Mine Would Be You: A Bad Boy Rancher Love Story (The Dawson Brothers Book 3)

by Ali Parker

  I tossed and turned all night, the memory of his hands all over me. I needed him to touch my wetness, to sink down into it and bring me to orgasm. I glanced at the clock for the last time at two. That was it.

  I rolled over and pressed my face to the pillow and slid my fingers deep inside of me. I didn’t give a shit who heard. I was done and beyond tired of the ache between my legs. Moaning softly in the pillow I took my time and kept it as subtle as I could. It didn’t take long and I exploded, my whole body shaking with the orgasm.

  I could have sworn I heard him whisper, ‘hot’, but I passed out too soon thereafter, leaving the world and all my depravity behind.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The next day, Christina and Jeremy were turning the hay in the west field while the rest of the crew worked on mowing the south field. He'd been teasing her all morning, tossing hay in her hair and knocking her over into the hay piles and then falling in after her to take advantage.

  The worst was when she’d started scratching at the pieces of hay trapped under her clothing. He'd offer to help satisfy her itch, then proceeded to run his hands all over her body, rapidly, supposedly to help clear the hay off her. Mostly it was to cop a quick feel.

  The endless teasing kept her on edge, made her want to explode. Her mood mirrored the weather around her. The skies were filling with heavy clouds, the winds picking up. A storm was brewing.

  Their conversation had been light and playful for the most part, but he'd just turned to her, his face serious. "Am I your first boyfriend, Chrissy?"

  "No," she answered, too quickly. "Not exactly."

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Not exactly?"

  "Well, in ninth grade I dated Matthew Kennedy for three weeks. He broke up with me to go to the homecoming dance with Janice Carter."

  Jeremy smiled. "Ninth grade huh? No one since then?"

  Chrissy blushed. "I went to prom with Harold Stephenson."

  "The nerd with the tortoise shell glasses?"

  "He wears contacts now," she corrected.

  Jeremy laughed. "And did you and Harold get close after prom?"

  "He kissed me," she admitted.

  Had Jeremy's face just tightened? He'd asked the question, it wasn't her fault if he didn't like her answer.

  "Anything else?" he asked, focusing his attention at raking the hay in front of him.

  "He stuck his tongue in my mouth. I didn't like it."

  Jeremy laughed, a loud, carefree sound. It sounded pleasant to Christina. Even if the joke was at her expense in this instance.

  "If you're finished with your interrogation, the defense has some questions for the witness."

  Jeremy chuckled. "Shoot."

  "I know I'm not your first girlfriend."

  "Objection," he said. "That's not a question."

  It was Christina's turn to laugh. "You're right. Let's see...how many girls have you been with?"

  "How many girlfriends have I had," he asked, "or how many girls have I slept with?"

  There's a different number? Christina was caught off guard. "Both."

  Jeremy paused before he spoke. "I've been in three fairly serious relationships. One in my senior year in high school. One in my freshman year of college, and one last year."

  "What happened?" she asked, intrigued at this glimpse into the man she'd wanted since forever.

  "Uh, well, for Number One, high school ended and we went to different colleges, so things ended pretty amicably. Number Two turned out to be crazy, too into the frat party lifestyle. I got temporarily distracted by that world too and had to pull back or risk getting kicked out of school."

  Jeremy took a deep breath. "Number Three, well, I guess we were heading in different directions. She’s finishing up a business degree and headed for the big city. I'm majoring in agriculture and hoping to move back to the country. Things just wouldn't have worked."

  Christina nodded. Number Three sounded like it had been a serious, grown-up relationship. It had failed because they had different goals. And it sounded like his ex-girlfriend's goals were similar to her own.

  A sudden sadness descended over her. She pushed it away with all her might, reminding herself that this was just a summer fling. Christina pulled herself back into the conversation. "And the other number?"

  "The number of girls I've slept with?" Did he sound nervous?

  Christina nodded. She didn't really want to hear the answer, but she needed to know.

  "Seven women, not including the three I just mentioned."

  Ten total. Christina felt sick to her stomach. He was experienced, and she was an ignorant virgin. How could she possibly measure up?

  Thunder rumbled and Jeremy looked up at the sky. "We should get headed back," he said. "The storm is gonna hit soon."

  Christina sighed, picking up her rake and heading in the direction of the barn. Inside her was a whirlwind of feeling, worse than the twisters that would sometimes tear out of the north and threaten to suddenly destroy everything she’d so carefully built.

  She knew she was walking a dangerous line. Every day she grew closer to Jeremy. Every moment they spent together, the longing inside her expanded. Christina knew she had to keep a rein on her feelings, knew that this burgeoning relationship could be nothing more than a summer fling.

  That knowledge did not sit well inside her. Not at all.

  Christina slammed into the barn and threw her rake in the general direction of the other implements. Then she crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.

  “What’s gotten into you?” Jeremy asked. “I know it’s hot as a pot of neck bones, but you aren’t usually this angry over the heat.”

  Christina watched as he picked up her rake and settled it into its proper place, then did the same with his own rake. Jeremy turned back to her, leaned against the barn wall, and crossed his own arms over his broad chest.

  “Well?” he said when she just stared at him. “You gonna answer me?”

  He was so cocky. So self-assured and smug. He had all the experience and she was barely out of high school. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t show him a thing or two.

  She was tired of his taking her only so far and stopping. Tired of endless nights of lying awake, wishing his hands were on her body, wishing to feel his weight on her as he took her to the height of ecstasy.

  Filled with a sudden bravado that she knew she might regret later, Christina stalked forward and drew close to Jeremy, putting her hands on the wall on either side of his arms.

  Jeremy’s eyebrows rose in surprise but he said nothing.

  “I know I’m not as worldly as some of the other girls you’ve been with,” she said, inching closer, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t make you feel good.”

  “Chrissy—” he started, but she held her finger up and placed it over his lips.

  “Shh…” she whispered into his ear, then sucked the lobe into her mouth as he’d done to her many times before.

  Jeremy inhaled roughly and the sound did something to her. She licked his neck as he stiffened beneath her.

  “What are you doing?” he said, his voice reedy.

  Am I getting to him?

  “Whatever I want,” she replied, then pressed her mouth against his.

  Jeremy groaned, opening his mouth, his tongue surging out to do battle with hers. It didn’t take long for him to gain the upper hand, and although she’d been bent on seducing him, he quickly turned the tables.

  “Is this what you want, little girl?” he asked, nibbling her bottom lip before sucking on her neck.

  Christina moaned. “God, yes,” she said, arching back to let him lick her throat.

  There was a loud crack outside the open barn door and then a flash of lightning followed. The sky opened and heavy rain started beating down.

  Christina felt the storm raging inside herself and surrendered, pulling Jeremy closer and capturing his lips again.

  “Goddamn, girl,” he said when he pulled away for air. “You’re incredib
le.” He ran his hands under her shirt, pulling it up over her head and tossing it to the side.

  He cupped her breasts, squeezing softly. She wasn’t anywhere near satisfied with feeling him through the fabric of her bra. Thankfully, Jeremy pulled the straps down her arms until he was able to slip a hand underneath and touch her skin.

  He kissed his way down from her neck to her collarbone. From her collarbone lower, until he was licking a path to her nipple. When his lips closed around the sensitive nub, Christina let out a long sigh of bliss.

  He tongued first one nipple then the other, licking and sucking, and at the last running his teeth over it. She groaned loudly, praying he’d never stop.

  ‘More’ was the only thought she was capable of having. More, more, more.

  As he tongued her nipple, one of his rough hands slipped lower, gliding over her belly to unbutton the top button of her jeans. She whimpered as his hand slid under her waistband, his fingers probing lower, until they rested on her mound. The only thing between him and her most private place was a thin scrap of cotton panties. A wet scrap of cotton panties.

  He moved his fingers in slow circles while he sucked rhythmically at her breast.

  “Oh God,” she moaned. “Please don’t stop.”

  Lightning flashed again, followed by menacing thunder, but it only seemed to add to the intensity of their teasing.

  He bent to her ear. “I’ll never stop. I never want to stop touching you. Never stop kissing you. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted a woman.”

  He wants me, as a man wants a woman. The knowledge lit up her insides, giving her hope for more than she expected to become of them. He wants me, and I want him.

  She pulled his head up so that she could crash her lips into his. He groaned, licking the insides of her mouth and pressing his body against hers.

  “I know you’re inexperienced,” he said in a low voice when the kiss was broken. “But I’ll be gentle. I want to make love to you, Chrissy. Tell me that you want me to?”

  “Yes,” she mumbled, lost to him. “Please!” She couldn’t handle another moment of his teasing. They’d been kissing and touching for days. It was almost unbearable.

  Jeremy kissed her softly, his hands circling to her rear where he lifted her slightly while pressing his body into hers. His delicious hardness nestled against her softness, leaving her breathless with a strong pulse deep in her womb.

  She rocked against him, the action making them both groan. The friction between them drove her mad, his body against hers hitting just the right spot to push her to climax. She writhed against him, faster, faster…

  “Christina!”

  A voice from outside the barn. They both froze, staring at each other with wide eyes.

  “Jeremy! Christina! Where are you two? It’s wet enough to strangle a toad out here.”

  Her father.

  Jeremy jumped away from her like a splash of grease off a hot griddle. It would have been funny except for the situation they were in. That and the anger boiling in her belly that once again, she wouldn’t get the chance to know what making love to him felt like. She quickly buttoned her jeans, then struggled into the shirt he tossed at her.

  Jeremy jogged to the door. “We’re in here,” he shouted. “Made it in just before the deluge. We were waiting it out before we walked back to the house.”

  Her father rushed in the door, rainwater dripping off his cowboy hat. “Good thinking. Rain this hard can’t last long.” His eyes flicked to Christina and she prayed that her expression was as neutral as she was trying to make it. “You alright?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Fine. Just hungry.”

  Her dad gave her a smile. “Me too. Soon as this rain stops we’ll head up to the house for lunch.”

  Christina smiled back, hoping her grin masked the tumult of feelings inside her. She’d almost given herself to Jeremy Thompson in her father’s barn.

  And the worst part was, she was more disappointed that they’d been interrupted than anything.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “How about a movie?” Jeremy asked as they headed down the hall toward dinner. “We could head over to the Stars and Stripes?”

  The Stars and Stripes Drive-In Theater was located near San Marcos. She’d been plenty of times with her family, and a couple more times with friends or the occasional date. Nothing much had ever happened, but she didn’t think he was inviting her because he wanted to see the show.

  “I’ll go,” her cousin Hank piped up from behind them.

  Christina groaned inwardly.

  Jeremy stopped and turned around. He leaned against the wall, effectively cutting off the smaller man’s path. “You don’t wanna go to the movies,” he said, his voice sounding casual.

  “Sure I do,” Hank said. “I hear they’re playing that new superhero movie.”

  “I’m pretty sure you want to stay here,” Jeremy countered. “I think drive-ins give you a headache.”

  Hank shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about—“

  Jeremy grabbed him around the shoulders, putting him in a headlock and then rapidly running his knuckles over the top of her cousin’s head.

  “Ow! Quit it!” Hank struggled and Jeremy let him go.

  “See, you got a headache already.”

  Hank rubbed his head and narrowed his eyes. “I see how it is. Fine. Go to the stupid movie. I hope you choke on some popcorn.”

  Christina rolled her eyes. Boys were such idiots. But at least Jeremy’s method had been effective.

  After dinner, the two of them piled into Jeremy’s old pickup and headed to the theater. They were quiet along the way, but whenever he wasn’t shifting gears, he was holding her hand.

  The movie was boring, some kind of superhero story with a convoluted plot line and too many explosions. Jeremy put his arm around her and she scooted close to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

  The loud sound of an onscreen gunshot made her jump, and Jeremy’s grip tightened. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers as she turned her face up toward him. Beautiful wouldn’t began to cover how the man looked. He was every wicked hot fantasy she’d had.

  The kiss started out as sweet, but it seemed that neither of them could restrain themselves for long. Soon the movie was forgotten, and the kiss consumed her.

  To Christina it seemed like the moment he touched her before, her lust pushing from zero to full throttle. After almost giving herself to him on the dirty barn floor, she’d passed the point of no return. She no longer wanted to wait to feel the bliss engendered at his rough fingertips. She wanted them now. Later. All the time.

  “Maybe we should slow down,” Jeremy said, his voice hoarse.

  “Maybe we should speed up,” Christina countered, reaching up to run her index finger down his t-shirt.

  He swallowed visibly, his eyes following her finger as it hit the waistband of his jeans and started to slide underneath.

  He groaned and he grabbed her hand, pressing it to the outside of his jeans as he leaned in for another long, probing kiss.

  “Maybe you’re right,” he said, licking at her lips. “I want you so goddamn bad it hurts, you little tease.”

  The windows fogged up as they continued to kiss and tease each other. He was being careful, and she could tell. She let out soft whimpers of frustration as he unbuttoned her blouse ever so slowly and leaned down to flick this tongue over her nipple through the thin material of her lace bra. Her nipples ached, and she arched up to meet him.

  “Your breasts are perfect,” he said as he nipped at her gently. “Big as my hand and perky, with the most responsive little nipples.” As if to accentuate his point, he pulled the cup of her bra down and captured her nipple between his lips, tugging on it.

  Christina thrust her fingers into his hair and clenched them, holding on for dear life as he made love to her breasts. The soft panting filling the cab was coming from her, which should have been embarrassing, but it seemed to kick
his hunger up another degree.

  He ran his hands down her stomach, and she was thankful she'd thought to change before they'd left. She wore a button-up blouse and a strategically chosen skirt. It had a little flare and hung to about an inch above her knees. It was perfect for allowing Jeremy to run his hand up her thigh, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind him.

  He stopped before he reached what she assumed was his final target, leisurely tracing little circles on her inner thighs. She inched forward, wanting to force his fingers to do her bidding.

  "Easy," he said with a slow drawl. "You're so eager to get to your destination, you don't appreciate the journey along the way." He blew in her ear and she shivered. "Trust me," he whispered. "It'll be better this way."

  Christina had never been on a first name basis with Patience, so it took everything inside her to hold still while he teased her. After an eternity, he slid his fingers forward. As he traced along the seam of her mound outside of her panties, he ran his tongue slowly up her neck. He continued his torture, just one finger, tracing up and down. Up and down.

  "Please," she whimpered, her thighs trembled. Desire burned through her center, and it called with it anger and angst to get things moving. They could be slow about things their next time together.

  Another finger joined in the torment, moving slowly up and down on the outside of her lace panties, teasing her, taunting her. She held her breath, time freezing in the second his fingers slid under the lace to touch her, skin to skin.

  He teased her slit, just as before, and Christina moaned feverishly. If he doesn't get down to business soon, I'll die of desire.

  "I can feel how badly you want this, how impatient you are." Jeremy's voice was like molten metal. "It's making me so fucking hard, Christina. Touch me." It wasn’t a request, but a demand. Something about the way he said it had her on the edge of orgasm. It wasn’t going to take much to nudge her over.

  He gripped her fingers, cupping himself with it and squeezing. She swapped him away and ran her palm down his thick length, rubbing him over his Wranglers. He exhaled loudly and lifted his hips as she picked up the pace.