Bare Naked: Naked Cowboys, Book 4 (6 page)

“Put out to move up,” he said crudely.

“They couldn’t have said it any better.” A sad look came over her face. “Everett Carlton was a gentleman. He had a wife he loved and a family he doted on. There was nothing between us. Nothing,” she repeated fiercely.

“Hey, hey, hey.” He tightened his hold on her hand. “I believe you. Really.”

She looked at him. “Why? You don’t even know me. I could be feeding you the biggest line.”

“You know, Georgie, when they say it takes one to know one, they’re right. I was the world’s biggest bullshitter. Believe me, I’d know if you were feeding me a line. I was the champion.”

He took a chance and rubbed his thumb over her hand where it lay in his palm. He wondered if she was even aware of it. And if she was, did it feel as good to her as it did to him? He was dipping his toe in dangerous waters here. He couldn’t believe how badly he wanted this woman. But one wrong move and he could be out on his ass again.

“So what happened after that?” he prodded. “I’m sure you didn’t leave just because of some snotty bitches and asswipe men.”

“No. I guess it’s an old, old story. Everett Carlton retired and the man who moved into his spot didn’t have the same respect for me Everett did. He made it very plain I was trash as far as he was concerned. If I wanted my job, I could keep it on my back and on my knees. Take it or leave it.”

Her words struck a painful chord with Cade. How many times had he used the same tactics on a woman who wanted to hang around rich Cade Hannigan? Seeing things through her eyes made him want to crawl into a hole and stay there.

“Couldn’t you file a sexual harassment charge?” he asked.

“Are you kidding? He flat out told me put out or get out. If I’d tried to file charges, he’d have made sure I never worked anywhere again. And trust me, he had that kind of power and influence.”

Just like I used to. What a friggin’ asshole I was.

Georgie—sweet, warm, honest Georgie—somehow made him understand that he’d been someone with no redeeming qualities. The picture of himself that blasted into his brain disgusted him.

“So you left Dallas.”

She nodded. “Ever since I started in the hospitality business, I’ve dreamed of owning my own B&B. I mean, that’s all it was. A dream. Where did Georgie Zielinski from the wrong side of the tracks get off thinking she could do that, right?”

“I’m ashamed to admit that not that long ago I might have thought that. But not anymore. So go on.”

“I had a lot of money saved. Never had much to spend it on. When I found this place on the Internet, I emptied out my bank account and my 401K, and here I am. I figured when this place was so cheap it was a sign, right?” She chuckled. “A sign that I’d lost my mind.”

Without even thinking, he lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips over her knuckles. “I can’t remember the last time I met someone with your kind of courage. You make me ashamed of myself. You’ve got guts and smarts, Georgie. You’ll make this work. And I’m going to help you.”

She studied his face carefully, searching for something.

“I’m probably the most gullible woman in the world, but two weeks ago, when you showed up at my door, I sensed there was someone decent hiding inside. Someone you’d kept buried for a long time. We’re like kindred souls, you know? Tossed out with no place to go but up.”

He had to laugh. “Georgie, you’re so far above me it isn’t even funny. You had no control over what happened to you. I did and I fucked up. Badly. But I’m going to prove that your faith in me isn’t misplaced.”

Their faces were scant inches apart now, and he knew if he didn’t kiss her pretty soon he’d explode. Yet he didn’t want to screw up the only good thing to happen to him in a long time. Maybe ever.

Georgie could feel her heart beating rapidly and was sure Cade could see the thrumming of her pulse at the hollow of her throat. She had no business getting intimate with Cade Hannigan, but her body wanted him more than she wanted food.

In for a penny, Georgie. What can you lose? He’s got no place to go, right?

She leaned closer, conscious that his thumb was still stroking her knuckles softly.

“How forward will you think I am if I ask you to kiss me?” she asked.

He smiled. “I’d say, hallelujah. Because I was about to die from wanting.”

They met across the corner of the table. His lips were warm and firm on hers, and when he licked her mouth softly, she could feel the electric charge all the way to her pussy. He traced the closed seam back and forth until she opened for him and his tongue swept in.

Holy crap!

She let her own tongue dance eagerly with his, in and out, back and forth, sampling each other. Savoring the taste. He licked every inch of her inner cheeks, her gums, her teeth, light flicks and sweeps that coaxed her to answer back with her own foray into his mouth. The only things that touched were their mouths and their hands, yet it was the most erotic kiss she had ever had in her life.

Cade broke the kiss but kept his mouth still less than an inch from hers, his breathing as raspy as hers.

“Georgie.” The heat in his eyes nearly singed her. “The last thing in the world I want to do is fuck up what I’ve got going here. So if you don’t want this, tell me right now and we’ll pretend it didn’t happen.”

She swallowed. Hard. She had always been so careful about her relationships, always been aware of the gossip about her. She certainly never fell into bed with a man she knew only two weeks. But there was something connecting the two of them here and she had no intention of stopping it. Tomorrow, she’d deal with the fallout.

“I want it,” she whispered, and saw the relief in his eyes.

He stood and carefully lifted her from her chair, cuddling her against his chest as he carried her to her bedroom. She loved the feel of his body against hers, the strength of his arms around her. The heat she felt through the fabric of his T-shirt. She inhaled his clean male scent.

When he lowered her to her mattress, it was with such tenderness she had to blink back tears. Had anyone ever seen the man who’d been hiding under the crappy exterior all those years?

“I want to be careful of your foot,” he told her, kneeling on the floor beside her. “But Jesus, Georgie. If I don’t get you naked soon I think I’ll lose my mind.”

“I think we can work around it,” she told him.

The first thing he did was release her pony tail and comb his fingers through her hair.

“There.” He smiled. “Much better.”

When she began unbuttoning her blouse, he brushed her hands away.

“Uh uh. I want to do this myself.”

She was surprised to see his hands shake slightly as he unbuttoned each button slowly and tugged the tails of her blouse from the waistband of her jeans, spreading open the fabric. His eyes widened when they took in her breasts in the satin and lace bra, and hunger flared sharply in them. He bent lower and trailed the tip of his tongue over the upper swell of her breasts, sending shivers skating down her spine.

But instead of concentrating on them as she expected him to, he slid his hands up to cup her cheeks, turned her head and took her mouth again in a hungry kiss. He nibbled her lips, swept his tongue inside, sucked her tongue into his own mouth. When they were breathless again, he trailed kisses across her cheeks and forehead, then he found the spot behind her ear that always drove her crazy.

“Move over here next to me,” she urged, sliding her body to make room for him.

“Your foot,” he reminded her.

“Is on the right and you’re on the left. It’s fine.”

But he still very carefully slid his hands beneath her to rearrange her body before stretching out full length beside her.

She wound her fingers in the thick strands of hair the color of melted dark chocolate, holding his head close to her body as she arched up to him. When he’d paid homage to every inch of her face and neck, he moved his attention back to her breasts. His hot mouth sucked in first one nipple and then the other, pulling the now-wet fabric into his mouth along with her flesh. Nibbling and tugging until she could feel the pull at the center of her core.

Just when she was sure he was ready to flick open the clasp on her bra and take her bare breasts, he moved back to her mouth. This time, he was gentle rather than savage, licking lightly, tracing the outline of her lips, nibbling at the corners until she actually grabbed one of his hands and moved it to a breast.

His laugh was low, hoarse and sensual. “Getting eager, are we?” But his face when he looked at her was serious. “I’m not going to hurry this, Georgie. I’ve always looked at sex as a physical exercise. Tonight, with you, I want to make it an emotional one too. Take my time.” Then his lips curved in a hot smile. “But I will get this damn bra out of the way.”

He expertly opened the front clasp and pushed the garment to the sides. The look in his eyes as he stared at her ramped up her pulse even more. She didn’t think she’d ever before had a man look at her with such a combination of desire and appreciation.

“Your nipples are like rosebuds.” He licked first one then the other. “Pink and perfect.”

He took each one in his mouth again, sucking them one at a time until her breasts ached with the tension. His teeth lightly grazed the taut buds and he finished his attention to them by licking circles around them until the sexual tension in her body threatened to break loose without any further stimulation. She couldn’t ever remember a man who paid as much attention to foreplay as Cade was doing. She didn’t want him to stop, but she didn’t know how much more she could take without telling him to rip both their clothes off.

But Cade seemed determined to take his time about this. From her breasts, he traced a line with his tongue down to her tummy, pausing to swirl his tongue around the soft flesh of her belly button. She’d never thought of that particular area of her body as an erogenous zone, but the light sweeps of his tongue sent hot flames right to the center of her cunt. If her panties hadn’t been damp before, she was sure by now they were soaked.

So slowly she wanted to scream at him to hurry, he unfastened the snap of her jeans and lowered the zipper. He trailed kissed down to her mound, nipping her flesh lightly through the fabric before rising to his knees so he could ease both jeans and panties from her body. A line of kisses on each leg followed the slow glide of the fabric down over her knees and ankles. Even as aroused as she was, she couldn’t help noting how cautious he was slipping the garments over her injured foot.

When she was completely naked, he adjusted her carefully so her legs were spread wide and he was kneeling between them. The hungry need in his eyes was almost her undoing. Men had looked at her before with arousal but never with appreciation as Cade was doing. His gaze raked over her from head to foot, drinking in every naked inch of her.

“I think one of us still has too many clothes on,” she said in a whispery voice.

In response, he yanked his T-shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. Georgie swallowed a tiny gasp as she took in his broad shoulders, the muscles of his belly that two straight weeks of hard labor had tightened up. The soft mat of hair covering his chest that arrowed down below his waistband to his groin.

“If I take off anything else,” he rasped, “the party will be over before it starts. I’m so hot for you, Georgie, I need something to keep my dick from embarrassing me.”

She gave a breathy little laugh. “I’m not sure I can wait much longer myself.”

He leaned down until his face was scant inches from hers and his eyes bored into hers. “I hate to tell you this, but all my life I’ve been a selfish son of a bitch. I never appreciated what women offered me, just took what I thought was my right. I’m not that person any more. At least, I’m trying not to be. So let me pleasure you. I want that more than anything.”

Something turned over in her heart, an emotion she immediately pushed away. This was one night. One moment in time. Who knew what tomorrow would be like, or if Cade’s epiphany would even last.

So just lie back and enjoy it, Georgie. Make good memories.

He made slow, careful love to her with his mouth and his hands. Brushing his mouth over hers yet again, he slid it down to her wet heat between her thighs. When he gently opened her folds and stared at her, his breathing actually hitched and his eyes darkened to the color of black coffee. Without warning, he leaned forward and traced the length of her slit with his tongue, sending electricity jolting through her.

“
Oh
.” The sigh whispered from her mouth.

He did it again, and then again.

“Mmm,” he murmured against her wet flesh. “You taste so fucking good. I could spend all night eating you like this.”

As she arched her hips up to him, he proceeded to lap every inch of her pussy, her folds, her slit, rimming her opening and swirling his tongue around her clit. When he took that bundle of nerves into his mouth and slipped two fingers into her waiting heat, a moan vibrated in her throat.

“Come for me, Georgie,” he urged. “Let me see you orgasm. Let me feel you all over my hand.”

“I want…you…inside…me,” she gasped out. “Please.”

“Oh, you’ll have that. I promise you. But I want this first.”