Page 52 of Embracing Hope

“And here you’ve been bunking with them. Poor you.” Although her words could have been taken as sarcasm, he caught the truth in her tone.

“Not tonight, and probably not tomorrow night. I’ll be wherever you are unless you want to come down and share my twin bed with me. Nothing like a couple of springs in the back and ass to make a man appreciate his creature comforts back home.”

She tried to hide her smile. “You said you wanted to know what things were like around here. You were given an up-close and personal viewpoint.”

“Just the smart-ass remark I’d expect coming from you.”

“I hate to poke fun but it is funny.”

“If I had half a mind…” he growled.

“You’d do what?” She held his gaze in the comforting hug of her baby blues.

“I’m not sure yet. There are two options I could choose from. Turn you over my knee and spank the sass out of you or kiss the hell out of you. Something tells me you wouldn’t mind either option”

She tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear, showing off a stacked row of diamond studs in her ear. The sparkle almost matched the shine in her eyes. “I know a cowboy who’s all talk when I see one.”

The woman would be the death of him.

“Be careful what you ask for,” he was fully aware that his voice held all the octaves of an internal conflict.

“No, you should be careful what you let slip past your lips.” She started to pass by him, but he caught her, wrapping his fingers around her wrist. Her chin came up. A gasp fell from her slightly parted lips.

“I think you like teasing me.”

“I think you enjoy my teasing you,” she said steadily, but her eyes spoke about her turmoil.

“How did you get this?” He brushed his finger along the white scar on her cheek.

“Actually, I got hurt when I fell out of the treehouse. Or rather, my sister, Honor, dared me to jump. The landing was a bit off. I’ve never been good at turning down a challenge.” There was something in her eyes that told him once she gave herself to someone she’d forever be connected.

“I’ve learned that about you. You seem to always get what you want.”

She tilted her chin. “I’m glad you’re finally seeing things my way.”

The last thread of his patience unraveled. He pulled her hard against his chest, lowering his face within an inch of hers and said, “Just remember, I warned you. You’re chipping away at my heart.”

“This is a lot like jumping from the tree. It was a bit scary. A little exhilarating. The drop came with some scars and learning curves but the result was worth it. I proved my bravery to my sisters, whom I always admired. Some situations are worth the leap.”

He slammed his mouth to hers in a forceful kiss that parted her lips wide to allow him access. Their tongues met in a warm embrace as he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her onto her toes.

A moan escaped her throat, and he felt a stab of appreciation in his balls. He threaded his fingers through her hair, knocking his hat to the ground while pressing her back against an ancient oak with years of embedded initials carved into its bark. There, he continued to kiss her until he needed more of her to satiate his desire.

He slipped his hand under her shirt and clasped one breast, kneading the firm flesh under his palm until she arched against him, a feral moan falling from her like a gentle breeze. His fingers dove behind the lace trim of the bra, and he gently pinched her thick, erect nipple, gliding his fingers over the nub until she moaned. He'd learned from their first night together how sensitive her tits were, and it turned him on. After giving the other breast his undivided attention, he moved his fingers downward on her flat stomach to the waist of her jeans, sliding his fingers over the damp crotch of her panties. She was excited, which only made his dick stiffer.

Did she have to be so fucking sexy? Irresistible?

A woman he wanted to make his. Permanently.

Ah, shit.

His mind went there. What happened to not being relationship material? It took someone like Hope to change his beliefs. The fear of never seeing her again outweighed the overwhelming fear of being attached to someone.

Her fingers gripped his hard cock through the denim, and he sucked in air. The spark of need twisted and turned inside him.

He rubbed her clit, and it swelled, and if possible, she became creamier. He bent his mouth to kiss her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of woman and vanilla. God, he’d never get enough of that fragrance.

Or her damp pussy that he sunk his fingers knuckle deep inside.

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