Staking His Claim (Ranchers of Chatum County 1)

His jaw hardened. “That’s not acceptable.” His hands came up and gripped her forearms in a hold that restrained her.

She expelled a sound of laughter that wasn’t in any way funny. “What are you going to do about it?” she asked him, smiling softly, licking her lips, challenging him to kiss her. The sane part of her mind knew that was what she was doing.

Even though he held her tightly, she felt in control. She was in her aunt and uncle’s home, and they weren’t far away. But deep inside, a trickle of anxiety washed through her. How would she feel right now if that wasn’t the case?

His eyes fell to her lips again. His hands became harder and leaned into hers with more pressure as he slowly began to lower his head over hers. “I’m going to wipe it from your memory.”

Elaina froze in his hold as anticipation melted her bones. Her breathing splintered as he slowly touched his lips to hers. Gently, his mouth moved against hers, in a caress that was the complete opposite of the fierce restraint his hands had on her. He kissed her softly, over again, moving his lips back and forth.

His head moved to her ear and brushed her hair aside with his face until his lips were open over her. He whispered, “Was it like that?”

Elaina moaned softly. No, it hadn’t been anything like that at all. Trevor’s kiss had been mildly pleasant, not something that set off fireworks inside of her and scrambled her brain to mush.

He took her earlobe between his teeth and grazed her softly. “Was it like that?”

He demanded an answer to his question.

“No,” she whispered.

Raul was hit with dual emotions; lust and arousal from holding her in his arms, and rage from thinking about that boy kissing her, tasting her with his tongue.

He needed to wipe it from her brain. Wipe it from her memory. Wipe it from existence.

With that exact intent, he bent back to her mouth, slanting his lips against hers, and as she took a deep gasping breath, he slipped his tongue inside. Oh, Jesus, she was sweet. Her tongue hesitated against his, her arms pushing against him until he freed her. He moved his hands to her head and lifted her mouth more fully into his.

Her fingers came up and clamped greedily to his scalp, her torso molding provocatively into his, and their kiss went wild. He drank from her lips, taking what he needed from her, holding her tightly against his body. Their tongues entwined, their breathing escalated as they fed from each other.

His arms stayed wrapped around her, clutching her to him. His mouth left hers and seared its way back to her ear, where he plunged his tongue inside and bit into her earlobe again. He growled deep from his diaphragm and made a demand. “No more fuckin’ kisses, understand me?”

She panted in his arms, her body liquid as he held her up. “Yes.”

“Say it.” His words were abrupt, succinct.

“No more.”

“No more what, Elaina?” He continued to beat out the demand that he needed to hear.

His mouth left her ear as they sucked in oxygen and stared at each other.

“No more Trevor.” Her voice was soft, hesitant, but sure that’s what he wanted to hear.

“That’s right,” he rasped out.

They stood, arms-length apart as he clenched her shoulders in his grasp. Her breath came in spiky inhalations as her eyes grew troubled. Swallowing deeply, she watched him intently for several long seconds.

His hand lifted to her hair and began to bring her to him again.

She broke free and pulled away from him.

He let her escape his hold and flee from the room. But later that night, he made damn sure he was standing beside her when the stroke of midnight neared. When the countdown began he stared Trevor down and straightened to his full height, his hands landing on Elaina’s shoulders. When the time came, in deference to her age and the crowd around them, he placed a quick, gentle kiss on her lips.

During the shouts of noise and laughter the new year brought, he looked at her with an intensity she wouldn’t be able to help but understand.

He was staking his claim.

****

As Elaina was getting ready for bed a few hours later, her aunt slipped into her room. The look on her face was more curious than troubled. “Is there something going on between you and Raul?”