So Wrong, So Right

So Wrong, So Right By Starla Kaye

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. So Wrong, So Right by Starla Kay Red Rose™ Publishing Publishing with a touch of Class! ™ The symbol of the Red Rose and Red Rose is a trademark of Red Rose™ Publishing Red Rose™ Publishing Copyright© 2009 Starla Kay ISBN: 978-1-60435-379-2 Cover Artist: Creative Trailers Editor: Vi Bowen Line Editor: Michelle Ellis All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Due to copyright laws you cannot trade, sell or give any ebooks away. This is a work of fiction. All references to real places, people, or events are coincidental, and if not coincidental, are used fictitiously. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. Red Rose™ Publishing www.redrosepublishing.com Forestport, NY 13338 Thank you for purchasing a book from Red Rose™Publishing where publishing comes with a touch of Class!

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So Wrong, So Right By Starla Kaye

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Chapter One

“What ya crossing off on the calendar, Miss Callie?” Sam put a couple of books on the library counter and gave her his best smile. Lost in her thoughts, Callie Anderson flinched, and her heart nearly popped out of her chest. She blinked in dismay, her cheeks heating. “I‟m just marking off the days of the month.” His brow furrowed. “Don‟t people normally start marking with the first day of the month?” She glanced down, and her face heated even more. Her marks started on the sixth day of March, the date of her last fiasco evening with Dirk Handley. Twelve long days ago. “It looks like you‟ve got quite a selection here,” she said, looking up, determined to change the course of the conversation. She efficiently snagged the checkout cards from each book. “You‟re becoming the library‟s best customer.” “Well I….” The big bear of a man struggled with an explanation. “I‟ve discovered a new interest in reading.” Callie gave him a smile and filed the cards away. The quiet rancher had carted home another stack of books two days earlier. She doubted he‟d even

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opened one of those books, and he probably wouldn‟t open these either. He stopped in to see her, to visit a bit, and to make sure she knew that the small town of Carsonville, Kansas was delighted she‟d come to take over their library two months ago. In particular, he was happy she‟d moved here. “There‟s a dance….” “I‟ve heard about it,” Callie interrupted while he gathered up the nerve to ask her out. She shook her head. “I‟m busy that night, I think. A cousin of mine emailed that she might be coming to see me that weekend.” Lie, lie, lie. She hated lying and hated turning him down again, but she didn‟t want to hurt him. If she accepted one of his casual offers of a date, she was certain he‟d take it wrong. He‟d think she might be interested in him, and she only saw him as a sweet new friend. Ridiculous as it was, her heart and determined hormones only wanted one, totally-wrong-for-her man: Dirk Handley. Except, it seemed he‟d stopped wanting her…twelve days ago, according to the calendar. Disappointment filled Sam‟s face as he lifted his stack of books. “Another time.” “Sure, another time.” Not if I can help it. Not if my plan works out. Smiling at Sam, she escorted him to the door and then locked it once he walked outside. Heart racing in anticipation, she sped in her sensible shoes back around the checkout counter and retrieved the package that had arrived earlier

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from Amazon. More research materials. Reading this stuff was almost as exciting as…. No! No, it wasn‟t. Nothing felt as good as having a nice, long, hard, thick…. Okay, these kinds of thoughts had to stop. For now, at least. Even though it was closing time, she didn‟t want to take a chance on someone else stopping by, wanting to check out a book, and finding her in a less-than-proper state. She‟d be mortified if anyone caught her here with an overly excited body, complete with beaded moisture in a very private place and a flushed face from “naughty” thoughts. It was time to take her “naughty” thoughts and Tickle His Pickle: Your HandsOn Guide to Penis Pleasing home for more research. Tonight she also wanted to finish skimming 101 Sex Positions: Steamy New Positions from Mild to Wild. Then she might search out a couple of things she‟d read about on the Internet. Who knew research could be such fun? Or so stimulating? This goal of hers to win back Dirk was changing her life, bringing out her inner vixen. No more dull and boring for her. Or him. She grabbed her package, her enormous bag, and her jacket. Flipping off the lights as she left, she prayed yet again that her handsome cowboy hadn‟t yet moved on to another woman. She hadn‟t heard any rumors about it. A good sign. A

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hopeful sign. She wanted another chance with him. She wanted to shock him right down to his long, sexy toes. If she could really do this…. If she didn‟t chicken out and continue on leading her “plain” life. Until she‟d come up with this plan, she‟d perfectly fit the classic vision of a librarian: conservative, quiet, reserved, dressing simply, hair always neatly confined. B.O.R.I.N.G. It was a wonder Dirk, the area‟s wildest, sexiest womanizer, had ever asked her out. But he had. Again, and again, and again. Until she‟d blown it that final night. She tucked her precious package closer and strode toward her plain blue Ford Taurus. She was so sick of “plain.”

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Chapter Two

Dirk flew ass-over-head off the new quarter horse he‟d been attempting to train. He landed flat on his butt in the middle of the arena. Two of his best ranch hands struggled not to laugh. Jason, though, was busting a gut. Dirk got to his feet, snatched up his hat before the chestnut could trample it, and scowled at his foreman and long-time friend. “I could‟ve been hurt,” he growled. “Were you?” Jason didn‟t look all that concerned. “No.” He was fine. Except for his pride, of course. “Well then….” Jason went back to chortling. “You‟ve been a mite distracted these last couple weeks.” Big time understatement. Dirk couldn‟t keep his thoughts lined up. Mainly they were mulling over what the hell he was supposed to do about Callie. They were so wrong for each other. Normally he didn‟t care all that much if he had clean clothes, except for going into town on Saturday nights with his buddies to tip a few beers, dance a spell, and, if he got lucky, hook up with a woman for the evening. Maybe for the rest of the weekend. He liked a poker game every now and then. He cussed a blue streak at times to blow off steam. Truthfully,

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he didn‟t know what women saw in him. Well, except that he could be a devil in bed, or so he‟d been told. Bed. Sex. Callie came to his mind again. Almost two weeks back, after nearly a whole night of wooing and sweet-talking, he‟d taken that pint-sized librarian to his bed. He didn‟t remember all of what had happened, because he‟d been more than two sheets to the wind. But whatever they‟d done, she‟d gotten to him. He‟d finally changed his sheets yesterday, because he couldn‟t get a wink of sleep from smelling the musky scent of their lovemaking. The scent had also given him a hardon every damn night since. A fierce one. But only for that darned woman, only for Callie Anderson. When he even thought about one of the other women he‟d gone out with before Callie, his dick went limp. He was a real mess. “You ought to go see her,” Jason said, pulling Dirk out of his wandering thoughts. He dusted off his Levi‟s and tried to play innocent. “Who‟re you talking about?” Jason‟s eyes danced in amusement before he turned to call out to the other men, “You boys round that mare up. Take her back to the stable and rub her down.” He looked back at Dirk. “That pretty little librarian, ‟course.” “I‟m not seeing her anymore.” He started to walk away, but his old friend wouldn‟t let him alone so easily.

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“You aren‟t seeing anyone lately, which sure ain‟t like you.” “Turning over a new leaf, so to speak.” Jason snorted. “Right. She scares you, doesn‟t she? Way, way out of your league.” Hell yes! On both counts. Instead of commenting, Dirk shrugged and headed for the gate. Jason, naturally, followed him. “I heard from one of the men that Sam Thompson has suddenly taken up reading. Been dropping in at the library almost daily now for nearly a week.” Dirk‟s jaw tightened. His neighboring rancher had been a thorn in Dirk‟s ass ever since they‟d gone after the same cheerleader back in high school, seventeen years ago. They‟d chased after other women too. Lately, Sam had stopped playing the field, but Dirk hadn‟t. Sam wanted to settle down. Dirk didn‟t. Callie was a settling kind of woman. Sam‟s kind of woman. No damn way! He made a snap decision, an irrational one. “I‟m heading into Carsonville in a couple of hours. Gonna have dinner with Callie.” Jason stepped through the open gate and looked pointedly at Dirk. “Oh really? You think she‟ll actually go out with you, seeing as you‟ve been kind of avoiding her and all?”

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“Yes.” If she were as smart as she appeared to be, she‟d slam the door in his face when he went to call on her. But maybe she‟d have a weak moment. Maybe she‟d…. Oh, what the hell! He‟d go knock on her door and take his chances.

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Chapter Three

Supergasms? A female orgasmic combo platter? Callie took a quick sip of orange juice, her favorite drink when reading, when researching, careful not to smudge the glass into her exfoliating mud mask facial. And she was certainly heavy into research tonight. She set the glass down on the coffee table loaded with books. Her poor Mid-western, ultra-conservative mother would grow faint of heart if she knew what her innocent daughter was reading. Well, Callie wasn‟t so innocent anymore. No sir, she now knew all about the magic of mastering her G-spot. She planned to do a little more “mastering” later tonight with that handy-dandy mini-vibrator she‟d bought over the Internet…. Whew! Was it getting hotter in here or what? She had cranked up the air conditioner before settling down on her sofa, but it didn‟t seem to be doing the job. Hot flashes? No, she was way too young for them. No, it was this whole wonderful world of sex research, and thinking how she‟d apply her new knowledge with Dirk, that had her nearly melting. She leaned her head back to let another blast of cool air hit her hot, mudcovered face. Maybe she should shed the ancient sweat pants and ratty T-shirt too.

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She needed cooling off, especially before she got started on strengthening her orgasm muscle. She hadn‟t even known it needed strengthening. Well, she hadn‟t really known she even had an orgasm muscle—that blessed G-spot—until recently. Lord, she‟d been naïve. Being naïve hadn‟t been an issue until she‟d started going out with Super Stud Cowboy. He should have terrified someone as innocent as her, but he hadn‟t. She‟d been intrigued, no more than that. They didn‟t belong together, and she had no desire to pick out china patterns or set up a nursery. What mattered was that they work together to expand her sexual horizons. She couldn‟t have found a more suitable partner for freeing the sensual woman she knew was buried within her. Determined, she picked up Oh yeah, Baby! Time to wrap up her research on finding her inner wanton and learn about spicing things up in the bedroom…or the living room…or the kitchen…. She flipped through the positions pictured in the book. Make Him Weep, hmmm. On her sofa, maybe, but not on Dirk‟s leather one. Ohmigod! Maybe sometime in the future when her quads were in seriously better shape. Deep and Wide? Yeouch! Her doorbell rang just as she tried to figure out something called Hot Heaven. Annoyed at the interruption, she put the book down and strode to the front door. She opened it and gaped in horror at Dirk standing on her porch.

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“Hello,” she said warily. She hoped he couldn‟t see around her to her research books. “I was going to ask you to dinner…,” he said and shifted his gaze slowly up and down. “Maybe another time.” Horror at his untimely arrival turned to mortification. “I‟m…busy.” He nodded and began backing away, no doubt in a hurry to flee from the nightmare before his eyes. “No problem. See ya.” Callie watched him go and wanted to cry. He‟d finally gotten around to coming to see her again, and she looked like Freak Woman. She closed the door as he climbed into his truck. She would take his dropping by as a positive sign. The next step was up to her.

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Chapter Four

Dirk drove in a daze from what he‟d just seen, from what he‟d just experienced. My God, what had been plastered all over Callie‟s face? Mud? And her petite body had been swallowed up in those sweatpants and that worse-thana-dust-rag T-shirt. He shivered at the visions torturing his mind while he headed for the Down ‟n‟ Dirty. It just might take more than a beer or two to get those images from his head. Five minutes later he sauntered into the dimly lit bar, already busy even for a Thursday night. Two of his ranching buddies were sailing darts at the board and missing the bull‟s-eye, as usual. They waved him over. He ordered a tap beer as he passed the bar lined with men ragging at each other about who was a better NASCAR driver, who would do better this year on the pro rodeo circuit, and about anything else worth half-ass discussing. As he turned toward the back corner and his friends, he spotted Sara Beth. His steps slowed; his gut knotted. Once upon a fleeting time, he‟d thought about taking things beyond the burning-up-sheets stage. He‟d almost walked into a jewelry store and looked at rings. Almost. Then he‟d caught her lap-dancing with a former friend one night when he‟d stopped in a rowdy bar in the next town.

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She‟d soured him on relationships right then and there. The sight of her rubbing up against one of Sam Thompson‟s ranch hands made him cringe. She noticed him, paled a little, and finger waved. He gave a curt nod in response and walked in the other direction. “What‟re you doing in town? You don‟t usually come in until Saturday night,” questioned Red, Dirk‟s best drinking buddy. He held out some darts in invitation to join the game. “Restless, I guess.” He took the darts and shot one dead center on the target. “Sure you didn‟t come to town looking for that pretty little librarian?” Long, lean, and balding, Harry grinned. “Oh, that‟s right. You aren‟t seeing her anymore.” Dirk didn‟t bother answering, just sent another dart toward the board. “I heard that Sam‟s been rediscovering the wonders of reading lately. Heard he‟s been asking her out every chance he gets,” Red joined in on tormenting him. “Now that she‟s available again.” Dirk fired the next dart into the wall next to the board. “She‟s free to see whoever she wants.” That didn‟t mean he wanted her seeing anyone else, which was stupid. True but stupid. “She‟s gently turned old Sam down every time.” Harry moved closer, grinned again. “My cousin at the bakery believes Miss Callie is already smitten. Got her eye on you and only you.”

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Now Red moved to his other side, and both men gave him definite disapproving looks. Red lowered his voice and said, “Even if you treat her damn bad.” Dirk shifted away. “I haven‟t treated her bad. I just decided to call things off. A sorry, bad boy cowboy like me isn‟t the kind of man she deserves.” Both men nodded, and Red stated, “No doubt about that.” Then he narrowed his eyes and pressed, “But you can‟t simply walk away from her, can you? She‟s under your skin whether you like it or not. That‟s why you haven‟t been—” “Damn it, leave it alone!” Dirk barked. “Need to un-burn a bridge, don‟t you?” Harry asked. “Make nice with a sweet woman you done wrong.” Dirk snagged the half-empty beer bottle from Red‟s hand and drained it. “I‟m in trouble here, boys.” They both laughed loud enough that every eye in the place looked in their direction. Red clapped him on the back and said so all could hear, “Our man here has finally found himself a woman he really wants. Only he‟s managed to mess up with her. Anyone think they can help?” Dirk groaned and then spent the rest of the night listening to one crazy idea after another for winning Callie back. Yet all the time he half-listened, he kept

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seeing her with mud smeared over her face, kept seeing her swallowed up by baggy clothes. Not pretty images, but they turned him on, anyway.

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Chapter Five

Callie was one big bundle of wriggling nerves. She sat in her plain blue Ford Taurus, wearing her plain tan trench coat, and once again considered her Plain Jane life. Plain, plain, plain. She‟d heard herself described that way most of her twenty-seven years. It really hadn‟t bothered her until this year, until she‟d started dating Dirk Handley. She‟d been so dull and boring that she‟d managed to lose the only man who had ever seriously attracted her. Well, maybe not. He had stopped by to see her last night. But then she‟d scared him off with her Freak Woman attire. What would he think about her attire tonight? Those wriggling nerves wriggled again. Doing something this wild and crazy was…well, scary. But she was determined to no longer walk only on the safe side in life. Maybe she and Dirk wouldn‟t end up taking that magical trip down the aisle to forever happy—they were about as opposite as people could be, and she understood that. But she wanted more time with him. He‟d made her feel special, alive, desired for more than just her brain for the first time in her life. She wanted a world beyond the tame one she existed in 9-to-5 as the town‟s new librarian. Her stomach calmed slightly, and she thought about her research. Her face

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heated at some of the things she‟d seen and learned—even done—in private. Her big, hunky cowboy was about to rake in the benefits. If she could get out of this car. If she could find the courage to walk up to his front door and knock on it. Midnight neared, and the house‟s lights were out except for the pair focused on the driveway in which she sat. He‟d be in bed by now since she knew he rose before the roosters to start his long, hard workdays on his ranch. She should turn her car around and try this another time. But it had taken her all evening to put on this outfit, to calm her nervous stomach, and finally, to drive all the way out here. She wasn‟t sure she could do this again. Do you want him or not? Hell, yes, as her dark-haired, dark-eyed, devil in a Stetson would say. Even now she was hot and moist. The tiny bud he‟d tortured so well that one time they had made love throbbed, desperate for his undivided attention again. Her breasts felt swollen; nipples hard and aching. Her G-spot begged for attention. She sucked in a breath and shoved the car door open. Get your ass moving! She stepped out and smoothed down the sides of her coat, made sure it was securely fastened in the front. The odd sensation of flesh, normally completely covered by a dress, tingled as it brushed against the coat lining. This is so weird. And such an unbelievable turn-on.

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Trying not to fall off the spiked heels she‟d never worn before, she inched her way toward Dirk‟s sprawling ranch house. She‟d spent way more money than her tight budget allowed on this outfit, but if it made him notice her again, it would be worth it. And this time, dammit, she would keep his attention.

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Chapter Six

Someone was pounding on his front door. Dirk jerked from a dream where he‟d been just about to plunge into…. Damn. About to plunge into some woman‟s warm and willing body, and now he couldn‟t even put a face to the woman. More pounding. Not the kind of “pounding” he‟d been all hot and ready for. No, this was someone about to beat his door down. Cursing, he rolled over in bed, scowled at the clock on the bedside table, and swore again. What the hell did his foreman want at this time of night? Why hadn‟t he just called him instead of coming to his door? Whatever it was, it had to be important. He climbed out from beneath the warm covers and stepped naked into cold air that had him shivering. Should have turned the thermostat up before I went to bed. Without turning on the lights, he snagged his jeans from where he‟d tossed them last night and jammed his legs into them. He hurriedly zipped up and strode barefoot through the house. “I‟m coming! I‟m coming!” he barked as whoever it was kept right on pounding on the door.

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The motion detector light had come on, and he blinked in shock at the sight of Callie Anderson standing on his porch. Her fist was raised in mid-knock as he looked at her through the glass storm door and then pushed it open. “Callie?” Idiot thing to say, but his brain wasn‟t fully functioning at the moment. “Something wrong?” “I-I.” She clammed up and lowered her arm. Even in the dim light, he could see pink tingeing her cheeks. Yet there was a determined look in her brown eyes. Awkward moment. He wasn‟t used to visitors at this time of night, certainly not women he hadn‟t invited. Callie Anderson was not the kind of woman a man invited to spend the night with him. She was the kind a man asked to spend a life with. But even if he couldn‟t stop thinking about her, he wasn‟t the spend-alifetime-together kind of man. At least he‟d been pretty damn sure of that until she‟d shown up on his doorstep. Now he was confused as hell. Not a thing about her standing there in that buttoned-tight coat, with her hair pulled rigidly back, should‟ve had him all but drooling. But it did. “Do you want to come inside?” he asked, thinking what a dumb idea that was, considering he felt the beginnings of arousal. And he was seriously underdressed, commando beneath the jeans. Her chest rose with a deep intake of breath, drawing his gaze like a powerful magnet. Pitiful. You’re damn pitiful.

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“Yes,” she whispered, her small face pinched in wariness. He was about to ask her what she was doing on his doorstep in the middle of the night if he scared her so darn much, but in a flash, her demeanor changed. Gone was the timid, shy librarian, whom he‟d found oddly sexy, in spite of the simple dresses she wore. Her chin went up, and she met his gaze. “Yes, I do.” She scurried by. The scent of some kind of drive-a-man-nuts perfume drifted over him. He took another deep breath and was almost certain he smelled the sweet musky scent of a seriously turned-on female. Which made his knees almost buckle. His body liked sex, needed sex…and a lot of it. He‟d clamped down on his usual strong need while they‟d dated because he hadn‟t wanted to scare Callie off. And then he‟d decided it couldn‟t work between them. He was dark to her light, heat to her coolness, sin to her…angelicness. Was that even a word? Light spilled from the great room and snapped him out of his haze. He hadn‟t even noticed that she‟d wandered beyond the entry. “So why exactly are you here?” He about swallowed his tongue when he stepped around the doorway. “Well, damn.” The town‟s prim and oh-so-proper librarian stood in the middle of the room, having just let down her hair. Long, waving honey-brown hair caressed her slender shoulders and hung down to her breasts. She reached to untie the coat, and he noticed black leather peeking out from under the hem.

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Leather? Callie in leather? He swallowed hard, began sweating, and tried to assimilate what he was seeing with the woman he‟d come to know. The images didn‟t jive. But who the hell cared! Leather! “We need to…talk,” she said and reached up to unbutton the coat. “About….” Words froze in his mouth. The coat parted, and he caught sight of more black leather and lots of creamy skin. Even more amazing was the sudden view of plump, God-I-need-to-touch-them breasts, barely contained by a scrap of leather bra. Her cheeks bore the deep pink of embarrassment, but she ignored the reaction and shrugged free of the coat. She braced her legs apart, short but damn shapely in the black leather pants, and looked intently at him. “I bought a new outfit. What do you think?” The pants were the oddest, sexiest things he‟d ever seen. Thin strips circled her waist and came down to a patch that barely covered an area of her body he was very, very interested in at the moment. Then there were patches of tempting skin before leather that looked painted on her legs. She wore spiked, black fuck-me heels. He wanted to do just that. Right. Damn. Now. While his lungs struggled for air, she did a slow turn that gave him a view of nearly bare butt cheeks. She was killing him.

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“So?” she prompted when she faced him again. His “lower” brain seemed to be in charge at the moment, focused on anything but making conversation. “Waste of money?” A tiny frown of concern creased her brow. He liked the pants-bra thing she wore. Oh, yes. He liked it a lot. When he could pull more than two words together, he asked, “You don‟t plan to wear that to work, do you?” She flashed a dazzling smile, one holding such intriguing promise. “It‟s for you. Only for you.” Good God, he‟d died and gone to Hell. His palms were sweating; his heart was all but pounding its way out of his chest. “F-for me?” She tapped a toe, and he looked down that skin-tight layer of black leather to her slender foot. Red toenails snared his attention. He wanted to bend down and kiss them. Hell, he wanted to kiss his way from toe to toe, head his lips up those legs, spend a while discovering the treasure between them, and then mosey on up to take some time enjoying her breasts for dessert. ‟Course, he needed to get her out of that leather first. Ripping it off sounded like a plan. One more tap of her toe, and she said impatiently, “I assume you have a bedroom.”

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“Bedroom?” he croaked. What’s wrong with the floor? Right here? Instead, he managed to nod down the hallway. She rolled her eyes and latched onto his arm. While his skin seemed to sizzle at her touch, while every nerve in his body screamed for its fair share of her attention, he let her lead the way to his bedroom.

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Chapter Seven

Callie thought she‟d only tipped off-kilter on her heels once while leading Dirk down the dark hallway toward where he‟d pointed. Toward his bedroom. Her heart raced. Could she really go through with this? Could she not? “I‟m not sure…,” Dirk said warily, although he continued walking right behind her. She patted the wall just inside the room until she flipped on a light switch. She‟d been here once before, but she‟d been so nervous, so anxious, that she didn‟t remember it at all. Now she took a second to glance around. It was a very male room, complete with several days‟ worth—possibly longer—of discarded jeans, work shirts, socks, and boxer shorts. “I figured you for a tighty-whities man.” When she released his arm, he started scrambling around the room, using a foot to shove the dirty clothes into piles. He glanced at her and kicked a pair of undershorts into one of the piles. “Like to give the boys room to move.” She blinked. “The boys?” Her gaze shifted down to where a very nice package appeared about to burst through the denim. “Oh. The boys.” The ridge running alongside his zipper seemed to swell at her continued

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focus on it. Her sensitive nub pulsed. His cock swelled even more before her fascinated gaze. Warmth flooded through her, pooling low in her body. All those hours of research about every delicious inch of a man, about how to seduce, how to please, how to torment…. So ready. She was beyond ready to do some intimate exploring of the perfect male specimen before her. When she shifted her glance higher, it surprised her to note a hint of uncertainty in his expression. She‟d definitely caught the cowboy with a wild, womanizing reputation off guard, and he wasn‟t sure how to proceed. Good. She felt powerful with her new knowledge. She was ready to try out some of what she‟d learned. She pulled courage around her like her grandmother‟s quilt on a cold winter night and walked over to the big rumpled bed. Then she turned to call him over with a crook of her finger. His chest rose and fell in quick, shallow breaths; his expression remained uncertain. Yet he came to her as if he didn‟t have a choice. “Are you sure you want to do this?” She reached out to unbutton his jeans. The muscles in his abdomen danced at the touch of her knuckles. The reaction made her smile. “You can‟t imagine how much I want to do this.”

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Before she could move to the zipper, he settled a hand over hers. “Well, I don‟t know if I do.” For just a half second she felt like a brazen fool. But since he hadn‟t forced her hand away, and since he hadn‟t told her to get the hell out of his bedroom and out of his house, she shifted her hand out from under his. Being sure to run her knuckles against his exposed skin, she unzipped his jeans. He shuddered. “Damn.” Delighted to find he was naked beneath the heavy denim, Callie grinned. She shoved the opening apart enough that she could admire what she‟d unburied, what she‟d remembered so well from that one, quick time they‟d gone a little bit crazy. “Like a kid at a candy store,” she purred. “Huh?” She looked up and saw that complicated conversation might be beyond him at the moment. His eyes had darkened from warm brown to nearly black; sweat beaded on his upper lip…and she hadn‟t even really touched him yet. Not the part she intended on touching real soon. Like now. He stood so still you‟d have thought him made of stone when she began inching his jeans down. “Callie.” She pushed the jeans over his buttocks, down his muscled thighs, to his

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knees. All the while, her mind thumbed through the pages of her “research” books, hunting for how to take hold of his penis—she didn‟t like that word. His cock, yes, that was better. She didn‟t want to do anything wrong. She didn‟t want to hurt him. The tight expression on his face and the way the skin stretched so firmly over that long, thick part of him warned her that he was already in some kind of pain. “Can I touch you?” she asked, praying he wouldn‟t deny her the pleasure. She wanted to wrap her hand around him. She wanted to find out exactly what he felt like. She couldn‟t believe she‟d never done this before with a man. But then, no other man had ever fascinated her the way Dirk did. The muscles in his thighs jumped. His six-pack abdomen sucked in, and his cock jerked. “Lord, yes!” Happiness curled through her. “Thank you,” she sighed. Concentrating, determined not to screw this opportunity up, she tentatively circled him. She held her hand still, didn‟t even attempt to grip him, but his cock pulsed within her grasp. Soft, fine-leather soft. Softness surrounding a warm, solid rod of man that seemed to pulse more and more while she eased her fingers around it. Book research was nice, but it was nothing, nothing like the real thing. “Amazing.” She carefully moved her hand up and down the shaft. “So, well, amazing.” He sucked in a breath. “Haven‟t you ever….” He struggled for another breath

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as she continued massaging with her hand. “Ever touched a penis before?” “Cock,” she insisted, stopping her hand to stroke her thumb along a swollen vein on one side. His face pinched with strain, but he didn‟t stop her. “Huh?” “I prefer „cock.‟” She feathered her fingers up and down the smooth shaft. So nice. She‟d missed a lot by being so darn shy before now, not that she‟d been with more than three men in her life. And now that she thought about it, there hadn‟t been any foreplay any of those times. What a shame. “And the answer is no.” She released him to step back, to study it again. “I didn‟t touch you when we….” She felt her face flame. Okay, she was still a little shy, but she could get over it. He put a finger under her chin and raised her head to look at him. “When I took you to my bed? When I pressed you for something you weren‟t ready for?” “You mean, when I was such a disappointment to you.” She blinked back tears that she refused to let him see. Something tightened in his expression, and he gently rubbed her jaw line with his calloused thumb. “The timing was wrong. Frankly, I didn‟t think the time would ever be right between us. We‟re so different.” “I bet if we tried real hard, we could find some common ground.” She stepped closer to him, rubbed against him. Interesting sensation when your body

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is held tightly by leather. His amazing cock throbbed between their bodies, tried to melt its way through the leather. She moaned and savored the moment. “How about we get you out of that outfit?” he asked huskily. “Go for it.” She stood ready and waiting for the unveiling. She‟d started Pilates a few weeks ago, while she prepared for this new adventure in her life, and she was proud of the results. She was still far from perfect, but she hoped he‟d like her new-and-improved body. “First I‟m getting out of these pants. Too constraining.” He shoved the jeans down, tugged them off, and tossed them toward one of the piles of clothing. Heat threaded through her as she watched muscles bunch and move all over his well-toned body. Dirk Handley was a breath-stealing hunk of man. They‟d been in a rush last time he‟d taken her to bed. He‟d been half-drunk and ready; she‟d been nervous and just wanted to satisfy him. This time, though, she wanted satisfaction too. And she wanted to test his stamina. Callie was on the verge of ripping her way out of the leather when he faced her. He stood so close to her that she inhaled the musky scent of turned-on man. Her knees went weak. Pheromones. Both of them were producing those little devils like crazy. He reached up to run a hand through the hair draped around her shoulders.

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“Keeping all of this hidden was a sin.” “I‟ve been thinking about cutting my hair,” she admitted because it was such a chore to take care of. “No way.” He played with some strands again. Secretly she liked how offended he sounded. “We‟ll see.” Frowning, he looked down to study her outfit. A second later he reached around her to unfasten the hook on the bra. The scrap of leather dropped to the carpet, and his frown disappeared. His big rough hands immediately molded over her breasts, kneaded them, and held them. “Damn but these babies are beautiful.” She was lost in the wonder of how good his touch felt. He‟d paid her breasts only minimal attention when they were together before. He‟d been in a hurry. Now he paid delicious homage, and she savored the absolute pleasure. Too soon, he pulled his hands away and focused on her pants. He studied them, made her turn around, studied them some more. Finally, sounding frustrated, he said, “How the hell did you even get into them?” Admittedly it had been difficult. “Can‟t handle the challenge, cowboy?” He cocked an eyebrow. With one final look at the problem he faced, he walked to a triple dresser and back. He took a grip on one side of the thin strip circling her waist and then used a pocketknife to carefully cut the leather.

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“These cost me—” Callie sputtered, not really caring how much. The strips draped over the tops of leather encasing her trembling legs. The small patch of fabric covering her brown thatch of hair fell away. She felt exposed and incredibly aroused knowing his gaze was focused right there. “Don‟t care.” He reached to play with his fingers just a second in the newly revealed playground. “Don‟t care a damn bit.” He pulled in a breath so deep it had his pecs swelling beneath her gaze. With obvious effort, he removed his hand from her muff and worked at wiggling the tight leather down her legs. “This is coming off. Now.” Everything in her tingled with anticipation, and it took effort for her to lift one leg and then another as he tugged her heels off, as he freed her from the tootight leather. “You‟re a person who sets a goal and meets it. Like me. There‟s common ground right there.” He barely glanced up, and she felt the heat of his gaze on her naked body. It appeared the Pilates torture had paid off. But then, she knew—from her research—it didn‟t take much more than just being a female for most men to get aroused. Dirk Handley was definitely aroused. “Short-term goal met.” He smoothed his hands down the sides of her legs and back up again to grip her waist. His voice turned deep, husky, and full of

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promise. “Aiming for the long-term goal now: driving my cock deep inside you.” Callie shivered. Wetness pooled between her legs. “Excellent goal.” He stepped forward until they were toe-to-toe, until they were almost breathing as one. His hands roved up her abdomen and headed for her breasts. They felt swollen, ached; the nipples had already hardened to full alert. “Got another short-term goal?” She battled the urge to tug him down to the floor with her. To hell with the bed. He bent his head to her breasts, and she sucked in a breath. As she squeezed her eyes shut and fought to keep standing, he took one desperate nipple into his warm mouth. His tongue circled the nub, teasing it more, tempting it. He suckled for a mind-spinning few seconds. Then he straightened to look at her, his nearly black eyes simmering with heat. “More‟n one goal, sweetheart.” His expression had grown serious. “If you‟re sure about this. Damn sure.” It was clear he still doubted they belonged together, but he was fighting that doubt. What happened beyond this moment could be determined later. She wasn‟t naïve enough to think that just because they had wild monkey sex, everything would work out; that he would magically give up his free and easy bachelor life. And she kind of enjoyed her independence too. But those thoughts and decisions were for another time.

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She smiled. “„Damn sure,‟ to quote a certain cowboy.” “Thank the Lord.” Looking relieved, he scooped her up and tossed her on the middle of his rumpled bed. “I plan on doing some payback now.” She sat up to shove the quilt and top sheet completely out of the way. She should feel embarrassed by all of this, by her crazy spell of boldness. But she wasn‟t. She just wanted more, a lot more. “Payback for what?” “For showing up at my house in that grab-me-by-the-balls leather get-up.” He stared at her with eyes revealing just how bad he wanted her too. “For making me forget all about being a gentleman. I swore to myself that I‟d stay the hell out of your life.” Stupid idea, him vowing to act like a gentleman. So not what she wanted. Not now, anyway. Feeling even bolder, Callie turned to stack two pillows behind her. Then she leaned back, slowly spread her legs, and draped one hand between her thighs. Her heart raced with excitement. Could she do this? He watched her intently; his breathing fast and shallow. His avid fascination with where her hand rested gave her courage. As she‟d done in private, she dared to play her fingers over her swelling lower lips. They blossomed at once. Wow! Wetness met her fingertips. She heard him draw in a sharp breath and looked up to see his eyes wide

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and his attention fastened on the motion of her hand. Daring even more, she trailed her middle finger up and down those pulsing lips. A moan escaped her. She fought against the need to squeeze her legs together. Oh! Oh, oh my! “Damn, woman, you‟re killing me,” he said on a strained groan. Trembling with the power of arousing herself, with the power of holding this sexy man‟s complete attention, she eased a finger inside her vagina and moaned again. Her heart raced. Such miraculous sensations! But this wasn‟t what she really wanted. She wanted him. Wanted that long, hardened cock deep inside her. “So what‟re you going to do about it?” She pulled her finger out, lifted her hand away, and smiled in challenge. Her body screamed in disappointment. In the next instant, he crawled onto the bed beside her. His cock looked almost purple with need, so big that she wondered if it would fit inside her. It would. It absolutely had to. “So where‟s this „payback‟ you mentioned?” She held his gaze. “Are you all talk and no action?” Dirk shifted until he lay stretched out between her legs. His long, muscled body was incredible. He braced his arms and his hands, then stroked the insides of her thighs with whisper-soft touches. The roughness of his calloused fingers on her highly sensitized skin had her quivering.

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Yes, the books mentioned this! She sighed while he stroked her again, his fingers edging closer to her pubic area. The reality is so much better. He used his thumbs to gently pull her aching lips apart, then lowered his head until she felt his warm breath between her legs. She nearly came off the bed when he licked her pulsing bud. But he held her in place, ignored her moaning, her arching frantically upward. He licked her again and again. Slowly. “Oh. Dear. God,” she gasped and writhed as he continued his torturous play. He played until she seemed to melt all over him, until she cried out and gave him just what he‟d been after. When she attempted to find air enough to breathe again, he raised his head and grinned smugly. He licked his lips dotted with her release. “How‟d you like that action?” He‟d gone back to touching her with his fingers, playing with the clit that he‟d brought to such amazing life. She could barely think. “Got any more tricks, stud?” she panted out. His grin grew cockier. “Stud, huh? I like that.” Callie had been dying to touch the five o‟clock shadow on his handsomely carved face. She‟d wanted to run her fingers through his hair that had grown much longer since she‟d last seen him. She leaned up enough to do both. First she stroked his beard, found the stubble captivating. Stroked it again. Then she

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threaded her fingers in his hair and held him in place and made him look straight at her. “Want to earn the name? I‟m willing to let you try.” He looked at her with a furrowed brow. “What the hell happened to the shy little librarian?” Before she could say anything, he shook his head. “Never mind. I‟m all about this new version of Miss Callie Anderson.” “So you didn‟t like the other me? That‟s why you stopped calling, stopped coming by the library.” She‟d suspected it, but did he really like her better now? How did that really make her feel? She‟d only unleashed some hidden longings. He blinked in confusion. “Never said that. You women always twist a man‟s words.” “I‟m still a librarian. Just maybe not quite as shy now.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “Definitely not as shy.” He bent down to kiss her just above the curly patch of hair. “Sweetheart, I just didn‟t think a bad-boy cowboy like me was good enough for a sweet thing like you.” He kissed her again. “Staying away…. Well, it didn‟t have anything to do with not liking you.” She had trouble thinking again with his lips touching her, especially so close to the clit he‟d just ravished. Somehow she managed to say, “So wrong, cowboy. So very wrong.” She smiled impishly, hoping he wouldn‟t be offended. “I‟ll let you in

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on a secret. I‟ve been researching this whole sex thing.” “With who?” he gritted out, looking sharply up at her and less than happy. Her heart nearly burst with delight. He‟d sounded jealous. “Book researching. Internet researching.” She smiled as seductively as she could manage. “There are some things I‟d like to try out, if you‟re interested in being my guinea pig.” He arched upward; his chest swelled. She suspected a part now hidden from her had swollen as well. “It would be my pleasure, ma‟am. Any time you‟re ready to begin…well, I‟m willing.” “Good answer. So right.” She gently reached to push his head down again. “Now would be a good time. I read that you could put your tongue actually inside…. Oh. My. God!” She nearly squashed his head when her body jerked in pure pleasure. “Move on to something else?” he questioned, glancing up with a smug grin. She shoved him down again. “Not just yet, cowboy.” She squeezed her eyes closed and clenched her fists at her sides as his tongue delved inside again. “Not. Just. Yet.”

The End

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www.starlakaye.com

Author Bio

Starla Kay wears many hats professionally in her day-to-day life and as a writer. She is a consultant and community relations coordinator for an accounting firm, a volunteer gerontologist, and a busy community volunteer. As a writer, she is multi-published with romance in e-books and print-on-demand as Starla Kaye, Kay Starr and S. K. Fero.

Books that are out by this talented author:

Red Rose Publishing Executive Decision So Wrong, So Right iUniverse (Starla Kaye) Tug of Love Bethany’s Woodshed (Kay Starr) Operation V-Day All He Wants For Christmas So Not a Cowgirl Suzy Q Ranch Holly and Mistletoe

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Thankful For… Bethany’s Woodshed: as Starla Kaye Santa’s Surprise Whiskey’s Rebellion Aimee’s Cowboy The Trouble with Molly **Anthology—Ranch Heat (3 contemporary Western romances) Bethany’s Woodshed: as S. K. Fero Buying Trouble

Romantic Spankings (Kay Starr) Deadline…Whenever Dude Ranch Her Personal Trainer Law and Order Valentine’s Cowboy Santa Wears Spurs Bah…Humbug Hawke’s Lady

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