Текст книги "Sweet Ride"

Автор книги: Cathryn Fox

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“So good,” she murmured. “Never been so good.”

His heart hammered. Christ, he liked hearing that. Wanting to take the edge off before he drove into her, he sank his mouth into her warm, wet heat to give her a sample of the pleasure to come.

Her hands fisted his hair, and her body shuddered as he circled her with his tongue. Fuck, she tasted like sugar, cotton candy, and everything sweet. Everything about her syrupy nectar tested his restraint, and it took every ounce of control he had to fight the powerful urge to pull her onto his hips and fuck her hard.

He drew a ragged breath, and she moved, pressing against him, showing no qualms about what she wanted. “More,” she cried out. “Hard, faster.”

He pushed a finger inside her and found her so wet and tight. Jesus, he had no idea how much longer he could hang on.

She pushed against him, the look on her face almost frantic as she chased an orgasm, her body stiffer than it should be. He pumped in and out of her, wanting nothing more than to relax her, to help her loosen the reins and forget about everything except letting go—with him.

“That’s it, baby. Take what you need.”

The second the words left his mouth, he felt her muscles clench. A sexy bedroom noise crawled out of her throat as she clawed at his shoulders. He skimmed his lips over her stomach and held her to him as he stroked her clit harder, applying a touch more pressure to help end the sweet torment.

Her body shuddered. “That’s my girl,” he whispered as she cried out his name, loud enough that anyone in the vicinity could hear it. When her muscles clenched around him, his chest swelled, and he couldn’t even put into words how fucking crazy it made him to see her like this.

No longer able to fight it anymore, and desperate to be inside her, he climbed to his feet, grabbed her by the waist, and lifted her onto his hips.

Her breasts crushed against his chest, moisture sealing their bodies as her lips found his. She kissed him passionately, deeply, her tongue slipping inside to play with his as he walked them backward toward the nearest tree.

Breathless, frantic to get inside her, Jag searched the ground for his jeans. He found them and rooted in the pocket for protection. “Shit, I can’t find a condom.” He scanned the ground. Had it fallen out?

A soft palm touched his face, and behind the fire in her eyes, he caught a hint of sadness. He stilled, his lust-rattled brain trying to sort out what was going on when she said, “It’s okay, I’m clean.”

“I’m clean, too.”

“Then please, Jag. Just fuck me.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“Good, because I don’t want anything between my cock and you.”

“Me neither.” The heat behind those words nearly brought on his orgasm. He groaned loudly, scooped his shirt from the ground, and draped it over her shoulders before he pressed her back into the bark. Her chest rose, and her eyes filled with excitement as he secured her against the tree and kneaded her butt.

Her legs wrapped tighter around him. “I’ve never been fucked like this before,” she said.

“I’m going to take you so many ways this week, you won’t know up from down.”

Her laugh was edgy, and she squirmed and said, “I’m looking forward to that.”

So was he.

He pressed his mouth to hers and softly licked her lips as he drew her down lower on his hips, until his crown breached her tight opening. “You’re so fucking hot.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but her words were lost on a moan when he pulled her down harder, ramming his cock as deep as it would go.

“Oh my, yes,” she cried out, her nails scratching at his back as he drove her against the tree, angling his body for better leverage.

Her body shuddered around his dick, forcing him to close his eyes in distress and get his shit together before he lost it. She bucked against him, demanding more. He pushed hard, faster, impossibly deeper.

“Yes, just like that.”

As they came together as one, heat exploded inside him. He’d never felt anything so goddamn amazing. Her slick heat coated the length of him, the frictionless barrier driving him to the brink in record time. But it was too soon…too soon to lose control.

He tried to slow down, he really did, but patience was no longer an option, not when she was so hot, so wet for him, and begging him to fuck her. He pumped hard, ravishing her sweet pussy as he ground his pelvis against her clit. She moved restlessly, and he could feel her muscles tightening, squeezing the length of him in the most mind-fucking ways.

“I’m…I’m…” she cried out, and a second later, as she clenched around him, it pushed him to the point of no return.

Air rushed from his lungs, and his body stiffened. “Fuck,” he cried out, struggling to hang on until she rode out the waves of ecstasy.

“Feels so good,” she murmured.

“Alix,” he mumbled, as a soft gasp broke from her lips and pushed him over the edge, and he pumped deeper, then stilled inside her. He held her tight, burying his face in her neck as he shuddered in surrender, depleting himself high inside her. His ragged moan echoed in the vast clearing, and somewhere overhead, birds took flight.

Sweat coated his body, his breathing labored as he remained inside her.

“That was good. No wonder women have cowboy fantasies,” she murmured into his hair.

Jag inched back, smiling at the contentment in her eyes.

“That’s it?” he teased, completely blown away by the sex. “Just good?”

Her legs slid to the ground, and she returned his smile and teased, “Well, it’s not like you’re an authentic cowboy.”

He laughed hard and said, “Tough audience.”

As they stood there, streaks of pink and purple bruising the skyline, they basked in the glow of orgasm. Jag smoothed back the few loose strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail and met her glance.

There was a new seriousness in her eyes. “Actually, I didn’t know it could ever be that good.”

Neither did he.

Of course he knew it would be good with her, but he had no idea it could be that good. Christ, he’d never lost it so fast before, but watching her come undone for him pressed buttons he didn’t even know he had. He sucked in air, but couldn’t seem to refill his lungs. Even though he wanted to see if there could be more between them, what he was feeling right now was foreign, a little more than overwhelming. Jesus, he could barely think, let alone breathe. Her hand went to his face, her touch going right through him and scaring him a bit.

He struggled to pull himself together and asked, “So tell me, does this mean you’ve decided not to switch sides?”

“Actually, I’m still not sure.” She crinkled her nose playfully, and he relaxed a little.

“No?”

“No,” she answered, marching her fingers over his chest. “I’m still on the fence. God only knows what it will take to figure it out.”

Grinning, Jag carried her to the sleeping bag and lowered her. He climbed on top, and as he pinned her beneath him, she gave an excited gasp.

He pressed his lips hard to hers, taking full possession of her body as he said, “God isn’t the only one who knows what it’ll take, baby.”

Chapter Four

Alix took in the sleeping man beside her. There was so much more to the private investigator who liked to play cowboy on the weekends. Jag was an amazing man, but she wasn’t going to fall for him. This week was just about fulfilling fantasies, and her body was all she could offer.

But still, she couldn’t deny that last night he’d taken her beyond her wildest imagination and taught her so much about herself, so much about her ex and how little he cared about what she wanted. As long as she played the dutiful daughter and fiancée, everyone was happy. Well, everyone but her.

She touched Jag’s face, lightly running her hand over the sexy stubble on his chin. Why had she ever stayed with a man who cared so little about her needs?

Because he was handpicked by your mother.

Jag stirred, and something warm flooded her veins. Even if she did want more from him, and she wasn’t saying she did, they both lived very different lives. And sure, he was coaxing her to let go, but that didn’t mean he wanted a future with her, right?

With dawn approaching, she climbed out of the sleeping bag, quietly unzipped the tent, slipped into her shoes, and stepped outside. Not wanting to wake the guests while they slept, she tiptoed to the edge of the clearing to look out at the ranch nestled in the valley far below. Fresh morning smells of grass and hay wafted before her nose, and the sounds of the wildlife stirring around her gave her a sense of peace. Even though she was alone, she didn’t feel lonely. She was experiencing so many firsts here on the ranch with Jag.

The early morning sun climbed over the mountain, and as the warm rays of light touched her flesh, she fanned her hair out and exhaled slowly.

“Hey,” a soft voice said from behind, jolting her out of her thoughts.

Jag.

Instead of turning, she stood there. The ground crunched beneath his feet as he came up behind her. Warm hands circled her body, and she exhaled slowly as he pulled her against his chest. She melted into him and scanned the gorgeous, sprawling expanse of countryside. As she basked in the quiet and harmony, the closeness she felt with Jag, she whispered, “I love it here.” She felt Jag’s heart beat against her back and reveled in the easy intimacy between them as he stroked her arms.

“So you’ll stay for the week?” he asked.

She leaned into him. “Yes,” she answered quietly, without hesitation. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” It was true. She wasn’t just staying because she had no idea where to turn. She liked being here, with Jag.

He spun her around, his dark eyes looking over her face. Worry pulled his brow into a vee. “Is everything okay?”

Her glance fell to his bare chest, noting the way his jeans hung low on his hips. “I’m just—I’m not sure I ever want to go back.”

“Not ready to face what waits for you?”

“I know I’ll have to eventually.”

Jag gave a hard shake of his head. “Your ex is an asshole and a damn fool to cheat on a woman like you. Just so you know, I never would have sent you that invitation had I thought you two were happy and in love.”

She looked down, her body stiffening as she considered the wasted years she spent helping Nelson build his political career when he clearly wanted her only for her connections and because she was loyal and dutiful.

When she went quiet, he tipped her chin, his eyes moving over her face. “Alix, do you still love him?”

“If I loved him, I wouldn’t have done…” She paused and waved her hand toward the tent and said, “All the things we did.”

His face relaxed. “Did you ever love him?”

“No, I don’t think I did.”

“Then why were you with him?”

“Because he fit my mother’s criteria for a husband. Right family, right side of the tracks, right political career. No one outside her social circle was good enough for her only daughter.”

She felt Jag stiffen beside her and suspected her words hit like a sucker punch. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to suggest you weren’t good enough.”

“But wasn’t that why you had nothing to do with me in high school?” he asked, calling her out.

“Yes.” She placed her hands on his chest, emotions rising in her. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, her approval was always very important to me, but I don’t like myself, Jag. I don’t like the doormat I’ve become because of it.”

“It’s okay, I know deep inside you’re not a product of your mother any more than I’m a product of my father.” He raked his hands through his hair, and his voice dropped an octave. “To be honest, I’m kind of glad you avoided me in high school. I wouldn’t have wanted to bring you around my place anyway. My father was a drunken, cheating bastard, who hurt my mother more times than I can remember. She didn’t deserve that from him. She was the sweetest person. She was so good to me, Alix.” His voice hitched when he said, “Even when she was hurting, she tried to hide it, and shelter me.”

Her heart squeezed at the pain she heard in his voice. “I’m sorry.”

“He resented her,” he continued. “Resented having to stay because she got pregnant right out of high school. He forfeited a scholarship that was his ticket to a better life. He stayed behind and did what was supposed to be the right thing, but he grew to hate his life. He buried his sorrows in a bottle and in the beds of other women.”

“Why did your mother stay?” she asked quietly, her heart tightening from the fact that he would share something so personal, so painful with her.

“She stayed because by the time she found out, she felt it was too late to get out or start over again, especially with a kid in tow. She turned a blind eye, even though it slayed her. I hate what he did to her.”

“And to you.”

He shrugged, but she knew his pain ran deep. “And that’s why you became a private investigator specializing in infidelities.”

“Yeah, I guess. I figure if I catch these guys early enough, I can prevent what happened to my mother. ”

“Jag,” she began. “You know, you’re as sweet, kind, and caring today as you were all those years ago.”

“Shhh,” he whispered, his eyes glinting. “I have a reputation to uphold around here.” When she chuckled, he squared his shoulders and shot her an accusing glare. “Hey, wait, I thought you said you didn’t remember me.”

She shifted from foot to foot and gave him a coy look. “Yeah, well, maybe I remember more than I admitted.”

His mouth turned up at the corner, making him look boyish and adorable. “And maybe I know more than I admitted, too.”

She caught a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and asked, “Oh, yeah? Such as?”

He tapped her nose. “Well, I remember the straitlaced, straight A, popular girl who was perfect by anyone’s standards. But I knew her secret, something she kept from the entire world.”

She bit down on her lip. He knew about her fetishes, but how? “How did you know?”

“Do you remember that day I came by your place to collect the camera you borrowed?”

Alix’s mind raced back in time, remembering the day he’d shown up on her doorstep. “Yes,” she answered.

His hands spanned her waist, and she never felt such an easy intimacy with anyone. “You answered the door in a short pink robe.”

Her stomach quivered. Just before he’d arrived that day she’d been… “You…you knew what I was doing. How?”

“I saw you, baby. I heard strange noises as I cut through your backyard, and when I peeked through the fence and found you lounging by the pool, touching yourself as you flipped through pictures on your camera, I knew there was another side of you.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “You never said anything.”

“I didn’t want to embarrass you.”

“Thank you,” she whispered quietly. God, she would have been so mortified if he’d mentioned it to her back then.

She drew a breath, thinking about the sexy boudoir pictures she took at the studio. Heat moved into her cheeks.

Jag must have misread her reactions. He brushed his thumb over her lip and said, “Hey, don’t be embarrassed now.”

“Actually, I’m not,” she said, completely comfortable with Jag and becoming much more comfortable letting the other side of herself shine through. “But I’m wondering why you’re telling me now.”

“Because I want you to know you can be yourself around me, and I like that sexy side of you.”

He gave her a warm smile that robbed her of her next breath and then looked past her shoulders. Heart fluttering, she turned to follow his gaze. In the valley below, she spotted Coop coming from the small cottage at the back of the lodge.

“Does Coop live in the cottage?”

“No.”

She heard sadness in his voice and spun back to him. “What?”

He rubbed the stubble on his chin and said, “He doesn’t like to talk about it, so this is between us, okay?” She nodded, and he continued. “He bought this ranch for his mother. She’s the one who lives out back.”

“Oh, wow, I had no idea. Wait, didn’t you say you all owned it?”

“We do. His mother suffers from Alzheimer’s, and he bought this ranch because she grew up on one, and it helps her feel more content. Coop couldn’t afford it alone, so Mac and I went in on it with him.”

A bone-deep warmth flowed through her. Honest to God, he was the sweetest guy she knew, and how she thought she could have sex with him without feeling something more was beyond her. She briefly pinched her eyes shut and pressed her fingers to her temples. Emotions were not a part of this fantasy.

Her throat tightened, and she struggled to speak. “Does Coop live here full-time?”

“No, he has a caretaker for his mother, but we fly out whenever we can.”

She exhaled slowly. “If I owned this place, I’d live here full-time.”

“Really, you’d give up the rat race and move here?”

“Yeah, I would. I never wanted to be in politics, Jag.”

He touched a strand of her hair, running it through his fingers. She shivered again, remembering the way he touched her body with those rugged hands of his. “What is it you wanted to do?”

“I wanted to be a teacher.”

“What did you want to teach?”

“It didn’t really even matter.” Sadness moved through her. “I just love kids and love being around them.”

“And now?”

She gave him a playful wink, not wanting to think about a life without her own kids. “Now, I think I’d like to be a cowgirl.”

Jag laughed. “Well, you came to the right place for that. And wouldn’t you just know it? We have children’s camps here at the end of the summer. Cowgirl instructors are always needed. That would certainly kill two birds with one stone.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Did you ever think about living here full-time?”

He shrugged easily. “Sure, I can work anywhere. I can hunt down cheaters in any city.”

“Then why don’t you?”

He pointed to the large homestead by the lodge. “Because that’s a big old lonely house to be in by yourself. It needs kids, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, I do.”

She looked at the house and pictured herself living in it. She’d have to freshen up that paint, of course, and it really did need a little garden out back, and that rail, well, every child needed a rail to slide down and that one wasn’t safe at all. She closed her hand over her stomach and felt a maternal pull. She quickly stopped herself from fantasizing. She couldn’t have kids, and in less than a week she’d be leaving here, heading back home to pick up the pieces of her life and figure out what was next. Jag didn’t exist in that reality, and she’d be wise to remember that.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, turning her to face him.

Concern danced in his eyes as they moved over her face. “Nelson wanted kids,” she said, baring her soul. “I couldn’t give them to him.”

He feathered his thumb over her cheek, brushing away a tear. “Alix? What’s wrong?”

“Last year the doctor said my chances of conceiving were slim.”

“There are other ways to have children.”

She snorted. “Yeah, like having sex with someone else?”

He frowned. “What?”

“Nelson wasn’t just cheating, Jag. He had a baby on the way.”

His eyes turned a darker shade of brown as he shook his head. “Nelson’s an asshole. You do realize that, don’t you?”

She nodded. “I don’t know why I just told you that.”

“Because he hurt you.”

“Maybe,” she said. “Or maybe because you’re easy to talk to, easy to be with…easy to trust.”

Her words seemed to trigger a reaction in him. He pulled her closer, and the tenderness that moved over his face did the strangest things to her insides. “He’s never going to hurt you again, Alix. Not if I have anything to do with it.”

She shook her head; the warmth and comfort he offered were like a healing balm to her soul. She snuggled into him. “It’s strange, really. I’m more angry than hurt. Angry that I’ve wasted so many years on him, all because I needed to play the role my mother assigned to me.”

He captured her hand. “Don’t waste any more time thinking about him, not when there are so many other important things to think about.”

“Yeah, like what?” She smiled up at him and felt a connection that went beyond their agreement of a weeklong affair. She’d crossed an imaginary line in the sand with him, and was treading on dangerous territory, one that could end in more tears.

This is so not good. So not good at all.

“Like me.” He gave her a boyish, lopsided grin. “And all the things you want to do today.”

“Okay.”

A noise sounded, and they both turned to see Colt climb out of his tent. Looking rugged, sexy, and sleepy, he stretched out his arms, tossed a blade of grass into his mouth, and said, “Mornin’.”

“Morning,” she and Jag greeted in return. A second later, two Barbie-doll blond women dressed in sexy short shorts and bikini tops came crawling out behind him. With sun-kissed skin, collagen-pumped lips, and manicured nails that belonged nowhere near a ranch, they gave Jag a once-over.

Feeling a sting of jealousy, Alix said, “I think I need to go back to the lodge for a shower.”

“That’s what the river is for,” Colt said.

“I think I’ve roughed it enough for one day,” she responded as Jag pulled her tight against him, draping a possessive arm around her that made her feel cherished, special—something she’d never felt before. “I need a real shower.”

“That’s no way to get an authentic Old West experience. Isn’t that right, girls?” Colt asked, grinning as the two women flanked him, touching his body intimately.

“No way at all,” one of them cooed.

“Don’t worry.” Alix looked at Jag and exchanged a hot, knowing look. “I’m getting all the cowboy experience a girl could ask for.”

Since this was a working dude ranch, Jag’s chore for the day included leading a group of guests on a horseback-riding adventure. He’d cleaned himself up and grabbed a bite to eat, then met a ranch hand, Blake Callahan, inside one of the many barns. A half hour earlier, he’d left Alix in her room, giving her some time to herself, not only because she needed it, but because he needed it, too.

In the few short days she’d been here, she’d totally rocked his world. He had a feeling they’d be good together, but he was falling harder than he ever thought he could. Christ, if she left here without so much as looking back, it would kill him as quick as Katy’s weapon.

“Hey,” Blake greeted with a tip of his Stetson. “Thought we’d catch up with you at Wrangler’s last night, but I ran into Taylor and Amanda, and they said you had your hands full.”

Jag grinned. “You could put it that way.”

Blake lifted a curious brow. “Oh yeah, who is she?”

Jag tossed his saddle onto his stallion and casually rolled one shoulder. “You wouldn’t know her.”

Blake shook his head. “Damn, there must be something in the water.” He shook his canteen, then set it aside. “I think I’d better find something else to drink. Otherwise, I might end up whipped like you, Coop, and Mac.”

Jag laughed. “There are worse things than being whipped.”

“Well now, that depends on what kind of whipping you’re referring to,” he said in a lazy drawl. “The kind I’m referring to has a ball and chain attached.”

“One of these days, Blake,” Jag began as he finished saddling the stallion, “you’ll find the right girl, and you’ll know what it’s all about.”

“Well, until then, I think I’m just going to have me some fun.” He gestured with a nod over Jag’s shoulder. “Now there’s a little filly who looks like she’s ready for a good time.”

Jag angled his head to see Alix. “She is, but not with you.” He jabbed his thumb into his chest. “That filly is mine, and I’m not into sharing. Not anymore.”

Turning from Blake, Jag walked to the doorway, wrapped one arm around Alix’s waist, and dragged her close. Her body melted against his, and he planted a hard kiss on her mouth, letting Blake know in no uncertain terms that this one was a keeper, and his days of playing were over.

A catcall whistle came from Blake, and Alix pulled back. Confusion moved over her face. “What was that?”

“That, cowgirl,” he said slowly, “was just the beginning.”

“The beginning?”

“Yeah, once I’m done with my chores, I have a surprise for you.”

“Oh, really?” Heat moved over her face, and he inched back when all the guests started filing into the barn for their afternoon ride. Then she crinkled her nose, like she just remembered something distasteful. “I don’t like surprises anymore.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll like mine.”

He captured her hand and led her to the group gathering around the horses. After introducing himself and pairing everyone with their horses, Jag led them outdoors and nodded to Mac, who was in the corral teaching rope-tying skills. He slowed to let Alix catch up to him, and when he cast her a glance, his heart missed a beat. Her cheeks were flushed from the sun, her long hair flying haphazardly behind her. He noticed she wore a different pair of shorts and a new shirt, minus the sleeves.

She looked happy and content, her shoulders no longer hugging her ears as she smiled at him. Cowboy country was good for her. It was for him, too. Which was why he wanted to live here permanently—with a big family. He rubbed the stubble on his face. Yeah, he had no trouble packing up and moving here full time. He had no folks or family back home waiting. Truthfully, the only things he had back in Nova Scotia were his pals, Mac and Coop, and they were here on the ranch nearly every weekend anyway.

The more he thought about it, the more the idea of living here full-time appealed to him. He already knew that distancing herself from those who tried to run her life, and finding her own path, was good for Alix, too.

But what did she want?

They spent the afternoon riding trails, stopping to refresh their horses and drink from their canteens at the river. Alix snapped pictures along the way, capturing couples stealing kisses during their adventure. A long while later, on their return home, he noticed she seemed a bit uncomfortable. He slowed his horse until she caught up with him.

Worry tightened his gut. “You okay?”

She pulled a face and said, “I think I have saddle sores.”

Jag cringed. He could relate. “I think maybe we overdid the riding on your first few days here.” He tapped his lap. “Maybe you’d like to hop on over here and ride bareback with me.”

Heat moved into her cheeks, and as she tucked her hair behind her ear, she gave him a sensuous, naughty look before saying, “Maybe later.”

“Maybe? Hell, cowgirl. There’s no maybe about it,” he said, his voice dripping with promise. “I’m going to hog-tie you and have my way with you all night long.”

“Jag,” she said, the want in her eyes exciting him as one of the guests rode past, easily able to hear what he was saying.

Jag grinned and kicked his heels in, taking the lead as they made their way back to the lodge. His cock ached as he thought about what he had planned for Alix tonight, and he picked up the pace, happy the adventure was over, because he couldn’t wait to get started.

After returning all the horses, the sun began setting in the west, and he felt his stomach grumble. But his hunger could wait. He was starving for more than food at the moment.

Tired, the guests filed out of the barn, headed toward the lodge for dinner. All alone inside the stable, he stepped up behind Alix, who was running her hands over her horse. His dick twitched as he watched her, wanting that kind of attention on his body, one part in particular.

“Hey, beautiful,” he murmured in her ear, and loved the way she relaxed into him. “My place or yours?”

“Aren’t you original,” she whispered, turning to face him, her hair a tangled mess, her cheeks pink from the afternoon sun. His heart missed a beat. She’d never looked sexier.

He slid his hands around her waist and down her back until he reached her ass. “About these saddle sores,” he said.

She arched a brow. “What about them?”

He dipped his head. “If you’d like, I could kiss them better.”

Her eyes lit with desire, and as her mouth curved sensuously, a bell sounded outside. “I think that’s our dinner bell.”

“We’ll order in, because right now, baby, there’s only one thing I’m interested in putting in my mouth.” A small sound caught in her throat as he grabbed her hand and tugged. “Come on.”

Strides determined, he led her to his room in the lodge. Once inside, he peeled his sweaty shirt off. She stood there staring at his body as he walked up to her and slowly started unbuttoning her blouse.

“How about you join me in the shower?”

She nodded as he pushed her shirt off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. His hands went to her bra. “You have the most beautiful body. I think I want you naked for the rest of the week.”

“I don’t think the other guests would appreciate me walking around the ranch naked.”

He arched a playful brow. “Who said anything about leaving this room?”

She looked at the bed. “I think I’d like to disappear inside this room with you for the rest of the week.”

Jag grinned and led her to the bathroom. He turned on the water, and they both finished undressing. He climbed in and pulled her in with him, letting the water wash the day from their skin. He soaped his hands and rubbed them over her body, paying extra attention to her nipples and the sweet juncture between her legs. She moaned and widened for him, but he wasn’t going to give her what she wanted. Not yet.

Once thoroughly cleaned, she turned the soap on him and spent a long time lathering his throbbing erection.

She licked her lips, and he throbbed in her hands. He growled and pulled away before he shot off right then and there.

She pouted. “Hey, I wasn’t finished.”

“Yeah, but I nearly was,” he said, and grabbed two towels from the rack. He tied one around his waist and wrapped her in the other one, then, catching her off guard, he tossed her over his shoulder. She yelped, but he ignored her cries and carried her to the other room where he dropped her on the bed.

Her hair flared around his pillowcase, and he just stood there, taking his time to look at the beautiful, smiling woman sprawled across his bedding. She was so perfect. And he was so fucking lost—in her.

“Alix,” he murmured.

“Jag,” she said, and crooked her finger, urging him close. As his erection tented the towel, she dropped her gaze and said, “Didn’t you say something about a surprise?”

With his hard-on thickening, aching to be inside her, today, tomorrow, forever, he walked over to his video equipment and pressed a button. When he turned back to face Alix and saw passion moving into her eyes as she zeroed in on the action taking place on the TV screen, he knew this was one surprise she really liked.