by Sable Hunter
Once they were behind closed doors, he let her slide slowly down his body. She shivered in his arms. “Are you cold?”
“No, I’m perfect.”
Gazing intently into her eyes, he agreed, “Yes, you are.”
She blushed at his compliment. “I’ll never get tired of being with you,” she told him. They’d been good while Luke was with them, just in case the little boy wandered into their room in the middle of the night. So, all weekend she’d fantasized, loving her man had been gentle on her mind. Her daydreams had run from him taking her wild and desperate against the wall, to him loving on her slowly and sensually in his bed. Now that he held her in his arms, slow won hands down. Isabella craved long, deep kisses that lasted a hundred heartbeats or more. As if he could read her thoughts, Bull cradled her to him, kissing her tenderly, his warm tongue mapping her mouth.
When the intoxicating kiss ended, he eased her head to the side with a gentle hand and let his tongue find her heated skin. Isabella laced her fingers through his hair and moaned her approval.
“You taste so good, baby,” Bull growled lowly in her ear as he kissed a path across her chest to her shoulder.
Isabella shuddered at the raspy caress of his tongue on her skin. A gasp escaped her lips when he tore the shirt she wore right down the middle. “I didn’t like this shirt anyway,” she whispered, pushing back so she could see his face. Blazing need shone in his eyes, but Isabella could tell this wasn’t just raw sexuality, there was something more there, something soft, despite the harshness on his face.
“I’ll buy you more shirts,” he said, his hands feverish on her body. Once she was naked in his arms, he buried his face in her neck and rocked her against him, breathing in her scent as if addicted to her essence. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you this weekend. You made everything better. Luke liked you a lot.”
“I’m glad, I liked him too. So much.” She wove her fingers into his hair, desperate to ensure he stayed right where he was. “Take your clothes off. I want to feel your skin against mine.”
“Do it. I’m all yours.” He reached for her breasts, plumping them, cupping them, working the nipples with his fingers.
She stood on tiptoe to encourage his touch. Desire bloomed within her, unfurling upon itself until she was open and eager like a flower seeking the morning sun. His touch was intoxicating, but she managed to respond with a wisp of a laugh. “Can I unwrap you like Luke did his Western gear?”
Bull chuckled. “There wouldn’t be much left if you did. He ripped that paper to shreds.”
“I’ll try to be dignified.”
Bull could feel her little hand unbuttoning his shirt. A moment later that same hand was on his chest, right over the spot where his heart pounded and he hoped she could feel the love beneath her fingers. “Dignified is your middle name…Duchess.”
She pinched his side and he jumped. “Stop it.”
Bull was teasing, but he was totally focused on her. She was the most beautiful thing in the world to him. “Can I ask you a question?”
“You just did.”
“Smarty pants.” He dipped his head and teased her nipple with the tip of his tongue. “What is a woman like you, with everything you have, with the way you look – what are you doing in this run-down cabin with a man like me?” He didn’t wait for an answer, but lifted her up and took her whole nipple in his mouth and sucked hard.
She keened his name, giving over to the ecstasy he bestowed on her with his hands and tongue. When he paused for breath, she framed his face. “Listen to me, just a minute.” He focused his eyes on her, his chest rising and falling. “You are my ideal. I knew you before I found you and I recognized you on the first night. I set my heart on you at that moment and I never gave up. You, Benedict Carson Redford, are the best of men.”
Her declaration freed something inside of him, something that had held him back for years. He wished he could be the man she thought he was. Leading her to the bed, he bade her lay down and knelt at her side, tracing a path with his lips from the lower swell of her breasts down to the tender flesh above her mound.
“I was made for you. Do you think I could respond like this to another man?”
He didn’t know, he didn’t dare hope. Spreading her thighs just enough, he gazed at her. “Oh, baby…” Stroking her thigh, he parted her legs, opening them far enough so he could see her clearly.
“Am I pretty?” With him, Isabella lost her inhibitions. She felt sexy and wanton. “Am I as pretty as Carol?”
Bull pulled his lips away from her soft skin, long enough to lock their eyes. “Carol is sand, you are a diamond. She is burlap, where you are silk. Carol isn’t in your league, Bella. She can’t hold you a candle to run by.” Without waiting for her reaction, his mouth moved to her sex, his lips gliding over her feminine secret in a sensual kiss. Kissing her hungrily, he licked her from top to bottom, his lips feathering softly all along the folds of her pussy.
Isabella couldn’t hold back the cry that escaped her lips as the tip of his tongue danced over her clit. “I own this, don’t I?” Bull asked as he circled the pearl with his finger. “You’re wet for me, and only for me.”
“Yessss,” Isabella let out a long low hiss, almost levitating from the bed as his mouth moved to draw the button between his lips to suck. “Hold me!” she screamed as the sun exploded behind her eyes. She gripped the blanket beneath her as everything went white, her whole being throbbing with ecstasy.
Bucking beneath him, she trembled so hard the bed shook. Bull held her, anchoring her hips to the bed as she rode out her orgasm. “I want you. I can’t wait a moment longer.”
Isabella butterflied her legs, spreading them wide in an invitation as old as time. Bull stood and undressed quickly. The need to be inside of her was overwhelming, but a greater need was to make her feel cherished and safe.
For Isabella, the experience was dizzying. Bull was always incredible in bed, generous and loving. Yet tonight was different, the look in his eyes was more intense. His kiss was sweeter and he touched her as if he thought she might disappear. “Come to me.” She held out her arms.
Bull settled himself between her parted thighs, holding himself above her. “Are you ready for me?”
“Please.” She held her breath as he began to fill her, nudging inside her eager opening.
Finding her mouth, he kissed her fiercely as his cock slid in and out with long, toe-curling thrusts. “Who do you belong to?” he asked in her ear, feeling extremely possessive, his weight pressing her down into the mattress.
“You. I belong to you.”
Her words spurred him on, the walls of her sex holding him tight, demanding everything he had to give. Bull pulled out and plunged deep, over and over. Kissing her lips, her neck, her breasts – he pushed her higher and higher with every thrust of his body. “Damn right you do. You belong only to me. I love you, Isabella. I love you.”
Nothing could have prepared her for the way his declaration made her feel. Complete and utter happiness flooded her soul. “Oh, I love you too. I love you so much,” she cried as an orgasm slammed into her so hard she almost blacked out.
The insane chemistry they shared was unbelievable, he’d never been so in sync with a woman before. His body always responded, following her helplessly into ecstasy. Tonight, holding Isabella as she came was like capturing laughter and happiness in his arms and when she said she loved him, he wanted to shout his joy from the rooftop.
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
“I’m nervous, these people are important to you, aren’t they?”
“Yes, but not as important as Luke and you two get along like a house on fire.”
Isabella sat next to him in his truck as they drove under the Tebow ranch sign. “Yes, but these are grownups. I can’t charm them with a bedtime story and bubbles in the tub.”
“I’m sure you could, but don’t you dare try. I don’t want to have to fight these cowboys off you with a stick.”<
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She shook her head at his teasing. He should know by now that she had eyes for no other man. “I appreciate you doing this. With all the information you’ve given me and the promotional opportunities, we should be able to foster some valuable contacts for Terra Dura.”
“Great, that was the plan.” He handed her a piece of paper from the console between their seats. “This is a list of upcoming rodeos. If you could get someone to design a banner, we could purchase some advertising spots in the arenas.”
“Thank you, I’ll do some research.” She placed the paper in her bag.
“Have you talked to your uncle?”
His question caught her off guard. “Yes, yesterday. He wanted to know when I was coming home.” Isabella hated the words as soon as they came out of her mouth.
“What did you tell him?”
“I…said I didn’t know. What should I have said?”
He didn’t answer her. Their arrival at the McCoy’s home disrupted the conversation. “First, we’ll meet with Aron and Lance, the ranch foreman,” he told her as they passed the main house and headed west of the barns and other outbuildings. “Once we finish with them, there are a few other folks I’d like you to meet.”
“Okay, whatever you say is fine with me.” As he found a parking place, Isabella couldn’t help but wonder what Bull thought about her uncle’s call. He’d said he loved her. Didn’t that mean they would be together?
A longing to talk to Renata swept over Isabella. She and her friend had exchanged several short calls and a few emails but that was all. After her trip to Texas turned into an extended stay, Isabella had asked her friend to take Lola to her home. Once she officially moved in with Bull, she’d bring the dachshund to Texas. “You do like dogs, don’t you?” she asked as they approached the ranch administration office.
“Yes, I like dogs.” He looked at her a little strangely.
“Bull! Hold up!” A man came galloping up on horseback. “Miss Cortez, good to see you. I’m Josh Long, we met the other night at Isaac’s place.”
Isabella nodded, recalling his face from among the people she’d been introduced to at Hardbodies. She remembered him because of his close resemblance to Adam Cartwright on her favorite Western series, Bonanza. “Hello. Yes, you’re married to the lovely Emma.”
“I am and I don’t mind being known for that at all.” His horse danced in place, anxious to be on his way. “Redford, I wanted to forewarn you about something.”
“Sounds ominous. If you’re going to be looking for another job, my offer still stands. I could use someone as knowledgeable about the industry as you are.”
“Well, thank you, Bull. I’m happy here at the moment.” He glanced at his surroundings, causing Isabella to follow his gaze. The ranch was well-kept and bustling with activity. “Tebow is a good place to work and Emma’s happy in Kerrville. Leakey is a little off the beaten path for her.”
“I understand.” Bull was sympathetic. “If you ever change your mind, just say so. You’d be the kind of employee I could trust to step into my shoes if need be.”
Isabella studied Bull’s strong face as he visited with his friend. He looked tired. She knew he had more work than he could manage and entertaining her was taking up a lot of his time. How inconsiderate she was being. She could be making herself useful, the learning curve in his business wouldn’t be insurmountable for her. Isabella resolved to bring the subject up when they were alone.
“So, what’s on your mind, Long?” Bull asked.
Josh smiled as if he had a secret. “I hear rumblings that our names are up for the Cowboy Hall of Fame.”
Isabella squealed and threw her arms around Bull’s neck. “I’m so proud of you!”
Bull accepted the hug, but his expression didn’t change. “No one’s contacted me.”
“Well, they will. I ran into Phil Oden at the stockyard in Fort Worth on Tuesday and he gave me the head’s up. We’re both in the running and they say you’re a shoo-in.” He glanced at Isabella. “This man is the most decorated bull rider in the PBR. He’s a legend.”
Bull held up his right foot. “Some legend. My boots are worn and my pick-up is held together by baling wire. I pour all my extra cash back into the business.”
Josh laughed. “Great cowboys aren’t defined by the size of their bank accounts like CEO’s, Bull. We out rode our competition, defied the odds, and conquered beasts that outweighed us ten-fold.”
Isabella felt a little thrill at Long’s words. It bothered her that Benedict Redford could not see his own worth. When they were married, she would be his partner and Bull would have no more monetary concerns. What she possessed would be his also.
“Nevertheless, get your Western suit pressed. We’ll be attending a party in our honor not too many moons from now.” Josh tipped his hat. “Good to see you, Miss Cortez. I know it’s a daunting task, but try and keep this guy out of trouble.”
“She enjoys my kind of trouble.” Bull kissed Isabella on her cheek. “Don’t you, sweetheart?”
“You’d best be grateful she does.” Josh tugged on the reins to turn his horse toward the pasture. “If you get into too much hot water, give me a call. I owe you one, Redford. I’ll always be in your debt.”
When he was out of earshot, Isabella couldn’t contain her curiosity. “What did he mean?”
Bull opened the heavy glass door so she could enter the building. “Oh, nothing. I got him out of a little scrape once. Before Emma, Josh Long was the Casanova of the rodeo circuit. They called him the cowgirl whisperer. Sometimes his dalliances with the lovely ladies would intersect and backfire on him.”
“May I help you?” a woman at the front desk asked.
Bull kept his hand on Isabella’s back. “Hey, we’re here to see Lance. I’m Bull Redford and this is Isabella Cortez.”
The receptionist gave Isabella a long look and Bull knew why. Gone was the ingenue and in her stead stood a sophisticated, exotic woman who looked like the millions she was worth.
“Welcome, please follow me. Lance and the big boss are expecting you.”
Isabella thought Tebow Ranch was an impressive place. She could tell the operation was run like the big business it was, a cooperation dealing not only in cattle, but also gas and oil. She’d watched enough reruns of Dallas to know the McCoys were the Ewings of Southfork come to life. Terra Dura was bigger, but it didn’t have the same energy as Tebow.
They followed the receptionist down a green-carpeted hall. The white walls were decorated with awards and candid shots of life on the ranch. She found herself smiling at one photo of several children about Luke’s age standing in front of a fence. They were all dressed in cowboy regalia with big smiles on their faces. Isabella knew she was looking at the next generation of McCoys. She couldn’t help but imagine little ones posed at the gate of Terra Dura, little vaqueros and vaqueras. Luke would need siblings. Many siblings.
“What are you grinning about? Do you see something funny?” Bull asked as he steered her into Lance’s office.
“No, I see the future and it’s wonderful.”
Bull let her mysterious comment go unanswered as he greeted Lance and Aron. “Gentleman. Thanks for seeing us. This is the woman I’ve been telling you about, Isabella Cortez of Terra Dura Ranch.”
Both men stood to shake Isabella’s hand. “It’s an honor, Miss Cortez. I’ve heard nothing but good things about your family’s operation.” Lance indicated a chair. “Please take a seat. You too, Bull. I’m glad you could stop by.”
“I hear congratulations are in order, Lance. I hope you and Tricia will be very happy,” Bull pointed to a picture of a bride on Lance’s desk. “This man just got married.”
“I’m a lucky fellow. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Isabella had to agree. “Yes, she is. Beautiful and very blonde.” She admired the bride’s long golden hair, her hand moving up to touch her own dark locks. Bull’s ex-wife was a blonde too.
Aron chuckled. “Tricia does stand
out in our crowd.” He glanced at Lance. “I think every other Tebow wife or girlfriend has dark hair.”
“Well, Josh’s Emma is redheaded and so is Denver’s new girl, Bryn Harmon,” Lance interjected, completely serious. “Bowie’s Cassie is a blonde.”
“What is this?” Bull asked with a frown. “Are we going to start comparing nail polish colors next?”
Aron held up his hands. “Sorry. Tebow used to be an all-male bastion. Now, we have women and children everywhere. Things change.” He grinned. “And we like it.” Aron offered his hand to Isabella. “I’m Aron McCoy, Miss Cortez.”
Isabella found that she liked these two men very much. “Mr. McCoy, we have a previous association. You sculpted Toro Roca for my father.”
“Oh, I remember, very well. That piece was one of my first.” He walked to a credenza and picked up a coffee pot. “Anyone?” There were no takers, so he poured his own cup, ignoring the cream and sugar. “Your father was an inspiration.” He settled down across from Isabella. “One day while I was working up on that ridge, Romero told me of his dream to take mainstream bullfighting in a new direction.”
Isabella was a bit surprised that her father had confided in the American. “Thank you, I am doing my best to honor his memory.”
“Well, let’s get down to business, shall we?” Bull nudged the trio into a topic change. “Tebow Ranch is known for its superb cattle. I know you’re always looking for outstanding new bloodlines to introduce into your herd and there are no finer seed bulls in the world than those that come from Terra Dura.”
During the next little while, Isabella answered questions about the available stock and their pedigrees. Bull was impressed by her knowledge and her bearing. She was a consummate professional, sure of her standing and confident in the value of what she offered.