Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
H urtling down the road at speeds he never drove at home, Kieran surrendered to the restless fire that had taunted him since he was a lad. He’d kept it hidden, especially from Granny.
Sara, with her flame-red hair and her willing body, coaxed the fire out of hiding. It licked through his veins, demanding the thing he shouldn’t want…. freedom to do as he pleased.
If the problems magically disappeared. Oh, he could make them disappear. His mother had. She’d broken three hearts — Granny’s, Grandpa’s and his. Lucky’s, too, come to think of it.
He wouldn’t follow her lead. But pushing that little white vehicle to its limits gave him a dangerous taste of reckless abandon. And he liked it.
Once he turned onto the unpaved ranch road, he drove that stretch the way Lucky had, minding the ruts and watching for animals. Did Lucky have the fire in him, too? Maybe he’d ask. Or maybe he’d let it be.
“You looked like you were having fun.”
“I was, yeah, but not as much as I will in a few minutes.” His blood was hot, his jeans uncomfortable. “Would you be wearing underwear today?”
She laughed. “ Yes. I always do. Last night was?—”
“A surprise for me.”
“Exactly. But since you’ve mentioned it, I’ll take off my bra while we’re driving, if that would make you happy.”
“It’ll make me go in a ditch.”
“Then never mind.” She took off his hat and laid it on the dash. Then she shook out her hair and ran her fingers through it.
Now that they’d blown out the chemical stink, he could smell the scent of her hair, a lemony one he remembered from the night before. It was stronger today. “Did you just wash your hair?”
“This morning, and now it has a mind of its own. “
“Smells good.” He itched to get his fingers in those silky strands.
“Thanks. Hey, when we get there, don’t do the cowboy thing and come around to let me out. It’ll be faster if I get myself out.”
“Okay. Fast is good.”
Her chuckle was low and sexy. “Impatient, are we?”
“Driving like an eejit stirred me up.”
“Stirred me up, too, and I wasn’t the one at the wheel.”
He sucked in a breath. “Good thing we’re almost there.” His pulse rate jumped as the turnoff came into view. What if Rance had come home for some reason? He said a prayer of thanks when the parking area turned out to be empty.
Sara unlatched her belt before he’d shut off the engine, and the minute he did she was out the door. “Meet you in there!”
In his haste to unfasten his belt he managed to jam it so the bleedin’ thing wouldn’t open. He was ready to wrench it from its moorings when it finally snapped free. Grabbing his hat, he lunged out of the car and banged his knee on the door. He slammed it shut so hard the wee vehicle shuddered.
Sending it a silent apology, he jogged to the steps and took them two at a time. She’d left the door open.
Her top lay on the closest end of the pool table and her bra dangled over the far end. A thump from the bedroom was followed by another — her boots hitting the hardwood. His vivid memory from last night sent an urgent message to his groin.
Closing the door, he left his hat on the rack next to it and began unbuttoning his shirt as he lengthened his stride. Sunlight streamed through windows left open on a clear day. The scent of pine mingled with the faint tang of woodsmoke from the hearth. Birds fluttered and chirped in the trees outside.
This. The visceral need for Sara pounded through his body, a primitive drumbeat that wouldn’t be denied. But he wanted more.
He craved all of it — the cabin in the woods, the majestic mountains defining the horizon, his brother and the big loving family scattered over this vibrant landscape, the freedom to make love in the middle of the day to the woman of his dreams.
When he walked into the bedroom, she’d just stepped out of her jeans. Still holding them, she turned to him with a smile. “There you are. I thought I’d lost you.”
“I wouldn’t let that happen.” It was the most he dared say. She didn’t believe in miracles. Yet.
Stripping off his shirt, he dropped it and closed the distance between them, reaching for her, his body aching for contact.
The jeans fell from her fingers and rustled to the floor as she stepped into his arms, face lifted, eyes filled with an emotion she hadn’t yet spoken. “Daylight is so special. Who knew?”
“I didn’t.” He combed his fingers through her fragrant hair, savored the sensation of her breasts yielding as he pressed her closer. “I was just excited that we’d have more time alone.”
“It’s a golden paradise.” She shifted her hips, making room for her to unhook his belt from the buckle. “Except one of us is overdressed. Will you let me fix that for you?”
Her offer stole his breath. He wanted her hands on him, wanted that very much. His cock reacted to the prospect immediately. Releasing her, he stepped back. “I’m all yours.”
“I need you to sit down so I can take off your boots.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Walking over to the bed, he turned and lowered himself to the mattress, wincing at the inevitable compression.
“Just for a minute. I can see you’re uncomfortable.” She crouched in front of him and began loosening the laces of his boot.
“I’m fine.” The pleasure of watching her plump breasts quiver as she worked was balanced by the pain when his cock twitched in response.
“You’re not. You made a face.” She quickly unlaced his work boot and pulled it off, along with his sock. “Since I don’t have your equipment, I don’t know what that squeezed feeling is like, but I can use my imagination.”
“It recovers quickly.”
She glanced up, a sparkle in her green eyes. “That’s a blessing.” She unlaced the other boot and tugged it free. Then she straightened. “Go ahead and stand up.”
When he did, he noticed a condom lying on the bedside table. “Only one?”
“I didn’t want to presume. I slept in this morning but you couldn’t because of your phone call.” She came closer and reached for the button on his jeans.
“You think I’ll take a nap?” Electricity shot through him as she slipped the button free and slowly pulled down the zipper. She had to work around his highly aroused equipment , as she’d called it.
“I’d be okay with that.” She slid both hands behind his back.
“You would?”
“If that’s what you need, of course I would.” Tucking her hands inside the waistband of his briefs, she gripped his arse.
He almost came. “There’ll be no napping going on.” It came out as an angry growl as he fought for control. “I think y’know what I need, lass.”
“I think I do.” She pushed down both jeans and briefs. In the same motion she knelt before him.
Before he had the wits to stop her, she’d taken his cock in her mouth. He groaned. “I didn’t mean….”
They were the last words he spoke before she robbed him of his vocabulary, his breath and his brain cells. The noble idea that he’d hold back and take control of the situation was short-lived.
In no time he began to shake like a sapling in the wind. Gasping and praying that he didn’t black out, he gave up with a roar.
She stayed with him, taking all that he had to give, binding them together, whether she meant to or not. When he could finally breathe again, when the world stopped spinning, the truth shone through.
She’d claimed they had no chance at happiness, but every move she made told him she desperately wanted to be wrong.