Cooper’s chuckle followed him all the way to his truck.As he drove away from the homestead, his idea was to stop at his house before he headed out to the cattle again, but without conscious thought, his truck took the turn-off to Willow’s house.
Seconds later, he was knocking on her door.No answer.He waited before he knocked again.
“Coming,” an irritated voice called out before the door opened.
He promptly lost his breath.It was clear Willow had just showered.She was wrapped in a towel, her hair still wet.His eyes zoomed in on the slope of a naked shoulder.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he got out.“I know you’re not expecting me, but I needed to see you, I need… you.”Without waiting for her reply, he cupped her face and kissed her.He’d wanted to go slow, but once their lips touched, his control simply slipped through his fingers.
Her mouth was warm, soft, inviting, and within seconds he was lost.As they stumbled inside her house, he kicked the door closed.Determined to taste more of her, he slid his lips over her face, down her neck until he found the silky slope of her shoulder.
With the guttural sound from her throat spurring him on, he pulled at the towel while his lips slid over damp skin.Reveling in her wildflower scent, he moved her so that her back was against the door.
*
As the towelslipped, Hunter’s hands were on her body while his mouth continued its exploration over her shoulder.Slowly, ever so slowly, his lips trailed lower and lower until he reached her breasts.
Arching into his touch, she begged wordlessly for more.As his thumb ran over one peak, a whimper slipped out.More, more, more, her body begged.And as if he could read her mind, his mouth closed over one of her aching breasts.
When his hot tongue swirled around a nipple, her head dropped back, his name a broken whisper on her lips.He suckled and licked, bringing her closer and closer to losing her grip on reality.
“Beautiful,” he whispered just before his lips found hers again.In that moment she felt like the most beautiful woman in the world.
Those big hands weren’t done wreaking havoc with her emotions, yet, it would seem.Slowly, ever so slowly, his hand moved over her abdomen, drawing circles on her heated skin, driving her closer and closer toward a new edge.
He cupped her.“Hunter!”Sobbing his name, she buried her face in his shirt.It was too much and not nearly enough.His breath ragged, his fingers slipped into her folds.As her legs gave way she soared.
Seconds, minutes, hours later, she opened her eyes to find Hunter, still fully clothed crouching next to her as she lay on the couch, the towel thrown over her.
“That was…” he shook his head.“I’ve never seen anything as beautiful.Hayden is looking for me, I have to go.”
Grabbing the towel, she sat up.“What about you?”
“Oh, I’ll get my turn.”He pulled down the towel.Groaning, his eyes dropped to her breasts.“Damn, woman, you make it very difficult to leave.”Cupping her breasts in his hands he leaned forward and kissed her.A long, hot one filled with delicious promises.
He got up quickly.“If I don’t go now, I’ll never leave.”For another moment his eyes roamed feverishly over her.“I literally ache for you.I want to see you tonight.Please?I know you said we’ll skip the event, but I’d like to take my fiancé to the Garden of Lights.I’ll pick you up at six?We can do the walk and have dinner.”He hesitated.“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do and yes, I know you’re leaving on Sunday, but I’d like to spend more time with you,”
Unable to speak, she nodded.
Before she could catch her next breath, he was out of the door.
Oh.My.Goodness.Her mind racing, her fingers itching, she jumped up.She had to paint right now, before the image she’d had in mind, faded.Although… Chuckling, she ran to her room to put on clothes.Certain images, like this one, was probably seared into her mind forever.
Minutes later, she was in her studio, standing in front of the blank canvas on her easel.
She didn’t think, didn’t hesitate.With her pallet resting on her arm, a pallet knife in her hand, she was ready to mix her paints.She was looking for a particular indigo blue color.
Joy surged through her body as she worked.By the time she picked up her brushes, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.She hadn’t been this focused, this excited about painting for some time.
And then a certain cowboy kissed her and took her to heights of pleasure she’d never experienced.She was a whole different person after his lovemaking.Because of the depth of her love for him, because she knew she’d have to say goodbye to him on Sunday, she’d held nothing back, she’d told him with every kiss, every arch of her body how desperately she loved him.
By the time she’d finished, tears were streaming down her face.Tired but deeply, deeply moved and happy, she wiped her face before she stared at her handiwork.
She’d painted another portrait of Hunter.No hat this time, the focus was on his face, on the expression in his eyes when he’d looked her.This one would hang in her bedroom until the day she died.This was the way she wanted to remember him—indigo blue eyes nearly black with desire.For her.Nobody had ever looked at her like this.
Her eye caught her watch.Whaaa?She had fifteen minutes to get dressed before Hunter picked her up.Quickly, she put the wet painting behind some of the others in her studio, making sure it wasn’t touching anything else.Nobody, but nobody could see this right now.As she ran to her room, her tummy growled.She hadn’t eaten all day.
Chapter Nine
