Stripped Down (11 page)

“Good.”

“So, what’s going on?”

“You.”

“What about me?”

“You are driving me absolutely fucking crazy.”

She waited.

“Do you have any idea how sexy you are on a horse? So regal? So intuitive? Fuck, I love to watch you make lightning quick adjustments when you’re on the outside of the herd.” He moved closer. “I’m surprised I can get any work done at all because I can’t take my eyes off of you. For the past two weeks I’ve watched you. Watched that crazy red hair tossed by the wind as you’re chasin’ down strays. Watched your cheeks turn pink with color. Watched your eyes dancing with excitement and concentration. You’re beautiful, Melissa. But when you’re so focused on your task, doin’ what you’re so goddamned good at, you take my fucking breath away.”

Her heart raced. Even when she’d just gulped water, her mouth had gone dry. While he was getting closer, she’d started backing up in a circle, retreating into the barn.

“And every day, when my cock is so fucking hard I could pound horseshoes with it, I tell myself to wait until I can take you in my bed, or on my couch, or on the damn washing machine. But today, Cres is gone, and it’s just you and me. Today, I ain’t gonna wait.”

His eyes were hot and dark and focused one hundred percent on her.

“No foreplay. No sweet kisses or tender touches. I want you, hard and fast and rough. I wanna bend you over and fuck you until the ache of wantin’ you doesn’t consume me like this.”

Two more steps back. “Wynton.”

“You want this. I can see it in your eyes. I bet your nipples are hard. I bet your pussy is already wet.”

“So?”

“So, stop movin’ so we can get on with it.”

“Or what?”

“There is no
or
. Don’t make me chase you down.”

“Think you can catch me, cowboy?” God. Why was she taunting him?

His deep, rasping, sarcastic laugh might’ve been the sexiest thing she’d ever heard. “Oh, yeah? How about I’ll even give you a head start. I’ll count to five.”

Mel turned and ran.

From behind she heard, “Onetwothreefourfive.”

She managed to get out, “That’s cheating!” before an arm banded around her waist and she was airborne. She shrieked.

“That’s it, baby,” he growled in her ear. “Get those vocal cords warmed up because before I’m done with you, you’re gonna be screaming my name.”

Wynton carried her—one-armed no less!—into the tack room. He pulled a saddle blanket out of the stack and draped it over a workbench. Then he set her on her feet and stripped off her coat. His voice was back in her ear. “Chest on the bench, ass in the air is how I want you. Hold on to the bench with your left hand and drop your right hand beside your leg.”

Her need for him overtook any thoughts of arguing. Wynton had been the most spectacular lover she’d ever had, but he’d never been like…this. Desperate to have her and sort of pissed off about it.

At first he didn’t touch her besides undoing her jeans, shoving them and her underwear to the tops of her boots, then kicking her feet out to widen her stance.

She heard his labored breaths as he shed his clothing. She heard the crinkle of a condom wrapper. She felt his satisfied grunt on the back of her neck when he pressed his chest to her back and reached between her legs to find her dripping wet.

One finger entered her. Then two. God. He had such long, thick fingers. She made a soft gasp when the callused pad of his thumb connected with her clit.

Wynton kept her immobilized on the bench, his breath hot in her ear as he finger fucked her. And he knew just where to stroke inside her pussy walls and for how long. He knew how much direct contact her clit could take. He knew how to light the fuse and how long before she detonated.

“It’s mine, Melissa. Give it to me.”

She did cry out when the orgasm blasted through her.

He kept pumping and doing that flicking thing on her clit, dragging out her pleasure. When the last pulse ended, he stilled and pulled his fingers out of her. Then he whispered, “Don’t. Move.”

No problem. She was pretty sure her spine was somewhere on the hay-strewn floor below her.

He slapped his hands on her ass cheeks hard enough to make that one swat sting. His two fingers, wet with her juices, trailed down her butt crack to her anus. He swept his fingers across her hole until the nerve endings flared to life and the rim was sticky.

She stilled. They’d talked about anal sex, even done a little anal play back and forth, and she knew he wanted to shove his cock in her ass. She wanted that too, but she needed to be more prepared than just a couple of swipes of her come to ease the way.

Wynton’s tight grip on her ass relaxed. She felt the damp heat of his breath on her lower back right before he kissed the spot and started to drag his tongue down the split in her ass, making a soft growling noise as he followed the trail he’d made with her juices. And when he reached her anus, he licked and lapped and sucked that tight ring before he plunged his tongue inside.

“Oh, God.” He did it a few more times, driving her crazy with the raunchy sensation that she loved.

Then he tilted her hips and inserted just the tip of his cock into her pussy. He dangled something rough against her right leg that caused her to twitch before he slid it into her hand. She squeezed her fingers around it. It felt like…rope.

Holy fuck.

Still breathing heavily, still just resting his cock an inch inside her, Wynton guided her hand between her thighs.

Keeping his hand circling her wrist, he dragged the rope across her clit.

Mel arched up. She tried to pull her hand away, but Wynton wouldn’t allow it.

“Ride that line between pleasure and pain.”

“I-I…what if it’s too much?”

Once again he layered his chest to her back. “There’s no such thing.” He sucked on her earlobe, impaled her fully, and pulled the rope across her clit all at the same time.

She screamed.

Wynton fucked her as rough and fast and hard as he’d warned he would. His harsh grunts, the sucking sounds of her pussy with his every stroke, the
thump thump thump
of the bench legs echoed around her.

Even before she started to come, Mel drifted to that place where anticipation met intent. She furiously rubbed her clit, her stomach tight every time the twine scraped over that swollen nub. But she couldn’t stop. It was so close… It was right…there.

The orgasm ripped through her. Her clit throbbed like she’d never felt it. Her pussy clamped down so hard on Wynton’s cock that she swore she could feel his heart pounding as he plowed into her. Every part of her body tingled. Her ears rang, her head went muzzy. She sucked in a deep breath and the last thing she heard before she passed out was Wynton roaring like a beast.

* * * *

She’d blacked out.

Now Wynton had to know something was wrong with her. Women didn’t just pass the fuck out during sex—even as mind-blowing as that sex had been. At least she hadn’t checked out before the orgasm that would forevermore be “the orgasm” that all others would be judged by.

She wiggled her naked body. She turned her head. The pillow smelled like him. The scent immediately soothed her. As did the rough-skinned palm that skated down her arm.

“Hey, sleepyhead.”

“Uh, how’d I get here?”

“You were seriously out of it after we…you know.”

The man was embarrassed? Get out.

“So I carried you into the house, undressed you, and tucked you in my bed.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Half an hour.” A soft kiss landed on her shoulder. “I fucked you so hard that you passed out, baby.” Another kiss. “I’ve never had that happen before.”

Now he sounded so smug. “It’s never happened to me before either.”

“One for the record books, Amazing Slut-Girl.”

Mel smiled in the dark. “True dat, Super Man-Slut.” The more conscious she became, the less it felt like she’d had an…episode. Maybe she was just thirsty, hungry, and tired because she’d worked all day, followed by getting spun inside out and upside down by one of the most intense sexual encounters of her life. What woman wouldn’t pass out from being exposed to Wynton Grant’s pheromones and sating his beastly sexual appetite after he’d made her come so hard she’d screamed? Twice?

“You all right?” he murmured.

“Mmm-hmm. I need to eat something and I’m really thirsty. But besides that…” She stretched. “I feel thoroughly fucked.”

He chuckled. “Me too. You sore?”

“A little.”

“My fault. Lemme fix that.” He slipped beneath the covers and positioned himself between her legs. He planted the softest kisses on her abraded clit.

“Wynton—”

“I just fucked you hard, fast, and rough, Melissa. Now let me make love to you slow and sweet.”

Like she could say no to that.

Chapter Eight

In the last three weeks, Wyn’s life had changed completely.

He’d fallen in love.

With a hookup.

A
wedding
hookup, no less.

It’s been more than a hookup since the first time you kissed her, dumbass.

True.

Wyn was done denying this was a
one and done
or
hit it and quit it
scenario. Melissa was meant to be his. Not for just a few lousy weeks, either. Now he just hoped that Melissa could see he was “the one” she’d been looking for.

How had he gotten so lucky? She was everything he’d wanted and feared he’d never find. She was perfect.

Perfect
.

She’d proven it so many times, in so many ways.

She could ride a horse like no woman he’d ever seen.

She liked to just sit around and bullshit.

She liked to play video games.

She liked to play darts and pool.

She liked to curl up on the couch and watch TV.

She liked to cook.

She had a great sense of humor.

She loved sex—anytime, anyplace. She was as inventive in her suggestions as she was adventurous with his.

With each new thing he discovered about her, he fell harder for her.

Why was he reminding himself of all these awesome things about her?

Because Melissa had been a little…grouchy since yesterday. It wasn’t his fault that she’d fallen asleep in his bed after he’d made love to her. When she woke up—cranky as hell—she stormed off to her bed, insisting she slept better alone.

How would she know that if she hadn’t actually tried sleeping in his bed an entire night?

Maybe he’d man up and ask her that when he got home. He grinned. That’d get her riled up—and that was how he loved her best.

He slowed down and pulled into Cres’s driveway.

Cres was out of his house as soon as Wyn killed the ignition. As Wyn wandered up the driveway with a six-pack of Fat Tire beer, Cres said, “That’s your
we’ve gotta talk
look. So it’s finally time to deal with Dad’s bombshell?”

“I didn’t want this to be a pressure thing, Cres. I guess we could’ve discussed this while we were movin’ cattle.”

Cres dropped the tailgate on his truck. “Mel’s been around and it didn’t seem right to talk in circles or exclude her from our conversation. And every other time we’ve been together it’s been with Dad and Mom.”

Wyn hopped onto the tailgate beside his brother and handed him a beer.

“Thanks.” Cres said, “Does it surprise you that Dad hasn’t been bugging us to make a decision?”

“Dad’s got other things on his mind for a change. I’m happy to see that. Mom is too. So to be honest, I don’t think they care one way or another what our decision is because they’ve already made theirs. Make sense?”

“Yeah. And Mom’s too busy harassing you about what’s going on with you and Mel.” Cres sipped his beer. “Speaking of Mel…you two seem very happy to be playing house.”

Wyn scowled. “I
hate
that fucking term.”

“What else can you call it if it’s not a trial run for the real deal?”

“Piss off. And her name is Melissa, not Mel. Mel…well, that’s more in line with your tastes.”

Cres laughed. “True. I like her. She’s good for you.”

“So if I wanted to play house with her for real?”

“I’d probably come over more often since she’s a better cook than you.”

“Again, Cres, piss off.” Wyn cracked his beer. “I want her there for the long haul. Not just because she’s a good cook but because she’s…everything. I just feel in my gut she’s it for me.”

“Does she feel that way too?”

“I hope so.”

“Man, Sutton is
so
gonna rub it in your face that you’re pussy-whipped.”

“I deserve it.” He grinned. “I
welcome
it. Anyway, you’ve had a couple of weeks to think about Dad’s offer. Made any decisions yet?”

Cres looked at him oddly. “It never really was a decision for me, bro. I like ranching with you. It’d suck to do it by myself. I say let’s keep it together. Same as it’s always been.”

Wyn held his bottle to his brother’s for a toast. “Amen.”

A few moments of silence passed.

“Since it seemed like
you
were dragging this decision out, I thought maybe you were gonna suggest we divvy it up.”

Wyn pinned him with a sharp look. “Why in the hell would you say that?”

Cres shrugged. “I came out last year. Everyone in the family has been supportive—even more than I expected. But supporting me in my personal life and bein’ offered a chance to cut ties with me professionally because of
how
I live my life… We both know it might affect who wants to do business with both of us, Wyn. I could see that dividing it would be an easy out for everyone. I think that’s why Dad offered it as a suggestion.”

“Bullshit. I thought
you
might be lookin’ for an out from ranching completely,” Wyn said. “Trying to figure out a way to sell your portion to me.”

“And what would I do if I wasn’t ranching? I’ve got no interest in doin’ anything else, so selling never even crossed my mind,” Cres said. “Besides, knowing us, even if we divided it up, we’d still work together most days anyway.”