Renegades and Stubborn Pride (sequal to Renegades and Pretty Women)

Chapter Thirteen

                Jonah chuckled. “Sure it does. What was her name again?”

                “Maria.” Reb replied quickly and then scowled. “Or somethin’ like that.”

                Joe looked at Jonah and they shared a smile. “Is there trouble in paradise, Reb?” Joe asked. Reb glared at her, his blue eye narrowing.

                “There never was no paradise!” he insisted. “She stuffed me full of some rot gut whiskey and got my brain all foggy. Then she told everybody and their brother I was her husband and by God I was too damn drunk to care.”

                “And when did this ‘marriage’ end?” Joe asked.

                “The next damn morning when I woke up and saw that behemoth lyin’ next to me in bed. Now I like me a big gal, always have, but this woman pushed the limits. She was a good foot taller than me and a hundred pounds heavier. To beat it all more than half those pounds were muscle! Why she coulda pulled a wagon better’n a whole damn team of oxen.”

                “You shouldn’t talk about your wife that way, Reb.” Jonah scolded with a grin.

                “Yeah, from the sound of it she’d probably whoop your ass good and proper.” Joe agreed.

                “Both of ya can take the evenin’ train straight to hell.” Reb grumbled as Clayton came back out of the house with a hunting rifle that was nearly as tall as he was. “Come on, boy, let’s get the hell outta  here and go shoot somethin’.”

                “Cowpoke.” Joe called out as Clayton began to walk away. He turned and looked back at her expectantly. “Ya be careful now.”

                “Yes, mama.” Clayton replied with a smile and then he bounced off into the woods with Reb.

                “Alone at last.” Jonah all but growled as he stalked toward her. Joe held up her hand to stop his progress.

                “First we need to talk.”

                “You talk.” Jonah replied with a shrug as he moved her hand aside, came in close to her and then  lowered his mouth to her neck and lapped at the tender skin beneath her ear with his tongue. “I’ve got much better things to do with my mouth.”

                Joe’s knees nearly buckled and she cursed the way that Jonah had always managed to turn her into a big old pile of womanly mush.

                “Jonah I’m serious.” She scolded as she tried to step away but Jonah moved with her.

                “Did I  sound like I was joking?” he asked, his voice rumbling against her ear as he nibbled it tenderly.

                “Jonah, I really want to talk.”

                “I don’t… Unless it’s dirty talk. We used to be good at that.” Joe felt her nipples harden and that aching dampness slicked her aroused clit. How did this man do this? Only him. No other man had ever even tempted Joe. But all Jonah had to do was give her a look, or nibble on her ear, whisper in that deep rumbling timbre he used when aroused, and Joe was ready to tear his clothes off and give him anything he wanted, anywhere he wanted it.

                “Jonah…” Joe tried again, desperately wanting to hang on to her train of thought. They needed to talk about the way Jonah was spoiling Clayton….. Jonah’s arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her body against his. She felt his arousal and heard him groan against her neck and decided that the talk about Clayton could wait.