Spurs 'n Surrender (Operation Cowboy Book 2)(51)

He smiled against her hair, feeling so peaceful now that he had her with him. After long minutes passed, he said, “I’m glad you came, Anya.”

“Really?” She looked up at him with a smile on the tip of her lips. He couldn’t resist taking her mouth again.

“Yes. I’m happy to share this with you.”

“What is this anyway?” She pulled away enough to search his gaze. “Some kind of soul-search?”

“Something like that.”

She disentangled herself from his hold and scooted to the ground beside him. Seated Indian-style, she folded her hands as if waiting for him to speak.

At first, he fought it. The words wouldn’t come as easy with her listening. Then he thought of how at ease he was with her, even when they were going at it. Maybe…

He opened his mouth and found the first words tumbling out, similar to what he’d said aloud earlier, but this time deeper meaning came from it because she was there to listen and accept.

As he spoke, she gripped his hand and hardly seemed to breathe or blink. Her total attention meant more to him than all the counselors in the world could give put together. She’d risked boars and snakes and dehydration to come for him.

When he finished, he looked into her eyes and smiled. Lighter, freer than he’d been since before his first tour of duty.

“How do you feel?” she asked quietly, stroking his knuckles with her thumb.

“Enlightened.”

She smiled, and the stars seemed to dim.

“There’s one more thing, though.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m madly in love with you, Anya.”




It took a moment for it all to register, and then a soft cry ripped from her throat. She hurled herself at Wydell, knocking him backward. His white teeth flashed as he grinned. He caught her around the waist and pressed her to his body.

She stared down into his eyes, breath hitching. Feeling as if she’d just been told to run a marathon but without a single reserve of energy left inside her. She felt boneless, stunned.

He loved her?

After telling her off and fighting about the houses incessantly?

“You don’t believe me, do you?” he asked.

Her mouth worked, no words coming to mind.

He nudged her jaw closed. And then he curled his hand around her nape and brought her down to his mouth. The first brushing of lips made her throat thick with sweetness and emotion.

As he probed the seam of her lips with the tip of his tongue, the only thing left in her mind was a response to his confession.

“I’m in love with you too.”

A wild grin of joy broke over his beautiful face. Yanking her down, he kissed her into a breathless puddle. While skating her fingers over his broad shoulders down to his carved pecs and chiseled abs, she reveled in every flip of his tongue.

This hardworking man had given so much for his country and his community. And the truth was, when they weren’t snapping at each other, they made a good team. And if she wanted to persuade him to see things her way, she knew how to work the system now.

With this. She kissed his neck while unfastening his buttons. When the fabric hung open, she kissed, nibbled and sucked a path down to his abs. Brushing her lips over the ridges, hungry for more. Tasting her way downward. When she’d freed his cock, he sucked in a ragged breath.

Up the length of his body, she looked into his eyes a second before she parted her lips over his straining cock. The mushroomed tip eased past her lips, and they shared a groan. Her pulse hammered in her temples. He tasted so good—like body wash and pure Wydell.

Her breasts ached for his touch and her pussy throbbed. But this was his moment.

She sucked him into her throat, using her fingers around his base to envelop him completely. With a grunt, he pushed deeper into her mouth. She relaxed her jaws and took him as far as she could. The dark flavor of his pre-come hit her tongue, sending shocks of fresh need through her system as she groaned again.

“Fucking hell,” he ground out.

She smiled around his shaft and worked her tongue around the swollen edge, teasing the underside with short flicks. He raised his hips off the ground and nudged into the back of her throat. Reflexively, she swallowed.

He tangled his fingers in her hair. Holding her prisoner, but his touch was tender at the same time.

Watching his face, she worked his length in and out of her mouth. He growled more expletives that only raised her desire to a higher heat level.

“Enough.” He sounded as though he’d swallowed a flaming sword. “You’re killing me with that hot little mouth.”

Loving the taste of him, she continued licking down his straining shaft to his balls.

“Oh Jesus.” His muscles shook. She took one in her mouth gently, but that lasted all of a blink because he ripped her off him and flipped her onto her back. She didn’t feel any impact in the cradle of his arms. “Get outta those clothes,” he commanded, battling the knots of his combat boots.

She was naked before he was, stretched on his abandoned shirt and a few other articles of clothing. His eyes seemed to darken as he hovered over her body, his cock poised at the quick of her.

Juices ran down her inner thigh.

“Spread your legs wide for me, sweetheart. Feel who’s taking you.” He plunged into her in one fast shove. A cry left her and her body squeezed around the invasion. Before she had time to adjust to him, he was withdrawing once more. Inch by slow inch.