Free Burn for Cowboy (Stampede Sizzlers) by Jenna Howard

corpse that no one will want to touch. Am I understood?”
    The waiter’s cheeks were now red but his face was pale. He swallowed and took the bill. It was habit that had him looking down. His eyes widened when he saw his generous tip.
    “A reminder,” Mike said, his fingers stroking up Meri’s back, “of what to do when you come here again. I will not be so generous with my money or my warnings. Go.”
    “Sorry, sir. Sorry, ma’am.” Then the kid made for the door, fast as hell.
    He was already forgotten, until the next time he stepped over a line. He turned his attention to Meri, whose eyes were downcast but a little smile curled her lips. “As for you, Miss Heaven…”
    “Me? What did I do?”
    He shook his head and unbuttoned the shirt. “One dumb ass arrives and what happens? All that lush willingness goes away.” He spilled her onto the couch and picked up her hand. He kissed her knuckles then drew her middle finger into his mouth. “I want you wet and begging to come. Then we’ll talk about dinner.” He set her finger against the dainty piercing that teased him. “As you were, little love.”
    There was a bottle of wine on the desk. Yes, it was over-priced, but he didn’t care. He had worked hard to be able to afford the nice things in life. And drinking a glass of wine while he watched her masturbate was a very nice thing indeed.
     

Chapter Eight
    The fingers lightly traced her scars while her leg was bent and rested on Mike. There were times when Meri was sure he wasn’t even aware of doing it. The first time he had touched the spot, she had pulled away. How could he want to touch something so horrible and ugly? It wasn’t just the skin that was damaged, it was the muscle below, leaving her once smooth leg a maze of caverns.
    That mess on her leg was why she couldn’t do the jumps she loved to do so much. That grotesque area was why she had to re-learn how to walk, how to learn to skate again, and she had to reprogram her brain in order to do her spins. Her injury and the accident haunted her dreams. She hated the ugliness of it. She hated that because of this she couldn’t skate. And if she hated it, Mike should. Only he hadn’t reacted that way.
    He hadn’t liked being denied any part of her. On their next date he had done some painfully erotic things to her leg and he had kept it up until she was completely and utterly aroused, and then he stopped. All she had wanted at that point was for him to return to his wicked touches on the very spot she wanted him to avoid.
    Clever man.
    “And what has you smiling?”
    She slid her leg over his other thigh, rolling until she lay on him. His touch continued to draw on the back of her leg. “Remembering.”
    A dark brown eyebrow arched up while he looked at her beneath his lowered lids. He looked like a lazy cat, sated from food and sex.
    “My scar.” She answered the unspoken question.
    “This scar?” His fingers caressed up her hip to the one on her ribs. She shook her head in answer. The light meandering touch moved back down to behind her knee while his other hand slipped behind her left knee. He pulled on her legs so she was straddling his waist. Fingers flowed up her spine and tangled into her hair. He gently pulled until she sat up.
    She gasped out in pleasure when his right hand flattened on her stomach, his middle finger tracing the tidy line beneath her belly button. Her skin prickled beneath his touch. She had ceased being surprised at how easily he could arouse her with a simple touch. The man could look at her and she’d want him. A text could have her body aching for him.
    “This scar?”
    “No,” she whispered.
    He caressed down to her pussy; his fingers gave the stud a little twist that made her thighs tighten on his hips. The corner of his mouth twitched in a satisfied smirk before he began to work his finger back and forth. Oh God, she thought as she rested her hands on his chest.
    “Then you must mean this little