Rocky Mountain Desire: Six Pack Ranch, Book 3 (27 page)

Laying her heart on the line—and hoping she survived when he left.

The front door echoed loudly through the apartment far quicker than she thought possible. He must have run all the way down to the street level and back, and something about that made her feel very good inside. That he was as eager for her as she was for him.

Hope sat in the middle of her bed, arms curled around her shins. Hiding herself, holding herself inside. His footsteps sounded, louder and louder, and she lay down quickly, the cool of the quilt heating rapidly under her back.

She deliberately closed her eyes. Staring at the ceiling wasn’t her first choice, and actually watching him round the corner and spot her? That was a braver thing than she was capable of.

She could tell he was there, though, standing motionless. Her ears ached for the smallest of clues of what he planned. What he thought of seeing her laid out like he’d requested.

Then he chuckled, and all her melodramatic buildup was wiped out by his sexy good humour. “You’re grimacing as if I’m going to make you eat liver or recite the times table, or something.”

“The square root of eight-one is nine. In a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the square of the—”

Another burst of laughter rang out, and she felt a tug on her leg. “You planning on keeping your eyes closed the entire afternoon?”

“You planning on skipping work all afternoon?”

“I called Blake—told him I had an emergency to deal with.”

Her eyes popped open of their own accord.

“You what? This isn’t an…” She’d scrambled up on her elbows to confront him, but the words vanished because
hot damn
. This wasn’t at all what she’d expected. “You’re naked.”

Matt grinned as he looped a plastic tie-down around her ankle. “I noticed. You’re naked as well, which makes it very convenient.”

She eyed the restraining loop with a little trepidation, and a shiver of anticipation that was impossible to ignore. Or hide. “Convenient for what?”

“A little conversation. Now hush.”

She kept looking him over, ignoring the urge to point out that conversation and being told to hush weren’t exactly on the same side of the scorecard. He applied another plastic strap and closed it off with a couple fingers’ looseness. She used the straps around the store to secure material bolts. The way he was attaching them, the plastic wouldn’t tighten any further, but she wasn’t getting them off without a pair of scissors or a knife.

Soon she was wearing bracelets as well as the anklets. Then he pulled out a couple small coils of rope, and the suspense was all worth it.

He didn’t do any of the really kinky things she’d heard about. Didn’t pull her legs apart and secure her to the bedposts or anything. Just tied her ankles and wrists together. All the while, he whistled softly and rubbed his body against her at every chance. Totally unselfconscious that his impressive cock bumped and rubbed as well.

“You going to tell me what’s on the agenda now? Although I will admit your rope skills are impressive.” Her voice had gone husky and she cleared her throat.

“This isn’t playing with ropes. We’ll do that sometime down the road, but now? I’ve got other things in mind.”

Down the road?
Hope’s heart ached.

Then the bastard grabbed her locked together wrists and pressed them over her head, tying her to the headboard. He straddled her thighs, holding his weight off so she wasn’t crushed.

Matt looked her over, a slow, thorough perusal, his smile growing as if he liked what he saw.

Her skin twitched, like a horse when a fly lands. Only she wasn’t trying to shake him off, she wanted more of him. Not only on top of her but in her. Holding her, his contact squeezing out the weight of the day and all the concerns caused by Helen.

Somehow he made being trapped the most freeing thing she’d ever experienced.

“Tell me why you’re acting like a skittish colt. No lies, just the truth.”

Hope snorted. “You got me naked, tied me up, and now you want to talk? Are you a girl in disguise?”

Matt rocked forward, sliding his heavy erection along the curve of her mound, rubbing against her clit. “Does that feel like I’m a girl?”

“Just saying…”

“Because I care enough to work whatever the hell is wrong out of you? Fine. I’ll be an asshole.” He leaned forward and took hold of her nipple with his mouth, sucking gently, then harder until she squirmed. Matt switched to the other side, his fingers pinching and teasing along with his mouth until she was bucking her hips against him, hoping for a tiny touch on her clit to get her over the edge.

Then…he stopped.

In response to her muttered complaints, Matt raised his hands from her breasts, instead dropping them to her hips and pinning her in place.

“You enjoy having sex with me?” Matt teased his thumbs along the tender skin by her hipbones.

No way. “Truth or Dare now?”

“Just truth.”

She grumbled
asshole
then nodded.

“Say it.”

“I like sex with you,” Hope confessed, her tone cranky even in her own ears.

“Good.” His eyes brightened, mischief and
oh my God
desire lighting them up to drool-worthy. “Because I love having sex with you. Next question. You like spending time with me outside the bedroom?”

Shit. “Yes, Matt, I like spending time with you. Just…”

He leaned forward, sliding his hands up her arms until he grasped her wrists. The rest of his body lowered one bit at a time until she was completely covered with a Matt blanket.

She shivered. Having him over her felt so good, she could barely stand to speak the words, already anticipating he would withdraw. “I promised to be honest. I’m scared I’m going to lose you. That all this shit with my sister is going to make you leave, and I really don’t want you to go.”

Matt turned his head until his lips stroked her cheek, warm air brushing her skin as he licked her earlobe. “Then stop trying to push me out the door. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

He scooted backward, leaving her hands over her head. Hope clutched the bars of her headboard as he untied her ankles, immediately coming back between her thighs. Hands gentle on her belly, he stroked outward, drawing her knees apart, opening her sex to his sight.

Hope licked her lips. “You’re not leaving?”

Matt glanced up and smiled. “Oh, hell, no.”

A gasp escaped as he slipped his thumb into her core, bending to lick and nibble as if he were starving. His tongue pressed firmly as he lapped at her, as he used every trick in the book to drive her crazy. The orgasm that had retreated while they’d talked roared up with a vengeance and slammed into her only moments after he’d begun.

She was still shaking as he rose, aimed his cock at her folds and drove in all the way. Hope clutched the headboard, staring at him, memorizing him, feeling him all the way into her heart as he lifted her hips and fucked her hard.

She lifted her legs into the air and caught him, ankles crossed at his lower back as she tried to help. Opened herself to his possession, enjoying the heated pummeling as he took ownership over her. That’s what it felt like—a seal, a brand. He claimed a place and she gave it.

“I’m gonna come, Hope. I’m going to fill you and make you mine.” Matt reached between them and pressed on her clit in time with his thrusts. He slowed enough to suck at both nipples for a second, before pressing her upward. “You nearly there, darling?”

Hope squirmed. Nodded.

He stopped and she cursed. Loudly.

Matt nodded. “That’s right, I’m a bastard. Because I’m going to take it all. Every damn bit of you.”

He levered her thighs into the air, spreading her wider. A cold sensation brushed between her butt cheeks, and she gasped. One of his fingers, slick with lube, pierced her ass.

Oh God, oh God, oh God.

Did she want this?

Matt leaned up and stared into her face as he moved quickly and opened her on two fingers. The burn continued, edged with something else. “Yeah, you like that, don’t you?”

“Yes. Oh
damn
…”

The shot of cold as he squeezed lube directly into her ass warned he wasn’t giving her a lot of prep time. Which was fine. She wanted this. Wanted this reminder of being taken. Being used a little—for the right reasons.

His cock touched her. The broad head slick as it pressed against her resistance, popping through the muscle with a sharp flash of—not pain. Not from Matt. A sharp pleasure that made Hope groan.

He stared down at where they connected, shaking his head slightly. “Prettiest thing, seeing you take me into your body. Your pussy, your ass. All of you fits all of me so damn fine.”

Another rock sank him deeper. He withdrew until just the head of his cock was inside her before pressing forward. He worked his way in slowly and yet quick enough. Less than a dozen moves and his groin was tight to her ass.

Matt breathed out ragged and harsh. “Dammit. I hope you’re ready for a wild ride, because there ain’t no way I can go slow after seeing that.”

He didn’t need her permission, but she wanted to say it anyway. “Do it. Fuck my ass, Matt.”

He squeezed his eyes tight for a second before grasping her hips and doing just that. Quicker and quicker he pulled out only to slam in hard enough the bed shook, her breasts bouncing. Her ass burned, but it was a good sensation. Edgy, violent pleasure. He pounded in, making her crazy, aching for release. A single brush of his fingers over her clit and she came, pussy clutching, ass squeezing. He shouted, but didn’t come, just took her again and again until every last pulse had died away. Matt pulled all the way out, smiling as he looked down. She had to be wide open to him, his fingers light on her hole before he pressed in smoothly once more.

“I’m not done, but I want your hands on me.”

Matt reached up, cock slipping from her ass as he folded her like origami paper and let loose the ropes binding her to the bed. He pulled her fingers into his hands, massaging until the blood returned.

Then he grinned as he put his cock against her now-closed hole and reopened her all over again.

Dirty? Wicked good.

“That feels so wonderful.”

“I know.” He used the back of his forearm to wipe sweat from his brow. “I like how your body accepts me. Takes me in. Gives me what I need.”

She grabbed hold of his shoulders and let her fingers dance over his muscles. Face to face as he rode her ass, slowly now, thoroughly, until his eyes kind of rolled back and he shook, his groin tight against her, heat and passion and wonderful connection all mixed into one.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Matt brought her to the shower and cleaned her from head to toe. Removed the plastic tie-straps. Washed her hair and wrapped her up like she was precious before bringing her back to bed and cocooning himself around her.

He was going to use every possible means to show what she meant to him.

“Your brothers are going to kick your ass if you don’t get back to the ranch soon.”

Hope’s tired but contented comment earned her another kiss. He couldn’t seem to stop touching her. Kissing her.

Wanting her.

“I’ve done the same for them before. This is important. You’re important.” He rolled her over to discover what the tiny gasp escaping her had meant. “Oh damn, I made you cry. I’m sorry.”

Hope shook her head. “It’s not you. I just don’t understand why all this is happening. Well, some things have sucked, but on the whole, I’ve been so lucky lately—it doesn’t seem possible. I’m not the kind who gets an easy break. If things work out, it’s because I’ve put in the effort. I just don’t know where you fit into the picture.”

“In terms of luck or work? Because, darling, if you’re talking about you and me as a couple, from what I’ve seen, relationships are work. The good ones—both sides give a hell of a lot and there ain’t much luck involved.”

She lay still for a moment before nodding. “I guess. Just haven’t seen enough good relationships myself to know that. I mean, I’ve been trying, but…”

Talking about relationships.

“Tell me about when your mom left.”

Her blue eyes widened as she went completely rigid beside him, kinda like he’d expected she would. Only the protests that her mother had nothing to do with this, or her slamming her mouth shut and refusing to answer didn’t happen. Instead she looked directly into his eyes, their faces only inches apart as she started.

“It felt as if they’d been fighting for a long time. I guess it was only six months or so, but it came out of nowhere and suddenly nothing he did was good enough, and nothing she did was right—accusations and cutting words flew at the strangest time. We’d go from ‘pass the yogurt’ to ‘you stupid asshole’, and that could burst out from either side.”

Matt stroked his thumbs against her wrists, making tiny circles, letting her speak. Willing her to share whatever was propping up that wall behind her eyes.

Hope sighed. “You really want to have this conversation while we’re naked?”

Hell yeah. Matt lifted and rearranged until they were tangled even tighter together, his cock nestled between her legs. “Distracted?”

“Yes.”

“Tough. Tell me.”

She tilted her head and gave him a dirty look, but kept talking. “I would take off when I could, but I was only fifteen. Helen would disappear to spend time with you or her friends, but I could only organize so many sleepovers, could only hang out at the teen club for so long, and for some stupid reason my parents decided my whereabouts was closely tied to their fighting. Whoever had control of me had the winning hand.”

Matt dropped his lips against her cheek. “I had no idea.”

“You were busy with your family, and with Helen. And I’m sure she told you all sorts of things.”

That was true. “I was surprised when she said the two of you were going to open the quilting shop together. I always thought…”

Hope’s smile twisted. “That I was this spoiled creature who got away with murder?”

“Actually, no. I figured most of Helen’s whining was just that, whining, but I sure didn’t see the two of you working together well.”