The Virgin and the Beast (Stud Ranch 1)

The bed dips with Xavier’s weight.

I hold my breath. No, damn it, don’t hold your breath. Regular—in, out, in, out.

A big, muscled arm snakes around me and he pulls me so that I’m sandwiched against his body. “You sure are damn cute, precious.”

Precious.

Not pet.

My eyes are already shut but I squeeze them tight at the swell of emotion his simple words elicit.

He’s hard against my backside.

I wait for him to start touching me.

I wait for something.

Precious.

His chest moves up and down behind me and within several minutes, there’s only the light sound of his quiet snores filling the room.

But for me, sleep is a long time in coming.

Chapter 14

I continue my riding lessons.

And Xavier continues not touching me at night.

Well, of course, he’s Xavier, so a day doesn’t pass without him having his hands all over me.

But no intimate touches.

No more orgasms.

It’s because of the period. It’s got to be. He has some weird hang up about it. And I’m too chicken shit to ask him to explain. And anyway, I’m happy about the new order of things. I never wanted him touching me. This is all a good thing, dammit.

It’s just the not knowing that’s driving me crazy, that’s all. That’s the only reason I’m glad when my period peters off.

Right?

Right, Mel, you just keep telling yourself that.

Okay, so let’s just ignore that snarky bitch who runs around inside my head sometimes trying to tell me inconvenient truths. She doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about.

Anyway, Xavier’s more than aware when I’m all done with the crimson tide. To my eternal mortification, he hasn’t let one opportunity pass to change out my tampons—seriously, wtf? But whatever, it just means he’s perfectly informed when I’m back in ship-shape order.

That night, baths resume instead of the shower.

He goes back to a more extensive massage, welcome after my week of more and more strenuous outings on Sugar, and then Pioneer. Xavier likes to take Samson out for our daily ride and it’s safer for me to be riding Pioneer since he’s a gelding.

Xavier says that he’ll geld Samson soon but that he didn’t want to add stress to the stallion upon his arrival. The way his eyes flick to me when he says this, I wonder if he also simply didn’t want anyone else out on the ranch when I was first here.

Anyway, the bath tonight is extra hot and my entire body relaxes into the water as Xavier massages up my thigh.

Then finally, oh God, finally, his hand dips between my legs.

My back arches in anticipation.