Unbridled (Unlikely Lovers) (19 page)

Her sigh ruffled
his chest hair as her fingertips circled lower, focusing on the soft, sensitive place where his torso blended into his upper thigh. “I love that spot.”

Travis
chuckled as she trailed the tips of her fingernails over his ticklish skin.

“I like hearing you laugh
, too,” she said. “Wonder what you’d do if I kissed you there?”

“Only one way to find out—but we’ll do that later.
Right now, I want your lips to stay exactly where they are.”

His hands caressed her back as h
is lips melted into hers, his warm tongue slipping into her mouth. No one had ever kissed her quite like that before—as though he craved the taste of her. His reverent touch made her feel like a precious jewel—the most precious thing he’d ever held in his hands.

The
same way I’m touching him.
Reaching down, she let her hand glide over a cock so hot and engorged she was surprised he didn’t cry out in pain. She knew the feeling. The sweet agony between her thighs begged for his touch, just as surely as his cock wanted hers.

Groaning, he
rolled onto his back and stuffed a pillow beneath his hips. “C’mere and sit on me before I up and die.”

Her stiff knee made
maneuvering somewhat difficult, but he finally got her positioned facing away from him, straddling his right leg. With most of her weight resting on her left knee, her right leg hung over the edge of the bed.

“
Now, aim me in the right direction and sit down.”

As she followed those
simple instructions, he filled her with every succulent inch of him. The ache in her core eased, drawing a sigh from her lips. “Oh, wow. That feels wonderful—and my ribs don’t hurt at all. Neither does my knee.”

“
Glad you like it. All you have to do is sit there. I’ll do the rest.”

His first upward thrust pushed buttons she didn’t even know
existed. “Oh, God…”

“Good?”

“You have no idea.”

A cry of ecstasy bubbled up in her throat,
and Miranda had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. He might think he was hurting her if she screamed—and no way did she want him to think that, much less stop what he was doing.

“Don’t stop.” Her words
came out in a ragged whisper. “No matter how loud I scream, please don’t stop.”

Travis’s only reply was a quick thrust followed by a slow, grinding rotation of his hips that set off a wave of pleasure so intense she had to brace her hands on her thighs to keep from falling over.
The weight of her body drove his cock into her with a shocking degree of penetration. As her hips mirrored his movements, her mouth fell open and her eyes rolled back in her head. A slight forward tilt of her pelvis had her clit brushing against the hair on his balls. “Mmm…”

“I wish I could see you…” He shifted beneath her, grunting with the effort. Suddenly the room flooded with light
as he turned on the lamp. “Much better. Oh, Miranda… You should see yourself...your beautiful hair hanging down your back…that incredible ass sitting on my dick.”

His breath caught in his throat and he gripped her hips, holding her firmly against him
as his cock pulsed inside her. Miranda had never heard a man make a sound like that—like a gasp, a groan, and a yelp all rolled into one. She was nearly there herself; one more thrust and the scream she’d been holding back burst from her like water from an earthquake-weakened dam. She fell forward onto her hands, nearly losing her hold on him.

J
ade jumped up on the bed, her tail brushing Miranda’s arm as she passed by. Purring, she rubbed the side of her head on Travis’s leg, her jade-green eyes gazing out from beneath blissfully narrowed lids.

“I like him too,” Miranda murmured. “
Kira’s right. He’s a keeper.”

“
What?” Travis gasped.

“Nothing. J
ust talking to the cat.”

Travis stiffened beneath her.
“She didn’t talk back to you, did she?”

“No,
she’s only purring.”

“
Okay…just checking.”

Easing her hips slowly from side to side, she savored the thick heat that still filled her
, his semen adding its creamy texture to an already incredible mix. An aftershock struck her, causing her to suck a breath in through her teeth. Amazingly, her ribs still didn’t hurt.

“You okay?”

“Never better.” Pushing off from the bed, she sat upright, gasping as his cock penetrated her fully. “Just wish it hadn’t taken broken ribs to get me to try it that way.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Got any other brilliant ideas?”

“Oh, you bet
.” His slow, wicked smile matched his lazy drawl. “I’ve been saving some of them up for years.”

“Don’t suppose
you know any more good broken rib positions, do you?”

“
There’s one that might work—we can try it next.”

“Next?”
He made it sound as though he meant in the next five minutes. “Define
next
.”

“
Later. You need to get some sleep, and so do I.” He twisted sideways, craning his neck to see the clock. “Let’s see…it’s a little past three now…six o’clock maybe?” Yawning, he added, “Gotta do another neuro check on you then.”

Miranda
groaned. “Now I know how my patients feel when I wake them up every two hours.” Dropping onto her hands, she rose up on her knees, feeling suddenly bereft as he slipped from her body. She crawled over to her pillow and was about to lie down when she remembered the mess she’d left behind. Snatching a box of Kleenex from the nightstand, she pulled out several tissues and tossed them to Travis.

“Thanks
.”

“Goodnight, Travis.” She eased down onto the bed with a contented sigh. “See you at six.”

A few moments later, he switched off the light and pulled the blankets up over both of them. This time, he didn’t bother trying to keep from touching her, but snuggled up beside her, resting his hand on her waist. Her last thought as she drifted off was that if he could make her feel this incredible now, what mind-boggling things would he do when her ribs healed up?

Chapter 19

Travis was up early, but Miranda was sleeping so peacefully, he didn’t have the heart to wake her. Easing from under the covers, he went out to the kitchen, figuring he’d wake her after he fed the animals. Thanks to the cat pawing at the door, he found the cupboard where she kept the cat and dog food.

“Thanks, Jade.”

The cat merely blinked at him, but Travis could’ve sworn she said
you’re welcome
.

He stared at her for a moment,
then shook his head. “Miranda’s hallucinations must be rubbing off on me.” Having fed the cat, he got dressed and checked the weather before heading out. It was cold enough that the ground would be frozen, but, thankfully, there was no ice to contend with.

Scooping
up a large portion of dog food, he carried it out to the porch. All three dogs were jumping up and down as though they were glad to see him—or starving to death, which he seriously doubted. Like all of Miranda’s pets, they appeared to be quite healthy. While they wolfed down their food, he filled up the bird feeder before heading up to the barn.

So
far, he liked all her pets and he felt surprisingly at home on her farm, almost as though he belonged there. He didn’t, of course—at least, not yet—but he could easily see himself slipping into the pattern of Miranda’s life. He hadn’t forgotten his promise not to run her life, but that didn’t stop him from longing to be a permanent part of her world.

Still, there were obstacles to overcome—chief among them the fact that she’d avoided men for years in ord
er to retain her independence. Allowing him into her life was difficult for her. He’d seen that in the way her attitude toward him shifted back and forth. She obviously liked him, and she was trying to accept his presence and his assistance, but he still had to watch his step.

Travis wasn’t a stubborn or a particularly high-handed man,
and even though issuing demands, ultimatums, or commands went against his nature, he had his opinions the same as everyone else. Miranda, however, seemed more sensitive than other women in that respect and might see his opinions as more than they actually were. A few careless words could easily ruin everything.

Having finished their breakfast, the dogs raced on ahead, cavorting with each other as they went.
The horses were waiting at the gate, and Travis patted the gray mare as she walked beside him up the hill to the barn.

“I’ve never felt
like this about a woman before. I am
not
going to screw it up.”

Kira gave him a nudge in reply. He’d have liked to think it was encouragement of some kind, but what
it truly meant was left to his imagination. Miranda’s hallucination led him to believe that Kira was fond of him, but somehow, he didn’t think he ought to put much stock in that source. 

She’s probably just hungry.

Although they were as well-behaved as they’d been the day before, the horses had obviously spent a fair amount of time in the barn during the night. He was cleaning the last stall when his phone rang.

Alan was pissed.
“Since I never heard from you again, I figured I ought to call your place first. Stuart told me you were still staying with Miranda. Are you out of your fuckin’ mind?”

Travis heaved a sigh. “Yes,
I believe I am. That is, if falling head over heels in love qualifies as crazy.” Somehow, he thought it might—but it was a really nice kind of insanity.

“You didn’t do what I think you did.
Please
tell me you didn’t.”

“I did and I didn’t,” he replied, chuckling.

“What the fuck does
that
mean?”

“It means I slept with Miranda, but I
’m not having an affair with a married woman.”

For once in his life, Travis had the satisfaction of rendering his loquacious cousin speechless
—if only for a moment or two. “I don’t get it.”

“Miranda’s husband died fifteen years ago. She’s a widow.”

“Oh, really?”

“
Yes, really. I’m glad I was here too. She slipped on the ice yesterday morning and hit her head when she fell—even broke a few ribs. Sorry I never called you back, but I’ve been kinda…busy.”

“I’ll just bet you have. You slept with her? As in had sex?” 

“Oh, yeah. Awesome, incredible, mind-blowing sex.”

Alan made an inarticulate sound, somewhere between a sob and a whimper.

“Sorry
,” Travis said with a grimace. “Forgot you were on the wagon.”

“You could’ve lied, you know,” Alan grumbled. “Or at least left out the adjectives.”

“Too late for that now.” He paused as it occurred to him that if anyone
would know the best ways to have sex with an injured woman, it would be Alan. “It, um, hurts her to lie on her back. My first position worked pretty well, but I don’t want to bore her by doing it the same way all the time. I’ve got some other ideas, but you’re the Jedi master of sex. Any suggestions?”

Alan’s
snarl was so loud Travis jerked the phone away from his ear. “You’re killing me, man. Absolutely killing me.”

“Yes, but do you?”

Heaving a sigh as though resigned to his fate, Alan relented. “Of course I do. Got a pen? You might want to take notes.”

* * * *

For once in her life, Miranda was awakened by the heavenly aroma of bacon frying rather than the incessant prodding she usually received from Jade. Opening one eye, she spotted the cat curled up beside her. Travis must’ve fed her already because she barely moved when Miranda sat up.

Sliding her
feet off the edge of the bed, she dug her heels into the side of the mattress to pull herself upright, somehow managing to accomplish this task without using her upper body or causing much in the way of pain. She shuffled her feet into her slippers and stood, surprised to find that her knee felt almost normal. Walking wasn’t too difficult, and after quick stop in the bathroom, she followed her nose into the kitchen to find Travis standing in front of the stove. Naked.

Unless an apron could be considered clothing. She’d once imagined him shoeing a horse while wearing only his boots and chaps, but
having witnessed this
particular scene, she was convinced that her eyes had her imagination beat all to hell and back. His tight, rounded buns were on full display, along with that slight hollow she’d felt the night before—and another birthmark similar to the one on his neck.

“
You didn’t feed the horses dressed like that, did you?”

Apparently
unperturbed, he continued frying the bacon, turning it over with a pair of tongs. “The mares seemed to like it, but I don’t think Damar was very impressed.”

“
He
is
bigger than you are.”

“
Longer, maybe,” he conceded. “But I bet I’ve got him beat when it comes to circumference.”

“Give him a year or so and he
’ll catch up.” Still staring at his perfect ass, she’d almost managed to tamp down the urge to squeeze it when she realized she didn’t have to fight it anymore.

He’s my boyfriend
now. I can grab his butt whenever I like.
Moving in behind him, she slid both hands down until the fullest part of his buttocks rested in her palms. Biting back a groan, she sank her fingertips into the firm muscle.

“
I see you’ve got a good, strong grasp this morning.”

“Mm
m hmm...” Letting go of his bottom, she slipped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his back. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Bacon, eggs
, and toast á lá Travis.”

Sounds interesting…
“Does that refer to the way it’s cooked or the way it’s served?”

“Both.
” He nodded toward the table. “Actually, I was hoping you’d still be in bed.”

Following his nod,
she spotted a tray with a glass of orange juice and a plate sitting on it. She took a step back. “Is that a problem?”

He shrugged, pulling the skillet off the burner.
“Not really—but as long as you’re here, how do you like your eggs?”

“
Scrambled—or over easy if you prefer. I can go either way.” She couldn’t help wondering what it was he’d planned to do. There was only one way to find out. “Maybe I
will
go back to bed,” she said, stifling a yawn. “I’m curious to see this á lá Travis method of serving breakfast.”

“
Waiters generally don’t wear aprons—although telling you that may have spoiled the surprise. I’ll have to think of something else.”

She gave him a quick hug f
rom behind. “I don’t know…a naked waiter sounds pretty good to me.” Was he always this much fun in the morning? If so, she couldn’t understand why he’d never met another woman who didn’t like it. Was the obstetrician that stuffy? Or was Christina a total prude? Had he even gotten to the naked waiter stage with either of them? Christina certainly couldn’t have thought he was boring if he’d done it for her. Could she?

“Okay, then, you go
on back to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“I
’ll be waiting.” She paused briefly as she turned to go. “Should I pretend to be asleep?”

“
Sure.” He shot her a wink. “It’ll add to the drama.”

Giggling
, she made her way to the bedroom and crawled carefully back into bed. She was still giggling when she heard him coming down the hall.

“
You don’t sound like you’re asleep,” he drawled.

“Sorry,” she squeaked.

“No problem. It’s time to wake up anyway. Breakfast is served.”

Having lai
n down on her right side, she had her back to him when he entered, so it was with a significant amount of anticipation—and pain—that she turned over. “Hard to do with a rib fracture.”

“I’
ll bet it is.”

He stood holding the tray, waiting patiently while she sat up and got her pillows arranged.
That he’d taken off the apron was fairly obvious, but with the tray blocking her view, she couldn’t see much else.

Even when he set the tray in her lap, her big bolster pillow hid everything below his navel.
Still giggling, she reached for a napkin only then realizing that there wasn’t one on the tray.

“Did you bring a napkin?”

“Sure did.” His stripper-quality pelvic thrust aroused her curiosity, making her lean over the pillow for a closer look. Peering down at his groin, she discovered a napkin neatly folded and draped over his stiff penis. Howling with laughter, she would’ve knocked over the orange juice if Travis hadn’t caught it in time.

Snatching the napkin from
its perch, she used it to wipe her streaming eyes. “That was definitely worth going back to bed for.”

“I
’m glad you think so,” he said with a chuckle. “I had to think of something fast, and this was the best I could do.” He held the juice glass to her lips. “Here, better drink some of this before one of us spills it.”

After taking a sip, she reached for the glass, but he drew his hand back. “
No, wait. I’ve got a better idea.”

“What
’s that?”

“You
’ll see.”

With a
n intriguing smile, he pushed the bolster pillow aside and sat down on the edge of the bed. Setting the juice on the nightstand, he picked up a piece of toast. “Here, have a bite.”

“You
’re going to feed me?” Miranda had fed a lot of patients in her time, but no one had fed her since she was a baby.

He nodded
, waggling his eyebrows. “But I’m not going to use a fork.”

Good thing he scrambled the eggs…
“Sounds interesting. Tell me something, are you always this much fun in the morning?”

Laughing, he offered her a piece of bacon
. “Probably not—at least, not unless I’m with you.”

“So
…this isn’t normal behavior for you?” She took a bite of the bacon, chewing it slowly.

“I
’ve never had this much fun with anyone before.” Shaking his head, he added, “I’m not sure why, but it’s the truth.”

“I
’ll have to admit, except for broken ribs and a concussion, I’ve been having a lot more fun than usual myself.” She sighed, wondering how long what they shared would last. A month? A year? Forever would be nice, of course, but somehow she doubted it would last that long. Wonderful things so seldom did.

And he’s such
a sweet guy.
Those other women he’d dated were idiots—and the one he’d married even more so than the rest. Complete, utter, and
total
idiots. And that included Christina.

Travis, boring?
Oh, hell, no.

Placing some eggs on the toast, he held it to her lips.
She took a bite, chewing it thoughtfully. He was so adorable. What would he look like when he finally got fed up with her and left? Probably still adorable because even hurt or angry, he’d still be Travis...