Beware of the Cowboy (6 page)

Blake stood and caught her around the waist to prevent her
from losing balance. “I’ve got you,” he said again.

Liza smiled. Oh yeah…he had her all right. She’d have to
worry about that later. Right now, her body was singing and Blake Dean was the
lyrics.

“More,” she breathed.

He steadied her then moved away, leaving her blind and
wanting. She heard him hustle out of his clothes. Suddenly his heat was back,
his body wrapped around hers.

“Keep your hands there no matter what.”

She nodded, imagining the partiers below watching, seeing
her naked and exposed, spread before her lover on the balcony of a huge
mansion.

If felt oddly good to trust him this much, to be open to
him. He reached around her and took one of her nipples between two strong
fingers. She arched again and he grabbed her mound with his free hand, giving
her a good squeeze. The heat was rising again. She was already soaking wet and
begging. His teasing was only fueling her fire.

“Please, Blake…”

“Easy, baby.” He removed his hands and she didn’t feel
anything again—until his tongue ran over her swollen pussy. She pushed back,
begging. He pushed his tongue in as deep as he could and fucked her with it as
he reached around and fondled her clit. He taunted and teased, taking her close
and then backing off. Liza was about to jump out of her skin when he suddenly
pushed his thumb into her ass. She jerked and pumped against him as rapture
overtook her. She writhed, groaning his name, no longer caring if the whole
party heard her.

Blake could take no more by the time she came on his face.
He had licked and sucked until she was whimpering, wanting. He eased away and
stood. That gorgeous ass was thrust high in the air. She was blindly rocking
back in anticipation of his cock, her little hands still gripping desperately
to the railing.

His fingers shook as he tried to put on a condom. He wanted
to take her without any warning. To plunge deep and howl at the moon, but he
was shaking too hard and she was moving too much. Finally, grabbing her hips,
he impaled himself in one steady, driving stroke. He pulled out with the same
force, all the way. Then he nudged just his head in and held still, feeling the
flutter of her vaginal walls as they pulsed in excitement.

“God! You feel so fucking right, Liza.” He plunged in again,
fingers digging into her skin, holding her still and waiting to feel the
flutters at the base of his cock.

No longer able to hold back, and cursing his weakness, he
started thrusting. Gripping her hipbones to hold her still, Blake fucked her at
his pace, winning her trust by making sure it was as good for her as for him.
She was keening and her head had fallen forward, her hair almost brushing the
floor of the balcony.

Liza pushed back as much as his grip would allow. He was in
control of her pleasure, of his, and it was okay. It was better than okay. She
felt as if she was flying in his heated embrace and another orgasm was building
quickly, forcing her muscles to tighten around his cock.

Her body tensed and Blake felt her spasm. He knew that was
all he could stand—he was going to blow as soon as her pussy loosened around
his shaft. When it did, he buried himself deep and held on as his balls
tightened and his cock shot pulse after pulse of come.

Opening his eyes, he saw Liza coming with him, tossing her
head back, sobbing his name, crying beneath the mask. He slipped his arms under
her torso and pulled her limp body up against his chest. He slid the blindfold
from her eyes and urged her fingers to let go of the rail.

Adjusting to the small amount of light took only a few
seconds and Liza found herself looking into that expressive face. His face read
like a dime-store map. The sweet man thought he’d hurt her. Shaking her head,
she knew she was lost, not hurt.

Blake placed her on the oversized lounge chair and curled up
by her side, resting his head on her stomach, his arm draped over her thighs.
She was looking up at the stars and running her fingers through his hair when
she felt him drift off to asleep.

* * * * *

The next morning as she snuck out of the mansion, Liza felt
her heart sink. The sense of belonging she’d felt in Blake’s arms the night
before hadn’t survived the bright Texas morning. Throwing her briefcase into
the car, Liza felt heartbreak nipping at her heels like one of those damned
pugs.

“Where’s the cowboy this morning?” Becky questioned as she
loaded their bags into Liza’s sleek convertible.

Liza shook her head, looking back at the mansion they’d
spent the last two nights in. “I haven’t seen him.” The lie hurt. Well, it
wasn’t really a lie, because she hadn’t seen him. Not in the last twenty
minutes, since she’d eased herself out from under his arm to run like a scared
rabbit. “It doesn’t really matter. I don’t belong here.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Becky got in the passenger seat and
looked over at the grand entrance. “This place is way too shabby for my taste.”
She winked.

Liza didn’t look back as they pulled away.

Chapter Four

Three Weeks Later

Becky stomped into the office, her expression painted in
impatience, and set yet another box on Liza’s desk. “This came by special
messenger.” She placed a scrap of paper on top of it and crossed her arms over
her chest. “I’m not lying to the man again.” She silenced her hand through the
air before Liza could speak. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you two
are breaking my heart.”

Liza let her head fall forward and tiredly rubbed her face.

Becky slid into the chair in front of her desk, her tone
softening. “Sweetie, are you going to tell me what the man has done that’s
gotten you so upset?”

Liza huffed as she pushed her work to the side. She sighed
as she pulled the box a little closer. She fiddled with a loose piece of tape.
“God. Beck, I’ve made a mess. It’s not what Blake’s done, it’s what I’ve done.”

“Why does this not surprise me?” Liza gave her a curt look.
“Sorry. Spill it.”

“I snuck out. After the doggie-do, I crept out of his bed
and ran. Oh God, I’m so embarrassed. I was scared! The man has managed to get
under the armor I’ve been wearing for years. I fell for him, and I was scared.
I ran.”

Beck cracked a little grin. “Then why does he think he’s
done something wrong?” Liza blushed. Becky arched an eyebrow at her.

“Argh. Okay.” She squirmed, trying to figure out how to
explain to her friend that he’d blow away all her barriers and left her
wanting, begging, needing in a way she’d never experienced…and that was
terrifying. “That Saturday night, he…um. Let’s just say he busted through all
my control limits. In a very sexy way.”

Becky smiled. “Oooh. That sounds good. Got all dominant on
ya, did he?”

“You know I can’t let go like that easily. I trusted him,
Beck. There’re probably three people on this planet I trust, and two of them
are in this room.”

Becky shook her head. “I’m still not with you.”

“I’m still afraid. My rational brain understands that life
is full of risks. I make decisions and weigh risks every day. No problem. Blake
Dean is a risk worth taking. I know this, rationally.” Liza stood and went to
the window. “Everyone important in my life has left me. Worse, most people I’ve
trusted or loved have abandoned me, or dumped me on someone else.” Liza looked
for the pity in Becky’s face. She didn’t tell many people about her childhood
because she
hated
pity. But seeing none on her friend’s face, she went
on. “He knew. Somehow, he understood and made me push those limits. I think he
feels guilty for pushing me so hard.” She turned back to Becky. “I’ve
deliberately not allowed myself to love. Anyone. I broke that rule and he knows
it.”

“You know,
you
control your life.”

“Exactly.” Liza said.

Becky chuckled. “No, I mean that even if you let Blake in,
you still control your life. No matter what, you control your life.” Liza
turned back to her assistant. “The two of you can share it, but you’ll still
control it because you’ve learned to trust yourself. You’re not dependent on
others anymore. You can take care of yourself, even if someone lets you down.
Do you understand?”

“You’re saying if I trust myself enough…”

Becky nodded. “And I think you do. The alternative is life
without him. Is that something you really want?”

Liza didn’t have to think long to answer that. “No.”

“Good. Now, quit being a whiny, pathetic female and open
that box before I die of curiosity.”

Liza opened the box, rustled through the tissue and came up
with two pairs of gold handcuffs. “Oh my.”

Becky whistled. “Those are nice. Matching pairs. That man is
so
giving you the choice. What’s the card say?”

She held it up. “Your cuffs or mine? Either’s good for me.”

“Tell me again why you’re not over there right now?”

Liza looked her friend in the eye and admitted the second
part of her fears, the hardest part to admit, the shameful part of her past
that she could never seem to escape no matter how much she succeeded in her
life or in her business. “
There
is a seven-thousand-square-foot mansion
they call a ranch.
There
is upscale Dallas money.
There
is way
out of my league, Beck.”

Becky lifted the handcuffs. “I hate to disagree with the
boss lady, but looks to me like Blake thinks you belong hogtied to his bed. How
much more belonging do you need?”

Liza eyed the shimmering gold cuffs. “I haven’t a clue.”

“Fine. Get your ass in that fast convertible of yours and
head to the ranch.”

* * * * *

After finding her nerve she found Blake’s house on the
backside of the Dean property. She started for the barn door as one of the
other cowboys came out, the same graying man who had been with Blake the
morning the colts got loose.

“Well, look who’s here,” he quipped.

“Is Blake around?”

“Lady, if you’re gonna make him any more ornery than he
already is, I’ll thank you to go home.” He lifted his tattered straw hat and
jammed it right back down on his head in a feeble attempt to prove his
politeness.

Liza laughed. “I’ll try not to. Do you know where I can find
him?”

He pointed behind the barn and moved on.

When she saw Blake, he was leading two horses. Head down,
his hat and shirt dust-covered from working, his chaps snug. They still did
nothing to hide his strong thighs. She sighed.

He looked up and gave her a little smile as he neared, but
said nothing. They walked the horses into the barn where he handed her a set of
reins. “Take her saddle off, will ya?”

With shaking hands, Liza fumbled to get the cinch untied.
The cinch was tight, and her nervous fingers couldn’t get a good grip on the
leather. The buckskin shook like a wet dog in an attempt to hurry her progress.
Blake was in the next stall, talking to his horse. Liza couldn’t understand the
words but remembered how the deep, rich tones of his voice had sent chills up
her spine when he whispered commands into her ear.

Blake slid up behind her and wrapped his arms over hers,
easily slipping the leather from its knot, his big fingers lingering over hers.
“Why the shaky hands?” The words were spoken into her hair, just under her ear,
giving her goose bumps. She could only shake her head. Her nerves were as much
out of her control as her feelings. He turned her around to face him. “What is
it, baby?”

“I…I’m nervous.” There it was.

He kissed her brows. “Why on earth?” The mare shook before
she could answer, knocking off the saddle. Blake gathered the tack, tossed the
saddle over the gate of an empty stall then turned and gave her a sexy, sly
smile, still not asking her any of the hard questions he had every right to ask
her.

He led her toward his house. The surprisingly cozy home sat
to the side of the ranch, well away from the main mansion. She had expected
Blake might live in a rough-looking cabin befitting a cowboy, but was surprised
by the modern look of the place. Its warm colors and cozy, big front porch did
little to ease the jangled nerves Liza was experiencing.

His simple acceptance of her unannounced appearance after a
couple of weeks of avoidance was unexpected, and knocked her off guard. Her
practiced speech was gone and her explanation of her feelings was lost in her
wonder over the uncomplicated man with the extravagantly brown eyes.

“I thought you lived up at the main house. I went up there
first. Bobbie sent me out here,” she stammered as they entered. That had been
an embarrassing experience. Bobbie didn’t seem the least bit surprised to see
her. The extravagant woman, in her hot pink Capri pants with palm trees
embroidered on them, had seemed genuinely glad to see her and gave her simple
directions and even offered to have her driver take Liza around. The entire
time she spoke, the two newlywed pugs chewed at her expensive leather sandals.

He chuckled. “Little old to be living with my mother, don’t
you think?”

Big, bold western art hung on three of the four walls of the
great room, a saddle sat in a corner with ropes and a cowboy hat hanging on the
wall over it. The western décor created an interesting contradiction to the
modern architecture. The fourth wall had a huge sandstone fireplace with rust,
gray and tan hues that complemented the earthy colors of the paintings. Bulky
furniture completed the room. Simple, sturdy and comfortable, with a hint of
sophistication—it all matched the man. He guided her past the couch and to the
stairs. When they reached the top, Blake turned to her. “I need to get the dust
off. Bath or shower?”

She bit her lip. “Indecision. Indecision.” She backed away,
deliberating as she circled him. He watched her perusal over his shoulder as
she stopped behind him. “Bath, I think.” He’d shed his chaps in the barn. Such
a shame. Fantasizing about him in nothing but those chaps, tight ass peeking
over leather-clad thighs, had been her favorite pastime over the last few
weeks.

“I’ll be right in.” He nudged her toward the door at the end
of he hall. “Start the water.” He couldn’t seem to help chuckling at the sexy
pout she threw him. “Go on.”

Liza marveled at the size of the bathroom. She leaned over
the tub and turned on the taps, hoping his hot water heater was up to filling
the massive thing. Rummaging under the sink, she found a dust-covered bottle of
bubbles. Pleased the smell was a spicy eucalyptus and not something sweet, she
poured some of the rich, sage-colored liquid into the water flow. Undressing
quickly and sinking into the soothing water, Liza enjoyed the temperature and
the perfectly positioned headrest. She relaxed, closed her eyes and waited.

She opened her eyes when she heard his bare feet on the wood
floor. Brazenly, he walked into the room naked except for his cowboy hat. His
gaze connected with hers as he set two beers and a couple of condoms next to
the tub. Fixated on the way his leg muscles flexed when he crouched next to
her, Liza had to work hard to swallow. She followed the lean lines of his
thighs to find his cock standing out proudly from his body, bobbing from his
movements. She was sure her head bobbed along with it, like a car ornament.

He ran the tips of his fingers through the bubbles gathered
at her breasts. “Didn’t know I had bubble bath.” He was watching her face, not
the dizzying circles he was making on one of her breasts. The stormy hunger in
his intense eyes made her shiver more than his caress. Her nervousness was
threatening to resurface. Seeing his need for her, she knew her emotions
mirrored his.

“It was…I found it under the sink.” As she spoke, he stepped
into the tub and sank into the warm water facing her.

Leaning back, he groaned. “Perfect.” His hands reached for
Liza’s ankles, traced the line of her leg as he leaned forward, his eyes never
leaving hers. He reached her hips and pulled her astride his powerful thighs,
sloshing water and sliding her body forward until her pussy fit snugly against
his cock. He pressed his lips to hers, wet fingers holding her head, kissing
her with an urgency that Liza felt to her toes. She moaned, returning his
urgency, rubbing her breasts on his wet chest and reaching through his hair to
deepen he kiss.

His hands roamed her back, teased down over the curves of
her ass, then gripped her and pulled her closer. He ground his soap-slickened
shaft against her. She broke the kiss and let her head fall back, holding on to
his neck, swaying her hips, indulging in the rhythm. Warm fingers traced her
side, back up her body, and cupped her breasts as their lower bodies moved
together.

“God, you’re amazing!”

His words barely registered. A lust-induced haze held her
attention to the feel of his shaft caressing her clit.

He peppered her neck and chest with featherlight kisses,
moving down, kissing her nipples and the sensitive undersides of her breasts.
Each brush of his lips sent tiny shivers down her spine, making her eventually
lose time with his thrusts. She opened her eyes on a gasp as he lifted her to
the back ledge of the tub, spreading her legs, leaving her pussy at his eye
level.

He massaged her inner thighs. Wet kisses and nibbles trailed
behind his strong hands as he rubbed tight muscles. Liza leaned back against
the wall, unable to bring herself to speak. His rugged face, the tenderness in
his touch moved her, shook her.

She loved this man.

“I need to be in control of almost everything around me,”
she blurted.

He pushed her legs farther apart, used a thumb to separate
her folds and pushed his tongue into her dripping pussy. “Uh hmmm,” he hummed,
ignoring her words, looking up at her as she arched and gripped the edge of the
tub. He lifted one of her legs and propped it over his shoulder, opening her
farther. Rimming the tight ring of her ass with a finger of his free hand, he
ran his tongue over her throbbing slit. With a moan, she dug her hands into his
hair and watched his eyes as he looked up at her. His tongue pointed and
started to flicker across her clit, making Liza lose all ability to concentrate
on his face. She growled his name through gritted teeth as a breathtaking
orgasm rocked her. She jerked and tried to pull away.

Blake didn’t give her overwhelmed senses time to recover
before lifting her out of the tub. He carried her to the bedroom and tossed her
on the bed.

Liza watched his expression grow dark, his face pull taut
with need. Spreading her legs, she leaned back into the pillows and watched him
as he rolled a condom on.

Moving over her, he pressed the thick head of his cock
against her wet lips. He looked at her, locked his gaze with hers. “You can
have all the control you want outside the bedroom, Liza. Now keep those lovely
eyes open. I want to watch your face as I enter you. Don’t close ’em.
Understand?”

Liza wriggled her hips in response, rubbing her
still-trembling flesh on his cock. They hadn’t spoken much. Liza wanted to
listen to what his body and those eyes had to say. She had learned to trust
actions. Words were easy enough to misinterpret. It was easy to lie. This, this
relentless, urgent need, spoke volumes. She hadn’t anticipated such need, even
after the intimacy in the foaling barn or his caring control of their fuck in
the mansion. He wanted,
needed
her every bit as much as she wanted and
needed him. She felt it in his slightly shaky fingers as he fumbled to find her
opening, missing once, using the opportunity to stroke smoothly against her
clit. She raised her hips and pushed forward. He grasped her and held her still
with one hand, guiding his thick tip with the other, finally finding his
target. Liza pushed forward all the way.