The Rider's Dangerous Embrace (An Interracial Bad Boy Romance Story)

by Nicole Jordan

  “Beer if you have any.”

  She grabbed a can of beer that was sitting in the door, poured herself a glass of wine and made her way back to the living room.

  Luke slouched on her couch, his strong, large frame just a bit too big to look natural on her sleek piece of furniture. She fought back a giggle as she handed him the beer. She was still mad at him, after all. She handed him his beer and slunk into the chair next to the couch.

  “So, how did it go? Were they receptive?”

  “Eh, I think so. Even the guff one,” she answered, taking a bigger sip than she probably should have.

  “Samson’s just an asshole. He probably is tickled pink that you even thought enough to talk to him. Been complainin’ for months about his facilities.” Luke explained as he took a sip from his can.

  “Why?”

  “I think he feels slighted just being in broncs, you know. Not as popular as bulls, not as much money in it.”

  “How slighted?” she asked, her mind churning.

  “I dunno, pretty slighted. Complains about it a lot when he is drunk. His wife is thinkin’ about leaving him. He was put under probation by your dad for his work ethic,” he shrugged his shoulders and reached over towards her, grabbing a bit of her hair and twirling it between his fingers.

  “You get drunk with him?”

  “Yeah, we get into a scuffle now and again, but he likes a man who fights instead of talks. Makes him respect me more. I get along well with all of the facility managers, Jayda. Well almost all.” He was obviously referring to Dustin, but she couldn’t concentrate on that now. Wheels were turning in her mind.

  “How much influence do they have over pay?” He had motive.

  “Not enough to do what you are thinking, at least not alone. Someone is working on it from the inside. A business partner, or accountant.”

  He caught on quick.

  But Samson just didn’t feel clean. She knew that he was involved in something, somehow. The way he looked at her, well, it was too guilty. Her dad always told her to go with her gut, said it was the most important part of mastering any business. Especially bull riding.

  There was a lot of questions she still had to ask. And a lot to be answered. But her instinct told her she was asking the right questions.

  Luke looked her over, “You gonna sit over there all night? I’m startin’ to feel lonely.”

  She got up and smiled at Luke as she contemplated him. After a quick moment Jayda crawled over his lap, straddling him.

  “I’m still upset with you, Mr. Daniels.”

  “Take it out on my hide.”

  “I plan to.” Her smile was wicked as she bent down and kissed his cheek.

  She certainly planned to.

  “Come on, let’s go.” He said, standing up from her couch, grabbing her hand and pulling her up.

  “Where?”

  “Well, first to get my damn truck.”

  She rolled her eyes, always with that damn truck.

  “Then where?”

  “You’ll see.”

  ***

  The truck roared through the dip of a ditch as it bounced and jerked into the field, passing a “no trespass” sign clearly staked into the ground. Jayda raised her brow and looked over at Luke.

  “Ain’t nobody gonna get hurt. Let’s have some fun. What’s the big deal?” He winked at her and shifted his truck into four wheel drive before skirting out around the edge of the field.

  She held on tight as he followed the tree line that edged the field all the way to the back of it. The sun’s warm rays reached them, even near the tree-line, warming the cab and her skin. Jayda let the sun warm her as she leaned against Luke’s thick frame. She felt like a lazy house cat basking in the sun. Or maybe a hell cat.

  A wicked smile grew on her lips. She turned toward him and looked at him.

  “What you smilin’ about?” He asked as he ghosted along her warm arm, his fingers dancing on her skin.

  “My devious plan worked. I got you alone,” She purred as she looking into his eyes.

  “Your plan, huh?” Luke grabbed her and pulled her right onto his lap. “How come you get to be so sure of that?”

  He kissed her again, his need obvious in the passion and ferocity that he put into that kiss. The touch of his skin against hers, the feel of his arms around her, the way his lips fused to hers, the passion that flooded into her, it was too much. It was everything.

  It was just right.

  Jayda needed to touch his skin, feel him. So bad, but all she could do was whimper as he touched her. Goosebumps littered her skin as he slipped his hand under her shirt. His hands were cool but firm as he moved up her sides, finding her breasts warm and pert. Heaving before him, Jayda sucked in a breath as he grabbed that supple breast, his thumb dragging against her rock hard nipple.

  “Woman, you feel so good. You know that?”

  “As good as you imagined?”

  “I haven’t stopped trying to remember. I’ve been imagining your body since last night.” He pinched her rosy peak, causing her to moan.

  “You like the way I feel”? She pressed into his hands, her heart racing. She might consider herself a modern woman, not beholden to any man. Except when it came to this man, and the way he made her feel. It was almost sinful.

  “I think you can tell that I do.” Luke thrust against her, the bulge in his jeans rubbing against her most erogenous zone, eliciting a moan from the young woman.

  Jayda bit her lip and tugged on her own hair. She wanted him. Wanted to feel good. Wanted it all.

  “Tell me that you want me, Jayda.” Luke breathed heavily into her ear as he pushed her up so that she was perched over him in the cab. It gave him enough room that he could unzip his jeans unhindered. He then focused on her taking the time to unzip her jeans and pull down the fabric that only restricted her. They were off in mere moments. She was bare bottomed before him, in that warm cab. All he needed to do was push her down on him and she could ride him until she found that sweet release she wanted so badly.

  “I want you. I want you so much.”

  Luke grinned and pulled his own pants down past his knees. A condom already in his hand, he sheathed himself. He was going to take her right there in the cab.

  “Tell me that you are mine.” His voice was raspy and hard as he grabbed her neck and pulled her to him.

  She hesitated. What did he mean by that?

  “Tell me, Jayda.” The look in his eyes was desperate. He needed to know. Know that she was his.

  “I’m yours.” She let it out in barely a whisper, more afraid of what that meant for her than what it meant for him.

  Commitment was something people talked about, not something she experienced. Her parents may have stayed married, but they lived totally separate lives, all the way down to their living arrangements.

  She had good reason to fear it.

  With a strong grip Luke grabbed her hips and pushed her down onto his dick. His moan was long and soft as he slid into her. So much feeling, all at once. She bucked almost immediately, rocking against his hot cock. It was an explosion of feeling that almost had her cumming right then and there. But she held on as she rode up and down him, her juices coating his dick as she held on tight. She could never get enough of him, not inside of her. Not at all.

  Jayda grabbed the back of his neck and rode him hard. Thrusting down with each push and pull of his hands. She could feel it all in that moment. Her legs on either side of him, his arms around her, her arms around him. She felt alive and full. Full of his cock.

  “I’m gonna cum,” Jayda breathed, her chest heaving. It was too soon. She had only been on him mere minutes.

  “Hold on, baby. Just a little longer.” Luke had an odd mixture of sweetness and desperation in his tone. He wasn’t ready. So she tried to hold on. But after the second thrust onto his hot cock she was screaming.

  “Please, I’m gonna cum,” She begged again. She needed the sweet release that he promised h
er. She needed it now.

  “It will be worth it, I promise.” Sweat dripped off his brow as he encouraged her, pumping in and out of her as fast as she could.

  Jayda bit her lip and pushed forward, not letting her body succumb just yet. She gripped his flesh tighter, not willing to let go of him. Not willing to let go of her control. He was so strong, holding her up and pressing her down over and over again. Filling her. Completing her. She could feel small tremors coming from his body as he slowly lost control, a little at a time.

  “Cum with me, baby,” Luke whispered. With a moan and a strong grip on her body he came inside of her.

  She did. She came hard, her entire body shaking as waves of pleasure flooded her as she called out his name. Sweat dripped off her, each drop sliding down her body and onto him.

  “It was worth it,” She panted, her heart thumping in her chest. “You were right.”

  Everything else could wait. The missing money. Her father’s ranches, his empire. All that mattered in that moment was him.

  Jayda spent the next three days completely buried in paperwork. No matter how many databases she searched, how many files she went through, she could find no evidence of tampering, aside from the numbers being inaccurate, of course. All of the changes in employee matters were signed and verified. With her signature. It was hers alright. But she knew she hadn’t signed those documents.

  “Mary,” Jayda called out to Mary, “I have everything packed up. I just need for you to go ahead and take them back to storage.” Six months’ worth of paperwork, in various boxes, were piled in her office.

  Mary appeared almost instantly, a bright smile on her face and a flounce in her step. “Sure Ms. Rivers. Anything you need. It is what I am here to do.”

  “I also can’t seem to find any invoices for construction projects around the facility, but I know that a few have passed my desk.” Except, they were never completed. That was a key and she needed it.

  “Yes, ma’am. I will ask around for those specific records, as I know they have to go through the board.”

  She was just a bit too peppy for Jayda’s taste, but she was slowly growing on her.

  The lanky woman practically bounced into her office, picked up a couple of boxes like they weighed nothing, and exited.

  Jayda shuttered at the thought that she would be returning shortly. Thank God Mary handed her a coffee and a muffin as soon as she entered the building, soothing Jayda’s hatred of mornings. Or she would have been tempted to smack the sparkle right off Little Miss Bubbly’s teeth.

  Jayda heaved another stack of papers back into an open box and plopped into her father’s leather chair. There was no way she was going to figure this out.

  She bit her lip, and furrowed her brow. There was no clear cut answer here, no trail that led to the changes. Just her signature on a pile of documents. Hell, she was starting to question the idea that she had never signed them. She rubbed her temples and stewed. How was she going to handle this?

  Just as she was about to dive back into another stack of documents her cell phone vibrated from her pocket. She fished it out and checked the caller ID before answering. Luke.

  “Hello?” Her voice was hopeful. Maybe I’ll get a rescue from my cowboy in shining boots.

  “Hey, are you coming tonight?”

  Every time she heard Luke’s voice a little rush of excitement filled her. Even when she was completely confused.

  “Coming where?”

  “I’m not going to make the obvious joke, I won’t.” He paused for a moment and she imagined that trademark dimple was appearing as he smiled. “To the rodeo.”

  She had promised him that she would come watch. It was one of the last of the season.

  “Shit, I forgot. I’m so sorry, Luke. Of course I will be there.” In the midst of all she had been doing it was the last thing on her mind.

  “It means a lot to the entire company. You have the address?”

  “In my email. Loredo, right?” It was a few towns over, she remembered looking at the map online and planning her route, but that was all she knew.

  “It might take you a bit more than an hour to get to Loredo, so leave early. How’s the search going?”

  “It isn’t. I can’t find any evidence of tampering at all. It really looks like I signed those documents, but I know I didn’t.” The frustration leaked out of her voice as she confessed to him that she was getting nowhere in her search. “Someone is forging my signature exceedingly well. If any agency looks into this, my ass is going to be on the line. Especially if they find the money missing, which they will. Because it was easy. Obvious. Almost like… almost like they want it to show.”

  She was being framed.

  Shit.

  Someone was trying to frame her for this.

  “Look, it isn’t as important as redacting them and reinstating the old terms. You need the confidence of your clients, employees, and those you sponsor. We will find whoever is responsible, eventually.”

  She liked this side of Luke, the sweet reassuring side that made her want to curl into him.

  “Oh, and Jayda? Bring a change of clothing. I reserved a hotel for tonight.”

  With a click he hung up the phone. Leave it to him to give her no room to respond and a variety of situations playing through her head. She was tempted to indulge them but there was too much on her mind.

  She heard the door creak open and looked up to see Mary looking at her, furrows of worry etched in her forehead.

  “Ms. Rivers. I hate to butt-in, but I’ve worked with your father for years. Ever since my brother, well, ever since his accident, he has been very kind to my family. You really seem like you are struggling, is there anything I can do to help?”

  Her voice was genuine and Jayda considered the young blond for a moment. Sure, she wasn’t exactly Jayda’s favorite personality type, but she did seem sincere. Jayda was torn.

  “Thanks, Mary, but no. I messed this up. I need to fix it.” She didn’t know if she could trust Mary or not, so she kept everything as vague as possible. She should have been more present. Should have known exactly who she was working with, instead of letting everyone else run the show. As irritating as she could be, Mary had worked next to her father for years. Her brother was mauled by a bull during a rodeo, and as his sponsor, her dad had tried to provide for the entire family.

  “Are you sure? I might be able to find whatever it is you’re looking for. I have a great memory…” Mary pressed on, walking a few more steps towards Jayda.

  She sighed. If her dad trusted Mary, she might as well try.

  “Close the door. We need to talk.”

  ***

  Jayda wrapped her coat around her just a little tighter as the wind whipped through the air. Early autumn was turning, and a bitter cold nipped at her face. She squinted her eyes. Even in the VIP stands it was hard to see into the faces of the riders.

  She was here to see all her riders. But especially Luke.

  “I wasn’t expecting you today, heard you’ve been locked up in the office,” Dustin eased down beside her, his leg sliding against hers on the bleachers for a moment before pulling away. It was clearly an accident. But it still sent tingles up her thigh.

  “I made a promise.” She finally caught sight of him in his vest and the telltale hat that he said he would be wearing. He wasn’t looking in her direction, but that didn’t matter. Warmth flooded her.

  Dustin spotted him too. Jayda noticed his jaw harden as he realized exactly why she was there. “To Luke?”

  “Yes. To Luke.” A blush rose to her cheeks.

  He nodded in her direction and then looked through the crowd.

  “He’s an okay guy, little rough around the edges. But which one of us isn’t?” Dustin’s voice was smooth, deep. “He is one hell of a rider, though.”

  “Yeah, he really is. Finally signing his ass. After all those years of my dad trying.”

  “Good on you, but but are you only getting his contract?”


  “I…”

  “I see,” he paused for a moment then added, “guess you won’t be cashing in the rain check anytime soon, huh?”

  “I’m sorry, Dustin.” She really was. He deserved more.

  “Not a problem, can’t blame a guy for tryin’ though, can ya?” His small smile showed the beginning of lines around the edges of his eyes. “I just came over to say hello. I have a few people that need me back in the coaching arena.”

  He was gone before she could even say a word.

  She shifted in her seat and smiled. It wasn’t often she watched a man back down so gracefully. Still, she felt a pang of regret as she watched him walk away. Dustin was a good man. One who deserved someone special. She had confidence that the right girl was just waiting for him to show up at her door.

  It wasn’t long before she heard the announcer, pulling her from her thoughts and back to the show. Luke wasn’t up first this time, he drew later, but many of her guys were competing in this one. Just a small local show at the end of the local season, only a couple left in the state.

  Most of her guys would go back to ranch work, and the few that were selected to be registered in larger, national and semi-national competitions would be transported around the circuit. It worked on its own, was well-established and funded by multiple equipment agencies.

  Now that she knew them, it made it that much more difficult to watch the men perform. Each time they were thrown, she held in a breath, hoping they got up fast enough. That they were unhurt. The stakes were high for the riders. High risk, high reward. That was what her father always used to say.

  But it was different now. They were her employees. Her men. And the thought of one of them coming to harm made her nervous. They had families, people they loved.

  “Luke Daniels, Number 435 on Barely There.” The announcer blared through the speakers into the stands and into her ears.

  He was out like a shot, one hand held high, the other holding tight to the bull rope. That same instinctual ability, reading the bull before he even knew what he is going to do. It was only eight seconds, but you could see a lot in eight seconds.