Cowboy Take Me Away (Rough Riders #16) Read online

  She sighed dramatically but settled into him.

  But forty-five minutes into the movie, she became restless. She started tracing the fingers on his right hand. From the tips to the knuckles. Then she turned his hand over and swept her thumb over the calluses at the base of each finger. After that she placed a kiss in the center of his palm and the inside of his wrist.

  “Sugar. What’re you doin’?”

  “Exploring your hands. I love that they tell the story of what you do.”

  “That I toil outside in hot and cold weather and half the time I forget to wear my damn gloves?”

  She ran his hand up and down her bare arm. “See? The way your rough skin feels on mine gives me goose bumps.”

  He placed her hand back in her lap. “Watch. The. Movie.”

  Five minutes later she said, “So what are we doing after this?”

  Carson winced when two horses went down onscreen. Make believe or not he always reacted that way when animals got hurt.

  “It’s muggy enough that we could cool off at the lake.” She fiddled with the buttons on his shirt, unsnapping the top two. “I’d even get in the water this time.”

  “Not a lake night. It’s gonna rain.”

  “How do you know?”

  “The way the sky looked earlier. How the air feels and smells now. Aw, hell. How come they never see an ambush comin’? It always happens.”

  “Because it’s an ambush.” Carolyn threw her leg over his thigh so she faced him, straddling him. “I’m thinking I need to ambush you.”

  Like he didn’t see this coming.

  But how was he supposed to resist taking it to the next level when she smelled so good. Or when he could feel the soft crush of her belly and her breasts against the hard wall of his chest. When he knew the sweet taste of her mouth and the no-holds-barred way she kissed. And the woman seemed especially determined tonight.

  Why?

  Why are you resisting her? You know where this is gonna end up anyway.

  Not here, not like this. No way, no how.

  “I love your chest. So strong and hard. So many muscles. Is it weird I like that you have a lot of chest hair? It’s so manly. And you smell like you there. It’s like the hair traps the scents of musk and salt and that outdoorsy scent, then it becomes you.”

  “I think we’re missin’ the gun fight.”

  She kissed the hollow of his throat. Then followed the tendons in his neck with her hot little tongue. “You still interested in watching the movie?”

  He groaned. “You’re makin’ it damn hard.”

  “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?”

  Lord, she was insistent tonight. Maybe a little ornery.

  You got ornery covered.

  “My friend Laura lost her virginity at a drive-in.”

  “Not happening for you.”

  The light in her eyes disappeared. “Why don’t I get a say? It’s my virginity.”

  “We talked about this. There’s a time and a place. This ain’t it. Look, sugar. Can’t we just have a normal date?”

  “Is that why you’re with me? Because I’m normal date material?”

  “Yes. Now can we be done with this conversation and just watch the movie?”

  But she wouldn’t let it go. “It’s starting to rain and you won’t be able to see it anyway. And don’t sidestep the question. What would you be doing if you were out on a date with someone else?”

  This was a no-win situation and he oughta keep his damn mouth shut…but of course he just had to open up his trap. “I haven’t been on a date since I was nineteen. I pick women up in bars, get what I want from them and walk away. I don’t want that from you.”

  She looked affronted. “You don’t want me?”

  “I want you like fuckin’ crazy.” Carson snagged her wrist and pressed her palm against the fly of his jeans. “But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna maul you at the drive-in.”

  “Even if I ask nicely?”

  “Carolyn.”

  “You only have yourself to blame for how I’m acting. Since the night we met you’ve been showing me what desire is. What passion feels like. Is it any wonder I want more whenever I’m with you?” She traced his lower lip with her thumb, then she angled her head to make the same sweeping pass with her tongue. “Carson. Say something.”

  “It’d probably be best if you got off my lap.”

  “I thought you wanted me to sit on your lap.”

  “Not like this.”

  He felt her smile against his cheek. “You like this. I can tell.”

  The woman rocked her hips until her pubic bone bumped his erection.

  He tried to stop her, but his hands gripping her ass had the exact opposite effect. The greedy male part of him wanted her to grind on him and show him how well she moved. Then he’d slip his fingers beneath her panties and see if it made her wet. Then he’d start sucking on her nipples…

  “Carson. Touch me.”

  “No.”

  “Why not?” She dug her fingers into the back of his neck forcing his attention. “I see you looking at my chest all the time.”

  Do not look.

  Dammit, why wouldn’t his eyes listen?

  “Don’t you want your hands and mouth on me?”

  “Of course I do. But that don’t mean I’m gonna tear off your shirt, and take off your bra in a public place where anyone can walk past and see your bare chest.”

  Her eyes widened as if that hadn’t occurred to her.

  So he took it a step farther to drive home his point. “If we get busy in my truck, everyone will know what we’re doin’ when it starts bouncing up and down. That’ll draw an audience. That’s what you want for your first time?”

  “No. But—”

  “Trust me. I’ll know when you’re ready. There’s nothin’ wrong with waitin’ for it. Planning it.”

  “You’ll know when I’m ready,” she repeated.

  “I ain’t sayin’ this to piss you off, but I do have more experience in these things than you do.”

  Carolyn pushed away from him and put distance between them.

  The rain was really coming down and the movie was a total blur. But the voices coming from the speaker were rife with anger.

  That’s when he understood the anger in the air wasn’t only from the movie effects or the humidity. She was mad.

  Which meant she was really mad because he’d learned one thing about her in the times they’d spent together; she didn’t have time for games. She wasn’t playing at being mad.

  “You gonna tell me what’s got you huffing like an angry bull?”

  Comparing her to livestock? Didn’t think you were that dumb.

  “Your expectations of how sex with me is going to play out—candlelight, flowers, chocolates and the release of beribboned doves at the moment of breaching my maidenhead—are not mine.”

  Christ. He hadn’t thought she could be sarcastic either. Once she sank her teeth into something she wouldn’t let it go.

  “I thought you were different.”

  “Carolyn—”

  “You look at me but you don’t see me. You see what you want to see. You are like everyone else in my life who thinks it’s their job to make decisions for me and what I want.”

  “Because I wouldn’t fuck you, I’m an asshole?”

  “No. I didn’t ask you to have sex with me. But even if I had? You are dismissing what I want and how I feel.”

  Sadness filled her face and it hit him as hard as a punch in the nuts.

  “Take me back to my car.”

  “We can talk—”

  “No. It’s not like we can watch the movie.”

  Fuck. Rather than try to climb over her into the driver’s side, he jumped into the downpour and skirted the fro
nt end. Then getting in he almost sat on his hat. In trying to avoid that, he slammed his groin into the steering wheel.

  “Motherfucking-cocksucking-son-of-a-fucking-bitch.” He breathed through the excruciating pain—he’d never racked himself with a hard on before—and hoped he didn’t pass out. He chanced a look at her.

  She didn’t even have that pursed set to her mouth when he cussed. She didn’t snap, “Language,” at him.

  The windshield wipers slapped angrily as he pulled out of the parking lot onto the road. “This is not how I wanted the night to end.”

  “Just drive.”

  The air in the cab on the drive back to her car was hot and sticky—but that wasn’t what made it uncomfortable.

  Carolyn hadn’t looked at him even one time. She’d just retreated. Hands folded in her lap, her gaze aimed out the window. Not that she could see anything through the fog on the inside and the driving rain surrounding them, but she pretended she could.

  He hated dropping her off in the middle of nowhere, wishing instead he could pull up to her house, walk her to the door and give her a goodnight kiss. Yeah, like a normal date. Didn’t most women want that?

  So why the hell was this beautiful, sweet, pure woman so eager to give her virginity to a man like him?

  Maybe for that reason.

  Carson remembered from talking to the women who’d shared his bed that their initiation into sex left a lot to be desired. His first time at age fifteen hadn’t lasted long at all. His partner, a twenty-year-old teacher’s assistant, had lectured him on making sure the women he bedded had as much fun as he did. She’d taught him a lot.

  And it wasn’t as if he wasn’t fucking dying to get his hands on her, his mouth on her and his dick in her. He just didn’t want it to happen in a car or a truck. Carolyn deserved all that romancing stuff women loved.

  He’d make it up to her. He’d take her out for supper tomorrow night. Then back to his place where he could get her completely nekkid and feast on her. Touch her, kiss her, taste her and show her how good it could be when he took his time.

  Now that he had a plan, she couldn’t argue he wasn’t taking into consideration what she wanted.

  Carson pulled alongside her car, put his truck in park and shut it off before he faced her. “Sorry that we ended up at cross purposes tonight.”

  Carolyn laughed cynically. “That’s one way of putting it.”

  “How would you have put it?”

  “You got your way. And whatever—” she gestured wildly, “—attraction you have for me is no match for your resolve to get your way.”

  “What the hell am I supposed to say to that, Caro?”

  “Nothing. Goodbye.” Carolyn bailed out of the truck.

  Goodbye? Not goodnight? “Oh no. Oh hell no.” Carson jumped out and caught her just as she started to unlock her car door. “You don’t get to—”

  Carolyn turned and shoved at him. “Leave me alone. I refuse to stand in the rain and argue with you.”

  She turned back and inserted the key, twisting hard. She did that twice more with no success.

  Carson said, “Let me try.”

  “I don’t want your help.”

  “I’m sure, but sugar, it looks like you need it.” He curled himself around her, trying to block her from the downpour as he jimmied the lock.

  And as he cranked and twisted, he was acutely aware of the soft cushion of her ass against his groin. The outer swell of her breast rubbing on the inside of his forearm. The way the rain released the flowery scent of her shampoo and the powdery sweet aroma of her perfume. The arm she’d braced against the window shook. He felt the heat rising from her neck and the press of her spine into his chest.

  In that moment he needed her more than his next breath.

  Then his mouth was on her ear. “Carolyn.”

  A shudder worked through her.

  The keys dropped to the ground.

  She tried to spin around but he held her in place. “Stay like this.”

  His hands moved to her hips and he followed the curve of her waist up to plant his hands on her breasts.

  She arched against him hard, turning her head, baring her throat, reaching around to dig her nails into the base of his neck.

  Carson tasted her skin, his lips gliding easily on the rain-slicked flesh. His teeth scraped along the tendon until his mouth connected with the spot where her pulse raged. He sucked hard.

  Her moan as she gyrated her soft ass against his erection spurred him to take the next step.

  Tugging her blouse free from her skirt, he worked the buttons until the back of his hand touched the bare skin of her belly. He trailed the fingers of his right hand to her left tit, and he slipped them beneath the satin cup, stroking before he lightly twisted the rigid tip while his mouth continued the onslaught of her throat. “Tell me what you want.”

  “Don’t stop this time.”

  He bunched the sodden material of her skirt in his left hand and rolled it up, tucking it into the waistband.

  The smooth skin of her thighs beckoned. While his right hand toyed with her hard nipple, his left hand delved between her legs. The heat and wetness soaking through her panties had nothing to do with the rain. A primitive growl rumbled free as he stroked her on the outside of her cleft, getting her used to his touch.

  Carolyn bumped her hips forward, panting for more.

  Pulling her panties aside, he hissed at that first slippery connection to the soft petals of her sex. He followed the wet slit, stopping at the top to finger her clit, loving that she nearly collapsed in his arms at his intimate touch. “Such a sweet, sweet pussy, sugar,” he murmured beneath her jaw.

  His fully erect cock protested the angle when he leaned forward to swirl his finger around her opening. His entire body was as rigid as his cock. Could Carolyn feel how hard his heart slammed in his chest as he pressed it against her back? Could she feel his blood pumping so fast and hot where her fingernails dug into the nape of his neck?

  Carson’s lips found hers. They kissed with desperation. He pushed his finger inside her, releasing another growl at the hot sheath that hugged it, knowing how fucking good it’d feel having his cock buried in the tight heat.

  Once he started to thrust in and out, she canted her hips, trying to drive him in deeper. He added another finger, scissoring his fingers as well, even knowing the best way to stretch her fully was to use his dick.

  “Carolyn.” He nuzzled her cheek while he continued to drive his fingers into her. This wasn’t how he wanted it to happen, but it was going to happen. “Stop me now if you don’t—”

  “Don’t stop. Please.”

  At some point the rain had let up, changing into misty drops. Steam radiated from the pavement and he felt it rising off of him, out of him.

  His head screamed with the need to have her. His hands left her body only long enough to turn her around and push her against the car. They were plastered together by the rain, and by need. Carson kissed her frantically as he unhooked his belt and dropped his jeans and boxers to his knees.

  Carolyn’s fingers were tugging on the buttons of his shirt. Then she raked her nails down his skin, stopping when the tips reached the head of his cock.

  He moved her hand up, placing it around the back of his neck again. “Hold on.” Grabbing the back of her left thigh, he wrapped it around his hip, bringing them groin to groin.

  She buried her face in his neck and her hot breath sent goose bumps down his arms.

  Carson bent down to align his cock, pausing at her opening. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if she was ready or to tell her he’d go slow, but he hadn’t done a play by play so far; no need to do it now.

  Her hand on his chest tightened, her nails digging into his pectoral as he fed his cock into her.

  He closed his eyes, tempted to grit his t
eeth as her sheath enveloped him. Jesus. She was so tight. Wet, but tight. And hot. An overwhelming need to move had him holding his breath.

  Her softly whispered, “Yes, more,” was the signal he needed.

  He managed a couple of slow thrusts—pulling out fully and pushing back in to the root—keeping one hand braced on the car and the other hand on her knee, holding her steady.

  When Carolyn started rocking into him, her hot tongue tracing his collarbone while her thumb scraped his nipple, he kicked up the pace.

  It wasn’t long before he rammed into that yielding channel harder every time, his balls no longer swinging forward, but tight. Ready to blow.

  Without missing a stroke his lips traveled down her face, from her temple to her jaw and then over to fuse his mouth to hers. The burning passion between them flared higher. Hotter. She pulled his hair. Her kiss was ferocious. She canted her hips, matching his every hard thrust.

  At that rate Carson knew he’d be spilling inside her soon. Not knowing how close she was, he reached between their straining bodies and spread open the upper section of her pussy. When he pushed back inside her, he kept his groin pressed into hers, keeping constant contact on her clit.

  Carolyn started to shudder and he felt the rippling pulses of her pussy around his shaft. Instead of throwing her head back, she curled into him, pressing her mouth against the ball of his shoulder as she climaxed. With each rhythmic pulse her teeth sunk deeper into his flesh.

  Who knew that sexy love bite as she came would do it for him?

  Those glove-tight walls sucked every bit of seed from his balls. He didn’t hammer into her as he started to come. Slowing down prolonged every hot burst and he couldn’t stop the, “Fuckin’ hell, woman,” from tumbling out of his mouth before his brain functions ceased entirely.

  At some point he’d tipped his head back. Rain spattering his face roused him out of that post-orgasmic void. He glanced down to see Carolyn staring up at him. Her hair was soaked; she had makeup smudged beneath her eyes. Her lips were curved in a very feminine smile; her eyes were half-lidded with sexual satisfaction.

  She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

  “Carolyn—”