She put her hand on his chest, the gesture infinitely soothing. He liked her touching him. God help him, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever get enough. He’d take and take from Mia until there was nothing left. Until she became a Lisa and could endure it no longer. He never wanted another woman to feel as Lisa had evidently felt. It was far better to take his pleasure and move on. The very thing he accused Lisa and his father of. Maybe he was no better than they were after all.“Not everyone will betray you, Gabe,” she said quietly. “There are many who are loyal to you. You can’t control everything. You can’t control how someone feels about you. Or what makes them tick. You can only control how you react, how you act, how you think and feel.”“You’re amazingly wise for someone as young as you are,” he said wryly. “Why do I just feel like I’ve been schooled by someone fourteen years younger than me?”She leaned over, surprising him with her kiss. Her lips lingered over his, warm and so damn s
She sighed. “I just wondered. I mean, about the ‘other men’ thing. Is that a for-sure thing or is that a just-in-case thing?”The very last thing he wanted to talk about—or imagine—when he was balls deep inside her and she was naked and sated in his arms, was another man touching her.But there was also curiosity in her gaze. Not fear. Just genuine question. Almost as if she were wondering about it…“How do you feel about that?” he asked bluntly. “Does it turn you on? The idea of another man touching you while I watch?”She started to move her gaze from his.“Eyes,” he commanded. “You look at me while we’re having this conversation.”Her gaze flickered back and he could see the flush on her face.Then she licked her lips and he could feel her nervousness, her hesitation.“Okay, yes, I admit, I do wonder about it. I mean I can’t tell you if it’s something I’d like or not, but I do think about it. I know that Jace and Ash…”Gabe winced. “I don’t really want to hear about Jace and Ash no
“What’s going on is Gabe offered me a job. I’m working as his personal assistant. And you’ve been gone, and this isn’t the sort of thing I’d simply tell you on the phone.”“Why the hell not?”She rolled her eyes. “Because you’d react just like you are now and you’d be on the first flight home determined to figure it all out.”“When did this happen?” he asked bluntly.She lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “About the time you and Ash left for California. I saw Gabe at the grand opening. He told me to come into his office. Voila. Here I am.”“Just like that,” he said skeptically.His eyes narrowed and he studied her intently as if trying to peel back her skin and see inside her head.“Gabe was right. Working at La Patisserie was a waste of my education and all the money you spent sending me to college. I was comfortable and maybe a little scared to bust into the real world. This job gives me an opportunity to get my feet wet.”Jace’s expression softened. “If you wanted a job, why didn’t yo
It was like having two cocks at once, and never in her wildest fantasies had she even gone there.The blunt head of his dick pressed against her opening made smaller by the plug. He pushed, forcing his way inside her body.“Touch yourself,” he said in a strained voice. “Use your fingers, Mia. Make it easier for me to take you. I want this to be good for you. I don’t want to hurt you.”She reached down, sliding her fingers over her clit. God, it felt so good.“That’s it,” he purred. “You’re taking me, baby. Keep touching yourself. Make it feel good.”He pressed in halfway and then lunged forward, forcing himself the rest of the way in. She nearly came up off the desk and the cry lodged in her throat. She had to take her hand away because she nearly orgasmed on the spot. And she wanted this to last. She wanted to enjoy every second.It was down and dirty, a race to completion. He fucked her long and hard, riding her in a relentless, forceful rhythm that had her gasping with every breath
“Oh, let him come,” Mia said, keeping her tone light so Ash didn’t pick up on what she was doing. “It’ll keep you from lecturing me on God knows what. Ash sticks up for me.”“See, she likes me better,” Ash said smugly.“Okay, what time do you want us to come pick you up?” Jace said in mock resignation.“Six is fine. Will that work for you guys? I won’t need long to change and get ready. Are we eating casual or what?”“I know this great pub that serves food that’s right up your alley, baby girl. Wear jeans and we’ll hang out there,” Jace said.Meaning he was doing this for her because hanging out in pubs wasn’t exactly Jace’s thing.“Perfect.”The door opened and Gabe stuck his head in, a frown creasing his forehead. “Hey, have you guys seen…”He halted when he saw Mia sitting in front of Ash’s desk and then he glanced at Jace and Ash with suspicion. “Am I interrupting anything?”“Not at all,” Ash said nonchalantly. “We were just keeping Mia company while you kissed and made up with yo
When she exited the bathroom, Gabe was sitting on the edge of his bed waiting for her. His eyes flared with instant appreciation, causing her to do a twirl. She turned around, hands up, and then faced him again.“Will I do?”“Fuck yeah,” he growled.As he stood, her gaze drifted appreciatively over him as well. The expensive three-piece suit made her mouth water. On another man, it would be boring. Staid almost. But on Gabe? It was divine. Black slacks. Black coat. White shirt with the top button unfastened. He looked expensive casual, like he didn’t give a fuck what anyone thought, and that just made him even sexier.“I take it where we’re going a tie is optional?” she teased.One half of his mouth turned up. “They bend the rules for me.”And who wouldn’t? Who could possibly say no to Gabe Hamilton? Apart from the fact that he had more money than God, he had a natural charisma that drew women and men alike. They responded to him. Some feared him, others hated him, but everyone respec
“Ready?” he asked.She nodded, too shaken, too wrecked to say anything at all. Anything she said wouldn’t make a bit of sense anyway.He opened the door and got out and a moment later came around to open hers.“You’re staying over again,” he said as they walked toward the entrance.It wasn’t a request, but there was none of the usual arrogance in his voice. He said it matter-of-factly as though there were no other conceivable possibility. But then he looked at her, and brief uncertainty—so brief she wasn’t even sure if that was what she saw—flashed in his eyes.But she nodded, confirming his dictate.“Of course I’ll stay,” she said softly.They rode up the elevator and as they stepped off, he pulled her back against him, using his body to block the doors.“Wait for me in bed,” he said in a husky voice. “I won’t be too late.”She leaned up and brushed her mouth across his lips. “I’ll wait.”There was immediate satisfaction in his eyes. Then he nudged her forward and stepped back into t
“Now that’s the way I like to start the day,” he murmured.Then he rolled off her, patted her hip and said, “Hop into the shower, baby. We have to get to work.”Damn chipper man.• • •As crazy as the previous day had been, Mia was almost afraid to see what today held in store. Despite their bout of hot morning sex, as soon as they got into the office, he inserted another plug.She never imagined the damn things came in so many sizes! There couldn’t be many more because the one he used today was huge! She felt like she waddled, which only made her more self-conscious about letting anyone see her walk anywhere, so she spent the majority of the day sequestered in Gabe’s office, suffering as she sat and fidgeted in her chair.And damn if Gabe wasn’t insanely busy. Three conference calls. Two meetings, plus countless other calls he had to return. So there was no crazy-hot office sex to alleviate the burn.She was back to sulking, even as ridiculous as that made her feel.By quitting time,
“The camera showed you that?”“Ava. I don’t need to look through a viewfinder to see you’re upset.”Damn intuitive man.“The camera is off. Talk to me.”“My grandfather commissioned a necklace for my sixteenth birthday. A tiny beautiful Swarovski crystal rose with a gold stem artfully twisted into an ‘A’. The one time I didn’t take it off before I jumped into the ocean? I lost it. I don’t know if the chain broke or what, but I was devastated because it happened about a month after he died.”“Aw, sugar, I’m so sorry.”Evidently Chase had enough taping. He returned the camera to the case and faced forward, wiggling to get comfortable.“Before you nod off, tell me why we’re backtracking. You planned a route through Montana and now we’re back in Cornhusker territory.”He rolled his eyes. “South Dakota is not Cornhusker territory. The reason I’m not goin’ to the event in Billings is because Ryan told me a former PBR bull rider who switched to the PRCA circuit will be competing. I don’t wan
He’d known the second he touched her he was done for. Ava needed him in a way no other woman ever had. He was a different man when he was with her, regardless if they were naked. So maybe that’s why he couldn’t freakin’ wait to get naked with her again, day after day after day.Seemed to take forever to check-in. He ditched the bags in the corner of the room. In the mirror above the sink, he saw Ava flop on the bed and heave a huge sigh.“Before you get too comfy, maybe you oughta see if you got the door shut.”She popped to her feet and resituated her skirt as she crossed the room, those fucking sexy little pleats teasing the back of her legs.When he’d gotten a look at her outfit this morning—short plaid skirt, plain white blouse, black ballet shoes—his cock had been hard all day as his head conjured up bad-schoolgirl-needing-a-spanking scenarios.Ava tested the door by pushing on it. “I don’t know why you were worried it wasn’t shut—”“Lock it.” He put his mouth below her ear and p
He stirred, moaning as his cock hardened. Lengthened.When Ava started sliding his shaft over her tongue, his hand landed on her head.Immediately it snapped back and Chase scrambled upright. “Ava? What the devil are you doin’?” He inhaled a sharp breath through his teeth when she tongued the tip. “Hell. I thought it was a dream.”She pulled off his shaft long enough to say, “Nope. I want to make this buff body to squirm.” She licked him like a lollipop.“Oh, I’ve no doubt you can make me squirm. You probably could get me to beg.” He brushed her hair back from where it’d fallen in her face. “But—”Again, Ava eased off and met his gaze in the near darkness. “But nothing. You don’t get to direct this.”If she thought he’d lovingly pet her, agree, and murmur encouragement, she was mistaken. Chase’s big hands were on her face, gripping her jaw. “Yes, I do.”His answer turned her panties damp. As did his explicit command, “On the floor. On your knees.”As Ava moved, so did Chase. He perche
She loved his reaction to the scrape of her teeth, the sucking kisses, the feather light placement of her lips in random spots on his neck. Goose bumps spread across his arms and up his nape. He shifted on the bed, not thrashing, but wiggling enough she knew he liked what she was doing to him. She reveled in this immense power of worshipping rather than being worshipped.Ava immersed herself in him. The scent of his skin. The tangy taste of his sweat. The way his muscles strained beneath her tongue. She kissed, licked and nibbled her way down the center of his throat, from his square jaw to his breastbone. And could she get a halleluiah that he had chest hair? Talk about manly, masculine goodness. She rubbed her face over the dark patch of hair, breathing him in, listening to the pounding of his heart, warmed by the heat from his skin, and knowing his body’s response to her was echoed in her body.Bracing herself on all fours above him, she watched his face as she tongued his nipple.
She pushed her hips back, meeting his every hard thrust with a soft grunt. The fringe on his chaps swung forward, the leather connecting with her skin.Even as his cock plunged into her fully, even as his balls drew up, aching for release, even as his legs shook and sweat coated his skin, he planned for the next time he fucked her. The next hundred times.Chase closed his eyes; his hands yanking her body back to meet his escalating thrusts. Faster, harder, deeper, the only words echoed in his head as primal need roared. Impossible to hold off his orgasm, no matter how much he wanted to prolong the sensation of sinking into her soft, wet, flesh.He threw back his head, groaning as his cock emptied in hot pulses. Groaning louder when he felt Ava’s pussy contracting around his dick as she came again.Heart thumping, mouth dry, lungs lacking air, Chase fell forward onto Ava’s back, bracing himself on his hands. Although this rendezvous was supposed to’ve been a dare, a fun, wild slap and
“Who are you?” Douchebag demanded.“The guy tellin’ you to get the hell outta my room.”The douchebag looked at Ava. “I thought you said this was your room.”“Hey, fuckface, eyes on me, not her.” When douchebag turned, Chase stabbed his finger at the clothes by the bed. “You’re done. Grab your shit and get gone.”“Nuh-uh.” Douchebag gestured to Ava. “I get gone when she tells me to, not you, little man.”Ava said not one word.Chase’s anger hit the boiling point. Instead of yelling, his voice dropped lethally low. “Get. The. Fuck. Out.”“Or what? You gonna throw me out?” Douchebag sneered. “You’ll have to eat your spinach and grow some first.”Faking calmness he didn’t feel, Chase scooped up the man’s belongings, opened the door and dumped the pile onto the walkway.“What is wrong with you?” Douchebag loomed over Chase.“You have fifteen seconds to get out of my room and out of my face or I will beat you bloody. You’re not the first asshole who’s tried to take me on, believing a short
That vague comment got his back up. Was she trying to get rid of him? Just to be ornery, he said, “I hadn’t planned on goin’ anywhere today. Thought I’d stick around the room and rest up. Hang out with you, my friend.”Panic darted through her eyes. “Oh. Obviously since you’re paying for half the room that’s your prerogative. But I was hoping…”“Hoping for what?”“To have a few hours of quiet time so I can get your rides separated from the other footage.”Quiet time his ass. She wanted nookie time. And he’d be goddamned if he’d just fucking walk away and make it easy on her to bang a total stranger in his hotel room. “I’m not exactly loud, Ava.”“I know, Chase, but I need quiet. Complete silence. No TV. No talking. No cell phone conversations. No fighting.”The sneaky-ass woman knew that lying on his bed, counting the flaws in the ceiling tile for hours would drive him bonkers. But the idea of any man, in here—the private space Chase shared with Ava—touching her, kissing her, fucking
Ava nodded. “I’m new to the world of rodeo. He agreed to show me the inside scoop. That’s all.”“Dollface, that surely ain’t all. Not even close. The man has it bad for you.”Not bad enough to act on it.“I seen how he’s been lookin’ at you.”“And how’s that?”“Like you’re a hot, sweet fried Twinkie and he’d like to lick you up one side and down the other before devouring you completely.”“Except the man seems to be on a sugar-free diet,” she said wryly.Taz chuckled. “Maybe. But I reckon he’s just trying to keep from gorging himself.”“Such an overactive imagination, Taz.”“I try. Better to be one of them colorful characters folks talk about than an average Joe.”The conversation drifted to Ryan. Upcoming rodeos they’d all be attending. Other events. Then Taz took off, leaving Ava alone. It was enough to give a girl a complex about men.Right. She already had enough complexes, although she doubted anyone would look at her and believe that.A guy paused behind the barstool on Ava’s ri
“I’ve gotten up early to work out. I met this rookie kid last week. After I rode, he cornered me, calling me out as Chase McKay.” He smiled sheepishly. “The little shit promised to keep my secret if I gave him bull ridin’ pointers.”“Which you did.”“Not that he listened to me. Kid is such a greenhorn. And stubborn? He won’t turn his foot out, refuses to wear a helmet, won’t consider a trying a different wrap. So I gave up talking to him about bull ridin’ and we watched the slack competition. What did you do—” his knuckles grazed her breasts as he reached for the lanyard around her neck “—besides craft fake press passes?”“I had my assistant whip them up. Realistic, don’t you think? I needed access behind the chutes so I can video you from a closer angle. It’s made a huge difference. You won’t believe the footage I got today.”His rough-skinned hand enclosed hers. “Ava. We need to talk.”The lanky, shaggy-haired young rider inserted himself between Chase and Ava. “Man, that ride was e