In the Cowboy's Bed (Pleasure Ridge Ranch) Read online

  "They look way bigger up close," she said as Adam halted Daisy next to them.

  "Yeah, but Daisy here is a sweetie-pie," Justin said as he stroked the side of Daisy’s shiny, deep brown neck.

  Erin didn’t look so sure but then she reached out and Daisy’s neck, too. Daisy turned her head and rubbed her nose against Erin’s shoulder, causing Erin to laugh.

  "She likes you," Justin said as an all-too-real smile tugged at his own lips.

  After a couple of unsuccessful tries, he managed to help Erin into the saddle, swing up behind her and take the reins from Adam. The other man gave him an odd look Justin couldn’t identify, so he looked away.

  "Anyone up on the Amber Ridge Trail?" Justin asked.

  "Nope. All clear."

  With a nod, he urged Daisy forward.

  "Don’t like to share the trails, huh?" Erin asked as he maneuvered Daisy past the sign that indicated the Amber Ridge Trailhead.

  "Some people do a little more than ride out on the trails," he said. "But you should know that."

  "Oh."

  He imagined her cheeks going hot and smiled again. For the next hour, he let Daisy set an easy pace as they steadily climbed up the trail. He answered Erin’s questions about the vegetation, the wildlife and the various mountains they could see in the distance. He could tell from the layer of enthusiasm in her voice that she was genuinely interested, that she appreciated the beauty this land had to offer. He liked that. Sometimes the women who came here never wanted to leave the cabins. Of course, that was their right. They paid for the right to indulge their fantasies, even if that meant never looking beyond those four walls to the incredible natural beauty outside.

  When they reached the high point on the trail, he reined Daisy to a stop.

  "This is incredible," Erin said. "It’s so beautiful up here. Peaceful, too. Makes you never want to go back to the real world."

  In that moment, he knew she wasn’t talking about endless rounds of sex with him. And he was okay with that. Not that he didn’t enjoy the sex. In fact, he’d be plenty okay with pulling her off this horse and having her again out here below the wide, blue sky. But the fact that there was more to her, that she was not blind to other pleasures that had nothing to do with sexual fantasies, caused something to shift within him. To lighten in his chest.

  That thought freaked him out enough that he dismounted. He allowed himself one deep breath before he extended a hand to help her down to the ground.

  As her body slid down the front of his, his penis jumped to attention. Down boy.

  Justin stepped back but didn’t release her hand. He was amazed how comfortable that felt, just holding the hand of this virtual stranger. He led her to the edge of the rocky outcropping that jutted out from the ridge.

  "Is this place named for someone, or does the Amber Ridge refer to the redrock’s color?" she asked.

  "The rock. This is my favorite trail on the ranch."

  "I can see why." She shaded her eyes with her free hand and slowly scanned the land spread out beyond them. "I like living near the ocean, but I have to admit the land here does have a bit of a siren’s call."

  He stared at her profile, marveling that he’d thought much the same thing not all that long ago. He had to force himself to look away from her, from what she was making him remember. Things he’d come here to forget.

  "Can I ask you a question?" he said.

  "Sure."

  "Back at the barn, when I introduced you to Adam. You acted like something was wrong for a moment."

  "Nothing important."

  "You sure about that?"

  She didn’t say anything for a moment then took a deep breath. "The guy I was seeing before I came here, his name’s Adam. It was just a little shock to hear his name, that’s all."

  "He hurt you?"

  She retrieved her hand and shoved both of hers into the front pockets of her jeans. "Yeah. I thought he was a good guy. When he had to work on the weekend, I took a surprise lunch to him. Turned out he didn’t need lunch, or me."

  "He wasn’t there?"

  "Oh, he was there. And so was the chick he had bent over a desk."

  "I’m sorry."

  Erin looked at him with a curious expression then shrugged and looked away. "I just have notorious bad taste in men. No matter how many times it’s proven otherwise, I still like to believe I’ll find the right one. But maybe it’s time I just throw in the towel."

  "Don’t let him do that to you. He’s an idiot."

  "You don’t even know him."

  "He screwed around on you, so he can’t be that bright."

  "That’s sweet of you to say."

  Justin could tell by the tone of her voice that she believed his words were just part of the Pleasure Ridge Ranch package. He stepped in front of her, forcing her to look up at him. "If you’d never heard of this place and we’d met somewhere else, under different circumstances, I would say the same thing. You’re beautiful, funny. You seem like a good, nice person. Any guy who screws around on that for a quickie piece of ass is a fucking idiot."

  Her beautiful eyes widened a fraction, and she bit her bottom lip. She lowered her gaze to somewhere approximately halfway down his chest. "Thank you."

  He placed his forefinger under her chin and lifted it. "Forget him," he said then lowered his lips to hers. This wasn’t a kiss of seduction but rather one of healing. He tried to ignore the little voice in the back of his head whispering that it wasn’t just Erin he was hoping to help heal.

  "You know, you’re pretty good at helping me forget," Erin said between kisses.

  "Good to know." As the kissing and stroking picked up speed, he was only dimly aware of distant thunder.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The didn’t make love up on the ridge, but Erin knew without a doubt that they would have if Justin hadn’t become aware of thunder in the distance and set them on a quick course back for the barn. They nearly made it before the sky opened up, but even with only a few yards to go to the barn they both got soaked.

  Justin rode Daisy into the barn, and Adam was there to meet them.

  "That one popped up out of nowhere," Adam said as he took the reins.

  Justin slid off Daisy’s back then helped her dismount. "Yeah. Even Daisy was getting a little anxious."

  Adam scratched Daisy between the ears. "Don’t worry, girl. I’ll take good care of you." As he led Daisy away, Erin lifted her arms out from her sides and watched the water drip off her bare skin. Her teeth started to chatter.

  Justin wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "We need to get back to the cabin and change before you freeze."

  She pointed out the open front of the barn. "Still pouring like cats and dogs."

  "How much wetter can we get?"

  "You have a point."

  Justin shifted away. "Race ya." And then he was running toward the exit and the downpour outside.

  With a laugh, she took off after him. By the time she scrambled into the passenger seat, he already had the engine running and the heat running. She rubbed her arms. "It was so warm earlier, but now it’s cold."

  "Weather can change quickly in the mountains."

  "I’m getting your truck all wet."

  "I think it’ll survive," he said as he put the truck in drive and took off down the road.

  By the time they reached the cabin, the rain had slackened a little. But they were still soaking wet all over again by the time they ran up the front steps to the porch.

  "Ugh," Erin said as she slung her arms to rid herself of some of the water. "We look like drowned rats."

  "I’m thinking a hot shower, dry clothes and some fresh coffee will do wonders," Justin said.

  The memory of what they’d done in the shower before had Erin pushing open the door and leaving a wet trail toward the bedroom. Shower sex was sure to warm her up. And make her forget Adam all over again.

  She didn’t stop at the bedroom but went straight for the bathroom and discarded her soak
ed clothes on the tile floor. She was completely naked by the time Justin joined her. "Again, you have on too many clothes."

  He pulled her next to him, eliciting a shriek.

  "You’re cold and sopping wet."

  But when his lips captured her mouth and his tongue began a teasing dance with hers, she sank against him nonetheless. When he pulled away, his gaze flicked to somewhere behind her.

  "How about we try out the tub this time?" he asked.

  Her cool skin heated at the very thought, and she wasted no time turning on the water and filling it with bubble bath. She turned back toward him in time to see him pull his shirt over his head, revealing those lickable abdominal muscles. When his eyes met hers, he slowed his movements as he unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, then peeled the wet denim down his long legs.

  Erin licked her lips when she saw the bulge in the front of his black boxer briefs. He couldn’t possibly know that black boxer briefs were high up on her sexy-as-hell list. And these were leaving just enough to the imagination to tease her. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "I think you forgot something."

  He slid his fingers below the top edge of the briefs. "What, these?"

  "Yes, unless you don’t plan to join me in the bathtub." She stepped back into the tub, turned off the water and slid below the layer of foamy bubbles.

  With a very male-sounding groan coming from deep in his throat, Justin shucked his underwear and strode across the bathroom in only a handfull of strides. As he stepped into the tub, his penis was fully erect and ready. Well, she was ready too and guided him between her legs when he sank into the water.

  He entered her in one smooth stroke, causing her to grip the sides of the tub. Justin grabbed a little pillow from the lip of the tub and placed it behind her head. "Lie back and enjoy yourself."

  She lay back and closed her eyes as Justin’s arms went around her. He continued his slow stroking and bent his head to take her left breast in his mouth. This time, she simply lay back like a queen and let him do all the work. She focused all of her attention on the tugging motion his lips made on her breasts and the way he filled her so perfectly. As his stroking gradually increased in speed, however, she could no longer sit still and not touch him.

  Erin ran her fingernails up Justin’s back, and he released her breast to suck in a gulp of air.

  "You don’t know what that does to me," he said.

  "Why don’t you show me."

  His hips tightened as he thrust into her. Once, twice, three times, and then she lost count as she threw back her head and let him kiss her neck as his thrusts came faster and faster. She rose up, buoyed by the water, to meet his final thrust into her.

  When they both found completion, he led them from the tub to the shower where they washed each other’s bodies again. When he squirted shampoo into his hand and started working it into her hair, she thought she’d never felt anything so relaxing in her life.

  Instead of dressing afterward, they both donned robes that had been hanging on the bathroom wall.

  "You hungry?" she asked as she towel-dried her hair.

  He didn’t answer. Instead, he took her hand and led her to the living room. There, in front of a crackling fireplace, was a picnic spread fit for royalty.

  "How?" She looked up at him. "Oh, my God. Someone was here while we were in the tub."

  "Don’t worry. They’re very discreet. They weren’t here longer than a couple of minutes."

  Yeah, but was it the two minutes when she was crying out as she and Justin both raced for their own orgasms? Oh, well, nothing she could do about it now. She stepped forward and looked at all the food spread out on the patchwork quilt. It looked like a buffet of finger foods to appeal to every taste bud she had. And it was topped off by a fish bowl bouquet of multi-colored daisies and a mini chocolate fountain surrounded by little, square bowls of fruits, nuts, pound cake and marshmallows.

  It was all so romantic. Too bad it was all part of the fantasy, and Justin wasn’t a real guy who loved her enough to do something like this for her. She swallowed hard against the sudden lump in her throat.

  "Are you okay?" he asked, again with the perceptiveness she’d been convinced men didn’t possess.

  "Yeah. It’s just all so...thoughtful."

  He pulled her to him and settled a gentle kiss on her lips then guided her down to the quilt.

  Erin nibbled on several different cheeses, crackers, what seemed like a dozen delicious appetizers. Justin popped open a bottle of wine and poured them each a glass.

  "This fire is nice," she said as she leaned against the pile of pillows that had been left at the edge of the quilt. She couldn’t think of anything more romantic than a cabin in the mountains, a fire crackling in the fireplace while it rained outside, a picnic full of delectable food and a gorgeous man at her side.

  "Yeah, I thought it would take the chill off."

  He fed her a grape then pushed a tendril of her drying hair behind her ear. "Ready for the main course?"

  If he was the main course, yes. "Uh, yeah."

  He smiled as if maybe he’d seen what she’d been thinking.

  How many times had she had sex since she’d arrived? How could she still want Justin after all that? Even more after each time he brought her to skyrocketing fulfillment.

  She looked away from him toward the plates he was uncovering. She couldn’t think of him as anything more than a temporary plaything because once she drove away from here at the end of the week, she’d never see him again. Unless she booked another trip here. She tried to hide her excitement at that idea. Did guests ever come back? Could she request him again? What would he think? She knew she couldn’t return and be with someone else. Even if she was having great sex with a virtual stranger, she couldn’t imagine doing it again with a different guy.

  She had to stop thinking like that. That’s how the normal Erin thought, and it always got her into relationships that ended badly. She had to enjoy this time with Justin for what it was, not what her searching-for-love heart might yearn for.

  After they finished the main course, they sat quietly in front of the fire, letting it push the last of the chill from their bodies. They talked a little about her job, about Amy and Hillary, about how she was an only child.

  "I think that’s why I’ve always done what was expected of me," she said, not knowing why it was so easy to confide in Justin. Maybe it was the fact that she didn’t really know him, that he would no longer be a part of her life in a few days. "That’s what Mom and Dad had always done, worked hard, volunteered, helped out their neighbors. Just good, solid folk."

  "But that was stifling."

  "Yeah, a little. I mean, I don’t blame them. They’re good parents, and I love them dearly. But I never had a wild period in my teenage years. I didn’t want to disappoint them. If they could see me this week, well, I’d probably shock them right into simultaneous heart attacks."

  "They don’t need to know." Justin took her hand and ran his thumb across her knuckles. "It’s your life. You have to live it how you want to."

  "How about you? Are you living the life you want?" She didn’t know why she asked it, but it was out there now and she couldn’t pull the words back in.

  "I make people happy."

  "That wasn’t what I asked."

  He looked at her, really looked at her. It was as if she was the first person who’d seen Justin, the man beyond the sex object, in a very long time. "Right now, I am."

  For the space of a heartbeat, she thought it might be the man he was off this ranch speaking to her. There was something different about his voice, like he’d peeled back a layer of a façade he wore while on the job. But then she mentally slapped herself. She was doing it again, looking for feelings that weren’t there. When she left the ranch, she was swearing off men for a good long time.

  Justin reached over and dipped a strawberry in the chocolate fountain then brought the fruit to her lips. She opened her mouth and took a bite.
"Mmm," she said.

  He fed her another chocolate-covered strawberry then a slice of pineapple. She nabbed a cube of the poundcake, dipped it under the chocolate then brought it to his lips. He ate it in one bite then pretended he was going to bite her finger. She laughed and scooted away. But she wasn’t fast enough. He circled her waist with his arm and pulled her close.

  "Just where do you think you’re going?" he asked.

  "Not far," she said as she looked up into his eyes.

  They kissed for a long time before Justin ran his hand down her cheek. "Lie back for me."

  She didn’t ask why but did as he asked. When she was lying with her head and back propped up by the pillows, Justin tugged the belt holding her robe together. The robe fell open, exposing her nakedness to him. He turned away for a moment but returned with warm chocolate on his finger. He painted the tip of her breasts with it then bent his head to lick them clean.

  Erin lost track of time as Justin dotted nearly every part of her body with chocolate and trailed his tongue in the wake of his culinary fingerpainting. Every nerve ending in her body was standing at attention.

  "Make love to me," she said, her voice a breathless whisper.

  Justin spread her legs and teased at her opening with his penis. He met her eyes and held her gaze as he slid all the way in. As he began to move, he framed her face with his palms. "You really are very beautiful."

  So was he, but she didn’t say that. Instead, she used her body to show him.

  * * * *

  Erin woke sometime in the night, curled up next to Justin with her leg thrown over his and her head on his shoulder. They still lay in front of the fire, but Justin had pulled a quilt from the couch over the top of them.

  He was awake too and nuzzled her ear. "I have an idea."

  "Yeah?" She scooted back enough to see his face.

  "You can say no, but I think I know a way to help you get over what your ex did to you."

  "You’ve been doing a pretty good job of that already."

  He smiled then placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Come with me." He stood, not bothering to cover himself, and led her across the room. When he stopped next to the table where they’d eaten meals together, she gave him a questioning look. "You do what he did, and enjoy it."