Ride a Cowboy (12 page)

He shook his head. “Not at all. I came to offer my humble apologies and try to set things right.”

“Humble, huh?” Damn. Why did he have to look so sexy. “Why am I having a hard time believing you could ever be humble?”

“Only in your presence,” he said solemnly, holding out the flowers and candy. “For you. Peace offerings.” His eyes sparkled with mischief as he added, “It will break my heart if you refuse them.”

Jessie dug her nails into her palms, trying to still the heat rising in her body. An image flashed before her eyes of a naked Kyle Mitchell bound to the bed with her handcuffs, his cock at attention while she teased him unmercifully.

Jessie! Stop that! Your own backyard is no place for the sex games you like to play. Especially with someone like Mr. Macho Bullrider.

Of course, she hadn’t been playing with anyone
anywhere
for longer than she cared to remember. Pickings in Watson’s Creek were very slim, gossip spread faster than the measles, and trolling in San Antonio or Austin just wasn’t her style. She’d been working hard to convince herself she could live very well without sex in her life. And certainly not the kind that teased at her emotions. All it took was every bit of discipline she could dredge up on a daily basis. Not much fun but at least it kept her safe.

But the erotically tempting idea of playing her particular brand of games with this man had danger written all over it. Most especially with him, since he also seemed to have set her hormones to doing a crazy tap dance.

“Sheriff?”

She realized he was watching her, his hands with the gifts still extended toward her. And that everyone in her office also had their eyes fastened on her.

Damn!

“That’s very nice of you, Mr. Mitchell. I wouldn’t be minding my manners if I didn’t say thank you. Is that all?”

“I’ll find something to put those flowers in.” Inez Pereira, her dispatcher, hurried over and deftly snatched the bouquet from Kyle’s hand. “Sheriff, you should at least give the man five minutes of your time. He got himself all cleaned up and drove down here just to see you.”

Jessie’s skin itched from all the eyes fastened on her.

“Fine. Five minutes in my office. Will that be enough time for your apology?”

Kyle’s grin almost melted her panties. “It’s a start.”

She was acutely aware of him behind her, following her to her office, as if a blanket of testosterone shimmered over him and reached out to her. She was glad the door to her office didn’t have a window in it. At least she’d be safe from everyone’s prying eyes. Not that she wouldn’t be subjected to scrutiny after the fact.

Sitting down in her chair, the desk as a barrier between them, she leaned forward on her elbows.

“Thank you very much for the gifts, Mr. Mitchell,” she began.

“Kyle,” he interrupted, in a voice that sounded like warm honey. “I’d like it if you called me Kyle.” He flashed that killer grin. “It would make it so much easier to apologize.”

“Fine. Kyle. Thank you.”

He handed the box of chocolates to her, but when she reached for them he wrapped his hand over her smaller one and the heat factor rose off the charts.

“I was really hoping you’d let me take you to dinner,” he drawled. “I can apologize much better over good food.”

Dinner? With Mr. Sexy?

“I’m sorry. I don’t think that would be appropriate. But thank you for the invitation.”

“Give me five minutes to change your mind.”

Chapter Two

Jessie had expected him to take her to someplace local. That meant deciding what to wear had her mind twisted into a knot. She didn’t want to go casual, but too dressy and he might get the wrong idea. And what if he decided to take her someplace else, like Highpoint or Crater Lake, where the restaurants were a little more high class? She didn’t want to give him the wrong idea, either. If he thought she was dressing up for him, he’d think he’d won her over, made a good impression, and that most definitely was not the case.

Finally she settled on linen slacks and a sleeveless silk shell with comfortable flats. Instead of leaving her hair loose, she pulled it back with a wide gold clip. More businesslike, she assured herself.

Yeah, right.

A minimum of makeup and she was ready when he rang the bell exactly at seven. If she’d really been interested in him, she would have had a hard time resisting the approval in his eyes when they raked over her, or the heat that blazed in them.

Steady, Jessie. It’s just dinner. He’s a player and you don’t need that kind of aggravation.

“If I said you looked good enough to eat, would you slap my face?” he grinned, helping her into his truck.

“Maybe,” she answered, fastening her seat belt.

“Okay. Then I won’t tell you.” Before she had time to react, he traced his fingers along the curve of her jaw. “You sure are beautiful, Sheriff Jessie.”

Then he grinned and closed the door.

She was surprised when they ended up in a small restaurant at the far north end of San Antonio, less than half an hour from Watson’s Creek. It was a place her friends had told her about, but she’d never been there. It more than met the rave reviews she’d heard.

Thick carpeting on the floor muffled footsteps and dark wood formed rich paneling on the walls. The only light in the room came from chandeliers set on dim and candles shimmering on the tables. They were seated in a corner at the curve of the room, by a window that looked out over a pond decorated with patio lights. When she looked across the table at Kyle, that same look simmered in his eyes. The ambience alone was enough to seduce her.

“I thought a first-class lady deserved a first-class place,” he told her.

“Have you come here before?”
Brought other women here?
She wanted to smack herself for that errant thought. It was none of her business. She didn’t want it to be her business.

But he shook his head. “The wife of one of my buddies told me it was a great place to bring a lady. I just haven’t had one I wanted to do it with before tonight.”

She shifted in her chair. “Listen, Kyle…”He reached across the table and touched her lips with one finger. She was shocked at the heat it generated and the acceleration of her pulse.

“No objections, okay? Let’s enjoy dinner and let me show you I can really be a fine gentleman.”

Oh, god, how will I get through this? I don’t want to feel anything from him but he’s worse than a drug. I never should have agreed to this.

He ordered a bottle of wine, asking her what kind she preferred and checking with the waiter to see what was recommended. When she protested that she didn’t want anything stronger than water, he just grinned at her.

“One little taste, okay?” he said. “Then, if you don’t want any more, I’ll finish the bottle myself.”

“And drive home?”

“I think I can handle the wine.” His slow smile nearly curled her toes.

The waiter brought them a bottle of Sister Creek Muscat Canelli, a light white from a Texas winery and one of her favorites. When their glasses were full he touched his to hers, the
ping
of crystal resonating in the air.

“To a pleasant evening,” he said.

“A pleasant evening.”

The backs of his fingers just brushed hers and that same sizzle raced through her. Oh, yeah, she was in trouble here. And the worst part was, she seemed helpless to resist it. When he licked a drop of wine from his lips she wanted to replace his tongue with her own. When he gave her a slow smile, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, she squirmed in her chair, feeling moisture seep into her crotch. God, this man was lethal.

She only meant to take a little sip of the wine, but somehow her glass was suddenly empty and Kyle refilled it, teasing her that a tough sheriff like her should be able to hold a little alcohol. The problem was the wine was delicious and took the edge off her nerves that snapped and crackled with Kyle Mitchell just across the table from her.

He kept up a conversation throughout the meal, his voice low and soothing, his interest in her obviously more than just polite. When she finished her salad, he leaned across the table and brushed his thumb across her bottom lip.

“A touch of salad dressing, darlin’.” Then he slowly and deliberately licked his thumb.

Jessie squeezed her thighs together.

When he chewed and swallowed, she couldn’t stop looking at the movement of his jaw and the muscles in his throat. Whenever he refilled her wine glass, he managed to caress her fingers with his own, touch her skin lightly. She was unwillingly mesmerized, hating herself for it but unable to drag her eyes away from him.

They ordered a slice of Decadent Chocolate Surprise for dessert.

“To share,” he said, and told the waiter, “Two forks, please.”

“Oh, I think I’m too full for dessert,” she protested. She was buzzed from the wine and not exactly in possession of all her faculties. Getting home before she got into trouble was an urgent priority.

“Just a few bites,” he insisted, and flashed that killer grin. “You know what they say. Chocolate can be better than sex.”

Sex. Not a word she could afford to associate with Kyle Mitchell.

When the plate arrived, Kyle handed her one of the forks, his fingers brushing her hand. She was sure a lightning bolt had shot through her arm and directly to her cunt.
Holy shit!

But if touching was bad, eating the dessert was positively lethal. When she didn’t immediately dig her fork into what was really a decadent dessert, Kyle broke off a piece with his fork and reached across the table, sliding it into her astonished mouth. He took a bite himself, then slowly and deliberately licked a speck from his lower lip.

Jessie was having trouble with her breathing and her pulse was beating in every erogenous zone in her body. But she knew Kyle wasn’t as detached as he pretended. The dark flush on his cheeks and the glitter in his eyes told her exactly how aroused he was.

“You know what I’d like to do to you, Sheriff Jessie?”

She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it. His low, smoky drawl was an aphrodisiac itself, making liquid heat rush through her.

“I think I have an idea,” she heard herself say, the tone of her voice unfamiliar to her.

“Oh, darlin’, I don’t think so.” That very wicked grin tilted his lips. “You’d be shocked at the thoughts running through my mind.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t be shocked at all,” she teased.
Oh, god, what am I turning into?

“Oh, yeah? Well, first I’d like to strip you naked, turn you over my knee and spank that sexy ass until it turns a beautiful shade of red. I’d reach between your thighs and feel just how hot and wet it made you.”

Spank her? Really? Wasn’t that one of her secret fantasies? Would he be the one who was shocked if she told him that? Wait a minute. This was just supposed to be dinner, right?

Get yourself together, girl.

But her inner slut was shoving to break free and Jessie didn’t seem to have the willpower to restrain her.

She squirmed in her chair. It was already making her hot and wet and all she’d done was listen to him.

“Then maybe I’d tie you to the bed, legs spread wide, and tease your little cunt until you couldn’t stand it anymore.” He lowered his voice even more. “And believe me, sugar, I’m an expert at it.”

Jessie shivered. She had no doubt he was telling the truth. She lifted her water with a hand that trembled slightly and took a healthy swallow, her mouth suddenly dry.

“Oh, really,” was all she could think of to say, as the vivid image exploded in her mind.

“Oh, really,” he repeated, grinning again. “You’d be at my mercy, sugar. I could do anything I want to you. And you know what, Sheriff Jessie? You’d enjoy the hell out of it.”

Oh, yes. He was definitely sure of that.

“Maybe you’re all talk,” she taunted, then wondered what had gotten into her? Oh, wait, she wanted
him
getting into her
.
A shiver raced across her skin.

“By the time you feel my cock in you—in your pussy, in your mouth, even in your ass—you’d be begging so hard you’d do anything for it.”

She nearly dropped the water glass as she tried to set it back down on the table.

“Um…” Her ability to speak seemed to have left her as more images danced before her.

“What do you say we get out of here right now? I think we need to take this someplace much more private.” He winked. “Unless you’re into public exhibitions, of course.”

“Yes. I mean, no.” She cleared her throat. “I mean…I mean, yes, we should go. Right now.”

When she rose from her chair to leave, she was surprised she could actually stand. Kyle gave her a knowing smile and wrapped his arm around her.

“I can’t wait to get you back to your house,” he murmured, his warm breath caressing her ear.

“Kyle, I…”

Again he touched his finger to her lips as they walked to the exit. “We’ll start out with one kiss when I get you home, sugar. Just one little kiss.” They were out of the restaurant by now. “Just enough so I can taste those sweet, sweet lips. Maybe lick them a little with my tongue.”

She shivered and tried to tear her mind away from the image and the sensations it created.

“I’ll bet your mouth tastes like honey,” he continued, helping her into the truck and buckling her seat belt. He leaned forward and brushed his mouth across hers, the tip of his tongue tracing the line of the seam. “Yup. Just like honey. Only I need a better taste.” He slid one hand up the inside of her thigh and pressed his palm against her cunt. “Then we’ll see where we go from there.”

It’s the wine. That’s the only explanation. I knew I shouldn’t have had any.

What other reason could there be for this lassitude that enveloped her, but a lethargy that had sexual tension humming beneath it. Why didn’t she push him away when he kissed her again, his hand cupping her jaw, his tongue slipping into her mouth as if it was a familiar path? What was the matter with her? She was so turned on by his words in the restaurant that she could come just from thinking about them. This so wasn’t like her. Was she losing her mind?