by Em Petrova
“Let me on top. Your knee,” she said.
“Not a chance. You’re at my mercy this time, honey.” Using his leg, he nudged her thighs apart. Then he hooked them high on his waist and plunged into her without warning.
His thick head bumped her deepest point. She cried out. He threw his head back and roared. Clinging to him, her pussy clenching wildly around his length, she gave herself over to him.
It didn’t matter that he couldn’t promise her more—her mind, heart and soul gave her all. Soft moans escaped her, increasing in intensity until the room was filled with their pleasure. When he lowered his head and kissed her, she started to count in her head and stopped herself.
He softened the kiss and this wasn’t angry sex anymore. It was…it was…
His eyes glowed as he stared into hers. “Count it, honey.”
She’d never felt so synced to a man in her life. “Ten, nine.”
He worked his hips, driving his cock deep and then withdrawing almost to the tip. “Eight, seven,” he said.
“Oh fuck, Ridge. I need to come.”
He reached around her and pinched her ass where he’d just spanked it. The tender skin stung at his touch, but it felt good too. “Count.”
“Six, five, four.” She held her breath as fireworks shot through her core. A deep pounding began.
“Slow it down for me.”
“No!”
He stopped moving. “You’re going to come with me, honey. In three…” He kissed her deeply, twining tongues until she didn’t know where they separated into different people. “Two.” He dragged his tongue over her lip, and she rose high.
“One,” she said with him, and gave herself up to him forever.
Chapter 8
“Here’s the bronc rider of the group, Ridge Calhoun. Ridge, tell us about your scores. They’re quite a bit higher than we saw in the preliminaries or in Kansas a few weeks ago. What are you doing differently?”
He hated questions like this. What was he supposed to say? Lane was the brother who was good at interview questions. He tugged his hat lower as a camera angled to get under it and said, “I spent some time on my ranch clearing my mind.”
And fucking Kashley over every bale of hay on his land.
“So it’s a mind game you needed. It wasn’t your knee bothering you?”
He focused on his knee. It still hurt like hell, but he was ignoring it better. He kept that part of him separate in his mind, just as he did Anna. If he thought about her, it stung. But not as deep anymore. Still, it bothered him that in five months’ time he could possibly get over a woman he’d been prepared to marry.
“The knee’s fine. My head’s in the game, and I’m ready to ride.”
“One more question, if you will, Ridge.”
He gave a nod. Maybe he wasn’t as bad at interviews as he’d thought.
“What do you say about the rumors surrounding you and Kashley Cross? You’ve been pretty inseparable lately, is that right?”
“Kashley is a long-time friend of my family. We grew up together.”
And later I plan to sixty-nine her.
The reporter waited for more. Ridge didn’t give it.
“Okay, well thank you for taking time for us, Ridge. Good luck with your ride tonight.”
He thumbed his hat in response and moved away. With every stride he took away from the reporter, he breathed easier. Damn these people trying to pick through the haystack and find the one needle of his life he wasn’t ready to comment on.
Basically he had no idea what was going on with Kashley. Except she was consuming his thoughts more and more. Anna almost never popped into his head, and that worried him. Did it mean he was really such a shallow asshole, able to bounce between women?
Kashley was so good for him right now, though, and he wasn’t ready to end things.
But there was that email from Anna he’d buried in a folder so she wouldn’t see it. He could have just deleted it, so why hadn’t he? That was what kept him up at night. Then his mind would turn to Kashley and he’d roll over and stare at her beautiful face.
While at home at the ranch, they’d gone to separate homes and beds at night, and fuck, that had been hard. He’d wake throbbing for her. His arms aching for her. More than once they’d ended up texting each other, which was a whole new level of intimacy. He had no idea how these things happened, but he didn’t want them to end either.
The air in Houston was heavy and unbreathable, and he lengthened his strides to get to the next air-conditioned space. He was due at the Calhoun circle in a few, and Kashley would be there. His heart lifted and he hurried faster.
As soon as he rounded a corner, his buzz died. Jake Rawlins and Chip Johnson stood together, laughing.
Both men had touched Kashley. They gave him twin smirks as he passed, and Ridge, heedless of the camera tailing him, gave them twin middle fingers back.
The cameraman following him snorted, and Ridge shot him a look. “That’s between us.”
“Dude, they’re assholes. I’ve got your back.”
Feeling a kindred spirit after all these months in the Rope ’n Ride show, things were finally looking up.
Another production crew member was walking toward them. “Hey, guys. Change of plans.”
“What?” Ridge stopped.
“After the rodeo wrap-up, there was supposed to be a family dinner where you all discuss your events. But there’s some sort of rally going on.”
“Yeah, I heard that. A bash for all the competitors.” Usually things like this turned into pairing off with Buckle Bunnies, and Ridge and his brothers had never had time for that.
“We want a behind-the-scenes glimpse into a rodeo man’s life. Maybe catch some friendly talk on camera.”
Ridge pushed out a noise that sounded like a grunt. Slanting his gaze toward Chip and Jake, he was pretty damn sure he wouldn’t be having much friendly talk. He gave a nod. “I’ll be there then.”
The production assistant gave him a smile and a pat on the shoulder. “You’re doing great lately, Ridge. Really toeing the line. Boss is happy with your performance.”
Fabulous—now he wanted to misbehave just to prove he wasn’t a puppet.
* * * * *
Ridge came off his ride with a grin, tossing his hat high into the air. It toppled down to the ground and he swiped it up with a mock bow that had the crowd going wild. In a few short months he’d gone from the Calhoun everyone loved to gossip about to the guy they all wanted to get to know. Baptized in dirty water to resurrection.
Kashley bounced on her toes in excitement as he left the arena. Damn, he looked fine today too. Long legs accentuated in his black chaps and his hat pushed back so everybody could see his smile.
His gaze lit on her and small lines appeared around his eyes as his smile widened. He grabbed her by the arm and towed her into the shadows. There, he pinned her to the wall with his chest and his hands on either side of her head.
He grunted. With his lips against hers, he said, “You’re not wearing a bra.”
“No. But I’m wearing the clamps,” she replied, leaning in to bite his lower lip.
He let her tug it with her teeth, letting out a groan. “Fuck, honey, you’re killing me.” To show her just how much, he ground his cock into the V of her legs. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close.
“I’ve gotta have you.”
“After the rodeo closes,” she murmured, pressing tiny kisses along his freshly-shaven jaw.
He shook his head. “Can’t. We’re expected at the after-party.”
She went still. Did Ridge know Jake was here? She hadn’t seen him, but Wynonna had told her that she’d seen him and Chip walking together. Wynonna joked that they were buddies of another sort, but Kashley was worried they were sharing secrets about her. She’d never known them to hang out before.
Maybe she was just being too self-centered. She wasn’t that important, especially to two ex-lovers. She’d keep her distanc
e and hopefully Ridge wouldn’t have any cause to be jealous again.
Of course, she was more than willing to take the punishment.
He pushed off the wall behind her, putting inches between them just as a cameraman rounded the corner. When Ridge looked at her, though, she felt the caress of unspoken promise. She gave a nod of understanding.
“Ridge, you got it! You took top score,” someone called.
They spun. A smile broke over his handsome features, and her heart somersaulted with happiness. “Go! Thank your fans,” she encouraged.
To her surprise, he ignored the camera and gave her a solid kiss on the lips. “Thanks to you, honey.” Then he swung away.
Plastered to the wall for support, she listened to the arena erupt with cheers when Ridge walked back out. What did he mean thanks to you? Her mind darted to and fro with confusing thoughts, but it latched onto one that to her, was the most important.
He’d kissed her on camera.
* * * * *
Cameras zoomed around the Calhouns grouped off to the side, bottles of beer raised high in the air.
“Four wins and two second places. We cleaned up tonight!” Buck called.
“For Dad!” they chimed, then drank.
Ridge couldn’t feel much higher. Or hornier. Kashley stood next to him, and all he could think about was slipping away with the prettiest woman in the state of Texas and shimmying those tight jeans off her. Every time he glanced her way, he felt the touch of her breasts sans bra.
That turned his mind to dusky pink nipples that grew redder with every pull of his mouth.
She shot him the side eye. Was she thinking the same? He knew her well, and there was something off about her but it didn’t seem to have to do with him. At least he hoped it didn’t.
“You okay?” he whispered next to her ear. A strand of silky hair caught on his lip, but he didn’t brush it away. He liked the link to her.
“Yes. So happy for you all.” She gave him a bright smile. Maybe too bright? Dammit, his radars were going off. He’d gone through one breakup and now could see the warning signs.
How Anna had distanced herself more and more from his family, ignoring niceties and only showing up for the on-camera dinners. Then pulling her hand free from Ridge’s and saying it was too sweaty.
Ridge reached for Kashley’s hand. When he closed his fingers around her slender digits, she jerked her gaze to his. Shock burned in the blue and brown depths.
One of the cameramen—he never could keep their names straight though his siblings knew them all—zoomed in on their clasped hands. Ridge stared into her eyes and clinked his beer bottle softly against hers.
A poor substitute for what he wanted to press against her.
He pushed out a breath that nobody heard over the engines gunning at the end of the field. The fairgrounds had a perfectly muddy patch for tractor pulls, and it seemed some of the guys were revving up for some fun.
Kashley whipped around to watch, and Ridge remembered how well she loved big trucks and getting dirty.
He reached into his pocket for his keys, but they weren’t there. He checked the other. Nothing. Then the pocket of his leather vest, which turned up empty too. Damn, he must have left the keys in the hotel—
A set of silver keys dangled in front of his face, and he didn’t have time to process it before Kashley clamped her fist closed around the item she held and took off running. He started after her but was mobbed by three cameras and a group of fans wanting autographs. By the time he shook them off, Kashley was nowhere in sight. But he knew where she’d gone.
He made it to the edge of the field in time to see his truck tires spray up mud. Hoots and hollers sounded as people saw a woman behind the wheel. And Kashley knew how to mud.
She whipped the truck around, shooting muck all over the truck beside her.
“Holy crap, that girl can drive,” West said from beside him. Ridge couldn’t tear his gaze away from her behind the wheel. She ran close to the crowd, hosing them down too.
Ridge’s grin spread. “She’s damn good.” At everything. And she was much deeper in his system than he’d admitted until now. Kashley wasn’t just sex to him anymore. Hell, she never had been, and as soon as he got some time alone he was going to delete that email from Anna. He had no desire to reply to her nor think about her again.
He fixed his gaze on Kashley. She revved the engine. The tires spun, and mud splattered over his shins. From behind the wheel, she shot him a big beautiful smile and gunned it.
Heavy mud hit him full-on, and the crowd went crazy. West had gotten quite a bit of the spray too, and he lifted his beer to her. She saluted back.
Then she hit the gas and whipped the truck through the field again. In the center she did two donuts before coming out of the spin. Ridge’s sister appeared next to him, and he looked her over.
“Good thing you changed,” he said, noting worn jeans, a tank top and her old shit-kickers.
“Ha. At least Kashley’s smiling again.”
Ridge narrowed his gaze at Wynonna. “What do you mean?”
“She looked a little tense all day, don’t you think?”
Hell no, he hadn’t. Okay, maybe he’d detected some undercurrent a few minutes ago but nothing like Wynonna meant.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
“Ask her.” She looked up and laughed. He followed her gaze to see the passenger door of his truck right in front of his face and Kashley giving him a playful grin. Wynonna nudged him. “Go on. Forget about the cameras and have fun. She’s crazy about you, you know.”
His heart tripped ass over boots and he was striding forward in a blink. Boots sinking into the mud. He whipped open the door and launched into his truck. Before he had the door shut, Kashley stepped on the gas.
“I’m officially giving you hell for dirtying up my floorboards.”
“You’re the only one with mud on your boots.” Her eyes twinkled. When she jerked the wheel, sending them into a skid, he reached for the holy shit handle that wasn’t there.
Feminine laughter rolled through the truck as she turned the tables on him. “Bet you’re gonna replace that handle now.”
“No, but I’m gonna take off my belt tonight.”
Her eyes locked on his for a breathless heartbeat.
“That’s a promise. Now gun this thing.”
She set her boot into the pedal and gave it her all. Ten minutes later every truck on the field was coated in thick mud, and Kashley could barely see from the windshield. She managed to roll it safely to the parking lot and they got out to the sound of loud cheers and whistles.
Ridge settled his hand on Kashely’s spine as he led her through the crowd. Wynonna, Joy and Channing swarmed her, and she gave him an apologetic smile as they flooded her with questions. He tipped his jaw at her in understanding, secretly thrilled his family had taken her in as their own.
“She’s fucking hot. If I get a chance with her—”
Ridge whirled to see the speaker, but there were too many people here.
“I heard Jake Rawlins and Chip Johnson talking shop about her. Rawlins says he’s got photos of her in nipple clamps and lingerie.”
Ridge’s heart rocketed upward and lodged in his throat. But it only took him a second to choke it back down and grab the guy by the shoulder. “What the fuck did you say?”
He couldn’t be lying. Ridge had seen Kashley in nipple clamps.
“That blonde you’re with is somethin’, ain’t she?” the guy said, beer breath washing over Ridge.
He saw red. Drew back his fist.
And didn’t come up for air until he was dragged off and surrounded by his brothers and the production manager’s words echoed in his ears.
“You’re off the show.”
* * * * *
“What the hell were you thinking, Ridge? You’ve lost your friggin’ mind.” West paced in front of his brother, leaving thick mud clumps in his wake. They’d pretty much ruined the floors
in the backroom of the arena—the closest place to hide after Ridge’s display of anger.
Kashley folded her arms over her chest and tried to avoid their gazes. She had a sick feeling that this was about Jake and Chip. That the man Ridge had beat up had said something.
“Get out of my face before I lay you out next,” Ridge bit off. They’d sat him in a folding chair, and she couldn’t help but think how he must hate feeling like he was in an interrogation room. But the Calhouns weren’t letting off.
“What set you off?” Lane shot out.
“You were having a good time. What happened?” Wynonna added.
Ridge shoved out a breath and tipped forward with a violent jerk to rest his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. Kashley’s heart thundered as she watched his long tanned fingers disappear under the brim of his hat.
“Ridge, you’re off the show. Does that mean anything to you?” Buck asked.
He lifted his head, his gaze flat and devoid of emotion. At least for that topic. Ridge hated the cameras and the fame. He just wanted to ride broncs and live his life on his own terms. She couldn’t argue that the messes he’d faced in the past six months had been due to being in the public eye.
“Yeah, it means I’m free.” He stood up, wobbling on his bad knee.
He’s hurt it worse fighting with that guy.
He didn’t bother looking around for her before he walked out. Buck eyed her, and Wynonna gave her a worried glance. Kashley slid out from between Ryder and Lane and rushed after Ridge.
For a man with an injury, he sure could walk fast. She ran to catch up, and he disappeared around a corner. The absence of cameras gave her a sinking feeling. He really was off the show. What if he regretted his decision?
“Ridge.” Her voice sounded as a plea.
He tossed a look over his shoulder but kept walking.
“Why are you angry with me?” she called.
He stopped in his tracks and whipped around so fast that she stepped back. Even though she knew he’d never hurt her, the hot pain in his stare almost knocked her flat.
“What. The. Fuck?” he said low.
A shiver ran over her arms, and she rubbed them. “Talk to me, Ridge. None of us understand what’s happening.”
