Rawhide and Roses (19 page)

“Good.”
        

He was so close. His lips only centimeters away; his breath warm and coffee-laced, moist against her skin. “You know,” she whispered, “I used to think cowboys were nothing but roping and riding ranch rogues, selfish and egotistical. And I didn’t figure there was any place for a woman like me with a man like you. No matter how much I was attracted.”

That lifted his hooded gaze. “Kim...” His voice caressed. “I never dreamed you’d be attracted to me.”

“I never wanted to be,” she admitted, searching his face, “it was just something I couldn’t help.”

“I know how that feels.” He held her gaze for a moment. “Kim,” he breathed, “this afternoon I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted a woman. I don’t know why I left you like that, it was the most frustrating experience I’ve ever had. Can you forgive me?”

His thumb brushed over her upper lip and her breathing quickened. She watched his eyes as he followed the trail of his thumb caressing her cheek and jaw and chin. His touches were pure heaven and with each stroke, she felt her desire let go a little more, and more, until her breathing was more labored than quickened.

His fingertips caressed the tiny nerve endings of her face, causing a slow torture to build deep inside her.

“Thad Winchester,” she whispered, while lifting her hand to his chin, “Don’t you dare walk away from me this time.”

His eyes flashed and Kim knew they were at a point of no return. Slowly, he shook his head, his eyes never leaving her face. “I couldn’t walk away even if I wanted.”

His lips descended and just as they touched, she whispered, “Good. Because I’m not about to let you go.”

More gently than she’d ever realized he could be, Thad slid his hand down Kim’s neck and laid it flat against her chest. While his lips caressed hers in a slow, lazy rhythm, she pushed closer into his embrace.

“Your heart’s beating so hard,” he whispered as he drew away from her lips and began a trail of kisses down her throat toward her heart.

She placed her hand on his chest. “Mine’s not the only one,” she whispered back.

“No,” he breathed. “It’s not.”

Thad’s fingers groped for the placket of Kim’s shirt, and began a slow descent, unfastening each as he nibbled and suckled on her neck, at her collarbone. She arched into him and felt the chilly air hit her erect, bare nipples, as he opened her shirt and slipped it over her shoulders.

Thad drew back and looked at her.

She opened her eyes. His looking at her, her breasts bared to the cool night air, under the starlit sky, made her feel exhilarated and quite sexy—and only served to stimulate her arousal.

“God, you are beautiful.”

Humbly, he cupped a breast. Kim’s chest lifted in heated breath. She watched as he gently explored each mound of her flesh, his dark, rough fingers grazing over her nipples, underneath, around, and then finally taking both hands and lifting her breasts into his palms, squeezing, tempting.

She loved the electrifying sensations driving up within her from watching both his face as he fondled her, and feeling his methodical, tortuous, but gentle assault of her breasts. She slipped the shirt completely off her shoulders and arms and reached out to grasp the buttons of his.

In the next instant, Thad laid her back against the sleeping bag. One hand still held and teased a breast; his lips and tongue ravished her mouth. His tongue, wet and moist encircled her lips and gently played with hers, urging them both into a frenzied passion. Kim pulled and tugged at his clothing.

The second she’d freed him of his shirt, her hands went to his broad, muscled chest. Remembering how good he felt beneath her palms, she sighed and smoothed her hands over him like a crazed woman, desiring the touch, the feel, of his flesh in her hands.

Thad angled himself over her and Kim stroked her fingers through his hair as he peered down. He took quick, wet kisses from her as he watched her face, as though studying every feature, every freckle, every nuance there. Watching him, filled with desire and pleasure, Kim felt such a closeness, a bond, and a oneness envelope her. There were only two people in the world tonight who mattered. And that was she and Thad.

He spoke in a hushed whisper. “I can’t believe you’re here with me, Kimmy.” His hands framed her face and he continued to stare into her eyes. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever felt what I’m feeling now.”

She silenced him with a finger to his lips.” Shsh....” she breathed. “Right now there’s nothing in the world that matters.”

“But what about later?”

A slight panic grabbed her, but she ignored it. Tracing his lip with her fingertip, she watched as Thad’s lips parted and he drew her finger inside and sucked. She held her finger there, absorbing the rough texture of his tongue and growing more aroused by the moment. “Later will take care of itself. Love me, Thad.”

He embraced her with his head on her chest, as if he couldn’t bear to think of what later might bring.

Gasping a quick breath, Thad fumbled with the snap of her jeans and hurriedly lowered her zipper.

She wanted him to take her. Slowly. Quickly. It didn’t matter. She was dying to have him inside her.

In the next instant Thad slipped his hands around her hips and removed both blue jeans and panties in one swift motion. She lay there, her body bared to the twinkling night sky and Thad’s ardent gaze. For the longest time, it seemed, he simply stared, laying beside him, while she smoothed her palm over his chest and belly, occasionally dipping slightly beneath the waistband of his jeans.

Thad’s raking gaze almost sent her into tremors without so much as a touch. The open skies, the night breezes kissing her heated skin, her pebbled nipples, her moist and heated center, all gave way to a wild abandonment she’d never before experienced.

Then he did touch her. One finger gently grazed a hip bone and began a lazy ascent toward her belly, circling her navel, then traveling upward to a flushed nipple. Again, he circled and teased the dusky pink until he’d raised the gooseflesh all over her body. All the while, their eyes remained connected in a sizzling embrace and Kim’s breathing quickened to panting.

“You’re driving me crazy,” she whispered, leaning closer to touch her lips to his.

“I’m savoring every second,” he whispered back. “And showing you how unselfish this cowboy can be.” He nipped her lower lip with his teeth, pulled her closer, and growled. The finger that was still sending swirls of sensation across her breasts, was now beginning a leisurely descent toward her belly, and lower.

Kim moaned and grasped at Thad’s chest as he continued his unhurried quest to reach her center. Again, he lazily circled her delicate mound and threaded his fingers through her dark curls. She sucked in one quick breath after another as every pleasured nerve ending between her legs cried out to be touched.

“Oh...Thad.” She rose up and nuzzled his neck, urging her body closer to his. “What are you doing to me?”

He pulled away and she caught the wicked grin that flashed over his face. Then lower, she felt him cup her, more firmly now—and took her mouth in a heated kiss as he slowly massaged her aching flesh.

He stroked her, and set out on a course of slow tortuous pleasure as the essence of an igniting fire built deep within her. His tongue delved into her mouth, and Kim took him in, hungrily sucking. His fingers probed and opened; his palm pressed against her, circling, rubbing—and Kim took him in. Filled with him, she clutched at his belly and grasped his flesh above his waistband, wanting so much more than that in her hands. Reaching, she wanted to touch him, wanted his throbbing need in her hands.

Together, they rid him of his jeans and boots. Thad urgently kicked them away from the sleeping bag. She reached for him, and Kim gazed at the chiseled structure of his body in the moonlight.

He was beautiful.

And then his finger touched her swollen cleft, playing, flicking, tantalizing her, until the banked fire within erupted into flames that licked high into her inner core.

She bucked against his hand at the explosion, wanting to feel him holding her there until all sensation was spent. He held her body close, her head against his beating heart; her arms wrapped around him. And when her labored breathing slowed to a mere pant, Thad gently massaged her aching flesh until her tremors subsided.

Still holding her close, he shifted so his body was over hers and Kim, her eyes still closed, relished in the warmth of him draped over her. His hands framed her face.

“Kimmy,” he whispered, “look at me.”

Opening her eyes, she looked into the face of a man who looked like he’d just been given the world. He peered deep into her eyes as his thumbs rubbed feather-like circles at her temples.

“I want to look into your eyes. I want to see the passion I put on your face...before I lose control.” She opened her lips to speak, but he silenced her with a tender kiss.

His hardened shaft probed, then entered her with one quick thrust. Thad froze over her, stilled in what she hoped was pure pleasure. It was like she’d swallowed him, he’d filled her completely and fully. She grasped him and as she looked up, his face pointed to the sky, his eyes shut tight. She placed a hand on his cheek.

Thad lowered his body against hers and nuzzled her lips, her neck, as his lower body thrust again and again into her, at first like a slow, methodical waltz, then crescendoing into a frenzied rhapsody. Kim took him in, met his thrusts, feeling his heat from the inside, building and building until again, the inferno burned within her. And just when she thought she couldn’t stand the increasing fervor a second longer, she burst into a thousand sparkling embered notes, his name a pianissimo whisper on her lips.

She clawed at Thad, pulling him closer. He firmly thrust again and once more, then moaned her name over and over as he held her hips steady, and exploded inside her with one last quivering thrust. She felt his urgent throbbing against her tender insides; a trembling passed through him as he collapsed over her and held her tight against him.

And as Kim held him, her hands softly stroking his back, savoring the feel of him inside her, his flesh against and within hers, it was difficult for her to hold back the tears.

****

Moments later Kim lay in the crook of Thad’s shoulder, her cheek resting against his chest and both their arms wrapped around each other. Deep in the sleeping bag their legs interlocked. A sleepy, wonderful aura surrounded them. Tender touches and hushed whispered filled the night.

“Shouldn’t we be getting back to camp?” she whispered, nuzzling closer into Thad’s chest.

She felt him shake his head no and gather her closer. “I never want to leave here,” he returned. “I’ve never felt so close to anyone in my life.”

His voice was almost a croak. Kim started to lift herself up on one elbow to look into his face, but caught just a glimpse of his closed eyes before he stopped her by rolling onto his side and pulling her deeper into the sleeping bag.

“Don’t move. I’m afraid we’ll break the spell. Stay close. I need you close.” He was almost pleading.

A tremor spiked up within her, settling around her heart. He needed her?

Burrowing closer, she positioned herself where she could see his face. Content and calm were the only two words she could think of to describe how he looked. She wondered how she looked to him?

“I need you, too, Thad,” she whispered.

A hand clasped her head against his chest; his fingers stoked her scalp with gentle motion. His arms held her close. “Sleep,” he urged her, his voice a faint murmur. “I’ll keep you safe. Stay with me, my Kimmy. Sleep.”

Chapter Thirteen

“Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Kim groaned and stretched, then burrowed further into Thad’s warmth. She knew exactly where she was and all that had transpired the night before. And she didn’t want to move one inch.

“I don’t wanna.”

Thad moved and positioned himself above her. Kim threw the back of her hand over her mouth and yawned. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The sun just rising spread a marbled gray and pink stain across the sky. Thad’s wonderful face stared back at her.

“Mornin’,” she whispered.

His hands framed her face; his fingers made feather-like strokes across her cheeks as he gazed into her eyes.

“It wasn’t a dream,” he whispered.

She smiled. “No, it wasn’t.” She studied him, then a momentary panic settled inside her. “Is everything...are you...okay?”

“Perfect.” He lightly kissed her lips and Kim mentally sighed. “Isn’t it?” he added, tentatively.

She arched up to meet his kiss, nibbled his lower lip, then swiped her tongue across his mustache. “Ummm. Yes,” she breathed. “Your mustache tickles.”

Thad drew back in surprise. “Oh, it does, does it?”

“It does.”

“You like it?”

“Very much.”

“Where do you like it best?”

She felt her eyes widen. “I’m—I’m not sure.”

Thad arched a brow and an absolutely evil expression passed over his face. A second later, he was kissing her, rubbing his mustache over her lips and face. “You like it there.”

Kim giggled. “Uh-huh.”