“I didn’t realize it was a problem, Jason. I mean, usually you are all over a willing woman, right?”
“Usually, yes, but not tonight.”
“What is it? You won’t take advantage of me?” She yanked her arm out of his grasp. “I mean really. I am free, white, and over twenty-one. I’m willing. I’m eager to sample what you have to offer. What’s the deal?”
“That’s right. I’m not taking advantage of you.”
“If you don’t want to fuck me, then just say it. I can find someone else to ease the ache, cowboy.”
He dragged her into his embrace with a hand on both of her upper arms until her breasts were squashed against the hard plains of his chest. “Let’s get one thing straight, babe. I’m gonna fuck you sooner or later, but not tonight. It’s not the right time for us and that’s all I’m sayin’.”
As she drew in a breath to tell him where to take his right time, he slammed his mouth down on hers in a lip crushing kiss meant to melt any resistance she might have. Not that she would resist at all. This is what she wanted from the moment she locked gazes with this gorgeous hunk of manflesh.
She softened her lips until they molded to the hard line of his. He growled low in his throat as he wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her in tighter. When she brushed her tongue against the seam of his lips, he lost control, bruising her lips to deepen the kiss even further.
He finally pulled back far enough she could see the glittering of his blue eyes in the moonlight overhead. “Don’t push me, babe.”
“Why not, stud? I can handle you.”
“Right now, you wouldn’t be able to. I’m horny enough to break you in half.”
“I can take it.” The tip of her fingernail skipped over the buttons as she raked it down his chest. “Let’s stay here and fuck like bunnies.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I want you.”
“I know.”
“Then why not?”
“Peyton, please don’t push this.”
She sighed and stepped out of his embrace. “Fine. Let’s go the bonfire.”
The physical relaxing of his shoulders told her he was relieved she’d backed off. Oh, she understood all right, probably more than he knew. He didn’t want her. That’s fine, she guessed, even though disappointment raced through her. She’d never had a man turn her down before. Didn’t they all want sex whenever or wherever they could get it? A man like Jason Young didn’t turn down anyone she’d ever seen when she’d had the chance to observe him at the bar. He always went home with someone. What was it about her that turned him off? The piercings? The tats? Well to hell with him then. She couldn’t do anything about those things if they were a problem for him. If he didn’t like them, then so be it. They were a part of her, part of her personality. Maybe he didn’t like them on his woman even though he had tats himself? She shrugged as she grabbed the door to his truck to open it and haul herself inside. She’d ride this pony as far as it would go, then move on with her life. There were other fish in the sea and plenty of men to choose from.
Without another word between them, they drove back to the main ranch house where she could see the roaring fire licking at the sky with the bright orange flames. Such a cowboy thing, a bonfire. Well maybe not, she did like camping out and sitting by a fire cuddling with some guy. Not that she’d done it in a long time, but it was still nice to sit under the blanket of an inky sky with stars twinkling above. Someday, she’d get the chance to spread out a soft quilt in the back of a pickup, lay her head on a guy’s chest and stare at the sky for hours. Why had her daydreams always seemed to revolve around Jason lately, she wasn’t sure, but she needed to put it behind her. He apparently wasn’t attracted to her that way.
Maybe he liked men?
Nah, that was stupid. His prowess with the women of Bandera bordered on legendary.
So why wasn’t he interested in her?
She shrugged. Oh well. Time to move on.
As soon as he parked the truck, she jumped out and slammed the door behind her. No more waiting on or dreaming of Jason Young. He was part of the past now.
“Hey Peyton!” Jonathan shouted, coming to his feet from his spot at the fire. “You got cleaned up easy enough.”
“Yeah.”
Jonathan glanced at her, then back to Jason. “Oh. I see.”
The dejected look on his face gave her an idea. Jonathan seemed like a nice enough guy, maybe a little shy and nerdy, but what the hell. Jason didn’t want her. That stung her pride a little. Maybe one of the other Young brothers might quell the itch she had before the night concluded. She moved right to his side and sat down. “Sit with me.”
“Uh, okay.” He swiped his palms down the leg of his jeans before he took a seat next to her, glancing quickly at his brother.
Jason frowned, but didn’t say a word as he took a seat opposite them across the fire.
“So what do you do around the ranch, Jonathan? I don’t see you in The Dusty Boot like your brothers very often.”
“I’m not much of a drinker.”
“You don’t have to drink to come to the bar. There are pool tables, dancing, darts, all kinds of things to do not involving alcohol.”
“True, but I’m not real comfortable in bars. I like spending time with the website and marketing for the ranch. It keeps me busy most days.”
“Do you do the cowboy stuff much?”
“Not really. I leave that to my brothers.” He shifted so his hips weren’t quite touching hers anymore. “I ride. You can’t grow up on a ranch and not ride, but I’m not as comfortable on a horse or herding cattle as my brothers are. I mean look at Jason? He’s all about the cowboy stuff. He wants to breed bulls for the PBR.”
“PBR?”
“Professional Bull Riders Association.” He smiled down at her. “You don’t do cowboy much, do you?”
“No.” She laughed. “Is it so apparent I’m lacking in the Texas pastime?”
“Yeah, a little. Do you know anything about a cattle ranch?”
“Not really. Why don’t you teach me,” she said, looping her hand through the crook of his arm. “I’m eager to learn.” She glanced across the fire and noticing Jason’s eyes narrowed, their gazes locked in a battle of wills.
“Well, we run longhorns on our property. They are one of the original cattle to be raised here in the Texas Hill Country. They are a hearty breed of cattle who do well here where the land isn’t so grassy and plentiful. Our ranch is pretty big for one out here where several of the local ranches are selling off to developers. Jeff has been very adamant about us not selling off any of our property to them. Keep everything in the family, you know.”
“Is Jeff like the foreman?”
“Yeah, pretty much. He’s tight reined on what goes on around here although he’s mellowed out a lot since Terri came along.”
“Didn’t she just have a baby?”
“Yeah, not too long ago.” He shifted on his seat. “We also have guests we rent out rooms and cabin space to, especially in the summer months. They come from all over to learn about cattle ranching, I guess. I'm not quite sure what the fascination with it is, but they pay to come. It’s a great income for the ranch when selling cattle isn’t paying so much.”
“How fascinating.”
Jonathan’s voice faded as he went on to talk about the website building for the ranch. Not like she wasn’t interested, but the glare she was receiving from Jason had shivers rolling down her back. Why does he have to affect me this way? Damn cowboy.
“So that’s what I do all day,” Jonathan finished.
“Wow. Sounds like you really stay busy.”
“I try. There’s a lot to do when you are marketing a guest ranch plus managing the website for both the cattle ranch and the guest ranch. We have two websites. One for buyers of the cattle and one for guests of the ranch.”
“Care to take a walk with me?”
“Uh, sure. I can show you the front of
the main lodge. It’s pretty cool all lit up with the lights.”
“Awesome.” She rose to her feet, not relinquishing her hold on his arm as they headed for the front part of the ranch. The tingling along her back let her know Jason’s gaze followed their every move, making her wonder whether he would come after her.
As they rounded the house toward the front, she caught a glimpse of someone sitting in one of the rocking chairs, but the moment she turned her head to ask Jonathan about the man, the figure on the porch had disappeared. Weird.
“We have the rocking chairs out here for people to sit so they can enjoy the sunrise or evening air. It’s really cool out here in the early mornings.”
“Are you an early riser?”
“Yeah, most of the time I’m out here by myself with a cup of coffee before anyone else is even up. Joey and Jeff are up with the sun most mornings too, dealing with the ranch stuff.”
“I bet the cowboy life tends to do that to you. Does Jason get up early too?” Damn, Peyton! Just shut up about him. “Never mind. None of my business.”
“Are you two having a fight or somethin’.”
“No, why?”
“Well, you left with him earlier and came to the bonfire with him.” He pulled her hand out from around his arm. “I don’t mess with my brother’s girl.”
“I’m not his girl.”
“Then why did you leave with him?”
“He offered to wash my clothes after I got in the mud.”
“You were naked at his house?”
Well, fuck a duck. She stepped from his side to take a seat on one of the rockers. “Yeah, I guess you could say that, although I wore one of his shirts the whole time my clothes were in his washer.”
“Listen, Peyton. You’re a really nice girl and I think you’re hot, but I won’t come between the two of you.”
“There isn’t anything between me and Jason, Jonathan. Trust me. He doesn’t want me.”
“I can’t see why not. You’re beautiful.”
“Thanks, but apparently he doesn’t think so. I mean he could have had me any time he wanted me, but he won’t. I don’t know what to think.”
Jason’s voice penetrated the darkness as he came around the corner. “Jonathan.”
“Jason.”
“Peyton.”
“Jason. What do you want?”
“Nothin’. I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
“Everything is fine. I’m having a great conversation with your brother.”
“It’s not what it looks like, Jase.”
“It doesn’t matter, Jonathan. There isn’t anything going on between me and Peyton anyway.”
Just as I thought.
“I won’t step on toes, Jason, you know that.”
“No toes here, buddy.” Jason clapped Jonathan on the shoulder. “Go for it.”
Bastard. “Thanks for giving him permission to pursue me, you asswipe!”
“What?”
She stood up, bringing her five-foot-nine-inch frame as close to Jason as possible. Intimidation wasn’t her strong point, but rage at his audacity washed through her now. “Just because you don’t want me, doesn’t mean other men don’t. I can get a guy if I want one whether you think so or not. I don’t need your fucking permission to date someone. There are plenty of men out there.”
They stood nose to nose.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t. I just didn’t want there to be any mistake that we were a couple.”
“We aren’t.”
“No, we aren’t.”
“Then leave me the fuck alone. If I want to date Jonathan, then I will.”
“Go ahead.”
“Fine!” She turned around only to find Jonathan had melted into the darkness leaving her alone with Jason…again.
* * * *
“What an absolutely infuriating female you are!” He took two steps back and raked his fingers through his hair. He’d never understand women at this rate. “Why can’t you leave well enough alone?”
“I wasn’t doing a damned thing but talking to your brother.”
“He’s not your type.”
“What the hell do you know!”
“I know you.”
“You don’t know shit about me.”
“You’re independent, hard-headed, impossible, stubborn,” his voice dropped an octave, “sexy, gorgeous, and hot.”
He watched her breath catch in her throat. What the hell was he getting at? He didn’t want her, right?
“Leave it be, Jason. You don’t want me, remember?”
“I never said that, you did.”
“Then why push me away?”
“Because I don’t want you…”
“See?”
He grabbed her arm, dragging her back until her breasts brushed his chest. Her nipples puckered at the friction.
“Let me finish.” With her lips pressed together, she tempted him beyond reason. He wanted her in the worst way. “I want you between my sheets. Me between your legs eating you until you come all over my face. I want my dick buried so deep in your pussy, you scream my name loud enough to disturb the cattle. My cock aches for the warmth of you wrapped around it.”
“Then why?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“You’re different.”
“Different?”
“I don’t know how to explain it. There is something about you. I don’t want to just fuck your brains out and walk away the next morning like I’ve done so many times before. You aren’t like all the other women in Bandera. You don’t wear cowboy boots. You have a tongue ring, which by the way is hot as hell. You have a tat on your breast.” He skimmed his index finger over the swell of her breast where the tattoo sat below her shirt. “I want to explore you way beyond just a quick fuck.”
She pushed out of his arms, rubbing her skin like she was cold. “I’m not looking for a relationship, Jason.”
“I know you aren’t. I don’t think I am either, but…”
“But?”
“I wish I knew. I don’t want to hurt you, Peyton. I’m afraid if we just fuck, then you’ll be hurt by whatever is between us.”
“I’m willing to take the chance.”
“I’m not sure I am.”
“What are you afraid of?”
“You.” He’d just bared his soul to the one woman who might be able to crush him and he didn’t care. Okay, well a little, but what did it mean? He wasn’t supposed to think of any woman as much as he thought about her over the last few months. Every time he’d been at the bar, there she was with her long hair either back in a braid or cascading down her shoulders like it was now. The itch to wrap his hand in those strands and tug overwhelmed him at times. Some other thoughts had him running his fingers through it to feel the silky softness against his palms. She didn’t seem to take to one type of man over another. He’d never seen her leave with anyone either. What did she like? What type of man did she go for? His type? He didn’t know, but he wanted to find out.
“Why are you so afraid of me? I’m just a woman looking for a good time.”
Crack. His resolve split wide open. He had a conversation with his reflection this morning about how he would stop using women for his own pleasure and here this one just threw a noodle into the soup. He exhaled sharply, recalling the conversation he had with his mother about this very thing. Nina was all over him about his playboy ways. But, I’m only in my twenties. I shouldn’t be thinking of settling down with one woman, right?
Peyton laughed, drawing him out of his reverence. “Don’t sound so relieved, Jason. I told you before I’m not in for a relationship right now, just to relieve a little pressure between the thighs if you’re willin’.”
“I’m willin’.”
“Then shall we go back to your place to heat up some sheets?” she asked, running her tongue around the shell of his ear.
His cock jumped behind the fly of his jeans. It seemed like he’d been forever horny around he
r, but tonight would see the end of his self-induced torture…he hoped.
Chapter Four
The truck no more stopped at the front of the house and they were both out of the vehicle locked in an embrace. They stumbled together toward the front door, his mouth on hers, doing his best to get her clothes off in the process. A shirt here, another there. Nothing mattered but getting him naked and between her thighs.
She ached for this man.
The calluses on his palm abraded her nipple into a tortured point as Jason walked her backward down the hall from the front room to his bedroom. His mouth never left hers. Their tongues tangled as they explored in a way she hadn’t before. I think he plans to devour me.
He lifted his head when they reached the door to his room and he backed her against the expanse. “I hope you plan on spending the entire night because it’s going to take me that long to find all your hot spots.”
“If you want me to.”
“Oh yeah. I plan on fucking you every which way but up.”
“I can’t wait.”
He turned the knob on the door as his mouth dove for hers again. He flipped the light on only seconds before he scooped her up and deposited her onto the bed, then followed her to the mattress. Somewhere along the path to the bedroom, he’d lost his shirt. The hair on his chest tickled against her breasts as she moaned into his mouth. She wanted him so badly, she could feel the wetness between her legs. This kind of thing didn’t happen with a man or hadn’t before. It normally took her a bit to get going, but not with Jason. Figures.
“I can smell you,” he whispered against her neck before raking his teeth along the curve of her throat.
Shivers danced along her arms and legs. The weight of his body on hers felt right, so right. The warmth of his skin singed her body with a delicious heat all its own. She wrapped her jean clad legs around his hips, urging him on with a raise of her pelvis. Need had her in its claws, ripping at her sanity a little at a time.
His lips skimmed over the slope of her shoulder on their journey to her breast. A gasp escaped her mouth the moment he closed over the tip. Desire exploded through her, soaking her panties in preparation for him.
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