Too Hot to Handle (23 page)

“Here’s our stop,” he said, parking the truck well back from the washed out area of the road. She jumped out before he could even reach for his door handle. “Don’t run ahead, all right? The road isn’t stable.”

Merry rolled her eyes. “They didn’t invent hiking in Wyoming, you know. I’m not a bumbling idiot.”

“I suppose that might be true. So just stay with me because I want you to.”

She smiled at him and the light filtering past the leaves danced over her face. “Okay.”

He cast a curious eye down the canyon as they edged along the narrow trail. There was no flash of light today, but he could definitely see something white down there. He didn’t say anything to Merry, though. If it was something awesome, he’d save it for another surprise, just to have the chance to make her happy again.

“Do you have family here?” she asked as they walked.

“Just my mom.”

“Is she great?” she asked.

Shane smiled and shook his head. “She’s fine. What about your mom?”

“My mom is the best. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“She’s just incredibly strong and kind. She taught me how to be happy and independent. She wasn’t always around a lot when I was little because she worked, and sometimes she’d take on another job during the holidays, but I always understood that she was doing it for me. For us. We were a team.”

“She sounds pretty amazing. Will she come visit you here?”

“At some point, I’m sure. She and Grace are pretty close. Maybe she’ll come for Christmas. It must be beautiful here during Christmas.”

“Well, it’s snowy, anyway. And a little crowded.”

“I think I’ll love it.”

He was sure she would love it, if only because she seemed to love everything. “You said you don’t ski?”

“No, but I’m going to. Will you teach me?”

“I’ve only been a couple of times. That hobby’s a little expensive for me, and I can’t afford to break a wrist.”

“Chicken.”

He winked, then paused to watch her closely as she traversed another narrow section of trail. The road flattened a little here before it disappeared around a bend. They were almost there, and Merry seemed to sense that. She was walking faster, smiling wider.

“All right. Are you ready?” he asked.

She did a little dance in the dirt. When he just raised his eyebrows and didn’t move, she shoved him. “What? What is it? Tell me.”

“Come on.” He took her hand and heard her whisper, “Oh, my God,” under her breath in anticipation.

Shane laughed. “I really hope this lives up to your expectations. Now you’ve got me self-conscious. But…” He led her around the last curve. “Here it is.”

Merry shrieked at the sight of the cabin, then covered her mouth as her scream dissolved into giggles. “Look at it! What is it? Is it part of Providence?”

“I don’t know. I have no idea how old it is or who lived here, but I thought you might want to find out.”

“Oh, my
God!
” she screamed, jogging a little closer to the cabin before skidding to a stop. “Can I go in? Do you think the landowner would mind? Nobody has lived here for a long time, right?”

“The last time I saw it was over twenty years ago, and it looked about the same. I’m sure it’s fine to explore.”

“This is insane, Shane. Look at that chinking. And the notches! I think it’s really old. It could even predate Providence. Do you think it could be a trapper’s cabin?”

He shrugged, but he knew she wasn’t really asking him. She hadn’t even looked at him since she’d spotted the cabin. She raced forward to look into one of the tiny windows cut into the logs, not that there was much of an interior. The roof had long since fallen in.

“It’s totally unstable, but maybe I could poke around the edges, see if…” She fell into silence for a moment, then her head popped up, she spun around, and Shane found himself catching her as she leaped for him.

“Thank you. Thank you!” She kissed his mouth and jaw and cheek, knocking his hat to the ground. “Thank you, Shane. It’s amazing. You’re amazing.”

“You’re welcome.” He tried to kiss her, but she was gone again, bouncing back to the cabin. He watched her go. Watched her forget about him completely and lose herself in exploring the old building. And Shane was pretty sure he hadn’t been this happy in a long time. Maybe even decades.

He had a feeling Merry was this happy a lot. When she left she’d take that with her, but he’d hang on for as long as he could.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

W
HEN
IT
STARTED
GETTING
dark, Shane forced her back to the truck. She supposed that was only fair. After all, the poor guy had just stood around for three hours while she filled her phone with pictures and tentatively moved a few logs at the edges of the cabin. She’d been rewarded with the sight of a metal tool, maybe a log splitter, she wasn’t sure. But it looked similar to one that she’d found in Providence.

Log cabins weren’t her specialty, but she’d done some research about one for her last position. A tiny little cabin on the Texas plains that a local municipality had wanted help documenting. This one was a different style and had been exposed to completely different weather conditions, but she was almost sure it was older, which would make it pre-1860. Very early for Wyoming.

A tiny hum of excitement leaked from her throat. To cover it up, Merry coughed into her hand as Shane opened the truck door for her. “I’m almost sure there were mentions of a cabin somewhere in the contemporary writings from Providence. Maybe in one of the diaries.” She tapped a knuckle against her chin. “Or maybe a diary from a settler in Jackson. I’m going to have to read through them all. But I need to go through and reference them, anyway.”

Shane made a sound of feigned interest.

When he got into the truck, Merry turned to him and a big grin spread over her face. “Did I already say thank you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you,” she said again, just for the hell of it. “It’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever given me.”

“Well, I don’t think you’re allowed to take it home.”

“We’ll see. Maybe one wagonload at a time. Think anyone will notice?”

“Probably not. With the road that way, we might be the first people who’ve seen it in years.”

She leaned across to kiss his cheek. “Thank you. But I feel bad. I didn’t get you anything.”

“Aw, shucks,” he drawled. “You gave me a hell of a surprise last night.”

Collapsing into giggles, she slapped his arm hard. “Shut up.”

“But if you feel bad, you can make it up to me. I’ve got a couple of ideas.”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe we could act out one of my fantasies about you this time.”

Embarrassed as she was, Merry couldn’t help but perk up at that. “Did you fantasize about me?”

“Yes. Unless you find that offensive. In which case, of course not.”

“I’m serious!”

“I may have jerked off to you one morning.”

She felt ridiculously pleased. For all she knew, men jerked off at least once to every woman they met. But she still grinned at the thought. After all, she knew how lovely he looked doing it now. “What did you think about?”

“Uh.”

Merry cocked her head. Then she sat back and looked at him. “Shane Harcourt, are you blushing?”

“No.”

“You are! What did you think about? Something naughty? Look how pink you are. Come on. Spill it.”

“I, um, pictured you on your knees. And your mouth…”

It may have been mean to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. “Oh, God,” she yelped as she slapped a hand over her mouth.

“Sorry,” he said.

“Yeah? Are you sorry? Or do you want me to do that?”

He shot her an incredulous look. “I assume that’s not a real question.”

“What? I wouldn’t want you to lose respect for me.” She couldn’t keep a straight face.

He growled.

When she stopped laughing, she nodded. “Okay, I’ll try it if you’re into that sort of thing.”

“Oh, you’re hilarious. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“Yes.”

He shook his head. “You’re kind of insufferable when you’re this happy.” But he reached for her knee and squeezed it.

“And sexy?” she asked pertly.

“Yes.” His hand left her knee and slid behind her neck. “And sexy.”

He leaned in to kiss her, and Merry was instantly aroused. Actually she’d already been aroused after talking with him about such naughty things. So aroused that she wasn’t even worried about what she’d promised. She didn’t have all that much experience with pleasuring a man with her mouth, but the idea suddenly seemed grand. She’d get on her knees for Shane. Hell, she’d happily get on all fours and bark like a lapdog. Probably not called for, though.

She’d never done it in a car, either. It seemed too public. Too risky. But they were more alone here than they’d be back home. No one to walk in. No one to knock.

She put one hand on his thigh and slid it higher.

“Mmm,” he murmured into her mouth, then groaned more deeply when she pressed her hand to his already thickening erection. She thrilled at the way he swelled harder beneath her touch. She’d never been a sex object before. And she’d never, ever been the aggressor. It was a newfound power to make a man like Shane Harcourt shift beneath her touch as if he were restless for more. More of
her
.

She stroked him, torturing him, teasing him. God, he was so gorgeous. She’d never really thought of a naked man as gorgeous before, but now that she’d seen Shane naked and wet and stroking himself, she felt greedy for the sight of his cock.

“God, you’re a tease,” he moaned.

“Who says I’m teasing?” she whispered, not quite believing those seductive words had come from her.

He pressed himself harder against her hand as his head fell back against the headrest. “Stop.”

“You want me to stop?”

“If you don’t stop, you’re going to have to finish.” His laugh was tense, but Merry wasn’t laughing.

She reached for his belt buckle. “Don’t you want me to finish, Shane?”

His eyes popped open and he looked at her.

She slipped his belt free and tugged at the buttons of his fly.

“Oh, hell, yes, I want you to finish,” he growled just as her hand closed over his thick shaft. He tilted the seat back a little, very generously giving her more room.

She smiled and told herself she wasn’t nervous as she ducked her head.

“Oh, God,” he breathed before her mouth even touched him. “Merry.”

She could do this. It wasn’t that difficult. And surprisingly, it really wasn’t. Because this time, just the sight of him and the scent of his skin and Merry’s mouth was watering. It wasn’t awkward at all as she closed her lips around him. In fact, she sighed with pleasure and felt almost greedy as she took him in.

There was something strangely powerful about this. About making a big strong man like Shane sigh. About making the breath hiss from his throat when she sucked. She glanced over to find that he’d wrapped one big hand around the handle of his door and his knuckles stood out white against the skin.

“Oh, Jesus, Merry,” he whispered. “God, that feels so good.”

She would’ve smiled if she’d been able to, but her mouth was stretched around him. There was no chance she could take all of him, but she did her very best, and was rewarded with a panted curse as his hips jumped a little. This was actually…fun. And she was nearly squirming with excitement.

His hand slipped over her hair, then pulled it back from her face.

“Christ, you’re so gorgeous,” he growled.

She hesitated, her eyes darting up to find him watching.

“Don’t stop. Please. Suck me, Merry. Take me.”

Merry closed her eyes and pretended he wasn’t watching. She concentrated on getting him off, pressing her tongue along his shaft and loving the taste of his arousal against her, loving the way his dirty words shivered along her nerves. He urged her on in a hushed rasp that gave her the confidence to take him deeper.

“God, I’m going to come,” he said. “Merry… You have to…”

She’d never done that before and had never even wanted to, but today was a fantasy. Today she was someone else. Someone daring and risqué, so she moaned around him and sucked harder.

“Oh, fuck. Yes. Yes.” His hips pushed up and she tasted him on her tongue as he came. She swallowed, then again and again, amazed at herself even as she did it. Amazed that she wanted it and she’d taken what she wanted.

Shane whispered her name. She felt his fingers tremble against her head as she rose up. Her cheeks were already warm with embarrassment, but he looked at her with an openness she’d never seen in his eyes. “That was…so fucking good.”

She tried to bite back a grin. “As good as your fantasies?” she asked, then wished she hadn’t. What if he said no? What if he—?

“Considering how damn hot and sweet your mouth was…about a thousand times better than my fantasy.”

He buttoned his pants, then reached behind her seat, giving her a chance to hide her ridiculously pleased smile. Good Lord, was she really proud of herself over a blow job?

“Hey, I’m sorry about, um… Or thanks for… Ha. What I mean is, do you want a drink?” He offered her a bottle of water still cold and wet from the cooler.

“Thanks.” Her cheeks burned, but that had no effect on her grin. “Aren’t you a gentleman? You keep these around just for emergencies like this?”

He laughed and scrubbed his hands over his face. “No, that was a first. I can assure you the water is strictly for work, but I’ll make an exception in your case.”

“Hey, thanks.”

He watched her until she squirmed, then winked and started the truck. “Let’s get you home. Your turn.”

Your turn.
That was one hell of a promise. She couldn’t wait.

Still grinning, she leaned her forehead against the window and watched long shadows slide by in the light of the sunset. This may have been the perfect day, the call from her cousin excepted.

Crap, she’d forgotten about that. She shot Shane a look and wondered if she should ask. But hell, why not? He’d made her day with that surprise. Maybe even her year. And he was probably in a pretty good mood at the moment. It only took her twenty minutes of silence to work up the nerve.