"Clinton is just a boy."
"Clinton's feelings for you don't have anything to do with youth. I promise you, what he wants from you doesn't have anything to do with friendship, either. He does a man's job every day. He's a man, and you're a temptation he can do without."
"What about you?" The reply slipped from her mouth without thinking.
His arms tightened around her. "What about me?" His voice was deep.
"I think m-maybe I should leave your ranch. Maybe you have s-such feelings, n-not your men."
"I'm a grown man. I can control myself. And I told you. You're not going anywhere until you can speak English." His words ended in a growl.
"My English, it is g-good."
"Your English sucks. You're not going anywhere yet."
The harsh opinion bit into her, but was almost immediately negated in her brain.
She knew her English was improving every day. He had been right, no one at home had ever demanded she use it. And she had been too shy to try. All it had taken was a push, and she was fast becoming bilingual.
It was obvious to her that he wanted her here, and not only for the cooking and cleaning, even if he didn't realize it yet. She sank back slightly into the arms that held her. Her eyes closed as she let the sensations wash over her. His scent enveloped her senses. He smelled like leather and horses, and a slight scent of fresh, masculine sweat that proved he had been working all day. It went to her head, and she trembled in his arms, her mind remembering the kiss from the day before, and the intimacy that went with it.
She really wanted to repeat the experience.
Travis felt it the moment she relaxed in his arms. He moved one hand down, and splayed it across her belly. He felt the pulse at her neck accelerate. He moved the hair away from her neck and bit softly into her flesh. She shook in his arms. He sucked softly at her neck and his hand made soothing, sweeping motions from her lower stomach, back up to the smooth flesh just below her breasts.
His erection jutted into her and he tightened his hold.
His hands became firmer, his mouth harder on her neck, and she began to unconsciously undulate against him. He began making wider sweeps and soon had a breast captured in one hand, massaging her feminine mound with the other.
His mouth continued to suck on the silky skin of her neck.
Selena leaned back against him as her mind splintered with a pleasure so intense she was shocked by it. The sound of her own voice moaning brought her back to reality and she realized she was allowing liberties that she shouldn't.
She pulled out of his grasp and went to the counter for support. She took ragged breaths.
" Goddammit. Come back here." Travis stalked forward.
She moved away from him. "N-no. Stop."
"You want me to kiss you. You know you do. Don't deny it, Selena."
"K-kisses, y-yes. That was--wasn't kissing." She tried to control her breathing.
"That's part of it, baby." Red marks of arousal slashed his cheekbones, and the pale line of the scar down the side of his face stood out in stark contrast.
"N-no. That's not part of k-kissing. That's p-part of m-marriage." Her eyes clung to his, her upset obvious.
Shock hit his system at her antiquated reasoning. "I'm not asking you to marry me."
"I know th-that," she softly answered him.
He stood staring at her, the impasse between them glaringly obvious.
Aggravation was screaming through his veins. "Fuck it."
He turned and walked from the room.
Chapter Five