Branded as Trouble (26 page)

It drove him insane she had to act so freakin’ tough all the time when he knew she wasn’t.

When the kids began to get restless and whiny, Colt took it as a sign for them to leave.

After five minutes of silence cruising down the gravel road, he said, “Sorry you had a sucky time.”

“I didn’t have a sucky time. Why’d you think that?”

“Because you were awful quiet.”

“It’s sort of hard to get a word in edgewise with your family, so you can hardly blame me.”

“Blame you? For what?” Colt slammed on the brakes and threw it into park in the middle of the gravel road. “For Christsake, India, will you at least be honest with me?”

“Hey! Do you mind giving warning next time so I can brace myself for whiplash?”

“Funny, I was just thinkin’ the neckline on that shirt makes it look like you’re already wearing a neck brace.”

“Since when do you critique my clothing?”

“Since when did you start dressing like my mother?”

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Her mouth dropped open. “Omigod. You are such an ass.”

“Why does that make me an ass?”

“Because it’s none of your goddamn business what I wear.”

“Yeah? So tell me. Why did you wear a long-sleeved shirt?”

She gave him a stony stare. “Because it’s October, Einstein.”

“Fine.” He let his gaze focus on her nose, then her eyebrow, her ears and finally her breasts. “But where are your hoops? And studs? Why’d you take all of your piercings out?”

“I don’t wear them all the time.”

“Yes, you do. That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Were you tryin’ to look more acceptable to my family?”

India’s defiant posture said it all.

“Why do you give a damn what my family thinks about your tattoos, piercings and funky clothes, India? I don’t. I didn’t take you there so you could change who you are to please them.”

“Why did you take me there?”

Because you’re mine. Because I wanted everyone to see that
I’m worthy of love from an amazing woman like you.
“To please myself.”

“To please yourself? Jesus. You are such an asshat, jerkwad…fuckface!” India jumped out of the cab and slammed the door with enough force the whole truck vibrated.

She’d gone beyond calling him a dickhead in a helluva hurry.

And now she was hurrying away from him.

“Goddammit, India! Get back in here.”

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He didn’t hear her response but he did see her flip him off in the glow of the headlights as she walked down the middle of the road.

Colt climbed out and chased after her. “Hey, I’m not done talkin’ to you.”

“Tough shit, I am done talking to you.”

She kept walking.

He kept fuming. “Just get back in the truck, India, this is ridiculous.”

India whirled around. “You know what’s ridiculous? That I actually tried. I actually put forth an effort to be—how’d you put it?—more acceptable to your family. And to what end? It isn’t me that they aren’t seeing clearly, Colt, it’s you.”

“What the hell are you talkin’ about?”

“I could’ve shown up, painted fucking purple, with yellow feathers in my hair, wearing a slave choker and chain and it wouldn’t have made a difference. I’m not the one who needs to make the effort because
I
know who you are. They don’t. It pisses me off.” She flounced off again.

She was upset. For him? Because his family didn’t understand him like she did?

“Indy, wait—”

“No. I’m too mad to deal with you right now.”

“You can’t walk home.”

“Watch me.”

Each twitch of her sexy little ass was like fuel on the fire. He wanted her. Now.

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So Colt started after her. He caught her in about fifteen steps and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

She kicked and screeched but he held onto the back of her legs as he spun around and headed back to the pickup.

“Let me down!”

“Nope.”

“If you don’t, I-I’ll bite you in the ass, McKay, I’m not kidding!”

“I’ll bite you back. And you already know how much I like your ass.”

She screamed with frustration, pummeling her fists into his butt.

By the time they’d reached the truck, she’d quit flailing. She had a tight grip on his belt loops. “Are you gonna run if I put you down?”

“No.”

Colt slid his hands up to brace her back as he lowered her feet to the ground. “Sugar, look at me.”

She was breathing raggedly, more out of anger than exertion.

Her head fell back.

Their eyes met. And Colt was lost.

“Sweet Jesus, India, when you look at me like that…”

“Like what?”

Like you love me. Like I’m a man worthy of you.

But he suspected she didn’t know everything he’d ever wanted was visible in her eyes. So he backtracked—chickened out really—and focused on the one thing she would admit to: overpowering lust.

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“Like you want to fight me and then fuck me.”

India didn’t deny it.

“Are we done with the fightin’ portion? Cause I’d sure like to fuck you. Right here, right now. Against the dirty truck as you’re shootin’ me dirty looks.”

Her response? She launched herself at him. Her mouth slammed into his in a kiss so raw it felt as if she’d knocked the wind out of him.

Colt pushed her against the pickup. His hands raced everywhere as he tried to find a single section of her skin. Dammit, of all the times to be buttoned-up. He hooked his fingers at the hem of her shirt, between the lapels, and jerked until buttons flew and her warm flesh greeted his eager hands.

India didn’t protest, in fact, ruining her shirt only made her kiss him harder. Her hands dove into his hair. Not for a leisurely, tender stroking, but she pulled his hair into tight fists as her lower body ground against his fly.

Goddamn he wanted to suck on her skin. Mark her. Bite her, but the ferocity of the kiss made it impossible for him to release her lips even momentarily. He growled in her mouth, bumping his cock into her belly. His hands scraped up her back, maneuvering around to cup her breasts. When his thumbs rasped over her nipples, he didn’t feel the rings.

When he broke his mouth free and he ate a path down her throat, she arched, baring all to him. One tug and her bra cups opened. Rather than look, he let his mouth do the walking, straight to her left nipple.

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Yes. A ring. A smaller one than what she’d been wearing, but she hadn’t taken it out in a fit of propriety. He sucked and lapped and bit and worshiped that tiny bit of metal until she moaned. He suckled her breast deep enough the ring tickled the back of his tongue. Another moan escaped as he switched to the other side and did it again and again and again.

“Colt. I need…”

“What?”

“You. I need you.”

“You’ve got me.”

His cock, already straining behind his zipper, jerked when India’s hands dropped to his waistband. She unhooked the belt buckle, popped the button and eased down the zipper. Her fingers snaked into his boxers and she circled her hand around him and squeezed.

Colt hissed at the intense pleasure. Feeling the velvety smoothness of her palm on his shaft. The tightness of her grip as she stroked from the base to the wet tip.

“Lift me against the door. You wanted to fuck me so bad, do it.

Like you mean it.”

With her hand commanding his cock he couldn’t remember why this wasn’t the best idea ever…wait. “Condom,” he rasped.

“We don’t have a—”

“So fucking what? You didn’t use a condom last night when you came on my belly. Or in my ass.” India teased his ear with her hot breath. “I want to feel that heat in my cunt. I want to feel your 268

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cock sliding and pounding inside me without latex. Your wetness mixed with mine. Just hardness and heat. Just you, Colt.”

Like he could deny her that.

Like you could deny yourself that.

He yanked his jeans below his knees. Then he boosted her up, fighting with the material of her skirt until it bunched at her waist.

“Help me.”

“I am.” She wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled her thong to the side. “I’m ready. Please. Colt. Now.”

Colt bent his knees and drove deep in a single thrust.

India dug her fingernails into his shoulders. “Again. Hard like that again.”

His slow withdrawal only made the hard, fast plunge more rewarding. Again. And again. Over and over.

No kissing. He’d crack her teeth if he put his mouth on hers.

He lived in the moment, the feel of her hot pussy tightening with every stroke. The sharp bite of her nails through his shirt. Her irregular breathing fanning his cheek. The earthy scent of his lover filling his lungs as he filled her body with his.

She drummed her heels into his butt. “Do that little grinding thing. Like that.”

“Come on, India. Come on my cock. Lemme feel those sweet pussy muscles tightening around my dick as you’re comin’ hard.”

He grabbed a handful of hair and yanked, moving her head to where wanted so he could bury his lips in her neck. Nuzzled and licked the hot spot that’d send her into orbit.

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“Oh! Yes.” India gasped. Her pelvis canted closer as she arched her lower back and her knees squeezed his hips. “Don’t stop.

Oh God, Colt, please don’t stop.”

Colt didn’t move his mouth. He kept his rhythm uniform, and clenched his ass cheeks as he fought off his own climax. The second her body relaxed, he hammered into her. Losing his mind in the slickness of her pussy, her whimpers burning his ear and how fucking fantastic, how perfect it felt to have his come filling her up.

After the last pulse, he reconnected with her mouth and kissed her with the gentleness his body had lacked.

He kept kissing her. She kept letting him. He tried to convey that being with her was everything.
Everything
. He loved her with his heart, his soul, his mind, his body. And being half-naked, against his dirt-coated pickup, in the middle of nowhere Wyoming, after he’d fucked her mindless, was just icing on the cake.

India retreated to brush soft kisses over his cheeks, and his temple, his forehead, his eyebrows, his eyelids. All the while her hands stroked his shoulders and his chest and his neck. As if she was trying to convey the same thing to him.

The moment was perfect.

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Lulled by the sound of the wheels clacking on the pavement and Colt’s presence beside her, India fell asleep.

The next thing she knew, Colt gently shook her awake. “Hey.

Come on, sleepyhead.”

She blinked and realized they weren’t at Colt’s place but hers.

“I thought we were going to your house?”

“You’re tired and yours was closer.”

“Oh.”

It didn’t appear Colt was going to get out of the truck. Was he sick of her company and just dropping her off?

Or maybe he’s waiting for an invitation.

India laid her head on his arm. “You coming in?”

“Do you want me to?”

“Yes. And I’d like you to spend the night.”

“I’ll have to get up early.”

“I know. I don’t care. I just want you with me.”

He kissed the top of her head and parked.

They held hands as they climbed the stairs. Colt’s quietness was unnerving. Not because he chatted nonstop, but something was wrong.

Lorelei James

India led him into her bedroom. She stopped at the side of the bed and faced him. Sliding her arms round his waist, she rested her cheek against his chest.

He sighed and seemed to sag against her.

They embraced for long time.

“You tired?”

“A little. You?”

“Yeah. Maybe we should crawl in bed.”

“Sounds good.” He disentangled himself and stepped back.

“Sit. I’ll help you get your boots off.”

“I’m capable of—”

“I know you are.”

“My feet probably smell.”

“I don’t care. Sit.” She gave him a little push. She grabbed the heel end of his right boot and tugged. It slipped free so fast she lost her balance.

“Maybe you oughta let me do it.”

She tossed the boot by the door. “I’m fine.” Then she grabbed his left heel. The boot slid free easily. “Now that I’ve done the hard part, I’ll let you get the rest.”

Colt shucked his clothes while she did the same. She rolled down the covers and turned off the light. They crawled in their respective sides.

It was all very orderly.

India cuddled up against Colt’s naked back. “You’re warm.

Mmm. It’s like having my own electric blanket.”

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“Getting cold at night. Probably need that electric blanket soon.”

Now they were talking about the weather in bed. She waited a minute, but he didn’t draw her into his arms like he did whenever she slept in his bed. She scooted up and placed her chin on his shoulder. “Colt, what’s the matter? And don’t tell me nothing.”

Silence.

“Did I embarrass you at your parents’ house?”

“No. Why would you think that?”

“You aren’t going to try and pretend you’re acting normal right now?”

“And fuckin’ you up against my truck in the middle of the goddamn road is normal?”

“Is that what this is about?”

“Yeah. Jesus, India, I ripped your damn shirt. I pulled your hair, for Christsake. How can you even want me next to you?”

“Knock it off, McKay. I could’ve said no at any point and you would’ve stopped. Don’t you doubt for a second that I didn’t enjoy every second.” She put her mouth next to his ear. “And you told me you hated that shirt anyway, so no big loss.”

He laughed softly.

She moved so she could roll him on his back. She brushed the hair from his forehead. “I wouldn’t have asked you to stay if I didn’t want you here next to me.”