Page 23 of Country Winds (King Creek Cowboys #9)

His smile was tight, his eyes dark with his need for her. “You’re ready for me to fuck you?”

The word was harsh and erotic, and it turned her on even more.

“Yes.” She could barely breathe. She wanted him so badly that she vibrated with need. “ Please .”

He grabbed her ass again and drove his cock deep inside her. Ellie’s eyes widened, and she gasped at the feel of him stretching her, filling her. She couldn’t help every cry and moan she made. He reached so deep inside, and her core gripped him as he thrust even harder each time.

He growled as he pounded in and out. This time was more intense than any other when they’d made love. Every other moment, he’d been fully in control. This time, he was wild, rough, like a predator, and she was his prey.

She loved it. She wanted more of it. Deeper, harder.

Every sensation combined to take her higher and higher. She was so close to the peak. Just a little farther up, and she would topple over. She thrashed in his arms, the movements enhancing their sex. It sent more thrills through her body.

More, more, more—she climaxed hard and screamed. He kissed her forcefully, stealing the rest of her scream. The sensations continued, one after another, his continued motion drawing them out.

He let out a shout as he came. He kissed her as he thrust a few times more. Then he sank against her, still inside her, pinning her tighter to the shower wall. His harsh breathing made his chest rise and fall against her. She managed to catch her breath, but she was limp in his arms.

When they each found their strength, he straightened and held her as she slid down him, and he made sure she was steady on her feet before he released her.

He kissed her softly, the water still raining down on them. He raised his head and smiled. “I have never enjoyed a shower so much in my life.”

Ellie laughed and smiled up at him. “Ditto.”

They finished showering, and when she got out, she still felt a pleasant hum in her body. She pulled a thick, fluffy white towel off the rack and started to dry herself.

Tucker took it from her. “I’ll towel you off.”

He dried her shoulders and back and worked his way to her calves and feet. While still crouched, he turned her around and dried her from her feet up. He took care to dry every inch of her and paid close attention to her breasts, which were still extra sensitive after such an amazing orgasm.

After drying her shoulders, he rubbed her hair with the towel. He grinned. “You now look like you stuck a finger in a socket.”

Ellie leaned past him and saw herself in the mirror. She laughed, too. “You’re right.” She grabbed another towel. “My turn.”

She dried off what she could reach, and had him bend enough to get his shoulders and hair. She stepped back and surveyed him. “Now you look like a crazy scientist.”

Ellie gave him a comb and then brushed her hair. She put her hair into a damp ponytail and pulled on panties, a bra, jean shorts, and an Arizona State T-shirt.

She felt fresh, clean, relaxed, and ready for a lovely evening with Tucker.

Tucker slid into his clothes as Ellie headed downstairs in her bare feet. He followed her lead, leaving his athletic shoes and socks off. The carpet felt fuzzy beneath his feet as he walked downstairs and joined her in the tiled kitchen.

He slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar as she asked, “Lemonade or iced tea?”

“Tea sounds great.” He started to slide off his seat. “I can get it.”

Ellie held up her hand. “You sit and relax. I’ve got this.”

She grabbed a pitcher of tea from the fridge, then poured two large glasses full and handed one to him. They both drank, and he was so thirsty that he finished his tea first, and then she filled his glass again.

He wrapped his hand around the cold glass as he watched her. “Anything I can help with?”

Her ponytail bounced against her shoulders as she reached into a cabinet. “Nope, I’ve got it.”

He liked to help her, but he also enjoyed watching her a whole lot, and sitting there gave him the opportunity to do plenty of it.

Her skin glowed pink from the shower, or maybe from their lovemaking.

Her butt looked sexy as hell in her little denim shorts that barely covered her ass and revealed her long, shapely legs.

She only wore revealing clothing when she was at home.

She tended to wear clothing on the conservative side when she left the house, and he appreciated that, especially when she was gathering male fans wherever she went.

She was a drop-dead gorgeous woman, and he wasn’t surprised that so many men found her attractive.

At the same time, it gave him more reason to be concerned for her.

He folded his arms on the countertop. “What’s for dinner?”

She cast a mischievous smile over her shoulder. “You’ll see.”

After she pulled a stock pot out of one cabinet and a skillet out of another, she soon had a big pot of water on the stove and ground hamburger browning in a pan.

She threw together tomato sauce and a bunch of herbs with the meat after it was browned, and soon, he could smell rosemary, oregano, garlic, and the tang of the tomato sauce.

He fiddled with the pepper grinder on the countertop. “My incredible mental powers tell me it’s Italian tonight.”

“That’s why I like you so much.” She gave him a teasing smile as she got out a loaf of Italian bread. “You’re so smart. Just sit there and look handsome while I finish dinner.”

He chuckled. “I’ll do my best.”

She was poetry in motion, moving around her small kitchen in smooth, effortless movements. He wasn’t much of a cook, but she made it look easy.

Soon, she set a plate of garlic bread made with thick slices of Italian bread on the breakfast bar, followed by two dishes filled with sauce-covered spinach tortellini, and a pair of forks.

After refilling their tea glasses, she scooted onto a barstool beside him. He grabbed paper napkins from the holder at the end of the bar and handed her one. “My contribution to the meal.”

She accepted it with a smile, and they dug in.

“Honey, you make the best tortellini I’ve had.” He ate another bite and chewed.

Ellie swallowed her bite. “Thank you. I love making Italian food. Someday I’ll make my lasagna for you.”

“Can’t wait.” He stuck his fork in his pasta. “I think I owe you a pot of chili.”

“All to myself. I haven’t forgotten.” She pointed her fork at him. “I’ve been waiting for you to remember.” She shook her head. “You truly make the best chili I’ve ever had.”

They had a pleasant meal, bantering back and forth like they usually did. She felt like she had scored a win with what she’d made for their dinner as Tucker ate a second bowl of tortellini, piled as high as the first, plus a third piece of garlic bread.

“I meant to ask you something earlier.” She turned on her stool and faced him as he finished eating and set his fork on his plate. “Mom asked if you’d like to go with our family on our annual summer trip to Lake Havasu, the weekend after next. It will be with all of my brothers, Mom, and Dad.”

Ellie leaned forward. “We rent a houseboat, fish, Jet Ski, and all of that. It’s always so much fun. The family stays for the week, but I can only make it for the weekend since I have a recording session the following week. Would you like to go with me? Like I said, it’s lots of fun.”

Tucker looked thoughtful. “I planned to spend time with you that weekend if you were free. You’re sure I wouldn’t be butting in if I join you?”

“It would be soooo much fun if you do go.” She straightened on her stool, excitement bubbling up inside her. “It’s the best. Of course, Tanner and I share the same birthday, since we’re twins, and we celebrate on the trip.”

“Well, if it’s your birthday, how can I say no?” He smiled. “I’d enjoy it. Tell your mom thank you for inviting me, and I look forward to meeting your family.”

“Awesome.” Ellie wanted to squeal with delight, but she managed to control her enthusiasm, which was off the charts. “I’m so excited you can go. I can’t wait to see you in shorts and a bathing suit.”

He laughed. “I look forward to it.” He settled his palm on her thigh. “Are you free next weekend to get together?”

She sighed. “I have a recording session in L. A. that starts Thursday, and I won’t get home until Sunday afternoon. I wish I had a studio here to do the majority of the recordings. But I don’t, so I have to go to California.”

Tucker looked disappointed, but he was probably getting used to her going out of town. He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. “We’ll have the weekend after that on the houseboat.”

“Yes.” She was so hyped that she nearly bounced on her stool.

Tucker got up and gathered the dishes. “You sit here, and I’ll clean up.”

“I can do it.” She started to get up.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and kept her from standing. “Sit here and look beautiful.”

“All right, all right.” She laughed. “Can’t say that I mind.”

A happy sigh spilled from her as she put her elbow on the breakfast bar and her chin in her hand. She loved seeing him in her kitchen. It was so domestic, and it made her think about the future. She could picture the same scene if they were married.

It was much too soon to think about marriage—after all, it had been only four months. But her heart was full when she was with him. Wherever she was, whatever she was doing, he would enter her thoughts. She was always thinking about him, always wanting to be close to him.

Time to focus on the moment. He was here, and she wanted to be totally present when they were together.

The muscles in his arms flexed with his movements as he loaded the dishwasher. She felt dreamy, like a teenager watching a rock star. Tucker was so darn hot and sexy.

She smiled. “I like watching you, whatever you’re doing.”

He looked at her, amusement glittering in his eyes. “Funny, but I was thinking the same thing when you were cooking.”

“We’re different but so alike in some ways.” She clasped her hands on the breakfast bar. “Puzzle pieces.”

He closed the dishwasher and went to the sink. “Yeah, you’re right. I think we’re different in the best ways.”

“I forgot to tell you that I’ve been asked to sign at a convention in San Diego a month from now.” Ellie leaned back in her chair. “It’s a huge event, much bigger than the one I took you to. I think it’s a four-day convention, and I’ll be signing on Saturday. Would you like to go with me?”

Tucker was hand-washing the skillet in the sink, so his back was to her. He ran the skillet under the water to rinse it off, then set it in a dish drainer.

He turned to her and looked thoughtful. “It’s not my thing, but I’d like to go to support you.” He held her gaze. “I just like being with you whenever we can be together.”

She smiled. “I feel the same way.” She leaned forward, her arms on the breakfast bar. “I’m glad you want to go with me.”

He wiped down the counter, and no sign of dinner prep was to be seen. He hung the towel over a bar on the cabinet under the sink. He braced his palms on the counter as he stood directly in front of her. “Feel like streaming a movie?”

She nodded. “Let’s see if something good is on.”

They picked a popular movie, the only one that looked remotely appealing. It was a chick flick, and neither of them usually watched the genre.

They sat on the couch, Tucker’s arm around her shoulder. The movie wasn’t too bad, but she wasn’t into it, and her awareness of Tucker kept her mind on him more than the film.

He kissed the top of her head. “You seem as distracted as I am.”

She shifted in his arms so that she could look at him. “Not crazy about the movie?”

He turned the TV off, set the remote on the end table, and faced her. He reached up and skimmed his fingertips along her cheekbone as he looked into her eyes. “I’m crazy about you.”

She rested her hand on his thigh. “I feel the same way about you.”

“There’s something else I’ve been wanting to say.” He moved his hand and touched her bottom lip with his index finger. He looked almost serious, but maybe simply focused on what he was saying.

She squeezed his free hand in both hers and said nothing. She waited for him to tell her whatever it was he wanted to say.

“I love you, Ellie.” His words were strong, his tone sure. “I’ve loved you since the day we met, the moment I first saw you. My love for you gets stronger every day.”

Ellie straightened in her seat, blood pounding in her ears. Her throat felt dry, and his words bounced around in her head.

She took a deep breath and smiled at him. Her heart felt even fuller than it had earlier. She gripped his hand. “I love you, Tucker. I think it was love at first sight for me, too.”

He drew her into his arms and kissed her, long and filled with their love.

After a long kiss, she cuddled up to him, her head on his chest, his heart thumping beneath her ear. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her close.

“Like I said, I’m crazy about you.” He rubbed her shoulder with his palm and echoed her earlier thoughts. “I’m always thinking about you and ways we can spend time together.”

“That makes two of us.” She rested her hand on his thigh. “I think we’re doing a pretty good job of finding time together, whenever we’re not working.”

“We can keep on doing our best.” He nuzzled her head. “Just know it’s never enough.”

“Yeah, it’s never enough.” She sighed and snuggled closer. “Can you spend the night?”

“I’ll text Maddee and ask her if she’d mind feeding the horses in the morning.” He shifted her so that he could pull out his phone and unlock the screen. “Since it’s Saturday, that’s all I need to worry about.”

“Is she still seeing that firefighter?” Ellie watched Tucker as he texted his sister.

“I’m not sure.” Tucker was quiet for a moment as he finished his text. He lowered the phone and tossed it aside on the couch. “I haven’t seen him with her in a while.”

Maddee was so sweet. Ellie hoped Tucker’s sister would find the love of her life, like Ellie had.

In a couple of moments, Maddee responded. Tucker read the text and set his phone aside again. “Looks like we have a whole night together.”

“We always stay at your ranch whenever we have a free night.” Ellie rested her hand on his. “This is the first time you will have stayed at my home. It’s nice.”

“I’m sure it won’t be the last.” He kissed her softly.

She eased off the couch, stood, and reached out to him. He got to his feet, and she tugged on his hand. “Let’s go upstairs and continue where we left off earlier.”