“Stop it,” he growled.
Stephanie blinked her eyes at him and pouted. “Why? I want you back. We were good together.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m sure we were better together than you and your slut are.”
Wyatt’s jaw tightened and he flattened his lips. “If you mean Olivia, she’s not a slut.”
Stephanie waved her hand. “Oh, please. Why would a single woman be on birth control pills if she doesn’t whore around?”
“Get out,” Wyatt told her between clenched teeth.
Stephanie’s eyes widened and she hopped off the fence. “I’m just telling it like it is.”
“Why is that any of your business?”
“I’m just saying that Olivia must like to sleep around.”
Wyatt leaned his face down to hers. “You weren’t a virgin, either.”
Stephanie gasped. “No, I wasn’t but I’ve only been with two men. How many has your slut been with?”
Wyatt straightened to his full height, took her bicep in his hand, and tugged her toward the door. “I’m not going to tell you again. Get out.” He practically shoved her out the door. She pulled away from him and fled out the door. He took deep breaths to calm himself. The anger was coming off him in waves. His fists clenched and he gritted his teeth. Cochise butted his head against Wyatt’s back as if in sympathy.
Wyatt turned and rubbed the horse’s nose. The day was a complete waste since Stephanie had shown up. Damn her. But he knew what would make it better. He smiled as he led Cochise out of the arena and mounted the horse. Cochise pranced around, excited about a run, and was ready to go. Wyatt nudged him and the horse bolted out of the yard toward the north pasture. He was going full speed, passing through Gabe’s land, and then Jake’s, until they finally got to the B and B’s land. He reined the horse in at the top of the hill and gazed down at the house and barns. Cochise shifted under him. He nudged him gently to walk down the hill. He needed to see Olivia.
* * * *
Olivia sat at the kitchen table working on the website. Evelyn was preparing the lunch meal and bustling around the kitchen. Olivia smiled as she listened to the woman talking to herself. She was adding pictures of the new riding horses to the site. She shuddered at their size. She still had no desire to get on one of those big animals. No matter how beautiful they were.
“Oh my,” Evelyn muttered as she looked out the door.
Olivia glanced over to her. “Is Stan out there again?” She teased.
Evelyn slapped a kitchen towel at her. “He is, but I was talking about the other gorgeous hunk out there.”
Olivia frowned then got up and went to the door to look out. She gasped when she saw Wyatt talking to Stan. Cochise stood beside him. Had he ridden that horse all the way here from his ranch? She looked around the yard, but didn’t see his truck anywhere. Her eyes went back to him and she bit back a groan. He looked so good. His coat hung open, showing his T-shirt hugging his pecs and rippled stomach. His jeans were so faded they were almost white. The crotch cupped his sex alluringly. She looked over her shoulder at Evelyn.
“He’s one fine looking young man,” Evelyn said with a grin.
Olivia watched until she saw him heading toward the door. She quickly moved back to her seat at the table since she didn’t want him to know she’d been watching him. Evelyn stood at the stove stirring a huge pot of stew. The door opened and he stepped in. He closed the door and leaned back against it, folding his arms. She glanced up and her eyes met his. She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. He tipped his head down so his hat covered his eyes. When he raised his head back up, she could see he was trying not to grin. His lips twitched as he walked toward her. He placed one hand on the table in front of her and one on the chair back. He took his hat off, put it on her head, and leaned in close to her. Right before his lips touched hers, he whispered.
“Hi, sweetheart.” Then he pressed his lips to hers. “I’ve missed you.”
“Not as much as I’ve missed you,” Olivia said against his lips.
“Want to bet?” He smiled.
“What’s the bet?” Olivia nibbled her bottom lip.
Wyatt straightened up. “If I win, you come home with me.”
“And if I win?” She gazed up at him.
Wyatt turned a chair around, straddled it, and laid his arms across the top of it. “If you win, you come home with me.”
Olivia narrowed her eyes at him. “How is that fair?”
“Who said it had to be fair?” Wyatt shrugged.
Olivia stood, not breaking his stare as she closed her laptop, and then walked to her apartment. She came back a few minutes later to find him gone. She glanced at Evelyn.
“Where did he go?”
Evelyn nodded her head toward the door. “Out.”
Olivia called for Punkin and walked out onto the porch. Wyatt was talking to Stan again. He glanced over to her and after seeing the suitcase, strode over to her. She took his hat from her head and placed it on his.
“Let’s go.” She walked to her car and let Punkin in. She was about to get in when she saw that Wyatt was still standing in the same spot. Olivia put her hands on her hips.
“Well, cowboy, what are you waiting on?” She laughed when she saw him run to Cochise and leap into the saddle. He nudged the horse and took off through the deep snow in the pasture.
Chapter Ten
Olivia arrived at his ranch before he did. She walked into the house and took her suitcase to the bedroom. Going back outside, she watched Punkin and Bear chase each other around the yard. When one of the ranch hands came toward her, she waited. He tipped his hat at her.
“Do you need some help ma’am?” He smiled at her.
“No, thank you. I’m waiting for Wyatt.”
“He’s sure been busy today. You’re the second female who’s been here to see him.” He grinned and walked away.
Second female? Who was the first? Had he lied about not seeing anyone else? Why would he ask her to come here then? She was about to go back inside and wait for him in the kitchen when he rode into the yard. Her breath caught. He looked incredible on that horse. She watched him jump out of the saddle and saunter toward her. He halted when she glared at him.
“Who was here earlier?”
Wyatt frowned. “Huh? What do you mean?”
“One of your ranch hands found it necessary to tell me there was another female here to see you today.”
“Son of a bitch,” Wyatt muttered.
“Who?” Olivia asked again.
Wyatt reached for her hand. She stepped back from him. He sighed, took her elbow, and led her toward the house. She glanced in the direction of Cochise, but he grumbled something about him not going anywhere. Once inside the house, she jerked her arm from him.
“Stephanie was here…” Wyatt began when she started back toward the door. He stepped in front of her. “You need to listen to me before you throw a hissy fit.”
Olivia put her hands on his chest and shoved him. “I do not throw hissy fits. I told you I wasn’t going to be with you if you were seeing someone else.” She tried to walk around him but he grabbed her by the waist.
“I’m not with anyone else and there’s no way in hell I’d be with Stephanie. I can promise you that, she’s only coming around because she knows I’m seeing you.” He spun her around to face him. “I don’t want anyone but you, sweetheart.”
The fight went out of her and she leaned into him. She looked up at him and felt a huge blast of satisfaction when he groaned.
“Those eyes of yours are going to do me in.” He lowered his head and kissed her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
Wyatt raised his head. “I’m telling you the truth, Olivia. After she kissed me…”
“You kissed her?” Olivia said, punching his arm and cringing slightly when it hurt her hand. It was like hitting a steel beam.
“You’re not listening. I said she kissed me.” He softly swore. “I don’t want
anything to do with her and you have to believe that or there’s no sense in us being together.” He took her hands in his. “I told you I wouldn’t see anyone else while I’m seeing you. I’m not a liar, Olivia.”
“I bet she had some things to say about me though, didn’t she?” Olivia knew by the look on his face that she was right. “What did she say?”
“It doesn’t matter.” She continued to glare at him. He sighed and so told her.
“I’m not a slut,” Olivia exclaimed after hearing the account.
“I know that,” Wyatt said kissing the palm of her hand.
Olivia took his hand and led him to the living room. “I want to tell you about my life.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to…please.” She gazed up at him. When he nodded, together they sat on the sofa. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath.
“My mother abandoned me when I was two years old. She took me to a police station, pinned a note to my coat, and walked out. Since no one could find her, I ended up in an orphanage, and then I went to foster homes but no one ever adopted me. I was a hellion and did whatever I could to get attention. I was rebellious and no matter what home I went to, they sent me back to the orphanage.” She blew out a breath. “I wasn’t a good person. I had sex when I was fifteen and that was even after I went to live with Becca and her parents.” She sighed. “I still can’t believe they loved me the way they did. I was a bitch for the first two years but deep inside, I knew it was wrong acting as I did. At sixteen, I decided to turn my life around and be the person they thought I could be. Becca’s parents became my parents. They disciplined me and for once in my life, I listened to someone trying to straighten me out. I grieved right alongside Becca when they died.” Olivia blinked back sudden tears. “When I was twenty-one, I fell in love with a boy in college. I thought he was the one, until I caught him screwing my roommate. Trust me, if Becca hadn’t been with me, he’d no longer be among the living.”
She saw Wyatt’s mouth twitch but he nodded for her to go on. She gave him a sad smile. “I had a hard time trusting men after that. I figured they were all the same, especially when married men would hit on me. I’d tell them what I thought of them screwing around on their wives. You wouldn’t believe their excuses.” She gazed into those black eyes. “I grew up tough and until I met Becca and her parents, I didn’t give a shit about anyone. I love Becca as a sister. We may not share blood but I’d do anything for her.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve been with four men. One, if you don’t count the three who were actually boys, and had no idea what they were doing. I was in relationships with each one of them. The relationships didn’t last long, but then it wasn’t really love I felt for any of them. I am on the pill but not because I screw around. It’s because I have menorrhagia, which means I have very difficult and nasty periods.” She shrugged. “The pills help some. I always made my partners wear condoms—until you. That’s it. The Olivia Rene Roberts story.”
“That’s it?” Wyatt asked.
“Yes. I understand if you don’t want to see me anymore.”
“Do you now?”
She glanced at him and nodded. “I do.”
Wyatt huffed. “As far as I’m concerned, none of that matters, Olivia. What matters is the here and now.”
She gasped in surprise. “Are you sure?”
Wyatt chuckled. “Do you think I’ve been squeaky clean?”
“You mean you haven’t?” She narrowed her eyes and grinned.
“No. You wouldn’t believe how Jake, Gabe, and I tore up this town when we were teenagers. A lot of our friends too.” He laughed. “You think Sam was always a good guy? He was one of the worst.”
Olivia laughed. “Sam? Well, now that you mention it, there’s something about a bad boy turned sheriff.” She gazed at Wyatt through her lashes. He growled at her and stood up. She laughed then squealed when he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder.
“I’ll show you a bad boy.” He carried her down the hall.
Olivia ran her hands over his butt in those tight jeans. “Please do, cowboy. Please do.”
* * * *
Wyatt lay on his back with Olivia draped across his chest while he tried to catch his breath. She amazed him, always giving as good as she got. He absentmindedly played with a few strands of her hair. She sighed and her warm breath blew across his chest. He tightened his arm around her and knew he had fallen hard into a pit of trouble.
Olivia rose up on her elbows to look at him. “Kiss me,” she told him.
He flipped her onto her back and leaned over her. He kissed her chin, her nose, and across her cheek but kept away from her lips. She moaned and his groin twitched. How was that even possible? They had just had mind-blowing sex but he was ready to go again already. He ran his tongue along her collarbone.
“Wyatt, kiss me,” she begged but then whimpered when he kissed her lips quickly, and moved to her ear. She grabbed a fistful of his hair. “Wyatt Stone, if you don’t kiss me, there will be hell to pay.”
He chuckled and then pressed his lips to hers, moving his tongue inside her mouth. She moaned and moved her tongue against his, making him groan. He pressed his erection against her leg. She pulled back from him and gazed up at him in surprise.
“Yeah, tell me about it.” Wyatt grinned as he moved on top of her.
Olivia reached between them, wrapped her fingers around his hard cock, and moved the head between her feminine folds.
“Jesus, Olivia.” Wyatt groaned. She laughed, and then gasped when he reached between them and guided himself into her, making them both sigh.
“Wrap your legs around me, darlin’,” he whispered and groaned when she clasped him tight. He gazed into her eyes and what he saw there couldn’t be what he thought it was, but only his wishful thinking. She moved her hips to his rhythm. Wyatt kissed her hard and deep.
Olivia tore her lips from his. “Please…faster…harder,” she pleaded with him. He complied.
He tried to hold back but when he felt her inner muscles tighten, he lost it. “Now, darlin’. You with me?”
“Yes,” she cried out.
A little later, they lay in each other’s arms. Olivia’s fingers were trailing over his pecs and rippled stomach. He knew she wanted to say something.
“Spit it out, Olivia. I can hear the wheels turning.” He chuckled when she blew out an exasperated breath.
“Tell me about Stephanie.”
Wyatt sighed, wishing it was something other than that. “I was engaged to her, she broke the engagement a week before the wedding. What else is there?”
“Tell me how you met her, and how you fell in love with her so much so that you wanted to marry her.”
“I met her years ago. She’s five years younger so we didn’t run in the same circles. I was twenty-eight when I met her through her dad. Blake and I had become acquainted through me training cutting horses. I thought she was beautiful…” He felt Olivia stiffen beside him. “Are you going to listen or just get pissed?” When she relaxed, he continued. “Anytime I was at Blake’s to talk with him, she was there. We started seeing each other and we fell in love…well, I fell in love. I’m not really sure about her now. I’d been out of the Marines for two years and looking into law school…”
“You wanted to attend law school?” Olivia asked in surprise.
“Yes. She talked me out of it. I kick myself every day for listening to her but in a way it was the best thing that happened. I love what I’m doing now. I was training horses part time and the more I did it, the more I loved it.” He shrugged. “So, I guess it was for the best. I only hate that I let her talk me out of it instead of making it my own decision.”
“Why did she break the engagement?” Olivia asked.
Wyatt grunted. “She told me I was spending too much time working the horses and if I had gone on to law school, we’d have more time together.”
Olivia sat up and glared at him. “Are you serious? S
he’s the one who talked you out of going.”
“That’s what I said, but it didn’t matter to her. She gave me the ring back and that was it.” He shrugged.
“Were you deeply in love with her?”
“When I think back, I don’t think I loved her enough. I was more interested in combining my business with her father’s. Stephanie was just a bonus. As I said, I thought she was beautiful but it didn’t take too long to realize she wasn’t a nice person. I’m glad now that I didn’t marry her.”
“Was she good in bed?” Olivia asked. Wyatt burst out laughing and she swatted him in response. “You want to tell me what’s so funny, cowboy?”
He rolled on top of her and kissed her. “If you like having sex with a block of ice, she was great. She doesn’t compare to you, darlin’, and never will.” He kissed her again. Olivia moaned against his mouth while wrapping her arms around his neck. All was good with the world—for now.
* * * *
The next morning, Olivia woke up alone. She dressed and walked to the kitchen looking for Wyatt. He wasn’t in the house so she headed out the back door in search of him. Her breath whooshed out of her chest in amazement when she saw him ride Cochise into the yard and head toward her. He smiled and her knees almost gave out.
“It’s about time you got up,” he said gazing down at her.
“You should have gotten me up.” She grinned up at him, waggling her eyebrows.
Wyatt shifted on the horse. He moved the horse closer to her but she backed up.
“Is he going to bite me?”
“No. Come here.” He put his hand out to her. She shook her head.
“Olivia, do you trust me?”
“Yes…but…”
“No buts. Give me your hand.”
Olivia was terrified, but she put her hand in his anyway. He lifted her onto the horse as if she weighed no more than a feather. She put her hands over her face and closed her eyes.
“You can open your eyes,” Wyatt whispered in her ear. “I’ve got you, darlin’.”
Wyatt Page 12