* * * * *
Elise drove home, fury making her body tense and stiff. She hoped to God Colt didn’t let May spin him some fanciful tale about being a scapegoat. If he did, he sure as hell wasn’t the man she thought he was.
The rain was coming down so hard and fast, a couple of times her car hydroplaned toward the side of the road. Her heart raced as she intuitively maneuvered the vehicle in the right direction to stay on the road. All she wanted to do was get home and take a hot bath. Later she’d call Colt.
Colt.
More and more she’d come to care for him. What had started out as a pure sexual attraction for the man had turned into a deep, abiding respect for what he stood for, his very sense of doing the right thing by friends and family and his protective nature for the ones he loved.
Loved. Would he ever let himself love her that way? For some reason, Colt held back a part of himself. Elise gave her all in everything she did. And her relationship with Colt was no exception. Plain and simple, she’d fallen for the man. Hard.
As ballsy as she could be with Colt sexually, when it came to deeper emotions, she still hadn’t screwed up enough courage to ask him why he’d never stayed the night with her.
Then May goes and reminds her he’d never once asked her to come home with him or offered to show her his place. Damn that woman! She hoped Colt did something about her or she’d do it for him.
She pulled into the parking space at her apartment and cut the engine. The thunder and lightning came from further away, but rain continued to pour down, pinging off her car’s hood and roof above her head.
Glancing at her umbrella in the floorboard, she shrugged. What was the point? She was soaked already.
Elise opened the car door, climbed out and quickly shut it behind her. She started to make a mad dash for the stairs when she heard her name being called.
Turning, she saw Colt come around the front of his truck, his cowboy hat pulled low as he strode purposefully toward her, his expression intense.
Her heart hammering in her chest, Elise pulled herself up to her full height and prepared to argue with him.
Colt bore down on her and didn’t stop until the toes of his boots hit hers. She didn’t get one word out before he’d speared his fingers through her hair on either side of her face and cupped the back of her head, pulling her against his hard chest as his mouth came down on hers—passionate and determined.
Elise thrilled at the intensity of his kiss as his tongue explored her mouth—dominate, seductive, persuasive. Her insides stirred and melted like warm honey at such a deep, emotionally charged kiss while the rain poured around them.
She put her arms around his neck and pressed against him, returning the kiss with everything she had.
Colt lifted his head, his heated gaze burning a hole right to her soul. “We need to get inside, Lise.”
She nodded, groggy from such a bone-jarring, heart-wrenching kiss.
Removing his hat, Colt grinned and ducked. Before she knew his intentions, he’d scooped her up and put her face down across his shoulder as he ran up the steps to her apartment. Once he stood outside her door, Colt grabbed the keys she handed him and unlocked it.
He walked inside, kicked the door closed and flipped the lock. Tossing the keys and then his hat on the table, he headed straight to her bathroom.
When he reached the room, Colt shut the door behind them then set her on the floor. He didn’t bother turning on the light but instead pulled on the cord and opened the blinds in the small bathroom window.
The sky was still dark outside and the main light that shined through the window was from the street lamp that burned twenty-four hours a day.
Pulling back the shower curtain, he turned the faucet on full blast then faced her once more. The look on his face told her just how on the edge he was.
Elise’s heart raced at his heated look as he pulled at the zipper on her coat. She tugged on his rain slicker and Colt lifted it off his body then dropped it on the floor.
Once she shrugged out of her jacket, he lifted her shirt over her head. Elise shivered at the cold hitting her wet exposed skin, but thrilled at the dark look in Colt’s eyes. Even in the dim light she could sense his intemperate mood. She’d never seen him this intense. She let out a cry of surprise when Colt grabbed the waistline on her jeans and yanked her toward him, his mouth capturing hers, possessing her.
Her hands landed on his hard chest for balance as he slid his tongue into her mouth, encouraging a heated response from her. She teased his tongue with hers while she ripped open the snaps on his shirt and ran her hands over his hard chest, moaning against his mouth.
Colt released the button on her jeans and unzipped her zipper. Sliding his hands against her cold, wet buttocks, he pulled her against his hard erection. The steam in the room from the shower enveloped them in its warmth while they continued to explore each other’s bodies as they removed the rest of their clothes.
Her heart rate sped up even more as he held her hand and guided her into the tub under the hard spray. Elise turned and let her head fall back, the warm water hammering down on her. She reveled in the water cascading over her body, bringing her body temperature back up and chasing away the shivers.
When she realized Colt had stopped touching her, she opened her eyes to look at him. The hungry, burning look in his gaze, as it roamed over her body, took her breath away.
His steady regard never wavered as his hand slid over her breast and his thumb grazed her nipple. “Ever since that day you cock-teased me while you were in the shower, I’ve thought of nothing else but seeing you this way again—wet, aroused…”
He pinched her nipple and she gasped as the erotic sensation.
“…and ready,” he rasped as he stepped up to her body and his lips grazed her neck.
Elise smiled at the feeling of his hard, hot erection pressed against her belly. She clasped his hand and laced her fingers with his. Lifting his other hand to do the same, she paused when she saw a dark gash marring his palm.
Turning his hand over, she realized the injury was from the barbed wire he’d stopped from hitting her in the face earlier. Her heart constricted and she placed a soft kiss over his wound before lowering his hand to her hip.
Colt’s fingers flexed before they firmly clasped her hip. He let go of her hand and used both hands to pull her close, his fingers digging into her rear as he ran his lips down her neck.
Elise threaded her fingers in his wet hair and let her head fall back once more as his lips found her nipple and sucked. She moaned and her sex contracted at the stimulation his mouth caused.
Releasing her, Colt clasped her hand, kissed her palm, then lowered her hand to her mound.
“Show me, Lise,” he encouraged as he stepped out of the spray and leaned against the shower wall.
Elise gave him a sexy smile. He wanted her to make herself come, did he? Well, she’d make him
want
to do it for her before it was all over with.
Placing her hands on his shoulders, she directed him to sit down on the side of the tub facing her.
When he was seated, she laid her hands on his knees and jerked his legs wide open.
Colt’s jaw muscle jumped, but he showed no other emotion as she stepped back to retrieve the bar of scented soap.
Lathering the soap under the water, she set the bar aside then met his gaze as she put her foot on his upper thigh.
Blood rushed to her sex at the intense, aroused look on his face.
Running her hands over her breasts, Elise cupped them before slowly sliding one hand down her belly and her thigh. Licking her lips, she ran her hand back up her thigh and bit her lower lip as her fingers met the wet curls between her legs.
When she slid a finger inside her body, she closed her eyes and moaned at the decadent sensation of having Colt watch her. Her gaze flew open as she felt her knee suddenly jerked to the side, exposing her even more for his view.
Colt reached for the hand buried inside her channel and two of his fingers intertwined with hers as he thrust them deep inside her body, once, twice, three times. Her thighs began to tremble at the passionate onslaught.
Her knees almost buckled when he commanded in a rough, barely controlled tone, “Remove your hand.
I
want to feel you come.”
Elise withdrew her hand and barely had time to place it on his shoulder when Colt slid his fingers deep inside her once more, twisting and pressing in all the right spots.
Oh God. Her legs began to quake as he thrust inside her and withdrew again and again. With a low growl, Colt lifted her leg and slid his shoulder under it as he clasped her rear and leaned down to captured her clit with his lips and teeth. Elise keened her pleasure and thrust her fingers in his hair for balance as much as desire to keep him close. As her lower belly tightened, she bucked against him right before her climax roared through her.
Colt didn’t wait for an invitation. He immediately untangled their bodies and stood then and clasped her buttocks once more.
As he lifted her, Elise put her arms around his neck and moaned in pleasure when he slid inside her slowly. She thrilled at the stretching of skin as her body allowed him access to every last inch of space.
When he was fully seated inside her, Colt held her in the air with his hands as he leaned her back against the wall and began shafting her, slow and deep.
He kissed her neck then met her gaze as he withdrew and sank back inside her. “I want to stay the night, Lise. I want to wake up with you in my arms.”
Elise’s rapid heart rate skipped a beat or two at his words. Her breathing turned erratic as her body prepared to come once more. Colt’s declaration of his desire to stay totally threw her into mushy, romantic, meltdown mode.
Thankful for the water drenching them, washing her tears away, she muffled her sob of happiness against his chest.
Colt stopped moving and lifted her chin until her gaze met his intense one. “Tell me I can stay.”
She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring for them, but for now, she’d enjoy what he offered. Threading her fingers through his hair once more, she pulled his mouth down to hers and said, “It’s about damn time,” right before she kissed him.
Chapter Fourteen
After they’d dried off from the shower, Colt carried Elise to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. As he pulled her into his arms, his gaze captured hers. Varied emotions stirred behind his deep blue gaze.
He cared a great deal for her. She felt it in the way he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. Knew it by the tenderness with which he brushed her hair away from her face and took a deep, inhaling breath near her neck before he kissed her temple.
Threading her fingers through his, Elise kissed his hand, then snuggled into his warmth. She thrilled at the feel of his muscular, hard body wrapped around her much softer one, but when his erection brushed against her bottom, she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Yeah, they were insatiable for each other. No denying that. Already her body reacted to his stimulus, her sex moistening then throbbing in anticipation.
“May has been taken care of,” he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.
Elise rolled over and faced him, laying her hand on his jaw. “I’m sorry, Colt. Regardless of my feelings, I know she’s been with the rodeo a long time.”
He pulled her close and kissed her mouth, his lips tender, lingering.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight before speaking, “If it’s any consolation, I’ve come up with a plan to expand the offerings of rodeo paraphernalia to the fans.”
He leaned back and looked at her, surprised. “You have?”
She nodded. “The idea occurred to me while I was grooming Lightning.”
Sitting up on her knees, she turned on the light on the nightstand and faced him, a smile on her face.
“What about offering a store right on the website? That way when tickets are purchased online, the rodeo knickknack stuff can be sold at the same time. The buyers can either choose to have their purchases sent to their homes or pick them up at the rodeo.” Getting into her pitch, she continued, excitement in her voice, “Hey, we can even sell little prepackaged items like a T-shirt, a hat and a toy for the kids. Betcha we’ll sell more that way.”
Colt watched Elise become more animated as she talked about the online store. He took in her rosy cheeks and the long black hair falling over her shoulder and his heart constricted. She looked so beautiful he couldn’t resist reaching up and running his hand through her damp hair. At his touch, she stopped speaking mid-sentence and smiled, tilting her head to the side.
“Are you listening to me?”
He gave her a roguish grin. “Yes, I heard every word you said, darlin’.”
She raised her hands in the air. “Well, what do you think of my idea?”
Colt pulled her to his chest and kissed her, nipping at her lower lip before taking his time and exploring her mouth. With every stroke of his tongue against hers, he mimicked what he wanted to do to her the rest of the day. Then he rolled her over and clasped her hands above her head as he laid his chest against hers.
“I think you have many great ideas rambling around in that beautiful head of yours.”
Her emerald gaze flashed with desire as he slid his thigh between hers, nudging her soft thighs apart, his cock already throbbing to be inside her as he continued in a gruff tone. “But right now I’d really like to get started on the rest of our day and night together, sweetheart, ‘cause I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you. I think a marathon with food breaks for energy in between sounds pretty good to me.”
Her smile and happy sigh of acceptance as he slid inside her made Colt’s heart ache. He needed this night with Elise…to imagine what it’d be like to spend every day waking up with her by his side. He wasn’t fooling himself. He knew their relationship wouldn’t last forever. They were from different worlds. But for now, he’d live the fantasy as long as he kept his heart intact.
As he thrust deep inside her body and she rocked her hips underneath him, moaning in pleasure, Colt felt a shudder ripple all the way through him at her beauty inside and out. God, she felt good and so damn right wrapped around him.
Ah shit
, he was in trouble.