Rebecca Zanetti - Under the Covers

Grabbing both her hips, he thrust inside her with so much force, sparks flashed behind her eyes.

Even so, she opened them in shock. Pinned against the table, helpless, she breathed out, her nerves firing. So much demand coursed through her, she could barely think.

“You okay?” he rumbled, the hands on her hips tightening.

“Yes,” she whispered. She’d never felt like this—never—but that was something to worry about later. After. Way after. Going purely on instinct, she wiggled her butt. “More.”

His grip turned brutal. Pulling out, and then shoving back in, he began to pound. Hard, fast, so strong, he thrust. The sound of flesh slapping flesh echoed around the room.

Flames licked inside her sex right where he plunged, filling her almost too full. She clapped her hands against the table, her body straining for release.

Somehow, he increased the strength of his thrusts, propelling her up on her toes. Each relentless drive sent her higher. Her thighs trembled and started to shake. Her sex contracted until pain and pleasure melded together.

A ball of fire exploded inside her, spiraling out through nerves, muscles, and skin. She arched her back and cried out, her eyes closing. Waves of sparking pleasure whipped through her in shattering spasms.

The orgasm lasted forever. Finally, the waves ebbed. Coming down, her body relaxing, she rested her cheek on the cool table.

His fingers left bruises as he ground against her while he came.

She felt the second reality returned to him. His hold relaxed, and whiskers rubbed her neck.

“Juliet?” he asked.

“Hmmm.” Opening her eyes and speaking real words would be too much effort. She’d quite possibly never felt this good. Ever.

He withdrew from her body and gently lifted her off the table to face him. “Sweetheart? You okay?”

Her eyelids slowly opened. Concern bracketed Quinn’s handsome face and glowed bright in his gaze. She managed a tired grin. “I’m excellent.”

He shook his head. “I was too rough. Damn it.”

Reaching up, she ran her palm along his jawline. “You were perfect, Quinn Lodge.”

His shoulders relaxed. “That was only round one, sweetheart. Now we get serious—in the bedroom. Where I can treat you right.” An expression filtered into his eyes she couldn’t identify. Warm and soft, it increased her heartbeat and set alarm bells ringing in her head.

She swallowed, wanting to protest.

He leaned down, the room tilted, and she found herself cradled in his arms. He turned to head out of the dining room. She snuggled close, enjoying the sensation of muscles shifting in his chest as he moved. Wasn’t there something—

Reality hit them both at the same time. Quinn stopped suddenly with a sharp intake of breath.

The jeans were still around his boots.

His eyes widened, he tried to hop, but whatever had tripped him wasn’t letting go. The room swirled around.

Juliet yelped and dug her nails into his chest.

He spun midair, changed their positions, and dropped backward onto a coffee table. She landed hard on his chest. For a heartbeat, the room silenced. Then the table gave way. Wood splintered with a resounding crack, and they crashed to the floor. She smacked her head on his chin. He groaned.

Frowning, she rubbed her head while settling on top of him, straddling him. “Are you all right?”

He exhaled, and a table leg rolled out from under his rib cage. “Yes.” Both hands ran down her arms. “Are you all right? Did I hurt you? Damn, I’m sorry, Juliet.”

Warmth flushed through her. “You sacrificed your body for me.”

He grimaced. “I like your body better than mine.” His hands wandered from her arms to play with her breasts. “Are these okay?”

Heat climbed into her face. Electricity zapped from his fingers to her rapidly awakening clit. “Ah, fine.”

“Good.” His voice roughened. “Though I should check you head to toe in order to make sure. Once we’re in the bedroom.”

The world disappeared. “Now that sounds like a smart plan.” Her worries, her fears…everything except the sexy sheriff ceased to matter. For this one stolen moment in time, life was good. No matter what happened the next day, she was taking this night. Pushing against his impressive chest, she scrambled over his already erect cock and down his legs. “Let’s get your boots off first.”

“Good idea.” He sat up, and pieces of the table rattled.

She huffed out a laugh and yanked off his boots along with his jeans. “There, now. No more tripping.”

He shoved himself up and kicked the jeans out of the way. They spiraled through the room and hit a Western oil painting on the far wall. The painting dropped to the floor.

Juliet covered her mouth with her hand. “There’ll be nothing left of your house when we’re done.”

His grin was all wolf. “Works for me.” Lunging for her, he ducked a shoulder and tossed her over it.

She caught her breath at his speed, her face against his back. He began moving through the house. A calloused hand caressed her butt, and she wiggled. He caressed harder, taking claim, holding her in place.

A tingle wandered through her.

He climbed stairs, and his fingers dipped between her legs.

She gasped out, seeing stars.

Slowly, one finger entered her while another tapped her clit. She gave a strangled cry. “No, stop.”

He stopped moving just inside a doorway. “Okay.” Another finger slid inside, stretching her.

Oh God. “I meant—”

“I know what you meant.” His silky hair brushed her skin, and his teeth nipped her thigh. His thumbnail scraped across her clit. “Control isn’t something you get to keep here, Juliet.”

Her abdomen quivered. If he didn’t cease his playing, she was going to orgasm over his shoulder, completely at his mercy. While the idea was intriguing, she had to keep some dignity. “Being upside down gives me a headache,” she said.

His fingers deserted her, and she had just enough time to relax before a hard slap echoed across her buttocks. Fire lanced straight to her sex. “Quinn.” She meant it as a protest, but his name came out on a moan.

“No lying—not here and not now. When we’re like this, only honesty. Agree or you go home.” His muscled shoulders shifted as he took a deep breath. “After I turn your ass red.”

She gasped and then slowly relaxed. Lies didn’t belong between them when they were together like this. “No lying,” she murmured. Then, her hands slid down his back to grab a very impressive ass. “Though I’m getting bored with this discussion.”

He laughed and took several steps. Air brushed her skin as he laid her on a bed. His fingers trailed down her abdomen. She gyrated against him, her breath catching.

He released her, and she tensed in protest.

“We have time, sweetheart.” Desire spiraled high across his face. Grabbing her hips, he pushed her up the mattress, his body covering hers. He brushed the hair away from her forehead. “You’re beautiful.”

She blinked. This was about sex. Great sex. She couldn’t offer more. “Quinn, I—”

“Shh.” He nipped her lips. “I know. No worries.”

Well, that might hurt a little. “Oh, okay.”

He settled between her legs. “But for the next couple of hours, you’re mine, sweetheart.”

The possessive tone battered down any defenses she’d been trying to shore. “Maybe I’ll claim you, Sheriff.” Tangling her fingers through his thick hair, she tugged his mouth down to hers for a slow, long, drugging kiss.

A jangle echoed by the doorway. “Freeze!” a woman yelled.

Then things happened too fast and too slow all at once.

Juliet screamed.

Quinn leaped from the bed and toward danger.

Juliet scrambled under the covers.

“Jesus Christ,” Quinn bellowed, jumping back for the bed and shoving under the covers with her.

Juliet clutched the bedspread to her chest, her gaze on the doorway. Quinn’s college-aged sister stood with a bat clutched in her hands, her blue eyes wide and her face extremely pale.

The woman’s mouth opened and closed several times. She threw the bat to the floor and ground her fists into her eyes. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. I could’ve lived my whole life without seeing…that!”

Quinn growled and threw a pillow at her while remaining safely under the covers. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Dawn ducked the pillow and peered between two fingers. “I came to talk to you and found Mertyl wandering down the road. Titan followed right behind her.”

“Oh.” Quinn sat up but kept the bedspread over the important parts.

“And”—Dawn’s voice rose in pitch and volume as she dropped her hand—“I came inside, and it looks like there was a big fight. The table is broken, a painting is down, and I heard a noise up here. So, I grabbed the bat and came upstairs.”

Quinn stilled. Tension vibrated through the room. “Let me get this straight. You noticed signs of a fight, of danger, and your logical choice was to grab a bat and come upstairs.”

“Um—” Dawn took a step back.

Juliet fought the urge to hide her face under the bedspread. “I’m so sorry, Dawn.”

The woman shuffled her feet. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t know—I mean, that you and Quinn—well, I mean—”

“Go away,” Quinn muttered. Then he frowned. “Why didn’t you call for help before coming upstairs?”

Dawn’s eyes widened just as heavy boots pounded up the stairs. Jake rushed into the room followed by Colton, their younger brother. Both men wore faded jeans, work gloves, and thick shirts. They’d obviously been working the ranch.

Dawn giggled. “I did call for help.”

Oh, God. Heat shot into Juliet’s face so quickly her skin burned. She pulled the sheet over her head.

Jake’s laugh rang through the room.

“I’m going to arrest all three of you for trespass if you don’t get the hell out of here,” Quinn barked.

The sound of a door closing was a prelude for a moment of silence before laughter echoed down the hallway stairs. Quinn tugged on the sheet.

Juliet held onto the heavy cotton with all of her might.

“Juliet? They’re gone.”

It didn’t matter. She’d never live the last few moments down. Good thing she was leaving town. Soon.

Juliet settled more comfortably in the kitchen chair, her gaze on the half-naked warrior cooking dinner. “I think we may have blinded your sister for life.”

Quinn chuckled and stirred the scrambled eggs. “I’d prefer not to think about it again.” The muscles in his impressive arms shifted as he reached for salt and pepper to dump on the eggs. He wore scars on his back, and it hurt she wouldn’t have time to get close enough to ask about them. But she had the night, and she was going to enjoy what she could. He’d thrown on jeans but had left his torso and feet bare. Very masculine. “If I hadn’t been nude, I probably would’ve smashed both Jake’s and Colton’s heads together for not leaving right away.” While the words emerged tough, obvious affection lived in them.

“You and your siblings seem close.” Juliet picked at a loose thread on the shirt she’d borrowed.

“We are.” Quinn removed the pan and slid eggs onto two plates. Delivering one to her, he grabbed a plate of buttered toast. “You don’t have siblings?”

“No.” Not really, anyway. She eyed the eggs. “These look fantastic.”

“Thanks.” He sat and tossed her a napkin. “Eggs are the only thing I know how to cook. Well, besides Christmas cookies.”

Juliet unfolded the napkin on her lap. “Christmas cookies?”

He grinned. “Yeah. Leila and I have a tradition of making Christmas cookies shaped like sheriff stars every year. It’s our, ah, thing.”

Talk about the sweetest thing Juliet had ever heard. “You’re a softy, Sheriff.”

“Humph.” He dug into his eggs. “Why the gallery, Juliet?”

She paused. “What do you mean?”

“The gallery? There are tons of businesses you could open, and you choose a Western art gallery in a small Montana town. Why?” Lazy intelligence glimmered in his eyes.

The need to confide in him surprised a grin out of her. “I love art. Love paintings, drawings, sculptures—even comic books. But, no matter how hard I tried, I never had talent.” She took a sip of water. “Skill, maybe. But not the talent so few have that amazes anyone who looks.”

He nodded. “So you decided to surround yourself with art.”

“Exactly.” For the first time in a month, her shoulders relaxed. “I do have a good head for business, and I have an eye for other people’s talent. That works.”