Second Round Cowboy (Second Chance Series) (8 page)

Reaching out, she clutched the
collar of his shirt and tugged him across the threshold. She heard seams break, but it could have been the barriers of her wall breaking. It didn’t matter, he was here, with her, and she closed the door with her foot as her body tingled in the realization of what was about to happen.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pull
ed her against the steely tone of pecs and abs. His scorching temperature seeped through her bare skin. She wanted to rip his clothes from his body, wanting to rid them of all barriers.

Their lips connected and they went at each
other, tongues swirling, mouths suckling, hands tugging at one another like rabid animals full of carnal desire. She found the buttons to his shirt, undoing one with shaking fingers, but impatience boiled within her. She tore the cotton like paper and dropped the tattered material to the floor at their feet. Starving for pleasure, she smoothed her hands across his thick chest, nestling the tips of her fingers in the splattering of crisp hair across taut skin.

His fin
gers crawled along her curves until he found the front clasp of her bra and released the hook. It fell away from her breasts. His tormented gaze slipped over her, then his head bent, taking one bud into his mouth. She clung to his shoulders as he dipped one hand into her panties and pushed them low on her hips, all the while sucking her nipples. The strip of thong slid past her knees, falling to her ankles. She gave them a toss with her big toe.

He lifted his head
, his breathing was ragged and his jaw was tight. He bent to his knees, his hands splayed against her stomach as he buried his face between her thighs. She moaned and entwined her fingers in his hair as his tongue looped a path along her pelvic bone, then sliding a warm trail to her throbbing pussy, and licking her most intimate part. He gently pushed her thighs wider as he awakened her clit then slid his tongue into her moist passage.

Bliss played a fervent tune, drawing her closer to the sweet a
byss. She dug her fingers deeper into his thick hair, guiding him, riding his mouth until she clung to a morsel of control. “Stryker!”

He must have understood the urgency
because he stood and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his hips. “Let’s see how this bed handles a real cowboy.” His voice intoxicated her senses.

As he moved toward the bed
, his belt buckle rubbed her core, teasing her. Her muscles involuntarily quivered.

Reaching
the bed, he lowered her to the comforter but didn’t follow. She watched in marvel as he removed his belt in haste. She brought her gaze upward and met his. All of the years that had passed between them were gone. All of the turmoil had vanished, and the only thing left was a driving force, two people needing release that the other could give.

He
tossed his jeans and boxers, and his cock stood erect, long and thick. Although size didn’t matter, a man built like Stryker certainly deserved respect. She knew the pleasure he’d given her and no one could ever meet the same standards.

T
he mattress lowered under his weight, forcing her to lift her stare. Leslie couldn’t hear anything but her ragged breaths and the pounding of her heart as he raised himself above her.

“We don’t want to forget this.” He w
aved a shiny package and tore off the top with his teeth.

She was grateful that
at least one of them had thought of protection because it had totally slipped her mind. “Let me help.” She took the condom from him, her fingers shaking as she rolled the sheath onto his taut package.

Lowering himself between
her thighs, she spread her legs wide, ready for him to fill her completely. Wrapping her fingers around his girth, she guided him to her core and he wasted no time in rewarding her demand. He thrust himself deep inside, stretching her, and immediately bringing her closer to release.

As he pumped her with pleasure, she
stretched her body against his, arching her back until her nipples brushed against chest. Her arms were high above her head, pressing nearer as sweat beaded between them. Rivulets of sensation spiraled down her back and parked between her thighs.

She wasn’t quite ready yet.

Boldly, she pushed him onto his back and he obediently followed her demand. She crawled atop
him, spread her legs and settled her pussy against his hard cock. Eyes connecting, she held his gaze as she guided him inside of her, savoring his large muscle as he claimed the prize.

“Damn, you feel so good,” he whispered.

Rolling her hips, he moaned and grasped her waist. She knew he was near.

“I…can’t…wait…,” he said on a groan.

“Let’s do this together. Like we used to,” she whispered.

Gliding her
hips downward, she squeezed her muscles, circling him like a moist glove. His breath grew heavy and she showed him no mercy as she pumped him faster, finding her own depth of contentment.

In one final thrust, his cock tightened and she knew he had finished
—they had finished together.

CHAPTER SIX

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP
.

Leslie snuggled deeper into the warmth of t
he blankets, attempting to ignore the annoying sound that penetrated her sleep.

Then she realized it was her phone.
She stretched her arm across the other side of the bed.
And I’m alone.

She jumped up,
adrenaline pounding through her veins as she glanced around the room. There was no sign of Stryker or his clothes. Disappointment beaded through her and her stomach twirled.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Damn!” She wasn’t ready to face the world—not after last night and only getting a few hours of sleep.

Grabbing the phone, she saw that it was Lila, and she clicked talk. “Hello?”

“Did I wake you?” Lila asked.

“Y
es. Everything okay?” Leslie asked. The bedroom door opened and Leslie popped her head up as Stryker walked in, carrying two mugs, steam rolling from them. An irrefutable satisfaction sprinted through her.

“Did you hear me?”
Lila’s voice rattled the other end of the phone.

“Oh,
I’m sorry, Lila. Say that again.” Leslie forced her gaze away from Stryker. The man made it impossible to think clearly.

“I was asking if Stryker
and Lilly are still there.”

“Yes.” Leslie gripped the cell tighter
.

“Good. Why don’t you bring them with you this morning when you come check
on the horses. Ava would love the company and it might do Lilly some good too.”

“W
ell, I don’t…” She caught Stryker’s curious expression. A thought came to her. This
would
be good for Lilly…and she’d have them with her for a while longer.

“You
don’t what?” Lila asked.

“I’m not sure if they will be leaving. Let me ask.” S
he covered the speaker with her palm. “It’s Lila. She wants me to bring you and Lilly with me to the McAlister Ranch. She thinks it would be good for Lilly to play with Ava. I happen to agree.”

“As far as I see it, you and I have some unfinished business that needs dealt with. Tell her we will be there. You okay with that?”

She was between a rock and hard place—the hard rock being a man that made it difficult to concentrate or breathe. “Okay. All three of us will be there in about an hour. See you then.” She clicked off with Lila.

“I made you tea. I hope it tastes okay. Take a few sips and then let’s have a chat.” He sat down next to her hip.
He was a heady combination of power and warmth.

She sat up against the headboard and
took the cup from him, their fingers brushing and electricity shooting up her arm. She swallowed a moan. Gathering her senses, she played with a piece of fuzz from the blanket. “What needs to be resolved?” She looked at him and was dazed with memory of them making love. Every muscle awakened with craving, even the sore ones.

“I know when a woman is pregnant she is emotional. Justine certainly was.
Yet, I can’t let you use that as an excuse as to why you didn’t tell me about the baby, but I know we can’t change the past or bring back what’s gone. You shouldn’t feel any guilt about losing our baby, or the fact that you don’t want kids. I’d be a prick if I made you feel horrible about either of those things.”

She
stared into the dark liquid of her cup, wishing she knew the right words. “Trust me, I’ve felt bad enough for the both of us. I truly am sorry.”

He shrugged. “What’s done is done and now we have to think about Lilly. If you don’t want to be a part of her life, then I’ll walk away
and never bother you again. However, if you choose to be here for her then you have to be ready to give her one-hundred percent because she deserves no less.”

“I agree.”

“I know this is a big step—uhh…what did you say?”

“I said, I agree to give her one-hundred percent. I want to be a part of her life.”
And yours, if possible.

“
Then you need to know, we have a visit scheduled with a child worker next week. Can you be there?”

“Sure. Just let me know
the day and time. I may have to do some rescheduling, but I’m willing to do what I need to.”

He smiled and her heart sped up.

“It’s very nice that your friend invited us along today. Lilly really seemed to like Ava.”

“
I think so too. Is Lilly up?”

“No, not yet.”

Sliding her fingers through her hair, she couldn’t comb through the tangles and she realized it must be a sight. They’d been all over the bed last night, and the crumpled sheets were proof. “Lila and I haven’t always been friends.” She wanted to tell him everything, but wasn’t sure she should include that only a few weeks ago, Lila had believed Leslie was a man-stealing whore.

“You two seemed pretty close last night at dinner.
”

“Lila
disliked me out of her loyalty to Carly.” Realizing she’d opened a can of worms, she knew she had to explain. “Carly and Chance went through a rough time in their marriage and had divorced. During that time, Chance and I had become close—”

“Uh-oh.”
He took a long drink of his coffee.

“It’s not
how you think,” she said. “We were friends, and I won’t deny that I cared for him, but once Carly came back into his life, it was the end of my feelings. I’m not a home wrecker, and Carly and Lila both realize that…now. It was a misunderstanding that was cleared up and I’m grateful.” She wanted to get up, but she was naked, and although she was certain he’d gotten a good look at every part of her last night, she was a bit shy in the daylight of reality.

“Chance, huh?” he chuckled.

“Not that difficult to understand, is it?” she asked.

“He seems like a nice guy,” he said.

She nodded. “He is and he was also a man who never stopped loving his wife. And looking back, I see that Chance and I only needed our pain validated. We enjoyed having someone to talk to, someone who understood heartbreak.”

“Heart
break?” One brow curved.

“Don’t push it, Stryke.” She could only open up so fast.
“Now close your eyes so I can get up.”

He chuckled. “Are you being serious
?”

“Yes, I am
.”

“Sweetheart, you do realize we made love
last night? Not only did I see you naked, but I explored every inch of you, not only with my hands but with my mouth too.” He slid his words home with a slide of glance across her sheet-covered body.

Her cheeks burned—in a good way. “That’s true, but the
point is, I want you to close your eyes.” She wasn’t sure why she felt modest. She’d never been insecure or ashamed of her body, but as much history as they’d shared, this was still new to her.

“If you insist.” He did as she requested
and closed his eyes.

Leslie
waved her hand in front of his face to check. He didn’t seem to see the movement. Safe, she pushed back the cover and quickly grabbed the robe from the chair in the corner, pulling it on. “Okay, you can look now.”

He lowered his gaze over the silk robe, then
her legs until coming up to settle on her face. “That looks familiar.” He winked. “I couldn’t stop wondering what you wore underneath it the first night I came. I also couldn’t shake the feeling that if I hadn’t shown up you’d been with the tender-faced fellow.”

No matter how much he probed, she wasn’t going to talk about what had
almost happened with Dillon. It seemed a lifetime ago. “Ancient history.”

He shrugged. “Maybe, but I bet he sees it another way.”

“Let’s not do this.” She went to the dresser and fumbled through the top drawer.

“And who had broken your heart?”