Once with a Cowboy: Loving Day Collection (One Night Only Book 1) (3 page)

              She raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t reply.

              “So you have…?” He chuckled and took that silence to gather up the items nearest him. He put them in the bag with care, making sure to examine each and every item.

              She did the same until only one thing lay between them; a thick, long flesh colored dildo. An image of having her bound to his king size bed at the ranch, her arms over her head, legs spread wide showing off her thick red sex, dewy with her juices and her clit peeking out from the folds. His cock jerked and a blast of heat burst in his solar plexus harder than a defenseman slamming him into the boards. It knocked the wind out of him but he recovered quick enough to snatch the device out of reach and hold it behind his back. He rose up until he was at his full height and she was still crouched down.

              “Ty?” She paused and licked her lips before standing up to her own five-feet-four inches in heels. “Hand it over.” She held out her hand.

              “No. Not unless I get something in return.” He held tight to the sex toy and watched her features as a myriad of emotions flitted across her beautiful face. Her plump full lips lacking gloss—that had worn away sometime during the night—but shone with her saliva beckoned him in for a kiss. He wanted to see her wide dark eyes so full of passion they were black. See a red flush cover her face as sweat glistened on her dark chocolate skin.

              “Ty, not right now. Bruce and Maggie are still here.” She nodded toward the employee’s entrance but no one appeared.

              “No one but us here for now. Give me a kiss and I’ll give it back.”

              Her eyes narrowed, suspicion shown in the java dark depths, showing off the thick dark lashes. “That’s it?”

              He nodded and moved the package just in case.

              “Fine. But later, you owe me a round of control.” She moved toward him, rose on tip-toes.

              “Deal.” He bent down and presented his cheek to her. When he felt her lips within a whisper of his skin, he turned his head and brushed his lips against hers. Fire crackled through his veins and lit up his nerve endings. Heat pooled in his groin as his cock thickened and pressed against his jeans.
Fuck this shit.
He dropped the sex toy with a clatter, bent down, wrapped his arms around her waist and hauled her close while pressing his lips tight to hers.              

              He opened his mouth to her, playing his tongue along the tight seam of her lips over and over again until she finally gave in and parted for him. He didn’t hesitate and dipped into the moist cave of her mouth to taste and tease her. She let out a muffled moan. Her hands came up and she slipped them between their heated bodies, clutching his shirt, pulling him closer. Electricity shocked him from his toes all the way up to his head. He ground his erection against her, showing without words what she did to him, always did to him.

              Air became thin, he felt lightheaded but still kept devouring her mouth, lapping and teasing her tongue, nibbling and licking her lips until she whimpered and moved against him. He pulled back when his lungs began to burn and his heart pounded against his ribcage in a desperate rap. He reluctantly pulled away but didn’t release her, not yet. For the moment, he wanted to savor having her where he felt she had belonged all night, with him.

              “Yo, Ty, you ready to— Oh. Come on Mags.” Bruce turned back around and led a gaping Maggie back through the employee’s entrance.

              “Shit.” She pushed on his chest but he refused to release her.

              “One, your job is safe here regardless of what you think. Two, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks so long as you wanted to kiss me, too. And three, I’ve been dying to kiss you since you arrived.” He brushed a few stray curls off her forehead.

              He let the words sit between them, watching her, waiting for her reaction.

              The bright pink tip of her tongue darted out to wet her lips, drawing his attention back to the plump, bruised flesh that drew a groan from deep within him. His dick jumped and the urge to smack it down took hold. Now was not the time.              

“Let’s get out of here before I give in to my urge to beg you to fuck me senseless.” Her voice came out soft, husky.

              An image of waking up beside her, seeing her in the morning, hair mussed up and a smile on her face as pale golden light streamed through the window filled his heart with emotion.

              “You’re not mad? I know that you and I have an understanding at work but I can’t help it. I want to touch you and more when I see you.” He had to know this right off the bat.

              “No...” That single word was said slow, but hesitation filled her eyes.

              Fuck. He wouldn’t bring it up, not now; they needed to be alone so he could assure her without her trying to retreat.
This has to work damnit.

              “Fine. We’ll talk about it when we get to the ranch. Head out to my truck and wait for me there, okay? I’ll check with Bruce and Maggie and make sure they have everything they need.” He studied her face. Uncertainty remained on her face along with a hint of desire as well, which buoyed his mood and gave him some hope that he could get through to her. Whatever her issues were, he needed to know if this was going to work. And he really needed this to work. For him, there was no one else but her.

Chapter Three

              Nessa threw her bag in the back of Ty’s SUV and climbed in. Before stopping off at her house, they got some fast food at the Jack in the Box and then they were on their way. She shifted in her seat as the atmosphere in the cab took hold. She could feel unsaid things swirling around them. As of late, she’d felt Ty trying to form some sort of attachment to her. She sensed this weekend wasn’t just about planning the Loving Day party and sexy fun times for them.

              Ty’s hand skimmed over her thigh, a light caress that seeped through the denim of her jeans and into her skin. She shivered as the warmth flowed down her leg and up through her body, saturating her, reminding her of just how much she enjoyed their no strings arrangement, even if it had gone on for longer than she should have let it. Her thoughts turned back to Briar’s offer. As tempting as it seemed to just drop everything and move to Boston, something held her back. Maybe she really was growing attached to Ty, or her life in Texas. She opened her mouth, wanting to sound out an idea to Ty about working for Briar part time. She didn’t have to move; any work she did for Briar could be discussed via video chat, email and messaging but she stalled. Admitting to getting a job offer brought up all sorts of unknown possibilities. What if Ty fired her? They may have been having sex for the past year, but they’d always kept it just physical.

              “You know Mom is having a picnic for her birthday, and my brothers, Danny and Rick, will be there. Wanna be my date? Mom likes you and you get along with Danny and Rick…” his voice trailed off and she shifted again.

              She liked them, too, maybe more than she should. This wasn’t supposed to develop into anything other than some occasional fun.

              “Hey no pressure, okay? Just some fun and I figure you’d like to see more of Texas. It’s near Bluebonnet. Ever been there?” The question sounded causal but she knew better.

              “I didn’t miss the way you reacted to Kane flirting with me, you know. And no, I’ve never been to Bluebonnet.” It didn’t answer his earlier offer.
Do I really want to entrench myself more when it’s supposed to be just sex and fun? But picnics are fun and I haven’t really explored Texas much.
  

              “I’ll think about the picnic.”
It wouldn’t do to go to a picnic, smile and act happy if I’m going to leave him anyway.
She slouched down in her seat. The smell of deep fried potatoes, onion rings and bacon cheeseburgers wafted up to her from the bag near her feet. Her stomach growled, reminding her of just how hard she’d worked that night, heels and all.

              Rather than reach for the sack of food at her feet, she focused on the farmland passing beyond the window of the SUV.
You never finish what you start, girl. You’re wasting your education for what? To serve beer at some bar to drunk cowboys who only see you as a chubby waste of space, in the middle of nowhere? At least your brother isn’t such a disappointment.
The sting of her father’s words, returned to punch her in the gut all over again. Yeah, Perfect Percy, he who’d needed my help to get through his classes in college so he wouldn’t flunk out. So perfect he’s had five jobs in the last year alone. Ty squeezed her thigh before giving it a small slap.

              “Hey, beautiful, what’s on your mind?” The soft drawl in his voice, the roughened tone soothed some of her father’s assessment of her.

              At least someone cares about me. She knew that wasn’t fair. There were others, but Candi, Alex, Meri and Sharon were like sisters to her whereas Ty—she didn’t even know what to label him. Fuck buddy seemed too crass for the affection she felt for him—whatever that was—and lover made him seem closer than he was. She exhaled and continued to watch the darkened farm land slip by.

              “What’s wrong?” He gave her thigh another squeeze.

              “Just tired.” She knew it was an inadequate response but she didn’t want to share the depth of her thoughts with him when she didn’t know them herself. When did things become so complicated with him? Why was she so damn confused? She’d never had this problem before she took this job. She’d been in a relationship with someone she thought had her back and that she could fall in love with. Boy, had her judgment been skewed. But then again Ty wasn’t Rich. With the exception of both being blond-haired and blue-eyed, well, in Ty’s case blue-green eyed, they were so different it was laughable to compare them. Rich had seemed so laid back when, in reality, he’d wanted other people to do the heavy lifting before taking credit for all of it, including her work.
How could I have been so wrong about him? Why did it take him not supporting me after being fired to see what kind of slime he really was?
She placed an elbow on the arm rest and clasped her hands together as the thoughts continued to come.

              She peeked over at Ty; his head bobbed to some classic rock song playing over the speakers of the car, one hand on the wheel and the other settled on her thigh, just resting there not doing anything other than offering some tactile connection to him.
Do I really want to leave his support and whatever we have behind and move again?

              As if hearing her thoughts, “Hey, do you need help unpacking stuff at your rental? Last time I was there I noticed you still had boxes taped up.”

              The question sounded innocent enough but his tone was guarded.

              Her brain went into alert mode and a sense of walls closing in and pressure building surrounded her. She swallowed as she tried to tamp down her defensive mode. “Just trying to figure out where to put things.” The lie came out smooth with no hint of her inner panic.

             
Ugh, close one.
She didn’t want to ruin this weekend by putting distance between them when there needn’t be any.  “Besides with the way you work me, when would I have found time?” she joked.

              He chuckled. “Well, you do work pretty hard. All you’d have to do is bat those long lashes at me, stare at me with those beautiful brown eyes and say, ‘I need a day off, boss man,’ and I’d be putty in your hands.”

              “That’s all, huh?” She doubted it but loved that he was kidding around with her.

              He removed his hand from her thigh, taking away the warmth and comfort of his touch,  to turn onto the paved driveway that led to his two story log and stone finished, ranch style house, screened in porch in the back, mud room, open floor plan first floor with four bedrooms, an office and three bathrooms upstairs.

The old owners had done a major renovation on the main house only. The cabins on the property for property managers and ranch hands were left alone, along with a few old barns. Ty and his brothers had sunk several million dollars into the property to make it a working farm that could also be a rehabilitation center for horses and other animals and a boarding stable as well as several other plans he hadn’t shared with her. She was sure that whatever they decided to do, it would all work out.

              “Pretty much.” He hit a button on his dashboard; the double car garage door rolled up. “But seriously, all you have to do is ask, honey.”

              “Maybe I’ll take you up on that offer.” An image flashed through her head of all the times he’d paraded in front of her showing off his still chiseled body which he kept in top condition with his time on the ranch and at the gym.

              “If you’re a good girl.” He parked the SUV before he leaned over the console and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

              “Oh, you know I will be,” she purred before she leaned over, cupped his face between her hands and kissed him with gentle pressure on his mouth. A swift touch that did nothing but enflame her desire to forget about her problems and focus on losing herself between the sheets with him.

              She pulled back, undid her belt and grabbed the bag of food while she waited for him to hit the unlock button.

              “You are gonna pay for that, beautiful.” He tossed her the keys before hitting the switch. “Unlock the door, will ya? I’ll grab your bags.”

              “Ty—” He always took her luggage even when she insisted on doing it herself.

              “Nope, you’re a guest and I treat my guests
very
well.”

              A flash fire of jealousy broke out. For a second she wondered if he’d brought any of his exes here. He’d had the ranch for a year before she arrived on the scene.
Had that redheaded Jolene been here before me?
The very thought made her queasy. All the more reason to not get too attached. Rather than dwell on the negative thoughts that tried to find purchase in her mind she got out and headed for the door that led into the first of two mudrooms. She unlocked the door and punched in the security code without thinking. Going through the motions, she wiped her feet, shrugged out of the light jacket she’d brought with her and headed into the kitchen, a set of moves she’d done a hundred times over the course of the year. Cool air hit her in the face, caressing her skin.

              It didn’t hit her until she hung up his keys that he’d trusted her so much, he’d given her the security code and offered up the ranch for her personal use whenever she wanted it. Emotion flooded her heart—so much so she thought it would burst for a second–and dampened her previous green-eyed monster moment. She gave it a mental push.
I’ll just ruin it, look at what happened at my last job.
She sighed and moved further into the house, turning on the lights they’d need to see by so they wouldn’t fall over something and break their necks.

              As she wandered through the house, the comfortable furniture; simple and clean lines of the tables, the plush chairs and couches, the warm golden woodwork and flooring, the elegant iron work around the frosted glass lighting, the black and white photos of various landscapes from around the world. She paused in his den—an ode to his hockey career—hockey sticks with the emblems of his teams hung like crown molding along the wall. Pristine jerseys with his past numbers were set behind glass. A built-in set of shelves and cabinets that hid his DVD collection, awards, comic books, graphic novels and big screen TV.

              A faint citrus scent hung in the air, with no dust to be seen. She walked over to a poster on the wall showing Ty holding the Stanley Cup high over his head, pure unadulterated joy on his face, a smile so wide it showed off his teeth. Both front teeth were chipped, though he’d long since had them fixed. Pride swelled in her chest. He’d accomplished so much in his career. Every once in awhile, old teammates would drift through the bar. Some were a part of the various leagues and teams or media dedicated to hockey. With half an ear, she’d listen to their antics or the latest news but focused on her job. The respect everyone treated Ty with always left her wondering about that part of his life. He didn’t talk about it much, only with his old comrades. A tug on her heart reminded her that for as much as she kept to herself, there was a lot she didn’t know about him. Briar’s offer pinged around her mind once more. That sensation of being torn in two directions left her uncomfortable. Everything she’d done in her life had been to please someone else. Even if she’d enjoyed IT work and using her mind in a creative way, she also enjoyed being at the bar.
What should I do?

The heavy tread of Ty’s boots drew her out of her thoughts.  “Hey, gorgeous, what are you doing in here?” He came into the room, his cowboy hat shading his features, making her unsure how he felt about her being in his domain.

“Just looking around.” Noncommittal and with no indication of where her thoughts resided at the moment and that’s how she wanted it to be before she made her decision. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Ty, even if her final choice meant moving for the second time in a year. Anxiety clawed through her stomach and sweat broke out over her brow as her heart ticked up. When she’d moved to Elm Springs the moving guys had delivered her stuff to the wrong house and lost a lot of her dishes and living room furniture. If it hadn’t been for Ty, she’d have gone over to the mover’s main offices and gotten into a screaming match before being jailed. He’d calmed her down and managed to help get some of her stuff back, three months ago they’d found her dishes and living room furniture after she’d gotten a whole new set, but they were still working on getting some of the other things lost in transport.

Ty wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her temple, his humid breath gusted past her cheek. The scent of mint rushed up her nostrils. She chuckled. “Already, freshening your breath for later?” A small bubble of relief filled her heart at him not pushing her for a real answer to his earlier question.

“Yeah, unfortunately I forgot that we hadn’t eaten yet. So ready for dinner?” He gave her a squeeze before he placed his hands on her hips and turned her around. She went without resistance. The warmth of his touch seeped past the barrier of her jeans to heat her skin, temporarily driving away the lingering doubts and confusion in her mind.
If only I could have both.

She gave a short bob of her head. “Yeah, let’s eat.”

He took her hand and led her out of the room, down the hall and into the open area that was shared by the kitchen, living room and dining room. The exposed wood beams overhead gave the space an exposed, airy sensation. She tilted her head back and looked at the slim wooden spokes of a wagon wheel chandelier with small light bulbs that gave off a soft glow. A sense of safety overwhelmed her as she took it all in from the tan walls to the thick oak columns that came down from the ceiling. If she could stay put in any place in the world, this is where she would remain. If only… she let the thought trail off without finishing it. Annoyance came back in full. Until she made a decision, she knew she wouldn’t feel completely present anywhere. She sighed and tried to focus on Ty and the weekend ahead. Maybe sex would help. She doubted it, but didn’t want to waste a perfectly good weekend with a hot guy in the most perfect place to spend a weekend just because of the decision hanging over her head.