Caught Up in a Cowboy, page 14
It was probably for the best.
A knock sounded at her window.
Chapter 12
Quinn jumped and let out a quiet yelp as her gaze shot to the window.
Rock was standing there.
Right outside her window. And grinning like a loon.
He waved her over.
Oh. My.
She’d done it. She’d said yes.
And now he was here.
All she had to do was open the window and let him in. Into her bedroom.
She pushed back the covers and climbed out of bed.
Where the heck was her robe? Too late.
Just open the window.
Crossing the room, her heart hammering against her chest, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He wore a burgundy team T-shirt and loose cotton shorts, and his hair was mussed around his forehead.
He looked hot as hell.
What was she doing? Was she crazy?
Opening the window was what she was doing, sliding up the frame and stepping back as he popped the screen free from the other side and crawled through.
“I think this window was bigger when I was a kid,” he whispered as he squeezed his large frame through.
He was so much bigger than he used to be—his hands, his arms, his chest, even his feet seemed bigger.
She fought back a giggle as she wondered if everything about him was bigger.
Her nipples puckered again as she wondered—hoped?—that she was about to find out.
He left the window open and took a step toward her.
She was tall herself, but he made her feel small as he towered over her. She loved it.
“Hi,” he whispered, the grin still beaming from his face.
“Hi,” she replied, suddenly shy and intensely aware of the outline of her breasts and her taut nipples poking through the thin top. Maybe he wouldn’t notice.
He stood still, not touching her yet, but his gaze traveled up and down her body, and she felt the heat of his once-over every bit as if he’d actually run his hands across her.
His eyes stopped at her chest, and his grin widened.
Yeah, he noticed.
Gulp.
He reached out his right hand, swept it around her waist, and settled it on her back. He raised his left to her face and tenderly touched her cheek.
His touch sent a shiver of need racing down her back, and she fought to breathe.
His grin faded, and his lips parted, just slightly, just enough for his tongue to dart out and run across them.
He didn’t say anything, just looked down at her, his gaze locked on hers in an intense stare as his palm softly held her cheek.
Turning his hand over, he slowly—so achingly slowly—ran the back of his fingers down her throat, down her chest, trailing to the center of the V in the neck of her tank top, then skimming across the top of the exposed part of her breast.
She really couldn’t breathe now, couldn’t move, could only hold perfectly still as his fingers skimmed over the top of the fabric, slowly circling the outer edge of her breast. She sucked in a quick gasp as his thumb grazed her tight, pebbled nipple, and she feared her knees would buckle.
His hands were so big, but his touch was soft—so damn soft—as he slid his hand under her breast and cupped it in his palm.
Her back arched just the slightest, as if her body recognized his and wanted, needed, to get closer. As if a giant magnet drew them nearer.
He pulled at the edge of her loose neckline, drawing her shirt down and exposing one taut nipple, then rolled it between his fingers. She watched, spellbound, aching with tight anticipation as he dipped his head and swirled his tongue around the hardened nub, then sucked it between his lips.
Another sharp gasp escaped her, and she struggled to keep her legs steady as flames of heat shot straight to her core. She swallowed at the dry cotton lining the back of her throat.
Dipping his hand inside her shirt, he filled his palm with her breast, squeezing and caressing as he continued to lick and tease her nipple.
Her hands tightened into fists, her nails digging into her palms as her breath came in short pants of need.
The erotic sensations of his lips and hands on her breast before he’d even kissed her had heat surging through her body and her slim grasp of control slipping.
The shadow of his light beard scraped against her sensitive skin, sending another thrill coursing through her.
He pulled back, then dragged the tank top over her head, and her chest heaved as her full breasts lay naked and exposed. A low growl sounded at the back of his throat as he gazed down at her, then dipped his head and claimed her mouth in a kiss, capturing her gasp as his big hands slid around her bare back and pulled her close.
Her sensitive nipples brushed the cotton of his T-shirt, sending waves of gooseflesh across her skin.
Demanding kisses laced with another growl trailed down her neck and across her shoulders.
Her head dropped to his chest, and she let out a low moan as his hands slid over her hips and cupped her butt. Lifting her up, he wrapped her legs around his waist. She was acutely aware of the sensation of pressing herself against his hardened bulge. Every nerve in her body was taut as she dug her fingers into his hair, the visceral need for this man almost overwhelming her.
How could her need for him be so strong, so overwhelming, when he hadn’t touched her in years?
Because from the moment he’d first touched her, all those years ago, she’d given herself to him, and only him. She belonged to him.
He carried her to the bed, dropping her onto it and stopping only for a moment to tug his T-shirt over his head and toss it to the floor before he knelt above her.
His chest was so broad, the muscles hard and defined. She reached up, running her hands across its expanse, stopping to trace the few new scars that she noticed. Need and hunger filled her, overwhelming her with a desire to touch, to explore, to discover the contours and secrets of this man’s body that was so familiar, yet still so new to her.
Running her hand over his muscled shoulder and down his bicep, she felt the tremble in his arms and knew he had to be fighting the same kind of control she was.
What the heck was she doing? This was crazy. She hadn’t even talked to Rock in probably a year, and now within a few days of being around him again, she was ready to give herself to him, not just her body, but her heart.
Well, maybe not her heart, but at least her body.
Yeah, she was ready and willing to give that. In fact, she couldn’t wait to give that.
She squirmed under him, squeezing her legs around his as she rubbed against him.
His eyes narrowed, and he tucked a stray curl of her hair behind her ear as he looked down at her. His gaze was full of hunger, and she swore she could feel the heat of it on her skin.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? You need to tell me now, because I’m about ready to rip those little shorts right off you.” His lips curved into a devilish grin. “But I won’t if you tell me to stop.”
She shook her head back and forth, tingles of desire flooding her with his words. “Don’t stop.”
Those two words seemed to be all he needed to hear. He reared back, his thumbs hooking inside the hems of her shorts and her bikini panties before drawing them both down her legs.
She lay naked, exposed, her body—and what felt like her soul—bare on the bed before him.
Pushing all reasonable and sensible thoughts from her head—like the ones that were screaming what the hell are you doing?—she went with the moment, letting the emotion and the pure recklessness of it take her away as he crawled on the bed and knelt above her.
Rock wasn’t some stranger in a bar that she was picking up for a one-night stand. Although this might only be a one-night affair—she didn’t know, and at the moment, didn’t care—Rock was someone she knew, someone she had loved.
That you might still love, her heart whispered.
She pushed all of that away and just let her body feel the rough, calloused hands of a man against her skin, let herself sink into the sensation of being wanted and desired and hungered for to the absence of all rational thought.
His hand touched the curve of her hip, and heat shot through her body, making her squirm, and she held back a whimper of need.
One tiny intelligent thought made its way to the surface, and she gasped as she reached for his hand. “Wait.”
“Wait?” His voice came out in strangled hesitation.
“I don’t have any, you know, protection.” She swallowed, trying to catch her breath. “I mean I’m on the pill to regulate my periods, but I’m not always the best at taking them exactly on schedule.”
Oh geez, nothing sexier than bringing up your period when you are about to get jiggy with it. And she might as well have just admitted that she hadn’t had sex in ages if the only reason she took the pill was to help with her cycle.
Rock did not seem deterred though. In fact, a grin spread across his face, and he waggled his eyebrows at her. “Don’t worry. I told you I like to be prepared.” He reached into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out a handful of condoms.
Her eyes widened. “You just happened to have a pocket full of condoms?”
“No, I stole them from Colt’s room before I left the house. He’s at work.”
“Holy cow. How many did you bring?”
“I’m not sure. I was nervous. I just grabbed a handful.”
She loved that he’d just admitted that he was nervous.
“We should have enough though.” He opened his hand and let them fall in a cascade of plastic packets on the bed next to her. “Looks like six or eight. That should do the job.”
Six or eight? Gulp.
His grin widened, and her inner minx stood up and did a cheer. Gimme an R. Gimme an O. Gimme a C-K. Gimme a Rock, Rock, Rock, and give him to me six or eight times, and give him to me NOW!
Settle down, girl. Just because her inner sexpot was shamelessly flinging herself at him didn’t mean that Quinn had to show her hand.
She cocked an eyebrow and tried to play it cool. “Pretty ambitious, aren’t you?”
He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that only revved her engines even more, then he stood up, grabbed the waistband of his shorts, and pushed them over his hips, letting them fall to the ground.
Apparently, he’d had time to sneak into his brother’s room for condoms, but he hadn’t taken time to put on underwear, because he was full-on commando.
He crawled back up on the bed, giving her the full view of his naked body. And what a body. He had muscles in places she didn’t even know could have muscles.
His chest was solid, and his abs were hard and defined, and those little V-shaped things that went down the fronts of his hips—oh Lord have mercy.
Grabbing one of the packets, he tore it open, and grinned down at her. “You know what I always like to say, go big or go home.”
She swallowed. Speaking of big.
Oh. My. Gosh.
He covered himself and settled between her thighs, leaning over her and placing a tender kiss on the side of her throat.
His breath was warm against her skin, and she automatically wrapped her legs around him, drawing him closer and pulling him against her.
Clutching his back, she held on as he tunneled his hands through her hair, holding her head as he buried his face in her neck, murmuring sweet words of passion between hot kisses. His mouth was everywhere, her throat, her chest, her aching, tender nipples, kissing, licking, sucking, the heat of his kisses shooting straight to her sensitive core.
A growl vibrated from the back of his throat as he buried himself in her, and she clamped her lips together to keep from crying out with him.
Their bodies fell into a rhythm, almost as if they recognized each other on a primal level.
And Quinn did recognize him: she knew his smell, the sounds he made, the way he moved with her. His muscled arms might be bigger, but they still held her the same way, touched her in the same places.
Although he had learned a few new moves. A few amazing new moves.
She clung to him, soft moans filling her throat, and she dropped her head back, surrendering to the delicious friction.
Her center ached, filling her with rapture as he took her to the brink, her fevered nerve endings begging for release.
Another stroke, another touch, and she was gone, falling over the edge.
She gasped, the muscles in her thighs trembling as she rode the waves of pleasure.
He gripped her hips, his fingers digging into her skin as he let go with his own release, his body shuddering, then he collapsed on top of her.
Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she reveled in the weight of him on top of her, then she couldn’t breathe.
She let out a gasp and he slid off her, pulling her next to him as he lightly chuckled. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She grinned up at him. “I liked it.” She curled into him, closing her eyes and snuggling against his warm body.
Her eyes shot open as a sudden thought occurred to her. “Holy crap. I should have locked my bedroom door. What if Max had walked in? Or, oh my gosh, my dad?”
“Shh. It’s all right. Nobody walked in, so we’re okay.” He lifted his arm to release her. “But you should go lock it now.”
A grin curved her lips. “Yeah?”
“Hell yeah. We’ve still got at least six more condoms to get through.”
She covered her mouth, stifling the giggle as she climbed out of bed and tiptoed across the room to lock her bedroom door.
Turning around, even in the dim light of the moonlight, she could see him watch her walk naked back to the bed.
A man hadn’t seen her naked in years, and she was tempted to try to cover herself, to cover the spots that had gone soft with childbirth and too many helpings of ice cream.
But instead, she pushed back her shoulders, ignoring the instinct to cross her arms over her bare chest, and walked confidently forward.
It had been a “what the hell” kind of night already, so why not add one more thing to it?
What the hell? Let him look.
By the sexy grin covering his face, he seemed to be enjoying the show.
Empowered by his admiring approval, her inner minx took over, and she crawled onto the bed, pressing him onto his back, then sliding her leg over him as she straddled his waist.
A naughty smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she watched his eyes widen and gleam with hunger.
Hold on to your hat, cowboy. The show has just begun.
* * *
Rock climbed out of Quinn’s window and quietly eased the screen back into place.
The sun was just peeking over the horizon and bathed Rivers Gulch in golden morning light.
He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but it had felt so good, lying in Quinn’s bed with her soft body curled against him. He hadn’t realized how empty his arms had been until she filled them again.
Last night had been perfect. It had bordered on freaking magical.
And he could not stop smiling.
He edged around the corner of the house, skimming the yard to make sure no one was around.
He just had to get to the other side of the barn, and he could slip into the side pasture unnoticed.
Taking a cautious step forward, he froze as he heard the subtle squeak of the front screen door opening.
Cringing, he turned his head, expecting to see the stern frown on the face of Hamilton Rivers.
Instead, he saw the slight figure of a woman. Her back was to him, but she wore a big sweater, leggings, and she held her sandals in her hand as she delicately let the screen door fall back into place.
He blinked, his brain trying to comprehend exactly what was going on here as the woman turned and tiptoed down the front steps.
“Mom?”
Chapter 13
Rock’s mouth hung open at the sight of his mother sneaking out of the Rivers’s house.
Vivi gasped, her hand clutching her chest, and she whispered, “Oh dear Lord, Rockford, you scared the pee out of me.” She yanked her shoes on and scurried across the empty yard toward the barn. “I mean it. I literally peed myself a little.”
“Come on, Mom. I do not need to hear that,” he whispered back, following behind her as they hustled around the edge of the barn.
Once they were out of sight, Vivi slowed to a walk and headed toward the path through the pasture.
“Mom,” Rock said, keeping his voice low as he fell in step beside her. “What in the world are you doing here?”
She offered him an impish grin and smoothed down her hair. “Would you believe that we were watching a movie and I fell asleep on the sofa?”
“Well, it’s a heck of a lot better than imagining the alternative.”
She let out a laugh. “Well then, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”
“Geez, Mom.” He shook his head. “Hamilton? Are you serious? You do not understand the dynamics of a feud whatsoever.”
She chuckled again. “That dumb feud has been over for years.”
The path dipped where a rainstorm had cut a gulley across it, and he held out his hand to help her across.
She took his hand, skipping over the ridges in the path, then squinted up at him. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, Son. Keeping the attention on me so we don’t have to talk about the fact that I wasn’t the only one sneaking out of the Rivers’s house this morning.”
He shrugged. “I must have fallen asleep on the sofa too.”
His mother’s hearty laugh rang across the green pasture.
* * *
Later that evening, Rock flicked his fishing pole, letting out his line with a whirr as he cast into the serene waters of the pond that lay between the Rivers’s ranch and theirs.
A knock sounded at her window.
Chapter 12
Quinn jumped and let out a quiet yelp as her gaze shot to the window.
Rock was standing there.
Right outside her window. And grinning like a loon.
He waved her over.
Oh. My.
She’d done it. She’d said yes.
And now he was here.
All she had to do was open the window and let him in. Into her bedroom.
She pushed back the covers and climbed out of bed.
Where the heck was her robe? Too late.
Just open the window.
Crossing the room, her heart hammering against her chest, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He wore a burgundy team T-shirt and loose cotton shorts, and his hair was mussed around his forehead.
He looked hot as hell.
What was she doing? Was she crazy?
Opening the window was what she was doing, sliding up the frame and stepping back as he popped the screen free from the other side and crawled through.
“I think this window was bigger when I was a kid,” he whispered as he squeezed his large frame through.
He was so much bigger than he used to be—his hands, his arms, his chest, even his feet seemed bigger.
She fought back a giggle as she wondered if everything about him was bigger.
Her nipples puckered again as she wondered—hoped?—that she was about to find out.
He left the window open and took a step toward her.
She was tall herself, but he made her feel small as he towered over her. She loved it.
“Hi,” he whispered, the grin still beaming from his face.
“Hi,” she replied, suddenly shy and intensely aware of the outline of her breasts and her taut nipples poking through the thin top. Maybe he wouldn’t notice.
He stood still, not touching her yet, but his gaze traveled up and down her body, and she felt the heat of his once-over every bit as if he’d actually run his hands across her.
His eyes stopped at her chest, and his grin widened.
Yeah, he noticed.
Gulp.
He reached out his right hand, swept it around her waist, and settled it on her back. He raised his left to her face and tenderly touched her cheek.
His touch sent a shiver of need racing down her back, and she fought to breathe.
His grin faded, and his lips parted, just slightly, just enough for his tongue to dart out and run across them.
He didn’t say anything, just looked down at her, his gaze locked on hers in an intense stare as his palm softly held her cheek.
Turning his hand over, he slowly—so achingly slowly—ran the back of his fingers down her throat, down her chest, trailing to the center of the V in the neck of her tank top, then skimming across the top of the exposed part of her breast.
She really couldn’t breathe now, couldn’t move, could only hold perfectly still as his fingers skimmed over the top of the fabric, slowly circling the outer edge of her breast. She sucked in a quick gasp as his thumb grazed her tight, pebbled nipple, and she feared her knees would buckle.
His hands were so big, but his touch was soft—so damn soft—as he slid his hand under her breast and cupped it in his palm.
Her back arched just the slightest, as if her body recognized his and wanted, needed, to get closer. As if a giant magnet drew them nearer.
He pulled at the edge of her loose neckline, drawing her shirt down and exposing one taut nipple, then rolled it between his fingers. She watched, spellbound, aching with tight anticipation as he dipped his head and swirled his tongue around the hardened nub, then sucked it between his lips.
Another sharp gasp escaped her, and she struggled to keep her legs steady as flames of heat shot straight to her core. She swallowed at the dry cotton lining the back of her throat.
Dipping his hand inside her shirt, he filled his palm with her breast, squeezing and caressing as he continued to lick and tease her nipple.
Her hands tightened into fists, her nails digging into her palms as her breath came in short pants of need.
The erotic sensations of his lips and hands on her breast before he’d even kissed her had heat surging through her body and her slim grasp of control slipping.
The shadow of his light beard scraped against her sensitive skin, sending another thrill coursing through her.
He pulled back, then dragged the tank top over her head, and her chest heaved as her full breasts lay naked and exposed. A low growl sounded at the back of his throat as he gazed down at her, then dipped his head and claimed her mouth in a kiss, capturing her gasp as his big hands slid around her bare back and pulled her close.
Her sensitive nipples brushed the cotton of his T-shirt, sending waves of gooseflesh across her skin.
Demanding kisses laced with another growl trailed down her neck and across her shoulders.
Her head dropped to his chest, and she let out a low moan as his hands slid over her hips and cupped her butt. Lifting her up, he wrapped her legs around his waist. She was acutely aware of the sensation of pressing herself against his hardened bulge. Every nerve in her body was taut as she dug her fingers into his hair, the visceral need for this man almost overwhelming her.
How could her need for him be so strong, so overwhelming, when he hadn’t touched her in years?
Because from the moment he’d first touched her, all those years ago, she’d given herself to him, and only him. She belonged to him.
He carried her to the bed, dropping her onto it and stopping only for a moment to tug his T-shirt over his head and toss it to the floor before he knelt above her.
His chest was so broad, the muscles hard and defined. She reached up, running her hands across its expanse, stopping to trace the few new scars that she noticed. Need and hunger filled her, overwhelming her with a desire to touch, to explore, to discover the contours and secrets of this man’s body that was so familiar, yet still so new to her.
Running her hand over his muscled shoulder and down his bicep, she felt the tremble in his arms and knew he had to be fighting the same kind of control she was.
What the heck was she doing? This was crazy. She hadn’t even talked to Rock in probably a year, and now within a few days of being around him again, she was ready to give herself to him, not just her body, but her heart.
Well, maybe not her heart, but at least her body.
Yeah, she was ready and willing to give that. In fact, she couldn’t wait to give that.
She squirmed under him, squeezing her legs around his as she rubbed against him.
His eyes narrowed, and he tucked a stray curl of her hair behind her ear as he looked down at her. His gaze was full of hunger, and she swore she could feel the heat of it on her skin.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? You need to tell me now, because I’m about ready to rip those little shorts right off you.” His lips curved into a devilish grin. “But I won’t if you tell me to stop.”
She shook her head back and forth, tingles of desire flooding her with his words. “Don’t stop.”
Those two words seemed to be all he needed to hear. He reared back, his thumbs hooking inside the hems of her shorts and her bikini panties before drawing them both down her legs.
She lay naked, exposed, her body—and what felt like her soul—bare on the bed before him.
Pushing all reasonable and sensible thoughts from her head—like the ones that were screaming what the hell are you doing?—she went with the moment, letting the emotion and the pure recklessness of it take her away as he crawled on the bed and knelt above her.
Rock wasn’t some stranger in a bar that she was picking up for a one-night stand. Although this might only be a one-night affair—she didn’t know, and at the moment, didn’t care—Rock was someone she knew, someone she had loved.
That you might still love, her heart whispered.
She pushed all of that away and just let her body feel the rough, calloused hands of a man against her skin, let herself sink into the sensation of being wanted and desired and hungered for to the absence of all rational thought.
His hand touched the curve of her hip, and heat shot through her body, making her squirm, and she held back a whimper of need.
One tiny intelligent thought made its way to the surface, and she gasped as she reached for his hand. “Wait.”
“Wait?” His voice came out in strangled hesitation.
“I don’t have any, you know, protection.” She swallowed, trying to catch her breath. “I mean I’m on the pill to regulate my periods, but I’m not always the best at taking them exactly on schedule.”
Oh geez, nothing sexier than bringing up your period when you are about to get jiggy with it. And she might as well have just admitted that she hadn’t had sex in ages if the only reason she took the pill was to help with her cycle.
Rock did not seem deterred though. In fact, a grin spread across his face, and he waggled his eyebrows at her. “Don’t worry. I told you I like to be prepared.” He reached into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out a handful of condoms.
Her eyes widened. “You just happened to have a pocket full of condoms?”
“No, I stole them from Colt’s room before I left the house. He’s at work.”
“Holy cow. How many did you bring?”
“I’m not sure. I was nervous. I just grabbed a handful.”
She loved that he’d just admitted that he was nervous.
“We should have enough though.” He opened his hand and let them fall in a cascade of plastic packets on the bed next to her. “Looks like six or eight. That should do the job.”
Six or eight? Gulp.
His grin widened, and her inner minx stood up and did a cheer. Gimme an R. Gimme an O. Gimme a C-K. Gimme a Rock, Rock, Rock, and give him to me six or eight times, and give him to me NOW!
Settle down, girl. Just because her inner sexpot was shamelessly flinging herself at him didn’t mean that Quinn had to show her hand.
She cocked an eyebrow and tried to play it cool. “Pretty ambitious, aren’t you?”
He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that only revved her engines even more, then he stood up, grabbed the waistband of his shorts, and pushed them over his hips, letting them fall to the ground.
Apparently, he’d had time to sneak into his brother’s room for condoms, but he hadn’t taken time to put on underwear, because he was full-on commando.
He crawled back up on the bed, giving her the full view of his naked body. And what a body. He had muscles in places she didn’t even know could have muscles.
His chest was solid, and his abs were hard and defined, and those little V-shaped things that went down the fronts of his hips—oh Lord have mercy.
Grabbing one of the packets, he tore it open, and grinned down at her. “You know what I always like to say, go big or go home.”
She swallowed. Speaking of big.
Oh. My. Gosh.
He covered himself and settled between her thighs, leaning over her and placing a tender kiss on the side of her throat.
His breath was warm against her skin, and she automatically wrapped her legs around him, drawing him closer and pulling him against her.
Clutching his back, she held on as he tunneled his hands through her hair, holding her head as he buried his face in her neck, murmuring sweet words of passion between hot kisses. His mouth was everywhere, her throat, her chest, her aching, tender nipples, kissing, licking, sucking, the heat of his kisses shooting straight to her sensitive core.
A growl vibrated from the back of his throat as he buried himself in her, and she clamped her lips together to keep from crying out with him.
Their bodies fell into a rhythm, almost as if they recognized each other on a primal level.
And Quinn did recognize him: she knew his smell, the sounds he made, the way he moved with her. His muscled arms might be bigger, but they still held her the same way, touched her in the same places.
Although he had learned a few new moves. A few amazing new moves.
She clung to him, soft moans filling her throat, and she dropped her head back, surrendering to the delicious friction.
Her center ached, filling her with rapture as he took her to the brink, her fevered nerve endings begging for release.
Another stroke, another touch, and she was gone, falling over the edge.
She gasped, the muscles in her thighs trembling as she rode the waves of pleasure.
He gripped her hips, his fingers digging into her skin as he let go with his own release, his body shuddering, then he collapsed on top of her.
Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she reveled in the weight of him on top of her, then she couldn’t breathe.
She let out a gasp and he slid off her, pulling her next to him as he lightly chuckled. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She grinned up at him. “I liked it.” She curled into him, closing her eyes and snuggling against his warm body.
Her eyes shot open as a sudden thought occurred to her. “Holy crap. I should have locked my bedroom door. What if Max had walked in? Or, oh my gosh, my dad?”
“Shh. It’s all right. Nobody walked in, so we’re okay.” He lifted his arm to release her. “But you should go lock it now.”
A grin curved her lips. “Yeah?”
“Hell yeah. We’ve still got at least six more condoms to get through.”
She covered her mouth, stifling the giggle as she climbed out of bed and tiptoed across the room to lock her bedroom door.
Turning around, even in the dim light of the moonlight, she could see him watch her walk naked back to the bed.
A man hadn’t seen her naked in years, and she was tempted to try to cover herself, to cover the spots that had gone soft with childbirth and too many helpings of ice cream.
But instead, she pushed back her shoulders, ignoring the instinct to cross her arms over her bare chest, and walked confidently forward.
It had been a “what the hell” kind of night already, so why not add one more thing to it?
What the hell? Let him look.
By the sexy grin covering his face, he seemed to be enjoying the show.
Empowered by his admiring approval, her inner minx took over, and she crawled onto the bed, pressing him onto his back, then sliding her leg over him as she straddled his waist.
A naughty smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she watched his eyes widen and gleam with hunger.
Hold on to your hat, cowboy. The show has just begun.
* * *
Rock climbed out of Quinn’s window and quietly eased the screen back into place.
The sun was just peeking over the horizon and bathed Rivers Gulch in golden morning light.
He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but it had felt so good, lying in Quinn’s bed with her soft body curled against him. He hadn’t realized how empty his arms had been until she filled them again.
Last night had been perfect. It had bordered on freaking magical.
And he could not stop smiling.
He edged around the corner of the house, skimming the yard to make sure no one was around.
He just had to get to the other side of the barn, and he could slip into the side pasture unnoticed.
Taking a cautious step forward, he froze as he heard the subtle squeak of the front screen door opening.
Cringing, he turned his head, expecting to see the stern frown on the face of Hamilton Rivers.
Instead, he saw the slight figure of a woman. Her back was to him, but she wore a big sweater, leggings, and she held her sandals in her hand as she delicately let the screen door fall back into place.
He blinked, his brain trying to comprehend exactly what was going on here as the woman turned and tiptoed down the front steps.
“Mom?”
Chapter 13
Rock’s mouth hung open at the sight of his mother sneaking out of the Rivers’s house.
Vivi gasped, her hand clutching her chest, and she whispered, “Oh dear Lord, Rockford, you scared the pee out of me.” She yanked her shoes on and scurried across the empty yard toward the barn. “I mean it. I literally peed myself a little.”
“Come on, Mom. I do not need to hear that,” he whispered back, following behind her as they hustled around the edge of the barn.
Once they were out of sight, Vivi slowed to a walk and headed toward the path through the pasture.
“Mom,” Rock said, keeping his voice low as he fell in step beside her. “What in the world are you doing here?”
She offered him an impish grin and smoothed down her hair. “Would you believe that we were watching a movie and I fell asleep on the sofa?”
“Well, it’s a heck of a lot better than imagining the alternative.”
She let out a laugh. “Well then, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”
“Geez, Mom.” He shook his head. “Hamilton? Are you serious? You do not understand the dynamics of a feud whatsoever.”
She chuckled again. “That dumb feud has been over for years.”
The path dipped where a rainstorm had cut a gulley across it, and he held out his hand to help her across.
She took his hand, skipping over the ridges in the path, then squinted up at him. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, Son. Keeping the attention on me so we don’t have to talk about the fact that I wasn’t the only one sneaking out of the Rivers’s house this morning.”
He shrugged. “I must have fallen asleep on the sofa too.”
His mother’s hearty laugh rang across the green pasture.
* * *
Later that evening, Rock flicked his fishing pole, letting out his line with a whirr as he cast into the serene waters of the pond that lay between the Rivers’s ranch and theirs.
