Naked Shorts (18 page)

“Mr. - damn it, what”s your name?”

“James.”

“Mr. James -”

“No, just James.”

“What is your last name?” she demanded.

“Don”t you think, darlin” that after that hot little kiss we shared in the barn, there”s no need for you to call me Mister? James will do just fine. Or you can call me darlin”. I sure won”t mind.”

***

James certainly had his fun at her expense. What he was trying to gain by it, she didn”t understand. Surely, Mr. Riley would rake him over the coals once he heard how he”d behaved toward his employer”s bride. Bride? Damn, how she hated that word. All it meant was that she was being handed over from her father who told her what to do to another man who”d tell her what to do. Same difference - with the caveat of course, that the latter would also have the right to use her body whenever and however he wished. A prospect she didn”t relish.

As James guided the horses to a copse of trees along the riverbank after they”d ridden for a few hours, she wondered whether she could use the stop for the night to make her escape.

“We”ll camp here,” he announced.

When he got off the horse, Ellen made a startling discovery: she”d liked his body pressed against hers and now that it was not, she felt strangely empty. She cursed herself for such a stupid thought. James was merely an uneducated cowboy - and that kiss he”d given her had meant nothing. He”d only used it to shut her up.

“Are you getting off that horse, or are you planning to sleep on it?” he suddenly asked.

With an undignified look into his direction, she slid off the horse. His hands caught her around the waist before she touched the ground. The unexpected contact made her shudder.

Darn, was he doing this on purpose?

Ellen pulled out of his grip and stepped aside. “I can ride just fine, and I can get off a horse without help.”

He snatched her arm and spun her around to face him. The moonlight illuminated his ruggedly handsome face, and a gasp escaped her lips. “My mama raised me to be courteous to women and lend a hand. So you”ll have to learn to accept that. Any problems with that?”

How was she supposed to think clearly if his mouth was only inches away from her? “Your chivalry is quite unnecessary, I assure you.”

“Is it?” he asked and lowered his mouth to hover over hers. “Would you rather I wasn”t chivalrous and just took what I wanted?”

“Mister -”

But before she could launch into a tirade, the insolent cowboy was pressing his firm lips against her and nibbled on her upper lip. “Don”t even think of biting me again,” he whispered against her heated skin.

If he hadn”t mentioned it, the thought wouldn”t even have crossed her mind, for his lips were so tempting, his touch so soft that she couldn”t resist giving into the soft press of his mouth and open for him. His tongue slid into her, more gentle this time than he”d been in the barn. Warmth flooded her body and made the sensitive spot between her legs tingle with excitement. Just as she kissed him back, he broke off the kiss.

There was a strange look in his face when he gazed at her. “And don”t even think you can entice me with your charms - of which I admit you have plenty. My job is to bring a willing bride to Mr. Riley, and that”s exactly what I”ll do.”

She ripped free of his embrace. How dare he? He”d kissed her first! “Willing bride? I”ll give Mr. Riley a willing bride. You wait and see,” she threatened. He”d have to drag her there kicking and screaming.

***

James took care of the horses all the while watching Ellen like a hawk. He”d riled her up, and now she was scheming. The next three days would be immense fun. Ellen was no proper lady -

her kisses and her fiery nature proved that. Just as well: he didn”t want a lady. He wanted a woman with fire in her belly and passion in her heart, somebody who would stand up to him, just like his mama stood up to his pa.

Besides, it would be no fun taming a lady.

Even though it had been warm during the day, now in the middle of the night, it had cooled off, and the air had turned a certain chill. When he”d built the fire that now crackled in the night, he called her to join him.

“Ellen, it”s time to sleep.”

He caught her look as she discovered that he”d laid out the bedrolls next to each other, flush together without any space in between.

“If you think I”m going to sleep with you, you jerk, you”ve got it coming,” she bit out.

“You”re going to sleep right there, next to me so I can feel when you”re trying to escape. No discussion.”

“No!”

“Fine. You don”t like sleeping next to me? Then you”ll sleep under me. Your choice,” he snapped. He hadn”t wanted to say what came out, but for tonight he needed to shock her into submission. He needed some rest and tomorrow he”d begin seducing her into becoming a willing wife.

Ellen dropped her jaw, shocked. “You wouldn”t!”

“Wouldn”t I?” James grinned. It was an empty threat, of course. He”d never crush her with his weight. She was barely five foot two or three and maybe a hundred and twenty pounds, if that much. His massive frame of six foot three carrying almost two hundred pounds would flatten her in an instant.

She didn”t say another word.

“So, it”s settled then.”

A few minutes later, he settled back onto his bedroll spreading his blanket over his body.

He”d only taken off his shoes and his hat. Ellen lay down next to him, instantly turning her back to him into the direction of the fire.

James hoped she”d be warm enough. He was used to sleeping outside under the stars, but a woman like Ellen wasn”t.

“Have you ever slept outside?”

First he thought she wouldn”t answer, but then he heard her faint “No.”

“You don”t have to be scared. I wake at the slightest sound.” He meant to be reassuring, but he wondered whether she took it as a warning. He could see her body stiffen, and wanted to put her at ease. “Tell me, Ellen, why are you so dead set against marriage?”

“I don”t see how that”s any of your concern.”

“Indulge me. I”d like to understand why you”re so afraid of getting married.”

She turned and glared at him. “Afraid? I”m not afraid!”

“What is it then? You don”t like the physical aspects of marriage?”

“Mister -”

“James, please,” he interrupted her.

“James, whether I am interested in the physical component of marriage or not is hardly a subject I”d like to discuss with you.”

“With whom then? Considering how we”ve kissed twice now, if my memory doesn”t fail me, wouldn”t I be exactly the right person to talk about your fears of what goes on in the marriage bed?”

He could see how he was ruffling her feathers, and he enjoyed it. Her face flushed delightfully, and her lips pouted. Did she have any idea that her behavior made her so utterly kissable, no breathing man would be able to resist her?

“My refusal to marry has nothing to do with the marriage act,” she finally admitted, her voice scolding. “But what I don”t need is some uneducated man who thinks I”m his property. If Mr.

Riley believes that all he needs to do is put a ring on my finger for me to share his bed, he will awaken to a surprise. I decide who I share my body with, and I alone.”

With another huff she turned around again and faced the fire.

He smiled. “And a very beautiful body it is, Ellen. Good night.” She didn”t answer, and he didn”t expect her to. James felt the urge to pull her into his arms and squeeze her. He would never treat her as property, because he knew that a strong-willed woman like her would be a tiger in bed if he only allowed her free reign outside of it.

With thoughts of his future with Ellen, he dozed off but was awakened shortly later. Looking at the glowing embers of the fire which had virtually fully burned down, he figured he”d been asleep for two hours. The sound that had awoken him was the sound of Ellen”s teeth shattering.

The blanket didn”t give her enough warmth. He stretched out his arms and reached for her, only to have her shriek in response.

“Don”t touch me!”

“You”re cold. Don”t be silly.” James ignored the protests of her hands trying to push him away and instead pulled her into his chest, then spread both blankets over them. Her back molded into his chest, and he pushed his thighs up to line up under her legs, which she”d pulled up at an angle. He wrapped his arms around her, covering as much of her body as possible, giving her his warmth.

She felt good in his arms, and despite the many clothes that separated them, he felt his own body react to her. His cock had been semi-hard during the entire ride as she”d bounced against him, but now it surged into a full blown hard-on. That was not what he needed right now.

He took a few deep breaths and tried to relax. Unfortunately each breath made him even more aware of her presence. The scent of peaches emanated from her hair and skin. Why did she have to smell this damn good?

“You should have told me you were cold,” he scolded her softly and rubbed his hand over her arm to generate heat.

“You don”t have to do that.”

“I want to.” He continued rubbing her arm, then stroked his hand over her hip and thigh.

“Better?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Good, now you stay like that all night. As long as you let me hold you tight like that, you”ll be warm. Can you let me do that?”

“Yes.” It appeared that kitty had pulled in her claws for the night. He appreciated it, and gave her a soft kiss on her hair, which she probably didn”t even notice. “Sleep well, Ellen. We have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow,” he advised her.

***

Ellen”s head settled back onto his left arm which she used as her pillow. The thought of getting ever closer to the elusive Mr. Riley didn”t facilitate a good night”s sleep. There was no way in hell she would marry Riley. She would not let somebody like that destroy her life. At nineteen her life was just only starting. She could not allow her father and this Mr. Riley to end it for her.

No, she needed a plan. And she would come up with a plan. She hadn”t been expelled from eight schools for playing by the rules. Now all the things she”d learned would come in handy to help her out of this mess.

For starters, she”d try for escape tomorrow morning. And if that didn”t work, she”d have to figure out a way of how to convince this cowhand James to help her instead of deliver her to Riley. By her estimations she had two days and two nights until they would arrive at the Riley Ranch. Plenty of time to turn his loyalty.

James seemed to have fallen asleep. His breathing was even, but the strength with which he held her in his embrace remained the same. She molded herself into the curve of his body, letting her backside slide into the space he”d created for her.

She could feel the hard outline of his erection at her back and smiled as the rough outlines of a plan started forming in her head. She hadn”t gotten expelled from her last school for not doing her homework. Her offences had been of a much more delicate matter. And what she”d learned about men on the East Coast could easily be applied to a cowboy in the West. He wouldn”t know what hit him.

Luckily James was rather handsome. He even smelled clean, which would certainly make what she had to do more pleasant. Since he was most likely quite uneducated, she would have no problem manipulating him.

Convinced that she”d found a way out, she sighed and put her hand over his. His skin was rough, but not unpleasant. She entwined her fingers with his and could feel the calluses, witnesses of hard work. It felt as if he pulled her closer into his body, but he didn”t wake. His body heat warmed her pleasantly, and she let herself be lulled into sleep.

CHAPTER FOUR

Waking up with Ellen curled into his chest, her hand clasping his, James thought he was still asleep. Only the crisp morning air against his face told him that he was not hallucinating. He”d never slept better, despite the hard ground underneath.

He peeled himself away from her sleeping body, anxious not to wake her, unsure how she would react to his presence this morning. Instead he went to the riverbank and stripped for a morning bath in the icy water. Not only did the water wash away the dust from the previous day”s ride, it thankfully also brought down his boner. Had Ellen seen him with the immense hard-on he was sporting upon rising, she would have most likely felt threatened.

Not that he could blame her. His massive cock would scare the b” Jesus out of a small woman like her. He”d have to be gentle with her when he initiated her into the pleasures of relations between men and women. Just the thought of that initiation made him hard again.

Damn, now he”d have to stay in the river even longer just to get his boner down again.

Or maybe he should take things into his own hands instead. At least it might help him make it through the day. He remembered the feel of her hand on his, and imagined how her hand would feel wrapped around his shaft. Her shy ministrations would tease him, and he”d show her how to move her hand up and down his steely length, how to apply just the right pressure to push him over the edge.

James” eyes were shut as he stood thigh deep in the water and spurted his seed into the river.

He washed up once again, when he heard the horses neighing. He shot a look up toward where the horses were tied up, but the bushes along the bank obstructed his view.

***

Ellen was almost done saddling her mare. She”d awoken finding herself alone. When she”d seen James bathing in the river, naked, she figured this was her best chance to escape. Not that she didn”t enjoy looking at his naked body. The man was built like a Greek god. He had the tightest butt in the West, a chest rippled with muscle and thighs so strong, she wouldn”t mind feeling them press her into a mattress.

Not to speak of the rest of his
equipment.
Ellen fanned her face with her hands trying to negate the heat flash she experienced at the thought of his manhood.

Taking the reins, she put her foot in the stirrup and pulled herself up into the saddle. She was briefly startled by the whinny of James” mustang then led her own horse away from the trees.

Pressing her heels into the horse”s sides, she ordered it into a gallop.