It would be heaven to sink into his chest, absorbing his abundant warmth. She tilted her head and looked into those penetrating black eyes. Raven blue-black hair gleamed around his shoulders in the soft light. His dark skin held the deep cinnamon tones of Native American heritage.
Well, holy shit! She’d been captured by an Indian. Where the hell were her cowboys when she needed to be rescued? Talk about ironic. Scrambling to free herself from his grasp, Tamara pushed against his substantial chest again with little effect on the big man.
“Let go.”
He ignored her demand and struggles. When she huffed in frustration her captor finally spoke. “Easy now, princess. I won’t hurt you.”
“Wh–Who are you? What are you doing skulking around in the dark?” He might be some crazed axe murder for all she knew. It was always the cute ones, wasn’t it?
His smile was a luminous flash of white teeth tugging at her heart, irregardless of whatever type of man he may be. She could get lost merely drinking in his captivating features. And oh, how she wanted to feel his silky ebony hair slip between her fingers. Heat flooded her pussy at the thought of fisting her hands in the shoulder length strands and holding him captive between her wide spread legs.
Luscious, plump lips called out for her tongue to explore their texture and shape. His firm jaw looked as if it were chiseled from granite. Massive shoulders led to his solid, muscular chest. Without realizing, she flexed her fingers, basking in the pure masculine vitality and power within her grasp.
“Dakota Blackhawk, at your service. I was hired last week by Mister Black. He told me I was free to start moving in whenever I was ready.”
Tamara stared at him, stunned. No one had told her a new guy had been hired. She was so out of the loop, but maybe she wouldn’t leave the ranch after all. Things would become quite interesting with Dakota working and living on the Shooting Star. And did she really want the cowboys coming to the rescue?
Maybe not.
She wondered for a moment if he heard the racing of her heart, which was beating triple time. Oh the delicious adventures she’d have exploring the yummy man who still held her. The feel of his thumb stroking over the pulse point in her wrist had her pussy lips drenched with hot cream. The sweet pressure and heat of his very large, erect cock against her hip were divine. And his firm legs beneath her bottom…yum.
“What’s your name, princess? Do you live here?”
“I…um.” Hell, her mind was so muddled she wasn’t even able to remember her name. “Tamara. Tamara Dobbs. Yes, I live on the ranch with my friends. We all live here. I’m the only one who doesn’t work here though.”
Oh, God. She was rambling on like a total idiot. The way he was looking at her, and his sexy voice, took the quick wit she prided herself on and sent it packing. If only talking to him and sitting on his lap made her feel like this, what would it be like to have him in her bed? Mmm…or in her Jeep, or the back aisle of the bookstore, or at the lake. The delightful possibilities were endless.
Yes, ranch life just became a great deal more interesting since running into Dakota Blackhawk.
??
He walked along the moonlit path, his mind was wrapped up in work. He was anxious to get started first thing in the morning, and was busy creating a mental to-do list.
Dakota caught a brief glimpse of the radiant little princess a mere second before she crashed into him, scattering his thoughts to the wind. One look into her green eyes, sparkling in the low light, and a soul deep feeling of connection formed inside him.
“Whoa. Hello there, gorgeous. Are you all right?”
Intense awareness flowed through Dakota, making him wonder if she could be the woman he’d longed to find. His other half, a spirit mate.
She looked at him with such an open, awed expression. He read a range of emotions passing over those delicate features—hope, longing, insecurity, and distance.
Then the spirited sprite pulled her emotions under control and tried to shove him away. Dakota smiled with satisfaction. She had spunk, determination and a strong backbone. He liked that. The feisty woman would make life interesting. Sensing the struggle ahead, he began the careful planning of his next steps.
Wow! Life sure kept getting better.
He got the impression for a few moments he’d seen a side of the small woman not often revealed, if ever even hinted at. Without the slightest hesitation, he gathered her wavering form into his arms, his heart clenching at the glimpse of vulnerability crossing her exotic features. She must feel the strong connection too.
He offered up a silent prayer of thanks to the Great Spirit for this gift, vowing to cherish every moment.
“I’ve gotcha.” And was it ever wonderful. He held her with care, unwilling to relinquish the physical contact when they reached the porch steps. Holding her in his arms felt right, further convincing Dakota she was his true mate. Finding her here at the ranch was a welcome surprise.
The small, dark-haired sprite pulled her intense sexuality around herself like a shield. Smoldering jade eyes looked up at him, giving him a provocative glance from under long, thick lashes. Shiny mahogany tresses fell in gentle waves to bare shoulders. The change in her happened so fast Dakota felt like he should have whiplash as a result. From vulnerable sprite one instant, to skilled seductress the next.
The pale peach silken dress she wore fit every delicate curve of her slender body. A thin halter strap held up the bodice, which was slit down the center past her navel where a delicate silver ring hung. The entire back of the garment was open, dipping dangerously low over the small of her back. At the point of contact where her bare skin touched his arm, he felt a blistering heat. Blatant, innate sexuality radiated from every fiber of her being.
Dakota sensed she would put up a fierce fight, but he had no doubt he would win her heart and soul. This was not a woman who would give her love without a great deal of effort, but he felt up to the challenge. His ancestors were spiritual healers, and helping his spirit mate mend her heart path was his one true destiny.
Tamara questioned who he was, and what he was doing roaming around the darkened ranch. She morphed into a sexy vixen in moments, making his head spin.
“Mmm, and what exactly were you hired for, stud?” she purred, pulling Dakota from his thoughts. Her voice took on a husky, self-assured tone, sending frissons of heat echoing through his veins. He imagined her speaking dark, seductive words in that sexy tone against his ear as they made love.
“I’m a horse trainer. I’ll be working on the breeding and training program with Savannah.”
Dakota smiled as Tamara stood, gathered her dress high up on her thighs, then straddled his lap. In a blatant, sexual move, she began rubbing her hot pussy against his hard cock. It wouldn’t take much to give her what she was asking for. About two seconds to free his aching shaft, another second to pull her panties to the side. In less than four seconds he could be thrusting into her intense heat, but Dakota wouldn’t be distracted with such ease. An entire life of spiritual practices allowed him to keep his hormones under control…for the most part.
“Wanna play Cowboys and Indians, stud?” She hid behind the bold proposition in an apparent attempt to keep her emotions at bay.
Interesting. Had she unwittingly given him permission for what he knew needed to be done to heal her? His genuine smile lit up the night. “I must warn you, princess…I play for keeps.”
“Hmm, well give it your best shot, stud. No man has managed to keep me yet, and I don’t see it happening any time in the near future.”
Dakota just continued to smile. “We’ll see about that, princess. We’ll see.”
His words seemed to irritate her, and he watched her begin to shut him out, drawing back into herself. The bawdy attitude was definitely a way of shielding herself. He’d have to keep the information in mind.
“Good luck with that!” Rising from his lap, Tamara threw out the challenge and walked away.
He watched the gentl
e sway of hips until darkness enveloped her. She’d squared her shoulders and stiffened her spine, cloaking herself in a false air of confidence.
Long after the feisty princess had climbed off his lap, he sat thinking about what it would take to bring them together. He had his work cut out for him, but wouldn’t let that stop him. If nothing else, Dakota was determined and disciplined enough to make it happen. The only question was how long she’d be able to resist.
Chapter One
The day turned out to be gorgeous, with miles of cloudless blue skies and a gentle breeze. It was a perfect example of why Montana was called “Big Sky Country”.
The hands were busy nearby working on various chores. Zeke was in the corral helping with one of the younger fillies while Dakota offered helpful pointers from where he leaned against the fence.
“Getting a feel for an unfamiliar horse is not very different from learning about an unfamiliar person.”
Dakota had learned a lot about the horses and ranch hands during the handful of days since coming to the ranch. With Cord and Savannah on their honeymoon everyone was relaxed, and he was able to get a good idea of each person’s personality.
He freely shared his vast knowledge about horses as he worked with Zeke. The shy young cowboy seemed to have a true interest in the subject, and enjoyed helping. Too bad he’d be going back to school when the Blacks’ returned. Two weeks was long enough to learn some of the basics, but he’d miss out on birthing the foals.
“Just being near the animals, observing their actions and reactions, will reveal their personalities.” It worked the same with people. In the short time since his arrival, Dakota had learned about Tamara and the other ranch residents through the normal routines of daily ranch life.
“You must be consistent, and allow the animal ample time to learn trust and respect.” It was readily apparent Savannah Black had put in a great deal of work with the horses in her breeding program. Each animal was in spectacular physical shape, and well-conditioned to accommodate riders of a variety of skill levels, yet still offer a spirited ride.
Zeke digested the information. “Seems reasonable.”
Using the same principles and skill, Dakota worked to earn the trust and respect of the ranch hands. This task would take infinite patience. The cowboys of the Shooting Star Ranch were wary of strangers, and his Native American heritage set Dakota that much further apart from them. This wasn’t due to any prejudice on their part as much as from the way he embraced his heritage and the spirit of his people, creating a clear difference between them.
Add to this the sexual tension created by a certain princess and his task became much more challenging. Observing Tamara’s interactions with the others was enlightening. It was obvious she shared a sexual relationship with the hands. Each of the men went out of his way to draw her attention. The joker of the group, Riley, was the most transparent and many of his pranks were aimed at capturing the aloof woman’s focus.
Her focus would soon belong to Dakota and no one else. He harbored no uncertainty Tamara was his spirit mate. One glance into the depths of her green eyes that first night had revealed everything he needed to know. Their interactions since then had cemented his belief.
He was also certain her spirit needed to be healed. The way she flaunted herself and tempted the men didn’t fool him. She had some serious scars hidden beneath the attitude. It would require a long, difficult journey to capture her bruised and battered heart.
“The horse will reward the effort by following your commands without resistance or hesitation. Before you win them over, the animal will challenge your authority. Once you pass its tests, a horse will stand true to the connection formed between you.”
He loved a good challenge. And what could be better than the task of capturing his princess? Tamara was a free spirit who shied away from any kind of ties or emotion, the very things he needed. It was going to be a tough road to walk.
Spirit mates were bound together tighter than marriage, linked to each other through an ancient, unbreakable bond. His mate would be true to him in her heart, body and mind, sharing every emotion and becoming part of his family without reservations. What a tall order that would be to fill.
The thought of trying to integrate Tamara into his family gave him pause. How would she ever mesh with a group so open to emotion and bound by tradition? She was a loner who did not bind herself to anyone, much less a whole family and culture. The Great Spirit had made sure Dakota had his work cut out for him in claiming his wild mate.
He stared up at the heavens for a moment, wondering if his ancestors were having a good laugh over the seemingly impossible task set before him.
Zeke was quick to catch on to the lesson. “I think I know what you mean. You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen Van with her big brown stallion, Moon Dancer. He follows her like a puppy and even plays tag with his mistress.”
“That’s a great example of what I’m talking about. When you form a friendship with a horse, the animal may show facets of its true nature you would never see otherwise.” Dakota was anxious to discover his mate’s true nature.
As if conjured from his thoughts, Tamara sauntered out the front door of the main house, letting the screen door slam shut with a resounding bang, bringing all ranch work to an abrupt halt. The little minx sure possessed a flair for the dramatic. With practiced nonchalance she tossed her head, sending a curtain of silky hair fanning out around her exotic face.
“Yeehaw,” one of the men mumbled in a soft tone.
“Ride ‘em, cowgirl.” Zeke chuckled as he moved over to where the other hands were working.
Tamara’s sheer beauty stole his attention and breath. She possessed a rare magnificence which came from deep within. No matter how hard she tried to hide behind bold actions, her inner beauty shone like a beacon, drawing Dakota in deeper every time he saw her.
A dramatic flick of her wrist and his princess settled a pair of dark sunglasses on her pert nose above strawberry red lips. How he longed to drink from her beautiful mouth.
A soft pink blouse molded to her narrow shoulders, cupping her breasts, drawing attention to enticing curves. The shirt crossed between the two small mounds, clinging to her flesh and seducing the senses, stopping above her navel where a silver piece of jewelry sparkled in the early morning sunlight. He visualized tugging at the hoop with his teeth, dipping his tongue into the shadowed indention.
Painted-on designer jeans rode low on her hips, framing narrow, prominent hip bones he knew would fit within the breadth of his hands. The pink belt she wore was shiny, the buckle covered in rhinestones refracting prisms of light around the yard. She’d tucked the skintight jeans into fancy pink boots, which brought a smile to his lips.
Those boots were not meant for ranch work. They were much better suited as a fashion statement. Hell, he bet she cringed at the thought of walking across the dirty ranch yard in the prissy, expensive footwear.
She moved like gentle waters flowing down stream—smooth, and fluid. As she walked to her cabin, Tamara appeared to take no notice of the five men who’d stopped any pretense of work to pay homage to her seductive saunter. Dakota knew better. Her casual disinterest was a calculated facade.
As if the scorching day weren’t hot enough already, his mate drove temperatures up to an uncomfortable level with her intense sexuality. Heat surged through Dakota’s veins. He wanted Tamara more at that moment than he’d ever desired another woman, but he was going to have to take this at a slow and steady pace if he wanted to win the ultimate prize—her heart.
“Damn, I need to get laid!”
Her entire body visibly tensed when one of the hands made the lewd statement. Still, she did not falter or slow her stride.
Being close to the cabin afforded Dakota with a wonderful vantage point to enjoy the slow sway of her fine ass as she passed by. In his mind’s eye, he saw vivid images of her tiny body moving over top of his own, his dark-skinned hands cupping those small, luscio
us breasts.
All five men were held captive to her seductive spell until the cabin door closed behind her sweet, heart-shaped behind. One of the cowboys groaned, opening quiet discussion between the men as they resumed working when the temptress was out of sight.
The palpable sense of anticipation permeating the yard kept Dakota on the alert. The cowboys were up to something. Riley’s expressive face held a sinister grin. Zeke looked worried.
He kept a close eye on the ornery cowboys. They were nice enough toward him on the surface, but he wasn’t fooled. Those boys were damned uncomfortable facing an unknown. At times he felt like he was trapped in some corny old western movie where the cowboys would circle their wagons and ready their guns for the attack of the savage Indians.
Nicole Austin Page 2
