Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
“Good,” he said. “Cause you’re not going anywhere.”
I let out a tired breath that was almost a laugh. “You can’t just decide that.” I was teasing more than anything.
“Watch me.” His dark gaze was serious and unflinching. They were the same eyes that had watched me from a distance all my childhood and never once looked away. Never judged or shamed me.
“This place has been yours the whole time. Just kept it standin’ until you were ready to claim it. You want to keep both ranches separate, fine. You want to put them under one name, we can do that. Hell, baby, if you want to burn the Shaw house down and build something new, I’ll light the match myself. But you’re stayin’, sweetheart. Here. With me.”
The words should have scared me. Instead, they settled inside of me so deeply that the relief was instant.
I reached up and touched the scar that cut across his jaw. “You’ve been taking care of me my whole life without me knowing. I don’t know how to catch up to that.”
Ryder caught my hand and pressed a rough kiss to my palm then held it there against his mouth for a second longer than necessary. “Should’ve taken care of you better. Should’ve done it all my life. Biggest mistake and regret I have, darlin’, but I swear to everything unholy and holy, I’ll spend the rest of my life makin’ it up to you.”
He cupped both my cheeks and kissed me long and deep. When he pulled back, I was panting and ready to be claimed by him once more.
“You don’t catch up,” he said. “You just let me take care of you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
I slid off Ryder’s lap, his hands trying to grip me in place, but I shook my head no with a sly smile curving my mouth. My eyes pinned his as I unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans. He was hard when I freed him, twitching in my hand. When I looked down, the vein on the underside of his cock was bulging, leading a trail up to his swollen, purple head. I had to have him in my mouth.
So I sucked him in. He tasted like sweet and sour candy. Different flavors exploded on my taste buds. I licked him like a lollipop, dragging my tongue up and down his length, lapping and stroking, spitting and twirling around his tip. Ryder let out a sound purely primal, he eyes flaring with desire, one hand pulling my hair, the other gently pulling and tweaking my nipple.
Doubling down, I swallowed his cock, gagging, saliva stringing from my mouth on every backward stroke. My pussy clenched, drops dripping down my thigh. I couldn’t get enough of him. And Ryder couldn’t get enough, either. He guided my head, pumping into my mouth over and over again. I reached down a rolled his balls in my hand. That did it.
Ryder pushed my head all the way down his cock and came, his body shaking and stiff. Barely able to breath, I let his cum shoot down my throat until every spasm waned. I pulled back ever so slowly, letting my tongue run a soft path along his length, teasing that glorious vein, cleaning every single drop of fluid off him.
I raised from my knees and sat back on his lap, kissing him lightly on his lips. Ryder just stared at me, unable to speak. Lust and wonder flashed across his eyes.
Outside, morning light started pushing against the windows, but neither of us moved. The truth of everything still sat heavy between us. Hell, it might always be there as a silent passenger. But I knew it wouldn't crush me.
It was just something we were going to carry together.
I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. His arms stayed locked around me, solid and unyielding, like he’d already decided the conversation was over and the decision was made.
“I’m not selling the ranch,” I whispered. Ryder’s hold tightened just enough that I felt it in my bones.
“Damn right you’re not.”
For the first time in my life, this house and the land under my feet didn’t feel like a prison I was trying to break out of.
It felt like the only place I had ever truly been kept safe.
16
The sun hung low over the pasture, washing the fields in gold. I leaned against the fence post and watched Ryder work.
He had one boot propped against the bottom rail as he pulled a length of wire taut, his sleeves rolled to his forearms and his hat pushed low over his eyes. Kash lay stretched out beneath the shade of a nearby tree, completely unconcerned with anything happening around him.
“You know," I said loud enough that he could hear me, “most people would hire somebody to do this.” I was trying to get a rise out of him, which wasn't exactly difficult.