Chapter 4

Jake had never seen anything as lovely or sexually exciting as Prudence Vogel with the bit between her teeth.

Her gaze focused on his cock. Her white teeth nibbled at her lower lip. Her cheeks glowed with faint embarrassment.

So focused was she, he wondered whether she remembered her blouse was still open, her little breasts trembling with her shallow breaths. God, he still hadn’t felt their drag across his tongue. Still hadn’t tasted them.

He waited, his hands on his hips, his cock rising between his legs, painfully full. He hoped she meant to take at least a nibble to let him see her lush mouth stretch around his manhood.

Not that having a woman making a meal of his cock would be a new experience for him, but somehow knowing he’d be Prudence’s first “meal” only made him harder.

And she’d asked for advice. He snorted. She could do anything her heart desired so long as her wet, warm mouth swallowed him now .

She knelt gingerly on the stool, taking the time to tuck her skirts under her, and then motioned for him to step closer.

His lips curved, and he moved his feet, one at a time, bringing his cock directly in front of her mouth.

She blinked behind her glasses and shoved them to the top of her head, then lifted her hands to run her fingers along his shaft as she continued to stare.

“I like my balls rubbed,” he said, firming his lips against a smile.

Her little gasp and the deepening flush that reached her little breasts made him feel pretty powerful. Made him want to growl like a bear.

With another nibble of her lip, she cupped him in one hand, rolling his balls tentatively on her palm before wrapping her fingers around him and tugging.

“Gently,” he gritted out, groaning when she softened her grip and squeezed. “Take ’em in your mouth.”

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t hesitate, moving closer and wetting her lips with her tongue before opening her mouth and sucking on one of his balls like an ice cube, working him with her mouth, her tongue stroking tentatively against his ball.

“That’s it. Just right,” he gritted out, feeling his body harden, wanting to rut against her, but afraid he’d frighten her if he just reached down and guided his cock straight into her mouth the way he wanted.

He’d take her one step at a time, teach her just how he liked it even if it killed him.

Her jaw widened, and she took his ball into the cavern of her mouth, moaning around him, the sound vibrating as she glided her tongue around him. One small hand reached up and grasped his cock, and he closed his hand around it, fisting her tightly against his cock and moving it up and down his shaft, sliding the skin over his steely rod while she laved his ball.

Damn. Damn…

When she moved to his second ball and sucked it quickly, greedily, into her mouth, he cursed out loud and rutted, jabbing his cock inside their clenched hands, helping her stroke him faster.

She pulled away, gasping, and rose higher on her knees. Guiding her hand, he pointed his cock at her mouth, and she opened wide, her tongue coming out to take a swipe around his head, taking another drop of his gism into her mouth and closing her eyes as she tasted.

Then her mouth opened again, and he let go of her hand, gripped the back of her head, and forced her closer, groaning as her full lips stretched around him.

He flexed his buttocks, driving himself along her tongue, then pulling away, only to stroke deeper the next time.

She gurgled around him but gamely widened her jaws, careful to fold her lips around her teeth. She could have scraped the skin off his cock, and it wouldn’t have mattered.

Her hot, steamy mouth was everything he’d dreamed of. “Suck on it, sweetheart,” he ground out.

She murmured, tried to nod, then started to draw on him.

Jake’s legs shook. His balls drew tight against his groin, pressure built, and he knew he wouldn’t last much longer. He needed to move. Needed to stroke deep, needed to fuck her mouth hard. “Have to move… Don’t fight… Relax,” he rasped.

Her hands gripped the notches of his hips, and her gaze rose to meet his.

Jesus, the look of her, her gold-flecked eyes wide, her reddened lips dragging on his cock, had him deepening his strokes. He reached down to grasp the base of his cock, moving upward to gauge the depth he’d go so he didn’t choke her. Then, with one hand holding himself and the other cupping the back of her head, he let loose.

She milked him with her mouth, all the while moaning around him as he stroked faster. He twisted his hand around his shaft, adding friction to the steamy heat of her mouth until he felt the tightening of his balls and lunged, jerking now, finally feeling the scrape of her teeth as he let loose, thrusting faster, deeper, butting the back of her throat and pushing further.

When at last the scalding liquid release pulsed from his cock, it was too late to pull out, too late to remember he shouldn’t let himself go like this. Not for her first time.

As the blackening fury receded, he realized she still suctioned his cock—and her throat worked at the back of her mouth, caressing his head with her gulping motions, drinking him down, clasping around him hot and wet like her pussy would when he finally got inside her.

His fingers released their fierce grip on her hair, and he slowed to a stop, shivering and jerking still in the aftermath, his chest heaving like a bellows.

Prudence suckled him now, working her head forward and back, slowly backing off him. She learned damn fast.

When she finally drew off him completely, she leaned back and kept her head down. Her shoulders rose and fell; the tops of her little breasts quivered.

Jake hooked his hands into her armpits and lifted her high until her face was level with his so he could read her expression.

No repulsion, no fear. Only a softening wonder that glowed in her eyes and on her cheeks.

“Did I do it right?” she whispered.

Jake’s jaw tightened, unable to speak he was still so taut, so raw. The woman had gotten to him fast. Instead, he angled his head and kissed her hard.

Her mouth opened readily, and he struck his tongue into her mouth, tasting himself on her tongue. Something primal rose inside him, fierce and strong, and he crushed her body to his.

The sound of footsteps stomping in the hallway brought him back to reality. He jerked his mouth away, cursed, and set her on her feet.

A knock sounded on the door.

Prudence’s eyes widened, and she glanced down at her naked chest.

She rushed quietly across the room before calling out, “Yes?” breathlessly while her hands worked feverishly to close her blouse and jacket.

“Is everything all right in there, Miss Vogel?” Simon Pendergast asked, his mouth very near the door.

Jake knew he probably had his ear pressed against the oak and held his breath.

“I’m fine. I’m just…taking a nap.”

Jake’s eyes sliced a glare her way.

“Uh…just wondered,” Simon said, “I didn’t see the sheriff leave. I thought there might be a problem with the room.”

“Oh, no problem,” Prudence said, her cheeks flaming. “He let himself out the side door.”

“Oh! Well, I’ll let you get on with your nap.”

“Thank you, sir.”

At the sound of receding footsteps, Jake let out the breath he’d held.

Her hands stilled on her clothing, and she looked up with a slow grin wreathing her face. The buttons had been closed in the wrong holes. She lowered her glasses and slid them up her nose. “You know,” she said softly. “He thinks I’m taking a nap.”

Jake narrowed his gaze. The little witch had mischief gleaming in her eyes. He knew where this was leading, and hell, his cock was already tingling, hardening again so quickly he wondered if she’d cast a spell. “I have rounds to make.”

Her lips pouted, and her shoulders slumped. Then she lifted her hands to unbutton her clothing. “Well, I don’t want to keep you,” she whispered. When she’d finished unbuttoning the jacket, she drew it slowly off her arms and dropped it on the floor beside her. Without looking up to see whether he was even watching, she did the same with her blouse.

Jake couldn’t help himself. He should be looking for the yahoos who’d shot up the town. He should be doing any number of things but stayed rooted to the spot as she reached behind her, undid her skirt, and let it drift to the floor around her ankles. Her petticoats went next.

Then she unwound the laces of her corset and breathed a deep sigh of relief as it, too, fell away.

When she pulled the chemise over her head and stood nude except for the dark stockings that clung to her long legs, he finally moved.

His hands tore at the buttons of his vest and shirt. He drew both off and flung them aside, shaking his arm to free one sleeve when it snagged on his wrist. Then he toed off his boots, shucked his pants, and walked in his socks to stand before her.

Her eyes were eating him up, raking his body up and down, seeming to find a hundred places to linger before moving along to the next.

His gaze fixed on her tiny breasts. He wasn’t going to wait another minute to get a taste.

When he was close enough to reach for her, he picked her up, sliding an arm beneath her knees and another under her shoulders, and crossed to the bed, laying her down gently on the patchwork quilt. He crawled right over her, laying on her like a blanket, warming her head to toe, drinking in her heat, her shallow breaths, and floral-scented musk.

“Is this done?” she whispered.

“What?” he asked, settling his cock between her legs.

“Doing this in the middle of the day.”

“Only if a body’s lucky.”

Her nose wrinkled. “We still have our socks on.”

“Want to lose them?”

She nodded. “I don’t want to miss a thing.”

Jake smiled and lifted off her, coming to his knees between her legs. He took his time, smoothing his hand down one long, slender leg, then back up. The lacey garter slid off first, then he rolled her stocking down her leg, taking his time to smooth his palm down her length. By the time he started stripping the stocking from her other leg, her sex was soaked again, her curls drenched, her sweet fragrance deepening.

He drew off the stocking and lifted her leg to run his lips along the inside of her calf, then her knee. When he set it on the bed, he bent to kiss her inner thigh and steal a taste of the moist arousal gathering on her folds.

The first intimate caress had her widening her legs, lifting her knees so she could plant her feet on the bed and lift her bottom—an invitation he couldn’t resist.

He licked and prodded her pussy with his tongue, swirling his thumb over her nubbin as her thighs quivered. She was ready again.

But he still hadn’t kissed her sweet breasts. He moved up her body and cupped one small mound.

“They’re not much,” she said, her voice small.

He thumbed one lengthening stem. “They’re perfect.”

Her snort said she didn’t believe him. “You still have your socks on.”

“Are you trying to distract me?” he asked, looking up to catch her gaze.

She’d slipped an arm beneath her head to raise it so she could watch him. “I’m just saying. I’m naked—so should you be.”

“Lady, everything that matters is naked.” He plumped up one little breast. “You don’t want me staring at these, do you?”

“No,” she said softly.

“If I told you I eat my green beans first, my apple pie last, will you believe I like them?” he asked, rubbing his calloused thumb on her nipple.

Her eyebrows drew together in a slight frown. “I guess…”

“You just want me to hurry past ’em now?”

A pout puckered her lips. “I’m thinking there are more interesting ways to spend our time.”

“I promise I’ll get to the best part soon.” Only he liked that the urgency was building slowly this time. Time to savor. He’d never cared much for bedroom talk, but she amused him.

“Think highly of yourself?” she asked, her tone pert.

“I think we’re well-suited for this sort of sport,” he said, teasing her.

“Why would you think that?”

“Well, we both have all the right parts.”

“Any man and woman would,” she said, her tone flat.

“I love the way you taste and smell. You all but swallowed me whole.”

“Oh! I can’t believe you mentioned that!”

“Wasn’t that your throat gulping me down?”

Strawberry spots reddened her cheeks. Her teeth worried her bottom lip. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Oh, yeah,” he whispered.

“They’re not too small?” she said in a tiny voice.

“Is that what that other man said?”

“He never said, and he only took a quick look.”

“His loss.” He dropped his gaze to her chest again. “You want to keep talking?”

“No.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Um…will you kiss them?”

“I will. Will you let me suck on them, too?”

She groaned and gave a little laugh. “I think I’d like that.”

“Then hush.” He bent over her and stuck out his tongue, aware she stared as he dragged his tongue over the distended tip.

Her breath caught, and her thighs tightened around his waist. From the corner of his eye, he saw a hand clench around the quilt and pull. She liked it all right.

So did he. He licked again and, this time, drew the entire nipple into his mouth to suckle, savoring the velvet-soft texture. She was tiny, delicate, but entirely female. A mewling cry broke from her throat when he tugged it gently with his teeth.

He cupped the opposite breast as he continued to work her breast, liking the way her hips rolled beneath him. He thought he might be able to make her come with just his mouth sucking on her tit, and again, he felt a surge of powerful lust fill his loins.

He released her nipple, gratified at her moan of protest, and licked a path across her chest to latch onto the other nipple while his fingers twirled and squeezed the tight stem he’d nurtured into full arousal.

Her back arched, forcing her breast deeper into his mouth, and both her hands sank into his hair, tugging away the leather tie. He liked the way she raked his hair with her fingers, and he groaned around her breast.

Soon, the pressure in his cock became too insistent for him to ignore, and he released her breast and scooted further up her body.

Her eyes opened, meeting his gaze. He liked the sleepy, dazed look of her, the way her lips had reddened beneath her nibbling bites as she’d held back her moans.

He wanted to see her face when he sank inside her, claiming her. Whoever she was, whatever her purpose, she’d challenged him, drawn him irresistibly with the purity of her open-eyed curiosity.

He sensed she didn’t see the red man, didn’t give a damn about the darkness of his past. She thought he was a hero, despite the stains that niggled at his own conscience.

She wanted him . The wetness of her sex caressing the head of his cock was pure sexual attraction. “That other man...was he made like me?” he asked.

“Hmmm?” she asked, her eyes focusing finally behind her misting lenses.

“Was he as big as me?”

Her forehead wrinkled as she thought. “I don’t know. It was dark.”

“You didn’t touch him? Hold him in your hand?”

“No.”

Jake stifled a groan. He guessed that the other bastard had pushed up her skirts and taken her without a bit of care or preparation.

He’d have to take it slow. He came up on his elbows. “Bring your knees up, sweetheart.”

Prudence gave him a look of total trust and raised her knees on either side of his hips.

With his cock poised at her entrance, Jake ground his teeth and slowly pushed inside, circling his hips to stretch her as he entered.

Her mouth opened around a tiny whining moan. She drew in a deep breath. “Oh my.” She was tight, and her inner muscles clamped around his cock, resisting his invasion.

“Relax, breathe,” he said, although he’d forgotten how to do that himself. He fought the urge to thrust into her, and although he was only a couple of inches inside, he pulled back. He rested his forehead against hers. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“There’s no, of course ,” he muttered. Didn’t she have an ounce of self-preservation? Anger rushed through him, hot and fierce. She was going to let him fuck her, but she didn’t know a thing about him other than whatever she’d read or heard.

He knew his anger wasn’t with her, but with “Mr. Hanson,” who’d taken her but hadn’t really shown her what it was all about.

Everything Jake had done with her so far had been fresh and new to her. Since the moment they’d met, she’d opened herself to him. Why him? If he hadn’t stopped her headlong fall from the stagecoach, would she be in bed with some other man?

Right now, he couldn’t think too much about it. His balls ached, his cock felt as tight and full as it had ever been. Damn, he was going to hurt her if he didn’t take it slowly.

“Is something wrong?” she whispered.

He snorted and lifted his head. “Best not to talk.”

She blinked and sighed, pressing her lips together. Her thighs snuggled tighter around his hips.

“Best not to move.”

“I thought that was the point,” she murmured.

A laugh caught him by surprise. “Anyone ever tell you not to tease a bear?”

“Why would they tell me such a silly thing?” Her head canted. “Are you feeling growly?”

“Lady, I’m trying to gird myself. Let me concentrate.”

“Is this such a trial?” she asked, her voice tightening.

He blew out a breath and aimed a glare at her. “Not for the reasons you’re thinking.”

Her brows furrowed in a frown. “No one’s forcing you to make love to me, you know.” Her legs loosened around him, and her hands pressed against his shoulders.

“Dammit, don’t move,” he bit out. “Don’t you know I’m trying not to hurt you?”

“Well, I’d say it’s a little too late,” she said, shoving at him now. “All that comparing me to apple pie—”

“Shit!” He ground his teeth hard and groaned, releasing his iron hold on his desire to move. He flexed his hips and pushed into her again, cramming himself into her tight sheath.

She winced, and her breath hitched. “That didn’t feel so good. Maybe we should stop.”

“Jesus Christ! It’s a little late now.”

“You’re mad at me?”

“No, I’m not mad,” he said slowly. “I’m hard as a post, and I have to move.”

“You really want to do this…with me?”

Jake sighed and cupped her face between his hands. “I really do. With you.”

Her lips trembled. “Is it going to get better?”

“God, I hope so. Now, will you be quiet?”