Rope

Excerpt:
Del turned and glanced at the man. He stood tall, over six feet she guessed. He pulled off his black Stetson to hang it by the door. His face looked familiar in a classic way, high cheekbones and a broad forehead. He scanned the room as if searching for someone. His heated gaze caught on her. She felt his surveillance, the measuring look in his eyes. The cowboy started toward the bar, his black brows slanting as he stared at her. The thought of him getting any closer made her uncomfortable. He looked like a bad guy from an old western, rough with his grizzled face and serious mouth.
“Hey Jimmy!” he called, and Del turned to see that her drink had arrived.
The bartender waved a casual hello to the cowboy and nodded at her. “There ya go, Missy. Wanna keep a tab or is that it for you tonight?”
The cowboy squeezed in between Del and the gentleman sitting next to her. His arm rubbed hers. He smiled a crooked grin.
“Uh, I’ll have a tab,” she blurted.
“Care to dance?” the cowboy asked.
Del looked over at the floor. The lights were low and the people hadn’t thinned one bit. “Not really my thing,” she said, turning back to him.
“Maybe a slow dance?”
She looked him up and down, noticing his rugged body and the tight way his jeans hugged his legs. It had been a while since she’d slow danced. Her gaze settled on the curly, black hairs rimming the unbuttoned collar of his chest. Del sucked in her lower lip for a moment. It had been a long time since she did much of anything with a man. “Maybe.”
He shrugged and ordered a beer. She watched him drink as she sipped her sour margarita. “What’s your name?” he asked.
“Del. Yours?”
“Garrett.”
“Pleasure to meet you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine.” He drank back half his beer and reached for her hand. “Next song, you’re mine, okay?”
“That depends on the song.” His palm felt rough against her wrist. He closed his fingers over her skin and she wondered what it would feel like to be held down by such a strong man. The stray thought sent a thrill through her body. It’s been way too long. Del let him run his thumb across her skin for a little while, but the sour salt of her margarita made her mouth water for more. She pulled away, slowly so he’d know she wasn’t offended. Del brought her wide rimmed glass to her lips.
Garrett drank his beer and eyed her over the top of his glass. He guzzled it to the end. Licking his lips, he leaned close. “You picky ‘bout the song or the company?”
“The company looks good to me.” She chuckled at herself, a little startled by the flirty comment.
“How long you stayin’ at the ranch?”
“Two weeks. Why?”
“That ain’t very long.” He pursed his lips, returning his face to that stark look he had on when he came in. “Guess we better get to know each other pretty quick then.”
“Oh? Maybe we should just dance and leave it at that.” She swirled the liquid in her top-heavy glass. The music surged, slowed, died and a slower song started up. Del shot a glance at the dance floor. Couples changed their pace. Others, mostly singles, left the area altogether.
He gripped her wrist. She felt his cheek against hers as he leaned in and whispered, “Ready?”
“I guess so.”
He led her onto the floor, past the throng of cuddling lovers and into the corner of the room. A firm hand held hers and a tight forearm pressed into her lower back. Garrett led her with precision, a man practiced in the art of control. Del watched his face. She couldn’t think of anything to say. He stared at her in an intense way. They moved in step, his chest touching hers. She felt every intake of his breath. The song wore on and soon, she felt his upper leg running against her crotch. The pass startled her, but she held her tongue.
Her long, silk skirt hid his advance. The muscles on his leg were taut, hard, grazing her pussy and filling her with a throbbing need to experience more of this man. He fixed his cheek against hers, his mouth touching her earlobe. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in a long time.” He kissed her ear in a gentle way. “You goin’ on the morning ride?” he whispered.
“Thanks and no.” He smelled like leather and spicy cologne. Del breathed in his scent. She relaxed and let him guide her side to side, his leg warm between her inner thighs. She ran her fingers up and down his back.
“Why not?” he murmured, his lips soft and heated against her earlobe.
“I have work to do.”
“That don’t sound like fun to me.”
The music swelled around her. She felt a bulge in his jeans when he spun her. This stranger turned her on. She wanted to finish her drink and take him back to her room. I’ll do unspeakable things to him and sleep better than ever when we’re done. “What does sound like fun to you?” she asked, her voice husky.
His hand slid down her back until his thumb hooked in the waist of her skirt. “I can’t say. It might embarrass you.” Fingers thrummed at the top of her ass. “You wanna be embarrassed?” he stopped moving. His stubbly cheek scraped against her face as he pulled back to stare at her.
“Maybe. Buy me another margarita. I’ll think on it.” She flashed him a wicked grin.
He raised a brow and nodded. “All right. I think I can manage that.” He closed the distance between their lips and brushed a kiss across her mouth. He smelled like beer.
She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him harder. Garrett didn’t pull away, but slid his hand down her skirt and squeezed her butt cheek. She parted her lips, anxious to taste more of him, but he turned his face away.
“You don’t waste time, do you?” he asked. The music kept on, and he guided her into motion, keeping his steps slow, easy to follow.
Heat ran up her neck and cheeks. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me.” Embarrassed, she wriggled out of his grasp and strode across the dance floor. Del rummaged through her small purse and left a ten on the bar. She had to escape, had to run away from the heat the cowboy put off. It was animalistic, undeniable and driving her to do and say things she normally wouldn’t. She exited the bar and hurried along the rustic path. The sky glittered with silver stars against a vast, navy blue blanket of horizon. The air felt chilly. She fumbled in her purse, looking for her room key, found it and started up the hill that led to her building. She’d requested a single room set apart from the suites by the other people attending the seminar. She liked her privacy and didn’t care for the parties that often occurred at such functions. A javelina ran across the sidewalk, startling her. Del gasped and froze, her gaze shifting to the natural landscape at either side of her path. “Damn it. Why did I want a room up here again?”
“It’s all right. They won’t hurt you,” a masculine voice called.
She spun around and spied Garrett walking a little ways behind her. His boots made soft thumps against the concrete, and he appeared taller in the dim shadows. Solar lights limned him from beneath, giving his chiseled face an alluring, sinister appearance.
“The tourists feed them so much they act like spoiled dogs. Just don’t mess with ‘em if they have young. That’s when they get feisty.” He strode right up to her and held out his hand. “We didn’t get to finish our dance.”