“I don’t understand some people. He could have called someone to take the horses.” Brayden shook his head.
They loaded the horses and were about to leave when Gray glanced around. “I think we need to check the fields in case anymore horses are out there.”
“Okay. I can take these three to the ranch and then come back with two horses for us to ride into the fields,” Brayden suggested.
“Sounds good. I’ll look around while I wait.”
After the horses were loaded, Brayden called Julie and asked that she have either Nico or Logan saddle two horses then he drove back to the ranch. Once he had Nico and Logan help with getting the horses he’d brought back out of the trailer and into the barn, he loaded the saddled horses and headed back to the Ferrell ranch. When he pulled in, he saw Gray standing by the back of his SUV with the hatch open. Brayden stopped the truck, threw it in Park, and stepped out. As he walked toward Gray, he saw a dog lying in the back.
“Jesus! He’s skin and bones. Where did you find him?”
“He was tied to a dog house in the backyard. He’s so weak that he couldn’t even stand to come out,” Gray muttered.
“He’s starving but more importantly, he’s very dehydrated and needs some fluids. I’m sure Melissa will start him on ‘em as soon as I get him back to the clinic.” He glanced over to Gray to see his brother staring at him.
“You’ve always been a sucker for animals, Brayden.”
“I don’t deny it.”
Gray nodded toward the dog. “Do you want me to take him to Tessa instead?”
Staring down at the dog, Brayden shook his head. “No. I’ll take him. Melissa can work on him.”
Gray grinned. “I’m sure she can.”
“Let’s check the fields to make sure there aren’t any other animals suffering. I’ll call Melissa to come get the dog. Will your dog be all right in there?”
“Yes. Roxy’s a good girl. She knows I’ll be back. I’ll leave the air conditioning on for her.”
Brayden nodded and unloaded the horses as he talked to Melissa on the phone. After giving her the address, she told him she’d be right there. After hanging up, Gray handed him a walkie-talkie then they mounted the horses and took off in different directions. Brayden loved the feel of having a horse under him. It had been years since he’d ridden. It was invigorating to nudge the horse into a gallop and listen to the tall grass rustle against the horse’s legs. When Gray called him on the walkie-talkie telling him he hadn’t found anything else, Brayden told him it was clear in his area too. Thank God for small favors. They met back at the barn. Gray helped him load up the horses then they went their separate ways.
When he arrived back at MERAS, he found Melissa in the exam room with the dog. She had the poor animal hooked up to IVs to get some fluids into him. Brayden glanced down at the dog and such rage filled him that someone could do this to an innocent animal. He hoped Gray found the bastard and arrested him for animal cruelty.
“I hope he makes it,” she said in a choked voice.
Running his hands over the dog, he could feel every bone. “I do too. It’s hard to tell how long he’s been there without food or water. At least the horses had grass to eat. I saw a small pond on the property, so they had access to water but they’re way undernourished.”
“Where was the owner?”
“Gray said the house was cleaned out. I suppose the owner moved out and left his animals behind for whatever reason.”
As he looked at her, a tear slid down her cheek and he put his hand on her shoulder. She turned toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her as she cried. It was hard to see an animal treated this way. Brayden knew however, that had the owner walked in right now, the dog would wag its tail happy to see him. No matter how badly he’d treated the dog, the dog loved him. He pulled Melissa tight against him as she sobbed. She pulled back from him and stared up at him. His eyes met hers.
“I’m sorry. I know I’m supposed to be strong but I love animals so much and seeing this…” She shook her head.
“It’s all right. I understand,” he whispered as his gaze dipped to her lips. He groaned when she licked her bottom lip.
“Brayden…”
Slowly he lowered his lips to hers and lightly kissed her. When she moaned, he lost it and pressed his lips to hers in a deep kiss. “Open,” he demanded against her mouth.
When she did, he slid his tongue into her mouth. Her hands moved up his chest and into his hair, knocking his hat to the floor. He moved his hands down along her body to her waist, around to her ass and squeezed as he pulled her against his hard cock behind the fly of his jeans. He pulled his mouth from hers.
“Do you feel what you do to me? I walk around like this most of the day because of you, Melissa.”
She groaned but pushed her hips against his. “Brayden…”
“I think you already said that.” He grinned against her lips.
She laughed. “I don’t know what else to say.”
“Christ, I find that hard to believe with you.” He started to lower his head again when he heard Logan calling for him.
What the hell am I doing? He took a step back, releasing her.
“I need to go. Take care of him.” He nodded toward the dog, picked up his hat, and got the hell out of there as fast as he could.
****
As Melissa watched him leave the room, she placed her fingertips over her lips and could still feel his lips against hers. Damn, the man could kiss and from what she could feel behind the fly of his jeans, he wasn’t lacking there either. She turned back to the dog when she heard him whimper. Placing her hand on his side, she leaned down.
“Hi, sweetie. I’m going to take good care of you. I’ll do all I can to make you better.” She pulled the dog’s lips back to look at his teeth, revealing he was about three years old and too young for such a rough life. If the owner couldn’t afford to feed his animals, then he should have turned them in to a shelter or rescue. This was so uncalled for and she wanted to punch the man in the throat for doing this to his animals. She just prayed he didn’t get more wherever he’d moved to.
The day passed quickly and before she realized it, it was time to go home. Her new apartment was ready and she was thrilled with it. She stepped inside, shoved the door closed behind her, and smiled as she gazed around the living room. A large window faced the east pasture. Brayden had had her furniture shipped from her apartment in Texas and stored in the barn right after she moved to the ranch so today, he had Logan and Nico help him move the furniture into her new home. He’d told her if where they put things wasn’t to her liking, let him know and they’d move the furniture for her to wherever she wanted. She loved where it sat, however.
The red sofa sat with its back to the door and faced a large screen TV hanging above the brick fireplace. Two wingback chairs sat catty-corner on each side of the sofa. A large oriental rug sat centered on the hardwood floor. She was thrilled with the fireplace. When she told Brayden she wanted one, he didn’t even blink. He just had Glen install it. The little kitchen boasted shiny black appliances. She glanced up and smiled when she saw the skylight. Grinning, she walked down a small hallway to the bedroom. They’d installed a skylight in there too, located above the bed, just as she’d asked. A large closet sat along one wall and a doorway on another wall led to the bathroom. She squealed when she saw the large, modern claw foot tub with a skylight above it too. A stand-up shower sat along the opposite wall. The walls and floor were tan ceramic tiles. It didn’t matter how tired she was, she was going to soak in that tub before going to bed. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she wondered if Brayden was sleeping in the house or in the barn tonight. The man had been through so much but the past few weeks, he seemed content with the way MERAS was coming together. Today when he kissed her, she wanted to toss him down on the floor and have her way with him. No man had ever turned her on more.
She poured bubble bath under the open faucet and watched as the bubbles fille
d the tub. After undressing, she tied her hair up on her head, stepped into the tub, and slowly slid down into the hot water. Melissa let out a groan of contentment, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. The bubbles were up to her chin and it felt like heaven.
Thirty minutes later, she knew she needed to get out since the water was cooling and she was beginning to look and feel a bit like a prune. She stood and the water glided down over her as she reached for a fluffy white towel. She rested her foot on the tub and ran the towel down her leg.
“Melissa––” Brayden’s voice came from the bedroom and then he filled the doorway. He came to a sudden halt. “Hell. I’m sorry.”
He turned away from her.
“Brayden,” she said softly.
He turned only enough to look over his shoulder at her. When she stepped from the tub and wrapped the towel around her, he looked away again and she swore she heard him groan.
“Did you need something? Is there something wrong with one of the animals?”
“No, I…” She saw him close his eyes for a few seconds as if in pain. “I wanted to tell you the dog was responding well. I knocked but when you didn’t answer, I wanted to make sure you were all right. You left the door unlocked.”
He turned to go.
“Brayden.”
“What?”
“Turn around and look at me.”
“I’d rather not. This isn’t a good idea, Melissa.”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea.” She moved to stand behind him and placed her hands on his back feeling his muscles tense under her palms. “Please look at me.”
“Melissa…” He shook his head while taking a deep breath, which he exhaled then turned to face her.
Rising on her toes, she leaned in, took his bottom lip between her teeth, and ran her tongue along it. He groaned and put his warm hands on her hips, the heat of which she felt even through the towel.
“You want me, Brayden. I know you do.”
His hands gripped her hips tightly. “I’m not denying that but––”
She placed her finger over his lips. “No buts. Just kiss me.” She put her lips close to his.
His hands moved up her arms to her neck and then he cupped her face in his hands, and pressed his lips to hers. Her arms moved around his neck. All of a sudden, he pulled back.
“I have to go.” He turned from her.
“Brayden, stop…please.”
He spun around to face her then she slowly opened the towel and let it fall to the floor. She heard him growl right before he grasped her arms in his hands and pulled her against him. He took her lips in a deep, hard kiss. His tongue entered her mouth and dueled with hers. She moaned and pressed herself against him. Then, as she’d always dreamed of him doing, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.
****
Seeing her standing there, naked and offering herself up to him, there was no way he was denying himself of having her. Not after weeks of walking around with his cock standing at attention, anytime she was near. He put her in the center of the bed and lay down beside her. He moved the tip of his finger over her eyebrows and down her nose.
“I want to kiss every one of these freckles,” he said before kissing her lips.
“I’ll let you,” she whispered.
Brayden chuckled. “Thank you. You’re so beautiful,” he said, as he palmed her full breast in his hand and then rubbed the pad of his thumb over her nipple.
Melissa gasped and arched her back, offering herself to him. When he leaned down and ran his tongue around a hardened peak, she whimpered, and held his head to her breast. Brayden kissed and licked it, pulling at it with his teeth, and then sucked it into his mouth. He heard her moan and felt her move her hands down his chest to the snap of his jeans. She placed a palm over the hard bulge behind his zipper and gently squeezed, making him groan.
“You’re driving me insane, Melissa,” he whispered against her breast.
Melissa sat up, pulled his T-shirt off over his head, tossed it to the floor, and then scraped her nails down his chest and stomach until she reached the snap of his jeans again. She lowered the zipper and moved her hand inside. When her hand wrapped around his cock, he groaned low in his throat. Slowly, she started sliding her hand up and down his hard length. He pressed against her hand and took her lips in a deep kiss then moved his hand over her belly and down to her strip of curls where he dipped his fingers down between her wet slit and rubbed his thumb against her clitoris. As he continued to touch her, she arched against his hand and her breathing increased.
Brayden looked into her face. The moon shining down through the skylight let him see her as she groaned long and low in her throat, and then came. Eager to experience more of her, he kissed his way down to her curls and spread her legs wide then moved his tongue up and down her slit, and sucked on her clitoris. When she came again, he shucked his jeans and moved between her legs then handed her the condom he’d retrieved from his wallet. Smiling, she took it from him, ripped opened the packet with her teeth, she rolled it down over his aching cock. He inched into her then moved to his knees and sat back on his haunches.
“God! You feel amazing,” she whispered faintly, but he heard her.
“I’m not going to last. I need to take you fast and hard this time,” he said between clenched teeth, trying to hold back.
Laughing low in her throat, she hooked her ankles low on his back. “This time? I like the sound of that.”
Brayden grinned then started moving hard and fast against her. She moved her hips in rhythm with his so he put one hand under her ass and pulled her tight against him. Leaning down over her, he moved his mouth across her shoulder to her neck and then back. He nipped her shoulder and then licked the spot. When her breathing increased, and her muscles clenched around his dick, he lost it and came hard just as she cried out. Groaning her name, he buried his face against her neck and tried to catch his breath then rolled to his back beside her. He glanced over to her to see her breathing heavy too. She turned to him.
“You’re not going to say this shouldn’t have happened, are you? Because if you do, I swear I will punch you,” she told him.
“I wasn’t going to say that. I was just going to ask you if you were all right.”
“Oh yeah, I’m better than all right. That was fantastic.”
“I think so too. I need a shower.”
“I have a shower you can use. I might even join you.”
“Really? Let’s go.” He put his hand out to her and pulled her up when she placed her hand in his. When she stood beside him, he ran his eyes over her. “You have an amazing body.”
“So do you. This six-pack is so sexy.” She ran her fingertips down his abdomen and her touch sparked arousal. “Do you work out?”
“I do. I started when I was in prison and kept up with it. But I get a pretty good workout working the ranch too.” He pulled her against him. “And you just gave me one hell of a workout. It’s been quite a while since I’ve had sex.”
“How long?” She tilted her head.
“Four months. The first thing I did when I got out was get a woman. I needed a woman very badly. I was tired of my hand.”
Melissa burst out laughing. “Too much information.”
“Just telling it like it is. What?” he asked, when he saw she was staring at him with a big smile.
“You have a gorgeous smile.
“You’ve seen me smile.”
“Yeah, but never aimed at me. You avoid me as much as you can. Why is that?”
“Because you have my dick hard anytime I’m around you,” he whispered in her ear.
“I’ll keep an eye out from now on.” She glanced down and grinned when she saw him growing hard again. “Shower sex?”
“Hell yeah,” he said before he grabbed another condom from his wallet then tossed her over his shoulder and carried her into the bathroom.
Chapter Seven
Two days later, Brayden sat behind his scarre
d cherry desk and stared out the window, all the while tapping a pencil against the desk’s top. It shouldn’t have happened. It was a moment of weakness, and he should’ve stopped it before it happened.
Damn it. Just like any other man, you thought with your dick and just had to have her. He sighed as he ran his hand around the back of his neck. Christ! But it was so good. Only, it never should have happened. How was he going to tell her that it was a mistake?
Picking up his coffee cup, he took a sip then made a face at the cold brew even as his thoughts returned to Melissa and their incredible time together. Yesterday, they’d spent the entire day in bed making love—no…having sex—several times. It was as if he were trying to make up for the lost years of not being deep inside a woman. Melissa was so responsive to his touch and she seemed to know just where and how to touch him to send him over the edge.
Son of a bitch! He bolted up out of the chair when his damn dick started to rise. Turning, he saw Julie Powell standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb with her arms folded across her chest. She really was attractive but she just didn’t do a thing for him. However, she’d made it clear on more than one occasion how interested she was in him.
“What can I do for you, Julie?”
A slow smile lifted her lips and her eyes raked down his body. “That’s a loaded question, Brayden.”
Brayden drew in a breath of impatience and stared at her. “What is it you need?”
“I’m going for lunch. Do you want me to bring you anything back?”
“No, thank you.” He moved toward the door.
“All right then. I’ll be back in an hour.” She spun around, making her long ponytail swish back and forth as she walked away with a sway in her hips. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. He about snapped the pencil in his hand in half.
Damn it. He knew there was going to come a day when he’d have to have a talk with her. Nothing was ever going to happen between them. It was a working relationship only. Of course, hadn’t he told himself the same thing about Melissa?
Taking a deep breath, he walked back to his desk then sat back down and fretted over the thought of having to talk to Melissa about things. He couldn’t be with her any more, not if they were going to continue working together. This was a place of business and it was going to make things damn uncomfortable if they continued to see each other. Whether it was just for sex or whether they took it to the next level and dated. It didn’t matter either way because it was all wrong no matter how he looked at it. There was no way he was going to have a relationship with her or anyone else. Been there, done that, and the thought of losing someone else and going through that pain yet again was something he wouldn’t even consider.
Brayden : A Beckett Brothers Novel Book 1 (The Beckett Brothers) Page 7