The Cowboy's Hunt

by Jamie K. Schmidt

  “We’re going to have safari events. I plan on marketing this to schools and local environmentalist groups. Kelly has been taking some pictures—when she can convince Nate or Trent to ride shotgun. I think we could get bird-watchers and all sorts of clubs.”

  “You’ve thought this over. And what happens after I get the hogs under control?”

  “That’s up to you. I trust you. I should have trusted you more, but I thought I was doing the right thing. My intentions were good, but I guess that’s why the road to hell is paved with them.” She reached over and grabbed his hand. “I’m going to fuck up again. I’m just not going to do it on the wrong end of rifle. Please give me another chance. Give us a chance.”

  He was more than willing to do that. And if the safari thing didn’t work out, they’d figure something out. “Anything else I should know about?”

  “You don’t get a three-year lease.”

  “I need at least a three-year lease to make my money back and still have a profit to live off on when I move on.”

  “You get a twenty-five-year lease or the deal is off.”

  He blinked at her. “Do I look like a cell company?”

  “You look like someone I don’t want to let go. Of course, my father thought of a more cost-effective proposal, if you’d like to hear that.”

  “I’m all ears, sweetheart.”

  “You could marry me.”

  Donovan grinned. “Are you proposing to me?”

  “Do I have to get down on one knee?”

  He wanted to marry her. To hell with the land. But marrying him came with baggage. “Are you forgetting who might be sauntering up to our property one day?”

  “Wouldn’t you rather be there when he did?”

  “I’d rather he didn’t show up at all, but yeah. I want to be with you. For more than twenty-five years. For all the time we have. I’ve been miserable these past weeks. I thought you hated everything about me, except for the good parts.” He kissed her knuckles.

  “I could never hate you.”

  “Even if I may sometimes have to kill animals?”

  She sighed. “I don’t like it. But I can live with it, because I don’t want to live without you.”

  “Then, yes, Emily Sullivan, I will do the honor of becoming your husband. If you will do the honor of being my bride.”

  “That’s it?” Emily teased. “You’re not getting down on one knee?”

  “You’re going to have to wait for the ring before I do that.”

  “Will I have to wait long?”

  “You don’t strike me as the patient type,” he drawled.

  “I can be very patient.” She touched his knee under the table. “I’m being very patient right now.”

  “Finish your lunch.”

  “Why don’t we get it to go?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Carrie was a good waitress, but she was taking forever boxing their stuff up.

  “I’ll be in the truck,” Emily said, grabbing his keys.

  “What are you up to?”

  “Come find out.” She gave him what she hoped was a sexy smile and sauntered out to his truck. Climbing in, she slid off her panties and her bra as discreetly as she could and slipped them into her purse.

  Donovan jogged to the truck and stowed the bags of food behind his seat. “Change your mind about coming back to the hotel?” he asked, shutting the door.

  She slid over to him and kissed him before he started the truck. Taking his hand, she guided it up under her skirt. Then she took his other one and pushed it up under her shirt.

  Groaning, he rolled her nipple between his finger and thumb. “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

  “Drive fast or I’ll fuck you in this truck,” she said against his mouth.

  Donovan tugged on her nipple while kissing her thoroughly. His other hand had flipped up her skirt and he trailed his fingertips over the globes of her ass.

  “Start the car,” she ordered him, as she unbuttoned his pants.

  Donovan stopped her with a choked laugh. “Sweetheart, if it wasn’t broad daylight, I’d already be fucking you. But buckle up, because I’m going to break the sound barrier getting us to my hotel room.”

  Emily sat back in her seat, but kept her skirt up.

  “Trying to drive me crazy?” he asked, taking advantage of the stoplight to trace his fingers between her legs.

  “Is it working?” she breathed, leaning into the sweet caress that was over too soon as the truck lurched forward again.

  Pulling into the Bluebonnet Inn parking lot, Donovan lunged across the seat and kissed her before breaking it off and cursing. “Inside. It may be up against the door, but it’s going to be inside without an audience.”

  Emily stumbled out of the truck and ran to keep up with him. She was barely through the door before Donovan slammed it closed and hauled her up against it.

  “You want to tease?” He unbuckled his pants, took a condom out of his pocket, and rolled it down over his cock.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist and cried out when he plunged inside her. “Yes.” Spreading her arms out flat, she stretched against him as he fucked her hard against the door. Each thrust filled her with delicious friction. She was wet and swollen and needed every inch of him.

  Pulling up her shirt, he sunk deep in her and held himself there while taking her nipple in his mouth and sucking hard on it.

  “Move damn you,” she shrieked, lifting her hips up.

  Donovan threw his head back and laughed. “So demanding.”

  “Weeks,” she panted. “It’s been weeks. Go slow later. I need you now.”

  He took her hard and fast, covering her mouth with his palm when she got loud. Emily screamed her orgasm into it, and he shook apart shortly after. They leaned, panting against the door, until Emily’s legs collapsed and she sank to the ground.

  “Now go slow,” she said. Her lips felt puffy as she took off his clothes. Emily kissed his broad chest, licking his nipples and then down to his abs.

  “Give me a second,” he said, lifting her back to his mouth. He took off her shirt and skirt and laid her on the bed. “Be right back.” Donovan went into the bathroom to dispose of the condom and clean up a bit.

  He was back before she could miss him too much. “Touch me,” she begged. “Don’t ever stop.”

  “I couldn’t. Not now. Not ever.” He lay down on the bed next to her and she eagerly grabbed his thick cock and rubbed it up and down. She loved the velvet feel in her hands and when his fingers touched her intimately, she sighed.

  “Just like that.”

  He had a magic touch and rubbed her slowly. Each time his finger brushed her clit, she gasped and offered him her breasts to taste and lick. Meanwhile, she stroked him with long easy pulls. As the fever and tension built inside her, he tickled her faster and sucked harder on her nipples.

  “Fuck me,” she demanded.

  “Soon,” he promised in a growly voice that sent her over the edge.

  Panting, she rode his fingers as she came and pushed him on his back. But before she could straddle him, he rolled her underneath him. Teasing her, he slid his cock up and down her drenched pussy.

  “I want you inside me again.”

  He pressed burning kisses on her stomach down to her thighs. At the first touch of his tongue, Emily bolted upright and reached for him. “I want to taste you, too.”

  Rolling again, Donovan settled her on top of him. Emily scurried around so her breasts were pressed against his stomach. He slid her down on his mouth, clutching her ass.

  It felt so good—she let him explore her with his tongue before she went down on him. Emily sucked his cock into her mouth and matched his rhythm of licking. Her fingers clutched his legs and she shook from the tremors he was stirring up with his moans and kisses.

  He was deep in her throat when the lightning flickering of his tongue sent her over the edge into a squirming, screaming orgasm. Easing her off him, he slid out
of her mouth and put on a condom. She was boneless from ecstasy, barely able to move. Donovan came around from behind and eased her up to her hands and knees.

  Pushing into her, he grabbed her hips and pulled her back. Emily groaned and stretched, needing him to move, hoping he would go deep. He did, rolling his hips slowly against her. Donovan moved her hips where he wanted them, back hard against him and then easing away.

  He played with her like this. She was boneless and unwilling to stop him. He fucked her steady and with his entire length. Soon, she was quivering in reaction. She felt him in every inch of her and she clamped down on him to keep him there.

  “That feels like heaven, sweetheart,” he breathed. “You feel amazing.”

  “Love you,” she whispered. “Love you so much.”

  Donovan groaned and thrust into her hard. “Love you, too. I can’t get enough of you.” He increased the pace and Emily gripped the bedsheets, unable to do anything but hang on and feel the luscious sensations of his body pleasuring hers.

  He came with a roar and held her tight against him, pressing kisses along her spine. Pulling out, he collapsed on his back.

  Cuddling up next to him, Emily said, “I can’t wait to spend the next twenty-five years or more doing exactly this.”

  “It’s a deal.”

  “No matter what happens with the ranch, promise me that we’ll be together?” Emily lifted her head up to look at him.

  “I promise,” Donovan said, with a satiated smile on his face.

  Epilogue

  “Take the picture,” Emily said between her teeth.

  She was dressed in white and silver cowboy boots with a Mexican cotton dress that was hand-embroidered in shades of red and turquoise. Donovan was dressed in black, with a crisp white shirt and a black onyx bolo tie.

  “Move to the left. I want to hide the damage the hogs did to the side of the gazebo,” Kelly said, adjusting the camera on the tripod.

  Stifling a sigh, Emily shuffled to the left with her arms still around Donovan.

  “Donovan, get your hand off her ass,” Kelly said.

  “I like his hand on my ass.”

  “Not for the engagement pictures. Come on. I’ve got to give Aunt Candace something to work with or she’ll have my… Holy shit… Don’t move.”

  “If it’s a hog, my rifle’s in the truck.” Donovan took a step forward.

  “I said don’t move.” Kelly used her Mommy has had enough of your shit voice. They froze in place. Kelly took the camera off the tripod, working fast.

  “Smile, damn it.”

  Emily pasted on a smile, feeling confused.

  Kelly sidestepped and starting clicking pictures as fast as she could. “Open your eyes, damn it, and give me a real smile.”

  “I feel like we’re on a runway or something,” Donovan said.

  Then Kelly turned the camera completely away from them and moved forward.

  Emily turned and nearly fell on her ass. If it hadn’t been for Donovan’s hand there, she might have. Ghost was casually sauntering by without a care in the world.

  “I don’t fucking believe it,” Donovan muttered.

  Emily laughed. They had looked everywhere, but they had been looking in the wrong place. She wasn’t deep in Donovan’s woods, she was hanging around the cattle pastures by Janice’s retreat building. She would be far away from the hunters if she kept to this side of the property.

  Ghost headed down the trail behind Janice’s retreat building and disappeared into the forest.

  “Tell me you got that?” Emily rushed to Kelly’s side where she was reviewing the shots.

  “That’s one hell of a photo bomb.” Kelly showed her a picture of them standing by the gazebo with Ghost calmly walking in the background.

  “That’s good luck, right?” Emily and Kelly hugged each other.

  “Janice is going to flip,” Kelly said. “I’m going to follow her and see if I can get some more candids.”

  “Let me grab my rifle in case there’s trouble.” Donovan headed to the truck.

  “You can’t go in like that. You’ll destroy your suit.”

  “I can’t take the time to change. We might miss her again.” He opened the door and took out his rifle. He loaded it quickly and hurried after Kelly.

  “I can’t ruin these boots,” Emily wailed. “Do you know how hard it is to find good boots that aren’t made out of leather?”

  Donovan kissed her as he passed by. “Who wears white cowboy boots on a ranch anyway? It’s just a matter of time before they get dirty.”

  “To hell with it,” she said, following him. She hoped she didn’t fall down in her pretty white dress, but it would be worth it to get another glimpse of the ranch’s good luck charm.

  The End

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  Thanks for reading The Cowboy’s Hunt by Jamie K. Schmidt!

  Discover your next romance at TulePublishing.com.

  If you enjoyed The Cowboy’s Hunt, you’ll love the next book in….

  The Three Sisters Ranch series

  Book 1: The Cowboy’s Daughter

  Buy now!

  Book 2: The Cowboy’s Hunt

  View the series here!

  Book 3: The Cowboy’s Heart

  Coming November 2019!

  Enjoy an excerpt from

  The Cowboy’s Daughter

  Jamie K. Schmidt

  Book 1 in The Three Sisters Ranch series

  Keep reading below or buy now!

  Kelly Sullivan knew she was nitpicking about what filter to use for the engagement photo she was processing. The bride wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the gradients, but fussing over the nearly perfect picture kept Kelly from thinking about the message her father had left on her phone.

  Come home one last time. We’re selling the ranch. We can’t keep up with the bills.

  It was amazing that he’d even tried to call her. Usually, he just had her mom do it. And for him to admit a failing? Well, that worried her. Rule number one: Frank Sullivan was never wrong. And if he ever was? See rule number one.

  Kelly couldn’t stop herself from analyzing his message, looking for hidden meanings in his tone and the things he didn’t say. It was a self-defense mechanism she’d used ever since he tossed her out on her pregnant ass because she wouldn’t tell him who the father of her baby was. While that was five years ago, their tentative truce was fraught with emotions neither one of them wanted to deal with. The tightrope they walked could snap, and one or the other of them could say or do something that couldn’t be repaired.

  “We can’t keep up with the bills” was a weakness. And the only thing her father loathed more than weakness, was giving up.

  “We’re selling the ranch.” Where would they go? Both her mother and her father had lived in Last Stand, Texas all their lives. Kelly couldn’t imagine them wanting to live anywhere else.

  “Come home one last time.” She was already home. The Three Sisters Ranch ceased to become her home when he’d thrown her out. They hadn’t spoken for two years after that. Home wasn’t a vast five-thousand-acre ranch with dusty cows and hauntingly beautiful sunsets. It was an apartment in a thriving city, where people didn’t know your business and couldn’t care less if you were a single mother, or had had a child out of wedlock.

  Her five-year-old daughter, Alissa went to preschool here, had friends here. Kelly stayed away from Last Stand, Texas, to avoid the unwed mother gaze her father would bestow on her every day of her life. And even after his heart attack, when they’d had a grudging reconciliation, she’d still only been back for holidays and special occasions. But even though Kelly tried to avoid how she felt about the place and the memories it conjured up, the truth couldn’t be ignored. The Three Sisters Ranch was still a part of her. It was a part of them all. And even though she could hail a cab like a native New Yorker,
one never truly left Last Stand.

  Her sisters were equally shocked by their messages. He must have timed it so he could talk to all of their answering machines instead of them. Janice was scrambling to rearrange her schedule. Emily was on her way back from Ethiopia, where she’d been living once her term in the Peace Corps had expired. They had FaceTimed with their mom, though, and while they all had different ideas on how to save the ranch, the one thing they could all agree on was they were going to try their damned best not to sell.

  Their mother, Sarah, had been glad that her daughters were coming home and that they were willing to try and find ways to make the ranch profitable again. No word from her father, though, after the original message, which was typical. Frank Sullivan was like a grenade. He came in and exploded everywhere and then disappeared, leaving everyone to pick up the shattered pieces.

  “When’s your flight?” her aunt Candace said, bringing Kelly a cup of coffee and placing it on her desk. Candace had left Texas as soon as she graduated high school and had lived in Manhattan ever since. She was a sought-after wedding planner, and had taken Kelly in when she could no longer bear the looks of shame her parents hadn’t tried to hide.

  “I haven’t booked it yet.” Kelly moved on from the engagement photo to the school pictures she needed to get out to the parents this week. She’d been lucky enough to win the bid on the Academy of Arts Elementary School yearly portraits and she wanted to impress the heck out of them so she’d be invited back next year. Still, in the back of her mind, she was picturing the spring bluebonnet flowers that decorated the ranch with a royal blue so rich it uplifted your heart. There had to be schools in Texas that were looking for photographers.

  “There’s nothing you can do from here, that you can’t do from there.”

  Blinking out of her daydreams, Kelly nodded. It was true. Have laptop, will travel. “I hate to drag Alissa out of summer school.”