Lipstick and Leather (Rough and Ready Book 7) Read online

  He laid her back on the blanket and she looked up, into his brilliant blue eyes. His features were strong, his expression intense as he studied her for a moment.

  “Honey, I can’t wait any more to be inside of you.” A muscle in his jaw twitched. “You deserve slow and easy. But I’m not a slow and easy kind of guy.”

  He pushed her blouse up and helped her take it off, then ditched her bra too. She arched her back and moaned as he sucked each of her nipples. Her pants and panties were already down to her thighs from when he spanked her and he pulled her boots off one at a time before tugging her pants off.

  When she was naked he rubbed his fingers through her folds and felt her wetness. He slipped his fingers into her core and rubbed her clit with his thumb. She squirmed, loving the erotic sensations of his fingers in her and the breeze tightening her wet nipples and brushing her skin.

  Joe unfastened his jeans and brought out his cock and balls. His erection looked huge in the daylight. He dug a package out of his back pocket, ripped it open, then rolled the condom onto his erection.

  His gaze was fierce as he braced himself over her, positioning himself at her core. She hooked her ankles behind his hips and pulled him toward her. He thrust so hard she cried out.

  It felt amazing to have him inside her, filling her up, making her feel complete. He took her hard, like he couldn’t take her fast enough.

  A buzzing sound started in her head and her mind started to whirl. The strength of her oncoming orgasm was so powerful she shook with it.

  He looked at her so intensely that it added fuel to the wave rising inside of her. “Come, Brianna, honey. I want you to come.”

  She was there, almost here—

  Her climax rushed over her like a wave slamming against the shoreline. She heard his groan of pleasure as he came. He thrust in and out a few times more and then he pressed his groin tight to hers.

  Their gazes locked, both of them breathing hard. He lowered himself so that he was on top of her without putting all of his bodyweight on her.

  She hugged him tight until he eased off her and they faced each other.

  “Amazing.” She gave a sigh of satisfaction.

  He brushed his lips over hers then drew back. “I want to just jump into this thing with you.”

  “We need to take it a step at a time…” She trailed her finger down his chest and wished he was naked, too. “Maybe we should slow down.”

  “You may be right.” His expression was intense as he settled his hand on her side. “But my gut tells me differently.”

  She offered him a smile. “I don’t think we should sleep in the same bed at night. I’m afraid otherwise we’re not going to be able to think clearly about this.”

  He cupped her breast in his hand and rubbed his thumb over her nipple. “Are you sure about that?”

  She gave a soft moan as she tried to focus on the topic and not on the way he was making her body feel. “That’s not fighting fair.”

  With a soft laugh he said, “What would be the fun in that?”

  Brianna stared up at the ceiling again. Just like the first night she had spent on the ranch, she thought about Joe. Only this time his touches had been real, not imagined.

  She turned on her side and closed her eyes and tried not to think about him or the ride and picnic they’d had earlier today.

  No good.

  She turned onto her other side and shut her eyes again, but they popped open.

  Nope, not working.

  Was he thinking about her as he lay in his bed? Was he having as much trouble sleeping as she was?

  Love at first sight.

  He loved her?

  Crazy. It was insane.

  But it happened all of the time. Why not to her and Joe? He didn’t seem the type to say anything he didn’t mean, especially something as important as the L word.

  Her body ached for him from her nipples to that place between her thighs.

  She was the one who had suggested the slowdown. How stupid. Now she couldn’t sleep thinking about him.

  Before she even realized what she was doing, she was swinging her legs over the bed and standing on the tile. She headed out of her bedroom, her short nightgown brushing her thighs as she walked, the tile smooth and cool beneath her bare feet.

  She turned right and started down the hallway that led to the back of the house. What am I doing? she asked herself.

  Just as she reached the door that opened up into the backyard, the door swung open.

  Joe stood in the doorway. His black hair was messy and he had a day’s stubble on his jaws.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” she said.

  “Same here.” He hitched his shoulder against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his powerful chest. “So tell me, what are you doing here this time of night?”

  “Going for a walk?” She tried for innocent but by his amused expression, she knew he wasn’t going for it.

  He pushed away from the doorframe and in the next moment she was in his arms. “Truth is you’re in the hallway for the same reason I am.”

  “You’re hungry and going to the kitchen for a snack?” she said with an innocent expression.

  “The only snack I’m going for is you.” He brought her closer and she felt a low thrill in her belly.

  Her words came out soft and throaty. “How hungry are you?”

  “Starving.” He cupped the back of her head with his palm and pulled her up against him.

  She felt his erection, hard against her belly as she tilted her head back and looked into his blue eyes. “I’m kinda hungry, too.” She paused then added, “For more than just a night.”

  “Good thing. I didn’t like the slowdown plan, boss.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Now that I have you, I don’t plan on letting you go.”

  Back in the Saddle

  Copyright 2016 Cheyenne McCray

  Chapter 12

  The valley had never looked so beautiful. Her return had never felt so bittersweet.

  Susan Fairfield stood on her aunt’s porch and stared at the mountains that rose up out of the desert like a barrier to another world. The monsoon rains had been good to this part of the valley. Mesquite trees and range grass were green and the summer breeze a little humid from the heat and the rain.

  At the foot of the mountains was Turkey Springs, a place that could have been part of another world. What had happened there nine years ago seemed more like a dream than reality. As if the love she’d had for him never existed.

  Gray Cooper. A part of her had hoped he would still be here. That maybe he would forgive her and they could begin where they left off. But that was just a fantasy that would never become reality. Gray was married. End of potential fairytale return.

  Not that he would likely forgive her, but she had always hoped.

  She stared in the direction of his place that bordered the ranch that had been in her family since before statehood, when Arizona was only a territory.

  The screen door squeaked as Sally opened it and then it slammed shut behind her as she stepped onto the porch. Susan smiled at her aunt.

  “I’ve missed this place.” Susan breathed in the scents of summer and earth that was damp from last night’s rains. “I always wished that Dad would move us back here.”

  Sally rubbed Susan’s bare shoulder. “It’s time for me to retire. You could always take the reins rather than me selling it off.”

  “I have a business to run.” She pushed her hand through her hair. “One of Dad’s last wishes was to keep the business in the family.”

  Sally tilted her head to the side. “One of your cousins could always run it for you and you can work from here on that computer of yours.”

  “Telecommute?” Susan shook her head. “It’s the kind of job that requires hands on, onsite management. I’d need to bring someone in from the outside to buy the business and who knows if they’d lay off everyone in the family?”

  “You can’t live your life for everyo
ne else, honey.” Sally leaned up against the porch railing as she looked at Susan. “Things will work out fine for everyone.”

  “Thanks, Aunt Sally.” Susan gestured toward the barns and outbuildings. “After what you’ve done with this place, it’s going to be difficult for anyone to fill your shoes.”

  “At least it’s more of a homestead than the operating ranch that it was back in the days.” Sally put her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “A couple of horses, a cow and a calf, three goats and half a dozen pigs along with more chickens than I know what to do with. The grazing right payments aren’t much, but they pay some of the bills.”

  Susan braced her palms on the porch railing as she looked out the view that went on for miles and miles. “Like I said, it’s going to be hard for someone to fill your shoes.”

  “You’ll do fine, girl.” Sally patted Susan’s back. “When will you be back from town?”

  “I shouldn’t be too long.” Susan glanced in the direction of the closest town to the ranch. “I just need to grab a couple of things.”

  “Here are a few items to add to your shopping list.” Sally handed her a scrap of paper.

  Susan took the list and glanced at it before pocketing it in her flowing broomstick skirt. “Anything else you need me to do while I’m in town?”

  “That should do it.” Her aunt shook her head. “But keep your cell phone handy just in case.”

  “You’ve got it.” Susan headed down the steps and gave a little wave to Sally before climbing into her SUV.

  She drove out the gates of Horseshoe Ranch, over the cattle guard then she was driving past Gray’s spread, the Rocking R Ranch.

  It took thirty minutes to drive from her aunt’s house into Patagonia. After having lived in Dallas for the past seventeen years, small town life would be a big, but welcome, change, if it was even possible for her to take over for her aunt.

  According to Aunt Sally, Patagonia had faded when the economy had tanked. But things were changing and the town was starting to come to life once again.

  One of the businesses that had hung on was Cooper Feed and Tack, where she needed to pick up some grain and chicken feed.

  Just thinking of the name Cooper drew her thoughts back to Gray. His cousin owned the feed store. Gray’s extended family owned most of the largest businesses in the San Rafael Valley. This was the only feed and tack store in Patagonia, and she just prayed that Gray wouldn’t be here today.

  She parked near the loading dock then climbed out of the SUV and headed toward the front entrance. Just as she was about to enter the store, a man wearing a Stetson walked out carrying a bag of grain over one shoulder. She smacked into him and he caught her arm with his free hand to keep her from stumbling.

  “Pardon me, ma’am.” The low drawl was familiar enough to make her heart stop and the hand on her arm heated her skin.

  “Gray.” Even as she said his name a wash of raw emotion flooded her as she looked up at the tall cowboy.

  He’d filled out and grown into an exceptional man. He had a cowboy’s build, his body muscular and his skin tanned golden brown from working out in the sun. Memories flashed through her mind of his ice blue eyes looking into hers as he slid inside of her. The way he had looked at her, had told her how much he loved her.

  Those same blue eyes that had once looked at her with caring were now narrowed as recognition flashed in them. As they grew cold and angry, heat rushed to her cheeks. His features were hard, no softness at all in his expression.

  He released her arm and touched the brim of his hat as if he was politely greeting someone he didn’t know. “Ma’am,” he said again and started to move past her.

  “Gray.” She said it loud and firm enough that he stopped and turned to look at her. “Hi,” she added more softly.

  Conflicting emotions flickered across his face. She could tell he wanted to be angry with her but was battling the same memories that were attacking her.

  “Is that it?” Gray hitched the bag of grain up higher on his shoulder. “I need to be getting back to the ranch.”

  “I hear you’re married.” Susan tried to keep her expression calm and to hide her disappointment that he wasn’t free.

  He just studied her and said nothing.

  She steeled herself for whatever he might say. “I had planned to stop by and see you.”

  “You’re nine years too late for that.” His words were hard and she almost flinched. “I don’t have anything to say to you, Suze.”

  The pain his words caused had tears pushing at the backs of her eyes despite her attempt to be ready for anything he might say.

  “Can I at least explain?” Her voice caught. “I had a good reason for not taking your calls when I returned to Dallas. Please believe me.”

  “I need to get back to the ranch.” He started to take another step.

  “Wait.” She dug in her purse, searching for a scrap of paper and a pen. She found one of her business cards and wrote her number on the back. She handed the card to him. “That’s my cell number. Call me if you change your mind and want to hear what happened that summer.”

  He took the card from her outstretched hand and glanced at the number before pocketing it. “Not likely,” he said before touching the brim of his hat again and turning away.

  Pain she hadn’t expected to feel crawled up her throat and almost released the tears building inside her. She managed to hold them back as she watched him walk to a work truck and throw the sack of feed over the tailgate before climbing into the cab.

  He headed out of town and never looked back.

  Ah, hell.

  The shock of seeing Susan after all of these years had caught him off guard. The pain had been sharp and swift, slicing into his heart like one of his best carving knives.

  He shouldn’t have said what he did. He could tell that he’d hurt her and she’d been about ready to cry. He’d reacted like a wounded animal, growling and snapping at anything that even came close.

  Gray pulled the truck over to the side of the road just inside the gates to his ranch. The truck rattled over the rough shoulder before he stopped and put it in park. He stared in the direction of Sally Fairfield’s ranch that butted up against his eastern fence line about a mile down the road.

  Susan was likely staying with her aunt, which was too damn close. As far as he knew, Susan hadn’t been back to visit since the summer they met…when he was nineteen and she was eighteen. They hadn’t been more than kids, but they’d both done a lot of growing up while she was here.

  She’d left abruptly with nothing more than a note:

  I can’t see you anymore. Please, don’t try and reach me. Please trust that I love you and I always will.

  After refusing to take his phone calls or responding to his emails for a month, he’d given up. He always figured she’d found another boyfriend and had moved on.

  His temples throbbed and he rubbed them with his thumb and forefinger, and thought about the way she had looked. Her blond hair had been soft around her face, her big green eyes begging him to listen. She still had curves in all the right places, generous and beautiful, but she had matured and had a more confident air about her.

  He shoved his hand in his front pocket and pulled out her card and studied it. The card had her name, the business name and an office and fax number.

  Susan Fairfield

  Fairfield Well and Pump Service

  Apparently she worked for her old man in Texas. She hadn’t changed her last name, so if she was married she hadn’t taken on her husband’s.

  The thought of Susan being married to another man made the ache in his head worse. He flipped the card over and looked at the feminine handwriting.

  He was tempted to say to hell with it and call her, but he wasn’t ready. He had a lot to consider before calling the woman he’d fallen in love with all those years ago.

  Chapter 13

  Morning sun was already warming the air. Susan rubbed her hands on her jeans,
brushing off dust from the alfalfa hay that she’d just fed the horses as well as the cow and her calf in the pen behind the barn.

  Three days had passed since she ran into Gray at the feed store. She knew she shouldn’t hold her breath over anything, but she’d hoped he would find it in himself to call, to listen to her story. She’d been right to begin with. He didn’t care. And he hadn’t forgiven her.

  His loss. They could have been friends.

  The cell phone rang and she drew it out of her pocket, still hoping it was Gray despite her previous thoughts. As soon as she saw the number on the screen she sighed. Julie. Susan loved talking to her cousin but ever since Susan had left Texas for two weeks of vacation, there had been one catastrophe after another that they needed help with in the family business. Third call this morning.

  “Hi, Julie.” Susan reached the porch stairs and started climbing.

  “Thank goodness you’re there.” Julie sounded flustered. “I forgot to put in an order for more pipe. What do I do?”

  “Let me get to my laptop and I’ll take a look at inventory to see what we’re low on.” Susan’s boots made a loud clunk when she stepped onto the porch. “Then I’ll go through it with you over the phone. Breathe, Julie.”

  “You are the best,” Julie said. “I don’t know that we’ll ever make it without you if you don’t hurry back.”

  “You’re doing fine.” Susan switched the phone to her other ear as she let herself into the cool house. “I’ll call you back in a few minutes, after I’ve had a chance to look it over.”

  She’d barely had the opportunity to make it to the den and boot up her laptop when the phone rang again. She answered it, trying not to sound exasperated. “Give me a chance to get this done before we have to avert any other catastrophes.”

  “I take it now isn’t a good time to call.”

  She almost dropped her phone and the laptop when she heard Gray’s low drawl.

  “Sorry.” She managed to catch the breath she’d lost for a moment. “I thought you were someone else.”