How To Rope A Wild Cowboy (Silver Springs Ranch Book 1)

by Anya Summers

  Her grandpa had gifted her with the bag upon her acceptance into med school.

  She remembered how proud he’d been, and the joy of that moment. It was one of her best memories from a whole lifetime of them. When Grace had first arrived at her granddad’s, mired in grief over the loss of her parents, and the only life she had known, he had not been prepared for the burden of a teenage girl, but had managed as best he could. Being sent to the private boarding school back east had made her furious at first, had made her feel like he was abandoning her. But now she knew it had been the best thing for her, even if she had been less than gracious at the time.

  Spring had arrived in Winter Park, but Grace knew that it could be tenuous at best up in the mountains. She remembered it snowing here in July. But that only meant enjoying the mild spring temperatures with the hillsides and fields bursting with life. Flowers were in full bloom. Creeks and springs were flooding their banks with snow melt.

  When she reached the entrance to Silver Springs Ranch, her stomach did a somersault and her nipples perked up. Damn the man.

  Why had she allowed herself the weak moment? Because that was exactly what it had been: a weak moment. Nothing more, nothing less. And so what if he turned her on to the point where she’d had to use her battery operated boyfriend when she arrived home? That was what those things were useful for: deflating urges and keeping smart women from making poor bed partner choices, regardless that she had imagined Emmett while she used it, remembering the way he had looked holding his perfect cock.

  She couldn’t sleep with him—first and foremost because he was a patient. And second, because while the taciturn cowboy might be awesome in the sack, it would be a huge mistake on a personal level.

  Richard had taught her that, and dragged her unschooled heart through the mud. What she’d learned from him about cowboys had been enough to put her off them altogether, even if she was secretly fascinated by the well-worn Levi’s and arrogant swagger.

  Besides, she had a medical practice to oversee, in a town where she hardly knew a soul. The last thing she could do was fail the man who had entrusted her with his practice. She took the first right off the main drive, driving past fenced-in pastures filled with cattle. Grace imagined they had to watch them round the clock with all the predators around: the cougars, wolves, and even bears that might consider the large herd a fast food menu item.

  But then the road narrowed, and she felt boxed in by the line of trees on either side until the vista opened up, a picture-perfect, postcard worthy meadow surrounded by jagged mountains on all sides, and the road forked at Emmett’s cabin.

  The remote log cabin overlooked a tiny, rushing stream. The red amber wood had a rustic appearance. There were a couple of wicker chairs off to the right that made her wonder if he came out there with a cup of coffee in the morning, or sat and watched the stars with a beer in hand.

  She liked the look of his place, although she had wondered how he handled being this isolated from the rest of the world. Then again, she realized it was a peaceful spot with a few vantage points—including a clear view of the valley and surrounding mountain peaks.

  Grace parked her car behind his truck and inhaled a few deep, steadying breaths before she left her vehicle. She would get in and out with her bag as quickly as possible. She didn’t have to give him a follow up exam. There was no reason for her to stay. All it was, was a fast visit to collect her medical bag. That was it.

  At his front door, she rapped her knuckles against the wood, steeling herself for the coming interaction. The door opened and her jaw dropped. She snapped it shut quickly, but not before Emmett caught her expression.

  A slow grin spread over his face. “Doc, to what do I owe the unexpected visit?”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I left my medical bag here yesterday. I just need to pick it up. If you could grab it, I will be out of your hair. You look like you’re busy.”

  “Come in. It’s in my bedroom.”

  “I think I will wait out here,” she said, because all he wore was a damp towel slung around his lean hips, and the shoulder sling. The man was pure seduction in the towel. And her stupid hormones considered his lack of clothing an invitation, making kissy noises at him.

  He quirked an inky brow. “Scared to be alone with me?”

  Yes. “Absolutely not.”

  “Then I’d rather not leave you out here. There’s a grizzly in the area that I spotted the other day. You’d make a tasty snack for the likes of him.”

  At the mention of the bear, she sighed. It would be just her luck to wait out on the front porch and have the damn bear show up.

  “Fine,” she said with an exasperated huff, and entered.

  She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light inside the cabin. The spicy scent of his soap lingered in the air. Even bruised an angry violet color, his exposed chest and ribs were sexy. Then she realized what was missing.

  “Where’s the bandage I put around your ribs?”

  “It got dirty. Wait here and I’ll get your bag. Or did you need something else?” he said in a deep bedroom voice that turned her insides into melted putty.

  “N-n-n-o, just the bag.”

  Emmett cast her a knowing smirk. “Be right back.”

  Grace watched him walk away, his back just as enticing as the front. The man should be labeled indecent and a danger to women’s sensibilities everywhere. He was a danger to hers, that was for certain.

  She stayed by the front door, unwilling to walk further into his den. It kind of made her feel like Little Red Riding Hood, when she realized that the wolf was in disguise.

  Emmett strode back into the living room with her bag in hand.

  She breathed a sigh of relief. See? Just a short stop, and then she would be free.

  He cocked his head. “Something wrong, doc? You look nervous.”

  “No, I’m fine. Just worried that you don’t have the bandage on your ribs any longer. How did it get so dirty so fast?”

  He approached with determined steps that had her backing up against the front door. With his gaze locked on hers, he said, “You want to know how it got filthy?”

  “How?” she whispered, both fascinated to know and dreading the answer at the same time.

  He dropped the medical bag at their feet, caging her in with his uninjured hand beside her shoulder on the door, and his big body. The movement caused the towel to slip so that he stood before her in nothing but the sling.

  Oh, crap on a cracker!

  Don’t look at it—at him!

  Her gaze dipped down, spied his semi-hard shaft, and snapped back up to his face.

  Emmett leaned forward, his ice-blue eyes dark with desire, and said, “Because of how many times I jacked off thinking of you. The bandage was covered with semen.”

  Her sex quivered. She whispered, “Oh.”

  His mouth captured hers in a torrid kiss. Grace went blind to everything else but him. This wasn’t a soft tangle of lips. It was a hot, hungry mating, infused with an overabundance of carnal need.

  She moaned. Slanting his lips, Emmett ate at her mouth, delving deep, stroking his tongue against hers until she slid her hands into his hair to hold on. His wicked, seductive mouth turned her body liquid with need with every thrust of his tongue, and made the rest of the world fall away. Her head spun as he seduced her, eradicating her reasons for staying away.

  When the full length of his ripcord body pressed against her and with his erection prodding her belly, she whimpered into his mouth. Her pussy throbbed.

  The man was potent and addictive. He made her forget that he was her patient, that he was injured, that she didn’t like cowboys, that she should just walk away. All her reasons evaporated like smoke with each deft plunge of his tongue inside her mouth. His hand caressed her side, down to the hem of her top, then snaked its way beneath the material and cupped her breast. Through the lace of her bra, his callouses added to the eroticism of the moment. His thumb grazed and cir
cled her nipple until it pebbled into a hard point. Then he was tugging and twisting the bud with his fingers, sending volts of electrical charges straight to her core.

  She moaned into his mouth. He devastated her with his kiss, with his touch. She wanted him like she wanted air to breathe.

  His mouth still ravishing hers, his hand left her breast and traveled south. Her stomach muscles clenched and rippled at his touch. He teased her flesh at the waistband of her jeans. She tried to think that she should stop him, but then he undid the front clasp, and slid his hand beneath her jeans and panties to her bare pussy. He growled into her mouth as he stroked her damp flesh. Parting her folds, he teased her clit, rubbing back and forth until she was rocking against his hand, mindless with need.

  Oh god! was all she could think.

  Emmett thrust two thick digits inside her quivering sheath, and she groaned into his mouth. His fingers plunged in and out while his thumb circled her clit. He drove her body up a startling precipice until she was writhing and whimpering against his illicit lips. He was relentless as he thrust inside her.

  The climax struck her blind. She ripped her mouth away from his. Waves of ecstasy shattered her, her pussy spasming around his pumping fingers.

  “Oh god!” she cried. Her head thunked back against the door, her hips rocking against his fingers as she came.

  He nipped her jaw. “Come with me into the bedroom. Let me have you.”

  She shook her head. “No. We can’t do this. I can’t. I’m sorry I let it get out of hand, both yesterday and now.”

  His hand was still thrusting inside her quaking pussy. He snarled, “Your body is telling me differently, babe. The way your sweet pussy is clenching around my fingers, like it’s greedy for more… I think you do want me, want this.”

  “You don’t know that, you can’t.”

  “Babe, I’m a Dominant. I know the signs to look for: the dilated pupils, the jack rabbit pulse at the base of your neck, and how even though you are denying with your words, your cunt thrusting against my fingers, gripping me tight, tells a different story.”

  His words slammed into her. He was right. It was her hips that were thrusting again and again, taking his long digits deep inside, not him. Her hips ground to a halt, but not without leaving her wanting, panting for more.

  “Please, let me go. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t know why. Just let me go.”

  “Let me tell you what I think: you’re so used to doing what you think you’re supposed to do that you don’t know how to take what it is that you really want. Because if you did, you would let me lead you into my bedroom, straddle my lap, and ride me hard and long and deep until you came, screaming my name. And you’d come back for more tomorrow, and the next day, until I’m healed enough that I can go full on Dom on your sweet ass.” He rubbed her clit, his fingers still embedded in her pussy. “And once you surrender, give me permission, I want to tie you to my bed, and spend hours with my mouth on this sweet pussy until you’ve drenched my sheets with your cream. I want to make you climax so many times, your voice becomes hoarse from screaming my name. And then I would fuck you, use that sweet pussy to pound my dick inside relentlessly until I come inside you and feel you clench around me.”

  The man was more tempting than the devil. Grace warred with herself, with whether she should give in to the desire raging through her, or walk away.

  But he continued, “And I’d claim that naughty back hole of yours, clamp your tits and watch your nipples turn red, spank that pretty, heart-shaped bottom while my cock is buried in your pussy.”

  Her sex clenched around his fingers at his words, and it took every ounce of strength inside her not to thrust against his hand.

  He moved his lips over her jaw, nibbling at that one spot on her neck. “See, my words turned you on. I can feel you gripping me. And I can promise that if you say yes, you will come so many times, you won’t remember your own name.”

  Grace had no idea where she found the strength, but she whispered, “No. Please let me go.”

  At her words, he lifted his head and peered down at her. “I don’t know why you’re denying the heat between us, babe.”

  He withdrew his fingers from her pussy, yanking them from her pants. But then he sucked the two fingers coated with her juices into his mouth, a deep rumbling hum of enjoyment filling his chest. As his tongue licked up every spot, her body quivered. It was the most erotic thing she had ever watched a man do, and that was on top of him stroking himself the day before.

  Then he said, “The next time you come to my door, it had best be to join me in bed. Otherwise, don’t come here. Understood?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Now go, or I cannot promise not to touch you, not when my cock aches to feel the firm clasp of your cunt squeezing me.” He retreated a few steps, watching her, ready to pounce if he spied any caving from her.

  She picked up her bag and yanked at the door. Breathing heavily, she rushed outside and turned. He stood in the doorframe, unmindful of his nudity or the fact that he was proudly erect, like he wanted to ensure that if she did have a change of heart, he would witness it, and would drag her back inside to do all those naughty things with her.

  In a blind panic, Grace rushed to her car, tossing her bag on the passenger seat. She fumbled with her key but finally, after a few tries with her trembling hand, inserted it in the ignition and gunned the engine.

  She glanced up and spied Emmett standing on his porch, his hot gaze on her.

  Before she did something infinitely stupid, like get out of the car and fling herself at him, she backed out of his drive and sped away. Her body was flushed from the orgasm and his continued teasing. Her panties were soaked, and she hungered to feel him inside her.

  It would be wrong to have sex with a patient, beyond the fact that he was a cowboy. Wouldn’t it?

  Granted, he wouldn’t be a patient forever. And all those things he had described—the decadent, naughty acts—touched on a part of her being that she kept hidden behind a veil of propriety. She knew what a Dom was, had even researched the kinky aspects of submission. Was she cheating herself out of a life-changing experience?

  Because when she was honest with herself, her deepest, darkest fantasies that she’d never shared with anyone, were of being taken, of being handcuffed and blindfolded. Did that make her submissive? Was that why she responded to Emmett the way she did, because her body instinctually knew he was a Dominant?

  Grace had no clue what to do about him, or the desire he stirred inside her. What she did know was that for the time being, she was going to stay as far away from Emmett as possible.

  7

  Grace spent the next few days buried in work, trying like mad not to think about Sunday, or Emmett, or that she had dreamed about him every night this week. Or that she had woken up achy and aroused multiple mornings. It was beyond frustrating. She didn’t moon over men. She didn’t obsess over them. Ever.

  Her main focus was her career. It always had been that way.

  Even when she’d thought she was in love with Richard, she’d put her residency before him.

  And yet, as much as she had tried to avoid thinking about Emmett or the cataclysmic sensual exploits she had experienced at his skilled hands, she couldn’t seem to get the dratted man out of her mind.

  Grace had gone so far as to go further down the rabbit hole in her research on the lifestyle. A part of her was beginning to think that Emmett was right in that she was submissive. That left her questioning her entire dating life up until now. That perhaps none of those relationships had ever truly worked out because she needed her partner to dominate her in the bedroom. It left her shaken, and called her entire world view into question.

  But all those issues were why she buried herself in her work, and had spent the first part of the week conducting a full inventory of supplies, both medical and office. She had posted a notice in the paper and online, announcing that she was looking for a nurse
and nursing assistant to run the front desk. Grace also started reviewing her grandpa’s accounts, which the lawyer had transferred over with the will.

  Her grandfather had been meticulous with his organization of his estate, even setting aside the estate taxes. Yet, Grace still had a mountain of paperwork to work through after his death.

  That was on top of mourning the man who’d made sure she had a home.

  She fielded calls and had people dropping by the office to offer their condolences for her loss. The waiting room and her office had turned into a veritable cornucopia of bereavement flower arrangements. As much as Grandpa Joe had not wanted any funeral or memorial service, it was becoming apparent from the crush of well-wishers that it would be easier to host an event—like the celebration of life deal that Colt had mentioned—rather than constantly needing to rehash his passing all the time.

  But did it make her a bad granddaughter to ignore his wishes? Grace felt stuck regardless of which way she turned—pulled in opposite directions, unsure which was the better course of action.

  In exam room three, she walked in holding Jenny Tate’s chart and test results. “Thanks for waiting. I know your time is limited.”

  “It’s not a problem. I’m the one who called you last minute. And I appreciate you squeezing me in on what I’m sure is your lunch break too,” Jenny replied. The twenty-five-year-old brunette dental assistant had some of the most perfect teeth Grace had ever seen.

  “It’s not a big deal.” Nor was it the first time Grace had gone without lunch on a shift. It had happened all the time when she’d worked in the emergency room. “And I’ve got the results on the pregnancy test. Congratulations are in order. The test came back positive.”

  “Really?” Jenny asked as a bright smile spread over her face. This was something Grace rarely got to see working in the ER: this joy and excitement.