He fucked her hard. Not fast. Methodically. Each stroke deep. When she knew he was close, she gyrated her hips. He leaned over her back and hissed, “This is my art show. You will not rush me. You will stay still and taking every fuckin’ stroke I give you, Macie.”

“Carter—”

He whacked her butt.

She whimpered.

He smacked his hand into her behind again. Harder.

She whimpered louder.

“Interestin’. I think you like it. Next time maybe I’ll spank this ass good and red before I fuck it.”

Why didn’t the thought of that absolutely humiliate her?

Because he could do any damn thing he pleased to her body and she’d ask for more.

It gave her a sense of security because she knew he’d never ask for—or take from her—

what she wasn’t willing to offer.

“If I had a bottle or a candle or a dildo I’d slide it in your ass. Let you feel being fucked both places at once. By me. Would you like that, dirty girl?”

“Yes.”

Carter dug his fingers into her hips and came with a snarl, her name on his lips.

Macie’s orgasm exploded on the heels of his, her greedy vaginal walls keeping him buried deep as he pulsed and throbbed and lost his fucking mind in her heat and passion.

They fell to the ground, Carter on top of her and inside her. Breathing heavily.

Her cheek was pressed into the canvas. She cracked one eye open and noticed yellow and blue streaks. “Whoa. How much paint is on my arm?”

“Not as much as other places.”

How had she not noticed? Right. She’d been a little distracted by his mouth on her clit.

“You’re covered in it. Sorry, I got a little carried away. It was just so damn sexy, getting to use my hands to paint you. To spread colors on your beautiful curves, especially since I can’t seem to get them to look right on canvas.” He sighed. “Lord, woman, you just fulfilled my top fantasy.”

“Mmm. Remember that when it comes time to fill mine, cowboy.”

“Don’t you mean cowboys?”

She changed the subject. “The paint washes off, right?”

“Nope. It’s oil paint. We’ll have to use turpentine.”

“Oh my darlin’, oh my darlin’, oh my darlin’, turpentine…”

He snickered. “You’re singin’? I think the paint fumes have affected your brain.”

“You would know all about that.”

“Mean,” Carter whispered against the nape of her neck. “You are mean as a snake sometimes, Amazin’ Macie.”

“You just told me I fulfilled your ultimate fantasy and now you’re calling me mean?”

“Sorry. You’ve blown my mind to the point I ain’t thinkin’ straight.”

“You think you could think straight long enough to get your dick out of me before the paint fuses it there?”

“Aw, sugar pie, honey bun, would that be so bad?” His tongue swiped the shell of her ear and she trembled. “I seem to remember a certain hot Indian chick beggin’ me to put that dick in that very spot.”

“Very ungentlemanly of you to bring it up, McKay.”

“Fine.” He pulled out and rested his head in the middle of her back. “Stay with me tonight. I want you sleepin’ in my bed.”

“But—”

“But nothin’. You said I could have whatever I want, right?”

“Right.” She muttered, “I knew that statement would come around to bite me in the ass.”

He slithered down and chomped her left butt cheek.

“Carter!”

“You shouldn’t give a man ideas, darlin’.”

“I was hoping you’d get the idea to get off of me. Soon.”

“Only if you promise you’ll stay with me.”

It made her heart hitch to hear the pride battling with the need in his voice. “Okay. I promise.”

“Good.” He stood and helped her to her feet. Carter spun her into his arms for a long, sweet kiss and a bone-crushing hug. He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Thank you, Macie.”

“For?”

“For knowin’ what I needed when I didn’t know myself.”

“You didn’t know you needed a blowjob?”

Carter slapped her butt. “I’m not talkin’ ’bout sex. I’m talkin’ about… Never mind.

Just forget it.”

He tried to squirm away but Macie held fast. “I’m sorry for being flip. Tell me what you meant.”

That seemed to mollify him. “For lettin’ me show you my intensity. For seein’ me.

The real me. You seem to know what I need. No one else ever has. No one has ever cared. You make me feel…whole.”

They stayed locked together in a silence weighted with both spoken and unspoken words.

Chapter Twenty-eight

“No. Keep yourself centered. That’s it. Keep that free arm wavin’ high. Use them spurs! You’re off—” Shit.

And the kid hit the dirt with a loud grunt. The lanky boy stood and threw his cowboy hat in disgust. “I ain’t ever gonna get it.”

Cash said, “Walk it off, son. Take a coupla minutes to cool down then come back and try’er again. That’s the only way you’re gonna get better.”

The kid jammed his hat back on his head and limped off.

“You’re pretty good with these kids, Cash.”

He angled his head to look at Colby, who’d hopped up on the fence. “You sound surprised.”

“I am. Speaking of kids…how come I didn’t know you had one?”

“Subtle as a freight train, ain’t ya?”

Colby shrugged. “It fits, since I’m more than a little steamed at you. Why didn’t you tell me about her?”

“I didn’t tell anyone. Trevor found out a couple of years ago when Macie came to see me rodeo. He hit on her; I hit him. He’s kept his mouth shut since then. He’s good at keepin’ secrets.”

“I’ll say,” Colby muttered. “So are you. We traveled together for what? Three years?

And you never once mentioned her?”

“Can you blame me? With the way she looks and the way you went through women?

I didn’t want her nowhere near McKay cowboys or the rodeo circuit.”

“That ain’t workin’ out so well for you, now, is it?”

“Fuck off.”

He chuckled. “So what is goin’ on between your beautiful daughter and my brother Carter?”

“He’s paintin’ her or some damn thing.”

“That’s it?”

“No, but it ain’t like I’m gonna ask either of them for particulars. They are spendingtime together, whatever that means. I just know something he did upset her last week.

And that upset me. You had the misfortune of callin’ me right after I got done talkin’ to her.”

“Well, I ain’t talked to Carter about it, but I do know he’s a good guy. He’s way more a gentleman than the rest of us. Educated. He’s laid back. I doubt he’s playin’ her, he just ain’t that type.”

Cash snorted.

“Besides, does it really matter? They’re both young. They ain’t gonna settle down and set up housekeepin’. This is probably just a summer fling. They’ll fight and fuck and move on.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“No. But I don’t want your newfound parental instincts to cloud your judgment, Cash. Yes, Macie is your daughter, and you’re lookin’ out for her. Truth is, she and Carter are both adults and they gotta work out whatever is goin’ on between them, themselves.”

“Basically you’re tellin’ me to butt out.”

“Yep.”

Cash believed Colby was right on some level. But it also made him wonder how well Colby knew his brother. Carter McKay wasn’t the love ’em and leave ’em type, which was why Cash was so worried about Macie.

You can’t have it both ways. You’re afraid she’ll settle down with him; yet, you’re afraid he’ll leave her high and dry.

No. Cash was afraid that no matter what happened with Carter, Macie would leave him.

“So as long as I left my subtlety at home, how’s it goin’ with you and Gemma?”

“Good.”

Silence.

Colby sighed. “That’s it?”

“Married life has made you gossipy as an old hen, McKay.”

“Come on. You and Gemma have been circlin’ each other for damn near two years.

Now you’re workin’ on her ranch and sleepin’ in her bed?”

“I know you sent her my direction because you knew I was lookin’ for work, and I appreciate that. But that don’t mean I’ll be spillin’ my guts to you or anyone about what happens behind closed doors.”

“Fair enough. Then tell me what’s happening with her stock contracting business.”

“It’s pretty much dead. Appears no promoters wanna give her a chance.”

“This ain’t because of what happened with Mike Morgan last summer?”

“Not entirely. The last guy she had helpin’ bad-mouthed her to everyone in five states. Evidently he was pissed off she wasn’t payin’ him more. He took a job with one of the bigger stock contractors and even the little rodeos won’t return her calls.”

“That sucks. What’re you doin’ to help her get back in the game?”

Cash scratched his chin. “Honestly? Nothin’. I don’t know why she’d want to travel when she’s got this beautiful chunk of land to call home. Hell. I’d never wanna leave here.”

Colby nodded in understanding.

“She finally let me look at the books last month. Even during the busiest month last summer when she supplied stock for two rodeos a week, she was barely breakin’ even.