Dark Seduction (24 page)

Joe pushed up his ball cap. “This your land?”

Bud glanced around. “We’re sorry. We’ve been real careful to not trespass. We didn’t see any signs.”

“I own the Bar C.” Zane gave a nod. “We’re pretty welcoming to hunters, but we want to keep them out of this area of the ranch this year. Someone has taken down the signs and we’ll be fixing that.” He pointed toward the west. “If you take the dirt road another mile and a half, there’s a sign that says Jones’ Mesa. I’ve seen plenty of deer in that area and there are some great places to glass from and see a lot of country,” he said. “Just do me a favor and go under the fences if you can rather than climb over them. Hunters damage a lot of fences. It’s the only gripe I really have about you guys.”

“Sure thing. We understand. We’ll head on over there.” Bud moved his gaze from the direction Zane had pointed to and looked at Zane again. “Much obliged.”

Zane gave a nod and then Bud and Joe headed back to the beat-up red pickup, climbed in with Bud on the driver’s side. The truck gave a rusted hiccup and then rumbled as Bud started it.

He noticed Jessie photographing the truck as the men left. She lowered her camera and looked at Zane. “You were pretty nice to those guys.”

He rested his hand on the hood of his truck. “Nothin’ wrong with a little hunting as long as it is in the right area and as long as they respect things.”

“What does ‘to glass from’ mean?” she asked. “That’s a term I’ve never heard before.”

“Hunters use binoculars and spotting scopes to search the country for deer,” Zane said. “It’s called glassing. When they see deer through the binoculars, they stalk them.”

“That’s interesting,” she said. “So what’s next for a day in the life of a cowboy?” Her smile caused a stirring in his gut. “After chasing off hunters and all.”

He studied her and it felt as if there was a war going on in his chest. “While we’re out here I can give you a little more of a tour of the Bar C.” Something about Jessie made him want to spend as much time as possible with her.

Not a good idea, Cameron.
He mentally chided himself.
Run fast and run now.

“Sure.” She smiled. “I’d love that.” She pointed in the direction of the fence line. “I saw a group of some kind of cool looking feathery looking plants over there that I’d like to photograph on the other side of the fence.”

He gave a nod then watched her as she walked away from him. She had a cute little ass and gentle curves that were made for a man’s hands to caress. And those long legs that weren’t covered by her shorts. They were enough to make a man’s mouth water.

Damn.

Jessie reached the barbed wire fence. He watched as she carefully grabbed a top strand between barbs and then did the same with her feet so that she was standing on the bottom strand and balancing as she took pictures.

Concerned that she might fall, he moved closer to her. Before he reached her, she lowered the camera and let it hang on the strap around her neck. She started to climb back down when he heard a ripping sound and then a curse.

He reached her and put his hand on her shoulder. “You okay?” he asked just as he looked down and saw that she’d shredded her T-shirt on the barbed wire.

His mouth went dry as he got a good look at her bare breast and the pert nipple. He swallowed and met her gaze.

Her cheeks had gone red hot and she held her T-shirt over her breast the best she could. “So much for this thing,” she said, trying to make light of an embarrassing situation.

“We’ll get you back to the house and you can wear one of my clean shirts.” His touch set her on fire as he took her arm and she stepped down from the fence with his aid. “For now you can wear this one.”

He released her then unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off. Her jaw almost dropped as she got a good look at his tanned physique and the powerful play of muscles in his chest and arms.

If he wasn’t about to be married she would have jumped him in two seconds flat.

“Thanks,” she said as she took the shirt from him and smiled.

He helped her slip into the shirt as she fought to keep the scrap of cloth over her breast. His shirt had his scent, warm and masculine, and she found herself inhaling and savoring it.

Once the shirt was on, they walked back to his truck and he helped her into the cab. She kept her hand firmly over the tear as he shut the door behind her.

He climbed into the driver’s seat and started the truck before glancing over at her. “Need a little help with that?” he said in a teasing voice.

“I think I’ve got it.” Her cheeks had cooled but threatened to heat up again. “What happens on Cameron property stays on Cameron property, right?”

He laughed. “No problem.”

# # #

Excerpt… Rough and Ready:
Lipstick and Leather

Cheyenne McCray

Available Now!

Mike came back barefoot and wearing only his jeans.

Anna swallowed as she got a good look at his powerful body. He was cut, his muscles defined all the way from his chest and biceps, down to his six-pack and his waist that tapered into his jeans. He pulled on a white T-shirt and she found herself disappointed. Talk about eye candy. She never knew cowboys could be so sexy.

“Cold?” he asked.

Not after seeing him walk around without his shirt. No, she was all warm and tingly.

“It’s not bad,” she said.

“Even a fake fire is nice to sit in front of.” He went to the electric fireplace and got it going.

He was right, it was nice and she went to stand in front of it.

“Up for another drink?” he asked as he walked to a wet bar in the corner.

“Sure.” Why not? Earlier she did decide that she could use a drink or three.

He raised a bottle with amber liquid. “Whisky or vodka?”

“I’d better stick with vodka.” She sat on the couch and started tugging off her boots and socks. “On the rocks would be great.” When she was finished, she set her footwear aside.

When he brought her the drink she took a sip and let the warm liquid slide down her throat. She seated herself on the floor in front of the fireplace, her back against the sofa. Mike sat on the floor beside her with the bottles of whisky and vodka between them.

His nearness was unsettling and comforting at the same time. He was a sexy cowboy who had more charm than he probably knew what to do with. He was casual sexy and he wore it with ease as if he didn’t realize how attractive he was.

He smelled good, of leather and fresh air, like how good it smelled outside with the new-fallen snow. His chestnut hair was a little mussed and he had a day’s stubble on his jaws. His green eyes were amazing. She might just have to change her rule about not doing cowboys.

The thought of doing this cowboy sent heat straight between her thighs and to her cheeks. She was utterly insane for thinking this way.

He rested his forearm on one bent knee, his other leg straight as he looked at her. “Where are you from?”

She lowered her glass. “Tucson.”

“You’re in my part of Arizona, not too far from where I live.” He smiled. “I have a place outside Sierra Vista.”

“Not far at all.” She returned his smile. He wasn’t really long distance like she’d expected, not that she needed a relationship right now. “From my house that’s ninety minutes at most.”

He knocked back a drink of his whisky. “What brings you to Denver?”

“It’s supposed to be a girl’s weekend out.” She shook her head and sighed. “Becky loves rodeo and we’re going to some big event. Bull riding, I think. She begged me to come and you know the rest.”

The corner of his mouth quirked. “I take it rodeo is about as appealing to you as that party was tonight.”

“That’s about right.” She brushed hair from her face. “You being a cowboy, you probably get into that rodeo stuff.”

“Some.” He shrugged, the movement casual. “Have you ever watched professional bull riding?”

“I’ve seen it on the news a couple of times.” She grimaced as she thought of the scenes she’d had a glimpse of. “I can imagine a cowboy would end up missing a whole bunch of teeth and breaking lots of bones. I don’t get the appeal.”

His laugh was low, enticing. “Maybe you’ll change your mind after going tomorrow.”

“I doubt it.” She rubbed her thigh with her palm. “Are you going, being a cowboy and all?”

With a grin he said, “I’ll be there.”

“Where are your seats?” she asked. “We’re sitting in something called the Gold Buckle seats. Becky says we’re near the chute, whatever that is.”

“Nice seats.” He shifted where he sat. “I’m sitting in that same area.”

She felt a little stirring of something. Excitement maybe? “Maybe I’ll see you there,” she said.

He nodded. “No doubt you will.”

The effects of the vodka were coming on and she felt mellow and relaxed. “So what do you do?”

She swore she saw amusement in his gaze when he said, “I’m self-employed.”

“What kind of business do you have?” she asked.

“Cattle.” He took another drink of whisky. “Why don’t you tell me what you do for a living?”

She set her glass down on the plush carpeting and wrapped her arms around her knees. “I teach.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Little ones or big ones?”

Anna laughed. “Big ones. High school English.”

“Brave woman.”

She gave a quick grin. “I love it. Comes with its challenges but it’s worth it.”

“Have any children of your own?” he asked.

“Not yet.” She picked up her glass and swirled the vodka and ice. “But that’s one of my dreams. Children.”

“I wouldn’t mind having a few of my own.” He held his drink and rested on his thigh. “Married? Boyfriend?”

“No to both.” She tilted her head. “And you?”

“No strings.” He raised the bottle of vodka. “Ready for more?”

“Sure.” She held up her glass and he tipped the bottle and filled it. “Oooh, that’s more than enough.”

He set the bottle down and raised his glass of whisky. They clinked glasses and she took a sip of hers while he downed his in one swallow.

As they talked, she wondered how she could have rebuffed him so many times. He was genuine, personable, an all-around nice guy.

Not to mention he was
hot
. Why didn’t she say yes before now? She had turned him down three times yet here she was now, wanting him more than she could have imagined.

She found herself sitting closer to him, close enough that she could feel his body heat and their shoulders touched. She didn’t know if he had moved or if she had but suspected it was her.

At the same time they reached for their glasses and somehow his hand ended up over hers. They linked their fingers and he brought their hands up and kissed her knuckles.

The touch of his lips sent tingles throughout her. She looked at their joined hands then met his eyes.

They moved toward each other at the same time and she didn’t want to turn back.

The touch of Mike’s mouth on hers was enough to melt her, to make her feel as if they had joined in some primal way.

He nipped her lower lip then their mouths and tongues joined as their kiss deepened. He cupped the back of her head and drew her tighter to him. A soft moan rose up within her and she slid her fingers into his hair.

It had been so long since she had been with a man. Now she was here with Mike and she wanted everything he could give her and more.

They moved closer and closer yet and she heard the glasses clink and spill between them then smelled whisky as she felt liquid seep into the leg of her jeans.

He shifted and caught her under her arms and drew her onto his lap so that she was straddling him. His cock was hard between her thighs, pressing through her jeans and she ground herself down on him as they kissed.

She loved his taste, his scent, the feel of his hands as he gripped her hips. She knew she was tipsy but also knew that she wasn’t too far gone to make a coherent decision.

And that decision was that she wanted him. Had wanted him all along.

Wanted him more than anything.

He moved his hands, sliding them under her sweater until he cupped her breasts. He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples, through her bra and she squirmed with need. The intensity of his kiss grew in strength and she sensed his raw power and knew that he was holding himself back.

She started to move up and down as if she was riding him with nothing between them rather than tough denim.

He pulled away from her, moving her back as he did so. His eyes were dark, hooded, and the desire there was enough to send her overboard.

“We need to stop.” His jaw was tight as he said the words. Nothing about what she saw in him told her that he really wanted to stop. “You’ve had a lot to drink. I won’t take advantage of you.”

“I’m fine.” She cupped his face in her hands, felt his stubble against her palms. “I haven’t reached my limit yet. Another two glasses and then I’d be too far gone.”