Page 41 of Heart of Stone

Stone smiled wickedly. “You’ll wait until I say you’re good and ready.” A second finger joined the first. He placed a hand on Luke’s abdomen, stroking him soothingly. “It won’t take long, I promise, but I don’t want to hurt you. Besides, I like seein’ you like this, needy and wantin’ and desperate for me. It’s damn hard to hold back from just shovin’ into you so that I can feel you around my cock, all tight and hot.”

Stone’s words set off an explosion of pure, hot need in Luke, and he stopped just short of begging Stone to doexactly that, knowing it would be to no avail. But the image of Stone taking him hard and rough wouldn’t leave his mind, and his moans turned to needy groans as he lay quivering beneath Stone’s hand.

“Iamdesperate,” he replied, a hint of a growl in his voice. “I need more’n your damned fingers in me!”

“Well, when you put itthatway.” Still grinning at him, Stone removed his fingers and picked up the bottle again, pouring more oil in his hand. He quickly coated himself before grasping Luke’s hips, lifting Luke up so that he could feel Stone’s cock nudging against his entrance. Eyes dark and intense, Stone eased into Luke’s body, burying himself deep.

“Yes!” Luke braced his feet on the bed and rocked his hips up, wanting to send Stone deeper. The stretching burn faded quickly, leaving only the pleasure of being joined at last, and he clamped his hands on Stone’s firm ass, urging him on. “Do it, make me yours,” he demanded, his voice rough with need. “I ain’t goin’ to break!”

“You’remine,” Stone growled, punctuating the possessive words with another deep thrust. “No one but me gets to take you. No one but me gets to touch you.”

“No one else,” Luke agreed readily, his toes curling at the pleasure of each delicious thrust. This was right and good, and after months of loneliness, he felt like he couldn’t get Stone close enough or deep enough to satisfy him. “I’m your man, and you’remine. Ain’t no one else ever goin’ to touch you or take you but me.”

Stone smiled. “Fair enough.” He ran one hand over Luke’s chest and then moved it lower, wrapping his fingers around Luke’s cock again. “Now that we got that settled, I’m goin’ to start makin’ up for lost time.” Stone pulled out almost all the way, then moved forward again slowly, stroking Luke at the same time. “Is that how you want it?”

Luke heard someone whimpering and could scarcely believehewas the one making that low, needy sound. Stone was torturing him; there was no other word for it, but he couldn’t bring himself to make Stone stop, not when it felt so damned good.

“Yes.” His voice sounded strangled even to his own ears. “More! I need more!”

Apparently Stone was determined to kill him, because he began to move, but slowly, drawing every moment out until it was almost torture. Not that Stone was unaffected by it; his skin was flushed, and a sheen of sweat made him gleam in the low light. But there was determination in his eyes, as he leaned over and pushed in even deeper. Luke moved with him, matching the rhythm of Stone’s body, and his whole world dwindled to nothing but heat and need and the feel of Stone on him and in him. Desire blended with desperation until he was writhing helplessly beneath Stone, gasping for breath, and he couldn’t even think clearly enough to beg. All he could do was moan as he clung to Stone, the only solid thing left in his world.

Finally Stone’s control seemed to crumble. He was breathing hard, and he began to move faster, claiming Luke roughly, driving into him even as he stroked Luke’s cock in counterpoint. “All mine,” he groaned raggedly, his expression fierce. “I ain’t never goin’ to let you go.”

The part of Luke’s mind that was still partially functional agreed with that sentiment completely, but he was in no condition to voice it. The quicker pace was driving him to the edge, and all he could do was hang on for the ride. He could feel the pleasure-tension coiling tighter, feel his entire body growing taut, quivering as Stone took him to heights of pleasure he’d never even imagined before, and then he fell, calling out Stone’s name as ecstasy overcame him.

“Yes!” He heard Stone’s encouragement, as Stone continued to stroke him, wringing every last bit of pleasure from him. Then Stone groaned, his movements becoming more desperate, until he threw his head back and let out a shout as he came.

Feeling utterly sated, Luke sank back against the pillows and managed to lift his heavy arms enough to slide them around Stone’s shoulders, smiling lazily up at Stone. “I’m gettin’ the idea that you’re a bit possessive. It’s just a thought, mind you. I could be wrong.”

Stone raised a brow. “I must not a been as good as I was hopin’, if you can still think,” he replied. “But yeah, I ain’t much for sharin’ certain things.” Then he grinned. “But at least I made you smile.”

“Well, I finally got somethin’ to smile about.” Luke rested his palm against Stone’s cheek gently. “As for sharin’, I don’t reckon you have to if you don’t want to. Keep on lovin’ me like that, and I won’t never be able to walk right again, much less muster up much interest in any other man.”

Turning his head slightly, Stone pressed his lips against Luke’s palm. “Then I’d best keep lovin’ you just like that.” He chuckled as he drew back and collapsed by Luke’s side with a heavy sigh, keeping one arm draped across Luke’s waist. “Even if it kills me!”

“Least you’ll die with a smile on your face.” Luke was unable to suppress a grin of his own. He felt lighter and happier than he had in months, and he shifted closer to Stone, basking in the warmth of Stone’s body pressed against his. This was where he’d longed to be since their first night together, and this was where he belonged.

He’d once asked Priss how she managed to stay in love with one woman for so long. She’d simply smiled and said that it wasn’t that hard when you were with the right person. He hadn’t understood back then, but he understood now that he’d found the right man. He saw years stretching out in front of him, years filled with days spent tending to the ranch and nights filled with loving, and Luke wanted every last one of them and more.

Stone chuckled softly. “True. But I’d just as soon not die quite yet.” He trailed his fingers over Luke’s skin. “I have a lot to make up to you. And a lot I want to do, startin’ with puttin’ your name on the deed to the ranch, right next to mine. If we can’t get hitched, at least we can be partners, right?”

“If that’s what you want to do.” Luke rolled onto his side to face Stone. “I don’t need no piece of paper sayin’ we’re partners, ‘cause you ain’t never treated me like I’m just another hand, but if bein’ your partner comes with special privileges....” He trailed his hand down the length of Stone’s body and let it come to rest on Stone’s inner thigh, smirking wickedly. “I ain’t goin’ to say no.”

Stone’s breath hitched. “I just want to make sure you’re taken care of, if anything happens to me.” He moved his own hand upward, his fingers gently caressing Luke’s cheek. “I want this to be your home. I know it ain’t nothin’ but a place, but I want it to beourplace.”

“Then we’ll get that piece of paper.” Luke shifted to straddle Stone’s hips and leaned down to claim a lingering kiss, touched by Stone’s insistence on making sure he was provided for. Then again, Priss had done the same for Sarah, making sure she never had to work as someone’s housekeeper again if she didn’t want to. “And we’ll fix everything Dandy Jim broke on our ranch, and we’ll make it good as new in no time.”

“I’d like that.” Stone gazed up at Luke, his expression tender, something Luke had never seen from him before. He knew Stone held the rest of the world at a distance, and he had an idea of just how lonely Stone must have been over the years, but now Stone had let Luke in completely, and he was letting Luke see all of him, with nothing held back.

“Me too.” Luke leaned down to kiss him again, sealing the bargain. For all his teasing nature, he wasn’t about to treat Stone’s heart lightly; it was his greatest treasure, more valuable than any material possession, and he intended to take care of it so Stone would never have cause to regret letting him in.

CHAPTER25

“There you are, pretty girl.” Stone smiled as Mist daintily accepted the carrot he offered her. He stroked her velvety nose and drew back as Raider nudged him insistently. He chuckled and pulled an apple out of his pocket, giving Raider his own treat and watching as the two horses trotted off across the small pasture. Mist’s belly was bulging noticeably now, even though it would be another six months or so until her foal made an appearance. In the meantime, Stone let Raider stay near her whenever he wasn’t working; the big stallion seemed to sense that the foal was his, and Stone didn’t want Mist to feel lonely or neglected now that she wasn’t being ridden every day.

There were five other mares in the small, sheltered pasture, all of them expecting or recently bred, secluded from the regular horses ridden by the hands. This was the start of the project Luke had suggested in the spring, and Luke had selected the mares and which stallions they would be bred to. He’d taught Stone all about the bloodlines and why he’d made the selections he had, and so far, things were going well. Only time would tell, of course, but Copper Lake Ranch was slowly changing from a cattle operation to a horse farm.

A gust of wind blew past him from the west, carrying a chill that proved that winter wasn’t too far away. Stone flipped up the collar of his coat, turned away from the horses, and started back toward the house. Hands were bustling about, leading their horses into the stables or cleaning tack while enjoying the last of the mild fall sunshine.

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