Hard-Riding Cowboy (Kinky Spurs 3)

She stroked him harder and dragged her lips faster over his silky shaft. His head tipped back when she took him in deep, and his groan vibrated against her when she pumped her hand.

When he dropped his head again, she licked him from base to tip and smiled against the tip of his cock. “This is all for you.” She worked her mouth over him again, and he grunted, low and deep. “For being sweet in ways I wasn’t expecting. For making me laugh and smile all the time. For being all that I want and need and more.”

Something changed in the air between them. His expression became hard and intense and so damn sexy that she couldn’t play any longer. Apparently, neither could he. Suddenly, she was in his arms, and her back bumped against the wall.

“This is for being you,” he growled. “For driving me crazy. For making me fight for you. For being so goddamn smart and strong and perfect that I want to be a better man. For you. I need you, Megan.”

She cupped his face. “I need you too, Nash. Always.”

A harsh masculine grunt passed through his mouth, and her back arched when he entered her in one swift stroke. After that, there was only pleasure. Raw and real pleasure that didn’t only touch the body, it touched the soul.

Until sweaty, totally satisfied, and breathing deep, Nash gently lowered them back onto the bed, away from the kittens.

Gathering her in his arms, facing her, he nuzzled her neck. “I missed you tonight.”

She slid her fingers across his face, holding him close. “I missed you too.”

Chapter 15

Seven days had gone by while Nash spent his days at the ranch working until the sun went down, and his nights against a warm woman. He’d given the list of employee names to Darryl, like he’d requested, but Nash hoped to hell nothing came from that. He also waited on the results from the lab on the beef. The guests had recovered within twenty-four hours and had gone home as soon as they were discharged from the hospital. Truth be told, Nash was glad to have that hell behind him. His only focus now was ensuring an incident like that never happened again. And to do that, he needed answers. There couldn’t be any more mistakes. Not with his reputation on the line. Shep had made the guest ranch happen. Chase had built the venture from the ground up. Nash needed to see the ranch succeed before he could move on to something new. Something that sparked the same enthusiasm bull riding had done.

Early this morning, he’d climbed out of bed to run the cattle from atop Bentley. The tension along his shoulders melted away when he spotted the cattle off in the distance. No cut fences. No problems. Happy Megan. Things were getting better. All of which meant he settled back into smooth sailing and easy days. Nash, along with the Blackshaw cowboys, herded the cattle farther west, bringing them closer to the creek and forest, since the forecast anticipated some hot weather ahead for the next week.

Now on the way back to the ranch, Nash took a moment to breathe. The new round of guests were coming tomorrow. The earthy scent from the wet grass overwhelmed much of anything else. Gus was out in front of him, racing off to chase the birds flying by.

The more he thought about this new direction his life had taken, the more that life had seemed to settle over the last week. He’d done his best not to mention Clint. And Clint had seemed to stay out of his way too. He’d only run into him once grab

bing some beer at the store. Clint hadn’t glared at Nash that day. Maybe they were getting somewhere.

A sudden blur of yellow tore across the meadow. “Gus. No,” Nash called. But it was too late. Gus pounded into a mud puddle, and of course, dove headfirst into it. He went in yellow and came out covered in brown, running around like his tail had caught fire.

Oh, hell.

Hooves thundered behind Nash until they slowed, and Beckett sidled up to him. “Leave it to him to find the only mud puddle out here.”

Nash snorted. “It’s his talent.”

Beckett chuckled then glanced out at the vast plains of mountains and trees. “Quiet today.”

“Yeah,” was Nash’s reply. All he’d been doing lately was thinking. Maybe Megan was the reason for that. After his accident and losing his PBR career, he had decided not to think of his future anymore. He’d been living in this space of going day by day, and that had worked for him for a long time.

It wasn’t working anymore.

This morning he had watched Megan sleep, her hand resting on her belly, surrounded by the cats. His thoughts filled with his child and the love he already had for someone he hadn’t even met yet. Megan and the baby needed him to consider his next steps. He wanted to be an example to his child, like his father had been. A man who followed his dreams. Which all brought him back to his mother’s suggestion about the training facility. He’d be good at that.

Bentley tripped on a rock but recovered quick, and Nash noticed the piece of Blackshaw land they passed was relatively flat and not far from the road. If he were to consider this plan, he knew the ranch was no place to bring in dangerous horses, not with the guests there. The other problem was generating the funds to build the necessary barn and paddocks.

Though the idea interested him enough that he turned to Beckett. “That land right there.” He gestured at the flat meadow. “Not a bad spot for a new horse training facility, huh?”

Beckett raised his brows beneath his tan Stetson. “Is that the new plan?”

“I’m considering it,” Nash replied, resting his hand on the horn of his saddle. Bentley was walking easy. The horse hadn’t given him a single bit of grief for nearly a month now. He’d shaped up nicely, being calm and steady. Nash took pride in that.

Beckett was quiet awhile as he studied the area, then he nodded at Nash. “Good patch of land. Nice and flat. Lots of space.”

Exactly what Nash thought. “Not a terrible idea, then?”

“Not a terrible idea,” Beckett agreed.