Chapter Thirteen
When they gotback to Letty’s apartment she asked, “Are you sure you don’t need to get back home?”
Riley smiled.“I can stay awhile.If you want me to.”
She unwrapped herself from her layers of clothes.Riley didn’t have on as many clothes as she did, but after stuffing his gloves in his pockets, he took off his coat and hat.She wore another form-fitting sweater over tight jeans.Letty’s body was made for blue jeans.Her legs weren’t long and endless but the pants fit her perfectly, as every feature of her body fit together to make a perfect, small human.A very pretty, perfect small woman.
He put his arms around her and kissed her.Taking his time, tasting, his tongue playing with hers.He wanted her, as if he hadn’t had her in weeks, instead of only days.Slipping his hands beneath her sweater, he caressed her breasts.She sighed and pushed into his hand.
“I should have known you’d be good at this,” she said.
He smiled.“Thanks.But you make it easy.”He stripped off her sweater, then her bra.Took a good long look at her breasts before covering them with his hands and tweaking the nipples.Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back and sighed again.
She wrestled with the buttons on his shirt and once she got that off she helped him yank his T-shirt over his head.Then she splayed her hands on his chest.“You have such nice muscles,” she said, stroking him.“It’s obvious you get them from physical work, not from a gym.And your hands are strong and used to hard work.”
“Too rough?”He knew his hands were rough.Calluses, cuts, healed scars.They were the hands of a rancher.
“No, I like them.”
Knowing that the condoms were in the bedroom, he scooped her up and carried her there.Once by the bed he set her on her feet and helped peel her out of her jeans.All she wore now was a tiny pair of filmy red panties.He really liked her choice of panties.
Letty grabbed his belt, unbuckled it, then tried to undo his jeans.When she couldn’t, she reached beneath his jeans and underwear and grasped his shaft.Riley groaned.He made quick work of his jeans and boxers, then started to pull her with him onto the bed.
Instead she made him sit on the edge, picked up a condom and rolled it down, taking her sweet time, driving him a little insane.Once he was covered she gave him a sultry look and she climbed on top of him, her knees on either side of him.She smiled and slid down, taking his whole length inside of her.They both groaned and then she rode him like there was a fire between them.And there was.
He thrust up inside her, wanting to last and knowing he wouldn’t.He drove up, she slammed down and they went over the edge together.
They stayed as they were until their breathing evened out.Letty climbed off him and he went to the bathroom to clean up.When he came back he gave her a warm, wet cloth.After she used it she tossed it on the floor.She snuggled against him and he wrapped his arm around her.“I wish you could stay.”
“I don’t need to leave yet.”
“But you can’t stay all night.”
“Do you want me to?”It surprised him, not only that she wanted him to stay but that she’d told him.
“I know you can’t.You have too much to do at the ranch.”
“But if I could?”
She turned her head to look up at him.He couldn’t read her expression.Was he getting through to her or was that just wishful thinking?
“There’s no point talking about things that aren’t going to happen.”
Things like him staying over.Or them staying together after the new year.
*
Letty should haverealized that in a town the size of Marietta, everything was cause for speculation.The fact that she and Riley had been seen going out to eat, joining in festivities like caroling, and attending Christmas parties together created a lot of talk.Not to mention that kiss during the Stroll.
The day after she and Riley had gone to a party hosted by one of his old friends, Letty ran into a woman she’d gone to high school with who’d also been at the party.She and Paula Lackland had never been good friends but Letty had never had anything against her.Their little conversation in the library had her changing her mind.
“Letty, it was so good to see you last night,” Paula said.“I thought you weren’t dating anyone since I never see you out and about.And you were with Riley Fletcher, of all people.How did you manage to convince him to date you?You know there are a lot of women who’d give their right arm to be with him, don’t you?And the ones he has dated have been…” She paused and looked Letty up and down.“Let’s just say your opposite.”
How was she supposed to respond to that?“Really?He’s never mentioned anyone to me.”
“Well, he wouldn’t, would he?”
They talked for a little longer with Paula digging for more information about the state of Riley’s relationship with her.Letty didn’t comply and Paula eventually left in a huff.
