Page 36 of Cowboy Stole My Heart
Chapter 10
MIAstretched out but kept her eyes shut tight. The sun was bathing her in warmth, and she wasn’t ready to kick the covers off and give up her snuggly spot on her bed. She pulled the covers up higher, basking in the delicious moment between asleep and awake, wondering if she should just go back to sleep instead of getting up so early.
Buzz buzz, buzz buzz.
She reached across to her side table for her phone, forced to open an eye when she didn’t manage to clasp it. Who would be calling or texting her so early in the morning?
She saw it was indeed a text message, actually three of them. Snuggling back down, heart starting to race in anticipation, she unlocked her phone and scanned the messages.
Had a great night, would love to see you again before I fly out. Any chance of round two? T
Mia groaned. Seriously, Trent wanted to see her again? He’d spent more time texting and replying to emails. She got being busy with work, but it had really started to get on her nerves. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but he wasn’t for her.
I was thinking dinner again. Or drinks. Pick you up again?
She sunk deeper into her pillows. Not a chance. She was pleased she’d said yes to going out, but there was no round two. Mia shut her eyes, seeing Sam’s face, remembering his lips on hers, how his mouth had tasted, the slightly rough brush of his stubble against her top lip that had made the whole thing feel even sexier. She sighed. Maybe Trent would have been more her type if she hadn’t already met the delicious Sam Mendes.
She looked at her phone again. Message number three was from Kat, which meant that none of them was from Sam. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but she had only bothered to reach for the phone so soon after waking because of him.
Mia stayed in bed, pleased she hadn’t drunk too much the night before. Three glasses had been plenty, because she hated having to work her horses with a hangover. Hours out in the hot Texas sun, wearing a riding helmet, was enough to give her a headache by the end of the day without adding alcohol into the mix.
She scanned the news, checked her messages again, then had a quick look on Instagram before finally rising and walking out to her kitchen in her PJ’s. Mia opened the fridge, got out some fruit and started chopping, before pulling out a bowl and emptying some homemade muesli into it. She finished making her breakfast, topped it with some yoghurt and then curled up on her sofa, staring out at the view as she ate.
When she’d built this house, it had been for her own sanity, and it had remained her own little oasis away from the main part of the ranch. She loved the land, land thathad been in her mother’s family for generations, even though most people who didn’t know their history would think her father had purchased it. He wasn’t the only one who’d contributed to their billion-dollar family fortune. It was the connection to her mother that was most special to her, and when she watched the landscape through her huge glass windows, she could imagine her riding past in the distance. Her mother had always worn her long hair out, and she’d loved riding bareback, and Mia was certain that was why she’d always been so balanced in the saddle. She’d started riding with her mother when she was young, holding on tight as they’d gone for big rides over their land, until she’d started to ride her first pony, Bubble, alongside her. Even now, she could jump a fence with as much ease bareback as she could with a saddle on.
She finished eating her muesli but didn’t move until a soft knock startled her. No one usually bothered her here, especially not in the morning. Her father respected her space and understood that she liked her privacy, and as well as she could recall, she was certain none of her siblings were home visiting. She hadn’t seen Angelina in weeks, since she’d last come home for a quick weekend vacation, and Cody hadn’t visited in months. Not that her brothers would bother knocking first, they weren’t anywhere near polite enough for that, and Ange would have just called out before letting herself in.
She stood, tugging her loose fitting tank top down and checking her shorts weren’t riding up too high. The knock sounded out again, a bit louder this time.
“Coming!” she called out.
It only took her a moment to move through her living space toward the front door, and she saw Sam standingthere through the glass. It was the only downside to having a house with so much glass on every exterior wall; visitors could see in and she had nowhere to hide.
“Hey,” she said when she opened the door, leaning against the heavy timber, conscious of the fact that he was fully dressed and she was wearing only enough clothing to cover her boobs and butt.
He looked down, clearly taking in her bare legs. She knew her stomach was just showing but she refused the urge to tug her top back down for fear that it might then expose way too much of her breasts. She wasn’t exactly used to anyone seeing her in what she slept in.
“Hey,” he finally said in reply. It had probably only been seconds, but she felt like she’d been standing there forever with him staring at her.
“You, ah…” she fumbled over the words, not sure what she was even trying to say or what she wanted to say. Because all she could look at was his mouth and all she could think about was kissing him again. Mouths fused, bodies pressed tight, inhaling the masculine, delicious smell and feel of the man she couldn’t stop thinking about.
Sam didn’t say anything, buteverythingabout the way he was looking at her changed. He looked predatory, the darkness of his eyes and the gentle upturn of his mouth as he suddenly stormed the distance between them exciting her as much as it terrified her.
It took him four, maybe five strides to close the gap, eyes never leaving hers as he cupped her body against his and walked her back against the wall. Mia gasped, the wall cool against her skin, the softness of his plaid shirt brushing against her skin and making her want to move closer into him instead. But then his knee moved between her legs and she realized the shirt was the only soft thing abouthim. Sam pinned her back, one hand on her hip, the other grazing her face as he brought his mouth down and kissed her. Hard. This was like last night reigniting all over again, his lips unrelenting, his touch firm. She happily gave in to him, wishing she had the courage to push him back and lead him brazenly by the hand down the hall to her bedroom. But she didn’t.
Instead she let him lead, let him take control. She surrendered to his touch, gasping when his fingers brushed the bare skin on her hip, his leg even harder against her as she pushed against him and moved closer, drinking him in, unable to get enough of him.
She was being roughed up in her own house, and loving every second of it.
Mia snuck her hands between them, pushing at him, desperate to feel his skin against her fingers. Their lips were moist, meshed together, moving in time, and she wanted more of him.
“No,” he rasped, pulling back the moment she tugged at his shirt.
Mia didn’t listen to him, pushing against him again, mouth searching out his, not ready to stop. There was no way he was going to leave her like this, and he wasn’t the only one who knew how to take charge.
“Mia,” he said softly, hands on her shoulders as he held her back.
Why was he stopping? “No,” she disagreed, scooping her arms around his neck and smiling as she stared at his lips and then pulled him down. She didn’t exactly have to force him to dip his head; one tug and he was groaning and moving to meet her, his mouth rapidly finding hers again. This time his kisses were slower, matching her pace, teasing her and slowly, softly brushing back and forth.It felt even sexier than before, her whole body tingling in anticipation as his palms rested on her hips, fingers curled into her skin.
