22. Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Sutton
M aci is tense as hell after seeing Colt.
Dusk is being overtaken by the night as we turn by the bank onto the county road. Maci’s face is almost pressed against the truck window, presumably looking up at the few stars winking into existence. I let her be, aside from holding her hand as I drive.
“Where are we going?” Her voice breaks the silence about ten minutes later as we turn onto the farm-to-market road that leads past the ranch.
“You’ll see.” I grin at her and her lips purse. It’s a little thing she does when she’s frustrated or thinking things through.
I didn’t plan to bring her out to the ranch tonight, but I need to get her out of her head. Which I’m doing in a way that keeps her all to myself because I’m selfish.
I don’t consider myself to have a short fuse, but if I find that asshole hanging around, I’m going to take care of that problem right quick and in a hurry.
“This is where you kill me, right?” My eyes widen momentarily before I laugh. A flash of surprise crosses her face, replaced by a void of emotion. “I knew it. Charming cowboy, good dancer, too good to be true. ”
Lifting our entangled hands to my mouth, I kiss the back of hers without thinking. Her eyes zero in on the action. “Believe me, if I wanted you dead, I’ve had plenty of opportunities before now.”
“Oh my God!” Her panicked voice is tinted with amusement. “You’ve even thought about it!”
She’s more animated than I’ve seen her and I’m enthralled. Even the first night we danced she was more subdued. It’s like she’s finally letting me see sparks from the fire hidden inside. My smile widens.
“I’ve thought about doing a lot of things to you,” I tell her honestly, “but taking you from this world is not one of them.” I rub a few circles on her hand with my thumb for good measure.
She’s undressing me with her eyes. “There’s that look again.” Equally hard to ignore is when she calls me sir .
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her attitude turns petulant, and she faces back out the window. I like this playful side of her. I’m hopeful it’s not shock, but that she’s finally relaxing with me.
A minute later, we pull up to the ranch. The lights on the limestone pillars flanking the gate are lit up, casting a glow on the gate and cattle guard. Using my free hand, I press the button on my visor and the iron gate slowly swings open.
We aren’t going anywhere near The Big House tonight. Instead, I turn left at the first branch off the main driveway and head toward the furthest pasture. The caliche kicks up behind the tires, filling the air and coating the truck with a thin layer of cream-colored dust.
“Hang tight.” Throwing the truck in park, I jump out to open a gate for one of the pastures not in use.
Maci mutters, “And here’s my final resting place.” But when I shoot her a look, she’s grinning at me. That mouth .
The idea of anyone else getting to experience that perfect mouth is not something I’m willing to entertain. I know she plans to leave soon. For good. That doesn’t work for me.
With the gate open, I switch to low beams and pull in. My favorite country station fills the night air when I roll the windows down. I throw Maci a warning look as I park and prepare to get out. She holds her hands up in supplication.
“Good girl.” Even in the darkened truck, I can see her cheeks color and her mouth fall into a small O.
Before helping Maci out of the truck, I grab a blanket from underneath the backseat and quickly lay it on the open tailgate. She takes my hand willingly and slides down. At the back, she doesn’t wait for me to speak before hoisting herself easily into the truck bed and giving me a glorious view of her perfect ass in those jeans.
She turns to me, hands on her hips and her sweater falls off one shoulder. With a proud stare, she dares to say, “Do you need help getting up?”
Trying to hide my amusement, I grind my jaw back and forth. Her lip catches between her teeth to stifle her own grin. So much for sitting back here. Nothing is keeping me from getting my hands on her now.
Grabbing her around her thighs, I throw her over my shoulder like a bag of feed as she squeals my name and grips the fabric of my shirt in her hands. After one good circular spin, my hands slide up the back of her thighs to her hips and guide her down my body, which is stupid because fuck she feels good.
Her hands drag down my chest as she goes, eyes flashing as she goes to shove me. Instead, I grab a wrist in each hand and pull her flush against my body, her arms pinned between us.
Her breathing catches and her eyes soften.
“You have a smart mouth, you know that? ”
“Oh, yeah?” She’s trying to play tough, but her voice is a whisper. “What are you going to do about it?”
I slam my mouth onto hers. She returns the kiss with every ounce of pressure I’m pouring into her, clenching the front of my shirt in her ensnared hands. Releasing her wrists, my fingers trace down her forearms to her elbows, tucked against her ribs. I take in the way she arches and shivers as I skim my hands down her sides, loving how receptive she is to me.
I haven’t even started.
She continues to kiss me with fervor and I move my hands over her ass, gripping her thighs and lifting. Her legs wrap around my waist eagerly. No doubt, she can feel what she’s doing to me.
Our kissing deepens and my hands find their way up her back and inside her sweater. Her arms snake around my neck as I step blindly forward and set her on the tailgate. I didn’t bring her out here to have my way with her. I will maintain that boundary. For now.
Something registers all of a sudden. “What is that?”
“What’s what?” Her voice is breathless between kisses.
“On your lips.” I press my lips against hers again, dipping my tongue into her mouth.
“You’re on my lips,” she manages when I release her to skate my mouth along her jaw, toward her neck.
“Not yet I’m not,” I whisper into her ear.
After a catch in her breath, she lets out a low laugh and my cock jumps. “Naughty Cowboy.”
I nip the skin just below her ear and she yelps then giggles. The weight of my hat leaves my head. When her hands dive into my hair, my momentary concern vanishes. I reconsider ever wearing the hat again. She can burn the fucking thing for all I care .
I savor every kiss, lick, and suck on her skin, trailing down her neck to the soft bend and over her shoulder. Her head tilts away, granting me easier access. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s mine. No one is ever getting this close to her again.
From the corner of my eye, I spot my hat lying upside down on the tailgate. I’m unsure if she knew to do that or if it was accidental.
She still hasn’t answered me. “Woman, you’re testing me.”
“Oh no,” she hums.
She shivers as I remove one hand from her back. Her sweater is soft and cool under the palm I sweep up the front of her chest to her neck. Her jaw fits perfectly in the crook of my hand, causing her mouth to fall open and her eyes to blaze. Her grip on my hair tightens.
I repeat my question. “What’s on your mouth, Firecracker?”
“Lip balm. Salted caramel.” She stares back at me. The soft sweater doesn’t hide the heavy rise and fall of her breasts.
I brush my lips along her open mouth, teasing her as I ghost them slowly back and forth. “Thank you,” I whisper, before planting a last soft kiss on her mouth. “Hungry?”
She studies me silently for a moment before tucking her lip into her teeth and shaking her head. Without giving her a chance to argue, I give her hips a squeeze and set her on the ground. “Come on.”
Sitting on the tailgate isn’t an option if we can’t keep our hands off of each other.
On the way to the front of the truck, I yank open the door and turn the radio up. She quickly catches on as I pull her body tight against me and wrap my free arm around her back .
Unlike dancing at the bar, she isn’t on edge out here. Her body instantly molds to mine. She reaches up to rest her hand on my bicep as she did before, releasing a breath. “It’s gorgeous out here.”
“Mmhmm.”
She looks up and finds my eyes, then swats my arm with a laugh. “Not me, silly.”
“You can’t tell me otherwise.” But I look past her at the expanse of land and sky. There isn’t another light or building in sight, save for the stars twinkling overhead. It’s a relatively clear night, cooling quickly.
She doesn’t respond. I spin her once, earning me a grin. “I bet you bring all of your dates out here to woo them with dancing beneath the stars,” she mumbles close to my chest again.
It’s not lost on me that she’s not making eye contact. I know very well what she’s doing. “Yep. Then we screw in the back of my truck.”
Her eyes bug and she gapes at me.
I chuckle at her expression, but I don’t need her thinking this is a schtick. “I’ve never brought anyone out here. Hell, I wasn’t going to bring you out here tonight. You needed to release some tension. Dancing does that for you. It was improv.”
She grins at me and I toss her out for another spin. On her way in, I dip her. Excitement sparkles in her eyes when she rights herself, and she leans up to kiss me. It’s the first time she’s initiated contact and pride swells in my chest. I have to figure out how to keep her.