by Dakota Black
He gritted his teeth as the sensations became even more electrified, the current coursing through his entire body.
Arching her back, she allowed her hair to dangle as she continued riding him, picking up speed until the force was creating creaks in the wooden chair.
Growling, he bent his head, engulfing her nipple, sucking and licking, dragging his tongue around her hardened bud. He was shaking all over, his calves tight, his balls screaming for relief.
When he bit down, she let out a strangled moan.
Sliding his mouth to her other breast, he sucked and nipped. He wasn’t going to be able to hold back for long. Gathering every bit of strength, he rose to his feet, cradling her ass and walking toward the living room. Easing her down near the back of the couch, he cupped her face, kissing her lips. “Every inch of you belongs to me.”
“I know, sir.”
He spun her around to face the back of the couch and pushed her over, kicking out her legs.
Amber gripped the edge of the couch and twisted in order to see him.
Fisting her hair, he yanked back her head the second he thrust his cock inside her cunt. “Yes!” He began to move in and out, pumping harder and faster, willing his body to hold back, to wait.
She tried to meet every hard drive, arching her back. “Yes. Yes!”
Camden clenched his eyes shut as he thrust savagely, skin against skin, his balls swinging. There was little he could do, the pressure building. Building. “Come with me.”
“I…”
“Come with me,” he struggled to say.
She clawed the leather, her body tensing. “Yes. I… Oh!”
As her pussy muscles clamped around his cock, he threw his head back and roared, exploding deep inside. “Yes!” Quivering, her body sagged, her chest heaving.
He covered her shaking body with his, waiting as they calmed their breathing, slowed his beating heart.
And all he could think about was the moment he would be forced to say goodbye.
When she was fast asleep, only then did he ease out of her bed, kissing her forehead and moving quietly out of her room. The night had been amazing, but his heart remained heavy. He was here to do a job. Whatever was going on at the Rattlesnake Ranch, he had a terrible feeling she was going to lose everything.
After dressing, he grabbed his boots and headed toward the front door, stopping just outside the kitchen. Easing the boots down without a sound, he walked into the quaint space and looked over his shoulder before turning on the light over the sink. He found the envelope easily enough. There was an address embossed on the outside. He walked to the sink, holding the envelope into the light.
Randolph Corporation
Diamond D Ranch
Interesting. The note was simple, merely an amount. One hundred thousand dollars. For what? For the ranch? The motherfucker had to be kidding. His thoughts drifted back to the questions regarding oil. Whether he liked it or not, he had the distinct feeling he was going to end up contacting Mitchell. She might not like the fact he was meddling, but his instinct was telling him that Mr. Randolph was playing hard ball. He slipped the note back into place and turned off the light.
Exhaling, he glanced at the stairs before grabbing his boots. As he stood on the porch, studying the stars, he heard a noise. Then another. As his eyes became focused to the darkness, he could swear he noticed a slight flash of orange. A flickering flame.
A cigarette being lit.
He knew damn good and well the sound as well as the flame wasn’t coming from the crew’s quarters. Whoever was smoking remained close. The mystery guest was watching the house. He waited in the shadows until he heard the sound of an engine and if he had to guess, the vehicle was an older model truck. Like a Bronco. The moment he heard the tires crunching on the gravel, he raced to his truck, climbing inside.
Yes, it was definitely time for him to find out what the hell was going on.
“Come to me, motherfucker.”
Chapter 6
Amber curled up with her pillow, staring out the open window into the darkness. The wind had kicked up, creating a nice, sweet breeze. Even the various night scents were peaceful tonight. She rubbed her lips with the tip of her finger, remembering the rough kisses, the touch of his hands. Of course, she’d anticipated he would leave. The crew was working six-day weeks and the ranch-hands didn’t need to see Camden’s truck parked in front of her house. She also wasn’t ready to broadcast the information to Drago. She’d noticed the Russian had hung around. At some point, she was going to have to tell him that she was seeing Camden. Seeing? Hell, she had no idea what she’d agreed to. This had just been about sex, right?
Groaning, she rolled over. What did it matter to a man with no real life? They weren’t a couple. Drago had made no bones about that fact from day one. She breathed out and yanked the pillow over her face. As the sheets scratched her naked ass, she wiggled, enjoying the pain. How in the hell had the night even happened? One minute she was making fun of Camden’s brawn and the next? Fucking him.
She kicked her legs and shifted back and forth. Tossing the pillow, she stared up at the ceiling, studying the way the wicker fan made eerie shadows. Eerie. There was a word. Oil. There was another. The word and concept continued to come up. A quick glance at the clock and she laughed. She was wide awake as usual and the exact same time even after two rousing and incredible rounds of sex.
And two spankings.
Nothing was going to calm her down until she managed to kick Bart to the curb. She rolled out of bed and found a clean pair of shorts and a tank top, wrangling into them as she thumped down the stairs. She caught a whiff of his scent and pressed the back of her hand over her mouth. She could get used to having a cowboy around.
Her laptop screen was dark, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe the cowboys Jorge had snagged for night watch were deterrent enough. Money well worth being spent. Even though her bank account was dwindling rapidly. She pressed on the screen, flipping to the cameras and allowed them to scroll by, area after area. Nothing. Yes! A small win. She would take every one of them she could get.
She stood watching when she remembered what she’d been doing prior to Camden’s arrival. Easing onto the chair, she moved back to the internet and typed in his name. Within seconds, the screen was filled with Press Releases and pictures. She leaned in, studying his handsome face in the very slick variety of suits. He wasn’t a cowboy after all. “What?”
She scrolled for a few seconds as she tried to comprehend what she was seeing. Clicking on one of the newspaper articles, she read the passage out loud.
“Camden Dane, CEO of Rush Enterprises, when asked about the possibility of taking over additional oil companies was quoted as saying, ‘Rush is interested in acquiring additional firms at any cost’.” At any cost. Fuck. Fuck! She was being played.
Her skin crawling, she clicked on several additional articles as well as a few fact sheets. He was in charge of what had become one of the largest oil producing companies in Texas, if not the entire West. They’d grown exponentially during the last two years, even though they’d had their share of difficulty with the law.
“I don’t understand,” she whispered, fighting back tears. Why wouldn’t he tell her? Was there a connection that Rush had with Bart Randolph? Okay, nothing was making any sense. Funny how Camden had arrived not long after the serious trouble began. He’d answered a Craig’s List ad? If he was trying to make a play for her ranch, then why use his real name?
Because some men were arrogant assholes.
She had to get away from the computer before she smashed it to tiny bits, loving every second of the nasty action. He’d lied to her. All the questions he’d asked. All the innuendoes. Then, he’d gotten her into bed. What the fuck was wrong with her? “Ugh!” Slamming her hand against the wall, she had no idea how she was going to face him, but she would confront the man in the morning. And she was going to fire his ass. Damn it!
Bam! Bam!
“Amber!”
Hearing his voice, the lying son of a bitch, was more than just infuriating. Storming down the hall, she threw open the door and was about to hurl a line of obscenities when she noticed the horror on Camden’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“Fire. There’s a damn fire past the river.”
“What?” She stumbled out onto the deck.
“The fire department has been called but some of the cattle are blocked in. I’m going to help.”
“Then I’m coming with you.”
“No, you’re staying here.”
She pointed her finger in his face, fuming. The man was a pig. “Hear me. I am going whether you like it or not. You can’t tell me what to do. You don’t own me.” And you never will.
Camden narrowed his eyes and after a few seconds, shook his head. “Fine. Just fucking fine. Then grab some shoes. It’ll get dicey.”
“As if you’d know. You, wait right here.” She bolted back inside, fury making her shake. This was no time to deal with a lying sack of shit, but she would once and for all. Grabbing work boots and socks, she hesitated for only a second before heading for her guns.
His eyes opened wide when she walked out. “You really anticipate needing your gun?”
“I will shoot to kill. I’m sick to death of anyone who deceives me.” Giving Camden a nasty look, she sidestepped him and headed for his truck, throwing open the passenger door.
“Well, okay then.” He climbed into the truck and turned over the engine. “Did something happen after I left?”
“We’re not talking about this now. Period.” She hovered against the door, the rifle between her legs.
“Okay. Zero to one eighty in the blink of an eye.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Not a damn thing.” Huffing, he jerked the truck into drive, zooming off.
The tension was thick, creating a nasty vibe. Could he have set the fire? She couldn’t think this way. He might be here to deceive her, but there was no indication he was a criminal of any kind. “How did you learn about the fire?”
“How? Are you going to yank my chain?” Camden shook his head.
“I need to know.”
“Let’s see. I noticed when I left that someone was watching your house, so I followed them. Almost caught up when I noticed the fire. By the point I rode up, so did some of the crew. We tried to get the cattle moving, but we could tell it was a losing battle.”
“Damn it!”
“I woke the ranch-hands. Every one of them is already out there.” Camden’s tone of voice was soft, as if trying to comfort her.
She nodded, fearful that she was going to burst into tears.
“Now, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on or do I need to guess?”
“As if you didn’t know,” she snapped and folded her arms, keeping her eyes on the horizon. “And don’t use that tone of voice on me. I’m not your fucking submissive!” The words stung given the shocked look on his face. He could simply be a good actor. She refused to fall into his web again. She just couldn’t.
“Amber. Talk to me. Did someone else threaten you while I was gone? Did you receive a phone call? What?”
“Nope.”
He exhaled and grumbled under his breath. “Then why won’t you talk to me?”
“We have nothing to say to each other. Just drive.”
“You do realize that you’re treading on dangerous territory.”
Laughing, she wanted to give him more than a piece of her mind. “And how would you know?”
“Because I’ve dealt with these types of people before. They’re ruthless. They’ll stop at nothing to get what they want, no matter who they hurt. That’s the way it works.”
“Sounds like you know exactly what’s going on, Camden. Did you come here to help destroy everything that my father worked for?”
“What? Are you freaking kidding me? Is that what you think?” Camden demanded.
“I don’t know what to think. At all.”
A few seconds ticked by.
He rubbed his mouth and hissed. “You’re wrong, lady. Whatever is going on at your ranch I fell into. I’m not trying to hurt you and I hope to hell somewhere inside you know that. I really fucking do.”
My God, the gall of the man. She tapped her foot, the articles racing through her brain. “Just answer me this question.”
“I thought we weren’t talking,” he retorted and shot her a look.
“Have it your way.” She needed real help to try and thwart the Randolphs. Tears rushed to her eyes and she sniffed, wishing them away. This couldn’t be happening.
“Ask. Just ask. Okay?”
She heard the sadness in his voice and the same feeling from just a few hours before settled into her heart. “Why are you here?”
“I told you. I needed time to figure out my life.”
“Your old life wasn’t good enough?” If only he would tell her the truth.
“My old life was a mess. I was losing it, but you don’t need to hear about my crap. You have enough to deal with.” Camden’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.
She studied his movements, the way his face was pinched. Yep. He was lying alright.
“Shit. The fire’s gotten a hell of a lot bigger.”
Allowing a long and slow breath, she leaned forward, her eyes opening wide. “I can’t lose anymore cattle. I just can’t. I don’t have the…” No. Don’t tell him anything.
The sound of sirens blasted from all around.
“You need to be able to trust someone and I thought it was me,” Camden said quietly.
“I don’t and won’t trust anyone. I’ve been burned one too many times.” Her heart thumping, she gripped the dashboard as he drove closer. The flames were licking up into the trees, shooting high in the sky.
“Shit.” He pressed down on the accelerator, speeding around the last curve. Skidding to a stop, he threw the gear into park. “I’d tell you to stay here but I know better.” Huffing, he threw open the door and raced out of the truck.
She sat shell shocked for a few seconds before grabbing the rifle and climbing outside, running in the direction of the fire. She could just make out several of her cattle racing in all directions. “Get them to safety!” There were firemen everywhere, chaos as men swarmed the area. Her eyes were already burning, and she had no idea where Camden had gone.
The call was almost lost in the roar of the fire but as Jorge drove up, jumping out of the truck, she sagged.
“I heard the call on the scanner. What the hell happened?” Jorge rushed toward her.
“I don’t know. Camden came to my door. He said he noticed the fire.”
He patted her on the arm. “Damn it! Stay here, Miss Amber. We’ll get the cattle to safety.”
“Jorge, I just…”
“We can do this.” Jorge pulled away and trotted in the direction of the fire.
How could she stay here when the largest number of her prized cattle were in imminent danger? She started walking toward the fire and the horror crept in, the understanding that she had no way of fighting off the enemy. None.
She felt a presence behind her and bristled, gripping the rifle.
“How quickly you moved on.”
Drago. This was the last thing she needed. “What does that mean? And why aren’t you out there?” She noticed the cigarette in his mouth, dangling as he walked closer. His look was foreboding, even ominous.
“I know you very well, princess. You need constant attention, whether you want to believe that or not. You pretend that you’re so strong, but at the end of the day, you long for a firm hand.” Drago moved in front of her and took a long puff before tossing the cigarette and stubbing it out.
Princess! She wanted to scratch his eyes out. Had he be
en watching her house? She wouldn’t put it past him to spy on her. “I asked you a damn question. Why aren’t you out there? Why weren’t you the first one on the scene since your cabin is so close?” She couldn’t see his eyes given the darkness, but her gut told her that he was pissed.
“I was the first on the scene, sunshine. I was the one who called the fire department.” His voice was slurred, his accent heavier. He stomped closer, his fist clenched.
“Good. And your comment about attention? You have no idea who I am or what I need. You never talked to me. You weren’t interested in a relationship in any manner.” Amber wasn’t ready for the ensuing fight. She didn’t need this shit and especially not from a man who couldn’t care less whether she was even around. Fingering the rifle, she took a step away.
He grabbed her wrist, yanking her forward. “Do you really think you’re going to get what you need from a man like Camden Dane? Why don’t you ask him what his true identity is about? Why don’t you confront him as to the reason he’s here?”
“I know exactly who he is and the company he works for, Drago.” Yanking away her arm, she gave him a nasty look. “And what the hell do you think you know?” This was more of a game than she dared to admit.
He took two long strides toward her. “I know that he’s out for your ranch, just like Bart Randolph is.”
She looked away. How the fuck did Drago know anything? She’d kept everything private.
“You didn’t think I knew about the threats, the push to sell off your land? I have many powerful friends, princess. You should keep that in mind.”
“Is that a threat, Drago?” She held the rifle in both hands.
Boom!
The cracking sound was met with several loud voices as embers spewed down from the sky. Trees cracked, limbs succumbing to the power of the fire. Her beautiful ranch.
“What the hell?” Amber ran toward the fire. Men were scattered in all directions and she couldn’t tell what was going on. “What happened?”
“An explosion,” one of the ranch-hands stated as he hunkered over, wheezing. “We’re trying. It’s too damn hot.”