by Piper Stone
As he broke the kiss, chuckling darkly and dragging his tongue around my mouth, he rolled onto the balls of his feet. The hard fucking continued, the strength of his upper thighs pushing me up and down against the wall. Everything about this was crazy, the connection we shared off the chain.
“Oh. Oh. Yes…” My body quivered, my pussy muscles pulsing. There was no doubt a climax was close.
“So tight. I could fuck you all day,” he said in a gravelly voice, the sound like the rumble of thunder.
Exciting.
Dangerous.
Delicious.
His eyes penetrated into mine as he gyrated his hips, the curl on his lip a reminder that he was a rugged cowboy. I dug my fingers into his skin as my breathing quickened and within seconds, an intense orgasm swept through me like a tidal wave.
“Oh. Oh. Oh!” My scream penetrated the air around us as the sensations continued to explode. I’d never felt such incredible ecstasy, the single climax quickly bolting into a second. I tossed my head back and forth, raking my nails down his neck to his back, struggling to keep my feet pinned together.
He refused to stop, every thrust shoving me into the wall, the rough surface scraping over my bruised bottom. The combination of pain and pleasure was almost too much to take. I could tell he was close to coming, his entire body shaking, his eyes half closed.
The second I squeezed my muscles, clamping down tightly around his cock, he threw his head back and roared.
As the rational thoughts drifted back into my mind, I knew in my gut that this could never happen again.
Not once.
Not for any reason.
Ever.
Chapter 5
Mustang
Lust.
Unbridled freaking lust.
Or maybe I had a screw loose.
Not only had I fucked a stranger in the empty barn on the ranch, it was the naughty vixen from the auction. Jesus Christ, any one of the ranch hands could have ventured inside at any time since preparations were being made to bring the cattle we’d recently purchased to this location. What the hell had I been thinking?
And I didn’t even know the girl’s name.
But dear God, there wasn’t a part of me that didn’t want to toss her in the cage I’d thought about before, keeping her like a sweet little pet.
Training her.
Tasting her.
Fucking her.
I studied her as she jerked on her jeans, her face redder than the effects of spanking her bottom. I resisted grinning as I thought about the experience, realizing I hadn’t been this excited in years. Maybe ever. The obnoxious girl still did something to me even if she was a handful.
Annoying.
Nosy.
Bossy.
Shit. I wanted to spend the rest of the day taming her, but I had work to do. What I didn’t know is what the hell she was doing here. Her accusations had stuck in my craw, leaving me questioning what she could be getting at. Let alone who else had told her I was dangerous? I chuckled at the thought since it had been the very word I’d used. While I’d yet to mention the down and dirty at the auction with Hawk, I could be forced to soon if she didn’t spill what she knew.
“Okay, sunshine. Out with it. Why the hell are you here?”
She finished fastening her jeans, taking her time before looking me in the eyes. “This was a mistake.”
I snorted, uncertain whether she meant being caught red-handed or the incredible round of sex. If I had to guess, I’d say both. I fastened my belt then yanked my boots off the floor. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. You still thinking I’m involved in some criminal activity?”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Why the hell do you think that? Who are you anyway? Some animal lover determined to stop the beef industry, like tying yourself to a steer to keep it from being slaughtered?”
The flash in her eyes was like a blizzard occurring on a summer’s day. “Hardly. While I do care for animals, all animals I might add, I’m not the kind of woman to do crazy shit like that, thank you very much.”
“So, accusing just about everyone involved at the auction wasn’t crazy?”
Her nostrils flaring, she jerked on her boots then moved as far away from me as possible. “I had a tip from an anonymous source. That’s all you’re going to get. I don’t know you and I certainly can’t trust you.”
A laugh erupted from my gut before I could stop it. “You mean the hot sex we had didn’t make us bosom buddies?”
Another flush shot up both her cheeks.
“Can I leave now?” she demanded. “I think you’ve taken your pound of flesh.”
I thought about her request, as well as the statement she’d issued. What kind of tip had this girl received? “You know what? Let’s cut this thing off at the pass. I’m going to venture a guess that you’re looking to see if the Big Meadow Ranch is harboring injured animals for some sick reason. Am I right? Maybe you’re thinking some level of fraud?” I knew about the shit happening in the industry. I was well aware there were some bad seeds out there, determined to exploit good people out of their hard-earned funds. What I’d never heard was anyone putting Big Meadow on some kind of radar. That made me angry as well as raised red flags.
She gave me a hard look before nodding.
“All right. Then come with me. Maybe I can prove to you otherwise.” When she hesitated, I lifted my eyebrow. “I ain’t gonna bite. At least any more than I already have. Although, I do think you enjoyed our… second meeting.”
As she swept her hair over her shoulders, I realized my cock was already twitching again.
“All right. Maybe I’ll be the one doing the biting,” she huffed, wincing as she walked toward the stairs.
This time, I couldn’t keep the evil grin off my face.
She gave me another hard, cold stare, her eyes searching mine condescendingly. The woman was definitely a brat, but formidable in all kinds of ways. Hmmm…
When I opened the passenger door of my truck, she exhaled in an exaggerated manner. I couldn’t help but notice she seemed confused at the sight of my truck, as if expecting something else. She raked her hand through her disheveled hair before climbing inside, her jaw clenched. I’d obviously pissed her off all over again. While I’d been working on my patience since returning from Afghanistan, this woman was yanking every single chain.
The passion had been amazing, but not enough to continue allowing her bad behavior or her unfounded accusations.
Remaining quiet, I roared onto the road that intertwined the various areas Hawk’s brother had already established before his death. Even as I attempted to ignore her, at least at first, I couldn’t take my eyes off the gorgeous cowgirl. She certainly made my blood boil.
“Something special about my truck?” I asked as quietly as possible.
“Nope. Just looking.”
She was guarded about something and I didn’t think it had to do with me.
“Since you know my name, don’t you think it’s fair that I learn yours?” I asked after a couple of minutes.
“Not really.”
Damn, the woman was guarded as hell. “Okay, then I’ll just call you sunshine. You’re right that I don’t own the ranch, although I may own a percentage of the corporation in the next few months. Big Meadow is owned by a buddy of mine, Jake Travers, although his buddies call him Hawk.”
“Hawk and Mustang. Who else do you have in your posse, Dog and Beast?”
I shook my head. The girl had a chip on her shoulder the size of a boulder, and I thought mine was oppressive. “They’re call signs and mean something to us.”
She slowly turned her head. “Ex-military?”
“Yup. Marines. Anyway, Hawk inherited the ranch from his father and brother, and we’re going to make it something special. It’s a privilege to work with him as well as the almost two hundred men and women who help keep this ranch going.”
“Why the empty barn?”
“Bringing in addit
ional stock. We’ve been preparing for a couple of months.” The awkward tension remained between us.
As well as the explosive electricity.
I drove slowly past several of the fields, allowing her to get a good look at our livestock. I was damn proud of what we’d been able to accomplish in the few months and had even fallen in love with the place.
She didn’t seem impressed, although she sat on the edge of her seat, scanning the horizon.
“There’s something special about Montana. The mountains. The clean air. The beautiful rivers. I’d forgotten how much I missed the place.” I wasn’t certain why I’d bothered to tell her anything personal. It was unlikely we’d ever see each other again, even if the Neanderthal side of me still wanted to claim her as my own.
“How long were you gone?” she asked in a quiet voice, which was entirely different than before.
“Let’s just say long enough I hadn’t wanted to come back at first. I didn’t think I’d find anything that would feel like home. Funny thing about that. Memories can be the beginning of a new life.”
“Or they can be nothing more than a continuous nightmare.”
Her answer wasn’t one I would have expected, but I knew better than most that there wasn’t a person alive who didn’t have some form of demon living deep inside their psyche. I just couldn’t seem to exorcise mine. “Yeah, I suppose.”
I continued the drive, pointing out some of the new fencing, waving to several of the ranch hands as I passed.
Once again, she was quiet.
“Up here is Hawk’s residence, the first barns that were built housing the family horses. Up ahead we have the real meat of our organization.” I continued driving, moving past the majority of the workers.
“Wow.”
The single word from her luscious mouth was likely the only one I was going to get. I’d take that as a win. As I made my way out the back entrance, heading to where I’d located her truck when I’d driven in, her entire body tensed.
“What, you didn’t think I figured out that we likely had an intruder on the facility?” I asked as I pulled next to the aging vehicle.
Her mouth furrowed and she gripped the dashboard for a few seconds before reaching for the door handle.
“So, does that satisfy your insistence that we’re not abusing animals?” I continued.
She climbed out before bothering to answer. “Looks can always be deceiving.”
Jesus Christ. The woman had a sharper edge to her than I did. “Let me give you a piece of advice, sunshine. If you’re going to case a joint, don’t leave your truck out in a wide-open space.”
I heard the slight huffing sound and wanted nothing more than to drag her back over my lap. I doubted anything would be able to get through to her or teach her a lesson.
“Danni. My name is Danni.” With that, she shut the door with a hard thud.
Sunset.
I patted Snickers, rubbing my hand across his mane as I stared up at the mountains. The sun had just dipped below the top of the mountains, leaving the sky like a vibrant painting. I chuckled from even thinking the sentiment. Hell, I wasn’t a romantic kind of guy. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever paid attention to the mountains, let alone the color of the sky when I lived here before.
No, I’d been more interested in causing trouble. Skipping school. Stealing. I’d even been considered a bully, something I wasn’t proud of.
“The Marines are gonna whip your ass, boy. They won’t take any of your bullshit.”
My father’s sentiment had remained with me and he’d been right. I’d been reduced down to the basics, no longer able to hide behind the troubled boy syndrome.
And I’d had my ass kicked more than once.
Including by Snake, who’d refused to allow me to get away with stupid antics.
“You can’t go through life basking in humiliation of others,” Snake growled as he took a fighter’s stance, prepared to issue another hard swing.
I rubbed my jaw, laughing before lunging in his direction, pitching us both onto the ground. Within seconds, he twisted his body, forcing me under his, his arm digging into my throat. “You ain’t no match for me, tough guy. I suggest you get your shit together.”
The memory was the same as the others, bittersweet, but Snake had been there by my side through boot camp, refusing to allow me to get kicked out. Sighing, I could swear the bear of a man was looking down at me from heaven.
I shifted in the saddle, turning my attention to the moon already shining brightly in the sky. The one thing I had done year after year was stare at the moon. I couldn’t even remember what I’d been wishing for. Now I felt blessed.
At least I was alive.
My grip on the reins tightened as another brutal memory refused to be denied.
“Watch out!” Hawk bellowed as he dragged Vader toward the helicopter. “We have to get the fuck out of here!”
As Scorpion snagged Reaper, yelling at him to get the fuck into the bird, I jerked Hawk’s arm. This was a bad call. While the damn Afghan informant had been used before, this felt more like a setup than anything. I had no idea what the fuck Hawk had been thinking by dragging us here. We had limited backup and there were insurgents coming from every direction. The sound of rapid gunfire was explosive, and I had difficulty breathing, the sand and dirt suffocating.
“Go. Go. Go!” I yelled, although the sound was muffled by the whirl of the helicopter blades.
As the other men of the expeditionary unit jumped inside the bird, Vader refused to let go of Hawk’s arm, although blood seeped through his uniform.
Fuck. Where the hell was Snake? Damn the asshole. He was always going off on his own. One day he was going to get us all killed.
“Wait,” Scorpion yelled, his call drowned out by a series of explosions.
“We can’t leave him out there!” Vader exclaimed, gasping for air.
Fuck, the man was going to bleed to death if we didn’t get him out of here.
“Get the fuck inside,” Hawk bellowed as he pushed Vader into my arms, giving me a hard glare. “Get him on board.”
“Where the fuck are you going?” I hissed. “We need to get the hell out of here.”
“I’m not leaving without Snake.” The rapid popping of continuous gunfire was getting closer.
Scorpion moved toward the door, but Reaper yanked him with force, whispering hoarsely, “There’s nothing we can do right now. We will come back for him.”
“All for one and one for all, remember? We do not leave a man down!” Scorpion insisted, fighting to get out of Reaper’s hold.
“Then we’ll all fucking die!” I snapped as I hung out of the bird, keeping my weapon moving from side to side, prepared for any sign of the enemy. The assholes were closing in on us. It was only a matter of time before we would be surrounded.
“He’s right, Hawk. We have about twenty seconds to get the fuck out of here or we’re all going down,” Reaper snarled as he jumped out of the helicopter and grabbed Hawk. “Come on, buddy. You know the drill. We have to get back to the base. You must save your men.”
Where the fuck was Snake going? Goddamn it.
As Hawk roared, a spray of bullets hit the hull of the helicopter. I called out again as I opened fire, firing several rounds in an attempt to give Snake cover.
Oh, God. Oh, God!
The vision was even more jarring than usual, every image crystal clear. The wind was sucked out of my lungs as I waited until they faded away. Why the hell had it hit me so hard this time? Maybe because I’d heard gunshots in the distance twice that afternoon. Fuck. I hated the sound of gunfire even more than before. I couldn’t think about the ugliness any longer. It was crushing down on me with enough pressure I knew I would break.
“Come on, Snickers. Let’s get you back to the barn.”
When the horse whinnied, I was grateful. It seemed to bring me down to reality. Then my thoughts drifted to Danni.
At least she’d told me her name.
As if it mattered.
Shit. Why had a single thought about her brought back my desire to possess her?
Women.
The old adage just might prove to be true. Couldn’t live with them, couldn’t live without them. The ugly truth was I hadn’t been able to get the girl out of my mind.
Her voluptuous body.
Her sultry eyes.
Her pouty lips.
And I’d fucked her like some wild stallion in the middle of an empty barn. That decision certainly hadn’t been my finest hour, but I’d enjoyed the carnal episode. I hadn’t been thinking, at least with the head on my shoulders, but damn it, her taste lingered on my lips, her scent covering every inch of my body.
Goddamn, the first kiss alone had been more electric than a live wire in the middle of one hell of a thunderstorm. But the feel of her body undulating against mine had almost set the world on fire.
I’d asked around at the auction, but not a single cowboy had admitted he knew a damn thing about her, although I’d seen the discord in a few pairs of eyes. Exactly what Tanner had mentioned. She’d struck more than just a nerve with the few ranch hands who’d helped with the auction. I had a feeling that was an innate trait on her part. When I’d found her in the barn, I hadn’t determined whether it was my lucky day or if I should be one pissed-off cowboy.
Then I’d spanked her.
Then I’d fucked her.
Like a barbarian.
I rode Snickers into the barn, easing off and patting him on the flanks. The majority of the crew had either gone home or retreated to the bunkhouse. I didn’t mind being alone, spending time with the horses. “Let’s get that saddle off you.”
Snickers snorted and pawed the ground, his beautiful chocolate brown eyes searching mine.
“What? Do you have something to say?” I laughed as I patted his nose. The beautiful creature had become a friend, allowing me time exploring the base of the mountains.
After removing the saddle and harness, I took the time to brush him down, making certain he had enough hay and water before heading out for the night. What the hell did I have to go home to? An empty house with little more furniture than the day I’d moved in.