Austin nodded, then ushered her into a large, masculine living room with glossy hardwoods. A pair of ornate, torchiere floor lamps stood sentinel alongside a huge, overstuffed leather couch, decorated with fluffy gray and white accent pillows. On the wall facing the couch was a wide fireplace crafted from rounded river rock with a giant big-screen mounted above the thick wooden mantel.
There wasn’t an ounce of dust or clutter anywhere. Austin’s home didn’t look anything like the bachelor pad she’d envisioned. It wasn’t a man cave but inviting and homey.
“Your house is beautiful,” she said as he directed her toward an open staircase.
“Thanks. I was hoping a woman would like it.” He sheepishly smiled as they started up the stairs.
“Surely I’m not the first woman you’ve invited into your home.”
“Actually, you are.”
Paige paused and gaped at him, waiting for him to crack a smile or give her some other sign that he was kidding, but he didn’t. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah.”
“Wait a minute. You’re not…celibate, are you?”
Austin chuckled and shook his head. “No.”
“Then why—”
“I don’t share my personal space or life with…casual companions.”
Why am I here, then?
The question seared the tip of her tongue, but Paige swallowed it down. She’d rather assume she was just another casual companion than hear him say it out loud. Besides, the only reason he’d invited her into his personal space was to keep from being caught again. Her realization was sobering, but Paige didn’t let it deter her. She wasn’t giving her V-card to anyone but Austin.
When they reached the top of the stairs, he settled his wide palm on the small of her back and led her down a wide hallway. Darting a glance at each of the rooms they passed, Paige spied two spacious guest rooms, a full bath, and Austin’s home office.
When he paused at the doorway of a huge bedroom, Paige peered inside and gaped at the masculine chocolate-colored walls, the beautiful coffered ceiling, polished mahogany nightstands, dressers, and…king-sized four-poster bed.
Knowing she and Austin would soon be naked on that bed sent a tremor skipping through her.
“I’m dying to strip you out of that sexy dress, toss you to the mattress, and listen to you scream my name all night.” Yes, please. “But there’s something I want to show you first.”
“Okay.”
Paige followed him across the room, pausing near another wide stone fireplace while Austin opened a pair of French doors. Cool night air rushed over her flushed flesh as he extended his hand, inviting her to pass through the portal. With a nod, she stepped onto a huge screened-in porch, smiling at the crickets and tree frogs singing their nightly serenade in the distance.
Beside her, two comfy-looking chaise lounges faced the open field, and in the far corner was a wrought iron table with four matching chairs. Turning in a slow circle, Paige stared in awe at the fireflies flashing in the open field before her.
“Oh, wow. This is beyond beautiful. It’s so…peaceful.”
“It is.” Austin smiled. “I’ve been spending a lot of time out here lately…decompressing.”
Of course he has.
The stress of trying to save three ranches had to be overwhelming as hell. Paige felt bad. Though she and Austin texted every night, she’d been too enthralled with his taunting sexual promises to even think of asking if he’d heard from his lawyer.
“Has McGraw uncovered anything yet?”
Austin shook his head. “No. Once he discovered Hale and Porter’s client list was private, he started working on creative ways to circumvent that.”
“Legal creative ways or…” Paige arched her brows.
“Not sure. I’m assuming it’s one of those don’t ask, don’t tell kind of things.” He smirked, then sobered. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to inherit Raymond’s land once he died or you got married?”
“I didn’t know until after he’d spilled his guts in front of everyone on Main Street while yelling at you.”
“How’d you know he was yelling?”
“Gina told me.”
“Were you surprised?”
“That he yelled at you? No.”
Austin chuckled. “I meant surprised he planned on giving you the ranch.”
“Yes, but even more so when Johnny showed up to work for him.”
“That’s not too surprising considering Raymond was in the hospital, what…three weeks ago?”
Paige nodded. “When I asked him why he didn’t tell me he’d hired Jonny, Grandpa said he didn’t want to worry me or leave me to try and run the ranch alone.”
“That’s no surprise either.” Austin smiled. “He loves you.”
“As long as I follow the rules, he does.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” she said, dismissively waving her hand. She wasn’t about to ruin the evening boring him with stories of her shitty childhood.
“Why didn’t you tell me he’d hired Johnny and that he was living on your ranch?”
Paige couldn’t miss the edge of jealousy in his tone. Banking her surprise, she softly smiled. “Because Johnny doesn’t mean a thing to me. He doesn’t matter.” She cupped Austin’s cheek Savoring the scruff scraping her palm, Paige leaned in close to his lips and whispered, “But you do.”
Heat flared in his eyes. Wrapping a fist in her hair, he tugged her head back. “So do you, little girl,” he growled, crashing his mouth over hers.
Austin didn’t wait for her to part and open for him, he simply plunged past her lips and swept deep before tangling his tongue with hers. As he branded her with his urgent hunger, Paige melted against his body and boldly kissed him back, trying to erase any doubt still peppering his mind. And proving to him that she was in…all in. Ready, willing, and able to accept all the passion and pleasure he wanted to unleash on her.
Blistering her with his commanding kiss, Austin swallowed her needy whimpers, eating at her as if she were his last meal. Though she was flush against his steely body, Paige ached to get closer, yearned to climb inside him somehow.
Gripping his warm cotton shirt, Paige wrapped a leg around his thigh and pressed her throbbing pussy against his shaft. His cock lurched, nudging her clit, but it still wasn’t enough.
As if reading her mind, Austin gripped her ass with both hands and pulled her tighter against his erection. Paige moaned into his mouth as her pussy fluttered and clutched at emptiness. She tried to placate her frustration with the heat leaching through his jeans, but it didn’t soothe the primal need within.
Whimpering impatiently, she began pawing at the buttons of his shirt, then tugging the front of her dress, doing all she could to remove the barrier of clothing between them, the need to feel Austin’s hard, hot, bare flesh against hers bordering insanity.