As she started to unravel it, Jasper stilled her. Her gaze shot to his, but she lowered her hands. He felt her eyes on him, intent, as he slowly unwound the plait, the act startlingly intimate, amazingly erotic. As he finished, she arched her back to place her head under the water, giving him a glorious view and reigniting the deep heat simmering just below the surface.
Restraining himself, he made the decision to let her lead. Kessed was a woman who knew her own mind—most of the time.
As she finished rinsing her tresses, she met his surely hungry gaze with a slight grin. “I think I’m good. Are you finished?”
He could think of a million responses to that question, none of which had to do with the act of cleaning himself, but he simply nodded. She switched off the water and opened the door. After handing him a towel, she quickly wrapped herself up once more, blocking the delicious view of her body and sending a pang of disappointment through Jasper.
Her stomach growled, and he couldn’t suppress the chuckle as her face flushed at the sound. “Not a word.”
“Where have I heard that before?” he teased, winking at her. “Let’s get you fed. Fair warning”—he took a step closer to her, placing a lingering kiss on her soft lips—“I’m nowhere near finished with you yet.” Jasper grinned at her shocked—then amused—expression as it flashed across her deep chocolate eyes.
“Is that right?” she challenged, her tone flirtatious in a way that sent blood to his already-excited southern regions.
“You can bet on it,” he replied simply and dropped his towel, walking out into the hall.
He could feel her eyes on his back, and he hoped that he had at least a fraction of the effect on her that she had on him.
In short work, he located his phone in the laundry room. Thankfully, Kessed had removed it from his wet jeans before tossing them in the washer. He quickly dialed up Domino’s and ordered three pizzas and breadsticks. Then, on a whim, he ordered one more pizza just in case.
“You better order pineapple on one!” Kessed called out, and he chuckled as he completed the order, double-checking that the pineapple would be on two of the pizzas. He found his wallet and used a card for the order, immediately disappointed that the pizza would be delivered in less than a half hour. Not a lot, but perhaps enough time….
He set his phone back down and walked—still blissfully naked—into the hall toward the guest room where he assumed Kessed was staying.
“Pineapple ordered.” He leaned against the door jam, utterly at ease.
“I think you’d better let me answer the door when the pizza is delivered.” Kessed arched a brow as she regarded him. She was already wearing a sports bra and boyshorts underwear.
“Wouldn’t want to give some poor guy an inferiority complex,” Jasper flirted, watching her roll her eyes with amusement.
“Yeah, that’s the reason,” she replied, though her gaze lingered lower, filling him with a satisfied pride. “How long do I have to wait?” Kessed asked, meeting his stare.
Jasper tilted his head, his mind going in several directions with her question, but he answered the one he thought was most likely implied. “Thirty minutes, give or take.”
Kessed nodded, a small smile teasing her lips. “That’s good to know, but it wasn’t exactly the question I was asking.” She looked up at him through her lashes.
His body caught on even faster than his mind, and with a knowing grin, he scooped her up, laughing at her weak protests, and tossed her onto the bed gently, covering her almost-naked body with his. He kissed her soundly, noticing how her lips were spread wide from a lingering smile, and it resonated deep within him. Her hands tangled once again in his hair, and he gave himself over to the deeply pleasurable sensation.
Part of his brain registered his phone ringing, but he disregarded it immediately; rather, he deepened his kiss, responding in kind when Kessed pressed into him.
Another, different ring sounded, and Kessed pulled her lips back just enough to speak. “Ignore it.”
Willingly obeying, he captured her lips in answer and ran his hand down the curve of her hip, reaching up to cup the swell of her breast.
Her perfect shape filled his hand, her breath coming in short gasps.
Then the ranch phone rang.
“Damn it all to hell, if that’s Laken, I’m going to kill her.” Kessed panted, but Jasper could see her focus was lost, and he stroked her once for good measure, before kissing her nose sweetly. “Determined much?” he asked.
“You have no idea. She’s the worst,” Kessed replied, sighed, then rose as Jasper moved from her, his body acutely missing her warm frame beneath his.
Kessed picked up her cell phone and, as if on cue, it rang again.
“Impatient much?” Kessed said by way of greeting.
Jasper watched Kessed as she listened to her friend. “No, I wasn’t running. I’m fine. What do you need?”
Jasper chuckled at the implication that Kessed was out of breath from exercising.
She glared.
He grinned deeper.
“I’m fine. What do you want?” she repeated.
Silence. Jasper traced the outline of her body with his gaze, hungry.
“No, I’m not being mean. You’re interr—avoiding the question.”
Kessed’s face blushed slightly, and Jasper grew curious.
“I’m not saying anything. Tell me why you called a million times,” Kessed answered after a brief pause.
She listened again, nodded, then replied, “Yes, they are all here. Tell Cyler he owes me huge. Jasper had to save me from the flashflooding and a runaway cow.”
Jasper raised an eyebrow at her lie.
She stuck her tongue out in return.
“So no cow, but I got soaking wet, and we’re—”
Kessed paused once more then answered. Her gaze slid to his for a moment before skittering back to the door. “Yes.” She bit her lip. “There are many definitions of the word slow, Laken.”
He heard Laken’s laughter through the phone, along with what sounded like cheering. Apparently, Laken had connected some dots.
“Are you done now?” Kessed asked, her tone impatient.
After a moment, Kessed glanced at Jasper. “Cyler wants to talk with you for a bit.”
“Sure.” He shrugged, standing from the bed and taking Kessed’s phone, but not before he stole a quick kiss, earning a weak smack on the shoulder.
“Hello?” he answered, grinning unabashedly.
“Hey! So, everything’s good? You got the cattle all settled in? Any problems?” Cyler’s baritone asked from the other end.
“All good to go. No issues. Got caught in a thunderstorm, but a little rain won’t hurt anything.”
Kessed snorted, and he turned to wink at her.
“Sounds like it was more than just a little rain,” Cyler replied.
“We had some pretty decent flashflooding, but that will only give you more water for the herd,” Jasper answered.
“Good, good. Wait.” Cyler paused, and Jasper could hear Laken’s voice in the distance. “Laken wants to talk with you.”
“Okay.” Jasper flickered his gaze to Kessed, who narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
“Hi, Laken. What’s up?” Jasper asked.
Kessed groaned and lay down on the bed dramatically.
Jasper chuckled at her theatrics.
Laken answered, “It’s like this. You hurt her, you will pay.”
Jasper smirked at the way Laken championed her friend. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And for the love of all that’s holy, don’t put up with her stubborn streak. Boss her around. Don’t be afraid. She’s all bark, no bite. I’ve only had to bail her out of jail once,” Laken finished, and he heard Cyler’s laughter on the other side.
Jasper mouthed to Kessed. “Jail
?”
Kessed simply gave him a wide, innocent expression.
“Understood,” he replied, biting back a grin.
“Good. We’re done interrupting. Carry on…” Laken’s words faded into a giggle.
“Yes, ma’am,” Jasper replied enthusiastically.
“I like you,” Laken added. “See you in a few days.”
“Later.” Jasper ended the call then turned to Kessed. “You want to tell me what that was all about?”
Kessed met his gaze then glanced away. “Nope.”
He laughed, his face aching from all the smiling he’d done recently.
“So… about that pizza?” Kessed asked, a half smile on her face.
“Should be here any minute,” Jasper replied, eyeing the beautiful woman on the bed and cursing the short time before they’d be interrupted again.
Kessed rose from the bed and pulled a pair of sweats from the drawer. She slid them over her long legs then quickly swiped a sweatshirt from the chair and sent a mischievous grin in his direction.
“I’d offer you clothes, but honestly, I don’t want to.” She smirked as the doorbell rang.
“I’m perfectly comfortable as I am,” Jasper replied as she strode from the room.
“I see that,” Kessed tossed over her shoulder.
A minute later, the scent of pizza preceded Kessed’s arrival back. She set the cardboard boxes on the bed and opened them one by one.
“I love that they give paper plates. It’s like they know it’s a crime to order pizza and then have to do dishes.”
“Mind readers,” Jasper added seriously, earning a glare.
“So, pepperoni?” Kessed asked just as Jasper took a large bite.
He nodded.
“I’m all about the pineapple. In fact, if I could have just the sauce and pineapple, I’d be happy. But I do like the cheese,” she answered, taking a bite and closing her eyes, the familiar soft moan escaping.
Jasper grinned, thrilled to channel that pleasurable sound in a way where they could both enjoy it.
“So good,” Kessed replied, devouring her slice. “And I love that you ordered four pizzas and breadsticks. You’re learning.”
“I figured two for you, two for me, and if we get hungry, we still have bread sticks,” he answered, watching her enjoy her food.
“Carbs. My true love.” Kessed spoke around a mouthful.
“Sexy.”
She moved her hands in a circular motion, holding the slice of pizza. “This is a judgment-free space.”
He lifted his hands in defense. “Noted.”
“You’re distracting me.” Kessed took a small pillow and chucked it at him. “For your… distracting parts.”
Jasper blinked then chuckled, making a show of placing the pillow over his distracting parts, as she’d said. “Better?”
“Not really. I have a really photographic memory.” Kessed arched a brow.
“You’re impossible.”
“Not entirely.”
“Sure, sure. When do Laken and Cyler get home?” Jasper asked. He had ulterior motives for asking, but he also couldn’t quite remember the exact date.
“They’ll be home Sunday night, so three days,” Kessed answered.
He nodded, taking a bite of pizza. “And when do you work this weekend?”
“I’m on for the next three days. I’m up for a position to manage the store. I’ll find out about it this weekend.” Her gaze lowered, and he suspected a hint of insecurity below the surface.
Is she worried? Does she need the higher-paying job?
“You’re already bossy. I think it would be an easy, natural step for you,” Jasper teased, hoping to lighten her expression.
It worked. Kessed tossed a piece of pineapple at him.
He picked it up and ate it.
“It’s mostly just… progress, you know? I don’t want to just stay static. I want to grow, be more than only a barista. It was fine when I was in college, but now that I’m graduated, it’s—I want more.” She met his gaze, and he read the sincerity deep within.
“That’s a perfectly natural step. What did you major in?”
Kessed shrugged. “Business with a minor in marketing.”
Jasper regarded her. “So, if you could do anything career-wise, what would it be?”
Kessed’s brow furrowed, making a tiny valley as she thought. “This might not make sense, but I love talking with business owners and targeting places where they want to expand, grow and market, and develop a plan to reach those goals. But in Ellensburg, there’s not a big call for that. I’d have to move to Seattle, and honestly, I don’t want to go there. My grandparents live there, and I love to visit—it’s where I grew up—but I don’t want to make that my home. I love it here… thus, the job at Starbucks.” She shrugged as if trying to diminish her words and their poignant truth.
Jasper leaned down, resting his elbows on his knees. “So you grew up with your grandparents?”
“Yeah, my parents died when I was a little over a year—car accident. I don’t even remember them. My grandparents are amazing, but a little… overbearing? That sounds bad. But they just have definite ideas that they want me to aspire to, and those ideas aren’t my dreams.”
“Like?” Jasper inquired.
Kessed twisted her lips. “They’d love for me to work for a huge corporation in Seattle—and there’s nothing wrong with that—but the idea of being here, out in the middle of nowhere it’s… distasteful to them. They don’t see the rugged beauty, the wide-open spaces, the way people are kind, helpful, not out to step on you to get ahead. I’m not saying that all people in Seattle are that way, or that there aren’t people in Ellensburg that aren’t that way. I’m just saying that it’s a slower pace, a different life, and it’s the life I love. I chose Central Washington University for those very reasons, hoping my assumptions were right, and I totally fell in love.”
Jasper listened, watching how her brown eyes sparkled when she talked about the land, about the heart of the town. It was beautiful, a deep insight into her soul that he wasn’t expecting but was thankful for, nonetheless. “I know exactly how you feel.”
“Have you always lived here? I thought you just moved back….” Kessed asked, picking up another piece of pizza.
“It’s a long story, and part of it isn’t mine to share.” He frowned, remembering.
“So, what’s your part then?” Kessed inquired.
Jasper shrugged. “Family. I left after high school, got my education through the University of Washington, and then helped a friend start a practice in Colville. We did well, but family comes first, and my sister needed me. So, you do what you gotta do, and honestly, it worked out for the best. Vince needed someone to help out, and when I arrived, he let me know that he’d wanted to retire. It was the perfect setup. My buddy in Colville understood, and that’s about it.”
“Sounds like things worked out well,” Kessed remarked.
“Yeah, I’m pretty pleased.” Jasper smiled in spite of himself, allowing his gaze to lower over her sweatshirt, imagining the skin beneath.
Kessed shook her head in amusement. “Pizza first.”
“So, in your life, food is first,” Jasper reminded her from the day before.
“If that’s a problem, we might have to reevaluate this.” Kessed pointed between the two of them.
“I didn’t say it was a problem.” Jasper laughed. “Just making sure I have things straight.”
“Good.”
The rain continued to pelt the window, and Jasper glanced outside. “Well, at least we won’t have to worry about the water supply for a while.”
“Yay.” Kessed lifted a fist to cheer in a mocking way.
“Sarcasm?” Jasper tilted his head.
“Always.” Kessed glanced up with a grin
. “So, tell me about your parents.”
Jasper leaned back, resting his hands behind his body, thinking. “Well, my parents divorced when I was about ten. That would make Harper about four. My mom didn’t stick around, but my dad did. He raised us and never remarried. He was a former marine, but took up hay-farming when my mom left him. He wanted us to have roots. He was in a tractor accident when I was eighteen. Our mom didn’t even come to the funeral.”
“Damn. That’s harsh. I’m sorry.” Kessed frowned. “I’m sorry about your dad.”
“It was a while ago, but it still hurts. Especially for Harper. He was her idol.”
Kessed reached out and placed her hand on his knee. “I can’t imagine, but I’m sure she’s thankful for you. Does she live by you?”
“Yeah, one bedroom down from mine.” Jasper winked. “Harper doesn’t do the alone thing.” He shook his head.
“Ah, got it. Well, at least you have each other.” Kessed took her hand back, smoothing her hair behind her ear.
“Yeah, she’s one of my best friends. And almost a bigger pain in the ass than you,” he teased.
“Hey!” She picked up another pillow and tossed it at him.
Jasper dodged it, then on a whim, took the pillow covering him and chucked it at her.
Kessed squealed as she ducked, but Jasper took the pizza boxes and tossed them to the ground, thankful that they hadn’t spilled the last of their contents as he moved forward. Kessed shrunk away playfully till her back came in contact with the headboard, her grin widening even as her eyes opened fully, feigning fear.
“Trapped,” Jasper remarked, closing the distance. With a smile, he ducked his head and bit the edge of her sweatshirt, tugging at the fabric with his teeth.
Kessed giggled then slowly lifted the bottom of the sweatshirt, and he released his hold, watching as she removed it and tossed it to the floor.
“Much better,” Jasper murmured before taking her lips with his, savoring the touch, enjoying the slow and pleasurable process of removing one layer after another.
Doing his best to strip her bare of everything and opening the way to what he wanted more than anything.
Her heart.
CHAPTER TEN
The Courage of a Cowboy Page 10
