In Bed with the Rancher

by Sara Orwig

  He smiled in return. “Not with you, I don’t,” he said softly and she was conscious only of him and how near he stood. She forgot about his identity and the problems they each had.

  His dark brown eyes conveyed blazing desire. It was so obvious it made her weak in the knees. She couldn’t look away; she couldn’t get her breath. His eyes narrowed just the tiniest fraction, and then he stepped the short distance between them to slide one arm around her waist.

  Her heart pounded as she placed her hands lightly against his chest and slid them down around his waist to avoid hurting his shoulder. His dark eyes were filled with desire as his arms tightened around her. His mouth covered hers and their tongues met.

  Holding her tightly, he kissed her with a deep insistence. As he did, he tugged her blue denim shirt out of her jeans. His hand went beneath her shirt to push away her bra and fondle her breast. Light touches by his warm, callused hand made her want more.

  Clinging to him with her arms around him, she moaned softly as he caressed her. He picked her up to carry her to his bedroom, where he stood her on her feet while he kissed her.

  Finally, he yanked the covers off the bed and began to unfasten her jeans. She put her hand over his and looked up at him with hooded eyes that didn’t hide the desire consuming her.

  “I’ve been hurt badly and where we’re headed, I could get hurt again. I have to wait until you know more about yourself.”

  “Oh, damn,” he said softly and turned away.

  She left him, walking to her suite. She knew she was right and she was trying to guard her heart even if it was too little, too late. She couldn’t fathom how important he had become to her.

  She had to do a better job of guarding her heart or she would have another painful event to go through when they parted. Or was it already too late?

  She groaned and paced the suite, trying to think about something aside from how badly she wanted to go find him and walk right back into his embrace. She wanted to go to bed with him and make love through the night. But that was the sure way to another ghastly letdown. She shook her head. She was already too involved, but she could get over the kisses. If they made love, she would go through heartbreak again because her emotions were invested in physical intimacy.

  She had made one colossal mistake but couldn’t make another.

  If she would just stay out of his bed, out of his embrace and stop kissing him, she might be able to avoid more terrible heartache. That was just good sense, so why was it so hard to do?

  She knew the answer to that one. He was incredibly appealing and sexy. She wanted to make love with him. And she knew he desired her. From their first hours, sparks flew every time they were together.

  She groaned and changed clothes. Maybe she could slip down to her gym and work out, so she could get some of the longing for him out of her system. If he knew where she was, she hoped he had the good sense to stay away. If they avoided each other more, there wouldn’t be that constant temptation to kiss. Right now, she needed to move around and get her mind off him. Wynn Sterling. From a wealthy old Dallas family. Beyond that, she didn’t know much about him.

  She rushed around the room, changing to shorts and a red T-shirt, then put her hair in a ponytail and peeped out of her suite. She hurried past empty rooms to the basement. She didn’t know where he was, but she was glad they hadn’t encountered each other.

  She rushed into the gym and he was across the room from her running on a treadmill. For just an instant, she started to leave, but she needed a workout. Evidently he had the same idea and probably for the same reason.

  She thought about Molly telling him to take it easy. Running on a treadmill was not “taking it easy.” Well, she wasn’t going to stop him. Right now what she needed more was to cool down her body. She still tingled from their kisses and his hands on her.

  That thought did it for her and she rushed to get on a treadmill as far from him as she could get. In minutes she was running. Unfortunately there was no way to get him out of her thoughts.

  Wynn Sterling. Tomorrow she would take him home and he would walk out of her life. She had no future with him even if he wanted one because she wasn’t ready to risk her heart again. The pain from her breakup had been monumental, coming as it did two weeks before she was to become a bride. She wouldn’t trust her heart to anyone again. Not at this point in her life. And if she could keep her wits about her for another twenty-four hours, she wouldn’t go to bed with him because it would be much easier to say goodbye tomorrow.

  After they parted she didn’t expect to see him again. He had another life, a real one, and he was going back to it and out of her life forever, she was certain.

  They’d been thrown together by a storm, but she needed to get a grip, resist his appeal and let him go because there could be only one outcome to seduction—heartbreak. Her heart. If only she could do the sensible thing—resist him. One more day and then he would be out of her life.

  * * *

  “Wynn Sterling,” he said quietly as he ran. The name was meaningless to him. It didn’t jog his memory, sound familiar or seem right. He was as blank as ever about his identity, except he had been told that was his name and he was a twin. Sheriff Ellison had recorded the TV clip with his twin and they had replayed it several times for him. They were identical twins. It was like looking in a mirror to look at Wade Sterling.

  He had been lost in thought about the name and that it did not trigger even a tiny memory when the door opened and Ava stepped in.

  He was surprised that she had also decided to work out because he thought she was going to avoid him.

  But he sure appreciated the way she had dressed. She was in a clinging red T-shirt and tan shorts. Short shorts. She had long shapely legs that were to die for. The sight of her dazzled him. He wanted her and tonight would be their last night together unless more rain came.

  When he returned to his real life, he knew he wouldn’t see her. She didn’t want an affair and he could understand why, at this point in her life. He wondered what his family was like and how he fit into the Sterling clan. Would getting back with them jog his memory? What kind of relationship did he have with his twin? He had no family memories, but he hoped they were close. Were they looking for him now? Were they worrying about him?

  Right now he couldn’t even speculate about the family that he might find at home. He couldn’t keep from feeling he would do better when he was home with his family. It had to help his memory to be in familiar surroundings with people he had known all his life.

  Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ava and the vision of her distracted him from his thoughts. She excited him and she had the hottest kisses he could imagine. She had him on fire now and he was going to run until he stopped thinking about kissing her. He had a feeling he was going to have a long run. Was that why she was here?

  That thought wasn’t conducive to forgetting their kisses, either.

  He slowed and finally stopped, getting off the treadmill and moving to a stationary bike.

  The bikes were behind her so he could watch her run while he pedaled and that was a delightful sight. She was a good-looking woman with a sexy ass, spectacular long, shapely legs that he could enjoy looking at for the rest of the day. He wondered if he’d get the chance to touch those gorgeous legs later and feel her smooth, soft skin. He shook his head as he pedaled faster. What was he thinking? He should leave her alone. Twenty-four hours and they would say goodbye.

  He swore and tried to think of something else, but he didn’t have much in the way of memories. Instead, he was mesmerized by her blond ponytail swaying as she ran.

  He groaned. He needed to get back on the treadmill because that view didn’t stir sexual images like the one from the bicycle did.

  Tomorrow she would drive him home to Dallas. That meant nothing to him. He couldn’t envision his childhood home or where he lived now or
any of his family. Instead, he had come to feel comfortable here with Ava.

  As he ran, he remembered sitting on a porch and looking out over a fenced lawn. Beyond the fence was a drive and across the wide drive was a fenced pasture with horses. Did he own a ranch, too? Wynn realized he remembered something from his past and that pleased him and filled him with hope that his memory was beginning to return.

  Before he could tell Ava, she left. Probably to go shower. That was not a thought to dwell on, either. It would mean more hours of running or riding a bike. Damn, he wanted her, but he didn’t want to cause her more pain.

  Finally he left to go shower and clean up. Tomorrow he would tell her goodbye. The more he thought about that, the less he wanted to do it.

  They both lived in Dallas. Could they continue to see each other? But he had no idea what he was going home to and what commitments he might have. He couldn’t keep from feeling that tonight would be his last time with her. Dejected, he left the suite to go find her and see if he could help with dinner.

  When he walked into the kitchen, he drew a deep breath. She had changed into a clinging, short-sleeved red sweater that was tucked into the waist of her tight jeans. Her hair, golden and silky-looking, fell freely on either side of her face, and she took his breath away just to look at her. He wanted to walk up, wrap his arms around her and kiss her. He wanted to carry her to bed. His heart pounded. She was watching the door and probably heard his approach.

  He crossed the room to her and got a subtle hint of perfume, but he was lost in her big blue eyes. Her soft lips parted slightly as they stared at each other. “You look gorgeous,” he said in a rasp. It took all his self-control to avoid touching her. He yearned to pick her up, carry her to his bedroom and peel off those sexy clothes so he could touch, kiss and make love to her all night.

  For a moment they looked at each other. She took a step back as she continued to gaze up at him.

  They gazed at each other as if caught in a spell that neither one wanted to break.

  “You clean up rather well yourself,” Ava finally told him, her heart pounding. His black hair was combed and still looked damp, a few unruly locks on his forehead. He wore clothes from Gerald—a blue denim shirt and jeans—and he looked incredibly handsome and sexy. Though she could look at him forever, she needed to move away, to stop staring at him and to stop thinking about tonight—the last night they would be together.

  He followed her to the window. A steady light rain fell again. Any precipitation was enough to make a difference in ground already soaked and standing in water. “You may have to postpone leaving here,” she whispered and turned to look up at him. He had walked up right behind her, looking over her shoulder. The minute she looked into his eyes, her breath caught. Desire filled his eyes, a hunger for kisses that she felt, too. She couldn’t get her breath, couldn’t move away or say anything. All she knew was that she wanted to be in his arms and she wanted him to kiss her. He reached out and placed his hand on her waist, then leaned toward her while his gaze lowered to her mouth, and she couldn’t get her breath. She couldn’t protest or step away or look away. She could only look at his lips and remember his last kiss, which had dazzled her.

  “We shouldn’t,” she whispered.

  “I think we should,” he answered. “Admit it, Ava, you want to kiss me as much as I do you.”

  She couldn’t deny what he said. His dark gaze devoured her and she trembled, aching to lean a little closer, to feel his arms go around her.

  “It’s our last night together,” she whispered.

  “To my way of thinking, it’s a last chance for ecstasy,” he said in a raspy whisper. His hand slipped around her waist and he drew her to him.

  She was going to regret telling him no.

  She would regret saying yes.

  Which regret did she want to have to live with?

  She had to make a choice and take the consequences one way or another.

  “What will I have after tonight? I’m not part of your family’s world and you still don’t know who you really are or your obligations. You know I’ll have regrets whichever decision I make,” she whispered to him. “If I say yes, I may fall in love and get hurt. If I tell you no, I might regret what I could have had.” As she whispered her dilemma, he dropped light kisses on her throat and ear, while he also caressed her breast, slipping his hand beneath her red sweater.

  “Then say yes and live with those regrets,” he whispered. “And, frankly, I think you’ve already made your choice. I want you, Ava. I want you with all my being.” He showered more light kisses on her and tilted her chin up. She opened her eyes to look into his and her breathing was raspy. There was no mistaking the desire in his expression.

  “Yes, I have made a choice,” she whispered. “Yes,” she repeated as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Wanting you outweighs the regrets I know I’ll have. This is what I want.” She ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his head and pulled him closer to kiss him.

  His mouth covered hers and she was lost, spinning away on sensations that made her want all of him, made her want his hands and mouth all over her, made her want to kiss him from head to toe. “I don’t know anything about fate and that sort of thing, but being here with you feels like it was meant to be. But, damn, I don’t want to do one tiny thing that hurts you. You’re a special part of my life, Ava Carter.”

  “One night isn’t going to hurt me. I expect exactly the opposite of hurt tonight.”

  “Ah, baby, I want to kiss you and touch you for hours,” he whispered.

  As they kissed, he slipped his hand beneath her red sweater to push away her bra and caress her breast, each sensual touch intensifying her longing for all of him.

  He swung her up into his arms and kissed her, walking out of the kitchen and down the hall to her bedroom. Beside her big bed, he stood her on her feet while he kissed her.

  She pushed against him slightly, turning to open a drawer. She waved her hand at the packets that held condoms.

  “I bought those for my honeymoon when I thought I was getting married. I didn’t want to get pregnant on my honeymoon. So here they are.”

  He smiled and drew her to him to kiss her again.

  Her heart thudded when she looked into his dark eyes, which were filled with purpose. When he picked her up in his arms, she cried out, “Your shoulder!”

  “I’m fine,” he said. He sat in a big comfy chair, holding her, and he kissed her, his tongue going over hers.

  Her insides clenched and her heartbeat sped up while she held him tightly.

  “I feel as if I’ve waited forever for this,” he whispered.

  “Good,” she replied. “So good.” And then she couldn’t talk because they were kissing—wild, passionate kisses that made her want all of him. Kisses that gave her a feeling of being desired, loved. She wanted to experience his hands and mouth on her and hers all over him. She knew she probably shouldn’t let down her guard with him, but for this last night, before she told him goodbye, she was going to make love and make more memories of him. He needed her to get him home, to take care of him tonight. She needed him to help her through a rough time and he was doing so beyond her wildest dreams. She shifted slightly to drag light kisses across his cheek and jaw, over his prickly beard to his ear.

  “You’re helping me get over some of the devastating hurt of my fiancé walking out on me,” she whispered. “I hope I’m helping you get back into your regular life.”

  “You’re giving me the sexiest kisses and most gorgeous body ever. I want to do everything I can to excite you, to take you to paradise. Come here,” he said, drawing her closer and tilting her chin up to look into her eyes, and then his gaze dropped to her mouth and she couldn’t get her breath.

  “You are the sexiest man I’ve ever known,” she whispered, meaning it, but unaware she had spoken loudly enough fo
r him to hear.

  He placed her palm on his chest and she could feel his pounding heart. “That’s what you do to me,” he said. His arms tightened and he leaned closer to kiss her, a slow, sensual, hot kiss, his tongue stroking hers, moving in and out, mimicking the sex act.

  She held him tightly, her fingers going into his thick hair at the back of his head while she kissed him and pressed against him. She wanted him with all her being and she had already made her decision. Wise or foolish, she didn’t care. She wanted him to make love to her all night long. Why did she feel this closeness with him that she couldn’t explain? She barely knew him, yet she felt as if she had known him always.

  He was erasing the hurt in her life. She might get hurt by him, but she’d walked into this one, knowing what she was doing and what to expect and not expect from him.

  She couldn’t be in love with him when she had only known him a few days. This was lust and a hunger for happiness, to forget her broken engagement and shattered promises and hurt. He was strong, upbeat and sexy, and she wanted a night in his arms.

  Six

  Closing her eyes as they kissed, she clung to him. He shifted and his hand slipped beneath her sweater to caress her breast, sending tingles that rocked her and made her want more. So much more. And he obliged. He leaned back, his gaze on her, as he watched her while he took the hem of her sweater and drew it over her head.

  Longing made her shake, but she, too, wanted the barriers of clothing between them gone. As he caressed her, she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off, taking care to lift it off his bandaged shoulder.

  “Wynn,” she whispered, touching his back. “Your kisses make me forget your shoulder. You may hurt it a lot worse—”

  “Forget my shoulder. I’ll tell you if we need to change something or stop. Don’t worry about it.” He slipped his arm around her waist to kiss her—another long, hot kiss that erased all her worries.

  He had tossed away her bra and cupped first one breast in his hand, then the other. His tongue drew wet circles on each sensitive nipple and she gasped with pleasure, while she ran her hands over his hard abs and slid them down to unbuckle his belt and reach for his jeans.