Page 44 of Revelry (Cowgirls Do It Better #2)

Tate

What the hell was I doing?

Who did I think I was, getting up here and dancing on stage like a fucking idiot?

When we rehearsed, the choreography didn’t seem ridiculous.

It was pretty basic and only our shirts would be coming off because although it was getting late, there were still kids around.

This was a family event for charity so it couldn’t get too raunchy.

Also, despite the heat from the stage lights, it was freezing.

Coming slightly out of my comfort zone was fine, being shoved out of it was not okay and this hovered somewhere in between. But I never would have been able to do something like this if Gertrude hadn’t been pushing the boundaries of said comfort zones to the point of it being almost normal.

I focused on the fact that this would all be over in ten minutes. But when the crowd cheered and roared at us the way they did, I felt a little more settled. My eyes frantically scanned the faces, wanting to pick out Gertrude, to see how shocked she would be.

I found those bright sapphire eyes almost immediately and took in her shocked expression, her wide eyes, her jaw dropping, and I laughed.

Shocked was the right word for it. I looked my fill, the sight feeding me more than anything.

I wanted to scream that I was doing this for her, to show her how much she’d changed me, that she’d impacted my life this way.

That because of her, I would get on a stage and take off some of my clothes and dance.

With my friends. I never would have had friends if it wasn’t for her.

When we began to unbutton our shirts, the crowd screamed take them off so loudly it turned into a chant.

We couldn’t hear the music anymore, just the demands of the audience and we looked at each other, laughing.

Then as we paused before opening them, I glanced down at Gertrude again and her smile was wide as she screamed, her eyes only on me.

The shirts opened and the shrieks were deafening. Gertrude went wild, jumping up and down and hollering. The plan was to throw the shirts into the crowd but I aimed straight for Gertrude because then she would have to wear it. In bed. Tonight.

Kat fought some woman for Jack’s shirt and Maddy reached for Leo’s before stepping back when a group of women, likely buckle bunnies, went nuts trying to get it. And was that Tilly fighting some lady for Max’s shirt? She was only sixteen, how did she even know Max?

We only had to dance for a few more minutes but they dragged on so long. I just wanted to be with Gertrude.

Eventually the music ended, and the lights went out and finally it was over. We rounded the stage, all of us high on adrenaline.

“That was epic!” Max cheered, lifting a hand to high-five us all.

“Did you see how nuts they went?” Jack added.

“I’m telling you, this could be a hit,” Leo said, his eyes bright.

“Oh no, this was a one-time gig. None of you could fit this into your everyday lives.” I pointed at Jack. “You’re building an entire fucking ranch.” I pointed to Max. “You had to shut the bar to appear tonight.” I glanced at Leo “And you…well you probably have the time.”

“Man, way to ruin the buzz,” Leo joked, nudging me. “I was kidding, I’m not doing that again, it was terrifying.”

“You’re not wrong,” Jack laughed, “I only did this because Daisy threatened me.”

Leo raised his hand “Daisy threatened me too.”

“And me,” Max sulked.

Their eyes all turned to me. “I would call it blackmail rather than a threat,” I hedged. “But yes.”

Just then Daisy appeared, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “You guys were amazing! People will be talking about this for, like, ever . When can we do it again?”

I glanced at the guys and Jack spoke up first. “This was a one-time deal, Daze. You need to find some other, younger, sexier men.”

“Psh, speak for yourself,” Max feigned indignation.

“Ugh, you all suck.” She huffed but she had a teasing glint in her eye. “But thanks for doing it, it means a lot. Jack and Leo, I managed to get your shirts back. Gertie has yours Tate, and Max, I have no idea where yours went.”

“I think I saw Tilly grab it,” Leo said.

“You’re not getting that back; she’s still obsessed with you,” Jack teased. Max rolled his eyes before cursing and storming off. We said our goodbyes and then I was on the prowl for Gertrude.

I barely made it around the side of the stage, and she was throwing herself at me, my face getting lost in her mop of dark curls and I inhaled deeply, my eyes closing.

“Oh my God, who was that man that got up on stage?” she shrieked, pulling back to stare at me with amazement. “When did you plan this? How did you—”

I cut her off with a kiss, needing her close because although I had gone up on stage and done that performance, the adrenaline was wearing off and I was growing anxious. I tilted my head, sinking deeper into her, wanting to lose myself in her.

“Shall we get out of here?” I asked, a little breathlessly when we pulled apart. I plucked at her swollen bottom lip and she nodded at me with a dazed expression. I loved seeing the effect I had on this wild woman. Seeing how I tamed her.

I tugged my shirt on and took her hand, pulling her along behind me. We were almost at the edge of the fair when someone called my name.

“Tate!”

I turned and came to a stop when I saw my half-brother there. His lip was caught between his teeth, eyes wide and his keen expression piercing my chest. He looked so like my father, same eyes, same nose.

He looked like me.

Resentment settled like granite in my chest as I thought about all the time he’d had with my father. That my father had chosen him over me. Everything I’d had to suffer after he left us. How he ruined us, ruined me.

Gertrude squeezed my hand in support, like she knew that facing him was tough.

“Come on Gertrude, let’s go.” I stalked off, tugging her along behind me.

“But…Tate—”

“Let’s go.”

Eventually I wasn’t dragging her anymore, but I could feel her disapproval. I knew she wanted to lay into me, and I couldn’t deal with this now.

We got into the truck and I was pulling out of there faster than a bat out of hell. When I looked in my rearview mirror, that boy was still standing there, watching me drive away. Devastation lined every inch of his familiar face, and I squeezed my eyes shut against it.

“Tate,” Gertrude began.

“I don’t wanna talk about this.”

“But Tate, he—”

“Please,” I pleaded, and she nodded once, then quietened. I couldn’t deal with the fact that she would guilt me over this. Because I was already feeling bad enough. And more than guilt was a childish bitterness that threatened to consume me.

This was why I avoided them. This was why I wanted nothing to do with them. Because even after all these years, I wasn’t over what happened, and they still had the power to wreck me. I still felt so inadequate because… why didn’t my father want me?

I lost myself in my feelings, drowning in them.

We rode in silence. When I pulled onto the driveway and got out, Gertrude lingered between our houses, like she couldn’t decide whether to go home or not.

“I need you,” I said simply, and she came to me willingly. I was so grateful that she still came to me. I wrapped her in a big hug and carried her inside the house, past the living room with its ugly, perfect Christmas tree and up the stairs. I set her down in my room and we stared at each other.

I ditched my shirt and her eyes roved over my chest. She stepped forward, stroking her fingertips over my pecs and down my abs. My skin tingled underneath her touch, my cock growing thicker in anticipation.

“You look like a real cowboy,” she breathed, her eyes flicking to the Stetson still on my head.

“Oh yeah?” I asked, my lips lifting in a smirk. I lowered my head, whispering in her ear. “Are you the ranch owner’s daughter?”

She giggled but I didn’t miss the way she still shivered with delight. I loved how sensitive she was to my words, my touch.

She trailed her hand over the front of my jeans, pressing harder against my crotch before walking around me and skimming her hand over my ass, up my back and kneading into my shoulders. I groaned in pleasure as she worked the hard muscles there, the tension easing from me.

“Tell me where it aches,” she said, her voice low.

“Everywhere.”

She gripped my neck, digging her thumb into the base of my skull. “Here?”

My answering groan had her pressing her thumb in harder.

“What about here?” she asked, facing me once again and nipping my pec. My hands tunneled into her hair, the curls snaking around my fingers until I clenched, tightening my fist as her tongue danced across my skin.

“Definitely there.” My voice sounded strangled.

Gertrude pulled back, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she slowly lowered herself to her knees. My cock was about to wear a hole through my jeans it was so eager to get to her. Her eyes drifted down until they rested on my zipper, her palms grazing the leather chaps.

“What about here?” She looked up at me, the picture of innocence and I grunted as I nodded. She’d reduced me to little more than noises at this point, especially when she squeezed me tight through my jeans. My hands flexed at my sides, desperate to grab her but I held off.

This woman would be the death of me.

She pushed me towards the foot of the bed and I sank down willingly. Then she unzipped me, keeping eye contact the entire time as she kneeled between my thighs. When I was free, she engulfed the thick head in her warm mouth.

My breath burst from my lungs as she swirled her tongue over it, lapping and sucking until I was panting, her hair spread across my thighs. She cupped and squeezed my balls, pulsing in time with her hard sucks and stars exploded behind my eyes.

“Gertrude,” I warned, my hips lifting to meet her mouth. She gagged slightly and I eased off, not wanting to hurt her but my restraint was cracking. She released me with a pop and stared at me. Her grip circled my wet shaft and she pulsed her fist, squeezing and twisting her hand in slick pumps.

“Get up here, now,” I demanded, lifting her off the floor and onto me. She settled herself on my stomach and began to wriggle back down towards my pelvis.

“Uh, uh sugar.” I swatted her backside. “I said get up here.”

She shot me a confused look, desire still shining bright. “I am?”

“No, right here.” I gripped her hips and pulled her up my body, settling her on my chest.

She placed her hands on her hips and I squeezed her ass. “What does this achieve?”

“Well if you shuffle your peachy butt just a little higher, you’ll see exactly what it achieves.” I quirked a brow at her.

“You want me to sit on your face?” she asked plainly.

I nodded. “I want you to sit on my face.”

She nibbled her lip. “Tate, I dunno. I’m a little heavier than most girls, what if I suffocate you?”

“You’re perfect and I’m sure I can handle it. I haven’t done this with anyone else and I don’t want to. Now stop coming up with excuses and sit on my fucking face, Gertrude.”

Her eyes flashed down at me as I told her what to do, remembering she said she liked that.

“Yes, Dr. Wilder,” she pouted, and I groaned.

Then she shuffled forward and lifted the bottom of her dress for me, showing me paradise. I ran my nose up the center of her damp panties, taking in her scent and she shuddered over me.

“Pull them to the side,” I growled and immediately her hand was delving between us and she slowly pulled her panties back to reveal her pussy. My hands gripped her ass and I pulled her to me, little gasps leaving her as I ran my tongue up the split of her in one hard stroke.

Then I proceeded to fuck her with my mouth, licking and sucking and pushing my tongue inside her before sliding up to stroke over her clit again and again until she was grinding down on me, crying out.

I gripped my cock and started jerking it while I ate at her, my hand stuttering as she whimpered above me.

She reached down and gripped my hair, tugging slightly as she continued writhing.

It was the hottest thing I’d ever seen in my life.

I couldn’t take any more, I pulsed my fist harder and squeezed tight and felt my release crash into me, spurting over my stomach.

I groaned into her pussy as I shuddered under her and then she was crying out and trembling, flooding my mouth.

“Oh my God,” she sighed, shuffling down my chest. “Are you alive? I didn’t suffocate you?”

“Fuck yeah, never felt more alive,” I huffed as her elbow dug into my ribs. I squeezed her to me, rolling us onto our sides so she didn’t get my come all over her. “Be right back.”

When I came back from the bathroom, I found her half asleep, one leg draped over the side of the bed, her hair spilled across the pillow.

“Hey sleepyhead,” I called.

“Hmm?” She opened one eye.

I shook my head, holding back my laughter at the sight of her. I pulled off my jeans and chaps and clambered up the bed, pulling back the duvet so she could snuggle under it.

“I’m gonna let you sleep because I know you’re tired from all your ice cream selling success. But in the morning, we’re going to do this again and I’m going to finish inside you.”

“Sounds great.” She smiled at me sleepily and patted my cheek.

“I’m so proud of you, Gertrude.” I dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose, then snuggled under the covers with her and pulled her into me.

She slung one arm around me and buried her face in my chest. A moment later, her snuffling snores greeted me, and I fell asleep, more content than I had ever felt.