RockHardHeat Page 2

  “It’s all for you, darlin’.” Chet rocked back on his heels, clearly pleased with her reaction.

  She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him as tight as she could. “It’s so beautiful. Thank you.” He knew how much she loved roses and now she had her own private garden. “But I don’t know anything about growing them.”

  “Then you’ll learn. A gardener comes in regularly and you can fit your schedule to hers. Or, you can simply enjoy them. It’s hot in here, so why don’t you pick whatever you want for a bouquet.”

  Jenna threw her arms wide. “How can I possibly choose?”

  Right at that moment the overhead sprinkler system grunted and water rained down, soaking them.

  “Shit! They were supposed to fix that,” Chet boomed over Jenna’s screech of surprise.

  “I think it’s fabulous.” Jenna spun around under the water and laughed. She grabbed Chet’s arm and twirled around him. Her summer dress was soaked and clinging to her skin within seconds. He watched her spin and hardly noticed how quickly his clothes also got soaked. She was a delight and the wetter she got, the more transparent her dress was. Revealing all her lovely charms to him through the fabric. His throat tightened and desire seeped down his spine.

  “C’mere, darlin’.”

  Jenna let out a surprised gasp when Chet spun her into his arms and flush to his chest, her fingers splayed over his powerful muscles. She pressed her palms to his soaked shirt and took in every hard plane of him. The brim of his hat shielded her face and sheltered them from the indoor shower. Sexual heat bubbled in her belly when their gazes met.

  Jenna’s breath stilled. She pressed into his muscles then slid her hands over his wide shoulders to lace her fingers behind his neck. She had come to know him so well and the look in his eyes right now told her volumes. Her gaze dipped to his smiling lips. He lowered his head to her and she encouraged him by pulling him closer. They paused with their lips a hairsbreadth apart, the air between them almost crackled with their passion. Jenna was sure she could feel little jolts of electricity ripple along the sensitive skin of her lips and like magnets they were drawn to one another.

  She arched against him until they were molded together from shoulder to hip. His cock pressed into the rippled folds of her skirt. Even though the sundress was a light summer fabric, Jenna felt as if she were weighted down with a parka. Keeping them from being flesh-to-flesh.

  “Kiss me,” she murmured.

  “Darlin’, you don’t have to ask.” And he crushed his mouth to hers, pushing her until her bottom was pressed against the wooden bench supporting all her roses.

  The intoxicating scent of the blooms, mingled with Chet’s wild and natural essence, ignited Jenna. Her legs didn’t seem to want to support her and she wobbled until Chet lifted her to sit on the wood. The water raining from the sprinklers seemed to lessen after the initial deluge, as if the pressure had righted itself. They were both soaked and the heat of their bodies misted into the hot greenhouse air. She was a steaming bundle of passion and scrabbled to get Chet’s jeans undone, keeping her lips locked to his.

  He slipped one then the other strap off her shoulder and pushed the bodice of her dress down until her breasts were bare. She sucked in a breath and leaned back into his supporting hands. Chet nuzzled along her jaw, down her neck. His tongue scorched a trail until he pulled her aching nipple between his lips.

  Jenna froze with delight. But she wanted, needed, more. His heavy, wet jeans made it difficult to free him and finally she pushed them past his hips until he was clear. His cock heavy and hard in her hands. He had positioned her perfectly on the bench and it was so sweet and easy. She pushed her thong aside and guided him into her pussy.

  “Now, Chet, here among my roses you grew for me—” The words caught in her throat when he thrust deep, spearing her with ecstasy.

  Jenna widened her thighs, giving him more room, and locked her ankles around his hips, pulling him in with her heels. She gripped his shoulders and met his thrusts.

  “Ah woman, anything, anything for you.” His voice was strained and he blazed a trail from her breasts until he caught her lips with his again, kissing her as if he needed her to sustain his life.

  His words, his touch, his lovemaking, everything about Chet fulfilled her beyond words and tears seeped from her closed eyes. Emotion overwhelmed Jenna, and her desire rose to a fevered pitch unlike anything she had felt before. She lost her sense of space and time, the only grounding was Chet’s arms around her, and she let herself go. Sensation took over and carried her, wrapping her in his aura until the groans of his pleasure finally took her to the edge.

  He drove hard and deep into her center. Chet reached between them to find her clitoris. His fingers swirled on the sensitive pearl until she sucked in ragged breaths. Jenna’s mind went blank. Her orgasm built in slow, blissful peaks. She sucked in a quick breath and hovered, poised and waiting. Chet’s pace increased and his groans triggered her to action. She wanted them to come together. With his hand still pressed between them she tightened her heels on his ass, keeping him firm and buried in her until her muscles clamped down on his cock. He let out a groan when he swelled inside her with his release.

  Jenna cried out as he filled her and she crumpled into quivering contractions in his arms. Chet leaned a hand on the bench to support them, his face resting in the curve of her neck as Jenna clung to his shoulders. Slowly her legs sank until her feet rested next to his calves.

  Jenna blinked and looked around. Realization of what they had just done in such a public place alarmed her.

  “Chet. We should get dressed. What if someone sees us?” She pulled her dress up and flipped her hair behind her. “Oh, the water stopped.”

  He looked up at the sprinklers. “So it has. Damn stupid things.” He helped her off the bench and fixed the front of his jeans.

  “If they hadn’t gone off would we have…had sex?”

  He shrugged and took her hand. “Who knows, but I’m glad we did. There’s more I want to show you.”

  “Chet, you’ve done far too much as it is.” Jenna still flushed from making love, followed him between the rows of fragrant roses. She wanted to bury her nose in the blooms and inhale their perfect scent. But she’d wait to see what he had up his sleeve now.

  “Here. See this plant?”

  “Yes. It’s lovely.” Deep-red blossoms covered a bush set aside on a table.

  “It reminded me of last winter.”

  Jenna smiled. “You mean the roses you left for me on my birthday?”

  “Yes.” He gave her a gentle push toward the plant. “I bet the smell is even nicer than the ones I got you before. Take a sniff.”

  Jenna looked at Chet with curiosity. He was up to something. The smile on his lips and sparkle in his eyes gave it away. “What’s going on? You’re being kind of odd.”

  He burst out laughing. “Odd? Not what I expected to hear from you.” He nodded to the plant again and shifted on his feet, crossing his arms over his chest.

  Jenna turned to it and furrowed her brows. It was a pretty plant, but why was it so special to make him act so antsy? She stepped forward and cupped a bloom in her palm, holding it steady. The tease to inhale its exquisite fragrance and let the velvety petals brush her cheeks drew her. Jenna closed her eyes and enjoyed the sweet scent.

  “Mmm. I do love roses.”

  “I know you do.”

  He stepped close behind her, pulled her ass up tight to him, circling his arms around her waist. His fingers splayed on her belly. How she loved the touch of this man.

  “Oh Chet, you are asking for trouble.” She moved to turn around and face him for a kiss, but he stopped her.

  “Take a look at that big flower there. It’s one of the largest I think I’ve ever seen.”

  “Which, that one?” A wide one seemed hidden behind the rest and she moved aside some leaves so she could see it, careful not to get pricked by a thorn. A flash came from inside the flower and Jen
na jumped. What the hell?

  “Yes, that one.”

  Curious now, Jenna turned the plant until she could see the bloom better and gasped.

  “Oh my God. Chet! Is that—”

  “Yes, darlin’. It is.”

  Gently, Jenna held the bloom and stared at the sparkle in it. A diamond ring nestled in the blossom. “It’s beautiful.” Prisms of light sparked from within the red petals. Tears welled up and emotion rushed through her, strangling her breath. The hand holding the rose trembled, causing more flashes of light to reflect off the diamond.

  “Take it, darlin’. That is, of course, if you want it.”

  His words prodded her to life. “Of course I want it. Oh Chet, I’m stunned. This is so not expected.”

  She cupped the rose and carefully moved aside the petals until she saw the full glory of the ring. It was a solitaire, close to two carats with trillion diamonds flanking the stone. It must be worth a fortune.

  “It’s a Canadian diamond. I thought it would be appropriate, under the circumstances.”

  Jenna’s tears mixed with laughter. “Very appropriate. Seeing I’m from Canada and all, eh.”

  He turned her to face him and took the ring from her fingers. Jenna gazed into his chocolaty-brown eyes, knowing her own reflected her love for him.

  He held her trembling left hand in his.

  “Jenna.” He paused and licked his lips. Suddenly he seemed anxious. It was the first time since she had known him he ever appeared nervous. Other than the time on the mountain when she had her accident, but that was totally different.

  She nodded and rested the palm of her right hand on his cheek.

  “You have made this cowboy happy. In so many ways.” He swallowed and continued. “It kills me to think of you leaving again. Maybe that’s selfish of me, but I don’t want you to go. Ever.”

  Jenna nodded. Tears overflowed and spilled down her cheeks. Chet reached up, the ring flashed in his fingers, and with his thumb swept away the trail of her happy tears. Ever so receptive to his touch, she instantly responded to him. But this was serious and she had to keep her head about her.

  “Don’t cry, darlin’. This is nothing to be sad about.”

  Jenna gulped a sob and tried to stem the tears for him. Looking into his eyes, which were full of love for her, and at the tender smile on his face, was more than she could bear. She flung her arms around his neck, crying into the curve of his shoulder until her tears blended in with his already wet shirt. “Oh Chet. I never, never expected this.”

  “Darlin’, I knew the minute I laid eyes on you in the airport last winter. You were just so darned hardheaded.”

  Jenna stepped back and smiled through the tears. She let her hands slip down from his shoulders and rested them on his forearms. “I know I can be.”

  “So, now,” Chet lifted her left hand, “am I putting this on you or not?”

  She looked down at the amazing ring. It was beautiful and caught the light, reflecting a rainbow of prisms. “You didn’t need to get something so extravagant.”

  “Yes I did, darlin’. Jenna, look at me.”

  She raised her gaze to his. Love for this wonderful man swelled inside her until it stole her breath. “Chet.” Her word was barely above a whisper.

  “Will you stay and share the rest of your life with me? As my wife?”

  She nodded and this time she didn’t cry. She smiled and leaned into him, wanting to feel his lips mesh with hers. He met her and she curled the fingers of her right hand through his hair, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. Their tongues tangled and her belly trembled with sexual heat. Jenna broke away from him. “Oh yes, Chet. I’ll stay. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than with you.”

  His lips curved into a brilliant smile and he slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. Just as they did together. She held her hand up and gazed at the flashing sparks from the stones.

  “Just like you, darlin’, all fire.”

  About Cristal Ryder

  An expressionist through words and art from a young age, Cristal read her first romance at age twelve. Taylor Caldwell introduced her to passion and romance that fuelled a craving to read anything she could get her hands on. Reading long into the night until her father shouted for her to turn off the light.

  Cristal wrote her first story at fifteen and spent many hours escaping into worlds she created on the walk to and from high school. Now, ready to experience all life has to offer, Cristal tempts her readers and takes them on journeys of passion to vivid locations with squirm-in-your-seat plots. The combination of artistic talent with her gift for the written word helps Cristal bring to life the characters and stories she weaves.

  Cristal lives in a small Canadian town, is a single mom of two college-aged sons and, yes, they do fly home after their initial excitement of leaving the nest! Along with her writing, Cristal works full time in the law enforcement field, loves horses, the outdoors and will jet off at any given opportunity to see the world. Cristal is multi-published and excited to be an Ellora’s Cave author.

  Cristal welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

  Tell Us What You Think

  We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email the author directly or you can email us at Service@ellorascave.com (when contacting Customer Service, be sure to state the book title and author).

  Also by Cristal Ryder

  Elemental Heat

  Oh, Canada!: Hot Fusion

  Switch Me Up

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing

  www.ellorascave.com

  Rock-Hard Heat

  ISBN 9781419941405

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Rock-Hard Heat Copyright © 2012 Cristal Ryder

  Edited by Grace Bradley

  Cover design by Syneca

  Photos: Anetta/Shutterstock.com

  Electronic book publication August 2012

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book.

  The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.

  Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com to find erotic reading experiences that will leave you breathless. You can also find our books at all the major e-tailers (Barnes & Noble, Amazon Kindle, Sony, Kobo, Google, Apple iBookstore, All Romance eBooks, and others).

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  Cristal Ryder, RockHardHeat

 

 

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