That was true. She knew that. If he cared for Rosita more than her, he wouldn’t be there. She placed her hand on her forehead. “Oh Adrian, I’m sorry, I saw you with her and - of course, you would have told me if you wanted her instead of me. You’re an honest man. I’m sorry I doubted you. I’m so used to people changing on me on a dime. Every time I had thought a guy was decent, it turned out he was a snake all along.”
Adrian’s wet hands cupped her soaked face. “I’m not a fool like the others. I know how special you are.” He laid his lips on hers.
She moaned against his mouth. Adrian’s tongue slipped between her lips. His tongue grazed her parted lips from side to side before it dipped into her mouth.
Faith grabbed his wet dress shirt, holding on as he stole her breath. A low groan echoed from Adrian’s throat. He tore his mouth away. Adrian continued to hold her face in his hands. They stared into each other’s eyes as the rain beat down on them.
“Let me show you,” he said in a hungry tone. “Will you let me show you how much I want you?”
“Yes,” she whispered as she shook her head.
Adrian took her mouth again, lapping at her lips like a starving man. His hands grabbed the skirt of her sundress. He worked the wet garment up her body. He broke the kiss long enough to pull the drenched cloth over her head. He tossed the sundress aside.
Faith stood bare-chested in front of him. The rain beat on her C cup breasts. Her brown nipples were knotted, hard, and tight.
After taking in her form, Adrian captured her in his arms and laid her down in the grass. He hovered above her. Faith’s fingers worked the buttons of his shirt as Adrian braced one hand on the ground next to her. Adrian started undoing his belt buckle.
Faith struggled with slipping the buttons through the slits in the wet fabric. Adrian grabbed her hands and put them down at her sides. He reached up and ripped his shirt open, exposing his light muscled chest that was sprinkled with brown hair. Faith sat up. She placed her hands on Adrian’s chest as he put his wrist behind his back, pulling the shirt off his shoulders
Faith had dreamed about rubbing her hands over Adrian’s tan chest. It wasn’t a dream anymore. Her manicured hands rubbed his wet pecks. She glided her hands down his chest. Her fingers danced over his toned abdomen. He had already loosened his belt and unbuttoned his pants. She unzipped his jeans and dipped her hand under the waistband of his Hanes. She took his hard staff in hand, and started stroking it.
Adrian desperately grabbed her upper arms. She looked up at him as the rain continued to beat down on them.
“I’ll let you do that another time,” he said hoarsely. He came down on her, making her lie back down in the grass.
Adrian tugged down her white thongs. Faith pushed her feet down, making the middle of her body rise up so Adrian could pull her panties over the curve of her hips. Faith lifted her legs in the air, letting Adrian dispose of the annoying barrier. She opened her legs. Adrian wasted no time pushing his jeans down to his knees and snuggling his hips between her valley.
Adrian reached between them, taking himself in hand and guiding his tip around in her moistness.
Faith gasped with want and excitement. “Yes,” she moaned. “Take me, Adrian, please.”
Adrian found her center, and with one swift thrust, he entered her.
They both groaned at the sensation of becoming one. Adrian slowly grinded in her as he lay on top of her.
“Ah,” Faith cried as her walls adjusted to his manhood.
Adrian’s hands gripped her wet hair as he quickened his pumping.
Faith’s mouth opened; rain from the sky entered her mouth.
“Oh God,” he groaned as he buried his face in her neck.
Faith wrapped her legs around Adrian’s waist as he quickened the pace. Rain beat on Adrian’s back. She nicked at his earlobe as he groaned against her wet skin. He let out a low growl. She felt his lips turn into a smile against her neck. She nicked him again.
“Ah,” he groaned. Adrian planted himself in her and swirled his hips, making his staff grind in her, teasing her.
She whimpered his name.
Adrian pumped in her again, and then stopped. He swirled and grinded his hips like before, making her pant with want.
“Adrian!” she cried with a hint of a desperate whine.
He gathered her in his arms and rolled them over, then he thrust his hips upward.
Faith hissed with pleasure. “Oh yeah! Ah!” she moaned as she sat up. She planted her palms on his glorious chest and started bouncing on his staff, meeting his thrusts.
He groaned as his head flung back on the ground.
The downpour continued as they made love.
Faith’s breath caught as a shiver went up her spine. Her fingers dug into his pecks. Adrian squeezed her hips as he quickened his thrusting.
Her nipples tingled and throbbed as she flung her face to the heavens. “Oh, Adrian!”
As Faith’s body trembled and her valley became soaked in-between them, Adrian let out a long groan. As she was coming back to earth, she could feel hot cream making her wetter than she already was.
“Faith,” he groaned as he held her hips down and stilled his movements.
The rain eased into sprinkles as Faith lay on top of Adrian. He tangled his fingers in her wet auburn hair, bringing her down for a kiss to seal their erotic experience.
Chapter 29
The rain had stopped, and the sun had set. Half of the guests were still on the Lone Wolf Ranch. White lights and lanterns were lit, which surrounded the dance floor.
Faith and Adrian had circled around and entered the back of the house without anyone seeing them. Adrian went upstairs to change, while Faith went to her cottage to change. Faith took a quick shower. The air had become cool, so she put on the blouse and jeans she had on earlier. She dried her hair and put styling oil in it. She ran a hot straightening comb through her hair to work out the kinks that formed from the rain.
She walked into the living room of the main house. Adrian had asked her to meet him in there before they returned to the BBQ.
He was already in there. He was nursing what looked like bourbon in his glass. “Hey, beautiful,” he said with an easy smile.
She grinned. “Hey.”
“Come over and sit with me for a minute,” he said and padded the open spot next to him on the sofa.
Faith walked over to him and sat down.
He put his arm around her shoulders. “It’s time I told you what happened four years ago…between Rosita and me.”
“Before you do,” Faith said, “I have a confession to make.”
Adrian’s eyebrow cocked up. “Oh?”
“Yes,” Faith said and swallowed. She prayed he wouldn’t be angry with her. “I kinda know already.”
“Know what exactly?”
Faith cleared her throat. “A couple of weeks ago at work, Antonio Rodriguez came into the office for an appointment. He asked how you were. I answered, and then he let something slip about a woman in your past that caused you trouble.”
Adrian nodded. “Antonio told you,” he said solemnly.
“No,” Faith said. “He didn’t feel comfortable telling me the whole story. I let it go at the time, but I couldn’t help wondering what the secret was that was keeping us apart. An hour later, Drew came in for an appointment. I…I asked him who Rosita was to you. He asked me to meet him at the bar after I got off of work. He said he would tell me what he knew.”
Adrian blinked. “Drew knows a lot,” he said in a low tone. “Hell, he knows a lot about most people who live here. People go to the bar and lay their problems down over a beer.”
“He wasn’t the only one I talked to,” Faith confessed. “When I got there, Sheriff Langford was there, too. Both of them told me the story. They had told me that you and Rosita were dating; that you were in love with her. Drew had told me what happened in the bar that night Rosita kissed Steve and…groped him in front of everyone. There was a
rift between you two because of her.”
Adrian nodded. “That’s about right. I accused Steve of wanting her for himself; for going after her behind my back. I didn’t believe what happened that night and I didn’t believe all the rumors he told me about her either; which turned out to be more facts than rumors. I moved off the ranch and moved to the Rodriguez Ranch.”
“Drew and Sheriff Langford said you got engaged to Rosita after she got pregnant. That you thought the baby was yours. Then, the rich man, Maurice, came for Rosita and the truth came out; and then you beat the hell out of the guy for it.”
Adrian blew out. He leaned back on the sofa. “That was the first time in my life I went looking for a fight. I almost paid a high price for it, too. I almost ruined my life because of her.”
“How did you….not go to prison, Adrian?” she asked tentatively.
“All I know is that my father pulled a lot of favors,” Adrian said and sipped his drink. “I never knew the details. When it was all over, my father sat me down in the office in the stables. He told me to never let anyone come between the family and me again because he might not forgive me if there was a second time. He understood that time because I was young and never been in love before. He also told me to watch my temper because if there was a next time, he might not be there to help me.” Adrian blew out. “At the time, I had no idea that….when he died, I felt responsible. I wasn’t here. If I was here, maybe…he wouldn’t have died.”
“You had your own life to live. Parents understand that. You’re not doing yourself any favors by blaming yourself,” she said.
Adrian looked at her. She could tell he was wondering how much she knew about his father.
She decided to change the subject back to the trouble Rosita instigated. “How…how did you and Steve make up?” Faith asked.
“The standup man that my brother is,” Steve began as he walked into the living room. Joey followed behind him. “He came to me and apologized. It takes a helluva man to admit when he’s wrong.”
Adrian gave Steve a small smile. “And it takes a helluva man to forgive when he was the one that was wronged.” Adrian turned to Faith. “Do you have any other questions?”
“No, but I have another confession to make,” Faith said sheepishly.
Adrian stilled. “How bad is it?” he asked.
“Not bad, exactly,” Faith said. “It depends on how you look at it. You see, I knew Rosita was in town. She was at the bar last night. She came in looking for Jose. They argued, Antonio introduced me as his girlfriend, and then she left.”
Adrian’s eyes widened. “Go back to the part where Antonio introduced you as his girlfriend.”
“Antonio thought if Rosita knew I was….in your life she would stay in town and cause trouble,” Faith said. “Unfortunately, she did that anyway.”
“I see,” Adrian said.
“I didn’t know whether to tell you if she was here or not, so I told-” Faith stopped talking and nodded in Steve and Joey’s direction.
“We thought it best not to tell you. We thought Rosita would tuck her tail between her legs and leave town on her own since Jose ran her out of the bar,” Joey said.
“We didn’t know how you would react,” Steve said.
“They know you better than me, so I went with the decision,” Faith said.
Adrian was quiet for a moment. “It’s okay. You guys didn’t know how I would react if I knew she was back in Elliot. If the situation was turned around, I would have decided the same thing.”
Faith relaxed. She was so glad that Adrian wasn’t upset with her for keeping secrets from him.
“However, you, Miss Faith,” Adrian said and leaned towards her, “don’t keep any more secrets from me. The only way this works between us if we are upfront with each other. Kapeesh?”
She smiled. “Kapeesh. With that being said-”
“You’re kidding?” Adrian said. “You’re holding onto more information?”
“Just that….I wanted to let you know that Aunt Bea told me a few weeks ago….how…your parents died,” she said carefully. “I wanted to let you know that I knew.” Faith looked at Steve and Joey. “I wanted you guys to know that Aunt Bea told me, too. I didn’t ask. She….she told me on her own. I think she needed to talk about it with someone.”
You could hear a pin drop in the room.
She didn’t mean to knock the wind out of them.
Steve broke the silence. “Well, if Bea needed to talk about it for whatever reason, she wouldn’t have come to us. We hadn’t mentioned it since the day after Daddy’s memorial service.”
“I understand why Aunt Bea told you,” Joey said. A small smile spread across his lips. “You’re family, now.”
Faith looked down bashfully.
“He’s right,” Adrian said. “You’re family.” He kissed Faith on the cheek.
“Now that we’ve gotten all that depressing shit out of the way, we need to get to the real matter at hand,” Steve said and rubbed his palms together.
“And what’s that?” Adrian asked with curiosity.
“Why are you two in different clothes and why is your hair wet, Adrian?” Steve asked with a smirk.
Faith buried her face in Adrian’s shoulder.
“Yeehaw!” Steve shouted. “This calls for a drink. Adrian got some!”
“Oh God!” Faith exclaimed against Adrian’s shoulder with embarrassment.
The men laughed.
Chapter 30
Joey drove his jeep with Steve in the passenger seat to the Warrington Ranch. Ray and Lance, a builder who owned a sawmill in Elliot, rode in a separate truck. Adrian and Faith followed in Adrian’s truck. Adrian wanted Faith to come along to look at the property
The grass was as green on the Warrington land as it was on the Lone Wolf Ranch. Luke came out of the house as they pulled up. The house wasn’t as big as the Matthews’, but it was cute. It was only one story.
Everyone got out of the vehicles.
“Hey, boys,” Luke said. “Faith.” Luke tipped his cowboy hat to her.
“Hi,” she said.
“I hope you don’t mind us bringing Lance and Ray along,” Adrian said. “I thought Lance could look at the house to see what kind of work it needs. Ray is here to help us assess the land for the cattle.”
“I don’t mind at all,” Luke said cheerfully. “I thought we could get in the chopper so you guys can get a grade A tour of the land.”
“That sounds great. Plus we can see how the chopper handles since it’s being thrown in with the package,” Steve said.
“You know how to fly a helicopter?” Faith asked.
“Sure do,” Steve said. “When I turned eighteen, I left home for two years. I moved to Oklahoma, got my pilot’s license, and worked as a crop duster.”
“Impressive,” Faith said.
“I got a pilot’s license too, Angel,” Adrian said. “I didn’t get mine in Oklahoma though. I took classes in Dallas. Daddy was going to buy a chopper for the ranch, but Momma kept groaning about how dangerous they were. He gave in and didn’t buy one.”
“What about you, Joey?” Faith asked.
“Pssh,” he said and turned his nose up. “I like to keep my feet on the ground – where they’re meant to be.”
Everyone chuckled.
“I take it that you’re not going on the chopper tour,” Luke said.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Joey said. “I’ll stay on the ground and look around that way.”
“The chopper only fits four, anyway,” Luke said.
“I’ll stay here with Joey,” Faith said. “Maybe next time.”
“I came here to look at the buildings,” Lance said.
“All right, Ray, Adrian, Steve, let’s do it,” Luke said with excitement.
Adrian put his hand on Faith’s shoulder. “We should be back within an hour and a half. Look around with Joey and Lance. Take a look at the house. See if you like it, okay?”
Faith tilted her
head to the side. Why did it matter if she liked the house or not? She didn’t ask. She just went with it. “Okay,” she whispered.
Adrian lapped at her lips as he rubbed her shoulder.
“Hell, Adrian, she’ll be here when we get back,” Steve joked.
Adrian lifted his lips from hers. “Shut up,” he said with a chuckle.
“The helipad is five acres out,” Luke said. “Let’s ride down there. It’s quicker.”
Two hours later, Faith, Lance, and Joey were in the main barn. The barn was twice the size of the main barn on the Lone Wolf Ranch. They had toured the house, the log cabin by the creek, and the stables which were twice the size of the Lone Wolf stable.
Adrian and the rest of the guys had landed on the helipad. Adrian called Steve’s cell to see where they were at. They were going to meet at the barn.
Faith climbed up in the hayloft. She looked at the big piles of hay. “How in the world do you get hay up here?”
“A tractor with a lift that scopes hay does that,” Joey answered.
“Oh,” Faith said.
The floor in the loft was covered with strands of hay. There was a big window. It looked like it could open, but Faith didn’t open it.
Adrian, Ray, Steve, and Luke walked into the barn. Faith watched and listened to the men from the hayloft.
“How was the ride?” Joey asked.
“Great,” Steve said. “Adrian and I got to take it for a spin. The chopper handles great.”
“Glad you like it,” Luke said.
“The three horses in the stable,” Joey began. “Are they included in the deal?”
“No,” Luke answered. “I’m going to have them moved to Dallas as soon as the place is sold.”
Joey nodded.
“We got a look at the cattle,” Adrian said. “Great herd.”
“When do you need an answer?” Steve asked.
“I’ll like to hear back from you boys in a week,” Luke said. “I want to have the place sold within the next sixty days. I need the cash for a pending deal.”
“We can let you know in a week,” Adrian said. “Where’s Faith?”
“Up here,” she said.
The Rancher Page 13