Gone Country (Rough Riders 14)

“Mmm.”

Rielle rubbed her face over Gavin’s upper body, inhaling his clean and musky scent. Nuzzling his neck and sliding her ni**les against the hair on his chest. Rolling her hips and rocking her clit into the hard muscle of his lower abdomen.

She put her lips on his ear. “You can touch me now. I know how much you like to have your hands on my ass as I’m riding you.”

He didn’t answer. Didn’t move at all. Then he made a noise. But not the noise she expected. She heard it again.

Wait. Was that a…snore?

“Gavin?”

No response.

Rielle placed her hands by his head, lifting up to look into his face. It was damn dark in here, but she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Gavin. Asleep. And snoring softly.

Apparently his dick wasn’t tired because it was still fully erect.

What the f**k?

Was her seduction technique so bad, he’d just conked out?

Tempting to slap him awake. But then…no. This was far too humiliating.

She got dressed and slunk out.

Gavin showed up in the kitchen early the next morning, whistling for Christsake. “Good morning, Rielle.”

She slammed the cupboard door. When she turned around he wore the oddest expression.

“Did I do something to piss you off?”

Oh, I don’t know, maybe, possibly, I’m just a teensy bit upset because you f**king fell asleep when I seduced you.

The oven timer went off. Slipping on her hot mitts, she pulled out the dinner rolls, setting the pan on the cooling racks. She lifted the towel on the next pan and slid it into the oven. When she turned around, she saw Mr. Narcoleptic had helped himself to a cup of coffee.

Too bad you didn’t drink some coffee last night, buddy.

“So…I had the weirdest dream about you. I was watching TV upstairs and you showed up. We started going at it hot and heavy. Then you dragged me into my bedroom, where you stripped me and pushed me onto the bed. The way you sucked my cock…”

“Almost like it was real?” she supplied sweetly.

“Yes! I watched you perform a strip tease, then you were crawling all over me, rubbing on me, and…”

“And?”

“That’s it. I woke up.”

“Huh. Too bad it ended there.” She headed out the swinging door, but Gavin caught her wrist and pushed her against the wall. “What the hell are you doing?”

He got right in her face. “No other comment on my dream? Like maybe…it wasn’t a dream but a hazy memory from last night? A very hazy memory.”

“Let me go.”

“Why? Got cold feet?”

Why would he say that? “Have you been drinking?”

“No. But do you want to explain these?” He eased back, pulling a sock out of his right front pocket, then his left pocket. “I thought your feet might be cold since you forgot your socks in my room last night.”

“Gimme those.” Rielle snatched them and quickly ducked under his arm.

But he caught her, shoving her back in place. “Ah ah ah, not so fast. Tell me that I just had an incomplete dream and that I didn’t conk out while you were—”

“Naked? Rubbing myself all over you like you were my personal stripper pole and then you started snoring? Yes, that did happen.”

“Jesus, Rielle. I…I don’t remember anything from last night after I checked on Sierra. I sat down to watch ESPN and I woke up this morning, naked in my bed.”

She studied his eyes. Were they dark with guilt? Remorse? Disbelief?

“I’m not making an excuse, but this type of…thing has been happening to me.”

“Oh really.”

“Really. Two days ago I woke up in the middle of the afternoon on the toilet.”

“You fell asleep on the toilet?” she asked skeptically.

“Evidently, for about thirty minutes.” His cheeks colored and he looked embarrassed. “And that is the most mortifying thing I’ve ever had to admit.”

“Why—”

“Let me finish. I haven’t been sleeping. I figured as long as I was up, listening for Sierra, I might as well be working. I’ve been catching up on projects every night since Sierra came home from the hospital.” He framed her face in his hands. “Do you really think I’d check out when you were having your wicked way with me if I wasn’t suffering from sleep deprivation?”

“So you’re not avoiding me?”

“God no. Why would you say that?”

“Because you haven’t touched me, or kissed me, or talked to me much since I came home from Denver.”

Gavin frowned. “Yes I have.”

“No. You. Haven’t.” She poked his chest with each word.

“Then I’m sorry.” He sealed his mouth to hers, kissing her in the deviously languid way that nearly melted her fillings. “How many days of missed kisses do I have to make up for, my love?” He brushed his lips across hers. “Six? Seven? Because I can’t have you feeling neglected.” Another soft smooch. “Unwanted.” He rested his forehead to hers. “I love you. And I’m starting to think the reason I haven’t been sleeping is because you haven’t been in my bed.”

“That comment earns you total forgiveness.”

“Good. Now if you’ll listen for Sierra, I might slip back into bed for a few hours to try and get my sleep schedule back on track. Because tonight?” He sucked on her lower lip. “You’re mine. As many times as I want you, any way that I want you.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Early February…

Boone appeared a week after Sierra’s accident. Waltzing into her family room like it was no big deal, as she tried not to think about the fact she looked like hell, felt like hell and was embarrassed as hell.

Then he directed that breath-stealing smile at her the instant her dad was out of range. “McKay, you’re looking a whole lot better than the last time I saw you.”

She played it cool rather than breaking down in grateful tears the second she saw his face. “Oh, I don’t know. I hear blue lips are the fashion color for spring.”

He laughed. “I take it you’re on the mend?”

“The pain isn’t as bad. Sit down. Or aren’t you staying?”

“I can stay.” He settled next to her, draping his arm along the back of the couch and propping his feet on the coffee table. “Two weeks out of school, huh?”

“At least two. Probably three.” She groaned. “I’m trying to keep up, but I’m so slow and I can’t write anything with my left hand anyway.”