Rodeo Rancher

by Lauren Wood

  “I trust him. He has never let me down. Can’t say that about anyone else in my life, but Lucas has always been straight.”

  “I know. I just didn’t know him.”

  “So what about the offer?”

  I hadn’t thought about it in a few days. It had been a busy week and I had yet to talk to Carlos about any of it, as far as details were concerned.

  “Let me get through this first and then I will think about it. Hell, he might not want me when it comes down to it, not after tonight.”

  Marcus disagreed. “No, he will want you even more now. We need someone like you around. Just the rep alone from tonight will keep people paying their bills a little faster. They won’t want you coming for them.”

  “Nah, no one needs that kind of person around. Not really.”

  “You get stuff done and that goes a long way in this world.”

  We were approaching the boat and I lifted my finger to my lips. I wanted to get on and off without Steve knowing. I still wasn’t sure how it was all going to play out, but if Carol was there on her own accord, I would wait till he was back on land and away from her to take him out. Then I would be there to pick up the pieces. Either way I planned to get the girl.

  Marcus kept looking at me, waiting for me to give him his cue. He was down for anything it appeared, but he needed a little leadership to get him there. I didn’t mind the task because he paid attention and didn’t ask a lot of questions. The last thing I wanted to do was have to explain myself in the midst of something like this. I needed him to follow directions and he was very good at that. To me that was the perfect partner.

  The boat sidled up to the bigger one that we needed to get onto. I knew that Steve was a broker, but he must have been doing very well to afford the boat. Why did the man having all of this money bother me so much?

  “Come on.”

  I whispered the words to Marcus and he nodded his head that he was ready. I had no idea what I was going to get out of all of this, but the feeling in my stomach was still there. I just knew that Carol was in danger. If she wasn’t, I was making a big mess of things for no reason. I didn’t like to think that it was the case, but I wanted her to be okay. I would have done anything, even give her up if I had to, as long as she was okay.

  All of this was because of me according to Leo. I had moved too fast though. Maybe I had overwhelmed him and he had given me the wrong information because of it. A person would tell you anything that you wanted to hear at a certain point. Leo had certainly gotten there and now I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like I could go back and ask him more. That wasn’t an option so I had to hope that what he had said was true.

  The boat was rocking gently, but less than the smaller fishing boat that I was stepping off of. I waited for a moment for my eyes to adjust to the new surroundings and to hear if we were heard coming up. I didn’t hear a sound and after a minute, Marcus came on the boat with me. I didn’t have to tell him that now was the time to be quiet because he already knew the drill.

  I made my way to the stairs that went downstairs and took a deep breath as I looked down into the dark abyss. The next few minutes was going to let me see things as they were. I can’t even describe how badly I wanted it to all be okay. There wasn’t a scenario to wish for, just ones to not wish for. What if something had already happened to Carol when she had went down below earlier?

  The thought had me moving down the stairs to whatever I was going to find there. I don’t know what I expected, but I didn’t expect to see the two of them in bed. It threw me off and I stopped while my eyes adjusted to the darkness further and I was able to see around the room better. I didn’t want to see better though. I didn’t want to see Carol with that man, especially now that I know what kind of man he is.

  “Carol?”

  I shouldn’t have made a sound, but I had to talk to her, I had to meet her gaze and for her to tell me that she was fine. Then I would be able to walk away. But only then. I couldn’t if I still didn’t know. I should have with the way she was lying in bed with Steve, but that wasn’t enough. I had to be completely sure before I could let her go.

  “Carol?”

  Her eyes popped open and for a minute I think she was as shocked to see me, as I was to see her. I could see the glint of green from the light, but it was the look on her face that really told me what I wanted to know. She wanted my help. I was sure of it.

  “Do you want to go?”

  Carol nodded her head just ever so slightly and then moved her eyes towards Steve. She was trying to tell me something, but I didn’t understand. Then she mouthed the words gun. I don’t know if she thought I needed one or if Steve had one. It didn’t matter either way, it really didn’t. She was in danger and at the same time she was trying to help me stay out of danger. It made me want her even more, if that was possible.

  I put my finger up and told her to hold on a minute. The whisper was just like a pin drop, but it was so quiet out there I didn’t know how Steve wasn’t already up. I pulled Marcus in and told him what I wanted done. It was different than what we talked about, but it didn’t matter. The fear in Carol’s eyes is what made everything change.

  “Get her back on our little boat and I will be out in a few minutes. We have to be ready to leave right away.”

  He nodded his head and didn’t ask why. He didn’t need to know the big picture plan. All Marcus needed was to know his role in it. I couldn’t say how much I appreciated that sentiment. Pulling the gun out from the back of my waistband, I walked back into the sleeping area and saw that Carol was trying her best to squirm away from him. His arm on her waist was stopping most of her progress and I made motions for her to stop. I wanted to be the one that woke him up, in the way that I wanted to.

  Marcus came in and I had to calm down the look of renewed fear. Marcus looked a little scary to the wrong people. I never really looked at him that way. He was too much like me to see it that way. Now I was seeing him through her eyes and I didn’t like the comparison.

  “It’s okay Carol. He is a friend.”

  Her eyes dragged off of him and looked at me. I didn’t know what was going on in her mind and I am not really sure that I wanted to know. She looked at us as if we were like Steve. I would never do something like that, but it helped me to understand why she was so hesitant before.

  Marcus moved next to her and stood there. He was to pull her out as soon as I got Steve awake. I wanted to give him a little payback fear for what he had done to Carol. More than that, I didn’t like the way his arm on her waist looked. It shouldn’t be there.

  Pulling his arm off of her, I raised the gun up to his face when his eyes came open. Marcus was already moving Carol out of the way and taking her up the stairs to do as I asked. It was always so simple with him.

  “Good morning Steve. We are going to have a little talk now. I have heard some rumors about you.”

  ***

  Marcus and Carol were already in the boat and the motor that we hadn’t been able to use before had roared to life. It was a good thing because the need to leave was increasing with each step. I didn’t know how long I was going to have.

  “We got to go, now!”

  Marcus had a bare hint of a smile and I could only guess what was running through his mind. Did he know? It didn’t matter if he did, he followed directions well and as soon as I was in the boat, we were putting distance between us and the rocking boat that I had just gotten off of. It was a good thing too, because it was going to blow at any moment.

  Carol was shaking and I didn’t know if it was the events that had just occurred or if it was the chill in the air going through her thin night gown. I moved to put my coat around her and she flinched. I stopped and held it out to her, instead of putting it around her shoulders as I had first planned to. Standing back up, the boat behind us erupted in flames behind me. I will never forget the look in her eyes as the fire reflected in them.

  Chapter 14

  Carol

  �
�Stay with me.”

  That is what I had whispered to David before he left. I knew that I didn’t want to be alone and I wanted it to be him. My mind had already resolved that I wasn’t going to make it off of that boat. I never in a million years would have thought that it would be David that would save me.

  He didn’t look the same as the last time I had seen him. His face was marked up and swollen, covered in smudges of soot from the night before. The explosion had been big and we weren’t that far away when it went off. Burning bits of the boat rained down on us and though I only got a few burns it was the ash and soot that made the biggest impact in my mind. I could still taste it as it came down what felt like hours, but was more than likely just a few minutes.

  The whole night was burned into my brain and I hadn’t slept very well. David had gone to sleep first, thinking that I already have. I just moved my head to his chest and didn’t move for a long time. His heartbeat underneath me, thumping in my ears was enough to settle my nerves. I no longer had to remind myself that I wasn’t lying next to Steve. I had to keep reminding myself that David had saved me and Steve was not someone that I had to worry about ever again.

  “How long are you going to stare at me Carol? You are going to make me think something.”

  Pulling away, I asked him how long he had been awake.

  “A little while, long enough to feel your eyes on me from the start. You didn’t sleep very well.”

  “Sorry, I just, I don’t know. You look different. What happened to you?”

  “Long story.”

  I settled back in against his chest and mentioned how little I had to do that day. “I want to know how you knew where to find me David. I was in the middle of the ocean and you found me. How? Why?”

  “It’s too long of a story to tell. I just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  An arm pulled me in closer. “I know. I was so worried about you.”

  “I am glad you found me, no matter how it happened. I didn’t think I was ever going to get off of that boat.”

  “You are back in your bed, safe and sound.”

  “Thanks to you.”

  I lifted up a little to look at him. My fingers traced the cut on his jawline. “What happened to you?”

  “I had a run in with a few guys.”

  “Why?”

  David shrugged and told me that I was asking a lot of questions. “I just want to know something about what happened. Steve wouldn’t tell me anything, but I knew something was up.”

  “Your boyfriend had me jumped. I really think you should aim a little higher next time.”

  It was my turn to roll my eyes and I lay back down on his chest so I didn’t have to see the smirk look in his face. “What, like a biker?”

  “That is a good place to start.”

  He was irritating and I was starting to truly think that was all that he thought about. It was constantly in his mind. That much was for sure. Looking down I saw that it wasn’t just his mind that was always pushing that narrative. His body was as ready as the rest of him.

  “How did you find me David?”

  “I got the man to talk that was sent after me. I guess Steve made him some money and he owed him.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what he got into his head, I really don’t. He saw us kiss out on my porch and I don’t know what happened. I think he snapped… I am never going to see him again, am I?”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “Is that your answer?”

  “Yeah. Do you really want to know?”

  “I just want to know that I can sleep at night without worrying about him coming after me. He drugged my wine I think. I don’t really know because he wouldn’t tell me. All I knew was that he had lost his mind. It was pretty clear of that because he mumbled to himself. He thought we were on vacation, some kind of couple’s retreat, but really it was kidnap.”

  “You don’t have to ever worry about him again.”

  “Are you sure?”

  His jaw tightened and I could tell that he wasn’t happy talking about it. I wanted to know more, was dying to know the full story, but I was going to have to put it off. It wasn’t time for me to know everything. One day, maybe.

  “Yeah I am sure Carol. What time is it?”

  I looked over at the clock and told him. “Why, are you leaving?”

  “I do have a meeting with an important person.”

  “Marcus?”

  “No. Marcus just helped me out last night. I need to go see his boss. I’m going to be late.”

  “I was hoping you would stay a little longer. I haven’t had the chance to thank you properly.”

  David stopped sitting up and looked at me with those hungry eyes of his. “Properly?”

  His mind went where I wanted it to go. I loved the fact that a man like him was so turned on by me. It had been months since he had touched me, but neither one of us had forgotten the other. I knew that I hadn’t and by the way he looked at me then, I knew that he hadn’t as well. He remembered quite well and so did I. That was what pushed me on, giving me the courage to go after what I wanted.

  “Yes, it seems like you went through an awful lot of drama for me. I was thinking that maybe I could do something for you?”

  I lifted up and straddled his thighs. I could feel the captured hardness underneath me and luxuriated in the groan from below. “Can you think of anything that you would like me to do for you? Anything that would make you feel better?”

  His hands instantly went to my hips and crushed me down on top of him. I gasped at the pressure exerted on my mons. It felt like he was trying to rip through the clothing to get to me and I had to giggle from his exuberance. “Take your bottoms off or I am going to.”

  I stood up over him and got undressed as quickly as I could in that situation. He was looking at me with those dark eyes and I was unable to stop the need that filled me. God, I wanted him so badly and there wasn’t a reason to stop myself now. I had wanted him since the next morning after the wedding. I had told myself that he wasn’t good enough, too rough, but in the end he was exactly what I needed.

  His glare darkened when I pulled my panties off. All of the bravado that I had before was dissipating rather quickly. When his hands tried to pull me down, I sidestepped him so that he couldn’t take control. I wanted control, or I wanted to pretend that I was in control for a little while at least.

  “Come here Carol.”

  I lowered myself back down on him and rubbed against him, pushing myself down to his hard body. I was ready, maybe as ready as he was, but I wanted to draw it out. Leaning down I kissed him and he grabbed my hips, pressing me down harder on him.

  Finally David lifted me up enough to get one of his hands between us and started pulling on his jeans. The zipper moved and then the fabric gave way to what it was that he wanted. When I moved back down on top of him, he slid inside of me and we both stopped. David had been pushing for me to go faster moments before, but now he was watching me like a hawk. It felt perfect to have him inside of me again, like he was made for me.

  The further down I sat, the more stretching I felt. He was so thick that it was hard to maintain my composure. He just felt too good.

  “God, I have missed this.”

  I had to, but I didn’t agree with him. Instead I started moving slowly, ignoring the pleasure rippling through my body with each movement. I was barely moving on top of him and I was overwhelming myself with his length. Slowing down, I could feel the way his scratchy hair rubbed against my clit. I didn’t have to do much of anything but squeeze and slide on him just a little to push myself to the edge.

  Calling out his name, my eyes closed to the wave of pleasure and I whimpered when I felt him grab my hips, grinding me down. He pulled out almost all the way and slammed back into me, making me cry out even louder. This time we weren’t at a wedding and I was able to make all of the noise that I wanted. And I did, for a long time as he sur
ged in over and over again from the bottom.

  “Kiss me Carol.”

  I did as he asked, not even thinking about who had control anymore. It was painfully obvious that it wasn’t me. When I moved down to kiss him, I just pressed more of him inside of me, feeling him bottom out in my depths. I whimpered into his mouth as we kissed.

  “Put your arms around my neck.”

  Again I just complied. I didn’t have enough brain power to do much more than that. Another wave of pleasure crashed over me and I was lost to it all. I could feel my body wanting to collapse, not caring who was underneath me.

  “I can’t David.”

  It took too much energy to come like that and I literally didn’t have the power to keep going. He was still pumping me from underneath, but I was no longer helping him or meeting his thrusts. I just couldn’t. Breathing was too much to focus on at the same time. He was too much and I collapsed on top of him.

  “You don’t get out of it that easily Carol.”

  Flipping me onto my back, it felt like he never even left me. So quickly he was back on top of me and back inside of me. It felt instantaneous. It felt so right.

  David propped by calves up on his shoulders and I jerked with the new depth of the move. He was relentless, deep, hard and fast. This was the man I remembered, the one that had made sure that I never forgot him. How could I?

  “Look at me Carol.”

  He was full of commands, while I just hung on for dear life. I moved my gaze to him. He looked so determined and I moved to touch his face. He was more than just a one night stand. David had become my savior.

  “I’m looking at you David. But not for long.”

  Another wave of pleasure went through me and without him even slowing down, he prolonged it until my hands were trying to push him off of me. I was coming so hard it physically hurt.

  David said my name, making my eyes open. We locked gazes about the time he made one last thrust forward and stopped. The hot need from him was scorching to my bruised insides. I whined with the sting and tried to move away, but he wasn’t having it. David wasn’t done with me yet, even if I was done.