Spurred On (The Quick and the Hot) (11 page)

Voices trickled from the open barn door, hushed and hurried.

“Can’t be Cole stock.”

“What the hell else could it be?”

“It belonged to another ranch. See that hole in its ear?”

Zoe Beth’s heart lurched and skidded to a stop.
They found Five Feet.

Face hot, she rushed into the barn. Ray and Buck stood in front of the calf’s secret stall, elbows leaned on the door and looking in.

There was only one choice—Zoe Beth had to own up to her deception.

“The calf’s mine.”

Ray and Buck whirled to face her. A grin graced Buck’s face, but Ray shook his head. “Where’d ya get it, girl?”

She lifted her chin. “It was sick, abandoned on the border.”

“Ahhh. Joseph Michaels’s stock.”

She dipped her head, heart skipping beats and making her feel dizzy. If these men told her father about the calf, she’d be in for it. First because she’d taken it, and second because she hadn’t put it out of its misery as she should have.

Now it stood on sturdy legs, eyes bright with good health. It heard her voice and thumped the door of the stall with its nose as it often did when she was near.

Buck pivoted toward the door again and reached in to pet Five Feet. “Looks mighty stupid with that extra hoof around its neck.”

“I ask that you don’t tell my father. I made the decision to bring the calf to the ranch, and I’ll deal with it.”

“Don’t look at me. I never saw some funny-lookin’ calf that didn’t belong here.” Buck hitched a thumb in his jeans pocket. “But there’s a problem. Your daddy’s getting a new horse today, and this stall is its home.”

“Hell,” she whispered.

Ray nodded. “That’s right. You’ll need to move the calf. We need to get the stall cleaned and disinfected for the new horse.”

Her mind trundled forward, tripping over solutions. Where to keep Five Feet? Space was limited in the barns, and she couldn’t risk putting the calf in plain view.

She needed help in the form of a rough, sexy-as-hell foreman. One problem though. She was still beyond angry with the man for his high-handed behavior.

And for telling her he was going to spank her. Since the moment he’d spoken the threat, she could think of little else.

“Just don’t do anything with the stall yet. Give me a few minutes to find a plan.”

Buck raised a hairy wrist and looked at his watch. “You’ve got half an hour, girl.”

She didn’t hesitate. She ran out the door and across the yard. Where would Hayden be? With the new cattle most likely. She trotted toward the enclosure. Five men stood shoulder to shoulder against the fence, but Hayden wasn’t among them.

“Where’s Meadows?” she asked.

One man looked over at her. “Headed up to the house, looking for you.”

For me?

“Thanks!” She did an about-face and took off once more. Precious seconds ticked by as she ran back to the house. Sure enough, she found Hayden in the kitchen, charming a cold glass of iced tea off Mattie.

“You in need of a cold drink too?” the woman asked.

“No, and neither is he.” Zoe Beth removed the glass from his hand and set it on the counter with a
clink
. His eyes widened, and he started to say something, but she grabbed his forearm and yanked him toward the back door. “Hurry.”

“Thanks anyway, Mattie.” He gave a cordial nod to the cook and allowed Zoe Beth to lead him outside.

“I was looking for you.”

“I need you.”

“Glad to hear it, sweetheart, because I’ve been aching ever since I kissed you behind the hay.” He slipped a finger along her throat, stroking her satiny flesh.

Though every cell of her body responded to his touch, she shook him off. “No, I need your help. I need to move Five Feet. Now.”

“Why?”

“Ray and Buck found her. And Daddy’s moving a new horse into the stall in an hour. I’ve got half an hour to find a new home for Five Feet and to move her.”

Hayden stared at her. “Don’t you think it might be time to tell your father about the calf?”

“No! He’ll be unbearable. He already treats me like an incompetent fool. I can’t lose more ground in his eyes. Please, Hayden.”

Lips firm, he nodded. Then he grabbed her around the waist and yanked her into his arms. “I’m still going to spank you, woman. Don’t think I forgot. But right now let’s get Five Feet out of the barn and into a new home without anyone seeing.”

She threw her arms around his neck and planted a loud smooch on his mouth.

Minutes later they had located a small, warm place at the rear of the upper barn. Equipment and tools were stored there now, but years ago it had held the first of the Cole stock.

“Still smells like cow,” she said, forking new hay into the stall as fast as she could.

“I’ll go get Five Feet. Stay and keep working.”

She glanced up at Hayden. “You don’t need help?”

He stepped in and pressed himself against her back, his body casting an impossible amount of heat. He dipped his mouth to her ear. “Sweetheart, the only thing I need help with is the burning need to shove you against that wall and sink into your tight pussy.”

Shivering, she reached back to grip his hip and drew his cock tight against her ass.

He delivered a sound slap to her butt, shocking her with the sting.

“Ow!”

“That’s for later. Now get this done, and I’ll be back with the calf.” He strode out the door, and she couldn’t help but stare after him, nerve endings crackling with the electricity of arousal.

By the time she heard the truck motor outside the barn, Zoe Beth had worked herself up with her imaginings. Would he really spank her? The idea of his palm on her ass—reddening it—sent dark swathes of need through her body.

The creak of a tailgate being lowered drifted to her. She gave the hay one last smoothing with the pitchfork and went out to meet Hayden and Five Feet.

He had the animal in his arms. Its legs were squashed together, and Hayden’s biceps bulged under its weight. The calf’s eyes rolled in fear.

Zoe Beth laughed. “Oh poor Five Feet. Daddy’s got you.”

Hayden sputtered and nearly dropped the animal. “What the— I’ll give you Daddy.” He streaked into the barn and set the calf on its fresh hay. It went directly to the feed trough she’d filled for it and nosed the pellets.

Hayden spun to face Zoe Beth. “Now…your turn.” Without another word he plucked her off her feet.

She squealed and thrashed, but he cupped her pussy through her jeans, and she fell still with a moan. He kicked the stall door shut so Five Feet couldn’t escape. Then he carried Zoe Beth outside to his truck and bundled her inside.

Twisting around, she looked through the rear window at his retreating back. He slid the barn door shut and stomped back to her, his face ablaze with an expression she recognized too well—desire.

She clamped her thighs together to ease the tingle between them. Hayden jumped into the truck and started the motor. When he drove away from the house, she fizzed with excitement nearly spilling over with the joy she felt.

Where was he taking her?

The truck bumped, and she grabbed the “holy shit” handle to keep from being thrown around the cab. Spilling into his lap wasn’t such a bad idea though. Maybe…

She reached across the space and placed a palm over the bulge in his jeans.

He hissed. “Jesus, woman. You’re in for it now, touching me without my permission.”

His hard tone made her study his face. Was he serious? He did like to command during sex, but she had never sought permission to touch him before.

She removed her hand and placed it in her lap. Somehow the fact she couldn’t lay a finger on him heightened her need. Her pussy clenched and released, soaking her panties with cream.

It took five minutes to drive to the top field, far from the view of others. Five minutes that tested her body’s impatience. Chills of want ran up and down her spine. The tension in the truck built until she thought she’d beg him to let her unzip his fly and give him head.

Running her tongue along her lower lip, she yearned for a taste. To feel his cock deep in her mouth, oozing precum. Then to feel his lips closing gently around her throbbing clit.

He stopped the truck. Across the short distance he sent her a smoldering look. “Get undressed.”

Immediately she reached for the hem of her T-shirt. She whipped it off. Before her hair bounced around her shoulders, Hayden gripped her forearm. His eyes were dark, serious.

“Slower.”

Her belly tightened as lust speared her. First no touching, now she was supposed to go slow? When all she wanted was to feel his thick shaft gliding in and out of her pussy?

“Now the jeans.”

She kicked off her boots and unbuttoned her jeans. He tightened his grasp on her arm again. “Too fast.”

Sucking in deep breaths to try to calm her frazzled nerves, she fought to keep her hands steady. Easing her fingers into her waistband, she nudged the fabric down her hips by degrees.

Hayden groaned.

Empowered by that sound, she continued, tormenting him by exposing every inch of flesh with maddening slowness. Her body screamed for her to get out of her clothes ASAP and get to the pleasure part.

Hayden leaned back against his door, gaze roving over her skin. When she pulled the jeans off her ankles, a muscle in his jaw fluttered. “You’re wearing the white cotton panties.”

Last time they’d romped in the field in the wee hours of the night, she’d discovered his white cotton panties fetish.

She moved to wriggle out of them too, but he stopped her. “Leave them on.”

Panting with wanting, she reached behind her back and unhooked her bra. The lace fell away from her aching breasts. She cupped them, teasing her nipples and making Hayden growl like a wild coyote.

He grabbed the door handle and popped it open. He jumped out of the truck, leaving the door ajar. A light breeze teased her nude body. She parted her thighs to allow air to circulate against her panties, which suddenly felt too hot and confining.

Hayden came around to her door and opened it. Then without another word, he gripped her thighs and spun her to face him. Lust made his features bolder, more rugged. She stared at his unmasked beauty.

“Lie back. The console will support your head.”

When she hesitated, he squeezed her thighs. His fingers splayed over her skin, ratcheting up her need. “Do it,” he commanded.

Lowering herself, she hung her hips off the edge of the seat. Hayden ran his hands down her legs to her ankles. Encircling them in his big hands, he wrapped them around his neck and dived between her legs.

Blissful sensations slammed her as he opened his mouth over her pussy and kissed her pulsating flesh through the thin barrier of her panties. He mouthed and tongued her slit and lips until the cloth was soaked.

She writhed, hungry to feel his tongue on her bare skin, but loving the teasing strokes. The knot in her core pulled tight.

He reached up her body to caress her belly and ribs, moving upward until he reached her breasts. When he pinched her nipples, she cried out. He raised his head, and she met his gaze. Heart fluttering and body on edge, she whispered, “Please.”

“Not yet.” He dropped his gaze to her pussy. His eyes grew hooded with desire. “Oh yeah, so pretty. I can see the shadow of your slit through your wet panties.” Dipping his head, he delivered a long, mind-blowing lick to her pussy.

Zoe Beth bucked upward, wanting more. She couldn’t get enough. Would never get enough.

He sucked her clit through the cloth until the first tremors of release were upon her. Before the waves of ecstasy claimed her, he stopped. Moved away.

A quiet plea burst from her throat, which he ignored. He pulled aside the elastic around her leg and found her soaking center. As he slipped his finger into her pussy, she lost it.

Her pussy spasmed, and juice spilled over his finger, her release slamming her. Gasping, she focused on the pleasure rippling through her. Perspiration broke out down her throat.

Hayden added a second finger, and she screamed as another wave stole her control. He pumped his fingers into her, finding her G-spot with ease and giving it a quick rub. She forgot about everything but the way he demanded more and more from her.

When she began to twitch with hypersensitivity, he raised his head and looked at her. Heat clawed at her insides, and her body flexed around his finger.

“Damn, sweetheart. I’m rock-hard.”

“I want it.”

“Mmm. Still haven’t realized I’m in control, I see.” He removed his fingers, and she mewled at the loss of fullness. The pressure in her core was unbearable when it should have been lessened after her orgasms. But Hayden did that to her.

She reached for him, but he pinned her hands to her sides.

“Don’t move,” he rumbled, staring between her legs with a predatory expression. Need struck like lightning again.

He released her arms, but she kept them at her sides, though she was dying to dig her fingers into his scalp, shoulders, his ass. She folded her hands into fists.

When he straightened, removed his shirt, and started unbuckling his jeans, she almost squeezed her eyes shut. The view of his thick length bobbing against his bare abs threatened to break her. Then she’d throw herself at him and get that spanking.

She opened her eyes and reached for him.

“Hands at your sides.” His voice was gritty.

She ignored him. Using her belly muscles, she pulled herself into a sitting position and ran her hands down his chest.

Displeasure crossed his face, a hot whip against her soul. She hummed with excitement. Instinct guided her. Pushing him wasn’t a good idea, but it would be so very sweet in the end.

He shied away from her touch as if she’d scalded him. Then something passed over his face, and he smiled. When he put his hands on her, his caress was a brand.

He flipped her onto her knees on the seat and delivered three sound smacks to her ass. She cried out as the stings sent heat racing through her body.

She sank her teeth into her lower lip and rode out the sensation that she was about to come again. The cramped cab was hot, but the encounter was hotter. She craved his slick body blanketing hers, entering her from behind.