Chapter Thirteen

Through the darkness, Meadow followed the strains of a guitar and the flicker of firelight. The guys often gathered around a bonfire. Zach was pretty good on the guitar, and he had a decent singing voice too—the closest they all got to entertainment on a Wednesday night.

Once the ranch was put to bed and the animals were all tended to, they had little else to fill their time besides drinking, playing cards or sitting around a fire shooting the breeze.

As she rounded the barn and set eyes on the group of guys, she automatically counted heads.

Dude and Webb, along with the other four guys.

And Colton.

She missed her next stride and was forced to slow her steps even as heat shot through her stomach.

God, Colton’s face outlined by firelight…it just did things to her whole body. He wore his hat low over his eyes, creating a line of impenetrable shadow.

Reminded of their interlude in the cave, she envisioned Colton’s eyes, how they were as deep as night and glittering with lust that first time, and then passion after that.

She wrapped her arms around herself as she slowly approached the fire. Webb looked up from the strings of his guitar and saw her first.

She looked at each man, finally landing on Colton.

“Meadow.” His gruff tone edged under her skin—and made her skin erupt in goose bumps.

One of the seats had been left vacant for her. She moved to it and sat down between Dude and Zach—directly across from the man she couldn’t stop thinking about.

Dude pulled out a tin of chewing tobacco and offered it to her. With a chuckle, she shook her head. He took a pinch and stuffed it into his bottom lip. They all settled in to listen to Zach pluck the strings.

Meadow crossed her legs in the low-slung chair and let the music wash over her. She was used to being on her own, but the past two days had been especially difficult.

After feeling the touch of a lover, of fighting for something together, and then the companionship of their ride back to the ranch, she no longer wanted to be alone.

Stealing a peek at Colton from beneath her lashes, she found him looking back.

The flames flickered between them, as hot and bright as the fire low in her core. If she were to leap over the flames and land in his lap, what would he do? Deny they were anything more than acquaintances to each other? The guys already knew he’d brought her home from Badlands that night—Dude had told her so.

Zach brought the first song to a close, the quiver of the strings and his deep voice resonating on the air.

Zach dipped his head toward the ranch hand, Marks, sitting nearest the small ice chest full of drinks. “Pass me one of those beers. All this singin’s making me thirsty.”

He plucked one from the icy depths and passed it to Zach. Then he held up a beer on offer to the rest of them. His gaze lit on Meadow. “Beer?”

“Sure, I’ll take one.” She leaned forward to accept it, noting too late how high the flames were jumping. They licked at her sleeve.

“Jesus Christ!” Colton’s arm slammed into her, knocking her back several feet.

Stunned, she stared up at him, aware that all the guys were on their feet—and he was puffing mad.

“Are you trying to light yourself on fire, woman?” It was a wonder he could even bite off the words around that tendon going crazy in his jaw.

Her pride stung. Recoiling, she glared back at him. “I’m fine. Didn’t even feel the heat.”

It was a lie, but he didn’t have to know that.

He seemed to be making it his business. When he gently wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and guided her arm up so he could inspect the sleeve of the flannel shirt she wore, she felt every man around the fire go still.

Those guys never touched her. No matter how many times they drove her home from the bar, they kept their hands off.

Colton was different…and now they knew it.

The charged atmosphere seemed louder than the crackle of the fire. Their gazes clashed.

Slowly, Colton removed his fingers from her arm. She moved to her seat and dropped into it, waiting for him to do the same.

Only he walked past her, into the night.

The urge to turn around and watch him go was strong. To run after him even stronger.

Some sense of boundaries kept her glued to her chair. Marks got up to place the beer she asked for into her hand, and she accepted it with a smile she knew must look as off as it felt.

Zach plucked a few notes. She twisted off the beer cap but wasn’t in the mood to drink now even though her mouth was dried out. What she was aching for…was Colton.

She couldn’t just get up and follow him into the darkness, though the thought of finding him in the shadows—and letting him take her up against the side of the barn—left her pussy throbbing.

The guys seemed to be avoiding her gaze. What if they told her father that Colton was fooling around with her? She didn’t know what her daddy would do.

He’d been so strange lately, even more withdrawn than he’d been since losing his wife and son. She supposed that he must be feeling a heavy weight—grief often didn’t strike for many months after a loved one’s passing.

More than likely, he wouldn’t have a single thing to say about his elder daughter screwing around if it were anybody but one of the ranch hands. There was always an unspoken limit there. A crossing of social class. The guys were friends, sure. But they were also Gracey employees.

She was no queen, though. If she was, her crown was tarnished beyond repair. She didn’t want to sit on her laurels any more than her sister did. Which was what sent Ivy running off the first chance she got.

Maybe Meadow should have done the same thing. Europe had never interested her, but she could travel the country. Just pack her bags, get in her truck and go.

The idea had merit…but it would mean walking away from her father when he needed her to watch over the ranch more than ever, even if he wouldn’t admit it. Forest was so loyal to her father and the ranch. Since he wasn’t around, she was the next one in line.

And leaving Colton before ever giving them a chance to explore what could really be…

Sitting there as the night dwindled and the logs burned down, pretending to drink the beer she didn’t want, took so much effort. When she finally could stand it no more, she stood and gave an exaggerated yawn.

“Thanks for the fun, guys, but I’m bushed. I’m heading to bed.”

Zach looked up at her. “Want me to walk you to the house?”

She offered him a gentle smile. “No, but thank you. I’ll make it just fine.”

As she navigated the darkness back to the house, she searched every shadow for Colton. Hoping the man would jump out and drag her off to have his way with her made her walk slower.

When she reached the back door without Colton grabbing her, she let out a sigh. She went inside and tossed the nearly full beer in the trash. Then she took a quick shower to wash away the remnants of campfire smoke from her hair.

Any other night, she’d don a camisole and a pair of panties to serve as pajamas. She didn’t know what made her reach for a slinky short nightie instead.

The red number was one she’d purchased with friends at the mall but never worn. They all teased her for information on the man who got to see her in that, but of course, she never kissed and told.

Because nothing ever happened.

She ran her hands over her breasts, cupping them in the silk cloth. Her nipples were pinched tight. A flutter low in her stomach had her reaching a hand down between her thighs.

The ache there could never be satisfied by her own hand. She needed Colton.

Before she knew what she was doing, she moved through the house, headed for the back door.

She never reached it.

The door banged off the inner wall and a huge figure stood in the shadowy space.

He saw her and stopped. Then he took one step inside, fists curled.

“I advise you to go back to bed. And lock your door.” Colton’s growl spread through her entire body.

Shaking her head, she stumbled forward, right into his waiting arms.

* * * * *

He was losing his mind. No, he’d already lost it.

Any control was crumpled up like a tissue and tossed to the mountain wind as Meadow launched herself into his arms.

The silky nightgown she wore slipped against the bare skin underneath it, making him even harder, if such a thing was possible. Ever since he left that fire, he’d been walking, wandering the night, looking for some relief from the mind-addling ache to go to her.

He tried a cold shower. Hell, if he thought throwing himself in an icy pond would ease this manic desire he could live with no longer, he would have done it hours ago.

What led him to open her back door?

What put her there at the exact moment he had flung it open?

Christ, they couldn’t be…bound…could they?

Men who served in the military were a superstitious lot. They believed in getting your due. Being served justice. They believed that to cross paths with an enemy more than once meant that you were supposed to dole out that justice.

But when it came to a woman? Colton didn’t know if he was just making up excuses for him and Meadow seeking out each other at the exact same second.

He didn’t know what to think anymore.

He couldn’t think.

With a soft noise, she hitched her strong, curvy legs around his waist. The scorching heat of her pussy against the bulge in his jeans proved too much.

He slammed his mouth over hers and backed her up against the closest wall. The door hung open behind them, and damn if he cared.

Claiming her kisses, her sweet, seductive sounds, was the only driving force inside him right now.

To hell with Forest, her daddy, the ranch and the men who worked it.

He was going to feast on this woman in his arms until they were both satisfied.

Then he would make that call to Ross Wynton and walk away—tonight, if he could tear himself away from Meadow’s bed before dawn crested the mountain.

Pushing his cock into the crux of her drew a groan from both of their lips. She parted for his questing tongue. Over and over again, he sank into her, tasting, exploring, stealing moans from her.

She knocked his hat off his head and dug her fingers into his hair, twisting. “Please!”

“Tell me to walk away. Tell me to leave.”

She lifted her head, eyes revealing the stunned fear at such a suggestion. “Take me to bed, cowboy.”

An animalistic noise burst out of him. He wasn’t going to make it to bed with her. He had to have her here—now.

His cock was stiff and aching, the tip slick with precum. And judging by the heat between her legs, she was soaking for him too.

In a hasty move, he let her slide down his body. As soon as her toes touched the hardwood floor, he spun her.

Pinned her to the wall.

In rough jerks of his hands, he opened his fly and pulled out his cock. Sliding aside the panties she wore took precious seconds he couldn’t wait on.

His hands shook as he guided his cock to her drenched opening.

“Say my name. Now!”

“Colton!”

In one hard shove, he filled her to the hilt. His balls nestled against the ripe peach of her ass.

Her roughened cry brought him crashing back to reality.

“Did I hurt you?” he whispered against the shell of her ear.

She twisted her head to look at him. “No. Never. Fuck me, Colton!”

Driven by their own need, his hips swung back. His length slipped through her clenching heat clear to the tip…

Then he slammed home once more.

She arched her back. Ground into his cock.

He palmed her luscious ass cheeks apart and sank even deeper. Her pleasured cries filled the air. Unable to stop touching her for even a minute, he ran his hands up and down her curves, tugging the tormenting little scrap of silk she was wearing upward and then finally cupping her bare breasts and using them as leverage to fuck her.

He jerked her into his cock. She writhed on it.

This was so wrong.

Yet so right.

The contradiction had no rhyme or reason. In his lust-hazed mind, he could have her or die.

Her pussy suddenly clamped down on his stiff cock—hard.

“Christ, yeah, baby. Milk me! I’m going to fill you up over and over again tonight.”

“Yes!” She covered his hand where it lay over her breast and threaded her fingers with his.

The act was so intimate. His fucking heart would never be the same.

War had torn him to shreds, but he’d walked away from that more whole than he would when he left this ranch.

Left her.

“Please! Deeper! Oh gawd!” Her keening cry hit a split second before her pussy squeezed his cock on her release.

The tight clench stole…his…fucking…mind.

Throwing his head back, his body bowed and he let out a roar of completion as he shoved his cock as deep as it would go and flooded her with a release so enormous that he wondered if he could ever really walk away.