Cowboy Rush (Dalton Boys Book 5) (12 page)

She didn’t realize he’d dragged her to the ground until the tall grasses tickled her hands. As she looked at him—really looked at him—her breath caught. Strong man silhouetted by land and sky. But the blazing expression on his face really stole her resistance, if there had been a single shred left.

“I want you.” Her voice was a rough whisper.

The hint of a smile quirked his lips at one corner. Then he caught her in his arms and bore her onto her back, cushioning her with his hands.

As his cock settled against her throbbing pussy and her arms filled with muscled cowboy, she forgot about being the ranch hand, that he paid her wages or how many times they’d argued. Right now it all seemed like foreplay. Fight, kiss. Argue, fondle. When tempers flared, they seemed to be hiding the underlying problem—passion.

And more. His eyes said more.

She lost herself in his stare as he rubbed against her. Easing his hand under her shirt, he found her right breast. Squeezed it lightly, flicked his thumb over her straining nipple. She cried out but his touch was gone too fast, moving to her left breast.

He pinched her nipple hard enough to leave her gasping and she bit his shoulder in response. A rumble of a laugh vibrated his chest. “Wild little cowgirl. I love the way you fight back. We’re well-matched, love.” Holding her gaze, he did something totally unfair, he rolled his hips, dragging his cock over her clit. Even through her jeans it left her weak and trembling.

“I’ve been dreaming of your scents on my fingers. But it’s not enough, sweetheart.” One dark brow lifted—a wing of question.

She knew what he was asking. Barely able to control the small squeaks of need, she nodded.

“Fuck yeah.” He plunged his tongue between her lips, ran it around the interior before pulling free and kissing down her throat, between her throbbing breasts and to her waist. Her top was hitched up to reveal a patch of freckled skin. He hesitated a moment and her breathing stuttered.

“It’s the freckles, isn’t it? They’re a turn-off.”

“They’re damn cute. Besides, nothing about you could turn me off, cowgirl.” As if to prove his point, he opened his mouth over her flesh. Having his rough beard and scorching lips over such an untouched area made her writhe. She sank her fingers into his hair, aware both of their hats had fallen off somewhere.

He sucked her skin. Goosebumps pebbled her arms. They fanned over her shoulders and right down to her nipples, puckering them. She longed to bring his mouth back to them but he was scraping his rough jaw lower, lower as he unbuttoned her jeans. The zip followed and finally he wiggled the denim and her panties down.

“I’m still wearing my boots.”

“Damn, that’s a problem. Guess I haven’t had much practice.” The thought of this gorgeous cowboy not having a lot of experience sent an even sweeter ache to her heart.

He pushed upward, biceps flexing with ropes of muscle. As he removed her boots and socks, his gaze licked over her. Under his gaze, she felt beautiful and precious. In a hard tug, he divested her of her jeans and panties.

“You’re still going about this wrong, Dalton. My pants are off but my top’s on.” She used her sassiest tone she’d use while working.

“I’m not too proud to admit my mistakes. Won’t happen again, Greenhorn.” He attacked her. Ripping her top over her head, practically tearing her bra in his eagerness to get at her breasts. Once she was bared, his eyelids lowered to half-mast.

She waited.

His throat worked. Finally, he grated out, “I’ve never seen anything so fine in my life.”

Her heart turned over and began to beat a new rhythm. With emotion fueling her, she yanked him down for a kiss. As their mouths dueled, she worked off his shirt and opened his fly. Slipping her hand inside his boxers to pull his velvety cock into her hand pulled a primal groan from him. Good thing they were outside—Kade Dalton could get
purdy
loud.

Sinking her teeth into her lower lip, she ran his cock through her palm. And again. Learning each vein riding the hard steel. Swiping her thumb through the wetness pooling at the tip. Mouth watering, she brought her thumb to her lips and tasted him.

His eyes squeezed closed. “Woman, you’re killing me.”

“Good.” She grasped his wrist and brought his fingers where she wanted them most. As callus met her slickness, it was her turn to be too loud.

“I’ve gotta taste you.” With that, he eased down her body, skipping her freckled torso and going straight for her pussy. He splayed his finger over her inner thighs and parted her just as he covered her wetness with his mouth.

She dug her nails into the earth. The rich scents of loam and grass surrounded them, and she couldn’t think of anything more perfect as he loved her with his lips and tongue. Sucking, nibbling, lapping her bottom to top. Drawing mind-blowing circles around her clit before thrusting two fingers into her pussy.

She cried out, juices flowing over his fingers. Her walls clenched and released madly around him. His tongue swirled over her clit too many times to count. She was melting, couldn’t figure out if she was part of the ground or the sky that filled her vision above.

Then her orgasm rushed up, a bright fire-burst like a comet shooting across her soul. Her pussy pulsated as a deeper need took up residence in her belly.

Panting, she touched his soft hair, riding her release. No, she didn’t belong to the earth or sky—she belonged to Kade Dalton.

* * * * *

Thank God he had a condom. The fact he did surprised even him, because he hadn’t had sex for too many months to count. As he knelt over her and rolled the rubber on with shaking hands, Ryan’s tongue flicked over her lower lip.

He growled. “Keep doing that thing with your tongue and I won’t last, sweetheart.”

She’d always been gorgeous, but now that he’d fallen hopelessly in love with the little vixen, she stole his breath.

Fighting to recover it, he eased between her round thighs. As she wrapped one leg around his hip, he leaned in for a kiss. Savoring her flavors and the feeling she injected into their caress. With a hand clenched in her silky hair, he ran the head of his cock through her slippery folds.

A shudder racked them both. Need mounted. It crossed his mind to let her know this wasn’t a one-time event—once he filled her, she belonged to him. But then she arched and made a mewling sound and he forgot the words.

One steady push and he forgot his own name. Tight, wet heat encased his entire length. His cock bumped a spot that made her cry out. And he forgot everything else. Good thing he had a brain stem to keep him going.

“Hell, Ryan. You fit me so fucking perfect.”

“Kade.” Soft fingers bracketed his face as she drew him down. The kiss they shared flooded him with feelings he was pretty damn sure no other Dalton had ever felt. He loved Ryan more than anything. He’d do anything, give anything to see her happy.

He shook with the effort to remain still inside her, but he just wanted to cling to the moment and to make it something she’d remember when they sat in their porch rockers talking of their grandbabies.

Her inner walls clutched him briefly, and he issued an involuntary growl.

As her smile spread under his, their gazes locked. “Move, Dalton.”

“Nothing could stop me.”

He withdrew with exquisite slowness. Watching her face ripple with pleasure was almost better than the sensations of being inside her.

Oh hell, yes. Almost.

Flipping his tongue slowly over hers, he sank back into her pussy. Inch by inch, desire shooting him skyward. At this rate he’d never give her release before him—he needed her too bad.

“Kade.” Her voice sounded as wrecked as he felt. “More. Faster.”

With a hard shake of his head, he grated out, “Can’t. Gotta make this good for you first.”

Eyes like green and gold fire locked on his as she wrapped her other leg around him. God, he couldn’t…dammit, how was he…

He plunged deep. Pulled back out. Wild lust pounded his system, powered by the real need to claim her body and soul. Her second orgasm swept her, and he focused on the way her eyes darkened and the fervent cries escaping her kiss-swollen lips.

He ran his hand from breast to hip and back up, maddened by need. Pressure grew in his body until he could hardly make room for a gulp of air. She angled her hips and he slid his hands under her ass to draw her into his pounding thrusts.

A tingle at the base of his spine sent him spinning faster. His balls drew up tight. He had to have her. On this land. In his life forever.

Throwing his head back, he roared as hot come jetted from his body. The feel of her hands on his chest, the sweet scents of her surrounded him, and he gave himself up to her care.

Long moments later he opened his eyes to find he’d somehow managed to get onto his side and she was snuggled against him. One creamy thigh thrown across his body, her fingers relaxed on his chest.

“I don’t know how I’m going to live without this for twelve-hour days while we work,” he said.

He thought her breathing hitched. Pivoting his head, he looked down at her but couldn’t make out her expression. She hid beneath a ton of red hair and against his chest muscle. Gliding his fingers down her spine, he said, “Sweetheart?”

“Hm?” Oh no. Not the monosyllabic noises.

He caught her chin with his knuckle and lifted her face. She looked at the sky, the land and some far-off point that scared the hell outta him. His chest caved in a little. “What’s wrong, Ryan?”

She rolled away and got to her feet. He sat up, heart thumping. Fuck, had he hurt her? He didn’t think so. And he didn’t want to consider she had regrets. He passed a hand over his face.

While he looked on, she sorted their clothes into his and hers piles and began to put her garments back on.

“Where are you goin’?” he asked around the lump in his throat.

“Got night chores, don’t we?”

Somehow he didn’t think they’d work alongside each other, teasing and talking about how they’d made love earlier. Tension rolled off her. When she had her panties, bra and top on, she gathered her hair into a thick bundle over one shoulder. He stopped breathing. If she walked away from this—

“Sweetheart, we need to talk.”

“Not much to say, is there?”

He got to his feet, bare-assed. “You’re having second thoughts then?”

Her eyes were dead—flat without the light of love shining there. He knew she’d felt it before—he’d seen it. As he reached for her, she sidestepped and hopped on one foot to put on her jeans.

“This was a mistake, Dalton.”

“Dammit, woman.” He gripped her upper arms and drew her close. “There was no mistake. I’m in love with you, and it’s not because I need a woman to put on this land. I love your stubbornness, like now. I love the way you toss hay even when I fear you’ll strain a muscle doing it. I’m proud as hell when I see you crawl out from under a machine, greasy and disheveled. And when you wrap your thighs around me—”

“Stop, please.” Her words were so pained, he couldn’t help but listen. He closed his mouth and waited. She withdrew from his hold and put those ten steps between them once again.

“I won’t let you believe this is a mistake. We aren’t a fling, Ryan, don’t you see?”

“We get caught up with each other. Lust is hard to control at times.”

“This ain’t only lust and you know it.”

She shook her head and placed her hat low over her eyes so he couldn’t see what color they were. Then she walked away, leaving him alone and nekkid on a plot of earth he’d never own unless she stopped being so hard-headed and gave in to what she felt. Because now that he’d admitted his love for her, he’d never be able to live here with any other woman.

Chapter Eight

The blue sky darkened a bit more with every step that carried Ryan away from Kade. Her chest was heavy and her feet heavier. She kept feeling his stare on her and glancing over her shoulder. But she was alone.

She didn’t know if that was more horrible or what she needed.

In the scorching, mind-blowing, soul-rocking heat of the moment of making love to him, she’d floated in heaven itself. Then as soon as he’d mentioned working together, her ass had hit the ground.

What had she done? Compromised a job she adored. After a few weeks here, it was more than Kade who made her happy. She fit in. As an employee, it didn’t often happen. The Daltons drew her into their circle with smiles and a warmth she hadn’t known since her father’s passing.

Maybe she wasn’t in love with Kade Dalton—she was in love with his family.

Wrapping her arms around her middle, she made her way toward the bunkhouse. Leave, or stay and face the man she’d just given her everything to?

I’m lying to myself. I’m in love with him.

A warm breeze tickled the hairs around her face, and she swiped them back with an angry hand. She and Kade had crossed a forbidden bridge.

Blown it up, more like.

Now every time their gazes met, she’d feel him moving inside her. When they worked alone, he’d want to put his hands on her. And God help her, she would want him to.

A shiver ran down her spine at the thick memories bombarding her. Each touch and look lived in her mind, overshadowing everything that came before. Kade Dalton had become the most important person.

She hurried into the bunkhouse and even that was tainted with his presence. He’d gotten drunk and passed out on her bunk. Then he’d awakened and watched her dress, and she’d let him see, loving his eyes upon her like a butterfly’s caress.

As soon as she closed the door, the silence settled and she missed the sounds of the ranch. Cattle, horses, child’s squeals. Even the homely sound of Mrs. Dalton’s wind chimes. The porch swing creaking.

She perked up her ears, straining to hear the four-wheeler engine, but heard nothing. She sank to her bunk and dropped her head into her hands. But they smelled so much like Kade’s masculine body, she lifted her face and fought a few angry tears. Number one rule on the ranch was don’t sleep with the boss, and she’d thoroughly trampled all over that one.

It wouldn’t be easy to find another ranch willing to take on a woman hand. And she couldn’t face tricking another rancher. From now on, she’d be up front about her identity. No wonder Kade had been so against her at first.

Unable to sit there with energy snapping through her system, she got up and strode from the bunkhouse. The wind was a constant as she tended some horses and checked in on the pregnant barn cat. No kittens yet, but she had no doubt the Dalton children would be all giggles and excitement when they saw the little fluff-balls.

She rounded a corner, empty watering pail in hand, and ran smack into Mrs. Dalton. The woman was sturdier than she looked—Ryan gave a
humph.

“Oh dear. I’m sorry. I thought you were off with Kade.”

Panic welled in Ryan’s chest as she met the woman’s eyes. The woman who saw too much. Ryan placed a hand on her forearm. “It’s my fault.”

“That you were off with Kade?”

Oh lordy, they were going to have this conversation. “That I bumped into you, but for Kade too.”

Maggie Dalton’s eyes weren’t blue like everyone else’s—they were spring green and not a hint of anger was in them. The breeze whipped the woman’s loose top and threatened to rip her sun hat from her head. Maggie put a hand on it to hold it in place.

“Seems you could use a strong cup of coffee. Come inside with me.” It wasn’t a question and Ryan gave a hesitant nod.

Helpless, Ryan followed her across the yard and into the house. As the door closed, she caught the faint sounds of the four-wheeler.
Kade. I’m so sorry.

Once seated at the long wooden table with Maggie, a mug of steaming coffee in hand, she felt more confused than ever. When Maggie rested a work-worn hand on hers, Ryan started.

“You’re feeling all right?” she asked Maggie to avoid the other conversation they were sure to have.

“Yes, the doctor changed my medication and it’s working fine.”

“I’m so glad.”

“So is Ted. He’s a gruff old cowboy but a softy when it comes to me and his boys.”

Ryan wrapped both hands around her mug and sipped. With no response in her empty head, she waited.

As if guessing Ryan’s needs, Maggie went on, “I never would have believed it of Ted.”

Surprise snapped Ryan’s attention to Maggie.

A soft smile touched the edges of her lips. “We had a pretty rocky start, Ted and I. We went to school together, you see. And we disliked each other. Hate’s a strong word, but at times I did hate him.”

Ryan totally understood that.

“If you imagine a more ornery version of Kade, you have Ted in his early years. If we were in class together, we argued. Often we were stuck together working on projects and I wanted to drive him down a back road and leave him more than once.”

At Maggie’s fire, Ryan laughed and nodded. “The thought’s crossed my mind more than once too.”

“Oh yes, Kade is much like his father. And my guess is his heart is no different either.” Her eagle eyes probed Ryan. There was little point in looking away—the woman knew. She knew which chickens laid best, what grandchild put sticky handprints on her wall and that Ryan had left with Kade and returned alone.

She swallowed hard and stared into her black coffee. “It’s difficult.”

“Ted told me he loved me one day after we had a heated argument. I wanted to slap the words off his lips. Actually, I did.” A pink flush rose in her rounded cheeks and she flexed her fingers as if feeling the sting. “I couldn’t believe how his words impacted me. I hadn’t seen it coming.”

Neither did I.

Actually, after their encounter in Hank’s barn, she’d suspected. Unfortunately, she’d gotten pretty damn good at reading Kade’s soft expression. “What did he do after you slapped him?”

Maggie laughed. “He grabbed me and kissed me. I was sputtering mad at first. Then I realized why I was so mad—it wasn’t at him so much as at myself for not seeing it sooner. Just like the stallion bites the mare’s neck before they mate and the dogs snap at each other. It’s all forgotten because it’s meant to be in the end.”

Ryan almost groaned. She didn’t want to be compared to barn animals even if she did see the woman’s point.

“I saw the way he looked at you from the start, Ryan,” Maggie said softly.

Her coffee sloshed over the sides of the mug. Mrs. Dalton grabbed a napkin from the holder in the center of the table before Ryan could react and mopped it up.

“H-how did he look at me?”

“I’ve never seen that expression on my son’s face before, but I’d seen it on his father’s.”

“Kade did tell me he loves me.”

Maggie’s nod was sympathetic and Ryan nearly laughed at the notion.

“But I’m not mad at myself for not seeing it sooner, like you were with Mr. Dalton. I’m mad at myself because I’m supposed to be a tough ranch hand, and I’ve let a woman’s feelings blur my judgment.”

“So you feel the same as my son?”

Ryan got up so fast the bench wobbled. She scooted more carefully away from the table and carried her mug to the sink. “I’ve got chores to see to. Thanks for the talk, Mrs. Dalton.”

With that, she went out of the farmhouse that felt so much like home and the woman who’d given her more comfort than her own mother had in too long. As Ryan opened the front door, wind blasted her. She pinned her hat in place, put her head down and went into the rising storm.

* * * * *

Kade’s horse was giving strong objections to his command to go into the wind. Maybe because the hot scents of ozone filled his nostrils. Or he could smell dust rising.

Scanning the horizon, Kade forged on. He had to get to the upper field where they’d placed a few mothers and calves.

With his rope in hand, he guided his horse at a faster clip. The horse tossed its head and Kade sank his heels into its sides. “Yaw!”

He had no idea what he’d do if the calves weren’t doing well in that upper pasture because he could only carry one home on horseback. He reckoned he’d try to gather them in a stand of trees and sit it out with them.

Glancing over the land again, he prayed he didn’t see one of his brothers riding out to do this very thing. But he saw no one, thank God. The weather wasn’t far from violent, and it had risen quickly, which was a sure sign of danger.

At least he’d seen Ryan go inside the house with his mother. They were likely tucked up in the kitchen together, safe and sound. A little of his worry cleared from his mind, but not nearly enough. He had no clue how to make things right with Ryan. He shouldn’t have had sex with her, but damn if he would take it back.

As he neared the fence enclosure, he tugged the reins. “Yaw!” Up and over he and the horse sailed. They hit the ground but Kade couldn’t even hear the hooves over the cry of the wind.

Two calves huddled in the far corner, tight against their mothers’ sides. A third trotted along the fence. Using his horse, he herded it toward the others. Then he went to find the rest.

Hell, when had the air become so thick with dust?

Wildly he rode, rounding up cattle and pushing them toward a small stand of trees where they could weather what looked like a dust storm. At least he had a handkerchief to tie over his face until it passed.

One calf was still too wobbly-legged to run fast enough, so he launched off his horse’s back, threw the baby over his shoulders and ran with it. The animal gave a loud mooo, tongue sticking out next to his ear. As he approached the small herd, the mother gave a throaty answer to its calf’s call.

Hunched in half to lower the calf to the ground, he glanced up at the cloud of black roiling across the field.

Yep, dust storm.

He couldn’t remember having one on the ranch, but his father had told the story. They’d lost very few cattle because their property had trees and three-sided sheds where they could hide.

Straightening, he stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled for his horse. It galloped toward him. A flash in the corner of Kade’s eye made him swing around.

His heart stopped dead.

Dust and terror choked the breath from him.

Ryan.
He’d know that rider anywhere. He’d spent weeks staring at her bouncing in her saddle while fantasizing about her riding him. Now she was galloping full-tilt for the house.

But she’d never make it. The dust cloud was moving faster.

He whipped out an arm and grabbed the reins. His horse protested with a shake of its head but Kade swung onto its back and spurred it. Heart racing far faster than his mount, he kept Ryan in his sights. Or tried to. The thick air between them made it difficult.

“Ryan!” His shout was useless—she was too far away even on a still day. The only thing to do was intercept her. Judging by the direction she was riding, she’d just been to the one of the far pastures. Seeing to cattle, same as he was.

He leaned over his horse and thundered toward the woman he loved. He had to get to her. In the open like this, she wouldn’t have a chance of not breathing all that dust. It would pelt her sensitive skin.

His own mouth was desiccated by the particles already swirling around them. His horse wasn’t doing well either, but Kade had no choice now. Get to Ryan or they’d all be in bigger trouble.

As he got within two hundred yards of her, he yelled again. The wind snatched his voice, but she looked up.

His chest scalded with pure love and he was damn well convincing her that they were right together—right after he got her to safety. She turned her horse and rode toward him. If he wasn’t scared out of his mind, he’d triumph that she was coming toward him after what had happened earlier.

He waved his arm frantically, gesturing toward a dip in the land. A natural ditch. It was often full of water, but despite a few rains over the past few weeks, it was dry. He couldn’t see any other way—he’d put her in that ditch and cover her with his body.

Hopefully the horses could withstand the worst of it if they threw blankets over their heads.

Ryan saw his wave and took off for it. What felt like hours later, he was beside her. The black cloud was closing in. Fishing the hanky from his pocket, he whipped it around her face and knotted it behind her head. Her eyes were bright with fear above the cotton, and his heart rate tripled.

“Get down and cover your head.”

“No, the horses!” She yanked the saddle strap to loosen it. Then she pulled the horse blanket from under it. Damn, she was a smart little ranch hand. She’d make an amazing rancher’s wife, working alongside him. Their babies could ride as papooses.

She threw the blanket over her horse’s face and he did the same for his. Then he looked up in time to see—

Blackness. Blindly, he grabbed for Ryan and found her. He threw them into the depression and buried his nose in her sweet hair.