed. “All right. Gun me down. But it was worth a shot.”

He rubbed his nose to hers. “Can I just say for the record I love that you aren’t afraid to take the lead when you want me? It’s very sexy.” Kyle pushed up, slipped his shirt back on, and returned to muttering at the cords coming out of the back of the TV.

She rearranged the shelves she’d rearranged three other times, just to be near him. After about five minutes, she said, “So. What else do you love about me?”

“I’ll tell you if you tell me,” he teased.

“Okay. You first.”

“I love that you’re learning to cook more stuff. Not because you’re bored with the dishes you can already make, but because you love to challenge yourself.”

She hadn’t expected him to say anything like that. She’d figured they would exchange sexy banter, then clothes would fly and they’d start putting carpet burns on their bodies. But Kyle was serious, so she seized the chance
to be honest with him. “I’m glad you appreciate it. Sort of strange to admit that I finally understand why some women like to cook.” A huge part of her motivation in learning new dishes was seeing that smile on his face as he cleaned every bite of food off his plate.

“Your turn,” he reminded her.

“Okay. I love the serious look on your face in the morning when the ag report comes on the radio. I’ll bet that after only a few weeks you know more about it than I do.” Celia dusted the same section of shelving over and over, practically holding her breath as she waited on his response.

Kyle chuckled. “I’ll admit hearing about the prices of hog belly futures still confuses me.”

“Me too. But it’s a reminder that I’m so glad we’re not raising hogs.” She shivered. “Nasty, smelly things.”

“Would you have stuck around if Marshall had left me a hog farm instead of cattle?”

“Not a chance. Not even your handsome face and smokin’-hot body could get me to slop hogs for you.” Now there was a lie. Good thing he couldn’t see her eyes. “Your turn.”

“I love watching how fast you can saddle a horse.”

Celia whirled around and looked at him. “Seriously?”

“No lie. It’s so automatic for you. I have to keep a mental checklist whenever I do it to make sure I ain’t doin’ something wrong.” He wore a goofy smile. “I timed you once last week.”

“You did? How long did it take me?”

“Two minutes and you were off to chase cows.”

“I can do better than that,” she scoffed and then laughed. “It’s funny. Now I have no need to try to beat the clock since I’m not barrel racing, but I still do everything as fast as possible. Like I’m still being timed.”

“I hope you didn’t take that like I’m judging you, Celia.”

“I didn’t. It’s just crazy how life on the road changes you. Know what I mean?”

He nodded. Then he got a pensive look. “Do you miss it?”

“Not at all. I never understood how lonely it was until I had to travel by myself all the time.” She cocked her head. “And what about you?”

“Nope. The only reason I tried to stay at the top was for the money.” Kyle gestured to the room. “So I could buy a ranch to call home. Now that I’ve got it, I lost the reason for being on that blacktop.” He pointed at her with a screwdriver. “And I believe it is your turn to tell me something else you love about me.”

I love that you get me.

Could she say that without giving too much of herself away?

Another laugh. “You can’t think of even one more thing?”

“Yes, I can. I love your loyalty. Even when you’re still upset with your mom, you’re planning on giving her the money that Marshall left, aren’t you? All of it.”

“It’s not like she won’t have to work and I’m setting her up with a life of luxury. It’ll give her more options. And it’s just…I owe her. I am who I am, I’m loyal because of her. Because she beat those values into my head from the time I was a kid.”

“Same with Hank and Abe. I resented it so much back then. Not them, just their rules.” She still hadn’t heard from her brothers. And that hurt like a raw wound that wouldn’t scab over.

“Hey.” Then Kyle was right in her face. “They’re probably waiting until their full body armor arrives before showing up and facing both of us.”

Kyle always tried to put a good spin on everything. She loved that he was such an optimist. “Thanks.”

“And it’s my turn, isn’t it?” He gifted her with that rare, secret smile, so she figured this
I love
would be about a body part. Probably her legs. “I love that you starch my shirts. Actually, I love that you don’t mind doin’ laundry because I freakin’ hate it. Maybe it makes me silly, but there’s just something special about wearing a shirt that you starched for me.”

Whoa. Another answer she hadn’t expected. She shouldn’t have been surprised that he’d turned what should be a mundane chore into something romantic. “I don’t think it’s silly at all. I’ll admit some selfishness to it because I really like the way you look in them. It’s sweet that you appreciate it. That’s just another thing I love—”

“Hold that thought, okay? Be right back.”

Celia watched him disappear around the corner. Then he returned with a tissue-wrapped package. “What’s that?” She squinted at him. “I thought we’d agreed no Valentine’s Day presents.”

“It’s not.” He shoved it into her hands. “Just open it.”

She ripped the tissue paper off and found a purple long-sleeved shirt nearly identical to the blood-covered one she’d had to throw away after her bulldoggin’ mishap in Vegas. She looked at him with complete shock. “Kyle. Where did you find this?”

“I called Harper to thank her for helping you pick out all them sexy clothes.” He smiled saucily. “We got to talking and for some reason she remembered your lucky purple shirt and she was happy to track down another one for you. It’s not exactly the same—”

“But it’s damn close to perfect.”
Just like you
. Celia slipped it on over her T-shirt. She had difficulty doing the buttons; her fingers kept fumbling.

Then Kyle’s warm fingers were under her chin, lifting it up. Their eyes met. “Do you hate it?”

“God no. I love it. I’m just…touched. Beyond words, really. Thank you.” She pressed her lips to his. “I love your sweet, romantic side. Love it like crazy. Love—”

The kitchen timer dinged, signaling that the pork roast was done.

They both stepped back, strangely unsure about what’d just happened.

Then Kyle grinned. “I cannot wait to see what taste sensation you’ve whipped up tonight. Come on. Let’s eat. I’ll even set the table.”