Fall for Me (Cowboys of Crested Butte 1)

Bill handed Ben a set of keys. “You take the old Ford. I’ll come get it in the mornin’.”

“Thanks, Bill. I’m glad you and Dottie got to meet Ben.”

“We are too. Ben, how long you in town for?” Dottie asked.

“Through the weekend. If she’ll have me.”

“Well if she lets you stay, I expect the two of you for dinner on Friday night. You can take her out on Saturday for date night.”

“I’ll do that.” Ben smiled and took Liv’s hand in his.

“Can you drive a stick shift?” she asked as they walked up to the driveway.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Does that mean yes?”

“That means of course. I have to get you back to Crested Butte. You don’t have any idea how much of a good ol’ boy you’ve gotten yourself mixed up with.”

“I noticed you didn’t have any trouble finding your seat on a horse.”

“Did I pass a test tonight?”

“You did.”

“Will there be more?”

“Lots more, cowboy.”

The next day Ben followed Liv around like a mix between a newspaper reporter and a lost puppy. He wanted to know everything about her, and didn’t want to let her out of his sight.

By dinner, she was exhausted. They ate, cleaned up, and sat in the family room. “This house is spectacular,” Ben said, looking up at the cathedral ceilings and the rafters that looked as though they’d come from an old barn. “Did your father build it?”

“No more questions, Ben.” She pushed him against the arm of the couch and put her hands on either side of his head. He pulled her in and kissed her deeply. “You’re trying to distract me.”

“Are you writing a book, Ben? Is this a ‘This is Your Life’ interview?”

“I want to know everything about you.” He pushed the bottom of her shirt up, and put his hand on her breast. “I want to memorize every curve of your body, and every nuance of your soul, baby.”

“Let’s focus on the body for the rest of the night, okay?”

“You got it.” Ben nuzzled under her ear and breathed in the scent of her. “You smell so good I want to bottle you and keep you with me all the time.”

“Ben.” That way she said his name made him want to devour her. He kissed her hard, while his hands roamed wherever they reached.

Ben reared back from her. “Here or the bedroom, Liv?”

“Bedroom.”

He pulled himself up, reached under her back and knees, picking her up as if she was no more than a pillow in his powerful arms. He carried her in and stood her by the bed. He broke their heart-stopping kiss to finish undressing her. When she stood before him naked he said, “Now, me.”

Liv’s hands pulled at his shirt, trying to get it off over his head. “Lean down,” she breathed. Her hands were on his belt, pulling it loose, grabbing at the button on his jeans and pulling down the zipper.

He threw his head back. She leaned forward and licked across his throat, down over his sternum. Ben groaned, “I need you now, Liv.”

Her mouth slammed into his, cutting short his demands. His rough hands cupped her bottom and lifted her. Her legs circled his waist. “Wait,” he said, lowering her to the bed. He reached for a condom.

“I wondered how you got them on so quickly. I thought you had a magic trick.”