Authors: Joya Ryan
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Series, #One night stand, #Friends to Lovers, #cowboy hero, #rodeo romance, #bad boy hero, #Different Class, #small town romance, #Secret Relationship, #Joya Ryan, #Chasing Trouble, #opposites attract, #Chasing Love, #Brazen, #western romance, #Best Friend’s Older Brother, #sexy romance, #contemporary romance, #Entangled
“Fine. Just a friendly hello and I was on my way.” Colt took a bite of his cookie and tried really hard not to slam his fist down and throw a fit because there had been only one thing on his mind all day and damn it… “What’s Jenna’s deal?” Colt blurted out, frustration finally getting the better of him. “She’s all uptight.”
When he looked up to see Lily’s eyes wide and staring at him like he’d just delivered a curse of the century, he felt like an ass. He hadn’t meant to lash out, but he needed some answers without giving too much away.
“Alex, honey, why don’t you go play for a few minutes while I talk to your Uncle Colt.”
Alex nodded, jammed the rest of his cookie in his mouth, and ran out of the kitchen with full cheeks.
Lily came to stand by Colt and glared down at him. “Please tell me you aren’t going after Jenna. She’s my best friend, Colt. She’s not like those floozies you meet up with on the circuit.”
“Floozies? I don’t date floozies, Lil.”
“You don’t date, period,” she said.
That was a good point. But JJ was different. This whole situation was different. “I just want to…” Colt stopped himself. He couldn’t tell his sister about what he wanted, partly because he was still figuring it out. He knew he wanted JJ, though. Knew there had to be a way to show her he was a good choice. Could keep her secrets and spend time with her. It would be a win-win for both of them.
“You want to what, Colt? ‘Hang out’ with Jenna?” She air quoted the last two words and Colt immediately hated himself for telling Lily when she was thirteen that when a boy says he wants to “hang out” it usually implies a lot more than that. He also told her that if any boy tried anything to kick them in the nuts and run. At the time, he was educating and protecting his baby sister. Now, years later, with her throwing his words back in his face, it sort of sucked.
“I’m not looking for anything,” he lied. Because this conversation was going nowhere quick. He knew Lily wouldn’t be thrilled about this idea of him and JJ hooking up. “I just want to know why she’s acting the way she is.”
“She’s under a lot of pressure right now, Colt. You know that.”
“The grant. I get it.”
“Do you? She’s been working on this for the past year. A lot of kids in Diamond go home to parents who aren’t attentive or even around. She’s trying to create a safe place for them. She wants to be the one they pick to see this through. And Yvonne Taylor is her competition. The same woman who walked in on you ‘impressing’”—again with the air quotes—“Jenna. You know that woman has a big mouth. Remember the rumor she started about me and Johnny Blanco sophomore year?”
Yeah, he did. Lily called him up in tears because Yvonne spread it around school that Lily and Johnny went all the way, when apparently they had only kissed. Which was good for Johnny because Colt would have been on the next flight home to kick his ass.
Lily didn’t like Yvonne much, and Colt couldn’t blame her. It was one of the many reasons he kept his “run-in” with her last time he was in town to himself. Yvonne, however, hadn’t seemed to let it go and was looking for round two.
“Yvonne and her mother still gossip about Miranda and say nasty things about Jenna any time they get a chance,” Lily said.
“I know. I’m sorry,” Colt said. And he was. He didn’t want to cause problems. If anything, after this chat with Lily, he wanted to rush to Jenna, sweep her up, and tell her why she was better than Yvonne. Why she was special and sexy, and make her feel only good things. First he had to get her to see him, though. Lily would be a good source on how to soften JJ up, but he’d have to tread carefully.
“JJ just doesn’t seem to want to do much socially. Maybe a night out would be a good thing for her,” Colt offered. “A stress release.”
There. Platonic. Merely a friendly suggestion. Colt wanted to pat his own back because there was no way Lily could see through—
“You mean she won’t hang out with the amazing Colt McCade and you don’t know how to get her to go out with you?” Lily asked with a raised brow.
That’s it. He was spending way too much time around his sister.
“It was just an observation by a friend, about a friend.” He bit down on his cookie feeling defeated by a five-foot-two blonde with the world’s best bullshit detector.
“You don’t socialize much yourself. I’m glad you got out today, but in the past, you don’t really do much when you visit.”
“Well, this time is different,” he mumbled.
“And why is that?” She looked at him like she already knew the answer, but Colt wasn’t about to say it out loud.
“Because I’m here for the summer, as you pointed out. That’s three months, and I’m just looking for things to do and people to hang out with.”
“Like Jenna.”
“This town likes me well enough. Hanging out with me wouldn’t be so bad.”
“Uh-huh. You know who else likes you? The town’s women, Mr. Rodeo Romeo.” She patted his back and her voice softened. “You’re my brother and I love you. I know you’re a good guy. I just think that Jenna fights a certain kind of social battle every day that you and I have never had to fight.”
“I’ve had my problems, and I guarantee you the town still remembers.”
Lily nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. But it’s different for you. You can be who you are. How people view you or what they remember doesn’t outweigh what you want.”
Lily’s words slapped him in the face and a fucking lightbulb went off.
You’re not the only one I’m worried about.
Colt ran a hand through his hair. Was he willing to be her dirty little secret just for another taste of her?
Abso-fucking-lutely.
“Mama,” Alex said, running back into the room. “The new racing movie is out! Will you take me to see it?”
“Oh, sweetie, I wish I could, but I have plans with Jenna tonight.”
Colt’s ears perked up. So those were the plans she’d talked about. “What are you two going to do?”
“Girls’ night at her place. Alex, don’t you want to go to Michael’s house?”
Alex glanced down and Lily’s face fell. “I’ve been working a lot lately at the hospital, buddy, and you know what, I think a movie sounds just right.” Alex beamed. “Go get ready.”
She smiled and patted his bottom as he sprinted from the room.
“Thanks, Mom!”
“You’re a good mom, Lily.”
She smiled and dialed her cell. “And you’re a good man, Colt. Jenna is just dealing with a lot right now and it’s probably best that we just support her. From a distance.”
He knew right away what his sister was trying to say: stay away from Jenna because it won’t look good for her. And honestly, Colt could understand that. Hell, he just might agree. But sometimes when things you wanted don’t come to you, you had to get creative about getting to them.
Lily pressed the phone to her ear. “I hate canceling on Jenna, but she’ll understand…damn voicemail.”
Chapter Six
Jenna pulled up to her house and saw that Lily’s car was in the driveway. She parked and hustled out.
“I know, I know, I’m late, I’m so sorry.” Jenna set her grocery bag down by her front door and shuffled her purse off. “I had to run by the store to get—”
She choked on her words when she looked up to see not Lily but Colt reclining on her couch.
“Ah, sugar, you brought home dinner.” Colt’s smile was disarming. He wove his fingers together and put his palms behind his head, getting even more comfortable on her couch.
“What are you doing here?”
He shrugged. “Girls’ night.”
Jenna’s jaw dropped. He wasn’t wearing a hat and had obviously showered. The ends of his blond hair were still wet, his blue eyes burning, and…had he actually shaved?
“What is this?”
He frowned. “What’s what?”
“This,” she motioned her hand in his direction and Colt looked down the front of himself.
“I think it’s a shirt. Button-down. A bit fancy for my taste but the ladies seem to like it.” He smiled.
Jenna raised a brow. “Oh they do, huh? Did Yvonne like it?”
Colt’s throat worked a hard swallow but to his credit, he never took his eyes off her. “Yvonne and I had a onetime thing last year when I was visiting Diamond.”
“You don’t owe me any explanation,” Jenna said in a chipper tone, though she felt anything but.
“Then why did you ask me for one?”
Shoot! She had, hadn’t she? Here she was telling herself that she didn’t care and Colt could do whatever, or whomever, he wanted. But the truth was, she hated the idea that Yvonne had been with him. But Colt wasn’t hers to claim, not that she wanted to. She needed to get back to the matter at hand.
“You can’t keep making a habit of this, Colt. This is breaking and entering.”
He chuckled. “Lily has a key. And we McCades share.”
“Where is Lily?”
“She took Alex to a movie. He needed some mama time. She left you a message.” He tipped his chin at her purse. Crap, she hadn’t even heard her cell ring. “I was just ensuring you got it. Wouldn’t want you to worry.”
“Well, thank you. Now that I’ve received the message, you can go.”
He rose and walked toward her. “Now that you have no plans, maybe we can get that dinner.”
“Colt, I’m not trying to be mean. You know this town is small and gossip goes a long way. Just having your car parked outside my house is going to stir a bunch of rumors.”
He put his hand on the wall by her head and leaned in. “Which is why I drove Lily’s car.”
Her heart actually stopped.
“I get it, JJ. I know you’ve got a lot going on and this grant is important. I don’t want to mess that up for you. But asking me to stay away from you isn’t happening either. Not when you admitted that you want it too.”
His lips were so close, breath tickling her chin. “Does anyone else get to see the woman I saw last weekend?”
He reached up, unfastened her hair, and watched it fall across her shoulders. Her heart raced when his fingers trailed down her collarbone to the first button on her blouse.
“I miss that girl. The one who owned herself and her body. The one who was passionate and demanding.” He bit her earlobe. “Remember how you begged me to fuck you against the wall?”
Jenna couldn’t get enough air and her chest was about to implode. Every day, she walked around feeling like a part of her was bland and switched off. With Colt against her, his masculine scent engulfing her senses, the last thing she felt was turned off.
He smiled against her neck. “The only regret I have about that night was that we never made it off the bed. But we can fix that now.”
He pressed further against her until she was sandwiched snugly between Colt’s hard muscles and the cool wall behind her.
He worked the first, then the second button open. “I can keep a secret, JJ.” He licked her collarbone and she moaned. “But if you tell me right now to go, then I will.”
She met his eyes and clutched his shirt. “It’s not that I don’t want you…” Her words trailed off when Colt ran his finger along the swell of her breast. “Every time I look at you I lose my sense. I see your face and have to remind myself why this is a bad idea.”
Colt leaned back and looked her in the eye. He nodded in understanding.
“Fair enough.”
Before Jenna could take another breath, Colt twirled her around so her breasts were now against the wall and her back to him. He palmed her hips and pulled her ass into him, and the hard bulge she felt against the small of her back was unmistakable.
“This better?” he murmured and nipped her neck. She reached behind him and wound her fingers in his hair, tugging him closer.
“You’re an ass,” she groaned when he licked her pulse point and worked the last button of her blouse free.
“That may be, but I’m still waiting to hear the word.”
His hand traveled from her hip down her inner thigh, and the only thing Jenna could say in that moment was, “Stay.”
…
Colt couldn’t have slowed down even if he wanted to. And he didn’t. He wrapped his arms around JJ and dived past her open blouse, beneath the silk bra, and cupped her breasts.
He was rewarded with a throaty moan.
“Your skin is so fucking soft,” he mumbled in her ear before sucking on the lobe. Her nipples beaded against his palms, as if begging him for more attention. He was happy to oblige.
He pinched those sensitive peaks until she arched her back and braced her hands on the wall in front of her. She pushed out and bent at the waist, thrusting that perfect ass into Colt’s crotch. So he pinched harder and she cried out, spreading her legs wide, causing her skirt to ride up, the tight silk playing peekaboo with the cleft of her ass.
This was what he’d been waiting for. To see her ditch that modest, uptight demeanor and lose control.
“More,” she groaned. The edge in her voice made his brain short-circuit, and Colt found it difficult to work his belt open. She was so sexy, so wild, he could hardly believe he was actually seeing this happen.
He was a lucky son of a bitch.
And a woman like Jenna deserved to be pampered. Soft touches and sweeping hands. Colt had been out of his mind for her last time, and this time, with his fly open and his dick ready to go, the night was shaping up to be no different. But he could show her better. Prove that he was a gentleman. Go slow.
JJ looked over her shoulder. “What are you doing? Why’d you stop?”
He ran a hand down her back and she met his touch like a purring kitten. “I just thought I should slow down, take more time.”
JJ blew a lock of hair out of her face. “If I wanted slow,” She grabbed the hem of her skirt and hiked it up to her hips, baring her sweet ass and the tiny black thong that lined it. She bent over once more, hands firmly on the wall, and gifted Colt with the best goddamn view he’d ever seen. “I would have said so.”
She didn’t want slow? Fine.
“Ah, sugar.” He wedged his jeans low on his hips and pulled his cock free. “All you had to do was tell me you liked it quick and dirty.”
“
Rough
and dirty,” she replied.
“Yes, ma’am.” Colt ripped those flimsy panties off. Grabbing a condom from his pocket, he quickly put it on and positioned himself at her entrance. He wound JJ’s long hair around his fist and yanked. Her head came up, but her palms remained flat on the wall in front of her. He leaned in to bite her ear. “Never accuse me of turning down a lady’s request.”
He thrust into her so hard her elbows bent from the force. But his tight hold on her hair and hip kept her from crashing into the wall.
“Jesus, Jenna, you’re so tight. I missed this.” He stirred himself inside her silky depths, unwilling to retreat yet, even for a moment. His ribs ached a little but he didn’t care. The pleasure far outweighed the slight pain of his injury, especially when she egged him on.
“Colt! Yes, right there.” He knew that sound, knew he was deep and hitting that spot inside that drove her wild.
With a firm grip on her hip, he angled her up just enough so he could sink another inch deeper.
“Oh, God!” she screamed.
Just the sound tightened his balls, threatening an instantaneous orgasm. And he had hardly moved. He was too busy enjoying the hot, wet depth that currently surrounded him. Paradise he just might never leave.
Short, quick pumps in and out had her panting.
“Deep. You’re so deep. Never before. Never like this. Oh, God—”
Colt grinned and kept going. Loving how her string of statements confirmed he was doing a hell of a job. Christ, did this woman have any idea how fucking sexy she was?
Colt pressed his fingertips to her lips. She instantly sucked on them and a violent tremor shot down his spine. With one hand still tangled in her hair, he withdrew his newly wetted fingers from her hot mouth and trailed down her flat belly and lower.
“Jesus.” Colt groaned when he felt how swollen her clit was. He circled the tiny bundle of nerves and she screamed his name. “Do you know what you do to me?”
He thrust hard while his fingers rubbed her wet flesh.
“Please, Colt.” She reached behind her and gripped the back of his neck.
“You want to come, sugar?”
“Yes!” she begged, clinging to him so sweetly.
“I want to feel it.” He sheathed himself as far as he could and stilled. His fingers worked her clit faster. Harder. Jenna sank her nails into his skin and Colt felt her inner walls instantly flash hot and convulse around him.
“Colt!”
It was the most incredible feeling Colt had ever experienced. Buried deep inside Jenna while her tight little pussy shuddered and sucked him deeper. He felt her from every direction as she came apart around him.
When those spasms started to subside and her body relaxed, he grabbed her hips in both hands and nipped her neck. “You’re not done, are you?”
She craned her neck and stared wide-eyed back at him. He grinned and snagged her bottom lip between his teeth. “I want to feel you do that again.”
“I—I can’t. It’s too soon.”
Colt pulled all the way out before bucking hard back inside. He pressed her flat against the wall.
“Oh!” she gasped.
Colt splayed his hands on the wall, kicked her ankles farther apart, and using all the force in his body, surged upward.
Jenna threw her head back, resting it on Colt’s shoulder. She was panting, mumbling, begging.
“You still want it rough, JJ?” Colt growled as he fucked her impossibly hard.
“Yes, yes!”
“Then take it.” His hips ground against her. “Come for me again.”
“I am.” Her body hummed and Colt felt that familiar tug around his cock. But this time he didn’t stop. He fucked her though her orgasm, and his own.
Wave after wave of intense pleasure hit him so hard his vision blurred. But when he realized JJ was still coming, just from the feeling of his release, Colt would have given anything for that moment to last an eternity.