“What?” He glanced around. “In the middle of the damn field where anyone can see us?”
“Yep.”
“No way.”
“Oh. I see. It’s okay when you make me strip down so you can have your wicked way with me, any time, any place. Need I remind you we had sex in my front yard, McKay?”
Shit. He was so totally screwed.
The triumph shining in her eyes made him half-wary and completely hard. Skylar fisted her hands in his shirt and pulled his mouth down to hers for a fiery kiss that should’ve set the hayfield on fire.
Kade groaned. God he loved kissing this woman. His woman. He loved her taste. He loved the way she curled her tongue against his. He loved the softness of her lips. He loved the sharp nip of her teeth. Mostly, he loved the fact she loved him.
She broke her mouth free but not her hold on his shirt. “I want you.”
“And I want you. I always want you. Let’s go back to the house, I’ll get cleaned up, Ma can watch Eliza for a bit longer and we can—”
“No. Right here, right now.”
“But I don’t think—”
“Know what I think? That you don’t want to think. You want a woman who will drag you off that damn tractor to f**k you in the weeds any time she pleases.” Sky brushed her lips across his ear in an erotic glide that made him shiver. “You want a woman who doesn’t care if you’re covered in dirt because she plans to f**k you in the mud like an animal anyway. You want a woman who gets all hot and bothered by your possessive primal male declaration of ‘I protect what’s mine’ and then balls your brains out in the barn.”
His c**k went rigid.
“I like the way you smell, fresh off the ranch. I like the way your tired muscles feel, flexing beneath my greedy hands.” She licked his throat. “I like the way you taste.
Everywhere.”
“Sky—”
“Kade,” she imitated his tone. “The naked rule is in effect. Strip.”
“Wait a sec—”
“Nope.” Buttons flew as she ripped his shirt open.
“Skylar!”
She’d focused on unbuckling his belt as she rained kisses down his belly. “Damn T-shirt. Why do you have to wear so many layers of clothes?”
Why did he? Hell. He could not think. “Ah. Um. Protection from the bugs and sun.”
“This little scrap of cotton isn’t gonna protect you from me.”
Kade groaned again.
“Fine. Half-naked works. You want to leave your boots on?”
Kade’s head was spinning with, what the hell had gotten into her? Followed by, why are you resisting?
“I take that as a yes.” Zip. His fly was undone. Yank. His Wranglers and boxers were down past his knees. She looked up at him. “Are you gonna lay back on that blanket?”
When he didn’t move, her eyebrows rose in challenge. “Or am I going to have to push you down?”
Somehow, he managed not to stumble and ended up flat on his back, his c**k sticking straight up like a divining rod, as he stared at the stunning cloudless blue of the big Wyoming sky.
Then an even prettier Sky was above him. “With your jeans around your boots, you’re hobbled, cowboy. You can’t get away from me.”
“You put your hand or your mouth or your pu**y on my c**k and I guarantee I ain’t gonna try to get away.”
She grinned, looking as carefree and wild as he’d ever seen her. “Have I mentioned that I love you?”
“Once or twice, but I wouldn’t mind hearin’ it again. And again.” He reached for the tie on her hair. The shining waves fell around his face like a curtain of silk. He crushed a handful of the sweetly scented strands and inhaled deeply.
She slowly unbuttoned her blouse, letting it flutter to the ground. Her rosy ni**les were completely visible through the lacy pink bra. Skylar threw her leg over his hip, scooted back and lifted her skirt.
He caught a glimpse of a dark triangle of curls between her milky white thighs.
“Good Lord. You ain’t wearin’ panties?”
“Nope. Since you usually rip them off anyway, I took them off in the truck.”
“Hopin’ to get lucky, were you?”
“I already knew I was the luckiest woman in the world when I saw you on the tractor. When you came running across the field to meet me.”
“Sweetheart—”
“Let me finish. I didn’t think it was possible to fall in love in a month. But I do love you. Not because you’re Eliza’s father but because you’re you.”
“A month? I gotcha beat, babe, by a country mile. Do you know I’ve been in love with you since our second date?”
“No, but I figured it was a possibility when I found that letter you sent today.”
“You found it? Where?”
“It’d been shoved in a pile of junk mail. I’ve gotta say, for the strong, silent type, you certainly have a way with sweet words.”
His cheeks heated. “You didn’t think it was dumb? Or corny?”
“It was beautiful. And hopeful. And perfect.”
Kade twirled a section of her hair around his palm as he composed his thoughts. “If you hadn’t found that letter, would you be here?”
“Yes. It wasn’t that I thought you were lying about writing it. It’s just the way I am, Kade. I’m the type of person who needs proof in order to believe.”
“Believe what?”
“Believe you were with me because you cared about me, and wanted me for me, not just because of Eliza.”
“I only told you that about a dozen times. You want more tangible proof that I love you?”
“No. That’s not what I meant.”
“Hang on.” In one quick movement he whipped off his T-shirt.
Her eyes narrowed on the square of white gauze on the left side of his chest. “What happened? How did you get hurt?”
“Self-inflicted. It’s not completely healed, so you can’t touch it yet.” He peeled the adhesive tape and lowered the protective gauze so she could see his brand new tattoo.
Skylar’s eyes widened, then pooled with tears. “Kade. You did that? For me?”
“Yep.”
“Why? You hate needles.”
“When you came to me the other night, and left your marks all over me, I knew they’d fade and I wanted to prove that you’re a permanent part of me.” He glanced at the puffy red skin, and the heart with Skylar scrolled in the center.