Page 10 of Cowboy Daddy
Sunny cries out, her hips bucking against my face. I slide one thick finger inside her, feeling her tight heat clench around me, then add a second. I pump them steadily while my tongue works her clit, sucking and flicking until her thighs shake around my ears. The wet sounds of my mouth and fingers fill the quietcabin, mixing with her gasping moans and the crackle of the distant fire.
"Harlan... yes... right there, please." Her voice breaks on my name, desperate and sweet.
I growl against her, the vibration making her jolt. I curl my fingers, stroking that spot inside her while I suck harder on her swollen clit. Her body tightens, thighs clamping around my head, and then she comes undone. Her back arches off the bed, a long, throaty cry spilling from her lips as her walls pulse rhythmically around my fingers. I stay with her through every wave, licking and stroking gently until she collapses back against the pillows, breathing hard and trembling.
I kiss my way back up her body, tasting the light sheen of sweat between her breasts, and pull her into my arms. She curls against my chest, still soft and glowing, her hand sliding down my stomach toward my belt with clear intent.
But I catch her wrist gently, bringing it to my lips for a slow kiss. My body aches for her, cock painfully hard and straining, but I hold back. "Not tonight, sunshine."
She looks up at me, cheeks flushed deep pink, eyes hazy with pleasure and confusion. "But I want to make you feel good too."
I shake my head, jaw clenched tight against the roaring need. "You will. Soon. But right now you need your rest. That leg is still healing and the mountain takes everything out of you. I can wait."
She pouts, lips full and tempting, but snuggles closer anyway, her bare skin warm and silky against mine. "You’re too good to me, you big grumpy protector."
I tuck the heavy quilts around us, cocooning her in warmth, and hold her tight. My hand strokes slow circles down her back, feeling the delicate line of her spine. The want still burns hot and deep in my veins, but so does the fierce need to protect her. Even from rushing this. Even from myself.
"Sleep, Sunny. I’ve got you," I murmur into her hair, breathing in her sweet scent.
She sighs happily, already drifting off against my chest. I stay awake longer, listening to her soft breathing, feeling the steady beat of her heart against mine. This woman has cracked me wide open. And as the cabin settles into quiet around us, I know I’ll guard what we’re building with everything I have. Tomorrow and every day after.
SEVEN
SUNNY
I wake up slowly, all warm and deliciously sore in the best possible ways, tangled in Harlan's heavy quilts that smell like pine and rugged cowboy and safety. My body still hums from last night, from his mouth and hands and the way he made me fall apart like I was the only thing that mattered in his whole mountain world. I stretch like a happy cat, reaching for him, but the bed beside me is empty. The sheets are cool where he should be.
I slip out of bed and pull on one of his big flannel shirts, the soft fabric brushing my thighs and carrying his scent so strongly it makes my heart do a little happy dance. I pad barefoot through the cabin, the wooden floors chilly under my feet, and push open the front door. There he is on the porch, leaning against the railing with a mug of coffee in his big hand, looking out over the snow-dusted trees like he owns every inch of this mountain. His broad shoulders fill out his flannel perfectly, and even from behind he radiates that grumpy protective energy that makes me feel both safe and wildly wanted.
"Morning, handsome," I say, my voice still sleepy-soft but full of sparkle as I step outside. The cold air nips at my legs but I don’t care. I go straight to him and wrap my arms around his waist from behind, pressing my cheek to his strong back. He’s so warm and solid, like a wall built just for me to lean on.
Harlan grunts, that low rugged sound I’m already addicted to, and sets his mug down so he can turn and pull me properly into his arms. His hands settle on my lower back, big and possessive, tugging me close until there’s no space between us. "Morning, sunshine. Sleep okay?"
"Better than okay. I slept like a girl who got kissed senseless by her grumpy cowboy hero." I tilt my head up, grinning at him with all the sunshine I can muster. Being this close to him makes the air crackle between us again, that charged, on-fire chemistry that never seems to fade. I can feel how much he wants me in the way his grip tightens, in the heat in his eyes as they drop to my lips.
He leans down and kisses me slow and deep, like he’s been waiting all morning to do exactly that. His mouth is warm from the coffee, a little possessive, and I melt right into him, my fingers curling into his shirt. When he pulls back, his voice is gravelly. "You feel up to riding today? Real riding. Not the runaway kind from the other day."
My stomach does a little flip of nerves. The memory of Biscuit spooking flashes through my mind, but then I look up at Harlan's rugged face, at the protective way he watches me, and the want in his eyes that says he’ll never let anything bad happen while I’m with him. "I’m nervous," I admit, biting my lip. "But I really want to. With you. Show me your mountain, cowboy."
He nods, jaw tight like he’s already planning every safety measure. "Good girl. We’ll take it easy."
We head inside for a quick breakfast. Harlan pulls out thick yogurt from the fridge and tops it with fresh berries. It’s simple and perfect, sweet-tart bursts of flavor on my tongue as we sit knee to knee at the little table. Every time our legs brush I feel that spark again, hot and bright. He watches me eat with such focused hunger in his gaze that I almost forget about the yogurt entirely.
"Stop looking at me like that or we won’t make it to the barn," I tease, popping a blueberry into my mouth with a dramatic wink.
He growls softly. "Keep talking like that and riding might get delayed."
But we finish up and bundle into warm layers. Harlan helps me into my coat again, his hands lingering on my shoulders, then we walk to the barn hand in hand. The snow crunches under our boots and the air smells clean and piney. He saddles up two steady horses. I get sweet Mabel, who nuzzles my shoulder like an old friend, while Harlan takes the big sturdy Buck.
We ride out slow at first, Harlan staying right beside me, his voice low and steady as he gives me gentle instructions. "Heels down. Relax your hands. I’ve got you, Sunny. Trust me."
I do trust him. Completely. The nervousness fades as we move through the trees into a wide open field where the snow sparkles under the bright morning sun. The mountain air is crisp in my lungs, the rhythm of Mabel beneath me steady and soothing. Harlan looks so natural in the saddle, rugged and in command, and every time he glances over at me that protective need burnsin his eyes. He wants me. It’s there in every shift of his body, every quiet check to make sure I’m okay.
We reach the far edge of the field and he signals to stop. We dismount, tying the horses to a sturdy tree, and he takes my hand, leading me to a perfect viewpoint. From here Timber Creek spreads out in the distance like a little storybook town nestled at the base of the mountains. Smoke curls from chimneys, tiny cars move along the roads, and the whole valley sparkles with fresh snow.
"Look," Harlan says, his arm sliding around my waist from behind, pulling my back against his solid chest. His voice is low and warm in my ear. "This is home now. If you want it."
I lean into him, feeling the heat of his body chase away the chill. I can picture it so clearly it makes my heart swell. Lazy mornings making breakfast together. Helping with the horses. Family dinners at the main lodge with all the wonderful people I met yesterday. Nights wrapped up in this man who looks at me like I’m his whole world. No more running. No more Derek. Just this. Us. Haven 7.
