Chapter 3

Jake froze, sucking in a deep breath. The thought she’d given herself to another man clawed at his gut. He didn’t know why the fact angered him so much—it wasn’t as if he had a right to be jealous. It wasn’t as if he knew anything about the woman, but he’d felt a connection the first time he’d held her in his arms.

Ridiculous as it seemed, the thought that another man had caressed her intimately, molded her slender curves with his rough hands, and enjoyed her passionate responses made him feel sick to his stomach and ready to kill.

As the anger roiled inside him, he reminded himself that she wasn’t what she appeared to be—sweetness and innocent curiosity. Her lack of innocence meant he didn’t have to be so careful. “You’re very direct.”

Her chin lifted. “I don’t see any reason to pussyfoot around this. I’m attracted to you…and if you’re attracted to me, well…”

His body tightened as he got her meaning. He crossed his arms over his chest and feigned a nonchalance he was far from feeling. “You’d risk your reputation to be with me?”

“I won’t be staying here,” she said softly.

“I see,” he said, nodding slowly. “Is it just because you want to see what it’s like having an Indian?” he asked, not hiding the bitterness that rose to burn the back of his throat.

She blinked owlishly. “I thought you were half.”

“I am, but a drop’s too much for most.”

“Well, it’s not because of that.” Her expression filled with mild reproach, her full lips pursing. “What a silly reason that would be.”

“Then why?”

A shrug accompanied a sudden glistening in her eyes that made him uneasy. “You’re a very attractive man.”

“Do you make it a habit to proposition every attractive man you meet?” he bit out.

Her breath huffed, and the glistening became a welling of angry tears. “Of course not.”

His jaws ground together. “Just how experienced are you?”

“Well, I’ve done it once.”

Once. Damn near a virgin. He stared at her, sure she was telling the truth. “Just to be clear…are you asking me to take you to bed?”

Her gaze held his despite the shimmer that turned his insides to mush. “I’m just letting you know,” she said softly, “…that if you’re interested…I am, too.”

“I appreciate the honesty,” he said slowly, carefully. “But you see, I have…peculiar tastes.” He waited to see how she reacted, the muscles of his belly bunching tightly and his balls hardening in anticipation.

“Peculiar?” Her gaze shifted to the side and back to him again, her brows knitting in a frown. But rather than sensing any trepidation, the woman’s curiosity gleamed from behind her wire-rimmed glasses.

Dark amusement filled him as he watched her. “I would need to discover whether you share a similar peculiarity.”

“How would you do that?” she whispered.

“I think we only have a couple more minutes before Mr. Pendergast decides to investigate what’s taking so long. So this will have to be quick.”

Her breath caught. “You mean now?”

He nodded, letting his jaw firm.

“But it’s daylight.” Her hands fluttered then clasped together again over her stomach.

He shrugged. “You wanted to know.”

Her glance shot to the sashes at the curtained window. Bright sunlight streamed through the glass. Her eyes closed briefly, then her gaze returned to him. “What do I have to do?”

His chest rose with his deeply drawn breath. His heart galloped like a runaway horse. “I want you to open your jacket.”

Her hands trembled as she quickly opened the row of polished horn buttons.

“Now, I’d like you to open your blouse to your waist.”

A riot of pink spread from her cheeks down her neck, and he was about to see whether the blush extended to the tops of her small breasts because she quickly flicked open the next row of tiny buttons.

“Spread open the edges and let me look,” he said, already cursing himself for his own curiosity because his cock was pushing hard against the placket of his pants with little hope for relief any time soon. He was just teasing himself.

When her gaze rose to his, he said, “I want you to push down the top of your chemise until I can see your nipples.”

Her nose wrinkled. “And this is a peculiarity? Mr. Hanson wanted to see them, too.”

He ground his teeth at the mention of her previous lover.

But she did as he asked and pushed down the thin muslin to the top of her hard-boned corset, exposing her breasts.

He’d been right. Her breasts were very small, dainty actually, but rounded—just enough to fit in the centers of his palms. Her nipples spiked sharp and long, and the color was a deep, reddening peach.

His mouth watered to know their taste.

“This is all you wanted?”

He lifted one dark brow. “No, it’s not all. Pull up that stool from beside the bed,” he said, lifting his chin in the direction of the stool.

She did as he asked, then glanced back up.

“Now, I want you to reach under your skirt and take off your underthings. Step out of them, and then pull up your dress and let me look at you.”

Her breath rasped shallow, but once again, she did as he asked, bending to reach beneath her skirts. For long moments, his belly tightened at the rustling sounds that accompanied the actions she tried to hide beneath her long skirts, her breasts quivering above her corset with each tug, until at last, she drew out her pantalettes and tossed them to the bed.

Then, without looking at him for further instruction, she bunched her skirts in front of her as she pulled them up slowly, exposing her long, slim legs. When her skirts reached the tops of the garters, holding up her stockings high on her thighs, she hesitated.

Despite the fact his body was wound tighter than a spring, he kept his stance casual, shook his head, and tsked. “Don’t stop now,” he said softly. “I want to see your pretty pussy.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Looking at my, um… that …will please you?”

Damn, it’d do a helluva lot more than just please him. The sight might kill him. His cock stirred against his thigh. “Maybe I’m just takin’ a look at what you’re offering.”

Her chin came up, and her lips firmed. Angry blotches of color stained her cheeks, and he held his breath, sure she’d back down any second now.

But she drew a deep breath and raised the fabric the last few inches, letting him gaze on the pale brown thatch of hair between her legs.

His mouth went dry, and he swallowed. “Put your foot up on that stool.”

“But that will—”

“Yeah, it’ll open you up,” he purred.

She shook her head. “I must be crazy. You’re doing this to make fun of me.”

“Believe me, lady. The last thing I feel like doing is laughing. Do it.”

Again, her stubborn little chin came up. She held his gaze steadily, even as her lips trembled. Then she lifted one slender, booted foot and set it on the stool, angling her leg to open herself further.

The curls clothing her outer folds were damp and glistening.

Jake dropped his arms, and he straightened away from the door. He strode toward her, wiping his face clean of any expression. His heart thudded loud and dull in his ears as he stared, raking her with his gaze from her trembling lips to her whitened knuckles as she clasped her skirts to her waist and lower to where fluid gleamed in her brown curls and along her slim, pale thighs.

When he drew close, he saw the near-panic widening her eyes. Raising a hand to his hat, he slowly took it off and dropped it to the floor. Then he slipped a hand around her neck and pulled her forward to kiss her hard.

Her mouth opened under his, and their tongues met, touching, lapping together. He canted his head and nudged her glasses with his nose. He leaned back and reached up to remove them.

She drew away and shook her head. “Please, I won’t be able to see.”

That pleased him. Maybe they were better suited than he’d thought. Better than he’d hoped.

Prudence held her breath as Jake knelt on the stool beside her foot, his face drawing level with her… pussy . Not something Mr. Hanson had been interested in seeing—he’d been in such a hurry to bury his “scabbard,” as he’d called his cock. Everything had been accomplished with clumsy haste in the darkness after he’d looked at her breasts.

Jake seemed content to stare and…breathe in her scent! Thank God she’d bathed before seeking him out.

Then he lifted his hand and slid his thumb between her nether lips, gliding into the moisture gathering in ever-increasing volume. An embarrassing amount, really. She’d drenched the fabric of her underpinnings earlier with just the nudge of his knee. Now, he slid upward, gathering her dew, pulling up the skin to expose the tender little knot at the top of her sex.

Prudence sucked in a deep breath, anticipation curling tight in her core. Lord, he wouldn’t…

He did! He leaned close, dragging in more of her scent, and ignoring her gasp, sucked the hard little knot into his mouth.

His deep groan vibrated against her turgid flesh.

“My word!” Prudence had never felt anything this delightful in her entire life. The thought that this rugged, dangerous man had his head buried between her legs, his lips tenderly encircling her most intimate flesh, was a heady thrill.

“When you said you had peculiar tastes, I had no idea!” she gasped.

A sound that resembled a strangled laugh gurgled in his throat, and he released her little nubbin. A grin tugged at his lips as he raised his glance to meet hers. “Woman, you say the darndest things.”

The heat that burnished his cheeks and the slow, sensual dip of his lids as he returned his attention to her feminine mound left her breathless.

Really. She swayed on her feet and opened one hand, still holding her skirts, to grab for his shoulder.

“That’s right. Hold on, baby girl.” His tongue slipped out and licked at her folds, dragging along her outer lips and into the creases where her thighs framed her sex. Over and over, lapping and swirling, until her hips followed his motions and her fingertips dug hard into his shoulder.

Just when she thought he couldn’t do anything more wicked, more shocking, he drew the leg perched on the stool over his shoulder, opening her further.

Prudence couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe as he brought the fingers of one hand into play to part her folds and thrust two fingers from his free hand inside her, stroking deep.

She drew in a jagged breath, trying to calm her racing heart as he thrust in and out, twisting his knuckles inside her channel. A low, keening moan broke from her as another finger filled her, stretching her.

“You’re so tight, so hot. Damn, you’re sweet,” he said and leaned close to draw her little button into his mouth again.

A flurry of sensations bombarded her, too many to keep track of, not that she would recount any of this in her next novel. But she wanted to remember each stroke of his fingers entering her sex, each swirl of his tongue on the rigid little knot, each rasp of his breath as he suckled and licked and thrust—until her body tightened impossibly more, and her back arched, her head falling back…and she was falling…over the edge of a dark chasm where thought and sight weren’t important…only the darkening heat that exploded like a burst of black fire to cloud her vision and set her body trembling.

When she came back to herself, she found his hands clutching her bottom, holding her upright as she leaned away, his mouth still suckling, now gliding along her folds, gently laving her in soft, soothing laps as her wits and her breath returned.

Good Lord, is that what the fuss is all about?

The muffled laughter from between her legs told her she must have said that last aloud. She groaned and sank her fingers in his hair to drag his mouth away from her sex. If he worked on her any longer, she had no doubts he’d send her crashing again.

Which would be truly wonderful, but he seemed concerned that Mr. Pendergast would find them together. He must be worried about his reputation as a new sheriff.

Jake pulled away, giving each of her inner thighs a quick kiss before lifting her leg from his shoulder and setting her foot on the floor, and then he tugged her bunched skirts from her nerveless fingers to drop them, effectively cutting off his view.

When he stood, his lips curved in a small, wry smile. His gaze swept her face before settling on her lips.

She knew he would kiss her again, and her head tilted, a soft sigh escaping as his mouth rubbed hers, molding them to his kiss. When he drew back, she found his hands had settled at her waist, and his cock was poking at her thigh.

The length and width of him, rising inside his pants leg, startled her, and she reached to trace the shape of him. Lord, was that really all him?

His groan was half laughter-half pain. “I’m going to have to take the backstairs. I can’t walk through the lobby like this.”

“Is it painful?” she asked, cupping her hand to follow his thickening shaft where it rose beside his thigh, tightening his trousers. She smiled, thinking he would indeed make a spectacle of himself walking around with this poking at his pants.

“Yes,” he winced, halting her hand with his. Then, he seemed to change his mind about pushing it away. Instead, he moved her palm up and down his cock, squeezing her hand to tell her he needed a harder grip.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you…adjusted it to ride upward?” she asked, rubbing him, feeling her cheeks heat as his gaze sharpened on her expression.

Did he think her beyond sinful? She hoped so. She didn’t want him to hesitate due to her lack of experience. She knew now her breaching in the dark had not been lovemaking. It hadn’t been mutually pleasurable, hadn’t given her an ounce of the sensual heat Jake’s narrowed gaze gave her now.

“Let me?” she asked suddenly breathless.

His hand tightened on hers, and his head turned toward the door as though listening. Then he whipped back around and nodded sharply, dropping his hand away from hers.

Prudence went first for the leather belt slung low on his hips. She’d never touched a gun before and wasn’t sure how to remove the holster, but she bent and untied the leather strings that held his holster close to his thigh, reaching between his legs to draw them away. The leather strap was easier as she tugged to free the two prongs from their holes and gently pulled his gun and holster away, dropping them to the ground beside them.

Breathing a sigh of relief that she’d managed that without his tensing, she undid the buttons of the suspenders that held up his waistband, letting the straps slide up beneath his vest. Then she reached for the buttons at the front of his trousers and, one by one, flicked them open with her thumb and forefinger.

His stomach jerked with each flick of her fingers, and Prudence smiled to think she had that much of an effect on him. When she had his pants opened, she gave him a quick glance from beneath her lashes, then reached inside, smoothing a hand downward to grasp his filling cock and gently bringing it upward from where it strained against the fabric pulling tightly around his leg.

When she brought it into the opening of his trousers, she stared. His sex had felt impossibly hot and heavy in her hand. The sight of it was even more imposing—more delicious. The skin surrounding the thick shaft was stretched tight and shone like a soft, worn satin. Bluish veins formed shallow ridges along his length. The bulbous, mushroom-shaped crown was redder than the darker tan rod and felt soft and cushiony beneath her thumb. The eyelet hole at the top glistened with a pearly drop of fluid.

Proof of his excitement. Not copious amounts like she’d released—just a drop.

The thought brought a niggling challenge that straightened her shoulders.

Jake drew a deep, inward breath when she didn’t let go. His glance was piercing, his cheeks darkening with a flush of heat. “You just gonna look at it?” he growled.

She knew what she wanted to do—she had to demonstrate a similar “peculiar” taste.

She let go of his sex for a moment and smoothed her hands around his waist, and pushed down his pants just far enough to free his straining cock.

He should have looked foolish. Buttoned up vest and shirt, his pants caught around his hips. But the expanse of pale olive skin and the largeness of his straining sex only made him look more dangerous, more sensually devastating.

Again, Prudence was taken aback. All that perfection bared for her gaze, her touch. Her pussy clenched, fresh arousal seeping freely to wet her naked thighs beneath her skirts.

However, as much as her body wept for him to fill her, she had to prove something to the man…and to herself. She might be inexperienced, but she wasn’t missish, wasn’t squeamish about her needs and wants.

She’d traveled halfway across America to meet the man. She wouldn’t pause on the brink just because she was embarrassed…and unsure what she should do next.

Prudence took a deep breath and lifted a finger. “Just wait one moment. Don’t move.” She turned and walked toward the stool, grabbing it up between her hands and then returning to him. She set it between his braced legs.

His chest rose and fell quicker, his breaths noisier, deeper. His hands rested on his hips. “Just what do you have in mind?”

Evidence of his rising excitement, his anticipation, gave her a little more confidence. “I think you know, but I may need a little advice,” she said, biting her lip.

His glance fell to her mouth.

Enough of a hint to tell her she was heading in the right direction.