Chiseled and Cherished (Moon Ranch Book 3)

by Em Petrova

  “Ash! Oh God…” She swirled her tongue against his. Each spurt of his cock towed him deeper in the wake of her release, until the moments stretched on in silence.

  She lay boneless beneath him, and he raised his head to stare into her eyes.

  “The Jeep’s good—” she started.

  “But the bed’s better,” he finished for her.

  Her soft laugh burrowed into his mind, where he locked it away to recall at a later time. He pulled free and rolled off the bed.

  “Bathroom’s across the hall.” She drew the sheet up over her curves.

  “Don’t move,” he rumbled.

  “I don’t think I can.” Her smile spread, and he had to stop looking…had to turn away from her eyes that burned so intensely.

  Hell.

  He needed to find a way to keep this about lust alone, casual sex, like at Kelly’s party and later in the Jeep, by the creek and… Oh hell, how many times had they fucked now?

  Not enough.

  He finished in the bathroom and returned to her bed. Kinsey lay on her side. Their gazes caught, and he tried to think of a way to get out of lying next to her and holding her in his arms. But he’d suggested coming to her apartment, and now he was stuck.

  He eased between the sheets, and she cuddled against his side. The scent of her shampoo proved too much for his willpower, and he tucked her head beneath his chin. Stroking her silky skin seemed like second nature too.

  “I’m sorry about Dr. Peterson’s dog.” Her voice came out low.

  He had to think of who that was before replying. “Oh Brennah. Yeah, me too. Can’t be that easy to operate on your own pet.”

  “She’s the only vet in Stokes and I’m sure she had little choice but to take action when she did.” With a fingertip, she traced a circle on his chest.

  Dammit, he didn’t need a complicated relationship right now. His head swirled with a mess of emotions. Nightmares stole away so many nights, he lost count trying to add up the lack of sleep.

  He stifled a sigh. While he could easily come up with reasons not to allow Kinsey into his life, he still didn’t want to walk away.

  “I went over to Kelly’s last night.” She broke into his thoughts.

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah, just to hang out. She fixed some margaritas.”

  “Sounds fun.” God, not this sort of mundane conversation he’d suffered through countless other women.

  “She told me about you, Asher.”

  He went still. “What about me?”

  “Well, some things I already knew. Anybody who lives in Stokes knows about your family.”

  Fantastic.

  “I know it can’t be easy for you to return. I think you’re strong for trying to make a life here now.”

  Is that what I’m doing? Hadn’t been his intention to stick around Stokes or work the Moon Ranch for the rest of his days. But at the first sign of trouble in his life, where had he thought to run? Home.

  He didn’t respond to her statement, and she continued drawing circles and zigzags over his chest.

  “I know we had a rough start.”

  He looked down at her. “I thought we started pretty easy. I slid right into your pussy that night.”

  She buried her face against his chest, a flush cresting on her cheeks. “That’s not what I mean. You’re always making a joke when I’m trying to be serious.”

  Zayden was right—he’d adopted it long ago as his coping mechanism. Things got rough with the old man? He cracked a joke and had his brothers laughing it off. Somebody got in trouble and would be taking a beating for it? Asher would find even more trouble to get in and draw attention away from Zayden or Dane.

  God, what should have been just an afternoon of hot sex had turned into something far heavier than he felt like dealing with.

  But when she pushed away, he flexed his arm to bring her back against him. What the hell was that about?

  “I said some things to you concerning my brother—” she started.

  “I told you I’m not discussing it.”

  “I know. I’m just trying to apologize. You did your job, and that meant taking Trent in. The more I thought about it, too, the more I realized what he’s told me and my father can’t be true. Trent must have committed those crimes.”

  Asher’s heart thudded. “He did.”

  She nodded against his chest and then released a shaky breath. “I don’t like knowing the path he’s taken, but it unburdens me too.”

  He tipped her chin up to look into her eyes. “Explain that.”

  She sniffled, and he feared noisy tears would follow. But she remained dry-eyed. “I’m bogged down with my family right now. I love my brother but I can’t help him, and it’s time for me to stop trying and just accept what comes next for him. And my father… He isn’t ready to move on from my mother’s death. I’m here for him, but he has to work through his grief alone. All I can do is offer support.”

  He hated that she’d been carrying all this locked inside. “You’re right, baby doll. You can’t fix the world, and I think you’ve been stressing yourself out by trying.”

  She nodded. “Kelly made me realize it even more last night.”

  “How?”

  “When she told me things about your family. How you and your brothers held everyone together. It made me understand my own situation better.”

  “Yeah, but the only way we could deal with the old man was to walk away the minute we turned eighteen.”

  She nodded. “You came back, though. The Moon Ranch is thriving, from what I hear. The Moon cattle are going well at market, and now you have the horse with the bloodline everybody wants.”

  “That’s true.”

  “One thing I don’t know is why you came back, Asher. Because you had a good job and you walked away from it.”

  Here comes.

  “I’m not sure I’m ready to answer that.”

  She nodded, hair brushing on his jaw and raising a tenderness inside him that he couldn’t begin to describe. “When you are, I’d like to listen.”

  His throat closed up. Instead of thinking of a way to deal with his emotions, he grabbed Kinsey’s waist and flipped her on top of him. Grinding his hips into hers, he brought his erection against her belly. “Whatta ya say about some sixty-nine, hot stuff?”

  She grinned. “I’d say we do have all afternoon.”

  With a growl, he flipped her around and lost himself in pleasure for a long, long time.

  Chapter Eight

  Asher closed his eyes and replayed the sound of Kinsey’s raspy mutterings of pleasure in his mind. The sight of her slit hovering over his face almost made him blow instantly, but he’d managed to hold off a whole two minutes before exploding in her hot, sweet mouth.

  Christ. Was it possible to be sexually infatuated? Because he was.

  But he liked more about Kinsey than her curves—and that hit him harder than anything had yet.

  He liked her shaking apart for him, sure. But he also liked hearing what she had to say. Did that make him attracted to her mind? His brothers would never let him live it down if he confessed to that kind of weak shit.

  Fact was that Kinsey deserved way more than a man like him. She should have someone with a plan, a nice-sized bank account and a future beyond being a good-for-nothing Moon.

  She dozed beside him, her face twisted against the pillow. He studied her for a moment, thinking of all she’d told him about her family life. Knowing that she carried so much pressure bothered him more than he wanted to think about. He’d heard his brothers talk about their fiancées, and damn if he ever wanted that kind of responsibility for someone other than himself.

  But dammit, he wanted to help the woman slumbering next to him shoulder her burdens.

  Soooo fucked up.

  For a brief moment, he allowed himself to think of how things might go down between them if—and it was a monumental if—they attempted a relationship.

  First off, she’d alway
s want to be in charge, and that wouldn’t happen. He’d only gone along with her idea with the coyotes because he didn’t care enough to argue. And honestly, if she trapped some, it meant he didn’t have to lift the rifle and take aim…then hear that shot echo in his mind again and see all that blood on the pavement.

  But in other matters, he couldn’t abide being bossed by a woman, which meant he and Kinsey would never make it work.

  He sighed. Of course he knew the truth of the matter. But…he had started to like the way she looked at him—like it didn’t matter who he was.

  She gave a soft sigh, and he skated his stare over her creamy skin and the smattering of freckles across the crests of her cheeks, probably a result of working outdoors.

  Suddenly, he threw out his hearing—his damn good hearing.

  Then he slowly disentangled himself from her body and climbed out of bed. Grabbing his jeans, he made his way to the front door, dressing as he reached the living room. He opened the door before the man could knock.

  The older man jerked to a stop on the doorstep and narrowed his eyes at Asher. “Who the fuck are you?”

  Asher lifted a brow.

  “What’s your name? Where’s my daughter?”

  “Name’s Moon.”

  The guy’s eyes popped open and grew bloodshot as Asher looked on. “Which Moon?”

  “Asher.”

  The guy lunged through the door at him. Asher jumped back before his fist could connect with anything, but the guy barreled forward.

  “Look, I don’t want to fight you, dude. You won’t win.” Asher’s calm tone used on countless fugitives only served as a red flag to this guy—by his guess, Kinsey’s father.

  “You think you’re so tough because you drag innocent men to jail!”

  Yup—definitely her father.

  “Calm down. I’ll wake Kinsey.”

  The man stormed across the space like a bull, fists raised and a snarl on his lips. Asher sidestepped him, almost feeling a little bad that he wasn’t giving the man more of a chance.

  “What the— Dad! Stop!”

  Her father took another swing at Asher, who stood still and let his knuckles glance off his jaw. The blow barely rocked his head, but with luck, would make the guy feel better.

  “No, Dad, stop!” Kinsey rushed between them, and a protective instinct rolled over Asher. With one sweep of his arm, he shoved her behind him.

  “Don’t you shield my daughter from me, asshole! It’s you she needs to run from.”

  Her hair trailed into one eye as she whirled to face her father. With both hands in the air, she walked toward him. “Dad, this isn’t necessary. Come outside with me and talk.”

  He glared around her at Asher. “You wanna take this outside, it’s on, Moon.”

  “No! Stop it. Go outside, Dad!” She threw Asher a look, and he saw the worry in the olive depths.

  Kinsey managed to press her father out the door and close it behind them. Asher rubbed a hand over his face. Fuck.

  He strode to the bedroom and grabbed his clothes. In a minute, he dressed and had boots and hat in place. A moment later, the door opened and Kinsey slipped inside. Their gazes locked.

  “I won’t ask if everything’s all right with your father,” he said.

  She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. “I’ll go over there later and talk to him again.”

  Asher dropped his gaze to his boots. “I’m gonna go.”

  “No, don’t.”

  “I’m causing you problems.”

  Her brows crinkled. “It’s not as if you’re forcing me to spend time with you. I can make my own choices.”

  “All Moons cause problems, so it’s for the best, Kinsey.”

  “I don’t care. I want you to stay. Please.” She stepped toward him, and he steeled himself. One more step and he’d grab her and carry her off to bed again.

  “It’s better if I go. I’ll talk to you later.” Walking past her hurt. Closing the door behind him opened a chasm in his chest.

  Too late he realized she’d picked him up at Brennah’s place and he didn’t have a car. God, had that only been this morning? After all that happened, it felt like days ago.

  Well, he had two feet. It wouldn’t be the first time a Moon walked miles home. Wouldn’t be the last either, because shit never changed.

  * * * * *

  When Kinsey drove under the Moon Ranch sign, she almost slammed on the brakes and turned around. How many times had she asked herself if Asher would ever want to see her again? After her father’s tirade—even landing a punch on the man—who could blame him for walking out and never seeing Kinsey again?

  She rolled along the gravel drive, her mind flip-flopping between stay and see Asher or go and leave him alone.

  Finally, the house came into view and her muscles made the choice for her. She depressed the gas and navigated the driveway. She parked next to the other vehicles and slowly climbed out of her Jeep.

  Her insides trembled with nerves. The least she could do was apologize to Asher, right?

  She barely made it two steps before he rounded the corner of the barn. Her heart skipped a beat. In a plaid flannel shirt and work gloves, low-slung jeans and his battered hat, his appearance couldn’t thrill her more. Her cowboy fantasies had been fulfilled a bunch of times now, but she’d never get used to wanting him this way.

  He stopped in his tracks and lowered the five-gallon bucket he carried to the ground. “Kinsey. What are you doing here? Was there another attack?”

  Trying to wrap her head around what he asked proved difficult, when her emotions churned so much. Just seeing him made her realize she was swiftly getting far too deep into Asher Moon. If their stolen afternoon in her bed hadn’t proved it, seeing him now did.

  She was falling for him. Hard.

  He stepped toward her, concern etched on his features and the dimple nowhere in sight. “Kinsey, what’s wrong?”

  “I…” She dipped her gaze and then brought it back to his, amplifying the flutter in her stomach. “I came to apologize for my dad.”

  He shook his head. “No need.”

  Throat closed off, she couldn’t get out more words if she tried. He tilted his head, staring at her. “Shit—you’re not okay. What’s going on, baby doll?”

  His endearment sliced through her. “What we have, Asher—”

  Before the words completely left her mouth, he closed the gap between them, brought his arms around her and crushed his lips over hers. She moaned as the torment she’d felt the past few hours after he left flowed away and she was in his arms again.

  He slanted his mouth over hers, tongue delving and stroking hers. Then he tore free and stared at her, chest heaving.

  “I don’t want to stay away from you, Asher.”

  “I don’t want to stay away from you either. I don’t know if I can.”

  His admission buried in her heart like a Cupid’s arrow, and any emotions she’d been battling or plain ignoring leaped to the forefront of her mind. She wasn’t just falling for the cowboy—she was falling head over heels in love with him.

  As he searched her eyes, his own burned with intensity. “Come on.” He latched his hand around her wrist and gently tugged. When he turned to circle the corner of the barn again, she walked at his side. They came to the door, and he dragged her through the opening. The barn smelled of fresh hay, and sunlight dappled the floorboards from high windows.

  He spun her into his arms and used a fingertip to draw her face up to his. “I can’t give you anything but trouble. You have to know that.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t care. We’ll face it together.”

  “And your father?”

  “It’s my life, my decision. He can’t see anything but his grief and Trent’s lies.”

  “He’ll come back around, Kinsey. He’ll try to force me away from you.”

  “He can try, but we both know how strong my will is.”

  His expression smoothed o
ver, the creases vanishing, and then the corner of his lips tipped up. The dimple flashed. “Hell yeah, I do, darlin’.” He cut a look upward, at the hay loft. “Ever had sex in the loft of a barn before?”

  Her heart somersaulted, and heat pooled low in her belly. “No. But I’m eager to try.”

  * * * * *

  Asher hesitated with his cock nestled against the slick opening of Kinsey’s pussy. She sprawled under him, eyes glowing in the dim light, and her lips swollen from his kisses. Damn if he didn’t want to look at her all day.

  They might make it work. Together. Somehow, some way.

  “Ash…please.”

  He could read the strength of her need—the twist of her lips and the muscles jumping on her inner thighs where they locked around his hips. The pink tips of her breasts, which he’d spent long minutes sucking, darkened to a cherry hue he wanted to sink his teeth into.

  Slowly, he edged in. When he felt her sheath clamp around his cock, he couldn’t stop and buried himself deep inside. His balls rested against her body, throbbing with the need to blow.

  She dropped her head back onto the pillow of hay and moaned. How many times had he taken her today? How many more before he got enough?

  No answer came to mind. What he could only describe as passion rose up, an unknown emotion he’d never experienced until now. With a rock of his hips, he withdrew, cock emerging from her heated walls. Fuck, he wanted more, deeper, harder and faster, all the while she stared at him with that glow in her beautiful green eyes.

  When she ran her hands over his chest, flicking at his nipples, he growled. “You want this, baby girl?”

  A mewl escaped her lips. “Yes!”

  He slammed back into her, the slap of their bodies heightening his desire. “And this.” He withdrew again, almost to the tip, and pressed his thumb into her hard clit.

  She shook underneath him and bucked upward, into his thumb and cock. The control ripped away now, he grasped both her hips and hauled her ass up and into him. Each plunge into her body, he lost himself a bit more in the haze in her eyes and the blind need tearing his guts out.

  Fucking her turned to a drive he couldn’t explain, but his body knew. He slid a hand under her back and pulled her up for his kiss. Their mouths melded into a slow dance at odds with the hard thrusts of his body. She raked her nails down his shoulders and spine, leaving a sting that only enhanced his desire to claim.