Seduction, Cowboy Style

And as she stared at him, stunned and needy, he lowered his head and took her mouth.

His lips were firm, warm and not in the least tentative. With bold intent, he molded her mouth until she whimpered deep in her throat. The world receded and all she could feel was the hot demand of his mouth, the strength in his corded arms as his hands came around her to pull her hard against him.

“Kiss me,” he growled against the sealed line of her lips. His arms felt like two steel bands holding her in place, and his body was so hot she could feel him burning her right through her clothing. “Kiss me.”

She’d never been manhandled like this in her life.

She loved it.

Like soft butter she melted against him, opening her mouth to admit his tongue, and it was as if her small yielding ripped away whatever restraints Deck had placed on himself. His tongue plunged into her mouth and plunged again. He pulled her more fully across his lap, lying across his lap as she was, his arms turning her and drawing her even closer until her breasts were flattened against his hard chest. His right hand roved from her waist down over the curve of her bottom to her thigh, and she felt his palm curl around her, dragging her leg up so that she was curled around him like a honeysuckle vine.

She slid her hands from his shoulders up and over his back, exploring the hard, taut muscles that rippled beneath his shirt. He’d obviously showered before coming to town, and he smelled of soap and cologne, his scent teasing her senses as his tongue played over hers. She raised one hand to his neck, sliding it up into his golden-brown hair and then back down to the heated silky flesh of his nape, stroking her fingers dreamily over his skin. How could one man be so arousing?

He kissed her and kissed her until she was moaning in his arms, her mouth following his when he lifted his head to change the angle. His hat was in the way, and he swept it off with an impatient hand. When he lowered his hand again, he rested it on her rib cage right below her breasts. Slowly but surely, he smoothed his palm upward over the fabric of her T-shirt, over the aching mound of her breast, filling his hand with her. He explored her like that for a while, his thumb and index finger coaxing her nipple up into a tight little bead that he rolled until electric lines of sensation zinged straight from her nipple to her loins, making her ache and shift her hips restlessly. Against her hip, she could feel the hard ridge of his erection, and the knowledge that she’d aroused him, too, was a heady pleasure that only excited her more.

But after another long moment of kissing and petting, she sensed an easing in the frantic quality of his first kisses.

Slowly, he withdrew his hand from her breast and slid it down to rest on her hip. Slowly, the hard arm around her back loosened and her body no longer felt as if it had been glued to his. Slowly, his kisses grew smaller and smaller until he was barely brushing light caresses over her lips. And finally he lifted his head.

“Whoa.” It was a heartfelt exclamation of wonder. It amused her that the first thing he did was reach for his hat and resettle it on his head.

Her head still lay against his shoulder, her face turned up to his, and she smiled. “Well said.”

“That’s been on my mind since the first minute I saw you.” His voice was a low rumble.

“And has your curiosity been satisfied?” Hers hadn’t. Her whole body was throbbing with need.

His chest heaved against her as he snorted in silent laughter. “Not by a long shot, baby. That little teaser only makes me wonder what more will be like.”

How was she supposed to respond to that? Agreement would mean she accepted that there would be more between them. And though her body still throbbed and begged for his touch, she wasn’t at all sure this was a smart thing to do.

Instead of responding, she said, “I wondered what you looked like without your hat.” She reached up to touch the brim but he caught her wrist in midair, then brought his lips to the tender flesh, nibbling small kisses along her arm.

“That’s off-limits.” His eyes gleamed when he glanced up at her from where he lingered over her wrist. He’d accepted the change of subject with good grace.

“What?” Her brain wasn’t working well, although other parts of her body seemed to be humming along just fine.

His breath huffed over her skin as he chuckled. “Didn’t you know? Never touch a cowboy’s hat.”

“Never touch a cowboy’s hat,” she repeated, trying to keep her mind on the conversation. “That’s silly.”

“Maybe so, but there are fellas who take it real seriously.” He heaved an enormous sigh, then gently lifted her off his lap. “We’d better get going. It’s a good drive back to Kadoka.”

He turned the key and put the truck in gear, but when she went to put on her seat belt he patted the middle seat beside him. “Here.”

So she slid over next to him and put on the center belt.

He put his arm around her and drew her head to his shoulder. “Why don’t you close your eyes. Your day started out crazy and just got worse, didn’t it?”

She made a wry sound of agreement as they drove through the streets back to the interstate, which cut through the town, and before the lights of Rapid City had faded behind them, she felt her eyelids growing heavier….

She awoke when he started bumping back the rough lane to her brother’s ranch. Instantly she remembered the day’s events and she sat up straighter. “What happened to Lyn’s truck?”

“My brother and I moved it to the side of the road after I took your brother’s truck back to your place,” Deck replied. “Tomorrow I’ll tow it in and see what the garage can do with it.”

His arm was still around her shoulders as they completed the drive, but she felt tense and awkward now. What had she been thinking, letting him kiss and touch her like that in a parking lot in plain sight of anybody who walked by? Her body tensed at the memory, and she knew exactly what she’d been thinking. And if they’d done that right there in that parking lot, they might have gotten arrested. Her face grew hot and she was glad when he slowed and braked before the house. She got out on her side before he could come around and he walked around the truck to accompany her to the door.