Down in Texas Read online

  She couldn’t let their affair continue. Someone had to act responsibly. It had to be her. Not that she’d acted all that responsibly the night before.

  Not once had she paused to ask him to use a condom.

  She couldn’t blame the lapse on the heat of the moment, nor on her lack of experience using them—she’d wanted his seed. Needed to take the reckless chance that, just maybe, she might conceive. The urge had been overwhelming.

  Maggie found flowers on the kitchen counter wrapped in two white plastic bags to conceal them. A dozen red roses she brought automatically to her nose to inhale their sweet fragrance.

  The flowers were a lovely gesture that spoke of his pleasure in her, his affection even, but were still a gesture she wasn’t sure she felt comfortable with.

  Last night had been a revelation, but that was as far as she could allow things to go between them. Pleasure seemed to flow as easily as breath between them whenever they touched, and that scared the hell out of her.

  She simply couldn’t let him get close enough again to compromise her decision. She needed to set things straight with him right away.

  Danny wasn’t hard to find. He worked alone in the training corral at the far side of the stable, a buckskin quarter horse circling him on a long rope.

  She wiped at the perspiration that dotted her forehead and upper lip and then admitted it was a futile gesture. Even if it weren’t summertime in Texas, she’d be sweating.

  Dressed in a straw cowboy hat, jeans, and a dark tee, Danny’s lean, muscled body drew her hungry gaze despite her inner warning to keep this light and nonchalant. She’d politely thank him for the roses, remind him of their agreement, and be on her way.

  She climbed onto the split-rail fence to watch as he clucked and flicked the end of the coiled rope he held at the horse’s flanks to keep him moving.

  Danny turned and flashed a quick, easy smile and then slowed the horse, pulling it ever closer as he coiled the rope around his arm.

  When the horse finally came to a halt, Danny smoothed his hand over the horse’s head and neck, rubbed the side of his nose, and leaned in to whisper his praise before grabbing the bottom of the halter to lead him toward Maggie.

  “Mornin’,” Danny said softly, his gaze sweeping over her face and then down over her cotton blouse and blue jeans. The heat that flared in his eyes was banked but palpable.

  Looking down at him, Maggie drew in a deep breath. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  A single brow rose, and his eyes narrowed. “No, I didn’t. And it doesn’t come with a price, Maggie. I’m not expecting anything.”

  She should have felt comforted, but instead warmth filled her cheeks. Ashamed for her ungracious attitude, she added, “I love roses. What female doesn’t?”

  He nodded, set the coiled rope over the top of a fence post, and turned back to her. “But…?”

  “Last night was just that: one night.”

  He glanced away, his lips tightening. “I’m not gonna say the roses didn’t mean something. A man should let a woman know he doesn’t take a thing for granted.”

  “We had a deal.”

  “I know. But I really hoped you’d change your mind.”

  When he lifted his gaze to hers again, his expression made her tremble. Need, confusion, heat, even a little anger…all those emotions were stamped on his taut features.

  “I don’t know what you thought this would be….” Her whispered words trailed off because her throat tightened and her eyes began to burn.

  Damnit, she wasn’t going to cry.

  “Last night was special,” Danny whispered harshly. “I felt the connection. You can’t tell me something didn’t happen between us.”

  “Something did,” she admitted. “And you know how incredible it was for me, but I’m not looking for a relationship. And you wouldn’t be the man I’d choose if I were.”

  His chest expanded around a deep, indrawn breath. “Because I’m too young?”

  “You have your whole life in front of you.”

  His angry glance sliced. “That’s bullshit. You aren’t thinking about me. You’re thinking about being embarrassed by being seen with me.”

  “I’m thinking further ahead than just getting a little more satisfaction tonight.”

  His head lowered, his expression hidden by the brim of his hat. Then he straightened and placed his hands on the rails on either side of her thighs. “You think I haven’t considered everything? Where this might lead? I have plenty to offer you, Maggie. And you’re everything I want.”

  With him standing so close, surrounding her, her body warmed and softened. “You say that now…”

  He leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing on her face, a muscle flexing hard along the side of his strong jaw. “You think when those little wrinkles beside your eyes deepen, or your body gets a little rounder, that I won’t want you? That I’ll leave you?”

  She shook her head slowly, sadness curving her lips downward. “It would be so much worse because I know you wouldn’t. You’d stay because you’d feel obligated, and I had that before. My life wasn’t fun. I was lonely as hell.”

  “Why not give it a chance? See where it goes? I can take it slow. If you think I don’t know my mind, give me time to make sure.”

  “I can’t,” she said brokenly.

  The set of his square jaw softened. “Why, Maggie? I deserve to know why.”

  She shook her head, glancing beyond his shoulder. “Because I don’t want that kind of pain. Can’t risk it. What I felt for Doug at the start was nothing like this.”

  Danny moved closer, and he lifted a hand to cup over hers as she gripped the rails. “It’s intense, isn’t it? The air crackles when we’re together like lightning strikin’ close.”

  “Exactly,” she said flatly, pulling her hand from beneath his. “When it ends, that feeling won’t just gently fade away.”

  “Are you in love with me?” he said softly.

  “No…I don’t know,” she said, hearing the pain and confusion feather the edge of her voice. “I’m plenty in lust with you, though. It’s damn confusing. I know what I don’t need, and you’re it…but you’re not making this easy.”

  “Do you want me to leave? Take away the temptation?”

  Maggie sat very still. The thought of his going struck her like a blow, making her slightly nauseous.

  He misunderstood her silence, shoving away from the fence. “Damnit, is that what you really want?”

  She opened her mouth to tell him maybe it would be best, knowing she needed to get away quick because she might throw up, but footsteps approached from behind them, cutting off her chance.

  “Danny, Miz Dermott,” Reggie Haskell said, tipping his hat in her direction. “If you’re finished with this horse, I’d like to talk to you.”

  Danny gave her a hot glare and then relaxed his features, his easy grin sliding over his lips as he turned to Reggie. “I’m right behind you.”

  “See you at supper, boys,” she bit out and quickly climbed off the fence. As she walked away, she had to concentrate to keep her strides even. Her knees felt weak. Her stomach roiled. How would she face him over the kitchen table later when the rest of the crew gathered in the kitchen for their meal?

  She’d still worn the glow of their lovemaking in her cheeks at breakfast, but Danny had kept a nonstop conversation going among the hands, giving her privacy for her own thoughts as she’d bustled around the kitchen, serving up helpings of scrambled eggs and bacon, platters of fluffy biscuits and waffles.

  Afterward he’d headed out with the men, giving her only a slow smile as he’d held the screen door open for a moment, and they’d share their only private glance.

  She’d worn a smile long after she’d cleared away the dishes and begun preparations for bagged lunches the hands would take with them after they’d finished the morning chores.

  He’d made it easy this morning, deflecting attention from her. Had he done it on purpose, or was he ju
st acting on his own natural, youthful exuberance? That thought had chilled the lingering warmth his consideration had left.

  Inside the house, she wandered back to the bedroom they’d shared. The scent of sex had dissipated from the air. But if she pulled back the covers and pressed her nose to the sheets, she knew she’d smell their blended aromas. She wanted to lift the covers and climb between them and drown in the memories.

  A soft knock against the open door behind her made her jump.

  Danny stood in the doorway, his intense gaze following hers to the bed. “The men are plannin’ on goin’ to town tonight. You don’t have to worry about dinner.”

  Another reprieve. “Have fun,” she said through stiff lips.

  “Come with me.”

  She shook her head. Tears began to well in her eyes, and she turned away.

  A soft curse behind her was all the warning she got before his hands clamped hard on her arms and he drew her around to face him.

  His kiss wasn’t the hard, angry taking she expected. She’d pushed him today. Rebuffed the attempt he’d made to reconnect with her. She expected some anger.

  Instead he gently cupped the back of her head as his lips coaxed hers to let him inside.

  Her hands crept slowly up his chest, fingers plucking at the thin cotton.

  His tongue stroked over her mouth, prodding the seam of her lips until she opened for him.

  Then it was too late to reconsider. Like the flick of a light switch, electricity arced instantly between them, and their bodies swayed together.

  Maggie moaned into his mouth, slanting her head to deepen the kiss.

  Danny’s thigh slipped between hers. His hands clutched her bottom and brought her hard against the long, thick ridge riding under his zipper.

  She broke the kiss just long enough to gasp, “The door.”

  Danny kicked back to shut it and then began to walk her toward the bed.

  “We shouldn’t,” she whispered when they came up briefly for air.

  “No one’s around.” Danny shoved her back and went to work on the buttons at the front of her blouse. “Reggie knows…gave me a stern talkin’ to about bits and reins and not givin’ a fine horse her head.”

  Maggie winced at that bit of news, but it didn’t stop her from reaching for his shirt to pull the hem from his pants, working it up his chest until he had to stop what he was doing and strip it over his head.

  Then he came at her again, yanking her shirt down her arms, opening her belt and pants with efficient flicks, and shoving her pants down to midthigh.

  She wasn’t as quick with his belt, because her fingers shook, so he pushed her hands away, grabbed her by the hips, and turned her, urging her to bend over the side of the bed.

  With her jeans cinching her legs together, she wriggled, trying to reach behind her to push them off, but Danny stopped her by bracketing her thighs with his as he bent over her.

  His cock nudged her folds, the hot, blunt tip of him poking, prodding until it found her opening.

  When his hands came down on the mattress on either side of her, Maggie tensed, knowing this was going to come quick, fast…and, dear God, she hoped…hard.

  Danny didn’t disappoint, slamming straight between her folds, thrusting up her channel until his hard belly rested against her buttocks. He paused only a moment before pulling out and slamming forward again—so hard he jarred her whole body.

  He did it again and again, slamming relentlessly against her, sharpening as his glides eased with the liquid her body released so that each thrust slapped loudly.

  Maggie ignored the niggling worry that anyone outside her room, outside her house, would hear the noise they made: the unmistakable sound of flesh slapping flesh, growing moister, cruder, until the sounds themselves aroused.

  “Maggie,” Danny said, almost grunting, “am I getting it?”

  He wasn’t. Not that she didn’t love what he did, but the curling tension inside her belly hadn’t begun. “Doesn’t matter,” she muttered. “Don’t stop.”

  Abruptly his cock pulled free.

  She could have cried over the loss, but Danny didn’t give her time to even moan. He flipped her over, tugged her pants and shoes off, and shoved her toward the center of the bed. Then he crawled up to join her, his jeans around his thighs, his slick cock reddened and engorged and looking so damn dangerous fresh arousal seeped from inside her.

  He crawled between her legs, hooked his arms under her knees and pulled her ass off the bed.

  Suspended on his arms, spread wide, with his cock sliding up and down her folds, she watched his jaw grind tight, his gaze hang on her sex, and Maggie had never felt sexier.

  He drew his cock slowly down her slick folds and then pulled back his hips, pointed himself at her center, and began to circle as he entered her.

  His slow screwing raked every inch of her channel. When he was all the way inside her, his gaze lifted, halting on her chest. “Open your bra,” he said hoarsely.

  “Can’t, snap’s behind me,” she gasped.

  “Then push it up. I wanna see you.”

  Her bra was an ugly, white appliance. Functional, sturdy. Necessary for someone of her proportions but embarrassingly unsexy. Still, pushing the wired cups over her breasts took some work and strained the portion of the breast she exposed. Her nipples felt raw, but the cool air wafting over them soothed and excited.

  His hot gaze excited her even more. “Touch yourself.”

  With his cock starting to stroke deep into her body again, her embarrassment eased. She wet her fingertips in her mouth and then brought them to her nipples and swirled them slowly over the tips.

  A deep, growling groan rumbled from Danny’s chest, and his arms tightened under her knees, jerking her closer. “You need friction, don’t you, baby?” He pushed all the way inside and ground his groin against the top of her sex, scraping her clitoris. “You need it here?”

  With her body beginning to melt and shiver, she nodded.

  “Touch your clit,” he whispered.

  Her eyes widened, but she quickly slid one hand down her belly. Her arm pushed her breasts together, and Danny’s breath hissed between his clenched teeth. His cock powered into her.

  Her fingers slid through her creamy folds, seeking the tiny knot of nerves she’d learned a long time ago was the key to her pleasure. She toggled her middle finger over the rounded button and then swirled, toggled, and swirled, keeping her gaze locked on his face.

  Release came quick and hard. Her back arched off the bed at the first faint ripple.

  “That’s it, baby,” Danny said, excitement tightening his voice. He stroked harder, faster, and then, “Jesus…fuck!”

  As her orgasm swept over in a hot, rolling wave, her legs straightened inside his arms, widening as she encouraged him to continue to thrust deep.

  Danny fell forward still clutching her legs, pushing them upward, each thrust accompanied by a deep, masculine grunt, his face growing dark, strained, until, at last, his lips pulled away from his teeth and a long groan squeezed from his throat.

  With cum shooting into her and Danny’s strokes gradually easing, Maggie dragged deep breaths into her starved lungs and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her urge to soothe and praise him so strong she had to clamp her lips shut.

  Gazing at the ceiling, she realized she couldn’t deny him. Couldn’t turn her back to what was happening between them. For as long as he was here, she would welcome him—into her heart and into her body. She’d accept his loving as a gift. One she’d never expected, and would miss like an amputated limb when it was gone, but would treasure for as long as she lived.

  Danny collapsed on top of her, still shuddering in the aftermath. “You’ll come with me tonight,” he said.

  The lack of a rising inflection at the end of his statement made her smile. He lifted his head, eyes narrowed.

  Maggie nodded slowly. “What should I wear?”

  He’d asked her to wear a dress. She’
d settled on a silky, floral number she’d never had the occasion to don. It swirled around her thighs and hips, didn’t hug her soft middle, and still managed not to make her look terribly top-heavy.

  Still, her breasts were where his gaze landed when she stepped off the porch.

  “You look amazing,” he said quietly. He held up the keys to his truck. “Would you mind driving?”

  She lifted one brow. A man asking a woman to drive his big rig? Something was up. “Sure,” she said easily, noting the little half smile that curved his lips.

  Taking his keys, she climbed into the cab and strapped herself in and then waited while he did the same, cranking up the AC to cool the interior. “Rough day?” she asked innocently.

  “I worked hard.”

  They shared a smile, and for once she didn’t duck away as heat filled her cheeks. “You know, we’re going to get some strange looks.”

  He studied her for a moment. “Does it really bother you?” he asked quietly.

  Maggie shrugged, edging away from the serious note. “I think I’m ready. It’s just a date, right?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Good.” He lifted his chin toward the road. “Better get going. We’re burnin’ daylight.”

  Indeed, the sun balanced on the horizon like a big orange ball, painting the sky in thick strokes of mauve and purple. She pulled down the sun visor, turned the ignition, and pulled the truck onto the gravel road leading to the highway.

  Once under way, she breathed deeply, doing her utmost to keep her eyes on the road.

  He’d taken away her breath. Although he still wore cowboy Wranglers, his pale blue shirt with pearlized snap buttons lovingly hugged his wide chest and narrow waist. His dark hair was damp and starting to curl around his head. As tempting as those features were to savor, his eyes were what made her heart flutter. Deep, chocolate brown, they’d trailed her body as if she were a tasty snack.

  From the corner of her eye, she watched Danny relax against the leather seat and turn slightly toward her. His hand settled on the seat close to her hip.

  “Do you go to Honkytonk often?” she asked, trying to make conversation to infuse a casual mood and keep things light tonight. Yeah, she could do this. Go on a date with a younger man without looking like a complete fool—if she could just manage to keep him at arm’s length.