“Holy fuck.” She mutters slowly, getting off my cock. I miss the feeling of her warmth.
“Stay here.” I jump up to grab a warm washcloth. Walking back into the living room, she’s sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace, leaning her back against the couch. I focus on cleaning her, gently though I know my hands are rough with calluses against her skin. I take my time trying to figure out what to say.
She had to mean what she said about wanting me, but…how is this gonna work? I work here. My house is here. The ranch is here. And here is the one place she doesn’t want to be.
“Oliver, look at me.” My eyes jerk to her. She smiles lightly as her hand comes to my throat. She holds tight, as if grounding me, and I feel my breath falter. “Let me have this moment.” Little does this Ranch Princess know, she’ll have more than just this moment. She’ll have a lifetime. My lifetime.
I’m not letting her go. This time she’s mine.
CHAPTER 4
RENNA
The fire cracklesin front of us, its heat warming my face as Oliver’s scent wafts over me. He smells of wood and land, and gosh, I fucking love that smell. You can’t get this smell in the city. They try with their birch woods and farm tree scented candles and air fresheners, but nothing beats smelling it fresh off a wrangler.
I uncurl myself from his side, and he stirs awake. His brown eyes shining with the light from the fire, reminding me that this is more than a fucking great one night stand. At least for me, it’s more.
But my pride won’t let me stay where I’m not wanted. I need Oliver to commit to me outside of this house.
While Oliver will be mine in my heart, I can’t force him to be with me.
I can’t live in a one-sided marriage like my mom.
I need more.
“Well,” I say with a sigh, dragging my naked ass up off the floor. My skin is tight as I move away from him. I avert my eyes so I can’t see his face. I can’t let myself hope he might want me to stay.
“Where the hell are you going?” His voice is rough and sexy as he leans his back against the couch. His relaxed state puts me on edge.
“Back to my dad’s?”
“You don’t get to leave, Princess.” He chuckles, and my face flames with heat.
“You did the first time, so why can’t I?” I snap. I meet his eyes. They have the nerve to sparkle at me, as if this was all just… a game.
I just let this man ravage me without even knowing where he stood. What a fucking idiot.
The embarrassment of this conversation makes my throat strain with held back tears as my nakedness feels more prominent.
“I won’t let you make the same mistake I did.” He leans his head back on the couch and I scoff. I can’t help rolling my eyes as I finally look at him.
“If it was such a mistake, why didn’t you come back?” I ask, not really looking for an answer as I search for my clothes.
I see my jeans and tank top and see they are still wet. Okay, actually, they are barely wet, but I don’t want to put them back on. Not when I spot something I want more.
Oliver’s t-shirt. He stole my heart, so the least I could steal is his shirt.
“I didn’t think I could,” he says, reaching his arms out to me. “Please, Princess, come here.”
I stare at his hand. His big, calloused hand that held me with hunger. The same hold that could almost convince me he needed me as much as I needed him.
His words echo in my head as I contemplate giving in to him. Oliver doesn’t lie. He omits the truth sometimes, but he doesn’t lie. Not outright, and not about things like this.
I trust Oliver with my life. When it comes down to saving me physically, I know I can depend on him. He did so many times the summer we spent together when I got Midnight, and was learning to ride a horse for the first time at eighteen.
But will he save me from him? From my heart, that can’t seem to fall in love with anyone else.
Because it’s falling for him. It’s been falling for a while, and it’s so close to hitting the ground.
