Straddling States: A Contemporary Ranch Cowboy Romance (Western Valley Love Book 1)

by Ruby A. Smith

  “I’ll be out with dinner in just a second; please take a seat!” she replied in a loud voice.

  Amber and Jesse were ushered toward the dining room where they sat at a grand, old oak table. Amber had sat next to Jesse without really thinking about it, but now that she had, she became overly aware of the small proximity between them. If she wanted to, all she had to do was shift her chair a little to the right and their arms would be touching. She could even just spread her legs a little and their thighs would touch. The thought was tantalizing, but Amber refrained. This is a dangerous road. I’ll just get hurt again if I let myself do this.

  She was still confused by their almost kiss this morning and the fact that she shouldn’t be getting herself involved in a relationship like this. She kept telling herself that she should just keep her head down, learn what she can, and keep on submitting designs to Laura in the hopes of coming home to a promotion and a big, fat pay rise.

  Yet, even the smell of Jesse’s musky cologne had Amber feeling lightheaded. Oh, God. What have I gotten myself into? She questioned herself with a resigned sigh, as Mason, Callie, and Carol Ann appeared to take their seats.

  “I hope you enjoy, everyone!” Carol Ann said as she placed the pot of casserole in the middle and began distributing plates. “Let me know what you think, Amber. Maybe you cook a little differently in Chicago.”

  “Oh, I don’t really cook,” she admitted.

  “Not at all?”

  Amber shook her head. “I’ve never really enjoyed it. I mean, I can cook basic meals, but most of the time I eat out.”

  “Ooh, fancy city girl,” Mason teased with a laugh.

  Callie laughed too, before Carol Ann gave her a stern look. “We do not laugh at our guests in this house.” She swatted at Mason’s arm before digging into the food in front of her.

  Meanwhile, Jesse was already wolfing his food down and moaning in appreciation. “This might be your best casserole yet, sis,” he complimented with a smile.

  “You are such a charmer, Jesse Wyatt,” she said, “but thank you. Help yourself to another plate if you want to.”

  Amber finally took some casserole from the dish in the center of the table, and spooned it onto her plate. She took a bite and moaned around the succulent savory tastes she found present. It was delicious. There was a good mix of tomato and herb with flavors Amber really loved, like rosemary and thyme. She soon found herself focusing solely on eating instead of chatting, and soon, her plate was empty.

  “Looks like we found another fan of your cooking,” Jesse pointed out with a glance over at Amber’s plate.

  “Oh, yes, it was lovely. Thank you so much, Carol Ann,” Amber admitted with a smile.

  “You’re very welcome, dear. What’s ours is yours and all that,” Carol Ann replied.

  “Mommy, Mommy!” Callie cried as she shifted on her seat, clearly having an excess of energy she had yet to work off. “I’m all done now! Can I be excused?”

  “What are you going to do if I excuse you?” Carol Ann asked.

  “I’m going to go draw a picture for you and Daddy!” Callie exclaimed with a grin that revealed two missing teeth.

  “Okay, okay, baby. You’re excused.”

  “Thank you, thank you,” the little girl said as she stumbled down from her seat and flew across the room.

  “You raised that little one well,” Jesse commented as he helped himself to another plate of casserole and a piece of homemade bread.

  “Don’t let her hear you call her ‘little’,” Carol Ann warned, “but thank you. We did our best.” Her hand moved to clasp Mason’s, and in that moment, Amber’s heart lurched.

  Before now, she had never really contemplated what it meant to be a family and to love someone. All her life, she had dreamed of having a successful career and a big diamond ring on her finger, but what did it truly mean to be engaged to someone? To start a life with someone? To have babies with someone?

  When she looked at Carol Ann and Mason, Amber couldn’t help but feel the green-eyed monster sprouting forth within her and filling her with envy. She wanted to feel loved the way they loved one another. She wanted to enjoy simple, home-cooked meals with her family and share quiet, peaceful evenings together like this.

  Perhaps, her view on life had always been wrong. She’d been committed to the material things that she thought would make her happy: A flashy ring, a closet full of designer clothes, and a rich boyfriend who could buy her whatever she desired… Yet now, in the sight of a loving, caring family, all those things crumbled to dust before her eyes.

  What was the use of money if you had no one to share it with?

  “Are you all right, Amber?” Jesse asked in a quiet voice.

  She came around and realized that she had been sat silent for a long time. Amber coughed and nodded. “I’m fine, I just think I need some air.”

  “Here, let me help you,” Jesse offered as he pushed back his chair with a scrape and stood. He took one of her hands and helped her up before leading her to the back door.

  Once Amber’s face hit the cool evening breeze, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She’d gotten carried away inside. After all, Jesse didn’t like her in the way she wanted him to. He hadn’t kissed her that morning like she had hoped, and even if he had, Amber had a job to do. She’d be returning to Chicago in a month’s time anyway. They’d never see each other again and that would be that.

  With determination filling her chest, Amber turned to see that Jesse was still with her and watching her closely.

  “What?” She asked. “Is there something on my face?”

  Jesse smirked. “Not yet.”

  Before Amber could question what he meant, the tanned hunk of a man in front of her closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers.

  Chapter Ten

  Amber’s eyes flew open. What is he doing? she asked herself as his arms wrapped around her and his hands pressed against her back. The feel of his large, muscular arms around her while his lips moved soft and firm, against her own made Amber melt. She let out a sound that was a mixture of a sigh and a moan, before succumbing to her more primal instincts.

  Her hands moved up his body to wind themselves in his hair, and she pushed on the back of his head, encouraging him to kiss her more. She felt his lips smile against hers before his tongue pressed and probed against the firm seal of her lips. She parted them willingly with a breathy moan and stepped closer, pressing her body against his. Curves met his hard, strong body, and she desperately wanted so much more.

  Jesse groaned as he let his tongue move inside and explore her mouth. Their tongues slid over one another, and Amber felt her lower belly tighten with arousal. She pressed even closer to him until there was no space left between them, and her breasts collided with the hard, muscled wall of his chest and she moaned at the contact. The pressure of a man’s body against her own was intoxicating, and Amber could feel herself slowly losing control.

  In that moment, Amber was ready to give herself over to him. She was willing to dive deep into forbidden territory and throw her worries about the future to the wind. Just when Amber was about to tell him as much, Jesse pulled away and it felt like the spell was broken.

  “We should head back inside and help my sister clean up,” he told her in a whisper, with a small smile on his face.

  The domesticity of it all broke Amber’s fever dream and brought her crashing back down to reality. If she went back inside with him, she’d be getting even more involved with Jesse and his family. Then they’d spend some time together and what? Amber would have to go back home to a place no farmer boy would ever dream of living. She would go back to her normal life and Jesse would forget all about her.

  Unable to bear that thought, Amber shook her head. “No,” she uttered.

  “No?” Jesse asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

  “No, I can’t,” Amber explained. “I’m sorry, I just… I can’t…”

  Before any other wor
ds could be spoken, Amber turned tail and walked away, leaving Jesse speechless and staring after her on his sister’s back porch.

  ***

  A week later, Amber rose with a nauseous feeling in her belly. She had been avoiding Jesse ever since that fateful night when he had kissed her. She was trying desperately to focus on her work and her ambitions and forget all about the sexy farmer with his infectious laughter and charming smile. She’d submitted two more designs for rustic-inspired women’s skirts, one mini and one midi, but she’d found herself in a little bit of a rut the last few days. Nothing was inspiring her anymore, and it was beginning to frustrate her a little bit.

  She set to work on Billy’s fields, helping him spread fertilizer as the crops began to grow tall and full ready for harvest shortly. Despite the chill in the air, the sun was scorching down upon her and Amber had to retire to the house for a glass of water. As she approached, however, Billy’s wife was stood on the porch waving to her.

  “Amber!” Noreen called. “Laura’s on the phone for you.”

  What does Laura want from me now? Amber wondered as she reached the porch. “Thank you, Noreen, I’ll go grab the phone now,” she said to the kind woman and then went inside and picked up the house phone.

  “Hello?” she said into the speaker.

  “Amber! It’s so lovely to hear your voice. Your emails have been great, but I do always prefer communicating face-to-face or over the phone. Speaking of which, I’ve not been able to get in contact with you using your cell phone. You’re not avoiding me, are you?”

  “No, no! Of course not,” Amber rushed to say. “It’s really hard to get any cell service out here.”

  “I figured as much, Amber, don’t worry so much,” she replied with a humorous tone in her voice. “I was just calling to tell you that you’ve done a fantastic job! Everyone in the department is in love with the colors and cuts you’ve been sending us for inspiration. I know we said you’d be staying out there for two months, but well, you can come home now! And when you return, I’ve spoken to my bosses and they’d love to see you spearhead the designs for the fall campaign! This would mean a promotion to lead designer, and a lot of other benefits, like increased pay… Well, what do you say? Aren’t you excited?”

  Amber’s heart sunk in her chest. This was what she wanted, wasn’t it? She always knew living in Valley Springs wasn’t permanent. She had a life and a future waiting for her back in Chicago. She didn’t have anything here… Or did she?

  A part of her wanted to say no. A voice inside her head had been screaming at her for the past seven days to rush over to Jesse’s ranch and beg his forgiveness for running out on him, but Amber couldn’t. She had too much pride, and she was too scared of getting hurt again. Yet, leaving right now didn’t feel right either.

  “Amber? Are you still there?” Laura asked.

  “Yes, sorry… Um, can you give me some time to think about it?” Amber replied.

  “What? Why on Earth would you want to stay in that backwards place?” Laura said with a laugh.

  Amber bristled. After seeing how hard everyone worked in Valley Springs and the community they’d built together, she didn’t like hearing others looking down on them. “Well, I feel like I could get a few more great designs out of this place. Ones that could really give us the edge we need to make this fall the best season of the year,” Amber lied, biting her fingernails as she spoke.

  “Well, if you say so,” Laura agreed in a half-hearted voice. “But if I was you, I’d be running back home gladly! I can’t stand going to visit my uncle in that dirty, smelly place. But oh well, do what you must, Amber. I’ll see you when I see you!”

  “Thank you, Laura, you won’t regret it.”

  “I hope not.”

  The dialing tone sounded and Amber knew Laura was gone then. Now, the redhead needed to have a serious think about what she really wanted before she lost the opportunity in front of her forever. She trudged out to the field once more and rejoined Billy with a lackluster smile on her face. Amber tried hard to concentrate on the task at hand, but her mind was racing. If she went back now, she’d lose Jesse forever… Why did that thought hurt so much?

  After a few hours of toiling under the sun, the air began to cool and the sun began to set for the day, but Amber still hadn’t gotten any closer to deciding what she wanted. She decided to go take a break and hide out from everyone else in the barn. Billy and Noreen would usually expect her to come inside the house for dinner at about this time, but right now, that was the last thing Amber wanted. She didn’t want to talk to anyone and pretend that she was okay. She had never felt so torn apart before.

  Inside, the barn was dusty and a little worn. The ceiling was a little damp and soft from water damage, and it was filled with large pieces of farming equipment — the plow and the tractor. But there were also stacks of hay waiting to her right, and Amber sat herself down on one, letting her legs dangle off the edge of the bale and putting her head in her hands.

  “What am I supposed to do?” She wondered out loud with a sigh.

  After a moment or two of silence, Amber heard the door bang open loudly and footsteps sound. She looked up, tears wetting her eyes, to see the person who was causing her so much uncertainty: Jesse. He looked just as good as the last time she had seen him. His blue eyes shone bright in the dim light of the barn and his hair was free of a hat today, showing off his long, flowing locks. The clothes on his body were tight and hugged every muscle in just the right place. This was exactly what she had been trying to avoid.

  He spotted her and marched over, a scowl marring his handsome features. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” he growled.

  “W-what?” Amber replied, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and fear. “I’m resting in the barn.”

  “Don’t play smart with me now, little lady,” Jesse retorted. “You know exactly what I mean. You can’t just come over to my place, flirting and acting all cute, getting me to like you, and then just ignore me. It ain’t nice to play around with people’s feelings like that.”

  Amber’s heart raced in her chest. “I didn’t mean to play around with your feelings,” she confessed. “I’m just… Confused.”

  “What is there to be confused about?” he asked, stepping forward and pressing into the space between Amber’s legs. “You like me, don’t you?” As he spoke, Jesse leaned closer into the redhead’s personal space and tipped her chin up with his hand.

  “Y-yes,” Amber confessed, biting down on her bottom lip as her jade eyes met his aqua ones. She didn’t know what to say or do now. Everything was still a little cloudy in her head. She didn’t know what was right or wrong anymore, and the closer that Jesse moved toward her, the more she didn’t care. All she wanted was to feel his lips on hers again and for him to kiss her until she couldn’t remember all the reasons why she shouldn’t.

  As Jesse leaned in, Amber gasped and her lips parted. Jesse took the opportunity to kiss her, open-mouthed and filthily, as his hands wound around her waist and he pulled her flush against him.

  “About damn time,” he muttered against her lips with a smile and Amber knew for certain that there was no turning back. Not anymore.

  Chapter Eleven

  Amber’s back was pressed down hard against the hay. Jesse was slowly crawling on top of her as he kissed her over and over, stealing her breath and making her tingle all over. Everywhere his fingers and hands touched made her feel like she was being set aflame, trails of fire running along her arms and her sides. Jesse’s mouth was hot and wet against her own, and she couldn’t resist him.

  Her hands wandered underneath his shirt and pushed it upward, revealing more of his soft, tanned skin and feeling the bumps of every muscle in his stomach. She groaned when she realized just how hard his body was in every way. He paused kissing her for a moment in order to pull the shirt off over his head, and then Jesse dived right back in to kiss her like he would die if he didn’t.

  “Amber,
you’re so beautiful,” he moaned as he rocked his hips against hers. She moaned and the hand that he wasn’t using for balance moved over her white tank top to rub and caress her breasts through the material. Amber was so overwhelmed by the feeling of pleasure that rushed through her body. She lifted her hands to run over the smooth skin of his back, feeling his firm muscles contracting as he held himself up. She couldn’t bring herself to stop touching him. He was perfect.

  “Please, don’t stop,” she mumbled between kisses as he reached down and lifted her top and bra, revealing her breasts. Hurriedly, he pulled the pieces of clothing off and then stared down at her naked torso. For a moment, Amber was worried something was wrong, but then he leaned down and started kissing her again.

  They came together once more in a crash of lips and tongue. Amber had never felt anything quite like it before. It was like an inferno was raging deep inside her, threatening to erupt at any moment, but she didn’t care. She wanted this — wanted Jesse — more than she’d ever wanted anyone before. She moaned as he cupped her large breasts and ran his thumb over her nipple in a way that made her shudder.

  “Tell me you want me,” Jesse whispered into her ear and then bit down lightly on the lobe.

  “I want you. I want you so bad,” she confessed in a rush of air as she watched him slide down her body again. Confused, she lifted her head and her hair appeared like a mess above her where she had moved around on top of the hay. There was even a piece of straw sticking out of one of her curls, but neither of them cared. They were too busy wrapped up in one another.

  She saw Jesse kissing down her stomach until he reached the waistband of her jeans. He unbuttoned it and pulled her fly down before helping her out of the confining pants. Now, Amber was laying there in just her peach-colored thong while Jesse stood and admired her.

  “God, the things you do to me,” he muttered as he gripped her by her big hips and pulled her down until her ass was perched at the edge of the bale. Then he grinned down at her before dropping to his knees and pressing his mouth to the thin cotton of her underwear.