Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Miranda
Just One Night
Taking a deep breath Miranda pushed off the side of her truck to stand in front of the tall stranger with broad shoulders and muscular lean frame.
The best way to describe him was like manly eye candy.
He was the man from that morning in front of the library.
She’d recognized him the moment she saw him sitting at the bar.
In truth she hadn’t stopped thinking about his flirty smile or how his hands had felt on her arms when she ran into him.
He carried himself gracefully for someone with such a huge build, and his eyes were inquisitive as he stared at her, like he didn’t believe she was real.
Standing just outside the light from the streetlamp, she hoped he couldn’t see her blush.
“There’s a more private bar down at the inn. Is that where you’re staying?”
He nodded and she couldn’t help but notice his biceps flex as he reached behind his back and pulled out a ball cap. After running his hand through his dark hair, he settled the hat on his head.
“Are you interested in getting a drink with me or have you had a change of heart?” she said, now feeling unsure he wanted her company.
“This is going to sound like a line, but I’ve never picked someone up at a bar.” He tucked his hands in his pockets and his side smile pulled at his full lips. “When I didn’t see you out front I thought maybe you changed your mind.”
“Nope.”
“In that case, I’d be more than happy to buy you a drink, or an ice cream if you’d rather?” He gestured toward an ice cream parlor across the street that was busy with tourists.
She couldn’t help but laugh. She’d never picked up a stranger at a bar before, but she was fairly sure they didn’t usually look as gorgeous as him or offer to go out for an ice cream instead of a drink.
“Something tells me that won’t mix very well with the bourbon I had earlier,” she said and gestured down the sidewalk toward the inn. “Shall we?”
He fell into step next to her and his size became more obvious. At five foot eight with cowgirl boots on, she wasn’t exactly petite, but he was at least six three, with a muscular build. And his shoulders seemed wide enough that he might need to turn when he entered a doorway.
“You said you were just passing through. What for?”
He rubbed his hand down his jaw. “Just some business prospects, but I don’t think things will work out here.”
Looking down she noticed his boots. They weren’t just any kind, they were a specific brand a lot of people who worked with horses tended to wear.
“You work in ranching?”
“I grew up on a ranch. My mama was a wrangler.”
“And you’re definitely from some red-dirt Georgia town with that accent,” she commented as they arrived outside the inn.
His smile was like a prize she hadn’t known she wanted to win, and she took a chance on making a move before she got too nervous.
Stepping closer she put her hand on his chest and reached up to lift his ball cap off his head.
“I don’t really want another drink, but I do want you to invite me to your room so you can kiss me like you did back at the bar again. Only this time all over.”
He reached down to gently grip her chin with his hand. “You sure are blunt.”
“I don’t want there to be any misinterpretations.”
“What if that kiss was just a fluke?” he said before leaning down to press his lips to hers again.
The kiss started off tentative, as if he needed to confirm the heat they’d shared earlier was real.
But as they started to devolve into a deep, hungry exploration of each other’s mouths and his hands slid down her back to grip her bottom, it was clear whatever was going on between them hadn’t been a fluke.
Then just as suddenly he ended the kiss and took her hand in his large one before pulling her inside the hotel.
As they walked past the front desk holding hands, she put his ball cap on and kept her head down.
Maybe if she didn’t look anyone in the eyes they wouldn’t recognize her.
But at this point everyone in this town already thought the worst of her, so why shouldn’t she enjoy a little of her bad reputation for once.
It was time for her to see what all the fuss was about, and why not let that be with a tall, dark, handsome stranger who was only in town for one night.
The inn was a two-story old farmhouse converted into a hotel, and apparently he had a suite on the second floor.
They each took the stairs two at a time and he didn’t let go of her hand until they were standing outside his room at the end of the hall.
After he dug out his key he opened the door for her, and then they were tucked away in the privacy of his suite.
The room had a modern country vibe, with a large four-poster bed, wood floors, and oversized black and white prints of horses on the walls.
Before she could even think of something to say, he was pulling her toward him, and she was grateful he didn’t feel the need to make mindless chitchat. That wasn’t why they were doing this. She didn’t even know his name, and she didn’t care. When he was gone tomorrow it wouldn’t matter.
His hands were warm and huge as they moved down her arms, to her hips before they slid over her curves to grip her bottom again—clearly, he was a butt man.
Even with all his clothes still on she could feel how muscular his body was as she pushed her hands over his shoulders.
It was obvious he either worked with his hands or spent a lot of time in the gym.
Before she could dwell on it, he was hiking her up to straddle his waist and moved to sit on the end of the bed with her in his lap.
He took her face in his hands and moved her hair back off her neck before his mouth began to explore the space below her ear.
He smelled like vanilla and a spice she couldn’t name.
“I don’t usually do this,” he breathed. “But you might be the most intoxicating woman I’ve ever met.”
She couldn’t help but smile. She’d never done this, but she wasn’t about to admit it.
Her entire life was built on one strategy—fake it until she made it or at least convinced the others she had.
She pulled at the hem of his T-shirt and was rewarded with the feel of carved abs, and his warm, smooth, tan skin.
“Are you, like, a fitness model? Your body is insane,” she said breathless from the excitement.
“No, I just work out.”
“God bless,” she breathed as she pulled his shirt over his head, ruffling his dark hair. And they both stopped to look at each other.
“I don’t have a condom,” he said with a pained look on his face.
But she reached into her back pocket and pulled out the one thing that could have stopped her from doing this, so she’d made sure to buy one in the bar bathroom.
“Looks like I saved our night,” she teased.
In the next moment he stood back up while holding her and flipped her onto her back on the bed. Careful to use his very ripped muscles to support himself, he hovered over her. “Good—now I can give you what we’re both craving.”
He stood to pull her boots off, setting them on the side of the bed, and kicked his own off.
Then he reached to unbutton her jeans and slowly slid those down her thighs.
He was doing all the work undressing them both.
She was so nervous her heart was pounding as she sat up and pulled her T-shirt up over her head.
Then she pulled her hair free from her ponytail, letting her thick locks loose to hang down her back, teasing her bare skin.
She looked up to watch him unbuckle his belt, unbutton his jeans, and slide them to the floor.
She could see a huge bulge under his boxer briefs and wondered how someone his size was actually going to fit inside her, but there was no way she was going to stop this now. She needed this man and tonight was their night.
Scooting back further up the bed she smiled. “So, you are a cowboy,” she said pointing to the horseshoe tattoo he had on his shoulder.
He just smiled and moved to crawl up the length of the bed, but his mouth dropped to her shin, and he began to kiss and lick a path up her body, stopping at the apex between her legs where his hot breath teased her already throbbing core.
He pressed his face into her panties and breathed her in, and she knew in that moment two truths.
First, she had made the right choice propositioning him and second that she had never experienced anything so erotic before in her life.
He was going to imprint her body with his touch and her mind with this memory, and she was going to enjoy every last second of it.
With his mouth still breathing hot air onto her most private place his hands tucked into the top of her panties and pulled them down.
And she couldn’t help but raise her hips to meet his mouth.
It was like every frustrated and lonely night had led her to this moment.
His hands slid under her bottom, cupping her cheeks as he nuzzled his face into her folds.
Her body knew he could give her what she wanted.
But she wasn’t prepared for him to run his tongue the length of her seam like she was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted.
“Oh. My. Stars.” She buried her head under a pillow, gripping the fabric as his tongue sank down to her clit and he flicked it back and forth before sucking. She pulled her head out from under the pillow, unable to resist peeking to see his head buried between her legs.
“You’re going to have to tell me what you like, and what you want, or this won’t work.”
“I like everything you’ve done so far,” she said.
“Okay we’ll make this into a game,” he said, as he began to place kisses over her abdomen until he hovered over her breasts, still covered by a plain cotton bra.
Pulling the fabric down he covered her nipple with his mouth and used his teeth to tease the pebbling skin into a tight nub.
“Your nipple says it likes my teeth.” Then he moved to her other breast and sucked on her nipple before blowing air on it and it also pebbled.
Next, he moved up to kiss her, and the feel of his scruff tickled her skin, making her smile until his hand cupped her wet sex and his thumb ran in and out causing her to buck her hips toward him.
He kissed her like a desperate man, and she clung to him as her hips moved of their own volition against his hand.
She was dripping wet for him and there was a nagging need deep inside her for more.
“I want more,” she begged.
He kissed her again then pulled back to look her in the eyes. “Where is that condom?”
“Oh, I must have dropped it on the bed.” She searched the rumpled comforter she was lying on.
Then he found it and held it between them. “You’re sure?”
“Yes, please.”
With one more kiss he pushed himself up to stand and pushed down his boxers as she watched.
His thick, hard length jutted out toward her, and he quickly sheathed it with the condom.
Then he was back over her his body, settling between her legs, and she watched, riveted, as he balanced most of his weight on his right arm and ran the head of his cock through her folds, causing her body to twitch with excitement.
His mouth was on her breasts again as he continued to stroke her and then she felt the first push of his length inside her, her wet heat pooling in response to him. Her body was tense with expectation.
“I’m going to give you what you want, baby. You’re so wet and eager, how could I resist?”
Pulling at his neck she wanted to bring him closer and feel his weight on her. His muscles rippled with his restraint.
“More, now,” she begged as she bucked her hips up, impaling herself further on him while pulling him down.
With his jaw clenched he slowly lowered his body down and sank all the way into her.
There was a piercing pain as his thrust pushed through the barrier, claiming her for the first time.
She held her breath as the thick length of him filled her, and she took a deep breath.
The pain faded, turning into a pulsing need deep inside her and warmth spread up her spine.
She sighed and began to thrust her hips back and forth under him.
“What was that?” he said, frozen above her.