Page 19 of Barn Burner
“You’ve earned this!” Cooper cheers, passing Brayden a cold beer.
“Thanks,” Brayden chuckles almost shyly. His eyes find mine as he takes several gulps of his drink, and I bring the cold soda Cooper got me earlier to my lips to give me something to do with my hands before I grab hold of Brayden, throw him over my shoulder, and haul him outside.
“You did great up there!” Rhett praises him, and the two of them start talking about the times Rhett took part in a local rodeo event.
It hits me just how well he fits in. Laughing and joking with Cooper and Rhett. The way he treats my mom with respect and kindness and how he always appears like he has all the time in the world for my dad. I’m sure if Lena met him, she would get along with him, too. But I need to remember he’s leaving soon. This is just a stop in his journey, a reprieve from whatever life he normally leads, and I need to make sure I don’t lose sight of that, no matter how well he’s slotted into my family.
“What about you?” Brayden asks, snapping my attention back to now.
“Mhm?”
“How do you think I did up there?” He tips his head toward the mechanical bull, then steps closer. His fingers find the button of my shirt, the one right above the waistband of my jeans. “Do you think I can ride well, cowboy?”
I swallow hard, and my voice comes out in a deep rasp. “Is that what you want? To ride me?”
His tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip. “It’s just one of the many things I want to do to you, Jesse.” He smirks up at me, his eyes blazing. Molten. And it’s right there that the thread I’ve beenholding on to snaps.
With Cooper and Rhett distracted with some friends from town who have turned up, I wrap my hand around Brayden’s wrist and tug him through the crowd and out the front door. Warm air hits me like a wall, only adding to the inferno burning up a storm inside me. I lead him through the parking lot to where I left my truck, glad I offered to drive but sending a silent apology to my brothers as they’ll need to catch a taxi back home.
I press him against the side of my truck, pushing a thigh between his legs, then curl a hand around his neck. I don’t squeeze. I simply apply a slight pressure with my thumb and forefinger just beneath his jaw to hold him in place.
“Fuckin’ hell, Brayden. What are you trying to do to me?” I growl.
Pleasure flickers in his eyes, like my crumbling restraint turns him on.
“I’m trying to make you let go of that control you hold so fucking tight so you’ll take what you want and kiss me,” he confesses, angling his chin up defiantly. “I want you to give in. To let go of those reins and just let yourself be selfish for once. Use me. Fuck me. Do whatever you want to me.”
“You want that?” I ask, shifting my leg, and he grinds down against my thigh.
“I want you so fucking bad, Jesse, I can’t fucking stand it anymore.”
Neither can I.
My fingers flex around his throat before I drop my hand and reach to pull open the passenger door. “Get in.”
He gets into the car while I fire off a quick text to my brothers, apologizing for leaving them so suddenly and tellingthem I’ll pay them for their cab ride back to the ranch. Brayden’s silent for the drive back, but I can sense his eyes on me the entire time. Like he’s thinking of all the ways he wants to undress me, just like how I was earlier when he was sitting on that bull.
When I pull up outside my house, I throw my truck into park and jump out. The gravel crunches beneath my boots as we head toward the porch. Brayden follows me inside, and the moment the front door slams shut, I turn and press him back against it. Our mouths collide in a heated kiss. The crash causes my hat to tumble to the floor, but I don’t care.
I don’t care about anything except devouring this man, who’s currently grinding his erection against the thigh I’ve shoved between his legs and sliding his tongue into my mouth with desperation and hunger.
“Fuck, Jesse.” His moan is muffled against my lips.
I crouch slightly, hooking my hands beneath his thighs and lifting him up. He lets out a surprised noise, instantly wrapping his legs around my waist. I carry him down the hall into my bedroom and toss him onto the bed.
“Strip,” I demand and start making quick work of my own shirt buttons. I toe off my boots, and they land on the floor with a thud.
Our eyes remain locked as he strips out of his clothes like I told him to. Each piece of clothing that lands on my bedroom floor reveals inches of toned, golden skin as I shed my own clothes.
I knew he was hot from the glimpses he’s teased me with over the last week, but holy shit. He’s fucking breathtaking. Broad shoulders and sculpted pecs. A lightly defined six-pack with a deep-cut V, providing the perfect guide to where his cock juts out, all hard and leaking and begging to be touched.
“Damn, look at you,” I find myself saying, mesmerized by the strong lines of his thighs and curve of his calves.
Brayden’s lips tip into a cocky smirk. “Look at me? How aboutyou? ’Cause fuck me, Jesse, you’re fuckinghung.” His tongue darts over his lower lip. “I don’t know what I want more—to suck your dick or have you fuck me so good I can’t sit down tomorrow.”
My cock throbs at his blatant desire. I’m so used to quick hookups in bars that you don’t get the chance to edge and build that pent-up need to the point your veins are trembling.
Moving to the edge of the bed, I step between his spread thighs and grip the base of my shaft. I tap the head of my cock against that plush bottom lip and growl, “Suck.”
