How to Rope a McCoy (Hell Yeah!) Read online

  Cato watched him saunter off, imagining what it was going to be like to touch his body anywhere and however she liked. Cato pinched her arm to make sure she was awake. “I’m going to make you happy, Heath,” she promised him softly. Or at least she hoped she could.

  Cato had been looking toward the river and missed his return until he touched her hand. “Let’s get in the water.” As she watched, he began wrenching off his clothes, his eyes focused on her as if he were afraid she’d run away.

  Cato followed suit, stepping out of her sandals and putting her bag down by a tree. She felt a little shy. Lowering her eyes, she took the edges of her cover up between her fingers and glanced up. “Oh, my god!” There he was, standing in front of her almost nude—lean, golden, muscular. He looked glorious and a little dangerous. She let her eyes move slowly down his body. “You are so beautiful,” she whispered. Stepping close, she held out her hands to touch his heavily muscled arms. “May I?”

  “You don’t have to ask.”

  Holding her breath, she let her hands go where they would. Cato soothed her palms over his chest, letting her nails scrape through the dark dusting of hair and over his flat nipples. Unable to deny herself, Cato leaned over and kissed him on the heart. She could feel it pounding hard against her lips.

  He seized her hand and pulled her hard against his body. She could feel his penis through his trunks, thick and hard cradled between them. Not one to waste an opportunity, she peppered kisses all over his shoulder and chest. Damn, her conscience was getting the best of her. “Heath, I need to tell you something.” She hoped what she was about to say wouldn’t make him back out.

  Talking, who wanted to talk? “Okay.” He eased back so she could read his lips.

  “I think we should be honest with one another.”

  Shit. What was she up to? “I thought we had been.” He held up his hands, palms out. “I told you I can make no promises.”

  “Come on, let’s sit down. This is important.” She led him to Old Red and hopped up on the tail gate. “This is about me being honest, not you.”

  Great. Heath steeled himself to hear something he wouldn’t like. “What’s on your mind? And bear in mind that I’m near naked and this tail gate is slightly warm.”

  He eased up on it and she had to laugh. “Hold on.” She slipped off her cover and laid it down on the warm metal. “Allow me.”

  “Holy Fuck,” Heath breathed when he saw what she’d had hidden behind that scrap of white lace. Her body was hour-glass perfect. Luscious tits mounded up over her bikini top—generous, touchable, suckable. His body responded immediately and completely. Seeing all of this perfection on screen last night was one thing, seeing it in person was mind-blowing.

  His eyes on her body made Cato go soft and wet. Watching the bulge in his shorts grow hard caused her to clit to swell and her juices to flow. “This isn’t easy,” she admitted. “I’d rather just lie down and let you take me.”

  “Sounds like a good idea to me.” He was fighting for control and he couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt like this. God, he had to keep his emotions in check and what he was doing and who he was dealing with or he was going to lose his mind. Letting himself reach out, one shaking hand, he traced the top swell of her breast. His body felt raw, feverish, like he was walking on hot coals. Every detail of her exquisite womanly body jarred him, scorched him.

  “I know I’ve come on to you like a house on fire, but I’m going mostly on instinct and desire.” She laid one palm on his thigh, running her hand over the hair roughened flesh.

  She was touching him inches from his cock and Heath was having a hard time following her. “You’ve impressed the hell out of me.”

  “Well, that’s the problem. I’m afraid I’ve given you the wrong impression. I’m not experienced, at all.” Cato’s voice dropped. “I’ve never been with a man.”

  Heath’s head jerked up. Now, she had his attention. Hell. She had to be kidding. He knew what O’Rourke had said, but…but… “You’re a virgin? You sure didn’t come across as no virgin last night.”

  He had no more than got the words out of his mouth before her shocked expression registered with him. Aww shit.

  “Last night?” Cato felt her face flush bright red. She sprang off the truck bed and yanked on the cover-up until he rose and relinquished his hold on it. Wrapping it around her body, she stood at least three yards away from him. Cato wouldn’t have looked him in the face if she hadn’t had to in order to know what he was saying. “What do you mean?” Please God, she begged, don’t do me this way.

  “Well, if we’re being honest,” he began, “you must have turned on the monitors and the intercom in your room. At first, I thought you knew…”

  Cato couldn’t breathe. She covered her cheeks, her mouth was open and she thought she might faint. “You saw me? Last night?” Oh, my god. Oh, my god. “No, I didn’t know.” Oh, my god! What she had done! What she had said! Flashes of her rubbing herself between the legs, milking her nipples, crying out to Heath as she fantasized about him. “Oh, kill me now,” she groaned. Cato turned her back on him and just started walking up the narrow lane. He had seen her. Naked! Pooches, dimples, cellulite and all!

  “Wait!” he yelled. “Shit.” Running up behind Cato, Heath stopped her, both arms around her waist. She struggled a little bit, but he held tight, kissing her on the neck. Cato turned to look at him, tears streaking her face. “Don’t be upset. Watching you was the hottest, most erotic thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

  “How?” She wailed, then Cato realized what he’d said. “Really?” she sniffed. Maybe the image had been fuzzy and indistinct—one could hope!

  Heath smiled. “Yea, you were incredible. I have never been more turned on in my life. When you came, baby, I came with you. And I would have torn the door down to get to you, but about that time I finally figured out you had no idea I was watching.”

  “You thought I was performing? Oh!” A fresh screech of humiliation escaped her lips.

  Heath was chuckling by now. He glanced around, it was a good thing this was an isolated area. Him near naked and her having a hissy fit would be quite a sight. “Get over here, Cato.” He pulled her to him. “Listen to me.” She calmed a bit and let him hold her. “The rooms are connected because my dad had a nurse who monitored him constantly. Somehow you flipped on the equipment.”

  She buried her face in her hands, remembering how she’d flipped switches and twisted knobs, having no idea what she was doing. “Damn, I did. I thought it was just a media center for videos and music. I’m so sorry.”

  “Sorry? Are you kidding? I’m not sorry. I have never wanted a woman more in my life than I want you.”

  Heath was holding her tight and the feelings he was awakening in her were stronger than the embarrassment over the striptease. Cato guessed she had a choice, she could be upset or she could be happy.

  She chose happy.

  “So, I guess my little show is why you changed your mind. Isn’t it?” She glanced up at him shyly but with amusement in her tone.

  “Damn right. You brought me to my knees.” He had moved his hands up and was now weaving them through her hair, touching her as if he enjoyed it.

  Cato’s heart jumped in her chest. “I think you made the right decision.” Boldly, she let her hand slide down his abs to the waist band of his shorts—and stopped. “I’ll do my best to be what you need right now.”

  A knot formed in Heath’s throat. Was she for real? If she was, she was worth her weight in rubies and he was one lucky son-of-a-bitch to be the one she wanted. “I’m done talking. Are you?” He closed his eyes as she stroked him, the touch a tender promise.

  “Yea, I’m ready to have a good time with you.”

  A heavy weight lifted from Heath’s shoulders. “Me too.” With one smooth move, he picked her up. “Let’s go tubing.”

  Cato clung to him, giving him a heart-stopping smile. “So, you’re the experienced one. Tell me, how does a fli
ng work?”

  “You’re asking me?” Heath waded into the river, then pretended he was going to pitch Cato in the water, loving how she squealed and held on to him tighter. When she’d stilled, he added. “This was your idea. I thought you had a plan.”

  “I have ideas but no real practical experience. What is the normal methodology for your sexual escapades?” Letting her slide down his body, Heath took some satisfaction when her eyes got big and her cheeks pinkened despite the cool temperature of the water. Where they were standing was only about four feet deep, but she still grasped onto his arms to steady herself.

  “My sexual escapades have been limited to one night stands for a number of years.”

  “Oh, that’s sad,” Cato responded before she thought.

  “No, it’s not sad, it’s smart.” Heath stiffened beneath her hands. She felt the reaction in his muscles. “You’re not about to renege on our deal, are you?”

  “No, no, absolutely not,” she countered. “I’m not ready to settle down. I want to sow some wild oats.” Cato instinctively petted him as she spoke. She didn’t know if it was because she felt bad for his previous experience or if she felt guilty because she wasn’t exactly telling the truth. If she were absolutely honest, she would have told him that this proposed affair wasn’t exactly casual for her. After all, this would be her first time with a man. She would’ve been lying if she said she didn’t want their time together to mean something to Heath.

  “Good.” He didn’t know what he would’ve done if she changed her mind, not in the shape he was in. “So, if you’re asking my opinion, I guess we just pick a time we can agree on and meet up somewhere and have sex.”

  Cato hesitated. That wasn’t how she saw this situation at all. “No, I don’t think that’s how I want to approach it.”

  Heath looked at her suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

  “Well,” she spoke slowly, thinking it through as she went. “Of course I’m not interested in anything long term, but I can’t be that off-hand about this whole ‘affair.’ I think I’d be more comfortable if we spent time together, enjoyed one another, did some fun things and had sex as part of the package—a lot of sex—all kinds of positions. I want to try everything. I’m even up for being submissive if you think you could be dominant.”

  Heath lost all train of thought when she started talking about sex. “Hell, I’m naturally dominant. So, you want to be adventurous?”

  “Yes, I do.” She held his gaze, a wave of heat warming her cheeks. “So, how about it?”

  All of his arguments went out the window. Heath didn’t want this whole thing to work itself into a relationship, but he didn’t want to be a total horse’s ass either. Maybe there was some middle ground, a safety net so to speak. “I don’t really have a problem doing something besides just sex, to set the mood or whatever. The only thing that’s worrying me is what that would be. I never have had much imagination about what girls like to do. If I take one out to eat or go to a movie, I’ve about hit my limit of what might please a female…except in bed, I’ve got that part handled.”

  His grin made Cato’s knees tremble. The man was lethal. “Okay, let me think.” She lay back in the water and floated. Pity, but she had just enough body fat to make that possible.

  Heath knew Cato had no idea how she was affecting him, or if she did, she was a scheming little priss. He sank into the water beside her and put his hands under her back, giving her a little extra support. This way, he was close to those magnificent tits. When she protested, trying to rise, he calmed her. “Just float, I’m helping. I want to hear your ideas.”

  “You make it hard to think, cowboy.”

  “You have no idea how hard,” he drawled.

  Choosing to ignore him so hopefully she’d make sense, Cato offered her solution. “I like planning things. Why don’t you leave the details up to me? After all, my job is to know a lot about the area, maybe I can find us things to do or events to attend that you’ll enjoy. It just doesn’t have to be about me. I want you to have a good time too.”

  Heath liked the sound of that. As far as he knew, this was an unusual concept coming from a woman. “Agreed.” Now to clear one more pesky detail up. This was akin to taking out an insurance policy. “You said I could say when the affair was over, how long it would last.”

  Cato was lying there with the sun in her face. She started to pretend she didn’t understand him, but that would be dishonest. “I did say that. What is your best estimation of how long it will take to sate ourselves, sexually speaking?”

  Just watching the woman talk about sex was painful. His cock was near to bursting. “This is complicated,” he began and Cato rolled away from him and stood up in the water, facing him.

  “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

  With a smirk, he confessed, “I have a sneaky suspicion that sating myself on you would be an impossibility.” When a pleased look came across her face, he was quick to add, “But I also don’t think it would be wise to make this a long, drawn out affair either. I don’t want you to get hurt, you know, in case you start having feelings for me or something.”

  “Arg!” She pushed him back in the water, so quick, Heath lost his balance and landed in the river with a splash. “How rude of you to assume I would fall for you first. What if you fall for me? Huh?” She stomped her foot, which did absolutely nothing underwater.

  Heath came up sputtering and snorting. “Just hold on now…” he held up his hands.

  “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m not gonna fall for you.” She glared at him. “I only want you for your body!”

  Heath smiled. “You’re such a spitfire. Okay, so you’re not going to fall for me. Good to know. So, would a month be reasonable?”

  “Fine.” She cut across the air with her hand like she was doing a karate chop.

  “Good.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m glad we got all that worked out.” Seeing she was miffed at him, he tried to make nice. “To tell you the truth, I’m looking forward to what you come up with. I’ve always been the one to plan things. Sometimes it’s nice when the woman takes control.”

  Obviously, Heath had no idea that when a woman says ‘fine,’ it’s anything but. However, there was something showing on his face that caught her attention, a brief sad look in his eyes. Sometimes not being able to hear had its advantages. Because she couldn’t discern a person’s voice, she had to pay closer attention to what they were saying. For Cato, listening was done more with her mind than her eyes or ears. And what she was hearing Heath say was that no one had ever been concerned with what he wanted. No one had ever done things strictly to please him. “I’ll try not to bore you.” She teased.

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m mostly looking forward to the sex.”

  Playfully, she slapped his arm. “You’re bad.” Then, she smiled at him. “But for your information, I plan on turning you every which way but loose.” God, she hoped she could live up to her hype.

  Heath smiled. “Should I up my health coverage?”

  “Ha!” Cato laughed. She felt like her heart had taken wing. “No, but you might increase your Viagra dosage.”

  “I don’t need no damn Viagra.” Heath snorted, thinking of Jimmy’s Texas-T and wondering if he needed to call him up and order a bottle, just in case. “Time to get you wet, girl.” Grabbing Cato, he unceremoniously picked her up and dipped her in the river, laughing as she clutched him tighter. Making his way to the tubes he’d thrown in, he began to steal kisses from her lips, neck and the upper swell of her breasts.

  “I think you’re succeeding. I feel wetter already.” She gasped as he swung her into the air and set her on top of the big, round rubber tube. It was warm from the sun and felt good to her back and legs. “Yea, take your vitamins, I’m gonna wear you out.” The sight of him, water droplets glistening on his massive tanned shoulders, a happy smile on his face, just took her breath away. He was happy and she was glad. God, it would be so easy to fal
l in love with him.

  “Brave talk for a little virgin, Cato.”

  “Hey, I’ve been cramming,” she protested. At his confused expression, she giggled. “People learn languages without visiting foreign countries. Kids learn how to drive by playing video games. Pilots learn how to fly in simulators. I’ve learned about sex from books and film.” She paddled closer to him, loving how the water felt on her fingertips. “Now, I’m ready to test out my knowledge.”

  “Ah, I’m a guinea pig.” He teased.

  “Pig. You said it, I didn’t.”

  The next thing she knew, she was in the water, Heath had flipped the entire tub. Rising to the surface, she spit water out of her mouth and pulled the hair from her eyes. “Why, you!” Taking her hands like she was about to wield a bat, she hit the sparkling surface and sent a wall of water right in his face. Seeing his surprised look and the water dripping made her laugh. “Gotcha!”

  Yea, maybe she did, but not in the way she thought. “I don’t think so, mermaid.”

  Cato started to dive and swim away, but he caught her foot. Turning, she barely had time to appreciate the perfect male body towering over her before he took his palms and began to thrust the water at her in giant splashes.

  “This is war!” she declared with an ecstatic squeal.

  If someone had been watching, they would have had to smile with joy to watch the man and woman play. They jumped and dove, cavorted and frolicked, hands and mouths catching opportunities to touch and tease. Laughter rang out and walls tumbled down. Neither could remember ever having experienced the pure elation of enjoying the company of another person so much.

  Finally exhausted, Cato found her tube and crawled up through it. Heath picked up his and threw it to one side. “I think I’ll just share yours.” Trying to catch his breath, he placed one hand on the warm rubber and dog-paddled beside her. Tubing had been an activity he’d enjoyed since moving to Texas. The slow moving rivers were ideal for floating and swimming in, unlike the alligator and snake infested bayous of Louisiana. But being with Cato was a trip. She made him feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time—if ever. At first he thought it might be hard to remember to look at her when he spoke, but looking at her was such a pleasure that he didn’t even really have to think about it anymore.