by Callie Croix
Dillon’s Claim
by
Callie Croix
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Dillon’s Claim
COPYRIGHT Ó 2011 by Callie Croix
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by Angela Anderson
The Wild Rose Press
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com
Publishing History
First Scarlet Rose Edition, December 2011
Published in the United States of America
Dedication
To Katie, Diana and Trish,
for helping me bring Dillon to life.
PRAISE FOR AUTHOR
Callie Croix
DEACON’S TOUCH
“I loved that Callie Croix really took her time to build up the chemistry between [Deacon and Jessica,] because it is a full boil by the time you are done and what a delicious treat it is.”
~Emily, Sensual Reads
“If you enjoy a sensual, delicious, well crafted contemporary erotic romance you may well like to give Deacon’s Touch a try. Ms. Croix has a new fan, I am so looking forward to reading more of her work.”
~Lea, Book Lovers, Inc.
“Deacon's Touchis a remarkable mix of sexy, vulnerable, and a touch of kink.”
~Vicky, Sizzling Hot Book Reviews
Chapter One
Dillon Dumen walked into the ranch’s back office on Friday afternoon to find two of his three younger brothers waiting for him. With one look at their faces, he knew something was up. He raised a brow at Deke, his closest brother, standing beside the desk. “Problem?”
“Ask him.” Deke jerked his head at Dustin, the youngest, seated at the computer.
“Well?” Dillon prompted, setting the walkie-talkie down on the desk, along with his work gloves and keys. “You said you wanted to talk to me about one of the guests coming for the weekend?”
Dusty nodded. “Just thought you should know there’s been a last minute reservation.”
Most of the guests had arrived the night before, but what did he care if more showed up now? “And you couldn’t have just told me over the radio?”
His brother kept staring at him expectantly.
Annoyed, Dillon leaned over his shoulder to stare at the computer screen. The name of the last minute guest jumped out at him like it was written in fucking neon lights.
Charissa Myers. Lake blue eyes he could drown in. Long, dark auburn hair he could bunch his hands into, gripping tight while he held her still for his kiss. Soft, sweet lips that trembled beneath his. And a deep, unquenched yearning hidden inside her delectable, curvy body. Those things had kept him awake night after night, his hand wrapped around his hard, aching cock for relief from the erotic torture of wondering what it would be like to finally claim her.
Fuck. Me.
Yeah, you wish, the derisive voice in his head scoffed.
Careful to keep his expression impassive, he tried to ignore the sudden leap of his pulse. Charissa’s addition to the guest list shouldn’t have come as a total shock. She was, after all, related to some of the women coming to the ranch for the bachelorette weekend. But he was surprised she actually wanted to come in the first place. She had to know by now that he’d taken over managing his family’s guest ranch. Did she care about seeing him at all? God knew she’d made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him when she’d bolted like a scared rabbit last time they’d seen each other almost a year ago.
Deke shifted to lean against the jamb, a big shit-eating grin on his face. “So you do know her. Is she single and hot?”
Dillon so wasn’t touching that one. “Did you get that water pump fixed yet?”
Deke rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but I couldn’t salvage most of the parts and wound up having to replace them all. And I patched that section of fence you asked me to check, but it’ll need some new posts.”
“I’ll take care of that.” Along with the hundred-and-one other things on his to-do list. The perks of having a truckload of responsibilities that came along with his job title.
At the computer, Dusty drummed his fingers on the desk and frowned thoughtfully. “Her name’s familiar. Isn’t she a friend of Shay’s?” His tone dripped with sarcasm.
Dillon nodded, wishing he’d let it drop.
Deke snapped his fingers. “That’s right, now I sorta remember her.” He turned laughing blue eyes on Dillon. “Looks like you’re in for an interesting weekend, bro.”
Scowling, Dillon reached past Dusty to shut down the computer then grabbed his keys and work gloves off the desk. “We’ve all got work to do, so let’s get moving.”
Deke laughed under his breath. “Yes, sergeant.”
Dillon ignored the jab about his former rank and headed out to his truck. He and Deke were both ex-military—him Army, and Deke Air Force Special Operations—but since his younger brother had come home to recover from a serious back injury sustained in Afghanistan, they’d locked horns on quite a few occasions. Alpha male sibling rivalry at its finest. He knew his brothers all saw him as overly serious and uptight, but as the eldest, he’d naturally assumed the role of family drill sergeant a long time ago. And right now with their parents away on an extended vacation, his word was law.
Exactly the way he liked it.
When the others left, he jumped into his pickup to start his work day. Yet, all throughout the morning perimeter check and afternoon chores, Dillon couldn’t quite keep his mind on task. Memories of Charissa kept surfacing and getting in the way. Even the platonic things they’d done together, before crossing the friend barrier with those insanely hot kisses had sent her running from him. Little details of the time they’d spent together that had obviously meant more to him than to her.
She must know coming here would mean seeing him. Was she staying this weekend only for her cousins? Or was there an ulterior motive at work? The way he saw it, her reasons didn’t much matter. He intended to find out why she’d shut him out so abruptly. She’d severed the connection between them without so much as a goodbye or nice-knowing-ya and hadn’t returned any of his calls or e-mails. She’d frozen him out completely. He’d lost sleep over her for weeks afterward, trying to figure out what the hell had gone wrong. Whatever the reason, something about them had scared the shit out of her. It had taken months to lose the bitter taste in his mouth over that.
Coming through the gate after he’d made the repairs to the fence line, he drove up the long, winding road to the main lodge. His heart beat just a little faster when he saw Charissa’s sleek silver sedan parked out front of the two-story stone and timber building.
He parked the pickup around back and headed inside, catching a glimpse of her walking out the side door and down the cement path toward the guest cabins. Her long, dark auburn hair was tied back into a ponytail that swished against the middle of her back. The almost saucy movement drew his gaze to the snug jeans that hugged her shapely ass and long legs as she rolled the suitcase behind her.
Tugging the brim of his hat down, he headed over to intercept her. Better to get this over with now and find out what her reaction to him would be so he knew what he was up against. Maybe she’d shut him out before, but the way he saw it, she owed him some answers. Sh
e was on his turf now. As far as he was concerned, that made her fair game.
****
Standing in front of the small, wooden cabin’s door, Charissa tightened her fingers around the key when she saw the man’s shadow appear on the sidewalk to her left. Tall, wide-shouldered, wearing a cowboy hat. He’d moved so quietly, she hadn’t even heard his footfalls on the pavement, and now he stood close enough that she could smell the subtle scent of his aftershave. Every muscle in her body tensed. As the achingly familiar scent teased her nose, the keychain jangled softly in her stiff hand.
“Hi.”
Her heart knocked against her ribs.
She would never forget the sound of that deep voice. Sometimes she still heard it in her dreams. That low Texas drawl sent a shaft of longing arcing through her, lighting up her whole body. Her nipples tightened inside the lace cups of her bra even as she berated herself. Damn. She’d known the probability of bumping into him this weekend was high, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. Would have been nice to have more time to prepare herself before this confrontation.
Time to face the music, lady.
Straightening her spine, she steeled herself and turned around.
At five-ten she was tall, but even in her boots, she had to tilt her head to look up at him. When she met his gaze, a burst of unwanted heat rippled through her veins, along with a bolt of anxiety. He was even hotter than she remembered.
A lock of his rich brown hair hung across his forehead beneath the brim of his black hat. The navy button-down he wore accentuated the slate blue of his eyes and the breadth of his chest and shoulders. The fabric stretched taut over the hard planes of muscle she remembered so well and still featured in all her fantasies. Her mouth went dry, but she forced a smile. No matter what he thought of her, she had to make sure she appeared unaffected by his presence.
“Hi, Dillon. Long time, no see.” The rehearsed line came out with surprising ease, considering how tight her throat felt.
He slid his hands into his back pockets, the move emphasizing the powerful muscles in his arms. Despite the awkward situation, he remained utterly at ease, in perfect control. “Too long. You look great,” he added, his gaze sweeping the length of her, leaving heat in its wake. “How’ve you been?”
“Fine. Busy with work and all.” She fought the urge to shove her hands into her own pockets to keep from fidgeting. “You?”
He nodded, studying her so intently it made her want to squirm. “Ranch keeps me busy.”
“I’ll bet.” The effort at making small talk was already starting to wear on her.
“I was surprised to see your name on the guest list.”
Her stomach muscles clenched. Resentment swirled up, hot and bitter. God, he wasn’t seriously going to confront her about the past right here and now, was he? “Bridgette’s my cousin. Of course I wanted to be here.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, just watched her with those knowing eyes. “Then why did you only decide to come at the last minute?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it. If he assumed his presence had anything to do with her decision to come to the ranch, he had a lot of nerve. “I wasn’t sure if I could sneak away from work in time to get here tonight,” she lied. The real reason she’d left so late was so that Dillon wouldn’t have any warning of her arrival. Little good that precaution had done her. One of his brothers had probably told him the second her e-mail had shown up in the Dumen Ranch inbox.
“So you’re here only for your cousin.” His expression remained neutral, but she thought she detected a hint of annoyance in his voice.
Isn’t that what she’d just said? The man was starting to piss her off with his cocky attitude. “Of course. Why else would I be here?”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah. Right.” His tone held an almost bitter edge, and those gorgeous blue eyes were filled with questions she had no intention of answering. Not now. Not ever.
An awkward silence settled in as he stared her down. With so much left unsaid between them, crowding in on her until she felt suffocated, she put on a polite smile and quickly filled the void. “Place looks great. I’m looking forward to spending the weekend here.” About as much as she’d look forward to sticking pins in her eyes, but she’d get through it.
“Glad to hear it. I hope you have a good time.”
Why did that statement have such strong sexual overtones? She fiddled with the key, wanting to escape him and his intense gaze, that hard body reminding her of all she could have had and never would. Fighting the guilt and longing eating at her, she decided to make her getaway. “Well, I’d best get unpacked and ready for dinner. It was good to see you.”
His eyes chilled at her sudden dismissal, but he gave no other outward sign that she’d offended him. And he wouldn’t. He had far too much control over himself to show any kind of weakness, especially in front of her. “Yeah, you, too. Guess I’ll see you later, then.”
The words held the hint of a promise and sent a shiver of warning through her. “Sure.”
Turning away to shut out the sight of him, her damp hand fumbled to get the key in the lock. The door finally opened just as his footsteps faded into silence. Shutting the door behind her, Charissa leaned her back against it and closed her eyes for a moment. She took a steadying breath. God, her stomach was in knots, but at least the worst was over. Now that she’d seen and spoken to him for the first time, the rest would be easier. With any luck, she’d be too busy with the girls this weekend to worry about coming face to face with Dillon again.
She unpacked, eyeing the cheery yellow quilt-covered bunk bed tucked against the far wall of the tiny cabin. It looked comfortable enough, and she’d have her own bathroom all weekend.
In the midst of freshening up in the bathroom—something she told herself had absolutely nothing to do with the chance of running into Dillon again—someone pounded on the cabin door.
“You’re here!” Bridgette cried, throwing her arms around her when Charissa pulled the door open.
Charissa smiled and hugged her cousin. “How’s the bride to be?”
“She’s ready for an awesome weekend with her favorite girls.” Her eyes twinkled. “So, what do you think of the place?”
“It’s exactly what I imagined it would be.” Dillon had painted a vivid picture of it for her while they sat on that hilltop in Austin, gazing up at the bright stars. That night he’d shown her the true meaning of desire, of physical need so strong she’d almost given in to temptation and asked him to take her to bed. The way he’d held her, kissed her, had shaken her to her foundation, and she’d never been the same since.
Some nights she still woke up feeling the imprint of his mouth on hers, his hands in her hair, and that deep voice whispering erotic commands in her ear. She pushed the thought away, her body on edge and aching with sexual need. How the hell was she going to make it to the end of the weekend without losing her mind? Seeing Dillon, even from afar, driving herself insane with the torture of not being able to touch him, hold him...
“Where are you staying?” she asked Bridgette.
“Two cabins down. I’m bunking with Jessie—you’ll love her, she’s a sweetheart. If we can pry her away from her computer long enough to enjoy herself, that is.” She waggled her blonde brows. “And speaking of enjoying yourself, I just saw Dillon walking back to the lodge. Did you see him?”
“Yeah, he came over to say hi.” She could still smell the lingering hints of his aftershave in the air if she breathed deep enough.
“And?”
She shrugged. “And nothing. When’s dinner, by the way? I’m starved.”
Bridgette snorted. “That was a pathetic attempt at changing the subject, and I’m not falling for it.”
Turning away, Charissa grabbed her purse. “Whatever. I’m hungry, dammit. The traffic coming out of Austin was a nightmare, and I didn’t want to stop to eat because I’d lose even more time.”
Lounging in the doorway with her ar
ms folded across her chest, her cousin assessed her shrewdly. “There was a time not so long ago when you couldn’t stop talking about him.”
“That was over ten months ago. And I’ve moved on.” She planned to keep telling herself that until she believed it.
“Don’t give me that crap. Hello? Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“We’re not compatible, Bridge, and you know it. He’s too alpha for me and you know about his love-’em-and-leave-’em reputation as well as I do. He’s not my type.”
Bridgette raised her brows. “Not even for the weekend?”
“No.” Especially not for the weekend. She wasn’t into flings, let alone with Dillon, who would never settle for less than everything she had to give. If she was stupid enough to give that to him, he’d just push her for more. And more. Until she lost herself completely in him. Then he’d walk away with yet another conquest under his belt, feeling like the sex god she had no doubt he was.
Not happening. After her previous attempt at taking on a dominant lover, she’d never risk that kind of vulnerability again. And Dillon would be dominant. Erotically, gorgeously dominant. The idea of submitting to him in the bedroom might be the subject of her naughtiest fantasies, but it scared the shit out of her. She’d learned her lesson the first time, the hard way. Considering the genuine feelings she’d had for Dillon and that he made her ex look like a pansy by comparison, she planned to stay the hell away from him.
Desperate to divert the conversation, she set an arm around Bridgette’s shoulders and opened the cabin door. No matter what happened, she would do her best to enjoy the weekend and steer clear of Dillon. “Come on. While we’re waiting for dinner, you can fill me in on all the wedding plans.”
Chapter Two
