He scowled. “No. Who the hell ever said that about you?”“Your brother Colby called me that one time.”“Consider the source. Colby’s a bonehead. That ain’t what I see at all when I look at you.”“So, what do you see when you look at me?”“Not Amy Jo, my son’s babysitter. When I noticed you dancin’ at the Golden Boot in that shamelessly brazen miniskirt and them naughty red panties, I started thinkin’ of you in terms of us naked together. A lot.”Better than she’d hoped.“What do you see when you look at me?” he asked.“A hot rancher with a killer body, a wicked smile and even more wicked hands. A good man I trust.” A man I’ve been in love with my whole damn life.“You know I’m too old for you, right?”“I’d say experienced, not old.”“Right. But I’m such a selfish prick I ain’t lettin’ no other man touch you until I’ve had my fill of you.”May that day never come, Cord McKay.Cord framed her face in his hands. “I haven’t had my fill of you tonight, that’s for damn sure. But your thirty

“Oh. I, ah. Um. Okay.”He held her hips as he rolled them until AJ’s back was against the cushions. Cord slid to his knees on the floor. As he kissed her, he shoved the velvet square throw pillow underneath her ass. He tucked her skirt out of his way, baring her completely from the waist down.“Keep your hands right there and hold on.”As his palms traveled down the center of her body, Cord wished he’d made her strip so he could feel every inch of her skin.“Cord, I’m not sure—”“You want this.” He dragged openmouthed kisses from her left knee up the inside of her quivering thigh and licked the crease where thigh met hip.She jumped.Smiling, Cord brushed his mouth down the top of her leg, using his tongue to trace the musculature of her thighs, courtesy of the years she’d spent on horseback. He used the same thorough treatment on her right leg. By the time he finished, AJ trembled.Her glistening sex was at his mouth level. He pressed his lips to the top of her pubic bone. The soft c

How many times had she done dishes at this old enamel sink? She’d never once wondered if it’d be the last time she’d listen for the melodic coos of the mourning doves, or see the golden finches pecking at the bird feeders blowing in the sage-scented breeze.“Sweetheart?”“Where would you go?”“Probably tag along with Jenn to wherever she’s going. Not to live with her, but I can’t imagine not seeing Krista, Mason and Ariel regularly. Does that bother you?”“Why in the world would it bother me? I know that if I had three kids and an iffy future you’d be right there with me, instead of with her.”“Instead—”“Instead, I have school to finish.” AJ faced her mother and smiled. “I won’t pretend this is gonna be easy on me, Mama, because unlike you and Jenn, this is the only home I’ve ever had.”“I know.”“Have you called Carson yet?”“No. I wanted to talk to you first, since it affects you the most.”“I appreciate it. Call him after you rest.”Florence squinted at the clock. “He’s probably h

Faster and faster. The camera moved from her tongue to the ecstasy on the man’s face and everything switched to slow motion.AJ squirmed.Cord cupped AJ’s breasts, rasping his thumbs over her nipples until they were hard peaks. He dragged wet kisses up the side of her neck.She turned her head to reach his mouth.“Huh-uh. Eyes on the screen. The best part is just about to start.”“You touching me is the best part.”He chuckled. “True.”The woman on the TV worked her hand from the guy’s balls to the tip in a twisting motion while suckling the purple knob. She’d take a break to scrape her teeth up the vein.AJ whispered, “Doesn’t that hurt?”“Only if you bite down.”“I’ll remember that.”Cord placed her hands on AJ’s bare breasts and said, “Touch yourself here. Show me whatcha like.” He trailed his fingers down her belly, loving how the taut skin quivered in anticipation of his touch.“Cord—”“Don’t close your eyes. Keep watchin’. See how she takes the whole cock in her mouth? Opens her

She wasn’t particularly surprised he let her go. But she was surprised by how eager she was to get away from him.*******“Where the hell is Colt?” Cord barked at Kade the next morning over the phone.“Yeah, I know it ain’t your day to watch him. No. I’ll do it myself. I don’t got time to ride over there and haul his drunken carcass outta bed again.”Cord clicked his cell phone off. “Goddamn, he’s lookin’ to get his ass whupped.” He threw his mug in the sink, noticing he’d forgotten to dry the silverware after AJ had left.That was another screwed up situation. Things’d been going great guns last night. He hadn’t blamed his sudden tension on AJ’s admission that Keely knew about them. No, doing dishes together was what sent him into a belligerent retreat.Cooking for her hadn’t been a big deal. But the second she started washing plates, knowing exactly where he kept his dishrags and dish soap, a funny feeling, sort of like hope had spread inside him. Had he tossed her out? No. He’d aut