Shoulda Been a Cowboy (Rough Riders 7)

“Not hate. It’s just…I went from living at home to living in barracks and tents. I’ve never lived by myself. I tend to get protective of my space. My family doesn’t get that. So I had to state the rules about them staying away without a specific invitation from the moment I moved back here.” Cam opened another door and hit the lights. “Here’s my bedroom. We combined the two smaller bedrooms into a larger one.”

The bed dwarfed the room. Rising from each corner of the bed frame were thick wooden posts. A plain cotton quilt in a vivid bronze covered the massive space from headboard to footrest.

A pair of crutches were propped between the headboard and the nightstand. Contrary to what he’d said, Domini suspected the real reason Cam preferred to be alone in his house was so he could wander around minus his prosthesis without embarrassment.

Domini refocused on the furniture. A tall rough-hewn pine dresser, with wrought-iron accents, matched the nightstands book-ending the bed. An oversized, overstuffed corduroy recliner faced the window rather than into the room.

“What do you think?”

“I think I could crawl right into that puffy bed and take a nap.”

“Princess, when I get you in my bed the last thing we’re gonna be doin’ is sleeping.”

His husky tone dripped of raw sex and sent a shiver of fresh desire rippling through her.

The door she assumed led to a closet was actually a pocket door that revealed a sun-drenched bathroom. An enormous slate-tiled shower, encased in glass blocks, took up one side of the room. A deep Jacuzzi tub the other. A toilet was secreted behind half walls in the corner. Along the back wall was a double sink in a soft gray, sunk into a glossy, black, high countertop and surrounded by mirrors. She checked out the bathtub, looking longingly at the jets and nozzles. Outside around the rim, a conglomeration of silver-colored tubes were imbedded in the tiled floor, curving around the front end and backside of the tub.

Domini started to ask Cam why he needed so many handrails, when she realized climbing in and out of a slippery tub with one leg would be difficult. She’d forgotten about his handicap. A positive sign in her mind, but she knew Cam wouldn’t appreciate her mentioning it so she didn’t.

She faced the mirror and Cam wedged his body right behind hers, nestling his groin into her butt. He gripped her hips. “Bend forward until your palms are flat to the wall.”

Keeping their gazes connected in the mirror, Domini did as he told her.

Cam’s eyes glittered. “Compliant. I like that.” He rocked his pelvis, grinding his c**k against the cleft of her ass. “I’m gonna f**k you like this, Domini.”

“Now?” Please. Now.

He shook his head. “Soon.” Cam tugged her upright, keeping her back pressed against his chest as he trailed openmouthed kisses up her throat. “I knew this countertop height would be perfect.”

She was dying to ask if he’d had other women in the bathroom to test the height and strength of the marble. Her gaze flickered over him and she had her answer. A man as sexy, virile and commanding as Cam McKay wouldn’t lack for sex partners. Ever.

“Come on. Let’s get back to the kitchen. I could use another beer. Maybe we could play cards.”

“Cards?” she repeated.

“Yep. The best way to get to know a person is to play cards with them. You learn their tells—” he licked the cord straining in her neck and she moaned, “—like that one. Or figure out when they’re bluffing.” He slid his hand into her hair and pulled.

Domini stiffened with surprise.

“You don’t like that, do you?”

She tried to jerk out of his hold, which only made her scalp sting worse. Then she attempted to relax.

“Answer me.”

“I-I don’t have much experience with aggressive—”

Cam increased his grip and pulled again. Harder.

“Ouch. Let go.”

Immediately his hand dropped. He scattered sweet kisses across her scalp. “You don’t bluff worth a shit, Domini,” he muttered.

“Is that good or bad?”

“Good.”

“Why?”

“I’ll be able to tell if I’ve pushed you too far.” He spun her and sealed his mouth to hers in a hot, wet kiss.

Domini arched her br**sts into his chest, rubbing the center of her pelvis over his erection, tempting him to forget all about card games so they could indulge in other games.

His deep groan vibrated in her mouth. He slid his lips across her cheek to whisper, “Soon,” and abruptly dragged them from the bathroom.

An hour later, Domini was ready to climb out of her skin. Talk about extended foreplay. While they played cards, Cam touched her. Constantly. Running his callused palm down her arm. Trailing his fingertips up the ticklish inside of her thigh. Twirling a section of her hair around his fingers. Letting his thumb linger on the pulse points of her throat. Tracing her soft, damp lips after he’d scrambled her mind with a powerfully seductive kiss.

She was holding her cards without really seeing them. His husky command, “Domini, look at me,” completely destroyed what little concentration she’d managed. She raised her gaze to his.

Cam stood, grabbed her hand, and brought her to her feet. Then he swept the cards from the table and lifted her onto it, crushing her lips beneath his.

Domini gave herself over to him, aware he’d already built her to a level of sexual awareness she’d never experienced.

He broke the kiss. “Lie back.”

When her legs dangled off the table, and she stared at the antelope-horn chandelier above her, Cam spoke again.

“Prop yourself on your elbows.”

She looked at Cam across the length of her body.

He curled his hands around her knees and set her feet on the table. In a purposefully drawn-out and sexy move, he teased her sundress up over her thighs and hips until it bunched at her waist.

Thank God she’d worn decent underwear.

Cam idly traced the triangle of fabric stretched over her groin. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as the black lace type. But it looks damn good against your snowy white skin.” He urged to her raise her hips, slipped the scrap of lace from her body and tossed it aside. Cam lowered his head and kissed her belly button. He paused at the surgical scar below it.

Please don’t ask. Please don’t ask now.

“What’s this from?” His thumb followed the white slash.

“Appendix,” she said automatically.

“Huh. That’s a weird place for it.” He tickled it with his tongue. “They must do surgery different in the Ukraine, huh?” While he teased her skin with little licks and nipping kisses, he noticed the other dog bite scar on her hip. Next thing she knew, he lovingly placed sweet, healing kisses over every inch. Her heart soared as she melted.