9781618857279MakeMineaCowboySullivanNC (10 page)

She
lost the ability to think beyond his mouth on hers. Their tongues entwined,
battling from her mouth to his and back. He lifted her up in his arms, holding
her against his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Moments
later, someone slapped him on the back and they broke apart as the guy jokingly
told him to take it somewhere else.

She
was so embarrassed she hid her face in his chest while he escorted her outside
the ring. What had gotten into her? She wasn’t the type to be affectionate in
public with anyone. Her ex-boyfriend even mentioned it several times, but here
she stood making out with a guy she barely knew in a bar in his hometown.
Good gravy
. She’d turned into a regular
slut in this small cowboy town.

“Don’t
be embarrassed.”

“I
don’t do these
sort
of things, Joel.”

“It’s
okay. Nobody even noticed.”

She
lifted her face from his chest and caught the dirty looks from the women as
well as the thumbs up from several of the men surrounding them.

“Okay.
So a few noticed.”

“A
few?
If looks could kill, I’d be dead from the dirty
looks the women are giving me, especially Brandy.”

“Don’t
worry about it. Come on. Let’s dance.” He led her out onto the dance floor, put
her hand on his shoulder, and took her other hand in his. “Now, relax. The step
is called a two-step. You step once, shuffle twice and step again.”

She
took a deep breath, trying to concentrate on his words as he slowly led her
around the dance floor.

“You’re
doin
’ great.”
He touched a
finger under her chin to make her lift her gaze to his. “See? It's not so hard.”

She
stepped on his toe. “God, I’m sorry.”

“It’s
okay. It’s happened before. You aren’t the first lady to step on my toes.”

“I’m
not supposed to, though. You’re such a patient teacher.” His gaze pulled her in
as the music faded out of her conscious thought. She’d never seen eyes the
color of his. Blue like a glacier, or maybe a swimming pool. She could so drown
in his stare. The five o’clock shadow of a beard on his face made him sexier.
Rugged.
So fucking hot.

The
music changed to something slow. A song she recognized.
Dustin
Lynch’s
Cowboys and Angels
.
Damn. This is my favorite song.
Why does
Joel have to be so gorgeous? Why can’t he be some scraggly old codger who would
be willing to tell her all his cowboy secrets over a cup of coffee?
And holy hell, there are three of him!
Fuckin
’ A.

“You
slow dance well,” he whispered, nuzzling her ear.

“There
isn’t much to it, really. You just shuffle back and forth. I probably won’t
bruise your toes on this one.”

“We
could always try a faster song. I can swing dance, too.” He laughed at the
shocked look on her face.

“Oh,
hell no.
I got your feet with the simple
two-step. I’d probably break something
swing
dancing.”

“I
like this better anyway. I can hold you closer.”

“You
were holding me pretty close with the two-step.”

“Not
close enough.” He pulled her in tighter. Her breasts brushed against the front
of his western shirt, making them peak like mountaintops reaching for the
warmth of the sky.
Damn, traitorous
nipples
. “Are you excited, Mesa?”

“Excited?”

“Are
your panties wet?” he whispered, brushing those full lips over her ear.

“A
bit bold, aren’t you?”

“I
know when a woman is excited.”

“Not
this woman.”

“Really?”
he asked with a raised eyebrow over those damn sexy eyes. “Your nipples are
poking me in the chest.
Cold?”

“Why
yes, I am.”

“Liar.”
His lips brush her neck.

Her
eyes drifted closed as goose bumps danced down her arms. His hands settled on
her hips, slowly dragging her into the warmth of his embrace.
God, the man was sex on a stick
. Did he
think she was some loser in the bedroom that he could drag into his web with
eyes blue enough to drown in, lips full enough to lose her mind, and a body to
stop traffic at a green light?

Of
course he did.

She
stepped out of his embrace. “I need a drink.” She blew the hair off her
forehead with a frustrated breath.

“I
thought you were cold?” he asked with a smirk.

“Smartass.”

“But
yours is cute enough to eat whipped cream off of.”

Fuck!
She
was so screwed
. If he wants to get me
into the sack, he’s doing a damn good job of it, even if I want it too.
“I
thought you weren’t supposed to seduce the guests?”

“Seduce?
Who me?”
He grinned as he wrapped his arm around her
waist to escort her to the bar.
“Beer?”

“Sure.”

“Two
Buds in the bottle please,” he said, signaling the bartender who responded with
a nod.

“Someone
you know?”

“I
know everyone in here, pretty much. We also know the judge, the sheriff, the
lawyers, the schoolteachers, the principal, and everyone else. Most all of
those you see in here now are guys and gals I went to high school with.” He
reached up to wave to someone nearby.

“I
don’t know what it’s like to be surrounded by people I’ve grown up with.”

“No?”

“Nope.
I went to a high school where my graduating class had three thousand kids in
it.”

“Holy
shit!
Mine had one hundred fifty and I thought it was
huge. It took three hours to read all the names off.”

He
paid the bartender before he handed her the bottle, then tipped his to his
sensuous lips.
Lordy, the man could kiss.
The slow glide of his mouth over hers earlier in the dark, had been enough to
curl her toes, but the lip smacking, tongue tangling kiss he’d laid on her
after her bull ride still had her panting for air. She tentatively sipped at
her beer, hoping it would wash away the taste of the kiss. No luck. She could
still feel his mouth on hers.
The slide of his tongue.
Damn
.

“Mine
had to be split into two days.
A through L one day and M
through Z the next day.
It sucks living in such a large place sometimes.
I like having things to do all the time like shopping and stuff, but it’s crazy
not knowing who your neighbors are.”

“I
don’t think I could live somewhere like that. I’m so used to living here. I
couldn’t be comfortable in a place where I didn’t know the guy living above me.
Concrete jungle comes to mind.”

“Yeah.
Now that you mention it, I don’t care for it much either.”

“Why
do you stay then?”

“Because
it’s
home. My parents are there. My siblings are
nearby. I’ve lived in the same neighborhood for five years. I know where
everything is.”

He
wrapped his arm around her waist to tuck her in close to his side. “Haven’t you
ever wanted to move to a place you didn’t know anyone? Learn a new town, a new
city?”

“You’re
one to talk, Joel. You’ve lived in Bandera all your life.”

“True
and I love it here. I love the area. I love my neighbors. I love working the
ranch with my brothers and I hope someday the woman I marry with learn to love
it like I do.”

“Tall
order.”

“Not
really.”

“I
guess not if you plan to marry someone who is already from here. They’d fit
right in.” He bent down and kissed her. “What was that for?” she asked,
bewildered by his behavior.

“Just
to let you know I’m thinking of you right at the moment. Not someone else.”

“Thanks…I
think.” She wrinkled her nose. He laughed.

“It’s
a compliment, Mesa. You’re a beautiful woman. I’m glad I’m here with you.”

“You
confuse me, Joel.”

“Why?”

“Because
one minute you kiss me and tell me I’m beautiful. The next I’m not sure if you’re
talking about me or someone else you’ve been with recently.”

His
mouth pulled down at the corners when he frowned. “What gave you the idea I was
talking about anyone but you?”

“Just…oh
never mind.”

“I’m
with you tonight. I think it’s rude to talk about other women when you’re with
one.”

She
shrugged. “But we aren’t together. We're here as friends.”

“Still.”

“Let’s
just have a good time. Forget about the rest for now.”

“Sounds
good to me.
Are you finished with your beer? I want
to dance with you again.”

“And
have
me
stepping on your feet more?”

“You’re
so cute when you’re joking,” he said, tweaking her nose, and then brushing his
mouth against hers.

What
the hell was she going to do about these feelings? She wanted to jump him and
ride his hips into tomorrow like some rodeo
bronc
rider, but on the other hand, getting involved with a guy like him in a
situation like this was a sure way to feel like shit when she went back to L.A.

He
swept her up in his arms the minute they hit the dance floor again, doing a
quick two-step. The dance brought her close enough to smell him. She wanted to
taste him. Find out if his skin tasted salty under her tongue. Did he have a
little sweat she could lick off?

“What
are you thinking about?’

‘
Nothin
’, why?”

“You've
got a guilty little smirk on your lips.”

She
captured her lips between her teeth.

“Ah,
somethin
’ dirty?”

“Maybe,
but I won’t tell.”

“How
about if I tickle you until you tell me?”

“You
wouldn’t.” His hand curled into her side and she giggled like a schoolgirl. “That’s
not fair!”

“Sure
it is. You’re keeping secrets.”

“I’m
a woman. We have secrets.”

“Tell
me.” He tickled her again.

“Stop!”

“Not
until you tell me.”

“Okay,
okay!” She gasped for breath as he led them to an empty table toward the back
of the bar in a secluded corner. How this particular table became available,
she would never know, but here she sat with one the most gorgeous men she’d
ever seen in a darkened corner.

“Spill
it.”

“I
was thinking about you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

She
forced a ragged breath between her lips. Surely he didn’t really expect her to
tell him she wanted to lick the sweat from his body after he fucked her like a
couple of bunny rabbits?
“Nothing, really.”
He reached
over and tickled her side.
“All right!”
She sighed. “You
are rotten, you know?”

He
touched her side again, making her jump.

“I
was thinking about you being sweaty.”

“Like
after working outside?”

“Yeah.”

“Why
would you be thinking about me being sweaty?”

“Like
licking you after sex.”
Heat crawled up her neck as she
dropped her gaze to the table. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Why?”

“Seriously?
We’ve only known each other like not even twenty-four hours.”

“So?
I think your beautiful, sexy, interesting, and a great dancer. There’s nothing
wrong with being attracted to each other.” He reached over and slid his hand
along the side of her face. “I want to kiss you.”

“You’ve
kissed me before,” she whispered, drowning in his eyes.

“I
want to do it again.”

His
breath flittered across her lips. She wanted his mouth. She wanted his tongue.
God, she wanted all of him touching her, holding her, making love to her.

“We
should go.”

“No.
Not until I’ve tasted you again.”

“Hey,
Joel.
Mesa,” Josh said, sliding into the booth on the
other side of her.

“Josh.
What are you doing here?”

“I
saw your two leave and figured you might be headed here.”

Shit. Now I’m sandwiched between two
good-looking men. Threesome? No, no, no.