Texas Two-Step: Cowboy Shuffle Read online

  He grabbed her by the ankles and pulled her to the edge of the mattress as she let out a squeal. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m taking you in a manly fashion.” With a grin, he pulled her onto her feet, spun her around and pulled her tightly back against him. He turned her face toward the mirror and pressed his mouth close to her ear. “Look at how good we look together.”

  As she met his gaze in the reflection, he pressed her down toward the mattress. With Ellen bent at the waist, watching them in the mirror, her hands braced on the bed, he gripped her hips and slid inside her with a shudder and a groan of pure amazement.

  He expected it to feel amazing. What he wasn’t prepared for was Ellen’s wild side. When he tried to take it slow and gentle, she rocked back against him until the room was filled with the sounds of slapping flesh and her moans. When he came, sooner than he would have wanted to, she barely waited for him to stop throbbing inside her. She spun around and stripped him of the used condom. She pushed him onto the bed and crawled between his legs, where she drew his still sensitive and twitching cock into her mouth.

  “Holy crap.” He hissed in a breath as she sucked in his over-sensitized cock completely. Pleasure bordering on pain shot through him as Ellen worked him with her teeth and tongue, bringing him back to a full hard-on in minutes. Before he knew it, he was covered with a fresh condom and she was straddling his hips.

  Her cheeks flushed, her hair mussed and sexy as hell, she hovered above him. “I like being on top.”

  Of course she did. He had no doubt. Ellen in bed wasn’t much different then the hellcat he knew in daily life. She always liked to be in charge. Shooter should have realized that.

  “No doubt.” He drew in a shaky breath as she rose up and angled his cock toward her entrance. “Be my guest.”

  Still wet, she slid down over his shaft easily. As her eyes drifted closed and she let out a low moan, Shooter found he couldn’t drag his gaze from her face. Then Ellen began to ride him hard and fast until his eyes closed as he became absorbed by the sensations she caused.

  He couldn’t say if it lasted a minute or an hour, he was so overwhelmed by the time Ellen brought them both to another orgasm. Her muscles gripping his cock inside her dragged a shaky cry from him. He grabbed her hips and held her still while he shot off into her. She let out one more full-body tremble before collapsing over him in a panting mess.

  Now that he’d had her, Shooter wanted this woman more than ever. He couldn’t help himself as he said, “Go out with me.”

  “What?” Still breathless and flushed from his loving, Ellen pushed herself up to frown at him.

  “Let’s go on a real date. Just us. No Wes or Maryann. Just you and me and a nice dinner somewhere.” Shooter smiled. He liked the idea. Then after dinner…well there were plenty of things he craved from Ellen that would be far better than dessert.

  She frowned. “I never even imagined you’d want to go out. I thought you’d just want one night and then we’d go back to the way things used to be.”

  He raised a brow. “You thought wrong.”

  Ellen shook her head. “Shooter, you and I can’t go out.”

  Or maybe it was Shooter who had thought wrong. “Why not?”

  “Well, for one, there’s this guy I met online. His name is Buddy and I kind of wanted to see where things would go with h—”

  Shooter’s eyes flew open wide. “A guy online? You’d go on a date with a perfect stranger, but not with me?” He fought the urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation he’d created himself when he’d created Buddy. The irony wasn’t lost on him. Shooter was now competing against himself for this girl.

  “Shooter, he’s really nice and I want to give it a chance.”

  Now he did let out a laugh, but it was filled with bitterness, not humor. “Fine.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Get dressed. I’ll take you back to your car.”

  “Don’t be mad.” The expression in her eyes told him she was sincere.

  He guessed she really was sorry she’d just spoiled him for all other women and then told him she didn’t want to date him because she was into the fake guy he’d invented online. God, his life was fucked up.

  He sighed. “I’m not mad.”

  It was the truth. How could Shooter be angry with Ellen? He’d made this mess. He had a lot to think about, such as how to straighten it all out. He stood and, annoyed with the world right now, yanked his jeans up his legs a big harder than necessary.

  Chapter Seven

  After nearly two weeks of wooing Ellen online as Buddy, avoiding her whenever possible and trying to act like everything was all right as Shooter, he’d had enough.

  He sat at the computer and opened yet another message from Ellen to Buddy. She confided in her new online interest about everything. Work. Life. Riding. Wes. She’d even hinted about him, Shooter, in one message. It was surreal. It was annoying. Time to end this shit. She’d written to him that maybe at the next rodeo, which was still two weeks away, they could meet. Fuck that. He glanced at the time in the corner of the computer screen. Three-thirty in the afternoon. No time like the present.

  Why wait? I want to meet you now. Today. You said that you’re off. Meet me in the parking lot of the diner in the middle of town this evening at five. Nothing serious. We’ll just have coffee, if that’s all you want.

  It didn’t take long and a reply flew back to him. Holding his breath, he clicked to open Ellen’s response.

  Okay.

  Shooter let out a shaky breath. That was it then. They finally had a date. Well Buddy and Ellen had a date, but it was Shooter who would be meeting her.

  He arrived early at the predetermined meeting place in the mostly empty parking lot behind the local diner where they’d promised to meet for coffee. There were a few cars parked there, most likely belonging to the employees inside working their shift. He knew the place didn’t get hopping until later in the evening, and most people parked on the street out front until there were no more spaces, then they drove around back. This would be private enough for whatever happened. He figured the chance of her beating him with her fists was pretty good. It would be preferable it that happened without an audience.

  Second guessing the wisdom of this meeting more with every second, he was out of his truck and leaning against it, arms crossed in what he hoped was a relaxed pose, when her car pulled up. He knew the moment she saw him.

  Even through the glare of the windshield, the expression on her face was clear, and it was about as surprised as he’d thought it would be. He braced himself for impact.

  She got out of the car and, keys jingling in one hand, walked up to him. “You’re Buddy, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah. Sorry. Disappointed?” Shooter steeled himself for her answer, or her anger, which was also a good possibility.

  Ellen didn’t answer right away, and then she laughed. “No.”

  “Really?” He took a step forward and dared to reach out and run a hand up and down her arm.

  “Yeah. Actually, it explains quite a lot.”

  He frowned. “Such as?”

  “Such as how Buddy could know so much about me. How he and I could have so many interests in common.” She shrugged and her gaze held his. “It wasn’t he and I, it’s you and I…we have a lot in common. I guess I just never noticed before.”

  Shooter pursed his lips. “We were both too busy bickering with each other to notice.”

  “You’re right. You know me. Better than I ever wanted to admit.” She took a step forward and put her hand on his. She laughed. “It’ll be kind of nice to not have to go through the new-guy awkward stage. I mean, hell, I can eat all I want in front of you.”

  He grinned. “Hell, you can load up on all-you-can-eat barbecue and then burp at the table if you want.”

  “Thanks, I guess.” Ellen laughed. “And you’ve already seen all my clothes so I don’t have to worry if what I’m wearing is good.”

  He gl
anced down and noticed how low cut her shirt was. What she was wearing was good from his view, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to let her go into the restaurant like that. She’d have to fasten at least one more button. But relief that she wasn’t pissed and slapping him right now kind of overshadowed his need to cover her assets from other men.

  Shooter nodded and enjoyed the feel of her hands holding his. “Yup. You’re right. All that is very true. And don’t forget, there won’t be that awkward first kiss, or the first time we…you know.”

  “Mm hmm. We were pretty good at the you know part.” Ellen leaned closer until they were pressed together from thigh to chest. They knew each other well, but having her in his arms still felt new and a bit strange, but nice and very right.

  “Yeah. We were. Very good.” He pulled back just a bit to peer down into her face in the dim light. “You’re not mad I didn’t tell you who I really was?”

  “No. I’m not.”

  He raised a brow. “I’ll probably regret saying this, but I’m kinda surprised.”

  “So am I.” She laughed. “But then again, I’ve been surprised a lot lately. Pretty much since you came and rescued me and my dead battery in the parking lot that night.”

  That was the night it had all started for him too, but with his dream. Shooter didn’t tell her about that, but he did dip lower and capture her mouth with his.

  Ellen kissed him until he was hard and wanting, but then she pulled back. There was concern etched into the features of her pretty face. “Buddy said on his profile page that he was ready for a serious relationship. Are you?”

  This question he could handle. Shooter nodded. “Yes. I meant everything I wrote as him.”

  “Really?”

  “Yup.”

  “That’s good, because I learned a lot of things I didn’t know about you through Buddy.”

  “Good.” That was kind of the idea, to get Ellen to see and like the real him, without being colored by her prejudice and preconceived ideas. That and to keep her away from the other guys on that damn site.

  She glanced up and swallowed. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

  “Me as Buddy, or me as…me?” His eyes narrowed, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

  “You as you.” Ellen smiled and then sobered. “And that night.”

  “Ah, so you only want me for my body.” He joked even as the insecurity popped into his brain. He wanted her to like all of him, not just his incredible skill in the bedroom department.

  “If only. That would be easier than having to face the fact that I want you for you. All of you. The good and the bad. Inside and out. It’s kind of disturbing.” She let out an exaggerated sigh and sent him a sideways glance.

  He laughed. “You’ll get over it.”

  “I guess. Shooter? I’m not really hungry or interested in coffee right now.” The smoldering in her eyes told him she may not be hungry for food, but she was definitely hungry for him.

  An uncontrollable grin overtook him. He ran the tip of his tongue over his lips. “We, um, could skip the diner and go hang out at my place if you want.”

  His stomach twisted with excitement when he remembered what had happened the last time they’d been there together. This time would be even better because she knew the truth and she liked him anyway. Not to mention he’d run to the store and bought a brand new box of condoms, a vibrating cockring which should work very nicely while she was on top, and—just in case—a bottle of lube. Ellen was a wild woman in bed, and if she decided she wanted to be a little extra adventurous tonight, who was he to argue?

  Still smiling at the thought, he leaned down again. With his lips hovering close to hers, he said, “I want you as my girl.”

  “I never thought I’d ever say this, but I’m glad, because I want to be your girl.” Ellen shook her head and laughed. “God, Wes is going to tease me about this forever.”

  “Forget about Wes.” Shooter claimed her lips, which definitely drove Wes right out of his mind.

  He kissed her to help her forget too—her brother, any doubts, anything at all that would keep her mind from him, here and now. Judging by how she pressed her hips closer to his, it was working. He reached down and with a hand on each cheek of her ass, hoisted her up. She wrapped her legs around him and moaned, grinding against the bulge of his erection through is jeans.

  Breathless, he pulled away. “If we don’t get to my place soon, I’m going to toss you into the bed of my truck, peel off these jeans, and fuck you silly.”

  She cocked one light-colored brow. “I dare you to.”

  His eyes opened wide. “You’re a dirty, dirty girl, Ellen Griffin.”

  “You like me that way.” Her smile turned devilish.

  “Hell yeah, I do.” He walked, her legs still clasped around his waist, to the back of the truck and laid her on the open tailgate. The moment his hands were free from holding her, he went to work on her belt.

  “Wait. Shooter, we can’t really do this here.”

  He glanced around. “Why not?”

  He nearly laughed at the panic that appeared on her face. “We’re in the parking lot. Anyone could drive up and see us.”

  She was right, but he wasn’t going to give in that easily. “Inside the cab then.”

  Ellen hesitated and looked as if she was considering it.

  “Come on.” He didn’t give her a chance to say no. Shooter grabbed her hand and pulled her to the passenger side. He flung open the door, picked her up and plopped her down on the edge of the seat so she faced him with her feet braced on the open door frame.

  “Mm, perfect height.” He demonstrated by stepping in between her thighs.

  “Shooter—”

  “Stop worrying. No one’s back here.” He smiled and popped her jeans button.

  She tried to protest when he slid the zipper down, right up until he slipped his hand inside her panties, then her eyes drifted shut as he connected with her clit. He noticed she was no longer arguing. She was, however, panting a bit. He circled her harder, faster until she began to shake.

  “Shooter. I’m going to…” She drew in a gasp of a breath and never finished the sentence, not that she had to. It was obvious to him he had her teetering on the edge of an orgasm.

  “I know, darlin’.” He smiled and watched her unravel before his very eyes, shaking and gasping as he drove her to a climax that went on and on.

  Finally she grabbed his hand and pulled it away. “Stop. Too much. I can’t take anymore.”

  She was still flushed and gasping for breath when he took a step back.

  “For now.” He grinned. “Zip up. We’re going to finish this at my place.”

  What he had in mind would require privacy, space, and lots and lots of time. Possibly a lifetime, but he wasn’t going to think that far ahead right now. His philosophy was live for the moment, and he’d never been happier than he was right now.

  Shooter sat in the driver’s seat and glanced at Ellen, still pink-cheeked from the pleasure he’d given her. He couldn’t believe she was actually his girl. He smiled as he turned the key in the ignition.

  Reality was even better than his dream and this was only the beginning.

  The End

  About the Author

  As an author of contemporary romance in genres including military, cowboy, manage and a little bit of paranormal, Cat Johnson uses her computer so much she wore the letters off the keyboard within a year. As a self-proclaimed promo 'ho, she is known for her creative marketing and research practices. Consequently, Cat has sponsored bull riding rodeo cowboys, owns an entire collection of cowboy boots and camouflage shoes for book signings and a fair number of her consultants wear combat or cowboy boots for a living. In her real life, she's been a marketing manager, professional harpist, bartender, tour guide, radio show host, Junior League president, wife and avid animal lover.

  For more information on other books by Kim, visit her official website: www.CatJohnson.net


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