Page 51 of Sweet Home Louisiana

“You should have kept your mouth to yourself,” she said, lifting her chin.“That was really mean to go that far and not all the way.”

He stepped close, leaning in slightly, and ran a hand over the top of his head.“I can still feel you pulling my hair because you wanted it so much and came so hard.There isnothingmean about what I just did to you.”

“It’s notmeanto raise the oral sex bar so high for everyone else?”

The second she said it, she regretted it.

He gave her a cocky grin.“That was mean of me,” he agreed.“Wonder why I don’t feel bad about it.”

Well, two could be cocky.And mean.“I can’t even imagine how many guys I’m going to have to go out with in my search for someone with a better tongue than yours,” she said, stepping around him and smoothing her dress as she headed for the door.“I’ll have to sleep with them on the first or second date to get through them all.”She grabbed the doorknob and looked back.“I suppose I could get lucky and find a Master Tongue right away, but the odds are against it, if I’m being honest.”

Owen was scowling darkly.“You shouldnotsleep with a bunch of men.”

“Oral sex,” she said.“I’m just talking about him going down on me.”

She was pleased to see Owen looking furious.Even if she was childishly goading him into it.

“I mean, the sex thing…you’re right…if we don’t do that, I don’t have to change my standards there.So…thank you, I guess.”

“You should just avoid oral sex forever.Like I’m going to do,” he said.

She sighed.“Come on, Owen.We’re both grown-ups,” she said, mimicking his words from a minute ago.“You can’t actually be mad that I plan to beg a guy to make me come on his tongue again in my lifetime.”

Maddie could see how her dirty words, and the idea of her being with another guy, affected Owen.Good.He was the one who’d kept his fly zipped.

She turned and pulled the door open.

“Maddie.”

She stopped.Owen’s low, deep voice sent goose bumps skittering down her back.“What?”

“You could just stay here.You can have my tongue every night.Right here on this desk every day, if you want.And I’ll happily fuck you senseless whenever you ask.”

Damn him.He knew the effect his words had on her.It was why he was talking that way.He knew she was still wound tight and could still feel the wetness between her legs because of him.He knew she liked the dirtier side of him she’d seen today.He knew she liked knowing that she pushed him to the edge of what he would normally, rationally, do and say.

She squared her shoulders, but didn’t turn around.“Sure, I’ll just move my whole life from California to Autre for your tongue and cock.”

But the thing was, it wouldn’t just be those things.It would be Owen.She could have all of him.Sure, his cock, too.And that was no small thing.Literally.But she would also have his friendship, his loyalty and protectiveness, his laughter and humor, his big heart.He would take care of her even when she didn’t realize she needed it, like he did with Sawyer and Josh.Being here would also mean a big, crazy family, and lots of laughs, and a business that was making her feel surprisingly creative and competent and appreciated.The art gallery made her feel all of those things but, yeah, Boys of the Bayou was different because this wasn’t just making abusinessbetter, it was about making a group of people she knew and cared about better.She was helping them.She was lightening the load around here.And that felt unexpectedly good.

She pulled in a deep breath.She couldn’t really stay here.Could she?Could she come home?

“Huh.I think I’d move to San Francisco for your sweet pussy.”

She whirled around.He hadn’t really just said that, had he?Of course, she knew thatheknew it would be more than hot sex.But that wasn’t what shocked her.“You would not.”

He shrugged.“Don’t underestimate pussy power.”

He was being crude on purpose.He was clearly still irritated.Which was funny, since the entire reason he was hard and unsatisfied washim.But underneath the words about her pussy, she knew he meant the power of their connection.Yeah, it was as strong as ever.It was crazy.

Which was exactly the problem.Owen Landry moving to San Francisco would be crazy.But that’s what they did to each other.They reacted based on emotion and didn’t think through the consequences until afterward.

She frowned.“You would never leave the bayou.Your family.The food and traditions.The water.The boats.”

“Ask me again after I’ve had you on my tongue and am smelling you all day long,” he said.“You might be surprised what I’d do for y…that.”

He’d almost said “you.”You might be surprised what I’d do for you.

As that shock bumped around in her brain—and heart—Maddie also realized that she wouldn’t actually be surprised at all.There had been a time when he would have doneanythingfor her.And that didn’t seem to have changed much no matter how long the time or distance had been between them.

---