Texas Tango: Texas Montgomery Mavericks, Book 2 (17 page)

Above, birds sang and flew from tree to tree. The sun painted muted stripes on the blanket and across Travis’s lap. With each breath, she drew in both the earthy scent of the grass beneath them mixed with Travis’s masculine aroma. The combination hit her like a powerful aphrodisiac. She licked her lips and tried to slow her runaway heart.

This wasn’t real life, she cautioned. This was a temporary arrangement known only to her and him. He was being a class act, a real friend today.
Don’t do anything that could put a roadblock on that friendship
.

Satisfied she’d talked herself down off the I-am-going-to-jump-him ledge, she drew in a deep breath and sighed in total contentment.

Travis set his plate inside the basket and then lowered himself onto his side, lying face-to-face with Caroline. The end of his lips lifted into a smile as he brushed a few wayward strands of hair off her face. The roughness of his fingers ignited the nerve endings in her skin, reviving all those emotions she’d just squashed. She pressed against his hand and allowed her eyes to drift shut. She wanted to experience his touch without any visual distractions. Wanted to lock this feeling into her memories.

His scent grew stronger seconds before his full lips touched hers. She angled her head, wanting to get as much lip-to-lip flesh touching as possible. He wrapped his hand around her head and held her as he plunged his tongue through her open lips. She gave him full access to her mouth, welcoming his tongue’s touch in every nook and cranny. Powerful electrical surges flashed through her body. The area between her thighs grew hot and damp.

He pulled away and she opened her eyes. His steel-blue eyes were dark with desire. His breaths came in jagged pants. Reaching out, she put her hand behind his head and pulled him back to her for another kiss. This time she took control, probing and tasting, licking his tongue, his teeth…allowed her tongue to convey her message. She wanted him.

Apparently message received, Travis scooted across the blanket and lowered Caroline onto her back. He moved his hand to her waist and squeezed. The heat from his palm burned through her shirt as he slid it from her waist to the curve of her breast. He fondled her flesh as a shudder wracked her body. Caroline slid her tongue in and out of his mouth, trying to say without words what she wanted…needed.

She draped her leg over his hard-as-a-tree-trunk thigh and tried to press her aching center to his body…anywhere. But he took control, moving between her legs, pressing the hard erection behind his zipper against her center. She moved to press back, moaned deep in her throat.

He found the tail of her shirt, slipped his hand under and touched her skin, igniting flash fires with each stroke of his fingers. Surely she would burst into flames.

Then he was gone. Rolled away and onto his back.

Stunned and embarrassed at her own guttural reactions to his attentions, she stared up into the sky.

“Caroline…”

“Don’t,” she snapped. “Don’t you dare apologize.”

“Okay. I won’t. But that wasn’t what I was going to say.”

She rolled onto her side and propped up her head. “What then?”

He turned his head to look at her and then turned away. “I was going to say I was too old for sex on hard ground.” He looked at her and grinned. “I was going to suggest a soft bed instead.”

She smiled. “Hmm. Sounds interesting.”

“Ready to head home?”

“For a soft bed? You bet.”

They made quick work of stashing everything either in the cooler or the basket. When it came time to remount, Caroline forced a smile. Travis laughed at her expression.

“Trust me. This ride will be as bad for me as for you.”

She glanced down at the erection straining the zipper of his jeans. As she watched, the bulge got more pronounced.

“Stop looking at me,” he said. “You’re not helping.”

He brought Willard over. She put her left foot in the stirrup and then felt both his hands covering her ass cheeks. He pushed and she found herself in the saddle.

Looking down at him, she smiled. “Well, getting on Willard like that was fun.”

He gave her a cocky smirk. “That’s what all the girls say.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t keep the grin off her face.

The ride back to Halo M was quicker than the ride away as Travis didn’t need to kill any time, and frankly, he didn’t want to either. He wanted Caroline Graham naked and in bed as fast as possible. And he hadn’t been kidding about being too old for screwing outside. His knees weren’t the best. They preferred a bed. His biggest fear now was that she’d change her mind before he could toss her on her back.

When they rode into the barnyard, Amy Webster, the oldest of the Websters’ offspring was waiting.

“Have a good ride?” she asked, catching Willard’s bridle.

“Good ride and good lunch. You have anything to do with the food?” Travis said as he swung from the saddle. He looped Ransom’s reins over a rail.

Amy’s face pinked. “Maybe.”

“You want to take the Rhino and go pick up the leftovers?”

He’d hardly gotten the question finished before Amy took off at a run toward a large shed.

“I gather that whatever a Rhino is can be found in that shed?” Caroline asked, shading her eyes with her hand.

“It’s a large all-terrain vehicle. It can carry a couple of people and has a holding tray on the back.”

The shed doors flew open, and moments later, a green Rhino ATV roared out and across the field.

“So are you telling me that we could have taken a car-like thing rather than horses today?”

Travis walked over and began massaging her calf. “But then what excuse would I have to offer you a massage tonight?” Mentally, he crossed his fingers that she was still interested in massages, soft beds and sex. His heart raced as he waited for her response.

“In that case, as much as I love you, Willard,” she said, leaning over the horse’s neck, “I’ve got a better offer.” She smiled down at Travis. “Help me down, please.”

As before, she stood in the stirrup and this time was able to get her right leg swung over Willard’s rump before tumbling into Travis’s outstretched arms.

“You okay, Dr. Graham?”

Travis and Caroline’s heads whipped toward the voice. John Webster stood just outside the barn, his hands on his hips, apparently watching Travis and Caroline’s interaction.

“Fine, John. Just helping Caroline off. Did you know this was her first time to ride? She did great, I tell you, just great. Why, I bet we could make a first-rate rider out of her.”

Why was he running on like he’d been caught by his parents with his hands down a girl’s pants?

Webster cleared his throat. “Well, okay then. I’ll take those horses from you. Rocky’s here. Putting Ransom and Willard up for the night will give him something to do. Did I hear you ask Amy to take the Rhino over to Fitzgerald’s place?”

“Yep. You mind?”

“Naw. You’re just spoiling her. You know she loves the fast machines.”

“You can put me down now,” Caroline whispered into his ear.

Chills hiked down each vertebrae of his back. Her breathy voice also got the attention of his penis, which began to come alive. He turned away from John. “Oh, right. Sorry.” He lowered her legs to the ground but kept his hands at her waist until he was sure she would support herself. To his disappointment, she didn’t need him to hold her up.

“I need to have a word with John. Can I meet you in the truck?”

“No problem,” she said, and headed off, her walk a little wobbly.

“Tell Henree I might have a guest for a couple of days. Caroline…er, Dr. Graham’s grandmother just passed away. Since she doesn’t have any family here, I’ve been trying to give her some support…help her work through her emotions.”

It felt like trying to explain to his dad why he needed to stay out all night after senior prom.

The foreman removed his cowboy hat, scratched his head and put it back on. “Now what you do with your time is your business, Travis. I’ll just say I think Dr. Graham is a fine woman, and if you can help her right now then that’s where you should be.”

“Thanks.” He turned to leave and then turned back. “And John, my family doesn’t need to know anything about how I spend my time.”

Travis climbed into his truck and glanced at Caroline, who was as far against the passenger door as she could be. He reached over and took her hand.

“Hey. We don’t have to do anything. No pressure.”

Her eyes were wide, her pupils dilated. Her breathing was loud and ragged. “Don’t you want to sleep with me?”

He laughed. “Are you kidding? Look at me.” He gestured to his crotch. His erection was straining against his zipper. “And why wouldn’t I want you? God, you’re beautiful. Funny. Smart. Sexy. Hell, Caroline. I’ve been wanting you for months.”

The smile that crossed her lips lit her face like a thousand-watt bulb. “Seriously?”

“Let me show you how seriously.”

He meant to take her to her house, but hells bells, that was a forty minute drive. His house was attached to his garage. He had a soft bed. He had condoms.

He jerked open the driver’s door and pulled Caroline across the seat and out.

“Where are we going?” she said as he pulled her along into his home.

“I have a bed. It’s closer.”

Her reply was a grin and an increase in her pace.

She got a quick glimpse of a large stainless-steel kitchen that appeared spotless as he led her through. Then a comfortable living room, but the trip was too fast to discern much about it. Finally, they went through a door and down a short hall into a large room, the focal point being a raised four-poster bed. A fluffy blue comforter covered the mattress. She was surprised when he bypassed the bed and led her into a plush, granite master bathroom. He reached around a wall made of glass bricks and flipped on the shower.

“Are you suggesting I need a bath?” she asked with a wicked grin.

“Before I toss you into my bed, I need to wash Ransom off me,” he said and stripped his shirt over his head. A set of developed pectoral muscles and a ribbed abdomen made her groan in pleasure. Light blond hair dusted his chest and down his abdomen, disappearing into the waistband of his jeans.

Her sex tingled with heat and need.

“You don’t have to join me,” he continued as he unfastened his belt and pulled it through the loops. “But you sure are welcome to.” He lowered his zipper and shoved his jeans and underwear to the floor in one motion.

His penis rose from a bed of dark, curly hair and stretched up, resting on his abdomen. She licked her lips. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him, which just made his cock grow thicker and longer.

“I’m feeling pretty dirty myself,” she said with a raspy voice. Quickly, she toed off her boots and kicked them back into the bedroom. He reached over to help her and jerked her shirt over her head. He cupped her breasts before leaning over to run his tongue along the top of each cup.

“Perfect,” he said. “I knew they’d be perfect.”

He sucked on her breast through her bra and then bit her nipple. Her knees grew weak. Liquid heat dampened her panties. The tingle between her legs had grown to an aching throb. Then her bra was gone, replaced by his hot mouth, sucking, licking, nibbling, biting then licking again. She felt for her jeans button, popped it and quickly lowered her zipper. He slid a large, work-roughened hand into her panties and between her thighs. Then he slipped a thick finger into her wet folds.

“You’re so wet,” he said. “So wet. I can smell your arousal.” He pulled his hands from her panties and licked his finger. He watched her, watched for her reaction.

Her breath caught for a moment as her insides turned to liquid. She reached out and took his penis in her hand. It was hard yet velvety soft. She stroked her thumb over the spongy head, collected his juices on her thumb, lifted it to her mouth and licked the salty fluid.

His growl was primal, animalistic. He roughly shoved her jeans and panties to the floor and then lifted her out of them and walked into the shower. Water poured down their bodies, making each touch, each stroke, slippery and more erotic.

He pushed her up against the wall and spread her legs with his knees. Sexual excitement strummed through her. He stroked large, work-toughened hands over the inside of her thighs and thick fingers up to her wet crease. He looked into her eyes, slipped a broad finger inside her. She moaned and arched toward him. He added another finger, moving both in and out, stretching her, getting her ready for him.

She stroked his cock in time with the movement of his fingers. He pulled his hips away and turned so that she couldn’t touch him.

“Can’t, darlin’. You’re driving me over the edge just being here. I can’t take your touch. It’ll be over before it begins.”

She bit his neck and then licked up his throat until she reached his mouth. “Next time, then,” she said against his lips.

He moved his fingers at a fast pace and her hips gyrated in time. Then he pulled his fingers from her and dropped to his knees. He broadened her stance when he pushed his wide shoulders between her thighs. He flicked his tongue out, licked her from front to back and then traced a circle around her sensitive nub. Her legs wobbled and she grabbed his shoulders to stay upright. He licked again and again from her vaginal opening to her clitoris and back until she began to shake.