Western Ties: Compass Brothers, Book 4 (21 page)

“Ouch. What was the wager?”

Sawyer glanced at his watch. “In about three hours, I’m going to be out there in the middle of that dance floor break-dancing to Michael Jackson’s
Billie Jean
. If I’d won, we would have been treated to Paul two-stepping to
Friends in Low Places.
Might still make the son of a bitch do that anyway.”

Leah cracked up. “Thank God I remembered to bring my camera.”

He leaned closer and kissed her, taking a deep whiff of her floral perfume. She smelled like roses.
 

Before he could repeat the words he’d mouthed during the service, Silas, Lucy and Colby joined them. The caterers began delivering their food. JD and Vicky sat with them as well, while Jody, Seth, Cindi and Sam shared a smaller table nearby at the front of the makeshift dance floor.
 

“Damn, that was a great wedding,” JD said.
 

“It was,” Vicky concurred, her smile so big Sawyer wondered if it hurt her face.

“You did good, darlin’,” JD added, lifting his mother’s hand and kissing it.

“Oh, shoot. I didn’t do that much. Those girls knew what they wanted.”

Lucy pointed her fork at Vicky. “And you made it happen. Don’t you dare try to downplay your role in this party.”

JD nodded approvingly. “You tell her, sweet Lu.”

Lucy, a nurse, had taken over most of the care JD required, keeping tabs on his medicine and helping him through the rough spells. She’d been a godsend, and Sawyer made a mental note to draw her aside tonight and tell her so.

The conversation during dinner was light and fun as everyone recalled their favorite part of the ceremony. Leah blushed when Colby told her he preferred her version of the wedding-march song to the one played on the radio.

After the dishes were cleared, the deejay started the music, playing the special songs Jody and Cindi had selected for the dances with the parents. Vicky got two as she danced first with Seth and then with Sam.

When the deejay finally invited everyone to the floor, Sawyer grasped Leah’s hand. “Dance with me.”

She accepted his invitation and he dragged her close as they swayed to the soft strains of Garth Brooks singing
To Make You Feel My Love.
The instant Sawyer heard Leah humming along, he knew they’d found their song.

She pressed her face against his. “Sawyer, at the end of the ceremony, you said something—”

He grinned. “I love you.”

She looked at him. “You do?”

“Very much. You left last night before I could tell you. I’ve been an idiot, Leah.”

She shook her head. “No, you haven’t. Everything’s happening so fast.”

“I know that. Hell, I’m struggling to see anything clearly, but when I go to bed every night, the only thing I know for certain is that when I wake up, I need you there.”

“I want to be there.”

Sawyer picked her up and twirled her around. “Good. And so I’m sure we’ve got this straight, you’re my girlfriend. You’re not my fuck-buddy, my friend with benefits, my distraction. You’re my future, my love, my rose.”

“I love you too, Sawyer.”

“What do you say we get out of here and do a little private celebrating?”

 
“Now?” she asked, giving him an exasperated look.

He glanced around. The dance floor was packed as his entire family settled in, ready to enjoy themselves until the wee hours. “No one will even notice we’re gone.”

She rolled her eyes. “Everyone will miss you. You have a toast to propose, Mr. Best Man.”

“Damn. I forgot about that.”

“No, you didn’t. Besides I know what you’re really trying to do, and I’m not going to help you.”

“What’s that?”

“You are not reneging on your break-dancing bet.”

He groaned. “Please?”

She kissed him softly. “No way. I’m living for it. There’s no rush, Saw. We have all the time in the world.”

She was right. They did.

Chapter Ten

It was so late, it was early when Leah finally escaped the wedding reception with Sawyer.
 

“What time is it?” she asked.

Sawyer glanced at his watch. “After two a.m.”

“Wow. That was an amazing party.”

He grinned over his shoulder, but continued to lead her away from the house and deeper into the woods.
 

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” He took the path slowly so she wouldn’t trip. Sawyer had disappeared with Jake and a few of the ranch hands around midnight. They’d been gone nearly half an hour. Sawyer said they’d smoked cigars behind the barn. Problem was Leah had noticed a distinct lack of cigar smell on his clothing and breath.

She heard the trickle of the creek that ran through Compass ranch. She, Sawyer and Sam had come here more than a few times when they were young to fish, skip rocks and generally wallow away a lazy summer afternoon.

As they approached, a soft light appeared. “What’s that?”

“We’re here,” Sawyer said.
 

Leah stepped into the clearing by the creek and gasped.

A canopy bed was set up, complete with sheets, a comforter and pillows. Off to the side a camp lantern burned, casting the entire area in romantic lighting. It was the most beautiful thing Leah had ever seen.

“I used a net instead of the real canopy. Figured that would keep the bugs away. And that’s a thick quilt, so even if it gets chilly, I think we’ll be okay.”

“You did this? For me?”

Sawyer grasped her hand tighter. “Leah, I would do anything for you.”

She closed her eyes to ward of the happy tears threatening to fall. “How—”

“Recruited Jake and a few of the hands. Remembered the old bed was in the storage building behind the barn. Only took us a couple trips to get it all here and assembled. Vicky snuck out after we left to put on the sheets and such.”

Leah blushed. “Your mother helped?”

Sawyer laughed. “She actually yelled at me for not giving her more notice. She said she could’ve had the place looking really nice if she’d known what I was up to ahead of time.”

Leah took in the scene. “There’s no way to make this any nicer. It’s perfect.”

Sawyer led her to the bed. “I figured neither one of us was in any condition to drive to your place after all the champagne we drank. And given how you scream down the rafters in bed, I wouldn’t have been able to do everything I planned to do to you without keeping everyone awake.”

Leah punched him lightly. “I don’t scream.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “You would have tonight.”

“Cocky ass.”

Sawyer shook his head and gave her a mischievous grin. “You’re mistaking confidence for cockiness.”

She snorted. “No. I’m not.”

Sawyer kissed her hard, his lips devouring hers. “I love you, Leah.”

After that, they didn’t speak. Instead, they conveyed their feelings with touches, kisses, caresses. They undressed each other leisurely, taking their time as they unveiled each bit of bare flesh.

Sawyer played with her breasts for so long, she thought she might climax from that alone. When she pushed his tuxedo pants down, she followed the material, worshipping Sawyer’s erection with her mouth, licking, nipping, sucking on the hard flesh. Once she’d had her fill, she moved to his back, tracing every line of his tattoo with her tongue.
 

“Wait a minute. Your tattoo.”

“What about it?”

“There’s a rose growing out of the ranch brand.”
 

Sawyer glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled. “Wondered when you’d notice that. Put you there when I was eighteen. I might have been going west, but I knew where my true home was.”

A tear ran down her cheek, amazement and joy radiating from her face. “The rose is for me?”

“You’ve always been special, different. Unfortunately, I had a lot of growing up to do.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. You still have a lot of growing up to do,” she teased.

Sawyer laughed. “Oh, baby, you’re going to pay for that one.”

“You can punish me later,” she whispered.

Dropping to her knees, she bit his ass cheeks, soothing away the sting with soft kisses. Sawyer groaned. “God dammit, rose,” he said, through gritted teeth when she sucked one of her fingers into her mouth, wetting it before toying with his anus. He jolted like he’d been struck by lightning, but he didn’t move away.

“Don’t get too fond of that game,” he warned.

She laughed and pressed in to the second knuckle. She wiggled it a bit as Sawyer clenched his fists by his sides.
 

“More?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Christ. Not tonight, Leah. I’m going to need some time to decide if I love or hate that.”

She withdrew her finger slowly, grinning at his response. He was trying to make the evening special for her, stepping out of his comfort zone along the way. “Thank you for letting me play.” Her dominant lover was showing great restraint. She appreciated his efforts in the face of her unbelievable happiness. She wanted to touch every inch of him, mark him as hers. He seemed to understand, and he gave her free rein to satisfy the need.

When Sawyer separated the canopy net, Leah climbed onto the plush comforter, her hand brushing something soft. Rose petals. The entire bed was covered in beautiful red petals.

She looked at Sawyer, smiling widely.
 

“That was my idea.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. No one had ever gone to such lengths for her. Given her such an incredible gift. She was moved beyond words.

She lifted her arms, inviting Sawyer to join her. He crawled onto the bed, gripping her waist and pulling her beneath him on the center of the mattress.

Their kisses seemed to last for hours, neither of them willing to give up the comfort, the beauty of this moment.

Sawyer slid slowly along her body, planting kisses on her neck, her breasts, her stomach. He touched every inch of her sensitive skin. When his lips grazed her clit, she opened her legs, crying out at his much-more-intimate kiss.

As his tongue darted in and out of her opening, Leah realized he’d been right to take them away from the house. She couldn’t have held in her cries of delight, her pleas for more.

When Sawyer pressed two fingers into her pussy, she saw heaven, splintering into white-hot bliss as her orgasm came. She ran her fingers through Sawyer’s hair, trying to use her grip to drag his face up to hers.

“Come inside me.”

He shook his head. “Not yet, Leah. I’ll tell you when.”

He reached toward the bottom of the bed. For the first time, she noticed the small basket there.

“What’s that?”

“Supplies.”

He collected a tube of lubrication and a slim vibrator. Leah recalled that his mother had been here and she frowned.
 

“I brought this out after Vicky worked her magic with the rose petals.”

“How did you know—”

He shrugged. “I’m finding it easier and easier to read your expressions, your thoughts.”

She smiled wickedly. “Can you tell what I’m thinking now?”

He nodded. “Hell yeah.” He shoved two fingers inside her. “You want to come again.”

Her eyes drifted closed as he thrust into her ultra-sensitive pussy. “God, Saw. So good.” She was on the verge of exploding when he retreated. “Wait. Don’t stop.”

He shook his head. “No, you’ve already gotten a freebie. Now you’re going to wait for permission.”

He opened the tube of lubrication and spread a generous amount on his finger. She started to tell him that wasn’t going to be necessary. The juices of her arousal coated her thighs. She was plenty wet enough to take him in.

His finger brushed against her ass and she realized his intent. “Payback?” she asked, the word coming out on a harsh breath.

“Lift your legs.”

She bent her knees, allowing Sawyer better access to her ass as he grabbed an extra pillow and placed it beneath her hips.
 

“Jake offered to join us tonight.”

His comment caught her unaware. “What?”

“When we were setting up the bed, Jake said he’d be willing to play the third if we had a hankering to indulge in a threesome.”

Leah’s head swam with the idea. “A ménage?”

He nodded. “You ever tried that?”

She shook her head. “No. Have you?”

His face told her instantly that he had. “A couple of times at BDSM parties. Another Dom asked me to play the third in a scene between him and his sub. She liked being taken by two men.”

Leah’s mouth suddenly went dry. “At the same time?”

He chuckled. “Don’t look so horrified. It is possible, you know? Some women really get off on it.”

Leah tried to figure out if she was that kind of woman. Lucy was radiantly happy in her committed threesome with Silas and Colby. Even Cindi had confided to her a certain kink for multiple partners. Leah wondered what it would be like, but she didn’t feel the same pull toward that practice as she did the bondage, the pain.