Bowles, Jan - Branded by the Texas Rancher (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Неизвестный

  He smiled into her eyes and opened his mouth, ready to speak, when the door handle to the bedroom started to turn.

  “Pappy, why did you lock the door?” Annie’s frantic voice called out.

  He looked slightly apologetic as he went to see to his daughter. When he opened it, he said, “I always lock it.”

  “You do?”

  “Of course, now what’s wrong, Annie?”

  She flung herself into him and started crying. “Oh, Pappy, I don’t feel too well.”

  “Come on, let’s get you back to bed.”

  Rebecca wondered how much her presence had caused Annie’s unusual malaise. When he returned, she asked, “Does she have a temperature?” Surely she had to give Annie the benefit of the doubt.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Do you have a thermometer? I can check her out if you like. A sort of second opinion.”

  “Would you?” He held her hand and smiled. “I know today has been a bit of a disaster, but I’ll make it up to you.”

  “I’ll hold you to that.” She kissed him on the cheek.

  “Let me get the thermometer.”

  * * * *

  When Rebecca came back into the bedroom five minutes later, she was smiling.

  “I think she’ll be all right, Jed. She doesn’t have a temperature, and I know the perfect cure for what’s affecting Annie.”

  When she began putting her clothes back on, he asked, “What are you doing?”

  “I’m implementing the cure. Within a half hour, Annie will be as right as rain.”

  “You’re leaving? Aren’t you exaggerating?”

  She touched his cheek with her hand. “Trust me, Jed. I think I know a little about what children are capable of. After all, I work with them every day.”

  “Maybe, but you don’t have to leave.”

  “Jed, if I stay, I’m afraid Annie will make it impossible for us to be together.”

  “I don’t think Annie is that manipulative.”

  “Jed, we’ve just dropped a bombshell on her. She really needed to be eased into this situation, if at all.”

  “What do you mean, if at all?”

  “Look,” she took a deep breath and stared directly at him, “why involve Annie, especially if you don’t want to take things any further?”

  Feeling as though he’d been backed into a corner, he said, rather sternly, “Now who’s being manipulative? You’ve turned this whole episode to your advantage. Well let me tell you something, Rebecca. Don’t try pinning me down about our future together because I don’t make snap decisions. Especially when they involve my daughter.”

  He saw the hurt on her face, but it was too late. The words were out of his mouth before he had time to think them through clearly.

  “I see. Then it’s just as well I’m leaving. I’ll see you around, Jed.” With that, she turned on her heels and began walking down the stairs.

  He followed her and grabbed her upper arm just as she went to open the front door. “If you go, don’t bother coming back.” Now why on earth had he said that?

  She stared at his hand grasped tightly around her, and he immediately let her go. Her cool eyes warned him. “Haven’t you got someone to look after?” Then she left without a backward glance.

  He thumped the wall in frustration. Now why hadn’t he apologized? He knew Rebecca meant a great deal to him already. So why not just come out and say it? He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

  When he went to check on Annie, she was tucked up snugly with all her dolls. Her hair was still in the braids. He stroked his hand over her head. “These dolls have more of the bed than you.”

  “Has Miss Wade gone?”

  “Yes, Pumpkin, Rebecca’s gone back to her own home. Why?”

  “Well, she told me that she must be coming down with the same illness as me. Only…”

  His daughter paused, and he prompted, “Go on.”

  “It’s just that I feel fine now, Pappy. So she couldn’t have had what I had.”

  He chuckled to himself as he left her room. Rebecca had been right. He just hadn’t bargained on a possessive daughter. Now all he had to do was find a way to make it up to Rebecca.

  Chapter Ten

  After three days of ignoring the telephone, Rebecca finally gave in and answered it.

  Jed’s Texas drawl burst down the line. “Rebecca, what the hell are you playing at?”

  “I don’t know what you mean, Jed. Besides, if you’re intent on having an argument, I’ll put the phone down.”

  She heard his deep intake of breath. “Rebecca, we need to talk.”

  “Why?”

  “You know why.”

  “Jed, you made everything perfectly clear on Sunday. What more is there to say?” He’d turned on her when she’d only been trying to help.

  She heard the frustration lacing his voice as he continued, “Rebecca, I need…” When he paused, she could almost imagine him dragging a hand through his hair. “Look, this is no good. I’m coming over. Right now,” he emphasized.

  “Jed, it’s not convenient.”

  “Well, that’s just too bad, honey.” She was left staring at the telephone as the line clicked dead.

  It was just over an hour and a half before his SUV came to an abrupt halt on the drive.

  Well, if he thought she’d rush to the door, he’d have another think coming.

  Anyway, she needn’t have worried. The mere sight of him as he stepped from the car arrested her movements. Dressed in jeans and a black denim shirt, he looked manlier than ever.

  His thick, sun-bleached hair fell about his face. His piercing blue eyes moodily scanned her home. She stared at him through the kitchen window, unable to take her eyes from his, unable to deny the strong physical attraction between them.

  He walked around to the kitchen door and tried the handle. Still she couldn’t move. He braced a hand, either side of the doorframe, and stared directly at her through the glass window. Her stomach twisted into a tight knot at the intensity of his gaze. “Are you gonna open this door?”

  “What for?”

  “So we can talk.”

  “I don’t feel like talking, Jed.”

  “I’m gonna count to five, and then you’ll only have yourself to blame. One.”

  Rebecca pressed her body back against the wall, her gaze connected to his. No matter how angry she felt with him, the power of his presence affected her like nothing before. The fact that he was still here meant something, but she needed more proof.

  “Two.”

  Her breathing increased as she braced herself. The coolness of the kitchen tiles permeated the blouse she wore. “Go away,” she called, but she didn’t really mean it. In her wildest fantasies, she imagined him breaking the glass, pulling her into his arms, and professing his undying love for her. Then making mad, passionate, unbridled love to her right here on the floor.

  “Three. You’re only making it worse for yourself.”

  There was no way he could break the door down. She’d just had it installed, along with several brand-new locks. She wondered what he’d do when he got to five.

  “Four.”

  The blood pounded in her ears as she stared directly at him. Willing him to come in. Wanting him to consume her very being.

  “Five.”

  Not knowing what to expect, she closed her eyes. She heard nothing but the deafening sound of silence.

  Then, a loud crash took her by surprise, and her eyes flew wide open just as the kitchen door rocked back on its hinges.

  “Rebecca, honey, I’m the big bad wolf, and I’ve come for you.” His piercing blue eyes bore into her as he walked purposefully toward her. He was angry.

  Unable to speak, she just stared back. The fact that he’d just kicked her door in had momentarily rendered her speechless.

  * * * *

  The atmosphere between them felt supercharged and ready to explode at any moment. When she’d refused to open the door, he
only had two choices. Giving up just wasn’t an option.

  “How dare you,” she whispered, raising her hands to strike against his broad chest as he stood in front of her.

  He caught her wrists and held them firmly in his grasp. Rebecca had a temper to match his. “I dare.” He pulled her into his embrace and roughly kissed her lips. “Now don’t say anything. You’re coming with me.”

  In one movement he hauled her over his shoulder and began carrying her up the stairs.

  Held in a fireman’s lift, she shouted out, “Let me go, Jed.” Her fists pounded against his back.

  “Not a chance in hell, lady.” Then he swiftly thwacked her behind with one masterful stroke. That would make up for all the nights he’d lain awake trying to work out what he wanted.

  The sharp slap to her backside made her yelp, and she stopped hitting him. “What was that for?”

  “That’s for not picking the telephone up for the last three days.”

  “Serves you right.”

  “Maybe, but not three days, Becky.” He slapped her ass again…hard. All the trouble he’d gone to this afternoon, taking Annie over to her grandmother’s and dropping her off. “I’m in no mood for making an apology. Now I’m gonna serve swift justice the way I see fit.” They’d reached her bedroom, and he roughly threw her on the bed. “Now strip.” He began shedding his own clothes, desperate to be inside her.

  “Jed, you need a lesson in how to treat a woman.”

  He stared at her. “No, you’re the one that needs the lesson, and I’m gonna give it to you fast and hard, just the way you like it.”

  Finally naked, he reached forward and dragged her toward him. “I thought I said strip.”

  “You want them off, you take them off,” she taunted him. Her words only heightened his arousal, and he wrenched her skirt from her. He quickly relieved her of her panties, ruining them as he tore them from her body. The sound of the material shredding echoed around the room.

  “To hell with this,” he mumbled in frustration. With one rough movement, he started tearing at her blouse, ripping the buttons open. They pinged to the floor as he yanked the flimsy material from her. He did it so fast the sleeves tightened inside out on her arms, making it virtually impossible to remove. He pulled at her exposed bra, and the clasp gave way with a loud snap. He tossed it to the floor, a statement of his power over her.

  He saw the effect his actions had on Rebecca. Her breasts heaved with excitement. Small whimpers escaped her mouth as each piece of clothing was unceremoniously discarded. “Jed, I can hardly move my arms.”

  “That’s too bad, honey. I’m in charge. You’ll have to live with it.”

  As she struggled to free her hands, he rolled a condom down his shaft.

  “Jed, wait.”

  “No chance.”

  He knelt on the bed and lifted her to straddle on top of him. His hard cock pressed against her vagina. A moan tore from her lips as he buried himself to the hilt. Completely at his mercy, she stared into his eyes. Yeah, she liked him taking control. He began thrusting hard inside her. His one hand cupping her shapely ass, the other held against the nape of her neck. The warm, tight sheath of her body clasped firmly around his cock.

  He kissed her breasts, suckling the pale pink tips until she arched into him.

  “Now you’ve gotta promise me a few things, Becky.”

  “Yes, Jed.” Completely dominated and all compliant, her voice had gone quiet, and she’d given up trying to remove the blouse.

  “Never, ever stop talking to me again.”

  “Anything, Jed. I’m sorry I’ve been mean.”

  He leaned forward, pounding into her with deep, measured thrusts. He nuzzled into her neck and whispered in her ear, “I’m gonna fuck you so hard now, so you’ll remember. And when you’ve come, I’m gonna fuck that cute little ass of yours, too.”

  He knew his words and actions sent her spiraling toward her climax. Her pupils dilated, and she spoke his name in soft, feminine whimpers. The kind of moans that teased his cock into spilling his seed, sooner rather than later.

  When she finally freed a hand from her blouse, she wrapped her arms possessively around him, making him feel wanted and needed. Her fingers wound into his hair, and she arched her body into his just as her orgasm shattered through. The pulses contracted around him in tight waves. Her beauty at that moment took his breath away. Rebecca was everything he needed and wanted in a woman.

  He stroked his hand through her hair as her breathing returned to normal. “Becky, look at me.” Lifting her head, she stared into his eyes. He knew he could lose himself in those pale blue irises. “I’m sorry if I upset you on Sunday. You do mean a great deal to me, I love you, and I want us to be a family.”

  “Oh, Jed, I love you, too.”

  “I want us to get married, Becky. There’s no one else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with.” For the last three days, he’d done nothing but think about their relationship. They had the basis for a perfect family unit. They had all gotten along so well, just that slight glitch with Annie toward the end of the day. Even that could be overcome with time and patience.

  She touched her hand to his face. “I love you, Jed. I fell for you the first day you came to my house.” He smiled. The day she’d cured his bad neck. He kissed her lips, feeling that he’d finally found the perfect woman. Now he wanted to make her his permanently.

  “Lie on your stomach, Becky.”

  Chapter Eleven

  In a daze, Rebecca lay on her stomach. When Jed burst through the door, he’d taken her breath away. She’d never felt more desirable as he’d savagely ripped the clothes from her body. Then he’d made love to her with such intensity, staring into her eyes as he’d roughly taken her.

  Now he’d asked her to marry him. She smiled, feeling totally at peace. Jed loved her. He actually loved her.

  He began massaging her shoulders, working down her spine in bold, arcing sweeps. “Now this has to be done slowly.” He gently rubbed the cheeks of her ass with his fingers, stroking them incredibly tenderly.

  “Oh, Jed, that’s so nice.”

  He chuckled. “We haven’t even started yet, honey.”

  She heard him open a jar, and then he said, “Raise your butt for me.”

  Rebecca kneeled and rested her elbows on the mattress. Her pulse rate had increased dramatically. Doing something so taboo sent her breathing into overdrive.

  “Rebecca, you don’t know how sexy you look.”

  When a cold sensation touched her puckered hole, she gasped and tried to pull away. Jed held her firmly around the waist and administered the lotion, rubbing it around the rim. When he pushed a finger inside her ass, she whimpered. The sensation felt so alien, and yet so very erotic.

  “Jed,” she gasped.

  “It’s okay, honey. I need to help stretch you a little, so I don’t hurt you.”

  More lube followed, and then he slid two fingers inside her. She felt so full. She couldn’t imagine accommodating anything larger.

  “How does that feel, honey?”

  “It feels good, Jed, but so tight. I don’t think…” Her words trailed away as he packed in yet more lube. This time he worked three fingers inside her tight ass.

  Her heart rate increased as he knelt behind her. “You’ll be fine,” he promised as his cock rested against her most intimate of places.

  Holding her breath, she waited as he pushed the head of his penis inside her ass. A sharp sensation caused her to gasp, and she squeezed the bedspread, twisting it between her fingers. Then Jed grasped tightly onto her hips and drove in the rest of his hard shaft.

  “Oh, my God, Jed.” The feeling felt so foreign and exotic. She had never felt so full.

  He clasped her possessively around the waist. “Rebecca, you belong to me now.”

  “Yes, Jed.” It felt like he’d branded her as his own. She whimpered as he slowly withdrew and thrust back in. After caressing her clit, he inserted his fingers deep int
o her pussy. The knowledge that he filled both holes at the same time sent her arching into his hand. “God, that’s so…”

  “You feel so good, Becky. I love you, do you hear me?” He held her more tightly, thrusting hard inside her once more.

  “Oh, Jed, I love you so much.”

  Her whole world turned upside down. The feelings running through her ripped apart her preconceived ideas that she wouldn’t enjoy it. Sweat trickled down between them. Her body tightened around his thick length. A tight coil of tension started in her stomach, twisting into a knot, then surged down into her womb, where the first ripples of her orgasm began to grow.

  They feathered out, rising in intensity, until she shouted out as the most spectacular orgasm ripped her apart. Convulsions so exquisitely close to pain rippled around him, pulsing his shaft repeatedly until he, too, cried out as their ecstasy took hold. He came then in one giant surge, and a low animal growl tore from his lips as he spilled his seed deep inside her.

  They rested together, still intimately joined, until their breathing returned to normal.

  He stroked a hand through her hair. “Come on, let’s take a shower together.”

  * * * *

  “You okay, Becky?” he asked as they snuggled under the duvet. They’d made love once more in the shower and now lay exhausted in her bed. Her whole body glowed from his attention.

  “It’s just a lot to take in.”

  He pulled her more tightly into his embrace and began massaging her shoulders. When she rested her head against his chest, he wrapped his arms protectively around her.

  “What do you need to know?”

  “Everything.”

  He cupped her chin, and smiled warmly. “Rebecca, I love you and want to marry you.”

  To have a man like Jed made her feel like the luckiest woman alive. “Then how do you feel about having two women competing for your attention? You know it won’t be easy.”

  “Now that I haven’t begun to figure out. I just hadn’t bargained on a possessive daughter. Within two minutes of you leaving, she was as right as rain.”

  “It’s not really her fault. Annie hasn’t had to share you with anyone for the last eight years. Although I’m sure we’ll work it out in the end.”