Romeo

by Gail Faulkner

  ROMEO

  An Ellora’s Cave Publication, July 2005

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

  1056 Home Ave.

  Akron, OH 44310

  ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-4199-0186-9

  Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):

  Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML

  ROMEO Copyright© 2005 GAIL FAULKNER

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Edited by Mary Moran.

  Cover art by Syneca.

  Warning:

  The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. Romeo has been rated E–rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers.

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (E-rotic), and X (X-treme).

  S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination.

  E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature.

  X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

  Romeo

  Gail Faulkner

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Nissan 350ZX Turbo: Nissan Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha Ta Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

  Ken and Barbie: Mattel, Inc.

  Castle Grayskull: Mattel, Inc.

  He-Man: Mattel, Inc.

  Dedication

  To Char for her insight. Thank you, Patti, for your expertise. Allen who knows no limit to patience. Patricia Roxanne for inspiring me and enjoying the way my inspiration turns out.

  Chapter One

  “I should warn you about my cousin,” Carla stated casually as she flew down the flat expanse of highway. After turning off Interstate 20 the road was virtually empty, a perfect opportunity to push the new Nissan 350ZX Turbo boy magnet she’d just given herself. This was the first real chance Carla had had to open it up and both girls were enjoying the speed and freedom the little car embodied.

  “The fact is you’re exactly his type—a delicate thing who’s china-doll pale with big blue eyes and black hair. Of course, he’s older than we are, the first child of the oldest son and all. He probably has six chicks on a string anyway. Likely, you don’t have to worry. He’ll be busy.”

  “Worry? Why would I worry? He’s not a rapist, is he?” Lauren asked, laughing at her friend who seemed serious about the warning. Until now it had been a relaxed, girls out kind of trip. For Lauren it was an even greater step into independence than most, a welcome chance to get completely away from her loving yet stiflingly protective family. This little taste of Thelma and Louise was just the ticket as far as she was concerned. She was unwilling to let anything ruin the carefree weekend as they cruised down the road with the windows open. The sage and sun-laden air felt and smelled like sweet freedom.

  “No, no, nothing like that. It’s just that he’s so ‘in charge’ about everything. He’s the stereotypical tall, dark and handsome cowboy,” Carla grumped as her long body shifted uncomfortably behind the wheel. “He’s really bossy, dictatorial and a general pain in the ass. I’m only going to the ranch because all my other cousins will be there, and well, I’d like to see his reaction to you.”

  “Me? Why me? He’s seen a million of me according to you,” Lauren commented in growing concern.

  “Yeah, but he’s never met you. The original Ice Queen is what you are and you know it. I know I should have told you about him sooner, but I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” Carla confessed. “I’ve told everyone else about you and they can hardly wait to meet you.”

  “What? Who is ‘everyone’ and why are they so eager to meet me?” Suspicious and irritated, Lauren slid around to face her friend.

  “The cousins. They, um, well… I told them you’d turn a cold shoulder on him for sure. They’re sort of anxious to see that,” Carla confessed.

  “I see. You’re selling tickets to a show, Carla? That’s low. You’re right. I wouldn’t have come if I’d known what you’re up to. It’s not fair to me and certainly isn’t fair to what’s his name.”

  “Aw, Lauren. He’s an arrogant, never been wrong, never been turned down jerk,” Carla responded. “His name is Romeo.”

  “You’re kidding,” Lauren scoffed.

  “Nope, seriously not kidding. Sick, isn’t it? He’s rich, good-looking and named Romeo. You can hardly blame us for wanting him to get a little taste of humble pie. You’re just the ticket. The woman of his dreams who’s never gonna be interested.” Carla’s attractive face twisted in a grimace while her wide hazel eyes sparkled with mischief. High energy radiated off her long, lean body even after several hours of tedious driving. In almost every way the two girls were exact opposites. One tall and in constant motion, the other petite and surrounded in an almost palatable calm. Their instant friendship was a mystery to most until you got to know them.

  “Carla, I came as a favor to you. You begged me to come because you’d be so ‘bored’. I didn’t agree to be the main attraction. You know I’ve never been on a ranch before and that alone makes me uncomfortable with all the large, stinky animals and things. You promised it’d be fun. Now you spring this convoluted tale of what—revenge?” Lauren frowned darkly.

  “Come on, be a sport. You don’t have to do anything differently than you normally would. I didn’t actually lie. The ranch is a blast when Romeo isn’t hanging around making up a bunch of rules. He really is a pain in the ass,” Carla continued.

  “What do you mean, a lot of rules?” Lauren asked.

  “You know, no running at the pool, no cannon balling each other, no playing bumper horse, it’s endless,” Carla explained.

  “Sounds like reasonable safety stuff to me. Are the cousins a bunch of teenagers?” Lauren wanted to know. Doubtful now that she’d heard the complaints.

  “Oh, we’re all around our age, twenty to twenty-five now. Last time we were all at the ranch I guess we were teenagers.” Carla laughed. “Oh, well, he deserves it. The man lives a charmed life, I swear. He needs shaking up.”

  “I hardly think my visit will relieve all the angst I hear in you, Carla. It’s more like you and your cousins need therapy over this guy. Good grief. Those rules were an attempt to keep you all alive to reach your twenties. I doubt he’ll give me a second look anyway. You’ll be disappointed again and the little chip on your shoulder will just get bigger,” Lauren predicted. “In any case, I don’t intend to perform like some dancing bear. If it weren’t such a long way back, I’d make you take me home.”

  They were three hours and forty-five minutes into the trip. Turning around now would be another three hours and forty-five minutes of being mad at each other as they drove back. Yuck.

  “Yeah, I knew you would. Part of why I didn’t work up the nerve to tell you ‘til just now. Come on, Lauren. You know I love you. You’re the one who got me through tha
t whole Philip fiasco. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. The Romeo junk isn’t that important. I just thought I should warn you,” Carla sheepishly added.

  “I have a feeling it’s the only important thing about this trip, Carla. I detest subterfuge. You know that. Tell me about your other cousins. The wild monkey ones,” Lauren demanded. “I get the feeling I’ll be the odd one out anyway. What the hell is ‘bumper horse’ and is it as dangerous as it sounds?”

  Laughing at her city friend, Carla proceeded to explain bumper horse and various other activities. Soon Carla turned into an imposing entry gate and drove up a long, winding road to the Texas ranch her cousin owned. The drive was long enough for her to get through a short history of the ranch and its present bad-boy owner.

  The ranch was the original family homestead, but now it was owned and operated by Carla’s oldest cousin. His parents had died tragically young in a private plane crash. He’d been seventeen, an only child. His grandparents had still lived at the ranch then so they’d been his guardians. By the time Romeo turned twenty-two, they’d both passed away. He’d been sole owner and completely in charge for fifteen years now. His aunts, uncles and their families visited often. Somehow, he’d managed to retain the ranch as the family hub for the entire clan.

  Privately Lauren was intrigued, although Carla told the whole story in an off-handed manner. Carla was not impressed with the man who’d been forced into the responsibilities of adulthood so young. As far as she was concerned, he’d been an ass forever.

  As they pulled up to the sprawling ranch house, Lauren grinned. It looked like a scene from a western movie. The main house was a prominent feature but surrounded by barns and outbuildings in easy walking distance. A massive operation if you went by the number of barns, Lauren decided. A porch wrapped around the rambling house, which had obviously grown through several decades and styles. The resulting massive structure retained a relaxed casualness expressed in the comfortable rockers and porch swings distributed along the entire veranda. The landscaping surrounding the house was gracious and welcoming, as was everything about this large working operation.

  Lauren stepped out on the far side of the car while Carla sprang up from behind the wheel to greet a number of young people. Lauren took the few seconds she remained unnoticed to glance about. The tang of cut hay mixed with animal scents drifted up from the barns. It wasn’t unpleasant, just a sort of fresh outdoors smell she wanted to inhale into every part of her. It was a smell she’d never experienced before in a life filled with sterile interiors. Her gaze drifted to the side of the house to see a huge dog race around the corner. Following the dog sauntered a large man using a battered cowboy hat to beat the dust off his body. The man was tall and moved with the loose-limbed grace of muscles honed and developed through hard use. His rolling gait was simply the cowboy stroll at its finest. His dark head was bent as he whacked thick thighs with the hat. The shirt stretched interestingly across his heavily muscled chest might have been white or beige at one time, now it was mostly dirt red and sweat-stained. The soft material moved with him to mold a flat abdomen then disappear into low-riding jeans. Slim hips seemed emphasized by the powerful long legs below them.

  The man glanced up at the commotion and while his face didn’t change, Lauren received the impression of a grimace as his eyes slid over the sporty little car they’d arrived in. His dark, lazy gaze traveled to the boisterous crowd and suddenly he looked directly into her eyes. Lauren blinked at the shocking intensity of that gaze and glanced down at the stampeding dog again. Coming from the side made its path a direct line to Lauren first. The dog was completely okay with the arrangement as he managed to doggy-grin and wag his tail while pounding across the lawn. Lauren weighed a hundred and ten pounds—the dog had her beat by at least seventy and showed no signs of slowing down. Lauren considered jumping in the car again but that just seemed too cowardly. No one else appeared concerned. They wouldn’t let a killer dog run loose, would they?

  A plump lower lip sucked and white teeth clamped down on it as she watched the thundering approach. Abruptly a low whistle pierced the air and the dog stopped, turned in a flash and rushed back at the man. Lauren’s eyes shot up to him and a hint of a grin met her gaze. He kept moving toward the group as a whole but looked only at her. His focused attention was just beginning to feel uncomfortable when Carla called her name and waved her around the car to start introducing Lauren to the boisterous gang. Smiling and greeting each one with seeming undivided interest, Lauren still knew exactly where the cowboy was at all times. He stood back and watched, the dog squirming at his side. The feeling that his eyes never left her was unsettling, but at least the dog didn’t leave his side either.

  Romeo was content to wait while Carla introduced her friend around to his cousins. It gave him a minute to enjoy the view. His first look into those liquid blue eyes had sent a sharp bolt of heat straight to his cock. From this slight distance, he drank in a long look at the rest of her and experienced the sensation of his life flashing before his eyes. Bachelor days were over. Heat surged up from his crotch like a swarm of angry bees. It enveloped him with stinging awareness. He’d been attracted to compact little women all his life, but he hadn’t known there was a perfect one out there. This curvy feminine being with her flawlessly beautiful face was the one he’d been looking for.

  Her every feature seemed painted with perfection. Huge, dark blue eyes, full inviting lips, a shining cap of soft black curls tumbling around her head. She was barely five feet four inches tall, but no one could mistake her for a child. The gentle slope of breast and hip drew the male eye like a magnet. His absolute awareness of her femininity overwhelmed him for a moment. Her delicate bones, the graceful way she tilted her head and smiled at something one of the idiots said. Even the way her body shifted as she turned to another member of the family captivated him.

  He was damn glad to hear her name wasn’t Juliet. That would have just been too much. As it was, he’d have a hell of a time not jumping her in the next ten minutes. It was surprisingly difficult to control the elemental drive to claim what he considered his already. This aggressive need to possess her wasn’t even remotely rational, he realized in amazement. Romeo wasn’t comfortable with the conviction that this was his woman. He wasn’t arguing with it, just startled by it. Yeah, that was probably the biggest understatement since, “Houston, we have a problem”.

  She stood there and changed his world by merely existing. Making up his mind swiftly was both a curse and a blessing, but that’s how he’d always been. This time it shoved him off the edge of the planet into an unknown universe. His future suddenly stretched before him full of things he’d thought were a long way off. Now he could hardly wait to get there. He’d imagined feeling trapped when some crafty female finally made him contemplate walking down the isle, not this overwhelming drive to propel her there as fast as possible.

  Her wide-eyed look at Edgar told him large animals intimidated her. She also looked tired. He noticed tiny lines of strain around her edible mouth. Schooling his features not to frown at that, he waited for Carla to get around to him. The primitive monster that was his need to protect and control a loved one’s environment reared its head. The need to cosset and pamper infiltrated lust with searing urgency, shoving aside all other considerations as he studied those telltale signs, which were chillingly familiar. He wanted to whisk her off to a soothing environment, to personally ensure his overactive family remained at bay until she felt better. He ruthlessly wrestled the possessive monster into submission and consciously projected civilized urbanity.

  Romeo stepped forward as Carla finished with everyone else. “Hello, hellion,” he greeted her warmly.

  Laughing, Carla went up on tiptoes to peck his cheek while warning him, “Don’t you touch me, Romeo. You’re filthy.”

  Lauren had known who it was. No way to miss the air of quiet authority draped across the wide expanse of his dusty shoulders. He might look like a ranch hand, but his presence s
aid ‘master of the domain’. His above-six-foot height made him imposing, but it was the dark intensity of aristocratic features that told one of his Spanish ancestors mingled with the tough Texan survivors of a by-gone age. It created a sinfully handsome man with thick black hair, which now fell over his brow in Rhett Butler rakishness. From the top of his glossy head, down his chiseled nose to the cleft in his perfect chin, the man was just ridiculously handsome.

  Carla turned to Lauren. “This is my friend Lauren. I knew you wouldn’t mind one more this weekend.”

  “What?” Lauren sputtered, grateful for a good excuse to drag her eyes off his unbelievable face. “You didn’t tell him you were bringing a guest?” she demanded of Carla. Oh great, just great. Not only was she the dancing bear for half this crowd, she was an unexpected guest to the other half.

  “Romeo doesn’t mind. Do you?” Carla insisted.

  “No, not a problem. Nice to meet you, Lauren, I hope you enjoy the ranch.” His low voice seemed to vibrate down to her bones as he held out a hand to her. Placing her slender hand in his large grip shot that vibration right back out again with an electric jolt to her system. Damn, not a good indicator for the Ice Queen expectation.

  “I’m sure I will,” she managed in a steady voice as she pulled away from his gentle grip. “Sorry if it’s an inconvenience,” Lauren added self-consciously.

  “Don’t be silly,” one of the young men assured her. “Another beautiful face is always welcome, right, Romeo?” The young man turned to Carla. “Hot car, hellion. You didn’t say you’d gotten a new one. Can I drive it?” Lauren decided the family resemblance was most pronounced in the high energy radiating off each one of these cousins. All of them tall…well, anyone was tall compared to her, but the family seemed to breed tall and good-looking right down the line. The constant motion thing would have marked them though. In a group, they were like a force of nature.