Hidden Treasure

by Melody Anne

  Still, with her obvious dislike for the land and her obvious incompetence, he’d sworn to himself that first day after their ride that he was going to try to convince her that ranching wasn’t the life for her. That shouldn’t be too hard. She hated Montana and hated everything to do with the land she now owned. If he could just find the right buttons to push, he’d be all set at getting her to run far, far away.

  And yet the thought of her leaving didn’t make him ecstatic; instead, it brought him an ache he couldn’t quite explain. There was no chance he was falling for this woman. Impossible. Not after a few encounters, a couple of hot kisses, and one “meaningful” conversation.

  But he had a sinking feeling about this whole mess — he was certainly falling in lust with the little princess. And that was almost as bad in his book. She was beginning to fill his dreams, and then she was the first thought on his mind when he awoke. He had to get her out of his mind, and he’d already established the only way to do it — have sex with her.

  He had to do it! For the sake of his sanity. Who could get hurt when it all — or the two of them — came down to it?

  A few minutes later, his eyes were rooted to her house when the front door opened. Without realizing it, he was holding his breath. Two and a half days had been too long. That should have stopped him cold, but when she emerged, all thoughts and feelings he had went straight to his lower regions, and he knew he was in deep manure.

  The men on lunch break instantly became tongue-tied. Not that he noticed. All his attention was focused on Brielle and what she was wearing — or, more accurately, what she wasn’t wearing.

  Standing there on the porch and holding a pitcher that looked to be full of lemonade, she had on cutoff jeans — those Wranglers she’d killed on the trail? — that were so damn tiny that the pockets were sticking out of the front. He couldn’t imagine what would be showing in the back. And the only thing covering her breasts was about the tiniest bikini top he’d ever seen. What in the hell was she trying to do to him? As he looked around, he revised his question. What was she trying to do to all of them?

  “What’s going on here?” This came from Tony, who was at his side, and who seemed just as entranced by the show as the rest of the men.

  “I don’t know, but I’m about to find out,” Colt growled.

  “Hold on. I want to see what’s on her mind,” Tony said with a scowl wrinkling his forehead.

  “Why? She should know better than to dress like that in front of all these young pups,” Colt snapped.

  “They’ve seen less in the way of clothing,” Tony said with a chuckle. It was amazing. Even though what sounded like a laugh escaped his mouth, his lips still didn’t turn up. Colt would someday have to ask him how he managed that.

  Against his better judgment, Colt listened to Tony and decided to see how this was going to play out. When she stepped off the porch and walked to the back of her truck, setting a tray down that held lemonade, what appeared to be cookies, and a lot of paper cups, he began to figure it out.

  When she turned, she didn’t even look his way, just grabbed the attention of a few of the guys who weren’t far away. “Are you boys thirsty?” she asked, her voice dripping honey.

  The responses weren’t anywhere close to coherent as the men raced toward her and all but salivated at her feet as she poured a cup for each of them. Within the next ten minutes, more than twenty of her employees showed up. Text messages must have been flying. And she was soon surrounded as she sat on the back of the truck, her legs swinging, and her rapt audience hanging on every word she said.

  “I’ve had just about enough of this,” Colt said.

  “Yeah, but I want to know the point of all this. Come on, humor an old man and give it just a few more minutes,” Tony told him.

  Colt felt like punching something, but instead, as the two men spoke, he leaned against the side of a tractor, letting the big piece of equipment shade him. He kept his hat pulled low over his eyes as his gaze bored into Brielle.

  “Do you know where the hose is? I want to wash my truck.” The sound of her sweet voice easily drifted over to him, and his eyes narrowed. He’d bet every dollar he had — and he had plenty — that Brielle had never in her life washed her own vehicle.

  So why was she so keen on taking care of a truck that he hadn’t seen her drive once since she’d pulled up on her first day at the ranch? When one of the boys fetched her the hose, while another got her a bucket and soap, he waited, now just as curious as Tony.

  When the water started and she sprayed the hose high in the air so it cascaded down on her and all the men surrounding her, the sound of her laugher floating happily through the air, he had his answer.

  The boys were now looking at her as if she were their golden idol, and he had no doubt in his mind that this was preplanned. She’d figured out how to get the men on her side, and she’d done it with both guns blazing.

  He almost wanted to clap his hands and congratulate her. She wasn’t as defeated as he’d thought she was. When she lifted the sudsy sponge from the bucket and began washing the side of the truck, her hips swaying, drawing every pair of eyes to her rich assets, he was finished. She could play all the games she wanted to play, but what she was about to learn was that if she wanted to play with fire, she was damn well going to get burned.

  No longer aware of Tony’s presence, Colt pushed off from the side of the tractor and approached Brielle and her posse of men. He was only a few feet away when she turned and noticed him, the hose in her hand forgotten, the spout pointing directly at him.

  The cool shot of water to his chest didn’t faze him. It was refreshing, actually, since he was hot as hell. Without a word, but with the water still spraying him and soaking his jeans, Colt began unbuttoning his shirt.

  “Oh…sorry,” she said, as if just realizing what was happening.

  He didn’t care. She set down the hose and acted as if she were going to turn away, but his eyes held hers, and he wasn’t giving her permission to break the connection.

  He peeled his shirt from his wet shoulders, and felt immense pleasure when her eyes widened and she took her time looking at his rock-hard upper body. Yeah, she’d seen it before, but he couldn’t help but feel good that she was obviously mesmerized. That wouldn’t hurt for what was coming next.

  “Leave.” Though his gaze never left hers, the young men around her had no doubt that he was speaking to them. They scattered faster than a group of horses with a pit of snakes thrown into their corral.

  With a look of triumph, Colt began moving toward his prey. He didn’t know when or how, but somewhere, somehow, Brielle had become his, and it was now time he proved it to her.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  THOUGH BRIELLE HAD never received a look like the one Colt was sending her way now, she had no problem figuring out exactly what it meant. He wanted her, and he was coming after what he wanted. She was frozen where she stood, unable to tear her eyes from his. She absolutely didn’t want this feeling buzzing all through her body to go away.

  She had come out to win the men over, and she’d been more than successful — they were practically eating out of her hand right now. But she hadn’t expected the reaction she was getting from Colt. Sure, she knew he wanted her. Hadn’t that been obvious from the kisses they’d shared? But the hunger burning in his eyes was beyond what she’d ever seen before.

  Was she afraid? She couldn’t answer that.

  His look was sending her body into overdrive and she was more than willing to answer the animal lust in his expression. Her mind was doing its best to tell her this was wrong, was trying to stop her from making a mistake.

  Its best wasn’t anywhere in the vicinity of good enough. When he stopped right in front of her, she didn’t care what her brain was saying. All she cared about was how her body felt, and as he placed his hand on the back of her neck, she knew she wasn’t going to tell him no.

  The only thing she was going to do was faint if he didn’t lea
n down and kiss her right this second. As if he could read her mind, he lowered his head, and then fireworks exploded when his lips captured her.

  This time, he wasn’t slow. This time, he didn’t ask silently by softly touching his tongue to her lips. No. This time, he was showing her that he was in charge. He was pressing his body against hers and it was already hard and ready and sending all the right signals to her core. His tongue demanded entrance into her mouth, and she was ready for him, too.

  Melting against the slick hardness of Colt’s chest, and with his strong arms caging her in, Brielle surrendered happily. She wrapped her arms around his solid shoulders and held on tight while he kissed her more deeply than any other man had ever come close.

  When his hand slipped down her nearly naked back and clutched the wet material of her short shorts, she moaned into his mouth, forgetting there was anyone else on the ranch. She ached for his touch, ached for him to quench the flames blazing through her.

  When he pulled back, she whimpered, not understanding why he would possibly stop when they were just beginning. “House, now!” was his answer to her unspoken question, and then the breath was pushed from her lungs when he lifted her up and hoisted her over his shoulder.

  Brielle was horrified. He was carrying her caveman style into the house, and in front of who knew how many of her workers, but when he slammed the door shut behind them, and she opened her mouth to protest his Neanderthal ways, he simply pressed her against the door and began where he’d left off back at her truck.

  Any and all objections faded away.

  She was lost as he gripped her thighs and lifted her, letting the door help hold her up as his body pressed against hers and he pushed against her core, making the fire burning deep inside turn her into red-hot lava.

  His mouth commandeered hers as he traced her lips with his sure tongue before entering again and making her veins tingle and throb. He cupped her sweetly rounded behind with his hand as she clamped her legs tightly around him.

  When he slipped his fingers beneath the hem of her cutoffs and touched her flesh, she moaned, opening her mouth further to his probing tongue.

  This wasn’t what she’d planned when she started out of the house late this morning, but as he pushed against her, she understood that plans were made to be broken. Best-laid plans. This was a much better way to spend her afternoon.

  “I need you, Brielle,” he groaned, after barely pulling back far enough from her mouth to speak.

  “Then take me, Colt.” She let her head fall back against the door, and he began nibbling down her neck.

  “Please tell me you’re sure...”

  Why did he need to say this? She didn’t want to think about whether or not she was sure, didn’t want to analyze the situation. All she wanted to do right now was feel — feel everything he was doing to her, and more.

  “Yes,” she said, because she was sure that if they didn’t complete this, she would curl up and die.

  That settled that. Still holding her against him, he pushed away from the door and began moving to the staircase. She didn’t ask him how he knew where her room was; she was too focused on the way he was licking along her neck.

  He climbed the stairs with her in his arms, and he didn’t even grow short of breath. That was something for her to think about later. The sheer strength this man possessed was a huge turn-on for her. She’d never been carried off before. And she’d never felt so sure of anything in her life.

  When he reached her room, she was ready for him to rip her clothes right off, but he somehow managed to set her down gently on the bed, then step back and take a long look at the picture she made.

  Her flesh was pink, her nipples hard, and her shorts too tight. She wanted all barriers between them gone. As if reading her mind, he reached down and began undoing his jeans. She couldn’t remove her gaze from the beautiful trail of hair that led to the buttons there. Each one that he undid brought her that much closer to seeing his magnificence.

  At last, he grabbed his jeans and briefs in tight fingers and pushed them down. She gaped helplessly at his lean hips, the ripples in his abs, and each glorious inch of flesh below that he displayed for her greedy eyes.

  Because the denim was wet, it took a little more effort for him to peel his jeans away, but it was worth the wait, because when he freed himself, she gasped in delight.

  “Oh, Colt, I’m so ready for this,” she sighed, practically drooling as his manhood sprung forth in all its breathtaking glory. He was thick, solid, and more than primed for combat, and the sheen on the head of all that flesh made her bite her lip in anticipation.

  He had to groan, and, hearing that, she lifted her eyes upward to meet his, which were burning with desire. “If you keep looking at me like I’m the main course, I won’t last long enough for either of us to fully enjoy this,” he warned her as he joined her on the bed.

  “Colt, you’re not the main course — you are most certainly the best course: dessert,” she replied with a come-hither smile.

  And he came hither. With another growl, he lay on top of her and captured her lips once more, ravishing her mouth before turning both their bodies sideways so he could pull the string at the back of her bikini top.

  In two seconds flat her breasts were freed and she reveled in the feel of them pressing against his muscled chest. She wriggled to get even closer.

  No dice. He pushed her on her back and trailed his mouth down her neck, licking the skin before nipping it and making her cry out for more. Moving farther down her body, he circled his mouth around each of her luscious breasts in turn, teasing her, taking his time to get to the hard peaks she so desperately wanted him to suck.

  “Now, Colt. Please.” She lifted her hands into his hair and guided him there. And he was finally fastening on one sensitive bud and taking the pink flesh into his mouth while swiping his tongue across its aching surface.

  She cried out as she felt the heat building inside her, felt herself on the edge of exploding, and he hadn’t even touched her core yet. If loving this was wrong, she didn’t want to be right.

  He moved to her other breast and gave it ample attention before running his tongue down the center of her cleavage and making his way to her stomach, sucking and licking every inch of quivering flesh.

  When he undid her cutoffs and began stripping them away, she lifted her hips from the bed to make it easier for him, needing his mouth where she was pulsing with hunger. He didn’t make her wait long.

  After getting rid of her tiny shorts and tinier panties, he spread her legs and licked her inner thighs, growling in his appreciation of her hot scent before he moved upward and ran his tongue along her sensitive folds.

  When he clamped his lips onto the pulsing bud of her womanhood, she jerked up from the bed, and the greatest pleasure of all ripped through her in wave after blissful wave.

  “Yes,” she cried out, clasping her hands in his hair and holding him there, afraid he would stop before she was ready for him to.

  She had nothing to fear on that score. He swept his tongue across her flesh in time with the pulsations of her body, and drew out her pleasure for so long that when it ended, she collapsed against the mattress.

  She was spent. There was no possible way she could do more, and it was just too bad for him. As if he could read her mind, he chuckled. “Don’t get too comfortable, Brielle. We aren’t finished,” he told her, and he slipped two fingers inside her hot sheath.

  “Oh, Colt, I can’t…” she started to say, but the words ended on a moan, because somehow he was hitting just the right spot to make her body come alive again.

  He moved his fingers slowly in and out, building the embers of her fire to a red-hot blaze once again, and she was soon writhing beneath him. His fingers just weren’t enough.

  “Colt…”

  “Tell me what you want, Brielle.”

  He was going to make her say it, and sadly, she didn’t have an ounce of shame as she replied: “You. Inside me. Righ
t now.”

  He pulled his fingers from her and then climbed up her body, leaving a trail of kisses all the way to her lips. She tried to turn away, the thought of tasting herself on his tongue making her uneasy, but he gripped her head and plunged inside her mouth, giving her a new sensation as his musky flavor mixed with hers. Not bad, really — she could definitely get used to that. And as the head of his arousal pressed to her core, she opened her legs wider, needing him to thrust inside, forgetting about anything but the two of them making the ultimate connection.

  As his tongue grazed her lips, he slipped an inch of his erection inside her, making her tremble with wanting. “Please,” she begged again as she wrapped her legs around him. The anticipation was killing her. She wanted to feel his thickness inside her. She wanted completion.

  Then he thrust his tongue inside her mouth at the same time as he drove inside her body, swallowing the scream she released. So full, so possessed. She felt perfect right now, or so she thought.

  When he began moving, slowly at first, in and out, and then picking up speed and building her to a fiery peak, she knew this was as good as it could possibly get. Never before had she been so over the edge in passion that the world faded away, but that’s exactly what was happening now as Colt held her willing body.

  She could do this forever, and still it wouldn’t be enough. They moved in perfect rhythm as he took her to the very best place she could ever be, and when they came together in a brilliant flash of light and heat, her body shook with the power of the release.

  Colt’s groans echoed through the room, music to her ears. The weight of his now relaxed body was a perfect blanket, and in this moment she was in total and utter peace.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  BRIELLE FELT AS if she were drifting on a raft in a peaceful lake as Colt held her securely against his chest and his fingers traced shapes in her back. The sensation was beyond compare, and if she could freeze this moment, she would be the happiest woman alive.