Rough, Raw, and Ready (Rough Riders #5)(16)

“Why?”


“Because it reminded me of you, all right?” He kicked a chunk of mud and stalked away. “Fuck this and f*ck you.”


Edgard rattled off something in Portuguese, something Trevor vaguely remembered as being a plea. Or was it a threat?

Dammit. His feet stopped. Trevor’s gaze zeroed in on Edgard, who’d circled him until they were standing less than a foot apart.

“Tell me why.”


Be cruel, that’ll nip this in the bud once and for all.

“I didn’t keep the f*ckin’ thing because I had some girlish goddamn hope you’d come back lookin’ for it like Cinderella’s lost glass slipper, and we’d pick up where we left off after you left me.” He locked his eyes to the liquid heat in Edgard’s, not allowing the man to look away. “Especially after you made it crystal clear you weren’t ever comin’ back.”


Angry puffs of breath distorted the air between them.

Several beats passed before Edgard retorted, “But I am here now, aren’t I?”


“What? Am I supposed to be flippin’ cartwheels about that fact? I don’t know what you want from me, Ed. Take the saddle back if that’ll make you happy. I’ve got no use for it. I never did.” Angry, disgusted with himself, Edgard, and the whole uncomfortable situation, Trevor spun and walked toward the barn.

Edgard laughed—the taunting, soft laughter that was guaranteed to raise Trevor’s hackles and his ire. “It’s that easy for you? To get pissed off and walk away?”


“Yep. You’ve got no right to act so goddamned surprised since it’s a trick I learned from you, amigo.”


Not two seconds later, the air left Trevor’s lungs as Edgard tackled him to the ground. Trevor rolled to dislodge the man from his back; Edgard countered, took a swing and missed. Trevor bucked and twisted his shoulders, but Edgard anticipated the move and used the momentum against Trevor to try and shove Trevor’s face against the fence.

Before Edgard cornered him and held him down completely to land a punch, Trevor rolled again and pushed to his feet. A noise echoed behind him, but he ignored it as he fisted his hands in Edgard’s shearling coat, dragging him upright until they were nose to nose.

“What the hell has gotten into you?”


Edgard attempted to jerk back. Trevor held tight.

“This is why you came here?” he yelled in Edgard’s face. “To sucker punch me and knock me in the f*ckin’ dirt?”


“No.”


“Then what?”


Edgard didn’t move. He just breathed hard and stared hard at Trevor without flinching.

Trevor’s rapid breaths sliced the cold air but couldn’t cut through the icy tension.

“Answer me, goddammit.”


“I came here for this,” Edgard said angrily, wrapping a hand around Trevor’s neck and smashing their mouths together.

The shock of Edgard’s insistent lips caused Trevor to open his mouth in protest, which played perfectly into Edgard’s plans as he jammed his tongue right into Trevor’s mouth.

Damn damn damn. His token resistance was just that—a momentary struggle with guilt as his body reminded him it’d been an eternity, a f*cking lifetime, since he’d lost himself in Edgard’s hungry kiss. Trevor’s willpower vanished as the velvety smoothness of Edgard’s lips slid against his, coaxing, teasing, demanding a reaction.

Trevor gave him one; a hot, deep, wet mating of lips, teeth and tongue as he thoroughly devoured what he’d been denied, what he’d secretly craved these last three years.

When Edgard groaned in Trevor’s mouth, the vibration traveled down Trevor’s throat straight to his cock. His immediate hard-on was the invitation Edgard sought and Edgard ratcheted the kiss up another level.

Trevor instinctively matched his exhalations to Edgard’s broken breaths, countered the bold strokes of Edgard’s tongue with soft suction, found that familiar old lover’s rhythm until even the beats of their hearts seemed synchronized. The sensual assault filled something in Trevor that he hated to admit had been empty.

Warning signs went unheeded as the ferocious kisses continued, kicking Trevor’s need into high gear. But the unfamiliar prickle of Edgard’s beard on his cheek began to rouse him from that dark desire. Coupled with the low-pitched masculine moans—not Chassie’s feminine sighs—and Trevor broke away, knocking Edgard’s hands free.

“Stop. No.”


“Yes,” Edgard grabbed Trevor’s shirt. “This is why I’m here. Because it’s still there, Trevor. This need didn’t go away just because I did.”


“It don’t matter.”


“It should. God. Please let it matter.”


“Ed—”


“Don’t. Just…don’t.” Edgard gently rested his forehead against Trevor’s and retreated into silence.

The heat of their bodies, the cold air, the confusion, the passion, the anger, the guilt, all swirled in Trevor’s head until he didn’t know which way was up. Unable to squirm either closer or away, damn near unable to breathe, Trevor squeezed his eyes shut and gave in, leaning against Edgard, just for a moment.