Staking His Claim (Ranchers of Chatum County 1)

“I’m not promising I won’t jack off, baby. Just sayin’ if you promise to save your cherry for me, I’ll stay clean for you.”

Elaina’s legs felt jittery as he spelled out his intentions in basic male language.

“We in agreement?” He pushed for her answer.

“Yeah, okay. But just so we’re clear. I get a job and continue with my life. I have my friends and you have your friends and we’re both social, just no sex. Right?”

He misunderstood what she said. “You getting a job when you go back to San Antonio?”

“I’m not going back.”

That was news to him. “What? Why?”

“That was my mother’s dream for me, being a nurse. I don’t want that. I’m staying here, getting a job, while I think about my life. About what I want.”

Raul was shocked to feel a combination of stunned pleasure that she wasn’t leaving, along with a dark, tormented knowledge that he’d have to keep fighting himself to stay away from her.

He was silent as he tried to digest her change of plans.

She went back to the subject at hand. “So, is that right? About us, I mean.”

He knew she was talking about their agreement to stay celibate. “That’ll be what it takes to calm me down, yeah.”

“And you’ll believe me?”

“I have no reason to doubt your word.”

An arrow of guilt slid through her. “Okay.”

“Yeah, okay?”

She tried to smile. “Okay.”

She started to relax against the barn wall, but in a swift move, he swung around until his back was against the wall, his legs were spread wide, and she stood between them, her pelvis pulled into his body by a strong arm behind her back.

One hand went to her forehead and pushed a stray curl from her face. “Happy birthday, baby.”

She smiled at him, trying to overcome the guilt that slid through her from her deception. “Thanks,” she said, knowing she needed to tell him. It had gone too far. Now it felt like a lie. She opened her mouth to try to form the words, but he began speaking first and the sadness in his voice made her momentarily forget what she needed to tell him.

“I had a shit day. You feel good.”

She relaxed her body against him, soft tendrils of arousal hitting her system. The juncture of her thighs pulsed against his blue jeans, making her panties wet and her body tremble. She tried to concentrate on his words. “What happened?”

“Lost a mare and her foal. It was a breech birth and lost them both. It sucked shit.”

“I’m sorry.” She experimented by tenderly putting her hand on his cheek.

He grabbed her hand and moved it to his mouth, kissing her palm. She hung against him while he breathed in her scent and kissed her palm repeatedly.

He opened his eyes and looked deep into hers. “And then I come to find you and he’s touching you.” His voice hardened.

“Raul,” she chided softly.

He took her hand and wrapped it around his neck and leaned his forehead against hers. He slid his mouth to her cheek and caressed her with his open lips. Dragging kisses over her face, he demanded reassurance in a steely voice. “You promised, right?”

“Yes.”

He kissed her mouth softly and continued to run his lips over her face, his hands moving on her back, sliding from her waist to her hips, his fingers clenching in her butt, and then moving to retrace his actions all over again.