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“I wanted to be free, like I used to be. To run a horse without a care in the world.” My breathing was slowing and I looked over at him. His eyes danced and he knew what I was talking about. I didn’t have to explain any more than that.
“You were a sight to behold, you know that? You and Pepper looked like you were one for a moment or two. I’m glad she’s yours.” He glanced up at me again and we rode in silence for a while. It was comfortable being with Kipp. He didn’t need constant chatter. When he had something to say, he would just say it and not beat around the bush. He reminded me a lot of the men in my life when I was growing up. Good old cowboys who told it like it was. They were a dying breed and every day I was grateful Cooper had Kipp to look up to.
“Let’s stop here,” he said, pulling his horse to the right, to where a copse of trees hugged the base of a hill just before the mountains started. The trees swayed in the slight breeze and the leaves sounded like they were chattering to one another. We unsaddled the horses and let them graze freely. Kipp unrolled the blanket he’d brought and spread it on the ground while I grabbed the sandwiches and drinks from his saddle bags. Placing everything on the blanket, we sat next to each other.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, suddenly at a loss for something to say and the butterflies that I’d thought I’d left behind returned. I reached for a blade of grass and pulled it out of the ground, tying it in knots.
“You don’t have to be nervous, Nora. It’s just me,” he affirmed, taking his cowboy hat off before laying back on the blanket, tucking his hands behind his head.
His broad shoulders and chest narrowed at his waist. The large belt buckle he wore looked like one he’d won at a rodeo, but I’d never studied it long enough to tell. “It’s because it’s you I’m nervous,” I whispered, half realizing I’d said it out loud and half hoping it was an internal thought.
“Come here,” he said as he held out his arm. I moved and laid down beside him, my head resting on his chest. “See, that wasn’t so hard. How’s our first date been so far?” The rumble of his voice in his chest melted my panties. They were gone, I was sure.
“Pretty average.” I shrugged, trying to play it cool, and he laughed, moving his hand from shoulder to my hip.
“I’m going to have to up my game for my next first date, I guess.” He moved his opposite hand out from behind his head and ran his fingers along my arm that was resting on his chest. We laid together in silence while the birds chirped, the frogs croaked, crickets sang their songs and I listened to Kipp breathe as the sun warmed us.
He moved his hand from my hip to my ass and slid it into the pocket on my jeans. Up to that point, I thought he’d fallen asleep. “Do you want to eat, or…” His voice trailed off and I was surprised. I had figured a man like Kipp would just ask for what he wanted.
“Or what?” I asked playfully. Being flipped over on my back wasn’t what I’d thought would happen, but there I was, looking up at him. He leaned down, kissing me slowly with such intensity I thought I was dreaming. His kisses made my heart stop beating and restarted it all at the same time. I’d never been kissed like this before. It was even different from the last week of quick kisses, or worrying about being caught. Nobody would interrupt us here, it was just him and me.
He broke our kiss and smiled. “Let’s eat.” He sat up and grabbed his hat and popped it back on his head. Reluctantly, I sat up and crossed my legs.
We ate in comfortable silence, and then an idea hit me. Shifting, I reached over, grabbed Kipp’s hat off his head, and placed it on my own. I gave him a pointed look and arched my brow as I took a drink of the beer I’d packed. “What are you going to do about it, big man? You know what they say.” I wiggled my eyebrows, but I was sure he hadn’t seen because his hat sat so low on my head.
“Oh, I know what they say, Nora,” he growled, lunging at me, laying me down on the blanket again, our hips pressed against one another, and his growing erection getting my attention. “Are you sure?” he whispered.
“I’ve never been more sure in my life,” I confirmed, running my hands through his hair. Kipp pulled his hat off my head and tossed it aside. “I’m on birth control and I haven’t been with anyone since Cooper was born.” His eyes held mine and I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. There was no judgment or questions, just understanding. I didn’t have to tell him I hadn’t trusted anyone enough to keep Cooper, so I could date. I didn’t even want to until now.
“I haven’t slept with anyone in six months, and I’ve been tested.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a condom. Without another word, he helped me sit and then grabbed the bottom of my shirt, pulling it over my head. Gently, he pressed his mouth to mine and kissed me while he took my bra off. Tossing it into the discarded clothing pile, he moved away and ogled me. His eyes were full of lust and a need I hadn’t seen in him before. I hated being almost naked alone, so I reached for his shirt and pulled it open. Shifting to my knees, I pushed it off his shoulders, exposing the tattoo I’d seen months ago. With a shaking hand, I reached out and traced the lines of the mountains on his shoulder, following them down to his chest, where they flattened into a meadow much like the one we were in. There were cattle in the background and two horses grazing in the meadow. “I took a picture to my tattoo artist of this spot. If anything ever happened to take me away from this place, at least I would always have it with me.”
I reached for his belt buckle and popped it open. I needed this man more than I needed air to breathe. “You have no idea how many times I imagined you laying under me waiting for me to take you,” he professed as he dropped his eyes to my cleavage.
“You’ve thought of me?” I asked as I let my head fall back while he placed tickling kisses over the top of my breasts.
His abrupt stop made me look at him, my breathing matching his and his heart pounding against my chest. “Every night, every morning, every time I see you standing in that kitchen. When I see you with Cooper and laughing with my friends.” His eyes held mine and the caring in his scared me. It made me nervous with anticipation. “But what really turned me on was seeing you rope that calf. God, I could have taken you right there.” He was grinning from ear to ear.
“Well, then, what are you waiting for?” I coaxed, letting my gaze fall to his mouth.
“Nora,” he breathlessly said, as he crushed our mouths together. He moved toward me as I tightened my legs around him, running my fingers through his hair. God, all this man had to do was look at me and I was ready for him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
KIPP
Her agile fingers made quick work of my belt and the button on my jeans. I wasn’t sure I could handle her unzipping my pants, so I stood and took over. Kicking off my boots, I stepped out of my pants and underwear. Nora’s eyes were locked on my erection, and I chuckled. She stood, removing her own pants, and we were frozen in time together. She made the first move, taking a step toward me. I reached out for her and she walked willingly into my arms.
Kneeling down, I grabbed the condom and ripped it open, sliding it onto my shaft as Nora laid back on the blanket. Touching her silky smooth skin was exactly like I’d dreamed it would be. The soft curve of her breast fit perfectly in my hand as I ran my thumb along the tight pink bud and made her sigh. Her eyes closed. Letting my hand move lower, I gently touched her stomach, her hip, and then dragged my fingers to the apex of her thighs. Dipping my fingers lower, I was more turned on when I discovered she was soaked for me. I’d barely touched her and she was ready.
“Open your legs for me, baby,” I whispered in her ear and I could have shouted from the roof tops when she did without hesitation.
Moving between her legs, I leaned over and kissed her. What had been bliss, and passion, was now needy and uncontrolled. I licked the side of her neck as she moaned. “Please Kipp, please, I beg you, I need you.”
“How badly do you need me?”
“I ache, I’m empty and I need you to possess me,” she panted as my fingers toyed with her clit. She arched her back and tried to press against me.
“That sounds like something I could do. Are you ready?”
