Rodeo Rancher

by Lauren Wood

  “Yes, straight to business. I want you to come work for me. The percentage is good and I will pay twice as much as Carlos.”

  “I have been with Carlos since I got into the game ten years ago.”

  He shrugged at me like he didn’t care. “Everyone wants a change once in a while. I think you would do well here. You would fit in just fine and I need someone that doesn’t mind getting their hands dirty. Carlos has already told me it was okay to pursue it. I do too much business with him to try and poach you. Why not stay and see what the siren does for you?”

  “She is not a siren, just a girl that I knew here.”

  Lucas didn’t believe me and I wished that I hadn’t had them look for her. I was terrified that something was going to happen to her now if I didn’t go along with his plans. While many people vouched for him, at the end of the day, I didn’t know these people. I shouldn’t have gotten her involved.

  “So what do you think of staying around here for a while? You could help me straighten things up and make a nice little nest egg to take back up north when you feel like it. When I heard that you were coming, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to get you to do some things for me. You could work with Marcus. The two of you seem to get along good and he is my go-to guy at the moment.”

  It was a lot to take on and I needed time to think about it. It was hard to say no to a man like Lucas. I had heard about him too, but I had my mind on something or someone else. I didn’t have time to think about money and what else it was that I needed. All I could think about was getting to the address on the slip of paper in my pocket. After that, I would be able to think straight.

  ***

  When I realized how close Carol was, it felt like it was meant to be. She was right around the corner from where I was staying when I put the address into my phone. Here I was looking for her and she was right here the whole time. It was exasperating and a little funny all at the same time.

  I had already knocked a couple of times, but there was no answer. The house was dark and I decided to just wait. She would be home soon and then I would get some answers. Then I would get the touch that I needed to get over this woman.

  When I saw a car pull up in the drive, I waited a few minutes to see if it was Carol. I still wasn’t sure if the address was right and I didn’t want to walk up on someone unsuspecting in the middle of the night. I didn’t think that would go over very well. But it was Carol. I could tell by the way she was walking. She was a little tipsy, like she had been at the wedding and I was going to take that as a good sign. It meant that she was in the same mind set where she had said yes before.

  After a few minutes, the lights came on in the house and I knew that it was time to see what it was that I had come to see. Really I wanted to know what she had done to me to make me this way. Why did I think about her when I didn’t think about any of the other one night stands that I have had in the past?

  I was nervous, something that I tried to ignore. The knock sounded barely audible over the pounding in my ears and it felt like an eternity until I heard the lock on the other side being turned. She didn’t have a peephole, which might have been a good thing for me. I had a feeling if she would have seen me she wouldn’t have answered the door at all.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s me.”

  “Who?”

  “It’s David.”

  The lock stopped and I was sure that if I checked it then, it wouldn’t have been unlocked all the way. I wish I could have seen her face. It was clear after a few silent heartbeats that she was mulling it over. She must have known that I was in town, so now it was a matter of if she wanted to see me or not.

  “What are you doing here?’

  “I came to see you, now open up.”

  “I don’t think that is a good idea David.”

  “Open the door now or I will make sure that I wake up all of your neighbors. You are not just going to brush me off anymore.”

  The lock moved again and I let out a breath of air. At least I was getting in and after that, I had no problem knowing what was going to happen next. All I had to do was get my hands and lips on her and she would be unable to resist me anymore. That was what had happened at the wedding and I knew it could be the same again. I just needed a few moments alone with her.

  “What?”

  She was looking up at me through a crack in the door. I felt like the big bad wolf and it was hard not to laugh and the way it all had turned out. This was not how I had pictured it with her when I finally got her address. “What do you mean? Are you going to let me in or not?”

  There was a part of her that didn’t want to. A big part of her and I was left to wonder if that was going to matter or not. I knew that even if she didn’t want to see me, she would. I wasn’t going to give her a choice.

  “Fine, but just for a moment. I can’t be…” Her voice trailed off, but all I heard was that I could come in. All of the rest of it was just filler as far as I was concerned.

  I didn’t wait for her to close the door before I was kissing her. I leaned her back against the door, pushing her until it closed and clicked on its own. There was no hesitation in her need for me. It was just like before and I couldn’t have been any happier. It was the reaction that I had wanted and I was already feeling the surge of need go down my body. She felt good, too good and I was immediately in need of her. I needed to be inside of her right then and when I tried to pull her skirt up she stopped me.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I want to make you scream again, like you did last time at the wedding.”

  “That was a long time ago, things have changed.”

  She wasn’t quite pulling away, but she wasn’t trying to come any closer either. My body was in front of her and if I would have lean forward a little more, I would have pinned her completely to the door. I needed her and even though she wasn’t ready, she would be soon enough. All I had to do was hold off long enough that she was ready.

  “Nothing has changed and it hasn’t been that long. I bet if I checked right now, you would be wet for me.”

  Carol shook her head in denial and I had no choice but to prove her wrong. If she wasn’t wet, I wouldn’t have left, I would have made sure that I poured on the temptation a little more. But I had a feeling that it would be soaked as it had been the last time I had touched her. She just had to be or my ego was going to take a hell of a blow.

  Her legs moved open slightly as my hand moved up her bare thigh. Carol’s green eyes closed and she sucked in a breath when I covered her mound with my hand. “It is sure feeling warm to me Carol. Do you want me to keep going?”

  I asked it because we both knew that I was right. I wanted to know how far she wanted to go for me to call her bluff. When she shook her head that she did want me to continue, I could feel the heat going to my face. She wouldn’t admit it, but it was my hand and touch that she wanted.

  Slipping my hand underneath the cotton of her panties, I felt the slight tickle of stubble on her mons and then slid my finger a little lower down to the heat that was emanating off of her. She was scorching hot and when my digit touched the top of her slit, I could tell that she was extremely wet as well. I don’t know who made the whimpering sound. I was going to blame it on her, but it could have very well been me. That’s how turned on I was with her.

  I pushed a finger in slightly and felt the incredible grip that she had. It was one that I remembered well and I felt a surge of need go through me. It was overpowering and before I could stop myself, I was pushing a digit all the way in and listening to her moan.

  “Does that feel good?”

  She nodded her head slowly, her eyes closed and her lips pursed. I leaned down to kiss her as I added another finger to her tightness. I remember how long it took for me to get into her before. This time was different and I was going to make sure that she was as ready as I was.

  Moving in deeper, I could tell by the way she clung to me and the sounds that
came out of her that she was close. I moved faster as my lips teased her, my teeth nibbling at her tender pouty lips. It was perfect and only when I felt the rush of fluid and the sound that escaped her lips, did I know that I wouldn’t have to wait anymore.

  I kept going for several moments, letting her clench and cling to me for dear life. It was all that I could do to stop myself from taking her then. I wanted more of her and I started to pull her away. “Where is a bed so I can take you properly?”

  She was about to answer me when there was a phone going off somewhere in the house. It had a strange ring to it and it must have signified a certain caller because her whole demeanor changed. I didn’t know who it was, but the look on Carol’s face was instantly something else. She no longer wanted me like she had before.

  “I got to take this.”

  I didn’t see a way out of it. Her hands were pushing against my chest and I was sure that it was because of whoever it was on the phone.

  “Who is it?”

  “My boyfriend.”

  I watched her go to the living room and pick it up from a side table. She put her hand over her lips to shush me, but I wasn’t the type of man to be shushed.

  “Get off the phone Carol. We have business to take care of.”

  She gave me a look that would have melted wax and I just gave her a grin back. There were several moments that she stayed listening to whoever was on the other line. Her boyfriend, huh? She hadn’t seemed too committed a minute ago.

  “No one Steve. Just a friend that I met at a wedding. He was just about to leave. I will see you in the morning baby. Can’t wait.”

  She hung up and I moved towards her. “Now where were we?”

  “You were leaving. I don’t know what I was thinking David, but you have to go.”

  I moved to kiss her again and she stopped me with a hand on my chest so I couldn’t get any closer.

  “I am not going anywhere.”

  “Yes you are. I told you that I have a boyfriend.”

  “You were far too wet to care if you have a boyfriend or not.”

  She stopped and was about to say something and closed her mouth. “It was a mistake. You were a mistake that I am not going to make again. Please leave. I can’t do this again with you.”

  I could tell by her face that she wanted to believe her words. I wasn’t sure if they were really what she wanted, her body was not in agreement, but she said no. That was that. I could have made her see things my way, reminder her again what it was that I could do, but I didn’t. I was still trying to get over the fact that she had a boyfriend. I didn’t like the idea that she had moved on. She wasn’t supposed to be able to, no matter if it was just a one-time thing or not. Was I too late?

  Chapter 7

  Steve

  I had known that something was going to happen. It always did when I got to this place in a relationship. Once I was with a woman physically, everything changed. Now I had feelings of jealousy and distrust. I don’t know what inside of me clicked, but it was happening.

  I didn’t trust Carol anymore and when I heard the man’s voice on the phone, I made the few minute drive over to her house. I don’t know what it was that I was going to find, but I wasn’t expecting to see her outside talking to a man. It was clear that they knew each other well. The man was looking at her the way that I looked at her. I couldn’t stand the way she looked at him.

  The man was tall and wearing a biker’s jacket. I had several friends that were in the same gang and my mind went to Leo. He would be able to tell me more about the man in front of me. I needed information so I followed him for a little while when he left. The man drove fast and I could tell that there was a tension in him. That was the only reason that I could think of for the way he was driving.

  What really set me off was the kiss that I had witnessed. While Carol had pushed away after a moment or two, there was still several seconds where she was in his arms. It happened so fast that I didn’t even have time to respond before she was back in the house and the stranger was leaving.

  I hadn’t thought it through. The guy was a lot bigger than me and I could tell that I wouldn’t be able to take him by myself. I wasn’t into that kind of work. I was a stock broker and instead of going to blows with him, I was much more comfortable giving someone like him money to take care of it for me.

  The man didn’t stay on the bike long. I saw him go into a familiar bar and as I parked on the other side of the street, I thought about what I should do. Everything in me told me to go in and say something. But that thought was quickly stopped. I didn’t know who was in there, who he was and I knew that a guy like me starting something there without my friends was a suicide mission. I had to go in though. I had to see who it was that had just left my girlfriend’s house.

  Getting my nerve up, I walked in and instantly felt out of place. I wasn’t a runt by any stretch of the imagination, but I wasn’t as rough looking as anyone in there. My button up and khakis made it even more obvious that I didn’t belong and I didn’t make eye contact with anyone as I made my way to the bar. I wished that Leo was there. I had only come here with him and I was not above dropping a name if things got hairy for me.

  I ordered a drink and sipped it while I watched the man laughing with a red haired guy. That guy I knew as Marcus and I had to get closer. I wanted to know who the man was with him. All I had to do was overhear a name so when I went to Leo, I would be sure that I knew who I was talking about. I wanted to make sure that when I had him taken care of, it was the man that had kissed Carol behind my back.

  “David, I didn’t think I was going to see you back this soon. I take it your lady friend wasn’t very happy to see you.”

  The man scowled and I smiled. At least she had only given him a kiss. I could forgive her for it, but David was another question altogether.

  ***

  “So who was it that I heard when we were on the phone the other night?”

  “What do you mean?”

  She was acting like she didn’t know what I was talking about, her fingers twirling the hair from the front of her face.

  “When I called and you said you had a friend there that you met at a wedding. Who was it?”

  “Oh, him. It was just a guy that I met at Cameron’s wedding. I don’t know what he was doing there, but he didn’t stay long.”

  “What did he want?”

  She shrugged and looked out the window. I had swerved into the other lane focusing on her profile in the car and I had to jerk a little harder than I would have liked to getting back in my lane.

  “Why are you so worried about it? You have nothing to be concerned about. He came over and I had him leave a few minutes later. That is it.”

  “But what happened while he was there? Why won’t you tell me what he wanted?”

  “Because it doesn’t matter what he wanted, he didn’t get it. I don’t want to argue about this.”

  “I just asked a question. I didn’t think that this was arguing.”

  It felt like arguing, but I didn’t like the idea that she thought she could end the conversation so quickly. We were together, in all ways now and she was going to have to do a better job of explaining herself. I wanted the truth and I knew at the moment she was not giving it to me. It was not an option for her to refuse to answer me. I wasn’t going to allow it to happen. I couldn’t.

  “I know, but it is the way you are asking about it.”

  “Well when there is some random dude in my girlfriend’s house, I need to know what is going on. It is not something that I am just going to forget about.”

  “It was nothing. I told you that already Steve. You are the one that is making it into something that it is not.”

  She wouldn’t tell me what he wanted, but it didn’t take too much to really guess. The kiss and the way he had looked at her was all of the information that I had needed to know. He wanted her, like I wanted her and I couldn’t get why she wouldn’t tell me that. Was it because she felt
the same way about him?

  “What was he there for Carol?”

  I put my foot down on the pedal harder. I wanted to go faster, to get the frustration out of me and I didn’t realize that I was going so fast until Carol said something. It wasn’t her words, but the quaver of fear in her tone that snapped me out of it. I wished for the umpteenth time that I hadn’t went further with her. If I hadn’t, I could have just moved aside, but she was mine now. My territory and it brought out the worst in me.

  “He wanted to go out I guess. I don’t know. Who knows what men really want? They say one thing and mean something completely different. I don’t know why you are getting all worked up over this. I have never seen you like this before and I don’t think that I like it one bit.”

  I knew that I didn’t. I didn’t like feeling so uneasy when she was made to make me feel secure. How was I supposed to feel secure in our relationship when she was lying to my face? It was impossible.

  “I just want to know the truth and I don’t think that I am getting it Carol.”

  I could see her looking at me through my peripheral vision and though I couldn’t see the details of her face, it wasn’t hard to guess her mood. “Just pull over and let me out. If you want to drive like a maniac and think what it is you want to think, just let me out. I don’t need to get in a wreck because you are insecure. I told you he was there and why he was there. He wanted me, but I didn’t want him.”

  “So nothing happened?”

  If she would have just agreed, I would have felt better. But she didn’t. There was a pause. Not a long one, but enough of one that I noticed. The truth was that she had kissed him and I wanted her to admit it to me. I wanted her to tell me that he kissed her and she didn’t want him to.

  “No, nothing happened.”

  “He didn’t try to kiss you or anything?”

  That got me another look and I met her gaze this time as I sat at a light. She was no longer trying to get out, but I still went a little faster when the light turned green. I didn’t want her to get any ideas.