Sawyer (Lucky River Ranch, #3)

by Jessica Peterson

Commitment is out. The freedom to do whatever the hell I want without worrying about a man’s needs or expectations is in.

Motherhood has shown me that many things can be true at once—you can love being with your kid, and you can love getting a break from them too.

“Sounds kinda dirty when you say it like that.” I step forward. He steps forward, too, so that our faces are mere inches apart. “I’ll make it as dirty as you want, Ava.”

Leaning in, I brush my scruff against her cheek. “You’re a fuckin’ knockout, you know that?”

“My wild’s not turning you off?” “Hell no. Your wild is the hottest thing about you.” She grins. “So is yours.”

“You’re good, cowboy.” One side of his mouth kicks up. “And I ain’t even kissed you yet.” “Let’s get that out of the way, then.” I down the contents of my cup before setting it on a nearby table. “So I can show you exactly how well I ride.”

Closing my eyes, I lift my chin and tilt my head. Then I gently press my lips to his, praying I don’t pass out from the sheer pleasure of the way his mustache tickles my skin.

“You best not be playin’, pretty girl.” “I’ll play with you all I like, cowboy.”

“Now open your mouth.” Her eyes flick from the bottle down to my dick and back up again. “What are you gonna put in it, cowboy?” “Oh, you best believe you’ll be tasting this, too.” I take her hand and crudely press it to my cock. “But first, we got a bottle to finish. Open that fucking mouth, Ava.”

“You got some legs on you, pretty girl. These thighs”—I kiss my way north, silently cursing at the gorgeous view I have of her pussy—“bet they’ll look mighty fine wrapped around me, yeah?”

“Fucking fine. You win. You suck dick like you mean it. You greedy fucking girl. I’mma give you what you want. You want me to put this dick everywhere, don’t you? You want me to fuck your pussy, and then you want me to shove my dick down your throat. Bet you’d like me to fuck your tits, too, yeah? Come all over you?” Who am I and since when do I do dirty talk like this? I blame Ava. Honky-tonk queen. Barrel racer. Long-legged slayer of men.

So Ava likes the dirty talk and the gentle caresses. The vicious neck bites and the sweet, simple way our fingers are tangled. She’s hungry for it all, and that makes me feel at home—at peace—with my own hunger. Like I’m not some deviant for wanting her the way I do. For saying the things I’m saying. Goddamn, a man could get addicted to this feeling. I could get addicted to Ava.

“Just.” He blows out a breath. “You. So fucking pretty when you smile. I can’t—goddamn it, Ava.”

Good thing Sawyer and I only have one night. Any longer, and I think I might fall in love with the guy.

think I’ve been dying of thirst for a while, but being with you makes me feel like I’m dancing in the rain. Water is suddenly everywhere.

I pour into her mouth, trying to be careful. But it still spills everywhere, and she cups her hand underneath her chin in a futile effort to catch it. “Aw, pretty girl, I thought you were better at swallowing than that,” I say, laughing. “How ’bout you show me how good you are at swallowing? On your knees, Sawyer.” She puts her hands on my shoulders and pushes me down.

It’s clear Sawyer is a family man at heart. He may be the world’s best lay, and a cowboy, and a DILF to end all DILFs.

“Lemme kiss you.” “Yes.” I keep nodding like an idiot, struggling to breathe. “I’d like that. Very much.” He chuckles. “And here I thought I was the only one dying this whole time.” “I’ve been dead since the second you waved to me in the parking lot.” “Six feet under since you dumped your beer on me.” My lips twitch. “Hey, that was an accident.” His eyes search mine. “This isn’t.” And then he leans in, his thick neck slanting in the sexiest way imaginable as his mouth meets mine.

I’ve never thought about it this way, but in my work life, I break horses and train riders all day long. With Sawyer, I’m doing the opposite. I’m bringing out his wild. I’m not breaking him, I’m bringing him back to life. I think he’s doing the same for me.

Sawyer groans again, this time loud enough to make me say, “Quiet.” “I can’t,” he grunts, pumping into me. I flatten my palm over his mouth. “You will.” His gaze goes feral. Oh, my cowboy likes that. “You best not give us away,” I whisper. “You do, and there’ll be hell to pay.”

“That’s a good boy,” I pant. “You’re so good at this, honey.” Sawyer bites my palm. At the same time, he presses his thumb, hard, against my clit.

“I like the look of me between your legs.” He swipes his first two fingers through my slit, gathering his cum on his fingertips. “The feel of me. Do you?” “Sawyer—” “You can’t tell me you don’t.” He paints my nipple with his cum. “I wanna be everywhere, Ava. All over you, every morning and every night. Once a day ain’t nearly enough.” I swallow, hard. “It’s not.” “So let me have you, pretty girl.” He leans in to kiss my mouth. “I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”

“I’m—” She clears her throat. “Sorry I’m so late. It was—I’ve had a day⁠—” “Who?” I bite out the word. My pulse jumps, palms tingling. I feel my brothers watching us. Ava blinks, her throat working as she swallows. “What do⁠—” “Who did this to you?” I gesture to her face. She looks up at me. “What do you mean?” Despite the way my heart is going apeshit, I keep my voice calm. “Who made you cry? Who hurt you? Please tell me, Ava.”

“But being with you?” She takes my hand, twining our fingers. “That’s really good. The best I’ve ever had. Best I’ve ever felt. Because you do love me for who I am.”

“I do. So fuckin’ much, pretty girl. I love you so fucking much. I love that you’re always down for an adventure. You’re spontaneous. Fun as hell. I love that you like to try new things. I love how you love your baby. Didn’t realize how dead I was inside until I met you, and no matter what happens, I’ll always be grateful that you brought me back to life.”

“I’m ready, honey. I want you. But I know how important getting married and having more kids is to you, and I’m not sure I’ll ever want those things. If that’s a deal-breaker, I get it. But I’m all in if you’ll have me as I am.”

“I love you, Ava. I wasn’t joking when I said I’ve been in love with you since you bumped into me at that honky-tonk.” “Cowboy, I’ve been in love with you for what feels like forever.”

Opening my eyes, I see that Ava’s not wearing her hat anymore. I am. “Hold up, hold up,” I say, cupping the crown of the hat in my hand. “I thought the saying was wear the hat, ride the cowboy?” Her eyes flash. “You clearly haven’t been hanging out with enough cowgirls. The saying works both ways—you wear my hat, you ride the cowgirl.”

My heart explodes into a thousand butterflies. I’m doing it—I’m trusting Sawyer. Trusting the universe. I’m letting love win. “Stay, pretty girl,” Sawyer continues. “Not so I can tie you down, but so we can be free. Together. Us and the girls. We’ll do whatever the fuck we want, be whoever the fuck we want, as long as we’re together. Because that’s what makes me happiest.”