by Imani King
Something melted in her heart. This was a man who actually cared about what she thought, what she wanted. She would be a fool to let him go. Her lips curved in a smile as she gazed into his eyes. “Sure, why not?”
And just like that, her fate was sealed. Cullen grudgingly admitted to herself that she was being swept off her feet, and the lord only knew where she would wind up. For now, it was enough that they were together and having a good time, and the rest would take care of itself.
Chapter Seven
Graeme knew he was behaving like a man who was crazily in love but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He believed Cullen was a woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. There was nothing else he wanted more than to bring a smile to her face and to see her happy.
Their relationship was progressing at a breakneck speed. It seemed like Cullen finally accepted it was something she couldn’t fight against. On the ranch, in front of the other employees, they were professional, careful, but when it was just the two of them, then the sparks flew. Often, she came over to his place after dinner and they spent many nights making wild love. He didn’t feel comfortable staying at the farmhouse because of Jackie’s presence.
Graeme wasn’t a shy man, but he liked to give respect where it was due. Surely, Jackie wouldn’t be totally at ease with the idea of her daughter sleeping with a man right under her nose. He understood, and although Cullen didn’t say anything, he could tell she preferred to come to his place. It was an arrangement that worked out fine. He enjoyed an excellent relationship with Jackie and with others who worked on the ranch.
Like it or not, he’d found his home, and this was the best place to be.
He decided to up the ante. When Cullen came over after dinner to watch television with him, he put an arm around her shoulders and nuzzled her neck. “Tomorrow is Saturday.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Why don’t we do something special?”
She moved away from him, so she could stare into her eyes. “What do you have in mind?”
Graeme had been working on this idea for some time. “It’s a surprise. How about I pick you up tomorrow at ten?”
“We have work to do in the morning,” she countered. “Nothing comes to a stop on a ranch.”
“I know, but I think one day we can relax the rules a bit and let others take care of things.”
She sighed. “I’ve got some paper work to do. How about we meet at eleven?”
“Okay.”
“We’ll be going out in the car?”
He smiled. “I’ll tell you when I see you.”
She turned to face the TV and changed the channel. “Alrighty then. I’ll look forward to it.”
They watched TV for a while and then made love on the rug. It was a beautiful, tender moment and although Graeme wanted her to spend the night with him, she went away because she wanted to make an early start. He didn’t mind. There was some preparation he needed to do anyway. He’d never done something quite like this for another woman, but for Cullen, he wanted to make an effort.
He loved her.
Yes, love.
Graeme wasn’t as yet sure if she was there yet, if she wanted the same things he did, but soon he would find out. His heart kept pounding and he found it difficult to sleep after she left. At six in the morning, he was up and ready to go. First, he made the preparations he wanted and then he went into the farm office. He completed some paperwork and then checked on the progress of the new barn. It would soon be ready. This reminded him that they were due to leave to buy the cattle next week. Once they made the purchase, it would take another two weeks for the cattle to be delivered and from then on, their lives would get even busier.
Cullen was already interviewing potential workers who had the necessary experience and drive to tend the cattle for them. They would also need more ranch hands, and it would be better if some of them stayed on the job. The next project was to build more cottages on the east side of the farm. Things were rolling and before they got too heated, he wanted to put the final touches to their relationship.
Maybe he was crazy to pursue a woman who seemed so determined to keep him at arm’s length, but Graeme was never one to sit back and let things happen to him. He was a doer, and this was just his style. When he wanted something, he went after it, and he wanted Cullen—loved her even. He was honest enough to admit to himself that he’d never loved another woman as he did her. It wasn’t just about the sex—and although that was great—what he needed from her was stability, commitment, and love.
The thought that she might turn him down made the tension he’d already started feeling in his stomach to increase. Perhaps if she wasn’t on the same page, he might not be able to work with her because each time he looked into her eyes, his heart would break.
But this wasn’t the time to think of such dark thoughts. What he wanted to do more than anything was to give himself the permission to do things the way he felt and not how he thought. When it came to Cullen, his mind and heart were always at war because he yearned to do so much for and with her, but he always ended up pulling himself back. He’d become desperate to win her love, but it had nothing to do with his need to be with someone, but rather with his need to be with her…Cullen.
At 11 o’clock sharp, he was at the farmhouse. He rang the bell.
She opened the door. Seeing King and Sauron, their two horses, she lifted an eyebrow. “We’re going riding?”
“Yes, we are.” He smiled. “Don’t worry; it’s not far.”
Cullen opened her mouth as if to question him further, but instead she snapped it shut. She shook her head as if she changed her mind, stepped down and took the reins of her horse.
After he helped her mount, Graeme mounted his horse and together they rode off, with him leading the way. He had a destination in mind. He’d scouted it already, and it was perfect for what he planned.
The ride reminded him of the first time he’d gone to see the ranch with her. Probably the time when he first fell fast in love with her. No woman ever won his heart at such a great speed. Actually, he didn’t remember ever feeling so crazy in love with anyone ever before. The women who came into his life before were all compassionate and beautiful, but they couldn’t hold a candle next to Cullen.
Cullen was exceptional.
Without her, he couldn’t imagine a life, at least, not a happy one—and now all he had to do was to convince her to grant him a space by her side.
What if she didn’t love him in return? If she told him she wasn’t thinking along those lines, he wouldn’t know what to do. No. Once again, he forced himself to veer off the path of such negative thoughts. Instead, Graeme concentrated on the way her hair bounced under the hat she wore, and the grace she emanated as she handled her horse, and the way the sunbeams danced on her as she rode.
They reached the stream that veered off from the main river. It cut through the ranch and meandered away. He’d found a shady spot under two trees that were nearly joined together. The carpet of grass that grew underneath was thick and lush. On the bank of the stream were wild flowers of various hues and shades. The perfect spot for a picnic, and before he’d picked her up, Graeme had already brought the picnic basket.
Seeing it, she halted.
He rode ahead a little to check her expression. Much to his consternation, she looked a little dizzy. “I thought we might do a picnic.”
She lifted her eyes to gaze at him.
Then he realized she was overwhelmed. Score one for him.
“You remembered my perfect date?”
His lips curved in a smile as he dismounted. Then he came forward to help her dismount. “How could I forget?” Her body slipped into his arms and then he gazed into her lovely eyes. Graeme then bent his head to brush his lips over hers. He stepped away. Holding her hand, he tugged her forward. “Come on.”
They took off their hats and set them on the picnic mat that he’d already spread out earlier.
Cul
len gazed around. “It’s a beautiful day for a picnic.”
“Yes, the weather cooperated.” Graeme opened the basket and took out a bottle of wine and two glasses. She held the glasses while he opened the bottle and poured the wine. They clinked the glasses and each took a sip. “I couldn’t advertise my plans to your mother, so I prepared the food. I hope it’s good enough.”
“What did you make?”
“Sandwiches, oven-baked chicken, cheese, and stuffed mushrooms, along with some fruit and a salad.”
“Wow! Consider me impressed because that’s more than I can cook.” Cullen giggled. “Never learnt it from my mother. Sure, she tried, but I was always more interested in the farm and horses.” She took another sip. “Now my sister, Shayne, she can cook.”
“I don’t think a prerequisite for being a woman is your ability to cook,” he stated. “Or that a man needs to drive well and be able to fix every door and window in the house.” His lips quirked in a smile when she gave him a stunned glance. “Sorry. I just have an issue against people assigning gender-based roles. In my house, my mother was the one who cooked and cleaned but my father helped whenever he could. My mom had a full time job, and she couldn’t do it alone. My father understood that, respected it, and supported her.”
“Your parents must’ve been crazy in love.”
“They were. I suppose that’s the main reason I felt the need to move away from there. Wherever I looked, there were memories of them, and it was painful to think about their early deaths.”
“I’m sorry.” She put a hand on his arm. “It hurts not to have family around.”
He took a big sip. “Yes, it does but I’m glad that I found my way here. This is my home now. Cullen…” It was now or never. If he didn’t do so now, the words he wanted to say would always bubble and simmer in his heart. He gazed into her eyes. She looked so happy, so carefree, that he lost the courage. If he told her, and she wasn’t thinking along the same lines, he would lose these precious moments. “I’m glad you came here with me.”
“And I’m delighted to be here with you,” she responded.
The moment was gone, and the words were still inside him, but he didn’t mind. There would be plenty of opportunities to say what he wanted later. After all, none of them were going anywhere. He opened the basket and took out the food. They shared a good meal and spent the time telling stories about their childhood to each other. He had to admit that her parents did a fine job of raising three girls. They all seemed to have had a great time running wild on the farm and pulling pranks on each other.
“I remember one day when Shayne and I put a snake in Paige’s bed,” she recalled. “Her scream brought every ranch hand who was within a mile of the farm house.”
“And the snake was…”
“…Not real, of course.” She laughed and her eyes glittered like jewels. “My mother grounded us for a week.”
“I was an only child, so life was peaceful and well…perfectly boring when my parents weren’t around, but since I was growing up on a ranch, there were always one or two kids around. I spent a lot of time with the ranch hands and the animals. Learnt everything early on,” he admitted.
“It’s a different life. Shayne always dreamt of going to a big city and making a life there but I’ve always known I would stay here.”
“And your sister’s happy in the big city?”
A shadow crossed her face.
Graeme then felt as if he’d intruded on something personal.
She gulped down the rest of her wine. “She’s having some troubles lately, but I know her. She’ll land on her feet. That’s what she does.”
He didn’t want to pry into her personal issues, especially when she appeared reluctant to talk about them. “Your parents have raised strong girls.”
“Yes, they have.”
The meal progressed smoothly. He enjoyed spending time with her. It was one of the best dates he’d been on, and Graeme was quite sure that better things would follow. All he needed to do was be patient and soon, he would have exactly what he wanted…Cullen’s heart.
Chapter Eight
Cullen couldn’t believe that Graeme went to such great lengths to organize the perfect date. Everything was exactly as she envisioned in her dreams: the food lovingly prepared by him, the effort he made to find the best spot, and even the weather was cooperating. Of course, the best thing of all was the man who sat beside her. Even if she had placed an order for the right man, she wouldn’t have found one who was just so right.
He shared her love and enthusiasm for the ranch and was fascinated with this work. Unlike other men, he didn’t have preconceived notions about a woman. When she made a decision, he was happy to defer to her better judgment, but when she was wrong, he didn’t hesitate to put forth his opinion. Definitely, an alpha man, but he didn’t need to shove it in her face to prove it. Graeme was supremely confident of his work and his abilities. If he didn’t know something, he admitted readily enough. Best thing of all; he wasn’t threatened by the fact that she was the owner and he was the manager. She believed he didn’t bother too much about that fine distinction. She needed him on the ranch, and he accepted that fact and reveled in it while saluting her authority.
As the picnic progressed, Cullen began to feel the familiar desire careen through her senses. Looking at Graeme, she felt an overwhelming need to put her hands on his hot, sexy body, to run her fingers over his smooth, warm skin, and to sample every part of him. Passion and need exploded in her stomach and ran in fast waves through her senses but she kept a firm hold of her feelings as they talked.
They both rested their glasses on the mat at the same time. She wasn’t sure which one of them made the first move. Perhaps she put a hand on his cheek, or maybe he touched her lips with his fingers. Her memory got hazy because all she could think about was the way his lips clung to hers. Her hands fisted through his shirt and she opened his buttons while he took off her clothes. Soon, they were naked and in each other’s arms. It didn’t matter they were out in the open and anyone could walk in and witness the scene. It made no difference to her that she’d never done this kind of thing before. All she cared about was being with him.
His tongue dove in to taste her mouth and she allowed him to devour her. A fire burnt inside her. “Hurry, hurry,” she urged.
Rather than give him an opportunity to respond, she flipped over so she was on top. Her lips trailed a line of kisses down his throat where she inhaled the sweet scent of the cologne he wore. She flicked her tongue over his nipples, and that was enough to make him groan. His arms banded around her as he attempted to wrest back the control, but she wasn’t having any of it. With an agility of an eel, she slipped out of his grasp and slid right down to the juncture between his thighs. His fingers fisted her hair a moment after she flicked her tongue over his cock.
He gasped, and she took that as a positive sign. Cullen nibbled her way up and down and then finally took the organ deep inside her throat. She felt alive, powerful. Her tongue twisted around his throbbing length and caressed it until his breath came out in short, desperate pants. She thought he was going to come, but in a surprise move, he slipped away.
“Hey!” she complained.
No other words escaped her lips because he pounced on her. In a fit of giggles, she fell on the mat and heard the glasses clank. But neither of them cared.
Instead, his attention was focused on her breasts. He caught one nipple between his lips and sucked greedily.
The moisture leaking down her thighs was an indication of her instant arousal. She felt desperate for more. Her hands roamed over his back and her nails raked down along his skin.
He didn’t protest, and she didn't care.
They were too far gone to bother with niceties.
The desire that rushed through her veins became hot, unrelenting. Her skin hummed as he lavished his attention on her. He turned his mouth to pay homage to her other breast and a loud squeal escaped her lips as a fresh w
ave of pleasure undulated inside her body. He buried his face between her breasts as his knee nudged her legs apart. She was ready and ripe for the next step, and yet when his tip hovered over her satiny center, she felt a flicker of panic.
What the hell was she doing?
How could this man reduce her to such a state within a matter of minutes?
Yet, this was the last thought that crossed her mind before he speared inside her in one sharp thrust. The muscles of her sheath opened to accept his offering and she took him in. Cullen wrapped her legs around his hips and prepared for the ride of her life. Desire pulsated deep inside her at a breakneck speed. He bore down, hard, and then harder. They were joined together, hip to hip, and then mouth to mouth as he kissed her yet again.
Passion and heat exploded inside her in a hot cocktail, and the craving for blessed release became a fire that skimmed through her veins. He rode her hard and good, and she enjoyed each moment of the glorious ride as he stroked in and out. He spiraled her higher and higher on the steep rollercoaster until she was nothing more than a shuddering, quivering mass of muscles. She couldn’t speak or think. All her attention focused on the need that consumed every fiber of her body.
The orgasm that ripped through her stunned her to a delirious state of breathlessness. She shuddered uncontrollably.
Almost as if he’d been waiting for her release, he exploded inside her. Although he could’ve fallen on top of her, he put his hands on the mat and broke the fall. Graeme stared into her eyes while she heaved under him. “Goddamn it! What the hell was that?”
Cullen couldn’t stop the laughter that spluttered out of her. She put her hand on his cheek and caressed his silky, hot skin. “I’ve no idea.”
He rolled away and rested for a moment.
She sat and gathered her clothes. For a few seconds, she allowed the air to touch and caress her naked skin and then she began to put on her clothes. “We’re in deep shit, Graeme.”
“I agree.”
“If anyone had seen…”