West of Forever (Heartstone Ranch #1)(59)

“No.”

His face moves in, the scruff of his beard scratching my neck. “Not even if you’ll feel good at the end?”

Do not cave, Lark.

“N-no,” I stutter as his tongue traces the shell of my ear.

“Hmm, I don’t mind working really hard for it.”

Oh, fuck my life.

“Tristan,” I say his name, and instead of it coming out strong and defiant, it’s more of a whimper.

Because…you know, he’s kissing my damn neck and hitting that spot right below my ear.

“Yes, sweetheart? Do you want me to make it up to you? To prove how truly, unbelievably, and wholeheartedly sorry I am?”

Yes. Yes. I do.

Instead of shoving him back, putting my foot down, and telling him I’m completely unimpressed by his arrival, my body betrays me, and my hand moves to the back of his neck, holding him there.

Again. Stupid.

“Say the word, Lark, and I’ll leave,” he promises.

I should do it. I know this. All the damn red flags are waving like those inflatable men outside the car wash, shaking to get my attention. I just…don’t care. I walk straight past them and go into the danger zone.

I move my head, inching closer to him.

“Stay,” I murmur, my mouth searching to find his.

He kisses me softly, then hungrily, and the passion is enough to set this barn on fire. His hands move down my body, plastering me tight against him.

It’s been days.

Just five freaking days without seeing him, and it feels like a lifetime. As though each hour was a piece of an eternity.

Being in his arms, kissing him, touching him, has messed with my head, and I don’t even give a shit.

He’s kissing me. I missed it. I want more.

I moan into his mouth, and he pulls us deeper into the stall. “Shh, you have to be quiet, sweetheart, or we’ll be caught.”

Then his mouth is back on mine. The voices of people walking around the stable add to the excitement. Not that I want to be caught. Dear Lord, that would be the worst thing ever. Tristan and I can’t ever be found out, especially not like this, but there’s a thrill to the fact that we could be caught.

He turns us, pressing my body against the back of the stall, hiding us even farther behind a stack of hay.

This is what a cowgirl’s dreams are made of. Sneaking around in the barn with the boy who is forbidden.

I mean, seriously, talk about a fantasy.

“Tristan,” I murmur against his lips. “Unbutton your pants.”

He groans softly and then moves his hands down. I lift my skirt, grateful for once that Suzanne picked out my outfit. She claims I have great legs and needed to show off a little honey to attract the bear.

I just had no idea it would be this one.

Well, I mean, I knew this would be the only one if there was one.

But he wasn’t supposed to be here.

“Now, right here?” he asks, his finger slipping between us, rubbing my clit.

I gasp, but his mouth is there to swallow the sound.

He pulls back. “Quiet, or I’ll have to stop.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Tristan’s eyes are like fire. “Turn around.” I do so immediately, and his hands are on my ass. “Hands on the wall.”

I lift them, pressing them flat against the cool wood.

I hear the tearing of the packet and then see it fall on the hay beside me.

Yes. Thank God.

His lips are against my ear again. “You want me to fuck you right here?”

I nod.

“Where anyone could walk in?”

I nod again. I really couldn’t care less if we were in the stands right now.

He takes my earlobe between his teeth and lifts my hips up. “God, I missed you too.”

He…what? Did he just admit to missing me?

Is that why he’s here?

Then a second later Tristan pushes my panties to the side and sinks in deep. My ability to speak is robbed and my breath is gone as he fucks me hard against the wall in a horse stall at the rodeo.









Chapter 23





Tristan




Ifucked up.

Not like in a small way either. No, I really fucked up.

Not only did I leave Sadie at camp a day early—for the record, she didn’t need me, so it’s not like I skipped out on my kid—but I left and came here.

Why?

Because Suzanne was competing, and my sister mentioned it, which meant that Lark would be here.

Why is this a big fuckup? Because I came here for her.

Then I fucked her in a horse stall like a damn animal.

Although she seemed to like it, based on the fact that she bit my hand as her orgasm peaked.

“We just…had sex…in a freaking stall at the damn rodeo,” Lark says, as she’s fixing her skirt, which is now sideways.

I clear my throat. “Are you okay?”

She laughs once, sitting on the hay bale beside her. “I am. A little mortified, and also grateful no one walked in. You?”

“Much better now,” I admit.

Definitely took the edge off.

She smiles and shakes her head. “So you’re back early?”

Yeah, I also screwed up by telling her I missed her, but I’m going to do my best to gloss over that and pretend it didn’t happen.