Page 17 of Hometown Cowboy

He slid his hand beneath her to the waistband of her shorts, slipped his fingers beneath the elastic and reached down.

Her eyes widened and her breath caught. Her cheeks flushed in colour yet again, brighter this time than they had been before. A surge of desire rushed through him at the sight. He kept his grin to himself with difficulty.

He moved his hand downward slightly and pushed a finger into her warmth. His fingertip brushed over the little nub of nerves and she gasped.

Her lips parted and she licked them. He began to stroke. Her head fell and she dropped her gaze, he could only guess that her eyes were closing just like she promised not to.

He stopped moving his hand. “Look up.”

She did and he was rewarded with a glazed look of pleasure deep in her eyes.

“If you don’t look at me, I’ll stop.”

Darby frowned. She pressed her hips downward against his hand. That simple move, a non-verbal request for more, nearly undid him.

“No,” she whispered.

His mouth hitched at the side. “Yes. Keep looking at me while I touch you, or it stops.”

“You’re so mean.”

Ryan laughed. “Am I ever. Don’t look away. I want to see your pleasure on your face. I want to watch.”

She wiggled on his hand again, just a little. It was enough to blow his mind and his fingers moved involuntarily.

Within moments she was panting, little gasps and moans of pleasure escaping her. Her hand gripped his bicep, her fingers digging in deep as she went over the edge. A ragged indrawn breath and her whole body shuddered. Pleasure-drenched eyes stared back at him in wonder.

He touched her cheek, shocked to find that he didn’t want her to go anywhere, despite the fact they’d spent the whole previous night together. Darby was here in his bed and it felt as if she belonged there. It should scare him half to death, but all he could think was how he could make her stay.

“Stay with me.”

Confusion wrinkled Darby’s brow. The expression was so adorable that he laughed and rolled her onto her back, settling between her thighs.

“Let me get this straight—you want me to stayhereall night?” At his nod she looked surprised. “Why?”

An odd laugh puffed out of him. “What does it matter why? I want you to stay. If you don’t want to, that’s cool. But if you do…”

A brilliant smile split her mouth and shone up at him. “You’d better believe that I do.”

He leaned in, grinning, his lips pressing against hers. “Good.”

Chapter Nine

Darby waved absentlyat the various hellos and walked toward the back of the Spotted Cow. Max’s bar, always busy on a Saturday, seemed to be seething with people tonight. Bodies twisted on the dance floor, enmeshed in an age-old rhythm.

She saw someone leave the bar with a tray of drinks and hopped up onto the vacated stool before anyone else could claim it.

She smiled wearily at Max. He lifted a brow in question. She waved away any concern. Max handed a customer his drink and leaned over, a small towel over his shoulder.

“What can I getcha, kiddo?”

Darby smiled at the affectionate tag. Being the only girl in the family sometimes had its perks. At other times, it simply sucked.

“You’re busy. I can get myself something. I just needed noise and people.”

He nodded and busied himself pouring a rosé. He placed the wine glass in front of her. “Well, while you’re busy deciding, have this.”

She sent him a half-smile and fiddled with the stem of the glass. She didn’t want it.