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  Delight surged through her, rapidly followed by something more intense. Jack sprawled on the grass, leaning up against a tree, the hat tipped low over his head. Was he asleep? The idea of surprising him caught her, and she tiptoed forwards, her bare feet making only the slightest rustle.

  He lifted his head. Their gazes met.

  The delicious grin that spread across his face turned her insides to liquid. He lifted the hat and tipped it back on his head as she approached. “Sum-mah.”

  One word. God, it had never sounded sexier. She blinked, unable to hold back her answering, joyful smile. “Jack. We meet again.”

  “C’mon down here.” He patted the grass next to him, and she sank to her knees, to face him. Just a dream. She did what she’d wanted to do the first time she’d seen him: ran her fingers through the ebony locks that tumbled onto his forehead. They were as silky as she’d thought. The dimple flashed when she petted him, and he laughed—a soft rumble from his strong chest—before catching her hands in his own.

  “You’re in my territory now, Shu-gah. We play by my rules.” He’d captured her hands easily in one of his huge paws. Now he clutched them to his chest.

  Summer could feel the heat pouring from him, the softness of his plaid shirt, the hint of muscle beneath. One part of her brain idly wondered at how much sensation there was in this dream, while the rest of her melted.

  One finger stroked a line along her cheek, down her jaw and underneath her chin, to lift it. Dark blue eyes darkened even further. “God dammit, Sum-mah, I want you so bad.” Soft lips covered hers, a fleeting whisper of a kiss. She whimpered, wanting more, and he chuckled. “What’s the hurry? We’ve got all night.”

  Chapter 8 - Shameless

  “I want to touch you,” Summer whispered, just before his mouth claimed hers again and all thought was shoved aside.

  Warm, gentle and slow, he explored her lips, tasting her and making her squirm against him. When he released her hands, she immediately snaked them up to wrap around his neck, and tugged him closer. She tunnelled one hand into the thick hair, drawing a groan from deep in his throat. He felt so good. She pressed her chest against his shirt, thrilling at the sensation against her charged nipples. Every nerve ending burned for him, little shocks dancing across her entire body just from his kiss.

  For a moment, she stepped outside her body and watched them together. Jack sitting on the grass, his legs wide, while she knelt between them, her back softly lit from the remains of the campfire, her face in shadow and her head tipped back. Jack ravaging her mouth, his arms tight around her, one hand fisted in her hair.

  Sharp teeth nipped at her lower lip and dragged her attention back. “Take your clothes off. I want to see you again.” He pressed an open mouthed kiss to the base of her throat, his tongue flicking across her skin, tickling.

  “Again?” It was a struggle to speak.

  “Last night? In your bed?”

  His mouth had reached the neckline of her low-cut camisole. Through a haze of desire, she managed to pull a single shocked thought. “That was you?”

  Dark eyes regarded her with a hint of mischief. “I’m hurt you don’t remember.” He ran his fingers along the lower edge of her top, sliding underneath. Five points of heat seared across her bare stomach. “I’m done talking, Shu-gah.”

  Just a dream. I can be as daring as I like. Summer pulled the sheer camisole up and over her head and dropped it by her side, baring her breasts for Jack.

  His eyes widened as he stared at her swollen nipples. “And the rest,” he growled.

  She complied and shucked off the denims to leave only a miniscule triangle of lace. He made a keep-going gesture with his hand, and she smiled. She hooked her thumbs into the ribbon sides, slid the panties down her legs and stepped out of them, shameless and confident in a way she could never be in real life.

  “So pretty,” he murmured. His gaze burned into her, as she stood there before him.

  Summer shivered, anticipation making her giddy. Her heart pounded, and her cheeks burned as she waited to see what happened next. Everything about Jack excited her, from his dirty grin and lazy drawl, through to the strength in those big hands. White teeth flashed in the near darkness, and he held up a hand to coax her forwards.

  Chapter 9 – Playing

  Summer trembled under the scorching blast from Jack's gaze. She stepped forward and sank to the ground to kneel astride his thick, hard thighs. Her palms were resting lightly on his shoulders with her breasts in his face. She felt his hands slide up the back of her calves, higher to cup her behind. His fingers dug into her soft flesh as he shifted her position to inch her even closer.

  Her nipples brushed against dark stubble, and she groaned, the sensation arcing straight to her clit.

  “I wanna watch you play with yourself, Shu-gah.” He licked one hyper-sensitive nipple and smiled when it produced a shiver.

  Her stomach clenched. Dream or not, to do that felt awkward, and she hesitated. When Jack blew a soft breath across her wet nipple, and made the flesh pucker, she couldn't hold back a moan. His smile lit up a notch.

  There was a time for shyness, and this wasn't it. She slid her right hand down her front—the knuckles brushing against his chin—down to curve around her breast, before moving south. Wet already, she ground against his thighs and felt his cock jerk. Play with herself, huh? Glad that she was waxed and smooth, Summer stroked over her pussy lips with the tip of her fingers, circled round her clit and then resumed her gentle movements. Jack's breath sounded harsh. He stared with unconcealed admiration at the way her fingers were moving. Daring now, she pushed her middle finger inside and huffed a little breath. Jack licked his lips, his grip tightening on her, then without warning he closed his mouth around one nipple.

  Moist heat enveloped her. His tongue flicked once and then he released, just as she cried out, unable to stay quiet. She slipped her finger out, smeared it across her pulsing clit and began to rub hard. Jack groaned and mouthed her other nipple, closing his teeth around it for a fraction. It was enough to drive her over the edge. She wailed, her pussy pounding and quaking beneath her hand as she came.

  “Hot damn,” Jack whispered.

  Summer felt limp. She sagged and leaned towards him to rest her face against his shoulder. Her hands fell to the side, her breath ragged. Little shivers wracked her body, and she nestled into his arms, grateful for the warmth pouring from him.

  He nuzzled the shell of her ear, his stubble burning a delicious friction that sparked another fire deep in her belly. “That was the hottest thing I ever saw,” he murmured against her throat. His voice was molasses smooth, his lips tracing a path towards her face. “I wanna be inside you, Shu-gah.” He claimed her mouth and he plunged his tongue in, devouring her, his big hands pulling her up his body.

  His stubble was doing crazy things to her. His clever fingers were driving her to distraction. She wanted him inside her too. She reached down with her hands, fumbled with his jeans and tugged at the button, desperate to release him. She could feel his cock straining against the zipper. It jerked again at her touch.

  Jack released her mouth for a moment, just long enough to whisper, ‘take it easy, Sum-mah, I ain't going anywhere.”

  The button popped open, and she slid inside the tight denim to find hot, naked flesh.

  He went commando.

  His groan reverberated against her.

  It was the work of moments to shove his denims down his legs, and Summer wiggled into position above his straining cock. It reared up, hard and thick, and so enticing. No condom needed in a dream. She smiled and nipped his earlobe to get his attention. “Save a horse, ride a cowboy, hmmm?”

  “As long as it's this cowboy you're riding, Shu-gah. Now hold on tight.”

  Chapter 10 – Hold on Tight

  With her heart racing and her pussy quivering, Summer dug both hands into Jack's broad, solid shoulders and curled her fingers into the soft shirt fabric. He held her around the waist, susp
ended just above him. His cock brushed back and forth, teasing unmercifully.

  “Jack,” she moaned, “please…” The words were snatched from her when he stole a kiss, slanting his mouth to drive deep. Before she could even breathe, she felt the blunt head of his cock ease into position.

  A millisecond later, he plunged hard inside, filling her completely. He swallowed her cry of shock and softened the kiss, sucking gently on her lower lip, his breathing harsh. She gulped.

  Jack held himself steady, not moving at all and waited for Summer to relax again. “You okay there, baby?” He rested his forehead against hers. Intimate.

  She forced her muscles to ease as she sucked in a breath and blew it out again. “Yeah.” She gave a breathless giggle. She'd been impaled for sure. He'd felt big through his jeans, but God…she'd underestimated. He shifted his hands and gripped her firmly around the hips, and she braced herself, heart hammering. This was going to be one hell of a ride.

  He slid out, lifting her easily, and then slammed back in. They both groaned. In, out. Again and again. Each thrust filling her. It seemed entirely natural for her to delve her hands into his hair, their lips meeting with hunger as he…fucked her—there was no other way to describe this raw, needy coupling.

  Her orgasm built rapidly. She teetered close to the edge, her stomach tight and her legs taut.

  “Now,” he growled and hammered into her sweet spot.

  Summer’s insides convulsed, the tremors sweeping her from head to toe. Jack tensed. She felt his arms wrap around her, hauling her to squeeze against his huge chest as he came, muffling his shout against the side of her neck.

  Aftershocks wracked them both. Summer wondered if she’d lost the use of her legs; they felt so weak. It didn’t matter, for Jack held her securely, as though he never meant to let her go.

  She ended up lying sideways across his lap, nestled against his body, with her legs curled up beneath her. Jack stroked her hair, kissed her face and caressed her breasts, each touch like a promise.

  “Did you live here, Jack?” If she didn’t talk to him, she’d fall asleep and lose this wonderful dream.

  “Here?” He gave a little huff of laughter. “I still live in the ranch, Shu-gah. This is just where I come when I want to look at the stars and think.”

  He didn’t realise he was dead. It felt like a knife twisting in her side. She swallowed and tried to speak calmly. “What did you want to think about tonight?”

  He guided her head to the crook of his neck and tugged playfully at the end of her braid. “I wanted to think some more about the pretty little lady that’s been disrupting my dreams.”

  “That would be me?”

  “Damn right, Sum-mah. I don’t know where you came from, but I can’t wait to see you every night.”

  Chapter 11 – Manchester-Texas

  Summer didn’t remember falling asleep in Jack’s arms, but she woke up alone and back in her own bed. The morning sun slanted weak rays across the floor, and she lay there for a minute, slightly disoriented. It must have been a dream, but the most vivid she’d ever had. She’d felt the cool grass beneath her feet, smelled the campfire, tasted coffee in his kiss. She stretched, trying to avoid disturbing the sleeping dog beside her, and realised her muscles all ached. They ached as though she’d spent the night shagging.

  Lisa frowned when Summer walked in to the shop. “You don’t look so good this morning, hon. Has Naps been keeping you awake all night?”

  “No, he was quiet.” Summer was at a loss. How could she even say what she was thinking, without sounding like a lunatic? “I was dreaming about that cowboy and I guess I didn’t sleep too well.” She put away her coat and bag, and then started to flick through her sampling notes. “I was thinking” —she made her voice ultra casual— “I might go to that Chocolate Conference next week, after all. You’d look after Naps for me, wouldn’t you?”

  Silencing her friend was rare. She looked up to meet Lisa’s gaze. “What? What’s the matter?”

  “You said it was too expensive to justify going. Too far away. You didn’t want to leave Naps on his own.” She counted on her fingers. “That’s three reasons. Oh, and the big one. You couldn’t see the point of travelling all the way to Dallas, when we’re trying to sell chocolates in Manchester. If you remember, we thought they’d messed up the invitation. Manchester-Texas, not Manchester-England.”

  ***

  Summer was glad for the séance booking that evening. Three sessions in one week was rare, but the money was more than useful, especially if she was considering a trip to Dallas. Jack had claimed his ranch was west of San Antonio, and she calculated that to be around three hundred miles from Dallas – just a few hours drive.

  She settled down at the table and gave encouraging smiles to the elderly couple holding her hands. They wanted to contact the gentleman’s sister, but with luck, Summer would get to speak to Jack again first.

  Before she’d even had time to open her mind, a middle-aged woman stood before them.

  “For God’s sake.” The woman crossed her arms and scowled at them. “What do you want now? I can’t give you the lottery numbers and, even if I could, I wouldn’t. Okay?”

  Summer held back her disappointment. Maybe Jack would appear later? Fixing her smile firmly in place, she conducted an unsatisfying interview with a distinctly pissed off spirit and breathed an inward sigh of relief when it was over. The couple prepared to move, but she clung to their hands. “One moment please. It’s normal to get more than one spirit, and I’d like to wait and see if anyone else comes through.”

  The woman grumbled. The man muttered something rude. Summer kept her eyes closed and ignored them both, calling in her mind for Jack.

  He didn’t appear.

  Chapter 12 – Far from Normal

  The fragrant smell of wood smoke drifted into her nose, and a feeling of calm stole over her. Opening her eyes, Summer smiled.

  She was back.

  Squidging her bare toes into the grass, she absorbed the sensations and considered them carefully. Cool, damp, spongy underfoot and with a sweet tang like clover. The stream trickled and splashed, the moonlight dancing in undulating ripples over the broken surface. She heard the distant whistle of a lone night bird over the ever present rattle of the cicadas.

  When she turned around, he’d be there. She wanted to hug herself. Instead, she circled slowly and feasted her eyes on the man sprawled by the tree. The hunger in his eyes called to her, but it was his sexy grin and the flash of dimple that sped her footsteps so she could stand before him.

  “Where were you tonight, Jack? You didn’t show yourself.”

  He cocked his head to one side, as though puzzled. “I’ve been here, Shu-gah. Waiting for you. Where else would I be?”

  She took the hand he held out to her and and knelt between his legs. “I held a séance tonight and I thought I’d see you there.”

  He meshed their fingers together and lifted the joined hands to his mouth to press a kiss against them. “A séance? Why would you do that?”

  “That’s what I do.” She searched his face, looking for awareness but finding only amusement. “I talk to spirits.” Still he didn’t seem to understand. Her heart sank.

  Before she could say any more, he chuckled and stroked her cheek with his free hand. “That’s maybe the strangest thing I ever heard, Sum-mah. You’re sure full of surprises, baby.”

  He thought that was strange? Having a spirit invade her bed – and her dreams – was so far from normal, she couldn’t begin to quantify it. Any further thoughts were quashed when he ran an inquisitive finger along the shoulder strap of her camisole.

  “This is pretty.” He pressed a hot, open mouthed kiss on her shoulder, his lips following the delicate lacy strap to close around a nipple.

  Heat surged in her belly and moisture pooled between her thighs. Helpless, almost drugged by sensation, Summer flattened her hand against the bulge in his jeans, and his cock jerked at her touch. Jack bit g
ently on her nipple through the sheer fabric, and she moaned. She had to touch him. One hand still linked tightly with his, she tugged at the button fastening. It was a struggle. “Help me,” she groaned, barely able to speak.

  He ignored her and sucked harder while she squirmed and writhed in his lap. This was torture. A new sound punctuated the quiet, and she paused for a moment. Jack stilled, then grunted and sighed against her breast. Hot air fanned across her skin.

  “He picks his moment.”

  As Summer tried to make sense of his words, she recognised the interruption – the latest song from her favourite band, Silken Touch. A ringtone. Jack released her hand and dug an iPhone from somewhere behind him. “This had better be good,” he growled into the phone while Summer sat back, watching, waiting for him to finish. He flashed an apologetic smile, carefully re-linked their hands and rubbed his knuckles against her jaw.

  She tried to listen, while pretending to ignore him. “I rang you three days ago. Just as well it wasn’t urgent.” He sounded annoyed, but when he looked at her, she saw only desire on his face. He talked a little more, cattle details by the sound of it, dates for some market or other. It took a moment before Summer realised two things: Jack had a top of the range iPhone – the most recent model—and his ringtone was for a brand new song. Either her subconscious was inventing all sorts of tiny, insignificant details, or Jack had died very recently. Sometime in the last two weeks.

  “My brother.” He slid the phone out of sight again and wrapped his arms around her, pulling Summer tight into his embrace.

  She rubbed her cheek against his stubble, relishing the scratchiness against her soft skin. “Is everything okay?”

  She felt him sigh. “I suppose it’s getting better. We had a big bust up nearly a year ago. He left the ranch to go work in an office.” He sounded disgusted.