of air over the hot, wet flesh, then return to sucking.
That telltale tingle started, spreading goose bumps from her nape down her spine. Kyle lapped at her slit with long strokes; a growling sound emerged when he dipped his tongue into the entrance to her body. Again and again.
Celia’s legs were restless against the blanket. She wanted to grab his head and force him to make her come now.
Kyle raised his face from the delicious assault. “Celia. Show me what you want.”
She put her hands over his ears and pressed his mouth over her clit.
He spread her folds apart with his thumbs. He looked at her, lowered his mouth, and sucked once. “Say my name.”
“Kyle.”
He suckled harder. “Say it again.”
“Kyle. Please.”
“That’s what I wanna hear.” He started a sucking, swirling motion with his mouth and tongue that pushed her from teetering on the edge to spinning in the maelstrom.
Her heart pounded, her skin throbbed, white noise roared in her ears as she unraveled. Her fingers dug into Kyle’s scalp as he sucked and tongued her through an orgasm without end. When the storm of pleasure eventually faded to a sweet throb, she flopped onto the bed and winced, hissing at the bite of pain in her ribs.
His hair tickled her belly as he kissed a path back up her body. Then his hands were beside her shoulders and he was hanging over her. He grinned. “Good morning.”
“That tongue of yours is an awesome alarm clock.” It surprised him when she rose up and kissed his lips. But she couldn’t withhold another wince at the stab of pain.
Kyle pushed back on his heels. His hands gently covered her ribs and concern replaced his amusement. “How bad do they hurt?”
“Some.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I definitely feel it, okay? It was worse last night than right after it happened.”
His thumbs followed the edge of her rib cage. “Do I need to take you to a doctor?”
“Time is the only fix. You’ve had this injury before.” Her gaze dropped to his crotch. Kyle was fully erect. “Morning wood?”
“No, you do that to me,” he said gruffly. “I woke up with you in my arms and it took every bit of self-control not to…” He made a frustrated sound. “You’re too fuckin’ sore for what I had in mind.”
“So you went down on me instead?” Ooh, listen to you, Celia Lawson, talking so raunchy.
“I needed to touch you.”
She focused on his erect cock and then his eyes. “Left you in a hard spot?”
He shrugged. “I’m used to takin’ care of this myself.”
“You don’t lack for women angling to warm your bed, Kyle. Women happy to take care of that for you.”
“We discussed this last night. That’s in the past. You’re my wife.” He started to get up, but Celia hooked her leg around his knee.
“Where you goin’?”
A tiny bit of resentment flared in his eyes. “Why?”
“You’re goin’ to the bathroom to whack off.”
Mr. Dirty Talk blushed.
Be bold. Let him know you’re on board for whatever he has in mind. “Show me how you touch yourself so I know what you like.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. And definitely don’t be a gentleman about it.”
Eyes burning with liquid heat, he curled his right hand around his shaft and started to stroke. “I like it slippery, which is why I do this in the shower.”
Fascinated by the rougher way he handled himself, her gaze flicked between his face and his hand.
“You oughta see your eyes, kitten.” He groaned and pumped faster.
She felt the effect his self-pleasure was having on her. Her skin tightened. Her pussy heated. Her nipples drew into hard points. She wanted this man so much.
“This…I…won’t last long.” His broad chest rose and fell rapidly. “Christ. You just licked your lips. Do you have any idea what that does to me?”
“Show me.”
Another drawn-out moan.
Although he wasn’t squeezing hard, the stroking motion made the veins stand out on his forearm. The muscles bulged and flexed from his wrist to his shoulder. The cords in his neck were rigid, as was his jaw. Her breath caught. Goddamn, he was so sexy. He was such a prime example of masculine perfection and he was all hers.
At least for a little while.
“Fuck. Celia.” He threw his head back and came all over his hand.
Holy freakin’ hell, that was hot.
She stood and looked into his pleasure-hazed green eyes. “Thanks for the demo.”
“Maybe you can return the favor sometime.”
“Maybe.” She kissed him, finding her taste still lingered on his lips and tongue. “But I’d rather use my mouth.”
They skipped breakfast, dressed for the elements, and started on chores.
Kyle was a quick study in tractor operation. They spread out a roll of hay for the cattle and did a head count. The stock tank needed to be refilled, which required tracking down the water access. While Kyle loaded the woodstove, Celia ventured into the bigger metal building.
It contained miscellaneous farm equipment, all perfectly aligned, all in excellent shape. At least Kyle wasn’t faced with immediately replacing outdated, busted equipment. The place was damn near spotless too. Anything resembling junk was stacked in one corner. As she prowled the perimeter, she noticed a switch like the one on the stock tank. This place could be heated with the woodstove also.
She found two older-model ATVs. Trying not to jar her ribs, she climbed on the first one and it started right up. Same for the second one. She had an image of her and Kyle laughing, racing each other across the white landscape.
Romantic nonsense, Celia.
“Celia?” Kyle shouted.
“Back here.”
Kyle sauntered into view. He wore stained coveralls, a thick jacket, and an orange knit hunter cap. She’d never considered that look particularly cute on a man, but it worked on him.
“I found two things to show you.” Kyle snagged her hand and led her around the back of the building. “I saw the dwindling stack of wood and wondered where the hell I’d get enough to last the rest of the winter. As I’m looking at the treeline, I noticed a section that juts out of this building.” They rounded the corner, stopping in front of a long metal building that was practically invisible from anywhere on the property except here.
“What is it?”
“A wood-drying shack. It’s full of wood that’s already dried, enough for this winter. Looks like I know how I’ll be spending part of my summer.”
“I wonder if Marshall did this all himself or if he hired out.”
“Josh would probably know. But come look what else I found.” Kyle towed her through the knee-high snowdrifts to the back of the house.
She squinted. “Is that what I think it is?”
“A hot tub. And it’s pretty new.”
“Does it have water in it?”
“Not super-nasty water, so I’m guessing Marshall recently changed it. Must be on the same emergency circuit as the heater inside since it didn’t freeze. You can get out here from the garage. Cool, huh?”
“More like brrr. How can you be excited about sitting in a hot tub when it’s four degrees outside?”
“Because I’ve always wanted one and now I have one.” He kissed her nose. “Don’t ruin my fun. I’ll look for the manual. It’d be good for your ribs.”
Celia was absurdly touched by his thoughtfulness. “There’s a lot of paperwork we need to look for.”
“We’ll do it soon as we get back from talking to your brothers and getting your truck.”
After a late lunch, Celia pawed through her duffel bag; she couldn’t wait to get the rest of her clothes out of her horse trailer after their trip to talk to her brothers.
Kyle held her hand, rubbing his thumb over her wedding band on the ride to Abe’s. “You worr
ied?”
She nodded. “How do you think they’ll react?”
“Shock for sure. After that? Who knows? How do you think they’ll react?”
“I’m hoping they won’t pull out the shotguns.”
“Jesus, Celia, don’t even joke about that.”
That was the thing. She wasn’t sure whether she was joking. Hank and Abe bellowed a lot when they were unhappy with her or a decision she’d made, but they eventually, grudgingly, came to an understanding.
She feared that this situation would be the exception, given the way things had been between them the last few years.
Hank’s truck was parked up front next to Abe’s. Her brothers ambled out of the barn right after Kyle pulled into the driveway.
He kissed her knuckles. “Regardless of what happens, we’re together now. You have me, Cele. I’ll always be on your side. You know that, right?”
“I do now.” Touched by his fierceness, she impulsively rubbed his rough-skinned fingers across her lips. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” He warned, “Stay put. I’ll help you out so you don’t hurt your—”
“Ribs, yeah, I know. You sound like a broken record.”
“Only because I have some wicked, nekkid plans once you’re healed.”
Right then Celia considered lying that she’d made a miraculous recovery. Because wicked, nekkid, and Kyle in the same sentence? Hello, temptation.
“Kyle, what the devil are you doin’ here?” Hank asked.
Then Celia stepped into view. “Hey, guys.”
“Celia? Didn’t expect to see you.” Abe grinned and started toward her, probably to wrap her in a bear hug, but Kyle intervened.
“Gotta watch the ribs. She’s awful sore.”
Hank and Abe exchanged a look. Then they both peered at the bandage on her forehead. Hank demanded, “What the hell happened to you?”
“And why is this the first we’ve heard of it?” Abe added, glaring at Kyle. “Did you have something to do with her getting injured? Is that why the two of you are here together?”
Celia stepped in front of Kyle. “No. I got hurt last weekend in Vegas. A few stitches, bruised ribs. I’m fine. So back off. It’s not Kyle’s fault.” She’d tried out several phrases in her head on the way over, but nothing had jelled. Best just to say it right out. “We’re here together because Kyle and I got married Saturday night in Vegas.”
A pause, then Hank and Abe burst out laughing. Their amused gazes zipped between Kyle and Celia. Her brothers looked at each other, then busted a gut again. Adding in knee-slapping laughter. During their fit of mirth, Kyle slipped his arm around Celia’s waist.
“Good one, Celia. I needed a laugh. You and Kyle. Together. Right.” More snickers.
Their hilarity faded when Celia held out her left hand. “I’m not kidding. Kyle and I are married.”
A stunned pause followed.
Then Abe snapped, “Are you pregnant?”
“I tell you I’m married and that’s the first question you ask?”
Hank’s eyes hardened. “My question is…were you drunk?”
Celia’s stomach lurched. Her face heated and she gaped at Hank.
“Christ. You were drunk,” Hank snarled when she didn’t immediately answer.
This was not starting out well at all.
“You watch what you say to her,” Kyle warned. “Yes, Celia and I are married. Yes, it happened pretty damn fast.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Or we’ve been headed this way for a long damn time, since we’ve known each other forever.”
“You two have been at each other’s throats forever, so I don’t buy this you’re in love bullshit,” Abe said.
“Ask Devin if it’s bullshit,” Celia replied evenly. “He stood up for Kyle at the ceremony.”
That comment seemed to incense them more. “Devin knew you were married before we did?” Hank bellowed.
“And with the way you’re both acting, can you blame Celia for not wanting to tell either of you?” Kyle shot back.
“Because you’re too goddamned old for her!” Abe said.
Celia wanted to flee before someone said something hurtful that couldn’t be taken back. Because it was coming.
Her brothers’ postures were belligerent, their silence disapproving.
“So you’re married. What now? You traveling the circuit together?” Hank asked.
“I…I dropped out of the circuit.”
“What!” Abe and Hank said simultaneously. Then Abe snarled at her, “You’re quitting? You’re goddamned pregnant, aren’t you? Kyle, I’m gonna fucking kill you.” He lunged for Kyle, but Hank held him back.
Pissed off beyond measure, Celia yelled, “I don’t believe you two! You’re assholes. I’m not pregnant! Can’t you just be happy for me for one minute?”
“We’d be happy for you except we don’t understand what the hell is goin’ on. You married Kyle? A chance to win a national barrel racing championship is all you’ve talked about for the last four years, little sis. You’re so hell-bent on competing and getting to the next level that you never come home anymore.”
That was what they thought? Could her brothers really be so clueless about why she stayed away? Did they really not know her at all?
“But now you’ll be traveling with Kyle to support his attempt to win a national bull riding championship while you let your own dream turn to dust?”
“No. Kyle and I both quit the circuit.”
Shocked silence.
“Then how will you make a living?” Hank demanded.
“More to the point…Where will you live?” Abe also demanded.
Kyle answered, “On my ranch.”
“What ranch? Since when do you have a ranch?”
“If you’d stop interrupting and jumping to conclusions, we’d tell you,” Celia said.
“Then somebody had better start talking right now.”
“Celia and I are living on the ranch I inherited from my father.”
Silence. Then, “When did this happen?”
“A few days ago.”
“That’s what this is about? You suddenly inherited a ranch and knew you couldn’t run it by yourself so you convinced Celia to quit the circuit and marry you?”
Celia glared at Hank. No questions about Kyle finally learning the identity of his father? No excitement about his unexpected windfall? Just more accusations? More assumptions?
“I can’t believe…” Hank pointed at Kyle. “She deserves way better than you.” Then Hank pointed at Celia. “You know this won’t last, don’t you? Kyle isn’t a long-term guy.”
All the uncertainty from the last four days, all the hurt her brothers had unconsciously inflicted on her in the last four years, pushed her to the breaking point. A gasping sob broke free and she bent forward to try to stop the sharp, stabbing pain in her ribs and around her heart.
Through the haze of tears, she saw Kyle’s shadow move in front of her.
“Celia. Baby. Get in the pickup.”
She wrapped her arms around herself, keeping her focus entirely on Kyle as she shuffled backward.
“Where the hell do you think you’re goin’?” Hank shouted. “We’re not done talking about this!”
She’d never seen Kyle like this. The easygoing man had spun into an absolute rage.
He shoved Hank hard enough that Hank fell on his ass. “We sure as fuck are done because you don’t ever get to talk to her like that, you hear me?” She watched him struggle for control and attempt to level his