But not once had she wanted a man as badly as she wanted Ethan Bishop.
The way Ethan saw the world, the way he looked into Chloe's soul and saw what she needed, the way he gave of himself without thought to a broken horse--this was the type of man that could be everything.
The air charged. As if he'd caught her actual thought, he dropped his hands and walked away from the horse. She watched his lithe animal movements, every motion slow and deliberate, as he closed the stall door and moved forward, standing a few inches away. "You didn't come here just because you couldn't sleep, did you, Mia?"
She didn't answer. Couldn't. He eased closer and pushed her still-dripping hair away from her face. Caressed her cheek. Leaned forward and breathed out the words against her ear. "You came looking for me."
Heat blasted through her veins. Barely able to gulp air, she stood helpless under his spell, relishing the uncivilized look of masculine hunger and raw promise of those stinging blue eyes.
"You're wet."
Oh. God.
She shuddered. Slowly, his hand dropped, and his index finger traveled down her jaw, the side of her neck, and stopped at her breast. He traced the outline of her tight nipple, watching her breast swell beneath the damp white cotton and beg for his attention. The eroticism of the gesture made a moan escape her lips. "Yes."
"Definitely on the outside. But what about the inside?"
Her heart stopped, then rocketed into a crazed rhythm. The world slowed down to that one finger as it dropped from her nipple and coasted down her stomach to pause at the waistband of her shorts. Oh God, how badly she willed that hand to slip underneath and give her some relief. Her clit throbbed, and her panties were already soaked. His nostrils flared and satisfaction curled his lips. "Will you tell me? Or shall I find out myself?"
Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. Her knees began to give way, so he backed her up the last step toward the wall. An arc of light shot through the dirty window and illuminated the room. The scent of man and horse and hay swamped her senses, and she clutched at his shoulders, dizzy with the choppy waves of need surfacing inside her.
"Mia?"
She blinked up at him, way past caution or embarrassment or doubts. Arching her hips with invitation, she grasped his hand and guided those graceful fingers to the burning heat between her legs. "Touch me," she hissed. "Please."
He uttered a vicious curse. Bent his head and stamped his mouth over hers. And plunged his fingers under her shorts, under her panties, to dive deep into her dripping core.
There was no seduction or finesse or tentativeness--just the carnal pump of his fingers and the swipe of his thumb over the screaming bundle of nerves that had become her focus. His tongue ravaged her mouth, and his hand rubbed and worked her with a ruthless precision that rocketed her straight to the edge of climax and pushed her over in moments.
Mia convulsed and gave herself over to the delicious, pleasure-inducing orgasm that seized every muscle of her body.
Holy fuck.
She was on fire.
Ethan watched her come apart under his fingers with just a few strokes and drank in every gorgeous expression on her face. Those whiskey-colored eyes were drugged with bliss, skin flushed a rosy pink. Swollen lips uttered his name in a beautiful symphony of sound. Her pussy squeezed his fingers without mercy, wet and sleek and hot. His dick wept against the barrier of his jeans, and it took all his military training not to come right there like an inexperienced teen.
The moment he caught her in his stables, she'd mesmerized him. Honey-colored hair tangled and messy, white shorts and shirt plastered to her skin, emphasizing the lush curves of her breasts and the shadowed delta between her thighs; Ethan swore she wouldn't escape him tonight. She practically buzzed with the ripeness of a juicy peach ready to be picked, savored, licked, eaten. His plan included a bit of flirting, some seductive kisses, and a trip back to his bungalow, where he could enjoy her in his bed for hours.
Instead, he'd made her come against the wall in the barn, and it had been the hottest thing he'd ever experienced.
A bit of the savage danced in his veins, the carnal hunger to take her right here, right now, pounding through his body. He'd never experienced a woman so honest and real in her passion. No games or false intentions--just a beautiful surrender to the pleasure he could give her.
And he needed more. So much more.
"Oh, baby, you have to do that again," he murmured, his lips gentling on hers to tease and play.
"I'm sorry. I came so quick."
Her confused tone filled him with fierce satisfaction. He nipped, sucking on her lower lip while his hand stayed buried between her legs. "It was fucking beautiful. Better than my fantasies, and I've been quite creative with ways to make you come."
She moaned and opened her mouth, and the kiss quickly turned, catching fire and gripping them again in violent need. She arched against the wall, her hands greedily running over his chest and back, scraping her nails over his skin, causing him to shake.
"What's happening to me?" she whispered, sliding both palms underneath the back waist of his jeans to cup his ass and drag him closer. "I feel mad . . . crazed . . . on fire . . ."
"Me too. I planned to go slow. Be more civilized. Seduce you." He yanked her shirt down over her shoulder, baring her breast. He sucked on her nipple, flicking the hard tip, testing with his teeth. She shook in his arms, and he hurriedly dragged her shorts and lace panties down her hips, kicking them away on the muddy floor.
She ripped at the buckle of his jeans and plunged her hands down the front. "Don't want civilized. Want this." Hot, soft hands gripped his erection, squeezing softly, ripping a curse from his lips.
"Baby, we're in the barn. Let me take you back to my house."
"No time."
A half laugh fell from his lips. He fought for sanity under her stroking, talented hands, one last attempt to control the situation. "I don't want to get you dirty."
Her eyes darkened to a fall amber, half-crazed with lust. Breasts bared to his view, lips swollen and red, naked from the waist down, she embodied the symbol of Eve, bare in the garden of temptation. She stroked the tip of his cock, and he jerked in her hands. "I want dirty. Filthy. Everything." She licked at his nipple, sinking her teeth into his biceps in feminine demand. "I want what you promised me."
He lost control.
His vision blurred. In seconds, he divested himself of his jeans, grabbing a condom from the back pocket, and hitched her high up in his arms. "Put your legs around my waist and don't let go," he commanded.
She did, and he swung her from the wall, walking a few steps toward a pile of fresh hay in the corner. Slowly, he lowered himself to his knees and pressed her back down. Another bolt of thunder shook the barn, and he practically roared with Mother Nature in victory as he took in her naked body, trembling and open and shaking for him. Her pussy was swollen and ripe, and he dragged her legs farther apart, his shoulders pressed against her thighs as he lowered his head.
She gasped, wriggling in his grasp. "Ethan, please, I can't, I'll--"
"I want you to. Again."
His tongue swept over her slit, and he settled in to feast. The musky essence of her made him drunk within seconds. Once again, he surrendered finesse in the pumping need to possess this woman completely, in every way possible. His lips closed over her throbbing nub and sucked while his thumbs held her open so his tongue could dive deep, enjoying the minijerks of her body as she writhed in her pleasure, and then--
She came hard against his mouth. He extended her orgasm by giving her light licks, massaging her core, and then he reared back up and fit himself with the condom.
He slipped his hands under her knees and pushed forward. Her thighs trembled in his grip, her body still in aftershocks, as he slowly pressed home. Her pussy clenched around his dick, squeezing tight, and his eyes practically rolled back in his head at the exquisite sensation of being buried deep inside her.
"Mia? Look at me."
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Her eyes opened. She clutched his shoulders, her body wet and welcoming.
"We're not done yet."
He began to move. His hands cupped her cheeks, forcing her to keep his gaze as he rocked his hips against her, sliding all the way out, then thrusting deep. Arousal flickered in those whiskey eyes as her body woke up again. Her hard nipples pressed against his chest, and she lifted herself higher to meet every stroke. When he pulled out, he dragged the tip of his cock over her clit, slamming back in her tight channel, and in seconds, she was caught back on the edge, tiny sobs emitting from her throat, her pussy pounding around him in a vise of heat and demand.
"Ethan? Oh God, feels so good, I can't take it. Oh, Ethan, please."
"Yes, that's it, you're so fucking tight. Come for me, Mia. Again. Now."
He pounded into her in a few short, hard strokes, and she screamed, shattering around him.
He savored every last pulse of her orgasm, and then his balls drew back, and he was coming, jerking his hips in ecstasy as he spilled his seed and roared her name.
The rain pounded and the lighting flashed. Phoenix gave a low nicker, his hooves a dull echo. And Ethan collapsed with Mia in his arms and wondered why nothing had ever felt so right as this very moment.
Chapter Eighteen
It had finally happened.
She'd had the best sex of her life.
Mia hummed as she skipped down the stairs and tried desperately to tame her goofy grin. Unfortunately, the damn thing kept popping up, curving her mouth in delight at the delicious memories. They'd stayed in the barn all night, literally rolling around in the hay. When they both managed to disentangle from one another as dawn threatened, he walked her back to the inn, gave her another toe-curling kiss, and sauntered away without another word. Her muscles ached pleasantly, and her thighs were sore. Her entire body felt like it had woken up after a long Rip Van Winkle sleep.
Damn. Her man had stamina.
The words rolled deliciously in her mind while she stopped at the breakfast cart to pour herself a cup of coffee. The antique floral pot delivered a stream of perfect hot brew she'd become addicted to. And to think, she'd believed she would never get a decent cup of coffee out of the city. Ophelia had officially spoiled her.
Lemon scones sat on a matching platter. Freshly frosted, they looked buttery and moist.
The image of Ethan's appreciative gaze raking over her naked body slammed into her. She'd gained five pounds since she'd come to the inn by allowing herself to indulge in special treats.
Odd. She'd waited for panic when she stepped on the scale, but when she gazed in the mirror, she liked what she saw. Her skin glowed, and her hips had a nice flare that didn't look bad. Sure, she'd need to dump the Gucci, but right now, she wanted that scone more than she wanted the dress.
Decision made, she scooped the pastry onto her plate and carried her treasures to the front porch. Ethel and Priscilla spotted her first. "Mia, we were waiting to meet Chloe's father. Did he leave already?"
She dropped into the rocker and nodded. "Sorry, but yes, you missed him. Where were you out so late last night?"
The ladies grinned. "We got drunk at P&G's after our skydive," Ethel said, sipping her tea. "It was wild. We played beer pong."
"You did not."
Priscilla waved her hand in the air. "Of course we did. Had to celebrate surviving the jump and living to see another day. Plus, there was a young man there who looked exactly like Captain America. I was hoping he'd be drunk enough to take his shirt off."
Mia laughed. "You are so bad, Priscilla. It's a good thing your husband puts up with you."
"There are other reasons," the woman said proudly. "We let them sleep in a bit this morning. They can't keep up with us sometimes."
"I doubt I could. What's on the agenda today?"
Ethel sighed. "We're leaving, sweetheart. This is our last day. Checking out at noon."
Mia stared at them in shock. "No, I thought you were staying a few more days."
"We can't. Our next scheduled stop is the Jersey shore, and Ed signed up for the poker tournament in Atlantic City. We've had the most fun here, though. Priscilla and I were hoping you'd come and visit us in Florida over the winter. Those damn senior homes are boring as hell, and we'd love the company. We reverse snowbirds have to keep ourselves engaged, or old age hits."
Mia blinked as emotion clogged her throat. Ridiculous. She'd gone from desperately avoiding the crazy crew to seeking out their company. She genuinely cared about them and hoped she could own half the delight for life they did. "Definitely. I'm going to miss you. It won't be the same around here."
"But you'll have Ethan," Priscilla said. "The two of you were practically holding hands at Mama Mia. And you should've seen the way he looked at you when you danced on the stripper pole."
"Has he made a move yet?" Ethel asked.
"Umm, well, we kind of had a date again last night, and--"
"She slept with him!" Priscilla crowed. "I knew you looked different this morning, but at first I thought it was the scone!"
Oh God, she was blushing. How did they manage to make her squirm with embarrassment? "Well, we had a good talk and then--"
"He ripped your clothes off, and you had sex!" Ethel finished.
"How many orgasms did he give you?" Priscilla demanded.
Mia shoved the scone into her mouth to avoid talking and then almost had another orgasm. Holy crap, Ophelia's sweets were deadly. Tart lemon, vanilla frosting, and sweet-cream buttermilk danced on her tongue. "A lot," she finally muttered, giving up. She couldn't fight this dynamic duo. Might as well surrender now.
The women squealed. "Then our work is truly done here," Ethel announced. "Just don't go thinking about it too much and ruin the fun. You strike me as the type to get into her head."
"I do. But we agreed to take the rest of the summer and see what happens. Nothing serious. A summer affair."
Priscilla frowned. Tapped her finger against her orange-colored lips. "Both of you agreed to these terms?" she asked.
Mia cocked her head. She'd never seen the woman look so grave. "Yes. It works for both of us."
"What if you fall in love?"
Ethel laughed and waved her hand in the air. "Pris, what are you talking about? She just said they agreed to keep it light. That's what we wanted for her."
"Yes," Mia said. "There will be no talk of love or commitment or the future. I'm finally going to just go for it."
Priscilla stared at her through her thick-rimmed glasses. Her watery green eyes held an array of emotion. "Mia, it's too late," she said seriously. Her wrinkled hand trembled slightly as she reached out to squeeze her arm. "The sex is too good. The man is too exceptional. The connection is too strong. You're going to fall in love with each other."
"What?" Ethel cried.
"What?" Mia screeched. "No, that's not going to happen. You said I could handle it!"
Priscilla gave a long sigh. "I know. I got caught up in the heat of your romance. I didn't think it through. The same thing happened with Pete. We fell into bed with each other, and I stayed with him for the sex. Then, of course, it turned to love."
Mia buried her face in her hands, trying to wipe that image from her brain. All of her unicorn dreams of great, commitment-free, no-guilt sex drifted away in the breeze. Hadn't her gut warned her Ethan Bishop was too much for her? What if he broke her heart?
Ethel patted her knee. "It's okay, Mia. Just follow this one rule: concentrate on the physical. If he charms you with conversation or makes your belly do that funny dropping thing, jump him. Keep the focus on the sex. No friendship. No respect. No love. Got it?"
Pris shook her head sadly. "Great sex always leads to love. She's doomed."
She was saved from answering when the husbands came out. They wore matching plaid shorts and golf shirts, socks pulled up to the knee, and fancy leather loafers. They fumbled with canes and false teeth and glasses, grumpily complaining about the noise of the roosters wa
king them up too early, and Mia couldn't help it. A wave of affection crashed over her. She got up from the rocker, stretched out her arms, and hugged them both. "I'm going to miss you," she said.
The men humphed but hugged her back. Ethel and Priscilla jumped up and joined in the group hug, and Dolly spotted them from inside and came running out to wriggle in the middle.
Mia's stomach got warm and mushy. She wondered what was beginning to happen to her.
Even worse, she was beginning not to care.
Hours later, she got up from her laptop and decided to take Chloe to dinner. The girl had spent all day at the stables, squeezing in another horse riding lesson, and deserved some downtime. Jonathan had called earlier because Chloe refused to pick up her cell phone to talk to him. Mia advised him to keep trying. Maybe a conversation tonight would help soften the girl's anger toward her father.
She arrived at the stables and took in the organized chaos. Groups of riders were getting ready to go out on the trails, and she spotted Harper saddling up a pretty brown horse, who stood patiently as she cinched the belt tighter under his belly. Other horses were being washed down by various helpers, and a red tractor pulled bales of hay up to one of the open doors. Wheezy trotted over to greet her, followed by a flock of chickens and, oh no--
Hei Hei spotted her and immediately began bobbing his head up and down in a mad frenzy. White feathers shook with his excitement. His red jowls jiggled. He let out a squawk and raced toward her as if she were the long-lost mother he'd finally discovered.
A laugh escaped her lips as the crazed fowl pecked at her leg with affection and rubbed his feathers over her bare skin. "Okay, let's not get overemotional," she said. "We spent lunch together yesterday, remember? And I refused to get the chicken or turkey sandwich since it was too close for comfort."
He clucked, scratched the ground, and stepped on her toe with his clawed foot. "Dude, these are Gucci sandals. Have some respect." She let out a sigh, but she didn't mind as much anymore. In fact, she'd begun looking for Hei Hei when he wasn't around. He gave her a weird type of comfort.
"Please don't tell me I'm jealous of a chicken."