Wrangled and Tangled (35 page)

But she didn’t want to come again so soon. Janie put her palms on the side of his head and rasped, “Stop.”

Abe gave her clitoris a sucking kiss and rubbed her juices that covered his face on the inside of her thighs. He returned to the bench without being asked.

She smiled at him. “Just in case you were curious, you are much better than a vibrator.”

He smirked. “Never any doubt in my mind.”

“Hand me that towel.” She tugged the pillow beneath the small of her back. “Now for part two. This might require some shifting around.”

Abe’s eyebrows lifted. “My hands are completely free if you need ’em.”

“So helpful. For now, we’re back to the no touching rule.” Janie’s heart began to beat faster. She wanted to drive him to the same pinnacle of need that he took her to every time he touched her. No matter how he touched her. She wanted to give him something he’d never expect, but would prove she was up for all kinds of bedroom games. But this? Was over the top.

Her hands shook as she fished out the bottle of lube and the glass dildo. Hooking her heels into the edge of the mattress, she aligned her lower half as she braced her left hand behind her. She uncapped the lube and generously coated her fingers. “Heads up, hold this,” and tossed the tube to him.

Bracing her left behind her, she brought her right hand between her legs. Closing her eyes, she swept her slicked-up fingers over the pucker of her ass. Lightly skimming the surface, bringing the nerve endings to attention. When Janie started to insert the tip of her finger into her ass, Abe made a noise she’d never heard before.

But she kept her eyes shut, relaxing her sphincter until her finger was buried to the knuckle. Biting her lip, she began to stroke in and out. Stopping to swirl the tip just inside the opening. A soft moan escaped. It always surprised her how good this felt—the sting of pain blooming into pleasure.

“Are you imagining how hard these muscles clamp down on your shaft when you’re buried balls deep in my ass?”

Abe muttered, “Fuck me.”

“How about when I do this?” She pushed her thumb into her pussy, which allowed for deeper penetration for her finger into her anal passage. She chanced a look at him and her belly quivered.

His eyes glittered with lust. His nostrils flared. His lips were parted and he was practically panting.

She eased her fingers out and wiped them on the towel before she grabbed the glass dildo. She held it out and murmured, “A little lube please.”

Keeping their eyes locked, Abe coated the dildo, fisting his hand around it like he was greasing up his cock.

“That’s good.” She closed her fingers around the middle and positioned it at the seam of her ass. She whispered, “Watch.” One quick push and the cold glass breached the tight ring. She sucked in a sharp breath. This was a lot thicker than her fingers. She kept her gaze on Abe’s face as she pushed it in, slowly, letting her body adjust until only the base of the dildo was visible.

Janie began sliding the dildo in and out, moaning against the twin sensations of cold glass and hot friction on those tight tissues.

Abe’s grip on the tube increased dramatically and clear lube squirted into the air, as if he’d shot his load on his leg. His embarrassed grin was there and gone. “Premature lubrication.”

Janie released a low, throaty laugh.

“Jesus, this is fucking hot as hell.”

“Keep watching.” Clamping down on her anal muscles, she let go of the dildo base long enough to reach for her vibrator.

“You aren’t . . .” Abe swallowed.

“Oh, yes I am.” She carefully inserted the vibrator, holding her breath at the immediate feeling of fullness. “Now I could use a hand.”

Abe made that possessive growling noise. Using both his hands, he pulled out the vibrator and the dildo at the same speed until only the tips remained inside her. Then he pushed them in simultaneously.

“God.” Her back bowed. Her legs shook. Her arms shook. Her belly rippled. She’d never felt anything like that. “Do it again.”

But Abe, being Abe, did it his own way. He moved the vibrator and the dildo in opposition. Then in tandem. Teasing again and again.

Janie moaned, “Enough.”

“Don’t you wanna come?”

She looked at him. “I want to come with you. Always with you. Only with you.”

A feral look settled on his face. He removed the vibrator and crowded her until she was in the middle of the bed and he was between her legs. “The dildo stays in.” Abe slammed his cock into her. Every thrust of his hips and his groin hit the base of the dildo. It felt as if Abe was fucking her with two cocks. She wrapped her legs around his waist and let herself go.

Abe fucked her like a man possessed. When she couldn’t take another second of this raw pleasure, when she teetered so close to the brink, but couldn’t seem to reach it, he worked her clit, urging, “Come. Now. Take me with you.”

That did the trick. Janie screamed; the orgasm blasted her in waves of ecstasy. Her limbs twitched with each pulse and she finally believed the myth of the whole body orgasm.

Kisses on her cheeks and neck roused her. She blinked her eyes open and Abe smiled. “You have officially blown my mind. That was the sexiest”—he smooched her mouth—“hottest”—another smooch—“did I mention sexiest?”—another kiss—“thing I’ve ever seen. Thank you. You rocked me.”

“My pleasure.” She tried to stop her yawn, but failed.

“Tired?”

“A little. Maybe we should rest up before I bring out the next object from my bag of tricks.”

Abe trailed his lips along her collarbone. “Should I even ask?”

“No. But a college boy like you is smart enough to know you’ll like it.”

Chapter Twenty-eight

T
onight was the night.

The lights were dimmed. Someone hung a disco ball on the ceiling; a kaleidoscope of lights bounced across every surface. “Sexy Back” blasted from the speakers. Renner wasn’t sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him, or if the ladies, who’d christened themselves the Mud Lilies, had actually brought in a portable stripper pole.

Sweet Jesus, give him strength.

“You ready?” he asked the kid.

Tobin’s eyes were enormous. “No. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready.”

“That’s why we’ll hit the bar first. Come on.”

Renner inched along the wall. Tobin followed so closely they were practically holding hands. Given the size of the crowd, it was a miracle they reached the bar without enthusiastic revelers accosting them. He signaled to Denise for two beers and handed one to Tobin. “Drink up. Fast. Shit. Too late. Here they come.”

Garnet Evans approached first. Her green velvet suit was trimmed with a puffy red boa. Red, white and green-striped stockings stopped at the hem of her skirt, exposing four inches of saggy knee. She wore one red high-topped sneaker, one green high-topped sneaker. She’d also donned a pointed elf hat, to which she’d added a hook with a piece of mistletoe, so the mistletoe dangled in front of her face.

“I thought you boys were gonna chicken out.”

“No, ma’am,” Renner said. “We had to finish chores before we joined the festivities.”

Garnet set her hand on Tobin’s arm. “You clean up real good too. Dance with me, cowboy.” She plucked the half-empty beer bottle out of his hand and passed it to Renner without looking at him.

Tobin mouthed, “Help me,” as Garnet towed him onto the dance floor.

Huh-uh, buddy, you’re on your own.

Renner’s amusement was short-lived as Pearl Tschetter floated in front of him. Floated being the word, as she’d worn an outfit best described as a psychedelic butterfly run afoul of a metallic paint mixer.

“Mr. Jackson. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“You have?”

“I wanted to thank you allowing your fine resort to be used for hosting a community party. It’s a great turnout, don’t you think?”

“Yes, it is.” He estimated over two hundred people mingled in the dining room. “It’s the least I could do. I wanted to personally thank you and the other ladies who filled in over Thanksgiving.”

“We were happy to do it. Now as soon as you finish your beer, I expect you’ll dance with me.”

Not a question. He grinned. “Be my pleasure.”

Renner danced with Pearl. Twice. Then he was waylaid by Garnet, who claimed his next two dances. As he’d tried to sneak away to the bar, Tilda O’Toole intercepted him. She also sported an outfit that fell under the costume heading. Dressed like an angel, complete with diaphanous wings. But instead of a halo, red devil horns teetered on her snowy white head.

After Tilda, Maybelle Linberg cornered him. Renner danced with her only once. Poor Maybelle had to keep Garnet from turning the North Pole prop into a stripper pole.

At the bar he ordered another beer and found himself face-to-face with Susan Williams, owner of Buckeye Joe’s. Even Susan exuded the holiday spirit in a pair of reindeer antlers.

“Surprised to see me, Jackson?”

“You’re always working, Williams. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you outside of the bar.”

“And ain’t that a sad state of affairs?”

“It is if you’re not happy. So, who’s runnin’ Buckeye’s tonight?”

“No one. I closed it since everyone in town was gonna be here.” She toasted him with a drink that appeared to be eggnog. “Cheers. Helluva place you’ve got. Glad you didn’t open a public bar. I couldn’t compete.”

“Wasn’t my intention to compete with the businesses in Muddy Gap. My goal is to become part of the community, not apart from it.”

“I’d say so far you’re doin’ a good job.”

“Thanks.” He found a spot where he could watch the goings on, and keep an eye out for Tierney. He hadn’t seen the woman yet, but he knew she was here someplace.

The slow song by Keith Urban ended, but Bran and Harper Turner kept dancing, so lost in each other that Renner’s heart ached. What would it feel like to have that bone-deep kind of love? And not care who knew you felt that way about the person who filled you with that love?

You’re a sentimental fool.

As the next slow song started, more couples joined Harper and Bran. Including Hank and Lainie Lawson, although they weren’t dancing close, given Lainie’s pregnant state. Abe led Janie onto the dance floor, crushing her against his chest—Renner wondered how Janie could breathe, but Janie’s face read joy, not oxygen starvation. Over the last few weeks, things had changed between Janie and Abe. He just hoped Janie was smart enough not to run this time.

Several of Hank, Abe and Bran’s buddies were dancing with the Mud Lilies—Ike with Pearl, Fletch with Tilda, and Eli with Maybelle. Tobin was stuck with Garnet again, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Everyone was paired up.

Everyone but you.

Since he’d had one beer, he couldn’t even blame his melancholy mood on booze.

But he could blame his agitation on the woman who’d set this shindig up, who was MIA.

He wended his way through the crowd on a mission to find her. She wasn’t lurking by the buffet tables. She wasn’t in line for the bathroom. She wasn’t lingering near the bar. For some reason when the song ended, he glanced at the main doorway leading to the dining room and saw her.

Only her.

He stilled.

She stilled.

Everyone and everything faded into the background.

She was a goddess. An angel. A siren in a red dress.

Then he moved toward her without conscious thought.

In that instant, as Tierney was backlit by the glow of the exit sign, Renner knew he loved her. Not because she wore a slinky dress or the sleek way she’d styled her hair, or the sweet smile on her red lips, but because she’d waited for him. She’d seen him and stopped, knowing he’d come to her.

He stood before her, a changed man, a man in love with her for Christsake, and he couldn’t seem to make his mouth function.

Smooth.

Tierney, his beautiful brainiac, placed her hand on his chest above his heart, like she did whenever they were alone. “What’s wrong?”

I love you.

“Renner?”

“Dance with me.”

“What?” Her hand dropped. “No.”

“Yes. Now.”

“No way. I’m a terrible dancer.”

“I’m not. Just follow my lead.”

“Are you crazy? People are watching us.”

“I don’t care.”

“People who don’t like each other usually don’t dance together,” she pointed out. “We’re not supposed to like each other, remember?”

“So act like you hate that I’m dragging you onto the dance floor with me.” Renner snagged her hand.

“I cannot believe you’re making me do this,” she muttered. “It’s unnatural.”

“You bein’ resistant to my charms in public is natural.” He fought the temptation to tuck her against his chest and rest his chin on the top of her head. “But there’s no resistance in private, is there, sweet darlin’?”

Tierney was having none of it. She pulled farther away. “What’s gotten into you?”