Maizy the Bear Charmer(Diving Creek Ranch 16)(128)

Laughing at his melodrama, Maizy grabbed a pillow and whomped him over the head with it.

“Striking an invalid. Not fair! I can barely lift my arm. Now I have to get even,” he growled as he rolled over her so he was on top. Mischief sparkled in his green eyes but she also saw the assurance that he’d always be there to make her smile. He pressed his lips to hers and whispered, “I love you, Maizy.”

“I love you, Heath.” Reaching up, she stroked her nails over his scalp through his short-cropped blond hair and said, “You make me laugh. Has that always come naturally to you?”

Heath shrugged and then groaned as she kept raking his scalp with her nails. “You don’t have to stop doing that for, like, a year, if you don’t wanna.” He kissed the tip of her nose and then his eyes became serious. “I learned early on that the funny guy could diffuse tense situations if he used his humor right.”

“When you were in foster care?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I was just a scrawny kid, the low man on the totem pole. One night, when the foster parents weren’t around, it was my turn for a beat down, and for once I couldn’t talk my way out of it. That was right about the time we met Cody. He and Spencer defended me. It’s been the three of us ever since. I like making you smile and laugh. How’s your booty?”

“Tingly.”

“You seemed like you enjoyed it.” He tilted her hip and smoothed his hand over her ass and she could tell when he made contact with a handprint because her ass tingled a tiny bit. “It’s faded. Does that hurt?”

“No. I wouldn’t have thought that an erotic spanking would be something I’d enjoy but I did. It was really hot.”

“I could tell. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t too hard on you. Everyone has a different pain threshold. Some women really like a hard spanking while others just want it to sting a little—”

She stuck her fingers in her ears. “La-la-la! I don’t want to hear about any other spankin’s you’ve given. I actually liked the buildup in intensity, and anticipating the next pop.”

Heath patted her butt cheek playfully and looked at her with hope in his eyes. “Your ass is perfect for spanking. So if you liked it, does that mean I get to do it some more?”

He stroked his hand all over her bottom as though surveying it for the perfect spot and then gave her several light taps, grinning as her booty jiggled for him and then did it some more until they both erupted into laughter. She snuggled closer and closed her eyes as he pressed kisses to her face and murmured, “I like making you laugh. Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Let’s feed you then. We still have the whole evening ahead of us. Lucky me.”

She grabbed the gauzy linen tunic he’d worn earlier to the wedding and slipped into it, enjoying his scent as she pulled it over her head. It swamped her but she felt very sexy wearing it with nothing else. Judging by the pleased smile on his face, Heath liked the way it kept slipping off of one shoulder as he stroked her cleavage through the loose drawstrings at the neck.

Barefoot, and clad in just the pants that matched the tunic, he brought her MP3 player with them from the bedroom and hooked it up to the house-wide stereo system. She helped him gather ingredients for hot sandwiches and then he lifted her onto the counter beside him and she sat talking with him while he cooked. She purred when “Smooth” by Carlos Santana began to play and used the remote to turn it way up. His eyes grew warm as she gyrated and rolled her shoulders and shimmied her breasts for him.

“You’re gonna make me burn the food if you keep doing that. Music is in your blood, isn’t it?”

She nodded and closed her eyes as she moved, happy that he understood. Sliding in between her knees, he cupped her breasts and she pushed them into his hands as she lifted her arms over her head, moving them in sinuous abandon before wrapping them around his neck. His scruffy beard tickled her throat as he kissed her and nibbled at her earlobe.

He looked a little dazed when he finally released her to turn the toasting sandwiches and grinned at her. His expression softened as he gazed into her eyes and she tilted her head. “What?”

He looked down at the sandwiches as he lifted them off the skillet and put them on plates and said, “I feel blessed.”

Warmth filled her at the vulnerability and honesty in his tone. No teasing now. “Me, too.”

“Let’s eat,” he said as he turned off the stove and lifted her down from the countertop.

They ate in the living room while they enjoyed a Walking Dead marathon that lasted until late into the night and they both felt like zombies from staring at the television too long. The thunderstorm finally rolled through the area. Within Heath’s arms was the perfect place to listen to the rain as it hammered on the windows and the roof.