Sharp Shootin' Cowboy (Hot Cowboy Nights, #3)(11)

He slid to the center of the bench seat, cupping her nape, and angling his head, but still made no effort to exert total control. Instead, he coaxed with small flicks and darts of his tongue. It seemed he was right after all. It was possible to meet in the middle. She opened to him with a sigh. He drew her sideways onto his lap, deeper into the kiss. Their breath mixed and moans mingled as his questing tongue met hers in long, lush strokes that sent warm ripples to the place between her thighs.

She pushed his hat off.

He cupped her breasts with both hands, gently squeezing.

She whimpered with the growing need to feel his hands on her bare skin, his mouth on her breasts. His callused fingers answered one of those wishes, gliding down her body and under her skirt. Slow and deliberate, he inched upward toward the apex of her thighs. She answered with a moan as his warm fingers explored beneath her panties, delving into her wetness. She clenched her thighs together, trapping his hand. His mouth never left hers as he circled and stroked her, continuing to ramp her need until she shuddered with the first spasms of pleasure.

“Good God.” She broke breathlessly from the kiss. “You sure know how to get a girl all hot and bothered.”

She drew her skirt higher to straddle his thighs, squirming against his erection but rather than moving to penetrate her, Reid withdrew his fingers and slowly eased her back with a deep, regret-laced sigh.

Her gaze darted to his face. “What’s wrong?”

“This is about to get way out of hand, sweetheart. I didn’t mean for it to go so far. I’m not about to do this parked in your front yard.”

“You wanna go somewhere else?” she asked. “I can’t take you inside. I live with my grandparents, and they’re kind of old-fashioned about these things.”

“Then we have something in common,” Reid said. “So am I.”

“But I don’t understand. I thought you…we—”

He shushed her, pressing a finger to her lips. Another shudder of desire rippled through her at the smell of her own essence. “It’s not a good idea to start something up when I’m leaving in a few days.”

“Who says this has to lead to anything?” Haley quoted Yolanda. She throbbed with the need he’d incited but now refused to relieve.

His blue gaze met hers. “I do. As much as this pains me, and believe me it does, this ain’t gonna happen tonight.”

“Tonight is all there is, Reid. I thought this is what all you marines wanted. I don’t understand you at all.” She wanted to grind her teeth in frustration.

“I’m not so hard to figure out. I said I don’t do hookups. Neither do you, by the way. When I get you in my bed, I want to take my time and do it right.”

“In your bed?” She laughed. “Who says you’ll ever get another chance after this?”

“I do. Now give me your number.”

“Not likely. As you just said, there’s no point in getting further involved. You’re leaving.”

“But I’ll be back,” he countered.

“And I’ll be gone. UC Davis is over five hours away. Besides, I have a strict no-marine policy.”

“Then what was this?” he asked softly.

“A momentary lapse of reason, but I’m quite recovered from it.” Not exactly the truth, but she was burning with resentment. She’d offered to do something she never did, and he’d rejected her.

There would be no second chances.

“Give me your number, Haley.”

He tried to kiss her again, but she pulled away and reached for the door. “Good-bye, Reid. Thanks again for the ride.”

This time he didn’t stop her. She listened for his engine as she walked to the front door, but he didn’t burn rubber like she’d expected. The porch light flickered. Her grandpa opened the door with a look of surprise.

“You’re home early.” He gazed past her shoulder to Reid’s big, black truck in the drive. His brows met in a scowl. “Who’s that? And where’s Yolanda?”

“Just a friend, Gramps. I had a headache and Yolanda wasn’t ready to go, so he offered me a ride.”

“You aren’t asking him in?”

“No. I told you I have a headache. I’m going straight to bed.”

He touched her sleeve. “Is that his jacket?”

“Oh shoot! I forgot I was wearing it.”

Reid had started the truck and was backing out. She tore off the jacket and waved it madly overhead. He paused, nodded acknowledgment, but then pulled out without it, leaving her looking after him.

“Guess he doesn’t want it back.”

“Or more likely”—her grandpa winked—“he needed a good excuse to return.”





Chapter 4


Reid’s balls ached all the way back to base. He’d wanted her something fierce. He wanted more than anything to feel himself moving deep inside of her and knew she’d been as caught up in the moment as he’d been, but tomorrow, she would have relegated him to the lowest depths of hell. Maybe later he’d kick himself for passing up the opportunity, but the last thing he wanted was to reinforce all her prejudices about marines.

Besides that, he’d been raised to believe that anything worth doing deserved to be done right. A girl like Haley Cooper wasn’t a fast f*ck on the seat of his parked truck. He had a strong hunch she’d be worth his time and effort.