Page 15 of Faking it with the Cowboy

“Birch, please…” I wasn’t above begging. Not now.

“I’ve got you, Jericho.” His cock nudged my thigh before he entered me. “You feel so fucking good.”

“More.” I wrapped my legs around his hips and clasped them together above his ass, drawing him deeper, needing him seated as far as possible inside me.

“I’ll give you everything you want… everything you need.” His hips pumped, slowly at first, filling me completely, giving me the friction I so desperately craved.

Gripping his shoulders, I dug my nails into his back. My hips lifted to meet each thrust. We found our rhythm without even trying. The pressure built. I tried to hold back… didn’t want it to end. Then Birch slipped his hand between us and expertly fingered my clit.

I exploded around him. Liquid fire filled my veins as I lost all control. He didn’t let up. His fingers continued to work my clit, sending me higher and higher. Another wave of release washed over me.

“That’s it, baby.” Birch waited until I free fell over the edge. Then he pumped deeper and deeper until he came inside me. His entire body tensed, his shoulders bunching under my palms. I loved being with him like this, loved the connection forged between us.

When he finished, he rolled over onto his back, pulling me on top of his chest. His fingers traced small circles on my lower back. I breathed him in, basking in the afterglow, while tiny aftershocks rolled through my system.

“You okay?” he asked. The question came out rough, husky, and full of emotion neither one of us seemed ready to acknowledge.

I wanted to curl up against him and forget the rest of the world that waited for us outside. “Yeah. You?”

“More than okay. With you here, with us like this, I’m perfect.” He bent his neck, lifting his head to kiss my temple. “The rain stopped.”

I strained, listening for any trace of the storm that had been raging outside. It was quiet. The only sound I heard was Birch’s heartbeat, a steady, rhythmic, comforting sound.

“We should probably try to get some sleep.” He pulled the covers up over my back.

I didn’t want to move, afraid that if I did, the bond we’d forged between us might crack. It was still so new. Being with him like this felt like coming home, but it couldn’t last. He was a cowboy living on someone else’s ranch in Oklahoma while I was climbing the corporate ladder in Dallas. The only common ground we shared was our past.

“About tonight…” I started, not sure where I wanted to go with the conversation.

“It was a great night.” Birch moved his hand so it rested on the small of my back. “Probably the best night of my life.”

“Mmm.” I nuzzled my cheek into his chest. Now wasn’t the time to talk about the future. Tomorrow would come soon enough, and with it, a whole new set of worries and problems. With his heart beating under my cheek, I closed my eyes and tried to force myself to sleep.

* * *

Birch

I wokeup with a smile on my face, with memories of the night before still playing through my mind. Jericho sat on a chair at the small table for two, fully dressed, with her packed bag at her feet.

“Good morning.” I rolled out of bed and made my way over to her, naked. We’d seen every bit of each other last night. As far as I was concerned, there was no reason to be shy.

“Oh, hey. I was just leaving you a note.” She glanced up as I reached her, then immediately shifted her gaze back to the table. “I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“Do you have to leave so soon?” My lips brushed the hair at her temple. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. There were things we needed to talk about. Like the seismic shift in our move from friends to lovers.

“I need to get back early today. With the wedding next weekend, Mr. Blair wants us to try to wrap up a few projects before he leaves on his honeymoon.” She offered an apologetic smile. “I had… um… fun last night.”

Fun? My brows drew together. She wasn’t going to try to play this off as a onetime thing. I wouldn’t let her. “We probably ought to talk about what—”

“Not now, okay? I need to hit the road, but I’ll call you later on tonight. After I put in a few hours on that project.” She pushed back from the table and crumpled the piece of paper in her hand. “Do I need to do anything here before I leave? Pull the sheets off the bed or anything?”

I funneled a hand through my hair, confused as hell. “No, I’ll take care of all that. Don’t you want something to eat before you go? Coffee?”

She shook her head. Her hair fell forward, and I reached up to brush it over her shoulder. Before I had the chance, she stepped back and tossed the paper in the trash. “I’ll feel better after I get on the road. I need to fill up soon, so I’ll just grab some coffee and a donut or something then.”

Figuring my bare ass might be adding to her nervousness, I pulled the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around my hips. “Are we okay, Jericho?”

Her eyes widened under arched brows. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

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