Ride a Cowboy (7 page)

“Because I’m dying for you to fuck me?”

He gave her a slanted glance. “Aren’t you?” His hands clasped her bottom and he

butted up against her naked cunt.

Her eyes closed and her mouth opened around a moan. As he rubbed into her open,

juicy cunt, she gripped his shoulders tight. “But…ah…what about you? Don’t I get a

chance to please you too?”

He inserted a hand between their bodies and palmed a plump breast. “You do.

Christ, I need this in my mouth.”

She rose and pressed her nipple against his lips, a little smile curving hers. “Seems

kinda one-sided.”

“I’ll get to the other,” he murmured, and then opened his mouth wide to take as

much of her tit as he could inside.

She laughed and clasped his head to her breast. “That’s not what I meant.” Her

inner knees hugged either side his thighs and squeezed. “One thing I do know how to

do is give a blowjob,” she whispered.

Daniel groaned and gently bit the velvet-soft tip scraping his tongue. “Saturday

night.”

* * * * *

Saturday morning, Daniel entered the white sandstone building that had housed

the county library for as long as he could remember. His nose wrinkled at the smell of

books, a smell he hadn’t encountered since his last year of high school.

It wasn’t that he was averse to books, or to reading, he’d simply been too busy—at

first with the police academy, and then on the job at the Wendall County Sheriff’s office.

Then he’d purchased the property which adjoined Katelyn’s about three years ago

when it came up on the market for a good price—it being in nearly the same sad shape

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as Katelyn’s house was now. From then on all his spare time had been spent renovating

the thirty-year-old house that sat on twenty acres of land. He’d cleaned, repaired and

painted in hopes of preparing it for a family, but the right woman had never come

along. He thought now, just maybe, Katelyn Carter was what he’d been waiting for.

Daniel stuck a finger in the buttoned collar of his uniform shirt to loosen it enough

to breathe comfortably. He was nervous and feeling more than a little foolish, paying a

call on Katelyn at her job. He’d congratulated himself on refraining from checking in on

her for three whole days. There was no sense in scaring the woman by rushing her off

her feet. He knew he’d almost blown it when he’d turned down her generous offer. But

sex wasn’t the only thing he wanted from her, and he knew she might get cold feet if

she got everything she yearned for too fast and easy.

Katelyn needed to want.

She needed to yearn for his touch the same way he was dying to hear three little

words from her—with an ache that wouldn’t relent.

Today, he just wanted to see her. Even if it was only to let her level a distrustful

gaze on him. She thought he was a handyman—something he’d encouraged her to

believe, even if he’d never said the lie because he’d wanted the chance to get to know

her. That their physical relationship had progressed so far, so quickly, only added to his

unease. He hoped she wouldn’t be too disappointed or angry at his little deception. But

the time for the truth was now.

“Why, Daniel Bodine, if this isn’t a surprise. Now I know you’re not here to check

out a book, so what can I do for you?” The dry raspy voice of Mabel Comstock

harkened back to high school and he broke out in a sweat. Just a glance from the little

white-haired woman from over the top of her glasses had always been enough to make

him squirm.

Remembering his manners, he doffed his cowboy hat. “Howdy, Miz Comstock. It’s

good to see you.”

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“Hrmph.” Her mouth pursed, and her eyes narrowed, “I know this isn’t a social

call…” One gray brow quirked upward. “Or maybe not for me. You wouldn’t be here to

visit the newest member of my staff here, now would you?”

He felt the heat creep across his cheeks and cursed his lack of composure. You’d

think a twenty-nine year-old man, and a deputy sheriff to boot, wouldn’t be intimidated

by a tiny curmudgeon of a woman. He cleared his throat. “As a matter of fact…Yes

ma’am. I’d like to see Miz Carter…if it’s not an inconvenience.”

Mabel Comstock’s eyebrows rose and the corners of her mouth quirked into a

semblance of a smile. “Katelyn’s in the computer room.” When he continued to stare

blankly at her, she motioned toward a room at the back of the building. “That room’s

been in this building for five years—don’t be such a stranger, Daniel.”

“Yes, ma’am…thanks.” With relief, he headed to the rear of the library.

Katelyn’s back was to the door as he opened and closed it quietly behind him. She

was on her knees on the floor, her torso beneath the table. The view of her backside,

heart-shaped mounds that jiggled a little beneath the fabric of her slacks as she tugged

at something out of sight, had him grinning. He leaned against the door, and crossed

his arms over his chest to wait. No sense in spoiling a good opportunity to take in the

scenery by announcing his presence.

She muttered something unintelligible before backing out from beneath the table.

As her head popped into view, she caught sight of him. “Oh!” She slammed her head

against the table as she tried to rise. Tears filled her eyes.

He rushed to help her up. “Are you okay?” He pushed her toward a chair. “Take it

easy here for a second. I’m sorry I startled you.”

Rubbing her head she frowned at him, then took in his uniform in one long glance,

from head to toe. Her expression was one of dismay. “You’re a policeman?”

“A deputy sheriff,” he corrected her.

“No, no one said…
you
didn’t say.” She looked at him accusingly, a scowl wrinkling

her forehead.

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Delilah Devlin

“I assumed you knew.” Well, it wasn’t exactly a lie. He hadn’t mentioned it, but he

couldn’t have known how much Dwight might have blabbed to her after he’d removed

the snake. He knelt beside her so their gazes were level. He didn’t want her staring at

his uniform. “I guess there are a lot of things we don’t know about each other.”

Her glance slid away from his. “You’re right. We really haven’t talked very much.”

Daniel bit back a smile and picked up one of her hands, so dainty within his hamfisted palms, and squeezed it gently before letting it drop to her lap. “How about we

spend some time together. You’re coming with me tonight, right?”

Her gaze went to the glass door and back. “Daniel…I don’t know…”

He drew a breath and felt a slow burning anger heat his cheeks while tension filled

his arms and chest. “We had a deal, Miss Librarian.”

Her eyes widened. “I’ll still do that,” she hissed, “but don’t you think you should

give…the rest a little time? I mean, you’re a deputy…you have a reputation—”

“Seems the only one worried about the differences in our ages is you, Katelyn. I’m

beginning to think it’s just an excuse to keep what’s happening between us safe. Like

our relationship is in a box for you to take out whenever you have needs.”

“That’s not fair. We hardly know each other. Do you think I’m afraid to commit?”

“I think someone’s made you afraid to trust.”

Tears filled her eyes and she blinked. “Daniel, we need to talk—”

He shook his head. “After the party.”

A fierce frown drew her brows together. “We’ll never get around to conversation

then.”

Daniel smiled. “After you make good on your promise…we’ll talk.”

Her head canted and she gave him an assessing look. “We just had our first

argument.”

“Not so bad, huh?”

“I survived.”

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He rose, and held out his hand to help her stand. “You sure you’re feelin’ all right?”

“Uh huh,” she answered, sounding a little breathless as she stared up.

His gaze dropped to her lips, and they parted. That was invitation enough.

Intending only a quick kiss to her lips, he pressed his closed lips to hers, but was

pleasantly surprised when her head tilted to align their noses, and she deepened the

kiss. His hands smoothed over her ribs, slid around her back, then spread to embrace

her. He pulled her close to him, and she leaned into him with a soft moan. He let her

take the lead, and while she never ventured beyond the seam of his lips, her own

melted against his.

Suddenly, she broke off the kiss, shoving at his chest and he released her

immediately. Breathing heavily, he fought to calm his racing heart. Glancing around, he

found his hat on the floor, and brushed it off, before placing it back on his head.

His eyes sought hers. Her lips glistened still from their kiss. Choking down an

inward groan, he said, “Tonight.”

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Chapter Five

Katelyn chose a pink cotton dress with a skirt that swirled around her calves when

she turned. She smiled at herself in the mirror, wondering if this was starting a trend. A

brand spanking new
pink
life. Her blond hair was pulled away from her face, fastened

with small silver barrettes leaving the rest to fall to her shoulders. She hoped she didn’t

look ridiculous and like she was trying to appear younger than she was, but the truth

was, the anticipation of seeing him again left her feeling like she was standing on the

edge of something wonderful.

And if they ended up in bed together tonight, she didn’t believe her secret was a

betrayal. He might have access to her body, but this time around she wasn’t going to

entrust her inner self to anyone else’s care before she was sure. However, yesterday

she’d called an attorney and begun the process to end her marriage to her husband.

This was a victory she wanted to savor alone—she’d proven her strength of will,

proven Chris was wrong about her. She wasn’t the insecure young woman he’d

married. She no longer needed his approval to validate her choices. She didn’t need

him—she didn’t need any man. It was a liberating feeling taking this final step of

emancipation.

Every bit as freeing as the rich sensuality of Daniel’s kisses. Today, standing in the

middle of the library where anyone could see them, she’d given herself permission to

love again. Compared to the wicked things he’d done to her before, the kiss had been

rather innocent, but she’d initiated a deeper joining, let her hands roam over his body in

a possessive way,

Until she’d realized the hard, unyielding surface beneath her palms wasn’t his

muscled chest, but the Kevlar jacket he wore beneath his uniform. That had been

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enough to jar her back to reality. She hadn’t known he was an officer. He’d kept his

own secret.

She wouldn’t hold it against him. They had to learn to trust each other and give

themselves time to know each other. If the physical side of their relationship was on the

fast track, well,
halleluiah
anyway.

The age difference that had rankled and made her feel ashamed might actually be a

blessing. Because he was younger, she felt more in control.

A knock sounded at the door, and her heart raced. She grabbed her purse and let

herself out the front door. When she finally glanced at the tall man who waited

patiently for her finish locking up, he stole her breath away.

Daniel in faded blue jeans had been a sinfully delicious treat. Tonight, he was the

full-fledged cowboy in a starched denim shirt with pearl-covered buttons. His jeans

were dark, his boots highly polished.

The oversized belt buckle drew her gaze so long she knew he grew embarrassed,

because he cleared his throat before saying, “Do you have everything you need?”

Surprising herself, she giggled. She hadn’t felt so lighthearted in ages. “I do now.”

She grasped his arm and smiled warmly at him, and he responded by crooking his

elbow and placing a hand over hers. They looked at each other for a long time.

Daniel cleared his throat again. “If I kiss you now, we won’t make it off this porch.”

“And that’s a problem?”

He nodded, his expression solemn, but his eyes wrinkled at the corners like when

he smiled. “Yes, ma’am. I want to dance with you tonight.”

She tilted her head and raised a single eyebrow. “And you’re telling me this, why?”

“Because I don’t want you thinking I don’t want to kiss you.”

She lifted a finger to her mouth and licked the tip, then traced his lips slowly.

“Consider yourself kissed.” She lowered her hand and blushed when he continued to

stare.

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Delilah Devlin

His chest rose sharply and he glanced away. “Shit.”

“Problem?”

“Yeah, I have to get through the evening with a hard-on.”

She grinned. “That belt buckle’s big enough to hide behind.”

His gaze narrowed on her. “No, it’s not.”

A grin stretched her lips wider. “No, it’s not,” she drawled.

His hands clasped her hips and glided lower. He rested his forehead against hers

and squeezed her bottom.

It was an odd embrace, but one she didn’t want to end. “Where’s your hat?” she

asked, wanting to extend the moment and not really caring about the answer.

“In the truck.”

“Hmmm.” This close she inhaled his spicy aftershave and the smell of soap on his

skin. She wondered if he noticed the attention she’d given her scent as well.