Stockman’s Stormcloud (Stockmen #3)

Twenty-seven

‘You don’t have to walk me to my door like this.’ Sophie grinned like a schoolgirl, having had the best time taking photos of the sunset, sharing dinner and conversation with Dex as the shadows lengthened over the deserted stockyards until the stars flooded the skies.

Dex said nothing, leaning his shoulder on the wall beside her front door.

She could feel his intense stare as she rummaged through her bag for her keys while her heart was hammering in her chest. ‘Found them.’

‘Are you going to invite me in?’

‘I shouldn’t.’

‘Really?’ He arched his eyebrows in surprise.

Yeah, right, who was she kidding?

The cat was at the door, winding around Dex’s boots, demanding attention from him, until Dex scooped up the cat.

‘Don’t mind me, Mr Purrington, the one who feeds you,’ she mumbled, dumping her bag and cameras on her small table.

Dex casually booted the door shut behind him, and for once, she didn’t know what to do. There was no job to hide behind here.

‘Would the cat run away if you left the door open long?’

‘No. I used to leave the windows open on my car and he’d jump in and out whenever he wanted.’

‘In the city?’

‘A security guard kept an eye on the car at the hospital. I helped his wife when she was unwell.’

‘I see…’ He put the cat down on the table, brushing the fur off his shirt.

‘Here, I have a lint brush.’ She held it out to him.

‘Most women offer me a drink at this stage, not a lint brush.’ He removed his hat and dropped it on the side bench on its crown.

She frowned at him, wagging the lint brush at him. ‘I’m not some woman you just picked up off the street for a one-night shag.’

‘No, you’re not.’ He gripped her wrist, plucked the lint brush from her fingers and dumped it on the table. ‘I’ll give you a goodnight kiss, then leave. Deal?’

Not that she had a choice, when he pulled her into his chest.

‘Deal.’ Did she speak that, or think that?

With his hat off, his dark hair fell to shade his lashes, highlighting his eyes that were a molten chocolate. And they were utterly focused on her.

His large hands shifted from her wrists to wrap around her rib cage as if taking ownership, while his expression was downright dangerous.

‘One kiss, Sophie.’ His voice was deliciously low as he angled his head close to her ear, the warmth of his breath fanning across her throat.

Her hands went to his chest, sliding down his shirt where the glorious perfection of the muscles in his abdomen clenched under her touch. It gave her a feeling of power, of control, to know that he was reacting to her as much as she was to him.

With her chin tipping up slowly to meet his eyes, she whispered, ‘One kiss, Dex. Just one.’

It only made his eyes darken.

Bad choice.

Sophie could practically hear him think bad girl . And she liked it. Not that she had any control when it came to Dex, who only brought the bad side out of her. She could feel that darkness, thick with desire, creeping under her skin desperate to be free.

His fingertips gently feathered along the side of her neck, creating a flurry of goosebumps to pour from between her shoulder blades and down her spine.

His thumb tenderly stroked under her chin, making her face lift to bask in the heat of his gaze. Normally, she’d duck her head to hide, close her eyes, and avoid all eye contact. But right now, she’d never felt bolder.

When his warm lips descended onto hers, barely brushing them, she sighed with anticipation of them fully touching, to taste more of what she’d dreamed of so many times.

He gripped a handful of her hair, pulling her closer, and she leaned in for that kiss. A kiss she’d expected to be hot and rough, but it was surprisingly soft and gentle, yet masterful.

He was so effortlessly skilled at playfully teasing her needy body, while his tongue darted into her mouth, asking for more. His left hand snaked around her back, dragging her closer to cradle the back of her head, and she was all his. Mouth, lips, and tongue, controlled by the man gripping her hair and exploring her mouth, upping the pace as if to suffocate her—but what a way to go.

She arched her back, her breasts pressed against his chest, as her hands skimmed down his strong shoulders, down his back, to slide into the back pockets of his jeans and squeeze like she owned that arse.

That’s when he broke from their kiss to give her his most devilish grin.

‘Good night, Sophie.’ He stepped back, his dark eyes smouldering under heavy eyelids, leaving her heart hammering loudly

He wiped his mouth, shiny from her kisses, with his hair all tousled from her fingers. His shirt had pulled free from his jeans, all because of her. She’d hate to see how she looked in his eyes, with her wild hair and swollen lips.

He nodded and headed for the door.

Before he made it, she grabbed his arm. ‘Stay. ’

‘But you said—’

‘I’m allowed to change my mind, especially if you keep kissing me like that.’ She was burning up so badly with a fire so wild inside, she had a feeling that the only one who could control it was Dex.

‘I’m sure I can do that.’

She backed up from the man, so much taller and stronger than her, and so sinfully beautiful. He ripped off his shirt, she had to stop to stare. She was no longer the nurse, not when she wanted the job as his new lover and could only admire his perfection. Her fingers touched the smoothness of his chest, down over his once-sore rib, to that perfect set of abs.

‘You don’t have to do this.’

‘Do you want to stop?’ She grinned at the intensity of his eyes. She had her answer.

He moved with the grace and surety of a lion, like the one tattooed on his shoulder. Standing before him, she could only pant with wide eyes like prey, helpless to move, to flee.

Oh, she most certainly wanted this too.

He wrapped his hands in her hair again, running his teeth along her jawline before whispering seductively in her ear, ‘You can say no.’

‘No. I mean, yes.’ She swallowed hard. ‘Do you have any protection?’

‘I do.’

Of course he did. Dex would’ve planned this entire night out. It irked her how easily she’d been seduced.

‘Don’t be mad, Soph. I can leave.’

She gripped his arms. ‘Don’t you dare.’ Her lips crashed into his, to pour out all her frustrations, to push past her fears, to focus on this moment and on this most gloriously potent kiss.

Her palms skimmed over his strong shoulders, to run fingers through his hair, gripping him tight as if to possess him with her mouth, the same way he left her breathless and writhing against the wall.

And then, when he clamped his hands on her backside with a resounding whack , she gasped. His lips smiled against her mouth, but he didn’t stop kissing her as he carried her to the nearby bench, not the bed, where suddenly they were all groans and hands, exploring skin where clothes were removed at a feverishly fast pace.

‘Stop.’

It was enough to drag her out of her lustful haze, opening her eyes at the naked god who stood before her, reaching for his clothes.

‘Did you say stop?’ Her heart slammed into her throat. She couldn’t swallow. Was Dex leaving?