That’s when she heard his moan, but he didn’t let go of the nipple in his mouth. While her body was milking him below, he was using the same technique on her breast. That realization sent shivers down her spine.

  He released the nipple to gaze down at her as he moved, thrusting in and out, slowly at first. Making sure she felt every incredible inch of him. She wrapped her legs around him as his body began pounding her hard into the mattress, pushing her over the edge and making her scream his name.

  And he screamed hers.

  Not only did he scream her name, but she felt him let loose inside her. The very essence of him coated her insides. She screamed his name again when the sensations kept coming, kept tearing into her with a force she had never felt before. The violent tremors took her breath away.

  Then the shudders slowed. The intensity of her pleasure made her whisper his name in admiration and awe. She hadn’t known making love to someone could be like this. Overpowering. Satisfying. Full of contentment.

  She felt drained, totally sapped. The last thing she recalled before drifting off was Cash kissing the side of her face, whispering for her to rest because there was more to come.

  * * *

  Daylight streaming in through the window brought Cash awake. He glanced around the room, knowing where he was and who he was with. There was no doubt in his mind whose legs were entwined with his and whose warm body he held in the spoon position.

  My wife.

  He smiled, liking the sound of that.

  She was still asleep and he understood why. It had been one wild night. Brianna hadn’t thought she had energy left for round two or three. She’d surprised herself.

  Now Cash was glad he hadn’t planned any activities for them today, other than eating and making love. He glanced at the clock. It was eight in the morning. He had ordered their breakfast to be delivered to their villa at nine. To ward off the cold, he started a blaze in the bedroom’s fireplace. In no time, it was throwing off good heat in the room.

  This was a beautiful villa. It was larger than what they needed, but he’d loved the layout when he’d seen it online. He had chosen this particular villa because of the location. He wanted complete privacy with Brianna. It wouldn’t hurt his feelings any if they didn’t see another human being for as long as they were here together.

  Making love to her through the night had been one of the most pleasurable things he’d ever done. That had him wondering how he would handle those nights in Alaska when she would be in Wyoming. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to. When he returned to Alaska next week, he had an idea he would run by Garth.

  Brianna shifted in his arms and then slowly rolled over to face him. When their gazes connected, he felt a spark of renewed arousal and knew she felt it, too. There was no way she couldn’t when his erection pressed hard against her.

  “Good morning, Cash,” she said in a soft voice.

  “Good morning, Brianna. However, I believe the morning-after greeting should go something like this.”

  Then he kissed her. Finally releasing her mouth, he snuggled her closer.

  “What’s planned for today?” she asked him.

  “Breakfast will be delivered at nine. Lunch at one. Dinner at six. Very good reviews on the food and service here.”

  “And in between lunch and dinner?”

  He smiled. “For me it will be Brianna at ten, eleven and twelve. Then again at two, three, four and five. Then the rest of the day after dinner.”

  She giggled. “Is that your way of letting me know you plan to pretty much keep me on my back?”

  “Yes, I guess you could say that. Of course, you can request to put me on my back whenever you want.”

  She laughed. “Thanks for being so accommodating.”

  “You’re welcome. I guess we need to get up and throw something on for breakfast. Or better yet, we can always eat in bed.” That was an idea he rather liked.

  “Either way is fine with me.”

  He was glad to hear that. “We have activities planned for tomorrow. We’re taking a cable car tour of Mount Laver.”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  “Um,” he said, leaning in and kissing her on the side of her neck, “not as much fun as staying inside the villa with you.”

  Then he straddled her body, knowing he needed to make love to her before he could possibly get his day started. And from the sound of her breathing, she was all in.

  Good.

  TWENTY-ONE

  “How did I do today?” Brianna asked Cash after taking a shower and putting on a comfortable maxi dress. She loved how the linen material felt on her skin. However, what she liked most was the front zipper that ran the length of the neckline to the hem. Easy on and easy off.

  For the past two days, he had taught her how to ski. They had rented everything they needed, from clothing to equipment. Today was their last at the Jackson Hole ski resort and she was missing being here already.

  Thursday had been a stay-in-bed day, but Friday and today they had gotten out so Cash could teach her how to ski. More than once, she had stared down at her hand to see the beautiful wedding ring he had placed there as proof they were truly married. She had never thought having a husband would be so much fun, both in and out of the bedroom.

  “You did well, but you’re not ready for the slopes yet,” Cash said, grinning.

  They were high up in the Wyoming mountains. It was cold and the snow was heavy and thick. Whenever they returned to the villa, the fireplaces had the inside all warm and toasty. She loved being here with Cash. Whenever she thought about all the things they had done together, all the ways they had pleasured each other in the bedroom, she got both bashful and giddy inside.

  They would be returning to the ranch tomorrow, and then he would leave for Alaska before daybreak Monday morning. She couldn’t help wondering when he would return. Would he miss her when they were apart?

  On the drive from Black Crow to the Laramie airport, she had told him she would be going to the doctor next week to get a temperature kit. That way she would know the best times to get pregnant. She figured those would be the only times he would return. Until then...

  Because she would be wearing her ring, it wouldn’t be long before word of her marriage got around. This morning at breakfast he had surprised her when he said he wanted her to move into the ranch house and turn it into a home. She figured he wanted the place to feel like a home whenever he dropped in.

  Since the wedding, not once had they talked about the reason for their marriage. Others probably assumed they were a newly wedded couple who were madly in love.

  “Do you like this place, Brianna?”

  She glanced over at him. He was sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace. It had become one of their favorite spots at night to unwind and sip glasses of wine. Huge pillows were placed all around—a comfortable place to sleep or even make love.

  “Yes, I really like it. Thanks for bringing me here.” She paused. “Ready for our glass of wine?”

  He glanced up at her. “Yes, I’ll get it.”

  “No, stay put. I will get it.”

  Cash smiled up at her. “Okay.”

  She returned a short while later with a tray carrying their glasses and a bottle of wine. Each day a different bottle had been delivered to the villa, compliments of the resort.

  She placed the tray by him and then eased down in front of the fireplace beside him. “You did a good job arranging everything, Cash.”

  She meant it. In less than two days he had made all the wedding arrangements as well as the ones for their five-day honeymoon. Not only was the resort itself wonderful, but the service was excellent, especially the food.

  “It was all for you, sweetheart,” he said.

  He was gently caressing her cheek while gazing into her eyes. It was during tender moments like these when he truly felt like her fantasy husband. He had a way of making her think he was sincere in everything he said and did. Even when he used terms of endearment, which he’d been doing a lot, they flowed naturally from his lips.

  She watched him pour wine into their glasses and then he handed her one. He held up his. “Let’s toast our last night here together. The days were great.” His smile transformed into a sexy grin. “I especially enjoyed the nights.”

  She held up her glass and agreed. “Yes, especially the nights.”

  They stared at each other over the rims of their wineglasses as they leisurely sipped. He had told her she was a very passionate woman and she was beginning to believe him. Although certain parts of their lovemaking could still leave her weak, it was a satisfying feeling.

  In just three nights Cash had shown her that no two sessions of lovemaking were the same. You get out of it what you put into it, granted your partner isn’t a selfish or inconsiderate bastard. Those were his words, not hers. Her excuse was that she and Alan had both been young and inexperienced.

  As they continued to stare into each other’s eyes, she could feel the sexual energy flowing between them. There was a buildup of need and desire slowly overtaking them. He was aroused, which was something a man couldn’t hide. And their chemistry was more powerful than ever.

  She knew Cash would soon act on all that hot, carnal awareness. However, tonight she intended to act first. Placing her wineglass aside, she stood. Knowing he watched her every move, she slowly lowered the zipper of her dress. If he had suspected she hadn’t been wearing anything underneath, he knew it for certain now.

  When she stood naked in front of him, she said, “Now for your clothes. Stand so I can take them off you.” She was doing what she hadn’t done yet—undressing him.

  Brianna watched how he eased to his feet; even that was sexy. Without wasting any time, she moved to him and began unbuttoning his shirt, feeling the rapid beat of his heart against her fingers.

  Next came his jeans, which proved to be difficult because of his aroused state. He took pity on her and helped her out. When he finally stood naked before her, she just stood there a moment looking at him. The firelight flickered across his body, making him look like a deep bronze Adonis.

  She moved back toward him when he extended his arms to her. She went into them. “This is my night for you, Cash. One I want you to remember during your nights in Alaska without me.”

  She hadn’t meant to say that, but now that she had, she didn’t regret it. She wanted him to miss her. She wanted him to come back to her often. She wanted to have a purpose in his life that was more than the woman he had agreed to impregnate. The woman who had the land he wanted.

  On tiptoe, she wrapped her arms around his neck, tempted at that moment to tell him that she loved him. However, she didn’t feel brave enough for the words. She had said enough already.

  So she kissed him.

  She kissed him in all the ways he had taught her over the past few days. And when he kissed her back, she almost lost control of her senses. That was the last thing she wanted. Without knowing he’d done so, each and every time they had made love, Cash had branded her his. Now she wanted to brand him hers.

  Without breaking their kiss, she began easing down to the floor with him, and then, when she did break off the kiss, she gently pushed him onto his back to straddle him.

  She liked looking down at him, seeing the surprise in his eyes as well as the heat. There was something else there, too, a look she couldn’t define. At that moment, he was as aware of her as she was of him.

  When she deliberately lowered her midsection to rub her body against his, he moaned out her name.

  “Brianna...”

  “Yes?”

  “Put me out of my misery.”

  He hadn’t experienced her brand of misery yet. Instead of granting his request, she lowered her mouth to kiss him. Using the technique he had taught her, her tongue dueled with his.

  When she broke off the kiss, she began kissing his chest, then moving lower to his stomach, and then she slid lower still. Before he could stop her, she had taken him into her mouth.

  * * *

  Cash was convinced Brianna was trying to kill him. He should have known he was a goner when she unzipped her dress to reveal her perfect body—beautiful shoulders, a pair of firm breasts with luscious nipples, a small waist, flat stomach, curvy hips and shapely legs.

  The icing on the cake had been the dark triangle at her center. It didn’t matter that he had tasted her there and had gone inside of her every day since they’d married. Every time he saw her womanly mound, he wanted as much of it as he could get.

  Cash let out a moan at the way Brianna was working her mouth on him. He grabbed her head, having a mind to make her stop. Instead of stopping her, he held her head right there as her mouth continued to greedily consume him.

  He closed his eyes at the feel of her tongue wrapping around the head of his shaft. Nothing had prepared him for this. When she widened her mouth to take in the full length of his manhood, the bottom half of him nearly shot off the floor.

  A growling sound escaped his lips, and when he felt his body getting ready to explode, he knew he wanted to be inside of her when it happened.

  With all the strength he could muster, he grabbed hold of her shoulders and pulled her up over him. “I need to be inside of you. Now!”

  He thrust upward and slid into her at the same time she came down on him. The connection was so intense, it shook them both. She then began moving up and down him, riding him hard.

  He did upward thrusts and she did downward plunges. Together, the strokes intensified, electrified and nearly pushed them over the edge. It seemed neither was ready for this to end, so he deliberately snatched them back just to repeat the process over and over again.

  Then Cash couldn’t hold off any longer. When he exploded, it was so severe, it felt like it would shake his entire insides loose. From the trembling of her body, he knew she had felt the same thing. That’s when he grabbed the back of her neck and brought her mouth down to his, and kissed her with a hunger that only intensified their orgasms.

  It was only when the last shudders had left their bodies that he released her mouth and gathered her into his arms. They faced the fireplace to watch the flames and get their breathing under control.

  Cash knew that leaving Brianna to return to Alaska would be the hardest thing he’d ever done, but now his trip home had a purpose. When he returned to Wyoming, he didn’t intend to ever leave without her again.

  TWENTY-TWO

  “There you have it, Garth. Do you think it’s a workable idea?”

  Although the plan had been for Cash to return to the office for today’s midday meeting, he’d honestly considered calling in to request more time off. After all, he had gotten married less than a week ago. But he’d needed to explain his idea to Garth in person.

  Garth leaned back in his chair, nodding. “Yes, it’s workable and a damn good idea. It would require the shifting of job duties between you, Sloan and Maverick, but I think they are ready for a change anyway. Sloan has hinted that he’s getting tired of traveling so much. Now he can take over your duties here in the office.”

  Garth paused and then added, “And Maverick has been champing at the bit to work internationally for years. If we ever need you to attend an in-office meeting, your flight time between Wyoming and Alaska is less than five hours.”

  A huge smile spread across Cash’s face. “Thanks.” Setting up a satellite office of Outlaw Freight Lines in Black Crow, Wyoming, at the Blazing Frontier Ranch was a good idea. Cash would handle the company’s expansion into various other states.

  “So, when are you going to tell everyone that you’re married?” Garth asked.

  “After today’s meeting. I plan to fly back to Wyoming tomorrow morning and then return with Brianna to introduce her to Dad over the weekend.” Their father and Charm’s mother, Claudia, had flown to see a Broadway show in New York and wouldn’t be back until the end of the week.

  “Just prepare yourself, and you might want to prepare Brianna. Bart still likes to think he’s in control and calling the shots. He isn’t going to like that you got married without consulting him first,” Garth said.

  Cash rolled his eyes. “I stopped consulting Bart about anything years ago. I usually take his advice with a grain of salt.”

  Garth chuckled. “Don’t we all?”

  Back in his office, Cash was glad things had turned out so well. Of course, Sloan and Maverick, although surprised to hear he’d gotten married, were happy for him since they liked Brianna. He hadn’t told Charm because she hadn’t attended the meeting. She would have to wait and hear it from him at the same time he told Bart.

  He leaned back in his chair as he remembered how he had awakened at the ranch house before dawn that morning to make love to Brianna before he left. She hadn’t asked when he would be returning, so when she saw him tomorrow, she would certainly be surprised. And there was no doubt in his mind she would be surprised to know he was staying.

  He had called to let her know he had arrived safely in Alaska. She was still in bed and said she would make this a lazy Monday for her. She would arrive at her house later today to check on things and go through her mail. It was her plan to return to the ranch house to spend the night and then begin moving her stuff this week.

  Cash liked the thought of knowing that when he arrived at the ranch early tomorrow morning, she would be there in his bed. Then he would be there to help her move her stuff to the ranch. It was her home now and he intended for them to live together as husband and wife. Any misgivings about how she would feel about it had come to an end when she had unintentionally whispered that she loved him before drifting off to sleep after they’d made love this morning. Chances were she wouldn’t remember saying it, but he had definitely heard her.