“Pete,” I whispered, breathless, and lifted my hips, inviting him deeper.
He raised met my gaze, his beautiful eyes so wide in the dark, the intensity in them stealing my already short breaths from me. Without breaking eye contact, our breaths mingling in the air between us, he slid my panties from my hips. I lifted my butt to make it easier for him.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said in a low, husky voice squeezed tight with need. Was he feeling that heat? That itch? If he didn’t start scratching it soon, I was going to scream.
He wiggled out of his boxers, kicking them off his feet. He kissed me again, running his hands from my erect nipples to my heaving chest to my stomach and down between my legs, stoking that heat into an inferno as he ran the tips of his fingers back and forth over my wetness.
“Do you want this?” he asked, his mouth very close to my ear.
I was still so breathless, but I had to let him know that I couldn’t bear the idea of him stopping now. “Yes,” I whispered adamantly.
He slid between my legs, the head of his cock pressing into my throbbing, wet sex. I squeezed his ass cheeks in my hands, pulling him into me. He thrust inside in a single motion, and I cried out, the pleasure tingling over every trembling inch of my skin as I opened completely to him.
My hands slid over his back as he started an even rhythm, plunging himself into me only to back out again, the sensation drawing a series of breathless whimpers from me. I was so close already and he’d only just started.
His lips met my neck, sucking hungrily, his heavy breaths so warm on my skin. I didn’t want him to stop. He stroked harder, the muscles of his back rippling under my hands. I arched my back, and he went deeper. The heat was reaching a pinnacle, every tingling nerve between my legs building up until I was ready to shriek with pleasure. Pete groaned, very close to my ear, as he thrust himself inside me up to the hilt, and I came hard, crying out behind clenched teeth. A second later, he growled low in his throat and a spasm moved through his body, jolting me beneath him so I cried out again, digging my fingernails into the muscly expanse of his back.
He collapsed against me, breathing hard, his weight pressing me into the mattress. The pleasurable sensations were still moving through my body. His heartbeat was beating into my chest, so it felt like I had two hearts. He rolled off of me, exposing my hot, slick body to the air. I lay there, catching my breath,
naked and sweaty, our mingled juices dripping from between my legs. Pete reached to rest a warm hand on my flat stomach.
“That was incredible,” he panted.
And, it had been. But it had also been a mistake. Whatever energy had built up over the last few weeks, reaching an awful, delicious pinnacle over dinner, had been spent. Now I could think clearly again. I could see how bad I’d just made things for me at the ranch. Because I couldn’t keep doing this.
“I have to go,” I said, sitting up. I dropped from the bed onto my knees, gathering my clothes from the floor.
“You can stay,” he said, sitting up, too. He reached to brush my back with his fingertips, and I shied away. “I’ll cook breakfast in the morning. Or we can go to the Texan.”
I shook my head as I put on my shirt. I wasn’t going to trouble with my underclothes. I just needed to get the hell out of here.
“No, thank you,” I said, my cheeks reddening at how stupid that sounded. “It’s not a good idea.” I stood up and tugged my jeans on, buttoning them as I slid my bare feet back into my boots. I had my underclothes and socks balled in one fist. I didn’t want to look at Pete, not after what we’d done. I might not be able to leave if I met his eyes.
“Emma, don’t go,” he said.
But I was already at the door. “I’ll see you next week,” I said and rushed out into the darkened hallway.
Chapter Fifteen
Pete
Thursday
I brought the tractor around the side of the storage barn just as Lacey pulled into the driveway, several bags of feed loaded onto the back of her truck. She waved at me, signaling for me to get my ass over there to help her. I cut the tractor’s engine off, jumped down, and ran over. I mopped the sweat from my brow on the way. It was hot as all get out and wasn’t even noon.
“Howdy, Lace,” I said, running up.
She gave me a happy enough grin. She’d been nicer this week on account of my low mood. She hadn’t poked at me yet, but I knew I needed to tell her what had been bothering me. She might actually know how to help.
“I picked up enough feed for the next week or so,” she said, squinting up at me. The sun was right behind my head. “That Elroy sure can eat.”
I sighed, not able to hold back for another minute. “I need to ask your opinion on something.”
She lifted her sandy blonde eyebrows, her dark eyes steady on mine.
“I took Emma out on Friday night.”
Her eyes narrowed just a little. “How’d that go?” She dropped a hand on her hip.