Unbridled and Unbranded (4 page)

“Holy shit, I’m so sorry,” Bo began.

But then the warmth, softness, and overall feel of her lush, beautiful body seeped into his mind and registered with a resounding,
“Oh, fuck yeah. Don’t ever let this woman go again.”

Bo’s face ended up right next to hers in the grab. He should have let her go as soon as they were balanced, but he found he lacked the urge to do so when the familiar sexy scent of her strawberry shampoo registered in his mind. He buried his face into her hair and breathed in. The smell took him back twelve years, as if they’d just fallen into a time machine.

Her hands were planted on his upper arms. He pulled back just enough to see her face, but didn’t loosen his hold.

“Calista,” he whispered. Just saying her name after all this time sent a flurry of emotions and feelings and lust and love and a myriad of other sensations shooting through his body.

A sincere smile shaped her luscious lips. “Bo,” she said simply.

Of course, he remembered she always said it just like that when she climaxed in his arms. His cock went ramrod straight like a Pavlovian response to her merely saying his name after all this time.

Bo registered that there were others in the room with them, but ignored the fact.

Instead of releasing her, he glanced at her lips and was powerless to stop himself from kissing her.

The moment their mouths connected, twelve years of his longing and regret fell away.

When she thrust her tongue between his lips in response to his robust greeting, he vowed to never ever let her go again.

Chapter Three

Callie, overloaded on emotions at seeing Bo again after so many years when she hadn’t expected to, leaned into the erotic kiss.

When Clay had brought her through the familiar gates of the Double R Ranch, she expected to see Rafe. He’d been in charge of Bo’s family ranch for over a decade.

Rafe came down the front stairs of the ranch house and greeted them outside before they parked. Even though their meeting after the lovely one night they’d spent together five years before could have been awkward, it wasn’t. Rafe seemed genuinely glad to see her.

They’d come inside, had a glass of tea, and had been on the way out to the barn when Bo turned the corner and plastered his body against hers.

The kiss they shared went on and on. She forgot about Rafe. She forgot about Clay. She only remembered how perfect she and Bo had always fit together. He’d merely said her name and her pussy first clenched and then gushed juice so hard it was a wonder her jeans hadn’t split open from the aquatic force.

The pleasurable old memories flooded her mind. Bo in her arms. Bo making love to her in various and scandalous places where others might chance by and see them.

The time she’d spent back then with him had been exhilarating and perfect. The devouring kiss he laid on her right now brought all those old feelings of love and security back with a slam.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but she heard someone clear his throat rather forcefully.

Bo finally released her lips and loosened his grip on her body. Her hand immediately covered her scorched lips. She took a half a step back and looked at a smiling Rafe and a laughing Clay.

Clay nodded once. “So, Callie, I’d like you to meet Bo. Bo, do you know Callie Warren?”

Bo straightened, but didn’t seem too apologetic about the kiss. “We’ve met.”

“It’s been years,” Callie added.

“You look amazing, Cal,” Bo said. His old nickname for her brought everything home.

“So do you,” she returned. She meant it. He was even more handsome then when he’d been younger. He’d filled out a lot and gotten even taller, but he smelled the same amazing way and felt even better. Best of all, those sexy dimples still dented his gorgeous face.

Rafe spoke up. “We were just about to go to the barn and make arrangements to loan her our cow inseminator, Delbert, but if you’d rather reminisce, we can hold off for a few minutes.”

Bo cleared his throat. “Go on ahead for now and do what you need to do. I’m going to need more than just a few minutes to reminisce properly.” He sent her a volcanically heated lust-filled gaze. Her knees literally went weak. A flashback of Bo’s head buried between her legs as he licked her to screaming zipped through the forefront of her mind.

Callie mentally shook herself. Reality check. She wasn’t here to reminisce, snag a man, or even fuck him raw for old times’ sake. She needed his cow inseminator, Delbert. And then she needed to sell her ranch. And then she needed to get a chance to go off and live her life like Bo had gotten to do twelve years ago. It was most assuredly her turn.

“As much as I’d love to reminisce, I truly need to beg you for your cow inseminator. I have a herd of cows plugged and ready for insemination in merely a day or two. I’m fairly desperate for someone experienced to take care of it for me. It must be someone that won’t cost me an arm and a leg like a private contractor would.”

A smile slid across Bo’s features. What was that about? Unless he wanted more than her arm and her leg to transact business.

“I’m certain we can come to some sort of an arrangement.” Bo slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

“I hope so. I’m counting on this for some plans I’ve made.”

“I promise I’ll do whatever I can to help you out. I feel like I owe you one.”

“Yes.”
You do owe me
. “Thank you, Bo.”

Rafe walked closer to them. Another flood of emotion wracked her soul. She hadn’t known who Rafe was when she’d slept with him. Afterward, when he told her he ran the Double R Ranch, she politely thanked him for a good time by way of a note on the hotel pillow and backed out of any further contact.

Five years ago, he’d seemed grateful not to have to fend her off. He sent her flowers with much the same sentiment in the attached card. Right now this second, and as a matter of fact, since she’d been here today, Rafe had exuded an entirely different feeling. It seemed like he was also very interested in her.

Until Bo had crashed into her body moments ago, Callie had been contemplating a quickie relationship with Rafe. He’d been the only other man, besides Bo, to have satisfied her completely. They’d only been together one night, and for the first part of it, she’d been rather lit from the wine, but there had been three rounds of pure bliss that night. They’d been good together.

She glanced at Bo and then put her focus back on Rafe. Tough choice if she were ever forced to make one. But she wouldn’t, because she wasn’t looking for a man.

She was looking for a way to get rid of her ranch so she could finally, at long last, pursue her dream. The slim amount of time she’d been able to dedicate to her passion had dwindled over the last several years. Her ranch demanded lots of time.

She wasn’t giving up a moment more than she had to for the life she never wanted but got stuck with anyway.

“If we could go talk to your guy, I’d be most appreciative.”

Rafe stuck out his arm and gestured toward the door. She looked up at Bo wondering if he planned to release her anytime soon.

Bo squeezed her shoulder one last time before finally letting her go. Callie swore her legs felt like rubber as she took her first step away from Bo.

Even after all these years he impacted her libido with a sudden force like trying to take a sip from a fire hose. One way or another she was going to get wet. But she promised herself that she wouldn’t be swayed by him if he expected her to stay behind and forego her dreams. She wouldn’t do it. She’d worked too hard.

She took two slow, wobbly steps forward, and Rafe grabbed her hand. Lending her support when she needed it.

“Let’s go talk to Delbert,” Rafe said.

Clay nodded. “Bo and I will unload the stuff in my vehicle while you work out the details of your upcoming cow baby shower extravaganza or whatever.”

Bo gave Clay a sharp look at first, but then nodded. He turned to Callie. “We’re headed out for dinner in a little while, would you like to go with us?”

Her mouth dropped open. Dinner with the two of them? That was just trouble waiting to happen. How could she keep from them finding out she’d slept with both of them? Did they already know? If so, they didn’t seem upset.

“That’s sweet of you, but I need to get back to my ranch. Lots of turmoil going on there.”

“Turmoil? What’s up? Anything else we can do to help?” Bo’s vivid concern touched her so deeply, she had to swallow hard and look away or be mesmerized by him.

She shook her head. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. Thanks for the offer of dinner, but I should get back home. There’s always lots to do on a ranch, as you know. Maybe some other time.”

Rafe still had a hold of her hand. He tugged at her fingers and snapped her out of her Bo-induced sluggishness.

“Let’s go talk to Delbert and see what we can do to help you.”

With Rafe pulling on her, she was torn between them already. The whole time she’d spent on the ranch right before Bo showed up she’d been thinking how rash she’d been in not wanting to see Rafe since that one amazing time. Five years later, Rafe looked good enough to eat whole. She’d been thinking about how to steal a kiss from his perfect lips when she’d slammed into Bo.

And then she couldn’t think anymore. Strangely, Rafe didn’t seem even remotely annoyed or flustered by Bo’s exuberant kiss.

The four of them exited the house, crossed the covered porch, and they split off as Bo and Clay went to Clay’s SUV while she and Rafe headed to the barn.

“You don’t have to answer, but is the reason we never saw each other again have to do with your past with Bo?” Rafe asked quietly.

“How astute of you. Yes. The main reason. Are you upset with me?” Callie had many other reasons, like the work at the ranch and her secret art passion, but her first thought had been of Bo.

“Nope. Not even a little bit. We were very good together, but I have slightly more exotic tastes, and at the time I wasn’t looking for anything permanent.”

Callie nodded in understanding. “At the time, neither was I. When you said you ran the Double R Ranch, I decided it would be best not to prolong things.”

Rafe laughed. “I drank way too much and was eternally grateful for the note you left me.”

The memory of their first time together slid into her brain. They were sitting in patio chairs on the balcony of his hotel room. She had straddled his chair and kissed him first. He put his hand down her pants. She stopped him because they were essentially out in public, but he continued because he felt the venue made any sex between them in public all that much more exciting. He was right. It had been amazing. Before she came that first time, he leaned her against the railing and put his head between her legs. She remembered being seven stories up with her ass facing the parking lot. Additionally, she had a man’s head between her legs licking her clit to distraction.

The experience had reminded her of being with Bo. He loved outdoor sex. The very idea of being caught
in flagrante
out in public apparently pushed all his buttons.

Callie wondered if that was what Rafe meant by more “exotic tastes” in reference to their sexual appetites.

But they arrived at the barn and she was introduced to Delbert.

She explained her dilemma, and while Delbert wasn’t sure he could take care of her entire herd himself, he promised to do what he could and told her he’d bring along a few other hands that could help.

“I have two catch pens set up, a cryogenic freezer with all the straws of semen I’ve purchased to use, and now all I need is someone with the skill to inseminate my cattle.” She smiled and Delbert smiled in return. Before he could speak, Callie asked, “How much do you charge?”