by Em Petrova
When her gaze landed on him and held, he felt it like a blow. Imagining pulling her down to the ground and knocking off her hat, kissing those nibbled lips of hers and finding her breasts as he kissed the hell out of her.
Then stripping her down and tasting the curve of her neck, laving her nipples and finally spreading her pussy lips to expose the pink inner folds to his tongue.
Hell.
He had to get a grip.
“What does this do?” she asked, stare directly on him.
“It makes you use your eyes and find your center of balance. That way you don’t need to look straight ahead all the time. Which you won’t if you’re ridin’.”
“Makes sense.” She sounded a little out of breath.
He needed to get her focus off him before he came in his jeans like a teenager. He led her through several more moves in the saddle to get her balance. When he drew the mare to a stop, they shared a grin.
“You look nice when you smile, King. You should do it more often.”
* * * * *
Her words seemed to catch him off guard. Gathering the reins in his hand, he gave a low grunt.
“You look like I’ve insulted you. Maybe looking mean is part of your gruff-rancher image.”
From beneath his hat, he trained his eyes on her. “Got no image.”
“But you’re known in these parts as the best.”
He cocked a dark brow. “That what Dickson told you?”
“He didn’t have to. I know Dickson—he only talks to the best in any business.”
A look came over King’s face, something that if she didn’t find him to be the toughest, most badass man she’d ever met, she’d believe might be embarrassment.
“Do you know how to dismount?” he said suddenly.
“Yes, I think so.” She eased her leg over the horse and slid to the ground. When her feet touched on the earth, King was there.
Too close.
Making her too aware of his body heat and the spice of his soap and leather and Lord knew whatever else cowboys got into.
She squeezed her thighs together. “Thank you for the lesson. That wasn’t as frightening as the other times I’ve ridden.”
“We’ll try again this afternoon and you can show me what you can do.”
She stared at his mouth for a long moment. I’d like to see what you can do.
Stepping away, she fought to get her bearings and remain professional. Though, she was starting to think about what it would feel like to kiss him.
Or pull him down atop her and wrap her thighs around his muscular body.
“You ain’t done, Bellarose. Take the reins here to lead her out of the paddock.”
“Oh.” She moved forward to do as he said. “Where are we going?”
“To the barn, where I’ll show you how to groom her and check her hooves.”
“Sounds scary.”
“I’ll be with you the whole time.”
“I’m not sure I’ll be doing these things on set.”
“Prob’ly not. But it’s my job to teach you about horses and ranchin’, and this comes with the territory. I won’t let those slide.”
She couldn’t quite figure out this ruggedly handsome man. All the time he showed her how to brush Mare-ida and check her hooves using the hoof pick, she studied him.
When he finally caught her staring at him, he stopped what he was saying. “You have a question?”
“No. I was just thinking that if you were a script, you’d be one of those foreign films nobody quite understands.”
His eyes narrowed beneath his hat brim and he gave her a quizzical half-smile. “Not sure how to take that.”
“Me either, if I’m honest.”
“Look, Bellarose, you don’t need to like me. We don’t have to be friends.”
“But I think we already are.”
His gaze pierced her, held her frozen in place and made her far too warm for her thick jacket.
“The day’s warming up, isn’t it?” She unzipped her coat and slipped her arms free.
His gaze dipped over her breasts and slowly came back up to settle on her face. His eyes were dark and burning with an intensity she hadn’t seen before.
He took a step toward her. She held her breath.
Then he caught her wrist, closing his fingers slowly to give her time to escape his grip if she wanted.
She didn’t.
He reeled her closer, and she had no memory of moving to stand inches from him.
“Trying to figure me out is a waste of time.” His low voice grated over her nerves, sparking a thousand volts of electricity.
Heat seared from his fingers through the fabric of her sweater to caress her skin. She found herself leaning closer. “Why is it a waste of time?”
“Because we’re different, you and me.”
“We come from different worlds but we both work hard and believe in what we do.”
“That’s true.” He was staring at her lips.
She shifted onto tiptoes.
And he lowered his head.
The first connection of their mouths was no tender brush. He brought his mouth down hard over hers, and she surged upward for more. The kiss left her feeling bruised—and wanting.
A low growl escaped his throat and he locked a hand on her hip, drawing her up against his hard, male body. The need inside her tripled, quadrupled. A soft noise left her, and she plastered her breasts to his chest.
He angled his head, sweeping his tongue over her sealed lips. When she opened on a gasp, he plunged his tongue inside.
The first taste of King was the hottest, most delicious thing she’d ever known. Whether what she was feeling was a bit of a crush on her instructor or pure animal attraction, she had no idea and she’d stopped caring.
She slid her arms around his neck, yanking him down for more. He kneaded her hip, drawing her up against him so she felt every inch of his arousal through his denim. It half scared her but mostly because she wanted it so badly.
She wanted to sleep with this man. Something she never did without thinking hard about her work, the media, how she was perceived. But this was purely for her.
“King,” she rasped.
“Goddammit, I shouldn’t be doing this.” He tore his lips away only to latch onto her neck. She cried out, giving him total access to all of her—if only he wanted to take it.
Each brush of his hard lips over her flesh had her moaning. She reached up to cup his jaw, guiding him back to her lips.
This time he didn’t hold back. Not. One. Bit.
He claimed her, bending her to fit his body as he sank his tongue into her mouth, drinking from her in the most erotic dance of tongues she’d ever experienced.
Passion flowed and her panties grew soaked with need. Her core gripped with each pass of his tongue.
She didn’t realize he’d walked her backward until her back bumped the wall. He pulled off her hat and threaded his hand through her hair, sending shivers of pleasure throughout her body.
She gripped the front of his jacket, clinging, as she met his stare. “King…”
As if speaking his name rattled him, he jerked back.
Let her go.
He stepped away and swiped a hand down his face. “Fucking hell.”
Breathing heavily from the shock of his hot-cold manner, she held onto the wall behind her to remain upright. Her legs were shaking.
“I wasn’t hired for this,” he said roughly.
Annoyance struck her. So she wasn’t a woman he desired—she was a duty, something to be paid for. He was in essence her babysitter.
She turned away and walked outside, leaving him in the barn. She took several steps, staring at her surroundings but taking in nothing.
Because her mind and body were back there with King and he had his hands all over her.
After being outside a while, she realized it was still cold and she’d left her jacket in the barn.
She headed back and found h
im standing in the open doorway, his fist pressed to his forehead.
One look at him told her she’d left more than her jacket in the barn. With his long, intense looks and scorching kisses, King had stolen a part of her soul.
Chapter Five
Goddammit, he’d gone and done the exact thing he’d been telling himself not to do for days now. Kissing hadn’t only been a bad idea—it was a disaster. Now his body was on fire, his dick was about to burst and all he could think about was going outside, grabbing her and doing it again.
Taking it further this time. Baring her breasts to his mouth and gliding his fingers into her panties to feel her sleek, wet folds.
He ripped off his hat and jammed his hand through his hair while counting to twenty.
He had to go talk to her. Make things right—without putting his hands on her. How the fuck was he going to manage that?
Spotting her coat, he realized it would be a good reason to approach her. He grabbed it and without thinking, brought it to his nose.
Hell.
He shouldn’t have done that.
Her scent—her taste—lingered in his mind, crowding out any coherent thought.
He shoved his hat back on and took up the jacket. Bellarose stood there. Their gazes met and then she turned to look out over the view that was the reason he’d purchased this plot of land, second to the good grazing it would provide to his cattle, of course.
Sauntering up behind her, he admired the lines of her body and the way she had her hat tilted down in such a saucy way.
“If I saw you in a supply store, I’d never believe you’re an actor.”
Over her shoulder, she threw him a look. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That you have a lot of your role nailed already. You look like a rancher’s wife.” Now why the hell did his throat close up like that? He handed her the coat and she took it but didn’t put it on. She turned back to look over the land. Trees swooped down on each side to circle the pond. Sometimes if it was a dry spell, he’d drain part of it for water for cattle, but it only took a few days for the mountain spring runoff to fill it again.
“Every day I wake up and look out at this view and thank God for what I got,” he said in a low tone that reflected the riot in his system at her nearness. All he had to do was lean in and wrap his arms around her from behind, draw her against him.
She nodded, the movement so slight he might have missed it if he wasn’t staring at her so hard. “I’d do the same. And here I thought the set of Redemption Falls was beautiful.”
He had to bring up the kiss. Ignoring what had happened made him look like a shit and a coward.
“Bellarose, about what happened in the barn.”
Her shoulders tensed and he watched the line of her back stiffen.
He placed a hand on her shoulder and pivoted her to face him. One look at her had his body begging for release, but there was a distance in her eyes.
“Damn.”
“Yeah, damn,” she echoed softly.
He searched her eyes, losing himself in the amber depths as he memorized the flecks of gold and chocolate brown. “If I only thought of you as a money-maker, I wouldn’t have kissed you.”
“No?”
Agitation rolled through him. “Why the hell would I kiss you if I didn’t want to?”
“Maybe you want to say you kissed a celebrity.”
“Jesus, you really have a low opinion of me, don’t you?”
When she pursed her lips like that, it only made him want to grab her and kiss the expression off her beautiful face. One little moan from her would edge him overboard and he’d lose all control.
“King!” The shout came from Wheeler, he knew without glancing up.
“Yeah?” He didn’t look away from Bellarose.
“Car coming!”
They both turned toward the driveway to see the familiar rental.
“He’s early,” King said.
“Just in time by my calculations.” Without a backward glance, she stalked toward the vehicle. King stood frozen, watching her go.
Dammit, go after her. Make things right.
But what was he going to say to convince her he wasn’t looking for notoriety for kissing a celebrity? Hell, why would anyone do that?
Well, some would. He thought of her tale of stalkers and bodyguards.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. She closed the car door behind herself.
Springing to action, he sprinted to the car and tapped the window. She rolled it down, and now her eyes held a bit of sadness he felt terrible about putting there.
“You did great with the horse today,” he said gruffly.
“Thank you.”
The driver was looking at them, and King shot him a glance that would shrivel the balls of the meanest bull. The guy averted his gaze.
“Tomorrow we’ll get you riding in the fields.”
“Tomorrow the crew’s coming to set up.”
He blinked at her.
“We’ll be shooting.”
“But you barely had enough time to learn anything.”
Her lips twisted. “I learned plenty. We’re on a deadline with this production—didn’t Dickson mention that to you?”
He shook his head. “So our lessons are done.” Hell, the weekend had hardly gotten started. His tone came out flat as dread washed over him. Not having her alone, all to himself, made him want to gallop long and hard to escape his thoughts.
“I’m not sure how long it will take to complete these scenes, but I know I need more work with you,” she said quietly.
His stare penetrated hers. Things, unspoken, passed between them.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, King. Thanks for the lessons.” Before he could respond, she rolled up her window, shutting him out.
* * * * *
Going between Blackwater Ranch and the set of Redemption Falls felt like time traveling. Or leaping between two worlds. When Bellarose stepped back into the universe she knew, she found herself longing for the one she didn’t.
The one she wanted to know more about.
There was so much more for her to learn, and this was one of those roles she wanted to really dig into, to show her knowledge of ranching and prove she was worthy of it.
Her time with King had barely skimmed the surface. But working with him might be strained going forward. After those shared kisses, their working relationship would be spent in either awkward silence or lust.
She shivered as she stripped out of her clothes and handed them to Marissa. The shower was running, steam rolling out. And her nipples were puckered from the mere thought of how good her breasts had felt rubbing against King’s masculine chest.
God, a few more minutes of his mouth on hers and she would have let him do anything he wanted to her. Which was insanity. She didn’t give herself over to anyone without a lot of planning.
King launched all those ideas out the window and she was just… present in the moment. Not thinking of camera angles of stolen photos taken by the paparazzi. No, her mind was solely on King and the feel of his lips over hers. The flip of his hot tongue in her mouth.
The way he set her body on fire.
She ran her hands over her naked curves and stepped under the shower spray. Closing her eyes, she imagined how delicate and cherished she’d felt in his arms as he plundered her like his life depended on it.
Pasting a hand over her face, she drew in deep breaths. She regretted their final exchange, and the driver arriving early had been the worst timing. She never was one for leaving things unsaid. Even her last exchange with her grandfather, she’d made sure to say all the things a person should before taking leave from a loved one. What had compelled her younger self to tell him she loved him and how much she appreciated her time with him had, looking back, seemed almost like a psychic moment, because she’d never seen him again.
So leaving things unspoken with King was sure to weigh on her.
What was there to say, thou
gh? We kissed, now let’s forget it and move on with the riding lessons?
“Um, Bellarose?” Marissa’s knock and hesitant words penetrated her musings.
“Yes?” she called out.
“Dickson’s asking for you.”
“I’ll hurry. Tell him to give me five.”
Dammit, she didn’t even have time to linger over thoughts of King’s hands on her and end the torment with her own fingers in the shower. She rushed through her wash and dried in record time, then threw on a clean pair of leggings and a top that probably cost half as much as the horse she’d ridden today.
Marissa was waiting with hair drier in hand but Bellarose nabbed a brush and ran it through her wet hair. “I’ll go with the wet look,” she said, slicking it back.
The trailers were spread in a half arc around the ranch they had set up as the fictional town of Redemption Falls and she passed several of the side actors, those who played her parents and her sister who had her own love story going on with a tragic ending to coincide with that actor’s last season with the show.
Dickson’s trailer was large with an Adirondack chair set outside, and he was waiting there for her.
As she approached, he stood and waved for her to take his seat.
“I’ll stand,” she said.
He studied her. “The mountain air’s good for you, Bellarose. You’re glowing.”
Oh hell, was she? That was probably the flush she still felt from having King’s tongue down her throat.
And the fact that she wished it had been on every other body part.
She said a quiet thanks to Dickson for the compliment and then waited for him to speak.
“Since you weren’t here today and missed the meeting, I thought I’d fill you in on what’s happening tomorrow.”
“I appreciate it.”
“As you know, we’re heading to Blackwater tomorrow. We plan to just get the crew accustomed to the ranch, find the best places to set up. And we’d like some test runs between you and Chaz.”
“Of course.”
“We’ll need you in hair and makeup by ten sharp.”
“Is this why you sent the driver to pick me up early today?” She had been thinking nonstop about what might have happened if she’d remained with King another few hours.
