Cowboy Up

  In the dim glow from the lamp on my nightstand, the black metal on my ring finger can't be missed. Seeing that symbol of our union only drives the need I'm feeling to take her grow to insurmountable levels. It's undeniable, primal, the forceful urge to consummate our union in the most carnal of ways taking on a life of its own.

  Dragging my hands up her torso, I take her breasts. The fabric of her dress catches on my callused hands, but it doesn't stop me from flexing my fingers against the small weight of her tits. She moans low and deep as I continue to play with her, her wetness covering my chin. Flattening my tongue, I lift my head and then lick her from opening to clit, dragging my tongue around the bud, then moving back down. Her flavor bursts on my tongue, making me hungry for more. The heady scent of her swirls around me as my balls tighten. Running the tip of my nose over her sex, I inhale and feel my chest vibrate as the satisfying aroma of her arousal fills my head.

  "Look at me," I demand, stilling my hands. She rolls her head from side to side but doesn't give me those brown eyes. "Look at me, Linney. Watch me love the fuck outta my good girl. See what it does to me to drink from your pussy. To know that I'm the one your body comes to life for."

  "Oh, God," she gasps.

  "Look at me now," I growl.

  Her head lifts slowly as she obeys. Her hair, no longer contained, tumbles around her face and over her chest. The ends tickle my hands against her breasts. Her eyes, so dark they almost look black, plead with me through hooded lids, and incoherent mumbles leave her mouth. Her kiss-swollen lips part as she starts panting, needing this as much as I do.

  Opening my mouth wide, I close my lips around her pussy and stick my tongue into her entrance. Thrusting as deep as I can before lifting my head back slightly to lick her again, I hold her gaze and suck, flick, and lick her pussy until her eyes flutter closed and she screams out my name as her orgasm slams through her.

  Releasing her breasts, I drag my hands down her body, and with one more closed-mouth kiss to her pussy, I turn my head and wipe my mouth against her thigh. Her legs fall open as I lift my shoulders from between her legs and climb up her body, thankful I stripped down before following her into bed. I glance at the clock on the nightstand and smirk.

  "You look smug," she pants drunkenly, out of breath and making my cock jerk, knowing I'm the reason she's trying to catch her breath.

  "I just made you come three times and even though I had your pussy wettin' my lips for over an hour, I want more."

  "My heart is always goin' to be racin' around you, isn't it?"

  I smile at my wife as my hips start moving, gliding my thickness through her slickness, not entering her. She hisses each time the tip of my cock bumps her sensitive clit. "I hope so, darlin'." Keeping my pace, I watch her dress move against her chest while I rock her body with my teasing. Her small tits jiggle slightly each time I thrust against her. The delicate fabric that goes around her shoulders to meet the strap across her back strains with each heavy breath. I wonder how hard I'd have to take her for those tits to break free of the fabric.

  I come up on my knees and drink her in as I stroke my cock. The long skirt on her dress is bunched at her hips, her sex glistening in the low light, and those brown eyes I love are watching my fist as I work my length. When she moves quickly, it takes me a second to realize her mouth is suddenly around my cock and her tongue is swirling against the tip. Her hand wraps around mine, squeezing my stalled grip, and when I don't move, she hums against my flesh. I grunt, clench my cheeks, and with my free hand brush her hair out of her face. Her hand squeezes me again and her eyes meet mine.

  "Fuck me." I hiss, seeing clear as day in those dark depths the pleasure she's getting from sucking my cock.

  My hand moves, letting her hold guide the movements as we start stroking the hard, needy flesh. Her mouth takes as much of my length as she can, which isn't much, before swirling her tongue around me to repeat the process. It takes every ounce of my control to not come, but when I feel her teeth scrape against the underside of my cock, I see stars. With a bellow, I release my hand from her hold and hook her under her arms and toss her back against the bed. My body covers hers instantly and my mouth drops to hers. The sounds coming from the two of us are hungry as our tongues dance together.

  Lifting my hips, I feel her arm move between us, and without any encouragement, she feeds my cock into her body. She screams out with the first hard stroke, but because of how long I primed her with my mouth, she has no trouble taking me completely. The shock of her pussy strangling me from tip to base is almost enough to have my come shooting deep into her, but I hold on and rumble a warning when she wiggles her hips.

  "Please," she begs.

  "Don't move," I demand through thin lips, feeling a tiny burst of pre-come leave my cock. "Fuck." I drop my forehead to her neck and try to measure my breathing and get ahold of my body.

  "Clayton Davis, if you don't start movin' now, I'm goin' to knock you on your ass and move for you."

  "Caroline Davis, if you don't stop movin' and let me have a minute, I'm gonna spank your ass and then move for you."

  "Yes." She exhales, her eyes widening and her pussy clenching greedily and flexing against my cock.

  "Goddamn," I blow the word out with a hiss.

  Pushing the thoughts of her liking the sound of me spanking her from my mind, I start to move, slowly gliding through her, in deep thrusts. Her nails scrape against my back, her mewls echoing and mingling with my low grunts, but it's her slick heat rippling against my cock that almost does me in. I drop my mouth to her neck and start to kiss up the slim column until my lips are moving along her jaw. The whole time, my hips start to pick up speed. By the time I've covered her mouth with mine, she's frantic, her hips surging off the bed to meet mine, our damp bodies slapping together, and her voice becoming hoarse as she screams out her release. Between the incredible feeling of her pussy clamping down on my cock and the expression on her face when she does, I can't hold myself back any longer.

  Planting my hips against hers, the tip of me as deep as I can get, I feel my stomach clench and my balls draw up. My mouth opens over her shoulder and I bite her against the tender flesh while emptying my release deep into her body. I lift my mouth when the last tremor shakes up my body and lick where there are indentions of my teeth.

  "I love it when you're bad with me." She sighs.

  "Did I hurt you?" I ask, panting and staring at the mark I've left on her flesh--a mark that only makes me want to put more all over her. Logically, I know it's going to disappear before we wake up in the morning, but I can't deny loving the fuck out of seeing it--wishing it was to stay.

  "Hurt me? God, no." She moans the last word when I start to slip free from her heat, that sound turning into a low whine when I pull the rest of the way from her body.

  I glance down at my cock, the wetness of our combined releases covering every inch. She whimpers, the pitiful sound making me smile. She isn't the only one who wishes we could keep our bodies connected. When I look back up at her, all flushed skin and bright eyes, I feel like the luckiest bastard in the world.

  "Thank you."

  She frowns and searches my face. "For what, honey?"

  I inhale and shake my head, feeling my lips move as I grin down at her. "For lovin' me. For givin' me you. For wantin' me. Never thought I would have this, Linney, but now that I do, I know I'll never be able to live without it. So"--I kiss her slack lips--"thank you, baby."

  Her chin wobbles and she blinks rapidly. "Clayton," she hiccups. "Honey," she sniffles. "Never, ever do you need to thank me for doin' what I was made to do. You have no idea what you've done for me, do you?"

  When I don't speak, she gives one more sniff before giving up and letting the tears fall, smiling through them up at me.

  "You, honey, you saved me. You healed me. You gave me purpose in a life that I had given up on. You've given me strength, confidence, and a fearlessness that only grows with your love. Don't thank me for doin' what c
omes as natural as breathin' does, honey."

  "Linney," I rumble thickly.

  "You brought me back to life," she continues.

  "Stop, darlin'."

  "Showed me just how beautiful my days could be."

  "Caroline."

  "Offered your silent protection, my white knight, while I faced my demons."

  "Baby," I try again, her words making my throat get thicker and my eyes burn.

  "Loved me bad and gave me forever."

  "Fuck," I grunt, my mouth covering hers so she'll stop talking. I don't even attempt to hold back the wetness falling from my eyes in tune with my pounding heart. Getting emotional because your other half loves you isn't something I'll ever be ashamed of. Not when I never thought I would have this.

  I keep my mouth fused to hers while I strip her carefully of her dress and, with her silky-smooth skin pressed tightly to mine, love my wife slow. Our moans and pleading gasps are swallowed as we kiss. The slick silk of her chest rubs against mine as I continue the slow tempo of my hips.

  With her words still echoing through my mind, the last thought I have before the sensation of loving her becomes too much is that she's wrong. It was she who brought me back to life.

  My ringing phone pulls me from a deep and sated sleep. Caroline curls into my side as the ringing continues and I pull her closer while burying my head in the crook of her neck, content to ignore whoever is calling. I groan when the ringing picks up not even a second after it stopped, but it isn't until I hear Caroline's phone join in that I move.

  "Clayton?" she asks, confused.

  I roll and grab my phone off the nightstand, jabbing the accept button. "Yeah?"

  "Clay."

  "What, Mav?"

  "The gazebo," he starts, releasing an aggravated breath. "It's gone, Clay."

  "What the hell do you mean, it's gone?" Sleep instantly vanishes as my brother's words wake me up as effectively as an ice-cold bucket of water tossed over my head.

  "Trey was out on a late ride tonight. He does that shit after a long day--don't ask me why he goes this damn late. He said when he went west, all was quiet. About an hour later, before he could even see where it was comin' from, he noticed the glow of somethin' burnin'. He tried, Clay. Rushed back to grab the extinguisher here, but by the time he got back up the hill, there wasn't anything left."

  I swing my legs over the side of the bed with a heavy exhale. I click on the light and brace my elbows on my knees, looking down at the floor. I feel Caroline press against my back, her hands rubbing my arms in silent support. Fuck, I don't want to tell her. I'll rebuild it, no doubt about that, but it won't be the same. I know that, even without telling her and confirming it.

  "He see anyone else out there?"

  Maverick's silence tells me all I need to know.

  "Who?"

  "Calm down, brother. You gettin' pissed isn't gonna help shit."

  "I'll be there in five." Knowing in my gut that he didn't tell me who it was for a reason, that reason pressing herself against my back, I shake my head and look down at my feet.

  "What is it, honey?" Caroline's question breaks the silence, worry in her tone.

  "Fuck." I hiss, knowing this is going to put a dark cloud over our wedding day. "I need you to trust me, darlin'. I don't know much, but there was a fire and I need to go meet Mav and find out the rest. I'll tell you everything when I get back, but stay put while I go get answers."

  "You're scaring me," she whispers, her voice shaking. "Was anyone hurt?"

  I turn and reach for her, pulling her into my lap. "No, Linney, I don't think so. Trey, Mav's uncle, found it and did his best to put it out. I don't want to scare you, darlin', but I need you to stay here and let me handle this. Until I know more, I don't want you leavin' the house."

  She nods, but I can tell she isn't happy about me leaving her with no answers.

  "I'll be quick and I'll keep my phone on me."

  "Is . . . is there more? Is everything okay?"

  "Everything will be okay."

  Her eyes search mine for a beat before she nods and pulls a choppy breath in. "Be careful," she whispers.

  "Always."

  I climb from the bed and start getting dressed. The whole time her eyes follow me. I see her wrap the comforter tighter around her body and I hate knowing she's worried. She isn't stupid, my girl. She's likely connecting the dots, just like I did when Maverick mentioned a fire. We haven't had a single break in finding the person who set her bookstore on fire twice, but judging by what Mav didn't say, I have a feeling that's about to change.

  The question is, will finding those answers do more than give Caroline the closure of knowing the truth? I know she's no longer the scared and shy woman I first fell in love with, but this situation is worthy of a little fear. I just pray that fear guides her to rise through the aches.

  "I'll be back," I promise.

  She nods. "I'll be ready."

  She'll be ready. Fuck me, this girl. She means it, too. I can see her building herself up, steeling herself for whatever news comes back with me, ready to take it on. She isn't building walls, not like she used to do. She's building her emotional army. Even with the shit I'm about to go handle, I can't help but feel pride witnessing just how far my shy and timid Caroline has come. I honestly believe she could take on the world. My Linney, she's always been so much stronger than she gave herself credit for, but just as our love saved me, it helped her see that. I have no doubt about it.

  "Yeah. Yeah, you will be."

  "I love you, honey."

  I bend over the bed and kiss her soft and quick. "I love you too."

  26

  CAROLINE

  "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert

  A fire.

  Clayton said was. Past tense. There had been a fire, not that there still was one. That's something I've been holding on to since he left ten minutes ago. I locked the front door behind him and watched through the living room window as he rushed across the grass and into the detached garage that holds the golf carts and quad bikes. A few minutes later, he's tearing through the night on the back of one of the quads. I expected to see some sign of the fire close, but seeing the direction he's headed makes no sense. The land between our house and Maverick and Leighton's holds nothing. Unless the fire was at his brother's. God, I hate not knowing, being afraid for the family that already owns my heart.

  There's no way I'll be able to go back to sleep.

  It was just a little past midnight, I think, by the time we finally fell asleep earlier. I lost track of how long we spent loving each other, but the last time I saw the time, it was close enough to midnight that I'm fairly sure that's when we passed out. Glancing at the clock above the oven, I wince. Fifteen minutes till two. No wonder it feels like I just fell asleep--I literally did.

  Needing to keep my mind occupied, I start the coffee maker and then go to the fridge to pull some breakfast food out. We haven't eaten since the dinner at Maverick and Leighton's after the ceremony, but even then, we didn't eat much. Even if we hadn't been anxious to be alone, we couldn't keep our hands--and mouths--off each other long enough to eat anyway. I don't even think either of us finished half of our food before we were making our excuses and rushing home.

  Not knowing how long he's going to be, I decide to start putting together a quiche. Nothing crazy, but at least it'll keep me busy. If it weren't the middle of the night, I would call one of the girls to talk me through my worry. I take my time cutting the onions and bell peppers, the mindless task not taking my mind off my worries at all.

  "This isn't workin'," I mumble, dumping the diced bits into the bowl.

  I grab the piecrust I had already prepped and start to add all the ingredients, my eyes moving to the clock every five minutes or so. I blow out a breath, pick up a handful of peppers and onions, and scatter them on the bottom of the pie tin, covering the crust completely. As satisfied as I can be with my mind in such a jumbled state, I pick up the egg, chee
se, and spice mixture and pour that into the crust.

  Picking up the quiche, I turn from the island and start to walk to the double ovens. Two steps in and the deafening sound of glass shattering breaks the silence. I scream, my whole body jolting in fear. The pie tin hits the floor, the sticky yellow contents splattering my bare legs and the area all around me. I glance down, confused, seeing the mess before another sound by the back door reminds me what startled me enough to drop the quiche in the first place.

  "Hello, Caroline."

  The heinous heat in those two words slams into me, and without looking, I know this is going to be bad. I just hope and pray that whatever happens here, Clayton won't be harmed.

  "Look at me, you stupid bitch!"

  I fill my lungs with a deep breath and say a silent prayer. Then I look up from my egg-soaked mess and into the evil glare of Clayton's ex, Jess. Jess, who is pointing a gun in my direction with wild hair and even wilder eyes.

  This is it, Caroline. Time to fight for the beauty you've found. No more letting fear win. Not now. Not when it isn't just your life that's in jeopardy here.

  "Clayton's going to be back soon," I tell her, proud of the calm I don't actually feel in my voice.

  She tosses her head back and laughs sinisterly. The gun jerks in her hold while she takes obvious enjoyment out of her crazy thoughts. "Oh, no, he won't. I made sure he'd be busy for a while."

  "What did you do, Jess?"

  My worry for Clayton barrels into me, but I push it aside . . . for now. I focus on where I am in the kitchen and weigh my options while hoping to keep her distracted with questions. If I can just move a little to the left, I can reach the knife block.

  "What did I do? You've got to be kidding me."

  "No." I shake my head. "I'm not kidding you."

  "You've got some nerve, whore. You show up, move in on my man, and even though I was nice enough to give you a few warnings, you still didn't listen! Not even when I finished what I didn't accomplish the first time."

  "You set those fires?" I take a step back slowly when she looks away briefly.