Rough (Wolf Ranch 1)

I shouldn’t have been disappointed when Boyd took the hint and stepped away. I didn’t actually see him do it, more like felt it. That had been my intention, to give him the cold shoulder, and yet I registered the loss of his nearness viscerally. My nipples hardened, and my pussy clenched as if telling me they wanted him back. They wanted his very skilled hands and mouth on them and didn’t want to let the opportunity slip away.

My pussy had been in charge in Boyd’s barn and while it got his head between my legs and a fantastic orgasm, that was all. Sure, I’d be using that for my vibrator-time fantasies for the rest of my life, but my bed wouldn’t have Boyd in it because he’d be in some other woman’s.

Tonight, I’d think with my mind, and my pussy would just have to deal. I tossed back the shot, then winced as the biting flavor went down hard and fast.

“Um, Audrey, you didn’t tell me you knew Boyd Wolf,” Becky said, her eyes shifting from me to somewhere over my shoulder where he’d gone. Probably back to his bunny hutch.

“He, uh, got hurt at the rodeo over the weekend. Remember I told you I was going to work the event?”

“Lucky girl,” she replied, leaning in to be heard over the growing crowd and the music.

“Becky! He was hurt,” I countered. I didn’t like anyone to make light of a situation where someone had been injured.

“He doesn’t look hurt to me,” she said, licking her lips. As if she wanted not only a slice but the whole dang chocolate cake.

“His gaggle of girlfriends will take care of him.” I tried to hide the hurt in my voice. I wasn’t ready to tell her about my trip to Wolf Ranch or what happened in the barn.

She slowly shook her head as she sucked on the straw of her iced margarita. “I think he wants you to do that, and I don’t mean heal any wounds he might have. I’m thinking he needs relief of a different kind.”

My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. “I think you’re very wrong.”

She shook her head. “You might have the fancy medical degree, but I know men, and that one wants you. Don’t deny you want him right back.”

I stared at her. She stared at me. Her friends, thank God, were chatting between themselves, and I didn’t have to explain this to them. “Fine. I do want him. But—”

She grinned and cut me off. “I’m so glad to hear that. Hi, Boyd.”

I gasped, spun on my heel. Right there in front of my face was his chiseled chest. Oh. My. God.

Slowly, I tipped my chin up until I was looking into Boyd Wolf’s gorgeous face, split by his signature grin. “The feeling’s mutual, darlin’. Sorry for stepping away, I needed to get my beer.” He held up a longneck between his fingers.

“I… I thought—” I thought a sinkhole should open up and swallow me, but that wasn’t going to happen.

“I thought we had a good time yesterday.” He winked.

“Yesterday?” Becky asked. “Wasn’t the rodeo over the weekend?”

“It was, but I couldn’t resist myself.” Boyd tipped his head in my direction. “This woman’s got me on my knees with want.”

While Boyd spoke to Becky, his words were meant just for me.

I blushed and shook my head. I’d gone to Wolf Ranch to check on him but hadn’t done so. Instead of me getting him out of his shirt to see where the bull had struck him, he’d gotten me out of my pants… and panties.

He wasn’t injured. I’d clearly been wrong. Unless he had an ingrown toenail, I couldn’t see a thing wrong with the guy. He definitely didn’t look like someone who’d been gored by a bull.

I didn’t understand it, but the proof of it was him standing before me.

“I’m sorry, Boyd, but this isn’t my thing.”

“What isn’t?”

I hardened my resolve. “You’re a fun time. But I’m looking for something serious. And you’re not sticking around.” I pointed at him and circled my finger, directly at his huge belt buckle, which blatantly indicated his profession and imminent return to the circuit.

There. I made it about his job, not that I thought he was a man-whore. Although why I believed he had feelings that required sparing was beyond me. A guy like him probably had this conversation fifty times a year. I’d looked up the rodeo circuit schedule, and it covered half the west over a six month span.

Boyd looked chagrined by my words, but I didn’t want to read too much into that. He wasn’t getting lucky tonight with me. He’d survive. Since he could probably talk the underpants off a nun if given the chance, I decided fleeing was my best strategy.

“Excuse me,” I said, then beelined for the bathroom, hiding in there for as long as I could.