His hands brushed across my scarred hipbones and his fingers slid just under the waistband of my cotton panties. One little tug and they were on the floor at my feet. I closed my eyes as a shiver shimmied through me. His intense eyes. His sexy morning voice. His imperceptible touch. It was all too much for me to handle.
Without warning, he gripped my hips and lifted me, wrapping my legs around his waist and entering me fast and hard in one smooth motion. I gasped and my eyes shot open at the delicious intrusion of my body. Grasping his shoulders, I tried to steady myself, but Cowboy wasn’t having any of that.
Not giving me any time to adjust my position or even take a breath, he buried his face into my neck, licking and sucking, while thrusting his hips in long, slow motions. I banded my arms around his neck to hold on tight. Over his shoulder, I could see the muscles of his arched back flexing and tightening as the speed of his movements increased and he reached deeper inside me.
Lifting his head, he braced me against the hard surface at my back and supported my weight with his hands under my thighs. He smirked sexily as his pelvis ground against mine, creating a breathtaking amount of stimulation to my clitoris. It was as if he pressed my hot button over and over again and sounded the alarms in my body.
A seed of warmth grew inside of me and spread throughout my entire body. As the heat began to consume me, though, I clenched my inner muscles, stopping myself from flying over the edge. There was a problem. Nothing about this felt like a one-night stand.
He bit back a groan. “Baby, let go. I’ve got you.”
Choking gasps burst from my strangulated lungs, making my chest ache. My body was on fire. Erotic flames traveled through me, licking at my insides, as a burning sensation simmered beneath my sensitive skin. As if Cowboy were holding a branding iron to my heart.
Oh God. He really did want more from me. But…
“No, I can’t. It’s too much, too soon.”
His eyes focused on me with determination. “The fuck you can’t.”
As usual, Cowboy didn’t like to be told no. He pounded into me harder, groaning and panting, as he clearly struggled for control. He caught my mouth, letting his tongue roll against mine in time with his thrusts before giving me a sharp nip on my bottom lip. “Tell me who you belong to,” he said, rocking into me once again.
“You,” I whispered.
“Still don’t sound too sure. Maybe you need more convincing.” He gripped my buttocks to rock into me with more force than before.
The exquisite angle had him hitting a toe-curling sweet spot, and I whimpered into his neck. “I’m yours,” I gasped, reveling in the sensations he created. He was so far inside me, I’d almost swear his knees were hitting the wall beneath me.
“Say it again,” he demanded.
My teeth chattered at the sheer power of his body stroking into mine as I surrendered to the emotions swirling inside me. “I’m yours, damn it! All yours,” I cried out, digging my fingernails into his back as I blinked back unshed tears.
And just like that, the shuddering orgasm ripped through me. Trembling and convulsing, my inner muscles clamped down on him. He groaned in pleasure as he neared completion. Finally, he let himself go.
After a moment, he withdrew slowly and slid me down him until my feet touched the floor. My legs were limp, barely capable of holding my weight. Apparently, he was a little shaky himself because he planted one hand firmly against the wall next to my head to hold himself up. We stood like that for several minutes, breathing heavily and staring into each other’s eyes.
It was only then I understood what he’d been doing. Cowboy had claimed me. Mind, body, and soul. His.
Chapter Seventeen
After work, I went straight home.
All day, I’d floated on cloud nine, reminiscing about how Cowboy had exquisitely tortured my body and left me deliciously sore from last night’s marathon-inspired sexcapade. I had even worn a huge, stupid grin on my face, one I couldn’t seem to wipe away.
But walking back into my home and seeing the wall Cowboy had taken me against earlier that morning ruined my good mood, and my euphoric state dissipated. Battling my emotions, I had to consider the previous night had been nothing more than one giant mistake on my part.
I’d yielded to my own feelings, allowing myself to fall even more for him, yet he didn’t know I was leaving town. Or that by being with me, he was consequently putting a target on his back. But telling him that meant telling him everything, and I didn’t know if I was prepared to do so.
As I tossed my keys onto the counter, I noticed the stack of forgotten mail I’d placed there earlier in the day. Glancing at the clock, I sighed. Cowboy had said he’d stop by, but wouldn’t be off work for another hour. Plenty of time to sort out the junk mail and take a shower before he arrived.
But as I sifted through the mail, I stumbled upon an official-looking envelope addressed from the Gib Lewis Unit Prison & Correctional Facility in Woodsville, Texas. My stomach churned, twisting with dread, as my shaky hands tore open the envelope and extracted the crisp letter inside. My fingers trembled as I unfolded it.
Dear Ms. Weber,
I have been notified by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice that the Victim Services Program has been unable to reach you using the Vine phone notification system. Therefore, I am sending this notice to your last known address, in hopes it will reach you at a forwarded address. This information is in reference to Stuart Nelson, prisoner no. 1018040.
The parole board originally determined the prisoner’s earliest possible release would be August 22nd of this year, but due to overpopulation, the prisoner’s lack of previous criminal record, and the model behavior he has displayed while incarcerated, the parole board has since moved his release day to March 1st.
Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please let me know or contact your local law enforcement agency.
Sincerely,
John P. Ellington
Warden, Gib Lewis Unit
Jesus. He was released early? I glanced at the desktop calendar, noting Stuart Nelson had been released from prison…two weeks ago? Oh God!
Instantly I recalled what Cowboy’s friend, Junior, had said about the man I’d seen standing on the edge of my property. Had to be someone else.
Then I remembered the stack of threatening notes I’d received. That whole time, I’d thought the Barlow boys sent them. But what if…?
Lightheaded, I swayed on my feet. Fear and adrenaline shot through my veins, and my heart flopped around inside my chest like a dying fish. I reached over and twisted the deadbolt to lock the door. “I’m safe,” I reminded myself out loud. “He couldn’t have found me that fast. It’s not possible.”
But who was I kidding? It only took him a week to find me before, which also happened to be the last time I ever saw my moth—
The letter fell from my hands, landing on the counter. It was him. He’d been watching me, not the Barlows, not Junior. It was just like last time.
Panicking, I sprinted to my bedroom and yanked my large suitcase out of the closet, tossing it open on the bed. Returning to the closet, I ripped my clothes from their hangers until I had an armful, then raced back to the bed to stuff them inside the luggage.
I ran to the living room, extracting things from drawers, grabbing my research files, and sifting through personal items. Only grabbing what I absolutely had to have, I carried them all to the suitcase and placed them inside.