“What the fuck?” I muttered. Kyle had immediately recoiled, but I’d had enough of this bullshit.
I stomped over and put myself between them, staring her down. When she clocked my expression, she shuffled back a couple of steps, looking at me with wide, frightened eyes. A muffled guffaw sounded from behind me, and I threw Kyle a quick glare over my shoulder. He just stood there and grinned like a lunatic. My head flipped back around, and my expression was stern and filled with warning. “I don’t know if you’re delusional or just persistent as hell, but either way, I’m going to need you to back the fuck away from my man.”
There was a snort of laughter from behind me, but I ignored it and kept my cold gaze on the girl. Now that I was up close, I was starting to think Rebecca had asked the right question. Peggy looked young. Way too young for her attitude.
She screwed up her face in annoyance and looked as though she was about to argue with me when she was cut off by Rex calling out to her. “Peggy, stop pestering Mr. Kensington and go out to the truck.” Peggy’s bottom lip popped out in a pout. She was trying to play it off as sexy, but instead, she looked even more like a kid. “Now, Peggy,” Rex ordered. With a dramatic huff, she flounced around and stomped toward the exit. “And don’t think we won’t be talking with your dad about your behavior,” he called out, earning him another petulant glare over her shoulder. Then she stalked out the door and slammed it shut.
Rex walked over and sighed. “Sorry about that, Kyle.”
My brow raised at his familiar tone. Did they know each other?
They shook hands, and Kyle waved off his apology. “No problem. She’s still giving you trouble, huh?”
Rex nodded and ran a hand down the horse’s silky brown nose. “I swear, it was overnight that she went from a cute twelve-year-old to a diva teenager who wants to be much older than she is. Her dad sent her to me because he thought maybe I could get her to calm down and focus on competition. I wouldn’t have brought her with me, but Southern Dancer is her baby, and she was scared for him.”
“Just how old is your niece, Mr. Beaumont?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring toward the door where she’d marched out in her little tizzy.
“Eighteen going on thirty,” he replied with heavy exasperation. Then he raised an eyebrow and stared at me pointedly. “Just how old is your friend…?” He trailed off and waited expectantly.
I debated answering him, but a little part of me wanted to see what would happen between him and Rebecca. “Rebecca Granger, Kyle’s assistant. And she’s twenty.” He did a pretty good job of keeping his face a neutral mask, but I caught the hint of relief that flashed in his eyes. I almost laughed but didn’t want to insult him. He’d obviously been concerned that Rebecca was underage, which confirmed my suspicion that he was interested in her.
After a beat, he smiled. “And call me Rex. We haven’t met, but I’m well aware of who you are, Maddie Pierson.” His smile widened, and he winked at me. “I’ve been trying to find a way to steal you from James to manage Heartwood Hollow, but he threatened to have me castrated like a bull if I ever tried.”
Before I could respond, an arm slipped around my waist, and I was hauled backward against a hard, muscular chest. Kyle’s delicious scent enveloped me, threatening to steal my focus from the situation. “Friend or not,” he growled, “I’ll do far worse if you try to poach my woman.”
I immediately stiffened and looked up at him with narrowed eyes. He just shook his head and stated, “You opened that can of worms, baby.”
My first instinct was to argue, but then I remembered how I’d pretty much claimed Kyle, out loud, in front of any present staff and the Beaumonts. Okay, so he was right. The cat was out of the proverbial bag. I nodded with a sheepish smile, and he winked at me. Damn, that was sexy.
“Trust me, Kyle. I have no interest in Maddie as anything other than a ranch manager,” Rex clarified, holding up his hands. His eyes strayed to the side, and when I followed his line of sight, I saw Rebecca standing off to the side, conversing with one of our vet techs. She laughed at something he said, and Rex’s expression darkened.
“I don’t give a damn what way you are interested in Maddie,” Kyle muttered. “You can’t have her.”
Some part of me insisted I tell Kyle to back off and let me speak for myself. The other parts were melting at his fierce possessiveness and caveman attitude.
Rex’s attention snapped back to us, and he looked at me, rather than Kyle, which earned him my respect. “Thank you. I’m flattered, but I’m happy here. It’s my home.” He laughed and reached out to shake my hand.
“I can see that. And I know Southern Dancer is in the best of hands with you two.” We shook, then he lifted his chin to Kyle. “Call me when he’s ready for us to take him home.” Kyle’s head bobbed beside mine, and Rex waved before walking over to Lia. “Lia? We’ll talk tomorrow about the stud fee.”
Lia’s face lit up, and she jumped to her feet. “Great. Thanks.” She managed to keep her tone calm and professional, but after he passed her, she did a fist pump in the air, making me giggle.
I was about to shuffle around to look at Kyle when I saw Rex stop once more. He was standing next to Rebecca, and he leaned down to whisper something in her ear. The blood drained from Rebecca’s face, but she stiffened and said something back that had him snapping something in return before stalking away angrily.
“What was that about?” I wondered aloud.
“Beats me,” Kyle answered, burying his face in my hair at the crook of my neck. “I’ve never seen him act like that.” He took a slow, deep breath, and a second later, he released me only to grab my hand and drag me behind him as he swiftly walked to the exit.
16
Maddie
“Ky.” I tugged at his hold on my hand, but he just tightened his grip and moved faster. He led us across the dirt road and right up to the door to his office building. “What are you—” He cut me off and sealed his mouth over mine. By the time he let us up for air, my panties were ruined, and my nerve endings were vibrating with electric currents.
Kyle dug into his pocket and retrieved a key, then he shoved it in the lock, turned the knob, and shouldered open the door. I was still in a daze, so I simply followed where he led and didn’t ask any more questions. When the next door slammed shut, I barely registered that we were in his office before I was hoisted onto his desk, and he was standing between my legs, delving his hands into my hair.
“We have shit to talk about. But fuck, baby. Seeing you get possessive and jealous over me had my cock harder than a fence post. I stayed behind you so no one would see the giant hard-on I was sporting.” Then he attacked my mouth like he had been deprived of it for months rather than minutes.
Passion consumed me, and when I felt the heat of his hands on my naked flesh, I shivered. I instinctively held up my arms so he could pull my shirt off over my head. Then I pushed his white coat off his shoulders and yanked his shirt out of his jeans. He helped me remove it before pushing me back with a hand on the center of my chest.
When I was splayed on my back, my legs still dangling off the desk at his sides, he glided his hands up my stomach to rest just below the swell of my breasts. The corners of his mouth slowly tipped up when he clocked the front clasp on my bra.
“These are the only bras you are allowed to wear from now on,” he declared as he popped the catch and pushed the cups aside. My breasts spilled into his waiting hands, and when his lips wrapped around one of my nipples, I readily agreed to his demand. “You are so fucking sexy, baby,” he groaned as he switched to the other side.
His hands attacked my jeans, and before I knew it, I was still sprawled out on his desk, only now I was naked. “I had no idea,” he said after letting my nipple go with a pop, “that it would be such a huge fucking turn-on to see you get territorial over me.”
I thought about all the times he got jealous and possessive of me. He was right—it was hot as fuck. He always waited unti
l we were in private to rant about it, though, which made me love him even more. “Stop talking and kiss me, Kyle,” I demanded before moaning when I felt his tongue dragging a path down my stomach to the top of my mound.
“Happy to oblige, baby,” he teased, using his phrasing from the day he finally forced me to stop fighting my feelings for him. That was the last thought in my head because in the next moment, I was drowning in a sea of electric sensations as he ran his tongue up my slit. He didn’t bother to draw it out, and I was more than okay with that.
Using his mouth and fingers, he sent me spiraling into a storm of lightning. My body shook and shivered from the bolts of pleasure that shot through me. I started to scream in ecstasy, but it was muffled by his hand covering my mouth. Later, I would be extremely grateful for his clarity at that moment, keeping me from broadcasting our activities to anyone walking by.
I began to surface from the mind-blowing orgasm, but he didn’t give me much time to recover. He undid his buckle as he pushed to his feet, then he unfastened his pants and pulled out his magnificent cock. I had wondered if it would fit inside me that first time, but it had been perfect—just like every time after.
He yanked me to the edge of the desk and put my legs around his waist. Then slipped his hands under my ass to tilt my pelvis as he bucked his hip, driving in until he was gloved from root to tip. “Fuck,” he grunted. His blue eyes were trained on my face, but as he began to move, they dropped to the spot where we were joined. With every thrust, they grew darker and wilder. “This pussy is mine, baby.” I moaned, and my inner muscles clenched in response to his claim. “Tell me,” he commanded.
“It’s yours, Kyle. Oh! Oh! Don’t stop!” My fingers dug into the flesh of his biceps, holding on as I got closer and closer to the peak.
“Never,” he grunted. “You’re mine, Maddie. I want to fuck this tight pussy so hard you can’t walk without the reminder. And I want everyone to know it too. So I’m gonna fill you with so much cum, you’ll always smell like your man.”
He slid his hands up to my breasts and cupped them, squeezing gently before pinching the sensitive tips. “Oh!” I shouted. “Yes, Kyle! Yes! Yes!”
His hands were too busy to keep me quiet this time, but as long as he kept fucking me like a prize stallion, I didn’t care.
“Yes, baby. That’s it,” he encouraged as he pounded in and out. The desk screeched along the floor, moving with every jerk of his hips. “Oh, fuck yeah. Tighten that pussy, baby. Yes! Fuck! Fuck!”
He suddenly pulled out, and I stared at him in shock until he dropped to his knees and covered my sex with his mouth. He sucked hard two times, then bit my clit, and I exploded. Once I was in the throes of my climax, he surged to his feet and slammed back inside me. “Oh yeah, baby,” he groaned. “Nothing as good as feeling your pussy milking my cock while you come.” I bared down on him, and he threw his head back with a roar. “Fuck! Oh, fuck yeah!” I felt the heat of his release flooding my womb, and it set off another mini orgasm.
Eventually, he collapsed on top of me and groaned. “Normally, I would hate the idea of anyone hearing what you sound like when we’re fucking. But that was so damn incredible; I honestly don’t give a fuck.” I chuckled, and he turned his head to kiss just above my belly button as it bounced with my laughter.
It took a while, but when our bodies settled into a languid, satisfied state, he slowly withdrew. I mewled at the loss, and he grinned, shaking his head with mock exasperation as he stood. “You’re insatiable.” My cheeks heated, and he winked at me. “Don’t ever change, baby. I love that you’re as hungry for me as I am for you.”
“You’re too sexy for my own good,” I grumbled as he helped me sit up.
“Nothing about me is good enough for you, baby,” he softly said as he cupped my face. “But I’m claiming you anyway.”
I didn’t know what to say without telling him I loved him, so I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. He leaned into it for a few beats, then he licked my lips before leaning back. “We’ll never leave this office if you don’t stop that.”
I grinned and shrugged. “Maybe we can get the desk all the way across the room this time.”
Kyle laughed and kissed the tip of my nose before bending down to grab my clothes. “We need to talk. Then maybe I’ll take you home, and we can bang up the wall behind the bed a little more.” I snickered as he handed me my clothes, and I began to dress while he gathered up his own.
After we dressed, he walked up behind me and slowly turned me around until I was pressed against him. His arms encircled me, and my hands rested on his chest. “Now,” he began, “about announcing to all of Locke Creek Ranch that I’m your man…”
I could hear the smugness in his tone and picture the smirk on his beautiful face. It made the corners of my mouth tip up, but I kept my eyes down and played with the buttons on his shirt. “I have no idea what you are referring to, Kyle Kensington.” He laughed, and it drew my head up just to see the joy on his face. Kyle was always sexy, but when he was happy, he was enthralling. I stared at him, letting my expression grow to mirror his. “Okay, you got me.”
“Do I?” Despite his relaxed and happy tone, I saw the seriousness in his eyes. He wasn’t talking about calling me out on what I said. He was asking me to take the next step. To stop hiding and give myself to him fully.
“Yes. You’ve got me. Forever,” I promised.
Kyle closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. When they opened, they were shining so bright he could have rivaled the sun. “About damn time, baby,” he teased with a giant grin. “I was days away from doing something drastic.”
I snickered and tilted my head. “Really? Like what?”
He shrugged. “No idea. But I’m sure it would have been something crazy like skywriting ‘I love Maddison Pierson’ over the ranch…or maybe—” I gasped, and he immediately silenced and gazed at me with alarm. “What is it?”
I swallowed hard before croaking, “Love?”
Kyle rolled his eyes and heaved a long, mocking sigh. “Yeah, baby. Love. What the fuck did you think I was trying to prove all this time?”
I shrugged and glanced away as I felt my cheeks heat. “Honestly, I tried not to think about it. I was afraid to hope that you loved me too.”
He froze for a second, then his hands cupped my chin, and he lifted my face to his. “You finally admitting it?” he asked softly.
I nodded. Then I sucked in a sharp breath and held it for half a second before exhaling just as fast. “I love you!” I burst out.
17
Kyle
I stared at Maddie for several seconds, then I marched to my desk and picked up my phone. She watched in stunned silence as I calmly dialed Rebecca’s number and waited for her to pick up. I kept my intense gaze locked with Maddie’s as I spoke to my assistant. “Rebecca, don’t come back to the office and call Hoffman and tell him he needs to cover for me. I’m going to need a few days off.” Then I hung up.
Confusion filled Maddie’s face, and she furrowed her brow, but she didn’t say anything. She just watched me as I stalked back over to her. Once I was in her space, I kept walking, forcing her to back up until she hit the wall. I slapped my hands up on either side of her head and leaned in until our mouths were centimeters away from each other. “Say it again.”
“But you didn’t—” she started to protest.
I bucked my hips and ground my erection into her stomach, causing her to break off her comment. “Say. It. Again,” I demanded.
“I love you,” she panted, her needy body moving restlessly against me.
“I love you too, baby.” My tone was ragged, strained from the effort it took me to hold back. “Now, I’m going to fuck you, and I want you to tell me again when you come,” I ordered.
By the time I was done, she’d screamed it over and over, and it had rolled off my lips like a prayer as I emptied myself inside her.
Maddie’s head rested on my chest, an
d I lightly ran my fingertips up and down her naked back. She sighed contentedly and curled into me like a little kitten. “I’m glad you took a couple of days off because I don’t see us leaving the bedroom anytime soon. Especially if you’re going to attack me every time I say the L-word.” She snickered at her own joke, making me smile and kiss the top of her head.
“We have one thing to do in the morning. Then we can stay in this bed for the rest of the week.”
Maddie lifted her head and looked at me curiously. “Tomorrow? I don’t have any appointments on the calendar.”
It was almost impossible to concentrate on what I was saying with her red hair in a wild mess, her lips swollen and pink, and the smattering of freckles on her face reminding me of what it tasted like to lick every single one on her body. However, I needed to focus for the moment, so I shook my head and tried to toss away the lustful thoughts quickly invading my mind. That did a half-assed job of it, but it was enough.
“I made the appointment when I got up to get us some dinner earlier.”
Her nose scrunched up adorably, and she pouted. I laughed because she was so fucking cute. It was rare to see Maddie let down her guard and do something like that. “It can’t wait?”
I shook my head and kissed her nose. “Nope.”
“Ugh,” she grumbled as she flopped back down onto my chest. “Fine. Let’s get it over with.”
“Let’s get it over with? Is that really how you want to tell our children that you accepted their daddy’s proposal?”
Maddie froze. She was so still that I might have believed her heart had even stopped. Then her head slowly rose and turned so we were face to face. “Proposal?” she croaked.
I narrowed my eyes and captured her chin with my hand. “Are you seriously second-guessing us again?”
She glared at me and yanked her chin away so she could sit up, tugging the sheet with her so she was somewhat covered up. “No. I’m trying to figure out when exactly you think you proposed to me.”
When You Love a Rancher: Ranchers Only Series Page 8