Lauri Robinson by The Sheriff's Last Gamble Read Free Book Online Page A

said, nuzzling her temple. “If I carry you down this hallway…” The consequences were great, but so was his love. Torn, he couldn’t find the words to explain why they should stop now.
    Caressing his neck, keeping his desires on the surface, she rested her head on his shoulder. “I know what’s going to happen in my bedroom, Jake. It’s what I want.”
    “I want it too, but—”
    “But what?” She kissed his neck again, nipped at his earlobe, and then lifted her head, met his gaze. “You’re going to marry me, Jake McCrery.”
    Solid determination, without a hint of acting, shone in those blue eyes. A wave of something he could only explain as ecstasy rushed through his bloodstream. “I thought you didn’t want to get married,” he said, half teasing.
    “I didn’t,” she answered solidly. With the corners of her mouth curling, she added, “Until I met you.”
    He could have shouted to the stars for all the jubilance racing inside him. “You are going to marry me,” he said, “if I have to drag you to the church.”
    One fingertip traced along his collarbone and down, making circles on his chest as she said, “There won’t be any dragging involved.” The end of her nose touched his. “Don’t make me wait, Jake. Please. Not tonight, and not for our wedding day.”
    It wasn’t until he laid her on the bed and stretched his length beside her that Stacy knew his answer. Waiting would have killed her, it almost was right now. Over the moon and back again with delight, she grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him, rolling on top of him as an entirely new sense of expectations zipped over her skin.
    Gamblers were bold, audacious at times, and she was a thoroughbred, had been since the day she was born. Though she had no need to ever play at a table again, she was fully prepared to use all she knew in this—the game of a lifetime. Pushing onto her knees and hoisting her skirt, she sat straddling his waist and started unbuttoning her dress.
    The glitter in his eyes, the shine on his face, had her heart thumping and her insides swirling. He grasped her hips, held her in place as he scooted to the top of the bed and propped himself against the headboard. Then his hands took over for hers.
    “You never told me why you needed help,” he said, moving on to the next button.
    Stacy’s mind was focused on the pleasure that had her breasts growing heavy and tingling, therefore it took a moment before she recalled the conversation downstairs. Rubbing the hard muscles of his forearms as his fingers continued unfastening her dress, she answered, “I needed someone to take over winning back what people kept losing.”
    “Why?”
    His hands slid between her dress and camisole and his thumbs rubbed the peaks of her breasts, making her nipples throb. The sensation was so unique it stilled her breath and set her center pulsing against his hardness. Closing her eyes, she glorified in the awareness until a wild, burning ache spread through her entire body.
    Pushing at her sleeves, tugging her arms free, and appreciating the ability to speak while excited beyond belief, she answered, “Because I’ve grown fond of this town. I don’t want my friends losing all they have at a gambling table.” Once free of the top half of her dress, she found the bottom of her camisole—utterly thankful she’d never grown accustomed to wearing a corset. When the material passed her head, she caught it with one hand and dropped it on his chest.
    Another wave of satisfaction spiked inside her as his eyes and hands settled on her breasts. “Besides,” she said, willing to admit how much she loved him. “I wanted to make you jealous.”
    His hands cupped both breasts firmly; it was heavenly.
    “I’ve been jealous of any man who even looked at you since the moment I first saw you sitting at Edward’s table.”
    Her spine threatened to melt and the desire spiraling from her center intensified. “You have?”
    “Oh, yes, I