STORY EXCERPT

After making sure the men were occupied, Penelope reached for the buttons at her throat. She’d been cooped up in the stage since early morning and she needed to cool off. She loosened two buttons and separated the stiff cloth at her neck. Sighing, she leaned her head back as the breeze cooled her heated skin. “I wonder what it would be like to go without your shirt…like men do,” she whispered.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” a deep voice answered, startling her.

She whirled around, finding herself pressed nose-to-chest, and what a heavily muscled chest it was. After blinking several times, she tilted her head back and glared at the handsome bounty hunter. “What wouldn’t be a good idea?” she demanded.

Chuckling, he wrapped his hands around her shoulders to steady her. “You walking around without a shirt,” he said. When he lowered his gaze, he caught sight of pale flesh playing peek-a-boo through her open collar. Swallowing hard, he raised his gaze, willing his body to settle down.

Pulling from his grasp, she folded her arms beneath her chest, which only served to push her breasts up farther, allowing more flesh to show through her opened dress. “I’ll have you know, if—and it will be my choice—if I decide to disrobe and cool off, I will.”

Johnny growled low in his throat. “Little girl, I’ll turn you over my knee and paddle that delectable rump if you decide to do something like that.”

“You have no say over me. I’ve been taking care of myself for quite some time now. Besides, I wouldn’t do that anyway. I’m not some…some loose woman,” she whispered before turning away.

It wasn’t much, but Johnny caught the look of hurt that flashed across her face before she schooled her features. He was instantly sorry for being so short with her. “I’m not trying to be cross with you. It’s just too dangerous out here. I mean, a single woman traveling—” He stopped in mid-sentence as he studied her face. “What did I do now?” he asked when he noticed her scowling at him.

“I’m sorry, your name has slipped my mind…Mr…”

“McKetchum,” Johnny supplied.

Nodding, she lowered her arms as she clenched her hands into fists by her side. “Mr. McKetchum, I do appreciate your concern for me, but I assure you, I don’t need a man in order to travel to and from any destination I desire.” She glared at him, then turned her attention back to the stage coach. “I hope Mr. Wiley and Mr. Boot Strap will be ready to continue our trip soon.” With those last words, she lifted her skirt and adjusted it, keeping it from touching him, and walked away.

Again, Johnny was left standing, watching her walk away, except this time he was left wondering just exactly what she’d said. It seemed like she was chewing his ass for something, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what for. He was just trying to keep her safe. “She isn’t a thing like Tori,” he muttered, referring to his older brother’s wife.

He stood there a little longer before noticing that Wiley and Boot Strap seemed to be done with the team of horses. “At least I don’t have to ride cooped up inside with Her Majesty.” He headed for the waiting coach, where his horse stood, then swung up into the saddle and waited. After Wiley helped Penelope inside, he shut the door, testing it to make sure it was closed.

“You going along?” Johnny called out when he noticed Wiley was still standing near the door.

“’Course I’m goin’ along. I just thought I’d ride up top with Old Boot Strap. You know, in case we run across them outlaws again. I figure I can provide more firepower from atop the stage, instead of riding with the womenfolk,” Wiley said as he hooked his thumbs under his worn suspenders and stretched them away from his skinny chest.

Leaning forward, Johnny folded his arms across the saddle horn, resting. “Whatever you say, Wiley. Whatever you say,” he said as mischief twinkled in his gray eyes. “If I didn’t have old Rooster here, I think I’d ride up top, too.” He laughed as the old man scrambled up the side of the conveyance and settled himself into the driver’s box. Once he was settled, Boot Strap threaded the reins through his fingers before hollering out, sending the horses forward as one.

Johnny held Rooster back as the horse danced and twisted, letting the stage take the lead. He wasn’t planning on eating dust, but he wanted to be far enough back to put himself nearest any danger approaching from the rear. Besides, he had a lot of thinking to do, and he always did his best thinking while on horseback.

ADULT EXCERPT

A quick flick of her fingers and her drawers slid down her legs, where she kicked them off, then removed her shoes and stockings. “Do you want me to take everything off?”

Shaking his head, he crooked his finger. “No, come over here. You’re standing too far away.” He watched her move toward him, each step pulling the silky material tight across her full breasts. When she stopped next to the bed, he could smell her sweet essence. “Have you ever ridden a horse astride?”

She nodded.

He grinned. “Climb up here and mount up. Throw your leg over me and tuck your knees up close.” He settled his right hand on her hip to steady her as she threw her leg over him and settled into position. His mouth watered when he caught a glimpse of her plump pussy as she threw her leg over him.

She was nervous. Squirming, she flinched when she first made contact with his engorged manhood. She groaned when that part of him slipped between her pussy lips, rubbing her tender flesh. “Oh, my,” she whispered as she began to move on him. Continuing the motion, she rubbed along the length of him several times before his plump cockhead rubbed over her clit. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she let her head fall back as he continued to guide her hips as her wetness coated his dick from root to tip. “What’s going on?” she asked breathlessly.

Feeling his balls drawing up and a tingling working its way down his spine, he knew he couldn’t take much more. He knew she was talking to him, but the roaring in his ears was growing louder with each stroke of her sweet pussy. Releasing his hold on her hip, he moved his hand so he could rub her clit, which he could feel against the end of his dick. When he found her pleasure nub, he began to rub circles with the pad of his thumb, before whispering. “Raise up on her knees and take me inside you. I’ll guide you.” He continued to work her slick button as she rose up, then grasped his cock and guided it toward her drenched slit.

Penelope was about to lose her mind. She wanted something more, but she didn’t know what it was. Whatever he was doing to her, her body melted against his touch, and she wanted more. Knowing she should be ashamed, she fought her guilty feelings and pushed them aside. She shouldn’t feel guilty about anything that felt this good.

When he touched her between her legs, she thought she would die from the pleasure. She could hear his deep voice, but it took a moment for his words to soak in before she rose up and followed his simple request. “Johnny…what am I supposed to do now?” She rolled her hips and gasped when she felt the large, bulbous head of his manhood touch her. With disappointment showing on her face, she glanced down at her husband. “I’m not an expert, but I don’t think that will fit there.” She groaned when he flexed his hips, driving his cock inside her a few inches. “I told you it wouldn’t fit,” she said as she tried to keep from moving.

He chuckled as he began working her clit with the pad of his thumb again. “Princess, trust me, it will fit just fine. There may be a little pain at first, but I’ll go slow and let your body adjust to mine. Please, just don’t tell me no.” He worked the sensitive nub a little faster and was rewarded by a lusty, feminine moan. “That’s it, let yourself go.” He could feel her body drenching him with her sweet honey as she inched down on him.

Biting down on her bottom lip, she fought the urge to throw her head back and scream as an intense tightness built in her lower abdomen. There were too many emotions coursing through her body at one time. She felt like she was going to explode. “That feels good,” she moaned as she worked to take him farther into her body. “I think you’re right…it is going to fit,” she whispered, then tensed when something seemed to block his path. She pushed down harder, but the pain stopped her. “Wait, it hurts.”

Feeling the head of his cock bump against her virgin barrier, he knew he had to act fast. “I promise…it will feel better.” He began working her clit in earnest and it wasn’t long before he felt her whole body begin to shudder, and he didn’t let up until she orgasmed. “Holy shit,” he groaned as her body clamped down on his throbbing dick.

She didn’t know what was happening. One minute she felt as if he was going to rip her apart and the next…her whole body shook as her body clamped down, causing her call out. “Johnny!”