Page 31 of Rogue Cowboy (Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys #3)

Riley had imagined feeling nervous, but she didn’t.

She’d spent so much time hiding, and Cole saw her—all of her.

She felt she saw him better now too after he’d told her how his family had been killed in an accident on the way to a livestock auction.

Somehow, he didn’t seem so far above her, perfect and out of reach.

He’d been hurt and had weathered the pain and admitted that he could have done better. But he’d survived. As had she.

Because you were such a trauma drama queen.

No more. Life was to be led, and she was done hiding.

And if she panicked…she would just hold on to him and fight her way to the other side.

If Cole could survive losing his family and then multiple deployments doing whatever he’d had to do to carry out his missions and survive, then she could be strong alongside of him.

She kept the light off in the trailer, but flipped the switch on a couple of electric candles so she could see Cole in all his masculine glory.

“You sure?” he asked, closing the door slowly behind him.

She flipped the lock and took off his hat. Smiling, she placed it on her head. Thought about kicking off her boots, but maybe it would be sexier if she kept them on. Men liked that, didn’t they? Or was it just impossibly uncomfortable and impractical stilettos?

“You’ve done so much for me over the years. Tonight’s your night.”

“I like taking care of you.”

“Prepare to have the favor returned.”

She eased off his jacket, with him helping, but she dodged his hands and hung the jacket up on a peg next her hers.

Holding his heated gaze, she unbuttoned his shirt, one button at a time, careful with the fabric as she parted his shirt and pulled it from the waist of his pants.

“You are so beautifully made,” she whispered, tracing her name across his chest with her finger.

“That’s my line.”

“Men can be beautiful,” Riley said. “You are.” She kissed a heart shape on his chest and followed with her tongue. He shuddered, and a shiver of power raced through her.

“I’d never kissed anyone before you,” she said, feeling a little shy. “I felt so brave kissing you goodbye after the weekend together, but you—”

“The kiss was perfect.” He stilled her words with his mouth.

“Perfect, but you were so young, and I knew I had to leave again. I’d been called up early and knew the mission was dangerous.

I wanted to give you time. You were so full of life and light and so many dreams. I didn’t want to steal anything from you. ”

Instead…no. She wouldn’t go there. Stubbornly she pushed the jumble of ugly, painful and humiliating memories of that night. The terror, the certainty that she was going to die and instead breathed in the scent of Cole, absorbed the hard warmth of his skin.

“I imagined doing this,” she said, boldly unbuckling his belt and whipping the leather through the loops. “And this.” She reached under her dress and wiggled out of her panties, letting them drop on the floor.

The flare of heat in Cole’s eyes emboldened her more.

“Good thing I locked the door. That rascally dog would likely steal my panties and that would be even more embarrassing than losing my bra.”

He might have laughed but when she unbuttoned his jeans, he hissed in a breath. She cupped him, marveling at the feeling of silk and heat and steely tension. He was larger than she’d imagined, and the excitement felt like a heartbeat between her thighs.

“Riley.” His voice was urgent and never before had her name sounded so sexy.

“Cole,” she said his name, watching his response to her touch. Her fingers gripped and then stroked, and she circled his tip, spreading the moisture.

“Is this okay?” she asked, a little shy. She’d never done this before, and Cole was always so gentle with her, checking in for consent.

“Baby, you blew by okay a long time ago.”

She smiled, pleasure filling her along with a spurt of confidence. He’d made her feel so special last night, and she wanted to return the favor. She leaned closer, wanting to taste him.

He reached for her, but she shimmied out of reach.

“Sit,” she bossed.

Cole sat on the bed, and she pulled off his boots one by one and then his socks.

“It’s killing me that you’re not wearing anything under that dress.”

“You’ll get your turn,” she promised, tugging off his jeans.

She squatted down in front of him, her hands on either side of his thighs, her focus on his erection. She leaned close and inhaled, and then kissed the tip, taking an experiment lick.

“Riley, are you sure?”

“Mmmmmmm hmmmmmm,” she murmured, sucking him into her mouth, thrilled when he jumped a little.

“Show me what you like,” she murmured, licking his length, and then tightening her lips around him.

His eyes went wide. “What do you mean?”

It was heady having control. “Touch yourself, like you like to be touched.”

“Like this?” His hand wrapped around his length, and he pumped a couple of times.

She felt a gush of liquid between her thighs.

“You’re killing me, Riley.”

“This is what you do to me.” She held his gaze as she pulled one hand away from him to tuck it under her dress. She drew a circle around her clit, closing her eyes briefly as she pretended he was the one touching her.

She held her glistening finger up, marveling at the power she felt as he stared fascinated.

“I want to taste you,” he whispered hoarsely.

She stroked her finger along his lips and then licked it. She’d never tasted herself, and it was crazy erotic that he licked his lips as she licked her finger.

“Keep touching yourself,” she advised. “I want to watch.”

“No fair if I don’t get to watch you.”

She laughed a little, shocked how something erotic could also feel playful.

She sat on the table facing him, hiked up her dress and spread her legs so that he could see but not touch. She caressed herself again, experimenting with how her touch felt and what she liked, faster or slower, firm or gentle.

If anyone had asked her yesterday if she would be able to do this in front of a man she would have squeaked a shocked no.

But with Cole and his rapt attention as he stared at her, desire burning bright and heat all but radiating off him, she too felt enraptured.

But she wanted to be touching him, tasting him.

He arched a little, shuddered and stopped pumping himself.

“Damn, you’re a heady woman, Riley. I’m so close.”

“Are you? I want to watch.”

He looked a little shocked.

“Can I?”

“You can pretty much do anything you want with me.”

She hopped off the table and approached him, her breathing quickening. Hands on his chest, she pushed him back on the bed and straddling him.

“How close?” she whispered, hovering above him and lowering down a little to rub against his erection.

The growl was answer enough.

“My pace,” she said, and he gripped the comforter with both hands and arched up so that she could grind against his length.

The trailer was filled with their breathing and Cole’s whispered encouragement. He gripped her hips to stop her, and Riley nearly cried in frustration as the burning heat deep inside her felt like it was about to flare out of control.

“I’m about to come,” he said.

“That’s good, isn’t it?” She was confused.

“Not if you don’t come too.”

“Do you…do you want to…do you have a condom?”

“About a million of them—in my truck. But a couple in my jeans.”

“That’s good news, Boy Scout.” Riley slithered off him, pausing to kiss his chest, and tongue one of his nipples, wondering if his nipples would be as sensitive as hers sometimes felt.

His moan of pleasure was her answer.

She retrieved the condom but when she ripped it open with her teeth, he paused her hands.

“Your turn,” he said.

Dream travel destination.

Riley huffed out a shocked laugh at the midnight text. Some late-night texts she’d been able to imagine were a little flirty, possibly a hint of suggestion, but this—what was it? Straightforward or romantic.

That is not a question I’d expect from a Texas Cowboy.

What would you expect?

I’d love to go hiking in the mountains. Montana or somewhere else. Serene. Snow on the upper peaks and waterfalls. Camping. You.

Camped out most of my career one way or another, but you put an appealing spin on it. Unbearable beauty without being shot at. Sign me up.

She couldn’t answer for a few breaths with the tears making the words swim.