Lauren Read online

  And speaking of suck . . . She chose the chair with the least duct tape and pulled it out. “I think you’re the one looking tired.” If she was going to toy with the puppy, she might as well be generous. “Please, sit.”

  He sucked in a breath and sat, ruffling his hair again. Oh, he was pretty. She couldn’t make out his eyes, but they were light. Leaning against the door, she raised the riding crop she’d been holding against her leg up and tapped it thoughtfully to her chin.

  He laughed, and not with nerves.

  She arched one brow, wondering if there was more to young Jeb than met the eye.

  “You’re holding it upside-down.” He grinned. “That loop goes in your hand.”

  Oh. “I see.” She switched hands, putting the loop in her palm. Swishing it experimentally, she whacked the wall. It gave a loud pop that made her jump.

  “You could hurt me with that.” He was still grinning. “If you really want to use it, you should let me have it. I have a very light hand.”

  Narrowing her eyes, she purred, “I don’t think so.” She’d lost the mystique of her cougar seduction, but they were still clearly both willing. Time to drop the games. “Jeb?”

  He sprawled a bit lower in the old desk armchair, one long leg kicking negligently to the side. “Yes, Ma’am?”

  “Open your pants for me.”

  He tried to freeze his face, but couldn’t hide his excitement. As she thought, Jeb didn’t really need a lot of trappings to be willingly seduced. His hand popped the bear loose, and then the button, followed by the fly of his jeans. He stopped, looking at her.

  “More.” She gestured with the crop.

  Lifting his hips, he shoved until the pants cleared down to his thighs. He was skinny, with the raw abs of a developing man, and flanks that were more bone than muscle. But his thigh was very defined, and the erection was completely adult. He curved slightly to the left.

  Lauren walked around behind the chair, leaned down over his shoulder. Laying the crop across his chest, she angled his face up and kissed him. He reached up to hold her head. She liked how he did it, filtering his fingers through her hair.

  “Silky,” he murmured as their tongues slid together at the strange angle.

  Breaking the kiss, she tossed the crop on the desk and walked around to get on her knees between his legs. His eyes flared wide.

  “Good?” she asked. Saliva gathered in her mouth. She hadn’t done this in a while. The need to rock this cherub’s world filled her.

  He nodded. As he opened his mouth, she jumped in. “Don’t you dare say, ‘Yes Ma’am’ right now.”

  He gave a smartass salute with his fingers from one temple, them mimed locking his lips.

  She wrapped her hand around him and his smile disappeared.

  Jeb was comfortable in the chair and about to get a blowjob. She was going to take her time enjoying this, maybe even work on her technique. Coming a bit closer, she took in his musky smell. Clean, faint soap, and—she licked her lips—chlorine. Her fingers explored his girth first. Then she moved onto his length. Next came texture, making sure neither his plump tip nor his crinkle-haired balls were neglected. Jeb locked his hands on the arms of the chair, his knuckles stark with a hard grip.

  Finally, when a bit of glossy pre-cum shone on his head, she began to stroke. Licking the flat of her palm, she introduced two hands. His head fell back, exposing his big Adam’s apple in his throat. Good thing their hats were waiting elsewhere.

  Twisting, sliding, changing from gentle to firm, she watched him for signs of what he liked. She finally chose gentle and fast. That’s what Jeb liked. She should have been able to guess that.

  Adjusting her cold knees—the concrete floor had no rug—she leaned down and slid her lips over the top of him. She had to pull hard to get the stiff flesh to angle out toward her more, then moved her head lower, feeding him deeper until he hit her throat.

  “Gahhkkss.” He made some sort of stress sound, his one leg banging on the floor.

  His hands brushed her hair, but she rolled her eyes up to his and told him no. He was a good boy and put them back on the arms of the chair. Her hands were planted on his thighs, which were clenched like iron. Swimmer’s thighs.

  Lauren slid up and down, her lips coasting lightly. Bobbing faster, she got the rhythm she wanted, then set her tongue to him. He was warm and hard and alive in her mouth. She felt absolutely predatory, full of power and danger. Reveling in it, she let her teeth catch him on one downward slope, sucked a bit on an upward pull. Kept the rhythm up, didn’t mind the drool that slid out and pooled at his base.

  One of his hands went to the top of her head again, resting lightly. “Gonna—God. Stop.”

  She all but purred, tightening her lips, moving faster. When she felt his cock flex, she pulled up and away, fisting his base, watching with an awed thrill as he spurted thick, sharp-smelling cum in a sloppy fountain. One toss, another.

  “Hunnhh,” he moaned staring at himself.

  He jerked in her hand, then pulsed one last time. Warm, white liquid slid over her fingers. His chest heaved. One line of sweat glimmered in the blue light down the side of his face. His eyes were glazed.

  She stood and gave him a kiss. His lips trembled under hers, clung.

  Looking around, she gave a hum of delight that one of the desks had a box of tissues. “Perfect.”

  She cleaned off her hand, taking a moment to inhale the smell of victory. Energy flooded through her. She could run a marathon right now. Her nipples ached, but she didn’t mind.

  She handed the box to Jeb. “Here you go.”

  Butt propped on the desk, she openly watched as he cleaned himself up then stood and dressed. He came over, picked her up—something men had always seemed to enjoy doing and she happily didn’t mind this time—and kissed her with more verve than skill. She pressed gently at his shoulder, accepting his thanks but finding it had a bit too much tongue.

  “Was it good?” she asked. “It’s been awhile.”

  He nodded. “Yes, Ma—Lauren, it was fantastic.”

  He tried to hold her again, but she held up a hand. “It’s okay, Jeb. I did what I wanted.” She rocked on her heels. “If you’re good, I’m good.”

  “Really?” He scowled. “Well, I’m better than that.”

  She laughed outright. Patted his chest gently. Walking to the door, she opened it. Cold air rolled in like an evil fog. “We’re missing the dance.”

  With a sigh she chose not to read as disappointed, he gathered their hats. Playfully, she put his on first.

  He shook his head. “Sorry. Still doesn’t work.”

  “Shall we dance?” She bowed with her hat, waving it in a flourish.

  He took his and rolled it with the skill of an NBA player, tipping it back onto his curls without pause.

  “It would be my pleasure.”

  “I think I’d like to hit the hot tub, Luke. And I’m sure it would be good for you, after the workout you just had.”

  “Shit, Blue Eyes, that weren’t no workout.” He reached out as well, running one callused finger along the edge of her tank. “I got plenty of energy left.”

  “Do you have a suit?”

  He tipped his hat up with one finger, slow and deliberate. “What do you think?”

  He might be bad news, but sometimes the tabloids were fun.

  “Well,” she said coyly, peeking at him through her lashes. “There’s suits for modesty and there’s suits for safety. I play safe. Do you have some of those kinds of suits?” Okay, she was deep in some thick flirtation here, much deeper than she usually played. Where was this recklessness coming from?

  “Darlin’, I never travel without them. And mine have stripes, for your pleasure.”

  “I’m talking about the hot tub, Mr. Black Hat.” Sure she was.

  “I like the bubb
les on high, is that all right with you?” His drawl was low and his gaze was on her chest . . .

  Which was okay because hers was on the droplet of water snaking down his breastbone in fits and starts.

  “Bubbles are good,” she whispered.

  Stepping closer so that her pink painted toes were right against the dusty tips of his pointy boots, she leaned into him and darted up to his lips. Pulling back at the last minute, she searched his face. He had lines in the corners of his dark brown eyes. His breath smelled spicy, and he stayed still and solid against her weight. She closed the distance and kissed him.

  He let her do all the work.

  Grass against her back, the bright sun blinding her, Tommy’s hand so gently plucking her nipple, and the world spinning away as he kissed her . . .

  No! Not Tommy! Luke!

  Banishing the goddamn vision of first love that always surfaced at awkward moments, she moved her lips over Luke’s, nipping when he wouldn’t open. He huffed, amused, against her mouth, and then relaxed his jaw. Her tongue drifted in to flicker at his teeth, and his tongue met hers with a sensuous press.

  That was her permission and her hands went from lightly balancing on his hips to sliding up his hard, hard body. Hell yeah. He had a sparse dusting of hair around his nipples and she picked at the little nub with one hand while her other tested the strength in his shoulders. She sealed her mouth to his and angled slightly, searching his warm, damp cavern. Jerky. She identified the spice of him, and approved of it, licking into him.

  The only reason she knew he was opening her pants was because his belt buckle scraped her belly’s soft skin. She paused and looked at him. His eyes were slits and his lips damp. He fisted one hand in the loosened edge of her jeans and flattened the other against her belly.

  “I’m gonna guess you’re bare down here, with your modern black hair and damn fine legs. I think that diamond sitting in the top of your ear says you’re a girl who looks to details.” He tipped his head and kissed the hollow below her ear, then sucked on her lobe. “Can I find out if I’m right?”

  Her heart thundered. She could hear voices outside. She’d just got here. She hardly knew this guy.

  “Yeah. Go ahead,” she found herself saying.

  He slid his hand into her lace undies, and groaned when he met nothing but silken skin.

  “Day-am, I love city girls. You fillies know how to party.”

  He muscled his hand farther into her tight jeans, sending his finger hard against her clit. Miniature tornadoes raced through her hips.

  The sound of clopping hooves came loud from the hall behind him.

  “We’ll watch him overnight and see if we can keep the swelling down,” a woman’s voice was saying.

  Luke scrambled his hand out of her pants and spun her so that she walked beside him back into the bathing room. He snatched up his charcoal T-shirt while she hurriedly zippered.

  “C’mon, babe. Let’s get ourselves hot and wet.” He winked at her. “Or hotter and wetter.”

  He held his elbow out and she stared at it. He wiggled it. She realized she was supposed to hold onto him, and hooked her hand against his arm. They strolled out of the room smiling way too wide for innocence, but no one seemed to be watching them.

  “I haven’t been to the hot tub yet.”

  “It’s just over here by the lodge.”

  The sun was bright and she had to squint after the shadows of the stables. The barn had more activity around it now, and bales of hay were being unloaded and stacked to form stadium seating on either side of the huge main door. Lauren thought of Sorrel, then mentally shrugged.

  Luke led her through a modern iron safety fence onto a flagstone patio. The smallish pool was freeform and painted robin’s egg blue. There were lounges, all empty, and white canvas umbrellas casting shade. The lodge was just to the side, with more of that amazing porch all along the patio. The hot tub was on a raised platform at the far end of the patio, overlooking a wide pasture full of horses, with forested mountains beyond.

  “Wow, we lucked out. We’ve got the place to ourselves.” She looked doubtfully at the lodge. “But this doesn’t seem like a skinny-dipping sort of place, Luke. I have a suit in my cabin.”

  “It’s comin’ on dinner time. All the people are either at the cookout, getting ready for the hoedown, or putting the horses up for the day. There won’t be anyone out here for at least an hour.” He led her over to a lounge chair.

  She sat and he sat opposite her. He got to work taking his boots off, which seemed like effort.

  “I’d still like to go get my suit.”

  “You won’t need it. You’re not gonna be all regulation on me, are you?”

  She leaned back on her hands as he peeled his socks off. “You’re not going to get me kicked out, are you? This isn’t the place for nudity.”

  He snorted, bent, and before she understood what was happening, she was over his shoulder, precariously hanging upside down. She shrieked, kicking her feet and grabbing his belt to steady herself. There was a pop and a sting on her fanny.

  “Hush,” he scolded. “You’re going to get us noticed.” He moved across the stones with ease.

  “Did you just spank me?” She was outraged.

  “If you have to ask, I didn’t do it right. Take a breath.”

  And then he threw her in.

  Splashing to the surface, she wiped at her face, coughing as she stood. She’d just gotten her breath when he slid in next to her, clothes and all. Including his hat.

  He leaned over and pressed at a control panel, and all of a sudden vast swarms of bubbles churned the water. “There. Now we can strip all private-like.”

  He set his hat off to the side and peeled off his tee. Then he peeled both of hers off in one swoop. Still gasping like a fish, she sank lower in the water to hide her breasts. His belt came off next, and then he shimmied, sat on one of the built-in benches, and got his jeans off. The sodden mess was plopped on the deck. He reached for his hat. Slicking his hair once, he settled it back on.

  “Yours’ll be harder, the way they’re painted on. You’ve got a fine ass, Miss Lauren.” He pulled her across his lap.

  His hands went to her waistband but she caught them. Looking him right into his twinkling black eyes, she said firmly, “No.”

  He considered her a moment, and then sighed. Manhandling her around until she straddled him, he took one of her hands and put it directly on a huge erection. She took hold of him out of shock more than anything else. Then he took her other hand and put it on one of her own breasts. She was kneeling on the bench he sat on, so the water frothed just below her shoulders. He leaned back against the molded edge of the tub and stretched his arms out along the sides.

  Sighing, he shifted until his head could rest at the back, his hat low over his brow. “Now this is the life.”

  For a full ten seconds, she sat posed there, speechless.

  She wore her sandals and pants in a hot tub.

  She straddled a nude stranger.

  Topless.

  She was holding his penis and her own boob.

  In daylight, in public.

  And he expected her to like it.

  It was the most brazen, insane come-on she’d ever been subject to. For a moment she hovered between indignant ire and sexual awe. Then she collapsed onto his chest in a fit of hysterical laughter. It was a big belly laugh, the kind that only comes around a few times a year. She laughed, breasts tickled by the water, face flushed from the steam.

  “Well, hell,” he muttered, then sighed and just sat there, all spread out and relaxed, and let her laugh. His erection faded in her grip and she moved her hands to his chest.

  She laughed until her stomach cramped and she ran out of breath. Wheezing with trailing giggles, she crawled off of him and picked up her sodden shirts. Figuring them out, sh
e struggled into them, relieved to be dressed again.

  “What the fuck? I thought we were gonna have a good time.”

  “Not here.” She tried to give him a firm look, but it was hard to do. “There are kids around.”

  “I don’t see any. And they were around the stable, too.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not doing anything here.”

  “I was primed and everything. It coulda been quick.”

  Now it was much easier to give him a quelling look. “I’m worth more than quick. I’m better at sex than quick. And I’m not doing quick where people can watch me.”

  Something about sparring with Luke brought out her Mae West. She was sassy as a vixen with him. He rolled up and around to box her in against the side of the hot tub. “I can make quick mighty fine. And the risk of getting caught gives it an edge. It’s fun.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  “Oh, I guess you’re in a rush. Hey, if I’m keeping you from an appointment . . .”

  His hands caught her head and held her for his kiss. He stormed her mouth, a total domination. Her sizzling lips moved beneath his, and her tongue stroked, but his strength directed her jaw, and his power controlled the passion. He kissed her deep and hard, long enough to set his stamp on her. A little tremble of unease tightened her spine as her hands hung useless off his wrists. His mouth moved decisively over hers again and again. It was fantastic and a little crazy.

  When he lifted away from her he gave the gentlest of nips to the edge of her jaw, but his voice was like a lash, quick and stinging. “Are we going to your cabin and sharing a hard fuck, or are we heading to the hoedown and hanging out over whiskey?”

  She didn’t like his tone.

  Breathing in quick pants, she felt the heat of the water press on her ribs, rippling her wet shirts against her. Luke’s presumption and arrogance rocked on a tipping point. It had been so ridiculous in the pool she’d laughed it off, but maybe this was the time to step away from her black hat moment. He was good at skin, there was no doubt. And the hoedown just might involve Sorrel.