by Azure Boone
Sam couldn’t help interpret that in all the wrong ways even though she knew he was trying to change the subject. But she wasn’t ready. “Why would you shave your head like that?” And look at him! How was the man somehow more beautiful without hair? That was so not fair! God, she needed to get rid of him. Fast. Before he got under her skin.
“It’s just hair. Like you said.”
She snorted then felt her face warm at the sudden realization. He’d done it for her. Oh my God. “Get your ass to the kitchen and eat will you? We’ve got a busy schedule ahead of us. If the ranch hands are well, I may not need you. I can’t afford it.”
He met her gaze. “I don’t need money.”
She stared at him, trying to keep her face from melting into holy orgasms Batman, as she sat there and devoured the rest of his body with her peripheral vision. He was in a white t-shirt and blue jeans that fit the man to a T. A touch me, lick me, bite me, ride me T! Oh Heaven on Earth what was he doing to her? She hadn’t thought those things in…oh no. Joe.
She pointed to the door. “Go eat. And you can stay at the hunting cabin if you do end up staying at all. Somehow I don't see you getting along with the others well enough to stay at the bunk house even if there was an extra bed. Which wouldn't be big enough for you.” She got busy typing gibberish into the address bar, willing him to listen immediately. Ha.
She stopped with a huff but refused to look at him and get sucked into ogling him again. No doubt he thrived on the attention. “You got a problem with taking orders bub?” She kept her tone light as she could.
“I uh…thank you. For letting me stay and help you.”
That was just it. She flicked her eyes at him. “What planet are you from? This here is Earth and if you’re gonna stay here, you had better act a little more…normal.”
“Sorry, I’ll try my best.”
Good God she was so not used to his personality. She remembered what a Godsend he was and closed her eyes with a sigh of guilt. She took a breath for courage and surrendered to the decency she knew ran in her blood. “No, I’m sorry. You don't deserve to be treated that way and I'm ashamed for being so nasty. It’s not your fault the only men I know are assholes and it isn’t right that I take it out on a real…gentleman.” She cleared the soft feminine out of her throat. “Haven’t seen one of them in…well hell, ever.”
“I know.”
She looked at him wondering why he said it like he really did know.
“I mean, I get what you’re saying.”
She nodded absently, ready to be away from him. “I’m sure there’s coffee in the kitchen and something good to eat. You must be exhausted. Thank you too. For all that you’ve done. I don’t want you to think I’m an ungrateful bitch. Well, the bitch part I don’t care about… just…yeah.”
“Yes ma'am. I knew that too.”
Sam watched his backside as he turned and left. Holy hell the man had a set of buns. And those jeans made her want… She held her breath stifling the moan in her throat at recalling what he looked like in only his tight boxers. She bit her lip and jerked her eyes to the computer screen when he disappeared out of view.
She shut her laptop after checking emails and headed for the kitchen, nearly running into Toren in the hall. “Shit,” she gasped, letting her back hit the wall.
“Sorry, thought you might want coffee. Kassie said you take it black?”
She regarded the cup in his hand and took it, her head instructing her to go on ahead to the kitchen before she passed out from being in such close proximity. Smelling all clean and that other scent he carried. Was it his detergent? Cologne lingering on his clothes? Whatever the hell it was, he could make a million bottling it. Add his out of this world good looks, and you had a woman puddle of dripping need.
She needed to keep her distance. Stupid female parts just had to decide to start working full throttle in a crisis. Hell, no doubt that’s why they were, she was desperate and her levels were all whacky. “Thank you.” She regretted the barking tone but she didn’t know how else to hide the embarrassing truth.
The last thing she needed was falling for a guy that was way way way out of her league. Hell, if she thought Joe’s rejection had hurt, she could only imagine what being rejected by Toren would feel like once she let herself fall.
She’d need a nuthouse instead of a convent to save her ass. Someplace they could perform a lobotomy and wipe it out of her mind. But a man like him…Jesus, he had the power to mark a woman soul deep.
Sam was suddenly at a weird loss for words while standing there in the hallway feeling so many things, but especially like she owed the man something more than her damn sarcasm. “Come here.”
She walked ahead to the bathroom and looked back to ensure he followed, bristling at herself for the crass command like he was some subservient dog. Hell she didn’t talk to animals in the tone she used with him.
He followed with a slight smile and she wondered what was going through that beautiful hairless head of his. She opened the bathroom door and turned on the light, then got the stool from next to the tub and set it in front of the mirror. “You missed a few spots.” She cleared her throat a little trying to soften her voice. “If you don’t mind…I’d like to get them for you.”
She fought to hold his gaze and not get all dizzy. Such beautiful eyes. Eyes that bore into hers without hesitation or inhibition. Bold and demanding. Devouring even. She released a breath when he broke eye contact but then he removed his shirt in one move. Lordy help her.
Now she didn’t know where to look. Not meeting his gaze meant staring at his chest. Damn she’d never been so torn. His gaze, meet his gaze.
When she did, she forgot what the hell she was supposed to be doing. She closed her eyes, focusing.
“You okay?” Deep voice. Small space. Intimate as hell.
“I’m fine.” Still not looking. “Just um. Thinking. Sit. Please.”
“Yes ma'am.”
Sam found herself staring at the back of his perfect head feeling like she was about to jump off a bridge. She finally had the sense to get the razor. “Can’t have you halfass shaving your head now can I?”
“No ma'am.” His tone vibrated through her.
“Whooowee, hot in this little box, told them they needed to put a damn window.” She stroked his scalp looking for those missed spots she’d seen. No sooner had her fingers touched his head than she got lost in the feel of him. So soft. Wow. She turned on the hot water and stood to his right then slowly ran the razor over his head. She methodically repeated the steps in a pattern to make sure she got every spot, pretending his head was just another animal she was shearing.
Finally done, she wet her hands and passed them over his head to make sure she got it all. He made a sound that resembled maybe a moan or a pained grunt and her fingers slowed. “Irritating?”
“Hell no.”
Her heart skipped several beats then raced to catch up. He turned his head and looked up at her. She realized she had no legitimate reason to still be touching him and removed her hands from his head. He reached for one of her hands and before she realized what he was doing, he rubbed her palm across his chest. Drying it. She couldn’t take her eyes from his as he slid it slowly over his hard muscles. Hot muscles. She couldn’t keep from pressing her fingers either, to feel him. Immaculate. Very nice for touching. And hell, tasting.
He stood up and she was suddenly swallowed by his towering frame. He was dangerous in so many ways. Especially those eyes right in that second. Hooded with…sex appeal.
“Thank you.”
She blinked several times at his strange words. “Thank you?” Whatever for? For touching him? Liking him? Wanting him? Wanting him to kiss her? In that very second? She wondered if he could read her mind with the way he suddenly stared at her mouth, contemplating. She licked her lips, oh my God, why did she do that? To entice? Yes, definitely.
It worked.
He slowly low
ered his head, his brows drawn, her mouth seeming to be his aim. She parted her lips, waiting for it. To be kissed. She closed her eyes and then opened them when his warm breath hit her lips. His brows were drawn hard, like something hurt.
Worried he’d not do it, she reached up and stroked her fingers across his face. Then tip-toed and closed the distance, pressing her lips into his full soft ones.
A guttural sound filled his throat. “Samantha.” He gasped her name then captured her jaw and neck in one large hand and plundered the hell out of her mouth with his skillful tongue. Sam inhaled as he boldly invaded her, telling just what he wanted from her. All and everything, right in that second.
He pressed lean hips against her, his hot gasp and massive hard-on drawing a whimper from her. She clutched desperately at his shoulders while he worked on unbuttoning her shirt the hunger in his kiss reckless and delicious.
Kassie’s scream pierced the air, startling both of them. “Shit!” Sam gasped and reluctantly pulled back with a moan that told of years of unmet need.
“Glory is delivering now!” Kassie screamed from the bottom of the stairs.
“Oh no!”
“What?” Toren demanded.
“She’s a rogue. She tries to kill every human within reach."
Toren flew down the stairs after her and they both ran to the barn.
** ** **
Samantha was glad Toren stayed right on her heels this time as she bolted out of the house and across to the truck. She didn't have time to explain the rush and just popped the clutch and let the truck bounce across the frozen ruts as he pulled the passenger door shut. The truck dropped into the deeper rut that led to the barns and a low grunt escaped Toren as his head banged against the upper door frame.
"Oh shit, sorry." She spun gravel and snow across the yard, bouncing over another deep rut, cracking Toren’s head against the top of the truck this time.
“I am so sorry,” she muttered, keeping her eyes riveted to her destination. By the time she skidded to a stop in front of the long low barn surrounded by small pens, a small gash trickled blood above his eye. And somewhere along the way, he'd collected a long scratch across his right pec. "Where's your shirt?" She slid out of the truck and took off a dead run to the mares pen. Just what she needed, to come running up with a half-naked man by her side.
Toren jogged alongside her. "On the floor of the bathroom. I didn’t quite have time to put it on." His eyes dropped briefly to her chest. “Button your shirt.”
Without breaking stride, Sam did, slightly annoyed with his demanding tone. “You say it like it’s my fault.”
“It is your fault. You make me crazy for you. But I don’t want another man looking at you.”
Oh God. Had he just claimed her for himself? The idea should have set off alarms in her rebellious and un-claimable spirit but instead, her body throbbed with the need to…have an orgasm of all things. Right in the middle of running toward the barn to save a horse.
A horse's angry squeal broke through the normal sounds of a winter day, toward the short end of the barn.
Hooves rang against wood, spurring her on. A male voice cursed, too loud and too sharp. Joe. Idiot.
Sam slowed to step around the corner and into sight, somehow trusting Toren to follow her lead. Trust. That was an entirely new concept and feeling she'd take time to examine later.
Four men stood huddled outside the nearest pen. Inside, the silver mare practically floated in an animated trot. Nervous whistles fluttered distended nostrils and her eyes rolled in near panic. "What's going on?" Sam approached the men, keeping her voice low but full of authority. She wanted the message clear. Her horse. Her say.
Joe barely glanced over his shoulder and didn't reply. Jonas, the youngest of the full hands, barely staying upright from the looks of it, turned to her, ignoring a nasty glance from Joe.
"I came out to feed and saw the mare had dropped her foal. I watched and it ain't movin’. Called Mr. Josephus and he tried to get a look, but the ole girl kicked at ‘im. I got a little better look then. It's breathing but too slow. And it's real little."
The third man turned and Sam nearly sighed with relief. "Doc, what brings you this way? I know you didn't come out for a couple of old women whining over a foal."
Doc Jansen, the vet the ranch used when necessary, grinned, fully aware of the animosity between Sam and Joe. "Hey, Sammy. Nah, I was here checking on the mare I brought to your cutting stud. Came out when I heard the commotion." He nodded toward Sam's mare, weathered face serious. "That foal needs looking at, but the mare's done put your men back over the fence."
Finally, Joe turned to her. "I just brought my rifle out. Going to settle it once and for all. Like I should have to begin with." He worked the bolt and sent a round into the chamber.
Fury shot through Sam. "What do you think you're doing?"
Joe turned to face her fully and allowed the muzzle of the rifle to drift in her direction. "I'm putting that damn rogue down. The bitch is dangerous and is going to hurt somebody. I won't stand by and let that happen."
If she didn't know better, she'd have sworn Joe’s eyes glowed blood red in the shadow of his hat. Then his words sank in. Her heart slammed into her throat. He wouldn't dare. "That animal is worth tens of thousands of dollars. You kill her, you'll pay back every cent. The financial stability of this ranch lies in her bloodlines since you talked my father into mortgaging the place to the hilt with that harebrained mining scheme of yours."
"Hey, man, get out of there!" Jonas didn't yell, but he amplified his voice to carry, and it caught Sam's attention.
She turned to see who he was talking to. Her blood froze in her veins as the mare trumpeted and pawed the earth. Toren was inside the pen! She wanted to scream for him to get out but couldn't take the chance of spooking the mare any further.
She held her breath and watched. Toren sidled in a slow circle around the mare, keeping his distance, hands out at his sides. The mare switched her tail and rolled her eyes, but she kept her attention on him, circling to face him.
Doc Jansen nodded to his assistant, the other man in the group. "Get over there by the fence. When he gets the mare's full attention, you get in there and drag that foal out."
The young man nodded and shed his coat and hat, careful to avoid alerting the mare. In just a moment, he'd found a place to crouch beside the fence as close to the infant horse as possible, ready to dive through.
Toren circled within a dozen feet of the mare, still moving slow and crooning soft words.
"This is bullshit!" Joe snatched off his own hat and threw it to the ground. "That bastard is going to get himself killed."
The mare threw her head up and trumpeted her warning again, stamping the ground.
Toren froze but continued to talk to the enraged mother.
Joe suddenly moved closer to the fence and shouldered the rifle. "Get out of there, you idiot! Damn thing will kill you!" He waved one hand wildly and whistled, drawing the mare's full attention.
She reared and screamed then leapt forward to deal with the threat Joe presented.
Toren stood directly between the furious beast and her target. He dove to the side but her shoulder still hit him with tremendous force, throwing him through the air to land hard on his back.
The mare screamed again, rearing and pawing the air while sweat and lather dripped from her glistening hide.
Toren lay on the ground, the breath obviously knocked from him, leaving him helpless.
The mare dove at him and rose in a short rear. Sam's heart stopped.
The mare's iron-hard hooves drove down to strike Toren's chest with incredible force. His body jerked off the ground with the impact.
"Shoot! Kill her Joe!" The words leapt from her throat in panic, but Sam wouldn't take them back. Suddenly Toren meant more to her than the ranch's future. Another blow like the first would kill any man and she couldn’t lose him. No matter if he did end up s
hattering her heart and soul. One moment with him was worth far more than any horse or piece of land.
Moving in slow motion, Joe took aim and the mare reared again, bellowing her anger.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sam absently noted the vet's assistant darting toward the foal. He dropped to his knees at its side.
Joe's finger finally tightened on the trigger as the mare started her downward plunge.
"SHOOT!"
"NO!" Toren exploded from under the mare's hooves and flew at her head. Using his momentum and the mare's position, he spun her off her feet and bore her to the ground. He crouched with his knee on the horse's jaw, keeping her pinned.
The vet's assistant grabbed the foal's hind feet and dragged it to the fence where the vet took over and pulled the little thing under the bottom rail. "Clear!"
"Toren, get out!"
Faced with the dilemma of letting go of the tiger's tail, Toren stayed still for a long moment. Then he visibly gathered himself, muscles rippling under the muddy mixture of dirt, sweat and snow that coved his naked back. With inhuman speed, he leaped off the mare's head and moved back.
He continued to face the horse as she lunged to her feet.
Why didn't he run? He'd had a few seconds to get outside the fence.
Instead he stood like a statue, hands out, murmuring those soft words again.
The mare snorted and tossed her mane, but stood.
Toren took a step toward her. And still she stood. Another step. She stretched her muzzle out, nostrils quivering.
Toren took another step and the mare allowed his fingers to touch her nose, then creep up to her head, tickling and scratching. Amazingly, the powerful creature lowered her head and relaxed her ears.
Toren stepped up to touch her neck.
"You want a rope, man?" Jonas' low voice carried across the pen.
Toren shook his head and took hold of a handful of mane and tugged. The mare took a step, apparently willing to follow where he led.
"Get the hell out of my way, you bastard!" Joe’s voice broke and he screeched the command as he drew the rifle's hammer back.