Resisting the Rancher

by Kadie Scott

  A balloon of emotions she couldn’t quite sort out expanded inside her chest. No one had believed in her like that since Reed. But could she trust it? Not just her father, but those love interests who’d turned out to only be in it for the connection to Garrett Walker and Rising Star Ranch had left her with a sour taste in her mouth when it came to men. Maybe Will was truly different… and maybe not.

  Will took her by the shoulders, pulling her from her thoughts. “Your dad is an outdated ass if he doesn’t see that.” Serious blue eyes stared into hers, as though he was trying to make her see he was right.

  Rusty closed her mouth before she accidentally swallowed a mosquito or something. Or kissed him, which would be way worse.

  “Thanks. I think, way deep down—” She rolled her eyes again. “Dad knows that. This move with the inheritance is more about forcing me into something he wants for me.”

  He cocked his head. “Marriage.”

  “A guaranteed male heir he approves of.”

  His hands, still on her shoulders, tightened. “Excuse me?”

  She puffed out a breath, not sure if his touch or finally admitting this out loud was messing with her equilibrium more. “A man by my side to make sure his legacy is handled the right way.”

  He stared at her silently for a long moment. “You believe that?”

  She couldn’t quite pinpoint the something in his voice. Almost like he was concerned and angry at the same time. “Yes. He’s never loved anything more than Rising Star. Not even his children. Reed came close, I guess, and maybe my mother. At least according to Doris. When Mom died, Dad turned… bitter. But I won’t let his bitterness ruin my life.”

  His hands relaxed a fraction on her shoulders. “Good for you.”

  Yeah. Only now she couldn’t look away from his blue eyes. And she didn’t want him to take his hands away. Rusty stared up at Will, her emotions a swirl of conflicting needs, and silently urged him to stay, to step closer, to…

  He slid his hands down her arms, stepping in close enough she could feel his heat even through the chilly water.

  He linked his fingers with hers, and slowly lowered his head. When his lips hovered above hers, barely out of reach, he stopped. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

  She huffed out a laugh. “Good for you.” She parroted his words.

  He chuckled even as he brushed his lips over hers. Once. Twice. Then his arms went around her, pulling her up close against his body, skin to skin. He swiped his tongue over the seam of her lips, demanding entrance, which she happily gave, opening for him.

  Rusty lifted her arms, wrapping them around his neck. The water buoyed her weight, and she lifted her legs, to wrap them around his waist, giving her easier access to his mouth. At the same time, the hard bulge pressing against her told her the cold water was no deterrent for his interest.

  She shuddered at the evidence of his arousal. He’d been so casual with her since that night in their room, she’d almost wondered if it had even happened, if his interest had been real. But this was real. His hard heat and his mouth on hers were real.

  Maybe she could enjoy him… just for a little bit… just while she was here…

  Sensations engulfed her, and her mind went hazy as she enjoyed every slide of this tongue, every nip of his lips, the way his hands spanned her waist, the feel of his muscled chest against her breasts.

  He tasted like peppermint and she vaguely realized that, like her, he’d brushed his teeth before coming out together. Had he realized this would happen? Hoped for it? Because she definitely had, even if she didn’t want to admit it to herself.

  A rough hand ran up over her hip, the dip of her waist, brushing her ribs to cover a breast, and she shuddered, her nipple hardening.

  “We should stop,” Will murmured between kisses.

  “Yeah,” she murmured back.

  But he didn’t and neither did she.

  Instead, he sucked her lower lip between his teeth and Rusty rubbed against the hot hard part of him, the pressure beautiful and right where she needed it.

  Suddenly, Will hitched his hands under her ass and spun them in the water, then plowed toward the shore. Once on dry land, he laid her down on the blanket, coming down on top of her, between her legs. They were soaking the blanket, and the ground was hard and rocky under her back, but she was too far gone to care, because Will kept kissing her.

  The tempo of his kisses changed, from desperate and fast to slow and thorough. Very thorough. Meanwhile his hands explored every inch of her skin. He flipped her bathing suit top aside, and tweaked her straining nipple, drawing a moan from her lips.

  He grinned. “You like that?”

  She could only nod.

  In answer, he dipped his dark head to draw her nipple into the warm recess of his mouth, torturing her with tongue and teeth until she was a panting mass of sensation beneath him. She speared her hands through his wet hair, cool against her fingertips, to hold him there.

  Eventually, he released her to raise his head and pin her with a glittering blue gaze. “I want you.”

  She grinned and deliberately shifted, rubbing against his hard length. “I hadn’t guessed.”

  He chuckled and dropped his head to kiss her briefly, as though he couldn’t stop himself. She reached out to try to bring him back, but he snagged her by the wrists and shook his head. “We have a… bit of a problem.”

  Rusty raised her eyebrows. “We shouldn’t?”

  He grimaced but shook his head. “That too, I guess. But no. Our problem is we have no condoms with us.”

  Rusty smacked headfirst into reality with a painful thump. She dropped back against the blanket as breath hissed between her teeth. “Damn.”

  The fever of desire hadn’t left her, and she briefly debated offering up her oral services, but they’d both been working hard all day, and a dip in river water didn’t exactly wash that kind of grime away.

  She closed her eyes and groaned. “Damn,” she said again.

  *

  Will dropped his forehead to hers. “My thoughts exactly.”

  Being a responsible man had never sucked so much as it did right now. Rusty lay under him, almost naked, every glorious inch of her skin pressed against his, her lips swollen from his kisses, and, for once, not running a country mile form his touch. His body, meanwhile, remained painfully hard.

  “I guess…” He took a deep breath. “I guess we should get dressed and eat.”

  “Yeah.” At least Rusty didn’t sound any happier about it than he did. That was… progress at least.

  To keep the awkward to a minimum, Will averted his eyes as he rolled away from her, giving her a second to rearrange her bathing suit, covering breasts he’d just had his hands on, his mouth. He took a moment to collect himself as well, willing his hard-on to calm down. But his body was too keyed up.

  “Um…” Rusty’s voice came from further behind him. He glanced over to find her already dressed. “Do you mind if we skip the food and head back?”

  “Sure. No problem.” Food and casual chitchat weren’t exactly high on his list of things to do right now either.

  In short order, he dressed, they packed everything back up and headed back. A long, uncomfortable ride—both because of their silence and because of his dick—they made it to the barn. “I’ll take care of the horses,” he said.

  She looked at him, maybe for the first time since they got on their horses, her brown eyes unfathomable. “Thanks.”

  Only he couldn’t let her go like this. As she passed him, Will reached out to snag her by the wrist. He only meant to tug her back around to face him, meaning to ask if she was okay, or some vague notion along those line. Only she let out a little whimper of need that so matched his own churning need, he tugged her into him, and took her mouth in a long kiss, savoring the way her body melted into his.

  Kissing Rusty could become addictive.

  Eventually the kisses slowed, and he raised his head. She slowly opened her eyes, but he
knew the look. Regret.

  “We shouldn’t,” she whispered as she shook her head.

  But she didn’t step back, or take her arms from around his waist.

  “Because I’m your fake husband?” he asked.

  Her lips kicked up in a half-smile that appeared more sad than amused. Did she regret the fake part? Or the husband part?

  “Yes,” she said. “But eventually, this ends. Then all we are are business partners. I get the ranch, you get Rising Star as an exclusive partner. Win-win. Throwing more into this already complicated mess would be too much of a risk.”

  With a deep breath, she released him and stepped back. And he let her go, mostly because breathing had become painfully difficult. She might want him, but it looked as though she would never let herself see him as more.

  He put his hands on his hips, staring at the ground as he wrestled for control. He wanted to argue with her, to insist the chemistry between them was bigger than a fling. But he couldn’t guarantee it. And if it ended, working together as closely as they did would be too hard if they took it further and he couldn’t convince her to stay.

  “You’re right,” he finally agreed. Or was he being a damn coward?

  She laughed, maybe at the reluctance in his voice, the frustration with the situation. Whatever… she didn’t sound amused so much as resigned. “I know. Dammit.”

  Then, without another word, she spun on her bootheel and walked out of the barn. And he let her go.

  Chapter Eleven

  Rusty sat in one of the rocking chairs on the front porch, a citronella candle on the small table beside her keeping the mosquitoes away, and stared into the endless stars. She had her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around them. A rare cool breeze in early September, when the heat of the summer continued to linger, lifted strands of her hair off her neck.

  She’d been driven out here after a call with her dad. After weeks of trying to talk to the man and only getting Doris because he was constantly out, she’d finally got him on the phone. He’d certainly sounded the same. But what had driven her out here was another question about babies.

  “We just got married, Dad, and hardly knew each other when we did. Give us some time, okay?”

  “No time like the present,” he’d insisted.

  That had only degraded into a stubborn standoff about the decisions she was making in her life. In less than five minutes he’d managed to call her an old maid and warn her she’d lose her husband if she didn’t start producing.

  Eventually, they’d both hung up angry before she could talk about when she and Will would be out for their first visit. Now that things had settled here, as much as they could, she wanted to get home. Her father might be a controlling, closed-off ass, but he was still her father. And her remaining time with him was limited.

  She’d call again tomorrow and get it arranged.

  Her momentary escape to the porch didn’t last too long. Headlights showed off in the distance for a while until a small white car pulled up in front of the house, rather than the back. A woman hopped out and grabbed a suitcase from the trunk before making her way up the stairs. As soon as the lights hit her face, Rusty knew exactly who she was.

  “You must be Carter,” she called.

  Carter’s dark hair, cut in a chic bob, swung against her cheeks as she sharply turned her head. Her frown cleared as her gaze landed on Rusty.

  Then she grinned. “And you must be my new sister-in-law.”

  Not quite two months into their marriage, and Rusty was starting to get more comfortable with that title. Rather than the usual pang at lying that accompanied the reminder, a strange warmth settled in the region of her heart. A sensation she stuffed down deep because allowing herself to truly feel a part of this family was a bad idea.

  Still, she returned the smile and hopped up to greet Carter properly. Her father, despite all his faults, had certainly taught her manners. To her surprise, Carter dropped her suitcase and pulled Rusty in for a hug.

  “You must be a special woman to have captured Will’s heart,” Carter murmured before releasing her.

  There was the pang of guilt, and the oddest wish she was that special. Hell, this fake marriage was messing with her mind.

  “He is a great guy.” She left it at that.

  “Mind if I join you?” Carter waved at the rocking chairs.

  “Sure.” Rusty resumed her seat, and Carter dropped into the other chair beside her with a heavy sigh.

  “Long drive?” Rusty asked.

  “Yeah. Longer week. My boss is such a hardass.”

  “Is this at the law firm you’re consulting for while you’re getting your PhD?” Rusty asked.

  Carter nodded. “Yeah. Jonas, the man who heads up the firm, is a workaholic and expects everyone else to follow his lead.” She grimaced.

  “Must be tough to have a boyfriend over an hour away when you’ve got a boss with those expectations,” Rusty murmured.

  Carter flicked her a surprised glance, then chuckled. “I’m so used to Austin where everyone minds their own business that I forget about small-town talk.” She sighed. “Brian proposed.”

  Rusty’s eyes flew wide. Why hadn’t anyone in the family told her that? Unless it was new? And Carter didn’t exactly seem elated.

  “Ummm… Is this recent?” Rusty asked, trying to navigate the tricky conversation.

  “Tonight, actually. I saw him first before coming home.”

  “Oh.” Rusty gave herself a shake at that underrated response. “Congrats!”

  “I told him I’d think about it.”

  “Oh.” This time Rusty had no idea how to respond, so she said nothing.

  She took in Carter’s expression—a mixture of confusion and weariness, dark circles under her eyes and a small frown puckering her brows. The woman looked torn.

  “I know it’s none of my business, but I’m new to the family and I don’t know you or Brian. Maybe it would help to talk it out?”

  Carter blinked at her with the blue eyes the Hill family shared. “I can see why Will fell for you,” she finally murmured.

  Rusty had no idea why Carter would see that, but forced her lips into a smile as an expected response. “I’m good at keeping things confidential, but I don’t think that’s why.”

  Carter chuckled. “No. You’re a horsewoman and gorgeous. I’m guessing those were the initial draws.”

  Rusty blinked, but kept her thoughts to herself, letting Carter sit and think.

  For her part, Carter leaned her head against the chair, her gaze focused outward, on the star-filled sky maybe. “I love Brian. I do,” she said. “He’s a terrific guy—smart, funny, a great kisser.” A soft smile played around her mouth.

  “But?” Rusty asked.

  Carter turned her head. “How’d you know there was a but coming?”

  Rusty shrugged. “You wouldn’t need to talk if there wasn’t a but to that statement.”

  “I guess not.” Carter released another long sigh. “But… Jonas might be a hardass, but I love working for him. I love what his firm is doing. Brian’s life is tied to his ranch close to here, but what if my future isn’t meant for that? If I marry Brian…” She shook her head and fell into silence.

  Rusty waited.

  “Have you ever had to make an impossible choice?” Carter asked.

  Obviously Rusty couldn’t tell her the truth about her marriage to Will. But still, she could share some of it.

  “My dad wanted to give the ranch to a man rather than to me. I had to decide to walk away from my inheritance and the ranch that is my entire life.”

  “Oh, wow.” Carter’s eyes went wide. “That had to be so hard for you.”

  “He’s not an easy man, my father. But, in the end, walking away was the best choice for me because I needed to put my own independence ahead of keeping my dream.”

  Carter shook her head. “So you’re saying I have to pick.”

  Rusty shrugged. “If you don’t see a way to blend
the two lives, then yes. But have you considered other options? Maybe talked to Jonas about a way to do both? I’m sure he doesn’t want to lose you. There can’t be that many people in your field.”

  Carter pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I hadn’t thought of that. He wants us in the office all the time, but I bring a skill set that’s hard to find. Maybe he might…”

  She shifted her gaze, suddenly focusing on Rusty. “Thank you. I needed to have that perspective change.”

  “If you don’t like the choices, always try to change them first.”

  “That sounds like a quote from someone,” Carter commented as she rose from the chair.

  “My father says it actually.” Rusty hadn’t even thought of that until it came from her mouth. Funny how things turned out.

  “Rusty?” Will’s voice sounded from inside the house. The click of the door opening heralded his arrival. “Are you out here, honey?”

  Rusty leaned forward to glance around the chair and wave. But Will had stopped walking when he saw Carter. “Baby sister!”

  He swept her up in a bear hug that lifted Carter’s feet from the cement floor of the porch. “About time you showed your face around here,” he grumbled with a good-natured grin as he set her back down.

  Carter shoved at his shoulder. “I’m here more than ever lately, but you’re never around.”

  Will lifted a single eyebrow. “Do I need to have a serious talk with Brian? Check his intentions.”

  Carter sent Rusty a hesitant glance, then shrugged noncommittally. “I’m pretty sure his intentions are honorable.”

  Rusty got the message. Carter would look into those other options they’d discussed. She’d share with her family when she was ready.

  “Good to hear,” Will said, glancing between them.

  Carter grabbed her suitcase and headed inside. “Let’s catch up more later, okay?” she said over her shoulder.

  “Sounds good.” Will turned to face Rusty. “What was that about?”

  “What?” she asked, widening her eyes in innocence.

  “You and Carter.” He thumbed toward the door through which his sister had disappeared. “Were you out here talking long?”