by Em Petrova
The barking of cattle dogs pulled a moan from him. Channing recovered faster, bounding out of his arms. She whipped open the door and disappeared through it before he could blink. When he walked out, Brant was there shoving a camera in his face.
“Dammit, we can’t get any privacy, can we? I suppose you’ll be standing over our bed while we make our first child.” He strode past, ignoring the man’s grin.
Outside, everyone was gathering around Ryder’s close friend Joseph Screaming Eagle. The Cherokee man greeted them all with hugs for the women and handshakes for the guys. When Channing pulled him aside and handed him some official-looking papers, Buck wished to hell he knew what was going on.
He pulled Channing close to ask but the dogs started barking again.
She wasn’t kidding there wasn’t time.
Buck folded his arms and waited for the scene to unfold before him. After getting his woman back in his arms and agreeing to walk through life with him, the ranch problem seemed small. Sure, he didn’t want to lose it but letting go of the land would be a hell of a lot easier.
She leaned into his side and he put his arm around her, feeling her quiver with excitement.
* * * * *
Channing wished like crazy that she’d been able to fill in Buck about their plan but having his element of surprise would work in their favor.
When Ennis got out of the truck and walked toward the group with all the arrogance in the world, she didn’t feel even a little bit bad about what was about to go down.
“Ennis, this is Joseph Screaming Eagle from the Creek Nation,” Ryder introduced.
Buck was tense, watching the display like a wolf about to pounce on a rabbit. Channing took his hand, and he glanced down at her with a new warmth in his gaze before snapping his attention to the others.
Ennis had Calhoun manners in spades, and he shook hands with Joseph as if they were long-lost buddies. “Pleasure.”
“Joseph has some information for you about this land that’s been willed to you,” Ryder said.
Ennis arched a brow. “Yeah? What’s that?”
Joseph played the part beautifully. With his natural poker face, he unfolded the papers Channing had just handed to him. “These are documents showing an ancient Cherokee burial ground on this land.”
Ennis stared at the first page and quickly flipped it aside to the second, an actual map of the Calhouns’ ranch, which Channing’s friend had photocopied from the courthouse records.
“It seems the abstractor never went back far enough to see this document verifying the land can never be drilled for oil, mined or disturbed in any way.” Joseph’s dead-pan acting gave Channing a thrill. If she didn’t know better, she’d believe every word he was saying.
“What the hell are you trying to pull over on me?” Ennis drawled. He folded the papers and slapped them back into Joseph’s hand.
At her side, Buck was a live wire, tension rolling off him in waves.
“The land’s worthless to you in this state, Ennis. And that means it’s worthless to everybody else except for raising cattle,” Ryder said.
Wynonna bounced a little on her toes. She managed to staunch her enthusiasm but not before throwing Channing a private victory grin.
“My offer stands. Take it or leave it,” Ennis said in a hard tone.
“You’ll never get anybody to buy at that price, Ennis. You’re screwed. The land isn’t worth what you once thought. It would take you twenty years to find someone stupid enough to buy this place at that price,” Buck said.
His voice was a warm balm over Channing’s flayed nerves. She couldn’t wait to get back into his arms and tell him everything, including how much she loved him.
Ennis sputtered indignantly.
Feeling they weren’t out of the woods yet, Channing stepped forward. She took Ennis by the arm and pulled him aside. Trying to un-hear Buck’s growl of disapproval, she walked a few steps away with Ennis.
The man had always liked her too much, and she’d use that to her advantage to make him listen.
“It seems your house of cards has fallen, Ennis. You won’t get what you’re asking for this land, so I think you should go back to the original price you set before you got even greedier. You don’t really want this land anyway.”
He narrowed his eyes. From the corner of hers, she saw one of the brothers restrain Buck from breaking up whatever was happening between her and Ennis.
She leaned close to their cousin. He was handsome and actually smelled good, but looks were very deceiving when it came to this man. He was nothing like a Calhoun. “After a bit of digging, it seems there’s also some information about your misfiled taxes for the past decade too.”
His eyes flared wide.
She went on tiptoe to whisper into his ear. “I’d give them the best deal, Ennis. It will only take me one moment to turn and look into the camera and tell the nation that you owe hundreds of thousands to the IRS and that you’ve been falsifying a lot of information about your holdings.”
* * * * *
Buck was going to break Ennis’s neck as soon as Ryder stopped holding him back. What the hell was Channing saying to him anyway? She took a step away from the man, but a whole county wasn’t enough to satisfy Buck.
Ennis waved a hand at them, as agitated as Buck felt. “Fine—I’ll sell it to you for the original stated price.”
Several gasps.
Buck’s jaw dropped. But then he looked at his fiancée and saw the sparkle of mischief in her eyes. He raised a brow at her. What the hell have you done, you beautiful, amazing woman?
Lane tossed his hat into the air in celebration and Wynonna and their ma threw their arms around each other, jumping up and down.
“We’ll cut you a check right now,” Ryder drawled. “I’ll just go write it out.”
Two minutes later Ennis drove away in a cloud of angry dust and the Calhouns stood in the yard with Joseph Screaming Eagle.
“What the hell was that?” Buck demanded.
“It was all Channing’s idea,” Ryder said. Everyone looked to her, and her cheekbones grew pink. Buck’s libido burst into flames.
“You did this?” he asked her, pulling her near enough to kiss.
She nodded. “I pulled a few strings with my friend and she made up some papers for us.”
“So there’s not really an ancient Cherokee burial ground on our ranch?” West asked.
She shook her head. “No. But I know your family will never disturb the land and it won’t matter that we scammed Ennis. Once he finds out, it will be too late. If he ever finds out.” She looked into Buck’s eyes and issued a small giggle.
The sound was infectious and they all burst out laughing, including Joseph. He got several thumps on the back for playing the part to perfection and Channing was passed around for hugs and thanks.
When Buck got her back into his arms, he buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply. “I love that you smell like my body wash.”
“Somebody stole mine.”
With a possessive growl, he swept her into his arms. As he stomped toward the house, he jerked his head toward the barn. “You guys better get to cleaning out the barn. We’ve got a wedding coming up.”
Luckily the cameras didn’t follow him into the house. He closed Channing and himself into the bedroom and twisted the lock. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in for his kiss.
As their lips brushed, they shared a noise of want. Slowly he let her slide to her feet. She started working off his shirt immediately. He tugged her tank top over her head and tossed it to the floor. She knocked off his hat, and he swooped in for another tongue-tangling kiss.
After boots and the rest of their garments were abandoned, Buck lifted her into his arms and settled on the bed with her bare ass cradling his hard cock.
She shivered in his hold, her eyes flashing as she moved in and pressed her lips against his throat, right over the pulse hammering there. He dipped his head and skimmed his lips
over the top of her breast. She cooed and eased back to give him access.
When he parted his lips over the straining tip, she arched into him. He sucked on her nipple, pulling it with his lips and then grazing it with his teeth. She dug her blunt nails into his shoulders and they rolled on the mattress together, a tangle of limbs.
Holding her gaze, he circled her wet nipple with his forefinger. It hardened further, and his cock echoed the sentiment. “You’re never leaving me again.”
She shook her head. Twining her legs around his waist, she pushed her wet heat into his erection. “Never. Buck, I need you.”
“Fuck, darlin’.” Without meaning to go so fast, he poised his cock at her slick folds, and in one hard push, joined them.
She cried out, head tossed back. He kissed her throat as his hips moved with a will of their own. His body was out of his control. It needed Channing and she needed a release only he could provide.
“Spread wide for me,” he rasped.
She mewled in response and did as he asked. He slipped in a little deeper until the head of his cock bumped her innermost point. He eased in and out of her tight sheath, grinding his teeth against the need to blow. If he didn’t change positions and distract himself, he’d never last.
Pulling out, he ducked his head and sucked her nipples. Moving back and forth between them until she writhed under him. As he teased her breasts, he slid his fingers over her mound and into her juicy slit.
Small gasps escaped her as he turned his fingers downward, stretching her pussy open. Her inner muscles squeezed him tight. He pushed deeper, and she came in one hard, shaking orgasm.
Watching her come was the most exquisite thing he’d ever seen. Her lips cherry red and swollen, her eyes hooded. Her whole body jerking under him.
Before she’d finished pulsating around his fingers, he turned her onto her stomach and blanketed her with his body. Keeping his weight on his elbows, he slowly eased his cock into her tight channel.
Then he only knew bliss.
* * * * *
Buck twitched his hips and his cock bumped her G-spot. Sensations tore through her, and she couldn’t control her noises of bliss. As he ground into her with slow, erotic movements, he kissed her nape and spine until her skin tingled from his beard burn.
With every plunge of his cock, her muscles gripped him. All the way back to Oklahoma she’d fantasized about their first time in bed together, and he wasn’t disappointing. He was pouring all his emotion into their lovemaking and she had a feeling she’d be wholly satisfied.
He withdrew almost to the tip before thrusting back into her. His muscles strained and his breaths came faster. She reached back and clutched his bulging thigh. With a growl, he yanked her hips upward to take him to the hilt.
The bed rocked as they took what they needed from each other. Her body was on fire. When he put his lips to her ear and started talking dirty, she stopped thinking and just let him take her to the pinnacles of ecstasy.
“You like my cock in you, don’t you? Pounding into your pussy so deep.”
“Fuck yes,” she cried.
“I’m going to make you come half a dozen times this way before I take your ass.”
The thoughts of repeating that moment when he’d given her a mind-blowing anal orgasm sent her sailing. Her contractions began slowly. But he churned his hips and took her to brand new heights. Her body squeezed his cock. She muffled her cries in the sheets but Buck wasn’t so quiet.
He roared as his orgasm hit. Hot spurts of come bathed her inner walls, and she floated for long minutes on the wave of her release.
She had no recollection of him pulling out of her body or turning her into his embrace. She only knew his solid pec muscle cradled her cheek and he was stroking from her hair to her buttocks and back up in long, soothing sweeps.
Her skin prickled with goosebumps, and he rumbled a chuckle. “I can always make you respond to me.”
“I have no control of my body when I’m around you.”
“Hmm. That’s good.”
“It’s because I know you’ll take care of me.”
“In good times and bad.”
Her heart squeezed with happiness at the marriage vow. She threaded her fingers into his hair and looked into his eyes. “We’d better start sampling some cakes.”
“Whenever you’re ready, darlin’. I prefer chocolate, but you know that already.”
She did but she leaned on her elbows to study his rugged features. She leaned in and brushed her lips gently over his. “I prefer white I think.”
“I thought you liked chocolate too. Why the change?”
“Because the white cake will look so good smeared over your tan face.”
“Why you…” He delivered a playful slap to her bottom that resulted in a struggle. And finally Channing collapsed to the bed and gave herself up to the only man in the world who could ever fulfill her. They didn’t come up for air for a long time.
Epilogue
Buck Calhoun, team roping powerhouse and reality star from the new hit TV series Rope ‘n Ride tied the knot with his pretty little filly Channing over the weekend. The shindig was held on the Calhoun ranch in Oklahoma complete with a country western band and two-stepping in the barn late into the night.
If there was a red carpet for brides, Channing Calhoun rocked it yesterday wearing a simple yet stunning sheath dress and a platinum tiara atop her golden blonde curls. Buck was dashing in a traditional black tux and his trademark Stetson.
Standing up for Channing was the youngest of the Calhoun clan, Wynonna. And Asher Franklin, Buck’s best friend and roping partner, was teased that he’d toss the wedding rings lasso-style. We hear the wedding will be brought to us in HD as the season closer, and whooeee! We can’t wait.
For more juicy tidbits on how Buck and Channing met, stay tuned for next month’s issue.
The Calhouns are a family of rodeo reality stars, each competing in their own events from bulls and broncs, to roping and wrestling steers and barrel racing. Will they all take a win at the championship finals coming up? Stay tuned, folks, because one thing is certain about this big brood—they’re devoted to making ranching and rodeoing a way of life. And now they’re shooting for the stars with their top-rated new reality series. Watch Rope ‘n Ride on Wednesdays at 9 pm EST.
THE END
Ryder
Rope ’n Ride Series Book 2
All Rights Reserved
Ryder
Copyright Em Petrova 2016
Ebook Edition
Cover design by Bookin’ It Designs
Electronic book publication June 2016
All rights reserved. Any violation of this copyright is punishable by law.
Ryder
Rope ‘n Ride Series
Book 1
By Em Petrova
Ryder Calhoun would rather face down an angry bull than commit to a relationship. And that’s exactly what every woman he encounters seems to be after. He’s a championship bull rider, and his family’s reality show is a big hit. He’s not into gold-diggers or Buckle Bunnies who are after the prize—him.
Joy Humphries is rodeo royalty—her dad is a big name in bull riding and she knows what the life’s all about. She also knows men like Ryder Calhoun. Strong, capable and reportedly dashing between the sheets, though Daddy wouldn’t let her hook up with a rodeo man even if she wanted to. But the more she’s around Ryder, the more she thinks he might be different. Or is that all an act for the cameras?
Ryder can’t complete a thought that doesn’t have Joy attached to it in some way. He doesn’t care if she’s slapping his face or letting him kiss her silly—just being around her is enough for him. Trouble is they can’t escape the camera crew, and her father seems to pop up around every turn. There’s also a not-so-little problem with her distracting him in the arena, and he needs these wins to help his family.
Maybe he should just give up on Joy, because the only thing worse than falling for a forbi
dden woman is doing it in front of reality TV cameras.
Chapter One
Ryder hitched himself up on the fence and watched two of his brothers work. Damn, even the hard plank of wood under his buns felt good. He hadn’t sat down in what felt like a month. Between the ranch work, riding bulls for cash and giving interviews for the family reality show, he just wanted a spot of peace.
Something brushed his calf and he jerked his head down to look between his legs. Only to see a camera poking out between his feet.
“Sorry, it’s a great shot of Buck through the fence rails and between your boots,” Adrianna said.
Ryder shook his head and let her get on with her job. If it had been anyone but the sweet, soft-spoken Adrianna, he would have shown the camera person what spurs could do.
Buck and Lane stood talking, their voices low as they threw furtive glances at Adrianna. Whatever they were saying they didn’t want to be caught by the mics. This was the worst part of having the crew around them at all times. After nine months, the people almost felt like cousins to the Calhouns. But they didn’t want all their business aired.
Ryder jumped off the fence and crossed the dirt plot to his brothers. They all stood about the same height with enough similar traits that they couldn’t deny their father. If he were here, he’d be cussing at them to stop being lazy and get their butts to work.
And Buck Sr. would have liked the film crew as much as Ryder did.
At his right, he felt Adrianna’s presence. The blinking light was still hard for Ryder to ignore after all this time.
“Hey, Aloysius, have you decided to finally do some work around here?” Buck asked Ryder.
Ryder lowered his jaw and settled his gaze on his older brother. “Wanna call me that again?”
Buck’s lips quirked up as he said very slowly, “A-loyyyy-sssius.”
Ryder shoved him square in the chest, rocking him on his boots. Lane guffawed, and Adrianna decided to do an impromptu interview.
“Why are you calling Ryder Aloysius?”
