“How was your run?” he asked begrudgingly, hating that it felt that way.
“Oh my gosh, so good. I was a little worried that I might not be able to keep up with Travis, but he went at my pace, which was nice, since I’m sure I’m slower than him. But we had a great time.”
Nick used the sweat scraper on Romeo’s shoulders and body, mulling over the happiness in her voice.
A few minutes later, she said, “I like him,” and handed Nick the brush. “We’re running together again tomorrow.”
Fucking fantastic. “Great.” He bit back his jealousy and gave her the sweat scraper, silently stewing as they washed Romeo.
“He asked me out,” she said too damn casually.
Their eyes met over the horse’s back. “Good for you.” Goddamn Helms.
Her brows knitted. “You don’t care if I go out with him?”
“Who am I to tell you what to do?”
“You can tell me if you don’t want me to go.”
He wasn’t going down that spike-reinforced rabbit hole. “It’s your life. You should do what you want.”
“I always do,” she challenged.
“Yeah, I found that out last night.”
TRIXIE STRUTTED AROUND Romeo and stood face-to-face with Nick. Tension rolled off him. She wanted to tell him so many things, like their connection had been deeper than friendship even before they’d had sex and that they could be amazing together. She wanted to say, Let your guard down. I promise I won’t hurt you. But telling him what to do was the equivalent of telling a woman to relax. Plus, he truly believed he didn’t want a relationship, so saying those things would only make him feel backed into a corner, and she knew he’d come out fighting whether he cared about winning or not, just like she would. So she went for a softer approach, picking up the hose and spraying him.
He glowered a warning.
“Stop being a Gruff Gus,” she said cheerily, spraying his deliciously broad chest again.
“Trixie,” he growled.
If looks could kill, she’d be flat-out dead. “Nicholas,” she countered, just as serious.
He stalked toward her, scowling, and she walked backward, laughing. A smile tugged at his lips.
“What’s wrong, cowboy?” She lifted the hose and sprayed him in the face.
He sprinted toward her, and she shrieked, spraying him as she ran away. But he was too fast and snagged her around the waist, crushing her back against him with one arm around her stomach as he’d done at his parents’ house. They were both cracking up. He ripped the hose from her hands and turned it on her, soaking himself in the process.
She covered her face. “Stop!” she said through her laughter.
He dropped the hose, and she turned in his arm. Laughter tumbled from his lips. She’d never seen his smile so big or his eyes so bright and carefree. But then their eyes connected, and the air sizzled and sparked.
Their laughter quieted, but his grin remained as he said, “Think you’re funny?”
“Hilarious, actually.” She slid her arms around him and kissed his wet chest.
His muscles tensed, those dark eyes narrowing. Holding his gaze, she traced a path with her fingers from just above the dusting of chest hair all the way up to his shoulder and pressed a kiss there. Heat flared in his eyes and everywhere else.
She pressed her hips forward, whispering, “I can feel how much you want me.”
“You’re fucking with my head,” he said tightly, his playful smile nowhere in sight.
“Maybe I like fucking with all your body parts. Kiss m—”
Her words were lost to the hard press of his lips. He gripped the back of her head and her ass as he intensified the kiss. His tongue thrust deep, penetrating her mouth the same way he’d taken her last night, as if he had so much pent-up passion he couldn’t hold back, and she loved it. He possessed every inch of her mouth, making her entire body smolder. Her knees weakened, and she dug her fingernails into his back, earning the sexiest sound she’d ever heard. She wanted to hear more of it, and kissed him ravenously, grinding against him. She’d never felt like this, had always craved more, but she’d never known exactly what more was.
Until now.
More was the visceral, intangible possession of her entire being, mind, body, and soul. He ground his hips, his hungry sounds sending lust spiking through her. His heart thundered against her chest, and she was right there with him, frantic to take them further. She wanted to strip off their clothes and ride him like the stallion he was right there in the grass. But she was greedy for a different type of more. A type that only Nick could give her. And she knew she’d never get it without slowing him down and making him consider his actions instead of just taking her in the heat of the moment.
It took all of her willpower to break their kiss, instantly mourning the loss of their closeness. He gritted out a curse, his eyes boring into hers, intoxicated and frustrated, which was exactly how she felt. She could tell it wasn’t a feeling he was used to either, because beneath those conflicting emotions, she saw more than a hint of confusion.
Don’t worry, cowboy. We’re going to figure this out together.
Her body trembled with desire as she forced herself to step out of his arms and said, “I should go shower.”
“Right,” he said gruffly.
She felt the heat of his stare as she picked up her sneakers and socks and walked across the grass. She glanced over her shoulder, and her body flamed anew at the desire and restraint staring back at her, like a lion tethered to his cage as the lioness escaped. She flashed a pout and said, “If only I had someone to wash my back.”
His eyes smoldered.
With an extra sway in her step and her hopes in the clouds, she headed for the house. Her pulse raced with every step, hoping she’d read their connection right. It felt like she was sneaking between the cracks in his armor. That he was allowing his feelings for her to lead him, not just his hormones. But the farther away she walked, the less hopeful she became. By the time she reached the house, she realized she was wrong, her hopes completely deflated.
Accepting her fate, she pushed open the door. When she turned to close it, Nick barreled in. He lowered his shoulder and tossed her over it. She shrieked with laughter, relief and happiness consuming her as he kicked the door closed and blazed a path toward his bedroom with Pugsly on their heels.
She smacked his ass. “Took you long enough!”
“Shut your piehole, woman. I couldn’t leave Romeo tied up.”
The fact that he’d thought of the horse when he was riddled with desire made him even more irresistible.
They stripped and stumbled into the shower in a tangle of gropes and kisses. Warm water rained down on them, slipping between their hungry lips and beneath their eager hands. She shook with desire as he groped her breasts and teased between her legs. She explored his hard muscles, loving every manly inch, and finally took what she craved, fisting his cock. A growling moan rumbled up from his chest into their mouths as she stroked him, tight and slow. When she brushed her thumb over the head, he tore his mouth away with another enticingly rough sound. She wanted to taste him, to hear more of those sinful noises. She wanted to drive him to the brink of madness.
“Nick,” she said nervously.