Ride With Me: A Possessive Cowboy Romance

"I meant what I said – don't be showing up here late at night."

"I know, I know. No booty calls. You told me."

He was laughing at me again.

"What's so funny then?"

"You are. Nobody says ‘booty call’ anymore."

"Oh well, what do they say then?"

"They say 'fucking', Elle,” he said as his eyes slid over me with obvious desire.

The look on his face made it clear he meant the two of us… doing that. I gasped at his blatant invitation. My heart was pounding as he let his eyes lifted again to meet mine and then dropped again. I stood perfectly still as he blatantly checked out my body. He shook his head wryly in appreciation and pulled his helmet on.

"Have a nice night."

Then he drove off, leaving me with her jaw hanging open.

Damn it all to hell.

Jake Delancey was going to be difficult to resist indeed.

Chapter Eleven

Jake

I was whistling as I jogged down the stairs. It was just after 6 am. I was hungry as hell. At least that's what I told myself when I woke up so damn early.

It wasn't because I was excited to see her.

It definitely wasn’t because I’d been up half the night burning up with desire. Or planning what I could do to win her over. Or imagining what I would do with her when she finally let her guard down and admitted she wanted me too…

Damn if that hot little waitress wasn't going to drive me insane with lust.

There was just something about her. Her looks would have been enough to get my attention in the first place, but her sassy ways were holding my interest. Much longer than usual.

Normally I would have already moved on by now. With or without a night in her bed. Bed, hell, I’d do her anywhere. A stairwell, a couch, the floor. I'd wanted to screw her in the damn bushes outside the country club. I would take what I could get and gladly.

I definitely was not going to be picky about the details when she finally came around.

And she would come around. It didn't matter how long it took. I was going to get my hands on that girl.

I grinned.

More than just my hands.

Daniel and Jackson were just filling up their plates from the breakfast buffet. A big breakfast was a daily ritual on the estate. Had been for eighty years. When you had animals to tend to, you got up early and you ate well.

I usually skipped it. Thus the surprised looks on their faces. I smirked. It was rare to see that look at Jackson’s face in particular. Made it worth the sleepy feeling in my eyes.

"What are you doing up so early?" Daniel asked, looking concerned.

"Oh come on, Daniel. He's probably still up from last night. Run out of bourbon little brother?"

I smiled pleasantly, ignoring the stab of pain that came from Jackson's barb. Didn't they ever let up? I supposed on some level I deserved it, but I’d like to forget my sordid once in a while. Especially when I was turning over a new leaf.

Well, sort of.

"Good morning Daniel."

I nodded stiffly at my eldest brother.

"Jackson."

Jackson just raised an eyebrow and sipped his coffee.

The doorbell rang and my heart started thumping. I was like a damned schoolgirl with a crush! The feeling was unfamiliar and unwanted. But I couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

Elle. She was here. Nearly in my clutches.

I got up to meet her.

"Are you expecting someone, Jake?"

"Yes. A friend. I promised her a job."

"You did what?"

I smiled at them coolly.

“If you want me to be a part of the business, then let me be part of the business,” and with that, I had sealed my doom. I had been waffling about staying on. But being able to help, and corner, Elle had cinched the deal.

“So, you are in. For real?” Daniel asked.

“I want an answer,” Jackson hollered after us.

“Yes. I’m in. Now be nice. She matters to me,” I said over my shoulder, just looking back long enough to see both of my brothers eyebrows shoot straight up.

Daniel and Jackson followed me to the front entry hall. Kemper, the butler, had already opened the door. A big-eyed beauty stood there, looking around in wonder.

My big eyed beauty.

I smiled at her, trying not to look love sick. Even if I was. I'd never been this gooey eyes over a girl before. But nobody else had to know how bad I had it.

Especially not Elle.

I might be willing to put in extra work to get her, but I'd be damned if I'd let a woman get the upper hand over me. That was risky. Dangerous.

She was worth the gamble, though.

"You made it."

She just blinked at me, looking a little shell-shocked. I knew our house could be pretty intimidating. Maybe I should have warned her.