The Rancher's Redemption (The Millers of Morgan Valley Book 2)

by Kate Pearce

  Rachel leaned in and wrapped a hand around his thick length, but his fingers closed over hers.

  “Next time, okay? If you keep touching me I’ll come in your hand.”

  She reluctantly released her grip and lay back watching him fumble to cover himself. He met her gaze, his smile crooked.

  “Out of practice.”

  “How long is it since you’ve done this?” Rachel asked.

  “Three years at least.” Cauy lowered himself over her. “Not sure I remember what to do.”

  Rachel guided him closer and moaned as he thrust deep. “I think you’ve still got it.”

  He didn’t speak, he was too busy gathering her close and rocking himself even deeper until there was nowhere else for him to go. As ripples of sensation fired off all her nerve endings, Rachel focused on the amazing feeling of being stretched and full, of the heat and stiffness buried inside her, of Cauy . . .

  “Mmm . . .” She rolled her hips allowing him to sink even deeper, and he groaned in her ear.

  “That’s . . .”

  He eased back, setting off another round of interesting sensations and set up a steady rhythm that made Rachel cling to him and take every single thing he offered. His hand slid between them and gently caressed her bud, and she dug her nails deep into his skin as she climaxed again.

  “Yeah, that’s my girl, give it up for me,” Cauy growled in her ear. “Take me, take all of me.”

  She didn’t care what he thought or what she looked like anymore. She was all need, and want, and heat, and somehow Cauy was incredibly and amazingly the answer to it all.

  * * *

  Cauy slid his other hand under Rachel’s fine ass and held her exactly where he wanted her, his strokes shorter now and more demanding as the desire to come overcame everything else in his universe. He’d never expected to have sex again—especially not like this. He was adrift in the essence of Rachel, her taste, her smell, the intimate feel of her clasping his cock, and he never wanted to separate his body from hers again.

  “Cauy, please . . .”

  He wasn’t sure if she was urging him on or was as desperate for completion as he was. He no longer had the control to do anything but accept his body’s rush to climax and take her along with him on the ride of his life. He thrust one last time and held still as he came so hard he thought his head might explode. Just when he thought he might survive, Rachel climaxed again. He fully expected to die, and didn’t regret a single thing.

  When he’d finally finished thrashing around like a teenager, he eased himself free and rolled over to deal with the condom.

  “Bathroom’s through there if you need it.” Cauy gestured to Rachel, who was still lying back with a dazed look on her face, which did all kinds of great things for his ego.

  “Okay.”

  She got up and he heard the shower turn on. He followed her in a leisurely fashion and stepped in behind her as she started to shower.

  “Room for one more?”

  She turned to him and pressed her whole body against his, wrapping her arms around his waist, and just stayed there as the water poured over their heads. He didn’t even mind....

  Cauy was just turning the water off when they both froze as a truck came up the driveway, its tires crunching on the gravel.

  “That’s probably Mr. Big Mouth himself,” Cauy muttered. “What do you want to do?”

  Rachel sighed against his chest. “I’d better get dressed in case BB bursts in here to defend my honor.”

  Cauy slid a hand into her wet hair, cupping the back of her head. “You can stay if you like.”

  She smiled at him, and he wanted to pick her up and take her right back to bed.

  “I’ve got a lot to process in my head. You probably do as well.”

  “I thought we were done talking.”

  “We are.” She looked up at him, her gaze half-shy and half-concerned. “So we just let this happen if we want it and pretend the rest doesn’t matter?”

  “Always with the hard questions.” He kissed her. She tasted like him and his shower gel, which was somehow perfect. “That’s why we’re done talking.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Don’t overanalyze, just go with the flow?”

  “Why not? We can’t seem to keep our hands off each other, and I like this better than arguing.” Cauy held his breath as she searched his face.

  “That’s true.”

  There was a knock on the door.

  “Hey, Cauy?” Jackson shouted. “You got a Morgan in there?”

  “Give us five minutes!” Cauy yelled back.

  Cauy handed Rachel a towel, and she hastily dried herself and slipped into her clothes. Watching her cover up all that glorious skin he’d so recently explored made him want to cry. She vigorously rubbed her short hair with the towel and was good to go. Except that he didn’t want her to go, especially when she looked like the most sexually satisfied woman in history.

  Cauy scrambled into his clothes as well. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

  “Thanks.”

  He unlocked the door and warily looked out. There was no sign of Jackson, but the smell of coffee wafted down from the kitchen.

  He took Rachel’s hand. “Come on.”

  They walked down the hallway toward the kitchen door, which was ajar.

  “Jeez,” Cauy croaked as he came to an abrupt stop in the doorway, making Rachel walk right into his back. “Er, hi.”

  Ry, Billy, and Ruth all sat at his kitchen table drinking coffee with Jackson, who was making agonized “forgive me” faces at Cauy.

  Behind him, Rachel made a stifled sound and half turned back. Cauy grabbed hold of her elbow and brought her fully into the light. If he was going to get it, she was going to have to watch.

  Ruth smiled at them both. “Oh, there you are, Rachel. Now let’s go home.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  The next morning, Rachel braced herself as she entered the kitchen, but Ruth was the only person still around. She hadn’t deliberately slept in after her encounter with Cauy, but she hadn’t set her alarm. The last thing she wanted was a roomful of Morgans giving her their opinions about the current state of her love life. She was pretty certain that Ry would have told HW and maybe even the rest of them.

  Rachel helped herself to coffee, and took scrambled eggs and bacon out of the still warm cast-iron pan on the stove. Working on the ranch had definitely increased her appetite.

  “Would you like some pancakes to go with that?” Ruth asked.

  “No, thanks, I’m good.” Rachel sat at the table and ate while Ruth put on her specs and read the local paper.

  “That was funny,” Ruth said conversationally as she turned the page.

  “What was?” Rachel asked.

  “Last night when you came into Cauy’s kitchen and found us all camped out there waiting for you.”

  Rachel groaned and covered her eyes. “I’m never going to live that down, am I? Why did you all have to be there?”

  “Well, Ry was driving, and Jackson needed a ride after Cauy left him behind,” Ruth said. “Where else were we supposed to go?”

  “Ry could’ve dropped you off first and left Jackson at the front door. Or you could’ve stayed in the truck.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” Ruth winked at her. “I thought Cauy was going to pass out when Billy looked at him.” She chuckled. “Why on earth did Jackson think Billy was Cauy’s father?”

  “Because he’s an idiot?” Rachel sipped her coffee. “Who asks someone that in the middle of a coffee shop?”

  “Jackson was always a straight hitter.” Ruth offered Rachel more coffee. “And at least it’s out in the open now, and you’re not worrying about it.”

  “True,” Rachel reluctantly agreed. “Which, considering the circumstances, is a good thing.”

  “There was some mystery about who fathered Anita’s baby,” Ruth mused. “I’ll have to ask Roy if he remembers anything about the men who worked on the ranch back then.
It was odd the way Mark suddenly took against us after his marriage.”

  “Was Mark really not nice to Cauy?”

  “I never remember him saying a good word about the boy, and I wasn’t surprised when Cauy took off when he was sixteen.” Ruth took out a notepad and a pen. “Would you be willing to go into town and get me a few things I forgot yesterday? I’ve got to start the pies today for Thanksgiving.”

  “Sure!” Rachel was eager to do anything that got her away from her siblings on the ranch.

  “And maybe you can drop Cauy’s mail off to him on your way back? Jackson left it all in Ry’s truck.”

  “I’m sure I can do that as well.” Rachel waited as Ruth kept writing. “Aren’t you going to say anything about me and Cauy?”

  Ruth looked up. “What would you like me to say?”

  “Are you . . . annoyed with me?”

  “Why would I be? He’s a nice boy, I know the family, and that’s all there is to it.”

  “But I’m only here for the holidays.” Rachel wondered why she was offering up her own objections rather than waiting on Ruth’s. “Am I being unfair?”

  “That’s between you and Cauy, dear.” Ruth ripped the sheet of paper off the pad and slid it across the table to Rachel. “After sitting here at this very table and listening to all the nonsensical reasons your brothers have had for falling in love, or not falling in love, I’ve heard just about everything under the sun. They all worked it out in the end, and I suspect you will too.”

  “Oh,” Rachel said. “Actually, I was hoping for some advice.”

  “Do you love him?” Ruth held her gaze.

  “It’s not like that,” Rachel hedged. “We just like each other a little bit.”

  “And does he make you happy?”

  “I think so. I’m trying not to overanalyze it at the moment.”

  “Then enjoy it until he doesn’t, and then come and talk to me again.” Ruth patted her hand.

  “Thanks, I will.” Rachel tucked the list in the pocket of her shirt and stood up. “Is there anything else you need in town?”

  “No, Yvonne’s bringing Rio with her to Thanksgiving dinner, and she insisted on bringing several desserts and her delicious bread rolls. I only have to make the pies and deal with the turkey and sides.”

  “For about twenty people,” Rachel reminded her. “I’ll help as much as I can.”

  “We’ll manage.” Ruth stood up and put the newspaper away. “We always do.”

  Impulsively Rachel went around the table and hugged her grandma tight.

  “Thank you, Ruth.”

  “For what? Making you do all my chores?”

  “No, just for being you, and for making me feel so welcome here.” Rachel hugged her even tighter.

  “It’s your home. It always has been,” Ruth said. “Don’t you ever forget that.”

  * * *

  “I’m sorry, Bro,” Jackson said again. “I didn’t think things through.”

  Cauy eyed his brother, who was sitting at the desk in the farm office working through another pile of paperwork. Cauy had gone out into the freezing wind to tend the horses, only to find that the Morgan Ranch hands had got there before him, mucked out all fourteen horses, and put them out to pasture for a couple of hours.

  He’d spent a few minutes talking to Santiago about renovating the large feed shed. Santiago had written down a list of supplies necessary to get the roof back on and fix the old door. He intended to start work tomorrow after they’d cleared out the junk, and Cauy was looking forward to helping him.

  Cauy had left them to it, confident that things would get done, and went back to the house to have his breakfast. He’d dreamed of Rachel rather than his usual nightmares, which was a pleasant change. He almost wished she’d stayed the night but that might still be a step too far. He reminded himself that he wasn’t going to think about anything too deeply and should just enjoy the moment.

  “Isn’t it a good thing I asked Billy if he was your father?” Jackson looked hopefully at him. “Otherwise you might have been committing all kinds of indecencies with Rachel.”

  “I wasn’t—” Cauy sighed. “Hell—”

  “She’s really hot,” Jackson said, nodding. “I can see why you like her.”

  Cauy had no intention of discussing Rachel with his gabby brother. “How’s the paperwork coming along?”

  Luckily, Jackson was easily diverted into talking about money. “I’ve straightened up the last couple of years so you can turn those over to your accountant. They are all online now and in some kind of order. The deeper Dad got into the booze, the more discrepancies I noted.” He sat back. “There’s money there somewhere, but I can’t find it yet.”

  “Maybe he drank it all.” Cauy perched on the edge of the desk to look over Jackson’s shoulder at the old written account books.

  “Possible, but unlikely.” Jackson stretched out his arms. “I still think he stashed it away in another bank somewhere.”

  “Then keep digging.”

  “Will do. Is there anything that needs doing with the horses right now?”

  “Nope, the Morgan Ranch hands have seen to pretty much everything.”

  “Nice.” Jackson grinned.

  “I’m going to measure up the old food storage shed so that we know what length timber to cut,” Cauy said. “But I can get that done myself.”

  “I thought I might go into town and buy some wine, or something to take with us to the Morgans,” Jackson said.

  “That’s a great idea.” Cauy stood up.

  “Maybe flowers for the table?” Jackson frowned. “Is there a florist in town?”

  “Yeah, right close to the coffee shop. I think it’s called Daisy’s.”

  “Then I’ll stop off there if it’s open, or maybe I can do it online.”

  Cauy paused at the door. “How come you know about all this stuff?”

  Jackson shrugged. “Lots of different postings mean you have to get your manners on. Let me know if you need anything in town before I go. Like condoms or anything.”

  Cauy winced. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that, I wasn’t anticipating—”

  Jackson threw a cardboard carton at him, and Cauy reflexively caught it.

  “There you go. I’ll get some more.”

  “Thanks.” Cauy stuffed the condoms into his pocket aware that he might be blushing, which was totally unacceptable. “I owe you.”

  * * *

  Cauy was busy hauling stuff out to the trash pile when he heard a truck stopping outside the house. He threw the rotting timber onto the ever-increasing heap and went to see who had arrived.

  Rachel stood at his back door petting Grace, who had been running around the fenced part of the yard. Just seeing her made him stop and stare like a fool. Why she’d taken a chance on him he would never understand, but he intended to enjoy the moment.

  As if sensing his stare, she turned around and waved. Her smile hit him low in the gut, and he was instantly hard. He walked toward her and swept her into his arms for a kiss that instantly turned hotter than hell. He backed her up against the wall and hitched her up until the zipper of her jeans met the bulging fly of his, and pressed himself close.

  “Cauy . . .”

  Her arms wrapped around his neck and adjusting his stance he picked her up and carried her inside, stopping at least twice to grind himself against her like some horny teen. She didn’t seem to mind, her booted heel jabbing his ass like she was spurring him on.

  When he reached his bedroom, he locked the door and deposited her on the bed, his mouth locking back over hers as she undid his belt and plunged her hand inside his jeans to fondle him.

  “Jeez . . .” His breath whooshed out as she shoved down his boxers and took him in her mouth, drawing him deep and holding him there while he struggled to get his balance and keep up. His fingers tangled in her short blond hair as he enjoyed every pull of her mouth on his heated, hard flesh.

  When he thought he might come, he gent
ly eased her away, and helped her out of her jeans and panties, cupping her mound in his palm and finding her more than ready for him.

  He sat on the bed, found a condom, and covered himself before drawing her down to straddle his lap.

  “This okay?” he murmured against her lips.

  “God, yes.”

  She bit him as she rocked her hips taking him deep, rising and falling over him, her breasts in his face as he frantically tore off her jacket and sweater and lavished her skin with his mouth.

  It was wild, it was hot as hell, and they were coming together, and that was the best thing of all....

  * * *

  Rachel shuddered through her climax, her nails digging into Cauy’s neck and shoulders and his mouth swallowing her screams. She’d never had sex like this before. It was addictive.

  She slowly raised her head to find him smiling at her.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi yourself.” She kissed his nose. “Is Jackson here?”

  “No, he’s in town.” Cauy kissed her back, his mouth lingering until she started squirming on his lap making him catch his breath. “Want to go again?”

  “I have to get back and help Ruth,” Rachel sighed. “There’s a lot to do feeding the family and the last guests.”

  “Okay.” Cauy gripped her around the waist and eased her free of him. “Shower?”

  “Not enough time.” She breathed in his scent. He’d been working outside and smelled like wood smoke and the barn with a side of ice. “I only came to deliver the mail Jackson left in Ry’s car.”

  “Thanks for doing that.”

  Cauy moved off the bed and went into the bathroom. She heard water splashing, and when he returned, he’d obviously washed up. She gathered her clothes and went to set herself to rights. There were red patches on her throat and chest from his stubble. According to her phone, she’d only been at the ranch for twenty minutes, which was kind of amusing.

  When she reappeared, the bedroom door was open, and Cauy was whistling in the kitchen. She paused to appreciate the cheerful sound. Had she ever heard him whistle before?

  “Can I get you some coffee?” Cauy called out as she came into the kitchen.

  “Yes, please.” Rachel headed for the back door. “I’ll just get your mail.”