Spurred On (The Quick and the Hot) (12 page)

The knot of pleasure in her belly grew painful as he refrained from touching her. She twisted her neck to look at him. He stared at her ass for an excruciating moment. Battling with himself? Over what?

She arched her back, tilting her behind into the air.

Hayden groaned and yanked her panties down. When he caressed the spot he’d just smacked, she moaned. The tender touch was like a wild mustang barreling at her, and she had no desire to get out of the way.

He stroked the tingly spot again and again. “So warm from my hand. Nice and pink.” His gritty tone rushed through her.

She moistened her dry lips with the tip of her tongue. “Please, Hayden.”

“Please what?” He pinched her low, close to her pussy. More juices slipped from her folds.

“Anything you want to do. Please.”

Silence reigned. The low hum of insects filtered into her hearing, but she swore she could hear the sun baking the dry grass.

The slap broke the silence. She sucked in a sharp breath and rode out the torment of three more stinging smacks. By the time he was finished, her pussy pulsated.

“Fuck. I’ve gotta feel that heat against my cock.” A second later, he was rubbing his velvety length over her ass, soothing the place he’d just given a pleasurable sting.

She clenched her fists. Perspiration broke out on her nape and trickled down to her collarbones.

He retreated. When he returned to her, the rubber-covered tip of his cock traced a path over her pussy. Her body buzzed with the need to impale herself on his stiff rod, but letting him take over was perfect so far.

He ground himself into her entrance. He gathered her around the waist with one arm, drawing her against him. Using his other hand, he ran his fingers through her hair. As he twisted and pulled, forcing her head back, she twitched with the same pleasure his slaps had delivered.

“You want this?” He nudged her pussy.

“Yes,” she gasped. Dew covered her breasts and belly. Her cunt flooded.

Pushing into her slickness, he growled, “How deep? This deep?” He inched a fraction farther inside.

She shook her head, unable to speak around the turbulent sea of bliss. But she wanted him deeper.

“This deep?” As he shoved deeper, she cried out. His swollen head found her G-spot.

He held still. She writhed around him. The pressure mounted, and he wasn’t even moving. What would happen when he did?

Tugging her hair harder, he bit into her shoulder lightly, then laved her flesh. “You like that, don’t you? Right here.” He rolled his hips, bringing his cock over her sweet spot.

She started to spasm.

“Oh fuck. I’m there. I’m there with you.” He slammed into her hard, pounding her wildly as her orgasm stole all thought. He pulled her hair, bit, pinched, and fucked her, and she loved every second of it.

The wet heat filled her pussy as he came. And something unknown blossomed in her chest, warmer and sweeter than anything physical.

HAYDEN HAD GONE and fucked up this time. Not only was he sleeping with the boss’s daughter, he was now falling for her.

How had it happened in such a short time. Or at all for that matter?

It’s those goddamn white panties.

Finding the treasure he wanted so badly encased in such a pure fabric unhinged him. Zoe Beth embodied everything he’d never come close to—a sweetheart, a special woman to spend time with, wake up beside. The Buckle Bunnies were a hot ride, but he’d burned out on them long before the end of his career.

And they all wore the tiniest of thongs, knowing they would get lucky. If not with him, then with one of his buddies competing with him.

Not Zoe Beth. Hayden had a feeling if she were faced with a champion wearing a big prize belt buckle, she’d walk on past and come to Hayden.

She quivered under him, fitted so perfectly to his body. Her lush ass tortured him with a brand-new shock of wanting. He’d need a while to recover, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t keep making her come.

Protectiveness still surged in him. The whole ranch seethed with dangers. Zoe Beth could get trampled by the new herd. She might fall to a tragic farm equipment accident. A cow could kick her. A horse could throw her.

No, he wouldn’t let that happen.

He ran his hands down her sides, thrilled by the slick perspiration. He’d raised it on her skin, made her beg and scream with pleasure as he’d commanded her body.

Satisfaction rolled through him as he stared at the pink markings on her shoulder and the back of her neck. Rubbing his scratchy jaw over her spine, he raised more redness.

She wriggled beneath him. “Hayden…”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

“I’m getting a cramp.”

Laughter burst from him. She giggled with him. He slipped free of her body and grasped her waist, guiding her feet to the ground. Her panties still trapped her ankles, pristine white against her long, tanned legs.

She retrieved an empty drink cup from the cab and pulled off the plastic lid. Holding it out to him, she nodded toward the condom around his deflated cock. But looking at her flushed and well-fucked body was rapidly making it fill with blood.

The need to keep her out here safe in his arms throbbed inside him.

She replaced the cup lid and placed it on the floor to be discarded later. Then she bent and pulled her panties back into place. Then she twisted to look across the field in the direction of the house and outbuildings. “Better get back before we’re missed.”

Her words reminded him he had a brand-new project with the cattle. Excited by the prospect, he handed her articles of clothing as he re-dressed.

As she jammed her feet into her boots, sans socks in her normal style, she asked, “Think Five Feet will be okay?”

Hayden met her worried gaze and smiled. “Sure. But you know it’s just going to continue to grow. Eventually it will need to be turned out to pasture. Your daddy will see a cow with a fifth foot and wonder where in the hell it came from.”

She pressed her lips into a seam. “I know. I’ll figure out something. Today I planned to ride out with the guys to help with the fence.”

Hayden froze with his hands on his waistband, midbutton. “What? No. You aren’t riding anywhere with them.”

Flashing him a saucy look, she smoothed her hands down her now dressed body. “Why not? I always help with fencing projects.”

“Because your father appointed you a new position.”

The depths of her eyes sparked. “You’re joking with me.”

He shook his head. “Nope. Talked to him before you came and found me in the kitchen. It’s why I was looking for you.”

Zoe Beth waved her hands, egging him on. “Well? What’s my position?”

“You’re my assistant. You’re going to help me with the new herd.”

A grin broke over her face like sun slanting through clouds he didn’t even know were there. Just being in her presence gave him a lighthearted feeling. She fist-pumped the air and then threw her arms around his neck.

“Oh this is amazing! I’m going to help you administer shots first. Don’t you think we’d better make that first on the list? Then we’ll brand them—”

“Whoa.” He pressed on her shoulders, pushing her back so he could look at her face. “I need your help with the record keeping and the administration end of tending the herd. You won’t be within a country mile of those buckers when they’re branded.”

“Like hell I won’t! If Daddy put me on this job, I’m not going to hide in the office typing up records. I wanna be in the field with the animals.”

Hayden gave a single shake of his head. “Zoe Beth—”

“Don’t
Zoe Beth
me.” She jumped into the truck and raised a boot, placing it on his upper thigh. She shoved him back with her foot. Then she slammed the door in his face.

Annoyance trickled through him. He clamped his hands into fists and circled to the driver’s side. The door was open, and Zoe Beth’s tension poured out. The whole way back to the ranch she was silent, staring straight ahead.

How to make it right? He wanted her help—wanted to keep her out of trouble. And he sure as hell wanted to keep her from riding around the ranch with the other guys. But he wanted her sweet and compliant, just as she was when he was pleasuring her.

They reached the driveway, and he stopped at the end. Before them the ranch unfolded into a picture postcard. Well-kept buildings fresh with paint. Straight fence narrowing into the distance. A windmill glinting silver in the sun. All was right everywhere but inside this truck.

Hayden pivoted to Zoe Beth. “I do need your help.”

“With books.” She folded her arms over her chest, defiance hardening her features.

He stared at her profile. “This is going to be a good reason for me to be with you. No one is going to question us riding out in the truck together or disappearing in the middle of the afternoon.”

Irritation warred on her features, but eventually it fell away. “I guess you’re right.”

He placed a hand on her thigh, high enough to stroke the crease between her leg and pussy. She shuddered. “I do want you with me, Zoe Beth.”

“Good. I’ll meet you at the enclosure in ten minutes. I’m going in to get cleaned up.”

Before he could speak, she leaped from the truck and took off sprinting down the driveway to the house, boots kicking up dust, and delicious ass swaying to a new rhythm pounding in his chest.

Chapter Nine

The bulls were bucking already.

Several two-year-old animals rocked back and forth in the enclosure, and Hayden stood at the fence, grinning.

Without tearing his gaze from the fine specimens that could earn the ranch half a million dollars each in prize money, Hayden said, “Look at ’em. I have so much work to do. Inoculations, choosing the foundation cows, training the young bulls in the chute and getting them used to being flanked with the rope.”

“Gathering bull semen to sell. I can do it. I’ve done it before.”

Hayden jerked, staring at Zoe Beth as if she’d grown a second head. “Like hell you’ll do it.”

“No, seriously. It’s part of a rancher’s job. A vial of semen will go for a couple thousand easy.” Her speech faltered under his glare. His eyebrows were drawn over blazing eyes.

“That’s not a job for you. I have other plans for you.” His tone told her the conversation had ended, but she wasn’t finished yet. She was going to help him cultivate this bull program one way or another. He seemed set on putting his finger on her, pinning her down as her father did.

But I can wiggle out from under him.

She lifted a hand to brush her hair out of her eyes, and her arm bumped Hayden’s. She didn’t realize she’d drifted so close to him. The magnetic pull seemed to be getting stronger and affecting every part of them.

He nudged her chin with the pad of his thumb, angling his body to conceal her from any eyes in the area. “I need to start by doing full health exams right away. Will you fetch the forms and a pen?”

She stared at his happy face and couldn’t deny him, though it burned her that she was being sent off on an errand for writing supplies when she could be in that pen. She was just as good as the men.

“Go on now.” He patted her rump as she turned toward the house.

Glancing over her shoulder, she caught him watching her walk away. She spun again to hide her smile. Yes, she could rope and tie Hayden Meadows before he knew what hit him. Besides her female sway with him, she was pretty damn good at planting herself in the middle of a job. She’d spent a lifetime doing exactly that.

On the way to the house, she passed Buck with a length of rope over his shoulder. He gave her a wink. “Get that visitor all settled?”

“Shh,” she said with a grin.

He made a lip-zipping motion and continued on. At the back door she let Tripod in, and he headed for his favorite patch of sunlight. Zoe Beth strode down the hall to the office. Hearing voices, she drew up short.

“Thieves are at it again,” Joseph Michaels said.

“Figures. What did they steal now?” her father asked.

Zoe Beth plastered herself against the wall and controlled her breathing so she wasn’t overheard.

“I had a calf near the border, and it’s gone now.”

Her heart stuttered, flipped, and raced out of control.

“How do you know it’s not wandering with the herd?” Her father’s gaze was steely.

“It had quite a distinguishable marking. Believe me, it’s nowhere to be found. Although why anyone would steal this animal is beyond me. It wasn’t prime stock.” Joseph Michaels’s voice was tight.

Yeah, not prime and definitely bore a distinguishable marking—like an extra hoof.

Anger welled in Zoe Beth’s belly, overflowing into a wellspring of irritation. Why her daddy couldn’t see Joseph Michaels for the bad rancher he was, she had no idea. Steeling her resolve, she made several boot thumps against the hardwood floor to indicate her approach.

She poked her head around the door frame. “Excuse me. I don’t mean to interrupt. I just need some files and forms.”

As she passed the desk, a hand brushed hers. She jerked hers back against her body.

Had the touch been her imagination? Joseph had been bold enough to lay a hand on her before—while at the dinner table. She’d nearly died of mortification.

Heat infused her face, and she drew a deep breath in a fight to dispel it. Ignoring the man, she moved to the filing cabinet situated against the wall behind the desk. Her father wheeled his chair a foot out of her way.

Squatting, she opened a drawer and located the necessities. Then she nabbed a pen off the blotter in front of him.

“You working with Meadows on the new herd records?”

“Yeah. For now.” Her gaze slipped to Joseph, who stared at her without pause.

Disgust twisted in her stomach, a knife of apprehension. The man was slippery—good at lying and deceiving. If she didn’t already dislike him for the way he treated his animals, she did now.

Nerves raw, Zoe Beth went back outside. As she approached the enclosure, she spotted Hayden on the side, talking to Buck. Instead of catching his attention only to be told to start scribbling in some file, she dropped the pen and paper to the turf, grabbed the rope Buck had abandoned, and climbed into the enclosure with the herd. It would take drastic measures to get the men’s attention.