Stripped Down (7 page)

“Darlin’, you keep lookin’ at me like that and I’m gonna start searching for a supply closet.”

“Don’t toss out suggestions you won’t follow through with,” she said.

He cocked a dark eyebrow. “Why don’t you think I’ll follow through?”

She threaded her fingers through his. “Because even with all this flirty and sexy banter, and me trying to convey my complicated past to try and take your mind off the present, I see the strain in your eyes. You’re worried about your dad. But you’re also worried about your mom. You feel guilty that you have someone out here with you—even if I wasn’t here you’d still have Cres to kill time with—whereas your mother is back there alone.”

“You caught all that?” He paused, brooding look in place. “What else?”

“I figured you’d play another two hands of poker with me, letting me believe I was successful at distracting you, before you wandered to the front desk to see if you could go back there and check on your mother, or try to get some kind of message to her to see how she’s doing.”

“How do you do that?”

“What?”

“Read my mind. It’s a little spooky.”

“Why?”

He frowned. “Because we’ve only known each other for a few hours.”

But I’ve known about you for almost a year. The man London claimed had sadness behind his perpetual smile. The man who used sex to combat loneliness, just like I do. The man I refused to let my best friend set me up with—and yet somehow, she did it anyway, without even knowing it.

“Melissa?”

She glanced up from staring at his hard-skinned knuckles. “But in those few hours we’ve fucked, swapped life stories, and shared some brutal truths, so we’re beyond the ‘what’s your favorite movie?’ first date type of bullshit.” She brought his hand to her mouth. “So go do what you have to. I’ll hang around in the off chance I can continue to be a distraction.”

He kissed her. “Thank you. I’ll be back.”

* * * *

 While Wynton was in the back with his mother, Mel did a little exploring. The hospital wasn’t very big and most of the private areas were in the back beyond the swinging doors, so that put a wrinkle in her plan.

When Wynton appeared about fifteen minutes later, Mel couldn’t help but watch him saunter toward her—his tall, muscular body a visual feast even covered in clothes. He exuded confidence, despite the worry wrinkling his brow, and it made her realize all the guys she’d been playing around with were just boys compared to this man.

Cres intercepted him before he reached the sitting area, and she tried to decipher their grim conversation. Cres nodded, clapped Wynton on the shoulder and stepped aside.

Then Wynton’s eyes met hers and she was on her feet by the time he stood in front of her. “No change.”

“Sorry.” She touched his cheek. “You look like you could use some fresh air.”

“That I could.” He squinted at the thin wrap covering her shoulders and shrugged out of his suit jacket. “Needing to clear my head don’t mean I want you to freeze, darlin’.” He draped the coat around her.

His scent enveloped her and his gesture warmed her more than the actual coat. “Thanks.”

“Let’s take a walk.” They exited through the emergency room doors and paused outside the building. The October air had a sharp bite. When Wynton exhaled, she saw some of the tension leave his shoulders. The rancher definitely didn’t like to be cooped up.

He dropped his arm across her shoulders and pulled her close so he could kiss her temple. “If I haven’t said it enough, I appreciate you bein’ here, Melissa.”

The security lights lit the sidewalk as they walked around the building. They didn’t speak, but the silence didn’t seem forced or awkward.

When they reached the edge of the parking lot, Mel said, “My coat is in the car and I’d really love to change out of these shoes.”

“Of course.”

She hit the unlock button on the Jeep Cherokee and skirted the front end to slide into the driver’s side. Wynton slipped into the passenger’s seat. She started the engine. “No need for us to sit in the cold.” She felt his questioning gaze when she turned the dashboard lights off.

“This is a nice SUV,” he said. “It’s got enough horsepower to pull your horse trailer?”

“This isn’t mine. It belongs to the Gradsky’s. I borrow it when I’m not on the road.” Mel twisted around to dig on the floor behind Wynton for her athletic shoes. “It gets considerably better gas mileage than my Chevy Tahoe.” She kicked off her high-heeled boots and slipped her feet into athletic shoes.

“I never asked how much you’re on the road?”

She skirted his question with, “Give me the play-by-play of your multiple ménages, Wynton. Girl/girl/guy?”

“Yep.”

“Girl/guy/girl?”

“That too.”

“What about guy/girl/guy?”

“Yep, and before you go on, never been in a guy/guy/girl threesome.”

She grinned. “That’s funny because that’s the only type I’ve ever been in. And talk about scorching hot, watching the two guys together, their hands, mouths, and bodies all over each other. It was fucking powerful.”

Wynton reached over and tucked a flyaway curl behind her ear. “Same thing with the girl on girl action. Those soft hands and mouths exploring all that smooth and supple skin. I still remember the sucking sounds. The feminine squeaks and sighs. Then how hot it was to have them turn all that focus on me. Only time I wish I’d had a cock and a strap-on so I could fuck them both at once.”

“Put that in your spank bank, did you?”

“Hell, yeah.” Even in the dark she could see his eyes glittering when he ran the back of his knuckles down her jawline. “That encounter in the ready room is gonna go in there too.”

“I’m flattered.” Mel turned her head and rubbed her lips across the base of his hand. “Unzip your pants and pull your cock out. I’ll give you something else to file away for a future round of self-love.”

Those amazing eyes of his burned black with desire. He kept his gaze locked to hers when he unbuckled his belt. When he lowered the zipper. When he lifted his hips off the seat. When he tugged his pants and his boxer briefs to his knees. Then he eased the seat back and folded his arms behind his head.

Mel dropped her gaze to his groin, not surprised to see he already sported a full-blown erection. She shifted in her seat, angling forward across the console. Bracing one hand on his muscular thigh and the other on his chest, she parted her lips—after kissing the head—and let that hard satin heat pass over her teeth and tongue. She held her breath through the gag reflex when the tip connected with her soft palette and bumped the back of her throat.

Wynton made an inarticulate moan.

Encouraged, she started the long glide up and down his thick shaft, the wetness in her mouth easing her way, each pass progressively lower until she was deep-throating him every time. She didn’t use her hands. Just the wet heat of her mouth, the sassy flick of her tongue, and the suctioning power of her cheeks.

She shouldn’t have been surprised when his hand landed on the top of her head and held her in place the moment his cock was buried deep. Her eyes watered and her pulse whooshed in her ears, but she still heard him say, “That’s it, baby. Take it all. Now swallow. Fuck, yeah. Do that again.”

She did what he asked because she had no problem taking direction—except when she didn’t. But this wasn’t one of those times. And she didn’t intend to tease and drag this out. She knew they didn’t have much time, so she’d make this fast.

“You could own me with this mouth,” he said gruffly when she began bobbing her head, using shallower strokes and stopping to suckle on the tip.

The heater finally kicked out some warmth, turning the inside of the car sultry.

Mel felt that rush of primal satisfaction when he started to pump his hips up to meet the downward motion of her mouth. His grip tightened in her hair. He muttered something about her never fucking stopping when she earned her reward.

His cock got harder yet. In the next instant, it jerked against the roof of her mouth in hot bursts, sending his seed flowing down the back of her throat. She swallowed repeatedly, the mantra in her head
gimme, gimme, gimme
as he shot his load until he had nothing left.

Even when Wynton attempted to pull her head away, she sank her teeth into the base of his cock, keeping him in place so she could suck and lick as his dick softened.

Before she released him completely, she nuzzled his pubic hair. She loved giving head. Every man reacted differently—well, they all acted grateful—but besides that, she reveled in their reaction in the aftermath. Some men wanted to kiss her and taste their come on her tongue. Some men avoided kissing her mouth entirely. Some men wanted to return the favor and practically dove between her thighs. Some men actually stared at her in awe and spent several long moments just tracing her swollen lips. Some men wanted to cuddle. The men with phenomenal recovery time were ready to fuck. So her heart raced when she glanced up to see how Wynton would act.

As soon as he had her eyes, he fisted one big hand in the front of her dress and curled his other hand around the back of her neck as his mouth crashed down on hers in a blistering kiss. He sucked her tongue hard, as if trying to take his essence back from her.

Oh. That was hot as hell.

The kiss made her dizzy and who knows how long it would’ve gone on if the seatbelt latch hadn’t jabbed her in the side, causing her to break away.

“What? You okay?” he asked.

“It’s ironic that I’m at the wrong angle now.”

“There sure as hell wasn’t anything wrong with the angle you were at before.” He followed the upper bow of her lip with the pad of his thumb. “That was awesome. Thank you.”

“Spank bank worthy?”

“Definitely.”

Mel gave him one last lingering kiss before she returned to her seat so he could adjust his clothing. When she reached back for her coat, he grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth.

“Are you wet?”

“Very.”

“I could slip my hand up your dress and get you off.” He kissed her palm again. “Or I could stay like this and watch you get yourself off. That’d be hot.”

“It would be. But I didn’t blow you because I expected something in return.”

His eyes searched hers. “Why
did
you blow me? To take my mind off the family medical stuff?”

“No. I blew you because I wanted to get up close and personal with your cock.”

“That’s it?”

“You were expecting a more dramatic reason?”

“Maybe a more believable one.”

Do not get angry
. “Explain.”

“In my experience, most women don’t mind givin’ blowjobs, but when they do it’s definitely in expectation of me spending time between their thighs.”

“So is eating pussy just a reciprocal thing for you?”

“Meaning I only do it when it’s expected of me?” He paused and shook his head. “If I’da had my way at the reception? Before we fucked I would’ve been on my knees with your thigh wrapped around the back of my neck until I ate my fill of you and made you come at least twice.”

Her pulse leapt at the image of Wynton’s head beneath her dress and his hungry mouth showing her what he’d learned during his years as Super Man-Slut.

“I ain’t proud to admit this, but I’ve had women blow me in hopes of getting an introduction to my world champion bulldogger brother, Sutton. I’ve had women blow me after an expensive dinner because they felt they owed me.” He scowled. “How I kept my dick hard after hearing that is a mystery. I’ve had women blow me because I’ve asked them to put their mouths on my dick. Have I ever had a woman blow me because she just likes sucking cock and she’s good at it?” Another pause, another soft kiss to the center of her palm. “No, ma’am.”

Mel laughed. “Glad I’m unique and brought something new to the table.”

“That you did. And while I love spending time with my cock in your mouth, I’m happier that you showed up at the hospital and have given me a chance to get to know you beyond that.”

Not for the first time, Mel thought it was a shame they didn’t live closer to each other because she’d like to explore this connection for longer than one night.

“We’d better go inside. I doubt anything has changed, but I need to be there in case something does.”

She kissed him. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Five

Wyn awoke with a start when someone jostled him. Melissa immediately sat upright.

Sutton loomed over him. He didn’t look pleased. London hung back behind him, covering her mouth with a yawn.

“Mornin’ newlyweds.”

“While I appreciate that
someone
told me the news about Dad this morning, I ain’t too happy that I wasn’t told last night.”

“Well, excuse the fuck outta me for not wanting to interrupt your wedding night,” Wyn snapped.

Cres ambled over and squared off against Sutton. “Both of you need to chill out. Nothin’ has changed in the six hours that we’ve been here so there was no need for you to be here, okay? Mom’s the only one allowed back there. We’ve seen her one time. We’ll know more when the doctor makes rounds this morning.”

“Any idea when that’ll be?”

Wyn shook his head. “But even last night the doctor indicated they’d be sending Dad to Denver via ambulance. Whether they’re doin’ surgery or what is up in the air.” He watched his brother try and get control.

Guilt and sadness crossed Sutton’s face when he looked at his wife. “I hate to say this, sweetheart, but you’ll have to go on the honeymoon by yourself so we don’t lose the deposits. I’ll catch up if—and when I can.”

Beside him, Melissa sucked in a soft breath and muttered, “Wrong answer, bud.”

“Go on our honeymoon by myself,” London repeated. “Because that’s what I care about, more than making sure your father is okay, more than making sure I’m there for you so
you’re
okay, that we don’t lose the fucking deposits?” London got in Sutton’s face. “Let me tell you something, asshat. I am your
wife
. I am part of this family. Do you think I could just kick back on the beach with a fruity drink in my hand when your dad is fighting for his life? Do you think I’m so—”