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He lowered his mouth down to mine for a kiss, just a brush of lips at first, then more insistent, until I opened for him, and he dipped his tongue inside.His stubble grazed me, marking me, I thought, dazed.Making me his.The thought turned me on even more, revving me up, sharpening my ache for him to an unbearable point, and underneath him, I spread my legs, settling him further into the embrace of my hips.
He groaned.“Jesus, Maddie.You're killin’ me.”
We gazed at each other for a moment, and I knew that he was asking for permission.This strong, capable man wouldn’t do a thing unless I explicitly okayed it, and that was a hell of a turn on.
“Rick,” I whispered.“I want you so much.”
I didn’t know what I was waiting for.Some cosmic sign from the universe that I could have sex with him?I’d given my engagement ring back to Seb, had told him in no uncertain terms that he could essentially take a long walk off a short cliff.So what did I want?Some promise from a higher power that I could dive feet first into something with Rick and walk away with my already-broken heart intact?
“I’m yours for the takin’,” he murmured, kissing my forehead.
The gesture was so sweet that my eyes burned.
Why the fuck was I hesitating?My days in Kentucky were dwindling, and I could either spend them dancing around this fire-starter with Rick and then regretting it forever,orluxuriating in everything he was offering.
And with a lightning bolt of clarity, I knew what I was going to choose.
I pulled his lips down to meet mine, slid my tongue into his mouth, captured his little groan of pleasure as I slid my hands along his chest and settled my palms on his excellent behind, pressing the length of him into me.He feltamazingbetween my legs.I wanted all of him, without barriers, for as many as hours as possible.
“Please, Rick.”
He made some sound of hungry assent and kissed me fiercely, all lips and teeth and tongue, and I lapped up his attentiveness.The world had narrowed to this man and how he made me feel.
The sudden slam of a car door made me start, and I broke the kiss with a sigh of regret, pushing gently at his chest.
“You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me,” Rick muttered, standing up.He helped me to my feet and brushed off the legs of his jeans, then turned toward the back of the garden, probably to hide his huge and completely obvious erection, and I finished smoothing my hair just as Lew appeared around the corner of the barn, Stetson in place.
“Hey,” he said slowly.“Wasn’t sure if you’d left.I need to lock up the barn.”
“Oh, yeah.Of course, go ahead.It’s gorgeous here, by the way.We’re just leaving.”
Rick turned to face his friend.“I was just showin’ Maddie the, ah, swing.”
Lew narrowed his eyes and glanced from Rick’s face to mine, but he didn’t say anything, just nodded.
We thanked him and walked to the truck, not looking at each other.I knew that if I so much as peeked in Rick’s direction, I’d burst out laughing.
Rick drove us down the track to the ranch house.Once we were safely on the road back towards Redwing Falls, I started giggling, and Rick’s chuckles soon filled the cab of the truck, too.
We ate the white rabbit sweets on the drive back.They were chewy and creamy, the coating of rice paper melting on my tongue.
“Not bad,” Rick said thoughtfully of his.
“These are my favorite nostalgia sweets.That’s my childhood, that and haw flakes and homemade prawn crackers.I’ll cook you some one day.They blow up so big in the hot oil, you can get ones as large as your whole hand!”
As he turned onto Otter Street, I knew home was close, and I set my hand on his thigh.“Do you mind if we get dinner somewhere?I really want to talk to you.”
He looked over at me, concern sketched on his handsome face.“Sure.You okay?”
“I think it’s time we properly talked.I want to tell you everything that happened with my ex-fiancé.”
He made a turn and then pulled the truck into the diner parking lot.“Okay.”
I released my seatbelt and leaned towards him, cupping his face with one hand.His day-old stubble rasped against my palm.God, how I wanted to feel that prickly layer of haireverywhereon my body.
“I like you so much, Rick.I’m done trying to tell myself why I shouldn’t see you too much, why I shouldn’t give into this.But I want to tell you everything.”
He leant into my touch, then kissed the soft skin of my palm.His hazel eyes were almost black in the twilight encroaching through the truck cab windows.“Then let’s get dinner, and I’ll listen.”
