He swatted her bottom. “I suppose we have to eat if we want to keep up our strength.” He strolled back to the bed and scooped up his jeans. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
Damn, he was magnificent to watch. Every muscle rippled. With a sigh, she went to the kitchen, tossing the wrapper in the trash. Who was to say that Lance didn’t have a sweet tooth, too?
She searched the refrigerator until she found the ingredients for omelets. By the time he joined her, she had it all on the counter, ready to put together. He slid a bowl closer and began cracking eggs one at a time. She glanced his way, wondering what he was thinking. Her gaze moved downward until it reached his jeans. Okay, so maybe she didn’t have to wonder. It was nice to know she had that effect on him.
After they’d eaten, they slipped out to the back porch and sat in the double-seated rocker. It was late, the darkness enveloping them. She inhaled, drawing in the fresh country air as she leaned against him. Yes, it would be really easy staying here after the three years were up.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, his voice breaking into the silence.
“That I’m beginning to like your country air.”
“Told you so.”
She could feel his grin without looking up.
Time passed as they sat there. Maybe she was falling in love with the land. She had a feeling she was falling for more than the land. Could love happen this fast? A sudden breeze sent cold shivers down her spine.
“Cold?”
Cold, apprehensive…and needing time alone to sort through her feelings. She uncurled herself from his warmth. “It’s been a long day. I think I’ll go up to my room.” As if he knew she needed time by herself, he stood, lightly kissing her on the forehead.
“See you in the morning.”
“Night,” she said and slipped back inside.
But when she got to the top of the stairs, she noticed the door to her grandfather’s room was ajar. She reached to close it but opened it instead and flipped the light switch. Light flooded the room. Her gaze swept the area. Everything looked as it had when she was up here earlier. Except the peppermints were on the desk and there were wrappers on the floor. She quickly flipped off the light and shut the door.
Once inside her room, she turned the lock and leaned against the door. “I do not believe in ghosts, I do not believe in ghosts, I do not believe in ghosts.” She checked the lock again. “Yeah, right, like that will keep a vapor-filled specter out of my room.”
Okay, either someone was trying to drive her crazy or her grandfather’s ghost was hanging around. That was the only explanation. She’d heard people talk of…dead people not being able to let go, but she’d always brushed it off as vivid imaginations.
She laughed, but it sounded shaky.
“There are no such things as ghosts,” she said in a loud, commanding voice, as if to prove to herself that she wasn’t afraid of repercussions. Lord, she hoped there were no such things as spirits. She couldn’t see herself living with a ghost for the next three years.
But she couldn’t live with the other explanation, either: that Lance was behind some elaborate scheme so he could get the ranch—one way or another. Of course he wasn’t. Hadn’t he told her that money wasn’t that important?
What the hell was he doing? Lance leaned against one of the cedar posts that braced the back porch. He felt as if he were stepping off into something he knew nothing about. Sure, Nina was fun to be around. He felt comfortable with her. That is, when he wasn’t panting after her like a dog in heat. Hell, she probably thought he was trying to seduce the ranch out from under her or worse.
He stepped off the porch and walked out to the barn. The moon was bright enough that he didn’t need any other light. Besides, he knew every inch of this ranch like the back of his hand. His horse whinnied when he stepped inside. He ambled over to Biscuit’s stall and rubbed her forehead.
“Go to sleep, girl,” he whispered, gave her one last pat, and left the barn.
Once outside, he took a deep, cleansing breath. His gaze strayed to the house and up to the second floor. Her light was off. Was she already asleep or lying there, thinking about him?
He smiled, remembering the darkroom and seeing the pictures he’d taken. He wasn’t too bad, but then, he’d had a great subject. He got a hard-on thinking about her lying back against the rock, her eyes filled with passion, legs open, beckoning him to come closer.
He shook his head, drawing in a deep breath. Walking around hadn’t helped clear his head. Hell, he wanted her again.
There was only one way he would ever have her and just the thought of what he had to do scared the hell out of him, but there was no way around it.
His gaze moved over the land in front of him, and a feeling of peace calmed his edginess. Damn, he loved this place as much as Pete had. With heavy steps, he trudged up to the house, dreading what he had to do, but it was the only way he could prove to Nina he didn’t want her because she owned the ranch.
It was time he bought his own spread and left the only place he’d ever cared about. The money he’d saved, and the money he could make if he posed naked, would be just enough for a down payment on the Patterson ranch. Damn, he was going to be the laughingstock of Silver Gulch but he had to have more money to make this work.
“I’ll pose for your magazine,” Lance said.
Nina almost jumped out of her skin when he spoke from behind her. She whirled around. “Don’t you ever warn people you’re right behind them? You could kill someone.” Oh, Lord, had she just uttered those words? She didn’t really think he would intentionally scare anyone to death.
He twisted his hat in his hands and looked everywhere except her face. “Exactly how much money would I get to pose for your magazine?”
Was he serious? She studied him. He looked serious. He’d just about destroyed his hat by crushing it between his hands, and he was shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Yeah, she had a feeling he was dead serious.
Damn, she’d thought he’d be different. His values had made a deep U-turn.
She squared her chin. Isn’t this what she’d wanted, though? From the minute she’d laid eyes on him, she knew he’d make a great centerfold. She should be happy. Yeah, she felt like jumping for fucking joy.
Get over it, she told herself. This was business and she never let her personal life interfere and she wouldn’t this time. “A centerfold gets more.” She named a figure. “Will that be sufficient?”
He nodded. “When can we get started?”
“I can have a crew…”
His face took on a bright rosy hue. “Does there have to be a crew?”
Why was he doing this? He certainly didn’t act like someone who wanted to pose naked for a magazine layout. Was there some reason he needed the money? She knew what her grandfather had paid him so surely he couldn’t be hurting that much.
Nina didn’t want to face the truth and she knew it. Drew had squandered money that should’ve helped her mother. Most of the men she’d photographed had dollar signs in their eyes. Lance was no different.
Then why the hell did she feel embarrassed for him? It was crazy, but she did. “I can do the shoot without a crew.” They could touch up any flaws. Besides, if she did most of the shoot outside it would look more natural.
“Tomorrow?” Could his face get any redder? “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” she asked, to make certain.
“I’ll meet you here at eight in the morning.”
“Tomorrow at eight,” she confirmed.
He jammed his crumpled hat on his head, mumbled something about getting back to work, and strode toward the barn like she had a contagious disease and he hadn’t been vaccinated.
Something was going on. She wasn’t sure what, but Lance had acted really odd. She had a feeling tomorrow would be a very interesting day.
Ten
Lance was stiff. Nina had never seen a man this stiff. It was very aggravating. Where was the naturaln
ess? But then, he hadn’t really been posing the other day when she’d snapped his picture. She drew in a deep breath.
“Just relax. Pretend I’m not even here.” She zoomed in on his face. Oh, yeah, pure terror, that would really turn women on. It wouldn’t be so bad, but he was still fully dressed. It wasn’t like there was anyone out here in the middle of nowhere. “Lance?”
“Yeah!” He jerked his attention to her.
She set the camera down and he visibly relaxed. “Why are you doing this? If you need money…”
“No. I don’t want your money unless I’ve earned it.” He straightened from the tree. It was supposed to have been a casual pose—it wasn’t.
She had a feeling she wouldn’t get any more out of him than what she had right now unless she could make him relax. She boosted herself up on a rock, her camera beside her.
Damn it, she shouldn’t take pity on him. He was doing it for the money, no matter what he said. But she did feel a twinge of something.
Get over it, Nina. You’re a professional and you can get him past his nervousness.
“Tell me about the ranch, the first time you saw it,” she said, changing the subject.
He leaned back against the tree as he looked at the land around him: the gently rising hills, the towering oaks, tall cedars, and scruffy mesquite trees.
A slight curving upward of his lips told her he’d forgotten she was there as he let the breathtaking beauty of the landscape wash over him. She picked up her camera and snapped the first picture.
“I fell in love with it that first day. I think that’s why Pete hired a green kid as a ranch hand.”
She continued to snap pictures as he talked. This was what she looked for when doing a layout. He raised his hat, ran his hand through his hair, and put it back on his head. A simple motion but so damn sexy it curled her toes.
“Unbutton your shirt.”
He looked startled for a moment, but then his hands moved to the buttons and began undoing them one at a time.
She smiled. “Do you know how damn sexy you look right now?” She snapped his bashful look. The women would eat that one up. “Your chest is rock solid. No one will be able to resist it.”
“Compared to the professionals?”
“Even better.” She slipped off the rock and moved past him until she was behind the tree. Sure enough, he peeked around the old oak and she took his picture. He raised an eyebrow because she’d tricked him and she got that one as well.
It was a little harder getting him to lose his jeans. Longer to get him to relax. As he lost each article of clothing, she grew hotter, not sure if she would last through the shoot.
They moved to the river and she talked him into losing his boots and hat, then walking out into the water. She snapped him exploding to the surface, raining droplets of water everywhere. When he stepped from the river and back to the bank, his briefs were plastered to his skin and she had no doubt he’d been watching her as well.
“Take off your briefs and lie down,” she managed to tell him.
He hesitated, then removed the last of his clothes. He looked resigned. She couldn’t send pictures to Mica that looked as if he was forced into doing the shoot.
She snapped some more pictures, knowing these wouldn’t work. She had a plan, though. “I love how you look without a stitch on. Sexy as hell. It makes me so frigging hot.” She set the camera down, removed a rubber band, and shook out her hair. Next, she pulled her cotton shirt over her head. His eyes widened and his nostrils flared. All that covered her breasts was a wispy piece of white silk.
She picked up her camera. This was what she wanted to capture on film. The look of a man ready for sex…needing sex. She snapped a few more pictures, then set her camera down and strolled over to him. “Raise your leg and bend the other one just slightly.” She swallowed past the lump in her throat as she positioned him.
Resist, her mind screamed. She was the type who didn’t resist very much of anything. She stroked his length, her hands trembling.
He quickly sat up and unsnapped her bra, letting it fall to his thigh before she could blink. God, had he practiced that move as a teen and perfected it as an adult?
“I wanted to see you,” he rasped.
She straightened and went back to her camera. Her legs barely held her as she snapped picture after picture. Lord, he had a nice body.
After a few more pictures he stood and ambled toward her while she snapped even more. He took the camera from her and set it on a rock.
“I want you,” he said. “My body aches to see you completely naked, to touch the softness of your skin.” He unfastened her jeans and inched them over her hips.
She kicked out of them. Her thong followed. She longed for him to take her into his arms, their bodies melding against each other, but he stepped back instead, his gaze moving slowly over her. It was all she could do to breathe.
“Nice.” He brushed his fingers across her nipples.
She reached out, wanting to do a little of her own exploring. She touched one nipple, circling it before scraping her fingernail lightly across the nub. He drew in a sharp breath. Oh, so he liked that, did he?
Leaning forward, she flicked her tongue across one nipple, then the other, while her hands roamed his body. He quivered when she caressed his erection. Suddenly, she was filled with a sense of power, of being the one in control.
She moved to her knees in front of him and licked up him, then back down. Nice and slow.
“Damn! Woman, you’re driving me to the edge.”
A wicked smile curved her lips. She liked the idea that she could push him that far. And if she nudged him a little more? What would he do then? She was about to find out. She took him into her mouth, swirling her tongue around the head of his cock, then sucking him deeper inside her mouth.
He gasped, grabbing her head. “Son of a…”
She closed her eyes, reveling in the knowledge she was giving him so much pleasure. Not that she wasn’t enjoying herself, too. She loved the feel of him inside her mouth, the texture and smoothness against her tongue.
All too soon he was reaching beneath her arms and pulling her up, his mouth covering hers, his hands sliding over her body, cupping her butt, pulling her closer.
Through passion-glazed eyes, she watched him move away, grab his pants, and pull a condom out of the pocket. She slid her hands over her breasts, then down to grasp her thighs. Her body cried for release that only Lance could give.
He turned her around, nudging her to bend over, entering her from behind. She gasped as he slid inside the heat of her body. Not her favorite position, but as hot as she was…
He moved his hands to her sex and began to caress her with one hand while the other hand moved to her breast. He squeezed her nipple, rubbing the hard nub between his thumb and forefinger. She cried out, shaking as an orgasm flooded her entire body. He jerked, groaning as he followed right behind her.
For a moment they didn’t move; then he eased from her body, turning her until she was resting in his arms. “I don’t think I would ever get tired of making love to you.” He kissed the top of her head.
Her heart nearly exploded inside her chest. Funny how a few words could make her feel so alive.
“Yeah, he certainly couldn’t get enough of me, all right.”
Nina turned from the window after watching him drive away. She’d finished the shoot a few days ago and Lance had made himself scarce. At first, she’d thought he was embarrassed.
There was always some excuse. Things needed to be done on the ranch that only he could do. His excuses had begun to run thin. And the last straw? He’d taken to sleeping in the bunkhouse.
She’d given him a check for the photo shoot, but he’d only crammed it into his pocket and mumbled a thank-you before taking off once more. What was wrong? What had she done?
She’d have her answers today. Except the day had dragged by and still no Lance even though she’d left word she wanted to talk to him.
>
By nightfall, she could spit nails she was so mad. She paced up and down the porch, waiting for him to return. One way or another, she’d have it out with him.
She froze when she saw the headlights coming down the road. Lance’s pickup. Rather than go to the bunkhouse, as had been his norm, he passed it and drove straight to the house. She stiffened her spine, not saying a word as he climbed out and walked to where she stood.
Just looking at the way he walked, the way he smiled at her made her realize just how much she’d missed him. How much she cared about him. That probably pissed her off more than anything.
“Hello, stranger.” Damn, she’d wanted to play it cool, as if she didn’t care, but her words were hard and crisp. Anyone with half a brain would know she was ticked off.
“Hi.”
His gaze moved slowly over her, warming every spot he touched. It was all she could do not to fling her arms around his neck when he pulled her against him. She felt his sigh, the kiss he brushed across the top of her head. Some of her anger left.
“I quit,” he spoke softly.
It took a minute for his words to sink into her brain. He’d spoken the words almost as if they were an endearment.
She reared her head back and glared at him. “You what?”
“I quit.”
She shoved away and stormed to the end of the porch. He quit. What the hell did that mean? She whirled around, hands on hips.
“You quit?”
He nodded.
Betrayed. Of course. Why hadn’t she realized this would happen? Lance couldn’t stand the thought that she’d been given the ranch. He’d posed so he could leave town, have a new start somewhere else, and…
“I bought the Patterson ranch,” he said.
“You bought the ranch next to this one?”
He nodded. “Well, me and the bank. I was able to scrape together enough, along with the check I got from”—he downed his head, cleared his throat, and met her gaze again—“from posing and what I had in savings.”
She shook her head. “I don’t understand. Why?”
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