by Kim Redford
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Sweet and tart.” Misty smacked her lips and took another sip. “Slade can certainly cook and brew.”
Trey chuckled. “That’s how he gets all the girls.”
“I thought that was bull riding.”
“Thing of the past.”
“I guess there are a lot of things that belong in the past.” She gazed thoughtfully at the deep crimson color of her wine. “You’re right.”
“I am?”
She glanced up at him. “I needed to let go of my painful past. Maybe I was clinging to it because that was all I had left of my parents.”
“You can still cherish their memory.”
“Yes, I understand that now.” She held out her mug toward him. “Thank you.”
“Glad I could help.” He gently touched her mug with his own. “Is this a promise to start anew?”
“Me? You?”
“Us.”
“There’s us?” She shivered in excitement at the thought, so she took a gulp of wine to warm her body.
“There better be.” He put his hand in her bathwater. “Cold. You should’ve told me.” He quickly set his mug on the countertop and stood up. “I don’t want you to get a chill. That’s speaking as a paramedic.”
She chuckled as she set her mug on the corner ledge of the big bath, knowing he was making excuses now.
“Let me warm you.” He grinned as he unfolded a big red bath towel with reindeer prancing along one edge. He held it up and out in front of his face and body. “Come on. Don’t lollygag.”
“You wouldn’t take advantage, would you?”
“Me?”
“You’re audacious.” She quickly stepped from the tub before he decided to peek and grabbed for the towel.
“Did you say bodacious?” He wrapped the towel around her body as he pulled her against his hard chest. “You want to give an audacious, bodacious cowboy plenty of time to take advantage.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at his teasing ways, but he’d sent her temperature soaring at the very touch of his hot body.
“Best dry you so you don’t catch a cold.” He held her still with one hand as he rubbed the towel up and down her back, moving lower and lower in an exaggerated erotic pattern.
“Little chance of that.” She felt a sizzle all over as he sensitized her bare skin with the rough towel, setting her nerve endings on fire. He cupped her butt with both hands, pulled her forward, and pressed his hardness against the most sensitive part of her. She moaned, desperate for the feel of his hard hands on her soft skin. She struggled to get free of the towel so she could touch him, needing to feel his skin under her fingers.
“Not yet,” he whispered with warm breath against her ear. He wrapped the towel tighter and pinned her arms to her sides. “You’re all mine now.” And he pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth before he continued to tease with the tip of his hot, moist tongue before he nipped and sucked her lower lip till she struggled in mounting urgency and frustration.
She returned his kiss with a desperation that he stoked with each touch of his lips, his tongue, his breath. When he finally thrust into her mouth, she groaned and kissed him back with so much fervor that he pulled the towel tighter and tighter, as if binding her to him for all eternity. He kissed her long and hard and hot as if he could never get enough of her. And she caught his hunger like a fever.
When her lips felt so swollen and sensitive she thought she might burst with longing, he moved slowly downward, licking beads of water and pressing molten kisses across her satiny skin until he reached the edge of the towel. He wove patterns of kisses till she felt inflamed from the inside out. Finally, he raised his head and looked at her with eyes darkened by desire.
“Please, don’t stop now.” She moaned as she threw back her head to give him unfettered access, aching for more of his touch.
He slowly lowered the towel, inch by inch, followed by heated kisses till he revealed the peaks of her round breasts. “You’re as beautiful by daylight as you are by moonlight.”
She felt even hotter at his suggestive words. Now she realized she’d never stopped burning for him since he’d set her on fire when he’d touched her so intimately by the spring in the gazebo. She’d thrilled to his touch then, but at this moment he drilled deeper with every single touch of lips and hands and body. Still she wanted more of what only he could give her.
He lowered his face and took his own sweet time teasing and tormenting the tips of her breasts till she felt an answering blaze deep in her molten core. She needed him. She yearned for him. And yet she wanted to touch him as he touched her. But he still bound her tightly with the towel.
“I’ve wanted to do this since the first moment I saw you.” He lifted her into his arms still wrapped in the towel and strode into the bedroom. He set her on the edge of the bed. He threw the extra pillows on the floor before he tossed back the covers to reveal silky crimson sheets.
“And what do you think I’ve wanted to do with you?” She reached behind her back and slowly, suggestively pulled the towel away from her body till she sat naked before him. When she heard the sharp intake of his breath and saw the intensity in his eyes, she wantonly tossed the towel on the floor beside the pillows.
“I hope like hell you’ve wanted to have your way with me.”
She laughed, a low, sultry sound, as she gave a little twist of her hand to indicate she wanted him to reveal all.
He slowly pulled the macramé necklace over his head and set it on the nightstand. Next, he tugged his T-shirt over his head, revealing tanned skin stretched tight across hard muscles with only a little dark chest hair. He tossed his tee beside her towel and watched her reaction.
“Come here.” She heard the huskiness of her voice and felt the rush of heat over her body. She wanted to feast on him now.
He dropped to his knees in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tight.
She felt like a powerful goddess—all raw hunger, blatant need, infinite desire—as she lay back and spread out on the bed, baring her body to him just as she’d earlier bared her soul to him.
He stood up, unzipped his jeans, then stopped and smiled seductively at her as he slowly lowered his pants till he was completely naked, too.
She licked her lower lip as she gazed at him just as he’d earlier looked upon her. He was big, bold, and so obviously ready to give her pleasure that she felt breathless with passion.
“Come here,” she said again, only this time in a soft, urgent purr, as she beckoned him closer with one languid hand.
He quickly opened a drawer in his nightstand, selected a condom, and slipped it on his long length.
When he joined her on the bed, she felt as if she’d truly come home. She kissed him, wrapping her arms around him and binding him to her as he’d earlier bound her to him.
Trey entered her—gently and tenderly—and then he moved urgently with strong thrusts until she wrapped her legs around him.
And they both cried out in pleasure.
Chapter 30
Trey lay in bed propped up on pillows with his hands clasped behind his head. He watched the scenic landscape of Wildcat Ranch through the sheer drapes over his bedroom windows. No place on Earth could be finer. He glanced down at a sleeping Misty. She lay with an arm thrown across his chest and a knee over his legs. She felt soft and warm and cuddly. He didn’t know when he’d been so content or so satisfied.
Not completely satisfied. That never seemed to work out in life. They still had the issues of Texas Timber and the fires to discuss and work out. But that’d wait till later, maybe at dinner.
He stroked a strand of soft hair back from her face. She was more than he could’ve imagined when he’d first flagged her down on Wildcat Road. She had depths and passions and smarts that made her even more delectable than at first gla
nce. And that was before they’d tumbled into his bed. She might not like to hear it, but she fit him like a favorite pair of well-worn boots.
If he’d found the woman for him after his parents had pulled their little stunt to leave him lonely at Christmas, he’d never hear the last of it. It’d be “I told you so” for the rest of his natural life. But if he had found his special gal, he’d be happy to pay that small price for happiness.
He checked Misty’s hand. Somewhere between bath and bed, she’d lost the bandage. He’d take care of her injury again later. How he’d hated to see her by the Christmas tree, hurting physically and emotionally. He’d known then he’d protect her with everything in him till the cows came home.
Speaking of cows, he sat up a little straighter. Why were his prized Angus drinking from the swimming pool? He blinked to clear his eyes. No, he hadn’t been mistaken. Not one dang bit. Black, four-legged animals were definitely spending a little quality time by the pool.
If Mom found out, she’d be all over him. Those critters would eat her carefully tended pansies and mums, and then leave cow pies everywhere. Cattle tended to take water in one end and empty it out the other end at the same time. The pool could be pea green real quick.
But that was the small problem. The bigger one was that some of his cattle were loose. How the hell had the critters gotten out of the strong fence in the first place? He rubbed his forehead in disgust. Sabotage. Somebody had been at Wildcat Ranch again. First the fire. Now cut fence. But this time somebody was making a definite point that his family was vulnerable. The culprits had snuck up close to the house when they knew he’d be at the fire to do their dirty work. It was getting personal or maybe it always had been that way.
“Misty, wake up.” He gently shook her shoulder. “I’ve got a situation on my hands.”
She opened one eye and looked sleepily at him.
He couldn’t keep a smile from crossing his lips despite the outside problem. She looked delectable and he wanted to start where they’d left off. Instead he thrust his feet over the side of the bed and stood up. “Don’t figure you can ride a horse.”
“Not today.”
“Drive a four-wheeler?”
“Not even on my to-do list.”
“At least you can walk and run.”
“Not on my current agenda.” She stretched, pulled the sheet to her chin, and rolled over to present him with her back.
He patted her round butt under the red sheet. “It is now.”
She looked over her shoulder and opened both eyes. “You’re kidding.”
“Take a look at the swimming pool.” He grabbed his jeans, jerked them on, and zipped up.
“You just ruined my best view by covering up your body.” She pouted as she sat up.
“You can have it back later.” He chuckled as he stepped away from the windows and grabbed his T-shirt.
“Are you sure you want to get up so soon?”
“No choice. I’ll make it up to you later.” He anticipated making that promise last a long, long time. “Take a look outside.” He quickly tugged his T-shirt over his head and tucked the tail into his jeans before he adjusted the belt.
She looked outside, squinted, and looked again. “Does your swimming pool serve as a pond in winter?”
“Not in any world I can imagine.” He sat down on the bench, jerked on his socks, and then pulled up his boots.
“That’s not good then.”
“Nope, it surely isn’t.” He stood, picked up his cell phone, and tucked it in his back pocket.
“Do you want me to do something with the cattle?”
“Yes, I may need your help.”
“But they’re huge, dangerous beasts.”
“That’d be Brahma or Longhorn or bison. These are Angus.”
“Honestly, Trey, I’m willing, but I don’t know how I can help.” She yawned as she got out of bed and quickly started putting on her clothes. “Maybe you’d better call Slade or Kent. Even better, why don’t you call a ranch hand to help?”
“It’s late. Hands are gone. It’s not that big a problem, but I might need help. Looks like about eight have wandered over here. I’m hoping the others haven’t noticed their escape route yet.”
“Okay. But I don’t know what I can do.”
“You can sing, can’t you?” Somehow or other the situation was beginning to get funny or maybe he was just having fun with Misty when she was a little giddy.
“What?”
He stopped in the doorway and looked back at her. “Didn’t you ever watch any of the old singing cowboy movies or TV shows like Gene Autry or Roy Rogers?”
“Not on my to-do list.”
“Bet I can change your mind.”
“Only if there’s muscadine wine with it.” She picked up her phone and slipped it into her pocket.
“That can be arranged.” He pointed at her, chuckling at her reaction. “Git along lil dogie.”
“What?”
“Old tradition. Cowboys sing to their cattle to keep them calm. On a long cattle drive, you had a thousand head and maybe a dozen or so cowboys to get them from Texas to Kansas. Last thing they needed was a stampede.”
“And you want me to be a singing cowgirl?”
“Just if those Angus get spooked.”
“How will I know?”
“You’ll see the whites of their eyes.”
“Trust me, I’ll never be that close.”
He laughed as he teased her. She was making a bad situation much better. “They can move faster than you’d think.”
“You are so making this up. I’m not falling for it.” She flounced past him and down the stairs.
He followed her, wishing Kent and Slade were there to enjoy a greenhorn’s reaction to ranch reality and the time-honored teasing that went along with it. But Trey had better go easy on her if he was going to get any help. Still, to get her in the right mood, he whistled a few bars of Gene Autry’s famous “Here Comes Santa Claus.”
She chuckled as he joined her. “Guess I’m on a learning curve.”
“Not too steep.” He turned serious for a moment. “First, we’re going to find the break in the fence line. The pasture is next to the house, so the break can’t be far away.”
“Okay.” She sounded a little skeptical.
“After that, we’ll herd the cows back to their pasture.”
“And by herd, you mean?”
“Just shoo them in the right direction.”
“And by shoo, you mean?”
He laughed and gave her a quick hug. “I’ll do most of the shooing, or luring. I just need you to keep them from going in the wrong direction.”
“That’d be toward me.”
“Yep.”
“You said they can move fast. Are they unpredictable, too?” She put her hands on her hips and gave him a slit-eyed look.
“On occasion.”
“If I get run over or gored by a cow, you’re going to regret you ever invited me to your ranch.”
“Gored is not a problem. Angus are polled.”
“Polled?”
“They’re a breed of cattle without horns.”
“I feel so much better.” She gave him a quick kiss on his lips before she stepped back, looking at him with a twinkle in her eyes. “I’m not sure I believe a word you’ve been telling me.” She picked up her red boots by the door, leaned against the wall, and tugged them on her feet. “On the other hand, I’m taking no chances where dangerous beasts are concerned.”
He laughed at her good humor. “Just promise you won’t scream and run if a few cattle amble toward you.”
“I’m promising nothing where cows are concerned.”
“Just sing and you’ll be fine.”
Chapter 31
“You don’t need to sing
yet.” Trey opened the gate into the pasture near the barn. He’d stuffed leather gloves in a back pocket of his jeans. He carried a bucket by a handle. It was half full of pressed oat pellets with wire cutters and a length of rolled wire set on top. He always kept a few ranch items like those handy in the house.
“I’m getting in practice in case your little darlings have mad cow disease and go berserk when they see a stranger.”
He chuckled at her humor. “They don’t have mad cow disease. I think you’ll like them, if you give them a chance.”
She stopped, grinned, and tossed her hair. “Not necessary. I need them to like me, so I don’t get eaten or something.”
“You’ve been watching too many zombie movies.” He laughed as he checked a metal fence post. He had to hand it to Misty. She was cleverly turning his whole tease-a-greenhorn banter on its head. “Let’s rework your agenda and put cowgirl at the top.”
“You’re the one with cows in your swimming pool. Maybe you need to add cowboy-refresher-course to your agenda.”
He laughed even harder.
She put her hands on her hips, grinning. “I don’t think you’re taking this cow situation seriously enough. Shouldn’t we have some sort of defense mechanism in our hands just in case of a stampede?”
“I’ve been at this rodeo a time or two before. But okay.” He glanced around, walked over to an old oak tree, set down the bucket, and picked up a fallen branch. He stripped it down to a switch about three to four feet in length. He held it out to her.
“What’s that?”
“Cow defense.”
“You are so not taking me seriously.”
“Want the switch or not?”
She winked at him as she grabbed the branch. “Between singing and switching, I’m a lethal force. Army Ranger recruiters will be pounding on my door at any moment.”
He tried not to laugh, so he ended up snorting like a bull instead. He wished Kent and Slade were here. They’d be laughing so hard they’d be rolling on the ground. He’d had no idea Misty could be so funny. He needed to add that to her list of attributes.
