Pressure Point (Rhinestone Cowgirls Book 3) (18 page)

It was too tempting to turn down. “As you wish.”

****

Once Nash left the room, Em could breathe normally again. Did the man ever wear clothing? At least he did have jeans on, but the fact that he didn’t have a shirt on didn’t make the tension in her muscles any better. Although she’d slept like a baby last night, it didn’t mean that her sleep wasn’t filled to the brim with dreams of a sexy, cola-black haired cowboy who’d done many naughty things to her in her dreams. Things she’d like to carry over into the real world.

She shouldn’t want him, but she did and none of those needs had faded come morning.

Running water into the sink, she washed each cup, plate and stacked them neatly into the drainer. After wiping down the counters and sweeping, her phone vibrated on the counter.  Reading the screen, she saw the text was from Pearl.

“Hope you and Nash are enjoying each other…oops, I mean, enjoying the cabin.”

Em tucked her bottom lip between her teeth. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think her sisters set this weekend up, but not even Jewels or Pearl could predict Mother Nature’s visit.

With a sigh, she went out on the porch. Nash relaxed in a rocking chair, his legs stretched and hooked on the railing. His hat was lowered over his eyes. Was he asleep? His bare chest rose and fell evenly. She could stand there and ogle him all morning, but after getting caught wearing his shirt last night, if she got caught staring, he’d start to think she was a stalker.

She started to head back inside. “Hey, where you going?” His deep voice stopped her.

“I thought you were snoozing.”

“No. Join me.” He nodded at the chair next to him. Reluctantly, she sat.  Would they discuss last night? “Any news from your sisters? Are they coming?”

“They’ll be here this afternoon. The bridge should be okay to pass then.” She tucked her bare feet underneath her bottom, watching him closely.

“So we have a few hours before they get here?” Mischief twinkled in his eyes.

Tilting her chin, she sighed. “Pull the stable door closed, cowboy.”

“Not even a chance? A little bitty chance?” He held up his forefinger and thumb with an inch of space between them.

She bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling. “Nope. Not even.”

“Then what are we going to do until they get here?”

“I have an idea.”

He lifted a brow. “Well, since you shot mine down right out of the gate, let’s hear your plan.”

“It’d be easier to show you.” She stood and reached out her hand.

“I don’t like the sound of that. You might get me into trouble, again.”

“I promise. No trouble.”

He laid his hand into hers.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“THIS IS WHAT you had planned?” Nash stepped over a broken branch across the narrow path. He stopped, pushed his hat back and rubbed the sweat from his brow.

“You don’t like hiking? The woods are so beautiful and we’re away from the hot sun.” Em kept walking.

He dropped his gaze to the saucy swing of her hips and his dick jerked. The shorts fit her heart-shaped bottom perfectly. He’d looked enough that he should have her image etched on his eyeballs, but he couldn’t get enough. “I don’t mind the walk. The view is spectacular.” He let out a whistle through his teeth. She jerked her head around but he was quicker. He pretended interest in an oak.

“You haven’t seen anything yet. Come on.” She motioned for him to follow.

“How in the hell are you walking in the woods with those shoes?” he asked once he was next to her again.

“Flip flops? It’s not as hard as it might look. And the path is cut down, easily maneuvered.”

He checked out her pink toenails. He liked her feet, and everything else on her body. But she had kept her distance since they woke up. He had a good feeling they wouldn’t have a repeat of last night’s entertainment, which disappointed him. Although, he’d even settled it in his mind that he had to think clearly. Enjoying his time with her was his plan, not losing his mind.

There wouldn’t be a future between them, but why not enjoy the present?

“Here we are.” she announced.

He stopped seconds before he collided with her. Looking ahead, his mouth fell open. The sun reflected off the pond water. A small boat sat next to a dock. He might not have gotten what he wanted, but his morning just got better. “Nice.”

“And, there are fishing poles in the shed. You do like to fish, right?” She looked up at him.

“Do I like to fish? I love to fish. I don’t get the chance often.” He followed her to the weather dilapidated shed close to the water. While she rummaged inside, he admired the view.

“Here you go.”

He took one of the poles and examined it carefully. “We’ll need bait.”

“We can dig for worms,” she said.

His like for her grew by miles. A sexy woman who not only knew how to use a gun, but she also liked to fish and get her hands dirty. Damn, if he wasn’t careful, he’d find himself in lo—

Nope, he didn’t even want to think the word, let alone feel it. He doused the thought with reality, and that was enough to bring him to a screeching halt. Em was everything he could want in a partner, except she wasn’t relationship material, and that sealed the deal. “That sounds interesting to get in the dirt with you. I never would guess that you’re the type to get your hands dirty.”

She propped her pole against the shed. “I guess I can give that impression, but growing up, my sisters and I were tomboys. We hunted, fished and did everything right next to our dad.”

Yeah, there went the ‘like’ gauge again.

Once she dropped to her knees, ass in the air, his dick made his zipper almost unbearable. Needing some space to gain his senses, he moved to another area and dug.

By the time they were getting into the boat, his body relaxed and he wouldn’t make a complete idiot out of himself. He used the paddle and waded them to the middle of the pond. Poles were in the water, but Em seemed more interested in sunbathing. She had tied the hem of her shirt, showing off her stomach, and stretched out, feet next to his legs. The low waist of her shorts touched her hips in the exact spot he wanted to lick. The fringed hem lifted high on her inner thigh, making him wonder how something that looked so good could be legal. She pulled her hair from the band and brushed it with her fingers, tresses fell to her shoulders and down her back.

Was she teasing him? With her sunglasses in place, he had no clue, but no matter, he was tweaked to iron hard length, and she didn’t even touch him.

Throwing his baited line into the water, he concentrated on how it rippled. Birds chirped from the woods and the atmosphere calmed him enough that he could move without the threat of him busting the seam of his pants.

He turned his cheek and looked at her. How in the hell would he get this woman out of his system?

“You’re staring,” she said as she removed her glasses.

“Can you blame me?” He didn’t feel the need to skirt the truth.

“Better pay attention to your pole. You might lose something.” She held his gaze.

“Oh, no worries, sweetheart. My pole is just fine.”

She brought her glasses up and slipped the ear piece between her lips, a contemplating expression covering her face. “Yes indeed it is.”

“Want to forget your rule of hands off yet?”

****

His smooth tone flowed down her spine like an intense massage. A tremble followed.  His honeyed gaze dipped over her and goosebumps marred her flesh. Her nipples pebbled and her inner thighs quaked, wishing he’d use his fingers. One corner of his mouth twitched and it did funny things with her nerve endings.

She couldn’t deny how her body responded to him. All inhibitions disappeared when he looked at her as if he could lap her up. Knowing he wanted her made her feel powerful.

“Now you’re staring in that spectacular way,” he said.

“How am I looking at you?” she finally asked.

“Like you want me to tear your clothes off with my teeth.”

She sat up, dropping her sunglasses beside her. “That’s what you’re hoping I’m wanting.”

He got up and moved over to sit closer. The boat rocked and the water splashed. She steadied her body, but when he sat down next to her, being that he was much heavier, her body naturally slid closer to him, their shoulders touching. He smelled so good, the spiciness mixing with the clean outdoors, making her tingle. He peeled his shirt from his body and she watched, admiring the way his muscles coiled.

“I could use some sun too.”

The man was already a bronzed Adonis. She tore her gaze away and stared across the water. “You already have a nice color. You must tan easily.”

“I do.” He leaned back. The silence grew. “Whatcha thinking?” He stretched his legs across the inside of the boat.

“That I want a huge cheeseburger for lunch.” No way would she tell him her true thoughts. It had to do with meat, but not anything outside of the boat.

Nash laughed and scrubbed his chin. The raspiness of his unshaven jaw made her throat constrict. “There’s something about fresh air that makes a man want to get naked.”

She jerked her gaze to look at his profile. Was the man serious? His fingers dropped to his waist and she caught his hand. “Don’t you dare.”

“What’s wrong, sweetheart. You’ve seen the goods.” His eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

It wouldn’t be easy to argue the facts. She’d seen and she’d enjoyed, immensely. It wasn’t a bad thought to think of him here, next to her, naked, but she wouldn’t be able to handle it. “Be my guest, but if we fall into the water, don’t say I didn’t warn you that the fish bite.”

He chuckled. “Good point. I’ve been thinking. You and I—you know, there’s no reason why we can’t enjoy each other while we’re here.

She swallowed and ran her palms down her warm thighs. She knew this subject would come up, and here she was, stuck in a boat with nowhere to run. “I think you’re wrong.”

“Why is that?”

“We have chemistry yes, but you know—”

“You’re not ready.” He completed her sentence

“I’ve been honest.” She shifted uncomfortably and their thighs touched.

Nash folded his arms over his chest. “I think you’re afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Of your feelings.”

She laughed but it fizzled. “I don’t have feelings to be afraid of.”

“If that were true, I’d bet my eye teeth that you’d want to do what we did last night again and again.” His warm gaze held hers.

She counted to three. “I’m not led by my loins.”

“No, but you have to admit, what we shared was hot.”

His words infused sweet poison into her veins. How did he do that? And his sweet drawl. Shit! Her body reacted with a need she had no clue existed in her body. His gaze shone like diamonds. “Yes, it was.”

“Damn, I want you.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

NASH WANTED TO taste her, again.

Em kept her hands on her thighs, but he couldn’t help but touch her. He shifted and their legs touched. More movement and their knees glided. Until he finally just stepped out of his comfort zone and smoothed fingers along her arm. She lifted her chin, her eyes turning golden.  He noticed goosebumps popped out on her skin and she swept her tongue over her lips. The casual caress sent energy between them, and he knew he couldn’t resist the temptation.

He liked knowing he could erupt a response in her. He could make her squirm with desire, just as she did for him. She tried to hide these reactions, but he could see the signs of her need. He needed her. He wanted to touch her sweet body.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“How much I want you.”

“You never stop, do you?”