Roping Your Heart Read online

  Her eyes went wide and she cried out as he licked and sucked her clit. He slid a finger into her core and moved it in and out as he went down on her.

  Colors and sensations swirled in her mind as she watched him, his head between her thighs and his eyes meeting hers. He flicked his tongue over the hard nub and she could barely keep her eyes open so that she could watch him.

  Her climax came closer and closer and she knew she wasn’t going to be able to hold back. It rose inside her and her thighs started to tremble.

  The orgasm burst inside her and she jerked and cried out as her body throbbed and shook from the power of her climax.

  He was kicking off his boots and unfastening his jeans as she came down from the pinnacle she’d just climbed. She watched him, dazed, as his big, thick cock was released from his clothing and then he was as naked as she was.

  He grasped her by the waist, flipped her over so that her belly and breasts were on the desk with papers and files beneath her, and then his cock was pressed against her ass. “You know how I like it from behind.”

  “Yes.” The word hissed from her.

  She heard the sound of foil tearing and knew he must have had a condom in his wallet. A moment later he spread her open then placed the head of his cock against her core. He grasped her hips and slammed himself inside her.

  She nearly screamed from the exquisite pleasure and pain of the suddenness of him stretching her and filling her. It had been so long since she’d had sex, and no one could ever have compared to Blake.

  “Damn, you’re tight.” He began taking her, hard and fast. Papers that had been stacked so neatly began flying off the desk, folders sliding off and thumping onto the floor.

  He took her like a wild man, growling deep in his throat. Just when she was about to climax again, he pulled out, causing her to whimper.

  And then he was flipping her onto her back, more papers flying onto the floor. Her back was slick with sweat and she could feel papers sticking to her skin.

  “I want to see your eyes as you watch me take you.” He hooked her thighs around his and drove into her again.

  It was so difficult to keep her eyes open as she was carried away by the sensations. He grasped her breasts and pinched her nipples as he drove in and out, pinching them so hard it made her eyes widen in surprise.

  Sweat rolled down the side of his face and his expression was almost pained, his eyes dark with passion. His jaw tensed and she knew he was close to coming. She recognized that look from all those years ago.

  Her second orgasm came out of nowhere. She cried out and then he was shouting as he came inside her. She felt the throb of his cock in time with the pulsing in her core.

  And then he was bracing his hands to either side of her, looking down at her as his groin pressed tight against hers, his cock still inside her.

  He gave her a gentle kiss then smiled at her. “It’s damned good to have you back, KitCat, and although it was great, I’m not talking about the sex.”

  She smiled up at him. “That was some welcome home.”

  “Just wait ’til we have seconds,” he said and kissed her again.

  Chapter 8

  Cat shifted on Blake’s bed, snuggling closer to him, his bare skin warm against hers. He held her with one arm while he lay on his back, her head resting on his shoulder. He slowly stroked her arm with his fingertips. His scent filled her and she felt content for the first time in a long time.

  She smiled, loving the moment yet knowing it couldn’t last forever. Her stomach growled and he gave a soft chuckle.

  “Let’s get something to eat.” He ran his finger along her nose to the tip. “All this great sex has helped work up an appetite. And then I have my evening chores to take care of.”

  She nodded and her hair slid like silk across his chest. “Sounds good to me.”

  They both slid out of bed. He gave her one of his T-shirts to wear, clearly remembering that she’d always loved to wear his T-shirts when they’d dated. She slipped into it and realized it fit her even looser than his shirts had when he was a young man.

  “You look so damned cute.” He kissed her then slid on a pair of boxer briefs and a nice snug pair of Wrangler jeans.

  “And you look so damned hot,” she said, admiring his bare chest and the way the jeans hung low on his hips.

  He put his arm around her shoulders and she slipped her hand around his waist as they walked to the kitchen. Through the huge windows she could see the sun was lowering, the western horizon deepening to yellows, oranges, and dark blue.

  She glanced at the clock. “It’s nearly seven-thirty. No wonder I’m hungry.”

  “What would you like for dinner?” He released her and went to the fridge. “For something quick, there’s a pan of leftover enchiladas along with guacamole, salsa, and chips.”

  “Perfect.” She pushed her hair out of her face. “What do you want me to do?”

  He grabbed the salsa and guacamole and handed them to her then took out the enchiladas. While heating the pan of them in the microwave, they set the table and got out a bag of chips along with the pitcher of iced tea and a couple of glasses. When the enchiladas were finished heating, they sat and he served generous helpings with a spatula.

  She dug in and made a satisfied sound. “Fantastic.” She looked at him to see he was looking at her with an amused expression. “What?”

  “It’s good to have you here, KitCat.” A smile curved his mouth.

  She gave him a smile in return. “It’s good to be here.” She cut into another piece of enchilada.

  “How’s your grandmother?” he asked.

  “Not so good.” Cat felt concern ball in her chest. “That’s why I came back.”

  He studied her. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “I don’t think so.” Cat shook her head. “But I think she’s glad to have me back.”

  “I am, too,” he said, his voice low and serious.

  She sought to change the subject. “Your daughter is a special girl.”

  He smiled. “She is.”

  “So, you have full custody?” Cat asked.

  “Since she was six.” His expression didn’t change, but Cat sensed tension in him. She wasn’t going to ask anything more, but he volunteered the information, his look becoming serious. “Sally, her mother, ran off with a man she met in rehab to God knows where. I filed for divorce and full custody and she didn’t contest it.”

  “It’s hard to believe a mother could abandon her child like that,” Cat said quietly.

  “I sure as hell couldn’t believe it.” He shook his head. “We married because she got pregnant and I wanted to do the right thing. It wasn’t easy, but at least Demi had both her parents.” His expression darkened. “Then Sally changed. It was like something inside her just snapped and she didn’t want to be a mother anymore, much less stay married to a man she didn’t love.”

  Cat looked down at her plate, her thoughts turning over what he’d said. She looked at Blake again. “I can’t imagine what you and Demi must have gone through.”

  “The worst part was explaining to Demi that her mother had left and I didn’t know if she was coming back.” His jaw tightened. “She did return a couple of years ago and I agreed to try to make it work so that Demi could have her mother. It didn’t last long and she was gone again.”

  Blake had never been much of a talker, and Cat was surprised that he was sharing as much as he was.

  “Sally has been moved from place to place with no stability,” Blake continued, and his eyes narrowed. “But not too long ago she contacted Demi and told her she has an apartment in Prescott and she wants Demi to stay with her.”

  “Are you going to let her?” Cat asked.

  He rubbed his hand over his head. “I sure as hell don’t want to. But damned if I know what’s the right thing to do.”

  She nodded. “That’s a tough situation to be in.”

  “Yeah, it is.” He shook his head. “Demi needs a woman
’s influence in her life, but as far as I’m concerned, her mother isn’t the right influence. But I don’t know if I’m enough.”

  Cat reached across the table and put her hand on his. “I’d say you’ve done an incredible job of raising your daughter. I’m sure you’re doing more than enough.”

  He turned his hand over and held hers. “Did you have any serious relationships after Toby Jennings?”

  She was suddenly aware of the scar again and it tingled. She had forgotten it the entire time she’d been with Blake. With him it didn’t seem to matter at all.

  “One.” She took a deep breath and drew her hand away from his. “I married a man…”

  “I didn’t realize you’d been married,” Blake said.

  “Yes.” She bit her lower lip as familiar pain ripped through her. She met his gaze. “We had a daughter. We lost her when she was four.”

  Blake’s face registered shock. “Oh, honey. Damn, I’m sorry.”

  Cat wiped away a tear. It didn’t matter how many years had passed, her heart broke all over again whenever she talked about Melanie. “She would have been close to Demi’s age now.”

  He took both of her hands and squeezed them. “I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through. Damn.” He shook his head. “If anything happened to Demi…”

  Cat squeezed his hands in return. “Melanie was a blessing in my life. I thank God for the time we had together. She’s with me wherever I go. She’s my angel.”

  He gave a slow nod, his expression showing so much compassion that it made her heart squeeze.

  She took a deep breath and went back to what they’d been talking about. “I’ve dated but there’s never been a man I’ve truly fallen in love with. Not since—” She was going to say “not since you,” but she didn’t complete the thought.

  He studied her and filled it in with, “Not since Toby or your ex.”

  “To be honest, Toby and I were never that serious. He’d been an escape. A way out of Prescott. I thought that maybe we had something real, but I realized after he left that it wasn’t.” She waved her hand like waving Toby away. “As far as my ex, I would consider him a total mistake if it hadn’t been for my daughter.”

  Blake looked thoughtful but didn’t ask her any more questions.

  They had finished eating before she realized it. “I guess I should head home,” she said as they cleaned the dishes and put everything away.

  “Why don’t you spend the night?” He grasped her by the shoulders and searched her gaze. “Demi said Amy’s mother will drop her off sometime in the afternoon.”

  Cat bit her lower lip. Was it a good idea? The more time she spent around Blake, the more likely she was going to fall for him again.

  But she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to feel his arms around her and wake up in the morning with his body next to hers.

  He lightly stroked the curve of her face. “Say yes, KitCat.”

  It felt so good to hear him call her that again. She couldn’t help herself and said, “Okay.”

  He smiled. “I’ve got to take care of those chores first.”

  She smiled. “I’ll help.”

  When they were finished, they headed back into the house. She’d enjoyed helping him feed the animals and take care of other chores around the ranch.

  “How about a movie?” he asked once they were inside.

  “Sure.” She tilted her head to the side. “What do you have?”

  “Let’s go take a look.”

  They agreed on a movie that had recently come out on DVD. He set it up and they cuddled on one end of the couch. He had his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder, her bare legs curled under her on the couch.

  It felt good being with him again, and so natural that it surprised her. It was like they started right back where they’d left off, only they were a lot older now. So much had happened over the past nearly two decades, in each of their lives, and it had changed them, shaped them.

  Yet here they were.

  The movie wasn’t half over when he adjusted her in his arms and kissed her. His kiss made her forget everything but being with him. It was slow and sensual and made her head feel like it was spinning.

  Something about his kiss was magic, transporting her to another place and time. She slipped her hand up his bare chest to his neck and slid her hand into the short strands of his hair. She liked the way it felt against her fingers.

  He brought her onto his lap, still kissing her, a groan rumbling up inside him and she answered it with a soft moan. She wanted him again, was ready for him in so many ways. He moved his hand to her breast and it felt so warm through the cotton of the T-shirt she was wearing. His T-shirt. The material had been rubbing her nipples all night and his touch made her nipples feel even more sensitive.

  “I think I need some rope,” he murmured. “I’ll tie you to my bed and won’t let you get away.”

  “Promise?” she whispered.

  Still holding her in his arms, he stood in a motion so quick it caught her off guard and she cried out and held onto his neck. His gaze held hers for a long moment before he carried her back to his bedroom.

  Chapter 9

  Early the following morning, the front door opened then slammed shut. “Dad, I’m home.”

  Blake almost groaned. Damn. Demi wasn’t supposed to be home until the afternoon. He’d had made a point of never having women over when his daughter was home.

  He paused before bringing the gallon of milk out of the fridge, then closed the door and walked to the counter where two tall glasses waited for Cat and himself.

  Cat had been just about to take a bite out of a cinnamon roll and had gone still, hand and roll frozen in midair. She was sitting at the kitchen table and was wearing one of his T-shirts with panties beneath that but no bra.

  He met Cat’s gaze and tried to give her a reassuring look. She didn’t look the least bit reassured.

  “In the kitchen, honey,” he called out to Demi. He started pouring milk into one of the glasses as his daughter walked into the kitchen. “Do you want a cinnamon roll and milk?”

  Demi walked into the kitchen and her gaze stopped on Cat. She spun to face her father. “I saw Cat’s truck and thought she came over early. But she spent the night, didn’t she,” Demi stated in a furious tone. “She’s even wearing your T-shirt.”

  Cat had blushed even before Demi had entered the kitchen. She set down her cinnamon roll on her plate. She wiped her fingers on a napkin and tugged down the T-shirt.

  “Right now she’s having breakfast with me.” He carried the two glasses of milk to the table and set one in front of Cat. “Do you want some?”

  A flush crept over his daughter’s face as she gripped her duffel bag tighter. “So, she really did spend the night?”

  There was no sense in lying about it. His daughter was a smart girl, and he wouldn’t insult her intelligence.

  “Yes.” He pulled up his chair at the table, across from Cat, but didn’t sit down. “How was your time at Amy’s?”

  “I can’t believe you slept with her.” Demi’s knuckles were turning white as she gripped the strap of her duffel.

  “Demi.” He kept his voice calm. “You can either join us for breakfast or you can take your things to your room.”

  “That’s why you wanted me to go to Amy’s. You didn’t want me here.” She glared at him and Cat before she whirled and ran down the hall.

  Cat’s eyes were wide as she turned to look at him. “I should have gone home last night.”

  He shook his head. “It’s not your fault. I thought Demi wouldn’t be back until late this afternoon.”

  “I feel awful.” Cat scooted back her chair. “I should go.”

  He leaned over the table and touched her wrist. “Stay. It’s too late and you might as well eat your breakfast.”

  She nodded and brought her chair back up to the table, but she didn’t look happy as she tore off a piece of the cinnamon roll and stared at it before
setting it down again.

  “I’m not going to let a good thing like what we’ve had be ruined.” He held her gaze. “Okay?”

  She didn’t look convinced, but she nodded again.

  “I need to go and talk with Demi.” He pushed his chair back up to the table. “I’ll be back.”

  “Yes,” Cat said.

  He rubbed his scalp with his hand as he headed down the hall to Demi’s room. Damn. This wasn’t the way he’d wanted his daughter to know he was in a relationship with a woman.

  Was that what it was? A relationship?

  Yeah, it was, as far as he was concerned. He wasn’t into one-night stands and he’d never think of Cat that way.

  This time Demi’s door wasn’t closed all of the way. He knocked and paused before he pushed the door all the way open.

  She was lying on her bed facedown, a pillow over her head so that he couldn’t see her face.

  He sat on the edge of her bed, close to her. “Hey, kiddo.”

  “Don’t call me that,” came her muffled voice from beneath the pillow.

  He gently pulled the pillow off her head and set it aside, against her stuffed horse. Her cheek rested on the mattress, facing him, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes.

  “We need to talk about this.” He reached out and smoothed strands of blonde hair from her cheek.

  “That’s why you wanted me to go to Amy’s so bad.” A sob came out of her throat. “You didn’t want me around.”

  “That’s not true.” He continued to stroke her hair. “What happened with Cat and me…I never expected it. The fact that she spent the night had nothing to do with me encouraging you to go to Amy’s.”

  She was silent a long moment.

  “Honey, are you all right?” he asked.

  “No.” Tears glistened on her lashes as she met his gaze. Whenever she cried a part of him ached inside. “How can you and Mom get back together if you’re dating other women?”

  He was taken aback for a moment before he said, “Your mom and I aren’t going to get back together. We tried it, honey, and it didn’t work.”