“I have stilettos,” Genesis replied, biting her lip in that distracting way she had, and fluttering her thick lashes. “I’ll put on a pair for you later. If I wear them with the cowboy hat, will you both be satisfied?”
“If you wear them with the cowboy hat and nothing else, I assure you we’ll all be satisfied,” Orlando promised, letting his voice drop into a low growl. “You will be satisfiedrepeatedly, as a matter of fact.”
He watched her pupils dilate and caught the unmistakable scent of her arousal—its honey undertones overtaking the notes of jasmine and orange. What would she do if he simply picked her up and carried her back inside? Would she let him spreadher out on the dining table and eat her pussy until she screamed his name loud enough for the main house staff to hear?
The look in her wide eyes told Orlando that Genesis wouldn’t resist him. He smiled, pleased by her responsiveness, and took her hand. It was his duty, after all, to maintain decorum. He wouldn’t ravish her before giving her the tour and meal he’d promised. Besides, she’d said she needed to pace herself.
“I’m starting to understand how you manage to get under Luke’s skin,” Genesis said huskily as he pulled her away from the cottage. “You’re annoyingly good at staying cool and collected while the rest of us mere mortals get all worked up.”
Orlando felt his smile widening. “It is a talent I’ve honed over many years, but don’t be mistaken—I get worked up. As a matter of fact, I’ve been worked up quite consistently since I met you.”
Genesis flushed again, and Orlando admired how the rosiness in her cheeks complemented her smattering of freckles. God almighty, this woman was beautiful. And sexy, and smart, and intuitive, and and and…
Orlando took a steadying breath, trying to take in a bit of the fresh outdoor air. His biggest kink might be testing his self-control, but he’d never wanted to give in to desire as much as he did with Genesis Valentine. Not just to his physical cravings, but to all of it. It felt like emotional edging, and Orlando wasn’t sure how long he would last. He enjoyed her snarky sense of humor and single-minded ambition as much as he admired her beauty. He found her intriguing in every way, and he was too damn old not to recognize a good thing when he saw it.
The only question was, what was he going to do about it?
For now, he would make sure her first full day on the property was as pleasant as possible. He led her to the golf cart he’d parked at the perimeter of the patch of garden surrounding the cottage. Genesis looked surprised but climbed into cart with a little laugh that sounded like music to Orlando.
“I guess the farm is a bit too large to tour on foot?” she asked as he joined her in the golf cart.
Orlando nodded and started the engine. “If you want to get a real sense of it, then yes. We won’t drive the entire property—so much of it is dedicated to the corn fields, but I’ll show you the lay of the land. Then I want to take you somewhere special for lunch.”
Genesis laid a hand on his arm, her brown eyes sparkling in the midday sun. “Thank you, Orlando. This has been so lovely already. I didn’t think I’d feel so at home so quickly.”
Orlando’s heart soared at the praise. Genesis was thoughtful and perceptive, and she noticed the intent behind his actions as few people might. She was special and Orlando was going to make sure she knew it.
He drove the farm at a leisurely pace, pointing out the most important landmarks: Gabe’s art studio, the greenhouse, the barn, the chicken coop, and the corn fields. Though he knew Luke was reseeding one of the cow pastures, he didn’t venture too close. He wasn’t sharing Genesis this afternoon, and he refused to give Luke the satisfaction of seeing her in her Stetson just yet.
Maybe later, when she put on the stilettos.
They conversed easily as they meandered along. Genesis asked intelligent questions about their business, and he prodded for more information about her journalism goals. He was impressed by her commitment to social justice, and the way she fought against convention to do what she believed would make a difference.
She dropped the occasional nugget from her personal life that helped Orlando to refine the picture he was forming of her character. Tidbits about growing up at a boarding school for likely omegas told him she’d been taking care of herself for a long time, which made sense given how long she’dsurvived without a pack. She was fiercely independent, but Orlando suspected she’d developed the trait out of necessity. The way she’d responded to him taking charge of her moving arrangements—cautiously grateful—told him she wasn’t used to being cared for. Given the family history available in her files, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to see the connection between it and her self-reliant personality.
He felt even better about his plans for their lunch date. Orlando needed to make a few things clear to her up front. Namely that Pack Rossi were men she could trust.
Once they’d completed the circuit, Orlando drove back toward the cottage and the sweet little garden where it nestled. He was sure Genesis hadn’t had an opportunity to explore it yet, and there was something in it she needed to see. She looked at him quizzically as he parked at the end of the garden path, then rounded the cart to help her out. From the storage beneath the seat, he pulled a blanket and a basket that Marco had prepared that morning.
Genesis grinned cheekily. “Be still, my city girl heart! Is that an actual picnic basket? Are we having a real-life, old-fashioned picnic in the garden? This is too quaint!”
Orlando took her hand, abruptly pulling her flush against him. She shivered, looking up at him with an amused glint in her lovely eyes. He growled low in his throat, making her shiver again, then lowered his head to brush his lips against her ear.
“That sounded dangerously close to you calling me old again,” Orlando murmured. “Did you not learn your lesson last night?”
Genesis licked her lips, and he followed the movement, considering whether he should claim her tongue with his own. The smell of honey intensified, and he held her tighter, letting her feel the effect she was having on him in the hard press of his dick against her belly. Her voice was huskier when she spoke again.
“Sometimes, I’m a slow learner. I might need another lesson or two.”
This woman was going to be the death of him.
Instead of replying, Orlando covered her mouth with his. He kissed her slowly, relishing the taste of her tongue, the feel of her lips, and the way her scent rose to meet him. He kissed her until he couldn’t taste or feel or smell anything but Genesis.
When he pulled away, Genesis looked a little dazed, panting for breath in a way that made Orlando want to kiss her again. He thought of how nice it would be to spread her out on the blanket and take his time tasting her right here in the garden. His dick throbbed in enthusiastic agreement.
“Let’s get some lunch in you before you tempt me into something untoward,” he said firmly. “And don’t you dare say whatever saucy comeback you’re thinking right now. Therearelimits to my self-control.”
Genesis giggled, obediently miming zipping her lips. Orlando released her from his embrace, but held on to her hand, intertwining their fingers. He led her down the winding path, past bushes and trees that were just starting to bloom, until they reached the garden’s centerpiece: a Cherokee Princess Dogwood tree sitting within a circle of glittering stones and surrounded by snow white pebbles. There was a bench beneath it, inlaid with a simple plaque.
