Page 71 of A Cowboy in the Streets

He opened it, strode inside, and then stopped. Scowling. Dangerous and delicious, all rolled into one grumpy cowboy package. I crossed my arms over my torso in a futile attempt to shield myself from wanting him.

“What the hell, James?” he demanded.

“What?” I asked, like throwing water in his face had been perfectly reasonable.

“First you tell my brother we’re not together, then you ignore me all night, and then you throw water in my face without saying a fucking word. I don’t get it. What are you so pissed about?”

My anger had eased into embarrassment somewhere between the Painted Cat and my front door, but now it came roaring back.

“There is a code,” I snapped. “You can’t hook up with my friends for at least ten years. Or never. Never is probably better.” Because even though she had assured me she had no interest in him, he didn’t know that. He had been perfectly happy to hit on my friend.

He squinted at me like he was trying to figure me out. “Are you jealous, buttercup?”

Seriously? Seriously. This man.

“Obviously I’m jealous,” I huffed. “She’s Essie Price. And you…you let her put your hat on her head like you’re hers now and you’re not. You don’t belong to her, Adam. You can’t be hers because you’re—” I clamped my mouth shut, trapping the word inside where it couldn’t ruin me.

He moved so fast I didn’t see it coming. One second he was by the door, the next he had me backed up against the wall.

“What am I, James?” His face was inches from mine, his heated gaze boring into me. “Tell me.”

My heart pounded hard. I lifted my chin defiantly. “Mine.”

“Prove it.”

My gaze didn’t leave his as I dragged my nails down the thin cotton of his t-shirt. When I reached his waist, he swallowed hard. For a moment I paused there, my fingertips hooked slightly over the edge of his jeans, my thumb rubbing the hefty silver buckle. We stared at each other and breathed. His cock twitched against my palm.

And then I couldn’t wait any longer. I tugged frantically at his belt, fumbled with the button, yanked down his zipper. With one hand on his chest, I pushed him back, reclaiming my space. He gave it, but he made me work for it. Fight for it. Leaned against my touch, his mouth hovering so close to mine that I could feel the warmth of his lips. The heady rush of having this big, strong man obey my command made me feel more powerful than I ever had. I could feel the control he kept tightly tethered start to fray. I wanted to make it snap.

I dropped to my knees.

He inhaled audibly. His hands clenched into fists. I was eye-level with his thick cock that tented his boxer briefs. I freed him with both hands, then rocked back on my heels to admire the view. Big and beautiful and glistening with a bead of pre-cum on the tip.

“James,” he said, sounding tortured.

My eyes flicked upward to meet his gaze. I leaned forward, licked up the pre-cum with a swipe of my tongue, and pressed a kiss to the silky tip like I was staking my claim. Which I was.

“Mine,” I said.

“Yes. Fuck. Take what belongs to you.”

His head tipped back on a groan, exposing the dark stubble of his jaw and neck. I think he needed to hear it as much as I needed to say it. Maybe that was the curse of being alive. Of being human. All we wanted, underneath the layers of bullshit and scars, was to belong to someone.

I slid him into my mouth, torturously slow, letting my tongue glide down his shaft as I took him as far back as I could go. My mouth was so full of him I could barely breathe. I paused there, inhaling and exhaling to steady myself, swallowed, and took him a little bit farther.

“Goddamn, baby.”

I would have smiled at the breathless pleasure in his voice, but I wasn’t willing to risk the loss of suction for even an instant. I was on my knees, but I had him right where I wanted him. On the brink. And I couldn’t wait to push him right over the edge.

As slowly as I took him in, I slid him out again. My hand worked his shaft while my mouth toyed with his tip, stroking it with my tongue and gently sucking, never taking him further than an inch. His hands dove to my head, one hand molding to the shape of my skull while his other hand wrapped my ponytail into his fist. Trying to take control.

But I wouldn’t let him.

I licked him balls to tip and was rewarded with the squeeze of his fingers on my scalp and the tug of my hair. My tongue swirled against his tip, tasting more pre-cum, one hand sliding along his shaft while my other reached back to cup his balls, everything working in tandem to drive him completely insane.

“Please…goddamn it, James. Suck me—”

The need in his voice made me squeeze my thighs together. I purred as I rubbed my thumb over the slick crown. “All you had to do was ask. I take care of what’s mine.”

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