Page 16 of Hometown Cowboy

Hell yes.

He didn’t dare move. He didn’t dare even breathe.

He slid one hand around her hips to pull her close, his other hand cupping the back of her head.

This. He could handle this forever.

“Take me to bed.”

Just like that, a demand. One that he was more than happy to accommodate.

“I need you.”

Shivers erupted down his spine.Me too.

He pulled away from her abruptly and bent down, his shoulder to her stomach. He lifted her in a rush, his arm behind her knees, and hurried down his hallway toward his bedroom.

He placed her on the bed and she shoved his shoulders, throwing him onto his back. Darby pushed his shirt up and leaned down, grazing her mouth over his warm skin. Stomach muscles clenched as she moved over them, goosebumps spreading in the wake of her hot breath. She glanced up at him again, to see that he was watching her intently. She grinned as she slid his zipper down and wrapped her hand around him, her fingers torturing him. His arms went up beside his head to grab at the pillows, and his head pushed back hard into the mattress. He was trying so hard to control his reactions, but it was useless.

Darby flicked her tongue over the end of him, tasting him. His whole body bucked at the contact, his loud moan echoing, satisfaction curling through him. She slid her mouth down his shaft and took in as much of him as she could.

She licked and nipped at the marbled skin, pulled so incredibly tight, teasing and tasting. Desire coiled tight and deep. He wanted her so badly, but he was determined to let her do this.

Ryan’s breathing changed, the air rasping audibly into his lungs. She glanced up at the sound. He leaned up and grabbed hold of her shoulders, trying to stop her. She shoved at his forearms and pinned him by the elbows to the bed, holding him immobile, renewing her attack on him with her mouth.

“Darby… I’m gonna—” He tried to move again, but she held him tight to the bed.

Ryan’s back arched high off the mattress, his wild yell of pure gratification accompanied his explosion into her mouth. She held him down as the aftershocks wracked his body, not relenting. She looked up and lifted her mouth from him, reaching over to grab a handful of tissues from the bedside table.

His chest heaved as he tried to get enough air, his arms crossed over his face. The occasional shudder still shook him as she crawled up the bed beside him. Darby placed a hand on his chest from where she rested on her forearms beside him.

Ryan lifted an arm to gaze at her and opened his mouth to talk, his breathing loud in the silence, then shook his head. Darby bit her tongue between her teeth and grinned at him.

“Like that, did you?” she said.

Breathless laughter rumbled through his chest as he stared at her. He was finally getting his breathing under control.

He pushed her hair back from her face. “What brought this on?”

She shrugged. Tousled hair had escaped her bun and hung around her face in tendrils. Her cheeks had that pink, flushed look about them. It only made her all the more desirable.

“Darb?”

Beautiful eyes met his. “Yes?”

“Thank you.”

Those two words, said so softly, so reverently, brought a light to her eyes that he hadn’t seen before. The pink tinge in her cheeks brightened.

“You’re welcome?”

Ryan laughed and shook his head against the pillow. “Is that a question? Because it sure sounds like it.”

She shook her head and puffed out a laugh but looked more relaxed than she had a moment ago.

“Scooch up a little higher.” He waited until she wiggled up the bed, her shoulders almost level with his own. “Now keep your eyes open. You’re gonna want to close them, but you need to promise me you won’t.”

He waited until she nodded, looking a little confused.

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